A big week is set for Pine Ridge Golf Club as the 2023 Diamond Athletic Men’s Mid-Amateur and Women’s Amateur Championships tee off Monday.

82 competitors are in the Men’s Mid-Amateur starting at 7:00am. There will be a new champion as Ryan Sholdice of Breezy Bend Country Club is not taking part.

For the opening round tee times, click here.

For the Diamond Athletic Men’s Mid-Amateur live leaderboard presented by Manitoba Blue Cross, click here.

Defending champion Jeri Lafleche of Clear Lake Golf Club is back to defend her title as one of 26 in the field for the Women’s Amateur.

For the opening round tee times, click here.

For the Diamond Athletic Women’s Amateur live leaderboard presented by Manitoba Blue Cross, click here.

Thailand’s Teerawut Boonseeor shot a one under par 71 Wednesday in his final round to win the Junior Boys Championship presented by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation.

The 14 year old finished the 54 hole event at Teulon Golf & Country Club with a one under 215 total, good for an eight stroke victory over Ryan Orchard (Carman Golf & Curling Club) and Grady Chuback (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club).

For the complete Junior Boys leaderboard presented by Manitoba Blue Cross, click here.

Off to represent Manitoba at the Canadian Junior Boys Championship are Orchard, Chuback and Terence Rafferty (Team Manitoba / Southwood Golf & Country Club).

Crystal Zamzow (Team Manitoba / Golf Manitoba Public Players Club) is the Junior Girls Champion shooting a final round two under par 70, good for a seven stroke victory over Jeri Lafleche (Clear Lake Golf Course).

For the complete Junior Girls leaderboard presented by Manitoba Blue Cross, click here.

Representing Manitoba at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship will be Zamzow, Lafleche and Cala Korman (Team Manitoba / Golf Manitoba Public Players Club).

Golf Manitoba would like to thank our Official Performance Partners:

adidas Golf Canada – Paige Lawrence, Territory Manager

Manitoba Blue Cross

Taylormade Canada – Eric Johnson Sales & Marketing Territory Manager

We appreciate the time and effort of the host club, Teulon Golf & Country Club led by co-owners Perry and Gary Dola, General Manager Janis Dola, Superintendent Braeden McGowan, their staff, club members and volunteers for their warm welcome.

New and exclusive Golf Manitoba coverage, presented by Manitoba Blue Cross, is available by following us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and online at www.golfmb.ca.

Crystal Zamzow (Team Manitoba / Golf Manitoba Public Players Club) shot even par 72 in her second round at the Teulon Golf & Country Club in the Junior Girls Championship presented by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation.

Zamzow’s two day total 151 is good for a two stroke lead on first round leader Jeri Lafleche (Clear Lake Golf Course) and Addison Kartusch (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club). Lafleche carded a 79 while Kartusch had a 77.

Zamzow also leads the 17 & 18 Age Group by nine strokes over Cala Korman (Team Manitoba / Golf Manitoba Public Players Club).

Lafleche and Kartusch share the lead in the 15 & 16 Age Group.

Jewel Lafleche (Clear Lake) is the lone participant in the 13 & 14 Age Group.

For the Junior Girls leaderboard presented by Manitoba Blue Cross, click here.

For Wednesday’s final round tee times, click here.

In the Junior Boys Championship, first round leader Teerawut Boonseeor of Thailand has a three stroke lead on Grady Chuback (Team Manitoba / St. Charles) after carding a 77 today. Chuback shot a 76.

In the 17& 18 Age Group, Chuback has a three stroke lead on Ryan Orchard (Carman Golf & Curling Club).

Terence Rafferty (Team Manitoba / Southwood Golf & Country Club) has a five stroke advantage over Payne Wood (Team Manitoba / St. Boniface Golf Club) and Jackson Delaurier (Team Manitoba / Dauphin Lake Golf Club) in the 15 & 16 Age Group.

Boonseeor has a 16 stroke cushion on Ty Brewster (Golf Manitoba Public Players Club) in the 13 & 14 Age Group.

