NEWS
Jason Wilson rallies to win 2017 Lehigh Valley Medal Play Championship
March 26, 2018
Jason Wilson rallies to win 2017 Lehigh Valley Medal Play Championship
LEHIGH TWP. — When Jason Wilson finished his final round Saturday at Woodstone Country Club, he thought a pair of bogeys on the last two holes cost him the title in the 27th annual Lehigh Valley Medal Play Championship.
But after Chad Hess three-putt for a bogey from 35 feet above the cup on the 18th green, Wilson won the coveted event.
Wilson, trailing leader host course golfer Nick Lukow most of the day, rallied with a final-round 1-under-par 33-38–71.
A 43-year-old South Whitehall Township resident, Wilson finished with a 36-hole score of 5-over-par 78-71–149 to win by one stroke over Hess, who shot 76-74–150.
Recent Nazareth graduate Kevin Scherr was third at 77-74–151. Headed to Youngstown State on a partial golf scholarship, Scherr won the 2016 PIAA state title.
Former Allen golfer Nick Lukow, who held the lead both days until a triple-bogey Saturday on the par-5 14th hole, placed fourth with a 74-78–152.
Playing a group ahead of Saturday’s final pairing of Hess, Scherr and Lukow, Wilson held a one stroke lead over Lukow and a two shot edge over Hess through 16 holes.
However, a three-putt bogey from six feet above the hole on the par-5 17th hole, and a bogey on the par-4 18th hole after driving into a lake right of the 18th fairway left a frustrated Wilson burying his head into his hands in the scoring area behind the 18th green.
“I thought I gave the tournament away with two bogeys,” said Wilson, a former Parkland golfer. “I thought a birdie there on 17 would have put me in good position. I didn’t make a bad swing on 18, but it was a little right.”
Wilson, who won the 2010 Lehigh Valley Inter-Club title, was pleased to win on the challenging Woodstone layout.
“This is a good one to win,” said Wilson, the reigning Green Pond CC club champion. “This is a tough 36 hole test. This course tests a lot of shots in your bag.”
Hess, a rising senior golfer at Old Dominion University, parred the 16th and 17th holes to gain a share of the lead with Wilson.
He struck his approach shot 35 feet above the cup on the back fringe of the 18th green, then missed a 10 foot par putt which would have forced a playoff. Overall, Hess had four three-putt bogeys during the final round.
Lukow, a 32-year-old Whitehall Township resident, had a bogey, bogey, double bogey finish after errant tee shots on the 16th (right of the green), 17th (hooked drive into trees), and 18th holes (pushed drive into lake).
Entering Saturday’s final round, Lukow’s opening round 74 led Hess by two strokes.
Lukow, paced by birdies on the third, sixth, and ninth holes, shot 1-under-par 35 on Saturday’s front nine to hold two stroke edge over Wilson, who had a 3-under-par 33 on the front side. Wilson eagled the 559-yard par-5 third hole (20 foot putt), and birdied the sixth and ninth holes.
“I thought 3-under-par on the front was a good start,” Wilson said. “I thought if I could get a couple more on the back nine, I would be in good shape.”
Lukow’s lead was cut to one stroke after a bogey on the tenth hole, but he scrambled for pars on the 12th and 13th holes to maintain a one shot lead over Wilson.
On the par-5 14th hole, Lukow hooked his drive into a wooded area, and had to take a two stroke lost ball penalty en route to a costly triple bogey.
Wilson attributed his victory to his teaching professional Paul Viola of the Bethlehem Golf Club, and to some motivation from record four-time defending champion Cole Miller, who did not compete in the tournament due to his participation in next week’s British Amateur.
Playing a round with Miller last week, Wilson said Miller prodded him to win the event. “Cole said if he could not be there, he wanted me to win it.”
27th annual Lehigh Valley Medal Play Championship
Woodstone Country Club (par 72)
Final top-10 scores:
1. Jason Wilson 78-71-149 (5-over-par); 2. Chad Hess 76-74-150; 3. Kevin Scherr 77-74-151; 4. Nicholas Lukow 74-78-152; 5-T. Steve Kluemper 83-74-157, Lee Nonnemacher 81-76-157; 7-T. Jim Maru 82-76-158, Luke Smith 80-78-158; 9. Nick Maff 83-76-159; 10. Michael Casella 82-80-162.
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