Jace Carlisle’s final golf event as a junior proved to be a memorable one.
Carlisle, who is one of numerous talented golfers to come out of the Estevan Junior Golf program in recent years, was the victor at the RE/Max Blue Chip Realty Classic that was held at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course Thursday and Friday. The event was Estevan’s stop on the Maple Leaf Junior Golf tour.
He defeated fellow Estevan golfer Chase Gedak and Saskatoon’s Josh Nagy in a two-hole playoff.
All three golfers shot a 2-under-par 142 over two rounds.
“I putted well. I made a lot of good putts and I made a lot of birdies, which is key to eventually winning. I was hitting my driver well and hitting lots of fairways,” said Carlisle.
Carlisle and Nagy were tied for the lead after the first round after each shot a 69. Gedak was third after shooting a 72.
“It was a little windier the second day. At the end of our round, it was always gusting 50 kilometres an hour, so it’s a big difference from when you’re playing the first day, when it was pretty keen conditions out there for golf and it was pretty easy scoring,” said Carlisle.
Gedak shot a 70 in the second round, while Nagy and Carlisle notched 73s in Round 2.
The playoff started on the 10th hole, which all three golfers parred. Carlisle birdied the next hole, the par-4 11th, while Gedak and Nagy managed pars.
“I hit a good shot to the fringe, and I had 15 feet for eagle, and the other guys hit it left and had some struggles, and then I two-putted for a birdie and won,” said Carlisle.
He noted it was a fun group for the final round and the playoff, as he plays with Gedak regularly, and Nagy is a good friend.
“It’s pretty easy to play well when you’re playing with those guys and they’re shooting low scores, too,” said Carlisle.
Estevan’s Jayden Dudas was fourth in the junior boys event at 148 (75-73). Logan Chernoff of Estevan (74-78, 152) was sixth.
Drew Fenwick was 10th in junior boys (74-78, 152) and Hudson Chernoff was 13th (81-79, 160).
In juvenile boys, Ryan Chernoff was tied for sixth (79-79, 158) and Conner Spencer was 13th at (77-87, 164). Koen Turner was eighth in bantam boys (86-84, 170) and Jayden Chernoff was fourth in peewee boys (91-90, 181).
Sarah Grieve of Saskatoon was the top female golfer with a two-round total of 153 (79, 74). She was competing in the girls’ 15-19 division. Autumn Neiszner of Saskatoon was second with a 163 total (83-80).
Nearly 60 golfers were entered.
Carlisle said he’s not surprised that the local contingent did so well, thanks to the strength of the junior program.
“We all love having competitions and me and Jayden (Dudas) and Chase play together all of the time, and play match play against each other and love being competitive.”
He credited Woodlawn’s head pro and general manager, Amanda Minchin, for helping kids find their love of the game.
Carlisle expects to play in the men’s classic event at Golf Kenosee this coming weekend. He has transferred from Lake Superior State University to Post University in Connecticut for the upcoming school year, but the conference Post plays in has cancelled its season, so now he’s hoping for a spring season.
He’ll be studying online from home this fall.
