Saskatchewan’s eight players have returned to the province following the 117th Canadian Amateur Men’s Championship in Vancouver, B.C. last week.

The top placing local was Saskatoon’s Marc Sweeney who shot 4-over par, 288 over 72 holes at two different golf clubs. The Riverside Country Club member started with a sizzling 68 in round one at Point Grey Golf and Country Club setting himself up for a solid second round of 73 at the Seymour Golf & Country Club. The 24-year-old ended up tied for 38th at the championship.

He spoke with Golf Saskatchewan’s Clark Stork on Monday recapping the week.

Roman Timmerman of Saskatoon was the only other Saskatchewan player to make the cut finishing in a tie for 81st.

Ochitwa competed in his first national event at the Canadian Amateur Championship. He also spoke with Golf Saskatchewan about the week and his breakout year on the amateur circuit in the province.

The trio of Timmerman, Alex Swinnerton, and Brett Henry (pictured below) made up Team Saskatchewan in the Willingdon Cup race, the group placed seventh at 17-over par. Quebec won the inter-provincial event with a score of 3-under par.

Golf Canada’s 2022 championship season continues at Rivershore Estate & Golf Links in Kamloops, B.C. for the 83^rd playing of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO, from Aug. 7-10.

This national championship, which was first held in 1938 in London, Ont., offers an opportunity for the top junior male golfers from coast-to-coast to compete against the best in their class in a 72-hole stroke play competition. This year, 156 players will clash on the west coast of Canada aiming to add the Silver Cup to their trophy cases.

“Golf Canada is excited to return to British Columbia for the Canadian Junior Boys Championship,” said tournament director Daniel Suppa. “I’m looking forward to seeing how the juniors play at the highest level this week. The calibre of this year’s field is amongst the best we’ve seen in recent history, and I know I will be thoroughly impressed. We’re confident that Rivershore will prove as a testy challenge as these elite juniors look to showcase their talents.”

Designed by Robert Jones Sr., Rivershore Estate & Golf Links is setup uniquely as a links-styled course that is buried in a desert-like setting and protected by the sagebrush hills above. Nestled along the shores of the South Thompson River, this championship course features 95 bunkers that are moderately surrounded by water hazards and other areas that will cause havoc for players of all calibres. The par-72 will play at a maximum of 6,852 yards for the 2022 Canadian Junior Boys Championship.

The championship has served as a significant milestone in several professional and amateur careers. Before playing on the PGA Tour, Abbotsford, B.C., native Nick Taylor captured the 2006 Canadian Junior Boys title. The championship counts Canadian Golf Hall of Fame members Doug Silverberg, George Knudson, Gary Cowan and Doug Roxburgh among its winners.

Headlining this year’s pool of competitors is none other than the defending champion, Jean-Phillippe Parr. In 2021, the 18-year-old made pars on the final eight holes at Club de Golf Vallée du Richlieu in his home province of Québec, to claim the Canadian Junior Boys Championship. The St Célestin, Qué., native carded rounds of 65-73-66-74 for a total score of 10-under par en route to the one-stroke victory.

Parr, a member of Team Canada’s National Junior Squad, returns this year looking to become the ninth back-to-back winner in the tournament’s history, and first since fellow Quebec-native Christopher Vandette accomplished the feat in 2018 and 2019.

Looking to spoil Parr’s attempt at a title defence are 11 of the remaining 12 players on the National Junior Squad, including Cooper Humphreys (Vernon, B.C.), who finished as the runner-up to Parr in last year’s competition. Eric Zhao (North York, Ont.), Ethan Wilson (St Albert, Alta.) and Félix Bouchard (Otterburn Park, Qué.), who won gold for Team Canada alongside Humphreys at the 2022 Toyota Junior Golf World Cup, are also in the field.

Ben MacLean (Niagara Falls, Ont.), James Newton (Ottawa, Ont.) and Owen Kim (Oakville, Ont.), who each secured top-10 finishes in 2021, are also returning to bid for the national title. Gavyn Knight (Parksville, B.C.), Malik Dao (Notre-Dame-de-Île-Perrot, Que.) and Mathieu Lafontaine (Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que.) round out the Team Canada contingent.

Returning this year is the interprovincial team competition. The interprovincial championship, first held in 1959, will be played in conjunction with the first 36 holes of the competition, with three-player teams vying for the team title. In rounds one and two the best two scores of the three golfers from each provincial team count towards the team’s score. The lowest aggregate score over rounds one and two determines the champion.

