Rain and wind greeted 28 of the best Juniors from the West and East Kootenays on Saturday for the first two rounds of the Johnny Bucyk Championship. The kids played 36 holes of golf on the tough Creston golf course on Saturday in very wet windy conditions and then 18 on Sunday. At the end of the day on Sunday Jared duToit, from Kimberly, took medalist honors with rounds of 73, 77, 71 for a total of five over par, and Braden McKay from the RTCC finished first in the 14 and under divisions with rounds of 84, 75, 86.
Jared made very few mistakes over the three rounds and his putting was outstanding. He made numerous putts in the twelve to fifteen foot range to save pars and when he had the opportunity he rolled in birdie putts, making 9 over the three rounds. Jared has had an outstanding start to the 2012 golf season finishing first in the MJT Morgan Creek tournament, earning him an exemption into the world junior held in San Diego in July and then second in the CN Pacific earning him an exemption into the Canadian Junior in Nova Scotia.
Braden, was the West Kootenay local junior circuit medalist last week at Redstone and he finished the Johnny Bucyk 19 shots ahead of Nolan Renwick from Nelson, who finished second the 14 and under division. Brady's round of 75 was very good considering it was his second 18 of the day and it was very wet and windy.
Finishing second in the 15 - 18 year division was Joel Tremendue from Cranbrook and thirsd was Scott Merriam also from Cranbrook. Placing second in the 14 and under was Nolan Renwick from Nelson and Ethan Paton from Salmo. The top three finishers in each age division earned exemptions into the CJGA PING Canadian Junior Match Play Championship and the CJGA Mizuno National Junior Golf Championship. Both events will be held later in July in Ontario.