World Junior Girls Championship

Seo-yun Kwon extends Republic of Korea’s lead at World Junior Girls Championship

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(Golf Canada/ Golf Ontario)

The playing conditions tightened up on moving day in the World Junior Girls Championship, with high winds bringing temperatures down 20C from the opening two rounds at The Marshes Golf Club.

Republic of Korea’s Seo-yun Kwon carded a 2-under 70 to keep the individual lead for the third consecutive day. She heads into tomorrow’s final round at 11 under for the tournament with a two-stroke advantage over Italy’s Alessia Nobilio.

“My mindset heading into tomorrow will be pretty much the same as what I have done in the past three rounds,” said the 16-year-old Kwon. “I won’t worry about what the other players are doing because I always set a certain goal for myself. So tomorrow I will do that and play for my goal.”

Nobilio carded one of two low-round 68s on the day, moving her into sole possession of second place. The 15-year-old caught fire with five-straight birdies before giving strokes back with a bogey on 13, and a double-bogey on the par-4 18th.

“I think I played perfectly until the last hole,” said Nobilio, the 41st ranked female in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. “I made five birdies in a row and my irons were always two meters from the pin, so that was my strength today. If I do my best I know that I can play good golf. I just need to concentrate until the last hole and everything will be fine.”

Nobilio’s efforts also helped lift the Italian team into a share of third place at 7 under, giving the trio a chance at what would be their first team medal at the World Junior Girls Championship. Caterina Don, who is currently tied for 26th, took home the individual bronze medal for the Italians in 2016.

“This is an important tournament for Italy,” added Nobilio. “Playing in a world championship and representing my country is just a dream for me.”

Spain carded a team-low 139 (-5) to move into second place at 10 under par, eight back of the leading Korean trio. The Koreans will look to collect their second World Junior Girls title at The Marshes – they captured the 2015 tournament here by a commanding 18 strokes.

Leading the Canadians in the field with a share of 26th at 4 over is Céleste Dao from Notre-Dame-de-L’Île-Perrot, Que.

The final round of tournament play will see players tee off at 8 a.m. Additional information and full results from the competition can be found here.

19th Hole

Presidents Cup trivia with Mike Weir and Tiger Woods

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(PGA TOUR)

Assistant captains Mike Weir and Tiger Woods relive their memorable match in the 2007 Presidents Cup and take part in a trivia battle on who knows their team best.

Watch the clip from PGA TOUR below:

Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru celebrates reaching $6 million at National Event

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(Golf Canada)

BRANTFORD, Ont. – Heat and sunny skies greeted over 110 women on Tuesday at the 14th annual Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru National Event at the Brantford Golf & Country Club.

Corporate partners, individual participants and the top-three fundraising teams selected from over 160 participating sites over the course of the season were on hand to celebrate raising more than $300,000 for breast cancer research through individual Golf Fore the Cure events run coast to coast in 2017.

The National Event featured 18-holes of golf packed with raffles, prizing, and games, followed by an awards dinner to thank and recognize the fundraising efforts put forth by Golf Fore the Cure participants across Canada.

Through 160 events in 2017 and upwards of 14,000 women, Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru raised its fundraising total to-date to over $6 million—with all proceeds donated to the Canadian Cancer Society and the Québec Breast Cancer Foundation.

“The participants of Golf Fore the Cure provide a strong reminder of the power of sport and the health of women’s golf across the country,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s chief sport officer. “The success of this program would not be possible without the leadership of our site coordinators and over 14,000 participants from coast to coast.”

Golf Canada also honoured this year’s top-three fundraising teams, listed below:

  1. Sandy Hook Golf Club, Sandy Hook Manitoba ($29,518)
  2. Elk Ridge Resort, Waskesiu Saskatchewan ($23,002)
  3. Golf New Brunswick ($21,117)

“Golf Canada is very thankful for the collective efforts of our many volunteers and corporate sponsors—Subaru Canada, adidas Golf and WayPoint,” added Thompson. “Their dedication and support has led to the program’s continued success and we are thrilled to have such a great team behind Golf Fore the Cure.”

Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru was created in 2003 by Golf Canada to drive women’s participation in the game of golf through the use of fun, non-intimidating activities. Through a unique partnership structure with the Canadian Cancer Society (and Québec Breast Cancer Foundation), the program has women across the country participating in golf activities and raising money and awareness for a cause close to Canadian hearts—the fight against breast cancer.

