Lansford wins Joplin Area Championship by 4 strokes

Jared Porter, The Joplin Globe, Mo.
·2 min read

Aug. 1—Taylor Lansford successfully defended his lead on the final day of the Joplin Area Championship, firing a 1-under-par 71 at Twin Hills Golf and Country Club to finish with a 36-hole score of 138 and win the juniors division title by four strokes.

Lansford, who shot a 67 in the opening round at Eagle Creek Golf Club in Loma Linda on Saturday to lead the 27-man field by three strokes, finished five shots under par with 10 birdies, 21 pars and five bogies.

The former Missouri Southern standout and Tulsa, Oklahoma, native also claimed the individual title at the Briarbrook Invitational in mid-June at Briarbrook Golf Course in Carl Junction.

The top 16 finishers in the juniors and seniors divisions on Sunday earned spots on Joplin's Horton Smith and Ky Laffoon teams. The annual cup matches against Springfield are scheduled for Aug. 20-21 at Eagle Creek and Twin Hills.

MSSU senior Tradgon McCrae finished runner-up in the juniors division with a final card of 142. After stumbling out of the gate with a 5-over 76 on Saturday at Eagle Creek, he responded with a Sunday-best 6-under 66 at Twin Hills to secure his second-place finish.

Multiple-time Joplin Area Championship winner Jordan Burks (144) finished third, while Jared Pyatt (146) and Joplin High School products Harry Satterlee (146) and Fielding Campbell (152) rounded out the top six.

Other players to reserve spots on Joplin's Horton Smith team were Carson Wampler (154), John Tucker (154), Erin Campbell (155), Chris Moudy (157), Nate Neel (157), Ethan Sage (158), defending juniors champion Robby Sager (160), Zack Wilson (163), Dee Murray (163), Maron Towse (165) and James Shanks (165).

In the seniors division, Chad Walker (71-79—150) got off to a hot start on Saturday at Twin Hills to take a lead and then fended off the field the next day at Twin Hills to win the championship by one stroke over Keith Reardon (73-78—151).

Walker tallied five birdies, 20 pars, 10 bogeys and one double bogey in the tournament.

Also making Joplin's Ky Laffoon team were Doug Gaddis (154), Greg Crawford (155), Steve Hoenshell (157), Bill Curry (157), Dave Pawlus (157), Mark Peterson (158), Mike Maier (158), Bob McKay (158), Jeff Murphy (161), Ashley Roberson (163), Mike Fitterling (163), David Lehr (164), Card Sappington (164) and Steve LaRue (170).

Contact Jared Porter on Twitter at @JaredRyanPorter.