PONOKA, Alta. – Gusty morning conditions at Wolf Creek Golf Resort set the stage for Team Ontario’s victory at the 2016 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship. Led by a 2-over 74 performance from Judith Kyrinis, Team Ontario claimed its third straight victory in the inter-provincial competition.

“We’re very proud of representing Ontario and Golf Ontario,” said the 52-year-old. “It’s always such a fun competition. It’s always great to have some bragging rights amongst the provinces.”

The team of Kyrinis (Thornhill), Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Mary Ann Hayward (St. Thomas) and Ivy Steinberg (Stouffville) finished with a combined total of 12-over 300. They are the same trio which began Ontario’s string of consecutive victories in 2014, while only Hayward represented her home province on all three occasions.

“It’s great,” said Kyrinis, when asked to reflect on the team. “We’re very supportive of each other. Mary Ann and I, we battle it out back home in Ontario all the time, but we’re good friends. Competition is just a part of what we do. Ivy – we’ve done a lot together this year. We share the same swing coach, so we practice a lot together. It’s been great having them both as teammates.”

Team Ontario claimed a three-stroke victory over the squad representing the province of Quebec. The contingent from British Columbia claimed third at 18-over 306.

At 2-over 146, Kyrinis leads the 40-and-over Mid-Master and 50-and-over Senior divisions and is tied atop the 25-and-over Mid-Amateur leaderboard alongside Margo Dickinson of Hartland, N.B. Kyrinis has seen success at this competition, having finished third in the Senior Championship in 2014 and runner-up across the three divisions in 2015.

“You certainly hope to draw on it,” she said of her past experience in this competition and in her career. “Just the feeling like you can get the job done and just believe in yourself.”

Kyrinis stressed the need for focus and composure when looking ahead to the final day of the national championship.

“It’s one shot at a time,” she noted. “I really do say that a lot in my head as I go out there. And I just try to stay patient. I think I did that well yesterday and today. I had a little rough patch today in the middle of the round. I just stayed patient and a couple of birdies came my way.”

First-round leader Hélène Chartrand from Pincourt, Que., is 3-over and sits third in the Mid-Amateur competition and second in the Mid-Master and Senior divisions. The 2014 Senior winner is four-strokes clear of defending champion Terrill Samuel of Etobicoke, Ont., who claimed the three division titles last year.

Holly Horwood of Vancouver completed a wire-to-wire victory to win the 36-hole, 60-and-over Super Senior division with a 9-over 153 showing. Heath, Texas product Anna Schultz trailed the champion by two strokes to claim runner-up honours, while Dartmouth, N.S., native Ruth Maxwell finished third.

A total of 83 players finished 178-or-better to advance to the third and final round of the 2016 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship. The number of players advancing to the final round includes 12 players who are not eligible for the Senior division, but registered scores equal to the final qualifier in the 50-and-over category. The finale of the national championship will commence at 8 a.m.

Additional information from the competition can be found here.

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – August Kim of Saint Augustine, Fla., took lessons at LPGA International, home of Final Stage of LPGA Qualifying Tournament, when she was a teenager and now she is hoping to advance that far and one day play on the LPGA Tour. She took a step in the right direction on Thursday at Stage I of LPGA Qualifying Tournament with a 6-under, 66 on the Arnold Palmer Course at Mission Hills to share the first-round lead with Kristina Merkle, who also posted a 66 on the Arnold Palmer Course.

Kim, who won the Big Ten Championship this year at Purdue, made six birdies on the day, but didn’t really heat up until the back nine.

“I hit the ball really well, it was a steady day,” said 21-year-old Kim, who is one of 93 amateurs in the field. “It was the kind of first day that you want at a tournament like this.”

The rising senior at Purdue holed out for eagle on the 13th hole from 140 years with a 9-iron.

“That really gave me a jolt of energy,” said Kim. “After that, I made two birdies and then also closed with a birdie.”

Kim says that she plans to play all three stages of LPGA Qualifying Tournament with the hope of earning some status to pursue her professional career once she graduates in May of 2017.

“My intention is to finish my eligibility and I’m adament about that,” said Kim. “Purdue has given so much to me and I want to give everything I have back to the school. That is the plan right now and the biggest goal at Q-School is to get some status.”

Kim is a biochemistry major at Purdue and although she doesn’t plan on going to medical school, her career choice if golf wasn’t in the equation would be to practice medicine.

