Susan Xiao leads heading into final round of Canadian Junior Girls championship
(Austin Stanton/Golf Canada)
Golf Canada
After round two wrapped up Thursday morning, Susan Xiao from Surrey, B.C., carded a 1-under-par 71 in the afternoon to take the lead at 2 under par after three rounds of the Canadian Junior Girls Championship at Camelot Golf and Country Club.
Xiao, the leader after round one, had three birdies and no blemishes on her card other than a double-bogey on No. 13.
She leads by one-shot over London, Ont., native Ellie Szeryk who fired 1-over-par 73 on Thursday, recording her first over par round of the tournament to sit at 1 under par through 54 holes.
“My approach shots were good today,” said Xiao. “And my putting, although I lipped out a few birdie putts, overall it was good today.”
Heading into the final round as the leader won’t weigh on Xiao’s mind tonight. She plans on keeping an even keel as she tries to become the third straight British Columbia to win the Canadian Junior Girls Championship.
“I’ll just play my own game. I won’t worry about what other players are doing,” added Xiao. “Because someone from T20 could shoot a good number and win.”
Szeryk, 15, was unhappy with her third round. She started the day scorching hot pouring in four birdies in the first five holes and was 3 under par for the day through 14 holes before finishing with two bogeys and a double-bogey on No. 18.
“I feel like it was an awful ending. A lot of bad bounces and a lot of misreads. It was bad, just bad,” said Szeryk.
Szeryk’s older sister Maddie won this tournament in 2013, and the younger Szeryk has been in contact with Maddie this week as she tries to follow in her footsteps.
“I try to compete with my sister. She’s a big target for me, but I’m just trying to play my game,” said Szeryk. “She’ll be getting the lowdown on how today went for sure.”
13-year-old Emily Zhu climbed into third place at even par thanks to a 3-under-par 69 powered by an eagle on the par-5 fifth. Her round could have been even better if she’d avoided a few mistakes.
“If I didn’t make a three-putt on No. 17 I would have been 5 under,” said Zhu. “And if I didn’t try to go over the tree on No. 18 I wouldn’t have made the double. I could have been 6 or 7 under par.”
Zhu will join Xiao and Szeryk in final grouping tomorrow teeing off at 9:01 a.m.
Development Squad teammates Monet Chun and Mary Parsons are tied for fourth at 1 over par.
Chun, from Richmond Hill, Ont., carded her second consecutive under par round firing a 71 in round three to continue battling back from an opening-round 4-over-par 76.
“I was out there playing one shot at a time and being committed with my shots – it helped me a lot,” said Chun. “Tomorrow I’m going to play like today and not think about scores, and just take it one hole at a time.”
Parsons leads the field in birdies through 54 holes with 18 but has been unable to avoid mistakes. The Delta, B.C., native shot a 2-over-par 74 in round three after starting 4 over par in her first eight holes.
“The way that I fought back today is something to be proud of,” said Parsons. “But hopefully I won’t have to dig myself out of a hole again tomorrow.”
Heading into the final round there are ten players within six shots of the lead including the 2017 Quebec Junior Girls Champion Céleste Dao (Notre-Dame-de-L’Île-Perrot, Que.) and the 2017 B.C. Junior Girls Champion Alisha Lau (Richmond, B.C.), who are both tied for seventh at 4 over par.
Click here to view the full leaderboard for the 2017 Canadian Junior Girls Championship.
NOTE TO MEDIA: Photos are available for download here. (Golf Canada)
Ellie Szeryk leading at weather-delayed Canadian Junior Girls Championship
(Austin Stanton/Golf Canada)
Golf Canada
Ellie Szeryk, from London, Ont., carded a 1-under-par 71 for the second consecutive day to hold a one-shot lead in the second round of the Canadian Junior Girls Championship at Camelot Golf and Country Club.
Play was suspended for the day at 6:30 p.m. due to dangerous weather after being originally halted at 4:28 p.m. 65 golfers were unable to finish their second round.
Team Canada Development Squad’s Mary Parsons from Delta, B.C. and 18-hole leader Susan Xiao of Surrey, B.C., are one stroke back of Szeryk in a tie for second at 1 under par.
Szeryk, 15, had three birdies in Tuesday’s second round, and only one blemish on her card, a double-bogey on No. 11. She took advantage of her length off the tee and had wedges in her hand on several holes.
“I had a lot of good wedges and made some clutch putts for par,” said Szeryk. “And I think my ball-striking was pretty good overall today.”
