Keith Vandenbrink of Hillview stopped Shannon Glenesk of Vernon in a playoff Monday to win the Callaway Interior PGA stop at the Salmon Arm Golf & Country Club.
There was a field of 29 with Vandenbrink and Glenesk each carding 2—-under 70s in the afternoon draw. Vandenbrink pocketed $500,while Glenesk took home $350.
Vandenbrink birdied the third, sixth and eighth holes against a bogey on the fifth for a 2-under front 9 of 34. He recorded two birdies against two bogeys for 36 on the back.
The playoff was held on No. 15 so the rest of the field could watch from the clubhouse deck.
“We both hit hybrids off the tee,” said Vandenbrink. “I was in the fairway and Shannon was a yard into the rough. I hit my approach on the green about 30 feet from the hole, while Shannon’s shot flew just over the green about a yard into the collar and left himself with a downhill left to right chip.
“He hit it to about 10 feet. I putted first to about two feet. Shannon missed his putt and we shook hands.”
Justin Baillargeon of Vernon tied for fifth at 73, earning $175.
Glenesk and Baillargeon have for the second straight year qualified for the Nike PGA Team Championship of Canada qualifier in Bermuda.
They shot 3-under 68 to finish in a three-way share of fourth spot in the Canada qualifier at the Whistler Golf Club, collecting $1,111.
Matt Palsenberg and John Shin of Northview Golf Academy in Surrey won the tourney with a scorching 63.
A total of nine teams will represent Canada in Bermuda in October at the Mid Ocean Club. Adam Blair of Talking Rock and Mark Kohlen of Salmon Arm are alternates.
Ranked the 47th best golf course outside of the United States by Golf Digest, the Mid Ocean Club was designed by world-renowned architect Charles Blair Macdonald and first opened for play in 1921.
With a different team format each day – fourball, scramble and foursomes– the 54-hole national championship sees teams from across the country compete for the championship title and a share of the $90,000 purse.
The Nike PGA Team event started last year.
The winning team from the Nike Golf PGA Team Championship of Canada will also receive an exemption into the PGA’s of Europe International Team Championship in November to represent the PGA of Canada.
