For Immediate Release

July 14, 2016

NEWS RELEASE

Kenna Hughes wins the 2016 Junior Girls Championship, while Taylor Stone captures the Juvenile Girls title

Hughes finishes -2 through 54 holes, three strokes ahead of the field 

De Winton, Alta. (Alberta Golf) – Kenna Hughes won a hard-fought battle on Thursday to edge out the defending champion, Katy Rutherford, who finished three shots back. Hughes carded 6 birdies en route to her victory, including three in a row on the back nine.   

When asked to comment on her win, Hughes replied, “I hit my driver and irons well all week. It feels great to win considering I was struggling with my game earlier this season. I’m pleased to say I put together three solid rounds of golf.”

Taylor Stone of Pinebrook Golf & Country Club shot +21, 234, claiming victory in the Alberta Juvenile Girls Championship. 

Kehler Koss, who recently won the 2016 CN Future Links Western Championship, finished third in the Alberta Junior Girls Championship, granting her a position on the interprovicial squad with Hughes. The final spot was claimed by Alicia Easthope, who finished in 4th. The Alberta Junior Girls Interprovincial Team will move on to compete in the Canadian Junior Girls Championship from August 2-5 at The Links at Penn Hills in Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia.   

TOP 10 – JUNIOR GIRLS FINAL LEADER BOARD

For the full leader board, click here.

TOP 10 – JUVENILE GIRLS FINAL LEADER BOARD

For the full leader board, click here. 

The third round of the Alberta Junior & Juvenile Boys Championship finished with Jaxon Lynn out in front for the Junior Boys and Chandler McDowell leading the Juvenile Boys. Lynn and McDowell shot -3, 68, and -5, 66, respectively in today’s round.  

TOP 10 – JUNIOR BOYS LEADER BOARD

For the full leader board, click here. 

TOP 10 – JUVENILE BOYS LEADER BOARD

Pictured: Kenna Hughes

For the full leader board, click here.

The final round of the junior and juvenile boys championship will commence at 7 a.m. on Friday, July 15. 

Alberta Golf would like to extend thanks to the staff at Cottonwood Golf and Country Club for their efforts in accommodating the 2016 Alberta Junior & Juvenile Championship.

For photographs from the championship, click here. For final round pairings, click here.

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For Immediate Release

July 13, 2016

NEWS RELEASE

Jaxon Lynn currently holds the lead for the Junior Boys Championship

No changes amongst the Junior & Juvenile Girls, as play for round two of the Alberta Junior & Juvenile Championship is suspended due to weather

Pictured: Jaxon Lynn

De Winton, Alta. (Alberta Golf) – Round one of the 2016 Alberta Junior & Juvenile Championships is complete following an overnight suspension of play. However, round two found a suspension of play due to inclement weather. 

At this time, Jaxon Lynn leads the Junior Boys Championship, finishing his second round -5, 66, to bring him to a tournament total of -3. Lynn carded an impressive five birdies and eagle that contributed to his lead.

In second place, sitting three strokes behind the leader, Chris Horton will look to close the gap in tomorrow’s play.

Lethbridge’s Mason Harder currently leads the Juvenile Boys Championship. In round two, Harder shot +3, 74, with an impressive eagle on hole 10.

No female competitors made it through nine due to lightning forcing them off the course. As a result, there are no changes atop the Alberta Junior & Juvenile Girls Championship leader board.

On Thursday, July 14, the second round will resume at 7 a.m. Following round two, the Alberta Junior Boys Championship will be cut to low 60 and ties. The Alberta Junior Girls Championship final round and Alberta Junior Boys Championship third round will commence in a 1 p.m. crossover.

TOP 10 – JUNIOR BOYS LEADER BOARD

For the full leader board, click here.

TOP 10 – JUVENILE BOYS LEADER BOARD

For the full leader board, click here. 

Due to the weather delay that suspended second round play until Thursday, July 14, the leader boards for round two are incomplete.

 Alberta Golf would like to extend thanks to the staff at Cottonwood Golf and Country Club for accommodating the 2016 Alberta Junior & Juvenile Championship. For photographs from the championship, click here.   

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For Immediate Release

July 12, 2016

NEWS RELEASE

Kenna Hughes tops the Junior Girls Championship leader board after round one, with Sydney Scraba leading the Juvenile Girls division

Play for round one of the Junior & Juvenile Boys Championship is suspended due to weather

Pictured: Kenna Hughes

De Winton, Alta. (Alberta Golf) – Round one of the 2016 Alberta Junior & Juvenile Championship is incomplete due to inclement weather after the start of the second round of crossovers. All of the boys with morning tee times, as well as the entirety of the girl’s field, completed the round and head into day two with a delayed start to accommodate the remainder of the field, who will finish their first round on Wednesday morning.   