Heading into the weekend the 2017 Ontario Junior Girls Champion will try to remain calm as she attempts to follow in her older sister Maddie’s footsteps. The elder Szeryk won the 2013 Canadian Junior Girls Championship at Cherry Downs Country Club in Pickering, Ont.
“I’m going to try not to put too much pressure on myself, because when I put too much pressure on myself I overthink it a little bit,” added Szeryk. “I’ll just keep my head down and keep working.”
Parsons had eight birdies in round two, but was plagued by inconsistency, recording 5 bogeys and a double-bogey to card a 1-under-par 71.
“I had eight birdies today so almost half the holes were under par,” said Parsons. “My bad holes were because of approach shots from the fairways. Some tightening up of irons and I should be good to go for tomorrow.”
The 18-year-old is playing in her last junior tournament, but she’s not going to let the weight of that affect her over the final 36 holes.
“Everyone is going to have to shoot a good score out here, and I don’t want to be the person standing in my own way,” added Parsons. “I think knowing I have the shots for this course and the amount of birdies that I made today is a confidence booster.”
Xiao led the way after 18 holes at 2 under par. She carded a 1-over-par 73 in round two, with missed opportunities preventing her from going lower.
“My green reading was just off by a little bit,” said Xiao. “I missed so many putts by a little bit or a lip out. I need to practice my green reading on the practice green.”
New Zealand’s Momoka Kobori is in fourth at 1 over par after a 1-under-par 71 in round two.
Parsons’ Development Squad teammate Monet Chun from Richmond Hill, Ont., had the low round of the day Wednesday, posting a 2-under-par 70, moving into a tie for fifth at 2 over par alongside fellow Development Squad golfer Hannah Lee.
Team Ontario ended British Columbia’s two-year winning streak in the inter-provincial team competition with a two-day total of 1-under-par 289, three strokes better than B.C.. Ontario last won the inter-provincial team competition in 2012 at River Spirit Country Club.
Click here to view the full leaderboard for the 2017 Canadian Junior Girls Championship.
NOTE TO MEDIA: Photos are available for download here. (Credit: Golf Canada)
Susan Xiao leads after round 1 of the Canadian Junior Girls Championship
(Austin Stanton/Golf Canada)
Golf Canada
Surrey, B.C., native Susan Xiao carded a 2-under-par 70 to lead by a stroke after round one of the Canadian Junior Girls Championship at Camelot Golf and Country Club.
After playing a longer course at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Cutten Fields in Guelph, Ont., last week Xiao took advantage of the shorter layout today at Camelot.
“I don’t need to hit my driver really hard to get the distance I need,” said Xiao. “I need to make sure it’s straight and not in the rough because the rough here is pretty hard to hit out of.”
Birdies on No. 13 and 15 got Xiao to 3 under par for the day, before a bogey on No. 18 dropped her back to 2 under par.
The 15-year-old isn’t going to let a bogey finish steal away the momentum of a strong opening round.
“2 under is pretty good, there is nothing to complain about. I’ll just keep it up and play well tomorrow,” added Xiao.
Xiao has already tasted the winners circle this season, winning the MJT – Vancouver Championship in March and she was T3 at the Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship in May.
Ellie Szeryk from London, Ont., and Mathilde Denicourt, of St-Cesaire, Que., fired matching rounds of 71 to sit a stroke back of Xiao in a tie for second.
Szeryk – the 2017 Investors Group Ontario Junior Girls Champion – was 4 under par through eight holes but a bogey on No. 9 and a triple on No. 11 put her back to even par. She battled back to post at 71 (-1).
“I’m not crazy happy with my round,” said Szeryk. “But I’m happy I fought back a bit. I hope to be more consistent tomorrow.”
Denicourt teed off in the morning wave and was the early clubhouse leader at 1 under par. The 15-year-old was happy with her scrambling in round one.
“My putting was good today, I saved a couple up and downs so I was happy with that,” said Denicourt. “The rest of the week I’ll do the same thing I did today and take things shot-by-shot.”
Team Canada Development Squad member Mary Parsons carded an even-par 72 in round one and is part of a group of five golfers in a tie for fourth.
Like Szeryk, Parsons’ rebounded from adversity in her opening round. She made a quadruple-bogey on her second hole of the day, but the 18-year-old used her experience to remain calm making five more birdies the rest of the round to stay in contention.
“After that I was thinking in my head there are plenty of holes left, stay patient and the putts will drop,” said Parsons. “Especially being my last junior tournament, I wanted to stay patient and have no regrets out on the course.”
Parsons Development Squad teammate Hannah Lee is T9 at 1 over par after an opening round 71.
