middletown city golf championships
Top five men’s finishers
1. Jeff Neeley 287
2. Michael Roberts 290
3. Tal Selby 294
4. Tucker McGee 299
5. Mike Dalton 302
MIDdLETOWN — Ed Neeley was right.
The elder Neeley had told his son, Jeff, that one day he would claim the Middletown City Golf Championships men’s title. Sunday, on Father’s Day, the prophecy came true.
Jeff Neeley held off a charge by defending champ Michael Roberts to claim his first City Championship with a four-round total of 287 — and a three-stroke victory — after carding a 79 on the Meadows and Highlands courses at Weatherwax.
“My dad passed away about a year-and-a-half-ago, and he always said I’d win it one year,” an emotional Neeley said. “It was a little late for him to see it, but I know he was there with me. It’s been a rough couple of years for the family. This is a good win for the family.”
Roberts didn’t make it easy for Neeley. The defending champ trimmed six strokes off the lead Saturday to get within six of the lead. On Sunday, it came down to the final hole on Highlands before Neeley could celebrate the victory.
“I knew him and Tal (Selby) would both make a run,” Neeley said. “But the course just wasn’t going to allow a whole lot of birdies today.”
Roberts crushed a drive on the par-5 ninth hole and sat at two strokes on the edge of the green. Neeley, meanwhile, was struggling. After landing in the bunker to the right of the green, he punched out, but the ball sailed over the green and behind the tree line. Neeley just missed chipping in for par before tapping in for a bogey; Roberts, meanwhile, two-putted to end a wild Championship Sunday.
“That was the best six of my life so far,” Neeley said with a smile. “I didn’t plan on it (being so close). We had been in a lot of sand on the day, and it was thick and we were leaving it short. I didn’t think I’d hit that over the green. ... I’m not sure if it was nerves.”
Roberts knew right away it wasn’t going to be his day. Coming off a 63 at Wildwood, it was an 18-hole battle with his own game Roberts was focusing on.
“I was fighting everything today,” Roberts said. “I did a good job just to scramble a round of 76. It is difficult to work on your game and make up ground on the leader. Jeff played well; he definitely deserved to finish first. He’s got a lot of game.”
On the women’s side, Sherry Breece returned from a three-year absence from the City Championships while starting her business, Kwik Kuts, to claim her 10th title by 17 strokes over Robbie McClain.
“I haven’t had a lot of time to practice since I opened my own business,” Breece said after carding a two-day total of 166. “Wednesday and Sunday are the only two days I have and I have been trying to practice then, but if it rains on those two days, I don’t get a chance to practice.”
The chance to get a 10th title drove Breece back to the tournament once again.
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