COLUMBIA, Mo. (June 30, 2025) — After six days of competition and 36 championship holes today, Chad Niezing (Manchester) walked away with his second Missouri Amateur title, defeating Hunter Jowers (Jonesboro) 2 up in the final match at The Club at Old Hawthorne.
A weather delay pushed the start of the championship from 8:30 to 9 a.m., but once play began, the final shaped up to be a battle of endurance. Niezing, the 2022 Missouri Amateur champion and 2023 semifinalist, brought veteran experience into the match, while Jowers, a recent graduate from Drury University, was making his first appearance in the championship match.
Niezing took an early lead, winning No. 2 with a par after Jowers bogeyed. He added to the lead with a birdie on No. 5, but a bogey on 13 allowed Jowers to pull even. Both players struggled with the putter, missing several short-range opportunities throughout the morning session. After 18 holes, the match was all square.
Momentum swung back and forth early in the second 18 holes. Jowers had an opportunity to take the lead on the par-3 16th after both players reached the green in regulation. Niezing faced a difficult putt from the top tier but executed it well to set up a tap-in. Jowers, with a more makeable look, missed his chance to go 1 up, and the hole was halved with bogeys.
The match turned on No. 17 when a misplayed chip from Jowers led to a bogey and gave Niezing a 1-up advantage heading to the final hole. Needing to win No. 36 to extend the match, Jowers found trouble again, and Niezing sealed the win with a par to close it out 2 up.
Though both players struggled to find their rhythm, Niezing’s steady play ultimately made the difference. He never trailed in the match and capitalized when it mattered most.
With the win, Niezing becomes a two-time Missouri Amateur Champion and earns an exemption into the 2025 U.S. Amateur Championship at The Olympic Club in San Francisco.
The Missouri Golf Association congratulates all who competed in this year’s championship and extends a thank you to the staff and members at The Club at Old Hawthorne for their hospitality and continued support as a host venue.
For full results and more information about the 118th Missouri Amateur Championship, visit www.mogolf.org or contact the MGA office at (573) 636-8994.
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (June 28, 2025) — The stage is set for Sunday’s championship match at the 118th Missouri Amateur Championship, where Hunter Jowers (Jonesboro) and Chad Niezing (Manchester) will square off in a battle between a rising young talent and a seasoned mid-amateur champion. The 36-hole final begins at 8:30 a.m. at The Club at Old Hawthorne.
Jowers, who recently graduated from Drury University and competed on the golf team, broke through to his first Missouri Amateur final with poise and precision during Saturday’s matches. He began his day by edging high school standout Brady Rapp (Leawood) 1 up in the quarterfinals. Rapp, a University of Kansas commit, held the lead for much of the front nine, but Jowers tied the match on No. 11 and went 1 up with a birdie on No. 12. On No. 18, both players stuck their approach shots close and matched two-foot birdie putts to finish off a tightly contested match.
In the semifinals, Jowers faced four-time Missouri Amateur champion and defending titleholder Brad Nurski (St. Joseph), who had defeated him in the Round of 16 a year ago. This time, Jowers flipped the script. After losing his ball and the hole on No. 3, he bounced back immediately with a birdie on No. 4 to square the match. He added birdies on Nos. 8 and 9 to take control and closed out the match with another birdie on No. 17 to win 2 and 1.
On the other side of the bracket, Niezing continued his steady climb through the field. The 2022 Missouri Amateur champion and 2023 semifinalist knocked out Hunter Parrish (Columbia) 2 and 1 in the quarterfinals, highlighted by a hole-out eagle from 114 yards on No. 5 and a clutch 30-foot birdie putt on No. 17 to end the match.
In the semifinals, Niezing battled Anson Munzlinger (Columbia), who had defeated Bryson Oots (Kansas City) earlier in the day 4 and 2. Niezing took a 1-up lead with a birdie on No. 3, but Munzlinger chipped in on No. 7 to tie it. Niezing responded with another birdie on No. 8 and held the advantage until back-to-back swings on Nos. 13 and 14 tied the match again. A bogey by Munzlinger on No. 16 gave Niezing the edge once more, and the match ended on No. 18 after Munzlinger lost his ball off the tee. Niezing won 1 up and advanced to his second Missouri Amateur final in the last three years.
