Final national championship of the season features a field of 156 golfers competing for the senior title along with a super senior division and an
inter-provincial team competition

Saugeen Shores, Ont. – The 2024 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO is set for September 12-15 with a field of 156 amateur golfers competing over four rounds at Saugeen Golf Club in Saugeen Shores, Ont.

The field competing for the John Rankin Memorial Trophy features five past winners including defending champion Doug Hanzel of Savannah, Ga., Darren Ritchie of St. John, N.B. (2021), Brady Exber of Las Vegas, Nev. (2018), Jack Hall of Savannah, Ga. (2015) and David Schultz of Calgary, Alta. (2013).

Along with the past champions, among those in the field are Dave Bunker of Ridgeway, Ont. who won the 2024 Ontario Senior Men’s Championship in July. Miles McConnell, a Canadian who now resides in Tampa, Fla. who has enjoyed a successful season having won the 2024 Gate Senior Invitational back in January and followed it up with three runner-up finishes and a third-place finish in tournaments throughout the season. Accomplished Australian golfer, Ken Brewer of Newcastle, Australia will also be heading to Saugeen Shores.

“We are very excited to welcome an incredible and talented field of golfers set to compete for our Canadian Men’s Senior Championship this week at Saugeen Golf Club,” said Daniel Suppa, Tournament Director, Golf Canada. “The staff, volunteers, host committee along with the entire community have really gone to great lengths to ensure that those competing for our national championship are given an experience they won’t soon forget at Saugeen.”

Founded in 1925 by a group of local visionaries, Saugeen Golf Club stands as a testament to their vision and community spirit. Recognizing the growing popularity of golf, they established a premier golfing destination in Port Elgin and Southampton. Hiring renowned golf architect Stanley Thompson, they crafted the initial nine holes now known as Legacy with meticulous attention to detail, setting the stage for a Legacy of excellence.

Expanding their vision over the decades, first with the addition of the Sunset nine in 1956 and the Sunrise nine in 1996 solidified their reputation for exceptional golf and camaraderie for players of all levels. Next year, Saugeen Golf Club will celebrate its centennial anniversary as it celebrates the enduring legacy of their founders and guide their team into the next century with pride and a reverence for the past.

“Saugeen Golf Club is extremely proud to be hosting this prestigious national championship. The process began four long years ago, and we cannot be more exhilarated to display what our golf club and community has to offer,” said Brad Young, General Manager and COO, Saugeen Golf Club. “With playing conditions that rival any in our country, to the 200 plus volunteers that are donating their time, we’re confident that this weeklong event will set the precedence of national championships for years to come”

The Canadian Men’s Senior Championship was established in 1962 for golfers aged 55-and-over and includes a Super Senior division for golfers 65-and-over that was introduced in 1995. The national championship consists of 72 holes of stroke-play with a cut after 36 holes. The Super Senior Championship is contested concurrently over the four rounds of the championship. In addition, the Senior Inter-Provincial Team Championship was added in 1977 and runs concurrently through the first 36 holes of the tournament.

A trio of Canadian Golf Hall of Famers lead the way having won the most Canadian Men’s Senior Championships in tournament history including, Bob Wylie of Calgary, Alta. with seven (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1995). Nick Weslock of Oakville, Ont. with six (1973, 1974, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983) and Graham Cooke of Hudson, Que. with four (2001, 2002, 2008 and 2009).

Prior to the start of the national championship, there will be a one-day qualifier on Tuesday, September 10 at Saugeen Golf Club where a field of 56 golfers will be playing for six spots in the tournament. Practice rounds are scheduled for Wednesday, September 11, and the tournament gets underway on Thursday, September 12.

The champion will receive an exemption into the 2025 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at Biltmore Forest Country Club in Asheville, N.C.

For the full player field competing in the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.

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.

Matt Prosser, Avon Valley Golf & Country Club, Hole #5

I was playing with my friend Brett MacNeil. Yardage was 125 and the club was a 50 degree Titliest SM7 wedge.

 

Kent Cameron, Cottonwood Golf & Country Club, Hole #2

I was playing Cottonwood Golf & Country Club in Calgary with a couple friends from work. It was on an afternoon round, on hole #2, playing 145 yards, back centre pin. I hit a nine iron with a baby cut. The ball landed just short of the hole but released and rolled in! It was a pretty awesome day!

Trish Leach, The Falls Golf Club, Hole #4

I was so excited because it was my very first hole-in-one. Never thought I would ever get one and then it finally happened! The fun part was the course was a bit backed up so there was a group of four men watching me tee off, along with my partner in life Gord. They let out a huge roar when it went in.