Kim learned the game of golf from her father, Christopher, who is on the bag this week in Rancho Mirage.

“He was a big golfer and he taught me the game so it is great to have him caddy for me this week,” said Kim. “I have a comfort level with him on the bag and I hope to keep things rolling during the weekend.”

Kim took lessons at LPGA International with Craig Shankland from the time she was 13 through 16.

In mid-July Kim took medalist honors at Pinehurst No. 2 in the stroke play portion of the North & South Women’s Amateur.

Kristina Merkle (Honolulu, Hawaii) has struggled in her first full season on the Symetra Tour. She has made eight starts and has missed the cut in each. Merkle erased some of the demons a tough year brings by firing a 66 in round one of LPGA Qualifying Tournament.

“It went really well today,” said Merkle, who played the Palmer Course. “I haven’t had a round like this in a long time so it is nice to get this under my belt.”

Merkle’s swing has undergone some changes over the last month under the watch of her dad, Lou, who is her longtime coach and a new instructor Mike Doctor out of New York.

“The changes are still new, but everything is kind of clicking right now,” said Merkle. “I’m definitely starting to get my confidence back.”

Merkle graduated from Tulsa in May of 2014 and played in a pair of Symetra Tour events in 2015. It is her dad’s message that really has her believing,

“He always tells me that there are girls that go three or four years without winning tournaments and then all of a sudden, something clicks,” said Merkle. “Golf is a funny sport. It throws you lots of curve balls and sometimes you swing and miss. My dad has really helped me continue to believe.”

Merkle was the Conference USA Golfer of the Year in 2012.

She hopes to one day play on the LPGA and then open a school in Hawaii to help young kids with academics and athletics.

“Ever since 8th grade, my parents and I have talked about a foundation,” said Merkle. “I never looked at academics as a priority until college and I want to have a school where kids can go for help in both academics and athletics. The game of golf has allowed me to travel the world and I really want to give back one day.”

Former Team Canada member Taylor Kim of Surrey, B.C., put together a six-birdie day to move into a share of third at 5-under. Toronto’s Anna Kim shot 70 on the day to sit T20, while Maya Parsons of Whitby, Ont., and Surrey resident Aram Choi follow one stroke behind in a tie for 36th. Team Canada National Team member Josée Doyon of St-Georges-de-Beauce, Que., carded a first-round 75.

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – Patrick Reed didn’t break anything Thursday except par.

Two days after Reed broke the gavel during the ceremonial closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange, the American kept a clean card and shot 5-under 66 to share the lead with Martin Laird at The Barclays.

Reed was dressed in a blue blazer with an American tie when he was asked to bang the gavel three times at the stock exchange closing on Tuesday. On the third hit, the top of the gavel flew off into the crowd, and Reed later made a joke at his own expense on Twitter.

“They told me to give it 3 good hits, so I did!” he tweeted.

He was much better with a golf club in hand at Bethpage Black, running off three birdies and an eagle on the front nine to close out his 66.

The start of the FedEx Cup playoffs, with a $10 million bonus waiting at the end, was more about a cup that doesn’t pay a dime. A dozen or so Americans are still in the mix to make the Ryder Cup team. Qualifying ends after this week for the top eight, and then Davis Love III has four captain’s picks over the next month.

Reed is winless this year and holding down the No. 8 position in the Ryder Cup standings.

“Of course it’s on my mind,” Reed said. “But really at the end of the day, it’s just trying to get better and play this tournament. Because if I play well, that means those other guys are going to have to play even better to try to catch me.”

Reed and Laird, who also played bogey-free, were one shot ahead of three other Ryder Cup hopefuls – Rickie Fowler, Kevin Chappell and J.B. Holmes, whose 67 was the best score among those who played in stronger wind in the afternoon. Defending champion Jason Day, the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, was among those at 68.

Of the 18 players who broke 70, five played late.

Chappell likely would have to win The Barclays to make the team, while Fowler needs at least a two-way tie for fourth to have a mathematical chance. Fowler went from Rio de Janeiro for the Olympics to North Carolina for the Wyndham Championship to help his cause, but only tied for 22nd.

“That’s the No. 1 priority coming into the year,” Fowler said. “I’d say that’s always one of the main goals coming into a Ryder Cup year. Even in the off year, you’re thinking about it. That was the whole reason playing last week, trying to get more points. It would be nice to have a chance to make that team without having to get picked.”

