SpringfieldNewsSun.com

SPRINGFIELD — Andy Bonar will be the old man of the group, and he's 25. Prior to this weekend, he was old only when compared to his 3-month-old niece Kate.

But today Bonar, a Wittenberg University graduate originally from Lancaster, will play the final round of the 79th annual Springfield News-Sun/National Trail Parks and Recreation District Men's City Amateur with two 19-year-olds, Kyle Sine and Joe McGeean, and 14-year-old Michael Bernard.

"I'm right where I want to be," Bonar said.

Bonar shot a 2-under 70 on Saturday, July 19, at Snyder Park to pull even with Sine. Sine, a Malone College sophomore, fired a 71. Both golfers sit at 8-under 208 through three rounds.

Bonar birdied Nos. 11 and 16 and had 16 pars.

"I wish I would have had more birdies," he said, "but I'm glad I didn't have any bogeys."

Sine said Bonar played solid all day.

"If he gets a couple of putts to fall, he's beating us by three or four easily," Sine said. "We kind of got lucky he wasn't on fire today."

Sine birdied 1, 3, 11 and 13, but bogeyed 6, 9 and 10.

"Even though I got away with a 71, I couldn't get off the tee good except maybe on two holes today," Sine said. "I couldn't make a putt. I had so many good looks and couldn't get any to drop."

Bernard, a freshman at Wayne High School, played the first nine holes at 4-under Saturday and the last nine at 3-over. He also shot a 71 and is one shot behind Bonar and Sine.

"(Bernard) was like 3-under through five, and Sine was 2-under through four," Bonar said. "I was even par, and I felt like I was getting lapped."

The fourth golfer in the final group is McGeean. The University of Findlay sophomore shot a 72 and is tied for fourth place with Zach Fowler at 214.

With Sine, Bonar and Bernard so close on the leader board, it's anybody's tournament.

"It gets your heart racing out there," Sine said. "You just have to hit good shots and be clutch."

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0351 or djablonski@coxohio.com.