Category: Headlines

Black, Fonseca and Cedo Advance to the U.S. Girls’ Junior

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The U.S. Girl’s Junior Sectional Qualifier took place at Swope Memorial Golf Course in Kansas City, Missouri, Monday morning.

There were 30 junior girls that showed up to fight for the three qualifying spots available to compete in the U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur at the Tulsa Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma on July 20-25.

Swope Memorial Golf Course is located in the middle of Swope Park, filled with multi-leveled greens and has been known to host many amateur events. The girls played a difficult 5,700-yard, par 72 course facing difficult weather conditions, including heat and wind.

Taylor Black led the field firing a 71 (-1), the only below par, 18-hole, score of the day. Black had two birdies on the day. Ariadna Fonseca finished second, posting the only even par, 18-hole score of the day 72 (E).

The third qualifying spot came down to a playoff hole between Annika Cedo and Yang Liu who both posted a 73 (+1). Cedo went on to defeat Liu on the first playoff hole by one-stroke and became the third and final qualifier. Liu was named the first alternate.

To determine the second alternate, there was a playoff between Brooke Matthews and Ashley Mayhall. Matthews and Mayhall both inked a 74 (+2) in the original 18 holes. In the playoffs, Matthews edged Mayhall by one-stroke to be named the second-alternate.

The KC Junior Tour Began the Season at Paradise Pointe

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SMITHVILLE, Mo. – The KC Junior Tour kicked off the 2015 season at Paradise Pointe Golf Complex in Smithville, Missouri on Thursday.

It was a great day at Paradise Pointe Golf Complex as the five divisions consisting of 57 total juniors showed up and battled it out on the course. The five divisions were boys 16 and up, boys 13 to 15, girls 16 and up, girls 13 to 15 and the junior prep division.

James O’Connor led the 20-golfer field in the boys 16 and up division as he posted a 73 (+1), including four birdies on the day. The runner-up in the boys 16 and up division was Eric Larson and Matt Madill who both inked a 77 (+5). Larson started the day strong with his only birdie on the first hole.

Owen Hill dominated the 22- golfer field in the boys 13 to 15 division as he fired a 68 (-4) on the day. Hill shot three birdies and his only bogey on the front nine, and two birdies on the back. The runners-up were Tony Bonadonna and Cannon Miller who both posted a 75 (+3).

There was a tie for first in the girls 16 and up division as Teagan Noblit and Mia Tovkach both posted an 80 (+8) on the day. Noblit had one birdie and Tovkach had two birdies on the day. The runner-up was Haley Bell who fell just short of a three way tie for first by one stroke as she fired an 81 (+9).

Julia Misemer won the girls 13 to 15 division as she inked a 77 (+5) on the day, including two birdies and one eagle. The runner-up was Faith Hedges who posted 117 on the day.

There was another two-way tie for first in the prep division as Drake Krumme and Will Hedges both shot a 44 (+8) on nine holes. Krumme had one birdie on the day.

Results can be found here

The next Junior Tour event will be held at Blue Springs Country Club on June 23rd.

Kansas City Junior Tour

Shadow Glen Earns the First Junior KC Cup Series Victory

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OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The Nicklaus Club at Lionsgate hosted the first round of the Junior Kansas City Cup this Tuesday, June 16. Thirteen clubs from around the Kansas City area competed in the first round of the Junior KC Cup series.

Shadow Glen’s team edged Brookridge by only two strokes, shooting a total 214, making them the first victor for the start of the series.

Miles Tarvin started off the day shooting a 47 on the back nine of the course, which was the second lowest nine-hole score for the 11 and under age division. Will Hedges, from Lawrence, Kansas finished his round shooting a 41, the lowest nine-hole score for his division.

The 13 and under age division was stocked with great competitors including Michael Winslow representing Shadow Glen Golf Club. Winslow helped lead the team to victory shooting a 79, one of two lowest scores for the tournament.

Zach Molzer contributed to the team win, shooting 88. Cole Elling, representing the National Golf Club of Kansas City, had the best score for the 15 and under age division, shooting 81.

The next Junior KC Cup will be held at Hallbrook Country Club on July 16th.

Full Results Here

 

Hanna Makes Watson Challenge History

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Mission Hills Country Club not only hosted the 2015 Watson Challenge, but hosted history, as well.

Chase Hanna used every shot in his bag Sunday to fend off Tom Watson and cling to his share of the lead. The victory marked the first time ever in the event’s history where an amateur golfer claimed the championship.

“You know, I was confident all day,” Hanna said. “I was swinging it really well. I struggled with my ball striking on the first day. Today, I really struck everything well.”

Hanna, a junior at Kansas, finished the tournament at 4-under, 206.

He entered the day in a three-way tie for first, with Watson and Letzig, before finding trouble at holes No. 3 and 7. After bogeying each hole, Hanna reeled off three straight birdies between holes No. 8 through 10. He would later bogey No. 14, but would respond two holes later on No. 16 with a birdie.

The victory marked a major accomplishment in the eyes of Hanna.

“I would say this is the biggest win,” Hanna said. “Beating Mr. Watson and Michael Letzig, too. Mr. Watson made a cut on the tour this year, so I feel I beat a still, great player. I’m just thrilled with how it ended up.”

However, Hanna was not the only one who voiced the importance of an amateur finally winning the Watson Challenge.

“This tournament is designed to see who is the best player in Kansas City, amateur or pro alike,” Watson said. “This year, the best player here was an amateur.”

Watson claimed his second straight runner-up title with a 3-under, 207 tally for the tournament.

The tournament’s namesake picked up bogeys on holes No. 1, 3 and 15, before carding birdies on No. 8, 14 and 16.

Former PGA Tour member Michael Letzig ended his tournament at 1-under, 209.

For complete results from The Watson Challenge, visit the website.

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Watson Cruises Through Rain, Three Tied for Watson Challenge Lead

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The conditions Saturday at Mission Hills Country Club did little to improve the morale of The Watson Challenge field. Scattered showers and wet course conditions contributed to only five golfers under-par on the day.

Overall, three golfers sit atop the leader board entering championship Sunday. Chase Hanna, Michael Letzig and the tournament namesake, Tom Watson, each sit at 3-under.

Watson, who began the day even, fired off a pair of back-to-back birdies, on No. 2 and 3, and again on No. 8 and 9, in route to a 3-under, 67.

While many players struggled to adjust to the wet conditions, Watson saw little affect on his golf game due to the weather.

“The rain was not much of a factor,” Watson said. “It didn’t really rain that hard. It did slow the greens down just a touch at the end of the day. But, there wasn’t that big of a change from the rain. It wasn’t even that annoying.”

Both Hanna and Letzig finished day two with even rounds.

Hanna dropped birdies on holes No. 4, 9 and 15, but added a bogey on No. 7 and double-bogey on No. 17.

Letzig carded two birdie-bogey scores on holes No.3 and 4, and again on No. 15 and 16.

However, Letzig does not plan on playing Sunday with anxiety, but with excitement.

“I’ve been in the final group with Tiger Woods a couple of times,” Letzig said. “It’s a little different pressure. Tomorrow with Tom is going to be fun.”

Korbin Kuehn represented the closest competitor to the lead group with a 1-over tournament total.

The lead group tees off at 10 a.m. Sunday at Mission Hills Country Club.

Tom Watson stares down a birdie putt on day two of The Watson Challenge
Tom Watson stares down a birdie putt on day two of The Watson Challenge

For full results from day two and pairings for day three of The Watson Challenge, visit the website.

 

 

Letzig and Hanna Lead at Mission Hills

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Mission Hills, KS — On what turned out to be a great day for golf at Mission Hills Country Club, 48 players teed it up in the hopes of adding their name to the list of Watson Challenge champions.

Michael Letzig and Chase Hanna teed off early with and set the bar high for the rest of the field by posting 67’s. Letzig, a former PGA Tour player, got off to a hot start, with birdies on #2, #3, #8 and #9 to get to four under. Hanna, on the other hand, got off to a slow start, with bogeys at #1 and #3. From #4 in, however, Hanna played great golf. He played the last 15 holes at 5-under to get to 67.

Just behind Letzig and Hanna are Zac Gavlak at -2 and Curtis Yonke at -1.

