Golf Canada’s championship season kicks off this Friday, May 13, in Nanaimo, B.C. with the NextGen Pacific Championship – fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, captaining the ship.

The 54-hole stroke play competition will begin with a practice round on May 12, before the official tournament gets underway on May 13. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the top 50 Junior Boys and top 20 Junior Girls, including ties, for the final round which is scheduled to wrap up on May 15.

The starting field will feature 119 male and female competitors – 82 Junior Boys and 37 Junior Girls – vying for a spot in their respective Canadian Junior Championship later this summer.

The top eight players in the Junior Boys division will earn exemptions into the 2022 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, August 6-10, at Rivershore Estates & Golf Links in Kamloops, British Columbia. The top eight players (including ties) in the Junior Girls division will also earn exemptions into the 2022 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, July 25-29, at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ontario. 

Nanaimo Golf Club, located on Vancouver Island, was designed by the renowned Pacific-Northwest golf course architect A.V. Machan and is widely considered one of the most prestigious clubs on the island. Though its official opening dates back to 1962, it was not until 1968 that it operated as an 18-hole course. From the championship tees, the par-72 course plays long, challenging golfers to muscle it far down the fairway to best set up an opportunity at reaching the green in regulation.

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Malik Dao

Malik Dao is a name to look out for on the greens of Nanaimo Golf Course this week. As a member of Team Canada’s National Junior Squad, Dao enters the NextGen Pacific Championship with a host of competitive golf experience to his name and a ton of success to boot. The 2020 Quebec Men’s Amateur Champion knows what it takes to win a NextGen Championship, having already done so in 2020, and will be looking for a repeat performance in B.C.

Angela Arora

Angela Arora already has one championship under her belt in the calendar year, claiming the CJGA Western Canadian Championship at Mayfair Lakes in March, where she fired rounds of 72, 72 and 68 to win by one stroke. The Indiana University commit will now be looking to carry the momentum into Nanaimo this week but faces notable competition in fellow Team Canada National Junior Squad members, Ella Weber, Luna Lu and Yeji Kwon.

Lauren Zaretsky

Lauren Zaretsky will be another name to pay attention to when the tournament kicks off on Friday. The Thornhill, Ont., native made big steps in 2021, winning the Ontario Spring Classic and the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, and will be searching for her first title of 2022 in Nanaimo, B.C.

About the NextGen Championships, 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. 

For more information on the NextGen Pacific Championship, click here:

Golf Canada is pleased to announce its 2022 championship schedule, which includes amateur and professional competitions in addition to various qualifiers hosted at golf facilities across Canada.

The 2022 schedule is headlined by Golf Canada’s signature professional championships — the RBC Canadian Open, June 6-12, at St. George’s Golf & Country Club with host practice facility, Islington Golf Club in Toronto, Ont., and the CP Women’s Open, to be conducted August 22-28 at Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont.

Golf Canada’s 2022 competition calendar includes nine National Amateur Championships presented by BDO, eight NextGen Championships fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, and the World Junior Girls Golf Championship presented by Sargent Farms. Interprovincial team competitions played concurrently over the first 36 holes at select national championships will return in 2022.

As the National Sport Federation and governing body of golf in Canada, Golf Canada conducts the country’s premier amateur and professional golf championships  to support the development of the nation’s top talent through world-class competition.

“Golf Canada is incredibly proud to return to a full championship schedule in 2022 and welcome more than 3,000 talented Canadian and international athletes to our national championships,” said Golf Canada’s CEO, Laurence Applebaum. “Together with our host clubs, corporate partners, and volunteers that help drive the success of our events, there is incredible momentum in our sport as we look ahead to the 2022 season.”

Golf Canada’s championship season kicks off on May 13 in Nanaimo, B.C. with the NextGen Pacific Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards at Nanaimo Golf Club, and concludes in October with the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont.

To view Golf Canada’s 2022 championship schedule, including all host venues, registration requirements and volunteer opportunities, please click here.

