Piercen Hunt recorded first career hole-in-one on par-3 fourth hole

Team Canada had a day to remember on Friday, highlighted by Piercen Hunt’s first career hole-in-one on the par-3 fourth hole at the World Amateur Team Championship. Hunt, from Hartland, Wis. hit a pitching wedge from 136 yards to record the ace. It was the first WATC ace since the final round of the 2018 championship, which was recorded by Esteban Restrepo of Colombia. “That’s my first ever hole-in-one. It landed a bit short [of the hole], took a couple hops and went in. It was crazy,” said Hunt. He finished the day with a 2-under 70 to sit at 8-over for the tournament.

Teammates Ashton McCulloch of Kingston, Ont. and Brady McKinlay of Lacombe, Alta. both fired rounds of 4-under 68 to move Canada up to 23rd place and combined score of 8-under for the tournament. Both McCulloch and McKinlay are T38 in the individual standings at 4-under for the tournament.

The United States of America, propelled by a 5-under 67 from world No. 2 Gordon Sargent, tallied 14 birdies amongst its three players and strengthened its lead to four stokes after Round 3 of the World Amateur Team Championship at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. Sargent, who leads the individual leaderboard at 12-under par, rattled off four birdies in his opening eight holes, highlighted by a 35-foot putt on the par-4 sixth.

The Americans, who are seeking their first Eisenhower Trophy win since 2014, stand at 24-under par at 408 with France and Norway sharing a tie for second at 412. The USA’s Nick Dunlap and David Ford each finished with 3-under 69s, bringing the team’s third round tally to an 8-under 136. Only two of each team’s best three scores count toward the total.

France, with a 5-under 67 from Bastien Amat and a 72 from Hugo Le Goff, lost ground to the Americans while remaining in second place alongside Norway.

Norway, which is eyeing its first medal in team history, climbed nine places on the strength of a 6-under 66 showing from Michael Mjaaseth and a 4-under 68 from Herman Sekne, who is No. 24 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking®. The 10-under team total led the field in the third round.

Australia remains in solo fourth place with a three-day total of 413 after a 4-under 68 from Jeffrey Guan and a 71 from Jack Buchanon. 

Czechia holds fifth place at 414, followed by the Netherlands and South Africa tied for sixth. The defending champion Italians are eight strokes off the lead in solo eighth place.

Notable:

• USA is attempting to become the fifth wire-to-wire champion in Eisenhower Trophy history, and the first since 2012. The Americans have done so twice before in 2004 and 2012.
• France is seeking its first Eisenhower medal since winning gold in 2010.
• Gordon Sargent has posted rounds of 67-70-67 to lead the individual scoring by one over six players.
• Canada’s Piercen Hunt made a hole-in-one on the par-3 4th hole (136 yards/124 meters) with a pitching wedge. It was the first hole-in-one in Eisenhower Trophy competition since Colombia’s Esteban Restrepo aced the 7th hole at Carton House Golf Club in Ireland in 2018.
• The Republic of Korea tied Norway for the largest leaderboard move on Friday, climbing nine spots into a tie for 16th place based on a 9-under 135 team score led by Seonghyeon An‘s 7-under 65.
• Czechia is in position for its best-ever Eisenhower finish. The Czech’s current best (22nd place) came in 2018.
• South Africa, which jumped four spots into a tie for sixth after Round 3, is seeking its first top-10 finish since 1998.
• Temperatures at Abu Dhabi Golf Club peaked at 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) with a heat index of 42 degrees Celsius (108 degrees Fahrenheit) during the third round.
   

What’s Next:

The final round begins Saturday at 6:30 a.m. local time with a two-tee start on the National Course at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. The leading teams of USA, France and Norway will occupy the final tee times of 12:06, 12:17 and 12:28 p.m. off the 1st tee.

Results from Friday’s third round of the 2023 World Amateur Team Championships, played at par-72 Abu Dhabi Golf Club (National Course), in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. 

1      United States of America, USA 135-137-136–408
          Nick Dunlap 69-67-69–205
          Gordon Sargent 67-70-67–204
          David Ford 68-74-69—211

T2     France, FRA 135-138-139–412
          Hugo Le Goff 67-68-72–207
          Bastien Amat 68-70-67–205
          Paul Beauvy 68-73-74—215

T2     Norway, NOR 144-134-134–412
          Herman Sekne 73-64-68–205
          Michael Mjaaseth 71-70-66–207
          Mats Ege 75-77-71–223

4      Australia, AUS 137-137-139–413
          Karl Vilips 69-68-73–210
          Jeff Guan 68-69-68–205
          Jack Buchanan 76-72-71—219

5      Czechia, CZE 139-135-140–414
          Filip Jakubcik 69-67-70–206
          Petr Hruby 72-68-70–210
          Louis Klein 70-72-73—215

T6     Netherlands, NED 136-140-139–415
          Jack Ingham 70-70-69–209
          Lars van der Vight 77-70-70–217
          Benjamin Reuter 66-71-76—213

T6     South Africa, RSA 139-138-138–415
          Christo Lamprecht 71-68-68–207
          Christiaan Maas 70-70-71–211
          Altin van der Merwe 69-71-70—210

8      Italy, ITA 142-138-136–416
          Pietro Bovari 69-67-69–205
          Riccardo Fantinelli 74-71-70–215
          Flavio Michetti 73-73-67—213

T9     New Zealand, NZL 139-139-139–417
          Jayden Ford 74-69-73–216
          Kazuma Kobori 70-70-67–207
          Sam Jones 69-72-72—213

T9     People’s Republic of China, CHN 138-135-144–417
          Zihang Qiu 69-67-71–207
          Justin Bai 69-68-73–210
          Ziqin Zhou 76-69-79—224

T11    Denmark, DEN 137-138-143–418
          Frederik Kjettrup 75-67-72–214
          Jacob Olesen 68-71-71–210
          Gustav Frimodt 69-75-72—216

T11    Mexico, MEX 143-133-142–418
          Santiago De La Fuente del Valle 71-66-72–209
          José Islas Valdespino 75-67-74–216
          Omar Morales 72-68-70—210

13     Colombia, COL 142-139-138–419
          Nicolas Quintero 69-69-67–205
          Manuel Merizalde 76-70-73–219
          Carlos Conde 73-72-71—216

T14    Chinese Taipei, TPE 143-136-141–420
          Chuan-Tai Lin 72-66-72–210
          Ching Hung Su 71-70-72–213
          Chi Chun Chen 74-77-69—220

T14    Spain, ESP 138-140-142–420
          Luis Masaveu Roncal 69-70-74–213
          Angel Ayora 71-70-76–217
          José Luis Ballester 69-72-68—209

T16    Republic of Korea, KOR 144-142-135–421
          Seonghyeon An 73-70-65–208
          Donghyun Moon 71-72-70–213
          Sungho Lee 74-72-74—220

T16    Argentina, ARG 137-138-146–421
          Vicente Marzilio 69-68-72–209
          Joaquín Ludueña 70-70-74–214
          Segundo Oliva Pinto 68-72-76—216

T16    Scotland, SCO 141-140-140–421
          Calum Scott 71-69-72–212
          Connor Graham 70-71-68–209
          Gregor Tait 78-79-72—229

T19    Wales, WAL 142-139-141–422
          James Ashfield 72-68-71–211
          Tomi Bowen 70-71-70–211
          Matt Roberts 75-71-75—221

T19    Ireland, IRL 145-139-138–422
          Matthew McClean 72-68-68–208
          Liam Nolan 75-71-70–216
          Alex Maguire 73-73-72—218

T19    England, ENG 137-143-142–422
          Tyler Weaver 68-71-70–209
          Jack Bigham 72-72-72–216
          Barclay Brown 69-73-72—214

22     Japan, JPN 142-140-141–423
          Minato Oshima 70-70-70–210
          Yuta Sugiura 72-70-71–213
          Riura Matsui 75-70-73—218

23     Canada, CAN 146-142-136–424
          Ashton McCulloch 74-70-68–212
          Brady McKinlay 72-72-68–212
          Piercen Hunt 80-74-70—224

T24    Morocco, MAR 141-142-143–426
          Soufiane Dahmane 69-69-72–210
          El Mehdi Fakori 75-73-73–221
          Hugo Mazen Trometter 72-74-71—217

T24    Sweden, SWE 145-141-140–426
          Albert Hansson 79-70-71–220
          Daniel Svard 70-71-73–214
          Tobias Jonsson 75-71-69—215

T26    Germany, GER 141-141-145–427
          Jonas Baumgartner 71-70-70–211
          Tiger Christensen 73-71-76–220
          Tim Wiedemeyer 70-72-75—217

T26    Switzerland, SUI 142-142-143–427
          Max Sturdza 70-68-71–209
          Nicola Gerhardsen 74-74-72–220
          Marc Keller 72-80-75—227

28     Guatemala, GUA 146-143-139–428
          Gabriel Palacios 72-70-73–215
          Alejandro Villavicencio 82-73-73–228
          Juan Ricardo Davila 74-74-66—214

29     Austria, AUT 147-144-138–429
          Christoph Bleier 73-71-66–210
          Fabian Lang 78-73-72–223
          Florian Schweighofer 74-77-79—230

30     Finland, FIN 149-139-144–432
          Elias Haavisto 77-67-71–215
          Jesse Saareks 74-72-76–222
          Markus Luoma 75-75-73—223

31     Thailand, THA 149-145-141–435
          Ashita Piamkulvanich 74-70-70–214
          Parin Sarasmut 75-75-71–221
          Jiradech Chaowarat 75-77-73—225

32     Singapore, SIN 154-142-143–439
          Ryan Ang 78-71-71–220
          Hiroshi Hirahara Tai 79-71-72–222
          Troy Storm 76-78-75—229

33     India, IND 150-142-148–440
          Yuvraj Singh 74-70-72–216
          Rohit Narwal 79-72-76–227
          Shaurya Bhattacharya 76-73-76—225

34     Zimbabwe, ZIM 143-147-151–441
          Tafadzwa Nyamukondiwa 70-72-74–216
          Keegan James Shutt 82-75-78–235
          David Amm 73-76-77—226

35     United Arab Emirates, UAE 155-153-153–461
          Ahmad Skaik 80-74-80–234
          Rayan Ahmed 79-79-75–233
          Thomas Nesbitt 76-80-78—234

36     Guam, GUM 169-158-157–484
          Nalapon Vongjalorn 84-78-83–245
          Markus Nanpei 86-80-74–240
          Eugene Park 85-86-85–256

The United States of America’s Nick Dunlap, who is No. 4 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking®/WAGR®, tallied seven birdies en route to a 5-under 67 at Abu Dhabi Golf Club to position the Americans one stroke clear of France and the People’s Republic of China through the second round of the 33rd World Amateur Team Championship.

Team Canada currently sits tied for 27th at even par 288. Ashton McCulloch of Kingston, Ont. lead the way for Canada on Thursday by firing a 2-under 70 to sit at even par for the tournament. Brady McKinlay of Lacombe, Alta. recorded an even par 72 for the second straight day. Their scores counted towards the combined team score to help move Canada from 2-over to even par after two rounds. Teammate Piercen Hunt of Hartland, Wis. finished with a 2-over 74 and is now at 10-over for the tournament.

USA also used a 2-under 70 from world No. 2 Gordon Sargent, who officially earned PGA Tour membership on Wednesday via PGA Tour University Accelerated, for a two-day total of 16-under 272. After a slow team start, Dunlap and Sargent combined for five birdies during a four-hole stretch at the conclusion of their first nine.

France, which held a share of the lead at the start of the day, was led by 15-year-old Hugo Le Goff’s 4-under 68 and a 2-under 70 from 2023 U.S. Open qualifier Bastien Amat. Hugo, a 2023 R&A Boys’ Amateur semifinalist, had an eagle and three birdies through his first seven holes.

The People’s Republic of China, which finished in a tie for 31st last year in France, moved up six places on the leader board on the strength of a 5-under 67 from Zihang Qiu and a 4-under 68 from Justin Bai, who has committed to play at the University of Washington in 2024.

Australia remains two strokes behind the USA in a tie for fourth place with Czechia on the strength of another steady day from two-time Australian Junior Amateur champion Jeffrey Guan and Stanford University senior Karl Vilips. Guan and Vilips, who qualified for the 2023 U.S. Open, traded a pair of 67s and 68s during the first two rounds to lead the Aussies to a 14-under total of 270.

Frederik Kjettrup rebounded from an opening-round 75 with a 5-under 67 on Thursday to position Demark in a tie for sixth alongside Argentina at 275. Jacob Skov Olesen added a 71 for Denmark.

Completing the top 10 are Mexico and The Netherlands with team totals of 12-under 276. 

Notable: 

France’s Le Goff (9-under 135) leads the individual leaderboard by one stroke over Czechia’s Filip Jakubcik, Italy’s Pietro Bovari, the People’s Republic of China’s Zihang Qiu and the USA’s Nick Dunlap.

Bovari made two eagles during his second-round 5-under 67 for the defending champion Italian team, which sits in a tie for 15th place. Italy is attempting to become the first team to win consecutive WATC titles since the USA did so in 2012 and 2014.

Mexico and Norway made the largest moves of the day, both climbing 13 places. Mexico jumped into a tie for eighth, while Norway moved into a tie for 11th thanks to an 8-under 64 from Herman Sekne that included nine birdies. Sekne’s 64 is the lowest round of the championship thus far.

Australia, the People’s Republic of China and the USA are the only countries with two players in the top 10 of the individual leader board.

With his U.S. Amateur win in August, Nick Dunlap joined Tiger Woods as the only players to win the U.S. Junior Amateur and U.S. Amateur. 

What’s Next: 

Round 3 begins Friday at 6:30 a.m. local time with a two-tee start on the National Course at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

Results from Thursday’s second round of the 2023 World Amateur Team Championships, played at par-72 Abu Dhabi Golf Club (National Course), in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

1      United States of America 135-137–272
        Nick Dunlap 69-67–136
        Gordon Sargent 67-70–137
        David Ford 68-74—142

T2    People’s Republic of China 138-135–273
        Zihang Qiu 69-67–136
        Justin Bai 69-68–137
        Ziqin Zhou 76-69—145

T2    France 135-138–273
        Hugo Le Goff 67-68–135
        Bastien Amat 68-70–138
        Paul Beauvy 68-73—141

T4    Czechia 139-135–274
        Filip Jakubcik 69-67–136
        Petr Hruby 72-68–140
        Louis Klein 70-72—142

T4    Australia 137-137–274
        Karl Vilips 69-68–137
        Jeff Guan 68-69–137
        Jack Buchanan 76-72—148

T6    Argentina 137-138–275
        Vicente Marzilio 69-68–137
        Joaquín Ludueña 70-70–140
        Segundo Oliva Pinto 68-72—140

T6    Denmark 137-138–275
        Frederik Kjettrup 75-67–142
        Jacob Olesen 68-71–139
        Gustav Frimodt 69-75—144

T8    Mexico 143-133–276
        Santiago De La Fuente del Valle 71-66–137
        José Islas Valdespino 75-67–142
        Omar Morales 72-68—140

