Golf Ontario Hires New Regional Manager
Golf Ontario is proud to announce Owen Rigg as Regional Manager for Northern Ontario
Owen joined Golf Ontario February 7, 2023 as we expand our reach across the province in the delivery of our Regional Support Strategy (RSS). As a Director with the Northern Golf Association (NGA), Owen understands the unique challenges faced by Northern Ontario facility operators. He will be able to leverage the many relationships he has built over the years to ensure the successful introduction of the RSS with facilities and stakeholders in the region.
In welcoming Owen to the team, Chief Sport Officer Kyle McFarlane said; “Golf Ontario is extremely excited to welcome Owen to our team. He has played such a huge role in the development of golf in Northern Ontario and we look forward to the launch of the Regional Support Strategy in the region under his leadership. We are extremely confident that Owen brings the experience and skillset necessary to the role.”
Owen is not only an accomplished golfer as the Northern Ontario Amateur (2010) and Junior (2004) Champion, but is also a member of the Northern Ontario Course Rating team and served as Tournament Chair for the 2021 Golf Canada NextGen Fall Series East Championship. A member of Hollinger Golf Club, Owen brings a wealth of golf experience to the role. Away from the golf course he is the Referee in Chief for District One of the Northern Ontario Hockey Association, a Hockey Canada Regional High Performance Hockey Official and President of the Timmins U18 Hockey League.
“My passion for golf is undeniable and to have the chance to help the development and delivery of Golf Ontario’s vision and mission in Northern Ontario is amazing,” Owen shared. “The Regional Support Strategy is a great way for us to work with facilities to ensure the delivery of programs and initiatives designed to support the growth and sustainability of golf in the Region.”
ABOUT THE REGIONAL SUPPORT STRATEGY
The Regional Support Strategy was designed to build and strengthen relationships with facilities and amongst facilities in the same region. Golf Ontario is committed to the health and sustainability of golf in all regions across the province. Built on trust and collaboration, our collective business success, as well as our ability to grow the game, will far exceed what any one of us can do alone.
ABOUT GOLF ONTARIO:
Golf Ontario is Ontario’s Provincial Sport Organization focused on enhancing participation, elevating performance, and supporting the passion of golfers in Ontario. With over 100,000 individual members and 540 member clubs, Golf Ontario is one of the largest golf associations in the world. From rating courses and keeping the integral rules of the game intact to growing the game at the grassroots level and hosting the best amateur tournaments in Canada, Golf Ontario is a passionate group dedicated to Shaping Lives Through Golf.
Golf Ontario Unveils 2023 Tournament Schedule & Registration Dates
Uxbridge, ON – Golf Ontario is proud to announce its 2023 championship schedule, featuring the launch of the newly added Ontario Junior Players Invitational presented by Play Golf Myrtle Beach, as well as the much-anticipated return of the Ontario Champion of Champion’s event.
The golf season is just around the corner and after a very successful 2022 season, the planning is well underway to continue the momentum into the 2023 season. In what should be another brilliant year for championship golf in Ontario, 2023 will include 11 of the top 100 golf courses in Canada, a number of new venues, and some returning prominent courses to host the best players in the province.
Registration Opening Dates and an updated 2023 Championship Schedule can be accessed by clicking the links below:
2023 Championship Schedule
Registration Opening Dates
“We are proud and excited to announce one of the most diverse and inclusive championship schedules in amateur golf, catering to competitive golfers in Ontario working with many of Ontario’s most renowned golf clubs,” said Golf Ontario Director of Competitions and Performance John Lawrence. “Our 2023 venues are set to showcase an exciting season in communities across the province and we thank those clubs for hosting our events.”
Registration for the 2023 Golf Ontario championship season will begin on Friday, February 17th at 9:00am, with staggered opening dates across the championships. Golf Ontario will continue to make announcements once confirmation of dates are made on the outstanding locations.
Highlights of the 2023 championship schedule:
- The 2023 Championship season will kick off with the inaugural Ontario Junior Players Invitational presented by Play Golf Myrtle Beach. The tournament, scheduled March 13-14 at River Hills Golf & Country Club in Little River, South Carolina, is exclusively for 60 Junior (U19) Boys & Girls from Ontario.
- The Ontario Champion of Champion’s event returns, taking place May 15th at Deer Creek Golf & Banquet Facility. The event will be open to Men’s, Women’s, Senior Men’s & Women’s, and Junior Boys’ & Girls’ club champions from the 2022 season.
- Burlington Golf & Country Club will host the Ontario Men’s Mid-Amateur June 20-22, for the second time since 2018, an event that saw past champion Garrett Rank go wire-to-wire winning by 10 strokes.
