Golf Manitoba Executive Director Jared Ladobruk is pleased to announce 24 Junior Boys and 15 Junior Girls have been named to the 2024 Team Manitoba roster.

These junior golfers will train and compete in various tournaments throughout the season representing our province under the guidance of Team Manitoba Boys Head Coach Sean Murray and Team Manitoba Girls Head Coach Bri-ann Tokariwski.

The Junior Boys Gold Team roster features Carson Inman of Breezy Bend Country Club and Portage Golf Club, Jackson Delaurier of Dauphin Lake Golf Club, Kaleb Lambert of Elmhurst Golf & Country Club, Gavin Carver and Hunter Oakden of Glendale Golf & Country Club, Pine Ridge Golf Club members Adam Blair and Liam Comaskey, Brayden Boge of Rossmere Country Club, Payne Wood of St. Boniface Golf Club, St. Charles Country Club members Grady Chuback and Owen Conrad, Spence Mott of Shilo Golf & Country Club, Southwood Golf & Country Club’s Terence Rafferty, Ty Brewster of the Steinbach Fly-In Golf Club and Golf Manitoba Public Players Club members Hudson Hunnie and Ryder St. Laurent.

“We are super excited to announce our teams who are filled with exceptional players” said Boys Head Coach Sean Murray. “After being away at college, we expect Grady and Kaleb to bring that experience and lead by example on and off the course for our younger players. Terrence, Payne, Jackson, Carson and Brayden return to the team after having terrific seasons last year looking to continue that momentum they created. Hudson and Adam return for their second year after being the younger guys on the team, we have seen them continue to grow and get stronger which will create exciting opportunities for them. Then, we added Ty, Gavin, Liam, Hunter, Ryder, and Owen who had seasons last year that could not be rewarded. We hope joining the team will help them gain experience and have that support system that will help them continue to climb the ladder.”

The Junior Girls will be divided into two teams:

The Gold Team roster features Keira Krahn and India Young of the Carman Golf & Curling Club, Glendale Golf & Country Club member Payton Oakden, Gracie McMillan of Pine Ridge Golf Club and Golf Manitoba Public Players Club member Crystal Zamzow.

The Black Team roster includes Elmhurst’s Angelina Sitarz, Erin Nowicki of Pine Ridge along with Golf Manitoba Public Players Club members Sadie Blazeiko, Emily Devlin and Maisy Shewchuk.

“I am excited to work with this hungry and enthusiastic gorup of girls this season” said Girls Head Coach Bri-ann Tokariwski. “The girls are already working hard in workouts and practices to be ready for the upcoming season. We have also added to our program some of the best in sports psychology and nutrition professionals in Manitoba to assist our athletes.”

Looking into the future, eight Junior Boys and five Junior Girls have been recognized for their potential and named to Team Manitoba’s Blue practice squad rosters.

The boys roster includes Brady Comaskey (Pine Ridge), Xavier Delaquis (Golf Manitoba Public Player), Colton Drul (Elmhurst), Hunter MacLean (Carman), Aris Mercury (Glendale), Ryder Pufahl (Rossmere), Grant Secord (Golf Manitoba Public Player) and Austin Tutkaluk (Golf Manitoba Public Player).

Honing their skills for the future girls are Jordyn Chetyrbok (Golf Manitoba Public Player), Annika Gording (Elmhurst), Leah Klippenstein (Golf Manitoba Public Player), Kate McMillan (Pine Ridge) and Mikaila Pador (Golf Manitoba Public Player).

“As an association, we are excited to see the future of golf continuing to grow” said Golf Manitoba Executive Director Jared Ladobruk. “We are thrilled to see a number of Manitobans who have moved on to play competitive golf at the college and professional levels. With commitment and dedication from our 2024 Team Manitoba members we hope they too can one day achieve their goals as well”. 

Team Manitoba will once again benefit greatly from the generosity of the Alex and Peggy Colonello Foundation while also receiving support from the Integrated Support Team at Sport Manitoba Performance that will help enhance the athletes’ skills through fitness, nutrition, and development of the mental side of the game.