T8    Netherlands 136-140–276
        Jack Ingham 70-70–140
        Lars van der Vight 77-70–147
        Benjamin Reuter 66-71—137

10    South Africa 139-138–277
        Christo Lamprecht 71-68–139
        Christiaan Maas 70-70–140
        Altin van der Merwe 69-71—140

T11  New Zealand 139-139–278
        Jayden Ford 74-69–143
        Kazuma Kobori 70-70–140
        Sam Jones 69-72—141

T11  Spain 138-140–278
        Luis Masaveu Roncal 69-70–139
        Angel Ayora 71-70–141
        José Luis Ballester 69-72—141

T11  Norway 144-134–278
        Herman Sekne 73-64–137
        Michael Mjaaseth 71-70–141
        Mats Ege 75-77—152

14    Chinese Taipei 143-136–279
        Chuan-Tai Lin 72-66–138
        Ching Hung Su 71-70–141
        Chi Chun Chen 74-77—151

T15  England 137-143–280
        Tyler Weaver 68-71–139
        Jack Bigham 72-72–144
        Barclay Brown 69-73—142

T15  Italy 142-138–280
        Pietro Bovari 69-67–136
        Riccardo Fantinelli 74-71–145
        Flavio Michetti 73-73—146

T17  Colombia 142-139–281
        Nicolas Quintero 69-69–138
        Manuel Merizalde 76-70–146
        Carlos Conde 73-72—145

T17  Scotland 141-140–281
        Calum Scott 71-69–140
        Connor Graham 70-71–141
        Gregor Tait 78-79—157

T17  Wales 142-139–281
        James Ashfield 72-68–140
        Tomi Bowen 70-71–141
        Matt Roberts 75-71—146

T20  Japan 142-140–282
        Minato Oshima 70-70–140
        Yuta Sugiura 72-70–142
        Riura Matsui 75-70—145

T20  Germany 141-141–282
        Jonas Baumgartner 71-70–141
        Tiger Christensen 73-71–144
        Tim Wiedemeyer 70-72—142

22    Morocco 141-142–283
        Soufiane Dahmane 69-69–138
        El Mehdi Fakori 75-73–148
        Hugo Mazen Trometter 72-74—146

T23  Ireland 145-139–284
        Matthew McClean 72-68–140
        Liam Nolan 75-71–146
        Alex Maguire 73-73—146

T23  Switzerland 142-142–284
        Max Sturdza 70-68–138
        Nicola Gerhardsen 74-74–148
        Marc Keller 72-80—152

T25  Sweden 145-141–286
        Albert Hansson 79-70–149
        Daniel Svard 70-71–141
        Tobias Jonsson 75-71—146

T25  Republic of Korea 144-142–286
        Seonghyeon An 73-70–143
        Donghyun Moon 71-72–143
        Sungho Lee 74-72—146

T27  Finland 149-139–288
        Elias Haavisto 77-67–144
        Jesse Saareks 74-72–146
        Markus Luoma 75-75—150

T27  Canada 146-142–288
        Ashton McCulloch 74-70–144
        Brady McKinlay 72-72–144
        Piercen Hunt 80-74—154

29    Guatemala 146-143–289
        Gabriel Palacios 72-70–142
        Alejandro Villavicencio 82-73–155
        Juan Ricardo Davila 74-74—148

30    Zimbabwe 143-147–290
        Tafadzwa Nyamukondiwa 70-72–142
        Keegan James Shutt 82-75–157
        David Amm 73-76—149

31    Austria 147-144–291
        Christoph Bleier 73-71–144
        Fabian Lang 78-73–151
        Florian Schweighofer 74-77—151

32    India 150-142–292
        Yuvraj Singh 74-70–144
        Rohit Narwal 79-72–151
        Shaurya Bhattacharya 76-73—149

33    Thailand 149-145–294
        Ashita Piamkulvanich 74-70–144
        Parin Sarasmut 75-75–150
        Jiradech Chaowarat 75-77—152

34    Singapore 154-142–296
        Ryan Ang 78-71–149
        Hiroshi Hirahara Tai 79-71–150
        Troy Storm 76-78—154

35    United Arab Emirates 155-153–308
        Ahmad Skaik 80-74–154
        Rayan Ahmed 79-79–158
        Thomas Nesbitt 76-80—156

36    Guam 169-158–327
        Nalapon Vongjalorn 84-78–162
        Markus Nanpei 86-80–166
        Eugene Park 85-86–171

Canadians Adam Hadwin and Taylor Pendrith both finished near the top of the leaderboard at the Shriners Children’s Open and are resting this week as they consider what to do next.

Hadwin finished second at TPC Summerlin on Sunday, one shot behind eventual winner Tom Kim of South Korea. Pendrith was in a group tied for third, a shot back of his fellow Canadian. 

“It was a good week. I didn’t know what to expect coming in,” said Hadwin, who had last played in a PGA Tour event on Aug. 20 at the BMW Championship. “I hadn’t played since the playoff event in Chicago, about seven weeks ago, so it was nice to play. 

“I was really ready to compete. I was missing the competition of things.”

Pendrith hadn’t played for a month, missing the cut at the Fortinet Championship in mid-September. The native of Richmond Hill, Ont., returned to Canada to see family before heading to Las Vegas for the Shriners Children’s Open.

“Kind of a blur, but I took the red eye home Sunday night from Vegas and got here about noon on Monday,” said Pendrith from his residence in Florida. “It’s nice to be home. We haven’t been here in probably five weeks.”

Hadwin and Pendrith’s stop-and-start schedule is partly thanks to the PGA Tour’s new calendar, as the top men’s golf tour in the world transitions to a regular season that starts in January instead of straddling two years.

Hadwin, who is from Abbotsford, B.C., said that because he’s 45th in the FedEx Cup Fall standings, he might not play again in 2023.

“I’m going to probably speak with some of those statisticians and analysts and see whether or not I may be able to maintain my top 50 ranking without playing,” said Hadwin, who wants to finish the year within the top 50 to qualify for the 2024 Masters. “I know that sometimes, depending on how the points shake out, you’re better off not playing than playing.”

Hadwin said that he would consider his options and possibly play in one of November’s tournaments. Pendrith, on the other hand, said he intends to keep playing, likely at the World Wide Technology Championship in Los Cabos, Mexico, on Nov. 2, Butterfield Bermuda Championship on Nov. 9, and the RSM Classic in St. Simons Island, Ga., on Nov. 16.

“A win now has the same perks as a win in the regular season. I can still play my way into the elevated events at the start of the year with some good finishes in the next three weeks,” said Pendrith, who earned a PGA Tour card for next season with his tie for third on Sunday. “There’s still lots to play for. 

“I feel like my game’s good right now and my body feels good. Why not play is kind of what I’m thinking.”

Regardless of whether or not they play in November, both Canadians are looking forward to a six-week break through December and into January. They said they want to spend time with their young families.

“I do like the idea of having three, four months to work on a few things, maybe add a few pounds, work on getting faster and stronger and all those sorts of things without having golf matter,” said Hadwin, who will also participate in some fundraising events for the Hadwin Family Foundation during his break. “It’s nice to be able to work without chasing FedEx points or wanting to get the year off started on a good note.”

Pendrith said he’s eager to spend time in his new house in Florida. He has also got into the wine business, launching the Taylor Pendrith Wine Collection through Pillitteri Estates in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.

“I’ve liked wine for a number of years and we thought it’d be a cool thing to get this going,” said Pendrith. “I was there two weeks ago to taste it for the first time, which was really cool. Got a tour of the whole place and saw where the wine was made and it’s pretty neat.

“I think it’s great that it’s a Canadian winery, and they’ve won tons of awards for their wines.”

France and the United States of America stand atop a crowded leader board after the first round of the 33rd World Amateur Team Championship at Abu Dhabi Golf Club on Wednesday. Fueled by a pair of 5-under 67’s from 15-year-old Hugo Le Goff and world No. 2 Gordon Sargent, France and the USA hold a one-stroke lead over The Netherlands.

Team Canada currently sits tied for 28th at 2-over 146. Brady McKinlay of Lacombe, Alta. shot the low round of the day for Canada with an even par 72. 2023 Canadian Men’s Amateur champion, Ashton McCulloch of Kingston, Ont. shot a 2-over 74 and Piercen Hunt of Hartland, Wis. finished with an 8-over 80.

All three of France’s players carded rounds of 68 or better in the early wave of the morning. Teammates Bastien Amat (counting) and Paul Beauvy (non-counting) shot a pair of 68’s behind Le Goff’s 67 leading France to a 9-under total of 135 to match the Americans. Only two of each team’s best three scores count toward the total.

The Netherlands’ Benjamin Reuter had the individual low round of the day, a 6-under 66, and teammate Jack Ingham added a 70 to position the Dutch in solo third place. Reuter, who plays at Georgia Tech University, registered three birdies and an eagle in his final seven holes. 

Gustav Frimodt (3-under 69) and Jacob Olesen (4-under 68) led an afternoon charge for Denmark, who shares fourth with Argentina, Australia and England, two strokes behind the leaders. 

Notable: 

Through his WATC start on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi, Gordon Sargent became the first player to earn PGA TOUR membership via PGA TOUR University Accelerated after achieving the 20-point threshold. Sargent is a junior at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.

France’s Bastien Amat, and the USA’s Sargent and Nick Dunlap, are three of seven players in the field who competed in the 2023 U.S. Open Championship at The Los Angeles (Calif.) Country Club.

No. 1-ranked amateur Christo Lamprecht, of South Africa, shot a 71 with three birdies and two bogeys. Altin van der Merwe (69) and Christiaan Maas (70) positioned South Africa in a tie for 10th at 5-under 139.

Temperatures reached 36 degrees Celsius (97 degrees Fahrenheit) with a heat index of 41 degrees Celsius (106 degrees Fahrenheit) during Round 1.

Twenty-five of the 36 teams finished under par on Day 1.

A total of 46 players in the field competed in the 2022 WATC in France. Colombia, Netherlands and Norway are fielding the same three players as last year.

Ahmad Skaik, of the United Arab Emirates, hit the opening tee shot of the championship on Wednesday morning. Skaik is competing in his fourth WATC. 

Zimbabwe’s Tafadzwa Nyamukondiwa carded a bogey-free 2-under 70. Nyamukondiwa, a senior at Drexel University, has an elephant named Cookie back home in Zimbabwe that he used to ride to school.

Guatemala’s Alejandro Villavicencio is playing for the seventh time, most of any player in the field.

What’s Next: 
Round 2 begins Thursday at 6:30 a.m. with a two-tee start on the National Course at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

Results from Wednesday’s first round of the 2023 World Amateur Team Championships, played at par-72 Abu Dhabi Golf Club (National Course), in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

T1     France – 135
        Hugo Le Goff – 67
        Bastien Amat – 68
        Paul Beauvy – 68

T1     United States of America – 135
        Gordon Sargent – 67
        David Ford – 68
        Nick Dunlap – 69
        
3      Netherlands – 136
        Benjamin Reuter – 66
        Jack Ingham – 70
        Lars van der Vight – 77
        
T4     Argentina – 137
        Segundo Oliva Pinto – 68
        Vicente Marzilio – 69
        Joaquin Ludueña – 70
       
T4     Australia – 137
        Jeff Guan – 68
        Karl Vilips – 69
        Jack Buchanan – 76
        
T4     Denmark – 137
        Jacob Olesen – 68
        Gustav Frimodt – 69
        Frederik Kjettrup – 75
        
T4     England – 137
        Tyler Weaver – 68
        Barclay Brown – 69
        Jack Bigham – 72
        
T8     People’s Republic of China – 138
        Justin Bai – 69
        Zihang Qiu – 69
        Ziqin Zhou – 76
        
T8     Spain – 138
        Jose Luis Ballester – 69
        Luis Masaveu Roncal – 69
        Angel Ayora – 71
        
T10    Czechia – 139
        Filip Jakubcik – 69
        Louis Klein – 70
        Petr Hruby – 72
        
T10    New Zealand – 139
        Sam Jones – 69
        Kazuma Kobori – 70
        Jayden Ford – 74
        
T10    South Africa – 139
        Altin van der Merwe – 69
        Christiaan Maas – 70
        Christo Lamprecht – 71
        
T13    Germany – 141
        Tim Wiedemeyer – 70
        Jonas Baumgartner – 71
        Tiger Christensen – 73
        
T13    Morocco – 141
        Soufiane Dahmane – 69
        Hugo Mazen Trometter – 72
        El Mehdi Fakori – 75
        
T13    Scotland – 141
        Connor Graham – 70
        Calum Scott – 71
        Gregor Tait – 78
        
T16    Colombia – 142
        Nicolas Quintero – 69
        Carlos Ardila Conde – 73
        Manuel Merizalde – 76
        
T16    Italy – 142
        Pietro Bovari – 69
        Flavio Michetti – 73
        Riccardo Fantinelli – 74
        
T16    Japan – 142
        Minato Oshima – 70
        Yuta Sugiura – 72
        Riura Matsui – 75
        
T16    Switzerland – 142
        Max Sturdza – 70
        Marc Keller – 72
        Nicola Gerhardsen – 74
        
T16    Wales – 142
        Tomi Bowen – 70
        James Ashfield – 72
        Matt Roberts – 75
        
T21    Chinese Taipei – 143
        Ching Hung Su – 71
        Chuan-Tai Lin – 72
        Chichun Chen – 74
        
T21    Mexico – 143
        Santiago De La Fuente del Valle – 71
        Omar Morales Nacif – 72
        Jose Cristobal Islas Valdespino – 75
        
T21    Zimbabwe – 143
        Tafadzwa Nyamukondiwa – 70
        David Amm – 73
        Keegan James Shutt – 82
        
T24    Norway – 144
        Michael Mjaaseth – 71
        Herman Sekne – 73
        Mats Ege – 75
        
T24    Republic of Korea – 144
        Donghyun Moon – 71
        Seonghyeon An – 73
        Sungho Lee – 74
        
T26    Ireland – 145
        Matthew McClean – 72
        Alex Maguire – 73
        Liam Nolan – 75
        
T26    Sweden – 145
        Daniel Svard – 70
        Tobias Jonsson – 75
        
T28    Canada – 146
        Brady McKinlay – 72
        Ashton McCulloch – 74
        Piercen Hunt – 80
        
T28    Guatemala – 146
        Gabriel Palacios – 72
        Juan Ricardo Davila – 74
        Alejandro Villavicencio – 82
        
30     Austria – 147
        Christoph Bleier – 73
        Florian Schweighofer – 74
        Fabian Lang – 78
        
T31    Finland – 149
        Jesse Saareks – 74
        Markus Luoma – 75
        Elias Haavisto – 77
        
T31    Thailand – 149
        Ashita Piamkulvanich – 74
        Jiradech Chaowarat – 75
        Parin Sarasmut – 75
        
33     India – 150
        Yuvraj Singh – 74
        Shaurya Bhattacharya – 76
        Rohit Narwal – 79
        
34     Singapore – 154
        Troy Tian Storm – 76
        Ryan John Ang – 78
        Hiroshi Hirahara Tai – 79
        
35     United Arab Emirates – 155
        Thomas Nesbitt – 76
        Rayan Ahmed – 79
        
36     Guam – 169
        Nalapon Vongjalorn – 84
        Eugene Park – 85
        Markus Nanpei – 86

LAS VEGAS — Tom Kim now has something in common with Byron Nelson as the only players to have won the same PGA Tour event twice in the same season.

