University of Central Arkansas senior golfer
Steven Lecuyer won the 2010 SunLife Financial Alberta Amateur Championship with a 70-foot uphill birdie putt on the fourth playoff hole.
He will represent Alberta at the Golf Canada Canadian Men's Amateur Championships in London, Ontario from August 11-15.
More at:
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/Lecuyer+continues+family+traditions/3317179/story.html?cid=megadrop_storyLecuyer continues family traditions Rebounds from eight shots back to win on fourth playoff hole
By Curtis Stock, edmontonjournal.com July 24, 2010
EDMONTON - How about that? Pigs, goats and sheep can fly after all.
Windermere's Steven Lecuyer overcame Edmonton Petroleum Club's Andrew Funk's eight-shot lead to win the Sun Life Financial men's Alberta Amateur on Friday at RedTail Landing.
Adding more drama, Lecuyer won on the fourth playoff hole when he rolled home a 70-foot, uphill birdie putt to put a giant exclamation mark on his comeback thriller.
"I wasn't even thinking about winning," said Lecuyer, 21, the latest generation of Edmonton's historic golfing family.
"I was just thinking about making the (Willingdon Cup) team. But my caddie, Sean Kailer, he said, 'We can win this thing.' "
Kailer had to be the only believer when Friday's final round started. An eight-shot lead? The way Funk was playing, it seemed like he could play blindfolded, wear oven mitts and still win.
But then a funny thing happened. Unless you were Funk.
Lecuyer started making these putts from different time zones while Funk's putts would see their shadow and refuse to go in the hole.
Make no mistake, Funk, who shot a final-round 75, did not lose this tournament; Lecuyer won it with a final-round, 5-under 67, which in Friday's windy conditions was four shots better than the next lowest score.
"That was the best 75 I've shot in my life," said Funk, 21, who went through the first three rounds 12-under par.
"I still don't know if I can accept that I lost. I'm really frustrated and disappointed."
Camrose's Frank Van Dornick, 58, finished third, while Red Deer's Mitch Evanecz and Calgary's Scott Desmarais tied for fourth.
Normally there would have been a playoff between Evanecz, the defending champion, and Desmarais for the final spot on the Willingdon Cup team which will represent Alberta in the Canadian men's amateur Aug. 10-15 at London, Ont.
But because the Canadian amateur conflicts with the Alberta senior championship, Van Dornick opted to play in the latter.
"I think the kids should go," said Van Dornick. "I think Alberta would be better represented. I wouldn't want to see Mitch miss out and Scooter (Desmarais) will be making his first team."
Van Dornick said he also wanted to defend his Alberta senior title Aug. 10-12 at Stony Plain.
"If I can make the Alberta senior team it would be a mini-slam," said Van Dornick, who earlier this year made the Alberta Mid-Amateur team.
As for the main event, Lecuyer cut Funk's lead to five after the front nine. "I was still five up, so I wasn't worried," said Funk.
Lecuyer wasn't thinking about winning at that point either. But then he birdied the 11th while Funk bogeyed.
Lecuyer was just getting started. On the par-3 12th hole, he rolled in his first 70-foot bomb that imitated a roller-coaster as it went uphill, downhill and back uphill.
One hole later they were even. Funk made his "one bad swing of the entire week" when he fanned his tee shot on the 351-yard 13th. The wind caught it first, then the water drowned it. While Funk ended up making bogey, Lecuyer rolled home a 20-footer for birdie.
"On the 12th hole, I had a clue," Lecuyer said of his chances of winning. "After 13, I felt it was mine to win. I felt like I was in the driver's seat."
The duo played the next five holes of regulation.
The first three playoff holes solved nothing. The fourth put the dagger in Funk's heart when Lecuyer's 70-footer from the front of the green to a back pin atop a crest was good from the second it left his putter.
"I'll take a lot out of this," said Lecuyer, who was the low amateur in the RBC Alberta Open where Jamie Kureluk shot his world-record nine of 25.
"It's my first win of any kind since the 2008 Edmonton Amateur."
But it's only the latest win for a Lecuyer. His brother, Ryan, won the Edmonton Amateur and the Canadian junior and played on the Canadian Tour. His sister, Christina, tried to qualify for the LPGA. His dad, Tony, won the Edmonton Open, as did his uncles Gary and Doug.
The latter, the most talented Lecuyer of his time, also won the Alberta Amateur. That was when, in 1975, when he was only 17.
"It must be ingrained," said Steven, who will return to the University of Central Arkansas this fall."Everyone I'm related to is a pretty good golfer."
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
