Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul repeats as World Junior Girls individual champion
MARKHAM, Ont. – Canadian golf fans should take good note of Atthaya Thitikul’s name, as they will surely hear it mentioned again in the same breath as the game’s best female players. She is that good. And on Friday, her poise and talent were in evidence at Angus Glen Golf Club of Markham, Ontario, where she claimed her second consecutive World Junior Girls Championship title by two strokes over Ye Won Lee of the Republic of Korea.
In the team competition, it is the Republic of Korea that claimed the gold medal, their second World Junior Girls title after winning it in 2015 at The Marshes GC of Ottawa. After rallying to take the lead following Thursday’s weather delay, the Korean team never looked back. They registered an aggregate score of 3-under (141) in the final round to take the laurels. After claiming bronze at Camelot Golf Club in 2018, Thailand upgraded its 2019 haul by winning silver, while last year’s champions Italy finished third to earn the bronze medal.
“It’s very, very nice to win. I’m so happy now. But I’m a little disappointed that I couldn’t catch the (girl in) first place. But only ten percent disappointed (laughs),” said team gold and individual silver medalist Ye Won Lee.
The 2019 gold is Korea’s fourth World Junior Girls Championship medal in only five participations in the event, a tournament record.
In the individual contest, Thitikul managed to keep her playing partners at bay on the front nine, taking a stroke back from the silver medallist, Republic of Korea’s Ye Won Lee, thanks to three birdies against only one bogey. Despite committing two more bogeys on the back nine and briefly finding herself only one stroke up, Thitikul, who fired a final round of 70 (-2), scored a superb eagle on the par-5 16th hole which Ye Won Lee couldn’t match, albeit adding a birdie of her own to the score card.
When asked how important that shot was to her victory, Thitikul declared that “It helped me a lot, you know. When I putt it, in mind I was like ‘Yes! I will get this.’ It made me feel more confident when walking to the 18th hole.”
Italy’s Alessia Nobilio, an individual silver medallist in both 2017 and 2018, shot 71 in the final round to finish the tournament at 6-under, in third place. She is now the World Junior Girls most decorated competitor in tournament history with three individual and two team medals.
As the organizing federation, Canada delegated two teams to participate in the Championship.
Canada 1, consisting of Brooke Rivers (Brampton, Ont.), Euna Han (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Emily Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.) had a strong finish to the tourney, posting their first negative team score of the week (-2) which allowed them to climb to 7th in a tie with Switzerland. Canada 2, composed of Lauren Kim and Angela Arora of Surrey, B.C., with Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont.), scored plus +7 and dropped to 19th, ahead of Ireland.
The 2019 World Junior Girls Championship was conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario and supported by the R&A and the International Golf Federation. Recognized as an “A” ranked event by the World Amateur Golf Rankings, the seventh edition of the World Junior Girls Championship will be presented at Angus Glen Golf Club in 2020.
2019 TEAM COMPETITION RESULTS
Gold Republic of Korea
Jung-Min Hong, Ye Won Lee, Yoon Ina, *143-139-140-141-563 (-13)
Silver Thailand
Kan Bunnabodee, Yosita Khawnuna, Atthaya Thitikul, *144-137-142-144-567 (-9)
Bronze Italy
Carolina Melgrati, Alessia Nobilio, Benedetta Moresco, *147-140-143-143-573 (-3)
2019 INDIVIDUAL COMPETITION (TOP 10)
- Atthaya Thitikul, Thailand, *73-63-71-70-277 -11
2. Ye Won Lee, Republic of Korea, *71-70-68-70-279 -9