Holmes dropped to No. 9 last week. He has made his points mainly through the majors – a tie for fourth at the Masters, third at the British Open – but as he got closer to making the team, the pressure has increased. He has missed the cut in his last three events, and he couldn’t afford another one.

He spent two hours on the putting green looking for a solution, and might have found it.

“It was really good,” he said. “Had to stay calm today and tried to let go of the results,” Holmes said.

Laird is only interested in the FedEx Cup.

The Barclays is the start of a four-tournament series in which the field size shrinks until 30 qualify for the finale at the Tour Championship. Laird started at No. 89, and with only the top 100 in the standings advancing, starting well was crucial.

He also played bogey-free at Bethpage Black on a warm day with the wind picking up late in the morning as he was making the turn.

U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson, the No. 2 seed in the FedEx Cup, recovered from a bogey-bogey start to post a 70, while Adam Scott (No. 3) shot 69.

Abbotsford, B.C., native Adam Hadwin trails Scott by one stroke in a tie for 20th following a first-round 1-under 70. Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., recorded a 73, while David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., closes out the Canadian contingent at 75.

Jordan Spieth played for the first time since the PGA Championship and didn’t feel much rust as he made three birdies in seven holes. Bethpage is relentless, and so was the wind, and when the Texan struggled to find fairways, he started dropping shots. Spieth wound up with a 71.

“It’s up there in the top few toughest courses I’ve ever played,” Spieth said. “If they made the greens firm today, it would have been unplayable on a few holes. It was very tough, challenging, but fair today. We just had it really, really tough in the afternoon with those winds so high.”

Henrik Stenson (right knee) and Brett Stegmaier (wrist) withdrew, dropping the field to 119 out of 125 players. Stenson is No. 14 in the FedEx Cup and was always planning to skip one playoff event. Stegmaier is No. 101, so his season is over. … Russell Knox, battling bad congestion, opened with a 73. The Scot is hopeful of being a captain’s pick for Europe’s team. Darren Clarke makes three selections on Tuesday. Graeme McDowell opened with a 72, while Luke Donald had a 69.

BROMONT, Que. – Winds gave way to a light drizzle at Golf Château-Bromont as defending champion Garrett Rank shot a third-round 7-under 65 to claim a share of the 2016 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur lead alongside Jordan Irwin.

Rank of Elmira, Ont., began his climb from fourth place following a consecutive trio of birdies on holes 2 to 4 to make the turn at 3-under.

“I played really well today. My putter was hot really early,” said Rank. “I missed three chances on 6, 7, and 8 which cooled the round down, but I finished with an eagle and a birdie, so that was fun.”

The 28-year-old collected birdies on holes 11 and 13, but lost the lead with a bogey on No 15. An eagle on the par-5 17th followed by a birdie on No. 18 pushed Rank into a share of the lead at 14-under 202. The University of Waterloo alumnus won this event back-to-back in 2014 and 2015, and is determined to earn his third-straight exemption into the RBC Canadian Open.

“I’m going to be really aggressive again tomorrow. For me in this event, I’m either first or I’m last. You get the [RBC] Canadian Open exemption if you win, so finishing second or sixth, it doesn’t matter. Tomorrow, I’ll be playing for first place.”

Coming off a commanding second-round 7-under performance, Irwin faltered early with bogeys on holes 2 and 8. The 36-hole leader from Banff, Alta., carded four birdies through the back nine to finish the day 2-under.

A six-birdie day propelled Mattoon, Ill., native Derek Meinhart into sole possession of third, while Nashville’s Joseph Deraney registered a bogey-free 66 to follow in fourth at 9-under alongside Woodbridge, Ont., native Dave Bunker.

In addition to his three Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur titles, Bunker was also crowned the 2015 Mid-Master champion at Abercrombie Country Club in New Glasgow, N.S. The 51-year-old currently leads the 40-and-over division by one stroke.

Matthew Sim (Oakville), Ryan Kings (Kitchener) and Charles Fitzsimmons (London) combined to finish 15-under 273 in the inter-provincial team competition – contested over the first 36-holes – to claim a second consecutive victory for Ontario.

The 2016 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur champion will receive an exemption into the 2017 RBC Canadian Open hosted by Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., from July 24 to 30.

