North Allegheny's Jim Davis hadn't won a tournament in a long time, and he started his round Monday morning with a bogey-double and bogey.

But Davis rebounded to finish as the medalist at the Peters Township Invitational, shooting a 74 at Valleybrook Country Club and winning on the second hole of a playoff against Corey Martinez from the host school of the season-opening, multi-team high school event.

"I just stayed in the round after a little bit of a rough start," he said. "I was extremely excited. It was very fun."

After both players missed the fairway and settled for par on a par-4 to begin the playoff, Davis made a birdie putt on the second hole after reaching the green in two. Martinez settled for a par.

It was the latest accomplishment for Davis, a senior who tied for ninth at the WPIAL championships last year and qualifying for the PIAA championship tournament, where he placed 45th.

"He hits the ball far, but he also has a good, pure short game," North Allegheny coach Dede Rittman said of Davis, a tall, slender player who also was the medalist in a match against Shaler last week. "He has the whole package.

"He can shoot even par. He just has a great swing, and he's a good putter with a good short game. It's a pleasure to watch him play."

"I usually put the ball in play," Davis said. "I'm pretty straight. I try not to hit the ball all over the golf course, and usually don't if I'm playing well. I hit a lot of fairways and greens [in regulation], I guess."

Davis started playing golf when he was about 8. He often plays at North Park with friends or at Treesdale with his father and has entered a number of district junior tournaments.

"I think part of his good playing is that he's accustomed to the stress," Rittman said. "He likes stepping up to the challenge."

Davis' next challenge is living up to the lofty goals he has set for himself for the high school season. Rittman said she expects him to qualify again for the PIAA championship tournament scheduled for Oct. 21-22 at Heritage Hills Golf Resort in York.

Davis didn't shy away from that expectation.

"I would like to compete in the WPIAL individual and team finals," Davis said. "It would be great to see the team do well at Cedarboork, [site of the WPIAL finals]. Individually, to do well at WPIAL finals and make it to states again this year.

"The main goal is for the team winning WPIALs. That would be the best way to go out."

Rittman said that is not an unrealistic expectation for a deep and talented team. Indeed, Davis wasn't even her No. 1 player after tryouts. Mark Jackson, Donny Lewis, Byron Doll, Nate Kreutzer and Jake Wrigley are among the Tigers' other top players. Kreutzer, Lewis and Doll are also seniors.

"We do have a good core of seniors," Davis said. "I think if we focus and play well, we have a real good chance this year."

NA placed third at the Peters Township Invitational behind Peters and Central Catholic. A 195-206 win against Shaler Area came in its first section match.

"They really work a lot on their games," Rittman said. "That's what I love about the kids on this team; they're so devoted. In practice, they truly practice.

"We have a lot of drills we do, and the kids are making themselves better players through what we do. I like that."