Sherbrooke, Que. – Rosie Bee Kim and Chase Jerome have won the NextGen Fall Series East Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards at Club de Golf Milby in Sherbrooke, Que.

In the Junior Girls Division, Kim of Edmonton, finished strong with a 2-under 70 on Sunday to secure the wire-to-wire victory and finished nine shots clear of Léonie Tavares of St. Jérôme, Que. (8-over).

Kim fired rounds of 72-73-70-215, finishing at 1-under to win the tournament and secure her spot in the 2024 Canadian Junior Girls Championship. Kim also won the 2022 NextGen Fall Series West Championship last fall. Joining Kim at the 2024 Canadian Junior Girls Championship will be Tavares and Grace Anderson of Burlington, Ont. who placed third at 9-over.

Tavares won the Bantam Girls Division by 25 shots over Kate Guo of Knowlton, Que. following rounds of 77-74-73-224 (8-over).

In the Junior Boys Division, Jerome of Ottawa, edged out Cameron Robitaille of Saint-Hyacinthe, Que. by one-shot to win the championship and book his place in the 2024 Canadian Junior Boys Championship. Jerome grabbed the lead on Saturday and held on, finishing even par for the tournament with rounds of 73-68-75-216. Jerome also won the Bantam Boys Division by nine shots over Oscar Ricketts of Pointe Claire, Que.

Robitaille finished 1-over to finish in second and earned his spot in the 2024 Canadian Junior Boys Championship. Joining Jerome and Robitaille is Nicholas Girard of Boucherville, Que. who finished third at 3-over.

The field of 99 amateur golfers (81 Junior Boys and 18 Junior Girls) competed over 54-holes for three spots each into their respective Canadian Junior Championships next summer.

There will be one final stop on the NextGen schedule for this year with the NextGen Fall Series West Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, taking place from October 5 – 7 at The Hills at Portal Golf Club in Surrey, B.C.

For the final leaderboards in the NextGen Fall Series East 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.

Sherbrooke, Que. – The NextGen Fall Series East Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards begins this week with a field of 99 amateur golfers set to compete at Club de Golf Milby in Sherbrooke, Que.

The starting field will feature – 81 Junior Boys and 18 Junior Girls competing for three spots each into their respective Canadian Junior Championships next summer.

“The NextGen Fall Series East Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards provides a great chance for players to showcase their talents on a national stage throughout the fall months of the season,” said Golf Canada Tournament Director, Sam Meek. “Golf Canada is thrilled to welcome the field to the Club de Golf Milby & look forward to crowning our champions come Sunday.”

Practice rounds are scheduled for Thursday, September 21 before the official 54-hole tournament gets underway on September 22. The tournament will conclude on September 24 with an awards ceremony following play.

“Club de golf Milby cannot wait to host 99 of Canada’s best young golfers later this week as they attempt to conquer the challenging greens and fairways of this popular rural golf course,” said Stephen Currier, Club Chair, Club de Golf Milby. “The course is well-prepared & our members are looking forward to the week! Best of luck to all competitors!”

Club de Golf Milby is located just outside Sherbrooke in the Eastern Townships and offers golfers an interesting challenge in a beautiful setting featuring wooded areas, rivers and hills. Designed by Howard Watson, the club opened in 1964 and is known for its large undulating greens and is considered to be among the top semi-private golf courses in the province of Quebec. The club has hosted several prestigious tournaments in prior years including, the Canada Games in 2013 and the Quebec Open in 1992 and 1993, along with several university and high school tournaments.

The NextGen Fall Series East Championship is one of Golf Canada’s eight regional junior championships presented in partnership with JOURNIE Rewards. Andreas Diogenous of Cambridge, Ont. and Kelly Zhao of Richmond Hill, Ont. won their respective divisions in the 2022 NextGen Fall Series East Championship.

Following this week’s tournament, there will be one final stop on the NextGen Series schedule for this year with the NextGen Fall Series West Championship, taking place from October 5 – 7 at The Hills at Portal Golf Club in Surrey, B.C.

