13-year-old Richmond Hill, Ont., native Emily Zhu shoots 72 to lead Canadians

OTTAWA – The Republic of Korea were not fazed by the sweltering heat on Monday at The Marshes Golf Club, carding a score of 10 under to take the 18-hole lead at the fourth annual World Junior Girls Championship.

In temperatures upwards of 30 C, the Korean team recorded a score of 134 to build a one-stroke advantage over the American squad. The trio were paced by Seo-yun Kwon, who fired a 7-under-par 65 for a two-stroke cushion in the individual competition.

“For the first three or four holes I missed a couple birdie putts and that made me hot because I was angry,” said Kwon. “The turning point was a birdie on the sixth and at that point I didn’t even realize how warm it was.”

The 16-year-old thrived in the heat, recording five birdies and an eagle on the par-5 14th.

“Right before you make a shot you imagine how it will go in your mind. During the practice round I tried to get on in three because it is a long hole,” said Kwon. “Today, my driver was so good that when I got to my ball, I realized I should try to reach with my three wood. My putter was also great today so the 14th went exactly how I imagined it would.”

The second-counting score for the Republic of Korea was registered by Yunji Jeong, who posted a 3-under-par 69 to sit tied for sixth. The Republic of Korea are no strangers to success at The Marshes Golf Club — they ran away with the competition when it was held at this same course in 2015, winning by a margin of 18 strokes.

“The course looks very friendly to Korean players, even though the shape and grass type are different,” added Kwon. “However, the shot has to be accurate because the fairways are narrow, including the landing zones, and there is bush on either side and those conditions are very similar to in Korea.”

Holding second place is America’s Gina Kim, who went 5 under on the back nine, including an eagle of her own on the 14th — one of two on the day. Third place is currently occupied by a trio of competitors at 4 under par: Hana Ryskova (Czech Republic), Alessia Nobilio (Italy) and Erica Shepherd (USA).

Emily Zhu, Canada’s youngest competitor from Richmond Hill, Ont., led both Canadian squads with an even-par 72 to sit T23 overall. The 13-year-old’s round was a positive note in what was otherwise a difficult opener for the host nation.

“I don’t think that it was the start that we wanted but the girls all played better than what they scored. I trust in the fact that they are hitting the ball well and that they are going to get better every day, that is our goal,” said Ann Carroll, coach of Canada One. “It is a 72-hole tournament and we will just focus on getting better every day. We’ll make today the high round and focus on trying to improve on the little things that make a big difference.”

With a total of 3-over 147, Canada Two comprised of Zhu, Euna Han (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Alyssa DiMarcantonio (Maple, Ont.) are tied for 15th place.

The second round will begin at 8 a.m. with no cut for the tournament. Additional information from the competition, including the leaderboards, can be found here.

Follow live scoring of the Invictus Games Golf Competition, Sept. 26 from St. Georges Golf & Country Club, here.

And for live streaming of the event see here.

UXBRIDGE- Golf Ontario was saddened to learn that long-time Tournament Official Dr. Bill Wilson passed away on September 16 at the age of 86. Wilson was a Golf Ontario volunteer for more than 18 years. Golf Ontario wishes his friends and family our deepest sympathies.

Obituary via Globe and Mail

WILSON, Dr. William (Bill) Mortimer
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. William (Bill) Mortimer Wilson on September 16, 2017 at the age of 86 with family by his side at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Hamilton. Beloved husband of Marilyn Arline Wilson (nee Malcolm) for 62 years. Father and father-in-law to Dr. Ian and Terry Wilson, Dr. Brian and Cathy Wilson and Colin Wilson and his partner Christine Lucy. Beloved Gramps to Alexandra, Kelly, Claire, Tyler, Trevor, Jason, Katie and Jamie. Great-Gramps to Malcolm, Wesley and Cedric.
Bill loved medicine and clinical teaching. He was a consultant Pediatrician in Hamilton initially at Chedoke Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital and then at McMaster Children’s Hospital until his retirement. He mentored many of today’s Pediatricians with a kind, gentle and steady manner and attained the position of Professor Emeritus in Pediatrics at McMaster University. His love of children was a guiding light in his life. He founded the Cystic Fibrosis Clinic at McMaster and children with CF always held a special place in his heart. He was Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee of the CF Foundation of Canada and was an Examiner for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Two of Bill’s greatest passions in life were golfing and skiing. He stated that joining the Hamilton Golf and Country Club and Caledon Ski Club were his two best investments. Through these he nurtured and passed on these passions to his entire family. He was an avid life long golfer and former President of the Hamilton Golf and Country Club. Mostly known for his short game and uncanny accuracy, he made shooting his age a routine occurrence and managed to outscore his children well into their adult years. Skiing at Caledon Ski Club was a regular family event where he delighted in seeing his grandchildren take to the slopes, following them down with encouragement.
Special thanks from Bill’s family to all his caregivers. Thank you to his PSW’s, home care nurses, and nurses at St. Joseph’s Hospital for your compassion and exceptional care. Special mention and thanks to Dr. Bryan Alton, Dr. Anne Woods and Dr. Omid Salehian. In lieu of flowers, Bill requested donations be made to Cystic Fibrosis Canada or the Hamilton Community Foundation.
A private family service will be held and there will be a celebration of his life in the spring for all when he would have ‘teed it up.’

