Ontario mounts comeback to win interprovincial; trio tied for lead at Canadian Junior Girls Championship
Golf Canada
OTTAWA, Ont. – Team British Columbia had their sights set on second consecutive interprovincial team championship, but the squad from Ontario had other plans at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO.
As so often is the case in golf, the tables turned on the leaders – and in this one, they turned quickly. With the trophy at the fingertips of Team B.C., one team got cold and the other heated up. Trailing by three strokes, Swetha Sathish piloted a miraculous comeback, making birdie on three of her final six holes to lift her province to victory in the interprovincial competition.
Sarah Gallagher contributed to the team efforts with back-to-back rounds of even-par 72. Along with Sathish’s two-under par 70 in the second round and Kelly Zhao’s three-over par 75 in Tuesday’s opening round, the team combined for a total score of 289 and a five-stroke triumph over the runner-up British Columbians.
INDIVIDUAL COMPETITION
Of the five players who shared the lead after Tuesday’s opening round, only Erin Lee remained atop the standings in the individual competition. Joining the Langley, B.C., native at the front of pack is Lindsay McGrath and Krystal (ZhuoTong) Li. The trio own a share of the lead at four-under par.
After starting her round with a bogey, Lee answered the bell, rallying off five birdies to get to six-under par on the tournament. The 16-year-old dropped a pair of shots in the latter stages of her round and pointed to lackluster putting to explain the blemishes.
“Today, all my shots were pretty good [but] I struggled a bit with putting. If my putter worked, I honestly think I could have gone way lower,” admitted Lee. She says she’ll look to continue hitting the shots she’s been hitting but needs to see a few more putts drop.
McGrath, 15, carded the low round of the tournament, a six-under par 66 to climb into a share of the lead. A troubling round one with the flat stick lead the Oakville, Ont., native to the putting green this morning. Safe to say the practice was worthwhile. The Team Ontario recorded birdies on holes No. 1 and No. 18 and made five others in between en route to the top of the board.
“Yesterday I was missing a lot of putts, so I put the work in this morning and was able to make a lot of short putts for birdie and save a lot for par, so I think that really helped me today,” said McGrath. “My mental [game] was really good today; I was able to dial in on those putts and not feel any pressure.”
Team Canada’s Yeji Kwon also made some noise on Wednesday at The Marshes Golf Club, posting a five-under par 67 to leap into sole possession of sixth place, just two strokes back of the leaders.
“Yesterday my irons weren’t so good, so I made a couple of changes after the round and today my irons were a lot better. I was able to get them on the green and make a couple of birdie putts,” said Kwon.
After a bogey-free, three-under par 33 on the front nine (started on hole No. 10), the Port Coquitlam eagled the par-4 1st, holing out on a 76-yard wedge shot from the fairway.
“It was a good shot. It hit the slope, then it spun back, and it went in, and I was like ‘Oh my gosh,” said Kwon, in disbelief.
Bo Brown also fired a five-under par 67, a result of eight birdies, including a stretch of three in a row from holes No. 11-13. The University of British Columbia Thunderbird improved on her first-round performance by 16 strokes. She sits T25 going into Thursday’s third round.
Krystal (ZhuoTong) Li, Peyton Costabile and Ling Yu (Katherine) Hao managed scores of three-under par 69. Elsa Wu aced the 146-yard, par-3 17th hole. The 12-year-old says she saw the ball hit the pin but didn’t see it drop into the hole and if her “memory is correct,” it is the first of her very young career.
70 players made the cut at 14-over par. Third round tee times are scheduled to begin at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, with the leaders teeing off at 9:50 a.m.
Five share lead through first round at Canadian Junior Girls Championship
12 year old Lucy Lin was among the top performers in round one of the 2022 Canadian Junior Girls Championship at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont., on July 26.
Golf Canada
OTTAWA, Ont. – The leaderboard flip flopped all throughout the first round of the 2022 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO, but when the dust settled, there were five tied atop the leaderboard.
Madelin Boyd, Amy Seung Hyun Lee, Erin Lee, Lucy Lin, and Myranda Quinton all fired rounds of two-under par 70 to pace the 136-player field.
27 other players are within five shots of the leaders at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont.
Boyd, a native of Oshawa, Ont., recorded three birdies on the day and suffered only one bogey. The 18-year-old birdied the par-5 2nd hole, before falling back to even par two holes later. From there, it was nothing but birdies and pars for the junior who earned the clubhouse lead early in the day.