To follow the live leaderboard of the NextGen Fall Series East 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.

Tess Trojan and Patrick Griffin win the Women’s and Men’s Net Stableford Championships

Kamloops, B.C. – Natasha Stasiuk and Chris Willis earned wire-to-wire victories at the third playing of the Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO at the Kamloops Golf and Country Club in Kamloops, B.C on Friday.

In the Women’s Gross Stroke Play Championship, Stasiuk of Oakville, Ont. earned her third straight national championship, finishing at 28-over following rounds of 85 and 87 to win by 16 strokes ahead of runner-up Tess Trojan of St. Catharines, Ont. (95-93 – 188). Emma Bittorf of Strathmore, Alta. finished third (95-101 – 196). Stasiuk has enjoyed quite the season as she also won the Ontario Adaptive Championship in July for a fifth time.

“Pretty amazing that I can do it three times now and nice to have more competition. It was great to have another girl, even though I love playing with Tess, but it was nice to have more people,” said Stasiuk after her round on Friday.

Another three-time champion was crowned in the Women’s Net Stableford competition as Trojan edged out Bittorf in a close battle. Trojan earned 34 points on Friday to finish with 67 stableford points, to win by two over Bittorf (65 points), Stasiuk finished third with 57 points.

In the Men’s Gross Stroke Play Championship, a playoff was required and Chris Willis of Aurora, Ont. beat Dustin Boydell of Chilliwack, B.C. on the first playoff hole with a 15-foot putt for eagle to win the national championship.

“It’s really special. When I was young I didn’t compete as hard as I would have liked because of my disabilities, kind of kept me from playing high level hockey or soccer or golf and it was only really in my late 20’s and early 30’s that my brother and I started to play tournament golf together and we played in a couple Canadian amateurs, Canadian mid-ams and Ontario’s and he encouraged me to do the disability golf. I signed up for the Ontario’s and just three days before the Ontario’s my father passed away and my family was away at that time, but they all convinced me to continue and play and I did well. I had a special round the first round and I met Kurtis [Barkley] and sort of discovered this whole disability golf world. Since then, I’ve played in the British Open and the U.S. Adaptive and just watching how all the competitors take it so seriously and really enjoy fighting and competing and the high quality of play, especially amongst the top players it’s quite remarkable. So, I feel very proud and honoured to win a national championship and to do it against such great competition,” said Willis following the playoff win.

Willis and Boydell battled back-and-forth throughout Friday’s final round and both men birdied 18 to send the championship to a playoff. Willis finished the tournament at 2-over (68-78 – 146) as did Boydell (69-77 – 146). Willis matches Stasiuk as he also won the 2023 Ontario Adaptive Championship in July. Craig Dowling of Vancouver finished third at 4-over (76-72 – 148), Keifer Jones of Calgary, finished 5-over (75-74 – 149) for fourth and Jesse Florkowski of Medicine Hat, Alta. finished 6-over (78-72 – 150) to round out the top-five.

In the Men’s Net Stableford competition, a new winner has been crowned as Patrick Griffin of Leduc, Alta. earned 41 points on Friday to finish with a combined 83 stableford points. Griffin finished eight points clear of Rod Reimer of Thorndale, Ont. (75 points). Walter Vanderrijst of Victoria, B.C. (74 points), Craig Dowling of Vancouver (73 points) along with Josh Hunke of Wilmot, Ont. (70 points), and Kevin Delaney of Windsor, Ont. (70 points) round out the top-five.

A field of 43 players, regardless of disability classification, competed over 36-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 third playing of the national championship featured competitors from Canada and the United States with neurological, intellectual, sensory, and physical impairments. 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 following the 2023 Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.

