It was a dream start followed by a nightmarish finish for Kimberley’s Jared du Toit in Thursday’s first round of the GolfBC Championship. Du Toit, playing in just his second pro event after finishing his collegiate career at Arizona State University, looked to have it on cruise control on the front nine at Gallagher’s Canyon Golf & Country Club.

They are student and teacher and this week both will be writing the same exam. This test does not have any true or false questions. Instead, it is fraught with obstacles like tight, tree-lined fairways and firm and fast greens. Grades will not be A’s and B’s, but birdies and bogeys. Chris Trunzer is the teacher, Matt Hopley the student and both are playing in this week’s GolfBC Championship.

Thompson, a teaching pro at Golftec in Kelowna, proved it’s more about the swing than size when he won the charity long-drive contest Wednesday afternoon that officially kicked off the GolfBC Championship at Gallagher’s Canyon Golf & Country Club.

Canada’s best amateur golfer is now a pro and Jared du Toit will tell you that feels a little different.

Go low or go home. That message was sent rather emphatically to those attempting to Monday qualify their way into this week’s GolfBC Championship.