When Jason John and Lynn Furlotte told their only child that she could accomplish anything she puts her mind and heart into, they truly meant it – and just as important, she truly believed them. Today their daughter, Leah John, is 22 years old and is among a select group of elite athletes to be part of Golf Canada’s National Team Program.

Besides being regarded as one of the most promising amateur golfers in Canada, John is also an All-American Scholar at the University of Nevada where she is playing for the women’s golf team on a full scholarship.

That unique combination of high intellect, elite athleticism and talent is fully utilized by the five foot eight inch Canadian as she’s enjoyed notable recent success on the golf course.

John’s recent success on the links includes back to back British Columbia Women’s Amateur titles to go along with her maiden NCAA victory in February of 2022.

Growing up in Vancouver, British Columbia, young Leah spent time playing a number of sports. She was the type of gifted athlete that would excel at any sport she put her time and energy into. In high school, besides excelling on the golf course, she was also a star on the volleyball courts and the basketball courts.

Then at the age of 15, she made the decision to focus solely on golf.

“I chose golf because I personally felt it was the hardest sport out of all of them. I just found golf to be the most mentally and physically challenging; and I love challenges and being outdoors,” John pointed out.

After dedicating herself fully to the sport of golf, John soon started seeing breakthrough results. In 2018, just after graduating from high school, the then 18-year-old recorded a runner up finish at the B.C. Junior Girls’ Championship.

“I had shot four under the first day and led most of the tournament and ended up coming in second. It gave me a lot of confidence to do that against the best juniors in the province who had a lot more experience than me,’” she recalled.

After taking a gap year to hone her game, the Vancouver native earned a scholarship to the University of Nevada.

“It was a smaller school which was great because I felt that sense of community. They had the coaches, mentors, the resources, and the facilities to help me to develop as a player and a person. The school had all the things I was looking for,” she said.

John’s passion for golf grew during her time at the University of Nevada and that passion comes through in her positive and confident approach on the course.

“I like to have fun. You might see me laughing out there in between shots; but I’m always ready to grind also,” she noted.

That positive and confident mindset has served her well. In the summer of 2021, John recorded the most notable win of her young career when she captured the B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship.

Building on the momentum of that big triumph, John would record her first NCAA victory by capturing The Show at Spanish Trail in February of 2022.

“On the third day, the conditions were very windy and I was trying my best to hold on to the lead. I hit some good shots and some not so good shots but found a way to win; and learned a lot about myself during that tournament,” said John of her maiden NCAA victory.

In the summer of 2022, she would defend her title at the British Columbia Women’s Amateur.

While winning in her province in two consecutive years is great, John said it was extra special to be able to share it with her family.

“My dad caddied for me in those two events and they were special wins for us. It brings me a lot of joy to think about that. My parents have always been my biggest supporters and it’s hands down the best time we spent together,” she said.

“Getting those wins in front of family and friends was just amazing and something I will always remember.”

The recent success on the golf course has John eager for more. And she believes her selection into Golf Canada’s National Team Program will give her the opportunity to reach her full potential as a golfer.

“I want to play this sport professionally and I want to be the best player I can be and the objective of the Program is to help us achieve that goal. I’m grateful Golf Canada sees the potential in me,” said John.

National Team women’s head coach, Salimah Mussani, speaks highly about John’s potential and her dedication to being the best version of herself.

“Leah is super powerful. She has the fastest club head speed on our team. She’s also very eager to learn and is very receptive and open to hearing feedback and exploring different things,” Mussani pointed out about the first year National Team member.

“She’s got all the talent and is also very dedicated; has a great work ethic and a great attitude. These are the type of things that could push her to that next level.”

Currently in her fifth year at the University of Nevada, the 22-year-old Canadian has her mind and heart set on playing the sport professionally at the highest level after she graduates.

As she prepares for that exciting journey ahead, she is motivated and inspired to see the success of other Canadians who have been through the National Team Program such as Brooke Henderson, Corey Conners, and Mackenzie, Hughes, just to name a few.

“Everyone has their own paths but if they did it and this is what it looks like then it gives me confidence to know that I’m following in their footsteps by being in this Program,” said John.

“It gives me a lot of trust that I’m doing the right things and gives me motivation to work even harder to achieve my goals.”

Canadians Dayton Price & Hayden Underhill were survivors of a horrific car crash in Texas that took nine lives, including seven members of the University of the Southwest golf team they were part of.

Here’s the story of their accident and how the game they love is helping them heal.

Your League Levelled Up!

(April 3, 2023) – Golf Canada has announced the launch of The National Golf League (NGL), a nationwide network of existing recreational golf leagues designed to enhance the league experience for participants and generate charitable support for First Tee – Canada.

Built for golfers of all skill levels, the National Golf League will feature a six-week regular season that takes place within existing recreational league play during the summer. A series of regional playoff tournaments across Canada will take place in the fall at premium golf courses. The National Golf League will culminate with the NGL National Championship at Hamilton Golf and Country Club as part of the 2024 RBC Canadian Open tournament week celebration.

The National Golf League will also contribute to the development of a more sustainable and inclusive future for the sport by supporting a charitable component through First Tee – Canada. First Tee is a youth development program that provides accessible pathways to golf participation at schools, community centres, and golf courses across the country.

“League play is one of the most popular ways that Canadians engage with golf. The National Golf League will build on the fun that league golfers already have by supplementing and levelling up existing leagues through a national platform for regular season play and an exciting and unique playoff format,” said Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer, Kevin Blue. “The National Golf League will also provide important charitable support to First Tee – Canada, a program that creates youth participation opportunities for the next generation of recreational golfers.”

National Golf League competitions will utilize an official Golf Canada Handicap applied towards a net Stableford scoring system that allows golfers to earn points for the net score they record on each hole.

Regular season NGL competition will take place over nine holes during six weeks of identified league play called “NGL Majors” that are integrated into existing league play and scheduled at the convenience of the local league operator. A golfer’s best four net Stableford point totals of the six NGL Majors will count towards their season-long points total on the NGL leaderboard.

A portion of the top regular season finishers in each participating league will qualify for the NGL Regional Playoffs, which will take place at premium courses across Canada. Qualifying golfers will select a guest teammate who also played in their regular season league and participate as a team of two in a best-ball net Stableford competition over 18 holes. Successful teams in the NGL Regional Playoffs will earn an all-expenses-paid trip to the NGL National Championship.

The NGL is open to recreational golf leagues played at both private and public courses. Participants must be Golf Canada members to ensure an official handicap is used. There is no registration fee for golfers or leagues to join the National Golf League. Participants will be asked to support First Tee – Canada in their home province by way of donation.

The size of the National Golf League will be limited in its launch year to ensure a positive experience for players and league operators. A limited number of spots remain for leagues to join the National Golf League in 2023—interested league operators should contact Ryan Logan (rlogan@golfcanada.ca) to express interest before April 15. For more information visit NationalGolfLeague.ca.

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Canada’s Monet Chun has made the cut at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

The 22-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., is tied for sixth at 2-under par after two rounds.

Rose Zhang of the United States fired a blistering 7-under round at the storied golf course to sit atop the leaderboard at 13 under.

Chun’s the first Canadian to make the cut at the event.

Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., missed the cut at the inaugural tournament in 2019 and again in 2021.

Savannah Grewal of Mississauga, Ont., missed the cut last year.

The opening 36 holes were held 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 on Friday, followed by the final round featuring the top 30 competitors who made the cut.

Championship schedule to include ten National Amateur Championships presented by BDO, eight NextGen Championships fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, and the World Junior Girls Golf Championship presented by Sargent Farms in addition to Canada’s National Open Championships – the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open

Golf Canada will also conduct qualifiers for several USGA Championships including Local and Regional Qualifying for the U.S. Open as well as the U.S. Women’s Open, U.S. Men’s and Women’s Amateurs and U.S. Junior Girls and Boys Championships

(March 15, 2023) Golf Canada is pleased to announce its 2023 championship schedule, which includes amateur and professional competitions in addition to various qualifiers hosted at venerable golf facilities across Canada.

The 2023 schedule is headlined by Golf Canada’s two signature National Open Championships — the RBC Canadian Open, June 5-11, at first-time host Oakdale Golf and Country Club in Toronto and the CP Women’s Open to be conducted at Vancouver’s Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club Aug. 21-27.  

Golf Canada’s 2023 competition calendar also includes ten National Amateur Championships presented by BDO, eight NextGen Championships fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, and the World Junior Girls Golf Championship presented by Sargent Farms.

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.

“After a wonderful return to a full championship schedule for 2022, we are pleased to continue that momentum in 2023 and welcome thousands of talented athletes to our national championships,” said Mary Beth McKenna, Golf Canada Director, Amateur Championships and Rules. “Together with our corporate partners, our generous host clubs across the country, and all the volunteers that make these championships possible, we are looking forward to another great season of championship golf.”

Each of Golf Canada’s championships are set to be contested at some of Canada’s top clubs including the Canadian Men’s Amateur heading to The Pulpit Club’s 36 holes (Pulpit Course and Paintbrush Course) in Caledon, Ont. while the Canadian Women’s Amateur will be played at Ashburn Golf Club (New Course) in Halifax.

New for 2023 include the winners of both the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur receiving an exemption into the respective USGA Championships. This marks the inaugural time this is on offer for the winner of the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur, which will be, for the first time, a stand-alone event.

Each of the National Junior and Amateur Championships will include $8,000 purses with $1,200 of that going to the respective champions. Financial Assistance Grants supported by Gary Cowan Heritage Fund and the Canadian Senior Golf Association will once again be available for Juniors competing in the Canadian Junior Championships who meet eligibility requirements which can be found here.

Golf Canada will also conduct several professional and amateur championship qualifiers including five regional qualifiers into the RBC Canadian Open as well as final qualifiers for both the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open.

Other notable qualifiers being conducted for USGA Championships on the 2023 schedule include a U.S. Open Local and Final Regional Qualifier and a first-ever U.S. Women’s Open Qualifier in addition to qualifiers for the U.S. Junior Amateur and Girls’ Junior Championships, the U.S. Women’s Amateur, and the U.S. Amateur Championships.  

Golf Canada’s championship season kicks off May 1 with a U.S. Open Local Qualifier at Cherry Hill Club in Ridgeway, Ont. and concludes the week of October 7 with both the NextGen Fall Series West at The Hills at Portal Golf Club in Surrey, B.C., and the World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms at the Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, Ont.

To view Golf Canada’s 2023 Championship Schedule, including all host venues, registration requirements and volunteer opportunities, click here.

2023 Championship Season at a Glance…

The 19th playing of the Canadian University/College Championship, presented by BDO will be held May 29-June 2 at Fire Rock Golf Club in Komoka, Ont. The championship includes both a team and individual component featuring Canada’s top university and college talent.

The 109th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO takes place July 31 – Aug. 4 at Ashburn Golf Club in Halifax, N.S. with the champion earning an exemption into the 2023 CP Women’s Open, as well as an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. The winner also receives exemptions into the 2024 U.S. Girls’ Junior, 2023 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur and 2024 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championships, if applicable.

The 68th Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO will be contested July 23-27 at Hampton Golf Club in Hampton, N.B. where the winner will earn an exemption into the 2024 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship and the 2024 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship.

The 118th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO will be contested August 7-10 at The Pulpit Club in Caledon, Ont. The event will be played over the Pulpit and Paintbrush 18-hole layouts. 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 Pulpit. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2024 RBC Canadian Open, as well as an invitation to the 2023 U.S. Amateur Championship. The winner will also receive an exemption from local qualifying for the 2024 U.S. Open, and if applicable, will earn an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Mid-Amateur, 2023 U.S. Senior Amateur or 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur Championships.

The 84th playing of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO will be contested August 13-17 at North Bay Golf & Country Club in North Bay, Ont.  The champion will receive an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship and 2024 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

The Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, presented by BDO will be held August 20-24 at Algonquin Golf Resort in St. Andrews, N.B.

The Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship presented by BDO will be held July 24-27 at Mad River Golf Club in Creemore, Ont., the first year that the championship will be conducted as a standalone event. 

The Canadian Women’s Senior Championship presented by BDO will take place August 29-September 1 at Mill River Golf Resort in O’Leary, P.E.I.  The Senior Champion will receive an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Women’s Senior Championship and 2024 U.S. Women’s Senior Open.

Big Sky Golf Club in Pemberton, B.C. will play host to the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship September 4-8, with the champion earning an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship.

The third 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 13-15 at Kamloops Golf and Country Club in Kamloops, B.C.

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 2023 national championships. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf. The 2023 NextGen Championship host clubs include: Sunshine Coast Golf and Country Club (Roberts Creek, B.C.), Peterborough Golf and Country Club (Peterborough, Ontario), Athabasca Golf Club (Athabasca, Alberta), Evergreen Golf Club (Nipawin, Saskatchewan), Club de Golf Venise (Magog, Quebec), and Avondale Golf Club (Charlottetown, PEI). An additional two Fall Series championships will take place in September and October, where players will compete for exemptions into their respective 2024 national junior championships. 

An accomplished field of international competitors will take on Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, Ont. from October 2-7 for the eighth playing of the World Junior Girls Golf Championship presented by Sargent Farms. Look for 25 countries playing as 3-member squads competing for both a team and individual title. 

GOLF CANADA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Golf Canada annually conducts more than 30 golf competitions and qualifiers nation-wide – including nine National Amateur Championships – which play host to more than 3,000 domestic and international athletes from all corners of the world. In partnership with our host clubs, thousands of volunteers, provincial golf associations and our proud sponsors, Golf Canada is dedicated to supporting player development through world-class competition since our inception in 1895. Officiated by certified Canadian Rules of Golf officials, Golf Canada’s amateur competitions are fully compliant with golf’s international governing bodies and include marquee events such as the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships as well as the Canadian Junior Girls and Junior Boys Championships. Golf Canada’s amateur championships are proudly supported by BDO Canada, Canadian Pacific, Sport Canada, Levelwear, Titleist,  FootJoy and JOURNIE Rewards. For more information and scheduling visit www.golfcanada.ca/championships.

Uxbridge, ON – The Board of Directors of Golf Ontario (GO) has announced Kyle McFarlane will replace Mike Kelly as the next CEO of the organization beginning on March 1^st, 2023.

“Following the completion of a comprehensive search process which included a deep field of talented candidates, it is my distinct pleasure to share the exciting news that Kyle McFarlane will assume the leadership of Golf Ontario,” said Dr. Susan Vail, President of the Board.

Since 2004, Kyle has demonstrated tremendous dedication to the organization across his multiple roles most recently as Chief Sport Officer. Over the course of his career with the association he has been directly involved in significant growth in the operational and financial breadth of Golf Ontario. He has helped strengthen core and value-added services to members, led the development of new initiatives to introduce more golfers to the game and supported the launch of systems for our best athletes to achieve their highest potential.

Kyle brings a breadth of knowledge and experience that is valued within the sector. As a respected member of the industry, Kyle has developed credibility and in turn strong relationships with Golf Ontario members and industry partners alike. He is well positioned to work collaboratively with partners to positively impact the health of the game and the industry.

In accepting the role, Kyle shared that “For almost two decades, I have had the pleasure to be involved in the evolution of Golf Ontario into a recognized world class operation. This opportunity couldn’t have come at a better time as I’m fully prepared for a new challenge, and am energized to take on the responsibility of leading Golf Ontario through the 2023-26 Strategic Plan.”

Kyle’s passion for golf started at an early age and continues to this day. He is a sports enthusiast and actively involved in his community. Kyle graduated from the University of Memphis with a Master’s degree in Sport Commerce.  He currently resides in Whitby with his wife Lisa and their three children Nolan, Jake and Maya.

Registration for Golf Canada’s competitions is opening soon.  The 2023 schedule features a total of 35 competitions including:

• 10 National Amateur Championships, presented by BDO
• 8 NextGen Championships, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards
• 5 RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifiers, culminating at the Final Qualifier on Sunday, June 4
• CP Women’s Open Final Qualifier on Monday, August 21
• Various USGA Qualifiers in May, June and July

Registration will open on the following dates for each category of championships and qualifiers:

NextGen Championships, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards

NextGen Championships, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards will continue to provide a high-performance training ground and championship experience across Canada, which showcases the next wave of elite junior golfers.

Registration will open on Wednesday, February 15^th at 12:00pm EDT.

NextGen Championships Registration

RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifiers

Join the world’s best amateur and professional golfers and attempt to qualify for the 2023 RBC Canadian Open. Registrants are selected on a first-come, first-serve basis, as long as each applicant meets the eligibility requirements.

Registration will open on Wednesday, February 22^nd at 12:00pm EDT.

RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifers Registration

National Amateur Championships, presented by BDO

True to the life-long sport that golf is, Golf Canada will be conducting 10 national amateur championships for golfers of all ages, genders and abilities.

Registration will open on Wednesday, March 15^th at 12:00pm EST.

National Amateur Championships Registration

The 2022 edition of Golf Canada’s successful campaign for #MyGolfYear fueled by JOURNIE Rewards features personalized achievements and countless golf stories from across the country

OAKVILLE (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada’s #MyGolfYear fueled by JOURNIE Rewards is back, and the 2022 edition is loaded with more achievements, more milestones and more fun for every member who logged their scores this year.

Building on the success of the 2021 campaign and the hugely popular Spotify Wrapped, Golf Canada has enhanced this year’s #MyGolfYear experience with a snapshot from golf scores posted during the season. In addition to total rounds, best round, total holes played, total distance played, users will now have more personalized insights in the form of Achievements.

“Last year we saw how much Golf Canada members loved sharing their #MyGolfYear stats on social media,” said Golf Canada’s Chief Marketing Officer, Lisa Ferkul. “So, this year we really wanted to step up our game and give members even more personal achievements to be proud of when posting to social media channels.”

The full list of achievements for 2022 include:

• Top Golfer: You’re in rarefied air; your handicap ranks you as one of the top X% golfers in Canada.

• Every Day I’m Golfing: You played golf every day of the week this year; something you and 106,943 other Canadians did in 2022.
• Golfer for All Seasons: You played at least one round in each of April, May, June, July, August, September and October.
• Have Clubs, Will Travel: You and XX,XXX other Canadians ventured out and played golf in Y different cities in Canada in 2022.
• #MyGolfDay: You play golf on Sundays and only on Sundays. That’s your day. No ifs, ands or buts.
• Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: You managed to play at least a round of golf five weeks in a row this year.
• Peak Summer: Canada’s warmest day in 2022 was July 28th; on that day, you and another 56,894 Canadians played golf.
• Hole in One: The highest of achievements; you and just 3,089 other Canadians got a hole-in-one in 2022.
• From Sea to Sea: You really get around; you and just X,XXX others played golf in Y different provinces of Canada this year.
• I Am Canadian: You and 109,718 others celebrated Canada Day weekend in the best possible way: Getting in a round of golf.
• Giving Thanks: An ideal Thanksgiving may or may involve turkey, but for you and 32,704 other Canadians, it definitely involved a round of golf.
• Golf Supporter: You’ve been a supporter of Golf Canada and golf in Canada for more than five years—thank you!
• Golf Protector: You’ve supported Golf Canada for over 10 years and helped us grow the game—thank you!
• Breaking Not Bad: You scored a round under 100 / 90 / 80 / 70 this year—congrats!
• New To The Club: You’re new to the Golf Canada community for 2022—welcome!

“We want Golf Canada members to see their achievements from score posting as badges of pride and measures of participation and improvement,” Ferkul said. “We also think it will be great when they receive validation of those achievements from their friends when they post their #MyGolfYear roundup on social media.”

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With more than 270,000 Golf Canada members posting scores in 2022, the marketing team at the national sports organization started digging into the data that would eventually lead to #MyGolfYear months ago. Sully Syed, Golf Canada’s Senior Director of Digital Experience and Technology said that once his team started exploring the data behind the posted scores, several things caught his attention.

“Once we started getting through the score posting data, we really started learning about Golf Canada members,” Syed said. “We learned about the days of the week they play, what golf courses they play most, how far they will travel to play golf, and so much more about their golfing habits in 2022.”

The data also revealed several amazing individual member stories, like that of Jeff Forgrave—whose posted scores indicated he did a few things no one else in Canada did in 2022. Forgrave played golf in all 10 provinces, played 103 different golf courses and played in 50 different cities in 2022.

“I’m an overly avid golfer,” Forgrave admits. “I’ve previously played in all 10 provinces, but never in the same year. This year was one of extensive travels and a lot of golf.”

While Forgrave is a longtime golfer, there were other stories from brand new Golf Canada members like Kathryn McCully of Petitcodiac Valley Golf and Country Club in New Brunswick. As a new Golf Canada member in 2022, McCully logged 89 rounds of golf for the year.

“I plan to play as much, if not more in the coming seasons,” McCully says. “My goal is to get technical with my game and do regular lessons with hopes of becoming more consistent, confident and competitive,” she says, adding, “it’s addicting to add your scorecard into the Golf Canada App and watch your handicap hopefully improve.”

With more than 270,000 Golf Canada members posting nearly 10-million scores in 2022, there is no shortage of stories from #MyGolfYear fueled by JOURNIE Rewards. What’s your 2022 #MyGolfYear story?

To learn more about Golf Canada and the benefits of membership, visit join.golfcanada.ca

Team Canada’s Brooke Rivers is ready to take the next step in her golf career by following in Arnold Palmer’s footsteps.

Rivers has declared her intention to play for Wake Forest University in the new school year, Palmer’s alma mater. The decision isn’t just based on Palmer’s legacy, but the contemporary reality that the Demon Deacons are the No. 2 ranked women’s golf program in the NCAA.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TEAM CANADA’S BROOKE RIVERS

“I’m very excited to be going to such a top golf school, I will be around girls that are very competitive, and I’ll be able to learn from them and grow my golf game by learning from them,” said Rivers. “I will also be able to play in really high rank tournaments, which again, will expose me to play against really good competition, to better myself.”

Rivers, who was born in Brampton, Ont., and raised in Turks and Caicos, signed on at Wake Forest on Friday along with American Macy Pate. The Canadian said the legacy of Palmer, one of the greatest golfers of all time, was just one of the reasons why she wanted to play for Wake Forest.

“Having very good alumni that come out of school, just shows how great the golf program is,” said Rivers, referring to Palmer who arrived at Wake Forest in 1948 and was the school’s first individual NCAA champion in 1949.

But Rivers’s interest in the college in Winston-Salem, N.C., goes beyond its NCAA ranking or history of producing strong professional golfers. She was attracted to its facilities and the strength of its academic curriculum.

“I’m very excited to use the (Arnold Palmer Golf Complex) practice facilities and all of the technology and different resources that they have available there, as well as the amazing (Old Town Club) golf course,” said Rivers, who intends to study business.

“Everything is very close to the dorms so I will be able to spend my time practising and balance my time management.”

Kim Lewellen, the head coach of Wake Forest’s women’s golf team, said she has kept close tabs on Rivers throughout her junior and amateur career.

“She has a nice athletic stature, hits the ball a long way, and has a good golf IQ,” said Lewellen, who noted that Rivers’s parents Tammy Glugosh and Gregg Rivers are also impressive golfers. “I think she also probably got that from her parents, so this was a total package.”

Although Rivers said she chose Wake Forest to learn from some of the best collegiate golfers in the world, she’s no slouch herself. She impressed Lewellen when she tied for 10th representing Canada at the World Amateur Women’s Team Championship on Aug. 27.

Rivers also won the 2021 North and South Junior Championship and tied for eighth at the Scott Robertson Memorial that same year. In 2020, she won the AJGA Visit Tallahassee Junior Championship and tied for second at the Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship.

She also won the Coca-Cola Junior Championship in 2019 and the Future Links Quebec Championship the same year, and was runner-up at the Ontario Women’s Match Play.

“Golf is a tough game, you can have your good rounds, but you can have your bad rounds and golf can hurt your feelings. You have to have a little bit of thick skin,” said Lewellen. “I think Brooke shows the confidence that you need to have for those days that aren’t great.

“She’s not going to feel sorry for herself.”

For the first time since prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Golf Canada had a full slate of amateur championships – from coast-to-coast – contested in 2022. The venues were spectacular, the competition was impressive, and the momentum heading into next season is at an all-time high.

Mary Beth McKenna, the Director of Amateur Championships and Rules for Golf Canada, called 2022 “incredible.” Thirty-two championships were contested, including national, elite junior, qualifiers, or NextGen efforts.

“It’s great to be out at all of our courses, engaging with our member clubs, all the volunteers, and working with our officials and providing playing opportunities to our competitive players,” said McKenna. “It was just a really great year, all-in-all.”

There was, of course, so much momentum behind the game of golf in general in Canada through the COVID-19 pandemic, with the number of recorded rounds by Golf Canada reaching never-before-seen levels. That buzz, McKenna said, was definitely felt through the full summer schedule of Golf Canada championships.

There was success at every level, she continued.

Monet Chun was a perfect example. Chun, the Golf Canada National Team Member, won the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship presented by BDO but also went on to play in the finals of the U.S. Women’s Amateur and teed it up at the CP Women’s Open. There was also Shelly Stouffer, who won the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and proceeded to go on and win the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur plus the Canadian Senior Amateur.

“There were just so many great champions along the way,” said McKenna, pointing as well to the spectacular play of 12-year-old Lucy Lin. “Just to see the progression of some of these players through the calendar year… was just incredible. It was just great to be back at our host clubs seeing the dramatics of amateur golf and seeing their success throughout the summer.”

Golf Canada’s key partners also played an important role in the support and amplification of the amateur championships through 2022. There were also new sponsors like BDO, which came on board as the presenting sponsor of all of the amateur championships and Sargent Farms, which sponsored the World Junior Girls Championship.

“It’s certainly important to support our amateur championships. It just elevates our championships into premiere events. We were so fortunate this year having a number of new partners,” said McKenna. “In concert with our national partners with Titleist, Canadian Pacific, and Levelwear, just the continued support makes our events better and better for our players.”

While the partners play an important role in continuing to elevate the championships, the golf courses where they take place are also important. They could not be played without venues, of course.

In 2022 golfers had the opportunity to tee it up at such fine facilities as Royal Colwood Golf Club in Victoria, B.C., TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, Westmount Golf and Country Club in Kitchener, Ontario, The Marshes in Ottawa, Point Grey Golf and Country Club in Vancouver, The Thornhill Club, Essex Golf and Country Club near Windsor, Breezy Bend Country Club in Manitoba, and Red Deer Golf and Country Club – just to name a few.

While not all the golf courses are confirmed for 2023 yet, McKenna said her team is particularly thrilled to bring the Men’s Amateur to The Pulpit Club’s two courses, plus Ashburn Golf Club in Halifax for the Women’s Amateur.

“Across the board,” said McKenna, “we’re going coast to coast at really some incredibly facilities.”

With lots of excitement from a fabulous 2022, great players, and amazing courses ready to host, 2023 is set to be another fantastic year of Golf Canada championships.