CCAA Golf Championship Roundup
by ACAC Sports Writer Curtis J. Phillips
Only three strokes kept Red Deer Queens' Shaye Leidenius off of the podium at the 2017 PING Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Golf National Championships which concluded Friday at The Royal Ashburn Golf Club in Whitby, Ontario.
Leidenius, who was named Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) 2017 Women's Golf Player of the Year earlier this month, opened the four-day CCAA event shooting an impressive 84, including eight pars, which was good enough for a second-place tie in the 23-player field.
Despite two birdies on Day 2 for an 84 total, the Ponoka native fell back to eighth spot.
Two birdies on Day 4, with her second of the tournament on Hole No. 9, coupled with seven pars, Leidenius finished with a total of 328.
Defending 2016 Ping CCAA Golf women's champion, Addison Wallwin of the Georgian Grizzlies (Ontario Colleges Athletic Association), earned bronze at 324, which was 14 strokes back of the leaders Sarah-Eve Rheaume of the Champlain St. Lawrence Lions (Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec) and University of the Fraser Valley Cascades' (Pacific Western Athletic Association) Madison Kapchinsky tied at 23-over after four rounds.
Sarah-Eve Rheaume would claim gold on the playoff hole.
Of Leidenius' performance, Red Deer College Kings/Queens head coach Scott Bergdahl said: "She did very well and she had a really strong tournament. She struggled (Day 2) on the greens and she was just missing by a hair on reading them. She fought her way back from seventh on the final day but she had some bogeys coming in on the last few holes. We are very proud of her and how she has progressed the last couple of years."
Leidenius (2nd year, Kinesiology and Sport Studies General) was seventh last year at the 2016 finals held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. An event, where Medicine Hat Rattlers' Becky Martin had claimed bronze status.
Leidenius was also selected a 2017 CCAA All Canadian last week.
Other placements for ACAC representatives in 2017 were: Nicole Schultz, Medicine Hat Rattlers, 13th, 351 total, 63 over, 92-85-92-82; Kassidy Turcotte, Concordia Edmonton Thunder, 15th, 359 total, 71 over, 92-92-91-84; Hailey Turcotte, MacEwan Griffins, Tied 17th, 366 total, 78-over, 93-98,90-85; Elizabeth Stewart, MacEwan Griffins, Tied 17th, 366 total, 78 over, 91-86-94-95; Sierra Zukowski, Medicine Hat Rattlers, 19th, 372 total, 84-over, 101-94-88-89; Daniela Donnelly, MacEwan University Griffins, 20th, 383 total, 95 over, 98-95-96-94 and Ciara Bonogofski , Medicine Hat Rattlers, 23rd, 448 total, 160-over, 118-111-114-105.
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| Daniela Donnelly, MacEwan Griffins |
"The girls did not have a great week to tell you the truth," said Griffins' coach Jodi Campbell. "The storyline for the week was the difficulty of the golf course. Every day we were out, it was playing long and it was windy. It was pretty challenging for the women.
"We knew it would be last trip to the nationals for (graduating Elizabeth Stewart and Daniela Donnelly), so it was a pretty special week. We wanted to ensure that they could take it all in and enjoy it to the fullest. The opportunity for the student/athlete to go to nationals is special and it is something they will always remember."
This was the fifth consecutive CCAA appurtenance for Donnelly, her best finish 12th in 2014.
Stewart, a 2017 CCAA All Canadian selection announced last week, was 13th last year. She was also ACAC women's champion in 2015 and a 2015 CCAA All Canadian.
In women's team play the Medicine Hat College Rattlers and MacEwan University Griffins finished sixth and seventh in the eight-team field with four-day totals of 723 and 728 respectively.
University of the Fraser Valley Cascades captured the women's title with 635 strokes.
University of Alberta Augustana Vikings' Michael Harrison was the top ACAC finisher in men's individual play, shooting a four-day total of 312 (82-73-77-80) which was only 24-over par and a 21st place finish.
Harrison, who was named ACAC 2017 Men's Golfer of the Year shortly after winning the ACAC Men's title at Red Tail Landing Golf Course, had five birdies overall at the nationals.
With his selection last week as a 2017 CCAA All Canadian, he adds to the same recognition received in 2016.
Harrison had three birdies in Round 2 as part of his impressive round of 73.
Only five other golfers had better scores that day, including eventual 2017 champion Daniel Campbell, UFV Cascades and runner-up James Casorso, UBC Okanagan Heat with 288 even-par and 296 eight-over four-day totals respectively.
Red Deer Kings' Logan Hill was the second top ACAC finisher at 319 (76-82-81-80) which was only 31-over par.
In a talented 59-player field, that was good enough for a tie for 29th.
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| Clayton Dunn, Red Deer Kings |
"It was an extremely competitive field," admits Bergdahl. "I know Logan (Hill) was disappointed with his score. He just got some bad breaks and that can wear on a golfer. But he never gave up and he never faltered."
Other placements for ACAC representatives were: Cole Morrison, Red Deer Kings, Tied 36th, 34-over, 322 total, 88-79-82-73; Clayton Dunn, Red Deer Kings, 44th, 39-over, 327 total, 77-88,79-83; Braden Clarkson, UA Augustana Vikings, Tied 48th, 47-over, 335 total, 86-81-84-84; Darion Geddes, UA Augustana Vikings, 54th, 54-over, 342 total, 90-84-84-84; Carson Roche, UA Augustana Vikings, 56th, 67-over, 355 total, 86-89-87-93; Cody Clipperton, Red Deer Kings, 58th, 71-over, 359 total, 97-90-89-83 and Craig Lynes, UA Augustana Vikings, 59th, 92-over, 380 total, 99-91-97-93.
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| Carson Roche, UAA Vikings |
In the 11-team men's field, the Red Deer Kings and University of Alberta Augustana Vikings managed to score 1,289 and 1,344 scores to place 9th and 11th respectively.
University of the Fraser Valley Cascades captured the title with 1,208 strokes
This is the fourth time in 18 years of the championships, that a school, in this case the Cascades, has won both the men's and women's team titles.
The ACAC has yet to claim gold in men's or women's individual or team competition.
According to the CCAA website: "As part of the championship the host committee at Durham College and Conroy's No Frills in Whitby have partnered to have one pound of food donated to the Salvation Army for every birdie made throughout the tournament. Through the championship the field recorded 450 birdies, or 450 pounds of food that will be donated to the Salvation Army."
The 2018 PING Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Golf National Championships will be hosted by the Medicine Hat College Rattlers.
"We are very excited that, for the first time, CCAA Golf Nationals will take place in Alberta," said Christian Brosseau, CCAA Golf Convenor in a media release. "Medicine Hat has proven to be an exceptional host over the last four years, hosting multiple Championships."
Rattlers Varsity Athletics prides itself on being great hosts.
They hosted successful ACAC Golf Provincials in 2012 and 2015. Additionally, Medicine Hat hosted the 2014 CCAA Women's Soccer National Championship and they'll host the 2017 ACAC Men's Basketball Championships.
Desert Blume Golf Club will play host to the 72-hole event from Oct. 15-19, 2018. Desert Blume is a world-class golf course featuring pristine conditions in a beautiful desert setting.
"Desert Blume, with its elevated tee boxes and multi-tiered greens, promises to be an interesting challenge for our golfers," said Brosseau. "Once again, CCAA golfers will be treated to an exceptional experience with great hospitality and a challenging course that is visually pleasing with a desert style layout, shaped by the surrounding ravines."
Desert Blume is eager to host the top collegiate golfers in Canada.
"Our staff and membership have always done an amazing job planning, executing and making sure it is a memorable experience for all the competitors," said Chris Paskin, Director of Golf at Desert Blume Golf Club.
Final Scores Men https://golfcanada.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/rcga17/event/rcga1739/contest/8/leaderboard.htm
Final Scores Women https://golfcanada.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/rcga17/event/rcga1739/contest/1/leaderboard.htm