First-time finalists Ute Creek, Riverdale set to square off for CGA Team Interclub title
By Gary Baines – 10/22/2020
Success tends to beget success, at least when it comes to the CGA Team Interclub Championship, which is concluding its 11th season.
In just the first decade of the championship, five clubs have made two or more trips to the finals of the season-long competition.
That said, this year is an exception to the rule. For just the second time since 2013, the Team Interclub finals will feature two clubs which have never before advanced to the title match.
On Saturday, teams from Ute Creek Golf Course in Longmont and the Riverdale Golf Courses in Brighton will square off for the title. Walnut Creek Golf Preserve in Westminster will host the final for the first time.
In another Team Interclub oddity, neither team will come into the finals undefeated. The last time that happened was 2012.
Ute Creek and Riverdale each has won four of its five matches in 2020 — going 2-1 in the regular-season group round-robin after losing the season opener — before prevailing in quarterfinal and semifinal matchups in the playoffs. One of Ute Creek’s regular-season victories came via forfeit as its group included just three teams.
In the recently-completed semifinals, Ute Creek cruised to a 19-5 victory over Saddle Rock/Murphy Creek, while Riverdale needed a tiebreaker to edge Sunset Golf Course. Riverdale prevailed by scoring more points in the four-ball portion of the matchup.
The CGA Team Interclub stands apart among CGA championships. Every other championship on the schedule is contested over the course of one to five days. The Team Interclub, on the other hand, typically lasts about five months, with a regular-season round-robin of geographically-linked groups of teams starting things off, then an eight-team single-elimination playoff held in late summer and early fall.
Both in the regular season and the playoffs, teams of eight golfers each — of widely varying abilities — square off, with net singles and net four-ball matches held concurrently. Each individual match is worth two points — two for a win and one for a tie. Rosters can vary throughout the season.
Teams are comprised of four “A” players of low handicap indexes of 9.9 and under and four “B” players of low handicaps between 10 and 20.
This year’s original CGA Team Interclub field featured 19 teams. The record number of team entrants for the event was 64 in 2013.
Last year’s finalists, both from the Western Slope — champion Rifle Creek and runner-up Battlement Mesa — fell short, albeit very narrowly, of returning to the playoffs in 2020. In fact, Rifle Creek was in the Team Interclub finals in final both 2018 and ’19, and it outscored its opponents 116-28 last year.
The Team Interclub finals concludes the 2020 CGA championship season.
For more information on the CGA Team Interclub, CLICK HERE.
SATURDAY’S CGA TEAM INTERCLUB FINALS PAIRINGS
Four-Ball
11 a.m. — Michael Feldkamp/Robert Goodwin (UC) vs. Steve Hackenberg/Brad Kothe (R)
11:12 a.m. — Jeff Coleman/Jason Caquelin (UC) vs. LeRoy Mekelburg/Bryon Matsuno (R)
11:24 a.m. — Rick Schwab/Mark Berdovich (UC) vs. Glen Gude/Stephan Kelderer (R)
11:36 a.m. — David Soule/Matt LeCerf (UC) vs. Brian Carr/Stan Cullick (R)
Singles
11 a.m. — Michael Feldcamp (UC) vs. Steve Hackenberg (R)
11 a.m. — Robert Goodwin (UC) vs. Bradd Kothe (R)
11:12 a.m. — Jeff Coleman (UC) vs. LeRoy Mekelburg (R)
11:12 a.m. — Jason Caquelin (UC) vs. Bryon Matsuno (R)
11:24 a.m. — Rick Schwab (UC) vs. Glen Gude (R)
11:24 a.m. — Mark Berdovich (UC) vs. Stephan Kelderer (R)
11:36 a.m. — David Soule (UC) vs. Brian Carr (R)
11:36 a.m. — Matt LeCerf (UC) vs. Stan Cullick (R)
CGA TEAM INTERCLUB FINALS HISTORY
2020: Riverdale GC vs. Ute Creek GC, Saturday
2019: Rifle Creek def. Battlement Mesa GC, 17-7
2018: The Broadmoor GC def. Rifle Creek GC 13-11
2017: Saddle Rock GC/Murphy Creek GC def. Glenwood Springs Golf Club 22-14
2016: Battlement Mesa GC def. The Broadmoor GC, 26-10
2015: Todd Creek GC def. The Broadmoor GC, 23-13
2014: The Broadmoor GC def. Rifle Creek GC, 23-13
2013: GC at Bear Dance def. Todd Creek GC 20-16
2012: Lone Tree GC def. Rifle Creek GC, 28-8
2011: Lone Tree GC def. Battlement Mesa GC 24-12
2010: The Ranch CC def. Indian Tree GC, 22-14
2020 CGA TEAM INTERCLUB SINGLE-ELIMINATION PLAYOFFS
Quarterfinals
Ute Creek GC def. Meadow Hills GC, 12-10
Saddle Rock/Murphy Creek def. Broadlands GC, 17-7
Riverdale GC def. River Valley Ranch GC, 15-9
Sunset GC def. Homestead GC, 19-5
Semifinals
Riverdale GC def. Sunset GC 12-12 (Riverdale won four-ball points tiebreaker 5-3)
Ute Creek GC def. Saddle Rock/Murphy Creek, 19-5
Finals
Riverdale GC vs. Ute Creek GC, Saturday at Walnut Creek Golf Preserve
ROAD TO 2020 CGA TEAM INTERCLUB FINALS
Ute Creek Golf Course (4-1)
Regular Season: Lost to Sunset GC, 17-7
Regular Season: Defeated Littleton Golf & Tennis, 20-4
Regular Season: Won by forfeit
Quarterfinals: Defeated Meadow Hills GC, 12-10
Semifinals: Defeated Saddle Rock/Murphy Creek, 19-5
Riverdale Golf Courses (4-1)
Regular Season: Lost to Hyland Hills GC, 14-10
Regular Season: Defeated Broadlands GC, 14-10
Regular Season: Defeated Indian Peaks GC, 14-10
Quarterfinals: Defeated River Valley Ranch GC, 15-9
Semifinals: Defeated Sunset GC, 12-12 (Riverdale won four-ball points tiebreaker 5-3)