Alek Mauro of the Windsor Lancers and Julia Alexander-Carew of the UBC Okanagan Heat each claimed maiden individual championship titles. 

Kamloops, B.C. – The UBC Thunderbirds successfully defended their titles in both the men’s and women’s team championships on Friday but came up short on the top spot in the individual championships to cap off a memorable Canadian University / College Championship at Rivershore Golf Links in Kamloops, B.C.  

The Thunderbirds’ male contingent secured their ninth national championship after shooting a collective 21-under par (292-275-288-276) through four rounds, while the women’s program put the finishing touches on their eighth consecutive national championship on Friday with a collective score of 14-under par (216-215-214-205).  

Each of the Thunderbirds that took home the Canadian University / College Championship this week will compete at the Canadian Collegiate Invitational in the fall. The men’s competition will begin on September 13 at Öviinbyrd Golf Club in MacTier, Ont. while the female competition gets underway September 21 at Beacon Hall Golf Club in Aurora, Ont.  

“I’m just so proud of them. What they did academically and then to compete so hard on the course and their sportsmanship is at another level too. It’s been a great run and this is a really nice way for them to end their careers as graduates of UBC,” commented UBC’s coach Chris Macdonald on his male winners.  

Mackenzie Bickell of Richmond, B.C., John Paul Kahlert of Maple Ridge, B.C., Hudson LaFayette of North Vancouver, B.C., Dylan MacDonald of Markham, Ont. and Aidan Schumer of Columbus, Ohio. will all be graduating at the end of the year.  

Both sides took the lead after Tuesday’s opening round and never looked back, with the women’s team impressively slotting each of their players in the top five of the individual standings and beating their provincial rival – the UBC Okanagan Heat – by 27 strokes.  

“It’s the first time we’ve been here to Kamloops to play golf,” commented Macdonald moments after claiming his 27th and 28th national championships on Friday. “Rivershore was amazing and the tournament was so well organized. We had a really fun week and made a lot of birdies and that’s what separated us this week,” he added.  

Though the Thunderbirds outlasted the Heat in the team championship throughout the week, it was the latter’s sophomore, Julia Alexander-Carew of Oakville, Ont. that failed to flinch at the flock of Thunderbirds on her heels to close out her maiden individual championship title.  

Trailing Una Chou of San Diego, Calif. after 36 holes, Alexander-Carew roared to life with an eagle on the par-5 fourth to pull even with the defending champion. The momentum carried the second year into a slew of birdies on the part of the property that ailed her the most leading up to Friday’s final round, sinking consecutive birdie putts on Nos. six, seven and eight to dart well into the lead after Chou played the same stretch at two-over par.  

“They were three pretty difficult putts so seeing them all drop gave me confidence for the back nine,” commented Alexander-Carew, adding a final birdie on the 18th hole to wrap up Friday with her best round of the tournament and a five-under 67. 

The pivotal swing set Alexander-Carew on course to steal the individual championship title despite Chou rallying off three consecutive birdies on Nos. 14, 15 and 17 to get back to red figures.  

“It was a really good year for me and closing it out with this type of win is huge,” said Alexander-Carew. Her runner-up finish at last year’s event gave her a clear idea of what was required of her game to move up on the podium and was reinforced by her coach walking alongside her all throughout the final round.  

UBC contested one another for the final two places of the podium on Friday, with Jessica Ng of Vancouver, B.C. going low for the second consecutive day with a field-best score of 66 to secure a runner up finish with Chou at three-under par.  

Just a day removed from shooting a third-round 66 to give himself a six-shot cushion in the individual men’s championship, Alek Mauro of Windsor, Ont. was able to overcome numerous wobbles and a late charge from Anthony Jomphe of Chicoutimi, Que. to hold steady and secure the individual men’s title.  

Starting his round on the 10th hole on Friday, Mauro bounced in and out of red figures as each of his two birdie attempts on the front nine were erased by bogey putts shortly after while Jomphe played the same stretch at four-under par to secure second place. Though despite the chaos, the fifth year was able to lean into his 36-hole lead and win by just a single stroke after a fourth round 73.  

The victory secures Mauro a spot in the 120th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship presented by BDO set to kick off at the Royal Ottawa Golf Club in Gatineau, Que. on July 26. Similarly, Friday’s individual championship winner in the women’s division, Alexander-Carew, will also reap the benefits of her victory later this summer and is exempt in the 111th Canadien Women’s Amateur Championship presented by BDO. The event will be held at The Riverside Country Club in Saint John, N.B. from July 22-25.  

