Trinity, Texas – Team Canada won the bronze medal in the combined men and women’s team competition along with another bronze in the women’s team competition at The Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship (The Spirit) at Whispering Pines Golf Club in Trinity, Texas on Saturday.

Team Canada was represented by Vanessa Borovilos of Etobicoke, Ont., Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C., Ashton McCulloch of Kingston, Ont., Justin Matthews of Little Britain, Ont. and coached by Stollery Family Women’s Head Coach, Salimah Mussani of Vancouver, B.C.

In the combined team championship, Canada finished T4 at 36-under (196 women’s and 200 men’s) with Denmark. England won the combined competition firing a 44-under to take the gold medal. The Republic of Korea (Korea) and Spain finished tied for second at 39-under. Due to the ties, Korea and Spain shared the silver medal, while Canada and Denmark shared bronze.

Borovilos and Kim combined to shoot 20-under (66-63-67-196) to earn the bronze medal in the women’s team competition. Denmark finished at 23-under to win with Spain taking the silver medal at 21-under. On Friday, Canada was led by Borovilos carding six birdies and an eagle. Kim was equally as strong in Thursday’s opening round with five birdies.

In the women’s individual competition, Carla Bernat Escuder of Spain finished first with 21 points, 2024 World Junior Girls team and individual champion, Soomin Oh of Korea finished second with 20 points and Marie Madsen of Denmark finished third with 17 points. Borovilos finished T5 with 14 points and Kim finished T11 with 12 points.

McCulloch and Matthews combined to shoot 16-under (66-66-68-200) to finish 10th in the men’s team competition. Mexico and England finished tied for first at 28-under with Australia finishing third at 25-under.

Individually, Josiah Gilbert of Australia won the men’s gold medal finishing with 21 points. Omar Morales of Mexico finished second with 19 points and Gerardo Gomez (Mexico) and Dominic Clemons (England) finished tied for third with 18 points. Both McCulloch and Matthews finished T18 with 11 points.

The 11th playing of The Spirit was contested over 54-holes of stroke-play competition that brought together 20 countries. In addition to the combined team component, competitors battled in individual championships as well as men’s and women’s team competitions. In the individual competition, players were awarded points based solely on birdies and eagles during their round with one point for a birdie and two for an eagle.

For the final leaderboards from The Spirit, please click here.

There are four rounds left in the LPGA Tour’s regular season, and rookie Savannah Grewal is determined to be mentally present for all 72 holes.

Grewal, from Mississauga, Ont., and Hamilton’s Alena Sharp are the only Canadians at this week’s The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge. The 23-year-old Grewal is right on the cusp of earning a card for the 2025 LPGA Tour season, but she needs to at least make the cut at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Fla., to clinch it.

“Honestly just one shot at a time,” said Grewal on her approach. “I think you come in at every tournament and your goal is to go out there and compete and to be in contention, so that’s obviously still the goal of this event. 

Watch Savannah live at the CPKC Women’s Open

“But I think that as long as I’m not looking at the leaderboard too much and I’m just really focusing on where I am in that moment, I think that’s probably what’s going to help me the most.”

Grewal is 96th in the Race to CME Globe Standings, the LPGA Tour’s points list. The top 100 players on the elite women’s professional golf tour will receive a card for next year.

“If I don’t play well there’s a chance I might not keep my card for next year, but I feel pretty confident with where I’m at and I think as long as I stay present and I don’t get too far ahead of myself, things will be just fine,” said Grewal.

Sharp is 126th in the rankings and will likely need to finish in the top six at the ANNIKA, depending on how the golfers ahead of her in the standings do, to make it back on tour in 2025 without qualifying through another means.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., is not playing this week. At No. 13 on the standings, she is already guaranteed a spot on next year’s tour and will also play in the CME Group Tour Championship next week.

No. 146 Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., and No. 192 Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont., are not in this week’s field. As a result, they will both need to requalify to return to the LPGA Tour next season.

Grewal earned some critical points at least week’s LOTTE Championship, ultimately tying for 54th at even par. She started strong with a first-round 68 and maintained her solid position with a second-round 70. However, a third-round 74 and fourth-round 76 put her in this week’s high-stakes position.

