LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
The Canadian Zinc Open brought 60 golfers from across the Deh Cho to Seven Spruce golf course in Fort Simpson for its annual two-day tournament on Aug. 15 and 16.

Sixty golfers came out on Aug. 15 and 16 to compete in the 11th annual Canadian Zinc Open at the Seven Spruce golf course. - April Hudson/NNSL photo

The tournament marked its 11th year with 15 teams in a small-but-successful competition.

Canadian Zinc brought four of its members out from other provinces. Chief operating officer Alan Taylor said the company has in the past been known to bring double that number or more.

"We cut back a bit this year because of the economic downturn," he said.

"It's important to have this community connection ... (We're) looking forward to number 12."

Golfers played their way around the course a total of four times, hitting 18 holes on Aug. 15 and 18 more on Aug. 16.

First place ended in a tie between Kele Antoine, Arnold Hope, David Shaw and Roger Candow's team and Jake Waugh, Neal Phillips, Dakota Burrill and Ron Blauel.

Both teams scored 135 points over the course of the tournament, nine points under par.

The eight players chipped off at hole nine on Aug. 16 to determine the winner.

During the chip-off, each team member took a turn to drive the ball while the other seven players had their backs turned.

None of the balls hit the green, but were measured from the hole and Waugh's team came out on top.

Burrill said the team would have gotten a clean win if it had not been for one round on hole two, where the ball bounced over the cup.

"It should have gone in, but it didn't," Burrill said.

Kele Antoine said his team scored 11 birdies and two bogeys in total, allowing them to tie for first.

Hole seven, which has a par of three, scored two birdies for the team over the course of the tournament.

"On one round, I chipped in from off the green for a birdie on that hole. Right after, on hole eight, (David Shaw) chipped in another birdie from the green," Antoine said.

Antoine was also happy about the weather, although he noted it got almost too hot at times over the weekend.

"The Canadian Zinc tournament is usually hit or miss, and sometimes is known as being Fort Simpson's rainy tournament," he said. "It was beautiful this year."

A draw for prizes was held at the end of the tournament, and individual prizes were given out as well.

Scott McIntosh won men's longest drive on Aug. 15, while Dakota Burrill took the prize for the second day. For youth, Aaden White took both days.

White got the first closest-to-the-pin prize for youth and Brittany Kendo took the second day. For men's, Rylan Hardisty won Saturday and Ted Grant won Sunday.

Men's longest putt went to Dave Nickerson on Saturday with a 35-foot put. Bert Tsetso took the prize for Sunday with a 25-foot putt. Women's longest putt went to Sheila Pollard with a more than 17-foot putt.

Women's longest drive went to Tiiu Cli for Saturday and Ramona Hardisty-Gillis on Sunday, with Kendo taking the junior prize.

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