Former Jayhawk dominates LAGA Big Event
Despite 'average golf,' Roberts wins again
For yet another year, Conrad Roberts can claim to be the best golfer in Lawrence.
Roberts won his third consecutive Lawrence Amateur Golf Association Big Event Open Division championship after shooting a 1-under-par 71 on Sunday at Eagle Bend Golf Course.
“I’m happy it ended up with a win at the end,” said Roberts, who finished with a two-day total of 150. “After the way I played (Saturday), I didn’t think I’d be leading, but today I played better. It just came through. I was lucky that someone else didn’t step up and play real top-notch golf, because I played pretty average golf, to be honest. But it was enough, thankfully.”
The former Kansas University golfer finished with a nine-stroke advantage over Chris Hutchens, Mason Dick and John Catlin after holding just a two-stroke lead heading into Sunday.
Things were still fairly tight after the first nine holes Sunday. After Roberts bogeyed the 10th hole and Hutchens birdied the 11th, Roberts finally kicked it in high gear.
“That was a good kick in the butt for me on 10,” Roberts said. “It woke me up because I’m 2-over (for the day) at that point, and the next few holes are birdie holes.
“I was like, ‘This is ridiculous. You’re 2-over, you’re not playing horribly, but 2-over at that point, you’re kind of giving it back to the field.’ : So sometimes a bogey helps you, kind of wakes you up a little bit.”
To top off the day, Roberts eagled the final hole after having bogeyed the par-3 eighth.
“The last hole was fun. I hit a good tee shot right where I wanted it,” Roberts said. “And then it was a perfect 5-wood for me. It’s one of those few shots that you have in your head. You see it, envision it, and it just came off. So that was a fun way to finish the day.”
Hutchens, who played golf at KU in the early ’80s, won a three-man playoff for second place on the first playoff hole by sticking his second shot less than two feet from the hole.
“I think that was just kind of exciting. Normally you just split the gift certificates or whatever,” said Hutchens, who used an 8-iron from 159 yards out. “So when the young kids wanted the playoff, I kind of said, ‘What the heck?’ and just went out there, and for some reason or another I was just relaxed and ended up hitting a good shot, and it went close.”
Mason Dick, a Baldwin High senior-to-be, beat John Catlin on the fifth playoff hole when Catlin conceded with Dick needing only to two-putt from five feet to take third.
Mike Grosdidier topped Dennis Gisel by six strokes to win the Senior Championship Division.
Carol Rau defeated her only opponent, good friend Sidney Garrett, in the Women’s Championship Division.
Results:
Men’s Open
Conrad Roberts79-71-150
Chris Hutchens83-76-159
Mason Dick81-78-159
John Catlin83-76-159
Steve Randall83-78-161
Camren Flanders84-81-165
Eric Herman87-81-168
Spencer Scott90-77-169
Jake Carpenter90-80-170
Cameron Hershiser91-83-174
Men’s Champion
Chuck Junge81-74-155
Stephen Morgan82-77-159
Brian Karasek83-78-161
B.J. Bailey83-80-163
Troy Gregory86-81-167
Neal Ezell88-80-168
Dave Severn93-76-169
Connor Clutman92-81-173
Men’s A
Tyler Kahn 82-79-161
William Stallworth84-82-166
Gary Dick 81-86-167
Brandon Urban89-82-171
Matt Grammar95-78-173
Carl Jensen95-82-177
Kevin Morgison 92-86-178
Drew Elser 92-93-185
Ben Neuenswander95-90-185
Jeff Brooks95-102-197
Greg Windholz97-94-191
Daniel O’Connell98-98-196
Deam Freeman96-105-201
Men’s B
Jeffrey Scott87-81-168
Maurice Monteau92-83-175
Scott Swedland91-86-177
Ron Colvert90-87-177
Tom Keegan100-80-180
Michael Farve89-92-181
Mike Martin99-86-185
Matt Hall97-90-187
Bob Leland104-90-194
Ray Buckingham106-110-216
Men’s C
Zak Kolich91-88-179
Alan Garcia95-90-185
Phillip Renick106-98-204
Mike Faria118-102-220
Robb Ferguson147-123-270
Men’s Senior Champ
Mike Grosdidier76-71-147
Dennis Gisel80-73-153
Stewart Platz76-79-155
Scott Buxton75-83-158
John Emerson83-77-160
Jamie Stansel83-78-161
Galen Smith85-77-162
Jack Schreiner90-81-171
Men’s Senior A
Curtis Anderson86-86-172
Tim Schnitker88-85-173
Brian Edwards92-83-175
David Greenamyer92-84-176
Lynn Habluetzel92-88-180
Randy Gebhards95-91-186
Mel Raynew102-96-198
Men’s Senior B
David Anderson85-88-173
Jim O’Connel90-89-179
Darrel Smith98-86-184
Bob Kocour97-111-208
David Hudson107-105-212
Mike Miller110-102-212
Men’s Super Champ
Jim Hagan82-74-156
Jimmy Hill83-84-167
Matt Dengler90-83-173
Rich Davis95-86-181
Men’s Super A
Tom Taylor84-74-158
Walt Kihm84-79-163
John Sell97-82-179
Tim Van Leer95-84-179
Bill Smith92-82-179
David Lerner93-87-180
Ted Brecheiser96-85-181
Frank DeHart95-87-182
Men’s Super B
Eddie Scholtes92-81-173
Jim Lynch89-86-175
Norm Slade93-85-178
Ron Hurst101-95-196
Robert Banks102-99-201
Burgess Tapedo112-106-218
George Stan121-103-224
Deacon ThomasDNF
Women’s Champion
Carol Rau79-83-162
Sidney Garrett88-86-174
Women’s B
Michele Johnson87-94-181
Paula Schnitker93-102-195
LouAnn Gebhards102-96-198
Darlene Kinion107-101-208
Joan Wells107-119-226
Dae Curtiss119-126-245