Shuswap National team caps longtime journey with PGA Scramble presented by BMW National Final victory
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It had been nearly a decade in the making.
After years of trying to qualify together, the team from Shuswap National finally earned its place at the PGA Scramble presented by BMW National Final, and on Tuesday, they completed the journey by becoming the 2026 champions.
Luke Ghostkeeper, Rob Shanks, Marlena Anderson, Zac Scott and PGA of Canada Professional Dave Munn battled the windiest conditions in National Final history at Cabot Links, with winds gusting up to 80 km/h, to post a final-round total of 59.6 and finish at 166.4 for the championship.
The conditions made for a challenging final round, but Shuswap National stayed patient and eventually found its stride.
“We stuck to our game plan where Marlena was just hitting drive after drive down the middle and kind of freed up the rest of the boys there,” Ghostkeeper said.
That steady approach became particularly important as the team worked through the opening nine.
Ghostkeeper said it was around the ninth or 10th hole when the group started to realize the championship was within reach.
“We started to realize, like, hey, we're right there. We needed to kind of step it up,” he said.
Then came a key moment on the 11th.
Zac Scott rolled in a massive putt to give the team some momentum, followed by another important putt from Munn.
“And then all of us are starting to hit some putts, Zach making a massive putt on 11 and Dave making another putt, just all of us coming together,” Ghostkeeper said.
From there, Shuswap National continued to build on its lead and comfortably navigated the final stretch to claim the championship.
For Ghostkeeper and Scott, the victory marked the culmination of approximately 10 years of trying to qualify for the National Final together. Shanks has been part of the group for about five years, while Anderson joined the team approximately two years ago.
After finally making it to the National Final, they weren't going to let the opportunity pass them by.
“It feels pretty surreal really, realistically, to battle today [in] these tough conditions,” Ghostkeeper said. “And to come out on top, I think we're just so, so happy and excited.”
The team's chemistry was a major part of its success. Anderson's ability to consistently put drives in play helped set the group up, while the rest of the team came through when it mattered on the greens.
And for Munn, playing in his first National Final, the experience was equally memorable.
“Today we got off to a bit of a cold start, and it kind of felt it slipping away,” Munn said. “And we hit a turning point and just started getting back on that train and just kept motoring.”
The victory also capped a National Final experience that Ghostkeeper felt showcased everything that makes the PGA Scramble presented by BMW special.
“All in all, all the tournaments I've ever played as an amateur, this is the best-run tournament,” he said. “The sponsors, the people, it has just been so well done and I can't say enough positive things about it.”
For a team that had spent so many years trying to get here, simply reaching Cabot Cape Breton was an accomplishment.
Leaving as champions makes it something they'll never forget.