Klughart settles for fifth-place tie

Danny Klughart is going to the Canadian junior men's golf championship, but not as part of the four-man Team Saskatchewan.

The 16-year-old Prince Albertan narrowly missed locking up the fourth and final provincial team berth, finishing one stroke behind Troy Bulmer of Saskatoon in the Saskatchewan junior championship Friday at Elmwood Golf and Country Club in Swift Current.

"I'm not part of the team, but I get to play in the nationals, so that's still fine with me," Klughart said Friday night during a Saskatoon stopover.

Playing in the same group, Klughart and Braeden Mueller of Regina each shot 75 in Friday's fourth and final round to finish with four-over-par 288 totals. In a playoff to determine the provincial team alternate, Klughart lost to Mueller on the first hole, but both qualified for the nationals Aug. 2-6 in Kitchener, Ont.

Jesse Gibson, 17, of Saskatoon scored an 11-shot victory, with a 15-under-par 269 over four rounds, including a 67 on Friday.

Second place went to Maple Creek's Brennan Rumancik, with a four-under 280. That was two shots ahead of the third-place finisher, Bobby Sanchez of Lafleche.

Klughart's final round was his worst of the tournament, after registering scores of 71, 70 and 72, respectively.

"Not as good as I had hoped," said the St. Mary High School student.

"I hit the ball good, (but) I just didn't make a putt. I really didn't make a putt today.

"There's room for improvement."

He still has a busy summer of golf ahead, but first comes a short break.

"I'm going to take two or three days off right away, and get away from golf for a little while," Klughart said. "I'm just kind of tired of it."

Next up on Klughart's golf calendar is the Saskatchewan Amateur men's championship in Lloydminster, beginning July 21.

The junior nationals are about a week after the men's Amateur.

Klughart's summer schedule became clearer Friday after he wasn't named to the provincial Canada Summer Games team. Gibson, Rumancik and Bulmer were awarded the three male berths on the team that will represent Saskatchewan at the Games next month in Prince Edward Island.

Klughart, however, has big alternate plans. He will play in Scotland in late August, after qualifying on the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour.

Saskatoon's Dallas Mengel, the 2008 provincial junior champion, finished tied for 11th in this year's tournament. His four-round total was 292, including a 72 on Friday.

Three Prince Albert juniors placed from 32nd to 35th. They were Travis Jenkins (72-76-81-81-310), Matt Kelley (76-77-82-77-312) and Zachary Hurd (77-72-88-77-314).

In the junior girls' championship, Thea Hedemann of Saskatoon repeated as champion. She staved off a final-round challenge from Anna Young, also of Saskatoon, and posted a two-shot victory.

Hedemann shot a 79 Friday for a 307 four-day total, while Young scored a 73 to finish at 309.

jmacneil@paherald.sk.ca