OTTERVILLE, Ont. ─ Cam Kellett shot a 3-under 68 while Taylor Kehoe shot a 1-under 71 to lead their respective divisions after the second round of the Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship at Otter Creek Golf Club.

Cam Kellett started the day tied for first with Laurent Desmarchais but inched ahead of his co-leader to end round two after recording a 3-under 68 during Saturday’s round.

Kellett, who tied for second at last weekend’s Investors Group Junior Spring Classic (U19) Tournament, fired a spectacular six birdies to finish the day with a one-stroke lead.

“I stayed patient when I made bogeys because I just knew I wasn’t the only guy making them,” said the London, Ont. product with a smile. “My plan for tomorrow is just to stay consistent and go after it.”

Desmarchais isn’t far behind. A double bogey caused trouble for the Longueuil, Que. product on the front-nine, but birdies on holes 4, 15, 16 and 18 saw him finish the second round in second place with a 2-under 69.

Taylor Kehoe, who started the day two-shots behind the lead in a tie for second, moved to the top spot in the Girl’s Division after her 1-under par 71.

“I eagled 15, which really helped today,” said 14-year-old Kehoe. “My game plan going into tomorrow is just to play my game and to not get nervous or worry about what anyone else did.”

The Strathroy, Ont. native overcame five bogeys after she made 4 birdies and 1 eagle in today’s round.

Yesterday’s leader, Hailey McLaughlin struggled to maintain her lead during the second round. The Markham, Ont. product heads into the final round two-strokes behind the lead after carding a 3-over 75.

Team Canada Development squad member Monet Chun was the only player in the girls division, other than the leader, to post a score in the red today. The 17-year-old, who posted a 1-under 71, will start the final round on Sunday T3 with Emily Romancew of Pierrefonds, Que.

Chun’s fellow Team Canada member Alyssa DiMarcantonio sits T7 after shooting a 4-over 76. The highlight of the 15-year-old’s second round was her impressive eagle on the 6th hole.

The top six finishers in the junior boys’ division will earn exemptions into the 2018 Canadian Junior Boys Championship on July 30-Aug. 2 at Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club in Medicine Hat, Alta. The top six finishers in the junior girls’ division will earn exemptions into the 2018 Canadian Junior Girls Championship on July 31-Aug. 3 at Beach Grove Golf Club in Tsawwassen, B.C.

For more information, including up-to-date results, click here.

FORT WORTH, Texas – While Justin Rose felt good about his four-stroke lead after three rounds at Colonial, he wasn’t yet counting down the holes left in the Fort Worth Invitational.

“I think I’ve won and lost actually from four ahead, so I’ve got experience both ways,” Rose said after shooting a 4-under 66 on Saturday to get to 14 under. “Just shows you can’t get ahead of yourself.”

Rose also remembers how he won his PGA Tour season debut, a surprise in Shanghai in October after he began the final round of the HSBC Champions eight shots behind Dustin Johnson, then the No. 1 player in the world.

“I’ve got experience the other way,” Rose said. “So you can see how things can go both ways real quick. … Great position going into tomorrow, yeah. Look forward to putting it away, but I kind of know there are going to be challenges out there.”

Canadian rookie Corey Conners had eight birdies over his last 12 holes for a career-best round of 63 that matched Ted Potter Jr. for the best of the day.

Conners, of Listowel, Ont., was tied for fourth at 8 under, in a group of five players that included fourth-ranked Jon Rahm and Louis Oosthuizen after they both shot 64. Five more players were at 7 under, including Potter.

Fifth-ranked Rose, the 2013 U.S. Open champion and Olympic gold medallist with eight PGA Tour victories, led by four over playing partner Emiliano Grillo and defending U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka. Grillo shot 69 while Koepka had a 67.

On a steamy day in North Texas – with temperatures in the upper 90s and it feeling even warmer – Rose birdied the first three holes to quickly extend his lead from one to four over Grillo, who had eight pars in a row before consecutive birdies at Nos. 9 and 10.

“You can’t drink enough (water) out there,” Rose said. “Yeah, it was a factor today. I struggled a little bit on the bad nine with my focus. … I was really trying to put one foot in front of the other and stay committed.”