Sunday’s final will feature a compelling contrast in experience: Jowers, a recent college graduate making his first appearance in the title match, versus Niezing, a veteran mid-amateur who’s reached the Round of 16 or better three straight years and lifted the trophy in 2022.
Click here to view full match play results and live scoring.
For more information about the 118th Missouri Amateur Championship, visit www.mogolf.org or contact the MGA office at 573-636-8994.
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (June 27, 2025) — The field is down to eight at the 118th Missouri Amateur Championship, following 36 holes of match play today at The Club at Old Hawthorne. Players battled through demanding pin locations in both the Round of 32 and Round of 16, with upsets, momentum swings and dominant performances shaping the quarterfinal bracket.
Top-seeded Veikka Viskari (Columbia) narrowly advanced in the morning, edging Fabian Oechsle (Branson) 1 up. But in the afternoon, the Mizzou junior and co-medalist was defeated by No. 16 seed Brady Rapp, a high school standout committed to the University of Kansas. Rapp took the lead on the first hole and held it for most of the match to eliminate one of the tournament favorites. He will face No. 9 seed Hunter Jowers (Jonesboro) in the quarterfinals.
Jowers advanced with back-to-back wins on Friday, defeating Michael Winslow (Overland Park) in the Round of 32 and Benjamin Berger (St. Charles) in the Round of 16. Berger, the 2024 Stroke Play Champion, had eliminated Mizzou’s Virgilio Paz earlier in the day before falling to Jowers in a competitive afternoon match.
Defending champion and four-time Missouri Amateur winner Brad Nurski (St. Joseph) remained in form, picking up a 4-and-2 win over Bryan Bohme (Ballwin) in the morning and rolling past Britt Coy (Carthage) 6 and 5 in the afternoon. Nurski won the first three holes of his Round of 16 match and never trailed. He will face No. 5 seed Caden Mickelson (Kansas City) in the next round.
Mickelson, a University of Nebraska commit, advanced with a 1-up win over Eric Ewing (St. Louis) in the Round of 32 and defeated seasoned mid-am Zach Vandolah (Kansas City) 3 and 2 in the afternoon. Mickelson turned the match with three straight wins on holes 10 through 12 and closed it out with a birdie on No. 16.
Columbia native Hunter Parrish held his ground on home turf with two close victories. He rallied on the back nine to defeat Tom Buffington (St. Joseph) in the morning, then edged Aiden Asby (Bolivar) 1 up in the afternoon. Parrish led for most of the match before Asby tied it on No. 15, but a par on No. 18 sealed the win. He will take on No. 55 seed Chad Niezing (Manchester), the lowest seed remaining in the field.
Niezing, the 2022 Missouri Amateur champion, advanced with a dominant 5-and-4 win over Blake Skornia (St. Louis) in the Round of 16. He won the first four holes and closed out the match by winning the final three. Earlier in the day, Niezing defeated Michael Young (Columbia) 2 and 1 to advance from the Round of 32.
Christopher Obert (Springfield) posted the most dominant win of the day with a 7-and-6 victory over Landon Mabe (Steelville) in the Round of 32. Obert won nine of the 12 holes played but fell in the afternoon to Bryson Oots (Kansas City), who picked up a 3-and-2 win. Oots also defeated Ryan Eckelkamp (Washington) 2 and 1 in the morning to earn his quarterfinal spot.
Columbia’s Anson Munzlinger also kept his run alive at Old Hawthorne. He won five holes on the front nine en route to a 4-and-3 win over Timothy Johnston (St. Joseph), then held off Cody Glenn (Lawson) in the Round of 16. Munzlinger drained a key putt on No. 17 to go 1 up and closed out the match on No. 18. He will face Oots in Saturday’s quarterfinals.
Quarterfinal Matches – Saturday, June 28 (beginning at 8 a.m.)
- Brad Nurski vs. Caden Mickelson
- Hunter Parrish vs. Chad Niezing
- Bryson Oots vs. Anson Munzlinger
- Hunter Jowers vs. Brady Rapp
Click here to view full match play results and tee times.
For more information about the 118th Missouri Amateur Championship, visit www.mogolf.org or contact the MGA office at 573-636-8994.
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (June 26, 2025) — The Round of 64 is in the books at the 118th Missouri Amateur Championship, with the top seeds holding firm and a few major upsets shaking up the bracket as match play began Thursday at The Club at Old Hawthorne.
No. 1 seed Veikka Viskari (Columbia), playing on his home course, earned a 3 and 2 win over No. 64 Landon Barks (Poplar Bluff). Viskari never trailed in the match, and each time Barks won a hole, the Mizzou standout answered with one of his own, keeping control of the match and solidifying his position as a title favorite.
Co-medalist and No. 2 seed Mitchell Revie (Kansas City) also advanced, defeating No. 63 Brian Lovett (St. Louis) 3 and 2 after taking control of the match on the back nine.
The biggest upset of the day came from No. 62 Landon Mabe (Steelville), who knocked out No. 3 seed and 2024 runner-up Presten Richardson (Mt. Vernon), 1 up. Mabe took the lead on the opening hole and held off Richardson’s late push, winning the match on 18.
Columbia native Anson Munzlinger continued his strong summer with a 2 and 1 victory over Ben Christian (Dexter). No. 25 seed Virgilio Paz, the second of three Mizzou players in the field, defeated Owen Jump (Springfield) 4 and 3, while his teammate Brock Snyder, the No. 10 seed, fell to 2022 champion Chad Niezing (Manchester), who birdied the final two holes to win 1 up.
No. 5 seed Caden Mickelson (Kansas City) delivered the most dominant performance of the day, beating 14-year-old Houston Tiefenbrunn (Washington) 8 and 7. Tiefenbrunn, the youngest player in the field, impressed by advancing to match play, but Mickelson controlled the match from the start.
A dramatic finish came in the match between No. 13 Ryan Schuenke (Palmyra) and Chance Rinkol (Overland Park). After Schuenke went 5 up through 11, Rinkol clawed back by winning holes 13 through 15. But Schuenke slammed the door with a hole-in-one on No. 16, sealing a 3 and 2 victory.
Three matches went to extra holes. No. 21 Zach Vandolah (Kansas City) outlasted Brayden Buffington (Frankford) in 19 holes, and No. 26 Blake Skornia (St. Louis) held off Pedro Marchioni (São Paulo, Brazil) on the 19th after losing a late lead. Eric Ewing (St. Louis) also won in extras, defeating Will Echelmeier (Columbia) in 19.
Other notable results included:
Jonathan Jordan (Rolla), the No. 48 seed, upset No. 17 Tyler McNeive (Overland Park) 4 and 2 after winning five straight holes (Nos. 7-11).
No. 24 Michael Winslow (Overland Park), the 2023 runner-up, defeated Ethan Mustard (Lebanon) 5 and 4.
Defending champion and four-time winner Brad Nurski (St. Joseph), the No. 4 seed, advanced with a 3 and 2 win over Corey Choate (Eureka).
Benjamin Berger (St. Charles), the 2024 Stroke Play Champion, beat Noah Naugle (Nixa) 1 up.
Hunter Parrish (Columbia), Aiden Asby (Bolivar), Bryson Oots (Kansas City), Timothy Johnston (St. Joseph) and Chris Beaubien (Kansas City) also secured wins to advance.
Tee times for the Round of 32 begin at 8 a.m. Friday, with the Round of 16 to follow in the afternoon.
Click here to view full match play results and tee times.
For more information about the 118th Missouri Amateur Championship, visit www.mogolf.org or contact the MGA office at 573-636-8994.
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (June 25, 2025) — Veikka Viskari (Columbia) and Mitchell Revie (Kansas City) claimed stroke‑play medalist honors with matching totals of 5‑under 137 as the opening rounds of the 118th Missouri Amateur Championship wrapped up Wednesday at The Club at Old Hawthorne.
