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DEH GAH GOT'IE KOE/FORT PROVIDENCE
A two-day tournament broke attendance records at the Seven Spruce Golf Course.

John Kearney, president of Canadian Zinc Corporation, third from left, and Shane Thompson, president of the Seven Spruce Golf Course, right, congratulate the second place team at the Canadian Zinc Open including, from left, Alan Taylor, Kevin Menicoche, John Moreau and Darrell Littlechild. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Eighty-two golfers on 21 teams participated in the Canadian Zinc Open, making it the largest golf tournament to date in Fort Simpson, according to Shane Thompson, the club's president.

He thanked the Canadian Zinc Corporation for making the tournament, which is now in its eighth year, better with each passing golf season.

"You guys have made it huge," he said during the closing ceremony for the tournament on Aug. 12.

Thompson also thanked golfers from other communities including Hay River, Fort Liard and Yellowknife for participating. Out of town golfers help make the tournament bigger and raises the morale of the club, he said. Canadian Zinc also brought 13 of its staff members to the event.

A Hay River team secured first place in the tournament. Mike King, Greg Rowe, Curtis Rowe and Kevin Campbell finished with 127, 17 under par after 36 holes of golf. Close behind, with 129, was the Fort Simpson team of Kevin Menicoche, John Moreau, Darrell Littlechild and Alan Taylor, with Canadian Zinc.

The team finished its first 18 holes six under par on Aug. 11 and concluded with nine under par the next day. The team's drives and iron shots were all straight forward, said Menicoche.

"We had lots of lucky putting," he said.

Two eagles helped the team earn its low score. On Saturday on hole four Moreau's drive helped Littlechild land on the front green with the second shot.

An approximately 15-foot putt by Littlechild secured the eagle. The second eagle came on hole three on Sunday. Moreau's drive set Menicoche up with a three-wood pitch to the green. An approximately 20-foot putt by Menicoche cinched the deal.

"The whole team just cheered," he said.

An eagle also featured on the score card of the third place team. Travis Hanna, Rylan Hardisty-Gillis, Shawn Gillis and Darren Hardisty finished with 132.

The tournament started well for the team on Saturday with a birdie on hole four, the team's first hole.

On hole five, Hardisty-Gillis drove the ball into the rough in front of the green. Gillis sunk his chip to give the team an eagle and place them five under at the start of the day.

Things just kept going well from there, said Hardisty. The team was nine under on their first day and three under on Sunday.

Hardisty-Gillis, who has a long drive and an additional advantage because he can play from the juniors' tees, really contributed to the team's score, said Hardisty.

With his drives the team was only 40 to 50 yards from the green on every hole.

Hardisty said he enjoyed the tournament and it was nice to see people from out of town participate.

"It was a great turnout," he said.

John Kearney, the president of the Canadian Zinc Corporation, said he is happy to see the tournament grow.

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