Westhampton Beach Golf Captures Suffolk County Championship

The Westhampton Beach golf team captured the Suffolk County championship with a 7-2 victory over defending champion Sayville at Pine Hills Golf and Country Club in Manorville.

The fourth-seeded Hurricanes won two matches in one day, defeating eighth-seeded Huntington, 6-3, in the morning semifinals before overcoming second-seeded Sayville in the championship match. The victory improved Westhampton Beach to 15-1 and secured a spot in the Long Island Championship on June 1 at Bethpage State Park’s Black Course. The Hurricanes’ Nassau County opponent will be determined in May.

Westhampton Beach relied on contributions throughout its lineup to reach the final. In the semifinals, senior Caden Padavan, freshman Oliver Webb and eighth-grader Giles Norton won their individual matchups by a combined 16 strokes. Padavan shot a 46, while Webb and Norton each finished with a 45. Their performances helped the Hurricanes claim the aggregate score, 278-281, and advance.

The championship match featured strong bounceback performances from Westhampton Beach’s top three players: Schumacher, senior Nico Arena and junior Benjamin Presutti.

After shooting a 45 in the semifinals, Schumacher improved to a 41 in the final, made six pars, and defeated Sayville’s Ray Woolsey by three strokes. Arena followed his semifinal 49 with a 43, made seven pars, and beat Brody Susskind by three strokes. Woolsey and Susskind had been the top two overall performers in the semifinals.

Presutti also delivered a key victory, shooting a 41 to defeat Brayden Foster by five strokes after posting a 48 earlier in the day.

Together, the Hurricanes’ top three built an 11-stroke advantage in their individual matchups. Westhampton Beach ultimately edged Sayville, 216-220, in the aggregate total, earning the deciding three points and clinching the county title.