Luc Guilbault leads the super senior division and Team Ontario lead
inter-provincial team competition

Saugeen Shores, Ont. – John Bearrie and Bryan Hoops both got off to strong starts, firing rounds of 4-under 68 to take the opening round co-lead at the 2024 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO at Saugeen Golf Club in Saugeen Shores, Ont.

Bearrie of Hollsopple, Pa. carded an eagle and four birdies during the opening round, finishing each nine strong. On the front he recorded back-to-back birdies on holes eight and nine, then finished his round with an eagle on no. 18.

“Very pleased to have gotten off to such a good start today. There aren’t many 72-hole events at the senior level so for me it’s more of a marathon than a sprint,” said Bearrie following his morning round.

“There is still 75 per cent of the tournament remaining so I won’t get too concerned with the leaderboard anytime soon. I’ll be keeping my head down and focusing on a solid day tomorrow,” he added.

Hoops of Tempe, Ariz. jumped up the leaderboard during his afternoon round, carding seven birdies on his way to grab a piece of the lead at 4-under. Hoops started his round on the back nine and opened with a bogey before adding two birdies. He began his second nine with back-to-back birdies before a bogey on the third. Hoops followed up the bogey with back-to-back birdies again and added one more on his final hole the ninth to grab a share of the lead after Thursday.

“Round was pretty solid, very conservative. I had lots of looks at birdie just not many going in today. I made a couple sloppy mistakes, all in all not a bad day, just a little sloppy on a couple holes, should get better tomorrow,” said Hoops.

Trailing Bearrie and Hoops are Canadians Phil Patterson of Prescott, Ont., Ashley Chinner of Brooklin, Ont. and Doug Brophy of Burling, Ont. who all sit at 2-under following rounds of 70. Christopher Henri of Baie-D’Urfé, Que., Steve Wheeler of Whistler, B.C., Todd Fanning of Winnipeg, Man. and Luc Guilbault of Drummondville, Que. are tied for six at 1-under (71).

In the Super Senior Division, Guilbault leads by one over Jack Hall of Savannah, Ga.

Team Ontario leads the Inter-Provincial Team Championship, following a collective round of 1-under. Ontario takes a four-shot lead into Friday’s final round for the inter-provincial team competition over Team British Columbia and Team Alberta who both are a collective 3-over. PROVINCE is represented by Dave Bunker of Ridgeway, Ont., Adam Creighton of Port Colborne, Ont. and Ashley Chinner. The two lowest scores count towards with team score with Chinner and Bunker’s scores counting on Thursday.

The 156-player field competing for the John Rankin Memorial Trophy features five past winners including defending champion Doug Hanzel of Savannah, Ga., Darren Ritchie of St. John, N.B. (2021), Brady Exber of Las Vegas, Nev. (2018), Jack Hall of Savannah, Ga. (2015) and David Schultz of Calgary, Alta. (2013).

The Canadian Men’s Senior Championship features golfers aged 55-and-over and includes a Super Senior division for golfers 65-and-over. The national championship consists of 72 holes of stroke-play with a cut after 36 holes. The Super Senior Championship is contested concurrently over the four rounds of the championship. In addition, the Senior Inter-Provincial Team Championship runs concurrently through the first 36 holes of the tournament.

In addition to the national championship, the winner will receive an exemption into the 2025 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at Biltmore Forst Country Club in Asheville, N.C., August 23-28.

For the leaderboard following the opening round of the 2024 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.

Emma Bittorf and Willis win the women’s and men’s
Net Stableford Championships

Brighton, Ont. – Natasha Stasiuk and Chris Willis were atop their respective leaderboards from start to finish and have successfully defended their titles to win the 2024 Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO. Stasiuk’s win marks her fourth consecutive national championship while Willis earns his second in as many years on Thursday at Timber Ridge Golf Course in Brighton, Ont.

Stasiuk of Oakville, Ont. shot a final round of 15-over 86 to finish at 41-over for three days to win by 22 shots over Emma Bittorf of Strathmore, Alta. The win gives Stasiuk her four consecutive Canadian All Abilities National Championship.

“It feels pretty special to win it for the fourth time. I’ve had some struggles this year but at the same time it feels really good for my confidence level. I’ve been invited to different things this year, I’ve gone to Portugal, I’ve gone to England recently, it’s all helped my game. Even though I did struggle a lot this week, I had a really good first round and my last two rounds were an adventure but that’s part of golf” said Stasiuk following her round.

In the Women’s Net Stableford division there is a new champion as Bittorf held off a late charge from three-time defending champion, Tess Trojan of St. Catharines, Ont. to win the title for the first time. Bittorf collected 31-33-34 points during the tournament rounds to finish with 98 total Stableford points to win by five over Trojan (93 points). Stasiuk finished third with 87 total points.

On the men’s side, Willis of Aurora, Ont. fired a second consecutive 4-under 67 on Thursday to finish the tournament with rounds of 74-67-67-208, good for 5-under and a nine-shot victory. Willis was reflective on his entire year after earning back-to-back national titles.

