Sunflower Hills Golf Course Tournament Results

It was another windy day, but at least a warm one, in the Midwest for Sunflower Championship at Sunflower Hills GC.  Guys battled a steady 20mph+ wind all day, but some good scores were shot thanks to receptive greens!  And we had some fireworks! 

Division 1 was turning out to be a close race, despite higher than normal scores.  But playing a course at nearly 7,000 yards in these winds with extremely thick rough, it was to be expected.  With 5 holes to go, you had 3 players within 1 stroke of each.  Reece Nigh was leading the pack at his home course, with Larry Langley and Brandon Newman only one stroke behind.  Reece had 3 holes in a row he’s like to forget, and Larry kept the pedal down even after his mid round stumble that led to being 5 over par in a 4 hole stretch.  Newman made a couple of mental errors, but Larry kept his head about him and finished at 7 over par to take the win. 

Division 2 was a fun one!  With only 3 strokes separating the top 8 players, players were anxiously waiting in the clubhouse to see what would happen.  Armando Smith was one of the first to finish, and despite being hit in the bicep (see photo) by a stray tee sheet from the public play ahead of them, he was able to get in the clubhouse with the lead with an 8 over par 80.  Tricen Lewellen and Rob Phipps just needed a par on 18 to finish at 79, and Rob Spriggel took an untimely triple bogey on the par 5 17th to sit at 10 over par.  Phipps took a bogey on 18 to tie Armando, and Tricen made a double to take him out of the running for the win, ultimately finishing 3rd.  Rob Phipps and Armando Smith went into a playoff that last two holes, with Armando coming out victorious with a par on the first and second hole to Rob’s par/bogey. 

Division 3 had players battling it out and trying to keep it together down the stretch!  Matt Thorman, Charlie Ross, David Lapin, and Glen Hanson all played solid front 9’s, with Charlie in the lead at 2 over par after 9 holes.  On the back 9, despite finishing with a streak of 4 bogey’s in a row, Thorman was able to hold off the likes of Lapin, Ross and Hanson thanks to only one other bogey with a birdie to match on the back.  Thorman finished the round at 9 over par, with Lapin 10 over, Ross 10 over, and Hanson 11 over. 

In division 4, it came down to two players.  Kyle Bauer came to hole 18, playing a short 275 yards, at 11 over par.  He hit a great tee shot that found the putting surface, and two putted for a birdie to finish at 10 over par.  George Olson, who was still on the course with 3 holes to play, was also 10 over par but had some work left.  Three pars on 16, 17 and 18 meant George had the tie!  On the first playoff hole, Bauer made a solid par to George’s bogey for Kyle’s first win on the APT. 

Division 5 was another exciting group to watch!  After 9 holes, 5 players were within 2 strokes of the leader, Rocky Metcalfe.  Brandon Love put together a solid back 9 after a shaky front 9, and found himself with a 6ft birdie putt on 18 to seal the win, thanks to a bogey by Metcalfe and Alan Parker.  A two putt for Love would make for a 3 way playoff, and after just missing his 6 footer for birdie, the 3 players headed back to the first tee to play it off!  All 3 players hit solid tee shots and approach shots, but nothing matched Parker’s 25ft birdie putt to put away the win!