Senior men’s match-play handicap golf has ended earlier than last year since the tournament switched to a sudden-death format.
Rick Smith, who organizes the season-long tournament, said he made the switch from last year’s double-knockout format to sudden-death in order to cut down on the number of individual matches.
“Last year, they were playing in almost 0-degree weather,” Smith said.
“It was way too late so we just made it single-knockout.”
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The singles tournament started in June at the Quesnel Golf Club ,as well as partner play, with matches drawn out of a hat.
Each player paid $20 toward their tournament purse, then singles and teams arranged their own times to play throughout the season.
The final matches occurred throughout the week of Aug. 19, about one month earlier than last year’s end date in late September.
Smith said this year, about 16 singles entered, as well as five teams, meaning one team got a bye in the first round of partner play.
On Tuesday, Aug. 20 Keith Boichat clinched the singles purse and the Garner Brothers trophy, a prize that has been passed from winner-to-winner of the singles competition since 1963.
Boichat defeated Irv Garry for the win, sinking a six-foot put on the 18th hole.
“It was really close right down to the last hole,” Smith said.
Smith’s own match in the final for team play was even closer.
He and George Walker were narrowly defeated by duo James Pedersen and Dan Rosengren during extended play on the 19th hole.
“We played 18 holes, which is a normal match, and then we had to go another hole to break the tie,” Smith said.
“Can’t get any closer than that.”
In addition to the purse, Pedersen and Rosengren were rewarded with the trophy originally donated by Johnston Brothers motors (now Fraser River GM) in 1950.
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