Bennett tops at Beechwood; Miron points champion
Payton Bennett ended her summer on the Niagara Junior Golf Tour on a winning note Monday.
The 17-year-old Stoney Creek resident fired a 74 at Beechwood to record a five-shot victory in the final event on the tour. Bennett also won a tour stop at Brock Golf and tied with Megan Miron for first at Legends on the Niagara Battlefield.
The Twenty Valley member was mostly happy with her play on the loop this summer.
“I feel if maybe I could have won one more, I would have been a little more happier, but Megan and I went back and forth pretty much all year and it was good to have that competition.”
The Grade 12 student at St. John Henry Newman in Stoney Creek was aided in her golf development by playing against Miron and vice versa.
“It’s great. We are always pushing each other,” she said. “We play high school golf against each other, we will play for fun or play a match and we are good enough friends that we can go back and forth and compete.”
Bennett, who has already accepted a scholarship offer at Ball State, believes the biggest improvement in her game this season was becoming more consistent.
“Before, I would have big numbers like an eight or a nine on the scorecard and now I get mad at myself if I even have a double,” she said. “It’s more pars, birdies and bogeys and trying to keep the big numbers off the card.
“That really helps because when you make an eight or a nine you have to fight back for it.”
About the only thing that wasn’t cool for Bennett this summer was missing the cut at the Ontario ladies amateur and the Ontario junior girls championship.
“Those are two that I wish I could play over again.”
She missed the cut for the junior event by a single stroke.
“I played well but I know I could have still played better,” Bennett said. “I felt that week I was really close to playing well and it was nice today to play well. I wish there were more tournaments to play now because I feel that I have been catching my stride a little bit.”
Thankfully, she has another year to make her mark at the Ontario junior championship.
“Hopefully it will be a normal year and not a year like we just had.”
Miron was able to defend her under-19 girls points title on the Niagara Junior Golf Tour without having to play in the final tournament Monday at Beechwood.
The 18-year-old Binbrook resident wrapped up the crown by winning four straight tournaments before leaving Aug. 13 for her first year of scholarship golf at Grand Valley State in Allendale, Mich.
“That’s so cool,” Miron said, when informed of the news by BPSN. “I guess all I can say is that this year’s Niagara tour looked very different than last year. Huge thanks to John (White) and all the golf courses for allowing us the opportunity to compete.”
The Hamilton Golf and Country Club member, who is coached by White, competed for four years on the tour.
“I know I always have a blast playing in these events and I will miss it next summer,” she said. “ I am very honoured to have successfully defended the title this year and I feel that the tour has helped me grow as a golfer and has prepared me for university golf as well. I’ll always remember the memories we made at these events.”
The behavioural neuroscience major at Grand Valley State enjoyed a breakthrough season on the links, including tying for 11th at the Ontario Women’s Amateur Golf Championship at the Dalewood Golf Club in Cobourg.
“I’ve definitely adapted a better mindset this year when it comes to my game,” she said. “I feel like my mental game has improved over the off-season and that has allowed me to perform well this year in these events.”
She has been following COVID 19 protocols since arriving in Michigan.
“I have to self isolate for two weeks prior to practicing with the team and going on campus,” she said. “Once the two-week period is complete, I will be following the NCAA and GLIAC (Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) protocols along with the rest of the team.”
Final Beechwood results under-19 girls division: Payton Bennett 74; Sasha Baker 79; Mya Mackey and Casey Kenney 81; Alexis Alderson 89; Jade Gracie 90; Sierra Kowalyshyn 93; Ella Zanatta 101; Mikayla Lacey 102; Kate Jeffery 114.
Under-19 top 10 points: Miron 278.5; Bennett 253.5; Kenney 181; Baker 179; Gracie 167.5; Mackey 163; Alderson 136; Lacey 130.5; Zanatta 125; Kowalyshyn 115.5; Jeffery 96.