3. Alessia Nobilio, Italy, *72-67-72-71-282 -6
4. Ho-Yu An, Chinese Taipei, *75-65-74-70-284 -4
4. Jung-Min Hong, Republic of Korea, *72-69-72-71-284 -4
6. Yin Xiaowen, People’s Republic of China, *71-71-72-72-286 -2
6. Hannah Darling, Scotland, *73-66-71-76-286 -2
8. Elena Moosmann, Switzerland, *73-74-69-71-287 -1
9. Lucie Malchirand, France, *73-71-72-72-288 E
9. Annabell Fuller, England, *72-72-73-71-288 E
11. Amalie Leth-Nissen, Denmark, *76-70-73-71-290 +2
11. Anne Normann, Denmark, *78-70-69-73-290 +2
13. Mimi Rhodes, England, *73-71-77-72-293 +5
13. Yoon Ina, Republic of Korea, *74-72-74-73-293 +5
15. Brooke Rivers, Canada 1, *74-73-76-71-294 +6
15. Paula Schulz-Hanssen, Germany, *78-72-74-70-294 +6
15. Chun-Wei Wu, Chinese Taipei, *74-70-78-72-294 +6
18. Yosita Khawnuna, Thailand, *71-74-76-74-295 +7
19. Carla Tejedo, Spain, *75-72-75-74-296 +8
20. Kan Bunnabodee, Thailand, *73-79-71-74-297 +9
20. Angela Arora, Canada 2, *76-73-74-74-297 +9
22. Ester Fagersten, Sweden, *72-74-78-75-299 +11
23. Natacha Høst Husted, Denmark, *76-79-74-71-300 +12
23. Benedetta Moresco, Italy, *77-73-78-72-300 +12
25. Emily Zhu, Canada 1, *82-75-73-71-301 +13
25. Ffion Tynan, Wales, *75-79-70-77-301 +13
25. Carolina Melgrati, Italy, *75-80-71-75-301 +13
28. Maria Jose Bohorquez Fonseca, Colombia, *81-73-73-76-303 +15
29. Marie Bechtold, Germany, *78-70-76-80-304 +16
29. Darcey Harry, Wales, *80-70-82-72-304 +16
29. Christina Ochoa, Colombia, *79-74-76-75-304 +16
29. Cory Lopez, Mexico, *78-77-75-74-304 +16
33. Louise Rydqvist, Sweden, *76-77-79-74-306 +18
33. Aada Rissanen, Finland, *81-74-80-71-306 +18
35. Chiara Horder, Germany, *78-77-78-74-307 +19
35. Carolina López-Chacarra, Spain, *80-71-76-80-307 +19
35. Yael Berger, Switzerland, *80-76-77-74-307 +19
35. Paola Alonso, Mexico, *79-75-81-72-307 +19
39. Carmen Griffiths, Scotland, *78-81-75-74-308 +20
40. Li Shuying, People’s Republic of China, *82-80-75-72-309 +21
40. Lily May Humphreys, England, *86-75-72-76-309 +21
42. Adela Cernousek, France, *75-79-80-76-310 +22
42. Sofia Torres Villarreal, Colombia, *80-75-79-76-310 +22
44. Sara Ericsson, Sweden, *78-77-78-78-311 +23
44. Aine Donegan, Ireland, *81-81-74-75-311 +23
44. Ada Huhtala, Finland, *81-78-75-77-311 +23
47. Euna Han, Canada 1, *77-80-80-75-312 +24
48. Lilas Pinthier, France, *83-77-79-74-313 +25
48. Beth Coulter, Ireland, *78-81-74-80-313 +25
50. Victoria Monod, Switzerland, *77-84-76-78-315 +27
51. Lauren Daiana Olivares, Mexico, *81-79-81-75-316 +28
52. Hsin-Chun Liao, Chinese Taipei, *84-76-80-77-317 +29
52. Lauren Kim, Canada 2, *79-79-82-77-317 +29
54. Carys Worby, Wales, *86-81-77-75-319 +31
54. Kerttu Hiltunen, Finland, *88-76-79-76-319 +31
56. Peng You, People’s Republic of China, *83-86-79-77-325 +37
57. Nieves Martín , Spain, *84-81-89-73-327 +39
58. Katy Alexander, Scotland, *83-80-86-79-328 +40
59. Ellie Szeryk, Canada 2, *85-84-84-86-339 +51
WORLD JUNIOR GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP MEDAL HISTORY
2014 TEAM INDIVIDUAL
Gold USA Mika Liu (USA)
Silver Sweden Megan Khang (USA)
Bronze Canada 1 Emma Svensson (Sweden)
2015 TEAM INDIVIDUAL
Gold Korea Hye-jin Choi (Korea)
Silver Denmark Cecilie Bofill (Denmark)
Bronze Sweden Filippa Moork (Sweden)
2016 TEAM INDIVIDUAL
Gold Philippines Yuka Saso (Philippines)
Silver Korea Jennifer Chang (USA)
Bronze USA Caterina Don (Italy)
2017 TEAM INDIVIDUAL
Gold Spain Seo-yun Kwon (Korea)
Silver Korea Alessia Nobilio (Italy)
Bronze Sweden Bianca Fernandez (Spain)
2018 TEAM INDIVIDUAL
Gold Italy Atthaya Thitikul (Thailand)
Silver USA Alessia Nobilio (Italy)
Bronze Thailand Zoe Campos (USA)
2019 TEAM INDIVIDUAL
Gold Korea Atthaya Thitikul (Thailand)
Silver Thailand Ye Won Lee (Republic of Korea)
Bronze Italy Alessia Nobilio (Italy)
Additional information regarding the World Junior Girls Championship can be found on the competition’s website.
