PGA TOUR Latinoamerica winner Drew Nesbitt, Team Canada member Josh Whalen, Korn Ferry Tour Player Albin Choi, and 2016 PGA of Canada Player of the Year Danny King headline the exciting field for the Ontario Open

Special celebrity exemptions include CFL Hall of Famer Damon Allen,
and former Our Lady Peace drummer Jeremy Taggart.

Tottenham, ON  – Golf Ontario and Woodington Lake Golf Club are pleased to announce the final field that will be competing in the return of the historic Ontario Open. A full field of 144 players have qualified for this exciting event and will be competing for a guaranteed purse $40,000.

Recent PGA TOUR Latinoamerica winner Drew Nesbitt will try to mirror recent tour successes in the hopes of a strong performance at the Ontario Open, and will be joined by fellow PGA TOUR Latinoamerica player Russell Budd. Korn Ferry Tour player Albin Choi will also be at Woodington Lake along with MacKenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada standout Riley Wheeldon.

Other notable additions to the field include 3-time winner of both the Canadian and Ontario PGA Championships Danny King; recent Great Lakes Tour Canada Cup winner Eric Banks of Truro, Nova Scotia; recent Team Canada National Team member Josh Whalen; former Big Break Indian Wells competitor David Byrne; and the top 3 finishers from the recent Ontario Men’s Mid-Amateur Championships: winner Charles Fitzsimmons along with Philip Arci and Simon McInnis.

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

“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.

Domenic DiGironimo, General Manager of Woodington Lake Golf Club echoed Kelly’s excitement at the return of this storied Championship. “We are beyond thrilled to be partnering with Golf Ontario to be bringing back the Ontario Open. The thought of being part of the return of a Championship with previous winners like Snead, Norman and Knudson, is something that gets the whole team at Woodington Lake Golf Club excited, and we can’t wait for the Championship to begin. With our recent course renovations, we know the course will be in peak condition for the Open.”

CLICK HERE FOR A FULL FIELD LIST FOR THE 2019 ONTARIO OPEN

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE SCORING FOR THE 2019 ONTARIO OPEN

The Ontario Open will take place on the Legends Course at Woodington Lake Golf Club on 26-29, 2019. Practice rounds will be on Monday August 26, followed by Championship rounds Tuesday August 27 to Thursday August 29. Admission is free for attendees who want to witness the incredible golf that will be played at Woodington Lake.

More information can be found at www.theontarioopen.ca

For a preview of the Championship from Rogers TV go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utecRUwWGyk

There are many great partners that are helping to bring back the Ontario Open. Woodington Lake Golf Club has signed on for 5 years to be the official host club of the event. The Evanov Radio Group is providing key support as the lead media partner for the event. And the list of current sponsors is a strong one, providing key support to help make the event a success. Presenting partners are Moosehead Breweries and TaylorMade Canada. Other great partners include Beattie’s Distillers, Lavazza Coffee, Tre Amici Wines, Yamaha Turf Care, Serpa Automotive Group, and Pro Accessibility Ltd.

ABOUT GOLF ONTARIO
Golf Ontario is Ontario’s Provincial Sport Organization and is 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 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 WOODINGTON LAKE GOLF CLUB
Woodington Lake Golf Club is home to 36 holes of picturesque golf in Tottenham, Ontario, just north of Toronto. The original course, The Legend Course opened in 1995, and is built on over 200 acres of rolling terrain. Carved from towering pine forest and nestle around Woodington Lake, this course Is truly legendary. The newest addition to Woodington Lake Golf Club is the Legacy course, a true mix of Links and Stadium styles. With very challenging water hazards, along with fast and undulating greens, the Legacy course will keep golfers of every skill coming back for more.

For more information, please contact:

Peter MacKellar, Manager, Marketing Communications
Golf Ontario; 905-852-1101 ext. 224
pmackellar@gao.ca

Dave Struthers, Sr. Director, Marketing & Communication
Golf Ontario, 905-852-1101 ext 239
dstruthers@gao.ca

London, ON — Day two welcomed players with over an hour of delay due to fog, but once it cleared out the players continued their momentum from yesterday and showcased some impressive play throughout.

