Boise State University golfer Nick Travers hits the ball a country mile. His length and a few key putts paid off with an Idaho Golf Association Match Play Championship Sunday at The Valley Club in Hailey.
Travers, a BSU sophomore who played golf and basketball at Boise's Borah High School, defeated 2002 IGA Match Play champ Brett Smith of Boise 2&1 in the final twosome. It was a replay of the Broadmore Country Club Memorial Day Match Play finale May 29 in Nampa.
"Nick is tremendously long. He routinely drove the ball 350 yards or better in the middle of the fairway. Nick was five-under-par in Sunday's morning round when it ended, and four-under in the afternoon," said IGA president Steve Feldtman.
Travers was a 4&3 winner over Brigham Young University golfer Tyson McFarland of Rexburg in Sunday's morning semi-final, while Smith dispatched defending champion Travis Gibbens of Caldwell 3&1 in the other men's semi-final.
"Really, the difference was putting in the afternoon round," said Feldtman about the final pairing in the field of 32 men who started play Friday with 18-hole qualifying rounds.
"Brett putted well in his morning round, and it came down to two or three putts in the afternoon. We're very proud of both finalists, since they both came up through the IGA junior golf program."
Travers, who shot one-under-par 71 in Friday's qualifying, won five match play encounters over two days Saturday and Sunday. He defeated Beaudy McFarland of Rexburg 1-up, got past Drew Surmeier of Fruitland 6&5, beat Todd Points of Boise 5&4 and ousted Tyson McFarland in the semi.
Smith, an orthopedic salesman fresh from college, had a 70 in Friday's qualifier on the 7,131-yard Valley Club layout.
He was a 4&3 winner over former Ketchum golfer Michael Conger of Boise in his opening match. Smith also defeated Nick Higham of Shelley 1-up, advanced past Jonathan Edwards of Weiser 3&1 and eliminated Gibbens in the semi.
Brandon Masingill of Weiser and Todd Points carded four-under-par 68s in Friday's qualifying round—two of eight golfers in red numbers. Local golfers and their scores were Kevin Cincotta 85, Page Roos 87 and Garrett Goldberg of Boise 79.
Format was 18-hole stroke play for all participants, which decided the seedings for the match play portion of the meet.
Cincotta, Roos and Conger fell in their first matches, while Goldberg won 3&1 over Carl Funk of Eagle before going home with a 4&3 loss to Austin French of Idaho Falls.
Feldtman was complimentary of the tournament hosts. He said, "The Valley Club and all of its staff treated us wonderfully. They can't do enough to treat you first class."
Women, seniors
Eagle golfer Kareen Markle has won some major events in the California desert this past year and she continued her strong playing Saturday.
Markle won the Ladies Match Play division Saturday at The Valley Club with a 4&3 final match victory over Karen Darrington of Boise. Markle is the defending Pacific Northwest Golf Association Women's Mid-Amateur champion.
Qualifying scores were close Friday, Stephanie Simmons of Boise leading the way with a four-over-par 76 followed by Jean Smith of Eagle 78, Darrington 78, Katie Higham of Shelley 79 and Markle 80.
When it came to match play, Markle stepped forward. She defeated Higham 1-up Friday afternoon, then ousted Simmons 6&5 Saturday. Meanwhile, Darrington was an 8&6 winner over Marilyn Reynolds of Boise and also beat Mallory Rhead of Mountain Home 5&3.
The biggest local impact came in the eight-player Senior Match Play division where there were four local golfers. But the title went to a familiar face, Weiser's colorful bushy-haired Joe Malay, co-founder of the "Golf Nut Society."
Malay, who shot a 73 in qualifying, defeated defending Senior Match Play champion Bob Lutz of Jerome 1-up in Saturday's final. Malay opened with a 5&3 victory over Hailey's Dave Cropper and then advanced by default over Sun Valley's Nils Badenduck.
After shooting 74 in qualifying, Lutz won 1-up over Jay Browne of Boise and moved into the final 1-up over Ed Bartlett of Meridian.
Badenduck carded a one-under-par 71 in qualifying while Cropper had an 80 and Sun Valley's Walter Littenberg scored an 18-hole score of 82.
President's Cup next
The Valley Club will next host the two-day President's Cup tournament for men and women Friday and Saturday, June 9-10. Format is 36 holes at stroke play, flights by handicap. Men's Day starts June 14.
