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.

Justin Morris, Orangebrook Golf & Country Club, Hole #14

It’s safe to say that it was a good start to the season as it was my first round of the year. I was playing with my grandpa. 105 yards with a 56 degree. I am 17 and I have been golfing my whole life. I always told my parents that getting a hole-in-one is high on my bucket list but I definitely wasn’t expecting it this early! It was also a special moment to share with my grandpa who was so happy for me. Definitely a great moment we will both remember forever. Now I gotta get one on our own turf!

Susan Cowan, Desert Princess Golf Club, Hole #8

I was fortunate to achieve my first hole-in-one at the beautiful Desert Princess Golf Club in Palm Springs, California, where I have been a snowbird for the last 12 years. It took place on the par 3, Lagos course, 8th hole. It was a 104-yard shot with my 8 iron from a highly elevated tee box down to a valley and then up again to the white flag on the green. We all watched my ball hit the green and move forward into the hole, as did the group waiting on the tee and the surrounding residents on their patios. I was playing with my friend Debbie Cunningham from Calgary and two ladies visiting from Kansas. The weather was picture perfect, hot and sunny. We celebrated the occasion on the clubhouse patio, shortly thereafter. The club provided me with a lovely engraved medallion for my golf bag to commemorate the occasion.

Corey Butler, TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, Hole #14

It was a guy’s golf trip with 16 buddies. Hit a pure 8 iron and it drew beautifully, landed just pass the rough onto the green and rolled on a path towards the hole. It kept rolling until it dropped down. We saw the entire flight. It was such a surreal moment.

Eric Yuzpe, Ballenlsles Country Club, Hole #6

It is truly one of the most cherished memories I now have.

I was playing that day with my mother-in-law Joy Fielding on the East Course at BallenIsles Country Club (formerly a PGA of America course). I was playing the golf tees 73.0/137. That day the 6th hole (190 yards) was playing 177 yards. Wind gently right to left. I hit a quite perfect 7-iron that on impact I only said,
“be good.” It was a high ball that drew gently and landed four feet in front of the hole. A member of the course staff was in his cart behind me and said, “that looks really good.” He waited and as I walked off the tee he drove up by the green (where I could not see him because the Carr oath is blocked out to the right by a tree and hedge line.

Joy and I both saw it bounce softly and roll. When the ball disappeared, I said it just had just settled behind the ridge.

As I walked toward the cart we saw the marshal walk up onto the green. Joy was incensed and asked what he was doing there. He just happened to be parked there, out of sight when it happened. He walked straight to the hole, peered down, turned down toward the tee and threw both of his arms in the air.

What happened next can only be described as a lunacy. I screamed and began running down the tee decks, along the grass and up onto the green where I almost tackled Mark Taylor (the marshal).

Paul Publow, Reunion Resort – Palmer Course, Hole #16

I registered my second hole-in-one on March 21st at Reunion Resort, Palmer Course, hole #16, par 3.
I used a 5 hybrid for the 155-yard shot, hitting the front of the green and rolling about 10 yards to the pin and into the hole. I was ecstatic with my luck. I am now working on my next one! Hit them long and straight.

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Canada will be represented by three players at the Masters this week, with Nick Taylor, Corey Conners and former champion Mike Weir all set to tee it up at Augusta National.

Taylor, Conners and Weir are among a field featuring players from around the world competing in the season’s first major.

Taylor, of Abbotsford, B.C., will play alongside Americans Keegan Bradley and Ryan Gerard in the opening two rounds. Their group is scheduled to tee off at 9:31 a.m. EDT on Thursday and 12:44 p.m. on Friday. Taylor’s best result at the Masters is a tie for 29th, recorded in 2020.

Conners, from Listowel, Ont., is grouped with England’s Harry Hall and American Michael Brennan. They are set to begin play at 12:44 p.m. on Thursday and 9:19 a.m. on Friday. Conners has twice finished tied for sixth at Augusta National (2020, 2022).