Quinton, 17, also made a trio of birdies on the day. After a bogey-free front nine, the Burlington, Ont. native dropped a shot on the par-5 2nd hole but bounced back with a pair of birdies down the stretch to secure a piece of the pie.
Lee and Hyun Lee, both of Langley. B.C. matched each other with five birdies aside and had merely similar scorecards. Both started their tournaments with a pair of birdies in their opening holes, and added two more early in their back nines, before capping off their rounds with a final birdie on No. 18.
Lin, one of the youngest competitors in the field, had the most birdies on the day with six. After falling to one-over par after 10 holes, the 12-year-old rallied off three birdies coming in – including a pair on her final two holes – to grab a share of the lead after the opening round.
Recent history doesn’t bode well for the quintet. In four of the last five Canadian Junior Girls Championships, only once did the leader or co-leader after the first round go on to win the tournament, but ask them and they’ll tell you trends are meant to be broken.
Four more players sit one stroke back of the leaders in the red numbers at one-under par: Payton Lovisa, Krystal (ZhuoTong) Li, Anna Huang and Alissa Xu.
Xu, 16, carried on her momentum from the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship last week, with another strong showing in round one. The Richmond Hill, Ont. native, who finished in second place at Westmount Golf & Country Club, rolled in five birdies, to go along with four bogeys on the way to a one-under par 71.
Hyun Lee and Lin are tied for the lead in Juvenile division – a subdivision for girls 16 and under.
In the interprovincial team competition, the Team British Columbia contingent of Hyun Lee and Tina Jiang carded an even-par 144 for a three-stroke advantage over Team Ontario. The team championship will wrap up tomorrow at the conclusion of the second round.
Junior girls set to tee it up at nationals on heels of Henderson’s historic win
Golf Canada
OTTAWA, Ont. – Hinged between two of the biggest tournaments in Canadian women’s amateur golf was one of the most monumental moments in Canadian golf history.
Last Friday, Monet Chun captured the 108th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship. This Friday, a champion will be named at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship; and in between, Brooke Henderson became the first-ever two-time major champion in Canadian golf history.
All that to say, timing is everything and for the junior girls teeing it up at The Marshes Golf Club this week, the timing couldn’t have been better. On the ten-year anniversary of Henderson’s win in 2012, 137 players will compete for the 67th Canadian Junior Girls Championship beginning Tuesday, July 26 and wrapping up Friday, July 29.
For some, it will be a first chance to compete on the national stage. For others, it will be the last of their junior careers. But, for all, it will represent an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the winningest golfer in Canadian history.
“Moments like yesterday matter for these girls,” said Tournament Director Josée Matte. “We’re excited to host a strong field of competitors this week at The Marshes Golf Club and watch as the future of Canadian women’s golf chase a national championship in the nation’s capital.”
Five of Team Canada’s National Junior Squad members will be in the field this week in Ottawa, Ont.: Anne-Léa Lavoie (Québec, Qué.); Ella Weber (Burlington, Ont.); Luna Lu (Burnaby, B.C.); Martina Yu (Coquitlam, B.C.); and Yeji Kwon (Port Coquitlam, B.C.).
Also in the field are three top-10 finishers from last week’s Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship: Alissa Xu (Richmond Hill, Ont.), who finished in 2nd place, as well as Kelly Zhao (Richmond Hill, Ont.) and Vanessa Borovilos (Etobicoke, Ont.) who recorded T5 finishes.
Peyton Costabile of Ayr, Ont., as well as U19 Alberta Junior Girls champion, Eileen Park, and Ontario Women’s Amateur champion, Carlee Meilleur are among the other notable names pencilled into the draw in the nation’s capital.
Returning this year is the inter-provincial team competition. The inter-provincial championship will be played in conjunction with the first 36 holes of the competition, with three-player teams vying for the team title. In rounds one and two the best two scores of the three golfers from each provincial team count towards the team’s score. The lowest aggregate score over rounds one and two determines the champion.
Team British Columbia – composed of Angela Zhang, Cindy Koira and Erin Lee – are the reigning champions from 2019.
The Juvenile division remains in place this year and will run concurrently with the Junior division through the 72-hole competition. The Juvenile division is for girls 16 and under. Luna Lu, of Burnaby, B.C., was the runner-up in the Juvenile division last year and will be in the field this week.
New to this year’s tournament is a purse payout. To align with the modernized Rules of Amateur Status, players at the Canadian Women’s Junior Championship will now compete for a purse of $8,000 CAD. Amateur golfers may accept prize money up to a maximum of $1,200 CAD, and payouts will be awarded to the top-10 finishers and ties.
The winner also receives an exemption into the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Ashburn Golf Club in Halifax, N.S., as well as the 2023 U.S. Junior Girls Championship.
Previous winners of the Canadian Junior Girls Championship include Brooke Henderson (2012), Alena Sharp (1999), and Sandra Post (1964-66).
For more information on the 2022 Canadian Junior Girls Championship click here.
Monet Chun wins 108th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship
Golf Canada
KITCHENER, Ont. – On a day where her idol, Brooke Henderson, made history overseas, Monet Chun added her own name to the record books by winning the 108th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO.
Chun, 21, fired an even-par 73 to win the national championship by two shots over Alissa Xu. With the win comes an exemption into the CP Women’s Open at Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club, August 22-28, as well as a spot in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, August 8-14, at Chambers Bay.
“I was coming into this week just trying to put together a couple of good rounds, but I’m happy that it worked out,” said Chun. “Coming into the stretch was a little bit stressful just because it was getting pretty close there, but I didn’t really change too much in my game.”
With a six-stroke advantage entering the day, the stage was set for Monet Chun on Friday at Westmount Golf & Country Club, and she did not disappoint. All day, crowds followed the lead group through the fairways at Westmount Golf & Country Club and the support did not go unnoticed.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had a crowd that big following me around. It’s pretty cool to get some local people just watching and, yeah, I had a lot of fun,” said the Michigan University product.
Along with the Duchess of Connaught Gold Cup, Chun will take home a cheque of $1,200. To align with the modernized Rules of Amateur Status, players at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, competed for a purse of $8,000 CAD. Along with Chun, top-10 finishers and ties earned a piece of the prize money.
With Lauren Zaretsky’s win in 2021, the pair become the first Canadian duo to win back-to-back since Henderson and Augusta James did it in 2013 and 2014.
“Following in their footsteps is a big thing, just as a Canadian… I don’t know, it’s nice and a lot of fun,” Chun said, at a loss for words.
Team Canada Stollery Family Women’s Head Coach, Salimah Mussani, followed the final pairing and couldn’t be happier for not only Chun, but women’s golf in Canada.
“This is best case scenario,” said Mussani. “It was definitely something that was important to us, some national pride to have a Canadian win this and for it to be a member of our team, it was definitely special,” said Mussani.
Although she made it look easy this week, that wasn’t always the case for Chun who admits she struggled with her game a short time ago. With hard work and patience came a national championship and memories that will last a lifetime.
“It’s been a huge couple of years just grinding it out,” said Chun. “Coming out here today and having this win is huge for me,” said Chun. “It seems like my game is coming towards where it should be or going in the right direction, so I’m happy.”
Chun’s range session following her second round 78 was a turning point in the week for the champion, and though Mussani was there for pointers, she directed all the credit to the player for putting in the work.
“She knows what she needs to take care of, she knows her putting needs to be key here, we did a lot of work on that. She focused on it, she spent the time in the mornings and after her rounds and she took care of business,” said Mussani. “She just gets things done.”
Xu gave Chun a run for her money, firing a found-under par 69 to finish as the runner-up. The 16-year-old rolled in six birdies to post her second round under par for the tournament. In third was the Newport Beach, Calif. native, Katherine Muzi, and Team Canada National Junior Squad member Lauren Kim with a score of even-par over the 72-hole championship.
Team British Columbia took home the Interprovincial Team Trophy with a five stroke victory over Team Quebec.
Ontario’s Chun charges to top in round three of Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship
Monet Chun stares down a par putt on the 18th green at Westmount Golf & Country Club during the third round of the 108th Canadian Women's Amateur Championship.
Golf Canada
KITCHENER, Ont. – Thursday was all about Monet Chun at Westmount Golf & Country Club.
Chun charged into the lead with a bogey-free, seven-under par 66 on moving day at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, and holds a six-stroke lead ahead of Friday’s final round, with the Duchess of Connaughton Gold Cup and a spot in the CP Women’s Open at stake.
