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LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - It was just Arnold Hope's day.

Things couldn't have gotten much better for Hope who finished the First Air Tournament at the Seven Spruce Golf Course on Sept. 6 with a double win.

The first victory came on the fairway.

Hope and his teammate Kele Antoine had three holes left to go in the 18-hole, two-person scramble tournament.

At the end of the day the winning golfers at the First Air Tournament were all smiles including Arnold Hope, left, and Kele Antoine, right, who won the men's division and Roxanna Thompson and Pat Rowe who took second in the mixed division. - photo courtesy of Laurie Ozmond

They were four over par for that point in the course when Hope started his winning streak by chipping a 140 yard shot to get an eagle on Hole 9.

"It was a TSN turning point," said Antoine.

Hope went on to make a chip just off the green on Hole 1 for par.

On their final hole Hope got the ball onto the green and putted it in for a birdie giving the team a 73 point finish, low enough to secure them first place in the men's division.

"I was zoned in," said Hope.

The competition in the division was close with the team of Shane Thompson and Paul Simon coming in second with 74 and Jake Waugh and Darrell Littlechild finishing in third with 76.

Hope's winning streak, however, wasn't over yet.

His name was the last out of the 53 participants in the tournament to be picked out of the elimination draw, winning him the grand prize - a round trip for two to Edmonton courtesy of First Air.

Matt Ferguson won the consolation prize, a round trip for two to Whitehorse.

There was also stiff competition in the mixed division during the tournament.

When the numbers were tallied, the team of Keyna Norwegian and Gabe Buggins and Pat Rowe and Roxanna Thompson were tied for first place at 76. The tie led to a chip-off.

Golfers lined the edge of the green on Hole 9 to watch the two teams chip from 100 yards to the pin.

First place went to Buggins and Norwegian after Buggins chipped his ball onto the green four feet from the pin and Norwegian landed just off the green.

John and Louisa Moreau took third place in the mixed division at 80.

This was the second tournament of the year in which Norwegian placed first after winning a chip-off against Pat Rowe.

Norwegian said she doesn't feel nervous or pressured during the chip-offs because she views them as fun.

During the tournament, prizes for the longest drive went to Tim McClelland for the men, Keyna Norwegian for the women and Steven Thompson for the juniors.

Scott McIntosh, Sheila Pollard and Rylan Hardisty won the closest to the pin competition.

Overall the tournament was a success, said Robert Byatt, one of the organizers.

With 53 participants on 26 teams the turnout was one of the largest for the First Air Tournament, he said.

Golfers who came out had perfect fall weather and finished the day with a meal catered by the Thomas Simpson school and the Peru and Nahanni River student trips.

This was the 12th year First Air has sponsored the tournament in Fort Simpson.

"We really appreciated the continuing support of First Air," said Byatt.