Kent State’s Veronika Kedroňová leads individual competition at 6-under; three players share top spot in the Team Canada – NextGen Selection Camp

AURORA, Ont. – The Kent State Golden Flashes opened a three-shot lead over the Auburn Tigers in the first round of the Women’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational with a score of 7-under par. 

Unbothered by the morning’s inclement weather that delayed Monday’s opening round by nearly two hours, the Golden Flashes were able to capitalize on a favourable back nine to help set the pace during the first-ever round of the Women’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational.  

Beginning her round on the 5th hole of a shotgun start, Veronika Kedroňová of Roznov pod Radhostem, Czech Republic led the charge for the Golden Flashes. Steady throughout the entire round, Kedroňová made seven birdies to pull her way into the outright lead of the individual leaderboard.  

“We have an amazing team culture,” commented Kedroňová following her round of 66 on Monday. “I don’t know how many teams have that kind of friendship we have on our team and we’re really together and playing for each other rather than just trying to post our own scores,” she added.  

Kedroňová, a member of the Czech Republic national golf team and ranked within the top 200 of the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR), started her opening round on the fifth hole and grabbed the outright lead after rolling in back-to-back birdie putts on Nos. 15 and 16 to get to 5-under. A bogey on the 18th would be the only speed bump to Kedroňová’s round, navigating around the blemish with immediate birdies on the par-4 second and par-5 fourth to help take a two-stroke edge over Auburn’s Anne Fernandez of Singapore.  

The Czech international looks to keep her game plan the same heading into Tuesday’s final round, maintaining the iron play and putting that led her to a low round on Monday. Her play with the flatstick was the major takeaway for the tournament’s leader through 18 holes, having recently adjusted her putting ahead of the collegiate season. 

“For me it’s just a matter of rolling the ball. [Today] I would get up to the green when it was kind of close and I just tried to roll it somewhere, and it would just end up in the hole,” Kedroňová commented.  

Prior to Kedroňová finishing her opening round at the fourth, her Kent State teammate Leon Takagi of Tokyo, Japan briefly held the clubhouse lead at 3-under, having worked around a double-bogey at the par-5 seventh with birdies on Nos. 9, 12, 14,16 and 4 to turn her day around and stay within striking distance of her teammate.  

Notably, Takagi and Kedroňová are joined in the top ten of the individual leaderboard by another one of their teammates, Isabella Goyette of Medina, Ohio. Goyette pieced together a 2-under 70 to round out the trio of Golden Flashes in the top ten.  

Madison Messimer of Myrtle Beach, S.C. and Charlotte Cantonis of Tampa, Fla. will start the final round alongside Takagi at 3-under, three shots off the pace. A group of five players sit a shot behind at 2-under par.  

Playing in the Team Canada Selection Camp running concurrently with this week’s Women’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational, Nobelle Park of Oakville, Ont., Clairey Lin of Langley, B.C. and Jodie Han of Vancouver, B.C. all pieced together rounds of 73 to each grab a share of the lead heading into Tuesday’s final round.  

The trio will look to separate from one another with a guaranteed spot on the 2026 Team Canada – NextGen team awarded to the event’s winner. Alongside the collegiate players, this group will be part of a 9 a.m. local time shotgun start on Tuesday. 

Due to heavy rain delaying the start of Monday’s opening round, tournament organizers have shortened both tournaments from 54 holes to 36 in an effort to ensure a timely finish.  

Co-hosted by the University of Michigan and Kent State University, the inaugural championship features nine additional NCAA Division I teams and the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds, the latter sitting in 11th through 18 holes at 20-over par.  

The winner of the individual competition on Tuesday will receive an exemption into the 2026 CPKC Women’s Open, while the top five finishers – including the winner – will nab exemptions into the 2026 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, set to descend on The Toronto Golf Club in Mississauga, Ont. for the 112th playing of the event. 

To view the full leaderboard from the opening round of the Women’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational, please click here. For an updated leaderboard and tee times from the Team Canada – NextGen Selection Camp, please click here.

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – The R&A has announced the qualification pathways for The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale, taking place July 12-19, 2026.

