Two West Kootenay Golfers have placed in the top 25 at the B.C. junior golf championships.
Ely Overennay from Castlegar tied for 19th place at the 2017 BC Junior Boys Championship in Squamish and Kelly Hellman from Nelson tied for 22nd place at the 2017 BC Junior Girls Championship in Kelowna. Both championships took place July 4 to 7.
“There was lots of competition. That was probably the strongest year the tournament’s had in a long time,” said Overennay.
He finished the championship 16 over par.
Overennay said that the conditions, especially on the last two days, were tough — “The wind really picked up” — but Overennay still shot his two best scores on the final two days. His best score was 73 on the par 72 course, which he scored on the third day.
“I played a lot better the last two days because I was more focused. The first two days I was a bit nervous and … I started a lot better the first two days and then I just finished off a lot better the second two days, on my last nine holes those two rounds,” he said.
The young golfer wanted to thank everyone from back home who supported him during the tournament, especially his girlfriend, who he said is very supportive of his golf.
Last year he placed 21st at the championship, and he met his goal to place higher this year. Overennay is 17, so next year will be his final year competing at the junior level. He hopes he can once again improve his place in the final standings.
For Hellman, who’s 18, this was her third and final year participating in the Junior Girls Championship.
“It’s all a bit like, I guess, bittersweet. It’s like my last one and I know all the girls and stuff,” she said.
But she says she’ll continue with the B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship, which she has participated in before.
“It’s a women’s open, so they let you play no matter what age you are,” she explained. “You just have to … be under a certain handicap to play in it.”
Hellman made the three-day cut at the Girls Junior Championship, as one of the top 28, and finished 30 over par. Her best score was 78, also on a par 72 course, on the first day.
“I would have liked to play a bit better,” she said. “It was a tough field of players, … a couple of Team Canada people were there. … I played pretty consistent through the tournament, but I feel like I could have played at bit better.”
Nic Jenner and William Watt from Castlegar also participated in the Junior Boys Championship, but didn’t make the two-day cut. Jenner scored 85 the first day and 87 the second, while Watt scored 89 and 88.
