The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) announced today that its Board of Directors has elected Craig Kessler as the organization’s 10th Commissioner.

The appointment comes during the LPGA’s landmark 75th anniversary season, marking a pivotal moment of global growth and opportunity for one of the most enduring and respected leaders in women’s professional sports worldwide.

Kessler was selected following a rigorous and comprehensive global search, led by the LPGA Board’s Search Committee and shaped by input from LPGA Tour athletes, partners, staff and key stakeholders.

“We set out to find a transformational leader with a deep appreciation for the LPGA’s legacy and a clear vision of what’s possible for our future,” said John B. Veihmeyer, Chair of the LPGA Board of Directors. “Craig is an inspiring and engaging leader, who brings a unique mix of executive leadership experience, deep relationships in the golf industry, and a genuine commitment to elevating women and girls through golf. The LPGA has never been more dynamic – and Craig is exactly the right leader to drive its next era of growth and impact.” 

Kessler brings a broad and impressive range of experiences across sports, business, private equity and entrepreneurship. Most recently, he served as Chief Operating Officer of the PGA of America, where he oversaw all operations of the 30,000-member organization, including its non-profit foundation. He previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Buff City Soap, a fast-growing experiential retail company that expanded from 100 to 260 stores under his leadership. Earlier in his career, Kessler also served as Chief Operating Officer at Topgolf, where he helped scale the company’s groundbreaking blend of sports, entertainment and technology.

In addition to his executive roles, Kessler brings board-level experience with the National Golf Foundation, UT Southwestern hospital system, and the Dallas Mavericks Advisory Board. He began his career at McKinsey & Company and went on to leadership positions at Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR) and Providence Equity Partners. His track record includes evaluating investments and working alongside management teams to improve company performance – skills he now brings to one of the world’s premier women’s sports organizations.

“The LPGA stands at the intersection of world-class competition and global impact,” said Kessler, incoming LPGA Commissioner. “From young girls who are picking up a club for the first time, to the LPGA Professionals helping teach this great game to people around the world, to the incredible athletes competing on Tour—the LPGA is driving the future of golf. I’m honored to join this powerful movement and eager to help build what comes next—together.”

“This isn’t just about leading a sports organization – it’s about redefining what’s possible,” Kessler added. “This role is deeply personal to me – not just as a professional opportunity, but as a chance to make a difference in the world and create new opportunities for others. Golf changes lives. I believe in the LPGA’s mission, its members and its momentum. I can’t wait to get started.”

Kessler will officially step into the role on July 15, succeeding Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who stepped down in January 2025. Liz Moore will continue as Interim Commissioner until that time. Veihmeyer added, “Liz has done an exceptional job in the interim role, and we look forward to the many important contributions she will continue to make to the LPGA in the future.”

Aphrodite Deng got to live out the dream of every competitive golfer, playing two rounds with the best in the world and excelling on the course, and she’s just 15 years old.

Deng played alongside Nelly Korda of the United States at the Mizuho Americas Open, winning the junior tournament on May 11 while the American tied for fifth in the LPGA Tour’s event of the same name. 

“It was a really fun experience,” said Deng, who also won the American Junior Golf Association’s Junior Invitational in March by six strokes. “I was trying not to think too much about who’s watching and stuff, but it was fun.”

Deng was born in Calgary and her family lived in Montreal before moving to New Jersey for her dad’s work. She mostly lives in Orlando now but remains a Canadian citizen and plays for Golf Canada’s junior program.

She said that she learned a lot from observing Korda, who won five consecutive tournaments and seven total last season to return to world No. 1 in the women’s world golf rankings and earn the 2024 LPGA Tour’s Player of the Year award.

“I think I need some of that in my life.”

Jeff MacDonald, head coach of Golf Canada’s NextGen team, said that Deng has grown stronger over the course of the season and it’s helped her improve her game.

“She’s hitting the ball quite a bit further,” said MacDonald. “She’s always been a really consistent player, drives it great, but just in the last few months she’s been getting a little bit of extra distance. 

