HAYWARD, Calif. – Stephen Curry pumped his right fist, raised his arms in the air with club in hand and gave a firm shoulder bump to caddie Jonnie West, his golf partner on road trips with the Golden State Warriors.

A birdie at last after he scored three bogeys over his initial five holes Thursday.

There was the animated, confident Steph that NBA fans know so well, the two-time league MVP finally feeling it and making the tough shots on the challenging course at TPC Stonebrae while playing in his highly anticipated professional golf debut. He finished at 4-over 74 with a bogey on the last hole.

“It was an amazing experience, I’ve been looking forward to this since I found out and to finally hit my first shot in tournament play was a really, really nervous moment but it was everything I hoped for,” Curry said. “If you told me I was going to shoot 74 going into the first round I’d take that all day, every day. I’m pretty happy with it.”

Curry drew quite a crowd to the Web.com Tour’s Ellie Mae Classic, where Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice has played a few times in the past.

The star point guard of the champion Warriors high-fived fans – some 300-plus at the picturesque course providing panoramic views overlooking San Francisco Bay – between some holes and chatted with the other two in his threesome, Sam Ryder and defending champion Stephan Jaeger.

Curry, who munched on a breakfast sandwich at the green of his first hole, missed badly on his initial ball of the day, landing his tee shot off a hill that kicked it perfectly into the cup holder of a golfcart. He then took a drop.

Not quite as spot-on as those signature pregame tunnel shots at Oracle Arena or the jaw-dropping, buzzer-beating 3-pointers from way, way back.

“That’s probably a first on the tour. There was a golf cart just left of my target on hole No. 1 and it went right in the cup holder,” Curry said. “Not an ideal way to start with calling a rules official over after your first tee shot. I kind of settled in after that.”

On the 15th fairway, Curry leaned on West, a member of Golden State’s front office and son of Hall of Famer Jerry West. Jonnie West also is a member at this course.

Then Curry finished the par-5 15th by sinking a 5-foot, downhill birdie putt. He made par on No. 16 then survived a tee shot to the bunker and a near stumble climbing out of the sand on the par-4 18th and made about an 8-footer to save par.

That prompted a triumphant club tap to his shoe and Curry then held up the ball sporting a big grin.

“It was awesome,” West said. “He handled the nerves of this being his first time in this type of atmosphere pretty well.”

Curry began his round on the back nine and was 2-over 37 at the turn, where he eagerly accepted a bag of fast food chicken for lunch.

He said that when his name was announced to begin his day “I could barely feel my hands, I had to try to take a deep breath.”

The top 65 and any ties from the 156-player field will make the cut to compete on the weekend. Curry is a sponsor exemption and one of three amateurs in the event.

“I want to play better tomorrow. Now that I kind of got the jitters out hopefully that will happen and hit a couple more good shots and make a couple more putts,” he said.

With so many cameras clicking, cheers and whistles moments after he struck the ball and hundreds of supporters in No. 30 shirts and Warriors gear, this was no doubt a “Strength In Numbers” kind of day.

There would be no balls lost, either. Wherever his shots landed, a big crowd quickly gathered to get an up-close glimpse of one of basketball’s best. One of the biggest bargains in the NBA before, Curry was rewarded last month with a $201 million, five-year contract.

Playing his other sporting passion, Curry got plenty of help along the 7,024-yard, par-70 course. Those with homes along the course gathered in groups on decks to catch a hole.

On this day, it was Jaeger making a key assist down the stretch. Waiting at the tee box on their final hole, he took a basketball belonging to 14-year-old Erik Oswald from Southern California for Curry to sign and delivered it back to the giddy teen dressed in a chef’s hat who had followed his hoops hero all day.

“Unbelievable gallery out here,” Curry said, “hopefully that continues through the week.”

AKRON, Ohio – Rory McIlroy had his best friend on the bag and his best start on American soil in 18 months. For Jordan Spieth, it was more of the same with two long putts and another comment filled with bravado directed at his caddie.

Both of them opened with a 3-under 67 at the Bridgestone Invitational, leaving them two shots behind Thomas Pieters of Belgium.

Pieters, playing only for the sixth time since he challenged briefly at the Masters this year, holed a 30-foot birdie putt on his final hole at Firestone to finish a day of good scoring with a one-shot lead over Russell Knox.

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., is three shots back after a 68 while Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., struggled to a 4 over following a 74.

The opening two rounds were moved up to the morning because of a forecast of thunderstorms in the afternoon.

McIlroy split with J.P. Fitzgerald, his caddie of nine years, after the British Open. He decided to use Harry Diamond, who played amateur golf for Ireland and was the best man at McIlroy’s wedding, for the Bridgestone Invitational and the PGA Championship next week.

It didn’t have much bearing on McIlroy’s game, which was fine. McIlroy won at Firestone the last time he played it in 2014.

“We both did the numbers and I sort of consulted him a couple of times. Yeah, it was good,” McIlroy said. “There was a couple of shots that I hit or a couple of clubs that I pulled that I maybe should have just thought a little bit more about. It’s been a while since I’ve paced yardages off and written notes in my book.”

