(PHOTO COURTESY CARISSA GILL – Facebook Post)

WHS Class of 2022 Deitrek Gill did something very amazing this weekend, with his father Chad, at his side as caddie. Deitrek walked away after 2 rounds of stroke play on Thursday and Friday and Championship Play on Saturday, to win the World Teen Championship at Pinehurst Golf Club in North Carolina.

A PINEHURST PROMO says this – “No game is so rooted in history. And no place is so solidly built on memories as Pinehurst. The North Carolina pines whisper the legends of Hogan, Snead, Nicklaus and Palmer. And the fairways of Pinehurst No. 2 offer a walk unlike any other. Create your own history at Pinehurst, a place as timeless as the game itself.”

Deitrek did just that this weekend at PINEHURST, where each summer golfers age 13-18 play on seven championship courses in the Pinehurst area. These courses, this event and the community as a whole have provided a stage for golf’s next generation of stars to shine. The schedule consists of a parent/child tournament, three rounds of championship play, and the Closing Ceremony. Junior Golf Scoreboard, AJGA and the World Amateur Golf Ranking recognize the U.S. Kids World Teen Championship as a ranked event. CLICK HERE for a listing of this year’s participants!

A field of 74 (15-18 yo’s) including Deitrek, competed in and completed the 3 day event. Most participants were from the U.S. but Mexico and Cyprus were also represented. Deitrek won it all, with a 3 round total of 215. Solomon Petrie from Akron, OH placed 2nd @ 217, Topher Reed from Fairview Park, OH placed 3rd @ 219. CLICK HERE for the final results from the 15-18 year old world competition at Pinehurst Golf Club in North Carolina this weekend. 

Congratulations Deitrek and father Chad! What an experience and awesome accomplishment gentlemen! Unbelievable performance against many of the best teen golfers in the country! Wellington is very proud! 

This past March, in what turned out to be the last KWHS Newscast at Wellington High School for this past school year, (school was canceled for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year, a few days after this interview due to COVID-19). WHS Senior Blake Saffell (WHS 2021), interviewed his teammate Deitrek (WHS 2022), about his life and love of golf. I loved this interview then, I love it even more now. These are two fine young men – Deitrek’s love of the game and his future as a part of the game seems very bright and he prophetically speaks about that in this interview, another IMPACT MOMENT for KWHS. Congrats again Crusader – and to Crusader fans everywhere, enjoy the short interview between Blake and Deitrek and look forward to some mighty fine golf this coming Spring 2021!