Junior golfers had great performances at the most recent junior tour stop at Predator Ridge Golf Course in Vernon this week.
At the Maple leaf Junior Golf Tour Okanagan Championship, Rossland’s Braden McKay played brilliantly over two rounds of golf but came up one stroke short, in the 13-and-under category.
McKay fired an 81 on Monday to lead the pack. But in scorching 36-degree temperatures on day two, a triple bogie on the 12th hole cost McKay the lead and allowed Calgary’s Landon Stellingwerff to sneak by, carding an 80 for an overall 263, while McKay shot an 83 to finish with 264.
“It’s my best finish in an MJT tournament,” said McKay who also finished eighth two weeks earlier at the MJT Odlum Brown Championship.
“I was right in it. The first nine I shot one over par and then I didn’t do too well on the back but what kept me in it - I was missing greens, but would have a 40-yard bunker shot and get them up and down for making par.”
McKay also added the Mr. Lube long-drive title to his resume, crushing an uphill drive into the wind about 260-yards.
Following the tournament, Braden and his brother Tyler were right back at Birchbank preparing for upcoming events.
“I’m working on hitting wedges to pretty much exact yardage and just working on chipping a lot,” said Braden.
Tyler and Brenan Maroney also of Rossland played in the boys 14-16-age group. Maroney, 16, finished in eighth spot carding a 77 and 80 for 157, while 15-year-old Tyler shot an 81 and 82 good for 14th place.
The junior golfers’ next stop is in Powell River next week for the B.C. Juvenile Boys Championship, a 16 and under event.
After that, Braden will hit the B.C. Bantam Boys Championship Golf tournament for 13 and under, and top off the season with another MJT event.