“The competition is so high and just playing with people of so many different levels from so many different places, I think it’ll be a really good challenge,” praised Alexander-Carew. “They’re always great competitions, best in the country,” praised Mauro. “Really looking forward to competing this summer,” he added. Alexander-Carew and Mauro enter the event with previous experience, having competed in their Canadian Amateur Championships in 2024 and 2021 respectively.  

To view the full leaderboards from the final round of the Canadian University / College Championship, please click here.  

Men’s Team Championship – Top-3 

Women’s Team Championship – Top-3 

Men’s Individual Championship – Top-3 

Women’s Individual Championship – Top-3 

Masters champion Rory McIlroy tumbled out of the RBC Canadian Open on Friday with his worst round in nearly a year, with Cameron Champ taking a two-stroke lead into the weekend in the final event before the U.S. Open.

McIlroy shot an 8-under 78, making a mess of the fifth hole with a quadruple-bogey 8 in his highest score since also shooting 78 last year in the first round of the British Open. He had a double bogey on No. 11, four bogeys and two birdies.

“Of course it concerns me,” McIlroy said. “You don’t want to shoot high scores like the one I did today. Still, I felt like I came here obviously with a new driver thinking that that sort of was going to be good and solve some of the problems off the tee, but it didn’t.”

At 9 over, the two-time Canadian Open winner was 21 strokes behind Champ on the rain-softened North Course at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley.

“Obviously, going to Oakmont next week, what you need to do more than anything else there is hit fairways,” McIlroy said. “Still sort of searching for the sort of missing piece off the tee.”

Champ had four birdies in a 68 in the morning a day after opening with a 62. He was at 12 under, playing the first 36 holes without a bogey.

“It’s firmed up a little bit, but fairly similar to yesterday,” Champ said. “The fairways I feel like were firming up a little bit. The greens slightly, but pretty close to how they were yesterday.”

The three-time PGA Tour winner got one of the last spots in the field after being the eighth alternate Friday when the commitments closed.

“I definitely didn’t think I was getting in,” Champ said.

Andrew Putnam was second after a bogey-free 62 on the course hosting the event for the first time. He won the 2018 Barracuda Championship for his lone tour title.

“I hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of good iron shots, too, and my putter was on fire,” Putnam said. “Pretty much did everything right. Didn’t really make many mistakes.”

Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark, tied for the first-round lead with Cristobal Del Solar after a 61, had a 70 drop into a tie for third at 9 under with Canadians Richard Lee (64) and Nick Taylor (65) and France’s Victor Perez (65).

Taylor won the 2023 event at Oakdale.

“Hung in there,” Taylor said. “Making a birdie on the last was important to end the day nicely.”

Del Solar was 8 under after a 71. Shane Lowry (68) also was 8 under with Ryan Fox (66), Jake Knapp (69), Sam Burns (66) and Matteo Manassero (65).

CALEDON, Ont. – Richard T. Lee brought his A-game to the second round of the RBC Canadian Open in front of hometown fans and family.

The 34-year-old Canadian made his first cut on the PGA Tour by carding a six-under 66 for the round. He now sits at nine under heading into the weekend.

“I’ve played Web.com and made cuts there, but it’s my first cut made on the PGA Tour and it’s one of the best feelings I’ve had,” he said.

The five-foot-10 Canadian was quick to credit his iron play for his strong second round.

“I think the key to my success today was my iron shots. Inside 145 yards, I was spot on. I had great looks at birdie and some of them were pretty easy,” he said.

Lee was born in Richmond Hill, Ont., and moved to Vancouver when he was one year old.

“Prior to last year’s Canadian Open, I hadn’t been back to the Toronto area in a long time, but it’s a great feeling to be back,” said Lee, who now lives in Arizona.

Also soaking in the moment were his uncle Ken Hong and aunt Mary Hong, who were on-site to see their nephew’s performance.

“We’re from Toronto and it’s great to see him compete here,” said Ken Hong, who still remembers his nephew’s humble beginnings at age three.

“Last year, he missed the cut by one shot, and seeing what he did today shows he’s got determination to succeed,” he added.

Mary Hong admitted she got a little emotional watching Lee’s success.

“Richard played so amazing today. He seemed so calm and I’m just so proud of him. I cried a little bit after his round,” she said.

Lee currently competes on the Asian Tour but says his dream is to achieve success on the PGA Tour. After a strong second round, the talented Canadian is in contention near the top of the leaderboard.

Heading into the weekend, Lee is focused on keeping up his strong play.

“Just going to take it shot by shot and play the way I did today,” he said when asked about his mindset.

“It’s always been one of my dreams to succeed on the PGA Tour, and if I am able to get to Sunday and get a ‘W,’ then it will be a dream come true.”

