Coon Birdies His Way To City Golf Championship

Brian Coon follows through on a drive during the Jackson City Golf Championship Final at Cascades Golf Course Saturday.

By Jeff Steers | JTV Sports

(8-12-2023, 7:50PM):

So how much did Jackson-area golfer Brian Coon rely on his caddy, Mike Kulka, during the Jackson City Golf Championship?

Besides reading his putts, Kulka kept him abreast of the score of the match during the 36-hole match.

All anyone had to do was figure out what was par and subtracting one for Coon’s score.

He shot a 9-under-par 63 on the opening 18 en route to an 8-up lead midway through the championship match against Rob Longbrake.

Longbrake made a slight move in the second half of the match but lost 6 & 5 to finish second in the tournament.

The win was Coon’s second City Golf Championship, taking his first in 2000.

“I came out hot because I knew Cascades was Robby’s home course,” Coon said. “Mike (Kulka, his caddy) read the greens well.

“I couldn’t have done it without him.”

In the opening 18, Coon birdied hole No. 1, pitched in from approximately 40 yards on hole No. 2 for an eagle, and drained a 30-footer on No. 4 for another birdie.

Coon shot 31 on the opening nine – six under par. Despite shooting a 2-under par 35, Longbrake was 4 down.

“I just caught a heater this week and rolled with it,” Coon said. “I literally asked Mike a dozen times where the match stood.”

When Coon shot 32 on the back nine for a nine-under-par 63, it was almost game over.

“I grinded it out in the second round because I knew Robby wouldn’t lay down,” Coon said. “I consider myself one of the better players in town, but I was not winning.

“This was important.”

Coon was 11 under par when the match ended after 31 holes.

“After my round (65) against Bret (Valkuchak) in the semifinal, I didn’t expect to shoot what I shot today,” Coon said. “I just didn’t make many mistakes.”

Coon now has five major titles in Jackson County including two City Championships, and one Masters, Stableford, and Lyle Ambs.

“I am getting older, so I want to build a resume for a possible Jackson Golf Hall of Fame consideration,” Coon said. “With my kid (Bentley) getting older, winning becomes more important.”