Category: Regional Championships

The First Round of the 2015 KC Amateur Is In the Books at Shoal Creek

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The 2015 KC Amateur Championship began play at Shoal Creek Golf Club on Friday, July 17. The Championship is a three-day, 54-hole tournament with a cut after 36-holes, consisting of four divisions.

Players may compete in four separate flights of the Kansas City Amateur: the Open flight, Players flight, Senior flight and Legends flight. Golfers must have an index of 3.4 or less to participate in the Open flight. A handicap index of at least 1.0 but not more than 18.2 is required for the Players flight. The Senior flight requires an index of 18.2 or less and at least 50 years of age by the first day of the championship. Finally, a player must be at least 60 years of age by the first day of the championship for the Legends flight. All the golfers are competing in gross scoring.

The summer weather finally hit Kansas City as the 121-golfers arrived throughout the day to compete in their designated divisions, battling the temperatures that rose near 100 degrees. The heat did not affect Steve Groom and Mark Worthey in the Seniors division, consisting of 17-golfers, as they tied for the lowest score of any division posting an impressive 68 (-3) on the day.

The Legends division consisted of 11-golfers as Robert Nelson II and Andy Smith are tied for first, both firing 71 (E). One-stroke behind the leaders in the Legends Flight is Jim Lodes with a 72 (+1).

The leader of the Players division is Matt Foster as he posted a 79 (+8). Two-strokes behind Foster is a two-way tie for second between Jack Blair and Pat Hansen, as they both fired 81 (+10).

Matching the low score of the day, 68 (-3), with Groom and Worthey is Preston Fleenor leading the Open division. Fleenor fired six birdies on the day to lead the field. Trailing Fleenor by one-stroke is a three-way tie for second between Jeff Mason, Mark Terranova and Jon Platz at 69 (-2).

The Kansas City Amateur Championship will continue play tomorrow morning at 7:30.

Click here for full results of day one.

Cassidy Stelzmiller Wins the 2015 Prairie Invitational

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The 2015 Prairie Invitational presented by J. Douglas Cusick concluded play at Staley Farms Golf Club, Wednesday, July 1.

The 66-golfer field arrived early as they prepared to compete in rainy and wet conditions. The final-round began after a slight 30-minute delay to start the day. Once the round began, the golfers made it through five holes before a small storm cell with lightning arrived within the distance of the golf course. The lightning called for another 35 minute delay. After all of the weather cleared, it turned out to be a nice day at Staley Farms Golf Club.

The women were split up into two separate divisions as the Open division played the white tees, a par-72, 6,082 yard course. The Players division played the red tees, a par 72, 5,405 yard course.

The Players division consisted of 21-golfers that were competing against one another for both the Gross and Net scoring. The winner of the Gross division is Tina Jones from Wildwood, Missouri, firing an 84-80–164. The winner of the Net division was Connie Beeck from Kansas City, Missouri, as she posted a 72-70—142 (-2). Congratulations to Addie Chapin of Olathe, Kansas, on her first ever hole-in-one on number 10, a 108-yard par three.

The Open division consisted of a 45-golfer field as Cassidy Stelzmiller won the 2015 Prairie Invitational with an exciting finish on the final three holes. Stelzmiller had a spectacular final round as she inked seven birdies, including the final three holes to edge the runner-up Susan Kirschenman with a two-round 77-68—145 (+1). Kirshenman had a chance to send the tournament into a playoff, but came up short as she bogeyed number 18.

The low professional score of the 2015 Prairie Invitational presented by J. Douglas Cusick is Kristen Samp, firing a two-round 78-73—151. The low amateur score is a 77-68—145 by the winner Cassidy Stelzmiller and the low junior score of 84-86—170 by Caroline Klemp.

 

Final results can be found here.

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Caroline Klemp wins the Low Junior score

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Tina Jones wins the Gross title in the Players division
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Cassidy Stelzmiller wins the 2015 Prairie Invitational
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Connie Beeck wins the Net title in the Players division
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Addie Chapin has her first ever hole-in-one

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…

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!!

