Vetesnik, Hoydalo crowned provincial junior champs at Elmhurst

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This article was published 17/07/2015 (3964 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Nerves were in play for the final day of the Manitoba junior golf championships Thursday at Elmhurst and in different ways in each competition.

On the women’s side, Southwood’s Veronica Vetesnik couldn’t help a lot of looking over her shoulder, but in the end, didn’t need to.

The repeat champion carded a final-day, 4-over 77 and coasted to a nine-shot victory over Glendale’s Camryn Roadley, who had bested her as victor at last week’s Manitoba Women’s Amateur at St. Boniface.

On the men’s side, nerves were on full display on the par-4 18th green as Selkirk’s Wesley Hoydalo held on a for a one-shot victory over Larters’ Marco Trstenjak.

Both players three-putted the final hole and Trstenjak, with Hoydalo already having putted twice, had a chance to force a playoff, but couldn’t make his curling, two-foot par putt from above the hole.

“I was nervous because Camryn, she’s one of those next-day comeback players,” Vetesnik said. “And you saw that in the women’s amateur. I was just trying to stay hydrated and stick to my golf plan.”

Vetesnik ended the day at 9-over 227 between Transcona and Elmhurst.

She said last week’s third-place finish at the Amateur was on her mind a little. Roadley’s final day charge put her four shots ahead.

“I figured out my problems and practised those things and it worked out,” Vetesnik said. “I just kept it in mind all round, a few little things and it really helped.

“I played fine last week, but had smaller mistakes, some alignment things.”

More competitive events are ahead for the duelling duo, but they’ll also be playing a team game for their province at both the Canadian Junior and Canadian Amateur.

Manitoba’s team for the national junior competition in Yorkton, Sask., will be Vetesnik, Roadley and third-place finisher Brynn Todd of St. Charles.

On the men’s side, Hoydalo took a five-shot lead into Thursday’s final round as he and Trstenjak had put some distance between themselves and rest of the field.

Trstenjak finished with an even-par 71 on the day — despite making three-putt bogeys at the final two holes — and had the lead after the 13th when Hoydalo made a double-bogey seven.

“I was super nervous,” Hoydalo, the 15-year-old Selkirk student said. “I was not calm. I thought it was over, but I just brought it back.”

He did that by chipping in for birdie at the par-4 17th, while Trstenjak, also just 15, was three-putting. It put Hoydalo back in front by one on the final tee.

“Just way too many on the back nine,” said Hoydalo, who finished the week at one-over 285. “I was just shaking on the last tee shot. I just had to drink lots of water and (take) deep breaths and that kept me controlled.

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“Once I missed my (par) putt, he had a putt to take it to a playoff, but he missed, so I just had to make my last one to win it.”

Hoydalo started the week with modest expectations and said he didn’t really see himself as the winner. But he started with a sizzling 68 at Transcona and never surrendered the lead.

“I was trying to go top 10 but I turned out to win, so it’s perfect,” he said.

Hoydalo, Trstenjak and Breezy Bend’s Brendan Kesterke, who finished nine off the lead in third, will be Manitoba’s team at the Canadian Junior in Quebec.

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca