Ethan Bennett caps off busy week
Ethan Bennett finally made it to the top of the mountain.
The 17-year-old native of Winona took top spot in the boys division Tuesday in the latest stop on the 2016 Niagara District Golf Tour.
The victory was the first for Bennett in three years on the tour.
“It feels really good,” Bennett said with a smile. “I just came off the Ontario Juniors and I didn’t play very well — I missed the cut — so it feels good to finally break through and win.”
To top it off, Bennett celebrated his birthday Monday and following his win Tuesday had to rush back to Twenty Valley to play in the club championship.
Bennett fired an even-par 72 to earn the win. Freddie Gualtieri of the St. Catharines Golf and Country Club and Nolan vonKalekreuth of Bridgewater tied for second at 77, followed by Jaret Chipman and Ben Simmonds, who were tied for fourth at 78.
“I played really well, I was pretty consistent throughout. I made three birdies and three bogeys and kept the big numbers off the card,” said Bennett, who attends Cardinal Newman High School in Stoney Creek. “The course is in great shape. Most courses are pretty burnt out, so it was nice to come to a course that is in perfect condition.”
Bennett got off to a strong start which set the tone for his round.
“I started off really well. I was one under through four and kind of used that as a springboard to jump start my round,” he said. “On my third-last hole I left a ball in the bunker and made a good up and down to save bogey and then went on to birdie the next hole and at that point I knew I had a good shot at it.”
Bennett said lessons with tour director and Beechwood director of golf John White have paid off handsomely.
“My game would be nowhere near where it is today without him. I owe him so much,” Bennett said. “I didn’t hit it very far and now I’m hitting it farther and I’m much more consistent. He’s recently working with me to believe in myself and be confident I can win.”
Bennett feels that extra confidence can be the difference between a winning round and coming up just short.
“I’ve been focusing on being confident in myself and believing I can do it and working through it and not really caring what others are doing,” he said. “I just try and focus on my own game and shoot as low as I can.”
Ward wins again
Emily Ward of Willodell made it two tour stop victories in a row in the girls division.
“It feels great,” said Ward, who fired a two-under 70 edging out Sukriti Harjai and Taylor Simoneau, both of the St. Catharines Golf and Country Club, by two strokes.
The A.N. Myer Secondary School student had all facets of her game working.
“My approach shots were really good and my putting was really good as well,” she said.
Ward shook off a rocky start — she bogeyed two of her first three holes — but soon settled down.
“I turned it around and make some birdies to get back what I lost on the front,” she said.
Ward said it’s imperative to keep each hole separate.
“You have to move on and think positively, and know you have more holes coming up to get back what you’ve lost,” she said.
Kaylee Burke of Beechwood was fourth at 78 followed by Susan Leone Beechwood at 13 over.
Ward is now preparing for the Canadian Junior Championships next week in Halifax.
“I am so excited to go. I’m really looking forward to it,” she said. “It will be the best in Canada.”
The next stops on the junior tour are next Tuesday at Legends and at Sawmill on the following day.