Tony Gil tied for fifth following first round of Summer Youth Olympics
NANJING, China – Canada’s Tony Gil and Maddie Szeryk sit T5 and T16, respectively, following the opening stroke play rounds of the boys and girls divisions at the Summer Youth Olympics.
Gil, a native of Vaughan, Ont., made his first round one for the ages as he fired a hole-in-one on the par-3 3rd. The ace marks the first time in Olympic history.
“I had to carry the ball 164 yards to the pin, and chose a smooth swing with my 7-iron,” said Gil of the hole-in-one, also the first of his career. “I couldn’t actually tell it went in from the tee,” he said with a laugh.
The Team Canada Development Squad member closed out the front nine with a 1-under 35, crediting his ability to get out of trouble with up-and-downs. The 16-year-old went on to card three birdies on the back, leaving him at 3-under for the day in a tie for fifth.
On the girls side, Maddie Szeryk, 18, posted a 2-over par 74, leaving her in a tie for 16th, five strokes back of the leaders. In addition to competition, the 2013 Canadian Junior Girls Champion is really enjoying the atmosphere with golf back in the Olympics.
“It’s awesome that it’s finally back in the Olympics and it’s so great to be here,” said Szeryk. “I’m hoping to play better in the next few days but overall the experience has been amazing.”
Team coach, Robert Ratcliffe, is very pleased with the performance so far and will make some slight adjustments to the strategy going forward.
“I want to change a bit of the strategy in regards to course management in the next few days,” said Ratcliffe, also Team Canada’s Lead Development Squad coach. “We are playing some of the highest ranked players in the world here and I think we are in good position to gain on the leaders.”
The second round of stroke play resumes Wednesday. Gil will tee off at 9:50 am (CST) and Szeryk will tee off at 8:50 am (CST).
Tony Gil tied for fifth following first round of Summer Youth Olympics
NANJING, China – Canada’s Tony Gil and Maddie Szeryk sit T5 and T16, respectively, following the opening stroke play rounds of the boys and girls divisions at the Summer Youth Olympics.
Gil, a native of Vaughan, Ont., made his first round one for the ages as he fired a hole-in-one on the par-3 3rd. The ace marks the first time in Olympic history.
“I had to carry the ball 164 yards to the pin, and chose a smooth swing with my 7-iron,” said Gil of the hole-in-one, also the first of his career. “I couldn’t actually tell it went in from the tee,” he said with a laugh.
The Team Canada Development Squad member closed out the front nine with a 1-under 35, crediting his ability to get out of trouble with up-and-downs. The 16-year-old went on to card three birdies on the back, leaving him at 3-under for the day in a tie for fifth.
On the girls side, Maddie Szeryk, 18, posted a 2-over par 74, leaving her in a tie for 16th, five strokes back of the leaders. In addition to competition, the 2013 Canadian Junior Girls Champion is really enjoying the atmosphere with golf back in the Olympics.
“It’s awesome that it’s finally back in the Olympics and it’s so great to be here,” said Szeryk. “I’m hoping to play better in the next few days but overall the experience has been amazing.”
Team coach, Robert Ratcliffe, is very pleased with the performance so far and will make some slight adjustments to the strategy going forward.
“I want to change a bit of the strategy in regards to course management in the next few days,” said Ratcliffe, also Team Canada’s Lead Development Squad coach. “We are playing some of the highest ranked players in the world here and I think we are in good position to gain on the leaders.”
The second round of stroke play resumes Wednesday. Gil will tee off at 9:50 am (CST) and Szeryk will tee off at 8:50 am (CST).
OAKVILLE, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada is pleased to congratulate National Amateur Squad member Chris Hemmerich of Kitchener, Ont., for his decision to pursue a career in professional golf.
Hemmerich, 21, makes the jump to the professional ranks after a strong season, which featured taking home the hardware at this year’s Investors Group Ontario Amateur Championship. As of this week, the University of Guelph graduate sat at no. 88 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR).
The decision comes shortly after being eliminated from the U.S. Amateur last week, giving Hemmerich time to officially turn professional before PGA Tour Canada’s Great Waterway Classic begins on Thursday at the Loyalist Golf & Country Club in Bath, Ont.
Hemmerich has had some experience playing in professional events as an amateur, with his best finish coming at PGA Tour Canada’s Thunder Bay Classic earlier this year, where he finished T35.
As his two-year stint with Team Canada comes to a close, Hemmerich is grateful for all the support he has received and has nothing but good things to say about the program.
