Regina’s Alex Schmidt has taken the early lead in the Saskatchewan Women’s Amateur Championship.

The Royal Regina Golf Club member sits six shots ahead of both Autumn Neiszner and Ella Kozak after round one of the 54-hole championship being played in Swift Current at the Elmwood Golf Club. Schmidt was steady through the opening round posting four birdies and six bogeys paving the way for a 2-over, 74.

Neiszner (Regina) and Kozak (Yorkton) are tied at 8-over, 80 going into the second of three rounds.

Reigning champion Brooklin Fry of Shell Lake sits in fourth at plus-9. Saskatoon’s Sarah Grieve, Kim Walker of Regina and Moose Jaw golfer Lorie Boyle sit tied for fifth place at 10-over, 82.

The full results can be found here. The second round begins Wednesday at 12:06 p.m.

Timmerman leads amateur

Saskatoon’s Roman Timmerman shot the round of the day in Swift Current with a 7-under, 65 to take the early lead at the Saskatchewan Men’s Amateur Championship.

Timmerman started strong shooting three birdies in his first six holes before he put together a string of five straight birdies on the back nine holes to open a three-stroke lead on Prince Albert’s Danny Klughart. Klughart sits at 4-under par. A trio of players are tied for third place after the opening 18 holes including Ty Campbell (Saskatoon), Mike Valk (Medicine Hat), and Chase Pochylko (Saskatoon), they are all 3-under par.

The Men’s Amateur is four rounds, the second round gets underway at 7 a.m. on Wednesday.

The complete results from round one can be found here.

Klughart seeks third straight mid-am

Prince Albert’s Danny Klughart has a good start on the defense of his Saskatchewan mid-amateur championship.

The two-time defending champ is once again in the lead of the 25 and over age group in Swift Current at the Elmwood Golf Club. Klughart didn’t begin his opening round on a good note with a double-bogey on the second hole and another bogey on hole five, but the Cooke Municipal club champion rattled off six birdies in the final 13 holes to finish at 4-under, 68.

Michael Smith of Saskatoon sits in second place at 2-under par, David Stewart, also of Saskatoon is in third place at 1-under.

Regina’s Tyler Wright and Scott Allan of Saskatoon are tied for fourth at even par.

The full results are available here.

Round two of three will tee off Wednesday at 7 a.m.

The Maple Leaf Junior Tour (MJT) was in action again this weekend in Estevan at TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club. The tournament was originally scheduled for May but was pushed back to this past Friday and Saturday due to COVID-19 concerns.

This was the second MJT event of the season on Saskatchewan soil. Last week the Tour was in Swift Current at the Elmwood Golf club.

15 – 19 Girls

It took a playoff, but Yorkton’s Ella Kozak (pictured above) has her second straight win of the season. Both Kozak, 15, and Autumn Neiszner of Regina tied at 154 after two rounds but Kozak won the event. Sarah Grieve was in the hunt at 157 (82, 75) to finish in third-place, three shots back.

U-15 Girls

For the second straight MJT event Chloe Wills of Kyle, Saskatchewan is the under-15 girl’s winner. Wills, 13, posted rounds of 97 and 88 to win the group by nine shots over Tayla Perry of Regina. Sarah Henderson was the third competitor in the age group, she shot 205 (105, 100) over the 36-hole tournament.

Peewee Boys (U-12)

Jayden Chernoff used home course advantage to win the peewee boy’s group by three strokes over Lucas Sturgeon. Chernoff, 12, carded rounds of 86 and 74, good enough for the win. Sturgeon was three shots lower than Cole Silverson of Regina who placed third with a score of 166 (86, 80).

Bantam Boys (U-15)

Warman’s Dane Giesbrecht is the bantam winner on the weekend. The 13-year-old needed a playoff to edge Elias Haukeness after they both tied at 156. Kerr Cudmore of Wawota rounded out the top-three with a two-day total score of 159 (80, 79).

Juvenile Boys (15 – 16)

Max Regier went low on day two of the tournament to win the juvenile boy’s division by a handful of shots. Regier, 15, carded a 77 on day one but rebounded with a stellar 69 in the second round. His 146 total score was five better than fellow Saskatonian Tommy Danielson. Ryan Chernoff of Estevan placed third at 157 (74, 83).

Junior Boys (U-19)

The lowest overall shooter was Theoren West of Wawota. West, 18, was steady over both rounds posting scores of 74 and 71 just good enough to hold off Saskatoon’s Jackson Wingert by a shot. Will Blake of Regina fills out the top three under-19 boys category with a 36-hole total of 149 (77, 72).

All the results can be found here.

