Golf winners in their respective categories are Rod Coe, Alex Brunner, Paule Aukema and Roddy Saarinen. (Keith Lacey photo)
Roddy Saarinen pulled away from the field with a blistering hot 31 in blistering hot heat on the front nine Sunday to ensure he would successfully defend his men’s club championship title as the Osoyoos Golf Club held its annual Club Championship Tournament this past weekend.
Meanwhile, Paule Aukema won her fourth ladies championship since 2009 – and third in the past four years – by edging out her perennial challenger Claudia Wood to capture the 2016 ladies club championship.
Rod Coe, who is a very good friend of Saarinen’s and regular playing partner, proved he is fully recovered from a serious car accident seven years ago by playing solid golf all weekend to capture the senior men’s club championships.
Saarinen, 43, who is originally from and learned to play golf in Thunder Bay, Ont., moved to Osoyoos 10 years ago.
When he’s not working in the oil patch all over Alberta, Saarinen said there aren’t too many days when he’s not out playing golf at Osoyoos Golf Club.
Being able to successfully defend his men’s title is an honour and a thrill, said Saarinen, who shot an impressive opening round of 71 on the Desert Golf course Saturday and followed that up with another 71 on the Park Meadows course Sunday.
Saarinen put the tournament far out of reach with a sensational five under par 31 on the opening nine holes on Sunday and cruised to a six-shot victory over two-time club champion Greg Reely.
“I had four birdies in a row on the front nine and five in total and that pretty much wrapped things up for me,” said Saarinen, who is recognized as one of the nicest and friendliest guys you would meet on any golf course. “My putter wasn’t working really good for me all summer, but it was on fire when it counted the most during the club championships.
“It seemed like I sunk everything all weekend. That was the difference.”
Saarinen, a big man who hits the ball a long way off the tee, said getting to play with Reely, Roger Pires, another former club champion, and perennial contender Jeff Duguid, made for a fantastic weekend of golf.
“We all get along so well and we have so much fun out there,” he said. “It’s very relaxing to play with good guys who know how to enjoy themselves. It made for a very relaxing and very fun time on the golf course all weekend.”
Saarinen said he has shot some very low rounds at Osoyoos Golf Club over the past decade, but doesn’t think he’s ever played better golf over 36 holes in a big tournament like the club championship.
“I had a triple bogey and another bogey on the back nine today (Sunday), but those were about my only two bad holes all weekend,” he said. “I had a ton of birdies and just played really solid all weekend.
“Winning your club championship is a big deal and to be able to defend my title against a strong field of really good guys and really good golfers is just awesome.”
Aukema, who captured her first ladies club championship in 2009 and has now won in 2013, 2014 and this year, shot 77 on Saturday and followed that up with an 82 on Sunday.
She was tied with Wood after the first round, but Wood shot 85 on Sunday, which meant Aukema captured the title by three strokes.
Aukema always credits her consistency for her success on the golf course.
“There are a lot of ladies out here who hit longer than me off the tee,” she said. ‘But I try to hit it straight and rely on my chipping and putting and that was my key to success once again.
“My goal is always to chip the ball close and hopefully one putt and I did that a lot this weekend.”
Being in the same foursome as Wood, who is a multiple ladies club champion, is always a fun challenge, said Aukema.
“Claudia is an awesome golfer and awesome competitor and we always try and bring out the best in each other,” she said. “It was very close between us all weekend until the last few holes. Being able to win the title again is always very humbling because there are so many wonderful ladies and wonderful golfers at this club.”
Coe, 61, who moved to Osoyoos from Surrey to retire two years ago, said winning the senior men’s club championship is an honour.
Coe shot 75 on Saturday and followed that up with a 73 on Sunday.
Winning this title is especially satisfying because Coe only returned to golfing in 2015 after suffering a near-fatal car collision seven years ago.
“I almost died … I was very lucky to survive,” he said. “I didn’t pick up a golf club for more than seven years.
“I had to relearn a lot of things after not playing for that many years, but things have really started to come together again.”
Being able to play with Saarinen almost every day has really helped his game, said Coe.
“Roddy is a hell of a golfer and just a wonderful person and it’s an honour to be able to play with him almost every day.”
Alex Brunner, 13, captured the junior ladies club championship in a very small field. There weren’t any junior boys entered in this year’s tournament.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
Golf winners in their respective categories are Rod Coe, Alex Brunner, Paule Aukema and Roddy Saarinen. (Keith Lacey photo)
