Fulton, Matthews close qualifying strong in scramble

WASAGAMING — Dorelle Fulton didn’t realize the blessing she was about to receive when her brother married Kandis Matthews.

He gained a life partner, while Fulton gained a golf partner.

And they’ve developed into quite the team. Fulton and Matthews carded a 3-over 77 in ladies scramble qualifying at the Tamarack golf tournament on Monday, good for the No. 2 seed in the championship flight.

“I married into it for sure,” Matthews said of how she picked up the sport.

“I feel so lucky Kandis has just embraced the game the way she has. She’s just as much of an addict as the rest of us, if not more,” Fulton added.

The pair figured out a recipe for success in the two-player scramble format, one many teams use throughout this week.

Matthews leads off as the shorter hitter, prioritizing putting the ball in play to free up Fulton to take big swings.

“Kandis was being super consistent, too. She always had a safe play so I could just let it rip, and it was awesome,” said Fulton, who lives in Birtle.

Added Matthews: “Distance was definitely one of (her strengths). She was killing it with her driver and her approach shots, too. She was amazing.”

Matthews said the team relaxed a bit after a four-bogey front nine.

They made two more bogeys to start the back but rattled in birdies on three of four holes down the stretch to climb into the clubhouse lead.

“It was a lot of fun on the back nine there. The putts were falling, and it was great,” said Fulton.

The Tamarack is becoming a family affair for Matthews, who lives in Kelowna, B.C. Her son Kolton and daughter Kailie are in the junior event, and youngest daughter Klara is in the cubs.

Kolton snagged the last championship flight spot with a 4-over 76 and will face medallist Jaxon Jacobson on Wednesday in the quarterfinals.

Fulton and Matthews are in the Tamarack for the second year as a team, having lost in last year’s semifinals to the eventual champions, Leslie Olson and Tracy Rutledge.

Fulton learned the game from her father, John Matthews, who taught her one important piece of advice about match play that proved spot-on last year.

“You always have to assume the other team is going to make that putt,” Fulton recalled the message, noting unexpected shots by an opponent can throw a golfer off.

“We were sitting pretty, we were putting for birdie with maybe a 10-foot putt. Leslie and Tracy chipped in, so now we have to make this birdie to tie.

“The more we play, the better we get it.”

Fulton and Matthews face Rachel Cody and Julia Reimer (81) in their first match on Wednesday. The winner will play Jody Bieber and Jayne Troop (78) or Carrie Thorpe and Courtney Weger (79).

Olson and Rutledge made five birdies to shoot 1-under 73 and claim the top seed. They face Lynda Lowry and Janice Meadows (82) in the quarterfinals, with Val Giesbrecht and Carla Milne (79) taking on Sherri Ferguson and April Popple in the other quarterfinal.

NORTH SHOOTS 68

FOR MASTERS MEDAL

Bruce North, seven-time Tamarack men’s champion, poured in eight birdies en route to a sizzling 4-under 68 on Monday to take the top seed in the masters men’s event.

He faces Rod Lindenberg in the quarterfinals, while Dale Murray plays Darren Penny on his side of the draw.

The other quarters feature Keith Fawcett against Chris Patrick and Darren Graves taking on Murray Lindenberg.

MEN OPEN MATCH-PLAY

PORTION EARLY TODAY

Medallist Ron Cornell plays Mark Schneider, while Cal Vanderschuit and Carter Sawchuk meet in the first group of championship flight men today on Hole No. 1 at 8:48 a.m.

The other groups in order are: Dustin Dyck vs. Jason Thorpe and Josh McPhail vs. Landon Trotter; Ross Sheard vs. Dustin Schneider and Grady Chuback vs. Kolby Day; and Trent Turner vs. Darren Ritchie and Nolan Tutkaluk vs. Greg Misener.

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