Despite the more than 4 inches of rain that fell during championship week and the more than 10 ½ hours of rain delays our defending champion, Josh Gilkison prevailed.
Josh, an incoming freshman at Kent State, started the tournament with an even par around of 70, which left him 6 shots out of the lead, as his brother Jake, a junior on the University of Dayton golf team, opened the first round with an outstanding 64.
Josh's second round started routinely with two pars and bogey before kicking it into overdrive with a history setting double eagle on the 506 yard 4th hole when he played is first and second shot with 3 irons in recording the only double eagle in Metropolitan Championship history.
His fine play continued, playing the remaining 14 holes, 6 under par to shoot a -8 under 62, tying a 10-year-old low score record set by 5 time champion, Pete Samborsky in the 2007 Metropolitan.
After his fine second round 62, his two-round total of 132, gave him a 2-shot lead over the 2017 Ohio Amateur Champion, Austin Sipe (69-65).
The 3rd Rd was delayed due to storms and overnight rain, but once play started it got hot as both Josh and Pete Samborsky fired 3rd round scores of 63 followed closely with a 65 by his brother Jake Gilkison. Josh’s lead increased to 6 shots, a lead that would never be put in serious jeopardy after that point.
The 4th round start was delayed by one hour, as overnight storms dumped 1 ¼ “of rain, again testing the skills of all the Turf Maintenance Crew, which was so ably lead by Superintendent, Taylor Hause. Shortly after all the players where on the course, play was suspended as lightning moved through the area and play resumed at 12:30pm with the leaders in the 3rd tee. Josh closed out his victory with a 4th round low score of 67, which contained an eagle, 2 on 317 yard, Hole #14 as he drove the green and knocked in a 15-foot putt.
Over in the Ladies Division, Allyssa Burritt who plays for the University of Cincinnati won with an 8 over par, 3 round total of 221. Winning the Mid-Am Division was Tee Pazitney and the Senior Division was Daryl Nels.
Closing notes,
33 players made the cut that fell at 8 over, 148.
Heatherwoode Golf Club was set up at a par of 70, playing #9 as a par 4 and the course played between 6508 and 6545 with one par 4 being shorted each round.
The average score for the event was 74.948.
Josh Gilkison had a 45 hole stretch from his Double Eagle on Hole #4 in the 2nd Round to Hole #13 of the Final Round without a bogey where he played 17 under par golf.
