Junior Linksters, Optimists & Harry White

For over four decades Harry White and other ardent members of Optimist International clubs in BC have helped to introduce young boys and girls to a game and a lifestyle that has shaped many a career.

At the urging of BC Golf News Harry White, a Natural Golf instructor at Richmond, BC's Savage Creek Golf Centre, has agreed to take a moment to reflect on this season in junior golf.

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     BCGA Junior Boys and Girls championships saw a great number of Optimist/Junior Linkster alumni take part and excel at every age level - including the winners of the Boys - Riley Wheeldon and the Girls - Aram Choi.  Ditto for the BCGA Men's and Ladies Championships, David Brown and Christina Spence Proteau

On the Junior World scene - Callaway Junior World and Optimist International Junior Golf Championships (still on this week and next - www.optimist.org) saw some terrific and exciting performances by our Optimist/Junior Linkster alumni.  With the junior girls, Christine Wong at the Junior World finished a very strong 5th in the top age category 15-17.  Young 8-year-old Tiffany Wong also shone with an equally solid 3rd place finish in the Age 7-8 division and rising star Lily He was 11th in the Age 9-10 girls division.

Boys at the Junior World in San Diego also fared very well, with Richard Jung in 6th, Bryan Lichimo, 12th, and Adam Svensson in 15th place. The best showing was by 12-year-old Curtis Chan of Marine Drive who fired at 66 on the final day, setting a course record and finishing 3rd.  In the Age 6 & Under division, Markus Yiu of Vancouver was 12th and Jeevan Sihota of Victoria was 28th.  Age 9-10 division saw Harry Huang place 9th, while in the Age 11-12 division, Surrey's Sy Lovan finished 33rd.  There were a number of other players who took part and greatly benefitted by the experience of being with 1,000 of the world's best.  The opening parade of flags is a wonderful showing of how golf has spread to every part of the globe.

This week, 10 year old Henry Lee of Coquitlam is doing great in Florida at the Optimist International Junior Championships.  I won't be able to report on this as I'm at the Junior America's Cup, leaving today at 7 a.m.

Our Junior America's Cup Team for B.C. is : Charlie Hughes and Justin Shin from Maple Ridge, Bryan Lichimo from North Vancouver and Adam Svensson from Surrey.  The format for the 37th edition of these prestigious matches is to count the best 3 scores of the 4 players, each day for 3 days and determine the Gold, Silver and Bronze medal winners.  We have a very strong squad and they are confident that they will bring home the GOLD. 

Our next "Junior Major " is the 42nd Little Masters Golf Tournament - August 10-13, starting with 120 boys and girls Age 5-15, starting on Day one at Musqueam Golf & Learning Academy - 7:30 a.m.; then Day Two at the Langley GC, 9:30 start and Day Three at Sunshinw Woods GC at Noon.  The final round, for the top 40 and ties is at the unique and sporty "KINGS LINKS BY THE SEA"  Our sincere thanks to all these host courses for donating their facilities to make this championship a memorable and affordable experience.

Forever an Optimist, Harry White

Photo: BCGN. Harry White and Eugene Wong, 2009 RCGA National Team member, 2008 World Calaway Junior Champion, BC Amateur & BC Junior Champion, a Junior Linkster and LIttle Masters alumni, now on a golf scholarship at University of Oregon.