“I’ve had a very special year this year where I’ve got to play at a Champions Tour event called the World Champions Cup and I got to hang out with all my heroes and play the same tees and on the same course that they’re playing that filled me with a lot of confidence and then I went to Portugal with Natasha (Stasiuk) and Russell Aide and the teaching and instruction there boosted my game beyond what I thought it could be and then my experiences at the British, finishing third, playing with the world number one and two filled me with confidence and then the U.S. Open. So really, playing well here is a culmination of this year’s opportunities that I’ve received through playing adaptive golf and I feel like I’ve reached a level that I was very much hoping to achieve so it’s awesome,” said Willis.

Reggie Millage of Milton, Ont. finished in second at 4-over for the tournament while Josh Hunke of New Hamburg, Ont. finished third at 13-over.

Willis also won the Men’s Net Stableford Championship for the first time, with 110 total points from three days. Willis collected 32 points on Tuesday followed by 39 points on both Wednesday and Thursday to win by five over Hunke (105 points). Scott Stafford of St. Thomas, Ont. and Geoff Beecroft of Newcastle, Ont. finished tied for third with 100 points each.

The stableford scoring format of the Canadian All Abilities Championship awarded set points based off a golfer’s net score for the hole. The points were awarded as follows: Albatross (5 points), Eagle (4 points), Birdie (3 points), Par (2 points), Bogey (1 point), Double Bogey or higher (0 points).

The fourth playing of the national championship featured 57 golfers competing over 54-holes. The field was represented with players from Canada, the United States, Australia, Ireland and Sweden with neurological, intellectual, sensory, and physical impairments competing in the largest field in tournament history. Both Stasiuk and Willis were happy to see more competitors this year as the tournament continues to grow.

“Over the last four years it’s nice to see more women coming to it and more competition. It’s always nice to have Tess (Trojan) with me too, it’s someone close to me but it’s also nice to have new people and I would like to see more girls in it,” said Stasiuk.

Willis added, “there’s more competitors and they’re all trying to find ways to improve. There is noticeable improvements among many of the golfers without any external instruction, they’re just getting better year after year having the opportunity to come and compete in a serious event like this.”

First conducted in 2021 at Humber Valley Golf Course in Toronto, Ont., the competition supports Golf Canada’s commitment to create a more inclusive and respectful sport environment across the Canadian golf community.

For the final leaderboard from the 2024 Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.

Willis and Josh Hunke co-lead Men’s Net Stableford division while
Emma Bittorf leads Women’s Net Stableford Championship

Brighton, Ont. – With 18 holes remaining, Chris Willis and Natasha Stasiuk are in strong position to defend their respective national championships at the 2024 Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO at Timber Ridge Golf Course in Brighton, Ont.

Willis of Aurora, Ont. fired a 4-under 67 in Wednesday’s second round to move to 1-under for the tournament. Willis recorded an eagle and five birdies during his round and said there wasn’t much difference for him on his front and back nines other than an unfortunate four putt on a difficult pin position on no. 8.

“I wedged a few close, and I hit a great approach on a par five to a foot and a half for an eagle,” said Willis who earned an eagle no. 15.

“My wedge play and hitting it close to the hole and capitalizing on those are what made my round really good,” he added.

Willis holds a four-shot lead over Reggie Millage of Milton, Ont. who sits second at 3-over. Josh Hunke of New Hamburg, Ont. is third at 7-over. Willis says it will be a new kind of pressure for him as he is 18 holes away from defending his title.

“I’m going to have to keep driving the ball well, keeping it in play and making sure I hit the right tiers on the greens and just stay patient with my putter and hopefully a few fall and I walk away with a medal and a trophy.”

Willis also holds a piece of the lead in the battle for the Net Stableford Championship after earning 39 points on Wednesday. Willis now has 71 points overall to join Hunke as co-leader. They sit ahead of Vic McClelland of High River, Alta. who is third with 69 points. Kevin Delaney of Windsor, Ont. is fourth with 68 points and Geoff Beecroft of Newcastle, Ont., Spencer Easthope of Okotoks, Alta., and Scott Stafford of St. Thomas, Ont. are tied for fifth with 66 points.

In the Women’s Gross Stroke Play Championship, Stasiuk of Oakville, Ont. holds a 14-shot lead heading into the final round after recording a 16-over 87 to now sit at 26-over for the tournament. Bittorf of Strathmore, Alta. sits second at 40-over following an 18-over 89 in her second round.

Bittorf has taken the lead in the Net Stableford Championship division after earning 33 points on Wednesday to now sit at 64 points overall. Bittorf leads Stasiuk (57 points) by seven points. Three-time defending Stableford champion, Tess Trojan of St. Catharines, Ont. is third with 55 points.

The stableford scoring format of the Canadian All Abilities Championship awards set points based off a golfer’s net score for the hole. The points are awarded as follows: Albatross (5 points), Eagle (4 points), Birdie (3 points), Par (2 points), Bogey (1 point), Double Bogey or higher (0 points). The golfers with the highest total of accumulated points over 54-holes will win their respective divisions.

A field of 57 players, regardless of disability classification, are competing over 54-holes in four different divisions in the national championship: Women’s Gross Stroke Play; Women’s Net Stableford; Men’s Gross Stroke Play; and Men’s Net Stableford.

