Nanaimo’s Sandy Harper defeated (four-time) defending champion Gudmund Lindbjerg to win the 2012 British Columbia Senior Men’s Championship. The Championship series is being played at the Nanaimo Golf Club.
The Nanaimo Golf Club member started the day seven ahead of the field, quickly stretching that lead to nine-strokes after making birdie on the par 5, 500-yard first compared to a bogey from Port Moody’s Lindbjerg.
“I started out with a good birdie on one and then got another one on the sixth hole,” stated Harper. “I really never had that much pressure on me so all I wanted to do was hit fairways and greens and get into a flow. “Harper would give both shots back on the seventh hole with a double-bogey six, his first one of the week.
He would bounce right with a birdie on the par 3, 155-yard eight hole.Similar to round two, Harper closed his back nine with relative ease, carding a one-under 35 inward half, good enough for a three-day Championship total 210, -6 (72-68-70), eleven strokes ahead of his nearest competitor.
Playing in his threesome were Lindbjerg and Senior Men’s rookie Doug Roxburgh of Vancouver.
Both Lindbjerg and Roxburgh struggled on the day, posting identical seven-over-par 79’s. Lindbjerg finished with a Championship total 226, +10 (72-75-79) while Roxburgh posted a 228 total, +12 (75-74-79), good enough for T5 and 12th respectively.”I played today with my good friend Gudmund and Doug Roxburgh, who else would you want to play with,” smiled Harper.Quietly going about his business while Harper was going through the motions of wrapping up his victory was Nanaimo’s Tony Hatchwell.
The Nanaimo Golf Club member was able to give the spectators something to cheer about, posting a final-round best one-under-par 71 (72-75-71-221), vaulting himself into solo second right behind his club mate.
Both Harper and Hatchwell had a short handshake after realizing both players would be members of Team BC thanks to their place this week.
Team BC will be going to the Canadian Senior Men’s Championship at Le Griffon des Source GC in Mirabel, Quebec August 28-31, 2012
Rounding out the top three performers and the final Team BC position was Victoria’s Marty Holman.
Holman was able to ride steady nerves after going four-over-par on his first eight holes during round three before finishing the remaining ten in two-under-par, posting a 224 total, +8 (76-73-74-223).
Evident to all players in the field was the support that was received from Nanaimo Golf Club members from the beginning of the week, a fact Harper couldn’t ignore during his historic win as a member of the home club.
They got me into golf so to have them here to see me win was special.” Although the Senior division was essentially cut-and-dry from the beginning of the day, the Super Senior division, whose leaders were one group ahead of Harper, Lindbjerg and Roxburgh, provided drama right to the bitter end.
Delta’s Bill Wilms and Victoria’s Ray Henry carded identical 227 totals after three rounds, forcing what would be a short sudden-death playoff.
With both players on the green in two on the first hole, Wilms unfortunately three-putted, leaving the door wide open for Henry to knock his six-foot par putt into the heart of the cup, with authority.
2011 Super Senior champion Ron Petersen of Coquitlam finished in third place all by himself in the division, posting a 231 three-round total (78-77-76).
Harper was the only player that finished under-par for the week, a testament he claims is due to the care taken by the course.
British Columbia Golf would like to thank the volunteers and staff at the Nanaimo Golf Club for their tremendous efforts in making the Senior Men’s Championship a success.
