Six under-19 golfers are in Medicine Hat this week chasing a national junior boy’s championship.

Saskatchewan junior champion Josh Nagy of Saskatoon, Bradley Moser also of Saskatoon, Deer Valley’s Cole Obrigewitsch, and Colby Friedrich from Battleford make up Team Saskatchewan. They were the top four finishers at the provincial junior championship played at Moon Lake Golf and Country Club from July 9 to 11.

Saskatchewan also had a pair of quota spots to fill in this year’s national tournament taking place at the Medicine Hat Golf and Country Club. Saskatoon’s Steven Duchscher and Connor Scissons tied for sixth place in the Saskatchewan championship earning them a spot at nationals. An Edmonton golfer placed fourth in the event.

Duchscher is the first to tee-off, he begins at 8:36 a.m. Monday, Obrigewitsch starts his round at 9:09 a.m., Moser will tee-off at 9:20 a.m., Nagy hits the course at 9:31 a.m. Friedrich will hit his first shot at 12:33 p.m. and Scissons will be in the 12:41 p.m. group.

Team Saskatchewan is coached by Jason Schneider.

The tournament is four rounds, they will have cuts after the second round on Tuesday. An inter-provincial team competition is built in for the first two days of the championship as well.

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Home course advantage proved crucial for a pair of Golf Kenosee members who won provincial golf championships Thursday.

Golf Saskatchewan held their 99^th Senior Men’s Championship from July 24 – 26 at the Kenosee Lake course along with the championship for the Mid-Master’s (plus-40) division. Players could play both divisions if the age requirements were applicable. Going into the championship round Thursday Regina’s Ken Rodgers led both fields but the final 18 holes rewrote the story.

Carlyle resident Jason Mohr carded a 76 on day one and 77 on day two, going into the final round four shots back of Rodgers. The defending senior champion couldn’t hold his one shot lead, Rodgers posted a nine-over, 81 opening the door for Mohr. He said he played well but didn’t realize he was in the mix until late.

“It feels good, I didn’t know I was in the hunt until about 17 or 18,” he said. “I made some good par saves, made a couple 16 footers for par, it was just one shot at a time,” he said.

Mohr’s third round of 73 was the lowest round of the day by four shots.

Golf Kenosee member Rick Hallberg came in second overall, a stroke behind Mohr but his three round total of 227 was low enough to claim the Senior’s Championship. He said it’s an experience he won’t forget.

“It’s been a long time coming to win a provincial championship,” Hallberg said. “I’ve been working pretty hard on my game, it was a lot of fun,” he said.

Hallberg will lead Team Saskatchewan’s field into the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship taking place in New Brunswick from Sept. 4 – 7.

”It will be great, I can’t wait to go,” he said.

Rodgers defeated Tony Turay in a one-hole playoff deciding second and third place. Final tournament results can be found here.

Biggar’s Keith Silvernagle (below) was the top “Super-Senior” shooting 231 over the three days. He will take part in the national championships as an alternate along with Hallberg, Rodgers, and Tony Turay.

Tucked into the boreal forest of northeast Saskatchewan is Pasquia Regional Park and a golf course that has “everything’ for the family.

Under new management this year the course is looking to get more young golfers on the course. Over 450 kids take part in swimming lessons at the park every year, many camping with their family for a week or more when the lessons are underway. Manager Therza Hansen relocated to the region from Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. where she managed a 27-hole course. She said the learning curve for her has been challenging moving to a smaller course but she’s excited for the future and opportunities.

“The main thing is to focus on those kids and getting them on the course more. They already come out with their parents anyways, but we’d like to create a little junior league or something even if they are only here for a week,” she said.

The swimming pool is part of the regional park’s amenities as well as an interpretive centre. Hansen said working with those facilities as early as next year is something the course wants to do.

“I think our main thing right now is to how to figure out how we’re going to get all these kids golfing too,” she said.

Overall, Hansen said she’s looking forward to the chance to grow the game among youth in the area around Nipawin and Carrot River. Coming from a busy course in the Edmonton area she said the pace at Pasquia took some getting used to in her first year.

“I don’t have as many staff, it’s really nice, it’s way more relaxing. Everyone is laid back, we don’t have the city people complaining the course is backed up. Our players are more laid back,” she said.

The nine-hole course itself features a par-4 and par-5 to begin followed by five holes located in a scenic valley according to their website. Three sets of tee blocks are available on the 37-par course to match any player’s skill level. Power carts, pull carts, and a driving range as well as fully stocked proshop are among the amenities. Hansen said visitors don’t leave the course or park without enjoying everything they have to offer.

