BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Team Canada Amateur Squad duo of Joey Savoie and Josh Whalen have extended their lead to two strokes through 54 holes of the Tailhade Cup at the Los Lagartos Country Club.
Savoie, a La Prairie, Que., product, carded his lowest round of the tournament on Saturday with a 3-under-par 68. The 23-year-old Middle Tennessee State University graduate sits at 4 under for the tournament (69-73-68), six back of individual leader Shin Federico of host nation Argentina.
“It was a solid round, I was very good in all aspects of my game…It is a challenging course and you have to take advantage of the few opportunities it gives you,” said Savoie. “Tomorrow is going to be an interesting day.”
Teammate Josh Whalen of Napanee, Ont., posted a 1-under-par 70 on Saturday to holds a share of 5th place.
“I wasted a lot of chances and frustration happens a little bit out there,” said Whalen. “But I can’t complain, I played well and what we are doing is working. Brazil put pressure on us and I think that the tournament is not going to be decided until the last hole.”
Collectively, the Canadian pair sits at 4 under par, holding a two-stroke advantage over Brazil. They will look to collect the third title in four years when the final round gets underway on Sunday. Eric Banks (Truro, N.S.) and Tony Gil (Vaughan, Ont.) captured the event in 2015 while Corey Conners (Listowel, Ont.) and dual citizen Austin Connelly (Irving, Texas) took home the title in 2014.
Click here for full scoring.
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Team Canada duo of Joey Savoie and Josh Whalen fired a collective 2-over-par 142 in Friday’s second round to take a one-stroke advantage in the Tailhade Cup at the Los Lagartos Country Club.
Whalen (Napanee, Ont.) and Savoie (La Prairie, Que.) both hold individual shares of fifth at even-par in the 22nd edition of the event. Together, the pair of first-year National Amateur Squad members boosted Canada into sole possession of first place with a collective score of 284 (E). Brazil trails the Canadian contingent by one stroke, while host nation Argentina sits four back in third place.
Team Canada will look to win their third title in four years. Eric Banks (Truro, N.S.) and Tony Gil (Vaughan, Ont.) captured the event in 2015 while Corey Conners (Listowel, Ont.) and dual citizen Austin Connelly (Irving, Texas) took home the title in 2014.
Click here for full scoring.
DALLAS, Texas – Team Canada Amateur Squad member Maddie Szeryk continued her torrid pace on Tuesday, tying for fifth at the SMU Trinity Forest Invitational en route to collecting her fifth straight NCAA top-10 finish.
Szeryk, a 21-year-old senior, finished the 54-hole event at 6 over par (72-72-78) to lead the Texas A&M Aggies to a T4 finish at the Trinity Forest Golf Club. The London, Ont., resident will break with the Aggies until the spring semester kicks up again in 2018. Szeryk will look to pick up where she left off by defending her title at the Florida State Match-Up from Feb. 9-11.
In her junior season with the Aggies, Szeryk captured WGCA First Team All-America and First Team All-SEC honours while ranking fourth in the nation with a school-record 71.24 stroke average.
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SAN ANTONIO, Tex. – Maddie Szeryk paced the Texas A&M Aggies to a second place finish on Tuesday in the Maryb S. Kauth Invitational at Briggs Ranch Country Club.
Szeryk, a returning member to the Team Canada Amateur Squad, posted a final-round 70 (-2) to grab a share of second place individually. The London, Ont., resident finished the 54-hole event at 8 under par (70-68-70), one stroke shy of medallist and Scotland native Connie Jaffrey, a junior at Kansas State.
The runner-up finish marks Szeryk’s fourth top-10 finish in as many events this season with the Aggies. She is coming off a campaign which saw her capture WGCA First Team All-America and First Team All-SEC honours, and rank fourth in the nation with a school-record 71.24 stroke average.
Szeryk was one of 18 Canadian athletes recently named to the 2017-18 Team Canada program – learn more by clicking here.
The Aggies will tee-it-up next at the Trinity Forest Invitational in Dallas, Tex., from Oct. 30-31.
Click here for full scoring.
Golf Canada is pleased to announce the 18 athletes who have been chosen to represent Team Canada as part of the 2018 National Amateur Squad and Development Squad.
