Canadian men’s squad finishes 9th at World Amateur in Ireland
MAYNOOTH, Ireland – Denmark, bolstered by the stellar play of 17-year-old identical twins Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard, held off a surging field to win its first World Amateur Team Championship at 39-under-par 541 by one stroke over the USA.
The Danes claimed the Eisenhower Trophy in their 25th appearance as Nicolai Hojgaard, the 2018 European Amateur champion, posted a 7-under-par 66 and his brother Rasmus fired a 6-under-67 for a team total of 13-under-par 133 on the par-73 O’Meara Course. Teammate John Axelsen posted a non-counting 4-under 69. Previously, in 2010, Denmark had claimed the silver medal.
“It means a lot,” said six-time Danish captain Torben Nyehuus. “Everybody is watching. It’s just amazing. I was with the team in 2010 when we came in second, so this is just amazing. It’s pretty nice to go one better.”
Nicolai notched five birdies in his final nine holes and Rasmus logged three as they took the lead from a tightly-packed leaderboard. Four teams, Denmark, USA, Spain and New Zealand, were tied at 34-under as the last groups made the turn.
“I feel wonderful,” said Nicolai. “This is a dream come true for all of us. I had a tough start to this tournament, so I was just trying to play some good rounds to help the team. I did that the last two rounds so this is perfect. This is the biggest team event we could have won and to do it with Rasmus is perfect. But, also with John, John is a great friend and we are all having fun. This is just wonderful.”
The USA used a strong finish by University of Texas freshman and 2018 U.S. Amateur semifinalist Cole Hammer (7-under 66) and University of Southern California senior Justin Suh (4-under 69) to pass Spain for the silver medal at 38-under-par 542.
“It says a lot,” said Hammer, the 2018 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball champion. “It speaks a lot to the way our team jelled and how much fun we had together. When you are having fun playing golf, good things happen. To medal in my first international competition, especially on a stage as big as this, is really special.”
Spain took the bronze medal at 36-under 544. New Zealand, which held the lead through 36 and 54 holes, was fourth at 545, followed by Norway, Italy and Thailand tied for fifth at 548; England in eighth at 549, Canada in ninth at 550 and host Ireland and Germany tied for 10th at 553.
Although there is no official recognition, Spain’s Alejandro “Alex” Del Rey was the low individual scorer at 23-under 267. He and England’s Matthew Jordan shot the low scores in the fourth round at 8-under 65.
The Canadian squad carded a final-round of 10 under par to climb into sole possession of 9th place overall. The trio finished at 30 under par, with Joey Savoie of La Prairie, Que., leading the way at 13 under. Fellow Quebec native Hugo Bernard finished at 11 under par while Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont., closed out at 7 under par.
9th of 72 in the @IGFgolf #WATC2018 @CartonHouseGolf this year. Not what we wanted but super proud of the effort! @Hbernard63 @savoiejoey #Grank @wavephysio represent @TheGolfCanada and themselves with class! Congrats men! ??? pic.twitter.com/Ap2V8Y8oj1
— Derek Ingram (@dingramgolf) September 8, 2018
Last week, the Canadian women’s team rallied back from T39 to finish in 7th place.
In 29 appearances at the World Amateur Team Championship, Canada has captured the Eisenhower Trophy on one occasion (1986) and earned runner-up honours five times. In 25 appearances at the Women’s World Amateur Team Championship, Canada has earned runner-up honours four times.
The 32nd World Amateur Team Championship for the Eisenhower Trophy and the 29th Women’s World Amateur Team Championship for the Espirito Santo Trophy are set for Hong Kong in 2020.
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Schauffele in front at BMW by 2 shots while Woods falls back
NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. – Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk had an easy time deciding on three of his four picks for the Ryder Cup.
Xander Schauffele is making the last one a little more difficult.
Schauffele nearly holed a wedge on his second hole, rolled in a 40-foot birdie putt in the middle of his round Friday and wound up with a 6-under 64 in the BMW Championship for the lowest 36-hole score of his career and a two-shot lead over Justin Rose.
