The golf tournaments seek to give players the chance to compete this season
In the first two events of the B.C. Rivalry Series, the Cascades golf team performed for the first time since their new players joined. The series is being held by some of the member schools from Canada West and stands as UFV’s premier performing opportunity this semester.
The men’s squad saw Kyle Claggett place third and then tie for first in back-to-back events held on Oct. 3 and 4, respectively. Joining him on the second day for the lead was UFV’s Eli Greene with Justin Towill for UBCO rounding out the second day’s leaders, as the three players all scored even par. Greene improved his score from the first day by four shots, leading the event as a rookie with no prior collegiate playing experience.
The women’s team saw some promising scores from its rookies as well. Lucy Park and Alex Brunner placed sixth and seventh-T, respectively, through the first event. Park then tied for seventh to complete back-to-back top-half finishes among the 13 golfers that competed. The team, mostly constructed of rookies, could benefit greatly from the experience of playing in the Rivalry Series if competition returns to normal in the future.
The fate of the 2020 season has been up in the air since the increased spread of COVID-19 starting in March. Second-term sports continue to stand by for the decision by Canada West on whether or not the teams will play the current campaign, which has not yet started. However, golf has found its temporary fix for the uncertainty of conference play this year.
The B.C. Rivalry Series, forged by UFV, UBC, and UBCO is a series of one-day tournaments contested between the three schools. Other teams may join, such as the UVIC Vikes, but as of the time of the first two events, they have not played. These tournaments give players time to compete so that they can still improve and practise for next year’s championships. Canada West cancelled its golf championships that were set for October due to the spread of COVID-19.
The decision by Canada West is scheduled for Nov. 2 or sooner, due to the board of directors deciding to move the date from the previous scheduled time of Oct. 8 or before.
