The wait is over
PENN TWP — John Capers was extremely excited after winning the Ox Roast Golf Tournament at Butler Country Club.
According to Ron West, his partner in the tournament, maybe a little too excited.
“It was exciting, and in fact, I had to calm my partner down,” West said. “He was real excited.”
The duo have played in the Ox Roast as partners for 27 years and won for the first time June 14. Three times before, they had won their flight, but never made it through the playoffs.
“I was tickled to death,” said Capers, a 74-year-old Penn Township resident. “I was shaking like a leaf.”
West, a Butler Township resident, 68, and Capers have only missed the Ox Roast once 1986.
West had to attend a niece’s wedding in California, but they’ve made it every other year.
They have been friends for a long time and decided to partner up.
“Ron and I have been friends for 50 years. Ron’s dad and my dad were realtors and they were friends,” Capers said. “Our wives are even friends. It’s a great relationship.”
Nothing was easy for Capers and West after they won the Torrey Pines flight in the match-play event.
There were eight flights that were divided into six-team groups. Each team in the flight played a 9-hole match against the other team in the flight. The winners from each flight moved to the flight playoff.
In the first playoff, which was a two-hole playoff, both teams tied and they had to play another hole.
After winning that, West and Capers, who has an 18-handicap, finished tied with three other teams in a one-hole playoff where both balls counted.
“It was a long, grinding day. We started at 8:30 in the morning and didn’t finish until 8 or 8:15 at night,” West said. “The tournament is a two-day grind. On top of that, we had a playoff plus a playoff in a playoff. Then we had the final playoff.”
Capers credits West for helping them win the tournament.
“It’s easier for him. It’s work for me,” Capers said. “It was a struggle, but a wonderful pleasure.”
West, a 12-handicap enjoys the tourney structure.
“It’s very competitive. It’s a two-man team playing numerous other two-man teams,” West said. “ It was one of those things you have to keep grinding, hope for the best.”
