Jimmy Dewling and Grant Haefner Win the 2025 KCC Invitational
We witnessed a truly unforgettable finish to the 72nd Better Ball Invitational, one that lived up to every bit of the tournament’s rich history. The championship match came down to the 18th hole and never saw a lead larger than one. With clutch performances from all four competitors, it was the team of Jimmy Dewling and Grant Haefner who emerged as the Champions of the 72nd Invitational.
Coming down the stretch, John Barry and August Meekhof found themselves 1 down on the 17th hole — only to watch Jimmy Dewling chip in for eagle, electrifying the crowd. With the pressure on, August Meekhof, having driven just over the green, faced a must-make 40-footer from the fringe. With his putter raised and stride confident, he drained the putt to a roar from the gallery, extending the match to 18.
On the final hole, the quality of play suggested that Barry and Meekhof might need another eagle to force extra holes. As the teams reached the green, August was lying two just long. With both Haefner and Dewling lining up birdie attempts, the pressure once again shifted to Meekhof, who narrowly missed a remarkable chip. That opened the door for Jimmy Dewling to roll in the decisive birdie, closing out the match with a scorching team score of 28 on the back nine.
From start to finish, the week was filled with world-class golf and spirited competition. The performance of all 32 teams made for a memorable sendoff to this historic course and the 72nd edition of the Invitational.
A big congratulations to our Runners-Up, John Barry and August Meekhof, and to our Greenleaf Trust Flight winners, Bob Kramer and Colin Sikkenga.
And once more, congratulations to our Champions: Jimmy Dewling and Grant Haefner
Coming down the stretch, John Barry and August Meekhof found themselves 1 down on the 17th hole — only to watch Jimmy Dewling chip in for eagle, electrifying the crowd. With the pressure on, August Meekhof, having driven just over the green, faced a must-make 40-footer from the fringe. With his putter raised and stride confident, he drained the putt to a roar from the gallery, extending the match to 18.
On the final hole, the quality of play suggested that Barry and Meekhof might need another eagle to force extra holes. As the teams reached the green, August was lying two just long. With both Haefner and Dewling lining up birdie attempts, the pressure once again shifted to Meekhof, who narrowly missed a remarkable chip. That opened the door for Jimmy Dewling to roll in the decisive birdie, closing out the match with a scorching team score of 28 on the back nine.
From start to finish, the week was filled with world-class golf and spirited competition. The performance of all 32 teams made for a memorable sendoff to this historic course and the 72nd edition of the Invitational.
A big congratulations to our Runners-Up, John Barry and August Meekhof, and to our Greenleaf Trust Flight winners, Bob Kramer and Colin Sikkenga.
And once more, congratulations to our Champions: Jimmy Dewling and Grant Haefner
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Legendary Moments on TapThe KCC Invitational is a showcase for local talent, collegiate stars, and international golfers. Many of the players are on their way to professional golf careers. Enjoy live coverage and rebroadcasts everyday starting at 11:00am eastern time USA, until the final putt drops. Join Tom Sielatycki, Joe Spoerl, Chris Andrews, Mike Turley, Ryan Canfield, John Allen, Ken Hartley and the usual cast of characters and guests for entertaining commentary.
Watch Live or Recorded Videos - CLICK HERE! |
The Kalamazoo Country Club Better Ball Invitational Tournament is one of the most storied amateur golf tournaments with history dating back to the 1950’s. With its humble beginnings in 1954, the tournament has been taking place annually now for many decades. The Invitational pairs members, top collegiate & amateur players, and professional golf stars in a team match play format.
We are proud of this event and what it represents. The support from the KCC membership through the years has been critical to the tournament’s success with many generations of families competing as well as volunteering. The notable player list from past tournaments is lengthy and noteworthy including PGA Tour Players:
Davis Love III
Scott Langley
Bubba Dickerson
Steve Wheatcroft
Joel Dahmen
Camillo Villegas
Nico Echavarria
Andres Echavarria
Joey Garber
The event is much more than a golf tournament though. The Invitational involves the entire community as everyone in the area is invited to come spectate and watch the great matches that encompass this tournament. Families and children of all ages can be seen walking side by side with their favorite player each day, experiencing firsthand what it’s like to feel the ups and downs of competitive tournament golf. It is this experience that gives the Invitational a special feeling; one that creates a sense of excitement and suspense from the moment the first match tees off Thursday morning and continues until the final putt is sunk Saturday afternoon.
The KCC Better Ball Invitational utilizes a team best ball match-play format with all players playing at scratch. The event has 2 flights: Championship and Greenleaf, with all participants beginning in the Championship Flight and moving to Greenleaf Flight after a 1st round loss.
We are proud of this event and what it represents. The support from the KCC membership through the years has been critical to the tournament’s success with many generations of families competing as well as volunteering. The notable player list from past tournaments is lengthy and noteworthy including PGA Tour Players:
Davis Love III
Scott Langley
Bubba Dickerson
Steve Wheatcroft
Joel Dahmen
Camillo Villegas
Nico Echavarria
Andres Echavarria
Joey Garber
The event is much more than a golf tournament though. The Invitational involves the entire community as everyone in the area is invited to come spectate and watch the great matches that encompass this tournament. Families and children of all ages can be seen walking side by side with their favorite player each day, experiencing firsthand what it’s like to feel the ups and downs of competitive tournament golf. It is this experience that gives the Invitational a special feeling; one that creates a sense of excitement and suspense from the moment the first match tees off Thursday morning and continues until the final putt is sunk Saturday afternoon.
The KCC Better Ball Invitational utilizes a team best ball match-play format with all players playing at scratch. The event has 2 flights: Championship and Greenleaf, with all participants beginning in the Championship Flight and moving to Greenleaf Flight after a 1st round loss.