“I was just trying to make up strokes from yesterday, but I hit the ball well [and] putted well today so I was pretty happy overall,” said Chun. “I had a couple of tough chips out there, left a little bit of long putts like on 18 here, but I was just putting together a good round today so I’m pretty happy about that,” added a humble Chun.
Within minutes of finishing a disappointing round of three-over par 78 on Wednesday, Chun darted to the range to fine-tune some swing mechanics. Needless to say, the practice paid off on Thursday.
“I missed a couple left yesterday and I’ve been working on that for quite a long time now so it’s nothing new. I kind of worked on it a little bit yesterday and it obviously helped today,” said Chun
The best of the 21-year-old’s seven birdies on the day came at the par-4 15th, where she chipped in from behind the green. With a downhill lie, the Team Canada member lofted a wedge onto the putting surface and watched as it broke toward the pin and drop into the hole.
Monet Chun chips in on 16 to get to 6-under on the day.
Chun, who is as even keeled as they come, couldn’t help but crack a smile after that one.
The Richmond Hill, Ont. native, who sits at five-under on the tournament, was part of an all-Team Canada pairing today, playing alongside Céleste Dao and Yeji Kwon. Chun admitted that being grouped with familiar faces and having her coach follow along today allowed her to settle in more comfortably on yet another gusty day in Kitchener.
“For sure there’s a factor in that. I’ve played with Céleste for forever now, so being with her out there was very helpful.”
Earlier in the day, Vanessa Borovilos stormed up the leaderboard with a round of four-under par 69 that saw the 16-year-old record eight birdies. Borovilos sits T6 ahead of the final round, eight strokes back of the leader.
“Over the last few days, after the rounds, I worked on my putting because I was struggling with that,” said Borovilos. “Last night, I was able to get a good feel for my putts; I changed my setup a little bit, so today, I was able to go out there and I felt confident that I could get every putt to the hole and on line. Also, on the par 5s I was pretty aggressive with my second shots, so I gave myself good looks.”
Having not been among the leaders entering the round relieved the Etobicoke, Ont., native of any underlying pressure, but she says that didn’t change her mentality going into the day.
“Whether I’m close to the leaderboard or down at the bottom, I still want to play well; I’m still trying to do my best. Today, I just got everything to work so it was a good day,” said Borovilos.
Bentley Cotton, out of Austin, Tx., carded her best round of the week, a one-under par 71. After a blistering hot start, the University of Texas Longhorn cooled off, but still managed to put herself in a favourable position entering the final round.
The 21-year-old was five-under through a five-hole stretch, from holes No. 5-9, including an eagle on the par-4 8th. Cotton bombed her drive, which settled just short of the green, before knocking in a lengthy putt to get into the red numbers.
“That’s a bonus, you know, you’re just trying to make birdie. [I] made bogey on three, no four; I kind of got a tough break in the rough, was in a divot and came away with bogey but then just got it going. [I] started rolling the putts and hitting it close,” said Cotton.
Bentley Cotton’s 1-under par 70 has her in the hunt ahead of Friday’s final round
Cotton, who plays with Team Canada’s Brigitte Thibault at the University of Texas, says it’s her first time in Canada and it’s been, well, great.
“Canadian Am, great tradition […] Everything is run very well, great points for the WAGR (World Amateur Golf Rankings), great people and obviously a great course in great conditions. I’m excited to be here,” said the American. “I love it,” she said about Canada as a whole. “Everything is just unbelievable, overall just a great experience.”
Alissa Xu continues to hold onto second place after a three-over par 76. Katherine Muzi, Lion Higo and the aforementioned Cotton are T3 and sit at +2 for the tournament.
The final round is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m., with the leaders teeing off at 9:30 a.m. An awards ceremony will follow the conclusion of play on Friday.
B.C. wins interprovincial; Muzi leads at Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship
Golf Canada
KITCHENER, Ont. – Team Québec and Team British Columbia were neck-and-neck coming down the stretch, but it was the latter who escaped victorious in the interprovincial team competition at the 108th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO.
With half a hole remaining, Mother Nature decided to make her presence known by way of lightning and thunder, forcing officials to suspend play. After a short delay, the final group of Leah John (B.C.), Céleste Dao (Québec), and Erin Kim (Ontario), returned to hole their final putts and officially put a stamp on the interprovincial team championship.
B.C. entered the day one stroke up on Québec and the lead barely budged for most of the round, but in crunch time it was the team from Canada’s west coast – composed of Yan Jun (Victoria) Liu, Leah John and Ha Young Chan – who prevailed, winning by five strokes to capture the Interprovincial Team Trophy.
