Steve Groom
2016 Missouri Golf Association Player of the Year
This award is based on the accumulative performance points accumulated throughout the golf season in your respective category.
Steve Groom MGA Senior Player of the Year
Steve Groom, Raytown, MO member of Fred Arbanas Golf Club
Payne Stewart Champion
MGA Senior Four Ball Champion – Steve Groom and Mark Addington
Ozark Invitational Finished 8th
Porto Cima Four Ball Senior Champion Steve Groom and Mark Addington
MGA State Amateur Championship Round of 64
MGA Stroke Play Championship low Senior with Tom Barry
Jefferson City CC Memorial tied for 3rd
US Senior Amateur – Qualified
Chad Niezing
Chad Niezing MGA Player of the Year
Chad Niezing, Manchester, MO member of The Legends Country Club
Porto Cima Four Ball Champions – Chad Niezing and Chris Dale
Richard Poe Invitational Finished tied for 2nd
MGA State Amateur Championship Round of 64
MGA Stroke Play Championship Finished 18th
MGA Four Ball Championship tied for 4th – Chad Niezing and Chris Dale
MGA Mid-Amateur Championship Champion
US Mid-Amateur – Qualified, Made Match Play, Won match in Round of 64
Sam Cornelius
Sam Cornelius Junior Female Player of the Year
Samantha is a sophomore this coming school year at Penney High School in Hamilton, MO. She is a member of their Women’s Golf team. Sam started playing in MGA events in 2010 when she was 10 years old and has been playing every year since. She participated in 4 Hieronymus Junior Events this season and was the medalist in 3 of them. In the Junior Match Play at Mules National GC in Warrensburg, MO, she was the overall medalist for the Stroke Play portion and carded a 79. Since she was the medalist, she had a bye for the first round (Round of 16) of Match Play. In the Quarterfinals, she competed against Katie Hamilton and won 4 and 2. Sam’s match in the Semifinals was more difficult but she fought hard and defeated Madison Grisham 2 up. Sam had then made it to the Final Round of the Junior Match Play, however, Olivia was up on her in the beginning and Sam ended up losing the match 7 and 6.
Sam was still having an impressive season when the Junior Amateur Championship came and she turned in a 79 that tied her for 5th overall and 4th in her age division. This past year, Samantha made it to the MSHAA State Golf Tournament as a freshman. She tied for 25th out of 89 girls at State. Samantha also qualified and was invited to play in the 5th annual Southern States Junior Cup Matches. The matches are played at the end of each season against the best junior players in Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama.
Austin Hoerstkamp
Austin Hoerstkamp Junior Male Player of the Year
Austin will be a senior at St. Francis Borgia High School in Washington, MO. He is a member on their Men’s Golf team. Austin started playing in MGA events last year and his first event was the 2015 Junior Amateur Championship. He came back this summer more ready than ever to play in a variety of events. This year he competed in 5 Hieronymus Events where he finished 1st in Oak Hills and Ken Lanning, 2nd in Sedalia and Hail Ridge, and 3rd in the Championship at AL Gustin. At the Junior Match Play at Mules National GC in Warrensburg, he made it to the Round of 16. Later this season, Austin had an impressive round at the Junior Amateur Championship at Paradise Pointe GC in Smithville with a 1 over par (73) that tied him for 5th. Austin also qualified and was invited to play in the 5th annual Southern States Junior Cup Matches. The matches are played at the end of each season against the best junior players in Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama.
Austin’s season wasn’t over yet when he qualified for the 109th annual MGA Missouri Amateur Championship at Jefferson City Country Club in Jefferson City, MO. He played in the qualifier at The Falls GC in O’Fallon, MO and made the cut carding a 74. However, he did not make the Match Play Round of the Amateur but shot 78, 83 in the Stroke Play Round of the tournament. He then played in the Stroke Play Championship at Dalhousie GC in Cape Girardeau and made the cut for the low 50 and ties with a 156 (77,79) total. He finished the tournament with a 327 total. Austin has also participated in two MSHAA High School State tournaments.
Sarah Bell MWGA Junior Player of the Year
Sarah Bell is 15 years old and lives in Jackson, a member of Dalhousie Golf Club and is a junior at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau!
Sarah was also the 2015 Junior Player of the Year!
How Sarah accumulated points during the season.
Sarah won the 2016 MWGA Junior Amateur at Tanglewood GC with a two round total of 73/75 148 (4 over par), She finished tied for 7th and was low Junior in the MWGA State Amateur with a 3 round total of 77/73/75 225 (3 over par) and to wrap up her season she won individual honors at the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) State Tournament in October at Meadow Lake Acres Country Club. This was the first year that her high school made an appearance at the State Tournament! I think we can say they made a statement! THEY WON and by 40 strokes better than the 2nd place team John Burroughs HS.
Kayla Eckellkamp
Kayla Eckelkamp MWGA Player of the Year
Kayla lives and works as an intensive care unit nurse in Washington, MO where she is a member of Franklin County Country Club.
Kayla was also the 2015 Player of the Year!
How Kayla accumulated points during the season.
Kayla won the MWGA Mid-Amateur at Silo Ridge Golf Course in Farmington with a 2 day total 77/72 149 (8 over par). She finished tied for 9th in the MWGA State Amateur at Twin Oaks Country Club with a three round total of 78/75/74 227 (5 over par). Her biggest accomplishment was qualifying for the US Mid-Amateur in Alton, Il. She went on to The Kahkwa Club in Erie, Pa. in September. She finished tied for 14th in the Stroke Play portion 79/74 153 (9 over par) and went on to win her match in the round of 64, and then wins her match in the round of 32! She lost in the round of 16 to the number 1 seed Shannon Johnson. Johnson went on to play in the final against our own Mizzou Golf Team graduate and MGA Boatwright Intern Julia Potter. Potter wins for the US Mid-Amateur for the 2nd time.
Kayla was also a member of the winning 2016 Fore State Team!
