Myers ‘back’ on top at KGA championship

“Back” is a fitting word when referring to the 2020 Kingfisher Golf Association Club Championship.

Despite battling nagging back issues, especially on Day 2, Heath Myers laid claim to this year’s title with a relatively comfortable five-stroke victory.

After going two years without winning in 2017 and 2018, Myers has now won back-to-back crowns and owns 13 overall.

He followed up Saturday’s 5-under-par 65 at Kingfisher Golf Course with a 66 on Sunday.

His two-day total of 131 pushed him past 2018 champ Brady Liles’ 136.

Liles played in Sunday’s final group with Myers and Peyton Burns.

Myers led the two younger golfers by two strokes heading into the final day.

Burns double-bogeyed the par-4 first hole on Sunday and was 3-over-par for the day with a bogey on 10, which essentially put him out of contention.

Liles, though, picked up a stroke on Myers with a birdie on No. 1.

But Myers answered with three consecutive birdies. That combined with Liles’ bogey on No. 4 put Myers up by five strokes.

The lead was four after 12 holes before Myers had his roughest stretch of the tournament.

He bogeyed Nos. 12 and 13 and saw his lead drop to two strokes as Liles managed a par on both.

But that was as close as Liles got as Myers came right back with two straight birdies.

He was 3-under over the final five holes while Liles was even-par.

Burns shot a 73 to finish third with a 140.

Heath Redwine and Adam Perkey both shot 141 to tie for fourth.

Jarred Darrough was sixth with a 147 while Chad Hart and Chris Combs tied for seventh at 148.

Tristun Burnham’s 149 was good for ninth while Kyle Jech took 10th with a 150.

Myers won eight straight club championships from 2004-2011 before Keith Campbell broke his run in 2012.

Campbell did not play in this year’s tournament, nor did previous champs Mason Overstreet (2015) and Jacob Mayfield (2017).

Myers also won the title in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2019.

The handicap championship went to Paul Milburn.

He fired rounds of 78 and 73 for a 151. His 10-handicap pushed his total down to 131 (Myers has a plus-3 handicap, which added six strokes to his total over two days).

Rick Thomas is the 2020 seniors (age 50-64) champion.

Thomas shot a 69 Saturday and a 67 Sunday to finish at 136. That was three strokes better than Reggie Redwine.

Jon Cause and Chris Cameron tied for the seniors handicap champion as they each shot a net of 129.

Terry Niles took home the super seniors (age 65 and up) championship with two rounds under-par.

Niles had a 68 Saturday and 69 Sunday for a 137.

Rick Howard was the super seniors runner-up for the second straight year with a 139 (69-70).

He did, however, claim the handicap championship with a net of 125.