In the opening round of the 12 and Under Age Group, Owen Conrad (Team Manitoba / St. Charles) has a three stroke on Hunter Oakden (Team Manitoba / Glendale Golf Club).

For the Junior Boys leaderboard presented by Manitoba Blue Cross, click here.

For Wednesday’s final round tee times, click here.

14 year old Teerawut Boonseeor of Thailand shot a five under par 67 Monday at the Teulon Golf & Country Club to open the Junior Boys & Girls Championships presented by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation.

Boonseeor, who had an eagle along with six birdies, has a four stroke lead in the overall Junior Boys event on Grady Chuback (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club).

Chuback’s one under par 71 is good for a two stroke lead over Carson Inman (Team Manitoba / Breezy Bend Country Club) in the 17 & 18 Age Group.

Terence Rafferty (Team Manitoba / Southwood Golf & Country Club) shot a one over par 73 to lead the 15 & 16 Age Group by four strokes over Payne Wood (Team Manitoba / St. Boniface Golf Club) and Jackson Delaurier (Team Manitoba / Dauphin Lake Golf Club).

Boonseeor’s 67 is good for a 14 stroke lead over Ty Brewster (Golf Manitoba Public Players Club) in the 13 & 14 Age Group.

For the Junior Boys leaderboard presented by Manitoba Blue Cross, click here.

For Tuesday’s second round tee times, click here.

In the Junior Girls Championship, Jeri Lafleche (Clear Lake Golf Course) shot a two over par 74, good for a two stroke lead on defending champion Addison Kartusch (Team Manitoba / St. Charles). On a blustery day with winds reaching 40 kilometers an hour, Lafleche carded a steady back nine score of one under par 35 featuring a birdie on the 12th hole along with eight pars.

Crystal Zamzow (Team Manitoba / Golf Manitoba Public Players Club) leads the 17 & 18 Age Group by two strokes over Keira Krahn (Team Manitoba / Carman Golf & Curling Club) opening with a 79.

Lafleche and Kartusch are the top two players in the 15 & 16 Age Group by 13 and 11 strokes respectively ahead of India Young (Team Manitoba / Carman).

Jewel Lafleche (Clear Lake) shot an 84. She is the lone participant in the 13 & 14 Age Group.

For the Junior Girls leaderboard presented by Manitoba Blue Cross, click here.

For Tuesday’s second round tee times, click here.

72 of the top junior golfers are set to tee off this week at the Teulon Golf & Country Club for the 2023 Junior Boys & Girls Championship presented by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation.

There will be a new champion in the field of 50 Junior Boys as two time defending champ Braxton Kuntz (Breezy Bend Country Club) is no longer eligible.

Elmhurst Invitational Junior Boys Division Champion Grady Chuback (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club) will be first to tee off Monday morning at 10:00am.

For Junior Boys tee times, click here.

For the Junior Boys leaderboard presented by Manitoba Blue Cross, click here.

Highlighting the field of 11 junior girls are 2022 defending champion Addison Kartusch (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club) and Golf Manitoba Public Players Club member Crystal Zamzow (Team Manitoba). Zamzow, who won this championship in 2020, is also coming off an Elmhurst Invitational Championship in the Junior Girls Division.

For Junior Girls tee times, click here.

For the Junior Girls leaderboard presented by Manitoba Blue Cross, click here.

In recent years, some people have called for municipalities to repurpose city-owned public golf courses for other uses like housing or parks. They believe that golf is a sport exclusive to the affluent and that the land used for municipal golf courses does not cater to a broad or diverse group of residents.

As the national governing body for golf in Canada, we fundamentally disagree and encourage people who hold this view to learn more about the modern realities of our sport. Golf will be played by approximately 6 million Canadians from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds this year. In fact, golf is now the most-played sport in Canada.

Municipal courses provide affordable golf opportunities for people of various ages and economic means. They also serve as community hubs for recreation, events and gatherings that bring together people from all walks of life. In Canada’s major cities, it’s common to see people hopping on public transit or riding their bicycles with golf bags on their back as they head to their local municipal golf course for social time outdoors and away from their screens.