Golf Manitoba would also like to thank Elmhurst Golf & Country Club and Southwood Golf & Country Club for their hospitality as the host courses for Team Manitoba practices.

Stay up to date with Team Manitoba online at www.golfmb.ca.

About Team Manitoba: The Team Manitoba program provides enhanced training, development, and competitive opportunities for both aspiring and accomplished junior female and male athletes from the Golf Manitoba region.

The program encompasses fitness, sports psychology, nutrition, technique, equipment management and regional, multi-sport, and national level competition.

For more, please visit golfmb.ca/team-manitoba.

Get ready to tee off in style as PUMA Golf unveils the latest PUMA Golf x Arnold Palmer Collection.

Known for his unparalleled charisma and impeccable fashion sense, The King himself continues to inspire generations of golfers and style mavens alike.

In a celebration of Arnie’s enduring legacy, this collaboration pays homage to The King’s iconic influence on the game and its fashion evolution, blending timeless charm with a dash of contemporary flair.

Designed to turn heads on and off the course, the PUMA Golf x Arnold Palmer Collection features sleek and sophisticated looks that redefine golf fashion. From classic polos to stylish caps and limited-edition footwear, each piece exudes the essence of Arnie’s signature style.

PUMA athlete Rickie Fowler, who shared a special bond with the late Mr. Palmer, will proudly sport the collection at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, honoring The King’s unparalleled legacy with every swing.

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with the Arnold Palmer team to bring the AP Collection to life,” said Chris MacNeill, Team Head of PLM – Golf Apparel & Accessories at PUMA Golf. “Our aim is to capture the essence of Mr. Palmer’s timeless style, blending classic colors and premium materials to create pieces he’d be proud to wear himself.”

The 2024 Spring/Summer PUMA Golf x Arnold Palmer collection features a stunning lineup of six polos, a sleek full-zip jacket, pleated shorts, stylish caps, a chic golf visor, and four limited-edition footwear styles. Each piece bears the iconic umbrella logo, celebrating The King’s lasting legacy and setting the LE shoes apart with their unique flair.

Among the highlights are the PHANTOMCAT NITRO™ version, boasting cutting-edge technology, and the Avant version, crafted from premium waterproof leather and sporting a sophisticated color palette.

Get ready to elevate your golf game and channel your inner Arnie because the Arnold Palmer Collection hits online and retail stores on March 4, 2024. Don’t miss your chance to score these stylish pieces and make a statement on the green!

Last month, Golf Manitoba and PUMA Golf announced a new corporate partnership, naming PUMA as the Official Apparel and Footwear partner of Golf Manitoba. The multi-year agreement will see all of Golf Manitoba provincial teams, staff and volunteers wear PUMA’s extensive lineup of performance apparel and footwear while representing Manitoba on the course during provincial and national-level competition.

For more information on the 2024 PUMA GOLF x Arnold Palmer Collection, visit ca.pumagolf.com.

Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer Kevin Blue will be leaving the organization as he has accepted the role of General Secretary and CEO of Canada Soccer.

“We are extremely appreciative of what Kevin has achieved for Golf Canada in advancing the sport and our mission during his tenure as Chief Sport Officer and we wish him incredibly well,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “Kevin has been a transformational leader for Golf Canada and made fundamental progress to many of our sport priorities, most notably with the High-Performance program and across junior grassroots initiatives, championships, safe sport, and fundraising. His energy and contributions to Canadian golf have been exceptional and he is well positioned as a dynamic sports executive to be successful in this new chapter leading Canada Soccer.”

Since returning to Canada in January of 2021, Blue was a driving force to Golf Canada’s vision and impact on Canadian golf. He was instrumental in many of the areas of Golf Canada’s strategic priorities and helped drive several initiatives including First Tee – Canada, National Golf League (NGL), She Plays Golf, Junior Golf Facility Awards, and the evolution of Golf Canada’s Amateur Championships. 

A strong proponent of municipal and accessible golf, Blue played a key role in Golf Canada’s attention to diversity, equity, inclusion, and safe sport. He also had a significant impact with the Golf Canada Foundation, helping to recruit, build and collaborate with critical program donors.

