At 16 years of age, James Lee can call himself a two-time B.C. Junior Boys champion.
Lee made his presence felt from his first stroke to his last to defend his junior provincial title at Prince George Golf and Curling Club. In so doing, he put up a four-round score of 267 (17-under par): the lowest score in the long-running tournament's history. The Whistlerite was especially dominant on the course's long par-5s, manhandling them for a cumulative 16-under.
“Obviously, I did the bulk of my scoring there,” Lee said in “The par 3s are a little more tricky here, so it was nice to have some short par 5s you could take advantage of.”
A handful of PGA Tour golfers, including Adam Svensson, Fred Couples and have also held the B.C. junior title. If Lee's career turns out anything like theirs, he has a bright future.
How it happened
Opening the competition in Prince George with a seven-under 64, Lee took command from pillar to post. He closed with a two-under 69 and ended up prevailing by eight shots over Vernon-based athlete Ryan Vest.
“Playing against Ryan last year and this year, I know he’s a very good player," Lee told reporters after the event. "He can be right on my tail and catch me in an instant, so I just tried my best to stay patient throughout the round and not worry too much about a ball in the water on No. 3 or a bogey on some of the easier holes. I just needed to trust that I was going to get them back later in the round and I did, thankfully.”
Heading into Grade 11, Lee brings a well-rounded game to the table. He is known for long, accurate drives off the tee, solid iron play and a very good short game.
Click for complete final round scoring, and for a more detailed recap of the action.