The first round of the Junior & Juvenile Girl’s Championship found two young players atop the leader board. Kenna Hughes, who shot -1, 70, holds the top spot for the Junior Girls. When asked to comment on her round and what attributed to her early success, she recalled, “I hit my driver really well. That’s kind of what kept me in it, and I made a couple putts, which is nice.”

Hughes has a three stroke lead over last year’s champion, Katy Rutherford, who shot +2, 73 in her opening round and sits in second place. 

At 7 a.m. on Wednesday, July 13, the players who did not complete their first round will begin from the exact positions they had to abandon when play was suspended. Players originally scheduled to tee off for their second round at 7 a.m. will now begin tee times at 12 p.m. and those scheduled to tee off at 12 p.m. will do so at 5 p.m. The five-hour delay will allow the tournament to resume in its intended time frame and see all competitors complete their second round by the end of Wednesday (pending cooperative weather). 

TOP 10 – JUNIOR GIRLS LEADER BOARD

For the full leader board, click here.

TOP 10 – JUVENILE GIRLS LEADER BOARD

For the full leader board, click here.

Due to the weather delay that suspended first round play until Wednesday, July 13, the Junior & Juvenile Boy’s leader boards for round one are incomplete.

Alberta Golf would like to extend thanks to the staff at Cottonwood Golf and Country Club for their efforts in accommodating the 2016 Alberta Junior & Juvenile Championship.

For photographs from the championship, click here. For pairings for round two, click here.

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Written by Wes Gilbertson, The Calgary Sun

The Champions, Jr. & Juv

This article was originally published in the 2016 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.

ANDREW HARRISON

JUNIOR & JUVENILE BOYS CHAMPION

The fine folks at Camrose Golf Course could have warned the rest of the field. Then again, nothing was going to stop Andrew Harrison at the 2015 Alberta Junior Boys Championship at Henderson Lake Golf Club in Lethbridge.

“The couple of weeks leading up to that tournament, I’d really been playing great golf,” Harrison recalled. “I had just shot a course record 11-under 60 in Camrose.”

His 72-hole total of 9-under 271 was a baker’s dozen better than any of the other hopefuls could manage. With his triumph at the 2015 Alberta Junior Boys Championship, Harrison also erased the sting from the previous summer, when he was perched atop the leaderboard after three rounds but eventually finished as the runner-up.

“That was my goal for a few years – to win that event,” Harrison said. “I’d been trying since I was about 14, so to be on that trophy now is pretty cool.”

KATY RUTHERFORD
JUNIOR & JUVENILE GIRLS CHAMPION

Six years earlier, in her first tee-off at the Alberta Junior & Juvenile Girls Championship, Katy Rutherford was simply thrilled to post a better score than somebody.

This time, she posted a better score than everybody.

It wasn’t even close, in fact, as Rutherford romped to a 15-shot runaway in the three- day event at Henderson Lake Golf Club in Lethbridge.

“The Alberta provincials was the first tournament that I ever played as a junior,” Rutherford said. “At that time I was really excited because I didn’t finish last.”

Rutherford was born in Calgary and although she now lives in Texas, the talented teen returns every summer to tee it up in the provincial showdown.

She’ll have a tough act to follow in 2016 after carding three straight scores of 1-over 72 in a superb performance at Henderson Lake.

The Champions, Jr. & Juv. 

This article was originally published in the 2016 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.

For Immediate Release

July 7, 2016

NEWS RELEASE

Jaclyn Lee goes wire-to-wire and wins the 2016 championship by nine strokes

Lauren Diederichs captures the Mid Amateur; Kyla Larder takes the Mid Master

Pictured: Jaclyn Lee

HIGH RIVER, Alta. (Alberta Golf) – Jaclyn Lee went wire-to-wire to capture her second Sun Life Financial Alberta Ladies Amateur Championship. Lee played solid golf all week and put a hold on the championship when she started her round with a bogey-free front nine of 33. Kat Kennedy finished runner-up by 9 strokes. Quinn Fitzgerald of Pinebrook finished in third place after Devon Spriddle missed a birdie putt on the last hole to force a playoff for the third team position. Lee, Kennedy and Fitzgerald will make up the Team Alberta Interprovincial Squad at the 2016 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, July 26-29 at the Ken-Wo Golf Club in New Mina, Nova Scotia.

