There’s room for experience at the Kansas Amateur
It’s not hard to figure out why college-aged golfers tend to outlast their elders at the Kansas Amateur Match Play Championship.
They’re fresh off a season where they played every day and have built up the endurance to withstand the possibility of playing nine rounds in six days that mid-amateurs, post-college golfers with day jobs, typically struggle to match.
“Plus they’re young and they’re fearless and they’re just damn good,” said Conrad Roberts, a 40-year-old speaking for the mid-amateurs. “We just hope to keep up with them.”
Roberts has kept up just fine the first three days at Wichita Country Club. He has advanced as far as the quarterfinals in this event before, but Roberts said this is the best golf he has played in a long time.
After earning the No. 2 seed in match play with a 7-under qualifying score, Roberts advanced to the second round on Thursday afternoon by closing out Salina’s Andrew Manley in 16 holes, 3 and 2.
“I’m 40 with a couple of kids, so I don’t get out and play as much as the college kids so I have to do what I can,” Roberts said. “This is more golf than I probably play in a month, but it’s all coming together for me right now and that’s always exciting when it happens in the most important event of the year.”
Roberts was once a touted amateur during his playing days at Kansas, where he was first-team All-Big 12 in 2001. His skills haven’t vanished, as he has won seven city titles in Lawrence.
But he is also raising a family and works as the business manager at University Press of Kansas. That takes up most of time, although Roberts said he tries to find time for at least one round a week, two if he’s lucky.
That’s a position that Tyler Chapman, a 2002 Newman graduate and 35-year-old living in Wichita, says sounds familiar.
“Guys like us, we work full-time jobs and have families,” said Chapman, who defeated Kade Brown, a senior-to-be on Creighton’s golf team, on the 18th hole on Thursday. “I don’t think there’s a rivalry or anything like that, but we know how good the college kids are. We’re just happy to go out there and compete and do the best we can.”
Another aspect mid-amateurs have to face is how to evolve their game. Few can hit it as far as they did when they were in college, and more and more mid-amateurs are seeing the college kids hit it even longer today.
“I play a completely different game than the college kids,” Roberts said. “They play the power game and they’re hitting it so far by me. I still get it out there, but these kids are hitting it 30, 40 yards by me.”
The good news, at least this year, for mid-amateurs is the advantage of the long ball is neutralized at Wichita Country Club, which rewards solid iron play over long tee shots.
That gives Roberts hope that he can make an extended run to this weekend. But doing so will require a lot of steady golf, up to 36 holes per day from here on out, in blazing temperatures.
Roberts will begin his quest Friday at 8:50 a.m. when he will tee off against Cole Dillon, an 18-year-old recent graduate from Manhattan. It’s a challenge that Roberts relishes.
“Honestly, I’ve been preparing all year for this week,” Roberts said. “I’m confident. I’m there mentally, now I’ve got to get my body in the right place. I really enjoy playing against the young guys just to see where my game is at. It’s going to be a fun challenge.”
Notes — The round of the day came from Bel Aire’s Craig Howell, who was 7-under through the 16 holes it took him to eliminate Winfield’s Seth Bryan. Howell collected six birdies and an eagle on the Par-5 No. 16.… No. 1 seed Sam Stevens extended his streak of bogey-less golf to 52 holes and added six birdies to overpower Pete Krsnich in 16 holes. Krsnich was 4-under when he was eliminated.… All but two of the top 12 seeds advanced on Thursday with 20 of the 32 higher seeds winning their matches. The biggest upsets, according to seedings, were No. 60 Andrew King knocking off No. 5 Jack Courington behind five birdies, and No. 57 Ben Fernandez taking out No. 8 Cameron Wiltse on the 18th hole.… Courington, a Southeast graduate, played well (he was 1-under when eliminated) but failed to win any of his three birdie holes.… The longest match of the day was between Hutchinson’s Turner Wintz and Alex Higgs, who went 22 holes before Higgs registered an eagle on the Par-5 No. 4 to win.… Five other players had rounds with five birdies, including Andrew Beckler, Andrew King, Tyler Chapman, Andy Spencer, and Ryan Argotsinger. Spencer did it in the fewest holes (13); Beckler strung together five straight birdies (holes No. 11-15) to close out McPherson’s Treg Fawl.… Defending champion Bryan Norton advanced with a bogey-free round to close out Nick Long after 15 holes.