“I’m sort of in a position where I feel like a win is the only way I’d even be in consideration,” Schauffele said.
He also made it more difficult on Woods, who again goes into a weekend have to catch up to the leaders.
One day after he opened with a 62 – his lowest score since his last victory more than five years ago – Woods went eight holes before his first birdie and didn’t make many after that. He finished with two straight bogeys for a 70 that left him five shots behind in a tie for 12th.
“Very simple. I didn’t make any putts,” Woods said. “I hit a lot of beautiful putts that were on the top of the edge, and then obviously hit a couple bad ones on the last hole, but looked like all the putts were going to in. But they didn’t go in today.”
Schauffele was at 13-under 127 and will be paired in the third round Saturday with a familiar figure in Philadelphia. Rose, who played bogey-free for a 64, won the AT&T National at Aronimink in 2010, and he captured his only major at nearby Merion in the 2013 U.S. Open.
“Cheese steaks, I guess,” Rose said. “I played well. The crowd latched onto it, for sure. I get good support around here. It’s nice when they’re reminding you all the time that it’s your town, as well. It’s nice to have the added bit of enthusiasm from the crowd.”
Aronimink was even softer than the opening round from a burst of rain overnight. Starting times were moved up four hours because of a forecast for more rain. The trick Friday, when the average score was 67.33, was to avoid wedges that spun too much to back pin positions.
Hideki Matsuyama, who started the FedEx Cup playoffs at No. 76, had a 64 and was in a group three shots behind that included Keegan Bradley, Alex Noren and Rickie Fowler. Matsuyama suddenly is in position to be among the 30 players who advance to East Lake in Atlanta in two weeks for the Tour Championship.
The same is true for Bradley and for Noren, the Swede who makes his Ryder Cup debut at the end of the month. Noren holed out for eagle on the par-5 ninth for a 66, while Bradley keeps flirting with contention in these playoff events.
Rory McIlroy (67), FedEx Cup champion Justin Thomas (67) and Jason Day (64) were at 9-under 131.
Schauffele also needs a good week to get to East Lake, though he would like to extend his season an additional week in France at the Ryder Cup.
A runner-up at the British Open, the 24-year-old from San Diego finished 12th in the Ryder Cup standings. Furyk used three of his picks Tuesday night on Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson and Woods – Nos. 9, 10, 11 in the standings – and has one more pick after the BMW Championship.
Tony Finau is regarded the leading candidate, and he did nothing to hurt his chances. Finau made seven birdies in his round of 64 and goes into the final 36 holes at Aronimink just five shots behind.
“The possibilities are cool, the potential of what could happen,” Finau said. “But nothing good comes from thinking too far ahead. I got a couple rounds in front of me, 36 holes to try and win this tournament. And winning takes care of everything.”
Woods once used that phrase – “winning takes care of everything” – when he returned to No. 1 in the world after his injuries in 2013. Winning remains elusive, a cold putter didn’t do too much damage after starting with a 62.
He missed a 4-foot par putt on the par-3 fifth hole and didn’t convert any of the birdie putts from the 20-foot range. What he made on Thursday, he missed on Friday.
“I hit it just as good and putt it just as good,” Woods said. “Nothing went in. That’s the way it goes.”
Schauffele said he was on a mission, and the Ryder Cup was merely a byproduct. He was the PGA Tour rookie of the year last season after winning the Tour Championship for his second PGA Tour title. Now, results are harder to find.
His mission?
“Just prove to myself that I can win again and just be clutch,” he said. “I always thought I was rather a clutch player coming down the stretch and this year has said otherwise. I’m trying to prove it to myself again.”
Canada tied for 10th heading into final round at World Amateur
MAYNOOTH, Ireland – New Zealand lengthened its lead to three strokes after 54 holes at 30-under-par 404 powered by a 7-under 65 from Denzel Ieremia and a 3-under 69 from Daniel Hillier and positioned itself to claim its first medal since winning gold in 1992.
