Ford won the Championship division, and Brent Cook, Chris Jenkins, Bobby Baker, and Thomas Coleman took the Mid-am, Senior, Super-Senior, and Legends titles, respectively.
By: Chris Werner
USGA P.J. Boatwright Jr. Intern
August 8, 2023
At the Men’s Match Play Championship at Burns Park Golf Course in North Little Rock, from July 27-30, the ASGA crowned champions in the Championship, Mid-am, Senior, Super-Senior, and Legends divisions. Each division played in its own single knockout, bracket-style tournament.
Mitchell Ford won the Championship division, while Brent Cook, Chris Jenkins, Bobby Baker, and Thomas Coleman took the Mid-am, Senior, Super-Senior, and Legends titles.
Ford, a former Henderson State Reddie from Little Rock, took his first ever ASGA “Major” trophy after he defeated current Southern Arkansas Mulerider Caleb Miller 4&3 in the championship match in a rematch of last year’s round of 32 matchup.
“It means everything,” Ford said with the 35-pound Roy Wood Trophy in his hands. “I've always wanted to win one of our majors, whether that’s the State Am or the state match play, and I've had my fair share of close calls, and it's very relieving to finally get it done.”
Ford finished runner-up at this year’s State Am to Cabot’s Connor Gaunt at Chenal Country Club and finished third last season at Hardscrabble.
“I've been playing good for a while,” Ford said. “Connor just beat me that week, he played so, so well. Actually, the last month, I haven't been playing my best. And then all of a sudden I come here and everything started to click.”
After earning the No. 6 seed in the 32-man bracket, Ford defeated Scotty Jolly 3&2 in the first round, Colby Light 4&2 in the round of 16, Blaine Calhoon 1 UP in the quarters, and Ryan Spurlock 5&4 in the semis to get to the championship.
“It was honestly my driver,” Ford said of why he won. “I played in the U.S. Am qualifying at DeSoto and drove it really poorly, and then drove it really well out here. I would say I putted well, too, but mostly I was in play on every hole.”
The eventual champ got off to a flying start in the final match, building a 3-UP lead after 5, and although Miller cut the lead to one at the turn, Ford poured in birdies on 10 and 11 and eventually closed out the match on the 15th green.
Ford now leads the men’s Simmons Bank Player of the Year Points list by over 60 points.
In the Mid-am division, Brent Cook of Roland took home his first ASGA title. The Alotian Club’s Golf Services Manager defeated Alotian caddy Heath Ralston 3&2 in the final match.
“Drove the ball good, made a bunch of putts, been playing good, and, you know I was lucky some,” Cook said. “Real proud to have done it. It's a real big deal for me. I'm a caddy, real big deal. I'll always be a caddy. I work with the best group of caddies in the country out at the Alotian Club. Humbled real humbled.”
Cook qualified into the No. 3 seed in the 8-man bracket with a 75 on day one, and then downed Steve Wilson 7&6 in the quarters and River Bryant 4&3 to set the stage for the caddie collision on Saturday afternoon.
Like Ford, Cook got off to a fast start on his way to victory, going 4 UP after the first six holes.
“I love Heath, he's a good human being and we're glad to have Heath at the club,” Cook said. “He's one of the best putters you'll ever see, rolls balls as well as anybody. And, you know, it was tough, but I got off to a real fast start again this afternoon and here we are. I feel bad for Heath, I wish he could win. But it didn't work out that way. But he's a good man, good friend of mine, and I'm glad to know him.”
Cook is now second in the Simmons Bank Mid-Amateur Points Rankings.
In the Senior Division, ASGA Hall of Famer Chris Jenkins of Little Rock, who won his first Men’s Match Play title since he took the Championship Division trophy in 1999, defeated Scott Smith 4&3 in the finals.
Jenkins presented the Championship division trophy to Ford this year.
“Any time that you win, something, it always feels pretty good,” Jenkins said. “I'm not probably the best match-play player, but to survive the middle trials you have to go through for a match-play win is pretty satisfying.”
After he qualified with a division co-medalist 68 (-3) and received a first-round bye, Jenkins had to play two extra holes to get by both Mark Chambers in the quarters and Wes McNulty, who shot the other 68 in qualifying, to advance to the finals.
“I drove it pretty well,” Jenkins said. “Luckily, when we get to the senior tees, we get to move up a little bit, and it shortens irons into the greens, but you still need to hit the fairways. And I was able to drive it pretty well all week gave me a number of good looks. And I made a good number of birdies through my matches.”
Similar to the first two winners, Jenkins’ winning formula was a fast start and a smooth coast to the finish line.
“I tried to keep the pedal down,” Jenkins said. “Scott gave me a couple of holes early, and after that, I made a few birdies and an eagle on number 11 to get in a pretty comfortable spot. But you never really know in match play what's going to happen, so you just have to keep the pedal down. Otherwise, somebody may come back and catch you. So I tried to get as many up as I possibly could and hold on until the end.”
Jenkins is now atop the Senior Simmons Bank Player of the Year Points List by 90 points.
In the Super-Senior division, ASGA Hall of Famer Bobby Baker of Little Rock stood tall on the champions' line of the bracket.
Although he had won many numerous match play and stroke play events in the past, including the Arkansas Public Links six times and the 1979 state stroke play championship, as well as played in many USGA Championships, 2023 marked the first trophy he’s lifted at the Men’s Match Play.
“Well, it means a lot, especially against the caliber competition we had in the super senior championship. I’ve been runner-up three times in the seniors, and once in the open division back in 1978, so I stuck with it,” an emotional Baker said after his 1-UP win over defending champ Denny Parker in the final match.
Baker said a focus on the here-and-now helped him get his first win at the event.
“Staying in the moment [was key]," he said, "not getting ahead of myself and not anguishing over missed spots or bad shots and just trying to keep steady.”
The 1979 and 1984 ASGA Player of the Year carded a 75 in qualifying and then beat Mike Cormack 6&5 in the round of 16, Bill Burkhalter 1 UP in the quarters, and Fred Stamey 6&5 in the semis.
In the finals, Baker and Parker were all square through 15 holes and Baker had opportunities to close it out before the 18th hole, but he persevered through a short match-winning miss on 17 to knock in a clutch putt on 18 to win.
“We both sort of gave presents to each other on 17 and 18. And fortunately for me, I sank about a six-foot birdie putt [to win.] But he is one tough competitor, I'll tell you that," Baker said of Parker. "He made more par putts that counted … I wasn’t expecting him to miss but, you know, the fact that he ground it out and made those putts just shows how gritty a competitor he is.”
Baker is atop the Super-Senior points race by nearly 60 points.
In the Legends division, Thomas Coleman of Hot Springs defended his title from last season by defeating Ray Whittenberg 5&4 in the quarterfinals, Craig Irsch 4&2 in the semis, and Glen Talbert 2&1 in the finals.
His post-round interview did not save properly due to technical difficulties, but he will be back in 2024 to go for the 3-peat!
Coleman is behind Bill Wrentz by 95 points in the Legends Player of the Year points race.
