Regina born golfer Shannon McGeady is being enshrined in the Queen City’s Sports Hall of Fame.

The 2007 provincial amateur champion and current professional at Tobiano Golf Course in Kamloops, B.C. is one of six 2019 inductees into the Hall of Fame. McGeady said her career path in the sport got started when her family built a house near the Wascana Country Club.

“I was a member when I was ten and started playing there with my family,” she explained to Golf Saskatchewan following the announcement. “It was a great place, they would pretty much drop me off at the golf course on their way to work and pick me up on their way home, it was a pretty good way to spend a summer as a kid.”

McGeady didn’t start playing competitively until her mid to late teens. When she was about 15 years old she started competing on the junior Saskatchewan circuit and the provincial championships. She won three Regina high school girl’s championships during her days at Leboldus High School. She had a chance to attend Marshall University in the United States following graduation but made the choice to stay home, something McGeady still stands by.

“I am so lucky where I am today that if I think I would have gone my life would have taken a completely different path,” she explained. “It could have been equally as good but I’m just very happy where I am today. No regrets.”

McGeady went on to post-secondary education in Lethbridge and studied under the Professional Golf Management (PGM) program in hopes to pursue a career in the industry. In 2007, after four consecutive Regina women’s championships McGeady claimed the Saskatchewan amateur title.

“It was surreal moment, I was going to school at the time taking the PGM program to be a professional and it was my last summer before I finished school so I knew it would be my last summer of amateur golf if I wanted to pursue the professional route,” she explained. “It was a pretty cool experience to know it was my last big summer as an amateur and I was able to play well enough in Swift Current that year to get the win so that was pretty cool.”

The Regina Sports Hall of Fame made the induction announcement in early August. Her credentials include one junior national experience and six Canadian Amateur Championship appearances. Long-time Rider Neal Hughes, famed University of Regina basketball coach James Hillis and athletics great Georgette Reed are among the class. McGeady said when she received the phone call with the news it was hard to believe.

“At first I thought it was a joke,” she laughed. “I didn’t expect it and when I realized it wasn’t I was so shocked I didn’t know what to say. I was honoured and grateful and it still feels surreal. It’s weird to think of myself with those other amazing people, I can’t even find words for it.”

McGeady and the rest of the 2019 class will be enshrined at a gala event in Regina on Oct. 12 at Evraz Place.

Looking back, McGeady knows this honour wouldn’t have been possible without positive support from her family and the Regina golf community, especially the Wascana. She hopes future junior golfers continue to grow and excel at the game.

“Kids at a young age just want to have that, I go to a golf course and I have fun,” she said. “As they get older they will want to play more and hit balls more. It’s all about parents bringing them to the course and creating a positive environment where they get to run around outside with their friends or mom and dad and as they get older they want to do what dad is doing or see what mom is doing. They will then create it on their own as to I want to play this, I want to compete, I want to be this person.”

McGeady is optimistic with the way women’s golf is headed, she said the sport is much more popular now than it was when she was young growing up in Saskatchewan. She credits Brooke Henderson for a large part of the growth but also the other five female pros in B.C. as well as the women she grew up with in Saskatchewan.

“I’m just grateful and honoured about the induction, it’s very surreal. Golf in Saskatchewan shaped and molded me for the profession that I’ve chosen,” she concluded.

McGeady spoke with Golf Saskatchewan’s Clark Stork after the announcement.

It’s been approximately four years since the Jon Barber family took over the lease at the Regina Beach Golf Club and the group’s hard work is starting to pay off.

The land the nine-hole course is on just outside the resort town is federal reserve land managed by the Kinookimaw Beach Association. The Barbers operate the course and the reviews are coming back positive. The most glaring change at the course is remarkable upgrades to the late 1950’s-built clubhouse that were undertaken about a year and a half ago.

“There had been no improvements made since then,” said Debbie Giesenger, the clubhouse manger told Golf Saskatchewan during a recent course visit. “It was time to give it a facelift and have a place that people enjoy to come to. When they are done golf they can sit and enjoy a meal or have a couple drinks.”

