Golden, B.C. – The NextGen Fall Series West Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, wrapped up at Golden Golf Club Sunday with Matthew Wilson of Nanaimo, B.C. and Rosie Bee Kim of Edmonton besting a field of 90 young amateurs to take home the respective Junior Boys and Girls titles.

In the Junior Girls Division, 15-year-old Rosie Bee Kim, a member of Highlands, Golf Club, used a final-round, even-par 72 and tournament-total 3-under 213 (69-72-72) for a 4-shot, wire-to-wire victory over runner-up Erin Lee of Langley, B.C. at 1-over 217. Lucy Lin of Vancouver, B.C.  (+3) finished alone in the third while Kelly Zhao of Richmond Hill, B.C. (+5) and Elisa Liu of Richmond, B.C. (+5) rounded out the top 5.   

Lin, a 12-year-old who Monday qualified into the 2022 CP Women’s Open last month to become the youngest competitor in the event’s history, used rounds of 76-70-73—219 (+3) to win the (U15) Bantam Division title by seven shots over Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. (+10). Earlier this summer, Lin, a member of Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver, also won the NextGen Western Championship contested at Pine Hills Golf Club in Rocky Mountain House, Alta.

In the Junior Boys Division, Wilson, who plays out of Nanaimo Golf Club, followed up a second-round 4-under 68 with a final-round 72, and tournament total 2-under 214 (74-68-72) to win by three shots over Alex Zhang of Richmond, B.C. (+1). Wilson, 15, entered final-round play with a share of the lead at 2-under through 36 holes and held off a back-nine push by Zhang as well as a trio of players – second-round co-leader Joshua Ince of Surrey, B.C. (+2) as well as Ryan Vest of Vernon, B.C. (+2), and Caleb Davies of Langley, B.C. (+2) – who fired matching final-round 72s to finish T3 at 2-over 218 for the championship.

Zhang, 14, carded tournament rounds of 69-76-72—217 (+1) to cruise to a 10-shot victory in the (U15) Bantam Division over Brae Rogalczyk of Innisfail, Alta. (+11) followed by Jaden August of Pitt Meadows, B.C. in third (+12). 

CLICK HERE for complete final scoring results from the NextGen Fall Series West Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards.

The top three male competitors  (Mathew Wilson, Alex Zhang, and , Ryan Vest,) from the 54-hole championship will earn a spot in the 2023 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO (location TBD). The top three female golfers (Rose Bee Kim, Erin Lee, and Lucy Lin) will also earn exemptions into next year’s Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO at Hampton Golf Club in Hampton, N.B.

The NextGen Fall Series West Championship conducted by Golf Canada was the final of eight regional junior championships presented in partnership with JOURNIE Rewards.

From May through July, six championships took place across Canada where the region’s best junior golfers competed to earn exemptions into their respective 2022 national junior championships, with two Fall Series events taking place in September. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and display their skills at the highest level of tournament golf. 

For the full schedule of Golf Canada’s 2022 competitions, click here.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Canada’s Taylor Pendrith thought he and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama were going to earn some points back for the international team when they were announced as partners for Saturday’s afternoon session at the Presidents Cup.

Unfortunately for them, they drew the duo of Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, the most reliable pairing for the United States.

After Matsuyama birdied the first hole for an early lead in the four-ball match, the Americans had six birdies to earn a 4 and 3 win, the one international loss in the day’s second session. The United States held an 11-7 lead when play wrapped.

“They just kept making birdies. Hideki hit an unreal shot on No. 1, and we went 1 up,” said Pendrith just off the 15th green at Quail Hollow Club after shaking hands with Spieth and Thomas. “I don’t know how many birdies exactly they had, but it seemed like a lot.”

Shortly after that defeat, South Korea’s Sungjae Im and Colombia’s Sebastian Munoz earned a 3 and 2 win over Tony Finau and Kevin Kisner.

Then South Korea’s Si Woo Kim and Tom Kim birdied No. 18 for a 1 up win over Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele. Finally, Australia’s Adam Scott and Cam Davis held off Billy Horschel and Sam Burns for a 1 up victory as the internationals closed the gap on the host Americans.

Pendrith, from Richmond Hill, Ont., and Matsuyama were consistently driving further and with more accuracy than Spieth and Thomas, but the internationals struggled with their chipping and putting as the Americans excelled.

“I think the pins, some of the pins, were pretty tricky,” said Pendrith. “I didn’t really have many great looks at birdie.

“Hitting into 30 feet with putts that break eight to ten feet, it’s tough to make those.”

It was the second time on Saturday that Spieth and Thomas had beaten a Canadian. In the morning session, Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., and Im also conceded to the Americans on the 15th green for a 4 and 3 loss.

Pendrith and Conners were paired together in Friday’s final match, a close 1 up loss to Horschel and Max Homa that was decided on the 18th hole. Conners was then in Saturday’s first match of the day, about 12 hours later.

“It was an early morning but I had a great sleep last night and I was raring to go again,” said Conners. “I was a little sore leaving the golf course after being close in that match so getting back this morning I was looking forward to playing again.

It’s the first time two Canadians have played at the prestigious Presidents Cup, which will move to Royal Montreal Golf Club for the next edition in 2024. Conners and Pendrith are the only players on the international team to not yet earn a point, with three of their four losses coming at the hands of Spieth and Thomas.

That led to Spieth and Thomas being asked why they hate Canada.

“That’s not a serious question, is it?” laughed Thomas.

“We love Canada,” said Spieth. “Remember in two years, that’s where we’re going to be.”

Added Thomas: “We love Canada.”

“We try to challenge whoever we’re going to play as best we could,” said Spieth, who has an impressive 8-2-0 record when paired with Thomas at the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup.

“We have full trust and belief that we can beat whoever we play,” said Thomas. “Whether it’s a Presidents Cup or a Ryder Cup or a money game, we enjoy the challenge and try to embrace it.”

