Highlights from the Golf Association of Ontario’s 2014 Investors Group Women’s Amateur Championship, July 8-11 at the Brampton Golf Club, won by Brooke Henderson.

Oakville, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada is proud to announce the names of the athletes nominated to represent Canada at the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games, taking place in China from August 16 – 28, 2014.

Representing Canadian golf will be Team Canada Development Squad member Tony Gil, 16, of Vaughan, Ont. and Maddie Szeryk, 17, of Allen, Tex.

Gil and Szeryk will be accompanied to Nanjing by Robert Ratcliffe, lead coach with Team Canada’s Development Squad. Ratcliffe has international playing and coaching experience and has worked with Golf Canada’s National Team program since 2007.

“It’s exciting to announce Tony and Maddie as the first Canadians ever selected to represent Canadian golf at the Youth Olympic Games,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s Chief Sport Officer. “Both of these talented competitors are eager to succeed in representing Canada on the international stage as we prepare for golf’s inclusion in major international multi-sport events such as the Youth Olympics, the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games and the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.”

The inclusion of golf in the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games marks the first time the sport has been included in this particular event, and the first time golf has been included in an Olympic event since 1904 when George Lyon brought the gold medal home to Canada. Golf will return to the Summer Olympic Games in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Tony Gil
2014 marks Gil’s first year representing Team Canada as a member of Golf Canada’s Development Squad. Prior to joining the National Team, Gil was a member of the Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) Under-17 Provincial Squad He finished tied for 12^th at the 2013 Ontario Amateur Championship and 5^th at the 2013 Ontario Junior Boys Championship. Since joining Team Canada, Gil continues to post strong results, including wins at the CJGA International Junior Challenge and the GAO Investors Group Junior Spring Classic. He also recorded a 6^th place finish at the prestigious South American Amateur and is coming off of a memorable experience at the Toyota World Junior where he finished tied for 37^th.

Maddie Szeryk
Szeryk, a GAO public player, made her mark in 2013 with three junior championship victories. Most notably, Szeryk won the 2013 Canadian Junior Girls Championship by an impressive 14 strokes. She also claimed victory at the 2013 CN Future Links Ontario Championship and the CJGA/AJGA Junior Championship. Szeryk, a dual-citizen with family ties to Ontario and Texas, recently secured her Canadian citizenship. Her 2014 results include appearances in both the USGA Junior Girls Championship and the North Texas LPGA Shootout. In addition, she won the 2014 AJGA Thunderbird International Junior in a playoff and finished third at the AJGA Under Armour/Hunter Mahan Championship.

GEORGETOWN— It was a spectacular final round for Kitchener’s Chris Hemmerich at the Investors Group Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship on July 11 at the Club at North Halton. Hemmerich, the Westmount Golf & Country Club member, entered the day at five-under, two behind leaders and Team Canada teammates, Listowel’s Corey Conners and Richmond Hill’s Taylor Pendrith. However, Hemmerich would shoot eight-under (63) for the final round and held on for a one-shot win over both Conners and Pendrith.

The 21-year-old Hemmerich lite up the course from the beginning of the round. He opened the day with birdies on the first two holes to earn a share of the lead. After birdies on five, seven and nine, Hemmerich sat five-under for the day at the turn. He didn’t let up on the back nine as he drained birdies on 10, 11 and 13 to drop to 13-under for the tournament. From there he pared the final five holes to enter the clubhouse with the lead, a tournament total of 271.

That put the pressure on Conners and Pendrith. Conners, the Listowel Golf Club member, was able to drop to eight-under after a birdie on the second hole. He added two more birdies on the front nine and sat at 10-under at the turn. As for Pendrith, who plays his golf at The Summit Golf & Country Club, he drained a birdie on the third before an eagle on the par-five seventh. He finished the front with another birdie on the ninth and was at 11-under.

Despite beginning the back nine with a pair of birdies on the 10^th and 11^th holes, Pendrith would go on to bogey 15 and 16 and finished the round five-under (66), 12-under for the tournament.

