PGA of Sask. Buying Show returns in October
After a three year absence the PGA of Saskatchewan Buying Show is back this October.
The event will be held on Oct. 25 and 26 at the new Dakota Dunes Resort Hotel. Executive Director Scott Allan spoke with Golf Saskatchewan’s Clark Stork about his first summer at the helm of the provincial PGA association, the show itself, potential changes for the future and the overall state of the game in Saskatchewan.
Canadian Senior Women’s Championship draws rave reviews from trio of players
According to Saskatchewan’s Kim Walker, Kathy Hopfner, and Maureen Bowerman the 2022 Canadian Senior Women’s Championship was an experience they won’t soon forget.
In total, nine players from the province competed in the 54-hole event at Breezy Bend in Headingly, Manitoba from Aug. 30 – Sept. 1.
Walker led the way with a fantastic finish in a tie for seventh place. As a team Saskatchewan was sixth.
Golf Saskatchewan’s Clark Stork spoke with Walker, Hopfner, and Bowerman after the ladies returned from Winnipeg.
Red Deer Golf and Country Club set to host Canadian Men’s Senior Championship
RED DEER, Alta. – The 60th installment of the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, tees off this week with 156 amateur golfers taking the stage in Red Deer, Alta.
Conducted since 1962, the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship has grown to become one of the most popular amateur golf events in Canada. In 1995, the 65-and-over Super Senior division was introduced, which runs concurrently with the existing 55-and-over age group.
One of nine national championships conducted by Golf Canada for the 2022 season, the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship will consist of 72 holes of stroke-play with a cut after 36 holes. The Super Senior Championship is contested concurrently over the four rounds of the championship, and the Senior Inter-provincial Team Championship, established in 1977, also runs concurrently with the first 36 holes of the tournament.
Practice rounds are scheduled for Monday, September 5th, before the tournament officially kicks off on Tuesday, September 6th.
The tournament will be conducted at Red Deer Golf & Country Club in Red Deer, Alta. who is celebrating their centennial season this year. Five of the club’s members have qualified to play in the Championship including Ken Griffith, Grant Lee and Peter Innes, Tom Skinner and Joe Gascon.
Over 100 volunteers from both the Red Deer Golf & Country Club and the community will be on hand to host the National and International competitors and their families.
“Golf Canada is proud to host the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship and bring together a field of top senior competitors to play in this prestigious championship,” said Adam Cinel, Senior Manager, Rules and Amateur Championships. “Red Deer Golf and Country Club is in excellent shape, and we congratulate the staff and volunteers on their significant 100-year milestone.”
Defending champion Darren Ritchie will return once again to defend his title and vie to see his name on the John Rankin Memorial Trophy for the second consecutive year. In 2021, the St. John, N.B. native from Hampton Golf Club held the lead for the majority of the tournament and finished 2-over par 72 to claim his first Canadian Men’s Senior title.
Additional notables in the field include Robert Funk (Canyon Lake, CA.), John Crowther (London, Ont.), Jim Lehman (Minnetonka, MN.), and Rusty Strawn (McDonough, GA.) who recently claimed the 2022 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship title at The Kittansett Club in Marion, Mass. this past week.
The champion will receive an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship.
More information about the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship can be found here.
Players recount Canadian Mid-Amateur Championship
The 14 players that competed in the 2022 Canadian Mid-Amateur Championship from Saskatchewan are back in the province and recollecting the week in Thornhill, Ontario.
Prince Albert’s Danny Klughart was the top local finishing the championship in a tie for 26th at 13-over par.
Shaun Dunphy of Saskatoon finished his 11th national event in a tie for 58th, the second highest placing Saskatchewan product and Regina’s Drew Kocur made the cut in his national debut and finished 71st.
All three players spoke to Golf Saskatchewan’s Clark Stork following the event.
KLUGHART
DUNPHY
KOCUR
Competitors look back on Canada Games
Saskatchewan’s four competitors from the golf event are back in Saskatchewan and basking in the week that was at Niagara Falls for the 2022 Canada Summer Games.
