Golf Canada

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – The world’s top female junior golfers will head to Mississauga for the third edition of the World Junior Girls Championship from September 25-30 at Mississaugua Golf & Country Club. Two teams of three athletes will don the red and white of the host nation as Canada competes for the title of World Junior Girls champion.

“It is an honour to represent your country 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 Mississaugua 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 Mississauga, Ont., native Chloe Currie who will look to translate home course advantage into success on the international stage. The member of Mississaugua Golf & Country Club has had a banner year, capturing the 2016 Ontario Juvenile Girls Championship before defending her Ontario Junior Girls title. At the national level, the 16-year-old Team Canada Development Squad member collected runner-up results at the CN Future Links Pacific Championship and the 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship.

Mary Parsons opened Golf Canada’s season by claiming victory at the 2016 edition of the CN Future Links Pacific Championship at The Dunes at Kamloops Golf Club in Kamloops, B.C. The product of Delta, B.C., came up just shy of the victory at her province’s Amateur Championship, collecting a second-place result, but then claimed an impressive six-stroke win at the B.C. Junior Girls Championship. The 17-year-old earned third-place at the 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship behind Currie.

Completing the Canada One contingent is Monet Chun of Richmond Hill, Ont. The 2016 Team Ontario member claimed her first CN Future Links title at the Quebec edition of the regional cross-Canada championships for junior golfers. The 15-year-old earned a share of second at her province’s amateur championship before finishing T11 at the national event for amateurs. Chun secured an eighth-place result at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship.

As the host country, Canada reserves the right to field two teams in the 48-player, 15-country competition. Céleste Dao earned her place on the Canada Two squad following an impressive season. A fifth-place showing at the Quebec Women’s Amateur Championship propelled the Notre-Dame-de-L’Île-Perrot, Que., native into a runner-up result at her province’s Junior Girls Championship. She tied for eighth in the stroke play component of the U.S. Girls’ Junior before claiming a share of sixth at Canada’s National Junior Girls Championship. The 15-year-old’s season culminated in a convincing nine-stroke victory at the Graham Cooke Junior Invitational.

Hannah Lee is returning for a second stint at the World Junior Girls Championship, having competed in 2015 at The Marshes Golf Club in the nation’s capital. The member of the National Team Development Squad secured a third-place finish at the CN Future Links Ontario Championship. She excelled at the provincial level, claiming fourth at the B.C. Women’s Amateur before earning a T2 at the B.C. Junior Girls competition. An 11th-place showing at the national Junior Girls Championship and a season of lessons-learned garnered the Surrey, B.C., native the growth and experience she needed to emerge victorious at the B.C. Juvenile Championship.

The third and final member of Canada Two is Isabella Portokalis – the 2016 CN Future Links Ontario champion. The London, Ont., native’s 2016 season includes a T2 at the Ontario Junior Girls Championship and a share of seventh at her provincial Women’s Amateur. The 2016 Team Ontario member’s performance at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship earned her a T11 result before she collected a sixth-place finish at the Ontario Juvenile Girls’ Championship.

“Golf Ontario is excited to once again partner with Golf Canada to conduct this global championship at another of Ontario’s storied clubs – Mississaugua Golf & Country 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 Provincial Golf Associations, their home clubs, their parents and of course, the athletes themselves – their joint efforts have made this accomplishment possible and they should all be proud.”

While highlighting the work of those involved with the newest members of Team Canada, Thompson also spoke highly of the talented juniors from coast to coast.

“The selection of these teams was not an easy task. Across the nation, the level of skill shown by our junior-aged players speaks to not only the passion for golf in Canada, but also the excellent work done by golf facilities and our provincial partners to hone the skills of our athletes. We look forward to seeing these six players represent Canada against a number of the best juniors in the world.”

National Team Development Squad Women’s Coach Ann Carroll will once again lend her expertise to Canada One. Coach Mike Martz from the Golf Performance Centre at Whistle Bear will return to lead Canada Two.

