Burnaby's Sumie Francois Still Holds The Lead After Round Two Of The 2016 BC Junior Girls Championship At Big Sky Golf Club In Pemberton - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

By Bryan Outram

Round two of the 2016 BC Junior Girls Championship at Big Sky Golf Club was played under mostly sunny skies with the stunning backdrop of Mt. Currie doing its level best to provide a distraction to the competitors below. 

First round leader Sumie Francois of Shaughnessy G&CC continued her plan of playing conservatively off the tee and but for a balky putter may have been able to extend her 2-shot lead. As it was, her closest pursuer, Delta's Mary Parsons who plays out of Richmond's Mayfair Lakes GC, managed the only under par score of day two with a 1-under 71 to cut into Francois' lead by one shot going into round 3 on Thursday.

Former Junior Star Jonnie Motomochi From North Delta Is Now An Assistant Golf Coach With Oregon State - Image Courtesy Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

QUALICUM BEACH -- It wasn’t all that long ago that Jonnie Motomochi had the B.C. Amateur Championship circled on his summer playing calendar. These days it’s still highlighted, but for a different reason. 

Motomochi now scouts the tournament he used to play in.

A solid junior career landed Motomochi a golf scholarship to Oregon State University, where he played for the Beavers. Now he helps coach them.

Kelowna's William Deck Is (Pictured Here) Is Tied For The First Round Lead With Roy Kang At The BC Amateur Being Played At Pheasant Glen GC In Qualicum Beach - BC Golf Photo

13-Time Winner Shoots Two-Over 74; William Deck Of Kelowna And Roy Kang Of North Vancouver Share Lead With Six-Under 66s

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

QUALICUM BEACH -- It rained on Doug Roxburgh’s parade. The 13-time champion finished the first round of his milestone 50th straight B.C. Amateur Championship in a downpour early Tuesday afternoon at Pheasant Glen Golf Resort in Qualicum Beach.

It made for a soggy ending to what Roxburgh described as day when he didn’t have his best stuff. He finished with a two-over 74, which left him eight shots behind co-leaders William Deck of Kelowna and North Vancouver’s Roy Kang.

Burnaby's Sumie Francois Was The Only Player To Break Par In The Opening Round Of The 2016 BC Junior Girls Championship At Big Sky GC In Pemberton - Image Credit Kris Jonasson

By Bryan Outram

After round one of the BC Junior Girls Championship at Big Sky GCin Pemberton it’s 16-year old Sumie Francois in the lead after firing the only sub-par round of the day, a 2-under 70. Francois, who plays out of Shaughnessy G&CC, holds a two shot lead over last week’s runner-up from the BC Women’s Amateur, Delta’s Mary Parsons, who posted an even par round of 72.

This is Francois’ first time playing Big Sky and she carded four birdies and two bogies in a round where she stuck with mainly 3-woods and hybrids off the tees in a conservative approach she employed saying, “I do hit my driver pretty far and I didn’t want my misses to be big ones.”

Along With Bernhard Langer (Pictured), Rocco Mediate, Lee Janzen And Jesper Parnevik Have Also Committed To The PGA TOUR Champions Pacific Links Championship - Image Courtesy SportBox

Victoria, B.C. (July 11, 2016) – World Golf Hall of Fame member Bernhard Langer committed to play the 2016 Pacific Links Championship, to be contested on Bear Mountain Golf Resort’s Mountain Course in Victoria, British Columbia, the week of September 19-25, 2016. The event will feature a US$2.5 million purse, with 81 players competing for a winner’s share of $440,000.

Langer, a two-time winner of the Masters Tournament, has notched 28 career titles on PGA TOUR Champions, which ranks third all-time behind Hale Irwin (45) and Lee Trevino (29).

Merritt's Roger Sloan, Shown Here At A Recent Media Outing At Bear Mountain GC In Victoria, Sits In 38th Spot On The Web.com Money List - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Surrey’s Adam Svensson recorded his first top-10 finish on the Web.com Tour on Sunday at the LECOM Health Challenge tourney in Findley Lake, N.Y. Svensson closed with a three-under 69 to finish at 13-under par and tied for ninth place.

Svensson earned $15,000, which moved him to 65th from 81st on the Web.com tour money list. That move is significant as the top 75 players on the money list qualify for the Web.com Tour Finals in September. 

Merritt’s Roger Sloan also had a good week. Sloan shot a five-under 67 to finish tied for 14th place at 12-under. Sloan moved to 38th on the money list. He had started the week 44th.

Pheasant Glen Golf Course In Qualicum Beach Is The Site Of The 114th B.C. Amateur This Week - Image Courtesy Facility

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Doug Roxburgh has always said that one of the things he has most enjoyed about competing in the B.C. Amateur Championship is travelling the province and playing courses that are new to him. It seems fitting that when Roxburgh tees it up Tuesday in his 50th straight B.C. Amateur Championship it will be on a course that he had not played until Monday’s practice round.

