Seaview to host Nova Scotia mid-amateur
More than 100 golfers taking part in provincial championship
Some of the best amateur golfers in Nova Scotia will tee it up at the Seaview Golf and Country Club in this weekend’s MCT Insurance Men’s Mid Amateur.
More than 100 golfers are taking part in the provincial championship that was originally set for Lingan, but moved to the North Sydney golf club due to significant winter damage on the venerable course.
The field includes 2014 champion Bill Burns, of Lingan, who will be back trying to defend his title, and Baddeck’s Ernie Sheaves, who captured last year’s Nova Scotia Senior Men’s championship.
The host club will be represented by 13 members, including Howie Centre’s Jack Chafe, who finished in sixth place when Seaview hosted the 2007 Nova Scotia men’s amateur championship.
“My game’s in good shape, so I’m looking to play well this week, and, hopefully, some local knowledge will give the Seaview guys a bit of an advantage,” said Chafe, who recognized clubmate Aaron Barrington as a possible contender.
Barrington, 25, splits his time between Cape Breton and Fort McMurray, and, like Chafe, fared well at the 2007 Nova Scotia amateur that he played in while still a teenager.
Along with Burns, Lingan will be sending a contingent of 12 golfers to its rival club, including Glace Bay’s Ryan Boutilier and recent Cape Breton Sports Hall of Fame inductee ( hockey) Wayne Muir.
Other notable entrants in- clude last year’s mid amateur runner-up Glenn Robinson, of Lower Sackville, and Trevor Chow, a Baddeck native now living in the Halifax area.
Seaview president Dave Fennell said it’s a feather in the hat of the North Sydney club to once again be hosting a top provincial tournament.
“We’re pleased to be hosting it — the course is in good shape and we’re hoping it will provide a challenge to the players,” he said.
“We especially like the fact that the 18th hole is a very difficult finishing hole and what happens there on Sunday could decide the tournament.”
Halifax- based golfers Mark Pothier and Jasson Thibodeau arrived at the northside layout late Wednesday afternoon to prepare for the competition.
“We both played in the Nova Scotia amateur last week and we just played Cabot Links, which we thought was great,” said Pothier, who is hoping to improve on his 14th-place finish in last weekend’s men’s amateur championship at the Paragon Golf and Country Club in Kingston.
The three- round tournament gets underway Friday and wraps up Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Nova Scotia Golf Association’s slate of provincial tournaments continues next week when Baddeck’s Bell Bay Golf Club plays host to the bantam and junior boys and girls championships.