AMHERST - After he blasted out of the gates with 4-under par on the front nine, everybody knew it was going to be difficult to catch Nick Banfield.
Turns out it was as he went on to win the Amherst Open yesterday at the Amherst golf Club.
It's the second time the 22-year old Lower Sackville resident has won the tournament.
Banfield entered the second round of the Amherst Open with a 1-over, par 73 - only three shots behind leader Aaron Nickerson.
"Yesterday my game was really up and down and I was just trying to hang in there," said Banfield. "But I played a lot better today. I played better than my score indicates."
Banfield ended the day by shooting a 3-under, par 69 but said a few three-putts hurt his score.
"With the way I was striking the ball today, I thought I could have played a 65," he said. "And when I three putted, I hit three good putts. The greens were tough but I felt my speed was good on the greens.
"I just had to stay patient because I knew, whether I putted good or putted mediocre, it would come down to the last five holes."
After bogeying number 11 and 12 holes, Banfield began to feel pressure but relaxed by focusing on his own game.
"After 12 we were tied for the lead so I settled down and tried to do my own thing and play my own game," said Banfield. "I just tried to hit the greens and the fairways and give myself chances. I figured if I did that, then things would work themselves out."
Last year's champion, Mitch Roy, was in Banfield's group and said that Banfield would have been tough to beat.
"Nick was on fire today," said Roy. "I've played with Nick a couple of times now. He's a really good player and a nice guy."
Roy said it was the back nine that took him out of contention.
"On 11 I was three back and a couple of the boys hit it in the woods," said Roy. "So I figured I'd just whack it down the fairway and get on the green and give myself a chance for a birdie. And what do I do? I smashed it into the woods, then I smashed it into the woods on 12."
"I hit a couple of bad shots on the back nine that cost me at least four shots."
Banfield was one of the players in the woods on 11.
"I had a hiccup on 11 and 12 and bogeyed both holes," said Banfield.
Banfield said he loves playing at the Amherst Golf Club and hopes to be back next year.
"If I don't have to be at school I will definitely be back," he said.
Banfield goes to school at Western Michigan, which is a division one school that he attends on a golf scholarship.
"I had a great time and I played well. It was a lot of fun," he added.
Banfield also thanked his caddy and girlfriend Becky Langille.
"She's a hell of caddy," he said.
Amherst's Gary Carter finished the tournament as the senior champ and also finished with the first gross score in the first division. He shot a 73 and a 72.
Amherst's Mark Gould finishes with the first net score in the first division. Gould shot a 75 and a 70.
dmathieson@amherstdaily.co
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