GOLF CANADA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Golf Canada annually conducts more than 30 golf competitions and qualifiers nation-wide – including nine National Amateur Championships – which play host to more than 3,000 domestic and international athletes from all corners of the world. In partnership with our host clubs, thousands of volunteers, provincial golf associations and our proud sponsors, Golf Canada is dedicated to supporting player development through world-class competition since our inception in 1895. Officiated by certified Canadian Rules of Golf officials, Golf Canada’s amateur competitions are fully compliant with golf’s international governing bodies and include marquee events such as the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships as well as the Canadian Junior Girls and Junior Boys Championships. Golf Canada’s amateur championships are proudly supported by BDO Canada, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), Titleist, FootJoy, Sport Canada, Levelwear and JOURNIE Rewards. For more information and scheduling visit www.golfcanada.ca/championships.

Emma Bittorf and Patrick Griffin lead in the Women’s and Men’s Net Stableford Championships

Kamloops, B.C. – Two-time defending champion Natasha Stasiuk and Chris Willis find themselves atop their respective leaderboards after the opening round of the 2023 Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO at the Kamloops Golf and Country Club in Kamloops, B.C.

A field of 43 players, regardless of disability classification, are competing over 36-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 third straight national championship after shooting a 13-over 85 to take a ten-shot lead into the final round on Friday. Stasiuk also won the Ontario Adaptive Championship for a fifth time in July. Tess Trojan of St. Catharines, Ont. and Emma Bittorf of Strathmore, Alta. are both tied for second after shooting rounds of 23-over 95 on Thursday.

Bittorf leads the Women’s Net Stableford competition after earning a total of 37 stableford points in the opening round and takes a four-point lead into Friday over two-time defending stableford champion Tess Trojan (33).

In the Men’s Gross Stroke Play Championship, Willis of Aurora, Ont. shot a 4-under 68 and leads by one shot over Dustin Boydell (3-under 69) of Chilliwack, B.C. Willis was the runner-up at the 2022 Canadian All Abilities Championship and is currently ranked no. 20 in the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD). He also won the 2023 Ontario Adaptive Championship in July. Russell Aide of Stirling, Ont. is alone in third following a 2-over 74 on Thursday. Kevin Delaney of Windsor, Ont. and Kiefer Jones of Calgary are tied for fourth at 3-over.

In the Men’s Net Stableford competition Patrick Griffin of Leduc, Alta. leads after earning 42 points stableford points on Thursday. Defending champion Delaney is three points back at 39 stableford points. Dustin Boydell (37 points), Thomas Martineau of Kingston, Ont. (36 points), and Chris Willis (36 points) round out the top-five.

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 36-holes will win their respective divisions.

The third playing of the national championship features competitors from Canada and the United States with neurological, intellectual, sensory, and physical impairments. 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 2023 Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.

GOLF CANADA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Golf Canada annually conducts more than 30 golf competitions and qualifiers nation-wide – including nine National Amateur Championships – which play host to more than 3,000 domestic and international athletes from all corners of the world. In partnership with our host clubs, thousands of volunteers, provincial golf associations and our proud sponsors, Golf Canada is dedicated to supporting player development through world-class competition since our inception in 1895. Officiated by certified Canadian Rules of Golf officials, Golf Canada’s amateur competitions are fully compliant with golf’s international governing bodies and include marquee events such as the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships as well as the Canadian Junior Girls and Junior Boys Championships. Golf Canada’s amateur championships are proudly supported by BDO Canada, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), Titleist, FootJoy, Sport Canada, Levelwear and JOURNIE Rewards. For more information and scheduling visit www.golfcanada.ca/championships.

Kamloops, B.C. – The 2023 Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO is set for September 14-15 with a field of 44 amateur golfers competing at The Kamloops Golf and Country Club in Kamloops, B.C.

The third playing of the national championship will be contested as a 36-hole competition and will feature 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 two-time Women’s Gross Stroke Play defending champion Natasha Stasiuk of Oakville, Ont. and two-time Women’s Net Stableford winner, Tess Trojan of St. Catharines, Ont. On the men’s side, two players ranked in the top-20 on the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD) will be in the field including Jesse Florkowski of Medicine Hat, Alta. (no. 17) who finished third in last year’s tournament and 2022 runner-up Chris Willis (no. 20) of Aurora, Ont. The 2022 Men’s Net Stableford winner Kevin Delaney of Windsor, Ont. is also set to defend his title this week in Kamloops.

