The 70th annual Good Park Junior Golf Tournament has been completed. Here are the champions of the 36-hole tournament and their scores listed by division:
Note: At J.E. Good Park Golf Course in Akron. Par: 71.
Championship Flight
John Furlong 70-74–144
1st Flight
Steve Bednar 76-73–149
2nd Flight
Zach Seidner 76-77–153
3rd Flight
Reilly Bates 78-74–152
4th Flight (tie)
Steven Sinchok 81-77–158 and Chris Maczko 82-76–158
5th Flight
Riley Pratt 78-77–155
6th Flight (tie)
Kelcey Eberle 81-79–160 and Tom Ribelli 77-83-160
7th Flight
Josh Heckman 78-82–160
8th Flight
Danny Arch 82-85–167
9th Flight
Brandon Proudfoot 85-83–168
10th Flight
Michael Rotilie 84-81–165
Boys 10 and under (18 holes)
Brian Lutz 48-49–97
Boys 11-12
Jake McBride 73-68–141
Girls 16-18
Heather Arison 81-77–158
Girls 15 and under
Tiana Jones 78-72–150
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NOTEBOOK
CHAMPION
John Furlong, a recent Medina High School graduate and Ashland University recruit, won the championship flight Friday in his third tournament at Good Park. Furlong shot a 1-under-par 70 on Thursday and a 3-over 74 on Friday to finish with a 36-hole total of 144.
“A lot of good players have won this tournament. There are always good players in this tournament, so I feel like I’ve accomplished something. There are about three or four kids who normally play in this tournament that are over at Westfield right now. But 144, I don’t know how many kids would have beat that, so overall I’m pretty happy.”
CLOSE BEHIND
Paul Doll (148) finished second in the championship flight and Kevin Miller (149) placed third. Doll is a recent graduate of Portsmouth High School in southern Ohio and a Wright State recruit. Miller, 16, is going to be a junior at Garaway High School.
Miller pushed his older counterparts at the top of the championship flight standings. Going into the back-nine of the final round, Miller, who had three birdies, was tied with eventual champion John Furlong.
“I definitely think I could have done better,” said Miller, who was playing in his first tournament at Good Park. “My putting kind of let me down today. Other than that, I’m kind of happy with how I played.”
TWINS TAKE OVER
Twin sisters Heather and Carly Arison, who will be seniors at Copley High School, finished first and second, respectively, in the girls 16-18 division. The Arison twins said they have been playing in the Good Park Junior for six years, and Friday was the first time that they placed first and second in any tournament.
The Arisons led Copley to a second place finish in the state last season. Heather Arison placed 19th in the state as an individual and Carly Arison was 31st. The sisters said they are excited about being team leaders during their senior year.
“There are a bunch of girls on our team who are just starting golf, and it’s going to be fun to help them learn the game because that’s what golf is all about,” Carly Arison said.
“We also have Molly Leonard coming back and she’s good,” Heather Arison said. “It will be fun to play with her one more year and we get along with her really well.”
The Arisons said they want to play in college, but they haven’t decided where yet. However, they already decided that they will attend the same school.
LOST LEAD
Mandi Morrow, who will be a senior at Kent Roosevelt High School, finished third behind the Arison twins. Morrow shot a 3-over 74 on Thursday and had a 6-stroke lead entering the final round, but she couldn’t hang on. She shot an 88 on Friday to finish with a 162.
“I wasn’t really doing anything well today,” Morrow said. “I wasn’t getting off the tee very well and my short game wasn’t very solid.”
Morrow, who plays for the boys golf team at Kent Roosevelt, finished in second place last year at Good Park after losing in a playoff against Megan Weaver of Perry High School.
RISING YOUNGSTER
Ian Holt, an 11-year-old from Stow, finished in a three-way tie for third in the first flight. Holt was about four years younger than any other player in the first flight field.
