LACOMBE — Katie Griffiths has had better days on the golf course.
Regardless, she had to be pleased with the end result Wednesday at the Lacombe Golf Club.
“I didn’t hit the ball as well as I usually do. I had some tough holes,” said the 15-year-old Red Deer Golf and Country Club member, after carding an 80 and winning the girls division of a McLennan Ross Sun Junior Tour event.
Griffiths has been busy this summer, having competed in two Canadian Junior Association tournaments, one Maple Leaf event, two McLennan Ross tourneys and the junior provincials last week at Canmore, where she finished tied for 20th. She’s now two-for-two in McLennan Ross play after shooting the winning score of 79 Tuesday at Carstairs.
“There’s definitely plenty of time left in the season for more good things to come,” she said.
Griffiths has already qualified for the McLennan Ross Sun championship Aug. 29 at Wolf Creek and is looking forward to the test.
“That should be fun. It’s a challenging course to play,” she said.
Her brother is renowned junior golfer Zak Griffiths. Clearly, the sport runs in the family.
“For me, it was hockey at one point,” said Griffiths. “I played hockey up to two years ago, but now it’s golf.”
Courtney Dickson of Innisfail was runner-up in the girls division with a 91. Clare McMahon of Deer Balmoral carded a 104.
Jeremy Reitze of Lacombe won the boys title with a 1-over 72.
“I knew what to do out there,” said the 15-year-old, admitting that he used home-course knowledge to his advantage. “Overall, I played well today, better than I usually do.”
Reitze couldn’t recall one special shot that defined his day, unless it was the flop shot he pulled off on his final hole, the par-4 eighth. He got up and down for par from 20 yards out, ultimately winning the tournament with the successful approach.
“I was a little nervous because I had to go over a bunker,” he said. “But I put it to within a foot.”
Brett Hawken of Wetaskiwin finished a shot back of Reitze, while Jordan Gustman of Claresholm was third with a 74 and Brad Wiedmer of Lacombe placed fourth with a 75.
Dylan Wiedmer of Lacombe came in with a 76 which included a hole-in-one on the par-3 15th. Dillon Rowan of Pigeon Lake also shot 76, as did Ian Jameson of The Hamptons in Calgary.
Logan Hill of Red Deer took top honours in the 14-and-under boys division with a 78.
Other Central Alberta results:
Boys — Ryan Skoreyko, Lacombe, 80; Derreck Morrell, Red Deer 80; Bennett Williams, Red Deer, 81; Curtis McKinlay, Consort, 81; Ryan Morrell, Red Deer, 91.
l Hill turned in an 81 in a McLennan Ross Sun event Tuesday at Carstairs, finishing 11 shots behind winner Cam Hill of Calgary Country Hills. Theo Olver of Three Hills shot an 83, while in the girls division McMahon shot 103 and Olds golfers Erin Schultz and Hailey Weseen posted scores of 115 and 120.
l In a Monday MRS event at Rocky Mountain House Pine Hills, Logan Gordon of the host club took top honours in the boys class with a 76. Hill fired an 82, while Lorne Baile of Ponoka checked in with an 85.
Other Central Alberta results:
Boys — Reitze, 86; Tyler Kohut, Red Deer, 87; Brad Wiedmer, 89; Grant Numrich, River Bend, 92; Girls — Dickson, 101; Hanna Downton, Lacombe, 121.