Rhys Royer grew up on the fairways and greens at Earl Grey, and that home-course knowledge paid off at an optimal time as he carded his first career ace during pro-am action at the CPKC Women’s Open.
Royer’s magic moment came on the third hole of the tournament routing, typically No. 13 on the scorecard at Earl Grey. He launched a pitching wedge from 130 yards away, then watched as his ball rolled back off the slope and dropped into the cup. The witnesses included his proud parents, following along in the gallery, and LPGA Tour pro Angel Yin.
Darlene Sterling will be counting any future aces on her opposite hand. Sterling celebrated her fifth career hole-in-one — and first in roughly a decade — when she swished her tee-shot on No. 5 on Highwood’s Mountainview Nine. Seven-iron was the right call for a 112-yard challenge.
Smooth-swinging junior James Michaud mastered the sixth hole at Carnmoney. Michaud aimed for the island green and was accurate with an eight-iron from 130 yards away.
Calgary’s Sully Kufflick scored bragging rights with an ace at the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour’s Western Championship at Copper Point in Invermere, B.C. The 15-year-old Kufflick cruised through the seventh hole on the Point Course thanks to a wonderful wedge.
Norma Dyck will be saying only good things about her eight-iron, her weapon of choice for a 72-yard memory-maker on No. 12 at Shaganappi Point.
There’s a group of guys who gather every Monday at Links of GlenEagles and they had plenty to celebrate this week. Kevin Kirchmaier potted a pitching wedge on the 120-yard fifth hole, then Bryan Adams doubled the fun when he canned a super six-iron from 190 yards on the signature 16th.
Lise Oppenheimer recently completed her personal hole-in-one hat-trick. Oppenheimer’s latest was a stellar six-hybrid on No. 11 at Fox Hollow, which measures 154 yards.
Carson Ackroyd and Scott Colebrook could have split the clubhouse tab after same-day aces at Silver Springs. Both were one-and-done on Hole 13, which demands a delicate shot across the water. Ackroyd buried a wonderful wedge from the 141-yard blocks for his third career ‘1,’ while Colebrook scoped 142 yards, selected an eight-iron and showed off his outstanding aim.
Also at Silver Springs, Justin Robertson was flawless with a five-iron on No. 8, which spans 186 yards.
Tannys Nagy capped a spin of Shaganappi’s Valley Nine in supreme style, draining a driver on the 131-yard finishing assignment.
Joginder Dhillon skipped the putting portion on No. 13 at McCall Lake, instead finding the flag-stick with a three-wood that travelled 165 yards.
Kyle Hubick and Kevin Komhyr can swap stories after both aced the sixth hole on the Mount Lorette Course at Kananaskis Country. Hubick was spot-on with a seven-iron from 170 yards out, while Komhyr cranked an eight-iron from 165.
Jodi Katona made short work of the eighth hole on the Mount Kidd Course in K-Country, sinking a sweet seven-iron from 111 yards away.
Jeff Liew was perfect with a pitching wedge on No. 11 at Shaganappi Point, which was playing 141 yards.
Paul Brassard breezed through the sixth hole at Lakeview, finishing his business with one whack of a wedge from a distance of 116 yards.
Hole 13 at Maple Ridge proved lucky for Chris Rae, who aced that dandy downhiller with an eight-iron that was walloped 185 yards.
Also at Maple Ridge, Lawrence Rault smoothed a seven-iron on No. 8 and was right on target from 142 yards away.