“That’s helping her out a ton. She’s just super steady.”

Both Deng and MacDonald were at Weston Golf and Country Club in Toronto for Team Canada’s media day, where media and other stakeholders could train like Golf Canada players for a day. 

Deng, who has taught golf to younger children, said she was looking forward to instructing adults.

Golf Canada announced at the media day at Weston that it was adding 11 Canadians to the field at the RBC Canadian Open. 

Korn Ferry Tour players Sudarshan Yellamaraju and Matthew Anderson, both from Mississauga, Ont., headlined the group. Ashton McCulloch of Kingston, Ont., earned his exemption as the top Canadian amateur player on the world rankings and Calgary’s Hunter Thomson earned his exemption by finishing first on the individual leaderboard at the inaugural Canadian Collegiate Invitational last September at Öviinbyrd Golf Club in MacTier, Ont. 

Toronto’s Richard T. Lee, Calgary’s Wes Heffernan, and Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., also accepted exemptions.

Three other Canadians earned exemptions through Canadian Open regional qualifying including Cougar Collins of Mono, Ont., Matt Scobie of Oshawa, Ont., and Brett Webster of Chilliwack, B.C. An additional exemption will be awarded at the Quebec regional qualifier, taking place at Griffon des Sources — Aigle Lion in Mirabel, Que., on Wednesday.

LPGA TOUR — Savannah Grewal of Mississauga, Ont., leads a group of four Canadians into the Riviera Maya Open at El Camaleon Golf Course at Mayakoba this week. She’s 104th in the Race to CME Globe standings heading into play in Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (119th), as well as Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., and Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont., — both unranked — are also in the field.

PGA TOUR — Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., is ranked 43rd on the FedEx Cup standings heading into this week’s Charles Schwab Challenge. Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., is 160th and Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., is 164th heading into the tournament at Colonial County Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

DP WORLD TOUR — Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., is the lone Canadian in the field at the Soudal Open. He is 127th in the Race to Dubai Rankings, the points list for the European-based tour, heading into play at Rinkven International Golf Club in Antwerp, Belgium.

CHAMPIONS TOUR — Calgary’s Stephen Ames and Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., will represent Canada at this week’s Senior PGA Championship. Ames is 21st in the Schwab Cup standings and Weir is 57th heading into play at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md.

KORN FERRY TOUR — Yellamaraju, Anderson and Sloan are all in action at the Visit Knoxville Open at Holston Hills Country Club in Knoxville, Tenn. Yellamaraju is 11th in the second-tier tour’s points list, Anderson is 43rd and Sloan is 112th. They’ll be joined by Vancouver’s Stuart Macdonald (31st), Myles Creighton (56th) of Digby, N.S., Etienne Papineau (137th) of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.

PGA TOUR AMERICAS — Joey Savoie, also from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, is the top-ranked Canadian playing in the Inter Rapidisimp Golf Championship. He’s 616th in the official world golf rankings and one of nine Canadians in the field at Club el Rincon de Cajica in Bogota, Colombia.

Mirabel, Qué. – Wei-Hsuan Wang of Niagara Falls, Ont., emerged victorious in a dramatic playoff at the Québec Regional Qualifier on Wednesday, securing a direct exemption into the 2025 RBC Canadian Open.

Wang outlasted Eric Banks of Quispamsis, N.B., and Olivier Ménard of Valleyfield, Que., in a three-man playoff at Club de Golf Griffon des Sources. After draining a 15-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole, Wang sealed the win with a composed par save on the second.

“It’s a dream come true to have a direct exemption to play in the 2025 RBC Canadian Open,” Wang said. “I have always wanted to play on the PGA TOUR, and for the past few years, I have been aiming to join the Korn Ferry Tour. But with my mom facing cancer, I’m very happy about today’s result.”

Wang’s round was a rollercoaster. He opened with a double bogey and a bogey in his first three holes but rebounded with an eagle on the par-5 fourth to steady the ship. He finished the front nine at one-over before carding birdies on holes 10, 13 and 15 to post a two-under 70 and force the playoff.

