2013 Missouri Amateur Championship- Final Match
The 36 hole final match of the 106th Missouri Amateur Championship was played on Sunday, June 25th. The final was between two current college players; Joey Johnson who plays at Missouri State University and Ryan Zech who plays at the University of Missouri.
The match started with Zech taking an early 1 up lead after the first hole. Johnson birdied the third hole to become all square. Zech won hole four but Johnson was able to win number six to go back to all square.
Johnson took control of the match after the seventh hole and was never down in the match again. After the first 18, Zech started the second round strong with a birdie to cut Johnson’s lead down to 1 up. Johnson was able to birdie and par the 21st and 22nd hole to take a 3 up lead. From there Johnson went on to win the 26th, 27th, 29th, and 30th holes to win the match 7 and 6 and become the 2013 Missouri Amateur Champion.
2013 Missouri Amateur Championship- Day 5
Two rounds of matches were played on Saturday, June 22nd. The morning round was the quarterfinals which saw great play from several players. Joey Johnson and Drew Hatten were both having under par rounds during their match against each other. Their match went back and forth from all square and one up until the 13th hole. On the par 5, Johnson hit his second shot to about a foot to eagle and go 2 up on Hatten. Hatten was unable to win another hole and Johnson won the match 3 and 1.
Brian Haskell and Derek Reynolds also had a close match going that ended on the 18th hole with Haskell winning 1 up. They were all square after the 16th hole but on 17 Reynolds three putted and Haskell went 1 up. Both players pared 18 and the match was over with Haskell winning.
In another quarterfinal match, Ryan Zech was able to knock off Skip Berkmeyer, a three time champion. Zech led the match for most of the front nine, but Berkmeyer was able to get the match to all square after the 11th. The match stayed like that until 15 when Zech was able to win 15 and 16. Zech won 2 and 1 on the 17th hole when they both pared.
The final quarterfinal match started with Michael McGee taking control of the match quickly and going 4 up on Michael Wootten after the first four holes. Wootten fought back throughout the match and got back to McGee only being 2 up after 11. From there it was pars the rest of the way for both players and McGee won the match 2 and 1.
The four winners moved on to the semifinal round in the afternoon and were played in windier conditions. Joey Johnson was able to keep his streak going against Brian Haskell. Johnson was never down in the match but Haskell was able to keep the match at all square for several holes. Johnson ended up winning 3 and 1.
The final semifinal match needed extra holes to decide who moved on to the final round. Michael McGee took the early lead before Ryan Zech was able to get the match back to all square. Zech was 1 up after 15 but McGee one the next hole to go all square. The match kept going until the 21st hole when Zech birdied and McGee bogied.
The final match is set to be played starting Sunday morning. Joey Johnson, a Missouri State University golfer, and Ryan Zech, a University of Missouri golfer, will square off in a 36 hole match to determine the 2013 Missouri Amateur Champion.
2013 Missouri Amateur Championship-Day 4
The second round of the match play portion of the Missouri Amateur Championship began on Friday, June 21th with the round of 32. In the morning, all 16 matches were exciting, full of birdies and a hole-in-one. A few matches led into a 19th hole, and the others were decided in 18 holes or less. In the afternoon, the round of 16, the player’s games were tested by the strong winds and blistering heat. By the end of day 8 golfers still remained and will continue play Saturday morning.
2012 Jr Match Play Champion, Joey Johnson from Ozark, Missouri defeated Doug Albers, the stroke play medalist, in the round of 32 and the momentum carried over into the round of 16 and led to Johnson defeating Jacob Fair 4 and 3. Leawood, Kansas golfer Drew Hatten continues on to play in the Quarterfinals by defeating Seth Smith 5 and 3, as well as, Buddy Allen 3 and 2.
Skip Berkmeyer seems to have his eyes on the trophy and making it to the quarterfinals is nothing new for him. Past three-time champion won 5 and 3 over Michael Steelman and went on to defeat Blue Hills CC member Phillip Bartimus 6 and 5. Michael McGee from Kansas City, Missouri defeated 2012 Senior Amateur Champion, Charles Schrogl 2 and 1, and then defeated to Raytown, Missouri golfer Steve Groom 2 and 1.
In the deciding of the winners for the round of 32, two matches made their way into the 19th hole. Travis Mays from Overland Park, Kansas made a birdie putt on 18 to become all square with Hank Simpson from Mission Hills, Kansas. Simpson responded with a perfect drive on the 19th hole and went on to win and advance to the afternoon play. Also Buddy Allen from Pevely, Missouri defeated Joseph Atkisson in 19 holes.
Kyle Weldon from Des Peres, Missouri recorded an ace on the difficult Hole 5, Par 3. It was Weldon’s first hole-in-one in tournament play.