“I think as long as I focus on my breathing and just go out there and I enjoy being out there, just have fun with it, I think that’s probably going to be the best thing for me,” said Grewal. 

“I think that last week I did a really good job of that the first two rounds and I think the, after the cut, I kind of started to get ahead of myself and look at that leaderboard.”

“I think as long as I stay present and I don’t get too far ahead of myself, things will be just fine.”

Crunch-time from @SavannahGrewal‘s maiden @LPGA Tour season, with next year’s status on the line:

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) November 13, 2024

AROUND THE TOURS

PGA TOUR — The fall ball season continues with the Butterfield Bermuda Championship at Port Royal Golf Course in Southampton, Bermuda. Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., isn’t just the highest ranked Canadian in the event, at No. 51 he’s the highest ranked golfer in the field, period. No. 57 Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., and No. 176 Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., will also tee it up.

CHAMPIONS TOUR — Danny King of Aurora, Ont., was tied for fourth at 4-under overall on Wednesday after two rounds at the 2025 PGA Tour Champions Qualifying first stage at Buckhorn Springs Golf and Country Club in Valrico, Fla. Martin Plante (74) of St-Sauveur, Que., and Dennis Hendershott (73) of Brantford, Ont., was tied for 36th at 5 over. Craig Watkins of Georgetown, Ont. was disqualified. Mike Woodcock (79) of Chatham, Ont., was tied for 43rd at 16 over in the qualifying stage at Grand Bear Golf Club in Saucier, Miss. Calgary’s Stuart Patterson withdrew after one round.

DP WORLD TOUR — Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., will be in the second pairing to tee off at the DP World Tour Championship on Thursday. It was his goal all season to reach the European tour’s finale at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Earth course, Dubai, UAE. He was 49th in the Race to Dubai rankings after last week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, with the top 50 golfers on the DP World Tour reaching its championship tournament.

BELLEAIR, Fla. — Caitlin Clark has one goal when she plays in an LPGA pro-am.

“I’ve tried to practice as much as I can,” Clark said Tuesday. “I’m just the average golfer. I’m going to hit some good, I’m going to hit some bad. … Just going to try not to hit anyone standing outside of the ropes. But it’ll be fun.”

The WNBA rookie of the year star was invited to take part in Wednesday’s pro-am at Pelican Golf Club ahead of The Annika. The presenting sponsor is Gainbridge, which has an endorsement deal with Clark.

She took part in an LPGA Women’s Leadership Summit with Sorenstam, the tournament host, and former model and business leader Kathy Ireland.

Clark will be playing the front nine with Nelly Korda, the No. 1 player in the women’s ranking who has clinched the LPGA’s player of the year award. She plays the back nine with Sorenstam, who retired in 2008 and now dabbles in senior golf.

Clark had said after the Indiana Fever were eliminated from the WNBA playoffs that she planned to play golf until it became too cold in Indiana, adding with a smile, “Become a professional golfer.”

Yes, she was kidding.

“I’ve tried to take as much time as I can to practice, but there is only so much hope. You just cross your fingers, pray,” she said Tuesday. “No, I’ve practiced a little bit and I just had the quote about becoming a professional golfer. Everybody thought I was serious. I was not serious. I love it. I love being outside and making it competitive with my friends.

“It’s challenging and getting to come here and be around the best and have a good time is what I’m looking forward to.”

This will be her second pro-am, which often attracts athletes and entertainers. Clark played in the pro-am at the John Deere Classic in July 2023 when she was still at Iowa.

Which female Canadian athlete would you most like to see at the @cpkcwomensopen Pro-Am?

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) November 13, 2024

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.

Steve Butler, Brampton Golf Club Limited, Hole #13

Used a 7 iron and the hole was 162 yards from the tips! Went one up in our friendly two vs. two match.

