Golf Ontario is excited to announce that tournament registration will open January 31^st @ 9:00am for its Championships and Qualifiers.

Looking ahead to the 2019 season, there will be several key changes:

• Revised tournament entry procedures for Junior Girls & Women’s Championships
• We will be requiring at least one parent/guardian per athlete to have completed the Respect in Sport – Parent Program prior to any Junior Golf Ontario “Championship”.
• Updated Exemption pages across all Golf Ontario Championships
• Updated listings and point allocations towards the 2019 Golf Ontario Order of Merit

To view the updated 2019 schedule please click here.

Before registering, golfers should have the following information on hand:

• BlueGolf ID & Password
  • Players new to Golf Ontario events will need to create a BlueGolf ID & Password through the Tournament Player Login page in order to sign up for tournaments. Players who have previously played in Golf Ontario events can retrieve their info by going to the Tournament Player Login page and selecting “forgotten password”.

Upon completion, your ID and password will be emailed to you.

• Golf Ontario Membership
  • Club members will need to ensure that their membership is active at the club.
  • Golf Ontario Public Players will require a current Gold Membership at the time of registration. To check the membership expiry date, please login to the Golf Canada Scoring Centre and select “At-a-Glance” from the menu.

• Golf Canada Card #
  • Golf Canada Card # can be found by logging into the Golf Canada Score Centre, the 10-digit number will located top right beside the players name.

Golf Ontario Order of Merit

2019 Golf Ontario Order of Merit is now live.  Please visit here to see up to date results and lists of 2019 counting events and point allocation.

A few notable changes; Amateur through Senior categories will now run Nov 1^st – Oct 31^st in order to capture the full USGA schedule in one year (Junior divisions will remain the same, Sept 1^st– Aug 31^st). Golfers who are exempt from championships will now receive the first point value of the respective qualifying event.  Each Order of Merit will capture top 8 events, please see each division for max events of each category.

Any questions/concerns regarding order of merit should be directed to Jessie Mercer, jmercer@gao.ca

If you require more information regarding tournaments, please contact John Lawrence at jlawrence@gao.ca or Rob Watson at rwatson@gao.ca

Golf Ontario is proud to announce this year’s Class of the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame. Deborah Lee Eldridge, Judith Kyrinis, and Richard Scott, will become the newest members of the Hall at the official induction ceremony on May 1, 2019 at Wooden Sticks Golf Club in Uxbridge. In addition, Scott Metcalfe will be receiving the Lorne Rubenstein Media Award, presented annually to accredited members of the Ontario media for “major contributions to golf.”

2019 Ontario Golf Hall of Fame Inductees

Deborah Lee Eldridge

Dundas resident Deborah Lee Eldridge, 51, enters the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame in the Amateur Golfer category.  At an early age, she quickly became an outstanding player learning the game from her father; both were members of the Hamilton Golf and Country Club.  It was evident early in her life that Eldridge found a true passion for the game.  She always was a hard worker, learning her craft and developing her skill level to reach the global stage.

Her amateur accomplishments are outstanding, winning many Ontario, Canadian and International trophies.  She won the Ontario Ladies’ Amateur Championship in 1988 and 1989, where she set a competitive course record; the Ontario Ladies’ Match Play Championship three times; and the Ontario Parent/Child Championship, Father/Daughter in 1990.  Eldridge was also a member of the Ontario team that won the Interprovincial Championship in 1988 and 1989.

In addition to Deborah’s outstanding Ontario and Canadian golf accomplishments, she represented Canada in no less than four international events.  In 1989, Eldridge ranked as the number one golfer in both Ontario and Canada.  In the same year, she won the Score Award for the top Female Amateur in Canada.  In 1989 and 1990, she was selected to the Canadian International Team to compete in both France and Great Britain.  Eldridge excelled by winning the 1989 Ladies’ Open Amateur Championship in France.

Deborah had a marvelous college career at Indiana University, winning four tournaments and being selected as Honorable Mention All-American for two years.  While competing at the NCAA Division 1 level she was named the Big 10 Player of the Year, and was selected for the All-Big 10 Team in 1989 and 1990.

After graduating from university Deborah turned professional where she continued to compete, coach and grow the game of golf.  As a professional, she had a wonderful career where she won 11 professional titles throughout Canada and the USA.  She earned her LPGA Tour status in 1996 and competed as a full-time member.

Eldridge has had an extensive career as a golf coach and mentor as well, coaching Mohawk College Men’s and Women’s teams from 2011-2018 and helping them win multiple OCAA medals. She has also taught at several courses and golf centers over the years as a PGA of Canada Class A Teaching Professional.

Deborah has carried herself with grace and integrity while being a keen competitor and great ambassador for both Ontario and Canada during her golfing career.

Judith Kyrinis

Also entering the Hall in the Amateur Golfer category is Judith Kyrinis, 54 of Thornhill. Kyrinis, a member of both The Thornhill Club since 1996 and Granite Golf presently, truly exemplifies the description of champion and hall of famer.

Judith has established a prominent record as an amateur golfer in Ontario, Canada and the United States, participating and winning local, provincial, national and international amateur Championships.

Being a busy and involved mother of three while balancing a demanding nursing career consisting of the Intensive Care Unit and Pre-Admission Clinic at Toronto General Hospital, it is no wonder that much of her outstanding success in golf came later on in her golf career.

In the provincial spotlight, Kyrinis has amassed an unbelievable amount of accomplishments. She was the 1998 Ontario Women’s Match Play Champion, the 2009 Women’s Four Ball Champion (with Susan Wickware), the Ontario Senior Women’s Champion for 2016, 2017 and 2018, and the Ontario Ladies Mid-Amateur Champion for 2017.

Her skill and determination continued through to Canadian events to include national titles, winning the 2016 Canadian Women’s Senior Championship and the 2016 Canadian Women’s Mid-Am Championship.

