Co-leader Dawson Lew sits atop the Juvenile Boys division at 4-under; Team Ontario leads Inter-Provincial Team Championship by two strokes at 5-under  

BATHURST, N.B. – Dawson Lew of Toronto, Ont., William Bellavance of I‘Isle-Verte, Que. and Austin Krahn of Christina Lakes, B.C. all carded rounds of 66 at Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club in Bathurst, N.B. on Tuesday to each share the first round lead at the 2025 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO. 

The trio capitalized on cooler morning conditions to each enter the clubhouse with the 18-hole lead on Tuesday, overtaking Henry Dao of La Prairie, Que. who originally set the pace at 3-under. Dao, who claimed the NextGen Quebec Championship in July, sits one stroke back of the leaders in fourth and will tee off in the afternoon on Wednesday. Zaiden Dennis of Calgary, Alta. fired a 3-under 67 as well to end his opening round in a tie with Dao.  

Bellavance was the first of the three leaders to get to 4-underand entered the final two holes of his round with a three-stroke lead on the rest of the field before consecutive bogeys Nos. 17 and 18 reeled him back.  

A 5-under front nine, including three-straight birdies on holes four, five and six, powered Bellavance atop the leaderboard on Tuesday to get him in the mix entering Wednesday’s second round.  

His ability to capitalize with the flatstick was the key separator for Bellavance throughout his opening round, admittedly feeling less stress while avoiding dropped shots on the greens. Still, the Quebec native’s perspective remains unchanged with the bulk of the tournament still ahead of him, opting to stick with his preparation and process ahead of Wednesday to attain similar results later in the week.  

“I’ve just played 18 holes and I’ve got 54 more to go, so I hope to be at the same position after 72,” commented Bellavance following his round. “Just going to keep doing my routines, keep getting my process in the right spot and just don’t think about the score too much.” 

Teeing off at the same time as Bellavance, albeit on the tenth hole rather than the first, Lew was able to work around the only blemish of his round at the par-4 12th to get atop the leaderboard through 18 holes. His four birdies and 12 pars the rest of the way highlighted an impressive response from the Torontonian, helping Team Ontario grab the early lead in the process at the Inter-Provincial Team Championship.  

Team British Columbia (B.C.) sits two shots behind and largely through the help of their Team Canada NextGen star Krahn. Starting his round in the morning with four consecutive pars, Krahn finally got into red figures with birdies on Nos. 14 and 16 to begin his climb up the leaderboard.  

The putts continued to fall as Krahn worked through his back nine as well, adding back-to-back birdies at the fourth and fifth before entering the clubhouse on a high with a birdie at the ninth to co-lead the tournament for a second year in a row. His only dropped shot on Tuesday came on the par-4 seventh hole and kept Krahn in the hunt to nab his fourth victory of the year come Friday.  

Krahn pocketed a trio of provincial victories in July to highlight a memorable first year as part of the Team Canada NextGen program, including wins at the British Columbia Junior Championship, British Columbia Amateur and British Columbia Indigenous Championship.  

In the Juvenile Boys Championship, Lew holds a two-shot lead over Bode Stephen of Kingston, Ont. and Bosheng (Dylan) Zhang of Tsawwassen, B.C. Stephen parlayed a bogey-free 2-under front nine with an even back to get within two stokes of Lew, who will look to become the 12th player in the tournament’s history to claim both the Juvenile and Junior Championship in the same year.  

Since 1938, the Canadian Junior Boys Championship has brought together the top junior talent in the country for four rounds of entertaining competition. Those to have previously claimed the Silver Cup have gone on to serve memorable careers in the game of golf, including Canadian Golf Hall of Famers Doug Silverberg (1950), George Knudson (1955), Gary Cowan (1956) and Doug Roxburgh (1970), as well as current PGA TOUR stars Nick Taylor and Adam Svensson who each won the tournament in 2006 and 2012 respectively.   

The 16-and-under Juvenile Championship runs concurrently with the Junior Championship and has featured in the tournament since 1970, with the winner receiving the Jack Bailey Trophy. 

To view the full leaderboard in each of the two divisions as well as the Inter-Provincial Team Competition following the opening round of the 2025 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO please click here.  

Ten provinces represented in the field as Team Ontario eyes third-consecutive win at Championship’s Inter-Provincial Team event through opening 36 holes 

BATHURST, N.B. – After six entertaining NextGen Championships and various junior tournaments from coast-to-coast, the 2025 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO has arrived and is set to run August 12-15 at Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club in Bathurst, N.B.  

156 of Canada’s top junior golfers will tee off in the 72-hole event and battle for the Silver Cup (awarded annually to the Canadian Junior Boys champion) as well as the top spot in the Junior Inter-Provincial Team Championship over the event’s first 36 holes. The winner of the 2025 Canadian Junior Boys Championship will earn coveted exemptions into both the U.S. Junior Amateur and 121st Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship in 2026.  

“We have a competitive and proven field teeing off at our Canadian Junior Boys Championship this week,” commented Sam Brown, Tournament Director, Golf Canada. “Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club is a premier golf facility on our country’s east coast and will offer a unique challenge to Canada’s best young talent. This opportunity is made possible through the skilled staff and volunteers working the event and we are excited for play to get underway.”   