The closest Grillo got after the opening stretch was three strokes, when he was 11 under with an 8-foot birdie at No. 10. Rose regained his four-stroke edge with a birdie at the 616-yard 11th hole.

“Well, he’s top 10 in the world, so everything he does, he does it pretty well,” Grillo said. “When he missed the driver, he was able to get it on the green somehow.”

Rose’s only bogey was at the 173-yard 16th, when the tee shot settled on the back fringe and he then missed a 5-foot par chance.

This is the largest 54-hole lead at the Hogan’s Alley since Kenny Perry led by seven in 2005 on way to his second decisive win in three years – he had a record eight-stroke lead for three rounds in 2003. The largest lead anyone had taken into the final round since had been two strokes, and that had happened only twice.

Koepka had three birdies his last seven holes after a double bogey at the 11th, the only blemish on his card. His second shot went out of bounds, and his approach went into a greenside bunker after having to take a drop in the rough.

“Just kind of one of those freak things,” Koepka said. “The driver head comes loose off the tee. Felt like the club just wiggled in my hand and we’re in a divot. It’s still a bad swing regardless from the middle of the fairway.”

Rahm, who last year tied for second at Colonial with Jordan Spieth behind winner Kevin Kisner, was 6 under after 10 holes Saturday. Then Rahm bogeyed the par-5 11th when he followed a 342-yard drive in the fairway with an approach hit out of bounds.

“Probably the best 10 holes I’ve played so far this year. It was an amazing performance. Front nine, I felt like I didn’t miss a shot,” he said. “Too bad on that second shot on 11. … It’s a tough second shot try to hit the green. I didn’t want to bail out left. I wanted to be aggressive. I made the only poor swing of the day.”

Spieth shot 70 on Saturday, putting him 11 strokes back at 3 under.

Before playing his first Colonial last year, Rahm had been there during tournament week the previous two years to accept the Ben Hogan Award that goes to the nation’s top college golfer. The 23-year-old Spaniard was a four-time All-American at Arizona State.

Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., and Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., were tied for 38th. Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., was tied for 47th.

POTTSTOWN, Pa. — Canada’s own Christina Foster continued to make a strong showing during the second round of the Symetra Tour Valley Forge Invitational at Raven’s Claw Golf Club.

Foster, a native of Toronto, Ont., shot five birdies and two bogeys to head into the final day tied for fourth with Louise Ridderstrom, Desiree Dubreuil and Demi Runas at 8-under par. The 22-year-old will be looking to add a second top-10 finish on the Symetra Tour to her T8 finish at the Sara Bay Classic in April of 2017.

Fellow Canadians  Megan Osland and Samantha Richdale also advance to the final day after carding second round scores of 4-under and even-par, respectively.

From 18-hole co-leader to 36-hole solo leader, Furman University alumna Laura Wearn (Charlotte, N.C.) heads into tomorrow’s Valley Forge Invitational final round with a one-shot lead at 11-under par overall.

In today’s second round, Wearn signed a bogey-free scorecard that included three birdies and an eagle on No. 10. That proved to be the momentum boost she needed and exclamation mark of her afternoon.

“I think I had a lot of similar shots today,” said Wearn. “Yesterday, I felt like I putted better and so I knew I could do it. The front nine I had to be really patient because I didn’t see many putts drop. On the back nine, once I made the putt on 10, had a really great finish.”

Just one-shot back of Wearn is Charlotte Thomas (Guildford, England), currently No. 9 in the Volvik Race for the Card. The former University of Washington standout also went bogey-free today, only firing a 6-under par 65 by way of six birdies.

“I was in the lead through the first round in Atlanta at the beginning of this [four-week] stretch,” said Thomas, who has her mother Fleur on the bag this week and father Chris also in attendance. “I think I learned a lot from that, not winning that event. Hopefully I can take what I learned there and use that tomorrow.”

The third piece to the final pairing for the final round at Raven’s Claw Golf Club is Jenny Coleman (Rolling Hills Estates, California). She nearly went bogey-free as well, except for a hiccup on No. 13.

