Redding wins playoff for state golf berth
Kelly Tunney | Herald-Standard
Southmoreland’s Josh Redding drives off the first tee at the Allegheny Country Club in Thursday’s WPIAL Boys Class AA Individual Golf Championship in Sewickley. Redding won a sudden-death playoff to finish 16th and advance to the PIAA Class AA Western Regional Individual Qualifier.
Kelly Tunney | Herald-Standard
Waynesburg Central’s Aaron Yorio tees off on the first hole at the Allegheny Country Club during the WPIAL Boys Class AA Individual Golf Championship on Thursday in Sewickley.
Bentworth’s Christian Sadler places his ball on the first green during the WPIAL Boys Class AA Individual Golf Championship at Allegheny Country Club. Sadler tied for 12th and earned a berth into the state regional tournament.
Carmichaels' Liam Shea lines up his putt on the ninth green of the Allegheny Country Club in the WPIAL Boys Class AA Individual Golf Championship.
Waynesburg Central's Aaron Yorio hits an approach shot from the fairway during the WPIAL Boys Class AA Individual Golf Championship on Thursday at Allegheny Country Club in Sewickley.
Southmoreland's Josh Redding watches his putt on the first green during Thursday's WPIAL Boys Class AA Individual Golf Championship at Allegheny Country Club in Sewickley.
Carmichaels' Matthew Barrish eyes up his putt on the ninth hole at the Allegheny Country Club on Thursday as he competed in the WPIAL Boys Class AA Individual Golf Championship.
Jefferson-Morgan's Gage Clark tips his putter to a coach after sinking a long putt on the ninth green on Thursday during the WPIAL Boys Class AA Individual Golf Championship at Allegheny Country Club in Sewickley.
Bentworth's Christian Sadler (left) and California's Nathan Luketich walk down the first fairway during Thursday's WPIAL Boys Class AA Individual Golf Championship at Allegheny Country Club in Sewickley.
Southmoreland's Josh Redding eyes up his putt on the first green at Allegheny Country Club Thursday in the WPIAL Boys Class AA Individual Golf Championship. Redding won a sudden-death playoff to earn the 16th berth into the state western qualifier.
Waynesburg Central's Aaron Yorio eyes the green at the first hole of the Allegheny Country Club during Thursday's WPIAL Boys Class AA Individual Golf Championship in Sewickley. Yorio advanced to the state regional tournament after tying for 14th place with a 10-over 80.
California's Nathan Luketich hits a drive in the rain during Thursday's WPIAL Boys Class AA Individual Golf Championship at Allegheny Country Club in Sewickley.
Bentworth's Christian Sadler eyes up his drive on the second hole at Allegheny Country Club in Sewickley on Thursday. Sadler tied for 12th place in the WPIAL Boys Class AA Individual Golf Championship to advance to the PIAA western regional.
SEWICKLEY — Southmoreland’s Josh Redding hit a remarkable shot from a fairway bunker on the first playoff hole for a 4-foot birdie putt to earn the 16th and final berth into the PIAA Class AA Western Regional qualifier Thursday at the WPIAL Boys Class AA Individual Golf Championship at Allegheny Country Club.
Waynesburg Central’s Aaron Yorio, sparked by a hole-in-one, finished 14th and Bentworth’s Christian Sadler tied for 12th to earn a spot on the medal stand and a berth into the state western regional on Monday, Oct. 17, at Tom’s Run in Blairsville.
Riverside freshman Skyler Fox shot a 2-over 72 for the Class AA title. Sewickley Academy’s Jason Li and South Park’s Tyler Brinker tied for second place on shot back.
Redding thought he was the odd man out in 17th place when he completed his round with a 12-over 82, but the marker for California’s Nate Luketich incorrectly recorded a score on the championship scoring website so Luketich slipped from an 80 and a tie in 14th place with Yorio into a tie with Redding for the final spot.
The two opened the sudden-death playoff on No. 1. Luketich parred the hole in regulation, while Redding had a bogey.
Redding won the opportunity to tee off first and his tee shot settled in a fairway bunker to the left of the fairway. Luketich’s drive settled nicely in the fairway.
“That was a scary shot there. I’m thinking I’m done. I’m not good out of fairway bunkers,” said Redding. “I hit a pitching wedge. I wanted to get it around the green and just make par.”