Chase Lassman of Parkland County, Alta. headlines the list of in-season NextGen winners teeing off in New Brunswick this week after claiming a pair of wins in June (NextGen Western and NextGen Prairie) to emphatically punch his ticket into this year’s national championship.  

Maxim McKenzie of Chilliwack, B.C. (NextGen Pacific), Henry Dao of La Prairie, Que. (NextGen Quebec) and Cole Stewart of Fall River, N.S. (NextGen Atlantic) also joined the winners circle through the NextGen Championship circuit this summer and will each rival Lassman’s ambitions for a third title.  

Brett Stouffer of Nanoose Bay, B.C. will also tee off at Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club, qualifying through his fourth-place finish at the 2025 British Columbia Junior Championship in July. Brett is the son of Shelly Stouffer, a two-time Canadian Women’s Senior champion and three-time winner of the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship.  

Additionally, a pair of Team Canada NextGen members will join the hunt for the Silver Cup, including Austin Krahn of Christina Lakes, B.C. and Charlie Gillespie of Calgary, Alta. Krahn enters his fourth-career Canadian Junior Boys Championship having pocketed a trio of provincial victories in July (British Columbia Junior Championship, British Columbia Amateur and British Columbia Indigenous Championship), while Gillespie looks to avenge his runner-up defeat to NextGen teammate Isaiah Ibit of Orleans, Ont. in last year’s event. In addition to claiming last year’s Canadian Junior Boys Championship, Ibit helped Team Ontario clinch their second consecutive Inter-Provincial Team Championship in 2024. 

“The Gowan Brae Golf Club is very pleased to host the 2025 Canadian Junior Boys Championship. We look forward to the players and their families enjoying some maritime hospitality this week along with a challenging golf experience at Gowan Brae,”commented Adam Chamberlain, Director of Golf at Gowan Brae.   

Located on the shores of New Brunswick’s Bathurst Harbour, Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club parlays picturesque views with a stiff challenge for golfers of every level. The surrounding water and windy conditions that Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club is known for can be spotted and experienced on 14 different holes throughout the golf course, maintaining the natural test envisioned by renowned Canadian architect C.E (Robbie) Robinson when he designed the property in 1958. 

“The golf course offers great views of the Bathurst Harbour and Bay of Chaleur but the breeze off the water along with quick greens will provide a great test for the players at this national championship. Our members and local community are excited to host this prestigious event,” Chamberlain added.  

Coupled with slick greens and breezy weather, the 6,700-yard property was considered to be one of the most demanding courses in Atlantic Canada following its 18-hole completion in 1962. The 243-yard par-three 17th into prevailing winds and 447-yard par-four 13th featuring sloping fairways in addition to a three-tiered green are among the most vigorous tests one will find on the property and help differentiate Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club in Canada’s modern golf landscape.  

Since 1938, the Canadian Junior Boys Championship has brought together the top junior talent in the country for four rounds of entertaining competition. Those to have previously claimed the Silver Cup have gone on to serve memorable careers in the game of golf, including Canadian Golf Hall of Famers Doug Silverberg (1950), George Knudson (1955), Gary Cowan (1956) and Doug Roxburgh (1970), as well as current PGA TOUR stars Nick Taylor and Adam Svensson who each won the tournament in 2006 and 2012 respectively.  

The 16-and-under Juvenile Championship has featured in the tournament since 1970, with the winner receiving the Jack Bailey Trophy. Only 11 players have ever claimed both the Juvenile and Junior championship in the same year, with Alex Zhang of Richmond, B.C. being the last to accomplish the feat in 2023.  

Both Junior and Juvenile championship rounds are played concurrently over 72 holes and are open male amateur golfers that have not reached their 19th and 17th birthday respectively by August 1st. All competing players, no matter their division, must have their Handicap Index below 10 to be eligible to compete in the tournament. Further information on eligibility requirements can be found here.  

The first round of the 2025 Canadian Junior Boys Championship will get underway on Tuesday, August 12 and run until a winner is crowned on Friday, August 15. Practice rounds will precede the tournament on Monday, August 11, 2025.  

To view live leaderboards and the up-to-date tee times throughout the tournament, please click here.  

Kelly Masson and Emma Bittorf round out 2025 All Abilities Championship with wins in Men’s and Women’s Net Stableford divisions respectively 

KAMLOOPS, B.C. – Natasha Stasiuk of Oakville, Ont. put the finishing touches on her fifth-consecutive wire-to-wire victory at the Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, on Thursday while Josh Williams of Tavistock, Ont. fired a 3-under 69 to nab his maiden win at the tournament and cap off a thrilling 54 holes at The Dunes at Kamloops in Kamloops, B.C. 

The victories secure both Stasiuk and Williams a spot in the 2026 U.S. Adaptive Open taking place July 6-8 at Woodmont Country Club (South Course) in Rockville, M.D. The event, which the United States Golf Association (USGA) debuted in 2022, will mark the second and third appearance for Williams and Stasiuk respectively, the latter looking to repeat her first place finish in the intellectual impairment category from 2024.  

“It means everything to me to qualify for the USGA Adaptive Open 2026,” said Stasiuk following her round. It’s very competitive event and I am friends with a lot of people there and it feels like home. But I am proud Canadian and love the Golf Canada tournament but I also I love representing Canada on an international level,” she added.  

