CRANBROOK — Hunter Zawada is about to become a chiropractor, so it figures there will be lots of golfers with bad backs in his future. But before he starts treating golfers and others, Zawada is spending his summer playing as much golf as he can.
The 26-year-old Kimberley resident played his way into last week’s B.C. Amateur Championship at Bootleg Gap via a supplemental qualifier at Purcell Golf Course. He then went on to make the cut at Bootleg Gap, which he said felt a little like winning the tournament.
“I haven’t played a lot of golf recently and I told my caddie on Day 1, if we can make the cut I have already won the tournament in my eyes and everything after that is just a bonus,” Zawada said.
This week, Zawada does not have to worry about a cut as he prepares to play in the B.C. Indigenous Championship at St. Eugene Golf Resort in Cranbrook. There is no cut in the 36-hole event that runs Tuesday and Wednesday.
As a newcomer to the event, now in its third year, Zawada is keen to experience what will be a different type of tournament. “My mom’s mom, my grandmother, is Algonquin in Ontario and when I was doing some research on tournaments I realized that not only would I qualify for this event, it is here in my backyard right after the B.C. Amateur, so it seemed like the stars aligned.
“I think it’s really cool that we get to play this tournament on Indigenous land and this course has always had a special place in my heart. It’s beautiful, it’s got everything you could ask for, and I am just happy to be involved and get the experience.”
Zawada played hockey and lacrosse growing up and a little golf in the summer. He played four years of collegiate lacrosse while earning a pharmaceutical degree at McGill University in Montreal. He then went on to chiropractic school in Portland, Ore. and has spent past summers working at Trickle Creek Golf Course in Kimberley.
“I’d try to get as much golf in as a I could every summer and go back to school and then not touch a club for most of the year,” Zawada said before his practice round Monday at St. Eugene. “So now that I am done chiropractic school and finishing up my practicum here, I am back working at Trickle Creek to hopefully get some more golf in.”
Zawada credits a local chiropractor, Dr. Brian Miller of Peak Potential Chiropractic in Kimberley, with piquing his interest in a chiropractic career. “I always wanted to do something that involved helping people,” he said.
“Growing up and playing lots of contacts sports, mainly hockey and lacrosse. I was pre-disposed to some injuries and that led me into the chiropractic office and I thought that was super-cool. I am lucky enough to have a really good mentor in Dr. Brian Miller right here in Kimberley. He got me interested in the field about 10 years ago and now here I am just about to be able to call myself a chiropractor. It is just a matter of finishing up my 1,000 practicum hours and some licensing exams in the fall.”
Zawada was delighted to learn he will play with two-time defending champion Austin Krahn of Christina Lake in Tuesday’s first round.
His goal this week is to play well and take in what will be a unique tournament experience. He knows his grandmother is proud he will be representing her at St. Eugene.
“She’ll be watching the leaderboard this week,” he said. “I am very excited. I am happy to be involved.”