The fourth playing of the national championship features competitors from Canada, the United States, Australia, Ireland and Sweden with neurological, intellectual, sensory, and physical impairments and the largest field in tournament history. First conducted in 2021 at Humber Valley Golf Course in Toronto, Ont., the competition supports Golf Canada’s commitment to create a more inclusive and respectful sport environment across the Canadian golf community.

For the full leaderboard following the second round of the 2024 Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.

Stasiuk and Emma Bittorf co-lead the Women’s Net Stableford Championship and Ian St John leads the
Men’s Net Stableford Championship

Brighton, Ont. – There are familiar names atop the leaderboard following the opening round at the 2024 Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO.

Natasha Stasiuk leads the Women’s Gross Stroke play division and co-leads the Net Stableford division. While in the Men’s Gross Stroke play division, there is a three-way tie with Josh Hunke, Reggie Millage and defending champion Chris Willis tied for the lead. Ian St John leads the Men’s Net Stableford division following play on Tuesday at Timber Ridge Golf Course in Brighton, Ont.

A field of 57 players, regardless of disability classification, are competing over 54-holes in four different divisions in the national championship: Women’s Gross Stroke Play; Women’s Net Stableford; Men’s Gross Stroke Play; and Men’s Net Stableford.

In the Women’s Gross Stroke Play Championship, Stasiuk of Oakville, Ont. is in search of her fourth straight national championship after shooting a 10-over 81, to take a 12-shot lead into Wednesday’s second round.

Stasiuk is happy to be in Brighton and defending her title this week, “the golf course is very challenging with tough pins. Things were going very well until the 16th hole, but I still managed to shoot an 81. My goal will be to shoot under 80 and I hope to achieve that the next two rounds. Sleep and healthy foods will be the key to keep things going positively.”

Emma Bittorf of Strathmore, Alta. sits second at 22-over (93) and Tess Trojan of St. Catharines, Ont. is third in the Women’s Stroke Play division following a 28-over 99 on Wednesday.

Bittorf and Stasiuk are currently tied for the lead in the Women’s Net Stableford competition after earning a total of 31 stableford points in the opening round. Trojan, the three-time Women’s Stableford defending champion is third with 27 points.

In the Men’s Gross Stroke Play Championship, defending champion Chris Willis of Aurora, Ont., Reggie Millage of Milton, Ont. and Josh Hunke of New Hamburg, Ont. are all tied at 3-over following rounds of 74. They collectively own a three-shot lead over two others tied for fourth at 6-over.

Willis, who is playing in his third Canadian All Abilities Championship is coming off two top 10 finishes in Major Championships, the G4D British Open and the U.S. Adaptive Open says he has high hopes to have a strong tournament this week.

“The course is fun. The greens are huge with lots of tiers, so approach shots will be tricky. While the course has started soft a couple of days with warm weather and this course will firm up and play even tougher.”

Willis added, “the adaptive golf community is growing quickly in Canada, events like this showcase people with disabilities and how they can achieve, perform, and compete at a high-level. I’m very happy to be a part of this rapidly growing community.”

Hunke, opened and closed his round with birdies on Tuesday and reflected on a great day with amazing playing partners on a tricky course, “Timber Ridge is in good shape and the greens are tricky to figure out. I hit it well but just could not find the bottom of the cup. With a couple more rounds and the help of my caddie Bob, we should be able to dial that in. Looking forward to the next two days of competition golf.”

Co-leader Millage also found the approach shots and greens difficult, “today was a battle. I was a little uncomfortable on some tee shots and Timber Ridge gives us all we can handle around the greens. I made a lot of pars today and some from some tricky places so that allowed me to get away with a decent score.”

In the Men’s Net Stableford competition Ian St John of Ireland leads after earning 39 stableford points on Tuesday to hold a three-point lead over Hunke (36 points). Kevin Delaney of Windsor, Ont. (35 points) sits in third, while Vic McClelland of High River, Alta. (34 points) is fourth. There is a tie for fifth with Geoff Beecroft of Newcastle, Ont. and Dave Marchand of Camrose, Ont. at 33 points.

The stableford scoring format of the Canadian All Abilities Championship awards set points based off a golfer’s net score for the hole. The points are awarded as follows: Albatross (5 points), Eagle (4 points), Birdie (3 points), Par (2 points), Bogey (1 point), Double Bogey or higher (0 points). The golfers with the highest total of accumulated points over 54-holes will win their respective divisions.

The fourth playing of the national championship features competitors from Canada, the United States, Australia, Ireland and Sweden with neurological, intellectual, sensory, and physical impairments and the largest field in tournament history. First conducted in 2021 at Humber Valley Golf Course in Toronto, Ont., the competition supports Golf Canada’s commitment to create a more inclusive and respectful sport environment across the Canadian golf community.

For the full leaderboard following the opening round of the 2024 Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.

Final national championship of the season features a field of 156 golfers competing for the senior title along with a super senior division and an
inter-provincial team competition

Saugeen Shores, Ont. – The 2024 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO is set for September 12-15 with a field of 156 amateur golfers competing over four rounds at Saugeen Golf Club in Saugeen Shores, Ont.

The field competing for the John Rankin Memorial Trophy features five past winners including defending champion Doug Hanzel of Savannah, Ga., Darren Ritchie of St. John, N.B. (2021), Brady Exber of Las Vegas, Nev. (2018), Jack Hall of Savannah, Ga. (2015) and David Schultz of Calgary, Alta. (2013).

