Original story by Scott McLeod here

You know them by their surnames alone: Els, Day, Ogilvy, Garcia, Casey…and even Weir. They’ll all be in the field December 5-8 at The Australian Club in Sydney for the playing of the 104th Emirates Australian Open.

But Mike Weir will not be the only Canadian competing on the grounds of the club this week.

While some of the top golf pros in the world will be playing for the Stonehaven Cup, this year’s championship will also see the concurrent playing of the Australian All Abilities Championship (AAAC) presented by ISPS Handa. The circumstance will give the second edition of this tournament even greater exposure for a growing segment of golf.

Last year the AAAC invited their field based on the European Disabled Golf Association rankings but with the advent of the new World Rankings for Golfers with a Disability (WR4GD), North American golfers can now take part.

That means there will be more Canadian content than 2003 Masters Champion Mike Weir on the grounds at The Australian Club. Joining him there will be 32 year-old Kurtis Barkley of Winchester, Ontario, a small town located 45 minutes drive south of Ottawa.

Barkley, all five-feet of him, has become a well-known quantity in the National Capital Golf scene, often to the amazement of others.

2019 Ontario Disability Champion, two-time Ottawa Valley Golf Association (OVGA) City & District Champion, an OVGA Tournament of Champions winner, and victor at the Flagstick Shootout at Smuggler’s Glen in 2015, Barkley has proven himself on the golf course.

All this while dealing with challenges his competitors could hardly imagine.

When he was born to Kathy and Rick Barkley, he was abnormally small in size and they were told he might not survive. Tests revealed that he had severe Scoliosis with seven of his vertebrae fused together. Other skeletal issues in his torso caused breathing issues and also shortened his upper body.

It was not a very positive diagnosis but the younger Barkley has made the most of it, even when that meant spending a huge part of his youth enduring visits and tests at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario.  Unable to take on more physical sports like his brother he looked to golf to sooth his competitive spirit at an early age.

“What I have always enjoyed about golf is not only competing but trying to get better,” Barkley shared in an interview with Flagstick a few years back. “It doesn’t matter what you shoot in golf, there is always something you could have done better.  It’s a game (where) you can never stop improving. When I go out and play golf I’m just like anybody else.”

A New Direction

But competitive golf takes a toll on Kurtis. He faces an uncertain physical future. That made him re-think his competitive golf plan in recent years.

The recent proliferation of golf events around the world for those with physical restrictions crystallized a vision he always had to play the sport he loves around the globe.

That led him to competing on the European Disabled Golf Association circuit in 2019. In just five events he posted four top-three finishes, and he also won the inaugural Ontario Disability Championship. When an opening came available for a spot in the 12-person Australian All Abilities Championship, he did not hesitate to accept it.

It seemed like a fateful call.

You see, Kurtis Barkley is acquainted with the country. He lived there from the ages of 8 until 11. His father was employed by Winchester Cheese which has been sold to Australian dairy giant Bega. Their family, along with several others, made the move to help the parent company with brand operations. They lived in Tathra, about 400km south of Sydney.

It was a grand adventure for the family, and for a young Kurtis. He had started hitting golf balls at age 3, made it to the course at age 7, and the climate in Australia was favourable for both his body and his golf game, being able to play all year long.

Coincidentally, it was also the place where he first played golf competitively. When he came back to Canada at age 11 he has reduced his index to the same number, and he’s not stopped playing since.

The symmetry of it all is not lost on Barkley. “It’s crazy if you ask me, full circle indeed,” he shared just hours before he was set to embark on the punishing 23-hour journey down under.

Now the #18 ranked player in the WR4DG, Barkley reached as high as #13 during the season and the plus handicap player has a goal to be in the top 8 next year.

The appearance in Sydney will help that quest, but it will also be more meaningful, with a chance to also tee it up in the presence of some golf icons.

“I take great honour in representing Canada in Australia,” said with sincerity. “The 2019 golf season was a rollercoaster, travelling the world playing golf was a dream of mine ever since I was a kid. I was at the airport travelling to Las Vegas (to compete in a U.S. Adaptive Golf Alliance event) when I got the message that a player had backed out of Australia and I was first alternate. I am blown away to be able to play with the biggest names in golf.”

Barkley will be accompanied by his fiancé, Marissa Imrie, to Australia where they will spend two weeks in total.

He says he is looking forward to meeting Weir but, as always, the chance to compete drives him.

“It’s 7000 plus yards but I am really eager to see what I can do on the big stage.”

As for his strategy, he says he will do what he has done his whole life, on and off the golf course, do things his own way.

“Let’s just say I’ll play my own game, fairways and greens.” He then adds in his usual playful manner, “If I win, I win, but no one remembers second.”

The first round of the AAAC will be played Friday, December 6th, with the conclusion on Sunday, December 9th. The champion will be crowned at a ceremony alongside that of the Emirates Australian Open.

You can find out more about the Australian All Abilities Championship at this link.

Written by Golf Canada

Three Canadian juniors will be among the 80 competitors in the sixth annual Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at Augusta National on April 5, 2020.

In the Girls 7-9 division, Canada will be represented by the duo of Alexis Card (Cambridge, Ont.) and Anna Wu (Victoria, B.C.). Card punched her ticket to Augusta with a score of 107 at the Oakmont Country Club qualifier while Wu posted a total of 122 at Chambers Bay Golf Course.

The Canadians are rounded out by Cole Roberts of Oshawa, Ont., who qualified at TPC River Highlands with a score of 107.

Canada has seen three juniors take home titles at the Drive, Chip and Putt nationals in as many years. Savannah Grewal (Mississauga, Ont.) won in 2017, followed by Vanessa Borovilos (Toronto) in 2018 and Nicole Gal (Oakville, Ont.) in 2019.

Local qualifying for the seventh season began in May and was held at more than 300 sites throughout all 50 states this summer. The top-three scorers per venue, in each of the four age categories in separate boys’ and girls’ divisions, advanced to more than 60 sub-regional qualifiers in July and August.

The top two juniors in each age and gender division then competed at the regional level in September and October. Regional qualifying was held at 10 courses around the country, including several U.S. Open and PGA Championship venues.

Championship scoring at the local, subregional and regional qualifiers was based on a 25-point-per-shot basis, with each participant taking three shots per skill. Each participant accumulated points per shot in all three skills (maximum of 75 points per skill = 25 points per shot x 3). The overall winner in each age category was determined by the participant with the most points accumulated between all three skills (maximum of 225 points = 75 points per skill x 3).

Click here for all regional qualifying results.

As the governing body for golf in Ontario, one of the things Golf Ontario does is to help grow the game of golf through many junior golf initiatives, including Golf in Schools, and Team Ontario. With this in mind, we wanted to let you know that Golf Ontario is excited to be returning with the 2019 edition of the 12 Days of Golf. This online auction program will take place between December 2 – 13, 2019 and is one of the key fundraising initiatives to support and develop junior golf in Ontario. With the generous contributions of foursomes from our member clubs across the province, Golf Ontario is hoping to raise $32,000 for junior golf.

This program is a perfect chance for you to treat yourself, or to secure a holiday gift for your friends and loved ones at over 160 of the best private and public courses in the province. There are some incredible courses and we hope that you will take the time to look at, and hopefully bid on, some of these foursomes between Dec 2 and Dec 13 and help contribute to junior golf in Ontario.

