Étienne Papineau is one of four players set to represent Canada, joining Selena Costabile of Thornhill, Ont., Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Ont., and Myles Creighton of Digby, N.S. for the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.

The 27-year-old from St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Que. has enjoyed a successful 2023 season earning three professional tournament wins. Included in the three was the PGA TOUR Canada season opening tournament, the Royal Beach Victoria Open in June. Papineau went on to add five top-10 finishes with 16 of 21 tournament cuts made. In addition, he finished the season as the top Canadian on PGA TOUR Canada’s Fortinet Cup standings, placing fourth and earning his 2024 Korn Ferry Tour card.

The games are now well underway with golf set to be contested over 72-holes of individual stroke play beginning on Thursday, November 2 through to Sunday, November 5 at the Prince of Wales Country Club in Santiago.

Golf Canada caught up with Papineau to look back on his successful season and his preparations ahead of the Pan Am Games.

Étienne, while the 2023 season was a successful one for you, the off-season involved knee surgery and rehabbing through injuries. Talk about the recovery process and preparing for the season…
Last winter was probably not my best one. I went through one surgery and a couple other injuries, so it was definitely a long winter for me, but you know I went through the motions, went through the process, went through rehab and everything went well in terms of recovery from my injuries. But the hardest part was trusting my body again, which was the hardest part for me mentally, especially for the first couple weeks…just to trust my body, trust my recovery and once I went through that phase of trusting my body again, I was good to go.

You earned your first professional win at the Belleville Classic as part of the Toronto Players Tour in May. What did that mean to you to win your first professional tournament after a long off-season?
It wasn’t a big field, only 30-35 players but just getting a win under my belt before the PGA TOUR Canada season started was really big for me. As I said it was a long winter, took a little bit of time for me to trust my body and I wanted to play as many events as possible before the PGA TOUR Canada season started. Getting that win was really big for me, momentum wise and confidence wise so I was really happy with that, and I was really excited going into the season with that win a couple weeks before the season started on the PGA TOUR Canada.

A couple weeks after your win in Belleville the PGA TOUR Canada season opens with the Royal Beach Victoria Open and you win that tournament as well. What can you say about the win and that stretch between May and June?
It was crazy in the sense that if you told me that two months before that tournament that I was going to win, I would have told you that that was crazy. It was a great feeling to start the season with a win like that. I think that win in Belleville two weeks before and playing in the RBC Canadian Open the week before then gave me a lot of momentum and made me feel extremely ready for the season and I showed up there and played some great golf. It was a crazy week, and I was really excited to get that win and start the season on the right foot. It was definitely a great moment in my young career.

Speaking of the RBC Canadian Open, you made your first appearance in Canada’s National Open and finished 1-over, narrowly missing the cut. What was your experience like at Oakdale Golf & Country Club?
It was definitely a really fun experience for me. I got to play in the Waste Management Phoenix Open the year before in February 2022, so I got a little bit of experience and a taste of how it works and see the best players in the world up close. Playing in the Canadian Open was a really fun experience for me…playing in my home country, I had a lot of family and friends that came to watch me play. As I said, it gave me a lot of momentum for the season. Obviously it’s always great to play in your country’s open and I was really grateful that I got my exemption from Golf Canada…it was awesome.

Fast forward to August and the Coupe Canada in Victoriaville. You earned your third win of the season but I’m sure that one was quite special being in Québec?
It was definitely a tournament that I circled in my calendar when the schedule for PGA TOUR Canada came out, it fit right in the two weeks off we had, so I definitely wanted to play that one. It’s always a fun event, there’s always a lot of people watching, especially the final round and I was in the final group that last day and I had a lot of family and friends that came to watch me get my first professional win in Québec. Celebrating with family and friends was extremely fun. It’s always fun to win a tournament but winning one in Québec, in my home province makes it feel a little bit better.

You finished as the top Canadian in the Fortinet Cup standings and fourth overall, earning your Korn Ferry Tour card for 2024. What can you say about your season on the PGA TOUR Canada…
It’s been a crazy journey so far, hopefully it’s just the beginning. I currently have my Korn Ferry Tour card and I’ll get ready for the next season and get out there and play some good golf and we’ll see what happens. It’s been a crazy last two years, year and a half…as I said, if you would have told me six to seven months ago that I’d have my Korn Ferry Tour card, I don’t think I would have believed you with all the injuries that I went through…but I got through it, I did the work that I had to do and had a great season and here we are now a couple months away from the Korn Ferry Tour season and I’m really excited…hopefully it’s just the beginning.

With the season now over, focuses shifts to the Pan Am Games. What did it mean to you to receive the call that you would be heading to Santiago?
I was really excited. I wasn’t sure at first that I was going to go because there are a lot of other Canadian players in front of me, so I wasn’t sure if I was going to get picked to go. I was definitely going to be ready for it and when I got the call from Golf Canada, I was really pumped, really excited. It’s definitely going to be a fun week with Myles, Selena and Alena. I’ve never experienced something like this…I went to the Canada Summer Games ten years ago but I’m pretty sure it’s a totally different story. It’s definitely going to be awesome, and I’m going to enjoy it and go out there with the goal of getting a medal.

