Anne-Catherine Tanguay finishes fifth at Alamo Invitational
Anne-Catherine Tanguay of Québec City had great success at the Alamo Invitational from Oct. 27 – 29 at the Briggs Ranch Golf Course in San Antonia, Tex., finishing in a tie for a fifth.
Tanguay, a senior at Oklahoma University, fired three consecutive rounds in the red (69-72-71) to finish with a four-under 212. In total, the 22-year-old tallied 12 birdies and eight bogies. She was seven strokes off the medalist, Lindsay Gahm, an LSU student from Louisville, Ky.
Collectively, Tanguay’s efforts helped lift the Oklahoma Sooners to a first place team finish with a final score of 24-under. The Sooners carded a remarkable 12-under on the third and final day, giving them an eight stroke cushion over runner-up LSU.
Tanguay is off to another strong start in her collegiate career. She was named to last year’s All-Big 12 Conference Team and looks for a repeat performance this season.
For full tournament results, click here.
Brooke Henderson wins individual gold at Spirit International
Team Canada’s Brooke Henderson captured the women’s individual gold medal at the Spirit International in Trinity, Texas, on Saturday.
Henderson, 16, finished at 13-under in the rain shortened 54-hole tournament. The Smiths Falls, Ont., native held off Mathilda Cappeliez, who finished at 12-under for the championship.
“I was definitely aiming for the gold, but I really was trying to help my team the most,” said Henderson. “This is one of my absolute favorite tournaments. I’ve wanted to come back ever since I was here two years ago.”
In the overall team competition the Canadian contingent of Henderson, Jaclyn Lee of Calgary, Etienne Papineau of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, and Tony Gil of Vaughan, Ont., finished in eighth place at 15-under 417. The Canadian squad finished 18 strokes behind Team USA who captured the overall championship after firing 33-under over 54 holes.
For more information, visit The Spirit International website at www.thespiritgolf.com.
Carrigan and Proteau named PNGA Players of the Year
The Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA) has announced the Players of the Year for the 2013 championship season. The talented group of recipients includes Canada’s own Kevin Carrigan of Victoria, B.C. in the Men’s Mid-Amateur category and Christina Proteau of Port Alberni, B.C. in the Women’s Mid-Amateur category.
Other golfers taking home honours in their respective divisions were Cameron Peck of Olympia, Wash. in the Men’s category; Kendall Prince of Lake Oswego, Ore. in the Women’s category; Tom Brandes of Bellevue, Wash. in the Senior Men’s category; Lisa Smego of Olympia, Wash. in the Senior Women’s category; Frank Garber of Kirkland, Wash. in the Junior Boys’ category; and Gigi Stoll of Beaverton, Ore. in the Junior Girls’ category.
This is Carrigan’s second consecutive PNGA Men’s Mid-Amateur Player of the Year honour. His exceptional year included repeating as champion of the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship. He also finished third in the BC Amateur, tied for seventh in the Canadian Amateur, tied for sixth in the Sahalee Players Championship, and tied for third in the Peru Invitational. He also competed in the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.
Proteau is also receiving her second consecutive Women’s Mid-Amateur Player of the Year honour, and her year also included repeating as champion of the Royale Cup Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship. She also won the BC Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, after finishing runner-up last year. She qualified for the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, making it to the Round 16, and made it to the Round of 32 in the Pacific Northwest Women’s Amateur. She also tied for 13th in the BC Women’s Amateur.
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.
Visit www.thepnga.org for more information about the PNGA.
Kevin Carrigan captures second straight Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship
Kevin Carrigan successfully defended his Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur title after carding a final round 5-under 66 at Blackhawk Golf Club on Friday.
The defending champion never relinquished the lead over 72 holes and set a new tournament scoring record finishing at 20-under 264 for the tournament, 11 strokes ahead of Garrett Rank and Michael Rutgers.
“It feels fantastic, little bit of a different feeling from last year, it was a little more of a grind last year but this year I brought my A-game,” Carrigan said. “There wasn’t a flaw at all as far as I could see, I missed couple of shots like everyone does but mentally I was tough and grinded the heck out of it.”
Carrigan opened the tournament on Tuesday by setting a new course record after firing a 8-under 63 and never backed down posting three straight round in the 60’s. His final round 5-under 66 was highlighted by a 5-under 31 closing nine and a birdie on the par-4 18th hole.
“I played great, the big thing for me and the one thing I’m the most proud of is that I never took my foot off the pedal,” he said. “It’s easy to get complacent and make mistakes coming down the stretch with a big lead.”
With the victory, the Victoria, B.C., native earns an exemption into the 2014 RBC Canadian Open at Royal Montreal Golf Club.
“It’s pretty exciting, it’s second to winning a national championship and I appreciate this more than anything in the world, what an unbelievable experience,” he continued.