The group at even par includes the events namesake and 5-time Watson Challenge champion Tom Watson. Watson struggled with his ball-striking at times, but holed enough putts to stay in contention.

Complete results and starting times can be found by clicking here…

The Watson Challenge Begins Play Friday

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LENEXA, Kan. – The 9th Watson Challenge will begin play at Mission Hills Country Club on June 12-14. The Watson Challenge offers the strongest field of amateur and professional golfers in the Kansas City area.

The Watson Challenge is an annual 54-hole golf championship held “To Determine the Best Golfer in the Greater Kansas City Golf Community.” The event has a 48-golfer field, consisting of the top PGA Club Professionals from the Midwest Section PGA, and the top amateurs living in the greater Kansas City golf community. Other players receive special invitations, which include Tom Watson, the Kansas City Junior Championship winner, the Club’s Host Golf Professional and reigning Club Champion.

In the eight year history of the Watson Challenge, there have only been four winners, including Blake Graham (2007), Joe Ida (2012), Robert Streb (2014), and Tom Watson (2008,09,10,11,13). The defending champion, Robert Streb, will not compete in the 2015 Watson Challenge, as Streb qualified to play in the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington.

The 2015 Watson Challenge will be held at Mission Hills Country Club in Mission Hills, Kansas. Mission Hills Country Club is a challenging 6,455-yard, par 70 championship course. The club was established in 1912 and originally designed by Tom Bendelow. He wanted to take full advantage of its natural features. In 2007, Keith Foster, a golf architect, renovated the course and opened it to its members. Foster added a full sized driving range and improved the practice facilities at Mission Hills Country Club to give it the Championship venue appeal.

 

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE SCORING OF THE 2015 WATSON CHALLENGE

 

Field set for the 2015 Watson Challenge

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LENEXA, Kan. – The 48-golfer field is set for the 2015 Watson Challenge at Mission Hills Country Club on June 12-14. Annually, Tom Watson gathers the best golfers in the Kansas City area for the three day event to determine who can truly claim the title ‘Best Golfer in the Greater Kansas City Golf Community.’

CLICK HERE for Round 1 Pairings.

CLICK HERE for ticket information.

Here is the field for this year’s Watson Challenge:

Doug Albers is making his ninth consecutive Watson Challenge appearance. Albers finished 25th in 2014. Albers played in the 2013 U.S. Mid-Amateur and the inaugural U.S. Four-Ball Championship.

Matt Barry is competing in his second Watson Challenge appearance. Barry teamed up with Colby Yates as they were crowned the 2014 Heart of America Champions.

Mike Boring is competing in his sixth Watson Challenge appearance. Boring competed in 2009,10,11,12 Watson Challenges. Boring is the PGA Teaching Pro at Shadow Glen. Boring tied for first in the Callaway 36-hole Stroke Play Championship.

Ryan Buerk is competing in his second straight Watson Challenge appearance. Buerk finished tied for 25th in 2014. Buerk qualified for the 2015 Watson Challenge at Prairie Highlands on May 28th.

Ryan Burchett is competing in his first Watson Challenge. Burchett is the PGA Golf Professional at Tiffany Greens Golf Club.

Brian Coe is competing in his first Watson Challenge. Coe is a PGA Professional at Kansas City Country Club.

Clay Devers is competing in his sixth Watson Challenge. Devers finished runner-up at the Watson Challenge in 2010. Devers competed on the PGA Tour in 1991 and 1996 and the Web.com Tour in 1993, 2002 and 2009.

Zac Dittmer is competing in his fourth consecutive Watson Challenge. Dittmer finished tied for sixth in 2014. Dittmer is also a back-to-back champion of the K.C. Amateur.

Alex Downing is making his first Watson Challenge appearance. Downing qualified for the 2014 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship.

Tyler Dunn is making his sixth Watson Challenge appearance. Dunn is the 2014 Midwest Section Player of the Year.

Clay Ederer is making his fourth consecutive Watson Challenge appearance. Ederer tied for 10th in 2013.

Travis Elliott is competing in his first Watson Challenge. Elliot placed third in the 2015 Watson Challenge Qualifier at Prairie Highlands Golf Course on May 28th.

