The Man, The Bike, The Comeback

He could barely walk. He couldn't feed himself for days.

He tore his meniscus in his knee, has a permanently separated shoulder, and there isn't a day that goes by that he doesn't think about what happened. Grant Hamilton was riding his bike in Brandon when he was hit by an oncoming car. He lost his pinky finger on his left hand in the accident and was airlifted to Winnipeg with the hopes of getting it reattached. That never happened.

Since that day three years ago, Hamilton has spent large amounts of his time finding ways to increase focus on safety for cyclists in Brandon and the area. He created Bike Brandon, a cycling advocacy group that aims to make roads safer for those on two wheels.

He remembers getting back on a bike for the first time about a month later.

"And even that felt like a really accelerated schedule," said Hamilton. "I can't say enough good things about both the bike shops here in Brandon. They reached out when they heard about the crash and told me that when I was ready, we would get you back on a bike and one that's right for you. They did a lot of careful customization."

Being on a bike has always been a passion of Grant's. While many use a vehicle as their primary form of transportation, Hamilton often chooses his bike. Three years after being hit by a car, Hamilton has accomplished something he never thought would be possible.

The Brandon native completed one of his sport's greatest challenges. Every year, Tour 21, a race affiliated with the Tour de France, takes place. Amateur cyclists take on all 21 of the tour's stages and raise money for leukemia research. Tour 21 begins one week before the professional cyclists start the Tour de France. Hamilton submitted an online application, but didn't think he would be accepted.

A few interviews later, Grant was offered a spot on the tour. He was the only Canadian rider this year. It was the ultimate cycling test, nothing like Grant had ever experienced before.

"There's something pretty special about biking through France. Knowing you're on the streets, the roads, and the highways that the professionals would be cycling a week after us," said Hamilton. "Towns are all decked out with yellow ribbons. It's iconic. A pretty special moment."

After being accepted, Hamilton quickly began fundraising, and his campaign took off. He's already raised more than $60,000 for leukemia research, and additional funds are still being collected.

"I'm very proud of that. The amount of local support was extremely gratifying," continued Hamilton. "I can't say enough good things about all the support. 99% local people, local organizations, and local businesses."

Very few amateur cyclists can say they were hit while riding three years before, and now are raising funds while racing on the official course of the Tour de France. Hamilton has achieved something he never thought was possible.

He never thought an opportunity would arise to race on the official course for the Tour de France. Not only did the Brandon native take on the course, but he also conquered it. Was his time as quick as the 2025 winner, Tadej Pogačar? No, but that's not what it's about.

He was in a life-changing crash just three years ago. Now he will forever be able to tell the story of raising tens of thousands of dollars for leukemia research while conquering the most difficult course in cycling.

"I will never forget the experience biking through Paris with this group of fast friends. We got so tight in a short time," ended Hamilton. "Pulling up in the shade of the Eiffel Tower and having my family and friends there to greet me as I crossed the finish line. It's such a proud moment."

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: Aug 21, 2025 - 10:00 am

Taylor Fletcher never quit and can hold his head high.

The McCreary star golfer missed the cut at the Canadian mid-amateur golf championships by four strokes. He improved on day two with a 6-over, 77. It was a two-stroke improvement from his first round 79. Fletcher had two birdies on Wednesday, and while doing everything he could do to make the cut, it wasn't to be.

Drew Jones of Brandon posted his second straight 74. Jones had two birdies and sits in a tie for 34th after two days. He's eight strokes back of the lead entering Thursday's third round. The highest Manitoban is Patrick Perrin of Winnipeg. He dropped 22 spots on the leaderboard, but still sits in a tie for 25th.

Other Manitobans:

Jordy Lutz of Winnipeg dropped 17 spots on Wednesday and is in a tie for 39th. He shot a 76 on Wednesday.

Allan McDonald of Winnipeg, who won this year's Manitoba mid-amateur championships, jumped 14 spots to make the cut in a tie for 58th. He shot a 75 on Wednesday.

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: Aug 21, 2025 - 6:35 am

UPDATE #7:

Week two of the Canada Summer Games is underway, and it was a tough day for Norman Lacquette and Trayden Guiboche. Playing on the Manitoba men's softball team, the Parkland duo and their team lost all three games on day one.

First, they fell to Quebec, 8-1, before dropping a heartbreaking nail-biter against British Columbia, 12-11. Their day ended with a 14-0 loss against Saskatchewan.

Manitoba will look to rebound on Thursday against Newfoundland, New Brunswick, and Alberta.

Manitoba now has 18 medals. Seven gold, six silver, and five bronze. That tally is the sixth-most behind Alberta, Nova Scotia, British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec.

