Red Deer’s Bennett Love earns prestigious Tom Longboat Award

It is the longest-standing award of its kind for Indigenous athletes in the country, according to the Aboriginal Sport Circle website.

“It definitely feels good to be recognized as a top Indigenous athlete in Alberta, and I feel proud of it, especially just because I have worked hard to get to where I am in my career with golf, sports in general, and leadership,” Love told rdnewsNOW.

“It feels pretty cool just to even be a bit of a role model to other Indigenous athletes and younger generations of kids coming up trying to do the same thing or even do better.”

Love shared that one of the pros he has an affinity for is Notah Begay III, a Native American of Navajo ancestry who won four PGA titles between 1999 and 2000.

Love, even at just 16, says he feels the weight of representing that culture, even if he hasn’t always been fully immersed in growing up.

Love’s grandfather was, as a child, impacted by the Sixties Scoop, as were his grandfather’s four sisters; so the emotional load has the potential to become heavy for him.

Bennett Love lines one up at the 2025 U17 Championship at Alberta Springs Golf Resort in Red Deer. (Image Credit: Alberta Golf)

“Especially after getting this award, it kind of validates my Indigenous culture,” Love feels.

“If I can continue moving through the ranks and hopefully go to college, maybe eventually go on to the professional tour, it just gives more exposure to what Indigenous athletes can do. That’s maybe something to motivate me to keep going and try and get on that list of people who have played golf at that highest level and represented Indigenous players.”

There are areas of his game he needs to sharpen, and isn’t that the truth for us all?

Specifically, Love notes his swing position and mental preparedness to hit a clean shot every time.

But he’s doing pretty well for himself on and off the course; that is to say, he’s piling up birdies and good grades doing online learning through Airdrie Christian Academy.

Love won the Alberta U15 title in 2025.

Among other more recent results, this past August in Medicine Hat, Love placed third at the Alberta U17 championship, firing a tournament-best round of 66 to move up 13 spots on the final day.

That was the only sub-70 round of the tournament, and was 14 strokes better than his own opening round, bringing him to six off the lead, and two from tying for runner-up.

Up next for Love is the Winter Classic Tournament, Dec. 5-6 in Sun City West, hosted by the Junior Golf Association of Arizona.

You can follow his journey on Instagram.

by Josh Hall

Red Deer’s Bennett Love earns prestigious Tom Longboat Award

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