Carerra wins Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship; Trstenjak top Manitoban
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When Luis Carrera woke up Thursday morning over 4800 kilometres from his hometown in Mexico City, Mexico, the Canadian Men’s Amateur title was an attainable dream he could visualize if he stayed confident. Clearly, the strategy worked. Carrera fired a 66 during the final round at Point Grey Golf and Country Club to claim the title for the117th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO.
“I was like, I think I can win this if I play good, but I’ve got to go get it,” said Carrera. “I’ve got to go take the chances that I get, and I’ve got to make some putts, and I knew I had to come and play well.”
The 22-year-old came out of the gate hot this morning when he made eagle on his first hole. The momentum catapulted him up the leaderboard and his consistent play awarded him a solid, bogey-free round.
“I made some good putts today,” he recalled about his most memorable moments of the tournament. “But I think the eagle on one [would be the most memorable]. That really got me going.”
Carrera might be a long way from home, but the University of Central Florida senior quickly won over the hometown crowd at Point Grey. With a near-tangible excitement, a beaming Carrera hoisted the prestigious Earl Grey Cup to a round of enthusiastic applause and, after a quick lesson, sabered a bottle of champagne to celebrate.
With the win, Carrera becomes only the second Mexican golfer and first since Rafael Alarcon in 1979 to take home the title.
Arriving at the course on Tuesday, the 22-year old found an unexpected piece of home when he ran into Rodrigo Pena, a golf services employee at Point Grey Golf and Country Club and an old friend who shared membership at same club in Mexico City. The surprise clandestine meeting led to Rodrigo serving as Carrera’s caddie for the final round and, well, the rest is history.
Carrera and Mississauga, Ont. native Robbie Latter went wire to wire for the majority of the day, with Latter finishing just two strokes back for the tournament at -8. In third place was Canadian Remi Chartier at 6-under.
When Carrera’s name is etched into the Earl Grey Cup later this year, he’ll join a list of notable Canadian Men’s Amateur Champions including PGA TOUR winner and Olympian Mackenzie Hughes (2011-12), PGA TOUR winner Nick Taylor (2007), Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Moe Norman (1955-56) and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Doug Roxburgh (1972, 1974, 1982, 1988) who was also in the field this week.
Along with the title, Carrera has earned an exemption into the 2023 RBC Canadian Open at Oakdale Golf & Country Club, as well as the 2022 U.S. Amateur Championship being contested August 15-22 in Paramus, N.J. This was his first time competing in the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO.
Marco Trstenjak of Elmhurst Golf & Country Club was the highest finishing Manitoban on the leaderboard at T54. He shot a final round 74 to finish the tournament at 291.
Ryan McMillan, also of Elmhurst, carded his second straight 77 to finish at 298.
Trstenjak moves up the leaderboard at Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship
Golf Manitoba
Marco Trstenjak of Elmhurst Golf & Country Club birdied two of the final four holes he played to shoot a 71 Wednesday during the third round of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.
Trstenjak is tied for 48th on the leaderboard at 4 over par 217.
Ryan McMillan, also of Elmhurst, is tied for 67th with a 221 total following a 77.
Despite the threat of rain in the forecast, skies remained dry over Point Grey Golf and Country Club. Robbie Latter and Eric Zhao lit up the leaderboard today, each shooting a cool 65 in the third round to tie for the top spot.
Latter, who calls Mississauga, Ont. home, carded five birdies and an eagle to ascend 14 spots in the race for the 117th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship title. The Southern Miss sophomore finished T25 at last year’s event and won the Future Links (now NextGen) Québec Championship as a 17-year-old in 2018.
“My ball striking was very good today,” stated Latter. “Having my brother on the bag today definitely helped!
Though 14-year-old Eric Zhao faced challenges on the 11th hole, the birdies far outweighed the bogeys with an impressive total of nine filling his scorecard. The west coast seems to be treating the National Junior Squad member quite well this season. In May, Zhao was crowned Champion of the Junior Boys Division at the NextGen Pacific Championship in Nanaimo, B.C.
“Today, I focused on staying patient and accepting the shots I hit,” said Zhao. “I only thought about my current shot and never the past or future ones. It did help as I made two bogeys and a double but being aware of my emotions and redirecting my focus allowed me to come back.”
In tomorrow’s final round, Zhao looks to stay consistently calm.
“I want to do something very similar tomorrow. My only expectation is that I learn from this experience playing under heavy pressure,” said a humble Zhao. “I also don’t want to overthink anything and just focus on each shot as I play it, and maybe I’ll go home proud of myself.”
Rounding out the top three is St-Célestin, Que. native Jean-Philippe Parr. The 18-year-old shot his lowest round of the tournament at 67 to sit one stroke off the lead. Parr is also a member of Team Canada’s National Junior Squad.
Tomorrow promises to be an exciting battle of top amateur talent with an exemption into the 2023 RBC Canadian Open, as well as the 2022 U.S. Amateur Championship on the line. Not only will the winner etch their name into the historic Earl Grey Cup, but also into Canadian golf history – the competition being the oldest amateur championship in the country.
McMillan & Trstenjak make the cut at Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship
Brian Munz
Ryan McMillan and Marco Trstenjak of Elmhurst Golf & Country Club are the only Manitobans to advance into the third round of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.
McMillan is tied for 44th on the leaderboard with a two day total 144 following a 75 today.
Trstenjak carded a 70 and is two strokes back at 146.
McMillan leads Manitobans, Team Manitoba 9th at Canadian Men’s Amateur
Golf Manitoba
VANCOUVER, B.C. – Point Grey Golf and Country Club and Seymour Golf and Country Club played host to 250 golfers this holiday Monday as play commenced for the 117th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO.