The newly renovated building features a restaurant and lounge as well as a new deck overlooking the first fairway. The clubhouse is completely winterized as well and for the first-time last year was open all year round. Giesenger said word was slow getting around that they were open despite the golf season ending but overall the venture was a success.

“Our chef has a very good reputation,” she said. “I would say that since we were open through the winter and our social media promotion our restaurant revenues are up about least 30 percent from last year. Our restaurant is very highly rated.”

The town of Regina Beach is highly regarded as a resort community just a short drive from Regina on Highway 11. The year-round population including nearby Buena Vista is about 1,400, in the summer months that swells to 5,000 along the shores of Last Mountain Lake. Giesenger said even with plenty of other family activities in the community the golf course is a huge benefactor.

“Most businesses make or break in the summer, most of them close in the winter but a few of us stay open. For the golf especially, we have a lot of people spend their summers here. We also have a lot of people that camp all summer, I think they do that because of the golf. It’s convenient, they are adjacent to us in the campground,” Giesenger added.

With the clubhouse upgraded and flourishing lots have work has now focused on the course itself which like the building has been neglected. The maintenance crew has been diligent working for nearly a half of a decade to get the course to a passable grade. Giesenger said they have done much better than that.

“I am not sure what they’ve done or how they’ve done it but right from the very start of the season people marvelled what excellent condition the greens are in,” she beamed. “According to golfers they have been excellent, and they’ve stayed that way all year. I’ve had numerous golfers say the greens have never looked so nice.”

Assistant greenskeeper Harry Watts has been alongside Jon on the maintenance staff since the lease signing. He took one summer off but considers the course his second home. He said even the crew is shocked by the condition of the putting surfaces this season.

“We were surprised because our sprayer blew half of our chemical out at the end of the year last year and we had to do some calculations and use our heads,’ he explained. “We managed to get the right amount of chemical on all the greens still. We took the sand off and it was like we didn’t even have a winter.”

Watts said getting ahead on the course hasn’t been easy but everyday the crew seems to become more efficient thanks to lots of underground work that is allowing for the course to become more attractive for players of all levels.

“Last year we started getting our fairways on automatic sprinklers with timers, two years ago we got all the greens and tee boxes on timed, pop up sprinklers so we don’t have to hand water those,” Watts explained. “We have three fairways that are all on automatic sprinklers now too. We don’t have to worry about them getting enough or too much water. We come in the morning, the greens and boxes are nice and damp, we don’t have to worry about it.”

Even with the headway the family has made at the club Watts said there is more to do.

“I have been here four years and I don’t think I’ve gone a year without a water break. I’ve probably fixed 80 some years. Some are a foot break, some of them are 20, it just depends,” he added.

With the improved conditions and increased traffic both in the clubhouse and on the course the family has been able to focus on the future. They hired a proshop staff member that is also a coach. That allowed the course to focus on a junior program. They had spring lessons and any junior golfer that paid the lesson fee was able to put that towards a membership. The club hosted weekly lessons over the summer as well with much success. The year-end family fun event was packed. Every Monday the juniors played with the coach following along providing tips.

Regina Beach has a couple designated ladies’ time slots for both nine-hole players and 18. There is the customary busy men’s nights and couple’s have a league as well. The year-end couple’s tournament is one of their larger events. Overall they club has approximately 200 members.

The season is winding down across Saskatchewan, but the staff looks forward to the winter traffic whether it’s on their potentially groomed cross-country ski trails, snowmobilers, or ice fishers, the future is bright at the Regina Beach Golf Club.

“It’s just a nice easy day out, it doesn’t take five hours, you can come in normal nice clothes,” Watts promoted. “You don’t have to book two days in advance, it’s very affordable, family orientated, I recommend it to everyone.”

Six golf courses in Saskatchewan are celebrating milestones this year, the Humboldt Golf Club’s 75^th anniversary is one of the lengthiest of the bunch.

Wednesday night a crowd of members and onlookers gathered at the course for the celebration emceed by long-time member and current board executive Dave Hill. A member since 1986, Hill said the event was special to everyone currently or formerly involved with the club.

