MURDOCH, CUTHBERTSON LIGHT UP CHAMPIONS EVENT
Jeff Murdoch is usually putting out fires, but last week the Edmonton firefighter started one of his own when he teamed with Jeff Cuthbertson to win the Tournament of Champions at Calgary’s McKenzie Meadows with a blazing 12-under 60.
“It was nice to play in a PGA of Alberta event again,” said Murdoch, 44, whose last tournament win on this tour was in 2010 when he won the Club Professional Championship. “It was also nice to play with (Cuthbertson), a friend I’ve known for 20 years and a guy I worked with at Sturgeon Valley.
“During one stretch, we had seven straight 3s followed by a 4 and then a 2. In that stretch of nine holes, we only took 27 strokes.”
A two-man best-ball format with an Alberta pro teamed up with that course’s club champion, the pair of Cuthbertson, the director of golf at Stony Plain and Murdoch — as hot as they were — still only won by a single shot over Calgary Inglewood’s Jason Stanier and Gerry MacDonald.
Among those tied for third at 64 were Windermere’s pairing of Jason Hnatiw and Barrett Jarosch and Glendale’s Greg McGarry and Phil McKenzie.
“Jeff made two eagles and a birdie and I made seven birdies,” said Cuthbertson, one of the really good guys in the business. Murdoch’s eagles were epic. On No. 1, a 525-yard par 5, Murdoch cut the corner and was left with just 130 yards to the flag. From there, he hit a 52-degree wedge to 16 feet and then rolled the eagle putt home.
On No. 13, a 530-yard par 5, Murdoch again ripped a drive and then hit a six-iron from 190 yards to 21/2 feet.
“I’m finally healthy again,” said Murdoch, who has had three hip surgeries in the last 16 months, including a full left hip replacement in January.
SETTING THE SCENE
Edmonton’s Ethan de Graaf
■ finished T3 in the Future Links, driven by Acura Western Championship at High River’s Highwood Golf and Country Club with rounds of 69, 69, 74. That gives de Graaf an exemption into the 2018 Canadian Junior Boys Championship July 30-Aug. 2 at Medicine Hat Golf and Country Club in Medicine Hat.
Edmonton’s Jenna Bruggerman qualified for the 2018 Canadian Junior Girls Championship July 31-Aug. 3 at Beach Grove Golf Club in Tsawwassen, B.C., finishing fifth in the junior girl’s division.
Lots of great local results at the ■
Maple Leaf Junior Tour stop at Lloydminster.
Alyshia Suleman of Sherwood Park took the 15-18 junior girls division by six shots with rounds of 86, 83. Edmonton’s Tate Bruggeman, 11, won the peewee boys division by nine shots with rounds of 82, 84. And Edmonton’s Nicholas Rimmer, 16, was second in the juvenile boys category shooting 80, 78.
Still with the Maple Leaf Tour, Team Ford and the MJT will host a free Ford Go Golf ! Junior Clinic for players aged six to 12 at the Derrick Golf and Winter Club June 22 from 6-7:30 p.m. To register for the clinic, which is designed for those just getting started, call Brooklyn Erickson at 780-462-8300, ext. 12127, email her at berickson@teamford.ca or go to www.maplejt.com.
Riverside, where I’ve been a
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Rat for too long to remember, has never been in better shape. Ever.
The Ranch has done a great job
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with the par-3 14th. Already a gorgeous hole, they have redone the stone creek on the left side of the hole while adding a pair of mini Masters-like bridges.
The Ranch has also decreased the height of some of the penal fescue to improve pace of play and sociability.
As well as the brilliant writer
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and former Journal columnist Cam Cole getting a Golf Canada Distinguished Service Award last week, three other Edmontonians were earlier presented with the same award: former Alberta Golf president Fran Marsden, longtime volunteer Florin (Fuzzy) Bergh and Legends co-owner and historian Ron Lyons.
Another good finish by Wolf
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Creek’s Kolby Vold, who finished fifth in the PGA of Alberta Golf Supply House Series at River Spirit golf course — just outside of Calgary — with a 70. That was two back of Calgary’s Riley Fleming, who won for the second time this year. Cardiff ’s Dallas Cantera, who tied for seventh at even-par 72, also picked up a $620 skin with a birdie on No. 10.
HOLES-IN-ONE REPORT
A few more holes-in-one to report:
Brian Novosel aced No. 8 at
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Country Side with a six-iron from 169 yards.
Darrell Coley got his hole-inone
■ at the Legends with a nineiron from 111 yards.
And Jack Lutz aced the everpopular
■ third hole from 118 yards with a pitching wedge.
It was nice to play in a PGA of Alberta event again. It was also nice to play with (Jeff Cuthbertson), a friend I’ve known for 20 years.