Valk goes two-under to open Alberta Men’s Amateurs tied for sixth

“I was a little shaky off the beginning,” said Valk. “Once I settled in, I made some good swings, made a couple of putts, trucked along, didn’t do anything special, didn’t do anything stupid and made it through alright.”

Valk leads the local contingent of 10 golfers after his opening round, which featured a birdie and an eagle to start the back nine.

Playing the Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club course more times than he can count, Valk said that’s expected with most of his best results there coming later in the day.

“Made an eagle on 11 today that kind of kick-started me a little bit, I hit a good putt on 12 that didn’t go in,” he said. “The back nine in the past I’ve played well on, so I definitely took advantage of where I could.”

Valk was paired with fellow Desert Blume Golf Course member Lanny Seefried, who is for 30^th place after firing a 74 in his first round.

Watching his counterpart rack up a top-10 first round score at the provincial level, Seefried said he wasn’t surprised.

“One of these days he’s going to go low, he’s comfortable out here,” said Seefried. “With the weather coming in just perfect he’s primed, he’s ready.”

Innisfail’s Chandler McDowell is the outright leader after Tuesday thanks to a trio of birdies on the back nine, leading Lacombe’s Brady McKinlay by a single stroke at five-under par.

Despite a double-bogey on his final hole, junior star Ryan Hodgins remains in the mix with a one-over, 72 and is in a tie for 15^th place as of Tuesday evening.

“I hit the ball good, I only missed I think three fairways all day,” said Hodgins. “The ball-striking I was happy with. I didn’t make a lot of putts, but not a whole lot of mistakes either.”

Medicine Hat’s Ryan Hodgins shot a one-over, 72 during Tuesday’s opening round of the 2020 Alberta Men’s Amateur Championship (Photo courtesy of Scott Roblin)

A third local is slotted in the top-25 golfers after the first round, with MHGCC member Mitchell Kurtz recovering from a rough front nine to sit tied for 23^rd at two-over par.

That’s followed by a logjam of locals tied at three-over with Seefried, Nolan Burzminski, and Matt Taylor all locked up in 30^th place.

Desert Blume golfer Jordon Forsythe is in a tie for 49^th place at four-over, while he’s followed by Sam Bratvold at five-over and MHGCC qualifier winner Will Wood at seven-over.

It was not the opening round that Redcliff’s Ryan Werre was expecting either, as he bogeyed four of his final six holes to shoot a five-over, 76.

With this year’s tournament being cut back to just three rounds due to the pandemic, Werre said he’s got his work cut out for himself on Wednesday’s moving day.

“If it was four rounds and I shoot like I did today, at least there’s a couple of more to make it up,” said Werre. “So, pretty disappointed with today just for that fact because there’s really only one moving day ahead of us. I’m going to have to shoot a low one tomorrow to even be in the conversation.”

Medicine Hat’s Derek Whitson was supposed to have played in a grouping with Werre and Seefried, however he had to withdraw from the tournament.

The chance to play at home is something the 10 local golfers have been relishing including Taylor, who is enjoying the comforts of competing at his home course.

“A tournament at home is a little different, a little special,” said Taylor. “It’s nice not having to get a hotel or anything like that, just be able to go home. For me it’s going to be bed here and going to watch some Netflix, that’s always a positive.”

Tuesday’s opening round also introduced a number of COVID-19 related changes to play such as no spectators walking the course, staggered tee times, and no handshakes.

Hodgins admitted it was weird not seeing as many people out on the course as he’s used to, but added it doesn’t impact his game in any meaningful way.

“I kind of like spectators,” he said. “It adds a little bit of pressure and atmosphere, but it doesn’t change how I want to play.”

Golfers will be getting up bright and early on Wednesday morning for second round play at the Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club with tee times on moving day beginning at 7:00 am.

Valk will be in one of the later groups of the day teeing off at 11:39 am and is focused on taking his time on the front nine.

“I don’t feel like I need to do anything crazy,” said Valk. “I’m going to take it hole by hole, shot by shot, hit one shot at a time and try to not think about where I am.”

*All results filed by Alberta Golf as of Tuesday at 6:15 pm.

by Scott Roblin

Valk goes two-under to open Alberta Men’s Amateurs tied for sixth

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