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Quesnel and Mackenzie golfers pair up to win low-net trophy

50th Anniversary of Barb Smith/Marj Jefferson Memorial Tournament went off without a hitch.
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Prince George’s Peggy Brown chips her ball onto the green during the Barb Smith/Marj Jefferson Memorial Tournament Aug. 18-19. Melanie Law photo

Merridith Walton of Quesnel and Cindy Hammond of Mackenzie teamed up to win the low-net trophy in the Barb Smith/Marj Jefferson Memorial Tournament at the Quesnel Golf Course Aug. 19-20.

The pair pulled off a score of 126 during the two-ball best ball tournament.

The low-gross champion title went to Kelly Flaherty and Barb Vincent of Williams Lake, with their score of 156.

This year marked the 50th anniversary of the Barb Smith/Marj Jefferson Memorial Tournament, and long-time golfer Nita Lane was the guest of honour. She played in 44 straight tournaments and won the top low-gross prize 16 times.

Lane opened up the tournament, taking the first swing on Saturday morning.

The tournament was founded by Quesnel golfers Barb Smith and Marj Jefferson: they were on their way home from the first Ladies Simon Fraser Tournament in Prince George in 1968 when they discussed hosting a similar tournament in Quesnel. The following day, Smith suffered a heart attack and passed away.

Jefferson organized the low-net tournament in her friend’s honour and later added the low-gross shield in her own name. Jefferson passed away in 1993.

The Quesnel Golf Club hosts the tournament each year for women from all over the region.

Despite the smoke and some rain on Sunday morning, organizer and low-net champ Walton said the weekend had gone wonderfully.

“It was great and we lucked out with the weather, it co-operated all day.”

She said she and her team had raised a lot of money for their chosen charities (junior golf, Jumpstart, Quesnel & District Hospice Palliative Care Association and Cariboo KidSport) with raffles, a silent auction and a “break the glass” game on Friday.

They also hosted a hole-in-one competition with a top prize of $10,000, which no one won this year.

Quesnel golfers Bonnie Watson and Charmaine Bird said the tournament had been great.

“It was awesome, we had a great time. Today was a dampener, starting out in the rain, but it turned out beautiful,” said Watson.

Peggy Brown of Prince George agreed.

“We had a ball. Not just the golf, but the fun with the other golfers!”

Low-net results

First: Merridith Walton and Cindy Hammond (Quesnel/Mackenzie), 126

Second: Shirley Halliday and Wanda Grinder (Prince George), 126

Third: Mary Braithwaite and Cheryle Poulin (Quesnel/Mackenzie), 127

Fourth: Yvette Vandeweghe and Diane Rogers (Quesnel), 129

Fifth: Colleen Johnson and Krista Bourassa (Prince George), 129

Sixth: Tammy Guldbransen and Sharon Pawluk (Quesnel), 131

Seventh: Sharon Cleveland and Sharron Bartman (Williams Lake), 132

Eighth: Marj Watt and Lorraine Dorosh (Quesnel/Prince George), 133

Ninth: Linda Heaslip and Marissa Kelly (Prince George), 134

10th: Rickey Deis and Tiffany Campbell (Quesnel), 136

Low-gross results

First: Kelly Flaherty and Barb Vincent (Williams Lake), 156

Second: Kit Collins and Vi Brears (Quesnel), 165

Third: Anita Pendergast and Marcia Martinson (Prince George), 168

Fourth: Linda Hames and Karen Festerling (Quesnel), 172

Fifth: Trina Halfnights and Karin Brink (Williams Lake), 175

Sixth: Gina Alexander and Tammi Caferra (Williams Lake), 175

Seventh: Heather Marchildon and Glenda Graham (Quesnel), 176

Eighth: Kim Chadwick and Janis Chappell (Prince George), 177

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Williams Lake’s Tammi Caferra putts her last hole during Quesnel’s Barb Smith/Marj Jefferson Memorial Tournament on Aug. 18-19, as her golf partner Gina Alexander looks on. Melanie Law photo