Otherwise, six birdies paved the way for Coleman to sit in solo third at 9-under par overall entering the last day.

“It feels pretty good consistently playing well these past two rounds, and this whole season so far” Coleman said. “It’s a ball striker’s golf course. If you miss, you’re going to be in the lush, thick rough.”

Also in contention is a group of five players at 8-under par, with one of them being Demi Runas (Torrance, California). The 2014 Symetra Tour graduate was another individual who found her way to a bogey-free day, firing 4-under par 67.

“I actually played a practice round on the front nine, then the back nine I ended up just walking,” said Runas. “I noticed there’s a lot more target golf on the back nine. When I approached it, I thought the front nine was going to be scoreable and the back nine will be pick your target on the tee shots and give yourself a good position to hit into the green. That’s what I took into the last two days. Ironically, I’ve played better on the back nine than the front nine.”

The contrasting setup between the two just might serve as the deciding factor of who comes away victorious tomorrow in Pottstown. Meanwhile, after 36 holes, exactly 60 players made the cut of even par and will compete in the final round.

FORT WORTH, Texas — Ben Silverman is the top Canadian through 36 holes in the PGA Fort Worth Invitational at the Colonial Golf Course in Fort Worth, Texas. The 30-year-old Toronto, Ont. product finished the round in sixth place after a 1-under 69 put him at 5 under, 5-strokes behind the lead.

Justin Rose considered his first 15 holes in the second round at Colonial pretty flawless. The last three worked out OK, too, even with the only bogey for the leader of the Fort Worth Invitational.

“Last three holes got a bit scrappy,” Rose said after a 6-under 64 that got him to 10 under Friday at Hogan’s Alley.

After missing the green at the 422-yard seventh hole, the Englishman chipped in from 16 feet for a birdie. He missed the green again at the par-3 eighth for a bogey. Then after his tee shot into the rough and an approach that just cleared the water fronting his final hole, the world’s fifth-ranked player two-putted for a closing par.

That was good enough for one-stroke lead over Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo , whose 67 included six consecutive holes without a par. Defending U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka (63) and Satoshi Kodaira (67) were 7 under.

Rose, the 2013 U.S. Open champ who won the HSBC Champions in Shanghai in his season debut last October and has four top-10 finishes, said he played “about as good as” he has overall in a long time. Things really got going after caddie Mark Fulcher offered a few words when Rose was a bit frustrated about a couple of missed putts while starting the round with four consecutive pars.

“Fulch kind of said, ‘Come on, mate. Stay with me. Stay patient.’ I got rewarded with the very next hole making a 10-footer for birdie,” Rose said. “I made enough good putts on the back nine today where I have some confidence going into the weekend.”

The birdie at the 457-yard 14th hole was the first of three consecutive birdies for the 37-year-old South African, who has eight PGA Tour wins.

Grillo was at 10 under when he rolled in a 28-footer at No. 17, his fourth birdie in his first eight holes. But his ensuing tee shot went way right into a concrete ditch, and his ball floated with the flowing water before being snagged by a fan just before it dropped into a drainage area. After the penalty stroke and drop, Grillo hit into a greenside bunker and bogeyed.

“It’s a little bit on the downslope and it’s all concrete, so the ball was rolling,” Grillo said. “I was able to make some birdies in there. I got very unlucky on the first hole and No. 3 there.”

The second nine for Grillo started bogey-birdie-bogey-birdie.

Defending Colonial champion Kevin Kisner was even after a 68 on Friday. Jordan Spieth, one of the locals and No. 3 in the world, also shot 68 and is 3 under.

Aaron Wise, the 21-year-old rookie coming off his first PGA Tour victory a week ago at the Byron Nelson, missed the cut after a 73 left him 3 over _ the same as Webb Simpson, who won The Players Championship this month.

After a 62 to take the first-round, Kevin Na struggled on the back nine for a 73. He went into weekend 5 under and in a logjam of nine players tied for sixth place. Tyrone Van Aswegen was alone in fifth after consecutive 67s.

