Jackson's Litzelfelner qualifies for match play at Missouri Amateur

Jack Litzelfelner of Jackson was the lone representative from the immediate area to reach the match-play portion of the 2013 Missouri Amateur Championship on Wednesday at Blue Hills Country Club in Kansas City, Mo.

Litzelfelner, who recently was the medalist at the Missouri Class 3 high school golf championship as a freshman at Notre Dame Regional High School, tied for 34th place with rounds of 75 and 77 on the par 72 layout for a two-day total of 152.

Litzelfelner will play Tyler Gast of Nevada, Mo., in the first round of match play today.

Doug Albers of Leawood, Kan., was medalist with a 3-under-par 141.

The top 64 golfers in stroke play qualified for match play.

Brevin Giebler of Cape Girardeau, last year's runner-up in match play, was among the local golfers who did not qualify for match play. Giebler had rounds of 82 and 77 to tie for 93rd. Kent Phillips of Cape Girardeau fared the best of non-qualifiers with rounds of 80 and 78 to tie for 86th.

Other local golfer competing were Travis Simmons of Jackson (80-80--160, t-98th) and Jason Cahill of Jackson, who withdrew after shooting 85 in the first round.

A Southeast Missouri golfer of note, Ben Godwin of Poplar Bluff, qualified for match play with rounds of 75 and 78 to tie for 43rd. Godwin is a two-time Missouri Amateur champion. Vernon Carr (74-73--147) of Poplar Bluff tied for 13th.