For the second straight year, a Vikes Junior Tour graduate has won the sa国际传媒 Men鈥檚 Amateur Golf Championship.
But Victoria鈥檚 Jake DuVall had to do a little extra work for his title on Friday, winning a one-hole playoff against Bellingham鈥檚 Jacob Koppenberg to claim the 115th version of the tournament at Surrey鈥檚 Morgan Creek Golf Course.
The 23-year-old DuVall, who follows in the footsteps of last year鈥檚 winner, Nolan Thoroughgood of Royal Colwood, rolled in a 12-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to win the historic Bostock Trophy.
鈥淭his is huge,鈥� DuVall said in a sa国际传媒 Golf statement. 鈥淚 have never really won any big tournament anywhere near the stature of this one. It kind of gives me belief going forward into golf, thinking about turning pro, that I can do it in pressure situations and I am really excited.鈥�
DuVall, who plays out of Uplands, finished Friday鈥檚 final round with a 3-under 69, while Koppenberg closed with a 70.
DuVall and Koppenberg finished one shot ahead of Victoria鈥檚 Kevin Carrigan, who shot a five-under 67 to move to 11-under. It was the second time Carrigan has finished one shot back at a sa国际传媒 Amateur.
鈥淚 was super happy with the way I played today,鈥� said Carrigan, in a statement. 鈥淚 stayed in it the whole way and made lots of birdies. I was doing everything well. I just came up a little short.鈥�
As a consolation prize, Carrigan will join DuVall and Richmond鈥檚 Chris Crisologo on sa国际传媒鈥檚 Willingdon Cup team at next month鈥檚 Canadian Amateur Championship in Toronto. 鈥淭his is the fifth time I have qualified for the Willingdon Cup team,鈥� said Carrigan, who has won three Canadian Mid-Amateur championships. 鈥淎nd that means a lot 鈥� we measure good players in the province based on how many Willingdon Cups they have played in.鈥�
DuVall played his collegiate golf at Southwest Oklahoma State University and is taking a year to work on his golf.
鈥淚 am kind of contemplating whether I should turn pro this fall or just stay amateur and play the Mackenzie Tour Q-school next spring as an amateur. I will probably do that.鈥�
Zach Anderson of Nanaimo finished tied for fifth at seven-under with 13-year-old Jeevan Sihota of Victoria. Anderson fired a six-under 66, the low round of the tournament, on Friday. Sihota, out of Gorge Vale, closed with an even-par 72.
Thoroughgood shot a four-under 68 and finished 17th at one-over par.鈥攕a国际传媒
