London, Ont. (Golf Canada) –  Michelle Piyapattra of Corona, Calif., Team Canada amateur Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C. and Simin Feng of Windermere, Fla. have all earned exemptions into the 2014 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open at London Hunt and Country Club in London, Ont. August 18-24, based on their play during the 2014 Canadian Women’s Tour season.

The 16-year old Henderson, currently the no. 2 ranked amateur golfer in the world, captured the second Canadian Women’s Tour stop of the season in Niagara Falls, Ont. at Legends on the Niagara as well as the PGA of Canada Women’s Championship at Firerock Golf Club in Komoka, Ont. Although previously exempt into the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, Henderson shot rounds of 65-66 (-13) to win the PGA of Canada Women’s Championship by five strokes.

Henderson’s play this season earned her the prestigeious Jocelyne Bourassa Player of the Year award and Amateur of the Year honours as she finished the season atop the 2014 Canadian Women’s Tour Order of Merit.

Piyapattra earned her exemption into Canada’s Women’s National Open Championship after winning the Canadian Women’s Tour stop at Morningstar Golf and Country Club in Parksville, B.C., in a playoff.

Samantha Richdale and Simin Feng received the final two exemptions based on the 2014 Order of Merit standings at the end of season. The duo finished tied for fourth at the PGA of Canada Women’s Championship to secure their exemptions from the Order of Merit.

The exemptions were announced at the conclusion of the PGA of Canada Women’s Championship which served as the third and final stop on the Canadian Women’s Tour.

A final listing of the 2014 Canadian Women’s Tour Order of Merit can be found here.

Additional exemptions into Canada’s National Women’s Open Champion will be announced in the coming weeks.

The exemption contingent from the 2014 Canadian Women’s Tour season will join a world-class field at London Hunt and Country Club that includes a number of confirmed LPGA Tour stars including two-time defending champion and Rolex Rankings no. 2 Lydia Ko, Rolex Rankings no. 1 Stacey Lewis, no. 3 Inbee Park,  no. 5 Lexi Thompson and no. 12 Paula Creamer.

In addition to Ko, past Canadian Women’s Open champions confirmed to compete include Brittany Lincicome (2011), Michelle Wie (2010), Suzann Pettersen (2009), Katherine Hull-Kirk (2008) and Cristie Kerr (2006) who won the event when it was last held at the London Hunt and Country Club.

A field of 156 competitors will vie for the US$2.25 million purse when the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open makes its return to London Hunt and Country Club for the first time since 2006.

Tickets for all tournament days of the 2014 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open are still available with children aged 17 and under getting in free all week with a ticketed adult.

As an added incentive, title sponsor CP has stepped up to encourage spectators to buy advance tickets to the event for the benefit of the Children’s Health Foundation in London Ontario. Through the CP Ticket Rally for Heart campaign, for every eligible ticket purchased to the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open until August 17th, 2014, Canadian Pacific will donate at least $100 per ticket to the Children’s Health Foundation in support of paediatric heart health programs.

Thornhill, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Grace St-Germain carded a third round 1-under 71 to head into the final round atop the leaderboard at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship at Thornhill Golf and Country Club.

St-Germain’s third round was highlighted by six birdies, including one on the final hole, that gave her the outright lead over Team Canada Development Squad member Valérie Tanguay.

“Valérie was playing really well and I was having a couple of bogeys and I just tried to come back,” St-Germain said. “I was just trying to make birdies and sometimes my putts just wouldn’t go in or my drive would bounce out into the rough and I just tried to keep it together.”

The 15-year-old Ottawa native sits one-stroke ahead of Tanguay at 5-under 211 after rounds of 70-70-71. After her third round she admitted to nerves playing a factor on Thursday.

“I’ve been quite nervous, I was given some good advice just to stay calm, stay in the moment and relax so I’ve been trying to do that,” St-Germain continued. “Tomorrow I’m just going to play my best and see what happens, I still haven’t totally grasped [being in the lead] yet.”

Tanguay, of St-Hyacinthe, Que., opened her third round with a 3-under 33 and held the outright lead on the closing nine until carding a double bogey on the par-4 14th hole. The 18-year-old currently sits at 4-under 212 heading into the final round, while Selena Costabile of Thornhill, Ont. jumped into third place after a 3-under 69. Costabile, 16, sits at even-par 216 for the championship and will play in the final pairing on Friday.