Subaru Canada has been a proud partner of Golf Fore the Cure since 2007. The company’s extended commitment reaffirms their dedication to making a difference in the fight against breast cancer.

Photos from Tuesday’s National Event can be viewed here.

To learn how to get involved with Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru, visit golfcanada.ca/golfforethecure

LPGA Tour

Brooke Henderson shares lead at New Zealand Open

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(Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

AUCKLAND, New Zealand – Canadian Brooke Henderson and Jodi Ewart Shadoff of England shot 7-under 65 on Thursday to share the lead in the New Zealand Women’s Open, leaving home star Lydia Ko five strokes back after the first round.

The playing partners led by one stroke over Amy Boulden of Wales and Belen Mozo of Spain, with American Brittany Lincicome, Beatriz Recari of Spain and South Korea’s Na Yeon Choi another stroke back after 67s.

The New Zealand Open is on the LPGA Tour for the first time this year.

Henderson and Ewart Shadoff took advantage of easier morning conditions before the winds picked up on the newly-established Windross Farm course east of Auckland.

“Going out there I knew I had to take advantage of the good conditions,” Ewart Shadoff said. “I putted well today. I think the greens are great … they are running really true.”

The Yorkshire-born golfer has yet to win on the LPGA Tour, after joining in 2011, but picked up her best paycheque in early August when she shot 64 in the final round to move into second place behind In-Kyung Kim at the Women’s British Open.

Ewart Shadoff and Henderson were joined by Denmark’s Nicole Broch Larsen (72), and the trio produced 17 birdies.

“I was looking to get on top of the leaderboard early,” Henderson said. “I know with the conditions today that the scores were going to be really low. To shoot minus 7 on a golf course that I didn’t think completely suited my game is really exciting.”

Henderson said she received the luck of the draw on Thursday.

“If the wind picks up it is going to be a completely different golf course,” she said. “I was fortunate this morning that the winds were calm and the greens were holding more than the last few days.”

Henderson’s 7-under 65 ties the second lowest round of her career – she has twice shot 63.

Former No. 1 Ko, who drew a huge gallery, had four birdies and two bogeys in her 70, leaving her in a tie for 21st.

“I hit the ball well throughout the day and gave myself a good look at birdies, even on my back nine, but couldn’t hole them,” said Ko who has struggled with her putter this season.

“I kept committing to lines and all you can do is trust the read and put a good stroke on it.”

The South Korea-born Ko has won her home Open in three of the last four years – 2013, 2015 and 2016. However, she hasn’t won an LPGA tournament in over a year.

World Junior Girls Championship

Republic of Korea holds lead at mid-way point of World Junior Girls Championship

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(Golf Canada/ Golf Ontario)

The Republic of Korea successfully battled the heat once again at The Marshes Golf Club, carding a 6-under 138 on Wednesday to extend their team lead through two rounds of the World Junior Girls Championship.

On the strength of Hae-Ran Ryu’s 4-under 68, the Koreans have built up a seven-stroke team advantage. The trio’s second-counting score was posted by the individual leader, Seo-yun Kwon, who maintained her first-round lead after carding five birdies on the day to move to 9 under for the tournament — good for a four-stroke cushion.

Chasing Kwon for the individual title are five competitors deadlocked in second place at 6 under par: Esther Henseleit (Germany), Alessia Nobilio (Italy), Linn Grant (Sweden), Hana Ryskova (Czech Republic) and Annabel Wilson (Ireland).

Wilson carded the low-round of the day with a six-birdie, 5-under-par effort.

“Everything was going well today, it was a stress-free round of golf,” said Wilson, who played in the inaugural World Junior Girls Championship in 2014. “My putter was hot today which was the biggest difference from yesterday. I hit one more green yesterday but I took five less shots today so it really was all because of the putter.”

The Korean squad are looking to mirror their success from the 2015 championship — also hosted at The Marshes — where they recorded an 18-stroke team victory. They are currently trailed by the Americans at 9 under and Germans at 7 under.

Céleste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-L’Île-Perrot, Que., posted four birdies on the day to lead all Canadians at even-par for the tournament (74-70).

“I had a good start, I was hitting the ball well but my long putts were the key,” said the 16-year-old Dao. “I was 3 under after the front nine, which was a great start for me.”

