Brooke Henderson shoots 19-under to finish as low individual

KARUIZAWA, JAPAN (Golf Canada) – Team Canada had history in their sights but it wasn’t meant to be as Australia, with a combined 131 from world no. 1 ranked Minjee Lee and Su Oh in the final round, came from seven strokes back to win the 2014 Women’s World Amateur Team Championship (WWATC) at 29-under-par 547 at Karuizawa 72 Golf East’s Iriyama Course.

Canada, which led on each of the first three days and was vying for its first Women’s World Amateur victory, finished second at 27-under 549 to capture the silver medal.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont. (66-69-66-68–269) and Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont. (71-70-69-72–282) combined for a final round 4-under 140 but it was enough to hold off the surging Aussies. Teammate Augusta James of Bath, Ont. (69-76-72-75—292) shot a non-counting final round 75 to round out the trio.

“We did our absolute best out there today and it was just a little bit short,” said team captain, Liz Hoffman. “I look at that leaderboard and I think about what we’ve done the last four days and I am so proud of our girls. They’ve been fantastic and so wonderful to work with.”

Australia, which won the Espirito Santo Trophy for the third time, took the lead through six holes of the final round as Lee, No. 1 in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking™, was 4 under through five holes on an eagle and two birdies and Oh was 3 under with three birdies. Lee, 18, finished with an eagle and five birdies for a 65 while Oh, who is No.6 in the WAGR™, tallied six birdies for a 66. Neither recorded a bogey in their respective final rounds.

The Australians broke the mark for a final-round comeback of three strokes, which was set by their countrymen in 2002 in Malaysia. Their 72-hole total of 547 was one stroke shy of Korea’s record-low in 2010 and their final-round 131 is second-best all-time.

With her tournament score of 19-under par, Henderson, 16, finished as the low individual at the championship. Ranked No. 2 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, Henderson finished three strokes ahead of reigning World No. 1 Minjee Lee of Australia and her tournament score of 269 for the championship breaks the Women’s World Amateur mark of 274 set by Lydia Ko in 2012.

“Australia had a great round today, I was really impressed,” said Henderson. “They have very skilled players, including two in the top 10 in the world rankings, which is unbelievable. It’s a little disappointing to finish second but overall we had a really great week and played really well as a team.”

Canada’s runner-up finish marks the fourth time the squad has finished in second place in the race for the Espirito Santo trophy (’04, ’78, ’66).  With the win, Australia put an end to Korea’s bid to become the first team to win three consecutive World Amateur titles – Australia also won in 1978 and 2002.

The Republic of Korea finished third, one stroke back of Canada at 26-under par in Saturday’s final. Denmark finished fourth at 556, followed by Sweden and the USA tied for fifth at 557, Mexico in seventh at 560, England and host Japan tied for eighth at 562 and the Philippines in 10th at 563.

The Women’s World Amateur Team Championship is a biennial international amateur competition conducted by the International Golf Federation (IGF), which comprises 137 national governing bodies in 131 countries. The competition, which is being held for the 26th time, is rotated among three geographic zones: Asia-Pacific, Americas and Europe-Africa.

This year’s event is hosted by the Japan Golf Association. The teams play for the Espirito Santo Trophy. The IGF is the international federation for golf for the International Olympic Committee and will conduct the Olympic golf competition in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. In each round, the total of the two lowest scores from each team constitutes the team score for the round. The four-day (72-hole) total is the team’s score for the championship.

The 2016 Women’s World Amateur Team Championship will be played in Cancun, Mexico.

The men’s competition for the Eisenhower Trophy gets underway on Sept. 10. Canada will be represented by Corey Conners (Listowel, Ont.), Taylor Pendrith (Richmond Hill, Ont.) and Adam Svensson (Surrey, B.C.).

Don’t wait register now!

Carrying Place Golf & Country Club in King, Ont., is the official hosting site for the 2014 Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru National Event.

On September 22nd, over 100 women are expected to play 18 holes of golf in celebration of another successful year of promoting women’s golf and raising funds for breast cancer.

