At the Canadian Junior Boys Championship next week on the Battlefield Course at Legends on the Niagara, Trevor Yu will set his sights on playing 鈥渓ights-out鈥� golf.
What does that mean for the 17-year-old member of the Marine Drive Golf Club?
鈥淟ights-out means everything is going your way and the best thing to do is just try to get out of your own way and let things happen,鈥� he said this week. 鈥淥ften it鈥檚 kind of a flash 鈥� you don鈥檛 really realize what you鈥檙e doing until the end of the round.鈥�
The St. John鈥檚 secondary student qualified directly for the national championship with a win at the CN Future Links Western Championship July 1 to 4. He shot five-under over three rounds at the 211-par tournament at the Birchbank Golf Course鈥╥n Trail.
This will be Yu鈥檚 fourth trip to nationals. In 2012, he won the juvenile title and astounded spectators when he carded a course record (for competitive golfers of all ages) 7-under-par 64 at Osprey Ridge Golf Club in Bridgewater, N.S.
鈥淪ometimes you just have those rounds where it鈥檚 lights-out and that day was one of them,鈥� he said. 鈥淔or one or two weeks, I鈥檒l have rounds like that in a year. I鈥檇 like to have them more often but it鈥檚 always good to have them.鈥�
Although not yet in his senior year, Yu has committed to play for NCAA Division 1 Oregon State University. His immediate goal is to win the Canadian junior national title.
鈥淚鈥檝e been working really hard on my game recently, some pretty regimented and efficient practice,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 really organized, not necessarily practising for a long duration of time but focusing on what I need to work on, like little things in my golf swing. I鈥檓 trying to keep my right leg a little quieter through impact and also relaxing my arms when I鈥檓 swinging.鈥�
A calm golfer who strives for effortlessness and understands it鈥檚 a game that should be enjoyable, Yu knows competition will be deep at junior nationals.
鈥淚 try to keep it really light when I play. I never get too angry when I鈥檓 on the course. At the end of the day, it鈥檚 just a game, really. I鈥檓 out there to have fun.鈥�
The Junior Boys Championships run July 29 to Aug. 1 in Niagara Falls, Ont.
Donnici at nationals
Crofton House graduate Marie Donnici, 18, finished second at the CN Future Links Western Championship in Trail with a 16-over-par 232 over three rounds. Prince of Wales鈥� 15-year-old Natalie Chu tied for third at 17-over.
Surrey鈥檚 Songeun Lee won the girls tournament with a 14-over-par 230 and qualified directly for the Junior Girls Championship in Thornhill, Ont.
Donnici and Ashley Cai, both members at the Point Grey Golf Golf and Country Club, qualified for the Junior Girls Championship.
