Zach Miller watches his ball after teeing off during Sunday’s Lima City Men’s Golf Championships at Shawnee Country Club.
Richard Parrish | The Lima News
Maybe it was highly appropriate the last shot Zach Miller hit in becoming the winner of the Championship Flight of the Lima City Men’s Golf Championship on Sunday did a 360 around the cup before dropping into the hole.
Appropriate because Miller’s all around game was excellent and the final stroke in his 5-and-4 match play win over Joe Hobensack at the Shawnee Country Club went all the way around the cup.
Miller, a recent Allen East High School graduate, became the youngest winner of the city tournament in 24 years, dating back to John Moheyer’s victory in the 1998 tournament the summer before his senior year at Shawnee High School.
Miller seized the lead by winning at No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 early in Sunday’s final round and was four holes up after the front nine. His lead never dipped below three holes after that and and the match ended at the fourteenth hole.
“It was pretty consistent. I had 10 pars, a bogey and a birdie today. I just kept it all together and played a solid round. I had one bad swing on seven and that cost me a hole. Other than that I played pretty solid today,” Miller said.
“I just stuck to the game plan. I wanted to be aggressive and give myself good looks at birdies. That’s what I did. I didn’t make a lot of them but I made pars and it got the job done. When you have a lead like that you just have to make pars and make him make birdies and that’s what I did.”
On Saturday, Hobensack, also a former Allen East golfer, came from behind in his semifinal match by winning five consecutive holes, starting with the ninth hole.
He hoped he could recreate that magic on Sunday when he won No. 7 with a birdie to cut Miller’s lead to two holes.
But there was no repeat of the semifinals for him. “I thought after I birdied (No.) 7, ‘Here we go again. The comeback is starting.’ Then I had a violent lip out on (No.) 8. You don’t want to say it takes the wind out of your sails but it did. I needed that putt and it lipped out and I was three down.
“I knew it was time to get going. But every time I started to get going today I derailed myself. Again, credit to him. He was making pars and doing what he needed to do,” Hobensack said.
“Zach did exactly what he needed to do today. He’s a good player, we all know that. My hat is off to him. He controlled his golf ball today. Absolutely, he did. Fairways. Greens. Pars. That will get it done.”
Miller played in last fall’s high school boys state tournament and has competed in several other tournaments this summer, including finishing fourth in the Junior Ohio Amateur. He signed with the University of Findlay last fall.
“It’s definitely been very eventful. Going to state was fun. The high school year was fun. We had a great team and went far. And now the summer has been a great year. I’ve played well this summer. I’m looking forward to next spring at Findlay,” he said.
Championships were decided in seven other flights on Sunday.
Michael Sarno won the First Flight 2-and-1 over Rich Dackin. Josh Buetner was the Second Flight winner over Greg Stumbaugh by a 4-and-2 score.
Tim Windau decisioned Troy Breidenbach 2-up in the Senior Championship Flight final.
Chad Smiley was the Senior Open 1 Flight winner 6-and-5 over Christian Inskeep. Jeff Harris beat Frank Pugh 4-and-2 to win the Senior Open 2 Flight.
Bob Moser became the Super Senior 1 Flight winner with a 3-and-2 victory over Mike Allen. Bob Hollar won the Super Senior 2 Flight title 3-and-1 over Doug Kent.