Weir, the 2003 Masters champion from Brights Grove, Ont., will play with American Wyndham Clark and Argentina’s amateur Mateo Pulcini. Their tee times are 11:27 a.m. on Thursday and 8:02 a.m. on Friday. Weir’s victory in 2003 remains the best result by a Canadian at the Masters.

The Masters begins Thursday at Augusta National Golf Club.

Every foursome has its own chemistry: an unpredictable blend of personalities, rituals, quirks, and conversations that somehow always gels into something meaningful. While golf is often seen as a game of quiet focus and individual performance, the real health benefits occur between shots, between laughs, and between the people who make up the group.

Let’s meet said group.

The Analyst – The data-driven dynamo

For the Analyst, golf is equal parts sport and science experiment. Their pre-round routine involves checking three weather apps, calibrating their swing sensor, and stretching with the focus of someone training for the long-drive world championships. At the first tee, they announce the group’s collective step goal for the day. Nobody asked, but everyone nods in agreement anyway.

What they teach us about health:

• Physical: The Analyst embodies consistency—regular movement, measurable progress, and structured warm-ups.
• Mental: Tracking data provides them with a sense of control and motivation, turning golf into a grounding routine.
• Social: They share tips generously… sometimes too generously, but always with good intentions.

The Analyst approaches golf like a beautifully structured experiment. Sometimes the experiment succeeds. Sometimes it ends with them whispering encouragement to their 7‑iron.

The Therapist – The heart of the group

The Therapist shows up carrying two coffees and a calm presence that instantly slows the morning down. By the third hole—or third simulator bay—they’ve checked in on everyone’s week, listened to two minor crises, and somehow convinced the Athlete that perfection isn’t the point.

What they teach us about health:

• Physical: Their relaxed approach helps the group settle into a comfortable, steady pace.
• Mental: They turn each round into a walking (or riding) reset with space to breathe, talk, release.
• Social: They build trust without trying. People open up around them the way bunkers open up around golf balls.

The Therapist is the one who reminds the foursome that golf is less about the score and more about the stories that unfold between shots.

The Athlete – The engine of enthusiasm

The Athlete arrives already warmed up… sometimes alarmingly so. They stride from the parking lot to the tee with the energy of someone who considers 18 holes “light cardio.” Their golf bag contains speed sticks, snacks, and a foam roller that’s seen more greenside use than their wedge.

What they teach us about health:

• Physical: They lead by example: walk more, move more, swing with intention.
• Mental: Their determination rubs off on the group, even when the motivation is simply to keep up.
• Social: They celebrate everyone’s good shots like they’re highlight‑reel moments.

The Athlete doesn’t just play golf; they power the day. And when they suggest doing “extra reps” on the range afterward, the Analyst is the only one who says yes.

The Fourth – The wildcard

The fourth spot changes weekly, making them the most unpredictable and beloved part of the group. The rotation keeps everything fresh, like the final ingredient in a recipe that never tastes quite the same twice.

Sometimes it’s the Social Butterfly – The connector

They show up with a portable speaker, a list of post‑round brunch spots, and three new stories before the first tee shot. The health benefits they bring include laughter, a sense of belonging, and a comforting reminder that movement feels easier when you’re having fun.

Sometimes it’s the Zen Seeker – The calm in the crosswinds

Their backswing is slow, their breathing even slower. They find beauty in bad bounces and wisdom in water hazards. They bring a sense of health through mindfulness, being present, and embracing the gentle art of not taking golf—or anything—too seriously.

Depending on the week, the fourth brings the spark, the serenity, or the soundtrack.

As the foursome moves through their round—whether it’s along sunlit fairways, across a buzzing range, or inside the glow of a simulator—they settle into their familiar rhythm. The Analyst strategizes, the Therapist listens, the Athlete powers ahead, and the ever‑changing Fourth adds their own texture to the day. Pep talks, shared glances, a few overly enthusiastic fist bumps, and at least one debate about whether a mulligan “counts if nobody saw it” weave themselves naturally into the experience. They walk, they swing, they breathe, they banter… and somewhere inside that easy pattern, they carve out a quiet kind of well‑being that stays with them long after the last putt drops.