Team Québec are the reigning champions. Christopher Vandette and Laurent Desmarchais – who are coming off an interprovincial championship win at the 2022 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship – accompanied Logan Boucher at Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club in New Brunswick and bested the Albertans by eight strokes in 2019.

The Juvenile division – a subdivision for boys 16 and under – remains in place this year and will run concurrently with the Junior division through the 72-hole competition. Humphreys was awarded the Jack Bailey Trophy in 2021, winning by a commanding 13 strokes over runner-up Zhao. Since its inception in 1970, only ten players have won both the Junior and Juvenile division titles.

New to this year’s tournament is a purse payout. To align with the modernized Rules of Amateur Status, players at the Canadian Junior Boys Championship will now compete for a purse of $8,000 CAD. Amateur golfers may accept prize money up to a maximum of $1,200 CAD, and payouts will be awarded to the top-10 finishers and ties.

Practice rounds are scheduled for August 6^th, followed by the official tee off to the championship on August 7^th. A champion will be crowned at the conclusion of the final round on August 10^th. The field will be reduced to the low 70 players (including ties) at the halfway point of the competition.  

The winner will receive an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship at Daniel Island Club in Charleston, S.C., as well as a spot in 2023 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

For more information about the 2022 Canadian Junior Boys Championship click here.

The Canadian Junior Girls Championship wrapped up in Ottawa, Ontario on July 29 with Yorkton’s Ella Kozak being the top local placing 47th overall.

Kozak, 16, carded rounds 77, 76, 79, and 77 for a 72-hole score of 21-overpar, 309. Prior to competing at the Canadian event Kozak travelled to Bowling Green, Kentucky for the United States Junior Girls Championship where she missed the cut by just two strokes.

Kozak chatted with Golf Saskatchewan to recap a busy month leading up to the Canada Summer Games in Niagara later this month.

Kyle’s Chloe Wills also competed in the Canadian Junior Girls Championship as well, her first national event.

Wills missed the cut in her national debut shooting 53-over par. She also spoke to Golf Saskatchewan about the experience and potential for more opportunities.

To see all the results of the Canadian Junior Girls Championship click here.

Located on the banks of the South Saskatchewan River Outlook’s Riverview Golf Club has been providing the small community with memories for 50 years and on Saturday the town will celebrate have a century of golf.

Mario Chabot transferred to Outlook from Gull Lake for work in 2009, he settled into the community for a couple years before joining the board a decade ago, now the president Chabot said the club has etched itself into the fabric of Outlook but like many other smalltown courses COVID-19 has revived enthusiasm around the facility.

“We kind of got exposed to new clientele and members because COVID shut down a lot of other sports, so people were coming out,” Chabot said. “We got a long of new members and even when restrictions were lifted people stuck around because they found the golf course accessible for beginners, or the player that goes out five days a week.”

According to the club’s website the curse was established in 1972. The course offers three sets of tee boxes and plays between 2800 and 3100 yards depending on the tees a player chooses. The clubhouse is licensed with a fully serviced proshop, plus after your round or if you just need to relax a covered deck overlooks hole nine. Chabot said getting to 50 years is an accomplishment and that can be attributed to longtime community members.

“The fact that it’s been around for 50 years and still thriving today just shows the level of commitment from our senior members that have been around since the start. The people that were there before me showed an excellent commitment and it’s something we want to keep going,” he said.

The course has an entire day of activities lined up for Saturday to celebrate the milestone including a pancake breakfast, $10,000 hole in one chance for members, raffle draws, a bar-b-cue supper, and a karaoke night to wrap up the day. Chabot said the board’s goal is to get everyone together and celebrate the accomplishment of 50 years.

“It will be a nice, relaxed atmosphere and have some fun,” he said. “We’re hoping some longtime members are around and share a few stories and highlight some of the people that have been instrumental in the course. Men’s and ladies’ nights are always different so were hoping everyone comes out and talks about the special place we have.”

As for the next 50 years, Chabot said the plan is to continue to upkeep the course, make all experiences positive and “plug away and make sure we offer the best course we can to the members and public.”

Over the August long weekend, Estevan’s TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club hosted the Frametech Classic and Cooke Municipal held their Men’s Northern Championship.