Stasiuk shot an 11-over 83 in the final round to complete her fifth victory in as many years, firing rounds of 82-86-83=251 to finish 28 strokes ahead of Emma Bittorf of Strathmore, Alta. in the Women’s Gross Stroke Play Championship.  

“Being a five-time champion means a lot to me because I have come a long way in my golf development, I still got work to do to be the best, I try to improve each day, but it’s nice to be rewarded for my hard work, and I look forward to defending my title next year.” 

Williams jumped into the lead three holes into Thursday’s final round and never relinquished his position at the top of the Men’s Gross Stroke Play leaderboard, rolling in birdie putts on Nos. 4, 5, 11 and 15 to seal the deal on his come-from-behind win.  

“I’ve won a lot of tournaments over the years, but none would be considered this high profile, I don’t think I’ve quite let it sink in that I won a national event,” commented an elated Williams following his round on Thursday. His only blemish came at the par-4 18th, solidifying his 54-hole score of 71-70-69=210 to claim Men’s Gross Stroke Play Championship.  

Williams’ playing partner, Josh Hunke of New Dundee, Ont., led after each of the tournament’s opening two rounds but was unable to recover from a pair of early bogeys on Thursday to complete the wire-to-wire triumph. Hunke fell into second place following the second bogey of his final round at the par-4 third hole but clawed his way back to even par with birdies at the seventh, 10th and 15th to maintain his runner-up finish and finish two strokes behind Williams at 4-under.  

The two players have a friendly history and currently live just twenty minutes apart from one another in eastern Ontario. Williams praised the ball striking abilities of Hunke following his round and noted how his own ability to strike the ball as well as his hometown mate will have to improve if he wishes to defend his title in 2026.  

“If [Hunke] even putted half decent, he would have won this tournament for fun… I know he’s going to find that putter and it’s going to be a problem,” added Williams.  

In the Men’s Net Stableford division, Kelly Masson of Grande Prairie, Alta. pieced together a strong finish to surge back into contention and retain his 36-hole lead. Randall Mackus of Prince George, B.C. made claiming the Men’s Net Stableford Championship an uphill battle for Masson on Thursday, teeing off earlier in the day and setting the pace with 37 Stableford points to grab the clubhouse lead at 108 total Stableford points.  

After netting 18 Stableford points at the turn, Masson found another gear on the back nine, collecting his tournament best 21 points over the last nine holes to take the lead for good with 112 total Stableford points.   

Bittorf collected 32 Stableford points on Thursday to reel in 36-hole leader, Stasiuk, and successfully defend her 2024 title in the Women’s Net Stableford division. Bittorf trailed Stasiuk by a single stroke heading into Thursday’s round and used a hot start to propel herself into the lead. With 15 points through her first nine holes, Bittorf continued to add to her total, collecting nine Stableford points on holes 10 through 13 before entering the clubhouse with six points through her last three holes. She finished the tournament with 90 total Stableford points and a two-point victory over Stasiuk.  

This year marked the fifth playing of the Canadian All Abilities Championship; an event that debuted at Humber Valley Golf Course in Toronto, Ont. in 2021 and has since run annually to support Golf Canada’s commitment to fostering a more inclusive and respectful sport environment throughout the nation’s golf community.  

“It’s just amazing how far the sport has come in the last four or five years to have national sport organizations like Golf Canada and the USGA and even provincial governing bodies and state governing bodies in the U.S. step up and start hosting these high-profile events,” praised Williams. 

The Women’s Gross Stroke Play, Women’s Net Stableford, Men’s Gross Stroke Play and Men’s Net Stableford make up the four different divisions that players compete in each year – regardless of disability – throughout the competition’s 54 holes.     

The stableford scoring format of the Canadian All Abilities Championship awards set points based off a golfer’s net score for the hole. The points are awarded as follows: Albatross (5 points), Eagle (4 points), Birdie (3 points), Par (2 points), Bogey (1 point), Double Bogey or higher (0 points).  

To view the final leaderboard from the fifth playing of the Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.   

Kelly Masson and Dustin Boydell share lead in the Men’s Net Stableford Championship, Natasha Stasiuk moves into top spot of Women’s Net Stableford Championship 

KAMLOOPS, B.C. – Josh Hunke of New Dundee, Ont. and Natasha Stasiuk of Oakville, Ont. were able to navigate wet conditions throughout Wednesday’s second round to keep their opening round leads intact at the Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, at The Dunes at Kamloops in Kamloops, B.C. 

Hunke steered around a pair of bogeys on his scorecard with three birdies to shoot a 1-under 71 while Stasiuk added some major insurance over Emma Bittorf of Strathmore, Alta. with a 14-over par performance to get a hand on her fifth-straight title. Both hold outright leads in the Men’s and Women’s Gross Stroke Play division respectively heading into Thursday’s final round. 

A close race for the Men’s Gross Stroke Play Championship emerged in the early stages of Wednesday’s second round as Josh Williams of Tavistock, Ont. reeled in birdies at holes two and four to slice his deficit in half and get within a stroke of Hunke.  

Williams – who started two shots back of Hunke on Wednesday – stayed in limbo with his playing partner, remedying a pair of bogeys on his front nine with birdies at Nos. 8 and 12 to shoot a 2-under 70 and enter his final round one stroke off the pace.  

A bogey at the par-3 16th reeled in Hunke from entering the clubhouse with the same two-stroke lead he ended his round with on Tuesday and sets the Ontarian up for a tight race to claim the Men’s Gross Stroke Play Championship in less than 24 hours.  

