WARMAN, Sask. – The Legends Golf Club in Warman, Sask. gears up to host its first-ever Golf Canada event for the playing of the 2025 NextGen Prairie Championship, June 12-15.

The NextGen Championship series returns to the province for the first time since 2023 and welcomes 120 of western Canada’s best Junior golfers – 90 Junior Boys and 30 Junior Girls – for 54 holes of competition. The field will be reduced to approximately the top 52 individuals in the Junior Boys division and top 17 players in the Junior Girls division after 36 holes, with the final round taking centre stage on Sunday, June 15.

Similarly to previous stops on the NextGen Championship circuit this season, exemptions into each of the Canadian Junior Championships will be awarded to the tournament’s top finishers. In the Junior Boys Division, the top six players, including the low medalist following the conclusion of the final round, will earn exemptions into the Canadian Junior Boys Championship set for August 11-15 at Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club in Bathurst, N.B.

In the Junior Girls division, the top six finishers from the event, including ties, will help round out the field at this year’s Canadian Junior Girls Championship taking place August 12 – 16 at Club de golf Sainte-Marie in Sainte Marie, Que. The top two players in both divisions will also earn exemptions into the 2025 Canadian U15 Championship set for August 27-29 at Pitt Meadows Golf Club in Pitt Meadows, B.C.

Notably, the event will also serve as one of three qualifiers to make up Team Saskatchewan for the Canadian Summer Games set to take place August 18-22 at Bally Haly Country Club in St. John’s, N.L. A pair male and female players above the age of 19 will each qualify for the event.

Playing in his home province, Ryan Mosher of Saskatoon, Sask. will look to successfully defend his title after definitively taking the event by three strokes in 2024. The NextGen Prairie Championship will be Mosher’s second appearance of the Championship season, having played in the NextGen Western Championship at Trestle Creek Golf & Resort earlier this month.

Chase Lassman of Parkland County, Alta., Lucas Sturgeon of Saskatoon, Sask., and Ryan Badger of Edmonton, Alta. will also be in the NextGen Prairie Championship field just weeks after competing against one another in a playoff to decide the NextGen Western Championship.

Yeeun (Jenny) Kwon of Vancouver, B.C. will headline the Junior Girls’ division this week and will be vying for her second NextGen Championship victory this month after claiming her maiden title at Trestle Creek Golf & Resort.

“We are so proud and excited to welcome the NextGen Prairie Championship to the Legends Golf Club – partnering with Golf Canada is proving to be a wonderful opportunity,” said Davidson Matyczuk, head golf professional, Legends Golf Club. “The Legends has been a strong supporter of junior golf in Saskatchewan and Manitoba and with this Championship, we are now able to extend that support to the national stage. We are certainly looking forward to welcoming everyone to Warman and the Legends Golf Club this week.”

The Legends Golf Club offers a unique caveat of being a links-style course – the first layout of its kind on the 2025 Championship season. Operating since 2011, the course has become one of the premier golf experiences in Saskatchewan and has hosted provincial amateur championships at the junior, mid-amateur and professional level.

Though the course’s wide and undulating fairways offer a sense of comfort for players off the tee, thick patches of fescue strenuously defend the property and force players to rethink their club choices on every hole.

“Competitors should expect a fair but challenging test of their skills, course management and mental toughness to be successful,” continued Matyczuk. Bunkers at nearly every hole location and water lurking on 10 of the 18 holes makes approaching the green a challenge, pairing up formidably with a series of tight pin locations to challenge the short game of those who dare to be aggressive at The Legends Golf Club.

“Historically having success in a Next Gen Championship will open up new opportunities and provides validation that they can compete amongst the best in Canada. We are confident that our links-style layout will identify the top performers from the field of 30 Girls and 90 Boys as they compete for not only the individual titles, but for exemptions into the Canadian Junior Girls Championship and the Canadian Junior Boys Championship later this summer.”

To follow the live leaderboard of the NextGen Prairie Championship throughout the week, please click here.

About the NextGen Championships

The NextGen Championships are a high-performance junior golf series which totals six competitions. From May to July, six championships will take place across Canada where the region’s best junior golfers will compete to earn exemptions into their respective 2025 national junior championships. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf.

