Foxes finish one-two in golf championship

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Andy Fox, a pro at the Cotton Wood Coulee Golf Course in Medicine Hat, was the men's overall winner at the 1995 North American Golf Championships. His younger brother Rocky Fox finished in second place.

The three-day event was shared by more than 120 people at Waterton Lakes National Park, where they partook in excellent steaks and fine play, fellowship and friendship.

"It just keeps getting better and better," said Lloyd Gauthier of Hobbema, the main tournament organizer. "We put Victor Buffalo in charge of the weather and he did a great job too." Indeed, the weather shone on the tournament, with sunny skies, warm days and just enough of a breeze to keep the insects away.

"We just had wonderful assistance and cooperation from our sponsors," Gauthier said. "There are so many, I can't name them all here, but their support is really appreciated." Almost 50 sponsors, including Windspeaker, helped fund the tournament, with Peace Hills Trust donating the trophies. Warren Hannay, representing of Peace Hills, was himself a winner, walking off with the honors for best single shot of the week.

Roy Ahenakew, part owner of Saskatchewan's Jack Fish Lodge, Golf and Convention Centre and executive director of the Meadow Lake Tribal Council, said he was also happy to help sponsor the event. A 30 year semi-pro player, Ahenakew said he found the course a little short, but the scenery more than made up for it. Like many of the sponsors who attended, he said the event really brought Native golfers together.

"There's a lot of good feeling generated by events like this," he said. "It's a chance to get to know one another."

An unexpected participant was former tournament champion Arnold Hawkins, originally from Standing Rock, South Dakota, and now living in San Francisco. A collegiate golf champion and former U.S. Open player, Hawkins was in a major automobile accident May 20, receiving several injuries requiring over 100 stitches.

"It's great to be here today," he said. "I thought for a while I'd played my last game." Hawkins recorded one of the best rounds of the event.

Charlie Smallface of Cardston won the men's senior event and the Dennis Knight family from Saskatchewan took first place in the sponsors', ladies' and junior events.

The championships are also contested by teams representing the western provinces and the U.S.

This year's team competition winner was Team Alberta, made up of the Foxes, Guy Lonechild, Greg Russell, Mitch Buffalo, and Lawrence Mistaken Chief.

In addition to the golf prizes, Gauthier said that the tournament was pleased to present four academic scholarships

An award of $500 each, with funding from DIAND, went to Steve and Kirk Buffalo of Hobbema, both attending school in Lethbridge, Greg Russell of Cardston, attending Medicine Hat College and Willie John of the Long Lake Cree, who will be going to the University of Alberta in Edmonton.

A special guest at the tournament was Don Stouffer, dean at Mount Royal College in Calgary and long-time athletics coach.

"Don taught me a lot about fairness and honesty, as well as about sport," said Gauthier who played hockey under Stouffer at Mt. Royal. "It was a great pleasure to have him here."