WESTFIELD CENTER — Parker Hewit had a heart-to-heart with himself, cleared his head and made history.
Parker Hewit of Westfield Center tees off on the 13th hole on the Westfield Group Country Club’s North Course during the final round of the Ohio Open. Hewit put together a history-making day to finish in a tie for fifth. (RON SCHWANE / GAZETTE)
The Westfield Center native didn’t win the 95th Ohio Open — he tied for fifth — but sent Westfield Group Country Club abuzz Wednesday with a finish he’ll remember for years.
Complete with a 40-foot eagle putt, near-hole-in-one and a blistering 28 on the front nine, Hewit tied the North Course record with a 9-under-par 63. He now owns both course records at the facility after shooting an 8-under 62 on the South Course in recent years.
The 25-year-old understandably was beaming despite ultimately falling three strokes shy of two-time Ohio Open champion and 2010 NAIA national medalist Justin Lower (three-day 199).
“I still can’t believe it,” Hewit said. “I shot 28 on that (front) side. It was nice.”
Hewit was frustrated over the first two days and entered the final round tied for 25th at 3 under. The former Cloverleaf High and Bowling Green State star’s body language was tense because he’s never struggled at Westfield in organized competition dating to high school.
The look-in-the-mirror moment happened Tuesday evening. Hewit recognized his attitude needed to change, and he sent texts to his caddy, Tom Penrose, to apologize for “immature” and “childish” behavior.
The sun that finally broke through after a previously rainy 48 hours shined directly on Hewit, who began on the 10th tee and caught fire once he birdied the par-4 18th.
Over his final 10 holes, the long-hitting right-hander was 9 under. To put that into perspective, only 13 players were 9 under or better for the 72-hole tournament.
“I told (Penrose) that no matter what happened, we were just going to have fun and focus on the shots and not about what happened,” Hewit said. “I think that had a lot to do with it. I turned at 1 under (for the day). I didn’t get mad. I didn’t throw any clubs. … I knew that (score) wasn’t good enough, but I was still positive.”
Sitting at 4 under overall and well behind the leaders at that point, Hewit went for broke and drove the green on the par-4 No. 1. The ball rolled back onto the fringe, setting up a breaking 40-foot putt.
Even Hewit didn’t have grand expectations.
“I’m thinking, ‘I’ll be doing pretty good just to two-putt this,”’ he said. “I end up hitting it, I’m kind of walking after it and about halfway there, I’m like, ‘This looks OK,’ and it ends up going in.”
Hewit followed with a near-ace on No. 2 and drilled another long putt for a birdie on the par-4 fifth. He then recorded a par on No. 6 before finishing birdie, birdie, eagle.
Hewit was in one of the first groups to finish, leading to two hours worth of congratulatory handshakes as he mingled around the clubhouse.
“I stayed positive,” he said. “I didn’t really get down on myself. I don’t how it happened.”
“It shows you how important your mental (approach) is, like body language,” he added. “It goes a really long way to stay positive, especially in golf. I think that was the biggest difference.”
Hewit was one of a handful of players who made the cut but didn’t have to complete the second round earlier Wednesday. The rest of the Medina County field wasn’t as fortunate.
Brunswick resident Steve Weir was next in line. The Cleveland State coach tied for 45th with a three-day 213 after being one of the final competitors to make the 66-player cut at even par.
Kyle Richardson (T-54th, 215), Howard Clendenin (T-58th, 216) and Spencer Koch (64th, 218) rounded out area players who also made the cut, while fellow Montville Township residents Bob Koch (1 over), Austin Schreiber (2 over) and Pete Skirpstas (2 over) narrowly missed.
Patrick Luth (Medina, 4 over), Mike King (Seville, 14 over), Jason Martin (Westfield Center, 16 over) and Cody Geisler (Westfield Center, 29 over) also completed the second round earlier in the day.
Notes
More than 40 Westfield Group Country Club employees worked Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning on preparing the North Course for final-round play.
Many players complimented the conditions unprovoked when they turned in their scorecards.
“Unbelievable. I don’t know they did it,” Hewit said. “They might have all slept in the North Course maintenance barn. Hats off to those guys. Obviously you’re going to have some spots that were wet, but the greens were phenomenal.”
• Former Mayfield High and University of Rochester standout Nick Palladino led for most of the afternoon before a bogey on No. 18 opened the door for a trailing Lower. The former Malone University standout birdied Nos. 14, 15 and 16 to take the lead for good.
Contact Albert Grindle at (330) 721-4043 or agrindle@medina-gazette.com.
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