Huge hometown win for Risling
66-year-old wins Alberta Senior Men’s Championship, his 191st amateur title
The 18th hole at Desert Blume Golf Course has cost Kelly Risling two tournaments in his golfing career, but it was the backdrop Friday when he won the Alberta Senior Men’s Championship.
The Medicine Hat golfer won the provincial title with a birdie on the par-five 18th, which served as the playoff hole, after doing the same thing on the same hole to close his round and force the extra hole. Risling dropped in a long-distance putt for the win after sitting in the bunker on his approach. He said the putt was one he had seen and struck before.
“That first playoff hole, I hit a fabulous drive — that’s a tough tee shot,” Risling said. “I had 187 in, which is normally a six iron, but because I was so pumped up I dropped down to seven and it still went too far. But that was just fabulous, what a way to win in your own hometown.
“I had a similar putt in the Victory Day (Open) this year in the playoff and I made that one. That’s what I was thinking about over that putt, just do like you did (at) Victoria. A little different scenario here with a provincial championship, but it doesn’t get anymore exciting for me than that.”
Risling opened the tournament with a round of 74 on Wednesday, which had him tied for 10th. He rose up the ranks on Day 2 with a score of 70, tying him for first place before his 75 on Friday.
After sinking his winning putt, the 66-year-old unleashed a fist pump that rivalled Tiger Woods at the 2000 Masters. He said he didn’t plan the celebration but said he had his hand in the air and it was pretty hard not to do something.
The provincial win is Risling’s 191st as an amateur golfer, having played in his first at the age of 14. The victory also means Risling will represent Alberta as team captain for the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship in Red Deer from Sept. 6-9.
He said winning at a course in his hometown is harder than people might realize.
“It’s tough, everybody says you have home-course advantage, but it’s more difficult to play at home than it is away. This is one of the biggest thrills for me,” Risling said. “Of all those tournaments, this will rank right up there as one or two, because I did it in my own home at Medicine Hat.”
Risling was one of nine Hatters competing in the provincial championship, with seven making the cut to play Friday. Warren Gnam finished tied for 13th with a round-three score of 77. Bill Bishop, 75 and Brad Norton, 81, each tied for 22nd. Warren Clunie tied for 33th with a round of 78, Darin Dunlop shot 78 to tie for 38th and Perry Rasmussen, 86, sat 58th. Locals Bryan Cowan and Sparky McCulloch did not make the cut.
Trevor Ellerman, general manager of Desert Blume Golf Club, said he was happy to see the storybook ending for Risling in his hometown. Ellerman said he was proud of the work the course did to host the tournament.
“The staff stepped up and did a great job of hosting and making sure everyone, all the competitors coming in, had their needs met, and they did an excellent job,” Ellerman said. “The grounds crew did a beautiful job of keeping the course in line.
“Obviously, with the weather that can come in, it’s pretty easy for someone to lose the course and let it get away from us. They did a great job of keeping the course playable, and the conditions were extremely tough. Everyone rose to the occasion to make sure it all went down well.”
Risling said the provincial title has a nice ring to it but he was extra touched by a move from his fellow competitors and friends after his win.
“I started playing in these tournaments when I was 14 and I travelled all over the country, played in every province but Newfoundland. I’ve known a lot of these guys that were hanging around, who only hung around to see what I was going to do,” Risling said. “There was about eight guys in the parking lot on the way out who I have grown up with in provincial and national golf and that meant a lot to me for them to stick around.”