The 11th Annual Cougar Open took place Friday as twenty-three teams challenged the heat and golf course at Lake Barton.
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.
The four-man scramble team of Korey Burkhart, David Foss, Mike Huddleston, and Chris Smith defended their title by firing an 18-under 52 score to claim event bragging rights. Two strokes behind at 16-under 54 in the Championship Flight was Barton men's basketball head coach Jeremy Coombs' team consisting of Clint Isaac, Devan Crabtree, and Taylor Crabtree. Four teams stood at 15-under 55 with the 2021 champion tandem of Brandon Wells, Bryce Wells, Matt Karlin, and Lance Perez coming out on top in tiebreaking procedures to place third.
Additional teams at 15-under 55 were:
Jackson Coombs, Stefan Spray, Sage Koelsch, and Chayse Gruber
Kevin Sundahl, Dennis Sherman, Owen Ochs, and J.D. Rein
L.T. Fleske, Troy Moore, Mason Moore, and Joel Kahnt
First flight honors went to the 12-under 58 round score from Carter Coombs, Larson Koester, Maddox Spray, and Braxton Peters. A trio of teams stood at a 11-under 59 with the second place tiebreaker going to Jim Vopat, Neil Werth, Shawn Panzer, and Steve Johnson. In third place was the former Barton Baseball player loaded group of Jared Maneth, Harrison Denk, Hunter Williams, and Micah Grover. Barton Golf Head Coach Doug Kaiser's group of Brooke Thompson, Lance Crosby, and Kevyn Soupiset was on the short end of the 59 card tiebreakers in the fourth spot.
In the final 2nd Flight of competitors, tiebreaking procedures were also used amongst four teams carding a 6-under 64 as the team of Joey Zimmerman, Brent Zimmerman, Nick Schwager, and Beau Cavander prevailed to win the flight. Earning bragging rights in the Barton Baseball Clubhouse, Head Coach Brent Biggs' squad of his father Craig, Adam Gerstner and Dylan Channel took the 2nd place standing over Assistant Coach Brett McBride's team of Luke Kramer, Austin Holt, and Logan Smith. The group of Oliver Snook, Shad Wondra, Kasey Higgins, and Clint Pangburn also shot the 64 card but fell out of the prizes due to tiebreak procedures.
Through the generous donations of sponsors, over $6,000 of valued prizes were also raffled, as well as, offering a multitude of hole prizes.
Individual hole prize winners were:
Brent Biggs (Longest drive on hole 2)
Jake Thompson (Closest to the pin in two shots on hole 3)
Lars Koester 5'9" (Closest to the pin on hole 5)
Mike Huddleston 8' (Closest to the pin on hole 7)
Mason Moore 17'4" (Longest putt on hole 8)
Brantley Baldwin (Closest to the pin on hole 9)
Joel Kahnt 7" (Closest to the pin in two shots on hole 10)
Ron Mason (Longest drive on hole 11 – 65 years old and older)
Trey Rolfs 14' (Closest to the pin on hole 12)
Jay Luerman 4.25" (Closest to the pin in two shots on hole 14)
Chris Ford 26'7" (Longest putt on hole 17)
J.D. Rein 5'4" (Closest to the pin in two shots on hole 18)
Flight Winners:
Championship Flight:
1st (52): Korey Burkhart, David Foss, Mike Huddleston, and Chris Smith
2nd (54): Jeremy Coombs, Clint Isaac, Devan Crabtree, and Taylor Crabtree
3rd (55): Brandon Wells, Bryce Wells, Matt Karlin, and Lance Perez
First Flight:
1st (58): Carter Coombs, Larson Koester, Maddox Spray, and Braxton Peters
2nd (59): Jim Vopat, Neil Werth, Shawn Panzer, and Steve Johnson
3rd (59): Jared Maneth, Harrison Denk, Hunter Williams, and Micah Grover
Second Flight:
1st (64): Joey Zimmerman, Brent Zimmerman, Nick Schwager, and Beau Cavander
2nd (64): Brent Biggs, Craig Biggs, Adam Gerstner, and Dylan Channel
3rd (64): Brett McBride, Luke Kramer, Austin Holt, and Logan Smith
Photos can be found at:
https://bartonccc.photoshelter.com/galleries/C00001Ja.nbkLrWI/G00007gQagf4VDiY/2023-Booster-Club-Golf-Tournament-080423