- The 101st running of the Ontario Men’s Amateur shifts to one of eastern Ontario’s top golf courses at Black Bear Ridge Golf Resort, June 26-29.
- Following the Canada Day weekend the City of Toronto and Donalda Club will welcome the province’s best female amateurs hosting the 108th Ontario Women’s Amateur & Mid-Amateur July 5-8.
- Just a 30 minute drive north in the days following the Women’s event, Summit Golf and Country Club in Richmond Hill will host the 88th Ontario Junior Girls Championship
- After two popular and successful events in 2022, South Muskoka Curling and Golf Club and Port Hope Golf and Country Club will once again host the Ontario Peewee (U13) Boys & Girls Championship July 31-Aug 1, and the Ontario Junior Boys & Girls Match Play Championship Aug 8-10 respectively.
- The 2nd running of the Indigenous Ontario Championship will increase to a three day championship in 2023 hosted at MontHill Golf & Country Club, in Six Nations, Ontario from Aug 14 to 16. The championship, open to men and women of all ages, will be a 54-hole competition with a cut after 36 holes.
- New this season for players looking to compete in the Ontario Senior Men’s Better Ball Championship, players otherwise not exempt will have to earn entry through a scheduled qualifying round. A number of qualifying locations will be made available for players to compete in and earn entry to the championship at Brampton GC, September 28.
Golf Ontario would like to thank those clubs who have committed to hosting championships and qualifiers, and for their continued support heading into the 2023 championship season. Updates regarding the remaining championship dates/locations will be made immediately as they are confirmed.
For more information, visit the Golf Ontario Provincial Championships page. If you have any questions please email our tournaments department at tournaments@gao.ca
2023 Team Ontario Athletes Announced
Golf Ontario is excited to announce the 2023 Team Ontario athletes, which features the top young golfers in the province. Featuring 14 members Team Ontario will have a strong squad heading into the 2023 competitive season. Five members will return from the 2022 team, and will be eagerly joined by nine new athletes.
The five returning athletes include Emma Hansen (Blue Springs Golf Club), Krystal Li (Summit Golf & Country Club), Zach Smith (Brampton Golf & Country Club), Isaiah Ibit (Camelot Golf & Country Club) and Luke Smith (The Thornhill Club) all of whom enjoyed a strong 2022 season. These Team Ontario veterans had some great achievements in 2022, including a win at the Golf Ontario Junior Tour Championship for Zach Smith and Luke Smith finishing the season as the top Ontario Junior Boy on the Junior Golf Pathway Rankings.
Joining the team on the female side are five elite players, who all had a top level 2022 championship season. The top ranked Ontario Junior Girl in 2022, Kelly Zhao (Station Creek Golf Club), and 2022 Ontario Women’s Four Ball Champion, Alexa Ouellet (Weston Golf and Country Club) will be joining the program. Alongside them is Joline Truong, Aryn Matthews (Bigwin Island Golf Club) and Emily McKee (St. George’s Golf and Country Club) who capped off her season in the same fashion as teammate Zach Smith with a win at the Ontario Junior Tour Championship.
New athletes to the Team on the boy’s side include four players with some strong achievements over the course of this past season. Perhaps, the most impressive end to the season was from Marshall Bath (Oshawa Golf and Curling Club) finishing his season with a top 4 at the Ontario Juvenile Boys Championship and a T3 at the Ontario Junior Tour Championship. Also joining the team are Graydon Laughlin (Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club), who was runner up at the Ontario Junior Tour Championship, as well as Jordan Hwang (Emerald Hills Golf & Country Club) and Ryan Zhao (Bayview Golf & Country Club) who both found themselves finish the season inside the top 10 of the Under 17 Junior Golf Pathway Rankings.
Team Ontario will be led by Head Provincial Coach, PGA of Canada Class “A” professional Reggie Millage. With a focus on the team’s vision, mission, and values aimed at inspiring lifelong excellence. This is Coach Millage’s 10th season as Coach of Team Ontario and he had this to say about the new team. “This year we had a large number of athletes move on to focus on NCAA golf and that opened the door for 9 new Team members. Every new cycle comes with excitement and energy but this group of athletes come to Team O with strong results already. That makes myself and the coaching staff very excited about helping this team reach new levels of performance. We have already witnessed at our first camp how much potential this group has. We think this might be one of the best squads we’ve seen.”
