Port Carling, ON — It was a warm and sunny day at The Lake Joseph Golf Club for day three of the Men’s Match Play which would consist of both the quarter and semi finals.

Eight players took to the course for the quarter finals, knowing only four would remain after 18 holes.The round was extremely competitive, as every player was hitting from all cylinders. After 18 strong holes and a few tough battles, it was Team Ontario member Ty Celone, Peyton Callens (Delhi G&CC), Matthew Anderson (Credit Valley G&CC), and Aidan Gavey (Beverley G&CC) who came out victorious.

Gavey pulled off a huge win on one of the quarters, as he knocked out the reigning champion, Cameron Kellett. The two were neck and neck the entire round, but Gavey had the last laugh when he clinched the fourth spot in the semi’s by a single putt on the 18th hole.

The semi finals kicked off later in the day at 1:10pm with Callens and Celone both hitting deep drives off the first tee. The two were followed shortly by Anderson and Gavey who as well hit impressive shots onto the fairway. The first four shots set the tone for the rest of the round, as all four players didn’t let up through the entire 18 holes.

Battling back and forth for control of the lead, it was Callens who pulled ahead in the first pairing. The two were up and down one for the first ten holes, with Celone taking the lead early on the first hole, only for Callens to tie it back up on the fourth. By the eight hole, Callens was able to take advantage of Celone’s bogey, and stole the lead. Once Callens took the lead, there was no turning back. He kept a steady form, hitting two birdies on the back nine, and pulling away from the talented Celone.

“It was a tough day, playing both Bunker and Celone,” said Callens. “I just had to be consistent, and make sure to not bogey on any.” Callens also mentioned that he had no nerves coming into today.

“I’ve been playing against Celone for years now, so i wasn’t too nervous going into today. I’m going to be going into the finals with that same attitude.”

In the second round, it was Gavey who beat the odds to move on to the finals on Thursday. Their round started with a quick lead by Anderson after the first hole, only for Gavey to tie things back up on the second. For the next three holes the pair sat at even, until Andrew bogeyed the fifth and Gavey reclaimed the lead. For a moment it looked like Anderson was going to climb back to even things up, but Gavey held his ground and never let Anderson recover. He hit no worse than par through the last thirteen holes, never giving Anderson the chance to take over.

“I just took the day one shot at a time and let the rest fall into place,” said Gavey. “I hope to keep that same mindset going into tomorrow.”

Callens and Gavey will continue onto day four for the finals, with the winner being crowned the 2019 Ontario Men’s Match Play Champion. Tee time is set for 8:00am.

For photos from the tournament, CLICK HERE

For the official tournament website for this years pairings and results, CLICK HERE

About the Ontario Men’s Match Play Championship

Established in 1986, The Ontario Men’s Match Play Championship is contested annually and features 64 of Ontario’s best amateur golfers that have qualified through one of six qualifying tournaments held earlier this season, or who have gained an exemption into the event.  Notable former champions include Ontario Golf Hall of Fame member Ian Leggatt, David Hearn, David Byrne and Dave Bunker.

Golf Ontario would like to thank The Lake Joseph Club and their staff for their continued support of the Ontario Men’s Match Play championship, and would also like to thank our volunteers for their hard work.

Ryan MacKenzie

rmackenzie@gao.ca

Port Carling, ON — Unlike the first round, day two of the Men’s Match Play Championship at The Lake Joseph Golf Club welcomed the 32 remaining players with sun and clear skies. Both rounds 2 and 3 took place, cutting the field of players to only eight by the end of the day.

Round two saw 16 players go home after a well fought 18 holes of golf. Players elevated their game from day one, hitting circus shots like Zack Mason’s chip shot right into the hole, and Cameron Kellett’s beautiful fairway shot leading inches from the hole. The competitors took advantage of the nice weather and made sure to excercise their A-game. Although all players had a strong round, only half the group would move on to round 3.

Tyler Harvey (York Downs G&CC) and Peyton Callens (Delhi G&CC) kicked off the third round at 1:28, followed by the rest of the 16 shortly after. All eight pairs hit the fairway with confidence, having played the course at least twice already. Picking spots, and hitting near-perfect drives, the competition was fierce.

The biggest surprise of the round was Ty Celone. Celone, a Team Ontario member, was listed at the 63rd seed, and was matched up against last years finalist Eric Shea (Brantford G&CC) in the first round, and a red hot Zack Mason (Donalda Club) in the second. Through the adversity however, Celone came out on top, and went into the third round going head to head against the talented Dan Kavanagh.

