UXBRIDGE — The Golf Association of Ontario (GAO) is pleased to announce the 2015 roster for Team Ontario.

The announcement comes on the heels of the GAO’s recent partnership with TaylorMade-Adidas Golf, who will provide Team Ontario athletes with Adidas clothing and access to TaylorMade equipment.

The team, which began training in October, is set for a full winter of work as they prepare for the official start to the competitive season at the GAO Investors Group Junior Spring Classic in May.

“Overall the team looks very good, with many of the players already having achieved bench mark successes in their junior golf careers,” said Mary Ann Hayward, GAO Manager of Sport Performance. “All of the players are highly motivated to make the national development team and our coaching staff is prepared to work very hard to help them get there.”

This year’s team highlights the quality of the GAO’s high performance programs as 11 of the squad’s 13 golfers are either returning Team Ontario members or graduates from the GAO’s Regional (U17) Team Program.

With a pair of Team Ontario players, Trevor Ranton and Grace St-Germain, moving up to the National Development Team, the 2015 roster features five returning players:

• Markham’s Max Sear, 17, from York Downs Golf and Country Club (coached by Ian Crebbin)
• Port Lambton’s Brendan Seys, 16, from Maple City Country Club (coached by John Dengel)
• Ruthven’s Alyssa Getty, 17, from Kingsville Golf and Country Club (coached by Reggie Millage)
• Richmond Hill’s Monet Chun, 13, from The Summit Golf and Country Club (coached by Ian Leggatt and Don Lee)

• Thornhill’s Jason Chung, 15, from Pheasant Run Golf Club (coached by Charlie Woo)

Joining the returnees, are the following graduates of the GAO Regional Team Program:

• London’s Jackson Bowery (Team Waterloo), 17, from Greenhills Golf Club (coached by Len Foran)
• Burlington’s Kyle MacDonald (Team York), 16, from Rattlesnake Pointe Golf Club (coached by Rich Storey)
• Dunrobin’s Jake Bryson (Team Ottawa), 15, from Eagle Creek Golf Club (coached by Kevin Haime)
• Ridgeway’s Madeline Marck-Sherk (Team Waterloo), 17, from Bridgewater Country Club (coached by Mary Kraus)
• Kingston’s Diana McDonald (Team Ottawa), 17, from Loyalist Country Club (coached by Chris Barber)
• London’s Isabella Portokalis (Team Waterloo), 13, from London Hunt and Country Club

Rounding out the team are:

• Thornhill’s Kelvin Lim, 13, from Station Creek Golf Club
• Mississauga’s Chloe Currie, 15, from Mississauga Golf and Country Club (coached by Nick Starchuk)

“It is great having six of our new players coming out of regional programs,” added Hayward. “They are accustomed to the team training environment and come with a good base in their technical and physical training.”

GAO Head Provincial Coach Reggie Millage, a Class ‘A’ PGA of Canada professional from Milton, leads team Ontario’s coaching staff. Millage enters his second season with the team after taking over the position last November.

Also returning to the 2015 squad are Athletic Therapist Andrew Hoermann and Mental Skills Coach Judy Goss. New to the coaching staff this year is Strength and Conditioning Coach Nick Martichenko.

“This year’s team is obviously a very different group, especially with the make up of seven boys and six girls,” said Millage. “Most of them are already well established and are willing to work hard to reach the next level. The coaches have already been working one-on-one with them, making the changes we feel are necessary as we work towards the spring.”

Millage also spoke about the very experienced coaching staff.

“We are very excited to have Andrew back as Athletic Therapist. He is the longest serving member of the coaching staff and very good at what he does working with the athletes. Adding Nick to the team is also exciting because he is a very qualified and dedicated Strength and Conditioning Coach. Nick is very committed to working with golfers and he and I have worked together in the past and have enjoyed good success in taking athlete’s golf games to the next level.”

Already an accomplished group, the squad will look for even better results in 2015.

