By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf
KELOWNA -- William Bishop summed up his win at the B.C. Junior Boys Championship this way: “This is big,” he said. “This is really big.”
Bishop, a 16-year-old from Victoria, rebounded from a slow start and shot an even-par round of 72 to win the championship at the Okanagan Golf Club’s Bear Course. “I am really happy right now,” Bishop said. “The way I played today was great. I left a couple of strokes out there, but I think everyone did. I have no regrets with the way I played today. I pulled if off and got the win.”
Bishop, who plays out of Victoria Golf Club, finished the 54-hole event at three-under par. That was one shot better than Russell Howlett of Delta and James Swan of Esquimalt.
The final round did not begin the way Bishop had hoped. He bogeyed two of his opening three holes to fall back to one-under for the tournament. But just like he had done in Wednesday’s second round, Bishop showed plenty of resilience and bounced back nicely.
“I pulled it back with birdies on six and nine and then I made a double (on No. 14) and I made a birdie right after that to go back to even and then just parred in,” Bishop said. “This is really big and I am super excited. I don’t really know what to say other than that.”
Bishop is about to enter Grade 11 at Claremont High School in Victoria. He said he came to the tournament feeling he had a chance to finish well. “I came here thinking I was going to do well. I knew what I had to do and I executed it perfectly.”
He credited his coach, Cordova Bay pro Nate Ollis, with preparing him to get the most out of his game at Okanagan Golf Club. “We went over my game plan and what the tournament was going to be all about and he went over the course with me,” Bishop said. “I wouldn’t be here without my coach Nate.”
Bishop was also prepared for the elements. It was extremely hot for all three rounds, with temperatures approaching 40 degrees. “I just made sure I packed a bunch of water and Gatorades, beef jerky and whole bunch of stuff,” he said. “It kept me going.”
Bishop will now set his sights on a possible second provincial championship next month. He will be competing in the B.C. Juvenile Championship, scheduled for Aug. 11-13 at Cowichan Golf Club.