Kim successfully defended his title Sunday in the Shriners Children’s Open when he closed with a 5-under 66 to emerge from a pack of a dozen players who had a chance in the final hour. Kim wound up winning by one shot over runner-up Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., who birdied the final hole for a 67.

A $404,200 putt ?@AHadwinGolf’s 25-foot birdie on No. 18 earned him solo second place @ShrinersOpen.

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 16, 2023

Kim now has three PGA Tour titles in the last 15 months, at 21 the youngest player since Tiger Woods in 1997 to have three tour wins.

He won in Las Vegas a year ago, beating Patrick Cantlay in a playoff at the TPC Summerlin, when the Shiners Children’s Open was early in the season. Now, the Las Vegas event is still part of the same season because the PGA Tour goes to a calendar season starting in 2024.

Nelson won the San Francisco Open in January 1944, and the same tournament in December of 1994, both times at Harding Park.

This one was up for grabs until Kim seized control on the par-5 16th.

With an hour left in the tournament, there was a six-way tie for the lead and 12 players were separated by a single shot. The key stretch at the TPC Summerlin was holes No. 13 through No. 16, which ranked as four of the five easiest holes in the final round.

Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., was tied for the lead with a birdie on the 13th, but had to settle for pars the rest of that stretch. He ended up T3 at -18.

Then, it became a two-man race between Kim and Hadwin, playing in the final group with Kim holding a one-shot advantage.

Both birdied the 13th, Hadwin with a 35-foot birdie putt that rimmed all the way around the cup before dropping. Both birdied the reachable par-4 15th, Kim with a tough up-and-down and birdie putt from 12 feet, Hadwin narrowly missing a 25-foot eagle attempt.

It turned on the par-5 16th. Kim hit to the fat of the green in two, 50 feet away for eagle. Hadwin knew he missed his shot right after contact and it came up well short and into the water. Hadwin missed a six-foot par putt after his penalty drop, and Kim three-putted — he had to make a five-footer on his third one — for par.

“I completely whiffed it, up and out of it, and unfortunately one of my worst swings of the day at the least opportune time,” Hadwin said.

“I feel like you dump it in the water there on 16, and I certainly by no means gave the tournament away, but I would have liked to have hit a more quality golf shot and put a little bit more pressure on Tom coming down the stretch.”

Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C.finished T13 at -16, while Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., tied for 18th at -12.

LAS VEGAS — Defending champion Tom Kim felt the vibes and found his groove Saturday in Las Vegas with a 9-under 62 that gave him a three-way share of the lead in the Shriners Children’s Open and a chance to win the same tournament twice in one season.

It was the second straight year Kim had a 62 in the third round at the TPC Summerlin. It led to a playoff victory over Patrick Cantlay last year in what was the early part of the season. Now it’s technically the same season before the PGA Tour goes back to a calendar year.

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., played bogey-free — he had more birdies on the par 3s than the par 5s — for a 63 to catch Kim. Joining them was a late arrival in so many ways — Lanto Griffin, who was tied for the 36-hole lead and didn’t make a birdie until the 13th hole.

That was the start of three birdies in a four-hole stretch that led to a 68 and allowed Griffin to share the lead at 15-under 198.

This was hardly a three-man race going into the final round. K.H. Lee (66) was among three players on shot back. It all, 14 players were within three shots of the lead. That includes J.T. Poston and RBC Canadian Open champion Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, small consolation to both of them.

Poston hit a superb bunker shot on the 15th to five feet for birdie that allowed him to tie for the lead. He was 209 yards away on the par-5 16th, poised for birdie at worst. And then it all fell apart with one swing and one decision.

His shot landed on the bank of the green and hopped back into the water. Instead of going to the drop zone some 95 yards away in the fairway, Poston chose to drop in the right rough for a better angle at the bank left pin. But then his wedge came out heavy, caromed twice off the rocks framing the green and back into the water.

This time, he went to the drop zone and hit it to 15 feet. 

“Should have done that the first (expletive) time,” Poston could be heard saying. He missed the putt, giving it a sarcastic thumbs-up as it was drifting right of the hole, and took triple bogey.

He closed with a birdie for a 68 and was in the large group at 13-under.

Taylor was within one shot of the lead when he failed to birdie the par-5 16th. On the par-3 17th, he hung his head when his tee shot was in the air, knowing anything too far left would catch a slope and roll into the water, and that’s what it did. He took double bogey, had to settle for a 69 and was among those at 12-under 201.

Other Canadians in the hunt include Taylor Pendrith of Thornhill, Ont., who is one shot back of the leaders and Surrey’s Adam Svensson, who is two back.

Hadwin had one of only seven birdies on the 17th, holing a 30-footer that capped off a 63. The Canadian is playing for the first time since the BMW Championship in August, and said he felt more rejuvenated than rusty. He finished among the top 50 in the FedEx Cup and is already in all the $20 million events next year.

But he is No. 56 in the world ranking. The top 50 at the end of the year get into the Masters.

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.

Alan Nacinovic, Muskoka Bay Club, Hole #17

We were playing the round at my home course Muskoka Bay with friends Mike “Top Shot”, Eric “Long Drive” and my brother Oliver “No Break”. The birthday shots of tequila and whisky were flowing. We pulled up to hole #17. The yardage was 175 to the flag. I pulled out the trusty 7 iron, and the rest is history. An unforgettable moment, the first of many I hope.

Anderson Brown, Predator Ridge, Hole #4

What a day at the Predator course in B.C.

Bill Lutes, Brooks Golf Club, Hole #8

I’m 71 years old and have been playing since I was 14. My first hole-in-one!

It was a breezy fall day. Wind out of the south at about 25km. Our 8th hole is a par 3 that can play anywhere from 120 yards to 160. That day playing 130 into the wind. I went for a 9 iron but it was not going to be enough, so I went to the 8 and tried to bunt one in low. I’d love to tell you I hit a magnificent high cut but the reality is “thin to win”. It was lower than I wanted but a decent shot that never left the flag and when it hit in front and started to roll it looked pretty good. When it got to the flag and disappeared, I turned to my brother and asked, “Did that just go in?” When he confirmed it had I gave it a “Ya baby!” I was playing that day with my brother, Allen Lutes, and a couple of pals, Rod Swenson and Ken Bain. Nice to have the foursome and everyone saw it go in. I have been oh so close many times but never had one drop until now.

Bob LeBlanc, River Oaks Golf Club, Hole #5

When we got to the 5th tee box, I was hitting second.

The pin lasered at 152 yards, and the green has a heavy slope right to left. Ideally, any shot is played towards the upper third of the green, and the slope will carry it down as it rolls out.

One of my playing partners, Jeff Tofflemire, had the honours, and we watched his shot go a little bit long.

I had taken a 7 iron out of the bag, and after seeing Jeff’s shot go long, I went back to the bag and down to an 8 iron. We couldn’t feel the breeze on the tee, but it was obviously there.

We watched the ball come down on the green, hop and check and then hop and check the second time. Then we couldn’t see it roll out! The evening sun had the green surface in a sheen, making it impossible to follow the roll out.

Jeff said, “I think that went in the hole!” None of us could be sure, though. The fifth plays over a gully and little pond, so driving down into the gully, I could see a white spot on the back of the green and shouted back to Wayne and Jeff that the ball must have rolled past that I could see it. I grabbed my putter when I got out of the cart and headed to the green. The white spot turned out to be a leaf glistening in the sun and no sign of my ball! I stood there and looked all around the edge of the green and still couldn’t see my ball so I took another step ahead and peered into the hole and there it was! Lodged between the front of the cup and the pin!

