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.

BATH— The Investors Group Ontario Bantam Boys’ and Girls’ Championships wrapped up on Aug. 23 from Loyalist Country Club in Bath. Once again the players face a rain delay, although round two’s was nowhere near as long as the delay during round one. The day finished late for the winners but at the end of the two-day event it was Courtice’s Ethan Cardwell taking the Boys’ title, while Markham’s Raesa Sheikh captured the Girls’ Championship.

Cardwell, from the Oshawa Golf & Curling Club, began the day two-shots off the lead thanks to an opening round of even par (72). After three pars to open the round, he dropped a stroke with a bogey on the fourth. He would get it back with a birdie on the ninth and was even after the front nine. Cardwell moved to one-under for the day thanks to another birdie on the 12^th. After a bogey on the 16^th, he added one more birdie on the 18^th. That brought him to one-under (71) for the day and one-under (72-71-143) for the championship. While he did need to wait for one more group to finish, Cardwell would still be declared the winner by two shots.

“This win means a lot to me,” said Cardwell. “I lost by two shots last year, with a good, solid closing round, so it definitely felt good to get the win this year. I have been hitting the ball really well lately, my ball-striking has been key and when my putts have dropped, my scores have been good, whether last week at the (Ontario) Juvenile Championship or here.”

Starting in the second to last group, Cardwell said he had a plan in mind to chase down the leaders. “Coming into the day I picked a number. I thought about 70 or 69 but when I saw the weather, I realized I just needed to stay patient. I dropped a big putt on nine and just waited for my chances.”

Earning the silver medal was Toronto’s Beni Long. Long, from The Country Club, found himself two-over at the turn, however he would find his groove on the back nine with birdies on the 12^th and 15^th. That helped him finish one-over (73), which is where he ended the tournament (72-73-145).

There was a six-way tie for the bronze medal at a tournament total of three-over. Sharing the medal were: Toronto’s Alex Long (79-68-147), Burlington’s Peter Blazevic (76-71-147), North York’s Gerry Mei (76-71-147), Tecumseh’s Nicholas Tanovich (73-74-147), Little Britain’s Justin Matthews (70-77-147), and Oakville’s William Herbert (71-76-147).

In the Girls’ Championship, Sheikh, from Cedar Brae Golf Club, had a rough start to the round as she found herself five-over at the turn. However, she would settle down on the back nine. She bogeyed the 10^th but then birdied the 12^th before pars on the next four holes. After a bogey on 17, Sheikh found herself on the par-five 18^th putting for eagle. She would drain the 15-foot putt for eagle and the win. She finished the day four-over (76) to bring her tournament total to four-over (72-76-148).

Afterwards, Sheikh spoke about the putt that won it all. “It was really scary at first, I didn’t believe that it went in. I was very shaky but I’m glad that it did drop.”

Sheikh acknowledged that she had some struggles early on but talked about how she remained calm. “I tried to shake it off the best that I could. I made myself restart on the back nine and told myself that it was a new nine and just tried to go low.”

Taking the silver medal was Oshawa’s Madelin Boyd. Boyd, from Lakeridge Links Golf Club, had the low round of the day, an even par (72). Boyd bogeyed the opening hole but quickly got the stroke back with back-to-back birdies on the second and third holes. She would bogey 12 and 16, but ended the day strong with a birdie on the 18^th. She completed the tournament at six-over (78-72-150).

Rounding out the podium was London’s Jillian Friyia. Friyia, from Highland Country Club, had a share of the lead entering the round. She would battle during the final round and found herself five-over as she made the turn. She would add a pair of bogey’s on the back nine but was able to hang onto the bronze medal finishing the day seven-over (79) and the tournament seven-over (72-79-151).

For full tournament information, including the leaderboards and live streaming video archive, see the tournament sites at: https://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao17/event/gao1711/index.htm for the Boys’ Championship and https://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao17/event/gao1712/index.htm for the Girls’ Championship.

Golf Ontario would like to thank Loyalist Country Club, their staff and volunteers for hosting the Championships. Thanks also to the Golf Ontario volunteers and title sponsor Investors Group for their support of golf in Ontario.

About the Investors Group Ontario Bantam Championship

The Investors Group Ontario Bantam Boys’ Championship was first contested in 1923 at the Summit Golf & Country Club. The first Ontario Bantam Girls’ Championship was held in 2003. The event is open to players 14-years-old and younger as of Aug. 1. Participants on the boys’ side qualified through one of four qualifiers held earlier this summer. Notable past boys champions include: Tony Gil, Matt LeMay, Bill Hutcheson, Kelly Roberts and Tim McCutcheon. As for past girls champions, the list includes: Jennifer Kirby, Augusta James and Christina Foster.

