BC Golf Association
Hitting a hybrid from 242 yards out on the par-5 11th hole to four feet and then converting the eagle putt propelled Pitt Meadow Golf Club’s AJ Ewart to a one-stroke lead heading into Thursday’s final round of the B.C. Juvenile Boys Championships at Spallumcheen Golf and Country Club.
Ewart’s 5-under 66 also included five birdies and two bogeys. He opened with a 70 Tuesday and led first-round leader Callum Davison of Duncan by one stroke after 36 holes. Davison had the low 67 followed by a 70.
“I’m riding a pretty big wave of confidence,” said Ewart. “If I stick to the game-plan tomorrow, I think I can play even better.”
Ewart spent a lot of time on the putting green Tuesday night, first having fun with his friends before getting down to business.
“The greens felt bumpy to me (Tuesday) and I wanted to find my putting stroke,” said Ewart. “I just need to keep working on my game and hopefully, I’ll win tomorrow.”
Ewart, Khan Lee, Mitchell Thiessen and Isaac Lee of Zone 3 won the Zone championship at 5-under 421.
Davison lamented a round that could have been even better than a 70.
“I hit two bad shots and it cost me four strokes,” said Davison. “I hit it OB on 10 and went into the hazard on 6. Other than that, I’m hitting the ball really good. I think I just need to work on my putting and getting rid of some mental errors.”
Davison did make eagle on the fourth hole, dunking his approach, with three birdies as well.
Victoria’s Keaton Gudz was third, at 68-70-138, two strokes behind Ewart. Gudz, who started on the 11th hole, made four birdies on the back nine, before a roller-coaster front nine which included one birdie, two bogeys and a double bogey.
Mac Gourdine of Vernon went 76-71-147 for a three-way share of 15th place in the field of 83. Braeden Cooper of Vernon was tied for 23rd at 77-74-151.
Brandon Chai of Vernon was in a share of 36th at 79-76-154.
Vernon’s Parker Wadsworth, at 83-87-160, missed the cut by one stroke. Dexter Weiten of Vernon finished at 87-83-170.
On the Juvenile Girls side, Surrey’s Hannah Lee was the two-round leader at 68-70-138, followed by buddy Alisha Lau of Richmond, at 71-71-142, and Courtenay’s Abigail Rigsby, at 72-70-142.
Lee played a solid round which included four birdies, one bogey and a double bogey on the par-4 second hole.
“My putting was consistent and I found the pins a little bit easier than yesterday,” said Lee. “I got it going, but then I hit a really bad shot when I doused a ball (in the water) on the second.”
Lee has just one more tournament this summer, at Sun Rivers, and she’s looking forward to taking a break from golf before she heads back to high school.
“I’m pretty happy with how my summer has gone so far,” said Lee. “I came back from the Canadian Juniors pretty confident and I took that to the Western Canadians and I feel good for tomorrow as well.”
Lau trails her friend by four strokes and she knows where all those strokes were lost.
“I just can’t get anything going on the greens,” said Lau. “It’s the same thing as yesterday. My putts aren’t dropping.”
Lau said she’s had a litany of injuries this summer, pointing to her knee, back and elbow before lamenting the food poisoning she picked up eating a submarine sandwich in Saskatchewan.
“It’s been tough and I’m looking forward to some time with my friends,” said Lau. “I’ll try and play my best tomorrow and see if I can get a good round going.”
There was a field of 29 with 19 making the 36-hole cut.
