Match Play main category winners: Aoveer and Kiige
The long Match Play weekend at Pärnu Bay Golf Links came to a conclusion today. Winners were crowned in six different categories, with four players claiming their first-ever titles and two successfully defending their championships. In addition, two players earned entry into the WAGR rankings thanks to their tournament victories. A total of 121 players from five different countries took part over the weekend.
Photo gallery can be found here (photographer: Raul Mee).
Hart Oskar Aoveer (Rae Golf Club) was crowned Estonian Match Play Open champion for the first time, defeating Robin Udodov (Estonian Golf & Country Club) 2&1 in the final. For both players, this was their first individual medal in either the Estonian Match Play or Stroke Play Championships in the adult category. The bronze medal went to Germany’s Florian Dittrich (GC am Habsberg), who defeated Kaur-Mattias Kuuskme (Rae Golf Club) 3&2 in the third-place playoff. A total of 30 players competed in this category.
In the final of the Estonian Ladies Match Play Open, defending champion Kirke Kiige (Estonian Golf & Country Club) faced Kristella Sikk (Niitvälja Golf). Kiige successfully claimed her second consecutive gold medal, defeating her training partner Sikk 5&3.
The third-place match was an all-Estonian Golf & Country Club affair, with Danielle Truusa facing Roosi Ristal. The more experienced Truusa took the bronze medal, defeating her clubmate 2&1.
For both Sikk and Truusa, this was their first medal in this championship. Kiige now has two gold medals from the Match Play Championship in her trophy cabinet, as well as a Stroke Play Championship title from last summer.
Mid-Amateur Match Play winners: Olesk and Uluots
The men’s category also reached its maximum number of participants, and the final required four extra holes to determine a first-time champion. Timo Olesk (Tartu Golf Club) defeated Joel Rothberg (Niitvälja Golf Club) with a par on the fourth extra hole. For Rothberg, this was his fourth silver medal in the championship, while for Olesk it was his first medal of any kind. The bronze medal went to defending champion Janar Toomesso (Estonian Golf & Country Club), who defeated surprise finalist Maido Rõivas (Tartu Golf Club) 7&6.
In the women’s category, all four semi-finalists came from Estonian Golf & Country Club. A record 11 players took part in this category.
Tuulikki Uluots claimed the gold medal, defeating Liina Ränk 4&2 in the final. The bronze medal went to Ingrid Hinn, who knows the course well, after she defeated Kristi Õng 2&1 in the third-place match.
Women’s Mid-Amateur Match Play bracket
Senior Match Play winners are Urbas and Esken
A pleasingly large number of seniors once again wanted to take part in the Match Play Championship this year. The maximum field of 28 men’s and 12 women’s seniors was reached, although the women’s category still had room for four more players.
In the men’s senior category, defending champion Mart Urbas (Tartu Golf Club) retained his title, defeating newly eligible senior Kaido Peterson (Niitvälja Golf Club) 4&3 in the final. Jaak Vahi (Tartu Golf Club) successfully defended his bronze medal for the second consecutive year, defeating Kristjan Kaleviste (Estonian Golf & Country Club) 3&2 in the third-place match. The four semi-finalists included the players who had finished 10th–12th in the Stroke Play Championship, along with Stroke Play winner Peterson.
Men’s Senior Match Play bracket
In the women’s senior category, Anneli Esken (Estonian Golf & Country Club) claimed the gold medal after a long break, having last won the title in 2020. She defeated Triinu Tombak by one hole in the final.
For Tombak, this was her first medal in the tournament. Eva Peedimaa (Tartu Golf Club) also won her first-ever medal in Senior Match Play, taking bronze after defeating Ave Epner (Estonian Golf & Country Club) 4&3.