Team Canada’s Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont., and Michael Rutgers of Windsor, Ont., finished in a tie for second a 9-under 275. Rutgers carded a final round 4-under 67, while Rank stumbled on Friday, carding a 3-over 74.
David Bartman of Los Angeles, Calif., finished in solo fourth at 1-under 283 after a 6-over 77 final round. The California native also captured the Mid-Master (40+) title by three strokes over Rob Cowan of Waterloo, Ont.
Final results from the 2013 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship can be found here.
Kevin Carrigan leads by three heading into final round of Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship
Kevin Carrigan has the chance to repeat as the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur champion after carding a 4-under 67 at Blackhawk Golf Club on Thursday.
Carrigan currently sits at 15-under 198 for the championship after firing his third straight round in the 60’s. His third round was highlighted by a closing nine 4-under 32, after making a five-footer for eagle on the par-5 15th.
“I didn’t have my best day today but I managed to keep it in play and continued to hit good shots,” Carrigan said “I took advantage of the opportunities I did have and again rolled a lot of good putts just over the edge.”
On Thursday, the Victoria, B.C., native held off a valiant charge by Team Canada’s Garrett Rank, who was 8-under-par on the day through sixteen holes after two eagles on the back-nine.
“He makes a lot of birdies, he’s an explosive player,” Carrigan said. “Six birdies and two eagles today that’s unreal and he had a couple of mistakes.”
As the defending champion, Carrigan’s 198 total is a new personal best and leaves him in a good position to pick up back-to-back titles and earn the exemption into the 2014 RBC Canadian Open at Royal Montreal Golf Club.
“It’s a personal feat and I’m very proud of myself for accomplishing that,” Carrigan stated about breaking 200.
“I’ve had enough close calls to know that if I start putting pressure on winning it’ll probably affect the way I play,” he continued. “My objective tomorrow is to play my game and not let the circumstances affect how I play.”
Rank currently sits three strokes behind Carrigan in solo second at 12-under 201, after bogeying his final two holes on Thursday to card a 6-under 65. The Elmira, Ont., native has played his last 36 holes in 13-under par after making four eagles and 12 birdies.
Calgary’s Dustin Yeager and California’s David Bartman sit at 7-under for the championship in a tie for third. Yeager’s third round 69 earned him a spot in the final pairing tomorrow and was one of only five under-par rounds at Blackhawk on Thursday. Michael Rutgers of Windsor, Ont., rounds out the top-five in solo fifth at 5-under 208 after an even-par 71 third round.
In the Mid-Master division (40+) Bartman’s third round 71 leaves him seven strokes clear of Rob Cowan of Waterloo, Ont., and Raymond Oh of Richmond Hill, Ont., heading into Friday’s final round.
Kevin Carrigan remains in control at Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship
Kevin Carrigan continued his solid play at the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, carding a 3-under 68 on Wednesday at Blackhawk Golf Club.
The defending champion fired a 4-under 31 to open his second round but stumbled with two late bogeys on over his final three holes to finish at 11-under 131 for the championship.
“I left several out there on the front,” Carrigan said. “I think the only two greens I missed today were No. 16 and No. 18 where I made bogey.”
The Victoria, B.C., native set a new competitive course record yesterday at Blackhawk with a 8-under 63 and currently leads by four strokes over David Bartman of Los Angeles, Calif. Despite not making as many putts as he’d like, Carrigan said he has a ton of confidence in his swing this week.
“I’m not making much and it’s frustrating because every shot I hit is on my line,” he continued. “I’m just not getting the putts to go, I burned probably six or seven edges today but my swing feels great.”
Team Canada’s Garrett Rank carded the round of the day at Blackhawk after a 7-under 64. The Elmira, Ont., native fired a 5-under 30 on the front-nine after an eagle on the par-5 4th hole and added a second after pitching in from 30 yards on the par-4 9th.
“I should have been way lower,” Rank said. “I three-putted No. 18 and missed a short three-footer on five.”
Playing alongside Carrigan, Rank was gunning for the new course record after getting it to 8-under through 14 holes but lost momentum after a bogey on the par-5 15th.
“I was playing so good that on No. 15 I hit it a little left off the tee and instead of laying up and hitting a wedge close like I was all day I tried to hit the green,” he said. “I turned it into a bogey and I shouldn’t be making bogeys on that hole.”
California’s David Bartman carded a 3-under 68 to grab solo second at 7-under 135, while Rank sits in third at 6-under 136. Dave Bunker of Woodbridge, Ont., Michael Rutgers of Windsor, Ont., and Calgary’s Dustin Yeager sit in a tie for fourth at 5-under.
