Manitoba will have strong representation starting Friday morning at 7:30am as the NextGen Prairie Championship begins with a field of 84 Junior golfers set to compete at the Whitewater Golf Club in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
The starting field will feature – 64 Junior Boys and 20 Junior Girls competing for spots each into their respective Canadian Junior Championships this summer. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the top 53 Junior Boys and top 17 Junior Girls, including ties.
Representing Manitoba are:
Adam Blair (Team Manitoba / Pine Ridge), Aris Mercury (Team Manitoba / Glendale), Brady Comaskey (Team Manitoba / Pine Ridge), Brayden Boge (Team Manitoba / Rossmere), Carson Chapman (Glendale), Carson Inman (Team Manitoba / Breezy Bend / Portage), Emerson Kollinger (Glendale), Finn Kydd (St. Charles), Gavin Carver (Team Manitoba / Golf Manitoba Public Player), Hunter Oakden (Team Manitoba / Glendale), Jackson Delaurier (Team Manitoba / Dauphin Lake), Jacob Taweel (Elmhurst), Jeri Lafleche (Niakwa), Jewel Lafleche (Niakwa), Kaleb Lambert (Team Manitoba / Elmhurst), Liam Comaskey (Team Manitoba / Pine Ridge), Luka Hanson (Rossmere), Maisy Shewchuk (Team Manitoba / Golf Manitoba Public Player), Owen Conrad (Team Manitoba / St. Charles), Payne Wood (Team Manitoba / St. Boniface), Payton Bailey (Wheat City), Payton Oakden (Team Manitoba / Glendale), Ryan Tuck (St. Boniface), Spence Mott (Team Manitoba / Shilo), Terence Rafferty (Team Manitoba / Southwood), Ty Brewster (Team Manitoba / Steinbach Fly-In).
For the opening round tee times, click here.
For the opening round leaderboard, click here.
“Hosting the Golf Canada NextGen Prairie Championship is a tremendous honour for Whitewater Golf Club and for the Thunder Bay community. This event not only showcases the talent and dedication of junior golfers from across the country but also highlights the exceptional quality of our course and the natural beauty of Northwestern Ontario,” states Director of Whitewater Golf Club, Matt Simmons. “We are excited to welcome these young athletes and provide them with a challenging and memorable experience & it’s an opportunity for our club to contribute to the growth of the game, support the next generation of golfing stars, and proudly represent our region on a national stage.”
Practice rounds are scheduled for Thursday, June 6 before the official 54-hole tournament kicks off on Friday, June 7. The tournament will conclude on Sunday, June 9 and will determine who has qualified to compete in their respective Canadian Junior Championship later this summer.
The Whitewater Golf Club stretches north from the banks of the Kaministiquia River and is known for its two McBroom designed courses – the Forest and River – which is one of the finest 18- hole golf courses in the province. The golf course features a chipping, putting green and a 400-yard driving range, allowing all golfers to enjoy various aspects of the game. Off course additions are continuing to be developed with a planned community of 500 homes, a resort hotel, community amenities and new recreational activities.
“We really look forward to hosting the 2024 NextGen Prairie Championship this week. Our team of Volunteers in place strive to run an efficient and quality NextGen Championship and we certainly can’t thank you enough for travelling to Thunder Bay,” said NextGen Prairie Tournament Host Chairman, Chris Gardner. “On a deeper level, this has been a long time coming for our community and we celebrate it with respect and gratitude. We really want to show you our Northern Touch with great hospitality and genuineness at its finest. To all the competitors, I wish you so much luck but most of all I wish you great memories to take away from this Championship. Play hard and go get it.”
This week’s tournament marks the fourth stop on the NextGen Series schedule for the 2024 golf season. The NextGen Prairie Championship is one of Golf Canada’s six regional junior championships. Kye Fisher of Leduc, Alta. and Cala Korman of Killarney, Man. claimed their respective divisions in the 2023 NextGen Prairie Championship last season.
About the NextGen Championships
The NextGen Championships are a high-performance junior golf series which totals six competitions. From May to July, six championships will take place across Canada where the region’s best junior golfers will compete to earn exemptions into their respective 2024 national championships. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf
– with files courtesy Golf Canada