Dale Drader pulled off the biggest win of his golfing career and was crowned the Champion of the Sixth Annual TQ Masters held at Eastern Star Country Club on Friday, October 22, 1999.

Ready to take on the course.

Dale made it around the beautiful Robert Trent Jones, Jr. designed Eastern Star with 43 Stableford points and presented his claim ticket for the TQ Masters Green Jacket. Tournament Chairman Woody Underwood bestowed the jacket at the post-competition awards ceremony in the Tahitian Queen on Beach Road, Pattaya, and while the fit may not have been perfect; the jacket suited Dale to a �T�.

Flushed with excitement and surrounded by his buddies, who were still thumping him on the back, Dale was quick to share credit for his victory with the other members of his foursome. �It was a fantastic tournament and we were having such a great time,� declared the congenial Canadian. �And today was just one of those days when the luck was with me.�

Your scribe, Jimmy Little gets off the beach.

Luck always plays a part in winning a golf tournament, but in a field of 128, only two golfers had Stableford scores in the forties. And Dale had a Near Pin trophy to put up beside his championship trophy.

Among those congratulating Dale was fellow Canadian Eddie Henheffer who won the first TQ Masters back in 1994 and was looking resplendent waltzing around the TQ in his Masters Champion jacket. Dale will now have his name engraved on the Perpetual Trophy and will join Eddie, Serge Straeten, Leroy Blasi, Kevin Bukowski and Steve Mascari as former TQ Masters Champions.

�The Dream Team� (L to R) Kurt Farnham, Jack Levy, Ernie Bakke and Kim Fletcher.

Steve Mascari, the 1998 Champion, shot an 81 this year and lost the trophy for Low Gross in a count back to Andy Munroe. Andy in turn lost the Division One Winner�s Trophy in a count back to Svein Vistung. Andy and Svein had 37 points. Taking third place in the first division was Magnus Johansson who was one Stableford point behind with 36 points.

As close as the race was in Division One, the battle in Division Two was even closer. Philippe Berra, John Gibson, and Peter Engwall all finished the day with 38 points. The count back for the division winner went all the way to the last hole, with Philippe beating out John three points to one.

If there was anyone in the TQ on Friday night that was more delighted than Dave Nance, then they were keeping it to themselves. Dave was one happy fella. He won the third division Winners Trophy with 42 Stableford points and there was no apparent disappointment in just missing out on the Green Jacket. Dave was also surrounded by his buddies who seemed as happy for him as they would have been had they won themselves. That is what makes golf tournaments in Pattaya, and the TQ Masters in particular, so special. The food and drink were good, but the vibes were outstanding.

One hundred and twenty eight golfers had participated in a well-organized event that was the result of great teamwork. Pattaya Sports Club Golf and Woody�s folks at TQ had paired up to do a tremendous job. But this event had an extra player that was a welcome addition to the team. Eastern Star went all out to host a professionally run tournament with a superbly presented course, even to the extent of checking and re-painting the lateral hazard stakes at seven o�clock on the morning of the competition. That kind of cooperation is refreshing and gratefully acknowledged. Kuhn Chotiratna, Easter Star�s General Manager, and her staff are to be congratulated for a job well done.

To the victor go the spoils. 1999 TQ Masters Champion Dale Drader dons the green jacket and receives his trophy from tournament host Lewis �Woody� Underwood.

Dale slips on the green jacket... feels gooood!