Matt Barry and Colby Yates found themselves in familiar territory Tuesday at Canyon Farms Golf Club.
The duo won The Heart of America Championship in 2014, and aim to repeat in 2016 as teammates.
Over the course of two days, at Staley Farms Golf Club and Canyon Farms GC, the former University of Missouri-Saint Louis golfers fired off rounds of 64 and 68, en route to a two-day 11-under, 132 total.
However, Barry and Yates needed five playoff holes to outlast the teams of Alex Higgs and Park Ulrich, as well as, the senior division champions Mark Addington and Steve Groom.
On the fifth and final playoff hole, Barry sank a well-placed tee shot on No. 5 for eagle, sealing the tournament victory for he and his teammate.
All three teams punched their ticket to August’s Heart of America Championship at Milburn Country Club. The tournament is Aug. 8-10.
The Heart is much different now, than in year’s past.
Over the winter, the Kansas Golf Association and the KCGA teamed up to create a new format where 16 KGA and 16 KCGA teams must qualify for the bracket style tournament.
The KCGA qualifying teams and seeds are as follows:
- Matt Barry/Colby Yates
- Mark Addington/Steve Groom
- Alex Higgs/Park Ulrich
- Gage Ihrig/Conrad Walcher
- Ed Walsworth/Don Kuehn
- Matt Kelley/Andy Kelley
- Mark Worthey/Dave Kirschbaum
- John Platz/Jeff Bell
- Tim Hendrix/Michael Hillyard
- Ward Zerger/Kurt Lorenzen
- Pierce Moling/James Henderson
- Ian Schneider/Chris Beaubien
- Don Walsworth/Tripp Walsworth
- Pete Robbins/Dennis McCormack
- Travis Holt/Patrick Roth
- Kevin Handlan/Bill Hanger
For more information on this year’s Heart of America Championship, click here.
For complete results and scores from the KCGA qualifying tournament, click here.