Derren Lench, Gorge Vale Golf Club, Hole #14

I was golfing with three other members who were Jay Kang, his wife ,Yong Kang and Gerry Webster. It was hole #14 and I was playing the whites with the flag on the front of the green. It was 130 yards to the flag and typically the hole plays a bit longer as it’s uphill and into the wind slightly. I played a 8 iron and I hit it perfectly. It was going right at the flag, it hit once and dropped in. I was quite shocked as I’ve never had a hole-in-one and the 14th hole typically causes me some grief. I was also dealing with jet lag as just returned on the Monday of that week from two and a half weeks in Greece so I was tired. My handicap is 13 although I played well this day and with the hole-in-one and shot 79.

Another member made a hole-in-one the same day on the second hole. So there definitely was some free drinks flowing in the clubhouse.

I have been golfing off and on for 50 years and started as a teenager in Sidney. I would ride my bike pulling my clubs and cart from Sidney to the Ardmore Golf Course. I’ve been a member at Gorge Vale for almost two years.

Joan Murray, RattleSnake Point Golf Club, Hole #2

Hole #2 on the Sidewinder course. 111 yards across a gully with a #6 rescue club.

Logan Cameron, Green Gables Golf Club, Hole #16

I went out Sunday morning with my grandfather Dave and my friend Brandon. For some reason we decided to play the tips. It was beautiful day. The par 3, hole #16 over the water was playing 215 yards. I used my hybrid and watched my ball roll back off a ridge right into the hole for my first hole-in-one.

Jennifer Cheung, Uplands Golf Club, Hole #17

It was an amazing feeling, I thought never in this lifetime that I would ever have an hole-in-one.

It was a Sunday, shotgun start playing with my Sunday group of ladies, Judy Cryderman, Maureen Yip and Nancy Greer. Hole #17 was about 110 yards and I used my 11 wood. My only thought was, please do not go into the bunker.

Unfortunately, I did not see the ball drop, I only knew that it was not in the bunker, perhaps at the back of the green, at best. After looking for awhile, Judy said, “look in the hole,” she saw it go in, but didn’t tell me. As it was my first one, she wanted me to experience it and wanted to watch my reaction. I think the whole course heard me.

Grateful for being able to share drinks with friends and members at the club.

You play a terrible game and then something like this happens, then it’s not so bad. I’m happy playing bogey golf, throw in a few pars and I’m good. Anything else is a bonus.

Jason Mitchell, Whitevale Golf Club, Hole #9

Pin was at the back, playing 195 yards downwind. I used a 5-iron and played with my wife, Lucy Wetherall.

My wife and I had just returned from a trip to Iceland on Friday afternoon. We were both still feeling a little jet lagged on Sunday and thought it would be a good idea to play golf to get some exercise and fresh air to power through it.

The pin on the ninth hole was located at the very back of the green playing 195 yards downwind from the blue tees. I hit a 5-iron and landed it about five feet in front of the pin. My wife and I thought we saw it roll into the hole, but because the pin was located so close to the back of the green, we thought it could have rolled past the pin and disappeared into the rough as well. I couldn’t celebrate it until I was sure. So, I quickly walked up the green to have a look and sure enough it was in the hole! Let the celebrations begin!

This was my first hole-in-one. As a result, I’m temporarily the proud owner of the Whitevale “hole-in-one” parking spot!

Curtis Joly, Cottonwood Golf & Country Club, Hole #6

It was quite exciting and unlike my previous hole-in-one a few years back when I really didn’t see it go in (I knew I was close but it was dusk).

This time however, it was a beautiful day on hole #6. Wind was left to right. Pin was 185 yards and we were on the upper box from the our tees. I hit a 7 iron with a slight draw (lefty) and with my group just behind me, we knew it was a good shot but when it started tracking after it landed towards the pin, it was going to either roll off the green or go in. When it went in, our group freaked out and started cheering and high-fiving. It was chaos and excitement. A really surreal moment and feeling being able to share it with my group who consisted of Cody Therrien, Tyson Eckel and Jamie King.

Lorraine Lang, Grand Pines Golf Course, Hole #7

I got lucky, that’s for sure. I was playing with husband Garry Lang and good friends Lori and Gary Kazun. I used a 5 wood and we figured it was about 150 yards. Fun moment that’s for sure.

