China’s Du Mohan and Yuka Saso of the Philippines share lead at World Junior Girls
The Philippines remains ahead in the team competition
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – Cloud cover and blustery winds set the backdrop for the second round of the World Junior Girls Championship at Mississaugua Golf & Country Club. China’s Du Mohan carded a 2-under 70 to climb into a share of the lead alongside first-round leader Yuka Saso of the Philippines.
Du from Fujian, China, collected five birdies on the day, including a back-to-back pair on Nos. 15 and 16, to move to 1-under in the competition. Saso of Santa Rosa, Philippines, opened the day at 6-under, but the 15-year-old relinquished her lone hold of the lead following a 5-over showing.
“I putted very well today,” said the 14-year-old Du. “I had a lot of long downhill putts, but my distance control was very good. I was able to get the feeling [of the greens] very well and got five birdies.”
“I am very proud to be representing China,” she added. “I hope I can do my best and finish the week under-par.”
A second consecutive even-par round has San Pietro Val Lemina, Italy, native Caterina Don tied with Hee-Jung-Lim (Paju, Korea) and Harmie Nicole Constantino (Taguig, Philippines) in third.
The trio representing the Philippines – Saso, Constantino and Sofia Angela Legaspi of Quezon City – maintained its lead in the team competition at 3-under 285. Teams USA, Korea, Sweden and China are tied for second at 4-over 292.
The unique opportunity to play for her homeland is not lost upon Constantino.
“I’m really proud to play here and represent my country,” said the 15-year-old. “Of course, not all kids can play in this tournament, so being a part of it is really good for me.
“We are one of the [smaller] countries, we don’t have many players, so I’m really proud to say that I’m from the Philippines. We didn’t have much confidence coming here because there were bigger countries, so it’s really nice to be here and play this [well].”
Matching 73s from Céleste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-L’Île-Perrot, Que., and Surrey, B.C., native Hannah Lee have given the pair of Canada Two members a share of 18th to lead the Canadian contingent.
The third round of tournament play will begin at 8 a.m. Additional information from the competition can be found here.
The team of Larry Cooper and Lars Melander take home Senior Men’s Better-Ball title
BRAMPTON — The final event of the Golf Ontario season took place on September 22 at the Brampton Golf Club. It may have been the first official day of fall, but conditions were excellent for the 2016 Ontario Senior Men’s Better-Ball Championship.
When all of the scores were entered, after the shotgun, 18-hole competition, the team of Oakville’s Larry Cooper, from the Mississaugua Golf & Country Club, and Lars Melander, from Hidden Lake Golf Club, saw their names at the top of the leaderboard. The duo had an outstanding day and finished with a five-under (66) to claim the title. While this was the first provincial title for the 64-year-old Melander, Cooper, 59, has found provincial success in the past, as he was the 2014 Ontario Senior Men’s Champion.
Afterwards, both players had different reasons to celebrate, as the win meant something to each of them on another level. “This is the first time in 10 years as a senior competitor that I have won a gold-coloured medal,” said Melander. “I have come second a number of times, but never been able to win one until now!”
The win was also a special one for Cooper as his name will now go on the trophy, that his father, David, won in 1992 and 1997.
Second place was shared by a trio of teams who all finished the day at three-under (68). The tie included the 2015 Ontario Senior Men’s Better-Ball Champions Toronto’s Robert Gibson (Cedar Brae Golf & Country Club) and Stoney Creek’s Colin Grieve (Glendale Golf & Country Club); Fenwick’s Jim Briggs (Peninsula Lakes Golf Club) and Toronto’s Mark Bennett (Bayview Golf and Country Club); and Toronto’s John Mealia and Richmond Hill’s Michael Mealia (both from Bayview Golf and Country Club).
Golf Ontario would like to thank the staff and volunteers from Brampton Golf Club, along with the Golf Ontario volunteers, for their support of amateur golf in Ontario. For complete tournament information visit the tournament site at: https://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao16/event/gao1613/index.htm
About the Ontario Senior Men’s Better-Ball Championship
The Ontario Senior Men’s Better Ball Championship was first contested in 1982. It is open to players aged 55 and older as of the date of the tournament. The championship trophy was donated by the Oakdale Golf & Country Club, who annually host Golf Ontario’s Men’s Better-Ball Championship. Notable champions include Ontario Golf Hall of Famers Nick Westlock and Stu Hamilton.
Judith Kyrinis Earns Medalist Honours At The USGA Senior Women’s Championship
Scott MacLeod – Ontario Golf News
It’s already been a busy summer for Thornhill’s Judith Kyrinis but we’re betting there is still enough room for another trophy on her mantle.
The Thornhill Golf & Country Club member is the leading threat at this week’s United States Golf Association Senior Women’s Amateur Championship.
She will be the #1 seed as the event turns to match play on Monday after two rounds of stroke play qualifying at the Wellesley Country Club just outside Boston.