One of them was at No. 9, his last hole, when he went some 50 feet long on his approach and three-putted for bogey. Even so, it was a solid start, and that’s what has held back McIlroy in recent months when he missed three cuts in four tournaments, and then started poorly at the British Open.

Spieth has no such concerns, having won two straight events going into this World Golf Championship with an eye toward next week at the PGA Championship and his shot at becoming the youngest player to complete the Grand Slam.

Winning a major turned this into a great year for Spieth, regardless of what happens at the PGA Championship. He is feeling as good as ever about his game, particularly the way he finished off Royal Birkdale with the amazing escape on the 13th hole and the birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie stretch that followed. The biggest putt was the eagle from 50 feet on the par-5 15th at the Open, now famous for Spieth playfully barking at his caddie, “Go get that!” when it dropped in.

Thursday brought another such moment.

Spieth got back into range of the lead with a 30-foot birdie putt on No. 5 and a 50-foot birdie putt on the next hole that got him to 3 under. But he was in trouble at No. 8, well right of the fairway with trees blocking his view of the green. He couldn’t punch under them because he had too much rough to cover with a punch shot beneath the branches. But he did see about a 3-foot gap way up in the trees. And he was feeling it.

His caddie, Michael Greller, got the yardage and came over to see what Spieth had in mind.

“I said, ‘Michael, just put the bag over there, stand over there and watch this,”’ Spieth said.

Spieth rehearsed his swing with a pitching wedge and pulled it off.

“I split a hole that was 60 yards in front of me and cut it to get onto the green,” Spieth said. “It was really a cool shot. I was shocked I pulled it off.”

Greller smiled, bumped fists with his boss and handed him the putter.

The opening round was no place to lose ground in such good scoring conditions. Dustin Johnson did his part with a 68. He hasn’t won since the Match Play just two weeks before his staircase injury that knocked him out of the Masters. Johnson only wants to give himself a chance to win, and he says all the parts are in working order for that.

Bubba Watson, also showing signs of getting his game turned around, was also in the group at 67 that included Kevin Kisner and Jon Rahm.

The surprise might have been Knox, who has missed his last three cuts and is in danger of falling out of the top 50 in the world for the first time since he won the HSBC Champions in Shanghai in the fall of 2015. The difference was a change in the shafts of his irons, and a change back to the putter he used when he won in Shanghai.

The question is why he would ever take that putter out of play.

“Golfers are sick,” Knox said. “You always blame your equipment rather than yourself. So maybe I just have to take the blame and say I (stunk) and the putter worked.”

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – Finishing fast after a slow start, Michelle Wie birdied her last three holes Thursday for an 8-under 64 for a one-shot lead in the Women’s British Open.

Wie bogeyed the par-5 second hole at Kingsbarns Links, and that was the last of her mistakes. The 27-year-old American shot 30 on the back nine and wound up one shot ahead of I.K. Kim of South Korea.

Lindy Duncan was another shot behind at 66, with Lexi Thompson among those at 67.

Wie, showing no sign of the neck spasms that forced her to withdraw from last month’s U.S Women’s Open, posted nine birdies during a morning round played in almost perfect weather on the eastern coast of Scotland.

Only later did torrential downpours and the threat of lightning twice disrupt play for a total of 74 minutes.

Laura Davies was one who suffered from the interruptions. Six-under par through 14 holes, the 53-year old from England finished in a mildly disappointing 68, the same score posted by Charley Hull, Britain’s top player.

There were no such problems for Wie. Such was the overall serenity of her progress, the Hawaii native even had time to take in the stunning vistas across what she referred to as the “ocean,” which is actually the Tay Estuary.

Following the early dropped shot – a badly skulled lob wedge finished far over the second green – she reeled off three birdies before the turn. Over the back nine, it only got better with six birdies in the final eight holes.

“It’s so gorgeous here,” said Wie, who has not won since claiming the U.S Women’s Open at Pinehurst in 2014. “When the weather is nice, it almost felt like I was playing back home in Hawaii with the views and everything. I feel like I got extremely lucky with the conditions out there.”

Still, no one else in the 144-player field took as much advantage. The lack of wind and softness underfoot left the 6,697-yard course all but defenceless and allowed Wie to use her high-flying lofted woods to great effect. Six of her nine birdies resulted from approach shots with metals, the 9- and 11-woods that have been in her bag since June proving most effective.

“Callaway has done a great job of accommodating me,” said Wie. “They had to look back into their archives to find me an 11-wood. I’ve never played such high-lofted woods before. The 11-wood goes 180-yards, the same distance as my 5-iron but is a lot easier to hit than a blade. The 9-wood replaces my 4-hybrid and goes 190 to 195 yards.”

As for Thompson, the big-hitting Floridian relied less on the yardage book and more on her caddie. Kevin McAlpine, a former Scottish Amateur champion, worked at Kingsbarns for four summers prior to taking the Thompson bag.

“His local knowledge helps tremendously,” Thompson said.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., opened at 2-under 70.

So Yeon Ryu, the No. 1 player in the world, opened with a 71, along with Hamilton’s Alena Sharp.

Many of the world’s best amateur golfers are set to gather in Canada for the 113th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at both The Toronto Golf Club and Islington Golf Club from Aug. 7-10.

