Orr continues incredible dominance

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This article was published 04/08/2023 (883 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Rhonda Orr continued her run of dominance and Jay Doyle hopefully began his own at the 2023 Manitoba Senior Golf Championships at St. Boniface Golf Club on Friday.

Orr captured her eighth straight senior championship and tenth in 11 years. The tenth title was particularly meaningful for her.

“When I first won, the first year I looked at the trophy and I was reading all the names and I saw I think Jo-ann (Lindsay) has 10, and I thought ‘Well, you know that would be a spectacular goal, I’m going to go for 10,’ and today was 10,” said Orr.

Not only did she win, but the now 10-time champion won by a whopping 15 strokes over second place finisher Tammy Gibson.

When asked about what keeps her motivated and wanting to come back every year, Orr said that there is nothing quite like playing in a tournament environment.

“I love playing in tournaments, I love the people I get to visit with and play with here, and it’s just enjoyable. It’s very, very different playing under tournament conditions,… knowing you don’t get to hit them all again, you don’t get to pick up, you just have to keep grinding it out.”

On the men’s side, Jay Doyle won his first senior championship in a tight battle with Todd Fanning.

Fanning held a two shot lead heading into the final round, but got off to a slow start shooting 2 over par on the front nine. The two went back and forth the rest of the way with Doyle birdieing the seventeenth to tie Fanning going into the final hole. The two golfers each were all square through 18 and needed two play-off holes to decide a victor. Fanning had a putt to extend the intense matchup to a third extra hole, but missed by less than an inch to give Doyle the win.

Doyle and Fanning play together frequently, they both represented Niakwa Country Club, and Doyle said their familiarity with one another helped ease any nervousness throughout the high stakes final round.

“We both, I’m sure he feels the same way, felt like we were playing a regular game of golf because we play so much golf together so the nerves weren’t really there,” said Doyle.

St. Boniface has been kind to Doyle over the years. He won a Manitoba Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship at the same course back in 2015. After the win on Friday, Doyle said that St. Boniface will forever be a special place for him.

“This is the second time I have won a provincial event at this golf course, and it obviously holds a special place in my heart now.”

donald.stewart@freepress.mb.ca