12-year-old Alexa Wingnean recorded her first career hole-in-one on No. 7 in the opening round on route to carding a 16-over-par 88 to sit in a tie for 92nd.
Team Ontario is leading the inter-provincial team competition at 1 under par by two strokes over Team B.C.
2017 CANADIAN JUNIOR GIRLS CHAMPIOSHIP ROUND ONE RESULTS
1. Susan Xiao, Surrey, BC, *35-35-70 -2
T2. Mathilde Denicourt, St-Cesaire, QC, *35-36-71 -1
T2. Ellie Szeryk, London, ON, *38-33-71 -1
T4. Angela Zhang, Vancouver, BC, *33-39-72 E
T4. Emily Zhu, Richmond Hill, ON, *34-38-72 E
T4. Mary Parsons, Delta, BC, *37-35-72 E
T4. Alisha Lau, Richmond, BC, *36-36-72 E
T4. Jasmine Ly, Windsor, ON, *36-36-72 E
2017 CANADIAN JUVENILE GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
1. Susan Xiao, Surrey, BC, *35-35-70 -22.
T2. Mathilde Denicourt, St-Cesaire, QC, *35-36-71 -1
T2. Ellie Szeryk, London, ON, *38-33-71 -1
4. Angela Zhang, Vancouver, BC, *33-39-72 E
4. Emily Zhu, Richmond Hill, ON, *34-38-72 E
4. Jasmine Ly, Windsor, ON, *36-36-72 E
2017 CANADIAN JUNIOR GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP – Interprovincial Team Competition
Canadian Junior Girls Championship to tee off at Camelot Golf and Country Club
(Camelot Golf and Country Club)
Golf Canada
Over 130 of Canada’s top young golfers will be in Ottawa from Aug. 1 – 4 for the 2017 Canadian Junior Girls Championship at Camelot Golf and Country Club.
The impressive, international field is led by the Team Canada Development Squad, with 12 of Canada’s top-50 golfers in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) in the draw. At No. 244, New Zealand’s Momoka Kobori the highest ranked golfer in the field in the WAGR.
A Thomas McBroom design, Camelot Golf and Country Club celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2016 and was ranked 63rd in ScoreGolf’s Top 100 courses list that same year.
“We’re thrilled to be hosting the strong, international field at Camelot in the nation’s capital in a year that is special for our country,” said Greg Richardson, General Manager at Camelot Golf and Country Club. “The golf course is in tremendous shape and we look forward to showcasing its beauty as well as the great city of Ottawa.”
McBroom’s signature weaving of the local landscape into the course layout is evident in the natural beauty of Camelot. The course meanders through meadows and heavily wooded parkland, combining traditional and links style course features.
“Camelot Golf and Country Club is the perfect host for our national Junior Girls Championship,” said Tournament Director Adam Cinel. “It’s unique style and signature holes will provide a great challenge for the best junior golfers in Canada as they chase a national championship right in Canada’s capital.”
All four members of Team Canada’s Development Squad will be chasing the title in Ottawa: Mary Parsons (Delta, B.C.), Chloe Currie (Mississauga, Ont.), Monet Chun (Richmond Hill, Ont.), and Hannah Lee (Surrey, B.C.).
Currie is the defending champion in the Canadian Juvenile Girls division, which awards the title to the lowest scoring competitor under the age of 16.
Team Canada’s Naomi Ko (Victoria, B.C.) is the reigning champion. Ko’s 5-under-par 283 at The Links at Penn Hills in 2016, put her four strokes ahead of Currie.
A practice round will be conducted on July 31 prior to the championship’s opening round on Aug. 1. Following the first two rounds of play, the field will be reduced to the low 70 players and ties with the top ten juvenile’s and ties included in the final round.
A tie for the championship will be decided by a hole-by-hole playoff immediately following the conclusion of play.
The 2017 Canadian Junior Girls’ champion will receive an exemption into the 2018 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver, B.C.
The Canadian Junior Girls Championship has a long list of distinguished past champions including Canadian Golf Hall of Famer and major champion Sandra Post, and current LPGA superstar and 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship winner Brooke Henderson.
Two-time defending team champions from B.C. will look to make it three in a row in the inter-provincial team competition, which takes place over the course of the first two rounds.
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. British Columbia won the 2016 title with a two-day score of 290.
Additional information about the tournament, including the full field and tee-times is available here.
NOTABLES
Chloe Currie, Mississauga, Ont.