“We are very proud to get the third playing of the Canadian All Abilities Championship underway this week at an incredible golf course,” said Golf Canada Tournament Director Adam Cinel. “This national championship is a signature event on Golf Canada’s calendar and demonstrates our continued commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are proud to feature both a gross stroke play championship and a net stableford championship that provides equitability for the field competing in this national championship. The staff and volunteers at Kamloops Golf and Country Club have been preparing the course to ensure that the field competing is treated to a memorable experience.”

The Kamloops Golf & Country Club (KGCC) was established in 1914 by a group of fifty residents of Kamloops. The original golf course was located at the present-day Hillside Cemetery on Notre Dame Drive. By 1946 the KGCC had outgrown the Notre Dame Drive location and they negotiated an agreement with the City of Kamloops to sell the Notre Dame property. The new location of the KGCC was a parcel of leased land adjoining Fulton Field where a nine-hole, sand green layout, was prepared. In April of 1950, the KGCC exercised its option to buy the 171-acre Brocklehurst property from the City. The KGCC has remained at this property since that time.

In 2007, the Board of Directors wanted to enhance the playing conditions on the golf course and contacted golf course architect Ted Locke to provide options. After an ergonomic assessment of the golf course for irrigation, managing the effluent water source, fairway renovation recommendations and rerouting of golf holes to better utilize existing space and the practice facility, the renovation began in September 2009. The golf course fully re-opened on July 31, 2010, following completion of the project.

“Kamloops Golf and Country Club is excited to host our first national championship and we are looking forward to welcoming everyone to our club and our great sporting city!”, said Alec Hubert, General Manager, Kamloops Golf and Country Club.

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 36-holes will win their respective divisions.

Practice rounds are scheduled for Wednesday, September 13, and the tournament gets underway on Thursday, September 14.

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

GOLF CANADA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Golf Canada annually conducts more than 30 golf competitions and qualifiers nation-wide – including nine National Amateur Championships – which play host to more than 3,000 domestic and international athletes from all corners of the world. In partnership with our host clubs, thousands of volunteers, provincial golf associations and our proud sponsors, Golf Canada is dedicated to supporting player development through world-class competition since our inception in 1895. Officiated by certified Canadian Rules of Golf officials, Golf Canada’s amateur competitions are fully compliant with golf’s international governing bodies and include marquee events such as the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships as well as the Canadian Junior Girls and Junior Boys Championships. Golf Canada’s amateur championships are proudly supported by BDO Canada, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), Titleist, FootJoy, Sport Canada, Levelwear and JOURNIE Rewards. For more information and scheduling visit www.golfcanada.ca/championships.

Vanessa Borovilos and Matthew Javier earn spots on
2024 Team Canada – NextGen

Cambridge, Ont. – Anna Huang, Miranda Lu, Luna Lu and Vanessa Zhang have earned their spots on Team Canada for the 2023 World Junior Girls Golf Championship following a 54-hole qualifying tournament at Whistle Bear Golf Club in Cambridge, Ont.

Anna Huang of Vancouver, B.C. finished the tournament at 11-under to secure the first of four spots. Huang shot rounds of 71-69-65 = 205 to finish five shots clear of Miranda Lu. Huang was part of Team Canada 2 in the 2022 World Junior Girls Golf Championship.

Miranda Lu of Vancouver, B.C. earned the second spot after finishing 6-under with rounds of 73-70-67 = 210. The 14-year-old recently won the UHY Albany Junior tournament last month, the tournament is part of the American Junior Golf Association.

Luna Lu of Burnaby, B.C. earned the third spot after finishing 5-under following rounds of 70-71-70 = 211. Lu has been part of Team Canada – NextGen for the past two years and will make her first appearance at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship. The 16-year-old 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.