Once again, the RBC Canadian Open will be part of The Open’s qualification series, with three (3) places being awarded to the leading three players who are not already exempt and make the cut. The 2026 RBC Canadian Open will be taking place at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (North Course) from June 10-14, 2026.

Each year, international pathways are provided for players to qualify for golf’s original championship through prestigious professional tour events played around the world.

The Open Qualifying Series will begin in October and players will be able to qualify for The 154th Open through 15 events in 13 countries being played on the PGA TOUR, Korn Ferry Tour, DP World Tour, Asian Tour, KPGA Tour, Japan Golf Tour, Sunshine Tour and Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.

On the PGA TOUR, places will be available via the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, the RBC Canadian Open, while the Visa Argentina Open presented by Macro in South America will also offer a spot.

Please click here to view the full list of exemptions for The 154th Open.

Mark Darbon, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “The Open is one of the world’s great sporting events and its global nature is reflected in the number of outstanding opportunities we offer to golfers to qualify for the Championship through our exemptions and professional tour events held internationally each year.

“The Open Qualifying Series generates great excitement and intrigue each year as players compete to earn a coveted place in the Championship and so we look forward to seeing what stories emerge in the months ahead and the field coming together as we get closer to staging another memorable Open at Royal Birkdale next July.”

Regional and Final Qualifying events, which are open to professional and amateur golfers worldwide who meet the entry criteria, will take place at venues around Great Britain and Ireland in June ahead of the Championship.

A new Last-Chance Qualifier will be played at Royal Birkdale on Monday, 13 July. The field of 12 players competing for the final place in the Championship will be determined using an approach which complements the existing qualification criteria for The Open.

The Open is golf’s original championship. Played since 1860 on iconic links golf courses, it is the sport’s most international major championship with qualifying events on every continent. For one week each year, the pursuit of the famous Claret Jug trophy is the focus of the sporting world, followed globally by millions of fans.

Please click here to view the full schedule of events.

VICTORIA, B.C. — Drew Nesbitt delivered a career-defining performance Sunday at Uplands Golf Club, rallying to defeat fellow Canadian A.J. Ewart in a playoff and capture the 2025 Times Colonist Victoria Open presented by Andrew Sheret Limited.

Nesbitt erased a four-shot deficit with a 5-under 65 in windy conditions, pulling level with Ewart at 20-under 260 after regulation play. The 30-year-old from Horseshoe Valley, Ont., sealed the victory on the third extra hole, draining a 15-foot birdie putt at the par-3 ninth.

“I’ve been out here a little longer than some other guys, but I’ve dug deep internally and really tried to show myself that I can do this, that I’m able to play to my potential,” said Nesbitt, reflecting on a victory that underscores years of persistence on the professional circuit.

The win vaulted Nesbitt to No. 7 in the Fortinet Cup standings, setting up a pivotal week at the season-ending Fortinet Cup Championship at Morgan Creek Golf Course in Surrey, B.C. The top 10 players in the standings will earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for 2026.

“Job’s not done,” said Nesbitt, who had his father, Dave, on the bag this week. “Just because you’re in a position to earn Korn Ferry Tour membership doesn’t mean anything is guaranteed. This tour is strong, there are good players, and anything can happen. My goal is to go out next week, play the best I can, and let the results take care of themselves.”

Nesbitt’s victory is his first in 21 PGA TOUR Americas career starts. He becomes the first Canadian to win this season and the fourth across the Tour’s two-year history, joining Matthew Anderson, Stuart MacDonald and A.J. Ewart as national champions.

It continues a strong campaign that already includes three top-10 finishes in nine starts — highlighted by a solo third at the Explore NB Open and a T4 at the ECP Brazil Open. A long-time professional, Nesbitt has never played a Korn Ferry Tour event. His lone previous PGA TOUR-sanctioned win came at the 2019 Mexico Open on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, where he also carded the Tour’s first-ever 59 in 2018.

He has also appeared six times on the PGA TOUR, including three RBC Canadian Open starts. His most memorable moment came at the 2019 Honda Classic, where he famously saved par from the water with his pants rolled up and shirt off, making the cut on the number.

Ewart, who began Sunday with a four-stroke cushion, settled for a runner-up finish after being denied a second career PGA TOUR Americas title. The 25-year-old from Coquitlam, B.C., still moved up to No. 12 in the Fortinet Cup standings, just outside the top 10.

