The 2023 Golf Manitoba Championship calendar tees off Saturday afternoon at Glendale Golf & Country Club as 108 competitors will take part in the Manitoba Match Play Championship Qualifier presented by St. Vital Dental Centre.

They are vying for a spot in the brackets of 32 men, eight women and 32 senior men June 1st to 4th, also at Glendale.

Marco Trstenjak of Elmhurst Golf & Country Club and Rossmere Country Club’s Rob Oliphant return to defend their respective men’s and senior men’s championship. Trstenjak defeated Joe Scharf of Whitewater Golf Club 2&1 in last year’s men’s final while Oliphant earned a 7&6 victory over Golf Manitoba Public Players Club member David Klowak.

There will be a new women’s champion as Niakwa Country Club’s Marissa Naylor is not taking part. Last year’s runner up, Golf Manitoba Public Players Club member Clara Peake, is one of 13 vying for this year’s title.

For Saturday’s tee times, click here.

As our 2023 championship season begins, Golf Manitoba would like to welcome back our Official Performance Partners:

adidas Golf Canada – Paige Lawrence, Territory Manager

Taylormade Canada – Eric Johnson, Sales & Marketing Territory Manager

Stay connected on the course by following Golf Manitoba’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts for live coverage.

Golf Manitoba, in association with Golf Canada, is pleased to welcome to Maplewood Golf Club as our newest member club.

Located 25 minutes south of Winnipeg along Highway #59, this 18 hole course can be played from three sets of tee boxes ranging from 4,538 to 5,697 yards.

“For the first time golfer coming to learn the game or for the foursome looking for some competition, we are a great golf destination” said Alex Edney, General Manager of Maplewood Golf Club.

Upon arrival for your round, a putting green is available prior to tee off along with a full serve menu to enjoy inside the restaurant and proshop. A new clubhouse is currently under construction opening next summer.

“Something unique about our course is during the week we offer a round of golf and riding cart for only $55” added Edney.

As an official Golf Manitoba / Canada member club, all rounds played at Maplewood Golf Club are acceptable for handicap purposes and may be recorded toward establishing or maintaining an official Golf Canada Handicap Index.

For tee times and more information call (204) 433-3344, or visit them online at www.maplewood.golf.

Dean North of the Carman Golf Club carded a three over par 73 Wednesday afternoon at Rossmere Country Club to win the PGA of Manitoba’s Titleist & FootJoy Spring Classic.

It was the second of 19 events on the calendar this season.

North’s 18 hole total was good for a one stroke victory over Minnedosa Golf Club’s Patrick Law and Bret Thompson of the Golf Mentor.

Cory Kartusch of St. Charles Country Club and Gavin March of Rossmere Country Club rounded out the top five on the leaderboard shooting a 75.

Golf Manitoba is pleased to announce that the 2023 Junior Skills Challenge has been scheduled for July 16 and will again be held at the Southwood Golf & Country Club.

Junior Skills Challenge is an online and interactive program that focuses on developing the key golf skills of putting, chipping and driving. Participants in the Golf Manitoba event will be eligible to qualify for the Junior Skills Challenge National Event that will be hosted by Golf Canada August 19 & 20, 2023 at Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club.

Junior skills challenge is open to junior golfers of all skill levels and who under the age of 15. Participants will be grouped based on the following age categories:

• U8 Boys & Girls
• U12 Boys & Girls
• U14 Boys & Girls
   

The Golf Manitoba Junior Skills Challenge is proudly supported by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation. Through the generosity of the Foundation, Golf Manitoba is able to offer this event at no cost to participants.

To register for the event, please click here. For more information about Junior Skills Challenge, please visit juniorskillschallenge.ca. 

It was another special night at Niakwa Country Club as the golf community gathered to celebrate the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2021.

The festivities had been on hold due to COVID, however those in attendance were honoured and welcomed with open arms.

The 2021 Class included Donna Brownridge, Derrick Chlopecki, Gerald Morrissey, and the 1991 Manitoba Junior Girls Interprovincial Team Champions.

In the Athlete category, Brownridge finished 3^rd in the Manitoba Amateur in 2001 and qualified for the interprovincial Women’s Amateur Team in 2001 (alternate), 2002 and 2003. She qualified for the Western Amateur Team in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 while also qualifying for the Manitoba Women’s Senior Team in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2012. In 2003, Team Manitoba finished in 3^rd place. Brownridge was a member of the winning Nassau League team representing Elmhurst G & CC in 1986, 1987, 1999, 2006, 2007, 2014 and 2014. She was a member of the winning team in the Manitoba Ladies Interclub Championship representing Elmhurst G & CC in 1976, 1979, 1986, 1987, 1989, and 1990. Her resume includes twice winning the Tamarack women’s match play along with twice winning the Elmhurst Club Championship and won the Elmhurst Ladies’ Open.

In addition to her playing record, Donna had a long history of club volunteerism acting as captain of the Elmhurst Ladies Nassau Team from 2003-2006 and 2011-2013. She was also the Nassau League President in 2014-15. Brownridge also served for 12 years on the Elmhurst Board of Governors and become the first (and only) female president in the club’s 114-year history (as of April 2020).  Brownridge was also the researcher and author of the golf history book “Elmhurst – The Home of Champions” that was completed in 2014.

