JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Team Canada’s Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont. has advanced to Thursday afternoon’s Round of 16 at the U.S. Amateur at Atlanta Athletic Club.

Conners, 22, defeated Jesse Heinly of Bend, Ore., winning 4&3. The recent Kent State graduate went on a run early after the 4^th hole, building a 4-up advantage through the next seven holes. Conners kept his foot on the pedal, closing the match out on the 15^th.

Conners is looking to mirror the success of last year’s U.S. Amateur in Brookline, Mass., where he finished as a semi-finalist. He also carries the momentum from a successful summer which saw him capture the Jones Cup and place runner-up at the Men’s North & South Amateur Championship. The world’s no. 44 ranked amateur who is seeded 31st this week will face 50^th seed John Rahm of Spain this afternoon at 2:10 pm EDT.

Team Canada teammate, Garrett Rank, fell in his round of 32 match to Kyle Jones of Taylor, Ariz. The match was all-square after 10 holes, but Jones won three consecutive holes after that and did not look back, winning 2&1.

Click here for scoring.

Garrett Rank (USGA)

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Two Canadians who qualified for match play at the U.S. Amateur have advanced to Thursday morning’s Round of 32 at Atlanta Athletic Club. Two did not.

No. 31 seed Corey Conners won his Round of 64 match Wednesday against Scottie Scheffler of Dallas 1-up. The Listowel, Ont. native had five birdies on the day, including a timely two on the par 3 15 hole, which gave him a 2-up lead. Scheffer, seeded 34th,  would win No. 16 with a par, but Conners would hold on for the victory.

Conners now faces Jesse Heinly of Bend, Ore. Thursday morning.

Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont. beat fourth-seeded Jimmy Beck of Columbus, Georgia, 1 up. Rank, a 26-year-old hockey referee, made a 6-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to win the match.

“I knew going into 18, if I could put two good swings on it, or at least give myself a chance to go for the green, that I could make birdie,” Rank said.

Rank, who earned his spot into match play via a 17-for-4 playoff early Wednesday morning, will face Kyle Jones of Taylor, Ariz.

Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., seeded 42nd, lost 2&1 to 23 seed Zachary Olsen of Cordova, Tenn.

Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., Canada’s highest seed at No. 11, fell 4&2 to 54 seed Jonathan Chang of Corona, Calif.

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Three-time major champion Rory McIlroy has been named an ambassador for PGA Junior League Golf, which was recently added to Golf Canada’s junior programming under the name PGA Junior League Golf delivered by CN Future Links.

Launched in 2011 as a partnership between the PGA of America and League Golf, LLC, PGA Junior League Golf’s numbers soared in 2013, with nearly 9,000 boys and girls competing on more than 700 teams in 33 states. In Canada, the program was officially introduced this summer and numbers are continuing to climb.

“Team sports are such an important part of growing up and I’m excited that golf now allows young kids to experience this,” said McIlroy. “I attribute much of my passion for the game to how much fun I had playing in team competitions like the Junior Ryder Cup. Judging from the initial success, PGA Junior League Golf has the ability to grow the game and help develop the next generation of golfers.”

McIlroy credits his father, Gerry, and swing-coach Michael Bannon, for playing a critical role in his lifelong development as a golfer. Now, McIlroy will look to inspire youngsters to participate in PGA Junior League Golf and also encourage PGA of Canada professionals to host a team at their individual facilities.

“We couldn’t ask for a better partner in helping spread the word about PGA Junior League Golf than Rory McIlroy,” said PGA of America President Ted Bishop. “There is a real need to get kids into the game, and PGA Junior League Golf is proving to be a perfect way to accomplish that goal. Having a role model like Rory on board will only further drive interest among youth.”

PGA Junior League Golf is similar in structure to Little League Baseball and youth soccer programs, with participants receiving team uniforms with jersey numbers.

Teams are comprised of youngsters (boys and girls) ages 13 and under, with no prior playing experience required. They play 9-hole matches in a two-person scramble format, reinforcing the team concept and limiting the pressure on any one player; coaches can substitute players every three holes, so that all of the golfers on each team can participate.

For more information on PGA Junior League Golf, click here.

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Americans Taylor Moore and Lee McCoy were at 8-under 135 to lead stroke play Tuesday at the U.S. Amateur Championship.

