Victoria's Jake DuVall (L) And Bellingham, Wa.'s Jacob Koppenberg (R) Will Play Friday's Final Round With 13-Year-Old Jeevan Sihota, Also From Victoria - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

For a while Thursday, it looked like it was going to be a two-man race to finish at the B.C. Amateur Championship. Maybe it still will be, but when Jacob Koppenberg and Jake DuVall stumbled slightly on the back nine at Morgan Creek Golf Course in Thursday’s third round, it brought a handful of other players back into the tournament.

Despite their back-nine adventures, Koppenberg and DuVall somehow both managed to shoot one-under 71s on Thursday, so nothing really changed. Koppenberg, a 30-year-old from Bellingham, still has the one-shot lead he had on DuVall when the day began. Koppenberg sits at 10-under through 54 holes, while Duvall, a 23-year-old from Victoria, is nine-under.

Canada is celebrating its 150th Birthday this year and with that the Canada Games will hold its 50th edition with the Summer Games in Winnipeg from July 28th to August 13th.

Featuring 16 sports and over 250 events, combined with a major cultural festival, the 2017 Canada Summer Games will bring together exceptional athletes and artists from coast to coast to celebrate the occasion.

One of those sports is of course, Golf, and when it comes to competing in the Canada Summer Games, few provinces can boast the results in any discipline quite like BC can when it comes to golf.

B.C. Amateur Golf Legend Doug Roxburgh (L) Smiles In The Scoring Tent After Making The Cut For The 48th Time In 51 Appearances In The B.C. Amateur At The Age Of 65. Meanwhile, 18-Year Old Roy Kang Of North Vancouver (R) Could Smile A Little Himself As He Recorded A Hole-In-One On The 185-Yard 3rd Hole At Morgan Creek GC - Images Credit BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

A few weeks ago, Doug Roxburgh wasn’t sure he’d bother to tee it up in his 51st B.C. Amateur Championship.His home course, Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver, had a tough winter and was on temporary greens for most of the spring.

As a result, Roxburgh wasn’t able to practise or play much and he wasn’t sure his game would be up for the challenge at a tournament he has won a record 13 times. But to the surprise of no one, Roxburgh proved once again that he still has plenty of game.

The 65-year-old Hall of Famer shot a one-over 73 Wednesday and comfortably made the cut at the 115th playing of the B.C. Amateur at Morgan Creek Golf Course in Surrey.

Bellingham Resident Jacob Koppenberg Has A One-Shot Lead Over Jake DuVall Of Victoria (PIctured Here) Through Two Rounds Of The B.C. Amateur At Morgan Creek Golf Club - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

All Jacob Koppenberg needs is a Nexus pass and he’ll be all set. Crossing the border to get to Morgan Creek Golf Course has been about the toughest part of the first two days of the B.C. Amateur Championship for Koppenberg, a 30-year-old Bellingham resident.

13-Time B.C. Amateur Champion Doug Roxburgh (L) And 2016 Champion Nolan Thoroughgood (R) Both Made Some News At Morgan Creek In The Opening Round Of The 115th BC Amateur - Images Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Morgan Day and Mark Berg will tell you that spending some time at Morgan Creek Golf Course beats hanging out at the evacuation centre in Kamloops. Day and Berg both work at Williams Lake Golf Course and were among thousands of area residents who had to leave town because of forest fires that are threatening the area.

Day works in the pro shop and Berg is the course superintendent. “It has been an interesting last 10 days or so,” Day said. “We got the official evacuation order on Saturday and made the commute to Kamloops which normally takes three hours and it took around eight hours. It has been pretty surreal to be honest.”

Chris Crisilogo (Shown Here), Ian Kim, Mac Keats, Scott Kerr, Taylor Durham And Jacob Koppenberg Opened The B.C. Amateur With Four-Under 68s At Morgan Creek Golf Course In Surrey - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Chris Crisilogo didn’t have his 'A game' Tuesday, but it was still good enough to grab a share of the first-round lead on what is a crowded leaderboard at the B.C. Amateur Championship.

The Simon Fraser University standout had to do his fair share of scrambling to record a four-under 68 at Morgan Creek Golf Course in Surrey that left him tied for the lead with SFU teammate Scott Kerr of Vancouver, Ian Kim of White Rock, Victoria’s Mac Keats, Taylor Durham of North Vancouver and Jacob Koppenberg of Bellingham.

2016 BC Amateur Champion Nolan Thoroughgood Is Seen Here Teeing Off Recently In The Junior Boys Championship At Squamish GC - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/BC Golf

The 115th version of the British Columbia Amateur teed off today at Morgan Creek Golf Club in Surrey with defending champion Nolan Thoroughgood, who became the youngest winner in the history of the event last year at age 15, along with 13-time champion Doug Roxburgh just two of the names vying for the title.