To learn more about this, please visit www.gao.ca/12Days
 
Beginning on Dec 2, bidding will be live at /www.ebay.ca/usr/golfontario

Keep your eye out for the 12 Days of Golf coming in 3 waves where you will find the following beautiful clubs among many others

WAVE 1 – December 2 noon – December 5 noon

• Valleymede Columbus
• King’s Forest
• The Briars
• Whitevale
• Maple Downs G&CC
• Sawmill GC
• Taboo Muskoka
• Legacy Ridge GC
• Beverly G&CC
• Essex G&CC
• Muskoka Highlands
• Nobleton Lakes GC

WAVE TWO December 5 noon – December 9 noon

• Rockway Vineyards
• The Club at Lora Bay
• Loyalist CC
• Crosswinds G&CC
• Bay of Quinte G&CC
• Hockley Valley
• Maple City CC
• Listowel GC

WAVE THREE  December 8 noon – December 12 noon

• Baxter Creek GC
• Markland Wood
• Oak Bay GC
• Duntroon Highlands
• Cedar Brae
• Trillium Wood GC
• Beach Grove G&CC

Thank you in advance for your support.

In the final installment of our 2019 Golf Ontario Season Review, we recap some events still fresh in our minds with a look back at a sizzling September. Our concluding month saw some fantastic tournaments beginning with the Ontario Public Player Championship and ending with the coveted World Junior Girls Championship co-hosted with Golf Canada. Join us in finishing our 2019 season review with an exciting month of Golf in Ontario.

September Championships

Sunny and cool skies welcomed the players to Meadowbrook GC for the Ontario Public Amateur Championship that began September 4th. With no returning champion, the field looked to play well and hopefully take an early lead heading into the final day.

Day one proved to be a tight race with competitive scores throughout. One possible player everyone was watching early was 2018 runner up Jeremy Wilson (Bethesda Grange GC). He played well again but it was Daniel Racioppa (Mount Albert, ON) who ended grabbing the lead and attention after round one. Coming out hot, Racioppa would shoot even-par, the top score of the day.

Heading into day two, only a one-stroke difference separated first and second place, and by the end of the final round, only a few strokes separated the top five players. After another hard-fought day, Wilson, last year’s runner up, came out on top. Wilson played one of the best rounds of his career carding four birdies and only two bogeys through 18 for a total score of +1 for the tournament. Showing maturity and the ability to be consistent, Wilson continued his success despite some pressure from some other players trailing and finished the round with a tournament low -2 to secure the win.

“It’s an awesome feeling to be able to come back and win it,” said Wilson. “Second place last year was still a success in my books but definitely the end goal was to win it all.” When asked about the pressures of being a finalist last year and to continue to have success, Wilson pointed out that there’s always pressure to perform.

The original write-up can be found here, visit the tournament page here

All photos from the event can be found here

From there we headed to the Ontario Senior Men’s Better-Ball Championship that played out on September 19th from Brampton GC. The field of 124 went off on a shotgun start to see which duo would leave as champions, and hoist the ‘Oakdale Trophy’. Being the only round of the tournament, the stakes were high and the players came out ready to play.

At the beginning of the day, all eyes were on the reigning champions Mark Bennett (Bayview G&CC) and Jim Briggs (Cardinal Lakes GC). The duo came into the tournament the early favorites as they arrived with high hopes of clinching their second title in two years.

The tournament was highly competitive seeing five groups all within two strokes of the top spot, but it was home course twosome Bruno Ardito and Gary Parker (Brampton GC) who would eventually steal the show. After 18, the duo was tied with the talented team of Dan Partland (The Summit G&CC) and Christopher Kertsos (York Downs G&CC). The two teams took to the track for a playoff and remained neck and neck the entire way through with neither duo pulling ahead. It wasn’t until the third playoff hole where Ardito lined up and dropped a 30-foot putt to clinch the title.

When given the chance to speak about the tournament winning shot, Ardito simply praised his partner. “If it weren’t for my red hot partner, this wouldn’t have been possible,” he said. “It’s a great feeling winning at our home course, and we hope everyone had as much fun as we did.”

The original write-up can be found here, visit the tournament page here

All photos from the event can be found here

Summer like conditions welcomed the 84 players to Toronto Ladies GC for the 66th annual Ontario Women’s Four-Ball Championship on September 23rd. With hot weather came hot play, and the day proved to be competitive just like in years past. After 18 holes however, it was Delaney Howson (Public Player), former Team Ontario coach, and Golf Ontario’s very own, Jessie Mercer (Black Bear Ridge GC) who came out on top.

“It was a great day for us,” said Howson. “We got off to a bit of a slow start but found some momentum on the back nine. We started to play off each other’s strengths and found a good rhythm.” When asked about their stretch of birdies in the second half of their round, they credited it to some lucky shots. “I chipped in on 12, Delaney stuck one tight on the next and then made a six-footer on 14 to cap it off,” said Mercer. “It was a little lucky but we definitely were on a roll.”

The duo finished the tournament -3 (69), and left as champions. Trailing in second was a two-way tie between the group of Kristy McLaughlin (Mad River), and Joanne River (Weston G&CC), and the group of Susan Postian (Sunningdale GC) and Jane Hedges-McKinnon. The two teams finished the day at even-par (72), only three strokes behind the leaders.

As for the Low Net portion of the tournament, it was home course favourites Mavis Knight and Denise Tobin (Ladies GC of Toronto) who came out on top after a six-hole playoff against the talented duo of Penny Robinson and Mary Contardi (The CC West). Playing an extra hour and a half of golf, both teams showed incredible resilience and devotion, proving that they were going to battle it out until the very end.

The original write-up can be found here, visit the tournament page here

All photos from the event can be found here

Our 2019 golf season would end with the world’s best young female golfers taking over Markham’s Angus Glen Golf Club from September 24-27 as the 2019 World Junior Girls Championship got underway.

Round one was clearly a tough affair since only three competitors managed to navigate the challenging South Course under par: Thailand’s Yosita Khawnuna, Yin Xiaowen of China and Ye Won Lee of Korea, who all share the individual lead at -1 after rounds of 71.

It was an equally tight contest in the team competition as the top three squads are only separated by two shots, with Korea paving the way on an aggregate score of minus -1 (143), followed closely by Thailand at even par (144) and England in third at plus +1 (145).

Teeing it up from the 10th hole during round two in a split-tee start this morning, Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul, the defending champion from last year’s WJGC in Ottawa, had a relatively inauspicious start with four consecutive pars, before finding a new gear following a birdie on the par-5 14th hole. And she was all business from there, collecting seven more birdies and an eagle against only one bogey the rest of the way. Thitikul returned to the clubhouse with a three-stroke lead over her nearest rivals. Hannah Darling of Scotland and last year’s individual silver medallist, Alessia Nobilio of Italy, were tied for second place at 5-under for the tournament.

In her post-round interview, the personable Thitikul was frank in her assessment: “You know, I give all the credit to my putter, it worked really good today. I just had fun in the round and that’s good. And the results come.”

In the team competition, the Thai squad managed to create a little space atop of what was a very crowded leaderboard following the first round. Propelled by Thitikul’s stellar outing, Thailand shaved 7 strokes from par on the Wednesday for an aggregate total of 281 (-7), one shot better than Korea in second place at 282 (-6) and Chinese Taipei, who jump up the rankings to No. 3 with a total team score of 284. Last year’s champion team Italy is close behind in fourth spot at minus -1.

On day three after a 3-hour thunderstorm delay, the Koreans rallied to erase the four-stroke lead that Thailand held before the stoppage and took a one-shot advantage in the team competition.

Korea would sit in first with an aggregate score of 422 (-10), just one shot ahead of Thailand at No. 2. Italy also made the most of moving day, as the 2018 team champions in Ottawa posted a score of minus -1 to climb to third position (-2). England and Denmark also moved up a notch, to fourth and fifth respectively.

In the individual competition, the top of the leader board was occupied by seven competitors that remain under par this week and it was still led by Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand.

Ye Won Lee of Korea (-7), who fired a four-under 68 for the lowest round of the day, climbed to within two shots of Thitikul, who holds on to the lead with a tournament-best score of -9. Scotland’s Hannah Darling, whose hole-in-one yesterday helped her close in on the leaders, sits third at -6. Alessia Nobilio of Italy drops back to 4th place at -5, after shooting even par today.