Ontario Juvenile (U17) Boys Championship

After the first round of the Ontario Juvenile (U17) Boys Championship, things were far from decided between the players. Round two proved to be much of the same as the talented field competed for the top spot heading into the final day. Carson Duffy (Bigwin Island GC) entered the day on top with a score of -3, but was trailed closely by a pack of players all within one or two strokes behind. After 18 holes, it was Tommy McKenzie (Northridge Public GC) and Ty Stansfield (Thornhill Club) who came out on top.

After trailing Duffy by only a few strokes heading into the second round, both McKenzie and Stansfield shot lights out in today’s outing. McKenzie came out hot early with two birdies on the first two holes, and rode those out the entire way through. With only two bogeys the entire round, McKenzie continued his success and steady play from yesterday to propel him past the field.

On the other hand, Stansfield came out with the best round of the tournament. Entering the day at even-par, Stansfield knew he had to show out big to catch up to the leader in today’s round. And show out he did. Carding three birdies and six pars on his back nine, Stansfield rose from fifth to first in only a few holes.

“It was pretty exciting to be able to come back like that,” said Stansfield. “I came out with the intentions of putting myself in a good position for the final day so it’s rewarding to execute on that.” Both Stansfield and McKenzie have been in the same grouping the past two days, so the familiarity heading into tomorrow is there.

“At this point we’re comfortable around each other,” said Stansfield. “I know it’s going to be really competitive out there, I look forward to it.” The duo now face against each other one last time to see if either can pull ahead during tomorrow’s final round.

Sitting in third by a single stroke is Owen Kim (Blue Springs GC) who has been showcasing an impressive game all week. Although not in the same group as Stansfield and McKenzie the past two days, one has to believe he has his sights set on dethroning the two early.

Tee time is set for 7:30 am. For future results and information on the tournament, visit the official tournament page HERE

For photos from the tournament, CLICK HERE

Ontario Juvenile (U17) Girls Championship

As the girls took to Greenhills GC for their second round, all eyes were on Kelly Zhao (Station Creek GC) as she took the tournament by storm in the first round leading by four strokes above the rest after 18. The question on many minds was if Zhao could hold the lead, or if she would crack under the pressure. 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 (three strokes ahead of second place).

The 12-year-old continues to show maturity in her game, as she came out of round 2 with yet another steady showing. With only two bogeys on the difficult course, Zhao played a smart game laying drives down the center of the green and playing chips close to the hole.

“I just came out and played smart,” said Zhao. “I played well yesterday so I knew I simply had to continue my momentum.”

After two strong rounds, Zhao now leads Krystal Li (The Summit G&CC) by three strokes heading into the final day. When asked about her gameplan heading into tomorrow, Zhao explained that she’s not going to stress too much.

“Just go out there, try my best and have fun,” she said. “I’m just going to keep playing the way I’ve been playing.”

Li has also had a strong showing this week. Coming of a tough defeat for first in the Bantam Championship just last week, Li has come out with something to prove. Carding a -2 during today’s round, Li made sure to inch as close to the leading Zhao as she possibly could, putting her in striking distance on the final round tomorrow. It will surely be a close round between these two.

Sitting in third are Sarah Gallagher & Bo Brown (Blue Springs GC). The duo finished today with total scores of +4, sitting four strokes behind Li. But don’t count them out yet. The two have proved in the past that anything is possible, and they will surely be in the hunt for the top spot tomorrow.

Tee time is set for 7:30 am. For future results and information on the tournament, visit the official tournament page HERE

For photos from the tournament, CLICK HERE

About the Ontario Juvenile Boys and Girls’ Championships
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.

Follow @TheGolfOntario on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for updates and photos of all of our championships.

Ryan MacKenzie

rmackenzie@gao.ca

London, ON — Warm and foggy skies welcomed the players as they took to Greenhills GC for the first round of the Ontario Juvenile (U17) Championship. Both the u17 boys and girls are teeing it up at Greenhills this week, and with talented fields on both sides, today was sure to be an exciting opening round, as the players tried to grab an early lead in the tournament.

Ontario Juvenile Boys (U17) Championship

The Juvenile boys teed off at 7:30 to get their first round underway, and all eyes were on last years champion Ethan Cardwell (Oshawa G&CC). Being the early favourite, many thought he might come out on top after day one, but the rest of the field had different thoughts.

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. 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.

