Pumped up: Spencer Wilson overcomes slow start

Spencer Wilson follows through on a shot on the first hole at Lawrence Country Club. Wilson went on to win the open championship flight of the LAGA city tournament on Sunday.

LAGA City Tournament

Sunday at Lawrence Country Club

Women

Schuh, Rose 83-86 — 169

Gebhards, Lou Ann 95-104 — 199

Eichhorn, Quillen 101-115 — 216

Super Senior First Flight

Smith, Darrel 82-88 — 170

Van Leer, Tim 87-93 — 180

Hertling, Mike 92-92 — 184

Lerner, David 86-101 — 187

Draskovich, Rich 100-112 — 212

Super Senior Championship Flight

Smith, Galen 75-77 — 152

Davis, Chris 80-80 — 160

Hagan, Jim 84-81 — 165

Tayor, Tom 79-91 — 170

Novacek, Dennis 94-80 — 174

Whitenight, Pete 93-94 — 187

Brecheisen, Ted 93-106 — 199

Senior Second Flight

Neutel, J.R. 77-87 — 164

Greenamyre, David 82-84 — 166

Morris, Tim 89-94 — 183

Stohs, Duane 87-101 — 188

Gebhards, Randy 86-102 — 188

Vernberg, Eric 97-104 — 201

Senior First Flight

Edwards, Brian 80-84 — 164

Schnitker, Tim 81-85 — 166

Anderson, Curt 89-83 — 172

Beaton, Mike 83-92 — 175

Patt, William 89-89 — 178

Ross, John 89-95 — 184

Wagner, Bill 98-87 — 185

Senior Championship Flight

Reichert, Van 70-74 — 144

Wilson, Doug 74-79 — 153

Stansell, Jamie 72-84 — 156

Gisel, Dennis 74-82 — 156

Davison, David 73-84 — 157

Emerson, John 74-86 — 160

Platz, Stewart 81-81 — 162

Open Second Flight

Monteau, Maurice 78-88 — 166

Urban, Brandon 87-82 — 169

Keegan, Tom 81-93 — 174

Frank, Darrell 82-93 — 175

Martin, Mike 90-89 — 179

Eichhorn, Grant 86-106 — 192

Farve, Michael 95-99 — 194

Morris, Jacob 92-105 — 197

Frink, Derek 103-101 — 204

Scarlett, Chad 92-121 — 213

Ware, Anthony 102-113 — 215

Open First Flight

Morgan, Steve 77-79 — 156

Storer, Kellen 80-87 — 167

Gregory, Troy 86-82 — 168

Flynn, John 86-88 — 174

Scheibler, Ty 88-89 — 177

Barkley, Eric 83-97 — 180

Tamerius, Glenn 84-100 — 184

Scheibler, Preston 82-106 — 188

Somers, Marc 95-94 — 189

Open Championship Flight

Wilson, Spencer 70-75 — 145

Sharp, Greg 78-70 — 148

Gollier, Bo 79-73 — 152

Rainbolt, Tom 78-75 — 153

Rack, Michael 76-78 — 154

Scott, Spencer 76-81 — 157

Junge, Chuck 78-80 — 158

McCauley, Seth 78-82 — 160

Randall, Steve 78-82 — 160

Wartman, Scott 75-85 — 160

Schmidt, Evan 82-80 — 162

Dick, Mason 80-82 — 162

Graves, Ryan 81-90 — 171

Bellemere, Matt 90-85 — 175

Carmean, Sam 97-101 — 198

Patel, Jugal 84-wd

Canedo, Tony 79-wd

A vicious, knee-buckling fist pump wasn’t part of Spencer Wilson’s celebration plan.

Holding a five-shot lead going into the final round of the Lawrence Amateur Golf Association city tournament at Lawrence Country Club, Wilson wanted to play conservatively and skip any drama down the backstretch.

But Wilson played the first eight holes in 4-over par, capping the slow start with a double bogey at No. 8.

He also was hearing that Greg Sharp, an LCC member, was making birdies.

Wilson did enough on the final 10 holes to hold on for a 3-shot victory in the open championship flight, but it didn’t come easily.

His fist pump at No. 18 came after he holed a 15-foot downhill par putt from just off the green.

“That was more of a relief fist pump, because I was making it as difficult as I could, that’s for sure,” said Wilson, a 27-year-old assistant manager at Golf USA.

Wilson (70-75–145) didn’t know Sharp’s score — a two-day total of 148, with a even-par 70 Sunday — when he was coming up No. 18, but he figured he had to make at least bogey on the final hole to win.

A double bogey on No. 18 still would’ve given Wilson the title, but holing the fast downhill putt sealed the victory.

Afterward, Wilson said the tricky greens gave him the most trouble.

“They are so fast and they roll so well,” Wilson said. “It just took me until about 18 before I finally got the speed of the greens down.”

The victory officially ends Conrad Roberts’ five-year reign of the tournament.

Wilson said he was thankful Roberts and talented golfer Tyler Cummins played in the Kansas Amateur this week and attended a friend’s wedding Sunday instead of playing in the tournament.

“Without him, none of this could’ve been possible,” Wilson said, smiling.

Even though Wilson secured a comfortable three-shot victory, it was one of the most dramatic finishes of the day.

In all nine of the flights, the leaders after the first round at Eagle Bend were able to hold off the field and secure titles Sunday.

Galen Smith (75-77–152) won the super senior championship flight by eight shots, and Van Reichert (70-74 — 144) bested the senior championship field by nine.

After slogging to a 45 on the front nine, Rose Schuh shot a 41 on the back to secure a 30-shot victory in the women’s field.

The other winners: Darrel Smith, super senior first flight, 170; J.R. Neutel, senior second flight, 164; Brian Edwards, senior first flight, 164; Maurice Monteau, open second flight, 166; and Steve Morgan, open first flight, 156.

LAGA tournament organizer David Lerner was impressed with how well the golfers scored in the heat wave that continues to hit Lawrence. He also said he thought LCC was a great host for the event and that he hopes that the city tournament continues to develop.

Lerner even threw around the idea of starting the tournament with two days of stroke play and then moving to match play. But that would require more players in each flight or a consolidation of a couple of flights.