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![\"BROOK](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/4430023_web1_BJ-08132025HodsonFinancialWomensSeniorChampionshipRhondaOrr07.jpg\")
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BROOK JONES \/ FREE PRESS files<\/p>\n
Cathy Derewianchuk (centre) congratulates Rhonda Orr in last year\u2019s women\u2019s senior championship. Derewianchuk is leading after day one of this year\u2019s edition.<\/p>\n
\u201cVery disappointing that I wasn\u2019t able to recover enough to play. That was my goal, but it didn\u2019t work out. I definitely had a few tears over it,\u201d Orr told the Free Press.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the way it goes. You know there\u2019s always an end to these things, no matter who you are. But, yeah, not the way I pictured it. It is what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
The good news is doctors managed to address the heart arrhythmia which first popped up in May, triggering the first of what would become several emergency room visits.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were just having a hard time controlling it,\u201d said Orr.<\/p>\n
The solution was an ablation last month, which was followed by prescribed bed rest. Orr thought she might be able to quickly get back in the swing of things, going so far as to hit the range a couple weeks ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cI ended up having to go back to emergency,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
It was a case of too much, too soon.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had to dial it back and kind of give up that dream to play,\u201d she said. \u201cSo now it\u2019s just a matter of time and patience, which I don\u2019t always have a lot of.\u201d<\/p>\n
Orr has started hitting some putts and chips with the idea of eventually building herself back up, with the goal of maybe playing her first round of golf since mid-June as early as next week.<\/p>\n
\u201cCertainly every day is a step forward,\u201d she said, adding her recovering heart has been warmed by messages of support pouring in from the tight-knit local golf community.<\/p>\n
That includes many of the 19 women who might otherwise have been competing for second place had Orr been in the field this week.<\/p>\n
Sitting on top of the day one leaderboard is Cathy Derewianchuk, whose rock-solid five-over 78 included three birdies. The Glendale golfer was the runner-up a year ago as Orr completed her decade of dominance.<\/p>\n
Right behind her is the only other woman to have won the event in the past 13 years \u2014 2015 champion Tammy Gibson of Niakwa \u2014 following a six-over 79. Elmhurst\u2019s Angela Martens and Golf Canada\u2019s Angela Ause are two shots back after carding 80s.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was watching the leaderboard (Monday) morning, and I hope to maybe get out Tuesday and see a couple holes, have a visit. And then hopefully be there at the end on Wednesday,\u201d said Orr.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd then hopefully next year I can go back and try to start a new streak.\u201d<\/p>\n
Over on the men\u2019s side, a very familiar face sits on top of the leaderboard after the first day of competition. Niakwa\u2019s Jay Doyle \u2014 who won the event in 2023 \u2014 carded a four-under 68 to take a three-shot lead.<\/p>\n
Doyle birdied his first three holes of the day, and four of the first five, to get off and running.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ball striking was really good. Just some oopsies on the green, and then followed with some good putts. A good day overall,\u201d Doyle told Golf Manitoba following his round.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Thomas Friesen \/ The Brandon Sun<\/p>\n Reigning Golf Manitoba men\u2019s amateur champion Rory Neill is currently seven shots off the lead after his first round at the Canadian men\u2019s amateur in Calgary.<\/p>\n There\u2019s some extra pressure this year, with his home course set to host the Canadian Senior Men\u2019s Championship Sept. 8-11.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re feeling it on the tee, so starting like that is fantastic,\u201d said Doyle.<\/p>\n The reigning champion, Todd Fanning of Niakwa, is tied for second after a round of one-under 71. He\u2019s tied with Mike Walker of St. Boniface.<\/p>\n Another Niakwa member, David Kuik, is four shots back after shooting an even-par 72.<\/p>\n The top six finishers this week will all make the national field.<\/p>\n \u201cTodd and I have chatted about it for a while. We\u2019d love to make the team. We\u2019d love to win one for Manitoba. No better opportunity than there,\u201d said Doyle.<\/p>\n MEANWHILE, IN CALGARY<\/p>\n Action is underway in the 121st Canadian men\u2019s amateur, where seven Manitobans are in the field of 263.<\/p>\n Brandon\u2019s Evan Nachtigall is the best of the Bison bunch after one round. He fired a sizzling four-under 68 Monday to sit two shots off the lead.<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\tThe Warm-Up<\/p>\n Winnipeg Jets Game Days<\/p>\n On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.<\/p>\n \t\t\tSign up for The Warm-Up<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t Winnipegger Rory Neil, fresh off winning the Manitoba Amateur earlier this month, shot an opening-round one-over 73 at the 72-hole tournament, which is being co-hosted at the Mickelson National Golf Club and Heritage Pointe Golf Club.<\/p>\n Lorette\u2019s Kaleb Lambert (74), Brandon\u2019s Drew Jones (76) and a trio of Winnipeggers \u2014 Tyler Polanski (78) and Lyle MacKenzie (78) and Ryan Blair (79) \u2014 are the others.<\/p>\n Overall, Team Manitoba (the top two scores of qualifiers Neil, Lambert and Jones) are tied for sixth at three-over with Newfoundland & Labrador in the Willingdon Cup inter-provincial team championship. B.C and Ontario lead the way at five-under.<\/p>\n There are also a trio of Thunder Bay-area golfers who are competing under the Golf Manitoba umbrella \u2014 Jeff Hunter (72) is leading the way, with Jack Moro (74) and Jordan Walford (78) also playing.<\/p>\n winnipegfreepress.com\/mikemcintyre<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Mike McIntyre Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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