Coming off a semi-final defeat in the Junior (U19) Boys Match Play Championship, Duffy will likely be looking to continue his momentum and to build on his lead the next two days.

Duffy leads by only a single stroke over Owen Kim (Blue Springs GC) and Tommy McKenzie (Northridge Public GC). The duo sits tied for second at -2 after they too showed some impressive play over the course of the first round. Duffy, Kim, and McKenzie will all surely be heading into day two with hopes of securing a healthy lead before the final round.

Unfortunately, Cardwell had to withdraw from the tournament with back spasms on the fourteenth hole. He sat at +3 at the time of withdrawal.

For photos from the tournament, CLICK HERE

Tee time tomorrow is set for 7:30 am. For future results and information on the tournament, visit the official tournament page HERE

Ontario Juvenile Girls (U17) Championship

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

From the get-go, it was Zhao who seemed to have the game to be poised to be the the possible leader after the first round. With two birdies on her front nine, both her and Mia Wong (Bayview G&CC), who had 3 birdies on the front, led the pack out the gate. But when it was all said and done it was Zhao who was able to ride the momentum and stay ahead of the others.

“My putting was strong today and I had a lucky chip in to birdie 15,” said Zhao when asked about her round today. “I just came out today to have fun and try my best, so it’s nice being able to take the lead early.”

The 13-year-old enters the day with a sturdy lead, allowing her to play a calm and steady game with not a lot of pressure to over perform.

Wong, who was in the race for first with Zhao early on, now sits tied for second alongside Nicole Gal (Oakville GC) and Krystal Li (The Summit G&CC) with scores of +2. The trio trail four strokes behind Zhao heading into tomorrow’s round, but there is still lots of golf to play.

For photos from the tournament, CLICK HERE

Tee time tomorrow is set for 7:30 am. For future results and information on the tournament, visit the official tournament page HERE

About the Ontario Juvenile Boys and Girls’ Championships

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.

Follow @TheGolfOntario on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for updates and photos of all of our championships.

Ryan MacKenzie

rmackenzie@gao.ca

29 players from across Ontario, as well as the United States and Finland will be headlining the exciting field for the inaugural Ontario Disability Championship, with all players vying for important World Ranking points. 

Tottenham, ON  – Golf Ontario and Woodington Lake Golf Club are pleased to announce the final field competing in the inaugural Ontario Disability Championship. 29 players have qualified for this exciting event and will be competing for World Ranking Points as outlined by the EDGA (European Disabled Golf Association).

“We are extremely excited to be introducing the first ever Ontario Disability Championship in 2019,” said Mike Kelly, Executive Director of Golf Ontario. ”Inclusion and Diversity are two very important themes that are central to our strategic plan and we want to ensure we are working with Ontario golf facilities to promote a more inclusive environment. This Ontario Disability Championship is a critical way for us to raise awareness about golfers with disabilities, and to showcase some of the amazing talent at this Championship”, continued Kelly. “We are also thrilled to be welcoming players from both the United States and Finland, to add a truly international flavour to this championship”

Woodington Lake Golf Club will be the official host of the Ontario Disability Championship and Domenic DiGironimo, GM of Woodington Lake, is very happy to be supporting this event. “Woodington Lake Golf Club is honoured to be hosting the first Ontario Disability Golf Championship, and we are looking forward to having a front seat to witness some amazing golf at this Championship. Our facility is undergoing significant improvements, and we are excited to have the course in peak condition for the Championship.” enthused DiGironimo.

Tony Bennett, President of the European Disability Golf Association, and Head of Disability and Inclusion of the International Golf Federation is also applauding the efforts to introduce this event in Ontario. “With a growing realization of the health-enhancing benefits of physical activity and social inclusion, golf for the disabled is gaining ground as the sport of choice for an increasing number of individuals with a disability. For those who wish to test their skills against others the golf handicap system and modified rules ensure a level playing field regardless of their ability.” said Bennett.

This event will showcase some of Ontario’s top athletes with disabilities in a provincial championship environment. Focusing on player development, this inclusive event will ensure a proper pathway and better competition opportunity for some of the highest performing athletes with disabilities. This event will be included in the list of events eligible for world ranking points and will see both men and women compete in both low gross and low net categories.

