Brian Polick, Andy York, Amalaraj Irudayaraj, Scott Miller, and Jeff Johnson all win at the Midwest Regional at Big Cedar Lodge Resort in Hollister, MO.
The 2025 Golfweek Amateur Tour Season is in full swing, with Big Cedar Lodge proudly hosting the fourteenth Regional event on June 30th and July 1st. Competitors from 22 local tours gathered to tackle the challenging layouts and picturesque scenery of the Buffalo Ridge and Ozarks National courses in Hollister, Missouri. The competition was fierce among the 104 participants, with each of the five flight winners earning a coveted spot at the 2025 National Championship, which is set to take place this October.
In the Championship Flight, Luke Bohm (Chicago, IL) and Brian Polick (Cleveland/Akron) set the pace on Day One, both recording scores of 77. Alec Hemba (Arkansas) trailed just two strokes behind the leaders heading into Day Two, while Jackson Watts (Dallas-Fort Worth, TX) followed closely, three strokes off the lead.
During the second day, Polick and Hemba remained closely matched on the front nine. Hemba responded with back-to-back birdies on the back nine, intensifying the competition. However, Polick’s eagle on hole 7 provided him with a crucial one-stroke lead, ultimately securing his victory with a total score of 77-73-150. Hemba finished in second place, narrowly missing out on the purse, while Bohm concluded with scores of 77-78-155.
In the A Flight, both Andy York (Louisiana North) and Jason Adams (Arkansas) delivered commendable performances, each shooting a score of 79 on Day One. Kevin Baughman (Dallas-Fort Worth, TX) closely followed, achieving seven consecutive pars on the back nine and finishing with a score of 80. Three additional players—Brandon Kyong (North Central FL), Colton Horton (Dallas-Fort Worth, TX), and Corey Jarman (Arkansas)—were just two strokes behind the leaders.
On the second day, Matthew Thorman (Kansas), who began in a tie for seventh place, advanced to secure second place, finishing with a total score of 159, while Baughman took third. Ultimately, York claimed the trophy with an aggregate score of 156, achieved through rounds of 79 and 77.
In the B Flight, Amalaraj Irudayaraj (Indianapolis, IN Tour Director), emerged as the leader with a score of 79. Closely trailing him were Jason Krich, also from Indianapolis, IN, and Ken Sloan (Cincinnati/Dayton), who started Day One with consecutive birdies, finishing just two strokes behind the leader. On Day Two, Azhar Satti (Chicago) posted consistent scores of 82-82 for a total of 164, leaving him only one stroke shy of overtaking Irudayaraj for the lead, but he secured second place. Irudayaraj, however, clinched the B Flight victory with back-to-back birdies on the back nine, finishing with scores of 79-84 for a total of 163. In a tightly contested finish, Matt Jensen (Arizona) secured third place with scores of 84-81 for a total of 165, while Cace Smith (Arkansas) respectfully took fourth place.
In the C Flight, Jae Lee (North Central FL) commenced the first round with a 37 on the front nine. By the conclusion of the round, Bill Cooley (Arkansas) had caught up to Lee, both finishing with an 84. The 2023 C Flight Midwest Regional Champion, David King (Kansas Tour Director), trailed by three strokes, closely followed by competitors James Erwin (Arkansas), Scott Miller (Kansas), and Jesse Barton (Kansas).
On the second day, Miller surged to the top of the leaderboard, recording two birdies within the first three holes. He maintained an even par on the front nine and ultimately secured victory in the C Flight by an impressive eight strokes with scores 87-77-164. Cooley finished in second place, while Barton and Lee tied for third. Notably, Mike Martin (Arkansas) made a remarkable comeback from 17th place after Day One, achieving a score of 83 on Day Two and finishing in seventh place.
The D Flight was buzzing with anticipation. Twenty-four players teed off one after the other, each determined to make their mark on the leaderboard. Phil Smith (Arkansas) led Day Two with a score of 88. Bryan Lee (North Central FL) followed closely, just one stroke behind Smith. Trailing by two strokes were Ronnie Vargas and Robert Rosenbaum, both from Kansas. One of the most exciting front nines came from Jeff Johnson (Louisiana South), who carded a 47 before finding his groove on the back nine and posting a strong 45. Robert Benavides (Cincinnati/Dayton) matched his total with a 92. With Smith leading the pack and the field chasing close behind, Day Two promised to be a showdown filled with grit, skill, and maybe a few surprises.
Johnson had an impressive round on Day Two, posting a score of 83 for a two-day total of 175, which secured his victory with a four-shot advantage over Vargas, who finished in second place. Lee rounded out the top three, while Rosenbaum respectfully claimed fourth place.
Additionally, I would like to acknowledge our Golfweek Tour Sponsor, Srixon, for their donation of a set of irons, which was raffled off, raising $1230 for the Jimmy V Foundation (Victory Over Cancer). Congratulations to Ken Sloan from the Cincinnati/Dayton Tour, the fortunate winner of the raffle.
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