With all of the excitement surrounding the Canadian North Midnight Classic, there was another golf tournament held just before the big show that also played at midnight.
James McCarthy/NNSL photo
The Mediocre Golf Association's Yellowknife chapter was out on June 20 for its third tournament of the season, that being the Fore! Championship, at the Yellowknife Golf Club on June 30. It's billed as the 'Mediocre Midnight' as it's the chapter's version of the Midnight Classic.
“We teed off at 8 p.m. and played until around 2 a.m.,” said Shaun Morris, president of the Yellowknife chapter.
This year's tournament saw a bit of excitement as Hughie Graham and James McKay ended up tied following the regulation 18 holes of play with identical scores of 91. That meant a playoff hole needed to be played and it was McKay who came through to win it.
“Both of them went back to the 14th hole for the playoff and James won it with a bogey,” said Morris.
There was also recognition for the women who came out to play and Meredith Wilson ended up being the female with the lowest score of the bunch, carding a 120.
Unlike the Midnight Classic, which had to compete with some awful weather that interfered with the tournament's tee-off times, the Fore! Championship had nothing like that to worry about.
“We had the better weather by far,” said Morris. “We had the bugs out but what would you rather have: pouring rain or bugs or pouring rain with bugs?”
The tournament saw a total of 30 players hit the links, which is about what the chapter has been averaging since season three began late last month.
“We've been at around 30 to 35 per tournament,” said Morris. “That's not bad at all, considering we've been adding a player or two each time we play. Each member can bring a guest to play and we've had a few of those guests end up becoming members.”
McKay's win gave him the big cheque in the amount of $1.71 and vaulted him up to third on the chapter money list behind Rick Savard and Ryan Sheppard, who leads the money list.
“Ryan hasn't won a tournament yet this season but he's been consistent,” said Morris. “He's always in the top-five and if you're doing that, you're going to be high on the list.”
The next event for the chapter is on July 9 with the F.U. Open, a play on the U.S. Open.