And when next week rolls around, the ritual begins again. The Analyst will already be studying the forecast, the Athlete will be plotting a dynamic warm‑up, and the Therapist will arrive with coffees in hand. The Fourth will be whoever shows up; and whoever they are, they’ll fit right in.

Because for the foursome, it’s never just a round of golf. It’s a ritual, a rhythm, a story they keep writing together. One shot and one round at a time, proving in their own way that golf really is good for you.

Maria Jose Marin wins the prestigious seventh annual Championship

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Vanessa Borovilos set a new record for best finish by a Canadian at the 2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA) in Augusta, Ga. on Saturday.

Borovilos, 19, of Etobicoke, Ont. finished the tournament T11 at 5-under following rounds of 66-73-72 in her first appearance at the ANWA. Borovilos, currently ranked No. 24 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) passed Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C. and Monet Chun of Richmond Hill, Ont. who were previously tied for the best finish by a Canadian at ANWA at T14, Chun in 2023 and Kim in 2024.

Borovilos found herself one shot back of the lead following Wednesday’s opening round with a bogey free, 6-under 66. Her final round on Saturday got off to a hot start with three birdies through the first four holes before a double bogey on No. 7. Borovilos grabbed two more birdies on Nos. 12 and 15 before finishing bogey-double bogey on the final two holes to finish even par for the day and 5-under for the championship.

Aphrodite Deng, 16, of Calgary, Alta. (No. 12 WAGR) was also making her ANWA debut and recorded rounds of 72-69-73 to finish the tournament T19 at 2-under.

Lauren Kim, 20, of Surrey, B.C. (No. 14 WAGR) finished with rounds of 68-71-78 to finish alone in 30th at 1-over. Kim also set a new record for number of ANWA appearances by a Canadian, with her third this year.

Maria Jose Marin, 19, of Cali, Colombia entered the day one shot back of Asterisk Talley of Chowchilla, Calif. but fired a 4-under 68 to finish 14-under to win by four and become the first Colombian to win the ANWA.

Marin grabbed four birdies on her first nine with one bogey. She birdied No. 13 before getting into some trouble on the Par-5 15th but escaped with bogey and followed up with a birdie-par-par finish to secure the title.

Marin (No. 7 WAGR), a junior at the University of Arkansas has enjoyed a successful run since winning the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Individual title last May. In addition to collegiate honours, Marin won the South American Women’s Amateur and the Women’s Amateur Latin America title, as well as making the cut at both the U.S. Women’s Open and the Amundi Evian Championship.

Marin was making her fourth appearance at ANWA with previous finishes including a missed cut in 2025, T30 in 2024 and T14 in 2023.

With her win, Marin has earned an exemption into the next five ANWA Championships, provided she remains an amateur. In addition, she has earned exemptions into four major championships on the LPGA Tour this season including the Chevron Championship, U.S. Women’s Open, Amundi Evian Championship and the AIG Women’s Open.

Talley got off to a roaring start with three birdies from her first four holes to move to 14-under heading into the second nine. However, a score of 42 on the second nine brought her to 3-over for the day, finishing T4 at 8-under. Talley was runner-up last year, narrowly missing out of the title by one shot to Carla Bernat Escuder of Spain.

Andrea Revuelta (No.3 WAGR) of Spain finished in second at 10-under, Soomin Oh (No. 10 WAGR) of Republic of Korea finished third at 9-under. Four other golfers were tied with Talley in fourth at 8-under including Yunseo Yang (Republic of Korea), Meja Örtengren (Sweden), Raegan Denton (Australia) and World No. 1 (WAGR), Kiara Romero (United States).

The 72-player field competed over 54 holes of stroke play with a cut following the second round. The opening 36 holes were contested on the Island and Bluff nines at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Augusta. On Friday, the full field played a practice round at Augusta National Golf Club, followed by Saturday’s final round contested at Augusta National.