“That would be really cool,” said Ieremia of emulating the 1992 team of Michael Campbell, Phillip Tataurangi and Stephan Scahill. “I played college golf and I have always said that winning a team event is way more thrilling than winning an individual one. To have an opportunity to try to convert tomorrow is pretty cool.”
Spain and the USA also posted 10-under team scores to join Thailand in a share of second place at 27-under-par 407.
The Spanish posted a 6-under 66 from Angel Hidalgo and a 4-under 68 from Alejandro Del Rey while the Americans logged a 66 from Collin Morikawa and a 68 from Justin Suh.
Italy and first-round leader Denmark are tied for fifth at 408 and Norway, buoyed by the day’s best score of 133 and a 65 from U.S. Amateur champion Viktor Hovland, was tied for seventh with Germany at 412. Austria is ninth at 413 and Canada finishes the top 10 at 414.
“For us, it was another challenge the boys did well with it,” said New Zealand captain Bryce Hamer. “They worked really hard. They just love playing golf. They will look at tomorrow as another challenge. These guys will work extremely hard to do everything to do themselves and their country proud.”
The Canadian trio of Joey Savoie (La Prairie, Que.), Hugo Bernard (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.) and Garrett Rank (Elmira, Ont.) carded a 2-under 142 on Friday to sit at 10 under par, 10 strokes off the pace.
Savoie leads all Canadians at 8 under for the tournament, eight strokes back of leaders Takumi Kanaya (Japan) and Ieremia (New Zealand).
Bernard will lead off Canada’s final-round efforts, teeing it up at 12:15 p.m. local time.
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Brady Exber captures 2018 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship
BATHURST, N.B. – American Brady Exber closed out a strong performance with a final-round 73 (+1) on Friday to claim the 2018 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship at Gowan Brae Golf and Country Club.
Exber held a share of the lead in the opening round and never looked back, extending his advantage to capture a 7-stroke victory and hoist the John Rankin Memorial Trophy. The 62-year-old Las Vegas native finished the 72-hole event at 10 under par (278) ahead of Canadian runner-up Peter Detemple.
“It was just amazing when I made that last putt,” said Exber, who becomes the ninth American to win the Canadian Men’s Senior. “Everybody started clapping, and I looked around, I couldn’t believe how many people were watching.”
“I was really nervous starting today, because I had a big lead, and I was thinking ‘OK try to not screw this up’ instead of playing the golf course. You can’t win on the first tee you gotta play all the holes.”
The Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame member held a third-round lead of nine strokes, thanks in part to a tournament course record 66 (-6) in the third round. With the victory, Exber adds another trophy to a well-decorated shelf over a stellar amateur golf career throughout the years. Among his many accolades, Exber is nine-time recipient of the Southern Nevada Golf Association Player of the Year Award.
Having played many different Nevada courses over his career, Exber shared high praise for the conditions at Gowan Brae.
“It’s a really fun course, the two nines are very different. If you drive it in the fairway here, you can make some birdies. The hospitality here is fantastic.”
Exber earns an exemption into the 2019 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at the Old Chatham Golf Club in Durham, N.C., from Aug. 24-29, 2019.
He’s also committed to returning to Canada to defend his title at next year’s Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, which will take place Sept. 10-13 at Cedar Brae Golf Club in Scarborough, Ont.
“Absolutely I’m going to defend my title, I’m looking forward to it. I really do look forward to coming to Canada—it’s one of three tournaments in the world for senior amateur golf.”
Detemple, a Vancouver native currently residing in Lexington Park, Md., couldn’t quite match Exber after the two shared the 18-hole lead. Instead, he was battling 2017 champion Gene Elliott of West Des Moines, Ia., who finished in solo third at 1 under for the tournament, two back of Detemple.
Doug Roxburgh, an honored member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, hung on to capture the Super Senior Division (ages 65+) by two strokes. The Vancouver native finished tied for 11th at 11 over par (299). Quebec’s Michel Roy was in position to win but finished bogey, double-bogey to open the door for Roxburgh.