Moore, a junior at the University of Arkansas, birdied four of his last five holes to shoot a 69 on the par-71 Highlands course. McCoy, a junior at Georgia, overcame a double-bogey with a stretch of five birdies in seven holes for a 68.

Cheng-Tsung Pan, Jimmy Beck, Sam Burns, Jonathan Garrick and Will Zalatoris were at 5-under 138.

The top 60 players have qualified for match play, which begins Wednesday leading up to the championship on Sunday.

Three Canadians have secured their spots in match play, including Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., who was top Canadian after finishing tied for eighth at 4-under 139.

Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont. finished tied for 24th at 1-under 142 and Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C. tied for 32nd at even par 143.

A playoff involving 17 players for the final four spots in the field took place Wednesday on the Riverside Course, with Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont. securing one of those spots.

Corey Conners (USGA)

CALGARY — Junior golfers in southern Alberta will compete to win a chance to play inside the ropes with a Champions Tour professional, or local celebrity, at the inaugural nine-hole Junior Celebrity Pro-Am that will kick off the 2014 Shaw Charity Classic.

Junior golfers 18 years of age or younger are invited to visit the Golf Canada Calgary Centre, August 16, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon, to participate in the Junior Shootout – a FREE par-3 closest-to-the-pin contest.

The top players in each age category will win a unique golf experience while playing the tournament course at Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club with a number of Champions Tour professionals and Calgary celebrities, August 25.

The shootout will include five age categories including:

Ages 7-9 (closest-three players to pin win)
Ages 10-12 (closest four players – two girls, two boys – wins)
Ages 13-14 (closest four players – two girls, two boys – wins)
Ages 15-16 (closest four players – two girls, two boys – wins)
Ages 17-18 (top-three players)                       

For more information, please click here.

Tickets for the Shaw Charity Classic are available online at www.shawcharityclassic.com. Youth 17 and under are admitted free with a ticketed adult.

Junior golf talent is discovered in mysterious ways. Sometimes by nature, other times by chance, even sometimes by luck. But occasionally, golfing talent is discovered systematically – the way PGA of Canada professionals and industry experts planned all along.

Enter 17-year-old Jaclyn Lee, a member of Team Canada’s Development Squad under the direction of coach Ann Carroll.

Lee, a Calgary native, grew up playing the game with her sister, mother and father – making a natural foursome. Her interest in the game led her to Two Eagles golf course in Kelowna, B.C. where she became a junior member at the age of twelve, playing every day of the summer with her family.

As the practicing and playing continued, Lee’s talent was noticed by many locals around the golf club.

“It’s funny, actually, I was encouraged by one of the course marshals who saw me play. He advised me to pursue the game further and that kind of gave me the confidence to take my game to the next level.”

Not long after, Lee was participating in club championships and junior tour events.

Eventually, her talents were on display nationally at the 2013 CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge. That year, Lee was one of the top four scorers for girls aged 15-18 to be invited to the national event at the Canadian Women’s Open, held at the Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton.

As you may have guessed, Lee captured the CN Future Links National Skills Challenge title that year. With the win, she gained a new sense of confidence and was labelled a top golfing prospect.

“It was definitely a huge confidence booster for me,” said Lee. “The CN Future Links Jr. Skills Challenge was a great experience – the testing of all aspects of my game really put some pressure on my abilities and identified what I needed to work on.”

Then came the accolades.

In 2013, Lee went on to win the Alberta Jr. Girls and the CN Future Links Prairie Championship. In 2014, as a member of Team Canada, she successfully defended both of those titles while adding the Alberta Amateur title. She dominated the field at the CN Future Links Prairie Championship, winning by 13 strokes and breaking the course record (67) in the process.

Most recently, Lee placed second at the American Junior Golf Association’s JoS. A Bank/David Leadbetter Junior Championship in Ellicott City, Md.

As far as the future goes, Lee intends to continue following the competitive pathway. Her sights are set on moving up to the National Amateur Squad and potentially the Young Pro squad down the road.

“I would love to be able to make the National Team and work with Tristan (Mullally),” said the future Ohio State University student. “I really want to see how far I can take my talents and even having the Young Pro squad as a possibility down the road gives me something to work towards.”

Although the future is never fully clear, it certainly looks like a bright one for Canada’s Jaclyn Lee.

