EAGLE MOUNTAIN — Heading into this week's Utah Junior Amateur Championship, Rose Park's Tony Finau felt he was the state's top junior golfer.
But without the UJGA title, Finau would have had some doubters. Now he won't. The West High star finally got that one crown that eluded him last year by defeating North Ogden's Matt Wahlen on the first hole of sudden death Friday in the match-play finals at The Ranches Golf Club at Eagle Mountain.
"I think I'm the top junior golfer in Utah, but without this win I really couldn't say that. Now I can say it," Finau said.
For a good part of the final's match, played in vicious 40-50 mph winds, it looked as though the long-hitting Finau would go home empty-handed again. Wahlen led from the opening hole and never trailed until he lost in the playoff. A birdie by Finau on the final hole tied the match for the first time and sent it to the extra hole.
In fact, Wahlen led by three holes with four to play and looked like the championship was his for the taking. However, Wahlen missed an 8-foot birdie putt on the par-3 16th that would have given him the win and then lipped out a 15-foot putt on No. 17 that also would have secured the title.
The playoff was held on the tight 565-yard par-5 No. 1. Finau hit first and narrowly missed the long grass with his drive. Wahlen hit an iron off the tee and split the fairway, but he had a much longer distance remaining. He hit his second shot into a fairway bunker and then hooked his third shot left into the long prairie grass and never found the ball. By the time Wahlen reached the green he had already taken seven shots and Finau won the hole and title with a two-putt bogey.
"Tony has a lot more experience than me and Tony is just a better player than me," said Wahlen, a senior-to-be at Weber High. "But I'm very pleased with how I played this week. I beat a lot of good players to get here."
Jenteal Jackson won the girls 15-18-year-old division by cruising over Camille Gardner 5 and 4. The title was her first in the top division, but third overall. Her brother Jaden Jackson won his second straight title in the boys 10-12-year-old flight. Patrick Fishburn won two of the final four holes to come from behind to edge Jordan Herzog to take the boys 14-15-year-old division. Fishburn, from Ogden, is only 12 but played in a division higher.
Christian Adams of St. George won the boys 10 and under division with a 1-up victory over Mana Angilau of South Jordan. Amanda Snyder of Syracuse defeated Alli Nakamura 1-up to take the girls 13-14 age flight and Lea Garner knocked off Isabella Skinner 4 and 3 to win the girls 12 and under.