Todd Barker, Bill Pizza to tangle for match play prize

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Todd Barker and Bill Pizza will square off in the title match for the UGA Senior Match Play Championship on Friday morning at Talons Cove Golf Course.

Barker, a former State Amateur champion and four-time Salt Lake City Amateur champion, advanced to the finals with 2 and 1 wins Thursday over Ruben Escobedo and Steve Borget. Pizza, a 54-year-old who plays out of Willow Creek Country Club, knocked off Greg Stimpson 1-up, and then ousted No. 32 seed Rick Groendyke, 3 and 2.

Defending champion Dick Peacock will face Dennis Wood in the finals of the Super Senior Division (65 and older). The Net Division championship match will pit Kerry Coop against Dan Riddle. Those matches will also be played Friday morning at Talons Cove.

The 76-year old Peacock edged Larry Reid 1-up Thursday morning, and then defeated Rich Gibbons 2 and 1 in the afternoon. Wood beat Dave Hansen 3 and 2 in the morning and then eliminated Jim Jensen in the afternoon, 1-up.

UGA Senior Match Play Tournament

Talons Cove Golf Course

Senior Division Results

Quarterfinals

Rick Groendyke def. Pat Murphy, 1-up

Bill Pizza def. Greg Stimpson, 1-up

Todd Barker def. Ruben Escobedo, 2 and 1

Steve Borget def. Kurt Bernhisel, 3 and 2

Semifinals

Pizza def. Groendyke, 3 and 2

Barker def. Borget, 2 and 1

Super Senior Division

Quarterfinals

Dick Peacock def. Larry Reid, 1-up

Rich Gibbons def. Doug Swendsen, 7 and 6

Dennis Wood def. Dave Hansen, 3 and 2

Jim Jensen def. Bill Scott, 3-up

Semifinals

Peacock def. Gibbons, 2 and 1

Wood def. Jensen, 1-up

Net Division

Quarterfinals

Bret Hancock def. Eric Walisky, 7-up

Dan Riddle def. Gus Stribakos, 20 holes

Richard Herd def. John Pappas, 2 and 1

Kerry Coop def. Ken Roberts, 2-up

Semifinals

Riddle def. Hancock, 2-up

Coop def. Herd, 2 and 1

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