“It gives you the ability to gain experience in tournaments you otherwise couldn’t, and also the ability to practice in a team environment,” said Hemmerich. “The coaching staff, lead by Derek (Ingram), was great because he would travel to our tournaments, helping us create a game plan for the four rounds of golf ahead.”
The former Guelph Gryphons team captain feels that although he may be young, he is well prepared to make the jump to the pros.
“The Team Canada program does a great job of showing you the proper ways to travel, train, and practice on a regular basis – which is much needed when doing it for a living,” said the commerce major. “I feel like my game has gotten much stronger since first being selected and I’m looking forward to continuing to improve and start out a professional career.”
Golf Canada names 2014 Canadian World Amateur Teams
(Golf Canada/ Bernard Brault)
Oakville, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada is pleased to announce the six individuals selected to represent Canada at the 2014 World Amateur Team Championship, conducted by the International Golf Federation. The championships – features both a women’s (Sept 3rd-6th) and men’s (10th-13th) competition which will take place in Karuizawa, Japan from September 3 – 13, 2014.
Representing Canada on the women’s team is Brooke Henderson, 16, of Smiths Falls, Ont., Augusta James, 21, of Bath, Ont., and Brittany Marchand, 21, of Orangeville, Ont. The trio will vie for the Espirito Santo Trophy at the Kurizawa Prince Hotel Resort’s Oshitate Course and Iriyama Course.
The men’s team selected to represent Canada consists of Corey Conners, 22, of Listowel, Ont., Taylor Pendrith, 23, of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Adam Svensson, 20, of Surrey, B.C. Also contested on both the Oshitate Course and Iriyama Course at Kurizawa Prince Hotel Resort, the men will vie for the Eisenhower Trophy.
“The World Amateur Team Championships are a critical benchmark in our evaluation of Golf Canada’s efforts in high performance player development,” said Golf Canada’s Chief Sport Officer Jeff Thompson. “This particular championship allows our players to compete best on best with the top amateur golfing talents from across the globe. It was an extremely difficult selection for this event. The players selected have demonstrated an extremely high level of performance throughout the selection period over a number of world-class competitions and I am very confident that they will represent the country and themselves very well.”
Women’s Team Bios:
Brooke Henderson, a member of Team Canada’s National Squad for the past three years, will represent Canada in the Women’s World Amateur Team Championship for the second time (2012). She enters the competition as the No. 2 ranked amateur in the world after a wildly successful 2014 season that saw her claim victory at the Porter Cup, the Ontario Women’s Amateur, the Canadian Women’s Tour Ontario stop, and the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada. These stellar performances were highlighted by a Top-10 finish at the U.S. Women’s Open where she was awarded low amateur honours as well as a runner up finish at the U.S. Women’s Amateur.
Augusta James has been a member of Team Canada’s National Squad for the past four years and is entering her senior year at North Carolina State University. The 21-year-old has had a strong 2014 season, finishing tied for fourth at the Porter Cup and runner-up to Henderson in the Ontario Women’s Amateur before winning the prestigious Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship. The 2014 World Amateur mark James’ second time competing (2012 she finished T12th).
Brittany Marchand, also a four-year member of Team Canada and fifth year student athlete at NC State, rounds out Canada’s World Amateur trio. Marchand’s busy 2014 season included a 7th place finish at the Canadian Women’s Amateur, 3rd place finish in the Ontario Women’s Amateur and T4 finish at the Porter Cup.
Men’s Team Bios: Cory Conners has been a member of Team Canada for the past four years and recently graduated from Kent State University. Competing in the World Amateur for a second time (2012), he is currently ranked No. 44 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings. In 2014 Conners claimed the Jones Cup, the Mid-American Conference Championship, the General Hackler Championship, and the Gopher Invitational. He also recently finished runner-up at the U.S. Men’s Amateur Championship to earn exemptions into the 2015 Masters Tournament and U.S. Open Championship and was a finalist in the North & South Amateur Championship held at the prestigious Pinehurst Country Club.
Taylor Pendrith, a Kent State grad known for his powerful drive, ball speed and distance off the tee, is currently ranked No. 45 on the WAGR. He recently made headlines after an impressive performance at the 2014 RBC Canadian Open that saw him finish in a tie for 43rd, highlighted by an opening round 65. Also in 2014, Pendrith captured the Monroe Invitational and finished second at the Mid-American Conference Championship.
