Under a beautiful, late-afternoon sky, with shadows splashing across the green and a contingent of spectators standing on the clubhouse deck overlooking the 18th green, Taylor Jorgenson tapped in for par to cap a four-shot victory at the annual Kitchen Creek Classic yesterday.
The 17-year-old shot a one-over 73 to go with his one-under 71 on Saturday—making him the youngest-ever winner of the “Classic” at Kitchen Creek Golf Course.
“That was a fun day,” Jorgenson said matter-of-factly. “For the next year at least, I’m the champ and that’s a pretty wicked feeling.”
Jorgenson had a three-shot lead going into yesterday’s action, but that margin quickly was erased by Kenora’s Dan Baletki, who went three-under through the first nine holes to tie Jorgenson at the turn.
Both would par the short par-four 10th hole, but the table was set for a two-shot swing on the par-three 11th as Jorgenson stuck his tee shot within 12 feet of the cup while Baletki’s came up well short—nearly ending up in Kitchen Creek.
Jorgenson just missed his birdie try, but tapped in for par, while Baletki ended up with a bogey. Baletki then continued to drop back, finishing four-over on the back nine to wind up in fourth place with a two-day total of 147.
Jorgenson drained back-to-back birdies on No. 12 and 13 to give him some much-needed breathing room, but then had double-bogey at No. 14 to make things interesting again.
“I’m pretty happy for him,” Baletki said after closing with a 73 yesterday. “He’s a good young kid who isn’t cocky talking all round like some his age.
“He deserved the win.”
Andrew Katrin had shot a scorching 69 in an earlier group to go with his opening round 77 to finish two shots back in second at 146.
Perennial contender “Snake” Krawchuk finished with a 72 to tie Katrin for second place at 146 while Jeromy Wensley (148) and Rob Crowe (148) finished one shot behind Baletki in a tie for fifth.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