“The round was a difficult one with the weather. It was just one of those rounds you needed to be patient, and I was proud of myself that I stayed in it for the most part,” commented Hunke, who teed off at 9:20 a.m. PST and endured wet conditions until the rain exited the Kamloops region at approximately 1:00 p.m. local time.  

“Today was all about trying to keep dry and stay within myself,” continued Hunke. “I was trying to keep it in play and in front of me which I did for the most part. There were a couple of errant shots due to weather but all in all I played within my game plan.”  

Hunke has been surrounded by his family all tournament long and praised his support system for being a major motivational element to help find success in Kamloops. Personally, the week is a special one for the Hunke family, marking the seventh birthday of one of their close family friends that has led Josh to illustrate his ball with seven dots in their honour. He is hopeful that the practice will bring him luck in the form of birdies throughout his final round as he contends for a maiden win at the event.  

“It is really exciting to be in this position. I have worked really hard to hopefully have these types of opportunities… really looking forward to tomorrow,” he added.  

Similarly to Hunke, Kelly Masson of Grande Prairie, Alta. was able to maintain his first round lead in the Net Stableford division on Wednesday, adding 35 Stableford points to get in a two-player tie with Dustin Boydell of Chilliwack, B.C. The two hold a two-point lead over Randall Mackus of Prince George, B.C. and sit at the top of the leaderboard with 73 total Stableford points.  

In the Women’s Net Stableford division, Stasiuk was able to overtake Bittorf for the top spot after picking up 27 Stableford points on Wednesday to get to 59 total points. The four-time Canadian All-Abilities champion enters Thursday’s final round with a one-point lead over Bittorf and a seven-point lead over reining Women’s Net Stableford Champion Tess Trojan of St. Catharines, Ont.  

“With one more round to go I am determined to play my best tomorrow…I am a proud Canadian and I want to show Canada what I can do,” said Stasiuk, who plans on getting a good night’s sleep and some pasta for dinner before heading out to the range early Thursday morning.  

“With all the rain today, it was about tough for me, I don’t play with a glove due to a sensory issue so my goal for the whole round was to keep them dry during the round” added Stasiuk. Her game plan on Wednesday hinged on keeping her golf ball in play and staying out of trouble in which the perimeter of The Dunes at Kamloops can offer.  

The Canadian All Abilities Championship debuted in 2021 at Humber Valley Golf Course in Toronto, Ont. and has since run annually while supporting Golf Canada’s commitment to fostering a more inclusive and respectful sport environment throughout the nation’s golf community. The Women’s Gross Stroke Play, Women’s Net Stableford, Men’s Gross Stroke Play and Men’s Net Stableford make up the four different divisions that players compete in – regardless of disability – throughout the competition’s 54 holes.    

The stableford scoring format of the Canadian All Abilities Championship awards set points based off a golfer’s net score for the hole. The points will be awarded as follows: Albatross (5 points), Eagle (4 points), Birdie (3 points), Par (2 points), Bogey (1 point), Double Bogey or higher (0 points). The golfers with the highest total of accumulated points over 54-holes will win their respective divisions.  

The gross champions will earn exemptions into the 2026 U.S. Adaptive Open taking place July 6-8 at Woodmont Country Club (South Course) in Rockville, M.D. Last month, Stasiuk and Chris Willis of Aurora, Ont. each competed at Woodmont Country Club for the 2025 U.S. Adaptive Open through exemptions from their 2024 titles, finishing first in the intellectual impairment category and second in the men’s upper limb impairment category respectively.   

To view the full leaderboard from Wednesday’s second round at Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.  

Emma Bittorf and Kelly Masson lead Women’s and Men’s Net Stableford divisions to open fifth playing of Canadian All-Abilities Championship 

KAMLOOPS, B.C. Josh Hunke of New Dundee, Ont. parlayed four birdies with a 3-under 69 while Natasha Stasiuk of Oakville, Ont. fired a 10-over 82 on Tuesday to each claim the top spot of the Men’s and Women’s Gross Stroke Play division respectively, capping off an exciting opening round to the Canadian All-Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, at The Dunes at Kamloops in Kamloops, B.C. 

It is the fifth time in as many years that Stasiuk enters the second round with a lead in the Women’s Gross Stroke Play Championship, gaining the bulk of her ground on Tuesday by playing holes No. 6 through 15 at 2-over par. The response was a timely one for Stasiuk and a stretch she later claimed to be integral to her round after falling into a tie for the lead through five with her closest chaser Emma Bittorf of Strathmore, Alta.  

“That stretch was very important to me because I blew up two holes in the start of my round, so I needed to play really good golf so I could have a good lead in the first day,” commented Stasiuk following her round on Tuesday. “I need to play like that for the next two rounds for me to feel confident in my game and have a chance to win my title again,” she added.  

Stasiuk will embark on claiming her fifth-consecutive Canadian All-Abilities Championship title buoyed by a strong finish that featured her second birdie of the afternoon at the par-4 14th. Regardless of how her tournament shakes out through the remaining 36 holes however, Stasiuk was pleased to see more female participation at the Canadian All-Abilities Championship in 2025, with the field as big as it ever has been in Kamloops.  

“Even though I am leading, golf is crazy game and anything can happen. But it’s great to see more women in it so there is more competition which is nice to see adaptive golf growing for women,” she added.  

