One of Jace Carlisle’s final junior golf tournaments before heading off to university also proved to be one of his best.
The Estevan golfer won the Saskatchewan Golf Association’s junior men’s provincial title, which was contested from July 9-11 at the Evergreen Golf and Country Club in Nipawin.
Carlisle, competing out of the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club, shot a 2-under-par 70 in the third and final round, and finished with a three-round total of 221, which was 5-over-par. He wound up six strokes better than Saskatoon’s Steven Duchscher and Kindersley’s Cort Tunall.
“It feels awesome to finally get this one (winning provincials) off the table and to move on and put this one behind me and focus on what’s next,” Carlisle told the Mercury.
He said he was feeling a little nervous in the second round, and he didn’t hit the ball well, which contributed to a score of 83. But many of the other contenders also struggled in the middle round.
Carlisle couldn’t explain why, because conditions were ideal that day.
“Overall my putting was really good this week,” he said. “I was really good on the greens and didn’t really leave myself a lot of hard putts, and I just made easy two-putts, or one-putts for birdie, and didn’t have a lot of three-putts.”
He believes he made five birdies in the first round alone.
Other Estevan golfers had strong showings at the tournament. Chase Gedak finished sixth with a three-round total of 232 (16-over-par); his best round was a 73 in the opening round.
Jayden Dudas finished tied for ninth with a 235 (19-over). He entered the final round just one stroke back of Carlisle after shooting back-to-back rounds of 76, but struggled in the third round.
Also competing were Ryan Chernoff, who finished with a 254, Logan Chernoff, who wound up with a 261, Hudson Chernoff, who had a total of 277, and Jayden Chernoff, who finished with a 281.
Jayden Chernoff was the winner of the tournament’s under-13 division.
“Everybody from Estevan did really well this week,” said Carlisle. “We got lots of young guys still coming up here. It’ll be pretty good. Estevan should be a pretty good name by the end of this stretch of young golfers we have coming.”
Carlisle believes the success of the junior golf program is partially due to the work of Amanda Minchin, who is the golf course’s head pro and general manager.
“She does so much for them and for the game. Everybody loves it out there. We have such a great facility for everybody to play golf at and to practice at. I think that’s why everybody to come out of there is so good now.”
Autumn Neiszner of Regina won the junior women’s division with a three-round total of 230, which was 4-over-par.
Carlisle is now going to advance to the national tournament in New Brunswick from Aug. 12-16, where he will captain a three-person team that also includes Duchscher and Tunall. It should be another great experience in his journey.
“I’ve never been to a national tournament before, so I’m really looking forward to it,” Carlisle said. “Just to be the No. 1 guy, that will be even better. It will be a big learning experience and it will be fun.”
Duchscher was part of last year’s team, and should bring a lot of experience. Tunnall is only 15 or 16, and should be a big part of the team.
Brody Istace, also of Kindersley, is the team’s alternate in case one of the team members can’t make it.
Nationals will be Carlisle’s last marquee tournament before he heads off to Lake Superior State University in the fall on a golf scholarship.
“I think it will help tremendously, just as I’ll be going off to school after nationals, and hopefully I’ll have a good showing there,” said Carlisle. “My game has been going good all year.”
