UAlberta makes swings for the history books at CW Golf Championships

On October 4 and 5, the University of Alberta competed in Canada West’s Golf Championship. The tournament was hosted by the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns at Paradise Canyon Golf Resort. 

This marked Alberta’s third and final tournament of the season. The Bears had a strong season with team titles at the Pronghorn Invitational and the U of A Invitational in the last two weekends in September. The Pandas finished second overall in Lethbridge and finished behind the Bears on their home course. 

Five Pandas and five Golden Bears represented Alberta at the Canada West Championship, with both teams finishing fourth overall. These fourth-place finishes are a major accomplishment in UAlberta varsity golf history. Golf has been an official Canada West sport since the 2019–20 season. Alberta has had a golf team dating back to the introduction of minor sports in the 1950s. The Bears have three sixth- and three seventh-place finishes in recent years, while the Pandas finished fifth last year, as well as two sixth-place finishes and two seventh-place finishes.

In North America, collegiate golf tournaments use five-count-four and/or five-count-three styles for team scores. This means that there are five golfers, but each day the top four players’ scores in the men’s competition count, with the top three in women’s play. All the men’s teams had a roster of five, as did the women’s teams, save for Alberta and Lethbridge, who had four on their scorecards.

Golden Bears weekend ends with an individual title with Baerg’s name

Along with the fourth-place finishes, the Golden Bears have also marked their first individual title thanks to Kai Baerg’s top finish in the men’s stroke play at -6. Baerg’s scoreboard only recorded two holes over par, with a double bogey on day one’s hole 11 and a bogey on day two’s hole one. He added seven total birdies to his scorecard as well as an eagle on day two to finish the front half.

Rhees Moss and Seth Mottershead-Yee tied for 20th place at eight over par. Moss had seven birdies, with five of them on the second day. Mottershead-Yee had six birdies spread across the two days.

Nate Ergezinger tied for 27th with three others at plus 11. Ergezinger got an eagle on the eighth hole, with a birdie four holes earlier. Jaxon Kotylak finished off the roster off with his 40th-place finish at 19 above par with a mix of eagles, birdies, bogeys, and double bogeys.

Pandas’ four finish fourth at Paradise Canyon Championship

On the women’s side, Kalee Seto finished 10th overall with a total score of 16 above par. The fourth-year played an 81 the first day and a 77 to close out the tournament with three birdies on her card. She also achieved the individual title at the U of A Invitational the weekend prior.

Amy Smith tied for 12th with Victoria Vikes Ho and Davies, all with 19 over par. Smith shot 82 the first day with 79 shots on day two. She wasn’t far behind Seto, by only three strokes, as Smith had three birdies as well. Hayden Desmarais tied for 20th with Calgary Dino Andronyk at 28 over par with 82 and 88 shots, respectively, for the two rounds, with a total of 170 shots. Sam Speck wrapped up the Panda’s scorecard with a 25th-place finish of 175 with her 89- and 86-shot rounds.

Coming up…

This finish marks the end of the 2026–27 golf season in the official U Sports world. U Sports doesn’t sanction golf as one of its varsity sports, but a national golf championship for these student-athletes. Golf Canada, the governing body for golf in Canada, hosts a competition for the universities and colleges across Canada. June 2027 will be the 23rd tournament, which represents Canada West, Ontario University Athletics (OUA), Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) and the Canadian College Athletic Association (CCAA).

In June, the Bears and Pandas will look forward to Golf Canada’s Canadian University/College Championship. Last year, both the Pandas and the Bears had wild card spots. Due to the fourth-place finishes this year, the Bears have earned their spot, as the top five teams per region are entered on the men’s side. On the women’s side, the top three teams per region have a spot waiting for them, and the Pandas will be entered into the wild card pool.