The next Saskatchewan stop on the MJT is July 26 and 27 at Moon Lake Golf & Country Club.

*All photos courtesy Jeff Chambers.

The Saskatchewan provincial amateur golf championships will begin next Tuesday (July 6) in Swift Current at the Elmwood Golf Club.

The Women’s Amateur Championship and Men’s Mid-Amateur (25 +) Championship will be played over 54 holes with the winners being crowned on Thursday. The Men’s Amateur Championship will be four days with a cut after three rounds.

Steve Ryde is the manager of championships for Golf Saskatchewan. He said the province’s top amateur players are in for an exciting week.

“Registrations for all the tournaments have been coming in for a couple months and every field is full of quality players, past and present champions, and players set to take that next step. The golfers will see course that has hosted championships in the past plus the Elmwood Golf Club and the City of Swift Current have all the necessities to make this a great week. At the end we will recognize several champions for their great play and look back on a fantastic week of golf and comradery,” he said.

Golf Saskatchewan is back at Elmwood for a provincial event for the second consecutive year. Mike McEvay is the new general manager at the course. He said having the best amateurs in the province challenge his course in his first year is compelling.

“Absolutely it’s exciting, we get to see some of the best players in the province come to play the facility and see what they can do here,” McEvay said earlier this season. “It’s an opportunity to see how the superintendent can get the course ready and see how tough the course can play with the best players in the province. It’s exciting times right now, there’s a lot of buzz and it’s not just from the people coming, it’s the members and the public as well. These are exciting times, especially during the pandemic to be able to host something like this is something I look forward to.”

The deadline to register for the championships is 5 p.m. Friday. The details on all three tournaments, including the fields can be found here.

Players to watch:

Women’s Amateur Championship –

Brooklin Fry – The reigning junior and women’s amateur champion comes in as the favourite. Has two impressive wins already on the Women’s Order of Merit Tour this season.

Ella Kozak – The Yorkton youngster is coming off a Maple Leaf Junior Tour win at Elmwood, finishing ahead of Fry for the first time this season.

Autumn Neiszner – The 2019 junior champion and Keiser University commit was second last week on the MJT and eager to win another Saskatchewan title.

Kim Walker – The 2019 senior women’s Saskatchewan champion returns to the competitive field in 2021 after not playing on a provincial level in 2020. The Wascana Country Club veteran was the 2016 Saskatchewan amateur champion.

Lorie Boyle – A Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame inductee, Boyle also brings a wealth of experience and lengthy list of championships, the Moose Jaw resident knows how to win.

Men’s Amateur Championship –

Ty Campbell – The reigning champion and recent college graduate has continued to play great golf. He placed tied for third in Nipawin at the Scotia Wealth Open and is coming off a win at the Saskatoon Amateur.

Kade Johnson – The 2018 winner went toe-to-toe with professional Phil Jonas earlier this year in Nipawin to just fall shy of the win. The Yorkton product is always in the hunt.

Danny Klughart – Back-to-back mid-amateur champion is always near the top of leaderboards including a third in Nipawin this year.

Josh Nagy – Nagy has another year of college golf under his belt and his last trip to Swift Current was a 2020 junior championship.

Payton Ochitwa – Currently tied for seventh in the OMT standings, Ochitwa is quietly finding himself in the hunt at every event this year.

Mid-Amateur Championship –

Danny Klughart – The trophy has been in the Prince Albert product’s hands for a couple years.

David Stewart – A two-time amateur winner and the 2015 mid-am winner took last year off provincial events to focus on his education, Stewart is back and excited to chase another trip to nationals.

Ty Wright – A mid-am winner in 2016, Wright is already a Hall of Fame inductee and has a Mid-Masters Championship (2019) on his resume.

Scott Thompson – Back-to-back amateur winner in ‘09 and 2010, Thompson was in the hunt last year in Warman at The Legends in this event.

Justin Wood – The 2016 amateur winner is a contender every year in both the amateur and mid-amateur field.

For the last 10 years anyone around Eagle Point Golf Course in La Ronge has likely seen Dade Bernatchez playing the sport he loves, now they are likely seeing his name on leaderboards and in winning circles.

Bernatchez, 14, took up the game at four years-old when his dad and “Kimosom” (Cree for grandfather) traveled into La Ronge from Sucker River, about 20 minutes north of the community. He said the difficulty of the sport was the biggest draw when he took the game up.

“It’s the hardest sport in the world,” he told Golf Saskatchewan. “It wouldn’t be fun if it were too easy. If it was easy it wouldn’t be fun at all, it’s very hard and I really like that.”

