Vernon had two players finish top-10 in the Boys 17+ Division of the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour’s MJT Okanagan Junior Championship at Predator Ridge Golf Resort.
There was a sold-out field of young talented players who battled the heat, which hovered around 36 degrees Celsius for 36 holes, ending Tuesday.
Brad Jones, who plays out of the Vernon Golf & Country Club, carded 77-72-149 to finish third, four strokes back of Calgary’s John McKiernan (68-77) and two behind Jesse Reichelt of Langley. McKiernan’s 68 was the tournament low round.
Reichelt snagged his second silver-medal finish of the season and pocketed a Mr. Lube Long Drive prize.
Randy Todoyschuk of Vernon joined Jones in the top-10 with 75-79-154 for a share of seventh spot with Langley’s Ryan Saran.
Brady Stead of Vernon, who plays out of Spallumcheen with Todoyschuk, tied for 13th at 84-74-158, earning the Golf Town Comeback Award for the division. There was a field of 31.
In the Boys 14-16 Division, Marcus Brown of Surrey, 15, won a five-hole playoff over Lucas Gatto of Burnaby after both players finished at 141. Brown drained a 20-foot putt to win the playoff.
David Guterson, 16, of Calgary placed third at 146, shooting the low round of the division, at 69, in his opening round.
Austin Bosquet of Coldstream (84-86-170) and Matthew Kreutz of Vernon (81-89-170) shared 20th place with two other players. Alex Kreutz of Vernon tied for 24th at 95-76-171.
Landon Stellingwerff, 12, of Calgary, won the Boys 13 and Under title at 83-80-163, one shot better than Mr. Lube Long Drive champion, Braden McKay, of Rossland.
The Golf Town Comeback Award in the division went to Nathanael Dubland of Armstrong, a Spall golfer who shot 135-120.
The Girls Division featured quite the battle as Kelowna’s Madison Kapchinsky, 16, came from behind (74-77-151) to win by four strokes over Jessica Claggett of Kelowna and Breanne Fredette of Winnipeg.
The Boston Pizza-presented Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour concludes its B.C. schedule Aug. 29-30 at Hazelmere Golf and Country Club in Surrey.
This event is also a qualifier for the Golfweek Championship at McCormick Ranch, a highly scouted tournament. For full details and online registration, interested juniors can visit www.maplejt.com, or call 1-877-859-4653.