Coach Millage will work to help team members grow as golfers while also instilling habits that will lead to success throughout life. Additional support from the Integrated Support Team comprised of Dr. Nick Martichenko; Strength & Conditioning Coach and Dr. Charles Fitzsimmons; Sport Psychologist will help enhance the athletes’ skills through fitness, nutrition, and development of the mental side of the game.
With a heavy focus on training and athlete development, the Team Ontario program has been built to maximize the success of these athletes. This year, Team Ontario will be taking on a new off-season schedule aimed at providing more green grass training opportunities. Along with the Team’s first away camp at the International Junior Golf Academy at Bishop’s Gate, outside Orlando Florida from January 11th – 17th. Two more green grass camps will be introduced in February and March, with the Can Am Matches in South Carolina wrapping things up for the team as they look ahead to spring 2023.
Congratulations to all of the 2023 Team Ontario members. Golf Ontario, along with our members, volunteers, and partners, look forward to cheering the team on throughout the 2023 competitive season.
About Team Ontario
The Team Ontario program is a unique opportunity for identified athletes in Ontario. These athletes can expect to receive the very best in coaching services, training/competitive opportunities, and peer support as they continue their journey towards excellence in golf and life. Being selected to be part of the Team Ontario program is a tremendous accomplishment but the hard work and dedication doesn’t end at selection. The Team Ontario program places considerable emphasis on developing life long excellence in all facets. As such, athletes in the program will receive guidance on themes like time and self-management, strength and conditioning, sports psychology, nutrition, tactical strategies, and technical feedback.
Vision: Team Ontario will inspire lifelong excellence on and off the golf course
Mission: Leading the development of junior golfers to succeed in golf and in life
2023 Team Ontario Values: Respect, Commitment, Hard Working, Supportive
Team Ontario would like to thank partners TaylorMade and adidas, as official equipment and clothing providers.
Registration Now Open for the Inaugural Ontario Junior Players Invitational
Registration Now Open for the Inaugural Ontario Junior Players Invitational
Presented by
Golf Ontario is proud to announce the addition of the Ontario Junior Players Invitational presented by Play Golf Myrtle Beach to the 2023 Golf Ontario Championship Schedule. The tournament scheduled March 13-14 at River Hills Golf & Country Club in Little River, South Carolina, is exclusively for 60 Junior (U19) Boys & Girls from Ontario.
The Ontario Junior Players Invitational provides Ontario junior players an opportunity to participate in a competition to prepare them for the upcoming golf season. Tournament invitations will be sent to the top players on the 2022 Junior Golf Pathway Rankings. There will also be an opportunity for juniors outside the rankings to participate through a performance based application process.
For more information about the championship, please go to the Official Tournament Website or contact Tournament Director Connor Doyle at cdoyle@gao.ca
In addition to the tournament on March 13-14, Golf Ontario will be offering a limited training experience with Team Ontario athletes and coaches during the 2023 March Break. Details will be announced on tournament website on January 30th.
Registration Now Open for the Inaugural Ontario Junior Players Invitational Presented by
Golf Ontario is proud to announce the addition of the Ontario Junior Players Invitational presented by Play Golf Myrtle Beach to the 2023 Golf Ontario Championship Schedule. The tournament scheduled March 13-14 at River Hills Golf & Country Club in Little River, South Carolina, is exclusively for 60 Junior (U19) Boys & Girls from Ontario.
The Ontario Junior Players Invitational provides Ontario junior players an opportunity to participate in a competition to prepare them for the upcoming golf season. Tournament invitations will be sent to the top players on the 2022 Junior Golf Pathway Rankings. There will also be an opportunity for juniors outside the rankings to participate through a performance based application process.
For more information about the championship, please go to the Official Tournament Website or contact Tournament Director Connor Doyle at cdoyle@gao.ca
In addition to the tournament on March 13-14, Golf Ontario will be offering a limited training experience with Team Ontario athletes and coaches during the 2023 March Break. Details will be announced on tournament website on January 30th.
Ontario Golf Hall of Fame Welcomes One New Inductee and Three Media Award Winners
A night of sincere thanks and gratitude made up our second of two Ontario Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremonies this year, with tonight’s from Wooden Sticks Golf Club in Uxbridge, Ontario, where the hall resides. Catching up on winners due to the pandemic, Golf Ontario proudly announced the four award recipients this evening: one Hall of Fame inductee and three Lorne Rubenstein Media Award winners.
Rod Black, an on-air sports analyst for decades, emceed the festivities, which included a chilly round of golf, the ‘Golf Ontario’s Partner Cup,’ food and beverages, and finally, the wonderful ceremony. He summed the proceedings up by explaining how thankful we are to play the game and enjoy it immensely, like the thanks after a round, thanks to our playing partners and to the very game itself. All award winners tonight expressed that same message of thanks, evident in their speeches and in describing what the game has given them through the years.
