Sep 19, 2005 By Josh Krysak 3 min read

FARMINGTON – Gaggles of fans poured over the hillocks and sways at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa throughout the weekend watching the highly competitive tournament play at the third edition of the 84 Lumber Classic. While many spectators latched on to big name performers like Phil Mickelson, John Daly, Vijay Singh and Fred Couples during the four rounds, some golf fans instead found a spot they liked and stuck with it throughout.

On the par-4 second, a half dozen chairs lined the dogleg right, about 300 yards from the tee-box.

Mike and Kim Dougan of Morgantown, W.Va. camped along the fairway, binoculars in hand, ready to watch the world’s best challenge the difficult hole.

‘We did the same spot last year,” Kim said early Sunday morning, as Rocco Mediate smacked his drive into the heavy rough along the right side of the fairway. “This is our spot. It is not too crowded and we get to see everyone come through. Then we move over along the water and watch them come in on the 16th and then play the 17th hole. We don’t go to 18.”

Kim said her husband studied a map of the course before they came to last year’s action and decided the position along the second hole was the best spot to see the most action.

But Kim’s father, Stan Wassick, also of Morgantown, disagreed.

“He chose this spot because it is close to the beer hole,” he said with a wry smile.

Kim said she and Mike walked the course Thursday and scanned for other posts that might suffice their golfing needs, but ended up back at the same spot as last year.

Farther down the ropes Dan Stroup and Eric Wise, both of Bedford took in the action in Sunday’s closing round.

“We chose this spot because we made it this far,” Stroup said laughing.

Both men described themselves as golf fans, but added just getting out and having a few beers was what made the event special.

Thousands of fans followed Mickelson, Singh and leader Jason Gore on the final day of tournament play, but some holes proved more popular than others, with thousands of spectators gathered around the par-3 17th, dubbed by officials as the “party hole.”

All along the course, the thick rough was matted down just outside the ropes by Sunday, after thousands strolled the grounds over the weekend.

Still other golf fans, the purists of the spectators, found little nooks and niches along the massive course to sit and watch the world’s best battle the undulating greens at Mystic Rock.

With the giant leader board on 18 still showing Saturday’s scores, and more than two hours before the first pairings of the final round of the 84 Lumber Classic, several spectators had already laid claim to spots along the 18th green.

More than a dozen folding chairs speckled the grass beyond the swales that mark the closing hole of Mystic Rock, as area golf enthusiasts prepared for the final round Sunday.

Just behind the green in the 18th bleachers, Alec Toia of Belle Vernon and Tilly Stimmel of Bethel Park, sat in the stands, shading their eyes from the morning sun and waited.

“We thought we would get here and get settled,” Stimmel said.

Toia and Stimmel, who both said they follow golf regularly, said in the past they may have walked the grounds to some degree, but age has hampered their tournament routine.

“We are getting older so we just want to get our seats,” Stimmel said.

An estimated 200,000 spectators attended the Classic and related events.