Former KC Roo Robert Russell wins 2023 Watson Challenge. Here’s the final leaderboard

Kansas City Star

June 3, 2023 at 6:34 PM·3 min read

Through the first two days of the Watson Challenge, Robert Russell was hanging around the top of the leaderboard in strong footing. He was tied for first on Day 1 and sat one stroke back of the lead after Day 2.

In the end, his consistency — shooting four-under 68 on both the first and final rounds — propelled the former Kansas City Kansas Community College and UMKC golfer to a first-place finish at the Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate in Kansas City.

Russell, who is the Nicklaus Golf Club head pro, birdied five holes on the back nine of the final round, which provided more than enough cushion even after he bogeyed the 18th. He shot nine-under (207) for the challenge

Davis Cooper, a rising senior at KU who was tied for first after each of the first two rounds, finished tied for second at seven-under (209). St. Thomas Aquinas product Joseph Winslow, who is currently playing on the Korn Ferry Tour, shot a 67 on the final day to finish tied for second.

Rounding out the top five: Michael Letzig (fourth place, six-under 210) and Sean Dougherty (fifth place, four-under 212). Cooper was the lone amateur to finish in the top five.

The best individual round belonged to Ben Pearson, who shot a seven-under 65 on Day 2 and finished 15th overall at one-over.

Here is a look at the final scores of the 54-hole event, which did not feature Tom Watson in the field due to injury, though he was on hand for Saturday’s award presentation...

Final scores at Watson Challenge

Saturday, in Kansas City; at the Nicklaus Golf Club at Lionsgate

Final round, par 72

(a-amateur; p-professional)

Player	R1	R2	R3	Score	Par
Robert Russell (p)	68	71	68	207	-9
Joseph Winslow (p)	71	71	67	209	-7
Davis Cooper (a)	68	70	71	209	-7
Michael Letzig (p)	70	69	71	210	-6
Sean Dougherty (p)	70	70	72	212	-4
Ty Lasley (a)	74	70	69	213	-3
Jackson Foth (p)	73	69	71	213	-3
Ben Hadden (p)	73	71	70	214	-2
Julian Taylor (p)	70	73	71	214	-2
Will King (a)	70	72	72	214	-2
Michael Winslow (a)	68	72	74	214	-2
Andy Spencer (p)	73	71	71	215	-1
Alex Springer (a)	75	68	72	215	-1
Austin Jarchow (p)	71	67	77	215	-1
Ben Pearson (a)	76	65	76	217	+1
Brady Rapp (a)	74	72	72	218	+2
Connor Knabe (a)	75	71	73	219	+3
Chance Rinkol (a)	76	73	71	220	+4
Sam Parrott (a)	75	71	74	220	+4
Ryan Eckroat (p)	76	70	74	220	+4
David Jenkins (a)	69	76	75	220	+4
Calvin Dillon (a)	72	79	70	221	+5
Zach VanDolah (a)	76	75	70	221	+5
Alex Downing (a)	74	73	74	221	+5
Curtis Yonke (a)	72	73	76	221	+5
Kevin Ward (p)	75	76	72	223	+7
Julia Misemer (a)	75	76	72	223	+7
Joseph Kinney (a)	77	73	74	224	+8
Ian McCrary (a)	77	75	73	225	+9
Chris Mabry (p)	75	77	74	226	+10
Jared Paul (p)	72	77	77	226	+10
Bret Burgmeier (p)	77	79	71	227	+11
Connor MacGee (a)	78	78	72	228	+12
Tyler Dunn (p)	79	76	74	229	+13
Luke Smith (p)	78	75	76	229	+13
Ryan Argotsinger (p)	78	74	77	229	+13
Robert Wilkin (p)	79	78	75	232	+16
Jeff Sedorcek (p)	78	77	77	232	+16
Austin Hardison (p)	77	76	80	233	+17
Daniel Duffin (a)	80	81	73	234	+18
Myles Tarvin (a)	77	80	77	234	+18
Jeremy Dear (p)	75	85	78	238	+22
Brad Volker (p)	80	81	78	239	+23
Sean Cleary (p)	74	79	86	239	+23
Jon Platz (a)	79	83	79	241	+25
Liam Coughlin (p)	80	80	81	241	+25
Clay Devers (p)	77	81	92	250	+34
Michael Maki (p)	82	83	97	262	+46

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Final scores at Watson Challenge

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