The final round of competition will see the first groups tee off from holes 1 and 10 at 7:30 a.m.

Additional information from the tournament can be found here.

The first stage of LPGA Qualifying School began today at the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif., where 19 Canadians are among the 347 competitors looking to advance to the second stage of the qualifying tournament.

The format is a 72-hole stroke-play event, including a cut after 54 holes. The Top-90 and ties from the week will advancing to stage II, held at the Plantation Golf & Country Club in Venice, Fla., from Oct. 17-23.

Behind the United States, Canada leads the way with 19 competitors in the field:

• Aram Choi
• Maya Parsons
• Jamie Oleksiew
• Muriel McIntyre
• Caroline Ciot (a)
• Jessica MacPhee
• Lisa Meldrum
• Kyla Inaba
• Casey MacNeil
• Robyn Doig
• Laura Welch
• Anna Kim
• Taylor Kim
• Sabrina Sapone
• Krista Fenniak
• Eileen Kelly
• Josee Doyon (a)
• Anna Young
• Melissa Mabanta

Click here for scoring.

PONOKA, Alta. – Sunny skies and mild temperatures greeted players as the 2016 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship got underway at Wolf Creek Golf Course. Hélène Chartrand capitalized on the fair weather to card a 1-under 71 and lead by a single stroke.

The native of Pincourt, Que., collected four birdies on the day, including two back-to-back on her final two holes to take possession of the lead.

“The course was playing so much better than the first two practice rounds – at least I enjoyed myself around the course,” said the 59-year-old. “It’s tough, the pins were in tough spots at some points. You have to maneuver around some fairways, it’s not easy, it’s very tight. You have to stay patient.”

The welcome conditions arrived following two windy, rain-soaked days. Despite some inclement forecasted in the coming days, Chartrand remains steadfast in her approach to the competition.

“I’ve played so many rounds in my career in the rain, so it doesn’t really bother me. The wind is sometimes tougher than the rain. You have to prepare, you have to stay focused. But it’s the same course for everyone, so I don’t really mind it.”

Chartrand leads the 25-and-over Mid-Amateur, the 40-and-over Mid-Master and the 50-and-over Senior divisions. She claimed the 2013 and 2014 Mid-Master titles, as well as the 2014 Senior championship.

“It gives me confidence that I can do it,” she said, when asked about the experience of being a past champion at this event. “I know the game is there, but you have to make the putts and stay in the present – which is always so classic to say, but it’s so true. But it’s so difficult to do, as well. It’s so easy to project yourself in the future and you don’t want to do that.”

Chartrand singled out her play on the green and stressed the need for similar performances in the coming days if she is to keep finding success.

“I putted extremely well from 3-feet…from 5-feet. Even though I missed two of them, I made several of them, too. I putted really good and that’s what I’m going to try to do; relax, take the tension away from my arms and focus on putting. I think I drove the ball pretty good, too, but putting is key because the greens are so tough.”

Trailing Chartrand by one stroke is Thornhill, Ont., native Judith Kyrinis. The 51-year-old finds herself in a familiar position, having finished runner-up in the trio of divisions last year. Margo Dickinson from Hartland, N.B., sits third in the Mid-Amateur division following a 1-over 73 showing. The trio of Penny Baziuk (North Saanich, B.C.), Terrill Samuel (Etobicoke, Ont.) and Holly Horwood (Vancouver) hold shares of fourth in the Mid-Amateur divisions, as well as shares of third in the Mid-Master and Senior divisions. Samuel claimed victory in the three divisions in 2015 at Sawmill Creek Golf Resort in Camlachie, Ont.

At 2-over, Horwood leads the Super Senior division by three strokes. Anna Schultz of Heath, Texas holds second, while Ruth Maxwell from Dartmouth, N.S., and Albertan Sharon Peart of Red Deer are T3 after matching 79s.

The trio of Baziuk, Horwood and two-time Senior champion Jackie Little of Port Alberni, B.C., lead the inter-provincial team competition at a combined 4-over 148. Teams Ontario and Quebec trail the 36-hole competition played concurrently with the championship’s first two rounds by one and two strokes, respectively.

Following the opening two rounds, the field will be reduced to the low 70 and ties from the senior division. In addition, all players eligible for the Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master divisions posting 36-hole scores equal to the final qualifier in the Senior division will advance to the final round of competition. A minimum of 10 Mid-Amateur and five Mid-Master competitors will make the cut.

