It took a year but Kyle Morrison finally got the best of Tom McKinlay Jr. at the Sun Life Financial Central Alberta Amateur golf championship at the Red Deer Golf and Country Club.
Last year the two Central Albertans were tied after nine holes when the final round was called because of bad weather, leaving them as co-winners.
This year Morrison overcame a three-stroke deficit on the final round Monday, winning the 54-hole event with a 216 total and a two-stroke margin over McKinlay.
“Tom made a few mistakes on seven, eight and nine as he went bogey, bogey and double bogey and we were all even at the turn,” explained Morrison, who also bogeyed nine.
“We both hit it in the water, but I was able to get up and down and he didn’t,” the Red Deer native said.
Morrison grabbed the lead for good on the opening three holes on the back. He made a putt for a birdie on 11 then made a 40-foot putt on 12 to go two up.
“I thought 11 was the turning point then on 12 I was partially under a tree and had only a three-quarter swing at it,” he explained. “I was 74 yards out so all I wanted to do was get on, which I did. I could see I needed to be a foot outside on the putt and really all I wanted to do was get it close and save par, but it went in. You need to get lucky once in a while to win tournaments.”
Morrison was pleased with his overall game Monday, and especially his putting.
“My swing was great all day. I usually play a draw, but that wasn’t there today so I went with a cut the last nine or ten holes and it worked out. As well my putting is usually my strength, but I wasn’t putting well the first two rounds, missing a lot of chances.
“My caddie gave me a tip before the horse-race on Saturday and it worked. He said I was lifting my putter too much and pulling to the right. I stayed down and it worked.”
Both Morrison and McKinlay shot an opening round 74 Saturday with McKinlay taking the lead Sunday with a 68, three better than Morrison.
“I missed at least six putts inside eight feet on Sunday. I should have shot a 65 or 66,” said the 28-year-old Morrison, who has a good rivalry with McKinlay.
“We shared this last year and he beat me in the semifinals of his (match play) tournament in Lacombe this year. We do have a good rivalry the past two or three years.”
The win was the third for Morrison, who also won in 2008. McKinlay won in 1993.
Morrison is two wins behind Mike Zichy and well behind seven-time champion Frank Van Dornick of Camrose.
“Frank is a great player, but I’m still young so you never know maybe I can make a run at him,” he said with a smile.
Morrison has had a good year, winning the RDGCC club championship, finishing tied for eighth in the Alberta mid-amateur and tied for 37th in the amateur.
“I played well in the mid-amateur but not so well in the amateur, although I made the cut, which was a goal,” he said.
Morrison, who is a former Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference champion while at RDC, isn’t sure what the future will hold.
“I started a welding company and would like to start a family, so I’m not sure what the future holds. I would love to play for a living so we’ll see what happens, you never know. Things may click.”
Morrison had ACL surgery in his first year at RDC, but is completely recovered.
“I came back the second year (at RDC) and won Alberta and played well at the nationals which gave me a lot of confidence,” he said.
JD Morrical finished third at 76-74-71— 221 with Levi McDermott fourth (76-74-73—223) and Mike McAdam fifth (70-81-73—224).
Peter McInnes came in sixth at 77-74-75—226 with Tim Skinner (79-74-75) and Matt Codd (79-74-75) tied for seventh at 228 and Shane Crampton (79-76-74) and Matt Steinbaugh (76-75-78) tied for ninth at 229.
Blair Neal of Wolf Creek won the first flight with a 78-76-79—233, two strokes up on Dale Bingham, of Red Deer (77-80-78).
Other flight winners were: Second: Joey Engert, 79-82-80—241. Third: Terry Codd, 79-79-76—234. Fourth: Rich Roberts, 84-83-74—241. Fifth: Mike Ross, 80-80-85—245. Sixth: Russ Hall, 84-78-79—241. Seventh: Jim Cramer, 91-89-78—258. Senior: Ron Krulicki, 74-82-76—232.
drode@www.reddeeradvocate.com