For the final leaderboard of the 2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur, please click here.

OAKVILLE, Ont. — First Tee – Canada has announced a renewed partnership with PING Canada aimed at increasing access to youth golf programming and providing opportunities for young people to develop valuable skills both on and off the golf course.

PING has long contributed to the growth of the First Tee program worldwide. Since 2024, PING International and PING Canada have supported First Tee – Canada by providing more than $75,000 in donations to accelerate the expansion of the program from coast to coast.

“PING Canada’s support over the past two years has made a meaningful difference for the young people we serve,” said Adam Hunter, executive director of First Tee – Canada. “Their support has helped us expand access to our programs and strengthened the opportunities we can provide to youth across the country. We’re proud to continue building this partnership and reaching even more young people in every province.”

The new agreement marks the beginning of a three-year partnership between First Tee – Canada and PING Canada, including value-in-kind (VIK) support and financial contributions amounting to $120,000 from 2026 to 2028.

The partnership will help offset the costs of coach training and will aid program delivery at First Tee locations across the country. Additionally, PING Canada’s generous VIK support will provide First Tee – Canada participants and coaches with high-quality golf equipment, ensuring that more young people from all backgrounds have access to the sport and the life lessons it teaches.

“We are proud to stand behind a program that provides youth with affordable and inclusive access to the game we are all passionate about,” said Dave Wilson, general manager of PING Canada. “Junior development, at every level, is an important part of who we are at PING, and we’re dedicated to developing equipment that helps grow the game from a young age. It’s great to have the opportunity to support an organization that excels at creating these life-long golfing experiences.”

With the help of PING Canada, First Tee – Canada will continue impacting the lives of equity-deserving youth by providing inclusive, character development golf programs that help participants build confidence, resilience and healthy habits that extend beyond the fairways.

Golf fans will be able to enjoy a Copper Rose signature cocktail at both of
Canada’s National Open Championships this summer

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Golf Canada and Copper Rose Distillery are pleased to announce a renewed multi-year partnership agreement that sees the Canadian company continue as the Official Vodka of Golf Canada as well as the RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open.

Through the renewed partnership, Copper Rose will offer fans attending Canada’s National Open Championships a signature cocktail and premium product sampling within their activation spaces located in The Fareway, along with a VIP sampling experience in select hospitality areas at both the RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open.

“We are proud to continue our partnership with a proudly Canadian company, Copper Rose,” said Mark Palmer, Chief Commercial Officer, Golf Canada. “Their increased presence and premium offerings will provide an exceptional experience for our fans at both National Open Championships this summer.”

Founded in 2022 and proudly based in Amherstburg, Ont. Copper Rose produces premium vodka handcrafted with the finest Canadian rye grain and distilled 12 times for a silky, smooth finish. The velvety spirit delivers a premium pour perfect for sipping or mixing with cocktails. Copper Rose was proudly awarded a gold medal along with the Innovation award at the 2025 SIP Awards.

“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with Golf Canada as the official vodka,” said Melissa Roberts, CEO and Managing Director, Copper Rose Distillery. “As a distinctly Canadian brand rooted in craftsmanship and quality, this continued collaboration reflects our shared pursuit of excellence and exceptional experiences. We look forward to raising a glass with golf enthusiasts across the country.”

For more information on Copper Rose Distillery and its offerings, please visit copperrose.ca.

The 2026 RBC Canadian Open will take place June 10-14 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont. for more information or to purchase tickets, please click here. The 2026 CPKC Women’s Open will take place August 19-23 at Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton, Alta., for more information or to purchase tickets, please click here.

Record number of Canadians in the field for the seventh playing of the
prestigious amateur event set for April 1-4

Four Canadians set for Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals on April 5

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Seventy-two of the world’s best women’s amateur golfers are set to compete at the seventh playing of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA) in Augusta, Ga. later this week.

