Rizun’s ace leads Heat to season-opening win
Not since 2008 has the eighth hole of the Bear Course at the Okanagan Golf Club — a par 4 — been aced, but third-year UBC Okanagan golfer Oliver Rizun did the trick on Saturday after draining it from 251 yards with a 4 iron.
Rizun, from Squamish, finished the day with a team-best 67 to lead the Heat men’s team to the tournament win over the twoday event, the first PACWEST tournament of the year. UBCO’s total team score was 572 (4 under).
Rizun teamed up with fifth-year golfer and 2016 All-Canadian, James Casorso, to form a strong one-two punch for UBCO. Rizun placed third overall with rounds of 67 and 74 for a 3-under total of 141, while Casorso wound up second at 4-under 140 (72-68).
Langara’s Jacob Vanderpas won the tournament thanks to a record-setting Sunday. Playing in Rizun’s grouping, Vanderpas played the front nine in an astonishing 27 strokes (9-under). He used a hot putter to birdie seven straight holes, beginning on the second hole, then chipped in for eagle on the par-5 ninth.
After two more birdies on Nos. 11 and 13, Vanderpas had the magic number of 59 in his sights. His best chance was on the 17th hole when he hit his approach within seven feet, but his putt slid by the left edge.
Needing to eagle the last hole, Vanderpas missed the green short and settled for par to finish with an amazing score of 61 (11 under).
This marks the lowest score in PACWEST golf history dating back to the inaugural season in 1990.
In the team competition, the Heat men were leading after the opening day with a combined 4-under 284. The University of the Fraser Valley was eight shots back with a score of 292 and Camosun was sitting third at 302.
The second day saw little movement in the leaderboard, as the Heat played solid throughout their five-man lineup — highlighted by Casorso’s 68 — and were even par as a team on Sunday. UFV gained one stroke on the Heat, but the lead was too much to overcome.
UBCO was represented by Casorso, Rizun, Nik Federko, Dylan Johnstone and Casey Sullivan.
“I was very proud of every member of the team for the first event of the season,” said Heat coach Cass Hritzuk.
“Our veterans didn’t disappoint and led by example,” Hritzuk continued, “which paved the way for our rookies to follow suit and allow the overall team score to be deep enough for the victory.”
The Heat women’s team finished second out of three teams with a two-day total of 347.
Mckenna Lesuik, a second-year management student, led the way for the Heat with rounds of 86 and 85, while fourth-year Emily Adams carded a two-day total of 176 (95-81).
The University of the Fraser Valley won the women’s division with a combined team score of 319. The individual women’s title went to UFV’s Emery Bardock, who finished with a score of 155 (11 over).
The Heat women trailed UFV by nine strokes after the opening round and UBCO couldn’t close the gap despite playing Sunday in a combined 15 strokes better than Saturday.
Both UBCO teams, the men and the women, will tee it up again this weekend in Parksville at the Morningstar Golf Club, which is hosting the second tournament of the PACWEST season.