Pheasant Glen Golf Resort in Qualicum Beach isn’t exactly new, but it is to Roxburgh. The course dates back to the early 1990s, when it opened as an executive-length layout.

The Aboriginal Sport, Recreation and Physical Activity Partners Council (Partners Council) of BC is pleased to announce the 2016 BC Aboriginal Provincial Golf Championships will be hosted in partnership with Talking Rock Golf Course and the Little Shuswap Band from August 7th-9th, 2016 in Chase, BC.

Aboriginal youth golfers are invited to attend this 3-day event sanctioned by the British Columbia Golf Association. Please note this event will also serve as a talent identification event to identify athletes to form a "Team BC Development Squad" to train for and pursue participation in the 2017 North American Indigenous Games held in Toronto, Ontario, from July 16 to 23, 2017.

Mill Bay's Tristan Mandur (L) Accepts The Bower Trophy As 2016 BC Junior Boys Champion From British Columbia Golf President Patrick Kelly - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

By Bryan Outram

It was home, sweet home for Mill Bay's Tristan Mandur as he calmly rolled in a 5-foot par putt on the 72nd hole at Arbutus Ridge Golf Club, his home course, for a one-shot victory over Coquitlam's A.J. Ewart in the 2016 British Columbia Junior Boys Championship.

"it feels incredible, I mean, to win it on my home soil it means even more. I've worked really hard this year and it feels good for it to pay off, " said Mandur following the trophy presentation.

Jisoo Keel Cruised To A Comfortable 6-Shot Win In The BC Women's Amateur At Beach Grove Golf Club - Image Credit Chinami Hancock/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Jisoo Keel didn’t save her best for last, but she really didn’t need it. The 20-year-old former Coquitlam resident began Friday’s final round of the B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship at Beach Grove Golf Club in Tsawwassen six shots ahead of the field. When the day ended, nothing had changed and Keel was hoisting the AC Flummerfelt Cup.

Keel closed with a one-over 73 -- her highest round of the week -- to finish the 72-hole event at eight-under par. Delta’s Mary Parsons, who also shot 73 on Friday, was second at two-under.

Isaac Lee Of Pitt Meadows Fired His Third Straight Round Of Even Par 70 To Tie For The Lead With A.J. Ewart Going Into The Final Round Of The 2016 BC Junior Boys Championship - Image Credit Bryan Outram

By Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

The third and penultimate round of a golf tournament is often referred to as "moving day" in many golf circles as players attempt to put themselves in a good position to contend going into the final round and of course, hopefully, win.

Thursday's round 3 at the 2016 BC Junior Boys Championship took on more of a "try-desperately-to-hang-on-to-what-you've-already-got-and-don't-fall-off-the-map day" as players searched for answers to the thick rough and the tricky greens at the Arbutus Ridge Golf Club, host of this year's championship in Cobble Hill.

To that end, it would appear that Pitt Meadows' Isaac Lee, who plays out of Swan-e-set Bay Resort, seems to have the best recipe for success so far, which would be to simply shoot par. After his 3rd consecutive round of even par 70 Lee finds himself in the final group on Friday with 3rd round leader A.J. Ewart and host club member Tristan Mandur.

Somewhat quietly playing his way into the final group, Mandur also carded an even par 70, which included three birdies to go along with three bogies. Mandur sits at 1-over for the tournament.

Coquitlam’s Jisoo Keel Will Take A Six-Shot Lead Into Friday’s Final Round - Image Credit Brad Ziemer

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Nicole Bird jokes that she is looking for the next Graham DeLaet. That would be the female version, of course. Bird is one of a handful of U.S. college golf coaches who have spent the week in Tsawwassen assessing the talent at the B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship at Beach Grove Golf Club.

Bird is heading into her 10th season as women’s golf coach at Boise State University, where DeLaet played his collegiate golf before becoming one of Canada’s top pros. “Besides Graham, we have had a few other Canadian men as well, so I am trying to kind of break into that a little bit,” Bird said.

Many of the young women competing at Beach Grove this week have already committed to a U.S. school. “But there are probably eight or 10 others who haven’t,” Bird said.

Former Junior Star Jisoo Keel From Coquitlam Has The Lead At  The Halfway Point Of The B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship At Beach Grove Golf Club - Image Credit Brad Ziemer

By Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

A funny thing happened when Jisoo Keel accepted a golf scholarship from Stanford University. She discovered there was more to life than golf. 

The now 20-year-old Coquitlam resident, who graduated from Gleneagle secondary and enjoyed a stellar junior career, headed south three nearly three years ago to chase her LPGA Tour dreams.