In all, eight athletes comprise Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad including four players on the men’s team and four on the women’s. The 10-member Development Squad will include five women and five men.
“Based on their outstanding performances this year, we are pleased to announce the young men and women chosen to represent Canada as part of the national team program,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s chief sport officer. These talented athletes are a product of a circle of support that includes personal coaches, parents and provincial high-performance programs and will proudly represent Canada on the global golf stage.”
The following athletes have been selected to Team Canada’s 2018 Amateur Squad:
WOMEN’S NATIONAL AMATEUR SQUAD
- Maddie Szeryk, Allen, Tex., Ontario Public Player (21)
- Naomi Ko, Victoria, B.C., Olympic View Golf Club (20)
- Jaclyn Lee, Calgary, Alta., Glencoe Golf & Country Club (20)
- Grace St-Germain, Ottawa, Ont., Camelot Golf & Country Club (19)
MEN’S NATIONAL AMATEUR SQUAD
- Hugo Bernard, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que., Laval sur-le-Lac Club (22)
- Josh Whalen, Napanee, Ont., Napanee Golf & Country Club (22)
- Joey Savoie, La Prairie, Que., Pinegrove Country Club (23)
- Chris Crisologo, Richmond, B.C., Marine Drive Golf Club (21)
Complete National Amateur Squad bios can be found here.
The following athletes have been selected to Team Canada’s 2018 Development Squad:
WOMEN’S DEVELOPMENT SQUAD
- Céleste Dao, Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que., Summerlea Golf & Country Club (16)
- Monet Chun, Richmond Hill, Ont., Summit Golf & Country Club (16)
- Ellie Szeryk, Allen, Tex., Ontario Public Player (16)
- Alyssa DiMarcantonio, Maple, Ont., Station Creek Golf Club (14)
- Euna Han, Coquitlam, B.C., Morgan Creek Golf Course (15)
MEN’S DEVELOPMENT SQUAD
- Christopher Vandette, Beaconsfield, Que., Summerlea Golf & Country Club (16)
- Johnny Travale, Stoney Creek, Ont., Hamilton Golf & Country Club (16)
- Nolan Thoroughgood, Victoria, B.C., Royal Colwood Golf Club (17)
- Peyton Callens, Langton, Ont., Delhi Golf & Country Club (17)
- Thomas Critch, Cedar Park, Tex., Ontario Public Player (17)
Complete Development Squad player bios can be found here.
Development Squad to Feature Centralized Program out of Bear Mountain Resort
New in 2018, the National Development Squad program will feature a centralized component, which will be based out of Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria, B.C.—Team Canada’s official training centre since 2015.
The program will send Development Squad athletes to Bear Mountain from February through to early June to be immersed in a focused centre of excellence, surrounded by world-class technical coaching staff and experts in the areas of mental performance, physiotherapy, biomechanics and nutrition.
The change in program structure and commitment to a centralized training environment over four and a half months of the year are designed to better support emerging talents as part of Golf Canada’s next generation strategy.
The number of days that Development Squad athletes will spend in a world-class training environment will increase from approximately 30 (in the current structure) to 120 in the new program.
“We felt that this change was necessary to deliver a significant impact to targeted athletes aged 18 and under in this crucial stage of their development,” said Thompson. “An increased number of contact days with our expert high-performance coaches and sport science staff will provide our next generation athletes with a true world-class training environment.”
In addition to the world-class facilities available at Bear Mountain, athletes will have access to one of the best training centres in the country just 10 minutes away – the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence.
For accommodation, Development Squad members will be paired with billet families in the region to provide safe, supportive home environments for training and study throughout the program. All potential billet candidates will undergo a screening process with Golf Canada.
Athletes will be enrolled at Belmont Secondary School in Langford, B.C., where they will attend classes in the morning, followed by training in the afternoon. Team members will also be assigned a teacher from West Shore Distributed Learning Centre, where they will take online courses and receive advanced credits for their sports training. Academic commitment will remain a cornerstone of the Team Canada program with Golf Canada coaches and support team working closely with the teaching staff to ensure success in and out of the classroom.