Adam Svensson is entering his junior year at Barry University in the fall. In 2014 he was awarded the Jack Nicklaus Award for being the top NCAA Division II golfer – well-deserved recognition after a 2014 season that saw him claim the Sunshine State Conference Championship, the Buccaneer Invitational and the Bobcat Invitational. Svensson has been a part of the Canadian men’s national team for the past five years.
About the World Amateur Team Championships: A biennial competition, the World Amateur Team Championship has been played since 1958, with the winner taking home the Eisenhower Trophy. The United States won the 2012 title in Antalya, Turkey, by five strokes over Mexico in a championship that was contested over 54 holes rather than 72. The Canadian contingent of Conners, Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., and Albin Choi of Toronto tied Norway for sixth place that year.
Conducted every two years, the World Women’s Amateur Team Championship has been staged since 1964, with the winner earning the Espirito Santo Trophy. In 2012, Korea claimed the title by three strokes over Germany. The Canadian team of Henderson, James, and Jennifer Kirby of Paris, Ont. placed seventh.
In 27 appearances at the World Amateur Team Championship, Canada has captured the Eisenhower Trophy on one occasion (1986) and earned runner-up honours four times. In 24 appearances at the Women’s World Amateur Team Championship, Canada has earned runner-up honours three times.
The World Amateur Team titles are contested over four days of stroke play. A country may field a team of two or three players. In each round, the total of the two lowest scores constitutes the team score for the round. The four-day total is the team’s score for the championship.
The World Amateur Team Championships are conducted by the International Golf Federation, which was founded in 1958 to encourage the international development of the game and to employ golf as a vehicle to foster friendship and sportsmanship. The IGF, the International Olympic Committee’s international federation for golf, comprises the national governing bodies of golf in more than 125 countries, and it will conduct the golf competition at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Team Canada’s Corey Conners lost the 36-hole final match of the U.S. Amateur to South Korea’s Gunn Yang, 2 & 1.
Yang jumped out to an early 2 up lead after the first two holes, but Conners continued to fight in the back-and-forth affair, winning four holes on the first 18 to sit 1 down heading into the afternoon lunch break.
Conners, a recent Kent State graduate, took advantage of a bogey by Yang to open the second round to make the match all square. They stayed even for the next four holes, until Yang birdied the par-4 6th, and followed that up with a par on the 7th, to earn a quick two-hole advantage.
As raindrops began to fall, Conners buried a 10-footer on the par-4 10th to cut the lead back to one. The rain began to pour heavily on the 11th, forcing officials to suspend play. Suspense continued to mount during the delay that lasted over an hour.
After play resumed, they remained all square until Yang birdied the par-4 14th (32nd hole) to earn his two-hole advantage back. Yang missed a short birdie putt to win on the 16th, giving Conners one last chance to make a run. That was it, however, as Yang closed out Conners on the 17th to win, 2 & 1.
Yang, a virtual unknown, joins the company of past champions Bobby Jones, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. With the win, the San Diego state sophomore will surely improve on his no. 776 World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).
Caddying for Conners was Team Canada and Kent State teammate, Taylor Pendrith (Richmond Hill, Ont.). The 2014 Monroe Invitational champion was on the bag for Conners since being eliminated in the round of 64.
Sunday’s finish marks both a female and male Canadian reaching the U.S. Amateur final in the same year, as Brooke Henderson (Smiths Falls, Ont.) placed runner-up earlier this month. That had not happened since 1966 with Gary Cowan and Marlene Streit.
Both Yang and Conners will receive exemptions into the 2015 U.S. Open and a likely invitation to the Masters – provided they remain amateurs. Additionally, Yang earned an exemption into the British Open.
Yang become the second South Korean winner of the title, following Byeong-Hun An in 2009.
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Team Canada’s Corey Conners has advanced to the semifinal of the US Amateur Championship after defeating Zachary Olsen of Cordova, Tenn. 2&1 Friday at Atlanta Athletic Club.
A recent Kent State graduate, Conners led early after a win the the day’s third hole. Olsen would square the match with a birdie on No. 9, before Conners shifted into another gear on the back nine. Conners would win holes 10, 11 and 16 to earn his victory.
Conners, a Listowel, Ont. native who is currently ranked as the No. 44 amateur in the world, finished as a semi-finalist at last year’s U.S. Amateur in Brookline, Mass. He also carries momentum from a successful summer which saw him capture the Jones Cup and place runner-up at the Men’s North & South Amateur Championship.
Conners’ game plan for Saturday’s match is simple.
“Stay patient. Just keep fighting,” said the 22-year-old. “Just try and stick to my game plan and do the same thing as I did in the last four matches.”
