Kenney, Shorthouse top Champions junior divisions
Casey Kenney had a victorious start to her golf season Saturday at the 72nd Annual Walt McCollum Niagara District Champion of Champions golf tournament at Grand Niagara.
The Sawmill member carded a solid 80 to cruise to victory in a small two-person field. It was the 16-year-old St. Catharines resident’s second round of the season, including a practice round last Sunday at Grand Niagara.
“The biggest difference on this course compared to mine or any other is probably the greens so it was the putting. I struggled a little,” the Grade 11 student at Sir Winston Churchill said. “I had a couple of three putts which didn’t make me too happy but it wasn’t too bad.”
The defending Niagara District Junior Golf Tour points champion is looking forward to the upcoming season which will include play on the local tour, Golf Association of Ontario and Maple Leaf Junior Tour events. Sawmill will be hosting the GAO Junior Girls Spring Classic. She is hoping her game will continue to progress this summer.
“I worked on my club head speed the whole winter and my driver has been working pretty well,” she said.
Saturday’s victory was her first-ever Champions crown.
“There was only two of us but it still means a lot,” Kenney said. “It is a great way to start off the season.”
JUNIOR BOYS
Caleb Shorthouse made the most of his second trip to the Niagara District Champion of Champions tournament.
After doing “not that great” in 2020, the four handicapper at 20 Valley carded an 80 Saturday at Grand Niagara to record a one-shot victory in the junior boys division over Sawmill’s Nathan Freure.
It was the 18-year-old’s second round of the spring and he started off a little slow.
He bogeyed the first three holes, made a few pars and then got himself back on track with a birdie on the ninth hole.
“Luckily our range opened pretty early at Twenty Valley so I practised a lot on the range,” he said. “And I putted and chipped quite a bit.”
He went into Saturday’s event with zero expectations.
“I didn’t have any. I just wanted to come out and have fun with my friend.”
That friend, Daniel Croce, proved to be an excellent support for the Grade 12 student at Blessed Trinity.
“He kept me relaxed and when I hit a bad shot he told not to worry about it and keep going.”
Shorthouse was thrilled to win a Champions title.
“It is only the fourth golf tournament that I have ever won other than my club championship.”
He will be looking to add to that total this summer on the Niagara Junior Golf Tour.
“I’m looking forward to playing on the tour and I am hoping it will go as well as this did.”
JUNIOR GIRLS RESULTS
Casey Kenney, Sawmill 80
Hazel Templeman, Brock 115
JUNIOR BOYS RESULTS
Caleb Shorthouse, Twenty Valley 81
Nathan Freure, Sawmill 82
Noah Labrasseur, Willo-Dell 83
Anthony Sartor, Brock 84
Morgan Daly, St. Catharines 85
Connor Pelletier, Whiskey Run 87
Owen Sartor, Beechwood 89
Damien Stehling, Bridgewater 100
Jakob Dugout, Rockway Vineyards 101
Sam Walker, Niagara-on-the-Lake 105
Carter Faris, Long Beach 115
Brady Perry, Rolling Meadows 129
PAST CHAMPIONS
JUNIOR GIRLS DIVISION
1969: Pam Poole, Lookout Point
1970: Peggy Manog, Willodell
1971: Cathy Landrigan, Cherry Hill
1972: Heather Williams, Westbrook
1973: Debbie Ross, Oaklands.
