Five of the city's golfers can officially call themselves better than anyone else at the Yellowknife Golf Club.
James McCarthy/NNSL photo
The annual club championships wrapped up on Sunday with the second and final rounds of the various divisions in play. Each division was contested over 36 holes with each player given a tee time, just like they do in the big tournaments.
Jake Roche is the 2017 men's champion thanks to his 36-hole total of 152 while 17-year-old Deanne Whenham capped off a fine season by winning the women's title with a total of 182. She was also the only junior girls golfer entered in the championships, meaning she also won that title as well.
Even though she won, Whenham said she wasn't thrilled with how she played.
“I missed too many putts out on the course,” she said. “The putting let me down, especially since I had three-putts on some holes. I'm content with shooting 91 both days because I didn't lose any shots in round two but I know I can do better.”
The senior men's champion this year is Andy Couvrette as he shot 148 to claim a successful defence of his crown. It's the second major club tournament he's won in succession as he captured the August Long Weekend Tournament earlier this month.
“I didn't feel too much pressure down the stretch,” said Couvrette. “Three of my four nines were at even par, just a blip on the front nine on Sunday but I made the good shots when I had to and fixed what wasn't working.”
Couvrette shot an even-par 72 in round one and held down a seven-shot lead heading into round two. The front nine wasn't too good as he ended up going four-over-par but the men chasing him down weren't having their best rounds, either.
“They were having their own problems, unfortunately,” said Couvrette. “It was just up to me to play my game and make sure I played good golf and it happened. I didn't have any worry about my lead evaporating.”
It's been a good season for Couvrette as he's managed to capture two of the big events at the club and he said it's been a good way to close out the competitive season for him.
“I didn't have the best performance at the Midnight Classic so finishing strong is a big plus,” he said. “I'm happy I'm still competitive enough at 58 years old
The senior women's champion this year is Thip Chantalangsy while Sebastian Toner had just himself to worry about in the junior boys division as he was the only who entered.
In addition to the prize money won by the champions, each of them got a bonus prize in the form of a reserved parking spot for the 2018 season right in front of the clubhouse.
Couvrette said it might not seem like a big deal to some people but it's a very nice perk to have.
“The club gets busy during the summer and you can't find a parking spot sometimes,” he said. “Having the spot means you know where you're parking and the best part is it's right there empty all the time.”
For Whenham, it's a case of not being able to fill the spot at the present time. She's heading away to go to school in Banff, Alta., this year and won't be able to use it for the first couple of months of the 2018 season.
Add to that the lack of personal motorized transportation.
“I don't own a car yet and my parents will probably make me work to get one,” she said with a giggle. “My dad could probably use it while I'm away.”