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Joe Machens

Hyundai

Columbia Golf

Championship

July 29th & 30th, 2023
Country Club of Missouri & Columbia Country Club
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     The 2022 Columbia Golf Championship was another year of stunning and heartbreaking finishes.  

In the Super Senior Division, Ed Paten stayed close to the leaders throughout the round and found himself one down to the leaders going into the par 5 eighteenth hole.  After an excellent drive, Ed hit the shot of day, putting his second shot four feet from the hole for an almost certain eagle.  When all of his opponents parred the finishing hole, Ed knocked in his eagle putt creating a two shot swing and the victory.

    In the Senior Division, the heartbreak fell on Bill Baird's shoulders.  After hitting the final green, he was left with a tricky down hiller and needed two putts to win.  Alas, his first putt slid 4 feet past, and he failed to convert it.  That created a three way tie for first with David Teel and Vance Allison.  So a playoff commenced on the first hole.  Baird dropped out with a bogey while Teel and Allison parred.  On the second hole, Teel's tee shot found the heavy rough and he failed to get his approach to the green.  Meanwhile, Allison played the hole flawlessly with an easy par, and when Teel's par putt slid by the hole, Vance Allison won his first Columbia Senior Championship.

    Finally, in the Open Division, John Moore held a three shot lead over Hudson Dubinski going into today's final round.  After nine holes, that lead was whittled down to two shots, and after the tough par 4 twelfth, the lead was gone.  They tied the thirteenth hole, but at that point Dubinski played the final five holes 2 under, while Moore played them 2 over.  It was third victory for Hudson Dubinski in the past six events.  John Moore's became the inaugural Mid Amateur Champion in the Columbia Golf Championship.

Columbia Golf Championship

The annual Columbia Golf Championship (aka Columbia City Championship) was instituted in 1975 by the Columbia Kiwanis Club for the purpose of promoting amateur golf in our community.  

This tournament promotes amateur golf in the Columbia area and provides an opportunity to establish lifelong friendships and goodwill.  In 1994 a Senior Division was added to provide an opportunity for our experienced golfers to become city champions. 
The first chairman of the event was the venerable Rex Dillow (shown at right) who held that position for 30 years.

Through Rex's leadership, the tournament became known as the "The Dillow Tournament" and was the highlight the amateur golf season in Columbia.
Tournament Highlights

Through the years, the Columbia Golf Championship has been highlighted with numerous significant accomplishments:

Dan LaBruyer won the inagural event in 1975.  This was the only time the tournament was played over 72 holes.

A women's competition was also played in 1975 through 1977.  The 1975 winner was Fern Carter.  Helen Bersher won in 1976, and Cricket Twente in 1977.

Dee Sanders won the championship 9 times including four in a row between 1997 and 2000.  He also finished runner up 9 times.

Jim McKinney, at age 54 was the oldest winner of the championship in 1981.  He also won in 1976.  In 2006, Jim passed and was honored in the 2006 event.  The Senior Division trophy carries his name.

Dave McDonald and Greg Meredith won the championship four times.

Ben Wilson, at age 16 was the youngest winner of the championship when he claimed the title in 1978.  He also won in 1980 and 1982.


In 2018 Matt Echelmeier, set the tournament scoring record with an extraordinary 14 under par score over three rounds. 
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