What have your preparations been like since the end of the season and ahead of Santiago?
We finished the PGA TOUR Canada season in the second week of September, so I took a couple weeks off to recovery from the end of the season fatigue, but everything is good. I started up again the first week of October. This month has been a lot of golf and I’ve been in the gym a lot more the past month then the last four or five (months) because I was on the road so much. Being home and spending time with family and friends was great but the last month has been gym and golf focused, so we’re ready to go.

What can you say about the look for Team Canada in Santiago?
We got our uniforms a couple weeks before and they’re great and I think Canada is going to look good in our uniforms. We’ve received some great stuff and I’m excited to wear it and represent Canada.

Finally, you’ve been a member of Team Canada for six years. What does it mean to you to wear the Maple Leaf and represent Canada?
As a kid you always dream to represent your country in your sport, and this is a dream for me to wear the Maple Leaf at the Pan Am Games. It was definitely a goal of mine, and I didn’t think about it until mid-season of PGA TOUR Canada, with that win. I knew maybe I’d be in the selection process at least and when I got the call, I was really pumped, really excited and to go out there and represent my country means a lot to me. I’m going to enjoy the week, enjoy the competition and hopefully bring a medal back home.

(October 11, 2023) – Golf Canada is pleased to announce the host golf clubs for the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms for the next three years.

Credit Valley Golf and Country Club in Mississauga, Ont. will host in 2024, followed by St. Catharines Golf and Country Club in St. Catharines, Ont. in 2025 and The Royal Ottawa Golf Club in Gatineau, Que. in 2026.

The World Junior Girls Championship has been conducted eight times since its inception in 2014, most recently last week at the Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, Ont. The prestigious international championship brings together the world’s best junior-aged girls golfers competing for the team and individual title. In addition to the competition, the championship is a week-long celebration of golf hosting First Tee – Canada clinics and a PGA of Canada coach’s summit.

“Together with our partners, Golf Canada is excited to announce our next three host venues for the World Junior Girls Golf Championships,” said Mary Beth McKenna, Director, Amateur Championships and Rules, Golf Canada. “We want to thank all three host courses along with their respective cities for their commitment to amateur golf in Canada and hosting this prestigious world championship. The impact of these three clubs and their collective membership provides the event continued momentum to build off the success of these past eight years.”

Team Canada won its first-ever World Junior Girls Golf Championship and Denisa Vodickova of the Czech Republic won the individual competition last week at Brampton Golf Club. The gold-medal Team Canada 1 squad was comprised of 14-year-old Anna Huang of Vancouver, 17-year-old Vanessa Borovilos of Toronto and 17-year-old Vanessa Zhang of Vancouver who shot a team-total 4-under 564 for the championship, a single shot clear of the Republic of Korea. Vodickova, tied the women’s competitive course record during Friday’s third round with a 5-under 66. She went on to finish the tournament at 7-under and won by three shots, also earning an exemption into the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open.

This year’s championship featured the largest field in tournament history, with a total of 66 athletes comprising 22 teams and 21 countries, with eight competitors ranked inside the World Golf Amateur Rankings (WAGR) top-100.

Spain (2017 & 2022) is tied with the Republic of Korea (2015 & 2019) for the most victories in the event’s eight-year history with two each. Other team winners include the United States (2014), Philippines (2016), Italy (2018), and Canada (2023). The Republic of Korea have earned the most podium finishes in tournament history with five, after winning the silver medal this year. A history of past individual and team winners is available here.

Several players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Golf Championship have gone on to have 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. The 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 of Sweden.

ABOUT THE HOST VENUES…

Credit Valley Golf and Country Club – September 30 – October 5, 2024
Credit Valley Golf and Country Club 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.

“On behalf of the members and staff at Credit Valley, we are honoured to host the World Junior Girls Championship in 2024. This event has generated great excitement and support from our membership, and we look forward to welcoming the best junior players from all over the world to Credit Valley. Thank you to Golf Canada and Tourism Mississauga for being great partners in helping us bring this prestigious championship to our club and community.” – Patrick Yashar, Director of Golf, Credit Valley Golf and Country Club

“Tourism Mississauga is thrilled to partner with the Credit Valley Golf and Country Club to host the World Junior Girls Golf Championship in 2024.  We are ready to showcase one of our finest golf courses and will continue to celebrate women in sport and the cultural canvas that is Mississauga. We look forward to cheering these athletes on and creating an experience they will never forget!” – Victoria Clarke, CEO, Tourism Mississauga

St. Catharines Golf and Country Club – September 15 – 20, 2025
St. Catharines Golf and Country Club features a 6,850-yard golf course that was designed by Stanley Thompson. Over its 125-year history, the Club has had several renovations with a current master plan developed by Ian Andrew, the noted course architect. The course is located in the heart of the City’s downtown, has hosted many provincial and national golfing events.