The first team to 15.5 points will win the biennial event that sees 12 Americans take on 12 players from around the world, excluding Europe. Sunday’s round will be singles matches, with Pendrith playing Finau and Conners taking on Schauffele.

In morning play Saturday, Scott and Matsuyama beat Cameron Young and Collin Morikawa 3 and 2 in the day’s second match. Lee and Tom Kim beat Scheffler and Burns 2 and 1. The U.S. answered back as Finau and Homa topped Si Woo Kim and Davis 4 and 3.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Taylor Pendrith centred himself over the ball, took a breath, and rolled his putt 13 feet, five inches into the hole. He pumped his fist and embraced partner Corey Conners on the 18th green as the international team celebrated on the fairway and fans cheered.

Pendrith’s putt kept the hopes of a draw against Americans Billy Horschel and Max Homa alive in the second round of the Presidents Cup, a potentially critical half point for the international team.

But Homa extinguished those hopes a moment later when he drained his 11-foot putt for a bigger fist pump, a louder cheer, and a 1 up win over the Canadians. That victory also gave the Americans a commanding 8-2 lead over the internationals on Friday at Quail Hollow Golf Club.

“I still feel like there’s some adrenalin flowing,” said Conners on the lip of the 18th green after the loss. “It’s tough. We played against some world class players.

“The atmosphere’s pretty loud, there’s a lot going on. You try to enjoy it, but it’s definitely challenging.”

This year’s Presidents Cup is the first time two Canadians have played in the event that sees 12 Americans take on 12 players from around the world, excluding Europe. Conners and Pendrith had different partners in the first round, making Friday’s pairing the first time two Canadians have ever teamed up at the event.

“To pair up today is really special,” said Conners, who also went to Kent State University with Pendrith. “Hopefully we’ve got a couple more in us, and we’ll see if we can get some points the rest of the way.”

Conners, from Listowel, Ont., will be paired with South Korea’s Sungjae Im for foursome play in the third round Saturday morning. The pairings for Saturday afternoon’s fourth round will be announced after the completion of the third round.

The first team to 15.5 points wins the PGA Tour-sponsored event, with the Americans’ sizable lead putting Sunday’s fifth round at risk of not being played at all.

Im and Colombia’s Sebastian Munoz tied Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns in the day’s second match. Chile’s Mito Pereira and South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout also tied Kevin Kisner and Cameron Young in the third match to earn the internationals their second point of the tournament.

“We’ve just got to keep fighting, man,” said team captain Trevor Immelman of South Africa. “Keep putting one foot in front of the other.

“We feel like we’ve played some pretty good golf, some solid golf tee-to-green, particularly the last couple of days, but we have absolutely been outputted. No doubt about it.”

Perennial American pairing Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas beat Australia’s Adam Scott and Cam Davis 2&1 in the day’s first match. Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele downed Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and South Korea’s Tom Kim 3&2.

Both of the Canadians showed off their specialties throughout the match. Pendrith had the longest drive on eight of the foursome’s holes, consistently hitting the fairway. Conners, meanwhile, was unerring in his approach shots, regularly dropping in closest to the pin.

Their displays of power and accuracy even wowed the loudly pro-American crowd at Quail Hollow, earning loud rounds of applause, whistles as the long shots flew through the air, and calls of “Maple syrup!” and “Peameal bacon!”

“We just try to play our own games,” said Conners. “I try to do what I do well. I try to get it on the fairway, get it on the green, have some birdie looks and free up Taylor to hit the balls and attack some of those pins.”

Putting was the Canadians’ Achilles heel early in the match, however, as Horschel and Homa took a 2 up lead on the front nine. Conners birdied the par-4 11th hole and the par-4 13th to tie the match. Homa then birdied the par-4 No. 17 to set up his and Pendrith’s fateful putts.

“It stings a little bit. Max made two really nice putts on the last two holes,” said Pendrith, who is from Richmond Hill, Ont. “We battled very hard but didn’t have our best stuff early in the round. Good enough to stick around.”

Officials said that about 40,000 fans attended each of the first two days at the Presidents Cup, with a similarly large crowd expected on Saturday and, if play continues, the same number on Sunday. The most notable people in Friday’s crowds were former U.S. Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, who arrived at Quail Hollow Club several hours before Scott, Davis, Spieth and Thomas teed off in the day’s first group.

Each week we write to Golf Canada members who record a hole-in-one, congratulating them and asking if they’d tell us how it happened. These are their stories (edited for length and clarity).

Have you recently accomplished the feat of a hole-in-one? Tell us about it! Share your story, picture / video and course information with us at holeinone@golfcanada.ca.

Alan MacGregor, Blue Devil Golf Club, Hole #7

It was a 120-yard hole #7 at Blue Devil. Used a 52° wedge. I was playing with Matt Davey and Ryan Rausch. Thanks for reaching out! 

Al 

Andre Edelbrock, Mississauga Golf & Country Club, Hole #10

Appreciate you guys reaching out…what fun…what a feeling to finally get my first!

It was on hole #10. 139 yards. I used a 9-iron. I was golfing with three great guys: Lou Donato, Robert Howie and Otto Kaiser. We teed off for the round on hole #1 at 10:40 A.M. Beautiful sunny day.

Bruce Rieger, Copper Point Golf Club, Hole #7

Hi,

Thought I would share my hole-in-one information with you. Thank you for the recognition! I wasn’t expecting it and found it to be a pleasant surprise.  

7th hole at Copper Point in Invermere in Southeastern B.C. on September 15th. My GPS showed 168 yards downhill, so I pulled out my Callaway 7 iron and as always, hoped for the best. My group was able to watch the ball the whole way, hitting before the green, trickling up to the center pin and mildly dropping in. The rest of the course heard the results about two seconds after it went in. My first one after more than 40 years of trying. I have to admit it felt better than I expected. Can’t wait for the next one.

