Don’t ask RDC golf coach Scott Bergdahl to make any predictions heading into the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference Northern Regional championships this weekend at Redtail Landing near Leduc.
The only thing Bergdahl will say is that his top recruit — Kyle Morrison — should challenge for the men’s individual title.
“Kyle gives us a strong base and he should be in the running for the Northern and ACAC men’s titles,” said Bergdahl, who has eight men and two women on the team.
“He also changes the dynamics of the team and their attitude.”
Morrison, who won the 2008 Central Alberta Amateur, is looking at his time with the team as a challenge, according to Bergdahl.
“I’ve talked with Kyle for the last five years and he wants to come in and help us win as a team,” said the veteran coach. “He wants to help develop the other players on the course and the team is comfortable with that. In fact just having someone of Kyle’s abilities on the team makes everyone want to be better.”
Morrison won’t be by himself as Dylan Goranson, Tim Dixon and Jeff Northcott are expected to turn in solid performances.
Dixon, who is coming off a broken finger won’t play this weekend, but will compete in the Southern Regionals, Sept. 22-23 in Lethbridge, as well as the ACAC Finals Sept. 30-Oct. 1 in Medicine Hat and the Canadians, Oct. 15-19 in Oshawa, Ont.
“Tyson is around a three handicap and shooting in the 70s,” said Bergdahl, who sees the same from Northcott.
“He could be a sleeper,” he said. “He’s a very good player, but we still have to see how he competes in tournament play.”
Goranson is in his second year and is expected to be one of the top four.
Braden Oehlerking is also back, but is injured. Others on the men’s team are Connor Ablett, Tim Hannebury and Joel Carroll, who is also on the Kings basketball team.
“Joel is outstanding,” said Bergdahl. “He has raw talent and is mentally strong and very athletic. He picks the game up quickly and should be here a couple of years.”
The ladies team consists of Melissa Koster, who played two years ago, and Rochelle French.
“From what I see our ladies team won’t be overly strong, but then who knows,” said Bergdahl, who expects Grant MacEwan to be the team to beat in the north.
“If everyone plays up to their abilities we should be OK,” he said.
“The main thing is to pay attention to what we’re doing and put it together for two days.”
drode@www.reddeeradvocate.com