CLICK HERE FOR A FULL FIELD LIST for the 2019 Ontario Disability championship

CLICK HERE FOR ROUND 1 TEE TIMES FOR THE 2019 ONTARIO DISABILITY CHAMPIONSHIP

The Ontario Disability Championship will take place on the Legacy Course at Woodington Lake Golf Club on August 24 – 26, 2019. Practice rounds will be on Saturday August 24, followed by Championship rounds on August 25 and 26. Admission is free for attendees who want to see some of these amazing athletes.

More information can be found at www.theontarioopen.ca/disabilitychampionship

There are many great partners that are helping to launch the inaugural Ontario Disability Championship. Woodington Lake Golf Club has signed on for 5 years to be the official host club of the event. The Evanov Radio Group is providing key support as the lead media partner for the event. And the list of current sponsors is a strong one, providing key support to help make the event a success. Presenting partners are Moosehead Breweries and TaylorMade Canada. Other great partners include Beattie’s Distillers, Lavazza Coffee, Tre Amici Wines, Yamaha Turf Care, Serpa Automotive Group, and Pro Accessibility.

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 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 WOODINGTON LAKE GOLF CLUB

Woodington Lake Golf Club is home to 36 holes of picturesque golf in Tottenham, Ontario, just north of Toronto. The original course, The Legend Course, opened in 1995 and is built on over 200 acres of rolling terrain. Carved from towering pine forest and nestle around Woodington Lake, this course Is truly legendary. The newest addition to Woodington Lake Golf Club is the Legacy course, a true mix of Links and Stadium styles. With very challenging water hazards, along with fast and undulating greens, the Legacy course will keep golfers of every skill coming back for more.

For more information, please contact:

Peter MacKellar, Manager, Marketing Communications
Golf Ontario; 905-852-1101 ext. 224
pmackellar@gao.ca

Dave Struthers, Sr. Director, Marketing & Communication
Golf Ontario, 905-852-1101 ext 239
dstruthers@gao.ca

London, ON — The Ontario Juvenile Boys & Girls Championships are days away from kick off at the beautiful Greenhills GC. From August 20th to 22nd, the championship will host the best juvenile players in the province as they try to claim the title, and crown themselves champions.

Juvenile (U17) Boys Championship

The Ontario Juvenile Boys Championship is set to kick of on August 20th, where the field will take to Greenhills GC for a chance of tasting victory. Last year, it was Ethan Cardwell (Oshawa G&CC) who took took it home after going to the distance with Michael Ikejiani (Barrie CC). The two tied things up on 18 with fantastic putts, pushing each other to extra holes, and things weren’t decided until the 23rd hole of the day where Cardwell used his home course knowledge to finally make the deciding shot to win the tournament.

Cardwell will be returning this year to defend his title, but despite being the early favourite heading into the tournament, it won’t be an easy path. With players like Team Ontario’s Peter Blazevic (Greystone GC), Thomas Latter (Credit Valley G&CC), Junior Boys Match Player champion Kavith Ranchagoda (Beacon Hill G&CC) and many more, the competition is tougher than ever, and there’s no way of picking a clear winner.

The talented field will arrive at Greenhills GC on August 19th, a day before the tournament gets underway. The 44-year-old course has stood the test of time, balancing challenging greens and roomy fairways as it winds along the banks of Dingham Creek.

Tee time is set for 7:30 am. For future results and information on the tournament, visit the official tournament page HERE

Juvenile (U17) Girls Championship

The Ontario Juvenile Girls Championship is set to kick off on August 20th, where the field will take to Greenhills GC for a chance to become a champion. Last year, it was Hailey McLaughlin (Granite GC) who came out on top after a solid final round to steal the lead from Brooke Rivers (Brampton GC). Scoring 72 on the last day, McLaughlin was able to capitalize on the struggles from others as the course continued to push players scores higher than usual.

With McLaughlin not returning this year, the top spot is vacant, giving the talented field a chance for glory. With players like Junior Girls Match Play champion Ella Weber (Rattlesnake Point GC), Sarah Gallagher (Blue Springs GC), Bantam Girls champion Alexa Ouellet (Credit Valley G&CC) and many more, the field will be extremely competitive.