Yorkton’s Ella Kozak was the top local tying for fifth in the 72-hole championship that ran from Aug. 17 to 20. She will also be eligible for the next Games in 2025.
Next up for the 16-year-old is the Team Canada – NextGen Selection Camp in Toronto from Sept. 8 to 11. Saskatoon’s Chase Pochylko will join her in an effort to make the national team.
Kozak spoke with Golf Saskatchewan following the Games.
Hallie Crozier of Regina placed 17th in the event. She wrapped up the season in Saskatchewan this past weekend at the Maple Leaf Junior Tour (MJT) Order of Merit Series Championship in Warman with a two-day score of 160. The 17-year-old will compete in the MJT National Championship in Florida later this year and continue to work with coach Henry Brunton with a goal of getting a scholarship.
On the boys side Hunter Kutcher and Darien Herlick tied for 14th at the Canada Games.
Kutcher is now heading to Kelowna to begin his collegiate career for the UBC Okanagan Heat.
Like Kozak, Herlick is eligible to compete in the Games again. He will stay in Saskatchewan for the time being and work with his coach before heading to Florida to work with Brunton.
Brown, Vezeau win first Saskatchewan Mixed Championship
After a pair of second place finishes in the Saskatchewan Mixed Championship Kim Brown and Dennis Vezeau have their first Saskatchewan Mixed Championship.
On Sunday at Elk Ridge Golf Resort the Saskatoon duo needed a playoff to hold off Elanne Krainyk and Colton McAllister for the championship. Brown and Vezeau birdied the first playoff hole to claim the win.
The bronze medal went to seven-time winners Kathy Ziglo and Ian Larocque who finished the tournament at 1-under, 143, four shots back of the co-leaders.
The complete results can be seen here.
In the event’s return to Elk Ridge 51 teams competed over 36 holes and two days. Next year’s Mixed Championship will be held at Moose Jaw’s Hillcrest Golf Club.
More photos of the event can be found here.
Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship renews in Manitoba
HEADINGLEY, Man. – Canada’s best female golfers 25 years or older will descend on Breezy Bend Country Club in Headingley, Man., August 30 – September 1, for the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship, presented by BDO.
“There is a lot of anticipation around this year’s Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship, and we’re thrilled to get the competition started,” said Tournament Director, Daniel Suppa. “A competitive field of players are slated to tee it up this week, so we’re expecting a high calibre of talent at Breezy Bend.”
After a rainy start to the day, practice rounds resumed as scheduled on Monday ahead of the official start to the national championship on Tuesday. The 54-hole tournament is scheduled to wrap up on Thursday, with champions being crowned in four divisions: Mid-Amateur (25 and up); Mid-Master (40 and over); Senior (50 and above); and Super-Senior (60-plus).
Returning to the event is the Interprovincial Team competitions, for the first time since 2019. The Mid- Amateur and Senior teams will compete over the first 36 holes of the tournament.
97 players will tee it up at Breezy Bend Country Club, located about 20 kilometres west of Winnipeg, Man. The Club is widely considered one of the premiere private golf courses in its region and has previously hosted the 2004 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship as well as the 1979 Canadian Junior Boys Championship.
“Over the last six months, our volunteers, staff and Board have worked tirelessly to prepare the course and our facilities to host this special event,” said Shannon O’Brien, President of Breezy Bend Country Club. “We are very excited to have this opportunity to showcase our Club to some of the best golfers from across the country.”
“When we were first approached to host this prestigious tournament some four years ago, we jumped at the opportunity; this would be our chance to recognize, support and celebrate women’s golf in Canada,” added Cory Johnson, General Manager and COO. “Our club members, staff and enthusiastic team of volunteers look forward to providing a world-class championship event for our competitors and spectators alike.”
CANADIAN WOMEN’S MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Since 2007, the Women’s Mid-Amateur has a provided women over the age of 25 a chance to compete on a national stage. From its inaugural year to 2014, the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship ran in conjunction with the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship. In 2015, the tournament shifted gears and joined forces with the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship.