Bear Mountain Resort has served as Golf Canada’s national team training centre since 2015. In addition to world class amenities and accommodations, the resort features a 36-hole Nicklaus design golf course located on 836 acres with spectacular mountain vistas and views of British Columbia’s seaside capital city.
Team Canada Coaching Staff Announced….
Golf Canada is pleased to announce the 2018 Team Canada coaching staff that will support both the National Amateur and Development Squads.
On the women’s side, Tristan Mullally of Waterdown, Ont returns as Women’s Amateur Squad Head Coach. Matt Wilson, from Newmarket, Ont., will oversee the Women’s Development Squad. Wilson, who also works as Golf Canada’s director of next generation performance, takes over for long-serving Women’s Development Squad coach Ann Carroll who will be taking a new step in her coaching career.
Derek Ingram of Winnipeg, Man. returns as Men’s Amateur Squad Head Coach. Robert Ratcliffe of Comox, B.C. will be leading the Men’s Development Squad.
“Derek and Tristan have had tremendous success with Team Canada athletes and the evolution of our national team program will see Robert and Matt play a more significant role through the centralized training environment at Bear Mountain,” added Thompson. “We also want to express our sincere thanks to Ann Carroll on her tremendous contributions to our Women’s Development Squad over the past six years.”
Mullally, Ingram, Ratcliffe and Wilson are all class “A” professionals with the PGA of Canada.
“Not only am I excited to see these young athletes represent Team Canada in 2018, but I’m also thrilled for their PGA of Canada coaches as well,” PGA of Canada President Steve Wood. “The commitment Golf Canada has shown in collaborating with the PGA of Canada in our world class teaching and coaching certification programs is exemplary.”
The 2018 Young Pro Squad team selection is expected in December.
VERONA, Wis. – Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee has added another accolade to her impressive resume.
The 20-year-old Ohio State junior carded seven birdies to post a 5-under-par 67, climbing three spots up the leaderboard en route to capturing her first collegiate title on Sunday at the East & West Challenge.
Lee, a four-year Team Canada member, opened with an even-par 70 on Saturday at University Ridge Golf Course before marching up the standings into first place, where she shared medallist honours with Oregon’s Kathleen Scavo.
For Head Coach Tristan Mullally, it was only a matter of time before Lee notched her first NCAA win.
“Jaclyn is learning to be more aggressive and play to her strengths, she is a fantastic ball striker who is starting to be better at taking her chances,” said Mullally. “It was only a matter of time before her ability to shoot low scores translated into an NCAA win.”
The former Alberta Ladies Amateur champion paced the Buckeyes to a 3rd place finish through two rounds of stroke play. The match play portion of the tournament is set to begin on Monday, with Lee facing off against Alanna Campbell at 10:39 a.m. ET
In her sophomore season, Lee led the Buckeyes in scoring average as well as total finishes in the top-5, earning her a selection to the All-Big Ten Second Team.
Click here for complete stroke play results.
Click here for live match play scoring.
Judging from the tattoo on her left wrist which reads “I believe in the good things coming” it’s safe to say that Ottawa native Grace St-Germain is an optimist – and has the right mindset to succeed.
“It’s a reminder that no matter what you are going through, whether if it’s a bad hole or anything else, that good things are coming if you stay patient and committed to your goal,” explained the 19-year-old.
Recently at the CP Women’s Open, the national team member took some time to talk about her journey on the golf course.
“My grandparents ran the junior program at Hylands Golf and Country club – right behind the airport – where they were members; and they brought all the grandchildren out to play,” said the talented young Ottawa golfer.
And young Grace took a liking to the sport right away.
“I was seven years old at the time and really liked it. It was more fun than watching it on television. I thought it was fun being outside all day and playing with the other kids,” she noted about her humble beginnings.
While St-Germain enjoyed the sport, it wasn’t something that she took too seriously at first.
But that changed when she was 11 years old; and exceeded expectations at a provincial level tournament in Quebec.
“I remembered my parents didn’t expect me to make the cut, so they booked the hotel for only two days,” she reminisced with a smile. “But I made the cut; and that’s when I started to take it more seriously.”
Since making that commitment, her game has taken off.