The talented field will arrive at Greenhills GC on August 19th, a day before the tournament gets underway. The 44-year-old course has stood the test of time, balancing challenging greens and roomy fairways as it winds along the banks of Dingham Creek.

Tee time is set for 7:30 am. For future results and information on the tournament, visit the official tournament page HERE

About the Ontario Juvenile Boys and Girls’ Championships
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.

Follow @TheGolfOntario on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for updates and photos of all of our championships.

Ryan MacKenzie

rmackenzie@gao.ca

Golf Ontario along with our We Are Golf industry partners, are pleased to announce the commission of a comprehensive, independent review of the Junior Golf Pathway in Ontario, conducted by independent reviewer Sport Performance Management led by Dr. Peter Davis.

This review and modernization initiative is an effort to align all junior golf leaders and to evolve the promotion and communication of the junior golf pathway at all levels. This initiative has two guiding principles:

• All aspects of junior development will be open for discussion and all stakeholders (facilities, parents, coaches, tour operators, volunteers and associations) will have an opportunity to provide feedback.
• Revisions will be assessed with the junior golfer in mind, so that the pathway is easier to understand and apply not only to elite juniors, but also intermediates and beginners.

Our collective hope is a major step forward in pursuing the following goals and outcomes:

Overall Goals

We want a modernized junior pathway to:

• Be more easily understood and applied to all;
• Be more consistent and inclusive; and
• Provincial-wide adoption at all levels

Project outcomes for Revising the Junior Golf Pathway

We want the new pathway to address:

• Pathway structure & criteria – a tiered structure that clearly outlines athlete movement along the pathway both on the development side (coaching) and competition participation;
• Pathway branding & marketing – a recognizable industry brand for junior golf that clearly provides athletes and their families answers to the question “What’s Next?”;
• Development landscape and gap analysis – a full inventory of the junior golf development programs available across the province. A gap analysis of what opportunities are missing at each stage along the pathway;
• Competitions landscape and gap analysis – a full inventory of the competition opportunities across the province. A gap analysis of what opportunities are missing at each stage along the pathway;
• Order of merit analysis – an analysis of the current Order of Merit system and ensuring that it supports each stage along the Pathway; and
• Pathway membership model – a junior membership option that provides athletes and families with additional tools, access and support at each stage along the Pathway.

Given the scope of this initiative, we want everyone involved in the junior golf community to have a chance to give us their feedback. We encourage you to complete this initial pathway survey here.

Survey responses will be collected until August 31^st 2019

Our Process for Developing the Modernized Junior Golf Pathway

Working groups of Golf Ontario staff, industry leaders, PGA professionals, tour officials, and other stakeholders will be set up to review both the substance of the pathway but also and a modernized pathway will be communicated.

As work progresses on this initiative, we will talk with a variety of different leaders and organizations to update them and to get their preliminary reactions to recommendations including:

• Facilities; leaders at the club level with key roles, such as PGA professionals, instructors and coaches, members, volunteer junior chairs and
• Golfers; at all levels of the game (both individually and in focus groups), including professionals and elite amateurs, intermediate golfers and beginners.

In the next several months, we will seek your feedback about any proposed changes and revised ways of supporting junior golf, as follows:

• We will continue to meet with interested golf organizations and groups around Ontario to hear their thoughts about junior golf.
• Anyone who wishes to respond individually, we will create a feedback mechanism for receiving comments.

This will be an informal process in which we listen to and consider the input that we receive in many different ways, as we continue to assess and then finalize the modernized pathway.

Implementation of the Modernized Pathway in 2020

We intend the modernized junior pathway to go into effect on January 1, 2020. The anticipated process and schedule between now and then is as follows:

• Online Survey (August)
• Direct Interviews (August) – Direct interviews with key stakeholders
• Part A Report (end of September) – Report and recommendations from survey and interviews provided by Dr. Peter Davis.
• Workshop #1 (October) – 1st Pathway Workshop with identified key stakeholders.
• Workshop #2 (October) – 2nd Pathway Workshop with identified key stakeholders.
• Feedback period (November) – Pathway design recommendations and changes provided to industry for feedback and comments.
• Part B Report (December) – Finalized Pathway design provided to all industry stakeholders provided by Dr. Peter Davis.

