Ella Weber and Cameron Pero win divisions at NextGen Fall Series East Championship
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.
“It feels great—I’m really excited to have won,” said the Team Ontario member. “The key for me was my ability to take irons of the tee and try to hit fairways and greens… try to take it one step at a time.”
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.
NextGen Fall Series East Championship heads to Hollinger Golf Club
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.
Gary Cowan – From Rockway to Augusta
There are countless memorable golf shots witnessed while playing the game or experiencing on television. Tiger Woods is synonymous with many of those iconic shots, including his 2000 Canadian Open bunker shot at Glen Abbey Golf Club to solidify his rare status as a Triple Crown winner.
Outside of the professional tour ranks, it is another moment by a Canadian legend that included among the greatest shots in the storied history of amateur golf. With a one-stroke lead on the 18th hole at Wilmington Country Club during the 1971 U.S. Amateur Championship, Gary Cowan’s tee shot caught the last fairway bunker, kicked out, and left him with a shot in 4-inch rough, 135 yards from the green. The Kitchener native needed to bogey the hole, at a minimum, to force a playoff with American Eddie Pearce. A par, and Gary wins.
He grabs his 9-iron and swings, reliving the moment – “As I, and the hundreds of spectators crammed around the 18th green watched, the ball carried to the front of the green and began rolling. Initially, I was unhappy with my execution. I thought I had hit the ball too hard and yelled for it to stop. I lost sight of the ball as it started to skate towards the back of the green and the flagstick. That’s when I heard the spectators gasp. I thought, ‘maybe I hadn’t hit it too hard after all?’ I never imagined I had sunk the shot, but just then I heard somebody yell, “It’s gone in for an eagle!”
Gary Cowan is one of the most successful and revered amateur golfers of the past century. An honoured member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, he chose to write a memoir with journalist David McPherson about his life in golf in his new book “From Rockway to Augusta”. To mark the 50th anniversary of his second U.S. Amateur title, the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame has partner with Cowan to create a website featuring some of the stories published in the book. The website launches on September 4th, the same day 50 years ago that that eagle launched Cowan into the records book for a second time.
Golf writer and fellow honoured member Lorne Rubenstein supplied the forward to the book and wrote, “Fifty years have come and gone, but I remember and can see Cowan setting up on the tee, taking very little time, and drilling his drive down the fairway. The golf ball curved a lot more in those days, but it curved only when Cowan wanted it to. He could hit any shot he wanted to, when he wanted to, and had proven himself one of the finest amateurs in the game. He was a world-class golfer.”
Pre-order your book today at this link.
Christina Spence Proteau comes from behind to win at 50th Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship
BROMONT, Que. – Christina Spence Proteau of Port Alberni, B.C. won the Mid-Amateur division at the 2021 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur & Senior Championship on Thursday at Golf Château Bromont in a playoff over Vancouver’s Nonie Marler.
Proteau entered Thursday’s final round one stroke back of Marler, who held the Mid-Amateur lead for the first two rounds, and whose first-round 72 would end up being the lowest and only single-round score under par for the entire tournament.
The two B.C. golfers were tied at 5 over par after the final hole of the 54-hole tournament, forcing the division to go to a sudden-death playoff. Proteau came out victorious after a birdie on the first playoff hole.
“Feels unbelievable,” said Proteau. “I’ve had a few years – seven specifically – since my last win at the national level, and I’ve definitely had some doubts for the last few years if it would happen again. So, this one, by far, is the most meaningful and it ranks way up there just generally with anything I’ve achieved in Canadian golf,” said Proteau.
Proteau, the first golfer to ever be inducted into the University of Victoria’s Sports Hall of Fame back in 2020, collects her sixth career Women’s Mid-Amateur title—she previously won four consecutive years from 2011-2014 and in 2009.
With a final score of 7 over par, Shelly Stouffer of Nanoose Bay, B.C., captured both the Mid-Master and Senior division titles and finished third in the Mid-Amateur division.
