Sherwin takes 13-15 title at Henke/Berg

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YUNET JOMOLCA Dylan Hinkle of Cape Coral (left) congratulates friend and playing partner Jake Sherwin of Cape Coral at the conclusion of their final round Friday in the Nolan Henke/Patty Berg Junior Masters at Cypress Lake Country Club.

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YUNET JOMOLCA Mallory Viera of Howey in the Hills examines the green before making a putt in the final round of the Henke/Berg Junior Masters. Viera won the girls’ division.

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YUNET JOMOLCA Gina Falvey of Cape Coral makes a putt during the final round of the Henke/Berg Junior Masters at Cypress Lake Country Club.

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YUNET JOMOLCA Jack Hernandez of Fort Myers hits a tee shot during the final round of the Henke/Berg Junior Masters Friday. Hernandez finished second in the boys’ 16-18 division.

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Cape Coral’s Jake Sherwin reacted as if he had been in contention before, even though this was his first time.

He entered this year’s 17th annual Nolan Henke/Patty Berg Junior Masters golf tournament with a plan to have fun and not get too caught up in the scoring or the emotions.

He held true to that even-keel approach after grabbing the lead with a 71 in the opening round, and in Friday’s final round when he opened with a double and triple bogey.

“I stuck to the same plan,” he said, “and had a lot of fun.”

Sherwin, 15, got stronger as the final round progressed and claimed the victory in the boys’ 13-15 division. He led the tournament at the end of all three rounds.

Sherwin, though, said he didn’t take anything for granted until his group reached the final hole.

“The most confident I felt was when I was in the fairway on 18,” he said.

Sherwin carded 77 in the final round, finishing with a 224 and a two-shot margin over Malcolm Oliver of Rotunda.

Cape Coral’s Dylan Hinkle played in the final threesome after a 71 in the second round. Hinkle closed with an 83, giving him a 238. Fort Myers’ Jonathan Lowrey (232) finished third, after scoring 77 in the final round.

Sherwin was forced to rally after going 5 over par through two holes. He pulled into a tie with Oliver with a chip from the bunker and birdie on his seventh hole (No. 16). He added another key birdie on the par-5 second, which was his 11th hole.

Mallory Viera, 17, of Howey in the Hills (near Orlando) held off Fort Myers’ Georgia Price by two strokes to win the girls’ division.

Price, 15, entered the final round with a two-stroke lead and held a five-stroke lead with five holes remaining.

Price made double bogey on three consecutive holes, including the par 4 7th, which was the 16th hole of the round. On that same hole, Viera landed her approach shot within 10 feet and made birdie to take a two-shot lead.

Viera played the final six holes in one under par. Price had a bogey putt lip out on 15 and another birdie putt lip out on 17, which hurt her chances of getting into a playoff.

Viera shot a 77 and finished with a three-round total of 237. Price finished two back and in second, a vast improvement from the previous year when she finished 27 strokes back.

Cape Coral’s Gina Falvey made three birdies and ended her tournament with a final-round 75. It was the lowest round in the girls’ division during the three-day event.