“Actually, I had a tough start this morning, being three over after three holes with a double bogey, a par, and a bogey,” Wang explained. “But then I bounced back, so I was already quite happy with that. The win is a bit of a bonus for me. I feel really lucky to get this chance. My driver wasn’t great today, but the greens were soft, which helped. My putting was really good and played a major role in my win.”

A total of 132 players participated in the event in Mirabel, including 79 amateurs. The field represented 13 provinces and states, with 68 players from Québec. The top 10 percent of the field—14 players, including ties—advanced to the Final Qualifier, scheduled for Sunday, June 1, at The Pulpit Club in Caledon, Ont.

Wang joins a growing list of regional qualifiers who have earned their way into the 2025 RBC Canadian Open, scheduled for June 4-8 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. That list includes Team Canada alumnus Cougar Collins of Mono, Ont. (First Ontario Regional Qualifier at Brampton Golf Club), Matt Scobie of Oshawa, Ont. (Second Ontario Regional Qualifier at Cherry Hill Club), and Brett Webster of Chilliwack, B.C. (B.C. Regional Qualifier at Squamish Valley Golf Club).

For the final leaderboard from today’s qualifier, please click here.

Sundre, Alta. – Tyler Saunders of St. Albert, Alta. topped the field while four other Albertans picked up exemptions into the RBC Canadian Open Final Qualifier on Wednesday to wrap up regional qualifying at the Sundre Golf Club in Sundre, Alta. 

As a result of the field consisting of less than 120 players, only the top ten per cent of players – fifth place and ties – earned exemptions into the RBC Canadian Open Final Qualifier, set to be contested on Sunday, June 1 at The Pulpit Club in Caledon, Ont. The field includes players that qualified through regional qualifiers across the country, with four spots in the 2025 RBC Canadian Open up for grabs ahead of the tournament.  

Saunders humbled the course on Wednesday with a scorching front nine that included the first eagle of the day at the par-5 seventh to pull him into a tie with clubhouse leader, Mike Valk of Medicine Hat, Alta., at four-under par.

Saunders – a former member of Team Canada’s Junior Boys program – didn’t wait long after making the turn to cut himself loose atop the leaderboard, sprinkling in back-to-back birdies on Nos. 11 and 12 to power his way to six-under par. Despite dropping a pair of shots after bogeys at the 15th and 16th hole, Saunders was able to make a birdie putt on the par-3 17th to finish his round of 67 and keep his solo lead.  

“I wasn’t expecting to hit it as well considering the conditions, but it felt really good to hit a lot of really good shots like I did today and make the putts,” said Saunders, who admitted to the challenges of playing in rain and enduring temperatures that at points, felt like two degrees during his round.  

“Just to have a shot at getting into an event like that is pretty special. It’s pretty cool just to be able to go to Ontario in a couple weeks and be able to try and get my name in the field,” he added.  

Though bouncing around the top of the leaderboard on Wednesday, Valk dealt enough damage throughout the morning wave to comfortably sit in second place and advance to the Final Qualifier. His six birdies on the front nine led the field, but bogeys at holes seven and 16 kept him from contending for the day’s top spot.  

Phelan Shaw of Calgary, Alta. carded a two-under round of 70 to finish in third place despite picking up a trio of bogeys. His hometown counterpart, Jared Code of Calgary did just enough to squeak into the top five of the leaderboard and grabbed momentum with birdies on Nos. 15 and 16 to get to two-under par. A bogey on the 17th dropped him to one-under par, however, his round of 71 served to be enough with Chase Strang of Airdrie, Alta. joining him to nab the last available spot.  

RBC Canadian Open – Alberta Regional Qualifier Results:

For the full leaderboard, click here.   