If you have any questions please contact Mallory Dayman – mdayman@gao.ca

Ajax, ON — Warm and sunny skies welcomed the players as they took to Deer Creek GC for the final day of the 2019 Ontario Bantam Championship. The best bantam boys and girls all came out to today’s round to try to outlast the strong fields, and crown themselves a champion.

Ontario Bantam Girls Championship

If day one was close, then to say the same about second round of the girls’ portion of the tournament would be an understatement. Coming all the way down to the wire, it was Alexa Ouellet (Credit Valley &CC) 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. Previous to today’s start, many might have questioned her ability to keep up with the older competitors but she quickly flipped the narrative, proving age is but a number. Heading onto the back nine, Ouellet was up by four strokes until she found herself in some trouble. Scoring two bogeys on 10&11, and three more bogeys on 14, 15, & 16, the competition quickly caught up and the once four stroke lead shrunk down to one. The pressure was on.

Most 12-year-olds would shrink in the face of such adversity, but Ouellet proved yet again that this moment was hers. Carding a par on 17, and closing out 18 in style, Ouellet was crowned a champion.

“I feel so relieved right now,” said Ouellet after winning the tournament. “With all those bogeys I thought I was going to lose it, so being able to come back and win is a great feeling.” When asked about how she maintained her composure and stuck to her gameplan, she couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’m 12, I didn’t really have a gameplan. I just came out and played my best.”

Trailing closely behind Ouellet the whole way through was Krystal Li (The Summit G&CC) and Kelly Zhao (Station Creek GC). The duo finished the tournament +5, only a single stroke behind the leaders, and proved their ability to push the leader right until the end. Despite not being able to come out on top, both Zhao and Li showcased impressive talent throughout the week.

For scores, results, and information on the tournament, visit the official tournament page HERE

For photos from the tournament, CLICK HERE

Ontario Bantam Boys Championship

Much like the first day, the second round of the boys portion of the championship was a tight race all the way through. 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.

Entering the day one stroke behind the two leaders, Diogenous knew he had to show up with some spectacular play.

“I knew I had to be great,” he said. “I had to come out and put everything out there. Luckily I was able to come out on top.” The 14-year-old had the most steady round of the day due to some spectacular play down the stretch. With some absurd putts and a majority of his shots landing on the green, Diogenous paved his way to the championship by not making mistakes. He would end the tournament with a total score of +1 (143), and a champion.

Following closely behind was Matthew Javier (Scarboro G&CC) who had the low round of the day to propel him to second. Entering the day at +5, not many were looking at Javier to make a run, but he quickly made everyone take notice. Going -3 on the front nine, the Toronto resident found himself within striking distance of the leader. He would continue to have a strong round, finishing the day -3 and with a total score of +2, only one behind Diogenous.

“I played really well today, hit a lot of greens, and made a lot of putts,” said Javier. “It’s a good feeling.”

Owen Kim (Blue Springs GC) and Carter Jarrett (Renfrew GC) tied for third with total scores of +4, an impressive showing for both.

For scores, results, and information on the tournament, visit the official tournament page HERE

For photos from the tournament, CLICK HERE

About the Ontario Bantam Boys’ Championship
The Ontario Bantam Boys’ Championship is a 36 hole competition featuring the top 60 Bantam (U15) male Golfers from across the province.

About the Ontario Bantam Girls’ Championship
The Ontario Bantam Girls’ Championship is a 36 hole competition featuring the province’s top 30 Bantam (U15) female Golfers from across the province.

Golf Ontario would like to thank the competitors, their families, and everyone who attended and supported this championship.  We would also like to thank Deer Creek GC and their staff for their excellent course and hospitality in hosting this event.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and Like us on Facebook for future updates on the Ontario Junior (U19) Match Play Championships.

Ryan Mackenzie

rmackenzie@gao.ca

Uxbridge, ON — With less than 2 weeks remaining until the return of the storied Ontario Open golf championship, Golf Ontario announced today that it has extended 3 special exemptions to this year’s event: Daniel Alfredsson, Damon Allen, and Jeremy Taggart. These 3 high-profile players, will join the field of 144 golfers competing for the Ontario Open Championship, one of the world’s oldest golf championships. The 2019 Championship will take place on August 26 – 29^th, 2019 at the beautiful Woodington Lake Golf Club, in Tottenham, Ontario and will immediately become one of the premiere Championships on the calendar for 2019.