It was about 110 yards from an elevated tee box and I used my trusty, lofty little 9 wood. The ball landed on the green a few feet in front of the hole, and bounced once straight into the cup.

Yay 62 year old me!

Colin McLelland, Glencairn Golf Club, Hole #7

The hole-in-one came on hole #7 at Glencairn Leithfield during our club championship. The yardage was 155 into a breeze. Hit a nice 6 iron with draw into a back pin location and we saw the ball go in the hole. I went on to shoot a nice 77 that day. Played with fellow competitors David Clarke and Brad Gleeson. This is my fourth hole-in-one and second on this hole at Glencairn.

Robert Harrison, Peel Village Golf Club, Hole #2

It was on hole #2 of Peel Village Golf Club in Brampton. The second hole is an uphill par 3. The yardage on the score card was 115. On that day it was playing a little shorter at 109 yards. I was playing with Ian Sarjeant, Brian Sim and Alan Coates. A beautiful day with this being the highlight!

Jennifer Hicks, Amberwood Village Golf & Country Club, Hole #1

This was such a thrill for me. I have been close to having a hole-in-one so many times having birdies, eagles and even an albatross on a par 5 but never and ace. My life partner and a fellow golfer were witnesses to this incredible event. It was on the first hole, what a way to start a round! I used an 8 iron for the 128 yard shot. It was a surreal experience.

Barry Porter, Lakeside Golf Club, Hole #6

It was an exciting time at Lakeside as I happened to make a hole-in-one on the same hole, same tournament, same yardage, same blue flag as the previous year. I’m hoping for the natural hat trick next year when I go for three in a row! It was a bit expensive buying refreshments both years as there were quite a few members playing in the Memorial tournament, thank goodness for hole-in-one insurance!

Photo taken from the Lakeside Golf Club Facebook post.

Patricia Kenny, Predator Ridge, Hole #15

I was playing with Linda Deluca and Lorraine Dollevoet. The shot was on hole #15 on the Ridge course at Predator Ridge and the yardage was approximately 109. I used a seven iron.

Nitin Badhwar, Sleepy Hollow Golf & Country Club, Hole #8

Hole #8 was about 145 yards to a red flag yesterday so I grabbed my 7 iron (I am old now so need extra club). My focus was on not going left as that is what I have been doing a lot lately. Plan was to have it land on the right side and roll down to the hole. To my shock, I nailed a beauty right at the pin. Hit it well, saw a bounce in front of the green and then the four of us just watched the ball track toward the hole. James looked at me after we lost sight of it and I could tell he thought it was in. Carlo was standing on the wheel of his cart trying to get a better look and said, “dude, I think that’s in.” Chris was sure of it too but we all know that hole #8 often tricks you and you find the ball sitting ten feet past the hole when you finally get there.

I tried to stay grounded as we walked up to the green. My heart sank when Carlo got to the hole first and then walked away. By the time I got to the green, I expected to see it on the green but couldn’t see it anywhere. I asked the guys and Carlo just casually said to check the hole and there was yellow Kirkland in the hole. And that is when we just erupted. High fives and hugs all around.

Second ace, and both on hole #8 at Sleepy Hollow Golf & Country Club. Great to do it on a League day and it was made extra special celebrating with the special community that we have at Sleepy Hollow. Definitely felt the love from everyone there, and in texts and e-mails that followed. Feeling on top of the world!

Alex Binkley, Muskoka Lakes Golf & Country Club, Hole #12

I was playing with my son-in-law Jonathan MacLeod of Bedford, N.S., his father Jack MacLeod of Little Harbour, N.S. and longtime golfing buddy John Moses of Toronto. Hole #12 at Muskoka Lakes is about a 160 yard drive from the gold tee. I hit with my driver. I rarely land on the green on this hole with my first shot so I was surprised to see the ball land there and roll towards the pin. When it disappeared, I was initially speechless but my three loudly cheering pals were shouting hole-in-one. When we reached the green, I walked over and there was the ball resting in the cup. In the end, I was even more surprised at how quickly news of the event spread among the other golfers and the staff at the club.

Fourth playing of the national championship will see largest field in tournament history, headlined by three-time women’s champion,
Natasha Stasiuk, men’s defending champion Chris Willis and
three-time women’s stableford champion Tess Trojan

Brighton, Ont. – The 2024 Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO is set for September 10-12 with a field of 60 amateur golfers competing at Timber Ridge Golf Course in Brighton, Ont.

The fourth playing of the national championship will see an additional tournament round added, increasing to a 54-hole competition, featuring players with neurological, intellectual, sensory, and physical impairments.

There are four different divisions in the Canadian All Abilities Championship that players will compete in, regardless of disability classification: Women’s Gross Stroke Play; Women’s Net Stableford; Men’s Gross Stroke Play and Men’s Net Stableford.

The field of competitors includes three-time Women’s Gross Stroke Play defending champion Natasha Stasiuk of Oakville, Ont., who is currently the no. 1 ranked female golfer with an intellectual disability on the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD) and three-time Women’s Net Stableford winner, Tess Trojan of St. Catharines, Ont.

Stasiuk has enjoyed a successful season thus far, she finished third overall and first in her sports class at the USDGA Championship at the PGA Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla in April. She followed that up by finished first in the intellectual disability category and eighth overall at the U.S. Adaptive Open Championship at Sand Creek Station in Newton, Kan. in July. Stasiuk also placed fourth with two-time Canadian All Abilities men’s champion, Kurtis Barkley at the G4D Tour Nations Cup at Betfred British Masters at The Belfry in Sutton Coldfield, England last month. In addition to three straight national championships, Stasiuk has also won the Ontario Adaptive Championship four times and won the bronze medal at the 2023 Special Olympics World Games in Berlin, Germany.

On the men’s side, defending champion, Chris Willis of Aurora, Ont. currently ranked no. 14 on the WR4GD, 2022 Men’s Net Stableford winner Kevin Delaney of Windsor, Ont. Russell Aide of Stirling, Ont. currently ranked no. 61 on the WR4GD will be competing at Timber Ridge.

Earlier this season, Willis finished third at the G4D Open at the Duchess Course at Woburn in Milton Keynes, England. Along with winning the national championship last year, Willis also won the 2023 Ontario Adaptive Championship.

In January, Stasiuk, Willis and Aide were among 12-golfers that were invited to Quinta do Lago, Portugal for the first Player Development Camp created by the European Disabled Golf Association (EDGA), which was supported by the European Tour Group.

“We are very proud and excited to host the largest field in tournament history for the fourth playing of the Canadian All Abilities Championship,” said Golf Canada Tournament Director Sam Meek. “This year also sees our national championship expand to a 54-hole competition and is a signature event on the Golf Canada tournament schedule. We are proud to feature both a gross stroke play championship and a net stableford championship which provides equitability for the field competing in this national championship and demonstrates our continued commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are looking forward to a great week at Timber Ridge Golf Course and thank the staff for their efforts in making this championship a memorable one.”

Designed by Stephen Ward and opened for play in 2001, Timber Ridge offers a unique challenge to all levels of players. With wildly undulating greens and rolling fairways, the layout at Timber Ridge offers a variety of links and parkland style holes, offering two distinct styles that somehow flow together perfectly. Located in Brighton, about an hour east of the GTA, Timber Ridge offers an escape from the confines of the city to a calm, quiet country setting.

“It is an honour to have the opportunity to host an event like the Canadian All Abilities Championship and play even a small role in growing the game of golf,” said Nolan Walsh, Head Golf Professional, Timber Ridge Golf Course. “We are excited to welcome the participants to the property and hope that Timber Ridge offers the perfect setting for such an exciting national championship.”

First conducted in 2021 at Humber Valley Golf Course in Toronto, Ont., the competition supports Golf Canada’s commitment to create a more inclusive and respectful sport environment across the Canadian golf community.

The stableford scoring format of the Canadian All Abilities Championship awards set points based off a golfer’s net score for the hole. The points will be awarded as follows: Albatross (5 points), Eagle (4 points), Birdie (3 points), Par (2 points), Bogey (1 point), Double Bogey or higher (0 points). The golfers with the highest total of accumulated points over 54-holes will win their respective divisions.

Practice rounds are scheduled for Monday, September 9, and the tournament gets underway on Tuesday, September 10.

Golf Canada is grateful for the financial support of the Government of Ontario for the All Abilities Championship from the Ontario Sport Hosting Program.

“Our government is proud to support the 2024 Canadian All Abilities Championships through the Ontario Sport Hosting Program,” said Neil Lumsden, Minister of Sport. “This event offers amateur golfers with a disability an opportunity to showcase their skills in competition with their peers from across the country. I applaud Golf Canada for their unwavering commitment to accessibility and inclusion and wish all players the best of luck for a successful tournament.”

For the full player field competing in the Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.