Vancouver’s Liu and John captained the ship for B.C., firing rounds of 73 and 75, respectively, in Wednesday’s second round to secure the 36-hole team championship title. Individually, Liu ranks T3, while John is positioned T5 heading into day three.
The player they are chasing is Katherine Muzi – the highest ranked competitor in the field on the World Amateur Golf Rankings. Muzi, 22, waited, and waited and waited to make her move but when she did, there was no stopping the American. After an opening round two-over par 74, the Newport Beach, Calif., native carded a four-under par 69 to vault atop the leaderboard through two rounds.
Muzi, who started her day on No. 10, birdied hole No. 5 to spark a four-hole birdie streak and a back nine rally that helped her leapfrog the field ahead. The University of South Carolina Trojan sits at three-under par for the tournament and owns a one-shot advantage halfway through the national championship.
Alissa Xu had a day of her own, firing a three-under par 70 on a wind-howling afternoon at Westmount Golf & Country Club. The Richmond Hill, Ont., native withstood gusts of up to 60km/h and climbed 13 spots up the leaderboard into sole possession of second place.
“I really just tried to just focus on the process and not the score because I find that distracting at times,” said Xu. “Just [wanted] to pick the right clubs and pick the right targets to shoot at.”
That she did. The 16-year-old poured in five birdies to join the leaders on the front page of the leaderboard. She says her goal is to simply stay level-headed entering the final rounds and focus only on what she can control.
Alissa Xu
Rebecca Kim made one of the biggest splashes in round two, jumping 23 spots on the leaderboard and into the top-10 with a one-under par 72 on a day where birdies came few and far between.
“I was able to handle the wind well today; it was definitely really gusty, so I think that was definitely something that was to my advantage,” said the Victoria, B.C., native. “I was a lot cleaner with my approach shots [today]. I gave myself more looks; I was just kind of tighter to the pins and I got more stuff up-and-down,” she added.
Kim says she focuses on staying resilient through the adversity and that playing ‘gritty’ will be the payoff to success the rest of the way.
First round leader, Leigh Chien, struggled on day two, shooting a six-over par 79. The American remains in a tie for third place, however, and very much in contention with 36 holes left to play.
With the cutline set at 13-over, 73 players advanced to the ‘weekend’ in Kitchener. The third round is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday morning. The leaders will tee off in the final group at 9:30 a.m.
Chien takes centre stage on day one at Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship
Golf Canada
KITCHENER, Ont. – American, Leigh Chien, birdied early and often en route to a seven-under par 66 and four-stroke lead in the opening round of the 2022 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO.
Scoring conditions were at a premium for the morning wave at Westmount Golf & Country Club and Chien wasted no time pouncing on the opportunity. The 16-year-old rolled in five birdies over her opening eight holes and never looked back, as she continued to distance herself from the pack with an additional three birdies on the back nine. Her lone blunder came on the par-4 No. 15.
“I feel pretty good going into tomorrow,” said Chien. “I just tried to make as many birdies as possible and as few mistakes as possible and I was able to do that [today]. Westmount is really nice; the conditions are great [and] the greens are really smooth. I think that really helped me shoot low.”
Team Canada’s Monet Chun paced the rest of the pack with a three-under par 70 for sole possession of second place, The Richmond Hill, Ont. native carded three birdies and an eagle for the low-Canadian score of the day.
“Putting myself in a good position early is ideal, because it’s such a long four rounds,” said Chun. “Continuing what I’m doing; hitting lots of greens, lots of fairways and making as many putts as possible,” said the 18-year-old on what she thinks it will take to win the tournament.
Five other Canadians ended round one inside the top-10, including Team Canada member Céleste Dao. Dao, who plays her college golf at the University of Georgia, got off to blistering hot start, making three birdies through five. The middle part of the Quebec native’s round caused her headaches, as she fell back to even par with a stretch of bogeys. The 21-year-old bounced back brilliantly, however, with a birdie on her 17th hole to get back into the red numbers.
The highlight of the day – and quite possibly the tournament – belonged to Élizabeth Labbé. Labbé, the runner-up at this year’s Canadian University/College Championship, carved an iron into the 149-yard par-3 No. 17 at Westmount and watched her ball drop for a hole-in-one. The ace helped the UBC Thunderbird to a round of two-over par 75. She sits T23 heading into the second round.
