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TEMPE, AZ – 36 holes were not enough to determine a winner at the 2024 Grass Clippings Open. In dramatic, playoff fashion, Bryan Hoops and Drew Kittleson (-14) came out atop the 75-team field to win the event.
The Grass Clippings Open was founded in 2020 and initially took place at The Short Course at Mountain Shadows. The event took a two-year hiatus while focus was placed on renovating Rolling Hills at Grass Clippings into Arizona’s first par-3, night course. Two-man scramble teams either qualified to play as an independent pair or were chosen to compete on behalf of a franchise.
Hoops and Kittleson posted a second round score of 45, which was tied for the best round of the day and placed them squarely in the hunt. With several groups still on the course, they watched as the four-team playoff took shape. Excitement from the crowd was at a high and all eyes were turned to the 18th hole; seven players rolled putts and all seven settled for par.
It was down to Kittleson, who dropped a 10-foot birdie putt for the win- golf’s equivalent to a game-winning, buzzer-beater.
Hoops, a three-time AGA Player of the Year, credited Kittleson for his stellar putting throughout the tournament.
“(The final putt was) not an easy putt. I’m not going to lie, I thought I hit a good putt, just outside the left edge like a quarter to half inch. They’re new greens and things can happen with all the traffic,” Hoops said. “It’s just amazing, when I leaned on (Kittleson), when I needed some putts, he hit it and he kept it on top and made them."
Featuring live music and grandstands, The Grass Clippings Open offered spectators an experience more akin to the WM Phoenix Open as opposed to a traditional golf tournament. Hoops compared the excitement of the crowd to what he has experienced playing in events like the U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Open and British Open.
loveyoubye. performs during the 2024 Grass Clippings Open (Photo by Brandon Genson)
“I don’t know that I could have drafted it any better a year and a half ago when I saw this with the Hoselton’s and the Grass Clippings group,” Hoops said about the event. “I’m just out here enjoying it.”
This marks Hoops' second time winning the Grass Clippings Open. Hoops won in 2021 alongside Kris Marshall.
In addition to Hoops, several Arizona Golf Association tournament players competed in the event. Chris Kamin and Jeremy DeFalco, who have three combined AGA Player of the Year awards, finished -13- one stroke out of the playoff. Brian Blanchard (who played alongside 2023 AGA Mid-Am Champion Sam Engel) came within feet of acing the million dollar, 18th hole.
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