UPDATE: 2021 NOGA Match Play Championships

The half-way point of the 2021 NOGA Match Play Championships have been reached, making it time for an update on the status of the four brackets on the way to determining the season-long champions.

NOGA INDIVIDUAL MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIPS >

OPEN DIVISION INDIVIDUAL MATCHES

Some upsets have appeared across the brackets in the Open Division after the July 4th midway matches deadline.

Past NOGA Player of the Year Chris Okeson was upset in a first round match against the 27th-seeded Jeff Pawlowski, who then followed that up with another victory over the 11th-seeded Chris Eggleton to reach the Quarterfinals.

Then in the Round of 16, the second-seeded Chris Horne was also dispatched in an upset, losing to #16 Oliva Hochschwender 1-up, while the 14th seed Brian Polick upset 3rd-seeded Patrick Rollins 1-up and now faces the other upset-maker Pawlowski.

Defending match play champion Brian Smith, who has been hampered by a hand injury most of the spring, was eliminated by the fifth-seeded Tim Skufca in a replay of last year’s championship match.

The top-seeded Jeff Blechschmidt sits in great position after two blow-out early round wins.

SENIOR DIVISION INDIVIDUAL MATCHES

The #1 seeded Senior Jeff Knox is out, as #16 Tom Baugh upset him in 20 holes to make it to the Quarterfinals.

Allen Freeman, sitting in the #4 seed, was also taken out of the Senior bracket by #13 Dan Malloy 2&1, while #10 John Toth dispatched the 7th-seeded Mark Borlin by the same margin.

The 2, 3, 5, 6 and 8 seeds – Tom Laubacher, Nick Lambos, defending match play champion Monty Guest, Mark Guadagni and Scott Saari – are all still alive and headed into the Quarterfinals.

NOGA FOUR-BALL MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIPS >

OPEN DIVISION FOUR-BALL MATCHES

Three upsets dot the brackets in NOGA’s Open Division Four-Ball team matches.

The #1-seeded team of Aaron Crewse + Bob Henighan were taken down in a clinical putting display by the #16 team of Ben Farina + Greg Kencson, notching a 5&3 victory.

The #20 seed, Barry Cohn + David Stover, took down the fourth-seeded Jeff O’Brien + Damian Rhodes in a 1-up squeaker.

And the 19th seed Griffin Todd + Joshua Zarlenga defeated #3 Bryn Irvine + Tim Skufca to advance.

Defending NOGA Four-Ball Match Play champions Josh Clay + Kurt Peterson have made it into the Quarterfinals as the second seed.

SENIOR DIVISION FOUR-BALL MATCHES

The defending champions and #1 seeded Jim Durr + Mark Guadagni had a first round bye and will now square off against the talented #8 duo of Tom Baugh + Tom Skidmore, after they sent home Nick Lambos + Bob Spino 3&2 in the Round of 16.

#12 Joe Denk + Ron Miller upset the #5 team of Scott Saari + Paul LaGrotteria in 20 holes as darkness loomed.

Nick Bukovecky + Bob Weaver upset the #6 seeded Denny Flood + Bryan Warnica from the 11th position to move onto the Quarterfinals.

The 2, 3 and 4 seeds, Larry Lahnan + Fred Miller, Monty Guest + Brian Sparrow, and Mark Borlin + Allen Freeman, are all in to the Quarterfinals.

 
All of the Quarterfinal matches across all four brackets must be completed by the end of the day on Sunday, July 25th.

Watch for an update on the 2021 NOGA season-long match Semi Finals immediately following!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Allen Freeman

Allen is a writer, photographer and editor for Northern Ohio Golf.

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