“It feels amazing, it feels awesome,” said Stouffer, who led the Senior division through 36 holes. “I wanted to play last year and because of COVID, it never happened. So, it’s great to be here this year.”
By winning the Senior division, Stouffer receives an exemption into the 59th U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship at The Lakewood Club in Point Clear, Ala., from Sept. 10-15, 2021 and the fourth U.S. Senior Women’s Open at NCR Country Club (South Course) in Kettering, Ohio from Aug. 25-28, 2022. Both Stouffer and Proteau receive exemptions into the 2022 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Westmount Golf & Country Club in Kitchener, Ont., July 19-22.
Defending champion Judith Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont., finished at 8 over par for the championship, placing her in fourth for the Mid-Amateur division and runner-up to Stouffer in both the Mid-Master and Senior divisions.
Helene Chartrand of Pincourt, Que., took home the Super Senior title at 8 over and finished alongside Kyrinis as a runner-up for the Senior division title. Chartrand was also the 2014 Canadian Women’s Mid-Master Champion (which was conducted concurrently with the Women’s Amateur at Craigowan Golf & Country Club in Woodstock, Ont.) and the Senior Champion (held at Club de golf Milby in Milby, Que.).
“I’m thrilled,” said Chartrand. “Second behind Shelly, who’s a great golfer and with Judith, I know their resumes and they’re outstanding golfers, and to be there with them, even if it’s second, I’m really, really happy at my tournament week.”
The 2022 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur & Senior Championship will be played at Breezy Bend Country Club in Headingly, Man., from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1.
Click here for full results.
50th Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur & Senior Championship heads to Golf Château Bromont
BROMONT, Que. – The top Canadian amateur golfers over the age of 25 will head to Golf Château Bromont in Bromont, Que., from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2 for the 50th installment of the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship.
The Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship is a 54-hole stroke play event, with a 36-hole cut to the low 70 players and ties. In the event of a tie at the end of three rounds, there will be a hole-by-hole playoff immediately following completion of 54-holes. The Mid-Amateur division will run concurrently with the Mid-Master division for players 40 and older, the Senior division for players 50 and older, and the Super Senior division for players 60 and older.
“We are very excited to have the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship back for 2021,” said tournament director Akash Patel. “The course is in excellent condition and will serve as a true test for this talented field of players.”
The 85-player field includes eight of the top ten over-25 women on the Women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR), including top-ranked Canadian and defending champion Judith Kyrinis. The Thornhill, Ont., product also won the event in 2016, both times claiming the Mid-Amateur, Mid-Master and Senior titles and was inducted into the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame in 2019. She became just the seventh USGA Champion from Canada when she won the 2017 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur at Waverley Country Club in Portland, Ore.
Other notables in the field include Ontario Golf Hall of Fame member Terrill Samuel, who won the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship in 2015, where she too claimed the Mid-Amateur, Mid-Master and Senior titles.
The field also includes Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Mary-Ann Hayward, a four-time Canadian Women’s Amateur Champion (1993, 1996, 1999, 2004), a three-time Canadian Women’s Senior Champion (2010, 2011, 2013), and the 2008 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Champion. On the international level, Hayward was also the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Champion in 2005.
The course, designed by architects Howard Watson and Graham Cook, features spectacular views of Mont Bromont. The course layout for the championship will be played at a maximum length of 5,965 yards, par-73.
The winner of the Senior division will receive an exemption into the 59th U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship at The Lakewood Club in Point Clear, Alabama from September 10-15, 2021 and the 4th U.S. Senior Women’s Open at NCR Country Club (South Course) in Kettering, Ohio from August 25-28, 2022.
Additional information, including the full field and tee times, is available here.
NOTABLES
Judith Kyrinis
Kyrninis is a two-time Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Champion capturing the Mid-Amateur, Mid-Master, and Senior titles on both occasions. In 2017, she became the seventh Canadian to win a USGA championship when she won the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur. She was inducted into the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame in 2019.
