Christina Lake, British Columbia – Doug Roxburgh adds to his collection of titles with a second consecutive win at the British Columbia Golf Men’s Senior Championship on Thursday after shooting -5 at Christina Lake Golf Club; while Gudmund Lindbjerg takes home top honours after a two-hole play-off victory in the Super-Senior Championship and finishing one-under-par.
Midway through the final round of competition it appeared that if the defending champion continued his pace, he would all but secure a victory. He had begun the day with a stroke advantage and after nine holes, with two birdies, was four strokes ahead of the next competitor.
After the turn, however, Roxburgh ran into some trouble getting out of the left bunker on number 10 and double bogeyed for the first time in the Championship. The trouble didn’t end there, a double bogey again on the 12th left the Marine Drive Golf Club member tied at -5 with Lance Lundy.
“I was playing quite well, very comfortable on the front nine and then hit a couple of sloppy shots on the back nine starting on the 10th hole and just let Lance and some others right back into it,” said Roxburgh.
“I just had to work hard to make some pars coming in. That’s golf, I’m fortunate to get away with that one, I think.”
The veteran competitor showed his composure after the glitches, making par for the remainder of his round. His equanimity combined with a little bit of luck allowed him to capture the top spot.
Lundy made a surge for the title and even briefly led after he capitalized on Roxburgh’s struggles with a birdie on 11, but unfortunately would concede his lead with two bogeys late in the round finishing second at a four-under-par 212.
Jim Shaw, of Mission, was also briefly tied with Roxburgh and Lundy at -5 with only a few holes left to play. Shaw was one-under at the turn and played strong and consistently making par for nine holes in a row until closing out his round with back-to-back bogeys. Shaw finished at -3 in third.
The trio will represent British Columbia at the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship at Capilano Golf and Country Club in West Vancouver on August 26 – 29, 2014.
The Super-Senior Championship came down to a play off for the title after four-time back-to-back BC Senior Men’s Champion, Lindbjerg, and tournament low scorer, Kent Brown, each finished at one-under.
The pair both made par on 18 and headed to number 10 for the second hole of the play off. Each made straight shots down the fairway from the tee, but Brown’s second shot found the left bunker and he ultimately bogeyed the hole. Lindbjerg made two putts for par and the win.
“I just take it shot by shot and play [a play off] like an ordinary game because if you start getting into your mind and think ‘don’t hit it there, hit it there’, you’re in trouble right there,” said Lindbjerg.
“Kent smoked his drive probably a hundred yards past me on the first hole and I had to hit a rescue in and he hit a six iron so it was a little intimidating, I knew I had to whop one on ten.”
Ray Henry finished behind Brown in third, as the only competitor under par for the day, with his best showing of the Championship a one-under-par 71, finishing +2 (218).