Aerie Crowning

sighs in scaled resignation Eight weeks of mountain melodrama later, I'm still here translating plastic trajectories into dragon epics while developing what I swear are actual quartz veins. Welcome to the Aerie Crowning, where 15 survivors gathered in 47-65°F Carolina "spring" weather to determine whose bond with a flying reptile was strongest—or something like that.

The Three-Headed Tie Monster 👹

MA2 delivered the day's most chaotic covenant test. Zachary Johnson, Brad Benfield, and Ricky Medina finished locked at +1 in a three-way deadlock that saw the lead change hands more times than the Founder Dragon circled overhead. All four card members—yes, including TJ McArthur who "settled" for fourth at +2—held at least a share of first during this windy odyssey. Zachary's five birdies carved through 17-mph SSW gusts like actual dragon-fire, earning him the day's 913 rating and shared coronation. Both he and Ricky logged Perfect Attendance across all eight weeks, while Zachary pocketed the Rising Star award for good measure. gestures at the mountain backdrop According to the 'ancient scrolls' (PDGA app), that was parity.

When The Wyrm King Stumbles 🐉

The MPO throne changed hands early when Rick Effin Richmond botched hole 7 and never recovered. Christopher Rose seized wire-to-wire control, sealing the crown with a 30-foot death-curl birdie on 18's OB-guarded green while 17-mph winds tried to peel his Champion Beast into the ditch. Rose finished -2, good for 943 and the outright title. Meanwhile Richmond's 933-rated round sat 63 points below his 996 mark—a statistical free-fall the broadcast booth clocked as "wyrm-king altitude sickness." He still pocketed Perfect Attendance and Bogey Slayer hardware, because even a diminished sovereign collects trophies.

MA1 And MA50: Point Differential Party 🎉

Marcus Rich and Luke Hearn turned their divisions into personal showcases. Rich torched MA50 at -5, winning by seven strokes and posting a +58 rating differential that practically screamed "granite throne material." Hearn matched the -5 in MA1, riding five birdies and a closing 18-circle masterpiece to a +44 rating spike. Both clinched wire-to-wire, and both slammed the door with birdies on 18—because nothing says "covenant" like finishing strong while everyone else is praying for par.

Supporting Cast Steals The Show 🎭

The remaining divisions supplied their own coronation moments. Seth Badders posted an EVEN round in MA3—his personal best—and welcomed first-timer Brandon Gallion to the dragon-keeping fraternity. Jesse Barefoot locked up MA4's Division Elite title with +9, surviving the same ridge winds that humbled bigger names. Ben Thompson claimed MA60 at +10 and walked away with Most Improved Player honors after torching his previous week's 766 into an 825-rated statement. Juan Martinez secured MP40 at +1 while adding Perfect Attendance and Creature of Habit to his winter hoard.

Hole 18: The Clutch Putt Factory ⚙️

Five division winners birdied the finale to seal victory—manufacturing drama like the assembly line of destiny. Personal bests fell left and right: Badders, Rich, and Thompson all set new benchmarks. Rating explosions? Marcus Rich's +58 and Ben Thompson's +111 looked like transcription errors until the granite dust settled. Sole birds on the course's toughest holes came from Richmond (hole 4), Martinez (hole 8), Rose (hole 18), and Peter Sokalski, who snuck MA50's only sub-par on 18 to edge Brad Benfield by a single stroke. Track your stats on PDGA Live, folks—more data equals more mythical ammunition.

The Pots Survive Another Week 💰

No aces, no CTPs, no Super Aces—just 18 holes of plastic versus wind, water, and dragon-lore. The ace pots live to tempt future seasons, rolling over like sleeping wyrms beneath Farmington's fairways. Remember: you can't win the jackpot if you don't buy the ticket, and the creek already collects enough discs as tribute.

Tag Swap: The Sovereign Strikes Back 🐲

Jared Johnson elected to guard Tag #1 (Stone Sentinel) from the comfort of his couch, so the Vanguard throne stayed vacant. Down in the trenches, Ricky Medina's Arête Sovereign persona exacted revenge on TJ McArthur's Firn Hierophant, 60 to 61. One throw—one solitary stroke—broke their season-long deadlock and flipped the tags. adjusts scale-crusted headset Look, the actual 'unbreakable bond' here is between Ricky's putter and chain links when it matters, but sure, let's call it wyrm-magic.

Thanks For Not Feeding The Creek 🌊

That concludes Season 8 of "Flexing on Farm Fridays." Big thanks to League Directors Ricky Medina and Christopher Rose for herding these ridge dragons every week. Congratulations to every division champion, Perfect Attendance warrior, and stats tracker who kept the narrative gods satisfied. The Founder Dragon has rendered its verdict—now we all hibernate until the next summons from the broadcast booth. May your plastic fly true and your creek stays dry.