Harvest’s Graham wins junior tourney

Kelowna's Derek Graham, Matt Hopley and Rhiannon Jones win their respective divisions Tuesday on the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour

  • Jul. 21, 2016 12:00 p.m.
The host club's Derek Graham (left) was the overall champion of the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour’s Ford Series tournament held Tuesday at the Harvest Golf Club. With Graham is Gerald Wood, GM of Ford-Western Canada.

The host club's Derek Graham (left) was the overall champion of the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour’s Ford Series tournament held Tuesday at the Harvest Golf Club. With Graham is Gerald Wood, GM of Ford-Western Canada.

The Harvest Golf Club’s Derek Graham found the home track very much to his liking in posting the low overall score Tuesday at the latest stop on the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour’s Ford Series.

Playing off the blue tees, Graham, 18, posted a round of 68 to defeat Austin Bosquet of Coldtream by two strokes to win the junior boys division.

“My putter really got hot on the seventh green and the really helped the rest of the day,” said Graham. “After bogeying 15 and 16 I was a little worried, but the par on 17 really put me in a good spot on 18.”

Both Graham and Bosquet now qualify for MJT Team BC in the International Team Challenge this September at Hunters Pointe Golf Club in near Niagara Falls, ON.

There was a tie for third place at 73 between Ryan Buchanan of Kelowna, and Tyler Leclair of North Vancouver.

Kelowna’s Matt Hopley captured the bantam boys division by a convincing six strokes after shooting a 68.

“I’m very happy that I could break 70 for my first time in a tournament and win,” said Hopley, 14. “I would really like to go down to Arizona for nationals and compete with some of the best 13 and 14 year olds in the country.”

Hunter Penlava of Vernon was second with a 74.

The junior girls title was captured by West Kelowna’s Rhiannon Jones.

The 18-year-old posted a round of even-par 72, good for a five stroke victory over Penticton’s Haley Hewer was second, five shots back.

Jones also earns a spot on MJT Team BC for the International Team Challenge.

 

Kelowna Capital News