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We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to Marcus Erkel and his staff at Emporia Golf Course for once again hosting our season-opening event and consistently going above and beyond to deliver a first-class experience for our players. Their dedication to maintaining the course in outstanding condition—especially the excellent quality of the greens—truly enhances the tournament each year.
The 2026 Kansas Golfweek Players Championship kicked off at Emporia Golf Course under extremely windy conditions, creating a challenging test for all 53 competitors.
In the Championship Flight, early contenders included Jacob Bruhn at even par and Clark Boatner at +1, with J.R. Munson, Matthew Thorman, and Jerry Callahan close behind. By the end of day one, Thorman emerged as the leader, holding a narrow advantage over Munson. Through 27 holes, Thorman extended his lead by claiming back-to-back wins at The Kansas Golfweek Players Tournament with a +10, while Munson maintained his position in second, fending off strong pressure from Boatner and Bruhn.
In A Flight, after nine holes on day one, Chris Santoya, one of our Tour sponsors at Sliced Golf KS, held a one-shot lead over Sean McClain, with Brian Barnes just three strokes back. By the end of the day, Santoya and McClain remained in the top two spots, while Wayne Ryan and Cliff Austin moved into a tie for third.
On Day Two, Santoya stretched his lead to four shots over McClain, while Earl Wood climbed into third place. With six holes remaining, Santoya’s lead was trimmed to two strokes over Ryan, as Austin surged and tied McClain, sitting just three shots off the lead. Ryan closed strongly, but posted +2 over the final six holes, forcing a playoff with Santoya, both tied at +28. Santoya secured his back-to-back victory on the first playoff hole.
In B Flight, after 12 holes, Brandon Hale, Justin Blake, and Steve Kowalski were tied for the lead at +7. Will Duncan trailed by one stroke, with Tyler Baird two back. By the end of Day One, Hale built a two-shot lead over Blake and extended a four-shot cushion over Baird, with Kowalski, Duncan, and Troy Bailey close behind.
With nine holes remaining on Day Two, Hale, Blake, and Bailey held the top three spots, separated by just one stroke, while Ricky Muniz climbed into fourth. Over the closing stretch, Hale faltered, and Blake capitalized with a birdie to secure a two-stroke victory over Bailey and Hale.
In C Flight, David King led after 10 holes at +6, holding a three-shot advantage over Jeff Rader and a four-shot lead over Terry Westenfeld from the Augusta, GA Tour. By the end of Day One, King maintained a one-shot lead over Scott Miller at +16, with Rader and Westenfeld two strokes back.
After 22 holes, Westenfeld caught King at +21, with Rader and Miller still within striking distance. King held a three-shot lead through 27 holes, but late struggles tightened the race. He ultimately held on to win by one stroke over Westenfeld, while Rader and Miller finished tied for third.
In D Flight, at the midpoint of Day One, Cliff Austin Jr. led by six strokes, with Steve Sahr, Dave Lapine, and Ronnie Vargas two shots behind. Randal Rosenbaum, James Wilson, Scott Needham, and Carl Cessor were three strokes back. Austin Jr. maintained control through the end of Day One, with Vargas in second and Randal Rosenbaum in third, five shots behind. Mark Fuqua sat in fourth, six shots back.
Entering the final six holes, Austin Jr. still held a commanding six-shot lead over Vargas and claimed victory and promotion to C Flight. However, Thomas Wade from the Arkansas Tour made a late charge, finishing strong to tie Vargas for second place, while Fuqua secured fourth.
The 2026 Kansas Golfweek Players Championship at Emporia Golf Course proved to be a true test of skill, patience, and resilience under challenging conditions. From start to finish, competitors battled the elements and each other, producing exciting finishes across every flight. Congratulations to all our flight winners and participants for an outstanding kickoff to the season. We look forward to building on this momentum as the Kansas Tour continues throughout 2026.
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