Wolfkamp, O’Grady, Parsons, Pinkerton win SMGCC Club Championship
By Spencer Seymour
One of the youngest competitors in the St. Marys Golf and Country Club’s (SMGCC) annual Club Championship, Nathan Wolfkamp, emerged as the men’s Club Champion in the two-day tournament Aug. 15-16.
Wolfkamp, scoring 70 on day one followed by a 79 on day two for a total score of 149, said the win was a massively meaningful accolade.
“The win means the world to me,” Wolfkamp told the Independent. “Competing against all these talented golfers was incredible. There was lots to learn from them, so being able to walk away with the win is something I’m very proud of.”
According to Wolfkamp, he was able to make some timely shots that allowed his round to say solid throughout.
“I wouldn’t say any single part of my game completely clicked,” Wolfkamp said. “I didn’t have my best stuff out there, but I was able to grind and stay focused. When it mattered most, I executed, whether that meant sinking a crucial putt or finding a key fairway in regulation.
“There wasn’t one single shot that defined the weekend. What made it memorable was the environment. The people at St. Marys are incredible, especially my playing partners on both days. I also want to extend a huge shoutout to St. Marys for hosting such an amazing event. The course was in pristine condition and served as a great final test before I kick off the varsity golf season at Laurier.”
The win was Wolfkamp’s second club championship after winning in 2024 as a 15-year-old.
On the ladies’ side, Sue O’Grady was the Club Champion, with a two-day total of 180. O’Grady mentioned a sentimental note that may have also provided a bit of divine intervention from her mother, Jacqui Davis, on the greens.
“I would say my driving was pretty consistent over the weekend, but that is probably the overall strength of my game,” said O’Grady. “I am generally pretty confident in my driving. My putting, on the other hand, is usually my weakest link, but I would have to say it was generally much better than usual during the tournament. I was using my late mother’s putter, and she just seemed to be with me the whole weekend. She herself was an exceptional golfer, and she was a member of the SMGCC for 70 years, in which time she won several club championships.”
O’Grady recalled an incredible chip-and-putt combo on Hole 15 during the second day of the tournament.
“My most memorable hole would have to be the par-five Hole 15 on the second day,” O’Grady said. “My second shot rolled into the right-side bunker, just shy of the green. Unbeknownst to me, it had actually landed on a large rock that was lightly covered by sand. So, when I tried to blast it out of the sand, my club actually broke the rock underneath, but somehow, my shot landed on the green about 30 feet from the pin. I then amazingly sunk the putt to give me a birdie. There was definitely a lot of luck on that hole.”
The tournament offered tough rounds for everyone with tricky pins, especially on the second day. Only five players shot under 80 from the blue tees on Sunday, and just four from the whites.
Kolton McAllister was declared the men’s A flight winner with a two-day total score of 155. Jonathan Allum was the winner in the men’s B flight, scoring 159. In the men’s C flight, Tyler Quinn’s two-day total of 162 earned him the top spot. The men’s low net winner was Kevin McCotter with a net score of 143.
The ladies’ A flight was won by Cheryl McVittie, who shot identical 95 scores both days for a 190 total. Tara Firby won the ladies’ B flight with a score of 203. Janis Kapp was the ladies’ low net winner with a net of 138.
Rich Parsons earned his 19th consecutive senior club championship with a two-day total of 151, including 72 on the first day followed by a 79 on day two.
Mike McMullan totalled 155 to win the senior A flight, while Tom Charette took the senior B flight with 165 based on retrogression, and Peter Trumper shot 182 to take the senior C flight. Jeff Craigmile was the senior low net winner with a net of 146.
Fred Pinkerton shot 181 to take the super senior club championship, with Bill Lowe’s score of 189 good for the runner-up spot.
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