Daniel Alfredsson – Alfredsson played 18 years in the National Hockey League, and was the long-time captain of the Ottawa Senators. Alfredsson holds the Senators’ franchise records for goals (426), assists (682) and points (1,108). “I am happy to be invited to be invited to compete, and am looking forward to a great week” said Alfredsson.

Damon Allen – Avid golfer Allen is a Canadian Football League legend, having played 23 seasons in the league, winning 4 Grey Cups, with 3 different teams. A Hall of Famer, Allen is pro football’s all-time combined passing and rushing leader with a total of 84,301 yards. “I am excited and nervous, all at the same time” said Allen. “Excited about Golf Ontario’s exemption into the tournament, and nervous as you look at the names of past winners including Sam Snead and Moe Norman”, continued Allen.

Jeremy Taggart – Taggart is the former Our Lady Peace drummer where he was a key member of the band from 2003 – 2014. Taggart is an avid golfer, and a frequent guest on TSN’s Jay and Dan Podcast and has also been a member of the judging panel for the Independent Music Awards. “I’d like to thank Golf Ontario for my exemption into the historic Ontario Open. I can’t wait to play there it is going to be a great time, so come on out to watch this great golf” enthused Taggart.

The Ontario Open has a storied history dating back to 1923, making this Championship one of the oldest Championships in the world. Past champions of this event reads’ like a who’s who of Canadian and International golf, and includes the immortal Sam Snead, Canadian golfing legends George Knudson and Moe Norman, as well as seven-time champion Nick Weslock. A true open Championship, this tournament will attract the best golfers from Ontario, and across Canada and beyond, to Woodington Lake Golf Club.

“Having Daniel, Damon, and Jeremy, three major Canadian celebrities, competing at Woodington Lake Golf Club in a few short weeks is really exciting,” said Golf Ontario Executive Director Mike Kelly. “This is going to be one event to watch for sure, and these three exemptions will give golf fans another reason to get excited about the return of the Ontario Open.”

There are many great partners that are helping to bring the Ontario Open back as a marquee championship. Woodington Lake Golf Club has signed on for 5 years to be the official host club of the event. The Evanov Radio Group is providing key support as the lead media partner for the event. And the list of current sponsors is a strong one, providing key support to help make the event a success. Presenting partners are Moosehead Breweries and TaylorMade Canada. Other great partners include Beattie’s Distillers, Lavazza, Tre Amici Wines, Yamaha Turf Care, Serpa Automotive Group, and Pro Accessibility.

More information about the Ontario Open can be found at www.theontarioopen.ca

For a video from Alfredsson, Allen, and Taggart, please click at https://youtu.be/F4yynLlo1Fc

THE ONTARIO DISABILITY CHAMPIONSHIP

In addition to the Ontario Open championship, Woodington Lake Golf Club and Golf Ontario will also be partnering during the same week in August to present the first ever Golf Ontario Disability Championship. More details can be found at www.gao.ca, but this event will help deliver on a core element of the Golf Ontario strategic plan, says Kelly: “The Golf Ontario Disability Championship is an important first step in building a more diverse and inclusive golf environment in Ontario. Taking part the same week as the Ontario Open will provide strong exposure and good infrastructure as we deliver what we hope to be the first of many, many years of the Golf Ontario disability championship”, continued Kelly.

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 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 WOODINGTON LAKE GOLF CLUB

Woodington Lake Golf Club is home to 36 holes of picturesque golf in Tottenham, Ontario, just north of Toronto. The original course, The Legend Course, opened in 1995 and is built on over 200 acres of rolling terrain. Carved from towering pine forest and nestle around Woodington Lake, this course Is truly legendary. The newest addition to Woodington Lake Golf Club is the Legacy course, a true mix of Links and Stadium styles. With very challenging water hazards, along with fast and undulating greens, the Legacy course will keep golfers of every skill coming back for more.

For more information, please contact:

Peter MacKellar, Manager, Marketing Communications

Golf Ontario; 905-852-1101 ext. 224 pmackellar@gao.ca

Dave Struthers, Sr. Director, Marketing & Communication

Golf Ontario, 905-852-1101 ext 239 dstruthers@gao.ca

Ajax, ON — Warm and clear skies welcomed the players as they took to Deer Creek GC for the 2019 Bantam Championship. The best bantam boys and girls all came out to today’s round to try to get an early lead in the tournament.

