2023 Missouri Amateur champion Peter Weaver (Bellerive Country Club) rallied from a 3-hole deficit in the final seven holes to outlast Tyler Linenbroker (Forest Hills Country Club) in 22 holes at the 104th St. Louis Men’s District Golf Association Griesedieck Men’s Championship at Glen Echo Country Club on Sunday, July 23. It was the longest playoff in tournament history,
Entering his senior year this fall on Villanova University’s golf team, Weaver is enjoying a highly successful summer after capturing the Missouri Amateur at Payne’s Valley Golf Club on June 25. “I’m just figuring out match play,” he said. “In previous years, I focused on the other player and watching his shots too much instead of focusing on myself and my shots. I’ve focused on staying patient, making good swings and focusing on what I can do, and it’s worked out pretty well.”
With the match even through eight holes Linenbroker sandwiched an eagle between birdies to build a 3-hole advantage, which Weaver stopped with a birdie on Hole 12. Weaver pulled within a stroke on Hole 16 as Linenbroker bogeyed, Weaver then hit one of the best shots in tournament history as he holed a 93-yard lob wedge for eagle on Hole 18 to send the match to extras. After each competitor played par golf for three holes, Weaver birdied Hole 4 to grab the trophy,
The St. Louis Priory High School product described how the round swung his way, “He was making a lot of good putts around 9, 10 & 11, I just had to withstand that and stay patient, and focus on making good swings … it was pretty unreal what I did on 18 to send it to a playoff.”
During the morning semifinals, Weaver dethroned reigning champion Justin Bryant (St. Louis Country Club) 2 & 1, while Linenbroker slipped past Logan Lowery (St. Clair Country Club) 4 & 3. Bryant was bidding to become the first repeat champion since Chris Kovach in 2018-19.
During stroke play on Thursday and Friday, Bryant shot sizzling back-to-back 67s to earn medalist honors for the second consecutive year. Bryant persevered through a 2-hour, 10-minute rain delay on Thursday that dumped 3/4” rain on the course, testing Superintendent’s Joe Wachter’s team, and they quickly restored the course to outstanding playing condition. The softened greens aided the competitors and led to better scores. 2020 champion Jason Landry (Greenbriar Hills Country Club) shot 69-67 to finish as runner-up.
Round of 16
After the original field of 81 sorted itself out, the Round of 16 began on a cool, bright Saturday morning with Bryant routing #16 Patrick Riordan (Meadowbrook Country Club) 8 & 7. Meanwhile, Glen Echo standout Drew Pranger dispatched three-time past champion Chris Kovach (Old Hickory Golf Club) 9 & 8.
#4 Sam Migdal (Norwood Hills Country Club) defeated #13 Robert Trittler (Persimmon Woods Golf Club) 2-up, while #5 Weaver handled #12 Michael Becker (Glen Echo Country Club) 4 & 3.
#15 Rob Scherer (Lake Forest Golf & Country Club) upset Landry 1-up, and #7 Linenbroker topped #10 Ben Gelven (Glen Echo Country Club) 2-up.
#3 Tony Gumper (Old Hickory Country Club) outlasted #14 Sean Brennan (Westborough Country Club) in 21 holes, and #11 Lowery won a back-and-forth battle with 2011 champion Alex Cusumano (Norwood Hills Country Club) 1-up.
Quarterfinals
As Saturday afternoon warmed up for the Quarterfinal Round, Bryant stayed hot by winning five of the last seven holes played on the back nine to oust Pranger 4 & 2, and Weaver defeated Migdal 4 & 3.
Linenbroker rolled past veteran Rob Scherer 5 & 4.
After playing 21 holes in the morning, Gumper pushed Lowery to 20 holes before Lowery prevailed with a birdie on Hole #2.
Established in 1901, Glen Echo is the oldest, continually running country club and golf course west of the Mississippi River. It is also the oldest, continuously operating Olympic venue in the world. Glen Echo opened to glowing reviews as the first, complete 18-hole golf course in St. Louis.