Mary-Ann Hayward
Currently the sixth-highest ranked Canadian women’s amateur over the age of 25 on the WWAGR, Hayward is a four-time Canadian Women’s Amateur Champion, three-time Canadian Women’s Senior Champion, and the 2008 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Champion. Hayward was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2007.
Alison Murdoch
A four-time Canadian Senior Women’s Champion and two-time Canadian Super Senior Women’s Champion, Alison Murdoch was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2013.
FAST FACTS
Six Canadian Golf Hall of Fame members have won the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship; Marlene Streit, Gayle Borthwick, Alison Murdoch, Marilyn O’Connor, Margaret Todd and Mary Ann Hayward.
Streit (1985, 1987-88, 1993), Borthwick (1994-1995, 1999-2000) and Murdoch (2002, 2004-05, 2007) are tied for the most Canadian Women’s Senior Championship victories with four each.
Nancy Fitzgerald has the most consecutive Canadian Women’s Senior Championship victories – winning three straight titles from 1996-1998.
To date, Australian Sue Wooster is the only non-North American winner of the event.
Charles Fitzsimmons rallies to win 34th Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship
Fort McMurray, Alta. – Charles Fitzsimmons shot the lowest round of the tournament to win the 34th Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Fort McMurray Golf Club on Friday.
“It still hasn’t quite set in yet,” said Fitzsimmons. “This has definitely been a long-term goal of mine and definitely a dream, so it just feels unreal.”
The London, Ont., native previously held both the 18 and 36-hole leads before a third-round six-over 78 put him five shots back of the leader, Neil Thomas of Edmonton at one under, heading into Friday’s final round.
But Fitzsimmons bounced back on Friday with the championship low round – a bogey-free five-under 67 – to win by four strokes over Thomas who shot a 76.
Matt Williams of Calgary and Justin Wood of Saskatoon finished tied for third at five over, while David Lang of Toronto rounded out the top five at six over.
In addition to shooting the lowest round of the tournament, Fitzsimmons’ final score – a one-under 287 – was the only final score under par in the entire field.
Going into this week, Fitzsimmons was the highest ranked amateur in the field at No. 1247 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings. Fitzsimmons has been in the mix for the past three Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championships with his previous best finish coming in 2019, when he finished third. That year he also won the Ontario Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship.
Fitzsimmons played on the Western University Men’s Golf Team between the 2006 and the 2018 seasons, where he won the OUA Championship in 2017. Fitzsimmons now coaches sport psychology and said focusing on breathing and engaging in the moment – things he coaches his athletes on – were the keys to his success on Friday.
With the victory, Fitzsimmons earns exemption into the 2022 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at Point Grey Golf and Country Club in Vancouver, Aug. 1 to 4.
“Any chance to get to play a national championship is always an honour that way, and I’m just excited to be able to go and compete again next year,” said Fitzsimmons, who finished tied for fifth at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship earlier this month at Ambassador Golf Club in Windsor, Ont where Max Sekulic rallied to victory.
The Mid-Master division – run concurrently with the Mid-Amateur division for players 40 and over – was decided in a playoff between Ben Bandura of Selkirk, Man., and Glenn Robinson of Middle Sackville, N.S., where the latter came out victorious.
Click here for full results.
Golf Canada’s Junior Skills Challenge National Event heads to TPC Toronto
OAKVILLE, Ont. – The 2021 Junior Skills Challenge National Event will take place on August 29th at the prestigious TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley.
A total of 26 golfers from four age groups will compete in the 12th edition of the National Junior Skills Challenge which brings together the top-scoring juniors from coast-to-coast.
The participating junior golfers will compete in a three-part skills challenge (putting, chipping and driving) with one overall winner per age group and gender.
Golf Canada, in partnership with Cobra and Puma Golf along with the PGA of Canada will host the 2021Junior Skills Challenge National Event on Sunday, August 29 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. The event is the culmination of more than 1,500 Junior Skills Challenge participants who competed at 80 qualifying events held across Canada.