Some highlights from the 2014 season included Getty capturing the CN Future Links Quebec Championship, Marck-Sherk taking the gold medal at the Ontario Summer Games (Juvenile Girls’ Championship) and Currie winning the Ontario Bantam Girls’ Championship and the Ontario Junior Tours Championship.

Additionally, Lim was victorious at the CN Future Links Quebec Championship, while Sear successfully defended his Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) individual championship title.

Looking ahead, Team Ontario will train indoors during the winter months at The Golf Lab in Vaughan. ClubLink’s Heron Bay Golf Club in Coral Springs, Fla. will be the new host venue for Team Ontario training camps in January and February. During March Break, the team will head to Myrtle Beach, SC for a training camp as well as take part in the Can-Am Matches which is an annual team match event between the top junior golfers from Ontario and South Carolina.

About Team Ontario

The GAO Team Ontario program is a high-performance training program for the top junior aged golfers in Ontario. Athletes are selected in September each year and the program runs from October through August. Team Ontario athletes receive the very best in coaching services, training/competitive opportunities, and sport science support as they strive to make Golf Canada’s National Development Team. Being selected to Team Ontario is a tremendous accomplishment and offers unparalleled support and guidance to the participating athletes and their families.

About the Golf Association of Ontario

The Golf Association of Ontario (GAO) is Ontario’s Provincial Sport Organization focused on enhancing participation, elevating performance and supporting the passion of golfers in Ontario. With over 100,000 individual members and 450 member clubs, the GAO is one of the largest golf associations in the world.  From rating courses and keeping the integral rules of the game intact, to growing the game at the grassroots level and getting the game of golf into our school systems, to keeping the Ontario golf community aware of all relevant issues and hosting the best amateur tournaments in Canada, the Golf Association of Ontario is a passionate group dedicated to making golf better for everyone in Ontario. We share a love and passion for golf, while preserving its past, fostering its future, and championing golf’s best interests for everyone who enjoys the sport.

For more information, please contact:

Darren Matte, Communications and Marketing Coordinator

Golf Association of Ontario

905-852-1101 ext. 234

dmatte@gao.ca

It is with great sadness that Golf Canada, Alberta Golf and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame mourns the loss of R. Keith Alexander, who passed away Wednesday, November 12, 2014 at the age of 84.

In further sadness, the Alexander family is also mourning the loss of Keith’s wife Vanessa who passed away one day earlier on Remembrance Day, Tuesday November 11, 2014.

Born July 23, 1930 in Vulcan, Alta., Keith Alexander was an accomplished Canadian golfer who took his passion for and commitment to the sport from the golf course to the boardroom.

The 1960 Canadian Men’s Amateur champion and six-time Alberta Men’s Amateur champion went on to win the 1992 Senior Golf Championship of Canada before turning professional and focusing his attention on the Senior PGA Tour in 1993.

During his amateur playing career, he represented Canada at numerous international competitions including six times at the World Amateur Team Championship (1960, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1972, and 1976) and five times in the America’s Cup Team Matches (1960, 1961, 1963, 1965, and 1967).

A long-time member at the Calgary Golf and Country Club, he was a six-time Alberta Men’s Amateur champion (1957, 1964, 1966, 1977, 1978, 1981), represented the province on 26 occasions in Interprovincial Team play and won a pair of Alberta Open titles (1967, 1980).

As an administrator and volunteer, Alexander was an instrumental part of the Alberta Golf Association (now Alberta Golf) from 1968 through 1982, serving as President of the Association in 1977.

Through his affiliation with the Alberta Golf Association, Alexander was a driving force working with the provincial government in the development of Kananaskis, the Robert Trent Jones designed, 36-hole golf course in Alberta’s Kananaskis country.

Off the golf course, he was a member of the Alberta Legislative Assembly from 1979 until November 1985 when he resigned to allow Premier Don Getty to have a seat in the Legislature.

Alexander’s contributions to the game of golf were honoured in 1986 with induction into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. Keith was also an inductee of the Alberta Golf Hall of Fame and the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 22, 2014 at First Alliance Church, 12345 – 40^th St. SE Calgary at 11:00 am.