Playing for Canada on home soil was not lost on the reigning Quebec Women’s Amateur champion.

“It’s an honour for me to play for Canada at this tournament,” added Dao. “I know that the scores will be low because it is the best in the world competing but it doesn’t change how I approach my game. It is just great to compare my game with theirs.”

The second round was delayed from 2:45 p.m. to 4:03 p.m. due to lightning.

The third round of tournament play will begin at 8 a.m. Additional information and full results from the competition can be found here.


Pos Team Today Thru Total R1 R2 R3 R4 Total
1 Korea, Republic Of Republic of Korea -6 F * -16 134 138 272
2 United States United States of America E F * -9 135 144 279
3 Germany Germany -4 F * -7 141 140 281
T4 Denmark Denmark -2 F -6 140 142 282
T4 Sweden Sweden -2 F * -6 140 142 282
6 Spain Spain -3 F * -5 142 141 283
T7 France France -1 F * -4 141 143 284
T7 Italy Italy -2 F * -4 142 142 284
9 England England -2 F * -1 145 142 287
T10 Ireland Ireland -4 F E 148 140 288
T10 Philippines Philippines -2 F E 146 142 288
12 Czech Republic Czech Republic +6 F +2 140 150 290
13 Switzerland Switzerland +2 F * +3 145 146 291
14 Mexico Mexico +3 F +4 145 147 292
T15 Australia Australia +8 F +6 142 152 294
T15 Chinese Taipei Chinese Taipei +2 F +6 148 146 294
17 Belgium Belgium +4 F +7 147 148 295
18 Canada Canada 1 +2 F +8 150 146 296
19 Canada Canada 2 +11 F +14 147 155 302
20 China People Republic of China +6 F +17 155 150 305
Korn Ferry Tour

PGA TOUR announces 2018 Web.com Tour schedule

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(Michael Cohen/Getty Images)

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The PGA TOUR today announced the 2018 Web.com Tour schedule, which features 27 tournaments played in 18 states and four countries outside the United States, and culminates with the four-event Web.com Tour Finals in August and September. The 27 events mark the most on the Web.com Tour calendar since 2012, with the $18.3 million in total prize money representing the most since the Tour’s 2010 season.

“We are thrilled with the positive momentum the Web.com Tour has established, and today’s schedule announcement is another indication of the further growth and strength of the Web.com Tour,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “The players benefit greatly from these increased playing opportunities and arrive on the PGA TOUR ready to compete and win immediately.”

The season-long chase for 50 available PGA TOUR cards encompasses a 23-event Regular Season that runs from The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay in January through the WinCo Foods Portland Open presented by Kraft-Heinz in August, before giving way to the sixth annual Web.com Tour Finals, which will culminate with the season-ending Web.com Tour Championship in Atlantic Beach, Fla.

Twelve events will air on Golf Channel, including all four Web.com Tour Finals tournaments. The Web.com Tour will be seen in 180 other countries and territories, reaching a potential 300 million households across 36 channels outside the United States via the PGA TOUR’s international broadcasting operation.

“The momentum we’re seeing on the Web.com Tour is a direct result of the support from our title sponsors, the tireless effort put forth by our tournament directors and their staffs, and the passionate volunteers who donate time to make each event special and impactful,” said Web.com Tour President Dan Glod. “You combine that with the unique experience our players provide for fans by being approachable and engaging – on and off the golf course – and you can see why we are excited about the Web.com Tour’s future. As we look to 2018, we are pleased to see our schedule expand and will continue to focus on growth while enhancing the experience for fans, sponsors and players.”

The first five years of the Web.com Tour Finals have created a dramatic conclusion to the season-long chase for the 50 available PGA TOUR cards, with a host of the graduates finding immediate success on TOUR.

The 2016-17 PGA TOUR season saw Cody Gribble (Sanderson Farms Championship), Rod Pampling (Shriners Hospitals for Children Open) and Mackenzie Hughes (The RSM Classic) win in the first seven events of the year, while Emiliano Grillo (Safeway Open), Smylie Kaufman (Shriners Hospitals for Children Open) and Peter Malnati (Sanderson Farms Championship) earned three of the first four titles of the 2015-16 season after competing in the Web.com Tour Finals.

In total, nine graduates from the Web.com Tour’s Class of 2016 won 10 times on the PGA TOUR this past year, including Xander Schauffele, who earned his first title at the Greenbrier Classic and played his way into last week’s TOUR Championship in Atlanta, where he became the first rookie in history to win the TOUR’s season-ending event at storied East Lake Golf Club.