Elkhorn, Neb. native Luke Gutschewski had a hot start, making eight birdies to shoot a 65 for the day. Heading into his second season playing for Iowa State’s golf team, Gutschewski played a near bogey-free round, getting into the groove and making birdie on five consecutive holes in the middle of his round at Point Grey Golf & Country Club.
“I really just played solid all day, nothing too flashy,” said Gutschewski. “I did a good job of keeping it in play off the tee, left myself in good places when I missed greens, and then putted pretty nicely too.”
Despite the early lead, the 19-year-old isn’t getting too far ahead of himself. “It’s really a long week and we have a long way to go,” added Gutschewski. “If I can keep on doing what I’m doing and not get too wrapped up in the individual result of each shot then we can add up the scores at the end of the week and see what happens.”
Following closely, Banff, Alta. native Kai Iguchi sits just two strokes behind at -4. The 21-year-old recently finished fifth in the Alberta Men’s Amateur Championship and is competing in his first Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.
Elmhurst G & CC member Ryan McMillan is the top Manitoban in the field after posting a 2-under par round of 69 at the Point Grey Golf & Country Club.
In addition to Iguchi, nine other Canadians ended round one inside the top-10 including Marc Sweeney (Saskatoon, Sask.), Christopher Vandette (Beaconsfield, Qué.), Jean-Philippe Parr (St-Célestin, Qué.), Jace Minni (Delta, B.C.), Nasheel Kassam (Vancouver, B.C.), Robbie Latter (Mississauga, Ont.), Tony Li (Vancouver, B.C.), Tyler Hull (Toronto, Ont.), Ryan McMillan (Winnipeg, Man.).
Other Manitobans in the field:
T47 – Curtis Markusson, St. Charles CC: 72 PG course T47 – Jack Werhun, Elmhurst G & CC: 72 PG course T121 – Jody Lutz, Elmhurst G & CC: 75 PG course T143 – Marco Trstenjak, Elmhurst G & CC: 76 SEY course T200 – Troy Kehler, Elmhurst G & CC: 79 SEY course T229 – Brent Ingram, Elmhurst G & CC: 82 SEY course T229 – Nathan Wazney, Elmhurst G & CC: 82 SEY course
Tomorrow will mark the final day of play at Seymour Golf and Country Club after which the field will be cut to the low 70 players (including ties). The final 36 holes are scheduled to take place at Point Grey Golf and Country Club.
The winner of the championship will earn an exemption into the 2023 RBC Canadian Open at Oakdale Golf & Country Club, as well as the 2022 U.S. Amateur Championship being contested August 15-22 in Paramus, N.J.
After the halfway point of the Inter-Provincial competition Team Quebec, consisting of Christopher Vandette, Laurent Desmarchais, and William Forgues, leads by three strokes over Team British Columbia. Nine provinces and two territories will continue to battle for the Willingdon trophy tomorrow with Team Ontario looking to rally to defend their 2019 title. Team Manitoba (Marco Trstenjak, Nathan Wazney and Brent Ingram) currently sit in 9th place
Sekulic wins Canadian Men’s Amateur, Sholdice top Manitoban
Brian Munz
Max Sekulic of Rycroft, Alta., shot a final round five under 66 to win the 116th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at Ambassador Golf Club in Windsor, Ont., at 17 under par.
Sekulic, who went birdie-birdie on the final two holes to secure the win, finished two strokes ahead of A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C., who was at the top of the leaderboard throughout the opening two rounds. National team members Henry Lee (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Brendan MacDougall (Calgary) finished tied for third at 14 under.
Ryan Sholdice of Breezy Bend Country Club made five birdies shooting a two under par 69 and finished as the top Manitoban at 293.
Jack Moro, a Golf Manitoba member from the Whitewater Golf Club in Thunder Bay, Ontario carded a 76 and a 298 total while Marco Trstenjak of Elmhurst Golf & Country Club finished at 299 following a 71 over his final 18 holes.
Noah Steele of Kingston, Ontario shot a six under par 65 in his third round at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship in Windsor to give him a one stroke lead over Brendan MacDougall of Calgary heading into Friday’s final round.
Jack Moro, a Golf Manitoba member with the Whitewater Golf Club in Thunder Bay shot a 77 for a 222 total.
Ryan Sholdice of Breezy Bend Country Club is the top Manitoban carding a 79 and sits at 224 for the event.
Marco Trstenjak of the Elmhurst Golf & Country Club shot an 81, for a three day total 228.
Austin Dobrescu finishes T31st in Canadian Men’s Amateur
Tsawwassen, BC – 03 August 2018 – Canadian Junior Girls Championship at Beach Grove Golf Club in Tsawwassen, BC. (Chuck Russell/Golf Canada)
Austin Dobrescu of Shilo Country Club continued his hot play this season with a T31 finish at the Golf Canada Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship that was played August 5-8 at the Glen Arbour Golf Course and The Links at Brunello in Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia. Dobrescu, a member of Team Manitoba that finished 5th in the Willingdon Cup inter-provincial team championship, was the lone Manitoban to make the cut in this year’s event shooting rounds of 76-74-72-71 for a 293 total. Equally impressive in his feat, Dobrescu was in a tie for 11th for Canadians who made the cut in what has now become a top international event on the world amateur golf circuit.
Upon his return to Manitoba, Dobrescu will have little time to rest as he was recently awarded a sponsor’s exemption into the 2019 Players Cup, the local stop on the PGA Tour Canada Mackenzie Tour, that will take place August 12-18 at the Southwood Golf & Country Club.
