CAVENDISH, P.E.I. – Sherry White withstood the heavy winds off the north shore during the weekend to pick up her 10th P.E.I. amateur golf championship.
The Stratford resident carded a three-round total of 19-over 235 at Green Gables Golf Club in Cavendish to win the Cooke Insurance Prince Edward Island Amateur Golf title.
“It was such a battle,” she said Sunday night. “There was so much wind and it was so hard to pick the clubs all weekend.
“It was fun, but it was a battle.”
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White led after each of the first two rounds with scores of 75 and 79 before completing the tournament with a final-round 81 to win the 12-player competition.
Cornwall’s Fiona Thompson, who had the best round Sunday at 6-over 78, was second, two strokes back of White at 237.
“Fiona was certainly very tough this weekend. We were tied after 11 (on Sunday) and we battled from there,” White said. “It was very intense. It was coming right down to (the final holes) at the end.”
Defending champ Chrissie MacLauchlan of Stanhope was third at 259.
White said getting the first round in before the rain came helped her win the tournament.
“It made a big difference,” she said. “It was very surprising to be able to shoot a 75 in those conditions on Friday.”
She was loading her clubs in her car when the clouds opened and drenched the course. The men’s championship was shortened to a two-round event after Friday’s round was cancelled due to the heavy rain and lightning.
Scores were high across the board during the weekend as the wind played havoc with golfers shots.
“It was a tough course. It was a tough challenge for everybody,” White said.
She qualified for the nationals in the Niagara Region of Ontario at the end of August and while she hadn’t committed to going, she was leaning towards making the trip on Sunday night.
Men’s amateur
Andrew Reid finished strong to capture the men’s amateur with a two-round total of 3-over 147 to win the title by four strokes over New Haven’s John Walsh.
“It’s awesome,” the 24-year-old Cole Harbour, N.S., native said.
He had a two-shot lead over Walsh after Saturday’s first round thanks to a few key putts and acing the par-3 eighth hole. Reid was 3-over through the first five holes Sunday before hitting par the next three holes. He bogeyed five of the next six before recording birdies on the final four holes to capture the provincial championship.
“I actually didn't know where I stood in comparison to the rest of the field,” Reid explained. “After I rolled the birdie in on 15 I just felt a little bit better and just hit a good shot off 16. I knew the two par-5s coming in were getable and made it happen.”
The Nova Scotia amateur was played this weekend as well, but Reid decided to try Green Gables for the first time as opposed to playing the amateur in his home province at River Hills Golf and Country Club in Clyde River.
“I decided to try this course instead, played it for the first time Monday, loved it and went from there,” said Reid, who works at Eaglequest Grandview Golf & Country Club in Dartmouth.
Brodie Ward (153), John-Anthony Langdale (154) and Brodie McGregor (155) rounded out the top three in the 46-golfer field.
The tournament was played during the same weekend as the Cavendish Beach Music Festival and golfers could hear the music from the course.
“I thought it was cool actually. I enjoyed having the music,” White said. “It took your mind off things for a little bit.”
Senior men
New London’s Steve Ball beat Summerside’s Mel Bernard in a two-hole playoff to determine the men’s senior champ.
They ended the two-round event at 13-over 157.
Bernard made up two strokes on Ball with a final day 6-over 78.
Ron Garrett, Ernest Corrigan, Malcolm Reid and Randy Bernard tied for third, two strokes off the lead.
