The Final Four
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Updated: Sat 6/21/2008 8:01 pm
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The Final Four. It means so many things to so many people. In the basketball hot bed of Kansas, Kentucky, Indiana and North Carolina the final four means their basketball teams have realized the expectations of their very avid fan base. But for 8 golfers still competing on Saturday at WingHaven Country Club, the final four meant they were one match away from competing for the most presitgous title in the state of Missouri.
The list of amateurs who have captured the Missouri Amateur Championship could just as easily be on display in the Golf Hall of Fame. Bob Cochran, Jim Tom Blair, Tom Watson, Don Bliss, Jack Geiss, James Manion, Luther Godwin, Jim Holtgrieve, John Hayes, Jim Colbert and on and on. One of the four remaining players in this years championship knows firsthand what it means to win this illustrious championship and also what it takes. Skip Berkmeyer, St. Louis MO, captured the championship in 1999 at Highland Springs Country Club after losing in the finals at Lake Forest Country Club the year before. On Saturday afternoon Berkmeyer faced Matt Sullivan of Springfield for the opportunity to become one of few to have won multiple state amateur championships.
Just as he did in the morning match, Berkmeyer jumped out to fast start against Sullivan with birdies on 2 and 3. After a par on the 4th hole, Berkmeyer found himself with a 3 up lead. After an errant shot on the 6th hole leading to his first bogey of the match and loss of hole, Berkmeyer bounced back to win the par 4, 7th in unorthodox fashion. On the short dog leg left par 4, Sullivan hit his tee shot in the left bunker. Forced to pitch out sideways, Sullivan then hit a short iron to 20 feet from the hole. Berkmeyer too was experiencing trouble after missing the green with a pitching wedge from just over 100 yards. After missing his par putt, Berkmeyer watched Sullivan three putt and walked off the 7th green 3 up in the match. "It's holes like that which ultimately make or break a round" commented Scott Hovis, Executive Director of the MGA.
Berkmeyer never looked back after surviving the par 4, 7th as he rattled off wins at 8, 9, 10 and 11. After both players made par on the 12th hole, Berkmeyer was on his way to his third appearance in a State Amateur final with a 7 and 6 victory.
The other semi-final match of the afternoon wasn't nearly as lopsided. Justin Bardgett, Chesterfield was up against Drew Lethem, Overland Park. Neither player enjoyed anything more than 1 up lead until late in the match when Bardgett finally pulled ahead 2 up with a great sand save on the par 3 15th hole.
In an era of young players who lack appreciation for the game and its history, Lethem and Bardgett are throwbacks to a day when golfers were gentlemen and the game and the courses we play it on were respected. In what proved to be a hard fought and well played match, Lethem and Bardgett represented what is right about the game of golf. Drew Lethem didn't have a caddy and not unil the back nine did he have anyone specifically in the gallery on his behalf. Lethem's two sisters joined the gallery that up until that point consisted of the Bardgett family and friends, WingHaven members and representatives of the Missouri Golf Association. But while Drew didn't have hometown spectators cheering him along, you wouldn't have known by the reaction of the gallery that was following the group as the Bardgett family was as generous with their applause and appreciation for a good shot regardless if it came from their player, Justin Bardgett, or Drew Lethem. And it was this atmosphere that reminds you why amateur golf is great.
Two very talented young players going toe to toe. Both exhausted from a long week of golf on a very difficult golf course, but neither willing to give in. And deservedly so, this match went the full 18 holes and had Drew Lethem's final chip on the par 4 18th hole rolled just another 4 inches, these two would have treated the fans to even more golf. But 4 inches seperated Lethem from extra holes and meant Justin Bardgett would be given another shot at Skip Berkmeyer in Sunday's final.
Bardgett and Berkmeyer squared off in the finals of the Metropolitan Amateur Match Play Championship at Old Warson Country Club three years ago. Berkmeyer emerged in extra holes victorious on that Sunday afternoon and Bardgett is ready to reverse the outcome this Sunday at WingHaven Country Club. The two players will tee off in a 36-hole match play final at 8am. Spectators are welcome.