This marks the 11th annual National Event and signifies the growing success of the women’s participation initiative.

“It’s been a natural progression for us,” said Steve Elliot, General Manager at Carrying Place. “We’ve hosted several ‘pink-out’ nights in the past and we are very happy to be a part of the National Event and its cause.”

“An event like this is great for introducing ladies to golf with the friendly atmosphere of the scramble format,” said Brian Jones, Head Golf Professional at Carrying Place. “It’s also a great social event for ladies to enjoy their entire night with dinner and festivities afterwards.”

The National Event celebrates the collective accomplishments of all program participants from across the country. Among those in attendance will be corporate teams, club members, guests and even first-time golfers. Foursomes from the top two fundraising events will be honoured at the event, with Subaru covering their transportation and hospitality costs.

Also attending will be Evanka Osmak of Sportsnet who has been a program ambassador for three years running.

“It is truly an honour to be named an ambassador for Golf Canada’s Golf Fore the Cure Program,” said Osmak. “I am thrilled to be involved with a program that promotes women’s participation in the game of golf and raises money for such a worthy cause as breast cancer. I look forward to doing my part to make a difference and hopefully inspire others to do the same.”

In addition to fighting breast cancer, Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru aims to encourage women’s participation in the sport. The National Event highlights these goals with a day of care-free golf and friendly contests.

Registration for the event at Carrying Place is open to the public. Experience a ladies-only golf celebration of the national success of the program in 2014.

Register now as a Corporate Team, Recreational Team or Individual at: http://dialogue.golfcanada.ca/Extranet/95877/forms.aspx?msgid=1a57cb6c-0bdc-4bbf-9ec2-4ec5d3e64f50&LinkID=CH00095877eR00000051AD

Registration includes: Official Golf Fore the Cure apparel piece, 18 holes with a cart at Carrying Place, Lunch and dinner, Prizes and gift bags. Visit golfcanada.ca/gftcnationalevent for more information.

MINETT, ON (Golf Canada) – The Rock Golf Course in Minett, ON, will play host to the second CN Future Links Championship event of 2014 – the CN Future Links Ontario Championship – which will be held May 22-25, with a practice round being staged on Thursday, May 22.

The 54-hole stroke play championship will feature the country’s top junior golfers aged 11-18. Players will vie for titles in a Junior Boys and Junior Girls division, respectively.

“We are excited to be in Muskoka for the CN Future Links Ontario Championship,” said Golf Canada Tournament Director Cam Crawford. “With so many Team Canada Development Squad members, as well as other CN Future Links veterans, this championship should prove to be both exciting and challenging for the competitors.”

In the Junior Girls division Team Canada Development Squad members Valérie Tanguay, 18, of St. Hyacinthe, Que. and Naomi Ko, 16, of Victoria will look to continue their strong play from the CN Future Links Pacific Championship. Earlier this month, Tanguay captured the season-opening event in a playoff, while Ko finished third. On the Junior Boys side, Team Canada Development Squad member Carter Simon of Sutton, Ont., returns to defend his CN Future Links Ontario title from 2013. Tyler Saunders of Sturgeon County, Alta., will also look to improve on his third place finish at CN Future Links Pacific.

The Rock Golf Club opened in 2004 and was Nick Faldo’s first Canadian design course. The Rock has previously played host to the Ontario PGA Class ‘A’ Championship in 2009 where golfers battled for a coveted spot on PGA Team Ontario.

“The Rock takes pride in helping to build the game of golf in Canada, and in doing so we recognize that growing junior golf is imperative to that,” said Spencer Morland, Director of Instruction and Associate Golf Professional at The Rock Golf Course. “There is nothing better than hosting competitive junior events to carry on our tradition of being family-friendly and a great home for junior golfers.”

Team Canada’s Development Squad will be well represented at The Rock in both the Junior Boys and Junior Girls divisions. The men’s side will be represented by defending champion, Carter Simon, 18, of Sutton, Ont., along with Étienne Papineau, 17, of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., and Matt Williams, 18, of Calgary, Alta.

