Women’s tournament features 10-time winner
by Alan Hoskins
The winningest male in the 42-year history of the Wyandotte County Open golf tournament is back in this year’s event.
Seven-time champion Steve Groom is entered in the 43rd playing of the longest running tournament of its kind in the greater Kansas City area to be played at Sunflower Hills Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 10-11.
One of Kansas City’s premier senior golfers over the last decade, Groom won WyCo titles in 1997, 1999, 2002 and 2004 before winning three in a row from 2006-08. He has not played in the event since his last championship. Only two golfers have won three championships, the late Jack Laurie and J.R. Munson.
Past champions expected in the field include the defending champ, Kevin Rome; two-time champion Parker Miller (2016-17); and the Nigh brothers, Ritch (2015) and Reece (2010). Miller and Kyle Ritchie share the tournament record of 140.
Pat Seber-Bradley will be seeking her 11th championship in the 38th annual women’s tournament. Winner of eight of the last 10 women’s championships, she won five in a row from 2012-16. Her first two titles came in 1991 and 1997.
Her biggest challenge could come from Donna Reid, a four-time winner who last won in 2011. Nichole Wiehe-Hankins ended Seber-Bradley’s five-year win streak in 2017. Emily Milberger set the all-time record for low round in the tournament with a one-under woman’s par of 145 in 2004.
Shotgun starts will be held starting at 7:30 a.m. both Friday and Saturday with six men’s flights and two women’s flights. Deadline for entering is Wednesday. The cost is $90 and includes three rounds of golf (one qualifying round and two tournament rounds). Carts are additional. The entry fee also includes lunch sponsored by Farmland Foods Saturday and dinner on Sunday through the Sunflower Hills Snack Shop.
Kansas City’s longest putting contest will be held Saturday on the putting clock. Prizes for the longest drive on No. 10 and the closest to the hole on all four par 3 holes will be awarded both days. A hole-in-one on No. 8 on Saturday will win six dozen Titleist Pro V1 golf balls; an ace on No. 16 on Sunday will win a Titanium driver of the winner’s choice.
Closed Sunday morning, Sunflower Hills will re-open for public play at 1 p.m.
For more information, see https://www.facebook.com/events/2351077108463938/.