By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Beginning Sunday's final round of the Topeka Golf Association Ed Bozarth City Stroke Play tournament with a three-stroke lead, Ben Moser's only goal was to make sure he didn't do anything to beat himself.
Moser, a Washburn Rural and Washburn University product, accomplished that goal with a closing 75 at Topeka Country Club to take the championship by two strokes over perennial contender Mark Elliott.
Ben Moser (left) accepts the City Stroke Play championship trophy from the Topeka Golf Association's Stacy Kramer Sunday at Topeka Country Club. [Photo by Rick Peterson
"I had a chance to be stupid on 18,'' said Moser, who won the City Match Play event earlier this summer. "I was sitting there with my driver while we were waiting on the group in front of us and I was like, 'You know what, I've been here before, I know not to do this,' so I decided to go back to the golf cart and I hit my 3-iron instead and it worked out great.
"Having a big lead like that is a lot tougher than you think because you've got that thought, 'Don't blow it,' so I was just trying not to blow it and luckily this golf course yields more high scores so that gave me a little bit more comfort or a little bit more cushion.''
Moser, who has won multiple TGA Stroke Play and Match Play titles, finished with a 54-hole total of 211, with Sunday's 75 following rounds of 69 and 67.
Elliott, a four-time Stroke Play champ, shot a final-round 72 to keep some pressure on Moser, with Elliott taking second by three strokes over former Topeka West standout Addison Alonzo, who carded a 74 Sunday to finish at 216.
Adam Head finished fourth at 218, winning a scorecard playoff with Justin Jacquinot.
Jerimiah Nelson finished sixth with a 54-hole total of 219, while Hayden Beck, Alex Valdivia, Seth Kelley and Brian Walker rounded out the top 10.
Kelley, Walker and TGA Match Play runner-up Rachel Stous all finished the tournament at 222, with Stous finishing 11th.