Marc Sweeney of Saskatoon is the winner of the 2025 Men’s Lobstick Open.

The Saskatoon product fought from behind on day two Tuesday at Waskesiu Golf Course with a solid 66 holding off Danny Klughart by one shot.

Ryan Wells and Scott Mackay tied for third.

After day one everyone in the field of 80 players was chasing Prince Albert’s Cory Selander. The Cooke Municipal Golf Course member tied Shawn Strelau’s course record of 63 in round one on Monday. Selander shot 76 in the second round and tied for fifth with Connor Scissons.

Selander is the top seed in the Lobstick bracket in the championship flight. In his first match on Wednesday afternoon he takes on his father Cliff Selander.

For complete results and details about the Lobstick which wraps up Saturday can be found here.

Myles Johnson has returned to Saskatchewan for the summer with some extra luggage from his second year at the University of Victoria.

The Martensville product and Vikes golf team member competed in the Canadian University/College Championship at Rivershore Golf Links in Kamloops, B.C. from June 3 to 6, the team claimed the silver medal and Johnson placed 47th overall.

The Riverside Country Club member opened with an 85 in the first round , but responded nicely over the final three days shooting 73, 78, and 76 moving up 21 spots on the leaderboard on the final day.

UBC won the men’s championship. Johnson was the only Saskatchewan player in the field of 97 players from.17 different schools.

He spoke with Golf Saskatchewan following the event and his plans for the summer before heading back to Victoria in August.

Two familiar faces in the Saskatchewan golfing circuit are champions again following the 2025 Ladies Northern in Prince Albert on the weekend.

Regina’s Kim Walker outlasted the elements, and 59 other players in the field to capture the title on Sunday (June 8) at Cooke Municipal Golf Course.

The Wascana Country Club member had to battle for the win, both Kim Brown and Lauren Fox pushed for 36 holes tying for second just two strokes behind Walker’s 157 (77, 80).

Saskatoon’s Kathy Ziglo won the senior division after rounds of 83 and 79, the Saskatoon Golf and Country Club member was fourth overall.

Rounding out the top-five was Rosetown’s Sue Skinner, the Delisle Valleyview Golf Club player won the first flight with a 36-hole score of 169.

To see the complete results from the championship click here.

With the win Walker takes the early lead on the Women’s Order of Merit Tour (OMT). Next on the schedule is the Saskatoon Women’s Open on June 16 and 17 at The Willows Club. To register click here.

Walker spoke after the win on Sunday in Prince Albert.

The first Lobstick of the season is in the books at Waskesiu Golf Course, and Rick Hallberg has his first Senior Men’s Lobstick championship.

After a couple near misses in recent years, the Weyburn product and proud Golf Kenosee member outlasted the field, and Brad Phelps in the final group on day three to win the coveted plague.

Hallberg posted rounds of 70, 75, and 73 to edge both Phelps and last year’s champion Paul Briske by a pair of strokes.

Hallberg spoke to Golf Saskatchewan after the win on Thursday.

Winning the Super-Senior category for the first time was Saskatoon player Milt Grolla. He carded stellar rounds of 76, 75, and 76.

To see all the results from the week click here.

The next event for Waskesiu is the Men’s Lobstick that begins on June 9.

The Women’s Order of Merit Tour (OMT) gets underway this weekend at Cooke Municipal Golf Course in Prince Albert with the Ladies Northern Championship.

To see the OMT schedules and standing click here.

Current collegiate player Carter Degelman is launching a series of junior golf camps under the tutelage of longtime professional Clinton Schmaltz in Saskatoon.

“Tour Path Junior Camps” will begin next week (June 10 – 12) at Moon Lake Golf and Country Club.

Degelman currently plays golf at Dominican University of California. The idea for the camps came about when Degelman was home from school seeking summer employment. That’s when he decided to reach out to his longtime coach to see if the camps were a possibility.

“When I was a kid there wasn’t many camps for younger kids,” he told Golf Saskatchewan. “There are quite a few now in the city. I wanted to start something like that, I work with Clinton and I wanted to build it off a brand, he had the idea that we go this route.”

