LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Conditions were more like those of an oven than a golf course as 60 golfers competed in Fort Simpson over the weekend.

Nathan McPherson chips onto the green on hole nine during the second day of the Seven Spruce Golf Course Scramble Tournament. Temperatures in the afternoon hit 36.6 degrees Celsius, making for a very hot day. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Temperatures hit 36.6 degrees Celsius on Sunday afternoon as the Seven Spruce Golf Course Scramble Tournament drew to a close. The event, sponsored by Kingland Ford, was the club's first two-day tournament of the summer.

"It was extremely hot," said TJ Bradbury, whose team golfed in the morning on both days to avoid the worst of the heat.

Despite the high temperatures, Bradbury remained cool under pressure when it counted. At the end of the tournament three teams were tied for second place at 135. Bradbury represented his team, which also included his dad Troy, Byron Blyth and Trevor Kjeldsli, in a chip-off against Darrell Littlechild who stood up for his teammates Mark Gillis, Ramona Hardisty-Gillis and Travis Hanna. No players were available for the chip-off from the team of Ted Grant, Ryan Petrie, Dean Austin, Aaron Gage-Cole and Neil Mitchell.

Bradbury's chip elicited cheers from the crowd as his ball rolled and then bounced right over the cup on hole nine, winning his team second place. The team got 68 on Saturday, four under par, and followed it up with 67 on Sunday, five under par.

The team's game was much better on the final nine on Sunday, Bradbury said. The team got five birdies on those holes. During the weekend, the team got multiple birdies on holes eight, nine and four.

First place in the tournament at 131 went to the team of Owen Rowe, Arnold Hope, Kele Antoine and William Michaud.

"Everybody contributed. Everybody," said Hope, describing the win.

All of the team members are familiar with each others' golf games so they are able to help one another with their shots, he said. Hope described himself as a good chipper, Michaud as a good long putter and Antoine as good driver.

"Kele (Antoine) was really on fire today. He didn't miss many strokes," Hope said.

Antoine was responsible for the team's only eagle that happened on Sunday on hole six during the team's first round. After the drive, Antoine made the second shot – a chip from approximately 64 metres away, which went in.

"We were just dancing," said Hope about the team's reaction.

In addition to the eagle, the team also got seven birdies, nine pars and one boggie on Sunday. Saturday's game was more level with six birdies and 12 pars.

Despite playing in the afternoon both days, Hope didn't seem bothered by the heat. "Perfect weather," was his comment.

The tournament also included a variety of individual prizes including closest to the pin that went to Sheila Pollard and Val Gendron for the women, Madison Pilling for both days for the juniors and Littlechild and Rick Rowe for the men.

The winners of the longest drive were Tiiu Cli and Robert Harold for the women and juniors respectively on both days and Kenny Harrison and Michaud for the men. In the longest putt competition, it was Gendron and Ceci Keats for the women, Pilling and Harold for the juniors and Gordon Thompson and Roger Pilling for the men.

The next golf tournament in Fort Simpson will the Nahendeh Classic on Aug. 4.