The BC Amateur Championship is open to 156 amateurs who are exempt or qualified through their zone or the Sunday Supplemental Qualifier on July 16th. Keenan Flemming was the medalist at the Qualifier held at The Canal Course at Northview GC, you can see the complete list of qualifers and scores here.

Kathrine Chan (L) And Mary Parsons Earned Their Entry Into The 2017 U.S. Women's Amateur After Coming 1-2 In A Qualifier At Richmond Country Club - Image Credit Brad Ziemer

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Kathrine Chan learned Monday that boring is not always bad. A round of 18 straight pars that Chan called “boring” earned the 17-year-old Richmond resident a spot in next month’s U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship in southern California.

Chan’s even-par round of 72 topped the field and earned her one of two spots that were up for grabs at a qualifier at Richmond Country Club. Delta’s Mary Parsons earned the other spot with a one-over 73.

The Youngest Player To Ever Win The B.C. Amateur Championshp, Nolan Thoroughgood, Will Be At Morgan Creek This Week To Defend the Title He Won Last Year As A 15-Year Old - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The field for the 115th playing of the B.C. Amateur Championship is full following a supplemental qualifier Sunday at Northview Golf Club’s Canal course in Surrey.

Sixty players competed for the final 21 spots into the B.C. Amateur, which begins Tuesday at Morgan Creek Golf Club in Surrey. Keenan Flemming of Sechelt topped the field with a one-under 71. It took a score of 78 or better to earn a spot.

BC Golf Particiaption Manager Tyler McKay (L) Helps Introduce A Young SuperHero To The Game Of Golf At The Aboriginal Day Ceremony At Musqueam Last Month - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/British Columbia Golf

By Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

During the recent Aboriginal Day festivities held June 21st at Musqueam’s Community and Cultural Centres in Vancouver, a team from British Columbia Golf & Future Links, Driven by Acura, set up their SNAG golf display on a beautiful early summer day and saw over 160 youngsters take part in trying their hand at hitting shots toward targets with the specially designed equipment.  

As part of the initiative to inspire everyone to get active and involved in moving the community forward, BC Golf’s new Manager of Participation, Tyler McKay, was on hand with a great crew of assistants that included SFU Clan standout Chris Crisologo, UBC T’Bird Women’s Golf team member Avril Li, former Team Canada Junior member Matt Kettleson and BC Golf intern Phong Pham.

Between them all they were instrumental in helping interested youngsters, some who had swung a golf club before and many who had not, have some fun in hitting the velcro-style balls at nearby targets.

courtesy Golf Canada

Over the past several years, the USGA and The R&A have been working with golf’s handicapping authorities to develop a single World Handicap System (WHS) for the sport.

More than 15 million golfers in over 80 countries presently have a handicap, a numerical index long used as a reference to gauge a golfer’s potential skill level.

Team British Columbia In This Year's Eddie Hogan Cup Consists Of From L-R: Aidan Goodfellow, Zach Ryujin, Isaac DH Lee And Joel Veenstra - All Images Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/British Columbia Golf

The 49th annual Eddie Hogan Cup tournament is scheduled to take place August 11th – 13th, 2017 at the Riverside Golf & Country Club in Portland, Oregon and British Columbia has been represented every single year since its inception in 1969. 

BC has won the Eddie Hogan Cup title twice since 1972, with the first coming in 2009 and then again 4 years later in 2013 where team member Kevin Vigna also won the individual title. The Eddie Hogan Cup is filled with excellent competition from across the USA including Southern and Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Hawaii and others.

It is restricted to boys 18 years of age or younger as of the final date of competition. However, a player may NOT have started college.

Morgan Creek Golf Club In Surrey Is Prepared To Play Host To The 115th Playing Of The B.C. Amateur And Richmond's Chris Crisologo Has His Eyes On The Prize - Image Courtesy BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

It is the tournament that Chris Crisologo circled on his busy summer schedule, one that he wants to win more than all the others. And it may surprise you to learn that the B.C. Amateur Championship is that tournament.

A win at the Canadian Amateur or U.S. Amateur would ultimately mean much more for his career, but it is the B.C. Amateur that is closest to Crisologo’s heart. “I really want to get a good showing in a B.C. Am for once,” says Crisologo.

“That is kind of my goal this summer. Even going into the year I said I really want to give myself the best opportunity in the B.C. Am and ride  the momentum into the Canadian Am and I guess the U.S. Am now.”

Richmond's Chris Crisologo, Seen Here At The Freedom 55 Financial Open With 2017 BC Junior Girls Champion Alisha Lau As His Caddy, Has Qualified For The 2nd Straight Year To Play In The U.S. Amateur Championship - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columiba Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

If there is such a thing as a bittersweet top 10 on the PGA TOUR, Abbotsford’s Nick Taylor experienced it on Sunday. Taylor finished tied for ninth at the Greenbrier Classic in White Sulphur Springs, WVa. It was Taylor’s fourth top 10 in what has been a terrific year for the 29-year-old.