One of St-Germain’s most notable achievements in her young amateur career came in 2014 when she captured the Canadian Junior Girls Championship at the Thornhill Golf and Country Club.
“Going into the week, I felt really confident; and then, I put together a few good rounds and by the last day I was in the lead by a few shots,” she said.
St-Germain says it was some simple but effective advice offered by her coach that helped calm her nerves prior to the final round.
“I was super nervous and I didn’t know how to handle the pressure of being in the lead; and I remembered my coach just told me to breathe and smile.”
The advice worked wonders as she held on to capture her first national title.
“It was surreal. My mom was crying and my dad gave me a huge hug. It was such an amazing experience and I just gained so much confidence from that,” recalled St-Germain, who also captured the Ontario Women’s Amateur in 2016.
Having worked closely with St-Germain over the previous three years, Canadian women’s national team head coach, Tristan Mullally, has nothing but praise for her commitment and dedication to success.
“She has very positive attitude – which is really important in the sport of golf – and has a really good work ethic. It’s easy to see that she’s committed to success and is willing to do what it takes to get better each day,” he noted.
“Grace is still young and she’s still developing so as she gets stronger we’re going to see her hit the ball further and when you combine that with the fact that she’s got a very solid short game, it’s safe to say she has a bright future ahead,” added Mullally.
Having spent two years with the development squad before joining the amateur team this year, St-Germain says she’s grateful to be part of the program.
“It has allowed us to play in so many prestigious tournaments all over the world and we’ve benefitted from having great coaching and support in all aspects of our game,” she said.
“It’s definitely helped a lot in my development of as a player.”
The national team member points out that one of her favourite memories came in 2015 when she competed in the World Junior Girls Championships at the Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa.
“I played in the tournament two years ago and it was a lot of fun. I learned a lot from the experience and made a lot of new friends from around the world,” she said.
“It was cool being the home town hero and having a lot of family and friends there supporting me.”
While the 19-year-old will not be competing in this year’s tournament – which will be returning to the Marshes Golf Club September 26-29 – she has a number of friends who are taking part.
“I have a few of my friends who are playing in the tournament this year ask me what the course is like and I just try to give them the best advice on that; and also what it’s like to complete in the tournament representing your country as a part of a team.”
St-Germain was also quick to point out how much she enjoyed being one of the hometown favourites at the CP Women’s Open.
“I grew up about 25 minutes from the Ottawa Hunt Club, so it’s really cool to hear people in the crowd cheering my name. It was a great learning experience and very motivating to be out there playing with the best in the world.”
Since the completion of the CP Women’s Open, the 19-year-old has returned to Daytona State where she is finishing off her second and final year of junior college.
After she graduates, St-Germain will be headed off to Arkansas as she has already committed to the University of Arkansas for the fall of 2018.
“Over the next few years, I would like to win a few more tournaments and be one of the top amateurs in the world. And after I finish college, my goal is to turn pro and go from there.”
While many are predicting a bright future ahead for her, the 2014 Canadian Junior Girls champ understands that it’s important not to look too far ahead.
“It’s important just to take it one day at a time and continue to work hard every day to improve all aspects of my game,” said the mature 19-year-old.
“I believe if I do the right things and continue to make improvements, then I definitely will see good things coming my way in the future.”
Team Canada Amateur Squad’s Hugo Bernard cruised to victory in his round-of-64 match at the U.S. Amateur at The Rivieria Country Club, in Palisades, Calif., defeating John Hilliard Catanzaro (Gadsden, Ala.) 4 and 3 to advance to the round-of-32.
The Mont-St-Hilaire, Que., product got off to a strong start winning first four of the first five holes to hold a 3-up lead.
After Catanzaro battled back to 1-down heading to the back nine, Bernard, closed him out by winning holes No. 11, 12, and 14 before halving the fifteenth when Catanzaro was dormie.
Bernard will play No. 52 seed Will Zalatoris (Plano, Tex.) at 9:45 a.m.
Last week at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship Bernard played in the last group during the final round, but fell short of defending his 2016 title firing a 2-over-par 72 to finish in a tie for fourth.
Montreal’s Joey Savoie lost 2-down in the round-of-64 to the 2017 Canadian Men’s Amateur champion Zach Bauchou (Forest, Va.).