UPDATE #6:

They only lost one game all week. They finished on top of their pool in a tie with Saskatchewan. They beat them in a consolation match on Thursday. On Friday, Karlee Kohlman and the Manitoba women's lacrosse team locked up fifth place.

They downed Quebec, 3-1.

CKDM Sports is in touch with Karlee and will highlight her amazing performance on the national stage in the next week.

Trayden Guiboche and Norman Lacquette will represent Manitoba in the men's softball competition. That begins on Monday, so continue to stay tuned throughout next week for results.

UPDATE #5:

They're playing for fifth place.

McCreary's Karlee Kohlman and the rest of the Manitoba women's lacrosse team downed Team Saskatchewan in a nail-biter, 3-2, in a consolation game on Thursday at the Canada Summer Games.

As a result, they'll go up against Quebec with fifth place on the line. Quebec beat New Brunswick, 4-1.

It was Manitoba's best day overall at the Games so far. They won another eight medals, the most they've won in a single day, and now sit with 17. Six gold, six silver, and five bronze.

UPDATE #4:

After struggling to hit their groove in group play, Scott Gower, Matthew Zurba, Joseph Lopez, Oliver Dandeneau, and Will Miner secured their first win at the national event. They made sure this one wasn't even close.

The Parkland stars helped Team Manitoba hammer Yukon, 29-5. It was the team's first win of the event. They looked to secure back-to-back wins in their next game against Prince Edward Island, but it wasn't to be. The team wrapped up the event with a 33-7 loss.

Stay tuned to hear from the Parkland athletes in the coming days. Starting with Will Miner on Thursday morning during CKDM Sports. Gerald Lopez will join early next week. He was on the coaching staff.

What a marvellous day it was for Dauphin's Paityn Bourgouin and the rest of the women's rugby 7s team. They won their final two games of the event in dominating fashion. They hammered Yukon, 34-0. Then downed the host Newfoundland and Labrador team, 27-5.

It was an incredible group play portion of the event for Karlee Kohlman and the Manitoba women's lacrosse team. They finished tied on top of their group with seven points, three wins, and a tie. In the end, they won't play for a medal.

They ran into a powerful Team Alberta and lost, 1-8, in the quarterfinals. They can still, however, finish as high as fifth place. They'll play Team Saskatchewan in a consolation game on Thursday evening. They tied Saskatchewan in group play. If they win, they'll play for fifth on Friday. A loss would drop them to the seventh-place game.

Manitoba captured three more medals on Wednesday and now sits with nine. Two gold, four silver, and three bronze. That's the sixth-most; Quebec leads the way with 67.

UPDATE #3:

Autumn Perrault McCabe led the way for Team Manitoba as they hammered Prince Edward Island, 12-0, in the women's lacrosse event. Featuring Karlee Kohlman of McCreary, Manitoba, finished group play with seven points, finishing in a tie with Team Saskatchewan. They won three times and tied Saskatchewan.

The McCreary star and her teammates will play a tough Alberta team in the quarterfinals on Wednesday evening.

They battled hard, but it wasn't to be. Scott Gower, Matthew Zurba, Joseph Lopez, Oliver Dandeneau, and Will Miner ended their group play with a 27-0 defeat against New Brunswick. With four losses, the team missed the playoff portion of the event. They will play Team Yukon in two consolation games on Wednesday to wrap up their Canada Games experience.

It was somewhat of a tight affair, one that Paityn Bourgouin and her teammates came up short in. They lost to Prince Edward Island, 22-5. They will play a consolation match against the same Prince Edward Island team on Wednesday.

Manitoba now has six medals at the event, the sixth most. They have a gold, three silver, and two bronze. Five of the six have come in the swimming event, and one in cycling.

UPDATE #2

Karlee Kohlman of McCreary and the rest of the Manitoba women remain atop their pool in box lacrosse action.

After a 3-3 tie against Team Saskatchewan, Team Manitoba has two wins and a tie. They're currently tied for top spot in their pool. They have five points, as does Saskatchewan.

It was not the day that Scott Gower, Matthew Zurba, Oliver Dandeneau, Will Miner, and Joseph Lopez were looking for. They lost all three of their matches as the men's rugby competition got underway.

In three matches against Saskatchewan, Alberta, and New Brunswick, they were outscored, 0-94.

It was a perfect start for Paityn Bourgouin and the Manitoba women at the rugby 7s event. However, it was a rough ending to the day. After opening with a victory against Saskatchewan, they couldn't hit their stride in the following two matches.

