Chad Niezing (Meadowbrook Country Club) compiled two steady rounds of stroke play to take medalist honors and the No. 1 seed heading to match play at The St. Louis District Golf Association (STLDGA) Griesadieck Men’s Championship at The Legends Country Club in Eureka, Mo. Niezing posted a 3-under-par 69 on Thursday, July 16 and followed that with a solid 2-under-par 70 on Friday.
Ryan Eckelkamp (Franklin County Country Club), who was tied at 3-under with Niezing after first round play, shot a 71 on Friday to finish one stroke behind Niezing.
Five-time champion Skip Berkmeyer (The Legends Country Club) raced out to the first day lead with a 6-under par 66. Berkmeyer roared out of the gate with four birdies in the first eight holes and completed his bogey-free round with birdies on 16 and 17. Berkmeyer’s Friday featured birdies on holes one and five, but was undone by bogeys on six and nine a triple bogey on 10 (the starting hole for stroke play). A bogey on 15 and another double bogey on 18 saw Berkmeyer finish 1-under-par, but still in the match play round.
Chris Kovach (Old Hickory Golf Club), Joey Friedel (Łąkę Forest Golf & Country Club) and Justin Bryant (St. Louis Country Club) all were 2-under-par. Drew Pranger (Glen Echo Country Club) and Bryan Bohme (Meadowbrook Country Club) were tied with Berkmeyer at 1-under.
The championship is open to all district members with a handicap index of 5.0 or lower.Two days of stroke-play cut to the low 16 qualified for match play on Saturday and Sunday. All that qualified for match play automatically qualified for The Jim Jackson Invitational at Algonquin Golf Club in October.
SATURDAY – Match Play
Saturday morning’s match play pairings proven championship caliber competitors:
2018 runner0-up Chad Niezing (Meadowbrook Country Club) v. reigning 2025 champion Alex Cusumano (Norwood Hills Country Club)
Drew Pranger (Glen Echo Country Club) v. Ben Gelven (Glen Echo Country Club)
Two-time champion Chris Kovach (Old Hickory Golf Club) v. Chad Hull (Lake Forest Golf & Country Club)
Joey Friedel (Łąkę Forest Golf & Country Club) v. 2021 Medalist Sam Migdal (St. Louis Country Club)
Ryan Eckelkamp (Franklin County Country Club) v. Owen Walther (Norwood Hills Country Club)
Five-time champion Skip Berkmeyer (The Legends Country Club) v. 2025 Medalist Bubba Cunningham (Bellerive Country Club)
2022 champion Justin Bryant (St. Louis Country Club) v. Brian Lovett (Bellerive Country Club)
Bryan Bohme (Meadowbrook Country Club) v. Zach Kratofil (Glen Echo Country Club)
The Legends Country Club is built into the rolling hills of Eureka, Missouri and features 335 acres of golf course with activities for the whole family. The Country Club features 18 holes of championship golf built and designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. in 1989 and 9 holes of golf built and designed by Gary Kern in 1994.