Craig Daily Press / Brown repeats as men’s club champion at YVGC, Nicholson takes ladies

Archive for Monday, August 20, 2012

Photo by Nate Waggenspack. Enlarge photo.

Dan Brown hits an approach to the 18th green at Yampa Valley Golf Course. Brown repeated as men’s club champion at YVGC by shooting 72 Saturday and 76 Sunday to win by six strokes, his second title in a row.

By Nate Waggenspack

August 20, 2012

Photo by Nate Waggenspack

Amber Nicholson hits from the fairway of the sixth hole at Yampa Valley Golf Course Sunday. Nicholson shot a tournament-best 70 Saturday, including four-under-par on the back nine, and 77 Sunday to win the ladies’ club championship at YVGC.

Men’s Championship Flight (name – Saturday score – Sunday score – Total)

Dan Brown – 72 – 76 – 148

Pete Heuer – 73 – 81 – 154

Ron Cromie – 79 – 79 – 158

Rodney Branstetter – 84 – 79 – 164

Greg Hamilton – 80 – 83 – 163

Lou Hahn – 83 – 81 – 164

William Barclay – 83 – 82 – 165

Mike Kuberry – 81 – 85 – 166

Bud Bower – 85 – 82 – 167

John Doane – 85 – 82 – 167

Dave Omailia – 84 – 83 – 167

Rick Rayl – 81 – 86 – 167

Austin Zimmerman – 83 – 85 – 168

Peyton Jacobson – 84 – 85 – 169

Deems Utzinger – 83 – 86 – 169

Jim Liljedahle – 84 – 91 – 175

Chester Hinkle – 90 – 95 – 185

Darrell Sparks – 93 – withdrew

Ladies’ Championship Flight

Amber Nicholson – 70 – 77 – 147

Amanda Back – 78 – 78 – 156

Susan Nicholson – 85 – 88 – 173

Mary Ann Nelson – 93 – 85 – 178

Christy Rolando – 93 – 86 – 179

Sue Utzinger – 91 – 95 – 186

Kathy Dremel – 95 – 96 – 191

Men’s First Flight

Glenn Navratil – 87 – 88 – 165

Steve Hafey – 89 – 83 – 172

John Svoboda – 82 – 91 – 173

Rick Nelson – 83 – 91 – 174

Gary James – 87 – 90 – 177

Modesto Ortega – 87 – 90 – 177

Dan Moore – 87 – 89 – 178

Larry Seip – 90 – 90 – 180

Ethan Omailia – 92 – 91 – 183

Brett Sperl – 93 – 91 – 184

Gary Anderson – 93 – 92 – 185

Tom Knez – 93 – 92 – 185

James Noble – 90 – 95 – 185

Jeff Richards – 94 – 91 – 185

Chuck Kistler – 90 – 96 – 186

Gary Zulian – 96 – 92 – 188

A. Hornstein – 89 – 104 – 193

Rusty Wolfrum – 110 – 92 – 208

Dave Dremel – 108 – withdrew

Ladies’ First Flight

Patricia Bruchez – 99 – 96 – 199

Jackie Heuer – 101 – 98 – 200

April Branstetter – 108 – 94 – 202

Rebecca Ludlow – 97 – 101 – 208

Brenda Anderson – 114 – 95 – 209

Angela Doane – 102 – 112 - 204

Men’s Second Flight

Travis Sondrol – 95 – 89 – 184

Mikey Bingham – 93 – 92 – 185

Hector Flores – 95 – 93 – 188

George Angelo – 98 – 92 – 190

Fred Boss – 98 – 93 – 191

Butch Behrman – 100 – 92 – 192

Don Smith – 96 – 96 – 192

Craig Madsen – 98 – 95 – 193

Jim Showalter – 94 – 101 – 195

Tony Aragon – 101 – 95 – 196

Brett Steele – 99 – 100 – 199

Bill Lee – 104 – 97 – 201

Wolfgang Glaeser – 107 – 99 – 206

Gary Baysinger – 100 – 108 – 208

Bob Johnson – 103 – 105 – 208

Ted Southerland – 100 – 110 – 210

Burl McMillen – 111 – 104 – 215

Billy Davis – 106 – 114 – 220

Dan Brown was feeling his nerves Sunday at Yampa Valley Golf Course.

The defending club champion was the leader in the clubhouse after an even par 72 of the first round, but had some close competitors.

Brown was able to weather his own anxiety Sunday to repeat as Craig’s best.

“Today was a little bit more nerves, but I still kept it together,” Brown said. “I birdied nine today, that kind of relaxed me. I felt like I was in pretty good shape at that point.”

Brown’s 72 Saturday was the low round on the men’s side, but it wasn’t as good as Amber Nicholson was able to muster Saturday, when she had four birdies on the back nine to finish with a 70.

“I felt really good the first day,” Nicholson said. “That’s a personal best for me in a tournament. It was just putting a solid, 18-hole round together.”

Nicholson shot 77 Sunday to win the ladies’ club championship by nine strokes.

The tournament, which consisted of 36 holes of golf, drawings for prizes and a lunch from the Tin Cup Grille, featured 68 players from Craig.

The fact that it is all local players makes it an especially fun event, Nicholson said.

“It’s a fun tournament to be able to play with the members and you know everyone here,” she said. “It’s comforting to know when you’re out there you can smile and wave at someone you know. It’s fun because it’s an individual sport but when you’re out here you know everyone.”

Dave Desarmeaux, who helped organize and run the tournament, said the all-Craig flavor to the tournament is something which makes it a unique event at Yampa Valley Golf Course each summer.

“In this tournament everybody knows everybody so they all get along and they’re all pulling for each other,” Desarmeaux said. “It’s just a fun tournament for everybody. We had some good play and I think everybody had a good time.”

Desarmeaux added that the club championship still features a competitive spirit.

“It is fun but it’s for the bragging rights, too,” he said. “It’s really the last tournament of the year to say I’m on top. People have been practicing all summer and this is their time to show their golf. Some pull it off and some don’t.”

In addition to the golf tournament, players were treated to drawings of course-related prizes and cash prizes donated by the Yampa Valley Bank.

Nicholson’s winning ways continued, as she won the first door prize, then $500 from YVB later on.

“I’m usually not that lucky,” she said. “I might need to go buy a lotto ticket like people were saying.”

Desarmeaux, who works behind the scenes at many of the summer tournaments, said the atmosphere and prizes make the club championship one of the best.

“With the prizes and the lunch it’s just a well-worked tournament,” he said. “It’s just an all-around good event. I wish we could have them like this all the time.”

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