BRAMPTON — The final event of the Golf Ontario season took place on September 21 at the Brampton Golf Club with the Ontario Senior Men’s Better-Ball Championship, presented by St. Kitts. This was the second year in a row that Brampton hosted the event and much like 2016, it was a scorcher with temperatures hitting the high 20s for most of the round.

One pair that was able to handle the heat was the team of Guelph’s Frank Morris and Ancaster’s Tim Lee. Morris, from Cutten Fields Golf Club, and Lee, a Golf Ontario Public Player, shot an incredible six-under (65) to claim the title by three shots.

Afterwards the two spoke about their dominant performance. “After we bogeyed the very first hole, things were not looking too good,” said Lee. “But we turned things around, made a few putts and got lucky.”

The duo acknowledged that what helped them during the day was their ability to give themselves two chances to score well on each hole. “I think the strongest part was that we both kept our own ball in play,” added Morris. “We had two chances on every hole and never left the other guy on his own. It made for comfortable putting because we knew we were already secure.”

This is the first provincial title for both Morris and Lee. The two have teamed before but this was their first together at a provincial championship.

There was a four-way tie for second place at three-under (68). Sharing the silver were the teams of: Mississauga’s Bruno Ardito and Brampton’s Gary Parker (both representing the host club of Brampton), Welland’s Sandy Billyard and Collingwood’s Michael Jackson (the 2014 champions), Whitby’s Brad McConnell and Gormley’s Paul Kirkpatrick, and Welland’s Frank Mortensen and Port Colborne’s Tony Ravenda.

Golf Ontario would like to thank Brampton Golf Club and their staff for hosting the event. Thanks also to presenting sponsor St. Kitts, along with the Golf Ontario volunteers, for their support of amateur golf in Ontario. For complete tournament information visit the tournament site at: https://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao17/event/gao1722/index.htm 

About the Ontario Senior Men’s Better-Ball Championship

The Ontario Senior Men’s Better-Ball Championship was first contested in 1982. It is open to players aged 55 and older as of the date of the tournament. The championship trophy was donated by the Oakdale Golf & Country Club, who annually host Golf Ontario’s Men’s Better-Ball Championship. Notable champions include Ontario Golf Hall of Famers Nick Westlock and Stu Hamilton.

Eleven of the world’s top 100 to compete in fourth annual championship

OTTAWA — A well-accomplished field of competitors will take to The Marshes Golf Club from Sept. 24-29 for the fourth annual World Junior Girls Championship. In total, 60 athletes will represent 19 countries – including two teams from host nation Canada.

“With our partners, we are proud to offer a world-class event for girls of this age group, where there are fewer opportunities for international competitions,” said tournament director Mary Beth McKenna. “These girls are some of the best juniors in the world and we are thrilled to host them in a tournament where they can continue their growth and development.”

This year’s field is highlighted by 11 competitors ranked inside the World Golf Amateur Rankings (WAGR) top 100. Among them are the tournament’s top two ranked players from Sweden: Amanda Linnér (No. 18) and Beatrice Wallin (No. 38). The pair will be joined by teammate Linn Grant (No. 84) — who was a member of the silver (2014) and bronze (2015) World Junior Girls Championship team medal winners. Both Linnér and Grant will make their second appearances at the championship.

