For the 26th consecutive year, the KECO Open Golf Tournament showcased the best field of golfers in Western Oklahoma. The tournament kicked off with the thrilling individual horserace, followed by the main event where familiar faces dominated the leaderboard. Let’s dive into the highlights of this exciting golfing extravaganza.
Patriotic display of the American flag and Oklahoma state flag at the Elk City Golf and Country Club during the 26th annual KECO Open.
KECO Open Golf Tournament: Chris Kunda Emerges Victorious in Individual Horserace
Summary:
In the individual horserace, which featured 16 players, Chris Kunda from Tyler, TX emerged as the champion in his debut appearance. Notably, Kunda was a member of the 2006 Oregon State Beavers National Championship-winning baseball team.
Runner-up: Tyronne Van Aswegen, a former collegiate player at Oklahoma City University, who has earned over 3 million dollars on the PGA Tour in his career.
Third place: Justin Barrick, a local golfer who showcased his skills in a couple of intense chip-offs to secure his spot.
Championship scoreboard displaying the final standings of the 2023 KECO/Arc Energy/1 Source Open Golf Tournament.
Main Event: Championship Flight
Summary:
The main event of the KECO Open Golf Tournament took place on Saturday morning, featuring a total of 36 ABC flight teams and 15 championship teams. Let’s take a look at the standout performers in the championship flight:
- Mikel Martinson, Bobby Massa, Jack Dogget, and Garet Leak dominated the field, finishing two strokes ahead of everyone else at 19 under.
- Luke Phillips, a former Sayre Eagle and SWOSU Bulldog, led the second-place team at 17 under. He played alongside Ian Davis, Jimmy Ingles, and Jacob Prentice.
- The third-place position was determined by a thrilling three-way tiebreaker playoff. Dustin Gunkel secured the victory by sinking a 20-foot birdie putt on the par 3 10th hole. His team members were Justin Twyman, Justin Barrick, and Travis Stout.
Scoreboard displaying the results of the A, B, and C flights at the 2023 KECO/Arc Energy/1 Source Open Golf Tournament.
ABC Flight Results:
Flight A:
- Tied leaderboard: Ben E Keith and 4 H Energy both finished at 17 under 54s.
- Ben E Keith won the tiebreaker with a spectacular eagle chip on the 6th hole.
- R&R Powerline claimed third place after shooting 57.
Flight B:
- Winning score: 61.
- Top three teams played off on the scorecard.
- Cudd emerged as the ultimate winner, followed by L&R Tire in second place, and KLX in third.
Flight C:
- Score: 5 under 66.
- Six teams achieved the same score.
- Bigby Energy clinched the first-place spot, with Doug Gray’s team finishing in second and Grant Graham’s team securing third place.
The KECO Open Golf Tournament once again delivered a thrilling competition, showcasing exceptional talent from various golfers. Chris Kunda claimed victory in the individual horserace, while Mikel Martinson and his team emerged as champions in the championship flight. The ABC Flight also witnessed intense battles and ties at the top, with notable performances from Ben E Keith and 4 H Energy. Congratulations to all the participants and winners for making this tournament a resounding success!