After the round, Ye Won Lee explained: “I felt really good with my swing but I think that I could have done even better than I did today because my putter was a little shaky.”

Thitikul’s poise and talent were evident in the final round, where she would claim her second consecutive World Junior Girls Championship title by two strokes over Ye Won Lee of the Republic of Korea.

In the team competition, it was the Republic of Korea that claimed the gold medal, their second World Junior Girls title after winning it in 2015 at The Marshes GC of Ottawa. After rallying to take the lead following Thursday’s weather delay, the Korean team never looked back. They registered an aggregate score of 3-under (141) in the final round to take the laurels.  After claiming bronze at Camelot Golf Club in 2018, Thailand upgraded its 2019 haul by winning silver, while last year’s champions Italy finishing third to earn the bronze medal.

“It’s very, very nice to win. I’m so happy now. But I’m a little disappointed that I couldn’t catch the (girl in) first place. But only ten percent disappointed (laughs),” said team gold and individual silver medalist Ye Won Lee.

The 2019 gold is Korea’s fourth World Junior Girls Championship medal in only five participations in the event, a tournament record.

In the individual contest, Thitikul managed to keep her playing partners at bay on the front nine, taking a stroke back from the silver medallist, Republic of Korea’s Ye Won Lee, thanks to three birdies against only one bogey. Despite committing two more bogeys on the back nine and briefly finding herself only one stroke up, Thitikul, who fired a final round of 70 (-2), scored a superb eagle on the par-5 16th hole which Ye Won Lee couldn’t match.

When asked how important that shot was to her victory, Thitikul declared that “It helped me a lot, you know. When I putt it, in mind I was like ‘Yes! I will get this.’ It made me feel more confident when walking to the 18th hole.”

Italy’s Alessia Nobilio, an individual silver medallist in both 2017 and 2018, shot 71 in the final round to finish the tournament at 6-under, in third place. She is now the World Junior Girls most decorated competitor in tournament history with three individual and two team medals.

As the organizing federation, Canada delegated two teams to participate in the Championship.

Canada 1, consisting of Brooke Rivers (Brampton, Ont.), Euna Han (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Emily Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.) had a strong finish to the tourney, posting their first negative team score of the week (-2) which allowed them to climb to 7th in a tie with Switzerland. Canada 2, composed of Lauren Kim and Angela Arora of Surrey, B.C., with Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont.), scored plus +7 and dropped to 19th, ahead of Ireland.

The original write-up can be found here, visit the tournament page here

All photos from the event can be found here

A fitting end to an incredible 2019 golf season, the closing ceremonies of the World Junior Girls Championship wrapped up with so many distinguished guests and company on-hand. With the final drive, putt, thrill, chill, acceptance speech and post-round interview in the books, the sun would finally set on the day and on an incredible season.

Golf Ontario would once again like to thank you all our host courses for such fantastic hospitality, our players for all the excitement, our different departments and staff for their tireless efforts and massive thanks to our volunteers and officials for all their hard work, making everything possible.

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 450 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.

Written by Adam Stanley/ Golf Canada

In a comfortable floral jumpsuit and with her parents in the audience, Brooke Henderson added another award to her ever-growing trophy case.

The 22-year-old won the 2019 Founders Award at the Rolex LPGA Awards ceremony last Thursday night in Naples, Fla. during the week of the CME Group Tour Championship.

The Founders Award is newly named for 2019. Formerly called the William & Mousie Powell Award, it was renamed for this year to celebrate the 13 founders of the LPGA.

Henderson told golfcanada.ca that the win was extra special since the winner of the award comes from a vote by fellow golfers on the LPGA Tour. It’s annually given to, in the opinion of her peers, someone “whose behaviour and deeds best exemplifies the spirit, ideals, and values of the LPGA.”

The nine-time LPGA Tour winner said she first found out at an LPGA Tour Players’ Meeting earlier in the year that she was one of the nominees, and said to know people were voting for her was ‘pretty crazy.’

“It means a lot,” Henderson said. “I spend so much time with these girls that it’s really a great honour to be given the Founders Award.

“To be considered in the same sentence as (the founders)… their passion and perseverance and what they did this Tour was amazing. This is really cool for me.”

Henderson has made a habit of capturing awards-by-votes in 2019.

Earlier in the year she became the first Canadian golfer to win an ESPY award (she won for ‘Best Female Golfer’) and in October she won the Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame People’s Choice Award – a new award designed to recognize ‘future Hall of Famers who are a champion of their sport and a champion for their community.’

“This year has been really crazy for the awards. I didn’t expect any of them,” Henderson said, flashing her recognizable smile. “To get them is just amazing. I’m honoured, humbled… and it’s just an amazing feeling.”

Henderson, who sat at a table with Lexi Thompson and executives from Rolex at the awards dinner, has won twice in 2019. Her victory at the Meijer LPGA Classic was the ninth in her young career. Win no. 9 gave her more than any other Canadian in the history of the LPGA or PGA Tour.

“This award that Brooke got is maybe one of the most special ones because it’s voted on by her peers and we’re so impressed and thrilled for Brooke to be recognized. We know how special she is,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “For all of her peers on the LPGA Tour to give her this award is phenomenal. It’s great for herself and her family and for all of Canadian golf.”

The native of Smiths Falls, Ont. has become a driving force for young golfers across the country – but even this week in Florida there are plenty of girls dressing with a visor and ponytail like Henderson walking outside the ropes – and she said being able to play in front of Canadians no matter where she goes makes her even more grateful for the support.

Henderson said she’s recognized her role and is happy to have an opportunity to be an inspiration both on the golf course with her record-breaking play, and off the course as well, as someone people can look up to.

“I’m always trying to become a better golfer, but I’m always trying to become a better person every day, too,” said Henderson. “When you work hard and are focused on achieving some goals, good things happen. This year is definitely proof of that.”

This week we look back at the sunny days of August in the fourth installment of our 2019 Golf Ontario Season Review. This month saw some majestic events, including two hosted at the beautiful Woodington Lakes GC. The prestigious Ontario Open returned, with a storied history dating back to 1923 including past champions of Canadian and International golf, that includes the immortal Sam Snead, Canadian golfing legends George Knudson and Moe Norman, as well as seven-time champion Nick Weslock. Also hosted at Woodington Lakes was the inaugural Ontario Disability Championship. Focusing on player development, this inclusive event helped ensure a proper pathway and better competition opportunity for some of the highest performing athletes with disabilities. August also saw provincial events like the Ontario Junior (U19) Match Play Championship, Ontario Bantam (U15) Championship, and the always fun Ontario PeeWee (U13) Championship. Please join us in recapping another jam-packed month of exciting Golf in Ontario.

August Championships

Unfortunately, rain introduced day one of the annual Ontario Junior Boys Match Play Championship from Listowel GC beginning August 6th. All eyes were on last year’s champion Cody Clark (Oliver’s Nest GC), who arrived looking for his second title in two years. After two rounds, Clark proved he came to compete, winning 6&4 in the morning and 3&2 in the afternoon.

Day Two started with 16 remaining players as they tried to make the round of 4 in the tournament. After this day’s two rounds, it was Josh DiCarlo (Pointe West GC) who stole the show. Going up against the reigning champ in the first round of the day, DiCarlo came out hot early and took the lead in the first few holes. With some steady play and a few fantastic putts down the stretch, DiCarlo was able to hold the lead and advanced to the quarter-finals in the afternoon.

It was then a battle of the titans to move on to the semi-finals, with DiCarlo being the most steady player throughout the tournament, and Luke DelGobbo (Lookout Point CC) being the heaviest hitter. DelGobbo had advanced with scores of 9&8, and 7&5, and after 18 well-fought holes, it was DiCarlo who was yet again victorious.

