Huber Hts. teen poised to win Ohio Amateur

Associated Press

WILLOUGHBY

Michael Bernard doesn’t look like a 16-year-old. And he certainly doesn’t play golf like one.

Now the junior-to-be at Wayne High School in Huber Heights stands on the precipice of making history as the youngest player to ever win the Ohio Amateur.

Earlier in the week he had expressed confidence he could achieve that milestone.

“What I said was if I were playing my best that I didn’t think anyone could beat me,” he said. “I mean, obviously I’m not playing my best. I’m playing extremely good. I think I can definitely win it.”

Not my best?

Bernard shot a 69 to run down and catch Bill Williamson, who had led after each of the first two rounds and up until the final hole of Thursday’s third round.

Sporting a wispy blond beard that makes him look years older, Bernard stands at 7-under 206. He’s a shot better than Williamson heading into what could a be a wild finish at Kirtland Country Club.

Playing in the same group with Williamson and Michael Cress, Bernard showed every bit as much maturity and calm. At one point he birdied four straight holes, and he seldom encountered much trouble.

Now he has to show such aplomb in today’s final round. He already has thought about his mental approach.

“It all depends on what position I’m in going to the back nine,” he said. “Obviously, on the front nine I’m going to just play normal and try to make good shots. If it comes down to a match-play situation with four holes left [and it is close] I might change my strategy a little bit.”

Williamson, a 33-year-old attorney from Cincinnati who played college golf at Akron, held off Bernard, who was playing in the same threesome, until finishing double-bogey, bogey.