“We are really excited to celebrate 75 years,” Hill said after the event. “The mayor mentioned in his greetings that it wasn’t too long ago we had an emergency meeting about our finances and future of the course. Things have really turned around, a lot more play at the golf course, a lot more use of the facility, it’s been a really great year.”

During the program board president Kirk Plemel presented a history of the facility. The course opened at its current site in 1944 as a nine-hole club with sand greens. The greens were changed to grass in 1969. With the community growing and nine holes becoming too congested the community invested a million dollars and expanded to 18 holes. During the original days a round would cost $0.25 and an annual membership was $7.50. Hill said during the summer months the course is a beehive of activity in the east-central Saskatchewan city.

“It brings a lot of traffic into our town,” he said. “A lot of people come for tournaments, not just for tournaments although we get lots for those. We get all kinds of visitors from all over. We had some people from B.C. just playing their way through and going to all sorts of towns, it’s great to see those people. We see a lot of the community here, some of them golf twice a year, some are here everyday, it’s great to meet them all.”

During the celebration two ceremonial tee offs took place on the first hole. One of the oldest members, Mike Sowtis, 89, hit as did the youngest member, three-year-old Jack Unrau. Hill has two sons who have been life-long members as is his wife Jackie who has volunteered countless hours working on the board and helping with the bookkeeping. Hill said those memories flashed back when Unrau took his swing.

“Golf is a lifetime sport, when Jack was teeing off I was thinking about the first time my sons teed off. Our whole family are golfers here, we’re still enjoying it and hope to be enjoying it when we’re Mike’s age,” he said.

Five-time Saskatchewan women’s amateur champion Anna Young was also in Humboldt Wednesday. She hosted a free putting and chipping clinic for junior golfers with the assistance from 2018 mid-amateur champion and Humboldt resident Mike Herperger. Young won her fifth amateur title at the Humboldt course. Golf Saskatchewan will have more regarding Young’s clinic Friday.

The other courses celebrating milestones in 2019 are Swift Current’s Elmwood and the Weyburn Golf Club, both are 100 years old this year. Shaunavon’s course turned 50 this summer and Mainprize and Lashburn are each 25.

Regina’s Deb Duncan was encouraged to enter the provincial senior women’s golf championship with no idea what was in store for the next couple weeks.

The Wascana Country Club member entered the event at the Royal Regina Golf Club and ended up shooting a 54-hole total of 252, plus-39. Her score was good enough for fourth place and a spot as an alternate on the provincial team at the Canadian championship. With winner and second place finishers Kim Walker and Tammy Bezaire not being able to travel to Osoyoos, B.C. for the event Duncan was ecstatic to be part of Team Saskatchewan for the first time.

“It was cool to finish off and be one stroke off third-place at the provincials,” Duncan said. “They were like you might be going to nationals as an alternate and I was like, what does that mean? Maybe it was the ignorance that got me there. No pressure.”

Duncan is a busy realtor in Regina along with her spouse, Craig Adam. Their busy work schedule doesn’t allow her to play much competitive golf or even practice regularly but, when the opportunity came knocking to represent Saskatchewan she wanted to have the experience.

“It was a super opportunity, again such a surprise,” she added. “I said I have to make this work. Craig was able to get some coverage for some of our clients and he was able to join me and caddy. It was fun, we generally don’t get away in the summer because of work.”

Duncan was able to have 2019 junior women’s champion and fellow Wascana member Autumn Neiszner caddy for her at the Saskatchewan championship. The pairing made sense after it was Neiszner pushing her to enter.

“Autumn has some really good tips because she has a coach, kids absorb so much. She is so good at reading greens and she’s very confident. She has that way to relay that to you. She would say hit it here, hit it firm. If I listened and executed it worked out quite well,” Duncan said.

At the Canadian Senior Championship she not only played well enough to make the cut, she finished in a tie for 44^th. She said she was very happy with the result.

