Hometown favourite Sandy Harper dethroned four-time defending champion Gudmund Lindbjerg of Port Moody by winning the B.C. Senior Men’s Championship Wednesday at the Nanaimo Golf Club.
Harper, a club member, started the day seven ahead of the field, quickly stretching that lead to nine-strokes after making birdie on the par-5, 500-yard first hole.
“I started out with a good birdie on one and then got another one on the sixth hole,” said Harper. “I really never had that much pressure on me so all I wanted to do was hit fairways and greens and get into a flow.”
Harper gave both shots back on the seventh hole with a double-bogey six, his first one of the week. He bounced back with a birdie on the par-3, 155-yard eighth hole. He closed his back nine with relative ease, carding a one-under 35, good enough for a three-day total 210, (72-68-70), 11 strokes ahead of his nearest competitor.
Tony Hatchwell of Nanaimo was second at 221 (75-75-71), while Marty Holman of Victoria finished third at 223 (76-73-74).
Greg Betts of Vernon was 69th at 247 (82-80-85). Michael Sheldon and Mark Longworth, both of Vernon, missed the third-round cut.
