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AROUND THE VALLEY Area golf news & notes
Mill Creek’s Andy Santor earns Top 5 finish
ELYRIA
Mill Creek Park Golf Course PGA professional Andy Santor finished in fourth place at the Northern Ohio PGA Stableford Stroke Play Tournament at Elyria Country Club earlier this month. Santor shot an even par round of 72 in the senior division
Matt Gurska cards eagle in college golf finale
NEW HAVEN, CONN.
Last year’s Greatest Golfer of the Valley open division champion Matt Gurska closed out his college golf career with an eagle in the final round of an NCAA regional tournament last weekend. In what was likely going to be his final event with Robert Morris University, Gurska put together rounds of 77-73-75 for a three-day total of 225 and a 65th place finish. He did finish in style, recording one of only four eagles in the tournament on the 553-yard par-5 16th hole at The Course at Yale. The Colonials finished 13th as a team in the New Haven regional.
Cooper, Braydich place well at Junior PGA qualifier
ORRVILLE
Two more Mahoning Valley golfers placed well at a Northern Ohio PGA Junior Golf sectional qualifier on Saturday. Christina Cooper of Canfield took first in the girls 16-18 division with a 2-over par round of 73 at Riceland Golf Course. Cardinal Mooney’s Nick Braydich finished second in the boys 16-18 division with a 1-under round of 70. Hannah Keffler of Canfield was the other area golfer competing in the event. She shot 88, which wasn’t enough to qualify in the girls 13-15 division. However, she did win that division last week at Trumbull Country Club. The sectional championship is June 22-23 at Shady Hollow Country Club in Massillon.
Greatest Juniors points through one event
After nearly needing a playoff to decide the boys 17-and-under qualifier in the year’s first Greatest Golfer of the Valley junior event, Jacob Wilson turned in a score of 78 to earn the first spot in the final. That leaves James Graham, Joey Shushok and Brian Velasquez at the top of the points standings with five points a piece in their division. Michael Butch, Chris Austalosh and Avery Andric round out the top 6. In the girls 17-and-under division, the order ranks Kaci Carpenter, Taylor Vassis, Sarah Brindley, Britney Jonda, Emily Marcavish, and Cheyenne Titus. Despite shooting a 76, Keegan Butler had to settle for five points in the boys 14-and-under standings. Justin Atkinson and Andy Murphy trail him. Olivia Taylor lead the girls 14-and-under division. The standings will update following each junior qualifier.