Championship Season at a Glance…

The 18th playing of the Canadian University/College Championship, presented by BDO will be held June 1-4 at Golf Château Bromont. The championship includes both a team and individual component featuring Canada’s top university and college talent.

The 108th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO takes place July 19-22 at Westmount Golf & Country Club in Kitchener, Ont. with the champion earning an exemption into the 2022 CP Women’s Open, as well as an exemption into the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. The winner also receives exemptions into the 2023 U.S. Girls’ Junior, 2022 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur and 2023 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championships, if applicable.

The 67th Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO will be contested July 26-29 at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont. where the winner will earn an exemption into the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship and the 2023 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship.

The 117th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO will be contested August 1-4 at Point Grey Golf & Country Club in Vancouver, B.C and Seymour Golf & Country Club in North Vancouver, B.C. A maximum field of 264 players will be cut to the low 70 players and ties after 36 holes, with the final two rounds contested at Point Grey. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2023 RBC Canadian Open, as well as an invitation to the 2022 U.S. Amateur Championship. The winner will also receive an exemption from local qualifying for the 2023 U.S. Open, and if applicable, will earn an exemption into the 2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur, 2022 U.S. Senior Amateur or 2023 U.S. Junior Amateur Championships.

The 83rd playing of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO will be contested August 7-10 at Rivershore Golf Links in Kamloops, B.C. with the winner earning an exemption into the 2023 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship and 2023 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.

The Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, presented by BDO will be held August 23-26 at The Thornhill Club in Thornhill, Ont., while the club is  celebrating its 100^th anniversary this season.

The Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship, presented by BDO will be held August 30 – September 1, at Breezy Bend Country Club in Headingley, M.B. with the Senior champion earning an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship and 2023 U.S. Senior Women’s Open.

As part its centennial anniversary, Red Deer Golf & Country Club in Red Deer, Alta. will host the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO from September 6-9, with the champion earning an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship.

The second playing of the Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, a national championship for players with neurological, intellectual, sensory, and physical impairments, will be held September 13-14 at Essex Golf & Country Club in Windsor, Ont.

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.  The 2022 NextGen Championship host clubs include Nanaimo Golf Club (Nanaimo, B.C.), Oak Bay Golf Club (Port Severn, Ont.), Pine Hills Golf Club (Rocky Mountain House, Alta.), Quarry Oaks (Steinbach, MB), Club de Golf Hemmingford (Hemmingford, Qué.), and Antigonish Golf & Country Club (Antigonish, NS). An additional two Fall Series championships will take place in September and October, where players will compete for exemptions into their respective 2023 national junior championships. 

An accomplished field of international competitors will take to Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont., from October 10-15, for the seventh annual World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms. The event will welcome 25 countries playing as 3-member squads competing for both a team and individual title.

Golf Canada has also confirmed that it will not be continuing with the National Orders of Merit, beginning in 2022. Previously used to track golfer performance, the rankings will be replaced by a comprehensive talent identification system that supports the new Canadian golf high-performance strategy.

Powell River, B.C. — The final round of the NextGen Fall Series West Championship wrapped up on Saturday at Myrtle Point Golf Club with Tina Jiang securing a convincing nine-stroke victory in the Girls division and Hyunjun Lee earning the win in the Boys division.

The final round of the tournament was scheduled to conclude on Sunday Sept. 26, but the weather in Powell, B.C. had other ideas. Due to an impending storm in the forecast the final 36 holes were all played on Saturday. 

The early start didn’t phase Tina Jiang, who hails from Richmond, B.C. The 16-year-old cruised to the win on the strength of an opening-round 67 (-5) that set her up for the wire-to-wire win at 10 under par.

Jiang will be joined by second and third place finishers Martina Yu (Coquitlam, B.C) and Yeji Kwon (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) at the 2022 Canadian Girls Championship. Yu and Kwon finished 1 under and 3 over, respectively.