Along with the past champions, among those in the field are Dave Bunker of Ridgeway, Ont. who won the 2024 Ontario Senior Men’s Championship in July. Miles McConnell, a Canadian who now resides in Tampa, Fla. who has enjoyed a successful season having won the 2024 Gate Senior Invitational back in January and followed it up with three runner-up finishes and a third-place finish in tournaments throughout the season. Accomplished Australian golfer, Ken Brewer of Newcastle, Australia will also be heading to Saugeen Shores.

“We are very excited to welcome an incredible and talented field of golfers set to compete for our Canadian Men’s Senior Championship this week at Saugeen Golf Club,” said Daniel Suppa, Tournament Director, Golf Canada. “The staff, volunteers, host committee along with the entire community have really gone to great lengths to ensure that those competing for our national championship are given an experience they won’t soon forget at Saugeen.”

Founded in 1925 by a group of local visionaries, Saugeen Golf Club stands as a testament to their vision and community spirit. Recognizing the growing popularity of golf, they established a premier golfing destination in Port Elgin and Southampton. Hiring renowned golf architect Stanley Thompson, they crafted the initial nine holes now known as Legacy with meticulous attention to detail, setting the stage for a Legacy of excellence.

Expanding their vision over the decades, first with the addition of the Sunset nine in 1956 and the Sunrise nine in 1996 solidified their reputation for exceptional golf and camaraderie for players of all levels. Next year, Saugeen Golf Club will celebrate its centennial anniversary as it celebrates the enduring legacy of their founders and guide their team into the next century with pride and a reverence for the past.

“Saugeen Golf Club is extremely proud to be hosting this prestigious national championship. The process began four long years ago, and we cannot be more exhilarated to display what our golf club and community has to offer,” said Brad Young, General Manager and COO, Saugeen Golf Club. “With playing conditions that rival any in our country, to the 200 plus volunteers that are donating their time, we’re confident that this weeklong event will set the precedence of national championships for years to come”

The Canadian Men’s Senior Championship was established in 1962 for golfers aged 55-and-over and includes a Super Senior division for golfers 65-and-over that was introduced in 1995. The national championship consists of 72 holes of stroke-play with a cut after 36 holes. The Super Senior Championship is contested concurrently over the four rounds of the championship. In addition, the Senior Inter-Provincial Team Championship was added in 1977 and runs concurrently through the first 36 holes of the tournament.

A trio of Canadian Golf Hall of Famers lead the way having won the most Canadian Men’s Senior Championships in tournament history including, Bob Wylie of Calgary, Alta. with seven (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1995). Nick Weslock of Oakville, Ont. with six (1973, 1974, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983) and Graham Cooke of Hudson, Que. with four (2001, 2002, 2008 and 2009).

Prior to the start of the national championship, there will be a one-day qualifier on Tuesday, September 10 at Saugeen Golf Club where a field of 56 golfers will be playing for six spots in the tournament. Practice rounds are scheduled for Wednesday, September 11, and the tournament gets underway on Thursday, September 12.

The champion will receive an exemption into the 2025 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at Biltmore Forest Country Club in Asheville, N.C.

For the full player field competing in the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.

Fourth playing of the national championship will see largest field in tournament history, headlined by three-time women’s champion,
Natasha Stasiuk, men’s defending champion Chris Willis and
three-time women’s stableford champion Tess Trojan

Brighton, Ont. – The 2024 Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO is set for September 10-12 with a field of 60 amateur golfers competing at Timber Ridge Golf Course in Brighton, Ont.

The fourth playing of the national championship will see an additional tournament round added, increasing to a 54-hole competition, featuring players with neurological, intellectual, sensory, and physical impairments.

There are four different divisions in the Canadian All Abilities Championship that players will compete in, regardless of disability classification: Women’s Gross Stroke Play; Women’s Net Stableford; Men’s Gross Stroke Play and Men’s Net Stableford.

The field of competitors includes three-time Women’s Gross Stroke Play defending champion Natasha Stasiuk of Oakville, Ont., who is currently the no. 1 ranked female golfer with an intellectual disability on the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD) and three-time Women’s Net Stableford winner, Tess Trojan of St. Catharines, Ont.

Stasiuk has enjoyed a successful season thus far, she finished third overall and first in her sports class at the USDGA Championship at the PGA Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla in April. She followed that up by finished first in the intellectual disability category and eighth overall at the U.S. Adaptive Open Championship at Sand Creek Station in Newton, Kan. in July. Stasiuk also placed fourth with two-time Canadian All Abilities men’s champion, Kurtis Barkley at the G4D Tour Nations Cup at Betfred British Masters at The Belfry in Sutton Coldfield, England last month. In addition to three straight national championships, Stasiuk has also won the Ontario Adaptive Championship four times and won the bronze medal at the 2023 Special Olympics World Games in Berlin, Germany.

On the men’s side, defending champion, Chris Willis of Aurora, Ont. currently ranked no. 14 on the WR4GD, 2022 Men’s Net Stableford winner Kevin Delaney of Windsor, Ont. Russell Aide of Stirling, Ont. currently ranked no. 61 on the WR4GD will be competing at Timber Ridge.