MONTREAL – Justin Trudeau, the 23^rd and current Prime Minister of Canada, has accepted an invitation to serve as Honorary Chairman of the 2024 Presidents Cup when the competition returns to The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, September 24-29. 

“With the return of the Presidents Cup to Canada, we are honored to have the support of Prime Minister Trudeau as our honorary chairman for the 2024 event,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “The Presidents Cup has customarily honored world leaders throughout its 30-year history, and Prime Minister Trudeau’s addition will greatly enhance our efforts to promote the global nature of golf through spirited team matches.”

Prime Minister Trudeau is part of a distinguished group of world leaders who have previously held the position of Honorary Chairman at the Presidents Cup. 

• 2022 – 46^th U.S. President, Joe Biden
• 2019 – Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Australia
• 2017 – 45^th U.S. President, Donald J. Trump
• 2015 – President Park Geun-hye, South Korea
• 2013 – 44^th U.S. President, Barack Obama
• 2011 – Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Australia
• 2009 – 44^th U.S. President Barack Obama
• 2007 – Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Canada
• 2005 – 43^rd U.S. President, George W. Bush
• 2003 – President Thabo Mbeki, Republic of South Africa
• 2000 – 42^nd U.S. President, William Jefferson Clinton
• 1998 – Prime Minister John Howard, Australia
• 1996 – 41^st U.S. President, George H.W. Bush
• 1994 – 38^th U.S. President, Gerald R. Ford

The Presidents Cup, a team match play competition featuring 24 of the world’s top golfers – 12 from the United States and 12 from around the world, excluding Europe – is held biennially, and since 1996 has alternated between the United States and international venues. The U.S. Team has won 12 of the 14 previous Presidents Cups, and the only win by the International Team came at the 1998 event in Melbourne. A historic 17-17 tie came in 2003 when the event was held in South Africa.

Canadian Mike Weir will lead the International Team as captain when the event returns to The Royal Montreal Golf Club for the first time in 17 years, while Jim Furyk will captain the U.S. Team.

As host of the 2007 and 2024 Presidents Cups, The Royal Montreal Golf Club will become the second international venue to host the event more than once, joining The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, a three-time host.

For more information about the Presidents Cup, or to purchase tickets, please visit PresidentsCup.com. 

Mike Weir held a dinner for about 20 potential International Team players in early May to try and create a sense of camaraderie in the months leading up to the Presidents Cup.

The Canadian Golf Hall of Famer told the assembled players that it would be great if one of them could win the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and build some momentum for the International Team.

Flash forward to that weekend and Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., was claiming his first PGA Tour win.

“Mike was texting me throughout the week, and he texted me on Saturday night before the final round, and had a lot of motivational things to say,” said Pendrith on Wednesday. “He said ‘you don’t need to be anybody else. Just go out there and play your game and take care of business.'”

Pendrith has handled his business on the PGA Tour since that win, earning a spot on the International Team a second consecutive time.

He, Corey Conners, and Mackenzie Hughes were named to the Presidents Cup on Tuesday, the first time three Canadians will get to play in the event. It’s good timing for them as the prestigious best-on-best tournament will be in Canada for the first time since 2007 when Royal Montreal Golf Club will host the event Sept. 24-27.

“Mike added a little bit of motivation at that dinner to make the team, maybe fired me up a little bit, and I was able to win that week,” said Pendrith on Weir’s influence. “But he’s been great. He is available if you ever have any questions, and has been great to the Canadian guys.

“Obviously, he’s the legend in Canada, and wants us to succeed and follow in his footsteps. The three of us are super pumped, and want to make him proud.”

The team dinners are actually part of the International Team’s strategy.

South Africa’s Trevor Immelman introduced the bonding exercise when he was the team’s captain in 2022, to try and overcome the cultural differences inherent in a team that can feature players from around the world — save Europe and the United States.

Weir said he thinks the tactic is working and that Pendrith’s victory after his speech in Dallas has been something of a rallying point for the International Team.

“There’s a sense within our team room that everybody really likes each other. We’re more familiar with one another,” said Weir after announcing his six captain’s picks on Monday. “Hopefully that leads to good play. When you’re a little bit looser and you know one another, you tend to play a little bit looser.

“Hopefully that leads to the guys really playing free and good.”

Pendrith, Conners, and Hughes have played together as a team in various combinations before. All three played together at Kent State University, Conners and Hughes represented Canada at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, and Pendrith and Conners played for the Internationals at the 2022 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.

“It’s going to be comfortable to see some very familiar faces in the team room, and we’re all good buddies and want on each other to do extremely well,” said Pendrith. “If we play together, that’s great. If we don’t, then we’re going to do what’s best for the team.

