Playing in the Canadian North Midnight Classic is a bucket list for some people, especially the golfing at midnight part.

But for Justin Bailey and Winter Haley, the tournament is more than just a tournament. It's where they started on the path to becoming husband and wife.

Bailey and Haley won their respective divisions in the 70th edition of the tournament. Bailey won the men's title with a gross score of 73 while Haley's 91 was good enough to win her the women's honours. It was the first time either one of them had won the tournament.

Haley played in the 18-hole round on June 21 and said the conditions were to her liking.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was slightly overcast, light wind and that made for ideal scoring,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

She admitted she was new to competitive golf and was a bit nervous when she started her round but said not focusing on her score was the key.

SA国际影视传媒淚 usually play the Friday night best-ball events,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 just tried to relax myself and enjoy the round and not worry about the scoring.SA国际影视传媒�

Turned out her round was one of the best she's ever had, she added.
SA国际影视传媒淚 made the turn (after the front nine) and I saw that I was on track for a good score,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭here were a lot of other good lady golfers out there so I just waited to see how everything turned out on Saturday and I got more confident when the scores were being posted.SA国际影视传媒�

As for Bailey, he's been a long-time player in the tournament but this was the first time he was able to claim victory. Just like his fiancee, he played in the Friday round, where he posted his winning score.

SA国际影视传媒淚t's pretty exciting, for sure,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚've been playing for a while and this was a long time coming, you could say. I was just hoping for a good score. There's so many good players out there and I just wanted to go out and put up a good score that would put me in the mix.SA国际影视传媒�
Bailey admitted there were some nerves at the start of his round but he was able to scramble and par most of the holes on the course.

SA国际影视传媒淚 made a couple of birdies on 15 and 16 that took some of the pressure off,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 was scrambling and made lots of pars and I knew I had a good score but there are lots of guys out there who can beat 73.SA国际影视传媒�

Not only was it a winning weekend for the soon-to-be married couple, it was also the anniversary of their engagement as Bailey popped the question to Haley one year ago at the tournament.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was a great way to celebrate our anniversary,SA国际影视传媒� said Haley. SA国际影视传媒淕olf is our love affair.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淲e golf together all the time,SA国际影视传媒� added Bailey. SA国际影视传媒淚t's the one tournament we look forward to because we started our relationship there.SA国际影视传媒�

Jamie Koe, the defending men's champion, was also playing in the Friday afternoon round and put up a valiant effort to defend his crown but he fell short, carding a 76.

In terms of the tournament overall, Matthew Gray, the Yellowknife Golf Club's general manager and head pro, said a total of 236 people came out to play and they combined for 292 individual entries over the course of the weekend.

SA国际影视传媒淲e had dual entries with people playing in the midnight flight, the championship rounds and the scramble,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

The midnight flight is always the highlight of the weekend's festivities and Gray said a total of 126 people teed it up on either the front or back nine at 11:59 p.m. on June 22.

Some didn't get to finish because the weather took a turn for the worse as the evening wore on with lightning making an unwelcome appearance.

SA国际影视传媒淭he weather warning was put out to all of those who had carts and lots decided to come back,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淪ome decided to keep on playing.SA国际影视传媒�

The bad weather even affected the second 18-hole championship round on Saturday morning with tee-off times delayed by 90 minutes because of all the rain that fell.

SA国际影视传媒淲e had to dry out the greens and blow water off of them,SA国际影视传媒� said Gray. SA国际影视传媒淵ou can't do anything about the weather but just get through it.SA国际影视传媒