Full results can be found here.
Titleist introduces new TruFeel golf ball – The softest-feeling Titleist
The new Titleist TruFeel golf ball is engineered to deliver longer distance and excellent control for golfers who rely on the consistent performance and quality of the softest-feeling Titleist.
Now available in golf shops worldwide, Titleist TruFeel has been reimagined with a new TruTouch core and new TruFit aerodynamics for more distance with the driver and in the long game. A proprietary TruFlex cover provides ultra-soft feel and excellent control on shots into and around the green.
For golfers who prefer a very soft compression feel, Titleist TruFeel improves upon the prior generation DT TruSoft as the best performing golf ball in its class, offering a superior combination of soft feel, longer distance and short game control.
“We know from our extensive player testing that golfers who gravitate toward the softest-feeling golf balls are also clearly focused on performance,” said Michael Mahoney, Vice President, Titleist Golf Ball Marketing. “In this category, we continue to see competitive products that sacrifice distance or short-game spin in order to gain a softer feel. TruFeel strikes the perfect balance of extremely soft feel and all-around performance. Our engineers have advanced TruFeel’s low compression technology to add speed and distance in the long game while preserving the feel that golfers tell us they love – and the playability on every shot that makes this ball a Titleist.”
TruFeel is available in White and Optic Yellow, with a new Matte Red colour option to be added in January 2020. The new TruFeel sidestamp has been designed to double as an alignment aid.
TruFeel PERFORMANCE & TECHNOLOGY
Titleist TruFeel delivers best-in-class performance through the most advanced low compression design and manufacturing technologies:
- New TruTouch Core: The fast, low compression TruTouch core generates low spin for long distance.
- TruFlex Cover: The TruFlex cover is a proprietary Titleist formulation designed for very soft feel around the green and excellent greenside control.
- New TruFit Aerodynamics: The new TruFit aerodynamics are designed with a symmetrically optimized pattern to enhance long game distance.
Every TruFeel golf ball is made at Titleist Ball Plant 2 in North Dartmouth, Mass., to ensure the most consistent performance, quality and feel – from ball to ball and dozen to dozen.
Korea moving on up on moving day at World Junior Girls Championship
MARKHAM, Ont. — Many golfers despise being interrupted by the elements when playing a round. But don’t say that to Team Korea. After a thunderstorm stopped play for just under three hours on Thursday during the third round, the Koreans rallied after play resumed to erase the four-stroke lead that Thailand held before the stoppage and take a one-shot advantage in the team competition.
Korea now sits in first with an aggregate score of 422 (-10), just one shot separating them from Thailand at No. 2. Italy also made the most of moving day, as the 2018 team champions in Ottawa posted a score of minus -1 to climb to third position (-2). England and Denmark also moved up a notch, to fourth and fifth respectively.
In the individual competition, the top of the leader board is occupied by seven competitors that remain under par this week and it is still led by Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand.
Ye Won Lee of Korea (-7), who fired a four-under 68 for the lowest round of the day, climbs to within two shots of Thitikul, who holds on to the lead with a tournament-best score of -9. Scotland’s Hannah Darling, whose hole-in-one yesterday helped her close in on the leaders, sits third at -6. Alessia Nobilio of Italy drops back to 4th place at -5, after shooting even par today.
After the round, Ye Won Lee explained: “I felt really good with my swing but I think that I could have done even better than I did today, because my putter was a little shaky.”
2018 champion Thitikul declared that: “I had a little bit of trouble with my putter when we got back (after the weather delay). The wind also the last two rounds was so strong.” Final round Friday promise to deliver an exciting finish on the South Course at Angus Glen.
As the organizing federation, Canada is afforded two teams to participate in the Championship.
