Cordova Bay Golf Course was in prime shape – but it was Jaya Rampuri’s putter that stole the show.
The Riverway Golf Course (Burnaby) pro delivered a poised performance over two days in Saanich, capturing the PGA of BC Women’s Championship with a three-shot victory to claim her first professional title in her debut appearance on the provincial tour.
In the other competition of the week, Doug Morgan of Richmond Country Club topped the PGA of BC Seniors Championship at 3-under par. It marked his third time winning the event, having previously claimed the hardware in 2017 and 2022.
Rampuri finished the 36-hole tournament at even-par (72-70), edging out Christine Wong of Savage Creek Golf Course (Richmond) (73-72) for the win.
“I’m super happy – it was my first pro win and I’m pumped,” Rampuri said moments after tapping in her birdie putt on 18. “The emotions are definitely high right now.”
She closed with a bogey-free 33 on the back nine, capped off by a near-flawless 18th hole.
With a gallery watching, she stuck her approach to six feet and calmly rolled in the birdie for a stress-free finish.
“I was definitely nervous even over that six-foot putt,” she said. “But I was putting good all day, so I told myself to trust it – and it rolled right in.”
The former Simon Fraser University standout earned $1,350 for the win, which came in her first PGA of BC event after joining the tour last October.
She’s no stranger to competition, having played four years of professional golf on mini tours. But this week felt different.
“I came out here with really good perspective,” Rampuri said. “I knew I just needed to stay committed and trust my golf swing this week.”
Rampuri had only played Cordova Bay once before – nearly a decade ago at the BC Juniors – and didn’t recall much from that visit.
She arrived Sunday for her first practice round and built a game plan from scratch.
“The course was awesome – it was in such great shape,” she said. “The fairways were awesome, the greens were rolling well. It was easy to make putts if I got them to the hole.”
Rampuri now takes a short break before returning to a tournament closer to home. She’s considering entering the PGA of Canada Championship in Burlington, Ont. later this summer.
“Coming off this one with momentum, I just want to keep working on my game,” she said. “Keep making strides and trusting my swing.”
Just one local golfer teed it up in the women’s field – Cordova Bay’s Megan Kathleen Hodgson, who finished tied for eighth with rounds of 79 and 76.
In the seniors’ championship, veteran Doug Morgan opened with a 69 on Monday and followed it with a 70 on Tuesday to hold off Seymour Golf Club’s Bryn Parry – the only other player to finish under par.
Morgan’s 36-hole scorecard featured seven birdies, four bogeys, and 25 pars. The win earned him $2,600.
The seniors’ field featured 51 golfers, with five hailing from Greater Victoria.
Edward Boudreau (Gorge Vale Golf Club) and Lance McCullough (Cordova Bay) tied for seventh at +6, Jayme Young (Arbutus Ridge) was T-21 at +13, Randy Frank (Olympic View) finished T-25 at +15, and Jeff Palmer (Highland Pacific) ended up T-33 at +21.
The seniors played a dynamic yardage based on age and gender, ranging from 5,209 to 6,319 yards. The women’s layout stretched from 5,209 to 5,583 yards.
Next up on the PGA of BC calendar is the Pro-Assistant Championship in Vernon.
Victoria will host two more stops this season – Gorge Vale Golf Club welcomes the PGA of BC Championship on Aug. 18-19, while Victoria Golf Club will host the PGA of BC Club Professional Championship on Sept. 22-23.
