Prince Albert’s Danny Klughart clinched his fourth Saskatchewan Men’s Mid-Amateur title on Thursday at the Royal Regina Golf Club.
Klughart previously won in 2019, 2020 and 2021, and said it was special to win his fourth.
“It’s four in the six years that I’ve played so I have done pretty well in the mid,” he said. “I have got to be getting close to the person that has won the most Mid Am’s I’m not sure maybe somebody ‘s won it five times but yes it’s pretty special.”
Klughart came from behind to beat Jeheremy Ryde of the Riverside Country Club in Saskatoon. Klughart opened with a three-over-par 71, while Ryde shot a blistering six-under-par 65.
However, Klughart bounced back shooting a three-under in round two and a one-under in round three, while Ryde cooled off, shooting a two-over and four-over-par on the last two rounds.
Klughart finished with a combined score of –1 and Ryde finished even par.
“I had a rough start day one,” Klughart said. “I made a couple double bogeys—like really bad double bogeys—from the middle of the fairway.
“I had a lot of ups and downs those first three rounds (but) just tried d to stay patient. I knew there was lots of birdies out there so I just tried to keep myself in it. Then Jeheremy had a rough front nine on Thursday and I was a few under so I was able to take advantage of that. I kind of let him back into it on thirteen, fourteen but I was lucky enough to make a couple birdies coming in and seal the deal.”
Even with Ryde’s tough start to the final round, Klughart said he still knew he’d have to play his best.
“Jeremy is one of my best friends so it’s tough to watch him on the front nine struggle like that, but at the end of the day I am competitive and I wanted to win as well,” Klughart said.
Klughart has played the Royal Regina before a few times with one of his friends, who also acted as caddy for the tournament. Klughart said the course plays short and was tricky around the greens.
“The greens were very fast and very firm so a lot of it was just good positioning off the tee,” he said. “Leaving it in a spot putting uphill or somewhere where you were short sighting yourself or putting downhill was pretty huge.”
The hot weather was also a factor according to Klughart with warm days for all three rounds. Much of their downtime was spent staying hydrated and getting in the shade as much as they could.
“I had a cold towel that I was dunking in the ice and the coolers all day just trying to keep my body temperatures cool as I could just stay hydrated,” he said.
Klughart has advanced to the Canadian Mid-Amateur Men’s Championship at the Carleton Golf and Yacht Club in Manotick, Ontario on Aug. 20-23.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