Though trailing Stasiuk by five strokes in the Women’s Gross Play Championship, Bittorf was able to ride a hot start to her opening round to grab the outright lead in the Women’s Net Stableford division. Her ability to score points on six of her opening 12 holes paved the way to a four-point lead over Stasiuk and get herself in a prime position to defend her Women’s Stableford Championship title from 2024.  

In the Men’s Gross Stroke Play Championship, several contenders emerged to battle reigning champion Chris Willis of Aurora, Ont. for his title including Hunke, who rolled in two birdies on his way out to build a three-stroke gap over the 2024 champion.  

Hunke responded to his only blemish of the day, a bogey on the par-4 first hole, immediately with birdies on Nos. 2 and 6 to get into red figures. Locked in a three-way tie at the top with Josh Williams of Tavistock, Ont. and American Zachary Larose of Denver, N.C. at 1-under, Hunke broke through with a clean back nine, highlighted by a pair of birdies to compliment a total of 13 successful par putts on the day to carry a two-stroke lead into Wednesday’s second round.  

In the Men’s Net Stableford division, Hunke trails leader Kelly Masson of Grande Prairie, Alta. by three points as part of a four-player tie for third place at 35 points. Fourteen players, including Hunke sit within five points of the lead, making for an entertaining competition running concurrently with the Gross Stroke Play Championship over the remaining 36 holes.  

This year marks the fifth playing of the Canadian All-Abilities Championship, with the annual competition supporting Golf Canada’s commitment to fostering a more inclusive and respectful sport environment throughout the nation’s golf community. The Women’s Gross Stroke Play, Women’s Net Stableford, Men’s Gross Stroke Play and Men’s Net Stableford make up the four different divisions that players compete in – regardless of disability – throughout the competition’s 54 holes.   

The stableford scoring format of the Canadian All Abilities Championship awards set points based off a golfer’s net score for the hole. The points will be awarded as follows: Albatross (5 points), Eagle (4 points), Birdie (3 points), Par (2 points), Bogey (1 point), Double Bogey or higher (0 points). The golfers with the highest total of accumulated points over 54-holes will win their respective divisions. 

The gross champions will earn exemptions into the 2026 U.S. Adaptive Open taking place July 6-8 at Woodmont Country Club (South Course) in Rockville, M.D. Last month, Stasiuk and Willis each competed at Woodmont Country Club for the 2025 U.S. Adaptive Open through exemptions from their 2024 titles, finishing first in the intellectual impairment category and second in the men’s upper limb impairment category respectively.  

To view the full leaderboard from Tuesday’s busy opener to the Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, and second-round tee times, please click here. 

British Columbia looks to defend 2024 Inter-Provincial title through opening 36 holes of competition 

LACHUTE, Que. – The 2025 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, is set to get underway Wednesday, August 6 at Lachute (Club de golf) in Lachute, Que.  

58 of the best female amateur talents above the age of 25 will tee off in their respective divisions on Wednesday, with the mid-amateur (players aged 25-and-over as of August 6) and mid-master (players aged 40-and-over as of August 6) competitions both running concurrently through the completion of 54 holes.  

A trio of previous winners headline the field competing in Lachute, Que. including 2010 champion and Quebec Golf Hall of Famer Marie-Thérèse Torti of Candiac, Que. who will be playing the event in her home province for the first time in four years.  

Torti will be joined by Canadian Golf Hall of Famer and 2008 champion Mary Ann Hayward of St. Thomas, Ont., as well as three-time champion Judith Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont. Kyrinis joins the field after missing last year’s event to compete overseas at the R&A’s Women’s Senior Amateur Championship, and has since claimed a record seventh Ontario Senior Women’s Championship title to add to her impressive list of accomplishments in the game of golf. 

Shelly Stouffer of Nanoose Bay, B.C. claimed her third title in four years at the 2024 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship in Crown Isle Resort and Golf Community (Crown Isle) in Courtenay, B.C. The 54-year-old edged out 39-year-old Catherine Matranga of Fort Worth, Texas by a pair of strokes to move within three wins of the national championship record (six) set by Christina Proteau of Port Alberni, B.C. 

Though Stouffer will not be competing in 2025, her win last year helped Team British Columbia claim the Margaret Todd Trophy (awarded annually to the province with the lowest score after 36 holes. Team B.C. bested Team Alberta by 10 strokes to soundly take the 36-hole event in their home province last year.  

“We are thrilled to be in Quebec this week for the 18th playing of the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship,” commented Golf Canada Tournament Director Madeline MacMillan. “This is the third year in which the tournament will be held independently from other national championships on our calendar, and we are looking forward to an exceptional week of golf on a historic course alongside supportive staff and volunteers at Lachute (Club de golf).”  

With over a century’s worth of history and a pair of championship-caliber golf courses nestled in its 500-acre property, Lachute (Club de golf) stands definitively as a premier golf facility in the nation. Founded in 1923, the course’s original 18-hole design was crafted and completed through the work of renowned Canadian architect Stanley Thompson in 1949. A dozen years later and with inspiration from Thompson, Lachute native Howard Watson designed the property’s second course, stretching over 7,000 yards and providing another stout test for golfers of all levels. Watson was inducted to the Quebec Golf Hall of Fame as a builder in 2021.  