They were outscored, 0-87, in matches against Ontario and Quebec.

The top age-eligible athletes in Canada are in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. The 2025 Canada Summer Games are underway.

When it comes to elite athletes from the Parkland, several are included in a variety of sports. Men's rugby 7s features five stars from the region. The Parkland also has athletes in women's lacrosse, women's softball, men's softball, and women's rugby 7s.

Women's Rugby 7s: Paityn Bourgouin

Paityn helped Team Manitoba put on a defensive clinic in their first game. In the end, they beat Saskatchewan, 10-7. They play Team Ontario on Monday afternoon and Quebec on the same day. Their final round-robin game is Tuesday morning against Prince Edward Island.

Vs Ontario - lost, 0-45.
Vs Quebec - lost, 0-42.
Vs Prince Edward Island - lost, 5-22.

Men's Rugby 7s: Scott Gower, Matthew Zurba, Oliver Dandeneau, Will Miner, and Joseph Lopez

Five Parkland athletes hit the field for Team Manitoba to open their competition on Monday morning. They play against Saskatchewan, Alberta, New Brunswick, and Ontario.

Vs Saskatchewan - lost, 7-10.
Vs Alberta - lost, 0-41.
Vs New Brunswick - lost, 0-27
Vs Ontario - lost, 0-43

Women's Box Lacrosse: Karlee Kohlman

What a start for the McCreary star and the rest of her team. They beat New Brunswick, 3-1. Then they secured an 18-2 win against Team Newfoundland & Labrador. In that victory, Kohlman had two assists.

They play Saskatchewan on Monday and Prince Edward Island on Tuesday.

Vs Saskatchewan - tie, 3-3. Kohlman and her team have won two of their three games. They're now tied with Saskatchewan atop their group with five points. Prince Edward Island is the closest team with three.

Vs Prince Edward Island - won, 12-0.

Men's Softball - Trayden Guiboche and Norman Lacquette

Trayden and Norman will play during phase two of the event, which starts next week. In the preliminary round, they play Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec, British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Ontario

Vs Alberta -
Vs Saskatchewan -
Vs Quebec -
Vs British Columbia
Vs Newfoundland & Labrador
Vs New Brunswick
Vs Nova Scotia
Vs Ontario

Stay tuned throughout the next two weeks for updates.

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: Aug 21, 2025 - 6:27 am

UPDATE #7

Master Men's

Championship Flight:
Dale Murray of the Gilbert Plains Country Club had a wonderful showing in his two qualifying rounds. On Wednesday, he opened the match play portion of the event, and found a way to get the job done.

Murray was pushed, but he stayed alive in the championship flight A-side with a thrilling 2&1 victory over Darren Penny.

Keith Fawcett of the Clear Lake Golf Course also remained on the A-side. As the second-seed, he beat, Chris Patrick.

1st Flight:
Dean Cooley will have to try and settle for a consolation title. He lost a hard fought battle against Bryan Letain on Wednesday. Letain stayed on the A-side with a 2&1 win over Dauphin's Cooley.

Juniors

1st Flight:
Boston Karlson wasn't pleased that he missed the championship flight by a single stroke. Despite this, the Dauphin star stayed composed and took care of business. As the top-seed in the flight, Karlson downed Gracen Verhaeghe. He advances to the semifinal against Brody Pomeroy.

2nd Flight:
His dad has been cruising in the men's scramble with Riese Gaber. On Wednesday, he joined the party. Cash McCallum of Dauphin advanced to the semifinals with a win over Soren Milne.

One of the best stories of the day features Brier Odut. Odut, ranked seventh in the second flight, upset the favoured Brayden Watt. Brier went to the course with a gameplan and he executed it flawlessly. He'll now play Daylan Duncalfe with a spot in the finals on the line.

Linden Smigelsky has dropped to the consolation side. He was beaten by Duncalfe.

UPDATE #6

Men's

Championship Flight:
Ron Cornell was outstanding in qualifying. He earned the top spot in the championship flight. His quarterfinal against the 16th seed wasn't easy. But, he found a way to get the job done. He downed Mark Schneider, 2up. He will now play Dustin Dyck.

What a day for Greg Misener. He pulled off the biggest upset of the championship. Entering the championship flight as the 15 seed, he took down an excellent Nolan Tutkaluk. Greg will now play the seventh seed, Grady Chuback.

1st Flight
Bart Michaleski and Christian Laughland both had tough days. They lost their respective matches. Michaleski lost 6&4 while Laughland battled to the end. In the end, however, he lost 2&1, and is consolation bracket bound.

Tyler Carefoot had no answers for Dustin Morton in the first flight and was also relegated to the consolation bracket.