Defending champion Christina Proteau will look to protect her title as Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur champion after knocking off Nonie Marler in last year’s championship at Domaine Château Bromont in Bromont, Que. Proteau, of Port Alberni, B.C., has won the Mid-Amateur division a record six times, including four consecutive titles from 2011-2014. Marler, out of Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver, B.C., is back in the field again this year.
The winner of the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship will receive an exemption into the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Ashburn Golf Club in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
CANADIAN WOMEN’S SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
Conducted since 1971, the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship has featured many of the country’s top senior golfers. Canadian Golf Hall of Fame members Marlene Streit, Gayle Borthwick, Marilyn O’Connor and Margaret Todd all own senior championship titles. In the past, this competition has also featured a strong contingent of international players, particularly from the United States – most notably Nancy Fitzgerald. The Canadian Women’s Senior Championship has also been referred to as the CLGA National Senior Championship.
The 51st playing of the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship will feature a star-studded field, headlined by none other than the defending champion, Shelly Stouffer. The 52-year-old is the fourth highest ranked woman on the World Amateur Golf Rankings and will look to successfully defend the Ada Mackenzie Challenge Trophy. The Nanoose Bay, B.C., native made headlines throughout Canada and the United States earlier this summer when she won the U.S. Women’s Senior Amateur Championship in Alaska, becoming the fourth Canadian to conquer the national title.
Judith Kyrinis, who is among the four Canucks to have completed the aforementioned feat, will challenge Stouffer in Manitoba. The Thornhill, Ont., native is no stranger to winning the championship, having previously done so twice before, with her most recent triumph in 2019.
2012 and 2015 champion, Terrill Samuel, is another name to lookout for this week in the Senior division. Samuel, a member of Weston Golf Club in Toronto, won the 2022 R&A Women’s Senior Amateur Championship in July, becoming the third Canadian behind Alison Murdoch and Diane Williams to win the coveted amateur event.
The winner of the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship will gain entry into the 2023 United States Golf Association Senior Women’s Amateur Championship at Troon Country Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.
The Interprovincial Team championship will return this year following two years of cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Team Ontario are the reigning champions, having bested Alberta by 15 strokes in 2019 to claim the Katherine Helleur Trophy. The team competition, featuring eight of Canada’s provinces this year, has been won a record 28 times by Ontario, including six in a row dating back to 2015.
For more information on the 2022 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur & Senior Championship click here.
Quick Links:
Player list
Tee times
Schedule of events
Course details
Championship history
Ziglo reacts to Lobstick win
Kathy Ziglo is the 2022 Ladies Lobstick champion after a back-and-forth match with Kim Brown Friday at Waskesiu Golf Course.
Ziglo was seeded second in the championship flight following two days of qualifying earlier in the week. She beat Lorie Boyle and Denise Hersikorn on route to the final with Brown. Ziglo lost to Brown in last year’s championship match.
She spoke to Golf Saskatchewan after the win.
The complete Lobstick results can be seen here.
Mixed Championship begins today at Elk Ridge Resort
Over 50 teams will tee it up today at Elk Ridge Golf Resort for the 2022 Saskatchewan Mixed Championship.
The alternate shot format event is a highlight on the Golf Saskatchewan calendar as couples, friends, and family members form teams and chase the title, or simply have a memorable weekend with their partner. Golf Saskatchewan Tournament Director Steve Ryde said once Elk Ridge was announced as the host for this event entry interest peaked.
“Elk Ridge is a premier facility in western Canada, for us to be able to come back to the resort after the change in management and host the mixed here where everything is right where you need, yeah we knew the site would be popular and we’re ecstatic to be at over 100 players. We know this will be an event to remember for years to come,” Ryde said.
Elk Ridge last hosted the Mixed Championship in 2018. Kathy Ziglo and Ian Larocque won the event that year, the duo are the reigning champions after winning the championship for the seventh time at Candle Lake this past year. Ziglo is coming off a Ladies Lobstick win on Friday as well.
Elk Ridge Head Professional Ryan Wells said welcoming golfers from across the province is exciting.
