In it’s third year, the 2018 KC Fourball Championship saw almost double it’s field size since last year. 30 teams paired up at Shoal Creek Golf Course not only to win the KC Fourball title, but to qualify for the Heart of America Fourball Championship later this summer.
Matt and Andy Kelley were the leaders in the clubhouse after Round 1 with an incredible score of 64 (-7). Andy Kelley had six birdies on the day and an eagle 2 on the Par-4, 1st. Matt Kelley provided a couple clutch pars for the duo to combine for the low round of the day by two strokes over Cummings/Gillund and defending champs Jeff Bell and Elliot Soyez.
Soyez/Bell combined for seven birdies on the day, but one hiccup on the Par-3, 11th left them with some work to do heading into Round 2.
A surprise group of Gregory Diederich and Charlie Rinehart, who shot a first round of 67 (-4), found themselves sneaking up the leaderboard after carding a Round 2 score of 
64 (131). With seven birdies and no bogeys, Diederich/Rinehart became the leaders in the clubhouse while Kelley/Kelley and Soyez/Bell finished up in the last group of the day.
For Matt and Andy Kelley, Round 2 went even better than the first. Matt Kelley provided three birdies for the team before an hour lightning delay brought the last half of the field inside. Andy Kelley appreciated the delay as afterwards birdied five holes in a row, #12-16. Their Round 2 bettered Round 1 by one stroke, entering the clubhouse with a 63 (-8) and a total score of 127.
Defending champions Soyez/Bell again had seven birdies on their round, but a few bogeys totaled to a round of 66 (-5) to knock them into third place with a total score of 132 for the tournament.
Matt and Andy Kelley played great golf both days to win the 2018 KC Fourball Championship title by four strokes over Diederich/Rinehart. With 14 combined birdies and an eagle, the Kelley’s earned the Champions title as well as a qualifying spot in the Heart of America Championship at the National Golf Course of Kansas City on August 8 and 9th.
The Top 8 teams from the KC Fourball earned a qualifying spot as well as a first and second alternate. These teams include:
- Andy and Matt Kelley
- Gregory and Diederich and Charlie Rinehart
- Jeff Bell and Elliot Soyez
- Jeff Mason and Sam Parrott
- Frank Booth and Don Kuehn
- Don and Tripp Walsworth
- Jay Gregory and Rob Petersen
- Ritch Nigh and Brian Taylor
First Alternate: Travis Mays/Tyler Hirlinger
Second Alternate: Adam Cummings/Austin Gillund
For a field of results, see here.
We thank everyone for coming out and playing in the 2018 KC Fourball Championship. We hope the turnout continues to increase next year and even get some more college and high school golfers involved. Thank you to Shoal Creek for holding the tournament and for lending us their great golf course.
By Taylor Albritton, KCGA Intern