By Mark Meyer
Brothers Craig and Nate Davis had just won their quarterfinal match in the Greater Lansing Amateur Golf Association’s annual two-man, 32-team event at Hawk Hollow on July 11, and already were looking forward to the next day’s semifinal rematch at Eagle Eye against defending champions Andrew Tindall and Justin Welton.
A year ago, with dusk fast approaching, Tindall and Welton defeated the Davises on the 23rd hole of their championship match at Eagle Eye.
“A great match, back and forth the whole way,” Craig Davis recently said. “We were excited about having a chance to play them again.”
Early Saturday evening the Davis brothers left the course, got something to eat and then headed for their respective homes.
Craig was awakened at 4 a.m. Sunday by a brief, but eye-opening text from Nate: “Hey, buddy, you’re on your own today. My wife went into labor.”
Not exactly the way Craig had planned to start his Sunday morning, but the show had to go on, and this was an event that had produced memorable moments for him over the past three summers. In 2018, Craig and Nate were runners-up to brothers Nate and Nick Gunthorpe of Ovid; and in last year’s semifinals, Craig aced the par-3, 17th island hole at Eagle Eye to highlight a come-from-behind victory.
His semifinal solo mission on July 12 went well for about 12 holes until a wayward drive caught the water on No. 13, opening the door for Tindall and Welton to secure a 3 and 2 victory.
“I had only conceded one hole and had nearly evened the match at 12, but then things got away from me,” Craig said.
Meanwhile, back at the hospital, young William Davis entered the world happy and healthy – 10 days earlier than expected.
“Nate had been staying close to home (during the last few weeks of his wife’s pregnancy) and the doctors had said things were right on schedule,” Craig said. “I guess his son had other plans.”
