96 of Manitoba’s top senior golfers gather at the Steinbach Fly-In Golf Club Wednesday through Friday to compete in the Hodson Financial Women’s & Men’s Senior Championship.

Rhonda Orr of the Southwood Golf & Country Club is vying for her sixth straight women’s championship as she returns to defend her title amongst the field of 24 golfers.

Last year at the Carman Golf & Curling Club, Orr was a winner by nine strokes over Tammy Gibson of the Niakwa Country Club.

For the opening round tee times, click here.

72 Men are vying for the 2021 championship, including the defending champion and runner up from last year’s event.

Bruce North, who earned a one stroke victory on his home course over St. Boniface Golf Club’s Mike Walker, are both in this year’s field.

Two years ago, Walker was the two stroke winner over North at the Rossmere Country Club in 2019. North also won in 2018.

For the opening round tee times, click here.

A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C. (pictured) opened with a six under par 65 for the clubhouse lead through the first round of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at the Ambassador Golf Club in Windsor, Ontario.

Marco Trstenjak of Elmhurst Golf & Country Club is the top Mantioban tied for 29th on the leaderboard shooting even par 71.

Also representing our province are:

Stefan Lavallee (Niakwa Country Club) +2, 73
Neel Soni (St. Charles Country Club) +2, 73
Ryan Sholdice (Breezy Bend Country Club) +4, 75
Justin McDonald (Breezy Bend Country Club) +4, 75
Drew Jones (Shilo Country Club) +5, 76
Jacob Armstrong (St. Boniface Golf Club) +8, 79

For the complete leaderboard, click here.

Winnipeg’s Derek Ingram, Golf Canada Head Coach, recaps the Men’s Golf Competition and shares his experiences with Golf Manitoba Director of Communications Brian Munz.

Like many athletes in a training environment over the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruption to competitive opportunities for junior golfers in Canada. To facilitate the selection of participants for the 2021-2022 National Junior Squad, Golf Canada will hold a National Junior Selection Camp from August 29 through September 3 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont. 

Approximately 50 junior boys and girls who have not reached their 19^th birthday by August 1, 2021, will be invited to participate in the National Junior Selection Camp. The camp will include skills testing as well as a 54-hole stroke-play competition that will award World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points. 

Performance at the camp will be considered alongside results from recent competitions to assist Golf Canada in selecting participants for the 2021-2022 National Junior Squad. Additional details about final squad selection will be released later the summer. 

The 54-hole competition at the selection camp will also be used to fill remaining spots for Canada’s team at the World Junior Girls Championship in late September (Markham, Ontario), should this international competition gain government approval to proceed. More information about selection for the World Junior Girls team can be found at this link. 

There are several ways that athletes may qualify for the National Junior Selection Camp. Players who meet any of the following criteria will automatically qualify:

• Age eligible members of the 2020-2021 National Junior Squad.
• Any junior girls ranked within the top-750 on the WAGR and any junior boys ranked within the top-1250 on WAGR as of August 4, 2021.
• Canadian national junior and juvenile champions (boys and girls) from 2021.
• Champions from each of the ten provincial junior championships from 2021, provided the winning total score is even par or better and the championship has concluded before August 9,  2021.

In addition, each provincial golf association may nominate athletes for consideration, and athletes may apply to the camp directly by completing the application form at this link by August 9. Complete information about qualification criteria for the National Junior Selection Camp should be reviewed here. 

Selected athletes should plan to arrive for the camp in the afternoon or evening on August 29 and depart in the afternoon on September 3. Skills testing and practice rounds will take place on August 30 and August 31. Competitive rounds will occur on the North course at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley on September 1-3. 

Golf Canada will provide camp participants with a stipend to cover the cost of travel and accommodations while parents are invited to attend the camp at their own expense. 

Please contact Brian Newton (bnewton@golfcanada.ca) with any questions.

General Manager Corey Braaksma tells us about his course, located west of Winnipeg.

For more details, click here or call (204) 735-3000.

Today, Wednesday, July 28, 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of Kildonan Park Golf Course in Winnipeg.

Golf Manitoba Director of Communications Brian Munz caught up with Ben Fey, General Manager of the City of Winnipeg Golf Services, to discuss the history of the course and what today’s festivities will entail.

Winnipeg’s Veronica van der Meer, a Golf Manitoba Public Players Club member, is the low Manitoban after the opening round of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship in Edmonton.

van der Meer shot a five over par 77 and sits tied for 41st on the leaderboard at the Petroleum Golf & Country Club.

Rhonda Orr of Southwood Golf & Country Club, St. Charles Country Club’s Hannah Diamond and Golf Manitoba Public Players club member Cala Korman all shot 83 while Clara Peake of Binscarth carded an 86.

For the complete opening round leaderboard, click here.

Dean North of the Carman Golf Club shot back to back 69’s over the last two days to claim the PGA of Manitoba Callaway PGA Championship at the Elmhurst Golf & Country Club.

North, who finished two under par each day, earned a five stroke victory over Devon Shade (69-74) of the host course and Minnewasta Golf & Country Club’s Geoff Kehler (72-71).

Colwyn Abgrall of Golf Tec finished fourth on the leaderboard with a two day total 144 (74-70), while first round leader Kevin Giesbrecht of the Assiniboine Golf Club rounded out the top five at 147 (68-79).

The next PGA of Manitoba event is the Taylormade adidas Fall Championship August 23 & 24 at Larters at St. Andrews Golf & Country Club.

Assiniboine Golf Club’s Kevin Giesbrecht has a one stroke lead heading into Tuesday’s final round of the PGA of Manitoba Callaway PGA Championship at the Elmhurst Golf & Country Club.

Giesbrecht’s three under par 68 bettered Dean North of Carman Golf & Curling Club and Devon Shade of the host course.

Derrik Goodwin of St. Charles Country Club (pictured)

The second and final round is underway.

Two spots were up for grabs this afternoon at Bridges Golf Course as four players came out the Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur Championship with identical four day scores.

Marco Trstenjak of Elmhurst Golf & Country Club, Niakwa Country Club’s Stefan Lavallee and Connor Stewart along with Mark Kerkowich of the host Neepawa Golf and Country Club ended play last Sunday at 291.

Today, Trstenjak had the low round carding a two under par 70, while Lavallee finished at 77 edging both Stewart and Kerkowich by a single stroke.

Trstenjak and Lavallee will join Breezy Bend Country Club’s Justin McDonald and Ryan Sholdice along with St. Boniface Golf Club’s Jacob Armstrong and Drew Jones of the Shilo Country Club at the Canadian Men’s Amateur August 2nd to 5th in Windsor, Ontario.