“I think having those guys there and having Weirsy being the captain, it’s going to be a very good week, and I’m super excited to get going.”

Pendrith said he learned a lot in Charlotte, when the Internationals fell to the United States 17 1/2 to 12 1/2. Potentially the biggest lesson for him was the importance of winning the first hole on the first day.

“We’ve got stats and data guys on our team who have so much information, it’s almost overwhelming, but they’re so smart,” he said. “I feel like we’re all buying into it, really trusting them and I think getting off to a good start in the match is huge.

“I don’t know the exact number, but if you win the first hole, you have X per cent chance of winning the match. So that’s what we’re really focusing on, is getting off to a good start.”

MONTREAL, Québec, Canada – The Presidents Cup and American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) announced today the final teams for the 2024 Junior Presidents Cup, with the event’s fourth edition set to tee off on Sept. 22 at Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac – Blue Course in Montreal, four days before the 2024 Presidents Cup begins play at nearby The Royal Montreal Golf Club. The 12^th and final Junior Presidents Cup players for the U.S. Team and International Team were finalized as of Sept. 5, with Michael Riebe of Encinitas, California, and China’s Hanjie Yu earning the final spots on the U.S. and International teams, respectively.

The Junior Presidents Cup is a two-day, team match-play competition featuring the top 24 junior boys, 19 years old and younger. The juniors are split into teams of 12, half from the United States and the other half from around the world, excluding Europe. Taking place just days before the start of the biennial Presidents Cup, the Junior Presidents Cup was developed to give the world’s best non-European juniors a unique playing opportunity to compete in an international team match-play competition and showcase the global reach of junior golf.

Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac was founded in 1917 and is considered to be one of the most prestigious clubs in the country, ranking among the Top 100 golf courses in Canada. The Junior Presidents Cup will be played on the Blue Course, which was redesigned in 2013 by 2024 International Presidents Cup Captain Mike Weir and Ian Andrew, who had also worked as the restoration architect of the Green course at Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac for some time prior.

Hanjie Yu is the third player from China to join the 2024 International Team. He is No. 229 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®) and has two wins in international competition this year. He gained entry to the team as the highest-ranked player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®) who was not otherwise qualified as of Sept. 5.

Eight countries are represented on the International Team, with China fielding three players and Vietnam and Thailand each with two representatives. Indonesia, New Zealand, India, Canada and Colombia are also represented. The International Team is led by 2013 Presidents Cup alumni Graham DeLaet as they seek their first victory in the Junior Presidents Cup.

For the United States team, Riebe, a Vanderbilt University verbal commit, has three top-10 AJGA Invitational finishes this season, including a fourth-place finish at the Rolex Tournament of Champions. He also had top-five finishes at the Boy’s Junior PGA Championship and the Western Junior Championship on a national junior golf stage. Riebe makes his first appearance on the United States team as the highest-ranked player on the Rolex AJGA Rankings who was not otherwise qualified as of Sept. 5.

Riebe also competed in the Wyndham Cup in July for the West Team. He will look to bring that match play experience into the Junior Presidents Cup. The U.S. Team is represented by eight different states, including two players from Florida, Texas, North Carolina and California. Additionally, eight players are Rolex Junior All-Americans (Miles Russell, Tyler Watts, Blades Brown, Will Hartman, Ronin Banerjee, Tyler Mawhinney, Jackson Byrd, Michael Riebe).

2017 Presidents Cup participant Charley Hoffman will captain the U.S. Team as they look for their fourth-consecutive victory in the competition after lifting the cup at Plainfield Country Club (2017), The Royal Melbourne Golf Club (2019) and Myers Park Country Club (2022).

The 12-player teams for the 2024 Junior Presidents Cup are listed below:

International Team – Captain Graham DeLaet

United States Team – Captain Charley Hoffman

*Captain’s Pick

Click here for complete Junior Presidents Cup Team Standings.

The 2024 Presidents Cup will be held at The Royal Montreal Golf Club, Sept. 24-29. For more information about the Presidents Cup, or to purchase tickets, please visit PresidentsCup.com. For 2024 Junior Presidents Cup information, visit AJGA.org.

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About the Presidents Cup

The Presidents Cup is a biennial global team competition between the United States and an International team that represents the rest of the world excluding Europe. The competition, which is contested by the PGA TOUR, alternates between venues in the U.S. and overseas. The Presidents Cup will return to The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Québec, Canada, September 24-29, 2024. Since the event’s inception in 1994, more than $56 million has been raised for charity from event proceeds, as well as contributions made on behalf of the Presidents Cup. 1Password, Cognizant and Rolex are the exclusive Global Partners of the Presidents Cup. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or visit PresidentsCup.com for more information.

