Kicks and giggles amongst competition for first
Jennifer Harper sinks a crucial par putt on 15 to keep her lead.
Written by Beaux Yenchik, Manager of Media and Communications
SUN VALLEY, Idaho—As players gathered from around the state, each representing their home course as its regular club championship winner, they looked to bring Elkhorn Golf Club to its knees before it beat them to the punch. Inclement weather loomed in the distance for both rounds of the 2022 Tournament of Champions, peaking its ugly head in and out—giving the IGA staff and players a brief scare each time it did.
What was meant as a celebration for those who qualified, still had the familiar ring to it that IGA Championships do. Still trying to have fun, the fields for both men and women still wanted to compete for the silver trophy and bragging rights back at their respective clubs. It was Jennifer Harper, the Sun Vally Resort Club Champion, who went wire-to-wire in her victory as she posted a 74-79=153 (+9). Jesse Hibler claimed victory on the men’s side as he posted a tournament-best 72-70=142 (-2)—being invited to the event as the 2019 TOC Champion.
Harper held strong all week as she was constantly pursued by the likes of Katie Dearing (Eagle Hills Club Champion) and Abby Black (The Club at Spurwing Club Champion). Dearing, who finished in second place, had found herself with two shots as the final women’s group made their way to the closing nine. Knowing no lead is safe in the game of golf, Harper remained steady as she had all week by executing shots like her huge 12-footer for par on the 15th hole. At one point during her round, Harper was heard saying, “I love long putts!”
Jesse Hibler shortens the dogleg-left par-4 17th with a perfect drive in the middle of the fairway.
Hibler, who is an absolute beast when it comes to ball striking, put on a clinic for all those who watched this fall weekend. Needing particular angles into some of these contoured greens, Hibler had his ball on a rope as he moved it around the course at will. Watching his competitors fade by the wayside, like first-round co-leader Marc Rhoades who shot an 83 (+11) on day two, Hibler continued to execute like he has all summer—finishing second at the IGA’s Mid-Amateur and then winning the PNGA’s Master-40 Men’s Championship. Even though Hibler did not have the most birdies in the field, he was the most consistent—eliminating crucial mistakes that happened to many this past weekend.
Playing at roughly 6,500 yards for the men and 5,300 yards for the women, Elkhorn GC had pulled out its bag of tricks as it provided a tough but fair venue for the men and women. With drivable par-4s like hole No. 1—which saw Dearing about pin-high in the bunker after her tee shot landed on the green—and par-5s that could be stretched northward of 650 yards, players were kept on their toes and forced to play every club in their bag. The field was forced into thinking its way around the course and had there been no rain, players could have pulled another Phil Mickelson from their repertoire by taking the driver out of the bag and going with multiple long irons or 3-woods instead.
Trying something new this year, players were welcomed to the event with walk-up songs during their opening rounds like those who competed in the Senior TOC event. Having been given the option to choose their songs, some participants selected traditional songs like Thunderstruck by AC/DC or Seven Nations Army by The White Stripes. On the other end, players who did not choose a song during the registration process were gifted a song by the IGA, which made for some kicks and giggles as players were welcomed to choices like Who Let the Dogs Out by Baha Men or Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson.
The IGA wanted to express its appreciation to all those who participated in its events this year and hope to see you all next year!
Click HERE for a complete leaderboard.
Undecided weather proves for tough TOC
Written by Beaux Yenchik, Manager of Media and Communications
SUN VALLEY, Idaho—What was originally designed as a reward for club champions around the Idaho Golf Association turned into a few hours each day of cold, wet golf. Most players layered themselves with lots of clothing. Cart covers were dusted off, while a few unfortunate souls bared the rain coming in at a 45-degree downpour. Yet, the field endured the weather for the 2022 Senior Tournament of Champions. Well, almost the entire field.
Nestled between the mountain ranges surrounding the Sun Valley area is Elkhorn Golf Club. As a true test for almost every golfer who steps foot onto its grounds, the tournament venue welcomed the more senior competitors in the IGA. Men and women competed in four divisions: Senior Men, Super-Senior Men, Senior Women and Super-Senior Women. Each coveted the silver hardware that awaited the tournament’s winners. However, only four could claim first place and bragging rights over all those who showed up: Scott Masingill (Senior Men), Fran Matthias (Super-Senior Men), Kris Fenwick (Senior Women) and Marilyn Celano (Super-Senior Women).
Masingill, who had trailed first-round leader Bret Rupert by two shots, put together an impressive final round 71 to finish at a four-under-par 140—winning by four over Rupert. Having stayed steady and preventing Mother Nature from rattling him too much, the G.O.A.T. of men’s golf in the state of Idaho capped off what had already been an impressive year of golf with his Senior Amateur win and Scotch Pines Club Championship title. Always gracious in victory and humble in defeat, Masingill looks to keep his momentum going heading into next season.
Fran Matthias hits an iron off the tee on the short par-4 10th.
For the Super-Senior Men, the theme for the 2022 season has been the competition between Fran Matthias and Mike Rawls—each having had the chance to claim victory over the other this season. Yet, Matthias, the RedHawk Club Champion, kept the winning streak alive as he pulled away from Rawls and his other fellow competitors by shooting 71-67 = 138 (-6) this week. As the lone man under par, Matthias is certainly making a name for himself here in the IGA. Hoping to stay in good form, he will have to keep it up as Russ Calkins, Kip Reeder, Rawls and the bunch stay hot on his heels.
In the Senior Women’s division, Fenwick again showed why she is a force to be reckoned with every season. The Lamey Cup participant and 2019 & 2021 TOC winner played her game as she defended her title against the likes of Stacey Camara, Jen Davis, and others. With the weather being a constant factor throughout the week, having a game that puts her in the middle of the fairway and a chance to hit the green gives a big advantage to her, especially with what she and the rest of the field had to deal with. Going 72-78 = 150 (+6), Fenwick managed to hold on to her lead as many struggled to regain momentum following Thursday’s lightning delay.
Kris Fenwick pumps her fist after making a big birdie putt on No. 9 green
Celano, the Super-Senior Women Champion, needed every hole of this event to pull out her victory. Going into the final hole tied with runner-up Brenda Pickett, Celano won with a double bogey on the last. Both ladies battled it out to the end. Knowing it would come down to a single shot, Pickett, who had left her approach shot in the front rough, jokingly asked if I wanted to hit her shot for her. Celano, who had just watched Pickett lip-out her double-bogey putt from nearly two feet, tapped her putt in confidently and secured herself the win by going 80-80 = 160 (+16).
After two long days of golf in cooler, wet conditions and two lightning delays in the middle of it all, players left Elkhorn with smiles and a deeper appreciation for a great, successful year of golf.
Until next year, the IGA thanks all those who have participated in its events and invite you all to do so again next year!
Click HERE for the complete leaderboard.
Patience, good golf, self-forgiveness necessary in come-from-behind victory
Jason Azzarito (left) shakes hands with Jesse Hibler (middle) and Chris Boquette (right) following his par-saving putt to win the tournament.
Written by Beaux Yenchik, Manager of Media and Communications
MCCALL, Idaho—It was quiet. Almost too quiet. As if uncomfortableness loomed over the group of players and spectators around the 18th tee box. Each was awaiting the outcome of a very competitive final round of golf. If one had listened hard enough, they could have heard a pin drop— cutting through the thickness of silence. With the tournament on the line, this group was all work and no play.
It was an impressive comeback by Jason Azzarito, having claimed the top spot on the podium at last week’s championship event. Being the only player in the entire field to have subpar rounds on all three days, Azzarito shot possibly his best 3-under-par round—finishing with an overall score of 5-under-par 211 to win by a single stroke over the 36-hole leader, Jesse Hibler.
“Gosh, [Jesse], what an amazing player,” Azzarito said. “He’s so solid throughout. I am more proud of beating him than you know anything else… He is a solid golfer all the way throughout. He didn’t give me a lot of opportunities. He didn’t play his best, but I mean, not his best out here is a 74, and that’s a dang good score.”
There they were. Azzarito and Hibler had found themselves tied after 53 holes. The championship had come down to the last hole, which just happened to be the hardest ranked hole of the week—having averaged 1.22 strokes over par.
The threesome had each hit their tee shots. Chris Boquette, who was in third, and Azzarito found the fairway, while Hibler had pulled his tee shot just left into the narrow sliver of rough between the short grass and the penalty area. Boquette put his approach shot pin-high about 15 feet left of the hole. Azzarito then proceeded by pushing his second into the greenside bunker. With the door wide open for Hibler to make a move, he did the one thing you can’t do on No. 18. He hit it long.
Jason Azzarito hits his approach shot on the par-4 18th hole.
Unable to save par, Hibler’s fate now rested in the hands of Azzarito. Needing to get up and down to win, Azzarito did just that as he watched his 6-footer drop for par. After exchanging a handshake and a “good playing” with one another, Azzarito’s ascent to the scoring area was more than likely euphoric. Meanwhile, the look of defeat encompassed Hibler—he knew he had no one to blame but himself.
For the champion, his play throughout the entire week was one of poise and patience. Jug Mountain wasn’t going to make it easy for him or for any golfer in the field. As mentioned before, a straight ball off the tee and having the ability to put the ball on the right side of the hole would be the perfect formula for a ‘W.’ It just happened to be Azzarito who did it best. Did he do it without a blemish? No. He just happened to do it the best.
“I’m surprised I think for one,” Azzarito said with a chuckle. “It is such a hard course. You don’t get a break at any point. You just have to play good golf throughout the entire time. I am proud of myself for doing that, and also, I was just hoping to give myself a chance today. I was happy to find myself in a good situation. I am happy with how I played.”