“It was one my goals and it’s really nice to have accomplished it,” said Roxburgh. “I turned things around and played pretty steady on the back. It was a good day of golf and Michel is just a tremendous player.”
On Wednesday, Team British Columbia captured the inter-provincial team championship with a score of 9 over par. Team Alberta and Team Quebec finished one stroke back with a share of second.
Additional information, including complete scoring info for the 2018 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship can be found here.
Ottawa’s Grace St-Germain reflects on World Junior Girls Championship experience
OTTAWA – Grace St-Germain knows exactly what the participants of the World Junior Girls Championship are about to go through.
St-Germain, part of Golf Canada’s national team program since 2014 and now starting her first season at the University of Arkansas (after a two-year stint at Daytona State College, where she was part of the NJCAA Women’s National Golf Championship-winning squad in May) made her debut at the World Junior Girls Championship in 2014 at Angus Glen Golf Club.
She paired with Brooke Henderson and Naomi Ko and the squad finished third.
It was her first time representing Canada on a golf stage, and says it was a moment she would never forget.
“It was so fun to meet all the girls from around the world, and being able to finish third alongside Brooke and Naomi is something I’ll keep in my heart forever,” says St-Germain, who is playing at Arkansas with a fellow World Junior Girls Championship competitor from Mexico.
St-Germain says being able to play in the World Junior Girls Championship solidified her desire to represent Canada while playing golf. As a Canadian, she’ll always fly the Canadian flag on the course. But to legitimately wear her country’s colours was a unique and exciting opportunity that she is eager to repeat.
The 20-year-old has been with Golf Canada’s national team program for four years. She had to unfortunately miss the CP Women’s Open in Regina, Sask. due to commitments at Arkansas, but did enjoy a successful summer season – capped off with a win at the Quebec Women’s Amateur in June.
She says the opportunities Golf Canada has put in front of her have been “unreal.”
“The first year I went to Australia, which was one of my ‘bucket list’ countries to visit. This summer we went to England and Ireland. Without Golf Canada I wouldn’t be who I am, for sure,” she says. “The opportunities I’ve got have been unparalleled.”
St-Germain is also a member at Camelot Golf and Country Club, the host layout for this year’s World Junior Girls Championship. She says the key to success for the participants this year will be to have a solid game plan and try to stick with it. She says there are a “bunch” of holes at Camelot that can cause headaches, and she says driving it straight will be key.
“I’m excited for the girls to come play this golf course because I know they’re going to love it,” she explains. “It’s beautiful and challenging and has great conditioning. I’m excited to hear what they think about it, and for them to be in my hometown.”
As St-Germain begins the next stage of her career in Arkansas (with 6:15 a.m. workouts, she says with a laugh and a typical college-student groan) she’s reflective in thinking back to what her time at the World Junior Girls Championship meant to her and her career.
She’s hopeful the girls who participate have as much fun as they can and just enjoy the moment.
“When I look back on the 2014 tournament I don’t often think about a specific shot or holes, but I remember the friendships I made and the people I still talk to this day,” she says. “The girls you see (at the World Junior Girls) are the girls you’re probably going to be playing with for a long time coming, so just make as many friends as you can and enjoy the week and the opportunity to represent your country.”
Learn more about the World Junior Girls Championship by visiting the championship website.
Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy off to torrid start at Aronimink
NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. – With the glare of a scorching sun in his eyes, Tiger Woods couldn’t believe what he saw.
He finally missed a green on his 14th hole.
“Is that long?” he said to his caddie. “I thought it was perfect.”
Everything else felt that way Thursday in the BMW Championship, where Woods had his lowest score in an opening round in nearly 20 years and his best score on the PGA Tour since his last victory more than five years ago. With a bogey on his penultimate hole, he had an 8-under 62 at Aronimink.
And all that got him was a share of the lead with Rory McIlroy.
“Just the way it goes,” Woods said with a smile, caring more about a complete round of golf and a strong performance with his old putter than whether he was leading after one round in the FedEx Cup playoffs.
