Staff Reports
Saturday, October 08, 2016

LOCAL ROUNDUP
Hanover High’s Phin Choukas and Newport’s Cameron Gebo each captured NHIAA individual golf championships on Saturday — and both earned some redemption in the process.

Choukas, a junior, dethroned two-time defending Division II champion James McKee at Concord’s Beaver Meadow Golf Course after losing to the Windham ace by 11 strokes last year.

Choukas’ 2-under-par 70 Saturday gave him a two-round score of 1-under 143, a single stroke better than McKee.

Gebo, meanwhile, won at West Center Harbor’s Waukewan Golf Club with a par on a first-hole playoff tiebreaker after being denied the opportunity to participate in a tiebreaker last year for accidentally signing an incorrect scorecard.

Tied for first with McKee after Thursday’s team tournament at one-over-73, Choukas shot 2 under on the front nine on Saturday and held a four-stroke lead over McKee after 11 holes.

McKee — a senior committed to play next year at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. — birdied four out of five holes to pull within a stoke of Choukas after 16.

Choukas had preserved the lead with a long putt for birdie on the difficult 16th and, after both parred the 17th, Choukas hit a stellar drive to just in front of the green on the 301-yard 18th to set himself up for a clinching par on the final hole.

“Phin played all summer in a lot of tournaments, and I think you saw that experience come out today,” Hanover coach John Donnelly said.

“He won the club championship at Baker Hill, beating his brother (Nate) so he was tournament tested.”

The Marauders’ Brian Seltzer (eighth; 79-77—156) and Matthew Suriawinata (23rd; 84-85—169) also competed.

In D-IV competition, Gebo hit 1-over on the front nine and parred three straight holes on the back to lead by five strokes over Gorham’s Hunter Desilets and six ahead of Hopkinton’s Nicholas Fairneny with four holes left.

Gebo struggled over the final stretch, going triple bogey-bogey-bogey-double bogey to help allow for a three-way tie for first.

It might have solicited sour memories for Gebo, who tied then-teammate Dawson Campbell in regulation during last year’s D-IV championship at Waukewan, but was barred from facing Campbell in a playoff over the scorecard mishap.

“I made sure everyone looked over their scorecards carefully today,” Tigers coach George Campbell said.

Gebo took advantage of Desilets and Fairneny errors on the playoff hole, chipping on to six feet from the hole and two-putting for par to clinch the title.

Gabe Edwards (169) and Brandon Whalen (172) placed seventh and eighth for the Tigers, respectively.

In the D-III tournament, also at Waukewan, Lebanon’s Kyle Pelletier placed third with a 14-over-par 158, nine strokes behind winner Doug Champagne, of Bow. Gilford’s Grant Workman (157) was second.

The Raiders’ Alex Bitler (164) took fifth and Hunter Marsh (165) eighth, while Cody Schoolcraft, of Stevens, was 13th with a total score of 176.