For an event that produced a scoring average of 83.23 for the entire week, it would still blow one’s mind that only one individual kept all three rounds under par; Azzarito having shot 71-71-69. His ability to bounce back from a poorly-struck iron shot or a lipped-out putt allowed him to keep his scores in the red and best the field.
Jason Azzarito stands perplexed as ball misses target. His reaction was common body language displayed by many in the field this week.
He stated: “Well, I think going in, you have to know that you are going to have some bad holes out here. A 75 is a solid score on this course. If you know that going in, then you are a little bit more forgiving on your bad shots because you know that it is a really hard course. You’re going to have some of those. That was kind of my mindset going in.”
Yes, Azzarito made 13 birdies, but what was even more impressive was how he responded to the adversity he faced this week en route to his come-from-behind victory. He had six bogeys and a double—including almost giving the tournament away as he bogeyed holes 16 and 17 during the final round. Yet, he remained strong, kept fighting, and captured his first Idaho Golf Association Championship.
Click HERE for a look at the leaderboard for all three days.
Mid-Amateur Payout:
1st Place Gross: $650 (Jason Azzarito)
2nd Place Gross: $500 (Jesse Hibler)
3rd Place Gross: $350 (Jeff Anderson)
4th Place Gross: $275 (David Bishop)
5th Place Gross: $200 (Brian Swenson)
6th Place Gross: $150 (Bob Wheeler)
7th Place Gross: $100 (Chris Carew)
1st Place Net: $550 (Ryan Hansen)
2nd Place Net $450 (Chris Boquette)
3rd Place Net: $300 (Jay Sutton)
T4th Place Net: $175 (Mike Montoya)
T4th Place Net: $175 (Jake Rynearson)
T6th Place Net: $90 (Michael Hayes)
T6th Place Net: $90 (Jeff Fowers)
Comeback victory over local golfing idols
Lori Ruiz (far left in black shirt) is being congratulated by Karen Darrington (left in navy shirt) and Kris Fenwick (right) following her winning putt on No. 18.
Written by Beaux Yenchik, Manager of Media and Communications
MCCALL, Idaho—Why is it that people are drawn to sports? Is it the Top 10 moments? Is it the story of the underdog conquering the Goliath? The list could go on and on, but for the 2022 Women’s Mid-Amateur at Jug Mountain Ranch, it was the comeback by the eventual winner that made the event so compelling as a fan. A true test of endurance and patience, especially in a sport that demands both on every shot of every round played.
In the Women’s Mid-Amateur, Lori Ruiz took down the six-time champ Karen Darrington and Kris Fenwick by carding an impressive 74 (+2) in the final round to finish at 19 over par for the tournament—winning by four shots over Fenwick.
Starting her final round two shots back of the leader, which was Darrington at the time, Ruiz knew it was now or never in terms of making a move for the victory circle. Having just come off an impressive showing at the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Qualifier as the medalist, Ruiz looked to keep that same mojo going on a course she had never played before until this week.
Ruiz, the longest player in the women’s field, would normally have that to her advantage on every other course except Jug Mountain. However, she found herself having to play more 5-woods and long irons off the tee to get into position to hit some difficult pins, all while avoiding the long grass and penalty areas.
She said: “I knew that safe play was going to probably be what got anybody a ‘W’ out here, and as long as we kept it in play and tried to stay hopefully somewhere on the right side of the green, we were going to be OK.”
Lori Ruiz going with 5-wood off the No. 1 tee.
With three bogeys on the front nine, Ruiz had managed to stay within one shot of Darrington, who had shot four over on her front nine. Needing to get something going, Ruiz pulled off what could be the shot of the tournament. Pulling her tee shot on the par-3 10th well left, she found herself with a chip that would require her to bounce it into the hill and hope it would end up on the green semi-close to the hole.
“The up and down on 10 was pretty fun because there was no way I could get up and down if I hit the green,” she stated. “So, I knew I had to throw it into the rough and pray for a good bounce, which we got. The turning point was 10 because then [Kris] just turned it on, so competing with [Kris] the whole back nine was really what the focus was on…She was putting like a wizard out there.”
Doing just that, Ruiz executed the shot to perfection. With 10 feet left, she stepped up and sank what was a very much-needed par putt. Clearly now with the momentum, Ruiz proceeded to play the back nine of her life en route to her victory.
After a couple of bad breaks, Darrington’s lead had come and gone as she began to fade from the top of the leaderboard—having shot a very uncharacteristic 11-over-par 46 on the back nine. The race for the podium was now between Ruiz and Fenwick, who was the tournament’s round-one leader.
"The final round was so much fun,” Ruiz said. “Getting to play with two of your golf idols, [Kris and Karen], and being able to compete with them. It was going to be a win either way because of how much fun it was.”
With a five-shot advantage after nine, Ruiz’s short game and ability to maneuver the ball around a shot-shaping course was what helped her hold off a charging Fenwick, who had missed out on having three birdies in a row as her birdie putt on the par-3 14th hit the flagstick and bounced out of the hole.
Lori Ruiz on the 12th green watching as her putt is about to drop for her first birdie.
Ruiz was working on all cylinders. But how on was she? Well, Ruiz had stuck her approach shot on the short par-4 12th to eight feet, which lead to her lone birdie of the day; she narrowly missed out on a second straight birdie as she left her putt on the lip of the next hole; she then proceeded to nearly can her approach shot on the dogleg 15th. Did I mention she was nearly hole-high with an iron off the tee on the par-4 18th? And this was just her closing nine.
“So, after the first birdie dropped, I tried to do a little bit more pin-seeking,” she said.
Ruiz had brought her game when it mattered most. She had hung tight all week on a course that was brutal for even the best of Idaho’s top golfers. She had conquered what was thought to be an unconquerable beast.
Click HERE for a complete look at the final leaderboard.
Women’s Payout:
1st Place Gross: $400 (Lori Ruiz)
1st Place Net: $300 (Jennifer Harper)
"It really wasn't that bad of a 10; Neither was mine; Neither was his"
Written by Beaux Yenchik, Manager of Media and Communications
MCCALL, Idaho—The 5,000-foot-high golf course proved to be just as ruthless in round two as it was in round one. It had again required perfection of its victims, whch they did not return. The goal for them had been to hit it straight off the tee and to have always put their approach shots on the right side of the hole. But as balls continued to find the long stuff and not the bottom of the cup, the men and women in the two fields left Jug Mountain Ranch further away from conquering the beast than the start of the day. However, there were just a select few who had plotted their way around the track in red numbers or close to it.
Jesse Hibler continued his strong play on day two by shooting another 69 (-3). Heading into the final round with a four-shot lead over Jason Azzarito (-2), Hibler’s six under par had clearly indicated that this is his tournament to lose, which by the way he has been playing isn’t likely to happen. Leading the field with 11 total birdies between the two rounds, Hibler’s flat stick also doesn’t appear to be letting him down any time soon.
A familiar face has once again made its way to the top of the women’s leaderboard. Karen Darrington, despite shooting another 78 (+7) to currently sit at 14 over par, has positioned herself to potentially win this event for the seventh time. Yet, the leaderboard is a little more bunched toward the top than what Darrington may like. With the likes of Lori Ruiz (+16) and Kris Fenwick (+20) within striking distance, anything could happen in the final round.
To sum up the round as a whole, let’s just say there was no course record set today.
The cut line finished at 22 over par—eliminating nearly half of the men from the field.
For a complete look at both the Women’s Mid-Amateur and Mid-Amateur leaderboards, click HERE.
Golfers challenged in opening round of IGA Mid-Amateur
Written by Beaux Yenchik, Manager of Media and Communications
MCCALL, Idaho—Today’s opening round of the 2022 Mid-Amateur could be considered by some as one of the hardest rounds of golf played at an Idaho Golf Association event this year. With a challenging but fair setup, today’s competitors succumbed to the charm of Jug Mountain Ranch while slowly giving in to the golf course’s ailments: contoured greens, penalty areas on nearly every hole, and a big need for a straight ball off the tee. With only two players under par and a scoring average score of 84.5 for the two fields, this week’s Mid-Amateur has already shown us it will be a tough one.
Kris Fenwick found herself on top of day one’s leaderboard by shooting a five-over-par 76. Fending off the likes of six-time champion Karen Darrington and U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur medalist, Lori Ruiz, Fenwick stayed in control of her game on a course that demanded complete attention from her and every other golfer.
For the men, Jesse Hibler claimed the top spot by carding an impressive 3-under-par 69. Having shot even par on the front with two bogeys and two birdies, Hibler avoided any and all blemishes on his back nine while making three birdies in his first four holes.
Consistency and steadiness, two strengths demonstrated by both golfers, were helping factors for impressive rounds of golf. For a course that collected bogeys faster than kids getting candy on Halloween, today’s Women’s Mid-Amateur leader and Mid-Amateur leader held their own despite giving eight shots back to the field between the two of them.
As the field now looks to take on day two, it will be no less interesting to see who shows up.
Jug Mountain Ranch definitely flexed its muscles today.
Click HERE for a look at the complete leaderboard!
Age not a factor for Senior Amateur winner
Scott Masingill (left) shakes hands with Scott Vermeer (right) following his winning putt on the second playoff hole.
Written by Beaux Yenchik, Manager of Media and Communications
JEROME, Idaho—It’s safe to say that no script was followed at this week’s Senior Amateur Championship. Two first-time winners hoisted their respective trophies, while the third held it like it was their first. For a field featuring the top senior players in the state, both men and women, age seemed to be less of a factor than one would have imagined. And for being one of the more recognized courses on the “rota” for the Idaho Golf Association, Jerome Country Club proved it was once again worthy to host such a tournament by keeping players at even par or higher about 97 percent of the time—only yielding five sub-par rounds to the field for the week.
