It was a rise to the top of the leaderboard for Jeff Wills.
The pro from Vernon’s The Rise Golf Club and his team of Mun Bagri, Bobby Milacic and Tim Bolton ran away with the team portion of the 2011 Rotary Pro-Am golf event at the Vernon Golf and Country Club, finishing with a 112 score in the two-best net format.
The foursome finished 13 shots ahead of teams captained by Kelowna pros Josh Fleming and Jon Kadin, both of Gallagher’s Canyon.
Wills, who shot a 2-over 74, pocketed $400 for guiding his team to victory, while the three amateurs won Scotty Cameron putters.
Fleming, who had the low round for the pros, a 5-under 67, collected $300 while his teammates won Cobra S3 drivers. Kadin’s team ended up third, giving the pro $200 and his teammates Hollas outfits.
Teams finishing second through 10th were separated by only two shots.
Justin Baillargeon of the host club, and his quartet of Ray Allen, Dave Murison and Jim Chapman, was part of five groups that finished at 127. Baillargeon’s squad, which finished seventh overall, won Nike Method putters.
Hillview’s Keith Vandenbrink and his team of Jim Atmore, Jon Atmore and Gary Hinken, were ninth and won Cobra Baffler Rail Hs.
Predator Ridge pro Scott Allen and teammates Brent Allen, Larry Ferguson and Ken Kurbis were 10th and collected a dozen Pro V1 balls and Titleist hats.
Fleming’s 67 was good for $1,500 among the pro payouts. He finished four shots ahead of Kelowna Golf and Country pro Rob Anderson, who collected $1,200.
Vernon’s Cec Ferguson was among a pack of four who fired even-par 72s, good for $850. Wills’ 74 was good for a tie for seventh and $550. Vandenbrink fired a 3-over 75, same as former Vernon pro Jesse Crowe of Canoe Creek in Salmon Arm. Each pocketed $233.
Wills won the long drive in the team skill competition, helping his team collect Cleveland CG15 wedges.
Kurbis was first in the individual putting competition and won a Ping Hoofer C-1 carry bag.
Al Scott, Randy Dow, Dick Rosman and Arnold Soloway won KP prizes.
Meanwhile, Vandenbrink has been on a roll in other Okanagan pro-am action in the last week.
After carding a par 72 under rainy, windy conditions to collect the $1,000 first-place purse at the Revelstoke Pro-Am last Friday, the Hillview pro fired a 4-under 68 to record another title, and another $1,000, at the Gallagher’s Canyon Pro-Am Wednesday.