On the international stage, Kyrinis has elevated her game yet again showing true grit to capture some prestigious titles. These include being the 2015 and 2016 Senior Women’s North and South Champion and the 2017 USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Champion. She also was a semi-finalist at the 2000 USGA Women’s Mid Am, a finalist at the 2014 USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championship, and Medalist at the 2016 USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championship.

Other accomplishments include being the #1 ranked golfer for Ontario Senior Women in 2014 and 2016, #1 ranked for Ontario Mid-Am Women in 2016, and voted the Top Female Golfer of the Year by the Golf Journalists Association of Canada for 2017.

Richard Scott

Georgia resident Richard Scott, 35, a lifetime Honorary Member of Kingsville Golf Club, also enters the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame in the Amateur Golfer category. In a short period, Richard proved to be an outstanding champion. He won at every level – from junior to college and then provincial to national and finally professionally.

Besides his play, Scott was also very well known throughout the sport for his character. He was always admired for how he conducted himself on and off the course and how he treated fellow competitors and officials.  Scott represented himself, his teams, the sport, Ontario and Canada with dignity and respect.

Provincially, Scott won the Golf Association of Ontario’s Club Link Tour in 1998, and GAO’s Juvenile Division Champion, Peterborough Tournament of Champions in 1999. He also won GAO’s Junior Masters Championship in 2000 including the Juvenile division of the Junior Championship that same year. In 2002, Scott won the GAO’s Junior Tournament of Champions.

On the national stage, Scott was the RCGA’s Juvenile Champion in 2000, the RCGA’s Amateur Champion in 2003, 2005 and 2006. He also finished second in the 2002 RCGA’s Junior Championship and was a semi-finalist in the 2004 RCGA’s Amateur Championship. He also played in the 2004, 2005 and 2006 Canadian Open and in ’06 made the cut as low amateur.

Internationally, he had even more success individually and on various teams. Highlights include being a member of the Canadian Junior Team at the 2001 World Golf Championship in Japan, and the following year he became the only Canadian ever to reach the finals at the USGA’s Junior Championship, placing second. In 2006, he finished second in both the individual and team categories at the World Amateur Championship in South Africa.

During his college years, Scott was a member of the Georgia Bulldogs who twice won the SEC Team Championship, and the 2005 NCAA Division 1 National Championship which included being runner up in the SEC Championship.

He would then go on in 2007 to win 2 events on the TarHeel Tour and also play on the Canadian Tour. Scott then played his way onto the Web.com Tour and finished in the top 50 to qualify for the Tour Championship.

Other accomplishments to his credit include, 2001 GAO’s Junior Achievement Award, 2003 Score Magazine Male Golfer of the Year, 2004 and 2006 GAO’s Male Amateur of the Year, 2005 selected All American by the Coach’s Golf Association of America, 2006 #1 National Order of Merit and 2006 Golfer of the Year by Score Magazine.

Scott currently plays out of Sea Island Golf Club in St. Simons Island, GA, where he works as the Director of National Sales.

Scott Metcalfe

This year’s recipient of the Lorne Rubenstein Media Award is Scott Metcalfe. Scott is a worthy and distinguished recipient given his significant contributions to the game in Ontario.

When the golf broadcast season begins in early April on Sportsnet 590 The Fan, with co-host Ian Leggatt, it will be Scott’s 20th year of overseeing and hosting the hour-long Toronto-based golf talk show (previously known as Fairways) which airs Saturday mornings at 7:00 AM and runs through to early October.

Scott also co-hosts two-minute weekday vignettes with Leggatt, also from April to early October. Some of you will remember Ontario HOF member Bob Weeks as Scott’s long-time co-host, before Bob moved to TSN in 2014.

Metcalfe has had a distinguished broadcasting career. It began at CHAB Radio in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan 43 years ago followed by a stint at CHED in Edmonton, Alberta. He moved to Toronto’s CJCL starting as a Queen’s Park reporter before taking on the responsibility of news anchor and News Director. In 1992, CJCL became The FAN 590, Canada’s first all-sports radio station and Scott was appointed Sports Director and Executive Producer.

A short time into his tenure, he added the golf show to his weekly repertoire and it became a Saturday morning staple of the station. The FAN joined Rogers Broadcasting and Scott was appointed News Director of 680 NEWS in 2003 a position he held until early 2018 when he was appointed as National Format Director, News, Rogers Radio. Although he has responsibilities for Rogers all news radio stations from coast-to-coast, Metcalfe continues to rise with a 4:30 AM Saturday wake up call to be in studio for the Golf Show on Sportsnet 590 The Fan.

Metcalfe was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017 by Canada’s Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) and is a member of Clublink with his home course being Blue Springs. A proud member of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada, Scott has covered Canadian Opens and other provincial and national golf events since coming to Toronto and remains as committed as ever to the coverage and promotion of golf.

ABOUT THE ONTARIO GOLF HALL OF FAME

The Ontario Golf Hall of Fame is dedicated to the recognition of extraordinary contributions and accomplishments in the game of golf in Ontario. Founded in 2000 by the Ontario Golf Association and the Ontario Ladies’ Golf Association, the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame is housed at Wooden Sticks Golf Club in Uxbridge.

A return to the foothills of the beautiful Niagara Escarpment, a venture to the shores of Lake Superior, and a poised group of recertified rules referees under the new 2019 code has Golf Ontario proud to launch this year’s schedule.

The golf season is just around the corner and the planning is well under way as Golf Ontario heads into the 2019 season featuring 13 of the top 100 golf courses in Canada, a number of new venues, as well some longstanding partners and events to host the best players in the province. Registration will open January 31^st at 9am.

To view a full list of all 2019 Golf Ontario championships and qualifiers see here.
(updated Feb 1, 2019)

“We’re proud and excited to offer a full championship schedule working with many of Ontario’s most renowned golf clubs,” said Golf Ontario Manager of Rules & Competitions John Lawrence. “Our 2019 venues are set to showcase an exciting season in communities across the province and we thank those clubs for hosting our events.”