Windsor Lancers’ Alek Mauro leads men’s individual championship by six strokes, UBC Thunderbirds’ Una Chou stays atop women’s individual championship. 

Kamloops, B.C. – Alek Mauro of Windsor, Ont. strengthened his grasp on the men’s individual championship on Thursday with a six-under 66, while the UBC Thunderbirds narrowed in on their team division championship ambitions during a busy third round in the Canadian University / College Championship at Rivershore Golf Links in Kamloops, B.C.  

The Thunderbirds enter Friday’s final round with a 12 and 17 stroke lead over the Victoria Vikes and the UBC Okanagan Heat in the respective men’s and women’s team championships. Both teams are looking to secure their eighth and 17th national championship and repeat as champions for the 26th time under the helm of coach Chris Macdonald.  

“Having won last year’s tournament puts us in a great position to defend,” commented UBC third-year Jessica Ng of Vancouver, B.C. “With the experience level of this team, we have all been in this situation before and will be able to stay calm, present, and focused for the final round.” 

On the men’s side, Mauro – who started his afternoon with a one-shot lead over UBC’s Aidan Schumer of Columbus, Ohio. on Thursday – overcame a slow start to begin to pull away from the field in the men’s individual championship.  

A bogey-free front nine including five birdies and an eagle at the par-5 fourth catapulted the fifth-year senior into a six-shot lead over his closest chaser Anthony Jomphe of Chicoutimi, Que. – who carved out a consecutive round of 69 to challenge for the podium.  

“I just hit the ball really straight today,” commented Mauro. “Just hit some good drives and put myself in good positions to have wedges into most of the greens,” he added. Mauro’s approach play was admittedly the key to his success on Thursday and allowed him to spin his shots close to the pin on numerous occasions for birdie looks. 

New contenders emerged in the men’s individual championship on Thursday after Dan Kirby of Woodstock, N.B.(Victoria Vikes) and reigning champion Dylan MacDonald of Markham, Ont. (UBC Thunderbirds) fell out of the hunt after struggling to put their game into gear.  

Jagre Knight of Parksville, B.C. (Victoria Vikes) decorated his scorecard with four birdies and seven-consecutive pars to end his third round 69 and sit in a tie with Schumer for third place on the leaderboard. Ryan Massicotte of Gardien, Que. (Bishop’s Gaiters) recovered from a triple-bogey at the 17th with five-straight birdies on holes three through seven to put himself in a tie for fifth alongside Daniel Abraha of Kingston, Ont. (Queen’s Gaels) and just a shot off the podium to start his final round.   

Though unable to make headway in the men’s individual championship, the Thunderbirds continued to roll in the women’s individual competition on Thursday with Ng leading the way with the lowest round of the day after carding a three-under 69. Ng squeezed an eagle at the par-5 fourth hole between a pair of birdies at holes three and five to begin her ascension into the top five of the leaderboard.  

“My putting and approach shots were crucial in today’s round,” commented Ng. She admitted to her struggles with the flatstick leading up to Thursday but was pleased with her ability to stay patient and allow the birdie putts to roll.  

Tightly contesting the UBC Okanagan Heat throughout the opening two rounds, Una Chou of San Diego, Calif. and the rest of the Thunderbirds found separation from their provincial rival before the turn on Thursday. Julia Alexander-Carew of Oakville, Ont. and Lauren Nedo of Coquitlam, B.C. found trouble at the par-5 eighth hole, each walking off the green with double bogey as Chou and her teammate Grace Bell of Calgary, Alta. both converted on birdie putts.  

The chaos left Chou with a four-shot lead heading into the back nine and Bell in a tie with Alexander-Carew for second at even-par. The Thunderbirds’ duo was unable to capitalize the rest of the way, however, each dropping a shot in the final three holes while Alexander-Carew found redemption with birdies at Nos. 15 and 17 to enter Friday’s final round in striking distance of the individual women’s championship title.  

“Our team is very competitive and supportive of each other, which helps us stay motivated and focused on building our lead,” added Ng who also believes the Thunderbirds are more than capable of defending their 17-shot lead over the Heat come Friday. 

Bo Brown of Mississauga, Ont. (UBC Thunderbirds), Nedo and Brynne Davies of Calgary, Alta. (Victoria Vikes) all sit in a tie for fifth on the individual leaderboard after rounds of 75, 76 and 72 respectively on Thursday.  

The top three daily scores count towards the women’s team total throughout the week, while the top four daily scores accrued by the male teams count towards their overall total.  

To view the full leaderboards from Thursday’s third-round action, please click here. For Friday’s final round pairings and tee times, please click here.  