During stroke play Kyrinis was the only player to match par, doing so with back to back rounds of even par, 74.
The 52 year-old registered nurse has been having quite a year so far. She won the 2016 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur, Mid-Master, and Senior Championships, as well as repeating as champion at the Senior Women’s North & South Championship at famed Pinehurst Resort.
On Monday the top seed will face American Jen Holland in match play.
Other Canadians advancing to match play include Marie Torti and Helene Chartrand of Quebec, Sandra Turbide of British Columbia and Ivy Steinberg and Mary Ann Hayward of Ontario.
Video: Ontario Summer Games Highlights
Highlights from the 2016 Ontario Juvenile Boys’ and Girls’ Championships contested as part of the Mississauga Ontario Summer Games Aug. 10-12 from BraeBen Golf Club.
Currie becomes first Canadian to win Duke of York Young Champions Trophy
SOUTHPORT, England – Team Canada Development Squad member Chloe Curriemade history Thursday at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club, shooting up the leaderboard at the Duke of York to leapfrog the competition on her way to becoming the first Canadian to capture the Young Champions Trophy.
The Mississauga, Ont., product saved her best for last, carding a tournament-low 68 (-4) to finish atop both the boys’ and girls’ divisions with a 54-hole total of 214 (-2). The 16-year-old held a share of fourth place heading into Thursday’s final, eventually going to jump ahead of runner-up Markus Braadlie of Norway for the come-from-behind one-stroke victory.
With the win, Currie adds to a string of impressive results this past summer including defending her Ontario Junior Girls title and finishing runner-up at the Canadian Junior Girls. Currie’s next challenge will be flying the flag on home soil at her home club—Mississaugua Golf & Country Club—as a member of Canada’s first team at the third annual World Junior Girls Championship.
“I didn’t know what to expect as I have never played Links golf or even played in Europe but I played very well,” Currie said after winning the trophy. “This Tournament is great as you get to play with other juniors from different countries. It makes it a memorable experience.”
On the boys’ side, Canada’s Peyton Callens of Langton, Ont., finished with a share of 25th. The reigning Ontario Junior Boys’ Champion started out a strong with a 73 (+1) to sit inside the Top-10 through 18 holes but couldn’t maintain his spot, slipping with a 78-79 to close out the tournament.
The Duke of York Young Champions Trophy, founded in 2001, is a highly rated international event. All of the competitors are either the current holders of their Under 18 National Championship or have won another major golfing event in the previous year. The event boasts an impressive array of former competitors, including four-time major winner Rory McIlroy.
Click here for full scoring.
Inaugural Golf Ontario/Golf Barrie Golf Jam a huge success
ORILLIA— Golf Ontario and Golf Barrie unveiled a new concept on September 11 with the first Golf Jam, hosted by Hawk Ridge Golf & Country Club in Orillia. The day, geared at junior golfers under 14 years of age, was a huge success as 64 players comprised 16 teams to take part in the day’s events.
“Golf Jam is a program that we’ve partner with the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport to create and provide to kids across the province. It aims to engage local golf clubs and promote fun family, friends and fitness all in a team environment,” said Mike Kelly, Golf Ontario Executive Director.
The day broke down into two components: a CN Future Links Skills Challenge and a nine-hole alternate shot team golf competition. Half of the teams took to the course, while the other half competed in the skills challenge, before swapping after lunch.
“I believe we continue to create and inspire new ways for kids and families to get into golf but this just blew my mind,” added Kelly. “Based on the reaction from coaches, kids and parents, I see this as a home run! I see it going to different communities across Ontario in future years because it is a great way to bring the province together.”
Kelly’s optimism was echoed by coaches and parents who attended the day. “Golf Jam is a great introduction for players who have participated in our camps, clinics and leagues to be involved in potentially their first tournament,” said Ryan Star, Coach at Geared to Golf. “There are a lot of players who haven’t crossed paths with one another so we hope that there are a lot of new friendships by the end of the day.”
“The day has been fantastic!” Remarked Kevin Potter, a parent attending the event. “What Golf Ontario is doing for the kids is awesome! It is great to see the team sprit and everyone has a smile on their face today! The team competition was a lot of fun. It was well put together and we had a great time playing the alternate-shot format.”
Those sentiments also trickled down to the young golfers themselves who not only enjoyed the golf and skills challenge, but also the fun and games that made up the rest of the day.
“Today has been great especially since we just started school and have been really busy,” said Abigail Dove, 11-years-old from Brooklin. “To have all of these fun things to do like golf with friends, bouncy castles, and play games has been great to enjoy!”
“My favorite part of the day was golfing on the course. I played awesome and so did the rest of my team. Golf Jam has been good and lots of fun. I like it!” Added Aiden Hodgkinson, 8-years-old from Brooklin.