Saturday, June 22 will be another full day of golf, with 8 golfers teeing off in the morning and 4 will advance to the semifinals in the afternoon. The winners of the two semifinal matches will advance to Sunday and compete in the final round of the 106th Missouri Amateur Championship.
2013 Missouri Amateur Championship- Day 3 June 20
The first round of the match play portion of the Missouri Amateur Championship began on Thursday, June 20th with the round of 64. All 32 matches were decided in eighteen holes or less with the winners advancing to the round of 32 on Friday morning. Seven of the matches were decided on the eighteenth hole to make for an exciting finish.
Doug Albers, the stroke play medalist, will continue on in match play after defeating Tanner Fennewald 3 and 1. The youngest player in the field will continue on in match play as 15-year-old Jack Litzelfelner III won his match 1 up.
Past three-time champion Skip Berkmeyer won 5 and 4 to move on and continue playing for a fourth championship. Joey Johnson, 2012 Jr Match Play Champion, is still in the hunt after his 3 and 1 win and the 2012 Senior Amateur Champion, Charles Schrogl won 4 and 3 to continue on.
There were a few upsets on the day. Josh Weems who is the 61st seed defeated number four Ben Crancer 3 and 2. Derek Reynolds, the 60th seed, won 3 and 2 against fifth seeded Will Echelmeier. Austin Conroy, 54th seed, also pulled out the victory on the eighteenth hole against eleventh seed Harry Roberts.
Friday, June 21st will be full of golf with two rounds of 18 hole matches. The 32 winners from today’s matches will move on to play matches in the morning. From there, the sixteen winners will move on to the afternoon round of 16.
Doug Albers, Leawood KS and Jack Garvin, MGA Director
2013 Missouri Amateur Championship- Day 2 June 19
The second round of the Missouri Golf Association’s 106th Missouri Amateur Championship took place on Wednesday June 19th at Blue Hills Country Club. The rain stayed north and the sun shined all day, even into the 8 o’clock hour for the 64th place playoff.
Doug Albers from Leawood, Kansas was the medalist of the two day, 36 hole, stroke play portion of the championship, posting scores 71-70 for a total of 141, 3 under par 144. Albers recorded 3 birdies with 1 bogey for his 2 under 70 round. Albers finished with a one stroke ahead of Kearney, Missouri golfer Ryan Zech and two strokes ahead of round one leader Micheal McGee, Kansas City, Missouri who finished with a total of 143.
The day started with a 153 golfers but only 64 would make the cut and proceed to match play. Throughout the day, the projected cut line jumped from 157 to 155 and stayed at 155 for the two day total. A playoff for 6 available spots took place for the 7 players who recorded a score of 155, they were Wilson Sundvold, Don Bliss, Tanner Fennewald, Troy Halterman, Josh Weems, Derek Reynolds, and JP Derksen. The playoff started on the par 4, 10th hole where Sundvold, Weems, Reynolds, Derksen all made par, while Halterman posted a bogey and Bliss and Fennewald scored double bogey. This left Bliss and Fennewald going head to head for the final 64th spot. They tied on hole 11, but Tanner Fennewald secured the 64th spot and beat Don Bliss by finishing with a birdie on the par 3, 12th hole.
The last time the Missouri Amateur Championship was at Blue Hills Country Club was in 2006 and Ben Godwin was the champion and is still in the running for the 2013 Champion, along with past champion Skip Berkmeyer. The youngest player in the field is 15-year old Jack Litzelfelner III who tied for 34th with a two day total of 152.
Starting Thursday, June 20th is the match play portion of the championship. The final 64 with be paired into 32 matches and go head to head for 32 spots and will move onto Friday for the 36 holes of match play.
Michael McGee, Kansas City
2013 Missouri Amateur Championship- Day 1
The first round of the Missouri Golf Association’s 106th Missouri Amateur Championship took place on Tuesday, June 18th at Blue Hills Country Club. The morning wave of players finished their round in sunny skies while the afternoon group had a short rain delay during their round.
The leader of the Missouri Amateur after the first round is Michael McGee of Kansas City, Missouri who shot a two under par 70. McGee recorded a double eagle on hole number one, a par five, after holing his second shot. He holds a one stroke lead over four players in the field. Drew Hatten and Doug Albers, both from Leawood, Kansas, Joe Migdal from Ballwin, Missouri, and Ryan Zech from Kearney, Missouri all shot 71, one under, to share second place.