Na was 10 under after a 5-foot putt at the ninth hole, a more traditional birdie than the 92-foot chip-in from the rough he had to end the first round. But Na then had bogey at the 631-yard 11th hole, and double bogey at the 440-yard 12th hole before a three-putt bogey on the par-3 13th.

Koepka, who said he has dislocated his left wrist twice in the last two months, was 7 under through 11 holes Friday _ and that is how he finished.

“I probably could have snuck about two, three more,” he said. “But you know what, I’m pleased. If you had told me I was going to shoot 7 under before I teed off, I would’ve taken it.”

On his first two holes Thursday, his return to the PGA Tour after a course record-tying 9-under 63 on the final day at The Players Championship, Koepka had a bogey and then double bogey at a par 5. But he has 12 birdies and two bogeys in his last 32 holes, three weeks before the U.S. Open.

“I feel like I’ve been playing well. I just haven’t put four days together,” Koepka said. “But I feel like it’s trending in the right direction. I actually feel like exactly where I was last year at the same time. … Hopefully in a couple weeks’ time, it’ll be the same result.”

Corey Conners (68) of Listowel, Ont. is 1 under, Adam Hadwin (72) of Moosejaw, Sask. is even while Mackenzie Hughes (68) of Dundas, Ont. is 1 over. Canadians David Hearn (73) and Nick Taylor (74) failed to make the cut.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Brittany Marchand of Orangeville Ont. is the top Canadian through 36 holes, tied for twelfth at the LPGA Volvick Championship at Travis Point Country Club. The 25-year-old will enter round three at 5-under after a second-round 69. Maude-Aimee Leblanc (71) of Sherbrooke, Que.  is 1 under while Anne-Catharine Tanguay (70)  of  Quebec City missed the cut at 1 over.

After losing in a playoff last weekend, Nasa Hataoka is making another bid for her first LPGA Tour victory.

Hataoka shot a 4-under 68 on Friday, and the Japanese teenager led by one stroke over Minjee Lee after the second round of the Volvik Championship. Hataoka, who is coming off the first two top-10 finishes of her LPGA career, made seven birdies at Travis Pointe Country Club. She began her round on No. 10, and her best stretch came toward the end, when she birdied Nos. 4, 5 and 6.

“I’m really comfortable playing the LPGA,” the 19-year-old Hataoka said through a translator. “I’ve really got confidence now.”

Hataoka made the cut nine times in 17 starts as a rookie in 2017, and she has made significant strides of late. She tied for seventh at last month’s MEDIHEAL Championship and nearly won a week ago at the Kingsmill Championship in Virginia.

Hataoka finished the second round in Michigan at 9 under. Lee (69) was also solid Friday. Gaby Lopez (68), Jodi Ewart Shadoff (70) and Lindy Duncan (70) were a stroke behind Lee in a tie for third.

Hataoka did not make a single bogey in last week’s three-round tournament, and she didn’t have any in the first round in Michigan. She finally made a few Friday, but that didn’t stop her from taking sole possession of the lead.

“I kind of feel like not really perfect, but I just kind of try to (be) aggressive,” she said.

Lee, who lost by one stroke on this course last year, is in contention again.

“I guess the fairways are pretty generous and I think the greens are a little bit on the trickier side to read,” Lee said. “As long as your iron shots are pretty solid, I think you’re going to be in good position around this golf course.”

Lee birdied the first two holes, and the only blemish on her scorecard Friday came on the par-5 14th. After missing the fairway to the right, she hit an aggressive shot out of the rough that went straight toward a water hazard well in front of the green. She settled for a bogey after taking a drop.

“I thought the ball was sitting OK in the rough, but it must have been a bit funny, or underneath it,” she said. “I made a mistake. I thought it was good enough to hit 3-wood there.”

Lee lost last year in Michigan to Shanshan Feng, but Feng will have some ground to make up in her attempt to repeat. She shot 69 on Friday but is still eight strokes behind the leader.

Ariya Jutanugarn was 6 under after a second consecutive 69.

Lopez made only six pars in the second round, tied for the fewest of the day, but her eight birdies and four bogeys put her near the top of the leaderboard.

