Chipman tops opening tour stop
Jaret Chipman wasn’t expecting to win Sunday’s opening stop on the Niagara Men’s Golf Tour.
“I have been struggling a little bit the last couple of weeks ball-striking wise and I never put a complete round together,” Chipman said, one day after his four under par 68 at Whirlpool topped the field by three strokes.
“I have felt really comfortable with the driver all year long. I feel I can put the ball in play and part of the strength of my game is hitting it pretty long. I have been able to hit it deep but unfortunately I haven’t been too comfortable with my irons and wedges lately.
“It felt really good yesterday to put the ball in range to make some putts on the greens.”
The 25-year-old Niagara Falls native won for the second time on the tour and first time since 2021
“I got off to a really good start. I birdied my first and then I made a lot of really good putts and swings on that front nine,” the Cherry Hill member said. “It was good to see a lot of putts go in from a little bit of range on front nine. That kinda benefitted my morale all day long and no matter where I hit it on the greens, I felt that I could make it. It made me ease up on my swing a little and gave me comfort everywhere on the golf course.”
The former scholarship golfer at Niagara University, who is now doing his masters of education at Niagara, agrees it is important to record a win early in the season.
“I had a win last year at the Burlington Golf and Country Club’s Invitational and it set me up with a little bit of confidence to go into my summer stretch of tournaments all over Ontario,” Chipman said. “It was knowing that I could shoot good scores, shoot in the 60s and play well in tournaments. The confidence I got from yesterday is something that I am going to take into a really busy June schedule that I have.”
His June schedule includes the Lookout Point and Cherry Hill invitationals and the Golf Association of Ontario’s men’s match play championship, men’s mid-amateur, and men’s amateur.
Last year’s semifinalist at the provincial match play event has exemptions into the men’s amateur and the match play based on his ranking in the GAO Order of Merit and he qualified for the mid-am last week.
“It is nice for me. I start the year at the match play and I feel that I am a really good match play competitor. That also gives me some added confidence.”
Rounding out the top 10 at Whirlpool were: Brendan Canning and top spring qualifier Aidan Gavey at one under par; Zach Hallborg and 2022 points runner-up Ryan Dyck at one over par; and, Bob Neilson, Joel Davis, Andrew Dagneau, Damien Stehling and defending points champion Kham Vong at two over par.
The tour continues: July 9 and Twenty Valley Golf and Country Club: July 23 at Grand Niagara Golf Course; Aug. 27 at Port Colborne Country Club; and, the tour championship Sept.17 at Lookout Point Golf & Country Club.