Buenos Aires, Argentina — Canadian Austin Connelly finished in second place at the Argentine Amateur final, losing to Argentina’s Andres Gallegos 4-and-3 on Sunday.

A dual citizen who resides in Nova Scotia and Irving, Tex., Connelly began the final 36-hole match with an early three-hole lead over his opponent, but could not hold on as Gallegos charged back throughout the day.

Gallegos made eight birdies in his second round of the day, including four that secured the victory between holes 28-33.

Connelly, who has signed a letter of intent to attend the University of Arkansas later this week, defeated Team Canada teammate Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont. 2-and-1 to advance to Sunday’s final.

The Canadian tandem has played solid golf while in Argentina.  Last Sunday, the pair captured the Tailhade Cup by a margin of 19 strokes.

Federal Way, Wash. – Four British Columbia natives have been awarded 2014 Players of the Year awards from the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA).

Adam Svensson of Surrey, Kevin Carrigan of Victoria, Christina Proteau of Port Alberni and Naomi Ko of Victoria all received awards in their respective fields.

Svensson, who won the award in the Men’s category, put together an impressive and consistent championship record in 2014. As a junior at Barry University in Florida, Svensson won seven of the 12 NCAA Division II events he competed in, a record that earned him the Jack Nicklaus Award for best Division II golfer in the nation. He finished T8 in the Canadian Amateur Championship, and T4 in the BC Amateur Championship. Svensson competed in the World Amateur Team Championships, where he took 7th place individually, and 2nd in the team competition.

Carrigan, who won the Men’s Mid-Amateur category, captured the honour for the third consecutive year.  Carrigan had several top finishes in big events in 2014. He placed T6 in the Canadian Mid-Amateur Championship, T7 in the BC Amateur Championship, and T10 in the Sahalee Players Championship. Carrigan also finished T43 in the Canadian Amateur Championship.

Proteau, who also received her third consecutive PNGA Women’s Mid-Amateur Player of the Year honour, had a great season including a third straight run as champion of the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur. Proteau was the BC Women’s Mid-Amateur champion, finished T4 in the BC Women’s Amateur Championship, and T49 in the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship. Proteau made an incredible run in the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, finishing as a quarterfinalist. Locally, Proteau took third place in the Washington State Women’s Amateur Championship.

Ko, who won the award for her exceptional play in the Junior Girls’ division, capped her remarkable year with a win at the BC Junior Girls’ Amateur Championship. She compiled top finishes in many events, including a fourth-place finish at the BC Women’s Amateur Championship, fourth in the Canadian Junior Girls’ Amateur Championship, runner-up in the AJGA St. Louis, and 13th in the AJGA Junior Girls’ Championship.

Also winning awards this year were Gigi Stoll of Beaverton, Ore. in the Women’s category; Kevin Carrigan of Victoria, B.C. in the Men’s Mid-Amateur category; Tom Brandes of Bellevue, Wash. in the Senior Men’s category.

The PNGA Player of the Year candidates are nominated by the various state and provincial golf associations that comprise the PNGA (Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington), and are selected by a vote of the PNGA Championship Committee and members of the Northwest Golf Media Association. Awards are given annually in eight different categories: Men’s, Women’s, Senior Men’s, Senior Women’s, Junior Boys’, Junior Girls’, Men’s Mid-Amateur and Women’s Mid-Amateur. The awards are officially presented at the PNGA Annual Meeting in the spring.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Canada won its first ever Tailhade Cup at the Los Lagartos Country Club on Sunday, defeating defending champion Spain by 19 strokes.

The two-man team of Austin Connelly and Corey Conners played solid golf in the final round to add to an already insurmountable lead heading into the day.

Connelly, a dual citizen who resides in Nova Scotia and Texas, shot a 2-under par 69 on Sunday, while Conners, a 22-year old native of Listowel, Ont., carded a 68.

“It feels great to win this championship, we played at high level and really enjoyed ourselves,” said Connelly.  “The key for me this week was to stay calm in every round, especially because the course conditions became more difficult, especially on the green. Luckily I was able to hole many putts and that’s what led me to make good scores.”

