Sask. Amateur Women’s champion wins in college, three local student-athletes on the course last week
Ella Kozak of Yorkton’s second event of the spring was shortened by weather last week in Humacoa, Puerto Rico. The Western Carolina Catamounts were at Palmas Del Mar on March 4 to 6 for the Puerto Rico Shootout. With rounds of 77 and 73, the Yorkton product tied for 34th after round three was cancelled.
Western Carolina placed seventh in the team competition. The Catamounts are in Raleigh, North Carolina for the City of Oaks Collegiate beginning March 21 at Lonnie Poole Golf Club.
Saskatoon’s Symone Ripley’s spring season with the University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO) Heat got underway on March 4 and 5 in Henderson, Nevada. Competing at the Reflection Bay Golf Club the nursing student fired rounds of 90, 92, and 90 for a 54-hole total of 56-over, 272. Ripley was 39th in the field.
The Heat were third as a team, 2023 Saskatchewan Amateur Women’s champion Emily Cornwall of UBCO won the event finishing 2-over par.
The Heat remain in Nevada and will compete in the Vegas Warrior Invitational at Wildhorse Golf Club in Henderson beginning March 14.
Chase Pochylko and the Nicholls University Colonels were in action for the second time this spring in Sugar Land, Texas for the HCU Colin Montgomerie Invitational hosted at Sweetwater Country Club. The Riverside Country Club player opened with a 78 I round one on March 3, the Saskatoon product followed that up with 73 and 74 to finish in a tie for 33rd at 12-over par.
Nicholls was eighth as a team. The Colonels are already on the course again this week competing in South Texas Match Play in McAllen, Texas.
Upwards of 20 student-athletes could begin their spring schedules this week. Golf Saskatchewan will have more results later this week.
Staines commits to college in Pennsylvania
Another one of Saskatchewan’s top junior golfers has signed a commitment with a college golf squad in the United States.
Saskatoon resident Ben Staines will attend Mount Aloysius College in Cresson, Pennsylvania starting in the fall of 2025..
Staines has climbed the ranks of Saskatchewan junior men’s golf in the last couple years, the Riverside Country Club member was 58th in his first provincial championship in 2002, in 2023 Staines was 21st, last year he was 14th.
With one year of under-19 competition ahead and a future amateur career following university, Staines hopes some national opportunities arise as well.
He joined Golf Saskatchewan to speak about his start in golf, route to college, and future in the game.
Spring college season slowly picking up pace
As we get closer to spring, especially in the United States, college golf schedules are getting busier.
Last week Nipawin’s Cole Taylor was the lone player in action competing for Park University in Arizona. The Buccaneers started the season with a team win at the Sea Beggar hosted by Providence Baptist Invitational on Feb. 18 and 19. The team won the event by seven shots over the host school. Taylor tied for 14th with rounds of 75 and 81 at the Angeles National Gold Club in Sunland, California.
The Bucs are in Lubbock, Texas on March 10 and 11 for the Wayland Baptist Invitational.
Yorkton’s Ella Kozak began her spring season with the Western Carlina Catamounts on Feb. 21 to 23 at the Reynolds Lake Oconee Invitational in Greensboro, Georgia. The 2024 Saskatchewan Junior champion shot 81, 85, and 75 to place 73rd overall at the National Course.
The Catamounts were 13th as team. Kozak and Western Carolina will be in Puerto Rico from March 4 – 6 for the Puerto Rica Classic at Palmas del Mar.
Will Danielson (pictured above) opened his last spring season with the Milsaps Majors in Houston, Texas at Gus Wortham Park Golf Course on Feb. 24 and 25. The Saskatoon product opened with a 1-over par, 72 in round one, he fired a 76 in round two and 79 in the final round to finish in a tie for 25th. Milsaps placed seventh in the team competition.
Next up is a trip to Opelika, Alabama for the LTU Spring Break Invitational from March 12 to 14 at Grand National Golf Club.