Golf Canada is deeply saddened by the loss of Past President (1997) and Honorary Life Governor Frederick Alvin (Al) Macatavish, who passed away peacefully on August 29, 2024, at the Selkirk District Health Centre in Selkirk, Man., at the age of 84.

Macatavish had a long history of dedicated service to golf, both in Manitoba and on the national and international stages.

He had been a member of Elmhurst Golf and Country Club since 1964 and served on the club’s Board of Directors from 1967 to 1979, including a term as President from 1976 to 1977.

Provincially, he was Elmhurst’s representative to Golf Manitoba from 1978 to 1979 and served on the Board of Directors from 1980 to 1988, including a term as President in 1985 and Past President from 1986 to 1988. He was the non-playing captain for Manitoba’s 1983 junior men’s team and the 1985 Willingdon Cup team.

Al was a past member of Golf Canada’s Board of Directors  serving the association for many years in various capacities, including the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame Selection Committee and a term as President in 1997. He was appointed an Honorary Life Governor in 2000.

He served as Canada’s delegate to the World Golf Council from 1997 to 2000 and was a rules official at international events on four continents, as well as at numerous events across Canada and in Manitoba.

He was inducted into the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame and Museum on September 25, 2006.

Al will be missed by many, as both he and his wife Cathy made significant contributions to Golf Canada, the former Canadian Ladies Golf Association, Golf Manitoba, Elmhurst Golf and Country Club, and the golfing community at large. Both Al and Cathy were also very supportive of the Golf Canada Foundation and its growth for many years.

Cremation has taken place and a private family service will be held at a later date.

Largest field in tournament history will feature
23 countries and 72 competitors

Mississauga, Ont. – With less than a month to go until the start of the 2024 World Junior Girls Golf Championship, the field of participating countries is now set. The ninth playing of the world championship will feature a record, 23 counties and 72 players competing at Credit Valley Golf & Country Club in Mississauga, Ont. from September 30 – October 5.

In total, 24 teams will battle for the team championship while also competing for individual honours, with the individual champion earning an exemption into the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open being held at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club in Mississauga, Ont., August 18-24, 2025.

Team Canada 1 will be defending the championship after a thrilling final round in 2023 which saw them push ahead of the Republic of Korea to win the title for the first time in tournament history. Canada will be represented with two teams again this year and rosters for both teams will be announced at a later date.

Joining Canada are past champions, Italy (2018), Republic of Korea (2015, 2019), Spain (2017, 2022) and the United States (2014). In the eight-year history of the tournament, aside from the host nation, six other countries have participated in every tournament including: Denmark, England, Italy, Mexico, Spain and Sweden.

The Republic of Korea are the most successful team in tournament history. In addition to two championships, the team has also finished in second on three occasions (2016, 2017, 2023).

Sweden have finished on the podium on four occasions including two runner-up finishes (2014, 2022) and two third place finishes (2015, 2017). The United States have also earned a second-place finish (2018) and third place finish (2016) along with being the inaugural champions. In addition to tournament wins, Team Canada 1 and Italy have also earned a third-place finish in 2014 and 2019 respectively.

This year’s tournament will mark the debut of Hong Kong, China and Morocco who will both be competing for the first time. Last year’s tournament saw the first appearances from Iceland, Peru and Poland. All three countries are returning this year.

This year’s field for the World Junior Girls Golf Championship is highlighted by Soomin Oh from the Republic of Korea (Korea). Oh, was part of Korea’s runner-up finish last year in Brampton, Ont. and also finished in third in the individual competition. Oh, is currently ranked no. 14 on the World Amateur Rankings (WAGR). Teammate Seojin Park also returns this year and is currently ranked no. 68 on WAGR. The United States are represented by Gianna Clemente (no. 23), Nikki Oh (no. 128) and Scarlett Schremmer (no. 211). Alice Kong of France will also be competing in Mississauga and currently is ranked no. 150.

Team Canada will be represented by Shauna Liu, Aphrodite Deng, Clairey Lin, Lindsay McGrath, Nobelle Park and Eileen Park. Lin of Langley, B.C., McGrath of Oakville, Ont., Nobelle Park of Oakville, Ont. and Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. all earned their places through a qualifying tournament last month. Liu of Maple, Ont. and Deng of Calgary, Alta. secured their exemptions to Team Canada prior to the qualifying tournament. Liu earned her exemption following her win at the 2024 Canadian Junior Girls Championship while Deng earned her exemption as being the low eligible Canadian on the WAGR as of August 7. Deng was no. 175, she has since improved to no. 171 and is Canada’s lowest ranked player. The rosters for Team Canada will be announced at a later date.