CAMLACHIE — The Ontario Juvenile Boys’ and Girls’ Championships wrapped up on Aug. 17 from Sawmill Creek Golf Resort in Camlachie in rainy conditions. The players faced a two-hour delay early in the round and battled on-again off-again rain throughout the day. Despite the weather, the tournament did finish in full. At the end of the day, Fonthill’s Freddy D’Angelo claimed the boys’ championship, while Markham’s Victoria Zheng captured the girls’ title in a playoff.

D’Angelo, from Lookout Point Country Club, entered the round with a three-shot lead over Ottawa’s Romi Dilawri. He was consistent early in the final round with four straight pars. He knocked in a birdie on the fifth and went to the turn one-under. Three bogey’s on the back nine made things interesting, but he secured the win with a birdie on the 16^th and ended the round one-over (72) to finish the tournament at seven-under (66-68-72-206).

“This is a very important win for me,” said D’Angelo. “It is probably the biggest for me so far. Heading into the day, even with the weather, I knew I was playing well. I just tried to do my best and it paid off.”

D’Angelo, who was runner up at the Ontario Junior Boys’ Match Play Championship just a few weeks ago, said that his performance there really helped motivate him for this week. “I have been hitting the ball really well lately and I would say my putting has been a strong point.”

In a bit of a surprise, second place went to Little Britain’s Cody Clark. Clark, from Oliver’s Nest Golf Club, began the day at even par and in the fourth from last group. He went on to shoot the low round of the day, a five-under (66), which included eight birdies and three bogeys. That allowed him to claim the silver with a tournament total of five-under (72-70-66-208).

Dilawri would hang on to take home the bronze. He got out to a great start and was three-under through six. He made the turn two-under but had some struggles on the back nine. He went on to finish the day one-over (72) and ended the tournament four-under (68-69-72-209).

The girls’ championship came right down to the wire. Entering the day, Markham’s Hailey McLaughlin held a slim one-shot lead over Zheng. McLaughlin and Zheng would shoot four-over on the front nine, while their playing partner, North Gower’s Dylann Armstrong, shot a three-over front nine. That resulted in McLaughlin holding a one-stroke lead over the other two as they made the turn.

McLaughlin ran into some trouble early on the back nine, which opened the door for Zheng and Armstrong. The two were tied as they came up the 18^th. After overshooting the green on her approach, Armstrong drained a 20-footer to put the pressure on Zheng. Zheng too would make par, forcing a playoff.

In the playoff, Zheng would tap in for par, while Armstrong made bogey resulting in the win for Zheng. She finished the day six-over (77) for a tournament total of six-over (71-71-77-219) and the title.

“It feels good,” said Zheng after the round. “I am so honoured to win this. My competitors were very strong, which made me fight to win. During the playoff, I was just trying to stay calm and not get too nervous and it worked out in the end.”

When it came to pinpointing her strength during the week, Zheng said it was her play from the tees and fairways. “I would say my long game. I hit a lot of greens this week. Unfortunately, I didn’t make a lot of putts but I still made a lot of pars.”

Armstrong took home the silver also at six-over (74-69-76-219). Despite her troubles, McLaughlin still finished on the podium with the bronze medal. She ended the day nine-over (80) to complete the tournament at eight-over (70-71-80-221).

Golf Ontario would like to thank Sawmill Creek Golf Resort and Spa for hosting the Championships. Thanks also to the Golf Ontario volunteers who make these events possible.

For complete tournament information, including the final leaderboards, see the tournament sites at: https://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao17/event/gao177/index.htm for the Boys’ Championship and https://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao17/event/gao178/index.htm for the Girls’ Championship.

About the Ontario Juvenile Boys’ Championships

The Ontario Juvenile Boys’ Championship is a 54-hole competition that features the province’s best junior golfers under the age of 17 competing for the Mike Weir Trophy. Notable past champions include: Josh Whalen, Brandon Ng, Tim McCutcheon, Peter R. Knechtel, Bob Panasiuk and Gary Cowan.

About the Ontario Juvenile Girls’ Championships

The Ontario Juvenile Girls’ Championship features the province’s best junior golfers under the age of 17 competing for the Sandra Post Trophy. Past champions of the event include: Sandra Post, Jessica Shepley, Alena Sharp, Stephanie Sherlock, and Rebecca Lee-Bentham.