In his match with Kavanagh, Celone came out on top at 2 & 1, thanks to his 2-iron, and some steady shooting.

“It’s been a tough tournament, having to go up against such great competition,” said Celone when asked about his low seeding. “Luckily I’ve been pretty consistent throughout the last two days, but they’ve definitely been hard fought battles.” Celone expects to maintain his momentum heading into the quarter finals.

Cameron Kellett also had a strong showing in the third round, continuing his hot streak from the morning. Winning on the 16th hole with a score of 3 & 2, Kellett shot smooth and steady, beating Logan Hawke (Mississauga G&CC) to move on to the quarter finals, where he will face Aiden Gavey (Beverly G&CC).

The remaining 8 players will tee off for the Quarter-Finals Wednesday, June 12th for what should be another compelling round of golf. Tee times are set to begin at 8:00am.

For photos from the tournament, CLICK HERE

For the official tournament website for the days pairings and results, CLICK HERE

About the Ontario Men’s Match Play Championship

Established in 1986, The Ontario Men’s Match Play Championship is contested annually and features 64 of Ontario’s best amateur golfers that have qualified through one of six qualifying tournaments held earlier this season, or who have gained an exemption into the event.  Notable former champions include Ontario Golf Hall of Fame member Ian Leggatt, David Hearn, David Byrne and Dave Bunker.

The Golf Ontario would like to thank The Lake Joseph Club and their staff for their continued support of the Ontario Men’s Match Play championship.

Ryan MacKenzie

rmackenzie@gao.ca

Port Carling, ON — On a cloudy and rainy day at The Lake Joseph Golf Club, day one of the 33rd annual Men’s Match Play Championship got underway. With many returning champions and finalists the likes of Cameron Kellett from St. Thomas G&CC, Eric Shea from Brantford G&CC, and Dave Bunker from Brampton Golf Club, the day proved to be highly competitive.

Lake Joseph established itself as a challenging course with it’s towering trees, and steep elevations. 64 players battled the weather and the difficult holes, and after 18, only 32 were able to move on to the next round. Pairs played against each other on the elaborate course, where only one of the two found themselves continuing on to the next day.

Last years champion, Cameron Kellett, continued his momentum from 2018 with a strong performance. Facing Drake Jefferson from Blue Water GC, Kellett was able to use his knowledge of the course to propel him ahead of his competition.

“It was tough out there,” said Kellett. “I wasn’t hitting the ball well and the weather definitely wasn’t ideal, but I was lucky to have a lot of practice on this course.” Having already won the championship last year, Kellett had played the course six times already, compared to Jefferson who had only played it once.

“I knew I had the upper hand because of how many times I’ve played this course, so I just stayed patient and eventually I pulled through.” Kellett will be facing Logan Lammerant from Sparrow Lakes GC in round 2. The pair is set to tee off at 10:00am.

Matthew Anderson from Credit Valley G&CC, who had the best qualifying score out of all the players, also saw success on the first day. Anderson went against Gordon Gibson from Cedar Brae GC, and eventually took the lead, winning 2&1.

Anderson will be moving on to round 2, where his next opponent will be Taylor Beckstead from Tangle Creek G&CC. The pair is set to tee off at 8:56am.

The remaining 32 players will continue onto day two, which will commence on June 11th. Tee times are set to begin at 8:00am.

For photos from the tournament, CLICK HERE

For the official tournament website for this years pairings and results, CLICK HERE

About the Ontario Men’s Match Play Championship

Established in 1986, The Ontario Men’s Match Play Championship is contested annually and features 64 of Ontario’s best amateur golfers that have qualified through one of six qualifying tournaments held earlier this season, or who have gained an exemption into the event.  Notable former champions include Ontario Golf Hall of Fame member Ian Leggatt, David Hearn, David Byrne and Dave Bunker.

Golf Ontario would like to thank The Lake Joseph Club and their staff for their continued support of the Ontario Men’s Match Play championship, and would also like to thank our volunteers for their hard work.

Ryan MacKenzie

rmackenzie@gao.ca

Written by Golf Canada

Joly, Que. – Eric (Joohyung) Byun of Richmond Hill, Ont. maintained his second-round lead to win the boys’ division, while Brooke Rivers of Brampton, Ont. remained dominant to win in the girls’ division of the Future Links, driven by Acura Québec Championship at Club de golf Les Boisés de Joly, Sunday.

Byun entered the final round with a share of the lead and shot 2-over par 74 Sunday to win the 54-hole tournament by a single stroke. Byun’s three-straight birdies on holes No. 5 through 7 put him atop the leaderboard and he withstood a strong push from Remi Chartier, who finished second.