Plus, enhanced sharable scorecard graphic now available.

Accessing the Official R&A Rules of Golf has become easier as Golf Canada has integrated them into its popular Golf Canada Mobile App.

This inclusion allows golfers of all levels and abilities to quickly reference the Official Rules of Golf and find answers to common situations that emerge on the course through the Player’s Rule Finder.

With nearly 30 diagrams and over 50 how-to videos, golfers will reduce confusion and uncertainty by learning the ins-and-outs of the game directly from the R&A. Along with the USGA, the R&A has been golf’s leading governing body responsible for the rules of the game.

“The integration into the Golf Canada Mobile App allows more straightforward access to the rules of golf,” said Mary Beth McKenna, Director, Amateur Championships and Rules, Golf Canada.

“Golfers will be able to determine the specific rule-related situations they encounter on the course more easily through the Player’s Rules Finder interface. In addition to the rules of golf, there are resources on committee procedures and the Rules of Amateur Status, amongst other helpful tools. To provide access to even more Canadian golfers, the app is available in both English and French,” added McKenna.

With more than 300,000 Canadian golfers using the Golf Canada Mobile App on an annual basis to post scores, find courses from coast-to-coast, build scorecards, discover course maps, and specific GPS distances, the inclusion of the Rules of Golf will allow Canadian golfers to access first-hand situational knowledge by applying golf’s official rules during their round.

To view the Rules of Golf on the Golf Canada Mobile App, select “More” then scroll down and click on “Rules of golf”.

Also included in the latest version of the Golf Canada Mobile App is an enhanced scorecard graphic. This feature builds on the August 2023 app feature release aimed to help golfers stay connected off the course, highlighted by the ability for golfers to post images and videos to document their rounds.

Increase the fun, shoot lower scores, impress your group by flashing your newfound golf knowledge and share your scorecards.

Join Canada’s largest golf community by downloading the Golf Canada App today. It’s free and available in the App Store and Google Play.

Dustin Wilson, PGA of Canada Teaching Professional at Whitewater Golf Club, talks with Golf Manitoba Director of Communications & Development Brian Munz about overcoming his addictions and moving forward in an effort to help others both on and off the golf course.

Wilson also discusses the Raising the Barr Foundation Charity Golf Tournament and Ball Drop held annually in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Golf Canada is pleased to announce that the Canadian Junior Financial Assistance Program will expand the number of grants available for the 2024 season. The expansion of the program will reduce the financial burden of participating in championships across Canada for more eligible players and their families.

Initiated in 2022, the Canadian Junior Financial Assistance Program supports junior golfers and their families with need-based financial aid to help offset expenses associated with traveling and competing in national golf championships and NextGen championships. The program is funded by Golf Canada in partnership with the Canadian Seniors’ Golf Association and the Gary Cowan Heritage Fund.

The amount of funds and number of grants available to the Canadian Junior Financial Assistance Program have increased in two years – growth that is reflective of a broader commitment to provide more affordable access to competitions for junior golfers.

“We are excited to announce that the Canadian Junior Financial Assistance Program has increased for 2024 which allows us to accommodate more junior golfers and help to bring down their costs,” said Kevin Blue, chief sport officer, Golf Canada. “We’d like to thank our generous donors who care about junior golf affordability for their continued support with this program.”

The full breakdown of the maximum number of grants that will be awarded along with the criteria in which eligible participants can seek financial assistance can be found at golfcanada.ca/financial-assistance-program/.

The Canadian Junior Financial Assistance Program will be available to eligible participants and their families for the following competitions:

• All six NextGen Championships
• Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO
• Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO
• Canadian U15 Championship, presented by BDO

Applications will be reviewed and accepted beginning thirty (30) days prior to the respective championship. An approval letter will be sent to the participant that has submitted a successful application outlining next steps before the championship begins. Accepted applicants must compete in their respective championship to receive the approved funds through the Canadian Junior Financial Assistance Program.