Men’s Team Championship – Top-5 

Women’s Team Championship – Top-5 

Men’s Individual Championship – Top-5 

Women’s Individual Championship – Top-5 

Three of Canada’s best golfers are in one of the marquee groups at the RBC Canadian Open and they’re living up to that top billing.

Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., and Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., were in the morning wave together in Thursday’s opening round. They were just ahead of a group that featured world No. 2 Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, Sweden’s Ludwig Aberg and Luke Clanton of the United States.

Pendrith was tied with Americans Alex Smalley and Paul Peterson at 5-under 65 to hold the clubhouse lead. They dropped down into a nine-way tie for eighth once the afternoon wave was finished. Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen and Chile’s Cristobal Del Solar both flirted with the course record at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, firing 9-under 61 rounds to finish the first round atop the leaderboard.

“It was great out there. I felt like the crowd really filled in on the back nine,” said Pendrith, standing within sight of the 18th green. “Nick was making some birdies, and I was making some birdies. Mac holed a 6-iron on 5. 

“So it was a lot of fun. The crowd was into it. Nice to see a lot of people out here on a rainy day. We had a blast out there, and we all played pretty well.”

Taylor, the 2023 winner of the men’s national golf championship, was a shot back of Pendrith tied with a group for 16th. Hughes shot a 2-under 68 to sit in a tie with Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., among others.

“It was fun to feed off each other. It’s better than going the other way, obviously,” said Taylor. “Everyone played well. 

“Mac probably could have made a couple more putts where he normally does, but for all of us to be under par, it was a good start.”

It was a far cry from their first appearances at the Canadian Open, when they were all amateurs getting to play in the national championship thanks to sponsor exemptions.

“It’s cool to look back on. I think 2008 might have been my first Canadian Open, and I teed off at 7:30 at night because we had a long rain delay, and that was kind of my unique first start,” said Taylor. “Fast forward 17 years, being the featured group, it’s cool. It’s what we dreamt about.”

Pendrith agreed with Taylor, adding that his first Canadian Open appearance at Royal Montreal Golf Club in 2014 was formative for him.

“Those experiences, I think, help me,” said Pendrith. “It’s one of the biggest events for us, and it’s one that we look forward to all year. 

“It’s my fifth or sixth Canadian Open now, and it’s nice to play in a group with those guys and have all the fans supporting us. It’s the week that we look forward to every year.”

It’s a tradition on the PGA Tour that all the Canadians in the field practice together on the Tuesday of tournament week. That camaraderie bled over into Thursday’s round.

“To play a practice round with a couple buddies — excuse me, tournament round, it felt like a practice round is what I’m trying to say — It was a lot of fun,” said Taylor. “We kept it loose. It was nice to see a few birdies go in.”

A thunderstorm Wednesday night and continued rain into the morning made the greens soft and accuracy important. It affected spectators too, as they had to seek cover in the morning.

Fans who tried to come in the early afternoon struggled to find parking as one of two public lots at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley had to be closed because the heavy rainfall made the ground too soft to be driven on. The other parking lot quickly filled up, so Golf Canada encouraged spectators to use ride share or public drop-off if possible.

Olesen said that the rainy conditions actually helped him take the lead.

“Obviously, they’re a little bit softer than what they were yesterday,” he said. “I didn’t actually see the front nine until today. That worked out well maybe not to know any of the holes really.

“Sometimes you just have a feel of the greens and you just look at it, and you can sort of see the lines easy, and that was one of those days for me.”

UBC Thunderbirds’ Una Chou leads by two strokes in women’s individual championship; Alek Mauro of the Windsor Lancers leads men’s division by one in crowded leaderboard 

Kamloops, B.C – The UBC Thunderbirds Men’s team roared to life on Wednesday while the women’s team failed to take their foot off the gas throughout the second round to maintain the program’s lead at the 2025 Canadian University / College Championship at Rivershore Golf Links in Kamloops, B.C. 

The Thunderbirds take an 11 and nine stroke lead in the men’s and women’s divisions respectively into Thursday’s third round and by virtue of their veterans that led the program to a sweep of the tournament last year.  

Fifth-year duo Aidan Schumer of Columbus, Ohio and Dylan MacDonald of Markham, Ont., carved out rounds of 68 and 67 respectively to each soar up the leaderboard of the men’s individual championship and add to UBC’s team lead.  

Starting his second round on the back nine, MacDonald – who won in a playoff to claim last year’s men’s individual championship – collected four-consecutive birdies between holes 14 and 17 to get to two-under par and wipe away an uncharacteristic opening-round 74. He added birdies at the fourth and fifth holes to get to three-under par and more crucially stay well in the hunt to defend his title. 