The year will kick off highlighting Golf Ontario member club’s champions from across the province as they compete at Spring Lakes Golf Club once again for the Champion of Champions, May 13^th. After what was a great success bringing all the divisions together for one-day, Golf Ontario is excited to build on an even greater event this year by inviting Ontario Jr. club champions to display their exceptional skills.

The Victoria Day long weekend Junior Spring Classic’s will kickoff the competitive championship season for most juniors. The boys will have a change of scenery as they move east to compete at Brockville Country Club while the girls will takeover Wooden Sticks Golf Course for the annual event.

An addition to June this season will be the Women’s Match Play Championship. The event will take place at Cataraqui Golf & Country Club in Kingston June 15-17, running in conjunction with the 70^th annual Eastern Provinces Championship. Players competing for the Ontario Women’s Match Play will be required to register through Golf Ontario and qualify through the Saturday Field Day. The top 16 competitors will move on to the Match Play competition.

Once again, the schedule is highlighted by the Ontario Men’s and Women’s Amateur’s, both taking place July 8-11. The 97^th Men’s Amateur will return to the foothills of the beautiful Niagara escarpment to take on Oslerbrook Golf & Country Club for the second time since 2013. Meanwhile the women will compete for the title at the beautiful parkland layout that is Black Bear Ridge Golf Course for the 104^th edition of the Ontario Women’s Amateur.

This season both Senior championships will be played towards the end of July. The Senior Women’s Championship will move back to their traditional date along the banks of the Grand River as they contest the links of Grey Silo Golf Club July 23-25, while the men will travel north to the historic Sault Ste. Marie Golf Club as part of the clubs 100^th anniversary celebrations July 30-Aug 1.

Team competitions begin with the Men’s Better Ball Championship at Toronto’s Oakdale Golf & Country Club on May 16 and the George S. Lyon Club Championship will go June 3^rd at Spring Lakes Golf Club. We will close out the year as always with the Sr. Men’s Better Ball at Brampton September 19th and the Women’s Fourball will be welcomed by the Ladies Golf Club of Toronto on September 23^rd.

The start of the season is less than four months away and 2019 should be another sensational golf season in Ontario.

To view a full list of all 2019 Golf Ontario championships and qualifiers see here.
(updated Feb 1, 2019)

Written by Golf Canada

Golf Canada is pleased to announce the 10 athletes—six female and four male—who have been selected to the 2019 Team Canada Young Pro Squad.

Comprising the 2019 Women’s Young Pro Squad is Brittany Marchand (Orangeville, Ont.) , Anne-Catherine Tanguay (Quebec City), Maddie Szeryk (London, Ont.) Augusta James (Bath, Ont.), Jennifer Ha (Calgary) and Jaclyn Lee (Calgary). Lee, 21, makes the transition from the Amateur Squad after turning professional in December.

The Men’s Young Pro Squad will be represented by Jared du Toit (Kimberley, B.C.), Hugo Bernard (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.), Taylor Pendrith (Richmond Hill, Ont.) and Stuart Macdonald (Vancouver).

The Team Canada Young Pro Squad—now in its sixth year—helps bridge the gap for top-performing amateurs transitioning into the professional ranks. Since the inception of the Young Pro Squad in 2014, current and former team members have accounted for 35 wins across various professional golf tours including LPGA Tour and PGA TOUR wins by Young Pro graduates Brooke Henderson, Mackenzie Hughes and Corey Conners, respectively.

“The quality of talented athletes is a strong representation of the future of Canadian golf competing on the world’s major tours in the years to come,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s chief sport officer. “Golf Canada continues to support athletes who are demonstrating the capacity to compete at the highest levels of golf in an effort to cultivate heroes for our sport. We are proud to extend the world-class services of the Team Canada program which include coaching support, sport science and financial assistance as this group strives for success in the professional ranks.”

Men’s and Women’s National Squad coaches Derek Ingram and Tristan Mullally—both PGA of Canada members and Ben Kern Coach of the Year past recipients—will provide coaching to their respective Young Pro athletes. In addition to funding and coaching support, the athletes will have access to Team Canada’s sport science staff which includes Psychologist Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood along with Physiotherapist and Strength Coach Greg Redman.

Funding for this program, in large part, comes from the Golf Canada Foundation with generous contributions from founding partners Canadian Pacific and RBC, as well as supporting partners Citi Canada and Bear Mountain Resort—the Official Training Centre of Golf Canada’s National Team program.

“The Young Pro program has achieved tremendous success with Canada’s up-and-coming stars and their ascension through the pro ranks,” said Martin Barnard, CEO of the Golf Canada Foundation. “Fundraising for Canada’s top athletes will remain a priority for the Foundation as we continue to mold and support the future of Canadian golf.”

Throughout the season, Golf Canada will closely monitor the performance of elite Canadian amateurs transitioning to professional golf with the possibility of program expansion.

CLICK HERE TO READ TEAM CANADA YOUNG PRO SQUAD PLAYER BIOS.

Many of our Ontario golfers travelled south to compete over the Holidays.  We are excited to highlight some of their great results at many prestigious tournaments in the past few weeks.   (Team Ontario athletes are indicated in bold)

Women’s Dixie Amateur – Woodlands Country Club – Dec 18-21

A “B” ranked WAGR event, the Dixie Amateur featured some of the top ranked Amateur on the World Amateur Golf Rankings and included a win by top 100 ranked Alexa Pano.  The top Ontario golfer in the event was Michelle Ruiz, who finished T11 in the very strong field.  Both the 2017 & 2018 Ontario Women’s Amateur Champions, Kelsey Sear and Ellie Szeryk has strong finishes as well, finishing 17^th and T21 Respectively.  In total 7 Ontario golfers made the cut.