Aronimink was never easier, not with temperatures in the upper 90s and feeling even hotter. Not on a course with generous fairways and greens so soft that Woods hit a 3-iron from 242 yards that landed 8 feet in front of the hole and stopped 5 feet away next to the pin.
Woods hit nothing longer than a 9-iron into the par 4s. McIlroy relied heavily on his wedge game to make a strong bid at 59, only to make consecutive bogeys late in his round and having to settle for a 62.
Through all the sweat, through all the birdies, they managed to give Philadelphia fans a reason to cheer for golf in the hours before the Super Bowl champion Eagles opened the NFL season Thursday night against Atlanta.
“It was one of those days where it was out there,” McIlroy said.
And it was a Thursday, finally, that included Woods in the mix. He had failed to break par in the opening round at 10 of his last 11 tournaments.
“Got off to a better start than I have most of the season. And as of right now,” he said, pausing to smile, “I’m one back. Just the way it goes.”
He had just signed his card and saw that McIlroy was at 9 under, and by the time he stepped out from the hot sun and suggested another ice bath might be in order, McIlroy had dropped two shots before finishing with a two-putt birdie.
It was the lowest score for Woods since he shot 61 in the second round of the 2013 Bridgestone Invitational, which he won by seven shots for his 79th title on the PGA Tour and 90th worldwide. It remains his last victory.
And it was his best opening round since a 61 in the 1999 Byron Nelson Classic on a similar kind of day. Woods shot 29 on the front nine that day at Cottonwood Valley and it wasn’t even the best score in his group (Paul Goydos shot 28). Woods wound up with a one-shot lead that day and tied for seventh.
Woods returned to the same putter he has used to win 13 of his 14 majors – his third different putter in as many weeks – and saw some familiar results. He opened with a 20-foot birdie putt at No. 10, shot 29 on the back nine, and then rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt on No. 1 to reach 7 under through 10 holes.
He didn’t make many more, but he had chances.
His only bogey came at the par-3 eighth, by far the most difficult pin on the course. Woods was between clubs, went with a soft 4-iron and yanked it into the rough. He pitched to 18 feet, a good shot up a ridge and onto a green that sloped away from him. The putt caught the lip.
Woods and McIlroy still had to hit the shots and make the putts.
The wide fairways and temperatures in the 90s allowed the golf ball to seemingly fly forever and made for such low scoring that 48 players in the 69-man field broke par. Rickie Fowler opened with a 65 in his first tournament since the PGA Championship, and at times it felt like he was getting lapped playing alongside Woods.
Jordan Spieth couldn’t keep it in play off the tee and didn’t get under par until his 15th hole. He birdied three of the last four for a 67.
Peter Uihlein, who only advanced to the third FedEx Cup playoff event with birdies on his last three holes on the TPC Boston last week, had a 64 to join a group that included FedEx Cup champion Justin Thomas.
McIlroy was on the second green when he looked over at Woods, who had just hit wedge to 4 inches for birdie on the seventh hole and was waiting for the green to clear on the par-3 eighth. The crowd was much thinner for McIlroy, but those fans saw quite a show. He holed an 8-foot birdie putt on No. 2, part of a run six straight birdies.
When he was 9 under with four holes left – the last one a par 5 – he started thinking about breaking 60.
Instead, he missed the fairway on his next two tee shots, took bogey from about the same spot Woods was on No. 8, and those hopes were gone.
“You don’t get many opportunities to break 60 and today was one of them,” he said. “And I didn’t capitalize. I’m not going to say it stings too bad because I’d much rather shoot 62 today and win the golf tournament Sunday than shoot 59 today and maybe not win.”
Brady Exber takes commanding lead into final round of Canadian Men’s Senior Championship
Bathurst, N.B. – Brady Exber edged closer to winning his first Canadian Men’s Senior title on Thursday, firing his third-straight round in the red at Gowan Brae Golf and Country Club to take a 9-shot lead heading into tomorrow’s final round.
Exber carded a 6-under-66 to tie the tournament course record at Gowan Brae, which was originally set in 2005. His bogey-free round was highlighted by an eagle and four birdies.