But Taylor had to leave West Virginia a little disappointed about missing out on an opportunity to qualify for this month’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. The top four finishers at the Greenbrier not already exempt into The Open Championship earned spots in the Royal Birkdale field.

Christian Zalli Defeated Younger Brother Ilirian And Victoria's Keaton Gudz By Two Shots To Win The 2017 B.C. Junior Boys Championship - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

SQUAMISH -- He was proud of himself, but Christian Zalli also couldn’t help feeling a tinge of regret. To win the B.C. Junior Boys Championship at Squamish Valley Golf & Country Club on Friday, Zalli had to beat his little brother Ilirian.

And that wasn’t easy. That it came down to the final hole made it even more difficult. Unfortunately, there are no ties in golf, so when Christian and Ilirian stepped up to the 18th tee late Friday afternoon tied for the lead, you knew one of them was going to walk away disappointed.

The 2017 B.C. Junior Girls Champion Alisha Lau, Flanked By Okanagan Golf Club Director Of Golf Lee Ranger (L) And General Manager Dan Matheson (R) - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

It wasn't exactly a nail-biter, but that doesn't take away from a very impressive performance by the 2017 British Columbia Junior Girls Champion, Alisha Lau.

Lau, who plays out of Quilchena Golf & Country Club in her home town of Richmond, once again posted the only score under par on the final day of the tournament on The Bear Course at The Okanagan Golf Club to finish the event at 9-under with a total of 279. 

The win was doubly, or should we say triply, rewarding for the 17-year old Lau as she not only took home the hardware as B.C. Junior Girls Champ, she also earned a spot on the B.C. Team at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship August 1-4th at the Camelot Golf & Country Club in Ontario as well as learning that she had been named to the B.C. Team for the Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg July 28 - August 13th. 

It's already shaping up to be a very special summer for Lau, who will attend the University of Colarado this fall on a full-ride golf scholarship.

Craig Doell, Pictured Here With Len Fergie, Won Both The Mid-Amateur And Mid-Master Titles At Kokanee Springs - Image Credit Kris Jonasson/British Columbia Golf

CRAWFORD BAY -- Victoria’s Craig Doell won the B.C. Mid-Master Championship and then had to work a little overtime on Thursday to claim the Mid-Amateur title at Kokanee Springs Golf Resort.

Doell captured the Mid-Am crown on the fifth hole of a sudden-death playoff with Cameron Powell of Fernie. Both players had finished the 54-hole competition at three-over par. Doell closed with a one-under 70 on Friday. 

The Elder Zalli Brother, Christian, Takes A 3-Shot Lead Over His Younger Sibling, Ilirian, Into The Final Round Of the BC Junior Boys Championship At Squamish Valley G&CC - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/Britsh Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf  

SQUAMISH -- When the round was over, the big brother put his arm around the shoulders of the little brother and offered words of encouragement. That’s the way it is for Christian and Ilirian Zalli, who like to beat one another on the golf course, but also want to see the other do well.

On Thursday, it was big brother Christian who beat his little brother and grabbed a three-shot lead heading into Friday’s final round of the B.C. Junior Boys Championship at Squamish Valley Golf & Country Club.

Richmond's Alisha Lau Is The Third Round Leader Of The BC Junior Girls Championship By 8-Shots At The Bear Course At Okanagan Golf Club - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

by Bryan Outram, British Columbia Golf

The sweltering heat took its toll on the field for the 3rd round of the BC Junior Girls Championship on The Bear Course at Okanagan Golf Club with the temperature hovering around 35 degrees and certainly feeling much hotter as the day wore on.

Despite the sauna-like conditons Richmond's Alisha Lau overcame her rocky start, where she made bogey on her first 3 holes, by making birdie on two of her next four. That would settle her down somewhat and she managed her way around the rest of day to finish at 2-over 74 and still holds an 8-shot lead heading into Friday's final round. 

Her playing partners, Esther Lee with a 73 and Angel Lin with a 74, are in second and third place respectively and the three of them will all tee it up again together in Friday's final group.

It's Not A Circus Act, But The Brothers Zalli (Ilirian - L & Christian - R) Could Definitely Provide Some Entertainment Going Into The Last Two Rounds Of The BC Juniors Boys Championship Tied For The Lead - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

SQUAMISH -- No, you are not seeing double. Those Zalli, Zalli names at the top of the leaderboard are correct.

It seems a serious case of sibling rivalry has broken out at the B.C. Junior Boys Championship at Squamish Golf & Country Club. Christian Zalli and his little brother Ilirian share the lead at the halfway point. Both finished the second round at five-under par, three shots better than the rest of the field.

And as for that rivalry, the brothers say that while they do love to beat one another, they are each highly supportive of the other.  “If he wins I am very happy for him,” Christian said after Wednesday’s round.