Michael VanDeventer hadn’t been playing his best golf before last week, so he wasn’t overly confident about winning his first professional tournament.
But the 2014 Columbus North graduate found his rhythm on Sunday. He fired a 7-under-par 65, then birdied the first hole of a playoff to win the West Florida Golf Tour event at Lakewood Ranch Country Club.
VanDeventer, who graduated from Ball State last May, has been living in Lakewood Ranch since August. Since then, he has played in 10 events on the West Florida tour. His best finish before Sunday was a fourth in Jaunary at Heritage Harbor in Bradenton.
“It was a little bit of relief,” VanDeventer said. “It was nice to finally get one. I hadn’t been playing that great the last two months kind of leading up to it. It was nice to get it turned around. It gives me a lot of momentum and confidence going forward.”
Although he lives in Lakewood Ranch, Sunday was VanDeventer’s first time on Lakewood Ranch Country Club.
VanDeventer was in the first group to finish. Two other players — Marion native Erik Barnes and Mike Van Sickle — both of which have played on Web.com Tour matched his 65.
The three players returned to hole No. 1. VanDeventer put a drive down the right side of the fairway, hit a solid approach shot and made a 12-footer for birdie.
With the victory, VanDeventer won a $1,200 check. He also received a $500 skin for an eagle on the par-4 No. 8.
“I came into it pretty relaxed,” VanDeventer said. “I had been looking forward to playing all week. Off the tee, I was finding the fairway, so I was setting myself up to be aggressive on my approach shots, and then I made a couple putts. It was a pretty stress-free round of golf.”
When VanDeventer, who has an exercise science degree from Ball State, isn’t playing golf, he works part-time doing personal training at the YMCA in Lakewood Ranch.
“It’s pretty flexible,” VanDeventer said. “I can pretty much work when I want to. It’s not a great time commitment, but it allows me to cover expenses.”
VanDeventer will be back on the links Wednesday to begin a three-day event in Port Charlotte, Florida. He plans to compete in a Web.com Tour event Monday qualifier in May in Prattville, Alabama.
This summer, VanDeventer will return to the Midwest for a couple events, including the Indiana Open July 15 to 17 at Otter Creek.
