Coulombe Brothers Victorious at Mel-EJ Cup

Brothers Danny and Ricky Coulombe fired a five-under-par 64 in alternate-shot play on Sunday to capture the overall title and Mel Murray trophy in the 10th annual Mel-EJ Cup at the Fredericton Golf Club.

 

Heavy rain on Saturday shortened the event to 27 holes, with a nine-hole scramble score counting toward the overall score. The Coulombes were six under par for nine holes Saturday in the easier scramble play format.

Runners-up Trevor Drisdelle and Jake Allen finished two shots off the pace, giving up a stroke to the eventual champions each day. Allen, of course, is better known for his prowess in another sport, having picked up a Stanley Cup ring as a member of the Saint Louis Blues championship squad less than a month ago.

This is the second victory in the event for Danny Coulombe, who won this tournament a decade ago in its inaugural year with a different partner, Charlie Vienneau.

The Eric Jamieson Cup for overall net champions went to the team of James “Trashman” Liston and Bevan Gallagher of the home club.

The shot of the tournament went to Steve Stewart, who registered a hole-in-one at the 130-yard seventh hole during play on Saturday. Stewart missed out on the $25,000 being offered for a hole-in-one of the 14th hole but he and his partner Brad Cain had a successful weekend with the low score in the second division.

While the big prize on 14, put up annually by Jardine Auctioneers, was not won this year, it was a great weekend for the Fredericton Community Kitchen. Jardine’s spearheaded a fundraising effort on the hole on Sunday that saw more than 30 local businesses and individuals offer a donation for every golfer that hit the green in regulation. By the end of the day, half the golfers in the 200-player field had hit the green and $17,800 was raised for the community kitchen.

The tournament honors the memory of the late Mel Murray and Eric Jamieson, two well-known golfers from the host club who lost their respective battles with cancer. Murray is one of the most accomplished golfers in the province’s history, and his good friend Jamieson is remembered as much for his love of the game and embracing the camaraderie of the sport.

 

For more information, please contact Carl Davies, 478-3586, carl.davies2262@gmail.com