The championship returns to The Toronto Golf Club for the ninth time – the most in championship history. Islington Golf Club will co-host the competition for the first two rounds while the field of 264 players from nine different countries take on two of Canada’s most renowned golf courses.

“We are beyond excited to be conducting the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at two of the finest golf courses in Toronto,” said Tournament Director Adam Helmer. “Every year, this competition challenges players with the opportunity to add their names to one of the most storied championships in the world—we are looking forward to writing the next chapter of Canadian golf history.”

The Toronto Golf Club was established in 1876 and is the third oldest golf club in Canada. It has also hosted the RBC Canadian Open five times. Islington Golf Club was designed by famed Canadian golf architect Stanley Thompson in 1923 and features tree-lined, parkland-style golf holes, rolling terrain, and the meandering Mimico Creek.

“We are incredibly excited to be welcoming back the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship to The Toronto Golf Club for a record ninth time,” said John Gravett, General Manager and COO for The Toronto Golf Club. “Alongside our co-host Islington Golf Club, we are looking forward to challenging the deep international field on two of the country’s most memorable golf courses.”

“Islington Golf Club and its membership are very proud to be co-hosting this prestigious event,” said Dave Fox, General Manager at Islington Golf Club. “The Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship is deeply rooted in Canadian golf history, and we are thrilled to be a part of its 113th playing.”

In 2016, Team Canada’s Hugo Bernard (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.) shot a final-round, 5-under-par 65 to claim a two-stroke victory at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club. It was his third win of the season after walking  away with champion honours at both the Alexander of Tunis and the NCAA Division II Championship.

Current PGA TOUR Canadians Mackenzie Hughes (Dundas, Ont.) and Nick Taylor (Abbotsford, B.C.) are recent winners of the event. Taylor won it in 2007 while Hughes won back-to-back titles from 2011-2012 – the last player to win in consecutive years.

A full field of competitors will compete for the Earl Grey Trophy and the title of Canadian Men’s Amateur champion, including Team Canada National Amateur Squad members Bernard and Austin James (Bath, Ont.) who both competed in last week’s RBC Canadian Open. Also in the draw are Team Canada Development Squad members Max Sekulic (Rycroft, Alta.), Chandler McDowell (Springbrook, Alta.), Peyton Callens (Langton, Ont.) and A.J. Ewart (Coquitlam, B.C.).

An inter-provincial team championship will be played in conjunction with the first 36 holes of the competition with three-member teams vying for the Willingdon Cup. Team Newfoundland and Labrador comprised of Blair Bursey, Chuck Conley and Nathan Peters claimed the province’s first ever victory with a two-stroke win in 2016.

The Canadian Men’s Amateur Qualifier will be played at The Toronto Golf Club on Aug. 4 – a minimum of five spots into the tournament will be awarded. Additional information can be found here.

The field will be reduced to the low 70 and ties for the final two rounds contested at The Toronto Golf Club.

In addition to claiming the title of 2017 Canadian Men’s Amateur champion, the winner will earn exemptions into the 2017 U.S. Amateur at The Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif., and the 2018 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont. The champion will also be eligible to receive an exemption into the U.S. Junior Amateur, the U.S. Mid-Amateur or the U.S. Senior Amateur, if applicable.

For more information on the 2017 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship including the full field, starting times and live scoring, click here.

NOTABLES

Hugo Bernard of Mont-Saint-Hilarie, Que.
The 22-year-old member of Canada’s National Amateur Squad is the event’s defending champion. He is fresh off winning medallist honours at the U.S. Amateur Qualifier in Maine and recently competed in the 2017 RBC Canadian Open. In 2016, he also won the Alexander of Tunis Championship and the Division II Championship (NCAA).

Andy Zhang of Winter Garden, Fla.
The 19-year-old is the highest ranked competitor in the field at No. 37 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR). He finished runner up to Bernard last year and made history at the age of 14 when he became the youngest to compete at the U.S. Open in 2012.

Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont.
In 2016 he earned his third straight championship win at the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur and is the highest ranked Canadian golfer in the field at No. 65 on the WAGR. He recently earned medallist at the U.S. Amateur Qualifier at Granite Golf Club while setting a course record and also competed in the 2017 RBC Canadian Open.

Chandler Phillips of Huntsville, Texas
The 20-year-old just completed his sophomore year at Texas A&M during which he was honoured as a Second Team PING All-American by the Golf Coaches Association of America. His most recent win came at the John Burns Intercollegiate last February, and he is currently ranked 42^nd in the world.

Austin James of Bath, Ont.
The member of Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad won the Big South Men’s Golf Championship (NCAA) in 2016. James, 21, recently competed in the 2017 RBC Canadian Open and finished fourth at the 2016’s Ontario Men’s Amateur.

Lawren Rowe of Victoria, B.C.
The 21-year-old finished T2 at the 2017 U.S. Amateur Qualifying in Pullman, Wash., and fourth at the Canadian University/College Championship. During his past season playing for the Victoria Vikes, he was victorious in four of his eight regular season tournaments in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

Zach Bauchou of Forest, Va.
The 21-year-old finished T11 at the 2016 U.S. Amateur Championship and is currently ranked 49^th in the world. In 2016, he won the Faldo Series Grand Final at The Greenbrier and was the runner up at the 2016 Southern Amateur Championship.