Having to play extra holes to capture his victory, Scott Masingill went 73-69-72 for a total of 214 (-2).
Senior Men’s Division
Standing in the middle of the fairway on No. 17, each player in the final group watched his opponents stick their approach shots close to the pin—each golfer having a birdie putt that was less than 10 feet. Vermeer, the leader by one at this point, was the furthest from the hole. Stepping up to his putt, he soon watched his ball barely miss and what would have been a huge advantage going into the final hole. Moments later, Vermeer’s lead disappeared as Masingill and Stephen Hartnett sunk their birdies to tie for the lead.
"You really have to play this golf course from the fairway,” Masingill said. “You have to drive it straight. There is disaster pretty much around every corner.”
With all three tied for the lead, Masingill and Vermeer had each hit their drives in the fairway. Hartnett, who had had the lead earlier in the day, put himself behind a tree and was left with a nearly impossible shot to the green. As players waited to hit their second shots, the group was asked to wait as a ruling needed to play out—causing the three players to anxiously wait for 10 minutes to hit what were already nerve-wracking shots before the delay.
The best Hartnett could do was punch the ball out short of the green—leaving himself an awkward 30-yard shot into a tucked pin. Masingill and Vermeer both hit their second shots roughly 15 feet from the hole. Despite each having a chance to win with a birdie—Hartnett’s chip over the green had eliminated him from the winner’s circle—neither could find the bottom of the cup with their putts.
"If you are playing halfway descent and you go through kind of a lousy stretch, you are OK,” Masingill explained. “If you don’t have that confidence going in and you go through a lousy stretch, you can just completely fall apart. I have been in both places.”
Extra holes it goes.
Each made par on the first extra hole, despite Masingill nearly going out of bounds with his tee shot. On the second hole, both players found the fairway. Masingill, whose tee shot was roughly 25 yards behind Vermeer, played his second to roughly 60 yards from the hole—giving himself a perfect distance and angle to what was another tight pin. Vermeer followed up by pulling his second shot right into the rough. Immediately gaining the advantage, Masingill nearly holed out for eagle and soon after watched his ball drop for birdie and the win after Vermeer couldn’t recover.
"Vermeer is a very, very difficult guy to beat,” Masingill said. “He is really consistent, really tough, [and] a good competitor. I really had to kind of bear down the last couple of holes, and I was really able to hit the shots that I needed to hit.”
Masingill, who could be considered the G.O.A.T. when it comes to men’s golf in Idaho, had yet to etch his name on the Senior Men’s Amateur trophy until this point. At the age of 71, it is clear that he is not done yet and doesn’t plan on being done anytime soon.
CLICK HERE for the complete leaderboard.
Senior Men’s Division Payout
-1st Place Gross $550 Scott Masingill
-2nd Place Gross $400 Scott Vermeer
-3rd Place Gross $200 Stephen Hartnett
-4th Place Gross $100 Randal Cross
-1st Place Net $450 Bob Roberts
-2nd Place Net $300 John Austin
-3rd Place Net $150 Dan Pickens
-T4th Place Net $100 Bret Rupert
-T4th Place Net. $100 Steve Nelson
Hard work and perserverance pay off for first-time victor
Fran Matthias poses with new hardware as the 2022 Super-Senior Men’s Amateur victor.
Written by Beaux Yenchik, Manager of Media and Communications
JEROME, Idaho—It’s safe to say that no script was followed at this week’s Senior Amateur Championship. Two first-time winners hoisted their respective trophies, while the third held it like it was their first. For a field featuring the top senior players in the state, both men and women, age seemed to be less of a factor than one would have imagined. And for being one of the more recognized courses on the “rota” for the Idaho Golf Association, Jerome Country Club proved it was once again worthy to host such a tournament by keeping players at even par or higher at about 97 percent of the time—only yielding five sub-par rounds to the field for the week.
Fran Matthias, who had to win it on the 54th hole, is crowned the champion of the Super-Senior Men’s division by posting scores of 74-76-74 to finish at 224 (+8).
Super-Senior Men’s Division
After moving to Idaho four years ago, Matthias hasn’t wanted many more things in life than to stand in the winner’s circle of an IGA Championship. He’s competed in various tournaments with hopes of breaking through but has pulled a U.S. Open Phil Mickelson (sorry to use his name for those who are anti-LIV) by finishing in second place on several occasions.
Having been in pursuit of Mike Rawls—the eventual runner-up in this event—for the four years he has been in Idaho (his words), Matthias finally found himself ahead of his playing competitor as he stood on the tee of the par-4 11th. Matthias had just watched the “Snake River part” as Rawls double-bogeyed the hole—producing a four-shot swing between the two and a narrow path to victory. Knowing that it wouldn’t be easy, Matthias buckled down and played the remainder of the tournament the way he knew how—having spent hours honing his game at the range and investing in clubs that were fitted specifically to his swing.
Matthias stated: “It was the first time I’ve been in the lead in a state championship tournament in my life, and instantly you can feel the nerves coming on. I thought ‘my goodness, you play a lot of golf, come on.’”
The lead dropped down to a single shot as Matthias bogeyed the difficult par-3 12th. Doing his best to maintain his lead, Matthias’ par putt lipped out on No. 17, and with frustration showing on his sleeve, Matthias approached the 18th tee box now tied for the lead and knowing this was what he had been working toward.
Probably wishing it didn’t have to come down to the final hole of the championship, the soon-to-be winner watched as Rawls sent his drive nearly out of bounds down the right side of the hole. With a little sense of peace, Matthias put his tee shot on the left side of the fairway, which gave him a perfect angle to the green with a back-right hole location.
"I thought here is an opening, so take advantage of it,” Matthias said. “So, I hit a good drive right down the middle, left-edge of the fairway…Thank goodness, we found [Mike’s] ball. I didn’t want to win with [him] going out of bounds.”
Rawls, having to hit his next two shots out from under a tree, left himself with a tough putt down the slope for par, while Matthias laid three just a few feet from the hole. Missing his putt, and knowing his errant tee shot may have cost him, Rawls walked away from the hole with his hands on his head as he shook it back and forth.
Matthias, having “never felt this nervous on a golf course before,” stepped up and knocked in his putt from about three feet for his first Super-Senior Men’s Amateur victory!
CLICK HERE for the complete leaderboard.
Super Senior Men’s Division Payout
-1st Place Gross $500 Fran Matthias
-2nd Place Gross $400 Mike Rawls
-3rd Place Gross $200 Bob Lutz
-1st Place Net $450 Joe Malay
-2nd Place Net $250 Mike Prohorenko
-3rd Place Net $150 Jody Boline
Humility in victory
Karen Darrington (left) celebrates with Stacey Camara (right) after claiming her EIGHTH Senior Women’s Amateur!
Written by Beaux Yenchik, Manager of Media and Communications
JEROME, Idaho—It’s safe to say that no script was followed at this week’s Senior Amateur Championship. Two first-time winners hoisted their respective trophies, while the third held it like it was their first. For a field featuring the top senior players in the state, both men and women, age seemed to be less of a factor than one would have imagined. And for being one of the more recognized courses on the “rota” for the Idaho Golf Association, Jerome Country Club proved it was once again worthy to host such a tournament by keeping players at even par or higher at about 97 percent of the time—only yielding five sub-par rounds to the field for the week.
Karen Darrington claimed the title of victor for the Senior Women’s division—going 76-69-73 for a final score of 218 (+2).
Senior Women’s Division
Humbled would be the word to describe Darrington’s mood following what is now her EIGHTH Senior Women’s Amateur victory. In an event where even the trophy is named after her, Darrington proved yet again that her name will go down in Idaho golfing history as being one of the best players, of either sex, to compete in an IGA event.
Darrington stated: “It’s humbling. I really appreciate the IGA for naming it after me. That mean’s a lot. Some day I am not going to be here, and who knows what my legacy will be if I have a legacy…I just hope I can keep going.”
As day one finished, Darrington found herself trailing her Four-Ball partner, Kris Fenwick, by a stroke. In what may be considered an uncharacteristic round of golf for her, Darrington struggled to get anything going on that opening day. Despite only having one birdie to offset her five bogeys, the newly-crowned champion held tight and waited for another day to bounce back.
Round two was a day-to-night difference in terms of scoring for Darrington. Having made three bogeys, her ability to roll in four birdies and hole out for eagle on the ninth really separated her from her competition. While the rest of the women’s field continued to struggle with the contours and shot-shaping required at JCC, Darrington relied on experience, the confidence in her swing, and the trust she had in her caddie. Darrington left the course following her second round as the new leader in the clubhouse, and it was by a substantial margin: an eight-shot lead.
"This week, I really hit the ball probably as good as I have hit it all summer long,” Darrington said. “Hit my driver well and my irons. I really did miss a lot of putts, but I am not complaining. I had a really good week of hitting the ball.”
Though not quite as flashy as round two, Darrington continued to put her pedal to the metal as the gap between her and the remainder of the field grew larger and larger as the round progressed. Non-chalantaly, Darrington made the turn at one under par with a birdie on the first and eight straight pars to follow. Coming down the closing stretch, Darrington hit a couple of bumps as she made three bogeys in her first five holes on the back nine—having missed several four-footers, which would have stretched her already impressive margin of victory by more.
After sticking her tee shot on the par-3 15th to 12 feet, Darrington just missed her birdie putt and emphatically stated, “You got to be kidding me!”