DiCarlo, Thomas Latter (Credit Valley G&CC), Kavith Ranchagoda (Beacon Hill GC), and Carson Duffy (Bigwin island GC) all started day 3 in hopes of moving on to the finals in the afternoon. After 18 well fought holes between the two pairings, it was Latter and Ranchagoda who would advance.

The match between them was back and forth the entire way through. Ranchagoda had an early lead in the front nine but heading onto 16 the two were still all square. Ranchagoda however, would make some fantastic shots on the final two holes and crown himself the 2019 Junior Boys Match Play Champion.

The original write-up can be found here, visit the tournament page here

All photos from the event can be found here

Meanwhile, with a day staggered in opening rounds, the Ontario Junior (U19) Girls Match Play Championship kicked off. After two well-fought rounds, it was Ella Weber (Rattlesnake Point GC), Sarah Gallagher (Blue Springs GC), 2017 champion Vanessa Chychrun (Beacon Hall GC), and Megan Miron (Hamilton G&CC) who made it to the semi-finals. With three playoffs in just the first round alone, the two rounds proved to be highly competitive.

On day two the semi-finals matches were a tight race throughout, but after 18 it was Weber and Gallagher who advanced to the finals. Teeing off at 12:50, it was a back and forth battle for who would wear the crown, but by the end of 18, it was Weber who was crowned champion.

The original write-up can be found here, visit the tournament page here

All photos from the event can be found here

The best bantam boys and girls came out to Deer Creek GC for the 2019 Ontario Bantam (U15) Championship which got underway August 12th.

After round one, it was Carter Jarrett (Renfrew GC) and William Lin (Station Creek GC) for the boys who were able to climb ahead of the pack and take the lead heading into the final day. On the girl’s side, it was Alexa Ouellet (Credit Valley G&CC) and Krystal Li (The Summit G&CC) who came out above the rest.

Much like the first day, the second round of the boy’s portion of the championship was a tight race. With the top of the leaderboard suffocated with low scores from a wide range of players, it wasn’t an easy task to take the top spot, but it was Andres Diogenous (Whistle Bear GC) who prevailed.

Coming all the way down to the wire in the girl’s portion, it was Ouellet who came out on top by a single stroke. The 12-year-old Ouellet wowed the crowds with today’s round, carding three birdies on the front nine of her round. Trailing closely behind Ouellet the whole way through was Li and Kelly Zhao (Station Creek GC). The duo would finish the tournament only a single stroke behind.

The original write-up can be found here, visit the tournament page here

All photos from the event can be found here

August 20th, Greenhills GC welcomed the Ontario Juvenile Boys and Girls (U17) Championship. The Ontario Juvenile Boys’ Championship is a 54-hole competition that features the province’s best junior golfers under the age of 17 competing for the Mike Weir Trophy. Notable past champions include Josh Whalen, Brandon Ng, Tim McCutcheon, Peter R. Knechtel, Bob Panasiuk and Gary Cowan. The Ontario Juvenile Girls’ Championship features the province’s best junior golfers under the age of 17 competing for the Sandra Post Trophy. Past champions of the event include Sandra Post, Jessica Shepley, Alena Sharp, Stephanie Sherlock, and Rebecca Lee-Bentham.

With only two strokes separating the top five players it was a tough battle for the top, but after 18 it was Carson Duffy (Bigwin Island GC) who came out ahead for the boys half. With a score of -3, Duffy had quite the impressive showing on his back nine, carding four birdies after going 1-over on his front nine.

Much like the boy’s portion of the tournament, the Juvenile girls saw some hot play and competitive scores throughout. Although it was a tight leaderboard, it was Kelly Zhao who was able to propel herself above the rest and build a four-stroke lead with a score of -2.

Round two proved to be much of the same as the talented field competed for the top spot heading into the final day. After day two it was Tommy McKenzie (Northridge Public GC) and Ty Stansfield (Thornhill Club) who came out on top and took the lead into the final round.

As the girls took to Greenhills GC for their second round, the question on many minds was if Zhao could hold the lead. 18 holes later, Zhao silenced the doubters with yet another impressive round, carding a -1 on the day, entering the final round with a final score of -3.

It was a crowded leaderboard entering into the final round of the championship. With only two strokes separating the top five boys, it was clear early on that everyone came out with the intentions of an early strike, but it was Ellis Kinnaird (Mississippi GC) who came out on top. With a majority of the scores above par, Kinnaird found a way to card the low score of the day with a -3, resulting in a -2 total.

Unlike the boys, there was a clear leader on the girl’s side the entire way through the first two days of the tournament. All eyes were yet again on Zhao as she took to the course for her round. Leading since the very first day, it was Zhao yet again at the top of the leaderboard. Finishing the tournament with a total score of -1, the 12-year-old showed poise and maturity way beyond her years.

The original boy’s write-up can be found here, visit the tournament page here

All photos from the boys can be found here

The original girl’s write-up can be found here, visit the tournament page here

All photos from the girls can be found here

From here we switch to an exciting week of golf hosted at the prestigious Woodington Lake GC. Starting a packed end of August schedule, we were extremely proud to get the inaugural Ontario Disability Championship underway. 29 players took to the beautiful course in hopes of being the first champion in tournament history.

With some hot scores throughout, the day proved to not only be a celebration of new beginnings, but also a look to the future of how competitive such a championship can really be.

In the men’s portion of the event, it was Tracy Ramin from Montrose, MI who came out on top after 18. Ramin got his round underway wit a thunderous drive off the tee and continued that momentum throughout. Both Kurtis Barkley (Winchester, ON) and Josh Williams (Baden, ON) sat in second, only two strokes of the leader heading into round two.

While the men found themselves in quite the tight race, the women also showcased an impressive outing. Natasha Stasiuk (Oakville, ON) ended her round with a score of +10 to take the lead, while Elina Pylkkanen (Espoo, Finland), and Tessa Troan (St. Catherines, ON) sat in second and third.

Sunny skies welcomed the players to Woodington Lake GC for the final round of the Inaugural Ontario Disability Championship. The leaders took to the course to see if they could pull ahead of the rest of the field, and become the first Ontario Disability champion.

After 18, it was Kurtis Barkley (Cedar Glen GC) who came out on top in the men’s side of the category. Trailing Ramin coming into today’s round, Barkley kicked his round off with two birdies on his first five holes to immediately take the early lead. His solid round ended in an eventual tap-in on 18, followed shortly by a thunderous cheer from the crowd that circled the green. He would finish the tournament with a total score of +5, and would be crowned the first-ever Ontario Disability Men’s champion.

“Today was a grind, but I made a few key putts to keep myself in it,” said Barkley. “Ramin’s a great competitor, so it’s definitely a success to be able to come out on top.” When asked what it feels like to win, he couldn’t help but smile. “It’s awesome,” he said. “Words can’t describe what I’m feeling like right now, but it’s definitely great.”

For the women’s overall portion of the tournament, it was Stasiuk who came out on top. Carding 6 pars in the first 10 holes, the Oakville resident came out again in the second round proving she belonged at the top of the leaderboard. Despite the tough competition from her nearest competitors, Stasiuk maintained composure over the course of the two days and was able to crown herself a champion.

“It was a great tournament,” said Stasiuk. “I had a great time playing with the other competitors. For the first time, I felt like I belonged. Thanks Golf Ontario for such a great tournament.”

Stasiuk finished the tournament the first-ever Ontario Disability Women’s champion with a score of +16 overall.

The Inaugural Ontario Disability Championship was one for the books, and with so many smiling faces and laughs around the course, it is safe to say that it was a success from all aspects.

“As a physiotherapist, I continuously notice the importance of golf in the rehabilitation process for people with disabilities,” said Mark Smith, an EDGA Eligibility Assessor. “It was amazing to watch such skilled players come out and not only perform at such a high standard but to also enjoy themselves.”

