Miller places second in Ohio Open

Staff report

Concord Township

Photo

Mill Creek Golf Course golf director Dennis Miller

After birdieing the 17th hole to pull within one of the lead at the final round of the Ohio Open, Dennis Miller turned to Bob Sowards and joked, “Well, at least you won’t have a cakewalk on 18.”

Minutes later, Miller nearly forced a playoff but his birdie putt rolled just past the hole. The Mill Creek Golf Course pro settled for a final-round 71 that left him one shot behind Sowards in the three-day event at Quail Hollow Country Club.

“I was just telling my wife, if I finished 10th I’d sleep tonight not thinking about it,” said the 40-year-old Miller, who shot 65-69 over the first two days and finished at 205. “But when you lose by one, you go over the whole round saying, ‘Oh, if I’d only done this or made that.’”

Austintown native Garrett Frank, a regular on the Canadian Tour, finished in a tie for third at 206. He birdied six holes and bogeyed five to finish with a 70 on Wednesday.

Sowards, a Dublin native who trailed Miller by one shot entering the final round, shot 69 with his key shot being an eagle on 14.

Miller made five birdies and five bogeys Wednesday after making just one bogey over the first two rounds.

“On Monday and Tuesday, I hit it as good as I’ve ever hit in my life,” he said. “I made more putts [Wednesday] but I didn’t hit it as good.”

Miller made $4,000 for the finish, while Sowards took home $8,000.

“It was a really good tournament and it was fun to be in the heat down the stretch,” said Miller. “I’m about 90 percent happy and 10 percent disappointed.”