Gumper and Sullivan Win Open Division at 12th Metropolitan Four-Ball Championship
Washington, MO – Tony Gumper and Ryan Sullivan took home the title in the Open Division at the 12th Metropolitan Four-Ball Championship at Franklin County Country Club.
The two-day event saw 44 teams compete in six divisions: Open, Net, Senior and Women’s. Senior and Women’s Divisions had gross and net flights.
Gumper and Sullivan began the day one shot back of 18-hole leaders Brett Hulsey and Tanner McKinney. The two teams made up the final group on Monday and a back-and-forth battle on the back-nine came down to the final hole.
A chip in for eagle on the par 4 9th by Sullivan cut the lead to just one stroke as the group made the turn. Hulsey and McKinney began the back-nine leading at 12-under. Both teams birdied the opening hole on the back. A par on No. 11 by Sullivan tied it up at 14-under, before he gave his team the lead with a birdie on the par 4 13th.
Both teams birdied the par 5 15th and Gumper/Sullivan went to 16 with a one-shot lead. After a rocket off the tee, Hulsey stuck one close on the par 4 16th and tied it at 14-under with two to go. It came down to No. 18, and a clutch birdie by Tony Gumper, driving it to just under 80 yards from the hole and putting it within a foot on the approach, gave them the title by a stroke.
“I had a couple close ones not go, so to get that one was great, it did help turn the tide,” Sullivan said of his eagle on No. 9. “Tony played awesome, hit it straight, putted phenomenally and had total control of his golf ball. I had a couple lucky shots, made a couple birdies, and it was just a great team effort.”
Gumper and Sullivan shot 15-under over the two days of competition, going 64-63–127.
“We played really well together, I had a little bad stretch on the back, played a couple over par but Ryan played a couple under and that’s part of the Four-Ball format,” Gumper said. “There’s a little bit of luck involved you have to pair it just right.”
Brian Lovett and Buddy Allen ran away with the Senior Division Gross flight, winning by seven strokes.
“We were just looking to kind of ham and egg it, and that’s exactly what we did,” Lovett said. “When he was out, I stepped up, and vice versa.”
The team shot 13-under over the 36 holes, going 65-64–129.
“I figured out early on the more I was in the hole the more putts he made and I loved that strategy,” Allen said. “We really didn’t struggle, it was tough reading the green sometimes, but we made quite a few putts. It was fun watching him play, he’s really playing well right now.”
Stephen Muenster and Travis Kennedy took home the Net Division title, shooting 7-under over the two days (72-63–135).
Joe Malench and Kevin Geise won the Senior Net, going 65-66–131 (-11).
In the Women’s Division, Karen Umbright and Tina Jones won the Gross, going 82-77–159. Sherri Brown and Carol Stampley won the Net shooting even par over the two rounds, 71-71–142.
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