Ryne Fisher is making his first Watson Challenge appearance. Fisher won the 2015 Kansas City Match Play Championship.

Preston Fleenor is making his second straight Watson Challenge appearance. Fleenor tied for ninth in 2014. Fleenor also won the 2012 American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Lockton KC Junior.

Zac Gavlak is making his fifth consecutive Watson Challenge appearance. Gavlak finished tied for second with Tom Watson in 2014.

Michael Greene is making his fifth consecutive Watson Challenge appearance. Greene tied for 13th in 2014. Greene qualified for the 2014 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship and is the KCGA Amateur Player of the Year for 2014.

Steve Groom is competing in his ninth consecutive Watson Challenge. He finished tied for sixth in 2014. Groom also won the 2012 Kansas City Match Play Championship.

Larry Hadden is competing in his fourth Watson Challenge. Hadden finished tied for 26th in 2007. Hadden is a PGA Professional at Shawnee Golf and Country Club

Chase Hanna is competing in his second straight Watson Challenge. Hanna finished tied for ninth in 2014. He also won the 2013 Kansas Amateur Championship.

Chris Happ is competing in his fifth consecutive Watson Challenge. Happ finished tied for 11th in 2011. Happ is an Assistant Golf Professional at Mission Hills Country Club.

Joe Ida is competing in his fourth consecutive Watson Challenge. Ida is one of the four winners of the Watson Challenge as he won in 2012.

Connor Knabe is making his second Watson Challenge appearance. Knabe won the 2013 Kansas City Junior Championship.

Korbin Kuehn is making his second Watson Challenge appearance. Kuehn’s best finish is tied for 18th at the Watson Challenge.

Michael Letzig is making his second straight Watson Challenge appearance. Letzig won the 2002 Missouri Amateur, the 2003 New Mexico Open and spent three years on the PGA Tour.

Chris Mabry is making his ninth consecutive Watson Challenge appearance. Mabry tied for 11th in 2011. Mabry won the Kansas City Amateur in 2003.

Gary McClure is making his ninth consecutive Watson Challenge appearance. McClure finished tied for 16th in 2008. He also qualified for the U.S. Senior Open in 2010.

Brent Mertz is making his third Watson Challenge appearance. Mertz finished tied for 29th in 2014. Mertz won the 2013 Stateline Amateur Tour Championship at Stone Canyon.

Matt Murdoch is making his seventh Watson Challenge appearance. Murdoch finished tied for eighth place in 2010. Murdoch is a PGA Professional in Mission Hills.

Bryan Norton is making his ninth consecutive Watson Challenge appearance. Norton finished tied for third in 2013. Norton is a three time Kansas Amateur Champion and has played in numerous USGA Championships including a runner-up finishes at the U.S. Mid-Am and the U.S. Senior Am.

Eric Pahls is making his second consecutive Watson Challenge appearance. Pahls is a back-to-back Kansas City Junior Championship winner, giving him the exemption into the Watson Challenge.

Robert Russell is making his first appearance at the Watson Challenge. Russell is a certified professional at Shamrock Hills Golf Club and a UMKC Hall of Famer

Evan Scobie is competing in his first Watson Challenge. Scobie is a teaching professional at Kansas City Country Club.

Jeff Sedorcek is competing in his seventh consecutive Watson Challenge. Sedorcek tied for fourth in 2013. Sedorcek is PGA Professional at Fred Arbanas Golf Course.

Jeff Sheppard is competing in his eighth consecutive Watson Challenge. Sheppard tied for 24th in 2012. Sheppard is a PGA Professional at the Golf Club of Creekmor.

Kyle Smell is making his sixth Watson Challenge appearance. Smell is the 2012 Kansas Amateur Champion. Smell finished in fourth place in 2012.

Andrew Spencer is making his first Watson Challenge appearance. Spencer won the 2015 Kansas individual 6A state title.

Mike Tanner is competing in his sixth Watson Challenge appearance. Tanner tied for second in 2008. Tanner is a PGA Professional at the Overland Park Golf Course.

Mark Terranova is competing in his fourth Watson Challenge. Terranova finished tied for 32nd in 2014 and is the reigning KCGA Kansas City Masters champion.