“The Lachute Golf Club, it’s members and the entire community is very eager to host the 2025 Women’s Canadian Mid-Amateur Championship,” said Benjamin Painchaud, General Manager of the course. “In 2024, Golf Quebec made it an absolute priority to promote and develop women’s golf. The Lachute Golf Club has followed suit in 2025 by donating funds to this cause, hosting women’s junior events and the Canadian Mid-Amateur Championship. The entire community here in Lachute is looking forward to meeting the athletes and ensuring a quality Championship experience,” he added.  

Lachute (Club de golf) has hosted numerous major golf tournaments throughout its history, including the 1977 Peter Jackson Classic (now known as the CPKC Women’s Open) won by World Golf Hall of Famer Judy Rankin of St. Louis, Mo. In addition to the LPGA TOUR great, the course’s greens have also been graced by the presence of other legends in the game, including Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino and Nick Price among the many to tee off at one of Quebec’s finest golf locations.  

Female golfers (aged 25-and-over as of August 6, 2025), with a handicap index of 12.0 or less are eligible to compete in the Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship in Lachute, Que. A pair of notable exemptions are up for grabs for the winner, including entry into the 2025 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship set to descend on Monterey Peninsula Country Club (Dunes Course) in Pebble Beach, Calif. October 4-9, as well as a spot in the field for the 2026 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship to be held at Burlington Golf & Country Club, in Burlington, Ont. from August 4 – 7, 2026.  

To view the full field, tee times and more information on the 2025 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, please click here. Practice rounds for the tournament will take place on Tuesday, August 5 at Lachute (Club de golf) in Lachute, Que.  

Tillie Claggett has had a tremendous summertime stretch and now she’s as eager as ever to put a tidy exclamation point on things with a start at the CPKC Women’s Open in August.  

Claggett earned her spot in Canada’s National Women’s Open at the Mississaugua Golf and Country Club via her incredible seven-shot victory at the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada, part of the She Plays Golf Championship Series.  

An incoming senior at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., who shot a second-round 63 to push her to what turned out to be an insurmountable lead, also had a runner-up result at the Texas Women’s Amateur Championship in June and a semi-final appearance at The Women’s Amateur in Scotland. 

This year will mark the CPKC Women’s Open debut for Claggett, a member of Team Canada’s National Team. It will not be, however, her LPGA Tour debut. She received a sponsor invite into the Volunteers of America Classic in 2020.  

Claggett has always been an athlete growing up as a star swimmer before beginning to take golf lessons with her dad. She went to a sports school in Calgary which accommodates the schedule of high performing athletes before moving to Texas in Grade 9. She did club swimming there for a year but living in Texas she was obviously able to practice golf more, she says, and the schedule of balancing both sports became too much.  

“Honestly, when I was doing both, I was so afraid of the day I had to choose,” she explains. “But the choice kind of made itself. I loved golf so much and there was so much more longevity in it. There was a lot more joy in it. I kept swimming in high school, but I chose golf from there pretty quickly.”  

Claggett says she went to a “few” different post-secondary camps but with a laugh she explains, the way recruiting works now, she was able to send a lot of emails to coaches, but they are not allowed to respond. Alas, she kept her options open but quickly fell in love with the Vanderbilt campus, the coaches, the team environment and the city of Nashville and yet again, her decision was made quickly.  

Growing up an athlete, Claggett says she’s always hit the ball awfully far which has helped her grow as a competitor as she’s notched five top-10 finishes across the last two seasons at Vanderbilt. Claggett says, even though her swimming days are behind her, she still “loves” the gym, working out upwards of six times per week.  

“And when my putter gets hot, it’s hot. (At the PGA of Canada Women’s Championship) with the win, I was gaining two shots a round with the putting. Mainly my style is just that I like to play aggressive – I want to take advantage of my distance. It’s just how I play the game. It’s my style and it pays off more often than not,” Claggett says.  

The plan now, Claggett explains, is to get her degree (in communications) that’s she’s worked so hard for and then will turn professional after that.  

One more year of school, and one very special opportunity at Mississaugua to come.  

SHE PLAYS GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES QUALIFIERS  

The She Plays Golf Championship Series began in 2024 at The Peloton Glencoe Invitational in Calgary and features =three enhanced $60,000 54-hole championships.  

Katie Cranston: Cranston received an exemption due to her finishing first in the Order of Merit at the conclusion of the She Plays Golf Championship Series. The Team Canada member went T2-T9-T9 in the trio of events.  

Clara Ding: Ding, a member of Team Canada NexGen, won the first event of the She Plays Golf Championship Series in B.C. with a dramatic final-hole birdie. Amongst those Ding defeated was Cranston – they were two of three golfers to share a piece of the lead in the final day.  

Shauna Liu: Liu won the Peloton Glencoe Invitational, the first event of the She Plays Golf Championship Series in a come-from-behind effort. It was the fourth win of the year for the 16-year-old and another Team Canada NexGen member. 

Isaiah Ibit played final six holes at 4-under par to force playoff with O’Donovan.  

GATINEAU, Que. – Declan O’Donovan of Sydney, Australia edged out Team Canada NextGen member Isaiah Ibit of Orleans, Ont. on the second playoff hole to claim the 120th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, and cap off a memorable finish at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club in Gatineau, Que.  

