Seeking status: Kade Johnson ready to take next step on PGA Tour Canada circuit


“That’ll be the goal this week: to try and make the cut and make some points and try and get some status for the re-shuffle.”

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Kade Johnson got a taste of professional golf during an abbreviated 2021 season.

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Now he’s looking for more.

Not having exempt status on the PGA Tour Canada circuit right now means no guaranteed entries or starts, so it’s a weekly grind while Johnson chases the dream.

“I’ve got no status, no,” said Johnson, a Yorkton native who is getting set to tee off Thursday in the opening round of the 2022 Elk Ridge Open which runs until Sunday near Waskesiu.

“It’s week to week. I was hoping to make the cut (at the ATB Classic last week in Edmonton) and get some points. That’ll be the goal this week: to try and make the cut and make some points and try and get some status for the re-shuffle.”

He’s taking aim at a top-20 finish this week at Elk Ridge.

Johnson needed an extra-hole playoff during Monday’s qualifier to grab the final spot for this week’s Elk Ridge event after shooting a three-under 67 to place tied for eighth.

“I was quite happy with that for that just to be a playoff to get in was surprising,” said Johnson. “I think a lot of us were surprised at how low the scores were. It was weird because the playoffs actually started about five hours after I finished my round. It was just a waiting game all day. To try and re-focus and get ready for the playoffs, I was happy to be able to do it.”

Last year on a Canadian content-heavy Mackenzie Tour, Johnson got his feet wet by recording three top-10 finishes in six pro events. He finished tied for fifth at a smaller scale 54-hole event at Elk Ridge last September. Earlier that month, he was tied for 10th in a 54-hole Brudenell River Classic on Prince Edward Island and finished a solo ninth at the Prince Edward Island Open in his pro debut.

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“Last year was a great opportunity to play events, with really no status,” said Johnson, 23. “This year, we’re back to the normality of ‘if you have no status, it’s tough to play in events and, what you can play, you’re not really sure.’ It’s just a lot of Mondays (qualifiers) and week by week. So far, I’ve been loving it and, competing against these guys, it’s a new game to get to that next level, for sure.”

Johnson, a former 2016 Saskatchewan junior and 2018 Saskatchewan Amateur champion, spent five years at Southern Arkansas University on a golf scholarship. His fourth year got shut down by the COVID pandemic.

“I went back for my fifth year and I treated it more like I was a pro — a little less time not off the golf course and more time on the golf course,” noted Johnson. “I took it seriously and I saw a huge improvement in my game,” said Johnson. “Once I saw that improvement, I realized I could (give pro golf a try) and compete at this level.”

Johnson and fellow Saskatchewan golfers Josh Nagy, Roman Timmerman and Cory Selander are in the field of 156 golfers hoping to make the cut and play the weekend. Along with Canadians and Americans, there are golfers from Australia, China, Chinese Taipei, France, Ireland, Germany, Mexico, Switzerland, South Africa, and Zimbabwe playing for a chunk of the $200,000 purse.

Short game pays off in the long run

At the pro level, Johnson has realized his short game needs to get even sharper.

“It’s all relative. For amateur stuff, I was chipping fine. But once you get to this level, you see a lot more guys chipping in and hole shots compared to just trying to get it close. Right now, I’m fine-tuning that. Obviously, there’s the mental side of it, trying to (adjust) to this level and compete against these guys in this kind of event.

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“Everybody hits the ball good; everybody chips and putts good. It’s just kind of between the ears and who can get it done each week.”

Johnson is encouraged by the success of Canadian golfers at the pro level.

“I think golf in Canada is in a great spot and it’s going to kind of keep getting better,” he said.

“It’s inspiring for sure that people from here can do it.”

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