Three-peats
Sherry White, Tim Yorke win third consecutive Atlantic titles
Sherry White and Tim Yorke have a stranglehold on the Atlantic Golf Championship.
The Islanders won their respective divisions during the three-round tournament at Fox Meadow Golf Club. They are the only golfers to win in their division during the event’s three-year history.
“It’s pretty awesome,” White, a Stratford resident, said after Sunday’ final round. “I was really, really pleased with my play on the weekend. Three rounds in the 70s were good and one being 73 was really good for me.”
White won the senior women’s title with rounds of 77, 73 and 78 at the par-72 course. Nova Scotia’s Debbie Arsenault was second, seven strokes back.
Yorke, a Kensington resident, had rounds of 71, 72 and 74 to win the men’s mid-amateur crown by five strokes over Nova Scotia’s Jeff Hovell.
Yorke admitted to not being really sharp during the tournament.
“I just kind of kept it in play and scored OK, but I certainly did have what I thought of was my A-game,” he said. “That’s a nice play to be . . . when you’re not at 100 per cent and you can still shoot around even par for a tournament.”
White and Yorke have long been two of the Island’s top amateurs. Their scores on Sunday helped the province repeat in the team competition.
“It was a real thrill for us to win last year in Newfoundland and even more exciting to repeat and win on home turf,” White said.
The Atlantic championship was a family affair for White with her father Barry White and sister Debby Beck competing.
“It was really nice watching dad come in on the 18th green (Sunday) with all the family around,” she said. “It was really, really special. It just made for a really neat championship.”
Earn division winner an exemption into next year’s Canadian championship. The Prince Edward Island Golf Association covers the cost if one of their members wins their division.
“It’s a huge, huge prize,” Yorke said. “I try not to think about that . . . but it’s in the back of your mind.”
The mid-amateur is in Saskatoon in 2017, making it more special for Yorke.
“My best friends are in Saskatchewan and Winnipeg, so getting to the nationals next year was really one of my big goals for the year.”
He left Sunday’s event and headed for Quebec to take part in this year’s tournament. Islanders Martin O’Brien, Will O’Brien and Cameron King are also in the field.
Next year’s Atlantic championship will be held in New Brunswick. The course has not been announced.
Islanders qualify for their spot on the provincial team based on their results at the amateur. Kevin Harvick, left, passed Denny Hamlin for the lead with 70 laps to go and held to win at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday, ending a two-day, water-logged ordeal. Harvick led 128 laps for his second NASCAR Sprint Cup victory of the season and his second at the highbanked, half-mile concrete bullring. Fittingly for a race halted because of Saturday night storms, Harvick had to sit out one last rain delay before easily pulling away on the restart and cruising to victory. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Harvick said over the radio as he crossed the line. Harvick enticed his car owner – and retiring driver – Tony Stewart to do burnouts with him to celebrate the three-time champion’s last race at Bristol. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was second, followed by Denny Hamlin, Austin Dillon and Chris Buescher. Marcus Stroman wanted to stay in the game after throwing his 100th pitch. Blue Jays manager John Gibbons didn’t agree – and paid dearly for it. Brett Cecil gave up a two-run homer to Jose Ramirez with two out in the eighth inning, allowing the Cleveland Indians to beat Toronto 3-2 in their series finale Sunday afternoon. The Blue Jays maintained their one-half game lead over Boston in the AL East, but lost twice in their three-game showdown with AL Central-leading Cleveland.