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    NNSL Photo/Graphic

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    Rain doesn't discourage tournament golfers

    Roxanna Thompson
    Northern News Services
    Published Thursday, August 28, 2008

    LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - The fairways of the Seven Spruce Golf Course were dotted with umbrellas and raincoats on Sunday as golfers battled a steady rain during the second day of the Canadian Zinc Open Golf Tournament.

    Skies that were overcast on Aug. 23 during the first day of the tournament opened up and poured down 10.4 mm of rain according to Environment Canada. In the almost constant rain golfers' fingers wrinkled as they battled with wet grips.

    NNSL Photo/Graphic

    A steady rain on Sunday wasn't enough to dampen the spirits of golfers such as Louisa Moreau, left, and Keyna Norwegian. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

    The rain also made it difficult to putt on the sand greens, said Ted Grant, a member of the winning team.

    The wet sand gripped balls and the greens couldn't be matted which left them rough and uneven, said Grant.

    Every team, however, was at the same disadvantage, he said.

    Grant, along with Darrell Littlechild, Steve Malesku and John Kearney, chairman of Canadian Zinc, shot a 67 on both days. The combined score of 134, however, wasn't enough to secure the win.

    The team of Kele Antoine, William Michaud, Thomas Wilson and Sachey Antoine also finished with 134. A chip-off was used to settle the tie.

    A crowd of golfers gathered along the edge of the green on Hole 9 to watch Kele Antoine and Darrell Littlechild chip from 75 yards. By landing a chip six inches closer to the hole Littlechild secured the win for his team.

    Apart from the chip, the win was a team effort, said Grant.

    "We were always putting for birdies and somebody always saved us," he said.

    Thomas Wilson also attributed his team's score to an all-around effort. The tie, however, almost didn't happen.

    On their final hole, Hole 2, Kele Antoine drove it to the green. Three team members failed to make the putt and it was down to the last golfer, William Michaud, who finally managed to sink the six foot, eight inch putt to tie the score.

    Third place in the tournament went to the team of Owen Rowe, Danny Ragan, Scott McIntosh and Arnold Hope who were close contenders with 135.

    A total of 66 golfers on 16 teams participated in the 36-hole best-ball format tournament sponsored by Canadian Zinc.

    John Kearney said the company was delighted to run the tournament for the fourth time.

    "This has got to be the best golf tournament I go to," he said.

    Kearney said the golfers from Canadian Zinc always feel welcome and enjoy the laid back attitude during the event.

    During the tournament, awards for longest drive went to Eric Menicoche and Owen Rowe for the men, Laurie Ozmond and Dawn Moses for the ladies and Steven Thompson and Rylan Hardisty for the juniors.

    John Moreau and Arnold Hope, Leah Keats and Laurie Ozmond and Gordon Thompson and Rory Exshaw won the closest to the pin competition in their respective divisions.