The original write-up can be found here, visit the tournament page here

All photos from the event can be found here

From there we brought back The 96th Ontario Open, with a storied history dating back to 1923, making this Championship one of the oldest Championships in the world. A full field of 144 players qualified for this exciting event and competed for a guaranteed purse of $40,000. The excitement was echoed by this pre-tournament quote from our Executive Director, Mike Kelly.

“We are thrilled to be bringing back the Ontario Open, one of the oldest golf Championships in the world in 2019” said Mike Kelly, Executive Director of Golf Ontario. “This Championship is a true open championship and has attracted some of the best golfers in Ontario and beyond to test their games on the beautiful Woodington Lake Golf Club. With a purse of $40,000, and with names like Nesbitt, Whalen, Choi, and King, we can’t wait to see the level of competition as the players compete to have their names engraved on the champions trophy, along with the likes of Sam Snead, Moe Norman, and George Knudson” continued Kelly.

2 special exemptions to the championship were CFL Hall of Famer Damon Allen, along with former Our Lady Peace drummer Jeremy Taggart.

After round one, it was Matthew Scobie (Deer Creek GC) who came out ahead with some impressive play down the stretch. Carding back to back birdies on 7 & 8, and another two on the back nine, Scobie was able to come out of the tough round with a score below par, eventually resulting in him placing first heading into the second round.

“It was tough out there,” said Scobie. “The weather definitely wasn’t in our favour but I knew I had to keep on pushing.”

Clear and sunny skies welcomed the players to Woodington Lake GC for the second round of the Ontario Open. Things were very close with only two strokes separating the top eleven players, making the moving day very important. Gregory Eason (Kissimmee, FL) would eventually steal the spotlight on this day. Finishing -1 after 18, Scobie was seen as the early favorite heading into today’s round, but the story quickly changed once Eason caught on fire. Eason would card a birdie on his eleventh hole, and an eagle on the thirteenth. Finishing the day with a round score of -5, a tournament low, Eason quickly found himself at the top of the leaderboard.

“It’s been a while since I’ve had the lead in a tournament, so this is a great feeling,” said Eason. “Tomorrow will be good fun. I’ve got to keep hitting the ball well if I want to stay ahead of the talented field behind me.”

Light breezes welcomed the players to the final round of the Ontario Open as they arrived at Woodington Lake GC in hopes of leaving a champion. Following his momentum from yesterday, Eason maintained composure and made sure to have another solid start to his round. Finishing the front nine at even-par, the 27 year old kept to his game plan and made sure not to make any mistakes, letting the game come to him. The strategy was working, but Eason would eventually find himself with some pressure on the back nine.

Branson Ferrier (Barrie, ON) caught some heat through the later stages of his front nine. Sitting only two strokes behind Eason after 10, it looked like things we’re going to be a lot tighter than some had assumed.  Eason however, would fend off the charge and head down the 18th fairway with a comfortable lead while appreciative fans began to crowd around the green.

“It was such an amazing moment,” said Eason. “There was quite a few people about to see me finish my round, which is always delighting.” Eason would tap in the final putt to the roars from the crowd, as they cheered on the newest Ontario Open champion.

As for Ferrier, he would finish in second place with a total score of -3. Trailing behind the two leaders in third was Russell Budd (Toronto, ON). Budd also had an impressive round to move up four places on the leaderboard for the third-place medal.

As for the amateur portion of the tournament, it was Thomas Giroux (Georgetown, ON) and Sudarshan Yellamaraju (Mississauga, ON) who came out of on top with total scores of +7 after three rounds.

A successful week has many excited for next year’s tournaments already. Stay tuned for exciting news on both the Ontario DIsability Championship and Ontario Open from Golf Ontario in the very near future.

The original write-up can be found here, visit the tournament page here

All photos from the event can be found here

Also during this busy week of golf, the Ontario Peewee (U13) Boys and Girls Championship got underway from the scenic Marlwood G&CC for two days of fun and exciting youth golf. The majority of these kids were playing in their first provincial tournament and you could hear the excited giggles and see the nervousness off the first tee with a large crowd on-hand. After some early fog rolled through and nerves settled down, some great golf played out and produced more big smiles than not.

On the Peewee Girls side, the leaderboard became quite crowded at the top by the end of the day. Alexa Ouellet (Credit Valley G&CC) and Hannah Lee (Cambridge GC) both shot a (+9) 80 to share the lead after day 1 of the two-day championship.  Bridget Wilkie (Bayview G&CC) sat 2 shots back at +11 while Sophie Foulds (Public Player) and Angela Cai (Heron Point Golf Links) found themselves 3 strokes back at +12.

The Peewee Boys saw Jordan Hwang (York Downs G&CC) go off in the first group of the day to take the lead early and hold onto it the entire round. Hwang put together a very nice (+2) 73 to claim top spot hallway through the two-day tournament. Hot on his heels was Manay Bharani (Brampton GC) who sat two shots back after an opening 75. Tied for third were Kurt Rivers (Brampton GC) and Luke Smith (Thornhill GC) who found themselves just 3 strokes back of the lead after 76 rounds.

The final round got underway with scattered showers and brisk winds from the scenic Marlwood G&CC.  When the final putt rolled in, two days of very fun and exciting youth golf had showcased some incredible emerging talent in Ontario.

The Peewee Girls side saw Wilkie take charge of the leaderboard, building a very large lead and running away with it on the back nine with some great play. Wilkie would shoot an impressive +1 (72) to take the championship by 10 strokes. Coming in second place was Ouellet who shot a +13 (84) on the day. Tied for the bronze medal were Lea Lemieux (Timberwolf GC) and Lee.

Over on the Peewee Boys side, day one leader Hwang led early on, only to lose the lead briefly to Smith, but then recover and hang on down the stretch. Hwang fired a +2 (73), his identical score as day one to capture the trophy by two strokes over Smith and Bharani. Smith shot a +3 (74) while Bharani fired a +4 (75). In fourth place was Gabriel Yazdani (London Hunt &CC) who carded a +3 (74) on his final round.

Golf Ontario strongly supports the development of Junior Golfers through our many initiatives that help Grow the Game! ”

We enjoy being able to host championships like the Peewee Girls’ and Boys’ Championships to develop the talent of Junior Golfers in Ontario.  Through participating in our events, we hope that junior golfers learn values that will help build them as golfers, and citizens for years to come.” – Mike Kelly, Executive Director of Golf Ontario

The original write-up can be found here, visit the tournament page here

All photos from the event can be found here

Phew! An incredibly busy month of August was clearly packed with top-notch tournaments and exciting golf from some incredible venues. Before we say goodbye to our 2019 season, join us next week as we finish off our series with a look at a stellar Septemeber.

From Golf Canada

– Team Canada program to feature nine amateur and nine junior squad athletes –

Many Ontario athletes will represent Canada

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Golf Canada is pleased to announce the names of the 18 athletes, male and female, who have been selected to represent Team Canada as part of the 2020 National Amateur and Junior Squads.

Nine athletes will compete for Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad, consisting of five players on the men’s squad and four on the women’s squad.

Team Canada’s 2020 Squad members have competed and achieved impressive results at regional, national and international competitions, including medals at the Pan-Am Games, NCAA Tournament wins and victories at prestigious amateur competitions.

“Golf Canada is thrilled to welcome an outstanding roster of elite athletes to represent Team Canada in 2020—they are truly deserving as evidenced by their strong performances this past season,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s chief sport officer. “The athletes selected represent a mix of returning team members as well as talented up and coming athletes who have come through provincial or regional high-performance programs. Each of them will be fantastic ambassadors representing Canada on the global golf stage.”