Team Canada members Sudarshan Yellamaraju, Matthew Anderson, Ashton McCulloch and Hunter Thomson along with Richard T. Lee, Wes Heffernan and Roger Sloan join previously announced exemption recipients, three Regional Qualifying medalists and Canadian PGA TOUR members as part of an 18-player Canadian contingent for the 114th playing of Canada’s Men’s National Open Championship at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley

Toronto, ON – Golf Canada and RBC have confirmed the names of 11 Canadians who have accepted exemptions into the 2025 RBC Canadian Open, taking place June 4 – 8 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (North Course) in Caledon, Ont.

Leading the way are four members of Team Canada including Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Mississauga, Ont. Who will be competing at the RBC Canadian Open for the first time in his career. Earlier this season, Yellamaraju earned his first career title on the Korn Ferry Tour, winning The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic in January.

Matthew Anderson of Mississauga, Ont. has also earned an exemption after finishing as the top Canadian on PGA TOUR Americas last season and will be competing at Canada’s Men’s National Open Championship for the third time. This season, Anderson is competing on the Korn Ferry Tour and has earned a top five and two top 10 finishes in ten events.

Ashton McCulloch of Kingston, Ont. will be competing in his second consecutive RBC Canadian Open, earning his exemption as the top Canadian amateur player on WAGR. McCulloch recently finished his senior year at Michigan State University where he enjoyed a strong three-plus years with the Spartans. Last season, McCulloch also competed in the U.S. Open after earning his spot through qualification. McCulloch won the 2023 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship and finished as runner-up last year. He will also be competing in The Rocket Classic in Detroit, Mich. in late June after earning a sponsor exemption at his graduation ceremony.

Hunter Thomson of Calgary, Alta. earned his exemption by finishing first on the individual leaderboard at the inaugural Canadian Collegiate Invitational last September at Öviinbyrd Golf Club in MacTier, Ont. He is in his senior year of college at the University of Michigan and has two additional victories this year – the Boilermaker Invitational in April and most recently, the NCAA Urbana Regional which earned him a spot into the NCAA Finals (individual) later this month. Thomson will be making his first appearance at the RBC Canadian Open.

Joining the Team Canada athletes are Richard T. Lee of Toronto, Ont. who will be making his fourth appearance at the RBC Canadian Open. Lee competes on the Asian Tour where he is currently ranked 16th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit. Lee has won three times on the Asian Tour, with his most recent victory coming last November at the BNI Indonesian Masters, helping him finish third on the Asian Tour Order of Merit. Lee has also won four times on the Korean PGA Tour, with his most recent victory coming last month at the Woori Financial Group Championship.

Wes Heffernan of Calgary, Alta. has also earned an exemption for leading the PGA of Canada’s Order of Merit and will be competing in his eighth RBC Canadian Open. Roger Sloan of Calgary, Alta. has also accepted an exemption to compete in his ninth RBC Canadian Open.

Three other Canadians earned exemptions through RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifying including Team Canada alumnus Cougar Collins of Mono, Ont. (First Ontario Regional Qualifier at Brampton Golf Club), Matt Scobie of Oshawa, Ont. (Second Ontario Regional Qualifying at Cherry Hill Club) and Brett Webster of Chilliwack, B.C. (B.C. Regional Qualifier at Squamish Valley Golf Club). An additional exemption will be award on May 21 at the Quebec Regional Qualifer, taking place at Griffon des Sources – Aigle Lion in Mirabel, Que.

As previously announced, Canadian golf icon Mike Weir of Bright’s Grove, Ont. will be competing in his 32nd RBC Canadian Open, a feat which ties the record for starts in Canada’s National Open Championship with fellow Canadian Golf Hall of Famer George Cumming.

Currently, an 18-player Canadian contingent will challenge for the national championship led by 2023 RBC Canadian Open champion, Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., and fellow PGA TOUR winners, Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., Taylor Pendrith of Richmond, Hill, Ont., Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., and Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C. Also confirmed is Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont.

“We are pleased to announce these additional exemptions that provide more Canadians with a chance to compete in our National Men’s Open Championship at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley,” said RBC Canadian Open Tournament Director Ryan Paul. “Our home team Canadian contingent has always been part of the tournament’s identity and we look forward to the field continuing to take shape over the final weeks leading into the tournament.”

