Order of Merit championships still up for grabs

Saskatoon's David Stewart leads the men's Order of Merit standings with a pair of events left.

The golf season in Saskatchewan is winding down but the Order of Merit (OMT) final standings are still unclear.

The men’s race is led by Saskatoon’s David Stewart. The two-time tour winner this year is leading the championship with 2,962.5 points. Stewart likely has the inside track to the title for 2018, Roman Timmerman and Kade Johnson sit second and third in the race with a pair of events left this upcoming weekend. Stewart has breathing room as both Timmerman and Johnson will be returning to Southern Arkansas University this week and won’t be playing either the Molson’s Northwest Amateur or Moose Mountain Classic. Stewart’s closest challenge is Saskatchewan’s mid-amateur champion Mike Herperger who sits fifth with 1,925 points but he won’t be entered into either event. Carson Harcourt will have a chance to put pressure on Stewart and climb over Timmerman and Johnson, Harcourt will play the Moose Mountain Classic at his home course before heading to the United States for university. The top ten in the race will likely remain the same pending any movement from outside the top ten. Liam Courtney could make a charge to climb from the sixth position, he is the lone golfer not playing college or attending the Canadian Mid-Amateur Championship later this week in Victoria, B.C. in the top ten. Prince Albert’s Danny Kluhgart is in seventh and qualified for the mid-am as well but has chosen to caddy for Saskatoon’s Anna Young at the upcoming CP Women’s Open in Regina.

The women’s race is much blurrier. The Moose Mountain Classic in Kenosee is Aug. 18 and 19, the Ladies Lobstick in Waskesiu is Aug. 20 to 24 allowing lots of points to be collected. Lorie Boyle leads the championship with 1,850 points, Saskatchewan champion Carla Odnokon is in second place with 1,500. Ann Kirkland is in third with 1,300. Kimberly Brown is in the hunt at fourth with 1,275, Judy Sefton rounds out the top five with 1,162.5.

On the senior men’s circuit, three events remain including today’s Legends Senior Open in Warman. Sasktchewan’s senior champion, Rick Hallberg has a solid lead over fellow Golf Kenosee member Paul Grimes. Hallberg has 2,550 points, 800 more than Grimes. Hall of Famer Colin Coben is in third place with 1,450 points. Keith Silvernagle sits fourth with 1,356,25 and Estevan’s Patrick Murphy sits fifth at 1,237.5. Aside from the Legends Open the seniors have the Moose Mountain Classic and Prince Albert Senior Men’s Northern Championship.

The junior OMT standings are broken up into five different age and gender categories. Their tour still has two events remaining. The Pepsi Junior Men’s Lobstick begins today and continues until Aug. 17. The Junior Girl’s Lobstick coincides with the women’s event from Aug. 20 to 24. The tour’s final event is the Maple Leaf Junior Tour Championship in Swift Current on Aug. 25 and 26.

Saskatchewan junior boy’s champion Josh Nagy leads the under-19 men’s category. Sarah Grieve sits on top of the under-19 women’s race. Will Blake is in first place in the under-15 age group and Darien Herlick is on top of the under-13 men’s standings. In the under-15 women’s race, junior champion Brooklin Fry leads with 1,600 points.

All of the standings, results, and schedules can be found here.