PGA of British Columbia
Shadow Ridge Golf Club head James Presnail and Class 鈥淎鈥� pro Mark Kitts won the G&G Golf Company & Callaway GolfPGA of BC Pro-Assistant Championship on the first playoff hole after carding a 14-under-par 57 in scramble play Tuesday at Black Mountain Golf Club in 91大黄鸭.
Neither Presnail or Kitts had previously won a PGA of BC championship tournament, and the victory was worth $2,500 for the Shadow Ridge (91大黄鸭) duo after they defeated Surrey Northview Golf Academy鈥檚 Matthew Palsenbarg and John Shin on the extra hole.
鈥淛ames had a hot putter today and made a ton of putts for us, and I drove it pretty good,鈥� said Kitts. 鈥淲e gave ourselves opportunities and capitalized.鈥�
The Pro-Assistant Championship is a unique event that sees a PGA of BC Club Professional pair with an assistant from their facility to compete against their colleagues over 36 holes. After Monday鈥檚 best-ball round, Presnail and Kitts found themselves trailing Palsenbarg and Shin by two strokes.
They made up the deficit with 12 birdies and an eagle on Tuesday and matched the Round 1 leaders with a 36-hole total of 21-under, as Palsenbarg and Shin posted a 59.
Playing Black Mountain鈥檚 par-5 18th in the alternate-shot playoff, Kitts converted a 15-foot birdie while Shin鈥檚 own birdie attempt from close range lipped out.
鈥�(Kitts) hit every line today but just left them a little short,鈥� said Presnail. 鈥淪o I just reassured him: 鈥楳ake sure you get it there.鈥� I knew he鈥檇 get it in there and I felt pretty confident that we鈥檇 walk away with four.鈥�
Defending champions Brian McDonald and Rob Tadey (Fairview Mountain Golf Club, Oliver) shared third place with Dave Zibrik and Clark MacPherson (Point Grey Golf & Country Club, Vancouver) at 18-under.
Two teams 鈥� Bill Kelly and Brian Wise (Glacier Greens Golf Course, Comox) and Rob Anderson and Jamie Stevens (91大黄鸭 Golf & Country Club) 鈥� tied for fifth at 16-under.
Though they came up just short of repeating their 2016 win in the Pro-Assistant Championship, Palsenbarg and Shin still left the event feeling good about their performance over the two days.
鈥淲e played solid,鈥� said Palsenbarg. 鈥淲e thought maybe it would be good enough, but obviously those guys got hot today and got it done.鈥�
Added Shin: 鈥淥verall, I鈥檓 happy. It鈥檚 too bad that I missed a short one over there (in the playoff), but that happens and it was fun to have a chance to take this title again. It was exciting.鈥�
Presnail and Kitts had never played the Pro-Assistant Championship together as a team, as Kitts only joined the 91大黄鸭 facility earlier this year.
鈥淚 was surprised,鈥� Kitts said of the team chemistry he and Presnail quickly formed. 鈥淚 think you just have to go play golf and play your own game. James played great, I played very good as well.鈥�
Vernon Golf & Country Club head pro Brooks Jones and assistant Bradlee Jones pocketed $431 after carding 66-63-129 for 13-under.
Cameron Craig and former LPGA veteran AJ Eathorne of Predator Ridge and Salmon Arm Golf Club鈥檚 Jesse Crowe and Kevin Geistlinger (both former Vernon residents) tied at 9-under 133, worth $200.