Three Canadians will be in the field with led by 16-year-old Aphrodite Deng of Calgary, Alta., 20-year-old Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C. and 19-year-old Vanessa Borovilos of Etobicoke, Ont., setting the record for number of Canadians playing in the prestigious annual championship.

Deng is currently Canada’s lowest ranked amateur golfer on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) at No. 11 and will be making her debut at the ANWA. Last season, Deng won the 76th U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, becoming the first Canadian to do so and earned her exemption to Augusta. Deng added two additional wins last season including the 2025 Junior Invitational at Sage Valley and the 2025 Mizuho Americas Open. She was named the junior player of the year by the American Junior Golf Association. In addition, Deng won the Marlene Stewart Streit Medal as the Low Amateur at the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open, finishing T20 at 4-under. Earlier this month, Deng finished T4 at the Girls’ Junior Invitational in South Carolina.

Kim (No. 18 WAGR) will make her third appearance at the ANWA, setting the record for appearances by a Canadian. The 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur champion is currently in her junior year at the University of Texas and has won two collegiate titles in her career – the first in her freshman year at the Jackson T Stephens Cup and last year at the Betsy Rawls Invitational. She also represented Canada at the Women’s World Amateur Team Championship last fall. This season, Kim has earned four top 10 finishes, including a runner-up finish last week at the Charles Schwab Women’s Collegiate Invitational and six top 25 finishes for Texas.

Borovilos (No. 25 WAGR) will also make her first appearance at the ANWA, but not in Augusta, having competed in four editions of the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals, winning the Girls 10-11 age division in 2018. She is currently in her sophomore year at Texas A&M University and won her second career collegiate title in February at the Moon Golf Invitational. Her first win came as a freshman at the Chevron Collegiate. In addition to her win last month, Borovilos has added two additional top fives this season and three top 10’s for Texas A&M.

The Field

The field of 72 athletes features the some of the top female amateurs in the world, including the top 23 players currently on WAGR, 48 of the top 50 and 67 players within the top 100.

No. 1 on WAGR, Kira Romero (San Jose, Calif.) leads the field and will be competing in her third ANWA after finishing T7 last year. Romero received the 2025 Mark H. McCormack Medal as the leading female on WAGR and made the cut at both the CPKC Women’s Open (T36) and U.S. Women’s Open (T45) last year. She is in her junior year at the University of Oregon and won her second tournament of the year last week at the Charles Schwab Women’s Collegiate Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas.

Several players in the field have competed in Canada recently including the 2025 Canadian Women’s Amateur and multiple World Junior Girls Golf Championships.

Three members of the Republic of Korea’s past two World Junior Girls Championship winning teams will be at ANWA including Soomin Oh (No. 9 WAGR) who won both team and individual honours in 2023, Seojin Park (No. 28 WAGR) who earned team honours in 2024 and 2025 and Yunseo Yang (No. 33 WAGR), 2025 team honours. Yang also recently won the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship in New Zealand in February.

In addition, all three members of Spain’s 2022 championship team will be in Augusta including Paula Martin Sampedro (No.2 WAGR), Andrea Revuelta (No.3 WAGR) and 2022 individual champion Cayetana Fernandez Garcia-Poggio (No.27 WAGR).

Two-time CPKC Women’s Open Low Amateur medalist and 2022 ANWA winner, Anna Davis of Spring Valley, Calif. will be competing in her fifth championship.

Other past World Junior Girls Championship participants include…

Meja Örtengren (No. 5 WAGR) – Sweden

Maria Jose Marin (No. 7 WAGR) – Colombia

Arianna Lau (No. 35 WAGR) – Hong Kong, China

Sara Brentcheneff (No. 38 WAGR) – France

Chloe Kovelsky (No. 42 WAGR) – United States

Louise Landgraf (No. 46 WAGR) – France

Rocio Tejedo (No. 47 WAGR) – Spain

Charlotte Back (No. 61 WAGR) – Germany

Nikki Oh (No. 69 WAGR) – United States

Scarlett Schremmer (No. 71 WAGR) – United States

2025 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship runners-up Macy Pate of Winston-Salem, N.C. (No. 30 WAGR) and Eunseo Choi of New Zealand (No. 55 WAGR) are also in the field.