Conners got a couple stroke back on the 10^th and 15^th holes with a pair of birdies but couldn’t find one more on the final three and finished the day five-under (66), 12-under for the tournament, resulting in Hemmerich taking the title.

“This really feels awesome!” Said Hemmerich after the round. “I had a great support staff with me here this week, from the national team staff to family and friends who all came out to watch. It really couldn’t have been drawn up any better.”

One of the things Hemmerich was able to do well during his final round was rebound from sub-par shots. He talked about how he approached those situations. “In years past, I have hit a lot of very bad shots so I know they are going to happen and when they do you just need to laugh about it. That is really how I approach golf.”

Hemmerich gave full credit to the other members of Team Canada who will join him in representing the province at the inter-provincial event at the Canadian Amateur, Aug. 4-7 at Elmhurst Golf & Country Club and Southwood Golf & Country Club in Winnipeg. “Every tournament we have entered as a team, at least one of us has been up near the top of the leaderboard, which just shows how strong it is. It is kind of weird when you are seven-under for the day and still not leading. That just shows how good those boys are.”

For full final round scores and information on the tournament, visit the tournament page at: http://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao14/event/gao1413/index.htm

About the Investors Group Ontario Men’s Amateur

The Investors Group Ontario Amateur Championship was first played in 1923 at Lakeview Golf and Country Club, and has a rich history of former champions. Past winners include 2003 Masters Champion Mike Weir (1990 & 1992), PGA Tour player Jon Mills (2001), Gerry Kesselring ( ‘49, ‘51, ‘52, ‘53) and Gary Cowan, who holds the record for the most Ontario Amateur Championships with nine (’64, ’68, ’71, ’74, ’74, ’75, ’77, ’78, ’81 & ’84).

BRAMPTON— There is only one way to describe Smiths Falls resident Brooke Henderson’s performance at the Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) Investors Group Women’s Amateur Championship, at the Brampton Golf Club: clutch. The 16-year-old went wire-to-wire leading after all four rounds to capture the 2014 title with a combined score of 12-under (272).

Henderson, the Team Canada member, came into the final round with a two-shot lead over fellow Team Canada member, Bath’s Augusta James and a seven up on the third Team Canada representative, Brampton Golf Club member, Mono’s Brittany Marchand.

The day began with a birdie for the 21-year-old James on the first hole and a bogey for Henderson on the third. That brought the two back to a share of the lead at seven-under. However, that would be the sole blemish on Henderson’s day. She completed the front nine with birdies on four, seven and nine. She then hit back-to-back birdies on 13 and 14 to finish the round at four-under (67).

As for James, she hit another birdie on the fifth hole but a bogey on the sixth brought her back to seven under. She began the back nine with a birdie and a bogey, on 10 and 11, before closing out her round with birdies on 14 and 17. She finished the day three-under (68) and the tournament at nine-under.

The 22-year-old Marchand looked to jump into the race for the title with a three-under front nine, thanks to birdies on the second, eighth and ninth holes. She would bogey 12, but added birdies on 13 and 15 to finish the day four-under (67) and six-under for the tournament.

After the round, Henderson spoke about what it meant to win the championship. “It was such a great event! I had a good opening round and was able to finish it off today.  Coming into the tournament, I wanted to get my name on that trophy. There are so many great names on it and I am so happy I was able to do it.”

The three Team Canada members spent most of the week playing together, Henderson talked about how that impacted her game. “I played with Britt (Marchand) right from the get go and then with Gus (James) for the last two rounds. I had a couple of middle rounds that weren’t that great but playing with them was a lot of fun. They are a couple of great players. With them knowing how to win and being on the national team with them, I knew I needed to have four solid rounds to finish it off.”

Henderson was very consistent throughout the rounds and chalked that up to her ball striking. “My ball striking was really huge. On the first day I had five or six shots where I was inside five feet putting for birdie, which is a huge confidence booster. It really helped me save energy that I needed to win today.”

The win is just the latest in a series of strong finishes for Henderson, but is sure to help keep her momentum going. “I’ve been on a bit of a roll as of late with winning the Porter Cup, then I finished tenth at the U.S. Open, then won the Canadian Tour event in Niagara Falls and now the Ontario Amateur. It really has been a great last couple of weeks and I have enjoyed it.”

