OHIO AMATEUR Kyle Reifers adds trophy to family's collection

The 20-year-old's victory came on the 100th anniversary of the event.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- The Reifers legacy in state amateur golf has been extended to another generation.
Kyle Reifers birdied six of the first 13 holes and shot the day's low round with a 67 to win the 98th Ohio Amateur by three strokes on Friday at Columbus Country Club.
"It's a great feeling that since I was little, this has always had a certain prestige," Reifers said of the tournament. "There are a lot of other good amateur tournaments going on this week and I think I made the right decision coming here. It's a great experience."
Demon Deacon
Reifers, 20, will be a sophomore at Wake Forest, where he is No. 2 on the Demon Deacons golf team.
This spring, he won the Monroe Invitational, which draws some of the finest amateur players in the country. It was his breakthrough win on a national scale; now he has a big win statewide.
And he is able to add to the family trophy case, which now includes four state amateur trophies.
His mother, Alison, who followed him every step of the final 36 holes, won the women's Ohio Am in 1991 at Portage Country Club.
Kyle's father, Randy, owns two Ohio Amateur championships, winning in 1986 at Coldstream Country Club in Cincinnati and following that with a win in 1992 at NCR in Dayton.
Randy shot a 77 in Friday's final round and finished tied for 31st.
"My heart and my head were in other spots," he said, preoccupied with how his son was doing. "I'm so proud of him I can't believe it."
Alison recognized when he was just a boy that Kyle was mature beyond his years.
"This kid always had a disposition for the game of golf," she said. "He was like a little old man. His focus was different from other kids."
Kyle's closing 67 -- one of only two scores below 70 from the 43 players in the final round -- followed rounds of 68, 72 and 74 and left him at 7-under 281.
Select company
Now he will have his name etched on the championship trophy under those of other Ohio Am champions such as Arnold Palmer, John Cook and Ben Curtis.
He was able to soak up some of the event's history at a gala dinner on Monday night celebrating the 100th anniversary of the sponsoring Ohio Golf Association.
"In 20 years, it'll be great to look back on this, having this be the 100th anniversary and so many of the past champions came back," he said. "You see guys who won it in '56 and '64. It's pretty special. They might not even play now but this holds a special place in their heart."
Reifers began the day in a two-way tie for fourth place, a shot back of co-leaders Jeff Scohy, Michael Kelley and Tyler Riley.