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Final Matches Set in UGA Senior Match Play at Davis Park
The UGA Senior Match Play Championship has reached the championship stage of all three divisions and the title matches are scheduled Friday morning at Davis Park Golf Course.
The tournament started with a seeding round and the first and second seeds in all divisions failed to advance to the championship matches.
The biggest upset came Thursday morning when 24th seed John Edwards bumped off two-time champion Kirk Siddens in the quarterfinals of the Championship Flight in what was one of the greatest comebacks in the annals of Utah golf. Down three with three to play Edwards won four straight holes to upset the champion. Edwards had only a short spell to recover from the emotionally grueling match and got bumped in his next match by 28th seed Brett Sampson, 6 and 4.
Sampson will face 23rd seed Craig Wilson in the championship match of the Championship Flight. It will be a battle of the bombers. They are both strong and athletic and long, long off the tee.
Third seed Al Simkins advanced to the finals in the Super Senior Division (65 and over). He faced a difficult task on Thursday having to go up against not one, but both Marriotts. He bumped off Brent Marriott in the morning, 2 and 1, and showed no Marriott favoritism by bumping off Doug Marriott in the afternoon, 1-up. His win over Brent in the morning prevented what would have been a match of Marriotts. Simkins defeated Al Thomas in the first round, 2 and 1.
Simkins won the Super Senior title in 2012 and 2013 and did not play last year. Dave Fischer won the title in 2014. Simkins has now won 11 straight matches without a defeat, although there was a one year interruption.
Jeff Campbell, the eighth seed, is Simkins’ opponent in the championship match. Campbell is playing very strong golf and has knocked off Heber Jacobsen, 3 and 1, Dave Fischer, 3 and 2, and Vern Erickson, 2 and 1.
The Net Division finalists are second seed Jason Tanner and ninth seed Craig Sorenson. Sorensen advanced by defeating Doug Beck, 1-up; Tracy Smith, 3 and 2; and Lee Garner, 1-up. Tanner has downed Tom Wagner, 2-up; Val Cahoon, 3 and 1; and Doug Bond, 1-up.
Friday’s Championship Schedule
Championship Division
7:30- Brett Sampson vs. Craig Wilson
Super Senior Division
7:45- Jeff Campbell vs. Allen Simkins
Net Division
8:00- Jason Tanner vs. Craig Sorenson
Thursday’s Results
Championship Division
Quarterfinals
John Edwards def. Kirk Siddens, 19 holes
Brett Sampson def. Todd Barker, 5 and 3
Craig Wilson def. Bill Probst, 5 and 4
Dana Nelson def. Paul Cannon, 4 and 3
Semifinals
Sampson def. Edwards, 6 and 4
Wilson def. Nelson, 1-up
Super Senior Division
Quarterfinals
Jeff Campbell def. Dave Fischer, 3 and 2
Vern Erickson def. Brent Tidwell, 2 and 1
Doug Marriott def. Richard Willis, 19 holes
Allen Simkins def. Brent Marriot, 2 and 1
Semifinals
Jeff Campbell def. Vern Erickson, 2 and 1
Allen Simkins def. Doug Marriott, 1-up
Net Division
Quarterfinals
Craig Sorenson def. Tracy Smith, 3 and 2
Lee Garner def. Bret Hancock, 3 and 2
Jason Tanner def. Val Cahoon, 3 and 1
Doug Bond def. Gus Stribakos, 3 and 2
Semifinals
Jason Tanner def. Doug Bond, 19 holes
Craig Sorenson def. Lee Garner, 1-up