Down in New Orleans, Louisianna on Feb. 24 and 25 Chase Pochylko and Nicholls University teed it up for the first time this spring. The Saskatoon-born player carded rounds of 74, 76, and 77, the Riverside Country Club member tied for 52nd at English Turn in the ‘Big Easy.’
The Colonels tied for 11th. Their next event is the HCU Colin Montgomerie Invitational starting March 3 at Sweetwater Country Club in Sugar Land, Texas.
Several more Saskatchewan student-athletes will start their seasons in the first week of March, by the middle of the month all schools will have had an event.
The Legends Golf Club eager to host NextGen Championship
The NextGen Prairie Championship is coming to The Legends Golf Club in Warman this year, the first Golf Canada event ever hosted by the course.
Almost 120 players from five provinces, and 36 players from Saskatchewan are on the pending registration list, Golf Canada started taking entries on Feb. 19. The 54-hole championship runs from June 13 – 15. Legends General Manager and Davidson Matyczuk said the club is delighted to host the event.
“We are very excited to have been given the opportunity to host this Golf Canada event,” Matyczuk said. “We can’t wait to welcome everyone to Warman and the Legends Golf Club this June. It’s going to be a great event for both the juniors in our province as well as those traveling from other provinces to participate.”
The Legends is a par-72 championship caliber course that plays over 7,200 yards from the back tees. Matzczuk said the competitors are all talented players and will be tested by the course in various aspects.
“The players should expect to see a very strong field with the top juniors from Saskatchewan competing alongside some of the top junior golfers in Canada. The Legends has a history of identifying worthy champions as proven by the list of winners in previously held provincial championships. We expect the course will provide a fair but challenging test where their skills, course management, and mental toughness will all be required to be successful,” he added.
The NextGen Prairie Championship rotates between Saskatchewan and Manitoba each year. In 2023 Nipawin’s Evergreen Golf Course hosted the event over three days in June. Killarney, Man. product Cala Korman and Alberta resident Kye Fisher were the champions that year. Both players are now Division 1 collegiate players in the United States. Matyczuk, a longtime professional that has played around the world on several professional tours. He said events such as the NextGen Championship could be key in any junior golfer’s development.
“A win in any NextGen Championship has proven to be huge. It is often a turning point in a player’s development as well as opening new opportunities going forward. Events like this are a fantastic means for individuals to begin to validate their skills and building their own personal belief that they can compete amongst the best Canada. I’m hopeful that for many players (and specifically the Saskatchewan players) that this event might become a defining experience. For some it comes in the form of a win or earning an exemption into the Canadian championships, but even if it doesn’t, this event hopefully lights a spark and gives them the confidence to keep advancing towards their individual goals,” Matyczuk added.
The NextGen Prairie Championship will also be part of the Canada Summer Games qualifying process in Saskatchewan. Golf Saskatchewan will release the entire qualification process in March.
Three Saskatchewan student-athletes tee off in spring season openers
The college golf season is getting underway in the warmer states of the U.S.A.
Autumn Neiszner and the highly ranked Keiser University Seahawks team were in Jekyll Island, Ga. for the Coastal Georgia Winter Invitational on Feb. 10 and 11. The Regina product competed as an individual at the Jekyll Island Golf Course, she shot 82 and 80, good enough for a tie for 34th in the field of 76 players.
Neiszner’s team took the overall championship of the event. Next up for the Seahawks is the Babs Steffens Invitational hosted by Stetson University on Feb. 24 and 25 in DeBary, Flo.
Fellow Regina golfer Luke Cote and the Southern Arkansas University (SAU) Muleriders opened their spring season in Texas at the Golf Club of Houston on Feb. 10 and 11. The Royal Regina Golf Club member tied for 46th place after rounds of 73 and 78.
The Muleriders were 10th in the team competition. SAU travels to Edmond, Okla. on March 17 for the Oak Tree Invitational at Oak Tree Golf Club
Saskatoon product Carter Degelman got his spring season underway at Dominican University of California on Feb. 10 and 11. The Penguins placed 13th at the CSUSM Fujikura Invitational with Degelman at 68th. The Riverside Country Club player fired 80, 79, and 87 at Shadowridge Golf Club in Vista, Cal.
The Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout in Alameda, Cal. at Corica Park Golf Course on March 10 and 11 is next up for Dominican.
Former Golf Saskatchewan president recognized for community service in Yorkton
Dick DeRyk, who was president of Golf Saskatchewan following the amalgamation of the amateur women’s and men’s organizations in the province has been honoured by the City of Yorkton.
DeRyk served as the president of Golf Saskatchewan from 2000 to 2002. He has also been a key member of many golf events hosted by Deer Park Municipal Golf Course serving as either the chair or co-chair of many provincial and national events hosted by the club between 1986 and 2017.
The city of Yorkton celebrated their sixth edition of the annual Civic Recognition Awards prior to a council meeting on Jan. 27.
More details from Yorkton This Week can be found here -> Dick DeRyk chosen as Yorkton’s Civic Recognition Award winner – SaskToday.ca.
Moose Jaw based “Fore” Women Hillcrest Ladies Committee recognized by city
The work of the “Fore” Women Hillcrest Ladies Committee in Moose Jaw was recognized by the city on Tuesday,
During the intermission of the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Moose Jaw Warriors game the group was honoured for the work they do providing scholarships to female athletes chasing post secondary options.
Hillcrest Golf Club General Manager Jasmine Cameron is very proud of the group and appreciates the recognition the group received.
“This group of fabulous ladies contribute countless hours of their time volunteering, organizing, supporting, and carrying out an annual golf fundraising event that has put over $50,000 worth of scholarships back into our community for young women continuing on with their post secondary studies while taking part in high level sport. I am one proud general manger to have the opportunity to work with such amazing members.”
Wells returns to Cooke Municipal Golf Course
PGA of Canada Professional Ryan Wells is returning to Cooke Municipal Golf Course.
He spent eight years at Cooke from 2012 to 2020 before taking the head professional role at Dunes Golf and Winter Club in Grande Prairie, Alta. in May of that year. After one season in northern Alberta, Wells returned to Saskatchewan taking over the head professional job at Elk Ridge Golf Resort. Cooke Municipal made the announcement on their Facebook and Instagram pages of Wells’ return Tuesday afternoon.
He said coming back to Prince Albert is exciting.
““Returning to Cooke Municipal feels like coming full circle, Wells said. Back to the course I know and love, and a place that has played a huge role in my growth and success in this industry. After gaining valuable experience, I’m excited to bring back what I’ve learned to Cooke Municipal and having my family, friends, and familiar faces right along makes this a very rewarding transition. I’m looking forward to the 2025 season.”
Heistad commits to California college
Avonlea golfer Hudson Heistad has committed to play collegiate golf in southern California.
The Long Creek Golf Club junior will attend Providence Christian College in Pasadena next fall and study Business.
Heistad spoke with Golf Saskatchewan about his start at the local 18-hole gem, the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour and his process of choosing a post-secondary golf opportunity.
MJT Announces tentative schedule including seven Sask. events
Earlier this week the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) announced their “tentative” nationwide schedule including seven events in Saskatchewan.
The MJT schedule in the province begins May 3 and 4 in Estevan at TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club for a 36 hole tournament.
On may 17 to 19 Elmwood Golf Club in Swift Current welcomes the tour for a three day championship.
The 2025 Saskatchewan Junior Championships host Lloydminster Golf and Curling Centre will also be an MJT venue on May 30 and June 1.
Regina’s Tor Hill Golf Course will welcome juniors to their 27-hole facility on June 28 and 29.
After a month break, the MJT returns July 28 and 29 at Moon Lake Golf and Country Club just south of Saskatoon.
The annual trip to Elk Ridge Golf Resort for the tour will be on Aug. 9 and 10 and the season will conclude as it does each summer at The Legends Golf Club in Warman on Aug. 23 and 24.
All the events will be part of the Saskatchewan Junior Order of Merit schedule with points accumulated for the five age groups.
Registration will open in the new year.