University of Missouri-Columbia rising sophomore Bubba Chapman (Bellerive Country Club) took medalist honors at The St. Louis District Golf Association (STLDGA) Griesadieck Men’s Championship at Norwood Hills Country Club on Friday, July 18 in Normandy, Mo. In Thursday’s opening round of stroke play, Chapman surged to a three-stroke lead with a 7-under par 64, featuring six birdies and an eagle on No. 8, and followed with a 4-under par 67 on Friday to finish at 11-under 131.
The championship is open to all district members with a handicap index of 5.0 or lower. Two days of stroke-play result in the low 16 qualifying for match play on Saturday and Sunday.
Chapman analyzed his pace-setting opening round, “Made a couple nice putts, which was nice as I had a little trouble with that recently. I hit a lot of good tee shots, and the ones that were not good were in spots that I could get it on the green or leave it in a spot where I could make par.
“Except for a bogey on 16, it was a pretty spotless scorecard, kept it in front of me nicely. Very smart, I would say, and I was in control of my golf ball pretty well.”
2024 medalist Joe Migdal (Persimmon Woods Golf Club) trailed by three strokes after the first round, but opened Friday’s round with three birdies in the first five holes to tie Chapman before he teed off. But Chapman responded with three birdies of his own in the first five holes to create breathing room. Migdal ended up posting back-to-back 67s and was runner-up at 8-under 134.
Chapman wasn’t playing it safe with the lead on the second day. “The second half of my round today, my irons weren’t as sharp,” the Chaminade High School alum noted. “I had birdie looks , but they weren’t as close. I continued to hit it well off the tee, but just didn’t make as many birdies late in the round.
“I felt pretty comfortable the whole day, knew I was going to make it to match play. I just wanted to continue to make pars and give myself opportunities when I could. I wouldn’t call it conservative, just two full days of making good decisions.”
Gordon Walker (Bellerive Country Club) took honorary “Hole of Day” with a double-eagle on the par-5 No. 8.
Skip Berkmeyer (The Legends Country Club) shot the low score in the second round with a 5-under par 66 to slide into the sixth seed for match play,
The final four slots for match play were decided in a two-hole play-off as five players finished at 2-over 144. Scott McClellan (Wing Haven Country Club) and Parker Goldman (Meadowbrook Country Club) each birdied No. 1 to claim the 13th and 14th seeds, respectively. Owen Farley (St. Louis Country Club) and Brevin Giebler (Dalhousie Golf Club) each sank par putts on No. 2 to grab the final two seeds when Ryan Eckelkamp (Franklin Country Club) bogeyed as he came up short on an 8-footer.
Last week’s STLGDA Junior Champion Hudson Shy (Bogey Hills Country Club) finished 3-over, missing the playoff by a stroke.
The remainder of the match play field:
Patrick Britt (Norwood Hills Country Club) (-6)
Justin Bryant (St. Louis Country Club) (-4)
Ben Gelven (Glen Echo Country Club) (-4)
Skip Berkmeyer (The Legends Country Club) (-3)
Logan Lowery (St. Clair Country Club) (-3)
Brett Meeske (Meadowbrook Country Club) (-1)
Mack Freeman (Forest Hills Country Club) (even)
Sean Brennan (Westborough Country Club) (even)
Drew Panger (Glen Echo Coundtry Club) (even)
Alex Cusumano (Norwood Hills Country Club) (+1)
Chapman is undaunted by his lack of match play experience. “I haven’t played a ton of match play, played two matches last year at the Missouri Amateur,” the Des Peres native said. “It’s just one whole at a time. I can’t do anything about the last hole or the next hole, which is similar to stroke play.
“There’s times when your opponent is in for birdie, and you’ve got to make a putt, you’ve got to play a little more aggressively. It doesn’t change the way I play this golf course. If I play every match the way I played that first round, I think I’ll have a good chance.”
All that qualified for match play gain entry to The Jim Jackson Invitational at Algonquin Golf Club in October.
SATURDAY:
In highly competitive match play Saturday morning, top seed Chapman lost a 4-up lead through eight holes and had to go 19 holes to oust Giebler. Giebler eventually tied the match on the 17th, but his bogey on the playoff hole cost him dearly. Freeman eliminated Meeske 7-and-5. McClellan defeated 2022 champion Bryant 1-up. Cusumano (2011 champion) slipped past Galvin 3-and-2. Migdal (2024 Medalist) edged Farley 5-and-4, while Lowery also shaded Brennan 5-and-4. Goldman topped Britt 1-up, and Pranger knocked off five-time champion Berkmeyer 2-and-1.
In the quarterfinals Saturday afternoon, Chapman dispatched Freeman 5-and-4, and Cusumano knocked out McClellan 6-and-5. On the other side of the bracket, Migdal defeated Lowery 5-and-4, while Pranger got by Goldman 1-up.
Play resumes Sunday morning with semifinal matches with the championship match slated for noon.