Day one of the Maple Leaf Junior Tour (MJT) National Championship is in the books in Phoenix, Arizona with several Saskatchewan golfers in the hunt.

Deer Valley’s Cole Obrigewitsch is three shots back of the lead in the collegiate division of the tournament. Obrigewitsch shot an even par 72 during the first day of the invite-only event. The 19-year-old sits second in his age group, three of the pace. Martensville’s Jax Chipman opened with a seven-over 79, Keighton McNab of Saskatoon also carded a 79.

Swift Current’s Griffin Wilson is the top Saskatchewan golfer in the junior boys age group, he is four shots back after round one posting 75, the 17-year-old is tied for fourth. Estevan’s Jace Carlisle is seven back at 79, Avonlea’s Brayden Nestman opened with a 91.

Will Danielson of Saskatoon is the top local player in the juvenile boys age group at three-over 75.  Among the almost 40 competitors in the division Danielson ranks 10^th, just four strokes back of the leader.

Darien Herlick of Weyburn and Saskatoon’s Max Regier are among the bantam boys’ competitors. Herlick is tied for eighth, Regier is 13^th after round one.

In the peewee boys age group Warman’s Dane Giesbrecht sits 20 strokes off the pace.

In the 15 to 18 age girl’s division Deer Valley’s Carey McLean sits sixth, Moose Jaw’s Raylyn Schnidt is 22 strokes back in eighth. In the under-15 girls Ella Kozak is the top Saskatchewan performer. The 12-year-old is 13 shots behind the leader, 14-year-old Autumn Nieszner is 14 strokes bac of Langley`s Erin Lee.

The over 100 competitors will tee off again at 9 a.m. Saskatchewan time Saturday.

Young golfers from across Canada including 15 from Saskatchewan will tee off Friday in the Maple Leaf Junior Tour (MJT) National Championship in Phoenix, Arizona.

112 golfers, all via invite will participate in the three-round tournament at the Legacy Golf Resort. A shotgun start will take place a 9 a.m. Saskatchewan time.

Taking part in no particular order are the following players followed by their age and hometown:

Jace Carlisle, 16, Estevan
Will Danielson, 15, Saskatoon
Chase Gedak, 16, Estevan
Dane Giesbrecht, 11, Warman
Jax Gipman, 19, Martensville
Darien Herlick, 13, Weyburn
Ella Kozak, 12, Yorkton
Carey McLean, 17, Deer Valley
Keighton McNab, 19, Saskatoon
Autumn Nieszner, 14, Regina
Brayden Nestman, 17, Avonlea
Cole Obrigewitsch, 19, Deer Valley
Max Regier, 13, Saskatoon
Raylyn Schmidt, 17, Moose Jaw
Griffin Wilson, 17, Swift Current

Collegiate, junior, and juvenile golfers will play over 6,600 yards, golfers in the bantam boys (13-14) age group will play from 5,958 yards and under-12 boys and girls will play an over 5,600 yard track.

The players took part in a practice round on Thursday to prepare for the 54-hole event. The champions will be crowned at an awards banquet Sunday.

PINEHURST, N.C. – Canada’s Jaclyn Lee had two immediate feelings when a 10-foot birdie putt dropped on the 144th and final hole of the Q-Series LPGA qualifying tournament on Saturday.

“I feel great – relieved,” the 21-year-old amateur golfer from Calgary said after locking up her tour card for 2019 with an impressive showing at Pinehurst No. 7. “I’m just happy that this process is all over. It’s been a long three weeks.”

Lee and Anne-Catherine Tanguay of Quebec City both earned LPGA Tour status after easily finishing in the top 45 – the cutoff for a tour card – in the third and final stage of the Q-Series, which started way back on Oct. 24 at Pinehurst No. 6.

Lee shot 2-under 70 to finish the eight-round tournament in sixth place at 7 under at Pinehurst Course No. 6. The 27-year-old Tanguay wasn’t far off in a tie for eighth at 4 under.