Earlier this season, Willis finished third at the G4D Open at the Duchess Course at Woburn in Milton Keynes, England. Along with winning the national championship last year, Willis also won the 2023 Ontario Adaptive Championship.

In January, Stasiuk, Willis and Aide were among 12-golfers that were invited to Quinta do Lago, Portugal for the first Player Development Camp created by the European Disabled Golf Association (EDGA), which was supported by the European Tour Group.

“We are very proud and excited to host the largest field in tournament history for the fourth playing of the Canadian All Abilities Championship,” said Golf Canada Tournament Director Sam Meek. “This year also sees our national championship expand to a 54-hole competition and is a signature event on the Golf Canada tournament schedule. We are proud to feature both a gross stroke play championship and a net stableford championship which provides equitability for the field competing in this national championship and demonstrates our continued commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are looking forward to a great week at Timber Ridge Golf Course and thank the staff for their efforts in making this championship a memorable one.”

Designed by Stephen Ward and opened for play in 2001, Timber Ridge offers a unique challenge to all levels of players. With wildly undulating greens and rolling fairways, the layout at Timber Ridge offers a variety of links and parkland style holes, offering two distinct styles that somehow flow together perfectly. Located in Brighton, about an hour east of the GTA, Timber Ridge offers an escape from the confines of the city to a calm, quiet country setting.

“It is an honour to have the opportunity to host an event like the Canadian All Abilities Championship and play even a small role in growing the game of golf,” said Nolan Walsh, Head Golf Professional, Timber Ridge Golf Course. “We are excited to welcome the participants to the property and hope that Timber Ridge offers the perfect setting for such an exciting national championship.”

First conducted in 2021 at Humber Valley Golf Course in Toronto, Ont., the competition supports Golf Canada’s commitment to create a more inclusive and respectful sport environment across the Canadian golf community.

The stableford scoring format of the Canadian All Abilities Championship awards set points based off a golfer’s net score for the hole. The points will be awarded as follows: Albatross (5 points), Eagle (4 points), Birdie (3 points), Par (2 points), Bogey (1 point), Double Bogey or higher (0 points). The golfers with the highest total of accumulated points over 54-holes will win their respective divisions.

Practice rounds are scheduled for Monday, September 9, and the tournament gets underway on Tuesday, September 10.

Golf Canada is grateful for the financial support of the Government of Ontario for the All Abilities Championship from the Ontario Sport Hosting Program.

“Our government is proud to support the 2024 Canadian All Abilities Championships through the Ontario Sport Hosting Program,” said Neil Lumsden, Minister of Sport. “This event offers amateur golfers with a disability an opportunity to showcase their skills in competition with their peers from across the country. I applaud Golf Canada for their unwavering commitment to accessibility and inclusion and wish all players the best of luck for a successful tournament.”

For the full player field competing in the Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.

Largest field in tournament history will feature
23 countries and 72 competitors

Mississauga, Ont. – With less than a month to go until the start of the 2024 World Junior Girls Golf Championship, the field of participating countries is now set. The ninth playing of the world championship will feature a record, 23 counties and 72 players competing at Credit Valley Golf & Country Club in Mississauga, Ont. from September 30 – October 5.

In total, 24 teams will battle for the team championship while also competing for individual honours, with the individual champion earning an exemption into the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open being held at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club in Mississauga, Ont., August 18-24, 2025.

Team Canada 1 will be defending the championship after a thrilling final round in 2023 which saw them push ahead of the Republic of Korea to win the title for the first time in tournament history. Canada will be represented with two teams again this year and rosters for both teams will be announced at a later date.

Joining Canada are past champions, Italy (2018), Republic of Korea (2015, 2019), Spain (2017, 2022) and the United States (2014). In the eight-year history of the tournament, aside from the host nation, six other countries have participated in every tournament including: Denmark, England, Italy, Mexico, Spain and Sweden.

The Republic of Korea are the most successful team in tournament history. In addition to two championships, the team has also finished in second on three occasions (2016, 2017, 2023).

Sweden have finished on the podium on four occasions including two runner-up finishes (2014, 2022) and two third place finishes (2015, 2017). The United States have also earned a second-place finish (2018) and third place finish (2016) along with being the inaugural champions. In addition to tournament wins, Team Canada 1 and Italy have also earned a third-place finish in 2014 and 2019 respectively.

This year’s tournament will mark the debut of Hong Kong, China and Morocco who will both be competing for the first time. Last year’s tournament saw the first appearances from Iceland, Peru and Poland. All three countries are returning this year.

This year’s field for the World Junior Girls Golf Championship is highlighted by Soomin Oh from the Republic of Korea (Korea). Oh, was part of Korea’s runner-up finish last year in Brampton, Ont. and also finished in third in the individual competition. Oh, is currently ranked no. 14 on the World Amateur Rankings (WAGR). Teammate Seojin Park also returns this year and is currently ranked no. 68 on WAGR. The United States are represented by Gianna Clemente (no. 23), Nikki Oh (no. 128) and Scarlett Schremmer (no. 211). Alice Kong of France will also be competing in Mississauga and currently is ranked no. 150.