Bartman currently holds a two-stroke lead in the Mid Master (40+) division over Bunker who fired a 6-under 65 on Wednesday.
In the Inter-Provincial team competition, Team Ontario’s Tyler McDannold of Brooklin, Ont., Michael Rutgers of Windsor, Ont., and Darren Shaw of Stoney Creek, Ont., captured the R. Bruce Forbes trophy after a firing a 3-under 139 second round. The squad finished at 3-under 281 for the championship, eight strokes ahead of Nova Scotia’s Trevor Chow of Hammonds Plains, N.S., Glenn Robinson of Middle Sackville, N.S., and Greg Black of Halifax, N.S.
Kevin Carrigan sets new course record at Canadian Mid-Amateur Championship
Kevin Carrigan opened up his title defence at the Canadian Mid-Amateur Championship by firing a 8-under 63 on Tuesday at Blackhawk Golf Club.
The Victoria native carded three eagles and a closing nine 29 to set a new competitive course record at Blackhawk, after opening the day with an unplayable on the par-4 10th. Carrigan quickly rebounded with a birdie on the par-5 11th and rolled in his first eagle of the day on the par-5 15th hole.
“I took an unplayable on my first hole, didn’t seem like much of a round until I guess I made the second eagle, 3-under to 5-under I was hitting it well,” Carrigan said.
As the reigning Canadian Mid-Amateur champion, Carrigan lit up Blackhawk’s par-5’s playing them in 7-under par with three eagles on a windy afternoon.
“If you’re hitting it good, it doesn’t feel windy,” he continued. “I mis-clubbed a couple of times but never got myself into trouble, I didn’t really miss many shots.”
California’s David Bartman, trails Carrigan by four strokes after an opening round 4-under 67. Bartman’s round was highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 4th hole and leaves him three strokes ahead of Raymond Oh of Richmond, Ont., in the race for the Mid-Master (40+) title.
“I just kept it in play and took advantage of the par-5’s,” Bartman said. “If I did miss a green, my short game was solid.”
Michael Rutgers of Windsor, Ont., sits in solo third after a 3-under 68, while Calgary’s Dustin Yeager opened with a 2-under 69 to grab a share of fourth place. Chris Moore of Vancouver and Oh currently sit in a tie for fifth at 1-under.
Saskatchewan’s Kris Carley recorded the shot of the day after holing a 255-yard hybrid on the par-5 7th hole for an albatross. The albatross was his second of the season and third double-eagle of his career.
In the Inter-Provincial team competition, Team Ontario’s Tyler McDannold of Brooklin, Ont., Michael Rutgers of Windsor, Ont., and Darren Shaw of Stoney Creek, Ont., combined to card a even-par 142 opening round. The squad currently leads by four strokes over Nova Scotia’s Trevor Chow of Hammonds Plains, N.S., Glenn Robinson of Middle Sackville, N.S., and Greg Black of Halifax, N.S., heading into the final round of Inter-Provincial competition.
David Schultz wins 2013 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship
David Schultz won his first Canadian Men’s Senior title in style, sinking a crucial birdie putt on the final hole at The Briars Golf Club.
As the overnight co-leader, Schultz had been in contention from the opening day of the championship. Needing a birdie on the last to win, Schultz stuck what he called ‘the best 9-iron of his career’ from the middle of the 18th fairway to four feet.
“It was right at the limit of a 9-iron, 143 yards and was as good as I could have hit it,” Schultz said.
Schultz converted the birdie putt in front of a large gallery to finish at 6-under 278 and claimed his first Canadian Men’s Senior title after a 2-under 69 on Friday.
“I was unbelievably nervous over that putt, to have a chance I thought I’d have to birdie to tie,” he said after walking off the 18th green. “I didn’t expect Chip to bogey the last hole, he’s such a good player and to come out on top is something else.”
The 1999 Canadian Mid-Amateur champion withstood a final day charge from defending champion Chip Lutz, who carded a 3-under 68 on Friday. Lutz held the outright-lead walking down the 18th fairway but failed to get up and down for par after pushing his approach shot into the deep greenside rough. The two-time champion finished at 5-under 279 for the championship.
With the victory, Schultz also earned an exemption into the USGA’s Senior Amateur Championship at Wade Hampton Golf Club in Cashiers, N.C., September 21-26.
“That’ll be fun to go and represent Canada there,” he continued. “I’ve thought about qualifying a few times but this is the best way to qualify for it, so I’m pretty happy.”
South Carolina’s Duke Delcher finished in solo third at 4-under 280 after a final round 2-under 69, while Pemberton B.C., native Lance Lundy, finished in fourth at 2-under after a final round 68. Frank MacKenzie of Edmonton, Alta., rounded out the top-five finishing at 1-under par 283 for the championship.
