By Dunc Mills:

After the deluge of rain and hail yesterday in Camrose that forced a mid-round suspension and eventual cancellation of play, it was a great relief to get today’s McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour at Whitetail Crossing GC in Mundare in as scheduled.  We had a field of 45 players on hand from across northern Alberta and play was brisk in the 9 a.m. shotgun start.  Full marks to the players who maintained a rapid pace of play with the entire field completing 18 holes in under 4 1/2 hours.  Great job, players!

In the junior girls’ division, U15 player Emma Liu of Windermere GCC fired a terrific 1-over par 73, the low girls’ round on Tour so far this season.  Liu’s effort was four shots clear of Tour regular Nicole Rohr of Camrose, who tied her own career-best with a 77, despite a triple bogey!  Anna Kibria of the Edmonton Pete Club rounded out the podium with an 82.

Emma Liu

There were also some excellent rounds turned in this morning from across all age groups in the junior boys’ age groups.  Judah Wurtz (U15) of the Public Player Club and Derrick’s Theo Lau (U17) tied for the overall low rounds of the day, with matching scores of 1-under par 71.  Jayden Popik (U15) of Belvedere GCC finished T3 overall with a 1-over 73, despite a triple bogey to drag down his five-birdie effort.  Popik’s score was duplicated by both Jagare Ridge’s Evan Goplin (U15)  and Massimo Naccarato of the Pete Club,  whose 73 led the way in the boys’ U19 age group, while also taking home a roll of world-famous Stawnychy’s garlic sausage for the Neat Scorecard Award in the U19/17 age bracket.  Neatness counts and it tastes great!

Massimo Naccarato Boys U19 Champion

Theo Lau Boys U17 Champion

Judah Wurtz Boys U15 Champion

In the U13 age division, Knox Kehler of Edson’s 87 was good for a 2-shot win over Luke Bock of Devon and Wainwright’s Cole Yurchak.  It’s great to see so many Tour players travelling fairly long distances to test their skills against kids from outside their home club comfort zones and gain valuable competitive experience.

Knox Kehler Boys U13 Champion

The Tour picks up again next week with the very popular and sold-out Parent/ Child tournament on Monday in Innisfail, followed by regular Tour events on Wednesday in Ponoka and Thursday in Lacombe.  The host sites next week are three of the remaining four charter members of the Tour from our first year in 1996 (Nanton).

Please visit the Tour’s website at www.albertagolfjuniors.org for entry information on all remaining Tour events this summer.