2nd Flight:
James Stoesz did what James Stoesz needed to do. He beat Matt Calvert. As the eight seed in the second flight, he will now play the 16 seed. Aiden Wilson downed the top ranked player in the second flight.

It wasn't the day Gerald Thiessen was looking for. He was aiming to pull off an upset, but it wasn't to be. He lost to the seven-seed, Brock Trotter.

John Tomlinson, however, was able to pull off an upset. The 11th seed from the Gilbert Plains Country Club took down Jason Chuback, the sixth-seed in the flight.

5th Flight:
Both Noah Wiens and Lawson Yates were relegated to the consolation side on Tuesday.

Wiens lost, 3&2 to Lavern Popple while Yates lost to Chris McCannel.

6th Flight:
Robert Bouchard is the second-ranked player in the sixth flight and took care of business on Tuesday. He beat Trevor Wowk.

Anthony Wiens, however, didn't have the same success. He's off to the consolation bracket after losing to Stefan Zhanel. Had Anthony of won, it would of been a Battle of Dauphin between Bouchard and Wiens. Not this year.

Men's Scramble

Championship Flight:
The defending champions are back and they're ready to make some noise. On Tuesday, it wasn't even close. Scott McCallum and Riese Gaber cruised to a 5&3 win over Laird Lidster and Julien Lafleche. After an upset, they'll now play the 11-seed in the next round.

1st Flight:
Tons of support for Mike Sparrow and Jerron Kyle on Tuesday and they rewarded their supporters. They won their match and will now play the 16-seed with a chance to advance to the semifinals.

2nd Flight:
Dave Campbell and Chris Todoruk are still alive on the A-side in the second flight. They won their match on Tuesday.

UPDATE #5

The match play portion of the Tamarack tournament will begin on Tuesday at the Clear Lake Golf Course. All Parkland players are listed on the left side below.

Juniors

1st Flight:
#1 Boston Karlson vs #8 Gracen Verhaeghe

2nd Flight:
#1 Cash McCallum vs #8 Soren Milne
#6 Linden Smigelsky vs #3 Daylan Duncalfe
#7 Brier Odut vs #2 Brayden Watt

Masters Men's

Championship Flight:
#2 Keith Fawcett vs #7 Chris Patrick
#4 Dale Murray vs #5 Darren Penny

1st Flight:
#6 Dean Cooley vs #3 Bryan Letain

Senior Men's:

Championship Flight:
#5 Dean Murray vs #4 Eugene Hodgson

Ladies Scramble

1st Flight:
#2 Carefoot & Farnsworth vs #7 Burak & Hanson

UPDATE #4

Junior qualifying is underway at the Tamarack Tournament.

Boston Karlson
The Dauphin product had an incredible run on the front nine. He struggled a bit coming home. However, he put together a solid round of 5-over, 77. Karlson made three straight bogies on holes four, five, and six. After a par on the seventh, Karlson drained another birdie on eight as he birdied four of the nine holes on the front.

Cash McCallum
The Gilbert Plains Country Club member had two birdies. They came on holes six and 16. Cash shot a 9-over, 81. He will look to find his top form when the match play portion of the event begins.

Linden Smigelsky
Had a birdie on the 11th hole and finished with an 11-over, 83. He will be looking for more in the match play portion. Different format and Linden will look to rise to the challenge.

Brier Odut
The young Dauphinite went 1-under on holes 15,16,17, and 18. Ended up shooting a very respectable 84. Finished 23rd in qualifying.

UPDATE #3

The match play portion of the tournament has begun in multiple divisions, including the men's event.

Men's

Championship Flight:
#1 Ron Cornell vs #16 Mark Schneider
#15 Greg Misener vs #2 Nolan Tutkaluk

1st Flight:
#16 Bart Michaleski vs #1 Brad Pardy
#9 Christian Laughland vs #8 Ryan Baker
#12 Tyler Carefoot vs #5 Dustin Morton

2nd Flight:
#8 James Stoesz vs #9 Matt Calvert
#13 Jason Yates vs #4 Rob Hall
#10 Gerald Thiessen vs #7 Brock Trotter
#11 John Tomlinson vs #6 Jason Chuback

5th Flight:
#10 Noah Wiens vs #7 Lavern Popple
#11 Lawson Yates vs #6 Chris McCannel

6th Flight:
#2 Robert Bouchard vs #15 Trevor Wowk
#7 Anthony Wiens vs #10 Stefan Zhanel

Men's Scramble:

Championship Flight:
#3 Scott McCallum + Riese Gaber vs #14 Laird Lidster + Julien Lafleche
#8 Jake Wiens + Steve Desroches vs #9 Scott Kozoroski + David Newman

1st Flight:
#8 Mike Sparrow + Jerron Kyle vs #9 Brett Klassen + Justin Will

2nd Flight:
#3 Dave Campbell + Chris Todoruk vs #14 Derek Shewchuk + Trent Clayton

UPDATE #2:

The action is underway at the Clear Lake Golf Course for the Tamarack Tournament. The Parkland is all over. Make sure to stay tuned over the next week for results, starting with qualifying on Saturday and Sunday.

Men's:
Ron Cornell
1st round: Fresh off an outstanding performance at the senior provincial championships, Cornell set the pace on Saturday. He shot a 3-under, 69. That was three strokes better than any other golfer in the men's event.

2nd round: He slipped a bit on Sunday, but still had enough. After a 2-over, 74, Cornell finished with a two-round score of 1-under. He's the top qualifier and this year's medalist heading into the match play portion of the event.

Anthony Wiens
1st round: A solo birdie on the fifth saw Anthony gain a stroke back. Finished with an 87 and is just inside the top 100 heading into Sunday.

2nd round: Failed to make any birdies on Sunday. Shot an 88 and was just outside the top 100 in qualifying, finishing 103rd.

Bart Michaleski
1st round: Was seemingly cruising along on the front with a 37. He had three birdies on his first nine holes. The second nine wasn't the same, finishing with a 44 on his home nine holes. Nine over for his round, he will look to be more consistent on Sunday.

2nd round: Stepped up his game on Sunday. Two birdies and did a better job avoiding squares on the scorecard. Posted a 76, a five-stroke improvement from round one. 33rd after qualifying.

Robert Bouchard
1st round: A nice birdie on the 16th. It's a hole where players must make hay to have success throughout the week. Bouchard achieved the birdie on Saturday. His overall round, a 16 over, 88. Work to do heading into Sunday.

2nd round: An impressive 39 on the front was followed by a 46 on the back. Still improved his scoring from day one with an 85. 98th in qualifying and will look to make a run in the match play portion.

James Stoesz
1st round: A single birdie on the card, it came on the fourth hole. A respectable 83 and confidence built heading into Sunday.

2nd round: Was even par on the back nine. Very impressive and shaved seven strokes off his game compared to Saturday. Solo 40th after qualifying.

Gerald Thiessen
1st round: He made birdies on 16 and 18. A solid finish to an overall 8 over, 80.

2nd round: Found a way to dial in and improve on his Saturday score. One birdie on the 13th and a 42nd-place finish in qualifying. Shot 79 on Sunday.

Greg Misener
1st round: He made two birdies in his first three holes. He made an eagle on eight and one other birdie. Greg likely wishes his score were better with how many holes he was under par. Ultimately, he carded a 4 over, 76. In contention for the championship flight.

2nd round: He made a three-pack of birdies on three, four, and five. Add another on the eighth and one on the 18th. A round of 75 and finished 15th in qualifying, to sneak into the championship flight.

Christian Laughland
1st round: Two birdies on the card and a 6-over, 78. Has some work to do on Sunday, so we will see what the Director of Business Operations for the Kings can accomplish.

2nd round: Highlighted by an eagle on the 14th, and two birdies on the first and fifth holes, and Laughland improved on Sunday. He shot a 77 and finished 26th in qualifying.

John Tomlinson
1st round: Just two birdies on the card. The former flight winner will look to jump up the leaderboard on Sunday.

2nd round: A few too many squares on the scorecard. He had three birdies, but couldn't improve his score from Saturday. Shot an 80 to finish 43rd in qualifying.

Lawson Yates
1st round: A solo birdie on the first hole. Lawson shot 40 on the front nine, before a 45 on the back. An 85 has him well inside the top 100 in the men's competition heading into Sunday.

2nd round: Noah was one stroke better. Lawson was on the other side. Shot an 86 with one birdie and finished 91st in qualifying.

Tyler Carefoot
1st round: Is right in contention to qualify for the championship bracket after a solid round on Saturday. Finding his form, Tyler birdied the eighth and shot a 4-over, 76. He's in a tie for 18th heading into the second qualifying round. The top 16 qualify for the championship flight.

2nd flight: He took a slight step back with an 80 on Sunday. Still, a very respectable 29th-place finish in qualifying. He had three birdies on Sunday, two of which came on the front nine.

Noah Wiens
1st round: A triple on the first hole showed the true story of how his day went. Came home strong with a very respectable 40 on the back. A 46 on the front saw him shoot an 86. Time to build off that solid back nine.