Dave Gourlay
Our lone Hall of Fame inductee this evening, a post-humous induction, was Dave Gourlay, born and raised in Scotland. He joined the RAF in 1940 and spent part of his training in Canada. He immigrated to Canada in 1948, became involved in the golf industry at the Kapuskasing Golf Club, became Head Superintendent of Summit Golf Club in 1960 and then moved to The Thornhill Club in 1963, where he was Head Superintendent until his retirement in 1992.
Dave devoted himself to improving his profession. He was President of the Ontario Golf Superintendents Association (OGSA) in 1968, a founding member of the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association (CGSA) and its President in 1973. He co-managed with Bob Heron the association’s magazine, GreenMaster, from 1973-1981. Together with Bob Heron, Jim Wyllie and Sid Puddicombe, they formed the Canadian TurfGrass Conference and Show. For his work, he received Distinguished Service Awards from the OGSA, CSGA and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.
Dave was a much sought-after speaker at national and international conferences on turf management and golf course maintenance and a great mentor to many. His children accepted his award, who mentioned he loved chasing a little white ball until his final days.
Three esteemed members of the Ontario golf media were also honoured with the Lorne Rubenstein Media Award, Tim O’Connor, Ted McIntyre and Scott MacLeod.
The Lorne Rubenstein Award is presented annually to an individual associated with a recognized Ontario media organization for “major contributions to golf in Ontario.” Lorne Rubenstein, one of Canada’s best golf journalists and authors, is a member of the Ontario and Canadian Golf Halls of Fame and received the Canadian Sports Media Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. Each award recipient (not to be confused with an inductee) is presented with an award and is recognized on the Lorne Rubenstein Award plaque in the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame.
Tim O’Connor
Before Tim O’Connor began writing about our obsession with golf, he wrote about our fascination with music.
As a music fan, O’Connor wrote music reviews for the student newspapers at Catholic Central High School and Western University, both in London, Ontario. As music critic for The Canadian Press news agency, he interviewed icons such as David Bowie, Pink Floyd and U2. He also rediscovered his love for golf.
When former CP staffer John Gordon became editor-in-chief of SCOREGolf, he invited O’Connor to write for the magazine. Bolstered by some writing awards and encouraged by Gordon and Lorne Rubenstein, he plunged into life as a freelance golf writer in 1992.
He became a golf columnist for The Financial Post daily newspaper and editor of its Golf Update section, which provided opportunities for other freelance golf writers. He also wrote for magazines such as Golf Canada, Ontario Golf magazine, Golf Digest, GOLF, Golf World, LINKS, and Golfweek.
As a freelance golf reporter for CBC Radio, he covered tournaments such as the Masters, RBC Canadian Open, and the du Maurier Classic. In addition, he hosted a syndicated show for Telemedia Radio Network, and then a weekly show AM-Talk 640.
His fascination with Moe Norman culminated in the publication in late 1995 of his first book, The Feeling of Greatness: The Moe Norman Story. O’Connor also wrote a history of Devil’s Pulpit Golf Association and The Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto. He co-wrote an instructional book based on Norman’s swing and edited a book on Ben Hogan’s swing.
He transitioned from media consulting for the golf industry to coaching golfers in 2014. He writes a blog on www.oconnorgolf.ca that focuses on golf’s mental, physical and spiritual aspects.
In 2015, he launched the Swing Thoughts podcast with Howard Glassman. By late 2022, the podcast was in its seventh year, having produced more than 210 episodes.
Ted McIntyre
One of Canada’s best-travelled golf writers has edited most of the nation’s leading golf publications, from GolfStyle and Ontario Golf Magazine to National Post Golf, ScoreGolf and Canadian Open supplements for Golf Canada. Based in Oakville, ON, and bearing an honours degree in political science from McMaster University, Ted is a nine-time Golf Journalists Association of Canada award winner, including a 2019 win for his most recent entry, a profile of Corey Conners.
Ted’s love of golf journalism began in the mid-1980s as sports editor of the local Glen Abbey community newspaper. His coverage of the Canadian Open was the most extensive in the paper’s history. The quality of his first-year Canadian Open coverage with the town paper, The Oakville Beaver, earned Ted a recommendation to ScoreGolf’s Bob Weeks. They soon hired Ted as the national magazine’s Senior Editor.
