Over 90 junior golfers with many planning to attend the Saskatchewan Junior Championships took part in the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) event in Lloydminster this past weekend.

In the junior women’s age groups, both Youran Zhu and Tayla Perry picked up their second championships of the MJT season.

Perry took the 15 to 19 age group with a 36-hole score of 158 (82,76), holding off Sarah Henderson of Saskatoon. Henderson was three strokes off the lead at 161, Kyle’s Chloe Wills also made the podium in third with rounds of 81 and 85.

Zhu won the under-15 age category with a two round score of 174 thanks to rounds of 82 and 92. Natalie Maunula of North Battleford was second at 195.

The under-13 men’s division was won by Hudson Deibert of Regina. The 10-year-old outlasted Cohen Bridge (Corman Park) and Caleb O’Brien (Melville) to win the age group by five strokes.

Austin Nesbitt has another bantam (under-15) win on his impressive junior resume. The Pilot Butte product shot 75 and 79 for a 10 shot win over Cooper Roberge of Lloydminster and Lumsden’s Ryker Schmidt.

Mason Kuryvial of Taber, Alta. placed fourth, a shot behind the runners-up.

Taking the overall championship was Sucker River junior Dade Bernatchez who collected his first overall MJT win. Bernatchez shot 80 in round one and 78 in the second round just getting past Regina’s Aiden Walker by two shots.

Walker opened with an 83 and responded with a 77 on day two but couldn’t quite track down Bernatchez. Placing third in the under-19 age group was Graydon Vogelsang of Saskatoon, he was at 161 (78,83).

Regina’s Kai Kriekle who plays at the Wascana Country Club tied Preston Buchner for fourth overall, but Kriekle’s 163 was enough to claim the under-17 division that plays the same yardage as the under-19 division.

Plenty of pressure was behind Kriekle over the two days, Cohen Hepburn of Saskatoon and Finn Silver from North Battleford each posted scores of 164 to tie for second in the age category.

For complete results of the event click here.

Next up on the Saskatchewan Junior Order of Merit Tours (OMT) is the NextGen Prairie Championship in Warman at The Legends Golf Club from June 13 to 15.

To see the updated OMT standings click here.

All photos courtesy Jeff Chambers

A heartbreaking finish for Lucas Sturgeon at the NextGen Western Championships over the weekend at Trestle Creek Golf Resort in Entwistle, Alta.

The Saskatoon Golf and Country Club junior opened the event with a 73, shot 68 in the middle round Saturday and closed with a 75, good enough to force a three-person playoff that was won by Chase Lassman of Edmonton.

Sturgeon earns an exemption into the Canadian Junior Boys’ Championships alongside Casa Rio’s Ethan Hunter and Saskatoon’s Ryan Mosher who tied for sixth overall at 219, just three shots back of the winnner.

Aricin Franklin (Saskatoon), Brady Guenther (Saskatoon), Shae Maunula (North Battleford) and Hudson Heistad (Avonlea) all made the cut and played all 54 holes. Franklin tied for 12th at 223 (71,75,77), Guenther tied for 31st at 229 (76,73,80), Maunula was 34th with a score of 230, Heistad was 43rd at 235.

Three Saskatchewan junior women were in the field.

Grace Odnokon of Saskatoon just missed the cut shooting 81 and 84, Niya Friesen from Swift Current was near the number as well carding rounds of 85 and 81. Onion Lake golfer Ada Dillon shot 84 and 86, the cut line was 163.

To see more on the NextGen Western Championship including the full results click here.

The NextGen Championship schedule continues to roll through western Canada with its next stop at The Legends Golf Club in Warman for the playing of the NextGen Prairie Championship. The tournament will run June 13 – June 15 with a practice round preceding the action on June 12.  

Tommy Danielson has his first big amateur championship after putting on an impressive 36-hole display on the weekend at the MNP Northeast Open in Nipawin.

The Riverside Country Club member tied for fourth at the event last season and right from the first tee in 2025 Danielson wanted more.

He parred the opening two holes at Evergreen Golf Course startig Saturday, went on to birdie the next seven and finish the round tied for lead at 5-under par with Kyle Weibe of Madison.

The wind picked up for day two, but Danielson continued his strong play at one point pushing his score to 11-under par before closing the event 8-under and a five shot win over Shaunavon’s Corey Bailey.

