By Dunc Mills:

It has been quite a week for the McKinlay clan of Lacombe.

Earlier this week, Brady McKinlay ran roughshod over the field at the 2022 Alberta Men’s Amateur Championship at The Ranch Golf and Country Club in Edmonton, cruising to a 5-shot victory over 120 of the best male amateurs we have in the province.  Today at Water Valley Golf Club, located about 35 km northwest of Cochrane, Brady’s 15-year-old nephew Easton McKinlay fired a career-best 74 to take down his first McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour title presented by Crowe MacKay.  Easton was competing in the boys’ U19-U17 division from a set of tees set at about 6,000 yards over spectacular elevation changes, spruce-lined fairways and the slick, undulating greens of the Water Valley Golf Club.

Easton McKinlay – U19/U17 Boys Champion

Monday’s event was the Tour’s first-ever visit to the course, which is simply stunning. What a great addition to the Tour! More on the course and their new ownership and management team in a moment, as 57 juniors enjoyed a fabulous golf course and superbly organized tournament.

Noah Keizer of Woodside GC in Airdrie was runner-up in the older boys’ flight on 79, with Harley Mohr of the Ft. Saskatchewan GC in solo third with an 80.  Kudos to Mohr and his clubmate Brayden Field for making the long distance trip to Water Valley from “The Fort”.

Boys in the U15 – U13 age group played a more age- group-friendly length of about 5,250 yards, but don’t let the shorter yardage let you think it was any pushover.  Far from it, as trouble lurks around every spruce tree on this layout.  Two sensational rounds of even-par 72 were turned in by Carnmoney GCC’s Patrick McLarty and Matthew Keane of Bearspaw GCC to capture co-medalist honours. Liam Czirjak of Mickelson National got on the podium with his third-place round of 75.

Patrick McLarty (L) and Matthew Keane (R) – U15 Co-Champions

Nine junior girls were on hand today, continuing the resurgence of interest in junior golf from young girls over the past couple of years.  We had a three-player sprint to the wire, with Justine Leon of Lakeside GC in Chestermere firing a steady 82 to edge Sophie Dhaliwal of Wingfield GC in Calgary by a single shot.  Allyah Hull of Willow Park was only two shots further back in third place with an 85.

FULL RESULTS IN ALL CATEGORIES HERE

Now, back to the Water Valley golf course for a minute.  A new ownership and management team is in place this year under the direction of owners Pat Thomas and Jeremy Deuck.  The newly-renovated clubhouse is the most immediately visible change to the facility when you arrive, but the real star of the show is the golf course itself.  The club is eager to showcase its facility to Albertans, and the juniors and their families on hand today certainly went home impressed with the service and tournament amenities provided to the competitors.  Alberta Golf will be returning to Water Valley GC later this week with an 18-hole Qualifying event for the Alberta Senior Men’s championship and later this summer, 16 of the best male amateurs in our province will get to experience the course at its full length in the Alberta Match Play Championship from August 16-18.  Competitors on hand today were already talking about returning to the 2023 McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour event!