Henry Cranshaw, Picton Golf & Country Club, Hole #2

114 yards from the red tees and I used a 5 iron. My fourth hole-in-one. Playing partners were Mike Doria, Eugene Dayton and Myrna Kidnew.

Vivian Benedetti, Balfour Golf Course, Hole #7

It was on hole #7 at Balfour Golf Course, with Roma Crispin and Cathy Leugner when I got my hole-in-one. It was 95 yards and I used my pitching wedge. My ball bounced once in front of the green then rolled the slightly uphill distance of approximately four yards and dropped straight into the hole.

Evan Smith, Mountain Woods Golf Club, Hole #9

A perfect Fall day for a round of golf, a warm sunny day with a light breeze. I was playing with my longtime friend, Mike Whittaker. We’ve been playing golf together for over 50 years, since we were kids. We were paired up with two other club members, Ken and Simone.

The ninth hole at Mountain Woods is a 121 yard, par three. It has an elevated tee with a great view of the green. I would normally use a pitching wedge but decided at the last minute to try a gap wedge for the first time. The shot looked pretty good off the tee, high and straight at the pin, but I lost sight of it looking into the sun. Once down at the green, not seeing the ball anywhere, I thought it must have come up short. I looked everywhere, including in the creek that runs in front of the green. “I guess it must have gone long,” I thought, getting a bit frustrated at not being able to find the ball. It was only when I went past the hole and looked down that I realized it had gone in, from frustration to elation in an instant.

Golf is a wonderful game – good exercise and fresh air, great companionship, and the occasional shot that makes us think we have real talent.

Buenos Aires, Argentina – Team Canada earned a second place finish at the 52nd Copa Juan Carlos Tailhade (Copa Tailhade) at Los Lagartos Country Club in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Sunday.

Canada shot a combined score of 575 over four rounds, finishing four shots behind Colombia (571). Host nation Argentina finished third with a total score of 576.

Canada was represented by Team Canada NextGen members Antoine Jasmin of Blainville, Que. and Braxton Kuntz of Winnipeg, Man. Jasmin finished T5 at 3-over in the individual standings following rounds of 71-73-70-73-287. Kuntz finished T8 at 4-over with rounds of 73-68-72-75-288. Juan Martin Loureiro of Argentina won individual honours, finishing the tournament at 5-under.

Canada has won the Copa Tailhade four times in tournament history, winning titles in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2023. Austin Connelly (Clare, N.S.) and Corey Conners (Listowel, Ont.) won in 2014, Eric Banks (Truro, N.S.) and Tony Gil (Vaughan, Ont.) in 2015, Joey Savoie (La Prairie, Que.) and Josh Whalen (Napanee, Ont.) in 2017 and Brady McKinlay (Lacombe, Alta.) and Felix Bouchard (Montréal, Que.) in 2023. Since 1996, Australia has won five titles (1998, 1999, 2002, 2007, 2012), in addition to Canada, England and Argentina have also won the tournament four times.

Aaron Cockerill stole the early moments of first round action from the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

The Canadian had turned in a 33, but was in danger of letting a strong start slip when he made a double-bogey at the tenth and dropped another shot on the 12th.

But an ace on the 159-yard next saw him return to three under for the day as his nine-iron from the tee landed slightly right of the pin before feeding down to the cup.

Cockerill’s ace meant he had a scorecard containing every number from one to six in his first 13 holes.

Coming into the week lying 47th on the Race to Dubai Rankings in, with the top 50 progressing to next week’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship, the 32-year-old finished with five consecutive pars to complete an opening 69 in the opening event of the DP World Tour postseason.

Cockerill is the 31st different player to have made a hole-in-one on the DP World Tour on the 2024 Race to Dubai.

Multi-year gift will provide youth across the prairies and First Tee – Canada network with affordable and inclusive access to the game of golf

Oakville, ON (November 7, 2024) – Golf Canada and the Golf Canada Foundation are excited to announce that the Heather Ryan & L. David Dubé Foundation Inc. has pledged a major gift of $1M USD over four years to First Tee – Canada that will directly benefit First Tee – Prairies.

