Pandya, a rising senior at the University of Maryland, shot a final-round 68 to climb into contention after rounds of 70, 72 and 75. He made five birdies on the back nine Friday on his way to a 4-under 32. When Watson bogeyed No. 15 he fell into a tie with Pandya and Bill Williamson of Cincinnati.
Pandya watched as Williamson bogeyed the final two holes to finish at 2 under, and Watson surged to a two-shot lead at 5 under with birdies on 16 and 17. But Watson double-bogeyed 18 for a round of 72 to force the playoff.
Springboro brothers Jordan and Josh Gilkison and Springfield’s Luke Wells had top-eight finishes.
Jordan Gilkison, last year’s Division I high school state champion who will play at Kent State, shot rounds of 70, 70, 74 and 73 to finish 1-under in a fourth-place tie with Wells and two others.
Wells, a rising junior at Rutgers, shot rounds of 69, 76, 70 and 72.
Josh Gilkison, who will play as a fifth-year senior at Kent State, finished eighth at even par with rounds of 73, 69, 71 and 75.
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