When Saskatoon’s Keighton McNab started golfing at eight years old he wasn’t expected to travel to parts of Canada and the United States, but he has and will continue to do so.
McNab, 20, got his start in the game like millions of others who play the sport.
“It was because of my dad,” McNab told Golf Saskatchewan about his start in golf. “I always saw him going to the golf course and I just figured I would give it a shot and see how it goes. I liked it and just kept going with it. I just like getting out, hanging with friends and buddies, playing a round and just having fun.”
He continued to play the game for fun in the Bridge City and when McNab was 12 years old he participated in his first Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) event. He’s continued to compete competitively ever since. He said entering tournaments and competing against other players brings a different perspective to the game, but a side he still enjoys.
“I like playing with other people, I don’t really like playing by myself. Then I can add on the extra challenge of making you play better. I love it,” he said.
McNab has been a fixture on the MJT schedule over the past few years, this year he competed in the collegiate (19 – 23) age division. He attended the MJT National Championship in Florida a couple weeks ago. Last year he travelled to Phoenix, Arizona for the same event. He has played an event in San Diego, California in the past and in 2018 he competed in the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship in Duncan, British Columbia. McNab said travelling to the tournaments and visiting different cities is an extended benefit of playing a game he enjoys.
“Oh yeah, definitely, absolutely” he said. “It’s just another bonus of playing a game I love.”
He added that qualifying for the national amateur through a quota spot, after finishing tied for 15th at the Saskatchewan Amateur Championship was the highlight of his amateur career.
“It was a good learning experience seeing where I am against the top amateurs in Canada. This year I had a good experience at the MJT nationals. I was with some good guys and having a chance to win it was nice,” he admitted.
McNab was the collegiate division leader after the first two days of the 54-hole championship. He ended up placing third, just a shot behind Dakota Smith and Mitchell Desjarlais. Smith won the category in a playoff. McNab said his 77 on the third day was a learning experience going forward.
“I got to learn that nerves are big part of playing in the last round, that’s for sure. I have the physical tools, I just need to fix upstairs,” he said.
McNab is currently taking classes in Saskatoon preparing for post-secondary education. He has worked at Dakota Dunes Golf Links for the past four years and calls the club home in the summer. He said he will continue to work there, plan his education and be a fixture on the Saskatchewan Order of Merit Tour.