Hodgins takes the title
By Sean Rooney on July 7, 2018.
Medicine Hat News
Ryan Hodgins’ incredible summer keeps getting better.
The 16-year-old out of the Medicine Hat Golf and Country Club won the Alberta juvenile boys title Friday, capping his fourth round at the Sundre Golf Club with a birdie on the 18th hole.
Hodgins — who will tee it up on his home course at junior nationals in a few weeks’ time — shot a 1-over par 73 to finish 5-over for the week. That was two shots better than Pincher Creek’s Ethan Choi, and fourth overall at the junior and juvenile championships.
Innisfail’s Chandler McDowell ran away with the junior win, shooting the best round of the week. His 6-under 66 left him at 10-under for the event, the only player under par and 11 shots better than Barrhead’s Ty Steinbring.
Rounding out the top three —and claiming spots on the Alberta squad that will take part in an interprovincial event at nationals — was Strathmore’s Korbin Allan. Hodgins was only one shot back of Allan.
Three other Medicine Hat players made the cut and pretty much held their positions in the top 60. Caleb Kinch shot a 76 Friday to finish in 44th spot overall, Nolan Burzminski wound up with a 78 to finish in 50th and Sam Bratvold had an 82 to wind up 55th.
Hodgins already has a couple junior tour wins under his belt and even got an exemption to play at the Canadian pro tour stop in Lethbridge last month. His showing in Sundre means Kinch will now also get to play at the junior nationals. Hodgins had won an in-club competition to decide who would get the automatic host berth, but now that he’s qualified through provincials the berth falls to Kinch.
Earlier in the week at Coyote Creek Golf and RV Resort in Sundre, Calgary’s Annabelle Ackroyd won both the junior and juvenile girls titles. Her third-round score of 3-under 68 made her a three-stroke winner over fellow Glencoe Club member Tillie Claggett.
The Canadian Junior Boys Championship opens with the first round in Medicine Hat July 30. The national junior girls event takes place the same week in Tsawwassen, B.C.
