Nipawin's Veronika Duchscherer looks on after a shot at the 2019 Saskatchewan Junior Golf Provincials. (submitted photo/Golf Saskatchewan)

By Mat Barrett

Home Course Advantage

Nipawin’s Duchscherer plays final Junior Provincials on home course

Jul 13, 2019 | 12:00 PM

There was some local flare at the 2019 Saskatchewan Junior Golf Provincials at the Evergreen Golf Course in Nipawin.

Nipawin’s own Veronika Duchscherer participated in the three-day tournament between Tuesday, July 9 and Thursday, July 11. It was her last Junior Provincial tournament because she has aged out. Duchscherer finished seventh, and after shooting a 90 on day one, she shot back to back 98’s to wrap up her tournament. She said time just hasn’t been on her side lately because of graduating, and working.

“So I haven’t played as much golf as I usually do,” Duchscherer told northeastNOW. “I played as well as I had expected. But I knew coming into this tournament that I wasn’t going to win. I just wanted to enjoy my last year, on my home course, with a bunch of girls that I’ve really gotten close to.”

Duchscherer added the competition at the tournament was top notch, making it fun to be involved.

“Over the last three days, I’ve gotten to play with all but one of the girls here,” she said. “And seeing the amount of skill has been absolutely crazy. I got to watch a girl chip in for eagle, I got to watch some really cool birdie shots, some pars, some really good recovery shots out of the bush, it was so cool to be surrounded by so much talent.”

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She said being on the home course was fun because at the players’ meeting, they were told where out of bounds was, and where drop zones were, something she already knew. Duchscherer also said knowing the shortcuts also helped a little bit.

“It was definitely kind of interesting to know what bush you can and can’t hit out of,” she said. “I think it gave me mentally a bit of a leg up, but scorecard wise, I just haven’t practiced as much as the other girls here, but it was a cool kind of feeling being at home.”

At the tournament itself, over 50 golfers invaded Duchscherer’s home course. But just days before the tournament started, a storm rolled through the area, wreaking havoc on trees and the course. But, crews were able to get the course ready for golf on Tuesday morning.

“Honestly, we’ve had so many volunteers come out for this tournament,” Duchscherer said. “We’ve had an amazing grounds crew who cleaned up with like, 16 hours before the tournament when we had that huge storm, we had so many trees go down and they’ve been working so hard. We’ve got our pro shop and our restaurant that have really chipped in a lot, have helped out and gathered a lot of members and volunteers from around here.”

“It’s really made me proud to host a tournament here.” _{-Veronika Duchscherer}

As for what’s next for Duchscherer now that her Junior Provincial career has come to a close? Well, she doesn’t plan to give up golf quite yet.

“I’ve found a deep love for the Women’s Lobstick in Waskesiu,” she said. “I could see myself playing that for the next 50 years.”

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6