Ontario Bantam Boys Golf

Brendan Seys Victorious at Ontario Bantam Boys' Championship

Cambridge, ON - Twelve year old Brendan Seys of Port Lambton earned a five stroke victory over the field Wednesday at the 2010 Ontario Bantam Boys' Championship hosted by Puslinch Lake Golf Course in Cambridge, Ontario.

Seys, a Golf Association of Ontario Public Player, fired an impressive first-round 66 (-4) to take the lead after Tuesday's first round. The young golfer, who has been playing the game since the age of five, followed up his first round performance with a solid 73 to finish at one-under par for the tournament.

"I've played the course a few times before, so I knew that I would be able to go as low as I did on the first day," said Seys of the 66, his career-low tournament score.

With eighteen holes between Seys and the 2010 title, he managed to keep his cool throughout the second and final round. Teeing off with a two-stroke lead, Seys got off to a strong start with birdies on holes three and six. He had a tougher time with the back nine, posting three bogeys and a double, but still closed out the tournament with seven birdies in total.

"I just tried to focus on the game and didn't think about how all the other kids were doing until I got to the end of the round," explained Seys.

His win at Puslinch Lake marks his first provincial title, and he will be eligible to compete in the event again at the course in 2011.

Runner-up honours went to Kyle MacDonald of Oakville, who finished at four-over par for the tournament after posting a first round 70 and closing out the tournament with a 74. The Rattlesnake Point Golf Club member carded a single birdie on Wednesday against five bogeys to pick up the silver medal.

Chad Watts Denyes of Toronto earned the bronze medal after closing out the event in third place with a total score of 145 (68-77), five-over par. Kurtis Kelly of Uxbridge finished in fourth place at six-over, while Tommy Miller of London and Conner Watt of Mississauga posted identical tournament scores of six-over par (71-76-147) to share fifth place.

The Golf Association of Ontario's Bantam Boys Championship takes place over two days and is open to players aged thirteen and younger. First played in 1923, 2010 marks the twelfth consecutive year that Puslinch Lake Golf Club has hosted the event. Past champions include Matt LeMay, Gajan Sivabalasingham, Ontario Golf Hall of Fame member Kelly Roberts, and 1983 champion Brennan Little, caddy to Mike Weir.