Local golfers represented the region at the B.C. Bantam Boys’ Championships Aug. 23 to 24 at the Mount Brenton Golf Club in Chemainus, B.C.

Tumbler Ridge’s Jared Wylie was the top boy from the region, taking 20th out of the top 35 bantam golfers in B.C. Kyle Kimmie of Taylor was 21st while Alex Hartman and Joshua Krueger, both of Fort St. John, were 31st and 34th, respectively.

“It was fun, exciting, [an] experience too,” said Hartman who shot a 85 88 -173 at the 18 hole, par 71/73 course.

“It was a shorter course, but it was just a tougher course than usual. Just the pin placements were in a different area, not in the middle of the green where it’s really easy, different spots where you had to hit over a bunker or something.”

Added Kimmie: “There were tricky water hazards and slopes on the fairway with little green to work with because the greens had a lot of slope.”

Kimmie shot an 89 in the first round and improved in the second round with an 85 for a total of 174.

“At the tournament I was a little shaky off the start but really happy that I came back. My putts were dropping and my approach shots were good,” he said.

Krueger shot a 96 in round one and 105 in the second for a total of 201. He said it was tough competition, with guys who shoot only two strokes over par.

“It was kind of nice because they have it set up like when we get older and get into better tournaments, so it’s quite fun,” he said, adding that the second day of play is based on how well they do on the first round.

“[It’s an] experience for the future, how it will be, to know what to expect.”

Jordan Lu of Vancouver won the tournament shooting two over par (75 69 -144). Harry Huang of Vancouver and Courtenay’s Logan Yanick tied for second at eight over par.

Wylie shot a 85 88 -174.

The BC Bantam Championship is a 36-hole stroke play gross competition. Players must not have reached their 14th birthday by the final day of the championship.

The local players did quite well, especially considering the difference in the seasons in the north of the province compared to the Lower Mainland.

“They get to golf like eight months a year or 10 month a year and I only get to golf like three months because it’s snowing or raining, just not as much as they get to golf down south,” said Hartman.

Kimmie said it was a good experience playing against some of the best in the province.

“I gained a lot of learning experience at this tournament and came away with knowing what to do better next year.”

With the experience they gained this season, they can only improve for next year.