With their top three finishes, the trio of Henderson, James and Marchand will go on to represent Ontario in the inter-provincial competition at the Canadian Women’s Amateur, July 22-25 at Craigowan Golf & Country Club in Woodstock.

For full tournament info visit the tournament site at: http://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao14/event/gao1416/index.htm

About the Investors Group Women’s Amateur

First played in 1904, the Investors Group Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship is being contested for the 99th time this summer, and for the second time at the Brampton Golf Club. Past champions include 1968 LPGA championship winner Sandra Post (1964), LPGA Tour player Alena Sharp (1989), Jennifer Kirby (2009, 2010) and World Golf Hall of Fame member Marlene Stewart Streit, who holds the record for the most number of titles with 11.

BRAMPTON— It seems like not much has changed between round two and three as Smiths Falls’ Brooke Henderson is still leading at the Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) Investors Group Women’s Amateur Championship, at the Brampton Golf Club. However, it was not so routine, as Bath’s Augusta James looked to take the lead into the final day up until a triple bogey on the 18^th hole.

Henderson came into the day with a one-shot lead over James at six-under for the tournament. However, the 16-year-old, Team Canada member bogeyed two of the first three holes allowing fellow Team Canada member, James, to move in front.

James would play the front nine two-under and found herself in a tie with Henderson heading to the back nine. With three more birdies on the first six holes of the back nine, James was at 10-under, three shots ahead of Henderson. However, things went south for James with three holes to play. After a bogey on the 16^th hole, she found the tall grass on 18. That led to a triple bogey and she ended the round at one-under (70).

As for Henderson, she birdied the 17^th hole and pared 18, creating a two-shot swing to head into the final round at eight-under, two shots ahead of James. Henderson finished the third day at two-under (69).

Rounding out the top three was Mono’s Brittany Marchand. Marchand was in the final group with her Team Canada teammates. She played the front nine at even par before a birdie on 17 dropped her to one-under for the day (70) and the tournament.

Big movers on the day were a pair of players in the second last group, Newmarket’s Delaney Howson and Thornhill’s Elizabeth Tong. Both players had the low round of the day at three-under (68), bringing Tong to two-over and Howson to four-over for the tournament.  They will make up the second last group along with Markham’s Vivian Tsui who sits at six-over for the tournament.

The final round of competition gets under way at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, with the final group schedule to tee off at 10:20 a.m.  For full tournament info and final round pairings visit the tournament site at: http://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao14/event/gao1416/index.htm 

About the Investors Group Women’s Amateur

First played in 1904, the Investors Group Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship is being contested for the 99th time this summer, and for the second time at the Brampton Golf Club. Past champions include 1968 LPGA championship winner Sandra Post (1964), LPGA Tour player Alena Sharp (1989), Jennifer Kirby (2009, 2010) and World Golf Hall of Fame member Marlene Stewart Streit, who holds the record for the most number of titles with 11.

VINELAND, ON – Milton’s Reggie Millage, weathered the storm and everything else Mother Nature blew at him July 7 to win his division at the PGA of Ontario Summer Championship presented by Golfing Buddies at Twenty Valley G&CC.

“It was so windy out there today it was hard to know if you hit a good shot until it landed,” said Millage, the Head Coach for the Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) U19 Team Ontario. “I have played a bit of golf with the kids, but I have not played particularly well yet this summer, so this is a nice boost heading into next week’s PGA of Ontario Championship at Deer Ridge.”

After a two-hour delay that saw close to an inch of rain fall on the golf course and make it nearly impossible to play, everyone finally got the green light to play. In the end, it was the howling winds that caused more grief than the damp fairways that dried out nicely throughout the day.

“When I drove into the parking lot this morning and took a look at the course I didn’t think there was any way we were going to play,” added Millage, who earned the one shot victory by carding three birdies and just two bogeys for a score of 1-under par, 71. “It was such difficult weather today. I just put my head down, played hard and didn’t think too much about my swing. I was really just trying to survive.”