Byun was T21 at the 2018 Future Links, driven by Acura Québec Championship. He finished T38 at last year’s Canadian Junior Boys Championship.

Chartier, a Montreal native, held a share of the lead heading into the final round. He finished second at last year’s Future Links, driven by Acura Québec Championship and a bogey free back nine helped him to an even-par 216 on the tournament.

Frédéric Rousseau (Longueuil, Que.), Michael Ikejiani (Minesing, Ont.) and Logan Boucher (Beaconsfield, Que.) round out top-five players in the boys’ division advancing to the 2019 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, taking place August 11-15 at Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club.

In the junior girls’ division, Brooke Rivers was unstoppable throughout the tournament, winning by 16-strokes.

The Brampton, Ont. native shot the only under-par rounds of the tournament in the girls’ division, carding 2-under par 70 in each of her three rounds. She finished at 6-under during the 54-hole tournament.

Raesa Sheikh of Caledon, Ont. was the closest competitor to Rivers. Sheikh made an eagle on the par-5 No. 7 in the final round, giving her a 3-over-par 75 on the day and 11-over for the tournament.

Defending champion Emily Romancew of Pierrefonds, Que. came in third. Romancew shot 12-over par 228 for the tournament.

Rounding out the top five (including ties) headed to the 2019 Canadian Junior Girls Championship held from July 29-August 2 at Lethbridge Country Club in Lethbridge, Alta. are Alexis McMurray (Oakville, Ont.), Élizabeth Labbé (Lévis, Que.) and Heather McLean (Port Williams, N.S.) at 19-over-par 235.

Full scoring and results can be found here.

Port Carling, ON — On June 10th to 13th, The Lake Joseph Club will host the 33rd annual Men’s Match Play. The Championship is open to players with an up-to-date 2019 Golf Canada Handicap Factor of 8.4 or less, and who placed at the various sites throughout the province in May.

This will be the 14th time The Lake Joseph Club will be hosting the Men’s Match Play. Being only 22 years old, Lake Joseph is a jaw dropping course that has amazed and challenged many golfers in it’s short lifetime. With granite crags, towering trees, and heaving topography of the Muskoka region, the course was named the best new course in the country by Golf Digest.

“The terrain and elevation will definitely be a challenge to the players in the tounament,” said Lake Joseph’s Head Pro Doug Wilson. “Holes like the 8th hole have significant drops that require precision and knowledge of your clubs. It’ll sure be fun to watch the players compete and manoeuvre around the course.”

The course has proven to be difficult to players in years past, as many have struggled with it’s design.

Last year, it was Cameron Kellett from St. Thomas G & CC who outlasted the field of competitors at Lake Joseph to earn his first Ontario Men’s Match Play championship. Competing against Eric Shea from Brantford Golf and Country Club in the final round, the two went went the distance matching shot for shot through 12 holes. It wasn’t until 13 when Kellett was able to pull ahead and steal the lead. Finishing the day 5&4, Kellett was able to hold on to the lead the rest of the round, and in result, went home a champion.

With Kellett returning this year,one can guarentee he is looking to repeat. Nonetheless, Matthew Anderson from Credit Valley G&CC had the best qualifying score out of all the players, shooting 4-under at Wildfire Golf Club. One can imagine he want’s to continue his success going into the championship, and take that first place position from Kellett on the leaderboard.

Tee times for Round One are set for 8:00am.

For the official tournament website for this years pairings and results, CLICK HERE

About the Ontario Men’s Match Play Championship

Established in 1986, The Ontario Men’s Match Play Championship is contested annually and features 64 of Ontario’s best amateur golfers that have qualified through one of six qualifying tournaments held earlier this season, or who have gained an exemption into the event.  Notable former champions include Ontario Golf Hall of Fame member Ian Leggatt, David Hearn, David Byrne and Dave Bunker.

The Golf Association of Ontario would like to thank The Lake Joseph Club and their staff for their continued support of the Ontario Men’s Match Play championship.

Ryan MacKenzie

rmackenzie@gao.ca

Stouffville, ON — The 86th annual George S. Lyon Club Team Championship was held at Spring Lakes Golf Club on Monday, June 3rd. Following the trend of challenging weather that has kicked off this years golf season, players arrived at the course in layers of clothes as the temperature had plummeted the evening before. With strong winds and brisk air facing the players throughout, the day proved to be a challenge. In the face of this less then perfect weather, Burlington Golf and Country Club, and Deer Ridge Golf Club ended up tied on top of the 23 team event at the end of regulation play.

Tying +18 (306) after the inital 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.