Elsewhere, Costa Rica’s Paul Chaplet recorded a career-best solo third at 17-under, while Florida’s Brett Roberts finished solo fourth, improving from No. 60 to No. 39 in the standings.

Fortinet Cup leader Michael Brennan added another top-10 with a T5 finish at 16-under. Already a three-time winner this season, Brennan has clinched his Korn Ferry Tour card for next year.

Huang wins her maiden LET title at 16 years, 10 months and 22 days
The Canadian jumps up to 22^nd in the LET Order of Merit

Canada’s Anna Huang Claims Historic First LET Title at La Sella Open

Canada’s Anna Huang captured her maiden Ladies European Tour (LET) victory in commanding style at the 2025 La Sella Open, finishing with a remarkable 20-under-par total at La Sella Golf Resort.

Just 16 years, 10 months, and 22 days old, Huang displayed maturity well beyond her age as she completed a wire-to-wire win, firing rounds of 64-66-69-69 to secure a seven-shot triumph. Her victory makes her the youngest winner on the LET in 2025 and only the second Canadian ever to claim a title on the Tour. The first was Brooke Henderson, who triumphed at the 2022 Amundi Evian Championship, a major. Huang, however, is the first Canadian to win a non-major LET event.

“Honestly, I’m really shocked right now! I can’t believe I just won,” Huang said, still in awe of her achievement. “It feels crazy. I tried to stay in the moment all week and focus on each shot, instead of letting the scores distract me. Sticking to my game plan really paid off.”

On Sunday, Huang opened her final round with a birdie at the third and added another at the ninth. The back nine tested her resilience—she dropped shots at the 13th and 15th but immediately bounced back with birdies at 14 and 16. She sealed her victory in style, sinking a final birdie at the 18th for a closing 69 (-3).

Sharing the moment by her father Alex’s side, who has caddied for her since the beginning of her golfing journey, made the win even more meaningful. “It’s super special to have my dad on the bag,” she said. “Winning at 16 feels unreal. I never thought this would happen, but I’m so proud of myself. I can’t wait to reply to all the messages from friends and family.”

Huang’s journey makes her breakthrough even more remarkable—she began the season without a full LET card and entered some events as a reserve. “At the start of the season, I didn’t even have a full card. I was just a reserve at the Wistron Ladies Open and the Aramco China Championship,” she explained. “To be standing here as a winner now is absolutely insane.”

With her first professional trophy already secured, Huang has announced herself as one of golf’s brightest rising stars.

England’s Charlotte Naughton holds on to win individual honours with crucial par save on 18

ST. CATHARINES, Ont. – The Republic of Korea (Korea) battled the swirling winds but successfully defended their title, becoming the first back-to-back champions in tournament history at the 2025 World Junior Girls Golf Championship at St. Catharines Golf & Country Club in St. Catharines, Ont., on Saturday.

Korea opened the final round with a 10-shot cushion but dropped a couple strokes early in the day to bring the field back into contention. In the end, they persevered through the elements to win the world championship for a record fourth time in the tournament’s ten-year history.

“This week they performed very well, especially the first one for Yeonseo Kim, it was her first time to come to Canada and the first time for a national team event but still she played tremendously,” said Korea Coach Min Naon. “Today, they knew their score, so they tried to not make big numbers, and it worked. It wasn’t an easy day for us, but they hung on to the end.”

On Saturday, Yun Seo Yang’s even par 72 and Seojin Park’s 1-over 73 counted towards the team’s total, with Korea finishing the tournament at 20-under (141-135-135-145-556), winning by seven strokes over past champions, Team Canada 1 and Spain.

This was the third year for both Naon and Park representing Korea at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship and the coach was reflective on her time working with Park and last year’s individual champion, Soomin Oh.

“Very special to me. Seojin and Soomin were my first girls that I worked with, and they really love to come to Canada and Golf Canada, and we really appreciate it every year and I can see they’re growing up so that’s very good,” she said.

The win gives Korea two championships along with a runner-up finish in the three years that Naon has coached the team.

“We play many big tournaments but for me, this event is very special. Three years ago, when I came here, it was the first event, and winning again is very special for me.”

