Kartusch preparing to tee it up in first pro event Fresh off National Golf Invitational title win, Epson Tour date awaits Winnipegger By: Ken Wiebe Posted: 5:29 PM CDT Thursday, May. 21, 2026 Last Modified: 7:20 PM CDT Thursday, May. 21, 2026 Updates

Addison Kartusch is still in the early stages of her golf career, though she’s been around long enough to know that another trip to the winner’s circle can provide a meaningful springboard for what figures to be an enlightening summer ahead.

Kartusch, who plays out of St. Charles Country Club and recently completed her sophomore season at Bowling Green State University, captured top spot at the National Golf Invitational at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club in Maricopa, Ariz., over the weekend.

Her three-round total of seven-under 209 (71-68-70) gave her a four-stroke cushion over Kiley Reisner of Wyoming and Kartusch said her putting was a critical element during the 54-hole event.

“I definitely improved a bit over the last couple of weeks, especially with my lag putting,” Kartusch said in a telephone interview. “But I also saw some more putts drop, including some longer putts from outside of 20 feet and (made) more putts from the scoring zone, from 15 feet and in, which was nice. My ball striking was solid, but I was happy with my short game.”

Kartusch, who was named Golf Manitoba female golfer of the year in 2024 and 2025, led the field after 36 holes and was proud of her ability to stick with her plan after a couple of hiccups early in her final round.

“My mentality going into the final round was to stick to my own game and be patient.”

“My mentality going into the final round was to stick to my own game and be patient,” said Kartusch. “It was a really good test of my patience and of my commitment to every shot. I found that on the first couple of holes, I wasn’t firmly committing to my shot when I was standing over the ball. I was being a little hesitant.

“I had my game plan, but I was trying not to miss. As a result, I hit some not-so-good shots. But I just said to myself, ‘You know what, I’m going to change the round and commit to every shot and leave the course with no regrets.’”

The approach was a sound one — and taking home top spot was the reward.

“It definitely gives you a little bit of confidence,” she said, “knowing I have the ability to play like that in a tournament and not just in a casual round.”

“Knowing that I do have the right process, I’ve been practising the right things, in the correct way. That’s where I push the confidence towards, it’s rooted in my process.”

Kartusch is planning to spend a good chunk of the summer working on her game back in Manitoba, as she’s hoping to defend her women’s amateur crown in early July at Gilbert Plains Country Club in the Parkland region.

But she also has a couple of other road trips already scheduled: the 103rd Ohio women’s amateur championship at Moraine Country Club in Dayton, Ohio, in mid-July and the Epson Tour’s Great Lakes Championship at the Highlands next month in Harbor Springs, Mich.

Kartusch earned a sponsor’s exemption into the professional event when she won the A-Ga-Ming Invitational last fall — even though she had no idea that appearance was at stake when she teed off for the final round.

“I played really well and ended up winning that event. I was talking to my group that I was playing with and they said, ‘Congrats, are you excited about the exemption?’” said Kartursch. “Our coach actually didn’t say anything, so we wouldn’t put any pressure on ourselves. So, it was a good surprise. But it was really exciting (to find out). I’m really excited to see what it’s like out on the Epson Tour.

“To some of those bigger names that have played high level college golf. It’s going to be really exciting to experience that for the first time.”

The Epson Tour is the feeder system for the LPGA Tour, so the opportunity to be out on the course with the pros for the first time of her career is something that Kartusch is really looking forward to.

“It will be a really good test of my skills, especially playing a longer course.”

“I mean, it will be a really good test of my skills, especially playing a longer course. It’s likely going to be tougher,” said Kartusch.

“But speaking on the subject of turning pro, I’m really not going to put much pressure on it. I’m just going to wait and see. If I feel ready by the time college ends, I will try it. But if I feel like that’s the end of my golf journey, then that’s the end of my golf journey. But yeah, it’s really exciting to see where I stand compared to some of the pros out there.”

Asked about some of the players she enjoys watching, Kartusch mentioned world No. 1 Nelly Korda and a trio on the Epson Tour who recently graduated from the NCAA ranks, Christine Wang, Amari Avery and Latanna Stone.

“Those are all high level, big names from Division 1 athletics that are playing the Epson Tour,” said Kartusch. “On the LPGA, the given is Nelly Korda. Her swing is amazing — and I love Brooke Henderson, too.”

Kartusch had an opportunity to interact with Henderson back in 2018 when the 14-time LPGA Tour winner (and two-time major champion) hosted a golf clinic at her home course.

“She’s super nice. I mean, I thought it was really cool,” said Kartusch. “I wasn’t really that much into golf yet, I think I had played in one tournament. But to see a Canadian woman crushing it on the LPGA, it was really cool for any girl involved in sports to meet her.”

Kartusch is hoping to play well enough at the Manitoba Women’s Amateur to qualify for the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, which will be held at the prestigious Toronto Golf Club one week after the Epson Tour event in Michigan.

Not long after that, she will be heading back to school to begin her junior season and continue to work on her business degree, which includes a double major in accounting and finance.

“I’ve always liked math and I’ve always wanted to do business because it’s a really flexible degree, since I don’t really know what I want to do fully,” said Kartusch. “If you handle the money, that sounds like a good job. Maybe I can apply that to golf somewhere, maybe work for a golf company or something like that. I just like the numbers.”

“My teammates have become my best friends and they’ve really pushed me as well.”

Kartusch feels fortunate to be enjoying both the student and athlete parts of the equation at university and was encouraged by her second NCAA season, which included being in contention on multiple occasions along with several other Top-20 finishes.

“I love it there. I love the coaches, they’ve been nothing but supportive. My teammates have become my best friends and they’ve really pushed me as well,” said Kartusch, who was asked which part of her game has grown the most since arriving at Bowling Green. “Overall, I felt like I played pretty consistently. I’m happy with the way things went.

“I would say over the past couple of months, my consistency of solid ball striking has really improved. Just simple tweaks with my swing and trying to get things to the point where I can swing it the same. It sounds kind of repetitive, but that’s what I’m trying to do. To get to the point when my misses are smaller. I know that’s kind of basic, but that’s what it is.”

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