Three additional exemptions were award to Tyler Mawhinney of Fleming Island, Fla. for winning the 2024 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, John Keefer of Baltimore, Md. for finishing as the 2024 PGA TOUR Americas Season Points winner and Barend Botha of George, South Africa for finishing as runner-up on the 2024 PGA TOUR Americas Season Points standings.

There are five additional exemptions to be awarded by Golf Canada and RBC ahead of the final field announcement on Friday, May 30. Four additional spots will be available during the RBC Canadian Open Final Qualifier on Sunday, June 1 at The Pulpit Club in Caledon, Ont.

Tickets for the 2025 RBC Canadian Open are available here. Children aged 12-and-under get free admission with a ticketed adult.

PUMA continues its support as Official Headwear and Apparel sponsor of
Team Canada and Team Canada – NextGen

Toronto, ON – Golf Canada and PUMA Canada are proud to announce a long-term extension of their existing partnership with Golf Canada’s National Team Program.

The new four-year agreement sees PUMA continue as the Official Apparel and Headwear partner of Golf Canada’s National Team Program (Team Canada men’s and women’s teams and Team Canada – NextGen boy’s and girl’s teams). Team Canada players, coaches and support staff will continue to exclusively wear PUMA’s premium golf apparel and headwear when representing Team Canada.

The extension also confirms that the athletes and coaches named to Team Canada will wear PUMA’s Golf apparel and headwear as part of the field-of-play uniform for all domestic (Golf Canada amateur championships) and international events including the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, World Amateur Team Championship, Pan American Games and the 2028 Olympic games in Los Angeles.

“We are very happy to extend our partnership with PUMA and to ensure our Team Canada athletes and staff continue to be outfitted by the iconic brand,” Mark Palmer, Chief Commercial Officer, Golf Canada. “PUMA shares our vision for being a world leader in the game of golf and investing in the growth of our sport in Canada.”

The extension builds on a strong relationship between PUMA Canada and Golf Canada that was first announced in November 2021. The partnership ensured all members of the Team Canada program were outfitted with PUMA Golf apparel and headwear.

“We are proud to extend our partnership with Golf Canada and set the stage for even greater success ahead,” said Dwayne Boecker, Vice President of COBRA PUMA GOLF. “The strong values and commitment we share in promoting golf and supporting the country’s next generation of great players and coaches are an excellent fit for our global brand. We look forward to continuing to outfit Team Canada and delivering high-performance products that empower athletes to reach their full potential on and off the course.”

Team Canada athletes, coaches and support staff will continue to wear official PUMA Golf apparel and headwear this season through to the end of 2028. For more information on the Team Canada High Performance Program, including athlete and coaches bios please click here. For more on PUMA Golf or to view the extensive collection for men and women and purchase items, click here. Team Canada is proudly supported by RBC, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), Titleist, FootJoy, Hilton, Puma, Foresight, Golf Canada Foundation and Sport Canada.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Taylor Pendrith delivered a standout performance at the 2025 PGA Championship, finishing tied for fifth at Quail Hollow Club to record his best result in a major championship.

The Richmond Hill, Ont., native carded rounds of 69, 70, 72, and a final-round 68 to close at 5-under-par 279. His Sunday surge vaulted him into a tie with J.T. Poston and Jhonattan Vegas, earning Pendrith a payday of $694,700.

Pendrith was the top Canadian finisher in the field, edging out compatriot Corey Conners, who tied for 19th at 2-under. The result marks a significant milestone for Pendrith, whose previous best at the PGA Championship was a tie for 29th in 2023.

“It feels great to put together four solid rounds on a major stage,” Pendrith said. “I’ve been working hard on my game, and to see it pay off here is really satisfying.”

Pendrith’s top-five finish places him among a select group of Canadian male golfers who have achieved similar feats in major championships. Notably, Mike Weir won the Masters in 2003, and George Knudson tied for second at the 1969 Masters. Stephen Ames also tied for fifth at the 1997 Open Championship.