In Estevan Paige Wheeler won the ladies event with a 36-hole score of 27-over par, 171 thanks to rounds of 87 and 84. She was 12 shots lower than Maxine Starkewski who placed second. Heather Heath finished in third place with a score of 43-over par, 187.

The complete results can be seen here.

In the men’s championship Daryl Donovan won for the second consecutive year.

Donovan carded rounds of 73, 70, and 71 on route to a five shot win.

Chase Gedak and Nolan Rohatyn tied for second at 3-over par, 219. Jace Carlisle was fourth, Logan Chernoff rounded out the top-five.

The complete results including the senior championship that was won by Rick Hallberg can be found here.

You can hear from Donovan as he spoke about the win with Golf Saskatchewan’s Clark Stork.

Prince Albert’s Cory Selander has his second Men’s Northern Championship victory.

Selander was the low shooter in the qualifying round and then went on to beat Brady Leachman, defending champion Greg Swenson, Danny Klughart and Ashley Ziegeman in the match-play final on Monday.

Selander also spoke with Golf Saskatchewan’s Clark Stork after the win.

Elvin Mitchell didn’t start playing golf regularly until he was about 40 years old but now 97, he’s making up for lost time.

Mitchell plays 18 holes pretty much every day at Thomson Lake Golf Course. Recently he celebrated his 97th birthday at the club by shooting his age.

Golf Saskatchewan chatted with Elvin, alongside long time clubhouse manager Fawn Weisgerber to discuss his love for the game that has truly become a game for his life.

After being cancelled in 2021 due to COVID-19 the Tony Cote First Nation Games took place on July 26 and 27 at Dakota Dunes Golf Links.

Over 60 players from First Nations across Saskatchewan competed in the golf event. The format was Stableford with two-player teams.

In the under-15 girls division Ada and Keliah Dillon of the Onion Lake First Nation won the gold medal with a score 53. Artisa Henderson and Bianca Eagle were second with a score of 39, Parker Laliberte competed as a single, she had a score of 30, good enough for the bronze medal.

In the under-17 girls category, Cassidy Strongarm and Hailey Thunderchild were competing for the Touchwood Agency Tribal Council and won the tournament with a score of 51. Onion Lake’s Tannis and Mylynn Lewis placed second with a score of 43, while Julia McCarthy and Cassandra Yuzicappi took home the bronze medal with a score of 37.

The under-15 boys winners were Woodland golfers Dade Bernatchez and Kael Ratt with a score of 65.

Yorkton Tribal Council players Laurie Delorme and Dylan Brass won the silver medal with a score of 64, Jonas and Ethan Badger-Rae of the Saskatoon Tribal Council was third with a score of 53.

The results from those age groups can be seen here.

In the under-17 boys division Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs competitors Gabriel Generaux and Keaton Gerard won the gold medal with a score of 126.

The silver medal was won by Theron Netmaker and Deegan Wapass who recorded a score of 109. The bronze medal went to Tavian Ermine and Chase Felix who posted a score of 103.

The complete results from the under-17 boys category are here.

To see more photos from the Games click here.

Several future Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame members added to their impressive amateur careers with Saskatchewan championships on Thursday in Estevan.

The 2022 Saskatchewan Senior Women’s (50+), Senior Men’s (55+), and Mid-Masters (40+) concluded on Thursday at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club after three days and 54 holes of play.

In the women’s championship Regina’s Kim Walker repeated as champion with a three round score of 15-over par, 231 (73, 80, 78). She held off Regina’s Tamara Harasen by three shots to win her third senior championship in four years since being eligible in 2019.

Moose Jaw’s Lorie Boyle already a member of the provincial golf hall won the Mae Balmos Award for being the top senior woman over 65. She finished with a score of 24-over par, 240 to claim third overall. Fellow Moose Jaw resident and Hillcrest Golf Club member Shelley Ruecker placed fourth at 26-over par, Lloydminster’s Jo-Anne Schiller rounded out the top five with a score of 27-over par.

The complete results can be seen here.

Walker is optimistic about the chance to lead a team into the Canadian Senior Women’s Championship later this summer in Headingly, Manitoba.

Senior Men’s Championship

Two-time defending senior men’s champion Rick Hallberg had to fight from behind to complete the trifecta and win his third title in a row on Thursday near his hometown of Weyburn.

Delisle’s Colin Coben led through the first and second rounds but was passed by Hallberg on the final day. Hallberg stayed steady through three days shooting 1-over par in Wednesday’s middle round and bookending the tournament with even-par 72’s to win the event by one shot over Swift Current’s Brent Wotypka.

