Golfer Barron enjoys intriguing Lynx to the past
From the Lynx to the links, there’s something special in the Ottawa air for the Barron family.
Twenty-one years after Tony Barron served as a star outfielder for the Lynx — Ottawa’s former Triple-A baseball franchise — son Derek Barron is working his magic here with golf clubs.
Barron shot a blistering 9-under-par 62, a mere stroke off the course record, in the second round of the National Capital Open to Support Our Troops at Hylands Golf Club on Friday.
That vaulted him up the leaderboard into the thick of the pack for the weekend rounds.
In danger of missing the cut after an opening-round 74, Barron now sits in a tie for 23rd at 136, five strokes behind leaders Kramer Hickok (66), Raoul Ménard (64) and Mark Blakefield (66).
Before this week, Derek Barron hadn’t been in Ottawa since he was nine, watching his father progress through the Montreal Expos organization.
The senior Barron made his major-league debut with the Expos in 1996 — he had a single at-bat with them — before finishing his career with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Adding spice to the full-circle story, Derek Barron is staying this week with Annie and Frank Mallammo, who housed the Barrons during their Lynx days.
“I got off the plane on Tuesday morning and they hadn’t seen me since I was nine years old,” he said following his splendid second round.
“From what I understand, my parents lost touch with them for a while, but they found each other on Facebook. They said they would love to have me this week. And they even gave me a car this week, so I’m the ultra super saver. They’ve been awesome. I’m feeling great.”
No wonder. Shooting a 62, including a pair of eagles, will make your day.
Barron, who played the back nine first, closed out his round with a 29 on the front nine: par, par, birdie, par, birdie, birdie, par, eagle, birdie.
After his opening-round 74 on Thursday, Barron knew he had to do something special. Despite that score, he wasn’t displeased with how he had played, recognizing that, with a few putts here or there, he would have been under par.
He gained some additional focus after exchanging texts with his sports psychologist.
“It’s hard when you feel like you’re working hard and you don’t see the results, and all the guys out here know what that’s like,” Barron said.
“He just said, ‘Let it go, stop trying to be in control of everything.’ I just accepted it today that I probably wasn’t going to hit it perfect, but I just got it around. It was fun. It’s always fun when that putter gets going. That makes up for everything.”
Barron was born in Tacoma, Wash. While often visiting his father in big-league and minorleague clubhouses, Barron became familiar with several major-league stars, including Hall of Famers Pedro Martinez and Mike Piazza.
“I knew a lot of those guys, guys who played in the late 1980s, early 1990s. I got to meet so many cool people before they were anybody,” he said.
“I appreciate that more now. When I was younger, I wouldn’t even watch the games. I would be down underneath the stadium, skateboarding around the concrete. I wouldn’t even care.”
Naturally, he played a fair share of baseball himself. He acknowledged that a baseball swing and a golf swing didn’t necessarily go hand in hand.
“There are a few (aspects) of baseball in my golf swing, believe me,” he said, with a laugh. “I want to get rid of them.”