McKay boys, Moroney and Hoodikoff earn Zone One spots for upcoming B.C. Junior Championships
By The Nelson Daily Sports
Tyler McKay of Rossland/Trail posted a 36-hole score of 149 to earn top spot during B.C. Junior Golf Zone Qualification Sunday at Birchbank Golf and Country Club near Trail.
McKay edged Rossland/Trail teammate Brenan Moroney and Jordan Hoodikoff of Christina Lake by one shot.
Braden McKay of Rossland/Trail finished fourth in the two-day tournament that started Saturday at the Castlegar course.
All four players earned spots on the Zone One West Kootenay Junior Golf team.
The quartet represents the zone at the B.C. Junior Golf Championships, July 10 – 13 at the Sunshine Coast Golf & country club in Roberts Creek. Roberts Creeks is located on the Sunshine Coast between Gibsons and Sechelt.
McKay and Moroney were tied after day one of the tournament in Castlegar with identical 2-over-par rounds of 74.
Hoodikoff and Jordan McKay were four shots off the leaders at 78.
Ryan Fullerton was five back in fifth spot with an 83 while Alex Rugg of Champion Lakes was six shots behind at 84.
Sunday, the leaders jockeyed for top spot with the lead changing hands several times before the tournament was settled on the 18th hole.
Moroney missed a four-foot par putt while Hoodikoff saw his 12-foot eagle putt go wide of the cup.
Both Rugg and Fullerton made a push for the final zone spot, but failed in their attempts as Jordan McKay overcame nerves to post a birdie on the par five 10th hole.
McKay then posted a run of four pars in a row to hold onto the final spot.
Garrett Underwood of Champion Lakes and Granite Pointe’s Nolan Renwick struggled on Saturday in Castlegar.
However, both players posted much better results Sunday.
Underwood managed to finish in a three-way tie for fifth with Fullerton and Rugg while Renwick finished alone in eighth.
Rounding out the rest of the field had Jordan Field 177; Riley Rollick 178; James Booth 180; Grant Pointe’s Carson Arcuri 183; Ryan Page 189 and Evan Posnikoff 199.
Two more spots on the Zone One B.C. Junior team are still up for grabs.
These spots will be selected based on a PBE (Performance Based Entry) and consideration will be given for kids that have had a prior commitment to provincial high performance camps.
For the younger players in the zone — 16-and-under — there is still the B.C. Juvenile Tournament August 21 – 23 at the Princeton Golf Club.
Tournament applications are available at B.C. Golf Association website at http://www.britishcolumbiagolf.org/
McKay tops the field in zone tourney points
Tyler McKay of Rossland/Trail added to his zone point total by finishing first in the tourney in the 17-18 division.
Hoodikoff and Moroney finished for second with MacKenzie Field of Christina Lake finished fourth.
Amber Arnold took first in the 15-16 year category with Fullerton second and Isaac Janzen of Creston third.
Braden McKay finished first in the 14-and-under with Renwick second and Dugan McInnes of Nakusp third.