Team British Columbia leads the interprovincial team championship by one stroke over Team Québec. B.C., made up of Ha Young Chang, Leah John and Yan Jun (Victoria) Liu, fired a combined two-under par on the day. Team Ontario (+10), Team Alberta (+13) and Team Manitoba (+19) follow in third, fourth and fifth place, respectively.
Canadian and international amateurs set to compete at 108th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship
Golf Canada
KITCHENER, Ont. – The 108th installment of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, gets underway this week at Westmount Golf & Country Club in Kitchener, Ont. from July 19-22.
The championship, which was first held in 1901, is one of the longest standing amateur events in the world. The inaugural tournament at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Que., featured only three players. Fast forward over a century later and 140 players will look to etch their name into the Duchess of Connaughton Gold Cup in 2022.
“Golf Canada is excited for the return of not only a marquee event in Canadian golf history, but also one of the premier amateur events in the world,” says Tournament Director, Mary Beth McKenna. “We’re confident Westmount Golf & Country Club will offer a challenging yet fair test for the players as they showcase their talents on an elite golf course.”
Practice rounds are scheduled for July 18, before the official 72-hole stroke play competition begins on July 19. Play is scheduled to wrap up on July 22, followed by an awards ceremony and champions reception. The field will be cut to the low 70 players (including ties) after 36 holes.
For the first time since 2019, the tournament will welcome the return of international players following complications caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ten players from the United States, two from Mexico and one from Australia are slated to tee it up north of the border this week, including Katherine Muzi and Bentley Cotton, ranked No. 127 and 250 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings, respectively.
Also being re-introduced this year is the inter-provincial team competition. The inter-provincial championship will be played in conjunction with the first 36 holes of the competition, with three-player teams vying for the team title. Team Ontario – composed of Sarah Dunning, Emily Zhu and Tiana Cruz – are the reigning champions from 2019. Dunning and Zhu are both in the field in Kitchener this week.
Four members of Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad are pencilled into the draw at Westmount: Brooke Rivers (Brampton, Ont.); Céleste Dao (Notre-Dame-de-Ile-Perrot, Que.); Monet Chun (Richmond Hill, Ont.); and Sarah-Eve Rhéaume (Québec City, Que.).
The National Junior Squad will also be well-represented at the 18-hole championship course west of Toronto, with seven members of the team slated to compete: Angela Arora (Surrey, B.C.); Anne-Léa Lavoie (Québec, Que.); Emily Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.); Lauren Kim (Surrey, B.C.); Luna Lu (Burnaby, B.C.); Martina Yu (Coquitlam, B.C.); and Yeji Kwon (Coquitlam, B.C.).
Red Deer, Alta.’s Eileen Park is the youngest player in the field at the age of 13; Katherine Hou and Sophia Xu are also only 13 years old, but Park’s date of birth is the latest of the three. Rhonda Orr, out of Winnipeg Man., is the oldest competitor in the field at 60. There are four members of Westmount Golf & Country Club teeing it up this week: Sarah Dunning, Angela Lee, Madeline MacMillan and Laura McIntosh.
New to this year’s tournament is a purse payout. To align with the modernized Rules of Amateur Status, players at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship will now compete for a purse of $8,000 CAD. Amateur golfers may accept prize money up to a maximum of $1,200 CAD, and payouts will be awarded to the top-10 finishers and ties.
Westmount Golf & Country Club was designed by world-renown architect Stanley Thompson and opened in 1931. Since then, it has played hosts to a number of national and provincial championships, notably the 1957 Canadian Open, 1969 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship and 2009 Canadian Junior Boys Championship. Known for its undulating fairways and sloping greens, the championship course is set up to play fast and firm as it tests an elite field of amateur golfers this week. Westmount last hosted the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship in 1965.
“We are very excited to host 108th Canadian Women’s Amateur at Westmount this coming week,” said General Manager, Brad Duench. “Our Tournament Committee has worked very hard leading up to this week and I know our membership will be out to support these accomplished athletes. [I] do sense we have a buzz in the community about the event and we are excited to welcome everyone to Westmount this week,” he added.
The Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship was last played in 2021 at Edmonton Petroleum Golf and Country Club in Spruce Grove, Alta. Team Canada National Junior Squad member Lauren Zaretsky was crowned champion, finishing at two-under par to win by as many strokes.
