Author: Adam Frillman, Special to the MGA Updated: Tue 6/10/2008 3:51 pm

Skip Berkmeyer is a multiple winner at the Phil Cotton Invitational and Scott Hovis, Executive Director of the Missouri Golf Association, narrowly missed winning the event in a playoff in 2007.  Both players shot under par in the opening round at A.L. Gustin Golf Club in Columbia, Missouri on Saturday and both shot under par in the final round as they played together with Nick Wilson of Columbia in the final round on Sunday.  Wilson was the day one leader with an impressive 66, while Hovis was just one back with a 67 and Berkmeyer, two off the pace, fired a 68.  The tough conditions on Saturday and expected tough conditions on Sunday had most watchers thinking that any score under par would win the title.

The scores maintained their pace from Saturday as Berkmeyer shot a days best 67 to defeat Hovis by one stroke.  Hovis again played a solid round of golf en-route to a 69 but again fell one shot short of winning the Cotton in consecutive years.  Wilson, playing with two accomplished players struggled in the final pairing to shoot 80 and fall to a tie for 7th place.  There was a family feel to the Cotton as Brothers Ben and Bobby Godwin and Father and son Wayne and Nathan Fredrick all finished in the top-10 together in the Championship Division. 

In the Senior Division, Don Bliss was able to cruise to victory after his impressive first round 64.  His second round 73 was still the second best score on the day in the Senior Division and he won by eight strokes over Karl Albrecht of St. Louis who shot 71-74.

Top - 10
Skip Berkmeyer, St. Louis, MO.,  68-67 - 135
Scott Hovis, Jeff City, MO.,  67-69 - 136
Darren Lundgren, Chesterfield, MO.,  69-69 - 138
Matt Hines, St. Louis, MO.,  71-69 - 140
Ben Godwin, Poplar Bluff, MO.,  71-70 - 141
Brian Kennedy, Chesterfield, MO.,  73-70 - 143
Bobby Godwin, Poplar Bluff, MO.,  71-73 - 144
Nathan Fredrick, Springfield, MO.,  70-74 - 144
Nick Wilson, Columbia, MO.,  66-78 - 144
Wayne Fredrick, Springfield, MO.,  71-73 - 144

Top - 10 (Senior Division)
Don Bliss, Chesterfield, MO.,  64-73 - 137
Karl Elbrecht, St. Louis, MO.,  71-74 - 145
Bob Martin, Columbia, MO.,  72-75 - 147
David Teel, Columbia, MO.,  73-74 - 147
Gerald Siemons, Jefferson City, MO.,  73-74 - 147
Jim Ruck, St. Louis, MO.,  75-72 - 147
Tim Boyd, Eureka, MO.,  75-73 - 148
Tom McHenry, Jefferson City, MO.,  74-74 - 148
Bill Womack, Columbia, MO.,  72-77 - 149
Darrel Huisinga, Fenton, MO.,  71-78 - 149
David Sanders, Overland Park, KS.,  69-80 - 149
Jim Dunn, Fairview Heights, IL.,  73-76 - 149