“We’ve all been pretty calm this week,” commented Schumer on MacDonald and the rest of the Thunderbirds following his four-under round of 68. “All five of us are graduating after this year so we’re just trying to enjoy the moment, and I think that gives us a lot of peace out here,” he added.  

Schumer sits just one back of Alek Mauro of Windsor, Ont. (Windsor Lancers) who holds the outright lead in the individual championship after 36 holes at five-under par. Kicking off Wednesday in a tie for fourth at one-under par, Mauro started his round with a trio of birdies and an eagle at the par-five eighth hole to help steal the top spot from first-round leader Daniel Abraha of Kingston, Ont (Queen’s Gaels). 

Abraha shot a one-under 71 on Wednesday with 15 pars to stay in contention. He sits alongside Schumer at four-under par and in a tie for second. MacDonald and Dan Kirby of Woodstock, N.B. (Victoria Vikes) trail the pair by one stroke after 36 holes.  

On the women’s side, Una Chou of San Diego, Calif. continued her battle with provincial rival Julia Alexander-Carew of Oakville, Ont. The two – representing the Thunderbirds and the UBC Okanagan Heat respectively – took turns leading the individual championship on Wednesday, with Chou outlasting her closest competitor by sinking a birdie putt in her final two holes to get to four-under par and take a two-shot lead into Thursday.  

Grace Bell of Calgary, Alta. (UBC Thunderbirds) rounded out the podium of the women’s individual championship at one-over par, while Lauren Nedo of Coquitlam, B.C. (UBC Okanagan Heat) and Bo Brown of Mississauga, Ont. (UBC Thunderbirds) trail the third spot by one and two shots respectively after 36 holes.  

The top three daily scores count towards the women’s team total throughout the week, while the top four daily scores accrued by the male teams count towards their overall total.  

The field will be reduced to the top nine male teams and top six women’s teams – including any squad within 10 shots of the lead – following the conclusion of the third round on Thursday. As for the individual competition, players within 10 shots of the leader will make the cut, or any player within the top 10 of the leaderboard.  

To view the full leaderboards from Wednesday’s second-round action, please click here. For Thursday’s pairings and tee times, please click here.  

Men’s Team Championship – Top-5 

Women’s Team Championship – Top-5 

Men’s Individual Championship – Top-5 

Women’s Individual Championship – Top-5 

UBC Okanagan Heat’s Julia Alexander-Carew and UBC Thunderbirds Una Chou share top spot in women’s individual championship 

Kamloops, B.C. – The UBC Thunderbirds got their title defence off on the right track during Tuesday’s opening round at the 2025 Canadian University / College Championship, leading both the men’s and women’s team competition after 18 holes at Rivershore Golf Links in Kamloops, B.C. 

UBC’s male and female sides battled windy conditions on Tuesday to build four and eight shot leads respectively over their closest chasers, though several players in the field remain well in contention for an upset, particularly from the male Ontario University Athletics (OUA) contingent.  

A third year for the Queen’s Gaels, Daniel Abraha of Kingston, Ont. paced an OUA-packed leaderboard to open the first round of the Canadian University / College Championship.  

Starting his round on the ninth hole on Tuesday, Abraha played the tougher back nine at one-under par while collecting eight pars to throw his name into contention. He added birdies at Nos. 4, 6 and 8 to steal the clubhouse lead from McMaster Marauders’ fifth-year Nicolas Dessureault of Oakville, Ont. and solidify his place atop the leaderboard entering Wednesday.  

“I was very aware that the course was playing pretty firm out there,” said Abraha following his round on Tuesday. “Not putting yourself short-sighted made it much easier to avoid or limit the amount bogeys you made out there,” he added.  

Dessureault sits in a tie for second place with Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks’ Matthew Whitehead of Cambridge, Ont. The two opened the tournament with rounds of two-under par to track closely with Abraha, while Kai Baerg of Edmonton, Alta, Alex Mauro of Windsor, Ont. and Zachary Burt of Guelph, Ont. sit two back of Tuesday’s leader and in a three-way tie for fourth.  

Defending champion Una Chou of San Diego, Calif. got off to a flying start on Tuesday, carding a trio of birdies through her first five holes to find her familiar footing at the top of the women’s individual leaderboard. A double bogey at the 16th hole bumped her down to a one-under par finish but kept her well in the mix to defend her title throughout the week.  

Julia Alexander-Carew of Oakville, Ont. will enter Wednesday in a deadlock with Chou at one-under par after rallying from a pair of bogeys at the turn with an eagle on the par-5 15th to highlight a strong start from the sophomore representing the UBC Okanagen Heat.  

