The 2024 Gentlemen's Cup

COACHELLA CONQUEST
Palm Springs, CA
September 26 - 28

Lords (9) def. Nobles (3)

The 2024 edition of the G-Cup was nothing short of epic, bringing back the thrills, rivalries, and unforgettable moments that have come to define this annual tradition. With the stakes higher than ever, the course became the ultimate battleground for the Lords and the Nobles, each team pushing the other to the limit. From wild drives and miraculous putts to dramatic comebacks and sheer grit, this year’s event had it all. Whether it was the intensity of the matches, the strategic plays, or the epic showdowns on the final holes, every round delivered something special.

As the teams made their way through each day, the matches unfolded with a perfect blend of competition and camaraderie. The passion for victory was palpable, but so was the appreciation for the incredible shots that seemed to defy expectations. From last-minute heroics to the classic back-and-forths that kept everyone guessing, each match carried its own memorable twist. Some players found themselves rising to the occasion, while others had their hearts broken by missed opportunities or untimely mistakes.

The true story, however, wasn’t just about who won, but about how the tournament evolved. By the time Day 3 rolled around, players were spent but determined, with every shot potentially tipping the balance. Would the underdogs rise, or would the favorites hold their ground? The energy was electric, and the results were anything but predictable.

Sep 26, 2024 - Two-Man Scramble

Classic Club
(1 point per match)

Score at the end of Day 1: Lords 3 - Nobles 0

Day 1 of the G-Cup delivered the drama, laughter, and heroics we’ve come to expect, with the Lords claiming a clean 3-0 sweep. While the final tally looks dominant, every match was a battle, featuring huge swings in momentum, clutch shots, and a healthy dose of personality.

Match 1: Connor Fee & Colin Davy vs. Chris Derr & Alex Locke

Derr and Locke were incredible off the tee and from the fairway, generating three eagle looks all day, but their putters consistently let them down - they didn't convert a single one. Fueled by steady play, Connor and Colin won five straight holes to go 5 up by the 10th tee. The Nobles found their groove late, though, roaring back with five birdies and incredible vibes. Derr’s 30-foot bomb on 17 extended the match to the final hole, but the Lords’ early lead (and the final stroke on the 18th) proved insurmountable, sealing a 1-up victory in dramatic fashion.

Match 2: Paul Fung & Richard Hewitt vs. Jon Cifuentes & Santi Diaz-Arauzu

Paul’s opening drive into the water didn’t inspire much confidence, but Richard’s dependable 3-wood got the Lords on track. Paul redeemed himself with a birdie on 2, followed by a long Richard birdie on 3, sparking a dominant early run. Up six holes at one point, the Lords weathered a fierce back-nine charge from Jon and Santi, who carded three birdies late. The Lords’ lead held firm, however, with a consistent team effort clinching a 3 & 2 victory.

Match 3: Andrew Moyer & Alex Levy vs. Mark Fung & Dan Wright

This match was an absolute rollercoaster. Dan and Mark stormed to a 3-up lead after six holes, but the tide turned after a visit from the cart girl and some timely refreshments for Moyer and Levy. With rap music blaring from Dan’s speaker, the Lords mounted a spirited comeback, bringing the match back to even through 15. Heading into 18 with a 1-up lead and a stroke in hand, disaster loomed as Levy’s drive found water and Moyer’s duck hook looked dire. But from 230 yards, Moyer hit the shot of the day to 5 feet, setting up Levy to drain the eagle putt and clinch a 2-up victory.

Day 1 ended with the Lords up 3-0, but with the Nobles showing flashes of brilliance, the G-Cup was far from decided.

Sep 15, 2022 - 6 holes Two-Man Scramble, 6 holes Chapmann, 6 holes Best Ball

PGA WEST Nicklaus Tournament Course
(1 point per match)

Score at the end of Day 2: Lords 6 - Nobles 0

The morning started with promise at the Nobles looked to bounce back from their day 1 losses. Fits were sharp and irons were dialed but it turned out no matter how good you look on the range you have to face that 115 degree heat and Pauls' putter...

Match 1: Connor Fee & Richard Hewitt vs. Chris Derr & Santi Diaz-Arauzu

The match started tight, with Santi bombing drives and Derr rolling in putts. But Richard’s 3-wood was dialed, and Connor found a smoother driver swing that kept them in play. The Lords “ham and egged” brilliantly, with multiple long putts nestled close to the hole and some miraculous saves inside six feet. Connor’s drive even clipped a house, but the Lords stayed steady. The Nobles had four birdies, but it wasn’t enough as the Lords closed things out on 16.

Match 2: Paul Fung & Alex Levy vs. Jon Cifuentes & Dan Wright

Paul’s hot putter and Levy’s precision short irons were too much for the Nobles in a lopsided match. Paul drained a birdie putt from off the green on 2, setting the tone early. Despite Levy’s struggles off the tee, Paul’s fairways-first strategy allowed them to take control. Jon’s day-one heroics weren’t enough to overcome wayward drives, and Dan’s solid play couldn’t keep up with the Lords’ birdie barrage. The match ended decisively on 12, leaving no doubt about the Lords’ dominance.

Match 3: Colin Davy & Andrew Moyer vs. Alex Locke & Mark Fung

Moyer’s driver was a precision weapon, setting up Colin for comfortable approaches all day. However the match was tied as they teed off on the 10th tee box, halfway through the Chapman holes. Much like the rest of the Lords, Moyer and Colin capitalized on Chapman, winning three in a row and setting up a lead they would not relinquish. Adding natural birdies on the first two holes of Best Ball, Colin cemented player of the match status and sent the Nobles back to their team house wondering which was worse - the heat or the shellacking.

