RINES CREEK: It was a day to remember at Rines Creek Park Golf as the course hosted the first Canadian Park Golf Open Championship, bringing together 16 golfers for the inaugural two-round event.
When the final scores were tallied, Brad Cruikshank had captured the men’s championship with a score of 108, while Haleigh Daigle took the women’s title with a score of 143.
Cruikshank’s victory was anything but easy. Cory Cox also finished at 108, forcing the men’s championship to be decided by a three-hole playoff. Cruikshank came through to claim the inaugural Canadian title.
Cox settled for second, while Brandon Ross finished third with a 114.
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In the women’s division, Susan Keirstead finished second at 145, while Barb Juliusson also posted a 145. The tie for third was settled by the first-birdie tiebreaker, giving Juliusson third place.
With their victories, Cruikshank and Daigle can now claim the distinction of being the inaugural Canadian Park Golf Open champions.
For those unfamiliar with the sport, Park Golf is a golf-style game that originated in Japan and is played on shorter courses using a single club and a larger ball.
It combines elements of traditional golf with a more accessible, recreational format, making it suitable for a wide range of ages and abilities.
The inaugural championship drew a strong turnout and featured some of the best Park Golfers taking part in the two-round competition.
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Organizers extended a big thank-you to everyone who came out and helped make the event a success.
Special thanks went to Tamie Giles for preparing a barbecue lunch for everyone, and to Kari Morgan for looking after registration and score tallying while also serving as the event photographer.
A thank-you was also extended to Municipal Affairs Minister and Hants East MLA John A. MacDonald, who hit the ceremonial first ball and has been a strong supporter of the course.
Organizers also thanked HardyWares Preserves for supplying four jars of their popular Million Dollar relish, along with Tim Hortons Stewiacke for its support.
(Information in this sports recap was provided to The Laker News)