The Heather Ryan & L. David Dubé Foundation is a private Canadian foundation that was founded in 2005. Since it’s inception the Foundation has made meaningful and lasting contributions to nature conservancy, humanitarian aide (Canadian Red Cross, The Salvation Army, hospitals), youth sports and to other areas in the Saskatoon community.

L. David Dubé is currently the president and chief executive officer of the Concorde Group Corporation and has served on numerous boards across Canada and the United States over the past 30 years. Dubé was appointed to the Order of Canada in December 2020 and was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal in June 2022.

“On behalf of my wife Heather and I and our Foundation, we are extremely proud to support First Tee – Canada and invest in youth and the positive impact and life-long lessons sports can have on their lives,” said L. David Dubé, president, Heather Ryan & L. David Dubé Foundation. “We have been long-time supporters of youth sports and this opportunity with First Tee – Canada was a perfect fit for our Foundation to continue our commitment to sports and youth development. Access to sports can be difficult and we want to ensure whether it’s 1,000 children or just one child that we can help, where help is needed. Golf helps to teach life-long lessons and tests character, and we are happy to invest in meaningful youth development here in the prairies and across our country.”

Heather Ryan added, “Both David and I have led sporting lives. From grade school through Varsity sports, we have both believed in the power of sports to shape the lives of youth and access to sports is essential to delivering those benefits. First Tee – Canada is a perfect fit for us ensure others benefit from sport as we did.”

Golf Canada and the Golf Canada Foundation partnered with First Tee in 2020 to launch First Tee – Canada to provide youth with affordable and inclusive access to the game along with life-enhancing experiences through the game. First Tee – Prairies launched in January 2023 and today, six lead chapters are operating First Tee – Canada programming in every province across the country.

First Tee – Canada programming is delivered in three settings, at golf courses, schools and community centres with unique curriculums and training for each location. This year, First Tee – Prairies delivered programming to over 22,400 participants at seven program locations across Saskatchewan and Manitoba with a team of 10 certified First Tee coaches. Close to 40 per cent of participants identified as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Colour) and 40 per cent identified as female. In addition, 76 per cent of schools and community centre programming serviced low-income and diverse populations in the provinces. Through the generous support of donors, 100 per cent of the programming was provided at no cost to the participants.

“We are very appreciative of the generous gift from the Heather Ryan & L. David Dubé Foundation that will directly have a positive impact on youth not only in the prairies but also across all First Tee chapters in Canada,” said First Tee – Canada Executive Director, Adam Hunter. “Financial support from generous donors allows us to expand program locations and provide them with the proper equipment, train and staff coaches and provide more youth with the opportunity to experience affordable golf programming in their communities.”

The Golf Canada Foundation is a critical partner in the continued growth of First Tee – Canada chapters across the country through the generous support of its donors and fundraising and philanthropic efforts.

“We are incredibly grateful that Heather and David have come forward in such an impactful way to support kids in the Prairies through golf,” said Golf Canada Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Martin Barnard. “They understand how sport can change lives and have been leaders in giving back both locally and nationally for many years. Their support will help us grow donations both in the province and across the country for many years to come.”

The Heather Ryan & L. David Dubé Foundation Inc. joins a strong network of donors across Canada that have generously impacted First Tee – Canada in a meaningful way since First Tee – Canada’s inception in 2020. To learn how to support First Tee – Canada, please email Executive Director Adam Hunter. To find a chapter near you, visit firstteecanada.ca. To learn more about First Tee – Prairies, please visit firstteeprairies.ca.

Aaron Cockerill has been carefully working away at his golf game like a master craftsman, just chipping away with a hammer and chisel.

The result is that he’s in the midst of his best-ever season as a professional golfer and will play in the European-based DP World Tour’s playoffs for the first time ever when the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship tees off on Thursday. 

Reaching that elite tournament has been the product of incremental improvement year-over-year.

“My whole career has been like that, I’ve slowly improved,” said Cockerill in a phone interview from his home in Dubai. “Whether it was an OK year on the Canadian Tour to a better year on the Canadian Tour, to moving over to the Challenge Tour, to getting on to the DP World Tour, and since then every year, I’ve gotten just steadily better. 

