Romak, Miron top leaderboard at Rolling Meadows
A two over par 72 Wednesday at Rolling Meadows gave Johnny Romak his first career victory on the Niagara Junior Golf Tour.
“It took a couple of years, but I finally did it,” said the three handicapper at Grand Niagara. “I could have played better today, but I saw a couple of guys struggling, especially a couple of guys who are usually up there at the top.”
The 17-year-old Niagara Falls resident felt confident he would win on the tour this year.
“I knew I have been hitting the ball good this summer so I figured out of 10 tournaments I had to win one.”
Winning Wednesday should help him out for the remainder of the tour schedule.
“When you are confident, it is easy to step up and hit the ball and not think about it,” Romak said. “The more you think about it, the more trouble you can get into.”
He played steady but not spectacular Wednesday and by the 16th hole, he knew he was in contention for his first victory.
“I figured it was close so I kept my head down because anything can happen,” he said. “I just kept making pars to close it out.”
Romak started golfing about six or seven years ago when his grandfather, John Romak, retired.
“When he retired, he was heavy into golf and he was obsessed with it,” he said. “He kept taking me out and I got obsessed too.”
He knew getting good at the sport would require persistence.
“I started kind of late for how early kids start now, but I have been grinding ever since then.”
The 12B student at A.N. Myer is returning for another year of high school to see if he can do something with school and golf or just improve his grades.
MIRON KEEPS ON ROLLING
Right now, Megan Miron is an unstoppable force on the Niagara Junior Golf Tour.
The 17-year-old Binbrook resident fired a one over par 71 Wednesday at Rolling Meadows to win her third straight start on the junior tour. She was nine shots better than runner-up Sasha Baker and her one over par total matched the career best one over score she had Monday at Legends on the Niagara. Meanwhile, the 71 was the lowest 18-hole total she has ever recorded.
“I was very consistent and I didn’t hit very many bad shots,” said the Grade 12 student at ACMT (Mere Teresa). “And I putted well. I made some clutch putts, which was nice.”
She has no explanation for her recent hot streak.
“It just depends on if you are playing good golf or not,” she said. “Hopefully, I can keep this up but I am missing the next tournament which kind of sucks.”
The Hamilton Golf and Country Club member will be away taking part in the Ontario Junior Girls Match Play Championship at the Listowel Golf Club.
She will obviously enter that event riding a wave of confidence.
“Golf is all about confidence,” she said. “You stand over the ball and before the shot you know in your heart if it’s going to be good or bad.
“It’s just a matter of having confidence and trusting yourself.”
She is looking forward to the provincial championship, but is a little apprehensive.
“Match play is so weird because it’s anyone’s game and it’s whoever makes the most birdies so I am going to do my best and see what happens.”
The match play format is not the best fit for Miron’s steady style of play.
“I have to try and push for birdies because I only made three birdies today,” she said. “In match play, you have to make birdies.”
Next stop on the tour is a 8 a.m. shotgun start Wednesday at Sawmill.
Following are the leaderboards from Wednesday’s tour stop at Rolling Meadows:
Under-19 girls: Megan Miron 71; Sasha Baker 80; Peyton Bennett 87; Emily White 89; Mya MacKey 96; Casey Kenney 96; Jade Gracie 100; Alexis Anderson 101; Kate Jeffery 138.
Under-19 boys: Johnny Romak 72; R.J. Derhodge 74; Blake Pingue 75; Charlie Jeffries 76; Matthew Martel 76; Ethan Siebert 77; Peyton Enns 81; Jared Sloan 82; Jordan Rowling 82; Patrick Rekowski 83.
Under-15 boys: Isaiah Ellis 77; Hudson Mielko 79; Sammy Rootes 82; Anthony Sartor 86; Kian Blair 95; Christian Rotundo 98; Liam Kirk 109.
Under-13 boys: Michael Martel 77; Levi Moyer 92; Elliott Christopher 104.
Under-11 boys: Ben Julie 87; Trent Clarke 99; Lucas Sartor 103.