There was a four-way tie for second place at even-par, 72 between Jeff Mills from Wildfire GC, Jonathan Anderson from Northern Greens Golf Center, Scott Cowx from Hamilton G&CC Teaching Academy and Brian McCann from Brampton GC.

The PGA of Ontario, will be heading to the always challenging Deer Ridge GC next week for their marquee event of the year. The Titleist FootJoy PGA of Ontario Championship is the most highly sought after trophy in the zone and the best PGA professionals in the zone will gather to duke it out for this prestigious title.  The PGA of Ontario Championship is the longest running tournament in the history of the PGA of Ontario.  First contested in 1939, the Titleist FootJoy PGA of Ontario Championship is synonymous with some of Canada’s most accomplished club and touring professionals.  Those names include Moe Norman, George Knudson and Al Balding.

Senior Results

YORK SENIOR RESULTS

Amateur / Bronze –  June 2 – Toronto Golf Club

BRONZE CHAMPIONSHIP 2014 RESULTS

YORK DISTRICT AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

CAMBRIDGE— Team Ontario member and Ottawa resident Grace St-Germain became just the second player in the history of the Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) Junior Girls’ Match Play Championship to repeat as champion. St-Germain, 15-years-old from the Hylands Golf Club, took the win on July 4 with a 1up victory over Burlington’s Madison Easterbrook.

St-Germain got out to a good start taking the first hole. At the turn she was 2up, and at one point on the back nine she led by three. However, Easterbrook mounted a comeback and was just 1down heading to the 17^th hole. Easterbrook would take the hole squaring the match with one to play. Both players put their second shot passed the green on 18, but both manage to get their third to within makeable putting distance. After Easterbrook missed her putt, St-Germain had the chance to win the match with hers and did just that.

“It feels really good to win back-to-back,” said St-Germain. “I put a lot of effort into it and everything worked out.”

To reach the finals, St-Germain overcame fellow Team Ontario teammate, Richmond Hill’s Monet Chun (3&2) in the semi finals, Crystina Kertsos (1up) in the quarter finals, and Hailey McLaughlin (7&5) in the opening round.

“My hardest match would have been the finals against Maddi. Monet put up a really good fight in the semis too. It was a good match we both don’t talk much, but still spoke a bit during the match.”

As for Easterbrook, 18-years-old from Whistle Bear Golf Club, she defeated Guelph’s Katie McTaggart (3&1) in the semis, Grafton’s Danielle Sawyer (1up) in the quarters, and Kingsville’s Alyssa Getty (4&3) in the opening round.

Despite having a 3up lead, St-Germain gave full credit to Easterbrook for her comeback. “She played really well! She won a couple of quick holes and we were back to being even. I was really nervous when we were all square after 17. I knew 18 was a hard hole so I just tried to play it smart.”

After seeing Easterbrook miss her putt on the 18^th hole, St-Germain remembers how she felt starring down her final putt. “I was standing over the putt and I was just shaking. I thought to myself ‘you have made these before’ so I just stepped up and hit it.”

Looking back on the week, St-Germain recognized that her improved putting was a major reason why she was able to repeat. “I putted pretty well, which helped me today and yesterday. I have been working on putting a lot lately.”

For St-Germain, she will now turn her attention to the Investors Group Junior Girls Championship, the Canadian Women’s Amateur and Nationals.

About the Junior Girls’ Match Play Championship

The Junior Girls’ Match Play Championship has been contested since 1982. Female golfers under 19 years of age before August 1 are eligible to compete. Seeding was determined by the results from a qualification round held on July 2. Notable past champions include: Alena Sharp, Stefi Markovich, Christina Yoon, and Elizabeth Tong.

GRAVENHURST— Team Ontario member and Waterloo resident Trevor Ranton out lasted 67 other junior boys to claim the Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) 2014 Investors Group Junior Boys’ Match Play Championship on July 4 at Taboo Resort. The 17-year-old from the Whistle Bear Golf Club topped Whitby’s Spencer Dobbs in the final 3&2.