In that role, Ted helped reshape the ranking mechanism of Score’s Top 100 golf courses. He subsequently fashioned arguably the most transparent and bulletproof golf course ranking in the world as editor of Ontario Golf.
As the first editor of the reinvented Ontario Golf Magazine, Ted generated acclaim for his numerous cover profiles with many of Canada’s most treasured personalities, from Kurt Browning, Peter Mansbridge, astronaut Chris Hadfield and the late actor/singer Michael Burgess, to Donovan Bailey, Tom Cochrane and The Tragically Hip, and from Red Green and poker legend Daniel Negreanu to billionaire Robert Herjavek. (Burgess would later cite his OG profile as the best anyone had ever done on him).
As executive editor of GolfStyle, the most upscale golf publication ever created in Canada, Ted continued his award-winning ways as a travel and profile writer, while helping arrange multiple golf fashion shoots and exclusive profiles of a few other notables, including Sean Connery.
His video-filled travels have included the world’s most stunning resort in Fiji; the Venice-like canals of Mayakoba in Mexico; the PGA Tour’s most rambunctious tournament in Scottsdale, Arizona; the Canadian Rockies; wine and whisky cellars from California to Northern Ireland; as well as countless more of the most sublime destinations known to man.
As a blogger in recent years on his golf/travel/wine website, TheLushLife.ca, Ted’s writings have ranged from the business and legal hurdles posed by alcohol being smuggled onto golf courses to a deep dive into memories of 9/11, to his five-part series “The Bogeyman Trail,” which explored ghost stories at golf facilities across Canada.
Today he continues freelance golf writing and is currently co-authoring a book celebrating the 100th anniversary of Burlington Golf & Country Club.
Through it all, he has yet to record a single hole-in-one. McIntyre commented, “I’ve never had that hole-in-one, but I have this, and this will look better on my scorecard.“
Scott MacLeod
Scott MacLeod is the Associate Publisher and Editorial Director for Ottawa-based Bauder Media Group
He began working with the company in 1996. He oversees and creates content for Flagstick Golf Magazine, Ontario Golf Digest and their associated digital and social media platforms.
At the age of 15, his first job in the golf industry was on a course maintenance crew in British Columbia. He has gone on to a career in golf spanning more than three decades and involvement in all areas of the game. It has included agronomy, pro shop operations, off-course retail, and a continuing role as a media member and golf teaching professional. He is a Class A member of the PGA of Canada and the Vice-President of Membership for the Golf Journalists Association of Canada. He has also served as a volunteer on various committees for Golf Ontario on a regional and provincial basis in the areas of player development and communications.
As a journalist, he has contributed thousands of stories and photography on all aspects of the golf industry for numerous outlets (magazines, newspapers, books, and websites) throughout Canada and North America, co-hosted two golf podcasts, and is a frequent expert guest for radio shows on CBC and TSN 1200. His work has spanned coverage of the game at many levels, from local and provincial events to the LPGA and PGA TOURs.
He is a graduate of programs at Loyalist College (Health & Recreation Studies), Wilfrid Laurier University (Certificate – Golf Operations) and the Golf Management Institute of Canada (Graduate Studies/Golf Operations Management).
Scott resides in Kingston, Ontario, with his wife, Michelle, and daughter, Ailsa, and is a long-time member of the Garrison Golf & Curling Club.
About Golf Ontario
Golf Ontario is Ontario’s Provincial Sport Organization focused on enhancing participation, elevating performance and supporting the passion of golfers in Ontario. With over 100,000 individual members and 500 member clubs, Golf Ontario is one of the largest golf associations in the world. From rating courses and keeping the integral rules of the game intact, to growing the game at the grassroots level and hosting the best amateur tournaments in Canada, Golf Ontario is a passionate group dedicated to shaping lives through Golf.
About the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame
The Ontario Golf Hall of Fame is dedicated to recognizing extraordinary contributions and accomplishments in the game of golf in Ontario. The Ontario Golf Hall of Fame is housed at Wooden Sticks Golf Club in Uxbridge, founded in 2000 by the Ontario Golf Association and the Ontario Ladies’ Golf Association.
For more information, please contact:
Peter MacKellar, Manager, Marketing and Communications, Golf Ontario;
PMacKellar@gao.ca
Emily McKee and Zach Smith go Wire-to-wire Taking the Junior Tour Championship Titles
LEADERBOARDS / PHOTOS
Windsor, ON – Emily McKee and Zach Smith decided nobody else would hold the lead in this week’s Junior Tour Championship from the 2022 Ontario Provincial Super Camp presented by Foresight Sports at Ambassador Golf Club. Both lead the third annual tournament wire-to-wire to win in convincing form, McKee on the girl’s side by three strokes and Smith by nine shots in the boy’s division. The severe winds gusting upwards of 40 km/h as the day went on couldn’t slow down either champion as they both claimed their respective titles.
