One of the biggest golf tournaments in the province starts Sunday at the Sunshine Coast Golf and Country Club (SCG&CC).

The B.C. Junior Boys Championship will be contested July 10 to 13.

This is one of the top three amateur events in the province and will feature 156 players. Past participants of the event include former and current PGA Tour members Fred Couples, Jim Rutledge, Dick Zokol and Chris Baryla.

SCG&CC hosted the event previously in 1999, when Cameron McKenzie of Marine Drive won the title.

The championship is a week-long event with a one-day qualifier on Sunday, July 8, to round out the field, a practice round on Monday and then the four-day tournament from Tuesday to Friday. The field will be cut down to 70 players and ties after the first two rounds.

“It’s a tournament that, in my opinion, is probably the third or fourth best amateur event in the entire province,” said SCG&CC head pro Jim Pringle. “We’re expecting a fantastic week of competition. We have more than 100 volunteers and it’s just going to be a really special week for our members and for our club.

The championship will be the fifth provincial amateur event that SCG&CC has hosted over the years.

Carrying the home colours will be Cailean Hourigan and Andrew Strom who both have already qualified. Pringle said more local members may also qualify through the Sunday round.

“This is a chance to see some of the best young golfers that this province has to offer,” Pringle said. “We hope lots of people from all over the Coast come to the course.”

Coasters score well

Trevor Smith of Roberts Creek finished in a tie for 12th in the boys 14 to 16 category at the latest stop on the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour in Victoria June 11, while Mike Mannion of Gibsons, finished 22nd overall at the B.C. Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship hosted by the Summerland Golf and Country Club.

Both golfers call the SCG&CC their home course.