Ontario Bantam Boys Championship

The boys portion of the tournament kicked off at 8:00am Monday morning, and as the weather continued to heat up throughout the day, so did their play. By the end of 18, it was Carter Jarrett (Renfrew GC) and William Lin (Station Creek GC) who were able to climb ahead of the pack however and take the lead heading into the final day tomorrow.

With scores of even-par after the first round, the duo showcased some impressive play throughout the entire day, proving their ability to play a steady game. Both Lin and Jarrett carded three bogeys and three birdies alongside a handful of pars, leaving them in a good position heading into the final day tomorrow.

Trailing closely behind is Andreas Diogenous (Whistle Bear GC), who sits only one stroke behind the two leaders at +1, and with only five strokes separating the top 13 players, tomorrow’s round will without a doubt prove to be as competitive as can be.

For future scores, results, and information on the tournament, visit the official tournament page HERE

For photos from the tournament, CLICK HERE

Ontario Bantam Girls Championship

The girls got their portion of the tournament underway at 9:30 shortly after the boys. Entering the day, all eyes we’re on Ella Weber () after her championship run at the Junior’s just a week earlier. The first round saw some impressive play throughout the entire field, but it was Alexa Ouellet (Credit Valley G&CC)  and Krystal Li (The Summit G&CC) who came out above the rest.

With a score of +1, Ouellet was able to claw above the competition with some steady putting and solid play. With only four bogeys on the challenging course, the 13-year-old made sure to play it safe and control her shots, giving her a solid score to enter the final day with.

Similar to Ouellet, Li showed an impressive understanding of patience and incredible skill at putting. Playing her drives safe down the center of the fairway and hitting some putts many would find astounding, the 14-year-old Li sits tied with Ouellet for the lead, giving herself a great opportunity to come out on top as well.

“Tomorrow I’m just going to have to continue being consistent,” said Li when asked about her gameplan heading into tomorrow. “I’ll have to play both a strong long and a strong short game. Hopefully I can continue my momentum from today.”

Winning won’t be easy with players like Isabella Ferguson (Kanata G&CC) following closely behind however. Ferguson sat at -2 for a majority of the day until a rough patch near the end of her round. She will likely be returning tomorrow with hopes of making up some ground, and retaking the lead early.

For future scores, results, and information on the tournament, visit the official tournament page HERE

For photos from the tournament, CLICK HERE

About the Ontario Bantam Boys’ Championship
The Ontario Bantam Boys’ Championship is a 36 hole competition featuring the top 60 Bantam (U15) male Golfers from across the province.

About the Ontario Bantam Girls’ Championship
The Ontario Bantam Girls’ Championship is a 36 hole competition featuring the province’s top 30 Bantam (U15) female Golfers from across the province.

Ontario Disability Championship

Golf Ontario, in partnership with Golf Canada, will be hosting the first-ever classifier training for golfers with disabilities. In conjunction with the Ontario Disability Championship, the training will be held at Woodington Lake Golf Club on Friday, August 23rd and Saturday, August 24th, 2019.

Focusing on player development, the all-inclusive event will ensure a proper pathway for high performing athletes. The world-ranked event will see men and women compete in low gross and net categories.

In order for players to receive ranking points on the World Ranking for Golfers with Disabilities (WR4GD), we have partnered with the European Disabled Golf Association to provide training to individuals in the medical profession to become classifiers for golfers with disabilities. Every golfer wishing to be ranked must meet on-site at the event with a trained professional to establish their eligibility.

On Friday and Saturday, August 23rd and 24th, we welcome all individuals in the medical profession to join us at Woodington Lake Golf Club to become a recognized classifier for golf.

WHAT:     National Golf Classifier Training: Two full days of instruction;
a combination of in-class theory and on-course practical training.

WHO:      Medical Professionals (MD or PT)

WHEN:    Friday August 23 & Saturday August 24, 9:00am – 5:00pm

WHERE:  Woodington Lake Golf Club (7110 4th Line, Tottenham, ON, L0G 1W0)

COST:      $150 includes breakfast and lunch both days

TO REGISTER ONLINE, PLEASE CLICK HERE