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Esky’s Johnson edges IM’s Cecconi

Hancock’s Dube ousts Ishpeming’s Plaisier

Hancock's Payton Dube hugs Karen Plaisier after defeating the Ishpeming golfer 4-3 in the championship flight quarterfinals of the UP Ladies Golf Association Championships at Oak Crest Golf Course in Norway. (Burt Angeli/The Daily News)

NORWAY — Paxton Johnson’s second appearance in the UP Ladies Golf Association Championships has resulted in another semifinal berth.

The Escanaba High School senior ousted four-time UP champion Becky Cecconi of Iron Mountain 4-3 in Monday’s quarterfinal matches at Oak Crest Golf Course.

Johnson made her UP debut last year in Marquette, reaching the championship flight semifinals before falling to 2016 UP champion Abby Dufrane of Marinette.

The past match play experience has proven helpful to Johnson, a three-time MHSAA UP Division 1 medalist.

“It’s still important to play your game, the same way you do during the qualifying round,” Johnson said. “The mentality should stay focused but just realize it’s just another round of golf. Take it one shot at a time and not really focus on what it means because that can put pressure on you. It’s more important to focus on your own game.”

In the other quarterfinals Monday, Hancock High School junior Payton Dube downed 2015 UP champion Karen Plaisier of Ishpeming 4-3; former Calumet High School star Zoe Woodworth spilled Nancy Osier of Wakefield 3-up; and Kathy Gagnon of Vulcan topped Annie Greenwood of Crystal Falls 3-up in a test of Oak Crest members.

Dube held a two-hole advantage over Plaisier after nine and took charge on the next two holes with a 40-foot putt and a 44-yard chip that rolled inches short of the cup.

This morning’s semifinals will match Johnson against Dube and Gagnon versus Woodworth. The winners will meet this afternoon for the championship.

All facets of Johnson’s game are coming together.

“I hit the ball really well,” said the lefty-hitting Johnson. “The putts are finally starting to fall. I’m figuring the greens out some. My short game definitely improved from Saturday and Sunday.

“I’m also striking the ball well so that puts me in good position.”

Navigating Oak Crest’s slow greens led to Johnson’s posting an 85 in Saturday’s qualifying medal round — six strokes behind medalist Woodworth.

“They’re in good shape but really slow,” Johnson said of the greens. “They’re not patchy or dry but they’re slower than any other course I’ve played in the UP this year.

“It just took some time getting used to that. They’ve gotten faster over the last couple days. It took me at least six or seven holes Saturday to get used to them.”

All four golfers in Johnson’s foursome relied on caddies. Norway High School golfer Jeff VanHolla helped out Johnson; UP Hall of Fame basketball coach and Oak Crest member Don Benzie assisted Cecconi; Hancock High School Coach Paul Sintkowski looked over Dube; and nine-time UP champion Linda Uren of Iron Mountain rode along with Plaisier.

Johnson found VanHolla “pretty helpful.”

“It’s nice to have someone to talk to and joke around with,” she said. “It lightens the mood especially after a bad shot where when you’re alone you get in your own head.”

While Oak Crest will host the UP men’s tournament next month with four days of medal play, Johnson prefers the UPLGA’s match-play format.

“It’s a lot more challenging and it’s also more forgiving,” Johnson said. “If you make a really bad slip-up you can only be down one or if you even if you have a really good hole and they have a really bad slip-up, you can only be up one. So it’s real important to be consistent and consistently outscore your opponent, and that’s how you win.”

Monday’s UP Ladies Golf Association championship flight quarterfinal results:

Paxton Johnson, Escanaba def. Becky Cecconi, Iron Mountain 4-2

Payton Dube, Hancock def. Karen Plaisier, Ishpeming 4-3

Kathy Gagnon, Vulcan def. Annie Greenwood, Crystal Falls 3-up

Zoe Woodworth, Lake Linden def. Nancy Osier, Wakefield 3-up

Tuesday’s semifinal matches

Paxton Johnson vs. Payton Dube

Zoe Woodworth vs. Kathy Gagnon

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