In the Boys division, 15-year-old Hyunjun Lee rallied for the come-from-behind victory with a score of 73—his third straight. The North Vancouver native began the day one stroke back of the lead and found himself trailing by that same margin heading into the final nine holes. 

Lee was clutch after making the turn, carding a birdie on the 12th hole followed by an eagle on the par-5 15th. He finished the tournament with a three-stroke cushion. 

Finishing second was Manpreet Lalh of Nanaimo, B.C., who held the lead for the opening two rounds. He shot a final-round 77 to finish at 6 over par. Sharing third place at 7 over par were four competitors: Shunkichi Yamamoto (Victoria, B.C.), Freddy Sun (Vancouver) Justin Bjornson (Surrey, B.C.) and Matthew Wilson (Nanaimo, B.C.).

The third and final exemption into the 2022 Canadian Junior Boys was decided in a four-man playoff with Bjornson emerging victorious on the second playoff hole.

The tournament marked the second to be played this year in the NextGen series. Golf Canada has eight NextGen tournaments scheduled for 2022 leading with the NextGen Pacific Championship in May.

Click here for scoring and additional information.

Powell River, BC. — The second installment of Golf Canada’s NextGen series, the Fall Series West Championship, is set to commence on Friday, Sept. 24 at Myrtle Point Golf Club.

With support from British Columbia Golf, 70 golfers aged 12 to 18 will be competing in the 54 hole stroke play tournament following a practice round on Sept. 23. The event marks the second to be played in the series after a 2020 re-brand due to COVID cancellations.

Nestled in the foothills of the Coastal Mountains, Myrtle Point Golf Club was designed by renowned golf course architect Les Furber and features tree-lined fairways, lakes, ponds, streams, and strategically placed bunkers.

“The staff at Myrtle Point Golf Club and the support from the city of Powell River are driving forces in the success of the Fall Series West Championship,” said tournament director Akash Patel. “We look forward to what is sure to be an exciting competition between Canada’s top junior golf talent.”

The field will consist of 48 golfers in the Junior Boys Division, with the top three earning exemptions into the 2022 Canadian Junior Boys Championship from Aug. 7 -11 at Rivershore Estates & Golf Links in Kamloops, British Columbia. 

The Junior Girls Division is made up of 22 golfers, also with the top three (including ties) earning exemptions into the 2022 Canadian Junior Girls Championship from July 25-29.

Additional information about the 2021 NextGen Fall Series West Championship can be found here.

Results from the East Series Championship which concluded Sept. 19 can be found here.

Timmins, Ont. — The final round of the NextGen Fall Series East Championship concluded with Ella Weber of Burlington, Ont., sealing the victory in the Girls division with a two-stroke win at the Hollinger Golf Club on Sunday. In the Boys division, Cameron Pero of Bloomfield, Ont., emerged as champion with a three-stroke victory.

Weber, who plays out of RattleSnake Point Golf Club, closed with a final-round 77 to leapfrog into first place to take home the title. The four-time CJGA champion made her mark in the front nine, carding an even par 36 to distance herself from the field.

Rounding out the top three were Nyah Kelly (Lindsay, Ont.) and 36-hole leader Karolyn Zeng (Vaughan, Ont.), both finishing tied for second place at 18 over par. The duo will join Weber next year at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship.

In the Boys division, Pero held on to his second-round lead on Sunday after a final-round 72 (+1) sealed the deal. The Picton Golf & Country Club member birdied two of his first four holes to find an early rhythm on route to the three-stroke victory.

“Everything came together this week for me,” said Pero. “My irons left me a lot of easy putts which really helped… the course was super tough.”

Finishing second was Ben MacLean of Niagara Falls, Ont., who shot a 1-under-par 70 on Sunday to finish at 4 over. He was trailed by Aurora, Ont., product Ryan Somerville who closed the tournament at 9 over par. All three competitors earned exemptions into the 2022 Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Rivershore Golf Links in Kamloops, Ont., from Aug. 8-11.

