The final 36-hole showdown to determine the CGA State Amateur Centennial Match Play champion came down to the final putt on the 36th hole at Bear Creek Golf Club. University of Denver player Shawn Wills of The Ranch Country Club made that putt (with a probable sprained right wrist suffered two shots prior) to win the final match 1 up over Bear Creek’s Kenny Coakley (a 17-year-old junior at Green Mountain High School). Wills made it to the clubhouse and promptly sat down, exhausted, and began administering an ice pack to his right wrist. When asked how he felt, he smiled, held up his wrist, and said, “It was all worth it. To win the state championship against this field, on this course…it’s a great feeling.” CGA Executive Director Ed Mate noted that Wills is only the ninth player to win both the CGA Boys’ Match Play and the CGA Match Play, as Wills won the Boys’ Match Play title in 1998. Only Brandt Jobe has won both in the same year (1984). Both Mate and Wills praised the poise and play of Coakley, who at 17 was trying to become the youngest player to win the championship.
The match itself was one of the most exciting finals played in recent history. Wills was 4 up through 12 holes when Coakley mounted a strong comeback. With birdies on 13, 16 and 18, and timely pars mixed in, Coakley won five of the last six holes on the first 18 to take a 1 up lead into the second 18. Coakley rolled in a 15-foot birdie on the 21st hole to take a 2-up lead, which he held until a bogey on the 26th hole (#8) cut his lead to 1 up. On the 27th hole, Wills sunk a 15-foot birdie putt, only to watch Coakley roll in a 7-foot birdie on top of his to stay 1-up. The match remained 1 up until the 32nd hole – the par-5 14th. Coakley stuck his third shot 6-feet from the hole, then Wills placed his third shot inside of Coakley just two feet from the hole. Coakley lipped out his birdie attempt, and Wills tapped his into even the match for the first time since hole 17. Wills then won the next hole with a par to go 1 up, and halved the 34th hole to remain 1 up. The resilient Coakley came back and won the 35th hole, and the match was all square going into the final regulation hole. Both players missed the fairway and were in the tall native grass, and both had imbedded rocks impeding their lies. Wills struck the rock and ball almost simultaneously, injuring his wrist but remarkably sending the ball left of the green hole high. Coakley also made a remarkable shot leaving him just 10 yards short of the green. Both players chipped on, Wills to within four feet and Coakley to six feet. Coakley’s putt just slid past the hole, and Wills carefully sunk his to win the championship.
Round of 64
Geoff Keffer, Overland Golf Course def. Jordan Williams, Valley CC, 5 and 4
John Buffalo, Walking Stick GC def. Matt Strong, Highlands Ranch GC, 2 and 1
Ken Sady, Cotton Ranch GC def. Don Angstead, Ute Creek GC, 4 and 3
Nolan Martin, Gleneagle GC def. Joel Farkas, Green Gables, 6 and 5
Owen Ellis, Flatirons GC def. Thomas Oh, Meridian GC, 8 and 6
Derek Tolan, Highlands Ranch GC def. Matt Hart, Los Verdes GC, 3 and 2
Chris Garehime, Columbine CC def. Andy Warner, Greeley CC, 2 and 1
Brett Tobyne, Bear Creek GC def. Andrew Dosher, Meadow Hills GC, 1 up
Shawn Wills, The Ranch CC def. Ray Rodriguez, Fort Morgan GC, 1 up
Steve Vogt, Englewood GC def. John Hulwick, Pinehurst CC, 20 holes
John Olive, Broadmoor GC def. Tim Fitzgerald, Lone Tree GC, 6 and 5
John Hayes, Columbine CC def. David Delich, Broadmoor Golf Club, 1 up
Bryson Groat, Indian Peaks def. Ian Ross, Springs Ranch GC, 2 and 1