2nd round: A birdie on eight and another on 18, and an improvement overall from Saturday. Noah fired an 85, one stroke better than Saturday. 90th after qualifying.

Masters:
Dean Cooley
Round 1: Came out of the gates firing. Two under through his first five holes on the front nine. Stumbled a bit into the finishing gate, but still, a solid Saturday. 79 on the card. Can certainly build off that two under stretch in his first five.

Round 2: A very comparable round to his first. Had one birdie on the sixth and shot an 81. He qualified in 14th place.

Keith Fawcett
Round 1: He knows Clear Lake like the back of his hand. He's a member. A solid opening round? No surprise. A 4 over, 76. Two birdies in his first three holes and two more. 76, standard stuff for Keith, who will certainly be in contention heading into the match play portion of the event.

Round 2: Everyone knows the front nine at the Clear Lake Golf Course provides plenty of opportunities for birdies. On Monday, Keith was dealing on the front. He had four birdies on the front and shot a 34. He had two more birdies on the back to close out one of the best rounds of the day. He shot a 70 to finish second in qualifying.

Dale Murray
Round 1: Everyone expects big things from Dale Murray this week. On Saturday, he delivered. No surprise. Five total birdies, three on the back. An excellent 1 under, 71. On top of the championship flight by one stroke.

Round 2: After a red-hot first qualifying round, Dale got off to a perfect start with back-to-back birdies in his second round. He made just one the rest of the way on 17. Finished with a 4-over, 76. Finished fourth in qualifying and will enter the championship bracket.

Men's Scramble:
Jake Wiens & Steve Desroches
1st round: Two golfers who likely expected more from their first rounds. A bogey on the 10th hole was a tough setback. Nonetheless, still a 2 under, 70. This duo can light it up, expect something huge on Sunday.

2nd round: They expected more on Sunday, and that's what they did. Four more birdies and a 6-under, 66. If Jake and Steve continue to hit it pure, they'll be dangerous in the championship flight.

Dave Campbell & Chris Todoruk
1st round: A double bogey on the 10th really put them behind the eight ball. Two birdies on the card. A 6 over, 78, is what they signed on the card. Let's see if they can step on the gas pedal come Sunday.

2nd round: No birdies, but not many bogies. Only two. A two-over, 74. Dave and Chris will look to get going in the playoffs after qualifying in 35th.

Mike Sparrow & Jerron Kyle
1st round: A few too many bogies when it comes to a scramble format. Six bogies overall. Only two birdies. A 4 over, 76. They're now used to the course and what it has to offer. Will need to step things up on Sunday to move up the leaderboard heading into the match play portion.

2nd round: A much better performance on Sunday. No bogies, three birdies, and a 3-under, 69. Finished 24th in qualifying.

Scott McCallum & Riese Gaber (defending champions)
1st round: Birdie central from the defending champions. Not surprising given the scramble format. A 7 under, 65. That's tied for third, just a single stroke behind the two co-leaders with one more qualifying round to go. Expect to see Scott and Riese there down the stretch as the week intensifies.

2nd round: Another strong round. Made two more birdies and shot a 9-under, 63. Cooked up a 16-under two-round total. Finished third in qualifying and will be big-time threats come the match play portion.

Juniors: (see above)
Cash McCallum
Boston Karlson
Linden Smigelsky
Brier Odut

Seniors:
Dean Murray
A solo birdie on the ninth, and Dean will now look to play the role of 'upset King' in the match play portion. Shot an 18-over, 90. He finished fifth in qualifying.

Larrie Kidd
Mixed in three birdies on the front nine and shot a 1-over, 37, on the first nine holes. He wasn't as consistent on the back nine, shooting a 6-over, 42. None the less, qualified in second place after a 7-over, 79.

Ladies Scramble:
Chris Carefoot & Kathy Farnsworth
Playing to a par 74, it was a pretty steady round for Chris and Kathy. Perhaps more bogies than they would have hoped for, but they'll be dangerous come the match play portion. Mixed in a birdie on the second hole and qualified in 10th after an 11-over, 85.

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: Aug 20, 2025 - 7:03 pm

It was the MTS Classic, the Players Cup, and now, it's the Manitoba Open.

Starting in 1919, the Manitoba Open is one of the oldest golf tournaments in North America. It's a key stop on the PGA Tour Americas, and it starts on Thursday morning at the Breezy Bend Country Club in Winnipeg.

