August 24-25, 2009
Picture Butte, AB
MURPHY MANAGES THE WIND AT MJT’S 1ST CHOICE SAVINGS STOP
Picture Butte, AB - (August 25, 2009) – The weather for the past two days of the 1st Choice Savings Series at Picture Butte Golf Club hosted by the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) could not have been any different. On the first day, the weather was warm and the wind was non-existent. The players ate up the course as it was defenseless without the wind, and confidence ran high that this would happen two days in a row. But on Tuesday August 25 (day two), the wind blew 30-40km per hour, and the scores rose to the level of the conditions. Many a head hung after the second round which was won by both the wind and the course for the final MJT multi-day tournament in the province this season.
In the boys 13 and under division, Patrick Murphy, 12, of Crossfield, played exceptionally well and proved once again that he is the force in his age group at the MJT, firing 70-71 (141). Murphy cruised to a 20 shot win over his closest rival, and his three-under-par total is his lowest of the year which carried him to his fourth straight win on the MJT. “I kept the streak alive! It was nice to play this well under tournament pressure,” Murphy quoted, following the round. In distant second was Theoren Olver, 13, of Three Hills, who carded 82-79, followed by Brett Pasula, 12, of Red Deer who posted 83-80.
In the boys 17-19 division, Ryan Werre, 17, of Redcliff, continued to beat the field as he fired even par 144 (71-73) over the two days on the perfectly manicured Picture Butte course where the greens were perfect, running fast and true. The 17-19 division was tight until hole 14 where Andrew Ritchot, 17, of Lethbridge, and Jordan Gibson, 17, of Picture Butte, made some mistakes and Werre ‘just tried to play smart through that stretch, making solid pars and making someone make it happen.’ Werre said he ‘made some key 10 foot par saves coming in, it was a big grind day’ as he never really got comfortable over the ball. First round leader, Gibson (70-76), and Steven Scheidt, 18, of Calgary (75-71), finished tied for second at 146 total score.
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