Winning two straight days of competition, many of the Lords retired to the Airbnb for some much needed rest and relaxation. The Nobles could feel change coming though and they wanted to dial in their games to make a run at the final day. Even with temperatures topping 117 degrees, many headed out for a practice 18.

Sep 28, 2024 - Singles

PGA WEST Greg Norman Course
(1 point per match)

Score at the end of Day 3: Nobles 9 - Lords 3

Match 1: Alex Levy vs. Chris DerrA

David vs. Goliath match right out of the gates. With Levy receiving 21 strokes, it was clear that this was going to be an uphill battle against the skilled and steady Derr. Levy had a great week with his approach shots, but his struggles off the tee came to a head on singles day, as he lost several balls early in the match. Derr, on the other hand, continued to drive the ball straight down the fairway, putting pressure on Levy to scramble and keep pace. While Levy showed resilience, winning a few holes, he was never able to fully recover, as Derr’s consistency and steady play led him to a dominant 5&4 victory. Levy’s struggles with his tee game ultimately proved too much to overcome, but Derr’s performance was clinical and powerful.

Match 2: Connor Fee vs. Jon Cifuentes

Jon Cifuentes came out like a house on fire, grabbing an early 3-hole lead, and it looked like Connor was in for a tough day. Connor’s game was all over the place early on, as he battled with some errant shots and couldn’t find any rhythm. Jon, showing off his sharp game, started to remind everyone of his ability to get up and down, despite dealing with a back that was acting up. Jon even managed to keep a bit of his usual magic going, pulling off his classic “two-shanks-per-nine” routine. However, Connor started to gain ground after realizing what was causing his left pulls, making some key adjustments to get his game back on track. With a few pars and steady play, Connor came back to take control of the match. Jon’s stroke holes on the back nine weren’t enough to save him, and Connor finished strong with a 5&3 win, closing the match before Jon could recover.

Match 3: Richard Hewitt vs. Santi Diaz-Arauzu

In a surprising turn, Richard found himself battling an undiagnosed case of COVID, which clearly affected his energy and focus throughout the match. Santi, on the other hand, found himself playing the best golf of the week. Freed from the stress of partner play, he let his driver fly, and it was a thing of beauty. His ball-striking was immaculate, and he found great rhythm off the tee, blasting the ball down the fairway with ease. Richard, despite his efforts, simply couldn’t keep up with the power of Santi’s game. Santi was on fire, hitting fairways, finding greens, and draining putts with confidence. By the time the match hit the back nine, Santi had already closed the door, finishing Richard off 6&5 in a clinical display of individual brilliance.

Match 4: Andrew Moyer vs. Dan Wright
The stakes couldn’t have been higher—$400 riding on this match, with Moyer looking to avenge a pre-cup loss to Dan. Moyer’s driving had been rock-solid all week, but on this day, his accuracy faltered, and he found himself hitting balls into trouble on nearly every hole. Dan, with his steady, consistent game, took advantage of Moyer’s errant shots. Dan doesn’t hit it far, but he hits it straight, and that was enough to put Moyer on the back foot. The key moment came on 17 when Moyer hit his approach into the water, giving Dan the opening he needed. Dan didn’t let up, using his rock-solid short game to seal the deal and win 2 & 1. As an added bonus, Dan invested in the Stack System, making it clear he was going to build on this success for future years. And in true Dan fashion, he refused Moyer’s offer to Venmo him, demanding only cold hard cash for the win. Moyer, while disappointed, couldn’t help but admire Dan’s consistency, though he did make a mental note to “kick the sh&*#” of whoever was teaching him.

Match 5: Paul Fung vs. Mark Fung

This was the kind of match that could only happen in match play. Paul came out on fire, putting together one of the best starts of his golf career, hitting 3 birdies in the first 4 holes. Mark, struggling early on, couldn’t find the fairway and found himself 4 on the 8th tee box. But Mark, a competitor to the core, wasn’t about to go down to his little brother without a fight. Standing on the 15th tee box dormie, Mark found an inner peace and won the next two.

By the time they hit 17, it was anyone’s match. Paul, with a 12-foot putt for birdie, missed it, and Mark followed with an even more clutch shot—hitting it within a foot of Paul’s ball! The pressure was on, and Paul’s 3-putt for bogey gave Mark a chance to level things out on 18. On the final hole, both players missed the green with their approaches, setting up a tense putting contest. Paul nailed a 3-footer for bogey, while Mark missed his 3-footer, giving Paul the win by 1 up. With 4 birdies on the day, Paul shot a solid 78, but Mark’s resilience kept the match neck-and-neck until the very end. It was an epic family showdown, one that will be talked about for years.

Match 6: Colin Davy vs. Alex Locke

By Day 3, the relentless heat had taken its toll on Locke, who had been managing the desert conditions well early on. However, as the round wore on, it became clear that Locke was struggling to keep his energy up. At one point, Locke was so out of it that he couldn’t remember the last two holes! Meanwhile, Colin kept a steady, composed pace, finding fairways and greens with relative ease. Locke, on the other hand, couldn’t get into a rhythm and eventually had to concede the match to Colin, who finished strong with a 5&3 win.