The following athletes have been selected to Team Canada’s 2020 Amateur Squad:

Men’s Amateur Squad
Étienne Papineau | St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Qué. – Club de golf Pinegrove
Cougar Collins | Caledon, Ont. – TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley
Sam Meek | Peterborough, Ont. – Public Player  
Brendan MacDougall* | Calgary, Alta. – Glencoe Golf and Country Club
Noah Steele | Kingston, Ont. – Cataraqui Golf and Country Club

Women’s Amateur Squad
Brigitte Thibault* | Rosemère, Qué. – Club de golf de Rosemère
(2019 Ontario Women’s Am Champ)
Mary Parsons | Delta, BC – Mayfair Lakes Golf Club
Sarah-Ève Rhéaume | Québec, Qué. – Club de golf Royal Québec
Noémie Paré | Victoriaville, Qué. – Club de golf de Victoriaville

Click here to read full player bios.

The National Junior Squad—a U19 program—also features nine athletes (four women and five men).

From February through early June, the nine-member Junior Squad will practice out of Golf Canada’s National Training Centre at Bear Mountain Golf Resort in Victoria—the third year that the program has provided centralized training, accommodation and education for athletes during the second semester of their high school year. Team members will be immersed in a focused centre of excellence, surrounded by world-class technical coaching staff and experts in the areas of mental performance, physiotherapy, biomechanics and nutrition.

The following athletes have been selected to Team Canada’s 2020 Junior Squad:

Junior Boys Squad
Laurent Desmarchais* | Longueuil, Qué. – Club de golf de la Vallée du Richelieu
Jace Minni | Delta, BC – Beach Grove Golf and Country Club
JP Parr | St-Célestin, Qué. – Club de golf Ki-8-eb Golf
Bennett Ruby | Waterloo, Ont. – Westmount Golf and Country Club 
Malik Dao | Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Qué. – Summerlea Golf and Country Club

Junior Girls Squad
Emily Zhu* | Richmond Hill, Ont. – National Pines Golf Club
Angela Arora | Surrey, BC – Beach Grove Golf and Country Club
Angel (Mu Chen) Lin | Surrey, BC – Morgan Creek Golf Club
Monet Chun* | Richmond Hill, Ont. – Summit Golf Club

*Denotes 2019 National Team returning members

Click here to read full player bios.

Team Canada Coaching Staff Announced

Golf Canada is pleased to announce the 2020 Team Canada coaching staff that will support both the National Amateur and Junior Squads.

On the men’s side, Derek Ingram of Winnipeg, Man. returns as Men’s Amateur Squad Head Coach. Robert Ratcliffe of Comox, B.C. will lead the Junior Boy’s Squad.

On the women’s side, Tristan Mullally of Dundas, Ont., returns as Women’s Amateur Squad Head Coach. Matt Wilson, from Newmarket, Ont., will oversee the Junior Girls’ Squads.
Wilson, who doubles as Golf Canada’s director of next generation performance, will resume leadership of the Junior Squad centralized program at Bear Mountain, alongside Ratcliffe.

The Men’s and Women’s Amateur Squads will each be adding an assistant coach to support the high-performance needs of the program and athletes. Candidates will be chosen in January.

“Derek and Tristan have had tremendous success with Team Canada athletes and the evolution of our national team program will see Robert and Matt continue in their significant role of leading the centralized training program at Bear Mountain,” added Thompson. “We look forward to expanding our roster of coaches and building on the success of Team Canada to help more of our elite level golfers realize their fullest potential.”

Mullally, Ingram, Ratcliffe and Wilson are all Class “A” professionals with the PGA of Canada.
Golf Canada expects to announce the selection of the 2020 Team Canada Young Pro Squad in December.

ABOUT CANADA’S NATIONAL TEAM PROGRAM
Canada’s National Amateur Team program incorporates advanced coaching, sport science expertise, training camps and world-class competition. Golf Canada allocates over $1.5 million of its resources annually to the National Team program, encompassing strength and conditioning, sports psychology, nutrition, biomechanics and technique development. Players who are selected to the National Amateur and National Developmental Squads represent Canada at six to 10 internationally-sanctioned golf competitions throughout the year. The intent of this comprehensive program is to aid Canada’s top up-and-coming amateur players in all areas of their development, helping Canada produce the best golfers in the world.

Team Canada, the pinnacle of Golf Canada’s High Performance Program, provides access to world-class resources including coaching, nutrition, sport science, mental management, equipment and elite competitive opportunities. The program builds on the support team members have received in their development years from their family, member clubs, personal coaches, university programs and provincial golf associations. Golf Canada’s High Performance Program and Team Canada are proudly supported by RBC, Canadian Pacific, Audi, adidas Golf, Titleist, FootJoy, ClubLink, Heritage Canada, Bear Mountain Resort, Foresight Sports and the Canadian Olympic Committee.

For more information about Team Canada or to make a donation towards the development of Canada’s future golf stars, please visit www.golfcanada.ca/team-canada.

GOLF CANADA
Golf Canada is the National Sports Federation and governing body for golf in Canada representing 319,000 golfers and 1,400 member clubs across the country. A proud member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, Golf Canada’s mission is to increase Canadian participation and excellence in golf. By investing in the growth of the sport and introducing more participants of all ages to the game, our vision is to be a world leader in golf. For more information about what Golf Canada is doing to support golf in your community, visit www.golfcanada.ca.

Media Contact:

Dan Pino
Senior Director, Communications
Golf Canada
(m) 416-434-5525
(e) dpino@golfcanada.ca

Uxbridge, ON — With the snow now covering most of our beautiful Ontario courses, join us in looking back at the warmer month of July, as both the weather and golf heated up. A busy July saw some of our biggest tournaments of the season, including the Men’s-Am, Women’s-Am and Women’s Mid-Am, both Senior-Am’s and our always highly coveted Junior Girl’s and Boy’s Championships. Let’s dive in and recap a scorching July of Golf in Ontario.

July Championships

The busy month kicked off with the 104th annual Ontario Women’s Amateur and Mid-Amateur Championships from July 8-11 at Black Bear Ridge Golf Course.

Hailey McLaughlin (Granite GC)  took the lead after day one for the Amateur Championship and on the Mid-Amateur side, Sarah Dunning (Westmount G&CC)  took a lead of her own.

Brigitte Thibault, a member of Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad, caught fire under the scorching sun in round two of the Women’s-Am, shooting an excellent -5 (67) on the strength of 7 birdies and 2 bogeys. Mary Ann Hayward, an Ontario and Quebec Golf Hall of Famer, shot a brilliant 2 under to take the lead in the Mid-Am Championship after two rounds.

The third day of action would be the final round for The Mid-Amateur category and did not disappoint for excitement. Dunning would come from behind and then overcome the see-saw battle with Hayward (St. Thomas Golf & Country Club) to claim the Mid-Amateur Championship.

Thibault hung on to lead the way again and would carry the lead into the fourth and final round of the Women’s-Am portion. The final day would produce both an amazing comeback attempt from Emily Zhu (Team Canada National Junior Squad Member) and also an excellent display of toughness from Thibault. This toughness allowed Thibault, who had been the leader after days two and three, to claim the title. A thrilled Thibault spoke of her win after the round. “It’s obviously an honour, I love to see the previous winners that have all took this kind of step to where they are now. I see a lot of names from Team Canada and excited to see where this could take me.”

The original Women’s-Am write-up can be found here, visit the tournament page here
The original Women’s Mid-Am write-up can be found here, visit the tournament page here

All photos from the week can be found here

Meanwhile, the 97th annual Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship got underway from Oslerbrook G&CC. The first day proved to be very competitive, with three players tying for the top spot after a well-played first round. Ty Celone (Public Player), Charles Fitzsimmons (Thornhill Club), and Noah Steele (Cataraqui G&CC) all came out ahead with scores of two-under (69).

Day two proved to be extremely competitive with multiple lead changes throughout but it was Matthew Anderson (Credit Valley G&CC) and Fitzsimmons who came out on top to take the lead heading into the third day. Finishing with total scores of 4-under (138), the two were lights out throughout the entire round.