The inaugural World Junior Girls Championship in 2014 was held at 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, current World No. 3 Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., finished fourth as Canada One claimed bronze.

The second edition of the tournament was conducted at Ottawa’s The Marshes Golf Club where the trio representing the Republic of Korea completed a wire-to-wire victory to secure the team title. Paju-si, South Korea native Hye-jin Choi finished 12-under in claiming a seven-stroke victory. Choi is currently the No. 15-ranked amateur in the world and counts a victory at the 2016 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship among her accomplishments.

In addition to the 72-hole team and individual competitions, the World Junior Girls Championship will celebrate the sport and focus upon the promotion and development of junior girls golf. Golf Canada will host a PGA of Canada coaches clinic and a girls skill development clinic in the days leading up to the competition’s first round on Tuesday, September 27.

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

Highlights from the 2016 Investors Group Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship, July 12-15, at Ambassador Golf Club in Windsor. Ottawa’s Grace St-Germain won the title at -2.

Highlights from the 2016 Investors Group Ontario Junior Girls’ Championship, July 4-7 at Loyalist Country Club in Bath. Port Credit’s Chloe Currie ended the week, -2 to claim the title.

WINDSOR— Heading into the final round of the 2016 Investors Group Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship, July 15 at Ambassador Golf Club, it was anyone’s tournament to win as eight players were all within five strokes of the lead.

The final group consisted of co-leaders Ridgeway’s Madeline Marck-Sherk, Guelph’s Rachel Pollock and Ottawa’s Grace St-Germain, who was just one back. St-Germain got out to a good start with a birdie on the opening hole and would add three more on the front nine, along with a pair of bogey’s, to head to the turn at two-under.

Meanwhile, Marck-Sherk, a member at the Bridgewater Country Club, and Pollock, Whistle Bear Golf Club, had their share of struggles on the front nine. Both players finished the front nine three-over resulting in a big swing, in St-Germain’s favour, on the leaderboard.

St-Germain, 17-years-old and a member of Golf Canada’s National Development Squad, would close things out on the back nine finishing it at one-over to end the round at one-under (71). That brought her tournament total to two-under (69-70-76-71-286), good enough for a four-stroke victory.

“It feels amazing to win the Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship,” said St-Germain. “To have my name on this trophy with all of these great players is fantastic!”

Ambassador and the elements were tough on the players this week, but for St-Germain, her putting kept her in it. “My putting was the strongest part of my game this week. I was putting really well, which helped on these greens.”

Like most players, St-Germain had her ups and downs during the week, especially during the third round. However, she ended that round with birdies on two of the final three holes. She talked about how that late charge helped her mind frame heading into the final round. “Getting those birdies at the end of round three gave me a lot of confidence because I wasn’t playing very well. It gave me momentum coming into today.”

There was a tie for the silver medal between Marck-Sherk and Richmond Hill’s Monet Chun resulting in a podium swept by current and former Team Ontario members.

Marck-Sherk went on to play the back nine one-over and ended the round at four-over (76) bringing her tournament total to two-over (74-71-69-76-290).

As for Chun, a Summit Golf & Country Club member, she finished the day at even par (72). Chun followed up a one-over front nine by carding a one-under on the back nine to end the tournament in the tie at two-over (68-75-75-72-290).

In addition to crowning the winners, the top three also earned the right to represent Ontario in the team competition at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, July 26-29 at the Ken-Wo Golf Club in New Minas, Nova Scotia. With some players not electing to participate in the event, Ontario will be represented by: St-Germain, Chun and Pollock, who finished the tournament at five-over (68-75-71-79-293).

For full tournament information, including the final leaderboard, see the tournament site at: https://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao16/event/gao165/index.htm

Golf Ontario would like to thank Ambassador Golf Club, along with their staff and volunteers for hosting the event. Thanks also to title sponsor Investors Group and the Golf Ontario volunteers for their continued support of golf in the province.