Shintaro Ban of San Jose, Calif.
In 2016, Ban captured the California State Amateur Championship and the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate. The 21-year-old is currently ranked 69^th in the world.

Jimmy Jones of Tampa, Fla.
The son of late Canadian Golf Hall-of-Fame honoured member Dawn Coe-Jones. A junior at University of South Florida, Jones posted six top-25 finishes in 2016-17 to lead his team. He was a semi-finalist for the 2016 NCAA Division II Jack Nicklaus Player of the Year Award. A dual citizen, Jones and will be competing in the event as a Canadian in honour of his late mother.

FAST FACTS

• This year marks the 113^th playing of the championship which was first contested in 1895 at the Ottawa Golf Club.
• The third oldest amateur championship in the world after the British Amateur Championship and Australian Amateur Championship.
• T.M. Harley was the inaugural champion.
• Hall of Famer George S. Lyon has won the championship a record eight times, all between 1898 and 1914.
• Originally began as a match play tournament until it changed to stroke play in 1969. Between 1995 and 2007 it briefly returned to match play in celebration of event’s centennial anniversary.
• The winner will be presented with the Earl Grey Cup.
• The tournament has been held every year since 1895 except between 1915-1918 and 1940-1945 due to World War I and World War II.
• There is an inter-provincial competition held in conjunction with the first two rounds of play. The winning team receives the Willingdon Cup.
• Canadian Golf Hall of Fame members who have won the title: Moe Norman, Gary Cowan, Doug Roxburgh, Ross Somerville, Jim Nelford, and Brent Franklin.
• Four players have won both the U.S. Amateur and Canadian Amateur Championship: Ross Somerville, Dick Chapman, Harvie Ward and Gary Cowan.
• Current PGA TOUR players who have won the event include Mackenzie Hughes (2011, 2012) and Nick Taylor (2007).
• The defending champion is Canadian Hugo Bernard.
• The Toronto Golf Club will be hosting event for the ninth time, the most in the championship’s history.
• Mackenzie Hughes was the last player to win the competition in back-to-back years (2011-2012). Fellow Canadian Cam Burke of New Hamburg, Ont. accomplished the feat in 2008-2009 – he will look for his third title after regaining amateur status in 2017.
• Eleven of the last 15 championships were won by a Canadian, including in 10 straight years from 2003-2012.

ABOUT THE COURSES

The Toronto Golf Club

• Established in 1876.
• Third oldest golf course in North America.
• Designed by English architect H.S. Colt.
• Has hosted the RBC Canadian Open five times.
• Has hosted the Men’s Canadian Amateur Championship more than any other club (nine times).
• The Toronto Golf Club will play as a par 70 with a maximum yardage of 6,836.

Islington Golf Club

• Established in 1923.
• Designed by famed Canadian golf course architect Stanley Thompson.
• Features tree-lined, parkland-style golf holes across rolling terrain with Mimico Creek running through the heart of it.
• Islington Golf Club will play as a par 70 with a maximum yardage of 6,458

Ellie Szeryk, from London, Ont., carded a 1-under-par 71 for the second consecutive day to hold a one-shot lead in the second round of the Canadian Junior Girls Championship at Camelot Golf and Country Club.

Play was suspended for the day at 6:30 p.m. due to dangerous weather after being originally halted at 4:28 p.m. 65 golfers were unable to finish their second round.

Team Canada Development Squad’s Mary Parsons from Delta, B.C. and 18-hole leader Susan Xiao of Surrey, B.C., are one stroke back of Szeryk in a tie for second at 1 under par.

Szeryk, 15, had three birdies in Tuesday’s second round, and only one blemish on her card, a double-bogey on No. 11. She took advantage of her length off the tee and had wedges in her hand on several holes.

“I had a lot of good wedges and made some clutch putts for par,” said Szeryk. “And I think my ball-striking was pretty good overall today.”

Heading into the weekend the 2017 Ontario Junior Girls Champion will try to remain calm as she attempts to follow in her older sister Maddie’s footsteps. The elder Szeryk won the 2013 Canadian Junior Girls Championship at Cherry Downs Country Club in Pickering, Ont.

“I’m going to try not to put too much pressure on myself, because when I put too much pressure on myself I overthink it a little bit,” added Szeryk. “I’ll just keep my head down and keep working.”

Parsons had eight birdies in round two, but was plagued by inconsistency, recording 5 bogeys and a double-bogey to card a 1-under-par 71.

“I had eight birdies today so almost half the holes were under par,” said Parsons. “My bad holes were because of approach shots from the fairways. Some tightening up of irons and I should be good to go for tomorrow.”

The 18-year-old is playing in her last junior tournament, but she’s not going to let the weight of that affect her over the final 36 holes.

“Everyone is going to have to shoot a good score out here, and I don’t want to be the person standing in my own way,” added Parsons. “I think knowing I have the shots for this course and the amount of birdies that I made today is a confidence booster.”