“The growth of the Web.com Tour and the caliber of its talent show that the PGA TOUR and Web.com are creating future opportunities where players can realize their full potential,” said David L. Brown, Chairman, CEO and President of Web.com. “The changes we are announcing will only improve the level of play while making meaningful contributions to local communities that reach far beyond golf.”

The 2018 season will open with the Web.com Tour returning to The Bahamas for the second annual Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay (1/13-1/16) and Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club (1/21-1/24). The Exuma Classic will feature a Saturday-Tuesday competition schedule, while the Abaco Classic will feature a Sunday-Wednesday format. All four rounds of each tournament will be carried live on Golf Channel.

For the first time in Web.com Tour history, the season will open with events in four consecutive weeks, as the tournaments in The Bahamas will be followed by the Panama Championship the week of January 29-February 4 and the Club Colombia Championship the week of February 5-11.

The El Bosque Mexico Championship in Leon, Mexico will be held on March 5-11, while the Chitimacha Louisiana Open presented by NACHER will return to Le Triomphe Golf & Country Club in Broussard, La., for a 27th consecutive season the week of March 19-25.

The Web.com Tour will welcome two new events to the calendar in 2018, with the Savannah Golf Championship set for the week of March 26-April 1, and the North Mississippi Classic debuting the week of April 16-22. The Savannah Golf Championship will be contested at Deer Creek Golf Course at The Landings Club in Savannah, Ga., while the North Mississippi Classic will be held at the Country Club of Oxford in Oxford, Miss.

The North Mississippi Classic will be the third PGA TOUR-sanctioned event to be held annually in Mississippi, joining the PGA TOUR’s Sanderson Farms Championship and the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic on PGA TOUR Champions. Mississippi is one of just five states to host an annual tournament on all three Tours, with California, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina being the other four.

The United Leasing & Finance Championship, held annually at famed Victoria National Golf Club near Evansville, Ind., will round out the Tour’s April schedule the week of April 23-29.

Two of the biggest moves in the Tour’s traditional schedule layout are found in May, with the Knoxville Open in Knoxville, Tenn., moving from its traditional August date to the week of May 7-13. The Tour will return with the 27th annual BMW Charity Pro-Am (May 14-20) in the South Carolina Upstate the following week, with the Nashville Golf Open Benefitting the Snedeker Foundation moving back approximately one month to the week of May 21-27.

Beginning with the Rex Hospital Open in Raleigh, N.C. the week of May 28-June 3, the Web.com Tour will play 11 tournaments in 12 weeks through the summer months to round out the Regular Season. Tournaments featured during that stretch include:

  • June 4-10          Rust-Oleum Championship
  • June 18-24        Air Capital Classic Supporting Wichita’s Youth
  • June 25-1          Lincoln Land Charity Championship
  • July 2-8             LECOM Health Challenge
  • July 9-15           Utah Championship presented by Zions Bank
  • July 16-22         Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Heartland Chevy Dealers
  • July 23-29         Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper
  • July 30-5           Digital Ally Open
  • August 6-12      Ellie Mae Classic at TPC Stonebrae
  • August 13-19    WinCo Foods Portland Open presented by Kraft-Heinz

The WinCo Foods Portland Open will return to Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club near Portland, Ore., for a fifth straight year, where the first 25 PGA TOUR cards for the 2018-19 season will be determined.

The 2018 Web.com Tour Finals will begin the following week with back-to-back events in Ohio for the first time. The Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship will be held at Ohio State University’s Scarlet Course in Columbus on August 20-26, with the DAP Championship at storied Canterbury Golf Club set for the week of August 27-September 2 just two hours northeast in Beachwood.

Following a week off, the Finals will conclude with the Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft Nabisco (Sept. 10-16) and the Web.com Tour Championship, which will return to Atlantic Beach Country Club in Atlantic Beach, Fla. the week of September 17-23.

DATE TOURNAMENT HOST COURSE LOCATION
Aug. 20-26 Nationwide Children’s Hospital Champ. Ohio State G.C. Columbus, Ohio
Aug. 27-2 DAP Championship Canterbury G.C. Cleveland, Ohio
Sept. 10-16 Albertsons Boise Open Hillcrest C.C. Boise, Idaho
Sept. 17-23 Web.com Tour Championship Atlantic Beach C.C. Atlantic Beach, Fla.