Saskatoon’s Rick Hillestad was just one of three golfers (Hallberg, Wotypka) to not shoot over par on the final day, the Riverside Country Club member’s 72 on day three vaulted him into third place overall and first in the super senior (65+) age division. Hillestad earned a spot at the Canadian Senior Men’s Championship as did Hallberg.

Coben shot 80 in round three, he placed fourth overall and earned the alternate spot on Team Saskatchewan.

Brad Phelps jumped two spots on the leaderboard to round out the top five.

Moose Jaw’s Ken Bradley was the lone competitor in the Legends (75+) age group, he shot an impressive score of 15-over par, 231. Bradley, 79, outscored 11 other players competing from a forward set of tee boxes.

In the Mid-Masters (40+) Championship, Hallberg was the winner of that title as well thanks to his 1-over par, 217. With the win, Hallberg earns an exemption into the Canadian Mid-Amateur Championship in Thornhill, Ontario later this season.

Wotypka was second, Kris Carley of Carnduff and Chris Reid of Meadow Lake tied for third in the division.

The complete results of all the age categories can be seen here.

There is no new leaders in any of the age categories competing in the Saskatchewan Senior Women’s, Men’s, and Mid-Masters (40+) Championships in Estevan.

Delisle’s Colin Coben will take a four shot lead into Thursday’s final round after posting a 1-over par, 73 during the second round at TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club on Wednesday. Coben took a four shot lead after a 4-under par, 68 on Tuesday. He’s also the leader of super-senior (65+) age group.

Coben is chasing his fourth Saskatchewan senior provincial win and first since 2014. Lurking in second place is two-time defending champion Rick Hallberg of Weyburn. Hallberg also shot 73 Wednesday and sits at 1-over par for the event.

Brent Wotypka of Swift Current was a big mover on the day jumping six spots up the leaderboard to join Coben and Hallberg in the final group on Thursday.

In the Mid-Masters Championship Chris Reid retained his first round lead over the field. Reid wasn’t as sharp as he was in round one when he shot 4-under par, 68, but the Meadow Lake product is still a shot ahead of Hallberg at even par thanks to his 4-over par, 76 on Wednesday.

Wotypka is third in the division at 3-over par.

The complete results from the senior men’s championships can be seen here.

Regina’s Kim Walker is one round away from defending her senior women’s championship and third in four years.

The Wascana Country Club player is six strokes ahead of both Lorie Boyle of Moose Jaw and Tamara Harasen of Regina. Walker shot 73 on Tuesday in round one, she followed that with an 8-over par, 80 to maintain the lead at 9-over par going into the final round at TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club.

Boyle shot 9-over par, 81 in round two, Harasen carded a round of 11-over par, 83.

Shelley Ruecker (Moose Jaw) and Jo-Anne Schiller (Lloydminster) are tied for fifth place at 20-over par.

Boyle leads the Mae Balmos (60+) age division over Schiller.

The complete results of the Senior Women’s Championship can be found here.

The final round of the championships will begin at 7:30 a.m. in Estevan.

Defending Saskatchewan Senior Women’s Champion Kim Walker is off to a strong start at the 2022 event.

The Wascana Country Club golfer shot a 1-over par, 73 on day one of the championship being held at TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club in Estevan. She leads Regina’s Tamara Harasen by three shots.

Lorie Boyle of Moose Jaw rounds out the top three at 6-over par.

The complete results and tee times for round two can be seen here.

The 54-hole championship resumes at 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

The top senior on the men’s side of the draw after round one is Delisle’s Colin Coben(above). The three-time winner of the provincial senior championship was one of two players to shoot under par on day one. Coben shot a 4-under par, 68 in Estevan to cushion himself with a three shot lead over Regina’s Richard Michell.

Two-time reigning champion Rick Hallberg is sitting in third place after an opening round 72.

The results from day one and Wednesday’s tee times can be found here.

The Saskatchewan Mid-Masters (40 and over) is also being played this week in Estevan. Meadow Lake’s Chris Reid has the first round lead in the 54-hole tournament.

Reid is 4-under par after his round on Tuesday, that gave him a three shot lead over Regina’s Ron Swan who shot 71 on day one.

Hallberg is in third place in that division as well sitting at even par.

The Mid-Masters Championship details including the leaderboard and tee times for round two can be seen here.

Tee times will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday.