News
2022 Divisional Match Play Champs Crowned in Scottsdale
by Brandon Genson
AGA Communications Manager
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.- After five days of competition, Matthew McDougall (Masters Division), Alex Stamey (Senior Division) and Tim Blau (Legends Division) came out victorious at the 2022 Divisional Match Play, hosted by Talking Stick Golf Club.
McDougall’s tournament run started off strong, as he entered match play as the No. 2 seed thanks to shooting two under after 36 holes of stroke play competition. McDougall’s high seed also earned him a first round bye before edging out three players, en route to the championship match.
“It was a good week overall. I played great in the qualifying to get a good seed and then in match play, kept in play, hit a lot of greens and just tried not to make a whole lot of mistakes and try to find the birdies when I could,” McDougall said.
In the final match, McDougall found himself pitted against the reigning AGA Masters Division Player of the Year, Bryan Hoops. Hoops had picked up steam since shooting two over in stroke play and upset higher seeds to advance to the final match. Hoops and McDougall traded birdies through the first seven holes, before McDougall pulled away by two strokes and held onto that lead for his 3 & 2 victory.
McDougall’s Divisional Match Play win comes just weeks after a quarterfinals run at the 98th Arizona Amateur, where he came up just short against the AGA’s reigning Player of the Year, Sean O’Donnell. Friday’s win also marked McDougall’s first AGA tournament win.
“It’s been great,” McDougall said. “I’ve put a lot of time into my golf this summer and it’s nice to come out and play some of these tournaments and have a great week and it was a lot of fun- really enjoyed playing the match play portion as well.”
In the Senior Division, Stamey found himself on the wrong end of a strong start as his opponent, Ray Plewa, had a three hole lead through eight. When it looked like the match might come to an early finish, Stamey sank a birdie on nine and went two under on the back nine. The match was decided on the 18th hole, where Stamey secured his second Divisional Match Play title; he also won in 2020 at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club.
“It’s fantastic,” Stamey said when asked what the wins mean to him. “The first one was a surprise, quite honestly, and the second one was a surprise but any time you can win something like this in our AGA tournaments, it’s fantastic. It’s a joy to win it.”
After some tight victories throughout match play, including one over top-seeded Brad Starr, Tim Blau won his championship match in 5 & 4 fashion. Blau’s day was characterized by pars, but it was enough to defeat a struggling Rich Morrison. Blau’s win marks his second ever in Divisional Match Play (2021, 2022) and goes along with his second Divisional Stroke Play title (2019, 2022) he earned back in June at TPC Scottsdale, marking the first time he’s won both in the same year.