“It was a little bit of an up and down,” she said. “There’s so many opportunities out here to make birdie, that the most important thing to do is just to be patient, to be in the moment and not to get ahead of yourself. I think I came back from a couple mistakes that I did.”

NOTES: In contrast to Lopez, Brittany Lincicome parred all 18 holes Friday and made the cut at 1 under. … Paula Creamer (71) triple bogeyed the par-4 13th. She followed that with an eagle on the very next hole but missed the cut by a stroke.

POTTSTOWN, Pa. — The 132-player field for the inaugural Valley Forge Invitational set fire to Raven’s Claw Golf Club today, as 48 competitors sit at 1-under par or better after the first round.

Canada’s own Christina Foster carded a 4-under 67 after a stellar bogey-free first round. The Toronto, Ont. product, who made her professional debut at the 2015 US Women’s Open, fired four birdies to end the day tied for third, two-strokes shy of the lead.

Leading the way is rookie Pajaree Anannarukarn (Bangkok, Thailand) and Laura Wearn (Charlotte, N.C.), both at 6-under par. For Wearn, she avoided complete disaster on No. 11—and the rest of her round, for that matter—by salvaging a double bogey. Otherwise, today was very kind to the fourth year pro.

“Everything started out really well, I birdied my first two holes and had a couple chances after that,” said Wearn, who recorded eight birdies in the round. “When I got to 11, tee shot ran a bit through the fairway. It was a tough one to swallow, but came back with a birdie on 12. That got me rolling again.”

Meanwhile, Anannarukarn was sharp once again. The 18-year-old has recorded three top-10 finishes in her first four career Symetra Tour starts and is right on her way to another. Currently No. 5 in the Volvik Race for the Card, Anannarukarn went bogey-free to card a 65, courtesy of six birdies.

“I was striking the ball very well and I’m really happy with the result,” Anannarukarn said. “The pin positions were in a very good line for me. I felt confident with it and my irons are working well, so it helped a lot.”

Wearn and Anannarukarn take a two-shot lead into the second round. Sitting in a tie for third at 4-under par is a group of eight players. In total, 67 individuals are even par or better.

Although plenty of low scores filled the leaderboard, the cumulative average score for the first round was 71.879, slightly above par.

“I think there’s going to be some low scores out here everyday,” Wearn said. “The greens are rolling really well and the balls are stopping. I saw a lot of good shots from the girls in my group and I think everybody out there is going to take advantage of the birdie holes.”

With 28 different countries represented in the field this week, six nations have at least one player in the top-10. Second round action gets underway tomorrow at 7 a.m. ET and all play will begin off No. 1 tee.

HAGLUND WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE

Coming off her first Symetra Tour win at the rain-shortened Symetra Classic, Jenny Haglund (Karlstad, Sweden) continued the momentum in the first round of the Valley Forge Invitational with a 5-under par 31 on the front nine today at Raven’s Claw Golf Club.

“I started out really well, hit a lot of shots close. I didn’t have to hole any long putts, so I didn’t put any pressure on myself,” said Haglund.

Meanwhile, coming in, the Southern Methodist University (SMU) product found her way to three bogeys and two birdies for a 1-over par 36 back nine.

“At the end, we kind of waited a lot so I lost some focus and made a few bad decisions where I didn’t commit to my target and pick the right club,” Haglund said. “Overall, it was a good day.”

This isn’t unfamiliar territory for the Sweden native. After the first round at River Run Country Club in Davidson, N.C., for the Symetra Classic, Haglund trailed by four strokes. However, she has now found the formula for what it takes to win out here on Tour.

Furthermore, the way that Raven’s Claw Golf Club is setup has her attention because it resembles many courses back in her home country.

“It fits my eye, definitely. I like the grass and it’s more like home, it’s not Bermuda,” Haglund said laughingly. “That’s always nice. Pretty wide off the tee and not that long either, so you’re going to have a lot of short irons into the greens.”

Watch out for Haglund when she begins the second round tomorrow at 1:14 p.m. ET, as she continues to pursue a second straight Symetra Tour win.

