GALLIPOLIS - Light showers off and on failed to deter the daunting Tri-County young linksters Monday as they played the third tour round at Cliffside in Gallipolis.

Scores were dampened a bit, but the competition was as excitingly close as those earlier rounds and included one playoff.

Only six swingers were on hand, again, in the older 15-17 bracket, but only five strokes separated the lowest and highest in the competitive group where one miscue was a big changing position.

In the final totals, Will Garrison posted a 43 to garner the first place Fruth Trophy by a stroke over Craig Jagers and Chris Long. The tie for second necessitated a playoff for the Fruth trophy, which Jagers won by a stroke on the first playoff hole. Third place Kamal Doyal scored a solid 45, J.T. Reynolds had 46 and Adam Roush shot 48.

It was a duplicate of last week in the 13-14 age as two Gallipolis lads toured the home course to capture first and second place. Jordan Cornwell posted 46 to outdo Nick Saunders by two strokes to carry away the Fruth awards. Behind them, the rest of the group were clustered as Kylen Criste and Justin Flymor tied for third at 57, barely one stroke ahead of Beau Bellamy. Travis Grimm and Brock McClung were close behind those folks in the shotmaking.

The 11-12 bracket featured three groups of young hitters as Nick Saunders really handled his wet home course with a dandy 45 to win the coveted first place trophy, while Opie Lucas captured the second place Fruth award at 51, with Erik Allbright third with 58. Closely bunched were David Michael at 71, Jacob Leach with 72, Brady Curry 73, Andrea Roseberry 75, plus Anthony Darst and Hunter Bellamy just a stroke more.

In the 10-and-under boys, only Wyatt Wamsley braved the rain drops, but did it well to score 69 for the first place trophy.

The young ladies of 8-10 bracket numbered three, but Libby Leach made it three in a row firing a 64 to capture the Fruth champ trophy, while Ellen Wamsley won second with 70 and Shiloh Wamsley in third.

Current leaders show Garrison (15-17), Corwell (13-14), Lucas (11-12), Wamsley and Leah (8-10) ahead, but some have to keep it up in the next round at Riverside on Monday, July 10 to hold positions, on squeeze into one of the top three spots.

It should be a dandy duel in Mason after the week off and then the grand finale roundup in July 17 at Hidden Valley. All area youth are invited and urged to join in the excitement of 2006.