Kenney, Burciul, Turner winners at Rolling Meadows
Sawmill’s Casey Kenney shot a 76 Monday at Rolling Meadows to win the latest stop on the Niagara District Junior Golf Tour.
It’s clear something went awry when the winner of a golf tournament leaves the course wondering how on earth they finished on top.
That was the situation Casey Kenney found herself in Monday after a carding a 76 at Rolling Meadows to win the under-19 girls division at the latest stop on the Niagara District Junior Golf Tour.
“I played really well for the first 13 holes — I was even after 13 — and it was par after par. Obviously that is a good thing but then I did not end strong,” the 17-year-old St. Catharines resident said. “I couldn’t tell you what happened. I said to John (tour organizer White) that I just forgot how to golf. It’s weird that I was playing so well and it does that.”
As any golfer can attest, there is nothing more frustrating than playing well and then for no reason falling to pieces.
“It comes out of nowhere and there is not much that you can do most of the time. You just kind of gotta roll with it.”
There is no magic fix when things go wrong.
“You try to stay calm but it is hard when you go from so good to so bad. The more you are the better.”
Monday’s round was characteristic of the up and down summer Kenney has been experiencing on the golf course.
“It is easier on John’s tour to stay more kind of even temper wise. It’s fun and I remind myself of that especially when I am doing bad. It’s not the Masters and I am here to have fun with my friends. When I am doing bad I like to ignore everyone but when I am laughing and talking to my group it kind of balances it out a bit.”
Playing bad for stretches is something all golfers can relate to
“None of us had our best performances today,” the Sawmill member said.
BURCIUL WINS AGAIN
Sawmill’s Andrew Burciul carded a 76 Monday at Rolling Meadows to win the under-19 division for the second time this season.
The 15-year-old Thorold resident also won the opening stop of the tour at Brock Golf Course. The Denis Morris student has been on the tour for three seasons has won five times overall.
His season has gone mostly well in 2023.
“It is really the mental side of my game. I have been trying to work on not getting too focused on bad shots and the chipping is way better this year,” he said.
Focusing on the mental side of the game is a recent development.
“Lately I have been making a lot of high scores and having bad holes and I have been trying to bounce back on those bad holes and make good scores.”
He has had a few bad rounds lately but things have been trending in the right direction.
“I am striking the ball well.”
His highlight so far this season is a 71 he shot during a Maple Leaf Junior Tour stop at Grey Silo.
His goal in golf is to play university golf in the States and he knows there is lots of work to do.
“I have to work on my mental game even more and keep practising. Practice is a big key in golf.”
He practises five or six times a week and never gets tired of the sport.
“I love the game of golf. It’s so much fun and shooting good scores makes me happy.”
FIRST U15 TITLE FOR TURNER
Brennan Turner is no stranger to the winner’s circle on the Niagara District Junior Golf Tour.
The 13-year-old Fonthill resident won nine times on the tour in the under-13 division last year and recorded his first under-15 title Monday at Rolling Meadows.
The Peninsula Lakes member fired a 73 to win by three strokes.
“It is a big step up but distance isn’t really a problem,” he said, adding he can hit his driver 260 yards.
His season has gone well.
“I have had a couple of rough rounds but I am starting to get back on track. I have tried to keep a better mindset and I’ve done a lot of practising to fix whatever is not going well.”
He wasn’t expecting to record his first under-15 win at Rolling Meadows.
“It was a bit of a shock because I am not a big fan of this course. I never really play well here and this was the first time.”
In recording the victory, he hit his irons well and he made some putts.
The golf scholarship hopeful is looking forward to the rest of the summer. He recently qualified to play in the under-15 provincial championship which will be held Aug. 21-22 at Sawmill.
“I am hoping to play my best and play my own round. I am hoping to place somewhere in the top 25.”
LEADERBOARDS
Under-19 girls: Casey Kenney, Sawmill 76; Sierra Kowalyshyn, Sawmill 81; Mikayla Lacey, Port Colborne 82; Eden Sobie, Players Club Mississauga 95.
Under-19 boys: Andrew Burciul, Sawmill 76; Brennan Pisaric, Bridgewater 78; Will Burleigh, Sawmill 79; Kian Oelofse, Lookout Point 80; Jack Ilskens, Lookout Point 80; John Kingdon, Sawmill 81; Nathan Freure, Sawmill 82; Benjamin Morin, Bridgewater 82; Liam Kirk, Players Club Hamilton 82; Austin Ste. Croix, Twenty Valley 83.
Under-15 boys: Brennan Turner, Peninsula Lakes 73; Trent Clarke, Sawmill 76; Braxton Fleguel, Golf Canada Clubhouse 76; Chase Partridge, St. Catharines G&CC 80; Joseph Zupanic, Sawmill 82; Matthew Gray, Sawmill 84; Carter Fulkerson, Players Club Ottawa 85; Jaxon Pozzebon, Sawmill 97; Cam Strugar, Golf Canada Clubhouse 103; Vince Bellardi, Sawmill 103.
Under-13 boys: Alex Shorthouse, Players Club Hamilton 91; Jonah Sobie, Players Club Mississauga West 99,
