Familiar names conquer Legends
There were few surprises on the Niagara District Junior Golf Tour stop Monday at Legends on the Niagara.
All four age groups featured repeat winners with Casey Kenney of Sawmill Golf Course winning the U19 girls division, Matthew Gray of Sawmill taking top honours in the U13 boys division, Cole Thompson of Sawmill placing first in the U15 boys division, and Michael Martel of Lookout Point winning in the U19 boys category.
Martel rebounded from a six on the 18th which forced a two-hole playoff with Noah LeBrasseur of Players Club – Ottawa.
“For the playoff holes, I just made pars,” Martel said. “I felt Noah had me on the first playoff hole but he chunked a chip short of the green. I felt very confident in my game to come through and win.
“I had poor lies for both of my second shots so I just laid up and left myself a short wedge in and had tap-in pars for both holes.”
Martel also won the opening tour stop at Brock.
“All around it was a good day,” the 14-year-old Fonthill resident said. “My irons weren’t amazing but I played through that. I struggled to make putts outside of 10 feet but I was just two-putting everything else.”
U13 BOYS
Gray shot at 74 to edge Brennan Turner of Peninsula Lakes Golf Club by three strokes for his fifth win of the season. Gray previously won at Rolling Meadows, Willodell, Sawmill and Brock.
“My irons and wedges were the best, but I hit also hit some pretty good drives which helped me to hit the good irons shots to the green,” said Gray, a 12-year-old student at Nelles Elementary School in Grimsby.
Gray tried to play a conservative game with the course so hard from the heat.
“I don’t spin the ball a lot and when I don’t spin it, it starts to roll so I had to play less yardage,” he said.
Gray’s game plan each tour stop is to try his best.
“I play for the top three because you still get points in the overall standings by coming third,” he said.
U15 BOYS
Thompson captured his second tour win in three outings, firing an even-par 72. Will Burleigh of Sawmill was second at 76 followed by Angelo Butera, Players Club – Ottawa, in third at 77.
“I just tried to stay cool,” he said. “I brought a towel for my arms and face because I was all sweaty but it was nice that it was warm out. The greens were rolling really nice and the fairways were nice and hard so you were getting lots of roll.”
Thompson, a 14-year-old Beamsville resident, loved the conditions.
“I play aggressive because I know I can just pound the driver as far as I want and I’ll have a wedge in my hand and I’ll be able to stick it close. I know how to play a roll, I’m good at that, so I usually do good in those conditions.”
Thompson won his first tour event less than a week ago at Grand Niagara.
“It (win) definitely gave me some confidence,” Thompson said. “There were two others in the 70s so everyone shot good today.”
U19 GIRLS
Kenny shot a one-over par 73 for her sixth tour victory this summer. Mikayla Lacey of Port Colborne Country Club was second with an 84.
“My driver and putter were working really well today,” said Kenny, a 15-year-old St. Catharines resident. “I started off a bit slow but I turned it around pretty quickly. I had a good stretch from 11-14, where I was -4 on those holes.
“I’m just happy with how I played.”
Next stop is Wednesday, Aug. 4 at Twenty Valley.
U13 BOYS
1. Matthew Gray, Sawmill Golf Course +2 74; 2. Brennan Turner, Peninsula Lakes Golf Club +5 77; 3. Chase Partridge, St. Catharines Golf & Country Club +11 83; 4. Joseph Zupanic, Sawmill Golf Course +15 87; 5. Lucas Sartor, Beechwood Golf & Social House +19 91; T6. Ryan Kirkpatrick, Golf Canada ClubHouse +20 92, Trent Clarke, Sawmill Golf Course +20 92; 8. Daxx Partridge, St. Catharines Golf & Country Club +22 94; T9. Carter Fulkerson Players Club – Golf Ontario +26 98, Gavin Christie, Twenty Valley Golf & Country Club +26 98.
U15 BOYS
1. Cole Thompson, Sawmill Golf Course E 72; 2. Will Burleigh, Sawmill Golf Course +4 F 76; 3. Angelo Butera, Players Club – Ottawa +5 77; 4. Aidan Smith, Players Club – Ottawa +9 81; T5. Elliott Christopher, St. Catharines Golf & Country Club +13 85, Andrew Burciul, Sawmill Golf Course +13 85, Jack Ilskens, Players Club – Hamilton +13 85; 8. Kian Oelofse, Lookout Point Country Club +15 87; T9. Alec Linton, Players Club – Ottawa+19 91, Leighton Wurm, Sawmill Golf Course +19 91.
U19 BOYS
T1. Michael Martel, Lookout Point Country Club +1 73, Noah LeBrasseur, Players Club – Ottawa +1 73; 3. Benjam Hebert, Benjamin Lookout Point Country Club +2 74; 4. Andrew Scott, Port Colborne Country Club +4 76; 5. Aidan Lopinski, Lookout Point Country Club +6 78; 6. Jaxson Christie, Twenty Valley Golf & Country Club +7 79; 7. Nathan Freure, Sawmill Golf Course +8 80; T8. Ben Kelly, Sawmill Golf Course +11 83, Benjamin Shaver, Sawmill Golf Course +11 83; T10. Mike Roussos, Cardinal Lakes Golf Club +12 84, Morgan Daly, St. Catharines Golf & Country Club +12 84, Sam Boich, Scenic Woods Golf Club +12 84, Owen Sartor, Beechwood Golf & Social House +12 84.
(Martel won in a two-hole playoff).
U19 GIRLS
1. Casey Kenney, Sawmill Golf Course +1 73; 2. Mikayla Lacey, Port Colborne Country Club +12 84; 3. Anisha Ghosh, Burlington Golf & Country Club +19 91; 4. Marieve Ayres, Dundas Valley Golf & Curling Club +23 95; 5. Sierra Kowalyshyn, Sawmill Golf Course +24 96.
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