11-Year-Old wins on McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour
Alberta Golf (Nisku – RedTail Landing) – By Dunc Mills.
“Youth is the most beautiful thing in this world—and what a pity that it has to be wasted on children!”
Truer words were never spoken, as youth was certainly served today over the sun-drenched fairways and greens at RedTail Landing Golf Club at Nisku. A sold-out field of 73 junior golfers from as far away as Grande Prairie, Ft. McMurray and Calgary dropped in for today’s latest stop on the McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour.
The most startling result was turned in by Eileen Park of the Red Deer GCC, who fired a fine 77 to capture the Junior Girls’ division.
While the score in and of itself wasn’t overly remarkable, it certainly was when you consider that this tiny dynamo of talent is all of ELEVEN years old! I remember a young Wil Bateman being the first ( and still only) 11-year-old to capture the boys’ division at a McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour event at Goose Hummock Golf Resort over 15 years ago, firing a 73 that day, and this young girl’s score today was equally impressive. Playing off of an 8 handicap in Red Deer, this youngster made her first-ever McLennan Ross event a very memorable one, indeed. Two-time defending Tour Champion Jayla Kucy of Camrose was in the field today, finished T2 on 80 with Tasha Wallace of the Public Player Club, which should give you some perspective on Park’s accomplishment today. All three girls earned spots in the Tour Championship on August 28th at Wolf Creek Golf Resort with their efforts today.
The overall low score today in the Junior Boys’ division was turned in by a grizzled ‘old’ Tour veteran, Ryan Garbutt of the Windermere GCC. Garbutt’s 73 was from the age group for boys born in 2006 and later. Still two weeks shy of his 14th birthday, Ryan’s score today was actually five shots higher than his opening round in the Edmonton City Junior at the Royal Mayfair over the weekend. (Don’t ask about Round Two). Ben Lovrod of Grande Prairie and Cayden Clark of Glendale were best among older boys born between 2001-2005, firing matching 74s to both punch their ticket to Wolf Creek. Also gaining spots for the Tour Championship this afternoon was the host club’s Sahaj Klair (76) from the flight for boys born in 2004-05. Scott Levey of Belvedere and Windermere’s Peter Hlushak bagged spots for the Tour Championship from the flight for boys born in 2006 and later with their 75s. Owen Lai, playing out of RedTail Landing this year, got a Wild Card spot, also on 75. Scores overall were the lowest on Tour so far this year, as players took full advantage of ideal scoring conditions this morning.
The Tour moves an hour east tomorrow to Whitetail Crossing GC in Mundare for another sold-out Tour stop. Where else can the kids snag Stawnychy’s garlic sausage as prizes for Closest to the Pin or Neat Scorecard Awards? Camrose’s event on Wednesday is also full as interest in junior golf and the McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour continues at its highest level in over a decade.
OVERALL TOP TEN:
1. Ryan Garbutt Windermere 73
T2. Ben Lovrod Grande Prairie GCC 74
T2. Cayden Clark Glendale 74
T4. Owen Lai RedTail Landing 75
T4. Spencer Florchuk Ft. Saskatchewan 75
T4. Scott Levey Belvedere 75
T4. Peter Hlushak Windermere 75
T8. Rory Wutzke Camrose 76
T8. Sahaj Klair RedTail Landing 76
T8. Carson Devlin Windermere 76
The following players finished in the Top Six and ties in each age group, thereby earning Titleist Order of Merit ranking points.
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BOYS BORN IN 2001-2003
T1. Ben Lovrod Grande Prairie GCC 74 Q
T1. Cayden Clark Glendale 74 Q
T3. Owen Lai RedTail Landing 75 WC
T3. Spencer Florchuk Ft. Saskatchewan 75 PQ
5. Rory Wutzke Camrose 76
6. Cole Ruelling Lewis Estates 77
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BOYS BORN IN 2004-05
1. Sahaj Klair RedTail Landing 76 Q
2. Reid Casavant Westlock 78
T3. Ethan Howes Ft. Saskatchewan 79
T3. Memphis Burgeson Northern Bear 79
5. Brayton Van Den Bilche Lewis Estates 81
6. Aidan Fong Country Hills 82
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BOYS BORN IN 2006 & LATER
1. Ryan Garbutt Windermere 73 PQ
T2. Scott Levey Belvedere 75 Q
T2. Peter Hlushak Windermere 75 Q
4. Carson Devlin Windermere 76
T5. Kenny Taylor RedTail Landing 78
T5. Becker Gilewich Windermere 78
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JUNIOR GIRLS
1. Eileen Park Red Deer GCC 77 Q
T2. Tasha Wallace PPC 80 WC
T2. Jayla Kucy Camrose 80 WC
4. Alexa Wingnean Derrick 81
5. Sarah Yorke Belvedere 90
6. Delainey Wingnean Derrick 95
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Q = Player qualified for Tour Championship at Wolf Creek Golf Resort on August 28th
WC – Wild Card qualifier for Tour Championship
PQ = Player had previously qualified for Tour Championship.