Regards,

Bruce Rieger

Clint Lee, Beach Grove Golf Club, Hole #13

Thank you.

Details:

– Hole 13 at Beach Grove Golf Club

– 143 yards with a headwind

– Predicted to play 160 yards

– 7 iron with a draw

– Ball bounced once and fell back into the hole.

Daniel Nelson, Lynbrook Golf & Country Club, Hole #3

Thanks for the encouragement. I was playing with my friend, Nolan Mortenson. It was hole# 3 at Lynbrook Golf and Country Club. Measured 118 yards. I used a gap wedge.

Thanks!

Dave Marchand, Edmonton Garrison Golf & Curling Club, Hole #3

Hi Golf Canada,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you but I was in Windsor, ON playing in the Golf Canada All Abilities National Open earlier this week.

It was Men’s Night, and I was playing with two of my regular golf friends, Bob Cotton and John Kennedy, who are both retired from the Canadian Armed Forces. We had started our round on the back nine and so when we arrived at hole #3 it was my 12^th hole of the night. The yardage was 157 yards, and we had a decent cross breeze and so I used a 9 iron. I hit a good tee shot heading straight for the flag (red), the ball landed just on the edge of the green and took two or three hops and disappeared. I was 80% sure it had gone in but wasn’t certain until I drove up to the green. John got to the hole just before me and said the ball was in the cup. We had a good celebration and yelled a wee bit. It was my first ever hole-in-one and by far the highlight of my golfing life. 

Dave Marchand

Doug Hayes, Goodwood Golf Club, Hole #8

I was playing with a couple of golf industry guys, Don Nichols of Peter Millar G Fore and Dave Kaufman, former General Manager of Magna.

167-yard shot with a 6 iron on September 18^th; my daughter Quincy’s birthday.

Hug Samson, Maître de Mont-Tremblant, Hole #7

Thank you for your email, and the fine looking graphic. Here is my story…

1) I was golfing with Barry Klett and Denise Goulet, both also members at Le Maître, and Allan Dines, their guest.

2) I aced the par 3, hole #7 at Le Maître on September 15, 2022.

3) It was a 175-yard shot from an elevated tee into a stiff breeze. I used a Ping 23° fairway metal. The ball was a Titleist Pro V.

4) No one in our group saw the ball go in the hole; the glare from the sun made it impossible to see the shot when it landed.

5) When we got to the green, I could not see my ball, and thought I had hit it through the green. I walked to the rough behind the green, but still no ball to be seen. At that moment, Barry exclaimed, “I see a ball in the hole.” Sure enough, it was mine. Denise cheered, and I started laughing. It was my first ace, and I could hardly believe it.

6) We finished the round, and headed for the Le Maître clubhouse, thirsty for a celebratory drink. It was Men’s Night at the club, so my hole-in-one insurance policy paid for a lot of drinks that night.

7) Barry and Denise joined my wife, Chris Perl, and I, along with our friends, Barney Bangs and Jane Palmer for drinks. We stayed for a celebratory dinner. It was great. Members came up to me for the next hour or so, thanking me for their drink, and offering their congratulations.

8) During dinner, Eric Laframboise, the club’s General Manager, presented me with a beautiful glass trophy commemorating my Coup d’un Trou.

9) It was a wonderful experience and was definitely the highlight of the season for me. Golf is a terrific sport; even the most ragged amateur like me, can feel like a world class Pro, albeit only for a brief moment. What other sport offers that?

All the best,

Hugh

Jérémie Chiasson, Royal Oaks Golf Club, Hole #6

Hey,

We were playing in our annual Ryder Cup tournament at Royal Oaks Golf Club in Moncton on September 9th, and this was the first of two rounds. It was a front left pin location going up the hill on hole #6, playing 125 yards with the slope. I hit my gap wedge and stuffed it! Lucky enough, I was playing with JP against two of my brothers-in-law, Luc and Matt. We ended up winning the match and celebrating with some pints in the clubhouse for the entire group of 22 fellas! Good times!

Thanks for reaching out.

Cheers,

Jérémie Chiasson

Joshua Seguin, Glen Abbey Golf Club, Hole #15

Thank you! It was an awesome experience – my first! I was playing with Braden Taylor, Andrew Jensen and Owen Botelho (all local to the GTA). 

The yardage was playing to 133 yards up the hill – the gold and blue tees were stacked. I hit a pitching wedge just long and it spun back down the hill and into the cup! 

Joshua Seguin

Kelly Miller, Brampton Golf Club, Hole #11

Hi,

Thanks so much for the hole in one graphic. It’s pretty cool.

I was playing in an 8 a.m. shotgun with Shirley Steele and Jennifer Shaw and started on the 10^th hole so this was my second hole of the day. The distance was 120 yards, and I used my 8 hybrid. The ball landed on the green, bounced once and then rolled and disappeared into the hole. It was very exciting!

This is my second hole-in-one. My first was September 21, 2020, so I think September is a good golf month for me.

Thanks so much.

Regards,

Kelly

Kim Kemper, Earl Grey Golf Club, Hole #13

Good morning, 

Thank you so much! It was a spectacular day and the hole-in-one made it all the more amazing. I was playing with my husband, Chris Kemper, and good friend, Danny ManDonald. The yardage was around 120 and I used my 5-hybrid given the wind and that the hole is over a beautiful valley. I have played a handful of times a year up until 2020 where I had the time and desire to play much more. My handicap started at 28 this year and with lessons from Scott Stiles I have reached 19.1! What a year.

Have a great day! 

Kim Kemper 

Larry Phillips, Stanhope Golf & Country Club, Hole #3

How nice to receive your note!