“I had two good shots to start and just made sure to stay consistent throughout that last hole,” explained Ross. “I saw Pete shoot into hazard on his third shot so I knew I just had to finish steady and not make any mistakes to clinch the title.”

Burlington’s team consisted of Eric Ross, Jonathan Ross, Sean Kennedy, and Trent Abraham, who finished the round at 306. The team battled the weather, and if it wasn’t for their impressive shots down the stretch, Ross wouldn’t have had the chance to seal the deal in a playoff. The individual scores for the team on the par 72 layout were: Abraham 75, E. Ross 76, J. Ross 76, and Kennedy with a score of 79.

The second place team, Deer Ridge, consisted of Pete McMenemy, Mike Gingrich,Josh Hunke, and Matt Schnarr, who all played a fantastic round despite the heavy and cold winds. Although just falling short to Burlington in a playoff, the team played steady throughout the day. The indvidual scores for the team were: McMenemy 76, Gingrich 76, Hunke 77, and Schnarr with a 77.

Following the two leading scores by only a single shot for third place was Glencairn Golf Club. Mike Dinner, Craig Watkins, Paul Gortnar, and Jeffrey Clarke all combined to shoot +19 (307), making the race for the top spot a close call. The individual scores for the team were: Dinner 74, Watkins 74, Clarke 78, and Gortnar with an 81.

The low individual scorer of the tournament was Nicholas Yuen from Brampton Golf Club. Yuen shot a spectacular 72 (E), winning him the Crofton Harvey Shield.

For more information and complete results, visit the tournament page HERE 

For photo’s from the day, CLICK HERE

About the George S. Lyon Club Team Championship

Named after the Canadian golfer and Olympic Gold Medallist, the George S. Lyon Shield was presented by golf clubs of the Toronto District for the annual competition between teams of four men from each club, with the best aggregate gross score. In 1935, the ‘George S. Lyon’ was held for the first time, and has since been open to male amateur teams who are Golf Ontario members of the same member club.

Golf Ontario would like to thank Spring Lakes Golf Club and their staff for helping to host an excellent event. We would also like to thank all of the golfers who participated, and for their terrific competition that made this year’s event so exciting. Thanks also to the Golf Ontario volunteers for their continued support of golf in the province.

The next Golf Ontario championship will be the Men’s Match Play at Lake Joseph Club on June 10th.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram (@thegolfontario) for live updates on future tournaments this season.

Ryan MacKenzie

rmackenzie@gao.ca

Stouffville, ON — On Monday June 3rd, Spring Lakes Golf Club will be hosting the George S. Lyon Club Team Championship. Much like last years’ course (Whitevale Golf Club), Spring Lakes is a challenging course with a number of hazards on course that will challenge the competitors. Each 18 hole course has its own character and challenge, making it difficult for players who have never played there before.

“Luckily after the wet weather we’ve been having, all 54 of our greens are still in great condition, and the course looks ready to see some great competition,” said Spring Lakes’ Head Professional Shayne Dysart. “That being said, it’s a difficult course with lots of trees and high winds, so that will definitely challenge the competitors.” Players will be arriving at 9:30am, ready to take on the challenge.

Last year, it was the Cataraqui Golf & Country Club team from Kingston, Ontario who brought home the championship. The team of Noah Steele, Drew Mayhew, Jamaal Moussaoui, and Peter Sauerbrei finished the Championship with a final score of +3 (291), eliminating the second place team from Weston Golf and Country Club in Toronto (+19). Steele, Mayhew, Moussaoui, and Sauerbrei shot lights out throughout the day, locking up first place with a healthy lead early on in the tournament.

With last years champions not returning to the tournament this year however, the top spot is up for grabs, and Spring Lakes’ very own are looking to take advantage. Alex Boyd, Bruce Cram, Simon Bartram, and Gavin Goebel are teaming up to attempt to take home the hardware, and with their knowledge of the course already, they are hoping to have the upper hand. All four players are looking to kick off the golf season with a successful outing at their home club.

“They’re going to be familiar with the course and the distances to the greens, but playing at your home course also brings a sense of pressure and expectation to play well,” said Dysart. “So we’ll have to see if they can use their knowledge of the greens to their advantage.”

The teams will be playing for the chance to take home the gold, silver, or bronze medal. The Crofton Harvey Shield award will also be handed to the low individual scorer of the tournament.

Tee times are set for 11:00am.

