First time was a charm for both the men’s and women’s Niles City Golf Tournament champions.

Robb Zurawski and Cathy Daniels both won titles in their first attempts in the city tournament, which was being held for the 60th year.

Zurawski shot 148 to beat Evan Smith, who finished six strokes back with a 154 at Plym Park Golf Course Sunday.

“That was fun,” Zurawski said. “I have been a local all my life. I grew up in Buchanan and my wife and I moved down to Niles from St. Joseph a while back. I heard about it from a friend of mine who won it last year. I thought I would come out and play in it and the timing worked out and it has been a good time.

Cathy Daniels

“Today was kind of tough. Our 10th hole of today I hit a good second shot in there from 134 (yards) with a pitching wedge. I had the same putt in the morning and missed it. I left it a little short. I knew the line pretty well and I hit it dead-center and I felt like I was off and running. Stumbled a little bit later on, but pulled it back together. It was a good time and a lot of fun.”

Daniels dominated the field, shooting 186 to win by 20 strokes over defending champion Vanissa Rudlaff, who finished with a 206.

For Daniels, it was a new experience.

“This was my first time playing in a tournament,” she said. “I have played in scrambles, but never in a tournament. This morning (Sunday) I really came out with some good focus. I kept my head down. Usually my problem is pulling my head up, but I was just able to keep it down today on the first nine. The second nine I got a little looser out there.”

Robb Zurawski

Daniels said that the difference between playing in a tournament and a scramble is “you have to own your own shot.”

“It is disappointing when you chunk one out there. All the girls playing out there today and yesterday and were supportive of each other and that helped a lot.”

Isaiah Beckman won his second consecutive Niles City Golf Tournament title.

After winning the B Flight in 2015, Beckman moved up and captured the A Flight championship after shooting a 167.

Nick Borkowski and Jim Conrad tied for second, three strokes back at 170.

“It was still as nerve wracking as last year,” Beckman said. “I think I shot three strokes better than I did last year and on the second day we had to play from the blue tees the second time around both days so I was pretty happy about that. Now I really have to compete next year.”

Due to his winning the A Flight, Beckman must compete in the Championship Flight in 2017.

Will Smith shot a 162 to win by seven strokes over Paul DePoy (167) to capture the B Flight title.

Smith, who has played golf his entire life, but just recently got back into it, was playing in the city tournament for the first time.

“It was my first tournament ever,” he said. “My first two rounds were pretty good and then my third round this morning was pretty good and then I just kind of held on.”

Smith said he holed a long birdie putt on No. 2 in the second round that set the tone for the rest of the tournament.

“That really kept things going for me,” he said.

The C Flight championship also went to a first-time winner — Brian Cheney.

Cheney, who has played in three city tournaments, shot 170 to win by 17 strokes over John Sexton, who shot 187.

“The second hole I birdied and then I kind of relaxed,” he said. “As soon as I got that birdie I was ready to go.”

Bob Freshley continues to dominate the Senior Division, winning his fifth championship in the last seven years.

He shot 152 Sunday to edge Gerrell Durham by a stroke.

“I was three-over on six, but other than that I think I hit the ball pretty decent,” Freshley said. “I putt very well. The greens were in excellent shape. Hats off to the people who work here. The greens and everything was excellent.”

Dick Noble defeated Clare Ashenbrenner by two strokes (185-187) to win the Senior B Flight.

“I have been playing in the city tournament since 1945 when I was a junior in high school,” Noble said. “This will be my third seniors that I won. I won three A Flights at Plym Park and three A Flights at Hampshire (Country Club).”

Noble chipped in for a birdie on No. 4 and set the tone for the rest of the tournament.

“It wasn’t a short chip,” he said. “I changed clubs a couple of times and had the right club and knocked it in.”

The A Flight title belongs to Jerry Marlin, who shot 177 to defeat Jack Maynard by three strokes.

“This is my first one ever,” Marlin said. “I retired five years ago, but I have played in a few before that. I try to play every year, but I have been out of town so I haven’t been able to play in some of them.

“It was a fun course and it was good competition,” Marlin said. “I wish there were more people in our flight, but this is the most that have been in this tournament.”

Tournament organizers said that this is the biggest field that they can remember with more than 100 golfers taking part.

NILES CITY GOLF TOURNAMENT

At Plym Park

Women’s Division

Cathy Daniels 186

Vanissa Rudlaff 206

Ross Prenkert 211

Elanne Gartland 227

Senior Championship Flight

Bob Freshley 152

Gerrell Durham 153

Ed Debros 156

Senior A Flight

Jerry Marlin 177

Jack Maynard 180

Bill Martin 183

Senior B Flight

Dick Noble 185

Clare Ashenbrenner 187

Jim Crouch 189

Men’s C Flight

Brian Cheney 170

John Sexton 187

Todd Nichols 189

Men’s B Flight

Will Smith 162

Paul DePoy 167

Nate Kahne 172

Men’s A Flight

Isaiah Beckman 167

Nick Borkowski 170

Jim Conrad 170

Championship Flight

Robb Zurawski 148

Evan Smith 154

Dave Berger 156