Xiao led the way after 18 holes at 2 under par. She carded a 1-over-par 73 in round two, with missed opportunities preventing her from going lower.

“My green reading was just off by a little bit,” said Xiao. “I missed so many putts by a little bit or a lip out. I need to practice my green reading on the practice green.”

New Zealand’s Momoka Kobori is in fourth at 1 over par after a 1-under-par 71 in round two.

Parsons’ Development Squad teammate Monet Chun from Richmond Hill, Ont., had the low round of the day Wednesday, posting a 2-under-par 70, moving into a tie for fifth at 2 over par alongside fellow Development Squad golfer Hannah Lee.

Team Ontario ended British Columbia’s two-year winning streak in the inter-provincial team competition with a two-day total of 1-under-par 289, three strokes better than B.C.. Ontario last won the inter-provincial team competition in 2012 at River Spirit Country Club.

Click here to view the full leaderboard for the 2017 Canadian Junior Girls Championship.

NOTE TO MEDIA: Photos are available for download here. (Credit: Golf Canada)

2017 CANADIAN JUNIOR GIRLS CHAMPIOSHIP RESULTS

1. Ellie Szeryk, *71-71-142 -2
2. Susan Xiao, *70-73-143 -1
2. Mary Parsons, *72-71-143 -1
4. Momoka Kobori, *74-71-145 +1
5. Hannah Lee, *73-73-146 +2
5. Alisha Lau, *72-74-146 +2
5. Monet Chun, *76-70-146 +2
5. Jasmine Ly, *72-74-146 +25. Phoebe Yue, *75-35-110 +2
5. Cassidy Laidlaw, *74-36-110 +2
5. Kate (Dahye) Choi, *74-36-110 +2

2017 CANADIAN JUVENILE GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS 

1. Ellie Szeryk, *71-71-142 -2
2. Susan Xiao, *70-73-143 -1
3. Monet Chun, *76-70-146 +2
3. Jasmine Ly, *72-74-146 +2
5. Emily Zhu, *72-75-147 +3

2017 CANADIAN JUNIOR GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP – INTER-PROVINCIAL TEAM COMPETITION

1. Ont. Ellie Szeryk, Sarah Beqaj, Emily Zhu, *143-146-289 +1
2. B.C. Alisha Lau, Esther Subin Lee, Hannah Lee, *145-147-292 +4
3. Que. Céleste Dao, Brigitte Thibault, Sarah-Eve Rheaume, *151-149-300 +12
4. Alta. Kehler Koss, Annabelle Ackroyd, Tillie Claggett, *165-153-318 +30
5. Man. Camryn Roadley, Bobbi Uhl, Kate Gregoire, *160-163-323 +35
6. N.B. Laura Jones, Sarah Holt, Laura Wesselius, *173-166-339 +51
7. N.S. Meghan McLean, Heather McLean, Haley Baker, *165-177-342 +54
8. Sask. Chloe Sies, Hannah MacNeil, Alexandra Schmidt, *178-174-352 +64
9. N.L. Taylor Cormier, Paige Hickey, *198-208-406 +118

Calvin Ross carded an 8-under-par 62 setting a new amateur course record at Cataraqui Golf & Country Club during the third round of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship on Wednesday.

Ross went bogey free for the fourth time ever and registered six birdies and a clutch eagle on the par-5 fifth hole, moving him to 10 under on the tournament with a seven-stroke lead.

“I’m a little nervous right now,” he said, in front of the large crowd that gathered to see his final putt fall. “Which is weird because it’s all done now, but I’m happy. I’m really proud of myself and I hope I can keep it going tomorrow.”

The 18-year-old from Fredericton, N.B., was 7 under par as he launched his tee shot on the 18th hole behind the iconic tree sitting in the middle of the fairway at Cataraqui Golf and Country Club. Invisible to the gallery waiting greenside because of the obstacle, Ross grabbed his 8-iron and hooked it around the tree.

The ball landed less than three feet to the hole.

“It scared me for a little bit because it hung out over the trees for a long time, but when it went down is when it started to move the most,” he said. “While watching it I thought it was going to land on the hill just to the right and kick hard across the green. For it to carry was a little bit of luck.”

Calvin Ross sets a new @Catgandcc with an 8-under-par 62 🙌💪

Full leaderboard: https://t.co/gZlKdj0nP3 pic.twitter.com/q3vdc8ehQx

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) August 2, 2017

Playing next to Ross during the third round was Tristan Mandur from Mill Bay, B.C. The 18-year-old shot a 1-under-par 69 to move to 3 under for the tournament and sits alone in second place.

Christopher Vandette launched himself up the leaderboard and into contention after he shot a 6-under-par 64 – the lowest round of the tournament up to that point.

“I was getting it off the tee really well today,” he said. “I hit my irons really well and I was finally sinking some putts so it feels good. I knew that if I had a good round today then I would be right there with the leaders. Now I just have to do the same thing tomorrow.”

The 15-year-old from Beaconsfield, Que., started his day back at T37 at 5 over par before he registered the first 64 of the tournament and moved to 1 under par and into T3.

Fellow 15-year-old Ethan Choi from Pincher Creek, Alta., carded a 68 on Wednesday and shares third place with Vandette.

