'Little Masters' Crown Champions at Kings Links

By HARRY WHITE

Here are the results following four days of exciting golf in this year's Little Masters.

Boys Age 6 & Under  - - Par 72, 2500 yards

Fast Improving Markus YIU of Vancouver, is playing his best golf at the best time to win his first major title at the 2009 Little Masters.  Newcomer to the Junior Linkster Tour for 2009 is five year old Jeevan SIHOTO who also played all year and is a worthy winner of the silver medal for second.  Keen junior golfers from the Fraser Valley are on the rise, with Brayden LATRAY showing his skill with an eagle 3 on the par 5 second hole at the Kings Links GC.

1.  Markus     YIU    (Van)        280
2.  Jeevan     SIHOTA    (Vic)    296
3.  Brayden    LATRAY    (Abb)    252


Boys Age 7-8 "Pee Wees"  - - Par 72, 3800 yards
   
Illirian ZALLI of Vancouver takes the title after a slow start for him on the first round.  Ilirian came roaring back to post great scores every day, saving his best for last with a solid 73 at the seaside south Delta layout.  Richmond's Michael CRISOLOGO matched the best round of the day with his own 73, a great score on such a challenging and wonderful test of golf at the Kings Links.  Raymond LI of Vancouver slipped a bit but still enjoyed his day immensely to take the bronze medal.

1.  Ilirian     ZALLI    (Van)    252
2.  Michael CRISOLOGO (Rmd)    262
3.  Raymond LI        (Van)    276
4.  Dylan BERCAN    (Van)    281
5.  Gabriel PORGES (Florida)    284
6.  Lorenzo CORDERO (Delta)    297

 
Boys Age 9-10 "Divots"  - - Par 72, 5377 yards

A see saw battle most of the day featured two friendly rivals matching stroke for stroke, with Tristan MANDUR of Mill Bay on Vancouver Island taking the crown, also his first major title for 2009.  A.J. EWART grabbed the silver, recording two happy "birdies" along the way.  Two early birdies by Kevin LIN of Vancouver also boosted his enthusiasm, enough to finish a creditable third, gaining the bronze medal for the 72 hole tournament.

1.  Tristan     MANDUR    (Mill Bay)    261
2.  A.J.        EWART        (Coq)            268
3.  Kevin    LIN                (Van)            276
4.  Christian    ZALLI        (Van)            281
5.  Taylor     PATRICK     (Sry)            305
6.  Andrew    SPALTI        (Van)            328
 
   
Boys Age 11-12  "Bear Cubs"  - - B.C.  Par 72, 5377 yards

An exciting playoff featured the extremely competitive pairings for this age group.  Surrey's Sy LOVAN led the pack all day until his ball found its way into the water on the 17th hole and a resulting eight gave two others the chance for the title and Donald QIU of Richmond beat Trevor YU of Vancouver on the third hole of the playoff.  Donald had bogied the first hole and parred the second, with Trevor making a clutch "up and down" from the water to save a bogey five.  A great birdie from four feet on the third extra hole sealed the victory for Donald and was he happy - he must have jumped ten feet high in celebration!

1.  Donald    QIU    (Rmd)        252   
* Won special 3-hole playoff
2.  Trevor     YU    (Van)            252
3.  Sy            LOVAN (Sry)        253
4.  Alex        JEWKES (Van)        258
5.  Cole        BRIGGS    (Lgly)    259
6.  Diego San    PEDRO  (Rmd)    263
7.  Henry        LEE        (Coq)    267
8.  Matthew    BERGIN    (Van)    273


Boys Age 13-15 "Tiger Cubs"  - -  Par 72, 6448 yards

Grand Champion Kevin VIGNA, a former Burnaby, B.C. resident, moved to Coquitlam and continued his winning ways in Optimist Junior Linkster golf. Kevin survived an eight on the 14th hole but birdied the last for a three stroke  win over Langley's Nathan JOHNSON, another newcomer to golf.   Nathan's four birdies was the most of anyone on the  day and quickly moved him up on the leaderboard.  Richmond's Chris CRISOLOGO settled for the bronze medal.
 
1.  Kevin    VIGNA    (Coq)        246
2.  Nathan    JOHNSON (Lgly)    249
3.  Chris    CRISOLOGO    (Rmd)    252
4.  Changmin     LEE        (Van)        254
5.  Aaron     FERRER    (Delta)        258
6.  Tony    MAK            (Rmd)        259
7.  Brian HARRISON    (Rmd)        262
8.  Thomas Jeffries-Harrison (Van)    263
9.  Taylor    DURHAM    (Van)        265
10. James    NUGENT    (Rmd)        267
11. Edward    METCALFE (Sry)        271
      

Girls Age 10 & Under   - - Par 72, 3800 yards

Tiffany KONG, age eight, from Vancouver, proved to be too much for her friends, as she defends her 2008 Title.  All the youngsters here are having fun!

1.  Tiffany    KONG    (Van)        258
2.  Cecile    KWON    (PMdws)    282
3.  Katherine METCALFE (Sry)    298
4.  Claire     LOVAN  (Sry)            307
 
 
Girls Age 11-12  - - Par 72, 5377 yards
1.  Casey    YEN    (Van)        303
2.  Abbey      ATKINSON (Burlington,WA)    dnf

 
Girls Age   13-15   - - Par 72, 5377 yards

Another major title for Miss Nayan CALSIN MURDOCH of Richmond, who used two birdies to set herself apart from the field.  Yvonne ZHENG of Vancouver continues to improve her game, and will really move up the ladder when the big "numbers" disappear!  Great to see Lana GILL of Vancouver take the bronze medal, a well deserved win.

1.  Nayan CALSIN MURDOCH    (Rmd)    265
2.  Yvonne    Zheng        (Rmd)                272
3.  Lana    Gill            (Van)                       303
4.  Christina    YEN    (Van)                        312