KELOWNA, B.C. — Fire, downed power lines, thunder and lightning: Saturday’s final round at the Kelowna 2026 BC Summer Games had all of it. Through it all, Tierra Elchuk walked to the 135-yard 14th hole at Shannon Lake Golf Club and made a hole-in-one.
The ace capped a remarkable final round. Elchuk, a 16-year-old from Kelowna’s Harvest Golf Club competing for Zone 2 (Thompson-Okanagan), shot a second-round 68 that tied the female competitive course record at Shannon Lake. She was five under par through her opening nine holes, climbing from sixth place after round one all the way to the silver medal at nine-over 149 (81-68).
“Tierra’s hole-in-one, what a cool experience,” said Zone 2 head coach Kyla Inaba of Predator Ridge Golf Resort. “She was also five under for nine holes, so that was wild.”
But the girls’ gold medal belonged to Lois Park, who proved that consistency carries its own kind of drama. The Zone 3 (Fraser Valley) representative led from start to finish with rounds of 75 and 73 for a two-day total of 148, the lowest in the girls’ division by a single stroke. While Elchuk surged and the weather shifted, Park stayed steady.
Medalists From Girls Golf (L-R): Tierra Elchuk (Silver), Lois Park (Gold) & Sarah Kim (Bronze)
“I’d like to thank my coaches and my family for coming out and supporting me,” Park said at the closing ceremony. “I made a lot of memories out here and friendships that are probably going to be lifelong.”
Surrey’s Sarah Kim completed the girls’ podium for Zone 4, finishing third at 153 (76-77) in her first BC Summer Games. Kim was also one of 16 athletes at the Games to receive a BC Games Leadership Bursary, recognizing her academic achievement, leadership and community involvement alongside her play on the course.
In the boys’ division, Tiger Zhao of Marine Drive Golf Club captured gold for Zone 5 (Vancouver-Coastal) as the only competitor in either division to finish under par. The 15-year-old, a member of the Team BC Metro Squad, closed with a two-under 68 to finish at one-under 139 (71-68), two strokes clear of 14-year-old Daniel Moon of Zone 4, who posted rounds of 70 and 71 for a one-over total of 141.
Jason Bae held the first-round lead after opening with a 69, with Moon one stroke back and Zhao two behind before Zhao moved to the top of the leaderboard Saturday.
Nolan Williams, the local favourite from Kelowna Golf and Country Club, and Ryu Shiina of Crown Isle Golf and Resort Community on Vancouver Island shared third in the boys’ field at five-over 145. Williams, playing for Zone 2, closed with a 70 to the delight of local fans, while Shiina finished with a 73 for Zone 6.
“I’d like to thank all the coaches. They helped me a lot over these four days,” Zhao said. “The golf course was in great condition. I really liked playing here and would love to come back. My team finished second overall and everyone was very supportive.”
Medalists From Boys Golf (L-R): Daniel Moon (Silver), Tiger Zhao (Gold), Ryu Shiina & Nolan Williams (Bronze)
Zone 2 won the mixed zone team competition with 212 net Stableford points. With handicaps applied, each zone’s best three scores counted toward its total in each round. Zone 2 posted 98 points Friday before adding a tournament-best 114 Saturday, led by Elchuk’s 42-point final round.
Zone 5 placed second with 210 points, while Zone 4 finished third at 203. The format allowed boys and girls to contribute together toward their zone’s overall result, providing a distinctive team element within the BC Summer Games competition.
All eight of British Columbia’s zones were represented at the par-70, Robert Kains-designed layout, with 44 competitors teeing it up across the boys’ and girls’ divisions.
Tyler McKay, BC Golf’s Manager, Competitions and Member Events, addressed the athletes at the closing ceremony, acknowledging a day that had competitors sheltering in tunnels as power poles caught fire, power lines came down and thunderstorms rolled across the valley.
“I know we dealt with a crazy day: fire, power lines, thunder, lightning, you name it,” McKay said. “But you persevered, you worked hard, and that’s why you’re all going to be phenomenal in golf or whatever you choose to do.”
Golf competition at the Kelowna 2026 BC Summer Games took place July 24 and 25 at Shannon Lake Golf Club in West Kelowna, on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the syilx/Okanagan people.
More than 3,000 athletes, coaches and officials participated across 19 sports during the five-day Games. It was the fourth time Kelowna hosted the BC Summer Games, following editions in 1980, 1994 and 2008.
Zone Medalists L-R (Groups of Six), Zone 5, Zone 2 & Zone 4
The Bigger Picture
The BC Summer Games have long served as a starting line. Kelowna golfer Megan Osland competed at the Games before building a professional career and twice qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Open.
The program continues to offer something that no standalone junior tournament can replicate: the experience of wearing your zone colours alongside athletes from 18 other sports, sharing accommodations and meals with competitors from every corner of the province, and being coached and supported through a week that is equal parts competition and discovery.
For many of the 44 golfers who teed it up at Shannon Lake, ranging in age from 12 to 16 and some competing in their first BC Summer Games, this was the week the sport got bigger. The friendships, the nerves, the weather they played through and the memories they took home are all part of that.
Full results from the 2026 BC Summer Games are available here, and photos from the event can be found here.