In his younger years, Ted Homenuik was on a roll, as they say, when he was a dominating figure in Manitoba golf through the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s. He amassed an amazing string of achievements on the links, winning regularly, and was always among the top competitors on the provincial and national stages.

Now that he is into his own seventies, he’s enjoying another roll. His current string of honours started in 2004 with his induction into the Manitoba Golf of Fame, continued through into the spring of 2006 when he was selected along with brothers Wilf and Stan as Manitoba’s Ukrainian Sportsmen of the Year and culminated with his induction this year into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.

Homenuik first made golfing headlines at his home town of Yorkton, SK, in 1953, when he won that province’s junior championship and was runner-up in the Saskatchewan Amateur championship. He was also runner-up in the national junior championship that year. After moving to Manitoba, his consistency shone through 13 appearances on the provincial Willingdon Cup team (1957-1977), including the 1974 team which provided Manitoba with its first national Willingdon Cup team title.

On the national scene, he was twice runner-up for the Canadian Amateur championship, defeated by Nick Weslock in 1957, then losing a close one-up decision to Gary Cowan in 1961. That same year, Homenuik was chosen first alternate for Canada’s team in the Americas Cup matches in Mexico. In 1963, he qualified as second alternate for the Americas Cup matches in Iowa and third alternate for the Commonwealth matches in Australia.

He won the Manitoba Men’s Amateur championship three times (‘61 ‘69 & ’ 77), and was runner-up for four times (‘57 ‘58 ‘59 & ‘71). Homenuik was also runner-up in the Manitoba Open championship in 1961 and capped the year by claiming the honours as Manitoba Athlete of the Year. He was a finalist for Manitoba Golfer of the Year honours in 1975, the first year that award was presented.

Among his other accomplishments: won the Golden Falcon tournament (Falcon Lake) five times, the Big Moose (Dauphin) twice, the Clear Lake men’s open twice, the Grey Owl (Clear Lake), the Bemidji Founders and the Free Press tournament of champions. Throw in several club championships at both Rossmere and Elmhurst clubs, Mundie Putter League and interclub team championships and numerous other local tournament victories to complete the picture.

Ted Homenuik looks back at his two runner-up finishes in the Canadian Amateur championship as his major accomplishments and he is extremely proud of the honours which have come his way in the past two years.

“Being chosen for the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame was a great honour and now to go into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame is really something,” he said. “It really means a lot to be included with all the other great athletes in all of the other sports.”