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.

The 2025 Saskatchewan Junior Order of Merit Tours (OMT) are underway after the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) began their season on the weekend in Estevan.

At TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club on May 3 and 4, 65 junior golfers converged on southern Saskatchewan to start their competitive seasons in the province.

Three players competed in the under-15 women’s division, Saskatoon’s Youran Zhu won the age group with a score of 168 (87, 81).

There was six players in the 15 – 19 women’s division, Tayla Perry of Regina was the winner after carding rounds of 82 and 75. The 16-year-old was 11 strokes better than Grace Odnokon (87, 81). Yuna Lee of Regina rounded out the top-three at 175 (88, 87).

One player was in the peewee boys age group, James Qui from Surrey, B.C., the 12-year-old shot 72 in round one and 75 in the second round.

The juvenile boys category was the largest field with 23 players competing. Aricin Franklin of Saskatoon picked up the win (and overall championship) shooting 71 and 72 from just under 6,300 yards. Reigning under-19 men’s OMT champion Ethan Hunter was second at 149 (76, 73), and Jayden Chernoff of Estevan placed third on his home course with a two-round score of 158 (80, 78).

In the bantam division, Austin Nesbitt of Pilot Butte was the champion with rounds of 71 and 77 from over 5,400 yards at TS&M Woodlawn. Jun Lee of Regina was second, three shots back in the closest finish of the weekend. Lee shot 73 and 78, in third was Tylan Wallin of Humboldt, he was at 153 (75, 78).

In the junior men’s division, Brady Guenther of Saskatoon was the champion, and just one shot back of Franklin for the overall win.

Guenther shot back-to-back 72’s to claim the under-19 age group.

In second was Preston Buchner of Saskatoon, he carded rounds of 73 and 76, Wyatt Frei of Gray, Sask. and Griffin Blanch of Saskatoon tied for third at 156.

The full results can be seen here. The next MJT tournament is also the second OMT event on the schedule. In Swift Current on May 18 -20 Elmwood Golf Club will host the Spring Classic. To register click here.

All photos courtesy Jeff Chambers.

After four years at Milsaps College Will Danielson will graduate following a solid collegiate career in Jackson, Mississippi.

The Saskatoon product recently wrapped up his career that included a win in 2022 – 23.

Following graduation Danielson is going on a golf trip with friends to Scotland, following the summer playing as an amateur Danielson will turn pro and return to Jackson to assist with coaching with the Majors and play Mini Tour events.

The Riverside Country Club member spoke with Golf Saskatchewan about his career with Milsaps.

Holly Knudsen’s solid postsecondary golf career has come to an end at Minot State University.

A leader with the Beavers, the Chaplin product wrapped up a five-year career with a 24^th place finish at the NSIC Championship in Smithville, Missouri from April 25 to 27. After opening with an 82 in round one and 85 in the second round, Knudsen shot a fantastic 76 in round three to vault 11 spots up the leaderboard in her final college round.

Minot State was sixth in the team competition in their final event of the spring season.

Saskatoon’s Will Danielson is also a college graduate after a career at Milsaps College with the Majors. The Saskatoon resident concluded his career at the SAA Championships on April 25 to 27 in Dickson, Tennessee at Greystone Golf Club. He shot 77 in round one, 79 during the middle round of the championship, and like Knudsen Danielson climbed the leaderboard on the final day moving five positions into 31^st thanks to a 73 in the last round.

The Majors were sixth in the team competition.

The Keiser University Seahawks are heading back to the NAIA National Women’s Championship. Autumn Neiszner of Regina was competing as an individual at the Sun Conference Championship on April 27 to 29 at Jekyll Island Golf Club in Jekyll Island, Georgia. Neiszner carded rounds of 83, 91, and 81 for a 54-hole total of 255, she tied for 27^th.

Three of Neiszner’s teammates took three of the top four positions in the event on route to the Seahawks third straight Sun Conference Championship victory.

The national championship will be played at Eagle Crest Golf Club in Ypsilanti, Michigan from May 13 to 15.

Luke Cote and Will Blake and the rest of the Southern Arkansas University (SAU) Muleriders team are amid preparing for their regionals. The Regina duo was in Fort Smith, Arkansas on April 21 to 23 for the Great American Conference Championship. Competing at the Hardscrabble Country Club, Cote also used a big third round to get higher on the leaderboard. He opened with a 75, cut off another stroke in round two and then shot a brilliant 67 in the third round climbed 13 spots for a tie for 13^th at 216. Blake placed in 28^th, he shot 224 (74, 71, 79).

The Muleriders were fourth in the team standings. SAU will travel to the Central Regionals in St. Joseph, Missouri at the St. Joseph Country Club starting May 8.

Chase Pochylko’s second season at Nicholls University in Louisiana has come to an end with a 23^rd place finish in the Southland Conference Championship hosted at Comanche Trace Ranch in Kerrville, Texas. The Riverside Country Club member shot 76 in round one before carding back-to-back 73’s to wrap the event at 222, tied for 23^rd.

Nicholls was ninth as a team in their season wrapping event held April 21 to 23.

Another Riverside member had his final event of the year from April 21 to 23. Carter Degelman and the Dominican University of California Penguins were in North Las Vegas, Nevada at Aliante Golf Club for the PacWest Championships. Degelman posted rounds of 80, 82, and 86 to conclude the season with a 40^th place finish.

Dominican was seventh overall in the team competition.

Justin Miller’s season continued April 23 and 24 with Southwestern Community College. The Saskatoon product was in Panora, Iowa at Lake Panorama National Golf Club for the Southwestern Premier. Competing as an individual Miller tied for 36^th at 160 (77, 83).

The Spartans are in Sioux City, Iowa for the North Central District Championships starting May 4 at Whispering Creek Golf Course.

Chase Gedak has made his final putt in a solid college career that included a victory with Minot State University (MSU).

The Estevan product began his collegiate career at the University of Arkansas-Monticello before transferring to MSU in the summer of 2023.

Gedak was joined by longtime friend and fellow Estevanian Jace Carlisle in his sixth and final year at MSU with the Beavers.

Gedak will remain in Minot for the summer working at the local country club and is planning to return to school for another year without golf at the golf level.

Gedak joined Golf Saskatchewan and spoke about his career and what’s next.