Winning never gets old for Doug Roxburgh.
He enjoys the competitions. Practices for them. Likes getting to see all the guys.
Roxburgh, a Marine Drive Golf Club member and Canadian Hall of Fame golfer from Vancouver, walked away with his third straight and fifth overall B.C. Senior Men’s Golf Championship at the Vernon Golf and Country Club Thursday.
A 13-time B.C. Men’s Amateur champion and four-time Canadian amateur winner, Roxburgh led wire-to-wire at the 54-hole event in the North Okanagan. He capped things off with an even-par 72 for a 5-under 211 total, two shots better than Sooke’s Jim Shaw of Olympic View Golf and Country Club, and four better than 2012 winner Sandy Harper of the Nanaimo Golf Club. The trio played in the final group Thursday.
READ MORE: Familiar name atop leaderboard at B.C. Senior Men’s Golf finals
“It’s great to travel all over the province and come to beautiful spots like Vernon…It’s a beautiful community,” said Roxburgh, who had his wife, Lorna, as caddy. The pair leave Saturday for Scotland where Roxburgh will compete with Lorna on the bag at the British Senior Men’s Amateur Championships.
“The course was in immaculate condition. There are a variety of holes where you have to hit every club in the bag. It’s a good championship golf course.”
Roxburgh, who failed to win the only other time he ever played Vernon, about 15 years ago, at the B.C. Men’s Amateur Championship, said the course set up nicely for the seniors.
“The pins were challenging. The strength of my game is putting the ball in play and using the short irons and wedges, and there were a lot of those this week,” said Roxburgh, who thanked the Vernon Golf Club and its members for their hospitality during the week. “I scrambled coming in today, got a lucky bounce coming in and saved a shot when I really needed it.”
Roxburgh, Shaw and Harper will make up Team B.C. that will compete at the Canadian Senior Men’s Golf Championship Sept. 10 to 13 at Cedar Brae Golf Course in Scarborough, Ont.
The top-23 B.C. residents from the field in Vernon are eligible to compete at the national event.
Thursday’s final round was highlighted by a hole-in-one from Lance Lundy of the Big Sky Golf Club in Pemberton. Lundy, former pro at Vernon’s Hillview Golf Course, aced the par-3 172-yard 14th hole.
Low round of the day went to Invermere’s Harry Ferguson from the Springs at Radium Resort. He shot a 4-under 68 and ended up tied for ninth place at 222.
READ MORE: Vernon Super Senior in B.C. golf title hunt
Roxburgh also finished atop the Super Senior (65+) field. Four-time B.C. Senior Men’s champ Gudmund Lindbjerg of Port Moody and Calgary’s Howard Broun tied for second at +7, 12 shots behind Roxburgh.
Top local golfer was Brian Wadsworth of the host Vernon Golf and Country Club. Wadsworth, who was tied for second in the Super Senior field entering the final round, shot an 81 Thursday to finish at +10, tied for 22nd overall.
Other local results:
Frank MacKenzie (Predator Ridge): T28, 77-75-76-228;
Mark Longworth (Vernon): T34, 76-78-75-229;
Kelly Steuart (Predator Ridge): T43, 75-79-78-232;
Jim Ryan (Spallumcheen): T51, 76-73-84-233;
Neil Underwood (Predator Ridge): T56, 79-75-80-234;
Steve King (Vernon): T56-81-76-77-234;
Paul Andrews (Predator Ridge): T95, 83-81-77-241;
Al Sheasby (Predator Ridge): T116, 85-81-82-248;
Randy Gott (Vernon): T122, 83-84-83-250;
Brian Carpenter (Vernon): T122, 85-79-86-250;
Randy Strang (Spallumcheen): T126, 86-81-84-251;
Brent Barker (Predator Ridge): T134, 86-82-85-253;
Tim Boyko (Mabel Lake Golf Course): T146, 93-85-78.
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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