Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada publish Golf Facilities in Canada 2017 report
Golf Canada, in partnership with the PGA of Canada, has released Golf Facilities in Canada 2017—the definitive report on golf facilities and development in Canada.
Golf Facilities in Canada 2017 is a collaborative effort between Golf Canada, the PGA of Canada and the National Golf Foundation (NGF), a golf industry knowledge research firm which delivers independent and objective market intelligence, insights and trends.
The report, which is a follow up to the 2015 Golf Facilities in Canada Report, identifies all existing public and private facilities in the country; and defines supply by province, type and number of holes. The report also includes information on facility openings and closings, as well as the number and type of facilities currently in development.
“The 2017 edition of the Golf Facilities in Canada report provides a comprehensive snapshot of the Canadian golf landscape and the abundance of golf experiences in communities from coast to coast,” said Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer and interim CEO Jeff Thompson. “We are proud to partner with the NGF and the PGA of Canada in presenting the second iteration of this in-depth summary of national and provincial golf facility data.”
“The PGA of Canada in partnership with Golf Canada is excited to present this captivating study of golf facilities in Canada compiled by one of the world’s leading research firms, the National Golf Foundation,” said PGA of Canada CEO Gary Bernard. “As the second oldest and third largest professional golf association in the world, the PGA of Canada and its 3,700 members are proud to be a driving force at golf facilities from coast-to-coast.”
A snapshot of data captured in Golf Facilities in Canada 2017:
- Canada is home to 2,298 public and private golf facilities; ranking it second in the world in total supply.
- Seventy-seven per cent of the total golf supply is located in Canada’s four most populated provinces—Ontario, Québec, Alberta and British Columbia.
- Golf remains extremely accessible in Canada with nearly 90 per cent of the country’s supply open to the public.
- Of the 2,068 daily fee or public facilities in Canada, 48 per cent are located in Ontario and Québec, which together account for 61 per cent of the country’s total population. The two provinces are also home to 73 per cent of Canada’s 230 private clubs.
- Nine-hole golf (838 facilities) accounts for more than 36 per cent of Canada’s total supply. In Saskatchewan, 18-hole courses are outnumbered almost three to one (51 vs. 149) by 9-hole courses.
- Canada features nine 12-hole facilities (six of which are in Ontario) and a single 6-hole facility which is located in Manitoba.
- Resort golf, though a small segment of Canada’s overall supply, is a significant contributor to tourism in several provinces. Countrywide, 169 facilities (or approximately seven percent of total supply) are connected to a resort or a resort/real estate operation.
- Since 2010, 26 facilities have opened in seven different provinces including Alberta, which leads the way with eight openings during that period. In recent years, Canada has seen only moderate growth, and currently has 22 18-hole equivalent facilities in various stages of development.
- Since 2015, 51 facilities have been reported as closed, including 19 in Ontario. Canada’s largest province accounts for 37 per cent of total Canadian closures as well as 35 perc ent of Canada’s total supply.
The complete Golf Facilities in Canada 2017 report including national and provincial data is available for download here.
Globally, Canada’s 2,298 facilities represent seven percent of the world’s total supply of golf facilities (33,161). Canada ranks second in total supply behind the United States (15,014) and is ahead of Japan (2,290), England (1,991), Australia (1,591) and Germany (747) among the countries with the next highest total supply. For more on the world report, visit randa.org.
Corey Conners qualifies for 2017 U.S. Open
Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Corey Conners won medallist honours on Monday at the U.S. Open Sectional Qualifier in Springfield, Ohio to book his ticket to the 2017 U.S. Open from June 12-18 at Erin Hills.
In a marathon day where golfers played 36 holes, the Listowel, Ont., product recorded a total of 12 birdies at Springfield Country Club to finish at 12 under par, three shots clear of runner-up Brian Stuard (Jackson, Mich.).
Conners went bogey free in the opening round, recording seven birdies alongside an eagle from 100 yards out on the par-4 14th en route to carding a course record 61 (-9).
During his second round of the day, Conners cooled down on the front nine going out at 1-under par. On the back nine, he birdied three of his last eight holes to card a 3-under-par 67.
The six-year Team Canada veteran is currently playing on the Web.com Tour where he is 32nd on the Order of Merit.
Conners’ best result of 2017 came at the Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay, where he finished T5. He’s currently ranked 10th in scoring average on the Web.com Tour at 70.52.
