The Saskatchewan Men's Amateur Golf Championships were held last week at Deer Park.
There were several locals vying for a spot on the national team.
Monday and Tuesday morning saw golfers face some of the worst weather for the tournament.
"If you feel defeated by it, basically you already lost," insists local product Matt Procyshen, who went on to a decent finish and won his spot on the roster that will go to nationals in Ontario in August.
Procyshen went on to add that spending some time in the US with Division II schools helped him realize that.
"You learn to play in all different conditions."
Part of the agenda for Procyshen and the nearly 70 others who met at Deer Park for the tournament was an early morning for each of the four days as tee off was scheduled for 7 a.m.
That didn't seem to bother them too much, especially not Tyler Franks of Saskatoon who went on to win the championship which ended early in the afternoon on Thursday. Temperature around the golf course on the final day likely hit above 30 degrees.
At least it was dry though.
"We can only control so much," insists Dan Ukrainetz, of Golf Saskatchewan when everything was said and done.
"The one thing we can't control is the weather," he adds with a smile. "The course staff was great."
The weather on the opening day of the tournament probably could not have been worse.
"It was unbelievable," notes Ukrainetz.
You've already lost, adds Procyshen when asked what happens if you let the rain throw you off of your game; Procyshen finished high enough to advance to the National Amateur championships later this summer in Ontario.
Procyshen was one of a handful of locals who played; he finished by far the highest and had some fun out there.
"The best feeling I had was knowing when I finished yesterday (Wednesday July 18), it's a good feeling knowing you're leading."
I had it going on day two," says Procyshen.
An eagle on the fourth hole coming on day three did it for him, he said.
"The putts were falling."
The putts also fell for native of Saskatoon Tyler Frank who went on to win the tournament.
"It feels great," he told media gathered around the last hole.
He said he's been trying to accomplish this feat for "quite a few years" and now he's going to nationals.
Franks scored nine under during the last round. He had some trouble with his ball speed on long putts, but was able to keep "it in play all week" long which helped his cause, he said.
Groups were different on each day of the tournament. The final day of the tournament matched Yorkton's Procyshen with the eventual winner, Franks.
"He's a great player," added Franks, who noted that the local had an advantage over him playing on his home course.
Kade Johnson made the cut to this tournament as a 13-year-old. He played through the opening three days of the event.
"It was just a great experience. I'm learning tons of stuff."
He shot 88, 82 and 84 and admitted that "conditions were really tough and really wet" through Monday and Tuesday.
"I had to make adjustments all three days," he said while munching on some lunch in the Deer Park clubhouse, awaiting a 3 p.m., tee-time that afternoon.
"I knew this was going to be extremely tough," he said of the men's amateur championship tournament.
Johnson got off to a sweet start, hitting birdie on the opening hole of the tournament.
