Former UD golfer rallies for Ohio Mid-Am win

“It’s bus with an E,” Buse explained.

The slender Cincinnati native bears no resemblance to a bus but he left a few guys in his wake as he came from three strokes off the lead at the first tee to overtake 36-hole leader Kevin Grabeman and fire a three-under-par 68 for a 54-hole total of 211.

Playing in a threesome with 2012 champion Grabeman and Brady Marinangeli of Miamisburg, Buse kept both in sight but had to hold off a charge from former Ohio State University golfer Michael Cress, who was in the threesome ahead.

Cress, who was 3 over par and six strokes behind Grabeman at the first tee, birdied the first hole and eagled the par 5 No. 3 to get back to even par and then birdied holes 6 and 7 to go 2-under and seize the lead.

Grabeman, a Springboro native and Ohio State alumnus who now lives in Columbus, had gotten off to a good start with birdies at the first and third holes to go 4 under par. But he bogeyed Nos. 5, 7 and 9 to fall behind Cress.

The ninth was a pivotal hole for Buse, who birdied to gain two strokes on Grabeman. But Cress birdied the 10th hole and was 6-under for the day with a two-stroke lead.

His prosperity was short-lived. He made back-to-back bogeys at 11 and 12 to lose his lead and Buse took charge by birdieing the par 4 No. 11 to go 2 under for the tournament and three under for the day. Then he strung seven pars together for the biggest win of his life. His first prize was $750 in merchandise.

Grabeman and Cress tied for second place with even par scores of 213, Marinangeli finished fourth at 214 and Wright State golf coach Pete Samborsky II posted a 215 total to finish fifth.

Buse, a graduate of Cincinnati St. Xavier High School, got his degree from UD in 2013 and now works at the Mathile Family Foundation office. He will be married to UD grad Colleen Garvey on Sept. 23, and he said she would be the first person he called after receiving his first place award.

A member of NCR Country Club, he said his next golf challenges will be attempting to qualify for the U.S. Mid-Am and the U.S. Amateur championships.