1. Sam Stevens, Wichita, def. 64. Pete Krsnich, Wichita, 3 and 2; 32. Ben Maskus, Shawnee, def. 33. Trent Brown, Andover, 3 and 2; 16. Henry Simpson, Mission Hills, def. 49. Sion Audrain, Garden City, 3 and 2; 17. Spencer Christian, Wichita, def. 48. Connor Knabe, Leawood, 5 and 4; 57. Ben Fernandez, Southlake, Texas, def. 8. Cameron Wiltse, Overland Park, 1 up; 25. Ronnie McHenry, Topeka, def. 40. TJ Vilkanskas, Manhattan, 1 up; 9. Alex Springer, Olathe, def. 56. Chase Lucas, Mission Hills, 6 and 5; 24. Jonathan May, Wichita, def. 41. Don Kuehn, Kansas City, Mo., 3 and 2.
4. Jeff Bell, Wichita, def. 61. Tavin Dugan, Holton, 6 and 4; 29. Andrew Beckler, Topeka, def. 36. Treg Fawl, McPherson, 4 and 3; 13. Bryan Norton, Mission Hills, def. 52. Nick Long, Pittsburg, 4 and 3; 20. Bradley Lane, Lawrence, def. 45. Chris McGown, Burlington, 1 up (19 holes); 60. Andrew King, Junction City, def. 5. Jack Courington, Wichita, 3 and 2; 28. Ryan Argotsinger, Lee’s Summit, Mo., def. 37. Blake Allen, Lenexa, 2 and 1; 12. Gage Ihrig, Goodland, def. 53. Mark Jolliffe, Wichita, 3 and 2; 21. Benjamin Hargrave, Salina, def. 44. Zac Burton, Manhattan, 3 and 2.
2. Conrad Roberts, Lawrence, def. 63. Andrew Manley, Salina, 3 and 2; 34. Cole Dillon, Manhattan, def. 31. Kit Grove, Lawrence, 2 up; 50. Colby Yates, Tonganoxie, def. 15. Preston Fleenor, Mission Hills, 2 up; 47. Tyler Chapman, Wichita, def. 18. Kade Brown, Oberlin, 1 up; 7. Travis Mays, Overland Park, def. 58. Eric Pahls, Kansas City, 5 and 3; 39. Charlie Rinehart, Kansas City, def. 26. Trent Evans, Edmond, Okla., 1 up; 10. Max Lazzo, Wichita, def. 55. Trevor Tannahill, Overland Park, 3 and 1; 42. Alex Higgs, Overland Park, def. 23. Turner Wintz, Hutchinson, 1 up (22 holes).
3. Matt Green, Lenexa, def. 62. Jack Rickabaugh, Garnett, 5 and 3; 35. Steve Groom, Raytown, Mo., def. 30. Tracy Chamberlin, Wichita, 2 and 1; 51. Sam Wempe, Meriden, def. 14. Derek Harrison, Wellington, 4 and 2; 19. Grant Vollertsen, Garden City, def. 46. Griffin Mott, Stilwell, 2 up; 6. Chase Hanna, Leawood, def. 59. Jared Burns, Wichita, 3 and 2; 38. Caleb Haight, Wichita, def. 27. Tyler Cummins, Lawrence, 2 and 1; 11. Andy Spencer, Prairie Village, def. 54. Grant Grego, Lee’s Summit, Mo., 6 and 5; 22. Craig Howell, Bel Aire, def. 43. Seth Bryan, Winfield, 3 and 2.
Friday’s pairings
1. Sam Stevens vs. 32. Ben Maskus, 7:30 a.m.; 16. Henry Simpson vs. 17. Spencer Christian, 7:40; 57. Ben Fernandez vs. 25. Ronnie McHenry, 7:50; 9. Alex Springer vs. 24. Jonathan May, 8; 4. Jeff Bell vs. 29. Andrew Beckler, 8:10; 13. Bryan Norton vs. 20. Bradley Lane, 8:20; 60. Andrew King vs. 28. Ryan Argotsinger, 8:30; 12. Gage Ihrig vs. 21. Benjamin Hargrave, 8:40; 2. Conrad Roberts vs. 34. Cole Dillon, 8:50; 50. Colby Yates vs. 47. Tyler Chapman, 9; 7. Travis Mays vs. 39. Charlie Rinehart, 9:10; 10. Max Lazzo vs. 42. Alex Higgs, 9:20; 3. Matt Green vs. 35. Steve Groom, 9:30; 51. Sam Wempe vs. 19. Grant Vollertsen, 9:40; 6. Chase Hanna vs. 38. Caleb Haight, 9:50; 11. Andy Spencer vs. 22. Craig Howell, 10.
Round of 16 matches will be played Friday afternoon.
This story was originally published July 23, 2015 at 7:21 PM with the headline "There’s room for experience at the Kansas Amateur."