“Nothing is really too drastically different, just slowly been chipping away.”

Cockerill, from Stony Mountain, Man., played his first three DP World Tour events in 2019, finishing the year 261st in the Race to Dubai standings. He moved up to 118th in 2020, stepped back to 152nd in 2021, then rose to 107th in 2022, 76th in 2023 and now sits 47th in the rankings.

The top 50 golfers after the HSBC Championship will move on to next week’s DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

“I have basically two goals every year, and it’s to win and to make the DP World Tour Championship, so I’m very close,” said Cockerill, who recently moved his family to Dubai full time and is just a 55-minute drive from Yas Links where this week’s event will be held. “I’m just looking to have a steady week, play well, and play my way into that one and just see what happens. 

“I’m pretty familiar with the area in the courses, so I feel like I’m I get a little bit of an advantage there, but no expectations. Just try and have some fun and play aggressively and see what happens.”

It will be a tough field at the Abu Dhabi Championship, with some of the PGA Tour’s best players also competing in the DP World Tour event.

Australia’s Min Woo Lee, Ireland’s Shane Lowry, England’s Tommy Fleetwood, and Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, who won this year’s RBC Canadian Open, will all tee it up.

Most notably, Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, ranked No. 3 on the official world golf rankings and tied for ninth with Lowry on the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup standings, will play.

McIlroy’s the top player on the DP World Tour’s rankings, despite spending most of the year on the PGA Tour. He can finish a season as the European tour’s top player for the sixth time with a win this week.

He’ll attempt to do so with a new swing after being hunkered down in a studio — first in Florida, then in New York — for three weeks, just hitting balls at a screen with a modified swing.

McIlroy told reporters on Wednesday that he hasn’t liked the shape of his swing for a while, and wanted a more robust one that could hold up in the most pressure-filled moments following a number of missed chances this season.

“The only way I was going to make a change, or at least move in the right direction, with my swing was to lock myself in a studio and not see the ball flight for a bit and just focus entirely on the movement,” McIlroy told reporters Wednesday in Abu Dhabi.

“It’s something,” he added, “just to make my golf swing more efficient, and then if it is more efficient, then it means it’s not going to break down as much under pressure.”

McIlroy has won twice this year — at the Dubai Desert Classic and the Wells Fargo Championship — and has had four second-place finishes, including recently at the Irish Open and the BMW PGA Championship on the European tour.

That has left McIlroy frustrated but well clear in the Race to Dubai rankings that determine the year’s best player on the European tour. A win in Abu Dhabi can seal the title and remove some suspense — at least for McIlroy — from Dubai next week.

“If I go out and win this week, obviously you know, it makes it a bit boring next week,” the four-time major champion said. “But I won’t find it boring. It will be lovely.”

For his part, Cockerill welcomes the challenge of having McIlroy and his PGA Tour peers at the DP World Tour’s playoffs.

“Those guys have supported the tour a lot throughout their careers, especially all the U.K. guys, guys originally from Europe, because that’s where they got their start,” said Cockerill, who is 255th on the world rankings. “It’s cool to have them back and it makes the events feel bigger. 

“I think it’s a great thing for our tour, absolutely.”

PGA TOUR — Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., and Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., hope to gain ground at the FedExCup Fall Standings at this week’s World Wide Technology Championship. Svensson is ranked 81st and Sloan is 174th. Status on next year’s PGA Tour is at stake for players playing fall ball. Svensson and Sloan are the only Canadians in the field at El Cardonal At Diamante in Los Cabos, Mexico.

CHAMPIONS TOUR — Calgary’s Stephen Ames can emerge as the overall winner of the Champions Tour this week. He’s ranked No. 3 on the senior circuit heading into the Charles Schwab Cup Championship on Friday and winning the tournament will guarantee him the tour’s overall title. No. 1 Ernie Els and No. 2 Steven Alker could win it all with high finishes as long as the other players ranked in the top six of the money list don’t win the event.

