Jackie Little, formerly of Vernon, defended her B.C. senior women’s golf title Thursday at Highland Pacific Golf in Victoria.
Little held a five-stroke lead on runner-up Alison Murdoch of Victoria heading into the final round Thursday, but struggled with a 7-over 79 to win by a stroke and finish with a three-round total 232 (75-78-79). Murdoch, who claimed the Super Senior title, ended at 77-81-75.
Kelowna’s Lynda Palahniuk grounded North Saanich’s Penny Baziuk in a one-hole sudden-death playoff to take third place.
Palahniuk, who recently won both the Baron Insurance and Spall Ladies Open titles in Vernon, finished at 238 (81-79-78), while Baziuk pieced today a 79-82-77.
“Today was a bit of a struggle,” Little told B.C. Golf. “I really didn’t hit the ball all that bad but I just couldn’t get a feel for the greens, and my weight on my up-and-downs was a bit off.”
Little, Murdoch and Palahniuk will represent B.C. at the Royale Cup Canadian Women’s Senior Championship at the Belvedere Golf Club in Charlottetown, Aug. 21-23. However, Little is scheduled for shoulder surgery and may not recover in time to compete.
Vandenbrink goes low at Canoe Creek
Hillview’s Keith Vandenbrink, after two runner-up showings in big tournaments, won a playoff and earned $500 in the Interior PGA Callaway Tour stop Monday at Canoe Creek in Salmon Arm.
Vandenbrink defeated Greg Machtaler of Summerland in a two-hole playoff. Both players shot solid rounds of 2-under-70.
“Finally, no second place,” laughed Vandenbrink. “I hit 16 greens in regulation and had four birdies and two bogeys. I made a lot of six- and eight-footers which really helped.”
Both Vandenbrink and Machtaler earned par on the opening playoff hole. They then moved to No. 9 where Vandenbrink hit his second shot into the trees with a driver, while Machtaler knocked a Hybrid centre of the fairway, 160 yards out.
Machtaler, a 28-year-old Brigham Young Cougar grad, chipped to within 12 feet, but missed his putt for bogey. Vandenbrink sank an 18-footer for par.
Myles Johnson of Spallumcheen lost 4 and 3 to Dean Brown of Regina in the PGA of Canada match-play championship at Cottonwood in Calgary.