Ranton was ranked fifth heading into the match while Dobbs held the number three seed in the tournament. Ranton was dominant throughout the event. In the semi finals he earned a 7&6 win over Niagara Falls’ Jaret Chipman. In the quarter finals, Ranton was victorious 3&1 over Toronto’s Minwoo Park. Ranton’s quest to the title also went through Selwyn’s Mitchell Holden (5&4), Toronto’s Will Gavarkovs (5&3), and Shelburne’s Kyle Johnston (7&5).

As for Dobbs, he earned a birth in the finals by defeating another Team Ontario member and last year’s runner up, Unionville’s Max Sear (2&1). Dobbs also picked up wins over Elmvale’s Andrew Nagel (5&4), North Bay’s Ryan Neil (19 holes), Seaforth’s Logan Lammerant (5&4), and Janetville’s Ryan Trapp (7&6).

After the win, Ranton talked about his successful week at the tournament. “I started the week playing really well. Through the middle three matches I faltered a little bit, but was still able to win the second and third matches pretty easily. Then in the quarter-final match, I was two-down through 11 and then found my game and managed to win. The semi-final match was my best of the week. I started with a bogey, but then followed it up with five birdies on the next 11 holes.”

It was the big win in his semi-final match that helped give Ranton the push he needed heading into the finals. “I got a lot of confidence and momentum after that and wanted to keep it going. I started really well in the finals. I started with a birdie and really got back in the grove I was in the day before.”

Ranton says there were points in the final match where he felt he was able to take control. “ He (Dobbs) made a couple of mistakes early and I kept playing steadily. I thought I was doing pretty well and then he made a birdie on 11 and put it really close on 12, so I kind of faltered there. But I got up and down to halve 12 and then birdied 13 and that’s when I thought I probably had it.”

Ranton still has a busy summer ahead including participating in the GAO Investors Group Men’s Amateur, the U.S. Junior Amateur and the GAO Investors Group Junior Boys Championship. Ranton said that the confidence from this win will go a long way in his future events. “Knowing that I can win on this stage, nothing is stopping me from doing it again.”

The Golf Association of Ontario would like to thank the members and staff of Taboo Resort along with all volunteers for their outstanding hospitality and use of the course throughout the week, as well as Investors Group for their ongoing support of amateur golf in the province.  

About the Investors Group Junior Boys’ Match Play Championship

The Investors Group Junior Boys’ Match Play Championship has been contested since 1998. Male golfers under 19 years of age before August 1 are eligible to compete. The field is determined by results from four qualifiers. Notable past champions include Matt McQuillan, Justin Shin, Stephane Dubois, and Jon Boncoddo.

The Golf Association of Ontario, the Provincial Sport Organization for Golf is currently seeking applicants for the Board of Directors for a three year term commencing January 2015.

With over 80 years of history and tradition, serving over 100,000 members,the Golf Association of Ontario is one of the largest golf associations in the world. With the inclusion of Golf in the 2015 Pan Am Games and the 2016 Olympics, this promises to be an exciting and ground breaking time for the staff and Board of the Golf Association of Ontario.

From rating courses and educating golfers on the rules of the game; to growing the sport at the grassroots level and getting golf into our school systems; to keeping the Ontario golf community aware of all relevant issues and hosting the best amateur tournaments in Canada, we are a passionate group dedicated to one thing; making golf better for everyone in Ontario.

The Board is responsible for determining GAO policy; for protecting the long term growth and health of the Association; for developing, monitoring and evaluating the strategic goals of the Association, for approving the Association’s annual budget and for authorizing and taking responsibility for the funding of the Association.

If you are a Strategic Thinker with experience in some of the areas of:

Business Administration; Finance and Accounting; Media and Public Relations; Brand Management; Fundraising; Human Resources; Governance or Not For Profit Association Law; How to make golf more accessible and welcoming to diverse populations and have a strong understanding of the Sport of Golf, we would like to hear from you.

Please click here for further information about the roles and responsibilities of the Board of Directors.

Application packages must include all of the following:

– Online application form
– Current CV

Instructions for uploading your documents are included on the application form.
Deadline for application is: Friday, August 15, 2014.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO APPLY

The Golf Association of Ontario is an equal opportunity organization. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. All applications will be kept in confidence.