As her round came to a close, the sizeable crowd that surrounded the 18th green cheered for Darrington and greeted her with hugs and congratulatory remarks—causing an even bigger smile to appear, and one might I add that may still be there.
CLICK HERE for the complete leaderboard.
Senior Women’s Division Payout
-1st Place Gross $400 Karen Darrington
-1st Place Net $300 Melinda Howard
A culture shift within golf that's benefitting all who play
Nicole Bird (left) filled the role as a starter on the first tee as Karen Darrington (right) teed off to begin her second round of the 2022 IGA Senior Amateur at Jerome Country Club.
Written by Beaux Yenchik, Manager of Media and Communications
Golf, just like society, has been evolving ever since its invention across the pond in the mid-1400s. The first written rules, named the Thirteen Articles, weren’t recorded until 1744 by a group that called themselves the Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. It was 20 years later that golf changed from 22 holes to 18. The sport continued to grow and expand—making its way to the United States where the first American 18-hole course was built in Yonkers, New York, in 1888. Golf equipment changed as technology grew. (Thank goodness for that!) In current times, we have seen golf and its influence touch the four corners of the earth—providing an opportunity for all (young and old, black and white, male and female) to pick up their first club and start on a path one hardly ever leaves.
Golf has become universal, and we see evidence of that every day as people from around the world line up and down the fairways of country clubs and municipal tracks. Even beyond nationality or social class, we’ve seen the sport of golf become accessible to every person—as was hinted at earlier. The 2022 U.S. Adaptive Open proved just that—ensuring a path for anyone who desires to play or be a part of golf.
Evolution and change are key components of the IGA's figurative DNA and serve as the foundation for its products and services. The goal has always been to offer the best while constantly striving to improve. With change comes growth, and with growth comes quality.
Though evident from all facets of the IGA, the championship department is what is immediately recognized and open to public praise and scrutiny—showcasing at the highest level what the company is all about.
Championships for a long time have been under the care of men—who, I might add, have and continue to do a great job. But, as the culture within the golfing community continues to grow and shift in different directions, new ideas and ways of thinking are being introduced into tournament operations and the overall cognition of golf as more and more women work in this industry. The IGA staff is a perfect example of this by having a 2:1 ratio of women to men.
At the IGA, all championships and qualifiers are run and organized by Nicole Bird. As someone with quite a background in golf—many know her as the former head coach of the Boise State University Women's Golf Team—Bird brings a new and refreshing perspective and outlook to tournament golf. Her philosophy is unique and exactly what the IGA needs.
To help our members, and even those beyond the IGA’s jurisdiction, better understand her philosophical approach to tournament setup as the Manager of Rules and Competitions, Bird sat down to answer the following questions:
In your eyes, what is the most important aspect of your job/role as the Manager of Rules and Competitions? The most important aspect of my role is to set up championships in a manner that is fair and competitive for all players in the field so they all have a positive experience, regardless of their score. This includes choosing which golf course to host the event, as well as how the course is set up for the championship.
Being in a position traditionally held by males, what would you say might be some of the biggest differences between how you view a golf tournament and how it has always been done? Typically, a championship for male players is set up from the longest yardages, so whatever the back tee boxes say is where the men play. The course cannot get any longer. It may be shortened a bit, depending on the quality of players in the field, but it is traditionally set from a particular set of tees found on the scorecard. However, for women, the course can vary drastically because there are so many options for yardages. Females don’t usually play from the “tips,” but there are three to four different tee pads that can be used. When I coached college golf, I always designed the course with hole-by-hole yardages in mind, rather than just trying to get the total yardage that I liked. I think that helps me be more creative when it comes to setting up the tees for all divisions within championships, especially for the women. I’m not sure how many male tournament directors would think of things that way.
What are some of your greatest strengths as the Manager of Rules and Competitions?
I think my biggest strengths are that I’m detail-oriented and organized. The success of an event is in the little details and making sure nothing is overlooked.
In what ways have you helped championship golf in Idaho grow, and where do you hope to see things in the future? How will we get there?
I’m not sure that I have helped championship golf grow, yet, as I’ve only been in this position for a little over a year. However, I hope to do so as I run championships by making the experience a positive one for players so that more people will want to play in our events. I specifically want to help grow the women’s fields for our events, and I am working through some ideas on how to do that. It will include running championships for women differently than we do for men, such as flighting the event or creating more net opportunities. I hope in the future we can separate some of the fields into two different events instead of combining them because we have so many people who want to play!
What has been your greatest triumph when it comes to championship events? What was a key lesson you learned early on in your current role that has now positively influenced IGA events?
I’m not sure if I’ve had any triumphs yet, but I do feel a sense of pride when players tell me they enjoy my course setup or venue. I try really hard to think about how the architect intended the course to be played and what can make it fun for players, and possibly experience something different even on a course they routinely play. I learned early on as an intern for the AJGA how to mark courses and what to look for, and that is what I always go back to and think about when I’m setting up a course. I also send questionnaires after our events to get feedback to continue to improve. Criticism isn’t always easy, but if it is constructive, I really take it to heart. I try to figure out if that is what will be best for the field, and if it is, I make those little changes for the next event I run.
What made you want to be a tournament director? Favorite part of the job?
I love event planning from start to finish. I always thought I could be a party planner, but I know more about golf, so this is perfect. My favorite part is setting up the course and marking it. It’s peaceful to walk the course, paint, and see all of the beauty of nature.
How might someone know they are playing in a tournament that is run by Nicole Bird?
I would hope someone would know they are playing in a tournament I am running because it is challenging but fair, and it is well organized.
What goes into setting up a tournament? How long (roughly) does it take you from start to finish to put everything together for an event and see it out until the end?
Well, six months to a year ahead of time, I try to secure the golf course, which is the first step. But after that, it is about a month out to put everything together as far as coordinating the details of the course with the head pro or general manager, getting players registered, and sending out all of the information. About two days before the championship is when I start the actual course marking, choosing hole locations, putting up signage, etc. It is usually over about three days after the event when I can send the questionnaire to the players, finalize the payments with the golf course, and get all of the paperwork wrapped up.
Have you ever felt that you needed to prove you belong in this industry and your role?
No, I don’t feel the need to prove myself. I think my experience speaks for itself. I learned early on, right after I graduated from college, how to set up golf courses, and then I went into college coaching for almost 20 years. I’ve been involved in golf at the highest peak of all levels from the AJGA to NCAA Division I golf, to the LPGA Tour, and everything in between. I believe that qualifies me to do this job successfully and that players will trust me to set up a fair competition.
How would you describe the state of golf?
I think the state of golf as a whole is better than it’s ever been. Golf courses right now are flooded with people, and it’s difficult to get a tee time almost anywhere in the country. I think there has been a big spotlight on golf from so many different areas, and it’s just helping the sport to grow. Many opportunities didn’t exist just 20 years ago, such as Top Golf and other ways to play other than traditionally. But with these new ways to get involved as a player or as a career, it’s great for everyone!
As time continues to progress, so will the culture within golf. Changes will continue to happen, and the sport that millions of people around the world love will only get better—including in Idaho. The goal for the IGA is to continue to strengthen its men’s championships and grow its women’s—making sure the needs of each are met, and in this case, the championships being offered. It is safe to say that the right person is in charge to accomplish such a task in this ever-changing culture and demographic of Idahoan golfers.
Divisional plots thicken after opening round
Written by Isaac Staszkow, Championships Intern
After day one, Jerome Country Club proved an adequate challenge for the state’s best senior men and women.
Swirling winds, muggy heat and small greens created a serious test for a field filled with seven senior women and 57 senior men—allowing only two competitors to shoot under par.
JCC reminded us all that consistency will win out in a war of attrition.
Senior Men’s Divison
2021 Champion Scott Vermeer continued his success in the event by shooting a four under par 68 on the day to lead the Senior Men’s Division.
His day one push was led by six birdies, four of which came on the back nine.
This performance would have been reason for a celebration for most but not for Scott Vermeer.
Following his bogey on the 18th, he stated, “That hole will haunt me,” as he headed to the practice green to roll some more putts.
Super-Senior Men’s Division
Mike Rawls has taken the lead in the Super-Senior Men’s Division after round one—reminding us all that par is your best friend.
While others bounced back and forth from birdie to bogey, Rawls stayed calm and parred on as he carded a total of 16 for the day. It was that consistent effort that has given him the two-shot lead on his closest contender.
Senior Women’s Division
After round one, the line between leader and challengers remained blurred as the top of the leaderboard filled up with well-known names full of rich herstories.
Kris Fenwick has once again found herself with another opportunity to break through that figurative glass ceiling with a victory this week after having finished as the runner-up at the IGA Match Play earlier this year.
Tied for second at four over par are two more familiar faces: Karen Darrington (six-time winner of this event) and Stacey Camara. Both have proven they have more than enough firepower to make a run at the top on day two.
Potentially the most intreating story of the tournament is Shawna Ianson.
Finishing day one with a five over par 77, Ianson has found herself in contention despite the fact that she would typically play this event as a Super-Senior Woman.
For a complete look at the leaderboard, click here.
Girls Junior Americas Cup Final Round
Helena, Mont.
The 44th Girls Junior Americas Cup at Green Meadow Country Club saw Southern California run away with the team competition after shooting a team score of 202 (-14) for the final round and totaling 620 (-28) a whopping 24 shots ahead of defending champion, Mexico. The Mexican team posted a final round 209 (-7) to finish four-under-par for the event with a total of 644.
Arizona shot even par 216 in round three and took home the third place medal at 646 (-2) for the tournament. Hawaii was even par 648 for the event after shooting 212 (-4) in the final round, good enough for fourth. Rounding out the top five was Washington at eight-over-par 656 after a final day tally of 221.