Although it was my fourth hole-in-one, much to the chagrin of my wife, Judy, who now sits one behind at three, it was special day because I was sharing the round with a lifelong friend, Chris Pandoff, and his wife, Annette, and their son Christian, who were visiting P.E.I. for the first time. It was also special because Stanhope is our home away from home, where our family have been spending summers for the last thirty-six years. I have been a member of Summit Golf Course in Richmond Hill for 40 years but, Stanhope Golf Club is a gem of a course, with one of the most active and friendly membership groups you will find anywhere in the country. To make an Ace on Stanhope was special for our family since our son, Andrew, recorded an ace at age 11 on the 6th hole 25 years ago!

On this past Tuesday, the third hole was cut in the back corner of the green, 128 yards from the white tees. I hit a nine iron into a slight right to left breeze. The ball flew dead on the pin, bounced once and dropped into the hole. My playing partner, Chris Pandoff, followed my ace with a beautiful fade that hit short left of the hole and slowly rolled up towards the pin and came to a stop a mere four inches from the hole! So close to a double ace. That is why the photo had to include both Chris and me.

Thanks,

Larry

Leszek Kibler, The Legends Golf & Country Club, Hole #7

Thank you for the congratulation letter. As always, a hole-in-one is an unexpected event, and I didn’t expect that it would happen to me.

The yardage on this hole is 148 yards so I used a 7 iron. I played with Ches Pruden, Fred McCuaig and Kermit Haakonson. The #7 hole on Traditions Nine of the Legends Golf and Country Club is over the water. I was late to the tee and my partners already hit their shots and two of them were already by the green. I was rushing a little bit, hit my ball and watched it landing on the green and rolling towards the pin. I thought it was a nice shot and should birdie the hole, so I bent to pick up my tee when I heard guys on the green cheering. I looked up and I couldn’t see my ball. My first hole-in-one and I didn’t see the ball going into the hole. 

Regards, 

Les Kibler

Mario Rebelo, Maple Ridge Golf Club, Hole #13

Thank you. I played with Luis Oliveira, Joe Fernandes and Luís Peixoto, we are all member at Westminister Trails. My GPS stated 164 yards to the centre of the green and the pin was more to the back. I hit my 7 iron and struck it well in line with the flag, ball hit the front of green and rolled right into the hole.  

Mark Korman, Donalda Club, Hole #7

Thanks very much. It was an exciting experience.

I was with my son, Sam Korman. It was the seventh hole at Donalda Club. I was hitting from the blue tees to a front pin placement from an elevated tee. Probably about 152 yards. I used an 8 iron and landed it just short of the green to the left of the pin, beside a green-side bunker. It rolled onto the green, and then in.

Best regards,

Mark Korman

Matthew Bylander, Belmont Golf Course, Hole #5

Hello! Thank you for the note. 

I was a single and got paired with some folks I’ve never met, who will probably become good golf buddies now. ? The shot played 167 yards and I hit a 7 iron.

Couldn’t have asked for many better holes on which to pull it off. It’s probably a 60-foot drop from the tee box to the green.

There were a few people around, but I think just my partners saw the shot. I was second to hit in the group. It was just perfect; the ball pitched a foot in front of the hole and dunked on the first bounce. A club flip and a few good whoops and high fives were had, and the starter even came over to say congratulations then the drinking began! ?

Thank you so much. Have a great week!

Matt Bylander

Pat Meyer, Poppy Estate Golf Club, Hole #15

Hi,

I played with Sharon Owen and Barb Davison. The 15th hole is 145 yards, and I used my driver. The hole is uphill, and we didn’t see the ball go into the hole but when we got to the green, we couldn’t find my ball. When Barb was putting out, she said there’s a ball in here. Pulled it out and lo and behold my Srixon marked with my name in red. A thrill for sure.

Paul Deruiter, Cardinal Lakes Golf Club, Hole #18

Thanks so much for reaching out about my hole-in-one. I was playing in our Thursday night Men’s league with Greg Greovski, Bob Warnick and Steve Moore. The hole was playing 160 yards and I used an 8 iron. It was my third hole-in-one, but the first one in about 30 years. 

Thanks again!

Paul Deruiter

Paul Titus, Batteaux Creek Golf Course, Hole #16

Thanks for the congratulations on my hole-in-one. I was playing with Bill Lynch, Doug Wanamaker and John Eversfield. On September 14, hole number 16 measured 140 yards and I hit an 8 iron.

Rick Hayes, Whitetail Crossing Golf Course, Hole #16

Thanks for reaching out with the accolades and for the graphic. Here’s the story:

This is my first hole-in-one after 40 some years of playing. I’ve come close a few times, but this was the first to drop. I was playing with three buddies, Daryl, Andy and Kyle. It was a beautiful day at Whitetail Crossing (Mundare, A.B.) and I had a great back nine going. I was one over on the back heading into the par 3, 16^th hole. It was playing 155 yards with a slight breeze from behind. Normally an 8 iron, but the breeze was enough for me to use my Ping G410 9 iron. I hit a solid shot just left of the target. It landed short of the green on a downslope, bounced a couple of times onto the green, then rolled in a nice arc straight into the hole. The small hill in front of the green prevented us from seeing it go in, but I thought it would be close. As we approached the green, I could not see the ball so I thought it might have rolled off the back (the greens were pretty fast that day). But Andy was there first and shouted that it was in the hole! I didn’t believe him at first, but it hit me when I looked down into the hole and there it was, my first hole-in-one! Celebratory high fives all around! This was also the last day for the CCT hole-in-one contest that ran all summer. The rules said you must call the club house right away so they can capture the video as proof. I made the call in order to qualify for the $1000 prize.

Rick Hayes

Ron Braedley, Eagle Creek Golf Course, Hole #8

Thanks for reaching out about my hole-in-one.

The details are as follows:

I was playing with some of the hole #12 volunteers, who marshalled the hole during the CP Women’s Open recently held in Ottawa, ON. Our hole Captain, Riad, arranged the game. The hole was playing about 115 yards with a slight headwind. I was playing the forward tees and used a nine iron. The ball landed on the fringe, and we saw it roll in the hole. This was my second hole-in-one.

