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Justin Ewert, 17, shot an opportunistic, final-round 81 on Friday at The Bridges Golf Club to sew up championship honors with a five-day, 99-hole score of 431.
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Justin Ewert, 17, tees off Friday at Bridge's Golf Club in Winona during the Around the County junior golf tournament. Ewert took first with a score of 431. (Photo by Paul Solberg/Winona Daily News) |
“I was just trying to hit consistent, safe shots the entire round,” Ewert said. “I wasn’t trying to go all out or anything. I was just going for pars.
“I was hoping to shoot a little better today, but I guess it was enough.”
Ewert held off young William Leaf, 13, who posted a solid, final-round 77 and finished two strokes off the lead, and 81-hole leader Matt Beyerstedt, 17, whose precipitous fall from a four-stroke, final-round cushion left him three strokes off the lead after a 17-over-par 88.
“I started off with a good par, then it kind of went downhill from there,” Beyerstedt said. “I went out of bounds on (No. 3) and never really brought it back.
“The most consistent golfer wins it, and I wasn’t the most consistent. First four days, yeah, but I wasn’t on the fifth.”
The three Winona Senior High School golfers were in familiar territory competing at their home course. But this round, with its motorized cavalcade gallery watching on from golf carts and the finish line of a grueling championship fast-approaching, was quite unlike the rounds they play together almost daily.
Ewert was a consistent champion, posting a 40 on the front nine and 41 on the back at The Bridges. His five-day totals 75-82-72-81-40-81 also showed little variation as the tournament bounced around the county, punctuated by weather fluctuation.
“He played really well,” Beyerstedt said. “He was consistent. He had some bad holes, but he rebounded nicely. I just never really had a chance to catch him.”
Said Leaf: “His mental game was great. He kept it together and finished out really well.”
Leaf began the day 10 strokes off the lead, but made a strong bid for the championship behind the only final round in the 70s. Ever the course technician and maestro of the short game, Leaf finished the back nine with five consecutive pars to stay within striking distance of Ewert.
“I play here everyday,” Leaf said. “I know I can shoot low 70s, high 60s every once in a while, from the blue tees. I just didn’t do it, but I knew I had a chance.”
Beyerstedt saw his four-stroke lead cut to one through 10 holes, then relinquished the lead for good with a messy 9 at the par-5 11th. Still, Beyerstedt paced the field through four days of play, going 75-74-77-75-45 before Friday. His showing was a strong one.
“I would’ve like to win,” Beyerstedt said. “But overall I played four solid days of golf and I can’t be too angry about that.”
Ewert, Leaf and Beyerstedt all said the final grouping of friends and teammates made for an ultra-competitive, but also cordial round. Just the right mix of serious competition and friendly banter. It also should benefit the young Winhawks come school season.
“We’re always competing against each other,” Ewert said. “And rounds like this, where you have pressure, it really helps in the clutch during the golf season. It just helps you get the confidence that you know you can do it.”