Conners was also ecstatic to earn the win.

“I’m very happy and proud to win this major championship for the first time for our country,” said Conners, who finished runner-up at the 2014 U.S. Amateur. Today we were reassured by the difference we had … I hit all the greens in regulation and I am satisfied with the work I did with Austin, who played outstanding.”

Finishing behind Spain in third place was Chile, whose 577 total strokes marked the country’s best finish ever at the tournament.

Connelly also convincingly won the individual honours, finishing at 11-under par (273), seven strokes better than runner-up Alejandro Tosti of Argentina (280).  Conners finished in third place with 281 total strokes on the week.

El Paso, Tex. — Canada’s Adam Svensson finished tied for fourth place at the Sun Bowl Western Refining College All-America Golf Classic, shooting a 6-under par 207 on the week.

The 20-year-old native of Surrey, B.C. represented Barry University at the El Paso Country Club in a 19-player field that featured some of the NCAA’s top players.

New Mexico’s Gavin Green won the event with a 14-under par 199, seven shots better than runners-up Jonathan Garrick of UCLA and Rico Hoey of Southern California.

Svensson (70-68-69), who is a member of Team Canada’s National Men’s Team, had 12 birdies and an eagle in the 54-hole event.

TORONTO – Special Olympics Canada has announced the Canadian roster who will represent Canada’s golf team at the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games next summer in Los Angeles, Calif.

Comprising Canada’s golf contingent will be Kyle Grummett (B.C.), Danny Peaslee (Man.), Tess Trojan (Ont.), Lorrine Russell (Ont.) and Kyle Koopman (Ont.).

In all, the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games will feature 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches from over 177 countries, alongside 30,000 volunteers. Athletes will be competing in 26 different sports over 9 days at venues throughout Los Angeles, including the University of Southern California and the University of California, Los Angeles. The 2015 World Summer Games will be the largest event held in Los Angeles since the 1984 Olympic Summer Games.

“We are thrilled with the enthusiasm and incredible athleticism of Team Canada’s athletes,” said Sharon Bollenbach, CEO of Special Olympics Canada. “The 2015 World Games in Los Angeles will be an amazing opportunity for our athletes to show the world their exceptional abilities, determination and drive. I am excited to see them compete and put Canada in the spotlight!”

Team Canada consists of 115 athletes, 32 coaches, 11 mission staff, 3 team managers and 1 Chef de Mission who will be traveling to Los Angeles next July, with 85 of the athletes attending their first World Games. Athletes on Team Canada will be competing in basketball, bocce and golf for the first time on the world stage, in addition to soccer, athletics, swimming, 10-pin bowling, powerlifting, rhythmic gymnastics and softball. Athletes competed in their Provincial or Territorial Games in 2013, and National Games, which took place in Vancouver this past July.

“This is a very exciting time for Team Canada. We get to welcome an amazing group of athletes and coaches onto our team and begin our focused training and preparation for World Games,” said Chef de Mission for Team Canada, Johnny Byrne. “Every new member has earned their position on this team through hard work, commitment and their performance at National Games. The next ten months will be a rewarding journey for us as we prepare to achieve excellence in sport and as ambassadors for Canada at the World Games in Los Angeles.”

Special Olympics Canada will offer training camps for athletes attending Games as part of the National Team Program, a formalized approach to training and preparation for Special Olympics World Games. Athletes, coaches and mission staff will have access to quality training, coaching and competitive opportunities to support optimal performance as well as a positive experience as a member of the National Team.

Kyle Grummett (Special Olympics BC)

CALGARY – John Forzani, a former offensive lineman with the Stampeders who became a prominent businessman after his CFL career ended, died Friday. He was 67.

The Stampeders confirmed Forzani’s passing in a statement Friday morning. The Calgary native had been on life support in a California hospital after suffering a heart attack.

After attending Utah State, John Forzani won a Grey Cup in 1971 in his first of six seasons with Calgary. He played alongside his brothers Tom and Joe. Forzani’s nephew, Johnny, was also with the club from 2010 to ’12.