Vanessa Zhang earned the fourth spot following a playoff win over Swetha Sathish and Joline Truong with a birdie on the first hole. Zhang finished the tournament at 3-under, following rounds of 73-71-69 = 213. The 16-year-old from Vancouver, B.C. won the 2023 K.J. Choi Foundation Texas Junior Championship in March.

The four will join Vanessa Borovilos and Eileen Park who earned exemptions to Team Canada for the 2023 World Junior Girls Championship. The official rosters for the two Canadian teams will be decided at a later date.

In addition to the qualifying tournament, players were competing for places on their respective Team Canada – NextGen teams for 2024.

Vanessa Borovilos of Etobicoke, Ont. won the Junior Girls division and has confirmed her place on Team Canada – NextGen for 2024, which marks her second consecutive year on the team.

Borovilos led through all three rounds of the selection camp, finishing at 14-under with scores of 67-69-66 = 202 to top Huang by three strokes. Last month, the 17-year-old competed in the 2023 CPKC Women’s Open and finished fourth at the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO. Borovilos will play on one of the two Team Canada sides competing at the 2023 World Junior Girls Golf Championship.

Matthew Javier, of North York, Ont. won the Junior Boys division and has earned his place on Team Canada – NextGen for 2024. Javier finished the tournament at 7-under posting rounds of 70-69-70 = 209. This will mark the first time that Javier will be part of Team Canada – NextGen. Last month, Javier was part of Team Ontario’s Inter-Provincial Junior Boys Team Championship win and finished T4 individually at the 2023 Canadian Junior Boys Championship.

The remaining places for the 2024 Team Canada – NextGen squad will be decided by Golf Canada’s selection committee by early October. When making final decisions for player selection, the committee will consider player results from the 2023 season along with selection camp results including information gathered during skills testing. The full selection criteria for Team Canada – NextGen can be found here.

The 2023 World Junior Girls Golf Championship will take place at Brampton Golf Club from October 2-7. For more information on the tournament, please click here.

For the final standings of the Team Canada World Junior Girls Championship qualifier and Team Canada – NextGen selection camp, please click here.

Hanzel defeats two-time champion Gene Elliott on first playoff hole

Pemberton, B.C. – Doug Hanzel’s birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff sealed the win and the 2023 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO on Friday at Big Sky Golf Club in Pemberton, B.C. With the win, Hanzel, of Savannah, Ga. also takes home the Super Senior Championship, becoming the first player to win both titles in the same year since the Super Senior division was added in 1995.

“I’m 66 but still competitive in senior golf. I don’t feel like a super senior, I’m still hitting it far. This was my third time playing the Canadian Senior and what a beautiful place. I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to come to this part of the world unless a tournament was hosted here, so I’m grateful,” said Hanzel following the playoff win.

The final round provided plenty of drama with numerous lead changes throughout the day, particularly on the back nine. Hanzel grabbed a piece of the lead following a birdie on the seventh hole to pull even with third round leader Ken Griffith at 4-under. Both men birdied the ninth hole and then bogeyed the 10th to remain tied for the lead.

Hanzel took the solo lead by two shots with a birdie on 11, coupled with a bogey by Griffith. Hanzel dropped a stroke on 12, before losing the lead following a double bogey on 13. Griffith would then go on to double bogey 16 putting himself along with Hanzel and Dave Bunker all tied at 2-under with two holes remaining.

During that time two-time champion Gene Elliott had posted a 5-under 67 to position himself as the clubhouse leader in search of his third national senior championship. Elliott holed out from the fairway on 18 for eagle, putting himself at 3-under for the tournament.

Hanzel enjoyed success on 18 as well as he closed his round with a birdie to finish with an even par 72 and move to 3-under to force a playoff.

“I only made two bad swings on the back nine. I hit it in the hazard on 12 and saved a nice bogey. Lost ball on 13, sucked it up and moved forward. I hit decent shots coming in, but the key was the 20-foot birdie on 18. I had a difficult up and down, and I didn’t want to leave it short. I knocked it a bit past the hole but was happy to make probably my second longest putt of the week there,” he said.