After 54 holes, Team Canada Development Squad member Naomi Ko sits in fourth place at 6-over 222, while Courtney Tolton of Mitchell, Ont. and Michelle Kim of Surrey, B.C. share fifth place at 7-over 223.

In the Juvenile Division (16 and under), St-Germain leads by five strokes over Costabile.

Starting times, post-round results, full field list, and live scoring are available here.

KOMOKA, Ont. – Brooke Henderson become the youngest winner of the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada presented by Nike Golf after an unbelievable two days at FireRock Golf Club.

The 16-year-old posted a two-day total of 13-under par, setting a new championship scoring record and adding her name to a list of champions that includes Lorie Kane, Cathy Sherk, Gail Graham, Nancy Harvey, Jessica Shepley and Alena Sharp.

“Coming into this week I saw all those great names on the trophy and I wanted to have my name alongside them,” the Team Canada member said. “It’s a great feeling to know I am able to compete against the best players in Canada and someday the best players in the world.”

Henderson’s 36-hole total of 131 (65-66) was five shots better than 2008 winner Hannah Jun of San Diego. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp, a three-time winner of the PGA Women’s Championship, finished third at six under. Samantha Richdale of Kelowna B.C. and American amateur Simin Feng rounded out the top five.

The Smith Falls, Ont., native’s 36-holes at FireRock Golf Club featured 14 birdies and an eagle, with a stretch of five birdies in a row on the back-nine Thursday afternoon.

“I struggled a little bit on the front nine – I was hitting some great shots, but the putts just weren’t dropping,” Henderson admitted about her front nine score of 2-under-par 34. “But that all changed starting on No. 10 with a birdie. I think I had five in a row coming down the stretch and it was awesome.”

With the win, Henderson, who is currently ranked No. 2 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, pads her already impressive tournament stats in 2014. She was the low amateur (T10) at the U.S. Women’s Open, finished tied for 26th at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, and tied for 45th at the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic. She’s also has wins this year at the Canadian Women’s Tour event in Niagara Falls, the Porter Cup, the Ontario Women’s Amateur and the Scott Robertson.

The PGA Women’s Championship of Canada counted as the third and final stop on the Canadian Women’s Tour, with points awarded toward the Jocelyne Bourassa Player of the Year at the conclusion of the championship.

Similar to past years, the champion of each Canadian Women’s Tour stop and the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada will receive an exemption into the 2014 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open to be held Aug. 18-24, 2014 at London Hunt & Country Club in London, Ont. As well, two (2) additional exemptions were awarded to the top competitors, not otherwise exempt into the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open from the 2014 Canadian Women’s Tour Order of Merit.

As well, the top five (previously the top 3) players on the Canadian Women’s Tour season-ending Order of Merit will be awarded direct entry into LPGA Stage-2 Qualifying.

Henderson captured the Jocelyne Bourassa Player of the Year award, with Richdale and Feng earning exemptions into the CP Women’s Open.

For complete results, click here.

WINDSOR, Ont. – Aurora’s Mary Ann Hayward will have her name engraved on the Investors Group Ontario Senior Women’s Amateur Championship trophy a fourth time, after winning her second consecutive title at the event 2014 edition of the event which took place at Ambassador Golf Club in Windsor.

The North Halton member entered the final round with a five-shot lead and would save her best for the last day. The Canadian, Ontario and Quebec Golf Hall of Famer would finish the day six-under (66) and end the tournament at seven-under to win comfortably by 12 shots.

“I wasn’t really thinking of the number of times or back-to-back, I think just shooting 66 today is what I am going to remember from this,” said Hayward after the round.

It was obvious the 54-year-old was on her game during the round, as she began the day with three-straight birdies. She did have back-to-back bogeys on the fifth and sixth holes, but was able to settle down after that. She birdied the ninth and then added four more on the back nine, including one on No. 18 that brought the gallery to their feet as she clinched the title.

After the round, Hayward thanked her caddie, Dave Mulholland, for keeping her calm after her mistakes.

“Dave is a great guy,” she said. “He is always encouraging me – just telling me ‘you’re good, just calm down’. I tend to beat myself up a little bit, so he just reels me back in.”

Her play throughout the week was spot on, but Hayward said it was her ball-striking and final-round putting that were the best parts of her game.

“The ball-striking was pretty good all three days,” she added. “The putter comes and goes, but today it was unbelievable. I think I made almost every birdie putt I had.”

Finishing in second spot was Whitevale Golf Club member and Uxbridge resident Gail Pimm. Pimm was the only other player to finish the round under par at one-under (71) for the round. She finished the tournament at five-over.

