Saint Michael graduate defends his title in style First-time winner
Derhodge and Miron swing their way to junior golf tour crowns
R.J. Derhodge began defence of his Niagara District Junior Golf Tour boys under-19 championship wanting to win all 10 events.
While he fell five victories short of that ambitious goal, the 18-year-old graduate of Saint Michael Catholic High School in Niagara Falls had plenty of reasons to celebrate when the tour wrapped up Monday at Beechwood Golf and Country Club.
For starters, his 5-over-par 77 was low enough for a two-stroke victory over Johnny Romak and Blake Pingue.
Derhodge’s third victory in a row also clinched his second title.
“I really pulled it together in the last couple of events. I started to play better again,” he said.
The Grand Niagara member attributed the turnaround to rediscovering his short game.
“Honestly, I just started making putts again. I wasn’t making putts as much during those other rounds where I was coming fourth or third or whatever,” Derhodge said. “In these last couple of rounds, I’ve been finding ways to make longer putts, and that was huge.”
He didn’t feel any pressure coming into the final event on this year’s tour.
“I just said to myself, ‘I have to treat it like every other round,’ ” Derhodge said.
“Pressure doesn’t bother me. I can’t let that bother me and throw off my game.”
“When I worry about that other stuff, that’s when I play bad,” he said with a chuckle.
Derhodge knew coming into Monday’s event that he had the overall title all but wrapped up. Matthew Martel, who was second in the point standings, did not play at Beechwood and only a win and 15th-place finish by Derhodge would leave Romak an outside chance of winning it all
Did having the title sewn up affect Derhodge’s game? Hardly.
“It gave me confidence going into the round, ‘I have this now, now I just have to put the ball in the fairway,’ ” he said. “No extra stuff, just keep doing what I’ve been doing. It gave me a confidence boost. I felt pretty good going into this round.”
Derhodge intends to work on his putting after he moves to West Palm Beach, Fla., in the fall to live with a cousin.
“Even though I was putting well, I think I left a couple out there today,” he said. “If I can make those putts all around, every opportunity I get, I think I’m going to be pretty hard to beat.”
Derhodge said his second title was the “better one.”
“Last year I didn’t close out with three wins in a row. To do that and win the championship is pretty cool.”
Megan Miron won her first girls under-19 tour championship in much more dramatic fashion.
Unlike Derhodge, the 17-yearold from Binbrook didn’t close out the season with a victory. Her round of 80 was five strokes back of Payton Bennett, a fellow fourtime winner.
“I played well when I needed to,” Miron said, summing up her season. “I had a few holes that really hurt me. That was pretty much it.”
She felt honoured to edge Bennett, a fellow four-time winner, for the overall championship.
“I know a couple of girls who won it in the past, and it’s just really cool to see my name being added to that list, too.”
Miron doesn’t anticipate having a target on her back when she begins her final season on the tour next year.
“There is going to be no pressure from anyone else, but I’ll definitely put pressure on myself,” she said.
“I know I want to win, but I just try to tell myself, ‘Have fun,’ and that takes the pressure off,” she added. “I know if I have fun and I really enjoy myself, I can play well.”
Bennett, who lost the tour stop at St. Catharines Golf and Country Club to Miron on a playoff, said the driver was the best club in her bag when the tour wrapped up at Beechwood.
“I drove the ball fantastic, which normally that’s a big key for me if I drive it well.”
She made three birdies on all the par-5s on the back nine.
The 16-year-old from Stoney Creek gave Miron credit for winning the tour. “It didn’t work out this year, but Megan played great all year, so good for her.”
Tour titles in the boys under-15, under-13 and under-11 divisions went to Isaiah Ellis, Michael Martel and Ben Julie, respectively.