PIQUA — Ryan Groff has had a lot of success in the Miami County Golf Championship.
And that continued over the weekend at Miami Shores and Echo Hills Golf Courses.
Groff opened with a one-over par 73 Saturday in brutal conditions and followed it with a two-und par Sunday at Echo Hills to record a five-shot victory.
“I have been runnerup a number of times (along with winning multiple titles),” Groff said. “I was just thinking I didn’t want to be runnerup again.”
Matt Mauer had the round of the day Saturday in tough conditions, shooting a one-under par 71 that left Groff two shots back.
“It was cold and windy,” Groff said about Saturday. “I just kind of wanted to do what I do today and take one shot at a time.”
Groff had a roller-coaster front nine that included four birdies, three bogeys and just two pars for a one-under par 35.
“It was really up and down,” Groff said. “I had four birdies. I had a really bad bogey on nine, where I hit it into the water.”
On the back nine, Groff was pretty consistent in another one-under par 35.
“It gets a little tighter when you get to the back nine here (at Echo Hills),” Groff said. “On 13, I hit it 20 yards over the green, which is a really tough spot. I was happy to get out of there with a bogey.”
He would finish with birdies on the par-4 16th and par-4 18th for a five shot victory.
“I felt like I was in pretty good shape after 16,” Groff said. “I drove the green and two-putted for birdie. But again, I was just staying focused on one shot at a time.”
Brian Deal and Jeremy Mears tied for second with 4-over par 148 totals.
Deal shot 75 and 73 while Mears shot 76 and had had a even-par 72 at Echo Hills.
Justin Weber was another shot back to take fourth, with rounds of 75 and 74.
Maurer rounded out the top five, following his 71 with a 79 at Echo Hills for a 150 total.
First Flight
Andrew Lindeman rallied from seven shots back to record a five-shot victory in the first flight.
Lindeman opened with an 85 at shores and trailed leader Nick Long by seven shots.
But, he responded with a 79 at Echo Hills to win by five shots with a 164 total.
Jeff Gluck took second with rounds of 81 and 88 for a 69 total and Lance England took third with rounds of 86 and 85 for a 171 total.
Seniors
Jeff Poettinger ran away with the Seniors title.
Poettinger had duplicate rounds of 74 for a 148 total.
Kevin Monroe was second with rounds of 94 and 87 for a 181 total.
Super Seniors
Johm Mutschler won a thriller in the Super Seniors.
Mutschler had a two-shot lead going to the 18th hole and bogey was good enough for him to hold on for a one-shot win.
Mutschler had rounds of 81 and 84 for a 165 total and Jim Ross took second with rounds of 80 and 86 for a 166 total.
Super Duper Seniors
The Super Duper competition came down to a playoff, with Ron Kress defeating Jim Sass after both finished with a 151 total.
Kress had rounds of 78 and 73 and Sass had rounds of 76 and 75.
Lynn Denlinger had duplicate rounds of 77 for a 154 total to take third.
Sports Editor Rob Kiser can be reached at [email protected]