Redding settled his footing and hit what just might be his shot of the season, flying the ball onto the green, checking up about four feet from the pin.
Luketich’s approach shot appeared to match Redding, but spun back towards the fairway for a more challenging birdie opportunity. Luketich’s putt for birdie came up short, allowing Redding to putt for the playoff win.
“It was four feet. It was long enough to make me worry,” explained Redding.
Redding hit the putt dead center to grab the final state tournament berth. Luketich is the first alternate.
Redding had the opportunity to avoid the playoff on the final hole, but carded a bogey after his approach shot spun off the green and he took a two-putt.
Redding was very critical of his play, especially, and as it turned out, ironically, on the green after he finished his round.
“I didn’t putt to save my life. Everything was bad. I couldn’t even tell you,” said Redding. “I wanted to shoot in the 70s, but that didn’t happen.”
Luketich, too, said he left some shots on the course, especially late in the round, that would’ve kept him out of the playoff.
“I was going good until the last three holes. I struggled on them,” said Luketich, who was 6-over on the holes. “I lost my tee shot on No. 16. I had putting mistakes on No. 18.
“I was angry on the last hole.”
But, Luketich also mentioned he made enough shots to stay in contention.
“I made a lot of good up-and-downs,” said Luketich. “This is a tough course. I had to hit the ball straight and keep short of the pins.”
Yorio picked the right time for his first hole-in-one, scoring his ace on No. 15, a 135-yard par-3, with a 9-iron.
“The ball landed 15 feet past the pin and spun backwards into the hole,” Yorio said of the ace. “I definitely needed that. It wasn’t looking good at that point.”
But, Allegheny Country Club took back when Yorio had a double bogey on the next hole.
“I had a hole-in-one, double (bogey), par and par, so I played the last four holes even,” Yorio said with a smile.
A heavy rain drenched the course early in the championship. Yorio was on No. 3 when it hit.
“I played four holes in the pouring rain. I was 2-over,” said Yorio.
Yorio accomplished what he set out to do.
“My goal was to be in the top 16. As long as I get to move on, I don’t care,” added Yorio.
The goal of most golfers was to finish in the 70s, figuring that would be good enough for a top-16 finish. Sadler did just that, shooting a 79 to finish tied for 12th.
“It was a bad 79,” said Sadler. “I missed a few putts. That made the score go up quickly. I hit some good shots.
“I realized finishing in the upper 70s would be close. Considering this is my first time (in the WPIAL finals), I was shooting to be in the top 16.”
As with Yorio, Sadler said No. 15 was his turning point.
“I made a 15-foot birdie putt on No. 15 after a 3-putt. I felt good about that,” said Sadler.
Carmichaels’ Liam Shea had rocky start to his final district final and never recovered, finishing tied in 29th place with an 18-over 88. Shea hit his first two tee balls out of bounds right and then 4-putted the opening green.
“It was an awful 10. It’s not even a hard hole. I parred it in the practice round,” Shea said of his start.
Shea played the other eight holes on the front in 35 after a good par save out of the bunker on No. 9. He opened with a double bogey on the back nine and couldn’t get rolling to come back in 43.
“I know I’m good enough to play close to even on the rest of the holes,” said Shea of his approach after the first hole.
Shea has at least another round of high school golf left in the team playoffs, but his individual career comes to a close.
“I was way more nervous in the first round (sectionals). I came out pretty confident. I was 6-over in the practice round,” said Shea. “I turned it around a couple times. It just never came together. I was playing catch up the rest of the round.”
Jefferson-Morgan’s Gage Clark tied for 40th with a 23-over 93.
“The putting wasn’t there,” said Clark. “The rain just stopped the ball. Some greens were fast, some slow.
“After the first nine holes, I thought I had it going on the back. I lost two drives on No. 11. It went downhill after that.”
The Mikes’ Matthew Barrish tied with Clark at 93.
“I had a bad first hole. I hit my first one OB,” said the left-handed sophomore. “I went triple (bogey), double (bogey), double (bogey) to start off.
“I was nervous on the first tee, but I settled down after that. I just wasn’t hitting anything solid today. I love the course, but it just wasn’t my day.”