T11 – Michelle Ruiz (Mississauga) – 71-70-75-81 – 297 (+9)

17 – Ellie Szeryk (London) – 72-73-76-78 – 299 (+11)

T21 – Kelsey Sear (Unionville) – 72-72-79-78 – 301 (+13)

T29 – Sydney Naro (Toronto) – 79-71-77-76 – 303 (+15)

T42 – Money Chun (Richmond Hill) – 81-74-77-79 – 308 (+20)

T42 – Victoria Zheng (Markham) – 77-78-78-75 – 308 (+20)

T44 – Emily Zhu (Richmond Hill) – 74-80-76-79 – 309 (+21)

Men’s Dixie Amateur – Heron Bay & Eagle Trace – Dec 18-21

The Men’s Dixie Amateur saw three Ontario athletes making the cut with the top finish belonging to Kevin Gordon of Whitby with a respectable T15 finish at 15 over par for the four round tournament.

T15 – Kevin Gordon (Whitby) – 75-73-77-77 – 302 (+15)

T38 – Eric Yun (Richmond Hill) – 77-74-77-80 – 308 (+20)

T61 – Bavake Sihota (Caledon) – 77-75-81-80 – 313 (+25)

CJGA World Junior Challenge – Innisbrook Golf Resort Dec 28-30

Over 150 international junior golfers played in the 6 divisions.  Ontario golfers were well represented in the Boys U19 competition with 27 Ontario golfers making up the 71 player field.  This division was highlighted with three Team Ontario golfers finishing in the top 10 (Robbie Latter, Thomas Latter & Bennett Ruby).  2018 Ontario Junior Boys champion, Nolan Piazza, also finished T11th in the event.  In the Boys U15 division Toronto’s Beni Long, Long climbed the leaderboard on the final day thanks to a 2 under par 69.

Boys U19

3 – Robbie Latter (Mississauga) 76-72-72 – 220 (+6)

T4 – Thomas Latter (Mississauga) 80-72-71 – 223 (+9)

8 – Bennett Ruby (Waterloo) 78-75-73 – 226 (+12)

T11 – Jeffrey Fang (Newmarket) 79-75-76 – 230 (+16)

T11 – Nolan Piazza (Niagara Falls) 80-73-77 – 230 (+16)

T20 – James Bader (Milton) 81-75-81 – 237 (+23)

T24 – Jordan Breen (Brooklin) – 84-79-75 – 238 (+24)

T26 – Eric Yun (Richmond Hill) – 79-86-74 – 239 (+25)

T26 – Bradyn Wark (St. Catherines) – 85-75-79 – 239 (+25)

T29 – Kavith Ranchagoda (Richmond Hill) – 80-84-76 – 240 (+26)

T29 – Tyler Cunningham (Milton) – 84-76-80 – 240 (+26)

T31 – Dylan Henderson (Waterloo) – 85-80-76 – 241 (+27)

T31 – SeHyeon (Chris) Yi (Toronto) – 85-82-74 – 241 (+27)

T35 – Peter Blazevic (Mississauga) – 80-87-75 – 242 (+28)

T39 – Nolan Pierce (Whitby) – 81-79-83 – 243 (+29)

T41 – Riley Mathieson (Stratford) – 82-79-83 – 244 (+30)

T44 – Nicholas Lin (Toronto) – 83-82-81 – 246 (+32)

T49 – Domenic De Luca (Woodbridge) – 89-81-80 – 250 (+36)

T49 – Benjamin Landers (Deleware) – 85-79-86 – 250 (+36)

T54 – Yashin Kapadia (Brampton) – 92-78-81 – 251 (+37)

T56 – Ryan McAskill (Georgetown) – 81-84-87 – 252 (+38)

T56 – Noah Campbell (Pickering) – 88-87-77 – 252 (+38)

61 – Max Hu (Richmond Hill) – 85-86-82 – 253 (+39)

64 – Michael Weber (Burlington) – 84-83-89 – 256 (+42)

T65 – Bradley Parker (Toronto) – 92-83-82 – 257 (+43)

69 – Alexi Filion (Baltimore) – 90-83-88 – 261 (+47)

70 – Evan Lesyk (Guelph) – 93-93-84 – 270 (+56)

U19 Girls

T6 – Catherine Zhang (Toronto) – 86-81-73 – 240 (+27)

15 – Peyton Bennett (Stoney Creek) – 91-92-96 – 279 (+66)

Boys U15

2 – Beni Long (Toronto) – 77-73-69 – 219 (+6)

T5 – Alex Long (Toronto) – 78-82-67 – 227 (+14)

19 – Elian Infante (Mississauga) – 86-86-79 – 251 (+29)

27 – Finn Saunders (Etobicoke) – 97-89-89 – 275 (+62)

28 – Peter McDougall (London) – 95-95-86 – 276 (+63)

30 – Carter Roung (St. George) – 107-96-89 – 292 (+79)

U15 Girls

5 – Nicole Gal (Oakville) – 82-79-82 – 243 (+30)

8 – Peyton Costabile (Ayr) – 82-79-87 – 248 (+35)

15 – Ella Weber (Burlington) – 90-94-94 – 268 (+55)

Innisbrook Christmas Junior – Innisbrook Golf Resort – Jan 1-3

Following the CJGA World Junior Challenge, many Ontario junior golfers stayed in Florida to compete at the 24^th Annual Innisbrook Christmas Junior.  Ontario had 8 golfers compete on the boys side and one on the girls.  Team Ontario’s Peter Blazevic placed third and reigning Ontario Junior Champion, Nolan Piazza added another strong finish to his resume finishing in a tie for 5^th.