From the Women’s Development Squad, the field includes Tanguay, Ko, and Sabrine Garrison, 18, of Calgary, Alta.

In 2013, Carter Simon won the CN Future Links Ontario Championship at the Listowel Golf Club, while Matt Williams placed first in the 2012 championship at the Loyalist Golf and Country Club in Bath, Ont. Maddie Szeryk , the 2013 CN Future Links Ontario Junior Girls champion, will not be in the field at this year’s event.

The top six competitors in the Junior Boys division of each CN Future Links Championship will earn exemptions into the 2014 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, which will be contested July 28 – August 1 at the Legends on the Niagara Battlefield course in Niagara Falls, Ont. The Junior Girls Champion from each CN Future Links Championship will earn an exemption into the 2014 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, which runs July 28 – August 1 at the Thornhill Golf and Country Club in Thornhill, Ont. In addition, the champion will receive an exemption into a Canadian Women’s Tour event.

The CN Future Links Junior Golf Championships are part of CN’s ongoing partnership with Golf Canada and their commitment to junior golf. Focused on supporting safe and fun activities that have a positive impact on children’s health and well being, CN’s investment in CN Future Links is helping to increase grassroots junior golf participation in communities across Canada.

The CN Future Links tournament schedule also includes the CN Future Links Prairie Championship (May 29 – June 1 at Shilo Country Club in Westman, Man.), the CN Future Links Western Championship (July 1- 4 at Birchbank Golf Course in Trail, B.C.), the CN Future Links Quebec Championship (July 7 – 10 at Club de Golf Continental in Ste-Victoire de Sorel, Qué.), and the CN Future Links Atlantic Championship (July 13 – 16 at Humber Valley Resort in Little Rapids, N.L.).

For more information on the 2014 CN Future Links Ontario Championship, click here.

Canada’s National Open Championship returns to Jack Nicklaus-designed Oakville course for 27th time

Volunteer and Corporate Hospitality Opportunities Now Available

Oakville, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Steeped in history and tradition, Oakville’s Glen Abbey Golf Club has once again been named to host the 2015 RBC Canadian Open, as announced by Golf Canada and RBC today. The world-class event, which is part of the Triple Crown of national golf championships, will host many of the best golfers in the world July 20 – 26, 2015.

Renowned as the longtime home of the Canadian Open, Glen Abbey will play host to Canada’s National Open Championship for a record 27th time. The announcement marks the return of the RBC Canadian Open to the ClubLink-owned facility where it was last held in 2013, an event won by PGA TOUR star and Team RBC member Brandt Snedeker.

“Glen Abbey has challenged the world’s best on 26 occasions and played host to many of the most memorable finishes in Canadian Open history, including Brandt Snedeker’s exciting victory last summer,” said Golf Canada Executive Director and CEO Scott Simmons. “The Abbey’ and Canada’s National Open Golf Championship share a special connection and we are pleased to continue that legacy in 2015.”

“It’s very exciting to see the tournament return to Glen Abbey, where it was selected as the PGA Tour’s ‘Most Fan-Friendly Event’ in 2013,” noted Jane Broderick, Chief Brand and Communications Officer, RBC. “Along with Golf Canada, we look forward to welcoming the world’s top golfers and our dedicated fans back to this prestigious golf course next year.”

“We are very pleased to welcome the RBC Canadian Open back to Glen Abbey,” said Rai Sahi, ClubLink President and CEO. “It is only fitting that Canada’s most famous course plays host to our National Open Championship. Since the Canadian Open was first played on this Jack Nicklaus Signature course in 1977, Glen Abbey has produced many worthy champions including Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Greg Norman, Lee Trevino, Curtis Strange and Brandt Snedeker. We look forward to a great tournament week and another outstanding champion in 2015.”

Glen Abbey was owned and operated by Golf Canada from 1982 – 1998 before selling the property to ClubLink in the fall of 1998. As the longtime host of Canada’s National Open Championship, ‘The Abbey’ hosted 22 Canadian Opens between 1977 and 2000 as well as 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2013.