Hugo Bernard – a member of the Team Canada Amateur Squad – missed out on one of 13 spots at the Columbus, Ohio, Qualifier by three strokes in a strong field that included major champions Stuart Cink, Keegan Bradley, and former world No. 1, Luke Donald.
Roger Sloan (Merritt, B.C.) finished four strokes back of earning a spot at the Rockville, Md., Qualifier.
For the full Springfield Sectional leaderboard click here.
Road trip paying dividends for Blair Bursey
He’s won the Bandon Dunes Championship and now Blair Bursey can add the Hamilton Golf & Country Club Men’s Invitational to his list of amateur victories.
While it was 3 degrees Celsius and spitting rain at home on the rock in Gander, Newfoundland on Monday, the 20-year-old Junior at Utah Valley University played near perfect golf over the famed Harry Colt layout in Ancaster, for a one-stroke victory over travelling partner, Garrett Rank of Elmira and Gajan Sivabalasingham of Stouffville.
“Every one of the 27 holes out there are awesome,” says Bursey, who carded a double-bogey on his second hole of the day, but quickly rebound for birdies on three of the next four holes on Hamilton’s East Course to get himself back in red numbers.
Bursey finished the 27-hole marathon at even par carding nines of 35-36-34 for a total of 105 strokes. He tallied one double-bogey, three bogeys, five birdies and 17 pars as a field of 84 top amateur and senior amateur players teed it up at one of Canada’s finest invitationals. Fourth place went to Simon McInnis of Toronto at 107 followed by Eric Ross of Burlington in fifth.
“I never thought much of winning today. I was just trying to put together some solid shots and I was fortunate to keep the ball in play most of the day,” says Bursey, who took the lead into the final round of the 2016 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship last summer, but settled for fifth place in what he calls “a very good learning experience.”
“This is a phenomenal golf course, I can’t say enough about the layout, the views, it’s amazingly manicured. The whole place is first class,” added Bursey, who flew to Toronto last week to practice and travel with Rank.
They played Craigowan GC in Woodstock and The National Golf Club of Canada, as well as a practice round at Hamilton G&CC the day before the invitational. Their next stop is the Monroe Invitational Championship in Pittsford, NY, followed by The Glencoe Invitational in Calgary, AB and the Northeast Amateur Invitational in Rumford, Rhode Island.
“This is a wonderful place with its history and the golf course is fantastic,” says Rank, who was also playing it for the first time. “The shot values are outstanding and the changes in elevation keep you guessing. You really need to work the ball around to get into a good place to score and they have Big Boy par-3s.”
In the Senior Division, Lars Melander of Hidden Lake GC in Burlington outlasted Robert Gibson of Cedar Brae GC in Toronto in a four-hole playoff. Both players finished regulation play at 6 over par for a score of 111.
“Winning is not always easy. This is the first significant senior event I have won,” says Melander, who lost in a playoff just last month at the Burlington G&CC Invitational. “This is one of the top amateur events in Ontario, so to win here is very satisfying. It spurs me on to work harder at my game, so I can keep up with the younger guys,” added the 65-year-old.
Graham Delaet jumps up The Presidents Cup standings
Graham DeLaet was the big mover among Canadians vying for spots on the 2017 Presidents Cup International team. DeLaet, a member of the 2013 International Presidents Cup team, tied for 10th at the PGA TOUR’s Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, last week.
It was the three-time Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada winner’s fifth top-10 of the 2016-17 season but his first since tying for sixth at the RBC Heritage in April.
Adam Hadwin remains the top Canadian in The Presidents Cup standings. Hadwin is 11th, remaining where he was last week after missing the cut at the Memorial.
The top-10 players from the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) as of September 4 will make Captain Nick Price’s team. Mackenzie Hughes, at No. 30, is the next-highest Canadian in the standings. From those not qualifying, Price will then have two at-large selections.
The 2017 Presidents Cup will be held September 28-October 1 at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, N.J. The U.S. defeated the International team by one point at the 2015 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne Golf Club.
In history, DeLaet and Mike Weir are the only Canadians who have played in The Presidents Cup. Weir is a five-time participant, with a 13-9-2 record in his 24 matches. In 2007, Royal Montreal Golf Club hosted the biennial event, with the U.S. winning 19.5-14.5.