It was a very surreal moment. Jeff and Wayne were whooping it up letting everyone within earshot know I had just had a hole-in-one. Surprisingly, after one good fist pump, I stayed pretty calm.

Before we began our round, the course GM had let me know that he had shot a 67 that morning. I told him that I’d just have to go out and shoot a 66 then! At the turn, I went to the club pro (Andrew) and told him he could text Graeme and let him know I wouldn’t be beating his 67 but to be sure to let him know that I had aced #5.

When I finished the round, Andrew met me at the clubhouse and presented me a bag tag denoting the moment and an embroidered towel with a hole-in-one logo.

Chris Bonli, Michelson National Golf Club, Hole #15

I made a hole-in-one on September 17 on the 15th hole at Michelson National Golf Club in Calgary, Alberta! 

Dale Klassen, Heritage Pointe Golf Club, Hole #9

I’m a member at Heritage Pointe and it’s in amazing shape and condition. This one was an 8 iron to a front pin 137 yards to the 9th green. I was playing with Harold Chornoboy and Daryl Ritchie. It was a little cool but a beautiful Fall day.

David Kelly, Hautes Plaines, Hole #3

I played with three players whom I did not know, but all were Hautes Plaines members. It was 147 yards on hole #3. I used my Taylormade P790 7 iron.

Eunice Fast, Highland Pacific Golf, Hole #2

It was a great feeling to watch the ball head to the hole and disappear into it. I dropped my club on the ground and started jumping for joy! The distance was 101 yards from the silver tee box and I was using my 7 hybrid. I happened to be playing with two staff members from Olympic View Golf Course who had never been with anyone who had a hole-in-one. It was a fun moment. When the course drinks cart came around, I bought the beer. By the time we finished the last fairway, I realized that the news had reached the starter shack and was still circulating several days later.

George Wilson, Innerkip Highlands Golf Club, Hole #2

My playing partners were David Lee, Andrew Pickard and Ryan Westbrook. I used a pitching wedge from 130 yards.

Gordon How, Collicut Siding, Hole #2

I hit a 6 iron into a light breeze. It landed five feet short right then one hopped and rolled in the hole. I played with John McLean, Tom Dubray and Darry Anderson.

Jack Vitali, Copper Creek Golf Club, Hole #8

Occurred on a cool fall day at Copper Creek Golf Club on October 8, 2023. I was playing with Robby and Diego. Special moment happened on hole #8 from 139 yards. I hit a perfect Srixon #4 ball. It was seven feet short of the flag and it rolled itself into the hole perfectly.

This hole has had my number for 15 years with the highest score of 13 and now the lowest being one. Lucky triple eight!

Jackie Green, The Nest Golf Club at Friday Harbour, Hole #8

I have been golfing casually since 2009. However, in the last few years as a member of The Nest Golf Club at Friday Harbour, I have been able to golf at least a couple times a week which has helped with my game. I was golfing on Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023 with my husband Dean Cicci and a couple of our friends, Dave Cannon and Ilia Paraschis.  Once the guys teed off it was my turn. I teed up and used my 5 wood as the pin on the 8th hole was closer to the front of the green. It was a clean shot, clearing the water and went directly at the pin landing no more than a foot away. I saw it land and then roll right into the cup! It was very exciting and I’m sure the rest of the course could hear my excitement. As word got back to our clubhouse, our club manager Peter Young met me at the 14th hole to congratulate me. After the round, I celebrated my ace at the clubhouse by buying shots of fireball for all that were there! Fun times and I hope to do this again!

Jamie Steele, McCall Lake Golf Course, Hole #17

I hit a 6 iron from 167 yards to a back right pin on #17 at McCall Lake on October 8. I was playing with another single golfer named Ed as there was a long frost delay in the morning. I could not see the bottom of the pin when my ball landed but then I did not see the ball roll past the pin and I said maybe the ball went in the hole. Ed was riding in a cart, and I was walking and he got to the green first and said my ball was in the hole. I could not believe it as I had never really been close to a hole-in-one before.

Jas Khatra, Southbrook Golf & Country Club, Hole #9

Editor’s Note: Our very own Golf Canada staff member, Jas Khatra, achieved an ace Southbrook Golf & Country Club. This is his first hole-in-one!

It definitely made for an awesome round. Unfortunately, I was playing by myself when it occurred, so I had a little one-man celebration on the green.

It was about 165 yards downhill with an 8 iron, landed just behind the pin and rolled in.

Jeff Barratt, Mississauga Golf & Country Club, Hole #10

I was playing with Phil Leja and Steve Mika. It was a 9 iron from 129 yards.

Jeff Brookhouser, Niagara-On-The-Lake Golf Club, Hole #4

Best day ever!

John Bonham, Cottonwood Golf & Country Club, Hole #6

I was playing with Mark Carson and Craig Thomas. The yardage was roughly 146 with a breeze coming towards us.  I used a 6 iron from the bronze tees. 

Karen Robertson, Seymour Golf & Country Club, Hole #14

I’ve been playing for a few decades so it was nice to finally have one drop! It was hole #14 which is 113 yards uphill with a middle pin. I used a 7 iron by TaylorMade. My ball was a Lady Bridgestone and was with my partner Scott Warner.

Marian Thomson, Pender Island Golf & Country Club, Hole #6

My first hole-in-one was on hole #4 in October 2022. This time it happened on hole #6.

Once again, I used my driver, something I like as I can pull back on it nicely, although I am experimenting with different options, the driver always gives me a range of options I am comfortable with.

A hole-in-one on #6 is so great because you can actually see the ball land and travel to the hole, creating suspense as to whether it will actually drop. So, there was anticipation and then celebration.

Neil MacDonald, Shannon Lake Golf Club, Hole #16

It was hole #16, 150 yards with an 8 iron and I was playing with Andrew and Kian Albiston as well as Andrew Hull.

Ngoc Tran, Saint-Raphaël (Club de golf) – Bleu, Hole #15

I was playing with my golf buddy/partner since the 2021 season at Golf Saint-Raphael with our spouses and their lady friends in the foursome behind us. Coincidentally, my partner, Kim Thong Ta, also made a hole-in-one at the very same 15th hole in the 2022 season.

The flag was in the middle of the green toward the left bunker, away from the water hazard on the right. I attempted a low line drive into the wind directly at the flag, knowing that the ball would land safely on the fairway if the shot was short.

From the tee, I was able to see the ball bounce once and roll onto the green toward the flag but wasn’t sure where it ended up. As I approached the green, the ball was nowhere in sight; could it have rolled across the green into the rough? Before searching for the ball in the rough, I decided to look for it in the hole and, well, the rest is history.

My wife and I started to play golf around 2005-2006; although we were interested (I more so than my better half), we never really played much. Since 2007, I’ve played five rounds or less per season mostly accompanying my friends and enjoying the walk and view of the courses. Needless to say, our golf skills were non-existent.

It was COVID that brought us back to golf. Out of the blue, my tennis buddies, to whom I introduced golf several years earlier, called and invited me to join them. This was July 2020. Since 2021, my wife and I have been members at Saint-Raphael and played regularly.

Paul Kennedy, Wooden Sticks Golf Club, Hole #3

I was playing with my friends Bill Triolo and Bob Philip. We were playing in the Ke Tarling Invitational Tournament. The shot was on the 3rd hole at Wooden Sticks Golf Course which is a replica hole of the 12th Hole at Augusta National Golf Course. The hole was playing 140 yards into a bit of a breeze. I hit my 4 hybrid. The ball was right online the whole way. From the elevated tee, we could see that there was no doubt that the ball rolled into the hole after landing about 10 feet short. 

