Hickey Section VII golf champ

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AuSable Valley's John Hickey hits his approach shot on No. 18 at Saranac Inn Friday during the second round of the Section VII Golf Championships. Hickey hung on to a one-stroke victory to claim his first title. P-R Photo / Nick St. Denis
Saranac Lake's Michael Phelan watches his birdie putt just miss the hole on No. 18 at Saranac Inn Friday. Phelan carded a tournament-low 72 in the second round of the Section VII Golf Championships but fell a stroke short of the title. P-R Photo / Nick St. Denis

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May 28, 2011

AuSable Valley junior holds off Saranac Lake's Michael Phelan for Sec. VII title

NICK ST. DENIS Press-Republican The Press Republican Sat May 28, 2011, 03:23 AM EDT

SARANAC LAKE — There were no weather delays Friday.

Just some really good golf.

AuSable Valley's John Hickey fended off a surging Michael Phelan of Saranac Lake, carding a 77 for a two-round total of 151, which earned him his first Section VII individual golf title.

Phelan, who played in the final group with Hickey, shot the low round of the tournament with an even-par 72.

"He put a lot of pressure on me out there," Hickey said. "Pressure can either make you cave in, or it can help you. It made me play better today."

Hickey held a four-shot lead entering Friday's round, and Phelan was six back after shooting an 80 Thursday.

Phelan, however, found himself caught up to the leader after birdies on Nos. 3, 8, 10 and 14 to go along with big par saves on 11, 12 and 15.

"It wasn't really one specific thing I was doing well today," Phelan said. "I just played consistent."

Phelan entered No. 17 down two strokes but gained one when Hickey carded a bogey.

Hickey even found a bit of luck on the hole when a wayward shot that seemed destined for out-of-bounds hit a cable and dropped in the rough.

"That wire saved me big time," Hickey said with a smirk.

The AuSable Valley junior parred No. 18, and Phelan was unable to sink a birdie putt to tie it. Hickey's putt was just a little longer than a tap-in, but he said it didn't feel like it.

"My heart was racing over that putt," Hickey said.

Both Hickey and Phelan will make their third trip to the NYSPHSAA Golf Championships at Cornell, and Plattburgh High's Ethan Votraw, who tied for third with a 79-79-158, will be going for the fourth time.

Northeastern Clinton's Nolan Reid, who tied for third with an 82-76-158, is a first-time state qualifier, and fourth-place finisher Pat McHugh of Saranac Lake (81-78-159) qualified for the tournament for the fourth time.

Elizabethtown-Lewis' Tyler White (79-81-160), Plattsburgh's Connor Benoit (78-84-162), Plattsburgh's Gus Rietsema (81-82-163) and Beekmantown's MaCullen Cope (78-88-166) also qualified for the state tournament.

Rietsema will be going for a second time, and Saranac Lake's Matt Clark (82-86-168) won a playoff with Plattsburgh's Lucas Wood (79-89-168) for the alternate spot.

"It's nice to make it my senior year," Phelan said. "Just to be able to give it one more shot."

—

Section VII Golf Championship

at Saranac Inn

Final results

(Top 10 qualify for state)

John Hickey, AVC 74-77-151

Michael Phelan, Sar Lake 80-72-152

Ethan Votraw, PHS 79-79-158

Nolan Reid, NCCS 82-76-158

Pat McHugh, Sar Lake 81-78-159

Tyler White, E'town 79-81-160