Jon Troutman is making his sixth Watson Challenge appearance. Troutman finished tied for second with Gavlac and Watson in 2014.

Kevin Ward is making his second Watson Challenge appearance. Ward, who had an excellent career at the University of Kansas, qualified for the 2015 Watson Challenge on May 28th, shooting a 74 (+2) at Prairie Highlands.

Tom Watson is one of the greatest to ever play the game. His Hall of Fame career included five British Opens wins, two Masters titles, and one U.S. Open victory. Watson has won the Watson Challenge five times.

Josh Weems is making his second straight Watson Challenge appearance. Weems finished tied for ninth in 2014.

Rob Wilkin is competing in his ninth consecutive Watson Challenge. Wilkin tied for fourth place in 2011. Wilkins is the head golf professional at Heritage Park Golf Course. He played in numerous PGA Championships and PGA Tour events.

Cameron Wiltse is competing in his first Watson Challenge. Wiltse finished third in the 2014 Kansas Amateur.

Joseph Winslow is competing in his fifth Watson Challenge. Winslow finished in third place in 2012.

Colby Yates is competing in his first Watson Challenge. Barry and Yates were crowned the 2014 Heart of America Champions.

Curtis Yonke is making his fifth Watson Challenge appearance. Yonke finished tied for 16th in 2014.

Ryan Zech is making his fifth Watson Challenge appearance. Zech finished runner-up at the Watson Challenge in 2012.

Pahls is Back-to-Back Champion and McCurdy wins Girls Division

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OLATHE, Kan. – The 2015 Kansas City Junior Championship was held June 2-3 at Prairie Highlands Golf Course. There were two divisions competing in the event, the boys and the girls.

After a sun shining first round of the 2015 Kansas City Junior Championship, the second round started as scheduled. The morning round experienced a brief 40-minute weather delay as the storms rolling through Kansas City came in range of the course. After the delay, the golfers continued play for a few hours until another wave of storms hit Prairie Highlands. After a two delays, play continued for an hour before more lightning arrived in the area.

During the third weather delay, the decision was made for the boys division to cancel play as there would not be enough time to finish the round before sunset. Therefore the winner of the 2015 Kansas City Junior Championship was based on the first round’s 18-hole score, crowning Eric Pahls the back-to-back champion.

Pahls is given an invitation to compete in the 2015 Watson Challenge that will be held at Mission Hills Country Club on June 12-14.

Once the third weather delay cleared the area, the girl’s division continued play as there were six holes of play left. The future Northwest Missouri State Bearcat, Nikki McCurdy, pulled away with the lead, edging both Kaleigh Ashen and Caroline Klemp by one stroke. McCurdy fired 79 (+7) in the final round, posting 162 (+18). Ashen and Klemp both posted 163 (+19).

The final results can be found at http://www.ghintpp.com/kcga/TPPOnlineScoring/Default.aspx?id=532

Grisham and Johnson Lead Girls; Pahls Leads Boys

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After what has seemed like weeks of endless rain, the sun finally came out for Round 1 of the 2015 Kansas City Junior Championship.

Prairie Highlands (Par 72) is the host of this year’s championship, and proved to be a tough test for the areas best juniors.

In the girl’s division, Hanna Johnson, of Warrenburg, MO and Madison Grisham, of St. Louis, MO will sleep on a first round lead. Both Johnson and Grisham fired 81’s, two strokes ahead of Caroline Klemp, Nikki McCurdy and Samantha Paulak. Teagan Noblit’s 85 put her in 5th place, while defending champion India Gaume and Kaleigh Ashen are tied for 6th with 86.

In the boy’s division, defending champion Eric Pahls posted the first score of the day, and it proved to also be the best score of the day. The only player in red figures, at -1, Pahls will enter round 2 with a two-shot lead over Aaron Lang. Andy Fain’s 74 puts him in third place, while Eric Larson and Tripp Walsworth lurk 5 shots back at 76.

Round 2 of the Kansas City Junior Championship will start at 7:30am tomorrow morning at Prairie Highlands.

For complete results and to follow tomorrow’s live scoring, CLICK HERE!!