MADERA, Calif. (Sept. 20, 2011) – Logan Goulding beat Mike Stieler in a two-hole playoff to win the 8th Annual Valley Amateur Championship at Riverbend Golf Course on Tuesday. How it happened was rather bizarre.

After both players posted a two-day total 145 (1-over par) teeing off in the third to last group together, the two waited to see what the two groups behind them did. The final two groups had five of its six players under-par after the first round, but much to their surprise, they saw all of them shoot a 75 or worse. None of those players couldn’t have felt worse than co-first-round leader Scott Roak, who triple-bogeyed the 18th hole to lose the championship by one shot.

But that wasn’t the bizarre part; that came in the playoff.

Starting off on the 10th hole as the first playoff hole Goulding and Stieler exchanged fairly standard pars. On the second playoff hole (#17) is where things got strange. With the tees being played up at only 279 yards making it a drivable par 4, Goulding went first and decided to go for the green. His shot went left of the green and ended up underneath a large oak tree on a hardpan lie. Seeing that, Stieler decided to take an iron off the tee and leave himself with a wedge into the green, which he executed the first part nicely, leaving himself in the middle of the fairway. However, upon approaching his ball Stieler accidentally kicked his ball, which cost him a one-stroke penalty. Stieler ended up making a bogey and Goulding made par to be crowned the champion.

“It sucks, nobody wants to win like that,” said Goulding who felt for Stieler’s mistake. “It’s tough for him to lose that way.”

Goulding proved though to be a well- deserving champion as he was the only player in the championship flight to shoot an under- par final round. His round wasn’t glamorous, but impressively consistent with 15 pars, two birdies and one bogey for a 1-under 71.

“I played pretty well all the way around,” said the 23 year-old. “I felt only made five bad shots this week.”

Stieler on the other hand had a very back and forth round, which consisted of an eagle, three birdies, five bogeys and nine pars for an even par 72. Finishing in a three-way tie for third were Matt Cohn, Orion Galioni and Scott Roak at 2-over 146.

In the senior flight soon-to-be 2011 Senior Player of the Year Jim Knoll added another title to his banner year after shooting a 5-under 67 on Tuesday. His exceptional round vaulted him past first round leader Gary Vanier as his 36- hole total of 139 edged out Vanier’s 140.

Knoll, the 2008 Senior Valley Amateur champion, had an impeccable scorecard, which had no bogeys, three birdies and an eagle.

“(Going into the day) I thought if I could get to 4-under , I’d have a good chance, especially with how firm the greens are and the hole locations,” said Knoll.

Finishing in third place behind Knoll and Vanier was Ron Johnson who finished at 141 after posting a 2-under 70 on Tuesday.

With their victories Goulding earns 500 points to the player of the year list, while Knoll earns 200 towards the senior player of the year.

Third Place (tie): Matt Cohn, Orion Galioni and Scott Roak (not pictured) Champion: Logan Goulding Runner-up: Mike Stieler

Third Place: Ron Johnson Champion: Jim Knoll (Not pictured runner-up Gary Vanier)