The Alberta Net Amateur Championship concluded yesterday to wrap up the 2018 Rec Series. The Rec Series is for golfers of any ability who want to play in an organized and fun competition. Stay tuned for further Rec Series events in 2019!

Two-time defending champion Mike Ross was sitting pretty after round one at his home course, the River Bend Golf & Recreation Area. He entered the final round one point ahead of Zhenhao Zhao in the net stableford point event.

Zhao had a clutch final round posting 44 points to tie Ross and win in a countback that was still tied after looking at the back nine.

Ena Spalding of Calgary took the Ladies Net Amateur title posting a two day total of 71 points.

Jackie Cross of Red Deer won the Marg Ward division by 7 points over Dianne Murland of Edmonton. The Marg Ward flight is for ladies with the highest handicaps.

Thank you to the staff and members at River Bend for a fantastic finale to the 2018 Rec Series!

Final Leaderboard

To provide feedback on the Rec Series events or to inquire about participation, please contact John Burns

MAYNOOTH, Ireland — Team Canada will look to bounce back during round two of the World Amateur Team Championship as they chase down Canada’s first Espirito Santo Trophy.

The Canadian trio, consisting of Team Canada’s Amateur Squad members Jaclyn Lee, Naomi Ko and Maddie Szeryk, started the tournament on shaky ground, posting a first-round score of 10-over par to sit in a tie for 39th.

21-year-old Lee leads the Canucks heading into Thursday’s second round after carding wa 4-over 76 for a share of 75th individually. Teammate  Ko of Victoria, B.C., finished one-stroke higher at 6-over and sits tied for 103rd.

The third and non-counting score was registered by Allen, Texas product Szeryk, who posted an 8-over 80.

Conducted every two years, the World Women’s Amateur Team Championship has been staged since 1964, with the winner earning the Espirito Santo Trophy. The World Amateur Team titles are contested over four days of stroke play.  In each round, the total of the two lowest scores constitutes the team score for the round. The four-day total is the team’s score for the championship.

Though Canada has never won, they have earned runner-up honours four times in the championship’s history, the last time being in 2014 when the Canadian team of Brooke Henderson (Smiths Falls, Ont.), Augusta James (Bath, Ont.), and Brittany Marchand (Orangeville, Ont.) lost by two strokes.

Yuka Yasuda, 17, posted a bogey-free and record-tying 7-under-par 65 on the par-72 Montgomerie Course to propel Japan to a two-stroke lead over the People’s Republic of China in the first round.

“My short game and putting were very good,” said Yasuda, No. 22 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking™, who tied the first-round 65 shot by countrywoman Rikako Morita in 2006 in South Africa. “I was hitting shots solid today and sinking three- to four-meter putts – that was pretty good today. I was very confident putting.”

Teammates Yuna Nishimura and Yuri Yoshida each shot 1-under 71 for a team total of 8-under 136, which is just one stroke off the WWATC first-round team mark of 135 set by Canada in Japan in 2014.

The People’s Republic of China, which played on the par-73 O’Meara Course was led by Mohan Du. With birdies on her first three holes and five total on her front nine, she shot a 6-under-par 67. Du, 16, reached 7-under through 15 holes but bogeyed the 16th and 17th before a finishing birdie, which gave her eight birdies against two bogeys. Her teammate Ruoning Yin, 15, added an even-par 73 for a 6-under team total of 140.

Defending champion Republic of Korea and Austria share third position at 4 under with Australia and Ireland tied for sixth at 3 under; the USA and Hong Kong, China are tied for eighth at 2 under and Venezuela and Italy are tied for 10th at 1 under.

Hoping to gain momentum for her team, Ko will be the first Canadian to tee off in the second round at 7:45 local time, followed by Lee at 7:56 and Maddie at 8:07.

World Amateur Scoring

You can dress him up and take him out.

Plus the bonus of playing golf with Danny Sahl is he’ll show you the way.

Yup, the Sherwood Park product is pretty much a jack-of-all-trades golf guy.

Need a playing partner? He’s game.

How about a golf assistant? You got it.

A dude to carry your clubs? He’s your man.

