Derhodge, Bennett win tour opener
R.J. Derhodge picked right up where he left off last year.
The defending under-19 boys champion fired a 70 Friday at Rockway Vineyards to take top spot at the first stop on the 2019 Niagara Junior Golf Tour.
Derhodge, who won five tour stops last summer en route to the overall championship, smiled when asked if winning ever becomes old.
“Never. It’s awesome,” he said.
Derhodge took advantage of the sweltering conditions to shoot an even 35 on both the front and back nine.
“It (heat) was an advantage for me. I really bombed it today,” he said. “I was able to putt from closer distances. I think the ball just flies farther. It’s just so hot and the wind helps. It is so warm the ball just bounces and keeps going.”
Having said that, Derhodge kept in mind not to overplay the greens.
“There were two holes where I couldn’t use a driver to hit the green because I was going to go over it. It’s tough because I really had to think about what I was going to do.”
Derhodge, an 18-year-old graduate of Saint Michael Catholic High School in Niagara Falls, has big aspirations on the links.
He is moving to West Palm Beach, Fla., this fall to live with family and work on his game year around.
“I have a coach down there and I’m going to be working on my game for a year in the winter,” he said. “I think it’s going to be huge. Everyone else is going to be in school and I’m just going to be working hard doing what I want to do for my game and getting my game where it needs to be, shooting in the low 60s.
“I think it’s going to be really helpful. You need that repetition everyday to keep practising.”
Derhodge said the set up is perfect.
“My family is four minutes from the course so I’ll be going there every day pretty much and my coach is 20 minutes away,” he said.
Derhodge plans to continue with the junior tour this summer as a means to hone his game.
“I always look at these events for experience, putting myself in those positions where I am doing well and under pressure,” he said. “I always want to be in that position so I can perform.
“I know when I get in other events I have to make those putts. Even though this is a lower tier, I want to put myself in that position to get ready.”
BENNETT BENEFITS FROM EXPERIENCE
Payton Bennett had one of the best rounds of her career to capture the under-19 girls title Friday.
The 16-year-old Stoney Creek resident fired a 76 to claim top spot by eight strokes over Emily White.
“It was my second-best (round) ever,” she said. “I was one over (par) going into my last two and I tripled bogeyed.
“I guess you have to get close a few times before you do it (but) I was pretty happy with that.”
Bennett, who golfs out of both Lookout Point and Twenty Valley, is in her fifth year on the tour and said that familiarity is a huge bonus.
“It’s great. Even this morning I was telling people where to go. I felt comfortable here and excited to play,” she said. “I love this course, the way it’s set up works out well for me.
“I’ve played well here before.”
Bennett, who has one other tour victory to get credit, said she drove the ball well.
“I didn’t have many shots more than 100 yards into the greens. Just being able to have close shots in and be able to make birdies from there,” she said. “I knew I was playing well the whole day. My main focus was to beat my personal best. I didn’t end up doing that but it was good enough.”
Bennett is following in the footsteps of older brother, Ethan Bennett, who was the overall boys champion in 2016.
“Ethan won the tour a few years ago and I wanted to play when I saw him win it,” she said.
Bennett, who lived for a time in Ohio, has U.S. citizenship and is hoping to secure a golf scholarship south of the border.
Following are the top finishers in each age category from Friday’s event:
UNDER-19 GIRLS
1. Payton Bennett, Stoney Creek 76; 2. Emily White 84; 3. Sasha Baker 88; 4. Mikayla Lacey 93, Mya Mackey 93; 6. Casey Kenney 101; 7. Jade Gracie, Niagara Falls 114.
UNDER-17/19 BOYS
1. R.J. Derhodge, Niagara Falls 70; 2. Charlie Jeffries, Vineland 72; 3. Matthew Martel, Fonthill 75, Cian Burke, Niagara Falls 75; 5. Ethan Siebert 76; 6. Blake Pingue, Niagara Falls 77; 7. Bradyn Wark St. Catharines 78, Patrick Rekowski 78; 9. Peyton Enns, St. Catharines 80; Johnny Romak 80.
UNDER-15 BOYS
1. Hudson Mielko, Grimsby 74; 2. Nathan Freure, Wellandport 79; 3. John Kingdon, Grimsby 80, Anthony Sartor, Thorold 80; 5. Sammy Rootes, St. Catharines 89; 6. Kian Blair 90; 7. Christian Rotundo 109; 8. Liam Kirk, Grimsby 110; 9. Declan Whittard 119.
UNDER-13 BOYS
1. Michael Martel 74; 2. Will Burleigh, Grimsby 90; 3. Elliott Christopher, St. Catharines 100; Levi Moyer, Lincoln 104.
UNDER-11 BOYS
1. Ben Julie 82 ; 2. Lucas Sartor 101; 3. Trent Clarke, Vineland 108.
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