Both Vandette and Choi share the lead for the juvenile division while Kai Iguchi (Banff, Alta.) and Nolan Thoroughgood (Victoria, B.C.) sit two strokes back at 1 over par.

In addition to the 2017 Canadian Junior Boys Championship title, the individual champion will earn an exemption into the 2017 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at The Toronto Golf Club and Islington Golf Club in Toronto from Aug. 7-10.

For full results click here.

Calvin Ross, Joel Veenstra and Tristan Mandur are all deadlocked at the top of the leaderboard at 2 under par after round two at the Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Cataraqui Golf & Country Club on Tuesday.

Mandur shot a 3-under-par 67 after he carded six total birdies and limited himself to one bogey and one double bogey. The 18-year-old from Mill Bay, B.C., shot a 1-over-par 71 in his opening round and used the same tactics on day two.

“I used the same game plan as the first day,” he said, next to the 18th green. “I just wanted to execute my shots and have fun. I hit a lot of good putts and chips, my short game was solid today.”

Ross, from Fredericton, N.B., started the day alone in second after his opening-round 67. However, the 18-year-old, who started his round from the 10th tee, dipped down the standings as the day wore on and was 3 over par through 14 holes.

“I was a little bit worried after I was plus three, but I knew the front nine was a little bit easier than the back,” he said. “I knew I could make a few birdies and my putter got hot towards the end and managed to make a few putts.”

His putter served him admirably down the stretch as he registered birdies on three of his last four holes to lock in a 1-over-par 71 to give him a share of the lead.

Veenstra got off to a rough start with a bogey on his first hole, but gained the stroke back with a birdie on the par-5 fourth hole. The Smithers, B.C., product played steady golf from there on out and made par on the remaining holes.

Four players stand one stroke back of the trio of leaders at 1 under par. Round one leader Marcus Khaw (Burlington, Ont.) stumbled with a 3-over-par 73 and Tyler McDowell (Whitby, Ont.) scored 2 under par to bring him up the standings.

Team Canada Development Squad members Chandler McDowell (Springbrook, Atla.) and Peyton Callens (Langton, Ont.) round out the juniors who hold shares of fourth place. Callens shot a 2-under-par 68 while Chandler McDowell locked in a 1-under-par 69.

In the Juvenile division, 16-year-old Nolan Thoroughgood from Victoria, B.C., claimed top spot on the leaderboard after he recorded a 1-under-par 69 to bring him to even par for the tournament. Johnny Travale (16) from Stoney Creek, Ont., and Ethan Choi (15) from Pincher Creek, Alta., are tied in second one stroke back of Thoroughgood.

Team Alberta won the inter-provincial championship after team members Max Sekulic (Rycroft, Alta.), Matt Bean (Canmore, Alta.) and Chandler McDowell shot a combined 4 under par on Tuesday to pass New Brunswick, the round one leaders, by one stroke. Team Ontario finished in a tie for second with New Brunswick.

The cut was set at 8 over par and 71 golfers will advance to the final two rounds on Wednesday and Thursday.

In addition to the 2017 Canadian Junior Boys Championship title, the individual champion will earn an exemption into the 2017 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at The Toronto Golf Club and Islington Golf Club in Toronto from Aug. 7-10.

For full results click here.

Surrey, B.C., native Susan Xiao carded a 2-under-par 70 to lead by a stroke after round one of the Canadian Junior Girls Championship at Camelot Golf and Country Club.

After playing a longer course at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Cutten Fields in Guelph, Ont., last week Xiao took advantage of the shorter layout today at Camelot.

“I don’t need to hit my driver really hard to get the distance I need,” said Xiao. “I need to make sure it’s straight and not in the rough because the rough here is pretty hard to hit out of.”

Birdies on No. 13 and 15 got Xiao to 3 under par for the day, before a bogey on No. 18 dropped her back to 2 under par.

The 15-year-old isn’t going to let a bogey finish steal away the momentum of a strong opening round.

“2 under is pretty good, there is nothing to complain about. I’ll just keep it up and play well tomorrow,” added Xiao.

Xiao has already tasted the winners circle this season, winning the MJT – Vancouver Championship in March and she was T3 at the Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship in May.

Ellie Szeryk from London, Ont., and Mathilde Denicourt, of St-Cesaire, Que., fired matching rounds of 71 to sit a stroke back of Xiao in a tie for second.

Szeryk – the 2017 Investors Group Ontario Junior Girls Champion – was 4 under par through eight holes but a bogey on No. 9 and a triple on No. 11 put her back to even par. She battled back to post at 71 (-1).

“I’m not crazy happy with my round,” said Szeryk. “But I’m happy I fought back a bit. I hope to be more consistent tomorrow.”

Denicourt teed off in the morning wave and was the early clubhouse leader at 1 under par. The 15-year-old was happy with her scrambling in round one.

“My putting was good today, I saved a couple up and downs so I was happy with that,” said Denicourt. “The rest of the week I’ll do the same thing I did today and take things shot-by-shot.”

Team Canada Development Squad member Mary Parsons carded an even-par 72 in round one and is part of a group of five golfers in a tie for fourth.