In 2017, Linnér captured the ANNIKA Invitational Europe and France International U21 (Esmond Trophy), while also placing second at the ANNIKA Invitational USA. Wallin earned a second place finish at the France International U21 (Esmond Trophy) and Grant picked up wins at the Helen Holm Scottish Open Stroke Play Championship and German Girls Open.

The 2017 installment of the event will see numerous players return as 18 members of the field have played in at least one World Junior Girls Championship, including both the 2016 silver medallist Jennifer Chang (USA) and bronze medallist Caterina Don (Italy), who look to become the first repeat medallists in tournament history.

Led by the 91st ranked Chang, the American team will aim for another strong performance following last year’s third place result. Team USA will also feature 2017 U.S. Girls Champion Erica Shepherd (No. 162) and Gina Kim (No. 75).

While the Italian team does boast the defending individual bronze medallist, it could be another member who steals the show. Alessia Nobilio, who participated in the 2016 World Junior Girls Championship, comes into the tournament as the third-highest ranked player at No. 41 after a 2017 season that saw her win the International Juniors of Belgium and France International – Cecile de Rothschild Trophy. In addition, she and teammate Caterina Don (No. 127), won the Italian U18 Team Championship. Don also picked up individual honours with a win at the Italian Girls U18 National Championship. The two World Junior Girls Championship veterans will be joined by newcomer Alessandra Fanali, who currently ranks 112th in the WAGR.

In 2016, the Philippines captured the title by a nine-stroke margin on the strength of gold medallist Yuka Saso, who was the lone player to finish the tournament under par. This year, the defending champions will be paced by Harmie Nicole Constantino (No. 305), who won the Philippine Amateur Open. She will be joined by teammates Junia Louise Gabasa and Kristine Torrabla.

With all of the returning teams and players, the World Junior Girls Championship is also pleased to welcome two teams that will be making their debut in 2017, Chinese Taipei and Switzerland. Chinese Taipei will send Kuan-Yu Lin (No. 1096), Hui-Wen Chiu (No. 943) and Jo-Hua Hung (No. 379). The Swiss will feature Victoria Monod (No. 612), Elena Moosmann (No. 85) and Chiara Tamburlini (No. 376).

The strong international field will join the six players chosen to represent Canada. Monet Chun (Richmond Hill, Ont.), Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont.) and Céleste Dao (Notre-Dame Ile Perrot, Que.) will form Canada One, while Alyssa DiMarcantonio (Maple, Ont.), Euna Han (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Emily Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.) will make up Canada Two.

In addition to the four-round, 72-hole team and individual event, the World Junior Girls Championship will celebrate the game of golf and promote the development of junior girls golf. There will be a PGA of Canada coaching summit and Future Champions Clinic on Sept. 24. The opening ceremonies take place on Sept. 25 before the first round of competition on Sept. 26. Closing ceremonies will take place on Sept. 29 immediately following play.

Admission to the competition is free. Additional information regarding the fourth annual World Junior Girls Championship can be found on the competition’s website.

ABOUT THE WORLD JUNIOR GIRLS GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

The World Junior Girls Golf Championship is an annual event conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario. The international competition features three-player teams of 18-and-under athletes. As host country, Canada will field two of the tournament’s 20 teams competing over 72 holes for both individual and team honours. The event receives funding and support from the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport; Ottawa Tourism; the Golf Canada Foundation (Women’s Golf Fund); Sport Canada; the R&A; the International Golf Federation; the PGA of Canada; and Levelwear. Admission and parking for the World Junior Girls Golf Championship is free. For more information, visit www.worldjuniorgirls.com.

UXBRIDGE —Golf Ontario has been providing financial assistance to deserving student golfers throughout Ontario who are continuing their education at the post-secondary level since 1994. Through the support of Golf Ontario’s corporate partners and sponsors, such as Investors Group, the association has been able to award scholarships and awards to deserving students.

In 2016, Golf Ontario marked a special milestone as the association surpassed $500,000 in scholarship funds awarded since the program’s inception. One year later, Golf Ontario is proud to announce that $533,000 has now been awarded. In 2017, Golf Ontario has selected another 10 deserving student golfers who will receive funding to help with their post secondary studies.

2017 Golf Ontario Scholarship Recipients

To be eligible for one of the Golf Ontario awards or scholarships, recipients have maintained at least a 75% academic average, are enrolled in a post-secondary institution, are members of Golf Ontario and are actively involved in the game of golf.

