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MIDDLETOWN — They are good friends off the golf course, but everything gets pretty serious on it.

Michael Roberts and Brian Rose went head-to-head Thursday, July 17, for the second straight year in the finals of their age division in the Middletown City Junior Match Play tournament sponsored by the Middletown Area Golf for Youth Council at Weatherwax Golf Course.

And for the second straight year, Roberts came out on top.

This year the two moved up to compete in the boys 17-18 age division, and though it didn't go to a 19th hole like last year's battle, Roberts and Rose still made it exciting.

Heading into the eighth hole (No. 8 Woodside), Rose was two down to Roberts, but won the par-3 hole to go one down. The pair tied the ninth and 10th holes, but Roberts stepped it up after that and ended the match on the 15th hole when Rose missed a putt to fall 4 and 3 to his Middie teammate.

"Toward the beginning of the match, I wasn't doing anything to take advantage," said Roberts, who won four straight holes on the backside to seal the victory. "But I felt like I could turn it around and that's what I was able to do."

Both golfers admitted to struggling a bit in the round.

"I don't think either of us played well today," Rose said. "He just played a little better than me.

"When you play Michael, you've gotta get birdie opportunities," he continued. "Playing golf with him as much as I do, I know what to expect. I know he's going to drive farther than me, so I'm going to have the first approach shot. I had to try and take advantage of that and put some pressure on him, but I wasn't able to do that today."

Kristie Feltner was the only other repeat winner. The incoming senior at Middletown Christian downed Allie Lawwill 6 and 5 for her second straight match play title.

The new champion in the boys 15-16 age bracket is Conor O'Hea, who defeated Jake Fletcher 4 and 3 in 15 holes.

"I got off to a fast start," O'Hea said of winning the first three holes. "But Jake got it back and kept battling and applying the pressure."

O'Hea hit the green with his tee shot on the par-3, No. 6 Valley View hole and Fletcher was just short.

"He hit it up close, but I knew if I two-putted I could win and that's what I was able to do," O'Hea said of the final hole.

Other match play champions Thursday were Brooks Curry, who defeated Tyler Males 8 and 7 in the boys 13-14 age division, and Tucker McGee, who won 1-up on the last hole over Seth Sipple in the boys 12 and under division.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2852 or sweaver@coxohio.com.