“I think that eagle on 15 set me up to finish the last three holes pretty strong and gave me some extra-needed confidence,” commented Alexander-Carew following her first round. “Anything can happen in a four-day tournament. I just think continuing to do what I’m doing and be aggressive when I can, but also just playing smart and minimalizing those big numbers,” she added.  

Grace Bell of Calgary, Alta. and Bo Brown of Mississauga, Ont. rounded out the top four spots in the women’s individual championship on Tuesday, helping carve out a nine-shot lead for the UBC Thunderbirds in the women’s team championship. Lauren Nedo of Coquitlam, B.C. and Morgan Best of Pointe Claire, Que. sit in a tie for fifth at three-over par.  

The top three daily scores count towards the women’s team total throughout the week, while the top four daily scores accrued by the male teams count towards their overall total.  

The field will be reduced to the top nine male teams and top six women’s teams – including any squad within 10 shots of the lead – following the conclusion of the third round on June 5. As for the individual competition, players within 10 shots of the leader will make the cut, or any player within the top 10 of the leaderboard.  

To view the full leaderboards from Tuesday’s first-round action, please click here. For Wednesday’s pairings and tee times, please click here.  

Men’s Team Championship – Top-5 

Women’s Team Championship – Top-5 

Men’s Individual Championship – Top-5 

Women’s Individual Championship – Top-5 

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.

Karen Purdy, Royal Regina Golf Club, Hole #16

This was my second hole-in-one on the same hole at the Royal Regina Golf Course. Distance was 106 yards and I used a 9 iron. I was playing with my son, who is 20. The first time I hole-in-one’d that hole was in 2017.

The best part of this story is that since 2015, every time I play a par 3, I announce to whoever I’m playing with, “hole-in-one hole, let’s get a hole-in-one!”

I’ve been really focused on this ever since I took my son to a little par 3 course by our house. My short game was not very good and the holes were so short it hardly felt like golf. So I just decided that I might as well try to get a hole-in-one if I was going to play this little course and it’s stuck. I’ve started a bit of a trend and my husband also says this when he plays with his syndicate group. So his group are also trying extra hard. Haha.

Howard Walton, Northview Golf & Country Club, Hole #6

I was playing with three golf buddies, Chris Dow, Rob Keats, & Ian Russell. They were my witnesses. We are all 67 years old with adequate enough eyesight to see my ball roll into the cup. The yardage was 120, playing about 135 into a head wind. I hit a very nice 9-iron. The ball hit on the front of the green, bounced twice, and rolled 10-12 feet into the cup. We even heard a slight clink as it dropped. It was by far my best shot of an otherwise underperforming round. I was more than happy to pick-up the tab for dinner, a couple of bottles of wine, and a nice Single malt Scotch. A small price to pay for an epic day.

Victor Carriere, Cougar Creek Golf Club, Hole #17

I had a hole-in-one on at Cougar Creek Golf Club. It was hole #17 and for our Men’s league, it was playing 170 yards. I’m not a long ball hitter so I decided to use my driver with an easy swing. My playing partner Mark Henry said he could see it hit the hill to the right of the green and rolled onto the green. Upon arriving to the green we could not see my ball on the green and Mark joked better check the hole. I laughed it off and thought that perhaps it rolled right across the green instead. Mark walked past the hole and turned to me and said you better check the hole! I still laughed but decided to take a look and sure enough my golf ball was in fact in the hole. My ball is easy to identify as I have personalized Titleist Pro V1 balls with the number 97 on them and my name printed on them too! This is my first hole-in-one ever and I told the staff at Cougar Creek to never give up trying because at 60 it still can be done!

Brodie Barth, Elmira Golf Club, Hole #6

My cousin Zak is on the left, I am centered and my wife Emily is on the right. I used a 9 iron from 148 yards.

My wife and I will be volunteering at the 2025 RBC Canadian Open!

Piero Novello, Inglewood Golf & Curling Club, Hole #7

Golfers played with, Ms. Jodi Chambers, Mr. Fintan Ryan and Mr. Mark Veniot. Yardage of the hole was 126 and I used a 9 iron (TaylorMade Q10 Steel shaft – Regular Flex – Jumbo Grips). Golf ball used was a custom Titleist PRO V1x – ball number 13 (red).

Mia He, Meadowlands Golf Club, Hole #1

My daughter Mia He recently played her very first tournament of the season, where she scored a hole-in-one on the very first hole. All the rule officials and her groupmates, parents witness this awesome moment. She couldn’t believe she did it, the rest of round didn’t go well as she hoped, but the hole-in-one definitely made up for it.