While the emphasis on the day was squarely around fun the teams did want bragging rights as the inaugural Golf Jam champs. When all of the scores were tallied there was a three-way tie between Whistle Bear GC (Peyton Costabile, Andreas Diogenous, Owen Lipskie and Aiden Shan), Barrie CC (David Simon, Andrew Laurin, Olivia Stoggart and Matthew Simon), and TTGA (Alissa Xu, Sopia Xu, Arthur Wang and Joline Truong) who all finished with a score of 21 Stableford points to share the gold medal.
Golf Ontario/Golf Barrie would like to thank all of the golfers, teams, coaches and parents who participated in the event and hopes to see everyone next year, as the event gets bigger and better.
Court and Reid win 2016 Ontario Women’s Four-Ball Championship
TORONTO — Two Golf Ontario championship veterans claimed their first provincial titles as the team of Mississauga’s Debbie Court and Etobicoke’s Marion Reid captured the 2016 Ontario Women’s Four-Ball Championship. The event, September 7 from Weston Golf & Country Club, was the final Golf Ontario women’s event of 2016.
Court, from the Toronto Golf Club, and Reid, from the Islington Golf Club, had a stellar day. The pair battled the hot, humid temperatures and finished with a team total of three-under (69). That turned out to be good enough for a two-shot victory.
The pair of Court and Reid also captured the net division title, scoring a net score of seven-under (65).
Finishing in second place was the team of Stouffville’s Ivy Steinberg, from Granite Golf Club, and Toronto’s Kelly Koselek, from Cedar Brae Golf & Country Club. The team carded a one-under (71) to earn the silver medal.
Rounding out the medals, with the bronze, was the team of Etobicoke’s Joanne Noble, from the host club of Weston, and Thornhill’s Judith Kyrinis, The Thornhill Club. Noble and Kyrinis shot a team total of even par (72).
Golf Ontario would like to thank the staff of Weston Golf & Country Club for hosting the 2016 event, along with the Golf Ontario volunteers for their continued support of amateur golf in Ontario.
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, 40 teams and 80 players took part in the 2016 event.
Six selected to represent Canada at third annual World Junior Girls Championship
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.
Golf Ontario announces 2016 Scholarship Recipients
UXBRIDGE — Since 1994, Golf Ontario has been providing financial assistance to deserving student golfers throughout Ontario who are continuing their education at the post-secondary level. Through the support of Golf Ontario’s corporate partners and sponsors, the association has been able to award scholarships and awards to deserving students.
This year marks a tremendous occasion for Golf Ontario, as the association has now surpassed $500,000 in scholarship funds awarded since the program’s inception. In 2016, Golf Ontario has selected another 12 deserving student golfers who will receive funding to help with their post secondary studies.
2016 Golf Ontario Scholarship Recipients
| Name | Scholarship | Club Affiliation | School | Program of Study |
| Meghan Bennett | Helena Harbridge Scholarship | Whitevale GC | University of North Florida | Communications Public Relations |
| Jaret Chipman | Craig Revell Scholarship | St. Catharines G&CC | Canisius College | Economic and Finance |
| Dante Severini | Ken MacKenzie Award | Sault Ste. Marie GC | Western University | Engineering/Business |
| Laura Maria Luna Cabrera | Christine Fisher Memorial Student Award | Cambridge GC | University of Waterloo | Civil Engineering |
| Melany Chong | Golf Ontario Scholarship | Golf Ontario Public Member | Appalachian State University | Environmental Science |
| Anna Foley | Golf Ontario Scholarship | Weston G&CC | DePauw University | Biological Sciences and Science Research Fellows |
| Noah Oakes | Golf Ontario Scholarship | Summit GC | McMaster University | Business |
| Ross Love | Golf Ontario Scholarship | Barrie G&CC | Wilfrid Laurier University | Music |
| Jenna Watts | Golf Ontario Scholarship | St. Catharines G&CC | University of Guelph | Biomedical Engineering |
| Sam Meek | Golf Ontario Scholarship | Kawartha G&CC | Southern Illinois University | Business Management |
| Jackson Bowery | Golf Ontario Scholarship | Greenhills GC | Western University | Management Organizational Studies |
| Noah Harkness | Golf Ontario Scholarship | Cedar Brae GC | King University | Physics |
To be eligible for one of the Golf Ontario awards or scholarships, recipients have maintained at least a 75% academic average, are enrolled in a post secondary institution, are members of the Golf Ontario and are actively involved in the game of golf.
Golf Ontario Congratulates the 2016 recipients and wishes them the best in their post-secondary studies.
Video: Investors Group Ontario Sr. Men’s Highlights
Highlights from the Investors Group Ontario Senior Men’s Championship, Aug. 4-6 at The Marshes Golf Club in Kanata, Ontario. The championship was won by Pickering’s Christopher Kertsos at -2.