“It’s a beautiful course, very beautiful, it has everything to offer a family or avid golfer,” she said.

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Gina Kim, Yealimi Noh and Dylan Kim all sit 7-under after the second round of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Marine Drive on Wednesday.

Gina Kim started the day at 4-under then carded three birdies and a bogey on her front nine. She made the turn and fired three more birdies and a bogey to finish with a 3-under 68, one stroke lower than her score on Tuesday.

“I thought it was a fairly solid round. My shots were really consistent, and I managed to play all the smart shots today and the putts were dropping. I’d say overall I was pretty happy with what I came out with,” said the 18-year-old from Chapel Hill N.C.

“This course is narrow and tricky in its own way. Considering yesterday went pretty well I thought why not just continue to go with what I’ve been doing, and I think it worked out again today and I think I’m going to keep going with that for the rest of the week,” she said.

Dylan Kim came in at 2-under today after starting with two birdies and a bogey on her front nine. The 21-year-old from Sachse, Tex. ended strong with a beautiful birdie on hole 18.

“I got off to a good start and then I went a little rough in the middle there, but I’m proud of the way I finished. I finished with a birdie and that was really nice. I also had a nice par on hole 17, which is a hard hole, so I’m really glad I got through that one,” she said.

Dylan Kim recorded a 66 on Tuesday, to tie Yealimi No’s new course record before Jennifer Kupcho carded a 7-under 64.

“I thought the pins were tougher today, when I was looking at them before my round I was thinking ‘Ok today is going to be a little tougher, I need to be a little bit smarter today,’” said Dylan Kim.

Yealimi Noh from Concord, Calif. also came in at 2-under and had a strong round. She recorded 5 pars in a row on her front nine before adding a birdie to her scorecard. Right before she made the turn she recorded another birdie on hole 9. She finished her back nine with a bogey and a third birdie.

Tiffany Kong, a former Team Canada Development Squad member, recorded a 3-under 68 to land herself in fourth and as the low Canadian. She sits 5-under par for the tournament, just two strokes behind the lead trio.

73 players have advanced to the final two rounds of the national championship. The first groups will tee off Thursday at 7:30 a.m. from holes 1 and 10.

Team British Columbia won the inter-provincial competition after the team consisting of Naomi Ko, Mary Parsons and Christina Proteau shot a combined 8 over par through the two-round event. Team Ontario came in second at 13 over par and Quebec finished 9 back in third.

The 2018 Canadian Women’s Amateur title, the individual champion will earn an exemption into the 2018 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship and – along with the low Canadian – the CP Women’s Open at Wascana Country Club on August 20-26, 2018.

For full results click here.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Dustin Johnson pulled on the Edmonton Oilers jersey with “Gretzky 99” on the back, lined up his shot and hit it over the water and on to the green at No. 7 on Glen Abbey Golf Club.

Jersey: 9⃣9⃣
Swing: ?@DJohnsonPGA pays homage to @WayneGretzky with an @Oilers jersey at “The Rink” during his @RBCCanadianOpen pro-am.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/NyVSspUOVz

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 25, 2018

American through-and-through, the RBC Canadian Open is Johnson’s home tournament by marriage, with future father-in-law Wayne Gretzky growing up in nearby Brantford, Ont.

But playing in a pro-am tournament on Wednesday morning, Johnson was encouraged to embrace his extended family’s sport of choice at Glen Abbey’s seventh hole, which has a tee box surrounded by hockey boards and tournament volunteers stationed at the hole wearing referee’s stripes.

“I’m sure Wayne had something to do with it,” said Johnson with a laugh. “They wanted us to wear our favourite hockey jersey when we hit the shot on No. 7 so I had the Gretzky jersey on.”

Johnson leads a highly competitive field that also includes U.S. Open winner Brooks Koepka, two-time RBC Canadian Open winner Jim Furyk, and top-20 players Tommy Fleetwood and Bubba Watson. Jhonattan Vegas, who has won the last two RBC Canadian Opens, is also back.

As world No. 1, Johnson always draws a big crowd. But the added boost of having family ties to hockey royalty makes him extra popular at the RBC Canadian Open.

“I get a lot of fans up here, thanks to Wayne. Thanks Wayne, I appreciate that,” said Johnson, who is engaged to Gretzky’s daughter Paulina. “I get a lot of fans and it’s great. It’s always fun to play for a big crowd, to have them cheering you on.”

