Crancers Home Course Advantage Paying Dividends at STLDGA Championship
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Updated: Wed 7/29/2009 3:33 pm
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June 19 - Country Club of Legends - Membership has it's privileges. Just ask Ben Crancer how he feels about that statement right now and he will surely concur.
Crancer jumped out to a solid start in the 2009 STLDGA Men's Championship on Wednesday with a 2 under par, 70. He followed his 2 under par first round with a 7 over, 79 to earn a spot in the 16 player match play field on Friday. Conventional wisdom would have had Crancer's run in this year's championship ending right there as he would face a veteran Match Play competitor in David Lucks in his first round match. But if it wasn't a home course advantage, it was Crancer's youth that prevailed 3&2 over Lucks.
So if it wasn't the experience of Lucks that would end Crancer's run, surely the power and length possessed by his second round opponent, Ben Wood, would prove too much. Wood, a college player at Miami, Ohio, is regarded as one of the area's top amateur players and a considerable favorite over Crancer. But again, Crancer prevailed and now finds himself only two matches away from capturing the St. Louis District Golf Association Men's Championship.
But the path to the trophy doesn't get any easier for Crancer as waiting for him on the 1st tee at The Country Club of The Legends is none other than Duke standout, Adam Long (Photo Above). Long, the #2 seed in the match play, has competed primarily on the national amateur scene. It was just last year that Long finally captured a meaningful local championship title when he won the 2008 Metropolitan Amateur Championship at Norwood Hills Country Club. It just so happened it was Skip Berkmeyer, a member at Norwood Hills, that Long had to stare down in route to winning that week. On Saturday at CC of The Legends, he'll be battling the home course advantage again.
In the other semi-final match, a former St. Louis District Golf Association Champion, Darren Lundgren will square off against another surprise final four participant in Bob Lietz. A Whitmoor Country Club member, Lietz defeated the #1 seed in Ted Maloney on Friday morning and then dismissed Van Pierce 3&2 from the championship in the afternoon. Lundgren eliminated Patrick Harrell 6&4 in his first round match and then defeated Andy Hogenmiller, 2up in his second round match.
Play resumes on Saturday morning at 8:00am at The Country Club of The Legends. Admission is free and spectators are welcome.
2009 STLDGA - 90th Annual Greisedieck Men's Championship at CC at The Legends
6809 yards, par 72
Friday, June 19th AM Matches
16 Bob Lietz def 1 Ted Moloney 3/2
9 Van Pierce def 8 Luke Orf 2/1
4 Andy Hogenmiller def 13 Chad Niezing 2/1
5 Darren Lundgren def 12 Patrick Harrell 6/4
2 Adam Long def 15 Ryan Weinhaus 1 up
7 Kevin McLaughlin def 10 John Stika 20 holes
3 Ben Wood def 14 Buddy Allen 2/1
11 Ben Crancer def 6 David Lucks 3/2
Friday, June 19th PM Quarter-Final Matches
16 Bob Lietz def 9 Van Pierce 3/2
5 Darren Lundgren def 4 Andy Hogenmiller 2 up
2 Adam Long def 7 Kevin McLaughlin 5/4
11 Ben Crancer def 3 Wood 5/4
Saturday, June 20th AM Semi-Final Matches
16 Bob Lietz vs 5 Darren Lundgren
2 Adam Long vs 11 Ben Crancer
Saturday, June 20th PM Final 18-Hole Match
Seed Name Club Rd #1 Rd #2 Total
1 Moloney, Ted Fox Run GC 67 73 140
2 Long, Adam Lake Forest CC 71 69 140
3 Wood, Ben Greenbriar Hills CC 71 70 141
4 Hogenmiller, Andy Wolf Hollow GC 73 69 142
5 Lundgren, Darren Fox Run GC 73 73 146
6 Lucks, David Gateway National GL 69 77 146
7 McLaughlin, Kevin Old Warson CC 73 74 147
8 Orf, Luke Bogey Hills CC 73 74 147
9 Pierce, Van CC of St. Albans 73 75 148
10 Stika, John Fox Run GC 74 75 149
11 Crancer, Ben CC at The Legends 70 79 149
12 Harrell, Patrick Old Hickory GC 75 75 150
13 Niezing, Chad Forest Hills CC 72 78 150
14 Allen, Buddy Fox Run GC 77 73 150
15 Weinhaus, Ryan Meadowbrook CC 76 75 151
16 Lietz, Robert Whitmoor CC 75 77 152
DID NOT QUALIFY FOR MATCH PLAY
Name Club Rd #1 Rd #2 Total
Reagan, Denny Normandie GC 73 79 152
Cochran, Tim Aberdeen GC 73 80 153
Seiffert, Chris Lake Forest CC 73 80 153
Anderson, John Norwood Hills CC 77 76 153
Knoll, Alex Meadow Lake Acres CC 81 72 153
Kennedy, Brian Persimmon Woods GC 74 80 154
Shaw, David Crescent Farms GC 74 80 154
Calcari, Nathan Glen Echo CC 74 81 155
Ashby, Dustin The Landings Golf Club 75 80 155
Riordan, Patrick Fox Run GC 76 79 155
McKillips, Mike CC at The Legends 77 78 155
Berra, Ryan Crystal Springs Quarry GC 79 76 155
Levin, Elliot Glen Echo CC 79 76 155
Buschman, Matt Franklin County CC 74 82 156
Frost, Wheeler Bellerive CC 76 80 156
Pfeil, David CC at The Legends 78 78 156
Lovett, Brian Bellerive CC 79 77 156
Horton, Scott Normandie Golf Club 77 80 157
Hertel, Tim CC at The Legends 80 77 157
Kopsky, Matt Old Warson CC 77 81 158
Deitte, Sam Old Hickory GC 80 78 158
Smith, Shane Rolling Hills GC 76 83 159
Schaller, Dan Crescent Farms GC 79 80 159
Collins, Chris CC at the Legends 80 79 159
Welch, Adam Old Hickory GC 80 80 160
McKillips, Ryan CC at The Legends 82 78 160
Robert, Bruce Old Warson CC 79 82 161
Sinak Jr., Tom Fox Run GC 74 88 162
McKillips, Robert CC at The Legends 83 79 162
Welch, Brad Old Hickory GC 86 76 162
Lahay, Rob Fox Run GC 80 84 164
Collom, Kevin CC of St. Albans 87 77 164
Johnson, David Norwood Hills CC 85 80 165
Johnson, Mark Clinton Hill GC 80 86 166
Johannsen, Ben Meadowbrook CC 84 82 166
Mitchell III, Jim Fox Run GC 79 88 167
Stahlhuth, Eddie CC of St. Albans 79 89 168
Neuner, Patrick Algonquin GC 84 84 168
Mikel, Ron CC at the Legends 85 84 169
Bone, Jack Mid Rivers GC 82 88 170
Buechler, Brian Forest Hills CC 87 84 171
Budrovich, Jeff Fox Run GC 87 85 172
Siegfried, Gary Old Warson CC 86 89 175
Jarrett, Richard Gateway National GL 77 WD 77
Millman, Ross Old Warson CC 77 WD 77
Marshall, David The Missouri Bluffs 84 WD 84
Mehlan, Kevin Far Oaks GC 84 WD 84
McLaurin, Jordan Fox Run GC 92 DNS DNS