Each team score is based on the top three individual scores.
In the individual competition, day two leader Jasmine Koo saw her lead vanish as Kelli Ann Strand of Idaho was on the course early putting together a strong showing. It didn’t take long before Koo regained the lead with a late flourish eliminating any doubt. Koo finished with five consecutive 3’s on holes 14-18. That streak was six-under-par as she went birdie, par, eagle, birdie, eagle to complete her final round at 66 (-6) her best day of the event and capping a magnificent performance that saw Koo post three days in the 60s (69-67-66) for a 202 total and 14-under-par. Koo made six birdies and two eagles on Thursday.
Strand, last year’s runner-up and soon-to-be Nebraska golfer made things interesting early as she went out in 32 (-3) on the front nine and starting four-under-par in her first four holes. Strand was steady on the back nine with 35 (-2) to, but she didn’t have quite enough fire power in the end. Strand closed with 67 (-5) and 205 (66-72-67) and 11-under for the tournament.
Kylie Chong, last year’s champion put together a strong closing round with 67 (-5) and birdied the final four holes to end the day capturing third place at 207 (-9). Chong shot 68-72-67 over the three days to provide enough firepower with Koo to overwhelm the field in the team competition.
Raya Nakao of Hawaii tied for fourth after a stellar final round 66. Nakao made only one bogey with five birdies and an eagle giving her a 209 total (70-73-66). Gracie McGovern tied Nakao at 209 (67-72-70) with two days in red numbers.
Elise Lee of Southern California was sixth overall with 211 (-5) after shooting 71-71-69. Kyra Ly of Oregon was seventh overall at 213 (-3) she posted 72-69-72.
Mexico’s Larissa Carrillo posted the lowest round of the tournament with a 65. Carrillo went out in 35 with a bogey and birdie and then turned it on during her closing round with 30 (-7) with an eagle and five birdies to close out her tournament.
Complete leaderboard can be found online here.
Nick Dietzen
Executive Director (Montana State Golf Association)
Hiskey Family Legacy Still Growing in Idaho and Beyond
by Michelle Hiskey
When you play certain tracks in southern Idaho like Twin Falls Golf Course and Highland Golf Course in Pocatello, you connect to the Hiskey family. Starting in the Great Depression of the 1930s, Pete Hiskey helped build and run many public courses.
And when you see PING golf equipment, that’s part of the story too. Babe Hiskey, the youngest of Pete’s three sons, was the first PGA TOUR player to win with PING irons.
Fifty years after winning the PGA TOUR’s Sahara Invitational, Babe Hiskey holds the original PING clubs he used in that tournament.
If you watched Scottie Scheffler win the 2022 Masters and solidify his ranking as the World’s No. 1 player, you got another peek at the Hiskey legacy. Scheffler met caddie Ted Scott through the PGA TOUR Bible Study, which was co-founded in 1965 by Babe and brother Jim Hiskey with Seattle native Kermit Zarley, all being players on the tour at the time, and which still flourishes on the tour today.
That’s the living story behind the Hiskey Family Cup, the new perpetual trophy given by the Idaho Golf Association to the winner of the Idaho Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship.
Born in the family’s house on Burley (Idaho) Golf Course, a course which is now called River’s Edge, Babe played professionally for 25 years and won three PGA TOUR events.
Now in their 80s, Babe and Jim brought three generations of Hiskeys from around the country to Boise’s Crane Creek Country Club in September to bestow the 2021 Hiskey Family Cup to Alan Barnhardt, winner of that year’s Idaho Men’s Mid-Amateur.
“Golf has been a great game for our family,” said Jim’s son Pete Hiskey, who is now a high school golf coach in Annapolis, Md. “Golf has brought us together with a lot of friends.”
In the 1950s, it was one or the other of the three Hiskey brothers (Babe, Sonny, Jim, left to right) who would win eight of nine Idaho State Amateur titles.
Flat broke at the time, Babe Hiskey came out of nowhere to win the PGA TOUR’s Sahara Invitational in 1970. He is holding his son Bryant, and with him are his young daughter D’Anne, and his wife Eunice is holding their daughter Suzie. (Photos courtesy Babe Hiskey)
Jim (left) and Babe in September 2021 at Crane Creek, holding the Hiskey Family Cup.
In September 2021, the Hiskey family held a reunion at Crane Creek Country Club for the Idaho State Mid-Amateur, where they presented the Hiskey Family Cup, the championship’s perpetual trophy, to winner Alan Barnhardt.
After stocks crashed in 1929, the elder Pete Hiskey found employment building golf courses with the Works Progress Administration. He had little knowledge of golf, but did have an intense drive to take care of his growing family. He managed work crews and courses while his family lived on site.
Pete worked on or advised superintendents at many southern Idaho courses, including Blue Lakes Country Club and Riverside Golf Course. He retired as Pocatello’s superintendent of parks, and when he passed away, several Hiskey generations celebrated his life by playing Highland Golf Course.
Pete and wife Valna raised daughter Beverly and sons Peter Marion (Sonny), Jim and Bryant (Babe). From their house on the grounds of Twin Falls “Muni,” the boys played three holes on their way to the school bus.
In the 1950s, the brothers would win eight of nine Idaho State Amateur championships.
“Dad was ornery,” Babe said at a reception for the Mid-Amateur contestants last fall. “If we didn’t win, we didn’t want to come home. And Dad didn’t play a lick.”
Sonny became the first Hiskey to attend college. He led North Texas State to the NAIA golf championship, and Jim would help power the University of Houston to three NCAA national golf titles.
By the time Babe joined Jim at Houston, though, the family’s charmed life in golf had shattered.
In March 1956, Sonny was fulfilling his military service as he prepared to play the PGA TOUR. In a night-time Air Force training flight near Waco, Tex., his plane went down. He was 25.
While serving in the Air Force, Sonny Hiskey was killed in a plane crash in 1956, cutting short his attempt to play on the PGA TOUR.
“I didn’t know if I wanted to play golf anymore,” Jim recalled.
But by the mid-1960s, Babe was playing the PGA TOUR full-time and Jim part-time, a schedule that limited church attendance, which is why they formed the PGA TOUR Bible Study group.
On the tour, Babe struggled with his putting. In desperation, he listened to an engineer sell him on the handmade putters out of his car trunk. Karsten Solheim, who grew up in Seattle and attended the University of Washington, had created PING golf clubs in his garage, and Babe got hooked. “He was almost like a dad to me,” Babe said.
He became one of the first tour players sponsored by PING, and helped talk other players to try the equipment. Babe’s victory in the 1970 Sahara Invitational was the first for the PING K-1 irons.
He had earlier won the 1965 Cajun Classic, and in 1972 he won the PGA TOUR’s National Team Championship with Zarley as his partner. Zarley, by then an established tour player, had won the PNGA Men’s Amateur in 1962.
Babe played 15 years on the PGA TOUR and a decade on the PGA Senior Tour. He and wife Eunice now live in Galveston, Tex., and have three children and six grandchildren.
Jim is a mentor to golfers around the world and co-author of “Choices of Champions: 8 Critical Decisions Winners Make to Power through Adversity.” He and wife Lorraine, who met as children in Twin Falls, now live in Annapolis, Md., and have three children, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
They are now busy making plans for their next family golf reunion in Idaho.
Michelle Hiskey is an Atlanta-based writer who attended Duke University on a golf scholarship. Her golf writing has appeared on USGA.org and ESPN.com, and in The New York Times.
Playing own game brings victory to Am winners
Written by Beaux Yenchik, Manager of Media and Communications
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho—If there is one thing to be taken from this year’s State Am and Women’s State Am it is that every golfer is different, and if you own your game, you have a chance. Distance off the tee or the age of a player doesn’t guarantee one a win. The book of golf doesn’t tell you how or what your approach to the game should be, and the winners proved that by writing their own chapters.
Carly Carter, the Women’s State Am winner, entered an elite club as the 89th winner of the event. Finishing at two-over-par for the championship, Carter pulled away from the field with a four-stroke victory over last year’s champion, Kelli Ann Strand. In the 94th playing of the State Amateur, it was the 43-year-old hometown hero who walked away victorious. Jeffrey Anderson signed his final scorecard to finish the tournament at seven-under-par—beating second-place finisher, Jake Slocum, by two strokes.
IT IS WHAT IT IS
Staring down a 50-footer for eagle on the second green, Carter found herself trailing perhaps the most confident female golfer in Idaho. Stepping up to hit the putt, Carter, just as she had all tournament long, struck the ball with confidence and watched it drop from deep. Quickly erasing the two-stroke deficit, Carter showed her playing partners that she was there to play and wasn’t going to go anywhere.
“I came into today [knowing] it was going to be tough with [Strand], especially coming from behind,” Carter said. “But, I just came into it, and I [told myself] I was going to play as good as [I] can…The eagle on two really helped get things going because then it was all square.”
Fast forward to the turn, Carter and Strand found themselves locked in a battle for the ages. Brooke Patterson, the first-round leader, had shot herself out of contention with four bogeys and a double-bogey on the front—making the remaining nine holes a two-woman contest for the Jean Lane Smith Cup.
Carter decided to take a page out of Strand’s playbook by pulling driver on the short par-4 13th. While Carter knocked it nearly hole-high in the left rough, Strand laid back off the tee—sticking her approach shot to five feet. Strand walked away from the hole with a one-shot lead after Carter failed to take advantage of the great drive.
Carly Carter (middle) posing with family following her Women’s State Am winner.