“I’m very happy, it was an unreal round,” smiled Exber. “I got off to a good start, birdied one, chip in for eagle on two, so that was a good start. I just kind of felt really good today off the tee, with the driver and three-wood. I think I only missed one fairway.”
The Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame member’s only miss hit was on hole 18. He hit a 7 iron off the fairway and the ball bounced off the cart path, about 30 feet in the air, and landed on the green about 8 feet back of the hole.
“I just tried to hit a little easy 7 iron and I caught it thin and you know it just hit the cart path,” said the 62-year-old. “You know what, I have to say, with as good as I played today, sometimes it’s just your day. Today was just my day.”
Exber sits 11 under for the tournament (205) and heads into the final round with a 9-stroke lead over Peter Detemple of Lexington Park, MD., and 2017 Canadian Senior Champion, Gene Elliott of West Des Moines, Ia. Elliott and Detemple sit 2 under for the tournament (214) both with a share of second.
Canadian Golf Hall of Famer, Doug Roxburgh, maintained his lead in the Super Senior division despite carding a 79 on Thursday.
“I didn’t really play very well on the back nine, missed some short putts, and totally lost focus. I’ve got to re-group for tomorrow,” the Vancouver native sighed. “I gave back nine shots in the last 14 holes.”
Sitting one stroke back of Roxburgh is Michel Roy from Québec City, who sits 9-over-225 for the tournament.
On Wednesday, Team British Columbia captured the inter-provincial team championship with a score of 9-over-par. Team Alberta and Team Quebec finished one stroke back of Team British Columbia with a share of second.
The 2018 Canadian Men’s SeniorChampion will earn an exemption into the 2019 U.S. Men’s Senior Amateur Championship at the Old Chatham Golf Club in Durham, N.C., on Aug. 24-29, 2019.
The Canadian Senior Men’s Championship continues Friday with the final round beginning at 8 a.m. ADT.
Camelot Golf and Country Club set for world’s best female junior golfers
OTTAWA, Ont. — A well-accomplished field of competitors will take to Camelot Golf and Country Club from Sept. 11–14, for the fifth annual World Junior Girls Championship. In total, 57 athletes will represent 18 countries—including two teams from host nation Canada.
“With our partners, we are proud to offer a world-class event for girls of this age group, where there are fewer opportunities for international competitions,” said tournament director Dan Hyatt. “These girls are some of the best juniors in the world and we are thrilled to host them in a tournament where they can continue their growth and development.”
This year’s field is highlighted by 10 competitors ranked inside the World Golf Amateur Rankings (WAGR) top 100. The tournament’s top-ranked player, Atthaya Thitikul (No. 11), will represent Thailand in their first World Junior Girls appearance. Thitikul has won five separate titles in 2018, including Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship and The Queen Sirikit Cup.
Italy is the only country in the tournament to have all three team members ranked in WAGR’s top 100. Alessia Nobilio (No. 22) leads the team, aiming for another individual medal after capturing silver in 2017. The 16-year-old, who has seven top-five finishes this year, will be joined by 2016 bronze medallist Caterina Don (No. 69) and newcomer Emilie Paltrinieri (No. 78). The trio looks to give Italy their first team medal at the tournament.
The 2018 instalment of the event will see numerous players return as 19 members of the field have played in at least one World Junior Girls Championship, including both the 2017 silver medallist Nobilio (Italy) and bronze medallist Blanca Fernandez Garcia-Poggio (Spain), who look to become the first repeat medallists in tournament history.
138th ranked Fernandez Garcia-Poggio will lead the Spanish team as they aim to become the first team to defend their World Junior Girls team title after winning last year in the tournament’s first ever team playoff. Marina Escobar Domingo (No. 143) and Marta Garcia Llorca (No. 109) join the World Junior Girls veteran in the quest for gold.
Sweden will look to add a fourth team medal to their trophy case after earning one silver (2014) and two bronzes (2015 and 2017). As the only Swedish player returning to the championship, Maja Stark (No. 63) will be joined by rookies Ester Fägersten (No. 120) and Ingrid Lindblad (No. 180).