A little advice on your swing, your game and your wardrobe? Check, check, check…

“I don’t think the dream is dead yet,” said the sharp-dressed Sahl, when asked if he still aspires to be a PGA Tour golfer. “The odds aren’t in your favour — you have to get lucky at the right time. I still think I’m good enough. But I’m 38, and I’ve got to think about the future, and right now…”

Well… right now, he’s letting all the other parts of his golf acumen pave — and pay — the way in life.

So Sahl’s a caddie these days for legendary golfer Vijay Singh.

‘The Big Fijian’ is the second superstar to put Sahl on his bag after Canadian Mike Weir used the Alberta shooter for parts of the last five years.

“I couldn’t pass it up,” said Sahl, who was carrying clubs for fellow Canuck clubber Corey Conners, a Web.com Tour swinger, when the offer to caddie for Singh came along. “So I decided I was going to try it and see what happens. We ended up finishing second in the first event (the Senior PGA Championship last May), so he kind of believed in me and we got along great. It’s been kind of a nice run so far.”

Singh, 54, has been splitting time between the PGA Tour and the PGA Tour Champions, double-dipping on two of the sport’s biggest stages.

That’s given Sahl plenty of work as a caddie — and a pretty good golf education to boot.

“I guess everything happens for a reason,” Sahl said. “Caddying for Vijay has changed a lot of things as far as making money and seeing different parts of the world (including golfing in the Fiji Open in Singh’s home country). I’m really fortunate to get this opportunity and happy with what’s been going on.

“And I still have the drive to play, so I’m trying to keep my game as sharp as I can,” continued Sahl, who’s found time in the past to try to Monday qualify for Web.com Tour events. “Working for Vijay, he’s known for his practice and his work ethic — he works hard — so just being around him really inspires me to do as much as I can with my game.

“I always travel with my golf clubs, so on the Wednesday of a tour week, him and I will find a premier golf course in the area we’re in and I get to play with him.”

And Sahl always does that in style.

He’s the guy you see on the links looking like a fashion plate, sporting the Italian brand Colmar — for whom he represents — often decked out in high socks, cool shoes and colorful clothing.

“I’ve always liked to be ahead of the curve,” said Sahl, who’s carried that chic look over to caddie duties.

“They say caddies aren’t supposed to dress too flashy to create attention, but it’s getting a little more lenient out there. Vijay doesn’t mind it, so I’m going to keep doing it.”

He’ll keep caddying too, unless something bigger — such as playing on the PGA Tour — comes along.

“I don’t know why they keep me around,” said Sahl with a chuckle. “I do know the game — I’ve had some success playing it. And I’m very good with people and how to manage them. I’m good to recognize when something isn’t going well to suggest something different. I have a really good eye for what a player is feeling and what he’s doing on the golf course.

“With Vijay, he knows I have good mental energy for him and we get along great. And I’m going to do whatever he wants me to do. And I enjoy being around him and being on the golf course and being in the game. So it’s a great fit for me. I think we’ve got a good team going.

“A guy in my shoes, when the professional golf ends, what do you do?” added Sahl, who’s quick to thank those who’ve always believed in him.

“I couldn’t imagine the money I’m making doing anything else. So I’m not going to pass up the money I make caddying.”

Looping on the Champions Tour

This article was originally published in the 2018 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.

Being a young golfer in Alberta is like being a kid in the candy store… so much to choose from to satisfy your craving.

Players have the luxury of choosing from the McLennan Ross Junior Golf Tour, the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour or the events run by the Canadian Junior Golf Association.

Each has its own schedule in Alberta, some are just one-day tournaments while others are two days, making for a busy summer of golf for some juniors.

This will be the 23^rdyear of the McLennan Ross tour which operates strictly in Alberta.

“I didn’t see two decades coming, I didn’t see 25 tournaments and I didn’t see thousands of kids,” said Executive Director of the tour, Dunc Mills.

An entry level tournament experience for kids is how he describes the McLennan Ross but it’s also much more.

“We get lots of very good players playing. I mean you need to shoot par or better at most events to win but we tend to see more kids in that 10-15-year-old range. If they’re coming to their first McLennan Ross event, chances are it might even be their first tournament period and they grow from there.”

Trent Matson is the National Operations manager for the MJT which came to Alberta in 1999 and he says the tour covers the beginner who has never played the game, to those who are getting their first tournament experience and veteran players who are tour regulars.

He said about 85% of the players teeing it up in MJT events across Canada are the average player looking to get better.