The 2016 Canadian Women’s Senior champion will gain an exemption into the 2016 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship to be played at Wellesley Country Club in Wellesley, Mass., from September 17-22.

The second round of competition will see the first group of competitors tee off at 7:30 a.m.

Additional information from the championship can be found here.

BROMONT, Que. – The second day of the 2016 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship saw Team Ontario capture the R. Bruce Forbes Trophy after reclaiming their province’s 2015 team title with a 15-under 273 showing. Team Alberta’s Jordan Irwin carded a 65 through persistent winds at Golf Château-Bromont to sit alone atop the leaderboard.

Matthew Sim (Oakville) led the Ontario contingent – including Ryan Kings (Kitchener) and Charles Fitzsimmons (London) – with a 5-under 67 performance.

“It’s my first time on Team Ontario and it’s just been so much fun. It’s nice to bring this title back,” said Sim, a University of Waterloo alumnus. “Playing with a team is different because there’s a little more pressure behind it that you definitely feel, but it’s just like university golf.”

The 29-year-old recorded a single bogey through his six-birdie day to sit T2 at 8-under in the individual standings alongside 18-hole co-leader Jacob Peterson of Montréal.

Kings carded a bogey-free 68 to claim a share of fourth at 7-under alongside Philip Arci (Vaughan, Ont.) and two-time Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur champion Garrett Rank (Elmira, Ont.). The 39-year-old Kings enjoyed the novelty of representing his home province alongside the people against whom he typically competes.

“I’ve never played on a golf team before so it’s nice to form some camaraderie with the guys. I loved representing Ontario and I hope I can do it again next year.”

First-round co-leader Jordan Irwin (Banff) shot 65 to lead Team Alberta to a runner-up result. Irwin and teammates Paul Briske (Calgary) and Gerry MacDonald (Chestermere) finished five strokes behind the leaders with a combined 10-under 278.

Irwin recovered quickly from a bogey on his first hole with a trio of birdies through Nos. 3 to 8 and an eagle on the par-5 9th. A 3-under back nine vaulted the 2016 Alberta Mid-Amateur champion into a four-stroke advantage in the overall standings at 12-under 132.

“I didn’t hit the ball as well as I would have liked, but my putter was solid and my misses were pretty good,” said the 31-year-old. “I didn’t think about the cut all day, which is rare. I’m just going to keep trying to play well, work hard at every shot and enjoy it.”

Three-time Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur champion Dave Bunker of Woodbridge, Ont., and Darren Shaw of Stoney Creek, Ont., lead the 40-and-over Mid-Master division at 6-under 138. Bunker claimed the Mid-Master title in 2015 at Abercrombie Country Club in New Glasgow, N.S.

The 2016 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur champion will receive an exemption into the 2017 RBC Canadian Open hosted by Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., from July 24 to 30.

A total of 70 players finished 149-or-better to advance to the final two rounds of the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship. The third round will see the first groups tee off from holes 1 and 10 at 7:30 a.m.

Additional information from the tournament can be found here.

CALGARY – Brooke Henderson is the face of Canadian golf. Lydia Ko is a big hit, too – and every bit as comfortable.

“I feel when I come to Canada, it feels a lot like New Zealand, feels a lot like home,” Ko said Wednesday, a day before the start of play in the CP Women’s Open. “Just even how they say ‘eh’ at the end of sentences. A lot of people back at home say ‘eh,’ too. … Everyone has just been super welcoming, and I think that’s the thing about it. ”

The 18-year-old Henderson had a large crowd for her pro-am round at Priddis Greens.

“Having Canadians and people from all over the world kind of celebrate this national championship is really cool,” Henderson said. “Even this morning, I teed off at 8 in a pro-am, and there were people following me right from the start. My gallery kind of grew throughout the day, and as I finished, that was probably the longest autograph session that I’ve ever had.”

The top-ranked Ko has won the event three of the last four years, the first two as an amateur. The New Zealander won in 2012 at Vancouver Golf Club at 15 years, 4 months to become the LPGA Tour’s youngest winner and fifth amateur champion. She successfully defended her title in 2013, winning by five strokes in Edmonton. Last year back at Vancouver as a pro, she beat Stacy Lewis in a playoff.