Team Ontario member Zach Smith (Brampton Golf Club) was in control on the boy’s side again with a tidy even-par (71) round, including four birdies. Smith almost made an incredible eagle on 13 that would lip out from the fairway. Graydon Laughlin (Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club) fired a 2-over (73) to capture the silver medal. Avery Mahoney (Hamilton Golf & Country Club) and Marshall Bath (Oshawa Golf & Curling Club) would shoot identical rounds of 74 to tie for third and secure bronze medals. “The highlight of the week was my hole-in-one on Wednesday, I then made birdie from the fairway on the next hole, that just doesn’t happen often,” mentioned an ecstatic Smith after his round.
Emily McKee (St. George’s Golf & Country Club) fired her third straight, steady round, an even-par 71, to close things out on a charging Shauna Liu (Station Creek Golf Club). Lui fired the girl’s low round of the week, a brilliant 2-under (69) that included back-to-back-to-back birdies on 6,7 and 8 to take home the silver medal. Kelly Zhao, also of Station Creek Golf Club, would secure the bronze medal after a final round of 3-over (74). McKee remarked, “it was very fun and a well-run tournament, I love Ambassador Golf Club, it was a great experience, and I had a lot of fun.”
Competitors of the annual Ontario Provincial Super Camp and Tour Championship will be looking to win the Dave Mills trophy tomorrow. The award, first handed out in 2021, was named in honour of Mills, a past Golf Ontario Executive Director and massive supporter and advocate for junior golf, who presented the first-ever Tour Championship trophy in 2020. The soapstone trophy was carved by Canada’s foremost Ojibway sculptor Kris Nahrgang, who was able to meet with Mills before he passed. He sent this message along to describe his work. “As we all try to gain success in a sport we love, some people ensure that we are recognized for the achievements we attain. Dave Mills was that man. His work in our sport was reliable and done with a maturity and class, which made one feel important the very moment you met him. In my Indigenous culture, we are presented with an Eagle feather when we obtain recognition. In this tribute piece, I have created a visual of an Eagle feather being presented by the hand of this great man. The Eagle is a messenger, and it flies between the real and the spiritual realm and converses with the Creator to ensure we as people, are doing well. This piece is to recognize the man and the Spirit of this honour you have received this day. His love for this sport, and the goal to offer support for your efforts will never be forgotten. He will now be here in Spirit to present you with this honour of your achievement. Congratulations today and into the future!”
The 54 top junior boys and girls invited to compete this week at the 2022 Ontario Provincial Super Camp presented by Foresight Sports Canada earned their spot in the Tour Championship based on the Junior Golf Pathway Rankings.
Golf Ontario would like to thank the players, rules officials, and staff for supporting the 2022 Ontario Super Camp and Tour Championship. To Ambassador Golf Club and your team, thank you for being such fantastic hosts through this week of difficult weather conditions. Special shout out to our Super Camp presenting sponsor, Foresight Sports Canada, for the support and technology they provided. Also, a massive thank you to Taylormade for their continued assistance during the training days and for sponsoring the chip-off competition.
Lastly, a huge thank you to all of our sponsors and partners; Adidas, Golf Talk Canada, Play Golf Myrtle Beach, Humber College, HUB International, BioSteel, Golf Genius, Modern Golf, Dormie, Durham Artificial Grass, Foresight Sports Canada, Baka, Nikon, Solo Golf, and Sport Travel. We are grateful for your continued support.
For more information on the 2022 Ontario Provincial Super Camp Presented by Foresight Sports and Tour Championship, visit our Golf Genius page.
Stay Connected on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook: @TheGolfOntario
To stay informed on Golf Ontario’s championship play, events, and additional updates, follow us on Instagram and Twitter and like us on Facebook. Visit our website for further information.
Championship Contact:
John Lawrence – Director, Competitions and Performance, Golf Ontario
JLawrence@gao.ca
Media contact:
Peter MacKellar, Manager, Marketing and Communications, Golf Ontario;
PMacKellar@gao.ca
Smith and McKee Battle Extreme Weather to Top Leaderboard After Day 2 of Jr Tour Championship
LEADERBOARDS / PHOTOS
Windsor, ON – Tough conditions greeted players for round two action of the third annual Tour Championship from the 2022 Ontario Provincial Super Camp presented by Foresight Sports at Ambassador Golf Club. Cold weather mixed with severe winds gusting to 40 km/h made the golfers compete against each other as well as the elements and course on moving day.
