Matching Up

Strong showing in singles lifts amateurs past pros in Western Colorado Cup Matches

By Gary Baines - 10/17/2020

The amateurs dominated the singles matches against their professional counterparts on Friday to win the Western Colorado Cup Matches for the 11th time in the last 14 years.

With the competition featuring three nine-hole sessions at Tiara Rado Golf Course in Grand Junction — four-ball, foursomes and singles — the amateurs prevailed 10.5-5.5 overall after winning the singles portion 6.5-1.5. The two teams had split the available points in both the four-ball and the foursomes.

The winning amateur team is pictured above (from left): Greg Lonergan, Scott Sullivan, Thomas Roos, Peter Grossenbacher, Kyle Pearson, Doug Choate, Matt Hall and team captain Frank Wilkinson. Not pictured is Roger Walters.

Three players went undefeated for the three sessions — pro Stacy Millard (3-0) and amateurs Walters and Choate (each 2-0-1).

This week marked the 24th edition of the Western Colorado Cup Matches, with the professionals’ all time lead in the series having been narrowed to 13-11. The pros won last year’s matches.

Mike and Terri Knode created the Western Colorado Cup Matches, and Wilkinson, a member of the CGA board of directors, serves as the chairman of the competition and non-competing captain of the amateur team. Jeff Boyer and Darren Szot co-captained the professional squad.

The event — supported by the CGA, the Colorado PGA and hosted by Tiara Rado — benefits the Western Colorado Golf Foundation, with proceeds helping provide college scholarships to western Coloradans.

Results of Western Colorado Cup Matches

Friday at Tiara Rado Golf Course in Grand Junction

OVERALL FINAL SCORE: AMATEURS 10.5, PROFESSIONALS 5.5

FOUR-BALL-Scheduled for 9 Holes (Amateurs 2, Professionals 2)

Scott Sullivan/Kyle Pearson (A) halved with Steve VanDyke/Darren Szot

Thomas Roos/Matt Hall (A) def. Russell Aragon/Jim Cook, 1 up

Doug Choate/Roger Walters (A) halved with Dan O'Shaughnessy/Max Twarjan

Stacy Millard/Ryan Hoynacki (P) def. Peter Grossenbacher/Greg Lonergan, 1 up

FOURSOMES-Scheduled for 9 Holes (Professionals 2, Amateurs 2)

Stacy Millard/Darren Szot (P) def. Scott Sullivan/Peter Grossenbacher, 1 up

Jim Cook/Dan O'Shaughnessy (P) def. Thomas Roos/Matt Hall, 1 up

Doug Choate/Roger Walters (A) def. Russell Aragon/Max Twarjan, 1 up

Greg Lonergan/ Kyle Pearson (A) def. Ryan Hoynacki/Steve VanDyke, 1 up

SINGLES-Scheduled for 9 Holes (Amateurs 6.5, Professionals 1.5)

Scott Sullivan (A) halved with Max Twarjan 

Stacy Millard (P) def. Kyle Pearson, 2 up

Thomas Roos (A) def. Dan O'Shaughnessy, 1 up

Roger Walters (A) def. Jim Cook, 2 and 1

Matt Hall (A) def. Russell Aragon, 2 and 1

Doug Choate (A) def. Steve VanDyke, 4 and 3

Peter Grossenbacher (A) def. Darren Szot, 3 and 2

Greg Lonergan (A) def. Ryan Hoynacki, 4 and 3