Alberta Golf (Calgary) –

2-time defending Alberta Match Play champion Brendan MacDougall pulled off serious magic on the first playoff hole in his round of 16 match against Michael Valk, jugging a flop shot to snatch victory from a match that could have gone the other away.

WATCH:

MacDougall will face Chandler McDowell in one semi final while upstart Jace Oullette, who beat big lefty Tyler Saunders 2 &1, will square up with Max Sekulic in the other semi final.

Check out the semi-final match play bracket here:

Kevin Smith has a full video recap of Wednesday’s action

Semi-final action starts Thursday at 7am at River Spirit Golf Club with a champion crowned after the finals match Thursday afternoon.

The field is set for the first provincial championship of 2019 after today’s stroke play qualifying round at breezy but beautiful River Spirit Golf Club. Sixteen of the province’s best amateur golfers will compete Wednesday morning for a place in the quarter-finals. Jared Nicholls from The Winston Golf Club shot the round of the day, a 4 under 68 to grab the top seed.

2-time defending champion Brendan MacDougall from The Glencoe Golf and Country Club shot a 2-over 74 and will face Michael Valk from the Connaught Golf Club in the round of 16 on Wednesday morning.

The #ABMatchPlay bracket is SET !!

Tuesday Qualifying results here: https://t.co/ogEJ2AnZAh

Wednesday's action starts @RiverSpiritGolf at 7am

Round of 16 matches here:https://t.co/vaD9BjdYOh pic.twitter.com/qjwl9V05jF

— Alberta Golf (@Alberta_Golf) June 4, 2019

Alberta Golf’s Kevin Smith has a video preview of this year’s event.

CALGARY – The 2019 Alberta Match Play Championship is set to begin on Tuesday at River Spirit Golf Club just west of Calgary. A field of 50 competitors will battle it out over an 18-hole stroke-play round on Tuesday morning for a lucrative spot in the 16 player match play bracket Wednesday morning.

2019 sees defending champion Brendan MacDougall look for his third straight title after back to back wins in 2017 at the Sundre Golf Club and 2018 at Silver Springs Golf and Country Club.

KEY INFO

Dates: June 4-6^th

Course: River Spirit Golf Club (Millburn/Cattails)

Yards/Par: Up to 7,200 / 72

Field: 50

2018 champion: Brendan MacDougall (@thedooogs), 1up over Brady McKinlay

Format: 18 hole stroke play qualifying round for 16-player match play bracket

Tuesday Tee Times: Stroke play pairings

Social: #abmatchplay

LOOKING BACK

The 2018 Alberta Match Play Championship saw Brendan MacDougall of the Glencoe Golf & Country Club successfully defend his title after defeating Brady McKinlay of Lacombe Golf & Country Club 1 UP in the final match. McKinlay brought the match back to all square heading to the eighteenth tee. But after an errant fairway bunker shot left him in a tough green side position MacDougall was able to close out the match with a solid bunker shot and a conceded putt for victory.

MacDougall beat opponents Andrew Harvie, Matt Bean, Tyler Saunders and the young gun Brady McKinlay en route to the title. He was down early in three of the four matches but clawed his way back with consistently strong play throughout the closing holes.

Back to Back as rising junior @thedooogs completes his title defense at the @Alberta_Golf Match Play Championship and is exempt into the 2018 & 2019 @PacificCoastAm!!! #HPUGolf #RollPoint #GetTheHardware ???

Photo Credit: @Alberta_Golf pic.twitter.com/IX1c2Sz0WL

— High Point Golf (@HPUmensgolf) June 9, 2018

HISTORY

First contested in 2004, the Alberta Match Play Championship took a six year hiatus beginning in 2009. It was re-launched in 2015 and has a history of crowning worthy champions:

2004 – Ryan Swelin
2005 – Barrett Jarosch
2006 – Kris Wasylowich
2007 – Michael Knight
2008 – Darren Hupfer
2015 – Patrick Murphy
2016 – Jack Wood
2017/2018 – Brendan MacDougall

NOTABLES

• Brendan MacDougall – 2017 and 2018 Alberta Match Play champion
• Max Sekulic – 2017 Alberta Junior champion
• Carter Graf – 2017 Alberta Willingdon Cup team member, 2018 MJT national champion
• Kai Iguchi – 2018 Future Links Western champion
• Chandler McDowell – 2018 Alberta Junior & Juvenile Boys champion
• Brandon Markiw – 2018 Alberta Mid Amateur champion
• Tyler Saunders – 2014 Alberta Amateur champion, 2018 Edmonton Amateur champion