As Korea battled on Saturday, Team Canada 1 shot up the leaderboard led by Clairey Lin of Langley, B.C.’s 3-under 69 and Shauna Liu’s even par 72. Canada continued to chip away at the lead, pulling to within five shots of the leaders as they made the turn on Saturday.

“We got off to a pretty good start today and when we made the turn we got it to 15-under and all the girls were playing really well and I looked and saw Korea was coming back maybe a little bit so there was a second there I thought maybe we could get this done, because I know the girls are capable of shooting a really low number,” said Team Canada 1 Coach Jeff MacDonald.

Like Naon, MacDonald was coaching in his third tournament with Team Canada 1 and have earned three successful podium finishes, winning gold in 2023 and consecutive runner-up finishes.

MacDonald praised his team’s depth and resiliency this week, “they’re great teammates. They really play for each other, which is great. Canada 2 had a great result this week, which is so encouraging for our program, it shows the depth that we have, and things are looking good.” Team Canada 1 was also represented by Michelle Xing of Richmond Hill, Ont.

Xing and MacDonald will also represent Canada at the World Amateur Team Championship in Singapore next month along with Vanessa Borovilos of Etobicoke, Ont. and Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C.

Team Canada 2 had their best finish in tournament history finishing in sixth place at 8-under and were led by Clara Ding of White Rock, B.C. who finished the tournament at 9-under and as runner-up in the individual component. Ding’s 1-under 71 and Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta.’s even par 72 counted for the team on Saturday. Team Canada 2 was also represented by Ruihan Kendria Wang of Vancouver, B.C.

Two-time champions, Spain shared runner-up honours with Canada 1 at 13-under. France and England tied for fourth at 9-under. Mexico (6-under), Italy (2-under), Colombia and Sweden (even par) rounded out the top 10 and all receive exemptions into next year’s championship.

The individual championship provided much drama in the final round as England’s Charlotte Naughton held on to win the gold medal and with it an exemption into the 2026 CPKC Women’s Open.

“It feels amazing, I am actually speechless,” said Naughton shortly after having water dumped on her by her teammates on the 18th green. “I am really excited to play against the top golfers in the world,” she added in regard to her exemption.

Naughton opened the day with a two-shot lead over Kim but opened with bogey on No. 1 to tighten the leaderboard although not for very long. She carded back-to-back birdies on Nos. 2 and 3 to open a four-shot lead over Kim who bogeyed the third. Naughton’s lead increased to five with another birdie on No 6. Playing ahead of Naughton was Ding who moved into solo second and within four of the leader following a birdie of her own on No. 8.

Ding’s birdie at No. 12 coupled with a bogey from Naughton on 14 trimmed her lead to two with only few holes remaining. Ding later dropped a stroke on 18 to finish at 9-under. Naughton’s double bogey on the par 3 17th meant she was only carrying a one-shot lead heading to the 18th.

On the final hole, Naughton’s approach found a green side bunker. As the crowd watched in muted anticipation, Naughton’s perfect sand save gave her an opportunity to make par and win the title.

Putting had been the strongest part of her game all week in St. Catharines, and the flat stick did not fail her on 18 as she coolly rolled it in for the win.

“It was very stressful out there. I made a lot of up and downs and holed a few putts but towards the back nine I had a lot of chances, but the ball just wouldn’t go in the hole. So, when I knew I had to hole out it was a nice straight up hill putt, so it was good,” said a relieved Naughton.

Naughton finished the tournament at 10-under following rounds of 70-66-68-74-278 and while she has enjoyed a successful season, this win has moved to a prominent spot in her young career, “definitely number one,” she said with a big smile.

There won’t be much rest for Naughton as she will now head to the 2025 Junior Ryder Cup at Nassau Country Club and Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y. next week to represent both England and Europe.

Adriana Garcia Terol (Spain), Lin and Park finished tied for third at 7-under. Nagore Martinez (Spain) and Kim finished tied for sixth at 6-under.

In total, a field of 23 teams and 69 players in total competed for team and individual honours. Naughton, Ding, Garcia Terol, Lin and Park will also earn exemptions into the 112th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, taking place at The Toronto Golf Club in Mississauga, Ont., July 20-24, 2026.