Canadian Standings through June 4
| Position | Player | Last week |
| 11 (–) | Adam Hadwin, Abbotsford, B.C. | 11 |
| 28 (↑) | Graham Delaet, Weyburn, Sask. | 36 |
| 30 (–) | Mackenzie Hughes, Dundas, Ont. | 30 |
Mack Duke wins medallist honours at RBC Canadian Open Qualifier at Vallee du Richelieu
Mack Duke of Camden, Maine, carded a 2-under par 70 to earn medallist honours at the final RBC Canadian Open Regional qualifier of 2017 at Club de Golf la Vallee du Richelieu – Vercheres Course.
Duke’s first place finish earns him a spot in the Final Qualifier taking place at Heron Point Golf Links in Ancaster, Ont., July 24th.
A minimum of four golfers will advance through final Monday qualifying to the 2017 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club, in Oakville, Ont., from July 24-30.
“Qualifiers are tough because one bad shot can kick you right out of it,” said Duke following his round. “You have to be consistent and try to play smart. You can’t get too aggressive and you have to make putts when they are offered up.”
After going out in a bogey free 2-under par 34 on the front nine, Duke dropped two more birdies on the back nine to combat two bogeys. He felt confident with his putter all day.
“The greens were really good speed for making putts,” he added. “They weren’t crazy fast, and weren’t too slow, so you could hit all your putts pretty firm and aggressive. I just stuck to that and made a few putts today.”
Sixty-seven golfers competed in the Quebec qualifier. In addition to Duke, 15 players are also moving on to the Final Qualifier at Heron Point.
Seventeen-year-old amateur Griffin Jones from Manotick, Ont., finished second one stroke behind Duke at 1 under par. Quebec City’s Louis-Alexandre Pitre was solo third at even par.
Amateurs Cullen Chung (Westmount, Que.) and Étienne Papineau (St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.) finished in a tie for fourth with professional Francis Berthiaume (Valleyfield, Que.) at 1 over par.
The Quebec Regional Qualifier was the third and final Regional Qualifying event. Provided 100 or more players were in the field at a Regional Qualifier, the low qualifier received direct exemption into the 2017 RBC Canadian Open.
Otherwise, the top 15 percent of finisher at each qualifier are eligible to compete at the Final Qualifying event.
Additional information and the full leaderboard from Monday’s RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifier at Vallee du Richelieu can be found here.
The Following Golfers Advanced Final Qualifer
1. Mack Duke, Camden, ME (34-36–70 -2)
2. Griffin Jones (a), Manotick, ON (36-35–71 -1)
3. Louis-Alexandre Pitre, Quebec, QC (38-34–72 E)
T4. Cullen Chung (a), Westmount, QC (36-37–73 +1
T4. Étienne Papineau (a), St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC (36-37–73 +1)
T4. Francis Berthiaume, Valleyfield, QC (38-35–73 +1)
T7. Marc Bourgeois, Dieppe, NB (36-38–74 +2)
T7. Benoit Boudreau, Longueuil, QC (37-37–74 +2)
T7. Gabriel Gingras (a), University of Ottawa Gee-Gees (36-38–74 +2)
T10. Vincent Blanchette, St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC (37-38–75 +3)
T10. Cole Nead (a), Toronto, ON (37-38–75 +3)
T10. Marc Casullo (a), Aurora, ON (37-38–75 +3)
T10. Joseph D’Alfonso, Caledon, Ontario (38-37–75 +3)
T10. Yanik Laforest, Mirabel, QC (36-39–75 +3)
T10. David Iaderosa (a), Ottawa, ON (38-37–75 +3)
Full results
McMaster University Centre for Continuing Education to offer new Diploma in Golf & Resort Management
McMaster University’s Centre for Continuing Education (CCE) is entering the world of golf management education. Having recently acquired the Golf Management Institute of Canada’s (GMIC) successful online program in golf and resort management, McMaster will offer this program specifically designed for the global golf and resort industry beginning in August. With over 32,000 golf facilities in more than 200 countries, the launch of this unique program will be welcomed worldwide.
According to a recent study conducted by the National Allied Golf Association (NAGA), golf in Canada is a $19.7 billion industry employing over 300,000 people at 2,500 facilities nationwide.
Adult learners and professionals looking to enter this exciting global industry now have the opportunity to sharpen their management skills through this diploma program offered by McMaster University’s Centre for Continuing Education (CCE). Students who complete the 10-course online program will earn both a diploma from McMaster University and an industry credential from the GMIC.