The 2014 RBC Canadian Open will take place July 21-27 at The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Île-Bizard, Que. For information about tickets, volunteer opportunities or corporate hospitality for either the 2014 RBC Canadian Open at The Royal Montreal Golf Club or the 2015 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club, please visit www.rbccanadianopen.com.

Mother Nature hasn’t been kind this winter, causing many golf courses to have less than ideal conditions to start the season.

Problems that have arose because of unfavourable winter weather include: tree destruction, turf issues (especially on greens and fairways) and bunker deterioration. The result for many courses is having a few to the majority of their greens out of play – likely well into June.

At Golf Canada, we’ve been receiving many concerned calls from courses, clubs, leagues and golfers about how this impacts them and their golf season. Here’s a look at some of the concerns facing golfers, clubs and courses:

Score posting for golfers:

Golfers are wondering if their scores can be posted for handicapping purposes if less than 18 holes are completely played.

In such cases where holes are completely out of play or temporary greens are in use, our trusty Golf Canada Handicap Manual describes a procedure often referred to as Par Plus. This means the player would count the PAR of the hole, plus any handicap strokes that he/she is entitled to receive on that hole.

For example: A player with a Course Handicap of 15 receives ONE handicap stroke on the first 15 allocated handicap-stroke holes. If the player does not play the sixth allocated handicap-stroke hole which is a par-4 because of construction on the green, the player must record a score of par plus one for handicap purposes, or a 5 in this case. If at least seven holes are in play on one nine, a nine-hole score must be posted, and if 13 or more holes are fully in play (no temporary greens, etc.) an 18 hole score is to be posted, with the remaining holes posted using the par plus procedure.

How clubs/courses can run events and score them on a course with temporary greens or holes out of play:

Questions I’ve received from courses and clubs have predominantly revolved around their events and how to score them equitably if less than 18 holes are played.

Each situation is a little different in terms of the number of holes which may be out of play or under temporary setup, but the procedure in dealing with the situation is the same. For example, we have a course that only has 12 holes in play and they have severe damage on the other six holes. They were wondering if it is possible to conduct their annual match play competition because all 18 holes cannot be played until August.

If we reference the definition of “Stipulated Round” from the Rules of Golf, we would find “stipulated round: consists of playing the holes of the course in their correct sequence, unless otherwise authorized by the Committee. The number of holes in a stipulated round is 18 unless a smaller number is authorized by the Committee.”

That definition is designed to help in just such cases where conditions will not allow 18 holes to be played. Should a club/league decide to proceed using less than 18 holes for their events, some adjustments must be made to handicaps of participants. As handicaps in this situation would normally be for 18 holes, we need to reduce handicaps by an appropriate number of holes that are to actually be played, in this case 12. We would need to take 12/18 of handicaps (or 2/3 if we reduce our fraction to lowest terms, don’t be alarmed this will not turn into a high school math class).

The last step to have an equitable event/match is to modify your stroke hole table (Handicap Stroke Holes). As there are six holes out of play, we need to reduce our stroke hole table by six as well (to a total of 12). To modify the stroke hole table equitably, it will depend on which holes are actually taken out of play and what number the stroke hole is. If one of the holes out of play in our example was stroke hole #2, stroke hole #4 would now become stroke hole #2 for the event, and so on.

I hope these explanations have helped to clear up some of the looming questions about handicapping and temporary greens or closed holes. If you have any questions, please contact our Golf Canada membership team at members@golfcanada.ca or 1-800-263-0009 ext. 399.

Additionally, you can check out our Handicapping section online here.

OAKVILLE – Golf Canada is pleased to announce the names of the athletes who have been selected to the new Team Canada Young Pro program.

In all, five athletes – three female and two male – have been chosen to the inaugural Team Canada Young Pro Squad, with four of the members coming from Ontario. Developed in partnership with the PGA of Canada and supported in large part by the Golf Canada Foundation, the Young Pro program was created to bridge the gap between amateur and professional performance on the international golfing stage.

