Jim Butler overcame a one-stroke deficit in the final nine holes to win his sixth Championship Flight of the Niles City Golf Tournament at Plym Park Sunday.

Butler trailed Scott Zavitz by a stroke after 27 holes, but got hot on the back nine to overtake Zavitz. He led by five strokes at one point, but settled for a three-stroke victory when it was all said and done.

Butler shot 155 to win the championship, while Zavitz finished with a 158. Paul Krause and Josh Townsley tied for third place as both shot 160.

“I just tried to keep it in play and not make too many mistakes,” Butler said of his charge on the back nine. “Won by a couple at the end with a bogey. I birdied the first hole (No. 10) and Scott bogeyed the first hole so it gave me the momentum. I had the lead after that and I kept it.”

Bill Gaideski was the champion of the A Flight as he shot 160.

Terry Churchill was second with a 170 and Ryan Head third with a 170.

For Gaideski, it was his second A Flight championship in the last three years.

“Getting a birdie on No. 11 got me going,” Gaideski said. “It expanded the lead and I was able to hold on for the rest of the way.”

Dave Daniels joined his wife Cathy as a Niles City Golf champion as he captured the B Flight crown Sunday with a 166.

Tony Gaideski was the runner-up with a score of 175, while Mike Cowan was third with a 181.

Cathy Daniels won her second straight women’s title the previous weekend.

“I took a second in B Flight in 1971,” Daniels said of his previous best finish in the tournament. “What makes tournament is Mike Frucci and his staff down here and the guys who play here. That is why I come back. It is about the people you play with.”

Daniels said his wife will not hold over his head that she has two championships to his one, but it will certainly motivate him.

“It will just increase my drive to catch her,” he said.

Andy Garland joined Daniels as a first-time winner of the tournament.

The Washington, Indiana native shot 175 to edge Rick Kidwell by a single stroke — 175 to 176.

“My uncle Mitch (Lewandowski) is the one who got me to sign up for it,” he said. “On the third hole on the second nine I chipped in for birdie. I went par, bogey, birdie and that kind of got me going. It helped maintain the momentum a little bit.”

Frankie Ontineros finished third with a 182.

 

NILES CITY GOLF

At Plym Park

Championship Flight

Jim Butler 155

Scott Zavitz 158

Paul Krause 160

Josh Townsley 160

Dave Berger 161

Rodney Prescott 162

Willie Fraser 164

Monty Ort 164

Nick Horn 164

Dave Hopper 165

Jacob VanDyke 166

Will Townsley 167

Kevin Connors 173

Carl Greulich 173

Dave Hingmodnell 174

Jason Ensign 184

 

A Flight

Bill Gaideski 160

Terry Churchill 165

Ryan Head 170

Tom Ely 172

Taylor Tisdale 173

Dale Peebles 175

Bob Fresley 175

Randy Maile 177

Steve Hoskins 187

Jim Conrad 195

Jim Ditto 197

 

B Flight

Dave Daniels 166

Tony Gaideski 175

Mike Cowan 181

Randy Lujan 187

Brian Chaney 189

Tim Howard 190

Tom Mollison 190

John Isbel 193

Kelly Low 197

Jeff Nash 199

 

C Flight

Andy Garland 175

Rick Kidwell 176

Frankie Ontineros 182

Will Gaideski 186

John Saxton 194

Rick Vernier 195

Jeff Gerrits 196

Jerry Marlin 202

Wyatt Fazi 204

Brian Burns 205

Jack Maynard 222

Mitch Lewandowski 226

Tim Mervine 227

David Kaiden 228