City governments should treat municipal golf courses as community resources that support the health and well-being of residents. Recent research has shown golf is a sport that encourages physical activity, mental well-being, cardiovascular health and muscular strength and flexibility, while also providing safe and fun opportunities for in-person social interaction. Golfers walk between six and eight kilometres over 18 holes, burning up to 2,000 calories.

Municipal golf courses are especially welcoming for kids and offer high-quality youth recreation at an affordable price. For example, an annual junior pass providing access to all five of Toronto’s municipal courses costs $378, with financial aid also available for qualifying families. An annual pass to Cedar Hill Golf Course in Victoria costs $325. Membership at a municipal golf course provides kids with an entire spring, summer and fall’s worth of outdoor activity and in-person social time for a cost that is more affordable than many other activities.

Some junior golfers at municipal courses dream of becoming the next Brooke Henderson or Nick Taylor, while others simply enjoy having fun with their friends. Several municipal golf courses across Canada allow junior golfers to play for only $5 per round through Golf Canada’s Youth on Course program. And other municipal courses also operate First Tee, a program that introduces golf to Canadian youth of all backgrounds and teaches them life skills through the sport. RBC, a major sponsor of professional golf, including the RBC Canadian Open, has also invested significantly in these grassroots programs to help them thrive at municipal courses.

In addition to being affordable, municipal golf courses are highly utilized outdoor green spaces. They are constantly occupied from sunrise to sunset due to golf’s format, which allows for a continuous flow of players. Different than soccer fields and baseball fields, municipal golf courses are used all day by golfers engaging in physical activity, whether it be during early morning tee times or late afternoon rounds. And in winter months, municipal golf courses are used for non-golf outdoor recreational activities of all kinds, such as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Municipal golf courses are important sources of health and physical activity for a broad cross section of Canadians from varied socioeconomic backgrounds. By prioritizing them, municipalities can demonstrate a commitment to the well-being of their communities, while also providing accessible and affordable opportunities for residents to enjoy the numerous benefits that golf offers. We encourage city governments to think of municipal golf courses just as they do other recreational facilities — as key contributors to healthier, more connected and inclusive communities.

Written by: Kevin Blue, Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer

A look at the Kenora Golf & Country Club with Facility Manager & Head Professional Jennifer Hollins.

For more details on the Kenora Golf & Country Club, click here.

Marco Trstenjak (Elmhurst Golf & Country Club) and Crystal Zamzow (Team Manitoba / Swan River Golf & Country Club) each carded a two under par 69 in their final round to win their respective division championship Sunday at the 2023 Elmhurst Invitational.

Trstenjak’s 138 two day total was good for a one stroke victory over fellow club member Ryan McMillan.

Zamzow started the day with three consecutive bogies before making seven birdies on her way to a one stroke victory in the Junior Girls Division over Addison Kartusch (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club).

Junior Boys Division Champion Grady Chuback (Team Manitoba / St. Charles) was the only player that did not go right to the wire. He shot a 73 in his final round, good for an eight stroke decision over Zostrianos Gross (Shilo Country Club).

For the complete leaderboard, click here.

As previously announced in February, thanks to the generous contributions of the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation and in partnership with the Elmhurst Golf & Country and Golf Manitoba, the winners of each division in the 2023 event received a spot in the respective Golf Canada Canadian Junior Championship along with financial travel support.

Once again this year, an exemption was available to either the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship or the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Champion for the winner in this year’s men’s field.

The province’s top amateur golfers are at Elmhurst Golf & Country Club this weekend competing in the Elmhurst Invitational Amateur Championship.

The 36 hole event teed off yesterday and will conclude tonight with the crowning of a junior girls, junior boys and men’s division champion.

Entering today’s final round:

Junior Girls: Addison Kartusch +2, 75 (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club) has a five stroke lead on Crystal Zamzow +7, 80 (Team Manitoba / Swan River Golf & Country Club).

