Simons’ & Stack win CSC Don Beebe Classic golf tournament for eighth time in last 10 years

The championship at the 25th annual Chadron State College Don Beebe Celebrity Golf Classic this past weekend went down to the final stroke, but the outcome was the same as it has been most of the past 10 years.

Tom Simons of Chadron, his sons Scott and Brett, along with Rob Stack, won the title for the eighth time in the past 10 years. But it was the first time their margin of victory was just one stroke.

The tournament-winner was about a 10-foot putt that Scott Simons made after each of his three teammates had missed it by the narrowest of margins. The winners had a score of 64 on Saturday and shot a tourney-best 60 on Sunday for a 124 total.

All the other teams had completed the tourney a few minutes earlier and were in the clubhouse when Scott Simons made the putt.

It was the first time during the eight years the Simons-Stack team has won the tourney that one stroke decided the outcome. Previously the slimmest margin was two strokes in 2013.

This year’s runner-up honors went to Dan Johnson of Chadron, his son Pete, his son-in-law Aaron Bertles and his wife’s nephew, Judd Norman. They shot a 63 on Saturday and a 62 on Sunday.

Third place in the Championship Flight went to John Ritzen, the Chadron State golf coach, his cousin Greg Trepka and two of Ritzen’s long-time friends, Chadron natives Beau Miskimins and Micah Smith.

The First Flight was won by former Chadron State athletes Austin Stephens, Zach Smith and Alex Ferdinandand Ferdinand’s friend, Jarrett Jensen, with a 136 total. Tye Pourier, Mitch Barry and Jason Sommerville, all of Chadron, and John Thayer of Lusk were second with a 138.

A team made up of CSC Head Football Coach Jay Long and Chadron natives Curt Bach, Matt Ritterbush and Zach Sandstrom won the Second Flight with a score of 148.

The tournament drew 112 golfers. At least 35 of them are former Chadron State athletes. A current Eagles’ athlete, Chadron native Alpine Hickstein, led her team that included her parents along with Rob Wahlstrom, to a tie for fourth place in the Championship Flight with a 130 score.