Ron

Ron Koop, Talbot Trail Golf Club, Hole #18

Thanks for the interest in my hole-in-one. I was playing with Frank Gow, Kevin Shaten and Claudio Sabelli. All of us are members at Erie Shores Golf Couse in Leamington, ON. Our course was closed for a tournament, so we played Talbot Trail in Wheatley, ON. The yardage was 119 yards, and I used a seven iron into the wind. Pretty good shot for someone who usually misses the green from that yardage. Thanks again for the interest.

Sharon Booth, Granite Pointe Golf Course, Hole #7

Thank you very much! This was an exciting day for me. I am 65 years old, and I have only been golfing for five years and never thought I would get a hole-in-one in my lifetime. I was playing with my husband, Doug, and some dear friends, Nancy Houston and Rod Trites. I don’t remember the exact yardage, but it was a back pin and I used my 5 hybrid. My husband saw it go in and I thought I did but I know how deceiving it can be from a distance, so I didn’t believe it until I saw the ball in the hole.  

Thank you for the graphic. I have shared this with my friends and family!

Sharon Booth

Shawn Trudeau, Meadows Golf Club, Hole #7

Hello,

Our league was holding their year-end golf tournament at the Meadows Golf Club, Gloucester. On Saturday, September 17^th, Shawn Trudeau was playing the South Course, hole #7 when we heard allot of happy screaming from the players. We heard, hole-in-one!

I didn’t know exactly who got the hole-in-one from the foursome, but as President of our Bell Golf League, I knew I would need to do something. I advised the golf club of this momentous experience.

This hole-in-one was on the South Course, hole #7.

I reached out to Steve (one of the foursome) who was golfing with Shawn, and this is what he recounted: 

We were standing behind Shawn on the tee block as he teed off last in the group. When he hit the ball, it landed just before the green and we all thought something good could be happening. Once the ball hits pin and dropped in, I may have blacked out. Pretty sure I may have been more excited than him. Congratulations Shawn.

Regards,

Sandy Booth, on behalf of Shawn Trudeau

Stan Pink, Lingan Golf & Country Club, Hole #6

Hello and thank you! The day I achieved the hole-in-one I was using a 6 iron as I was hitting into 50 km/h cross winds. I was golfing with Vaughn MacDonald, Cyril MacQueen, and one other individual. The distance I hit it from was 172 yards. 

It was a good day!

Thanks,

Stan Pink

Susan Hansen, Edson Golf Club, Hole #17

Hi. Thanks for following up! I was playing with a fellow member, Catie Kopp. It was 128 yards, and I used a 7 iron and a Titleist ball. This was actually my second hole-in-one, my first was August 6, 2008, at Edson as well, hole #8. I have been golfing for 36 years. Thanks.

Terry Hilton, Princeton Golf Course, Hole #7

Hi,

Every Fall, this group gets together and travels to a B.C. area for a week of golf. This year, we stayed in Osoyoos. Each day we golfed a different golf club ending with a team scramble event at the Princeton Golf Course on Friday. On Friday September 16th, I was golfing with Charlie Brard, Newton Wainman and Neil Weisner. 

We were -2 getting to the sixth hole and shot a bogey. The 7th hole was a par 135-yard par 3. I was second in the order. We could see the flag but a mound in front prevented seeing the hole. I selected an 8 iron and aimed right of the hole hoping it would roll down to the flag. We were confident that three of the four tee shots were on the green. Once we got to the green, we only saw two balls. Neil went and checked the hole and there was my ball. I was ecstatic!

Good thing I bought hole-in-one insurance. This was a thirsty group. We ended up tied for first place with two other teams at six under. Amazing day to end a great trip with great people. 

The Princeton Golf Course gave me 2 passes and a hole-in-one golf bag tag. 

Great golf course. 

Terry Hilton

Tim Heffernan, Emma Lake Golf Course, Hole #10

Thank you for the congratulations. This was my first hole-in-one. The distance was 184 yards, and I used my TaylorMade five iron and a Titleist Velocity ball. I was golfing with my wife Judy, and my hole-in-one was also witnessed by Gerald Brunning who works at the Saskatchewan golf course. My golf swing and contact was one of my best, which made the results even more exciting. The trajectory was perfect, and the ball tracked the pin for the entire shot, absolutely no fade or draw. It was difficult to be 100% certain that the ball had gone in, so Gerald jumped in his cart, rushed to the green, verified the hole-in-one, and then gave me two thumbs up before Judy and I had left the tee box. Judy missed the green on her shot but followed up with a beautify pitch shot that we will also remember for a long time.

My excitement likely contributed to my double bogey on hole #11, but then I settled down and had three birdies on the back nine, in addition to the hole-in-one. It was late in the day when we finished, and the Emma Lake Golf Course Bar was closed so Jude and I drove straight home for a couple cold beers. What a beautiful ending to the day. 

Tony Gibbs, Brundenell Golf Course, Hole #5

Thanks for reaching out to me on the hole-in-one. The yardage was 135 and I used a 7 iron. It was quite windy there as well with the wind blowing from left to right. The ball landed on the front of the green, took one hop and rolled to the cup and dropped in. My playing partners were all yelling, “go in, go in.” We have been playing this mini tournament for quite a while now and usually we have anywhere from 12-16 guys, and some come from as far away as British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. This was our 25th anniversary this year and it is the first hole-in-one in 25 years. The names of my foursome are Roger Maslen, Fred Graham and Gerrard McInnis.

Travis Bale, Rossmere Country Club, Hole #12

Thanks so much! I was playing with fellow members Evan Riffel and Zach Payonk. It was a well struck 8 iron from 158 yards that bounced on the green, hit the flagstick and disappeared into the cup.