Three Canadians — Elizabeth Tong of Thonhill, Ont., Samantha Richdale of Calgary, Alta., Megan Osland of Kelowna, B.C. — posted an even-par 71.  Fellow Canadians playing in the tournament include Augusta James of Bath, Ont. (+2), Jennifer Ha of Calgary, Alta. (+4) and Anna Young (+6).

CHILLIWACK, B.C. – Canada’s top student-athlete golfers will descend on Chilliwack Golf Club in Chilliwack, B.C., from May 29 – June 1 for the 2018 Canadian University/College Championship.

2018 marks the 16th playing of the event, which was established in 2003 by Golf Canada to give the country’s best college and university golfers a chance to compete at a national championship.

The University of the Fraser Valley Cascades will host the event this year on the magnificent tree lined fairways of Chilliwack Golf Club.

Established in 1958, the course has played host to every major provincial tournament in British Columbia. The course, which celebrates their 60th anniversary this year, features a creek that meanders through the back nine and breathtaking mountain vistas in every direction.

“We are thrilled to welcome the best Canadian student golfers to Chilliwack Golf Club. We’re looking forward to a competitive championship, and showcasing our beautiful course,” said host club General Manager, Bryan Ewart.

Golf Canada prides itself on conducting a top-notch tournament that is the highest level of national competition for college and university golfers in the country.

“The Canadian University/College Championship provides a unique opportunity for the best student-athlete golfers in Canada represent their school and compete for a national championship,” added tournament director, Adam Cinel. “Golf Canada is proud to conduct this event to showcase the talent from universities and colleges across the country.”

In 2017, defending champion Kat Kennedy went wire-to-wire to capture medallist honours and lead the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds to their second consecutive Canadian University/College Championship. Her final-round 78 was the lowest of anyone in the women’s draw and helped her finish 14 over par for the tournament, 15 strokes ahead of field.

Evan Holmes of Calgary, Alta. captured medallist honours with a 5-over-par effort.  His win, however, was not enough to catapult the University of British Columbia into top spot as the Université Laval Rouge et Or walked away with a two-stroke victory at 75 over par for the tournament.

UBC returns to the tournament having won 12 women’s and five men’s titles.

University of the Fraser Valley Cascades will look to draw upon the magic of the University of Manitoba Bisons—the last host institution to win a team title—when they captured the men’s division championship in 2014 at Southwood Golf and Country Club in Winnipeg.

The 72-hole stroke play competition will feature 20 men’s teams and 12 women’s teams from across the country vying for the national championship titles.

Following the third round, the field will be reduced to the top 10 men’s teams and the top six women’s teams, in addition to any individuals within 15 shots of the lead. Individuals within 10 shots of third place will also make the cut, or any player within the top 10. Additional information regarding the 2018 championship, can be found here.

FAST FACTS
The Université Laval Rouge et Or and the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds are this year’s defending champions in the Men’s and Women’s Division, respectively.

In 2016, the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds swept the championship, winning all four events. It was the first time in the tournament’s history that a school won the men’s and women’s team and individual events in the same year.

UBC has won the most women’s titles with 12 out of the last 15 editions in the team event and the most men’s championships with 5.

The individual men’s and women’s champions receive exemptions into the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship and Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, respectively.

For pairings and additional information, click here.

ABOUT THE COURSE
Chilliwack Golf Club was established in 1958.

The par-72 layout has played host to every major provincial championship and was recognized as the PGA of BC’s Facility of the Year in 2013.

Course record of 61 was set in 2017 by James Allenby.

MEN’S TEAMS
Bishops’ University Gaitors
Brock University Badgers
Concordia University Stingers
Durham College Lords
Humber College Hawks
Queen’s University Gaels
University of Alberta Golden Bears
University of British Columbia Thunderbirds
University of Calgary Dinos
University of Guelph Gryphons
University of Lethbridge Pronghorns
University of Manitoba Bisons
University of Ottawa Gee-Gees
University of the Fraser Valley Cascades
University of Victoria Vikes
University of Waterloo Warriors
Université de Montréal Carabins
Université Laval Rouge et Or
Western University Mustangs
Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks

WOMEN’S TEAMS
Humber College Hawks
Queen’s University Gaels
University of British Columbia Thunderbirds
University of the Fraser Valley Cascades
University of Manitoba Bisons
University of Toronto Varsity Blues
University of Victoria Vikes
University of Waterloo Warriors
University of Windsor Lancers
Université de Montréal Carabins
Université Laval Rouge et Or
Western University Mustangs

Golf Canada’s second regional junior golf championship of 2018 is set to take place from May 25-27 as the Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship gets underway at Otter Creek Golf Club in Otterville, Ont.