Johnson will tee off with Watson and Canadian Adam Hadwin to start the first round on Thursday. Hadwin, ranked No. 55, is the top Canadian on the PGA TOUR this season. Although he’s from Abbotsford, B.C., he also sees the RBC Canadian Open as his hometown event, even if it’s more than 4,000 kilometres from home.

“It’s always exciting to come back in to Canada and play,” said Hadwin. “They love golf up here. They love supporting Canadians. I’m really just proud to represent them.”

Hadwin is one of 21 Canadians in the field at this year’s tournament, which also includes PGA regulars Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., and Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont.

Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., the 2003 Masters champion, and David Hearn, from Gretzky’s home town of Brantford, are other Canadians to watch.

Pat Fletcher of Victoria was the last Canadian to win the national championship in 1954, finishing at 8-under with a four-stroke lead at Vancouver’s Point Grey Golf Club.

“We all want to do well, we all want to play well,” said Hadwin. “I know it’s been a long time (since a Canadian won).”

The RBC Canadian Open’s undergoing major changes after this season. With Glen Abbey possibly slated for demolition, it could be the last time the Jack Nicklaus-designed course will be used for the event. Hamilton Golf and Country Club will play host next year.

It’s position on the PGA TOUR’s schedule is also being moved from mid-July, a week after the British Open, to early June, the week before the U.S. Open. The change in schedule will improve the strength of the RBC Canadian Open’s field as many golfers like to rest after the British Open.

“I like playing the week before (a major),” said Koepka. “I think it’s good prep to know where your game is at. I wouldn’t be surprised if the (Hamilton) golf course, they grow the rough up just to kind of imitate, I guess, Pebble Beach a little bit.”

Saskatchewan’s women’s amateur golf team was middle of the pack among the nation’s provincial race however none of the four competing made the cut at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.

Saskatoon’s Carla Odnokon, Melville’s Chloe Sies, Regina’s Brooke Hill, and Ella Kozak of Yorkton are taking part in the event at Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver. Odnokon was the province’s top performer, she shot 158 (78, 80) over the first two rounds of the tournament. Hill finished at plus-28 after firing rounds of 84 and 86; Sies finished with 176 after posting back-to-back rounds of 88. Kozak, 12, carded a 97 on day one Tuesday, her second round was 93, she finished with 190.

The cutline was plus-8, just 65 golfers from the 156 player field made the final two days of the event.

Team Saskatchewan is currently fifth in the provincial competition.

American Gina Kim is going into the third round as the leader. The event concludes on Thursday.

The leaderboard can be found here.

Ken Rodgers will take a one stroke lead into the championship round at the 99^th Men’s Senior’s and 32^nd Mid-Master’s tournaments at Golf Kenosee.

Rodgers, the reigning senior champion, will try to fend off Rick Hallberg and the rest of the field for the senior championship. The 59-year-old Regina product shot a four-over, 76 during round two on Wednesday to hold his one-shot lead over Hallberg. Hallberg, playing on his home course, also fired a 76 during the tournament’s middle round. Saskatoon product Tony Tunas, Keith Silvernagle of Biggar, and Douglas Kozak of Regina are tied for third place, four shots back of the leader.

Warren Proctor and Stu Innes are also in the hunt at plus-11, 155.

Rodgers, Hallberg, and Turay are also one, two, three in the Mid-Master’s Championship field. Carlyle’s Jason Mohr is also at plus-9 in a tie with Turay in third place. Ron Swan of Regina and Warman’s Darryl Czuy are tied for fifth place at plus-10.

Players are eligible for both championships if they fit the required age categories. The Senior’s Championship is for players 55 years-old and over, the Mid-Master’s is for players over 40 years-old and over.

The championship round begins at 8 a.m. on Thursday. The final groups and leaderboard can be found here.

Josh Nagy continues his superior summer on the golf course.

The Saskatoon product added to his 2018 win total on Tuesday shooting the overall low score of 146 (76, 70) during a two-round Maple Leaf Junior Tour (MJT) stop at Dakota Dunes Golf Links. The Saskatchewan junior champion played the Dunes last week in the Golf Saskatchewan Men’s Amateur Championship, perhaps using the experience to his advantage. Nagy, 16, ran away from the field of 33 juvenile boys winning by nine strokes over North Battlefords’ Colby Friedrich and twin brother Cole Nagy.

Will Danielson and Tj Baker round out the top five in the division, they tied for fourth with a score of 159.

