Roosevelt's Moon holds off challenge from Monroe's Pafford to win La-Z-Boy Junior Open

Kyle Pafford walked off the course Tuesday after the opening round of the 44th annual La-Z-Boy Junior Open feeling a little frustrated.

The Monroe High golfer was the defending tournament champion, but he was not happy with his Day 1 performance.

"I was really ticked off. I was really upset, I'm not going to lie," Pafford said. "But I knew I still had a shot, so I came out today and gave it my best."

Pafford nearly pulled it off.

He carded the tournament's top round Wednesday at Green Meadows Golf Course with a 1-under-par 69 to finish the two-day tournament with a 78-69–147. Pafford finished just one stroke behind Alexander Moon, who also improved his game on Day 2.

Moon scored 74-72–146 to win both the overall title and the boys 17-19 division.

Moon, who graduated from Wyandotte Roosevelt this summer, was not surprised that Pafford nearly slipped away with the trophy.

"I wasn't surprised at all. He never gives up," Moon said. "I played with Kyle at Regionals and I knew he was the defending champ, so I knew he was going to put up a fight."

Moon had the low score after the first day of the tournament with a 4-over-par 74. He carried a one-stroke lead over Cale Piedmonte-Lang of Monroe and Aldo Barba of Tecumseh, who both shot 75 on Day 1.

Five other golfers also were within 5 strokes of the overall lead.

"I only had a one-shot lead (after the first day) and anything can happen over 18 holes," Moon said. "If you have someone like Kyle, who shot 69 today, you never know who might come from behind to win."

Moon did just enough to maintain his edge, improving by two strokes on his score in the opening round.

"Definitely my driving and my iron shots (were better)," Moon said. "I've been trying to get used to my irons because I got new ones. My putting was probably just as good as yesterday, if not a little bit better too."

Moon said he plays in a few junior golf events over the summer that helps to keep his skills sharp. He missed the La-Z-Boy Junior Open last year with a shoulder injury but saw big improvements over his performance two years ago when he finished third in the boys 15-16 division with a 81-79–160.

"I always look forward to this one," Moon said. "I like seeing the familiar faces and I really like the course. It's just well designed."

Pafford said the pressure to win back-to-back at the La-Z-Boy might have affected his Day 1 performance. He shot a 71 in a tune-up round the day before the tournament.

"On Day 1, at least at the start of it, I think it was the pressure," Pafford said. "Coming back being tournament champion last year puts more pressure on you than you would think. I just don't think I had the confidence I had today."

Pafford's confidence Wednesday nearly carried the day. He was shooting 4 under par with three holes remaining but finished his round with three straight bogeys.

"I didn't get myself in as bad of situations (on Day 2) and when I did, I got myself out of it," Pafford said. "Yesterday, I only had about four greens in regulation and today I hit almost every single green."

Both Moon and Pafford committed to return for next year's 45th annual tournament.

"I'll definitely be back," Pafford joked. "I'm gunning for Alex Moon."

Piedmonte-Lang was third in the boys 17-19 division with a 75-77–152, Barba fourth with 75-79–154, and Monroe's Christian Kozska-Lombardo fifth with 78-77–155.

Rounding out the field were Michael Laboe of St. Mary Catholic Central (85-76–161), Cameron Miller of Ann Arbor Greenhills (83-83–166), Isaiah Joerin of Whiteford (82-87–169), Jacob Miner of Greenhills (90-86–176), Carson Kinsey of SMCC (89-88–177), Jared Fair of Hartland (91-89–180), Gavin Grima of New Boston Huron (101-101–202), Nick Edwards of Ida (104-110–214), and Aiden O'Kelley of Huron (104-111–215).

Huron's Tyler Toth was the champion in the boys 15-16 division.

He shot 79-73–152 in his first experience playing in the La-Z-Boy Junior Open. Toth will be a senior this fall at Huron.

Toth's 79 after the first round was tied with three other golfers for second place in the division and three strokes behind the lead.

"My dad said it was better off being second place after Day 1 and that's a good attitude," Toth said. "I tried to go low today. I knew I would be in the 70s, but I didn't know I would go that low and I still left a lot out there."

Toth was one of the last groups to come into the clubhouse Wednesday and his 152 stood out as the low score on the board until Pafford and Moon completed their rounds. Despite coming up short of the overall title, Toth was still happy with his victory.

"This is my first tournament win, so it feels pretty good," Toth said. "My driver was just perfect – 330, 300 down the middle every time. It set me up perfectly. Yesterday, I didn't have a putt drop, so I could've gone way lower. I knew if I just played like I did yesterday it would be good."

Grant Simpson of Tecumseh finish runner-up to Toth with a 79-77–156. The top five were all tightly packed with Brenden McCullough (Monroe) third with 79-78–157, Jase Marcott (Gibraltar Carlson) fourth with 79-79–158, and Billy Sennett Jr. (Woodhaven) fifth with 76-84–160.

Bedford's Boston Gallup placed sixth with 76-85–161, followed by Carlson's Landon Kongeal (81-83–164), Carlson's Hagan Smith (85-80–165), SMCC's Drew Vuich (84-82–166), SMCC's Thomas Rivard (82-85–167), Ida's Zackary Bailey (88-83–171), Lenawee Christian's Connor Parisien (86-87–173), Ida's Davin Slater (85-90–175), Woodhaven's Travis Richards (96-81–177), Divine Child's Enzo Carlesimo (96-91–187), Carlson's Camden White (97-102–199), Dundee's Jonah Goins (103-106–209), and SMCC's Josh Kansier (108-103–211).

Julia Lizak of Divine Child was girls overall champion with a 79-77–156. She topped three Jefferson golfers in the girls 15-19 division. Callie Calvin (103-101–204) and Rylee Dunn (105-99–204) tied for second and Kayce Maitland (110-96–206) was fourth.

Airport's Sophie Bucki was the champion in the girls 13-14 division. Bucki improved by 12 strokes on the second day of the tournament to finish with a 102-90–192. SMCC's Nora Kinsey was second with 111-109–220.

Brayden Siders of Wagar Middle School was champion in the boys 13-14 division with an 80-82–162. Levi Evans (Dundee MS) was second with 89-82–181, Cameron Kalbfleisch (Carlson HS) was third with 98-98–186, James Feudi (Summerfield MS) fourth with 90-101–191, Ben Sanders (Dundee MS) fifth with 109-102–211, and Chase Knabusch (Ida MS) sixth with 129-139–268.

Liam Doll impressed in the boys 12u division.

The Tecumseh Middle School student is just 10 years old but won his age group championship at the La-Z-Boy Junior Open for the third straight year.

Doll shot 40-36–76 in the nine-hole tournament to run away from the field.

Isaac Scott of Dundee Elementary was second with 51-48–99, followed by Grayson Cunningham (Ida MS) with 59-53–112, Blake Secord (Ida MS) with 63-64–127, Alex Reeves (St. Joe's Trenton) with 66-64–130, Noah Dehring (Clinton MS) with 71-63–134, and Alexander Hammond (Monroe MS) with 74-73–147.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Roosevelt's Moon holds off challenge from Monroe's Pafford to win La-Z-Boy Junior Open