Zach Smith (Brampton Golf Club) took charge on the boy’s side with a strong -3 (68), including an eagle on the third hole to take a four-shot lead into tomorrow’s final round. Matthew Rastogi (Meadowbrook Golf Club) is in second place after firing a solid even-par (71). Sitting in third is Dylan Weber (Galt Country Club), who shot a 2-over (73). Smith said after his round, “I just stayed calm all day, stayed patient… I knew it was going to be windy out there… just played the wind the best I could and took advantage of the par fives.” Smith recorded his first-ever competitive hole-in-one yesterday and mentioned, “a tournament one feels so much better.“
Emily McKee (St. George’s Golf & Country Club) secures her day one lead after another strong outing despite the conditions. McKee shot a 6-over (77) to take a three-shot lead into final-round play tomorrow. The low girl’s round went to Team Ontario Member Lindsay McGrath (RattleSnake Point Golf Club), who carded a brilliant 74 under the extreme wind and challenging greens to find herself in second. Players tied for third include Shauna Li (Station Creek Golf Club), Alexa Ouellet (Weston Golf & Country Club) and Kelly Zhao (Station Creek Golf Club) at +11. Mckee remarked, “the wind was crazy, you really have to focus on club choices and stuff… mistakes are going to happen, don’t get down on yourself.”
Competitors of the annual Ontario Provincial Super Camp and Tour Championship will be looking to win the Dave Mills trophy tomorrow. The award, first handed out in 2021, was named in honour of Mills, a past Golf Ontario Executive Director and massive supporter and advocate for junior golf, who presented the first-ever Tour Championship trophy in 2020. The 54 top junior boys and girls invited to compete at the 2022 Ontario Provincial Super Camp presented by Foresight Sports Canada have earned their spot in the Tour Championship based on the Junior Golf Pathway Rankings.
Tee times for round two start at 8:30 am Friday morning. For more information on the 2022 Ontario Provincial Super Camp Presented by Foresight Sports and Tour Championship, visit our Golf Genius page.
Stay Connected on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook: @TheGolfOntario
To stay informed on Golf Ontario’s championship play, events, and additional updates, follow us on Instagram and Twitter and like us on Facebook. Visit our website for further information.
Championship Contact:
John Lawrence – Director, Competitions and Performance, Golf Ontario
JLawrence@gao.ca
Media contact:
Peter MacKellar, Manager, Marketing and Communications, Golf Ontario;
PMacKellar@gao.ca
McKee Leads Girls and 5-way-tie for Boys at Junior Tour Championship
LEADERBOARDS / PHOTOS
Windsor, ON – Opening round of the third annual Junior Tour Championship from the 2022 Ontario Provincial Super Camp presented by Foresight Sports at Ambassador Golf Club saw players battling high winds and scattered rain in an effort to top the leaderboard after 18 holes. The camp field, featuring the top 54 junior boys and girls in the province, battled cool and windy conditions all day on the always challenging course.
Today’s round followed two days of testing (Golf Canada’s National Testing Protocols), breakout sessions, games and a BBQ dinner at Ambassador. Super Camp Presenting Sponsor Foresight Sports ensured accurate stats with their tracking and analysis devices capturing the critical data for all participants during range activations.
Emily McKee (St. George’s Golf & Country Club) takes a three-shot lead after day one on the girl’s side thanks to four birdies and a stellar eagle on the 15th hole to shoot even par (71). Wendy Li (Summit Golf & Country Club and Aryn Matthews (Bigwin Island Golf Club) sit tied for second at 3-over after matching 74 rounds. Kelly Zhao (Station Creek Golf Club) finds herself fourth, shooting a 4-over (75), with five more players right behind Zhao at 5-over.
The boy’s side ended up with a packed house topping the leaderboard, with five players shooting a 1-over (72). Dylan Weber (Galt Country Club), Zach Smith (Brampton Golf Club, Andrew Lee (The Club at North Halton), Jax Sisson (Pointe West Club) and Marshall Bath (Oshawa Golf & Curling Club) all share the lead after day one with matching 1-over scores (72). Avery Mahoney (Hamilton Golf & Country Club) and Matthew Rastogi (Meadowbrook Golf Club) both site one stroke back at 2-over (73).
Shot of the day belongs to Zach Smith, currently tied for the lead, who dropped in an amazing hole-in-one on five (his 14th hole of the day as boys started on the back nine). The Team Ontario member promptly followed it up with back-to-back birdies.
