by Alan Hoskins
The 46th annual Wyandotte County Open had a little of everything at Sunflower Hills Saturday and Sunday – big comebacks, a playoff, blown leads, a new champion, a repeat champion.
But the one constant was the consistency of Donna Reid on her way to her second consecutive women’s title and sixth overall. A longtime employee at Kansas City Kansas Community College, Reid, 72, fired back-to-back rounds of 90 and had 36 putts each day for a 180 and one-stroke win over former champion Pat Seber Bradley.
It took a one-hole playoff for newcomer Stuart Favretto of Overland Park to win the men’s championship at 151. Favretto edged longtime KCK favorite Kevin Rome in the sudden death playoff after frittering away a 6-shot lead with a closing 79 on Sunday. It was the third runnerup finish in the last five years for Rome, the 2018 champion.
The biggest comeback belonged to Reid, who trailed Seber Bradley by seven shots and Leslie Taylor by six with nine holes to go. However, while Reid was avoiding double bogeys her challengers ran into a bunch of them on Sunflower Hills’ difficult back nine, Seber Bradley closing with a 52 and Taylor 58 while Reid’s 44 clinched the win at 180.
“At one time there were four who could win, then three and finally two,” said Reid. “I just stayed consistent, three 3-putts and three one putts each day. The back nine I chipped better. The greens were fast and tough, a lot of breaks even on 3 and 4-footers.”
An errant tee shot on the first playoff hole (No. 10) proved fatal to Rome, who had an even par 72 after trailing Favretto by seven shots.
“I came over the top and hit it straight into the woods on the left side,” Rome said. Taking a drop, he hit his fourth shot to the back of green and bogeyed.
Meanwhile, the long-hitting Favretto was only 50 yards out on his tee shot.
“I had to punch a shot under a tree on the left side and two putted,” he said.
Rome had five birdies on Sunday, Nos. 3, 6, 10, 12 and 17 despite almost not playing in the tourney.
“It’s been a bad year,” he said. “I lost a brother in April, had COVID for about a month and then hurt my back two weeks ago. So I hadn’t played in two weeks. I was disappointed but happy with the way I played. The course was in great shape, the greens rolled well, everything was just excellent.”
For Faveretto, 33, it was only his fourth and fifth rounds at Sunflower Hills. Born in Canada, he moved from San Francisco to Overland Park a year and a half ago to work for Garmin in Olathe.
“My driver (which regularly has 300 yards of carry) was pretty good both days but the second day I was not hitting the greens and four-putted and three-putted. I was surprised I got into a playoff but that’s golf,” he said.
Flight winners were Jerry Reid, Vince Gerstner, Ian Bayless, Phil Stines and Tim Hinkle. Donna Nelson won the women’s second flight while Leslie Taylor had Kansas City’s longest putt.
46th Wyandotte County Open
Men
Championship flight -1. Stuart Favretto, 151; 2. Kevin Rome, 151; 3. Jacob Fratzel, 157, Favretto won one-hole playoff.
A – 1. Jerry Reid, 154; 2. Brian Shatto, 157; 3. Chris Faddis, 161; 4. Jake Kolich, 164; 5. Bob Stoddard, 166.
B – 1. Vince Gerstner, 161; 2. Stuart Hunt, 161; 3. Rick Egnatic, 162; 4. Tim Nick, 162; 5. Bob Chatterton, 164.
C – 1. Ian Bayless, 163; 2. James Hovey, 167; 3. Andy White, 168; 4. Les Damlo, 174’ 5. Phil Hoffman, 175.
D – 1. Phil Stines, 167; 2. Gary Burgess, 167; 3. Jason Lawrence, 169’ 4. Chris Sardou, 170; 5. Michael Klein, 174;
E – 1. Tim Hinkle, 182; 2 Rob Michalski, 184; 3. David Gonzales, 185; 4. Tom Butler, 186; 5. Josh Shultz, 187.
Women
A – Donna Reid, 180; 2. Pat Seber Bradley, 181. Leslie Taylor, 188.
B – 1. Donna Nelson, 198; 2. Linda Hume, 217; 3. Joyce Thomas, 225.
• – Won scorecard playoff.
Proximity prizes
Saturday
Closest to pin – Daron Maier, No. 4; Kevin Rome, No. 8; Vince Gerstner, No. 13; James Hovey, No. 16. Longest putt No. 9 – Tim Nick; Long drive No. 10 – Stuart Favretto.
Sunday
Closest to pin – Leslie Taylor, No. 4; Mike Gillaspie, No. 8; Ray Giesler, No. 13; Rick Egnatic, No. 16. Longest putt No. 9 – Gary Hudgens; Long drive No. 10 – Vince Giesler.