The tournament was won by world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who captured his third major title with a commanding five-shot victory. Scheffler finished at 11-under 273, holding off challenges from Bryson DeChambeau, Harris English, and Davis Riley, who all tied for second at 6-under.

Scheffler’s win adds the Wanamaker Trophy to his growing collection and further cements his status as one of golf’s premier talents. The victory also came with a record-breaking $3.42 million prize from the $19 million purse, the highest in tournament history.

For Pendrith, the strong showing at Quail Hollow provides momentum as he continues his 2025 season—with sights set firmly on a home-soil appearance June 4-8 at the upcoming RBC Canadian Open at TPC Toronto.

The Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC) is one of the many tools that make the World Handicap System more dynamic and equitable. While largely invisible to the casual golfer, it plays a crucial role behind the scenes, ensuring your handicap truly reflects your ability—not just the luck of the weather.  The PCC is a statistical adjustment designed to account for unusual playing conditions. But what exactly is the PCC, and how does it work?

What is the PCC?

The Playing Conditions Calculation is a daily statistical analysis conducted based on golfers’ scores to reflect how much easier or harder the course played on a specific day. It recognizes that factors like weather, course conditions and course setup can influence scoring, and changes the players’ Score Differentials accordingly to reflect that the course played differently from how the Course & Slope Ratings were determined.

How Does the PCC Work? The PCC is automatically calculated in the Golf Canada Score Centre at the end of each day using all the scores posted at a given course. It analyzes how players performed relative to their expected performance based on their handicaps and the Course & Slope Ratings.

Here’s a breakdown of how it functions:

• It is applied automatically— the only thing that golfers need to do is post their score before midnight!
• The system gathers all scores posted to the course (for all sets of tees) on a given day.
• A minimum of 8 acceptable scores (by golfers with a Handicap Index of 36.0 or less) must be posted for the day.
• It calculates how those scores compare to what would normally be expected.
• If a statistically significant difference is observed (suggesting the course played much harder or easier), a PCC value is determined and included in the Score Differential calculation for that day.
• The adjustment can range from -1.0 to +3.0 strokes.
  • A minus PCC value (-1.0) indicates that the course played easier than normal

A positive PCC value (+1.0, +2.0, + 3.0) indicates that the course played more difficult than normal.

If a PCC value is determined, it is factored into the Score Differential calculation.  When a PCC value applies, you will see a hat (“^”) beside the Score Differential in your Golf Canada Scoring Record.  For a detailed explanation of how a Score Differential is calculated, you can also click on the value under the “Diff” column.

Why Is the PCC Important?

The goal of the PCC is to recognize that playing conditions impact the relative quality of a score.  Without this adjustment, scores recorded in especially tough conditions could unfairly inflate a player’s handicap, while scores in ideal conditions could deflate it.

For example:  A score of 85 made in challenging conditions might be a better demonstration of ability compared to a score of 85 made in good conditions.

Belleville, Ont., – NextGen Team Canada member Nobelle Park of Oakville, Ont. secured a come-from-behind victory while Eric Zhao of North York, Ont. went on to win by four strokes on Saturday to each claim the NextGen Ontario Championship at Black Bear Ridge Golf & Resort in Belleville, Ont.  

Playing 54 holes at even par helped keep Park in contention throughout, and leading up to Saturday’s final round. Starting the day in a tie for second and just a stroke behind solo leader Maggie Zhang of Richmond, B.C., the ten-time winner in 2024 birdied the seventh to stay within striking distance and match Zhang’s steady start to her round.  

Struggling to find the elusive birdie to bring her on level ground with Zhang atop the leaderboards, Park’s scoring pursuit took a major blow after her approach shot went long of the tenth green and forced her to come away with a double bogey on the par-four.  

“Making the double was really sad because I flew the green, it wasn’t a good play,” commented Park on her lone blunder of the afternoon. “I was only three strokes back, it’s not like I was a ton back and we still had a whole bunch of holes still to play, so I knew I could make a comeback somehow,” she added.  