Golf Ontario congratulates the 2017 recipients and wishes them the best in their post-secondary studies.

PORTLAND, ORE – For the first time in United States Golf Association (USGA) history, two Canadians, both from Ontario, met in the finals of an amateur championship. Etobicoke’s Terrill Samuel and Thornhill’s Judith Kyrinis teed it up on Sept. 14 at the Waverley Country Club in Portland, Oregon to see who would be the one to bring the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur title back to Ontario.

Simply making the final was an accomplishment, but both women were looking to become the first Canadian USGA champion since St. Thomas’ Mary Ann Hayward captured the 2005 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur. The most recent Canadian to win the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur was none other than World Golf Hall of Famer, Marlene Stewart Streit, in 2003.

The championship match began with Kyrinis, a member at the Thornhill Club, taking the lead on the first hole. Samuel, from Weston Golf & Country Club would respond with a par on the fifth to even the match. Kyrinis moved back in front thanks to a birdie on the seventh and held onto that lead as they made the turn. Kyrinis would take the 12^th and 13^th to move to 3up. Then, on the 15^th, she made birdie to win the match and the championship 4&3.

Kyrinis, 53, was the highest ranked Canadian coming out of the stroke-play portion of the competition at ninth. She beat American Jen Holland 6&4 in the round of 64, 2009 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Champion Martha Leach (USA) 5&4, in the round of 32, 2009 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Champion Sherry Herman (USA) 2up in the round of 16, American Lisa McGill 2&1 in the quarterfinals, before ousting former LPGA Tour professional Tara Fleming (USA) 2&1 in the semifinals.

Samuel, 56, entered the match play portion of the championship ranked 47^th. She began with a win over Terri Frohnmayer (USA) 1up in the round of 64, then defeated Liz Waynick (USA) in the round of 32 in 20 holes, Carolyn Creekmore (USA) 2up in the round of 16, followed by a 5&3 win over American Patricia Cornett in the quarterfinals, she then needed 19 holes to get past former LPGA Tour player Patricia Schremmer (USA) in the semis to reach the finals.

The U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur, open to female amateurs age 50 and older with a Handicap Index not exceeding 18.4, consists of two 18-hole rounds of stroke play and six rounds of match play.

Both finalists receive an exemption from qualifying into the inaugural 2018 U.S. Senior Women’s Open Championship at the historic Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, Ill., with the winner receiving a two-year exemption into the championship. Both finalists also receive a two-year exemption into the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur (2017 and 2018) and exemptions for future U.S. Senior Women’s Amateurs – 10 years for the winner and three for the runner-up.

Golf Ontario would like to congratulate both Kyrinis and Samuel for their excellent showing.

Round by round scoring can be found on USGA’s tournament site at: http://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/championships/2017/u-s–senior-women-s-amateur.html

STOUFFVILLE— The final event on the women’s provincial championship calendar took place on Sept. 12 at Spring Lakes Golf Club in Stouffville. The Ontario Women’s Four-Ball Championship is one of the more unique championships on the Golf Ontario schedule because it is open to all age groups. The 2017 version was no different as it saw participants as young as 13 and as old 83 all competing for the title.

The field featured numerous notable players including: World Golf Hall of Famer Marlene Stewart Streit, 2017 Ontario Bantam Girls’ Champion Raesa Sheikh, 2017 Ontario Junior Girls’ Match Play Champion Vanessa Chychrun, one half of the defending champions in Marion Reid, past Senior Women’s Champion Ivy Steinberg and Emily Zhu, who was recently named to Team Canada for the World Junior Girls’ Championship.

With all of the talent in the field, there was no doubt that a strong score would be needed to win. In the end, that was the case as it took a six-under (66) from the team of Port Colborne’s Kayla Burke and Niagara Falls’ Emily Ward to claim victory. Burke, from Lookout Point Country Club, and Ward, from Grand Niagara Golf Course, took the victory but a narrow margin of one-stroke.

“This is just awesome, it was really fun to play with someone like Emily,” said Burke. “Everything was going well in our games today. If one player was in trouble, the other just stepped up and was right there to bail us out.”

“We picked each other up when we needed to and fed off each other’s positivity and enthusiasm,” added Ward. “We were a really great paring. We have known each other for five years. We met on the Niagara Junior Tour and ever since then, we have been close friends.”