With support from Golf Ontario, the Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship is the second of six regional junior championships presented in partnership with Acura. The 54-hole stroke play tournament will begin with a practice round on May 24 before the tournament gets underway with round one on May 25.

Founded in 2008, Otter Creek Golf Club will be hosting its first ever Future Links Championship. Encompassing 300 acres and carved through the wooded valleys of Otter, Cedar and Spittler Creeks, the golf course meanders cleverly over former farmer’s fields and tobacco lands.

“Golf Ontario is pleased to present the 2018 Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship in partnership with Golf Canada,” said John Lawrence, this week’s Tournament Director and Manager of Competitions at Golf Ontario.  “We look forward to seeing some of Canada’s premier junior players showcase their skills as they navigate the beautiful fairways at Otter Creek Golf Club.”

The field will consist of 87 junior golfers in the Junior Boys Division with the top six earning exemptions into the 2018 Canadian Junior Boys Championship on July 30-Aug. 2 at Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club in Medicine Hat, Alta. A tie for the sixth position will be decided by a playoff following the conclusion of play.

The Junior Girls Division will consist of 33 golfers with the top six (including ties) earning an exemption into the 2018 Canadian Junior Girls Championship on July 31- Aug. 3 at Beach Grove Golf Club in Tsawwassen, B.C.

Four additional Future Links, driven by Acura Championships will span the country this summer.

• June 1-3 – Future Links, driven by Acura Western – High River, Alta. – Highwood Golf & Country Club.
• June 8-10 – Future Links, driven by Acura Québec – Lachute, Que. – Club de golf Lachute.
• June 15-17 – Future Links, driven by Acura Prairie – Portage la Prairie, Man. – Portage Golf Club.
• July 17-19 – Future Links, driven by Acura Atlantic – Port Blandford, Nfld. – Clare Golf & Country Club.

The 2018 Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship took place on May 11-13, where Cole Wilson and Monet Chun earned medallist honours in their respective divisions. Additional information regarding the 2018 Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship, including participants, start times and full results can be found here.

NOTABLES
Monet Chun of Richmond Hill, Ont.
The 17-year-old member of Team Canada’s Development Squad is ranked No. 2 on the Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Girls Order of Merit and comes in as the event’s defending champion. She would go on to place T4 at the 2017 Canadian Junior Girls Championship. Her recent win at the 2018 Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship made for her third Future Links victory.

Alyssa DiMarcantonio of Maple, Ont.
Team Canada Development Squad’s youngest member, the 15-year-old made her breakout start when she finished fourth at the 2017 Ontario Women’s Amateur and T19 at the Canadian Women’s Amateur. At this same event in 2017, she finished T3.

Olivier Ménard of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Que.
The 18-year-old finished last year’s event in a tie for fourth. He is fresh off a win at the 2018 CJGA Quebec Junior Open at Hawkesbury Golf & Curling Club, which took place from May 5-6.

Louis-Alexandre Jobin-Colgan of Québec City, Que.
The 18-year-old finished T4 at this event last year and T3 at the 2017 Future Links, driven by Acura Québec Championship. In 2017, he also ranked No. 8 on the Future Links, driven by Acura Jr. Boys Order of Merit. 

Emily Zhu of Richmond Hill, Ont.
The 14-year-old is coming off a win at the Investors Group Junior Girls’ Spring Classic at Sleepy Hollow Country Club. Zhu finished last year’s Canadian Junior Girls Championship T4.

FAST FACTS
In 2018, Golf Canada is conducting its six regional Future Links, driven by Acura championships in conjunction with the Provincial Associations.

