By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Former Seaman star Gavin Wilhelm, who has competed in three sports for Washburn University, has stepped away -- at least for the forseeable future -- from competitive golf.
Washburn University athlete Gavin Wilhelm chips onto the green in Sunday's TGA City Match Play final at Shawnee Country Club. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Gavin Wilhelm captured his second straight TGA City Match Play title Sunday at Shawnee Country Club. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But Wilhelm returned to the sport long enough to capture a second straight Topeka Golf Association City Match Play championship Sunday at Shawnee County Club.
Wilhelm, who is a kicker/punter for WU in football and a pitcher in baseball, finished off a dominating week in the Match Play event with a 3 and 1 decision over Jerry Kruger in Sunday afternoon's final after taking a 3 and 2 semifinal win over Blake Buessing Sunday morning.
"I probably wouldn't have played if I wouldn't have been defending champion,'' Wilhelm said. "I've really just been focusing on baseball and working on my arm to throw harder and working on my off speed more. Three weeks ago I hit 95 (miles per hour) on the mound.
"I showed up on the first day for the qualifying round not knowing that I got the guaranteed one seed and I ended up shooting 5-under (66) so it's been fun. Everybody wants to come for you and just try and beat you out specifically and it's always good competition. I was excited just to be out here. I didn't get a chance to play much golf during baseball season and just to come back and do what I did last year was pretty good.''
None of Wilhelm's matches went the entire 18 holes, with Wilhelm winning 8 and 6, 3 and 2 and 7 and 5 in the quarterfinals before Sunday's two wins.
Jerry Kruger posted a runnerup finish in the City Match Play tournament Sunday at Shawnee Country Club. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Kruger, who advanced to the championship match out of the No. 11 seed, turned in a solid round in the final before Wilhelm took control late.
"I couldn't have played much better,'' Kruger said. "I guess I ended up 3-under and he was 5 or 6.''
Kruger said he enjoyed the challenge of playing the much younger Wilhelm in the final.
"It's a good feeling where you have to make a good shot every time and you have no fear,'' Kruger said. "Even if you make a bad shot it doesn't matter. You're not going to beat him unless you make a good shot and I did for 15 holes. But it was fun. He's tough, he's just solid.''
Patrick Golden won the title in the President's Flight, taking a 6 and 5 win over Emory Dease.