Several players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Golf Championship have gone on to great success on the LPGA Tour. Canadian Brooke Henderson, a 14-time LPGA Tour winner and Canada’s winningest professional golfer, finished fourth in the individual competition at the inaugural championship in 2014.

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

For the final team and individual leaderboard, following the 2025 World Junior Girls Golf Championship, please click here.

England’s Charlotte Naughton maintains individual lead, Yunseo Kim
two back after setting women’s competitive course record on Friday

ST. CATHARINES, Ont. – The Republic of Korea (Korea) are looking to become the first country to repeat as champions, following another strong performance on Friday. Korea will take a 10-shot lead into the final round at the 2025 World Junior Girls Golf Championship at St. Catharines Golf & Country Club in St. Catharines, Ont.

For the second straight day, Korea was led by Yeonseo Kim who recorded a 7-under 65 to set the new women’s competitive course record at St. Catharines Golf and Country Club.

All three Korean players were under par again on Friday, with Yun Seo Yang’s 2-under 70 contributing to the team total of 9-under on the day, pushing the defending champions to 21-under overall and leading France by 10 strokes. Teammate Seojin Park carded a 1-under 71; the two lowest scores of the day count towards the team total.

“I am really proud of my team,” said Republic of Korea Coach Min Naon. “Some girls played their best round, and some did not but they hung on to the end and try to make no bogeys and wait for birdies.”

Even with a sizeable lead, Naon will talk to her team tonight and said they will “perform like it’s the first day” going into Saturday.

Spain got off to a hot start in the morning to pull even with Korea through the opening five holes, until Korea regained the lead through six and did not look back, increasing it to six strokes through the opening nine and eventually making it 10 as the third round came to a close.

Behind the leaders is a crowded leaderboard with France currently sitting second at 11-under, Team Canada 1 jumped into a tie for third with Spain at 10-under after firing a team combined 6-under on moving day. Team Canada 1 was led by Clairey Lin of Langley, B.C. who shot a 4-under 68 and Shauna Liu of Maple, Ont.’s 2-under 70. Team Canada 1 is also represented by Michelle Xing of Richmond Hill, Ont.

England was also hot on Friday, firing a combined 7-under to move to 10-under overall and into a tie with Canada 1 and Spain. Team Canada 2 currently sits in sixth at 7-under and was led by Clara Ding of White Rock, B.C., who recorded seven birdies on her way to a 6-under 66. Team Canada 2 is also represented by Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. and Ruihan Kendria Wang of Vancouver, B.C.

Ding is enjoying the experience of her first World Junior Girls Championship, after a busy summer having played in the CPKC Women’s Open last month in Mississauga, Ont.

“Playing a lot of different of events has given me a lot more experience and confidence which hopefully I can use to go forward,” said Ding. “It’s been a lot of fun, it’s really nice to have teammates and also Jenn being out here with us.”

Korea will play with France and England in the final three groups on Saturday, click here for the final round groups and tee times.

One day after tying the women’s competitive course record at St. Catharines, England’s Charlotte Naughton carded a 4-under 68 on Friday to move to 12-under for the championship and takes a two-shot lead over Kim into Saturday’s final round.

Naughton shook off an early bogey on No. 3 with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 5 and 6 and went on to add three more on the back nine. The bogey on three was the only blemish on her scorecard over the past two days.

The flat stick was working again for Naughton on Friday, holing two very large birdie putts as she continued to have good control over her pace.

“It was a bit of a different round today I think…didn’t hit as many greens so short game was very good today, so I saved myself a lot,” added Naughton as early morning winds made for some tougher conditions for the field.

Heading into the final round, Naughton will focus on “sticking to her game plan and trying her best.”

In hot pursuit of the leader is Kim, who’s record-setting round was highlighted by seven birdies including five straight from Nos. 5 through 9. The round of 65 was also a personal best for Kim who is representing Korea for the first time in her young career.

“She is really proud of herself and to represent Korea,” said Kim through coach Min Naon.

Naon added that Kim “felt good about her putting” and that coupled with hitting a lot of greens through solid iron play and her focus contributed to her low round.

While chasing Naughton and the individual lead, nothing will change for Kim heading into Saturday, “she will not think about the result and just do her best until the end,” added Naon.