Donna Brownridge passed away on December 18, 2020.

In the Builders Catagory, Chlopecki started his career in the golf industry in 1987 as the Equipment Technician at the Rossmere Country Club. In 1991 he assumed the role of Superintendent.  Derrick was hired in 1993 as Superintendent at the Pine Ridge Golf Club, a position that he still holds to this day.  During his 29 years at Pine Ridge, Derrick has consistently delivered exceptional course conditions for its membership and has hosted numerous club, provincial, national and professional events including an impressive 22 years as the host Superintendent of the Manitoba Open.  Derrick has been the host Superintendent 23% of all Manitoba Opens hosted in the events 100+ year history.

Chlopecki, a long-time member of the Manitoba Golf Superintendents’ Association, was named Superintendent of the Year by his peers in 2017.

Morrissey joins the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame in the Athletes Category following his time as the head golf professional at the Rossmere Country Club from 1958 to 1991. “Moose” as his peers would call him, lived his 34-year golf career by playing and promoting the sport to which he devoted so much to.  During his tenure, he amassed an impressive playing record including two-time PGA of Manitoba Zone Senior Champion, 4-time Kenora Open champion, 3-time Falcon Beach Open champion, 2-time Pine Falls Open champion, 2 Brandon Western Open Championships, won the PGA of Canada Team Pro-am at Disney World in Florida, 3 top-ten finishes in the Manitoba Open in addition to numerous PGA of Manitoba Zone events and pro-am victories.  In 1991, he was awarded the PGA of Manitoba Zone Club Professional Award.

Morrisey was also an avid promoter of the sport where he taught golf lessons at the Y.M.C.A, and local schools.  He also organized indoor golf lessons and numerous golf tours and trips for his members and students to within Canada, the South Pacific, Europe and Australia and New Zealand.

A 62-year member of the PGA of Canada, Morrissey served as the president of the PGA of Manitoba Zone in 1967-68, was a member of the Board of Directors for the PGA of Canada from 1966-68 and was vice-captain of the PGA of Canada in 1968.  In 1997 and at the PGA of Canada Annual Meeting, he was awarded Life Membership status.

The 1991 Manitoba Junior Girls Interprovincial Team of Raina Best, Brionie Brown, Angela Daykin and Christine Power entered the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame in the Team Catagory.

They finished in first place, on home soil, by shooting a 36-hole team score of 500 and six shots clear of second place Team Alberta (506).  The team championship was conducted during the first two days of 1991 Canadian Junior Girls Championship that was held August 21-24 at the Pine Ridge Golf Club in Sunnyside, Manitoba.

To view the photo gallery from the 2021 induction ceremony, please click here.

About the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame & Museum Inc. – The Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame & Museum Inc. was formed to acknowledge the contributions and accomplishments made by Manitobans as competitors, both amateur and professional, builders and course superintendents to the game of golf.  It is a tripartite organization, the partners being Golf Manitoba, Manitoba Golf Superintendents’ Association and the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) of Manitoba. The annual induction ceremony is sponsored by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation.

Individual members and member clubs wishing to nominate an individual (amateur or professional golfers, superintendents, builders, media, etc.) for the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame may obtain nomination forms through any of the three member organizations or at manitobagolfhalloffame.com.

For the second time in five tournaments, Manitoba’s Aaron Cockerill has cracked the top 10.

Cockerill finished the DP World Tour’s Soudal Open in Belgium at 11 under par 273.

He opened the tournament with consecutive rounds of one under par 70, carded a five under par 66 in round three and concluded play with a four under par 67. Saturday’s third round featured an eagle on the par four, eighth hole.

For the complete leaderboard, click here.

In the past five DP World Golf events, Cockerill has finished T10, T16, T21, 2nd and T13.

One of the hottest golfers on the planet is sure to be a fan-favourite at Oakdale Golf and Country Club in Toronto as world no. 6 Matthew Fitzpatrick will compete in the 2023 RBC Canadian Open.

Competing in his third RBC Canadian Open, the 28-year-old Englishman is having a stellar 2023 season with three top-10 finishes including a victory at the recent RBC Heritage and a T10 finish at The Masters. Currently ranked no. 22 on the 2022 FedEx Cup, Fitzpatrick, a two-time winner on the PGA TOUR, six-time winner on the DP World Tour, and two-time Ryder Cup team member will compete in Canada’s National Open Championship before defending his U.S. Open title the next week at L.A. Country Club.

“I am really looking forward to returning to Canada and competing in the RBC Canadian Open in front of the amazing Canadian golf fans,” said Fitzpatrick. “Having won the RBC Heritage last month, I am hopeful to play well at Oakdale and keep that momentum going into the U.S. Open.”

Fitzpatrick joins an emerging field headlined by two-time defending champion and world no. 3 Rory McIlroy who will be looking to become the first player to win three consecutive RBC Canadian Open titles. A victory for McIlroy would make him only the fourth three-time champion, joining Tommy Armour, Sam Snead, and Lee Trevino. Leo Deigel’s four victories are the most in the tournament’s storied history.