“I can go to my home course and I can shoot a 78 or a 91 depending on what golfer shows up that day,” Duncan explained. “Here I am at a mountain course that I haven’t played before with tricky greens. They are so fast and tough to read; I didn’t want to embarrass myself and bring whoever I was playing with down.”

Over the three days Duncan shot plus-32 (81, 83, 87). Not only was she pleased with her score, simply the experience on the national stage was memorable.

“All the women I met were so supportive with it me being my first time, they want you to do well. They want more women to come so they are encouraging you to come again,” she said.

Jo-Anne Schiller also made the cut at the event. Kathy Hopfner was just a shot back of the cut line. The team finished in eighth place in the inter-provincial championship.

Now that the season is over and Duncan has allowed the whirlwind couple weeks to set in, there may be more national championships in her future.

“For sure, it’s given a fire in me to do it again and maybe even start practicing,” she chuckled.

With some time to recollect, the Canadian Mid-Amateur Championship at Summit Golf Club in Toronto was a successful tournament for Saskatchewan golf.

Five of the 12 local competitors made the cut at the national championship and as team Saskatchewan finished fourth overall, just one stroke behind British Columbia for a medal spot. Provincial mid-amateur champion Danny Klughart was the high Saskatchewan player finishing tied for 17^th. The Cooke Municipal Golf Course member said a little lower score would have been nice, but his placement was satisfactory.

“I would have liked to stayed in the top-10 after the first couple days but I had a bad stretch during the third round, I couldn’t get off the bogey train,” he said. “Overall it was pretty good, I was happy.”

Klughart won both the Saskatchewan amateur and mid-amateur championships allowing him to represent the province at both national events. He didn’t make the cut at the Canadian Amateur Championship in Nova Scotia. Admittedly the two events are outlined for different players and the points of their amateur careers.

“Goal one is you want to play but I felt like the mid is something I felt I can compete and be in the top ten. It’s a smaller field and you don’t have as many college players. Most of the guys in the mid-am have jobs and are in my situation. I guess you feel more comfortable playing in the mid-am (25 years +),” Klughart said.

The national championship concludes the Order of Merit (OMT) schedule for Klughart as well, he’s going to play a couple club events before the season closes but the Prince Albert product has put together an unstoppable season. He will walk away with the men’s OMT trophy by a large margin. Klughart said he’s worked hard all year to improve his game and the win feels great.

“I had lots of success this year, I think I won four times, so I have to be happy with that,” he said. “The way I played all summer, it was very consistent. I focused on weaknesses even at the start of summer, I addressed them and got better. They are in the best place they’ve been all summer, so I feel I’ve accomplished something that way.”

Despite not being part of Team Sask. David Stewart is proud of the fourth-place finish for the group. The 2018 men’s OMT champion was in Toronto with an exemption position, the Saskatoon Golf and Country Club (SGCC) member finished the national event in a tie for 32^nd at plus-18. Stewart said overall the province’s showing was very positive.

“I thought we were really close to being one of the better teams this year,” he told Golf Saskatchewan. “It’s hard to be consistent over 72 holes without making any boneheaded mistakes like everyone does. I think all in all we showed ourselves well, guys were professional. The course stood the test, it was tough.”

Admittedly Stewart didn’t have a typical year results wise, he will finish in the range of 14^th overall in the OMT standings. He said the Saskatchewan Amateur and Mid-Am Championships at his home course didn’t go his way, but the national event result relieved some sting from the season.

“First and foremost the provincial championships were disappointing for me especially at my home course to not play like I felt I could at my ability,” the two-time Sask. amateur champion said. “From time to time that happens, life gets in the way and you don’t have the time to prepare like you normally would. It wasn’t from a lack of trying or want, it’s just a funny game sometimes and it doesn’t work out the way you want but, 32^nd at a national championship, I will take it.”

Stewart said he is going to try and balance his family, work and life more accordingly over the offseason to me more prepared for the 2020 amateur season. He said players have to if they want to compete with the likes of Klughart which is good for Saskatchewan golf.

“He definitely set the bar at a different level so hopefully that motivates guys to use the time they have to prepare as well as they can and next year the competition goes up a level,” Stewart said.