The duo will be playing together in the final group off the first tee at 10:20 a.m. on Saturday.

Ding and Park are tied for third at 8-under, with Nagore Martinez of Spain in fifth at 6-under.

In total, a field of 23 teams, 69 players in total are competing for the team and individual championships. The individual champion will receive an exemption into the 2026 CPKC Women’s Open, taking place at Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton, Alta., August 17-23, 2026. The top three players and ties will also earn exemptions into the 112th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, taking place at The Toronto Golf Club in Mississauga, Ont., July 20-24, 2026.

Several players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Golf Championship have gone on to great success on the LPGA Tour. Canadian Brooke Henderson, a 14-time LPGA Tour winner and Canada’s winningest professional golfer, finished fourth in the individual competition at the inaugural championship in 2014.

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

For the both the team and individual leaderboard, following the third round of the 2025 World Junior Girls Golf Championship, please click here.

LA SELLA, Spain — Canada’s Anna Huang fired a second-round 66 on Friday to grab a three-stroke lead at the halfway point of the La Sella Open.

Huang sits at 14-under 130 after opening with a 64 on Thursday. The 19-year-old from Vancouver continued her composed play in breezy conditions, stringing together five birdies against a single bogey.

“It was important to stay patient,” Huang said. “The course played tougher today with the wind, but I trusted my game and kept to my plan.”

France’s Natacha Nadaud is alone in second at 9-under, while Singapore’s Shannon Tan holds third at 8-under. Spain’s Nuria Iturrioz and Australia’s Kirsten Rudgeley share fourth at 6-under, keeping the home crowd hopeful for a weekend charge.

Huang has been particularly strong on the par-5s, playing them in seven under through two rounds. She will look to maintain that momentum over the closing 36 holes.

The La Sella Open continues Saturday with the final round set for Sunday.

Twelve collegiate programs will tee off for 54 holes in debut tournament.

AURORA, Ont. – The Women’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational debuts at Beacon Hall Golf Club in Aurora, Ont. September 21 – 23, welcoming several NCAA Division I women’s golf teams and the 2025 Canadian University/College Championship winners for 54 holes of competition.

Co-hosted by the University of Michigan and Kent State University, the inaugural championship will feature nine additional NCAA Division I teams and the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds. Last spring, the Thunderbirds punched their ticket into next week’s tournament through their victory at the Canadian University/College Championship, presented by BDO – their eighth consecutive national championship triumph and eighteenth overall.  

“We are excited to get play underway at the very first Women’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational this week at Beacon Hall Golf Club,” said Sam Meek, Senior Coordinator High Performance at Golf Canada and Tournament Director of next week’s championship. “The tournament pairs together our country’s best female collegiate talent with notable NCAA Division I programs at a venue proven to challenge some of best young talents in the sport today. We extend our thanks to the membership and staff at Beacon Hall for hosting as well as a special thanks to Jan Dowling at Michigan and Casey VanDamme at Kent State for their efforts as event co-hosts,” added Meek.

The tournament will kick off on Monday, September 22 and wrap up on Tuesday, September 23, with a practice round preceding action on Sunday, September 21. After 36 holes on Monday and a final round on Tuesday, a winner in both the individual and team competition will be crowned.

The team component will feature five members per team with the top four scores for the round counting towards the overall team score. Auburn, Central Michigan, Michigan State, Mississippi (Ole Miss), Purdue, Rutgers, South Florida, Tennessee and Virginia will round out the field alongside UBC and co-hosts Michigan and Kent State.

The individual competition will be stroke-play, with the winner receiving an exemption into the 2026 CPKC Women’s Open and the top five receiving exemptions into the 2026 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, set to descend on The Toronto Golf Club in Mississauga, Ont. for the 112th playing of the event.

Additionally, the selection camp for the Team Canada – NextGen Girls squad will be contested concurrently with next week’s Women’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational at Beacon Hall Golf Club. Twenty of Canada’s top junior girls will battle for a spot on Team Canada – NextGen in 2026, awarded to the tournament’s winner after 54 holes.

