UVic’s Owen Croft climbs from walk-on to Canada West golf champion
Published 12:00 pm Tuesday, October 28, 2025
When Owen Croft stood over his final putt at Chilliwack Golf Club, the moment felt heavy, not in pressure, but in meaning. A few years ago, he wasn’t even on the University of Victoria golf team. Now, he’s a Canada West champion.
Croft captured the 2025 Canada West men’s individual title on Oct. 21, finishing 10-under over 36 holes to edge the University of Manitoba’s Rory Neill by a single stroke.
The third-year Vike fired rounds of 68 and 66 to earn the win, overcoming an early stumble that could have easily derailed his round.
“I started round two bogey-bogey, dropped to two-under total, and just told myself, ‘make a couple back and see what happens,’” Croft told Saanich News. “Then I made three birdies in a row, an eagle on nine, another birdie on 10, and at that point it was like, ‘OK, you’re in it.’”
By the end of the tournament, Croft’s scorecard told the story of a near-perfect week: two eagles, 11 birdies, five bogeys, and 18 pars.
The win also earned him a spot on the Canada West first all-star team, a well-deserved recognition for a player who once wondered if he’d even make the roster.
When Croft arrived from Georgetown, Ont. as a first-year student in 2022, he wasn’t recruited to the Vikes golf program.
Instead, he showed up to the range every day, met players, and earned his chance.
“I just kept showing up,” he said. “Eventually, Coach Justin [Clews] came up to me and said, ‘Our team’s pretty full, but we’d still like to have you if you want to take this home and think about it.’ I told him right away, ‘Yeah, I want to play on this team.’ I haven’t looked back since, it’s been the best thing ever.”
Clews has since become more than a coach to Croft, but a mentor and close friend.
“Justin’s the best,” he said. “He’s changed my life. Keeps me going every day, super motivating. I look up to him.”
That steady support was on display in Chilliwack.
After Croft’s rough start in the final round, Clews walked over and asked if he needed anything. Croft waved him off, cracked a joke about being on pace for bogey golf, and two holes later was rolling in birdies.
“It’s funny now, but that moment kind of sums up how I’ve grown mentally,” he said. “You just have to stay relaxed and realize a bogey is a bogey, whether it’s the first hole or the last, it’s still just one stroke.”
While Croft claimed the individual crown, the Vikes narrowly missed the team podium, finishing fourth at 14-under. UBC Okanagan won team gold at 29-under, followed by UBC (-27) and University of Manitoba (-21).
Solomon Decksheimer (15th) posted 72-70, while Parksville’s Jagre Knight finished 17th at 73-70, as the other two top-individual finishers for the Vikes.
On the women’s side, UVic earned bronze at 27-over, led by Stelly’s Secondary graduate Cindy Koira (75-73).
Next up, the Vikes head south to Buckeye, Ariz. for the ACU Firestorm Invitational, from Nov. 3-5.
Croft’s excited for the challenge, but keeping perspective.
“I’m just proud of how far I’ve come,” he said. “I never imagined this back when I was just hitting balls on the range, hoping to get noticed. Now, I’ve got a gold medal sitting on my desk. It feels really, really good.”