To read more about last years results, CLICK HERE

For the official tournament website for this years pairings and results, CLICK HERE

About the George S. Lyon Club Team Championship

Named after the Canadian golfer and Olympic Gold Medallist, the George S. Lyon Shield was presented by golf clubs of the Toronto District for the annual competition between teams of four men from each club, with the best aggregate gross score. In 1948, the ‘George S. Lyon’ was held for the first time, and has since been open to male amateur teams who are Golf Ontario members of the same member club.

About Golf Ontario

Golf Ontario is Ontario’s Provincial Sport Organization focused on enhancing participation, elevating performance and supporting the passion of golfers in Ontario. With over 95,000 individual members and 400 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, Facebook, and Instagram (@thegolfontario) for live updates on the George S. Lyon Club Team Championship and other tournaments this season.

Ryan MacKenzie

rmackenzie@gao.ca

Stouffville, Ontario – On Monday May 27th, Golf Ontario held their 8th annual Junior Golf Drive and Gala at the beautiful Granite Golf Club. The event is Golf Ontario’s single biggest fundraiser of the year, with the proceeds going to Junior Golf in Ontario, and with beautiful weather, smiling faces, and delicious food, the day was a resounding success.

In 2018, the event raised just over $93,000. 2019 turned out to be even better as the projected funds raised are more than $101,000, surpassing the goal of 100,000. Funding from this event will go to support key programs like Golf in Schools, Future Links, Driven by Acura, and Team Ontario.

The sold-out day began with lunch and drinks, followed by 30 foursomes hitting the beautifully conditioned Granite Golf Club under perfect weather conditions. With temperatures staying in the low to mid 20’s for the entire round, there were no complaints around the course. Players were also treated to many on course competitions and activities, including the option of using the drives of Team Ontario members on several different holes.

Following golf, attendees were treated to a gala event at the Granite Golf Club clubhouse. This included a cocktail reception with some memorable silent auction items, and was followed by a delicious dinner, a guest appearance by special guest Garrett Rank, and world-class entertainment from ex PGA Tour player Charlie Rymer.

The evening and award ceremony were all hosted by TSN anchor Natasha Staniszewski, who ended the night thanking all the participants who came to enjoy the wonderful day.

“Thank you so much to everyone for coming to this event,” said Staniszweski. “As a new golfer, this was so inspirational for me to be here today and see everyone try to grow the game.”

Head Chairman of the Junior Golf Drive and Golf Ontario President, Howard Atkinson, was very pleased with the event.

“It was a fantastic day and a huge success,” said Atkinson. “This is an important event for Golf Ontario, and it seems to only grow year after year. The participants of this event are a big part of how we support Junior Golf in Ontario. Thanks to all who joined us.”

Golf Ontario would like to thank all the sponsors of the Junior Golf Drive and Gala, as well as everyone who attended the event on Monday. Key sponsors included Play Golf Myrtle Beach, Taylor Made, Adidas Golf, RBC, Golf Talk Canada, and General Mills. We would also like to thank Granite Golf Club and its staff for allowing us to host the event at their course, and for making this day possible.

To see photos from the day, CLICK HERE

Ryan MacKenzie

rmackenzie@gao.ca

Written by Golf Canada

Stouffville, ON – Building on last years incredible event that raised almost $100,000, Golf Ontario is proud to be back with The Junior Golf Drive and Gala taking place on May 27th. Like last year, it will be another fabulous day of golf, topped off by an evening of great food, and outstanding entertainment at the prestigious Granite Club.

The day begins at noon with a delicious BBQ lunch served and pre golf activities, followed by a 1pm shotgun. Guests will be able to play a round of 18 at the Granite, and then will be welcomed back with cocktails and dinner. Special guest Charlie Rymer, the former PGA tour player and media star, will be entertainment at the event, and TSN Sportscentre anchor Natasha Staniszweski will be hosting.

The Junior Golf Drive and Gala supports multiple Golf Ontario and partner-initiatives that focus on youth golf. By supporting the JGDG you are providing funding for On-Course Programs, such as the Future Links, driven by Acura Golf in Schools and facility programs; Grow Golf Granting Programs, Educational Opportunities for Youth through the Golf Ontario Scholarship Program, and the Team Ontario program. It helps Golf Ontario provide financial assistance to deserving student golfers throughout Ontario who continue their education at the post-secondary level, and it also provides funding to foster the growth of golf programming in Ontario Schools.

Tickets are available at here where you can join us for the full day of golf and gala, or simply the gala alone. If you are unable to make the event but would still like to support, please consider donating at golfcanadafoundation.com if you would like to make a contribution to the cause.

We look forward to seeing everybody there, as it looks to be an exciting day!

Ryan MacKenzie

rmackenzie@gao.ca