Canada 1, which consists of Brooke Rivers (Brampton, Ont.), Euna Han (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Emily Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.) gained one position today with a team score of plus +5 and is in a tie for 10th with Germany. Canada 2, composed of Lauren Kim and Angela Arora of Surrey, B.C., with Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont.), remains in 17th. Angela Arora joins Brooke Rivers as the low Canadians, in a tie for 18th position at plus +7.
The World Junior Girls Championship is conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario and supported by the R&A and the International Golf Federation. Recognized as an “A” ranked event by the World Amateur Golf Rankings, the World Junior Girls Championship is in its sixth edition.
Play resumes at 8 AM on Friday for the final round. The closing ceremony will start shortly after the conclusion of play around 3:00 P.M. (EDT).
Admission to the competition is free. Additional information regarding the sixth annual World Junior Girls Championship can be found on the competition’s website.
Full results and tournament information can be found here.
Crown Isle Golf Resort set to host Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series event
COURTENAY, B.C. – Golf Canada’s eighth and final regional junior golf championship of 2019 is set to begin Friday as the Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series continues at Crown Isle Golf Resort.
The tournament marks the second instalment of the Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series — a two-championship extension of the popular junior golf series which first took place in 2018. With the addition of the two events, the Future Links championship series now features eight tournaments through the course of the season, each hosted in conjunction with the respective provincial association in which the championship is hosted.
The 54-hole stroke play tournament will begin with a practice round on September 26, before the tournament officially gets underway with the opening-round taking place September 27.
“British Columbia Golf is thrilled to co-host the final Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series event with Golf Canada at one of British Columbia’s top golf facilities,” said Doug Hastie, tournament director with British Columbia Golf. “Hosting another Future Links regional championship provides top junior golfers from our area with yet another opportunity for to showcase their skills and continue their development both on and off the course.”
The field will consist of 96 junior golfers under 19 years of age of under (as of August 1, 2020) with the top six earning exemptions into their respective Golf Canada junior national championship.
Seventy-one boys will vie for one of three spots into the 2020 Canadian Junior Boys Championship taking place August 10-13 at Rivershore Estate & Golf Links in Kamloops, B.C.
The Junior Girls Division will see 25 girls battle for one of three exemptions into the 2020 Canadian Junior Girls Championship being held July 28–31 at Club de golf de Lorette in Loretteville, Qué.
A tie for the 3rd position in the Junior Boys division will be decided by a playoff following the conclusion of play.
Designed by Canadian Golf Hall of Fame Honoured Member Graham Cooke, Crown Isle opened in 1992. The course is known for being superbly maintained and having a fun yet challenging layout. With 12 lakes, views of the Beaufort Range & Comox Glacier, as well as verdant fairways, Crown Isle offers a stunningly picturesque golf experience.
The course will play as a 6,791-yard par 72 for the championship and will undoubtedly be a good challenge for up-and-coming junior golfers in Golf Canada’s final championship of the 2019 season.
Results for previous 2019 Future Links, driven by Acura Championship can be found here: Pacific, Ontario, Western, Quebec, Prairie, Atlantic, Fall Series (Quebec).
For scoring, pairings and additional information from the Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series event at Crown Isle Golf Club, click here
Thailand’s Thitikul surges to the lead after Round 2 of the World Junior Girls Championship
MARKHAM, Ont. —There is something about Canada that brings out the best in Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul’s game and it was on full display today at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ontario, during the second round of the 2019 World Junior Girls Championship (WJG).
Teeing it up from the 10th hole in a split-tee start this morning, Thitikul, the defending champion from last year’s WJG in Ottawa, had a relatively inauspicious start with four consecutive pars, before finding a new gear following a birdie on the par-5 14th hole. And she was all business from there, collecting seven more birdies and an eagle against only one bogey the rest of the way. With a blistering score of 30 on the front nine for a total of 63 on the day, Thitikul returned to the clubhouse this afternoon with a three-stroke lead over her nearest rivals, Hannah Darling of Scotland and last year’s individual silver medallist, Alessia Nobilio of Italy, who are tied for second place at 5-under for the tournament.
In her post-round interview, the personable Thitikul was frank in her assessment: “You know, I give all the credit to my putter, it worked really good today. I just had fun in the round and that’s good. And the results come.” When asked what adjustments she needs to make for the rest of the week, she declared that “what I need to improve on … are the approaches, with my wedge. You know, at 80 or 90, it was not as good, and I need to improve.” This bodes well for Thailand moving forward.