Picking up the bronze medal was Thornhill resident and Thornhill Golf and Country Club member Judith Kyrinis who carded a final round at two-over (74) finishing the tournament at six-over.  Etobicoke’s Terrill Samuel, nine-over, and Stouffville’s Ivy Steinberg, 14-over, rounded out the top five.

Hayward, along with Kyrinis and Steinberg will all represent Ontario in the inter-provincial competition at the Canadian Senior Women’s Championship, Aug. 19-21 at the Milby Golf Club in Sherbrooke, Que.

The 60+ division winner was Sue Postian, from London and the Sunningdale Golf Club who finished the tournament 19-over. The 70+ division was won by Ellen Horton, from Collingwood and the Blue Mountain Golf & Country Club, at 54-over for the tournament.

The Ada Mackenzie Matches Team was also announced after the final round. The matches are a team-competition between Ontario and New York State in the spring of 2015. The team members are: Hayward, Pimm, Kyrinis, Steinberg, Lynn Morrison, Andrea Blackwell, Marion Reid, Jane Hedges-Morrison, Postian and Sarah-Anne Smurlick.

Click here for the full leaderboard.

The Investors Group Ontario Senior Women’s Amateur Championship is contested annually and features the province’s best female amateurs age 50 and over. Past champions of the event include Ada Mackenzie, Kay Helleur, Gayle Borthwick Hitchens and World Golf Hall of Fame member Marlene Stewart Streit.

Niagara Falls, Ont. – After Wednesday’s suspension of play during the second round of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship, Austin James, 18, of Bath, Ont. resumed his round at 7:00 a.m. to grab the top spot on the leaderboard.

James shot a second round 8-under 64 that matched the course record on Legends on the Niagara’s Battlefield Course, originally set on Tuesday by 17-year-old Patrick Murphy of Crossfield, Alta. James was 9-under through 12 holes at the time of yesterday’s suspension for the championship. He birdied two additional holes when play resumed Thursday morning to finish at 11-under 133.

“I came back out this morning planning to just keep playing the way I was playing yesterday. The first couple swings were a little tight because I was a little nervous, but other than that it was good.” said James. “I’m going to go get some sleep, then when I come back hopefully the next round will go the same way.”

A.J. Armstrong, 17, of St. Albert, Alta. sits five strokes behind James at 8-under 136, while Team Canada Development Squad member Matt Williams, 18, from Calgary is in third. After an eagle on the par-5 11th hole, Williams sits at 5-under 139 heading into the third round. Murphy, who shot 64 in the first round to lead, fell into a tie for sixth after shooting a second round 5-over 77.

Thursday’s third round will begin at approximately 3:45 p.m. on Legends on the Niagara’s Battlefield Course, with the field being cut to low 70 players and ties.

In the Inter-Provincial Team Competition, which was contested over the first 36 holes of the Championship, Team Alberta claimed first place over Team Manitoba. The Team Alberta contingent of Tyler Saunders, 18, of Sturgeon County, Andrew Harrison, 17, of Camrose, and Jack Wood, 18, of Banff, finished at 5-under 283. Team Manitoba finished four strokes behind at 1-under-287, while Team British Columbia was third at even-par.

In the juvenile division (16 and under) Team Canada Development Squad member Tony Gil of Vaughan, Ont. shares first place with Tristan Mandur of Mill Bay, B.C. The pair sit at 1-under-par 143.

Starting times, post-round results, full field list, and live scoring are available here.

Winnipeg, Man. (Golf Canada) – Top male amateur golfers from Australia, Canada, Colombia, New Zealand, Taiwan and the United States will vie for national supremacy at the 2014 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

The championship will be contested August 1-7 at both Elmhurst Golf and Country Club and Southwood Golf and Country Club in Winnipeg. The Canadian Men’s Amateur Qualifier will be held on Friday, August 1 at Elmhurst Golf and Country Club. The practice rounds along with the first 36 holes of the championship will be held at both clubs with the final two days contested at Elmhurst Golf and Country Club.

“We are thrilled to bring another national championship back to Winnipeg,” said Adam Helmer, Tournament Director. “The field is very strong this year and both golf courses will certainly challenge some of the world’s top amateur players this week.”

The winner of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship will earn exemptions into both the 2015 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club, as well as the 2014 U.S. Amateur Championship. Additionally, the winner is eligible to receive exemptions into the U.S. Junior Amateur, U.S. Mid-Amateur and the USGA Senior Amateur Championship, if applicable.

