Braxton Kuntz of Breezy Bend Country Club shot a four under par 68 at Glendale Golf and Country Club to finish with the low score of 59 Amateur Men vying for a spot in the 2023 Manitoba Match Play Championship presented by St. Vital Dental Centre.

Kuntz finished one stroke better than 2022 Amateur Men’s Champion Marco Trstenjak of Elmhurst Golf & Country Club and Wheat City Golf Course’s Evan Nachtigall. Allan McDonald of Breezy Bend Country Club (70) was the only other player in the 108 person field to break par

2021 Amateur Women’s Champion and Team Manitoba member Addison Kartusch of St. Charles Country Club along with Jay Doyle of Niakwa Country Club each finished their 18 holes at even par 72 to card the best respective score of the 12 Amateur Women and 35 Senior Men taking part.

For the complete Manitoba Blue Cross leaderboard, click here.

The three division brackets will be announced Tuesday afternoon.

Four days of Match Play competition gets underway Thursday, June 1, also at Glendale.

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.

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.

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.

Manitoba’s Aaron Cockerill lost on a second playoff hole to finish in second spot Sunday at the ISPS Handa Championship on the DP World Tour.

Shooting a final round two under par 68 to finish 72 holes at -15, Cockerill would go on to par both playoff holes, while Lucas Herbert of Australia birdied the second extra hole to win.

Cockerill’s landing spot on this week’s leaderboard earns him just shy of $300,000.

For the complete leaderboard, click here.

WATCH | third round POST ROUND INTERVIEW (courtesy DP World Tour)

WATCH | first round POST ROUND INTERVIEW (courtesy DP World Tour)

General registration for most Golf Manitoba championships is now open.

To be eligible to compete in all Golf Manitoba competitions, players must be an active Golf Manitoba/Canada member and must also hold a current Golf Canada Handicap Index.

Players who do not have an active Golf Manitoba/Canada membership through a member club or league can click HERE to learn more and join.

The championship registration process is easier, less time consuming and accessible through Golf Canada’s Score Centre.

To enter all Golf Manitoba events, you must first log into your Golf Canada Score Centre profile using a web browser and select the competitions tab found under the user menu on the top right-hand side of the web page.

Registration is open for the following:

• Match Play Championship presented by St. Vital Dental Centre
• Diamond Athletic Women’s Amateur Qualifier
• Diamond Athletic Men’s Mid-Amateur Qualifier
• Junior Girls Championship presented by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation
• Junior Boys Championship presented by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation
• Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur Championship
• Hodson Financial Women’s Senior Championship
• Hodson Financial Men’s Senior Championship

Registration for our final six championships will be announced at a later date.

Please note that personal Golf Genius accounts that are active at the club level will not permit you to register for any Golf Manitoba Championship. 

New for 2023, entry deadlines for most events will now close 14 days prior to the start of the championship.

If you have any questions regarding registration, please do not hesitate to contact Amy at amy@golfmb.ca.

You can view the 2023 championship schedule and register HERE.

Your League Levelled Up!

(April 3, 2023) – Golf Canada has announced the launch of The National Golf League (NGL), a nationwide network of existing recreational golf leagues designed to enhance the league experience for participants and generate charitable support for First Tee – Canada.

Built for golfers of all skill levels, the National Golf League will feature a six-week regular season that takes place within existing recreational league play during the summer. A series of regional playoff tournaments across Canada will take place in the fall at premium golf courses. The National Golf League will culminate with the NGL National Championship at Hamilton Golf and Country Club as part of the 2024 RBC Canadian Open tournament week celebration.

The National Golf League will also contribute to the development of a more sustainable and inclusive future for the sport by supporting a charitable component through First Tee – Canada. First Tee is a youth development program that provides accessible pathways to golf participation at schools, community centres, and golf courses across the country.

“League play is one of the most popular ways that Canadians engage with golf. The National Golf League will build on the fun that league golfers already have by supplementing and levelling up existing leagues through a national platform for regular season play and an exciting and unique playoff format,” said Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer, Kevin Blue. “The National Golf League will also provide important charitable support to First Tee – Canada, a program that creates youth participation opportunities for the next generation of recreational golfers.”

National Golf League competitions will utilize an official Golf Canada Handicap applied towards a net Stableford scoring system that allows golfers to earn points for the net score they record on each hole.

Regular season NGL competition will take place over nine holes during six weeks of identified league play called “NGL Majors” that are integrated into existing league play and scheduled at the convenience of the local league operator. A golfer’s best four net Stableford point totals of the six NGL Majors will count towards their season-long points total on the NGL leaderboard.

A portion of the top regular season finishers in each participating league will qualify for the NGL Regional Playoffs, which will take place at premium courses across Canada. Qualifying golfers will select a guest teammate who also played in their regular season league and participate as a team of two in a best-ball net Stableford competition over 18 holes. Successful teams in the NGL Regional Playoffs will earn an all-expenses-paid trip to the NGL National Championship.

The NGL is open to recreational golf leagues played at both private and public courses. Participants must be Golf Canada members to ensure an official handicap is used. There is no registration fee for golfers or leagues to join the National Golf League. Participants will be asked to support First Tee – Canada in their home province by way of donation.

The size of the National Golf League will be limited in its launch year to ensure a positive experience for players and league operators. A limited number of spots remain for leagues to join the National Golf League in 2023—interested league operators should contact Ryan Logan (rlogan@golfcanada.ca) to express interest before April 15. For more information visit NationalGolfLeague.ca.

Manitoba’s Aaron Cockerill saved his best for the final round during this week’s stop on the DP World Tour.

Cockerill shot a seven under par 65 in the Jonsson Workwear Open at The Club at Steyn City in Johannesburg, South Africa to finish play at 16 under par 272, tied for 13th on the leaderboard.

His scorecard included an eagle on the third hole, birdies on the seventh, 10th, 11th, 15th and 16th holes along with 12 pars.

Cockerill opened play Thursday shooting a six under par 66.

For the complete leaderboard, click here.