Collier Curd won the Boys’ Junior City Championship on Monday, but the victory was an afterthought considering everything else that made up a wild tournament at Paul Walker Golf Course.

There was CM Mixon’s collapse and near save, an untimely lightning delay, easy putts that proved otherwise and a four-way playoff trimmed to two friends who’ve battled on the course for nearly a decade.

Curd, a Bowling Green High School senior, held on to win the title after three playoff holes to edge out Mixon by one stroke. The four-way playoff pitted Mixon and Curd with Bowling Green’s Clark McDougal – the defending champion – and Edmonson County’s Nathan Oliver, with all four at 1-over for the tournament.

Oliver and McDougal bogeyed on the first playoff hole to leave Mixon and Curd battling out the next two holes on a par-5 and par-3. A penalty cost Mixon a stroke on No. 3 that forced him to make a chip shot just to tie Curd for a fourth playoff hole.

Mixon’s chip landed two feet from the hole and although it secured Curd’s win, the gallery celebrated the South Warren graduate’s shot to conclude an eventful tournament.

“It’s awesome, especially to compete against him,” Mixon said, standing next to Curd. “Me and (Collier) have been duking it out since we were kids. I remember in the fourth grade we were fighting it out for the Goat Gary, so to be able to come back and have it come full circle is such a blast. I’m just glad to do it one more time.”

Monday’s tournament was the last Curd and Mixon will play at the junior level. Mixon will play in another Amateur Junior Golf Association event before starting his collegiate golf career at Louisville. Curd enters his senior season leading the BGHS golf team this fall.

Curd didn’t move much on the leaderboard in the final nine holes, staying around even par or 1-over. Mixon held a four-shot lead at one point and fell victim to missed putts and the first of two crucial unplayable lies that forced stroke penalties.

The two were tied after 29 holes going into the third playoff hole on the par-3, No. 3. Mixon’s pitch shot went over the green and took an unlucky bounce off the cart path for a chip shot about 20 yards from the pin. Meanwhile, Curd three-putted for bogey.

Mixon’s chip shot was short and landed the ball in a bush, forcing him to take another stroke penalty for an unplayable lie. His second chip would tie to force another playoff hole. His high-riser rolled and edged by the hole, which prompted Mixon to jump behind the bush and yell to Curd, ‘I saw you scared, Collier!’

“I never doubted you,” the victorious Purple replied.

“We’ve been doing this for 10 years,” Curd said. “This is pretty normal for both of us. We’ve grown up around each other and become good friends. I know if he wants to, he can wax me and I can wax him. It just goes back and forth. That’s what I love about this game and everything about it.”

Mixon at 2-under and Oliver at 1-under were the only participants under par going into the final nine holes Monday afternoon. Mixon shot as low as 4-under before falling back into a tie at 1-over approaching the final hole.

“Honestly, it was just putting,” Mixon said. “Usually it’s one of the best parts of my game and it just wasn’t as tight as it usually is. Especially out here, you have to hit pure putts because it’s really bumpy.”

With the potential of a few putts ending the tournament, heavy rainfall opened on the course and lightning within five miles forced a 30-minute delay.

Oliver’s first shot out of the delay was a chip from the bunker, then he lipped out a putt that would’ve won the tournament. Instead it forced a four-way playoff at 1-over.

McDougal and Oliver each bogeyed No. 1 on the first playoff hole while Mixon and Curd fought out the last two for the tournament.

“For me and him, we’re competitive,” Mixon said. “But at the end of the day, this is a game. It’s life for us, but our friendship and the things we’re going to do for each other outside of golf is more important.”

Greenwood’s Griffin Plumb finished fifth in the tournament and four strokes off the leaders at 5-over at the par-70 course.

Boys Junior City Championship at Paul Walker Golf Course (Par 70)

• 1. Collier Curd +13-hole playoff winner

T2 CM Mixon +1

T2 Nathan Oliver +1

T2 Clark McDougal +1

5. Griffin Plumb +5

6. Chase Hodges +8

7. Michael Lang +10

8. Carson Sturgill +11

9. Tyler Earnhart +12{&end}