“Our members are excited about the opportunity of hosting these young golfers from around the world, and we promise them a challenging golf course for the competition.” – Brent Pym, President, St. Catharines Golf and Country Club

“St. Catharines has a proud history of supporting international sporting events and we look forward to welcoming the World Junior Girls Golf Championship to the St. Catharines Golf and Country Club.” – Mat Siscoe, Mayor, City of St. Catharines

The Royal Ottawa Golf Club – September 28 – October 3, 2026
The Royal Ottawa Golf Club offers the finest courses in the National Capital Region, graced by the natural beauty of the Gatineau Hills. The Main Course is a natural, old-fashioned layout, where the emphasis is placed on the natural lay of the land, rather than artificially created hazards. The original course architect was Tom Bendelow of Chicago, who at the time was a leader in the industry. The original design was subsequently amended by Willie Park Jr., winner of the British Open in 1887 and 1897. In recent years, Graham Cooke was a principal Course Architect. The current Course Architect is Neil Haworth, who spearheaded the design of the new Short Game Area and Canada’s first full TrackMan Range. The golf course played host to the 2000 CPKC Women’s Open and holds the record for hosting the most Canadian Amateur Championships.

“The Royal Ottawa Golf Club is thrilled and honoured to welcome the world’s top junior golfers for the 2026 World Junior Girls Championship. We are looking forward to the showcase of talent these players will bring to our historic course.” – Kris Bulmer, Club President, The Royal Ottawa Golf Club

“Our team at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club enthusiastically awaits our opportunity to welcome the World in 2026. Having been a part of the 2018 World Junior Girls event in Ottawa, I look forward to raising the standard of excellence to match the high level of golf skill these girls will exhibit.” – Greg Richardson, General Manager, The Royal Ottawa Golf Club

Surrey, B.C. – Clara Ding and Tate Bruggeman have won the NextGen Fall Series West Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards at The Hills at Portal Golf Club in Surrey, B.C.

In the Junior Girls Division, Clara Ding of White Rock, B.C. fired a 5-under 67 on Saturday to finish the tournament at even par and secure the championship. Ding was one-shot back heading into the final round and finished five shots clear of Rose Zhiyan Chen of Langley, B.C.

Ding recorded rounds of 75-74-67-216, to win the tournament and secure her spot in the 2024 Canadian Junior Girls Championship. In addition, Ding also won the Bantam Girls Division. Joining Ding at the 2024 Canadian Junior Girls Championship will be Chen who finished as runner-up at 5-over in both the Junior Girls and Bantam divisions and Karrisa Yuehan Zhao of West Vancouver and Elsa Wu of Maple Ridge, B.C. who finished tied for third at 16-over.

In the Junior Boys Division, Tate Bruggeman of Edmonton, edged out Louis Chun of Port Coquitlam, B.C. on the second playoff hole with a par to win the championship and book his place in the 2024 Canadian Junior Boys Championship. Bruggeman was four shots back after an even par 71 in Thursday’s opening round but fired back-to-back rounds of 2-under 69 to finish at 4-under and get to the playoff.

Chun also earned his spot in the 2024 Canadian Junior Boys Championship as runner-up. Joining Bruggeman and Chun is Manpreet Lalh of Nanaimo, B.C. who finished third at even par.

Chengze (Jim) Zhu of Vancouver won the Bantam Boys division by six shots, finishing the tournament at 1-over.

The field of 92 amateur golfers (66 Junior Boys and 26 Junior Girls) competed over 54-holes for three spots each into their respective Canadian Junior Championships next summer.

This week’s tournament marked the final stop on the NextGen Series schedule for the 2023 season. The NextGen Fall Series West Championship is one of Golf Canada’s eight regional junior championships presented in partnership with JOURNIE Rewards.

For the final leaderboards in the NextGen Fall Series West Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, click here.

About the NextGen Championships, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards

The NextGen Championships, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards is a high-performance junior golf series which totals eight competitions. From May to July, six championships will take place across Canada where the region’s best junior golfers will compete to earn exemptions into their respective 2023 national championships. Two additional Fall Series events will be hosted to close the season. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf. For more information on the NextGen Championship series and 2023 results, click here.

Denisa Vodickova ties women’s competitive course record at Brampton Golf Club

Brampton, Ont. –Team Canada 1, Team United States (USA) and South Korea will enter Saturday’s final round all tied for the lead at even par at the eighth annual World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms at the Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, Ont.

Overnight rain brought about more seasonal conditions for Friday’s third round with players battling the wind and cooler temperatures. Friday also saw numerous changes to the team leaderboard throughout the day and as the final putt dropped, three teams find themselves tied for first.

Team Canada 1 was led by the play of Anna Huang of Vancouver who shot a 1-under 70. Huang also finds herself in second place in the individual championship at 3-under for the tournament. Vanessa Borovilos of Toronto shot a 2-over 73 and Vanessa Zhang of Vancouver shot 9-over 80. Team Canada 1 Coach Jeff MacDonald of Chester, N.S. is proud of how his team has battled all week heading into Saturday, “It’s a good spot to be in and when we started the week this is where we wanted to be, and the girls are just really battling. We’ve had a couple tough breaks here and there and a couple things happen out there, but I am really proud of how much they’ve fought each day. It’s really tough out there, it’s really windy and the greens are really tricky, so some things are going to happen that you have to deal with, and they’ve just dealt with it so well to get into the position and give them a chance to win tomorrow.”