Team Canada will be represented by Shauna Liu, Aphrodite Deng, Clairey Lin, Lindsay McGrath, Nobelle Park and Eileen Park. Lin of Langley, B.C., McGrath of Oakville, Ont., Nobelle Park of Oakville, Ont. and Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. all earned their places through a qualifying tournament last month. Liu of Maple, Ont. and Deng of Calgary, Alta. secured their exemptions to Team Canada prior to the qualifying tournament. Liu earned her exemption following her win at the 2024 Canadian Junior Girls Championship while Deng earned her exemption as being the low eligible Canadian on the WAGR as of August 7. Deng was no. 175, she has since improved to no. 171 and is Canada’s lowest ranked player. The rosters for Team Canada will be announced at a later date.

A number of players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Championship have gone on great success on the LPGA Tour, led by Canadian Brooke Henderson, a 13-time LPGA winner and Canada’s winningest professional golfer, who finished fourth in the individual competition at the inaugural championship hosted in 2014.

Other notable competitors who went on to become LPGA Tour winners include Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand who won back-to-back World Junior titles in 2018 and 2019 as well as Yuka Saso of the Philippines who won the 2016 World Junior title. 2023 CPKC Women’s Open winner, Megan Khang of the United States competed in the inaugural tournament in 2014. Other former World Junior competitors who have gone on to win on the LPGA Tour include Hannah Green of Australia and Maja Stark and Linn Grant of Sweden. Hye-Jin Choi from the Republic of Korea won both the 2015 team and individual championship at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship and has earned a number of runner-up finishes on the LPGA Tour including the 2022 CPKC Women’s Open.

Credit Valley Golf and Country Club will play host for the world championship and boasts a challenging 18-hole Robbie Robinson designed parkland course. Nestled alongside the winding Credit River and the natural setting of the valley, it offers members a hidden golf and country club oasis within the bustling cityscape of Mississauga.

The following is a list of competing countries in the ninth annual World Junior Girls Championship:

Belgium

Canada (Team Canada 1 and Team Canada 2)

Chinese Taipei

Colombia

Czechia

Denmark

England

Finland

France

Germany

Hong Kong, China

Iceland

Ireland

Italy

Mexico

Morocco

Peru

Poland

Republic of Korea

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

United States of America

Practice rounds for the 72-hole competition will take place September 30 and October 1 with the first round of play set for Wednesday, October 2. The tournament’s closing ceremony will immediately follow the conclusion of play on Saturday, October 5.

Admission to 2024 World Junior Girls Championship is free for all spectators.

Samuel wins both the Senior and Super Senior titles; Team British Columbia won the Katherine Helleur Trophy as inter-provincial team champions
on Wednesday

Georgetown, Ont. – Terrill Samuel held off late charges from both Ellen Port and Shelly Stouffer to win the 2024 Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO on Thursday at The Club at North Halton in Georgetown, Ont.

Samuel, of Etobicoke, Ont. shot a final round 1-under 71 to finish at 2-under and beat Ellen Port by one. Samuel finished with rounds of 72-71-71-214 to win the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship for a third time. With her previous wins coming in 2012 and 2015.

“It’s pretty exciting actually, I’m surprised how emotional you get when the final putt goes in,” said Samuel after signing her scorecard on Thursday.

Samuel entered the day with a four-shot lead over first round leader Port, of Sunset Hills, Mo. Samuel dropped a shot on the second while Port birdied no. 2 to cut the lead to two shots. Port gave one back with a bogey on six, before closing the front nine with back-to-back birdies on eight and nine to sit one behind Samuel.

“She’s an awesome player, she was putting and hitting it really well and I was trying to hang in and I said I’m still in the lead, I remember Tiger (Woods) saying that and I said ok I’m still in the lead and she’s got to still come at me and I was able to make some putts on the back side,” said Samuel on her thoughts through nine holes.

Ahead of the final group, was two-time Canadian Women’s Senior champion, Shelly Stouffer of Nanoose Bay, B.C. who was making a run with six birdies on the front to also pull herself to within one of Samuel at the turn.

“You kind of need to know a little bit, but generally no, I’d rather just play my own game until the last hole,” Samuel said on whether or not she likes to know what’s happening around her.

When asked if she knew what was happening with Shelly on the front nine, “no, I had no idea, probably a good thing,” she said with a laugh.

All three women went on to record consecutive pars to begin their back nine from holes 10 through 13. It was on the 14th where Samuel would gain a stroke and go ahead of Port and Stouffer by two with a birdie.

“It was the first putt I made all day, so I was happy that finally one went in,” said Samuel. All three went on to par no. 15, Stouffer bogeyed no. 16 and closed with two pars to finish with a 4-under 68 and jump into third at 2-over.

On the 17th Port birdied and Samuel responded with one of her own to maintain a two-shot lead.

“I made a really good putt on 17 because she (Ellen) poured one in again and I was thinking she has to make two birdies on the last two holes to tie me and she did so thank goodness I made that birdie. Mine was pretty slippery coming down and she had an uphill putt, I was closer, but it was very treacherous, so I was glad it went in.”

On the 18th hole, both had birdie putts with Samuel leaving hers just short while Port drained her putt to finish with a 4-under 68 to get to 1-under for the tournament.

Samuel walked up to her short par putt, her neon yellow shirt piercing through the grey overcast skies as the crowd watch silently as her putt dropped to secure the national championship for a third time.

