Welch wins title at Florida Pickleball event

Chatham’s Paul Welch, left, and his doubles partner Neil Bosch, won the men’s doubles 3.5 age 70 plus division at the Naples Pickleball Centre, Naples Florida on Friday and Sunday February 2 and 4th in the NPC/Paddletek Championship.

Chatham’s Paul Welch, well known for his prowess on the baseball diamond won big in Pickleball at the Naples Pickleball Centre, Naples Florida on Friday and Sunday February 2 and 4th in the NPC/Paddletek Championship.

On Friday, Welch along with partner Neil Bosch from the Fargo Moorhead Pickleball Club in Fargo, North Dakota won gold in Men’s Doubles 3.5 70+ division over William Yourell and Larry Bray, both from Massachusetts with a score of 15-10 in the double knockout event. Welch and Bosch were 4-0 in bracket play before Yourell and Bray won the 2 of 3 semi final match forcing a winner takes all game which Welch and Bosch prevailed to win in late night action.

On Sunday, in the Men’s Singles 3.5 70+ division, in a rain delayed event, Welch went 5 – 2 claiming second place behind Tom Mooney of Lennox, Massachusetts who went 7 – 0 in the tournament.

The NPC/Paddletek Championship hosted 942 players on their 60 championship courts with 41 players from Ontario participating in multiple events.