A number of the area鈥檚 young golfing talents put on a dazzling display last weekend during the annual Club Championships at the Innisfail Golf Club.
Cara Vanderham, 18, shot 160 over the two rounds Aug. 13-14 to win the H&R Block Trophy as the junior girls club champion and the OK Tire Trophy as the overall ladies club champion. Combined with her wins at the Innisfail Junior Open and the Olds Junior Open earlier in the week, Vanderham is now 鈥渋n a league of her own,鈥� club pro Jim Boomer said. Willow Park鈥檚 J.T Kelly was named the low gross winner after he carded a 71 at the Innisfail Junior Open on Aug. 8.
鈥淪he鈥檚 probably somebody that鈥檚 going to contend on a provincial level as a golfer for some time,鈥� he said of Vanderham鈥檚 performances. 鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to see the juniors come along.鈥�
Boomer said he was also impressed with the play of 14-year-old Brendon Howard, who shot a 75 on day one of the tournament en route to the Richard Cope Trophy, presented to the junior men鈥檚 low net score.
鈥淭hat was really neat to see,鈥� Boomer said, adding he was also impressed with the continued improvement of Innisfail鈥檚 Courtney Dickson. 鈥淚t鈥檚 generally the kids that impress you.鈥�
Innisfail golfer Ron Harder鈥檚 two-day score of 145 was good for the Jack McGibbon Trophy as the men鈥檚 club champion and the Dick Percy Trophy as the overall men鈥檚 club champion.
鈥淗e hadn鈥檛 won the club championship before, even though he鈥檚 a very good player,鈥� Boomer explained. 鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to see him break through.鈥�
One of the tournament鈥檚 biggest feel good stories was the play of Ron Dean, Boomer said. Dean battled back from an off-season heart attack to win the Newman Trophy as the club鈥檚 senior men鈥檚 champion.
鈥淭hat was pretty nice,鈥� Boomer said. 鈥淭he word was not good on him back in the mid-winter.鈥�
The other winners from the championships鈥� junior ranks include: Kaleb Denham as the junior men鈥檚 club champion with a score of 159; Willie Mulligan as the junior men鈥檚 low gross with a score of 176, and Brody Hollsworth at the junior men鈥檚 second low net with a score of 154;
In the senior division the winners include: Janet Mackenzie as the senior ladies club champion with a score of 177; Evelyn Black as the senior ladies low net with a score of 145; Ken Oxtoby as the senior men鈥檚 third flight low gross; Bob Zinken as the senior men鈥檚 third flight low net; Wayne Barber as the senior men鈥檚 second flight low gross; Brian Ruhle as the senior men鈥檚 second flight low net; Art Wiebe as the senior men鈥檚 first flight low gross; Dennis Wall as the senior men鈥檚 first flight low net; Doug Cook as the senior men鈥檚 championship flight low gross; Doug Parr as the senior men鈥檚 championship flight low net; and Wayne McQuaid as the senior men鈥檚 low net champion with a score of 140.
The other winners in the men鈥檚 division include: Jeff Radics as the second flight low gross; Brian Corrigal as the second flight low net; Neil Dixon as the first flight low gross; Jack Rondeau as the first flight low net; Matt Berry as the championship flight low gross; Chris Fisher as the championship flight low net, and Bryan Baker as the men鈥檚 low net champion.
In the ladies division, the other winners include: Kathy Corrigal as the first flight low gross; Heather Taylor as the first flight low net; Monique Lemoine as the championship low gross; Darlene Dean as the championship flight low net; Karen Emshey as the ladies club champion with a score of 170, and Carolyn Tulloch as the ladies low net champion with a score of 142.
