CanadianJuniors ‘an extraordinary success’ for Hat club
By Ryan McCracken on August 3, 2018.
rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com @MHNMcCracken After four rounds and a finish for the ages, Medicine Hat Golf and Country Club general manager Cam Jacques is happy to call the 2018 Canadian Junior Boys Championship “an extraordinary success.” The local links played host to 156 young golfers from across the nation for an incredibly close tournament that Jacques says was hoisted up by volunteer effort all week long. “Our organizing committee of about 12 of us started almost a year ago and then we had about 120 volunteers. We also had the Connaught Golf Club help us too with driving range facilities and volunteers from their club too. There’s no way a golf club could put this on with the limited staff that they have and create a great experience for all 156 golfers. That’s the thing, there’s one winner but I think all these kids can go back to their home provinces happy,” said Jacques. “The volunteers helped make this a special experience. We had seven families billet kids, they took kids into their home for the entire week and came out here cheering these kids on all week. “I think it kind of galvanized our whole golf club.” The club was treated to a spectacle for Thursday’s final round as Christopher Vandette of Beaconsfield, Que. matched the club record 65 to climb the leaderboard and secure both the junior and juvenile championships in unforgettable fashion. “I feel at a golf tournament that whoever shoots the lowest score on the last day, it’s always great if they win,” said Jacques. “Not only do that, he shot the lowest score today of the tournament, tied the course record and won the juvenile and the junior boys. What a finish, just incredible.” It was the first time the Medicine Hat Golf and Country Club has hosted a national event of this calibre, and Jacques says he feels it truly helped showcase the course while bringing out the best in Medicine Hat. “Our members gave up the golf course for five days, but they volunteered, the city came through with sponsorships, Golf Canada was fantastic to work with, and just having 156 boys from across Canada come play your venue —they’re such nice young men besides being good golfers,” said Jacques. “Just the whole city came through and I think shined very brightly. When you have national attention on your city, you want to put your best foot forward, and I think we did that.” 10
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