Each camp is three hours long and directed to kids from about five to 12 years old. Degelman admits three hours playing golf can be overwhelming for kids that age, so breaking up the itinerary is something they will do to keep the attendees engaged.

“We want to have a fun environment for kids to learn basic skills, but also have games that have other aspects to give them a break,” Degelman said.

He’s currently promoting the camps through Saskatoon’s elementary schools hoping to fill all seven scheduled weeks over the summer. Degelman said golf teaching opportunities are plentiful as the game has grown immensely since he started. He said growing the game is important to most players and feels this camp is another piece in doing so in Saskatoon.

“We are all doing the same thing, we want to give the kids the best experience possible and that’s our goals for these camps,” he concluded.

To register for the camps reach out to 306.270.7344 or visit them on Instagram.

Over 90 junior golfers with many planning to attend the Saskatchewan Junior Championships took part in the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) event in Lloydminster this past weekend.

In the junior women’s age groups, both Youran Zhu and Tayla Perry picked up their second championships of the MJT season.

Perry took the 15 to 19 age group with a 36-hole score of 158 (82,76), holding off Sarah Henderson of Saskatoon. Henderson was three strokes off the lead at 161, Kyle’s Chloe Wills also made the podium in third with rounds of 81 and 85.

Zhu won the under-15 age category with a two round score of 174 thanks to rounds of 82 and 92. Natalie Maunula of North Battleford was second at 195.

The under-13 men’s division was won by Hudson Deibert of Regina. The 10-year-old outlasted Cohen Bridge (Corman Park) and Caleb O’Brien (Melville) to win the age group by five strokes.

Austin Nesbitt has another bantam (under-15) win on his impressive junior resume. The Pilot Butte product shot 75 and 79 for a 10 shot win over Cooper Roberge of Lloydminster and Lumsden’s Ryker Schmidt.

Mason Kuryvial of Taber, Alta. placed fourth, a shot behind the runners-up.

Taking the overall championship was Sucker River junior Dade Bernatchez who collected his first overall MJT win. Bernatchez shot 80 in round one and 78 in the second round just getting past Regina’s Aiden Walker by two shots.

Walker opened with an 83 and responded with a 77 on day two but couldn’t quite track down Bernatchez. Placing third in the under-19 age group was Graydon Vogelsang of Saskatoon, he was at 161 (78,83).

Regina’s Kai Kriekle who plays at the Wascana Country Club tied Preston Buchner for fourth overall, but Kriekle’s 163 was enough to claim the under-17 division that plays the same yardage as the under-19 division.

Plenty of pressure was behind Kriekle over the two days, Cohen Hepburn of Saskatoon and Finn Silver from North Battleford each posted scores of 164 to tie for second in the age category.

For complete results of the event click here.

Next up on the Saskatchewan Junior Order of Merit Tours (OMT) is the NextGen Prairie Championship in Warman at The Legends Golf Club from June 13 to 15.

To see the updated OMT standings click here.

All photos courtesy Jeff Chambers

A heartbreaking finish for Lucas Sturgeon at the NextGen Western Championships over the weekend at Trestle Creek Golf Resort in Entwistle, Alta.

The Saskatoon Golf and Country Club junior opened the event with a 73, shot 68 in the middle round Saturday and closed with a 75, good enough to force a three-person playoff that was won by Chase Lassman of Edmonton.

Sturgeon earns an exemption into the Canadian Junior Boys’ Championships alongside Casa Rio’s Ethan Hunter and Saskatoon’s Ryan Mosher who tied for sixth overall at 219, just three shots back of the winnner.

Aricin Franklin (Saskatoon), Brady Guenther (Saskatoon), Shae Maunula (North Battleford) and Hudson Heistad (Avonlea) all made the cut and played all 54 holes. Franklin tied for 12th at 223 (71,75,77), Guenther tied for 31st at 229 (76,73,80), Maunula was 34th with a score of 230, Heistad was 43rd at 235.

Three Saskatchewan junior women were in the field.

