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Sunday magic for Maine and McIlroy

Over 100 golfers teed off for the tournament, and Birchbank Golf Professional Dennis Bradley was very happy with the turnout.
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Two years since his last Rossland Trail Open title

Whether it was coincidence or cosmic synchronicity, Dylan Maine won the 70th annual Rossland Trail Open at the Birchbank Golf Course on Sunday, the same day Rory McIlroy hoisted the Wannamaker Cup after winning the PGA Championship, and two years removed since both players won those very same tournaments on the same day in 2012.

The Rossland-Trail Open championship was Maine’s third title, while it was McIlroy’s second Wannamaker, but the Spokane golfer won this one in convincing fashion after shooting a three-day-total of 8-under par 208.

Defending champion Dan Dupuis looked like he was determined to repeat, taking the lead on the first day with a 2-under 70, followed by Rossland’s Taylor and Braden McKay who shot identical rounds of 71. Main carded a pedestrian round of 74 Friday, but caught fire on Saturday scoring an incredible round of 8-under 64, that included  six birdies on the back nine for a 30, to take the lead. He would finish with a 2-under 70 on Sunday for the victory.

Dupuis, a Trail native, would falter in the final two days with rounds of 75 and 78, to finish at 7-over 223.

Trail’s Ray St. Jean finished strong with a 69 on Sunday good for a second place tie with Scotland golfer Finley Young who was runner up for the second year in a row shooting 214 over three days.

Jeff Papilion took low gross in the Seniors Division with a 221, beating Fruitvale’s Brad Harding by five strokes.

Over 100 golfers teed off for the tournament, and Birchbank Golf Professional Dennis Bradley was very happy with the turnout.

“It was a great event,” he said. “The players got three days of golf, meals and tee prizes. Everything was great and (we) did a lot of work to make sure that everything ran smoothly. Everyone was happy.”

The tournament attracted golfers from all over and Bradley says he hopes it added a bit of a boost to the local economy.

“It brings 120 people to the area,” he said. “We had about 40 players from Spokane, some from Kelowna, and eight from Calgary. Hopefully it brought some revenue to the community.”

The prizes were handed out on Sunday afternoon, but Bradley and other organizers are already looking towards next August.

“We are already planning for the same weekend next year,” he said.