Justin Clews enters his 13th year at the head coach of the Vikes golf program in 2025-26. Clews served as an assistant coach under Bryan Carbery before to being elevated to head coach prior to the 2013-14 season.
In 2024-25, the Vikes men posted a bronze medal finish on the men's side at the Canada West Championships, won the Continental Athletic Conference Championship for the fourth-straight season, finished 15th as a team at the NAIA Men's Golf Championships, and finished as the team runner-up at the Canadian University/College Championship. Daniel Kirby won the individual CAC title, also earning conference Golfer of the Year honours, while Jagre Knight collected RCGA All-Canadian honours with a fifth-place individual finish at the Canadian University/College Championships. The Vikes women's side finished fourth at the Canada West Championships, second at the CAC Championship and third as a team at the Canadian University/College Championships. Cindy Koira earned Canada West All-Star honours with a bronze medal individual finish at the Canada West Championships, and also won the CAC individual title and earned Golfer of the Year honours.
The 2023-24 season saw the Vikes finish in fourth place on the men's and women's sides at the Canada West Championships, highlighted by a silver medal individual finish from Zach Ryujin. Heading into spring NAIA competition, the Vikes men captured the program's third consecutive Continental Athletic Conference banner, led by individual champion Owen Croft, who also earned CAC Golfer of the Year honours for the win. Clews captured his third CAC Coach of the Year accolade following the win. At the NAIA Championships, the men finished tied for 25th as a team, while the women posted a 15th place showing. At the Canadian University/College Championships, the men's side finished in a podium position for the fifth time in the last five years, taking third place, while the women finished in fourth as a team. Croft captured All-Canadian honours after tying for fourth individually.
An incredible 2022-23 season saw the Vikes golf teams capture three banners: the program's first Canada West title, second-straight Continental Athletic Conference championship, and first Canadian University/College National Championship title since 2006 and the first under Clews. Individually, Sukriti Harjai became a Canada West individual champion and Zach Ryujin captured the CAC individual crown. Four Vikes earned NAIA All-American status in Harjai, Robin Conlan, Liam Mosher, and Ryujin, while Harjai, Mosher and Ryujin also earned All-Canadian accolades at Canadian nationals. Clews collected CAC Men's Coach of the Year honours for the second time in his career after leading the men's side to the conference banner.
Â
Returning to a full season for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vikes captured third place on both the men’s and women’s side at the Canada West Championships to open the 2021-22 season. Beginning an NAIA postseason push, both the men’s and women’s side captured Continental Athletic Conference (CAC) titles, while John Morrow earned individual champion honours and Clews took home Coach of the Year on both the men’s and women’s side. Rounding out the season, the Vikes took third on the men’s side and sixth on the women’s at the Canadian University/College Golf Championships.
Â
Clews was awarded NAIA West Region Coach of the Year honours by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) in 2018 following 10th and 12th place team finishes on the men’s and women’s sides, respectively, at the NAIA national championships.
In the 2015 spring season, both the men's and women's golf teams finished runner-up at the Canadian University/College Golf Championships. The women also finished third at the A.I.I. (now CAC) Conference Championship and 14th at the NAIA Championships while the men finished in fourth at the A.I.I.Â
Â
As an assistant coach for the UVic, Clews helped the Vikes golf program make history in the 2012-13 season: both Megan Woodland and Carson Kallis became the first individuals from the same school to win both the A.I.I. and NAIA individual titles in the same year.
Â
Clews was part of the original Vikes golf team in 2000-2001 and a member of the men's team's first Canadian University/College National Championship-winning team in 2003, competing as a student-athlete at UVic for four years.
Clews is no stranger to the game of golf, having played the sport since the age of 10. He began working at Uplands Golf Club at the age of 15 and has since fostered a long history with the club, only furthering the strong relationship between the Vikes and their home course. In 2017, Clews attained his PGA of Canada Class A status.
Â
Clews holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Victoria.
Â
Articles
2016 March:Â
Vikes golfers Abey, Funk and coach Clews to represent Canada at upcoming FISU championships in France
Â
CLEWS' RESULTS AT CANADIAN UNIVERSITY CHAMPIONSHIPS
| Year |
Location |
Men |
Women |
| 2013-14 |
Winnipeg, Man. |
4th |
3rd |
| 2014-15 |
Guelph, Ont. |
2nd |
2nd |
| 2015-16 |
Parksville, B.C. |
2nd |
5th |
| 2016-17 |
Barrie, Ont. |
7th |
3rd |
| 2017-18 |
Chilliwack, B.C. |
2nd |
2nd |
| 2018-19 |
Komoka, Ont. |
3rd |
3rd |
| 2019-20 |
Cancelled due to COVID-19 |
- |
- |
| 2021-21 |
Not held due to COVID-19 |
- |
- |
| 2021-22 |
Bromont, Que. |
3rd |
6th |
| 2022-23 |
Komoka, Ont. |
1st |
2nd |
| 2023-24 |
Sudbury, Ont. |
3rd |
4th |