About the Investors Group Women’s Amateur

First played in 1904, the Investors Group Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship is being contested for the 101st time this summer, and for the first time at Ambassador Golf Club. Past champions include 1968 LPGA Championship winner Sandra Post (1964), LPGA Tour players Alena Sharp (1999) and Brooke Henderson (2014), Rebecca Lee-Bentham (2007), and World Golf Hall of Fame member Marlene Stewart Streit, who holds the record for the most number of titles with 11. In total, 64 players began the four-day, 72-hole tournament.

From September 19–23, Golf Canada will be celebrating all those who donate towards a Golf in Schools kit this year as part of the inaugural Adopt a School Week.

The week will represent a coast-to-coast celebration to mark the efforts of all Golf in Schools adoptions taking place during that week, in addition to all adoptions that occur throughout the year.

Since the program’s inception in 2009, adoptions have accounted for close to 50% of the 3,000 registered schools delivering the curriculum. As a result, Golf Canada, the PGA of Canada the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA), and all provincial partners have aligned to celebrate the generosity of golf enthusiasts across the country.

“As partners, we recognize the value of Golf in Schools adoptions—getting Canada’s youth exposed to the sport of golf in the regular school curriculum is critical to the continued growth of our sport at the entry level,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s Chief Sport Officer. “At the same time, adopting a school into this program presents a great business opportunity for facilities as well. Through the process of adopting a school, a connection is established between the school, its students and the golf facility. After experiencing golf at school, the natural transition to an established golf facility will ideally result in more young golfers.”

Every student should experience the wonders of golf. With each school adoption, facilities can help make this vision a reality. By adopting a school, the donor donates the full program kit which includes age-appropriate golf clubs and a teacher-friendly learning resource. Developed in conjunction with the PGA of Canada and Physical Health Education (PHE) Canada, the learning resource now incorporates Life Skills into the curriculum—placing added focus on transferrable skills both on and off the golf course.

Following Adopt a School Week, Golf Canada will be announcing all elementary, intermediate and high school adoptions conducted in 2016.

Find out more or adopt a school in your community at golfcanada.ca/adoptaschool

Taylor Craig/ Golf Canada

Taylor Craig/ Golf Canada

MIDLAND, Ont. – A hot and humid day, punctuated by a booming thunder clap, closed out the 2016 edition of the CN Future Links Ontario Championship at Midland Golf & Country Club. Brandon Lacasse and Team Ontario’s Isabella Portokalis emerged from tight groups of competitors to claim the Junior Girls and Junior Boys titles.

The Junior Boys leaderboard was crowded throughout the final day of competition. Lacasse separated himself from the group and the Châteauguay, Que., product matched his second-round 70 to finish 212 overall. The 18-year-old, who entered the day with a share of the lead, finished with two birdies for a two-stroke victory.

“I just tried to play as if it was a fun round,” said Lacasse. “I always finish second or third, so I’m happy to finally win a big tournament.”

Lacasse noted the bittersweet nature of the victory with this being his final year of eligibility on the junior circuit. “It’s fun to finish with a win,” he said. “Last year, I finished sixth at the Canadian Juniors, so maybe a win this year will help me perform better.”

Toronto’s Tyler Nagano remained competitive throughout the round, tallying four birdies, but could not catch the leader. The 17-year-old finished 4-over 214, while Beaconsfield, Que., native Remi Chartier earned third-place with a 69 – his lowest round of the weekend.

As the Top-5 in the Junior Boys division, Lacasse, Nagano, Chartier, Team Ontario’s Ty Celone (Long Sault, Ont.) and Team Ontario’s Jake Bryson (Dunrobin, Ont.) earned spots into the 2016 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, which will be contested at Clovelly Golf Club in St. John’s, N.L. from August 1-4. Kelvin Young Woong Lim claimed the sixth available spot following a playoff-victory over Charles-David Trépanier of Québec City and Anthony Occhiuto from Guelph, Ont.

