Irlbeck, Brunick advance to SDGA Men’s Match Play final; Johnson, Coluccio in women’s

RAPID CITY – Two-time runner-up and co-medalist Ben Irlbeck and No. 61 seed Mitch Brunick survived the weekend to advance to the final of the SDGA Men’s Match Play Championship, which is being contested at Meadowbrook Golf Course.

One of Irlbeck’s two second-place finishes came the last time the event was held at the ‘Brook – 2005, when he fell to Chris Collins.

The 36-hole final is today.

Irlbeck, the No. 2 seed from Sioux Falls, beat Mitchell’s Brandon Sigmund 1-up in the semifinals Sunday afternoon. He defeated Michael Keeton 1-up in the quarterfinals.

Brunick, a relative unknown in the SDGA ranks from Harrisburg, beat Hall of Famer Mike Brummer 5-and-3 in the semis following a 3-and-1 victory over Adam Shiffermiller in the quarters.

Brunick does have one SDGA title but it came in one of the lower-tier events – the Adult-Child Championship. He teamed with Steve Jansa for the win in 2008.

No. 9 seed Brummer defeated co-medalist Cody Vostad 1-up in the quarters; and Sigmund beat Clay Kopplin in 19 holes in the other quarterfinal.

Brummer, 61, is second all-time with 15 SDGA titles, including the 1990 and 1999 Match Play.

Defending champion and No. 6 seed Tyler Rachetto, of Rapid City, fell 3-and-2 to Rapid City’s Sam Musch in Saturday’s third round. No. 27 Musch fell 1-up to No. 22 Kopplin, of Piedmont, in the fourth round Saturday. Interestingly, the Kopplin-Musch duo finished 1-2, respectively, in last season’s Class AA state high school tournament.

Irlbeck beat Travis Johnson 1-up in a fourth-round match that lasted 22 holes. He defeated Julean Michels 2-and-1 in the third round. Brunick dropped Tyler Barrett 6-and-5 in the fourth round and Tate McVay 1-up in the third.

Notes: Irlbeck has won five matches so far, while Brunick had to win six after finishing outside the top 45 in qualifying and not receiving a first-round bye on Friday. Both Vostad and Irlbeck fired qualifying scores of 2-under-par 70 on Thursday.



SDGA Men’s Match Play Championship

At Meadowbrook G.C., Rapid City

Sunday’s results

Semifinals

Ben Irlbeck def. Brandon Sigmund, 1-up

Mitch Brunick def. Mike Brummer, 5-and-3

Quarterfinals

Brandon Sigmund def. Clay Kopplin, 19 holes

Mitch Brunick def. Adam Shiffermiller, 3-and-1

Ben Irlbeck def. Michael Keeton, 1-up

Mike Brummer def. Cody Vostad, 1-up

Saturday’s results

Fourth round

Cody Vostad def. Ryan Tjeerdsma, 1-up; Mike Brummer def. Jeff Meyerink, 2-and-1; Michael Keeton def. Jeff Salter, 20 holes; Ben Irlbeck def. Travis Johnson, 22 holes; Mitch Brunick def. Tyler Barrett, 6-and-5; Brandon Sigmund def. Terry Silbernagel, 6-and-5; Adam Shiffermiller def. Matt Johnson, 4-and-2; Clay Kopplin def. Sam Musch, 3-and-2

Third round

Cody Vostad def. Paul Schock, 2-and-1; Ryan Tjeerdsma def. Taylor White, 1-up; Mike Brummer def. Max Pfeiffer, 2-and-1; Jeff Meyerink def. Chris Barnes, 2-and-1; Michael Keeton def. Brian Wynia, 1-up; Jeff Salter def. Al Hagen, 3-and-2; Travis Johnson def. David Swafford, 1-up; Ben Irlbeck def. Julean Michels, 2-and-1; Matt Johnson def. Jon Lesselyoung, 1-up; Adam Schiffermiller def. Brian Berkenhoff, 20 holes; Tyler Barrett def. Kyle Kopplin, 4-and-2; Mitch Brunick def. Tate McVay, 1-up; Terry Silbernagel def. Steve Beardsley, 3-and-2; Brandon Sigmund def. Tommy Reynolds, 2-and-1; Clay Kopplin def. Brett Coluccio, 2-and-1; Sam Musch def. Tyler Rachetto, 1-up

Friday’s results

Second round

Paul Schock def. Andrew Nelson, 3-and-2; Max Pfeiffer def. Blake Jenniges, 5-and-4; Chris Barnes def. Andy Ainslie, 2-up; Jon Lesselyoung def. Wyatt Anderson-Meier, 21 holes; Brian Berkenhoff def. Sam Gaster, 1-up

