LACOMBE — After finishing third in the 2008 Alberta Schools Athletic Association girls’ golf championship it seemed like a natural progression for Becky Martin to move up the leaderboard.
Not only did the 16-year-old Grade 11 student from McCoy out of Medicine Hat move up, but she grabbed top spot. Martin shot an 83 Tuesday at the Lacombe Golf and Country Club to finish the 36-hole event at 160, one stroke better than Cara Vanderham of Innisfail, who came in with an 82.
Justine Stevens of Strathcona Tweedsmuir of Okotoks, also shot an 82 and placed third at 162 while Kristen Lee of Edmonton’s Archbishop O’Leary had the best round of the day, a 77, to finish fourth at 168.
Martin used her solid round of 77 Monday in the wind and cold at Alberta Springs Golf Resort, to win the championship.
“I didn’t mind the wind as I’m kind of used to it,” she said adding that her experience last year was a benefit this time around.
“I was a little more relaxed as I knew what to expect and what I had to do,” she said. “I knew I had to post good scores and keep it going.”
Martin played in the same foursome as Vanderham and Stevens, which allowed her a chance to know what her closest opponents were doing.
“You try not to think about it, but it’s there in the back of your mind. The thing is to play your game.”
Martin, who played on a number of junior events during the summer, found the Lacombe layout a “little tougher” than Alberta Springs, despite the calmer weather.
“The greens were a bit slower, which I found to be the difference,” she said.
The greens didn’t bother Vanderham, who started slowly with a 44 on the front, but turned it around with a 38 on the back.
“I wasn’t hitting my irons well and my approach shots weren’t good, so I was always chipping,” she said. “But my short game was good and that saved me.”
Vanderham did find the course tougher than Alberta Springs, where she shot a 79.
“I tried to shoot about the same today, but the course is a bit trickier. It’s more up and down and a lot of bunkers. But it was OK. A lot of fun and good experience.”
Springbank captured the 3A/4A team championship with a 512 total, 29 strokes ahead of Canmore Collegiate. Archbishop O’Leary was third at 574 while Camrose placed fourth at 593 and the host Notre Dame fifth at 624.
Strathcona Tweedsmuir won the 1A/2A title with a 558 total with Jasper at 616 and West Island Collegiate of Calgary at 619. New Norway was seventh at 749.
Other Central Alberta individual results were:
Eilish Morrison, Central, Sedgewick (99-94—193); Courtney Vinet, Camrose (97-100—197); Ashley Wenig, Camrose (98-103—201); Molly Li, Notre Dame (104-113—217); Jana de Wit, Notre Dame (109-108—217); Melissa Koster, Hunting Hills (105-113—218); Wane Kruger, Notre Dame (105-116—221); Alyssa Clarkson, Camrose (109-112—221); Mary Anderson, Camrose (123-116—239); Carlee Dixon, Bowden Grandview (127-120—147); Danielle Harder, Notre Dame (129-120—249).
drode@www.reddeeradvocate.com