OLEAN, N.Y. — After an even 18 holes, a weather delay and a playoff, Bartlett’s Michael Davis defeated Smethport’s Connor Alfieri on Saturday to win the 12th annual Betty Bergreen Junior Match Play Championship.
In the finals at Bartlett Country Club, Alfieri jumped out to a 1-up lead on the first hole. Davis pulled even on the par-3 third. Alfieri came back with a birdie on No. 5 and a par on No. 6 to go 2-up. Davis parred the eighth and ninth holess to end the front nine 1-down.
With Alfieri 2-up after 12 holes, Davis won the 13th with a par. Then both players birdied the par-5 14th. Davis barely missed making birdie on the par-3 15th and then halved the hole when Alfieri got his ball up and down. Alfieri rolled in a long putt on 16 to go 2-up when Davis missed a makeable putt. Davis, however, made birdie on the par-4 17th and pulled to even on No. 18 when Alfieri just missed his putt for par.
Before the players could break the tie, lightning, thunder and rain forced them to leave the course for safety.
On the first sudden-death hole, Davis put his second shot within 2 feet, Alfieri within 10 feet. Alfieri missed his birdie try, and Davis rolled in his putt for birdie 3 to claim the championship, 1-up.
In Saturday morning’s semifinals, Alfieri won 6-and-4 over Cardinal Hills’ Branson Morrison. Davis advanced to the finals with a 5-and-4 victory over Elkdale’s Matthew Lonto, carding four birdies in his round.
