Co-medalists advance at CGA Match Play, as do all 3 competing former champs
By Gary Baines – 06/18/2019
The top nine seeds, plus the three former champions in the field, won their opening matches on Tuesday in the 119th CGA Match Play Championship at The Club at Rolling Hills in Golden.
The qualifying co-medalists — University of Denver golfer Jackson Solem, from The Fox Hill Club, and Colorado State University golfer Davis Bryant, from Green Valley Ranch Golf Club, each scored 6-and-5 victories to advance to the round of 32.
Solem defeated Jake Welch of The Links Golf Course, while Bryant (pictured) beat Austin Duffy of South Suburban Golf Course.
The remainder of the top nine seeds who won on Tuesday were 2018 runner-up Ross Macdonald of the Country Club at Castle Pines and the University of Colorado (No. 3); Regis University golfer Tyler Zhang of Lone Tree Golf Club (No. 4); University of Wisconsin golfer Griffin Barela (No. 5); Jake Staiano of Glenmoor Country Club (No. 6); Jay Livsey of Lakewood Country Club (No. 7), four-time CGA Mid-Amateur champion Chris Thayer of Walnut Creek Golf Preserve (No. 8), and DU golfer Cal McCoy of Bear Creek Golf Club (No. 9).
Also advancing were former champs Nick Nosewicz of Meadow Hills Golf Course (7 and 6), Brian Dorfman of Cherry Creek Country Club (1 up), and Steve Irwin of Lakewood Country Club (1 up).
Arguably the biggest upset in the round of 64 was 48th-seeded Austin Lienemann of The Club at Pradera outlasting 2016 CGA Amateur champion Colin Prater from The Broadmoor Golf Club in 24 holes.
Two rounds of matches are scheduled for both Wednesday and Thursday. The 36-hole final is set for Friday.
For all the results from the CGA Match Play, CLICK HERE.