Coal Creek To Host Alberta Junior & Juvenile Championship

Kehler Koss

Kehler Koss (Photo/Alberta Golf)

Alberta’s top U19 and U17 golfers will compete for the first time in Ryley, Alta. at one of Alberta’s newest courses for the Alberta Junior & Juvenile Championship. Established in 2012, The Coal Creek Golf Resort, will welcome 32 female and 118 male players from July 4th to 7th. Head Golf Professional Jamie Driscoll says that the course will offer a fair, yet testing playing field.

“The course has really matured, and the juniors can expect very lush conditions with some of the best greens in Alberta. We like to say it is a links style course with some variety. The variety makes it a treat to play every day, with something different each time depending on wind direction. We think it will be a great challenge for them, and it will be fun to see how well they play. We are a very fair course, but it still makes you think some days”, says Driscoll.

The juniors will play on a reclaimed mine site, which features unique black sand bunkers that mimic coal particles. The girl’s will compete in a no cut event, culminating on July 6th. The top 60 boys, including ties and age protection procedures, will advance from day two into the final two rounds.

Each gender is competing for the junior and juvenile title, with juveniles eligible to take both awards. The top three finishers in both the male and female groups will form the respective Alberta Junior Interprovincial Teams, who will advance to the Canadian Junior Boys and Junior Girls Championships.

Two male junior interprovincial squad members, including last year’s juvenile champion, Chandler McDowell, will return. The 2016 juvenile champion, Taylor Stone, is back, along with two out of the three 2016 Alberta Junior Girls’ Interprovincial Team players.

Team Alberta U19 and High Performance Squad members will play. Also competing are two Team Canada Development players and seven sets of brothers and sisters.

The tournament boasts a legacy of esteemed champions. Active Alberta locals include this year’s Scott Venturo Rudakoff LLP Alberta Open Championship victor, Dustin Risdon; rookie LPGA player, Jennifer Ha; and Team Canada’s current National Team member, Jaclyn Lee. Winning the Alberta Junior is a strong indicator for future success at the elite level.

Full history of champions: boys & girls

BOYS NOTABLES
  • Chandler McDowell 2016 Alberta Juvenile Boys Champion
  • Matt Bean 2016 Alberta Junior Boys’ Interprovincial Team
  • Ethan Choi 2015 & 2016 Alberta Bantam Boys Champion
  • Max Sekulic 2017 Team Canada Development Squad
GIRLS NOTABLES
  • Taylor Stone 2016 Alberta Junior Girls’ Interprovincial Team
  • Kehler Koss 2016 Alberta Junior Girls’ Interprovincial Team
  • Alicia Easthope 2016 Alberta Junior Girls’ Interprovincial Team
  • Annabelle Ackroyd 2015 & 2016 Alberta Bantam Girls Champion
 
 
 
FAST FACTS
  • First contested in 1932
  • 150 boys and girls are set to compete
  • Boys: 72 holes of stroke play competition with cut to low 60 and ties for final two rounds
  • Girls: 54 holes of stroke play competition
  • The top three finishers from each gender will form the respective Alberta Junior Interprovincial Teams
ABOUT THE COURSE
  • BOYS: Championship tees – 6,537 yards, par 72
  • GIRLS: Championship tees – 5,530 yards, par 72