“It changed it, I don’t care, I missed a short putt this week and it wasn’t straight in, so it made it feel longer for sure,” said a relieved Samuel after tapping in on 18 for the win.

The win highlights a strong run for Samuel, having finished T19 and earning low amateur honours at the U.S. Senior Women’s Open at Fox Chapel Golf Club in Pittsburgh, Pa. earlier this month.

“I’ve been playing well all season and even before that in Florida I played really well too. Usually, my swing can go off a little bit, but it hasn’t, I found something and it’s really working so I’m really happy. My ball striking is not an issue at all, the putting is, I didn’t putt well this week, but I hit the ball really well,” said a reflective Samuel.

In addition to the win, Samuel has earned an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Women’s Senior Amateur Championship taking place September 21-26 at the Broadmoor Golf Club in Seattle, Wash. Along with exemptions into the 2025 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, 2025 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship and the 2025 U.S. Women’s Senior Open.

Samuel also won the Super Senior title, with Port finishing second and Judith Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont. finishing third.

On Wednesday, Team British Columbia battled to the final hole to claim the Inter-Provincial Team title for the second time in three years.

The team of Shelly Stouffer of Nanoose Bay, B.C., Jackie Little of Procter, B.C. and Sandra Turbide of Maple Ridge, B.C. won together in 2022 at Breezy Bend Country Club in Headingley, Man. and did it again this year at The Club at North Halton finishing with a combined score of 16-over to win the Katherine Helleur Trophy by two.

Team Ontario consisting of, Mary Ann Hayward of St. Thomas, Ont., Judith Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont. and Debbie Court of Huntsville, Ont. tied for second with Team Quebec at 18-over. Quebec was represented by, Suzanne Ricard of Montreal, Que., Marie-Thérèse Torti of Candiac, Que., and Helen Chartrand of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Que.

The Senior and Super Senior championship rounds were played concurrently over 54 holes. The cut line was set at 32-over with 72 players advancing to Thursday’s final round. Players over 50 were eligible to compete in the Senior championship and those 60 and over were eligible to compete for the Super Senior title.

For the final leaderboard from the 2024 Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.

Two-time champion Terrill Samuel grabs lead in both the Senior and Super Senior divisions following a 71 on Wednesday

Georgetown, Ont. – Team British Columbia battled to the end to claim the Inter-Provincial Team title for the second time in three years at the 2024 Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO on Wednesday.

The team of Shelly Stouffer of Nanoose Bay, B.C., Jackie Little of Procter, B.C. and Sandra Turbide of Maple Ridge, B.C. won together in 2022 at Breezy Bend Country Club in Headingley, Man. and have done it again this year at The Club at North Halton in Georgetown, Ont. finishing with a combined score of 16-over to win the Katherine Helleur Trophy by two.

Two-time Canadian Women’s Senior champion, Jackie Little has now won the inter-provincial title for a third time and this one is special, “it means a lot to us. Ontario is pretty strong so when we can beat them it’s pretty special for B.C.”

“In Ontario too!” added Turbide.

Stouffer, also a two-time Canadian Women’s Senior champion added, “it’s very special to win this trophy again, the team event is fun because we don’t get to play a lot of team stuff anymore so it’s cool that we had the team trophy and the way we had the opening ceremonies.” Teams were paraded and piped in by province as part of the opening ceremonies on Monday evening.

This is the second inter-provincial team title for Stouffer this season after winning the title at the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur in July, where she also claimed the Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master titles.

“It’s cool, it’s good. I did this a couple years ago and did it again so it’s pretty exciting to happen again,” said Stouffer.

“We’re really proud of her,” added Little.

Ontario and British Columbia have enjoyed much of the success recently in the inter-provincial team competition at the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship. In the past 23 tournaments, Ontario has won 12 team titles, British Columbia is now at nine, with Alberta and Quebec grabbing one each since 2000 (there were no team events in 2020 or 2021).

Team Ontario consisting of, Mary Ann Hayward of St. Thomas, Ont., Judith Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont. and Debbie Court of Huntsville, Ont. tied for second with Team Quebec at 18-over. Quebec was represented by, Suzanne Ricard of Montreal, Que., Marie-Thérèse Torti of Candiac, Que., and Helen Chartrand of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Que.

Two-time Canadian Women’s Senior champion, Terrill Samuel has grabbed the solo lead in both the Senior and Super Senior divisions following a 1-under 71 on Wednesday. Samuel now sits at 1-under for the tournament and takes a four-shot lead into the final round.

“I played awesome today except for one really bad drive and my putting, nothing would go in, but I putted tentatively and that was my fault. I just didn’t have confidence for some reason today on some of them, I was leaving them just there. I had so many birdie putts today it was too bad,” said Samuel.

Samuel credited her iron play, which is the strength of her game for her round today. The two-time champion says nerves will always be there, but she intends to stick to her plan.

“My mindset is just one shot at a time, and I know that’s a cliché but whatever your game plan is on every hole you do that, and you continue to do that, you can’t worry about what anybody else is doing, you just worry about taking care of your own business and hopefully you have a chance on 18.”

Trailing Samuel in the Senior division are Lara Tennant of Portland, Ore. and first round leader, Ellen Port of Sunset Hills, Mo. both at 3-over. Port sits alone in second in the Super Senior division behind Samuel.

