Shadow Ridge Golf Club can lay claim to some bragging rights in the world of Kelowna golf ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½” as can an Okanagan Golf Club junior who carded a hole-in-one with her first swing at a high-level tournament last month.
The PGA of BC's Jack McLaughlin Memorial Pro-Junior Championship Series saw golfers from across the province compete in four regional events throughout the month of July. The teams competed in a two-net best ball format and the juniors showcased high levels of play, sportsmanship and a love of the game.
The first stop of the series took place at Michaelbrook Golf Course in Kelowna on July 15, which saw seven teams compete. Shadow Ridge's Mark Kitts, Asher Arychuk, Henry Sutherland and Luke Haas emerged victorious, winning by four strokes with a net score of 19-under. Guided by professional Kitts, the team of up-and-coming juniors excelled on their way to the Interior Pro-Junior title.
Finishing as runner-up in the event at 15-under was the team from Kelowna's Okanagan Golf Club: Conner Kozak (formerly from Vernon), Autumn Lapp, Tierra Elchuk and Velvet Haynes. On the par-three seventh hole, which was the team's first hole in the shotgun start, Lapp's first swing of the day ended up in the hole for an ace.
Justin Towill, Charlie Grant, Bennett Lisk and Braydon McKechnie of Kelowna's Harvest Golf Club earned third place with a 14-under score.
The series then moved to Fort Langley Golf Course for its Lower Mainland stop on July 17, with 16 teams competing. Richmond Country Club's Sebastien Turgeon, Ethan You, Tristan Cui and Carson Chow won the tournament, shooting 22-under par to win by three strokes.
The next edition of the series took place at Cedar Hill Golf Course in Victoria on July 21, where 11 teams from Vancouver Island took to the course. Myrtle Point Golf Club's Ryan Brown, Lucas Vizzutti, Jeremy Pukesh and Jacob Babcock came out on top, shooting a net score of 15 under par.
The final event of the series saw six teams from the Kootenays compete at Windermere Valley Golf Club on July 22. Cranbrook Golf ClubÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™s Jake Lloy, Ethan Pinch, Collin Kakuno and Kaden Hatala won the event, earning the Kootenays title after shooting 11-under par for a one-shot victory.
Presented by Sundog Eyewear, Blue Tees Golf and Adidas Golf Canada, the events were made possible through the hard work of the host professionals. The PGA of BC thanked Kitts, Fort Langley head professional Philip Kitsch, Cedar Hill teaching professional Laird White, and Windermere Valley professional Bryan Armstrong, as well as their entire teams, for their "first-class hospitality."
In all, 40 teams across four regions took part in the series, and juniors went home with a variety of prizes from the presenting sponsors.