Tyler Barrett def. Brett Grosz, 24 holes; Tate McVay def. Gabe Dirksen, 2-up; Terry Silbernagel def. Doug Murphy, 19 holes; Clay Kopplin def. Nick Gottsleben, 4-and-2; Sam Musch def. Lance Collins, 20 holes; Brian Wynia def. Brodie Hullinger, 19 holes; Al Hagen def. Nick Heig, 4-and-2; Julean Michels def. Matthew Drake, 6-and-5; Cody Vostad def. Colby West, 2-up; Taylor White def. Danny Amundson, 20 holes; Ryan Tjeerdsma def. Austin Hieb, 4-and-3; Mike Brummer def. Korey Krienitz, 7-and-6; Jeff Meyerink def. Dana Limbo, 5-and-4; Matt Johnson def. Lex Moore, 4-and-3; Adam Shiffermiller def. Jamie McVay, 4-and-2; Kyle Kopplin def. Shane Tipton, 2-and-1; Mitch Brunick def. Drew Trautman, 5-and-4; Steve Beardsley def. James Dyk, 4-and-2; Tommy Reynolds def. Tyler Burr, 4-and-3; Brandon Sigmund def. Mac Young, 1-up; Brett Coluccio def. Dan Gallegos, 6-and-5; Michael Keeton def. Josh Atkins, 2-up; Jeff Salter def. Cory Willadsen, 2-up; David Swafford def. Brent Miller, 1-up; Travis Johnson def. Timothy Meyer, 5-and-4; Ben Irlbeck def. Zach Zephier, 6-and-5

First round

Colby West def. Jeremy Hitt, 2-and-1; Taylor White def. Chris Baker, 5-and-4; Austin Hieb def. John Ashley, 1-up; Korey Krienitz def. Alex Pyper, 20 holes; Dana Limbo def. Eric Hurley, 1-up; Lex Moore def. Ray Strand, 3-and-2; Jamie McVay def. Kevin Buntrock, 4-and-3; Kyle Kopplin def. Cade McLaughlin, 1-up; Mitch Brunick def. Montana Sierra, 19 holes; Steve Beardsley def. Nate Petersen, 4-and-3; Tyler Burr def. Adolph Shepardson, 4-and-2; Mac Young def. Kelly Buntrock, 6-and-4; Dan Gallegos def. Trevor Hieb, 6-and-4; James Taylor def. Jim Dirksen, 5-and-4; Josh Atkins def. Marv White, 2-and-1; Cory Willadsen def. Lonnie Wright, 3-and-2; David Swafford def. Travis Theel, 3-and-1; Travis Johnson def. Zachary Fox, 7-and-6; Zach Zephier def. Bryan Schulte, 6-and-4



n Women’s Match Play

YANKTON – Defending champion and 12-time SDGA winner Shannon Johnson and medalist Jenny Coluccio advanced to the final of the SDGA Women’s Match Play Championship at Hillcrest Golf & Country Club.

Both golfers are from Sioux Falls. They received first-round byes before winning one match Saturday and two on Sunday to reach today’s title match.

On Sunday, No. 2 seed Johnson defeated Maggie Murphy 3-and-2 in the semifinals and Janice Baumberger 7-and-6 in the quarterfinals. Murphy is a two-time SDGA winner, including the 2010 Match Play.

Coluccio, who won the Husband-Wife Championship with Brett Coluccio earlier this summer, defeated three-time SDGA champ Karla Murra 4-and-3 in the semis after scraping out a 1-up victory over Brookings’ Morgan Fitts in the quarters. The Coluccio-Fitts match went 20 holes.

In other quarterfinal matches Sunday, Murra beat Megan Mingo 3-and-2 and Murphy defeated Abby Perrenoud 4-and-2.

Fitts, who teamed with sister Lauren Fitts to win the 2009 Two-Woman, beat Nicole Funck 4-and-3 in Saturday’s second round after earning a first-round bye.

Lauren Fitts dropped Rebecca Peacock 3-and-2 in the first round Saturday. She fell 3-and-1 to Mingo, the 2010 Junior champ, in the second round.

Alex Merry and Hannah Withrow are in consolation final.



SDGA Women’s Match Play Championship

At Hillcrest G. & C.C., Yankton

Sunday’s results

Semifinals

Jenny Coluccio def. Karla Murra, 4-and-3

Shannon Johnson def. Maggie Murphy, 3-and-2

Consolation semifinals

Alex Merry def. Nicole Funck, 1-up

Hannah Withrow def. Abbie Grevlos, 1-up

Quarterfinals

Jenny Coluccio def. Morgan Fitts, 20 holes

Karla Murra def. Megan Mingo, 3-and-2

Shannon Johnson def. Janice Baumberger, 7-and-6

Maggie Murphy def. Abby Perrenoud, 4-and-2

Consolation quarterfinals

Nicole Funck def. Tara Volesky, 7-and-5

Alex Merry def. Rebecca Peacock, 3-and-2

Hannah Withrow def. Katelyn Haschke, 6-and-4

Abbie Grevlos def. Michaela Kouri, 2-up

Saturday’s results

Second round

Morgan Fitts def. Nicole Funck, 4-and-3; Hannah Withrow def. Janice Baumberger, 2-and-1; Jenny Coluccio def. Claire Jansa, 4-and-3; Karla Murra def. Kylie Gaughenbaugh, 6-and-5; Megan Mingo def. Lauren Fitts, 3-and-1; Shannon Johnson def. Dawn McInroy, 7-and-6; Maggie Murphy def. Hailey Sheldahl, 8-and-7; Michaela Kouri def. Abby Perrenoud, 4-and-3

First round

Claire Jansa def. Tara Volesky, 3-and-2; Kylie Gaughenbaugh def. Alex Merry, 4-and-3; Lauren Fitts def. Rebecca Peacock, 3-and-2; Dawn McInroy def. Katelyn Haschke, 4-and-3; Hailey Sheldahl def. Abbie Grevlos, 1-up