By Ryan Ernst
Enquirer staff writer

BUTLER, Ky. - The two players who fought it out over six playoff holes for last year's Northern Kentucky Men's Amateur championship will play a part in the final today at Pendleton Country Club.

Both defending champ Lance Lucas and 2003 runner-up Sy Mandle went into the 36-hole championship flight final with match play wins Thursday. Now they find themselves in usual territory with a highly unusual crowd.

The tournament, usually dictated by veteran players, was overrun by youth Thursday. Five of the eight players in the championship finals are 26 or younger.

"It's a young man's game I guess," Mandle said. "But I still love the competition."

As some of the other top veterans found out during Thursday's match play, Northern Kentucky's younger ranks offer plenty of competition. The day's biggest upset came from 26-year-old Darren Goad, who eliminated two-time champ Dave Macke 1-up.

"His reputation is just great," Goad said of his opponent. "He finished second in the state amateur, so I knew I had a tough draw. I guess I was up to it."

Goad, who lists Pendleton as his home course, was one of three young locals to make the finals. Dominic Catacora (24) and Andrew Spencer (20), who also grew up playing at the course, both made the finals.

Joe Hays, a redshirt freshman at Florida Gulf Coast, turned in the day's most dominating performance. He defeated Northern Kentucky All-American Jon Ehlen 6 and 5. Matt Bowlin needed two playoff holes, but rounded out the final eight with a win over Doug Danner. Bowlin finished third in 2002.

Then there are Lucas and Mandle, with more than 20 finals appearances between them.

"Sy and I are the old guys in the field," Lucas said. "That could be good or bad. It could be good because of experience. It could be bad because of endurance."

Lucas and Mandle each carded a 1-over 143 in last year's championship round. Lucas birdied two of the last four holes in regulation to catch Mandle and force the playoff, which he won with a par on the par-3 sixth hole.

Lucas will attempt to become the first back-to-back winner of the event since Tom Goeke did it in 1995 and '96. The stroke-play championship flight final will tee off at 8 a.m.

E-mail rernst@enquirer.com