Keith Martin fired his second straight three-under-par round of 69, Tuesday at Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community, to earn a come-from-behind victory at the PGA of BC Championship.
The first-year PGA of BC pro from Kelowna overtook first-round leader Brad Clapp (Cultus Lake Golf Club) on the back nine of Tuesday’s final round, finishing at six-under for the 36-hole championship.
Clapp’s final round of 74 left him at four-under for the event, good for a runner-up finish at the same venue where he captured his 2012 PGA of BC Championship title. The trio of 2018 winner Kevin Stinson (Cheam Mountain Golf Course), Matthew Steinbach (Simon Fraser University) and Steven MacPherson (Storey Creek Golf Club) finished in a tie for third at two-under.
Crown Isle pro Brian Wise was the top local, finishing in a three-way tie for ninth at one-over-par. His opening round of 71 held the clubhouse lead for much of the day Monday. On Tuesday, he shot 74.
“I was personally ecstatic,” Wise said. “Me keeping up with some of these guys is always a pleasure on my end…It’s my first-ever last group. So it’s the first time I’ve ever been in the final pairing, and it’s the first time I’ve ever played at a course that I worked at. It was a bit nerve-wracking the second day.”
Though spectators weren’t allowed on the course, Wise was welcomed by a cheering section near the end of his round Tuesday.
“There was a group of people on the 17th hole. They were sitting outside their doors. It was good support.”
Wise was part of a Glacier Greens team with three junior players that won the Pro-Junior Championship last year, but the top-10 finish is his best result in a PGA of BC stroke-play event.
“My second day is not always as good as my first. It’s the first time I’ve finished top 10. It was one of my best finishes. I don’t play golf enough,” he said with a laugh. “This gives me more credit now that I can say it wasn’t just the kids that played good.”
Glacier Greens head pro Jesse Moussa finished the tournament with a two-day total of five-over-par.
Former Glacier Greens pro Paul Dashkewytch, who had played himself into the second-last group after an opening 71, injured his achilles on the front nine Tuesday, but he still finished in the money at nine-over-par.
Crown Isle pros Mark Valliere and Rod Prieto finished at +16 and +24, respectively.
Comox Valley native Kevin Maxwell of the Olympic View Golf Club in Victoria finished at +28.