Illiana Christian's Hayes makes a splash - nwitimes.com
Illiana Christian junior John Hayes took to the conditions with glee. “It just relaxes me,” Hayes said. Hayes proved he was a good player in bad weather, firing a 9-over-par 81 and then winning a sudden-death playoff with a par on the first extra hole of the sectional to advance to the IHSA’s Class 2A championship in Normal. He probably could have played another nine before the heavy stuff came in. And considering how he smacked his tee shot on the playoff hole – right down the middle, even though he said his arms were shaking – the first tee on Illinois State’s... Hayes’ 81 on Monday at Broken Arrow in Lockport was 10 strokes better than the 91 he authored the previous Tuesday at Lost Marsh in Hammond. “You could see his confidence even on the playoff hole,” Illiana coach Jack Rudenga said. His game honed by a handful of appearances on the Mountain Dew Tour, the summer series overseen by the Indiana Golf Foundation, the St. John resident has improved markedly this year. “I’m going to stay focused on this season, and then next season’s a new season,” Hayes said. His Dew Tour meanderings this summer included a top 10 at Valley View Golf Club in July. “It prepares me for pressure like this,” Hayes said of the circuit. Source: www.nwitimes.com
