Chipman still searching for first 2024 tour win
Jaret Chipman tied for first last Sunday at a Niagara Men’s Golf Tour stop in Port Colborne but was unable to compete in a playoff and ended up losing by retrogression.
Jaret Chipman’s quest for his first win of the season on the Niagara Men’s Golf Tour will have to wait until the tour championship Sept. 8 at Peninsula Lakes.
The 26-year-old Niagara Falls native carded a four under par 68 last Sunday at the Port Colborne Country Club to tie Aidan Gavey for low score but was unable to compete in a playoff because he was heading to Ottawa to take part in this week’s Canadian Mid-Amateur. Gavey, who plays at the Monthill Golf and Country Club and was also heading to the national mid-am along with Chipman, Ryan Dyck, Hanish Nagrani and Andrew Dagneau, ended up winning by retrogression to record his second victory of the season.
Chipman knew before he started play Sunday that he wouldn’t be able to take part in a playoff as he was heading up to Ottawa in advance of a practice round Monday.
“Our goal was to get on the road right away after the round and it was unfortunate the way it played out. We all drove up together.”
The Cherry Hill member agreed it was disappointing not to get a chance to play in a playoff.
“It sucked the way it finished out because I played pretty well. To not have a chance to win kind of sucked but it is what it is.”
Chipman went into Port Colborne sitting in fourth place in the overall points race.
“I have shot some pretty good scores but unfortunately I haven’t won yet this year. I let the last event at Twenty Valley slip away a little bit on 17 and 18 and I played really well at Willow Valley but got beaten by Zack Hallborg who was a little bit better. And the first event at Grand Niagara was just a tough day and I wasn’t able too get it done. Hopefully the last event of the year can change that.”
The former scholarship player at Niagara University likes where his game is at heading into the Canadian championship.
“The start of the summer was alright for me and I shot some pretty good scores at the Ontario am and a couple of small events. Then at the Ontario mid-am a couple of weeks ago, I was leading after the first round and then my game took a little decline and struggled for about two weeks from the middle of that tournament. Just last week I started to get my game back. I practised and worked on the things I was struggling with.”
Unfortunately those struggles coincided with the club championships at Cherry Hill.
“It was tough playing on my home course and hitting some of the shots that I hit. It is a course where I have shot some incredible rounds this year and some of my lowest rounds ever have been at Cherry Hill.”
His recent play included three straight rounds under par last Thursday, Friday and Saturday to place fourth at the Buffalo and District Amateur and then he followed it up with the 68 at Port Colborne.
“I am happy with how I am playing and hopefully I can take that into this week at the Canadians.”
It is his first appearance at the Canadian mid-am and he is confident he can do well.
“My game is in a good spot. I am pretty familiar with the whole mid-am crew around Ontario and the strongest part of the field comes from Ontario. I don’t know a lot about the other parts of Canada but I think I am good enough to compete with anyone out here. My goal is to play well, control what I can do and hopefully my game is good enough to be in contention.”
The championship is being played at the Carleton Golf and Yacht Club.
“We played today (Monday) and it was really rainy and cold and the course is short. I do wish the course was a little but longer where I can take advantage of my length and accuracy with the driver but I think it will come down to your wedges and your putting and that is what I have been working on the last month or so.”
Rounding out the top 10 at Port Colborne were: Cardinal Lake’s Zack Hallborg 71; Glencairn’s Jeffrey Clarke 72; Cherry Hill’s Ryan Dyck 72; public player Brendan Canning 73; St. Catharines Golf and Country Club’s Morgan Daley 73; St. Catharines Golf and Country Club’s Brandon McGregor 73; Cherry Hill’s Hanish Nagrani 73, and, Port Colborne’s Storm Evans 73.