A clap of thunder forced the brief suspension of play with players being evacuated from the field due to safety concerns. After players returned to the course, Vancouver’s Tiffany Kong and Surrey, B.C., native Hannah Lee began play before the championship committee had allowed the resumption of play. After careful review of the situation, the committee decided to waive the penalty of disqualification as per Rule 6-8: Discontinuance of Play; Resumption of Play, and to issue each with a two-stroke penalty.

Isabella Portokalis tallied a pair of birdies en route to a 2-over 72 on the day. The London, Ont., native made par on hole 18 to sit 6-over 216 alongside Kong. When the two-stroke penalty was applied following the round, Portokalis claimed the win by two strokes.

“I just tried to keep calm and keep making pars, and if a putt went in then that was great,” said the 14-year-old when asked to reflect on the day. “I got into the scoring tent and everybody said that I won and I didn’t even realize it.”

Portokalis sees this victory as a building block towards future success, including the 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship in August. “Now I know that I can win any tournament,” she said. “I was three back on the first tee, but I bounced back on the back nine.”

Kong and Lee – members of Team Canada’s Women’s Development Squad – claimed second- and third-place in the tournament. Kong collected four birdies and an eagle on hole 15, but finished with a 2-over 72 showing. Lee finished third following a 75.

All players within the Top-6 in the Junior Girls division earned entries into the 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship from August 2-5 at The Links at Penn Hills in Shubenacadie, N.S. Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont,), Team Ontario’s Monet Chun (Richmond Hill, Ont.), and Grace St-Germain (Orleans, Ont.) will compete alongside Portokalis, Kong, and Lee.

For full results click here.

World’s top female juniors to gather in Ontario from September 25-30

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – The stage has been set for the world’s best female junior golfers to put their skills on display at the third annual World Junior Girls Championship. Mississaugua Golf & Country Club in Mississauga, Ont., will play host to the tournament from September 25-30 as the world’s premier 18-and-under players gather to compete in both team and individual competition.

“We are thrilled to announce Mississaugua Golf & Country Club as the host of this year’s World Junior Girls Championship. The tournament is a great opportunity for Golf Canada to showcase another of the nation’s tremendous courses and to further the development and skill of this talented group of young women,” said Tournament Director Mary Beth McKenna.

Mississaugua Golf & Country Club boasts more than a century of rich history, having played host to a number of the country’s most prestigious championships. The course exemplifies the challenge and craftsmanship of renowned architect Stanley Thompson, who was instrumental in designing Mississaugua’s last round of major modifications in 1928. Stretching out over the Credit River, the 240-acre course has welcomed the RBC Canadian Open on six occasions – most recently in 1974.

Conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario and supported by the International Golf Federation and the R&A, the 2016 edition of the World Junior Girls Championship will bring together 48 of the top 18-and-under female golfers from around the globe with 15 different countries slated to participate. 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 Ontario,” said Mike Kelly, Executive Director of Golf Ontario. “Mississaugua Golf & Country 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 Mississauga golfing community rally around this wonderful event.”

The inaugural World Junior Girls Championship in 2014 saw teams from across the globe 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 One claimed bronze.

The second edition of the tournament was staged at Ottawa’s 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 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. In the days leading up to tournament play, Golf Canada will host a PGA of Canada coaches clinic and a girls skill development clinic.

“This world-class competition provides us with the opportunity to foster the continued growth and collaboration between the world’s governing bodies in the sport,” said Scott Simmons, CEO 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, September 27. The tournament’s closing ceremonies will immediately follow the conclusion of play on Friday, September 30.

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 16 teams competing over 72 holes for both individual and team honours. The event receives funding from the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport; the Golf Canada Foundation (Women’s Golf Fund); Sport Canada; and the R&A. Admission and parking for the World Junior Girls Golf Championship is free. For more information, visit www.worldjuniorgirls.com.

Hall of Fame’s 75^th, 76^th & 77^th inductees to receive highest honour in Canadian Golf

OAKVILLE, Ont. (Golf Canada) – The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum is proud to announce that two-time Canadian Men’s Amateur champion Warren Sye of London, Ont., and renowned golf journalist Bob Weeks, of Toronto, Ont., have been elected as 2016 inductees into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame along with Canadian LPGA Tour legend Lorie Kane of Charlottetown, P.E.I.

