MEEKER I For the past 21 years, Erik Brown and Lex Collins have teamed up to play in the annual Two-man Best Ball golf tournament at the Meeker Golf Course. Every year they have finished in the money, but they have never had the best gross score in the championship flight, until this year.
More than 20 teams from Meeker and several other area golf courses were divided into two flights. Local golfers finished in the money in both flights, including the best golfers on the course in both flights.
Brown and Collins finished the 36-hole, two-day event with a four-under-par 132, one shot ahead of former champions Joe Elliot of Battlement Mesa and Doug Choate of Rifle. Meeker’s Bryce Ducey and Robby Elam, whose home course is Cedar Ridges in Rangely, finished a distant third with 144.
When asked for comment, champion Lex Collins used his right thumb and forefinger to gesture locking his lips closed, although he say his partner would have plenty to say, “he always does,” Collins said quietly, with a smile.
“This is the first time we have won the gross in the championship flight,” Brown said, when asked to comment on the win. “I’m not sure how many Meeker players have won gross in the championship flight over the last 20 years, as it has been dominated by Rifle and Glenwood Springs players for a long time.”
“For several years,” continued Brown. “Only J.C. (Watt) had enough game to hang in that flight but Lex has become such a good player that he is hard to beat anywhere and really hard to beat in Meeker.”
The Meeker team shot a two-under 32 on the front nine and one over on the back to finish the first day, tied with Elliot and Choate. Sunday Brown and Collins shot even par on the front nine and three under on the back to win.
“Lex played lights out Saturday and on Sunday he chipped in for birdie on No. 5 on the front and chipped in for eagle on No. 8 on the back to put us from one up to three up with one to play,” Brown said of his partner. “He played all weekend with injured ribs, it was a gritty performance. I’m glad he took me along for the ride.”
Local golfers Larin Crase and Kyle Frary also played in the championship flight and although they finished with the third best gross score (140), they took top honors with the best net score (118).
“We would like to thank Bryce Ducey and Robby Elam for supporting our efforts with their play, on such a glorious weekend of golf,” Crase said.
Frary too, tried to formulate a comment but retracted his partial statement and said, “No comment.”
There was a three-way tie for second place net, with local golfers Bill DeVergie and Pat Hughes, Scott Bowman and Eric Blank and Rifle’s Mark Sours and Jeff Hauer, all finishing with a net score of 125 in the championship flight.
Local golfers were the best in the second flight, as Jeff Asslin and Dave Henderson finished with a gross score of 147, one shot ahead of Dillon and Rob Vavak of Redlands Mesa. Rifle’s Mitch Carter and Tim Roe were third, six shots behind the winners.
Meeker’s Willy Theos and Harry Watt had the best net score (115) in the second flight, one shot ahead of Randy Hall and Robert Murray. Gary Stewart and his son Grant finished with the third best net score, five behind Theos and Watt.
A fundraising tournament for Althea Halstead will be held at the Meeker Golf Course on Friday, with a nine hole tournament starting at 5 p.m., food and music provided after the tournament. All proceeds will be donated to the Halstead family.
The first annual Rod Crawford Memorial tournament will be held Saturday, please contact the Meeker Golf Course at 878-5642 for sign up information.