The top 64 advanced to match play, and for the first time since the 2017 championship at St. Joseph Country Club, the cut came in right on the number at 7‑over 149, with no playoff required.
Viskari, a rising junior at the University of Missouri, opened with a 68 and added a 69 in the second round. He played bogey‑free across his first nine, making three birdies before carding his only bogey of the day. A semifinalist at the British Amateur earlier this month, Viskari enters match play as the No. 1 seed on his home course — making him a tough player to beat this week.
Revie, a rising senior at Wichita State University and a native of Australia, surged into a tie for the top spot with a second‑round 66. He started strong with six birdies across his first 10 holes — including three in a row from Nos. 2‑4 — and made only one bogey on the day to secure the No. 2 seed.
Last year’s finalist, Presten Richardson (Mt. Vernon), overcame a challenging second round to finish third in stroke play at 4‑under 138. Despite a 72 today, he tallied four birdies and claimed the No. 3 seed. Meanwhile, four‑time Missouri Amateur champion Brad Nurski (St. Joseph) added a second‑round 68, making four birdies and only one bogey, to secure the No. 4 seed at 3‑under 139. The two met in last year’s championship match, and both arrive in match play with the experience and pedigree to make another deep run this week.
Caden Mickelson (Kansas City), Anson Munzlinger (Columbia), Ryan Sullivan (Imperial) and Benjamin Berger (St. Charles) shared fifth place at 2‑under 140. Mickelson posted rounds of 68 and 72, Munzlinger rallied with a 72‑68, and Sullivan followed an opening‑round 67 with a 73. Berger, the 2024 Missouri Stroke Play champion and rising junior at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, added a 69 to his first‑round 71.
Match play begins Thursday morning at The Club at Old Hawthorne, where the state’s best amateur golfers will compete for one of Missouri golf’s oldest titles.
Click here for complete results from today and match play pairings for tomorrow.
For more information about the 118th Missouri Amateur Championship, visit www.mogolf.org or contact the MGA office at 573-636-8994.
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (June 24, 2025) — The state’s best male amateur golfers teed it up at The Club at Old Hawthorne on Tuesday for the opening round of the 118th Missouri Amateur Championship. The par-71 layout tested a strong field of 146 competitors, yielding only 13 under‑par rounds and setting the stage for a competitive second round and deep match‑play bracket later this week.
Last year’s runner‑up, Presten Richardson (Mt. Vernon), claimed the early lead with a bogey‑free back nine and a 5‑under 66, the low round of the day. Richardson tallied six birdies — three of them coming on the back nine — and enters Wednesday looking to build upon an already strong performance.
Ryan Sullivan (Imperial) is one shot back after carding a 4‑under 67 with five birdies and just one bogey. Meanwhile, three players are tied for third at 3‑under 68: Caden Mickelson (Kansas City), Will Boyd (California) and Veikka Viskari (Columbia). Mickelson is committed to play collegiate golf at the University of Nebraska this fall, while Boyd is a rising sophomore at the University of Central Missouri. Viskari, a rising junior at the University of Missouri and a native of Espoo, Finland, is competing on his home course.
The second and final stroke‑play round will be contested Wednesday, after which the top 64 competitors will advance to match play. In the event of a tie for the final spots, a sudden‑death playoff will determine the match‑play bracket.
Click here for full results from today’s round.
For more information about the 118th Missouri Amateur Championship, visit www.mogolf.org or contact the MGA office at 573-636-8994.
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ABOUT MGA: The Missouri Golf Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the best interests and true spirit of golf throughout the state of Missouri.
Founded in 1905 in St. Louis, the MGA was established to conduct the Missouri Amateur Championship, originally hosted by four founding clubs—St. Louis Country Club, Algonquin Golf Club, Glen Echo Country Club, and Normandie Golf Club. In 1909, the invite-only championship expanded to Kansas City’s Evanston Club, and by 1911, the MGA became formally organized under Bonner Miller, its first Secretary and Executive Director. Since then, the MGA has grown to provide a variety of competitive tournaments, junior programs, and resources that support golfers of all ages and skill levels, continuing its mission to grow and enhance the game across Missouri.
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