Shortly after signing her scorecard, Lee commented on her good start to the final round. “I birdied one, two and four. I think that’s what helped,” she explained.

When asked about her dominating performance and leading the tournament the entire week she said, “it’s exciting because when I won it in 2014 it was wire to wire as well, so it’s cool to repeat that again. I just tried to play my own game this whole week.”

Lauren Diederichs of Elbow Springs won the Alberta Mid Amateur Championship by two strokes over Tara McWilliam. Kyla Larder of Edson won the Alberta Mid Master Championship by seven strokes over Razina Visram.

TOP 10 – AMATEUR LEADER BOARD

For the full leader board, click here.

TOP 10 – MID AMATEUR LEADER BOARD (Age 25+)

For the full leader board, click here.

TOP 5 – MID MASTER LEADER BOARD (Age 40+)

For the full leader board, click here. 

Thank you to the membership and staff of the Highwood Golf & Country Club for making the 2016 Sun Life Financial Alberta Ladies Amateur Championship such a success. Special thanks to Graeme Kreiner (General Manager), Dan Warwaruk (Head Professional), Lane Neilson (Superintendent) and Brian Goodish (Food & Beverage Manager).

For photographs from the championship, click here.

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Taylor Craig/ Golf Canada

For Immediate Release
July 5, 2016

NEWS RELEASE

Pre-tournament favourite and 2014 Champion Jaclyn Lee sits atop the leaderboard after a solid opening round

Ashley Smith leads the Mid Amateur; Kyla Larder leads the Mid Master

HIGH RIVER, Alta. (Alberta Golf) – Jaclyn Lee had a near flawless opening round of the 2016 Sun Life Financial Alberta Ladies Amateur Championship. The Team Canada Amateur Squad member had three birdies and a lone blemish on hole number ten, where she found trouble off the tee and managed to make a double bogey six from a difficult spot. The Glencoe Golf & Country Club member and Ohio State Buckeye is looking for a repeat of her 2014 Alberta Ladies Amateur victory. Pictured: Jaclyn Lee

“Overall it was a pretty good day. I was pretty steady out there,” commented Lee after the round. “I went in the water off the tee left on number ten and my third shot ended up right of the green. I had to chip under a tree but then I got up and down to save a six.” Lee went on to say that, “I missed some short putts today so hopefully they will roll in tomorrow.”

Jaclyn Lee’s club-mate Erin Farner is sitting two shots back at one over par. The 2010 Sun Life Financial Alberta Ladies Amateur Champion, Ashley Smith of Inglewood G&CC, holds a one shot advantage over the Mid Amateur contest for those aged 25 and over. Kyla Larder of the Edson GC also holds a one shot advantage over the Mid Master contest for those aged 40 and over. The top three competitors will make up the Team Alberta Interprovincial Squad at the 2016 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship on July 26-29 at the Ken-Wo Golf Club in New Mina, Nova Scotia.

The 2016 Sun Life Financial Alberta Ladies Amateur Championship is being played at the all-new Highwood Golf & Country Club in High River. The event is 54 holes of stroke play competition conducted on the 5,884 yard, par 72 Heritage & Mountainview courses. The first four holes of Heritage were opened in June of 2015 after being re-designed following the flood of 2013. The new Spitzee Six course is now open as well. For more information on Highwood Golf & Country Club, please visit their website here. 

TOP 10 – AMATEUR LEADER BOARD

For the full leader board, click here.

TOP 5 – MID AMATEUR LEADER BOARD (Age 25+)

For the full leader board, click here.

TOP 5 – MID MASTER LEADER BOARD (Age 40+)

For the full leader board, click here.

Round two begins tomorrow, with tee times starting at 7:30 a.m. For round two pairings, click here. For photographs from the championship, click here. Follow the action all week long on Twitter using the official hashtag #ABLadiesAm.  

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Take the High Road

This article was originally published in the 2016 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.

WE ALL KNOW THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF THE ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME FLOOD THAT DEVASTATED SOUTHERN ALBERTA IN JUNE, 2013. THE RECOVERY FROM WHAT WAS THE COSTLIEST NATURAL DISASTER IN CANADIAN HISTORY LINGERS TO THIS DAY.

Damage losses and recovery costs soared to over $5Billion. Over 100,000 people had to be evacuated. Five people died. The Highwood Golf and Country Club in High River was one of dozens of golf facilities in southern Alberta that suffered unbelievable damage in the flooding. Now, three years later, the golf course has bounced back and from July 5-7 will host the Sun Life Financial Alberta Ladies Amateur Championship.