ABOUT THE COURSE

Located 15 minutes west of Calgary, the layout at River Spirit Golf Club is a true gem. The Elbow River and Millburn Creek provide a breathtaking backdrop to many of River Spirit’s signature holes. River Spirit Golf Club boasts three different 9-hole layouts for a total of 27 holes that can be combined into many interesting outings. All courses at River Spirit feature four different sets of tees to ensure an enjoyable round for every caliber of golfer. No matter how you choose to play River Spirit, you will find yourself among some of the most picturesque scenery in all of golf. River Spirit website here.

MEDIA

• Qualifying round pairings and times

• Flickr albums

PONOKA, Alta. – Calgary natives Annabelle Ackroyd led wire-to-wire, while Tommy McKenzie was clutch in the final round to win their respective divisions at the Future Links, driven by Acura Western Championship at Wolf Creek Golf Resort on Sunday.

Ackroyd held the lead entering the final day at Wolf Creek, but had to overcome three bogeys on the front nine to close out the victory. The 17-year-old flipped the script on the back nine, notching four birdies and no bogeys to finish at 1 over par for the 54-hole tournament, four shots ahead of runner-up Grace Bell.

“I didn’t play as well on the front nine as I wanted to,” said Ackroyd. “I stayed patient out there. I was in the same situation last year; having the lead heading into the back nine. I think that helped me just staying calm out there.”

A Calgary native, Bell trailed Ackroyd by one stroke heading into the final round, and briefly led on the front nine. She finished in second at 5 over par.

In addition to Ackroyd and Bell, top-five finishers Stephanie Chelack (Calgary), Vanessa Zhang (Vancouver) and Brooke Brezovski (St. Albert, Alta.) earn exemptions into the 2019 Canadian Junior Girls Championship on July 29 to Aug. 2 at Lethbridge Country Club in Lethbridge, Alta.

In the junior boys’ division, McKenzie was clutch in the closing stages of the final round. The Calgarian worked around a double bogey on the first hole to finish the day with a 72 (+1), 5 over par for the tournament.

McKenzie made par-or-better on each of his last 13 holes, securing his victory with a par putt on the 18^th hole.

“I had a double-bogey on the first hole when I hooked it right into the trees,” said McKenzie. “I just made sure I stayed calm and stayed focused. I wanted to play my game and not worry about anybody else.”

Ethan Choi of Pincher Creek, Alta., led for the majority of the final round, but ultimately finished in second place at the Future Links, driven by Acura Western Championship for the second consecutive year. He finished 6 over par during the 54-hole tournament, tied with Carter Graf (Sylvan Lake, Alta.), Brady McKinlay (Lacombe, Alta.) and Dustin Franko (Delta, B.C.).

As the top five finishers, McKenzie, Choi, Graf, McKinlay and Franko earn exemptions into the 2019 Canadian Junior Boys Championship from Aug. 11-15 at Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club in Hartland, N.B.

Full scoring and results can be found here.

Alberta Golf (Calgary) – Alberta Golf’s focus on youth golf in 2019 is now accompanied by a dedicated junior website “Alberta Golf Juniors”.

The new albertagolfjuniors.org  website is a one stop shop for all of our youth programs.

The website outlines the junior pathway, our new Future Links “Youth on Course” pilot program to give youth access to golf rounds for $5 or less, information on junior achievement camps, how to get sponsored by private clubs and much more.

The website will also be the home to all information on the 25-event McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour that has been a successful launching pad for juniors to experience golf in a competitive environment.

If you want to explore all the great fun the game of golf has to offer, “Alberta Golf Juniors” is the place to be, and we’ll see you on the tee !

Alberta Golf (Edmonton) – The third qualifier for this summer’s Sun Life Financial Alberta Men’s Amateur Championship was held Wednesday at the Sturgeon Valley Golf and Country Club.

Dale Watamaniuk from the Glendale Golf and Country Club fired a sparkling 6 under 66 to take low medalist honours.

In all 25 qualifiers and 3 alternates emerged from the 85 player field.

Full field scores here…

The Sun Life Financial Alberta Men’s Amateur Championship will be held at the Wolf Creek Golf Resort from July 16th-19th.