FINAL RESULTS: 2015 ADGA Golfer of the Year

Barn-burners, both.

The Championship Division title of the 2015 ADGA Golfer of the Year Tournament was decided in a playoff, and the Senior Division turned into a nail-biter that featured some big Sunday comebacks.

In the Championship Division, Aaron Crewse of Cuyahoga Falls and Brian Smith of Amherst finished tied at even par 144 after 36 holes at Shady Hollow Country Club in Massillon, and the two men headed to a playoff.

On the first hole, both players found the fairway from the tee.

But both players then hit less than stellar second shots from the fairway.

From 130 yards in the center of the fairway, Smith came up short right — and in a bad break the ball rolled back down the hill.

Crewse had a tough baseball stance shot along the left edge of the fairway from about 80 yards out, and he pulled it short and left into the greenside bunker.

Both players had difficult third shots, and both players hit spectacular recoveries to inside five feet. Then both players rolled home their tricky par putts to continue.

On the par-3 second hole, Crewse went first and hit a beauty from 167-yards to 15-feet above the hole.

Smith hit his tee shot a bit heavy and it came up just short of the green.

From a scrubby lie, Smith pitched up to 3 feet below the hole and looked to have a sure par. But Brian didn’t get a chance to make it.

Crewse took advantage of his ‘putt to win’ opportunity and rolled it directly in the center, taking the 2015 Golfer of the Year Tournament title.

(See more photos from the Championship Division playoff in the 2015 ADGA GOY Photo Gallery here.)

In the Senior Division, it was a three horse race — and the lead horse held on to take the win.

Bill Downing was the first-round leader after shooting a sizzling 69 on Saturday.

But Tom Laubacher and Rick Bryson pushed Downing right up until the end on Sunday.

With some solid final round play, Laubacher shot a 3-under par 69 of his own in the group in front of Downing. Playing along side Downing, Bryson birdied three of his last four holes to really turn up the heat — but had a 3-putt bogey on 17 and finished with 71.

That allowed Downing to get in the house with a final round gut-check 74 and win by a single shot!

The Golfer of the Year Tournament is likely to return to Shady Hollow Country Club for a third year in 2016. The players of the ADGA appreciate the hospitality and great golf course conditions the club provides for the season’s final event!

FINAL RESULTS:
2015 Akron District Golf Association
Golfer of the Year Tournament
Shady Hollow Country Club, Massillon
September 19 – 20, 2015

CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION

 
CHAMPIONSHIP SKINS: $45 ea
#3 Simpson
#5 Topeka
#7 Smith
#11 Vincelette

SENIOR DIVISION

 
SENIOR SKINS: $50 EA
#2 Bryson
#8 Bell
#14 Laubacher
#18 Bryson