Cheers,

Travis

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Taylor Pendrith woke up early on Thursday morning and couldn’t get back to sleep. Thoughts of his first tee shot at the Presidents Cup were running through his head, keeping him awake.

But when Pendrith laid into a 308-yard drive on the first hole at Quail Hollow Club, he felt like he belonged at the prestigious international event.

“I knew I was going (to) be nervous. I think if you’re not nervous, there’s something wrong with you,” said Pendrith. “It’s obviously a huge event with tons of history and to be a part of the squad is amazing.

“I was thinking about that tee shot for a long time but I stepped up and hit a really good one and just trusted my skills.”

Pendrith, from Richmond Hill, Ont., and Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., debuted for the international team at the Presidents Cup on Thursday. Pendrith and partner Mito Pereira of Chile battled with American Tony Finau and Max Homa until the 18th hole, eventually losing 1 up as the United States took a 4-1 lead overall.

“I think me and Mito did a good job today staying in it, giving ourselves lots of chances and staying patient,” said Pendrith, as he and Pereira rallied from a two-shot deficit after six holes to carry a tie into the final hole. “Lots of confidence moving forward to tomorrow.

“If we can come out and steal a couple of points I think we’ll be right in it.”

Conners and Pendrith, close friends who were teammates and roommates at Kent State University, will be paired together for Friday’s final match as the event’s format switches from foursomes to four ball.

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It’s the first time two Canadians have played in the best-on-best tournament that sees 12 Americans take on 12 players from around the world, excluding Europe.

Conners and South Korea’s Sungjae Im fell to Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas 2&1 in Thursday’s second match. They shook hands on the 17th green with a tie out of reach.

“We just didn’t get off to the best start in the match,” said Conners. “We battled back nicely but just couldn’t get the important putts to go in at the end there.”

South Korea’s Si Woo Kim and Australia’s Cam Davis were the only international pairing to win. After seven holes they were trailing Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns 3 up but closed out with six birdies in their last 10 holes, including four in a row on Nos. 15-18, to beat the Americans 2 up.

“It’s always more satisfying when you start off not having your best stuff and then you find a way to turn it around, especially against the calibre of players that are playing here,” said Davis.

“I was just really proud of the way I started hitting good shots when it mattered, and I was really proud of the way Woo started getting the putts at perfect speed.”

Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele beat Australia’s Adam Scott and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama 6&5. Americans Cameron Young and Collin Morikawa downed Tom Kim and K.H. Lee, both from South Korea, 2&1.

Typically a biennial event, the 2021 Presidents Cup was postponed one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Venues alternate between the U.S. and international locations, with Royal Montreal Golf Club scheduled to host the Presidents Cup in 2024.

This year’s edition is undeniably on American soil, with fans wearing star-spangled outfits, loudly cheering their team, and booing when international fans tried to get their own chants going.

The internationals weren’t without their supporters, however. A pair of fans from Winnipeg were dressed as Mounties despite the 35 degrees Celsius heat, with a Canadian flag draped off the grandstand tightly hugging the first tee box. They chanted Conners’s and Pendrith‘s names when they were introduced to the crowd, even if they were quickly drowned out by “U-S-A” chants.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this before. It was crazy. It was so much fun,” said Pendrith. “Tons of people, good support for the international team.

“The first tee shot was quite the experience, got up there and hit it right down the middle and settled in after that.”

Golden, B.C. – The NextGen Fall Series West Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, begins this week with 90 amateur golfers taking the stage at Golden Golf Club in Golden, B.C.

Practice rounds are scheduled for Thursday, September 22, before the official 54-hole tournament gets underway on September 23. Play is scheduled to conclude September 25 with an awards ceremony scheduled immediately following play at Golden Golf Club.

The starting field will feature 90 players – 61 Junior Boys and 29 Junior Girls – vying for a spot in their respective Canadian Junior Championship next summer. 45 players in the field hail from host province, British Columbia.

In addition, 13 boys and 10 girls are competing from the Bantam Division (Under 15 years of age).

The top three male competitors will earn a spot in the 2023 Canadian Jr Boys Championship, presented by BDO (location TBD). The top three and female golfers (including ties) will also earn exemptions into next year’s Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO, July 24-28, 2023, at Hampton Golf Club in Hampton, N.B.

“Golden Golf Club is a terrific test to challenge our talented collection of junior golfers competing in our season-ending NextGen Junior Championship,” said tournament director Daniel Suppa. “We appreciate the golf club, the volunteers and the community for rallying around the championship that will feature many of the rising junior talents in Canadian golf.”

The NextGen Fall Series West Championship is one of Golf Canada’s eight regional junior championships presented in partnership with JOURNIE Rewards. Hyunjun Lee and Tina Jiang took home the honours in their respective divisions in 2021.

Additional information about the 2022 NextGen Fall Series West Championship including a field list and scoring can be found here.

The Golden Golf Club has a long history dating back to the formation of the club in June of 1935. In 1942, the club opened its first 5-hole golf course south of town near Reflection Lake. The Golden Golf Club was incorporated as a non-profit society in 1962 and continues under this designation in present day. In 1985, the original 9-hole golf course opened exclusively for member play—memberships cost $5, and rounds were $5 each. May of 1986 marked the official opening of the Golden Golf Club. More information about the club is available here.

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 2022 national championships, with two Fall Series events taking place in September. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and display their skills at the highest level of tournament golf. 

For the full schedule of Golf Canada’s 2022 competitions, click here.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Finding chemistry on the eclectic Presidents Cup international team can be a challenge, but Canadians Corey Conners and Taylor Pendrith are bringing their own spark to captain Trevor Immelman’s squad.

Conners and Pendrith played together on Golf Canada’s amateur teams before becoming teammates at Kent State University and were even the best man at each other’s weddings. They’ll be making their Presidents Cup debuts on Thursday as the best-on-best tournament tees off at Quail Hollow Golf Club outside Charlotte, N.C.