Beacon Hall was the inspiration of Bryan Leggett and Bill Carruthers, and its mission is to deliver a premier standard of excellence across all aspects of its membership experience. The Bob Cupp designed course opened on July 1, 1988, and since 1990 has ranked as one of the top 10 courses in Canada by SCOREGolf Magazine. In addition, Beacon Hall is consistently ranked as one of the top 100 courses outside the United States.

The course is known for its distinctively different front and back nine. The front nine features strands of pine trees, giving a similar feel to courses in the Carolinas and Georgia while the back includes fescue and waste bunkers to provide a similar look and feel to traditional Scottish links style courses.

“We are thrilled to showcase Beacon Hall during the Women’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational, celebrating the future of amateur golf and bringing together some of the finest talent from Canada, the United States and around the world,” said Sean DeSilva, General Manager, Beacon Hall Golf Club. “We are proud to offer these talented players the chance to experience our wonderful golf course and enjoy the same exceptional environment our members do every day. It’s a privilege to give back to the game we love and help foster the growth of amateur and Canadian golf.”

Beacon Hall Golf Club has hosted several marquee tournaments in the past, including the 100th playing of the PGA Championship of Canada in 2022, the U.S. Open Local Qualifier in 2017 and Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship in 1998.

The course will add the first-ever playing of the Women’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational to its hosting list when play gets underway on Monday. To view the full field, tee times and live leaderboards throughout the week, please click here.

ENFIELD, N.S. – Something special was bound to happen with seven players within two strokes of the lead entering Thursday’s final round of the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada at Oakfield Golf & Country Club.

That moment came from Ashburn Golf Club professional Josh Landine, who chipped in on the 18th hole to force a playoff with Yohann Benson, sending the gallery into a roar.

“The chip came out exactly how I wanted it to,” said Landine, who carded rounds of 68-69-70 on the week. “It looked like it might hang on the lip, but it had just enough to drop.”

Both Landine and Benson held the lead at different points in the afternoon. Benson made three straight birdies from Nos. 4 to 6 to open a three-shot advantage, while Landine responded with birdies at 8, 9, 11 and 12 to pull ahead by two.

A double bogey on the par-3 13th brought Landine back into a tie with Benson, with Wes Heffernan and James Swan close behind. Bogeys at 17 for Heffernan and Swan left the final hole to the two leaders.

Benson rolled a 40-foot putt to tap-in range, setting the stage for Landine’s must-make chip from 20 feet. He delivered.

Earlier in the round, Landine cracked the sole of his driver. While he was able to use it during regulation, rules required him to replace it in the playoff.

“Oddly, I was calm going in,” said Landine, whose wife was on the bag. “We joke that she’s undefeated in playoffs. That gave me some confidence.”

In the playoff, Landine hit his approach to 15 feet while Benson, playing from a tough downslope in the rough, saw his shot bounce over the green. Unable to get up-and-down, Benson watched as Landine two-putted for the victory.

“It was a crazy day,” said Landine with a laugh.

Heffernan finished third, while Maxwell Cohen fired a final-round 65 – the tournament’s low score – to tie for fourth with Swan, Khan Lee and Mitchell Fox.

Full leaderboard

England’s Charlotte Naughton fires low round of 66 to take individual lead

ST. CATHARINES, Ont. – The Republic of Korea soared up the leaderboard to take the team lead following the second round of the 2025 World Junior Girls Golf Championship at St. Catharines Golf & Country Club in St. Catharines, Ont.

All three members of the defending champions fired under par rounds to shoot a collective score of -9 under to put the Republic of Korea (Korea) into the lead at 12-under, four shots ahead of opening round leaders, France and two-time champions, Spain.

“All three girls played really good today, and it seems like they’re getting used to the course,” said Republic of Korea Coach Min Naon. “The grass is different, compared to Korea. I thought the wind was going to pick up in the afternoon but it was a nice day so they could play their own golf, so it’s good.”

Yeonseo Kim is not only making her debut at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, but also the first time she’s representing her country.

Kim recorded a bogey-free 5-under 67 on Thursday to help lead Korea, while playing with an injured finger, that occurred earlier in the week. “Her round was incredible…she has very good concentration and focus,” added Naon.

Seojin Park, who is making her third appearance at the world championship, moved into second in the individual standings following a 4-under 68 to improve to 7-under for the tournament. Yun Seo Yang also shot an under-par round with a 3-under 69. The two lowest scores count towards the team’s collective score each day.

