Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) gold is returning to Niagara. Josiah Dixon (Bognor) and the Niagara Knights men's golf team both captured the gold medal at the 2016 CCAA PING National Golf Championship on Friday afternoon at Fox Meadow Golf Course in Stratford, PEI.
It was a heart stopping finish in the men's individual championship. Josiah Dixon carded 3-over 75 to finish in a tie for second, momentarily, with Marc-Olivier Plasse from Cégep André-Laurendeau. However due to a disqualification, Dixon and Plasse would go to a sudden death playoff to determine who would bring home the gold medal.
The two players would repeat the 18th hole as many time as necessary until a winner would be determined. The pair went toe-to-toe, with each golfer recording pars on each of the first two playoff holes. However in the third attempt, with the daylight nearly gone, Josiah Dixon recorded a par, good enough to secure his first CCAA Individual Men's National Championship. The OCAA Champion and CCAA All-Canadian adds to his already impressive resume in the 2016 season.
Dixon is the first Knight to win a national championship since Lorelle Weavers (Burlington) captured gold in 2014. He is the second male golfer at Niagara College to win a national championship, joining Chris Hargest who captured the championship in 2009.
In the men's team competition, the Knights earned a one stroke victory over Cégep André-Laurendeau. The team of Josiah Dixon, Evan Littlefield (Thunder Bay), Brett Shewchuk (Thunder Bay), Ben Kenel (Hamilton), and Logan Lammerant (Seaforth) capture the first CCAA Men's Golf National Championship since 2006. Entering the find round with two stroke lead over André-Laurendeau, it came down to the tournament's 54th hole, where the Knights were able to hang on for a narrow victory.
In the women's draw, it was a second straight fourth place finish for Lorelle Weavers at the national championship. She recorded 6-over 78, tied for the lowest round on the day, but it was not enough. Weavers finished one stroke behind Medicine Hat College's Becky Martin, who won the bronze. Addison Wallwin of Georgian College won the Individual Women's National Championship.
The national championships won today are the eighth and ninth in Niagara College history. THe Knights will now return back to Niagara, where they will be honoured for their OCAA and CCAA victories prior to the 2nd Annual Blue and White Home Opener on November 3rd.