2016 Match PlayWritten By: Greg Johnson
Monroe’s Chad Johnson Rallies to Win Michigan Publinx State Match
Play
OAKLAND TOWNSHIP – Chad Johnson of Monroe trailed Leo Daigle of Wixom
through the day, but stayed close.
Close
enough to win three of the last five holes to emerge with a 1-up victory and
the Michigan Publinx State Match Play Championship Tuesday at Twin Lakes Golf
Club.
“I
was fortunate,” the 30-year-old medical salesman said of his first major state
victory. “My short gave saved me all week, and it was the reason I was even in
this match.”
Daigle,
52, lamented some missed putts on the front nine that might have turned his
2-up lead through 13 holes into something larger.
“I had a
few putts to bury him, but didn’t make them and let him hang around,” Daigle
said. “We played just long enough for my age – he had 22 years on me – and
being tired from all the golf this week to wear on me. I hit a few loose shots
coming in and it really cost me, but he outplayed me and deserved to win. He
made three sand saves on the front nine. He just kept grinding and hanging in
there.”
Johnson
hit a shot on the 182-yard par 3 No. 14 hole to two feet for birdie to pull
within one hole, and then chipped to 18 inches to save par at 17 while Daigle
played to bogey.
On
18, Daigle’s second shot on the par 5 found the long grass on the right and his
third shot went into a back bunker and the result was a bogey. Johnson made par
and had the win.
“Leo is
a great competitor and the nicest guy you would ever want to meet,” said
Johnson, a former Wayne State University and Canton High School golfer who
recently took four years off from competitive golf to concentrate on his sale
career.
“It
means a lot to win this. There are so many great players in this, and all of my
matches were so tough this week. In match play you just keep have to keep
grinding it out.”
Johnson reached the final match with a semifinal win over Austin Kreger
of Harrison Township in 20 holes on Friday, and Daigle made his way to the
title match with a 2 and 1 win over Andrew Smith of Troy.
Champions were also crowned in a Senior bracket and Super Senior bracket. Matt
Wiley of Canton beat Steve Sierawski of Sterling Heights 6 and 5 in the Senior
title match, and Tom Day of Linden topped Mike Keneally of Bloomfield Hills 3
and 2 in the Super Senior final.
Complete
results and the match play brackets can be found at www.mipublinx.com