“We are very happy to be able to host the 2022 mixed provincials. Blaine (Fagnou) and his crew have the course in tournament shape for the PGA Tour Canada Elk Ridge Open at the end of June and have continued for all competitors of the Mixed Championship. The course will be a good challenge but also fair for all players. The community and staff are looking forward to showcasing our hospitality in all departments of the resort and all the changes the ownership group has done to this beautiful resort in it’s first year of reopening,” Wells said.
The event begins with a shotgun start at 11 a.m. Saturday. Day two will be a shotgun start at 8 a.m. on Sunday.
To find all the details on this year’s Mixed Championship click here.
Government of Canada supports return of CP Women’s Open and RBC Canadian Open
The CP Women’s Open and the RBC Canadian Open draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to our country each year. As major contributors to the local economy, the cancellation of these tournaments due to the pandemic in 2020 and 2021 resulted in the significant loss of revenue for Golf Canada and the communities hosting the tournaments. The Government of Canada is committed to revitalizing major events and festivals and the hard-hit tourism industry, while strengthening communities and local economies.
Today, the Honourable Mona Fortier, President of the Treasury Board and Member of Parliament for Ottawa–Vanier, on behalf of the Honourable Helena Jaczek, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced an investment of nearly $4.4 million for Golf Canada to support the return of the CP Women’s Open and the RBC Canadian Open tournaments.
This non-repayable investment, made through the Major Events and Festivals Support Initiative (MFESI), is supporting the 2022 CP Women’s Open as well as the RBC Canadian Open, which took place in Toronto in June, to not only return to but exceed their pre-pandemic scale. With this support, Golf Canada is improving its digital presence, enhancing on-site offerings and accommodating more attendees.
This investment is ensuring that Golf Canada safely brings back visitors and succeeds in the future, while providing spillover economic and job benefits to businesses across the region.
Quotes
“The CP Women’s Open and RBC Canadian Open are great contributors to our region’s local economy. This Government of Canada investment supports the return and enhancement of Golf Canada’s Open events, bringing back hundreds of thousands of visitors to enjoy this major sporting event while generating revenue and jobs across southern Ontario.”
–The Honourable Helena Jaczek, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
“The CP Women’s Open and RBC Canadian Open have been missed during the past two years by many. The support announced today for Golf Canada will help bring these tournaments back even stronger while also creating important economic benefits and attracting tourists across the region.”
–The Honourable Mona Fortier, President of the Treasury Board and Member of Parliament for Ottawa–Vanier
“The CP Women’s Open and RBC Canadian Open attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year to our country, generating significant revenues and creating jobs throughout the region. Today’s investment will not only help Golf Canada recover from the pandemic, but also position itself for future growth by bringing high-level talent, increased tourism revenues for local businesses and economic growth in the region.”
-The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Sport and Minister for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
“Golf Canada is deeply appreciative of the support and vision of the Government of Canada in supporting the recovery and celebrated return of major festivals and events such as the CP Women’s Open and RBC Canadian Open. The investment in infrastructure afforded by FedDev Ontario’s support will have a profound impact on our spectator experiences and the long-term success of our National Open Golf Championships.”
–Garrett Ball, Chief Operating Officer, Golf Canada
Quick facts
- Golf Canada, the governing body for golf in Canada, represents more than 270,000 golfers and 1,400 member clubs across the country.
- As an official event on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour, the CP Women’s Open has been Canada’s national golf championship tournament since 1973. It has playing members from over 30 countries and has been televised in over 160 nations. The CP Women’s Open is the only Canadian event on the LPGA tour.
- RBC Canadian Open took place in Toronto between June 9-12, 2022, and attracted 132,000 attendees, a new tournament record.
- The Major Events and Festivals Support Initiative (MFESI) is a $200 million national fund to support major Canadian festivals and events that have been hit hard by the economic impacts of COVID-19 as they adapt and enhance their events. The program is delivered in southern Ontario by FedDev Ontario.
- Since 2015, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has invested over $190 million in more than 180 projects in Ottawa, estimated to create over 8,000 jobs and maintain over 35,000 jobs.
Associated links