Kane, Felder win Western Chapter match play title

Jim Kane rolled in a 15-foot birdie on the 19th hole as he and Mark Felder edged the team of Tim Fleming and Cooper Johnson 1 up in the finals of the PGA South Central Section Western Chapter Match Play Championship at Oak Tree National.

Felder, the executive director of the Oklahoma Golf Association, had blasted a shot from the front bunker on the par-4 10th hole at Oak Tree National to about a foot away, freeing Kane up to make a more aggressive putt at his speedy downhill birdie opportunity.

“It was a great final match, a lot of fun and good playing by both teams,” said Kane, the former Oral Roberts University All-American who has been a playing and teaching professional in the area for decades.

Fleming, the director of golf at Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club, and his talented amateur partner Johnson had a 1 up lead after Fleming hit it to within 4 inches on the par-3 13th hole. Felder birdied the 14th from 15, feet, but Johnson capped him from 10 feet. Cooper won the par-5 16th with an eagle, but Kane rolled in a 40-footer for birdie on 17. Fleming lipped out a 10-footer for birdie on the 18th hole that would have won the match in regulation.

“Just a really fun match,” Kane said. “Mark, for someone who doesn’t get to play that often, was really solid all the way through.”