Valkuchak’s Win ‘Meant to Be’ With Spring Thaw Championship

(April 28, 2024 7:45 PM ET) After Bret Valkuchak shot a 66 in the Jackson City Match Play golf tournament last summer – and lost – he was not sure winning a major tournament in Jackson was in the cards.

But he did not give up.

Valkuchak hit the punch shot of his life on the 17th hole for a birdie Sunday giving him the lead heading into the final hole at Cascades Golf Course.

With an easy par, Valkuckak won his first major shooting a pair of 71s at the Spring Thaw Tournament.

Valkuchak and Nic Reynolds separated themselves from the pack and battled the final nine of the 36-hole tournament. A bogey by Reynolds on 17 gave Valkuchak the lead for good.

“I have been so close so many times … it was not my time,” Valkuchak said of his chase for a major tournament win in Jackson County. “I pressed my luck … and it was just meant to be.”

Valkuchak was one stroke down heading into 17 – a par 4 with a river approximately 250 yards out. Valkuchak hit a 4-iron over the water but was blocked by trees on the right.

His 125-yard punch shot somehow missed the trees and found the green. He drained the 15-foot uphill birdie putt on the tough hole.

When Reynolds caught a tree branch with his second shot on 18, it was Valkuchak’s time to earn the hardware.

First-round leaders Reynolds and Jamie Clark tied for second at 144, Brian Coon and Greg Zeller tied for fourth at 147, Matt Farhat earned sixth place at 148, Steve Maddalena was seventh at 149, Bentley Coon placed eighth scoring 150, and Mike Brockie, Jacob Malcangi, and Dave Crandall tied for ninth at 151.

The second round was delayed Sunday morning due to storms in the area. First and second flight scores will be posted later on Sunday.

Championship Flight

Bret Valkuchak 71 71 142

Nic Reynolds 71 73 144

Jamie Clark 71 73 144

Brian Coon 74 73 147

Greg Zeller 73 74 147

Matt Farhat 72 76 148

Steve Maddalena 77 72 149

Bentley Coon 75 75 150

Mike Brockie 79 72 151

Jacob Malcangi 78 73 151

Dave Crandall 73 78 151

Conor Spencer 79 73 152

Tony Hurd 74 78 152

Nick Henman 74 78 152

Cody Lysher 79 75 154

Rich Horodecki 76 78 154

Tommy Smith 73 81 154

Paul Varner 80 75 155

Trevor Kuzee 74 81 155

Jamie Hinkle 79 77 156

Lance Woodland 78 78 156

Doug Bevan 76 80 156

Ron O’Rourke 76 80 156

Trevor Raymond 81 76 157

Rusty Whisman 80 77 157

Cody Rowe 80 78 158

Travis Leutz 79 79 158

Riley Hestwood 77 81 158

Andy Hordecki 81 78 159

Noah Abbey 77 83 160

Colin O’Connell 85 76 161

Alex Harris 81 80 161

Brian Carney 80 81 161

Luke Girodat 80 81 161

Zavier Hovinen 78 83 161

Rob Longbrake 78 83 161

Mike Raymond 78 83 161

Aaron Baron 82 82 162

Joe Midena 81 81 162

Mike Boldt 80 82 162

Andrew Boldt 79 83 162

Pete Walz 82 81 163

Jeremy Angott 77 87 164

Logan Wagner 85 80 165

Colton Brennan 81 84 165

J.T. Pickering 80 85 165

Hoyt Wrona 81 85 166

Larry Sexton 81 85 166

John Tarpley 80 86 166

Justin Fowler 80 97 177

Colin Norton 153

Shawn Burch 157

Brogan Brockie 158

Michael Kulka 160

Mike McClafferty160

Brandon Kulka 161

Nick Bobich 162

Ed McClafferty 62

Aaron Davis 163

Mark Adler 164

Josh Kirchmeier 164

Chad Cesarz 165

Cade Robinson 165

Troy Allen 165

Eben Crandall 165

Dan DiVietri166

Shane Clark 166

Sam Girodat 167

Ryder Pickering 167

Zach Fagan 167

John Gaston 167

Tim Pickering 167

Nick Dobbin168

Andrea Clark 168

Adam Fuller 169

Tommy Midena 169

Drew Backgrove170

Jameson Vinson 170

Anthony Kulka 171

Kevin Coffman172

Thomas Raymond 172

Jason Keeton 172

Ryan Wiedmeyer173

Matt Brown 174

James Moore 179