MPMGA 2017 Member-Member Match Play champions

Left to right: David Cohen (Special Event Director), Tim Ward, President Bob Eder; not shown, Tony Van Natter

Left to right: David Cohen (Special Event Director), Tim Ward, President Bob Eder; not shown, Tony Van Natter

Bob Edelblut

The MPMGA Member Member Match Play Tournament began on Thursday, March 2, and if nothing interfered with the plan it would be completed before the club’s monthly luncheon on March 31. All fingers were crossed. The tournament’s format did not change from prior years. Fifty two-man teams, 100 players, grouped into six flights, started play on day one. Including byes, forfeitures, flight playoffs and consolation rounds there were 71 matches played. Amazing! Furthermore nine of those matches went the full 18 holes; 12 others went 19 holes or more and one match actually lasted 23 holes. I would be willing to bet that over 300 hours of golf were logged for this event. Sorry, it was not completed on time.

On Monday, April 3, Tim Ward and Tony Van Natter, First Flight winners, faced off against the Fifth Flight winners Tom Cobb and Mal Mudd for the championship at the MountainView Golf Course. It is safe to say that all four players were not strangers to this level of competition. They were ready. Congratulations, Tim and Tony, on a well-deserved, hard fought two and one victory. You are the champions.

Don’t worry—there were a lot more winners. The flight winners were Flight 2, Doug Anderson and Dick Clark over Scott West and Jim Nelson; Flight 3, David Jones and Mark Kunnen beat Loren Olson and Tim Davis (three and two); Flight 4, Tom Beahan and Mike Taken beat Art Walsh and John Borchert (two and one); Flight 6, Jean Gonneville and Gary Zellinger beat Steve Kore and Gerry Braun (one up) in a match that went 19 holes. Congratulations to all the flight winners! The consolation rounds produced the following winners: Mick Borm and Al Bolty, Ted Olson and Alan Mansker, Dan Alderman and Jeff Sheppard, Terry Marchione and Jim Van Sistine, Gordon Elliot and Larry McNamee and Mark Connell and Steve Bender. Another round of congratulations, please.

Once again let us thank David Cohen, Special Events Director, and all his many assistants that helped him make this tournament another MPMGA event to be remembered. Well done!