Competitors of the annual Ontario Provincial Super Camp and Tour Championship are battling for the Dave Mills trophy. The trophy, first handed out in 2021, was named in honour of Mills, a past Golf Ontario Executive Director and huge supporter and advocate for junior golf, who presented the first-ever Tour Championship trophy in 2020.
The 54 top junior boys and girls invited to compete at the 2022 Ontario Provincial Super Camp presented by Foresight Sports Canada have earned their spot in the Tour Championship based on the Junior Golf Pathway Rankings. “This is the culmination of the Junior Golf Pathway Rankings and an opportunity for the best junior golfers in Ontario to battle it out to see who finishes on top and earn all the accolades that come with it.“, explained Reggie Millage, Head Provincial Coach of Team Ontario.
Tee times for round two start at 8:30 am Thursday morning. For more information on the 2022 Ontario Provincial Super Camp Presented by Foresight Sports and Tour Championship, visit our Golf Genius page.
Stay Connected on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook: @TheGolfOntario
To stay informed on Golf Ontario’s championship play, events, and additional updates, follow us on Instagram and Twitter and like us on Facebook. Visit our website for further information.
Championship Contact:
John Lawrence – Director, Competitions and Performance, Golf Ontario
JLawrence@gao.ca
Media contact:
Peter MacKellar, Manager, Marketing and Communications, Golf Ontario;
PMacKellar@gao.ca
Ambassador GC Hosts 3rd Annual Ontario Super Camp (Presented by Foresight Sports) & Tour Championship from Oct 10-14
Windsor, ON – Ambassador Golf Club welcomes the always anticipated Ontario Provincial Super Camp presented by Foresight Sports Canada after a successful launch in 2020. The third annual event will run from October 10th to 14th, featuring the province’s top 56 junior boys and girls for two days of testing (Golf Canada’s National Testing Protocols), breakout sessions, and three rounds of competition.
Competitors of the annual Ontario Provincial Super Camp and Tour Championship will be battling for the Dave Mills trophy. The trophy, first handed out in 2021, was named in honour of Mills, a past Golf Ontario Executive Director and huge supporter and advocate for junior golf, who presented the first-ever Tour Championship trophy in 2020.
The two-day camp will allow athletes to train with like-minded athletes and coaches and generate valuable NTP data. Days 1 and 2 will have the boys and girls alternating activities, with one day dedicated to testing and other sessions and the other day used as their practice round. Three rounds of elite competition then follow these two days of testing.
The 2022 event will feature on-site activations integrating Golf Ontario Sponsors and event partners, promoting leading-edge products and delivering giveaways and contests. Super Camp Presenting Sponsor Foresight Sports will ensure their tracking and analysis devices capture important data on all participants during range activations. “At Foresight Sports Canada, we believe that creating opportunities for junior golfers is the best way we can help grow the game. We love to support, and promote our junior pathways and programs, partnering to provide the best possible technology for the best golfers our province has to offer”, said Steve McLeod, Marketing Manager at Foresight Sports Canada. “We look forward to continuing our journey with the future stars of tomorrow and helping them achieve their dreams.”
In addition, TaylorMade will once again be hosting a wedge station. Other stations include a Rules Workshop with Referee Dan Michaud, Morning Activations and Fitness Testing with Dr. Nick Martichenko and a Mindfulness and Mental Session with Coach Dr. Charles Fitzsimmons. Following the two days of testing, a BBQ dinner with a live DJ is planned on the course’s patio.
Following the testing days, athletes will compete over 54-holes of championship stroke play with a cut after 36 holes. The 56 top junior boys and girls (45 each) invited to compete at the 2022 Ontario Provincial Super Camp presented by Foresight Sports Canada have earned their spot in the Tour Championship based on the Junior Golf Pathway Rankings. “The Tour Championship is one of the year’s most exciting and anticipated events. This is the culmination of the Junior Golf Pathway Rankings and an opportunity for the best junior golfers in Ontario to battle it out to see who finishes on top and earn all the accolades that come with it.”, explained Reggie Millage, Head Provincial Coach of Team Ontario.
For more information on the 2022 Ontario Provincial Super Camp Presented by Foresight Sports and Tour Championship, visit our Golf Genius page. / Participants / 2021 Photos
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Championship Contact:
John Lawrence – Director, Competitions and Performance, Golf Ontario
JLawrence@gao.ca
Media contact:
Peter MacKellar, Manager, Marketing and Communications, Golf Ontario;
PMacKellar@gao.ca
Nick Taylor, Senior Director, Marketing, Golf Ontario
NTaylor@gao.ca