Hogan heats up on moving day as Sekulic looks to go wire-to-wire at the Men’s Am
Sekulic, Hogan and Graf have distanced themselves from the rest of the Men’s Am field
Moving day lived up to its name as several top contenders made their way up the leaderboard at the 2017 Sun Life Financial Alberta Men’s Amateur Championship. Clearer skies and a gentle breeze offered nearly ideal scoring conditions for the remaining 61 hopefuls. Notably, three players have separated themselves from the rest of the field heading into tomorrow’s final round.
Team Canada Development Squad member Max Sekulic held his own on day three. The 18-year-old shot a solid 68, that featured five birdies and a lone bogey. His lead was narrowed to two strokes after an extremely hot back-nine score of 29 from past champion Brett Hogan of the Glencoe G&CC. Sekulic will look to go wire-to-wire in tomorrow’s final round, just as Hogan did in his 2015 Alberta Amateur victory at the Edmonton Petroleum Club.
Hogan, the 2016 SVR Alberta Open champion, got off to a slow start today, going out in 37 strokes with no birdies. As he made the turn he knew he had to sharpen his focus. After the round, he said “I saw the boys behind me were doing pretty well and I knew I had to get something going. I started off well with an eagle on ten there where I made my putt from about twelve feet. I made some really good par saves on holes 11 and 12, and finally got it rolling. Number 14, made birdie. Eagled 16, then birdied 17 and 18.” Hogan’s third round score of 66 is the best of the championship and it was the kind of finish he needed to get into tomorrow’s last group and put some pressure on the leader.
Hogan knows the pressure of coming down the stretch trying to win a provincial championship and will draw on his experience in the final round. He said “I’m trying to play my own game. I can only control what I can do out there. If he (Sekulic) goes out there and has a great round, then good for him. But I’m going to give it all I have and see how it ends up.”
Sekulic and Hogan will be joined by Team Alberta U19 member Carter Graf in the final group. The youngster from the Red Deer G&CC impressed on day three by firing another five-under-par 67 to get to double digits at ten-under-par overall.
The top three finishers at the conclusion of the championship will form the Team Alberta Interprovincial Squad for the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship to be conducted at The Toronto Golf Club & Islington Golf Club in Mississauga, ON August 7-10th. The champion will earn the final spot on the 2018 Pacific Coast Amateur Championship Alberta Morse Cup Team.
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ABOUT ALBERTA GOLF
The Alberta Golf Association was incorporated as a society in 1912 and continues today as a not for profit Provincial Sport Organization (PSO) operating as Alberta Golf. As the PSO, we are commited to realizing the positive impacts of golf on individuals and communities across Alberta. Our vision is that through golf, Albertans will enjoy a high quality of life, improved health and wellness, a strong sense of community, economic benefits and personal fulfillment.
Alberta Golf hosts 13 annual provincial championships in order to identify the best golfers in various age and gender catergories. A mix of nearly 1,500 pro and amateur golfers compete on high quality member facility courses across the province. Championships are hosted by a core team of staff and over 100 volunteers. The tournaments promote competition, build pride in the community, support charitable giving and inspire future generations of golfers. They also serve as an opportunity for golfers to qualify for national amateur championships.
ABOUT SUN LIFE FINANCIAL
Sun Life Financial has served Canadians for 150 years. With an array of products and services, Sun Life is able to offer trusted solutions for customer’s needs. Beyond business, Sun Life is committed to operating in a socially responsible way and acting as a good corporate citizen. Sun Life Financial has been a dedicated sponsor of the Sun Life Financial Alberta Men’s Amateur Championship for 27 years.
MORE INFORMATION
Anthony Stirling
Tournament Director
Alberta Golf
(p) 403-999-2615
