On a beautiful, fall day in Kansas City, Oakwood CC hosted both the KC Cup and Women’s KC Cup Championships on October 24.
Defending women’s champions, Staley Farms GC, #2 seed, competed against Sunflower Hills, #1 seed, in three four-ball matches. 3 total points were available in the championship match, in which a team needed 2 points to secure the win and avoid a sudden death playoff. All three matches went the distance with two ending after 18 holes and one on the 17th green. Tammy Harmon and Tracee Lechner of Staley Farms took the first point with a 1 up win over Sunflower in the low handicap four-ball match. The second and deciding point for Staley Farms came a few minutes later when Kim Ekiss and Tawyna Neal claimed victory on the 17th green with a 2 and 1 win. Having clinched the championship, Staley Farms finished out its final match between Angel Harbison/Julie Scriven vs Teresa Gumm/Alane Studley of Sunflower Hills. Staley took the final point of competition with a 1 up win and ultimately defended their Women’s KC Cup Championship with a final score of 3 to 0.
In the KC Cup Championship, two teams competed that had not been in the final last year. Tiffany Greens GC, #1 seed, battled St. Joseph CC, #7 seed, in various formats over 11 matches in which the winning team needed at least 6 points to claim the title. Tiffany Greens got off to a quick start over St. Joseph’s with a win in the first three matches: chapman alternate shot, open singles and open handicap singles. The two teams would trade off the next two matches, each claiming one point in the senior handicap and senior singles matches. The score stood at 4 to 1 in favor of Tiffany Greens with six matches left to finish. With a win in the senior handicap four-ball match, St Joseph would close the gap by another point (4 to 2). The professional/amateur four-ball match point went to Tiffany Green to get them closer to clinching the KC Cup final, but St Joseph fought back with a win in the handicap four-ball match. With the score standing at 5 to 3, Tiffany Green just needed one point out of the last three matches to become the 2018 KC Cup Champions.
Tiffany Greens would do just that after winning their second handicap four-ball match with a clutch par save on the 18th green to clinch the win. All players whose matches were finished gathered around the 18th green at Oakwood to watch the intense finish. Tiffany Greens’ players erupted in applause and cheers after securing the 2018 title with two matches remaining in play. The last two matches would finish out and St Joseph’s would gain another point in the scratch four-ball match and a half point in the open/senior four-ball match. With a final score of 6 1/2 to 4 1/2, Tiffany Greens became the 2018 KC Cup Champions!
What a great KC Cup season we had this year. The KCGA is able to reach so many players through this event, and we hope the players enjoy it as much as we do. Thank you to all the players and the team captains for all their hard work in score posting and scheduling matches. We look forward to next year and see is Staley Farms can repeat for a third time, and if Tiffany Greens can defend their new title!