Andrew Funk found his groove.
The 18-year-old first-year University of Victoria Vikes golfer turned in an even-par 71 in Round 2 of the Vikes Shootout at a damp Cordova Bay Golf Course on Tuesday to take top honours among the men.
Funk, a Parkland Secondary grad from Sidney, started the second and final round on the back nine and birdied his second hole, the 11th. A bogey two holes later brought him back down to even before recording a barrage of pars that was more than good enough on the day as competitors battled tough pin placements.
“I played really solid. I just didn’t make many putts today,” said Funk, who opened the tournament with a 1-over 72 on Monday to sit two shots back of leader Devon Schade of the University of Manitoba. “I set myself up with a lot of opportunities. I just didn’t take advantage of them.
“I came in here wanting to put in a good showing. I wanted to be one of the top Vikes,” Funk said before leaving the course to get back for an afternoon class without even knowing his outcome.
“I started the year off all right in Colorado [where he placed 12th overall]. I struggled in my last two, but I put in a pretty good showing here.”
Funk is one of three local freshmen on coach Justin Clews’s men’s team, joining Mount Douglas graduates Mike Griffin and Lawren Rowe. Bruce Tomie, who finished tied for the title last year, led the Vikes individually coming into the day after an opening 71 had him tied for second with Manitoba’s Charlie Boyechko.
Tomie slipped to a 75 on Tuesday to finish tied for second at 4-over 146, while Boyechko and Schade both ballooned to 77s to play their way out. Schade was in the four-way tie for second with Tomie, Alberta’s Sam DiPinto (74-72) and Alan Tolusso of Simon Fraser (72-74).
Victoria teammates Matthew Broughton (74-73) tied for sixth; Jamie Cartwright (75-73) tied for ninth; Sean Hay (73-76) tied for 15th; Griffin (72-78) tied for 19th; Rowe (74-78) tied for 24th; and Jesse Teron (82-78) finished 38th.
Manitoba did hang on for the team win among the men with a final score of 593, three strokes ahead of the Vikes and 17 in front of third-place Calgary.
Victoria’s Brianna Carrels had the first-round lead for the Vikes with a 2-over 75, but managed just a 78 while battling a stomach ailment on Day 2 to place second individually, three shots behind UBC’s Kat Kennedy (78-72). Reagan Wilson of UBC was third (79-76).
Fellow Vike Shannon Raina (80-82) tied for ninth, while teammates Michaela Abey (81-83) tied for 13th; Emily Nicol (81-85) and Cadence Hellmann (83-83) were tied for 15th; Laura Ferreira (90-80) tied for 22nd; Cari Chow 88-83) tied for 24th; and Cassandra Paynter finished 28th (96-93).
As a team, the UVic women had their five straight Shootout titles snapped by UBC, which finished at 620, 23 shots clear of the second-place Vikes. Simon Fraser was third at 661.
“Obviously, I was very optimistic we could win in both the men and the women from a team standpoint. Unfortunately that didn’t happen, but I always look at the positives,” said Clews.
“I look at someone like Brianna, who is a first year, and see what she’s brought to the team and the same with [fellow first years] Andrew, Lawren and Mike — particularly Andrew this week. Those are all bright spots.
“The individual accomplishments I’m very pleased with. The team accomplishments I would have liked to have seen a better result.”
Both Vikes teams have next week off before heading to San Diego in two weeks.
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