Saskatchewan had a strong contingent of players competing at the USports Canada West Championships at Paradise Canyon in Lethbridge on Oct. 4 and 5.
Reece Kuski of the University of Regina Cougars was the top local placing tied for 11th at 4-over par, 146. Fellow Cougar Jackson Wingert shot 9-over 151, he was tied for 22nd.
Dane Giesbrecht transferred to the University of the Fraser Valley and was in the field, he shot 17-over par, 159, that was 38th. Jordan Heller of the U of R was 41st at 164 (85, 79), Hudson Heistad also of the Cougars was 42nd (87, 79), and teammate Carter Bell was 43 at 169 (85, 84).
The Cascades were seventh as a team; the Cougars tied for eighth.
Caitlin McGregor of Swift Current was the lone Cougar competing in the women’s championship. She placed 33rd at 211.
South of the Border
The impressive fall season for Chloe Wills of Kyle at Drury University continued into October.
The Panthers were in Edmond, Oklahoma on Oct. 5 and 6 for the Grace Shin Invitational at the Golf Club of Edmond. Wills led the team with an eighth-place performance with stellar rounds of 73 and 71. The team was in 16th place.
From there Drury ventured to Springfield, Missouri for the Payne Stewart Memorial at Twin Oaks Country Club. The Panthers were the lone team of the dozen schools not Division 1 competing in the event. Again, Wills led the Panthers tying for 23rd carding back-to-back 78’s and an even par 71 in round three.
Drury was 12th. They conclude the fall season on Oct. 19 and 20 at the McKendree Bearcats Dual Gender Invitational in Caseyville, Illinois at Far Oaks Golf Club.
Ella Kozak has had a busy couple weeks with a pair of tournaments with the University of Idaho Vandals.
On Oct. 4 and 5 the Yorkton native was at the Tacoma Golf and Country Club for the Pat Lesser Harbottle in Lakewood, Washington. She signed for a 79 in round one, 75 in round two and a 74 in the final round to land tied for 59th place.
The Vandals were 13th out of 18 schools.
Niya Friesen of Swift Current was also in the tournament competing as an individual for Seattle University. She shot 85, 77, and 82 which was 98th place. Friesen’s teammates were sixth overall.
The Redhawks final fall event is the Route 66 Invitational in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma on Oct. 19 and 20.
The Golf Iconic Classic in Las Cruces, New Mexico was next on the schedule for Kozak on Oct 12 to 14 at NMSU Golf Course. She placed tied for 37th this week with rounds of 77, 72, and 74.
Idaho was 13th out of 19 schools in the event. That wrapped up the Vandals fall season.
The Lewis University Flyers hosted their home event this fall on Oct. 5 and 6. Saskatoon’s Sarah Henderson was competing for the Lewis ‘B’ team in the event. She tied for 46th place thanks to rounds of 85, 93, and 88. Her team was seventh out of 11, the Flyers ‘A’ team won the event.
Lewis has two tournaments left still with the Panther Fall Invite in Augusta, Michigan on Oct. 16 to 18 next on the slate at Stonehedge Golf Club.
Erika Davis’ first fall college season is complete with the Waldorf University Warriors. They were in Waterloo, Iowa, on Oct. 2 for a one-day event at Irv Warren Memorial Golf Course hosted by Hawkeye Community College. She carded a score of 102 and tied for 28th. Waldorf placed fourth out of six schools to close their season at the Redtail Classic.
The University of Providence with Regina’s Adam Husli at the helm continued their fall season with a pair of October events. First off, the Argos were Helena, Montana at the Bill Roberts Golf Club for the Fighting Saints Open on the 5and 6. He carded rounds of 74, 71, and 83 to tie for 29th overall. Providence was fourth out of eight schools in the team category.
The U of P returned home to host the Argo Invite at Eagle Falls Golf Club in Great Falls, Montana on Oct. 12 and 13. Husli signed for rounds of 86, 76, and 80 to place in a tie for 25th. The Argos were fourth.
That wraps up the fall season, Husli will now turn his focus to the Argo men’s hockey team schedule as he plays for that program too. The next game is Oct. 16 against the University of Montana.
