Andrew Pinette, Mike Legg Share Lead Heading Into Final Round Of B.C. Senior Men’s Championship
Co-Leaders At The BC Seniors Championship, Andrew Pinette (L) & Mike Legg - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf
By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf
WILLIAMS LAKE — Andrew Pinette had a simple goal in mind heading into his first B.C. Senior Men’s Championship. “I wanted to be in the hunt on the last day,” he said. “That’s what it’s all about.”
Mission accomplished.
The 55-year-old Surrey resident is more than in the hunt at Williams Lake Golf & Tennis Club. He’s tied for the lead with Mike Legg of Prince George heading into the final round of the championship.
Pinette, who was the first-round leader, recovered from a shaky start to record a one-over 72 in his second round that left him at one-under par through 36 holes of the 54-hole championship. “I had some tree trouble,” said Pinette, who started his round on the 10th hole.
“The first hole I was right behind a tree and had to punch out. Same thing on No.’s 12 and 17. They were pretty good drives, but just bad luck. So I just had to hang in there and not give up.”
After needing 40 strokes to complete his front nine, Pinette had a stretch where he birdied four of five holes on his back nine and shot a 32. “I had to really grind it out and I had a strong second nine of the day,” said Pinette, a member of Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club. “I’m happy I got it back. Anytime you can claw back like that it’s a gut check.”
Like Pinette, Legg is a ‘rookie’ 55-year-old at this event. He shot a two-under 69 in the second round that included six birdies. “For the most part, I am pretty happy with the way I played,” said Legg, a member at Aberdeen Glen Golf Course in Prince George. “I didn’t get myself into any real trouble.”
Legg has been counting the days until he got to play in his first B.C. Senior Men’s and is delighted to now have a chance to win it. “I turned 55 last October so I have been thinking about this one for a while,” he said. “And it doesn’t come to the North very often, so I was glad it was at Williams Lake.”
Legg and Pinette lead Scott Humphreys of Kelowna by one shot. Humphreys shot a one-under 70 in the second round to sit at even-par through 36 holes. “I could have made a few more putts, but other than that I’m pretty happy with it,” Humphreys said of his round. “These greens are tough. There were a few short downhillers today that I was just trying to two-putt.”
Humphreys is trying to follow in the footsteps of his 18-year-old son, Cooper Humphreys, who earlier this month won the B.C. Amateur Championship at Morningstar Golf Course in Parksville. Humphreys has definitely thought about how cool it would be to follow his son’s win with one of his own at the B.C. Senior Men’s.
“I might fly him up tomorrow and he can play for me,” Humphreys said with a laugh. “That may be the only chance I have. But that would be a lot of fun for us to do that. Maybe I’d get less ribbing from him if I could do something like that.”
Several other players remain in the hunt. Nelson’s Reg Clarkson moved into contention with the low round of the tournament, a three-under 68 that left him alone in fourth place at one-over par. “Here’s a fun fact for you, I have never been bogey-free until today,” said the 61-year-old Clarkson, who is the general manager Granite Pointe Golf Course in Nelson. “How about that. For me, it’s like making a hole-in-one. I had three birdies and 15 pars.”
A B.C. Super-Senior Championship for players aged 65 and older is also being contested at Williams Lake. Harry Ferguson of Invermere and George Greig of Surrey share the 36-hole lead at four-over par.
A 36-hole Zone championship was won by the Zone 5 team of Jim Shaw of Sooke, and Len Carlow and Mark Dupuy, both of Victoria. They finished at 10-over par, two shots better than the Zone 2 team of Norm Bradley of Kelowna, Stewart Scott of Kelowna and Don Brown of West Kelowna.
Click HERE for complete second round scoring.
CHIP SHOTS: Legg and partner William Gilbert of Prince George have the lead in the two-man better-ball competition being contested at Williams Lake. Their 10-under total is one better than the team of Dupuy and Mike Mannion of Victoria . . .Parksville’s Ray Henry, at 76 the oldest player in the 155-man field, bettered his age by three strokes with a two-over 73 in the second round.