But lately, golf has taken a back seat to Keel’s educational ambitions. “I haven’t played much competitive golf the past two years,” Keel said Wednesday. “I have been more focused on school. I really want to make the most out of my Stanford education. I am heading into my senior year and hopefully I will be starting my Masters degree the following year.”

Coquitlam's A.J. Ewart Jumped Into The Halfway Lead At The BC Junior Boys Championship With A Bogey-Free 6-under 64 - Image Credit Bryan Outram

By Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

What a difference a day makes. Round two of the BC Junior Boys Championship at Arbutus Ridge Golf Course in Cobble Hill was played under beautiful blue, calm, sunny skies following an overcast, damp, windy and mostly cool opening round.

The change in the weather obviously agreed with many of the young guns in the field for the 71st edition of this championship as evidenced by some of the big turnaround scores posted.

The reversal of fortune was led by 2015 BC Juvenile Boys Champion A.J. Ewart who fashioned a bogey-free round of 6-under 64 to jump into the lead at the halfway point sitting at 3-under (137). 

Surrey's Hannah Lee, Shown Above Playing In The 2016 BC Jr. Girls Championship, Led A Group Of Six Girls From BC Who Have Qualified For The U.S. Jr. Girls Championship - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

The 2016 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship will take place at the A.W. Tillinghast designed Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, N.J. from July 18-23. Eligibility for the event is for any female who has not turned 18 as of July 23 and whose Handicap Index does not exceed 18.4. 

U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship 18-hole qualifying took place at several locations around the United States during the month of June and six girls from British Columbia took advantage of those opportunities to grab spots in one of the most prestigious Junior tournaments in the world.

Sagebrush Golf Course Is Getting Closer To It's Much Anticipated Re-opening - Image Courtesy Facility

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Sagebrush will re-open. It’s just taking a little longer than the new owners of the highly regarded Merritt-area course had hoped. James Cronk, president of Newmark Properties’ Golf Group, said rather than rushing the re-opening of Sagebrush, the company is determined to do it right. And if that means taking some extra time, so be it. 

“What we have been telling people is that we have a lot of construction going on to get Sagebrush to the level of experience that we’re excited about and we just don’t want to show it before it’s ready,” Cronk said in an interview.

PGA TOUR Player Adam Hadwin Returned Home To Help Promote The Vancouver Golf Tour's Premier Event, The Vancouver Open - Image Credit Brad Ziemer

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The best player in the field won the Vancouver Open, but it wasn’t as easy as you might think for Adam Hadwin. The PGA TOUR regular from Abbotsford needed five back-nine birdies to take command of the Vancouver Golf Tour’s marquee event at Pagoda Ridge Golf Course in Langley.

Hadwin completed his Vancouver Open hat trick with a 54-hole score of seven-under par 207. That was two shots better than Mission’s Kevin Stinson and Riley Wheeldon of Courtenay.

Recently the Allied Golf Association of British Columbia (AGA-BC) distributed its inaugural industry newsletter.

The Allied Golf Association of British Columbia is a provincial organization that contains representation from each of the Regional Golf Industry Associations that are dedicated to providing one cohesive voice for the golf industry of British Columbia.

The 'Thoughtful, Scenic' Arbutus Ridge Golf Course In Cobble Hill On Vancouver Island Will Host The Best Junior Boys In The Province For This Year's BC Junior Boys Championship - Image Courtesy Arbutus Ridge

by Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

The 2016 BC Junior Boys Championship is set to tee off on Tuesday, July 5th at Arbutus Ridge Golf Club. Arbutus Ridge, owned and operated by the GolfBC Group, is located in the seaside community of Cobble Hill within the Cowichan Valley amongst nine of Vancouver Island’s finest wineries and 10 minutes from the cultural city of Duncan and just a scenic 40 minute drive from Victoria or Nanaimo.

A Bill Robinson design built in 1987, Arbutus Ridge was specifically routed to offer some of the most stunning views on Vancouver Island amongst the characteristic Arbutus trees. The front nine weaves alongside a seaside community while the back nine climbs a ridge overlooking the Satellite Channel.

Surrey's Michelle Kim Will Be Looking To Defend The Title She Won Last Year In The BC Women's Amateur Next Week At Beach Grove Golf Club - Image Credit Alfie Lau/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

We are about to find out what Michelle Kim is going to do for an encore. Last year, Kim got what was a super summer started by winning the B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship at Duncan Meadows on Vancouver Island.

The Surrey resident finished the 72-hole event at three-under par and beat her older sister Taylor by one shot. She followed that up by capturing the B.C. Junior Girls Championship at Cordova Bay in Victoria and then winning the Canadian Junior Girls Championship in Yorkton, Sask.