By Kyle Balzer (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: October 24, 2012
After winning the PACWEST Championship at home over Thanksgiving weekend, UFV’s varsity golf team was off to play at the 2012 Ping CCAA National Championship in Oshawa, Ontario. Playing at the historic Oshawa Golf and Country Club, home of the Durham College Lords (OCAA), it was a test like none other for both the rookies and the veterans of the Cascades.
The week began at the opening ceremonies where veteran Aaron Pauls was named a 2012 All-Canadian athlete. He finished his first round tied for 34th, shooting a 78 (+6), eight shots behind first round leader Kevin Piper of Humber College (OCAA). Another impressive performance came from Mitch Lock, shooting UFV’s best round of the tournament with a 74 (+2) that included a three-under par back nine. He would finish four shots back of the lead. As the first round came to an end, the Cascades were in ninth place with a team total of 310 (+22), 14 shots behind the leading Humber College Hawks.
With the cold and wet weather becoming a factor into the players’ game, our boys were ready to do the best they could on day two. Veteran Darren Whitehouse matched UFV’s best round of a 74 (+2), including a one-under par front nine, that allowed him to move up 15 spots on the leaderboard into a tie for 22nd. After the second round, UFV was able to move up to eighth place with a combined two day total of 617 (+41), 35 shots back of the Humber College Hawks.
Hoping for a miracle on the final day, the Cascades were looking to make a charge and once again Darren Whitehouse shot the best round of the day for UFV, this time shooting a 75 (+3). He would finish in a three-way tie for 19th, with an overall score of 228 (+12), making him the top UFV golfer in the National Championship. The individual winner was Colton Kalkanis, a rookie from the Georgian College Grizzlies (OCAA), shooting a three-day total of 217 (+1). Other notable finishes from the Cascades included Mitch Lock finishing tied for 22nd with a final score of 229 (+13) and rookie Connor O’Dell finishing tied for 38th with an overall score of 234 (+18).
The Cascades ended their season with an eighth place finish in the National Championship, out of the 15 competing colleges, shooting a total of 926 (+62). They were only 25 shots away from the bronze medal, won by the hosts Durham College Lords scoring 901 (+37). The Humber College Hawks would claim victory in Oshawa with a winning three-day total of 879 (+15), 47 shots ahead of UFV and 18 shots ahead of second place finishers Camosun College Chargers (PACWEST).
