Parker Edens has never had much success in match-play tournaments, but in a way he’s experienced what it’s like to win the CGA Match Play Championship.
The Colorado State University golfer, who plays out of Greeley Country Club, lost in the first round of last year’s CGA Match Play, but he caddied for Michael Lee, who won the title.
This year, Lee couldn’t defend his championship in the 112th Match Play, but Edens has an opportunity to win the trophy a year after caddying for the champ.
Edens, the top seed in the event, and third-seeded Brian Dorfman of Cherry Creek Country Club advanced to the finals Thursday with two more victories at The Club at Rolling Hills in Golden. They’ll go head-to-head over 36 holes on Friday with the title on the line.
“Last year was my first time playing in this thing,” said Edens, a qualifier for the 2010 U.S. Amateur. “I lost in the first round, then I caddied for Mike and he went all the way. I’ve seen it done. Hopefully we can get it done tomorrow.
“Mike plays at Mines (which is based in Golden) and they get to play out here (at Rolling Hills) a lot. So I’ve talked to him every night about different tee shots and different holes and what he thinks. To know somebody that knows the course pretty well helps.”
Edens, a junior-to-be on the CSU golf team, posted a 5-and-4 quarterfinal victory Thursday over Andrew Cornella of The Club at Flying Horse, then cooled off red-hot David Schroeder of the Broadmoor Golf Club with a 3-and-2 win in the semifinals. (Edens is pictured above teeing off, with Schroeder watching.)
Meanwhile, Dorfman, a two-time tournament winner at Georgetown University last season, scored a 2-up quarterfinal victory over 2009 CGA Mid-Amateur champion Michael Harrington of Garden of the Gods Club, then won 1-up over Black Canyon Golf Club’s Brandon Bingaman, a Colorado Mesa University golfer.
“I actually work full-time now and haven’t been able to practice as much as I’d like,” said Dorfman (pictured at left), the 2008 CGA Junior Match Play champ. “But I’ve been hitting it good, and I’ve been getting better as the week goes on.”
In both his victories Thursday, Dorfman birdied the par-5 18th, the same hole he eagled to force extra holes in his 24-hole round-of-32 victory over Drew Trujillo on Wednesday.
“That was an incredible match,” said Dorfman, who just completed his senior season at Georgetown, though he won’t graduate until December. “That’s probably the best match I’ve ever had. But this one (in the semifinals) is probably second. I shot 3 under par and it went to the end, so it was really hard. But I played great.”
Dorfman never trailed in Thursday’ semifinals, but he didn’t go ahead for good until Bingaman bogeyed No. 17 after missing the green on the par-3.
As for Edens, after being the co-medalist in stroke play, he has had only one of his five matches go beyond the 16th hole.
In the semifinals, he faced Schroeder — the 2011 CGA Stroke Play runner-up who won his previous matches this week on hole 14 twice, 15 once and 16 once. But Edens was likewise riding a wave of momentum, and when he made four birdies in five holes starting on No. 8, he built a comfortable lead he wouldn’t relinquish.
“I’ve been on a huge roll,” Edens said, despite playing poorly over the weekend and taking second at the Dick Billehus Invitational in Greeley. “I played the practice round (at Rolling Hills) and didn’t know if I was going to like the course at all. Then on Monday I came out and shot a bogey-free 2 under. I fell in love with it on Monday. I’ve just been hitting it real well and putting lights out — best I’ve ever putted.”
Indeed, Edens has made just six bogeys in six rounds this week.
CGA Match Play Championship
At The Club at Rolling Hills in Golden
(Seeds in Parentheses)
QUARTERFINALS
Parker Edens, Greeley CC (1) def. Andrew Cornella, The Club at Flying Horse (8), 5 and 4
David Schroeder II, Broadmoor GC (28) def. Jonathan Park, Green Valley Ranch GC (4), 5 and 4
Brandon Bingaman, Black Canyon Golf Club @ Montrose (7) def. Steven Kupcho, Commonground Golf Course (47), 2 and 1
Brian Dorfman, Cherry Creek CC (3) def. Michael Harrington, Garden of the Gods Club (6), 2 up
SEMIFINALS
Parker Edens, Greeley CC (1) def. David Schroeder II, Broadmoor GC (28), 3 and 2
Brian Dorfman, Cherry Creek CC (3) def. Brandon Bingaman, Black Canyon Golf Club @ Montrose (7), 1 up