The 118-player field faced a change in temperature on Wednesday as the hot and sunny conditions from yesterday changed to overcast skies and cooler temperatures for the second round at The Club at North Halton.

The Senior and Super Senior championship rounds are played concurrently over 54 holes. The cut line was set at 32-over with 72 players advancing to Thursday’s final round. Players over 50 are eligible to compete in the Senior championship and those 60 and over are eligible to compete for the Super Senior title.

The winner of the 2024 Canadian Women’s Senior Championship will earn an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Women’s Senior Amateur Championship taking place September 21-26 at the Broadmoor Golf Club in Seattle, Wash. Along with exemptions into the 2025 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, 2025 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship and the 2025 U.S. Women’s Senior Open.

The final group of Samuel, Tennant and Port will tee off at 9:50 a.m. ET on Thursday. The tee times for Thursday’s final round can be found here.

For the leaderboard following the second round of the 2024 Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.

Port leads both the Senior and Super Senior divisions following an opening round 69. Team Ontario leads Inter-Provincial Team Championship

Georgetown, Ont. – Ellen Port fired an opening round 3-under 69 to lead the 2024 Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO at The Club at North Halton in Georgetown, Ont. on Tuesday.

Port, of Sunset Hills, Mo. recorded three birdies and 15 pars in a solid opening round to take a three-shot lead in both the Senior and Super Senior divisions into Wednesday. Port hit every green while only missing one fairway along with having several looks for birdie during her opening round.

“My lag putting when I was a little further away, these greens can certainly see a lot of three putts and I avoided three putts, I had a few longer putts and I managed those well and let the round unfold,” she said.

In addition to her work on the greens, Port credited something specific for today’s strong round, “my space between my ears,” she said with a smile. “I turned it off and played a little bit more feel and not so much static in my brain. I tend to get a little mechanical and I made a big change in feel right before I came.”

The change for Port involved her shoulder turn in her take away, “any change for a golfer is strange and number one that helped me because it took me off results a little bit and I just focused on this new feel and every golfer knows when you have the right thing that helps get everything in sync that’s good and that took me off thinking about results.”

The 62-year-old is a decorated champion having won seven USGA events in her career. This season, Port hasn’t played as many tournaments but did earn a runner-up finish at the AGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championship in May.

She said the experience of winning can have its pros and cons, “I think sometimes it actually hurts you because your expectations get very high and my friends know I can be pretty hard on myself and they keep saying give yourself some slack, give yourself some grace. So yes and no, I think we all know when we don’t have good rounds in us or where were winding down and I don’t feel that yet, but I haven’t had a lot of reasons to believe that I can shoot these numbers the last few years so mentally overcome that and stick with it is a big victory.”

Port is playing in her first ever Canadian Women’s Senior Championship and only her second Canadian National Championship, “I love being in Canada, I love all the Canadians that have come and stolen victories away from us Americans. Maybe one of the Americans can get them this time on their home soil,” she said with a laugh.

“There are so many wonderful players here and the hospitality and how much you love golf, I really felt like I might be inspired and remember why I love this game coming here,” she added.

Port leads both divisions over two-time Canadian Women’s Senior champion Terrill Samuel of Etobicoke, Ont. who shot an opening round even par 72. Lara Tennant of Portland, Ore. also sits tied for second in the Senior division with Samuel.

Samuel was pleased with her opening round, “my ball striking was excellent, I had a few sloppy ones on the back nine. I thought I had good speed on the greens today and hopefully tomorrow a few more go in otherwise it was a pretty solid round.”

Defending champion, Mary Ann Hayward of St. Thomas, Ont. is currently tied for fourth with Carolyn Janidlo of Moncton, N.B. at 3-over.

Team Ontario leads the Inter-Provincial Team Championship following the opening round with a combined score of 9-over to lead Team British Columbia by two shots. Team Alberta and Team New Brunswick are tied for third and are both four back of Ontario. Team Ontario has won 10 of the past 12 inter-provincial titles at the Canada Women’s Senior Championship. This year, Ontario is represented by Mary Ann Hayward, Judith Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont. and Debbie Court of Huntsville, Ont. Hayward’s 3-over 75 and Kyrinis’ 6-over 78 counted towards the team score for Tuesday. The Katherine Heller Trophy, awarded to the Inter-Provincial Team champions will be handed following Wednesday’s second round.

The 118-player field battled hot and humid temperatures from start to finish at The Club at North Halton on Tuesday, with temperatures hitting 32 C which felt more like 40 C during the afternoon tee times.

The Senior and Super Senior championship rounds are played concurrently over 54 holes, with the low 70 players plus ties in the Senior division and a minimum of five players in the Super Senior division advancing to Thursday’s final round. Players over 50 are eligible to compete in the Senior championship and those 60 and over are eligible to compete for the Super Senior title.

The winner of the 2024 Canadian Women’s Senior Championship will earn an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Women’s Senior Amateur Championship taking place September 21-26 at the Broadmoor Golf Club in Seattle, Wash. Along with exemptions into the 2025 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, 2025 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship and the 2025 U.S. Women’s Senior Open.

For the leaderboard following the opening round of the 2024 Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.