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Jimmy Beck, Taylor Moore and British teenager Sam Horsfield shared the lead at 6-under-par after the first round of stroke play qualifying at the U.S. Amateur Championship on Monday.

Beck, from Columbus, Georgia, had a 65 on the Atlanta Athletic Club’s par-71 Highlands Course and Horsfield and Moore each shot 66 on the par-72 Riverside Course.

Lee McCoy of Clarkesville, Georgia, was one shot back after a 67 on Riverside. Tied for fifth at 4-under were Jonathan Garrick of Atherton, California, who shot 67 on Highlands, and Cameron Young of Scarsborough, New York, who had a 68 on Riverside.

The field of 312 players will be cut to 64 after Tuesday’s round. The format then switches to match play on Wednesday, leading up to the championship on Sunday.

Beck, a senior at Kennesaw State University, won the 2013 Georgia Amateur champion and finished second in the Georgia Open two weeks ago. He got off to a fast start Monday with birdies at Nos. 2 and 3 and finished with seven birdies and one bogey.

“I’ve been playing well coming into this and just to see putts fall, continue to fall and just hit it where you want to hit it, it’s a good feeling,” Beck said. “I was just really trying to have fun and end the summer right and what better way to do it than right here in Georgia.”

Moore, a junior at the University of Arkansas, also had seven birdies and one bogey.

“Shooting 66 puts me in a good spot,” Moore said. “I’ve got to stay aggressive, keep hitting greens and not let off the gas.”

Horsfield, 17, is playing in his second U.S. Amateur and has an impressive record in USGA events. He reached the semifinals at this year’s U.S. Junior Amateur and has made match play three times at the U.S. Public Links Championship.

“Hopefully I won’t have to worry about the cut,” Horsfield said after a round with six birdies and no bogeys. “Hopefully I can just go out there and play toward the center of the greens, don’t do anything stupid. I don’t have to fire at pins like I would if I was close to the cut line.”

The outcome was a surprise for McCoy, a junior at the University of Georgia, who was frustrated by his poor performance on the practice tee prior to the first round.

“I had probably the worst warmup session in my life this morning,” McCoy said. “Going to the first tee, I told my dad, `I’m hitting it sideways.’ I was hitting it so bad. I had a good swing thought on the first tee. Something kind of clicked and had a good tee ball and I kind of rolled from there, made a couple long putts I should have made.”

In danger of failing to advance to match play is world No. 1-ranked amateur Ollie Schniederjans of Powder Springs, Georgia. The Georgia Tech senior shot a 2-over 73 on Highlands and is tied for 106th. Second-ranked Robby Shelton of Wilmer, Alabama, is among 10 players tied for seventh at 3 under. Also in the group at 3 under are Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont. and Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C.

The Highlands Course, which hosted the 1976 U.S. Open and three PGA Championships, played to an average of 74.6. The Riverside Course, site of the 1990 U.S. Women’s Open, played to an average of 74.9.

GLEN COVE, N.Y. – Kristen Gillman rallied to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur on Sunday, beating Canada’s Brooke Mackenzie Henderson 2 up in the 36-hole finale at Nassau Country Club.

The 16-year-old Gillman, from Austin, Texas, lost the 25th and 26th to fall 3 down. She won the short, par-4 27th with a birdie, cut it to 1 down with a birdie win on the par-4 30th and pulled even with another birdie win on the par-4 32nd.

Gillman took the lead with a birdie win on the par-5 33rd, matched the 16-year-old Henderson with pars on the 34th and 35th holes and took the par-4 18th with a birdie.

Gillman, coming off an 11-stroke victory last week in the Junior PGA Championship, is set to attend the University of Alabama in 2016.

Henderson failed in her bid to become the third Canadian winner in tournament history. Marlene Stewart accomplished the feat in 1956, and Cathy Sherk did it in 1978.

“I played well today, and I held the lead after the first 18,” said Henderson after her round.  “I just didn’t play quite as well on the back 18 as I would have liked.  Kristen played really well and she made a lot of putts when she needed to.”

The loss was emotional for Henderson, but the Team Canada member has a lot of reasons to smile after the strong finish.

“It’s been a great week,  I really enjoyed it,” added Henderson. “I definitely will learn a lot from this and take away a lot from this week.”