The 240-player field is led this year by Team Canada’s Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., alongside his teammates, Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C. and Chris Hemmerich of Kitchener, Ont., who all ranked inside the Top-100 on the World Amateur Golf rankings. Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont. sits narrowly outside at No. 109.

A recent graduate of the Kent State University Golden Flashes, Conners is the field’s highest ranked Canadian at No. 33 in world. In 2013, Conners finished runner-up at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship in Victoria and was a semi-finalist at the U.S. Men’s Amateur Championship. His teammate Pendrith recently finished T43 at the RBC Canadian Open and also captured the prestigious Monroe Invitational in June.

Ranked inside the Top-55 in the world, California’s Rico Hoey (No. 27) and Lee McCoy (No. 53) of New Pork Richey, Fla., will also vie for the historic Earl Grey Trophy.

In 2008, Elmhurst Golf and Country Club played host to the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship and co-hosted the 2011 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, while Southwood Golf and Country Club recently hosted the 2014 Canadian University/College Championship.

“Everyone at Elmhurst has been looking forward to hosting the Canadian Men’s Amateur as part of our centennial celebrations,” said Dave McMillan, Director of Golf Operations at Elmhurst. “The members have rallied around this championship and we’re working really hard to make this a memorable experience for everyone involved.”

Additionally, teams will compete for the Willingdon Cup that will take place in conjunction with the first two rounds, with three-member teams competing towards an overall team total. Team British Columbia captured the title in 2013, finishing one-strokes ahead of Team Ontario. This year Team Yukon and Team Northwest Territories will also be competing in the competition.

The final spots (minimum of five) into the field will be determined at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Qualifier on Friday, August 1. Pairings and start times for the qualifier can be found here.

After the first two rounds the field will be reduced to the low 70 players and ties for the final 36 holes of the championship finishing on Thursday, August 7 at Elmhurst Golf and Country Club. In addition, admission is free to all spectators throughout the week.

For a full field list as well as starting times, live scoring and post-round results for the 110th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, click here.

Thornhill, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Grace St-Germain fired a second consecutive 2-under 70 to grab the outright lead after the second round of the Canadian Junior Girls Championship at Thornhill Golf and Country Club. 

During play on Wednesday the second round was suspended due to inclement weather at 2:40 p.m. ET and resumed after a 1.5 hour delay at 4:10 p.m. ET.

After the brief delay, St-Germain returned to the course and carded birdies on three of her final six holes to close with a 2-under 34 back-nine. The Ottawa native currently sits at 4-under 140 for the championship one-stroke ahead of Team Canada Development Squad member Valérie Tanguay. 

“I think the delay got me to calm down a bit and just regroup and I think that was good for me,” St-Germain said. “These are probably my best tournament scores in a row so far.”

Tanguay of St-Hyacinthe, Que., narrowly trails St-Germain after a second-round 1-under 71, while Christina Foster of Concord, Ont. vaulted into third place after a second round 4-under 68. Foster’s second round is the lowest score of the championship and was highlighted by a back-nine 4-under 32.

Nova Scotia’s Allison Chandler of Chester sits in fourth at 1-over 145 after a 1-under 71, while Michelle Kim of Surrey, B.C. sits in fifth place at 2-over 146.

In the Inter-Provincial Team competition that is conducted over the first 36 holes of the championship Team Quebec and Team Ontario went to a hole-by-hole playoff after finishing the championship tied at 5-over 293. Team Quebec’s contingent of Tanguay, Ocèane Jacques of St-Gabriel de Valcartier and Annie Lacombe of Laval captured the title on the third playoff hole. The teams played the first hole continuously until a champion was decided.

In the Juvenile Division (16 and under), St-Germain continues to lead by five strokes over Chandler.
 
Starting times, post-round results, full field list, and live scoring are available here.

Brooke Henderson did not disappoint in her opening round at the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada, presented by Nike Golf, firing a dazzling 7-under-par 65.

The 16-year-old’s first round included seven birdies and a hole-in-one on No. 17, en route to a new course record at the Thomas McBroom designed FireRock Golf Club in Komoka, Ont.

“My caddie told me it was over the back and I kind of panicked for a few minutes,” Henderson joked. “But when I went up there I checked and there it was-it was a great shot.”

Henderson leads by two strokes over Stephanie Connelly of Fleming Island, Fla. Sitting three shots back heading into Thursday’s final round is three-time champion Alena Sharp of Hamilton.

