SUNRISE BEACH, Mo. (October 16, 2024) – The 2024 Ozark Senior Challenge and Association Cup Matches kicked off today at The Club at Porto Cima, with teams from the Missouri Golf Association and Central Links Golf Association competing in Four Ball and Alternate Shot formats.
These goodwill competitions feature senior golfers aged 50 and older, with the event closely following a Ryder Cup-style format. The matches are divided into Gross and Net divisions, and today’s rounds showcased competition between the two state teams.
In the morning Four Ball matches for the Ozark Senior Challenge Gross division, Tod Rose (West Plains) & Brad Thielemier (Poplar Bluff) had a standout performance, winning their match 6 & 5 after recording nine birdies, eight of which were made by Rose. Meanwhile, Steve Groom (Raytown) & Dan Luebbert (Holts Summit) experienced a tight match, but ultimately lost 1 down after their opponents won the 18th hole. Bobby Godwin (Poplar Bluff) & David Pfeil (Eureka) earned a solid 4 & 3 victory, taking the lead after a back-and-forth first half and finishing strong on the 15th hole.
The Ozark Senior Challenge Net division also saw impressive play. Tim Borman (Kingdom City) & Tony Farris (Fulton) claimed a 3 & 2 victory after leading most of the match, while Eric Austin (Raymore) & George Barkho (Fulton) couldn’t hold off their opponents, losing 4 & 2.
For the Association Cup Gross division, Tony Brown (St. Louis) & Don Kuehn (Kansas City) secured a dominant 5 & 4 victory, taking control early in the match and maintaining their lead throughout. Dennis Osborne (Ballwin) & Mike O’Neil (St. Louis) tied their match, sharing the point with their Kansas counterparts.
In the afternoon Alternate Shot matches, competition intensified. In the Ozark Senior Challenge Gross division, Tim Holmes (Springfield) & David Rudd (Wildwood) came from behind to win their match 1 up. Groom & Luebbert bounced back from their morning loss to claim a 4 & 3 victory, gaining the lead after the first hole and staying ahead throughout. Godwin & Pfeil continued their success, winning 2 & 1, contributing crucial points to the Missouri team’s score.
In the Net division, Mike Domenick (Festus) & Doug Grooms (Camdenton) showed out, winning their match 4 & 3 after taking the lead on the fourth hole and holding it through the rest of the round.
Missouri’s Association Cup team faced a tougher challenge in the afternoon matches. Robert Trittler (Wentzville) and Bobby McKay (Joplin) fought hard to win their match 1 up after a back-and-forth battle with four lead changes. However, Brown & Kuehn couldn’t replicate their morning success, losing 2 down.
After the first day of competition, Missouri leads the Ozark Senior Challenge with 9.5 points to Kansas’ 4.5 points. In the Association Cup, Kansas holds a narrow advantage, leading Missouri 8.5 to 5.5.
The tournament will conclude tomorrow with Singles matches starting at 8:00 a.m., where both teams will aim to secure the overall victory.
For full results from today’s matches, click here.
For more information about the Ozark Challenge & Association Cup Matches, visit www.mogolf.org or contact the MGA office at 573-636-8994.
###
ABOUT MGA: The Missouri Golf Association is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote the best interests and true spirit of the game of golf throughout the State of Missouri.
The Missouri Golf Association was started in St. Louis in 1905 to run the Amateur Championship. Four founding clubs would be the ones in existence in St. Louis in those early years – St. Louis Country Club, Algonquin Golf Club, Glen Echo Golf Club and Normandie Golf Club. Four years later, the invite-only Missouri Amateur was held in Kansas City at Evanston Club. 1911 marked the real organization of the MGA with Bonner Miller as Secretary and Executive Director. Ever since then, the MGA has striven to provide tournaments and spaces for Missouri golfers to sharpen their skills and enjoy the game.
Media Contact:
Ella Fixsen
Director of Marketing, Media & Communications
efixsen@mogolf.org