Peyton Woods is attempting to become the third-straight first-time Men’s City Golf Tournament winner, but he has to contend with seven-time champion Jake Erickson.
Woods, a sophomore on the Illinois Central College men’s golf team and a 2023 Springfield High graduate, shot a 6-under par 66 in Saturday’s opening round at Bunn Golf Course of the City Tournament to take a two-shot lead over Erickson and Brian Anderson.
“It’s a hard course to play shots off the tee, because of all the trees and stuff, but I think I got off the tee really well and I hit a lot of fairways,” Woods said of his round at Bunn.
Erickson was Sunday’s medalist at Lincoln Greens with a 4-under 68 and pulled into a tie with Woods at the tournament’s midway point.
“At Lincoln Greens, I think my wedges and my putting were really good; I made a couple of clutch putts to keep me in it,” Woods said.
The four-day, two-weekend event shifts to The Rail Golf Course on Saturday, followed by Sunday’s final round at Piper Glen. Woods and Erickson lead the pack at 136. Anderson sits in third with a two-day score of 139 — one shot ahead of Kyle Appenzeller and two in front of Ryan Schone.
“It makes it tough and puts a little bit of pressure on me, but I’ve just got to stay in my own head, stay positive and have a good time,” Woods said of Erickson breathing down his neck. “He’s a really good putter, he’s a really good ball-striker and I’ve really never seen him get upset on the course. He’s a pretty positive guy.”
More: Jr. Blues’ do-everything Defreitas remembered with cancer, youth hockey benefit
From 2012 through 2021, Erickson won a record seven City Tournament titles before Blaine Buente won his first title in 2022. Dain Richie followed that with his first title in 2023. If Woods can join the ranks of Buente and Richie, that would cap off his summer before going back to his college team, he said.
“It’s pretty up there, because it’s a local tournament and there’s a lot of good competitors in it,” Woods said.
In the fall of 2022, Woods shot a 4-over-par 146 to tie for fifth place in the Illinois High School Association Class 2A boys state golf tournament and was named The State Journal-Register’s Large School Boys Golfer of the Year.
Lance Flury, the Springfield Park District’s golf pro, coached Woods when their team won the Gateway PGA Junior Tour sectional tournament in 2017.
“He’s got a good mental toughness about him; I don’t think any moment is too big for Peyton when it comes to golf,” Flury said. “I think he relishes the moment and is up to the challenge.
“I kind of jokingly mentioned to him that he gets to play with a seven-time champion this weekend, and I think he’ll like that opportunity. It should be fun to watch.”
Flury added that Woods continues to hone his game.
“I think he putts well, I think he’s gotten straighter with his tee balls and, of course, as they get older, they all get longer,” Flury said. “He actually got a new putter, a broomstick-style … and he seems to be doing well with that.”
This weekend will be a test for Woods, however, but he said he welcomes it.
“At The Rail, I need to adapt to the yardage, because we are playing farther yardage there,” Woods said. “I think it should be fine, because it is closer to my college yardage. Keep my own head; stay positive.”
At Piper Glen, he said he’ll need to be accurate with his short game for the smaller, more challenging greens.
Contact Ryan Mahan: 788-1546, ryan.mahan@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/RyanMahanSJR.
PAST MEN’S CITY CHAMPIONS
2017 — Jake Erickson
2016 — Jake Erickson
2015 — Jake Erickson
2014 — Josh Edison
2013 — Jake Erickson
2012 — Jake Erickson
2011 — Scott Teague
2010 — Dave Ryan
2009 — Tyler Link
2008 — Scott Belcher
2007 — Scott Teague
2006 — Scott Teague
2005 — Scott Teague
2004 — Brian Anderson
2003 — Brian Anderson
2002 — Dale Blankenship
2001 — Brian Anderson
2000 — Dave Ryan
1999 — Mark Beck
1998 — Jimmy Collins
1997 — Dale Blankenship
1996 — Dennis Duke
1995 — Rick Ciotti
1994 — Scott Teague
1993 — Rick Ciotti
1992 — George Logan
1991 — Rick Ciotti
1990 — Tony Saputo
1989 — Jerry Thomas
1988 — Dave Ward
1987 — Bill Shafer
1986 — Olie Fosdyck
1985 — Bill Shafer
1984 — J.C. Anderson
1983 — J.C. Anderson
1982 — J.C. Anderson
1981 — Jerry Thomas
1980 — Mark Hofstetter
1979 — Bret Voisin
1978 — Lance Morrison
1977 — Mark Hofstetter
1976 — Rick Haegele
1975 — John Phillips
1974 — Steve Taylor
1973 — John Phillips
1972 — Vito Saputo
1971 — Norm Rodier
1970 — Jerry Thomas
1969 — Dave Hazlett
1968 — John Phillips
1967 — Bill Carson
1966 — John Phillips
1965 — Norm Rodier
1964 — Bill Carson
1963 — Norm Rodier
1962 — Dale Schofield
1961 — Dale Schofield
1960 — Dale Schofield
1959 — Dale Schofield
1958 — Dale Schofield
1957 — Bobby Charlton
1956 — Jim Townsend
1955 — Bobby Charlton
1954 — Jack Coyle
1953 — Jack Coyle
1952 — Johnny Knight
1951 — Johnny Knight
1950 — Johnny Knight
1949 — Bobby Charlton
1948 — Jack Coyle
1947 — Bobby Charlton
1946 — Noonie Pease
1945 — Noonie Pease
1944 — Eddie Charlton
1943 — Eddie Charlton
1942 — Bill McKenzie
1941 — Bobby Charlton
1940 — Bill McKenzie
1939 — Kearin Slowe
1938 — Ray Whipple
1937 —…