Peter Garnham, TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley – HOOT, Hole #8

I was playing with two buddies, Carter Gates and Alex Jacques McClary. We were playing the blue tees and the hole was playing 165 yards to the pin. I used a 7 iron and it was the best shot I’ve hit in my life. It sounded pure and it was dead straight.

The craziest part about the story is that one of our friend’s dad’s, Bart Von Kalkreuth, got a hole-in-one on the same hole five minutes after I did!

Richard Daukant, The Pulpit Club – Paintbrush, Hole #16

It was at the Paintbrush course. It was 151 yards with a 7 iron. I played with Fraser Nelson.

Rick Ferguson, Willow Valley Golf, Hole #15

This was my second ace on this hole. I used a pitching wedge to go 117 yards.

Spencer Reid, Bridgewater Country Club, Hole #6

I was playing with two buddies, Carter Gates and Alex Jacques McClary. We were playing the blue tees and the hole was playing 165 yards to the pin. I used a 7 iron and it was the best shot I’ve hit in my life. It sounded pure and it was dead straight.

The craziest part about the story is that one of our friend’s dad’s, Bart Von Kalkreuth, got a hole-in-one on the same hole five minutes after I did!

Terry Moore, Settlers’ Ghost Golf Club, Hole #14

I was playing with my wife, Sandra, and two guests, Terry and Peggy from Midland. The hole-in-one was on hole #14, 133 yards with a back pin at Settler’s Ghost. The rain was just starting so we decided to play this hole before it poured. I used a 3 hybrid. We could not see the ball finish as the hole was in a hollow near the back of the green. When we got to the green it was found in the hole.

(October 11, 2023) – Golf Canada is pleased to announce the host golf clubs for the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms for the next three years.

Credit Valley Golf and Country Club in Mississauga, Ont. will host in 2024, followed by St. Catharines Golf and Country Club in St. Catharines, Ont. in 2025 and The Royal Ottawa Golf Club in Gatineau, Que. in 2026.

The World Junior Girls Championship has been conducted eight times since its inception in 2014, most recently last week at the Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, Ont. The prestigious international championship brings together the world’s best junior-aged girls golfers competing for the team and individual title. In addition to the competition, the championship is a week-long celebration of golf hosting First Tee – Canada clinics and a PGA of Canada coach’s summit.

“Together with our partners, Golf Canada is excited to announce our next three host venues for the World Junior Girls Golf Championships,” said Mary Beth McKenna, Director, Amateur Championships and Rules, Golf Canada. “We want to thank all three host courses along with their respective cities for their commitment to amateur golf in Canada and hosting this prestigious world championship. The impact of these three clubs and their collective membership provides the event continued momentum to build off the success of these past eight years.”

Team Canada won its first-ever World Junior Girls Golf Championship and Denisa Vodickova of the Czech Republic won the individual competition last week at Brampton Golf Club. The gold-medal Team Canada 1 squad was comprised of 14-year-old Anna Huang of Vancouver, 17-year-old Vanessa Borovilos of Toronto and 17-year-old Vanessa Zhang of Vancouver who shot a team-total 4-under 564 for the championship, a single shot clear of the Republic of Korea. Vodickova, tied the women’s competitive course record during Friday’s third round with a 5-under 66. She went on to finish the tournament at 7-under and won by three shots, also earning an exemption into the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open.

This year’s championship featured the largest field in tournament history, with a total of 66 athletes comprising 22 teams and 21 countries, with eight competitors ranked inside the World Golf Amateur Rankings (WAGR) top-100.

Spain (2017 & 2022) is tied with the Republic of Korea (2015 & 2019) for the most victories in the event’s eight-year history with two each. Other team winners include the United States (2014), Philippines (2016), Italy (2018), and Canada (2023). The Republic of Korea have earned the most podium finishes in tournament history with five, after winning the silver medal this year. A history of past individual and team winners is available here.

Several players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Golf Championship have gone on to have 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. The 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 of Sweden.

ABOUT THE HOST VENUES…

Credit Valley Golf and Country Club – September 30 – October 5, 2024
Credit Valley Golf and Country Club 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.

“On behalf of the members and staff at Credit Valley, we are honoured to host the World Junior Girls Championship in 2024. This event has generated great excitement and support from our membership, and we look forward to welcoming the best junior players from all over the world to Credit Valley. Thank you to Golf Canada and Tourism Mississauga for being great partners in helping us bring this prestigious championship to our club and community.” – Patrick Yashar, Director of Golf, Credit Valley Golf and Country Club

“Tourism Mississauga is thrilled to partner with the Credit Valley Golf and Country Club to host the World Junior Girls Golf Championship in 2024.  We are ready to showcase one of our finest golf courses and will continue to celebrate women in sport and the cultural canvas that is Mississauga. We look forward to cheering these athletes on and creating an experience they will never forget!” – Victoria Clarke, CEO, Tourism Mississauga

St. Catharines Golf and Country Club – September 15 – 20, 2025
St. Catharines Golf and Country Club features a 6,850-yard golf course that was designed by Stanley Thompson. Over its 125-year history, the Club has had several renovations with a current master plan developed by Ian Andrew, the noted course architect. The course is located in the heart of the City’s downtown, has hosted many provincial and national golfing events.

“Our members are excited about the opportunity of hosting these young golfers from around the world, and we promise them a challenging golf course for the competition.” – Brent Pym, President, St. Catharines Golf and Country Club

“St. Catharines has a proud history of supporting international sporting events and we look forward to welcoming the World Junior Girls Golf Championship to the St. Catharines Golf and Country Club.” – Mat Siscoe, Mayor, City of St. Catharines

The Royal Ottawa Golf Club – September 28 – October 3, 2026
The Royal Ottawa Golf Club offers the finest courses in the National Capital Region, graced by the natural beauty of the Gatineau Hills. The Main Course is a natural, old-fashioned layout, where the emphasis is placed on the natural lay of the land, rather than artificially created hazards. The original course architect was Tom Bendelow of Chicago, who at the time was a leader in the industry. The original design was subsequently amended by Willie Park Jr., winner of the British Open in 1887 and 1897. In recent years, Graham Cooke was a principal Course Architect. The current Course Architect is Neil Haworth, who spearheaded the design of the new Short Game Area and Canada’s first full TrackMan Range. The golf course played host to the 2000 CPKC Women’s Open and holds the record for hosting the most Canadian Amateur Championships.

“The Royal Ottawa Golf Club is thrilled and honoured to welcome the world’s top junior golfers for the 2026 World Junior Girls Championship. We are looking forward to the showcase of talent these players will bring to our historic course.” – Kris Bulmer, Club President, The Royal Ottawa Golf Club

“Our team at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club enthusiastically awaits our opportunity to welcome the World in 2026. Having been a part of the 2018 World Junior Girls event in Ottawa, I look forward to raising the standard of excellence to match the high level of golf skill these girls will exhibit.” – Greg Richardson, General Manager, The Royal Ottawa Golf Club

Denisa Vodickova of the Czech Republic wins individual title at Brampton Golf Club

Brampton, Ont. – The most successful season in Canadian golf history added another exciting chapter on Saturday as Team Canada won its first-ever team title at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms. 

The Canada 1 Team comprised 14-year-old Anna Huang of Vancouver (71-69-70-70—280), 17-year-old Vanessa Borovilos of Toronto (70-73-73-75—291), and 17-year-old Vanessa Zhang of Vancouver (72-75-80-68—295) shot a team-total 138 under cool and blustery conditions at Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, Ont. to finish at 4-under 564 for the championship, a single shot clear of the Republic of Korea. 