Darling had quite the outing herself, firing her first career hole-in-one on the 2nd hole, en route to a tidy score of 66 (-6). Nobilio put herself in the hunt, handing in a minus -5 scorecard to rebound from a somewhat disappointing day one that had left her at even par.
Of joining the hole-in-one club today, Darling confides that “it’s the first I’ve ever had … that was pretty cool! Me and Beth (Coulter, of Ireland) were playing together and we were just going mad!”
Ho-Yu An of Chinese Taipei also had a wonderful round and put herself in the mix with a score of 65 (-7) in the second round. An now trails Darling and Nobilio by only one shot, in fourth position at 4-under par.
In the team competition, the Thai squad managed to create a little space atop of what was a very crowded leaderboard following the first round. Propelled by Thitikul’s stellar outing, Thailand shaved 7 strokes from par on Wednesday for an aggregate total of 281 (-7), one shot better than Korea in second place at 282 (-6) and Chinese Taipei, who jump up the rankings to No. 3 with a total team score of 284. Last year’s champion team Italy is close behind in fourth spot at minus -1.
As the organizing federation, Canada can delegate two squads to the Championship.
Canada 1, comprised of Brooke Rivers (Brampton, Ont.), Euna Han (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Emily Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.) lost a little ground and now sits in a tie for 11th with Sweden. Canada 2, which includes Lauren Kim and Angela Arora of Surrey, B.C., with Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont.), dropped four ranks to 17th. For the second day, Rivers remains the low Canadian, firing a 1-over-par 73 that leaves her in a tie for 16th position.
Team Canada is looking for its first medal since capturing bronze at the first ever World Junior Girls Championship in 2014.
The World Junior Girls Championship is conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario and supported by the R&A and the International Golf Federation. Recognized as an “A” ranked event by the World Amateur Golf Rankings, the World Junior Girls Championship is in its sixth edition.
Play resumes at 8 AM on Thursday. Full results and tournament information can be found here.
Admission to the competition is free. Additional information regarding the sixth annual World Junior Girls Championship can be found on the competition’s website.
Crowded leaderboard after day one of the World Junior Girls Championship
MARKHAM, Ont. —The world’s best young female golfers took over Markham’s Angus Glen Golf Club on Tuesday as the 2019 World Junior Girls Championship got underway on one of the GTA’s favourite tracks.
Under the watchful eyes of several NCAA golf coaches that have made the journey north, Round one was clearly a high-scoring affair since only three competitors managed to navigate the challenging South Course under par: Thailand’s Yosita Khawnuna, Yin Xiaowen of China and Ye Won Lee of Korea, who all share the individual lead at one under par after rounds of 71.
Khawnuna was in the lead for a large portion of the day before stumbling near the end of her round with a bogey at 17 and a double bogey at 18which erased the three-shot lead she had built after a terrific birdie on the par-5 hole No. 16.
It was an equally tight contest in the team competition as the top three squads are only separated by two shots, with Korea paving the way on an aggregate score of minus -1 (143), followed closely by Thailand at even par (144) and England in third at plus +1 (145).
Team Thailand, headlined by 2018 World Junior Girls champion Atthaya Thitikul who went one over on the day (73), is looking to build on its success after claiming bronze last year in Ottawa. The third member of the team, Kan Bunnabodee concluded with a 73 as well to sit T8.
Looking for background into the World Junior Girls Championship @AngusGlenGC? Our junior reporter @Abigail_Dove10 from @SIKids has you covered! ⛳️??♀️#WJGC pic.twitter.com/bOvvGcAk3q
— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) September 24, 2019
In a post-match interview, Thitikul, Bunnabodee and Khawnuna agreed that many challenges await on this golf course. The Thai team looks forward to having another go at it tomorrow: “We need to just let go and tomorrow will be better. Today is over and we just need to go and practise the things that we need to do (better). Just stick to the game plan and we will be better,” said Bunnabodee, speaking on behalf of the squad.
As the organizing federation, Canada can delegate two squads to the Championship.
Canada 1, which comprises Brooke Rivers (Brampton, Ont.), Euna Han (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Emily Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.) sit in a tie for 9th with Scotland. Canada 2, which includes Lauren Kim and Angela Arora of Surrey, B.C., with Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont.), trails behind at T13 with Spain and Wales. Rivers was the low Canadian today with a 2-over-par 74, which leaves her only three shots shy of the lead.