A number of players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Championship have gone on great success on the LPGA Tour, led by Canadian Brooke Henderson, a 13-time LPGA winner and Canada’s winningest professional golfer, who finished fourth in the individual competition at the inaugural championship hosted in 2014.

Other notable competitors who went on to become LPGA Tour winners include Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand who won back-to-back World Junior titles in 2018 and 2019 as well as Yuka Saso of the Philippines who won the 2016 World Junior title. 2023 CPKC Women’s Open winner, Megan Khang of the United States competed in the inaugural tournament in 2014. Other former World Junior competitors who have gone on to win on the LPGA Tour include Hannah Green of Australia and Maja Stark and Linn Grant of Sweden. Hye-Jin Choi from the Republic of Korea won both the 2015 team and individual championship at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship and has earned a number of runner-up finishes on the LPGA Tour including the 2022 CPKC Women’s Open.

Credit Valley Golf and Country Club will play host for the world championship and boasts a challenging 18-hole Robbie Robinson designed parkland course. Nestled alongside the winding Credit River and the natural setting of the valley, it offers members a hidden golf and country club oasis within the bustling cityscape of Mississauga.

The following is a list of competing countries in the ninth annual World Junior Girls Championship:

Belgium

Canada (Team Canada 1 and Team Canada 2)

Chinese Taipei

Colombia

Czechia

Denmark

England

Finland

France

Germany

Hong Kong, China

Iceland

Ireland

Italy

Mexico

Morocco

Peru

Poland

Republic of Korea

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

United States of America

Practice rounds for the 72-hole competition will take place September 30 and October 1 with the first round of play set for Wednesday, October 2. The tournament’s closing ceremony will immediately follow the conclusion of play on Saturday, October 5.

Admission to 2024 World Junior Girls Championship is free for all spectators.

The Ottawa Senators have reached a multi-year partnership with Canadian LPGA star Brooke Henderson, the NHL team announced Wednesday.

As part of the agreement, Henderson’s water bottles and golf towels will feature the Ottawa Senators logo.  

The 26-year-old Henderson is the most decorated Canadian golfer in major professional tour history. 

The Smiths Falls, Ont., native has 13 LPGA tour wins, including major titles at the 2016 Women’s PGA Championship and the 2022 Evian Championship.

“We are so happy to collaborate with Brooke on this partnership,” said Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer. “Brooke’s spirit, values and determination embody what our Ottawa-Gatineau community is all about.”

“I’m super excited to team up and partner with the Senators. It’s such a cool opportunity,” Henderson said. “Growing up, I played hockey, I watched hockey and I always cheered for the Sens, so it feels like a perfect fit. 

“I’m very proud to do it and show everybody who I’m cheering for and where my love is.”

This year’s Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal Golf Club will be the most Canadian version of the international men’s golf event, ever.

Taylor Pendrith, Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes were named to the International Team on Tuesday for the upcoming best-on-best tournament that sees 12 players from around the world — excluding Europe — face 12 golfers from the United States in match-play competition. It’s the first time three Canadians have played in the prestigious international event at the same time.

Canadian golf legend Mike Weir used three of his six captain’s selections on Pendrith, Conners and Hughes. He also picked South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout, South Korea’s Si Woo Kim and Australia’s Min Woo Lee to be on his team.

Weir, who is from Brights Grove, Ont., said it was a nice bonus to have the most-ever Canadians on the International Team when Royal Montreal hosts the Presidents Cup from Sept. 24-29, but the decision was based purely on putting forward the most competitive team possible.

“You have to be fair to the whole international community. I think I was very justified on the three (Canadian) picks,” said Weir after practice with the captain’s picks at Royal Montreal. “I think it just shows the state of Canadian golf that we can pick three for five or six guys that were in the mix.

“You do want the Canadian fans. I think they’re going to be very engaged with all our International players but having some Canadians on there brings a little bit more juice, so to speak, to our team.”

Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, Korea’s Sungjae Im and Byeong Hun An, as well as Australia’s Adam Scott and Jason Day had already been automatically selected as the top six golfers on the International Team rankings following the completion of the BMW Championship on Aug. 25.

Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor, both from Abbotsford, B.C., had been vying to join the team but missed out. Weir said that it was tough to not include them on the team and have four or even five Canadians playing on home soil.

