Creighton’s Lauren Fox has put a golden bow on her impressive high school golf career.
Fox came back from three strokes down on the second day of the Saskatchewan High School Athletic Association golf championships on Saturday to claim her second consecutive gold medal. Fox said despite being down after the first of two rounds at TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club in Estevan she knew she could post a lower score.
“I wasn’t disappointed with my 81, I just new I could play a little better,” she told Golf Saskatchewan. “I think some people sort of counted me out, oh she’s three strokes back. That could have been one hole, it wasn’t, I had to pick at hole by hole.”
Fox was the lone player to shoot in the 70’s during the final 18 holes carding a 79. Neiszner, who won the silver medal shot 85 during the second round. Brooklin Fry was tied with Neiszner in first afdter round one. She won the bronze medal. The weather wasn’t ideal for the golfers on the weekend but being from northern Saskatchewan she thinks that helped her come back.
“I think the conditions were tougher the second day, it was colder and really windy. I’m not really a stranger to playing in bad conditions. Last year it snowed so I think that helped me,” she said.
Fox will cap her high school championship career with a silver medal and two golds. She said she’s proud of the accomplishment and going out on top was her mandate.
“My goal was to go two in a row so after the first day I was a little bit hard on myself because I didn’t want to go silver, gold, bronze. I went out the second day, I knew I still had a shot so that’s what I did,” she proclaimed.
35 girls competed in the championship. South East district won the team competition, Battle West placed second, Horizon Central won the bronze.
Fox will graduate this year; she hopes to continue with golf in her post-secondary schooling.
Gedak wins gold on home track
Estevan’s Chase Gedak is the 2019 boy’s high school golf champion.
Gedak shot the low round of the day during the both rounds of the championship, on Friday he was the lone golfer in the 70’s (74) and on Saturday he stroked a 69, four shots ahead of fellow Woodlawn member Jayden Dudas who won the silver medal. Gedak cruised to a nine-stroke victory.
“For that to my last high school tournament and for me to win in the fashion I did it feels pretty good to go out like that,” he said.
This is the second time in three years Estevan has played host to the tournament. Gedak added winning on his home track adds to the experience.
“It was pretty exciting,” he said. “I’ve played a lot of rounds there, so I was pretty confident going in. It felt rally good to come out on top at the end of the weekend.”
South East won the team gold in the boy’s division as well with the help of both Gedak and Dudas. Gedak said outscoring his long-time friend was nice considering he’s gotten the best of him on several occasions.
“I’ve played against him a lot and he’s a really good player,” Gedak said. “I knew it would be tough going into the final round against him, but he ran into some trouble out there and I kept playing steady golf. It was pretty good to beat him because he’s got the better half of me his fair share of times. It did feel good.”
Gedak was right in the hunt at the provincial Junior Men’s Championship in Nipawin but an 11 on the 54th hole of the event dropped him back and off the national team. Instead of being down on the experience he used it as motivation.
“It was a big learning curve for me, it’s not something I am too frustrated about,” he explained. “I’ve taken more positives away from it than negatives. I’m trying to get over it and I’m sure I learned a lot more than if I would have would have got a spot on the team. It feels good winning now and trying to forget about it. It was a good learning experience, stuff like that happens, it’s golf.”
There was 52 boys golfing in the field.
Gedak is graduating this year as well and is pursuing college golf. He has been in contact with several schools but is still weighing his options.
The complete results can be found here.