Kirk Fontaine looks down, looks ahead. He has focus in his eyes.

It’s silent, until he sends a golf ball towards the hole—and he does it swiftly with one hand.

Fontaine took part in an inaugural golf tournament fundraiser for Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Saskatchewan at Marks Nine Golf & Country Club on Saturday.

With an adaptable chair from Golf Saskatchewan, that is housed at the Silverwood Golf Course for public use called the Solo Rider, Fontaine is able to easily move around the course.

“I find it easier to hit with one hand compared to two because I don’t have to swing in my hips,” he explained.

Fontaine was injured in a car accident about three years ago. He said he does have some movement in his legs, but they don’t have much strength.

“After I got out of the hospital and while I was home, I was losing my mind. There wasn’t much to do…but then I got myself into archery. I’m trying to get into the Paralympics for men’s recurve. I’ve been trying different sports: skeet shooting, shot put. Golf’s fun,” he said.

Fontaine explained some of the challenges: Parking spots are typically too close together for him to get out of his vehicle, restaurant tables can be too low for him to roll under and washroom stalls aren’t always accessible.

“Every day is a challenge, no matter what you do.”

Bill Lehne, SCI Saskatchewan’s board president, used Kirk as an example of the importance of having access to their services.

“He’s got the adaptive equipment to live a normal life and it’s all about inclusion. Because of those types of supports, it helps facilitate that. More importantly is Kirk’s willingness to go through that door and latch on to that new world and make it happen and make it your own. And to take that ownership is sometimes a very difficult task,” said Lehne.

He, too, has had to find that acceptance.

On Halloween of 1983, Lehne was injured in a hunting accident. He said at 18 years old, he felt invincible, but then life changed so quickly.

“I used to build houses and work in construction. So now what do you do? You’ve got to do something different. You have to go back and go to school and all that. That whole new journey, and that’s where all those doors open up and you have to go through it.”

The first annual golf tournament had 15 sponsors, both corporate and local businesses. They included the Northern Lights Casino, OK Tire, Lakeland Ford, Golden Mobility and Métis Nation Saskatchewan.

Lehne said their goal was to raise $15,000, but also to develop awareness and bring the public together with the fundraising initiative.

While Lehne now lives in Saskatoon, he is originally from Prince Albert and is friends with the owner of Mark’s Nine Golf & Country Club. In fact, he used to live across the highway from the course.

“This is really my backyard and my friends. This is where I grew up,” he said.

For over 50 years, SCI Saskatchewan has been providing rehabilitation, employment, financial and housing support for those with spinal cord injuries and other physical disabilities.

Their annual wheelchair relay fundraiser is coming up on Sept. 21 in Saskatoon.

Story originally published in the Prince Albert Herald/Jayda Noyes

https://paherald.sk.ca/2019/08/26/every-day-is-a-challenge-spinal-cord-injury-sask-enhancing-services-with-golf-tournament/

Republished with permission. 

Following the Maple Leaf Junior Tour (MJT) Order of Merit Championship this past weekend at the Legends Golf Club the five junior champions have been crowned.

The Golf Saskatchewan OMT format has five different age groups, an under-19 in both boys and girls, there is an under-15 division in both genders as well as an under-13 boy’s division.

In the under-19 girl’s division Regina’s Autumn Neiszner capped off a great season with the OMT victory. Her provincial championship win in Nipawin helped her outlast 2018 OMT champion Sarah Grieve. The Wascana Country Club member finished with 3,100 points in five qualifying events. Carey McLean rounded out the top-three with 1,650 points, Saskatoon’s Grieve collected 2,625 points over the season.

Under-13 girls – Ellla Kozak

The under-13 girl’s champion is Yorkton’s Ella Kozak. The Deer Park Municipal Golf Course player played a tonne of golf this year participating in seven tournaments on the OMT. The 13-year-old picked up 1,380 points. Last year’s under-13 winner Brooklin Fry was the only other competitor, she amassed 787.50 points in just two qualifying events.

