Hawkins takes junior boys title
Aiden Hawkins played it safe and walked away with first place in the junior boys division at the 71st Annual Walt McCollum Niagara District Champion of Champions golf tournament held Saturday at the Port Colborne Country Club.
Hawkins recorded only one double bogey en route to carding a 77 to edge out Damien Stehling of Lookout Point by one stroke.
“I knew I had a chance. I play here all the time,” said Hawkins, an 18-year-old Port Colborne resident. “I’m a member here as well so I knew anything near par would be pretty good.
“I tried to play for par every hole and I think I did a pretty good job of it. I didn’t get in too much trouble.”
Hawkins is a member of both Whiskey Run and PCC, and he feels the familiarity with the course was a big advantage.
“Playing out here all year, I had some good rounds and knew I could take control of it. When I heard it was at this course, I knew would have a good chance,” he said.
Hawkins knew he was in contention as the round progressed.
“I heard I was close when I was hitting my shot on 16. I knew we were tied so I knew I had to make a good shot there.”
Hawkins, who is in his first year at the University of Guelph majoring in geography, was making his Champion of Champions debut after failing to qualifier a few years ago.
“It’s a little bit more prestige,” he said, of playing in the tournament. “It’s a little more intense and you have to execute what you want to do.”
Hawkins said he drove the ball exceptionally well.
“I hit the ball well off the tee with the exception of one shot. My first five or six holes I hit irons to within 10 feet of every hole,” he said.
LEADERBOARD
Aiden Hawkins, Whiskey Run 38-39-77; Damien Stehling, Cardinal Lakes 38-40-78; Andrew Scott, Port Colborne 42-38-80;
Owen Sartor, Beechwood 42-42-84; Michael Martel, Lookout Point 42-43-85; Noah LeBrasseur, Willodell 43-43-86; Aidan Lopinski, St. Catharines 44-43-87; Caleb Shorthouse, Twenty Valley 42-45-87; Bruce Deluca, Niagara-on-the-Lake 44-44-88;
Jaden Noble, Bridgewater 47-42-89; Brendan Jarrett, ICC 49-43-92; Ben Kelly, Sawmill 47-45-92; Anthony Sartor, Brock 47-48-95; Wyatt Seburn Long Beach 51-46-97.
Coverage of the 71st Annual Walt McCollum Niagara District Champion of Champions golf tournament is made possible with the support of Homes Of Elegance by Gatta Homes Inc. Visit them at http://gattahomes.com.
HIGH-RESOLUTION ELECTRONIC COPIES OF THE BELOW PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE. COST IS $20 WHICH WILL INCLUDE PUBLISHED PHOTO AND ANY OTHERS WE HAVE OF THE FEATURED GOLFER. TO PURCHASE, CONTACT bpuchalski@cogeco.ca.