After three rounds, it was Fitzsimmons who came out leading the pack going into the fourth and final day. It was a back and forth affair between Fitzsimmons and Anderson, his former Team Ontario student, the entire round. The two entered the third day tied at 4-under and refused to solidify a leader until the very last hole of the day.

Windy conditions ushered in day four for the competitive field, but it was Anderson who came out on top to win it all. Trailing by one heading in, Anderson played with composure not many 19-year-olds have. After clinching on the 18th with a tap-in, the former Team Ontario student bent over the hole to pick up his ball as the crowd cheered on the new champion. Fitzsimmons high fived him and congratulated him on his achievement. “Maybe I taught you too well,” he joked. Anderson finished the tournament with a total score of 6-under (278), only one stroke ahead of Fitzsimmons.

The original write-up can be found here, visit the tournament page here

All photos from the day can be found here

The Ontario Junior Girls Championship got underway July 15-18 from Galt Country Club featuring the best female junior golfers in Ontario. The weather didn’t take long to warm up and neither did Sarah Beqaj (Toronto Golf Club). Beqaj, a National Junior Squad member, was lights out firing a -6 (66), firing a bogey-free, 4 birdie, 1 eagle round.

Second-round action saw the weather turn windy and rainy causing higher scores than the opening round. The weather may have changed but the leader after both rounds did not. Beqaj didn’t score as well as her course record in round one but did play well enough with a +4 (76) to hang onto the lead. Chasing down Beqaj were three members of Team Ontario sitting in second, third and fourth place. Ashley Chow (The Lake Joseph Club), Victoria Zheng (Granite GC) and Alexis McMurray (Glen Abbey GC).

Mother Nature tried hard to wreck the third round with an early four and a half-hour weather delay. Once the rain eased up, the sun and smoldering humidity took over for the afternoon making it a challenge for the field. Chow, hung in there through it all and after birdies on 15 and 17, found herself the leader after three rounds with an even-par (72) scorecard.

An exciting final round wrapped up under humid conditions and would come down to the very last hole to determine the 2019 champion. Zheng needed a birdie on the 18^th to claim the title. In front of a sizeable crowd, she putted from just off the green to within a foot of the hole for the tap in birdie, and the victory. The birdie and a round of -3 (69) were all Zheng needed to beat Taylor Kehoe (West Haven G&CC), who once again turned in a stellar round firing a -4 (68) to almost catch Zheng from behind. Kehoe shot an impressive 69, 68 over the final two days of competition. Tying for second place with Kehoe, also one stroke off the lead was third-round leader Chow.

The original write-up can be found here, visit the tournament page here

All photos from the week can be found here

156 players took to the beautiful Tangle Creek G&CC, July 16-19 for the Ontario Junior Boys Championship. The first day was overly competitive, with no clear leader until the last hole few holes. After 18, it was Noah Campbell (Coppinwood GC) who was able to take the lead heading into the second round. Campbell had an impressive showing with a final score of two-under (70) after a stretch of five birdies in six holes midway through his round.

Day two saw Team Ontario’s Robbie Latter (Credit Valley G&CC) come on strong to claim the top spot. Latter finished the day with a total score of -5 (139), after an impressive second round which consisted of four birdies and no bogeys.

Round three proved to be just as hot, however, with more under-par scores seen throughout the day than any other day in the tournament. Some great play was seen across the field, but it was Team Ontario’s Latter who once again came out on top. The 18-year-old carded three birdies in four holes shortly after, and then knocked down two more birdies and a ton of pars on his back nine to keep his lead from the players trailing.

After an impressive final round, it was Ashton McCulloch (Cataraqui G&CC) who stole the show with a total score of -7. McCulloch entered the day trailing Latter, but took off hot and was able to steal the lead early. The 16-year-old (turning 17 tomorrow) notched four birdies on his front nine, and played steady the rest of the way through. Despite having two veteran Team Ontario members hot on his heels, McCulloch was able to keep his composure and retake the lead with a few par shots while both Latter and Dylan Henderson (Westmount G&CC) bogeyed the following difficult holes.

“I hadn’t even realized I’d won after I made the putt,” said McCulloch. “I was just in shock that it actually went in, nothing else even mattered at that moment.”

The original write-up can be found here, visit official tournament page here

All photos from the week can be found here

Grey Silo Golf Course welcomed our golfers for the 58th annual Ontario Senior Women’s Amateur Championship July 23-25. Entering the day, all eyes were on Judith Kyrinis (Granite GC) as she embarked on her journey of winning her fourth championship in a row. After 18 holes, it seemed like there was no slow in her step. Kyrinis finished her first round with a score of even-par (71), tying another Senior Women’s celebrity Mary Ann Hayward (St. Thomas G&CC) as the two past champions both had impressive showings.

Much like the first, day two proved to be very competitive with impressive play from the entire field. Hayward, a four-time champion had an impressive showing, finishing with a total score of -3 after two rounds. With only two bogeys on the day and five birdies, Hayward had a statement round showing the rest of the field that she means business.

With yet another impressive showing in the final round, it was Hayward who came out on top to be crowned the 2019 champion. The now five-time champ delivered some stellar play throughout the entire week, and due to an incredible second round, she gave herself the option to play a slow and steady final round to hold her existing lead. Despite a close battle with Kyrinis, the now five-time champ took her game to another level. Hayward ended her round with one more birdie on 18, and immediately received a round of applause and cheers from the crowd.

The original write-up can be found here, visit official tournament page here

All photos from the week can be found here

From there we would end a packed July with the 84th annual Senior Men’s Amateur Championship at Taboo Muskoka July 30-Aug 1.

The tournament saw a hot start from the entire field, but after the first 18, it was Ashley Chinner (Coppinwood GC) who came out on top. With a round one score of -2 (69), the Brooklin resident had an impressive showing that would give him the advantage heading into round two. Going bogey-less until the twelfth hole, Chinner had the most consistent round of the day. His steady shooting allowed him to find three birdies and fourteen pars, the most of any player throughout the day.

After a competitive second round, it was Robert Gibson (Cedar Brae GC) who pulled ahead going into the final day. Sitting in a tie for third entering the day, Gibson had an impressive showing in the second round with a score of -1, for a total score of even-par. Being the only player in today’s round to shoot below par, Gibson showed resilience when it mattered most. After every bogey the Cedar Brae member carded, he made sure to come right back with another birdie. Trailing in second by only a single stroke was Chinner and David Greenaway (Barrie CC) with scores of +1.

An exciting final round saw competitive play the whole way through with an impressive showcasing of skill from the entire field with Greenaway coming out on top. Greenaway was able to ride some early momentum throughout his final round. Starting off on a high note, Greenaway birdied the first hole to tie things up from the get-go. Using this as a platform for success, the Barrie resident went bogey-less through the front nine, eventually stealing the lead from Gibson. After some back and forth on the back nine, he would finish his round with a birdie on 18, officially crowning himself the 84th Senior Men’s Amateur champion.

The original write-up can be found here, visit official tournament page here

All photos from the week can be found here

July proved to be another majestic month of top quality Champions and Championships.  The drama was unparalleled and made for some incredible tournaments filled with record-setting rounds and breathtaking shots. Please check in again next Wednesday as we continue our 2019 Season in review with a look back at a thrilling August.

Team Ontario to Feature Many New Golfers for 2020

Play Golf Myrtle Beach announced as new winter training partner

UXBRIDGE — Golf Ontario is extremely proud to announce the 2020 Team Ontario squad, featuring many of the best young golfers in the province. Four members will return from the 2019 team, and they will be joined by ten fresh faces and Team Ontario members.

The four returnees are Alexis McMurray, Glen Abbey GC, Peter Blazevic, Greystone GC, Thomas Latter, Credit Valley G&CC and Jeffrey Fang, Station Creek GC.

