By Times Chronicle Staff

Despite some gusty winds up to 50 km/h, Rob Tadey braced himself to capture third place in a recent PGA of BC battle on home turf in Oliver.

The head professional of Fairview Mountain Golf Course posted at even par after rounds of 71-73, taking home $1,500 for his efforts.

At one point, Tadey was only one stroke back from the winner, Mark Kitts from Shadow Ridge Golf Club.

Kitts overcame difficult scoring conditions on his way to victory at the 2022 Srixon/Cleveland Golf PGA of BC Club Professional Championship on Sept. 19-20.

Kitts was one of 45 club professionals to compete in the tournament. It came down to a trio of players in the final group. After the 17th hole, Kitts and Dave Zibrik (Point Grey Golf & Country Club) found themselves tied for the lead on the tee of the difficult 438-yard par 4 18th. The third member of the group was Tadey.

All players hit great tee shots and approaches into the green, with Kitts leaving himself the shortest putt for birdie.

Tadey was first to putt – a delicate 30-foot birdie shot from behind the hole, with dozens of Fairview Mountain Golf Club members cheering on their head professional for a chance to force a playoff. He rolled a great putt that trickled down the hill, but the ball just ran out of momentum, stopping a couple of inches short of the cup. 

Tadey tapped in for third place.

Zibrik was next to play, having a 17-foot, left-to-right hooking putt for the lefty to take the clubhouse lead. He read the putt well, but it narrowly missed on the high side, leaving Zibrik a tap-in for his par and now a spectator as he watched his fellow co-leader with a 15-footer for the win.

Kitts, who led for the majority of the 35-hole championship to that point, calmly knocked in the uphill, right-to-left putt to claim victory.

Kitts said Tadey and Fairview’s Brian McDonald (Executive Professional) are always hard to beat on their own track.

Kitts carded rounds of 70-72 to finish the tournament at two under par and a $2,700 payday of the nearly $15,000 total purse. He becomes only the fourth player to win multiple Club Professional Championships after he first claimed the Dick Munn Memorial trophy in 2019 at Kelowna Golf & Country Club.

Zibrik posted rounds of 73-70 – a first round that included a quadruple bogey on the par 4, 6th. He earned $2,000 for his efforts. 

Kitts, Zibrik, and Tadey posted the six lowest rounds of the tournament, alongside McDonald’s opening round of 73 (he finished in a tie for 6th at seven over par, taking home $750).

With files from Donald Miyazaki, executive director of PGA of BC