The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor The big prize remained elusive Sunday evening at the conclusion of CFAR's Million Dollar Hole-in-One contest. But there was still plenty of ball-thwacking suspense to keep participants and spectators on their feet at Creekside Park. Ten semi-finalists from each of the six days of the charitable tournament swung for a chance to reach the local final. Not surprisingly, the three participants who landed their ball closest to the pin 152 yards away _ Keenan Kennedy, Randy Beever and Jason Werbicki _ were all experienced golfers. Landing a ball 39 ft. and 11.75 inches from the pin, Werbicki came out on top, missing a seven-figure payoff. But he earned a spot at the Northern Final, against the top Million Dollar Hole-in-One competitors from The Pas and Thompson, to be held in The Pas on July 29. There he'll have the chance to win a $1,000 golf package at the Elkhorn Resort Spa and Conference Centre located at Manitoba's Riding Mountain National Park. First time A 15-year golf veteran, Werbicki said this marked his first time winning the local event, though he made the final last year. He's not nervous about putting his skills to the test in The Pas, as he used to live in that community and knows the golf course well. Werbicki, a press pounder at the Hudbay zinc plant, visited the Hole-in-One site each day for his chance to reach the semi-finals. The competition was set up Tuesday through to Sunday at Foster Park, where golfers spent $1 for each ball or, more commonly, $20 for 30 balls. For the semi-finals and finals, golfers shifted to Creekside Park at 6 p.m. Sunday. Visibility was no concern as the sun was concealed by clouds. Near the pin stood volunteers from the event's presenter, the Tri-Service Club (made up of the Lions, Kinsmen and Rotary), to verify the results. After each round of balls was driven, they would dart out onto the makeshift fairway with a measuring tape and clipboard in hand. Proceeds from the event will support the children's lunch program at the Women's Resource Centre, which feeds hungry youngsters. Dianne O'Brien, manager of sponsor CFAR, was pleased with how the event went. The draw, she said, is both the challenge and the chance for golfers to socialize. And since the event benefits charity, O'Brien said the pressure is off for the golfers. While the seven-figure grand dividend has never been won in the 10 years the contest has been held in Flin Flon, other major prizes have gone. For reaching the local final, Werbicki, Beever and Kennedy each received a $900 golf package from Saskatchewan's Candle Lake Golf Resort.