“To be here with him is really special, and if we have a partnership, I think we can certainly feed off of one another,” said Conners before Wednesday’s first-round draw. “If I hit a poor shot, I know he’s going to bail me out, and if he struggles on a hole, I’m going to be giving it my all to give us a chance to win the hole.

“We’re certainly great friends and have played a lot of golf together, so I’m very confident in his ability.”

Although Immelman split the Canadians up in the first round’s draw on Wednesday afternoon, it’s likely they will have a chance to play together at the PGA Tour event that sees 12 Americans face 12 players from around the world, excluding Europe.

Conners, from Listowel, Ont., will partner with South Korea’s Sungjae Im against Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas in the second match of the first round. Pendrith, from Richmond Hill, Ont., will team with Chile’s Mito Pereira against Tony Finau and Max Homa in the day’s fifth match.

Pendrith said he’s enjoying sharing the honour of playing on the international team with one of his best friends.

“To be with him is really cool and comforting,” said Pendrith. “He’s probably the person I’ve played my most rounds of golf with, ever.”

Conners was an automatic selection after finishing the PGA Tour season fourth on the international team standings. He rose up from sixth after Australia’s Cam Smith and Chile’s Joaquin Niemann jumped to the Saudi-backed LIV Tour on Aug. 30, disqualifying themselves from the PGA Tour-backed Presidents Cup.

Pendrith was officially selected by Immelman on Sept. 6 after he missed four months of the PGA Tour season with a fractured rib.

The two friends have very different play styles, with Pendrith renowned for his long drives and Conners considered a surgeon with his irons.

On paper the Presidents Cup result seems like it could be a foregone conclusion.

The American team’s average world ranking is 11.58, while Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama – currently No. 17 on the world rankings _ is the highest-rated member of an international team depleted by the defections to the LIV Tour. The betting line reflects that, with oddsmakers putting the Americans as -700 favourites.

History is also not on the internationals side. The United States has won the biennial event 13 times, with the internationals winning in 1998 at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia and the two sides tying in 2003 at Fancourt Hotel and Country Club in George, South Africa.

Australia’s Adam Scott has played in nine of those losses and assistant captain Geoff Ogilvy, also from Australia, said those losses have served as a motivation for his countryman.

“He just wants to win it for everybody,” said Ogilvy, adding that Scott is like a fifth assistant captain. “It’s like he wants to win it for everybody who never got a chance to win one.”

However, the players on the international squad have combined for 33 victories on the PGA Tour, including Conners’ win at the 2019 Valero Texas Open. Assistant captain Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., said there’s a lot of positivity in the international locker room.

“The mood has been great. The guys are very enthusiastic. We feel they’re up for the challenge,” said Weir. “Their games look great. There’s a great buzz in our team.”

The next Presidents Cup will be in 2024 at Royal Montreal Golf Club, which hosted the event in 2007.

MISSISSAUGA, ONT. – The Canadian Golf Superintendents Association (CGSA) and Bayer Environmental Science Canada have announced Jim Flett of Muskoka Lakes Golf & Country Club in Port Carling, Ont. as their Superintendent of the Year for 2022.

The award recognizes a member of the CGSA who has held the position of golf course superintendent for a minimum of five years and who has distinguished her or himself through dedication to the profession, performance as a golf course superintendent and contributions to their profession and their community.

Flett has been a CGSA member since 1990 and has held the Accredited Golf Superintendent (AGS) designation since 2007. He was CGSA President in 2017 and is a Past President of the Ontario Golf Superintendent’s Association (OGSA). He has been the Superintendent at Muskoka Lakes Golf & Country Club since 1992.

He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&M in 1988 after completing the University of Guelph’s Turf Associate Diploma program in 1985. Jim apprenticed under two Canadian superintendent mentors Gordon Witteveen and David Gourlay, both CGSA Superintendent of the Year past winners.

Flett will be recognized during The Canadian Golf Course Management Conference and presented with his award during the Award Luncheon in 2023.

“My involvement in the CGSA has tremendously elevated my career through the professional development opportunities and Canada-wide networking over the years,” said Flett, “I was lucky enough to serve as President of the CGSA in 2017 when Canada celebrated its 150^th Birthday. I always thought it was important to instil the sense of Canadian pride in our association. Most of all golf has been a part of my life since I was a child and over the years, I’ve met so many amazing people I would not have met otherwise.” 

KITCHENER, Ont.—Wil Bateman didn’t necessarily need to win the season-ending Fortinet Cup Championship in order to secure the Fortinet Cup title and Player of the Year honors. That’s exactly what he did, though, shooting a final-round 1-under 69 Sunday at Deer Ridge Golf Club to defeat Jeffrey Kang by two strokes. In the process, Bateman won the Fortinet Cup, finishing with 1,654 points and vaulting past Jake Knapp, who entered the week with the standings lead. It was quite the double dip. 

ELECTRIC!!

Edmonton’s @WilsonBateman wins the @FortinetCupChmp and the #FortinetCup in dramatic fashion.

He’s earned full @KornFerryTour status for next year pic.twitter.com/itRDW4eNKH

— PGA TOUR Canada – Fortinet Cup (@PGATOURCanada) September 18, 2022

With the victory, Bateman locked up his 2023 Korn Ferry Tour playing privileges, making him eligible to play in every open tournament on that Tour’s schedule. He is also the second Canadian—along with Mackenzie Hughes in 2013—to win PGA TOUR Canada Player of the Year honors. He pocketed a $25,000 bonus from Fortinet for winning the inaugural Fortinet Cup, and next summer Bateman is invited to play in the PGA TOUR’s RBC Canadian Open. By finishing second, Knapp will be conditionally exempt on next season’s Korn Ferry Tour. He tied for 34th at the closing tournament of the year. 