Momentum didn’t last long for Strand as the tides began to turn in favor of Carter. Doing as she had all day, Carter hit a solid drive on the next hole and then found herself walking off the green with a solid two-putt par.
Strand, on the other hand, gave up her lead and left the 14th hole trailing by one. In what was a case of bad luck, Strand’s third shot ricocheted off the flagstick back to the front part of the green, and then proceeded to three-putt for double bogey.
Carter continued her strong play as she sank a 10-footer for birdie on the next hole, while Strand left her birdie attempt short.
“I think on hole 15, I made a birdie there,” she said. “I was one or two up at that point with a couple of holes to play. Then I [told myself to] just stick with it, and see how low you can go from here.”
Fast-forwarding again, but this time to the final hole of the event. Carter striped her tee shot down the middle of the fairway and then proceeded to hit the 3-wood of her life near the front of the green. With pressure mounting and a need to hit a similar shot to Carter’s, Strand pull-hooked her second into the trees left of the green—sealing her fate and Carter’s.
Tapping in her two-foot birdie, the crowd that had gathered around 18 erupted in cheers for the newest winner of the Women’s State Amateur.
Following the trophy presentation and a plethora of congratulations, Carter sloganed her round with the phrase “It is what it is.” She explained that no matter what had happened, good or bad, it happened and there was nothing you could do about it.
Carter said: “I knew it could keep changing throughout the round. So, whatever ended up happening, happened, and it just happened to be in my favor, which obviously is good.”
She played her game: fun, fast and loosy-goosy—a method that gave her the win and a share of the course record for women. She marathoned the event to her own beat and walked away victorious.
“On, Wisconsin” as they say.
TOP-10 LEADERBOARD
1- Carly Carter (+2)
2- Kelli Ann Strand (+6)
3- Emily Cadwell (+13)
4- Brooke Patterson (+14)
5- Madison Gridley (+22)
T6- Claire Moon (+24)
T6- Gabrielle McCord (+24)
T6- Lauren Parish (+24)
T10- Lindsey Lloyd (+25)
T10- Emmy Sundby (+25
Women’s State Amateur Payout
1st Place $850
2nd Place $600
3rd Place $450
4th Place $325
5th Place $200
A WIN IN WHAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE HIS LAST AMATEUR
Beginning his round with two bogeys in his first six holes, Anderson found himself in a position that he had not been in all week—trailing. It was his home course, one he had grown up playing ever since he could first lift a golf club. He was one of the favorites to win the event—being the course-record holder at Idaho Falls Country Club.
Knowing something needed to change, Anderson reflected on advice his son had given him prior to the round: “Dad, sometimes you get frustrated…if it’s not going your way…Just relax. You can make a ton of birdies out here at this golf course, and you can always turn it on.”
Bouncing back from a rough start, Anderson chipped in for a birdie on seven and gained the momentum he had desperately desired—claiming his chip was a good chip but a lucky one at that. Anderson then went on to birdie the eighth to get back to his original score of four-under-par.
Anderson then continued what was an impressive showing of ball-striking. Only being out of position once or twice off the tee for the entire week, yes, the entire week, Anderson hit fairway after fairway and green after green. Placing the pressure on his playing partners and the rest of the State Am field as he continued to trust his game and self with each shot.
“I hit my driver in play all week,” Anderson said. “With my driver, I was never out of position. I was in play all the time..My wedge game and iron game [were] so good this week. I shoot 66 the first day, 31 on the back, and I probably hit it better on the front…I just never made a putt…My ball-striking was really good this week.”
Jeffrey Anderson (center) poses with his wife and children as the newest State Am winner.
After hitting his approach shot over the 14th green, Anderson hit what one spectator called “his second-best hit” after his chip-in on seven. He proceeded to show his soft touch around the greens at IFCC by leaving his chip just inches from the cup on a hole that had a green sloping back to front.
Staying steady at six-under-par, the final group was forced to wait nearly 10 minutes on the 18th tee box as the group in front of them waited to hit their shots into the green.
Wondering away from the small group, Anderson waited patiently in the shade by himself. Preparing for what might be the biggest accomplishment of his golfing “career,” Anderson had checked the leaderboard and saw someone from one of the groups ahead of him had nearly caught him and sat with the lead in the clubhouse at five-under-par.
Knowing that he needed par or better to avoid a playoff with Slocum, the now runner-up, Anderson put his ball in the middle of the fairway off the tee. He then flushed his approach shot to 10 feet on the par-5.
“I already knew [where I stood because] I looked at the scores,” Anderson said. “I had three putts to still win by one. So, it was just staying in the moment.”
After tapping in for a birdie and claiming the next line on the Scott Masinglill Cup—who actually participated in the event this week at the age of 70 and carded a final round 69 (-3)—Anderson lifted his arms over his head in response to the elation felt from a goal he had always wanted: winning the State Amateur at his home club.
“I didn’t know if this day would ever happen,” he stated. “At this point in my career, this was the course that I felt that if I was ever going to win it that this was the place I was going to do it…I’ll probably play another State Am now that I have won, but this was actually, in my mind, going to be my last State Am.”
After what was a long, hot week in Idaho Falls, Anderson was sure to sleep well as the newest winner of the State Amateur.
TOP-10 LEADERBOARD
1- Jeffrey Anderson (-7)
2. Jake Slocum (-5)
3. Nate Smith (-4)
4. Zachary Martin (-2)
T5- Tanner Higham (-1)
T5- Kristopher Sayer (-1)
7- Jason Struhs (E)
T8- Austin French (+1)
T8- Seth Jones (+1)
10- David Bishop (+2)
State Amateur Payout
1st Place $850
2nd Place $600
3rd Place $500
4th Place $450
T-5th Place $375
T-5th Place $375
7th Place $300
T-8th Place $265
T-8th Place $265
10th Place $225
T-11th Place $180
T-11th Place $180
T-11th Place $180
T-14th Place $130
T-14th Place $130
16th Place $100
17th Place $80
T-18th Place $80
T-18th Place $80
20th Place $80
A big thank you to the entire staff at Idaho Falls Country Club! Our next event will be the Senior Amateur at Jerome Country Club from August 4-6, 2022. Click HERE for a complete look at both the Women’s State Amateur and State Amateur leaderboards.
Scoring conditions get tougher
The pressure mounted during Friday’s second rounds of the State Am and Women’s State Am at Idaho Falls Country Club. For the men, the cutline fell at 16-over-par, eliminating half of the field from tomorrow’s final round. For the women, it was the true definition of “Moving Day” as players slid up and down the leaderboard—having no cut due to the women having a smaller field size.
Kelli Ann Strand (+3) finished the day with a two-shot lead over Carly Carter (+5) as the current leader of the Women’s State Am. After an impressive five-under-par round, Ashton McArthur (-4) caught the first-round leader, Jeffrey Anderson, to tie for first with one round to go in the State Am.
STATE AMATEUR
With the greens firming up at IFCC due to rising temperatures, players in the State Am field found themselves having to work just a little harder than on day one to stay in contention for the coveted trophy. Despite the scoring average (80.16) being the same for both days, it was apparent that the players were having to scramble for par, and perhaps bogey, more often than their opening 18.
It was McArthur, however, who made the biggest move on day two with his 67 (-5). With only four other male competitors shooting in the red, McArthur bested the next lowest score by three shots—set by Nate Smith and Toby Header with a two-under-par 70. On putting surfaces that have been giving the field fits all week, McArthur defied the odds by rolling in nine birdies during his second round—bringing his birdie count to 13 for the week.
Will the kid from Rexburg, Idaho, take home the trophy tomorrow, or does the hometown hero, Anderson, have something else in mind? For all we know, it might be someone else!
TOP-10 LEADERBOARD
T1- Ashton McArthur 73-67=140 (-4)
T1- Jeffrey Anderson 66-74=140 (-4)
T3- Kristopher Sayer 69-72=141 (-3)
T3- Seth Jones 70-71=141 (-3)
5- Austin French 71-71=142 (-2)
T6- Nate Smith 74-70=144 (E)
T6- Toby Heider 74-70=144 (E)
T6- Jake Slocum 71-73=144 (E)
T9- Zachary Martin 67-79=146 (+2)
T9- Jason Struhs 71-75=146 (+2)
WOMEN’S STATE AMATEUR
As mentioned above, round two was “Moving Day” at the Women’s State Am. Players shuffled up and down the leaderboard—creating major changes at the top of the standings. It was a near 50-50 split between the women regarding those who had improved their score in round two and those who did not. With most of that movement happening near the top, it became clear that there would be no clear-cut winner at this stage in the game.
The difference between days one and two was as clear as night and day for the women’s leader, Kelli Ann Strand. Shooting a three-under-par 69, Strand moved up five spots to claim the top line on the leaderboard. Rolling in seven birdies on a day where no other player shot under par, Strand proved no lead is safe with her in the field.
Strand will take her two-shot lead into Saturday with a target on her back as the ladies look to battle it out at IFCC to have their name etched as the 89th winner of the Women’s State Am.
TOP-10 LEADERBOARD
1- Kelli Ann Strand 78-69=147 (+3)
2- Carly Carter 72-77=149 (+5)
3- Brooke Patterson 71-79=150 (+6)
4- Emmy Sundby 82-74=156 (+12)
T5- Rianna Garland 84-73=157 (+13)
T5- Emily Cadwell 75-82=157 (+13)
T7- Lauren Parish 77-82=159 (+15)
T7- Madison Gridley 85-74=159 (+15)
9- Lindsey Lloyd 80-80=160 (+16)
10- Gabrielle McCord 79-82=161 (+17)
Click HERE to see who made the cut at the State Amateur and a more in-depth look at the Women’s State Am leaderboard.