The 17-year-old is in her second year on the Team Canada Development Squad and is the defending champion in the Juvenile division of this event. She finished 5th at the 2017 Future Linksdriven by Acura Ontario Championship, was T5 at the 2017 Ontario Women’s Amateur. Currie will look to improve on her second-place finish in the main event in 2016. She is currently ranked No. 6 on the Future Links driven by Acura National Order of Merit.
Mary Parsons, Delta, B.C. The 18-year-old Team Canada Development Squad rookie won her second consecutive Future Links driven by Acura Pacific Championship in 2017. She reached the round-of-32 at the 2017 Women’s Western Amateur Championship and finished T9 at the 2017 B.C. Women’s Amateur. In 2016 Parsons shared the 54-hole lead at this event finishing 3rd. She’s ranked No. 8 on the Future Linksdriven by Acura National Order of Merit.
Hannah Lee, Victoria, B.C. The 17-year-old is in her second-year on the Development Squad. Lee finished 10th at the Future Links driven by Acura Pacific Championship and 9th at the prestigious 2017 Porter Cup. She finished 3rd at the 2017 B.C. Junior Girls Championship. Lee is ranked No. 9 on the Future Linksdriven by Acura National Order of Merit. Lee was T11 at this championship in 2016.
Monet Chun, Richmond Hill, Ont. The 16-year-old Development Squad rookie won the 2017 Future Linksdriven by Acura Ontario Championship and the 2017 Investors Group Junior Girls’ Spring Classic. Chun finished 9th at the 2017 Porter Cup in June. Chun was 8th at this event in 2016. She is ranked No. 1 on the Future Linksdriven by Acura National Order of Merit.
Céleste Dao, Notre-Dame-de-L’Île-Perrot, Que. The 16-year-old won the 2017 Future Linksdriven by Acura Quebec Championship and finished T3 at the 2017 Future Linksdriven by Acura Ontario Championship. Dao won the 2017 Quebec Women’s provincial Amateur Championship and won the 2017 Quebec Junior Girls Championship. Dao was T6 at this event in 2016. She is currently ranked No. 2 on the Future Linksdriven by Acura National Order of Merit.
Momoka Kobori, Rangoria, New Zealand
The 18-year-old was named the West Coast Conference Freshman of the year in her inaugural season with Pepperdine University (NCAA Div I), recording two top-10 finishes and a season stroke average of 75.36. Before coming to the U.S., Kabori was a recipient of the Lydia Ko scholarship. In 2016 she was runner-up at the Australian Girls Amateur and won the Queensland Girls Amateur.
Alyssa DiMarcantonio, Maple, Ont. The 14-year-old won the 2017 MJT Spring Invitational and was second at the 2017 Investor’s Group Junior Girls Spring Classic. DiMarcantonio finished in a tie for third at the Future Links driven by Acura Ontario Championship and was fourth at the 2017 Ontario Junior Girls’ Championship. She is currently ranked No. 7 on the Future Links, driven by Acura National Order of Merit.
FAST FACTS
A British Columbia golfer has won the individual event the last two years: Naomi Ko 2016 (Victoria, B.C.), 2015: Michelle Kim (Surrey B.C.).
Four-time LPGA winner and major champion Brooke Henderson, from nearby Smiths Falls, Ont., won this event in 2012 at River Spirit Golf Club in Calgary, Alta.
The lowest single-round score in the tournament’s history is a 66, Hannah Lee (2015), Elyse Archambault (2010), Karen England (1997), and Kristy Finlayson (1998).
British Columbia has won the inter-provincial team competition in back-to-back years.
Heather Kuzmich won four straight Canadian Junior Girls Championships from 1981-1984.
Four Canadian Golf Hall of Fame members are past champions of this event: Betty Stanhope-Cole (1956), Judy Darling Evans (1957), Gail Harvey (1958-60), and Sandra Post (1964-66).
Current LPGA golfer Alena Sharp was the 1999 Canadian Junior Girls Champion.
The 2017 Canadian Junior Girls champion will receive an exemption into the 2018 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver, B.C.
ABOUT THE COURSE
6, 161 yards, Par 72
Thomas McBroom design.
The first 150 members of Camelot were designated the Ladies and Knights by the club.
Camelot Golf and Country Club was ranked 63rd in 2016 ScoreGolf top-100 courses list, the highest ranking for any course in Eastern Ontario.
Features towering pine trees and stunning views of the Ottawa River and the Gatineau Hills.
For more information on the Canadian Junior Girls Championship click here.
Team Canada’s Naomi Ko emerges victorious at 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship
Naomi Ko (Mike Schroeder/ Golf Canada)
SHUBENACADIE, N.S. – Gusting winds tempered blistering heat at the Links at Penn Hills as Victoria native Naomi Ko shot a final-round 72 to capture the 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship title.