3 – Peter Blazevic (Mississauga) – 75-77-70 – 222 (+6)

T5 – Nolan Piazza (Niagara Falls) – 77-72-76 – 225 (+9)

T22 – Tyler Cunningham (Milton) – 77-81-78 – 236 (+20)

T22 – Nolan Pierce (Whitby) – 78-77-81 – 236 (+20)

T24 – James Bader (Milton) – 78-82-77 – 237 (+21)

T24 – Andrew Gwilliams (Bradford) – 80-81-76 – 237 (+21)

T43 – Domenic De Luca (Woodbridge) – 88-82-82 – 252 (+36)

47 – Braydn Wark (St. Catherines) – 87-88-80 – 255 (+39)

Girls

10 – Kendra Warden (Cambridge) – 109-102-105 – 316 (+100)

Junior Honda Classic – Jan 5-6

The Junior Honda Classic was competed over three golf courses with 3 divisions for both boys and girls.  A highlight of this event was Ottawa’s James Newton whose under par final round saw him from 10^th place to top with leaderboard and come home with the boys U16 title on the Fazio Course.  Toronto’s Beni Long also picked up his second runner up finish of the holidays and finished at 1 under par for the tournament in the Boys U15 division.

Fazio Course – Boys U15

2 – Beni Long (Toronto) – 72-71 – 143 (-1)

5 – Alex Long (Toronto) – 73-73 – 146 (+2)

Fazio Course – Boys U16

1 – James Newton (Ottawa) – 78-71 – 149 (+6)

T6 – Michael Weber (Burlington) – 78-74 – 152 (+8)

Squire Course – Girls U12

8 – Lindsay McGrath – 81-84 – 165 (+12)

Squire Course – Girls U14

5 – Vanessa Zhang – 81-73 – 154 (+10)

Squire Course – Girls U16

7 – Ella Weber (Burlington) – 82-80 – 162 (+18)

Champions Course – Girls U19

T7 – Ashley Chow (Toronto) – 81-81 – 162 (+18)

Written by Golf Canada

OAKVILLE, ONT. (Golf Canada) – The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum today announced that amateur and professional golf standout, Rod Spittle, as well as celebrated collegiate golf coach Herb Page have been selected for 2019 induction into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

Spittle, 63, from Niagara Falls, Ont., will be inducted in the player category, while the 67-year-old Page, who is a native of Markham, Ont., will be inducted as a builder for his accomplishments as a collegiate golf coach with the NCAA Division I Kent State Golden Flashes. With their inductions, the pair become the 82^nd and 83^rdhonoured members of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

“The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame strives to recognize the outstanding achievements of golf’s greatest players and supporters and it’s an absolute privilege to welcome Rod Spittle and Herb Page as our newest honoured members,” said Sandra Post, Chair of the Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee. “Rod was an accomplished player at the amateur level and later as a professional, while Herb has made a significant impact in the lives of countless student-athletes through his long tenure with Kent State’s golf program. I know I speak on behalf of the entire selection committee as well as the honoured members when I say they are both very deserved of their appointments.”

“I am humbled and thrilled beyond words to be inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame,” said Spittle. “It is an honour to be recognized and included in this group of golf ambassadors and elite players,  The induction will be even more special for me since the ceremony will be hosted at Hamilton Golf Club, where my dad caddied as a youngster and where I won my first Canadian Amateur in 1977.”

With his induction, Page becomes the 25^th person inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame’s builder category and the first-ever coach.

“It’s been an honour and a pleasure to have the opportunity to help so many young student-athletes grow both on and off the course,” said Page from his home in Ohio. “It’s always great to be recognized for your hard work and this nomination is extra special, but the real gratification comes from seeing players mature into outstanding people.”

Spittle and Page officially join the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame during an induction ceremony that will take place Tuesday, June 4^th, 2019 during RBC Hall of Fame Day as part of the 2019 RBC Canadian Open on the grounds of Hamilton Golf and Country Club.

Click here to listen to the media teleconference announcement.

ROD SPITTLE

Born July 18, 1955 in St. Catharines, Ont., Rod Spittle had a successful amateur career, finishing runner-up at the 1973 Canadian Junior and winning the 1977 and 1978 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championships while playing Division I golf at Ohio State.  Provincially he also helped Ontario win back to back Willingdon Cups (1977-78). During his collegiate golf career, Spittle helped the Buckeyes win the BIG Ten Championship three consecutive years (1976-1978) alongside teammates John Cook and Joey Sindelar, who both went on to enjoy successful professional golf careers that included PGA TOUR victories.

After graduating in 1978 with a degree in Business Administration, Spittle opted to focus on supporting his family by selling insurance for 25 years and continuing his passion for the game in amateur golf. He won a pair of Columbus (Ohio) District Amateur Championships (1989 and 1987) and three Columbus (Ohio) District Mid-Amateur titles (1994, 1995 and 1997). He went on to claim the Ohio Mid-Am Championship three times (2000, 2001 and 2003) prior to turning professional in 2004, shortly before turning 50.

Spittle and his wife, Ann, left their regular jobs behind and made a 5-year plan to fulfill the dream of playing professional golf. In 2009, four years into that plan, Spittle’s goal of being a full-time Tour professional took a severe hit after he failed to secure PGA TOUR Champions status and did not play in a single event.

In 2010, the final year of the five-year plan, Spittle was forced to Monday qualify into events. Playing with limited status, Spittle got into only five events the entire 2010 season. He Monday qualified into the final event of the year, the AT&T Championship, and in a storybook ending, he played stellar golf all week and beat Jeff Sluman in a playoff for his first-ever professional title. Just like that, his dream of playing professional golf, nearly dead and gone, gained new life with a full exemption for 2011 as a PGA TOUR Champions winner.

In 195 starts over his 13-year PGA TOUR Champions career, Spittle missed just five cuts and earned more than $4M in prize money. He never missed more than one cut in any year, and played nine full seasons without missing a single cut. He had a pair of runner-up finishes, a pair of third-place finishes and had 23 top-10s. He played his final PGA TOUR Champions event on home soil, finishing T17 at the 2018 Shaw Charity Classic.

On a personal level, he and his wife Ann have three children (Leslie, Steve and John) and seven grandchildren. The Spittle’s proudly support Special Olympics initiatives in their hometown of Columbus, Ohio. Spittle was inducted into the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame in 2013.