Make a statement early and come out swinging
Day one of the 2022 State Amateur and Women’s State Amateur proved to be a test for Idaho’s elite players. With 116 players to begin the week for the two championships—94 of them being men and 22 of them being women—only eight were able to shoot below par. With high temperatures baring down, Idaho Falls Country Club showed its teeth with its slopy greens and changes in elevation.
STATE AMATEUR
Jeffrey Anderson, the IFCC course-record holder, claimed the top spot as the leader in the clubhouse in the race for one of the Idaho Golf Association’s most coveted prizes: the Scott Masingill Cup. Posting a score of 66 (-6), Anderson had three birdies and two eagles to counter his lone bogey on the first.
With seven birdies to his name, Zachary Martin found himself one back of Anderson and the leader of the pack of those chasing the said player in first place.
TOP-10 LEADERBOARD
1- Jeffrey Anderson 66 (-6)
2- Zachary Martin 67 (-5)
3- Kristopher Sayer 69 (-3)
4- Seth Jones 70 (-2)
T5- Jake Slocum 71 (-1)
T5- Austin French 71 (-1)
T5- Jason Struhs 71 (-1)
T8- Joe Gustavel 72 (E)
T8- Josh Nunamaker 72 (E)
T10- Ashton McArthur 73 (+1)
T10- Arnulfo Quintero 73 (+1)
T10- Nate Nelson 73 (+1)
WOMEN’S STATE AMATEUR
Brooke Patterson, the 2020 winner, found herself the lone woman under par after the opening round of play. On a day where scoring proved to be a little tougher for those with afternoon tee times, Patterson ground out a round of one-under-par 71. She circled three holes on her scorecard to overcome the two squares from holes two and 15.
Carly Carter’s even-par round left her just one shot back of Patterson and in second place. Playing alongside last year’s winner, Kelli Ann Strand, Carter’s front nine was more up and down with her three birdies and two bogeys in comparison to her single bogey on the back on hole No. 16. Sitting three shots behind and in third place, Emily Cadwell shot a three-over-par 75.
TOP-10 LEADERBOARD
1- Brooke Patterson 71 (-1)
2- Carly Carter 72 (E)
3- Emily Cadwell 75 (+3)
4- Lauren Parish 77 (+5)
5- Kelli Ann Strand 78 (+6)
6- Gabrielle McCord 79 (+7)
7- Lindsey Lloyd 80 (+8)
8- Tyler Erickson 81 (+9)
9- Emmy Sundby 82 (+10)
10- Ainsely Snyder 83 (+11)
Click HERE for a complete look at day one’s leaderboards!
Ms. Consistency
Written by Isaac Staszkow, IGA Championship Intern
Nampa, Idaho —On a hot Tuesday afternoon in the hills of Nampa, Idaho, Kelli Ann Strand secured her second win in less than a week by winning the U.S. Junior Girls’ Qualifier at Redhawk Golf Course.
After her round, Strand was relieved to say, “I did what I had to do to win.”
Following a double bogey on the fifth hole, where Strand hit her bunker shot out of bounce and struck a poor iron shot off the tee on the following hole, her caddie could only describe that stretch of holes as rough.
Strand, a native of Challis, Idaho, recovered from those slight struggles on the front as she birdied holes seven and nine to shoot two-under-par 34. She then signed for even par on the back to win by five strokes: 34-35—69 (-2).
Following our interview, Strand headed directly to the range to hit balls in the 90-degree heat… I guess you could say there is no rest for the best!
Finishing in second place and joining Strand at the 73rd U.S. Girls’ Junior at The Club at Olde Stone will be Natalie Vo from San Jose, California—who shot a 35-39—74 (+3) to finish tied for second place but beat out two other competitors in a playoff to advance.
In the U.S. Junior Amateur Qualifier, the following individuals are those who claimed the available qualifying spots for the said event:
-Jay Leng Jr. 32-31—63 (-7)
San Diego, California
-Jaden Dumdumaya 32-34—66 (-4)
Fairfield, Californa
CLICK HERE for the complete leaderboard of each qualifier.
A week for records, high-seeded wins, consistency
Written by Beaux Yenchik, Manager of Media and Communications
BOISE, Idaho—What…A…Week…Not entirely sure there is a better way to describe what went down at the 2022 Match Play Championship than that. A journey through the figurative peaks and valleys of The River Club presented each golfer a chance to reach the summit or stumble by the wayside. Some caught lucky breaks that gave them new life; others were not as fortunate.
Five golfers separated themselves from their respected divisions to hoist their new, shiny hardware. In the Women’s Division, Kelli Ann Strand defeated Kris Fenwick, 5 and 3. In the Super-Senior Men’s Division, Mike Rawls defeated Fran Matthias, 2 and 1. In the Senior Men’s Division, Scott Vermeer defeated Bruce Robinett, 19 holes. In the Men’s Master-40 Division, Gilbert Livas defeated Garrett Stephenson, 2 and 1. In the Men’s Division, Seth Jones defeated Kyle Delorey, 1 up.
MAKING A NAME FOR HERSELF
It was Tuesday afternoon on the 18th green. Strand was faced with a 10-foot putt that was ever so slightly downhill. After lining up her putt, and keeping her playing partners and caddie waiting in anticipation, Strand struck her putt and watched as her ball fell in the hole. Those present erupted in applause as each had just watched history take place.
Strand had just broken the course record at The River Club for women, carding a phenomenal 64 (-7) with her back-nine score equalling a 28 (-7)—a score that left many of us having to pick up our chins off the floor. Rightfully taking the No. 1 seed heading into the match-play portion of the event, Strand clearly made a name for herself and established the fact that she was the one to beat.
She explained: “So, I played OK on the front nine. I had two birdies, and then I had a double, so that was kind of disappointing…The back nine came around and just started playing good and [didn’t] care about my score that much…I know I was playing good but wasn’t sure exactly where I was at. I just kept making as many birdies as I could.”
To say she was in the zone would be the understatement of the century.
Kelli Ann Strand hits tee shot during the Final Match against opponent, Kris Fenwick.
When asked about what her greatest weapon was in regards to her golf game, Strand was quick to identify that her ability to hit the long bomb was a huge advantage—finding herself with more scoring opportunities than her opponents. With how the course caught her eye, Strand put the pedal to the metal each time she made the turn. Besides the 18 holes played during the stroke-play seeding round, Strand didn’t see holes 16-18 during any of her four matches.
"Honestly, I don’t really know how much different it was from the front nine like as far as my drives,” she said. “I think maybe a few of the holes were more gettable and I could get closer to the green on my drives. I don’t know, something was set up right for me there. I don’t know why I played better on the back nine, but maybe a few of the holes were more gettable.”
Despite being the youngest lady in the field, Strand got to truly test her game against the women who have both elevated and carried women’s golf in the state of Idaho for many years. From past champions like Karen Darrington and Sheryl Scott—both who watched Strand post her record-breaking round—to one of her mentors, Fenwick, who she ousted in the final match of the event. Having made a name for herself, if she hadn’t already, Strand looks ready to take the mantle in an effort to further women’s golf in Idaho.
When asked about her experience, she said: “Oh, it was super cool. It’s my first time playing match play, so it was a really cool experience. Even playing with older women who [are] super good…and have amazing short games.
Here are the matches that Strand won:
ROUND OF 16
(1) Kelli Ann Strand (BYE)
ROUND OF 8
(1) Kelli Ann Strand def. (8) Peggy Hicks, 6 and 5
ROUND OF 4
(1) Kelli Ann Strand def. (5) Abby Black, 5 and 3
FINALS
(1) Kelli Ann Strand def. (2) Kris Fenwick, 5 and 3
A BATTLE FROM ALL ANGLES
Finding himself two strokes over par after his first four holes of the event, Rawls knew things needed to change and needed to change fast. With seeding on the line and a chance to better control his destiny within the tournament, Rawls dug his heels in deep. Carding a final score of 73 (+2), the ship leveled out for the No. 1 seed in the Super-Senior Men’s Division. He used his trusty TaylorMade Spider to roll in three birdies during the remainder of the round to counter his bogey and double bogey.
Mike Rawls (right) shakes hands with Fran Matthias (left) after ending the match on 17.
It was then smooth sailing from there for the Super-Senior victor. Playing on his home course, Rawls used his local knowledge and a red hot putter to win his next three matches. Getting to play this course multiple times a week provided him with the advantage of knowing “where to hit the ball and miss it on the greens.”
"There are times, obviously, for all of us golfers that we go out and not have our best stuff in a certain portion of our games,” Rawls said. “So, you have to make up for that in other areas. For me, yesterday in the afternoon, I started struggling hitting the ball a little bit. [I was] getting a little tired, but I started putting better. I started making some putts and that sustained me…”
The common golf cliché “Drive for show and putt for dough” would be the perfect slogan for Rawls’ campaign trail through the Match Play Championship. There didn’t seem to be a putt that he would miss. At one moment during his finals match on Thursday morning, he was seen shrugging his shoulders as he walked off the green in complete amazement in response to the putts he was making.
Rawls said: “Putting is very important. Obviously, you got to get there at some point to have that opportunity to make a putt, but ya, it is very important.”
Here are the matches that Rawls won:
ROUND OF 8
(1) Mike Rawls def. (8) Mark Broz, 6 and 5
ROUND OF 4
(1) Mike Rawls def. (4) Bob Ianson, 2 and 1
FINALS
(1) Mike Rawls def. (2) Fran Matthias, 2 and 1
STAY TRUE TO YOU
Vermeer’s golf game in every facet could be described with a single word: “consistent.” Not only does the word consistent apply to his ability to find fairway after fairway, or to have a short game like the late Seve Ballesteros, but it applies to his demeanor or friendly nature with any person with whom he comes into contact, especially those he plays with during tournaments. And, that didn’t stop during the Match Play Championship.