The last time Canadians won in back-to-back years was in 2013 & 2014, when Brooke Henderson and Augusta James captured the national titles.
Along with the championship’s storied history comes its coveted cast of competitors. Marlene Stewart Streit, a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, sits atop the class with 11 victories and five runner-up finishes at the national event. Since then, the tournament has proved to be a breading ground for some of golf’s brightest young stars. Ariya Jutanugarn (2012), Brooke Henderson (2013), Jennifer Kupcho (2017) and Yealimi Noh (2018) are previous winners who now find themselves competing on the LPGA Tour.
The winner of the championship will earn an exemption into the 2022 CP Women’s Open, August 22-28, at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club, as well as the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, August 8-14, at Chambers Bay in University Place, Wisc.
More information about the 2022 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship can be found here.
Baker cruises, Efford rallies to capture NextGen Atlantic Championship
ANTIGONISH, N.S - Ethan Efford and Abbey Baker celebrate after winning their respective divisions at the NextGen Atlantic Championship at Antigonish Golf Club on July 14, 2022. PHOTO: MARK CHISHOLM
Golf Canada
ANTIGONISH, N.S. – Albeit contrasting flight paths, Abbey Baker and Ethan Efford landed in the same destination on Thursday: in the winner’s circle at the NextGen Atlantic Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards.
It was steady cruising for Baker, who turned it to autopilot and let the wind take her to the finish line at Antigonish Golf Club; and while Efford hit turbulence along the way, he, too, made it to ground safe and sound with a championship, to boot.
Baker opened the tournament with a nine-over par 81 but rebounded wonderfully in the second round with a one-under par 71 – the only round under par on the Junior Girls side all week.
“I’m really happy with how I recovered after a very rough first round. I came back after shooting 81 and worked on my putting for a while and I definitely saw a lot of improvements which is nice,” said Baker.
With breathing room to spare, the 17-year-old sailed to the stopping place, closing out the tournament with a five-over par 77 for a 13-stroke triumph – the largest margin of victory at any NextGen Championship this year.
“It wasn’t really in my head that much,” said Baker of the large lead. “I was just trying to make birdies out there and play good for myself.”
Though it was hardly ever in doubt, Baker’s win in Antigonish officially landed her a spot on Team Nova Scotia for the upcoming 2022 Canada Summer Games in Niagara, Ont., August 17-20 at Legends on the Niagara (Battlefield Course).
“I’m super excited; it’s definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I’m just happy it’s a go this year.”
The leaderboard on the Junior Boys side was as packed as sardines. On any given hole, the name atop the leaderboard changed, but when the final ball dropped on the 54th hole, it was Ethan Efford who prevailed.
In good Canadian form, Efford completed the hattrick on Thursday, carding his third consecutive round of four-over par 76 to capture the title by one stroke over Dimitri Mihelakos, Gavin Ives and Owen Canavan.
“I told myself on the first tee that I wanted to get through this whole round and commit to every single shot,” said Efford. “I knew it was tight and I knew that if I go out there and commit to every shot and maintain the confidence that I have in myself, I know that at the end of the day, whatever my score is I’ll be content with it.”
Since he tee’d off this morning, it took, in his words, a lot of grit and grind to come out victorious but the hard work paid off.
“I knew that no matter what, I just [had] to stay in it and never give up, and that’s just how I took it – one shot at a time and in the end I was happy with the result.”
Efford says the win proves his game is in a much better spot than he might feel it is and looks to build off the momentum as the season progresses. Though in a different uniform, he, like Baker, will represent his province (Newfoundland and Labrador) at the Canada Summer Games in August.
The pair have one more stop to make before that, however: Nationals.
Baker, a native of Halifax, N.S., will travel to the Canadian Junior Girls Championship at the Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont., July 26-29, while Efford, out of St. Johns, Nfld., will fly coast-to-coast to compete in the Canadian Junior Boys Championship, August 7-10, at Rivershore Estates & Golf Links in Kamloops, British Columbia.
Including Baker, the top six players (including ties) in the Junior Girls division have earned exemptions into the 2022 Canadian Junior Girls Championship:
POS
NAME
1
Abbey Baker (Halifax, N.S.)
2
Abby Wamboldt (Halifax, N.S.)
3
Dana Smith (Campbell River, B.C.)
T4
Callie Taylor (Quispamsis N.B.)
T4
Emma Rushton (Wolfville, N.S.)