After retiring from football, Forzani founded and built a chain of successful sporting goods stores exceeding 500 outlets. That chain, FGL Sports Ltd., included golf retailer Nevada Bob’s and was sold to Canadian Tire in 2011.

Forzani also established Calgary’s annual Mother’s Day Run and Walk in 1977, a fundraising event which continues to this day.

In 2000, the Forzani Foundation was established to assist charities including Canadian amateur athletics.

Forzani is survived by his wife Linda and grown children Mike and Jodi.

Funeral arrangements were not immediately known.

Brooke Henderson’s standout season on the golf course has her in the running to be named the 2014 Ontario Athlete of the Year.

If the Team Canada member and Smiths Falls, Ont. native is successful in receiving the Syl Apps Award, she will become only the second golfer to receive the honour and the youngest award winner in its 16-year history. The only other golfer to earn the honour is Mike Weir, who received the award in 1999, 2000 and 2003.

Henderson is up against some stiff competition, including Kyle Lowry of the Toronto Raptors, Russel Martin of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays, Milos Raonic (tennis) Patrick Husbands (horse racing) and Cory Perry of the Anaheim Ducks.

Voting for the award is conducted annually by the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. Those eligible to vote include Ontario-based sports writers, broadcasters/personalities with at least 10-years covering sports in this province, members of the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors and the Hall’s Advisory Board.

To be eligible for the award, athletes must be born in Ontario or play for an Ontario-based team.  They also must have made an outstanding and memorable contribution to Ontario sport during the previous calendar year.

The public is encouraged to vote for their favourite athlete online. The voting widget is located on the left side of the home page and will be available until December 5, 2014.

Shirley d’Entremont was elected as the 61^st President of the Nova Scotia Golf Association (NSGA) at the Annual Fall Meeting held on October 26^th at the Glen Arbour Golf Club.

Mrs. d’Entrenmont will serve as the NSGA President until the end of the 2015 season. She is the first member from West Pubnico Golf Club to serve as president of the NSGA and the third female president to assume the office since amalgamation in 2006.

Prior to her appointment, she served as Women’s President at West Pubnico in 2010 and the NSGA Membership Director along with 1^st and 2^nd Vice President. Shirley is currently active with the Yarmouth Hospital Foundation. Mrs. d’Entremont resides in Lower Pubnico with her husband Carl.

Also elected to the NSGA Board of Directors this past weekend are the following:

Sara Wilson, Membership Director 
Sara Wilson is a member of the PGA of Canada and is the owner of Metro Ladies Golf, which is a women’s membership club designed to bring more women into the game. She organizes games, lessons, corporate outings and special networking events for women around the HRM. With over 20 years of experience in the golf industry and former Teaching Professional at Ashburn, Sara brings a wealth on knowledge to the NSGA. Sara lives in Windsor Junction with her husband, Sean and three children.

David Acker, Handicap Director
David Acker is member at the Ken-Wo Golf Club and is the Vice President of CIBC Wood Gundy. Mr. Acker has served on various boards in the Valley including Landmark East, Kentville Development Corporation and the Valley Regional Hospital Board. David also served as a board member of the Ken-Wo Golf Club and Alpine Ski Nova Scotia. David lives in Kentville with his wife Nancy and his two children who are attending university.

The following members will comprise the 2014-2015 NSGA Board of Directors:

• President – Shirley d’Entremont, West Pubnico
• Vice President – Ernie Muise, Clare
• 2nd Vice President – Garry Beattie, Ashburn
• Past President – John Horton, Ken-Wo
• Secretary/Treasurer – Jen Thompson, Brightwood
• Course Rating Director – John Horton
• Tournament Director – Bill MacMillan, Hartlen Point
• Rules Director – Linda Bennett, NSPP
• Player Development Director – Rob Collins, Clare
• Membership Director – Sara Wilson, NSPPC
• Historian – Alan Dunlop, NSPP
• Handicap Director – David Acker, Ken-Wo
• Junior Director – Stephen Patterson, NSPPC