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 CALGARY—Chris Horton was crowned champion of the Players Tour presented by Duca del Cosma after carding back-to-back birdies in a playoff that extended two extra holes under blistering Alberta sun at the Mckenzie Meadows Golf Club on Thursday.

Horton, an Apprentice Professional at the Golf Channel Academy at Cottonwood Golf and Country Club, matched jabs with Kevin Black, in the playoff after both Calgarians carded 7-under-par 65s.

The head-to-head duel continued into the first extra hole, a 555-yard par-5, where the PGA of Alberta pros both made birdie. Horton continued his birdie streak to the 351-yard par-4 to lock up the victory.

“I was excited to head out against Kevin. I wasn’t sure if he was going to make it back,” said Horton, who added Black was the first group out on the day and left the property after his round so had to be called back for the playoff. “We both made some birdies and then he was in the fairway bunker on the second hole, and I hit it in close to seal the deal.”

Horton made the turn in 34 after carding four birdies and two bogeys on the opening side before catching fire on a back nine that saw him rattle off five birds in a six-hole stretch.

“On the front nine I had a few soft bogeys so I wasn’t sure how the day was going to go, and then I got it going on the back and finished well,” said Horton, who was hitting bombs in addition to firing darts at the flagsticks.

“I knew the course was fairly short, with short par-4s that you can get to in one. I just stayed aggressive all day. I hit three of them under regulation with a lot of two-putt birdies. It made it feel like a pretty easy round out there. It was an awesome, the course is in great shape, and the greens were rolling well.”

Black, who holds the post as Director of Golf at Redwood Meadows Golf and Country Club, was also as hot as the prairie sun on the closing nine, firing five birdies and an eagle of his own for a round of 36-29—65.

Five southern Alberta pros posted 18-hole spins of 67 (-5). Tyler LeBouthillier (365 Golf Inc.), Jason Stanier (Inglewood Golf and Curling Club), Austin Keller (The Links of Glen Eagles), Ethan Palmer (Cottonwood Golf and Country Club), and Samuel Kirkness (Inglewood Golf and Curling Club) all finished deadlocked in third place in the field of 70 players.

Terry Carter claims top spot in the senior division

Terry Carter (National Golf Academy at McCall Lake) was the lone golfer in the 18-man senior division to shoot a sub-par round. After opening with an eagle, Carter mixed together third birdies and one double-bogey for a score of 69 (-3).

Darryl James (National Golf Academy at Shaganappi) shot an even-par 72 for second place. Andre DiBartolo (Edmonton Garrison Memorial Golf and Country Club) and Brian Bassen (Strathmore Golf Club) matched rounds of 73 to finish T3 under ideal conditions.

Complete Results:

The PING Club Professional Championship is next up on the 2024 tournament docket where a field of 71 PGA of Alberta pros will tee it up at the pristine Calgary Golf and Country Club, July 22.

For more information on the PGA of Alberta calendar of events, please visit https://www.pgaofalberta.com/tournaments/registration/