“I am delighted that we are able to offer this program,” says Lorraine Carter, Director of McMaster University Centre for Continuing Education. “It is an important complement to our existing business programs and a commitment by McMaster’s Centre for Continuing Education to offer new and diverse programs. In particular, this program demonstrates our emerging interest in learning opportunities not only in business but in specific areas of business practice.”
Students will take courses in a wide range of areas pertaining to golf and resort management, including golf club governance, finance, strategic management, marketing, human resources, turf management, golf course design and entrepreneurship.
“The original GMIC online program in golf management was developed in 1999 to train future leaders of the Canadian golf industry,” says Grant Fraser, founder of the GMIC. “Over the past 18 years, the GMIC has successfully done this.
“Now, through McMaster’s Centre for Continuing Education, the program will only get better. McMaster University has a world-class reputation, and to be able to offer this unique program through one of Canada’s best universities is truly an exciting opportunity for anyone looking to pursue a management career in the global golf and resort industry.”
The program is well suited for working professionals looking to advance their careers and pursue something they are truly passionate about. With a flexible, part-time schedule, students who wish to earn their diploma in less than a year can do so by taking two online courses at a time.
“Studying online provides learners with the convenience and flexibility to pursue new career options so they don’t need to quit their jobs,” explains Fraser.“We’ve always described the program as one that brings the business of golf to the student. It’s very user-friendly.”
Graduates of the program will enter a highly diverse job market with many career opportunities available including public and private golf club management, sales and marketing, tournament coordination, golf association administration, as well as positions within the hospitality/resort sector in Canada and around the globe.
The courses offered in this program will provide participants with the practical knowledge to perform better at their current job or to attain a wide variety of higher positions within the golf industry, such as general manager, food & beverage manager, marketing specialist, sales representative, golf professional or golf course superintendent.
At a senior management level this program will also prepare owners or prospective owners of golf businesses to make more sound decisions.
The program is an open enrollment program which means that no application is required. Interested students are invited to register now at www.mcmastercce.ca
PUMA GOLF Canada & Golf Town partner up to support the Graham & Ruby DeLaet Foundation
PUMA Golf Canada and Golf Town have joined forces to pledge their support for PGA TOUR star and Puma Golf ambassador Graham DeLaet and his wife Ruby’s charitable efforts to improve the health and wellness of children, as well as the development of junior golf across the Country.
PUMA Golf and Golf Town have developed a Graham & Ruby DeLaet Foundation signature tee Shirt collection that will be sold exclusively at Golf Town locations throughout Canada, with proceeds from the sale of the shirts being donated to the Foundation.
“Both Graham & Ruby have been amazing ambassadors for PUMA Golf and for the Canadian golf community as a whole,” said Adam Cox, General Manger for COBRA PUMA Golf Canada. “We are extremely honoured to have them both as part of the PUMA Golf family and are particularly grateful that we can support such an amazing foundation.”
“It’s exciting for us to partner with COBRA PUMA in support of the Graham & Ruby DeLaet Foundation. Growing the game of golf and connecting with our community of golfers starts with fostering passion for the game in juniors and giving back, so we are proud to play a small part at Golf Town by launching this in our stores and online.” said Chad McKinnon, President of Golf Town.
The limited edition collection of signature shirts will be available as of June 5th, 2017 at each of Golf Town’s retail locations throughout Canada and via their website at golftown.com. The shirts will come in four separate colour ways and will encompass the Graham & Ruby DeLaet Foundation logo on the left sleeve and a Canadian maple leaf on the right – tying back to DeLaet’s Canadian roots.
“I am happy to be working with Puma again on this initiative at Golf Town stores across Canada,” said Graham DeLaet, PGA Tour Player and PUMA Golf Athlete. “Our previous campaign was extremely successful from an awareness and fundraising standpoint, and we hope to grow it further this year to continue enabling our Foundation’s ability to give back.”
Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, Bryson Dechambeau, Si Woo Kim and Team RBC among early player commitments for 2017 RBC Canadian Open
Golf Canada and RBC today announced Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, Si Woo Kim and Bryson DeChambeau have made early commitments to compete at the 2017 RBC Canadian Open from July 21-27 at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.
Johnson, who has been No. 1 on the Official World Golf Rankings since February of 2017, has three PGA TOUR victories this season to lead the FedEx Cup standings.