19 professional athletes join the previously announced 16 amateur golfers to complete Team Canada roster for upcoming season

Emerging Professional Players of the Year Award, presented by Andrew Cook announced

Golf Canada is pleased to announce the names of 19 professional athletes that will be part of the 2024 men’s and women’s Team Canada squads.

The Team Canada program supports a group of experienced amateur golfers who are on the path towards professional golf along with a group of young professional golfers who are building their careers as touring pros. Teams are selected based on results from the previous calendar year. The professional players will join the 12 women and four men previously selected to Team Canada as amateurs in the fall.

With players choosing to turn professional at different points in the season, an athlete’s involvement in the Team Canada program including financial support continues during their transition from amateur to professional golf. 

“We are proud to announce the professional athletes that will be part of Team Canada for 2024. We have now completed our full roster of professional and amateur players for the upcoming season and look forward to supporting their development and journeys to the LPGA and PGA TOUR,” said Emily Phoenix, high performance director, Golf Canada. “I would like to extend our sincere thanks to our generous donors through the Golf Canada Foundation along with our corporate partners for their support of our athletes’ development within the Team Canada program. Their continued contributions are crucial in helping more Canadians excel at the highest levels of our sport.”

The men’s professional team features 15 returning players for the upcoming season which will supplement the four amateur players selected earlier in the fall. Three-time winner in 2023, Étienne Papineau enters his seventh season on the team. Papineau earned his Korn Ferry Tour card for 2024 by finishing as the top Canadian and fourth overall in the Fortinet Cup standings on the PGA TOUR Canada (now PGA TOUR Americas). In addition, Papineau earned a T4 finish at the 2023 Pan American (Pan Am) Games in Santiago, Chile. Myles Creighton returns for a third year, having won on the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica (now PGA TOUR Americas) last June and earned his Korn Ferry Tour card for 2024 by finishing second in the season point standings. Joining them on the Korn Ferry Tour is Sudarshan Yellamaraju who earned his card after finishing T14 during the final stage of PGA TOUR Q-School last December. Stuart Macdonald and Jared du Toit will also compete on the Korn Ferry Tour this season. Macdonald was also victorious last season, winning the Commissionaires Ottawa Open in July.

The women’s professional team features returning players: Brigitte Thibault, Maddie Szeryk, Selena Costabile and Maude-Aimee Leblanc who was previously on the team in 2022. These professionals will join the 12 previously selected Team Canada members from the amateur selection process in the fall. Szeryk returns for her 10th season as a member of Team Canada. She made 22 starts on the LPGA Tour last season and re-earned her LPGA Tour membership for 2024 through the LPGA Q-Series in December. Leblanc returns for her seventh season with Team Canada. Last season, she competed on the LPGA Tour making seven starts but missed the second half of the year due to injury. Joining Szeryk and Leblanc on the LPGA is Savannah Grewal who was previously selected to Team Canada as an amateur and has turned pro following an excellent Q-school showing. Costabile enters her third season as a Team Canada member having competed on the Epson Tour last season. Thibault earned her first professional win at the Kathy Whitworth Championship last October.

Team Canada – Women

(In addition to the 12 players selected during the amateur selection process in the fall)

Team Canada – Men

(In addition to the four players selected during the amateur selection process in the fall)

As previously announced, the coaching staff for the men’s and women’s Team Canada squads will return in full for the 2024 season. Team Canada – Women will again be coached by Stollery Family Women’s Head Coach Salimah Mussani (Vancouver, B.C.) and Associate Coach Jennifer Greggain (Vancouver, B.C.). Team Canada – Men will be coached by Head Coach Derek Ingram (Winnipeg, Man.) and Assistant Coaches Louis Melanson (Moncton, N.B.) and Benoit Lemieux (Montréal, Que.).

For full Team Canada bios and additional information, please click here.

For the Team Canada – NextGen and Team Canada amateur squad announcement, please click here.

