麻豆社区

Two former champions took back their titles at the 2015 Yukon Golf鈥圕hampionships last weekend.

Landon Kulych, 27, took the men鈥檚 crown after carding a personal-best and tournament-low 70 (two-under) Saturday, followed by an 82 Sunday for a total score of 152, one better than runner-up James McGrath, who turned in rounds of 79 and 74.

Meanwhile, Birgitte Hunter, 57, topped the women鈥檚 field of four, shooting rounds of 84 and 90 for a total of 174, 39 strokes up on runner-up Cheryl Olsen.

Other winners included 63-year-old senior champ Ken Taylor (92/87/179) and 15-year-old junior champ Philip Isabelle (85/83/168).

With his victory, Kulych will headline the Yukon team bound for the Canadian Men鈥檚 Amateur Championship in Toronto this August.

Joining him will be McGrath and Phil Mullin, who finished fourth behind Saskatchewan鈥檚 Sean Dunphy, who was in town for a wedding.

The trio will attempt to bring the Willingdon Cup home to the territory.

Kulych said turning golf into a winter pastime helped him enter this season firing on all cylinders.

鈥淎 big factor in what led to this championship was turning golf into a year-round sport this year,鈥� he told the Star. 鈥淚鈥坣ever really stopped playing.鈥�

Twice a week throughout the winter, Kulych headed down to the clubhouse to work on his swing under the watchful eye of the Yukon鈥檚 golf pros.

He had previously won the Yukon title in 2007 in Dawson City.

鈥�2007鈥檚 a long gap between titles,鈥濃�坔e said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to get one again.鈥�

Hunter had previously won multiple Yukon titles, the last coming in 2011.

She said consistency helped her earn her latest victory, noting that running away with the lead didn鈥檛 necessarily factor into her psyche.

鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 not so much about winning,鈥� she admitted. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about playing my own best. That鈥檚 what鈥檚 nice about this game.鈥圷ou compete with yourself.鈥�

For Taylor, also the tournament director, 2015 marked his first senior title by one stroke over Matt Lafferty.

鈥淚鈥檝e been chasing Matt down for years,鈥濃�坔e admitted.

Tournament golfers encountered a bear on hole four on Saturday, but no issues resulted, Taylor said.

Those gunning for a spot on the national team also played a round through the rain Friday.