KECO, A SUCCESS "IN THE BOOKS"

Keith Hulen, hitting "Opening
Shot". Keith came to loosen
up at 5:30 a.m.!!

Everyone agrees, Blake Brewer, chairman and owner of K.E.C.O. puts up a great event. No wonder 288 players (51 teams in flights A, B & C; and 21 teams in Championship Flight) sign up for a one day event, even coming from as far as 5 hours away.

Lindsay Morse Martin,
volunteered for
S.F.I - Co; C o Title Sponsor

Aside from the very good dinner which is a great "get together", prizes involved, donation to great causes like Red Cross, there is the service, the camaraderie, and the many other little things that make it an event that people want to participate in. Add the freedom to go watch the Championship Flight players masterfully work their way around the course, and you have a great day. And then of course, at the end, there is the curiosity of who won what and how, which is posted at the open scoreboard just south of the clubhouse, which comes with the anticipated playoff in the Championship Flight to break all ties, however....

Myofascial Team putting on #1
with K.E.C.O. banner in
background.

this year, though it looked as there would be a playoff at least for 2nd or 3rd (there were several 54's and 55's), it was the first time in its 14 years, that a playoff was not necessary to determine the winners as the top three places scored: 51, 52 & 53. When the 52 came up late on the board, it broke the hearts of several 54's who were anticipating a playoff for 3rd place that was not to be.

Jordan William (R) & Jeremy
Gray plotti8ng strategy. Team
Finished with 56.

Now, in the A, B & C flights, there was a change in the way flights were formed in order to take out the human "judgement" element out of the mix that at times has been confusing.

Golfers waiting for results
to be announced (by Haley Gunkel)

Since there is no way to handicap each team to pre-determine flights based on team handicaps, flights are done AFTER all scores are in, which makes it difficult at best, and most times impossible to take the "luck" and/or "human" element out of the equation. Since luck will always be part of this (you have to break the flights somewhere, no matter what), it was decided to at least take the "human" element out, by predetermining the number of teams in each flight, and, devising a "playoff" system by which, teams tied for last in "A" and "B" flights, would be bumped "back" to the next flight down, where they would have a chance to win.

The predetermined number of teams per flight was as follows: A-14, B-19 & C-18 (it has been discussed that this number may change each year). The final breakdown was A:56-59 (exactly 14 teams); B:60-64 (23 teams, so 4 were bumped to C flight); and C: 64-and up.

Golfers enjoyed participating
and helping in the results.
(By Haley Gunkel)

The winners were as follows:
CHAMPIONSHIP:  1st (51) - "Cory Smith & Friends" (Cory, Sean Cowan, David Dawly, Joel Burleson), 2nd (52) - Michael Borrett & 3rd (53) - Michael Gatz.
"A" Flight: 1st (56) - Custom Powerline, 2nd (57) - P.C. Promotions, 3rd (57) - Cable One
"B" Flight: 1st (60) - Nagle's Snappy Sack, 2nd (60) Barber Dyson Ford, 3rd (60) Farm Credit

"C" Flight: 1st (64) - Western Oklahoma Realty, 2nd (64) - 66-Sweet Spot, 3rd (64) - Russell Burton.

(Ties for 1st, 2nd & 3rd in A, B & C flights were decided by scorecard playoff starting on #1 handicap hole. Ties to bump teams to a lower flight were decided by scorecard playoff starting on easiest hole).

For more pictures of the tournament, click here