– Olivier Dallaire & Aynsley Miller win their first NB Pee Wee Cchampionships while Ross, Jones, Kirby & Holt lead their respective divisions –
- NB Junior, Juvenile & Bantam Boys & Girls Results – Click Here
- NB Pee Wee Boys & Girls Results – Click Here
Day two of the 2017 Golf NB Provincial Junior Championships at the Gage Golf & Curling Club would see the crowning of two new champions as Golf Bouctouche’s Oliver Dallaire & Aynsley Miller of the Hampton Golf Club would bring home their first Golf NB Provincial Championships.
Dallaire, who is fresh off his Pee Wee division win at the Bouctouche East Coast Junior Championship, would run away from the pack and cruise to a 16 shot victory after starting the day just three clear of his closest competitor, Jack Bailey of the Westfield Golf & Curling Club.
Dallaire bettered his first round 11 over par (+11), 82, by three shots to card a second round eight over par (+8), 79, and a two day tournament total of 19 over par (+19), 161. Dallaire’s final round would consist of 11 pars, six bogeys (three on the front and three on the back) and a double bogey on the par four 9th.
Holding down the 2nd spot, is the Westfield Golf & Country Club’s Jack Bailey. Bailey followed up his first round 85 with an up and down front nine on Thursday that consisted of two pars, four bogeys and two others, but would settle in on his back nine to play a much more consistent back nine to post a second round 91 good for a two day total of 176.
In third position is the Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club’s Nicholas Colton. Colton, who started the day seven shots off the lead, would card a second round 90 that consisted of a birdie on the par four 11th, five pars, eight bogeys and four others for a two day total of 179.
For his part, Dallaire was very pleased with his play that consisted of a personal best. “It feels good to be the NB Pee Wee Champion”, said the 12 year old native of St. Antoine, NB. “My short game was the best part of my game, and I’m really happy to have shot my first round in the 70’s in competition”.
In the Pee Wee Girls division, Miller would show a 12 shot improvement over her first round and carded a par, four bogeys and others to post a two day total of 246 and claim her first NB Pee Wee Girls Championship.
JH Sports at Kingswood’s Daniel Kirby is looking to follow Dallaire’s lead and bring home his second consecutive victory in the Bantam Boys division and first Golf NB Bantam Boys Championship.
Kirby held a two shot lead over the Miramichi Golf & Country Club’s Devon Gionet entering today’s second round, and while the pair would post matching 11 over par (+11), 47`s on Gage`s back nine, the pair’s first nine holes of the day, that`s where the similarities would end. Kirby would rebound from a tough outward nine holes to birdie the 1st and 4th before giving a shot back with a bogey on the par four 5th. His turnaround would continue as he would be clean on the way in posting three pars and another birdie on the par five 8th for an inward two under par, (-2), 33, and a nine over par (+9), 80, for a two day total of 158 and a five shot lead in the division entering the third and final round.
Jumping into second position in the division is Le Club de Golf de St-Ignace`s Pierre Luc Arsenault. The 14 year old from Saint-Louis, NB showed great consistency backing up his first round 82 with a 10 over par (81) on day two for a two day total of 21 over par (+21), 163, and a five shot lead on club mate, and 2015 & 2016 NB Pee Wee Champion, Marc-Andre Gaudet for 2nd in the division.
In the Junior Girls division Laura Jones continues to lead after shooting a second round eight over par (+8), 79, for a two day total of 155. Jones fired an outward nine five over par (+5), 40, thanks to six pars, a bogey on the par three 2nd and double bogeys at both #3 and #7, but would limit the damage on the back nine by posting a three over par (+3). Her 12 pars, four bogeys and two doubles would be enough to widen her lead over JH Sports and Petitcodiac Valley Golf & Country Club’s Laura Wesselius from seven shots to 14 and the Gage Golf & Curling Club’s Sarah Holt from nine shots to 14.
