NIAGARA JUNIOR GOLF TOUR
NOTL golfer wins after three playoff holes
Cole Neufeld of Ridgeway finished second at the third stop of the Niagara District Junior Golf Assosiation tournament held at Rolling Meadow in Niagara Falls.
It took a few extra holes, but Jonathon Snook is back on top of the leader board.
After winning the Niagara Junior Tour season opener earlier this month — his first win in f our years — Snook needed just two more tournaments for his next win, defeating Ridgeway’s Cole Neufeld on the third playoff hole at Rolling Meadows Golf and Country Club in Niagara Falls Monday.
“I sort of thought someone would come in lower, but the scoring hasn’t been really good
today,” said Snook, who shared shooting a 72 with Neufeld after 18 holes on a sweltering hot day. “It’s tough to play (in these conditions) and the course has a lot of tricky little shots.
“I didn’t hit the ball all too well, but I made up for it with my short game.”
On his second-last hole, Snook drained a 15-foot chip and it was an approach shot from about 70 feet out, dropping within a foot of the pin, that set him up for the winning putt.
“It’s good to finish strong. It leaves you with a better feeling of the whole day,” the 18- yearold said.
With the win, Snook leapfrogs Zack Hallborg in the standings after trailing by a halfpoint heading into Monday’s tournament.
With six more stops left on the tour, Neufeld is feeling better about his game.
The narrow second- place finish propelled the 16-year-old from the middle of the pack to near the top 10.
“I’m very happy with it. Last year I would have shot about an 80 here,” he said, adding tweaking his swing has helped his overall game.
Monday, it was his short game that prevented Neufeld from winning the tournament.
He managed to hit the green from the tee on the par- four eighth hole, only to three-putt to a par.
He also missed another threefoot putt later in the day.
“I was thinking a little too much. I could have done better,” he said.
For Alexandra Taylor, her first time on the course turned out to be a memorable one. Her 80 was enough to win the girls tournament.
The Thorold golfer had a solid round going until the final three holes where she tripled twice.
Still, her previous play proved to be enough to hold on to the title.
“My short shots and putting were going very well today,” the 16-year-old said. “I’ve been practising a lot on them.”
Winning the bantam division was Justin Dicienzo of Niagara Falls, shooting a 79.