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Ek wins county golf title

By Jim Downey jdowney@heraldstandard.Com 3 min read
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John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard

Laurel Highlands’ Johnathan Ek putts on the sixth green at Duck Hollow Golf Club during the 2015 Fayette Scholastic Open. Ek, a sophomore, defeated Albert Gallatin’s Tanner Kutek on the first playoff hole for the individual title.

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Laurel Highlands' Olivia Soom drops her putt into the cup on the sixth green Friday during the Fayette Scholastic Open at Duck Hollow Golf Club. Soom, a sophomore, finished with an 89.

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John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard

Uniontown’s Logan Levander chips from an uphill lie onto the sixth green at Duck Hollow Golf Club during Friday’s Fayette Scholastic Open. Levander shot 86 to earn all-county honors.

Eighteen holes wasn’t enough golf to decide the county’s best golfer, so Johnathan Ek and Tanner Kutek played on Friday afternoon at Duck Hollow Golf Club.

Ek, a sophomore at Laurel Highlands, parred No. 1, the first playoff hole, to defeat Albert Gallatin senior Tanner Kutek, who had a bogey-5.

Ek and Kutek tied at 9-over 79, the only two golfers to break 80.

Kutek and fellow all-county performer Cole Bogozi led the Colonials to the big school team title. Southmoreland won the small school crown with 447.

The course was laid out to play in 70, instead of the normal 72.

Both Ek and Kutek opened on No. 1, and Ek said he had a tough time on the first nine holes.

“The front half was rough,” said Ek, which included a 3-putt.

Ek turned his game around on the back nine.

“I made a 20-footer on No. 14 for a birdie. That was big,” said Ek. “I had a two-putt for par on No. 17 and I made a par save on No. 18.”

Ek had a score in mind as he approached his second county golf tournament. He shot 92 last year as a freshman.

“I wanted to shoot between 77 and 82. I met my goal,” said Ek, adding, “I could’ve been better. (His score) could’ve been 75. It was just stupid mistakes. I didn’t trust myself on the tees or the greens.”

Kutek finished fourth last year with an 82. With defending champion Mike Lubrani and half of the Belle Vernon squad playing in the TriCADA tournament, the field was wide open for a new champion.

“This course played real hard. It’s tough when you hit good shots and are not rewarded for them,” explained Kutek. “I was misreading putts. I let some putts get away from me.

“I hit the ball way too good to shoot 79.”

Kutek wanted to use the tournament as a way to kickstart his senior season.

“I came in with a lot of confidence. My expectations were a little higher than how I finished,” said Kutek.

Kutek maintained how he plays affects his teammates and vice versa.

“If I play well, I set the tone for not just me, but for my whole team. They do the same for me,” said Kutek.

There won’t be a lot of time for the field to gather themselves because most of the nine teams in attendance jump right into section play on Monday.

“Today helped. It was a confidence booster,” said Ek. “I like jumping right into (section matches).”

Belle Vernon’s Deven Judy was third with an 80, one stroke ahead of teammate Matt Dawson. Uniontown freshman Danae Rugola was alone in fifth with an 82. Bogozi and Geibel Catholic’s Anthony Lovat tied at 84. Southmoreland’s Josh Redding shot an 85.

Frazier senior Annika Erdely and Laurel Highlands’ Jarrod Sutton, also a senior, earned all-county honors again with an 86. Uniontown’s Logan Levander, who missed making all-county last year by one stroke, also shot 86 to round out the all-county squad.

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