Junior Boys: Grady Chuback -2, 69 (Team Manitoba / St. Charles) has a five stroke lead on Terence Rafferty +3, 74 (Team Manitoba / Southwood Golf & Country Club)

Men’s: Ryan McMillan -5, 66 (Elmhurst) has a three stroke lead on Jack Werhun (Elmhurst), Marco Trstenjak (Elmhurst), Neel Soni (St. Charles) and Grady Chuback (Team Manitoba / St. Charles) -2, 69.

SUNDAY’S TEE TIMES

LIVE LEADERBOARD

Congratulations to Taylormade Canada’s Eric Johnson (Breezy Bend Country Club) on a hole in one during his opening round acing the 11th hole.

As previously announced in February, this year’s championship will see the addition of Golf Manitoba’s top junior boys and girls players to the field. Thanks to the generous contributions of the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation and in partnership with the Elmhurst Golf & Country and Golf Manitoba, the winners of each division in the 2023 event receive a spot in the respective Golf Canada Canadian Junior Championship along with financial travel support.

“I am thrilled to see this opportunity presented to our junior players” said Golf Manitoba Executive Director Jared Ladobruk. “The Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation has been such a tremendous partner in helping us to grow our junior programming and this is another example of their dedication to junior golf in Manitoba. I also want to thank the membership of the Elmhurst Golf & Country Club for their support of player development in our province in adding a junior division to this great event.”

“We are delighted as a club to be able to carry on the Colonello name and its legacy of supporting junior golf,” added Elmhurst Golf & Country Club Director of Golf Operations Dave McMillan. “Alex and Peggy were both honorary life members of Elmhurst and did so much for the club and continue to give back to Manitoba Golf through their foundation. We are happy to be able to affiliate The Elmhurst Invitational with Alex and Peggy’s vision of providing opportunities for junior golfers at their long-time golf home. I want to thank Golf Manitoba’s Jared Ladobruk for their partnership, supporting the event through the years, and moving ahead with this new initiative. Special thanks to the members of Elmhurst, long-time member and former champion John Multan and Head Professional Matt Lorenz for keeping the event alive and well. We look forward to celebrating the event’s rich tradition and adding the Colonello foundation’s support will only enhance the event for years to come.”

Once again this year, an exemption will be available to either the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship or the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Champion for the winner in this year’s men’s field. Invitation criteria will be adjusted and subject to the approval of the tournament committee as well as Golf Manitoba being able to accommodate the junior players on the field.

Founded in 2003 by long-time Elmhurst member John Multan, the Elmhurst Invitational Amateur Championship has become one of the highest regarded amateur events held in the province outside of the Golf Manitoba championship calendar. The field is continually one of the strongest of the year with most of the province’s top players taking part.

Past champions include the likes of the DP World Tour’s Aaron Cockerill, along with past Manitoba Men’s Amateur Champions Garth Collings, Derek East, Todd Fanning, Matt Johnston, Brad Kirton, Justin McDonald, Peter More and Marco Trstenjak.

Southwood Golf & Country Club is hosting the 2023 CentrePort Canada Rail Park Manitoba Open August 24 – 27, 2023 and the Volunteer Tournament Committee is actively recruiting volunteers to help make this year’s event another success, not only for the charity it supports, but for our golfing community and our city as a whole.

In 2022, $115,00 was raised for the True North Youth Foundation (TNYF)  and we are excited to announce that TNYF will once again be the charitable partner with the tournament will once again donate all net proceeds to the Foundation’s Project 11 Mental Wellness Program and Camp Manitou.

Your $39.00 registration fee entitles you to a CenterPort Canada Rail Park Manitoba Open logoed uniform (shirt / hat combo with retail value of $90), plus a minimum of one daily breakfast or lunch buffet during your volunteer shift(s) (retail value $25 each).

Charity, merchandise and great food, plus an “inside the ropes” experience at the PGA TOUR Canada’s only stop in Manitoba, is a combination that is hard to beat! Volunteer positions in scoring, admissions, marshaling, hospitality and event setup are just some of the ways you can get involved.

Please consider supporting the golfing community by volunteering. To register, go to: www.manitobaopen.com

Have questions or need help registering? Please contact Pat MacKichan at volunteerservices@manitobaopen.com.