HERB PAGE

Born March 16, 1951 in Markham, Ont., Herb Page has been a fixture on the Kent State University campus since arriving as an undergraduate three-sport student-athlete (golf, football and hockey) in 1970. Nearly 50 years later, now the university’s director of golf, Page has grown to become one of the most respected golf coaches in the world.

For more than 40 years, Page has been an untiring coach to his players and a terrific ambassador for the game of golf. Even after decades of significant accomplishments under his direction, the Kent State Golden Flashes golf program continues to reach new heights. He has built an empire in the Mid-American Conference with a legacy that seems to grow stronger with each passing year. He has led the Golden Flashes to 23 Mid-American Conference (MAC) titles and 28 NCAA Regional appearances – advancing to the NCAA Championship 18 times during that span. Kent State won three NCAA Regional titles (1993, 2001 and 2010) and earned top-10 National finishes in 2000 (9^th), 2008 (6^th), 2012 (5^th)  and 2018 (10^th). Page has garnered 24 MAC Coach of the Year awards (1983-1984, 1990-1996, 1998-2001, 2003, 2005-2006, 2009-2010, 2012-2014, 2016-2018) during his distinguished career.

Herb Page & Corey Conners

He helped to develop countless golfers who have gone on to enjoy successful professional golf careers and opened a pathway for numerous Canadians to pursue NCAA post-secondary golf. Canuck alums who have been coached and recruited by Page include David Morland IV (1987–1991), Bryan DeCorso (1991–1995), Ryan Yip (2002–2006), Mackenzie Hughes (2008–2012), Corey Conners (2010-2014), Taylor Pendrith (2010-2014) and Jon Mills (1998–2002), who now serves as Page’s assistant coach with Kent State. Other notables among the nearly 30 Canadians from B.C., Alberta, Ontario, Quebec or New Brunswick to play at Kent State include  Brian Tisdelle, Paul DeCorso, Ron Reycraft, Chuck Crawford, Spencer Dobbs, Josh Whalen, Billy Walsh, Danny Sahl, Mark Bourgeois J.P. Paiement and Dustin Risdon as well as current player Johnny Travale and Chris Vandette who has committed to the school starting next year.

Page, who coached two PGA TOUR winners, also mentored Kent State graduate Ben Curtis, who claimed the 2003 Open Championship as well as a runner-up finish at the 2008 PGA Championship, before retiring from competitive golf to open his own golf academy.

He also played an instrumental role in the 1997 launch of the women’s golf program at Kent State, opening a post-secondary for path for Canadian women from B.C., Alberta, Ontario and Quebec including Jennifer Ha, Kira Miexner, Josee Doyon, Taylor Kim and Kirby Dreher as well as Veronique Drouin who is Women’s Head Coach at Oklahoma and Jan Dowling who is Women’s Head Coach at Michigan.

Among his many career honours and achievements, Page has been inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame (2003), Northern Ohio PGA Hall of Fame (2005), Northern Ohio Golf Association Hall of Fame (2012) and Ontario Golf Hall of Fame (2012). He is a past winner of the Golf Coaches of America Labron Harris Award (2008) and was selected to coach the International team at the 2018 Arnold Palmer Cup.

Page and his wife, Dr. Paula Treckel, reside in Kent, Ohio.

After another successful year in the books, Golf Ontario is proud to recognize nine athletes for their remarkable accomplishments on the golf course this season.

The following athletes lead their respective divisions for the Provincial Order of Merit and have been recognized as Ontario’s top amateur golfers for 2018 as Golf Ontario announced the final standings for its Provincial Order of Merit.

Mallory Dayman, Manager of Sport for Golf Ontario remarked, “We are so proud to acknowledge this group of champions. It’s extremely commendable if you consider the depth of competition and what these amateur golfers must balance while still pursuing their passion.” Dayman added, “They carry on the tradition of top notch Ontario golfers and the rich heritage of our association, our tournaments and our sport within the province.”

These athletes have succeeded at the highest levels in each of their respective categories, while juggling work, academic endeavours and maintaining a well-balanced lifestyle. At Golf Ontario, we are privileged to recognize these individuals on their accomplishments on the golf course this past season.

Garrett Rank- Men’s Mid-Amateur & Men’s Amateur

A familiar face sits atop the Order of Merit ranking for the Men’s Mid-Amateur and Amateur divisions.

The 30-year old NHL referee from Elmira Golf Club, has been the Men’s Amateur leader in Order of Merit ranking for the past 3 seasons, and since becoming eligible for the Mid-Amateur category in 2013 has held on to the top spot every year.

Rank, an accomplished amateur has done quite well for himself, being next to the best players in the world on the ice one week to getting the opportunity to compete against the best golfers in the world the next as the highlight of the year was earning a spot in the 2018 U.S. Open by finishing tied for first at a regional qualifying tournament.

Showing his prowess as the top men’s golfer in the province, Garrett dominated the competition in both Golf Ontario provincial championships taking the Ontario Men’s Mid-Amateur in June and one month later capturing the Ontario Men’s Amateur going wire to wire in both competitions. Rank talked about the year he had “This season was very memorable. It was a goal of mine to win the Ontario Amateur because I had never won. Qualifying for the US Open was an amazing experience and gave me a lot of confidence heading into the summer schedule. Experience and confidence propelled me to victory at the Amateur and Mid Amateur. The Mid Amateur was the week after the US Open so I was coming in on a high and I was very motivated to win the Ontario Amateur.”

Garrett would like to thank the Elmira Golf Club, University of Waterloo Golf, Golf Ontario, Golf Canada National Program, Derek Ingram and Dave Smallwood for all the opportunities and advice he’s received over his career that allowed him to follow his dream.

Ellie Szeryk- Juvenile U17 Girls, Junior U19 Girls, Women’s Amateur

The Szeryk dynasty continues in Ontario Women’s golf for 2018.

The 17-year-old Team Canada Development Squad Rookie gets the recognition she deserves after a very accomplished season in the books.