Kane and Sye are being inducted under the player category, while Weeks will be inducted as a builder. With their inductions, the trio will become the 75^th, 76^th and 77^th honoured members of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

“For over 40 years, the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame has recognized the accomplishments of outstanding individuals and their tremendous impact on the game of golf in Canada,” said Sandra Post, Chair of the Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee. “Each member of our 2016 class of inductees has demonstrated passion, dedication and excellence in shaping the place of golf within the Canadian sporting landscape. It is with great pride that we welcome them to stand alongside the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame’s honoured members.”

WARREN SYE

Warren Sye’s outstanding amateur career took off in 1986 when he represented Canada at the World Amateur Team Championship; that year, Canada captured the World Amateur title and won the Canadian Sport Council (formerly known as the Sports Federation of Canada) “Sport Team of the Year” award. Sye went on to represent Canada three more times at the World Amateur Championship.

Sye excelled provincially, capturing the Ontario Amateur Championship five times between 1988 and 1996. He also claimed the Ontario Champion of Champions title in 1983 and again in 1991.

His success nationally includes a pair of victories at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship (1990 and 1994). During that time, he was also a member of four Willingdon Cup teams representing Ontario. He captured the Ontario Senior Championship title in 2012.

His extraordinary accomplishments as an amateur golfer were recognized by SCOREGolf Magazine, winning their “Male Athlete of the Year” award in 1985, 1990, 1994 and 1996. In 2003, Warren Sye was inducted into the Etobicoke Sports Hall of Fame and the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame.

BOB WEEKS

Bob Weeks is a golf analyst and senior reporter for TSN, where he provides coverage of the sport from across the globe. During his time as a journalist, he has covered more than 60 major golf championships, as well as hundreds of top Canadian and international championships.

Weeks began his career in golf media with SCOREGolf in 1987 and rose to the position of editorial director in 2012, overseeing all content at the media company. He hosted SCOREGolf TV for 16 years and spent 20 years as the voice of the SCOREGolf Show – a daily 90-second golf radio program heard in more than 70 markets across the country.

In 2009, he was recognized on the National Post’s list of the most influential people in Canadian golf and ranked sixth overall. An award-winning writer, Weeks has written for GOLF Magazine, Golf Digest, Golfweek, the Globe and Mail, Maclean’s, as well as countless other publications throughout the world.

Weeks, who began playing golf at the age of 11 in P.E.I., has been a proud member of Weston Golf and Country Club in Toronto for more than 40 years.

He is a member of the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame and a winner of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada’s Dick Grimm Award. In 2015, Weeks was presented with a Distinguished Service Award by Golf Canada for outstanding contributions to the game. In addition to golf, Weeks is a respected curling journalist who in 2016 will also be inducted to the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame.

LORIE KANE

Lorie Kane started playing the game of golf at the age of five. As her interest and talent grew, she came under the tutelage of Canadian Golf Hall of Fame honoured member Jack McLaughlin, whom she still credits as an inspiration and major influence in her career.

Provincially, she won the P.E.I. Junior Girls Championship twice and was the P.E.I. Women’s Amateur Champion nine times between 1983 and 1992. Her extraordinary amateur career saw her represent Canada on several occasions, including as a member of the Canadian Commonwealth Team and the Canadian World Amateur Team, as well as taking part in the World Cup. In 2015, Kane represented Canada in the first-ever golf competition at the Pan Am Games.

Kane turned professional in 1993 and three years later earned exempt status on the LPGA Tour. Over the next several years, she accumulated 34 Top-10 finishes, nine of which were runner-up results. In 2000, Kane captured her first professional win at the Michelob Light Classic in St. Louis and also won three more times on the LPGA Tour that same year. Nationally, she captured the Canadian PGA Women’s Championship from 1996-1999 and again in 2001.