Spencer, Buerk, Elliott and Ward Earn Spots in Watson Challenge

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The qualifier for the 2015 Watson Challenge was held today at Prairie Highlands Golf Course in Olathe, KS. The Prairie Highlands staff worked around the clock to get the golf course into playable condition for the 65 players who would vie for 4 qualifying spots.

Newly crowned Kansas 6A high school state champion Andy Spencer continued his run of great play by firing an even par 72 to take one spot. Recent Missouri Southern grad Ryan Buerk matched Spencer’s 72 and locked up a trip to Mission Hills.

Finishing just behind Spencer and Buerk was Travis Elliott. Elliot shot a 2-over 74.

Rounding out the qualifiers was former Kansas Jayhawk Kevin Ward. Ward shot 74 to lock up the final invitation.

The Watson Challenge will be played June 12th-14th at Mission Hills Country Club.

Complete results can be found be clicking here…

The Kansas City Match Play Championship – Day 2

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The 100th Kansas City Match Play Championship continued with the round of 16 Saturday morning.  The action kicked off early as Ryne Fisher carded five birdies through 14 holes to defeat Chris Reinert 6 and 4.  Hank Simpson won 3 and 2 over Dave Cunningham and Alex Springer defeated Matt Kelley 3 and 1.  Jeff Mason won one up over Patrick Roth and Josh Weems defeated Matt Barry one up.

Two of the morning matches were decided in extra holes.  Joseph Winslow won on the 19th hole as he made a par and his competitor, Cy Moritz, bogeyed.  The second match to go beyond the 18th hole was Jon Platz vs. Ed Brown.  Brown made par to move on to the quarterfinals as Platz bogeyed the 20th hole.

The matchups for the quarterfinals:

Steve Groom vs. Jeff Mason

Ryne Fisher vs. Joseph Winslow

Ed Brown vs. Alex Springer

Hanks Simpson vs. Josh Weems

 

As the quarterfinals began, Groom took off on a commanding lead over Mason as he won four of the first nine holes.  Groom continued his momentum onto the back nine as he won the 10th and the 11th hole over Jeff Mason to finish 6 and 5 to advance to the semifinals.  Springer had a one- hole lead over Brown through nine holes.  As they moved on to the back nine, Springer took over as he won the first two holes and finished 4 and 3 to move into the semifinals.  Fisher controlled Winslow as he got off to a two-hole lead after four holes.  Fisher maintained his lead through the round as he advanced into the semifinals.  Simpson and Weems battled back and forth throughout the round as Simpson advanced to the semifinals winning one up on the 18th hole.

The Kansas City Match Play Championship will continue tomorrow, May 10 at 7:30 a.m. CT. The pairings and results of the Kansas City Match Play Championship can be found at http://www.ghintpp.com/kcga/TPPOnlineScoring/ResultsMatch.aspx?id=530

 

 

 

The Kansas City Match Play Championship – Day 1

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The 100th Kansas City Match Play Championship began Friday, May 8, at Swope Park Memorial Golf Course.

The tournament consisted of one 18-hole stroke play competition to determine the top-32 out the 78-golfer field that will advance to match play.  Day one of the event began battling rainy conditions as the golfers began stroke play.  The players dodged the weather as it cleared up to be a nice day at Swope Memorial.

The lowest score of the day was 66 (-6) shot by Nick Arman, followed by Jon Platz 67 (-5). Arman and Platz both shot a front-nine 31 (-5) as Arman carded nine birdies and Platz posted six birdies in stroke play. Charlie Schorgl aced the 16th hole allowing him to make the cut and advance to match play. The cut was placed at 74 (+2) as 32-golfers advanced into matched play Friday afternoon.