Team USA held the lead through the opening two rounds of the world championship but are now tied. Chloe Kovelesky of Boca Raton, Fla. led the way on Friday with a 2-under 69, teammates Mia Hammond of New Albany, Ohio and Molly Brown Davidson of Springville, Ala. both shot rounds of 5-over 76. Coach Mo Martin is looking forward to Saturday’s final round, “Couldn’t ask for a better finale tomorrow on Canadian soil. This is the first unified front for the U.S. Development program, and we’re really excited about. I know all three players are honoured to be the face of that and I think they are carrying that with a lot of pride and a lot of passion.”

Two-time champions, South Korea were led by Hyojin Yang who fired a 1-under 70 on Friday. Teammates, Soomin Oh and Seojin Park both recorded rounds of 1-over 72 to grab a piece of the team lead. Coach Naon Min said she hopes her team enjoys the final round, “I’m really proud of them. It’s their first time in Canada and first time playing for Korea and for that I am really proud of them.”

The three countries take a three-shot lead into Saturday with the Czech Republic in fourth at 3-over and Sweden sits fifth at 5-over.

Team Canada 2 is at 32-over and features 14-year-old Miranda Lu of Vancouver (5-over 76),

16-year-old Luna Lu of Burnaby, B.C. (6-over 77) and 14-year-old Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. (9-over 80).

World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms, team standings:

Click here for the full team competition leaderboard.

In the individual competition, there is a new leader as Denisa Vodickova of the Czech Republic tied the women’s competitive course record at Brampton Golf Club, shooting a 5-under 66 to move to 7-under for the tournament. The record was previously set by Brooke Henderson during the 2014 Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship.

Vodickova had the low round for the second consecutive day and recorded seven birdies in her round. The 18-year-old credited her putting and a change just before the tournament that has helped her this week, “I changed my grip recently and it’s working really well so I think that’s what has helped me the most. My putting was really good and also my irons into the green were great as well.”

Vodickova takes a four-shot lead into Saturday’s final round over Anna Huang. Savannah de Bock of Belgium is in third place at 2-under with Nora Sundberg of Sweden and Soomin Oh of South Korea tied for fourth at even par.

Click here for the third round individual leaderboard.

This year marks the largest field in tournament history, with a total of 66 athletes comprising 22 teams and representing 21 countries competing for the team and individual titles. This year’s field for the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms is highlighted by eight competitors currently ranked inside the World Golf Amateur Rankings (WAGR) top-100 including the tournament’s top-ranked player, Spain’s Rocío Tejedo Mulet (no. 23). Spain and South Korea both feature two players ranked inside the WAGR top-100, with Spain’s Andrea Revuelta Goicoechea (no. 33) and South Korea’s Hyojin Yang (no. 60) and Soomin Oh (no. 67).

Defending champions Spain (2017 & 2022) is tied with South Korea (2015 & 2019) for the most victories in the event’s seven-year history, with two each. Other team winners include the United States (2014), Philippines (2016), and Italy (2018). South Korea and Sweden are tied with the most podium finishes in tournament history with four each. Canada’s best finish in the team competition was third in 2014 and fourth in 2018. A history of past individual and team winners is available here.

Several players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Golf Championship have gone on to have 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. The 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 of Sweden.

The individual champion will receive an exemption into the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open being held at Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary from July 22 – 28, 2024.

For Saturday’s final round tee times, please click here.

Brampton, Ont. – Team United States (USA) shot a combined even par round to remain at 3-under to hold a two-shot lead over Team Canada after two rounds at the eighth annual World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms at the Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, Ont.

Tougher conditions on Thursday saw the sunny skies from Wednesday disappear as the wind picked up midway through the round. Team USA were led by Mia Hammond of New Albany, Ohio and Molly Brown Davidson of Springville, Ala. who both shot even par rounds of 71 to keep Team USA at 3-under for the tournament. Teammate Chloe Kovelesky of Boca Raton, Fla. shot a round of 3-over 74. The top two individual scores count towards the combined team score each day.

Davidson began her round on the back nine and rallied after a tough start to record six birdies on the front nine to finish at even par. She credited a well-timed joke from her team captain and improved ball striking to help turn things around on Thursday, “We just kept fighting today. Conditions were not easy, but we just wanted to keep fighting for our team and each other. In my head, I just wanted to keep going and making those putts. I was really motivated to just keep it going,” said Davidson.

Team USA takes a two-shot lead into Friday’s third round over Team Canada 1. Team Canada was led by 14-year-old Anna Huang of Vancouver who shot a 2-under 69 to help move Canada up one spot into second.

“I think we all did really good. We’re just supporting each other and helping each other out on the course. It’s really fun, we’re just trying to keep it together and hope for the best the next two days,” said Huang.

Huang’s teammates on Team Canada 1 include 17-year-old Vanessa Borovilos of Toronto (2-over 73) and 16-year-old Vanessa Zhang of Vancouver (4-over 75).

Team Canada 2 sits at 21-over and features 16-year-old Luna Lu of Burnaby, B.C. (3-over 74), 14-year-old Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. (6-over 77) and 14-year-old Miranda Lu of Vancouver (7-over 78).

World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms, team standings:

Click here for the full team competition leaderboard.