RICHMOND HILL— The 2017 Ontario Women’s and Junior Girls’ Match Play Championships wrapped up on Aug. 9 from DiamondBack Golf Club in Richmond Hill. After two full days of matches, it came down to defending champion, Pickering’s Crystina Kertsos and Brampton’s Karyn Lee Ping for the Women’s title, while Aurora’s Vanessa Chychrun and Toronto’s Catherine Zhang battled it out for the junior championship.

Kertsos defends Women’s Match Play title

Lee Ping, a Brampton Golf Club member, jumped out to an early lead taking the second hole. However, it would be short lived. Kertsos, from York Downs Golf & Country Club, squared the match on the third and took the lead on the fourth. After taking the sixth hole, Kertsos won the ninth and was 3up at the turn.

Kertsos began to pull away on the back nine. She took the 11^th hole and then the 13^th to move to 5up with five holes to play. Lee Ping sank a long birdie putt on the 14^th to stay in the match and almost repeated the feat on the 15^th. However, she came just short and Kertsos won the match 4&3 to defend the title.

“It means a lot to repeat as champion,” said Kertsos. “I loved every second of it. It feels really great to go back-to-back. This course’s conditions are great and it really sets up nicely to my eye. The first win was definitely special because it was my first provincial title but repeating just goes to show that it wasn’t a fluke.”

Kertsos began the tournament as the top seed and received an opening round bye. In the quarter finals she beat Grafton’s Danielle Sawyer 3&2. In the semi finals she took out Unionville’s Julia Hodgson 4&3.

As for Lee Ping, she entered the event as the sixth seed and defeated Stouffville’ s Ivy Steinberg 2&1 in the opening round. Next, she bested Mississauga’s Melany Chong in the quarter finals, but needed 20 holes to do so. She then beat Ridgeway’s Madeline Marck-Sherk in the semis 3&2.

About the Ontario Women’s Match Play Championship

The Ontario Women’s Match Play Championship was first played in 1975 and has several notable past champions including: World, Canadian and Ontario Golf Hall of Fame member Marlene Stewart Streit, six-time champion Mary Ann Hayward, Terrill Samuel, and Heather Kuzmich.

For full tournament information, including round by round results, see the tournament page at: https://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao17/event/gao1744/index.htm

Chychrun takes Ontario Junior Girls’ Match Play title

Chychrun, from Beacon Hall Golf Club, got out to a good start by taking the opening hole. However, Zhang, a Station Creek Golf Club member, squared the match with a par on the third. Zhang would then go 1up on the seventh before Chychrun brought it back to all square on the eighth, and it remained that way as they went to the back nine.

On the 10^th, Chychrun regained the lead. She would add to it on the 12^th and then went 3up on the 14^th. With Zhang missing a par putt on the 15^th, Chychrun captured the title by a score of 4&3.

“Winning this is pretty exciting,” said Chychrun. “Coming into the year my goal was to win one tournament and I did that here. This is the biggest win for me, so far.  When I was on the back nine with the lead, I realized someone has to win this tournament and thought that it might as well be me.”

Chychrun began the championship as the second seed and won her opening-round match over Woodstock’s Madeline Choi 9&7. In the quarters she had a 3&2 win over Thornhill’s Lauren Zaretsky. In the semis, she bested Brampton’s Brooke Rivers 2&1 to move onto the finals.

As for Zhang, she started as the fourth seed and won her first match 2&1 over Brampton’s Amanda Kerr. In the quarters she matched up with Aurora’s Lexie McKay and won that match 2&1. Then, in the semi finals, she took out the defending champion, Markham’s Hailey McLaughlin, in 19 holes to reach the finals.

About the Ontario 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. Notable past champions include: Alena Sharp, Stefi Markovich, Christina Yoon, Elizabeth Tong and Grace St-Germain.

For full tournament information, including round by round results, see the tournament page at: https://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao17/event/gao1743/index.htm

Golf Ontario would like to thank ClubLink and DiamondBack Golf Club for hosting the Championships. Thanks also to the Golf Ontario volunteers who make these events possible.

CAMBRIDGE— The second round of the Ontario Peewee Championship looked like it was going to be a repeat of the first with more beautiful conditions at Puslinch Lake Golf Course on Aug. 1. However, early in the afternoon a storm moved in and what was originally predicted to be a short delay, brought the players in for two hours. When the round did resume it was Cambridge’s Andreas Diogenous and Ottawa’s Isabella Ferguson who were crowned champions.

The hometown advantage proved to be enough for Diogenous. The Whistle Bear Golf Club member entered the final round with a share of the lead after posting a one-under (71) in the first round. He would better himself on the second day with an impressive five-under (67) to drop to six-under (138) for the tournament.

After the win, Diogenous spoke about what part of his game helped to lift him to his impressive final round. “I would have to say my putting. I probably made half of the putts I had on the front nine and made a few 30-footers. All of my putts under 10-feet went straight in, so that was good.”

Second spot went to the other co-leader from round one, Markham’s Kevin Lee. Lee, from Station Creek Golf Club, also had a solid second round. He was two-under at the turn and after an even back nine he finished the day two-under (70). That brought Lee to three-under (141) for the championship.

Rounding out the podium was Renfrew’s Carter Jarrett. The Renfrew Golf Club member also had an under-par second round finishing at one-under (71). That, combined with his three-over (75) opening round, moved him to two-over (146) for the tournament.

Ferguson, from eQuinelle Golf Club, entered the day with a share of the lead thanks to her opening round of four-over (76). Ferguson began the round well with four straight pars. She went on to make the turn at three-over. After a bogey on 11, Ferguson would drain her only birdie of the round on the 12^th. That turned out to be critical, as she would finish the round at seven-over (79) to bring her tournament total to 11-over (155), which gave her the title by a single stroke.

Afterwards, Ferguson spoke about what was running through her mind as she clung to the lead with one hole to go. “Coming down 18, I knew I just had to maintain the lead. I knew I just had to make a par, bogey, or even a birdie would have been nice. I just wanted to play it safe and have a solid finish.”

One-shot back was Hornby’s Annika Naumovski. Naumovski, a Brampton Golf Club member, started the day with a share of first thanks to her opening round of four-over (76). She had a good start to the day with a birdie on the third hole but the difference was a double bogey on the ninth. She was even with Ferguson at the turn at three-over but finished the back nine five-over and ended the day eight-over (80). That brought her to 12-over (156) for the championship and earned her the silver medal.

Picking up the bronze was Nepean’s Lauren Gervais. Gervais began the day in fourth after a 12-over (84) opening round. Her second round was highlighted by an eagle on the third hole. She went on to finish six-over (78) bringing her to 18-over (162) for the two days.

For complete tournament information, including the final leaderboards, see the tournament sites at: https://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao17/event/gao1724/index.htm for the Boys’ Championship and https://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao17/event/gao1725/index.htm for the Girls’ Championship.

Golf Ontario would like to thank Puslinch Lake Golf Course, along with their staff and volunteers for hosting the event. Thanks also to the Golf Ontario volunteers for their continued support of golf in the province.

About the Ontario Peewee Championship

The Ontario Peewee Championship made its debut in 2015. The championship is hosted by the Puslinch Lake Golf Course, which has a history with Golf Ontario, hosting the Ontario Bantam Championship from 1999 to 2012. The tournament is open to males and females who are younger than 13 years of age as of Aug. 1.

THORNTON — The home-course advantage was just what Alliston’s Taylor Beckstead needed as he captured the 2017 Ontario Junior Boys’ Match Play Championship on July 28 at Tangle Creek Golf & Country Club.

The 18-year-old Beckstead found himself in the finals against Fonthill’s Freddy D’Angelo. The match went back and forth on the front nine as each player held the lead at one point. With D’Angelo 1up after the eighth, Beckstead birdied the ninth to square the match at the turn.

Beckstead was dialed in on the back nine. He went 1up on the 10^th and then extended the lead on the 12^th. He hit back-to-back putts on the 13^th and 14^th for wins and was four-up with four to play. The two would halve the 15^th hole resulting in the 4&3 win for Beckstead.

Afterwards, Beckstead spoke about winning the title on his home course. “This is awesome! I have so much support from my family, friends, the guys who work here, even the junior camps! Everyone is cheering for me, so it was a lot of fun.”

Match play championships are some of the hardest to win and this one was no different for Beckstead. He began with a 5&4 win over Woodstock’s Davey Morton, followed by a 2&1 win over Brantford’s Michael Rizzo. In the third round he defeated Long Sault’s Ty Celone 2up, before a 20-hole win in the quarter finals against Etobicoke’s Justin Allen. In the semis, he edged out Peterborough’s Tyler White 2&1 to book his spot in the finals.

“It is a lot, you have back-to-back days with 36 holes and I didn’t finish my matches easily,” added Beckstead. “My first match yesterday went 20 holes and my second went right to the 17^th so it was a long day but I thought I played really well in the quarters.”