The 18-year-old entered the final round of play in a tie for first at 5-under with Mary Parsons of Delta, B.C. – only one stroke ahead of Mississauga, Ont., native Chloe Currie. Back-to-back birdies on holes 2 and 3 followed by a third on No.5 pushed the Team Canada National Squad member into an early 8-under lead.
“I got off to a really good start on the front nine,” said Ko. “The wind wasn’t really in effect but as I got to the back nine it really started picking up. I really had to adjust and learn from yesterday’s mistakes. I was striking the ball well and I think that was one of the key things today. Putting on the back nine not so good but it got the job done.”
The North Carolina State University sophomore collected three bogeys through the final stretch en route to a 5-under 283 tournament total. Ko has come close to taking the national title in previous years, but fell short in 2014 with a fourth-place finish at Thornhill Golf & Country Club in Thornhill, Ont. She was awarded second-runner-up honours in 2015 when the event was hosted by Deer Park Golf Course in Yorkton, Sask. This victory comes as a relief to Ko who was competing in her last Junior event before she becomes ineligible on the 18-and-under junior circuit.
“Knowing that it was my last Canadian junior I really wanted to win it. I tried to keep myself grounded and play it one shot at a time. I was walking up the last couple of holes and I kind of felt sick. I felt a little bit nauseous and took a deep breath and took advantage on the 18th. I had a good approach shot and knew I just had to get it in or two put, so it was a little less pressure.”
In addition to her 2016 Canadian Junior Girls title, Ko has received an exemption into the 2017 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship hosted at Cutten Fields in Guelph, Ont., from July 25 to 28.
An impressive 73-71-68 week helped Currie slide into second place ahead of Parsons following a final round 75. The 16-year-old Development Squad member fell into a 5-over hole after carding three bogeys and double bogey through Nos. 5 to 12. Back-to-back birdies on holes 15 and 16 kept Currie in line for runner-up honours. Her 1-under 287 performance also solidified her victory in the 16-and-under Juvenile division.
Alisha Lau of Richmond, B.C., stayed even through the day to earn her place in second on the Juvenile leaderboard with a 2-over 290 final showing.
Parsons recorded six bogeys through her final round to capture third in the overall Junior standings at even-par.
The 17-year-old found victory earlier in the week after capturing the inter-provincial team competition title for British Columbia alongside Development Squad members Tiffany Kong (Vancouver) and Hannah Lee (Surrey). The trio finished the 36-hole competition with a 2-over 290 showing.
Additional information regarding the 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship can be found here.
Parsons and Ko knotted atop Canadian Junior Girls leaderboard
Mary Parsons (Chuck Russell/ Golf Canada)
SHUBENACADIE, N.S. – Intermittent rain dotted the day at the Links at Penn Hills as the 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship completed its third round. Mary Parsons crafted a 2-under 70 showing to join Naomi Ko atop the leaderboard.
Parsons started slow, recording a double-bogey on the 6th hole and a bogey on No. 8. A third on the par-4 10th hole moved the Delta, B.C., native to 2-over with eight holes remaining.
“I felt that I did get off to a little shaky start on the front nine,” said Parsons. “Definitely when the weather started clearing up, I felt like I could play to my advantage, and on the back nine, I started sinking more putts and swinging easier.”
The 2016 CN Future Links Pacific champion rebounded with a birdie on the par-4 12th hole, before stringing another three together on holes 14 to 16 to sit alongside second-round leader Naomi Ko at 5-under 211. The 17-year-old is hoping to improve upon a T14 result from the 2015 national championship at Deer Park Golf Course in Yorkton, Sask., but knows victory will not come easily in such a skilled field.
“Naomi played steady the whole day, and Chloe [Currie] played great, too. I think tomorrow, I’m just going to keep playing to my advantage, playing steady like I always do and hitting more greens.”
Ko, a member of Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad, collected two birdies on the day, but finished with a 73.
“My ball striking wasn’t as great as yesterday, but with golf every day, it’s different, so I tried to hang in there,” said the native of Victoria. “I think it’s actually kind of nice to share the lead going into the last round. It gives me something to fight for tomorrow. It’ll be a good competition.”
Development Squad member Chloe Currie carded four birdies across a bogey-free round to take hold of third in the overall competition. The Mississauga, Ont., native’s round of 68 extended her advantage atop the 16-and-under Juvenile division. She sits four strokes ahead of Notre-Dame-de-L’Île-Perrot, Que., resident Céleste Dao.
