PALM CITY, Fla. – Eric Cole of Orlando, FL, won the sixth Match Play Championship to be conducted by the Minor League Golf Tour with a 2 and 1 victory over Hernan Borja of Coral Springs, FL in the finals Friday at Martin Downs Country Club.
Cole, 28, the son of former touring pros Bobby Cole and Laura Baugh Cole, received $2,000 from the $12,200 purse, raising his career totals to $91,413 and 36 victories since he joined the MLGT in August, 2009.
He built a 5-up lead after 12 holes on five birdies and an eagle at the par-5 eighth hole, scoring birdies at Nos. 5, 6, 7, 10 and 12. Borja, 31, rallied by winning the 14th, 15th and 16th holes with birdies but three-putted for a par-5 at the 17th after reaching the green in two. Had he birdied it would have sent the match to the final hole.
It was Borja's first MLGT start since June, 2015. His initial appearance was in June, 2007. He has four wins and earnings of $18,799, including $1,000 as the runner-up Friday.
A big thank you to Martin Downs Country Club for hosting this 4-day long match play event.
Click here to view the Match Play Bracket
PALM CITY, Fla. - Co-medalists Eric Cole of Orlando, FL, and Hernan Borja of Coral Springs, FL, each won two matches Thursday to advance to the finals of the sixth Minor League Golf Tour Match Play Championship at Martin Downs Country Club.
They meet for the title on the Osprey Creek course Friday starting at 7:15 a.m. with the winner receiving $2,000, the runner-up $1,000. They matched six under par 65's in qualifying Tuesday, as did former champion Steve LeBrun of West Palm Beach, who was edged out by Borja 1-up in the semifinals Thursday afternoon.
The top 4 seeds all made it to the semifinals which is very rare in a match play bracket.
PALM CITY, Fla. – Steve LeBrun led a trio of medalists and two past champions through two rounds Wednesday at the Minor League Golf Tour's sixth Match Play Championship at Martin Downs Country Club.
LeBrun, of West Palm Beach, FL, ousted Richard Weber of Weldon Spring, MO, 7 and 5, then eliminated Max Gilbert of Quebec, 1-up. The 2010 champion and one of three players to share the qualifying medal with 65, LeBrun next faces Charles Danielson of Osceola, WI, in the quarterfinals Thursday morning.
The semifinals will be played Thursday afternoon and the championship match Friday morning with the winner receiving $2,000, the runner-up $1,000.
The other medalists to advance with two wins were Eric Cole of Orlando and Hernan Borja of Coral Springs. Jimmy Lytle of Ocean Ridge, the 2008 champion, also won twice, while 2007 winner Justin Peters of Stuart was beaten by Borja in the second round.
PALM CITY, Fla. – Steve LeBrun of West Palm Beach, FL, the 2010 MLGT Match Play champion, Eric Cole of Orlando, FL, and Hernan Borja of Coral Springs, FL shared medalist honors Tuesday in qualifying for the sixth match play championship conducted by the Minor League Golf Tour. Each shot 65, six under par on the Osprey Creek course at Martin Downs Country Club. LeBrun and Borja made eight birdies and two bogeys apiece, Cole seven birdies and one bogey. Each received $350 from the $1,700 optional shootout purse. Ties were broken by matching scorecards from the 18th hole back. Cole is the top seed, followed by LeBrun and Borja.
First and second round matches are scheduled Wednesday, quarterfinals and semifinals Thursday and the 18-hole finals Friday starting at 7:15 a.m. The MLGT staged a match pay tournament five straight years starting in 2007.
| Score | Player | Amount | Hometown | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 5* | Eric Cole | 1 | $2,000.00 | Orlando, FL |
| Match 5* | Piri Borja | 2 | $1,000.00 | Kingwood, TX |
| Match 4* | Steve LeBrun | T3 | $800.00 | West Palm Beach, FL |
| Match 4* | Jimmy Lytle | T3 | $800.00 | Ocean Ridge, FL |
| Match 3* | Sandro Piaget | T5 | $600.00 | Jupiter, FL |
| Match 3* | Justin Bryant | T5 | $600.00 | St. Louis, MO |
| Match 3* | Ryan Carter | T5 | $600.00 | Miami, FL |
| Match 3* | Charles Danielson | T5 | $600.00 | Osceola, WI |
| Match 2* | Zach Zaback | T9 | $300.00 | Farmington, CT |
| Match 2* | Ryan Snouffer | T9 | $300.00 | Sparta, NJ |
| Match 2* | Spencer Mellon | T9 | $300.00 | Oakmont, PA |
| Match 2* | JD Carrabino | T9 | $300.00 | New Canaan, CT |
| Match 2* | Justin Peters | T9 | $300.00 | Stuart, FL |
| Match 2* | Max Gilbert | T9 | $300.00 | St-Georges, Quebec, Canada |
| Match 2* | Max Buckley | T9 | $300.00 | Rye, NY |
| Match 2* | Phillip Yribarren | T9 | $300.00 | Miami, FL |
| Match 1* | Philipp Muller | T17 | $175.00 | Waldmohr, Germany |
| Match 1* | Michael Wolf | T17 | $175.00 | Cincinnati, OH |
| Match 1* | Blanton Farmer | T17 | $175.00 | Lexington, KY |
| Match 1* | Sean Gaudette | T17 | $175.00 | South Hadley, MA |
| Match 1* | Brendan Lemp | T17 | $175.00 | Westerly, RI |
| Match 1* | Charlie Harrison | T17 | $175.00 | Atlanta, GA |
| Match 1* | Ryan Kalista | T17 | $175.00 | Moodus, CT |
| Match 1* | David Sanders | T17 | $175.00 | Mt. Laurel, NJ |
| Match 1* | Greg Reilly | T17 | $175.00 | New Canaan, CT |
| Match 1* | Blake Morris | T17 | $175.00 | Waterbury, CT |
| Match 1* | Andrew Kim | T17 | $175.00 | Palisades Park, NJ |
| Match 1* | Alexander Hicks | T17 | $175.00 | Cape May Court House, NJ |
| Match 1* | Florian Kolberg | T17 | $175.00 | Germany |
| Match 1* | Jamie Sindelar | T17 | $175.00 | Horseheads, NY |
| Match 1* | Ryan Prokay | T17 | $175.00 | Grove City, PA |
| Match 1* | Richard Weber | T17 | $175.00 | Weldon Spring, MO |