The field is comprised of 26 golfers from across Canada, all selected from the top of the Junior Skills Challenge National Leaderboard.
Format
Driving: Each competitor receives three drives. Points are awarded and dependent on distance and aim of the drive. The drive must come to rest within the 30-yard width to qualify for points. The number of points is dependent on the distances completed.
Chipping: Each competitor receives three shots. Points are awarded and dependent on the distance of the chip from the target.
Putting: Each competitor receives one putt each from each distance of 5, 10 and 20 feet. Points are awarded for holing the putt and for proximity to the hole.
The winners of the Junior Skills Challenge National Event will receive prizing courtesy of program partner, Cobra-Puma Golf. The winners of the National Event in the boys and girls 15 to 18 age groups will also receive an exemption into their local NextGen Championship in 2022.
On August 28th, Junior Skills Challenge National Event participants will have the opportunity to play the prestigious TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley layout in an exciting match play format, outfitted by program sponsor Cobra-Puma Golf.
For more information on the Junior Skills Challenge National Event, click here.
Participants
Girls 8-and-under
| Name | Home Club | Hometown | Province |
| Eily Kim | Pitt Meadows Golf Club | Burnaby | BC |
| McKinley Stewart | Sawmill Golf Course | Fenwick | ON |
| Emily Joy | The Glencoe Golf & Country Club | Calgary | AB |
| Brynlee Chappell | Vespra Hills Golf Club | Barrie | ON |
Girls 9-11
| Name | Home Club | Hometown | Province |
| Claira Frizzell | Hartlen Point Golf Club | Halifax | NS |
| Alexis Card | Galt Country Club | Cambridge | ON |
| Brooke Halbauer | Leduc Golf Club | Edmonton | AB |
Girls 12-14
| Name | Home Club | Hometown | Province |
| Tatum Lohnes | Osprey Ridge Golf Club | Bridgewater | NS |
| Alexandra Botsis | Club de golf Rosemere | Rosemere | QC |
| Claire Hu | Whitlock Golf and Country Club | Montreal | QC |
| Sophie Dhaliwal | Wingfield Golf Club | Calgary | AB |
Girls 15-18
| Name | Home Club | Hometown | Province |
| Ava MacDonald | Antigonish Golf Club | Antigonish | NS |
| Joline Truong | Trafalgar Golf & Country Club | Mississauga | ON |
| Sarah Maude Lefebvre | Golf Saint-Prime sur le Lac | St-Prime | QC |
Boys 8-and-under
| Name | Home Club | Hometown | Province |
| Carrick Frizzell | Hartlen Point Golf Club | Halifax | NS |
| Borden Nicholson | Brule Point Golf Course | Pictou | NS |
| Benjamin Hannela | Peace Portal Golf Club & Langley Junior Development Program | South Surrey | BC |
Boys 9-11
| Name | Home Club | Hometown | Province |
| Andrew Sudicky | St. Thomas Golf and Country Club | Dutton | ON |
| Luke MacDonald | The Glencoe Golf & Country Club | Calgary | AB |
| Noah Moreau | Club de golf Lotbinière | Saint-Gilles | QC |
Boys 12-14
| Name | Home Club | Hometown | Province |
| Robin Benoit | Golf Saint-Prime sur le Lac | St-Félicien | QC |
| Jager Pain | Eagles Nest Golf Club | Toronto | ON |
| Andrew Leon | Lakeside Golf Club | Calgary | AB |
Boys 15-18
| Name | Home Club | Hometown | Province |
| Jackson Wingert | The Willow’s Golf & Country Club | Saskatoon | SK |
| John Kingdon | Sawmill Golf Course | Grimsby | ON |
| Griffin Patterson | Centennial Park Golf Centre | Toronto | ON |
2021 World Junior Girls Championship cancelled
MARKHAM, ONT. – With continued logistical challenges and travel restrictions faced by participating National Federations due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario has cancelled the 2021 World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms. The championship was scheduled to take place September 27 to October 2 at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont.