Under-19 boys – Jayden Dudas

Estevan’s Jayden Dudas used the MJT event to leapfrog Saskatoon’s Josh Nagy for the under-19 boy’s championship. A first-place tie for Dudas in his age group in Warman gave the TS&M Woodlawn player 675 points allowing him to pass last year’s champion by just 50 points. Dudas won a pair of MJT events this season assisting in the OMT victory.

Kindersley’s Cort Tunall capped his strong season with a third-place finish with 1,764.58 points.

Under-15 boys – Alex Swinnerton

In the tightest race of the divisions, Waskesiu Golf Course member Alex Swinnerton edged Max Regier by just 20 points to win the under-15 boy’s category. Swinnerton won four different events in his age group this year in six different starts. His top five tournaments awarded him 1,260 points.

Regier also played in six events but just fell shy with 1,240 points.

Tommy Danielson of Saskatoon placed third, also right in the championship hunt with 1,220 points.

Under-13 boys – Jayden Chernoff

The under-13 boy’s group was also tightly contested but in the end it was another Estevan player winning the championship. Jayden Chernoff won the category with 1,030 points, 70 more than Dane Giesbrecht of Warman.

La Ronge’s Dade Bernatchez came in third place with 760 points.

Golf Saskatchewan presented all the champions with their trophies at the two-day tournament in Warman on Aug. 25.

You can see all the results here.

About half a decade ago, Rick Letts and Les McTavish had a vision regarding the golf course at Elbow. The pair took a leap of faith and purchased the 18-hole facility on the shores of Lake Diefenbaker, and they couldn’t be happier with where they are at and going.

Letts was raised in the nearby community of Central Butte and has a business history in the area dating back to 1989 and has always had an interest in one day owning the course and taking the facility to a new level. The previous owners of the club had a successful run during their two-decade plus tenure but with many aspects of business, and life change is welcome. Five years ago Letts and MacTavish took majority ownership. Letts said the decision has brought new life to course.

“Our attitude towards this place is not one of making a bunch of money,” Letts said to Golf Saskatchewan during a July interview. “We’re here to be able to see what we can do for the community in order to be able to enhance the area and bring people here for the golf and all the other beauty that surrounds the course. That’s probably the reason why we’re doing as well as we’re doing, it’s our positive attitude.”

Elbow is known as a resort community; it helps when one of the province’s largest lakes is right next door. The ownership group is now in the process of expanding to allow more families and visitors to enjoy what the region does offer which is much more than golf. Letts said the group has been approved to develop an RV park adjacent to the course and they are excited to move ahead with the venture.

“We have been approved by the provincial government to add between 60 and 65 RV lots situated between the golf course and the marina. We’re very excited about that. From a business point of view it will add cash flow we’re going to need at the golf course to do a lot of capital purchases to improve the place. Golf courses themselves don’t make enough to cover themselves. It’s not something you are going to get rich on, it’s more of a labour of love,” Letts expressed.

Harbor already offers one of the best views in Saskatchewan from their clubhouse. The dining room overlooks a bay in the lake that houses the marina. Letts and his partners recently spent $150,000 to upgrade the facility’s kitchen to help serve the public better but that was just the beginning of their vision.

“We’re looking at building onto the clubhouse and redo the inside of the clubhouse,” he explained. “We want to have a very large room to be multi-purpose for the restaurant and to host meetings, but also to ensure everybody can get a view of the harbor while they are enjoying themselves in the clubhouse.”

The course is handcuffed a little bit with such a large body of water nearby which doesn’t allow for a nearby driving range. To alleviate that issue and make for a better overall golf experience they constructed a 30 by 30 feet, two bay driving net which is set up near the practice green beside the first hole. That at least allows golfers to loosen up prior to their round or tournament.

Letts did mention the purchase of capital expenditures but didn’t reveal what exactly those are, but they are all part of the plan for the next four to five years. Overall he said the group couldn’t be happier with where the business stands.

“It’s going the way we wanted to go,” he said. “We would not have envisioned the amount of work or money that it takes to get the course to where want it to go but at the same time we’re so excited about where we are and how we managed to get to this point. We also have been fortunate enough to attract key people in management positions that are investing their time and expertise, that has also made the golf course what it is today. We have no fear of continuing to go forward and invest more money and time into this to make it exactly what we envisioned four or five years ago.”

Randy Gilewich, Gary Brandon, and Tyler Wright are the 2019 inductees heading into the Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame.

Tyler Wright

The honour for Wright, 41, comes on the heels of a provincial mid-master’s (40 +) championship earlier this month at the Royal Regina Golf Club. The win added to his already impressive golf resume. He won the 2017 Saskatchewan amateur championship as well as the provincial mid-amateur championship in 2014 and 2016. The Wascana Country Club member has competed nationally as a member of the Saskatchewan Willingdon Cup team in 2001, 2005, 2014, 2015, and 2017, and five more nationals as a member of the Saskatchewan mid-amateur team (2007, 2008, 2014, 2016, 2017).  At the Wascana in 2017 Tyler finished fifth, the best finish ever for a Saskatchewan golfer at the Canadian Mid-Amateur Championship.

Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame Secretary Brian Lee said despite his age, Wright has all the credentials for the honour.

“He is not an old player by any means but Tyler’s drive to excel at golf and other sports makes him a contender at every event. He has shown true sportsmanship for Saskatchewan at provincial and national scenes for years. We hope we are able to add to his induction resume for decades to follow,” Lee said.

Wright was inducted into the Regina Sports Hall of Fame in 2015 for his excellence in both golf and basketball.

Gary Brandon

 Brandon is going to be enshrined posthumously as he passed away in 2009.

He became a member of the PGA of Saskatchewan in 1983 and began a career at the Melfort Golf and Country that spanned 18 years. During his time in Melfort Brandon developed junior programs, taught lessons, and revived their men’s and ladies’ leagues. He also oversaw many events including the popular Left – Right Championship that now bears his name. Brandon was also a driving force behind the conception of the mid-amateur division in Saskatchewan. Lee said Brandon’s contributions to the sport make him a worthy Hall of Fame inductee.

“Although I did not have a chance to meet Gary in person, he was described as a true family man who loved golf and making sure people had fun playing it. As a long-time golf professional in Melfort and Dauphin, his legacy still lives on to this day,” Lee said.

Brandon was named the PGA of Sask. senior player of the year in both 1998 and 1999. In 2001 he was honoured by his peers with a lifetime achievement award.

Randy Gilewich

 A career that has spanned four decades, Randy Gilewich has an excellent run as an amateur golfer in Saskatchewan.

He has played in seven Canadian Amateur Championships. On four of those occasions he was a member of the Saskatchewan Willingdon Cup team: 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1996, twice reaching the round of thirty-two in match play. He was a member of the Saskatchewan junior team in 1979 and participated in five national mid-amateur events between 2002 and 2017.  Adding in the Canadian Club Champions’ Championship in Nova Scotia in 1996 and the Canadian Crown Life Championship in Quebec in 1984, he has competed at the national level in most provinces.

Lee said Gilewich’s accomplishments align with the other 50 inductees currently in the Hall.

“Randy’s resume for golf is outstanding and compares to many other players in the Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame. While his current profession makes other people smile, his induction into the Hall of Fame is bound to make him grin from ear to ear,” he said.

He revitalized the Regina Men’s City Amateur after a ten-year hiatus, created the Saskatchewan Southern Senior Men’s Amateur in 2019, and has supported the Diamond in the Rough junior development camp at Deer Valley.

Gilewich started his career as a junior golfer in 1974 at the Wascana Country Club, he’s been a member ever since.

The three will be inducted during a gala event on Sept. 21 at the Riverside Country Club. Tickets will be available later this week.

AURORA, Ont. – Jin Young Ko played flawless golf again Sunday at the CP Women’s Open to capture her fourth LPGA Tour title of the 2019 season.

Ko, who shot an 8-under-par 64 Sunday at Magna Golf Club, has now gone 106 holes without a bogey. She beat Nicole Broch Larsen, whose runner-up was her best career LPGA Tour finish, by five shots.

