Putting their way to glory

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This article was published 26/08/2021 (1582 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Three worthy champions were crowned Thursday afternoon at the 48th Manitoba Match Play event at Grand Pines Golf Course.

The event, which began Sunday, saw 32 amateur men, 32 senior men and the low eight amateur female players advance to the championship rounds. With the semifinal and final matches taking place in one day, the players were tested over nearly 36 holes. Each champion had their own story to tell from the course.

“It feels strange to be champion. There’s nobody more surprised than me, let’s put it that way,” said Lorne Duncan, winner of the senior men’s group.

Duncan, a member of Niakwa Country Club, bested Dwayne Heinrichs in the semifinal and advanced to face fellow Niakwa member Ken Warwick in the final. With the match all square after 18 holes, a playoff was required — but not before Duncan blew a chance to win it on 18.

“I hit a perfect drive in regular play and it went just through the end of the fairway and just dropped into the hazard line, and then I duffed it into the water,” said Duncan.

“Then when I went back to the first extra hole on 18, I hit the exact same drive but I got it slightly further right this time and it stayed on the fairway. Then I got a nine iron on to the green and made a 22-foot putt. It was quite nice.”

Duncan believes his short game helped him clinch the trophy, as he hadn’t played Grand Pines in 25 years.

“If you’d seen me play golf two years ago I was the worst putter you’d ever see in your life, but now I’m a pretty good putter. It’s a strange game isn’t it?” said Duncan.

The senior champion said his morning round, a 5-and-4 victory, went a lot smoother than chunking the ball around in the final. For Duncan, the match-play event brought back memories of his time before leaving the country.

“I haven’t played competitive golf in 35 years, I left Canada when I was 21 and moved to Europe and started caddying. I’ve caddied for 35-37 years and hardly touched a golf club the whole time,” said Duncan.

“Now I’m back and in the last couple years I’ve been playing golf every day and getting some competition in.”

Elsewhere on the men’s side, Lyle Mackenzie was overwhelmed with emotion as he claimed victory in the amateur men’s group.

“I haven’t won a provincial event before but it feels awesome,” said Mackenzie. “I’m super happy with how I played this week and I’m at a loss for words soaking it all win.”

Mackenzie defeated Trey Ross 3-and-2 to reach the final against Brent Ingram of Elmhurst. After Ingram squandered a one-up lead, Mackenzie remained patient and earned a victory on the first playoff hole, in similar fashion to Duncan.

“I was doing everything I could not to think about winning,” said Mackenzie. “I had a mental strategy to stay focused and talk my way through every shot. I don’t think I’ve ever been that nervous before, it was a lot of fun and exhilarating.”

Mackenzie said the strength of his game this week came from limiting the use of his driver as he approached one of his rare match-play events.

“I kept my driver in the bag for most of the week, just keeping it in play off the tee. Coming down the homestretch I made a couple of really key putts when I had to, to stay in the match,” said Mackenzie.

“I was two down on 15 and was able to sink a couple of big ones coming home and same thing in the playoff, I made a big putt to win.”

After a thrilling semifinal playoff win on the 19th hole over Hannah Diamond, Addison Kartusch was all smiles as she entered the final of the women’s draw. Kartusch, of St. Charles, bested Cala Korman of Killarney 3 and 1 in the final.

“My game this morning was slightly off but I thought I played really well,” said Kartusch.

“I needed to make a putt on 18 for par, to get in the playoff and I made it and it felt really good to get to the next hole. I thought I played really well all around and it feels great.”

Kartusch, like Duncan and Mackenzie, said her putting helped her whole game come together for her first match-play event as she tried out Grand Pines Golf Club for the first time this week.

“I was hitting it really solid and my putting was really good, I made some clutch putts that I thought were great,” said Kartusch.

“Things just sort of clicked together really well for me.”

50 amateur men, 33 senior men and eight amateur women signed up for the week. After soaking in the moment, Duncan and Kartusch shared their keys to match play success.

“Tthe thing with match play is that you have to watch what the other player does too because it kind of helps you figure out the way you want to play,” said Kartusch.“The way the other person hits it, if they hit it in the trees, then you might want to play it safe so you can get it on the green in two.”

“Match play can really get in to your head, but the bottom line is don’t worry about the other guy and just play your game,” said Duncan.

“Always expect he might chip it in, or make that putt, so you’re not going to the next tee deflated. Keep your expectations at the right level and you’ll be fine.”

jbernacki@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter:@JosephBernacki