Bernatchez played at Eagle Point developing his game to the point he wanted to start competing around the age of 10. When he was 12, he won a Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) event in Warman allowing him to take part in the MJT National Championship in Florida in 2019.

Since then he has picked up a couple more victories in his age group on the MJT and started the 2021 season with a championship in his first tournament as a bantam aged player. He said the win felt great, especially with some distress along the way.

“You can’t be a good competitor if you can’t overcome adversity. On hole 12 on Sunday in Swift Current I took an eight. I could have lost the tournament right there, after that eight I just tried to get back in it. I thought I blew it but I came back and made a few birdies and overcame adversity. I am happy about my win. I need to practice and if I can stay humble I can win a lot more tournaments. I need to shoot consistently all the time,” he explained.

Bernatchez is now setting his sights on his first run at Saskatchewan provincials in Moose Jaw later in July. He has high hopes for the event and his success going forward.

“My goal is to try my best, shoot consistently, make putts, stay in the fairway, and have fun,” he added.

A large part of Bernatchez’s success can be tailored back to his association with his mentor Jerry Christiensen. Christiensen grew up in La Ronge, played collegiate and professional golf and is now one of the top professionals in the province. He holds weekly golf camps at Eagle Point with upwards of 60 kids taking part. For Bernatchez, he said seeing all the other kids trying the sport is positive.

“It’s good to see lots of kids golfing now. It feels great when I go see Jerry, he’s a pro and I like learning from him. Whatever he tells me to do I do and it really helps my game. I look up to him, and I’d love to play professional golf like him,” Bernatchez said.

Ty Campbell is adding a Scotia Wealth Management Saskatoon Men’s Amateur win to his growing list of victories.

The Saskatoon product shot a lights out 63 on Saturday at Dakota Dunes Golf Links followed by a solid 69 at The Legends Sunday to win the tournament by five strokes at 12-under par. The reigning Saskatchewan Amateur champion said the event is one he wanted to be able to win.

“It feels pretty good,” he said. “I’ve played this event quite a few times and I’ve always wanted to add this one to the win resume and I finally did. It’s nice.”

Campbell did get some pressure from Kade Johnson on the second day of the event, Johnson was three shots better on Sunday in Warman, but the gap was too much to overcome after Campbell’s brilliant play during round one.

“Everything seemed to come pretty easy that day. I don’t think I really did anything special. I just hit fairways, I hit greens, made birdies when I needed to and a few extra. It was fun,” Campbell added.

Not to be lost in Campbell’s 9-under round was Justin Wood carding a splendid 64. Wood was ten shots higher the second round to finish in third at 6-under. Campbell said even with his hot start a win wasn’t secured especially playing two different courses in one event.

“I like playing at two different courses, it’s fun. If you have a bad first day you can reset a little easier. The two courses did play pretty similar as far as the greens. They rolled really well and were in great shape. It’s kind of nice to see something different. One day you can have it at a course and not a the other, so you have to show up at both,” he concluded.

The complete results can be found here.

Campbell moves into second place on the Men’s Order of Merit standings. With Johnson’s showing over the weekend the Yorkton product sits in top spot with the provincial championships next on the schedule.

The Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) made its first stop of the 2021 season in Saskatchewan this past weekend. Over 100 junior golfers teed it up in six different age brackets at the Elmwood Golf Club in Swift Current.

U-15 Girls

Chloe Wills (pictured above) of Kyle, Saskatchewan was the low shooter in the under-15 girl’s category. Wills carded rounds of 85 and 91 for a two-day total of 176. She was six shots better than Niya Friesen of Swift Current. Regina’s Tayla Perry rounded out the top-three just a stroke behind Friesen at 183 (89, 94).

15-19 Girls

Yorkton’s Ella Kozak has her first win of the year on the MJT. Kozak shot 75 on day one and followed that up with an 81 on Sunday to outlast several familiar names on the Saskatchewan junior women’s golf circuit. Regina’s Autumn Neiszner was three shots back of Kozak at 159 (81, 78). Brooklin Fry placed third, she carded a 160 (76, 84). Saskatonians Sarah Grieve and Symone Ripley tied for fourth at 161.

Peewee Boys (U-12)

The peewee boy’s division had the most drama on the weekend with Lucas Sturgeon and Jackson Giesbrecht going to a two-hole playoff. Both players shot 158 over 36 holes before Sturgeon claimed the victory. Regina’s Kai Kriekle, Shae Maunula of North Battleford and Estevan’s Jayden Chernoff all tied for third at 162.

Bantam Boys (U-15)

Sucker River’s Dade Bernatchez has his first win in the bantam age category. Bernatchez broke 70 for the first time in his competitive rounds shooting 69 on Saturday. He followed that with a 78 in round two, good enough for a three-stroke victory. Saskatoon’s Ryan Mosher carded back-to-back 75’s to place second. Dane Giesbrecht of Warman placed third just a shot behind Mosher.

Juvenile Boys (15-16)

Weyburn’s Darien Herlick started his season off on the right foot winning the juvenile boys division by two. Herlick’s rounds of 70 and 78 were just enough to fend off Saskatoon’s Tommy Danielson and Max Regier who both shot 150 over 36 holes. Keaton Cote of Kindersley was fourth with rounds of 75 and 80.

Junior Boys (U-19)

Chase Pochylko of Saskatoon was the winner of the junior boys age group. He was the outright leader all weekend shooting 68 on day one and ending the tournament with a 71 for a 36-hole score of 139. Red Deer’s Cole Bergheim was second at 142 (69, 73) and Hunter Kutcher of Regina rounded out the top-three at 146 with back-to-back 73’s.

The complete results from all the age divisions can be seen here.    

The MJT Mini-Tour was also in action at Elmwood this past Saturday. The complete results of their one-day tournament can be seen here.

The next stop on the Saskatchewan MJT schedule is July 2 and 3 in Estevan at TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club. This event is rescheduled from May.

*All photos courtesy Jeff Chambers.

Another tournament, another victory for Delisle’s Colin Coben.

Coben posted rounds of 70, 78, 69 this week at Moon Lake Golf & Country Club to finish at 217, four shots better than Weyburn’s Rick Hallberg. George Janson rounded out the top three with a 54-hole total of 224.

The complete results can be seen here.

With the championship, Coben moves into second place in the Senior Men’s Order of Merit (OMT) standings, Hallberg sits in first place.

UPCOMING EVENTS

The Junior Order of Merit Tour will tee off this weekend for the first time of the season.

The Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) starts their delayed season in Swift Current at Elmwood Golf Club on Saturday and Sunday.

The opening event scheduled for Estevan earlier this year was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns. That tournament has been rescheduled.

Over 100 juniors are entered into the MJT event. The field can be seen here.

The Men’s OMT stops in the Saskatoon area this weekend for the Scotia Wealth Saskatoon Amateur at Dakota Dunes Golf Links and The Legends in Warman. Live scoring for the tournament can be found here.

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations has announced the 2021 Tony Cote Games will be postponed.

The postponement is due to COVID-19 concerns. The Games will be moved to 2023 and be hosted by the James Smith Cree Nation near Melfort.

The Games were last held in 2019 on the Flying Dust First Nation with Meadow Lake Golf Club being the host golf facility.

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – Golf Saskatchewan announced their new partnership with Solo Golf today, designating Solo Golf as the ‘single rider cart of Saskatchewan.’ This move reinforces Golf Saskatchewan’s commitment to support new initiatives in the game and create more accessible options for golfers.

Solo Golf is one of the most innovative new players in the Canadian market, and this new partnership recognizes the value of the products they’re bringing to the Canadian golf industry.

“One of our most important mandates as the provincial governing body for golf in Saskatchewan is to promote accessibility within the game,” Golf Saskatchewan Executive Director Brian Lee said. “One of the first things that attracted us to Solo Golf as a partner was their ability to make golf easier for people with disabilities. The cart is easier to get into than a traditional cart, and it’s lighter so it allows a golfer to get much closer to greens and tees without causing damage if they have difficulties walking. These features, combined with the excitement their carts will generate to engage new golfers in the province, makes this a slam dunk for us.”

Solo Golf carts have been celebrated for creating a new and unique experience for golfers, while promoting faster pace of play and creating long-term ways for golfers to continue physical distancing if they choose. Solo Golf products have been very successful in the United States and have recently launched in Canada, with a significant focus on Western Canadian markets. There are three options for these single rider carts: a two-wheel, three-wheel, and a four-wheel option.

“We’re really excited to add Golf Saskatchewan as a partner. They have a strong reputation for building the game and promoting accessibility, especially with some previous ventures into the accessible single rider space themselves. We’re happy that they see the long-term vision for single rider carts in the Saskatchewan golf landscape”, said Chris Bean, Director of Sales at Solo Golf. “Golf courses are looking for ways to get people excited about the game again, and we hope to see single rider carts take a growing role in that mandate moving forward.”

Solo Golf is a Canadian-owned company, based in the Muskoka region of Ontario with regional operations in each province to support their network across Canada. They are a team of innovators and golf enthusiasts who want to change the game, with Saskatchewan’s own Shawn Woods at the helm in MB and SK.