Beckstead was recently named to Team Ontario for the Canada Summer Games. He said that this win would go a long way in building his momentum. “The win not only gives me a boost for the Canada Summer Games but also for the Canadian Junior next week. I didn’t play well last week at the U.S. Junior, so it fell good to come back and play well here.”

As for D’Angelo, 16-years-old and from Lookout Point Country Club, his road to the finals began with a 1up win over Burlington’s Justin Grant. In the second round he knocked out Georgetown’s Thomas Giroux 2up, followed by an 8&6 win over Penetanguishene’s Adam Jordan in the third round. He defeated Cobourg’s Nicholas Oosterhof 2&1 in the quarters, before beating Sudbury’s Tristan Renaud, the Ontario Junior Boys’ Champion, 4&2 in the semis.

Golf Ontario would like to thank Tangle Creek Golf & Country Club along with their staff and volunteers for hosting the event. Thanks also to the Golf Ontario volunteers for their continued efforts in making provincial events successful.

For full tournament information, including round-by-round results, see the tournament site at: https://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao17/event/gao1723/index.htm

About the Junior Boys’ Match Play Championship

The 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.

SCARBOROUGH — The final round of the Investors Group Ontario Senior Men’s Championship, July 27 at Cedar Brae Golf Club, was a back and forth affair. The day saw numerous lead changes between Orillia’s John Murphy and Pickering’s Christopher Kertsos. The two players were the first and second-round leaders respectively, so it only made sense that they would be battling on the final day for the prize.

Things began well for Murphy, from Barrie Country Club, as he was three-under through seven. Meanwhile, Kertsos, from York Downs Golf & Country Club, had some early struggles and was two-over through three. However, Murphy would bogey eight, nine and 10 allowing Kertsos to regain the lead. Both players bogeyed the 12th and 14th and it was Kertsos with a one-shot lead with four holes to play.

It came down to the final hole where Kertsos put his second shot into a hazard. That resulted in a double bogey and opened the door for Murphy. Murphy was able to get up and down for par to win the title. He finished the day and the tournament at two-over (69-73-73-215). Kertsos finished the day five-over (76), the championship three-over (72-68-76-216) and tied for the silver medal.

Barrie’s David Greenaway also finished the tournament at three-over (74-71-71-216) in a tie for the silver medal. Greenaway, began the day in the second to last group at three-over. The Barrie Country Club member had one of the more consistent rounds on the day and found himself even after nine. He went on to play the back nine even as well, which helped lift him to the podium.

Afterwards, Murphy spoke about what winning the title meant to him. “Winning this means everything. It is what we practice for and is why we play as much as we do. To win the Ontario Senior is unbelievable!”

Murphy chalked up his success during the week to his game off the tee. “For the most part, I drove the ball pretty well. Near the end, I didn’t hit it as well but you just can’t win here, with the field as tough as it is, without everything going your way.”

During the tournament, Murphy saw a first-round lead disappear after the second round. He admitted his nerves got to him but entering the third round he found a way to put it past him. “I had never held the lead at an Ontario Championship. I was pretty nervous in round two but I got through it. Coming into today I thought ‘If I handled round two, today should be fine.’”

The 65+ Division title went to Vineland’s Kerry Short. Short, who entered the day with a share of the division lead, went on to card a two-over (73) during the final round to end the tournament at 10-over (75-75-73-223).

In the 70+ Division it was New Hamburg’s George Stokes who captured the title. Stokes shot a six-over (77) on the last day to bring his tournament total to 14-over (71-79-77-227).

Murphy, Kertsos and Greenaway all earned the right to represent Ontario in the interprovincial competition at the Canadian Senior Men’s Championship, Sept. 11-14 at Kanawaki Golf Club in Montreal, Quebec.

For more information, including the final leaderboards see the tournament site at: https://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao17/event/gao175/index.htm

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

About the Investors Group Senior Men’s Championship

The Investors Group Ontario Senior Men’s Championship is contested annually and features Ontario’s best male amateur golfers age 55 and older. 2017 marks the 82nd playing of the event, and notable past champions include: Ontario Golf Hall of Fame members Stu Hamilton and Nick Weslock, Herb Carnegie, Ed Ervasti, and Michael Jackson.

Highlights from the 2017 Investors Group Ontario Women’s Senior and Mid-Amateur Championship, June 25-27 at Wildfire Golf Club in Lakefield, Ontario. Both titles were won by Thornhill’s Judith Kyrinis.