DeWitte soaks in the experience
By Craig DeVrieze, Quad-City Times
Saturday, May 31, 2003

Soon enough, Jonas DeWitte will start picking on people his own age.

For the time being, he is content to pick the brains of his elders on The First Tee of the Quad-Cities Amateur Tour.

“It is different playing with somebody like Mike Jump than it is playing with somebody my own age,’’ said the 20-year-old DeWitte. “I know he has got tons more experience and he isn’t going to lose his temper like I might.

“Really, it is good for me. Some of their maturity might rub off on me.’’

DeWitte is holding his own against older golfers. He ranks fifth in the First Tee Tour standings through two events and will take a two-shot lead into today’s third and final round of the Quad-City Amateur.

After last weekend’s rounds of even-par 72 at Valley Oaks GC in Clinton, Iowa, and 3-under 69 at Glynns Creek GC in Long Grove, Iowa, DeWitte leads fellow youngster Mike Martin by two shots and the third-place trio of Tom Miler, Darren Hince and Brian Soucinek by five.

He is looking forward to attacking Emeis golf Course in Davenport today. It is a course he has played countless times, and, as a big hitter off the tee, DeWitte likes Emeis’ reachable par 5s and straightaway par 4s.

“If I play my normal game, I should be all right,’’ said the former Rockridge High School star who won an Illinois Class A state championship in 2000.

Like most of the First Tee Tour members, DeWitte has his sights set on winning the season-ending points championship and the berth in the John Deere Classic that comes with it.

In past years, DeWitte could have won the JDC berth by closing the deal on the Amateur today. This year, though, the Q-C Am is one of nine First Tee Tour events that will determine the exemption winner.

“I need to start winning some of these tournaments if I want to play in that Classic,’’ said DeWitte. “Jump has already jumped out there and won two.’’

Should DeWitte win that coveted JDC berth, he and his parents will forestall a planned move to Florida until after the Sept. 11-14 PGA Tour event at the Tournament Players Club at Deere Run in Silvis, Ill.

The young golfer just completed his second year of college, but he did not play golf at Black Hawk after transferring from Indian Hills Junior College in Ottumwa, Iowa. He has three years of eligibility left and hopes to walk on at a Florida school.

“My goal is to play anywhere basically, Division II or Division I,’’ he said. “I just want to be somewhere I can wake up, go to school and then practice golf every day, without taking that November to March stretch off.’’

The championship flight is one of 12 that will crown Q-C Am champions today.

In the women’s flight, D’Anne Gross leads Patricia Lee by four shots. Seniors leader Butch Stormer holds a two-shot edge on Tom Wolfe, and multi-time Q-C Am champ Jack Dittmer holds a 15-shot cushion in the super seniors flight.

Additional winners will be crowned in eight men’s open flights.

Competition also takes place today at Palmer Hills GC in Bettendorf, Geneva CC in Muscatine, Iowa, and Indian Bluff GC in Milan, Ill.

Craig DeVrieze can be contacted at (563) 333-2610 or cdevrieze@qctimes.com.