“There has been a critical gap for our top amateur golfers making the difficult jump to professional golf and the launch of the Team Canada Young Pro initiative is designed to bridge that gap,” said Golf Canada CEO Scott Simmons. “We have seen tremendous results for Team Canada amateur athletes at national, international and collegiate competitions. With the launch of Young Pro, we expect those strong results to carry over to the professional ranks including the PGA and LPGA Tours, the various developmental tours and ultimately the Olympic Games beginning in 2016.”

A trio of LPGA players including Rebecca Lee-Bentham of Toronto, Jennifer Kirby of Paris, Ont., and Sue Kim of Langley, B.C., will join the new Young Pro squad. All three players are graduates of Golf Canada’s National Amateur Squad and have secured full playing status for the LPGA Tour’s 2014 season. Bentham, 22, was the top-earning Canadian on the LPGA Tour last season after finishing a personal best T-11 at the Evian Championship. Kirby, 23, earned her spot after a fifth place finish at the LPGA’s Final Qualifying in December. Kim, 23, secured her full card by finishing in sixth on the LPGA’s Symetra Tour’s Volvik Race to the Card.

“I feel so fortunate to once again, have the opportunity to be a part of a program that is so dedicated to developing players,” said Rebecca Lee-Bentham. “Golf Canada, without a doubt, has helped me tremendously throughout my amateur career and has led me to where I am today. It is an honour to represent Canada each week on the LPGA tour and having the opportunity to play for Canada at the Olympics would mean more than words can describe.”

“I am incredibly grateful to have been selected for the Young Pro program,” said Jennifer Kirby. “Golf Canada has always been supportive of my career and I am proud to be an ambassador of this important program in my inaugural season on the LPGA Tour.”

On the men’s side, Web.com Tour players Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., and Toronto’s Albin Choi debut as the first two male members of the Team Canada Young Pro program. A two-time Canada Amateur champion, Hughes, 23, finished the 2013 season atop PGA TOUR Canada’s Order of Merit after capturing the Cape Breton Celtic Classic. Choi, 22, is also a former Canadian Amateur champion who earned his ticket to the Web.com Tour after a 15th place finish at final qualifying in December.

“I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to be a part of Team Canada and the new young pro squad,” said Mackenzie Hughes. “The coaching and support staff has played a big role in my development and my transition to pro golf. I also want to thank the Golf Canada Foundation as well as all the sponsors and donors that have made this program possible.”

“I am very excited to be back with the national team and part of the program,” added Albin Choi. “I have been with Team Canada for over six years and have always appreciated the support and having a team around me. Most pros lose that support structure from a national or college team as soon as they turn pro and it’s easy to get lost. It’s great to have an opportunity to have a team behind me with my best interests in mind.”

Each member of the Young Pro squad will receive funding as well as access to Team Canada’s coaching staff and sport science experts. Men’s National Squad coach Derek Ingram and Women’s National Team coach Tristan Mullally will provide coaching to their respective Young Pro players. In addition, the athletes will have access to Team Canada’s sport science staff that includes psychologist, Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood, strength and conditioning coach, Jason Glass, nutritionist, Nicole Springle and physiotherapist Greg Redman.

“I congratulate Golf Canada on the launch of this exceptional program,” said PGA of Canada CEO Gary Bernard. “The commitment Golf Canada has shown in collaborating with the PGA of Canada in our world class teaching and coaching certification programs is commendable.”

The Team Canada Young Pro initiative has been in the works for more than a year as an extension of Golf Canada’s National Amateur Team program. The 2014 launch is a direct result of the fundraising support of the Golf Canada Foundation.

“On behalf of the board of the Golf Canada Foundation, we’re proud to help support these talented young golfers in their pursuit of competitive golfing excellence,” said Golf Canada Foundation CEO Martin Barnard. “In the coming months, we look forward to announcing more fundraising activities as well as donors and corporate partners to extend the program to more Canadian athletes.”

Inaugural international junior girls’ championship to be conducted September 26^th to October 1^st at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont.  