1974: Judy Marlow, Twenty Valley
1975: Judy Stonehouse, Willodell
1976 Karen Storr, Lookout Point
1977: No tournament
1978: Karen Storr, Lookout Point
1979: Nancy Bridgeman, Lookout Point
1980: Judith Allan, St. Catharines
1981: Lisa Drynan, Dunnville
1982: Hillary Manoian, St. Catharines
1983: Laurie Rybski, Lookout Point
1984: Pam Piotrowski, Twenty Valley
1985: Liz Earley, St. Catharines
1986: Liz Earley, St. Catharines
1987: Lisa Simpson, Niagara-on-the-Lake
1988: Jocelyn Andrusiw, Twenty Valley
1989: Doris Tribe, Thunder Bay
1990: Stefi Markovich, Port Colborne
1991: Stefi Markovich, Port Colborne
1992: Stefi Markovich, Port Colborne
1993: Tara Goss, Port Colborne
1994: Jen Teal, Thunder Bay
1995: Kelly Fonagy, St. Catharines
1996: Tara Goss, Port Colborne
1997: Jen Teal, Thunder Bay
1998: Shannon Briggs, Lookout Point
1999: Shannon Briggs, Lookout Point
2000: Shannon Briggs, Lookout Point
2001: Adrianna DiLonardo, Beechwood
2002: Adrianna DiLonardo, Beechwood
2003: Adrianna DiLonardo, Beechwood
2004: Carolyn Halinda, St. Catharines
2005: Sarah Steele, Lookout Point
2006: Katie Learn, Port Colborne
2007: Katie Learn, Port Colborne
2008: Kendra Bishop, Rolling Meadows
2009: Kennedy Bodfield, Rockway Glen
2010: Alex Taylor, Peninsula Lakes
2011: Kennedy Bodfield, Rockway Glen
2012: Alex Taylor, Peninsula Lakes
2013: Kennedy Bodfield, Rockway Glen
2014: Kayla Burke, Whiskey Run
2015: Emily Ward, Rolling Meadows
2016: Sukriti Harjai, St. Catharines
2017: Sukriti Harjai, St. Catharines
2018: Kayla Burke, Lookout Point
2019: Payton Bennett, Twenty Valley
2020: Mya Mackey Sawmill
JUNIOR BOYS DIVISION
1968: John Walker, Lookout Point
1969: Bill Huizer, Niagara-on-the-Lake
1970: Rod Spittle, Willodell
1971: Dave McKenzie, St. Catharines
1972: Al Kmety, Highlands
1973: Steve Fellinger, Willodell
1974: Mark Derbyshire, Niagara-on-the-Lake
1975: Gary Stickl, Willdell
1976: Ted Bishop, Lookout Point
1977: No tournament
1978: Drew McGlynn, Lookout Point
1979: Pete Harrison, Twenty Valley
1980: Joe Myers, Lookout Point
1981: Mike Krowchyk, Lookout Point
1982: Ken Robertson, Dunnville
1983: Ian Webb, Bridgewater
1984: Tom Vallee, Dunnville
1985: Bill Lipsett, Twenty Valley
1986: Chuck Holmes, Queenston
1987: Todd Turonski, Port Colborne
1988: Charlie Climenhage, Thunder Bay
1989: Ton Newton, Willodell
1990: Cliff Wynhofen, Twenty Valley
1991: Darren Mansell, Twenty Valley
1992: Jeremey Rivando, Port Colborne
1993: Jamie Johnstone, St. Catharines
1994: Craig Lipischak, Twenty Valley
1995: Brian Eden, Port Colborne
1996: Rich Houghton, Port Colborne
1997: Ryan Buckner, Port Colborne
1998: Chris Holmes, Bridgewater
1999: Bob Pelletier, Beechwood
2000: Stephen Billyard, Peninsula Lakes
2001: Kurt Ledwez, Beechwood
2002: Derek Billyard, Hunters Pointe
2003: Aaron Wagner, Willodell
2004: Kyle Griffis, Rio Vista
2005: Stephen McInnis, Port Colborne
2006: Kyle Griffis, Bridgewater
2007: Brandon Moore, ICC
2008: Jack Gibson, Bridgewater
2009: Steven Baltjes, St. Catharines
2010: Patrick Toppazzini, Bridgewater
2011: Sam Piccolo, Peninsula Lakes
2012: Hanish Nagrani, Lookout Point
2013: Sam Piccolo, Lookout Point
2014: Sam Piccolo, Lookout Point
2015: Jason Maloney, Twenty Valley
2016: Ethan Bennett, Twenty Valley
2017: Luke DelGobbo, Lookout Point
2018: Ben MacLean, Lookout Point
2019: Jackson Strecker, Twenty Valley
2020: Aiden Hawkins, Whiskey Run