The competition marked the third year of the Fall Series, and first under the new NextGen umbrella. The second and final NextGen Fall Series championship takes place next week from Sept. 24-26 at Myrtle Point Golf Club in Powell River, B.C.

Click here for scoring and additional information.

Timmins, Ont. — Golf Canada’s first NextGen event is set to begin on Friday, Sept. 17, as the Fall Series East Championship gets underway at Hollinger Golf Club.

With support from Golf Ontario, the 54-hole stroke play tournament begins with a practice round on Sept. 16. This marks the first official playing of the NextGen championships—the series was unable to play since the 2020 re-brand due to COVID cancellations.

The host, Hollinger Golf Club, is northern Ontario’s only 18-hole Championship full bent grass golf course and sports two distinct nine-hole loops with elevated tee-shots and holes winding through the Canadian Shield.

“Hollinger Golf Club is in phenomenal shape and will serve as a true test to this talented field of competitors,” said tournament director Mary Beth McKenna. “The community of Timmins has rallied behind this event in a major way to make the tournament an exciting stop for the competitors, volunteers and fans.”

The field will consist of 64 junior golfers in the Junior Boys Division, with the top three earning exemptions into the 2022 Canadian Junior Boys Championship from Aug. 8-11 at Rivershore Golf Links in Kamloops, B.C.

The Junior Girls Division is made up of 26 golfers, also with the top three (including ties) earning exemptions into the 2022 Canadian Junior Girls Championship from July 26-29.

Additional information about the 2021 NextGen Fall Series East Championship can be found here.

With province-wide restrictions currently in place in Ontario through May 20 and in Alberta through May 26, Golf Canada has cancelled the 2021 NextGen Ontario and Western Championships.

The NextGen Ontario Championship was scheduled for May 27-30 at Saugeen Golf Club in Port Elgin, ON, while the NextGen Western Championship was slated for June 3-6 at Leduc Golf Club in Leduc, AB. The latest restrictions in each province rule out regional travel and also prohibit sport competitions of any kind.

In consultation with provincial health officials and our event partners, Golf Canada will continue to evaluate provincial health and travel restrictions related to COVID-19 to make informed and responsible decisions related to our 2021 championship schedule. The safety and well-being of our championship competitors, tournament staff and volunteers along with event stakeholders and our host community at large is paramount to Golf Canada.

The feasibility of conducting each NextGen Championship will be evaluated no later than 3-4 weeks prior to the start of the competition. An updated list of Golf Canada’s 2021 competitions is available here. 

With the province-wide restrictions currently in place in British Columbia through April 19, Golf Canada has cancelled the 2021 NextGen Pacific Championship which was scheduled for May 5-8 at Bear Mountain Golf Resort in Victoria, B.C. The province has stated that all non-essential travel should be avoided. This includes travel into and out of B.C. and between regions of the province.

In consult with viaSport British Columbia as well as provincial health officials and our event partners, Golf Canada will continue to evaluate provincial health and travel restrictions related to COVID-19 to make informed and responsible decisions related to 2021 championships scheduled to be conducted in the province. The safety and well-being of our championship competitors, tournament staff and volunteers along with event stakeholders and our host community at large is paramount to Golf Canada. 

The feasibility of conducting each NextGen Championships will be evaluated no later than 3-4 weeks prior to the start of the competition. An updated list of Golf Canada’s 2021 competitions is available here. 

OAKVILLE, ONT. (Golf Canada) – Due to continued health concerns as well as government restrictions on travel and group gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic, Golf Canada has cancelled all of its amateur golf competitions for the duration of the 2020 season.

The National Sport Federation had previously announced the cancellation or postponement of a number of its junior and amateur competitions scheduled through mid-June.

“National amateur competitions have been a proud focus throughout our 125-year history and while we share in the disappointment of competitors, our host clubs and event volunteers, the most important consideration is the health and safety of the people who come together at our championships,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “Ongoing travel restrictions—both international and across some provincial borders—in addition to continued restrictions on larger group gatherings and limitations on player training were significant contributors to this decision. We are also sensitive to the needs of our host clubs to ensure a safe and healthy environment for their staff and members.”

