Trstenjak crowned amateur champion

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This article was published 19/07/2020 (2073 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Consistency was the name of the game for Marco Trstenjak.

The 20-year-old Winnipegger who’s coming off of his sophomore season at the University of Nevada Las Vegas was crowned the Golf Manitoba Men’s Amateur champion on Sunday at Glendale Golf & Country Club. Trstenjak, who plays out of Elmhurst Golf and Country Club, shot 73-68-73-72 for a four-round total of 2-under 286 to win his first Manitoba men’s tournament.

“Born and raised here so it’s really nice to get the win, said Trstenjak, who headed into the final round in a tie for first with Breezy Bend’s Braxton Kuntz.

“I’ve had some decent runs in the Match Play and other events, but obviously the Am is the big one that everyone wants to win so I’m very, very happy to do so.”

Kuntz, a 16-year-old who lost the provincial junior men’s championship earlier in the week by one shot on the final hole to Neel Soni, ran out of gas on Sunday shooting an 81. Kuntz finished in a tie for fourth place with a four-round total of 295.

“I’m just really tired. I’ve had seven tournament rounds in the past eight days with the junior just earlier this week,” said Kuntz, who was competing in the men’s amateur for the first time.

“I was feeling really tired coming into today. Yesterday it showed later in the round as I had a bit of a rough ending. I didn’t want to continue that today, but unfortunately, I’m just a little mentally exhausted now.”

Kuntz wasn’t the only junior to turn heads as Soni came close to having a perfect week as he finished in second place with a four-round total of 289. Soni, who turned 18 on Saturday and graduated from St. John’s-Ravenscourt School this year, is liking where his game is at these days. It’s easy to see why.

“I know my game is in a good place right now and I’ve developed really well. If I pull out my best golf, I’d have a really good chance at winning this tournament. Disappointed to finish second, but there’s always next year,” said Soni, who shot a 71 on Sunday.

Similar to Kuntz, 2018 champion Justin McDonald also slipped in the final round. McDonald went into the day trailing by a stroke, but shot an 81 which ended up dropping him into a tie for sixth place. Southwood’s Colwyn Abgrall finished one shot behind Soni to claim third.

“I played pretty solid in the front making pars and then early in the back they both started to stumble a little bit,” said Trstenjak on Kuntz and McDonald.

“That’s when I just tried to keep consistent, make the pars, and get it done.”

Trstenjak was the top-seeded player at last month’s Match Play Championships but fell victim to an upset in the second round to Jack Werhun. Trstenjak was asked what it took to get over the hump and grab his first career victory this weekend.

“I think consistency. Just swing wise and golf game-wise how I’m managing my game around the course,” Trstenjak said. “I put together four, solid consistent rounds. Not too many bogeys or big numbers. I felt that was my key this week to get out to the win.”

The Vincent Massey Collegiate product said his experience at UNLV has taken his game to the next level. The current plan is to return to Las Vegas at the end of August where he will take most of his classes online.

“Definitely has helped out a lot,” said Trstenjak.

“Golf is a lot different down there, playing tougher courses, battling wind down there as well a lot of the time, the coaching and everything like that has helped me to get more consistent.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31