The 26th Can-Am Matches, an annual face-off featuring junior golfers from Ontario against their counterparts from South Carolina, begins this Saturday at the Wachesaw Plantation Club in Murrells Inlet, S.C.
The Ontario team, composed of 16 players, will participate in 24 matches: 8 mixed four-ball matches on Saturday followed by 16 singles matches on Sunday. To claim victory, the winning team needs to secure 36.5 points.
“The Can-Am Matches are a special event for our athletes,” said Team Ontario Head Coach Reggie Millage. “The chance to represent Ontario and Canada in a team setting, on a great course like Wachesaw Plantation, makes it an unforgettable experience. Our players have worked hard to earn their spot and are excited to compete for a trophy with such a proud history.”
A Junior-Am event will precede the official start of the matches, allowing Can-Am Matches participants to play alongside event sponsors and members. This will be followed by a dinner and opening ceremonies at the Wachesaw Plantation Club.
At last year’s Can-Am Matches, Ontario secured a 39-33 win, marking their first victory since 2019 and only the fifth in the event’s history.
TEAM NOTES:
Alexis Card (Galt Country Club)
Andrea Lai (St. Thomas Golf & Country Club)
Amelia McFarlane (Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club)
Cindy Yan (Station Creek Golf Club)
Kaprice Park (RattleSnake Point Golf Club)
Riviera Lindholm (St. George’s Golf Club)
Kaylan Green (Scarborough Golf & Country Club)
Serena Zhang (Golf Ontario Player Club – Toronto South)
Andy Dai (Golf Ontario Players Club- Toronto North)
Dimitri Protopapas (The Nest)
Evan Hall (Elmira Golf Club)
Joseph Totino (Summit Golf & Country Club)
Manav Bharani (Brampton Golf Club)
Matthew Simpson (Lambton Golf & Country Club)
Max Li (Summit Golf & Country Club)
Michael Vivone (Royal Ottawa Golf Club)
FAST FACTS:
Venue: Wachesaw Plantation Club. Murrells Inlet, S.C.
Dates: March 21-22
Social Media: @thegolfontario on Instagram, Facebook.
Teams: Eight junior boys and eight junior girls from Team Ontario versus eight junior boys and girls from South Carolina
Format: Eight four-ball matches on Day 1 and 16 singles matches on Day 2. One full point is awarded for each victory, while a half-point is earned for matches that are all square after 18 holes. The first team to 36.5 points is the winner.
Series Record: South Carolina leads 20-5
Notable Can-Am Matches Competitors: Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes, Brittany Marchand, Augusta James, Rebecca Lee-Bentham, Bill Haas, Kevin Kisner, Lauren Stephenson and Jensen Castle.
Fun Fact: Wachesaw Plantation Club was home to an LPGA Tour event from 1997-2000.