Canada 1, who began the day with a share of the third-round lead alongside Korea and the United States, needed a late-round charge to overtake Korea, who held a one-shot team lead through 16 holes. 

The tournament shifted on the par-5 17^th hole when Huang made a birdie for Canada and Korea’s Soomin Oh made a bogey. Zhang then stepped up with a birdie on the par-4 18^th, followed by Huang rolling in a par-putt to secure Canada’s first-ever team gold medal at the prestigious international junior championship. 

Team Canada 1 Coach Jeff MacDonald of Chester, N.S. was proud of how his team battled all week, going head-to-head with powerhouse challengers from Korea and the United States to earn the prestigious title – of world champions. 

“It feels really amazing, the girls have worked so hard, they all contributed so much today, it was really close all day and they dealt with the stress really, really well,” said MacDonald, who was especially proud of the team’s resolve and self-belief that they could win. “Anna made a huge birdie on 17 while Vanessa was rolling in an incredible 30-footer on 18. We always knew it was a good company to be in, they (Korea and the USA) weren’t going to back down. The Koreans made a lot of putts today, they were exceptional, and our Canadians really stepped up to the occasion. They never felt like they couldn’t win this golf tournament. The whole time they knew they belonged, and they knew they could compete with those countries. They were competing, they wanted to win, and they knew they could win the whole time.” 

“I think me, and Vanessa (Zhang) did a great job on the last four holes, we both made two birdies, so that was a really great comeback for us, I’m just really proud of how we all did as a team, its not just individual scores, its all about the team effort,” said Huang. 

Canada’s previous best team finish at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship was a bronze medal in 2014. 

“I don’t think we all had super high expectations going into this event, we just set out to do our best every single day and it was nice that we saw ourselves on the leaderboard, it more just came down to keeping our practice routines the same and trying our best each and every shot,” said Zhang. 

“It’s such a cool experience, I said this earlier this week, you’re playing for something bigger than yourself, you’re playing for a team, and to do this together, feels pretty cool,” added Borovilos. 

The two-time past winners from Korea would finish with the silver medal, shooting a team-total 3-under 565 followed by Czech Republic earning bronze at 4-over 572. Rounding out the top-five were Sweden (5-over 573) and Mexico (8-over 576). 

The Team Canada 2 squad of 14-year-old Miranda Lu of Vancouver, 16-year-old Luna Lu of Burnaby, B.C. and 14-year-old Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. finished 18^th. 

World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms – final team standings:

1​ Canada 1 ​(-4)​ 141-142-143-138—564

2​ Korea ​(-3)​ 143-141-142-139—565

3​ Czech Republic​ (+4)​ 145-142-142-143—572

4 ​Sweden ​(+5)​ 140-147-144-142—573

5​ Mexico​ (+8)​ 144-144-149-139—576

6​ United States ​(+9)​ 139-142-145-151—577

7​ Belgium ​(+12)​ 142-149-146-143—580

8​ Spain​ (+15)​ 143-144-149-147—583

9 ​Italy​ (+16) ​146-144-152-142—584

10​ England​ (+17) ​141-148-149-147—585

11​Germany​ (+26)​ 148-147-149-150—594

12 ​Finland​ (+28)​ 146-147-154-149—596

13​ Denmark​ (+29) ​151-147-147-152—597

14​ Poland​ (+32) ​148-147-150-155—600

15​ Chinese Taipei ​(+35) ​148-153-146-156—603

T16​ Switzerland​ (+36)​ 148-147-158-151—604

T16​ Colombia​ (+36)​ 153-150-151-150—604

18​ Canada 2​ (+43) ​154-151-153-153—611

19​ Peru ​(+44)​ 151-155-158-148—612

20 ​Iceland​ (+47)​ 152-156-154-153—615

T21​ Austria ​(+51)​ 149-154-159-157—619

T21 ​Wales​ (+51)​ 155-158-156-150—619

Click here for the full team competition leaderboard.

In the individual competition, third-round leader Denisa Vodickova of the Czech Republic followed up yesterday’s scorching 66 with a final-round even par 71 to win the Czech Republic’s first-ever individual medal in the eight-year history of the championship. An adjustment a month ago to her putting grip brought a great sense of confidence into the championship, finishing 7-under 277 for the tournament. 

“It’s amazing, I feel great. I was very nervous today, I messed up the 17^th hole a little bit and wasn’t sure I was still leading but was very glad about the finish,” said Vodickova, who plans to play college golf at Wake Forest next year. “My putting was really good, I’m putting cross-handed now, I changed a month ago and it’s working really well.”

With the victory, the 18-year-old earns an exemption into the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open next July at the Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary, Alta. 

Canadian Anna Huang capped off a tournament to remember, earning runner-up honours in the individual competition in addition to helping Canada win its first-ever team title. Huang, who finished T11 in 2022, shot a final-round 1-under 70 to finish at 4-under 280 for the championship, three shots back. 

The runner-up finish for Huang was the best by a Canadian in the individual competition since Brooke Henderson’s fourth-place finish in 2014.  

Soomin Oh of Korea finished third at 3-under 281 while Savanah de Bock of Belgium (1-under 283) and Nora Sundberg of Sweeden (2-over 286) rounded out the top-five. 

Click here for the third round individual leaderboard.

This year marked the largest field in tournament history, with a total of 66 athletes comprising 22 teams and representing 21 countries competing for the team and individual titles.

Surrey, B.C. – Clara Ding and Tate Bruggeman have won the NextGen Fall Series West Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards at The Hills at Portal Golf Club in Surrey, B.C.

In the Junior Girls Division, Clara Ding of White Rock, B.C. fired a 5-under 67 on Saturday to finish the tournament at even par and secure the championship. Ding was one-shot back heading into the final round and finished five shots clear of Rose Zhiyan Chen of Langley, B.C.

Ding recorded rounds of 75-74-67-216, to win the tournament and secure her spot in the 2024 Canadian Junior Girls Championship. In addition, Ding also won the Bantam Girls Division. Joining Ding at the 2024 Canadian Junior Girls Championship will be Chen who finished as runner-up at 5-over in both the Junior Girls and Bantam divisions and Karrisa Yuehan Zhao of West Vancouver and Elsa Wu of Maple Ridge, B.C. who finished tied for third at 16-over.

In the Junior Boys Division, Tate Bruggeman of Edmonton, edged out Louis Chun of Port Coquitlam, B.C. on the second playoff hole with a par to win the championship and book his place in the 2024 Canadian Junior Boys Championship. Bruggeman was four shots back after an even par 71 in Thursday’s opening round but fired back-to-back rounds of 2-under 69 to finish at 4-under and get to the playoff.

Chun also earned his spot in the 2024 Canadian Junior Boys Championship as runner-up. Joining Bruggeman and Chun is Manpreet Lalh of Nanaimo, B.C. who finished third at even par.

Chengze (Jim) Zhu of Vancouver won the Bantam Boys division by six shots, finishing the tournament at 1-over.

The field of 92 amateur golfers (66 Junior Boys and 26 Junior Girls) competed over 54-holes for three spots each into their respective Canadian Junior Championships next summer.

This week’s tournament marked the final stop on the NextGen Series schedule for the 2023 season. The NextGen Fall Series West Championship is one of Golf Canada’s eight regional junior championships presented in partnership with JOURNIE Rewards.

For the final leaderboards in the NextGen Fall Series West Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, click here.

About the NextGen Championships, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards

The NextGen Championships, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards is a high-performance junior golf series which totals eight competitions. From May to July, six championships will take place across Canada where the region’s best junior golfers will compete to earn exemptions into their respective 2023 national championships. Two additional Fall Series events will be hosted to close the season. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf. For more information on the NextGen Championship series and 2023 results, click here.