The Times Athlete of the Week: Ottawa boys golf’s Chandler Creedon

Capturing a whopping 71.4% of the vote, Ottawa boys golf’s Chandler Creedon is The Times Athlete of the Week. The Pirates senior claimed the individual regional championship and led Ottawa to the team title by one stroke at the Class 2A La Salle-Peru Regional, carding a 72, before helping Ottawa to advance to the IHSA State Finals as a team this coming weekend.

Also on the ballot were runner-up Natalie Misener (Seneca girls cross country), Kolden Neumann (Streator boys golf) and Jessica Schultz (Fieldcrest girls golf).

Weekly ballots go online Mondays and are accessible via Facebook (The Times Sports) and Twitter (@jtpedelty), with voting going through midday Wednesday.

Here is a Q&A with this week’s winner:

Do you have any nicknames?

Creedon: My nickname is ChanMan.

How much better does it feel to be advancing to the IHSA State Finals as a team rather than as an individual, and do you think that will help you guys when you get down to Bloomington-Normal?

Creedon: I mean, it feels awesome, no better feeling than going down to Bloomington with the guys you spent the whole year with. I think it will be a huge morale boost for the team, and [we’ll] play hopefully better than we have all year.

One of the strengths of this team has been its depth at the top, with any player able to take medalist honors on any given day. How has that competitiveness within the team helped your game, and does it help you to relax out on the course knowing you have so many good golfers beside you?

Creedon: The competitiveness helps tremendously pushes you to want to be the top scorer of that week. It feels good to not just win, but be calm out there because you know your teammates are there to back you up if you have a bad round.

How old were you when you first started playing golf, and what got you into the game?

Creedon: I was around 5 years old when I started, and my dad was a good golfer, plus my grandpa always wanted me to be a golfer.

What’s your best club?

Creedon: My best club in the bag has to be my Qi10 3 hybrid. I seem to hit that thing good whenever I pull it out of the bag.

What’s your favorite subject in school?

Creedon: Something to do with science, meteorology or astronomy.

You and the team are going out to dinner to celebrate a big win. Where do you go, and what do you order?

Creedon: I’m going to Pine Hills and getting a cheese pizza.

What is your favorite Halloween costume you’ve ever worn? Do you have a costume planned for this year?

Creedon: My favorite Halloween costume is the Hulk when I was younger, and this year I don’t think I’m going to be wearing anything more than a Jason mask.

What’s your favorite horror/scary/Halloween movie?

Creedon: “Hubie Halloween.”

What goals do you and your teammates have down the stretch of this season?

Creedon: We really want to do better [at state] than we did my freshman year, which was eighth.

Is there a fact about you that might surprise people who only know you through sports?

Creedon: I like working on engines.

Do you have any college plans, and if so, do they involve sports?

Creedon: Yes, I plan on going to IVCC as an early graduate and continuing my golfing career.