Throughout her career, Kane established herself as one of the most popular LPGA Tour players with players and spectators. Her accomplishments garnered her the Heather Farr Player Award in 1998 and the Mousie Powell Award in 2000. In 2006, Kane was presented with the Order of Canada.

She is known for her generosity and dedication to charitable organizations, having been the Kidsport P.E.I. official spokesperson since its inception in 1997 and currently serves as the ambassador for the CP Has Heart charity campaign.

With her induction, Kane becomes the first native of P.E.I. to be inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

OAKVILLE, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada has announced the athletes who have been selected to represent Team Canada as part of the 2016 National Amateur Squad and Development Squad. In total, five Ontario golfers will be part of the program. Burlington’s Blair Hamilton returns to the Men’s Amateur Squad, Vaughn’s Tony Gil and Aurora’s Jack Simpson will be on the Men’s Development Squad, and Ottawa’s Grace St-Germain and Mississauga’s Chloe Currie, a 2015 member of Team Ontario, are part of the Women’s Development Squad.

In all, ten athletes comprise Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad including five players on the men’s team and five on the women’s. The National Development Squad, primarily a U19 program, will also feature 10 players (five men and five women).

Returning to the men’s Amateur Squad is 2015 Gary Cowan Award (low amateur at the RBC Canadian Open) winner Blair Hamilton, 22, of Burlington, Ont. Hamilton enters his senior year at the University of Houston on the heels of a strong junior year that included two collegiate victories and six other top-20 finishes. He finished T17 at the 2015 Canadian Men’s Amateur and currently boasts Canada’s top-amateur ranking at No. 104 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR). This will be his second year on the Amateur Squad and his third in total with Team Canada (Development Squad in 2012).

Joining the team for his first official season is reining B.C. Amateur champion Jared du Toit of Kimberley, B.C. The 20-year-old currently sits as the team’s second-ranked amateur at No. 122 in the WAGR. He played his first two seasons at the University of Idaho before transferring to Arizona State this year for his junior season. During his time at Idaho, du Toit recorded eight top-10 finishes including a win at the Wyoming University Southern to go along with winning Freshman of the Year honours for the Western Athletic Conference.

After a two-year hiatus, Eric Banks of Truro, N.S., makes his return to Team Canada following a summer that featured top-25 finishes at the Northeast Amateur, Canadian Amateur and Monroe Invitational. Banks is also a former Nova Scotia Men’s Amateur champion (2011) and two-time Nova Scotia Junior Boys champion. He enters his fourth year with Team Canada after graduating from the University of Florida where he won the David Toms award—given to the collegiate golfer who most overcomes adversity. Banks, 22, recovered from successful open-heart surgery in June of 2012 that repaired a hole in his heart.

Also returning to Team Canada after a hiatus is Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que., native Hugo Bernard. The 20-year-old was runner-up at the 2015 Canadian Amateur and also earned top-five finishes provincially at the Alexander of Tunis, Duke of Kent and the Quebec Men’s Amateur. He captured the Quebec Men’s Amateur title in 2013 as well as the 2012 Quebec Junior Boys championship.

Rounding out the men’s team is Purdue University senior and Vancouver native Stuart Macdonald. The 20-year-old finished runner-up at the 2015 B.C. Amateur, tallied two top-10 finishes in his junior season and finished tied for 13^th at the 2015 Canadian Amateur.

On the women’s side, the Amateur Squad is headlined by returning member and dual-citizen Maddie Szeryk who’s 2015 season includes a victory at the Ontario Women’s Amateur and T6 finish at the Canadian Women’s Amateur. In her freshman season at Texas A&M, Szeryk was named to the All-South Eastern Conference team in addition to winning Freshman of the Year honours for the conference thanks to nine top-10 finishes in 12 tournaments played. The 19-year old currently sits as Canada’s top-ranked female on the WAGR at No. 38.

