Thomas defeats veteran Mckinlay Jr. with a birdie on the fourth playoff hole
Mckinlay Jr. claims the Alberta Mid Master Championship
Pictured Neil Thomas
GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alta. (Alberta Golf) - It took four holes of sudden death action to name the 2017 Alberta Mid Amateur Champion. When a 15-foot birdie putt by Neil Thomas of the Edmonton Country Club went down, it put the pressure squarely on Tom Mckinlay Jr. of Lacombe. When Mckinlay Jr.'s shorter birdie effort slid by the cup, it was all over. Both men started the day in a tie for seventh place, three shots off the lead.
"I made a couple birdies on the back side. There was a point there on 14 where I made a nice birdie and figured I had it going from there. After 14, I knew I was fighting for the lead, and if I could make another birder coming in, or a few pars, then I thought I could have a good chance at the title," says Thomas.
30-year-old Thomas is no stranger to high level amateur golf. He is a former Willingdon Cup and Pacific Coast Amateur team member. Thomas went to Clayton State University just outside of Atlanta, Georgia on a golf scholarship and now works full-time at the Canadian Western Bank in Edmonton. Finishing the event at seven-over-par with a three day total of 223, this is his first provincial championship title.
There was a bit of heartbreak for past champion Brian Laubman. The 2005 champion was hoping to rekindle some of that magic but a double-bogey on the par-5 sixteenth hole and a disappointing bogey on the last left him one shot shy of joining the playoff.
Mckinlay Jr. claimed the Alberta Mid Master Championship for competitors 40 years of age and older. Twenty players in total earned their spot in the Canadian Men's Mid-Amateur Championship being held at Wascana Country Club in Regina, SK, August 22-25th.
Alberta Golf hosts 13 annual provincial championships in order to identify the best golfers in various age and gender catergories. A mix of nearly 1,500 pro and amateur golfers compete on high quality member facility courses across the province. Championships are hosted by a core team of staff and over 100 volunteers. The tournaments promote competition, build pride in the community, support charitable giving and inspire future generations of golfers. They also serve as an opportunity for golfers to qualify for national amateur championships.
The Alberta Golf Association was incorporated as a society in 1912 and continues today as a not for profit Provincial Sport Organization (PSO) operating as Alberta Golf. As the PSO, we are commited to realizing the positive impacts of golf on individuals and communities across Alberta. Our vision is that through golf, Albertans will enjoy a high quality of life, improved health and wellness, a strong sense of community, economic benefits and personal fulfillment.
