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Okanagan golfers collect PGA of BC wins

Conner Kozak and Rob Anderson take home top honours at Assistants91Ƶ/Seniors91Ƶ championships, respectively
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Vernon91Ƶs Conner Kozak (right), a pro at the Okanagan Golf Club in Kelowna, gets a congratulatory hug from fellow Vernonite, former junior playing partner and competitor Brady Stead of Abbotsford91Ƶs Ledgeview Golf Club, after Kozak91Ƶs first PGA of BC title. Kozak shot 10-under-par over 36 holes to win the Assistants91Ƶ Championship at the Kamloops Golf and Country Club. (PGA of BC photo)

Back-to-back 67s propelled Vernon91Ƶs Conner Kozak to the PGA of BC Assistants91Ƶ Championship at the immaculate Kamloops Golf and Country Club Monday and Tuesday, July 19 and 20.

Kozak, a teaching pro at Kelowna91Ƶs Okanagan Golf Club, finished at 10-under par 134, two shots ahead of Keith Martin of Kelowna91Ƶs Tower Ranch Golf Club and Zach Olson of the Chilliwack Golf Club to claim the $3,000 first-place cheque.

91ƵIt91Ƶs pretty crazy,91Ƶ Kozak said of winning his first PGA of BC title. 91ƵI didn91Ƶt really think that this was an option coming into the week. I haven91Ƶt golfed a ton (this year) so I91Ƶm just as surprised as anyone else is. It91Ƶs awesome and it91Ƶs a great feeling.91Ƶ

Tuesday91Ƶs final round was wide open for much of the day, with 10 players within two shots of the lead at one point early on the back nine. Starting on Kamloops Golf and Country Club91Ƶs 10th hole both days, Kozak had played his first 28 holes of the 36-hole championship without a bogey before suffering setbacks at his 11th and 13th holes Tuesday. He bounced back in a big way with birdies at the 14th and 15th before adding another on the par-5 18th.

91ƵI knew there was going to be a point where there might be a little bit of adversity,91Ƶ said Kozak. 91ƵAt that point, you91Ƶve just gotta keep on doing what you91Ƶve been doing and get after it as best you can. I was really happy with the way I responded after a couple of bogeys on the back nine and closed out really, really well.91Ƶ

Tuesday91Ƶs final round was only Kozak91Ƶs eighth time playing golf in any setting in 2021, as the 28-year-old91Ƶs schedule is mostly consumed with teaching juniors at The Okanagan Golf Club 91Ƶ efforts that earned him the PGA of BC91Ƶs Jack McLaughlin Junior Golf Leader of the Year Award in 2019.

91ƵI91Ƶd been playing well in the rounds that I had played, which was nice,91Ƶ said Kozak, whose previous best finish in a PGA of BC event was a tie for third in the 2018 Assistants91Ƶ Championship at Bear Mountain Golf Resort. 91ƵMy goal was just to give myself as many opportunities as I could and keep it really simple, which I think I did a good job of.91Ƶ

Kozak91Ƶs longtime friend, former Vernon junior playing mate and competitor Brady Stead, a pro at Abbotsford91Ƶs Ledgeview Golf Club, finished in a tie for seventh at 5-under following rounds of 68 and 71. Stead earned $575. Among those in at 5-under was Ethan Danish of Gallagher91Ƶs Canyon in Kelowna.

Cody Bell from Kelowna91Ƶs Sunset Ranch was in a four-way tie for 11th place at 4-under 140, good for a $390 cheque. Lionel Taylor of Chase91Ƶs Talking Rock Golf Course won $295 for finishing in a tie for 16th place at 1-under (73-70). Finlay Young and Ryan Sturgis, both of GolfTEC Kelowna, tied for 23rd at 2-over-par. Each earned a $215 payday.

Austin Bosquet of Vernon91Ƶs Hillview Golf Course won $180 for ending up in a tie for 27th with a 3-over total of 147 (74-73).

Clay Stothers of the Okanagan Golf Club was out of the money at 6-over 150 (74-76). Clubmate Steven Coulthard finished at 8-over 152. Jake Pilon of Gallagher91Ƶs Canyon shot rounds of 74-82 and Matt Hardman of Sunset Ranch came in at 13-over (78-79). Brody St-Martin of Shuswap National had rounds of 85-83 and Jeff Liddle from Talking Rock fired rounds of 87-83.

Kelowna91Ƶs Rob Anderson, head pro at the Kelowna Golf and Country Club, won the PGA of BC Seniors91Ƶ Championship, making four birdies over his last six holes to secure a five-stroke victory over Peter Kenneford of Creston. Playing the event for PGA of BC Professionals aged 50 and older for the first time, Anderson took home $1,400 and will have his name etched on the Ben Colk Trophy.

91ƵIt feels very good to finally post a good round. I haven91Ƶt played a lot of great golf so far this year, so it was nerve-wracking and fun to be out here,91Ƶ said Anderson.

Keith Vandenbrink of the Vernon Golf and Country Club finished tied for eighth at 3-over par (75-72). Vandenbrink pocketed $232.50.

Shuswap Lake Golf Course at Blind Bay pro Brian O91ƵKeefe finished out of the cash in 21st place at 13-over (78-79).

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