RICHMOND, BC (PGA of BC) - The 2023 PGA of BC Jack McLaughlin Memorial Pro-Junior Championship Series presented by COBRA PUMA Golf wrapped up yesterday at Victoria’s Highland Pacific Golf after stops in Invermere, Kamloops and Tsawwassen which saw nearly 120 junior golfers compete across the province.
Golf professionals and three juniors from their club made up teams that competed in a two-net Best-Ball championship format. For the first time, the Championship was spread out across four regions, resulting in the largest field in tournament history.
The series kicked off at Copper Point Golf Club in the Kootenays. Eight teams took on the course on Wednesday, July 12. Copper Point’s Dennis Bradley, Luke Schaal, Myles Altmann and Cameron Jacobsen secured the victory at their home course, shooting 11-under par to win by four strokes over the runners-up from Golden Golf Club. The champions played incredible, piling up eight birdies and two eagles.
The next stop took the tournament to Kamloops Golf & Country Club on July 13. Overlander Golf & Events Centre’s Jesse Crowe, DJ Crowe, Lynden Cox and Cruz Anderson started their round with a net-eagle and never looked back, finishing at 11-under-par. The squad earned a five-stroke victory, besting the team from Kamloops Golf & Country Club who finished in second place.
Our third destination in the series was Tsawwassen Springs Golf on July 14, where 15 teams squared off to determine the top juniors in the Lower Mainland. A competitive battle saw teams from Morgan Creek Golf Course and Ledgeview Golf Club exchange leads until finishing tied at 12-under-par. Morgan Creek’s Chris Martens, Markus Wu, Lynn Jiang and Blake Newel eked out the victory through retrogression after shooting seven-under on their back nine.
Finally, the series headed to Vancouver Island to play Highland Pacific Golf on July 20. Eight teams participated, with a bevy of birdies made and low scores to go around. Two teams finished at 14-under par: Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community and Nanaimo Golf Club. Through retrogression, Crown Isle’s Adrien Wright, Ryu Shiina, Cole Kimberly and Miles Bombardir earned the win to end the event as Vancouver Island champions.
The Jack McLaughlin Memorial Pro-Junior Championship Series would not be possible without support from our sponsors. We are incredibly grateful to COBRA PUMA Golf and BC Territory Manager Hugh Chan, who provided tee gifts for every junior golfer, as well as fairway woods, hybrids and wedges as prizes to the top-performing teams. We also extend our thanks to Canadian Tire, who served as local supporting sponsor for the Vancouver Island event.
As junior golfers grow up to become the club and tour professionals of the future, it is important to support them in their endeavours and ensure all golfers have the ability and resources to pursue their dreams. The British Columbia Junior Golf Association is proud to offer financial assistance and scholarships to promising young golfers through the Player Development Trust Fund. The Player Development Trust Fund (PDTF) was formed in 2002 to help ensure that all deserving young amateur golfers have the opportunity to develop their skills to the best of their ability regardless of financial circumstance.
Since it's beginnings the Fund has issued over $200,000 to worthy recipients in the form of financial assistance and scholarships. The Fund provides a contribution towards helping with entry fees, travel, accommodation and other associated expenses for junior golfers in need of financial support to attend sanctioned events. The Player Development Trust Fund will award ten $2,000 scholarships to promising young “scholastic golfers” to assist them with tuition and other educational expenses in pursuing a post-secondary education. The Player Development Trust Fund invites applications from young men and women who reside in British Columbia and are Canadian citizens who have demonstrated both scholastic and golf excellence. For more information, please contact Jack Croucher at jcroucher65@gmail.com or 250-318-3527.