He now faces Denny McCarthy of Rockville, Md. Saturday at 8:20am (EDT). McCarthy is ranked 36th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
Corey Conners advances to US Amateur quarterfinals
Garrett Rank (USGA)
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Team Canada’s Corey Conners advanced to the U.S. Amateur quarterfinals Thursday, beating Spaniard Jon Rahm 3&1 at Atlanta Athletic Club.
A recent Kent State graduate, Conners led thru the first 12 holes before Rahm was able to square the match on No. 13. Conners would win holes 14, 15 and 17 to earn his victory.
Conners, a Listowel, Ont. native who is currently ranked as the No. 44 amateur in the world, finished as a semi-finalist at last year’s U.S. Amateur in Brookline, Mass. He also carries momentum from a successful summer which saw him capture the Jones Cup and place runner-up at the Men’s North & South Amateur Championship.
He now faces Zachary Olsen of Cordova, Tenn. Friday at 11:40am (EDT). Olsen is ranked 147th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
Canada’s Conners advances to Round of 16 at US Amateur
Garrett Rank (USGA)
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Team Canada’s Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont. has advanced to Thursday afternoon’s Round of 16 at the U.S. Amateur at Atlanta Athletic Club.
Conners, 22, defeated Jesse Heinly of Bend, Ore., winning 4&3. The recent Kent State graduate went on a run early after the 4th hole, building a 4-up advantage through the next seven holes. Conners kept his foot on the pedal, closing the match out on the 15th.
Conners is looking to mirror the success of last year’s U.S. Amateur in Brookline, Mass., where he finished as a semi-finalist. He also carries the momentum from a successful summer which saw him capture the Jones Cup and place runner-up at the Men’s North & South Amateur Championship. The world’s no. 44 ranked amateur who is seeded 31st this week will face 50th seed John Rahm of Spain this afternoon at 2:10 pm EDT.
Team Canada teammate, Garrett Rank, fell in his round of 32 match to Kyle Jones of Taylor, Ariz. The match was all-square after 10 holes, but Jones won three consecutive holes after that and did not look back, winning 2&1.
Conners, Rank advance to Round of 32 at US Amateur
Garrett Rank (USGA)
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Two Canadians who qualified for match play at the U.S. Amateur have advanced to Thursday morning’s Round of 32 at Atlanta Athletic Club. Two did not.
No. 31 seed Corey Conners won his Round of 64 match Wednesday against Scottie Scheffler of Dallas 1-up. The Listowel, Ont. native had five birdies on the day, including a timely two on the par 3 15 hole, which gave him a 2-up lead. Scheffer, seeded 34th, would win No. 16 with a par, but Conners would hold on for the victory.
Conners now faces Jesse Heinly of Bend, Ore. Thursday morning.
Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont. beat fourth-seeded Jimmy Beck of Columbus, Georgia, 1 up. Rank, a 26-year-old hockey referee, made a 6-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to win the match.
“I knew going into 18, if I could put two good swings on it, or at least give myself a chance to go for the green, that I could make birdie,” Rank said.
Rank, who earned his spot into match play via a 17-for-4 playoff early Wednesday morning, will face Kyle Jones of Taylor, Ariz.
Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., seeded 42nd, lost 2&1 to 23 seed Zachary Olsen of Cordova, Tenn.
Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., Canada’s highest seed at No. 11, fell 4&2 to 54 seed Jonathan Chang of Corona, Calif.
Canadians Pendrith, Conners, Svensson and Rank qualify for U.S. Amateur match play
Taylor Pendrith (Golf Canada/ Bernard Brault)
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Americans Taylor Moore and Lee McCoy were at 8-under 135 to lead stroke play Tuesday at the U.S. Amateur Championship.
Moore, a junior at the University of Arkansas, birdied four of his last five holes to shoot a 69 on the par-71 Highlands course. McCoy, a junior at Georgia, overcame a double-bogey with a stretch of five birdies in seven holes for a 68.
Cheng-Tsung Pan, Jimmy Beck, Sam Burns, Jonathan Garrick and Will Zalatoris were at 5-under 138.
The top 60 players have qualified for match play, which begins Wednesday leading up to the championship on Sunday.
Three Canadians have secured their spots in match play, including Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., who was top Canadian after finishing tied for eighth at 4-under 139.
Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont. finished tied for 24th at 1-under 142 and Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C. tied for 32nd at even par 143.
A playoff involving 17 players for the final four spots in the field took place Wednesday on the Riverside Course, with Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont. securing one of those spots.
