Unflappable Nixen Erdely of Frazier wins WPIAL Class 2A golf title
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Monday, October 2, 2023 | 8:53 PM
Frazer’s Nixen Erdely plays in the WPIAL Class 2A boys golf championship Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, at Butler Country Club.
South Allegheny’s Josh Nesky plays in the WPIAL Class 2A boys golf championship Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, at Butler Country Club.
Eden Christian Academy’s Luke Gronbeck plays in the WPIAL Class 2A boys golf championship Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, at Butler Country Club.
Belle Vernon’s Jordan Mocello finished seventh at Monday’s WPIAL finals.
Ligonier Valley’s Tyler Jones plays in the WPIAL Class 2A boys golf championship Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, at Butler Country Club.
Neshannock’s Max Vitale plays in the WPIAL Class 2A boys golf championship Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, at Butler Country Club.
Mt. Pleasant’s Ryan Karfelt plays in the WPIAL Class 2A boys golf championship Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, at Butler Country Club.
Quaker Valley’s Ethan Dai plays in the WPIAL Class 2A boys golf championship Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, at Butler Country Club.
Sewickley Academy’s Severin Harmon plays in the WPIAL Class 2A boys golf championship Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, at Butler Country Club.
OLSH’s Jonah Schollaert plays in the WPIAL Class 2A boys golf championship Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, at Butler Country Club.
Quaker Valley’s Ethan Dai plays in the WPIAL Class 2A boys golf championship Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, at Butler Country Club.
Brownsville’s Daniel Sethman plays in the WPIAL Class 2A boys golf championship Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, at Butler Country Club.
South Park’s JP Tusai plays in the WPIAL Class 2A boys golf championship Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, at Butler Country Club.
Brownsville’s Daniel Sethman plays in the WPIAL Class 2A boys golf championship Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, at Butler Country Club.
OLSH’s Jonah Schollaert (third), Frazier’s Nixen Erdely (first) and Quaker Valley’s Ethan Dai (second) were the top three finishers at the WPIAL Class 2A golf championship Monday, Oct. 2, 2023 at Butler Country Club.
If there was any pressure going into the second and final round of the WPIAL Class 2A individual golf championship, Frazier’s Nixen Erdely wasn’t showing it.
On the one hour, 20 minute drive with his dad from Frazier to Butler Country Club, Erdely wasn’t thinking about the round ahead of him and how he needed to play to be successful.
Instead, he was grabbing some restful shut eye.
“Didn’t really think about the match,” Erdely said. “I fell asleep five minutes after we left and woke up when we were 10 minutes away. I was still rubbing my eyes as we pulled into the parking lot.”
Erdely’s lack of nerves on the drive up to Butler served him well as he hung around even all afternoon and shot a 1-under par 70 to finish with a total of 1-under-par 142 to claim the gold medal.
Erdely, a senior, finished two shots ahead of junior Ethan Dai of Quaker Valley, who entered the day atop the leaderboard with a three-shot lead over Erdely but faded late with a 4-over-par 75 for the day and finished with a total of 1-over-par 144.
“My short game was good,” said Ederly. “Other than a four-putt and a couple three-putts, I putted really well. The greens had a lot of slope and were fast. I had a few chips that were sketchy, but overall, I hit them really good.”
Erdely birdied the par-5 second hole and bogeyed the par-4 third, while Dai double-bogeyed the fourth and bogeyed the seventh.
Erdely parred seven of the front nine holes to cut Dai’s three-shot lead down to one heading into the back nine.
Dai regained his three-shot lead after Erdely double bogeyed the par-5 10th.
“I thought I had a chance to catch Ethan on nine, but I four-putted a 62-footer on 10, which wasn’t smart of me,” said Erdely. “Then got back to even after I birdied the 12th and 13th.”
When Erdely was on the 15th green, he three-putted to fall to 1-over for the day. He knew that he had to try to birdie at least two more holes to have a chance at catching Dai.
“I knew Ethan was ahead of me a little bit,” said Erdely. “But I knew I could birdie 16.”
Erdely birdied the par-5 16th and Dai parred the hole to bring Erdley within a stroke.
On the 17th, Erdely thought he hit a good shot approaching the green. The shot just missed the cup, and he tapped in for a birdie to be even on the day. Dai made bogey, and Erdley had a one-stroke lead.
Scoreboard watchers kept their eyes on both golfers’ scores with one to go. Erdely decided to look for himself.
“I looked at the scoreboard twice all day,” said Erdely. “On the 18th tee and 18th green. Other than that, I didn’t look at it once.”
He only did so to know what it was going to take going into the final hole.
“I asked my scorer what the scoreboard looked like because I wanted to know where I stood and what I needed to do going into the last hole,” he said. “I don’t want to get up there and need to make birdie and then lag a 10-footer.”
Erdely parred the 18th and watched as Dai needed to birdie the hole. Dai couldn’t get his second shot over a tree and needed a miracle chip shot to fall for birdie to send the match to a playoff.
Dai was unable to make the shot, securing the top spot for Erdely.
The win was exciting for Erdely, as two of his friends had won gold, one of whom even claimed a title on the same day.
“It feels good to get first place,” said Erdely. “My buddy Hunter Jurica from Derry won it last year. My other buddy Nick Turowski won gold in 3A today.”
Sophomore Jonah Schollaert of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart finished in third with a total of 3-over 146, freshman Aaron Didjunas of Elizabeth Forward finished fourth with a total of 9-over 152, and senior Luke Gronbeck from Eden Christian rounded out the top five with a total of 10-over 153.
The top 18 golfers advanced to the PIAA Class 2A championship Oct. 16-17 at Penn State.
More High School Golf
• Peters Township boys golf coach David Kuhn receives NFHS Coach of the Year award• Sewickley Academy seniors cap high school golf careers at PIAA tournament
• Quaker Valley golfers cap season at PIAA championships
• Plum’s Wes Lorish caps decorated high school career at PIAA golf tournament
• State champion North Allegheny boys golf team reflects on ‘epic’ season