The third Canadian to advance to the round-of-64 Richmond, B.C., native Chris Crisologo lost 4 and 3 to the No. 1 seed Hayden Wood (Edmond, Okla.).
Click here to view the U.S. Amateur bracket
Team Canada’s Naomi Ko posted a 1-under-par 71 in round one of U.S. Women’s Amateur to sit T10 after 18 holes at San Diego Country Club in Chula Vista, Calif.
The Victoria, B.C., native recorded three birdies and two bogeys in round one of stroke play. She was 2 under par for the day before a bogey on No. 15 and then closed with three straight pars. She is four shots back of leader Haley Moore (Escondido, Calif.)
A veteran of Team Canada, Ko is coming off a strong finish at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Cutten Fields in Guelph, Ont.
She climbed into tie for a third with a 3-under-par 67 in the final round, the only under par score of the day.
Earlier this summer Ko finished third at the Porter Cup and reached the round-of-16 at the Women’s Western Golf Association Amateur Championship before losing to her Team Canada teammate and eventual winner Maddie Szeryk.
Ko has seen success at USGA events before. She qualified for the U.S Women’s Open in 2016 and reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship in 2015.
Amateur Squad’s Grace St-Germain, carded an opening round 80 (+8). The Ottawa native is T128.
Development Squad rookie Mary Parsons from Delta, B.C., posted a 9-over-par 81 in round one to sit T133.
After two rounds of stroke play the field will be reduced to 64 golfers and match-play will begin.
Click here to view the full leaderboard
Higher Ground Sports Management Inc., an athlete representation and sports marketing agency based in Mississauga, Ontario, announced today the signing of top professional golf prospect and former number one ranked Canadian amateur golfer, Jared du Toit of Kimberley, British Columbia.
A former captain of Arizona State University Men’s Golf Team and member of the Canadian Men’s National Team, du Toit made his professional debut in June after wrapping up a stellar amateur and collegiate career that included a win at the 2017 Prestige at PGA West, a tied-1st finish at the 2017 Amer Ari Invitational and a top-10 finish at the 2016 RBC Canadian Open, where du Toit was low-Canadian for the tournament.
Du Toit also had the honour of being named a finalist for the 2017 Byron Nelson Award and Semi-finalist for the 2017 Ben Hogan Award, two of the most prestigious awards in college golf.
Higher Ground, who also manages the business affairs of PGA Tour winner, Adam Hadwin, and LPGA Tour player, Alena Sharp, will assist du Toit in sourcing and securing endorsement arrangements, developing and marketing his professional brand, as well as overall day to day management of the young professional’s career.
“In sport industry terms, Jared represents the total package. He is ultra-talented with a very real opportunity to be one of the top golfers Canada has ever produced,” said Higher Ground President, George Sourlis.
“But every bit as relevant in realizing success is quality of character. It’s clear to me that Jared has that in spades, which is a credit to his family and upbringing. I’m excited and privileged to be a part of Jared’s journey and look forward to experiencing many victories with him on and off the golf course.”
Said du Toit, “As I begin my professional career, it’s very important to me that I surround myself with an experienced and respected management team with a strong track record of success. George’s reputation in the industry is as solid as they come and I know we’re going to do a lot of fun and exciting things together.”
Du Toit will play in this week’s RBC Canadian Open via a sponsor exemption extended by Golf Canada, where he will also debut and showcase his newest sponsors, having secured endorsement agreements with Titleist, FootJoy Apparel, and Canadian accounting firm, MNP.
“MNP is excited to be sponsoring Jared as he launches his professional career. Jared is an exceptional young man whose success – like MNP’s – has been made in Canada. He extols the MNP values, demonstrating unwavering commitment to the quality of his game and a strong competitive spirit,” said Randy Mowat, MNP’s Senior Vice President of Marketing. ”
With conditional status on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA Tour Canada in 2017, du Toit’s goal will be to finish inside the top five on the year-end money list.
The top five finishers at the end of the 2017 season will receive status on the Web.com Tour in 2018. The Web.com Tour awards 50 PGA Tour cards to its top finishers at the end of the season.
