The 10th Annual Cougar Open took place this past Friday as twenty-four teams challenged the heat and golf course at StoneRidge in Great Bend.
The annual event organized and sponsored by the Cougar Booster Club, in addition to, the generosity of donors, provides a fundraising activity for Barton Athletics through participation, sponsors, and raffle opportunities.
Blistering the course on the 100-plus degree afternoon, the four-man scramble team of Korey Burkhart, David Foss, Mike Huddleston, and Chris Smith fired a 20-under 51 score to claim event bragging rights. The efforts dethroned the defending champion tandem of Brandon Wells, Bryce Wells, Matt Karlin, and Lance Perez in posting a runner-up score of 19-under 52. Rounding out the championship flight award winners was Rick Tutak, Tom Vernon, Randy Wetzel, and Kris Thexton in carding an 18-under 53.
A score of 14-under 57 prevailed in the first flight with Kenny Vink, Craig Vink, Steve Black, and Ryley Ney edging out the 58 posted by Doug Kaiser, Alan Crowther, Tracey Wagner, and Jake Werth.
The second and last of the flights featured a log jam of 10-under 61 scores sending the placings into tiebreak procedures. Representing one of four teams featuring alumni or supporters of the Barton Baseball program, former players Carson Engroff, Brady Michel, Dawson Pomeroy, and Brett Bonar came out on top of the tiebreak to earn the flight honors.
Through the generous donations of sponsors, eleven hole prizes amongst a multitude of raffle drawing prizes were also awarded.
Individual hole prize winners:
Chris Smith (Longest putt on hole 2)
Jay Luerman (Closest to the pin in two shots on hole 3)
Kris Thexton (Closest to the pin on hole 4)
Chris Smith (Closest to the pin on hole 6)
Rick Tutak (Closest to the pin in two shots on hole 7)
Owen Ochs (Longest putt on hole 9)
Stefan Spray (Longest drive on hole 10)
Paul Doll (Closest to the pin in two shots on hole 13)
Jim Herrman (Longest putt on hole 15)
Todd Moore (Closest to the pin on hole 16)
Jeff Wallgren (Closest to the pin in two shots on hole 17)
Lucas Kramer (Closest to the pin on hole 18)
Flight Winners
Championship Flight:
1st (51): Korey Burkhart, David Foss, Mike Huddleston, and Chris Smith
2nd (52): Brandon Wells, Bryce Wells, Matt Karlin, and Lance Perez
3rd (53): Rick Tutak, Tom Vernon, Randy Wetzel, and Kris Thexton
First Flight:
1st (57): Kenny Vink, Craig Vink, Steve Black, and Ryley Ney
2nd (58): Doug Kaiser, Alan Crowther, Tracey Wagner, and Jake Werth
3rd (59): Craig Biggs, Brent Biggs, Adam Gerstner, and Dylan Channel
2nd Flight:
1st (61): Carson Engroff, Brady Michel, Dawson Pomeroy, and Brett Bonar
2nd (61): Ron Mason, Alan Segal, Kim Mullin, and Todd Moore
3rd (61): Jace Bowman, Aaron Jacobs, Caleb Cherryholmes, and Nick Hammeke