Dao finished with a seven-birdie, 5-under performance for the day’s low round. The 15-year-old moved into second-place in the Juvenile division and took hold of fourth in the Junior standings.
The British Columbian trio consisting of Parsons and Development Squad members Tiffany Kong of Vancouver and Hannah Lee from Surrey finished 2-over 290 to claim victory in the inter-provincial team competition which was played over the first 36 holes.
The 2016 Canadian Junior Girls champion will receive an exemption into the 2017 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship hosted at Cutten Fields in Guelph, Ont., from July 25 to 28.
The final round of competition will see the first group tee off from No. 1 at 7:30 a.m. ADT.
Additional information from the tournament can be found here.
Team Canada’s Naomi Ko takes three-stroke lead in Shubenacadie
Naomi Ko (Mike Schroeder/ Golf Canada)
SHUBENACADIE, N.S. – The second round of the 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship saw hard greens soften under a dewy morning at the Links at Penn Hills. Victoria’s Naomi Ko carded a 5-under 67 en route to extending a three-stroke advantage.
The Team Canada National Amateur Squad member carded a bogey-free second round to extend her streak of holes without a blemish to 31. She took quick possession of the lead following back-to-back birdies on holes 3 and 4 before adding another on the par-3 No. 8. A 2-under 34 across the back nine moved Ko to 6-under through 36 holes.
“The weather was nice and the greens were holding up better today, everything was pretty solid,” said Ko. “My ball-striking was pretty good and I hit a lot of greens which helps. There were a couple of putts that slipped a bit, but I’ll take a 5-under any day.”
Ko is competing in her fifth and final national 18-and-under championship before she loses eligibility in six days. The North Carolina State University sophomore posted a fourth-place finish at this competition in 2014 when it was hosted at Thornhill Golf & Country Club in Thornhill, Ont., and a second-runner-up result last year at Deer Park Golf Course in Yorkton, Sask.
“I’m excited and kind of sad at the same time that it’s my last Canadian Juniors, but I’m just going to try to do my best and hopefully the results will show. I kind of have to get my head out of the scores and focus on my game. Experience helps a lot and being with Team Canada really helps to support me in this kind of environment.”
A six-birdie day propelled Delta, B.C., native Mary Parsons into second-place at 3-under. The 2016 CN Future Links Pacific champion matched Ko’s 67 after draining three consecutive birdies across holes 2 to 4 and then equaling the feat on holes 16 to 18.
Team Canada Development Squad member Chloe Currie of Mississauga, Ont., shot 1-under on the day to finish in a tie for third with Maple Ridge, B.C., resident and fellow 16-year-old Cecile Kwon. Currie carded three birdies and an eagle on the par-5 16th hole en route to her 71. The pair lead the 16-and-under Juvenile division at even-par, while first-round leader Alisha Lau of Richmond, B.C., carded a 75 and is one stroke back.
Parsons, Vancouver’s Tiffany Kong and Hannah Lee of Surrey combined to deliver British Columbia its second inter-provincial team title in as many years. The trio finished the day 3-under to emerge victorious with a team total of 2-over 290 – seven strokes clear of their first-round co-leaders from Team Ontario.
The 2016 Canadian Junior Girls champion will receive an exemption into the 2017 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship hosted at Cutten Fields in Guelph, Ont., from July 25 to 28.
A total of 70 players finished 172-or-better to advance to the final two rounds of the Canadian Junior Girls Championship. The third round will see the first group tee off from No. 1 at 7:30 a.m. ADT.
Additional information from the tournament can be found here.
Lau takes early lead at Canadian Junior Girls Championship
Alisha Lau (Chuck Russell/ Golf Canada)
SHUBENACADIE, N.S. – Dry heat and harsh winds made for unpredictable conditions at the Links at Penn Hills as the opening round of the 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship got underway. Alisha Lau persevered through a blustery back nine and sits alone atop the leaderboard at 2-under 70.
The Richmond, B.C., native tallied four birdies on the front nine to make the turn at 3-under. The 16-year-old added another birdie on the par-4 10th hole, but bogeys on Nos. 15 and 17 cut into her advantage.
“I felt pretty good. I got off to a hot start, so that helped boost my confidence,” said Lau. “The front nine was pretty calm because the trees shielded it from the wind, and then on the back nine it really started picking up. I’m playing pretty conservatively and trying to find my happy medium. I don’t hit it too long either, so I can use the bounce from the fairway to really help me.”
Lau’s best finish at this competition was a T20 in 2014 at Thornhill Golf & Country Club in Thornhill, Ont. In the second round of last year’s championship at Deer Park Golf Course in Yorkton, Sask., she was forced to withdraw due to a bout of food poisoning.
