Martin Ring’s been one of the top golfers in Prince Albert for many years.
Now he’s batting 1.000 in the senior men’s tournament on his home course.
The 55-year-old led the way from the start at the 31st Senior Men’s Northern Championship at the Cooke Municipal Golf Course this week, as he won the Championship Flight by two strokes over Bruce Ede Wednesday.
“It’s one of the first time that I’ve been in the field for a tournament and they are calling me a kid,” Ring joked.
“I’ve played in a lot of the men’s amateur events through the years and now I’ve reached the age to be a part of the senior events as well. To be able to win this in my first time competing is a pretty good feeling.”
Ring, who won the Men’s Northern title in 2009, jumped out into the lead with a round of 68 Tuesday and kept his strong play into the final round.
“I felt comfortable right from the start and it really seemed like I was in control of everything, other than a double bogey I had on the 12th hole,” Ring said.
“Bruce put some pressure on me in the final round, but I think being in those men’s events in the past has really helped me get used to the emotions that you go through when your trying to win a tournament. You can only control what you can control and that was the approach I stuck with.”
Ring solidified his lead with a pair of birdies on the 14th and 15th holes, which proved to be pivotal as he finished off his round of 71 with a double bogey.
“That was a little frustrating and a bit of a disappointment to have that happen on the 18th, as I was looking at a chance to have a second straight round in the 60’s,” Ring said.
“However, I was able to make some good shots down the stretch and I knew that I had a bit of a buffer going into the last hole, so it ended up not being as bad as it could have been.”
The 2018 season has been a solid one for Ring, as he reached the semifinal of the Men’s Northern and the Men’s Lobstick tournament at the Waskesiu Golf Course.
“I also competed in the Senior Men’s Lobstick for the first time and got a top 10 there, so I can’t complain with how things have gone,” Ring said.
Senior Men’s Northern Championship chairperson John Toner presents Jim Scissons with the super senior championship trophy following the final round of play at the Cooke Municipal Golf Course Wendesday.
Meanwhile, Jim Scissons of Saskatoon won the super senior championship flight with a score of 149, which was 10 strokes better than John Batiuk.
The rest of the flight winners were as follows:
- First Flight: Rene Hanchar
- Second Flight: Randy Miller
- Third Flight: Harris Cameron
- Fourth Flight: Harvey Thunderchild
- Fifth Flight: Robert Morin
- Sixth Flight: Gordon Nelson
- Seventh Flight: Merv Rocheleau
- Eighth Flight: Duane Hayunga
- Super Senior First Flight: Bordie Adams
