It was a three-way, 36-hole race to the finish, but in the end it was Rossland-Trail Country Club’s Brenan Moroney who took home top honours at the West Kootenay Zone 1 Tour Championship at Kokannee Springs and Balfour Golf Course on the weekend.
Moroney and Christina Lake’s Jordan Hoodikoff were deadlocked after the opening round at Kokannee Springs Saturday carding rounds of 75. Tyler McKay (RTCC) was also in the mix, finishing hot on their heels, with a 77 and promising an exciting finish to the two-day, 36-hole event.
At Balfour on Sunday, McKay bogied early, but came back with an eagle and a birdie, giving him a momentary lead over Moroney and Hoodikoff. The golfers battled all day with all three making few mistakes and plenty of birdies.
“My short game saved me on Sunday,” said the 17-year-old Moroney, who was able to get the ball close and make putts to hold off a charging McKay and persistent Hoodikoff.
In the end, the entire season came down to the 18th hole where Hoodikoff missed an eight-footer and Moroney drained his short par putt to win the title with a one-shot victory.
“It feels really good,” said Moroney. “I got better as the season went on and played pretty well the last two tournaments.”
While Hoodikoff won the first two stops on the junior tour, Moroney came back and won at Champion Lakes last week and the tour championship this weekend to win the Player of the Year title.
McKay posted the best score Sunday with a 75 for a two-day total of 152, but Moroney’s 76 gave him the victory with a two-day sum of 151. Hoodikoff’s 77 left him tied with McKay at 152.
Hoodikoff won top player in the 17-18 year division, Tyler McKay top of the 15-16 year olds, and Braden McKay for the 14 and under.
Ryan Fullerton took the honors for most improved in the 15-18 year division and Dugan McInnes from Nakusp in the 14-and-under division. Ryan Page (RTCC) played some of his best golf of the season and posted back-to-back rounds of 84 to take low net honors.
Golf notes: MacKenzie Field from Christina Lake accepted a scholarship to play golf next year at Simon Fraser University and Jordan Hoodikoff will be playing at a College in Scottsdale Arizona. Many players will be representing the region in the BC Summer Games and other BCGA events as well as some events in the USA this summer.