Tanguay – who was on the LPGA Tour this year, but had to return to qualifying school after missing 10 of 17 cuts – shot 74 on Saturday.

Korean’s Jeongeun Lee6 won the event with a score of 18 under, one stroke ahead of American amateur Jennifer Kupcho.

Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., did not earn status, finishing in a tie for 51st.

Lee opened the qualifying tournament with a 68 on Oct. 24 to sit atop the leaderboard. The Canadian national amateur team member shot back-to-back 70s in the second and third rounds and again in the sixth.

“It’s definitely the longest tournament I’ve ever played in,” Lee said. “It’s just one round at a time. You can’t really get ahead of yourself, but it’s hard because so many people are cheering you on back home and at school (she attends Ohio State University) and wishing you good luck. For me, it’s just try to stay in present and not get too excited about what’s to come.”

Lee now has a decision to make. She can maintain her amateur status and finish off her NCAA career at Ohio State before joining the tour on July 1, or she can turn pro to open the 2019 LPGA campaign in January.

“I’m really torn between the two,” said Lee, who planned to fly back to Columbus, Ohio on Sunday after a celebration with friends and family in Raleigh, N.C., on Saturday night. “There’s pros and cons to both. I have to make my list.

“I’ve been working towards this for a long time now and to know that I’ve got my card for next year, it’s really exciting to be able to live out my dream. With all the hard work and energy I’ve put into this sport, it’s really good to know I have this behind me now.”

Lee has had a strong year, reaching the semifinals of the British Amateur and the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur. She also made the cut at the Meijer LPGA Championship.

Lee made it through all three stages of the Q-Series, unlike many of her competitors who got to enter at a later stage.

“I’m proud of progress I’ve had in the past summer,” she said. “I definitely think it’s within my capabilities to compete on tour.”

HAMILTON, Ont.  (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada, in partnership with title sponsor RBC, are pleased to announce that tickets are now available for the 2019 RBC Canadian Open, June 3-9 at the historic Hamilton Golf & Country Club.

With a new premier spot on the PGA TOUR schedule in early June, the 2019 RBC Canadian Open promises to be a summer festival celebration to mark the unofficial start of Canada’s golf season.

CLICK HERE to get your tickets for the 2019 RBC Canadian Open

One of Canada’s premier annual sporting events, the RBC Canadian Open features miles of front row seating for golf fans to experience Canada’s lone stop on the PGA TOUR.

General admission tickets, starting at just $25 for early week access, provide access to the grounds to get an up-close look at the stars of the PGA TOUR including defending champion and Team RBC member Dustin Johnson.

Tournament rounds for Thursday, Friday and Saturday are $70; a Sunday final-round ticket is $80; and a weeklong, fully-transferable badge is $160. As well, Tuesday admission for RBC Hall of Fame Day is complimentary with the purchase of a Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday ticket. A specially-priced youth ticket (13-17 years old) is also available while juniors aged 12-and-under gain FREE grounds admission all week long.

In addition to general admission tickets and corporate hospitality products, the RBC Canadian Open also offers a pair of premium ticket products—The 1904 Club and The Trophy Club—for golf fans to experience the 110^th playing of Canada’s National Open Championship.

The 1904 Club is located inside the clubhouse at Hamilton Golf and Country Club and offers an air-conditioned experience with ample televisions and indoor views of the 18 green, as well as an outdoor patio with views of the driving range and 1st tee. Tickets for The 1904 Club start at $125.

The Trophy Club is a premium social experience situated in the heart of the action at Hamilton Golf and Country Club. Located behind the 14th green with a view of the 15th tee and fairway, guests will enjoy all-inclusive food and beverage from a raised, covered structure. Well suited for passionate event fans or small businesses looking to host smaller client groups, cost for this upscale ticket experience is $260 per day, with savings available for those purchasing multi-day commitments.

Volunteer opportunities to be a part of the 2019 RBC Canadian Open are also available with a full listing of committee positions here.

New in 2019, with the RBC Canadian Open date change to early June, Golf Canada has introduced a new Student Volunteer Program for students to earn their required volunteer hours during the week of Canada’s National Open Championship.

The tournament’s return to the Harry Colt designed course in 2019 is timed perfectly – marking the 100-year anniversary since the renowned club originally hosted Canada’s National Open Golf Championship.

Hamilton Golf and Country Club previously hosted five Canadian Opens, with the first taking place in 1919 – a championship featured two of the most legendary names in golf – Bobby Jones and Francis Ouimet. J. Douglas Edgar would go on to earn a 16-stroke win – a PGA TOUR record stands to this day as the largest margin of victory.

Other players to have won the Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf and Country Club include Tommy Armour (1930), Bob Tway (2003), Team RBC member Jim Furyk (2006) and Scott Piercy (2012).

The 2019 RBC Canadian Open in early June begins an exciting new chapter for Canada’s National Open Championship. Join us at the historic Hamilton Golf & Country Club to witness great golf, activities for all ages including ‘The Rink’, local food and patio experiences, plus new event features being announced in the coming weeks.

Get your tickets today and be a part of one of Canada’s premier sporting events – www.rbccanadianopen.com/tickets.

Volunteer, sponsorship and corporate hospitality opportunities are also available. For more information on the 2019 RBC Canadian Open, visit us online at www.rbccanadianopen.com.

Regina’s Alex Schmidt is being recognized for a strong freshman year of golf at Lewis-Clark State College (LCSC).

Schmidt, 18, admittingly didn’t turn to golf as her number one sport until her grade 12 year at Miller Comprehensive High School. Volleyball and basketball were her first loves, but the wins started to pile up and her path was paved to the National Association of International Athletics (NAIA) school in Lewiston, Idaho. Schmidt said her success on the course changed her focus.

“Last summer was my first start in tournaments and I kind of realized I was winning and I had some potential in golf,” she said.

With the advice of her dad, Schmidt began working with Pat Marcia at her club, the Royal Regina. Despite her self proclaimed late-blooming Schmidt won the Regina High School Athletic Association women’s golf championship four straight years. She said making the jump to college was a big step.

“The competition, just the push to be better. My team and coach have been a huge help for me. They were all close to help me boost my game and get out there more,” Schmidt said.

In four college tournaments this year Schmidt finished with a pair of top ten spots and one top five. She was named the Frontier Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year and a conference second team all-star. She said those acknowledgements are special for her and her family.

“It’s super awesome, just knowing I have my parent’s encouragement and being able to show them my success and where their encouragement has gotten me is a proud moment for me,” Schmidt said.

Her rookie season has concluded but with snow being a rarity in her new home the team will continue to practice throughout the year. Schmidt will continue to focus on her education as well, she is going to become a nurse. Once her schooling is complete Schmidt said she may chase a professional career or give back and coach children. Schmidt is an advocate for girl’s golf and hopes the success of Brooke Henderson and Saskatoon’s Anna Young leads to higher numbers.

“That’s super amazing to me, I was hoping to play in the CP Women’s Open in Regina, but I left for school too early. For girl’s golf that’s amazing, especially in Canada I hope it gets more girls out there. I know the Royal Regina has a great program and I would love it if more girls got out there,” she said.

Schmidt will return to Saskatchewan in the summer and plans to compete in the Golf Saskatchewan women’s amateur championship and other tournaments across the province and Regina.

You can hear more from Schmidt who spoke with Golf Saskatchewan’s Clark Stork.

On Oct. 23 and 24 in Moose Jaw, Sask Sport Inc. hosted a two-day inclusion and diversity seminar featuring guest speakers and stakeholders across amateur sporting agencies and other vested groups. The solely focused seminar was reportedly the first of its kind for a sports governing agency in Canada.

Sporting organizations under the Sask Sport umbrella, including Golf Saskatchewan have been working to increase participation in various sporting activities. According to Sask Sport several amateur sport groups were undertaking their own initiatives to increase numbers and diversity but last week’s event was the first collective session to discuss inclusion and diversity. Amy Shipley, the community development consultant for Sask Sport said Saskatchewan residents are searching for different activities.

“The population demographics in Saskatchewan are changing and the province is becomingly increasingly diverse. The conversations at the retreat started an important dialogue on how the system can leverage the strength of diversity in the province,” she said.

The objective of the conference was to inject enthusiasm into the diversity and inclusion dialogue. Ideas were generated on how to increase participation through individuals that brought different ideas to the table. Shipley said hearing from provincial sporting agencies was important to Sask Sport going forward.

“Roundtable discussions allowed members to share their thoughts and ideas on enhancing the system through diversity. Too often we look to outside sources and subject matter experts and forget that there is strength in our system to challenge difficult issues and find solutions that will create a stronger sport system,” Shipley said.

Golf Canada incorporated their own Equity Diversity Inclusion Policy in December of 2017. President Leslie Dunning Pictured above) provided a keynote address during the conference highlighting Golf Canada’s plan and ideas. Dunning said she was very impressed with Sask Sports’ enthusiasm towards diversity and inclusion.

“The fact Sask Sport is taking leadership and spending two days on this topic with their sports organizations is really impressive to me,” she told Golf Saskatchewan. “I am not aware of any other sports group across the country that have used an entire seminar over two days focused entirely on the issue.”

Dunning was pleased to see provincial tribal councils and Indigenous groups involved in the meetings as well.

Sask Sport will share the information generated during the conference to their members and ask the groups to answer a questionnaire and provide feedback. Potential “lunch and learn” meetings are being discussed to keep the momentum going. Dunning said Golf Canada had numerous discussions ahead of their organization settling on a policy for diversity and inclusion in their sport. She hopes Sask Sport can follow the same route.

“Accountability is part of it and annual reporting on what are the initiatives. Not just to make sure we are doing it but to share successes on what is possible. I think that’s important, build a policy into your plan, you have reports of what is happening, that keeps the topic in the forefront. My hope is it turns into action,” Dunning said.

With its long history and vast geography, Canada boasts many strange and spooky tales. There are haunted coal mines in Cape Breton, poltergeists in Calgary and even a pair of haunted boots in St. Vincent’s Newfoundland. It is no wonder, therefore, that golf courses across the country are rumoured to be home to some extraordinary spirits.

Haunted Lakes Golf Club

Winning the award for the Canadian golf course with the spookiest name is Haunted Lakes Golf Club in Alix, a town east of Red Deer, Alta. It is here an ancient drama plays out every winter along the third fairway, where Haunted Lake hugs the front right of the green.

Before Europeans arrived, native groups camped on the lake’s eastern shore. One winter, seven hunters camped there for the night. In the morning, they looked out across the lake and spied the magnificent head and antlers of a deer caught in the ice.

The seven headed off and upon reaching the creature, they started to chip away at the ice. The mighty animal, which was very much alive, gave a great heave and smashed through the ice. It swam for shore, breaking a path before it. The deer made it to shore and the safety of the woods, but the men were not so lucky. They plunged through the ice and all seven drowned.

It is said the seven hunters have haunted the lake ever since, giving the spot its name. Locals also claim that every winter a mysterious phenomenon can be observed as each year a huge fissure appears in the ice along the path the deer travelled to the shore.

Glen Abbey Golf Club

Several provinces east of Alberta you will find Glen Abbey Golf Course in Oakville, Ont.

The story says there is a house on the property which was built in 1937 by a mining engineer as his weekend retreat. The engineer, Andre Dorfman, was a leading figure in the Canadian mining industry at the time.

In 1953 Dorfman sold the house to the Jesuit Fathers of Upper Canada as a retreat. The property was sold again in 1963 to businessmen who opened a golf club. In memory of the Jesuits, the course was given the name Glen Abbey. Soon after the club opened, reports of a specter began to surface.

Within 10 years, they started talking about a ghost in the building. The story is that the ghost lives in the old mansion and walks up the back stairs and down the main hallway towards the library.

The mansion is a good example of the stately homes built in Oakville in the early twentieth century. It is constructed of stone with a red clay tile roof and features a wood-lined library on the second floor. Originally known as RayDor Estate House, the building has been designated as a heritage property. Prior to 1975 it served as the golf course’s clubhouse and currently is home to an investment company.

One of the rooms in the basement is actually made to replicate the ship in which the original builder came over from Switzerland.

The ghost in the old mansion is said to be male, and eyewitnesses agree that it resembles a Jesuit father.

Victoria Golf Club

Victoria Golf Club in Victoria, B.C., boasts both an impressive course history and a ghost or two of its own. The club is beautifully situated on a rocky point at the southern end of Vancouver Island.

The club dates back to November 1893 when local golf enthusiasts negotiated for permanent rights to play the rough fields of Pemberton Farm. Originally, golfers were prohibited from using the grounds over the summer, when cattle grazed what would become today’s fairways.

Like Haunted Lakes, the Victoria Golf Club may be haunted by early aboriginal inhabitants. One researcher suggests that some of its phantoms may be the souls of native warriors killed in battle centuries ago. However, these spirits pale beside the club’s other resident, the late Doris Gravlin, possibly Victoria’s most famous ghost.

John Adams is an expert on Doris, as she’s affectionately called by locals. A historian and author, Adams is best known as the proprietor of the “Ghostly Walks” tour, which explores historic courtyards and spooky places where spirits like Doris make their presence known.

“Doris Thomson was born in Blackburn, Lancashire in 1906 and immigrated to Canada with her parents,” recounts Adams. The Thomson family settled in Victoria where Doris’s mother worked at a private hospital. Doris became a nurse as well, until 1930 when she married Victor Gravlin.

Victor was a sports reporter for the Colonist newspaper, spending many happy hours golfing with his brother Walter, head pro at the Uplands Golf Club. The hours Victor spent with Doris would prove to be much less happy.

“When her husband began to drink heavily, Doris left him,” explains Adams, adding that Doris found work as a private live-in nurse.

“In mid-September of 1936 Victor delivered a letter to Doris,” Adams says. “Its contents were unknown, but are believed to have been a request for her to meet him to discuss reconciliation.”

Doris stepped out for a walk at about 7:45 pm on September 22, 1936; Victor left his parents’ house shortly thereafter. One observer saw them together on Runnymede Avenue, but after that, neither was seen alive.

Doris and Victor were reported missing. A search ensued and days later, Doris’s corpse was discovered. Her body was later discovered amid the driftwood on the beach near the 7th green by a caddy looking for lost balls. She had been strangled and her shoes, belt and felt hat were missing.

Gossips maintained that Victor had escaped. But they were wrong.

“One month later a fisherman found Victor’s body floating in the kelp beds off the ninth fairway,” describes Adams. “A length of rope was found in his coat pocket, along with Doris’s missing attire. The police concluded he had murdered his wife then committed suicide by walking into the water.”

The discovery of two bodies on the grounds gave rise to the notion the club was haunted, and many sightings have been reported since.

“Typical manifestations are a fast-moving figure in white, a feeling of doom, a cold wind and a globe of spectral light,” says Adams. “Doris also plays havoc with motorists along Beach Drive, sometimes flying through open windows and even penetrating windshields as a cold mist.”

Most golf clubs across Saskatchewan have junior programs whether it’s through a local professional, a volunteer in the community or through the course manager. One draw back for parents or guardians however is lessons and programs come with a cost.

That’s where programs such as Kidsport or Jumpstart come into play allowing kids less fortunate to do that, play. Kidsport itself will assist in funding for almost 60 different sports and activities including golf. In discussion with the organization at their Saskatoon office they said funding is available for kids taking lessons and for people looking to start or continue youth golf activities.

Kidsport is a non-profit organization funded by stakeholders and events. Jumpstart is a program carried out by the Canadian Tire brand. According to the Jumpstart website, over 284,000 kids across Canada have been assisted getting into sports. For confidentiality purposes names aren’t released. A single mother from Humboldt benefited from the Kidsport organization. She was assisted by the local chapter with hockey fees for her eight-year-old son. She said the benefits go beyond the dollars.

“It eases my mind knowing that even behind the financial contribution that they offer to help with fees, they can help you find used equipment or a discount on new equipment at local stores. The cost of my son’s sports doesn’t stop at registration and team fees. There are also many road trips and tournaments, so the reoccurring costs can add up. Benefits from Kidsport allow me to better budget my money by providing a lump sum payment right when the season starts, which takes a great deal off my shoulders,” she said.

Anyone seeking information on the programs can find more on the Kidsport website and on Jumpstart’s page. Applications can be downloaded on both websites, again the process is confidential. Another single mother from the Prince Albert area said Kidsport was a huge help in her eight-year-old daughter’s hockey fees and her 11-year-old daughter’s gymnastic fees.

“I think Kidsport is a wonderful program. My daughters have a chance to play and participate in something they love and get physical activity. I may not be able to do on my own as a single mother,” she said.

For the past seven or eight-years Deer Valley Golf Club has been dealing with water issues in the Qu’Appelle Valley, over the years the public club has lost several greens and tee boxes but work to rebuild their facility are well underway.

John Greenough has been around the course since it’s inception in 2001. He has been the head pro since 2011. He said several holes have seen recent work.

“We had quite a few wet seasons in a row with a high water table,” Greenough told Golf Saskatchewan. “We had some movement along the hillsides effecting several holes. Number two we lost a few tee boxes, number nine we had a severe shift in the middle of our fairway and number 12 we had a shift in our fairway and a ripple that went through our 12^th green. Our 13^th hole, the tees and fairway were effected as well.”

The ninth fairway is now a two-tiered hole. The courses’ signature hole, number two now has seven tee boxes in play. The tees on hole 13 are also rebuilt. Deer Valley hired Glen Campbell to assist with the 12^th hole. Greenough said that work is currently underway.

“The membership was excited to see 12 was out of play and to see some work on it. I was gone for two days at the buying show and it’s amazing what he has done so we’re pretty pumped for next year,” he said.

The course had closed in early October due to poor autumn weather, but the club reopened until last weekend. Greenough was happy with the turn in the forecast, so the members and public could see the upgrades before they closed for the year.

“The weather was terrible so we closed and then we reopened so we got another week of golf in. The nice thing about this is the membership got to see sodded tees, they got to see the finished product. We received lots of positive reviews which is why we do it,” he said.

All the renovations will be complete for next year’s playing season. The 12^th green will be the last project completed, Greenough said June of next year is the projected date of completion depending on the weather. Although the hillsides of the valley have caused issues for the 18-hole course Greenough said their backdrop makes the club a picturesque spot to play.

“I think the reason people love coming here is the unique landscape for Saskatchewan. We have some elevated holes, more elevation than most courses. We’ve got a beautiful view in the valley and some of the most challenging greens that I’ve played in the province,” he said.

Fresh off a collegiate national championship team victory Melville’s Chloe Sies is being honoured by Sask Sport Inc.

Sies, 19, was named the Sask Sport Athlete of the Month for September by the amateur sports governing body on Oct. 23. She was the winner of the Alberta Collegiate Athletic Conference (ACAC) Women’s North Regional Golf Championship at the Lac La Biche Golf Club on Sept. 16.

Her team, the Red Deer Queens claimed their first national title this past weekend. Sies finished second on her team and sixth overall in the event in Medicine Hat.

Sies was nominated for the Sask Sport honour by Golf Saskatchewan.