Facing the ongoing public health concerns as well as uncertainty around the rising global impact of the pandemic, cancelation was the only responsible course of action as many of the National Federation athletes, coaches and delegates scheduled to participate were facing increased restrictions and protocols in their travel to, and home from, the championship.
The 2022 World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms will be contested at Angus Glen Golf Club at a date to be determined.
The World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms is conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario and supported by the R&A and the International Golf Federation. Recognized as one of the top events on the Women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings (WWAGR), the 2021 World Junior Girls Golf Championship would have marked the 7th playing of the event.
theScore Bet Becomes Official Gaming Partner of Golf Canada and its Marquee Golf Championships, the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open
TORONTO – Score Media and Gaming Inc. (TSX: SCR; Nasdaq: SCR) (“theScore” or “the Company”) announced today that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Score Digital Sports Ventures (Canada) Inc. (“theScore Bet”), has entered into a multiyear agreement with Golf Canada to become its Official Gaming Partner. The exclusive partnership makes theScore Bet the first ever gaming partner for Golf Canada and its prestigious National Open Golf Championships – the CP Women’s Open and the RBC Canadian Open.
The partnership, which begins in 2022, provides theScore Bet with access to activate across Golf Canada’s high-profile events and large digital footprint. As an exclusive gaming partner of the RBC Canadian Open and the CP Women’s Open, theScore Bet will be able to engage fans through a variety of on-site activations, including creating members club experiences for theScore Bet users, as well as digital activations through both tournaments and Golf Canada’s channels.
Bill C-218, which legalizes single event sports betting, was proclaimed to come into force on August 27, 2021, with regulated online iGaming and sports betting offerings from private operators expected to commence in Ontario later this year. Both the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open will be held in Ontario in 2022. The RBC Canadian Open is scheduled to be held in the Greater Toronto Area in 2023 and 2024.
“We are thrilled to welcome theScore Bet as Golf Canada’s first Official Gaming Partner,” said Golf Canada’s Chief Commercial Officer, John Sibley. “theScore brand is already synonymous with sports coverage in Canada and we’re enthusiastic about the opportunity to team up to help build awareness for theScore Bet. Through Golf Canada’s entertainment properties and channels, theScore Bet will have direct access to engage with our large membership of devout Canadian sports fans.”
“We are proud to be Golf Canada’s first ever gaming partner and align theScore Bet with their organization and Canada’s marquee professional men’s and women’s golf events,” said Aubrey Levy, Senior Vice President of Content and Marketing, theScore. “This partnership provides us with highly engaging access points to introduce theScore Bet to a broad and endemic audience of golf fans. With the RBC Canadian Open taking place in Ontario for all three years and the CP Women’s Open in the province for at least the coming year, it provides us an amazing foothold to interact with Canada’s passionate golf community around two of the most popular golf events in the country.”
The 2022 RBC Canadian Open will be held June 6-12 at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto with nearby Islington Golf Club hosting the championship’s practice facility. The 2022 CP Women’s Open takes place August 22-28 at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club in Ottawa.
In March 2021, theScore Bet was named Official Betting Operator of the PGA TOUR across the United States and Canada, pending the enactment of enabling legislation and regulation, and receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals.
theScore Bet is an immersive and holistic mobile sports betting platform which includes a wide range of pre-game and in-play betting across all major sports leagues and events, and a comprehensive variety of bet types. When paired with theScore’s flagship mobile app, theScore Bet offers a deeply personalized user experience and uniquely integrated media and betting ecosystem.
Watch: 2021 CP Women’s Leadership Summit
Hosted by TSN’s Lindsay Hamilton, the virtual Summit features dynamic speakers across sport and business including PGD Global executives the Sadekar sisters, LPGA Tour athletes Cheyenne Woods and Lydia Ko, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, and more.
Canadian Pacific has triple-matched donations made during the summit in support of the B.C. Children’s Hospital Foundation.