Tough misses and rough terrain tell second-round story at Canadian Juniors

By Sean Rooney on August 1, 2018.

srooney@medicinehatnews.com @MHNRooney

It’s the short misses that really hurt, and there were a lot of them on the greens at Medicine Hat Golf and Country Club Tuesday, as the Canadian Junior Boys Championship reached the half-way point.

Only three players remained under par through 36 holes, including Lacombe’s Brady McKinlay, who eagled the par 4 18th to sit in the lead at 3-under.

Even that only gave McKinlay an even-par 71 on a day only eight of 156 players were under par.

“The greens have been tough, but the rough, the rough is tough, too,” said Richmond, B.C.’s Michael Crisologo. “You don’t want to be missing fairways here; you’ve got tough shots into the greens.”

Crisologo bore the brunt of that late in his round. After chipping in for eagle at the par-4 11th, he had the outright lead at 4-under with four holes to go. But a bogey on 15, a double at 16 and another bogey at the 18th left him at par for the round — 1-over for the tournament and tied for ninth place.

The brother of Chris Crisologo — the low amateur at last week’s Canadian Open at Glen Abbey — Michael knows the importance of remaining calm under pressure. He’s still in the hunt.

A win in Medicine Hat this week would give Michael a chance to play with Chris at the Canadian men’s amateur in their home province next week. The trophy’s the thing everyone wants to wind up with, but a spot at the amateur is part of the prize, too.

“I’m probably going to caddy for that one as well,” said Michael, who’s caddied for Chris at the B.C. and U.S. amateurs in the past. “I get more nervous than him; he makes it look so easy.

“I learned a lot when I caddied and watched him.”

McKinlay teed off in the morning and has a two-shot lead ahead of Ontario’s Bennett Ruby and Cam Kellett. Ruby was 2-over Tuesday and Kellett 2-under.

Also in the mix heading into the last two rounds is Medicine Hat’s Caleb Kinch, whose 2-over 73 included another rough time on the 13th hole. He double-bogeyed it Tuesday after putting up a triple on Monday, accounting for all five of his shots over par for the event.

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But he’s also tied for 35th, well inside the cut line of plus-8. Fellow Hatter Ryan Hodgins was 5-over to finish 12-over.

“It’s cool because I made the cut, I’m excited,” said Kinch, who came within a foot of his first hole-in-one on the seventh hole Tuesday. “I’m just going to play the round, there’s no pressure on me so I’m just going to hit shots and see where it takes me.”

Patience should continue to be a virtue for those playing the final two rounds. Though the temperature wasn’t as hot for the second round, greens and lengthening rough promise trouble to come.

“When the course is set up tough and the pins are in tough spots and the greens are firm and fast, you’ve got to really be careful,” said Ontario’s Tristan Renaud, tied for 21st after a 5-over 76 Tuesday. “You’ve got to pick and choose what you go after.”

In the team competition, Alberta claimed a third straight win at nationals, closing with an even-par day to finish 2-over — one shot better than Ontario. Chandler McDowell’s 2-under 69 the difference for the host province.

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