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Lockerby golfers dominant on high school golf tour

Ward Kyle and Tristan Renaud were expected to be at the forefront of the high school golf season locally, and the Lockerby Composite tandem did not disappoint.
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It will all come down to the final 18 holes for co-leaders Charles Corner and Carter Simon as the 2014 Investors Group Ontario Junior Boys Championship wraps up today at Timberwolf.
Ward Kyle and Tristan Renaud were expected to be at the forefront of the high school golf season locally, and the Lockerby Composite tandem did not disappoint.

The Viking teammates took turns earning honours, so to speak, as Kyle claimed the SDSSAA championship at the Lively Golf & Country Club last week, with Renaud overtaking the city champ at NOSSA on Wednesday at Clear Springs Golf Course in Powassan.

Now in Grade 12 at Lockerby, Kyle fired a 73 at the Sudbury tournament, finishing two shots better than Renaud, the same player he beat in playoff holes last year.

Joining Renaud at 75 were the St. Charles College duo ofJordi Walker and Alexander Fowke, with Conrad Naponse (St. Benedict) and Matthew Matheson (St. Charles) rounding out the top five at 78.

"I scored pretty well, but did not play good at all," said Kyle after defending his 2014 championship. "It took me about seven holes to figure out how to swing the golf club. But I was chipping and putting really well, which kept me in it."

On top of which was a rare September of 2015 day that did not enjoy beautiful sunny weather, and above-average temperatures.

"The day started off pretty tough," said Kyle. "It was really cold, the ball wasn't flying very far, and it was pretty gusty."

"But through the day, it got a little bit better," he said. "The wind calmed down and it warmed up a little bit."

While he was playing one foursome ahead of Renaud, and the two groupings were not about to share scoring updates, Kyle wasn't the least bit surprised that he and his teammate were battling, once again, atop the leaderboard.

"I knew that I would have to play pretty well to win it, because I knew that Tristan has been playing really well," said Kyle. His insight proved quite accurate one week later.

In the meantime, Gracen Lacko of Lo-Ellen Park made it three consecutive city titles for the daughter of Pinegrove golf pro George Lacko, carding a 90, four shots better than Brooke Sagle from Lockerby.

Hannah Nykilchyk (Lockerby - 99), Lauren Gareau (St. Charles - 101) and Julianna Roy (St Charles - 111) rounded out the top five ladies in the field, as Lacko put herself in position to join some fairly exclusive company in 2016.

Four time SDSSAA champions, among the fairer sex, have included Kelley Walker of Lasalle (1993-1996), Kate Somek of Lockerby (1999-2002), as well as Christie Sitko of Lively (2006-2009).

While Lacko pulled off the sweep of the northern double, capturing gold at NOSSA with a round of 96, just one shot better than North Bay natives Taylor Patterson (Widdifield) and Megan Cundari (St. Joseph Scollard Hall), Kyle and Renaud would flip-flop.

With a score of 76, Renaud edged out Emmett Taillefer from Lo-Ellen Park, with Kyle and Cole Harrington (St-Joseph Scollard Hall) tied for third at 82.

The Lockerby quartet of Renaud, Kyle, Julian Simeoni (86) and Ryder Johnston (90) claimed the team championship, qualifying for the OFSAA Boys tournament on October 14th and 15th in Windsor.

Taillefer and Harrington both qualified as individual entries, while on the girls side, Lacko, Patterson, Cundari and Mackenzie Turner of Manitoulin Secondary School will make the trek to southwestern Ontario.

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