Luke Cote and the Southern Arkansas University (SAU) Muleriders were in Andover, Kansas on Oct. 12 and 13 for the Newman Invitational at Terradyne Country Club. The Regina product led the team tying for ninth with rounds of 72, 69, and 74. SAU was 12th as a team.
The fall season will conclude Oct. 26 and 27 at the Tulsa Cup in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma at Indian Springs Golf Club.
Cole Taylor of Nipawin had a pair of events in the first half of October with the Park University Buccaneers squad. On Oct. 5 and 6 Taylor was in Hobbs, New Mexico at Antelope Hills Golf Course for the Battle in the Desert. Competing as an individual Taylor carded rounds of 72, 75, and 79 leaving him in a tie for 49th place. The Bucs team was ninth out of 17 teams.
From Hobbs the Bucs headed to Prescott, Arizona for the Embry-Riddle Fall Invite at Capital Canyon Club. Taylor shot 75 and 73 before rain forced a cancellation of the final round. He was 12th at the time of the calling of the event.
Next up is the OUAZ Sundance Shootout in Buckeye, Arizona at Sundance Golf Club on Nov. 2 and 3.
The Wheeling University Cardinals and Makstr McIntyre of Swift Current took part in the Bud Elwell Invitational on Oct. 11 and 12 at Whispering Woods Golf Club in Erie, Pennsylvania. The Elmwood Golf Club member posted back-to-back scores of 79 leaving him in a tie for 26th place.
McIntyre was on Wheeling’s ‘B’ team, they placed seventh. The Cards’ next event is on Oct. 19 to 21 in Farmington, Pennsylvania at Mystic Rock Golf Course.
Justin Miller saw his first action of October with the Tabor College Bluejays in Lawrence, Kansas at the Ottawa Braves Invitational on the 12th and 13th. The Saskatoon resident carded rounds of 82, 77, and 83 leaving him in a tie for 36th.
The Bluejays were seventh out of 10 teams. Tabor hits the road to Dodge City, Kansas on Oct. 18 to 20 for the KCAC Match Play Championships at Mariah Hills Golf Course to close the fall season.
Minot State University (MSU) had two events this month with Maple Creek’s Cam Schwab and Porter Barnett of Carlyle seeing some action.
On Oct. 5 and 6 the Beavers competed in the Battle in the North hosted at Beowulf Golf Club in Minot, North Dakota. Barnett was playing on the MSU ‘A’ team. He was 13th with rounds of 77 and 73. His team was second. Schwab was on the ‘B’ team that placed fifth. Schwab signed for rounds of 87 and 76 to finish in 28th place.
Regina product Hunter Steeves was also playing as an individual through the University of Mary. The Royal Regina Golf Club member was a solid 15th place with rounds of 73 and 80.
The USF Fall Invitational was next for both MSU and Mary on Oct. 12 and 13 in Larchwood, Iowa but only Barnett was in the field. He posted scores of 81 and 79 at Great Falls Casino and Golf Resort, that was 55th overall.
The Beavers closed their fall season with a fifth-place performance. Mary is also done for the fall.
The season has been an excellent showing for the Highland Community College Cougars with Saskatoon duo Jack Maharaj and Griffin Blanch assisting in several team wins this autumn.
On Oct. 5 and 6 in Coal Valley, Illinois at Oakwood Country Club the Cougars placed second overall out of 12 colleges. Blanch was competing as an individual at the Battle of the Mississippi, he was tied for 21st at 225 (75, 76, 74). Maharaj tied for 32nd at 229 with rounds of 75, 78, 76.
Not to be lost in the success of the Cougars team that won this week, fellow Saskatoon Golf and Country Club member Brady Guenther put up his first top five finish with the Parkland College Cobras. Guenther opened with a spectacular 68 in round one. He followed with a 74 and closed with a 73 to place fifth. His team was sixth.
This week in Champaign, Illinois at Atkins Golf Club all three were in action again at the ICC Cougar Clash.
Guenther led the Cobras and the locals again, this time with a fourth-place finish, just three shots back of the winner. He shot 71 and 73.
Blanch was 24th at 156 (78, 787) and Maharaj was 47th at 162 (81, 81). Highland’s win was their fifth of the fall season. Parkland was third.
Both schools are now done for the year.