“Both those calls to those guys were extremely difficult,” said Weir. “The way they handled it just showed me a lot about their character, which I already knew, but even made me respect them even more.

“I just told them that they’re going to be on these Cups going forward, and stay engaged with this Presidents Cup team.”

Weir’s International side will face off against Jim Furyk’s U.S. squad in the match-play competition. 

Furyk named his six captain’s picks to the U.S. team shortly after Weir’s announcement. Keegan Bradley, Sam Burns, Tony Finau, Brian Harman, Russell Henley and Max Homa were all added to the squad.

They join world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, No. 2 Xander Schauffele, No. 4 Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay and Sahith Theegala.

Furyk said it was a long process to settle on his lineup after being appointed captain a year ago.

“It seems like the train is moving really slowly to get to this point but it picks up a lot of speed for the next three weeks getting us to Royal Montreal,” he said. “Good to have 12 guys on our team. 

“I know they’re bonding, gelling, talking a lot about the event, and now we’ll put some finishing touches on our pairings and getting these guys ready to go in three weeks.”

The U.S. beat the Internationals 17 1/2 to 12 1/2 at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte in 2022. It was the Americans’ ninth consecutive victory at the event. 

Indeed, the International team has only won the event once in 14 tries, emerging victorious at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in 1998 when captain Peter Thompson led them to a 20 1/2 – 11 1/2 triumph over Jack Nicklaus’s American squad. 

“I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about how many years it’s been, but I think the things we’ve done to increase our chances are a lot of the little things behind the scenes,” said Weir. “It’s no secret that we’ve struggled to form unity with all the cultural differences and things the International Team has had to deal with over the years.

“That’s why we’ve implemented a lot more engagement amongst the players playing practice rounds and us doing some dinners to get the guys together to get more familiar with one another.”

The three Canadians have that familiarity baked in. All three grew up playing against each other in Ontario junior competitions and then attended Kent State University together. 

Their playing styles are complementary as well. 

Pendrith, from Richmond Hill, Ont., has one of the biggest drivers on the PGA Tour. Conners, from Listowel, Ont., is arguably the best ball striker in the world. Hughes, from Dundas, Ont., is renowned for his accuracy with his putter.

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Corey Conners

• Country: Canada
• Age: 32
• PGA TOUR Wins: 2
• Presidents Cup: 1 (2022), 0-4-0

2024 Highlights: Has notched three top-10 finishes in 2024 including a season-best, solo-sixth-place effort at the RBC Canadian Open.

Captain Weir on Conners: “Corey is one of the best ball-strikers on the PGA TOUR and his ability to consistently put himself and his playing partner in a position to attack is invaluable in team competition. He has looked towards the 2024 Presidents Cup for two years now, and I know he’s eager to compete in front of his fellow Canadians.”

Mackenzie Hughes

• Country: Canada
• Age: 33
• PGA TOUR Wins: 2
• Presidents Cup: First appearance

2024 Highlights: Has recorded three top-10 finishes including a season-best T3 at the Valspar Championship. Only missed four cuts in 22 starts, marking a career best.

Captain Weir on Hughes: “Canadian golf fans have followed Mackenzie’s career for nearly two decades and it’s incredible to know he’s going to make his Presidents Cup debut in his home country. He is steady and calm under pressure and is without doubt one of the best putters on the PGA TOUR, which is a great combination for our team.”

Taylor Pendrith

• Country: Canada
• Age: 33
• PGA TOUR Wins: 1
• Presidents Cup: 1 (2022), 0-4-0

2024 Highlights: Picked up the first win of his PGA TOUR career at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson. Recorded five additional top-10 finishes while advancing to the TOUR Championship for the first time.

Captain Weir on Pendrith: “Taylor is in the midst of his best year on the PGA TOUR, and it was great to see him breakthrough for his first win in Dallas and advancing to the TOUR Championship. He has built a reputation as one of the longest hitters in our game, and that length should be advantageous in match play competition at Royal Montreal.”

Weir’s International side will face off against Jim Furyk’s U.S. squad in the match-play competition, Sept. 24-29, at The Royal Montreal Golf Club.

Pendrith and Conners — close friends — also played for the International Team at the 2022 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.

That was the first time two Canadians had played at the elite event.

Ultimately, the Internationals lost 17 1/2 to 12 1/2 to the United States.

The International team has only won once in the event’s history, emerging victorious at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in 1998 when captain Peter Thompson led them to a 20 1/2 – 11 1/2 triumph over Jack Nicklaus’s American squad.