Top six finishers in the Boys Division earn exemptions into the 2018 Canadian Junior Boys Championship.

Top six finishers (including ties) in the Girls Division earn exemptions into the 2018 Canadian Junior Girls Championship.

Defending champion Monet Chun started the tournament two-shots back before dominating the final two rounds to earn her victory.

Christopher Vandette won the junior boys division after out-dueling Jeevan Sihota.

More information on the event can be found here.

ABOUT THE COURSE
Opened its doors to the public in 2008, the club will celebrate their 10th anniversary this year.

Designed by renowned Canadian golf course architect Dick Kirkpatrick.

More information on Otter Creek Golf Club can be found here.

STILLWATER, Oklahoma – Ohio State standout Jaclyn Lee recorded a 4-under 284 to end the 2018 NCAA Championship in a tie for fifth, the best individual finish in Buckeye history.

Lee, a member of the Team Canada Women’s National Amateur Squad, went into the final day one-stroke behind the lead after recording a 6-under 66 during the third round.

The Calgary, Alta. product kicked off the final round with back-to-back birdies on the first two holes, scoring 1-under 35 across the front-nine.

After 13 holes, the 21-year-old was at the top of the leaderboard. Bogeys at 15 and 16 and a double bogey at 17, however, dropped her from first position. After closing with a birdie from the greenside bunker on 18, Lee finished four-strokes behind the tournament medallist Jennifer Kupcho.

Post-round reaction from @JaclynLee57#GoBuckspic.twitter.com/H0mfnabOdJ

— Ohio State W Golf (@OhioState_WGOLF) May 22, 2018

Kupcho, the reigning Canadian Women’s Amateur champion, posted 8-under 280 to capture the title and become the first Wake Forest woman to win an NCAA golf title. The reigning Canadian Women’s Amateur champion overcame two bogeys and a double bogey across the front-nine with five birdies over her final eight holes.

Congrats to reigning Canadian Women’s Amateur champion Jennifer Kupcho on capturing the #NCAAGolf title ????

She’ll be back to defend her #CDNWAm title this summer @MDGC1922 from July 24-27 pic.twitter.com/xoQHBLna8l

— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) May 22, 2018

Lee’s stellar junior season with Ohio State saw her winning three individual tournament titles, including a record-tying performance at the Big Ten Women’s Championship and an overall scoring average of 71.14, the lowest in Buckeye history. She will have another chance at winning the NCAA next year in her final collegiate season.

I can’t thank everyone enough for all the support this past week at #NCAAGolf ☺️ it always puts a smile on my face to see people following along. I appreciate it more than you know! Even though I didn’t finish the way I wanted to, I played my heart out there today #GoBucks ❤️

— Jaclyn Lee (@JaclynLee57) May 22, 2018

Lee’s fellow Team Canada member Maddie Szeryk closed out her outstanding collegiate career with a tie for 17th after scoring a 2-over 290. The Texas A&M Senior won four tournaments in her collegiate career and leaves with career records for stroke average, birdies, eagles and rounds played. She set the NCAA career record with 91 rounds of even-par or better and an SEC record with 32 Top-10 finishes.

Full tournament results can be found here.

KEMPTVILLE, Ont. – National Amateur Squad member Josh Whalen claimed third at the 2018 Flagstick Open Champion at eQuinelle Golf Club this weekend.

22-year-old Whalen, who earned top spot in the men’s National Order of Merit in 2017, started the final round in fourth after scoring an even-par 72 on Saturday.

Though the final round began with dark clouds, the sun eventually shone as the Napanee, Ont. native shot eight birdies across the 36-hole event. He finished the tournament with a 4-under, one-stroke shy of co-leads Noah Steele and Robert Mustard.

Two-time defending champion Steele went into the final round at the top of the leaderboard. The 20-year-old carded a 5-under 67 in round one, with Mustard only one-stroke behind. The two players battled throughout the final round for the lead, ending 36 holes tied at 5-under. A two-way playoff would decide the result.

Mustard, a native of Brockville, Ont., ultimately defeated Steele with a 20-foot birdie for the one-hole playoff victory.

Full results can be found here.