The season-ending Web.com Tour Championship will finalize the second set of 25 PGA TOUR cards for 2018-19 and determine player positioning in the priority ranking system, which is used to form fields for TOUR events, for all 50 card recipients.

For more information on the 2018 Web.com Tour season, please visit PGATOUR.com.

Golf in Schools totals 240 adoptions to date in 2017

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Following the week-long celebration of Adopt a School Week, Golf Canada is proud to announce an additional 240 adoptions occurred in 2017 thanks to the efforts of corporate sponsors, industry partners, and golf enthusiasts across the country.

In total, the figure translates to an additional 28,800 elementary, intermediate and high school students being introduced to the sport through the Future Links, driven by Acura Golf in Schools program.

With support from industry partners—the Provincial Associations, PGA of Canada and the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA)—Golf in Schools was donated to 30 schools during Adopt a School Week. This figure was further made possible through the donation of the Canadian Seniors Golf Association, who helped Golf Canada create a matching program to essentially double the impact of those helping grow the sport.

Presenting sponsor Acura donated an initial 10 schools, followed by a Facebook contest to select five additional schools in the coming weeks.

Golf Town, the official retailer of Future Links driven by Acura, adopted 93 schools as part of a fundraising initiative at retail locations across the country.

RBC continued their support to all levels of Canadian golf by adopting five schools into the program.

Since the program’s inception in 2009, adoptions have accounted for close to 50% of over 3,200 registered schools delivering the curriculum. For Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s chief sport officer, that number presents a great opportunity to build community relationships.

“With Golf in Schools adoptions, we hope to help establish a connection between facilities and schools in respective communities across Canada,” said Thompson. “Establishing that link can enhance the school’s delivery of the program, while also contributing towards future membership numbers at the corresponding facility.”

Click here to learn how you can help grow that trend.


Future Links, driven by Acura Golf in Schools was created to introduce Canadian elementary and high school students to the game of the golf. Developed by Physical and Health Education Canada (PHE Canada) in partnership with Golf Canada, the PGA of Canada and Canada’s provincial golf associations, the program is designed to deliver physical education learning outcomes through fun golf related activities. With 10,000 elementary schools and 4,600 high schools representing close to 4.5 million students across the country, the Canadian school system and its physical education curriculum represents the single most concentrated opportunity to introduce children of all backgrounds to the sport of golf. The Golf in Schools program is proudly supported by Acura, Puma, Heritage Canada, ClubLink, Golf Town, the R&A and the National Golf Course Owners Association Canada (NGCOA). For more information, visit
www.golfcanada.ca/golfinschools

Korn Ferry Tour

Canada’s Roger Sloan chasing PGA TOUR card in final Web.com event

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(Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

The season-ending Web.com Tour Championship – the fourth and final event in the annual Web.com Tour Finals – gets underway at Atlantic Beach (Fla.) Country Club this week as one of the year’s strongest fields will compete for a $1 million purse and one of 25 PGA TOUR cards on the line.

Since 2013, the Web.com Tour has awarded 50 PGA TOUR cards annually, with the top 25 players on the Regular-Season-ending money list earning theirs following the conclusion of the WinCo Foods Portland Open in August, and the additional 25 coming via the Web.com Tour Finals – which combine Nos. 1-75 on the Web.com Tour money list and Nos. 126-200 on the TOUR’s FedExCup points list.

The field at Atlantic Beach is littered with many familiar PGA TOUR names, including two-time major champion Angel Cabrera, nine-time TOUR winner Stuart Appleby, six-time TOUR winner Hunter Mahan and five-time TOUR winners Ben Crane and Jonathan Byrd.

Among those on the cusp of the 25th and final spot is Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., who currently sits at No. 27 on the Web.com Finals-only list:

23. Steve Wheatcroft $29,025 Indiana University
24. Sam Saunders $27,900 Clemson University
25. Cameron Percy $27,855 N/A
26. Zac Blair $26,830 BYU
27. Roger Sloan $25,495 UTEP
28. K.H. Lee $24,955 Korea National Sport Univ.
29. Matt Harmon $24,400 Michigan State University
30. John Chin $24,193 Cal-Irvine

Players who have already secured their PGA TOUR cards through the Regular Season and the Finals—including Canadians Ben Silverman, Corey Conners and Adam Svensson—are vying for positioning and status for the 2017-18 season, which will be used to fill fields. accordingly.