Nova Scotia’s McLean “Walks With a Pro” at CN Canadian Women’s Open
Meghan McLean’s summer has been far busier than the average 14 year old’s. McLean, who is a member at Ken-Wo Golf and Country Club and will attend Horton High School in the fall, recently returned from a trip to the CN Canadian Women’s Open at Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton.
McLean earned the chance to attend the LPGA Tour event which is conducted by Golf Canada when she won the skills competition at the CN Future Links Atlantic Championship at Antigonish in July.
“There were a variety of different things we did for the skills competition which happened during the practice round day, we were tested for shots off the tee, chipping, putting stuff like that” explained McLean.
The top four players in the skills competition earned the right to be able to caddie for one hole and make a putt during the Championship Pro-Am at the CN Canadian Open, along with tickets to watch the tournament.
“I actually finished fifth overall, but one of the girls wasn’t able to make it so that’s how I got the spot” said McLean on how she ended up in Edmonton.
When McLean arrived in Edmonton she was paired with professional Jessica Korda. Korda, a 10 year old American professional from Florida, has become infamously known as the golfer who fired her caddie mid-way through a round at the US Women’s Open earlier this summer. Fortunately for McLean she was up to snuff not only in caddying for Korda, but also helped her by putting on the 11th green. McLean was then invited to walk with Jessica Shepley and once again with Korda this time on the 18th hole. The next day, Mclean and her father Angus took in first round action at Royal Mayfair before flying home because of Meghan’s golf commitments.
McLean’s was due to represent Nova Scotia during the Atlantic Junior Match Play Championship at Amherst Golf Club. McLean is one of three girls representing the province with the other two being familiar faces in Sister Heather, and fellow Ken-Wo member Darcy Fuller.
When asked what her thoughts were on her summer golf season thus far McLean said she didn’t expect to see success to happen so soon.
“I honestly didn’t expect all of this so soon, I was hoping I could do everything I have this summer when I was 16 or 17, so to do it at 14 is pretty awesome,” she explained.
McLean said her future plans for golf include improving her consistency, while continuing to pursue future goals including competing at the 2017 Canada Games.
This summer wouldn’t have been possible without the support of her family, both at home and at the golf club.
“I have been so fortunate to have my family support me they have been great, and also everyone at Ken-Wo have been very supportive so I am very thankful for that”. With the experiences she has had already enjoyed as a 14 year old, watch for the Port Williams native to develop into one of the province’s top female golfers in the coming years.
To learn more about CN Future Links, visit: cnfuturelinks.com
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Kody Blois is a former goaltender with the Amherst Ramblers, now attending Saint Mary’s University. Blois is the Tournament and Communications Coordinator for the Nova Scotia Golf Association. You can follow him on twitter @kodyblois or check out his blog here.
Two-way tie heading into final round of Canadian Men’s Senior Championship
David Schultz and Jay Blumenfeld share the lead heading into the final round of the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship at The Briars Golf Club.
Overnight leader Chip Lutz opened the door for the new leaders after posting a 4-over 75 on Thursday that included a double and a triple-bogey. Playing alongside Lutz, Schultz capitalized by rolling in three-straight birdies on No. 7, 8 and 9 to reach 7-under for the championship but carded three straight bogeys on his closing nine to card a 1-over 72 and finish at 4-under 209.
“I made three in a row and then I made three in a row the wrong way on the back-nine,” Schultz said. “A few sloppy shots, nothing awful just not a very good back-nine.”
Playing in the group behind the leaders, Blumenfeld of Parsippany, N.J., fired a 2-under 69 and said he kept control of his game but was surprised to see Lutz stumble on day three.
“Just kept it in control and in play, I didn’t do anything great or terrible,” Blumenfeld said. “I took advantage of a couple of good shots and made a couple of nice putts.”
“I’m shocked that Chip is only at 2-under, he’s a good buddy of mine and a great player,” he continued.
Calgary native, Howard Broun, sits in third at 3-under 210 after an even-par 71 on Thursday. He will play in the final group alongside fellow Calgarian Schultz, who stated they’ve played many different tournaments together over the past 30 years.
“It’s nice to play with someone from where you’re from,” Broun said. “Today I was a bit shaky to start with a bogey but then made eight pars in a row and a couple of birdies coming in but bogeyed the last but I’m happy with it.”
Neither Schultz or Broun currently have an exemption into USGA’s Senior Amateur Championship at Wade Hampton Golf Club in Cashiers, N.C., September 21-26 and both golfers said they are very keen to earn the winner’s exemption into the prestigious event.
As the two-time defending champion Lutz, heads into the final round two strokes back of the leaders in solo fourth at 2-under for the championship alongside Duke Delcher of Bluffton, S.C., who carded a third round even-par 71.