Nathan Cachia and Kaleb Gorbahn both represented Smithers and Zone 7 at the B.C. Juvenile Championship at Myrtle Point Golf Course in Powell River, returning home with experience and mixed feelings.
Cachia played very solid golf. Although he did not perform to his expectation, he was encouraged about the experience. He felt that he wasn’t striking the ball well, but he was quite happy about his scores. Nathan shot 78, a six over, on the first day, putting him in a good spot to make the cut.
“If I miss the cut... that would be a major blow up,” he said.
Cachia played a wonderful round in the second day and was one under through 15 holes, but had to record a bogey on each of the remaining holes. Cachia was placed 16th going into the final day.
“I wish the tournament would end now, because I’m not sure if I could keep this going,” he said.
Cachia played well but couldn’t get anything going on the greens. He ended the final round with an 83, putting him in for a tie for 31st.
Kaleb Gorbahn, seen at right, didn’t play the way he would have liked.
“What a week. I’m so embarrassed,” he shrugged.
Gorbahn posted an 87 on the first day and knew that his chances were over.
“I thought I could win, if I hit the tee shots into the fairways, and that was just wasn’t the case,” he said.
He kept putting himself in trouble off the tee. Gorbahn went into the second round with one goal – make the cut. He played better, but a shaky ending made him think that his week was over. Somehow he ended right on the cut line and continued on to the third round.
“How did I make the cut with those scores?” he asked.
Pleased that he made the cut, he went into the final round with a great attitude. It started well, with a birdie on the first and a great par save on the second.
“At that point I felt good but then on three I wasn’t able to hold momentum,” he said.
Gorbahn ended the final round at 85 and finished in 45th position.
“This is a disappointing week, and yeah, I’ll feel it for the next couple of weeks; but I will get over it and I will grow from this. I have two more years in this event and I will make new memories and better memories during that time. I can promise that,” he said.
Their play placed the Smithers club in 14th place. Along with fellow zone player Dylan Kerbrat, who finished in a tie for 22nd, the northern golfers placed their zone in a tie for 5th. Kerbrat and Cachia will be among a few juniors in the Smithers Golf and Country Club’s Men’s Northern Open this weekend.