6
Olivia Seaman (Kentville, N.S.)
From the Junior Boys division, the top six players have earned exemptions into the 2022 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, August 6-10, at Rivershore Estates & Golf Links in Kamloops, British Columbia.
POS
NAME
1
Ethan Efford (St. Johns, Nfld.)
T2
Dimitri Mihelakos (Halifax, N.S.)
T2
Gavin Ives (Halifax, N.S.)
T2
Owen Canavan (Hammonds Plains, N.S.)
5
Logan Forward (Enfield, N.S.)
T6*
Benjamin Childs (Halifax, N.S.)
About the NextGen Championships series, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards
The NextGen Championships, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards is a high-performance junior golf series which totals eight competitions. From May to July, six championships will take place across Canada where the region’s best junior golfers will compete to earn exemptions into their respective 2022 national championships. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf.
DUNDEE, SCOTLAND - JULY 11: A close up detail of Eric Zhao of Canada shoes during Day One of the The Junior Open Championship at Monifieth on July 11, 2022 in Monifieth, Scotland. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/R&A/)
John Gordon
The game of golf is booming like never before and, if you’re reading this, you likely are one of the thousands who are taking up the game for the first time.
The allure of golf is obvious: it’s fun exercise, it’s a chance to enjoy the outdoors and it’s very social. Like any sport or recreational pastime, it requires you to learn a bit about the fundamentals and to practise if you want to enjoy the game to its fullest.
(Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Here are nine tips to help you enjoy the game. (Coincidentally, nine holes is just the right number for beginners.)
Let’s go!
1. Go online.
There are lots of websites that offer helpful tips for beginners of every age on every topic from the basic rules and etiquette to the fundamentals of the swing.
2. Go to a course.
Even before you head to the tee for the very first time, do a little online research about the courses in your area. You will want to find a public or “semi-private” course (one that has members but also welcomes the public golfer). Drop into the golf shop, introduce yourself as a new golfer and have a look around. Ask if they have a program to introduce new golfers to the game. If they do, sign up! Find a course near you here.
3. Go to a pro.
Just about every course has a PGA of Canada professional. They’re helpful and knowledgeable. Even a half-hour lesson with a pro will get you started on the right path.. Taking a lesson is the best investment you can make if you want to enjoy the game and improve your skills. Many courses offer group lessons that include playing a few holes at a very reasonable cost.
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4. Go get some clubs.
Although most courses have clubs you can rent, you will want to have your own set. Visit your local pro shop or chain store to find a preferred set. As long as you follow the course’s dress code (often published on their website), you don’t even need golf shoes at this point. Running shoes will suffice.
5. Go to the driving range.
If you’re taking lessons at a course, you no doubt have taken advantage of the practice facility, also called the driving range. If not, head for a public driving range with a friend and hit some balls. Many facilities also have a practice putting green. As you will find out, putting is a very important part of the game!
(Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)
6. Go to the first tee.
You’ve hooked up with some friends or new acquaintances from your introductory program. You’ve asked the folks in the golf shop from which tees you should play as a beginner (generally, the most forward set of tees is appropriate).
7. Go hit the ball.
Assuming you’ve followed these first few tips, you should be hitting the ball in the right general direction. Don’t be discouraged if you’re not as proficient as your more experienced companions. Just relax, swing, and don’t forget to breathe! From a safety perspective, make sure you are aware of where your friends are and when they are hitting. From a “pace of play” viewpoint, always be ready to hit your next shot when it’s your turn. Most importantly, don’t get frustrated if you’re not proficient immediately. You will improve the more you play and practise. Remember, the object of the game is to have fun!
8. Go to the clubhouse.
Much of the appeal of golf is the social aspect following a round. Reliving the game, good shots and not-so-good, with friends and family is an integral part of the game.
(Photo by Anya Semenoff/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
9. Go back.
Golf has been called “the game for a lifetime.” You can play this game at whatever level you wish, from recreational to competitive, for years and years. It’s healthy, fun and a great way to meet new friends.
So there you go! Nine tips, just like the nine holes you will likely play the first few times you’re at the course.
But there is so much more!
Although you can learn the fundamentals of the swing, course etiquette and rules online, golfcanada.ca is the best resource for anyone who enjoys the game at any level.
As you play more golf, you’ll want an official handicap index and the other benefits that come with a Golf Canada membership.
And remember: The object of the game is to have fun!