“I took a lot of time off in the winter, so this year I’m just trying to play my game. I haven’t been putting too many expectations on myself. My score today is giving me a little bit of confidence for the next three days, but they’re going to be a long three days still. It’s going to be a grind.”
Victoria’s Naomi Ko leads all Team Canada members in the field at 1-under 71. The Team Canada National Amateur Squad member carded four birdies on the day to join Lau as the only players to finish below-par.
Fellow Victoria native Akari Hayashi recovered from a 4-over front nine with a five-birdie performance through her final seven holes to finish the day in third at even-par. The 13-year-old holds a three-stroke lead over Development Squad member Tiffany Kong in the Juvenile division.
Team Ontario and Team British Columbia lead the inter-provincial team competition at 149 – five strokes clear of second-place. Development Squad member Chloe Currie of Mississauga carded a 73 to lead the Team Ontario contingent consisting of Isabella Portokalis of London and Alexandra Naumovski from Hornby. Team Canada members Tiffany Kong (Vancouver) and Hannah Lee (Surrey) round out Team British Columbia alongside Mary Parsons (Delta).
The 2016 Canadian Junior Girls champion will receive an exemption into the 2017 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship hosted by Cutten Fields in Guelph, Ont., from July 25 to 28.
The second round of the Canadian Junior Girls Championship will see the first group of girls tee off from the first hole at 7:30 a.m. ADT.
Additional information from the tournament can be found here.
2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship heads to the Links at Penn Hills
Links at Penn Hills
SHUBENACADIE, N.S. – The nation’s top junior golfers will gather at the Links at Penn Hills from August 2-5 to compete in the 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship. The field includes six Team Canada members and a host of qualifiers from the CN Future Links Championships – Canada’s regional junior competitions.
The Links at Penn Hills boasts a challenging Les Furber design with rolling hills and nicely wooded areas set against the tidal river dyke lands. Competitors will have the chance to become acquainted with the course during a practice round on August 1.
“We are thrilled to welcome Golf Canada and this prestigious championship to our course and Shubenacadie,” said Tanner Gayton, Host Club Tournament Chair and Head Golf Professional at The Links at Penn Hills. “We are proud of our preparations and look forward challenging the next generation of Canada’s best juniors.”
“The Links at Penn Hills is in tremendous shape to host our national Junior Girls Championship. The fantastic layout is going to make for a memorable week as this strong field chases a national title,” said Tournament Director Justine Decock.
Victoria native Naomi Ko will represent Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad in Shubenacadie. The 18-year-old finished third at the 2015 edition of this event at Deer Park Municipal Golf Club in Yorkton, Sask. The North Carolina State University sophomore is in the midst of an impressive summer in which she has competed in her first two LPGA events. She won the Cambia Portland Classic Amateur Open to earn entry into the Cambia Portland Classic before claiming victory in a sectional qualifier to join the field at the 2016 U.S. Women’s Open.
Currently in her first year on Team Canada’s Development Squad, Hannah Lee of Surrey, B.C., will look to improve upon her runner-up result from 2015. The 16-year-old finished fourth at the B.C. Women’s Amateur before posting a T2 at the B.C. Junior Girls’ Championship alongside teammate Tiffany Kong of Vancouver. Kong claimed 7th and runner-up finishes at the CN Future Links Pacific and Ontario Championships.
Richmond, B.C., native Kathrine Chan, who finished 4th in 2015, is hoping to carry forward momentum from 5th and 6th place finishes at her provincial amateur and junior championships. Ontarians Chloe Currie of Mississauga and Grace St-Germain of Orleans complete the Development Squad contingent at the national championship; the pair collected respective T9 and 12th place results last year. Currie is coming off a successful title defence at the Ontario Junior Girls’ Championship, while St-Germain won the Ontario Women’s Amateur title.
Five CN Future Links champions will vie for the Canadian Junior Girls title. Richmond Hill, Ont., native Monet Chun, who finished tied for 9th at last year’s national championship, took home the 2016 CN Future Links Quebec title. Isabella Portokalis of London, Ont., and Mary Parsons of Delta, B.C., claimed shares of 14th last year and earned entry through their respective victories at the Ontario and Pacific championships. CN Future Links Atlantic winner Allison Chandler from Chester, N.S., finished T22 in 2015, while Calgary’s Kehler Koss joins the field as the reigning Western champion.
Team B.C. will attempt to defend its inter-provincial team title which takes place over the course of the first two rounds, while a 16-and-under Juvenile Championship will also be played concurrently with the Junior Girls Championship.