Amateur

Canada claims five medals at inaugural Invictus Games golf competition

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(Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation)

TORONTO – The inaugural adaptive golf competition of the Invictus Games took place Tues, Sept. 26, at St. George’s Golf and Country Club, where Canadians claimed five medals.

The competition was contested over 18 holes using modified Stableford scoring using Handicap Factors/Index.

Claiming gold in the men’s competition with a 38-point total was David Scott of the United Kingdom. Canada’s Étienne Aubé claimed silver with 37 points.  Canadians Dan Graham and Jay Nickol earned bronze with 35 points, as did American Josh Lindstrom.

In the women’s competition, Cornelia Oosthuizen of the United Kingdom captured gold with a score of 32. Canada’s Karyne Gelinas earned silver with 27 points and Sandy Bate earned 24 points ton win bronze.

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Karyne Gelinas of Canada, Cornelia Oosthuizen of the United Kingdom  and Sandy Bate of Canada (Photo: Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)

His Royal Highness Prince Harry was on hand at St. George’s to cheer on competitors.

The Invictus Games are an international sporting event for wounded, ill and injured servicemen and women, both currently serving and veterans. The Games use the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding of and respect for those who serve their country.

The word Invictus is Latin for unconquered. It embodies the fighting spirit of the wounded, injured and ill service personnel and what these tenacious men and women can achieve, post-injury.

For full scores, click here.

For more information on the 2017 Invictus Games, visit www.invictusgames2017.com.

World Junior Girls Championship

Republic of Korea jumps to early lead at World Junior Girls Championship

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(Golf Canada/ Golf Ontario)

The Republic of Korea were not fazed by the sweltering heat on Monday at The Marshes Golf Club, carding a score of 10 under to take the 18-hole lead at the fourth annual World Junior Girls Championship.

In temperatures upwards of 30 C, the Korean team recorded a score of 134 to build a one-stroke advantage over the American squad. The trio were paced by Seo-yun Kwon, who fired a 7-under-par 65 for a two-stroke cushion in the individual competition.

“For the first three or four holes I missed a couple birdie putts and that made me hot because I was angry,” said Kwon. “The turning point was a birdie on the sixth and at that point I didn’t even realize how warm it was.”

The 16-year-old thrived in the heat, recording five birdies and an eagle on the par-5 14th.

“Right before you make a shot you imagine how it will go in your mind. During the practice round I tried to get on in three because it is a long hole,” said Kwon. “Today, my driver was so good that when I got to my ball, I realized I should try to reach with my three wood. My putter was also great today so the 14th went exactly how I imagined it would.”

The second-counting score for the Republic of Korea was registered by Yunji Jeong, who posted a 3-under-par 69 to sit tied for sixth. The Republic of Korea are no strangers to success at The Marshes Golf Club — they ran away with the competition when it was held at this same course in 2015, winning by a margin of 18 strokes.

“The course looks very friendly to Korean players, even though the shape and grass type are different,” added Kwon. “However, the shot has to be accurate because the fairways are narrow, including the landing zones, and there is bush on either side and those conditions are very similar to in Korea.”

Holding second place is America’s Gina Kim, who went 5 under on the back nine, including an eagle of her own on the 14th — one of two on the day. Third place is currently occupied by a trio of competitors at 4 under par: Hana Ryskova (Czech Republic), Alessia Nobilio (Italy) and Erica Shepherd (USA).

Emily Zhu, Canada’s youngest competitor from Richmond Hill, Ont., led both Canadian squads with an even-par 72 to sit T23 overall. The 13-year-old’s round was a positive note in what was otherwise a difficult opener for the host nation.

“I don’t think that it was the start that we wanted but the girls all played better than what they scored. I trust in the fact that they are hitting the ball well and that they are going to get better every day, that is our goal,” said Ann Carroll, coach of Canada One. “It is a 72-hole tournament and we will just focus on getting better every day. We’ll make today the high round and focus on trying to improve on the little things that make a big difference.”

With a total of 3-over 147, Canada Two comprised of Zhu, Euna Han (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Alyssa DiMarcantonio (Maple, Ont.) are tied for 15th place.

The second round will begin at 8 a.m. with no cut for the tournament. Additional information from the competition can be found here.