The 2018 season would not begin without its own challenges as the future Texas A&M star would make the major life transformation moving to British Columbia for 4 months as part of a new centralized program with Golf Canada. “Being on the Development Squad has taught me a lot this year, not only how to handle myself on the golf course but how to handle myself off of it. I had a pretty rough year full of up and downs but being on this team has given me the thick skin and confidence to deal with it” said Szeryk.

With outstanding performances at the Western and Ontario Amateur’s highlighting her year. It was another event that stood out to Ellie as a turning point for her season, “the performance I am most proud of is my 2nd place at the Future Links Pacific. It seems like an odd event to pick considering I placed 2nd, but this was one of my first events coming off my long break due to my injury. Prior to the event I was hardly able to hit more than 40 golf balls and I was really scared about how I was going to perform.

Obviously, Ellie was able to pull through giving her confidence for the rest of the season.

Matthew Anderson- Junior U19 Boys

Matthew Anderson, a member at Credit Valley Golf & Country Club saw an improvement this year, leading the U19 Boys division after finishing 6^th the previous year.

Matt credits much of his success this year to his coach and parents, “My parents have sacrificed a lot over the years taking me to all of the tournaments I play to test myself and become a better player. I’ve been with Alf Callowhill for about 5 years now and he’s done monumental things to help me with my swing and has always supported me and given his time to help me as a player”.

Signing a letter of intent in 2017 to play golf at the University of San Francisco, Anderson was primed for a special year. A member of the Golf Ontario 2018 Provincial Team, Anderson highlighted the season with a win in the Investors Group Junior Boys Spring Classic and a 2^nd place finish at the Investors Group Junior Boys Championship. “The win at the Spring Classic which was at the beginning of the year helped instill confidence in my game that would last the whole summer,” Matt said.

Matt’s strong season would also include a T13 finish at the Western Jr., a finalist of the Ontario Jr. Boys Match Play and a T6 finish at the Canadian Jr. Boys Championship.

Julia Hodgson- Women’s Mid-Am

This years Women’s Mid-Am leader Julia Hodgson is a first time leader in this category and belongs to the Donalda Club in North York, Ontario.

Hodgson had the year that she hoped for, coming out on top at the Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Seguin Valley Golf Club. “I love to compete and its always a treat to be able to play in competitive amateur events, especially to be able to get back into the Ontario circuit. Competing for the Ontario Women’s Mid-Amateur trophy was an amazing experience. Moreover, being the 2018 champion gave me the confidence that I needed to perform successfully at the US Women’s Mid-Amateur this year,” said Hodgson. That confidence allowed her to make it through the USGA Qualifying rounds where she made it to the round of 8.

Hodgson gave much credit to her family and friends. “I give a lot of credit to my parents who always make it out to spectate at my tournaments; especially to my dad who caddied for me at the Ontario Women’s Mid-Amateur. As well to Donalda Club for all their on-going support the staff and members give me.

Mark Brewer- Senior Men

A new face leads the Senior Men’s Order of Merit in 2018. In his first year of eligibility in the Senior Men’s division, Mark Brewer of Whitevale Golf Club led the group by over 3000 points.

Brewer’s year is highlighted by his performance in the Investors Group Ontario Senior Men’s Amateur Championship, where he finished the round with 4 birdies on his last 5 holes to take the lead and secure the win. When asked what the win meant to him, Brewer stated “It means a lot, it’s an Ontario Championship Event and it’s really nice to get your name on the trophy.” Not only did Brewer get his name on the trophy like he wanted, he also got his name to the top of the Senior Men’s division to be recognized as the Player of the Year for the category.

Judith Kyrinis- Senior Women

Kyrinis leads the Senior Women’s division in Order of Merit for a third time, after being the runner up in 2017.

Coming off of back to back wins in the Ontario Senior Women’s Championship, Kyrinis is showing no signs of slowing down, coming off of one of her best years. Judith, who is a registered nurse, is doing a good job of balancing a demanding job while playing a top level game in the Senior Women’s division.

When asked what her most memorable part of the season was Judith said, “Being under par and getting the 3 peat at the Ontario Seniors was special especially after coming off the US Sr. Am win. We all put a lot of pressure on ourselves to perform well so I was proud of how I handled it coming out of the gate in the first tournament of the year.”

The 2017 USGA Women’s Senior Amateur winner already has her sights set for next year, “A goal for sure is to make the cut at the US Sr. Open in May at Pine Needles. Learned a lot about playing in that environment from this year and plan on being better prepared.”

Gerry Mei- Juvenile U17 Boys

Gerry Mei edged out his club mate at Station Creek Golf Club, Jeffrey Fang, to capture this year’s Juvenile Boys Order of Merit Ranking. After what Gerry called a disappointing finish last year placing 50^th in the listings of Order of Merit, saw a great improvement, crediting a new practice routine and better scheduling of tournaments to propel himself to lead the group.

A second place finish at the Canadian Junior Boys Championships highlighted another busy season for the Newmarket native. “I think I played my most consistent golf there and overall, I was very happy with my score and finish” said Mei, a sure confidence builder for the 17-year-old would see him cap off his season by winning the CJGA Mizuno National Junior Championship.

Peter Blazevic- Bantam Boys

Blazevic, a member at Greystone Golf Club, impressed many on route to leading the Order of Merit ranking for the Bantam Boys division. Finishing the 2016 season ranked 36^th and the 2017 season ranked 5^th, we saw steady improvements from Peter that earned himself a spot at the top this time around. Peter, 14 at the time, played in the Investors Group Junior Boys Championship, where he finished tied for 21^st at Loyalist Country Club which also earned him a spot in the Canadian Junior Boys Championship making the cut finishing at T26.

Peter’s strong season also didn’t go unnoticed by the Team Ontario selection committee as he joins the team for the 2019 season.

Emily Zhu- Bantam Girls

Capping off this years list of Order of Merit leaders is Emily Zhu, a member at National Pines Golf Club.  Finishing the 2016 and 2017 seasons ranked fourth and third respectively, Zhu finally secured her spot at the top in 2018.