Hanzel and Elliott would go back to 18 for the first hole of the playoff, where Hanzel birdied to seal the victory.

“The hole sets up for me, there’s room to move it left to right. I had 184 to the pin on my second shot and knew it was a nice easy seven iron to put enough spin on it to keep it on the green. I had a straightforward 20-foot putt and was happy to knock it up to six inches for the birdie,” said Hanzel.

Hanzel also won the Super Senior Championship (golfers 65-and-over) by six shots over Lance Lundy of Pemberton, B.C. and 2018 champion, Brady Exber of Las Vegas. By winning the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, Hanzel has earned an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship.

On Wednesday, Team Alberta won the Senior Inter-Provincial Team Championship shooting a combined score of 2-under to win their third consecutive team title. Team Alberta finished seven shots clear of Team New Brunswick, who finished in second at 5-over, with Team Manitoba in third place at 10-over. Team Alberta consisted of Ken Griffith and Brian Laubman and James Varnam both from Edmonton.

For the final standings of the 2023 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, please click here.

GOLF CANADA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Golf Canada annually conducts more than 30 golf competitions and qualifiers nation-wide – including nine National Amateur Championships – which play host to more than 3,000 domestic and international athletes from all corners of the world. In partnership with our host clubs, thousands of volunteers, provincial golf associations and our proud sponsors, Golf Canada is dedicated to supporting player development through world-class competition since our inception in 1895. Officiated by certified Canadian Rules of Golf officials, Golf Canada’s amateur competitions are fully compliant with golf’s international governing bodies and include marquee events such as the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships as well as the Canadian Junior Girls and Junior Boys Championships. Golf Canada’s amateur championships are proudly supported by BDO Canada, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), Titleist, FootJoy, Sport Canada, Levelwear and JOURNIE Rewards. For more information and scheduling visit www.golfcanada.ca/championships.

Pemberton, B.C. – Three rounds have been completed at the 2023 Canadian Senior Men’s Championship, presented by BDO and there is a new name atop the leaderboard as Ken Griffith takes a one-shot lead into Friday’s final round at Big Sky Golf Club in Pemberton, B.C.

After winning the Senior Inter-Provincial Team Championship with Alberta on Wednesday, Griffith of Red Deer, Alta. fired a 2-under 70 to move to 4-under for the championship and leads over Dave Bunker and Doug Hanzel who both sit at 3-under.

Griffith enjoyed a solid round on Thursday with a 1-under 35 on the front nine and finished strong with birdies on 13 and 15, with his driver being the difference for him, “first couple of days it was struggling a bit, but the driver set the golf course up and it was actually a very uneventful day. So felt like a good round…feel like I left a few out there but I’m happy with the way I played and that’s the most important thing,” said Griffith.

Right behind Griffith is Dave Bunker of Ridgeway, Ont. who was co-leader heading into the third round. Bunker shot a 2-over 74 on Thursday to move into a tie for second, just one shot back. Bunker opened the back nine with bogeys on 10 and 11 and a double bogey on 15 before closing his round with a birdie to stay within one.

“I hit a lot of good shots today. Back nine got a couple of bad breaks on 10 and 11 and made bogeys there, hit a bad tee shot on 15 to make double but I finished with a birdie on 18 so if I make more birdies and get rid of the other stuff, I’ll be happy with that, but I am hitting the ball well enough I just got to convert on some chances that I didn’t today,” said Bunker.

Both Bunker and Stephen Jensen of England finished the first two rounds tied for the lead, but Jensen shot a 4-over 76 on Thursday to drop into a tie for sixth at 1-under.

Tied with Bunker for second is Doug Hanzel, the 2017 runner-up who shot a 1-under 71 on Thursday. Along with being one back of Griffith, the Savannah, Ga. native continues to lead the Super Senior division by three shots over 2018 Canadian Men’s Senior Champion, Brady Exber of Las Vegas, who sits at even par following a 1-under 71 on Thursday.