Team Canada is looking for its first medal since capturing bronze at the first ever World Junior Girls in 2014.
The World Junior Girls Championship is conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario and supported by the R&A and the International Golf Federation. Recognized as an “A” ranked event by the World Amateur Golf Rankings, the World Junior Girls Championship is in its sixth edition.
Play resumes at 8 AM on Wednesday. Full results and tournament information can be found here.
Admission to the competition is free. Additional information regarding the sixth annual World Junior Girls Championship can be found on the competition’s website.
Angus Glen Golf Club ready to host world’s best female junior golfers
MARKHAM, Ont. — It is a field comprised of some of the planet’s best young female golfers that will display their skills at Angus Glen Golf Club, as the sixth edition of the World Junior Girls Championship gets underway from September 24 to 27. In total, 60 athletes representing 19 countries—including two teams from host nation Canada—will compete for the team and individual titles.
“In collaboration with Golf Ontario and our partners, we are thrilled to present this first-class event featuring some the most promising female athletes the world of golf has to offer,” said Dan Hyatt, Tournament Director for the World Junior Girls Championship. “It is an honour for us to afford these talented juniors an opportunity to continue their growth and development.”
This year’s field is highlighted by 11 competitors ranked inside the World Golf Amateur Rankings (WAGR) top 100. The tournament’s top-ranked player is 2018 World Junior Girls individual champion Atthaya Thitikul (No. 2), who will represent last year’s bronze medal winners Thailand in the country’s second World Junior Girls appearance. Thitikul, the reigning Thailand Ladies Amateur champion, won the Smyth Salver award as the Low Amateur at the 2019 AIG Women’s British Open, captured the 2019 Ladies European Tour Thailand Championship and has now competed in 10 professional events worldwide.
England is the only country in the tournament to have all three team members ranked in WAGR’s top 100. Lily May Humphreys (No. 29) will make her third WJG appearance and try to improve on her T7 finish in 2017. Joining her at Markham’s Angus Glen will be Annabell Fuller (No. 46) and Euphemie “Mimi” Rhodes (No. 95).
Returning champions Italy will be able to rely on Alessia Nobilio (No. 7) to lead the team. Nobilio will look to add to her record WJG individual medal haul after capturing silver medals in 2017 and 2018. The 17-year-old, who has seven top-ten finishes this year including two victories, will be joined by newcomers Carolina Melgrati (No. 115) and Benedetta Moresco (No. 34). The trio will look to bring a third World Junior Girls team medal to Italy.
The 2019 edition of the Championship will see several players return, as 17 members of the field have played in at least one World Junior Girls Championship, including double individual silver medallist Nobilio (Italy) who became the first repeat medallist in tournament history in Ottawa last year. Six players will be appearing in at least their third edition of the event, including Canadians Ellie Szeryk (No. 724) and Emily Zhu (No. 977), Switzerland’s Elena Moosman (No. 97), Mexico’s Cory Lopez (No. 314) and England’s Humphreys. Nobilo will make a record fourth appearance at the Championship.
Sweden will look to add a fourth team medal to their trophy case after earning one silver (2014) and two bronze medals (2015 and 2017). As the only Swedish player returning to the championship, Ester Fägersten (No. 180) will be joined by first-timers Louise Rydqvist (No. 439) and Sara Ericsson (No. 230).
Along with the returning teams and players, the World Junior Girls Championship is also pleased to welcome back the representatives of Germany and the Republic of Korea after a one-year absence, as well as to host Wales for the very first time. The inaugural Welsh team will consist of Darcey Harry (No. 578), Ffion Tynan (No. 693) and Carys Worby (No. 799).
Joining the strong international field will be the six players chosen to represent Canada. Brooke Rivers (Brampton, Ont.), Euna Han (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.) will constitute Canada One, while Lauren Kim and Angela Arora of Surrey, B.C., will team up with Szeryk (London, Ont.) to form Canada Two. Team Canada will be looking for their first medal since capturing bronze at the inaugural World Junior Girls Championship in 2014.
In 2018 at Camelot Golf and Country Club, it was Italy that prevailed over the USA to capture the crown, registering a feisty 6-under performance (138) that allowed them to catch the Americans and force extra holes. Italy eventually came up on top to win their first World Junior Girls Championship gold.