LPGA TOUR — The LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei teed off Wednesday at Ewa Beach, Oahu, Hawaii. Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., led a large Canadian contingent into the field. The 15th ranked player in the world was joined by Savannah Grewal (95th) of Mississauga, Ont., Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (121st) and Maude-Aimee Leblanc (143rd) of Sherbrooke, Que.

This summer, nearly 50 golfers raised over $80,000 to provide 10,000 subsidized golf rounds to youth across the country.

The 100 Hole Hike is a challenging opportunity where participants play 100 holes of golf on foot in one day, raising funds for Youth on Course, a program that offers green fees of five dollars or less to Canadians 18 and under.

Golf Canada partnered with Youth on Course in 2019 and has since offered nearly 70,000 subsidized rounds to junior golfers.

Golf Canada members 18 and under receive complimentary Youth on Course memberships to play affordable rounds of golf at participating golf courses across Canada.

“The 100 Hole Hikes are instrumental fundraising events for us,” said Golf Canada’s Manager, Grow the Game, Justin McKenzie. “The support we received was amazing. Through people’s willingness to take on the 100-hole challenge and help fundraise, we can provide more affordable access to the game for juniors across the country.”

Out east, the Atlantic’s 100 Hole Hike had a special participant. Canadian U15 Boys Champion, Carter Lavigne, of Moncton, New Brunswick, helped fundraise and led the group of hikers alongside his father. Lavigne has been an active Youth on Course participant since the program expanded to the Atlantic provinces in 2023.

“It was cool to give back to a program and the game that has done so much for me,” said Lavigne. “I was fortunate to grow up playing golf, so to help give more kids the chance to play and contribute to the growth of the sport across Canada is awesome. I look forward to helping Youth on Course make a positive impact in 2025.”

Golf Canada and Youth on Course also hosted the first Canadian Premier 100 Hole Hike, where individuals who raised a minimum of $10,000 experienced an all-inclusive stay and play at the world-renowned Cabot Cape Breton. The hikers tackled 100 holes on the Nest par-3 course and played a bonus round at the top-ranked Cabot Cliffs 18-hole course.

There are over 100 participating golf courses offering Youth on Course in Canada and plans to grow that number next year with the expansion into Quebec, making the program operational in every province.

“Together, we are helping break down financial barriers to accessing the sport,” said McKenzie. “Thanks to the individuals and communities who support this great cause, Youth on Course will provide deserving youth with opportunities to learn more about golf and build their confidence in the sport. We are excited for the exponential growth of Youth on Course across the country in 2025.”

To learn more about Youth on Course in Canada, how to participate in a 100 Hole Hike, or how to donate, please visit https://www.golfcanada.ca/youthoncourse/ or email yoc@golfcanada.ca.

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.

Bryon Baker, Lacombe Golf & Country Club, Hole #3

What a day it was, this is my first hole-in-one too! I was playing with my buddy Chris Hillier at Lacombe Golf & Country Club. It was on hole #3, 125 yards and I used a 50 degree gap wedge. The cool part about the day is we were videoing our round for my YouTube channel. You can find the video of the hole-in-one here.

Pam Simpson, Country Hills Golf Club, Hole #16

I was playing with my husband, Robert Simpson, and another member of Country Hills, Ava Broderick. It was a short par 3 with a front pin placement, so the hole was probably under 105 yards. I used my 5 hybrid which is more club than most people would use, but The Talons hole #16 has been my nemesis hole this year. Lots of balls in the pond and in the front right bunker. If I got over the pond, the ball would roll down from the edge of the green down into the pond. I had one ball hit a rock on the edge of the pond and take a hard left across the cart path landing in a five inch strip between the cart path and the red line marking the penalty area. I even had one tee shot hit a water pump on the edge of the pond and take a left into the penalty area. Fortunately, our superintendent said I did not damage the pump. Needless to say, making a hole-in-one gave me a great deal of pleasure.

Zack Mulvale, Blue Springs Golf Club, Hole #5

Was on hole #5 which was 154 yards and I used an 8 iron. Was playing with Matt Marineau and a member at Blue Springs Golf Club, his name was Jimmy.