Phil Jonas was the top pro in third place. The complete results can be found here.

Scott Mackay is the 2025 Regina City Amateur presented by Zaba Financial champion.

The Royal Regina Golf Cub member shot back-to-back 73’s on May 24 and 25 at Murray Golf Course and the Wascana Country Club and held off Cole Zawislak and Drayjon Sparvier in a playoff to win his first city am and earn 500 points on the Order of Merit Tour (OMT).

To see the full results click here.

Mackay spoke with Golf Saskatchewan about the win and his thoughts going into the MNP Northeast Open this weekend and Saskatchewan Amateur Championships in Humboldt in mid July.

Autumn Neiszner is a college graduate and leaves behind a solid four year career at Keiser University.

The 2019 Saskatchewan junior champion and runner-up in 2020 joined the Seahawks top-ranked program in the fall of 2021.

Over the four years at Keiser the Seahawks women’s golf team went to the NAIA National Championship each year, placing eighth in Neiszner’s first season, second in the her second year, last season the Seahawks won the national title and just last week the team took home another runner up trophy.

Neiszner spoke about her time at Keiser, the team’s success, tips for future collegiate players and what’s next for the Wascana Country Club member on the course, and in the classroom.

The Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) made a stop in Swift Current this past weekend for the second Team Saskatchewan Canada Summer Games qualifier at Elmwood Golf Club.

Nearly 120 players across six age groups were in the field from May 17 to 19.

In the under-15 women’s division Wynyard’s Alyxa Melsted has her first MJT win on the junior tour. The 12-year-old carded rounds of 88, 98, and 91 for a 54-hole total of 277, one shot lower than Zu Youran of Saskatoon. Placing third at 289 was North Battleford golfer Natalie Maunula.

It was a one-shot difference in the women’s under-19 category as well with Grace Odnokon of Saskatoon taking the championship. The Saskatoon Golf and Country Club member opened with a 78 on Friday, she posted an 85 in round two, then finished with a 78 to hold off Chloe Wills of Kyle for the win. Wills went 73, 89, 80 over the weekend.

Camrose golfer Jayla Kucy rounded out the top three at 245 (83, 86, 76).

Lucas Sturgeon of Saskatoon was the overall champion on the men’s side. Sturgeon won the juvenile age group by three shots and the overall championship by a stroke.

Sturgeon opened with a 71, in round two the 15-year-old battled the elements for a 75, and in the final round he carded a 72 to win the tournament. Chase Strang of Airdrie was third in the under-17 age group; Calgary’s Jayden Arnold was third.

In the under-19 age division Christian Flick of Heritage Pointe, Alta. was the champion with a three-round score of 219 (70, 75, 74).

Brady Guenther of Saskatoon had a strong showing placing second at 221 (72, 76, 73), right behind him at 222 was another Saskatoon shooter, Jack Maharaj.

In the peewee age group another Alberta golfer took the title. Edmonton golfer Oscar Gosgnach won the under-13 category by 15 strokes.

Hudson Deibert of Regina placed second at 240 (83, 77, 80), Magrath, Alta. junior Jase Hansen was third at 257.

In the bantam (under-15) age group Regina’s Jun Lee performed fantastically to win the division. The Royal Regina Golf Club star shot 69 in round one, 79 on a blustery second day and 73 in round three to claim the win.

Austin Nesbitt of Pilot Butte was second at 227 (70, 83, 74). Cole Yurchak of Wainwright, Alta. was third at 231.

There were also two hole in ones in the event. Moose Jaw player Dayton Vickaryous aced hole eight on Friday. Wetaskiwin Alta. player Jay Kary got a one on hole four on Saturday.

To see the complete results click here.

The next MJT event is May 31 to June 1 in Lloydminster at the Golf and Curling Centre. This event will be used as a tune up for the Saskatchewan Junior Championships also hosted by the club. The Junior Championships will also be the final qualifier before the announcement of Team Saskatchewan for the Canada Summer Games. To register click here.

The Junior Order of Merit Tours (OMT) standings are up to date, to view the standings click here.

All images courtesy Jeff Chambers

Anyone with mobility issues but still wanting to enjoy a round of golf in northeast Saskatchewan, the Melfort Golf and Country Club (MGCC) could assist.