O’Donovan captured his title by draining a birdie putt from outside 30 feet, becoming the first Australian winner to hoist the Earl Grey Cup since Gary Simpson claimed the 89th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship in 1993. 

O’Donovan carded rounds of 69-67-67-64=267 to win the tournament, playing alongside Ibit and Andre Zhu of Richmond Hill, Ont. in the final group on Thursday. All three players held a share of the lead throughout the final round. It was the first-ever playoff of O’Donovan’s golf career.  

After opening his final round with a pair of bogeys to fall out of the lead, O’Donovan orchestrated a clinical start to his back nine to authoritatively retrieve his place atop Thursday’s leaderboard.  

The 22-year-old made the turn exactly how he needed to, holing out on his second shot on the par-4 10th for eagle to claw his way back in contention. A birdie at the 11th followed for the Australian, tying him for the lead before outright securing it four holes later following a pair of dropped shots from Ibit and Andre Zhu of Richmond Hill, Ont.  

His one-shot lead rendered safely until the final hole, with O’Donovan adding some insurance with consecutive birdies on Nos. 16 and 17. The cushion however, failed to hold off the red-hot putter of Ibit who roared to life with three-straight birdies on Nos. 16, 17 and 18 to dramatically force a playoff with O’Donovan.  

“Isaiah, he really got the momentum going for me,” praised O’Donovan of Ibit, his playing partner. “He was forcing me to play well. 16, 17 and 18, for him, three birdies was absolutely incredible… he’ll definitely win this event. I’m not sure how many people have won the junior Canadian amateur and the men’s Canadian amateur, but if he’s the first, I could definitely see that happening,” he added.   

The two played the 18th hole twice, escaping the first playoff hole equally with par before a wayward approach shot on the par-5 shaped the tournament’s outcome. Alongside O’Donovan in the first cut of the rough aligning the fairway, Ibit opted to use a three-wood to get his ball onto the green. His shot veered left of the target, failing to find his ball and forcing him to take back-on-the-line penalty relief on the fringe of the 16th green, as O’Donovan safely delivered his approach to the edge of the fairway.  

Moments later, an up-and-down secured O’Donovan the title, with the Australian diverting from his lack of playoff experience by reading his last putt perfectly to become the second international player in as many years to hoist the Earl Grey Cup.  

“I’ve played tournaments before. I’ve won, and I have been behind the eight ball, and I think the biggest thing that I’ve learned in situations like today is just keep hitting the ball. Don’t let your head take you out of it. Just keep hitting as many good shots as possible. And I definitely did that today,” said O’Donovan. 

In addition to winning the Earl Grey Cup, O’Donovan becomes one of the first players to clinch their place in next year’s RBC Canadian Open, set to return to TPC Toronto (North Course) at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont. The win also grants the Australian a place in the 125th U.S. Amateur Championship, set for August 11-17 at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, Calif. and fully exempts him from local qualifying for the 2026 U.S. Amateur and 2026 U.S. Open.  

“There’s a lot of opportunity that comes with this event. I mean, I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about what, what could happen if I did win. I think rolling that putt in on the last really let the feeling sink in of that I’m going to be playing in a PGA TOUR event, I’m going to be playing my first U.S. Amateur,” said O’Donovan. 

If eligible, O’Donovan will be able to defend his title next year as Thursday’s win secures his place in the field at the 121st Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. He also joins a prestigious list of players to have their name etched into the Earl Grey Cup, including Canadian Golf Hall of Famers George S. Lyon and Sandy Somerville who captured eight and six championships respectively. 

Other past champions include Canadian Golf Hall of Famers and four-time winners, Nick Weslock (1957, 1963, 1964, 1966) and Doug Roxburgh (1972, 1974, 1982, 1988). More recently, two-time PGA TOUR winner Mackenzie Hughes claimed the championship in consecutive years (2011, 2012) while 2023 RBC Canadian Open champion and five-time PGA TOUR winner Nick Taylor claimed the 103rd Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship in 2007. 

Team Ontario was able to successfully reclaim the Willingdon Cup on Tuesday with a seven-stroke come-from-behind win over Team Quebec and Team Alberta.  

The trio, represented by Eric Zhao of North York, Ont., Dawson Lew of Toronto, Ont. and Zhu parlayed a 7-under 63 from Zhu on Monday with a 4-under performance from Lew the following day to clinch the province’s 33rd title at the Inter-Provincial Team Championship.  

The team championship ran concurrently over the first 36 holes, with the two lowest scores from the three-person team counting towards the combined team total for each round. Team Ontario finished last year’s tournament four shots behind Team British Columbia.  

The top 20 finishers on Thursday have also secured a spot in next year’s Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. To view the final leaderboard from the 120th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.  

Andre Zhu and Team Canada NextGen member Isaiah Ibit enter final round two and three shots off the pace  

GATINEAU, Que. – Declan O’Donovan of Sydney, Australia fired a 6-under 64 on Wednesday to claim the top spot of the leaderboard at the 120th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO. O’Donovan’s lead caps off a busy round of international talents soaring into contention at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club in Gatineau, Que.  

O’Donovan pulled in front of Jager Pain of Woodbridge, Ont. and Andre Zhu of Richmond Hill, Ont. on the 14th hole, converting on his fifth birdie putt of the day as the 36-hole co-leaders dropped shots.  