The tournament was at Meadowlands Golf Club at Sylvan Lake. It is a 135 yards par 4 (due to her age, the juniors are playing from the gold tee, which is only 2789 yards for all 18 holes). So she’s not only scored a hole-in-one, it was also counted as an Albatross as well.

Submission written by Mia’s father.

Here’s what’s written on the MJT website for the event highlights:

A fantastic highlight was an opening hole-in-one, made in the MJT Girls 9–10 division by 10-year-old Mia He of Edmonton, Alberta, who stepped up and aced the very first hole of her season.

Brad McDonnell, Cordova Bay Golf Course, Hole #13

I was playing with one of my men’s night partners Satnam and I hit the 152 yard shot using my five iron. We saw the ball land on the green and it took one hop and disappeared. I have to say I was a bit confused at first, my first thought was maybe it was behind the pin, so I moved over to the side of the tee box to see if the ball was there but it wasn’t. Then I looked through my rangefinder to see if it was in the fringe, but couldn’t see it. Lo and behold, there it was, in the hole! Woohoo, I yelled and my buddy immediately grabbed his phone and snapped this picture of me.

Laurie Richer, Greyhawk Golf Club, Hole #7

The yardage was 89. I used a 9-iron. The flag was tucked behind a sand trap so no one saw it go in. I was playing with my husband, Morteza Doroudian and another couple, good friends of ours, Darlene Monkman and Marc Carrier. Darlene thought it was awfully close. As we approached the green she noted there were only three balls. My husband got to the green first and also questioned why there were only three balls. As he didn’t see my shot he had no idea it was right at the flag. Darlene told him to look in the hole. Lo and behold there it was! Very exciting.

Denny Smith, Sturgeon Valley Golf & Country Club, Hole #5

The distance was 146 yards, into the wind. I hit a 7 iron with a baby draw and landed the ball right into the cup. I couldn’t see the hole from the tee but we definitely heard the ball land. I thought there might be a chance it stayed in the hole but wan’t sure until we got onto the green.

I was playing with my usual Thursday group of friends: Terry Bludd, Ian Weiss and David Dykstra.

Kamloops B.C. – A year removed from their program sweep of the tournament, the UBC Thunderbirds return to defend their titles alongside several other contenders from across the nation at the 2025 Canadian University / College Championship, presented by BDO.  

19 men’s teams and 13 women’s teams comprising of 150 players will make up the field at Rivershore Golf Links in Kamloops, B.C. for the 21st playing of the championship set to unfold June 2 – 6.  

The 72-hole event features individual and team competition, with exemptions into Golf Canada events including each of the 2025 Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships – awarded to the low male / female individual medalist – as well as the 2025 Canadian Collegiate Invitationals – awarded to the winning team from each division.  

Following the conclusion of the third round, the field will be trimmed down to the top nine men’s teams and top six women’s teams, including any squad within 10 shots of the lead. Individuals within 10 shots of the leader will also make the cut, or any player within the top 10 of the leaderboard.  

Four players – two men and two women – will be competing in the event as individuals and not represent their post-secondary institution in the team competition.  

UBC enter the event as reigning champions after dominating both the team and individual events in 2024. The Thunderbirds’ male contingent captured their eighth national championship last season while the women’s side added a seventh consecutive victory to their program and 17th over the last two decades. Coach Chris Macdonald has been at the helm of every triumph across the two teams and will be vying to add a record 26th title to his resume when play wraps up on June 6.   

All of UBC’s players will return for a title defence in 2025, including Una Chou of San Diego, Calif. and Dylan MacDonald of Markham, Ont. Both completed the Thunderbirds’ sweep by winning their respective individual championships last year, with MacDonald securing his in a playoff.   

The Thunderbirds will have the luxury of playing in their home province for the fifth time as Rivershore Golf Links adds a Canadian University / College Championship to a prestigious hosting resume that includes both the Canadian Women’s and Men’s Amateur Championship in 1997 and 1999 respectively.   

“Rivershore is proud to add another National Championship to our resume of hosting.  This event will make the fifth national championship hosted at Rivershore,” commented Kevin Oates, Executive Professional at Rivershore Golf Links.  

Built in 1981, the Robert Trent Jones Sr. design has surpassed 40 years without any major changes to its original architectural design. Playing in excess of 5,750 yards and as a par-72, the course procures its carnage through all 95 of its strategically placed bunkers littered along the brink of greens and fairways. Water provides an obstacle for players on several holes, including the South Thompson River squeezing the 17th and 18th fairways to play as a disruptor for any final round procession.   

“Laying in a desert-like setting at the foot of sagebrush-covered hills above the majestic South Thompson River, Rivershore is honest, fair, unpretentious and generously bunkered. Water is used sparingly on this superb links style course,” added Oates.  

