SASKATOON, Sask. – A strong contingent of the world’s top female amateur golfers will compete July 27-31 for the title of Canadian Women’s Amateur champion at Riverside Country Club in Saskatoon, Sask.
The championship will feature 115 of the top Canadian and international female amateurs contending for the Duchess of Connaught Trophy. This year, 16 amateur players ranked inside the World’s Top-100 will participate, including Team Canada National Amateur Squad members Maddie Szeryk (No. 39) and Brittany Marchand (No. 58).
“We are very excited about this year’s Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Riverside Country Club,” said Golf Canada Tournament Director Mary Beth McKenna. “This prestigious tournament has historically been a stepping stone for amateurs making the leap to professional status. In 2014, the top three finishers all went on to turn pro. We look forward to seeing this year’s competitive field in action.”
Among the 10 players who joined the professional ranks since last year’s competition are Augusta James of Bath, Ont., who placed first; runner-up Su-Hyun Oh from Australia; and former World No. 1 amateur and Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont. The tournament’s past eight champions have all turned professional.
This year’s field is set to include Bethany Wu of Diamond Bar, Calif., Korea’s Eun-jeong Seong, Caroline Inglis of Eugene, Ore., and Mariel Galdiano of Pearl City, Hawaii, who all sit within the top 40 of the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
Team Canada’s Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont. placed T12 in last year’s competition. She is looking to build upon her recent momentum from claiming the 2015 Investors Group Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship after having reached the quarter-finals at the 2015 British Ladies Open Amateur and placing second in the 2015 NCAA SEC Championship.
Also placing T12 in 2014 was Josée Doyon – currently Canada’s second highest ranked amateur golfer at No. 55. The St-Georges, Que., native notched three NCAA victories this season with Kent State University.
Also representing Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad will be Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., who recently finished T2 at the 2015 Investors Group Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship. Completing the National Team contingent is Thornhill, Ont., native Elizabeth Tong who finished fourth in her home province’s amateur championship and 2015 Sun Life Financial Alberta Ladies Amateur Champion Jennifer Ha of Calgary.
Joining the National Amateur Team will be the full roster of Canada’s Development Squad: Victoria, B.C., native Naomi Ko; Alisha Lau of Richmond, B.C.; Calgary product Jaclyn Lee; Ottawa’s Grace St-Germain and Michelle Kim from Surrey, B.C., who claimed both the 2015 B.C. Women’s Amateur and B.C. Junior Girls titles in recent weeks.
The field representing 11 countries will not only be vying for the 2015 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship title, but also exemptions into the 2015 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open at The Vancouver Golf Club in Coquitlam, B.C., and the 2015 U.S. Amateur Championship.
An inter-provincial team championship will also take place in conjunction with the first two rounds of stroke play; Team Ontario enters the tournament as defending champions.
The practice round will be held Monday, July 27 before championship play commences on Tuesday, July 28 through Friday, July 31. Following the first two rounds, the field will be cut to the low 70 and ties.
For more information on the championship including the full field, starting times and live scoring; click here.