Henderson will likely move to No. 1 in the World Women’s Amateur Rankings next week.

(Copyright USGA)

Kristen Gillman (Copyright USGA)

WINDSOR, ON — The Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) Juvenile (U17) Boys’ Championship, held in conjunction with the Ontario Summer Games, wrapped up on Aug. 10 with the final round of play. After many lead changes and names atop the leaderboard, it was Scarborough’s Gavin MacIver who took the title in the end with a final round of one-under (69) to bring his tournament total to three-over.

The 16-year-old Cherry Downs Golf & Country Club member entered the final round in a tie for third at four-over. But after round-two leader, Niagara Falls’ Jaret Chipman, faltered during the day, MacIver was able to take advantage.

“The final round started off ok,” said MacIver. “The leader (Chipman) was playing well. Then we got to the back nine and I had the lead. I soon found out that Jake (Bryson), in the second last group, was one up on me. Things really turned around on 11 and 12 when I birdied them and got the outright lead. I just brought it home from there.”

MacIver put a string of three birdies in four holes together on the ninth, 11th and 12th to help galvanize his round. In the process, he was also able to move ahead of Dunrobin’s Jake Bryson who also held the lead during the round.

“I was rolling in a lot of putts. I made a 20 footer on 12, downhill, which really got things going, from there I just tried to par the rest of the holes,” said MacIver.

It was that putting along with his play off the tees that MacIver attributed his success to. “My putting and shots from the tee were the strongest parts of my game this week. I gave myself good birdie chances all week. Today, I made all my short putts and drained a couple long ones that got my game going.”

Bryson, a member of the GAO’s Ottawa Regional Team, finished the day at even par (70) and was four-over for the tournament, earning the silver medal.

Rounding out the podium was Waterloo Regional Team and Greenhills Golf Club member Jackson Bowery. Bowery, the London resident, shot a three-over (73) and ended the tournament three shots back at six-over.

For the final leaderboard see the tournament site here.

The Ontario Juvenile Boys’ Championship is a 54-hole competition that features the province’s best junior golfers under the age of 17 competing for the Mike Weir trophy. This year the event is contested as part of the 2014 Ontario Summer Games.

WINDSOR, ON — The Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) Juvenile (U17) Girls’ Championship, held in conjunction with the Ontario Summer Games, came to an end on Aug. 10 at the Roseland Golf & Curling Club in Windsor. When the final putt was drained, it was Ridgeway’s Madeline Marck-Sherk who walked away with the Juvenile Girls’ trophy and the Ontario Summer Games’ gold medal.

Marck-Sherk, 16-years-old from the Bridgeway Country Club and the GAO’s Waterloo Regional Team, got out to a great start during the round with birdies on the first and third holes. She would add an eagle on the 14th and finished the day two-under (70) to end the tournament at even par.

“It was a big week for me. I was able to drain some putts today and with a score of 70, I can’t have any complaints. It was such a great tournament and I am just so happy to have won this,” said Marck-Sherk.

After the round, Marck-Sherk credited her performance to her strong putting. “The early putts helped a lot, I was able to keep the momentum going and continue strong throughout the round. Coming into the tournament I knew there was a chance for me to win and making it to the final group, I knew there was a possibility.”

Finishing second was Ottawa’s Grace St-Germain. The Team Ontario and Hylands Golf Club member finished the day one-over (73) to end the tournament at five-over. Marck-Sherk spoke about what playing in the final group with the 2014 Canadian Junior Girls’ and Quebec Women’s Amateur champion was like. “It was tough, I knew she would be tough competition. We are good friends and I was honoured to play with her. She played well today, the nerves were there for me, but I was able to overcome them.”

Picking up the bronze medal was London resident and London Hunt and Country Club member Isabella Portokalis. Portokalis, a Waterloo Regional Team member, finished the day one-over (73) and ended the tournament at eight-over.

For the final leaderboard, visit the tournament site here.

The Ontario Juvenile Girls’ Championship features the province’s best junior golfers under the age of 17 competing for the Sandra Post trophy. Past champions of the event include Post, Jessica Shepley, Alena Sharp, Stephanie Sherlock, and Rebecca Lee-Bentham. This year the event was contested as part of the 2014 Ontario Summer Games.