Earlier this summer Henderson, who is currently ranked No. 2 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, earned low amateur honours (T10) at the U.S. Women’s Open, finished tied for 26th at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, and tied for 45th at the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic. The Team Canada member’s year has also included wins at the Canadian Women’s Tour event in Niagara Falls, the Porter Cup, the Ontario Women’s Amateur and the Scott Robertson.

“I’ve had a great summer and it’s definitely been a huge confidence booster,” Henderson said. “I’m looking forward to the future and want to use these experiences on the LPGA Tour when I finally get out there some day.”

The 2008 champion Hannah Jun, Team Canada member Anne-Catherine Tanguay, Brooke’s older sister Brittany Henderson of Smith Falls, Ont., and Australian Emma De Groot each fired opening rounds of 69.

In total, 12 players are at even par or better.

Click here for the full leaderboard.

The PGA Women’s Championship of Canada was first played in 1987 and past champions include Cathy Sherk, Gail Graham, Nancy Harvey, Lorie Kane and Jessica Shepley.

The PGA Women’s Championship of Canada counts as the third and final stop on the Canadian Women’s Tour with points awarded toward the Jocelyne Bourassa Player of the Year at the conclusion of the championship.

Similar to past years, the champion of each Canadian Women’s Tour stop and the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada will receive an exemption into the 2014 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open to be held Aug. 18-24, 2014 at London Hunt & Country Club in London, Ont. As well, following the conclusion of play at the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada, two (2) additional exemptions will be awarded to the top competitors, not otherwise exempt into the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open from the 2014 Canadian Women’s Tour Order of Merit.

In addition, the top five (previously the top 3) players on the Canadian Women’s Tour season-ending Order of Merit will be awarded direct entry into LPGA Stage-2 Qualifying.

Niagara Falls, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Play at the 2014 Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Legends on the Niagara was temporarily suspended today due to dangerous playing conditions after strong storm cells rolled through the Niagara Falls, Ont. area Wednesday. Play was suspended for the first time at 11:12 AM EDT, and was suspended for the day at 4:15 PM EDT after an attempted resumption of play. 

The second round will resume tomorrow at 7:00 AM EDT. Afternoon pairings from the second round will begin at 8:00 AM EDT on both the 1st and 10th tees. The third round will commence approximately one hour after the completion of the second round.  At the time of suspension, 78 players had begun their round.

At the time of suspension, overnight leader Patrick Murphy, 17, of Crossfield, Alta. sits in a tie for the lead with Austin James, 18, of Bath, Ont. Team Alberta sits unofficially in first in the Inter-Provincial Championship at 8-under-140. 78 players have yet to begin the second round.

For a full field list, live scoring, and more information regarding Wednesday’s suspension of play click here.

Thornhill, Ont. – Grace St-Germain and Valérie Tanguay co-lead at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship after firing 2-under 70’s at Thornhill Golf and Country Club. 

St-Germain of Ottawa, Ont. opened with a 2-under 34 front-nine and rolled in a closing birdie putt on the par-4 18th hole to finish in a tie for the lead.

“I started the first couple of holes and I was getting into a really good rhythm,” said St-Germain who also leads the Juvenile division. “I was like okay maybe you can go low today and I just tried to stay focused and it worked out.”

Playing in the final pairing of the day alongside her Team Canada Development Squad teammates, Tanguay of St-Hyacinthe, Que., ignited her round with an eagle on the par-5 8th hole.

“I think my eagle helped me a lot, I missed a couple of birdies but in general everything was good,” said Tanguay. “I missed some shots but I was able to get up and down and do better on the next hole to make par, my mental game was really there and I was calm and patient.”

The duo currently leads by two strokes over Michelle Kim of Surrey, B.C. who birdied two of her closing four holes to finish in third place at even-par. A trio of players share fourth place at 1-over par including Madeline Marck-Sherk of Ridgeway, Ont. and Team Canada Development Squad members Jaclyn Lee of Calgary and Victoria’s Naomi Ko. 

In the Inter-Provincial Team competition that is conducted over the first 36 holes of the championship, Team Alberta’s contingent of Lee, Calgary’s Sabrine Garrison and Cochrane’s Bria Jansen sit one-stroke ahead of Team Quebec at 5-over 149. Team Ontario and Team British Columbia narrowly trail Alberta in a tie for third at 7-over 151.

In the Juvenile Division (16 and under), St-Germain holds a three stroke at 2-under par over Marck-Sherk and Ko.
 
Starting times, post-round results, full field list, and live scoring are available here.