Burke and Ward also took the Net Division Trophy at a net total of 10-under (62).

There was a tie for the silver medal at five-under (67). Sharing the medal was the team of Markham’s Hailey McLaughlin (Cedar Brae Golf Club) and Richmond Hill’s Emily Zhu (National Pines Golf Club) along with the pair of Etobicoke’s Marion Reid (Islington Golf Club) and Etobicoke’s Joanne Noble (Weston Golf & Country Club).

Golf Ontario would like to thank the staff of Spring Lakes GC for hosting the 2017 event, along with the Golf Ontario volunteers for their continued support of amateur golf in the province. For more information, including the final leaderboards, see the tournament site at: https://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao17/event/gao17130/index.htm 

About the Ontario Women’s Four-Ball Championship

First played in 1953, the Ontario Women’s Four-Ball Championship is contested annually and features two-woman teams competing in a better-ball format. In total, 24 teams and 48 players took part in the 2017 event.

Two teams will fly the flag for Canada at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa including four Ontario players

OAKVILLE, Ont. (Golf Canada) – The world’s top 18-and-under female junior golfers will head to Ottawa for the fourth edition of the World Junior Girls Championship from Sept. 26-29 at The Marshes Golf Club. As host nation, Canada will send two teams of three athletes to compete for the international title of World Junior Girls champion.

“It is an honour to host this prestigious event and we look forward to welcoming these players to Canada,” said tournament director Mary Beth McKenna. “The course is in fantastic shape and we are thrilled to host some of the world’s best juniors at this historic club. Our partners at The Marshes Golf Club and the communities in the surrounding area have come together to make this a truly memorable event for our competitors.”

Representing Canada One will be Monet Chun (Richmond Hill, Ont.), Céleste Dao (Notre-Dame Ile Perrot, Que.) and Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont.), who are three of Canada’s top-ranked junior golfers at No. 375, 453 and 597, respectively, on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR).

The 16-year-old Chun is experiencing her first year as a member of Team Canada’s Development Squad and second year representing Canada at the World Junior Girls. So far in 2017, she has wins at both the Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship and the Ontario Junior Spring Classic, which put her in second on the Junior Girls Order of Merit – the same spot she finished at last year.

Dao is having an extremely impressive season for the second straight year. In 2017, she registered six wins and made it to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Junior Girls Championship to lead the Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Girls Order of Merit. Dao will also play in her second consecutive World Junior Girls Championship – she finished T16 in 2016 alongside Chun.

Szeryk, sister of Canada’s top-ranked amateur female golfer Maddie, has two victories in 2017 so far including six top-five finishes. She currently sits in fourth in the Junior Girls Order of Merit and made it to the round of 32 at the 2017 U.S. Junior Girls Championship after earning gold medallist honours at the qualifying tournament in Garland, Texas.

As the host country, Canada reserves the right to field two teams in the 60-player, 19-country competition. Canada Two will consist of Alyssa DiMarcantonio (Maple, Ont.), Euna Han (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Emily Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.) who are ranked 776, 955 and 1,792, respectively.

DiMarcantonio, 14, won her second event of the season at the MJT – Spring Invitational and has six top-five finishes this year. She is currently enjoying her best season on the junior circuit and sits sixth on the Junior Girls Order of Merit.

Han has three wins in 2017 including earning gold medallist honours at the U.S. Junior Girls Qualifier in Kent, Wa., where she went on to finish in the round of 64. Her only wins of her junior career came this year and she is in eighth in the Junior Girls Order of Merit. Han represented Canada previously at the 2015 World Junior Girls Championship, also hosted at The Marshes.

Zhu is the youngest of all Canadian team members at the age of 13. She has seven top-five finishes this year and competed in the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship where she finished T66. Her last win came in 2016 at the MJT – PGA of Ontario Junior Championship and she currently sits in ninth in the Junior Girls Order of Merit.

“Golf Ontario is excited to once again partner with Golf Canada to conduct this global championship at another of Ontario’s storied clubs – The Marshes Golf Club,” said Mike Kelly, Golf Ontario executive director. “We thank their membership and volunteer committees for all their hard work. We are thrilled for our athletes from Ontario who have been selected to represent Canada and wish them the best of luck.”

“These six athletes have had tremendous seasons and their selections to Team Canada are the result of their hard work and commitment to the sport,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s chief sport officer. “The joint efforts of Provincial Golf Associations, home clubs, parents and athletes have made this accomplishment possible and they should all be proud to have earned their selections.”