The 19-year-old Ko has four LPGA Tour victories this season, winning the ANA Inspiration in April for her second major title.

Lydia Ko's pre-tournament interview at the #CPWO.https://t.co/wCLUf0QMsW

— CP Womens Open (@cpwomensopen) August 25, 2016

“Lydia is truly amazing,” Henderson said. “She’s an inspiration to me and I think everybody that knows her.”

Henderson beat Ko in a playoff in June in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship for her first major title, and successfully defended her Cambia Portland Classic title in early July.

“She’s not afraid to be out in front,” veteran Canadian player Lorie Kane said. “I truly respect the way she plays in that she’s accepting of what happens and she moves past it. I’ve had enough time to play with her to see she’s got all kinds of game. She swings a very big driver a very long way and I’m extremely proud of her.”

Ko was second last week in the Rio Olympics, five strokes behind winner Inbee Park.

“It’s definitely a quick turnaround, but this is one of our best tournaments on our tour schedule, so even the girls that were in Rio I think we’re all excited to be here,” Ko said. “Last week, the course was a little bit like sand belt with a little bit of British flair. This is a bit more traditional. … It’s firm and fast. Last week, we were wearing shorts. This week, we’re wearing sweaters.”

Henderson tied for seventh in Rio.

“Rio was kind of just a sixth major on the LPGA Tour,” Henderson said. “Of course, there was lots of other things going on. … It was cool, but the end of the day it was just four rounds of golf, regular stroke play individual that we do every single week, playing against the same players we play against every week.”

Brooke Henderson's pre-tournament interview at the #CPWO.https://t.co/3EUb6STfff

— CP Womens Open (@cpwomensopen) August 25, 2016

Ko and Henderson are on opposite sides of the draw. Ko will open play Thursday morning on the 10th tee with Jessica Korda and Sei Young Kim, and Henderson will start on No. 1 in the afternoon with Gerina Piller and Amy Yang.

Kane, at 51, is making her record-tying 26th straight appearance in the event. The four-time LPGA Tour winner is being inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

“I’m proud of myself. I’ve accomplished some things that I never thought would have been possible,” Kane said. “To think in 20 years what I have achieved – the four wins? It took me a long time to win the first one and then the next three came pretty quickly after that.”

Kane will match the tournament record for consecutive starts set by Hollis Stacy.

Suzann Pettersen won the 2009 tournament at Priddis Greens.

The tour will remain in Canada next week for the Manulife LPGA Classic in Cambridge, Ont., with Pettersen the defending champion.

Nestled against the Credit River, within shouting distance of Lake Ontario and a mere 17 minutes (without traffic, of course) from downtown Toronto, lays one of the country’s most iconic and celebrated layouts.

And when Mississaugua Golf and Country Club hosts the World Junior Girls Championship in late-September, all eyes will once again be on the Percy Barrett/George Cumming/Donald Ross/Stanley Thompson design.

How about that for a Murder’s Row of golf-course designers?

“If you look at our history, our club has always had a big amateur tournament every four or five years. We’re constantly looking to host something from an amateur perspective, and for the World Junior Girls, it was a no-brainer,” says Mississaugua’s Head Teaching Professional Nick Starchuk. “It’s pretty special from a member perspective.”

Mississaugua has hosted the Canadian Open six times, and the first two champions were Walter Hagen (1931) and Sam Snead (1938), while names like Jones, Hogan, Player, Palmer, and Nicklaus have all traversed the historic links. In it’s centennial year (2006), the club hosted the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship won by Richard Scott (his third).

The club has quite the golfing pedigree when it comes to great champions, and that’s not lost on those anxious to put the club once again on the world stage.

“It’s a old, traditional club. There’s a lot of tradition here,” says Starchuk. “Entering the grounds, you recognize this is a place that has been improving for the last 100 years. You know it’s going to be special.”

The course, a par 71, measuring 7,100 yards from the back tees (but more likely to play just under 6,000 yards for the World Junior Girls) features classic Stanley Thompson green sites meant to challenge and invigorate those who tee it up.

“The course is not going to give a flat lie, it’s not going to give a straight putt on the greens, and they’re going to have to deal with the Credit River,” explains Starchuck of the course’s many subtle challenges. “It’s a tighter course than this competition is used to.”

