Kartusch constantly looking to improve

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This article was published 30/05/2024 (704 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Defending champion Addison Kartusch is among a talented group of young golfers set to play in the final stages of the Manitoba Match Play Championships.

The Winnipeg teen, who plays out of St. Charles, faces Jewel Lafleche of Niakwa in a quarterfinal match Friday afternoon at Breezy Bend.

“It’s super exciting to play against these girls,” said Kartusch. “I mean, we play with each other all the time, but it’s fun in a different form, match play. So, it’ll be competitive for sure.”

In other women’s quarterfinal matches, Charmaine Hayden of the host club, the event’s second seed, meets India Young of Carman. Jeri Lafleche of Niakwa takes on Hannah Diamond of St. Charles, while Cala Korman and Crystal Zamzow collide.

Kartusch works constantly to improve her game, practising as much as she can. In the offseason, Kartusch focuses on the more difficult technicalities of her swing in indoor sessions. She also plays hockey for her high school team, St. Mary’s Academy.

With balancing the demands of finishing high school and playing golf, staying on top of her responsibilities is important to Kartusch.

“The mental side has been a big thing for me,” said Kartusch, who was the lone player under par (-1) in a qualifying round earlier this week. “I mean it is for every golfer, but just trying to focus on my one shot at a time. If I prepare for each shot the way I want to, then there’s nothing else I can control. So that’s the mental piece I’m working on.”

Kartusch added she has matured the most in her ability to move on from bad shots during games.

“Being able to let go of my emotions after a shot, good or bad, because they can affect the next one. That’s something I feel like I’ve improved on and am still working towards.”

Kartusch will continue to pursue a golf in the fall, attending Bowling Green (Ohio) State University — an NCAA Division 1 program.

“I’m just excited to go play and be with other girls that are high-level golfers and are like-minded.”

She is one of five Manitoban women who will be studying and competing down south.

This fall, Zamzow, of Swan River, will attend Cumberland University in Tennessee, while Young is headed to the University of Northern Colorado.

Korman, of Killarney, just finished her first year at Weber State University in Utah, while Clara Peake, of Binscarth, completed her sophomore year at Redlands Community College in Oklahoma and will attend University of North Alabama, an NCAA Division 1 program, in the fall.

In the men’s match play championship on Friday, No.1 seed Marco Trstenjak of Elmhurst battles Jesse Skelton of Breezy Bend, Adam Ingram of Elmhurst meets Evan Nachtigall of Shilo, Kaleb Lambert of Elmhurst faces Thomas Scott of Brandon’s Wheat City, while Trent Robertson of Niakwa takes on Erin Prokopowich of Dauphin.

In the senior men’s division, Rob Oliphant of Rossmere plays Gerald Diamond of St. Charles, Dale Register of Pine Ridge meets Ken Warwick of Niakwa, Blair Neal of Rossmere faces Carl Lechman of Elmhurst, while Jay Doyle of Niakwa takes on Randy Wozny of Southwood.

The semifinals in all divisions are set for Saturday afternoon, and finals go Sunday afternoon.

zoe.pierce@freepress.mb.ca