By Dunc Mills:

One Tuesday, we had a very rare, and perhaps unprecedented turn of events at Collicutt Siding GC in Crossfield where the brother-and-sister duo of Jeevin and Sophie Dhaliwal won the overall low gross honours for junior boys and junior girls respectively.  On Wednesday in Strathmore, we were a whisker away from another unusual set of results.

Junior Boys U19 winner – Jeremy Hart of Sirocco. Shot even-par 72.

Junior Boys U 17 winner – Patrick McLarty of Carnmoney GCC –  Also shot even-par 72.

Junior Boys U 15 winner – Chase Strang of Woodside GC.  ALSO shot even-par 72.

Junior Boys U13 winner – (Starting to see a pattern here?)  Bennett Love of Red Deer GCC.  Three-putts #18 for a 73!!!!  ARGGHHHHHHH

Great play by all these age group winners, but it would have been very cool had Bennett parred his last hole.

The Strathmore course was once again in superb shape, especially their links-style back nine.  Absolute carpets for fairways and the greens looked slick and challenging.  Kudos to the chef as well, for preparing a very tasty and nutritious pasta meal for the kids.  Not a French fry in sight!

We had a solid field of 13 junior girls in Strathmore, headlined by Tuesday’s winner Sophie Dhaliwal of Wingfield GC, who went back-to-back, firing a 77 in Strathmore for her second Tour win of the week.  Well this was Sophie’s second McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour win this week, but Sophie bagged a big win last week at the Royal Mayfair GCC in Edmonton.  She fired rounds of 71-80 to capture the prestigious Play Golf Alberta -PGA of Alberta – Junior Masters championship.  Sophie’s 1-over 71 the first day was highlighted by a Hole-In-One !!!  Congratulations, Sophie.

Justine Leon of Lakeside GC and Priddis Greens’ Claire Chanyi tied for low gross honours in the girls’ U15/ U13 division with matching 81s. Dhaliwal’s effort was tops in the girls U17 flight, with Jadyn Gracie of Priddis Greens best in the girls U19 age group.

FULL SCORES IN ALL DIVISIONS HERE

The Tour is barrelling down the stretch now, with only five more ‘regular season’ events on tap before the schedule concludes with the 28th Annual Tour Championship at River Bend Golf and Recreation Area in Red Deer on August 31st.  We are back north next week with tournaments on Monday, August 14th at Stony Plain, the following day in Westlock and Thursday, August 17th in Wainwright.  Please visit the Tour’s website at www.albertagolfjuniors.org for full results and more information about the McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour.