Acton, Ont. – The PGA of Canada is pleased to announce that some of Canada’s top courses have been secured as host sites for the 2022 RBC PGA Scramble Regional Finals.

Building on last year’s return to Cabot Links for the National Final and the largest draw of players ever to participate in the program, we are excited to announce that players who qualify from their local qualifier will head to one of the following Regional Final hosts:

August 11 – B.C. EAST – Black Mountain Golf Club – Kelowna, BC 
August 13 – B.C. WEST – Morningstar Golf Club – Parksville, BC 
August 15 – ONTARIO GTA – Maple Downs G&CC – Maple, ON
August 16 – ALBERTA NORTH – Wolf Creek Golf Resort – Ponoka, AB 
August 16 – QUEBEC – Le Maitre De Mont Tremblant – Mont-Tremblant, QC   
August 22 – SASKATCHEWAN – The Legends Golf Club – Warman, SK 
August 22- ONTARIO SW – FireRock Golf Club – Komoka, ON 
August 29 – MANITOBA – Quarry Oaks Golf Course – Steinback, MB 
September 1 – ALBERTA SOUTH – The Winston Golf Club – Calgary, AB 
September 6 – ATLANTIC – Mill River Resort – Woodstock, PEI 
September 6 – ONTARIO NE – Wildfire Golf Club – Douro-Dummer, ON

“We have some incredibly impressive venues that are set to play host to RBC PGA Scramble Regional Finals in 2022,” said PGA of Canada president Teejay Alderdice. “Players who make it through local qualifying are in for a very memorable day, especially with the improvements RBC and the PGA of Canada teams have worked to implement this year.” 

As the premier amateur team golf tournament in the country, the 2022 edition of the RBC PGA Scramble expects to once again see more than 10,000 golfers participate in over 150 local qualifiers throughout the country. With the increase in participation last year, many clubs benefited from additional revenue after hosting RBC PGA Scramble qualifiers.  With continued efforts to make the RBC PGA Scramble inclusive for all players, there will again be a guaranteed spot for an all-female team at each Regional Final. 

The PGA of Canada and RBC teams have spent the past few months working on significant improvements to the program based on participant feedback. Specifically, a task force was organized to evaluate and identify potential improvements to the handicap stipulations. The Task Force took past participant feedback into account based on the program’s various player surveys. An announcement will be made in the coming weeks with more information about the handicap amendments for 2022. 

In addition, we will be announcing further RBC PGA Scramble partnerships in the coming weeks that will greatly improve the value for participants and host facilities. 

If you would like to register your facility to host a local qualifier, click here. The registration deadline for courses to register themselves as a local qualifying destination is April 16, 2022. 

Player registration is set to open April 4^th. 

Golf Canada is pleased to announce its 2022 championship schedule, which includes amateur and professional competitions in addition to various qualifiers hosted at golf facilities across Canada.

The 2022 schedule is headlined by Golf Canada’s signature professional championships — the RBC Canadian Open, June 6-12, at St. George’s Golf & Country Club with host practice facility, Islington Golf Club in Toronto, Ont., and the CP Women’s Open, to be conducted August 22-28 at Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont.

Golf Canada’s 2022 competition calendar includes nine National Amateur Championships presented by BDO, eight NextGen Championships fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, and the World Junior Girls Golf Championship presented by Sargent Farms. Interprovincial team competitions played concurrently over the first 36 holes at select national championships will return in 2022.

As the National Sport Federation and governing body of golf in Canada, Golf Canada conducts the country’s premier amateur and professional golf championships  to support the development of the nation’s top talent through world-class competition.

“Golf Canada is incredibly proud to return to a full championship schedule in 2022 and welcome more than 3,000 talented Canadian and international athletes to our national championships,” said Golf Canada’s CEO, Laurence Applebaum. “Together with our host clubs, corporate partners, and volunteers that help drive the success of our events, there is incredible momentum in our sport as we look ahead to the 2022 season.”

Golf Canada’s championship season kicks off on May 13 in Nanaimo, B.C. with the NextGen Pacific Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards at Nanaimo Golf Club, and concludes in October with the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont.

To view Golf Canada’s 2022 championship schedule, including all host venues, registration requirements and volunteer opportunities, please click here.

Championship Season at a Glance…

The 18th playing of the Canadian University/College Championship, presented by BDO will be held June 1-4 at Golf Château Bromont. The championship includes both a team and individual component featuring Canada’s top university and college talent.

The 108th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO takes place July 19-22 at Westmount Golf & Country Club in Kitchener, Ont. with the champion earning an exemption into the 2022 CP Women’s Open, as well as an exemption into the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. The winner also receives exemptions into the 2023 U.S. Girls’ Junior, 2022 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur and 2023 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championships, if applicable.

The 67th Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO will be contested July 26-29 at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont. where the winner will earn an exemption into the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship and the 2023 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship.

The 117th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO will be contested August 1-4 at Point Grey Golf & Country Club in Vancouver, B.C and Seymour Golf & Country Club in North Vancouver, B.C. A maximum field of 264 players will be cut to the low 70 players and ties after 36 holes, with the final two rounds contested at Point Grey. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2023 RBC Canadian Open, as well as an invitation to the 2022 U.S. Amateur Championship. The winner will also receive an exemption from local qualifying for the 2023 U.S. Open, and if applicable, will earn an exemption into the 2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur, 2022 U.S. Senior Amateur or 2023 U.S. Junior Amateur Championships.

The 83rd playing of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO will be contested August 7-10 at Rivershore Golf Links in Kamloops, B.C. with the winner earning an exemption into the 2023 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship and 2023 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.

The Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, presented by BDO will be held August 23-26 at The Thornhill Club in Thornhill, Ont., while the club is  celebrating its 100^th anniversary this season.

The Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship, presented by BDO will be held August 30 – September 1, at Breezy Bend Country Club in Headingley, M.B. with the Senior champion earning an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship and 2023 U.S. Senior Women’s Open.

As part its centennial anniversary, Red Deer Golf & Country Club in Red Deer, Alta. will host the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO from September 6-9, with the champion earning an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship.

The second playing of the Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, a national championship for players with neurological, intellectual, sensory, and physical impairments, will be held September 13-14 at Essex Golf & Country Club in Windsor, Ont.

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 2022 national championships. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf.  The 2022 NextGen Championship host clubs include Nanaimo Golf Club (Nanaimo, B.C.), Oak Bay Golf Club (Port Severn, Ont.), Pine Hills Golf Club (Rocky Mountain House, Alta.), Quarry Oaks (Steinbach, MB), Club de Golf Hemmingford (Hemmingford, Qué.), and Antigonish Golf & Country Club (Antigonish, NS). An additional two Fall Series championships will take place in September and October, where players will compete for exemptions into their respective 2023 national junior championships. 

An accomplished field of international competitors will take to Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont., from October 10-15, for the seventh annual World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms. The event will welcome 25 countries playing as 3-member squads competing for both a team and individual title.

Golf Canada has also confirmed that it will not be continuing with the National Orders of Merit, beginning in 2022. Previously used to track golfer performance, the rankings will be replaced by a comprehensive talent identification system that supports the new Canadian golf high-performance strategy.

Golf Canada and BDO Canada LLP (BDO) have announced an integrated multi-year partnership that will see BDO become the Official Business and Professional Services Partner of Golf Canada and its two signature events – the RBC Canadian Open and the CP Women’s Open.

As the presenting sponsor for all nine Canadian Amateur Golf Championships conducted by Golf Canada, BDO has made a significant commitment to the growth of golf in communities across Canada. BDO will also partner with Golf Canada to develop and further enhance technologies that support the Canadian golfer experience.

In addition to BDO’s support for golf at the professional and amateur levels, Golf Canada will access BDO’s trusted expertise providing accounting, assurance, tax, and advisory services for the National Sport Federation.

“Golf Canada has had an exceptional relationship with BDO as our auditor and professional services firm since 2019 and the work and growth that we have experienced together has brought us to this enhanced next level,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum.

“We are extremely excited about the opportunities for BDO in golf and in working with our team and connected stakeholders. BDO is a world class organization, and we are thrilled to be working with them extensively to expand our use of their services across all of their areas of expertise.”

For BDO Canada, partnering with the National Sport Organization to engage with Canada’s considerable golf audience reflects a firm-wide commitment through sport to give back to communities served across the country.

“We are excited to partner with Golf Canada and become the presenting sponsor for Canadian Amateur Golf Championships,” said Pat Kramer, CEO of BDO Canada.

“This is the next step in our commitment to connecting and engaging with Canadians, through sport. Working alongside Golf Canada, we look forward to supporting Canadian athletes at both the amateur and professional levels.”

TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley announced on Wednesday the return of The Road to TPC Toronto presented by COBRA PUMA GOLF, an event series for junior golfers taking place across Ontario this season.

After a successful launch in 2021, The Road will once again consist of a series of 36-hole regional qualifying tournaments, where competitors in girls and boys divisions will play to earn a spot in the season-ending finale at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in July along with prizes from COBRA PUMA GOLF.

“It was a thrill to meet and welcome so many outstanding young competitors to TPC Toronto last year, and we believe this year’s event series will be a great complement to the schedules of talented junior golfers across Ontario this season. We look forward to another season of strong competition, great prizes and fun on the course,” said TPC Toronto Tournament and Programming Director Brad Parkins.

Each regional qualifying tournament field will be open to girls and boys, aged 18 and under as of August 1, 2022 on a first come-first serve basis. The top six boys and three girls from each regional qualifier will advance to the finale at TPC Toronto at Osprey

Valley, in Caledon, Ontario, July 17-18. At The Finale, 60 of the province’s best junior golfers will compete in the 36-hole championship event, with prizing for top boys’ and girls’ finishers.

Beginning in May, The Road to TPC Toronto presented by COBRA PUMA GOLF will visit the following sites for qualifying events:

• Loyalist Country Club (Bath, Ont.) May 14-15
• Seaforth Golf & Country Club (Seaforth, Ont.) May 28-29
• Idylwylde Golf & Country Club and Timberwolf Golf Club (Sudbury, Ont.) June 4-5
• Bridgewater Golf & Country Club (Fort Erie, Ont.) July 4
• Deer Creek Golf & Banquet Facility (Ajax, Ont.) July 11

The Finale will once again be a part of the Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates, an official PGA TOUR Canada event. Competitors at the Finale will compete in the final round alongside a PGA TOUR Canada player in a unique Pro-Am format, providing players with a special inside-the-ropes experience.

COBRA PUMA GOLF will provide equipment and apparel prizes for outstanding junior golfers at each event, with the boys’ and girls’ champion following the finale at TPC Toronto earning a prize pack, including a custom fitting for a COBRA KING Putter.

“Last year we saw a promising start to the Road to TPC Toronto event series and are excited to see its growth and evolution in the summer of 2022,” said Dwayne Boecker,

Head of Golf for COBRA PUMA GOLF – Canada. “It offers a fantastic development opportunity for competitive juniors as well as engagement with our performance brands, both of which we passionately support.”

Competitions will be operated with detailed COVID-19 safety protocols in place in accordance with each host facility’s established practices.

Online registration for tournaments is now open at theroadtotpctoronto.com.

Brendan MacDougall was introduced to the game of golf during his early childhood and it’s become his biggest passion in life. Today, the 24-year-old is one of Canada’s top amateur prospects and has ambitions of competing professionally at the highest level one day.

“I was fortunate that my parents introduced me to the sport at a very young age,” recalled MacDougall, a fourth year member of Golf Canada’s National Team Program.

“When I was three I was hitting plastic golf balls in our backyard and a couple of years later I started hitting actual golf balls,” said MacDougall, who was born in Newport Beach, Calif., and moved to Calgary during his childhood years.

While California had consistent golf weather year round, when young Brendan moved to Alberta his love for the sport remained consistent.

In the seventh grade, MacDougall remembers having thoughts that he was going to be a professional golfer one day.

“It may have just been a pipe dream at the time because I was so young but having that goal made me work a bit harder and be a bit more disciplined.” he noted.

MacDougall says he didn’t spend much time socialising outside of school or going to parties. Instead, he realized golf was his hobby and passion and he was happy to be spending five or six days a week working on his game in practise.

MacDougall’s talents on the golf course would earn him a Division I scholarship to High Point University in North Carolina.

“After I got to High Point University that’s when I really started thinking that my childhood dream of playing golf professionally could be a reality,” he said. “I was determined to put everything I had into and see where it took me.”

After completing his freshman year, he scored a big victory at the 2017 Alberta Match Play Championship. MacDougall beat out a talented field of amateurs to secure the most significant win of his career up to that point.

“Some of the guys in the field were older than me by a few years and I remember looking up to them in high school. So to win that tournament against those fantastic golfers it gave me confidence and made me believe that I could take golf as far as I wanted to take it,” said MacDougall, who would repeat as champion in 2018.

The talented young Canadian would score his first NCAA tournament victory in 2018 as he captured The Big South Championship.

“I started off a little slow but I got incredibly hot for the last 45 holes and I ended up winning the tournament by five or six shots,” he pointed out. “Some don’t get to win a tournament in college and to have my first win at a conference championship was something really special; and it got me into my first NCAA regionals.”

Another notable NCAA triumph came in March of 2020 when he won The Challenge at the Concession. 

“We were in Florida for our spring break and it was the last tournament before everything shut down because of the pandemic,” he recalled.

“It was great to win the tournament but it was also super rewarding that as a team we came in second in front of a lot of great teams. And the best part was the bus ride back with the team.”

For his fifth year of NCAA eligibility, MacDougall transferred to the University of Nevada and played in all eight events during his final season of eligibility with the Wolf Pack. 

MacDougall says his success wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the National Team Program.

National Team head coach Derek Ingram says the 5-foot-8-inch amateur standout has come a long way during his time in the program.

“Brendan is much more mature and professional in his approach to playing the game. He is longer off the tee and he had to add distance to compete at the highest level – it’s a work in progress but he’s made a lot of improvements,” Ingram noted.

“I love Brendan’s routines – quick, committed and athletic. His pre-shot routine reminds me of Corey Conners or Ricky Fowler. He rides positive momentum really well and is both aggressive and smart.” 

For his part, MacDougall has nothing but praise for his National Team head coach.

“Derek is such a great coach and a great person and is dedicated to helping us be the best version of ourselves on the golf course and off. I truly appreciate everything Derek and Golf Canada has done for my game.”

MacDougall points out that one of his biggest short-term goals is to gain status on the MacKenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada. 

Ingram says if the talented young Canadian amateur continues to apply himself and make the necessary adjustments, he likes MacDougall’s chances of competing professionally at the highest level one day.

“Brendan needs to continue to gain more distance and be more explosive. This will give him shorter clubs in on holes and allow him to play out of the rough much more effectively. He also needs to continue to work on not getting too down and beating himself up – as golf tends to do. I like a positive and patient Brendan MacDougall’s chances,” said Ingram.

As he prepares for a transition from amateur to the professional ranks, the fourth year member of the National Team Program is motivated by the success of others who have gone through the program such as Taylor Pendrith, Mackenzie Hughes, and Corey Conners – just to name a few.

“Its inspiring to know that these players have all been where I am. And I know if I’m working hard and doing what I should be doing, there’s a chance that I could be where they are in five or six years,” said MacDougall.

“It’s a credit to them for being able to pave the way for players like me coming up. And one day I would really like to be able to do that for the younger players also.”

Top-ranked Canadian amateur Savannah Grewal has been invited to compete against the world’s best at the 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur from March 30 – April 2.

“It means a ton to me,” said Grewal on being invited. “Being a female and being able to play at Augusta National is huge just because they didn’t let women play there for so long. And especially being able to play in a tournament against some of the top amateurs in the world is unreal.”

An international field is set to compete over 54 holes of stroke play with a cut following the first two rounds. The opening 36 holes will be contested over two days on the Island and Bluff nines at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. The entire field will then play Augusta National for an official practice round Friday, April 1, followed by the final round featuring the top 30 competitors who made the cut.

Grewal, 20, is currently ranked No. 154 on the WAGR and plays for Clemson University in South Carolina. 

While she was first introduced to golf through a camp when she was six, the Mississauga, Ont., product says it wasn’t until a few years later – after occasionally going to the course with her parents – that she decided she wanted to take up the sport competitively. 

By the time she was 16 years old, Grewal knew Clemson was where she wanted to go following high school. While on an unofficial visit that happened to be during the football team’s spring scrimmage, Grewal fell in love with the South Carolina school.

“I told my grandfather – because he was with me – and I told him right after we were done visiting that this is where I want to go to school,” Grewal said. “The coaches were amazing, the facilities were amazing, but for me the most important thing was they had that family atmosphere to it.”

Grewal has since become the first player in Clemson history to record a hole-in-one on March 27, 2021 during the second round of the Clemson Invitational which she would go on to finish third at and she’s the first ever Canadian to sign with the Clemson Tigers women’s golf team.  

The inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur, played at Augusta National Golf Club, was held in 2019 and was won by 2017 Canadian Women’s Amateur Champion Jennifer Kupcho. 

After being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the event returned the following year where 17-year-old Tsubasa Kajitani won the second installment of the event in a playoff over Emilia Migliaccio.

Brigitte Thibault of Rosemère, Que., is the only Canadian to have previously played in the event, playing in both previous installments. 

On Nov. 17, 2021, both Grewal and Thibault, alongside six other women, were named to the Team Canada National Amateur Squad together. 

While it’ll be Grewal’s first time playing in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, it won’t be her first trip to the coveted golf course. Back in April 2017, at the annual Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals held at Augusta, Grewal won the Girls 14-15 age division. 

“To be able to go back and be back on the grounds of Augusta National is huge because it’s the biggest golf course basically – the most popular one in golf – so, it’s super exciting and it just means a ton to be invited,” said Grewal, who was able to do the putting portion of the event in 2017 on the 18th green at Augusta. 

Live broadcast of the final round from the third annual Augusta National Women’s Amateur will kick off at 12 p.m. ET on April 2.

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Emily Zhu is back at historic Biltmore Golf Club this week with the chance to join a highly exclusive circle of two-time Junior Orange Bowl International champions.

In a very real sense, though, Zhu’s 2021 triumph already has paid huge dividends. Fair to say the Biltmore will be seeing a lot more of her in the coming years.

“It was because of the tournament that I was able to get (familiar) with the University of Miami,” said the Canadian champion, who signed in November to play for the Hurricanes starting next fall. “I’m very grateful for that.”

First things first, though. When the international golf showcase tees off Monday, Zhu sets out to become just the fourth golfer to win multiple Junior Orange Bowl titles in the tournament’s long history.

A year ago, Zhu staved off a dogged challenge from Chile’s Antonia Matte to emerge a three-stroke victory that ended a 17-month winless drought. Now she seeks to join Michelle McGann (1985-86), Kellee Booth (1991-92) and Grace Park (1993, ’96) to have her name more than once on the trophy.

“I definitely want to go for it again,” said Zhu. “I think as long as I play my game, I will have a chance at winning again. But it’s not something I can exactly control.”

Anna Davis (Spring Valley, Calif.) is the reigning Junior PGA Championship girls’ champion, pulling away to a seven-shot triumph after a closing 67 at Valhalla Golf Club. It was one of three victories last year for Davis, No. 6 in the latest Golfweek rankings.

Colombia’s Maria Jose Marin, ranked 12th, captured last summer’s Optimist International championship and two AJGA events on the way to nine victories overall in 2021. Argentina’s Juan Loureiro, who won the boys’ Optimist International title in a playoff, also is set to tee it up.

The boys’ division is guaranteed a 58th different champion in as many years, with 2021 winner Sebastian Moss now playing collegiately at the University of Louisville. However, four of last year’s top 10 finishers are back in hopes of adding their name to the champions’ list.

“It’s a tournament that has some pretty cool (winners) over the years,” said Tommy Morrison (Frisco, Texas), who placed fifth a year ago. “I would be honored to have my name on that list.”

The boys’ lineup also features Jean-Philippe Parr, the Canadian junior champion who took third at last year’s Junior Orange Bowl, South American Junior champion Alejandro Ramos of Peru and Caribbean Junior champion Gustavo Rangel of Puerto Rico.

In all, 60 boys and 34 girls are set to tee up in the tournament’s 58th edition, some 20 percent more than last year when the pandemic held down numbers. Several European nations are back in the lineup after sitting out a year.

All seek to join a roster of Junior Orange Bowl champions that includes Tiger Woods (1991), LPGA Hall of Famer Inbee Park (2002), LPGA major winners Lexi Thompson (2009) and Brooke Henderson (2013) and recent PGA Tour winners Joaquin Niemann (2014) and Kevin Na (2000).

Zhu, for her part, acknowledged she has yet to see her name on the trophy. “I would love to, though,” she added. “Just to be able to take a picture.”

Though Zhu captured the 2019 Canadian Junior title, she arrived in Coral Gables last year without a victory since then. A 69-66 start at the Biltmore put her in the driver’s seat, though Matte twice sliced the lead to one before falling back.

“It kind of gave me the sense that I still have it,” Zhu said. “In those times when I get down and my scores aren’t that good, I can look back on the Junior Orange Bowl and what I did during those moments to help me win.”

Zhu became Canada’s third Junior Orange Bowl champion, joining Brooke Henderson (2013) and Maude-Aimee LeBlanc (2006). And there was the added bonus when she managed to catch the attention of University of Miami coaches.

“I love the coaches, the team environment,” said Zhu, who kept a limited schedule in 2021 amid virus concerns. “They’ve been very big supporters over the past year as I’ve gone through some of my struggles. I really appreciate what they’ve done for me already.”

The Biltmore, by the way, is UM golf’s home base. “I’ve won here,” she quipped, “so I already like the course.”

Morrison, No. 17 in the Golfweek boys’ rankings, also has a certain familiarity with the Biltmore. This marks his fourth year of teeing up at the Junior Orange Bowl.

“I know a lot of the pins and how the course plays in different wind directions,” he said. “I think I’ve just become more comfortable out here. If you can chip and putt well and play the par-3s well, it leads to some pretty good success.”

This year’s field brings together entrants from such diverse locales as Ukraine, Jamaica, Serbia, Slovenia, Thailand, Guatemala, Bulgaria, India, Zimbabwe, Peru, Turkey, Iceland and Barbados.

“I like the international field,” Morrison said. “We get to meet a lot of new kids we don’t usually get to play with. At a lot of the junior events we play, you kind of see the same people every time.”

Live scoring can be found here.

TORONTO – The Golf Journalists Association of Canada (GJAC) is proud to announce the golf story of the year, as well as the various Player of the Year awards for the 2021 season.

“GJAC is pleased to recognize Canadian professional and amateur golfers again this year with our year end player and Canadian golf story of the year awards,” said Rick Young, President of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada. “While the game posted record participation numbers it also faced another season of unique challenges due to the pandemic. That included a second straight year of cancellations to the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open, rising operational costs and supply chain issues.”

Without further ado; here is the story of the year and Players of the Year for the 2021 season.

2021 Golf Story of the Year

Covid-19 affects golf both positively and negatively. Both the men’s and women’s Canadian Opens cancelled for the second year in a row but golf courses report record number of rounds played.†

Male Professional of the Year – Corey Conners

• Currently ranked #37 in the world.
• Finished T8 at The Masters.
• Collected 13 top-20 PGA TOUR finishes
• Qualified for the TOUR Championship based on Fedex Cup standing

Female Professional of the Year – Brooke Henderson

• Won her 10th career LPGA Tour event at the Hugel-Air Premia LA Open
• Was the runner-up at the ShopRite LPGA Classic
• Finished the season with 12 top-20 finishes.

Male Amateur of the Year – Noah Steele

• *Turned Pro in November
• 2nd at the Azalea Invitational
• Won the Osprey Valley Open as an amateur and came 2nd at the Brudenell River Classic (both Mackenzie Tour Events)
• WAGR before turned pro: 188, WAGR at start of 2021: 129

Female Amateur of the Year – Monet Chun

• *Currently Sophomore at Michigan
• 5 top-15 finishes in her NCAA debut season, including T2 at the Columbus Regional
• Named Big Ten Freshman of the year
• Finished T2 at the Porter Cup and 2nd at the Ontario Women’s Amateur, which included a course record of 64 in the final round
• Current WAGR: 187, WAGR at Start of 2021: 736

Corrine Allan doesn’t hesitate when asked if she thinks her golf course, now one giant water hazard, can recover from the devastation brought by the flooding in the Sumas Prairie area of Abbotsford.

“Oh gosh, yes,” says Allan, owner and general manager of Fraserglen Golf Course. “I am going to aim for March.There is a lot of water and debris on the course, but once that is cleaned up and the greens are cleaned over time, it will come back just fine.”

Make that lots and lots of water. Allan estimates her clubhouse and restaurant had as much as five feet of water inside them.

“And we have a lot of equipment, as do farmers in the area, that are under water,” she says. “We have our pro shop and a restaurant and another house on the property that are all ruined, basically.”

Fraserglen is one of many Fraser Valley golf courses impacted by last week’s flooding. The par 62 course,located on South Parallel Road near Highway 1, sits on 56 acres. “It’s devastating and I don’t think the shock has fully set in yet,” says Allan. “And nobody has insurance so we’re hoping the government will kick in.”

Flood insurance is not available to homes and businesses in the area because Sumas Prairie sits on a flood plain. Allan has been buoyed by the offers of support she has received. “People have reached out to us like you wouldn’t believe,” Allan says. 

“And the golf industry is amazing. They are willing to help. From as far away as Calgary, we’re hearing,‘what can we send you, what can we do for you?’ It’s just really amazing.”

Allan refuses to feel sorry for herself. “I have my family healthy and we can just work really hard to make everything happen. We’ll just roll up our sleeves and get to work. I think that’s all you can do.”

WASH OUT

Mission Golf Club wasn’t hit by serious flooding, but the atmospheric river that dropped record rainfall on the area has put one hole out of play. A slide occurred on Mission’s par 3 third hole, which also plays as No. 12 from a different tee for those playing 18 holes. Most of a rock wall fronting the green was washed away in the slide and head pro Mark Anderson expects the hole to remain closed until the early spring. “Luckily we have a practice hole (between holes 6 and 7) ,” Anderson said. “So we can turn that into a par 3. That’s a good back-up for us.”

‘ISLAND GREENS’

Chilliwack courses were also hit hard. Royalwood was completely under water and remained closed as of Nov. 21. Nearby Chilliwack Golf Club hopes to re-open some time this week. “We can actually see our golf course again,” said Chilliwack general manager Bryan Ewart. “I think we’ll be okay. None of our buildings were damaged and we’ll get out of this relatively unscathed, unlike some of our neighbours. 

“For a while there we had four island greens. It would be good for our marketing: TPC (Sawgrass) has nothing on us.” Ewart said the flooding and this past summer’s heat dome have made it a tough year. “These extremes are pretty harsh,” Ewart says. “I have been here 10 years now and have never experienced anything like this. We keep saying we are so ready for this year to be done.”

BACK IN BUSINESS

The lower portion of Belmont Golf Course in Langley had eight to 10 feet of water on it at one point. Troy Peverley, vice president of the West Coast Golf Group, said the course would be open for nine-hole play this week. Swaneset Bay in Pitt Meadows has all 36 of its holes back in play and the WCGG’s other course, Hazelmere in Surrey, has re-opened after being closed for a couple of days. Pitt Meadows Golf Club remained closed as of Nov. 21. It had large pools of standing water and some damage was done to its bridge on the ninth hole.

The 17th annual Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru National Event concluded the fundraising season with close to 100 women taking to Islington Golf Club in Etobicoke, Ont. The group event included 18 holes of golf, raffles, prizing and games to celebrate the efforts of thousands of participants from coast-to-coast.  

Established in 2003, the program has since raised over $7.2 million in fundraising with 100 percent of the proceeds going towards the Canadian Cancer Society and the Québec Breast Cancer Foundation. 

“The remarkable efforts from volunteers, site coordinators, and our partners at Subaru, the Canadian Cancer Society and Québec Breast Cancer Foundation continue to be a driving force behind the achievements of Golf Fore the Cure,” said Kara Anthony, Golf Canada’s female participation coordinator. “We’re excited for next season and the continued growth of women’s golf in Canada.”

Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru was created to drive women’s participation in golf through the use of fun, non-intimidating activities. Through a unique partnership structure with the Canadian Cancer Society and Québec Breast Cancer Foundation, the program has women across the country participating in golf activities and raising money and awareness for a cause close to Canadian hearts—the fight against breast cancer.

The top three fundraising teams

The Canadian golf industry generates $330M in philanthropic dollars generated at more than 51,000 tournaments and charitable golf events.

Subaru Canada has been a proud partner of Golf Fore the Cure since 2007.

To learn how to get involved with Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru, visit golfcanada.ca/golfforethecure