Laura Wesselius would card an opening nine eight over par (+8), 43, on the front nine to fall 10 shots back of the leader Jones. Wesselius’ struggles would come early and often on the day with bogeys on #1, #4, #6 and #7 combined with double bogeys at #3 and #5. While she would steady the ship on the back nine, her mistakes were costly as she would double bogey the par four 13th, par five 15th and par four 18th to go along with a bogey on #17 to card a 15 over par (+15), 86, on day two good for a two day total of 169.
The Gage Golf & Curling Club’s Sarah Holt would be unable to take advantage of Wesselius’ front nine struggles in what looks to have become quite a battle for 2nd. While she would birdie the par four 4th, she would triple the first, bogey six times, and make par on #8 to equal Wesselius’ eight over (+8), 43, on the front and fall 12 shots back of the leader Jones. Like Wesselius, Holt would settle down on the back nine carding consecutive pars from #12 to #17, to go with bogeys on #10 and #11 and a double on #18 for fire a second round 13 over par (+13), 84, and draw even with Wesselius in 2nd.
Rounding out the top five is another tie that sees JH Sports at Kingswood’s Mackenzie Scott in a deadlock with the Royal Oaks Golf Club’s MacKenzie Deveau.
“I didn’t play as well as I had hoped today”, said Jones. “The wind was really up today, the greens were firm and I didn’t execute as well as I should have.” Despite not performing her best, the two time NB Junior Girls Champion is pleased with her positioning. “I’m happy to still be in the lead and will just be making a few adjustments for tomorrow.”
In the Juvenile Girls division Sarah Holt’s consistency has here eight shots clear of Scott and Deveau as she looks to defend her 2016 NB Juvenile Girls Championship.
Calvin Ross of JH Sports at Kingswood continues to lead the race to become the 2017 NB Junior Boys Champion. Ross, the 2014 and 2016 NB Junior Boys Champion, held a one shot lead over Royal Oaks` Sam Reid after round one thanks to the round of the day, a one under par (-1), 70. With the breeze stiffening as the day moved a long, another under par round was not in the cards, but his second round five over par (+5), 76, was good enough to give him a three shot lead over Reid at day`s end.
Ross and Reid would fire matching three over par (+3), 39`s on the back nine, their first nine holes of the day, but Ross would create some separation on their inward nine holes. While Reid would post a four over par, (+4), 39, on the front courtesy of bogeys on #2, #4, #6 and #7, Ross would card seven pars to go with bogeys on #1 and #7, to stretch his one shot lead to three.
The round of the day belonged to the Westfield Golf & Country Club’s Stuart Earle who posted a three over par (+3), 74, that consisted of five birdies, four bogeys and two doubles. Earle would use the round to jump past club mate Lynden Breen into solo position of third, four and six shots clear of JH Sports at Kingwood’s MacKenzie Clark and Daniel Kirby respectfully.
In addition to his lead in the Bantam division, Kirby also holds a two shot lead over Ben MacDonald of Gowan Brae in his quest to also become the 2017 NB Juvenile Boys Champion. In third position is Breen with Arsenault and Fox Creeks’ Felix Boucher rounding out the top five in a tie for fourth.
The top three finishers in both the Junior Boys and Junior Girls divisions will represent New Brunswick as Team NB at the Canadian Junior Boys Championships to be played at the Cataraqui Golf & Country Club in Kingston, Ontario and the Canadian Junior Girls Championships to be played at the Camelot Golf & Country Club in Cumberland, Ontario from July 31st to August 3rd and August 1st to 4th respectfully.
In addition to the positions on at the Canadian Championships, there are also six positions up for grabs (3 boys and 3 girls) on Team NB’s 2017 Canada Summer Games Squad. While Ross, Reid, Jones and Wesselius have secured their positions on Team NB, the third and final spots on both the boys and girls squads are up for grabs and competition is heating up.
For more information on the 2017 Canada Games player standing and selection process please CLICK HERE.
The third and final round of the 2017 Golf NB Junior Championships will get under way at 8:00am on Friday July 7th off of both the 1st and 10th tees.
For more information on the 2017 Golf NB Junior Championships including results and tee times please CLICK HERE.
For more information on the 2017 Golf NB Pee Wee Championship including results and tee times please CLICK HERE.
For more information on Gage Golf & Curling Club please CLICK HERE.