MJT also has a 12 and under mini-tour which is competitive but provides a first experience atmosphere where parents can caddy for their child.

“It’s starting to gain a little more momentum over the last couple of years and we’re going to look to expand it a little bit more this year,” said Matson.

The CJGA has more than 100 stops from coast to coast since it’s beginnings in 1993. Thirteen of those are in Alberta and the tour is open to any player, as long as they fall within the age bracket of 12 to 18.

“We don’t have restrictions of handicap or anything like that,” said C.O.O. Brad Parkins. “They can shoot 110. The doors are open for them to get out and learn the game and play in that environment.”

He pointed to a CJGA alum who shot 164 in her first tournament and then two years later got her scores down low enough to earn a golf scholarship to a school in Florida.

Strong support from sponsors is a common thread for the longevity of these junior golf tours. Things don’t happen without that involvement which can range from cutting a cheque, donating vehicles to chipping in for prizes and lunch for the players.

There is a strong appreciation for those running these facilities which give up the time to host the tours. Mills says they understand the importance of keeping people coming into the game at the front end faster than they are leaving at the other end.

“We’ve seen some of our players actually get into, whether it’s Director of Golf positions or assistant positions at certain clubs and find that they had a great experience at the MJT and they have kept up and try to bring the tour to their facility’” said Matson.

Parkins says the CJGA typically focusses on the main city centres of a province but the question being asked is how to reach players in rural areas.

“Right now, we’re forcing them to travel and that’s another expense so how do we break down those barriers?”.

In the end, all three tours are giving these boys and girls the experience of golf, be as competitive as they want to be along with a chance to meet other young golfers.

“We don’t let them have their phones with them, so they can text each other. We want them to actually talk to each other on the course,” said Mills.

Parkins says the Linkster program has helped ease the fears of some parents who see the word “competitive” and shy away. The relaxed atmosphere makes for a more welcoming feeling for all levels of golfer.

All agree that each tour is about growing the game of golf in Canada.

“I would just like to see more kids playing the game and if we get to that point then I think everyone is successful,” he said.

It’s a win for the players, for the courses and for the future of the game. Just like candy, you can’t go wrong with whatever you choose.

Tour Talk

This article was originally published in the 2018 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.

Golf Canada is pleased to announce the six individuals selected to represent Canada at the 2018 World Amateur Team Championship, conducted by the International Golf Federation.

The World Amateur Team Championship—featuring both a women’s (Aug. 29 – Sept. 1) and men’s (Sept. 5-8) competition— will be contested at Carton House (Montgomerie and O’Meara Courses) in Maynooth, Ireland, located 30 minutes west of Dublin.

Representing Canada on the women’s side will be Maddie Szeryk, 22, of London, Ont., Jaclyn Lee, 21, of Calgary, Alta., and Naomi Ko, 20, of Victoria, B.C. The trio will compete for the Espirito Santo Trophy at the Montgomerie and O’Meara courses at Carton House.

The men’s team selected to represent Canada consists of Hugo Bernard, 23, of Mont-St-Hilaire, Que., Joey Savoie, 24, of La Prairie, Que., and Garrett Rank, 30, of Elmira, Ont. Also contested on both at the Montgomerie and O’Meara courses at Carton House, the men will compete for the Eisenhower Trophy.

“The World Amateur Team Championships are an excellent benchmark to monitor our players’ performance and development globally,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s chief sport officer. “Our participation in this premier golf competition is a reflection of our commitment to supporting and developing world-class talent in Canada, and we hope to demonstrate that again this year with the remarkable group of athletes chosen to represent our country.”

Team Canada Men’s and Women’s National Team coaches Derek Ingram (Winnipeg, Man.) and Tristan Mullally (Ireland native) will accompany their respect squads.

WOMEN’S TEAM BIOS

Maddie Szeryk

A member of Team Canada’s National Squad for the past four years, Szeryk will lead the women’s squad into competition as the top-ranked Canadian at No. 16 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR). Szeryk will make her second World Amateur appearance after being selected in 2016. She finished a strong 2018 collegiate campaign at Texas A&M with two NCAA wins en route to earning All-SEC First Team honours for the fourth consecutive season. Szeryk’s senior year featured 11 top-ten finishes in fourteen events including four runner-up finishes. She would add another runner-up finish at the prestigious Women’s Porter Cup in June and finished T22 at the Canadian Women’s Amateur. Currently the No. 1 ranked golfer on the National Women’s Order of Merit, the 22-year-old has prior experience representing Canada on the global stage, finishing tied for 15th at the 2014 Youth Olympics and helping Canada to win the team competition at the 2017 Mexican Amateur. She has also competed in three CP Women’s Opens as an amateur.

