Knight claims Open title
BHS graduate shoots 69 in final round to edge McGarry
by one stroke
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Jay Knight chips onto the 11th green during Sunday's final round
of the Bellefontaine Examiner Logan County Open at Liberty Hills
Golf Club. Knight fired a final-round 69 to defeat Mike McGarry
by one stroke.
EXAMINER PHOTO | MATT HAMMOND
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By Matt Hammond
Examiner Sports Editor
8/07/06
For the 11th consecutive year, the Bellefontaine
Examiner Logan County Open has a first-time winner.
Making his fifth Open appearance, Jay Knight fired
a final-round 69 at Liberty Hills Golf Club on Sunday to win the tournament
title by one stroke over 1996 champ Mike McGarry.
"It's an amazing feeling," said Knight
after accepting the championship trophy and a $500 first-place prize.
"I had a great time out there today with Mike (McGarry) and Dave
(Linville)."
Knight, a 2002 Bellefontaine High School graduate
who won the B Flight last year, finished with an even par 213 for the
three-round tournament. In addition to Sunday's 69 at Liberty Hills, he
recorded rounds of 69 at Cherokee Hills and 75 at Tree Links.
The 213 was the second-best score in the eventıs
13-year history, three strokes behind Dave Linville's record of 210 set
last year.
Knight's effort Sunday also capped a drastic turnaround
from last year's tourney, when he finished 20 strokes off the lead and
won the B Flight.
"Last year I lost my focus," said the
22-year-old Knight. "This year it was a lot easier to put bad shots
behind me. I also was able to smooth out my swing mechanics.
"My major accomplishment this year was that
I felt everything came together with my game."
Linville entered Sunday with a one-shot lead
over Knight and a two-shot advantage over McGarry and Earl Zilles, who
was playing out of the amateur division.
However, Linville shot a 74 in the final round
to finish four strokes off the lead at 217.
"I struggled off the tee," said Linville.
"Jay and Mike were hitting the ball long and down the middle of the
fairway. I also could not make my putts and those two were dropping putts
all day long."
Zilles carded a 73 to finish fourth at 218.
McGarry opened with a 34 on the first nine holes
(the Open division played the back side at Liberty Hills first) to lead
by one stroke over Knight and by two over Linville and Zilles at the turn.
But Knight, who had a 36 on the first nine, quickly
made his move on the second nine. He birdied the second hole to pull even
with McGarry and another birdie on the fourth hole put Knight in the lead
for good.
However, there was not a shortage of excitement
down the stretch.
With a two-shot lead over McGarry through 16 holes,
Knight's second shot on the par-4 eighth hole found the bunker behind
the green. His third shot trickled across the green and stopped a few
feet into the rough.
Meanwhile, McGarryıs third shot from the deep
rough to the right of the green was chipped to within two feet.
Looking like he would lose at least one stroke
to McGarry, Knight stepped up and hit the biggest shot of the tournament.
He holed his chip to save par, while McGarry also tapped in for par.
"I probably hit the best shot of my life
on eight," said Knight. "I hit it exactly like I wanted to."
"The way he was approaching that shot, Jay
felt like he needed to make it," said McGarry. "He went after
it and made a great chip in.
"I thought I made a great four on that hole
and when he made that chip, I thought 'man it's his day.'"
The drama wasnıt over with, though.
On the final hole, Knight hit his tee shot into
the sand trap to the right of the ninth green.
McGarry put the pressure on by landing his tee
shot to within six feet of the hole.
However, McGarry missed his birdie putt and finished
with a par. Knight battled to bogey the hole to take his one-shot victory.
"I could not have hit a better tee shot,
but I pulled my putt," said McGarry. "I really needed to make
that birdie putt.
"But it was fun. We were all playing well.
If you lose, you want to lose to someone who played a great round, and
Jay did that."
Zilles took the top honors among amateur players,
winning the A Flight with a 218.
Other flight winners included Justin Warner in
B with 235, Ken Jenkins in C with a 242, Mike Conley in D with a 247,
Jeff Garlock in E with a 247, Jerry Norris and Darrin Leichty in a tie
for first in F with 250s, Mick Bervas in G with a 261, Scott Severt in
H with a 269 and Darren Titus in I with a 276.
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