The World Junior Girls Championship is conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario and supported by the R&A and the International Golf Federation. Recognized as an ‘A’ ranked event by the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR), the World Junior Girls Championship will run for its sixth time.
Angus Glen Golf Club consists of two 18-hole championship golf courses in Markham, Ontario. The North and South courses offer variety, beauty and challenges. It has been ranked as one of the top 80 golf courses in the world outside of the United States. It was home to the 2002 and 2007 Canadian Open and an official host of the 2015 Toronto Pan/Parapan American Games.
The first round of play is on Tuesday, September 24. The tournament’s closing ceremonies will immediately follow the conclusion of play on Friday, Sept. 27.
Admission to the competition is free. Additional information regarding the sixth annual World Junior Girls Championship can be found on the competition’s website.
Jean-Philippe Parr and Erin Kim win the Québec Future Links Fall Series in Lachute
LACHUTE, Qué. — Erin Kim of Toronto kept her eye on the prize and held on to her 36-hole lead for a six-shot victory in the Junior Girls division while Jean-Philippe Parr of Saint-Célestin, Qué., managed to keep his rivals at bay to escape with the Boys title, as the first of two Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series events concluded Sunday on course No. 1 at Lachute Golf Club.
2019 Champions Erin Kim and Jean-Philippe Parr
Parr, who shot 73 on Sunday for a tournament best score of 213 (-3), had registered the day’s low score of 68 in Friday’s opening round to sit in the pole position, but he had to fend off some fierce competition both Saturday and during the final round to claim the laurels.
Parr narrowly beat a trio of contenders that finished T2 at 214 for the weekend, including Owen Kim of Oakville, Ont., Malik Dao of Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Qué. and Felix Bouchard of Otterburn Park, Qué. Thomas Latter of Mississauga, Ont., valiantly tried to catch the leaders by shooting the low round of the week, but his card of 67 still left him two shots back of the winner.
The three had to go in extra holes to break the tie in order to determine which two would receive exemptions into the 2020 Canadian Junior Boys Championship and it was Kim and Bouchard who prevailed. The 2020 Canadian Junior Boys Championship will be held from Aug. 10-13, 2020 at Rivershore Estate & Golf Links in Kamloops, B.C.
In the Girls division, it was a wire-to-wire victory for Erin Kim. The Toronto resident who plays her club golf at The Ladies Golf Club of Toronto beat her nearest rival by six strokes with a total score of 220 (+4), this despite notching her highest score of the week on final Sunday with a 78.
Finishing second was Sarah Gallagher of Burlington, Ont. who also shot 78 on Sunday for a total of 226 (+10) while Katie Cranston of Oakville handed in a final card of 76 to finish third at 227 (+11). All three have earned exemptions into the 2020 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, which takes place next July 28 to 31, at Club de golf de Lorette in Loretteville, Québec.
The competition marked the second year of the Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series — two additional junior golf tournaments that were introduced last fall to increase the competitive offering for up-and-coming young players. The Future Links Championship series now features eight tournaments through the course of the season, each hosted in collaboration with the host club’s provincial association.
The second Fall Series event and final Future Links championship of the 2019 season will take place at Crown Isle Golf Resort in Courtenay, British Columbia, from Sept. 27 to 29.
Results for all 2019 Future Links, driven by Acura Championships can be found here: Pacific, Ontario, Western, Québec, Prairie, Atlantic.
Click here for scoring, pairings and additional information.
Wes Heffernan wins PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada
Wes Heffernan elevated his game to the next level Thursday at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, capturing the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf in impressive fashion.
The 42-year-old from the Dynamic Motion Golf Performance Centre in Calgary capped off his first PGA of Canada national championship with a final-round 8-under-par 64, bringing his three-day total to -19.
Heffernan’s championship run featured 19 birdies and more incredibly, not a single bogey for the week.
“Today I played pretty much like I had all week,” Heffernan said. “I drove the ball really well, but hit my irons great—especially on the back nine when I needed it most.”
Heffernan’s five birdies on the final nine saw him put some space between himself his two playing competitors, Yohann Benson of Quebec and B.C.’s Oliver Tubb. All three were jostling for the lead throughout the front nine of the North Course at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, but the back is when Heffernan took his play up a couple of notches.
“I made a great birdie on No. 13 and that was big because both Oliver and Yohann made par and that opened up a little gap between us,” Heffernan admitted after the round. “But I think the biggest birdie of the day for me was at No. 15 when they both it in there really tight and I was forced to make a good putt to keep my momentum going.”
