Brian Lehr edges son, Baley, Josh Gass for IV Men’s Golf Championship

OGLESBY – After seeing his son Baley Lehr win three straight Illinois Valley Men’s Golf Championships from 2018-20, Brian Lehr wondered if he was ever going to get one for himself.

On Sunday at Deer ark Golf Club, he finally did by edging his son by one stroke.

“I asked Baley this morning, ‘Are you ever going to let me win one of these?’” Brian said after his victory.

Brian Lehr finished the two-day tournament at 2-under par 140.

“The wind firmed up the greens and between the wind and the tough greens, it was tough to score out there,” Brian Lehr said. “The course was in great shape. The guys out here did a great job and the event was really run well. It feels great to finally get this win. I believe it makes us only the second father-son due to win the tournament and that is special as well.”

The course did play tough as Brian Lehr was the only player to finish the tournament’s 36 holes under par.

His son, Baley, and Josh Gass shot even par for the event while every other competitor was over par.

After day one of the IV Men’s Championship at Oak Ridge Golf Coarse, Doug Pinter held a slim one-stroke lead at 3-under par with four golfers sitting at 2-under.

That group was followed by another group of four at 1-under, which set up an exciting round two at Deer Park.

In contention to start the day at 2-under were Gass, Matthew Morse, T. J. Templeton and Craig McConville with Drake Kaufman, Jon Prescott, Brian Lehr and Ian Roach sitting at 1-under.

With these being the only men under par, it looked as though the 2022 winner would come from this group; and it did.

The top 10 finishers for the Championship Class after the Lehrs and Gass were Kenney Jones and Morse tied for fourth, Pinter in sixth, Kaufman and McConville tied for seventh, co-tournament director Mason Kimberley in ninth and Prescott and Templeton in 10th.

“(Kaufman) is great kid,” Brian Lehr said of the Ottawa junior and his playing partner. “He’s very respectful and a student of the game and he hits it a ton. He is going to be a good one.”

Tom Prescott won the A Class at 2-over par followed by Paul Snook and Larry Keith tied for second, Adam Harris in fourth and Brent Tkach in fifth.

Scott Lilly shot a 14-over par to win the B Class with Pat Kerchner, Rod Lowery and Blair Bickett tied for second followed by Rob Dunkel.

In C Class, David Pinney won at 23-over par, while Clayton Buffington and Paul Buffington tied for second, Rob Booker took fourth and Grant Saylor, Andres Castaneda and Cody Marks tied for fifth.

Spark Larkin won the Senior Class at 7-over par followed by Scott Wiesbrock in second, Willie Hanson and Terry Beard tied for third and Don Slusarek in fifth.

Co-tournament Director Pat Goy was thrilled with the turnout.

“Until a couple of weeks ago we had a waiting list to get in and we were able to have a full field of 172 golfers,” Goy said. “The weather was great all weekend and the golf has been very competitive. It has been, all in all, a great weekend and tournament.”