The scores were hot as the weather at Black Mountain Golf Club this week as the course played host to the 2014 PGA of B.C. Pro-Assistants’ Championship, a two day event held Monday and Tuesday.
And perhaps it was no surprise that the host professionals came out on top of the event as Russ Latimer and Tyrel Griffith shot impressive rounds of 61 and 63 to take top spot at the event.
The duo began the week in dreamlike fashion, registering back-to-back eagles on the first two holes of the tournament, and finishing day one with a commanding four-stroke lead over teams from Olympic View, Point Grey, Capilano and Fairview Mountain.
Tuesday’s scramble format led to aggressive shotmaking throughout the course, most notably on Black Mountain’s signature par-4 fifth hole, where players weren’t shy to pull out driver and fire away at the island green.
But even an unbelievable round of 57 from Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club’s Padraic O’Rourke and Jordan Rourke wasn’t enough to catch the red-hot Black Mountain duo, who closed the tournament with back-to-back birdies to secure a two-stroke victory with an 18-under total.
“There were some difficult pin locations, we knew it was going to be tough,” noted Latimer, Black Mountain’s head professional. “We weren’t hitting it great to start the day, but we knew their were lots of birdies out there, so if we stayed the course, things would work out.”
Latimer also heaped praise on his young playing partner, Tyrel Griffith—a highly regarded curler who played in this year’s Tim Hortons Brier final with Team Morris, and who only recently obtained his PGA of B.C. professional status.
“He’s a champion,” Latimer said. “He knows how to compete, knows how to win.”
The Black Mountain team cash a winning cheque for $2,250 and supplemented it with $660 in skins thanks to their blazing start on Monday.
Second place was shared by O’Rourke and Rourke and Gorge Vale Golf Club’s Jim Cook and Edd Boudreau, with each team earning a cheque for $1,400.
Rob Anderson and Jamie Stevens were the next highest finishing local pros after they tied for 5th with rounds of 66-62. Peter Hopley and Lee Alarie of Gallagher’s tied for 7th along with Dean Claggett and Ethan Danish from Two Eagles. Neil Schmidt and Shane Pugliese of Tower Ranch were T-11 while Jon Kadin and Jason Jurimae finished T-13 along with Chad Scott and Chris Hinton of The Harvest.
