The Golf Journalists Association of Canada (GJAC) has announced their golf story of the year, as well as various Player of the Year awards for the 2025 season.
Below are the GJAC’s selections for the 2025 season.
Brooke Henderson’s Victory at the CPKC Canadian Women’s Open Named Golf Story of the Year
Brooke Henderson’s memorable win at the CPKC Canadian Women’s Open at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club was named the GJAC Canadian Golf Story of the Year. Henderson captured her second CPKC Canadian Women’s Open title in August, prevailing by one stroke in a dramatic final round over Minjee Lee. The victory marked a special moment for Canadian golf, as Henderson once again claimed the national championship in front of a home audience.
Corey Conners Named Male Professional Player of the Year
Corey Conners earned Male Professional Player of the Year honours following one of the most consistent seasons of his PGA TOUR career. Conners finished fourth in the FedEx Cup standings and recorded three top-five finishes despite not securing a tournament victory. He also posted top-20 finishes in all three major championships he completed during the season. Conners concluded the year ranked 30th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Brooke Henderson Named Female Professional Player of the Year
Brooke Henderson was also named Female Professional Player of the Year, continuing her leadership among Canadian players on the LPGA Tour. Her season included a top-10 finish at the CPE Group Tour Championship and her historic victory at the CPKC Canadian Women’s Open. Henderson finished the year ranked 24th in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.
Hunter Thomson and Isaiah Ibit Named Male Amateur Players of the Year
The GJAC selected co-winners for Male Amateur Player of the Year.
Isaiah Ibit enjoyed an impressive freshman season at Kent State University, earning MAC Freshman of the Year honours. He also made the cut at a PGA TOUR Americas event and finished runner-up at the Can-Am Championship. Ibit concluded the year ranked 359th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
Hunter Thomson, who attended the University of Michigan, won his NCAA Regional, finished 24th on PGA TOUR U, and turned professional during the season while retaining his Amateur Ranking status for 2026. Despite competing as an amateur for only part of the year, his accomplishments earned strong recognition from voters. Thomson turned professional ranked 68th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
Aphrodite Deng Named Female Amateur Player of the Year
Aphrodite Deng was named Female Amateur Player of the Year following a standout season that included a tie for 20th and low amateur honours at the CPKC Canadian Women’s Open, along with a strong showing at the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship and multiple junior victories throughout the year. Deng also captured Rolex Junior Player of the Year honours and finished the season ranked 14th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
“It is an exciting time in our calendar where we share the results of our Association vote for our year end players and Canadian golf story of the year awards,” said Mike Johnny, President of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada. “While the competitive golf landscape in Canada continues to thrive, it is nice to see new names emerge, reflective of the competition within Canada to compete on the world stage. At home, participation in the game remains high and grassroots initiatives to expand engagement in golf are flourishing. A Canadian winning our national open is always exciting. Canada is always proud to showcase the best players coming to compete on the world stage.”