In addition to the Canadian Junior Girls Championship title, the 2016 champion will receive an exemption into the 2017 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Cutten Fields in Guelph, Ont.
Additional information about the tournament, including the full field and tee-times is available here.
103rd Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship returns to Ken-Wo Golf Club
Ken-Wo Golf Club
NEW MINAS, N.S. – Ken-Wo Golf Club will host the world’s premier female amateur golfers from July 26-29 for the 103rd playing of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.
Thirteen of the Top-100 players on the World Amateur Golf Ranking will take part in the championship’s return to Ken-Wo, which previously hosted the tournament in 2002. World No. 17 Hye-Jin Choi of Paju-si, Korea will compete alongside No. 40 Andrea Lee of Hermosa Beach, Calif., No. 45 Hannah Green from Perth, Australia and No. 60 Maria Fassi of Pachuca, Mexico. Choi, Green and Fassi represented their countries at the 2015 World Junior Girls Championship at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa with Choi collecting medallist honours in leading Korea to the team title.
Established in 1921, Ken-Wo is one of the oldest clubs in Nova Scotia. Its challenging layout developed by course designers Robbie Robinson, Geoffrey Cornish and Bill Robinson boasts a rich golfing history which includes four previous national championships.
“We are thrilled to have the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship return to Ken-Wo and the province of Nova Scotia,” said Host Club Tournament Chair Rene MacKay. “The challenge and beauty of our course will bring out the best in this impressive field. We look forward to welcoming these players with all the care and hospitality of Ken-Wo and the East Coast.”
Montreal’s Lisa Meldrum won the second of her three consecutive Canadian Women’s Amateur titles 14 years ago at Ken-Wo. A new generation of Canadian and international amateurs will now look to continue their legacies by pursuing the Duchess of Connaught trophy.
“This tournament has proven to be a stepping stone for many amateurs working towards joining the professional ranks,” said Tournament Director Mary Beth McKenna. “Eight of our past nine winners, including 2013 champion Brooke Henderson, have gone on to find success as professionals. We are very excited to write the next chapter of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Ken-Wo.”
The complete contingent of Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad will be in attendance. World No. 37 and top-ranked Canadian amateur Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont., will be joined by teammates Josée Doyon (St-Georges-de-Beauce, Que.), Naomi Ko (Victoria), Michelle Kim (Surrey, B.C.) and Jaclyn Lee (Calgary).
A final-round 4-under earned Szeryk a T6 result in last year’s competition at Riverside Country Club in Saskatoon. The 20-year-old – who claimed her first-career NCAA victory this year at the Florida State Match-Up – and Ko have qualified for the 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship from August 1-7 at Rolling Green Golf Club in Springfield, Pa.
Doyon is hoping to build upon a season in which she has already claimed victory at the 2016 Women’s Porter Cup and successfully defended her title at the 2016 NIVO Quebec Women’s Amateur Championship. Lee earned a wire-to-wire nine-stroke win at the Sun Life Financial Alberta Ladies Amateur Championship. Kim, a University of Idaho Vandal, posted five Top-10 results in nine tournaments to garner Freshman of the Year honours and a first-team all-Big Sky Conference selection.
Grace St-Germain of Orleans, Ont. – the newly crowned Ontario Women’s Amateur champion – and Chloe Currie from Mississauga, Ont., who is coming off a successful title defence at the Ontario Junior Girls Championship will compete in the competition. The pair will be joined by Hannah Lee (Surrey, B.C.), Tiffany Kong (Vancouver) and Kathrine Chan (Richmond, B.C.) to represent the entirety of Team Canada’s Development Squad.
Returning from last year’s Top-5 are Sarah Burnham of Maple Grove, Minn., and Peru’s Lucia Gutierrez; the pair will attempt to improve upon the T3 results they claimed in 2015.
A practice round will be conducted on July 25 prior to the championship’s opening round. Following the first two rounds of play, the field will be reduced to the low-70 and ties. An inter-provincial team championship will take place in conjunction with the first two rounds of play. Team Alberta comprised of Calgarians Jennifer Ha, Jaclyn Lee and Sabrine Garrison claimed the team title in 2015.
In addition to the 2016 Canadian Women’s Amateur title, the individual champion will earn exemptions into the 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship and two LPGA events: the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open at Priddis Greens Golf & Country Club in Calgary from August 22-28 and the Manulife LPGA Classic at Whistle Bear Golf Club in Cambridge, Ont., from September 1-4.
For more Information on the 2016 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship including the full field, starting times and live scoring, click here.
