Lee on verge of rare double
Jaclyn Lee is a round away from pulling off a rare double on the Alberta amateur golf scene this summer.
The Glencoe Golf and Country Club player, who last week captured the Alberta Ladies Amateur, moved into the lead after Round 2 of the Alberta Junior Girls Championship on Wednesday and needs 18 solid holes on Thursday to hold both trophies.
The 19-year-old member of Team Canada’s development squad — who is also the defending champion at the junior girls’ level — had four birdies in firing a 3-over 74 at Bearspaw Country Club to move into first by two strokes over Lethbridge’s Devon Spriddle.
Fellow Team Canada development team member Sabrine Garrison of Country Hills is four back after rounds of 78 and 75.
“My long game has been pretty consistent, it’s just been my short game letting me down,” Lee told Alberta Golf.
“I just want to play consistent golf tomorrow and hopefully roll a few putts in.”
On the boys’ side of the draw, first-round co-leader Scott Walker of Earl Grey fired a 2-under 69 on Wednesday to move into sole possession of top spot midway through the four-round tournament.
“Everything is kinda new for me like being tied for the lead,” Walker told Alberta Golf, “and to be able to back it up today, I’m pretty happy with it.”
Camrose’s Andrew Harrison — the reigning Canadian juvenile boys champion — sits a shot back after rounds of 73 and 68, while Banff’s Jack Wood duplicated his opening round of 71 and is two behind.
Edmonton’s Tyler Saunders (7370) is three back, while St. Albert’s A.J. Armstrong (75-70) moved into fifth, five strokes behind.
Sylvan Lake’s Jaxon Lynn had the low round of the day and tournament with a 5-under 66, a trip which included nine birdies.
But he’s seven shots off the lead due to an opening round 81.
Springing into lead at Pinebrook
Tyler LeBouthillier of Silver Springs has a two-shot lead after the opening round of the PGA of Alberta Assistants’ Championship at Pinebrook G&CC.
Fresh off a solid run to the Round of 16 at the Canadian PGA Championship, LeBouthillier was the class of the 80-man field on Day 1, carding a 3-under 68, two better than Adam Lewis of Lynx Ridge.
Mark Bicknell of Silver Springs, Mark Corrigan of Pinebrook, Timothy Cameron of Sirocco, Craig Gibson of Brooks and Tom Flockhart of Edmonton are tied for third after even-par 71s.
The second and final round is Thursday, also at Pinebrook with tee times starting at 7:30 a.m.
CHIP SHOTS ... Tee times kick off at 8:30 a.m. at Apple Creek Golf Course in Airdrie on Thursday as the first round of the Calgary Golf Association’s FirstEnergy City Amateur gets underway. The tournament wraps up Sunday with the final two rounds being played at Redwood Meadows.