They carry an array of non-traditional golf cart options to make it possible for individuals to ride solo.

Landmark agreement makes Saskatchewan event part of the Tour through 2028

TORONTO, Canada—The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada officially announced Tuesday the creation of the Elk Ridge Open, a new event taking place at Elk Ridge Resort in Lake Waskesiu, Saskatchewan. The tournament, set for the week of September 6, is one of the eight official tournaments on the recently announced Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season. The Tour and the Elk Ridge Open entered into an eight-year deal.

Elk Ridge Resort is known as Saskatchewan’s premier all-season resort and was recently purchased Routes2SK, owned by a group of eight born-and-raised Saskatchewan professionals. Routes2SK is committed to honouring the legacy of the property founded by Arne Peterson in 1994.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be partnering with the PGA TOUR to bring high-caliber professional golf back to the province,” said Managing Partner Ryan Danberg. “Our partnership group is extremely proud of Elk Ridge Resort, and we can’t wait to showcase the property to the world through our partnership with the Mackenzie Tour.”

The 2021 Elk Ridge Open will be contested with players based in Canada due to the global pandemic and restrictions still in place at the Canada-U.S. border. The tournament, will be a showcase leading into the 2022 season. The 2022 Elk Ridge Open will be a full-field Mackenzie Tour event in 2022 played June 20-26.

“We are very excited to be returning to Saskatchewan, and we can’t thank the partners at Routes2SK for their unwavering commitment to their community and Elk Ridge Resort,” said Mackenzie Tour Executive Director Scott Pritchard. “We truly believe we have all the ingredients to make this one of the favourite stops of the summer on one of the best golf courses in the province. It will surely provide a great test for our players.”

The Elk Ridge Open is also pleased to announce that Saskatchewan native Graham DeLaet, a current PGA TOUR player and Mackenzie Tour alumnus, will serve as the tournament’s honourary chair. DeLaet is well known in Saskatchewan for his family’s philanthropic endeavours. The Graham and Ruby DeLaet Foundation has been focused on improving the health and wellness of children, as well as supporting the development of junior golfers at all stages. The Foundation is an extension of previous charitable efforts, which have provided valuable contributions to Golf Saskatchewan, the Canada Junior Golf Association and the Weyburn & District Hospital Foundation.

“I look forward to serving as the honourary chairperson for the Elk Ridge Open in my home province,” DeLaet said. “Elk Ridge Resort is a world-class facility, and I’m excited to work with the new ownership group looking forward to making this significant impact in the community and Saskatchewan.”

This 2021 tournament will mark the first time the Mackenzie Tour has been in Saskatchewan for an event since 2016. The Tour held the Dakota Dunes Open at Dakota Dunes Golf Links just outside of Saskatoon for eight years.

“This is an exciting opportunity to showcase Saskatchewan’s world-class recreation and tourism industries,” explained Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe. “The economic spinoff generated by this event will have a significant impact on Elk Ridge and area for years to come.”

VMC Sports & Entertainment, led by President Hugh Vassos, will serve as the host organization for the Elk Ridge Open. VMC has a been involved with a number of Mackenzie Tour events in the past, having served in a similar role for the Dakota Dunes Open. Currently, VMC acts as the host organization for the GolfBC Championship in Kelowna, British Columbia, which is known for its significant impact in the Okanagan region.

“We are elated to be involved with the Elk Ridge Open and Routes2SK, bringing the Mackenzie Tour back to Saskatchewan. This is exciting news for Saskatchewan especially for the tourism industry as we come out of a pandemic that has devastated the sports-event business,” said Vassos. “Elk Ridge Resort will be the perfect venue for the Elk Ridge Open and many of the other ancillary events we have planned. I look forward to our team at VMC Sports & Entertainment providing event-management services and personally serving as the Tournament Director for this world-class event,” added Vassos.

Elk Ridge Golf Course is a 27-hole facility designed by Bruce Klassen and Blaine Fagnou. The Mackenzie Tour players will be playing a composite course, which will measure more than 7,000 yards and play as a par-70. In the past, Elk Ridge has hosted a number of provincial amateur and professional events, as well as Golf Canada’s Senior Women’s Championship.

About the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada

The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada is a series of tournaments played across Canada each summer, where tomorrow’s stars begin the path to the PGA TOUR. In 2021, because of restrictions at the Canada-U.S. border, the Mackenzie Tour is for players based in Canada. The Mackenzie Tour’s mission is to deliver a PGA TOUR experience for its members, fans, volunteers and partners in order to develop the future stars of professional golf and enrich the communities it visits.