Kyla Inaba of Kelowna was able to hold off defending champ Christina Proteau of Port Alberni and take the B.C. Mid-Amateur Ladies Golf Championship title in a three-hole playoff Thursday.
Inaba relinquished her start-of-the-day two-stroke lead to Proteau very early on in the round thanks to a triple-bogey seven on the par 4, 410-yard 6th hole.
“I had to take an unplayable and then things just kind of blew up from there,” professed Inaba on the triple bogey. “I just continued to play shot-by-shot from there as best I could.”
Both players continued in their round with relative normality until defending champion Proteau decided to go on a run, making three birdies in a row on holes 13,14 and 15. This streak was partially matched by Inaba who birdied 14 and 15.
“Those were some pretty big birdies by both of us,” stated Inaba. “I think I made a 45-footer on 14 and Christina [Proteau] made a 20-footer. That was good to keep us both in it.”
After matching bogey’s on the 17th hole and par on the final, both players sat at -2 total for the Championship forcing a sudden death playoff. Proteau finished the day at even-par 72, 214 total (71-71-72-214) and Inaba at +2, 74 (69-71-74-214).
Heading to the par-4 18th hole for the first sudden death hole, both players managed to make par. The second hole went to the par-4 10th where Inaba had a 3-footer for the win, only to miss with what she called a “yip that didn’t even hit the hole.” Both players walked away with bogey five, forcing a third playoff hole where Inaba redeemed herself, making a 3-footer for par to Proteau’s bogey.
“It hasn’t really sunk in yet but it sure does feel darn good to be the Mid-Amateur Champion,” laughed Inaba.
