GOLF: First-time champions crowned in Kelowna
KELOWNA, B.C. - Daniel Campbell and Shania Remandaban led their teams to titles in the inaugural Canada West Golf Championships at Kelowna's Okanagan Golf Club Sunday.
They will also be able to say they were the first individuals to capture conference gold medals in the sport.
Campbell, a fifth-year player at the University of Fraser Valley, cruised to a seven-shot victory in the men's championship and gave the Cascades the team title, while Remandaban, a third-year member of the UBC Thunderbirds, roared back to take the women's individual crown and guided her squad to the win.
"It's awesome. It feels good," Campbell said of being the conference's first men's golf champion. "It's always good to win, but to be the first of something is even better."
Said Remandaban: "It's super cool. When I'm older, I'll be like: I did that first."
Leaderboards:
- Men's individual leaderboard
- Women's individual leaderboard
- Men's team leaderboard
- Women's team leaderboard
Tournament background:
The Cascades were never threatened in the men's tournament, as they took a 10-stroke lead after Day 1 and turned it into a 19-shot triumph over UBC. Victoria ended up in third to clinch the final berth in the Canadian University/College Golf Championships that will be held next spring.
Campbell, a 27-year-old product of Bellingham, Wash., followed his blistering opening round of 64 with a 68 on Sunday. He won by seven strokes over UBC's Andrzej Wierzba. Fraser Valley's Wyatt Brook was third.
Campbell said his three-shot lead going into the final round had him feeling confident on Sunday.
"I felt fine," he said. "I was a little nervous the first few holes, but after a couple holes I kinda calmed down. The par save on seven really calmed me down, and I was able to make a few birdies right after that. So that was big."
UBC's road to victory in the women's tournament was a little closer than it was in the men's event. The Thunderbirds took a 10-stroke lead from Day 1 and made a 13-stroke win over the Victoria Vikes. The Fraser Valley Cascades were the third and final team to clinch a spot in the national championship.
Remandaban had a much bumpier road to victory. She started the second and final round tied for seventh after an opening-round 78, but she conquered the Bear Course on Sunday with a 2-under-par 70 to earn a three-stroke triumph over Victoria Tse of the Calgary Dinos, UBC's Kate Johnston and Rhiannon Jones of the Victoria Vikes.
"I didn't actually count for the team score on the first day, so I was like, let's pull together a number that'll help the team win this thing," Remandaban said. "And I did it, so that was really nice."