~~~ Tournament Recap ~~~

The Golfweek Amateur Tour -Salt Lake season moved to tour staple Soldier Hollow Golf Club this past Friday/Saturday for the Mid-Season Mountain Major, presented by Links Golf.  79 competitors across 5 flights waged battle for double purse and double points in the last local two-day major before the Salt Lake Finals in late September.

In CHAMP Flight, Danny Meaders won his first major of the 2020 season, posting a 71-72-143 en-route to a 3 shot victory over Dexter Edwards (146).  Visiting Charleston tour member, BJ Hill used a tournament best 3-under 69 on the Silver Course on Saturday, finishing in 3^rdplace.   With the 900 points, Meaders extends his season points lead over Edwards, but it bears watching with plenty of events remaining on the season schedule.   

Bill Hansen (151) made up for the disappointment in missing out on a playoff at the Spring Northern Major, by taking home the A-Flight major title outright this time, besting runner-up finisher Matt Jackson (152), by a single shot.  What a battle it was as Jackson and Hansen shared the lead entering day 2 and neither played enjoyed more than a two shot cushion the entire round.  Brian Zullo (159) finished in 3^rd place and John Gordon (161) rounded out the money line in 4^th place.  In the season long standings, Gordon gained just a few points on Jeff Clifford and closed the gap to 210 points.  Alec Rosales and Shawn Larsen round out the Top 4. 

James Dean (156) stepped to the final hole, needing just a par to win B-Flight outright.  Despite a wayward second shot that found the rough near the 9^th hole, Dean made a great short sided wedge shot to about 15 feet.  Two putts later and Dean secured his third win on Tour, and second major win with the first also coming at Soldier Hollow GC in 2019.  Van Mortensen (157) and Patrick Wilson (157) exchanged the lead on several occasions during the final round, but would settle for a tie for 2^nd place.  Mortensen would best Wilson for second place prize money on a better back 9 scorecard tiebreaker 40 to 41.  Matt Stevenson (161) would shoot a Saturday round of 78, good for 4^th place.  Kevin Curtis (162) and Aaron Bascomb (163) finished in 5^th and 6^th place respectively.  Dennis McGraw (165) and David Collins (165) rounded out the money line in a tie for 7^th place.  McGraw would take home 7^th place prize money on a scorecard tiebreaker, with a better back nine of 41 to 43.  With his 900 points for the major victory, Dean vaults up the crowded B-Flight season standings into 4^th place, but trails leader Luke Barritt by a mere 164 points.   Both Shannon Lester and Aaron Bascomb closed the gap as well, as they sit in 2^ndand 3^rd place heading to the next tour stop at Wolf Creek Resort.

It was a crowded leaderboard in C-Flight, as Robert Hill (177) was a first time champion on tour, winning by 2 strokes over both Brian Bowden (179) and Shawn Hammer (179).  Bowden would take 2^ndplace prize money over Hammer with a better back nine (44 to 47) on the scorecard tiebreaker.  Mark Ingalls (180) rounded out the money line in 4^th place.  Casey Bice maintains a healthy lead atop the C-Flight standings, trailed by David North, Robert Hill, Mark Ingalls, and Mark Torbett.

Saturday didn’t start that way, but D-Flight became a runaway for first time tour champion, KayCee King (171).  King began the final round tied with runner-up Jon Burningham (180), but went on a tear on the front 9, posting an EVEN par 36 to build an 8-shot cushion.  King would go on to fire a 6-over 78, his best score ever for a leisure or competitive round of golf.  Ricky Roberts (190) had another great showing at Soldier Hollow, finishing in 3^rd place.  Greg Wood (195) again found himself inside the money line, in 4^th place.  The idle Michael Collins maintains his lead in the D-Flight season standings, but it got a lot tighter as Ricky Roberts moved into 2^nd place, followed closely by Jon Burningham and Mike Eames.  

There were just 7 Super Skins winners over the 36 holes; Matt Jackson (Gold 1), Blake Murray (Gold 4), Van Mortensen (Gold 9), Brian Bowden (Gold 11), Dean Hill (Gold 18), BJ Hill (Silver 2), and Brian Robbs (Silver 4).

Overall Closest To The Pins winners were Jim Dean, Mark Amann x 2, Garrett Danielson, John Gordon/Danny Meaders, Fred Meaders, Billy Hill, Patrick Wilson, Mark Ingalls.

Congratulations to all of our flight champions and various winners of side games.  All told, over $6500 in tournament winnings and cash games were earned by our players as we yet again set a new local tour record with 79 competitors.