Griffith’s Team Alberta teammate, Brian Laubman of Edmonton sits tied for fourth place in the Senior division with Robert Funk of Canyon Lake, Calif. at 2-under for the championship.

The tournament began with a field of 156 golfers competing for the John Rankin Memorial Trophy with the winner receiving an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship.

For the full leaderboard of the 2023 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, please click here. For Friday’s final round pairings and tee times, please click here.

GOLF CANADA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Golf Canada annually conducts more than 30 golf competitions and qualifiers nation-wide – including nine National Amateur Championships – which play host to more than 3,000 domestic and international athletes from all corners of the world. In partnership with our host clubs, thousands of volunteers, provincial golf associations and our proud sponsors, Golf Canada is dedicated to supporting player development through world-class competition since our inception in 1895. Officiated by certified Canadian Rules of Golf officials, Golf Canada’s amateur competitions are fully compliant with golf’s international governing bodies and include marquee events such as the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships as well as the Canadian Junior Girls and Junior Boys Championships. Golf Canada’s amateur championships are proudly supported by BDO Canada, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), Titleist, FootJoy, Sport Canada, Levelwear and JOURNIE Rewards. For more information and scheduling visit www.golfcanada.ca/championships.

Dave Bunker and Stephen Jensen remain tied for the lead in individual Senior Championship

Pemberton, B.C. – Team Alberta shot a combined score of 2-under to win their third consecutive Senior Inter-Provincial Team Championship at the 2023 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO at Big Sky Golf Club in Pemberton, B.C. on Wednesday.

Team Alberta finished seven shots clear of Team New Brunswick, who finished in second at 5-over, with Team Manitoba in third place at 10-over. Alberta opened the day with a four shot lead and were led by Ken Griffith of Red Deer, Alta. who shot an even par 72 on Wednesday. Teammate Brian Laubman of Edmonton shot a 2-over 74, with his score also counting, while James Varnam, also of Edmonton shot a 4-over 76.

“Being on the team is a great honour in our province. Alberta takes the team event very seriously and we have a lot of very competitive golfers. It means a lot; we’re representing all of the Alberta golfers and we really enjoy that and it’s a great honour to be able to play at national level and represent your province,” said Ken Griffith, who has won back-to-back inter-provincial team titles with Alberta.

“Feels wonderful. It’s the third senior win for myself. I’ve made a total of 11 provincial teams, but the senior teams, I think are the best. Playing with guys that really good friends and we have a lot of fun off the course, but we try to beat each other’s brains out on the course which makes it all that much better. To share this with these guys is an honour,” added Brian Laubman.

James Varnam was playing for the Alberta Senior Men’s team for the first time and was very proud to play for his province, “even at the events before we got here, we met and we talked and it has tremendous meaning to everybody in Alberta, especially the seniors to be on this team. I’m delighted, I just feel grateful to be a part of this.”

Big Sky played to tougher conditions on Wednesday, with Dave Bunker and Stephen Jensen both finishing with rounds of 2-over 74 to remain tied for the lead in the Senior Championship division at 5-under.

Bunker of Ridgeway, Ont. put in a solid round, recording 16 pars and only two bogeys on Wednesday. Jensen of England had a tough finish to the front nine with a triple bogey on nine but played the back nine at 1-under with one birdie and eight pars for his round.

The duo increased their lead to three shots over a trio of golfers at 2-under heading into Thursday’s third round. Rupert Kellock of England and Team Alberta’s Ken Griffith both posted rounds of 72 to remain at 2-under for the tournament. Doug Hanzel of Savannah, Ga. shot a 2-over 74 to drop two strokes and is at 2-under for the tournament. The 2017 runner-up maintains the lead in the Super Senior division by three shots over 2018 Canadian Men’s Senior Champion, Brady Exber of Las Vegas, who sits at 1-over.