Five new members will join McMurray and one other familiar face to make up the female contingent of Team Ontario.  Making her return to Team Ontario following a year with Team Canada’s Junior Girls’ squad is Sarah Beqaj, Toronto GC.  New team members in 2020 will include, Bo Brown, Glen Abbey GC, Katie Cranston, Oakville GC, Nicole Gal, Oakville GC, Sarah Gallagher, Blue Springs GC and Ontario Junior Girls Match Play Champion Ella Weber, Rattlesnake Point GC.

Fresh faces on the boys side include Canadian Juvenile Boys Champion Luke DelGobbo, Lookout Point GC, Michael Ikejiani, Barrie CC, Ben MacLean, St. Catherine’s G&CC and Ontario Junior Boys Champion Ashton McCulloch, Cataraqui GC.

Team Ontario’s training is lead 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 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 Charles Fitzsimmons; Sport Psychologist will help enhance the athletes’ skills through fitness, nutrition and development of the mental side of the game.

“Golf Ontario is very pleased to have such an incredible group of athletes on this year’s team. Each of them exemplifies the hard work, dedication and talent, it takes to perform at a high level as well as the importance of training and support they have received from their coaches and families” said Mallory Dayman, Golf Ontario Manager, Sport. “The buzz throughout the Team has everyone excited to dive into our winter training program and in turn see some amazing competitive results this coming season” added Dayman.

With a heavy focus on training and athlete development, the Team Ontario program has been built to maximize the success of these athletes. Peak Performance in Vaughan will remain as Team Ontario’s primary indoor off season training facility.  Additionally, the team will travel to beautiful Myrtle Beach to conduct four separate warm weather weeklong camps throughout the winter.  The Golf Ontario/Play Golf Myrtle Beach partnership has been enhanced this year to provide training facilities and course access for the team that will be a critical piece of the off-season training regimen. “Play Golf Myrtle Beach is thrilled to further strengthen our partnership with Golf Ontario by hosting Team Ontario winter training camps. Our world class courses and facilities are a great fit for these talented juniors and their families” said Golf Tourism Solutions CEO Bill Golden.

Congratulations to all of this year’s team members. Golf Ontario, along with our members, volunteers and partners look forward to cheering the team on throughout the 2020 competitive season.

Full bios and competitive highlights can be found here.

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

Values: Commitment, Dedication, Loyalty, Respect, Efficiency

Team Ontario would like to thank partners TaylorMade and Adidas as official equipment and clothing providers.

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 450 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.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and Like us on Facebook, @TheGolfOntario for updates of all our competitions.

For more information, please contact:

Peter MacKellar
Manager, Marketing & Communications
(e) PMacKellar@gao.ca

Mallory Dayman
Manager of Sport
(e) MDayman@gao.ca

With snow in our forecast this week, let’s remember sunnier days and look back at the month of June in the second installment of our 2019 Golf Ontario Season Review. The summer schedule started to kick into full gear as we had events including the George S. Lyon Team Championship, various Match Play competitions and concluding with the Men’s-Mid-Am Championship. Let’s have a look back at a packed month of June golf.

June Championships

Kicking things off in June was the 86th annual George S. Lyon Club Team Championship held at Spring Lakes Golf Club on June 3rd. In the face of less than perfect weather, Burlington G&CC, and Deer Ridge GC ended up tied on top of the 23 team event at the end of regulation play.

Tying +18 (306) after the initial 18 holes, the two teams headed out to decide things in a playoff. Both Eric Ross (Burlington) and Pete McMenemy (Deer Ridge) went out to the 18th hole to represent their respective teams, and it was Ross who came up on top by a single stroke. After a clean drive to the fairway and a near-perfect shot onto the green, Ross held the edge the entire way. Ross’ four-foot putt was the final shot of the day, locking Burlington as the champions.

The original write-up can be found here, visit the tournament page here

All photos from the day can be found here

June 10-14 saw the Ontario Men’s Match Play Championship from The Lake Joseph Club in Port Sandfield, Ontario. On a cold and rainy day, Delhi G&CC member Peyton Callens would outlast the field of 64 competitors to earn his first title.

The final pairing of Callens and Aiden Gavey (Beverley G&CC) were welcomed to the fourth day of the tournament by undesirable weather. Our final match saw Gavey take an early lead, while Callens bogeyed the first two holes. Gavey held onto this lead with some steady putting through the first 5 holes, but Callens made a comeback eventually taking the lead on the seventh. Callens held the 1up lead until the 18th hole, where Gavey hit a long putt and pushing the finals to a playoff.

After extra holes were all said and done, it was Callens who pulled ahead. Callens hit a drive that landed perfectly in the middle of the fairway ahead of Gavey. With a slight advantage, he never looked back. Dropping his third shot for birdie, Callens looked up to the cloudy skies in celebration as the 2019 Men’s Match Play Champion.

The original write-up can be found here, visit the tournament page here

All photos from the day can be found here

Cataraqui G&CC welcomed us for two days of the annual and historic Golf Ontario Women’s Match Play Championship from June 16-18. 16 golfers began the day Sunday with high hopes, but after two rounds the final 4 players were paired up on a Monday morning to make up the semi-finals.

The first semi-final of the day saw Brooke Rivers (Brampton GC) square off against Haley Yerxa (Public Player) at 8am and saw both women playing fantastic golf. Rivers, however, made brilliant shots and found herself up most of the match. Yerxa would battle back late to try and hang on but Rivers would take it 3&2 to advance.

The second second semi-final consisted of Tiana Cruz (Ladies GC of Toronto) and home-course golfer Patricia Hogeboom (Cataraqui G&CC). The two of them battled hard back and forth and it was Cruz who would take over on the back nine and take the match 2&1

The exciting finals match pitted Rivers and Cruz against one another after about a 40-minute break.  Rivers would take the lead and run with it, not relinquishing it until the 14^th hole. Cruz finally tied the round back up and from then only got stronger and would hold on to the lead and eventually take the match 2&1. Cruz was extremely excited to see some past champion names on the trophy, including 2011 Champion Brooke Henderson.

The original write-up can be found here, visit the tournament page here

All photos from the day can be found here

Finally the Ontario Men’s Mid-Am Championship took place June 18-20 from the beautiful and challenging Pointe West Golf Club. After three hard fought rounds, it was Charles Fitzsimmons (Thornhill Club), fresh off his recent Canadian University Championship win, who sat at the top of the leaderboard with a final tournament score of -6. The entire third round was actually a very tight race between Fitzsimmons and Philip Arci (King’s Riding GC).

Fitzsimmons, on his final round would perhaps make the shot of the tournament on the par 3 17th. After hitting his tee shot into the bunker, he walked up to the ball and proceeded to blast it out of the sand into the hole for a clutch birdie that pulled him into the lead for good.

Fitzsimmons would finish the tournament with a total score of -6, and Arci a final score of -5. Following closely behind in third was Simon McInnis (Mississauga GC) with a final score of -4. The top three players in the tournament, Fitzsimmons, Arci, and McInnis were all exempted into the Ontario Open at Woodington Lakes Golf Club, where they had an opportunity to compete for the historic championship.

In the Mid-Master (40+) portion of the tournament, it was John Drewery who would come out on top with a score of -2. Drewery had an incredible tournament, keeping up with the leaders the entire way through and actually sitting as the leader for parts of the tournament. Drewery was followed closely by Ashley Chinner (Coppinwood GC) and Jay Jewett (Timber Golf Club) who both finished even par for the tournament.

The original write-up can be found here, visit the tournament page here

All photos from the day can be found here

June was clearly a fantastic month of shot-making, competition, determination, and perseverance of Ontario golfers. Please join us again next Wednesday as we review an amazing packed July calendar of events and competitions.