Golf Canada to conduct the 16-Team, 72-hole U18 competition

In partnership with the Golf Association of Ontario;

Championship to receive grant funding through the

Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport 

Oakville, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada is pleased to announce the creation of a World Junior Girls’ Golf Championship beginning in 2014.

The inaugural international championship – which will be contested September 26^th to October 1^st at the Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont. – will be conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with the Golf Association of Ontario.

The championship will feature three-player teams of athletes under the age of 18 representing 15 countries. As host country, Canada will field a second squad in the competition.

The 16-team field will compete over 72 holes for both individual and team honours. Qualifying countries for the inaugural championship will be invited based on their performances at the 2012 World Amateur in Turkey.

The 2014 World Junior Girls’ Golf Championship will mark the first official playing of a female junior championship of its kind – the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup is a boys’ only event that has been contested for almost 20 years.

“The creation of the World Junior Girls Golf Championship provides a world-class international championship for Canada’s top female junior golfers to benchmark themselves against the world’s best,” said Golf Canada CEO Scott Simmons. “For nearly two decades, the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup has provided an incredible opportunity for the world’s top junior boys to compete internationally. It’s exciting to partner with the Golf Association of Ontario in creating an event that we strongly believe will evolve into the premiere junior girls’ team and individual golf competition in the world.”

The creation of the World Junior Girls Golf Championship will see Golf Canada work closely with the Golf Association of Ontario in conducting the international competition for a minimum of three years in the province of Ontario.

“The World Junior Girls Golf Championship represents an exciting opportunity for the Golf Association of Ontario and Golf Canada to further align and work collaboratively to produce a world class event,” said Golf Association of Ontario Executive Director Steve Carroll.  “With the support of the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, golf development in Ontario and Canada will benefit from important legacy components associated with the championship including skill development clinics, officials training initiatives, officials mentoring activities and a coaching summit.”

In addition to a 72-hole competition, the championship will include skills competitions, an international golf coaches’ summit and golf clinics outside of tournament play in the spirit of establishing an interactive junior golf festival around the championship.

The event – which is supported by the International Golf Federation, will receive grant funding by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport.

“The Government of Ontario values the power of sport hosting as an excellent opportunity to showcase our beautiful province, encourage the development of sport infrastructure and generate increased economic activity in communities across the province,” said Michael Chan, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport for the Pan/Parapan American Games “We welcome the World Junior Girls’ Golf Championship to Ontario — as a celebration of our athletes and an opportunity to build our reputation as a premier destination to host international sporting events.”

The Angus Glen Golf Club will also play host to the debut of golf at the 2015 Pan Am Games from July 16-19, 2015. The World Junior Girls’ Golf Championship will provide training opportunities for officials and volunteers registered for the historic event that is set for the south course at Angus Glen.

GOLF CANADA – LOVE THE GAME. GROW THE GAME.

Golf Canada is the National Sports Organization and governing body for golf in Canada representing close to 322,000 golfers at nearly 1,500 member clubs across the country. A proud member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, Golf Canada’s mission is to grow participation, excellence and passion in the sport while upholding the integrity and traditions of the game. By investing in the growth of the sport and introducing more participants of all ages to the game, our goal is to be relevant to and respected by all Canadian golf enthusiasts from coast to coast. For more information about what Golf Canada is doing to support golf in your community, visit www.golfcanada.ca.

ABOUT THE GOLF ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO

The Golf Association of Ontario (GAO) is Ontario’s Provincial Sport Organization focused on enhancing participation, elevating performance and supporting the passion of golfers in Ontario. With over 100,000 individual members and 450 member clubs, the GAO is one of the largest golf associations in the world.  From rating courses and keeping the integral rules of the game intact, to growing the game at the grassroots level and getting the game of golf into our school systems, to keeping the Ontario golf community aware of all relevant issues and hosting the best amateur tournaments in Canada, the Golf Association of Ontario is a passionate group dedicated to making golf better for everyone in Ontario. We share a love and passion for golf, while preserving its past, fostering its future, and championing golf’s best interests for everyone who enjoys the sport.