Jaclyn Lee

Jaclyn Lee is in her fifth year as a member of Canada’s National Team and is currently ranked No. 21 on the WAGR. The Ohio State Buckeye enters her final collegiate season with three NCAA wins including the 2018 Big Ten Championship as well as a pair of runner-up finishes. Lee made a splash on the international amateur scene in 2018, making it to the semi-finals at the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship and quarterfinals of the US Women’s Amateur. The former Alberta Ladies Amateur champion also boasts LPGA experience, making the cut at the 2016 CP Women’s Open and competing in the 2018 Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, where she finished tied for 35^th.

Naomi Ko

Naomi Ko is in her sixth year with the Team Canada program and will make her second World Amateur appearance. The 20-year-old spent three years with the Development Squad before graduating to the Amateur Squad in 2016. Ko, a three-time CP Women’s Open competitor who will be heading to her final year at N.C. State, won her first NCAA championship in 2017 at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic. Her 2017 season also included third-place finishes at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, the B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship and Women’s Porter Cup.

MEN’S TEAM BIOS

Hugo Bernard

A four-year member of Team Canada, Hugo Bernard is the top-ranked Canadian on the WAGR at No. 78 and will compete in his second World Amateur. The 2016 Canadian Men’s Amateur champion recorded three top-10 finishes this season, including a runner-up at the Azalea Invitational and a ninth place finish at the Australian Men’s Amateur. In 2018 he also finished T41 at the Canadian Men’s Amateur and played in his third RBC Canadian Open. His 2017 season was highlighted by earning medalist honours at the U.S. Amateur Qualifying in Maine alongside top-five finishes at the 2017 Canadian Men’s Amateur and the French Open – Coupe Murat. In 2016, Bernard posted six top-5 finishes in eight events with the Division II Saint-Leo Lions, including medalist honours at the NCAA Division II Championship to earn him a Freshman of the Year title to go with being named as a first-team all-American.

Joey Savoie

Team Canada Amateur Squad rookie Joey Savoie is ranked No. 84 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) and currently leads the National Men’s Order of Merit thanks to seven top-five finishes this season. Internationally, Savoie has a win at the Grant Clements Memorial Tournament in New Zealand, co-medalist honours at a U.S. Amateur Qualifier and a fifth-place finish at the prestigious St. Andrews Links Trophy in Scotland. The Middle Tennessee State graduate also led Team Canada to victory at the 2017 Tailhade Cup in Argentina with his first-place finish and competed in his first RBC Canadian Open.

Garrett Rank

Team Canada graduate Garrett Rank made the most of his amateur season to secure a spot on his second career World Amateur team. Rank, a three-time RBC Canadian Open competitor, has been balancing a professional career as an NHL referee with a busy summer competing at high-level amateur golf events. The 30-year-old made headlines when he earned co-medalist honours to qualify for the U.S. Open. His 2018 season has been highlighted by a win at the Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship and a third place finish at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship where he earned low-Canadian honours. The three-time Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur champion also boasts international experience from representing Canada in the 2015 Pan-American games, where he finished 15^th, as well as the 2016 World Amateur Team Championship, where he finished tied for 36th.

About the World Amateur Team Championships

A biennial competition, the Men’s World Amateur Team Championship has been played since 1958, with the winner taking home the Eisenhower Trophy while the winner of the Women’s World Amateur Team Championship, conducted since 1964, earns the Espirito Santo Trophy.

In 2016, the Canadian men’s trio of Hugo Bernard, Garrett Rank and Jared du Toit (Kimberley, B.C.) finished tied for 9^th in Riviera Maya, Mexico, while the women’s trio of Maddie Szeryk, Naomi Ko, and Josée Doyon (St-Georges-de-Beauce, Que.) finished in 9^th place.

In 2014, The United States won the 2014 title in Karuizawa, Japan, by two strokes over the Canadian contingent of Corey Conners (Listowel, Ont.), Taylor Pendrith (Richmond Hill, Ont.) and Adam Svensson (Surrey, B.C.). In the women’s division, Australia claimed the title by two strokes over the Canadian team of Brooke Henderson (Smiths Falls, Ont.), Augusta James (Bath, Ont.), and Brittany Marchand (Orangeville, Ont.).