In addition to birdies on Nos. 13 and 15, Heffernan birdied the 12th, 16th and 17th en route to his three-shot victory over Benson. Tubb finished alone in third at -15, while Bryn Parry wound up at -14 in solo fourth. Pierre-Alexandre Bedard rounded out the top-five at -11.
Heffernan’s win this week at the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf caps off an impressive playing season for the association’s fourth-ranked player. He finished fourth in June at the PGA Championship of Canada, second at the PGA of Alberta Assistants’ Championship and won the PGA of Alberta Zone Championship. He also finished T14 at this year’s ATB Financial Classic on the Mackenzie Tour, where he’s a past four-time winner.
“It’s pretty cool to finally have won this championship,” Heffernan said. “The last couple years I’ve maybe tried too hard and as a result have spun my tires a little bit, but this week I just came in with the mindset to have some fun,” he said, adding, “and it feels really awesome.”
With the win at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, Heffernan is expected to move into the top three of the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC when they’re released next week.
Originally launched in 2011, the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC has received much praise over the past eight years. Players ranked inside the top 64 earn invites to the PGA Championship of Canada. The Mike Weir Player of the Year Award is also based on points earned throughout the calendar year. Players gain these points based on performance at national and zone tournaments.
The PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf host venue TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley is the first TPC property in Canada featuring three golf courses all ranked in SCOREGolf’s Top 100 Golf Courses in Canada list.
Designed by famed Canadian golf course architect Doug Carrick, the venue features a parkland-style layout that welcomes players with generous landing areas and naturally rolling fairways. While its width off the tee may be benevolent, deep greenside bunkers and undulating putting surfaces put a premium on approaching pins from the right angles, providing a challenge that rewards good shots but tests those who get out of position.
The next PGA of Canada national championship takes place Oct. 6-9 at Cabot Links for the RBC PGA Scramble of Canada presented by The Lincoln Motor Company.
Click here for full scores.
Lachute Golf Club ready to host the Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series
LACHUTE, Qué. —Golf Canada’s seventh regional junior golf championship of 2019 will kick off this Friday as the Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series gets underway on course No. 1 at Lachute Golf Club.
The competition marks the second year of the Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series — two additional junior golf tournaments that were introduced last fall to increase the competitive offering for up-and-coming young players. The Future Links Championship series now features eight tournaments through the course of the season, each hosted in collaboration with the host club’s provincial association.
Founded in 1923 by Gilbert E. Ayers, the Lachute Golf Club is recognized across Canada as one of the most beautiful places to play golf. The two distinctive courses were designed over 400 acres by world-renowned architects, Stanley Thompson and Howard Watson, in a majestic natural setting in the foothills of the Laurentians. Its greens have been graced with the presence of legends like Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Nick Price and LPGA great Judy Rankin, amongst others.
The 54-hole stroke play tournament will begin with a practice round on Sept. 19 before the tournament gets underway with round one on Sept. 20.
“Golf Québec is thrilled to return to Lachute to host this Future Links Fall Series event with Golf Canada, at one of Québec’s most storied golf properties,” said Éric Couture, tournament director with Golf Québec. “Bringing a second Future Links regional championship to the province affords us a chance to showcase the skills of Canada’s premier junior golfers and further their development. We look forward to observe how this strong field of junior athletes navigate the many challenges that await on course No. 1 at Lachute.”
The field will consist of 99 male and female junior golfers, with the top three of each division earning exemptions into their respective Canadian Junior National Championship.
72 boys will vie for one of three spots into next year’s Canadian Junior Boys Championship, to be held from Aug. 10 to 13, 2020 at Rivershore Estate & Golf Links in Kamloops, British Columbia.
The Junior Girls Division will see 27 girls compete for exemption into the 2020 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, which takes place next July 28 to 31, at Club de golf de Lorette in Loretteville, Québec.
Any tie for the third position and final exempt spot in the Junior Boys Division will be decided by a playoff following the conclusion of play.
The second Fall Series event and final Future Links championship of the 2019 season will take place at Crown Isle Golf Resort in Courtenay, British Columbia, from Sept. 27 to 29.
Results for all 2019 Future Links, driven by Acura Championships can be found here: Pacific, Ontario, Western, Québec, Prairie, Atlantic.
Click here for scoring, pairings and additional information.