Last year, Johnny Keefer won the event. Keefer advanced to the Korn Ferry Tour this year and has since locked up his PGA Tour card for next season. This week, a stacked field of 156 players from 17 countries embarks on Breezy Bend looking to earn points in the season-long race for the Fortinet Cup. Every player in the top 10 of the Fortinet Cup will compete this week.

Among those in the field this year is Winnipeg Jets goaltender Eric Comrie. Comrie will play as a sponsor exemption at this week's event. Comrie joins a long list of Jets who have teed it up in the event. Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Morgan Barron, and Dylan Samberg have played in it in the past.

Comrie is entering his 10th year in the NHL and sixth with the Jets.

"I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty nervous. Super excited for the opportunity," said Comrie. "I love golf, I play as much as I can. It's brought Scheifele, Josh Morrissey, and me super close."

Eric will play his first round on Thursday afternoon at 2:40 with Braxton Kuntz and Joseph Lloyd. With the goal of hitting as many fairways and middle of greens as possible, Comrie says he's trending in the right direction heading into this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"I would say it's okay right now, it's a work in progress. It's getting there," offered Comrie. "I've been playing quite a bit. I'm down to a 4.5 handicap. You know how it goes, sometimes you play well, and sometimes not so much."

Comrie learned of the opportunity to play in the Manitoba Open while playing golf recently in Ireland. Executive chairman of the Winnipeg Jets, Mark Chipman, called Eric to see if he would be interested. Initially, he was apprehensive to say yes.

"I thought about it some more, and this is a huge opportunity. If I had said no, I would regret it for the rest of my life," said Comrie. "I love the game of golf. I watch every event. For me, it would have been a huge mistake to say no. I'm so excited to go out there and do the best I can."

The field is playing for a purse of $225,000 this week. The winner nabs $40,500. Single-day tickets are just $11.98. You can get Champions Gate VIP tickets for $107.82 per day. Those aged 16 and under are free.

You can purchase Manitoba Open tickets here. Ryan Horn will be in attendance. He works on the grounds crew at Breezy Bend.

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: Aug 20, 2025 - 10:00 am

Taylor Fletcher of McCreary has plenty of work to do to achieve his goal of making the cut at Golf Canada's mid-amateur championships.

At the Seymour Golf & Country Club in North Vancouver, Fletcher shot an 8-over, 79. He had a double bogey on the eighth hole and six other bogies. He sits in a tie for 112th heading into Wednesday's second round. The top 70 and ties make the cut after two rounds.

Patrick Perrin of Winnipeg was the lowest Manitoban on Tuesday. He had four birdies and shot a 1-under, 70. He's just two strokes back of the lead, held by Glenn Robinson of Nova Scotia.

Jordy Lutz of Winnipeg is five strokes back after a 2-over, 73. Drew Jones of Brandon is in an excellent spot. He shot a 3-over, 74. He's in a tie for 39th.

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: Aug 20, 2025 - 6:24 am

Karlee Kohlman's rise with a lacrosse stick over the last two and a half years has been nothing short of incredible.

The McCreary product decided to give lacrosse a try a couple of years ago with some of her friends in Neepawa. She had high hopes, but not even she could have imagined how quickly she would improve and become a star.

She fell in love with the game, and the rest is history. Her journey is remarkable, and it's all thanks to her hard work, dedication, and passion.

Late last year, Kohlman was in Winnipeg trying out for Team Manitoba. The team would represent the province at the Canada Summer Games. Karlee is 15 and was looking to make a U17 team. It's a daunting task for many. Karlee was nervous, but was there for a reason.

She trusted herself, and when the final roster was announced, Karlee was Newfoundland and Labrador-bound. She was officially on the U17 Team Manitoba women's lacrosse team. In less than three years, Kohlman went from playing the sport for the first time to making a provincial team. It's an incredible rise and a great achievement for the star from McCreary.

"It felt really good. I was super excited to have made the team," said Kohlman. "I was so happy. I was grateful to have made it."

The roster was set, the charter flight booked, and it was time to get down to business. Karlee and her teammates competed in Phase One of the Games and participated in the Opening Ceremonies. Kohlman was living her dream.

"It was amazing. I loved being there, seeing Newfoundland," offered Kohlman. "The atmosphere when we were playing it was incredible."

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Karlee and her teammates opened the competition with a 3-1 win against New Brunswick. In an 18-2 win against Newfoundland in their next game, Kohlman was a leader. The team played to a 3-3 tie against Saskatchewan in their next match before hammering Prince Edward Island, 12-0. They finished with seven round-robin points and a first-place tie with Saskatchewan. The playoffs arrived, and a very strong Alberta team got the best of Manitoba, 8-1.

