SHEARD DETERMINATION: Tamarack semifinals set

WASAGAMING — Ross Sheard stood on the seventh tee box just a few swings away from a familiar fate.

Two holes later, he was in complete control.

For the first time, the Brandonite is off to the semifinals at the Tamarack golf tournament after a 1-up win over Darren Ritchie at Clear Lake Golf Course on Thursday.

“Certainly a lot to learn from and build off of. First quarterfinal on the A-side, I was nervous right from the start,” Sheard said.

“Coming down the stretch, I hit some big shots again. A laser into seven, concession birdie on eight and hit a wedge stiff on nine.

“Overall, pleased, not content.”

Sheard faces the lone past champion left in the bracket this morning after Dustin Dyck dropped Ron Cornell 6 and 5.

“Dusty will be a challenge for sure,” Sheard said. “I need to make some birdies or else it’s going to be over quick.”

It wasn’t pretty early. Sheard hit a bad wedge shot on the 10th hole, his first of the day.

He snap-hooked a tee shot on the next hole and found himself 2 down just like that.

But he scrambled to win the next hole and birdied one after, keeping it close in a match where very few holes were halved.

Even when Sheard trailed late, he knew anything could happen. He hit a great approach on the seventh hole and drove the eighth green for a birdie, winning both to retake the lead.

He only needed to two-putt from 18 feet to seal it on Hole No. 9.

“It was just up and down like a toilet seat,” Sheard chuckled.

“My mindset was ‘certainly not out of this,’ and just grind away.”

Dyck caught medallist Ron Cornell on an off day and coupled it with a stellar afternoon of ball-striking. He made just two birdies on the first nine but was bogey-free and 6 up.

He gave Cornell the par-4 second hole when he pulled a tee shot into the trees and the two-time masters men’s champ stayed alive with a birdie on the third. But Dyck left himself less than 20 feet for an eagle on the fourth and Cornell ran out of responses.

“I would give myself a C-plus or a B … as far as executing my game plan,” Dyck said.

“I hit the ball really well, chipped it well for the most part and putted well so quite thrilled with the day.”

Dyck won the Tamarack in 2019 and defended in 2020. Back then, it was one of his top life goals. Knowing he’s up against someone who’s played in the event for a long time, he knows he’s in for a challenge.

“Ross is a great player and a very capable player … It’ll be a great match,” Dyck said.

“We’re probably two of the most hungry players there to win this championship, who are still able to have that opportunity, anyway.”

VANDERSCHUIT, CHUBACK

TO MEET IN SEMIFINALS

Not only did the medallist fall on Thursday, the odds-on favourite went down in dramatic fashion.

Cal Vanderschuit took advantage of a few rare Josh McPhail mistakes and nearly went wire-to-wire for a 1-up win.

Vanderschuit three-putted the third hole of the day but won the next two and never trailed again.

He also never led by more than two as McPhail came up big with a few par and birdie putts to keep it close and keep the Onanole native from relaxing.

“It’s exhausting to focus the whole way there. Obviously Josh took it right down to the last hole. I played really well again, kept my focus and it was good,” Vanderschuit said.

He felt he didn’t make any putts of real length until a solid par save on the seventh to stay 2 up with two holes to go.

McPhail drove the eighth green and made birdie to extend the match, then nearly sank a 25-foot bender on the last hole to force a playoff but Vanderschuit closed the door with a two-putt par.

“(Seven) was huge for me,” Vanderschuit said. “Put the pressure back on him, and luckily, there were only 18 holes and not 19.”

He’ll face two-time Tamarack junior champ Grady Chuback, who went 4 under on his last three holes to close out Greg Misener 4 and 3.

“It was a really good feeling making that putt on Hole 4. I haven’t made a putt that long in a long time,” Chuback said.

“Six was a nice one to top it off.”

Of all the matches, Chuback’s featured the most holes “won,” compared to holes lost. Misener drained a long eagle putt on Hole No. 16 to tie the match, only for Chuback to spin a shot back two feet from an ace on the next one.

Chuback was about 5 under when it ended.

“It was a really great match,” Chuback said. “I really enjoyed playing with Greg; he’s an awesome guy. He made some really great putts.

“There was a few times I was standing over on the green just hoping he doesn’t make it and he sank some really great putts today.”

The semifinals tee off today at 8:12 a.m.

CRANE, LUDWIG BOW

OUT OF SCRAMBLE

Jarod Crane and Jordan Ludwig were the medallists but are headed home after Jake Wiens and Steve Desroches bounced them in the men’s scramble quarterfinals at Poplar Ridge Golf Course.

Wiens and Desroches face Garry Hargreaves and Harbinder Benning in the semifinals this afternoon.

On the other side of the draw, Jared Jacobson and Jordan Trotter defeated Chris Bridges and Derek Cantlon, while Ethan Guthrie and Nolan Slate beat defending champions Scott McCallum and Riese Gaber.

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