Tournament Format

The 72-player field will compete over 54 holes of stroke play with a cut following the second round. The top 30 players and ties will advance to the final round. If there is a tie following 54 holes, the champion will be decided by a sudden death playoff.

The opening 36 holes will be contested on the Island and Bluff nines at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Augusta. On Friday, April 3 a practice round for all competitors will take place at Augusta National Golf Club, followed by the final round on Saturday, April 4 at Augusta National.

Past Champions

2019 – Jennifer Kupcho (USA) -10

2021 – Tsubasa Kajitani (Japan) +1 *defeated Emilia Migliaccio in playoff

2022 – Anna Davis (USA) -1

2023 – Rose Zhang (USA) -9 *defeated Jenny Bae in playoff

2024 – Lottie Woad (England) -8

2025 – Carla Bernat Escuder -12

Canadian Results at ANWA

Lauren Kim and Monet Chun are tied for the best finish by a Canadian at ANWA at T14, Chun in 2023 and Kim in 2024. Kim’s appearance in 2026 will give her the most by a Canadian with three.

Brigitte Thibault (Rosemère, Que.) – 2019 (MC), 2021 (MC)

Savannah Grewal (Mississauga, Ont.) – 2022 (MC)

Monet Chun (Richmond Hill, Ont.) – 2023 (T14 at +3)

Lauren Kim (Surrey, B.C.) – 2024 (T14 at +2), 2025 (MC)

Where to watch

Round 1 – Wednesday, April 1 – Golf Channel – 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Round 2 – Thursday, April 2 – Golf Channel – 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Round 3 – Saturday, April 4 – TSN & NBC – 12:00 – 3:00 p.m.

*All times are EDT

For the full field, historical information and more on the ANWA, please click here.

Canadians set to compete at 2026 Drive, Chip, and Putt National Finals

Four Canadians will be competing in the 12th annual Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals taking place on Sunday, April 5 at Augusta National.

Yien Li of Aurora, Ont. will be competing in the Boys 7-9 division, Evelyn He of Toronto, Ont. will be competing in the Girls 10-11 division, Nathan Khera of Oakville, Ont. in the Boys 10-11 division and Audrey Lu of Woodbridge, Ont. in the Girls 12-13 division.

Prior to this year, 18 past Drive, Chip and Putt National Finalists have gone on to compete in ANWA including Canada’s own Savannah Grewal, who won the Girls 14-15 division in 2017 and went on to compete at ANWA in 2022. Vanessa Borovilos, the 2018 Girls 10-11 division champion will join the list this year.

To view all the 2026 finalists, please click here. The Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals will be broadcast on the Golf Channel beginning at 8:00 a.m. EDT. For more information, please visit drivechipandputt.com.

A strong Canadian contingent has begun to emerge from PGA TOUR Americas qualifying school with status secured for the 2026 season, as four of five March sites have now concluded.

Leading the way are Peyton Callens of Langton, Ont., and Blair McKinlay of Lacombe, Alta., both of whom earned full membership for the 2026 campaign. Securing full status guarantees them entry into all 15 events on the calendar and a clear runway to establish themselves on the circuit.

Five other Canadians also advanced through qualifying, earning conditional membership. Piercen Hunt of Calgary, Alta., William Holan of Edmonton, Alta., Carter Graf of Sylvan Lake, Alta., Cougar Collins of Mono, Ont., and Nicholas Marchese of Bolton, Ont., will each look to make the most of limited starts as they attempt to improve their standing throughout the season.

Callens, McKinlay and Hunt are all members of Team Canada’s 2026 roster.

While the final qualifying site remains, the early results mark a steady showing for Canada’s emerging professional class. This group of seven Canadians will join Hunter Thomson and Joey Savoie, who retain full status from their Top 80-finish on the 2025 PGA TOUR Americas points list, on the Americas tour in 2026 along with several other Canucks who possess some existing conditional status.