Joining Team Canada is rookie Josée Doyon of St-Georges-de-Beauce, Que. Doyon is coming off a remarkable season that featured a win at the Quebec Women’s Amateur in addition to three collegiate victories for the Kent State Golden Flashes. The 22-year-old’s junior season earned her Mid-American Conference Golfer of the Year honours. Now in her senior year, Doyon currently sits at No. 61 on the WAGR.

Rounding out the women’s team are a trio of graduates from last season’s Development Squad including 18-year-old Naomi Ko of Victoria, B.C., who enters her fourth year with Team Canada and first as a member of the N.C. State Wolfpack. In 2015 she finished fifth at the B.C. Women’s Amateur, tied for second at the Ontario Women’s Amateur, third at the Canadian Junior Girls and tied for 24^th at the Canadian Women’s Amateur.

Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee, 18, heads into her third year with Team Canada and her freshman season at Ohio State. The 18-year old finished tied for seventh at the B.C. Women’s Amateur, third at the Alberta Ladies Amateur and 16^th at the Canadian Women’s Amateur. In 2014, Lee captured both the Alberta Ladies Amateur and Junior Girls titles.

Michelle Kim, an 18-year-old Surrey, B.C., native, moves up to the Amateur Squad after one season the Development Squad. Currently in her freshman year with University of Idaho, Kim won both the 2015 B.C. Women’s Amateur and Junior Girls, while adding a victory at the Canadian Junior Girls and a tie for 38^th at the Canadian Women’s Amateur.

“This is always an exciting time of year as we welcome the next group of young men and women selected as members of Team Canada,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s Chief Sport Officer. “Supporting, developing and nurturing Canada’s future stars remains to be at the core of our primary objectives. We are committed to investing in high performance talent through elite coaching, training, sport science and preparation.”

The following athletes have been selected to Team Canada’s 2016 Amateur Squad:

WOMEN’S NATIONAL AMATEUR SQUAD
Maddie Szeryk, Allen, Tex. (19)

Josée Doyon, St-Georges-de-Beauce, Que. (22)

Michelle Kim, Surrey, B.C. (18)

Naomi Ko, Victoria, B.C. (18)

Jaclyn Lee, Calgary, Alta. (18)

MEN’S NATIONAL AMATEUR SQUAD

Blair Hamilton, Burlington, Ont. (22)

Jared du Toit, Kimberley, B.C. (20)

Eric Banks, Truro, N.S. (22)

Stuart Macdonald, Vancouver, B.C. (20)

Hugo Bernard, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que. (20)

Complete National Amateur Squad bios can be found here.

As part of the National Amateur Team Program, Golf Canada also named the 19-and-under Development Squad that includes five female and five male athletes. The Development Squad is designed to help facilitate the continued development of Canada’s top young talents.

The following athletes have been selected to Team Canada’s 2016 Development Squad:

WOMEN’S DEVELOPMENT SQUAD

Grace St-Germain, Ottawa, Ont. (17)

Hannah Lee, Surrey, B.C. (15)

Tiffany Kong, Vancouver, B.C. (14)

Kathrine Chan, Richmond, B.C. (15)

Chloë Currie, Mississauga, Ont. (15)

MEN’S DEVELOPMENT SQUAD

Tony Gil, Vaughan, Ont. (17)

A.J. Ewart, Coquitlam, B.C. (16)

Thomas ‘Jack’ Simpson, Aurora, Ont. (17)

Alexander Smith, Calgary, Alta. (17)

Charles-Éric Bélanger, Québec, Que. (16)

Complete Development Squad player bios can be found here.

Golf Canada also announced the 2016 Team Canada coaching staff with Derek Ingram returning as Men’s Squad Head Coach, supported by Robert Ratcliffe who will also head up the Development Squad. On the women’s side, Tristan Mullally returns as Women’s Squad Head Coach and will receive support from Ann Carroll, who will oversee the Women’s Development Squad specifically. All coaches are all class “A” professionals with the PGA of Canada.

The athletes named to the 2016 National Amateur and Development Squads are a product of a circle of support that includes personal coaches, parents and high performance activities conducted by the respective provincial golf associations.