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It鈥檚 no surprise that Megan Ratcliffe eventually landed in the sport of golf.
An unwilling participant at first, it seemed such a natural fit, what with dad Robert Ratcliffe employed as Golf sa国际传媒鈥檚 National Development Squad lead coach and a renowned instructor at Pheasant Glen Golf Club in Qualicum Beach.
鈥淢y dad wanted me to get into it for years, but I just hated it and never wanted to do it. I was at the point in my childhood where it was just school, friends and home. He said, 鈥業 want you try something.鈥� I had five golf clubs, so I was like, 鈥榃ell, I鈥檒l try golf,鈥� 鈥� said Megan, 16, one of 52 players to tee it up in Tuesday鈥檚 first of four rounds at the sa国际传媒 Junior Girls鈥� Championship at Cordova Bay Golf Course.
Michelle Kim, who won last week鈥檚 sa国际传媒 Women鈥檚 Amateur, has the lead after Day 1 with her opening 4-under par 69, three strokes up on Victoria鈥檚 Akari Hayashi of Uplands Golf Club, a 12-year-old who is off to an incredible start.
As for Ratcliffe, who shot 79 and is tied for 17th, she is one of the up-and-coming Island representatives along with Nanaimo Golf Club鈥檚 Shirin Anjarwalla (77 in her first round and tied for seventh) and Abigail Rigsby of Crown Isle (78). So Ratcliffe has come a long way.
鈥淗e [dad] got me out one day and has never got me off. I always blame him. He says, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e costing me a fortune,鈥� and I always say, 鈥榃ell, you鈥檙e the one who wanted me to do it,鈥� 鈥� she said with a chuckle.
Now the home-schooled Grade 11 student, like most juniors, is hoping to attract a scholarship somewhere down the road and she鈥檚 benefiting greatly from dad鈥檚 instruction.
鈥淚 love having him as my coach and my dad. He鈥檚 the perfect mixture of a parent and a coach,鈥� Megan said.
鈥淲hen he caddies for me, he鈥檚 a supportive dad, but when we鈥檙e on the driving range he鈥檚 like, 鈥榊ou need this, this and this to do well.鈥� 鈥�
Robert has caddied for his daughter at certain events and will be back later in the week, from his work duties down in Kansas, to catch Megan鈥檚 last two rounds as an onlooker.
Of course, carrying the Ratcliffe name brings about expectations.
鈥淚 think that comes with the territory. It鈥檚 never like, 鈥極h, you鈥檙e Robert鈥檚 daughter, you must do well.鈥� The name doesn鈥檛 haunt me, it helps me in a way. It鈥檚 how people know me, but I want to make an identity for myself,鈥� said the outgoing junior, who plans to graduate a semester early so she can attend an American school.
She still has a season to prove herself.
CHIP SHOTS: At the sa国际传媒 Junior Boy鈥檚 event in Osoyoos, Nanaimo鈥檚 John MacDonald leads the way with a 3-under 69.
Victor Choi of Crown Isle is tied for 9th with a 72; Keaton Gudz of Royal Colwood and Crown Isle鈥檚 Logan Yanick are T16th at 73 and Cam Bourque of Uplands is T28th at 74 along with Kyle Leiman of Highland Pacific.
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