Last year, the United States fell short of defending their 2016 bronze medal, finishing one stroke behind Sweden. The American team will feature three new fresh faces—Brooke Seay (No. 101), Zoe Campos (No. 125) and Michaela Morard (No. 164)—as they look to recapture their first gold since they won the inaugural World Junior Girls team title in 2014.
With all of the returning teams and players, the World Junior Girls Championship is also pleased to welcome Scotland and Columbia, who will join Thailand as the three countries make their tournament debut in 2017. Columbia will send Isabella Gomez, Laura Alexandra Castillo Ordonez and Sofia Torres Villareal. The Scotland team will feature Hannah Darling, Louise Duncan and Carmen Griffiths.
The strong international field will join the six players chosen to represent Canada. Céleste Dao (Notre-Dame Ile Perrot, Que.), Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont.) and Tiffany Kong (Vancouver, B.C.) will form Canada One, while Emily Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.), Sarah Beqaj (Toronto, Ont.) and Lauren Kim (Surrey, B.C.) will make up Canada Two. Team Canada will be looking for their first medal since capturing bronze at the first ever World Junior Girls in 2014.
#TeamCanada‘s Céleste Dao and past participants share their experience in playing in the World Junior Girls Championship in Canada #WJGC
Learn more ➡️ https://t.co/LrZtdx34tL pic.twitter.com/tEyfVyeFov
— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) September 4, 2018
In 2017, the Spanish team fired a collective 4-under par (140) to erase an eight-stroke deficit, forcing a playoff with the Korean squad. Spain eventually came on top to win their first World Junior Girls Championship medal.
The World Junior Girls Championship is conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario, and supported by the R&A and International Golf Federation. Recognized as an ‘A’ ranked event by the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR), the World Junior Girls Championship will run for its fifth time.
Nestled in Ottawa’s east end, Camelot is no stranger to running Golf Canada championships. The venerable club has hosted the 2012 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, a Canadian Women’s Tour event, the 2017 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, as well as final qualifying for the 2017 CP Women’s Open.
Opening ceremonies for the championship take place on Sept. 10, followed by the first round on Tuesday, September 11. The tournament’s closing ceremonies will immediately follow the conclusion of play on Friday, Sept. 14.
Admission to the competition is free. Additional information regarding the fifth annual World Junior Girls Championship can be found on the competition’s website.
Team British Columbia wins provincial title at Canadian Men’s Senior Championship
Bathurst, N.B. – The second round of the 2018 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship concluded Wednesday at Gowan Brae Golf and Country Club with Team British Columbia emerging as provincial team champions.
The trio of Doug Roxburgh (Vancouver), John Gallacher (Burnaby, B.C.) and Al Jensen (Nanaimo, B.C.) posted a combined second-round score of 2-over-146 to capture the Phil Farley Trophy with a total of 297 (+9).
It was a close finish between Team British Columbia and Team Alberta, which was comprised of John Festival (Calgary), Brian Coston (Calgary) and Ken Griffith (Red Deer, Alta.). The Alberta trio, who are defending champions,finished a single-shot back of Team British Columbia, sharing runner-up honours with Team Quebec, comprised of Shawn Farrell (St-Anne-de-Bellevue, Que.), François Bissonnette (Mirabel, Que.) and Michel Roy (Québec, Que.). Team Alberta and Team Quebec finished with a total of 10-over-298.
Team British Columbia member and Canadian Golf Hall of Famer, Doug Roxburgh, walks away from the second round with his team winning the inter-provincial competition and holding the lead in the Super Senior Division.
“It’s great,” when asked how it feels to be leading the Super Senior Division, “I just want to go out and play golf while representing B.C. and see how our team did, and now we have the individual side of it, and so we just keep plugging away.”
The Vancouver native leads the Super Senior by 5 stokes after carding a 1-under-71 on Wednesday to sit 1-over for the tournament.
“I played fairly steady and missed a couple of short ones, but other than that you have to be pretty happy with it, I’ll take a 71,” Roxbugh laughed.
