Team 98 Can’t Find the Keys to Victory

Wednesday, May 7th, 2014

Wilsey, Johnson, Eaton and Bomar faltered during the 2014 Phi Alpha Cup when they couldn’t find “the keys to victory.”

MISSING KEYS AND INTRA-SQUAD FINGER-POINTING CAUSE TEAM 98 TO FALL APART AT 2014 PHI ALPHA CUP

May 7, 2014
Could a lost set of Team 98’s rental car keys an hour before the opening matches of the 10th Anniversary 2014 Phi Alpha Cup create enough intra-squad turmoil to cause a team meltdown? That’s the question golf pundits are asking in the wake of Team 98’s shocking collapse this past weekend at the 2014 PAC.

Team 98 never trailed during the first 98 holes of the 2014 competition, only to watch Team 97 steal their first lead of the weekend on the 99th and final hole – and with it, the 2014 Phi Alpha Cup. Ultimately, Team 98 failed to “close the door” on Team 97, which caused golf commentators this week to ask whether the “lost keys” were more symbolic: Did Team 98 actually lose the keys to victory?

The drama started an hour before opening tee offs Friday morning when Team 98 member Stirling Bomar announced that his rental car keys were missing, and even more concerning, that his golf clubs, golf shoes and golf gear were locked in the car with no way to access them.

All team members were immediately ordered by their Captains to search the entire Players Lodge and their own belongings to determine if someone had accidentally picked up the set of missing keys. The extensive and exhaustive search turned up 3 beer caps, a ballmarker, two french fries and a deflated balloon – but no set of missing keys. And while Bomar was finally able to access his golf equipment using OnStar technology, the controversy surrounding the lost keys was just beginning.

Fast-forward to later Friday evening when all players attended the Champions Dinner honoring 2013 PAC Champions Team 97, as well as the Champions Reception that followed. As usual, Team 98 team members were the first to arrive back at the Players Lodge after the reception to prepare for bed. While preparing a bedtime Hot Pocket, Team 98 Rookie Brian Wilsey noticed that the set of “lost” keys was sitting in plain view on the kitchen counter.

Six PAC players were able to independently confirm that the keys were NOT on the kitchen counter prior to players departing for the Champions Dinner, strongly suggesting that the keys were placed on the counter by someone after returning from the evening’s festivities for someone else to discover. Since those who returned first to the Players Lodge after the Dinner/Reception were primarily Team 98 members, this controversy quickly became an isolated issue within Team 98. Finger-pointing quickly ensued – and apparently spilled onto the course.

Potential Suspect Analysis:

Todd Balsley and Steve Burr (Team 97): Balsley and Burr did not return to the Players Lodge until after the incident had occurred. Cleared as suspects.

Andy Sands and Andrew Parker (Team 97): Sands and Parker arrived at the Players Lodge only seconds before Wilsey discovered the missing keys. Sands is rumored to have witnessed the actual discovery and gave a statement saying that Wilsey’s reaction of surprise that the keys were placed in plain sight appeared genuine. Cleared as suspects.

Brian Wilsey (Team 98): Wilsey found the missing keys, so naturally, his name has been floated as the potential perp. However, Wilsey has a history of citizen policing, reporting numerous crimes such as hit-and-runs and damage to personal property during college and seems to have either a skill or knack for being at the “right place at the right time.” While the investigation has not focused on Wilsey, teammates, perhaps in an effort to deflect guilt, continue to float his name. Person of interest.

Dave Johnson (Team 98): Johnson was an early arrival back to the Players Lodge and would have had plenty of time to plant the missing keys in the kitchen. However, it is doubtful that he would have mistakenly picked up the keys in the first place and would have been much more creative with the planting of the keys on the back end. Person of interest.

Stirling Bomar (Team 98): The keys in question belonged to Bomar, so it is reasonable to believe that he was the one who misplaced them, felt guilty about causing the chaos that followed, and then placed them in the kitchen for someone else to discover. It also appears that Bomar was served one too many Kim Crawford Chardonnays at the Players Reception, and as a result, Bomar could have lost the keys, found the keys and misplaced them once again in the kitchen without any recollection of doing so. Official Suspect.

Jeff Eaton (Team 98): Eaton was also driving a rental car and could have potentially picked up the wrong set by mistake. Eaton also switched out his team hoodie with teammate Wilsey, without Wilsey’s knowledge, after damaging his own. This may be the type of criminal mind of someone capable of planting a set of keys in a stealth manner. Official Suspect.

While investigation intensity, accusations and finger-pointing increased over the weekend, Team 98’s trust issues seemed to bubble to the surface, and their level of play gradually suffered – culminating in the team’s collapse during the last few holes of competition. While it is impossible to say for sure whether the lost keys were directly responsible for the team’s loss, it certainly did not help. And unless this mystery is solved sometime soon, Team 98’s chances of capturing a title in 2015 seem “lost.”

Anyone with any information related to this offense is encouraged to contact the Phi Alpha Cup Executive Committee and may do so anonymously.