Roxburgh at the ready for 50th
It will be another milestone moment this summer for Doug Roxburgh at the B.C. Amateur Championship.
The 64-year-old hall of famer has had lots of them.
The B.C. Amateur will be contested for the 114th time July 12-15 at the Pheasant Glen Golf Resort in Qualicum Beach. No one has played in more B.C. Ams — or won more of them — than Roxburgh, who will tee it up in the event for the 50th time.
Roxburgh has won the B.C. Amateur a record 13 times. In his previous 49 starts, he has missed the cut only twice — both by a shot — in 1984 when Glen Meadows and Gorge Vale co-hosted the event in Victoria and last summer at Fairview Mountain in Oliver.
The longtime Marine Drive Golf Club member has no illusions about winning No. 14 this summer, but he’s certainly hoping to play all four rounds in his 50th appearance.
“I never thought I’d get to No. 50 but as it got closer, I said geez, I’ve got to do everything I can to get to it,” says Roxburgh. “So, yeah, I am looking forward to it. I really am. It should be a lot of fun. It’s another chance to compete.
“I have no illusions of trying to win it. Making the cut would be a real bonus. “It would be fun to do.” Roxburgh isn’t saying if there’s a No. 51 in his future.
“I don’t know,” he says with a laugh. “Let’s just get through 50.”
Kimberley’s Jared du Toit, who is playing his collegiate golf at Arizona State University, won last year’s B.C. Amateur title.
Roxburgh’s golden anniversary appearance at the B.C. Amateur figures to be one of the highlights of this summer’s B.C. golf calendar. Other tournaments of note include three Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada events in British Columbia.
Kelowna has joined that tour’s rotation, with the inaugural $175,000 GolfBC Championship being played June 9-12 at Gallagher’s Canyon.
Former PGA Tour Canada winner Greg Machtaler, a Summerland native who now lives in Kelowna, thinks Okanagan residents will support the event in a big way. Machtaler, who was given the tournament’s first sponsor’s exemption, also thinks Gallagher’s will prove to be a good test for some of the world’s best up-and-coming pros.
“Gallagher’s is one of my favourite courses in the Okanagan,” he says. “I think it’s a little underrated. A lot of people don’t know how good it actually is. I think it is going to be a great tournament golf course.
“I played a PGA of BC event there a couple of years ago and it’s always been just a great golf course to play. I am really excited about that. I have never been able to play in my home area before for a big tournament like this and I’ll have a bunch of friends and family come out, so I am really excited.”
The new Kelowna event will be preceded by stops in Victoria and Vancouver. The Vancouver tournament, the first stop on a 12-event 2016 schedule for the Mackenzie Tour, has a new title sponsor. It’s now called the Freedom 55 Financial Open and goes May 26-29 at Point Grey Golf & Country Club.
This year’s B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship goes July 5-8 at Beach Grove Golf Club in Tsawwassen. Michelle Kim of Surrey is the defending champion.
The Canadian University/College Championship is scheduled for May 31-June 3 at Morningstar Golf Course in Parksville.