DLN-ALL AREA: Kennett’s Evan Brown powered way to Ches-Mont title
KENNETT SQUARE >> Kennett High School senior Evan Brown, the Daily Local News 2016 All-Area Boys’ Golfer of the Year, delivered his best round of the fall season at the Ches-Mont League Championships, where he finished first.
On that day (Oct. 4) at Applecross Country Club, the long-hitting, 6-foot-4 Brown overpowered the 520-yard par 5 ninth hole for an eagle 3. He pounded his driver 320 yards, ripped a 5-iron over a pond fronting the green to within a few feet of the hole, and knocked in the eagle putt.
Six holes later, on the 15th hole (par 5, 505 yards), he smashed his drive well over 300 yards, then hit a 9-iron onto the green and two-putted for a birdie to go five under par for the round.
The Kennett senior hit a temporary bump in the road on the 16th hole, where he took a “snowman” 8, but he persevered to win the Ches-Mont Championships by one shot over three other golfers.
Brown, who has committed to play golf at Loyola University in Baltimore, can fire a red-hot round more often than not.
He finished fourth at the PIAA Championships in 2015, and shot a 64 at the Pennsylvania Amateur Qualifier at Colonial Country Club in Harrisburg, driving the par 4 fourth hole and knocking in a 15-putt for eagle to go five-under par after the first four holes.
Not surprisingly, Brown’s favorite golfer is the tall, long-hitting U.S. Open champion, Dustin Johnson.
“I can relate to his distance, height, and swing type,” said Brown. “His game is also what I try and model mine after, being that we both have to work on some of the same aspects. In addition, the positions in our swings are very similar.”
Brown’s favorite local golf course is his home course, Hartefeld National.
“Even though it is challenging, Hartefeld sets up well for many different golfers with many different skill sets and it never plays the same twice,” said Brown.
The Kennett senior has been working with three former PGA touring pros: White Manor’s John Dunigan; Don Padgett Jr.; and Dwight Nevil, golf instructor at the International Junior Golf Academy in Hilton Head, S.C.
“Don Padgett Jr. is a friend of a family friend and he came out to watch me play during The North South Junior Championship in Pinehurst during the summer and gave me some great advice on how perspective is important for taking my game to the next level,” said Brown. “His advice has helped me realize how important a strong mental game is in golf.
“Dwight has helped me to understand how to practice, how to be dedicated, and how, ‘If it is meant to be, it is up to me.’
“Coach Dunigan has helped me to realize that I don’t need to overpower the golf course to be able to play good golf. In addition he has taught me a swing that will serve me well for many years to come.”
Brown is a member of Future Business Leaders of America and wants to major in Business at Loyola. He is all business when it comes to his pre-round preparation the day of a match.
“For an individual tournament I wake up about three hours before my tee time, depending on how long it will take to get to the golf course,” said Brown. “I arrive at the course about an hour and a half to two hours before my tee time to warm up. My warmup consists of about 45 to 50 minutes on the driving range and 30 to 40 minutes on the putting green. I arrive at the tee about 10 minutes before my tee time to get my scorecard and pin-sheet for the round as well as to meet my competitors.
“My high school match warmup is different,” Brown said. “We normally leave the school about an hour to an hour-and-a-half before the tee time. We normally get there with about 30 minutes of warmup time. Therefore I split time between the driving range and the putting green equally at 15 minutes.”
Now that the weather has turned cold, Brown has laced up his skates as a member of Kennett’s varsity ice hockey team. The senior played for a travel ice hockey team when he was younger.
Next fall, Brown will head to Loyola to play golf for the Greyhounds.
“The primary reason [I committed to Loyola] was because of Coach [Chris] Baloga — I believe that he is the right person to coach me for the next four years and help to take my game to the next level so that one day I can play professional golf,” said Brown. “Also the traditions and family-like atmosphere really appealed to me. I felt like I got along great with the guys on the team and enjoyed the fact that it was a smaller school than most of the others I was looking at. I also really liked the golf facilities as well as the proximity to home.
“Eventually I would like to be an entrepreneur as a second career, but my first career choice will be and always has been my dream of being a professional golfer.”