Lizette Salas and Brooke Henderson tied for third at 19-under.

Jin Young Ko’s winning score of 262 (-26) is a new CP Women’s Open tournament scoring record. She beat the prior record – held jointly by Ariya Juanugarn in 2016 and So Yeon Ryu in 2014 (265, -23) – by three shots.

“It was (an) incredible crowd out here, and then lots of fans here and Koreans, too,” said Ko of the final round, where she was grouped with Broch Larsen and Henderson.  

Ko has won two majors already this year – the ANA Inspiration and the Evian Championship – along with the Bank of Hope Founders Cup. She leads the Rolex Rankings as the world’s No.1-ranked golfer, as well as the season-long Race to CME Globe.

Ko started to pull away on the back nine, where she made six birdies.

Ko also has a Canadian connection, as she uses PGA of Canada professional Gareth Raflewski has her short-game coach. Ko said Raflewski helped her totally revamp her short game after spending two weeks together in Florida earlier this year.

“I changed everything about my short game, like (my) setup or clubs or mind, everything. And then he help me a lot on the course or off the course, too,” said Ko. “So, I want to say to thank you.”

Ko revealed she was debating staying in South Korea this week versus travelling to play the CP Women’s Open, but a tasty Canadian treat helped change her mind.

“I like Canada and I like ice cappuccino. That’s why I wanted to play this week,” she said with a laugh. 

Henderson and Ko walked with their arms around each other as they walked up the 18th hole at Magna. Henderson admitted she knew as the round went on there was a point when she wouldn’t be able to catch Ko.

“She’s world No.1 for a reason,” said Henderson. “She’s had an unreal season. I don’t even know, is it four wins now? Four wins on one of the toughest tours there is. There is so much talent out here. To get one win is hard; to get four is really cool.”

The LPGA Tour heads to Portland for the Cambia Portland Classic next week – a tournament Henderson has won twice.

Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver will play host to the 2020 CP Women’s Open.

BROOKE HENDERSON WINS SANDRA POST MEDAL AS LOW CANADIAN

Although Brooke Henderson was unable to defend her CP Women’s Open title, it was still a fantastic week for her. A tie for third earned Henderson the Sandra Post Medal as Low Canadian.

Henderson, who shot a 3-under-par 69 Sunday, finished seven shots back of Jin Young Ko.

Earlier this year, Henderson topped Post herself as the winningest Canadian golfer of all time on the LPGA Tour.

“I feel like I’m getting better every year on the LPGA Tour, which is a great feeling. I feel like if I can just continue to make small improvements good things can happen in the future,” said Henderson as she looked ahead to what’s to come. “It’s exciting knowing that I can compete against the best in the world every single week and have chances to win championships.”

Henderson, who has won twice ready this year, called this week at Magna Golf Club “incredible.” The tournament enjoyed record walk-up and corporate hospitality sales and was the second-most attended CP Women’s Open in history.

“The fans, the crowds, so good. Record-breaking really. So that’s really special,” Henderson said. “I feel like I made a lot of birdies and hopefully made it pretty exciting for them. T3, I couldn’t really ask for anything more. It would’ve been very difficult to catch Jin Young today.”

Henderson said, from start to finish, she had a great week and enjoyed being a proud CP ambassador and CP Women’s Open defending champion.

“I feel like I handled it really well,” said Henderson of the extra responsibilities this week. “There were a lot of extra things I had to do, but overall it was really fun. Just to be able to play well in front of all these people, and, you know hopefully, make their weekend a little bit better, that’s all I really want.”

Now Henderson looks ahead to Vancouver in 2020, with a fire already burning to return to the winner’s circle.

“I’m really excited to play Shaughnessy. I’ve never played it; only heard amazing things.” added Henderson. “I think it’ll be fun to get back out on the west coast. I tend to play pretty well out there, so that’s exciting. To finish I guess T12 in Ottawa, the win and then T3 this year, I feel like I’m trending in the right direction and hopefully I can get another top finish.”

Full results can be found here.