Hailey’s Matt Meador put the ball close to the hole and putted extremely well during last weekend’s 36-hole Sun Valley Golf Club Championships. Meador breezed to his first club championship by 21 strokes in the Men’s Flight.
Two-handicapper Meador, originally from Pocatello, shot rounds of 68-69 for seven-under-par 137 to capture the gross stroke championship over the men’s runner-up, seven-handicapper Dillon Witmer (82-76 for 158-144).
Sun Valley Director of Golf Jeff Petersen said that Meador’s 36-hole score is “the lowest I can remember,” for a winner of the club’s annual championship tournament. Petersen said, “He had a 31 on the Back 9 Saturday. He hit the ball close.”
Meador (68) and Women’s Club Champion Georgia Hutchinson (78) were the only golfers in the field of 36 to break 80 on Saturday. The course was more forgiving Sunday, with six breaking 80—Meador 69, Phil Doerflein 75, Witmer 76, Clif Neely 77, Dick Nelson 78 and J.B. Barlow 79.
Defending champion Hutchinson was on fire herself in the 11-golfer Women’s Division. Five-handicapper Hutchinson (78-83 for 161-151) won her fourth Sun Valley club championship by 14 strokes over Mary Kay Gandolfi (89-86 for 175-155).
Hutchinson also won the club title in 2003-04. She is one championship behind the club’s all-time leader, Britt Palmedo (5 straight titles from 2007-11).
Senior Men’s gross stroke champion was Dick Nelson (82-78 for 160-148) by one stroke over Walter Littenberg (81-80 for 161-149). Net winners were Doerflein in the Men’s Flight, John Manocheo in Senior Men’s and Shelly Bronson in Women’s Flight.
By virtue of last weekend’s results, Nelson, Meador and Hutchinson qualified from the Sun Valley club for the Idaho Golf Association’s Tournament of Champions Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 28-29 at Elkhorn Golf Course.
Closest-to-the-pin winners were last year’s men’s club champion Manocheo and Jim Gandolfi.
Here are top results from the Sun Valley tourney on the par-72 layout:
· Men’s Flight—Gross: 1—Matt Meador 68-69 for 137. 2—Dillon Witmer 82-76 for 158-144. Net: 1—Phil Doerflein 82-75 for 157-137. 2—Ken Pierce 84-84 for 168-140 (13 golfers).
· Senior Men’s Flight—Gross: 1—Dick Nelson 82-78 for 160-148. 2—Walter Littenberg 81-80 for 161-149. Net: 1—John Manocheo 81-80 for 161-143. 2—J.B. Barlow 87-79 for 166-146 (12 golfers).
· Women’s Flight—Gross: 1—Georgia Hutchinson 78-83 for 161-151. 2—Mary Kay Gandolfi 89-86 for 175-155. Net: 1—Shelly Bronson 96-102 for 198-140. 2—Nancy Warren 92-95 for 187-141 (11 golfers).
Quarles on top in Bigwood Open
Ketchum’s Bigwood Golf Course hosted its Bigwood Open golf tournament for 38 golfers Saturday and Sunday.
Adam Quarles (71-77 for 148) won the Men’s Championship Flight by three strokes over two golfers—Kevin Cincotta (73-78 for 151-141) and Randy Briggs (78-73 for 151-145). Wray Farmin was the net winner in the men’s top flight.
Matt Walker (82-78 for 160-138) captured the gross stroke title of the First Flight by three strokes over Rob Hogan (80-83 for 163-141). Net winner was Joe Daley.
Payouts for all flights were $175 for first gross and net, $105 for second gross and net, and $75 for third gross and net. Lap money of $60 went to the most improved tourney score. The winner was A.G. Prabowo 97-83 for 180-162.
From Bigwood, Quarles and Mary Jane Burns, who won the Bigwood women’s club championship earlier this summer, qualified for the Tournament of Champions.
Here are top results from last weekend’s tournament:
· Men’s Championship Flight—Gross: 1—Adam Quarles 71-77 for 148. 2 (tie)—Kevin Cincotta 73-78 for 151-141 and Randy Briggs 78-73 for 151-145. Net: 1—Wray Farmin 77-78 for 155-135. 2 (tie)—Andy Buchanan 78-78 for 156-138 and Mike Beck 80-76 for 156-138 (18 golfers).
· First Flight—Gross: 1—Matt Walker 82-78 for 160-138. 2—Rob Hogan 80-83 for 163-141. 3—Ryan Cincotta 85-84 for 169-147. Net: 1—Joe Daley 87-76 for 163-135. 2—Marilyn Hoffman 92-89 for 181-143. 3—Tommy Tweeten 86-84 for 170-144 (20 golfers).