In the individual competition, Hammond maintains a one-shot lead heading into Friday’s third round over Huang and Denisa Vodickova of the Czech Republic. Vodickova fired the low round of the day with a 3-under 68 to put herself in a tie for second with Huang.

Hammond also started her round on the back nine where she was 2-over. After a bogey on the first hole (10th hole), she went on to grab three birdies and finished with four straight pars to maintain her lead after two days.

“It was definitely a rocky start for me. I know I said yesterday my ball striking is a big portion of my game and today it was a little off. I was kind of in-between clubs all day and I seemed to pick the wrong option between the two for the first 11 holes and finally on number 12, I finally hit a shot inside of ten feet and I made the putt and that kind of set the tone for the rest of the round,” said Hammond.

Anastasia Hekkonen of Finland and Soomin Oh of South Korea sit in a tie for fourth place at 1-under and are both two shots back. Savannah de Bock of Belgium is alone in sixth at even par and five golfers find themselves tied for seventh at 1-over including, Matilda Björkman (Sweden), Francesca Fiorellini (Italy), Vanessa Borovilos (Canada 1), Molly Brown Davidson (USA) and Andrea Revuelta Goicoechea (Spain).

Click here for the second round individual leaderboard.

This year marks the largest field in tournament history, with a total of 66 athletes comprising 22 teams and representing 21 countries competing for the team and individual titles. This year’s field for the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms is highlighted by eight competitors currently ranked inside the World Golf Amateur Rankings (WAGR) top-100 including the tournament’s top-ranked player, Spain’s Rocío Tejedo Mulet (no. 23). Spain and South Korea both feature two players ranked inside the WAGR top-100, with Spain’s Andrea Revuelta Goicoechea (no. 33) and South Korea’s Hyojin Yang (no. 60) and Soomin Oh (no. 67).

Defending champions Spain (2017 & 2022) is tied with South Korea (2015 & 2019) for the most victories in the event’s seven-year history, with two each. Other team winners include the United States (2014), Philippines (2016), and Italy (2018). South Korea and Sweden are tied with the most podium finishes in tournament history with four each. Canada’s best finish in the team competition was third in 2014 and fourth in 2018. A history of past individual and team winners is available here.

Several players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Golf Championship have gone on to have 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. The 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 of Sweden.

The individual champion will receive an exemption into the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open being held at Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary from July 22 – 28, 2024.

For third round tee times, please click here.

Brampton, Ont. – Team United States (USA) sits atop the team leaderboard by one-shot over Team Sweden following the opening round of the 2023 World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms at the Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, Ont.

Mia Hammond of New Albany, Ohio shot a 3-under 68 to take the individual lead and help lead Team USA to a combined 3-under (139) on Wednesday. Chloe Kovelesky of Boca Raton, Fla. shot an even par 71 which included a string of four straight birdies on holes 14 through 17. Molly Brown Davidson of Springville, Ala. shot a 1-over 72 for Team USA. The top two individual scores count towards the combined team score each day.

Team USA Coach Mo Martin was proud of her team following the opening round and their preparation heading into the tournament, “They are so talented and they’re all playing really well. We had a couple really great practice rounds so they’re putting well, hitting it well, had a really good feel for the course. They were really dedicated in their practice rounds, really took it seriously and they wanted to play all 36 holes, I tried to actually take them away from finishing that, but they really wanted to finish. I know Molly got in a day late, so they stuck with her so that cohesion they’ve just melded so quickly and so well, that I think it’s great dynamics and they’re incredibly talented.”

They’re just great people so that’s made me the most proud as a coach that they’re good competitors, they’re kind, they’re cheering for their teammates and they’re happy to be here and also to meet all the other countries, it’s a really special event,” added Martin.

Team Sweden sits in second at 2-under (140), Team Canada 1 and Team England are tied for third at 1-under (141) with Team Belgium rounding out the top five at even par (142).

As the host nation, Canada is fielding two teams in the tournament. Team Canada 1 is comprised of 17-year-old Vanessa Borovilos of Toronto (1-under 70), 14-year-old Anna Huang (E 71) and 16-year-old Vanessa Zhang (1-over 72), both of Vancouver.

Team Canada 2 sits at 12-over (154) and features 14-year-old Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. (6-over 77), 16-year-old Luna Lu of Burnaby, B.C. (6-over 77) and 14-year-old Miranda Lu of Vancouver (7-over 78).

The following are round-one team results at the World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms:

Click here for the full team competition leaderboard.

In the individual competition, Hammond takes a one-shot lead into Thursday’s second round over Anatasia Hekkonen (Finland), Larissa Carrillo (Mexico) and Savannah de Bock (Belgium) who all shot rounds of 2-under 69. Five golfers sit tied for fifth following rounds of -1 70 including, Nora Sundberg (Sweden), Nellie Ong (England), Matilda Björkman (Sweden), Vanessa Borovilos (Canada 1) and Pella Sol Sigurbrandsdottir (Iceland).

Hammond recorded four birdies in her round with only one bogey on the par five 17th hole. Hammond credited her ball striking for a strong opening round, “It was one of those rounds where everything went well for me. I was a little nervous on the range this morning, I wasn’t hitting it my best but after a couple shots on the course I got my swing back intact and putts started to fall after a few holes, and it was a pretty steady round.”

