The tournament kicked off at Elk Run Golf Course in June as Mick Tovey birdied two of the first four holes and withstood a furious late charge by Mike Fitzsimmons to win the match 1 up. Bert Dewell defeated John Solis, 3&1.

The North Region playoff entry was secured as Mick and brother Mark Tovey squared off at Auburn Golf Course. This was a see-saw battle in which the lead changed hands four times. The match went to the 18^th hole, where Mick prevailed with a bogey five after Mark caught a horrible lie in a bunker behind the steeply sloping green.

In the West Region, Eric Blomberg vanquished defending champion Steve Stoyles, and was undefeated in round robin play to secure a semifinal spot.

In the South, Shawn Tovey was also undefeated in the round robin, after a narrow escape in a hard fought match against Ed Stone. This match turned at the 15^th hole at McCormick Woods Golf CourseLinks, a 90 degree dogleg right. Trailing 1 down, with Ed safely in the fairway, Shawn hooked his tee shot out-of-bounds, and looked to be out of the hole. However, his next shot cut the corner of the dogleg. He got up and down from there, leading to an incredible bogey five. When Ed’s second shot also found the woods, the match was even.

The closest battle was the in the East Region as Chris Tovey and Bert wound up tied after 18 holes in the deciding match at Lipoma Firs Golf Course. After the first extra hole was halved, Bert won the match with a clutch par-saving chip at the par 3 eighth hole. This match marked the first tie in TBI Match Play history.

The semi-finals took place at Sumner Meadows Golf Links with Mick taking on Shawn and Bert tangling with Eric. The course’s many ponds took a severe toll on the players. Bert played a steady game, avoiding big numbers, and closed out his match with Eric at the 15^th. By the 17^th hole, Mick had squandered a 5-up lead and clung to a slim 1-up advantage. Both players flirted with greenside water hazards, however Mick’s ball stayed dry. The match was clinched as Shawn’s ball entered the hazard.

The decisive match took place on an overcast September afternoon at Riverbend Golf Course in Kent as Mick and Bert met to decide the 1998 Match Play Championship. After six back and forth holes, they stood on the seventh tee all square. Here each players’ game heated up as Bert went 4-4-4 over the next three holes. However, he still lost ground as Mick went 4-3-3, birdieing the par-4 ninth.

Trailing 2-down at the 12^th, Bert placed a 1-iron perfectly in the middle of the fairway. Fearful of the water guarding the left side, Mick pushed his drive into the right fairway bunker, and the match looked to be tightening up. Bert’s approach found the front edge of the large, uphill green, while Mick hacked his into the rough to the right of the green. Bert’s lag putt came up short, while Mick chipped it close for a tap-in par. When Bert missed his par putt, the margin was three.

The next three holes were evenly played, so the players approached the tee of the 170 yard, par 3 16^th with Mick 3-up. When both players scrambled for pars, Mick had outlasted Bert to capture the 2^nd Annual Tovey Brothers Match Play Championship.