Zach Miller added this year’s Lima City Men’s Golf Championship title to his 2022 victory in that tournament with a 1 up decision over last year’s champion Guillermo Menacho at the Shawnee Country Club on Sunday.
Zach Miller and Guillermo Menacho brought out the best in each other in a birdie-filled back nine in the title match in the championship flight of the Lima City Men’s Golf Championship at the Shawnee Country Club on Sunday.
But in the end, Miller’s best was just a little bit better, which gave him a 1-up win over Menacho, last year’s champion in this tournament.
He closed out the win by making a 15-foot putt at No. 18 for a par. Menacho had already parred the hole. If Miller had not made his putt there would have been a playoff to determine the champion.
Miller’s victory was his second city championship in the last three years. The University of Findlay golfer, an Allen East graduate, also won in 2022. Menacho, a University of Northwestern Ohio golfer from Bolivia, has been the champion and runner-up in the only two years he has played in the city tournament.
The two finalists played a good front nine. But the back nine turned up the volume. Turned up the pressure. And turned up the excitement when four straight holes and five of the six holes from No. 12 through No. 17 were decided by birdies. And that was followed by Miller’s tournament winning putt.
“Down the stretch we both played some really good golf. We both were a couple under par and neither of us gave anything away,” Miller said. “He hit some shots down the stretch that just were really good and made a couple of good putts to keep it going.
“It was competitve the whole way, especially down the stretch. The first nine you’re just kind of playing and then the back nine is where it really turns on. Once it gets tight it gets super competitive especially when we’re both hitting shots and playing really well the whole time,” he said.
Miller’s final putt deservedly was the centerpiece of his victory. But it might not have happened without the shot just before it.
Miller’s first shot at No. 18, a par 3, was left of the green in a place from which stopping the ball close to the hole was going to be a big challenge.
His chip shot exceeded his expecations. “The up and down there was just awesome. I had to hit a big flop shot to get it to 15 feet and make that (putt). It was cool to make. I was thinking anything inside 30 feet was going to be really good and I got it to 15 feet, so I was very pleased with that shot.”
Menacho said the competitiveness of two athletes going head to head elevated the level of the match in the final holes.
“I think it was just both of us trying to win the match, that’s what happened,” he said. “I wasn’t very great with putting (earlier). I three-putted a couple of times, or three or four times, which gave him easy wins. That’s where I basically lost the match. I am able to play better myself and he played great golf.”
Miller became the 25th male golfer to win at least two Lima city championships, dating back to 1925.
Eight other flight championships were decided on Sunday. Carter Frey defeated Seth Grieshop to win the first flight. Josh Buetner won the second flight over Shane Conrad. Scott Gephart beat Tug Taviano in the third flight championship match and Braydon Ruble was the fourth flight winner against Nicholas Sanchez.
In the senior flights, Dennis Medeiros defeated Matthew Akers in the senior championship flight, Keith Augustus won the senior open flight against Tim Grigsby, the Super Seniors Flight went to Bob Moser, who beat Dennis Thompson, and Bob Hollar won the super seniors plus flight over Pete Hubbell.
Lima City Men’s Golf Championship Results
Championship Flight
Zach Miller def. Guillermo Menacho 1-up
First Flight
Carter Frey def. Seth Grieshop 1-up
Second Flight
Josh Buetner def. Shane Conrad (no score provided)
Third Flight
Scott Gephart def. Tug Taviano (no score provided)
Fourth Flight
Braydon Ruble def. Nicholas Sanchez 1-up
Senior Championship Flight
Dennis Medeiros def. Matthew Akers 1-up
Senior Open Flight
Keith Augustus def. Tim Grigsby 1-up, 20 holes
Super Seniors Flight
Bob Moser def. Dennis Thompson 2-and-1
Super Seniors Plus Flight
Bob Hollar def. Pete Hubbell 4-and-3
