Biddle’s arsenal complete
By PAUL JOHNSON - pjohnson@kcchronicle.com LINK
As a freshman at Wheaton Academy last year, St. Charles resident Blake Biddle burst onto the varsity golf scene. This summer, Biddle is showing he is unlikely to taper off any time soon.
His coach saw it all coming.
“I actually did expect that,” Wheaton Academy boys golf coach Bob Broman said. “I’ve followed his progress since third grade. He didn’t let me down.”
Biddle placed second individually at the IHSA Class AA St. Charles North Sectional at St. Andrews Golf and Country Club in West Chicago, shooting a 71. That was one stroke shy of medalist Jake Smiley of St. Charles East, and Biddle’s score helped Wheaton Academy advance to sectionals as a team.
“It was nice, especially because it was my first big high school tournament,” said Biddle, who will turn 16 in September. “I played really well in high school last year.”
Biddle shot what he called his worst round of the year the next week at the Class AA Buffalo Grove Sectional, firing an 80 and missing the state tournament. But that disappointment did not follow him into the off-season.
Biddle has won two tournaments on the Future Collegiate World Tour, playing against players generally older than him. In December, he won the Amelia Island Open in Florida in the 13-15 age group, and in May he won the Whistling Straits Classic in Kohler, Wis., in dramatic fashion in the 16-18 age group.
Biddle was down one stroke to Wilson Bowen of New Trier, who finished fourth individually in Class AA at state last year, heading into the tournament’s final hole, and they were both in the final group. Biddle drained a 50-foot, uphill birdie putt to put the pressure on Bowen. Bowen chipped 15 feet past the hole and missed his par putt to give Biddle the title.
“That was great because there were about 10 college coaches following our group,” Biddle said. “It is my best golf memory by far. I will never forget that.”
After that tournament, Biddle was named Golf Week Magazine’s junior player of the week on May 7, something Broman had to find out on his own.
“He’s not the kind of guy that likes to talk about his successes,” Broman said. “Sometimes I have to find out from his teammates. When you figure that Golf Week watches junior golf very carefully, even if it’s just a week, it’s a big honor for him, especially being a freshman.”
Biddle decided to spend most of the summer golfing against older competition to improve his game, and he has held his own. He tied for ninth two weeks ago at the Illinois State Junior Amateur in Barrington. Today, he travels to the American Junior Golf Association Future Legends tournament at The Legend of Brandybrook in Wales, Wis.
Of the 54 golfers scheduled to appear in the three-day tournament, Biddle is one of only two Class of 2010 golfers. The last time Biddle appeared in an AJGA event, he tied for fourth at the Junior All-Star at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., in the spring.
“I decided this year I would challenge myself,” Biddle said. “If I’m playing well, I’ll be able to play with older kids. You get better recognition that way. Getting fifth in a tournament with older players is almost better than winning a tournament with kids your age.”
St. Francis boys golf coach Brian King is Biddle’s swing coach, and he said Biddle already has all the shots in his arsenal needed to be successful.
“As he starts growing, he’ll get even better,” King said. “He’s already got a good short game. He’s not short [off the tee], but as he starts to grow, it will be exciting to see him hit the ball farther.”
After two years working with Biddle, King thinks there are more big things to come.
“A year ago, he just didn’t hit the ball far enough to compete at that level,” King said. “But now, as he’s starting to grow, he’s catching up with those kids. He can compete at any level. He’ll be one to watch. I’m telling you, he has an enormous amount of talent. For a kid that young to be so golf-oriented is fun to see.”