Some past Missouri Amateur champions fared well during the first round of play. Skip Berkmeyer of Wildwood, a three time winner, shot 73 and is tied for seventh place. Two-time winner Ben Godwin of Poplar Bluff shot 75 and sits in tied for 19th. The 2012 MGA Senior Amateur Champion, Charles Schorgl is tied for seventh place after shooting 73. Jack Litzelfelner III, one of the two 15 year olds in the field, made his Missouri Amateur debut by shooting 75, 3 over par, and is tied for 19th.
The second round of stroke play will begin at 7:30 Wednesday morning with a morning and afternoon wave of players. The field of 153 players will then be cut down to the low 64 scores. These players will qualify for the match play portion of the Missouri Amateur which begins on Thrusday, June 20th.
2013 MISSOURI AMATEUR PREVIEW
The Missouri Golf Association’s 106th Missouri Amateur will take place June 18-23 at Blue Hills CC in Kansas City. This year’s event is historic in many ways. This marks the seventh time for Blue Hills CC to be the host of the Missouri Amateur. With the first year of the Missouri Amateur being hosted by Blue Hills CC in 1916, there have been some outstanding play and matches at this event. The winners of the Missouri Amateur at Blue Hills CC are as follows: 1916 – Robert Hodge; 1939 – Ted Adams; 1941 – Jim Black; 1960 – Jack House; 1968 – Tom Watson; and 2006 – Ben Godwin. The 2012 Missouri Amateur Champion, Nick Wilson, will not be amongst the 153 players in the field this year as he declared his professional status shortly after his win. The field will be highly competitive as it includes five past Missouri Amateur Champions, four-time winner Don Bliss of Chesterfield, three-time winner Skip Berkmeyer of Wildwood, two-time winner Ben Godwin of Poplar Bluff, as well as Tyler Shelton, Fairway, KS, Brad Nurski of St. Joseph and Don Walsworth of Leawood, KS each with one win. The 153 players range in age from 15 year olds, Jack Litzelfelner III of Jackson and 2012 Missouri Jr. Amateur Champion Bailey Woods of Warrensburg, to 62 years young Ron Eilers of Columbia. Also competing in this year’s championship involves the 2012 MGA Individual Champions: Joey Johnson of Ozark, Jr. Match Play; Brad Nurski, Stroke Play; Charles Schorgl of Leawood, KS, Senior Amateur; and Doug Albers of Leawood, KS, Mid-Amateur.
Blue Hills CC, designed by Robert Dunning, is consistently rated among the top courses in the Midwest. Its 7,250 yard layout has hosted many state, USGA, and U.S. Open local and sectional qualifiers. For twenty-five years, Blue Hills had the honor of hosting Tom Watson’s Children’s Mercy Hospital Golf Classic. Mr. Watson, an honorary member, hosted four of the games’ greatest players – Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, and Lee Trevino. While Blue Hills CC is celebrating 100 years of tradition, the 2013 Missouri Amateur will involve incredible golf and competition along the way to crowning the 106th Missouri Amateur Champion. This championship will be a real challenge as the course will play at 6, 978 yards with a par of 72. The first two days will consist of two 18-hole stroke play competition in order to qualify for the top 64 spots and the match play rounds. The first round of match play will begin on Thursday, June 20 with the 36-hole championship match finishing on Sunday, June 23.
Schedule of Events
Monday, June 17
9:30 a.m. . Practice Rounds available First Tee Only
First Tee closes at 4:00 p.m.
Range Tee Closes at 5 p.m.
Tuesday, June 18
7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Stoke Play Qualifying Round 1 for 144 players
12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Starting times will be from the first and tenth tees
(10 minute intervals)
Wednesday, June 19
7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Stroke Play Qualifying Round 2 for 144 players
12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Starting times will be from the first and tenth tees
(10 minute intervals)
A play-off, if necessary, will take place immediately following play on Wednesday (daylight permitting) to determine the low 64 for match play. Otherwise, it will take place Thursday morning at 7:30 a.m.
Thursday, June 20
8:00 a.m. – 12:39 p.m. First Round matches (64 players, 32 matches; 9-minute intervals, groups of 2) All matches are scheduled for 18 holes. All matches will start at the first tee.
Friday, June 21
8:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Second Round matches (32 players, 16 matches; 9-minute intervals, groups of 2)
1:30 p.m. – 2:40 p.m. Third Round matches (16 players, 8 matches; 10 minute intervals, groups of 2)
Saturday, June 22
8:00 a.m. – 8:27 a.m. Quarterfinal matches (8 players, 4 matches, 9-minute intervals, groups of 2)
1:00p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Semifinal matches (4 players, 2 matches, 15–minute intervals, groups of 2)
Sunday, June 23
9:00 a.m. Championship match – AM 18 Holes of the 36 hole final
1:15 p.m. Championship match – PM 18 Holes of 36 hole final