JUNE 4, 2018
VICTORIA, BC (PGA of British Columbia) -- Oliver Tubb will take a one-stroke lead into Tuesday’s final round of the PGA of BC Assistants’ Championship presented by Irene Strong, Mortgage Professional at Bear Mountain Resort Community, seeking his third title in the event in the past five years.
And in the Seniors’ Championship also being held on Bear Mountain’s Mountain Course, Jim Goddard (Cordova Bay Golf Course) similarly has a one-shot advantage at the tournament’s midway point.
Tubb (University Golf Club) assembled an impressive 2-under-par round of 69 in Monday’s opening 18 holes, thriving on a day that was difficult and blustery for the field of 70 Professionals.
“I played well,” said Tubb, winner of the PGA of BC Assistants’ Championship in 2014 and 2016. “It was tricky. There were a lot of hard shots where you had to it correctly and get the wind correct. It wasn’t easy.”
Tubb holds a one-shot edge over Kevin Stinson (Cheam Mountain Golf Course), with whom Tubb shared runner-up honours in the Assistants’ Championship one year ago. Tubb was grouped with Stinson and defending champion Bryn Parry (Point Grey Golf & Country Club) Monday, and said he benefitted from playing with two other talented players on a course where he doesn’t have a ton of experience.
“I had a nice group – Kevin played well; Bryn didn’t have his best day but he’s always really solid,” said Tubb. “It was difficult enough that we were kind of watching the shots each other hit and learning from it, so seeing how those guys tackled some of the holes when I haven’t seen them very much was helpful.”
Stinson’s 70 saw him climb the leaderboard after making the turn, as he birdied four of the first six holes on the Mountain Course’s back side to play the final nine in 4-under.
“I just tried to stay patient. I hit good shots all day, but it’s a golf course where you’ve gotta pick your spots and be patient because it’s very demanding and challenging,” said Stinson, who played the Mackenzie Tour event at Point Grey last week.
“To be honest, this course is so hard that I’m just trying to get around it two days in a row.”
Tubb and Stinson were the only players under par Monday, but will have a large group trying to chase them down in the final round. Four players sit at 1-over-par, including Brad Liptrot (Olympic View Golf Club), who will be the third member of Tuesday’s final group, and 2012 champion Brad Clapp (Chilliwack Golf Club). Victoria Golf Club Professionals Justin Fram and Mark Bicknell are the others currently three behind.
Five more head into Tuesday at 2-over, five-time Assistants’ Champion Parry among them. Andrew Rasmussen (Sunshine Woods Golf Course), Clark MacPherson (Point Grey Golf & Country Club), Conner Kozak (The Okanagan Golf Club) and Mike Heenan (The Vancouver Golf Club) each carded first-round 73s as well.
Click here to view the full Assistants’ Championship leaderboard.
In the Seniors’ Championship, Goddard made the best of the difficult, windy conditions by finishing with a 4-over 75 to grab the outright lead. However, the 61-year-old was left a bit frustrated by the way he closed his round.
“I let it go, I bogeyed three of my last five,” said Goddard. “It was tough.”
That said, Goddard managed to rebound Monday from a tough start that saw him at 3-over through the first three holes. That’s left him in good position to capture his first Seniors’ Championship title on Tuesday.
“It’s a goal,” Cordova Bay’s Head Professional said of taking home the Ben Colk Trophy. “I won the Assistants’ Championship in 1981 – it would be really nice to bracket things by winning a Seniors’.”
Goddard will have no easy task holding off his nearest competitors. Two-time Senior champ and reigning PGA of BC Player of the Year Philip Jonas (Philip Jonas Golf Academy) lurks a shot behind after a 76 on Monday. Jonas held a two-stroke edge on the field when making the turn but felt his birdie-free round left room for improvement.
“There were times when I made better scores than I should have,” he said. “I’m hoping I’ll sleep and somehow it’ll all be better tomorrow. I think I can (bounce back) because I haven’t been playing badly … I just couldn’t do it today.”
Norm Jarvis (Nico Wynd Golf Course), the 2010 Seniors’ Championship winner, is three back and will play in the last group out with Goddard and Jonas. Alan Kristmanson (Whistler Golf Club) also logged a 78, and Roy Abbenbroek (Seymour Golf & Country Club) is four off the lead.
Click here to view the full Seniors’ Championship leaderboard.
The draw for Round 2 of both events is now available. Click here to see Tuesday tee times.
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Mortgages are the single most powerful wealth-building tool available to Canadians. There are few Canadians who don’t dream of owning a home – and who don’t dream of owning a home mortgage-free the moment they do. Irene Strong leaped at the chance to buy her first home a few months after graduating from university, even selling her car to be able to make payments. She eventually became a mortgage broker, inspired to help her clients access similar opportunities. Her book, Own Your Piece of the Earth, is her way of putting that tool in your hands. For more information, visit www.irenestrong.com.
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Eric MacKenzie
Communications & Marketing Manager, PGA of BC
778-995-3331
eric@pgabc.org