NOGA MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIPS UPDATE:
Just about every Finals Match has been set in the six NOGA Match Play Championships for 2020! There are some heavyweight battles set up, too, including a pair of players — Brian Smith and Larry Lahnan — who have made it to the Finals both individually and as part of a Four-Ball team.
Looking at the marquee nature of some of these match-ups, NOGA might want to review the potential pay-per-view or sports book revenues that could be generated…
In the Scratch Match Play Championship Division Finals, Seed #1 Brian Smith will take on Seed #2 Tim Skufca.
In the Scratch Match Play Senior Division Finals, Seed #1 Larry Lahnan will play Seed #3 (and current Senior Player of the Year points leader) Monty Guest.
In the Scratch Four-Ball Match Play Championship Division Finals, the #1 seeded team of Doug Barber + Brian Smith will take on the 2019 champions, the #6 seeded Josh Clay + Kurt Peterson.
And in the Scratch Four-Ball Match Play Senior Division Finals, #9 seeds Larry Lahnan + Fred Miller will take on the #6 seeded team of Jim Durr + Mark Guadagni.
In the Net Match Play Championship Finals, an underdog has made a run all the way to the Finals: #16 seed Mike Crawford will play #2 seed Ken Bauza for the title.
And in the Net Four-Ball Match Play Championship, there is still one bracket that hasn’t determined its Finals participant (and must do so over this weekend). The winner of the Semi-Final match between #1 David Routh + Jay Yorty vs #4 Paul Gibbons + Mike Gary will meet the #10 seeded Craig Dunlap + Gabriel Michel in the Finals.
2020 NOGA PLAYER OF THE YEAR STANDINGS:
Chris Okeson still sits atop the 2020 NOGA Player of the Year standings heading into Labor Day weekend. But with his recent advancement into the Finals of two Match Play Championships, Brian Smith is hot on Okeson’s heals — just 70 points behind! NEO Am winner Cade Breitenstine, Rob Schustrich and Tim Skufca round out the Top-5 POY challengers.
On the Senior POY side, Monty Guest still holds a commanding 225 point lead over Tom Laubacher. Mark Borlin has crept into third position with his recent victory in the Summer Four-Ball at Glenmoor. Mark Guadagni and Nick Lambos fill out the top five Senior points winners.
With the Fall Stroke Play at Canton Brookside and the NOGA Tour Championship at Firestone West/South still yet to be played, there are plenty of points remaining to be won — and that could completely shake up these Leaderboards before season’s end.
But don’t forget, players must compete in at least three NOGA events this season to be eligible for the season-ending NOGA Tour Championship. So if you still need one more event to be eligible, sign up for Brookside now…