Golf Saskatchewan owns three Solo-Rider golf cats, two are in Saskatoon with one being housed at Holiday Park Golf Course and the other being utilized at Silverwood Golf Course. Earlier in May the MGCC received the third Solo-Rider that is now available free of charge.

Darren Flaata is a board member at the golf club. Being active despite having mobility issues is close to the Melfort resident’s heart, his daughter in in a wheelchair. Flaata also assists at Wapiti Ski Resort where he takes kids skiing even with challenges. Flaata said having the Solo-Rider in Melfort hopefully allows anyone in the northeast region to try golf or return to the game following an injury or illness.

“Having more inclusion and promoting this type of thing means a lot to me and my family,” Flaata said.

The Solo-Rider works for players either left or right handed, the chair lifts the player to a standing position and allows them to strike the ball. The Solo-Rider is course friendly and can be driven into bunkers and on greens in a safe manner. Flaata said having the cart at the MGCC hopefully provides more inclusiveness for the sport.

“I think anytime you can promote any type of inclusion and open up avenues to people it’s going to benefit everyone,” he added.

Golf Saskatchewan is continuing the planning process for the championship season that will begin with the Saskatchewan Junior Championships in Lloydminster in early July.

Registration opened for the Saskatchewan Amateur Championships on April 15, the official start of golf season in the province.

As of Tuesday, 79 players have signed up for the Junior Championships. There are 137 players registered for the Amateur Championships in Humboldt. The Senior Championships will be hosted by Chinook Golf Course in Swift Current; 55 players have entered that championship so far.

Some notes for players:

• Payment for championship entry will be processed by Golf Saskatchewan staff on May 15
• All World Handicap Index requirements will be enforced
• The previous five Saskatchewan Amateur Men’s champions if amateur status still exists (Kye Fisher, Danny Klughart) are exempted until May 15, following that date, the field is open
• Players that made the cut at the 2024 Amateur Men’s Championship are exempt, again until May 15

To find out everything you need about all of Saskatchewan’s Amateur Championships click here.

If players require any assistance in getting registered, contact Golf Saskatchewan’s Manager of Championships Carson Olson at 306.852.7727 or Colson@golfsk.org

Will Blake and Luke Cote have seen their spring college seasons at Southern Arkansas University (SAU) end following the NCAA Div. II Midwest/Central Regional at St. Joseph Country Club in St. Joseph, Missouri.

From May 8 to 10 the Muleriders competed with 19 other schools for a chance at punching their tickets to the Div. II National Championship. Unfortunately, SAU placed 11^th and won’t be moving on this year.

Cote wrapped the season with a tie for 72^nd after rounds of 74, 76, and 75, a solid 12-over par. Blake shot back-to-back rounds of 80, he did not play his third round, teammate Jett Stephenson filled in, also shooting 80.

Waskesiu Golf Course junior graduates Alex Swinnerton and Guillermo Salazar were also chasing a chance at the Div. II National Championship with Indianna University of Pennsylvania (IUP) on the weekend. Competing at Whispering Woods Golf Club in Fairview, Pennsylvania Salazar and Swinnerton paced the Crimson Hawks over 54 holes. Salazar, a Calgary resident got better every round shooting 77, 75, and 73 to leave himself in a tie for 14^th overall. He jumped six spots on the leaderboard on the final day.

Swinnerton, from Saskatoon and one of the province’s top ranked amateurs carded rounds of 73, 82, and 72 to land tied at 20^th.

IUP was eighth out of 20 schools competing.

Beginning on Tuesday in Ypsilanti, Michigan, Regina’s Autumn Neiszner and the Keiser University Seahawks will begin the NAIA National Championship at Eagle Crest Golf Club. The Wascana Country Club has graduated and will conclude her college career at the event played over four days and 72 holes.

To follow the live scoring at the championship, click here.

Holly Knudsen is the most recent Saskatchewan golfer to wrap up her collegiate career in the United States.

Hailing from Shamrock, Sask. Knudsen walked on to the Minot State University (MSU) Beavers golf team five years ago, now she graduates a leader on the MSU team.

With a degree in hand, Knudsen will return home and join the insurance industry while still playing golf on a more recreational level.

Knudsen joined Golf Saskatchewan to talk about her career in Minot, how important golf is in her life and what’s next.