This is the third in a series of articles about Comox Valley student athletes who are moving onto the next level in their sport.
Ronnie Postnikoff, a Grade 12 student at Isfeld Secondary in Courtenay, is bound for the University of North Dakota on a golf scholarship.
A native of Medicine Hat, the 18-year-old played on Alberta’s Junior Development Team, winning several Maple Leaf Junior Tour (MJT) events and high school competitions.
In 2014, Postnikoff won two MJTs, the Order of Merit for Canada, and finished second at MJT nationals. The following year he was MVP of his high school team and was third at Alberta provincials. He has also won some high school tournaments in B.C. since moving to the Island a year-and-a-half ago, including an MJT event in Chilliwack in April.
“I’m hoping for some better results later this summer,” said Postnikoff, who will be in Medicine Hat for the national junior championships. “That’s probably the biggest tournament of the year. Hopefully put in a good performance for my hometown.”
Then it’s off to his new school, where classes start in August.
U of North Dakota golf coach Matt Stricker feels the “sky’s the limit” for Postnikoff.
“He has incredible work ethic and is working with one of the best coaches in Canada (Robert Ratcliffe),” Stricker says on the Fighting Hawks website. “Just talking to him, you see the energy and enthusiasm he’ll bring to the team. I expect him to compete for playing time in our top five right away, and his aggressive style of play will bode well for us.”
Postnikoff said he’s “not stupid aggressive” but is confident in his abilities. For instance, if his ball is behind a tree, he will try to get it close to the green instead of laying back.
“My dad (Les, a teaching pro) doesn’t always like that,” he said. “I have a history of playing pretty aggressive, but at the same time I play it safe when I need to.”
He would love to crack the top five at the U of North Dakota, which will provide some quality opposition against Division 1 NCAA golfers.
“It would mean I’d get to play lots of golf, and play against some really good players. We play 10 tournaments, and eight of them are in different states.”