“It won’t be long for them, but it’s going to be challenging to hit the right tee shot, hit the right approach, and then make the putt. There are no easy pars out here,” he continues.

The holes that meander through the Valley will particularly be challenging for the girls. Holes four through 15, according to Director of Golf Dennis Firth, are ‘really strong.’

“They’re going to have to keep it in play all week,” states Firth. “Our rough has been very healthy all year despite the lack of rain and water. It’s a golf course that’s out in front of you, but it’s going to take just a complete effort from tee-to-green to score well.”

As far as the membership support goes, Mississaugua has been all-in since 2014 when the conversations first began to potentially host the event after Angus Glen and The Marshes the last two years.

“The momentum builds from the day you announce the event all the way to tournament week,” explains Firth. “(The excitement) continues to grow even though this tournament is relatively new in its lifespan. With Brooke (Henderson) competing just two years ago and seeing the meteoric rise of her and her game, it brings a lot of excitement.”

And not only will the Brooke Henderson Effect be on display in September, but Mississaugua is hoping one of their own makes the field as well.

Chloe Currie, a member at the venerable club, is in the running to be a part of Team Canada, having won some prestigious junior events this year. If she does make the team, Starchuck says it’s likely her private school in Oakville will take a day off to come and watch her making the potential “huge for the club.”

Starchuck says there wasn’t really a junior program at Mississaugua before he arrived five years ago. Now, it’s a thriving entity of the club.

“A big percentage of our juniors compete regionally, and some compete internationally. We have a junior program that is not an after-school thing,” he says. “You’re going to be in a program to play tournaments, and you’re going to win. We have 10 wins this year alone for kids at the club.”

Regardless of if Currie makes the team or not, the club will be a proud host, and, at least according to Starchuck, it can’t wait to get started.

“Being able to see this tournament at Angus Glen, and then at my home course in Ottawa, it’s massive,” he says. “It’s really big, and we’re so excited.”

BROMONT, Que. – Clear skies and mountain winds at Golf Château-Bromont welcomed competitors to the first round of the 2016 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship. At 5-under 67, Montréal’s Jacob Peterson holds a one-stroke lead alongside Jordan Irwin of Banff, Alta.

Peterson took off from the 10th tee with the morning wave and moved into quick possession of the lead with three birdies through holes 12 to 15 and an eagle on the par-5 17th.

“It was a pretty windy morning, but I managed pretty well,” said Peterson. “It honestly helped me at some points. I got some good breaks, I made some good putts and I holed-out from a bunker.”

The 25-year-old Concordia University Stinger, who is competing for the first time at this national championship, birdied No. 2, but settled for a bogey on the par-4 5^th hole. A birdie on his final hole solidified Peterson’s 67.

“I was pretty lucky to get the morning draw today, so hopefully it’s not too windy tomorrow afternoon. 5-under is hard to beat, but there are a lot of golfers out here, so I’ll just try to do the same thing tomorrow.”

The 31-year-old Irwin also began his round on the back nine, collecting a birdie on the 14th hole followed by a trio across holes 16 to 18. A final push with birdies on Nos. 1 and 8 nudged Irwin into his share of the lead.

Three-time Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur champion Dave Bunker of Woodbridge, Ont., put himself in good position to defend his 2015 40-and-over Mid-Master title with a 4-under 68. The 51-year-old sits T3 in the overall competition with Vaughan, Ont., native Philip Arci, Brandon Markiw of Edmonton and Calgary’s Dustin Yeager.

The team representing Ontario – consisting of Charles Fitzsimmons (London), Ryan Kings (Kitchener) and Matthew Sim (Oakville) – lead the inter-provincial team competition which takes place concurrently with the first two rounds of stroke-play. The trio combined for a two-stroke lead at 6-under 138 as they look to defend their province’s 2015 title.

Team Quebec’s Sebastien Levasseur (Nicolet), Alain Dufresne (Deux-Montagnes) and Dwight Reinhart (Renfrew, Ont.) follow closely in second at 4-under 140.

In addition to the 2016 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur title, the champion will receive an exemption into the 2017 RBC Canadian Open hosted by Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., from July 24 to 30.

The second round of the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship will see the first wave tee off from holes 1 and 10 at 7:30 a.m., followed by the second wave from Nos. 1 and 10 at 12:30 p.m.

Additional information from the tournament can be found here.