Bubba Watson last competed at the RBC Canadian Open in 2015, where he finished runner-up to Jason Day.
Si Woo Kim is coming off the biggest win of his career, taking top spot at the 2017 THE PLAYERS Championship to climb to No. 32 in the Official World Golf Ranking and 22nd on the FedEx Cup Standings.
DeChambeau, a popular player with fans, enjoyed a career-best PGA TOUR finish at the 2017 Puerto Rico Open, where he tied for second with Retief Goosen and Bill Lunde.
Ten members of Team RBC have also committed to compete at Canada’s National Open Championship, including Canada’s Adam Hadwin, Graham DeLaet, Nick Taylor and David Hearn. The Canadians will be joined by teammates Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Matt Kuchar, Graeme McDowell, Ryan Palmer and Brandt Snedeker.
In addition, a sponsor exemption has been extended to Jared du Toit of Kimberly, B.C. The Golf Canada Amateur Team member sprung to notoriety thanks to a stellar showing at the 2016 RBC Canadian Open, where he finished 9th.
The field also features all three Order of Merit winners from the first three seasons of the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada, including Canadian and 2013 Order of Merit winner Mackenzie Hughes, along with Joel Dahmen (2014) and J.J. Spaun (2015). Other early Canadian player commitments include Ottawa’s Brad Fritsch and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame Honoured Member Mike Weir.
“Our field is coming together and we’re thrilled to welcome some of the best player in the world, a good mix of top international talent and a solid list of Canadians as early commitments for the 2017 RBC Canadian Open,” said Tournament Director Brent McLaughlin.
A Canadian has not won the RBC Canadian Open since Pat Fletcher in 1954. However, Mackenzie Hughes (The RSM Classic) and Adam Hadwin (Valspar Championship) each have PGA TOUR wins this season.
“This will be an exciting year for Canadian golf fans for sure,” added McLaughlin. “We’ve come close in recent years with David Hearn finishing 3rd in 2015 and du Toit’s terrific run last year. This may be the year the drought finally comes to an end.”
Team Canada member Hugo Bernard of Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que., won the 2016 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship to earn an exemption into the RBC Canadian Open, while NHL Referee and Elmira, Ont., native Garrett Rank won his spot by claiming the 2016 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship. In mid-May, Matt Hill of Brights Grove, Ont., won the Ontario Regional Qualifier to earn his spot.
Additional player announcements will be made in the coming weeks. Players have until 5 pm ET Friday before tournament week to confirm their participation with the PGA TOUR.
Information regarding tickets, free 17-and-under junior passes, volunteer opportunities and corporate hospitality for the 2017 RBC Canadian Open can be found at www.rbccanadianopen.com.
Lee McCoy cruises to victory at Freedom 55 Financial Open
Tampa, Florida’s Lee McCoy claimed victory in his first Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada start on Sunday, cruising to an eight-shot victory at the Freedom 55 Financial Open, the first event of the 2017 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.
McCoy, a former amateur and college star at the University of Georgia, shot a final round 6-under 66 to turn a three-shot overnight lead into an eight-shot win over Mequon, Wisconsin’s Jordan Niebrugge and Lexington, Kentucky’s Hunter Stewart.
“This is certainly one of the most memorable weeks in my life,” said McCoy. “To play in front of a crowd and with this many good players is certainly special. I knew nobody was going to lay down out there, and to get away by as many as I did was something I could have never predicted.”
Beginning the day with a three-shot advantage over fellow competitor Scott Vincent, McCoy wasted no time in setting the tone for the day, making birdie at the first and turning in 3-under on the front nine to lead by four.
That winning feeling…@LeeMcCoyGolf is a winner in his first start on the #MackenzieTour ? pic.twitter.com/hG2zPWawH2
— Mackenzie Tour (@PGATOURCanada) June 5, 2017
With none of his chasers able to mount a charge, the 23-year old McCoy continued to pull away and birdied his final two holes to reach 20-under par for the week and win by eight, representing the largest margin of victory ever on the Mackenzie Tour.
“People don’t understand how good the players are on this Tour. There’s so many good players in this field, and I knew I had a tall task today with Scott in my group, and Niebrugge and Jake (Knapp) right behind me. Those guys have so much firepower and they’re all very accomplished players,” said McCoy of his pursuers.
For McCoy, the win represents a sharp turnaround in his fortunes from the end of 2016, when he broke his wrist in two places in a car accident before the Second Stage of Web.com Tour Q-School. Now, he’s one step closer to earning Web.com Tour status for 2018.