Emily, who is only 14, made a name for herself this year, kicking off the year by winning the Junior (U19) Girls Spring Classic.

The strong results would continue through the summer for Emily with a 3^rd at the Quebec Women’s Amateur, and at the Future Links Western Girls Championship, 2^nd place showing at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship which all would lead to her selection to represent Team Canada at this years World Junior Girls Championship and to be selected for Golf Canada’s National Junior squad for 2019.

After great performances the past 3 years, it should be no surprise to see more out of Emily for years to come.

Read more information about our Order of Merit here

Golf Ontario is excited to be returning with the 2018 edition of 12 Days of Golf. This online auction program featuring golf foursomes from across the province will take place between December 1 – 12, 2018, and is one of the keys to Golf Ontario’s fundraising efforts to support and develop junior golf programs. These programs at the grassroots level, help secure the future of golf and ensure the next generation loves the game. Following strong success with the 12 Days of Golf in 2016 and 2017, Golf Ontario has set the bar even higher for 2018. With the help of member clubs across the province, Golf Ontario is hoping to raise $40,000 for junior golf.

To learn more about this, please visit www.gao.ca/12days

Beginning on Dec 1, bidding will be live at https://www.ebay.ca/usr/golfontario

Bidding Opens Dec. 1st

Mike Kelly, Executive Director of Golf Ontario explains: “One of the most important things we do at Golf Ontario is to help grow the game of golf through our many junior golf initiatives including Golf in Schools and Team Ontario, We share a strong passion for golf with the province’s golf community, and are proud to be united in further growing the province’s number one participation sport. 12 Days of Golf is one of our shining examples of that”

Kelly further explains that it is the generous contributions of member clubs that make this program possible. “First and foremost, we would like thank all of our member clubs for their extremely important partnership. Without their generous contribution of foursomes, we wouldn’t be able to make this campaign the success that it is. Secondly, this program comes at the perfect gift-giving time for golfers to treat themselves, or to secure a gift for their friends and loved ones at over 160 of the best private and public courses in the province, all while contributing to junior golf development”, said Kelly.

There are some incredible courses in this program and it is a great chance for golfers to enjoy some courses they may have not had a chance to play before. Bidding will be available online in 3 waves between December 1 and December 12, 2018, and golfers will have access to some of Ontario’s most prestigious private clubs.

Golf Ontario (GO) and the Northern Golf Association (NGA) are extremely excited to announce a partnership that will focus on growing the game of golf in Northern Ontario. Both organizations have long been leaders of the game of golf and bringing the 2 organizations together will ensure stronger collaboration in communicating and promoting the sport of golf in Northern Ontario.

The focus of this partnership will be on 3 areas:

• Membership –all NGA members will now also be Golf Ontario members and receive all of the benefits of Gold Membership
• Grow Golf – both organizations will continue to invest in initiatives (such as Golf in Schools) that are intended to grow the game of golf in Northern Ontario
• Golf Services – stronger collaboration on areas such as course rating, handicapping and competitions.

Currently, the NGA has 27 member clubs (8 of which are currently also members with Golf Ontario). As part of this agreement moving forward, all NGA clubs and members will be able to become members of both organizations with access to all of the great benefits that both organizations offer.

Mike Kelly, Executive Director of Golf Ontario, believes that this new arrangement will benefit both Golf Ontario and all of the members of the NGA. “We are excited to be partnering with the NGA to collaboratively promote and grow the game of golf in Northern Ontario. Golf Ontario membership provides many great benefits such as handicapping, incident coverage, and access to Golf Ontario championships, and having these available to the members of the NGA will help support the
development of golf in Northern Ontario” said Kelly.

Owen Rigg, Director of Northern Golf Association, added his very similar message. “It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Golf Ontario on the mutually beneficial agreement. Over the next few years we look forward in working with our NGA member Clubs in implementing so many of the wonderful programs that Golf Ontario and Golf Canada have to offer. Northern Golf is back!” Exclaimed Rigg.

Nov 26, 2018

Golf Ontario is thrilled to announce the launch of its’ new Strategic Plan for 2019 – 2022 to help guide the organization’s efforts over the next four years.

The aim of this document is to outline the strategic direction for Golf Ontario, which acts as the Provincial Sport Organization for golf in Ontario, as recognized by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. This plan is the result of a coordinated effort by Golf Ontario Board members, staff, and other key stakeholders in the golf industry.

Mike Kelly, Executive Director of Golf Ontario, expressed his excitement for the direction the Strategic Plan provides for the organization. “ As the golf industry continues to evolve, Golf Ontario’s vision “Toward a Nation Golfing” recognizes that we must continue to be the trusted custodian of the game and to continue to elevate our leadership to deliver on our mission of Shaping Lives through Golf in all of the communities we serve”, said Kelly. Kelly continued to say that “During the Strategic Planning process, a common theme emerged, and what became clear is that our partnership with golf clubs and facilities is vitally important to strengthen our relationship with golfers and impact on the golf community”

Equity, diversity and inclusion in golf is also an important thread in this plan, and this includes a focus on engaging women and girls as well as a commitment to ensuring golf is available to ALL. Kelly went on to add, “In 2019 we will be launching a new Provincial Championship for Golfers with a Disability which is a huge step in the right direction for an inclusive golf community in Ontario.”

“Partner Focused”, as Golf Ontario is calling the Strategic Plan, will anchor itself around the vision of “Toward a Nation Golfing”, recognizing the importance of growing the game of golf in Canada’s largest province. As well, the plan identifies the new mission of the organization which has been articulated as “We shape lives by leading, creating, and promoting positive golf experiences”. Kelly also is quick to point out that “While this plan offers a roadmap for Golf Ontario for the next 4 years, it has to be recognized that its’ success relies heavily on partnership, commitment, and effort by all of our stakeholders to deliver on these key objectives”

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