Following today’s round, the cut has been set at 12-over with the top 74 players advancing to the final two rounds in the Senior division of the national championship. The tournament began with a field of 156 golfers competing for the John Rankin Memorial Trophy with the winner receiving an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship. The Super Senior division will have 15 golfers making the cut and progressing to the final two rounds.

For the full leaderboard of the 2023 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, please click here.

GOLF CANADA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Golf Canada annually conducts more than 30 golf competitions and qualifiers nation-wide – including nine National Amateur Championships – which play host to more than 3,000 domestic and international athletes from all corners of the world. In partnership with our host clubs, thousands of volunteers, provincial golf associations and our proud sponsors, Golf Canada is dedicated to supporting player development through world-class competition since our inception in 1895. Officiated by certified Canadian Rules of Golf officials, Golf Canada’s amateur competitions are fully compliant with golf’s international governing bodies and include marquee events such as the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships as well as the Canadian Junior Girls and Junior Boys Championships. Golf Canada’s amateur championships are proudly supported by BDO Canada, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), Titleist, FootJoy, Sport Canada, Levelwear and JOURNIE Rewards. For more information and scheduling visit www.golfcanada.ca/championships.

Bunker and Jensen record opening round 65’s to lead by two shots

Pemberton, B.C. – Dave Bunker and Stephen Jensen both fired opening rounds of 7-under 65 to finish Tuesday as co-leaders in the 2023 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO at Big Sky Golf Club in Pemberton, B.C.

Bunker of Ridgeway, Ont. who has enjoyed success in the men’s senior championship in recent years, finishing sixth last year and fourth in 2021, recorded eight birdies and only one bogey in his opening round for a share of the lead.

Jensen of England, who won the 2022 English Senior Men’s Amateur Championship, recorded nine birdies during his round on Tuesday. After a bogey on the second hole, Jensen responded with back-to-back birdies on the third and fourth hole. He went on to card back-to-back birdies again on six and seven and once on the back nine, on holes 15 and 16.

The duo takes a two-shot lead into Wednesday’s second round, ahead of 2018 runner-up Pete Detemple of Callaway, Md. who shot a 5-under 67. Doug Hanzel, runner-up in 2017 is three back following a 4-under 68; the Savannah, Ga. native also leads the Super Senior division by four shots. Two-time Canadian Senior Championship winner (2019, 2017) Gene Elliott of West Des Moines, Iowa is fifth in the Senior division following a 3-under 69.

The national championship features a field of 156 golfers competing for the John Rankin Memorial Trophy over 72 holes of stroke-play with a cut after 36 holes on Wednesday. The Super Senior Championship is contested concurrently over the four rounds of the championship. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship.

Team Alberta is looking to claim their third consecutive Senior Inter-Provincial Team Championship and will take a four shot lead heading into Wednesday’s final round of team play. Ken Griffith of Red Deer, Alta. is the lone returning player on this year’s team and shot a 2-under 70. His teammates consist of Brian Laubman and James Varnam, both of Edmonton. Laubman also recorded a 2-under 70 to count towards the team score on Tuesday. Team New Brunswick sit second at even par while Team Ontario is at 2-over to round out the top three. The team championship was added to the tournament in 1977 and runs concurrently through the first 36 holes of the competition.

For the full leaderboard of the 2023 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, please click here.

GOLF CANADA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Golf Canada annually conducts more than 30 golf competitions and qualifiers nation-wide – including nine National Amateur Championships – which play host to more than 3,000 domestic and international athletes from all corners of the world. In partnership with our host clubs, thousands of volunteers, provincial golf associations and our proud sponsors, Golf Canada is dedicated to supporting player development through world-class competition since our inception in 1895. Officiated by certified Canadian Rules of Golf officials, Golf Canada’s amateur competitions are fully compliant with golf’s international governing bodies and include marquee events such as the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships as well as the Canadian Junior Girls and Junior Boys Championships. Golf Canada’s amateur championships are proudly supported by BDO Canada, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), Titleist, FootJoy, Sport Canada, Levelwear and JOURNIE Rewards. For more information and scheduling visit www.golfcanada.ca/championships.