Johnson, Zech to meet for Missouri Amateur title

Johnson, Ryan to meet for title

KANSAS CITY - And then there were two.

Joey Johnson and Ryan Zech will meet in a 36-hole final for the Missouri Amateur Championship Sunday at the Blue Hills Country Club.

Johnson, of Ozark, defeated Drew Hatten of Leawood, Kan., 3 and 1 in his quarterfinal matchup to reach the semifinals. He won by the same score against Brian Haskell of St. Joseph in the semifinals to reach Sunday's championship round, which begins at 9 a.m.

Johnson was never more than 2 up against Haskell and needed a victory on the 17th hole to preserve the victory.

It was a little more difficult venture for Zech to reach the final. The Kearney resident defeated three-time champion Skip Berkmeyer 2 and 1 in the quarterfinals before a wild 21-hole victory against Kansas City's Michael McGee in the semifinals.

The two were all squared after 16 holes and it stayed that way until the 21st hole when Zech posted a birdie and McGee finished with a bogey.

Zech qualified in stroke play as the second seed while Johnson was seeded 32nd.

III

Three area golfers participated in the tournament held earlier last week. Jefferson City's Will Nixon tied for 16th in the stroke-play portion with rounds of 78 and 70 to reach match play.

Nixon won his first match against Rolla's Jared Jordan 5 and 3 on Thursday. He fell in Friday's round of 32 to Jacob Fair of Monett 4 and 3.

Nixon trailed by four after seven holes and never recovered as the two halved holes 8-15.

Matthew Quandt and John McCulloch of Jefferson City each shot 168 and did not qualify for match play.