Led by Brock Hertz’ one-under par 70, the Walnut Grove Gators came through with the Fraser Valley championship title.
Playing at Richmond’s Mayfair Lakes on Thursday (May 25), the Gators senior boys golf team beat out 14 other teams to claim the championship banner.
The Gators team consists of Hertz, Ben Whiton, Andy Jang, Jackson Jacob and Jaewook Lee with the top four rounds used for the cumulative scores.
Walnut Grove’s foursome shot a 4-over-par 288, seven strokes better than the Seaquam Seahawks and their 295.
Gators coach Dana Ferguson called the victory satisfying.
“The boys have really worked hard on their game and they have just jelled as a team,” he said.
And for the bulk of the team, this was their first time playing the course.
The conditions were also less than perfect.
“The rough was high and it was quite windy out there,” Ferguson said. “It was a grind but they persevered.”
Up next for the team will be the provincial golf championships, which run June 5 to 7 at Abbotsford’s Ledgeview Golf Course. The teams will play a practice round the first day and then begin the 36-hole competition on the Tuesday.
The Gators will look to build on their school-best second-place finish from 2016 — a feat they also accomplished in 2013 .
Ferguson said last year’s provincial experience — which was also played at Ledgeview — should help the team as four of the five were on the squad.
Walnut Grove had led after day one but could not bring the title home over the final 18 holes.
Knowing the course a bit better will be to their benefit.
“They know they have to be patient on the course because it can play very tough,” Ferguson said.
