Crestview golfer Cooper Schultz wins playoff in Monday qualifier for spot in Wichita Open
Losing a playoff for a spot in the Wichita Open last year hurt Cooper Schultz.
The 2020 Andover Central graduate has craved the chance to compete against pro golfers on the Korn Ferry Tour on his home course at Crestview Country Club, where he has been playing since he was 5 years old.
That pain was on the mind of Schultz when he discovered he was once again headed for a playoff in a Monday qualifier at Auburn Hills.
“I was in a 3-for-1 playoff last year, now I’m in a 3-for-2 playoff this year,” said Schultz, who just completed his sophomore year on the Kansas State men’s golf team. “I had a buddy on the bag (Kapaun Mt. Carmel grad Brent Reintjes) and I told him, ‘I’m not losing again.’ That feeling of not getting in hurt so bad. I didn’t want to feel that way again.”
A painful memory was replaced with a joyous one on Monday, as Schultz rolled in a 10-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to secure his place in the Wichita Open field for the first time.
One of the youngest competitors in the field will likely have one of the largest contingents, as Schultz expects to have Crestview Country Club members, Andover Central friends and the Wichita golf community behind him when he tees off in the $1 million purse tournament on Thursday.
“This is going to be really special,” Schultz said. “I’m playing to win. I know everything there is to know about this course and I think I’m just as good as anybody playing. If I just play my game and play solid, hopefully by the end of the fourth round I’ll be close.”
After a blazing 4-under start through his first six holes on Monday, Schultz actually had to rally for a birdie on his final hole just to make the playoff with a 6-under round of 66. The 3-for-2 playoff came down to Schultz, 32-year-old Colorado grad Derek Fribbs and recent North Florida grad Michael Mattiace.
Schultz grabbed early control on the first playoff hole, which was the 575-yard, par-5 No. 10 at Auburn Hills, with the best drive. The K-State product planted his approach shot about 10 feet away from the cup and when Fribbs and Mattiace both missed their birdie putts, he felt at ease knowing it wasn’t a must-make putt.
“It kind of relaxed me and gave me more freedom,” Schultz said. “I was reading the greens really good today and I just put a perfect roll on it. I made it dead-center, a no-doubter.”
Mattiace snagged the second qualifying spot from the playoff group, while LSU grad Trey Winstead and Nevada grad Grant Booth both carded the low scores in the field with 9-under rounds of 63.
Another Wichita native snagged a qualifying spot at Sand Creek Station, as Dodge Kemmer carded a 7-under round of 65 to punch his ticket to just his second Wichita Open and first since 2010. The 2005 graduate of Independent played four years at Stanford and has spent this year playing in the Asian Tour.
The other Monday qualifiers at Sand Creek Station were Australian Louis Dobbelaar (63), Boise State grad T.K. Kim (65) and UNC Wilmington grad Blake McShea (66).
This story was originally published June 13, 2023 at 6:00 AM.
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