During senior Kevin Kunkle's golf career, he has played a lot of holes both scholastically and in individual competitions.

On Tuesday it came down to two playoff holes to decide if Kunkle qualified for states, or if his high school career would be over.

Kunkle played 18, solid regulation holes of golf at Golden Oaks Golf Club in Fleetwood in the PIAA East Regional Tournament on Tuesday in hopes of posting a score that would put him in the top-24 in AAA to qualify for the state tournament.

The jovial Kunkle carded a 75 that included 13 greens in regulation, two birdies, three bogeys, and one double-bogey. After signing his card, Kunkle was confident he was qualifying for states as he loved the course and the round he put in.

"The course was real nice. It was perfect weather. You could definitely go out there and see the scores going low. The weather just helps you go out there and shoot a better score," Kunkle said.

Moments after uttering those words Kunkle was told that he was part of a four-way playoff, with three others that shot 75, for the final two qualifying spots.

Kunkle, who finished tied for 13th in last year's East Regional, pulled out his all white driver and ripped a beautiful drive down the left side of the tenth fairway, which served as the first sudden-death playoff hole.

That tee shot outdrove all three of his competitors, including fellow District 11 golfer Bret Howey from Nazareth, and it left Kunkle in perfect position to get it close on his approach shot.

He did just that, as he placed his second shot about 15 feet from the hole with a chance for a birdie upcoming. After reading the green, Kunkle putted it beautifully, but the ball never dropped. After tap-in pars from Kunkle and two other competitors, except for Howey, the three remaining golfers moved on the 18th.

Kunkle's tee shot skewed left and knocked off a tree after traveling about 75 yards from the tee box before landing in the rough.

"I just fell back on the drive," admitted Kunkle when talking about his errant first shot. "I tried to keep it in play and I blocked it in to the trees and it kicked left."

Trying to recover, Kunkle hit his second shot right down the middle of the fairway that left him about 160 yards to the pin.

The approach shot cascading down simultaneously with the fountain of water to the left of the green landed 12 feet from the hole giving him yet another birdie opportunity. Walking toward the green Kunkle was happy with what transpired.

"I knew I had to make a good third shot. Sometimes I am better with those 150 yard shots than I am with those 80 yard shots.

"I did feel comfortable over it and it went on to the green."

The K-Kid missed his 12-footer for birdie to the left and watched as competitor Robert Oleski from Conestoga missed his par putt which sent Kunkle along with Hughes to the PIAA tournament after they made their respective par putts.

After embracing head coach Brian Davies, Kunkle could only muster a few words about qualifying for states after 20 holes of golf.

"I'm elated," he said with a grin and a chuckle. "I couldn't be happier right now. That's about it."

Kunkle finished tied for 25th at last year's state tournament as he shot a two-day score of 163. The Konkrete Kid is determined to better that mark this year regardless of how many holes it may take.