Click here for the first round individual leaderboard.

This year marks the largest field in tournament history, with a total of 66 athletes comprising 22 teams and representing 21 countries competing for the team and individual titles. This year’s field for the World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms is highlighted by eight competitors currently ranked inside the World Golf Amateur Rankings (WAGR) top-100 including the tournament’s top-ranked player, Spain’s Rocío Tejedo Mulet (no. 23). Spain and South Korea both feature two players ranked inside the WAGR top-100, with Spain’s Andrea Revuelta Goicoechea (no. 33) and South Korea’s Hyojin Yang (no. 60) and Soomin Oh (no. 67).

Defending champions Spain (2017 & 2022) is tied with South Korea (2015 & 2019) for the most victories in the event’s seven-year history, with two each. Other team winners include the United States (2014), Philippines (2016), and Italy (2018). South Korea and Sweden are tied with the most podium finishes in tournament history with four each. Canada’s best finish in the team competition was third in 2014 and fourth in 2018. A history of past individual and team winners is available here.

Several players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Golf 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. The 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 of Sweden.

The individual champion will receive an exemption into the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open being held at Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary from July 22 – 28, 2024.

For second round tee times, please click here.

Surrey, B.C. – The NextGen Fall Series West Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards begins this week with a field of 99 amateur golfers set to compete at The Hills at Portal Golf Club in Surrey, B.C.

The starting field will feature – 72 Junior Boys and 27 Junior Girls competing for three spots each into their respective Canadian Junior Championships next summer.

“The NextGen Fall Series West Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards promises to be a great tournament and provides players another opportunity to compete on the national stage in the fall,” said Golf Canada Tournament Director, Daniel Suppa. “Golf Canada is thrilled to welcome the field to The Hills at Portal Golf Club for our final NextGen series event of the season.”

Practice rounds are scheduled for Wednesday, October 4, before the official 54-hole tournament gets underway on October 5. The tournament will conclude on October 7 with an awards ceremony following play.

“On behalf of the entire team at the Hills we are proud and honoured to host this group of talented young golfers. We are excited to watch this next generation of golfers and wish them a very successful week here,” said Mahmood Mawji, General Manager, The Hills at Portal Golf Club. “We have made sure the weather and playing conditions are great. Once again, a big thank you to Golf Canada for allowing us to host this event, hopefully we will be able to do this again in the future.”

The Hills at Portal Golf Club was established in 1928 and was formerly known as Peace Portal. The golf course is regarded as one of the top public courses in the country. The Hills saw a change in ownership in October 2021 with new owners, Joe Haley and Randy Bishop. Since then, the course has undergone numerous changes that have improved playing conditions and have created a more challenging course for players. Off course renovations included a completely renovated clubhouse and restaurant.

This week’s tournament marks the final stop on the NextGen Series schedule for the 2023 season. The NextGen Fall Series West Championship is one of Golf Canada’s eight regional junior championships presented in partnership with JOURNIE Rewards. Rosie Bee Kim of Edmonton and Matthew Wilson of Nanaimo, B.C. won their respective divisions in the 2022 NextGen Fall Series West Championship.

To follow the live leaderboard of the NextGen Fall Series West Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, click here.

Sixty-six players from twenty-one countries will compete in the eighth playing of the prestigious world championship

Brampton, Ont. – Canada will once again host a global showcase of the world’s best junior golfers as the eighth edition of the World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms will be contested October 2-7, 2023, at the Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, Ont.

This year marks the largest field in tournament history, with a total of 66 athletes comprising 22 teams and representing 21 countries – including two teams from host nation Canada – competing for the team and individual titles.

“Together with our partners at Golf Ontario and Sargent Farms, Golf Canada is extremely proud to host the eighth edition of this prestigious international championship at Brampton Golf Club,” said Dan Hyatt, Golf Canada Tournament Director. “This championship has become a world-class showcase featuring some of the most promising young athletes from around the world. It is an honour to welcome these talented juniors to Canada—many whom we know will go on to great success in the professional game.”

“Golf Ontario is excited to partner in bringing the World Junior Girls Championship to Brampton and there is great excitement in welcoming this outstanding group of athletes from around the world,” said Golf Ontario CEO Kyle McFarlane. “Brampton Golf Club has proven itself time and again to be a world-class host and a championship-worthy venue that will be ready to challenge the world’s best junior golfers. We look forward to seeing the Brampton golfing community rally around this wonderful event.”

Canada’s lead coach will be Jeff MacDonald of Chester, N.S. who is currently the Assistant Coach of the Team Canada – NextGen Squad. MacDonald is a three-time PGA of Atlantic Canada Coach of the Year recipient. Supporting MacDonald will be Ann Carroll of Mississauga, Ont. who is currently the Head Teaching Pro at Lambton Golf Club. Carroll was a member of the national team coaching staff from 2012-2017 and now runs the Ann Carroll Golf Academy which supports competitive junior golfers.

As the host country, Canada will field two teams competing for the championship.