Click here to see the full results from PGA Tour Americas qualifying. There is still one final site remaining this week with the possibility of more Canadians to qualify.

GUANGLAN, China — Canadian amateur Shauna Liu of Maple, Ont., finished runner-up in a playoff at the GolfJoy Women’s Open on Saturday, narrowly missing out on the title after a strong final-round performance.

Liu, 17, a member of Golf Canada’s Team Canada NextGen squad, carded a bogey-free, six-under 66 to climb into a tie for the lead at 11-under-par 205 alongside China’s Ren Yijia at the CLPG Tour event held on the Olazabal Course at Mission Hills Golf Club Dongguan.

Ren secured the victory on the first playoff hole, converting a birdie from inside eight feet on the par-4 18th after Liu’s birdie attempt from approximately 20 feet slid past.

Despite the playoff loss, Liu impressed in her CLPG Tour debut, staying in contention throughout the week and posting one of the lowest rounds of the day on Saturday.

“Overall, I think I played pretty decent this week,” said Liu. “There were some things I could have done better and some putts I probably could have made, but that’s just golf.”

Liu surged into contention on the back nine, making five birdies over a seven-hole stretch starting at No. 9. She briefly held the outright lead after a birdie at the par-5 15th before Ren matched her with a birdie of her own. Both players closed regulation with three consecutive pars to force a playoff.

“At the playoff hole we both had pretty decent birdie chances,” Liu said. “I was a little bit further away and she made hers and I didn’t.”

The result continues a strong stretch for Liu, the reigning Canadian Junior Girls champion, who is set to compete in next month’s Chevron Championship — the first major of the LPGA Tour season. She has also committed to play collegiate golf at UCLA.

Thailand’s Onkanok Soisuwan and China’s Sui Xiang finished tied for third at six-under, five shots back.

The GolfJoy Women’s Open marked the first full-field event of the 2026 CLPG Tour season.

Piercen Hunt took fine-tuning his golf game to a new level this past off-season, getting as granular as possible.

Hunt spent two and a half months at Golf Canada’s house outside Phoenix, Ariz., working on his game through December and January. The 24-year-old Calgary native even bought himself a launch monitor so he could dial in his distances on the PGA Tour Americas, where the elevation of different courses week to week drastically changes how far the ball travels.

“You go from soft to firm golf courses quite a bit. It’s really important to know exactly where you’re at with distance control and how spin affects everything when you change elevation,” Hunt said. “It’s ridiculous to see an eight iron fly 200 yards some weeks, and then the next week you go to sea level, and it’s only 165 yards. 

“So for me, I think that’s been a tool that I’ve been able to use really effectively in the off-season to just sharpen up a little bit here with the season coming up.”

Hunt also spent much of his winter working on his putting, consulting with several coaches to see if there was commonality in their assessment of his issues on the green.

“I just wanted to gather some information, see how it worked, really try it out myself,” he said. “Maybe some people would dive all into a singular first idea that they come across, but I am a bit more into data collection and sorting through it. 

“I was very pleased this off-season with my putting, I just found out a few things about myself and how I read greens, my stroke, my tendencies, from the different people that I worked with and I really enjoyed setting about improving those and becoming a better green reader.”

Hunt’s hard work paid off on Friday when he earned conditional status on the third-tier Americas Tour with a tie for 14th at a qualifying event in Dothan, Alabama, at RTJ Highland Oaks.

“I think I’ll be on the outside looking in for the first couple events in South America, but my intention is still to go there, and if needed playing the Monday qualifiers,” said Hunt, referring to the first swing of the Americas Tour that begins April 16 at the 71st ECP Brazil Open in Rio de Janeiro. “These early season events are so important for conditional status guys like myself, heading into this year, where the earlier you can get into events and earn points, the better.

“Then you can reshuffle up once the reshuffles do happen.”