The defeat was the team's first of the competition, and it sent them to the consolation bracket. That's where Karlee and her teammates caught fire. They beat Saskatchewan, 3-2, to earn the right to play for fifth place. In the fifth-place match, Manitoba downed Quebec, 3-1. Five wins, one tie, only one loss, and a fifth-place finish.

"I think our team did great, we played the best that we could," commented Kohlman. "We ran into that very good Alberta team. Then we responded and won two straight games. It was a great performance for our group. Very proud to have been with this team."

In the team's big win against Newfoundland, Karlee posted two primary assists. She had another assist in the team's 3-1 win against Quebec. Three assists, five wins, and an experience that she will never forget.

"I think I played pretty well," said Kohlman. "I could have gotten a few more shots on the net. The assists were great because I could celebrate the goals with my friends. It was great."

Kohlman also wanted to give a big shoutout to her family and friends. Those who travelled to watch the action live and those cheering from home.

"It means a lot. I come from a very small town," ended Kohlman. "So to be able to go to one of the biggest sporting events was super good. It feels amazing, and I want to thank everyone for the support."

Taylor Fletcher is at the Seymour Golf & Country Club for the Canadian mid-amateur golf championships. Karlee Kohlman just returned from the Canada Summer Games. Two elite athletes from McCreary are turning heads and creating unforgettable memories.

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: Aug 19, 2025 - 10:00 am

Taylor Fletcher is no stranger when it comes to posting low rounds on the golf course.

Not only is he one of the top golfers in his hometown of McCreary, but Fletcher is one of the top golfers from the Parkland region. At the 2024 Diamond Athletic mid-amateur championships at the Minnedosa Golf & Country Club, Fletcher was one under after his first six holes and finished the front nine at 1-under. He shot an even-par 72 in round one. He ended that championship in a tie for 22nd.

That earned him a return trip to the event earlier this summer. The 2025 event was played July 2 to 4 at the beautiful St. Charles Golf and Country Club. Fletcher was dialled in entering the tournament, especially with his approach shots.

"My putting has not been too bad," said Fletcher. "The biggest thing is figuring out my driver. It's been hot and cold. Other than that, everything seems to be working pretty well right now."

The mid-amateur is for those aged 25 and above. Highlighted by his 62 on day one last year, Allan McDonald won the event by two strokes. While he didn't go that low this year at St. Charles, McDonald had back-to-back under-par rounds to finish the tournament and successfully defended his title, winning by two strokes.

Fletcher, meanwhile, improved on his performance from one year ago. He shot rounds of 76, 74, and 76. He finished in a tie for 20th, up two spots from last year. He had eight birdies in his three rounds. As a result of finishing in a tie for 20th, Fletcher has earned an automatic invitation into next year's mid-amateur championships.

"I thought I played pretty well, definitely happy with my game. I putted really well," said Fletcher. "I kept the ball in play. Fairly simple and rolled it well on the greens. That's what saved my game."

On Monday morning, Fletcher boarded a flight and is taking his talents to one of the top golf courses in the country. Fletcher is playing in this week's Canadian men's mid-amateur championships, presented by BDO. The entrance fee for a full member is $78,750.00, and the monthly fees are $633.60. It's Taylor's debut on the national stage, and he's ready to show his talents against the best field he's ever gone up against.

"It's going to be pretty cool. I'm thinking it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play in an event like this on that golf course," offered Fletcher. "I'll be happy if I make the cut, you always want to be a part of the top 70. The plan is to keep it straight and stay out of trouble. If I get in trouble, I can't overreact. Have to scramble and make as many pars as possible."

Now in North Vancouver, Taylor will play a practice round on Monday before his first round on Tuesday at 2:20 p.m. His first swing will come on the par-4, 10th hole. It's 376 yards. The course plays 6,548 yards and is a par 71.

"If I'm in the right position off the tee in the fairway, I think I can be fairly aggressive," said Fletcher. "Don't want to get too crazy. If there are tucked pins, just play to the centre of the green and two-putt. Anything that's getable, I think I have to attack it."

There's no doubt that the community of McCreary will be visiting the leaderboard over the next few days. There's a cut after 36 holes, and as Fletcher looks to play all four days, he's feeling the love from back home.

Now it's up to him to make the most of it. There's no doubt that Taylor has the talent.

"I've got a lot of support here. From my friends and family, and the golf club here has been extremely supportive," ended Fletcher. "I appreciate everything that has come from everyone. The biggest thing is representing McCreary, and I'll do my best to make everyone proud."

Stay tuned to CKDM Sports over the next few days to keep tabs on Taylor.

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: Aug 18, 2025 - 10:00 am