The BC Junior Boys Golf Championship kicked off in Revelstoke on Tuesday, with 153 boys aged 18 and under taking to the course.
"Revelstoke has been wonderful. It's a great community. I know the competitors have been enjoying it," said Kris Jonasson, the executive director of BC Golf. "The golf course is fantastic and the staff at the Revelstoke Golf Club have been terrific to work with."
After day one, Mark Valliere of Nanaimo, a member of the Team Canada Development Squad was leading the field with a score of three under par. Terran Berger of Comox trailed by one shot. Seven players are tied for third at -1.
Brady Blake, Revelstoke's lone representative in the tournament, finished his round with a +12.
This is the first major provincial tournament Revelstoke has hosted since the B.C. Juvenile (U16) tournament seven years ago, said Jonasson.
Jonasson said he got one round of golf in on the course before the tournament started. "I didn't play particularly well. I found the golf course very tight," he said, adding, "It's a very good golf course."
He said the winner will have to be patient and will have to play strategically instead of simply powering through the course.
"They'll hit with every club in their bag, but if you go and try to hit the ball as far as you can every time and then go find it, I think you'll find the trees are more than a match," he said. "Consistently what I've heard is you really have to play golf on this golf course. You have to think your way around. They love the golf course."
John Franks, the manager of the Revelstoke Golf Club, said the tournament will showcase the hospitality Revelstoke is known for, as well as the beauty and amenities of the area – including the course itself. It will be an economic boon to the community.
"This event will provide a lasting legacy by promoting and showcasing junior golf to our regional youth," he wrote in a news release. "An objective of the Revelstoke GC is to springboard this event into providing a 'spring' for youth participation in this excellent and healthy sport. "
Competitors in the tournament come from the top players at eight zone competitions held throughout the province.
The tournament runs until Friday, July 5. On Wednesday, after the second round, the top 70 golfers will continue to the final two days of the tournament. There are trophies for the top golfer, top club team, and top zone team.
"Whoever wins this will be in some prestigious company," said Jonasson, pointing to some of the names on the championship trophy, including 1978 winner and hall of famer Fred Couples. "We may have another Fred Couples in this field and 10 years from now they'll be playing on the PGA tour."