Ann Carroll (women’s national development squad coach) and Matt Wilson (Golf Canada’s director of next generation performance) will lead the two Team Canada squads for this competition.

In addition to the 72-hole team and individual competitions, the World Junior Girls Championship will be a celebration of the sport with a specific focus on the development and promotion of junior girls golf. The days leading up to tournament play will see a PGA of Canada coaching summit as well as a free junior girls skills clinic.

Opening ceremonies for the championship take place on Sept. 25 followed by the first round on Tuesday, Sept. 26. The tournament’s closing ceremonies will immediately follow the conclusion of play on Friday, Sept. 29.

Admission to the competition is free. Additional information regarding the fourth annual World Junior Girls Championship can be found on the competition’s website.

ABOUT THE WORLD JUNIOR GIRLS GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

The World Junior Girls Golf Championship is an annual event conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario. The international competition features three-player teams of 18-and-under athletes. As host country, Canada will field two of the tournament’s 20 teams competing over 72 holes for both individual and team honours. The event receives funding and support from the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport; Ottawa Tourism; the Golf Canada Foundation (Women’s Golf Fund); Sport Canada; the R&A; the International Golf Federation; the PGA of Canada; and Levelwear. Admission and parking for the World Junior Girls Golf Championship is free. For more information, visit www.worldjuniorgirls.com.

Golf Canada

OTTAWA – For the fourth time since it’s inauguration, the world’s premier 18-and-under players will gather in Canada to compete in the annual World Junior Girls Championship. The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont., will host the event for the second time from Sept. 24-29 as the girls compete in both team and individual competitions.

“We are thrilled to head back to The Marshes Golf Club to host this year’s World Junior Girls Championship,” said tournament director Mary Beth McKenna. “Returning to the capital for Canada 150 marks a special celebration for the event, and a great way for us to close out our championship season.”

The Marshes Golf Club is a unique course that encompasses the many natural features in the area including wetlands, meadows and hardwood forests. The course was designed in collaboration between Robert Trench Jr. and Sr., and features six par-3, six par-4 and six par-5 holes.

Conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario, with support from the International Golf Federation and The R&A, the 2017 edition of the World Junior Girls Championship will bring together 60 of the top 18-and-under female golfers from 19 countries around the globe. As hosts of the event, Canada will feature two three-member teams in the competition.

“We could not be more excited to once again bring the World Junior Girls Championship to the capital region,” said Mike Kelly, executive director of Golf Ontario. “The Marshes Golf Club is an exceptional venue that will serve as a fantastic backdrop for this competition. We greatly appreciate the support of our generous sponsors and partners without whom this championship would not be possible. We look forward to seeing the Ottawa golfing community rally around this wonderful event.”

The inaugural World Junior Girls Championship in 2014 saw teams from across the world take on Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont. Mika Liu of Beverly Hills, Calif., captured individual honours in leading Team USA to victory. Playing in her final event as an amateur, Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., finished fourth as Canada’s first team claimed bronze.

The second edition of the tournament was staged at The Marshes Golf Club. The team representing the Republic of Korea completed a wire-to-wire victory to secure the team title. Hye-jin Choi, a native of Paju-si, South Korea, registered a seven-stroke victory with a 12-under performance.

In 2016, Yuka Saso of Santa Rosa, Philippines, shot an opening-round 66 and cruised to a six-shot win in the individual competition while also leading Philippines to the team victory, finishing at 2 over par.

In addition to the 72-hole team and individual competitions, the World Junior Girls Championship will be a celebration of the sport with a specific focus on the development and promotion of junior girls golf.  The days leading up to tournament play will see a PGA of Canada coaching summit as well as a free junior girls skills clinic.

“This world-class competition provides us with the opportunity to benchmark our domestic talent against the strongest female players from around the globe while also contributing to the continued growth and collaboration amongst the international governing bodies in the sport,” said Jeff Thompson, chief sport officer of Golf Canada. “We are proud to once again conduct this championship in support of these fine athletes and to aid in raising the profile of junior girls golf.”

The competition’s first round will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 26. The tournament’s closing ceremonies will immediately follow the conclusion of play on Friday, Sept. 29. Visit http://www.worldjuniorgirls.com/ for more.