After spending the winter nursing a wrist injury and tending to his other love 鈥� fishing 鈥� Edd Boudreau landed himself a winner on Saturday.
The Gorge Vale Golf Club assistant pro turned in a 4-under 67 at the Mount Brenton Paddy Irwin Pro-Junior event in Chemainus, the first stop on the Vancouver Island Pro Tour鈥檚 summer circuit.
鈥淚 had a good day today,鈥� said Boudreau, who edged out Rob Cruise of Highland Pacific by a stroke to take top honours. 鈥淚 sort of wish I was fishing sometimes, the way this weather has been going. I haven鈥檛 had a lot of chances to practise, that鈥檚 for sure.
鈥淚t was a pretty clean round and it was only my third round since September. I took the whole winter off to rest the wrist. It鈥檚 feeling pretty good. I have a little bit of rust yet, but I got lucky today,鈥� he said of his round that included four birdies and no bogeys.
鈥淚 got it around and didn鈥檛 get into any trouble. I鈥檓 pretty happy with it. Hopefully, I can keep it going for Tuesday.鈥�
The Tour tees it up on stop No. 2 at a Pro-Amateur event at Cordova Bay Golf Course, with tee times starting at noon on Tuesday.
It鈥檚 the start of a 12-event season, said one of the tour organizers, Aaron Grice.
鈥淚t鈥檚 looking good for this year, other than the weather. It鈥檚 been cold,鈥� Grice said with a laugh. 鈥淵ou know us fair-weather guys.鈥�
The opener Saturday featured warmer conditions in Chemainus as the region dodged the rain and hail that crept across Victoria. Boudreau outlasted the field and took an early lead on the Order of Merit.
Gordy Scutt, of Olympic View, topped the Winter Tour, which attracts fewer players, and Axle Riley 鈥� who has moved over to Highland Pacific as an assistant and teaching pro 鈥� is the defending summer VI Pro Tour champion.
Riley shot an even-par 71 on Saturday to finish sixth after winning the event last year with a 68.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited about the year, I haven鈥檛 been playing much. The weather has been a little crappy,鈥� he said.
鈥淚鈥檓 teaching a lot more now, too, which cuts into playing and practice time, but that鈥檚 OK. I鈥檝e been playing a little, not as much as I wanted to.
鈥淚鈥檇 like to win back-to-back [summer tours], for sure. I got off to a good start last year and, hopefully, I can do that again this year.鈥�
He鈥檒l try and bounce back with a win on Tuesday at his former course at Cordova Bay.