Like Szeryk, Parsons’ rebounded from adversity in her opening round. She made a quadruple-bogey on her second hole of the day, but the 18-year-old used her experience to remain calm making five more birdies the rest of the round to stay in contention.

“After that I was thinking in my head there are plenty of holes left, stay patient and the putts will drop,” said Parsons. “Especially being my last junior tournament, I wanted to stay patient and have no regrets out on the course.”

Parsons Development Squad teammate Hannah Lee is T9 at 1 over par after an opening round 71.

12-year-old Alexa Wingnean recorded her first career hole-in-one on No. 7 in the opening round on route to carding a 16-over-par 88 to sit in a tie for 92nd.

Team Ontario is leading the inter-provincial team competition at 1 under par by two strokes over Team B.C.

2017 CANADIAN JUNIOR GIRLS CHAMPIOSHIP ROUND ONE RESULTS

1. Susan Xiao, Surrey, BC, *35-35-70 -2
T2. Mathilde Denicourt, St-Cesaire, QC, *35-36-71 -1
T2. Ellie Szeryk, London, ON, *38-33-71 -1
T4. Angela Zhang, Vancouver, BC, *33-39-72 E
T4. Emily Zhu, Richmond Hill, ON, *34-38-72 E
T4. Mary Parsons, Delta, BC, *37-35-72 E
T4. Alisha Lau, Richmond, BC, *36-36-72 E
T4. Jasmine Ly, Windsor, ON, *36-36-72 E

2017 CANADIAN JUVENILE GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

1. Susan Xiao, Surrey, BC, *35-35-70 -22.
T2. Mathilde Denicourt, St-Cesaire, QC, *35-36-71 -1
T2. Ellie Szeryk, London, ON, *38-33-71 -1
4. Angela Zhang, Vancouver, BC, *33-39-72 E
4. Emily Zhu, Richmond Hill, ON, *34-38-72 E
4. Jasmine Ly, Windsor, ON, *36-36-72 E

2017 CANADIAN JUNIOR GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP – Interprovincial Team Competition

1. Ont. Ellie Szeryk, Sarah Beqaj, Emily Zhu, *72-71-143 -1
2. B.C. Alisha Lau, Esther Subin Lee, Hannah Lee, *74-71-145 +1
3. Que. Céleste Dao, Brigitte Thibault, Sarah-Eve Rheaume, *78-73-151 +7
4. Man. Camryn Roadley, Bobbi Uhl, Kate Gregoire, *77-83-160 +16
5. Alta. Kehler Koss, Annabelle Ackroyd, Tillie Claggett, *75-90-165 +21
5. N.S. Meghan McLean, Heather McLean, Haley Baker, *85-80-165 +21
7. N.B. Laura Jones, Sarah Holt, Laura Wesselius, *82-91-173 +29
8. Sask. Chloe Sies, Hannah MacNeil, Alexandra Schmidt, *91-87-178 +34
9. N.L. Taylor Cormier, Paige Hickey, *106-92-198 +54

Click here to view the full leaderboard for the 2017 Canadian Junior Girls Championship.

Not many clubs are proud of creaky wooden floors, wire-mesh lockers and wood-burning fireplaces. Of floral furniture and cozy dining rooms. Of narrow, winding hallways lined with black and white photos. But ask members of The Toronto Golf Club, which has a history tracing back to 1876 and a stately clubhouse largely untouched for more than 100 years, and they’ll say the old-fashioned feel is just perfect.

The thousands of spike marks imprinted in the wooden benches of the men’s locker room will undoubtedly endure a few more gashes once the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship arrives at the club this summer. The tournament will transport a crop of talented teens and 20-somethings back in time, when the ambiance of playing and competing was the primary thrill of the game.

“Golfers that come and play here really understand it,” said John Gravett, chief operating officer and general manager at Toronto Golf Club. “It doesn’t take long to get a feel for the club once you’re here. And it’s a difficult culture and feel to describe unless you’ve been here and experienced it. I think (the young players) will really appreciate the history.”

The third oldest golf club in the country, Toronto is also one of the founding members of the Royal Canadian Golf Association (now Golf Canada). Its prestigious property and decorated past make it one of the pre-eminent clubs in the nation and an ideal choice for the governing body to contest this national event at, which it first did in 1898.

“This will be Toronto’s ninth time hosting the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, more than any other club in the event’s history,” explained Adam Helmer, Golf Canada’s director of rules, competitions and amateur status. “It has consistently proven to be an exceptional venue, which made it an easy decision for us to return the tournament there.”

The vintage vibe resonating throughout Toronto is especially noticeable on the golf course. It’s a heathlands style track full of rolling terrain and wispy fescue, originally conceived by Harry Colt. The legendary English architect laid out an exquisite 18 holes for the club in the fall of 1912, following its relocation across the city from the east end to west end. It draws on Colt’s body of work in the United Kingdom that emphasizes creative strategy and shot-making to combat the natural rugged land.

