Central Alberta golfers tee it up in Sundre for the Alberta Open

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One of the locals on the amateur side is Lacombe’s Brady Mckinlay. Mckinlay has experienced the Sundre Golf Club a few times and says it’s tight.

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“It’s like a bowling alley off the tee, so got to hit the ball really well off the tee. But if you’re in the fairway, you’re going to make a lot of birdies.”

The 21-year-old Mckinlay has been playing well since he returned from Utah Valley University, where he finished his second season with four top-10 finishes.

“My mental game has been really good and that helps with scoring,” says Mckinlay. “Putting has been really good and I’ve gained a lot of distance since I’ve been at university, so from four years ago at the junior here, it’s going to be a different golf course. I can put irons in the fairway and still have wedges, so less drivers might help.”

The lefty recently won the RBC Regional with even-par, which got him in the Monday qualifier for the PGA Tour’s RBC Canadian Open. He didn’t qualify but was able to gain some great experience and hang around and watch a couple rounds of the Canadian Open.

“Really cool to see what they go through each week and feel the same kind of conditions,” shares Mckinlay. “It shows me a lot of about what I need to do better to make it to that level and I think that’s exactly what I need, is just more exposure to that stuff so I know what I need to do to make it to that level.”

The Alberta Open was first contested in 1935 and as you can imagine, has seen many changes over the years. It became a regular stop on the Canadian Professional Tour at Wolf Creek Golf Resort for 13 years in the 80’s and 90’s, but took a three-year hiatus from 2000-2002 before Alberta Golf and the PGA of Alberta got together and brought it back in 2003.

Central Alberta Amateur List:

• Cole Bergheim—Red Deer Golf & Country Club
• Chase Broderson—Wolf Creek Golf Resort
• Alex Gerrard—Red Deer Golf & Country Club
• Logan Graf—Red Deer Golf & Country Club
• Joe Kelly—Innisfail Golf Club
• Brady Mckinlay—Lacombe Golf & Country Club
• Dane Thorogood—Sundre Golf Club

Central Alberta Pro List:

• Jared Nicolls—Wolf Creek Golf Resort
• Grant Numrich—Red Deer Golf & Country Club
• Jace Ouellette—Innisfail Golf Club
• Tim Boston—Wolf Creek Golf Resort
• Matt Bean—Sundre Golf Club
• Leighton Bearchell—Sundre Golf Club
• Scott Shouldice—Sundre Golf Club