Delaware Christian’s Nathan Stewart started the summer on the right side of the leaderboard, firing a 66 on the par-60 Green Acres Golf Course to win the first Heart of Ohio Junior Golf event of the season Wednesday afternoon.

Stewart carded a solid 32 on the front half and a 34 on the back to account for his winning score. He closed with 11 pars and sank a birdie to top the 16-18 division.

Marion Harding’s Jacob Beaschler and Galion’s Spencer Keller tied for runner-up honors with 67s while Pleasant’s Mason Rinehart finished fourth with a 71. Another Pleasant standout, Alex Pratt, and Fairbanks’ Alexander Crowe tied for fifth with 73s.

Galion’s Nicholas McMullen won the younger division (13-15), carding nine pars and a birdie on the way to a 67. Upper Sandusky’s Brock Montgomery and Elgin’s Isaac Dillon, meanwhile, finished second and third with respective totals of 71 and 74.

Delaware’s Paiton Allen won the first playoff hole to take top honors among the 12-and-under players, who only played nine holes. Allen, Pleasant’s Asher Gates and Mount Vernon’s William Reiser each finished with 40s.

A couple Marysville players, Anderson Reiser and Grady Wisecup, shared fourth place with 45s and Kolton Crider was next with a 46.

The next HOJGA tournament is slated for Monday at Golf Club of Bucyrus. Stewart, who will look to make it back-to-back wins, will tee off at 9 a.m. with Rinehart and Beaschler.