In 29 appearances at the World Amateur Team Championship, Canada has captured the Eisenhower Trophy on one occasion (1986) and earned runner-up honours five times. In 25 appearances at the Women’s World Amateur Team Championship, Canada has earned runner-up honours four times.

The World Amateur Team titles are contested over four days of stroke play. A country may field a team of two or three players. In each round, the total of the two lowest scores constitutes the team score for the round. The four-day total is the team’s score for the championship.

The World Amateur Team Championships are conducted by the International Golf Federation, which was founded in 1958 to encourage the international development of the game and to employ golf as a vehicle to foster friendship and sportsmanship. The IGF is comprised of 146 National Federation Members in 141 countries and 22 Professional Members. The IGF serves as the International Olympic Committee’s recognized International Federation for golf.

REGINA – Brooke Henderson ended Canada’s long drought at the CP Women’s Open on Sunday, firing a final-round 7-under-par 65 to win the national championship by four strokes.

Henderson finished with a 21-under 267 total, sealing the win with a short birdie putt on the 18th hole at the Wascana Country Club.

“It’s amazing, just surreal,” Henderson said. “The crowds here have been so amazing all week, and to finish it off the way I did is really a dream come true.”

American Angel Yin was alone in second place after a 68 and American Jennifer Song (67) was six shots behind at 15 under. Australians Minjee Lee (68) and Su Oh (69) were seven strokes off the pace in a fourth-place tie with South Korea’s Amy Yang (68) and American Austin Ernst (69).

It was the first time a Canadian has won this tournament since Jocelyne Bourassa took the 1973 event – then called La Canadienne – at Montreal.

Henderson earned US$337,500 of the $2.25-million purse for her second victory of the season. It was her seventh career LPGA Tour win, moving her one behind Sandra Post’s record for all-time victories by a Canadian.

Henderson, who started the day with a one-shot lead, was aggressive from the start on an overcast, chilly morning in front of a vocal group of adoring supporters.

CHAMPION! ??? @BrookeHendersonGolf becomes the first Canadian to win the #CPWO since 1973.

A post shared by CP Women’s Open (@cpwomensopen) on Aug 26, 2018 at 1:22pm PDT

Displaying a steely focus and no sign of nerves, she found the fairway with her opening drive and cleared a greenside bunker with her second shot, sticking the ball 12 feet from the pin.

Henderson is one of the biggest hitters on the Tour but her short game can be inconsistent at times. The 20-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., set the early tone by sinking the birdie putt for a two-shot lead.

She gave the stroke back on the second hole after her drive found the rough. A line of fairway-hugging trees forced her to chip out on the fairway and Henderson would settle for bogey.

Back-to-back pars followed, allowing Oh to briefly pull even with the Canadian. However, Oh missed a 10-foot par putt on the fifth hole and Henderson drained a 25-footer for birdie to regain the lead.

Canada’s @BrookeHenderson wins the 2018 #CPWO, becoming the first Canadian to win since 1973 https://t.co/rtdHhQ7ueb

— CP Women’s Open (@cpwomensopen) August 26, 2018

After a birdie-bogey run, Henderson showed her form on the par-3, 206-yard eighth hole. With a challenging pin placement, she elevated her tee shot perfectly to clear a greenside ridge and bunker to leave herself an 18-foot putt.

She hit the birdie to move to 16-under for a three-shot cushion on Oh and defending champion Sung Hyun Park of South Korea.

Henderson was playing to win and not to just hang on.

A steady rain started to fall as the last few groups made the turn. Some of the Tour’s biggest names were chasing Henderson but no one could get hot enough on the back nine to get close.

Yin hovered a few shots back but Henderson wouldn’t budge.

“It’s great for golf in Canada, women’s golf, and it’s great for her too,” Yin said. “I mean, people shouting her name left to right since the first hole, like (since) nine in the morning. I bet you she feels pressure.

“But she’s used to it and she handles it pretty well, and she finished the job.”

The Canadian was making almost every shot look easy. The greens softened up a touch and Henderson was going for the pins. Approach shots were usually in tight and the putter was working.