Team Canada 1 will feature 17-year-old Vanessa Borovilos of Toronto along with 14-year-old Anna Huang and 16-year-old Vanessa Zhang, both of Vancouver. Borovilos, who earned a direct exemption and is currently ranked no. 210 in the (World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), finished fourth in the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship presented by BDO and competed at the 2023 CPKC Women’s Open. Huang and Zhang earned their spots in a 54-hole qualifying tournament during the NextGen Selection Camp earlier this month at Whistle Bear Golf Club in Cambridge, Ont. Huang was part of Team Canada 2 at the 2022 World Junior Girls Championship and Zhang is currently ranked no. 293 in the WAGR.

Team Canada 2 will feature 14-year-old Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. who earned a direct exemption onto the team and is currently ranked no. 369 in the WAGR. Park won the 2023 Canadian Junior Girls Championship presented by BDO in July. Park’s teammates will be 16-year-old Luna Lu of Burnaby, B.C. and 14-year-old Miranda Lu of Vancouver. Luna finished as runner-up in the 2023 Canadian Junior Girls Championship and qualified for the 2023 CPKC Women’s Open through the final Monday Qualifier. Miranda won the UHY Albany Junior tournament in August. Both Luna and Miranda Lu earned their spots through the same qualifying tournament as Huang and Zhang.

This year’s field for the World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms is highlighted by eight competitors currently ranked inside the World Golf Amateur Rankings (WAGR) top-100 including the tournament’s top-ranked player, Spain’s Rocío Tejedo Mulet (no. 23). Spain and South Korea both feature two players ranked inside the WAGR top-100, with Spain’s Andrea Revuelta Goicoechea (no. 33) and South Korea’s Hyojin Yang (no. 60) and Soomin Oh (no. 67). Belgium’s Savannah de Bock (no.40) returns this year after finishing T5 in the individual championship in 2022. For the final field of all teams and competitors, please click here.

Defending champions Spain (2017 & 2022) is tied with South Korea (2015 & 2019) for the most victories in the event’s seven-year history, with two each. Other team winners include the United States (2014), Philippines (2016), and Italy (2018). South Korea and Sweden are tied with the most podium finishes in tournament history with four each. Canada’s best finish in the team competition was third in 2014 and fourth in 2018. A history of past individual and team winners is available here.

Several 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. The 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 of Sweden.

The prestigious Brampton Golf Club is the gracious host for the 2023 championship. Brampton has hosted a number of high profile provincial and national championships, most recently the 2014 Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship. Brampton Golf Club was also most recently named the Club Management Association of Canada (CMAC) Club of the Year in 2023 and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2021.

The individual champion will receive an exemption into the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open being held at Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary from July 22 – 28, 2024.

The following is a list of competing countries in the eighth annual World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms:

Austria

Belgium

Canada (2)

Chinese Taipei

Colombia

Czech Republic

Denmark

England

Finland

Germany

Iceland

Italy

Mexico

Peru

Poland

South Korea

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

United States

Wales

Practice rounds for the 72-hole competition will take place October 2-3 with the first round of play set for Wednesday, October 4. The tournament’s closing ceremony will immediately follow the conclusion of play on Saturday, October 7. Admission to the competition is free. For more information on the tournament, please click here.

Deadline of November 5 for Canadian golf community to submit nominations for Community Leader Award & Future Leader Award to recognize individuals’ impact through golf.

(September 27, 2023) – Golf Canada and the Golf Canada Foundation are pleased to announce that nominations for the 2023 Lorie Kane Community Spirit Awards are now being accepted through to Sunday, November 5.

The inaugural Lorie Kane Community Spirit Awards launched in the summer of 2022 and the Canadian golf community is invited to submit nominations for one of two signature recognitions  – the Community Leader Award as well as the Junior Leader Award.

The Lorie Kane Community Leader Award celebrates individuals over the age of 19 with a demonstrated ability to lead community initiatives; who have contributed a measurable impact through volunteerism or charity; or have showcased excellence in their involvement with, or support of youth programs such as First Tee – Canada or other junior golf activities.

The recipient of the Lorie Kane Community Leader Award will receive a $5,000 donation from the Golf Canada Foundation to advance a golf program or golf-related initiative of their choice.

To recognize youth who are making an impact in their community, the Lorie Kane Future Leader Award will honour an individual 19 years of age or younger who embodies community leadership; has a history of sportsmanship or demonstrated activities to make the game more inclusive; or an individual who has used golf to create a meaningful impact in their community.

The recipient of the Lorie Kane Future Leader Award will be awarded a $5,000 donation towards their post-secondary education and will also be offered a paid work internship with Golf Canada.

The Lorie Kane Community Spirit Awards were named to honour the Canadian golf icon for a longstanding commitment to advancing the sport, charitable work and giving back to the game that defined her Hall of Fame career. Kane is a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Canada Sports Hall of Fame as well as a recipient of the Order of Canada.

“On behalf of Golf Canada and the Golf Canada Foundation, we are pleased to begin accepting nominations from the Canadian golf community for the 2023 Lorie Kane Community Spirt Awards,” said Golf Canada President David McCarthy. “Lorie Kane is a Canadian golf icon who has given back so much to numerous communities across Canada through her charitable work and to the continued growth of our sport. We look forward to recognizing similarly committed individuals including youth leaders for their positive impact on the sport in their community.”

