It’s not often that a double bogey will garner a victory on any golf course.
And yet, A.J. Armstrong took top honours in the boys division of the McLennan Ross Sun Junior Tour championship tournament Monday at Wolf Creek with a double bogey six on the par-4 15th hole, beating Matt McCourt of Drayton Valley in a sudden-death playoff.
“I was in a playoff in one of these events earlier this year and it was a lot different,” said Armstrong, who plays out of the Royal Mayfair Club in Edmonton. “We both birdied the first two holes and I lost with a par on the third hole. Today was different. I wasn’t expecting to win with a double.”
After both Armstrong and McCourt checked in with an even-par 70 through 18 holes Monday, they marched to the 15th tee to begin what proved to be a short playoff.
McCourt seemed to have the advantage when he nailed his drive square down the middle and to within 160 yards of the pin. Armstrong, meanwhile, hooked his drive onto the adjoining 18th fairway.
From there, McCourt hit a good-looking approach that landed just onto the green, but rolled back down the hill in front. Armstrong carried the green with his second shot and from there the pair took turns watching chips and putts roll past the pin — perched precariously close to the front of the putting surface — and down the hill.
In the end, McCourt missed his double-bogey putt and Armstrong drained his to capture the 2013 boys title.
“He hit a good shot into the green and he was a little unlucky when he went down the hill,” said Armstrong. “I thought he was going to make birdie or par, but then things quickly changed to a triple.
“The pin was in a tough spot. If you got on the wrong side of it you were making at least bogey. The flag was right on a ridge. If you were putting from the right side it just fell down.”
Matthew Ritchot of Lethbridge and Andrew Harrison of Camrose tied for third place with 72 scores. Jared Nicholls of Wolf Creek shot a 75 and was fifth in the category for boys born in 1994 to ‘96, while Grant Numrich of Red Deer carded a 76 to secure fourth place in the ‘97-98 born category.
Kenna Hughes of Calgary Willow Park won the girls crown with a 79, while Claire Emery of Calgary Glencoe and Sharmaine Rapisura of Calgary Inglewood tied for second at 84. Courtney Dickson of Innisfail and Daria Leidenius of Ponoka each checked in with a 98.
Other Central Alberta boys results:
Ryan Vold, Wolf Creek, 78; Logan Hill, Red Deer, 79; Jeremy Rietze, Lacombe, 79; Jaxon Lynn, Sylvan Lake, 81; Carter Graf, Red Deer, 84; Kieran Rost, Stettler, 85; Brody Holsworth, Innisfail, 85; Theo Olver, Three Hills, 86; Ryan Morrell, Red Deer, 86; Chandler McLaren, Ponoka, 88; Sam Hamelin, Stettler, 88; Brandon Maxwell, Rocky Mountain House Pine Hills, 91; Brandon Woltjer, Lacombe, 104.