I couldn’t help but notice it each time I interacted with him or simply observed Vermeer from a distance as I watched his matches. The most profound example that I saw came shortly after Robinett missed a crucial putt on the 19th hole of the Senior Men’s final match. Robinett’s putt scraped the side of the cup in an attempt to extend the match another hole. In what could have been a moment of total elation for Vermeer, he stayed consistent with who he is as he patted his playing competitor on the back and said something that brought a slight smile to Robinett’s face, which was then followed up by a small chuckle. Being kind and thoughtful toward others, Vermeer showed respect to his playing competitor.
Another example of Vermeer’s consistency came from an additional moment during his final match. Making the turn, I said hello to Vermeer and asked how his match was going by giving him a thumbs up and thumbs down. With a smile on his face, he gave me a thumbs down. He said it wasn’t going as well as he had hoped for. He quickly followed up his original statement, as he walked to the 10th tee, by saying the match wasn’t over. Even in a moment where he could have easily thrown in the towel and allowed for self-doubt to creep into his game, he stayed consistent in understanding every golfer has bad moments and that he belongs in this event and deserves to be there.
Scott Vermeer makes birdie putt on 19th hole to win the Men’s Senior Division.
“Overall, I thought I played really well,” Vermeer said. “I had three or four holes in a row that just kind of just fell apart on the last round. [I] brought it back together with some good thoughts. Instead of thinking bad things, it was ‘Just get in. You’ve been hitting the ball for a long time. Just put a good swing on it.’ {And], it paid off on the last hole.”
The last example of how Vermeer stayed true to this defining word was his play throughout the entire week, especially his short game. Despite the “slick greens” as he called them, Vermeer made the putts he was supposed to.
With smaller greens than most courses, golfers had to have the perfect touch when it came to their pitching and chipping. Vermeer’s chip from ten yards off the front of the green on the first playoff hole demonstrated this skill perfectly. Expecting for the ball to release once it landed on the green, he played a beautiful chip to a back hole location where he had stopped the ball about two feet from the hole—then hearing the ever-popular phrase “you’re good” from his playing partner.
With a slight grin on his face, Vermeer told me after his round: “Arnold Palmer said something…the more you practice, the luckier you get. I’ve been practicing quite a bit [and] taking a lot of time out at different courses.”
Maybe it would be safe to say in his case, “The more consistent you are, the luckier you get.”
Here are the matches that Vermeer won:
ROUND OF 16
(1) Scott Vermeer def. (16) Mike Pulsipher, 7 and 5
ROUND OF 8
(1) Scott Vermeer def. (8) Bret Rupert, 5 and 4
ROUND OF 4
(1) Scott Vermeer def. (5) Bo Davies, 3 and 1
FINALS
(1) Scott Vermeer def. (2) Bruce Robinett, 19 holes
CATCHING FIRE AT THE RIGHT TIME
Livas had hardly touched his sticks in the last month or so leading up to this week’s tournament. While others looked to be mid-stride when entering the event, Livas, for some reason or another, claimed to be a little rusty—using the qualifying stroke-play round as his way to shake off whatever rust there may have been. (Heck, if that is what rusty looks like, I’ll take it!)
It is safe to say that Livas got hot and found his game at the right time, especially with the flat stick. As mentioned above, the greens at The River Club were fast. They were measured at about a 12 on the stemp meter, similar to speeds that PGA Professionals play every week. Having been a former member of the club, Livas had “a sound understanding of the breaks and speeds of those greens”—giving him an advantage over his playing competitors.
Gilbert Livas hits a stinger off the tee on hole No. 13.
What impressed me when watching Livas play was the combination of length and accuracy off the tee. No, he didn’t hit every fairway but rarely was Livas too far off the short grass. When one has both distance and putting as strengths, it sure is hard to put out their flame. I even watched Gilbert send a stinger up the middle of hole 13 with his ball on an ignited string.
When your game is working as it did for Livas, any and every golf course opens up for creativity to be used throughout. Fades and draws could be used on the same shot. You could play bump and runs or the “one hop and stop” shots to show you can use spin.
Livas said: “There are some tough tee shots and so many different ways to play each hole…It really allows one to use their imagination. I pretty much utilized every type of shot I’m capable of hitting this week, and it’s that kind of playing that makes playing The River Club so enjoyable.”
Getting hot at the right time and in the right manner helped Livas make his way through one of the toughest brackets in the tournament with wins over the likes of Edward Hanson, Brian Swenson (who is always a tournament favorite) and Garrett Stephenson (another player who has been playing well and has been in contention at this year).
"I [am] ecstatic to be a participant this year and beyond elated to claim the championship trophy,” Livas stated. “I have won so many golf tournaments, but an IGA Championship has always eluded me. I’ve been close on many occasions but had just never managed to seal the deal. It certainly feels nice to finally win one!”
Here are the matches that Livas won:
ROUND OF 8
(5) Gilbert Livas def. (4) Edward Hanson, 1 up
ROUND OF 4
(5) Gilbert Livas def. (1) Brian Swenson, 3 and 2
FINALS
(5) Gilbert Livas def. (2) Garrett Stephenson, 2 and 1
WAIT…WHO?
Seth Jones walks in the winning putt on the 18th hole of the Men’s championship match.
Not much is known about this year’s Men’s Match Play champion: Seth Jones. Having come in under the radar, the hockey-first and now-turned IGA Champion has introduced himself to the IGA world. Just as the higher seeds in March Madness aren’t expected to make as much noise in the “Big Dance” as the better-seeded teams, so was the case at this year’s Match Play Championship; however, Jones pulled out the upset and made quite a bit of noise.
This soft-spoken assassin wasn’t someone who expressed his enthusiasm or confidence with the use of his vocal cords. He allowed his game to do the talking—blasting his ball off the tee close to 325 yards on average. Yet, Jones showed he had the discipline to lay back when a long-iron or hybrid was needed for better positioning into the green. Nowadays, many players deal with the consequences of a sprayed drive, as long as they have a short wedge or punch shot into the green for their second. Yet, when Jones chose to play aggressively, his chipping was on point as it helped him advance from match to match.
Jones said: “I think I hit only five greens the first day. I still shot 73. I think I chipped in twice…My putter and wedges saved me.”
In what was a battle of endurance with an extreme amount of heat bearing down on the golfers, Jones proved he could out tough and outlast the field. Having Tuesday’s round as his first look at The River Club, Jones continued to improve each match. Facing tough competition every day, Jones played the role of underdog beautifully.
Now, he can’t hide…
Here are the matches Jones won:
ROUND OF 16
(12) Seth Jones def. (5) Dustin Ianson, 2 up
ROUND OF 8
(12) Seth Jones def. (13) Colton Sisk, 2 and 1
ROUND OF 4
(12) Seth Jones def. (1) Jason Azzarito, 6 and 5
FINALS
(12) Seth Jones def. (10) Kyle Delorey, 1 up
FINAL THOUGHTS
The IGA wishes to express its gratitude to each individual who helped put on and participate in this event. The River Club was a phenomenal host, and the golf course was in great shape.
The next IGA Championship will be the State Amateur and Women’s State Amateur at Idaho Falls Country Club on July 7-9, 2022.
No one safe in first two rounds of Match Play
In what could be considered by some to be both the longest day of the year in Idaho (Summer Solstice) and the longest day of tournament golf for the Idaho Golf Association, Wednesday pushed players to the max at The River Club as the long day made the field grind from dawn to dusk. Some made short work of their opponents by finishing off their matches early—never reaching the No. 18 hole—while others grinded through extra holes.
Regardless of the route one took, each divisional bracket proved no player was safe as upsets happened both left and right. And despite the number of upsets, four of the five No. 1 seeds advanced to either their bracket’s Final Four or Finals matches that start this morning—the lone No. 1 seed not advancing came from the Men’s Master-40 as the No. 5 seed, Gilbert Livas, took down Brian Swenson.
Here is a look at how each of the brackets stand going into the final day of play.
WOMEN’S
SUPER-SENIOR MEN’S
SENIOR MEN’S
MEN’S MASTER-40
MEN’S
CLICK HERE for live scoring and a complete look at the leaderboard.
Women's course record set during opening-round seeding of 2022 Match Play Championship
History was recorded Tuesday afternoon as Kelli Ann Strand carded an impressive 64 (-7) en route to her taking the No. 1 seed in the Women’s Match Play bracket. With what was a course-record round for any lady, Strand played her back nine in style with five birdies and an eagle to shoot a 28 (-7)—an impressive nine-hole score by even a pro’s standards.
Jason Azzarito was only a shot off the course record with his impressive six-under-par, 65. Taking the No. 1 seed in the Men’s Match Play bracket, Azzarito’s lone dropped shot was his bogey on the par-3 14th.
Brian Swenson, the No. 1 seed in the Men’s Master-40 Match Play bracket, also found himself in the red by shooting a two-under-par, 69. Scott Vermeer had the lone sub-par round in the Senior Men’s Division—shooting a 68 (-3)—to claim that division’s No.1 seed. Last but not least, Mike Rawls bested the men in the Super-Senior Division by posting a two-over-par, 73, to take the No. 1 seed.
As play gets underway on day two, here is a look at the opening round of matches for each division:
WOMEN’S
SUPER-SENIOR MEN’S
SENIOR MEN’S
MEN’S MASTER-40
MEN’S
To follow today’s matches and the rest of the tournament, be sure to click here!