The seedings and pairings of the first round of the match play competition were

  1. Nick Arman vs. 32. Dale Bowne
  2. Steve Groom vs. 17. Alex Downing
  3. Craig Broswick vs. 25. Jeff Mason
  4. Patrick Roth vs. 24. Mark Addington
  5. Ryne Fisher vs. 29. Colby Yates
  6. Chris Reinert vs. Scott Richey
  7. Russell Holzbaur vs. 28. Cy Moritz
  8. Michael Greene vs. 21. Joseph Winslow
  9. Jon Platz vs. Richard Hairgrove
  10. Ed Brown vs. 18. Dan Schaller
  11. Alex Springer vs. 26. Tyler Norris
  12. Travis Holt vs. 23. Matt Kelley
  13. Hank Simpson vs. 30. Charlie Schorgl
  14. Dave Cunningham vs. 19. Jon Scarsella
  15. Matt Barry vs. 27. Aaron Uzelac
  16. Mark Terranova vs. 22. Josh Weems

 

Arman went on to defeat Bowne 5 and 4, Groom beat Downing 3 and 2, Mason Beat Broswick 3 and 1, Roth won one up against Addington, Fisher beat Yates 2 and 1, Reinert beat Richey 4 and 3, Moritz beat Holzbaur one up, Winslow beat Greene 3 and 2, Platz beat Hairgrove 2 and 1, Brown beat Schaller 2 and 1, Kelley defeated Holt 8 and 6, Cunningham defeated Scarsella one up, Barry beat Uzelac 3 and 2 and Weems won one up against Terranova.  Two matches went into extra holes. Springer wins one up on the 19th over Norris and Simpson won on the 20th hole over Schorgl.

 

The second round and quarterfinals of the Kansas City Match Play Championship will continue at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Friday, May 8. Results of the stroke play and first round of match play, as well as pairings for day two can be found at http://www.ghintpp.com/kcga/TPPOnlineScoring/Default.aspx?id=530

Bracket Set for Girls Match Play

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Taylor Black took the first step toward defending her Girls Match Play Championship on a beautiful afternoon at Swope Memorial.

Black fired an even par 36 on the front nine to secure the number one seed going into the match play portion of the event.

The quarterfinal matches will be played Saturday, May 2nd, immediately followed by the semifinals.

The final will be Sunday, May 3rd.

To see the bracket, click here!

Terranova Tears Up Back Nine to Win

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Wolf Creek G.C. — The course and weather conditions could not be better for the 2014 Kansas City Masters.  The wind was so still, conversations carried hundreds of yards and through the majestic oaks surrounding Wolf Creek Golf Club.  As the final round began, three men shared the lead at two under par setting the stage for a shootout to complete the 2014 KCGA season.

A chaotic leaderboard changed throughout the final round as players jockeyed for position heading into the back nine.  With nine holes remaining a half dozen players had a chance to take home the final crystal of the year.  It looked like Steve Groom and Joseph Winslow in the final pairing were going to duke it out over the home stretch, but both players found trouble early on the back nine.  A double bogey for Groom on ten and back to back bogeys on eleven and twelve put both players in black numbers for the first time.

In the group ahead, Mark Terranova quietly moved up the leaderboard after making a birdie on the par four thirteenth.  Terranova looked like he would drop a stroke at the par three fifteenth hole after a poor approach, but after a ten foot slider and a monster fist pump he escaped with par.  Terranova then birdied to take the outright lead on seventeen at even par.

Heading to eighteen, it looked like it would take at least even par to fend off the challengers.  After a well placed tee shot, Terranova fired his approach to the backstop behind the front hole location on number eighteen.  There was a nervous hesitation as it looked like the ball might stop precariously on the slope, which would have left a nearly impossible two putt, but gravity prevailed and the ball gently drifted back to the hole.  Terranova holed the putt for good measure and capped the victory finishing as the only player under par for the thirty-six hole championship.

“I am very happy for Mark,” said Matt Williams, KCGA Executive Director.  “He has been close so many times in our events and he finally closed it out. His back-nine today was some of the highest quality golf I have seen this year.”

While Groom finished in second, he took home low Senior honors and continues to establish himself as one of the great senior players in the region.

The KCGA would like to thank the staff of Wolf Creek Golf Club for hosting the event.

For complete results click here!