In 2022, Fareen Samij of Burlington, Ont. and Bob Beauchemin of Brampton, Ont. were named the inaugural co-recipients of the Lorie Kane Community Spirit Award.

A 5-time Canadian Women’s Long Drive champion and former golf touring professional, Samij is a respected entrepreneur, speaker, and author who founded the Smashing the Grass Ceiling golf program to engage women and young girls to connect and be inspired on the golf course.

Beauchemin, a PGA of Canada professional and Head Teaching Professional at Oakdale Golf and Country Club, was nominated for his efforts to advance junior golf including First Tee Canada, as well as his mentorship to countless golf industry professionals through the Humber College Professional Golf Management Program.  

The Canadian golf community is invited to submit individual nominations for the 2023 Lorie Kane Community Spirit Awards through an online nomination form. The nomination period will close at 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday, November 5.

Click here to nominate an individual for the Lorie Kane Community Leader Award.

Click here to nominate an individual for the Lorie Kane Future Leader Award.

At the conclusion of the nomination period, all Lorie Kane Community Spirit Award submissions will be compiled and evaluated by a selection committee that includes representatives from Golf Canada, the Golf Canada Foundation, Honoured Members of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, industry representatives and the Golf Journalists Association of Canada. 

Oakville, Ont. – Golf Canada is proud to announce the six athletes that will represent Team Canada at the 2023 World Amateur Team Championships. The tournament is being held at the National Course at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates with the men’s competition take place October 18 – 21 and the women’s tournament running October 25 – 28.

Representing Canada on the men’s side competing for the Eisenhower Trophy will be Piercen Hunt, 22, of Hartland, Wis., Ashton McCulloch, 21, of Kingston, Ont., and Brady McKinlay, 22, of Lacombe, Alta. The team will be led by Team Canada Men’s Assistant Coach, Benoit Lemieux.

On the women’s team, competing for the Espirito Santo Trophy will be Lauren Kim, 18, of Surrey, B.C., Monet Chun, 22, of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Katie Cranston, 19, of Oakville, Ont. The team will be led by Team Canada Stollery Family Women’s Head Coach, Salimah Mussani.

“The 2023 editions of Team Canada feature deserving players that have had successful seasons and we are excited to watch them compete in Abu Dhabi and know that they will represent Canada proudly,” said Emily Phoenix, Golf Canada Manager of High Performance. “The World Amateur Team Championships provides our athletes with an incredible opportunity to test their skills against the top amateur golfers from around the world.”

Team Canada has enjoyed past success with both the men’s and women’s teams earning multiple podium finishes. The men’s side has won one gold medal (1986), five silver medals (2014, 2006, 1978, 1964, 1962) and one bronze (1986). The women’s team has won four silver medals in tournament history (2014, 2004, 1978, 1966).

The biennial international amateur competition is conducted by the International Golf Federation, which comprises the national governing bodies of golf in 149 countries. Each team will feature three players and will compete over 72-holes of stroke play. In each round, the two lowest scores will count towards the team’s score for the day.

The 2025 World Amateur Team Championship will be held in Singapore and the top-10 teams from 2023 will earn automatic qualification.

Men’s Team Bios:

Piercen Hunt – 22 years old – Hartland, Wis.

Hunt is in his second year as a Team Canada member and is currently the highest ranked Canadian male player on the World Amateur Golf Rankings. The senior at the University of Illinois, earned two top-5 finishes last season in NCAA tournament play.

Ashton McCulloch – 21 years old – Kingston, Ont.

McCulloch is currently in his third year with Team Canada and won the 2023 Canadian Men’s Amateur, earning an exemption into the 2024 RBC Canadian Open. The Michigan State Junior also finished T2 in the Ontario Men’s Amateur and earned a 7th place finish at the Glencoe Invitational earlier this summer.

Brady McKinlay – 22 years old – Lacombe, Alta.

McKinlay won four individual collegiate events as a senior at Utah Valley and qualified for the 2023 NCAA Championships as an individual. This summer, McKinlay finished T5 at the Canadian Men’s Amateur and third in the Alberta Men’s Amateur.

Women’s Team Bios:

Lauren Kim – 18 years old – Surrey, B.C.

Kim is in her third year as a member of Team Canada, and just entered her first year at the University of Texas at Austin. Kim won the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur in Halifax and is the low Canadian on the women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking. This season, Kim qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open, U.S. Women’s Amateur and U.S. Junior Girls championships in addition to competing at the 2023 CPKC Women’s Open. This marks the second year that Kim has been selected for the World Amateur Team.

Monet Chun – 22 years old – Richmond Hill, Ont.

Chun is in her sixth year as a member of Team Canada, and in her senior year at the University of Michigan. This season Chun became the first Canadian to make the cut at the Augusta Women’s National Amateur, earning a top-20 finish. In addition, Chun made the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open and finished T7 at the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur where she was defending champion.

Katie Cranston – 19 years old – Oakville, Ont.

Cranston, a three-year member of Team Canada is a sophomore at Auburn University. This season, Cranston advanced to the round of 32 at both the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship and The R&A Women’s Amateur Championship, along with finishing 9th at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship. This summer, Cranston also competed at her second consecutive CPKC Women’s Open.