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Graham, Jonda and Colbert the final Greatest Golfer qualifiers
Jonda, Graham, Colbert among final qualifiers
By STEVE WILAJ
WARREN
Jimmy Graham entered Thursday’s final qualifying round of the 2016 Flynn Automotive Group Juniors Greatest Golfer of the Valley tournament looking to protect his home course.
He did just that.
In the boys 17-U, the Warren JFK sophomore took a 72 for a first-place finish — barely edging Dean Austalosh, who finished second with a 73. Graham qualified on his home course of Trumbull Country Club.
Meanwhile, the final girls 17-U qualifier was Boardman High junior Britney Jonda, who shot an 84. Both will play in the championship round on July 22-23.
“I had eight one-putts on the front, so I was playing really, really well,” Graham said. “My putter was good, my driver was really good — I was just focused on shooting a really low number today and it worked.”
Said Jonda: “I was hitting my drives good off the tee. My putting saved me a lot. I still need to work on a couple things, but I’ll get that before the championship.”
Graham finished with four birdies on the day, including one on hole No. 7, which he said keyed him.
“It really helped me,” Graham said. “I made birdie there and then parred [holes] eight and nine to go one-under on the front. So that really started me. On the back it was a shaky start — par, par, par, bogey — but I played really well. I’m happy.”
With his second-place finish, Austalosh is one of the six point-total qualifiers for the championship round.
The other five are Bobby Jonda (who shot a 78 on Thursday), Joey Vitali (78), Zach Jacobson (76), Ken Keller (76) and RJ Pozzuto (withdrew).
Keller — who averaged 74.5 for the season — snuck in despite playing just two Greatest qualifiers.
Bryan Kordupel and Anthony Graziano also took a 74 and 78, respectively, although they were already qualified for the finals with first-place finishes earlier in the season. In addition to those two, Brian Terlesky, Cade Kreps and Cole Christman won earlier qualifiers, as well, and will play in the finals.
The six girls 17-U point-total qualifiers are: Erika Hoover, Jenna Jacobson (86), Carmel Cerimele (85), Kaci Carpenter (88), Victoria Messuri (97) and Emily Marcavish (98).
They’ll be joined by previous qualifier-winners Hannah Keffler (who shot a low-score of 80 Thursday), Jenna Vivo, Sydney Heinbaugh (92), Emily Koehler (84), Gillian Cerimele and, of course, Jonda.
“I’m very excited,” Jonda said. “I can’t wait. Last year I didn’t do so well, but this year I’m sure I’ll do pretty good.
“Today I just tried to hit the fairway and hit the greens. That’s really it.”
Also, Cameron Colbert qualified in the boys 14-U. He shot an 86. Justin Atkinson, who was already qualified, shot a low-score of 80.
This is the seventh season for Greatest Golfer, and it has grown from an event serving 90 golfers to now impacting 3,000 golfers, 12 golf courses and 24 charities.