Fortunately for Park, she wasn’t the only one to card a costly six on her back nine, with Zhang walking off the 14th hole with a double bogey of her own but still leading by one. Her advantage continued to dwindle over the final four holes, however, heightening in the closing stages of her round after bogeying the 15th and 17th to tumble out of the lead and trail Park by a stroke.  

With the tournament lead narrowly in her favour, Park avoided another mistake after her setback at the tenth, stringing together five consecutive pars and collecting just her second birdie of the round on the final hole to secure a two-stroke win over Zhang and claim the NextGen Ontario title. She had finished in a tie for third a year ago.  

“[The win] helps build my confidence, especially early in the season,” said Park. “I know I can win and score well, so going forward I’ll use this as momentum into another good season.” 

In the Junior Boys division, Zhao, who carded consecutive rounds of 70 to position himself in a tie for first place on Saturday, rapidly reeled in on the tournament’s top spot with birdies at the first and third to get to six-under par.  

Aided by a slew of his competitors falling out of contention for the title, Zhao was able to put his hot start into gear and add back-to-back birdies at holes seven and eight to raise his early lead to four strokes.  

His dominance on the front nine over the final 36 holes played a vital role in securing him victory on Saturday. He played the tamer portion of the property at a combined eight-under-par to lap the rest of the field and seize control of the tournament.  

“A lot of easy holes in the front, especially seven, I knew I had good opportunities to birdie those holes, so I just stayed patient and let my game take advantage of those shots,” said Zhao. 

The day’s hottest hitter put the finishing touches on a round of 67 with birdies on the 10th – playing as the hardest hole on the property – and 18th to kickstart the procession on his maiden win in the NextGen Championship series.  

“It gives me a lot of confidence,” said Zhao following his round. “I haven’t won in a while, so it feels really great just getting back and knowing that I’m able to compete with the rest of the players.” 

NextGen Ontario Championship – Advancing to 2025 Canadian Junior Boys Championship 

*Top 8 qualify  

NextGen Ontario Championship – Advancing to 2025 Canadian Junior Girls Championship 

*Top 8 plus ties qualify 

The 2025 NextGen Championship season resumes on Friday, May 30 for the playing of the NextGen Western Championship at Trestle Creek Golf Resort in Entwistle, Alta. The 54-hole event will run until Sunday, June 1 where a winner will be crowned and exemptions for respective national championships will be awarded.  

For the final leaderboards from the NextGen Ontario 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.   

Oakville, ON – Golf Canada and Chartright Air Group (Chartright) are proud to announce today a new partnership with the Canadian company becoming the exclusive Private Aviation Partner of Golf Canada and the 2025 RBC Canadian Open. The partnership will also see Chartright be a supporting partner of the 2025 RBC Canadian Open’s Wednesday Championship Pro-Am.

“We are proud to partner with a Canadian company that brings a longstanding legacy in the private aviation industry and shares our commitment to growing the game of golf in Canada,” said Mark Palmer, Chief Commercial Officer, Golf Canada. “Chartright’s proven experience and alignment with our values make this collaboration a natural fit as we continue to elevate our men’s National Open Championship.”

Chartright is a leading Canadian aviation services provider, offering a full range of solutions including private jet charter, JetClub memberships, empty leg opportunities, aircraft management, FBO operations, maintenance, and aircraft sales and acquisition. Renowned for its unwavering commitment to safety, service excellence, and operational integrity, Chartright continues to set the standard in Canada’s private aviation industry. To learn more about Chartright Air Group, visit Chartright.com

“This partnership brings together two established Canadian organizations with a shared commitment to excellence,” said Adam Keller, President of Chartright. “Private aviation and golf both serve as platforms for connection, performance, and meaningful engagement. We’re proud to support the continued growth of the sport in Canada and to contribute to the success of such a prestigious event.”

The 2025 RBC Canadian Open takes place June 4-8 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont. For more information, please visit rbccanadianopen.com.