Johnson wins county medalist in playoff

Greencastle senior Liz Johnson hits a shot from the fairway during Thursday's tournament. Johnson won the medalist in a playoff. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

CLOVERDALE -- Greencastle senior Liz Johnson and South Putnam senior Kyndra Boyce finished the first nine holes of the Putnam County Tournament tied for the lead with 45.

Liz Johnson celebrates after sinking the final putt of the evening. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

It took until the second hole of the sudden-death playoff to decide the winner when Johnson's three-foot par putt dropped in to give Tiger Cub's leader the win and medalist honors.

"That last putt was the longest putt of my dang life," Johnson said. "I was shaking."

Johnson finished the West Central Conference Tournament last Saturday in fourth place and behind two of her teammates. Thursday, however, was her day.

While each arrived at the same point, Boyce and Johnson got to their nine-hole scores in very different ways.

Johnson's round was jarringly consistent. She bogeyed each of the first seven holes, doubled on eight and sank a par putt on nine.

Boyce's round was up and down. She had three pars and a birdie on the par-five fourth, but also had four holes of double-bogey or worse.

South Putnam senior Kyndra Boyce hits an approach shot during the Putnam County Tournament on Thursday. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

"I was hitting the ball well," Johnson said. "I felt really good."

North Putnam's top golfer, junior Olivia Zarate (47) finished the meet in third place.

As with the WCC meet, Greencastle had three golfers finish in the top five individually. Aside from Johnson, juniors Lauren Bridgewater (48) and Lokysa Scheuermann (50) were in the top pack.

"I knew any of the top golfers from any of the schools could have gotten (medalist)," Johnson said. "I was really surprised when I ended up getting it."

Thursday was the first time the medalist came down to a playoff hole since 2010 when Greencastle's Katie Hedge beat out Cloverdale's Sydney Shrum.

Shrum was medalist in 2011 and 2012.

Johnson said that while she was excited about her individual accomplishment, it would have meant more to share it with her teammates.

"I was kind of upset we lost county, but we played well," Johnson said. "We still have sectionals and some of us can move on to regionals if we play well like we did today."