Yin rolled in her third straight birdie on No. 15, and Henderson answered by knocking in her fourth birdie putt in a row to keep her three-shot lead.

She maintained that cushion through the 17th hole, allowing her to fully enjoy the moment on No. 18 as the packed gallery roared during her walk up the fairway.

After a beautiful drive, Henderson’s approach shot from 69 yards out cozied up to the hole. She tapped in the short putt and the celebration was on.

Henderson raised her arms in the air and hugged her sister Brittany, who was on her bag all week. Their ecstatic father, Dave, ran on to the green and doused them in champagne.

Park (71), who finished at 13 under, will retain her No. 1 position in the world rankings. She was tied with three-time CP Women’s Open champion Lydia Ko (69) and several others.

American Mo Martin was another shot back at 12 under after firing a course-record 62.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (71) was at 6 under, two shots ahead of Quebec City’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay (73).

The 2019 CP Women’s Open will be held at the Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont.

Golf fans in Alberta love keeping track of what tracks the top players in this province will be on during the 2018 golf season. Whether it’s the Symetra Tour, Mackenzie Tour PGA TOUR Canada or the Web.Com tour, all the pros who grew up in this province have one goal in mind, win a tournament.

The two players who seem closest to doing that and knocking on the door to play on the best tour in the world are Calgary’s Ryan Yip and Jennifer Ha.

Yip, who now splits his time between Scottsdale, Arizona and Ohio is 33 years old and has full status on the Web.com tour. Jennifer is 23 years old, lives in Naples, Florida and is coming off her first full season on the LPGA Tour. Ha wasn’t able to keep her LPGA tour card and will play this season on the Symetra Tour, she says her experience on the LPGA Tour was unreal.

“It was crazy. So many great experiences, I got to meet so many of my heroes and it was unreal. I didn’t have the year that I was planning on having and I didn’t play that well but I had such a crazy learning experience. I’m really fortunate that I had that privilege, it was really cool. I had a little taste of what it was like and it totally put fuel to the fire and I really want to get back on there.”

A top 10 finish by season’s end on The Symetra Tour which starts in March in Florida will get Ha back to the LPGA Tour. “I’m hoping I’m one of those 10.”

And she says she’s much more mature now, with a little help from a veteran peer on the top tour in the world.

“I had a lot of help from Alena Sharp, she was amazing. She played practice rounds with me and took me out to dinner and made me feel super comfortable and that helped a lot. I feel a lot better now and lot more patient then when I first got on tour.”

As for Ryan Yip, he’s had full status on the Web.com Tour for half a decade now and says he’s never played better. A couple years ago he finally got a swing coach, a trainer, a chiropractor and is injury free.

“I feel like I’m playing the best golf in my life right now and it’s only a matter of time before I put four good rounds together and win out there and get my PGA Tour card.”

Yip says the Web.com Tour is the third best tour in the world behind the PGA Tour and the European Tour.

“It’s obvious. You see guys on the web get their tour card and within ten tournaments they’re winning on the PGA Tour. The competition is so high it basically produces a lot of PGA Tour winners. Always has, always will.”

And that’s Yip’s goal this year, to win on the Web.com Tour “A win plus one top 5 and you’ll take care of your PGA Tour card.”

Seeing fellow Canadian and Kent State grad Mackenzie Hughes already win on the PGA Tour has given Yip a lot of confidence that once he gets to the top tour, he can win there too.

Four other Albertans will be aiming to win tournaments on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada.

Jamie Sadlowski, James Love, Wil Bateman and Riley Fleming all have varying degrees of status on the Canadian circuit that has seen a huge rise in standard the past few years.

Sadlowski has the highest profile of these golfers considering he’s a former 2-time world long drive champion and has a personal best long drive of 475 yards. In 2016 the Edmonton native switched to stroke play golf and proved he has a bright future there too by winning a U.S. Open qualifier and making cuts on the Web.com Tour.

Sadlowski doesn’t have full status on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada but plans to go to Q School and if all goes well play a full slate in Canada this summer and maybe some Asian Tour events before then, he’s also hoping to get sponsor exemptions into PGA Tour events. Sadlowski, a Scottsdale, Arizona resident says he’s learning the differences between gripping and ripping it during his long drive career and the feel shots you need in stroke play golf.