Both the team and individual leaderboards changed throughout the day, and Spain found themselves on top for much of the morning. At days end, Spain shot a combined score of 6-under led by a pair of 3-under 69’s from Adriana Garcia Terol and Nagore Martinez.

“I am very proud of them. They played very good today and also yesterday, they are a great team and get along very well,” said Spain’s Coach Adriana Zwanck.

“We also need to be calm and patient because this is golf, I don’t like to cheer too soon. I am going to try to make them feel relaxed and keep practicing because the other teams are really good and anything can happen at the end of the tournament,” added Zwanck.

Opening round leaders, France shot a team total of 1-under, led by Louise Landgraf’s 2-under 70 and Giselle Zhao’s 1-over 73. Italy jumped into fourth at 6-under following a pair of 2-under 70’s from Gemma Simeoni and Natalia Aparicio on Thursday. Team Canada 1 and Colombia are tied for fifth at 4-under while Team Canada 2 and England are tied for seventh at 3-under.

“I think we’ve come a long way in our junior girls’ program in terms of depth. I definitely feel that we have more depth and more talent coming up in our pipeline and just really looking forward to seeing what they can do for the rest of the week,” said Team Canada 2 Coach, Jennifer Ha following her team’s combined score of 5-under for the second round.

Ruihan Kendria Wang of Vancouver, B.C. led the way with a 3-under 69 and Clara Ding of White Rock, B.C. added a 2-under 70 to count for the team. Team Canada 2 is also represented by three-time tournament participant Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta.

Ha added that the team will try to keep momentum going while working on a couple things.

“One of their big goals was to be able to play with each other, the Canada 1 and Canada 2 teams on the last couple days so hopefully that feeds as motivation and gets them to be in the final few groups the rest of the week,” she added.

Michelle Xing of Richmond Hill, Ont. (Team Canada 1) tied Wang for the Canadian low round on Thursday. Xing closed her day with back-to-back birdies, carding five in total on her final nine holes of the day. Clairey Lin of Langley, B.C. shot a 2-under 70 and Shauna Liu of Maple, Ont. recorded an even par 72.

England’s Charlotte Naughton carded the low round of the day with a bogey-free 6-under 66 to take the individual lead in St. Catharines.

Naughton opened with two birdies on the front nine before another on No. 12 and then added three straight from 15 through 17 and closed with par to move to 8-under for the tournament and now holds a one-shot lead over Park.

“I played really steady, and I am really happy to finish with three birdies in a row then a par. I played well, I just held all my birdie putts and had very good lag putts as well. Yesterday, I struggled a bit with the pace but today I definitely got it,” said Naughton following her round.

Naughton has enjoyed a successful season thus far. In May, she became the first ever English champion of the German Girls’ International Amateur Championship and was runner-up at The R&A Girls Amateur Championship in Wales last month. The 17-year-old will be representing England and Europe next week at the 2025 Junior Ryder Cup at Nassau Country Club and Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York and added that the opportunity means a lot to her.

“I think a lot of my tournaments this season went towards qualifying and I think this is a great challenge out here which is going to be similar to the Ryder Cup with the rough and the fast greens which we’re not to use to back at home in England.”

Garcia Terol is 5-under and is in third alone. Simeoni, Aparicio, Yang, Kim and Martinez are all tied for fourth at 3-under. Ding, June Weckman (Finland), Maria Errichetto (Colombia) and first round leader, Alice Kong (France) are tied for ninth at 2-under.

In total, a field of 23 teams, 69 players in total are competing for the team and individual championships. The individual champion will receive an exemption into the 2026 CPKC Women’s Open, taking place at Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton, Alta., August 17-23, 2026. The top three players and ties will also earn exemptions into the 112th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, taking place at The Toronto Golf Club in Mississauga, Ont., July 20-24, 2026.

Several players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Golf Championship have gone on to great success on the LPGA Tour. Canadian Brooke Henderson, a 14-time LPGA Tour winner and Canada’s winningest professional golfer, finished fourth in the individual competition at the inaugural championship in 2014.

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

For the both the team and individual leaderboard, following the second round of the 2025 World Junior Girls Golf Championship, please click here.