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The stage was set for an unforgettable day as players took to the course for the 8:00 AM shotgun start under clear, sunny skies at Sycamore Ridge Golf Club. With perfect weather and fierce competition ahead, every flight was ready to battle for the top spot. As always, we'd like to extend a sincere thank you to the entire Sycamore Ridge Golf Club staff for their outstanding hospitality and hard work in ensuring another smooth and successful tournament. Their dedication and support continue to make this one of our favorite stops on the Kansas Golfweek Amateur Tour.
The Champ Flight, Matt Thorman set the pace from the opening hole with an early birdie and a stellar front-nine 39 before holding off a determined charge from JR Munson. Munson made birdies on 11 and 12 to close the gap, but Thorman answered every challenge with championship-caliber consistency, closing with a 75 to earn the Sycamore Ridge Championship Flight title. Aaron Mickelson battled back finishing third, while Clark Boatner and Erik Pottorf tied for fourth after a hard-fought round.
A Flight came down to the wire after beginning the day on Hole 18. Dillon Rogers grabbed the early lead and never gave it away, but Cliff Austin and Sam Johnsen kept the pressure on throughout the afternoon with timely birdies. Wayne Ryan also stayed in contention until the closing stretch, but Rogers' steady play proved to be the difference as he captured the A Flight title with an impressive 82, just one shot ahead of Austin.
B Flight delivered one of the tightest finishes. Starting on Hole 16, four players battled throughout the day with the lead changing hands several times. Scott Rutherford leaned on consistency from start to finish, while Mike Latimer, Tim Greenwood, and Alan Parker kept the pressure on all afternoon. In the end, Rutherford's steady play earned him a one-shot victory at 86, with three players finishing tied for second at 87 in one of the most exciting races of the tournament.
C Flight delivered one of the most competitive battles of the weekend at Sycamore Ridge. Starting on Hole 12, the leaderboard remained packed throughout the day as Steve Finney, Mike Byttner, Bob Murphy, and Clint Carter traded punches over all 18 holes. Finney's consistent ball striking and mistake-free golf proved to be the winning formula, holding off Byttner by just one stroke to claim the C Flight title. Behind him, Murphy and Carter tied for third after an exciting chase that wasn't decided until the final holes.
D Flight, Steve Sahr took control early after making the turn in just 41 strokes and never looked back. Aaron Huhs mounted a charge throughout the front nine, while Cliff Austin Jr. and Mike Sypher battled stroke-for-stroke for third place. In the end, Sahr's steady play proved too much as he captured the D Flight with a four-shot victory, while every position behind him was earned in a tightly contested finish.
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