The 107th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, one of the top-ranked women’s amateur events in the world that attracts many international athletes, was scheduled to begin in five weeks at The Royal Montreal Golf Club from July 21-24. In addition, the 116th Canadian Men’s Amateur which features a 264-player field was scheduled to take place at The Glencoe Golf & Country Club in Calgary, Alta. from August 3-6 – marking the 125th anniversary of this storied championship. The cancellations will mark the first time since the second World War where these two national championships will not be conducted.

Golf Canada has also announced that the National Orders of Merit will not be awarded in 2020. The purpose of the points-based rankings is to identify and give recognition top-performing male and female amateur and junior golfers across Canada who have achieved success in the golf season. The decision to not award the Orders of Merit was made recognizing the varying access Canadian golfers will have to domestic and international competitions, and the resulting difficulty in running an equitable ranking system. Golf Canada will look to resume the Orders of Merit on September 1st, 2020 for the 2021 rankings. For more information, please visit the National Orders of Merit page by clicking here.

Golf Canada and Golf Ontario previously announced the cancellation of the 7th annual World Junior Girls Championship, scheduled for September 30 – October 3, 2020 at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont.

Golf Canada annually conducts more than 20 championships nation-wide which play host to more than 3,000 domestic and international athletes from all corners of the world. In partnership with our host clubs, thousands of volunteers, provincial golf associations and our proud sponsors, Golf Canada is dedicated to supporting player development through world-class competition since our inception in 1895. Officiated by certified Canadian Rules of Golf referees, Golf Canada’s amateur competitions are fully compliant with golf’s international governing bodies and include marquee events such as the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships as well as the Canadian Junior Girls and Junior Boys Championships. Golf Canada’s amateur championships are proudly supported by RBC, Canadian Pacific, Sport Canada, Levelwear, Titleist and FootJoy. For more information and scheduling visit dev-www.golfcanada.ca/competitions.

Three Canadian juniors will be among the 80 competitors in the sixth annual Drive, Chip and Putt championship at Augusta National on April 5, 2020.

In the Girls 7-9 division, Canada will be represented by the duo of Alexis Card (Cambridge, Ont.) and Anna Wu (Victoria, B.C.). Card punched her ticket to Augusta with a score of 107 at the Oakmont Country Club qualifier while Wu posted a total of 122 at Chambers Bay Golf Course.

The Canadians are rounded out by Cole Roberts of Oshawa, Ont., who qualified at TPC River Highlands with a score of 107.

OAKMONT, PA – SEPTEMBER 07: Alexis Card participates in the girls 7-9 putting competition during the regional round of the Drive, Putt, and Chip competition at Oakmont Country Club on September 7, 2019 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania.

Canada has seen three juniors take home titles at the Drive, Chip and Putt nationals in as many years. Savannah Grewal (Mississauga, Ont.) won in 2017, followed by Vanessa Borovilos (Toronto) in 2018 and Nicole Gal (Oakville, Ont.) in 2019.

Local qualifying for the seventh season began in May and was held at more than 300 sites throughout all 50 states this summer. The top-three scorers per venue, in each of the four age categories in separate boys’ and girls’ divisions, advanced to more than 60 sub-regional qualifiers in July and August.

The top two juniors in each age and gender division then competed at the regional level in September and October. Regional qualifying was held at 10 courses around the country, including several U.S. Open and PGA Championship venues.

Championship scoring at the local, subregional and regional qualifiers was based on a 25-point-per-shot basis, with each participant taking three shots per skill. Each participant accumulated points per shot in all three skills (maximum of 75 points per skill = 25 points per shot x 3). The overall winner in each age category was determined by the participant with the most points accumulated between all three skills (maximum of 225 points = 75 points per skill x 3).

Click here for all regional qualifying results.

The Canadian equivalent—Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Skills Challenge National Event— took place at Magna Golf Club in 2019. Learn more here.