Golf Canada’s player development program provides individualized training and competition support to athletes on their journey to the LPGA and PGA TOUR. National team coaches work with athletes and their personal support teams to develop annual training plans and identify areas where impact can be made to help athletes improve in all areas of their game. Athletes are also supported by a comprehensive sport science team that includes mental performance, physical conditioning, and mental health supports. The players are brought together regularly for training camps where they receive support from national team coaches and sport science staff, and train with their peers. Team Canada members also receive access to a training hub in Phoenix, Ariz. where they can train and live during the winter months.

Team Canada is proudly supported by RBC, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), Titleist, FootJoy, Hilton, Puma, Foresight, Golf Canada Foundation and Sport Canada.

EMERGING PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR AWARD

The Golf Canada Foundation is also proud to announce Savannah Grewal, Myles Creighton, and Étienne Papineau as the recipients of the Emerging Professional Players of the Year Award, presented by Andrew Cook. In 2020, Andrew Cook, a proud trustee of the Golf Canada Foundation, and past president of Golf Canada, established a $20,000 annual fund to recognize a top male and top female emerging Canadian professional golfer. Past recipients include current PGA TOUR member Taylor Pendrith, Korn Ferry Tour members Wil Bateman and Stuart Macdonald, and LPGA Tour members Maude-Aimee Leblanc and Maddie Szeryk.

“We are pleased to name Savannah, Myles and Étienne as the Emerging Professional Players of the Year,” said Martin Barnard, CEO of the Golf Canada Foundation. “The journey to the highest levels of professional golf requires significant resources, and we are incredibly grateful to Andrew Cook for his continued support.”

Grewal made her professional debut at LPGA Q-Series in December 2023 where she went on to secure full LPGA status for the 2024 season. A recent graduate of Clemson University, Grewal was first-team All-ACC for her accomplishments on the golf course and in the classroom. Grewal had a strong finish to her 2023 season, earning co-medalist honors at the Cougar Classic and tying for first at LPGA Q-school Stage I. 

Papineau and Creighton share the award following successful seasons that led both to secure Korn Ferry Tour status for the 2024 season. Creighton notched one victory on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica and finished second in the season-long points standings. Papineau secured a win on PGA TOUR Canada and finished fourth overall in the points standings.Go

Golf Manitoba and PUMA Golf are pleased to announce a new corporate partnership, naming PUMA as the Official Apparel and Footwear partner of Golf Manitoba.

The multi-year agreement will see all of Golf Manitoba provincial teams, staff and volunteers wear PUMA’s extensive lineup of performance apparel and footwear while representing Manitoba on the course during provincial and national-level competition.

“We are excited to embark on this partnership with PUMA Golf. The brand has become a leader in supporting high-performance golf across Canada and we are excited to have our talented athletes, staff and volunteers outfitted in PUMA’s elevated collection of apparel and footwear,” said Golf Manitoba Executive Director Jared Ladobruk. “This partnership will help our teams look and play their best on the biggest stages and is why we made it a priority.”

“We are very pleased to partner with Golf Manitoba and support the strong contingent of talented athletes and staff within the province,” said Dwayne Boecker, Head of Golf at COBRA PUMA GOLF – Canada. “It is a great opportunity to strengthen our connection with Manitoba’s top amateur players and we look forward to watching them succeed while sporting the iconic PUMA Cat.”

PUMA Golf is also the Official Apparel and Headwear Partner of Golf Canada’s National Team Program as well as the title sponsor of Golf Canada’s Junior Skills Challenge events.

To view the latest styles from PUMA Golf, please visit ca.pumagolf.com. You can also follow PUMA Golf on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter/X.

Team Manitoba Girls Head Coach Bri-ann Tokariwski visits with Golf Manitoba Director of Communications & Development Brian Munz to talk about bringing home the 2023 Tex Noble Professional Development Award.

Tokariwski is also an Assistant Golf Professional at Elmhurst Golf & Country Club.

Fresh off another top 10 finish on the DP World Tour this past weekend, Stony Mountain’s Aaron Cockerill checks in with Golf Manitoba Director of Communications & Development Brian Munz.

Cockerill discusses the current status of his game, how he now feels playing against the best in the world, managing family time and much more!