Rick Dewitt, West Woods GC def. Matt McCoy, Legacy Ridge GC, 6 and 4
Hal Marshall, Bear Creek GC def. Adam Jardon, Monte Vista GC, 8 and 6
Garrett Froggatte, Gleneagle GC def. Blake Mastalir, Denver CC, 4 and 3
Bret Guetz, Columbine CC def. Jared Jewett, Meridian, 2 and 1
Tom Livingston, Country Club of Colorado def. Nick Babl, Twin Peaks GC, withdrew
Joe Liley, Lakewood CC def. Kary Kaltenbacher, Glenmoor CC, 3 and 2
Kevin Stadler, Bear Creek GC def. Derek O’Neill, Lone Tree GC, 3 and 2
Todd Novak, Vail GC def. Cody Eberl, Bear Creek GC, 2 and 1
Sean Forey, Rolling Hills CC def. David Lee, Red Hawk Ridge, 1 up
Robert Hunt, Lake Arbor GC def. Steve Lechner, Hyland Hills, 2 up
Robert Polk, The Pinery CC def. Taylor Cerjan, Snowmass GC, 1 up
Marc Hocking, Patty Jewett GC def. Brandon White, Greeley CC, 1 up
Bill Fowler, Rolling Hills CC def. Jeremy Lederer, Fairway Pines CC, 3 and 2
Kenny Coakley, Bear Creek GC def. Sean McAllister, Columbine CC, 4 and 3
Ryan Anderson, Greeley CC def. Nathan Winn, Yampa Valley GC, 4 and 3
Chris Carlson, Lone Tree GC def. Michael Martin, Kennedy GC, 2 up
James Williamson, Collindale GC def. Kelly Crone, Deer Creek GC at Meadow Ranch, 2 and 1
Rick George, Castle Pines GC def. Matt Parkin, Hyland Hills GC, 5 and 4
Justin Borzych, The Meadows GC def. Josh Koschke, Hyland Hills GC, 2 up
Round Of 32
John Buffalo, Walking Stick GC, def. Geoff Keffer, Overland Golf Course, 2 and 1
Nolan Martin, Gleneagle GC, def. Ken Sady, Cotton Ranch GC, 5 and 4
Owen Ellis, Flatirons GC, def. Derek Tolan, Highlands Ranch GC, 2 and 1
Brett Tobyne, Bear Creek GC, def. Chris Garehime, Columbine CC, 4 and 2
Shawn Wills, The Ranch CC, def. Steve Vogt, Englewood GC, 4 and 2
John Hayes, Columbine CC, def. John Olive, Broadmoor GC, 4 and 3
Rick Dewitt, West Woods GC, def. Bryson Groat, Indian Peaks, 3 and 1
Garrett Froggatte, Gleneagle GC, def. Hal Marshall, Bear Creek GC, 4 and 3
Bret Guetz, Columbine CC, def. Tom Livingston, Country Club of Colorado, 4 and 3
Kevin Stadler, Bear Creek GC, def. Joe Liley, Lakewood CC, 19 holes
Todd Novak, Vail GC, def. Sean Forey, Rolling Hills CC, 1 up
Robert Hunt, Lake Arbor GC, def. Robert Polk, The Pinery CC, 4 and 3
Marc Hocking, Patty Jewett GC, def. Bill Fowler, Rolling Hills CC, 1 up
Kenny Coakley, Bear Creek GC, def. Ryan Anderson, Greeley CC, 4 and 3
Chris Carlson, Lone Tree GC, def. James Williamson, Collindale GC, 3 and 2
Rick George, Castle Pines GC, def. Justin Borzych, The Meadows GC, 1 up
Round Of 16
Nolan Martin, Gleneagle GC, def. John Buffalo, Walking Stick GC, 5 and 4
Brett Tobyne, Bear Creek GC, def. Owen Ellis, Flatirons GC, 2 and 1
Shawn Wills, The Ranch CC, def. John Hayes, Columbine CC, 21 holes
Garrett Froggatte, Gleneagle GC, def. Rick Dewitt, West Woods GC, 3 and 2
Kevin Stadler, Bear Creek GC, def. Bret Guetz, Columbine CC, 2 up
Robert Hunt, Lake Arbor GC, def. Todd Novak, Vail GC, 3 and 1
Kenny Coakley, Bear Creek GC, def. Marc Hocking, Patty Jewett GC, 20 holes
Rick George, Castle Pines GC def. Chris Carlson, Lone Tree GC, 2 up
Quarterfinal Round
Brett Tobyne, Bear Creek GC, def. Nolan Martin, Gleneagle GC, 2 up
Shawn Wills, The Ranch CC, def. Garrett Froggatte, Gleneagle GC, 1 up
Kevin Stadler, Bear Creek GC, def. Robert Hunt, Lake Arbor GC, 4 and 3
Kenny Coakley, Bear Creek GC, def. Rick George, Castle Pines GC, 6 and 5
Semifinal Round
Shawn Wills, The Ranch CC, def. Brett Tobyne, Bear Creek GC, 7 and 5
Kenny Coakley, Bear Creek GC, def. Kevin Stadler, Bear Creek GC, 22 holes
Final Round
Shawn Wills, The Ranch CC, def. Kenny Coakley, Bear Creek GC, 1 up
