WINDSOR— The Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) Juvenile (U17) Boys’ Championship, held in conjunction with the Ontario Summer Games, wrapped up on Aug. 10 with the final round of play. After many lead changes and names atop the leaderboard, it was Scarborough’s Gavin MacIver who took the title in the end with a final round of one-under (69) to bring his tournament total to three-over.
The 16-year-old Cherry Downs Golf & Country Club member entered the final round in a tie for third at four-over. But after round-two leader, Niagara Falls’ Jaret Chipman, faltered during the day, MacIver was able to take advantage.
“The final round started off ok,” said MacIver. “The leader (Chipman) was playing well. Then we got to the back nine and I had the lead. I soon found out that Jake (Bryson), in the second last group, was one up on me. Things really turned around on 11 and 12 when I birdied them and got the outright lead. I just brought it home from there.”
MacIver put a string of three birdies on four holes together on the ninth, 11th and 12th holes to help galvanize his round. In the process, he was also able to move ahead of Dunrobin’s Jake Bryson who also held the lead during the round.
“I was rolling in a lot of putts. I made a 20 footer on 12 downhill, which really got things going, from there I just tried to par the rest of the holes,” said MacIver.
It was that putting along with his play off the tees that MacIver attributed his success to. “My putting and shots from the tee were the strongest parts of my game this week. I gave myself good birdie chances all week. Today, I made all my short putts and drained a couple long ones that got my game going.”
Bryson, a member of the GAO’s Ottawa Regional Team, finished the day at even par (70) and was four-over for the tournament, earning the silver medal.
Rounding out the podium was Waterloo Regional Team and Greenhills Golf Club member Jackson Bowery. Bowery, the London resident, shot a three-over (73) and ended the tournament three shots back at six-over.
The Golf Association of Ontario would like to thank the volunteers and staff from Roseland Golf & Curling Club, along with the Ontario Summer Games for hosting the championship.
For the final leaderboard see the tournament site at: http://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao14/event/gao1422/index.htm
The Ontario Juvenile Boys’ Championship is a 54-hole competition that features the province’s best junior golfers under the age of 17 competing for the Mike Weir trophy. This year the event is contested as part of the 2014 Ontario Summer Games.