The 2014 Canadian Men’s Senior champion holds a five-shot lead on Lars Melander from Oakville, Ont. and Lance Lundy from Pemberton, B.C., who share second with a total score of 150 (+6).
Brady Exber took the solo lead Wednesday in the Senior Division after recording a tournament low round of 4-under-68.
The Las Vegas native teed off on hole 10 and fired two birdies against two bogeys on his front nine making the turn at even for the day. He continued to record four more birdies on the back nine to take a three-shot lead.
“It’s always good to make six birdies,” Exber smiled. “I had two mistakes, I bogeyed 17 and just missed the green a little bit and flubbed a chip. I three putted 18, that was very disappointing.”
Exber enters the third round Thursday without having made a bogey on the front nine.
“I played the front nine well, the front nine is a little easier than the back nine. But I haven’t made a bogey on the front yet, knock on wood,” added the 62-year-old.
Peter Detemple from Lexington Park, MD., initially from Vancouver, moved one spot back into second after sharing the lead with Exber after Tuesday’s round. Detemple carded another 71 to sit 2-under for the tournament.
Not far behind is 2017 Canadian Senior champion Gene Elliott who fired a 3-under 69 to sit alone in third, just one stroke behind Detemple.
A total of 74 players finished 156-or-better to advance past the 36-hole cut. The third round will begin Thursday at 8 a.m. ADT.
Detemple and Exber lead opening-round at Canadian Men’s Senior Championship
BATHURST, N.B. – Peter Detemple and Brady Exber were the only players in the red at the end of the first round of the 2018 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship at Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club.
It was a sunny blue bird day with a little wind which was proving to throw off some players, but not Detemple.
“It was a beautiful day, perfect enough breeze for the mosquitoes to keep away. You know, the wind is your friend in golf, you use it. It wasn’t overly windy, it was a normal wind,” said the Vancouver native.
Detemple opened with two birdies on his front nine but struggled with his putter on hole 10 as he made the turn.
“I missed a 12-inch putt on 10, I tapped it in and missed it. I was standing there like ‘what the heck’ that don’t happen,” Detemple laughed.
He didn’t let that stop him. The Lexington Park, MD., resident continued to card two more birdies against two bogeys to finish 1 under.
“I played conservative, I kept it in play today, that was my goal. You don’t want to shoot yourself out,” said the 56-year-old.
Unlike Detemple, Exber had a rough start to the tournament when he arrived in Bathurst, but his clubs did not. Exber was one of many players whose clubs didn’t make it for the practice round, but thankfully arrived just on time for the beginning of the championship.
“I’m really happy, I didn’t have my own clubs until today, so I just didn’t want to get off to a bad start,” said the Las Vegas native. “I wanted to get in the feel of the golf course because I didn’t really know how far the ball was going with my own equipment. It took me a few holes to kind of get going, but I did get off to a good start.”
The 62-year-old had a similar opening round to Detemple recording two birdies. Exber made the turn–also recording a bogey on hole 10 and a birdie on hole 11–and recorded an eagle on hole 14 after a chip-in just off the green.
Two players trail the duo after carding even-par 72s. Ken Griffith of Red Deer, Alta. and Allen Barber of Yorktown, Va., both share third heading into Wednesday’s second round.
Canadian Golf Hall of Fame Honoured Member and 2014 Champion, Doug Roxbough, leads the Super Senior (65 years +) Division by two strokes over Lars Melander from Oakville, Ont. and Mike Hosford from Dieppe, N.B. Roxbough recorded a 2-over-74 in Tuesday’s round.
Defending champions, Team Alberta, has a share of the lead with neighbouring province, Team Saskatchewan, at 4 over. Three strokes back, with a share of third, are Team British Columbia (+7) and Team Ontario (+7).
The 2018 Canadian Men’s SeniorChampion will earn an exemption into the 2019 U.S. Men’s Senior Amateur Championship at the Old Chatham Golf Club in Durham, N.C., on Aug. 24-29, 2019.
Additional information, including full scores from the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship can be here.