Red-hot day lands former Greeley resident Parker Edens in sweet 16 at U.S. Mid-Am; run by Denver’s Erin Houtsma in U.S. Women’s Mid-Am ends in round of 32
By Gary Baines – 9/12/2023
A very impressive summer on the golf course continues for former Greeley resident Parker Edens as he’s making a strong run at the U.S. Mid-Amateur in Scarborough, N.Y.
Edens, who finished runner-up in the Inspirato Colorado Open as an amateur and who captured the South Dakota Golf Association Match Play title, won two matches on Tuesday to advance to the round of 16 at the U.S. Mid-Am.
The former Colorado State University golfer scored a 2-and-1 victory Tuesday afternoon over Preston Dembowiak of of Kernersville, N.C., who earlier in the day had beaten Cole Nygren of Longmont in the round of 64.
Edens trailed only briefly in either of Tuesday’s matches. He advanced to the round of 32 with a 5-and-3 victory over Brady Shivers of Lubbock, Texas in their opening match. Edens never was behind in that matchup, in which he finished a stellar 6 under par for 15 holes.
In the round of 32, Edens was nearly as impressive, going 5 under for 17 holes. But he was only 1 up through 16 before a birdie on 17 ended the match. In Wednesday’s sweet 16, Edens will face Jason Bataille of Bridgewater, N.J. in a battle of two players who needed a playoff to get into match play.
Meanwhile, Charlie Soule of Denver and Nygren were ousted in the round of 64 on Tuesday, while former Colorado State University golfer Bryce Hanstad exited in the round of 32.
Soule, who survived a playoff to earn one of the final match-play spots, fell 1 up to Nate McCoy of Ankeny, Iowa, the son of 2013 Mid-Am champ Mike McCoy. McCoy won the 18th hole with a par to prevail after never leading in the match up until that point.
Soule, a former University of Denver golfer, was 2 up after nine holes. But McCoy won the next two with birdies to square the match before Soule bounced back to win 12 with a birdie, then McCoy prevailed with a birdie on 13. The match then stayed tied until McCoy’s winning par on 18. Soule lost despite being 2 under par for the day.
Nygren never led in his 3-and-1 loss to Dembowiak.
Dembowiak won the first three holes — with two birdies and a par — and was 4 up after eight. Nygren cut the deficit to 2 down after 16 holes, but Dembowiak won No. 17 with a par to close out the Coloradan. Nygren, the 2021 CGA Match Play champion, was 1 over par for 17 holes.
Hanstad prevailed 2 and 1 in the round of 64 against Justin Bryant of St. Louis, going 4 under par in the process. But the former Ram lost 2 up to Nick Maccario of Haverhill, Mass in the round of 32. In the latter match, Hanstad never led as Maccario was 3 up after five. Hanstad narrowed the gap to 1 down through 17 holes, but Maccario birdied 18 for the victory. Hanstad was even for the round-of-32 match.
Results of players with strong Colorado ties at the U.S. Mid-Amateur in Scarborough & Scarsdale, N.Y.:
MATCH PLAY ROUND OF 32 TUESDAY
Former Greeley resident Parker Edens def. Preston Dembowiak, Kernersville, N.C., 2 and 1
Nick Maccario, Haverhill, Mass., def. former CSU golfer Bryce Hanstad, Edina, Minn., 2 up
MATCH PLAY ROUND OF 64 MONDAY/TUESDAY
Former CSU golfer Bryce Hanstad, Edina, Minn., def. Justin Bryant, St. Louis, 2 and 1
Nate McCoy, Ankeny, Iowa def. Charlie Soule, Denver, 1 up
Former Greeley resident Parker Edens def. Brady Shivers, Lubbock, Texas, 5 and 3
Preston Dembowiak, Kernersville, N.C., def. Cole Nygren, Longmont, 3 and 1
STROKE PLAY SATURDAY, SUNDAY AND MONDAY
Advance to Match Play
16. Former CSU golfer Bryce Hanstad 73-66—139
42. Cole Nygren, Longmont 76-67—143
51. Former Greeley resident Parker Edens 69-75—144 (via playoff)
51. Charlie Soule, Denver 70-74–144 (via playoff)
Failed to Advance to Match Play
MC. Jon Lindstrom, Denver 69-77—146
MC. Pat Grady, Westminster 71-77—148
MC. Nicklaus Baines, Denver 76-73–149
MC. Pete Mangold, Denver 75-77—152
MC. Former UCCS golfer Jon Olson 78-76—154
MC. Jimmy Cartwright, Berthoud 81-77—158
For all the results, CLICK HERE.
— In the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur in Elverson, Pa.: Erin Houtsma of Denver fell one round short of her best showing at the U.S. Women’s Mid-Am, losing 5 and 3 on Tuesday in the round of 32 of the 25-and-older championship.
The 2005 Colorado Women’s Open champion, who rallied from 3 down to win her round-of-64 match on Monday, couldn’t recreate the magic on Tuesday, when she never led against former Notre Dame golfer Isabella Dilisio, 5 and 3.
Dilisio won four of the first five holes — one with a birdie, two with pars and one with a bogey — to go 4 up. But Houtsma, a former University of Colorado golfer, won the next two holes — with a par and a birdie — to cut her deficit to 2 down. But that was as close as she would get the rest of the way as Dilisio won three holes on the back nine to clinch the win.
Houtsma, a two-time CGA Women’s Mid-Amateur Stroke Play champ, went 7 over par for 15 holes on Tuesday.
Houtsma advanced to the round of 16 at the 2019 U.S. Women’s Mid-Am.
Results of players with strong Colorado ties at the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur in Elverson, Pa.:
MATCH PLAY ROUND OF 32 ON TUESDAY
Isabella Dilisio, Hatfield, Pa., def. Erin Houtsma, Denver, 5 and 3
MATCH PLAY ROUND OF 64 MONDAY
Erin Houtsma, Denver, def. Taylor Ledwein, New Prague, Minn., 20 holes
STROKE PLAY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
Advances to Match Play
53. Erin Houtsma, Denver 77-76–153
Failed to Advance to Match Play
MC. Sophie Kelner, Colorado Springs 78-78–156
MC. Kelly Green, Denver 85-WD
For all the results from the Women’s Mid-Amateur, CLICK HERE.