For more information about the 2025 Canadian University/College Championship, including the player list, pairings and leaderboards, click here.  

Men’s Teams 

McMaster Marauders 

Calgary Dinos 

Victoria Vikes 

Fraser Valley Cascades 

Alberta Golden Bears 

Humber Hawks 

Queen’s Gaels 

McGill Redbirds 

Bishop’s Gaiters 

Brock Badgers 

UBC Okanagan Heat 

Guelph Gryphons 

Windsor Lancers 

Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks 

Montreal Carabins 

UBC Thunderbirds 

Carleton Ravens 

Waterloo Warriors 

Laval Rouge et Or 

Women’s Teams 

Calgary Dinos 

Fraser Valley Cascades 

Toronto Varsity Blues 

Alberta Pandas 

Humber Hawks 

Bishop’s Gaiters 

UBC Okanagan Heat 

Guelph Gryphons 

Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks 

Queen’s Gaels 

Laval Rouge et Or 

Victoria Vikes 

UBC Thunderbirds 

Entwistle, Alta. – Yeeun (Jenny) Kwon of Vancouver, B.C. and Chase Lassman of Parkland County, Alta. each claimed the NextGen Western Championship on Sunday at Trestle Creek Golf Resort in Entwistle, Alta.  

Finishing his second round in a tie for eighth place at one-under par, Lassman finished the tournament at even-par and emerged as the winner after a three-player playoff was required as the 36-hole leader, Ryan Badger of Edmonton, Alta. dropped down the leaderboard to bring the rest of his chasers into contention.  

“I just controlled what I could control and that’s my positivity and mental outlook on everything,” commented Lassman moments after draining a six-foot par putt to win the tournament. “The pressure is what you live for.” 

Kwon – who led the tournament since Friday afternoon – followed up her opening round score of 71 with a 70 on Saturday and 74 on Sunday to soundly take her maiden win in the NextGen Championship series as a wire-to-wire victory.  

Kwon teed off in a trio of NextGen Championships over the last year with her most recent result, a T9 finish at the NextGen Pacific Championship in May, adding to a pair of previous top ten finishes on the circuit.  

Hurdles in the final round ultimately left Kwon winless against the top junior talents in the country, however, pairing her 36-hole success along with a pair of birdies on Nos. eight, 11 and 14 on Sunday allowed her to break through and clinch victory at Trestle Creek Golf Resort.  

“I feel like I improved my game a lot,” commented Kwon following her round. “I just focused on what I needed to do because focusing on the other players wasn’t going to help my round,” she added.  

Kwon entered the final round seven strokes ahead of her nearest competitor and in prime position to take the title. She finished the tournament at one-under par and two strokes ahead of Aleah Shields-Rodipe of Conroe, Texas, with bogeys on her final two holes shrinking her favorable lead. 

Similarly to the Junior Girls division, 36-hole leader, Badger, experienced his multi-shot lead disappear on a course playing nearly three stokes harder than it was on Saturday. Badger entered Sunday’s final round three strokes ahead of Ryan Mosher of Saskatoon, Sask. but endured a tumultuous start to his afternoon with bogeys at the second and fifth holes to relinquish some ground to the field.   

Steadying himself to make the turn at one-over par, Badger unraveled at the 10th hole to begin his plunge into the crowded leaderboard on his heels. Badger played hole nos. 10 through14 at six-over par in a decisive stretch that featured a triple-bogey on the 14th to drop him into a four-way tie for the lead at even par.  

Mosher’s pair of double bogeys at holes 16 and 17 plucked him out of contention to create a three-way tie for the top spot and an eventual playoff on the 16th hole to decide the winner. Badger, Lassman and Lucas Sturgeon of Saskatoon, Sask. each landed their tee shot on the par-three 16th green to open the playoff. The trio failed to make birdie, while Lassman separated himself as the winner with a par putt to claim the title.  

NextGen Western Championship – Advancing to 2025 Canadian Junior Girls Championship  

*Top 8 plus ties qualify  

NextGen Western Championship – Advancing to 2025 Canadian Junior Boys Championship  

*Top 8 plus qualify – won in playoff 

The NextGen Championship schedule continues to roll through western Canada with its next stop at The Legends Golf Club in Warman, Sask. for the playing of the NextGen Prairie Championship. The tournament will run June 13 – June 15 with a practice round preceding the action on June 12.  

For the final leaderboards from the NextGen Western Championship, please click here.    

About the NextGen Championships    
The NextGen Championships are a high-performance junior golf series which totals six 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 2024 national championships. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf.