Perfect practice: Hoffbauer earns medalist honors at Ontario City Tournament with clutch shot

MANSFIELD — Shelby senior Ashton Hoffmauer saved his best shot for last.

And he had plenty of them in his even-par round.

In a 3-man playoff hole to determine medalist honors at the 2023 Ontario City Golf Tournament at Twin Lakes on Friday, Hoffbauer was joined by teammate Will Magers and Galion's Nate McMullen after all three shot matching 71s during their 18-hole rounds.

The trio played the Par 3 sixth hole, a 143-yard shot downhill and over a pond, and the nerves were racing. Hoffbauer sent his shot high in the air as it hit the back of the green and just trickled off of the back and into the center of the green-side bunker. McMullen put a little more adrenaline into his shot as it sailed 15 yards to the back left of the green and Magers had a similar shot to Hoffbauer as his shot found the bunker.

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It was exactly the kind of pressure Magers and Hoffbauer were hoping to feel with the postseason approaching in two short weeks.

"I have never been in this position before so it was a little different for me, but I really enjoyed it," Magers said. "I enjoyed the pressure and I think it was something that will help me later down the line. I am sure we will feel some pressure later in the year as we continue to play good golf and make a postseason run."

McMullen flopped a beautiful shot into the green and the ball released to about six feet from the cup. Magers had a tough lie with the ball on the backside of the bunker on a downslope. He caught his shot a little thin sending it to the front of the green and his par putt was a great effort as he settled for bogey.

Just a shot earlier, Hoffbauer sent a perfect bunker shot to the green landing it softly as the ball rolled to three inches nearly holing out for a birdie and the win. It may not have been the best bunker shot he has ever hit, but given the circumstances and the pressure, it was as clutch as he could get.

"I've holed out before but I got lucky on this one," Hoffbauer said. "Will got a bad lie and I was in the center of the bunker so I could get a good swing on it. I plopped it out into the center and it released enough for me."

McMullen missed his par putt giving Hoffbauer the medalist honors which completed a successful day where Shelby won the team title with a 293, the first time Hoffbauer had been a part of a team that broke 300 in his high school career. Mix that with the clutch par on six to walk away with the low round of the tournament and feeling a pressure-packed situation and it was everything he could ask for in a round.

"It had been 30 minutes since I last swung a club so I was just hoping to get it over the water," Hoffbauer said. "It was a tough situation to go into a par 3 over the water after an extended break. It got the nerves going and I was going against two very good competitors who are guys I would expect to be playing with in a playoff hole. It gave me the same kind of nerves that proved this stuff really matters and the same kind of nerves that come in the postseason."

The Whippets took the team title with a 293 as Hoffbauer and Magers paced the team with matching 71s while Ty Keinath added a 74 and Toby Randall shot a 77 to give the Whippets four scores in the 70s. Blake West added an 85 and Grady Schroeder carded a 91 for the throw-away scores.

The Madison Rams took second place with a nice 304. Nick Maglott carded a 72 missing out on the playoff by one stroke. Josh Atwell had a 75 while Josh Maglott fired a 78 and Liam Stone added a 79 to give the Rams four scores in the 70s as well. Landon Goad had an 83 and Brodin Flury added an 86 for the drop scores.

The Lexington Minutemen were in third with a 309 as they posted solid scores all over the place. Jackson Kurchik was the low man on Friday with a 75 while Griffin Hughes added a 77, Jack Want had a 78, Seth Reed and Levi Davis carded 79s and Bailey Carmichael rounded things out with an 85.

Galion finished in fourth with a 311 as McMullen paced the Tigers with a 71. Logan Keller had a 74 while Carson Walker added a 79, Jackson Henry shot an 87, Jack Rinehart added an 89 and Parker Tinch rounded things out with a 90.

Clear Fork had a nice round with a 317 as Nate Line led the way with a 74 while Landon Ball added a nice 79 to compliment Lind's score. Grant Keep and Clinton Stallard shot matching 82s while Tanner Thorne and Bryar Ousley had 85s.

The Ontario Warriors carded a solid 318 at their home event. Charlie Danuloff had a great round with a 72 while Colten Blevins added a 79, Hunter McCarthy shot an 83, Jake Chapman had an 84 and Mason Turnbaugh and Chase Dininger rounded things out with 88s.

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The Crestview Cougars shot 330 as a team led by Dylan Bruner with a 75. Cole Bowman added an 81 while Aaron Spencer carded an 85, Carter Bowman shot an 89, Brennan Fulk chipped in with a 92 and Reed Poorman rounded things out with a 101.

The Mansfield Senior Tygers shot a 361 as Andrew Cawrse had a 79, Josh Hodapp added a 91, Abe Trammel shot a 93, Michawl Seveigny added a 98, Tristin Curvin shot a 99 and Landon Nicholson rounded things out with a 115.

St. Peter's posted a 433 as Jerry Thompson shot a 94, Josh Laux added a 105, Carter Fesler chipped in with a 116 and Jack Thompson rounded things out with a 118.

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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Shelby Whippets win the Ontario City Golf Tournament at Twin Lakes Golf Course