The 50th edition of the EDGA Match Play will feature a new EDGA major champion. That was a result of the 4-time major and 3-time match play champion, Drew Deimel falling in the semi-finals in sudden death. Deimel had an opportunity to move into solo 5th on the all-time EDGA major championship list as well as gaining a 4th match play title which would have moved him one victory closer to the record of 5 held by Ron Coleman and Dave Ciacchini. But it was not to be for Deimel this year.

Deimel was defeated by Alex Weir on the second hole of sudden death. Weir is no stranger to EDGA sudden death having lost the 2021 EDGA Amateur in sudden death just 10 months ago.  Weir began quickly going 2 up with birdies on the first 2 holes. Deimel got one back on 3 before tieing the next 3 holes. Weir’s birdie on 7 got him back to 2 up and that is how the front nine finished.

Deimel was the hot one at the start of the second nine winning 10 and 11 with a birdie and a par to halve the match. The players then tied the next 4 holes. Weir’s birdie on 16 gave him a short-lived lead, one he would relinquish on the next hole with a bogey. Both parred the 18th sending the match to extra holes. The first was tied with a par and the second was won by Weir with a par sending him to his second consecutive match play final. He lost last year at Lawrence Park on the final hole to Jon Merriott.

The other semi-final match was a battle between two former 2-time EDGA Match Play runners up. Like in the other match Matt Barto birdied the first 2 holes to take a two up lead but, with a birdie on 3, Mike Wolfe took one of those holes right back. They too tied the next 3 holes before Barto, like Weir, added one to his lead with a birdie on 7. Barto would also win the 9th to increase his lead to 3. When Wolfe faltered with a bogey on 10 the lead moved to 4 for Barto. After 3 halved holes Wolfe was finally able to cut into that lead with a birdie on 14 only to give that back on the 16th when the match was dormie. Barto claimed the match 4&2 and is now a finalist for the 3rd time in the last 4 years. He was defeated by Deimel in 2019 at Lake View and by Ryan Peters at Whispering Woods in 2020.

The final match tees off at 10:00 at Downing to determine the EDGA’s newest major champion.

Prizes for the top 16 will be available at the Downing pro shop after the completion of the event tomorrow.