Wildcat golfer wins playoff

MINERAL WELLS, W.Va. - A pair of first-time winners topped their respective divisions here Wednesday at Woodridge Plantation during the next-to-last event of the Mid-Ohio Valley Junior Golf Association.

St. Marys High School senior Cole Burkhammer edged Parkersburg South senior Austin Root on the first playoff hole to capture the 16-18 title after they both shot 4-over par 75s from the 6,830-yard black tees. In the 13-15 division, sophomore Brandyn Offenberger of Waterford and Marietta freshman Seth Vannoy tied with 77s, but the Wildcat nipped the Tiger on the third playoff hole to win for the fourth time in five tournaments this summer.

Offenberger has locked up his second consecutive 13-15 MOVJGA crown as his 97 points leads both Vannoy (73) and Alex Schreckengost (70).

Fort Frye's Zach Warren, who finished third at Woodridge with a 76, has earned the $1,000 scholarship since he leads the 16-18 division with 142 points.

The race for the $500 runner-up scholarship will come down to either Root or Parkersburg High School senior Jansen McCloy. McCloy, who went 6-6-6 on the first three holes at Woodridge and finished sixth with an 84, has 111 points while Root has 105.

Root could've been closer than six points entering the final event, which starts at 8:30 a.m. Friday at South Hills, but he suffered his third playoff defeat this year. Burkhammer, who was 1 under par on the front nine, made par at No. 1 in the playoff.

"I three-putted from 100 feet," Root said of his bogey at No. 1.

"I hit it on the front of the green and the flag was all the way on the back."

Jordan McIntyre was fourth with a 77 and Tyler Cox bested McCloy for fifth after carding an 82.

After consecutive pars at No. 1 and No. 2, Offenberger scored another par and Vannoy made bogey at No. 4. Offenberger shot 2-over on the front and 4-over on the back at the 6,086-yard layout from the white tees on the par-71 course. The Wildcat golfer said he didn't have a three-putt all day.

Mac McCormick shot an 83 to finish third. Dylan Cress' 85 was good for fourth while Alex Schrenkengost, Brennen Ferrell and Sam Petty took fifth through seventh respectively after rounds of 89.

Playing in just his third tournament of the summer, Drew Wells' 3-over par 39 on the back nine topped the 12-and-under field. Wells finished fourth at Mingo Bottom and fifth at St. Marys in his other two events.

Adeena Shears, who leads the division with 109 points, took runner-up honors with a 41. Despite dropping a 45-footer for birdie, the best Alex Eastham could do on the day was take third with his 45. Trevor Gorrell and Mason Winans rounded out the top five with 46s. The remainder of the top 10 included Alec Milhoan (48), Tyler Palmer (48), Seth Hall (54), Logan Nay (55) and Dalton Smith (55).