“It sure beats sitting on my couch, I can tell you that,” said McCoy with a laugh. “My goal is to try to simply win as much as I can. I’m 1-for-1 I guess, but you certainly can’t win every week with this many good players, but I’m going to try to win as many times as I can.”
McCoy becomes the fourth straight player to make the Freedom 55 Financial Open his first win on the Mackenzie Tour, joining Joel Dahmen (2014), Drew Weaver (2015) and Dan McCarthy (2016).
With a 7-under total and a T20 finish, Sarnia, Ontario’s Matt Hill earned Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week honours and a $2,500 prize.
The top Canadian on the leaderboard each week takes home the award, with the top Canadian on the Order of Merit at season’s end earning the Dan Halldorson Trophy, Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year and a $25,000 prize.
Hill is a member of Freedom 55 Financial’s Team Freedom along with fellow players Ryan Williams, Mackenzie Hughes, Taylor Pendrith, Adam Svensson and Albin Choi.
For the full leaderboard click here.
Dao, Duquette win Future Links, driven by Acura Quebec Championship
Céleste Dao went wire-to-wire on Sunday to win the Future Links, driven by Acura Quebec Championship, while William Duquette cruised to victory in the boy’s division at Club de golf Milby.
Dao finished her championship run with a 1-under-par 72 – her second under-par score of the tournament. The 16-year-old started her up-and-down final round by only recording one par on the front nine before she calmed her game down after the turn.
“My start was kind of tough,” she said, after her victory. “I didn’t drive the ball very well and it took me a couple of holes to figure my swing out. I started with a lot of bogeys and birdies, but didn’t stop attacking the pin. In the middle of my round I decided to hit my three-wood and cruised in from there.”
The move to her three-wood paid instant dividends as she recorded a par on each of the first five holes after heading to the back nine.
Ellie Szeryk, from London, Ont., maintained her second-place finish with a 4-under-par 69 – the lowest score of the tournament in the girl’s division – which saw her finish at 1-over-par for the tournament, four strokes back of Dao. She made only two bogeys on Sunday and recorded an eagle on the par-5 fifth hole.
Brigitte Thibault finished in third place at 3 over par. The Rosemere, Que., native shot a 70 on Sunday after she recorded four birdies in five holes on the back nine.
Rounding out the top six, all of-whom are advancing to the 2017 Canadian Junior Girls Championship held Aug. 1-4 at Camelot Golf & Country Club in Cumberland, Ont., are: Haley Yerxa (+5) from Ottawa, Ont., Sarah Beqaj (+9) from Toronto, Ont., and Emily Zhu (+10) from Richmond Hill, Ont.
In the boy’s division, Duquette cruised to the victory with a comfortable seven-shot lead. He was the co-leader after the first round and then captured the outright lead by carding a 6-under-par 67 in his second round. On Sunday, he shot a 2-under-par 71 to notch his third consecutive round under par.
“I was just trying to play safe today,” he said. “I wanted to hit a lot of greens and that’s what I did. I made a lot of putts in the first five holes and that really helped me through the whole day. I had a big lead after two rounds, so that made it a little bit easier.”
Finishing in second after a 3-under-par 70 was Jared Dandy from Vankleek Hill, Ont. The 18-year-old registered four birdies on Sunday paired with only one bogey – on the final hole of the tournament.
Christopher Vandette, the 15-year-old from Beaconsfield, Que., who won the Ontario Championship last week, scored a 5-under-par 68 to move him to even par for the tournament and into a tie for third with Louis-Alexandre Jobin-Colgan.
Eric Byun dropped a couple of spots after his 2-over-par 75 on Sunday. The Richmond Hill, Ont., product finished in sole possession of fifth at 1 over par for the tournament.
Three players participated in a playoff to determine the sixth golfer in the boy’s division to earn an exemption for the 2017 Canadian Junior Boys Championship held July 31 – Aug. 3 at Cataraqui Golf & Country Club in Kingston, Ont.,
Callum Davison, the event’s defending champion, outlasted Shaun Margeson, from Falls River, N.S., and Antoine Roy, from Rimouski, Que., after two playoff holes. Davison, from Duncan B.C., shot 1 under par to force the extra holes while both Margeson and Roy were 2 over on the day, allowing Davison to sneak into the final exemption spot.