Though it has always been highly rated within our borders, the Colt course at Toronto — there’s also a nine-hole Howard Watson layout and a fantastic practice facility — had evolved away from his initial vision in the decades since. Overgrown trees covered up vistas, some bunkers had become too large and green surrounds had lost some undulation. So the club sought the help of Martin Hawtree, a Colt expert familiar with the designer’s techniques. Beginning in 2009, Hawtree spent two years reviving Colt’s essence and restoring Toronto’s great features. His work made the club eager to present its freshly polished gem in a national championship.

“Certainly the club felt that with the improvements to the Colt course and with its steep history in golf and amateur golf, that it wanted an opportunity to showcase the event again,” Gravett added.

With the reputation of the city and club, the event should draw another world-class field. This year’s festivities at Toronto (the tournament is being co-hosted with nearby Islington Golf Club) will feature four rounds of stroke play, the first time a champion will be determined at Toronto in that fashion. The previous eight editions concluded with a 36-hole match play final, including the tournament’s most recent visit in 1995 won by American Garrett Willis, a future PGA Tour winner.

Longtime head professional Doug Rankin expects Toronto to be a taxing test, both mentally and physically. Meanwhile, the relatively open nature of the 6,800-yard layout, with its collection areas and run-offs surrounding the greens, will give strong short iron and wedge players the upper hand.

“They have to get off to a good start,” said Rankin. “The front nine is a par 34, but it can play like a par 36 at times because of the length and difficulty of some of those par-4 holes. I know that’s how I feel and that’s how some of the better playing members feel on how to post a good score.”

“Guys will need good iron play for second-shot holes and a really good short game.”

There are only two par 5s on the Colt course at Toronto, both of which reside on the back nine and are among a string of scoring holes down the stretch that can create some jostling on the leaderboard. However, any momentum typically dies at The Graveyard, the nickname for the challenging 17th hole, before one final push coming in.

“It can play 225 (yards), par 3, sometimes into the wind,” Rankin described. “So the rule of thumb is whatever you hit on 17 is typically the club you might want to tee it up on 18 with. (Hole) 18 is a short par 4 but it’s a fun finishing hole because you can make birdie to win a match or force a playoff.”

You can bet plenty of hardware in Toronto’s storied trophy room has been won and lost on that final duo. Perhaps even for George S. Lyon, who won three of his record eight Men’s Amateur titles at Toronto.

In Lyon’s day, players and dignitaries use to arrive by train and on horses. When the millennials arrive in August, they’ll surely appreciate the trip back in time, both on the course and off.

Co-hosting the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship is Islington Golf Club, a private club founded in 1923, during the “Golden Age” of golf course construction and designed by renowned architect, Stanley Thompson. The course features tree-lined, parkland-style golf holes, rolling terrain, and the meandering Mimico Creek.

Click here for more information on the Canadian Men’s Amateur.

This article was originally published in the Family Issue edition of Golf Canada Magazine. Click here to view the full magazine

Marcus Khaw shot a 4-under-par 66 and sits as the clubhouse leader after the first round was put on hold due to weather and darkness at the Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Cataraqui Golf & Country Club on Monday.

Khaw registered five birdies and just one bogey for his one-shot lead.

“I started off by hitting a lot of greens but I wasn’t making many putts until I hit one to within a foot of the ninth hole and got my first birdie,” he said, after his round. “I was more consistent and hitting a lot of pars until that birdie and then things really started to happen.”

The 17-year-old from Burlington, Ont., started his opening round with eight straight pars before carding a birdie just before the turn. After he made his second birdie on No. 12, it looked like he was about to get things going but the field was called in at 3:18 p.m. due to inclement weather.

After the break, Khaw immediately scored his only bogey of the day, but he turned it around from there.

“As soon as they let us keep playing I bogeyed my first hole but then the putts started to fall for me.”

In his final six holes he carded three of his five birdies while dealing with the wetter conditions from the weather delay.

Calvin Ross, from Fredericton, N.B., sits in second place after he shot a 3-under-par 67. He too was affected by the break in action, but he still managed to keep his scorecard bogey free and climbed up the standings with birdies on holes three, eight and 16.

Joel Veenstra battled the creeping darkness and carded a 2-under-par 68 just prior to play getting called. The 17-year-old from Smithers, B.C., recorded just one bogey and carded a birdie on his final hole to hold third place.

Five players sit tied in fourth place after shooting 1 under par: Kai Iguchi (Banff, Alta.), David Tweddell (Quebec, Que.), Griffin Jones (Manotick, Ont.), Shawn Sehra and Benjamin Chassé.

In the 16-and-under juvenile division, Iguchi (16) and Sehra (14) sit deadlocked at the top of the leaderboard. Johnny Travale, a 16-year-old from Stoney Creek, Ont., sits one stroke behind the co-leaders, after an eagle on the par-4 third hold led to an even-par 70.

Team New Brunswick leads the inter-provincial competition after the team consisting of Sam Reid, Calvin Ross and Stuart Earle shot a combined 2 under par. Team Ontario sits in second at even par and Team Alberta holds on to third place at 1 over par.

In addition to the 2017 Canadian Junior Boys Championship title, the individual champion will earn an exemption into the 2017 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at Toronto Golf Club and Islington Golf Club in Toronto from Aug. 7-10.

The first round will resume at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

For full results click here.