“When you gotta flip a little 70 yard wedge in there over water to a back pin and you can’t hit it over and you can’t land it short it’s a very different feeling under the gun than standing on a tee and having six golf balls.”

Sadlowski’s goals are to have as good a chance as possible to move up to the Web.com tour.

“I would love one of those top 5 cards but I don’t think getting top 10 on the money is unrealistic and going to third stage of qualifying and not having to mess with the first couple stages is something that I’m chasing.”

James Love is 33 years old and lives full time in Denver, Colorado. The born and raised Calgarian has full status on the Mackenzie Tour after finishing in the top 60 in the order of merit a season ago. He and his wife had their first child, a daughter, in mid-January. Love is hoping being a father might give him a new perspective on the stress of trying to win golf tournaments.

“I haven’t won on the Mackenzie Tour in 7 years, the goal is always to get a win.”

24 year old Riley Fleming of Airdrie is also looking for a win on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada, but he’s not sure how many crack’s he’ll get. He’s entering his 5th season on the tour but doesn’t have full status and doesn’t think it’s worth the entry fee to go to qualifying school. Last year Fleming only played in 4 events but had a chance to win his home tournament, the ATB Financial Classic in Calgary, before finishing top 10, 4 strokes back. Fleming will go the route of Monday qualifiers this year on tour and hopes to play more events than last season.

“Hoping to play eight or nine events but I only got into four. This year I hope to play better in the first three qualifiers. I’d love to say I’m going to play 35 events around the world but it’s hard to do that, it’s so expensive.”

For any of these Alberta golfers getting a win on any tour this season would be money in the bank.

Albertans on Tour

This article was originally published in the 2018 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.

Brar and Wingnean take home the Novice Championships

GIBBONS, Alta (Alberta Golf) – The 2018 Alberta Bantam & Novice concluded today at the Goose Hummock Golf Resort. Logan Graf of the Red Deer G&CC took home the boys title and Jayla Kucy of Camrose won the girls title.

The 14-year-old Graf was tied for the lead heading into today’s final round. He finished with birdies on 15 and the closing 18th to solidify the victory over club-mate Cole Bergheim (Red Deer G&CC) and Mitchell Shaigec (Edmonton CC) who tied for second, two shots back.

Bergheim had the low round of the championship today shooting a one under par score of 70 to launch up the leaderboard.

Red Deer G&CC had three boys finish in the top four of the championship.

12-year-old Jayla Kucy continues her impressive play this season. Coming off a low net award earlier this summer at the 2018 Sun Life Financial Alberta Ladies Amateur Championship, she came to the Goose with a victory in mind.

Kucy shot rounds of 84 and 83 to win by a fourteen shot margin.

Jayden Brar (Shaganappi GC) and Delainey Wingnean (Derrick G&WC) took home the boys and girls novice championships for those under of the age of 13. The Novice competitors played a modified stableford format.

A special thanks to the staff, volunteers and members of the Goose Hummock Golf Resort for hosting the 2018 edition of the Alberta Bantam & Novice Championships.

Bantam Boys Leaderboard

Bantam Girls Leaderboard

For twenty-five years, the Alberta Golf Association Foundation (AGAF) has provided financial assistance to students throughout the province in support of their academic endeavors.

Since the Foundation’s inception in 1994, more than 500 scholarships totaling over $700,000 have been awarded to students.

The AGAF was pleased to receive a high number of scholarship applications this year. Candidates are selected based on financial need, academic standing, as well as volunteer work and references.

A special thanks are extended to all of the patrons who support the scholarship program on an annual basis and to the volunteers who assist with the casino fundraiser. This support enables us to maintain our strong scholarship program.

Listed below are the 2018 recipients:

Individual and corporate donations are greatly appreciated and charitable tax receipts are provided. Supporters of the game of golf are invited to contact the AGAF for more information on how to establish a legacy of their own. Thank you to the following patrons:

• Charles C. Reid Foundation
• Frank Lindsay Memorial Foundation
• McLennan Ross Sun Junior Golf Tour
• R.E. Courage Memorial Fund
• Christa Spahmann Memorial Fund
• Lola Rozsa Fund
• Jeff Llewellyn Memorial Fund
• Sun Life Financial
• Bob Rintoul Memorial Fund
• Carol Stevens Memorial Fund
• Mike Bower Memorial Fund

Read more about supporting Alberta Golf