Saskatoon’s Steven Duchscher was the low-shooting junior boy, the 17-year-old carded a 148 (76, 72). Griffin Wilson of Swift Current finished second, four shots back. Keighton McNab placed third with a score of 155 (79,76).

In the bantam boy’s division, Kindersley’s Cort Tunall picked up the victory. Tunall, 14, shot 76 during round one and 74 on day two for a three shot win over 13-year-old Brett Leonard. Calgary resident Guillermo Salazar placed third with a score of 157 (84, 73).

Max Regier is the peewee boy’s winner. Regier, 12, shot 154 (81,73) holding off Weyburn’s Darien Herlick by a pair of strokes. Keaton Cote of Kindersley finished in third place with 166 (85, 81).

The MJT has a collegiate division as well, Logan Crawford of Red Deer, Alta. was the winner with a score of 164.

In the 15-18 girl’s category Sarah Grieve (above, right) of Saskatoon was the champion. The 15-year-old’s 174 (87, 87) was five shots better than Moose Jaw’s Raylyn Schmidt (above, second from right). Carey McLean of Deer Valley (above, second left) placed third with a score of 181 (94, 87).

Autumn Neiszner (above, left) was the lone participant in the U15 girl’s division, the 14-year-old finished the event carding 192 (97, 95).

For full results of the tournament click here.

The MJT is part of the Golf Saskatchewan Order of Merit Tour. The next MJT event in the province is the OMT Championship in Swift Current at the Elmwood Golf Club. That tournament runs Aug. 25 and 26.

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Jennifer Kupcho shot a 7-under-par 64 during the opening round of the 105th playing of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Marine Drive Golf Club on Tuesday.

Kupcho, from Westminster, Colo., carded seven birdies and an eagle on the par 5 13^thhole during her round. She was close to recording an eighth birdie on hole 9 but, unfortunately, the ball lipped out.

“I was hitting a lot of fairways, hit a lot of greens, and just made a lot of putts. I was making putts from everywhere,” said Kupcho. “It’s a narrow course so I just tried to keep it straight.”

“The course was really scorable. I was surprised from the practice round yesterday, it seemed like it was going to be difficult, but today I came out and it was just a really scoreable course,” said the current No. 1 ranked amateur golfer.

The Women’s course record was beat earlier in the morning by Yealimi Noh from Concord, Calif.when she recorded a 5-under 66. Dylan Kim from Sachse, Tex. then tied Noh’s new record before Kupcho came in at 7-under to break the record for a second time.

The initial course record was a 4-under 68 set by Annika Sorenstam in 1992 when Marine Drive co-hosted the World Amateur Team Championships in Vancouver where Sorenstam won the individual title.

Yealimi Noh and Dylan Kim sit tied for second just two strokes behind Kupcho. Both players finished with 6 birdies and a bogey on their scorecards.

Two players sit tied in fourth place at 4-under: Alyaa Abdulghany from Newport Beach, Calif., and Gina Kim from Chapel Hill N.C.

Team British Columbia leads the inter-provincial competition after the team consisting of Naomi Ko, Mary Parsons and Christina Proteau shot a combined score of 2-over par. Team Ontario sits in second at 5-over par.

The 2018 Canadian Women’s Amateur title, the individual champion will earn an exemption into the 2018 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship and – along with the low Canadian – the CP Women’s Open at Wascana Country Club on August 20-26, 2018.

For full results click here.

Marine Drive Golf Club got the best of Team Saskatchewan during round one of the Canadian Amateur Women’s Championship in Vancouver, British Columbia on Tuesday.

Saskatoon’s Carla Odnokon, the Saskatchewan champion was the top performer of the day, she shot a seven-over, 78 during day one of the tournament, she sits in a tie for 98^th place. Regina’s Brooke Hill carded a 13-over, 85, that leaves her in a tie for 132^nd. Chloe Sies of Melville shot 88, she’s 17-over par in a tie for 145^th position and likely the event’s youngest competitor, 12-year-old Ella Kozak of Yorkton shot 97, she is 26-over par. Kozak is currently in 156^th place.

The team is ranked fifth in the inter-provincial competition.

Day two of the four-day event will take place Wednesday, Kozak is the first Saskatchewan golfer to tee-off, she starts her round at 12:25 p.m. local time. Hill hits the course at 1:09 p.m., Sies tees off at 1:31 p.m., and Odnokon plays at 1:42 p.m.

Reigning champion Jennifer Kupcho leads the championship at seven-under. Her 64 is a Marine Drive record previously held by Annika Sorenstam.

The results can be found here. The projected cut line is plus-4.