McIlroy and Fitzpatrick will be joined by fellow European stars Tommy Fleetwood as well as Shane Lowry. The world no. 23 ranked Lowry is a two-time PGA TOUR winner and a past Open Championship winner while Fleetwood, who has two top-10 PGA TOUR finishes this season, has won seven international titles, and is ranked no. 25 in the world.

The group will compete alongside Team RBC ambassadors Sam Burns (world no. 13), Cameron Young (world no. 16), Sahith Theegala (world no. 24), seven-time PGA TOUR winner Webb Simpson, and nine-time PGA TOUR winner Matt Kuchar.

A full Canadian contingent will also challenge for the national championship led by PGA TOUR winners Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont. (world no. 30), Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont. (world no. 57), Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C. (world no. 56), Nick Taylor of Abbottsford, B.C. (world no. 65), and Adam Hadwin of Abbottsford, B.C. (world no. 71) as well as fellow PGA TOUR members Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont. and Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont.

A trio of Canadians have also accepted tournament exemptions to compete at Oakdale including Manitoba’s Aaron Cockerill who is currently ranked 24^th on the DP World Tour as well as Thornhill, Ont. native Ben Silverman who won on the Korn Ferry Tour earlier this year to sit second on the Tour’s 2023 Points List.

Also accepting an exemption to compete is Canadian golf icon and President’s Cup International Team Captain Mike Weir of Bright’s Grove, Ont. who will be competing in his 31^st  RBC Canadian Open, one back of fellow Canadian Golf Hall of Famer George Cummings who had a record 32 starts in Canada’s National Open Championship.

In addition to world class golf, fans at the 2023 RBC Canadian Open will be treated to the two-night RBCxMusic Concert Series onsite at Oakdale Golf and Country with Grammy Award-winning pop group, the Black Eyed Peas performing on Friday, June 9 and Canadian Grammy Award-winning icon Alanis Morissette performing on Saturday, June 10.

“We are less than 40 days away from the RBC Canadian Open and extremely excited to get the tournament started,” said Bryan Crawford, Tournament Director, RBC Canadian Open. “Oakdale Golf and Country Club in the heart of Toronto joins our host club rotation for the first time and will present a great test of golf for the world’s best players. Our partners have leaned into our National Open Championship in a major way to deliver a truly immersive fan festival experience as a kickoff to summer.”

Tickets for the 2023 RBC Canadian Open are available here. Children aged 12-and-under get free admission with a ticketed adult.

Team Manitoba gathered at Southwood Golf & Country Club this past weekend gearing up for the 2023 season. It was the first time both the boys and girls teams had a chance to work together outdoors after a long winter indoors.

A near-win at the ISPS Handa Championship has Canada’s Aaron Cockerill dreaming of the first major of his career.

Cockerill lost to Australia’s Lucas Herbert in a two-hole playoff at PGM Ishioka Golf Club in Omitama, Japan, on Sunday. That second-place finish moved Cockerill up to 25th on the DP World Tour’s points list and within range of a berth at the upcoming British Open.

“If I keep moving up and stay high on the Race to Dubai standings, there’s a chance that I could play in maybe a couple of majors this year, which would be a first for me,” said Cockerill, who is based in Dubai and is a regular on the Europe-based DP World Tour.

Cockerill, who is from Stony Mountain, Man., has until June 28 to qualify himself for the British Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club on July 16. His clearest route is to be one of the top five players, not already exempt for the Open, within the top 20 of the Race to Dubai Rankings through the BMW International Open in Munich.

Currently sitting 25th on that list has him within an iron’s distance of that goal, especially as several players ahead of him in the DP World Tour rankings – like former British Open champion Rory McIlroy and world No. 1 Jon Rahm – already have spots at the prestigious event based on other qualifications.

Cockerill also moved up to 250th in the men’s world golf rankings, the highest Canadian not on the PGA Tour. Golf Canada recognized him as its player of the week for the strong showing in Japan.

He said it was “pretty cool” to be recognized by the national sport organization.

“I feel like sometimes it’s harder to keep track of golf over on the European Tour with the time zones and everything like that,” said Cockerill from Incheon, South Korea, where he will play in this week’s Korea Championship presented by Genesis. “It’s a little bit of an acknowledgment and some people who may forget about (the tour) will maybe tune in and pay attention to the golf on our tour as well.”

The 31-year-old Cockerill said that his game has been rounding into form this season because he’s more mature and that “all the boring stuff” is adding up.

“I take care of myself, I don’t really go out, I’m not drinking a whole lot,” said Cockerill. “I’m pretty disciplined with my practice. I set up a schedule of what I want to do every single week on tour, and I just tick them off, tick off the boxes and make sure I complete all my drills and games and maintenance things that I need to do throughout the week.”

It is with great sadness that Golf Manitoba mourns the loss of volunteer and friend, Mrs. Marion Goehring. Marion passed away on April 5, 2023.

Marion had been volunteering with Golf Manitoba since 2004 and was a long-time member of the Breezy Bend Country Club.

You can read her obituary here.