“It was overwhelming and scary,” said Lane Neilson, the long-time superintendent at Highwood, which along with Kananaskis Country, was one of the province’s hardest hit golf courses.

“It was a real nightmare,” Neilson recalls. “The water came in so fast and from every direction. I have witnessed three significant floods during my time here, but this one was in a league of its own.”

At the time, many wondered if they could even save the golf course. Yet this summer, Highwood will play host to the best women amateur players in the province.

“It’s remarkable, unbelievable and a real honour,” said Highwood general manager Graeme Kreiner. “We were supposed to host an Alberta Golf event two years ago, but the flood wiped out all chances of that happening. It’s great to be back on the rotation.”

It’s also great – never mind remarkably amazing – what Neilson, his assistant Brett Lindenback and 1,500 volunteers were able to do to get the golf course into the condition it is today.

“With most of my time spent on paper work and meetings, Brett, who was in his first year at the club, took the bull by the horns and did a wonderful job,” said Neilson. “Without the volunteers we wouldn’t have been able to save the course. Most of the volunteers were actually from Calgary and ranged in age from 8 to 85,” Neilson said. “It was strangers working side-by-side.”

The volunteers had to remove debris that included thousands of rocks and splintered trees, but easily the hardest part was getting rid of a sea of mud and silt – in some places over three feet deep – that covered all 27 fairways and all but two greens.

Most of the silt and mud was shovelled, hosed and squeegeed off the greens by hand while some 17 acres of new sod was laid down on the fairways. “Then it was over- seed and water, water, water,” said Neilson.

The latter was a major obstacle all by itself given that the irrigation pond had to be dredged because the intake was completely clogged. “It wasn’t like the flood happened and it was done,” added Kreiner. “Everybody pitched in with volunteers helping out other volunteers. It showed what Canada is all about in this area.”

Highwood, which opened as a 9-hole course in 1958, eventually expanded to be a 27-hole layout. But the flood changed that. Now there are 18 very solid holes – many with mountain vistas – comprised of the Heritage and Mountain View nines.

The opening four holes on the Heritage side are completely new and a little more open than the original pre-flood layout. All 18 holes are now on the ‘dry’ side of a 3.5-metre berm. “Because of the raised berm, if there is another flood those holes will now all be safe,” said Neilson.

But that’s not all. The original four holes of the Heritage nine now form a practice loop while what was the Spitzee nine – the hardest hit of the 27 holes – has been converted into an executive-style six-hole course with three sets of tees, hazards and forgiving greens that will open later this summer.

“Spitzee was just about everyone else’s favourite nine because it was so peaceful down on the river banks. Fortunately, six of those holes were able to be saved,” said Kreiner. “For people without time to play 18 holes – or for golfers who believe 18 holes is just too much – this offers a nice alternative.

“Time is probably the biggest deterrent to golf. My wife is a perfect example. Even nine holes are too much for her. She gets bored after about six holes. Now, people like her can play the six-hole course in just over an hour. They are still six very good holes. I can go out there with a brand new golfer and we can both have fun and be challenged.”

The four-hole practice loop also gives Highwood additional options. “For bigger events like charity tournaments we can hold a 22-hole shotgun,” said Kreiner, who arrived this year from Golden, BC but who grew up on the Hinton course under head pro Doug Lecuyer.

For the Sun Life Financial Alberta Ladies Amateur, the players will contest the Heritage/Mountain View layout, which will almost undoubtedly come down to the final three holes to decide a champion.

“No. 16 is a relatively short par-4. No. 17 is a drivable par-4 with water in front of the green and No. 18 plays as a par-5 for the ladies,” Kreiner said. “It wouldn’t really surprise me if somebody has a birdie- eagle-eagle finish.”

“At Highwood you want to get off to a fast start, hang on through the tougher middle holes and then finish real strong. All 18 holes are a fair test. What you see is what you get; there are no tricks.”

In 2002, Highwood achieved designation as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. Three years after the flood, the course is finally out of the construction and rebuilding phases. The club is welcoming a lot of young families as new members and many former members are returning.

Environment Canada called the 2013 disaster “The Flood of Floods,” while the mantra of the relief program was called “Come Hell or High Water”. Highwood overcame the odds.

“There is a perception that our course is still damaged. But that’s not the case at all,” said Kreiner. “I’m telling people that chapter of our story is finished. We’ve turned the page. We’ve escaped to a new high road.”

Take the High Road

This article was originally published in the 2016 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.