Al Zimmerman, Abercrombie Country Club, Hole #5

Hole #5 was a 135 yard, par 3. I used a Callaway Big Bertha 7 iron and a Callaway yellow Supersoft ball. My playing partners were Clem Benteau, John and Mary Acres.

Barry Spratt, West Haven Golf & Country Club, Hole #6

After 50+ years of attempting to hole out on thousands of par 3’s it finally occurred on hole #6 at the West Haven Golf & Country Club playing with Carl Cammaert, Terry Whalen and Jim Carmichael. A newcomer to the bag, a Wilson Staff D7 28 degree hybrid was used. The Taylormade TP5 ball travelled 173 yards with a soft bounce and rolled 10 feet into the cup. Now working on my second!

Josh Huisman, Cambridge Golf Club, Hole #5

My Father, our friend Andre, and a random Cambridge Golf Club member were playing the white tees at Cambridge Golf Club. On hole #5 we were 147 yards out and I used my nine iron. From the tees I couldn’t see the hole, but I knew my shot would be close. As we walked up, we couldn’t see my ball and began to wonder if I had hit a hole-in-one. Sure enough my ball was in the hole! I also shot my lowest round to date with a 79.

Shawn Kasaboski, Deep River Golf Club, Hole #7

I’ve only ever witnessed one other hole-in-one about four years ago. It is something which was on my bucket list, but never fathomed it would happen. I was playing with my lifelong friend Todd Chaput who has one hole-in-one and another friend I golf with, Eric Senohrabek, who does not have one.

I was first to tee off on our hole #7 from the white tee’s. I took a brand new Titleist Pro V1 out of the sleeve. I always play a 4 iron from this tee block. It was 216 yards on my scope. I got it, we watched it fly over a bunker and then rolled up onto the green and all we saw was it stop. My friend Todd says, “did it go in?” Eric immediately scoped it and he said I see it but it must have stopped directly in front of the hole. I took off with my cart and I was checking with my scope as I drove towards the green. I could see the ball partially and when I got to the green, there was my ball, half way in the hole with the flag stick pinching it up against the inside of the cup.

I collapsed on the green screaming. I looked over at the driving range and there was about six folks hitting balls and they were all staring at me. Some said they thought I had taken a heart attack. Eric and Todd were making their way to the green and I yelled, “it’s in the cup.” Todd yelled back, “don’t touch it, take pictures.” So after several pictures, high fives and fist pumps, my friend said, okay, just touch the flag pole, and “plop.” To hear that sound is something I’m never going to forget. I also had a stroke five years ago at age 50 and had to learn to walk again. I took up golf seriously as it helped my with my balance and stamina. Now I have a story to tell for the remainder of my life.

Elizabeth Young, The Glencoe Golf & Country Club, Hole #12

I was playing with three others, Judy Forshner who happens to be our Director of Golf at the Glencoe Golf and Country Club, Barb Widdowson and Judy Peacock. I was playing the Slopes/Bridges combination from the gold tees. It was a par 3, measuring on the Bridges course, 78 yards. It was in the back corner. I played a Callaway pitching wedge. I must say it was perfect, landed short and rolled to the hole. This is my fourth hole-in-one. It was a lovely sunny day, I was playing well, being totally inspired by the play of our Director of Golf.

Chantal Balash, Sandpiper Golf & Country Club, Hole #4

I was golfing with my 23-year old-son and we were paired with two men that were regulars on that course. We were playing from the yellow tees. This happened on hole #4, a 130 yard, par 3. I used my 6 hybrid to tee off. We were facing the sun set and I didn’t see it go in. The one gentleman that we were paired with later said he thought he saw it roll in but didn’t say anything because he was unsure. After everyone tee’d off and were on the green, we went to putt. I couldn’t find my ball and the same gentleman walked to the hole and said, “I figured it went in!” Was quite the celebratory moment with high fives all around.

Rick Shrum, Galt Country Club, Hole #8

I joined a twosome from the club, Kevin and Brian were their names I believe. It was on hole #8 at Galt Country Club, a 182 yard, par 3. I used a 6 iron.