After Bateman and Knapp, the third-, fourth- and fifth-place Fortinet Cup finishers were Americans Noah Goodwin, Scott Stevens and Ryan Gerard, respectively. The players received their membership cards during a ceremony following the end of play Sunday at Deer Ridge Golf Club.

Bateman, a native of Edmonton, played in his 59th career PGA TOUR Canada event with this appearance—this season easily his best. Before this year, Bateman had never recorded a top-three finish and only had one career top-10.  

Exempt when the season began by virtue of his 21st-place finish on the 2021 Forme Tour Points List, Bateman was three strokes off the lead through 54 holes in the season-opening Royal Beach Victoria Open presented by Times Colonist. A final-round, 3-over 73 derailed his chances, but he put everybody on notice two weeks later when he chipped in to end the playoff and record an extremely popular win at his hometown ATB Classic presented by Volvo Edmonton. He put an exclamation mark on his season with his resounding victory Sunday, allowing him to join Noah Goodwin as the only two-time champions this season. 

“I think setting some solid goals for myself and knowing that I can attain them was big. Coming into this week, I think I put more pressure on myself, more than the pressure I felt when I was out [on the course] just because I wanted to achieve some of my goals,” Bateman said. “I knocked off a few of those goals, so it was a lot of fun.

“I still have bigger goals and dreams that I want to accomplish,” Bateman continued, “but this is a really good start. Just knowing where I was four to five years ago, if someone would have told me that I would be here I would say they were insane.”

“What a fun season it was, and to come down to the Fortinet Cup Championship, our final event of the year, with so many players with still so much to play for has been incredible to watch,” said PGA TOUR Canada Executive Director Scott Pritchard. “Wil proved from start to finish that he was our best player against formidable competition, and his performance under pressure this week to win the tournament and the Fortinet Cup was impressive. He will always have the Fortinet Cup on his mantel to remind him of what a special season 2022 was. Congratulations to Wil on what is an outstanding accomplishment. I can’t wait to see what he can do next season the Korn Ferry Tour.” 

The players who finished in the sixth-through-10th positions on the Fortinet Cup standings are exempt into the finals of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament in Savannah, Georgia. That 72-hole tournament is November 4-7. The five PGA TOUR Canada players exempt into the Qualifying Tournament, hoping to secure Korn Ferry Tour status via that route, are Thomas Walsh (No. 6), Jeffrey Kang (No. 7), Danny Walker (No. 8), Joe Highsmith (No. 9) and Ian Holt (No. 10). 

The 2023 Korn Ferry Tour season, the 34th in its history, starts in mid-January, the full schedule still to be announced. 

Beginning in 2013, the Korn Ferry Tour became The Path to the PGA TOUR by awarding all 50 membership cards to Korn Ferry Tour players for the following PGA TOUR season. Players can initially qualify for the Korn Ferry Tour through the Qualifying Tournament and by securing a top-five Fortinet Cup finish on PGA TOUR Canada or a top-five Totalplay Cup performance. PGA TOUR Canada sent its first five players to the Korn Ferry Tour following its inaugural season in 2013. They were Mackenzie Hughes (Canada), Riley Wheeldon (Canada), Mark Hubbard (U.S.), Hugo Leon (Chile) and Wil Collins (U.S.). This is the eighth group of PGA TOUR Canada players to move on to the Korn Ferry after the Tour did not contest tournaments in 2020 and 2021 due to the global pandemic.

Final 2022 Fortinet Cup Standings

HAMPTON, N.B. – The NextGen Fall Series East Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, wrapped up at Hampton Golf Club Sunday with Andreas Diogenous of Cambridge, Ont. and Kelly Zhao of Richmond Hill, Ont. topping a field of 63 young amateurs to take home the respective Junior Boys and Girls titles.

Conditions played tough at Hampton Golf Club with 30 km winds during the first two rounds of the tournament and downpour rain during the final round.

In the Junior Girls Division, Zhao, a member of Station Creek Golf Club, used a final-round 75 and tournament-total 15-over 228 (76-77-75—228) to cruise to an eight-shot win over Emily McKee of Oakville, Ont. (+23). Carlee Meilleur of Lansdowne, Ont. (+32) finished alone in the third while Lindsay McGrath of Oakville, Ont. (+34) and Genevieve Jobin-Colgan of Quebec City, Que. (+37) rounded out the top-5. 

Meilleur used rounds of 86-79-80 to win the Bantam Division title by 10 shots over Kali Yeske of Calgary (+42) and Mia Poirier of Victoriaville, Que. (+42).

Diogenous, a 3-year Team Ontario member who plays out of Whistlebear Golf Club, came into Sunday with a four-shot lead and carded a final-round 78 and tournament total 17-over 23 (78-74-78—230) to finish with a two-shot victory over Antoine Jasmin of Blainville, Que.

Jasmin, who’s final round 73 was the low round of the day, finished at 19-over for the tournament (85-74-73—232). Isaiah Ibit of Orleans, Ont. (+21) finished alone in third while Toronto native Matteo Rocco was fourth at 23-over for the championship.

Charly Pinel of Beaumont, Que., who finished T5 in the Junior Division at 26-over 239 used rounds of 82-79-78 to win the Bantam Division by three shots over Chase Jerome of Ottawa, Ont. (+29). 

CLICK HERE for complete final scoring results from the NextGen Fall Series East Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards.

The top three female golfers (including ties) have earned exemptions into next year’s Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO, August 1-4, 2023, also at Hampton Golf Club while the top three male competitors have earned a spot in the 2023 Canadian Jr Boys Championship, presented by BDO.

The NextGen Fall Series East Championship is the second-last of Golf Canada’s regional junior championships presented in partnership with JOURNIE Rewards. The final stop – the NextGen Fall Series West Championship will run Sept. 23-25 at Golden Golf Club in Golden, B.C.

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 2022 national championships, with two Fall Series events taking place in September. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf.