Henderson shows her stuff at juniors
14-year-old leads pack at championship
Canada’s golf whiz kid continued to take part during the second round of the national junior women’s championships at River Spirit.
Brooke Henderson, who has yet to celebrate her 15th birthday, carved another five shots off par with a second round of 67 Wednesday to post a leading score of nineunder 135 at the halfway point of the four-day, 72-hole tournament.
The Smith Falls, Ont., girl continues to enjoy a tremendous summer that, among other accomplishments, saw her finish as the low Canadian in last week’s national women’s amateur at Lethbridge Country Club, qualify for match play at British women’s amateur and become the youngest player to qualify for the CN Cana- dian Open later this month by winning a Canadian professional tournament during June.
As well as Henderson has played at River Spirit, however, she can’t shake fellow Ontarian Brogan McKinnon, who also fashioned a 67 to remain in second place at 136.
The next closest pursuer is Jisoo Keel of Coquitlam, B.C., at 142 following a round of 70.
Jennifer Ha stayed in the top 10 with a round of 74-147, while fellow Calgarians Sabrine Garrison and Sydney MacDonald moved into the top 20 with rounds of 73 and 36-hole tallies of 151. Christie Lin also was projected to make the cut with a score of 154 (76).
The tournament ends Friday.
In other events involving Calgarians:
Matt Codd of Red Deer slipped back slightly at the Canadian junior men’s championships at Bridgewater, N.S., with a round of 74-145, but remains in the top 10 through 36 holes and well within striking distance of the leaders.
Calgary’s Brett Hogan and Matt Williams also easily made the cut with scores of 147 (73) and 149 (74). Emmett Oh was in at 150 after an opening round of 72.
Jamie Kureluk used a closing round 71 to wrap up his first PGA of Alberta Players Tour victory of the year.
The Calgary pro from GolfTec posted a 36-hole score of 138 at Edmonton’s The Ranch to score a threeshot victory over nearest rival Greg McGarry of Edmonton Glendale and scoop the $2,000 top prize.
Bob Toshack of The Golf Den finished third at 144, one shot in front of the host club’s Brack Little. Brett Burgeson of Country Hills was the only other Calgarian to earn a cheque in the final event of the season, finishing up with a 70-148.
Top 30 players from the four-event series now advance to the tour championship in early September.
Next up for PGA of Alberta members is a professional series outing Aug. 7 at Redwood Meadows.