Grace Odnokon of Saskatoon just missed the cut shooting 81 and 84, Niya Friesen from Swift Current was near the number as well carding rounds of 85 and 81. Onion Lake golfer Ada Dillon shot 84 and 86, the cut line was 163.

To see more on the NextGen Western Championship including the full results click here.

The NextGen Championship schedule continues to roll through western Canada with its next stop at The Legends Golf Club in Warman for the playing of the NextGen Prairie Championship. The tournament will run June 13 – June 15 with a practice round preceding the action on June 12.  

Tommy Danielson has his first big amateur championship after putting on an impressive 36-hole display on the weekend at the MNP Northeast Open in Nipawin.

The Riverside Country Club member tied for fourth at the event last season and right from the first tee in 2025 Danielson wanted more.

He parred the opening two holes at Evergreen Golf Course startig Saturday, went on to birdie the next seven and finish the round tied for lead at 5-under par with Kyle Weibe of Madison.

The wind picked up for day two, but Danielson continued his strong play at one point pushing his score to 11-under par before closing the event 8-under and a five shot win over Shaunavon’s Corey Bailey.

Phil Jonas was the top pro in third place. The complete results can be found here.

The NextGen Championship season resumes on Friday, May 30 at Trestle Creek Golf Resort in Entwistle, Alta. for the playing of the NextGen Western Championship.

Approximately 156 junior golfers – 121 Junior Boys and 35 Junior Girls – will tee off on Friday and look to punch their ticket to their respective junior championships later this summer. The 54-hole event will be preceded with a practice round on Thursday, May 29 before play wraps up on Sunday, June 1.

The field will be reduced to approximately the top 53 Junior Boys and top 17 Junior Girls, including ties, after 36 holes. Members of the Junior Boys division that conclude the final round placed within the top eight of the leaderboard will earn exemption into the 2025 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO, set for August 12-15, at Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club in Bathurst, N.B.

In the Junior Girls division, the top eight finishers, including ties, will earn exemptions into the field for the playing of the 2025 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO, August 13-16, at Sainte-Marie Club de golf in Sainte-Marie, Que.

Notable players from western Canada will compete in the event, including Christian Flick of Heritage Pointe, Alta. and Ryan Mosher of Saskatoon, Sask. Flick, a three-time participant, will look to secure his first victory at the NextGen Western Championship after finishing in the top ten three times, including a runner-up finish in 2022. His ambition will be rivaled by Mosher, a proven winner on the circuit and the reigning NextGen Prairie Champion.

Designed by golf architect and fellow Albertan Brad Dupuis, Trestle Creek Golf Resort offers 27 holes of championship-level golf split across a trio of distinctive nines. Opening in 2012, the course has undergone several renovations to expand its unique terrain, spanning across 600 acres of land to include creeks, lakes, forests and hills into its initial design.

“We are extremely excited to host this year’s NextGen Western Championship,” commented Art New – the Head Golf Professional at Trestle Creek Golf Resort. “We feel that the players are really going to enjoy the Brad Dupuis design which encompasses the natural beauty of the terrain. It will pose a challenge to these up-and-coming future stars, and we are quite certain they will enjoy it.”

Trestle Creek Golf Resort has become much greater than a picturesque, affordable and challenging golf hub since its inception and presently surrounds its fairways with resort lots, a sport and water park and a recreation centre to make the property bountiful of outdoor experiences. The course plays its best defense as players get closer to each of the holes, with undulating greens challenging the field’s best putting strokes and forcing players to dial in their short game for the occasion.

“The golf course is fairly generous off the tee,” added New, who believes the strong winds that the property exhibits can also make for a challenge come the final round. “This course is all about your misses approaching the greens. Miss on the correct side depending on pin placement and you can recover. Miss on the wrong side and getting up and down will be a tough challenge.”

To follow the live leaderboard of the NextGen Western Championship throughout the week, please click here.

About the NextGen Championships

The NextGen Championships are a high-performance junior golf series which totals six competitions. From May to July, six championships will take place across Canada where the region’s best junior golfers will compete to earn exemptions into their respective 2025 national junior championships. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf.