Four birdies help Mitch Watt win Junior Club Golf Title as about 50 golfers take part in annual event at St. Marys Golf & Country Club
By Pat Payton, Sports Editor for the Journal Argus
It wasn’t his best round of the summer, but it was good enough to give Mitch Watt the 2017 Junior Club golf championship at St. Marys Golf and Country Club last Thursday.
A little rain, off and on, didn’t stop approximately 50 youngsters from competing in the annual Junior Club golf event.
Mitch Watt’s four-over-par round of 76 included four birdies (3, 6, 13 and 15) and eight bogeys.
He had a 39 on the front nine and a 37 on the back nine.
“I putted pretty well today; I didn’t miss too many putts,” Watt told the Journal Argus.
Two days earlier, the smooth-swinging right-hander fired a two-under 70, a season-low for the 17-year-old.
When he’s playing well, “I just try and hit fairways and give myself opportunities,” Watt noted.
It’s the second time Mitch Watt has won the Junior Club golf title. In 2015, he emerged victorious in a one-hole playoff over this older brother Jake.
Last year, Jake Watt won the championship (with an 80) for the third time. Mitch was unable to play due to an injury.
Age division winners this year are as follows:
- Jake Watt, 18, won the 17-plus title after shooting an 82
- Ian Bolton, with an 89, had the second-best score among the 17-year-olds.
- Sam Watt, 15, posted the best score in the 15-plus division with an 84
The younger age groups played nine holes and the winners were
- Carter McDougall, won the 13-14 division with a 45 (Sam Bolton was second with a 58 and Kirk Boreham third)
- Jimmy Schiedel won the 11-12 age group for the second year in a row with a 47 (Peyton Lobb was second with a 49 and Will Boreham third with a 55)
- Chase McDougall was first in the 10-and-under division with a 49 (Grayson Boreham was second with a 51, and Nate Schiedel third with a 52)
On the girls side, three-time defending champ Jordan Jarrett, 18, was unable to play this year. She’s in Springfield, Ohio at Wittenberg University, starting a NCAA golf scholarship.
Robyn Lewis is this year’s girls champ. Lewis was second to Jarrett the last two Junior Club tournaments.
To view photos from the event, click here.
Junior Club notes:
--It was a busy week for brothers Mitch and Sam Watt, who both competed in the two-day Canadian Jr. Optimists’ golf tournament in London.
--There were prizes for all Junior golfers last Thursday.
--Volunteers such as Kellen Fifield, Les McGregor, Richard Kennedy, Tim Bertrand, Scott McClelland, Sam Watt, Mitch Watt and Troy Carter were thanked for their help with the Junior program this season.
--A golf bag, donated by golf teacher Len Foran, was won by Ty Wheeler in a draw.
--Four London Knights’ tickets, for an OHL game against Sarnia Sting, were won by Harper Murrell. They were donated by Paul Brock.
--The St. Marys golf club’s Eric Dunn and Matt Staffen did a good job of organizing last Thursday’s Junior Club championship