An eagle at the scorable par-5 fifth electrified O’Donovan’s round on Wednesday, leading to six additional birdies and helping the Australian climb four places to hold the outright lead at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. 

“It honestly put a kick in my step which was very nice,” commented O’Donovan of his early eagle to get the ball rolling on his round. “I went on a nice string of birdies on some tough holes later on,” he added.  

The Australian – ranked no. 352 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) and one of five competing in the field – wasn’t the only international player to catch fire and make a charge on moving day. His 6-under 64 on Wednesday overtook Noa Auch-Roy of Lyon, France for the lowest score of the day, with the latter negating a trio of bogeys with eagles on Nos. 1 and 5 before playing his back nine 4-under par and rising 19 places.  

Auch-Roy will open Thursday’s final round four strokes off the pace and in a tie for fourth alongside Calen Sanderson of Newtown, Pa. – who was able to claw his way into contention. Pain rounds out the trio at 6-under after following up three birdies in his first four holes with a 3-over finish on his back nine to close with an even par 70 on Wednesday. Zhu, who co-led the tournament alongside Pain after 36 holes, will tee off on Thursday alongside O’Donovan in the final group. Zhu carded a timely birdie on the par-4 16th to help recover from a double bogey at the pivotal 14th hole to move into the final grouping.  

Team Canada NextGen member Isaiah Ibit of Orleans, Ont. led the Canadian charge throughout the third round and will open his quest for the Earl Grey Cup on Thursday after firing his lowest round of the tournament. Ibit birdied Nos. 16 and 18 to get to 7-under for the tournament, finishing his round at 3-under 67 to pull within three shots of O’Donovan.  

O’Donovan, Zhu and Ibit will all tee off in Thursday’s final group at 10:10 a.m. EDT.

The Royal Ottawa Golf Club played nearly two strokes easier than Tuesday’s second round, prompting lower scoring and charges from various players that started their round outside the first page of the leaderboard on Wednesday. Cloudy conditions surrounded the Ottawa-Gatineau region throughout the third round and is expected to linger into Thursday.   

As for the 54-hole leader, excitement stands as the only emotion O’Donovan has felt since exiting the 18th green on Wednesday, with a chance to come out victorious in less than 24 hours at one of golf’s oldest amateur championships  

“I love playing golf and playing in different countries, this is another great opportunity,” commented the 22-year-old. 

“There’s a lot of opportunity ahead of me but regardless of what happens tomorrow I’m still going to be playing golf the next day so as long as I stick with that mindset and stay aggressive, I’ll be very happy with whatever the result is.”  

Thursday’s winner will receive a direct exemption into several marquee events, including a spot in the field at the 2026 RBC Canadian Open. Additionally, the Canadian Men’s Amateur champion will lock up a place in the 125th U.S. Amateur Championship, set for August 11-17 at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, Calif. and will be fully exempt from local qualifying for the 2026 U.S. Amateur and 2026 U.S. Open. The winner – as well as the top 20 finishers – will also be exempt into next year’s Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship and will be able to defend their title, if eligible.    

To view the full leaderboard after 54 holes, as well as scheduled tee times for Thursday’s final round of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.  

Three players hold a share of the individual lead entering the third round on Wednesday 

GATINEAU, Que. – Team Ontario overcame a three-stroke deficit on Tuesday to avenge their runner-up finish from last year’s event and claim their 33rd Willingdon Cup, capping off a busy second round at the 120th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO.  

Dawson Lew of Toronto, Ont. led the comeback to help Team Ontario reclaim their place atop the annual Inter-Provincial Team Championship, negating an early bogey on his round by playing his next 10 holes at 5-under par to disarm Team Quebec of their lead and give his side the momentum they needed to win the title.  

“It’s awesome,” commented Lew on the feeling of winning the Willingdon Cup. “I know both of the guys on the team, so it feels nice to be able to get it done with them,” he added. “We just wanted to play good on our own and kind of let the results take care of itself.”  

Team Ontario was represented by Andre Zhu of Richmond Hill, Ont., Eric Zhao of North York, Ont. and Lew. The trio combined to shoot 10-under par over 36 holes as Team Quebec settled in a tie for second with Team Alberta at 3-under par despite leading the field by three strokes at the start of Tuesday’s round.  

Team Canada NextGen member Jager Pain of Woodbridge, Ont. was able to capitalize on easier scoring during Tuesday’s morning wave to wrap up the day with a share of the lead despite trailing by two upon entering the clubhouse. His ability to work around an early bogey at the par-4 second highlighted the 18-year-old’s ascension up the leaderboard on Tuesday, playing the following four holes at 3-under par with his dad on his bag.  

All week, the focus between the two has been situated on consistently finding new ways to follow dropped shots with pars and birdies, with Jager going as far as drawing a blue goldfish on his golf ball to remind himself of the short memory needed to do so.  

“It’s been a birdie mindset, trying to get as many birdies as I can and eliminating bogeys with strategy,” commented Jager, backing up his claims with 12 pars on Tuesday including eight-straight to close out his second round. He enters Wednesday’s third round in a deadlock with Zhu and Ryan Vest of Vernon, B.C. atop the leaderboard at 6-under par, crediting his play off the tee as the difference maker at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club.  

“I just tried to play simple golf and not do anything crazy. There’s a lot of places you can’t miss out here, so I just tried to avoid those. I think playing steady golf all week is the way to go,” added Pain.  

Vest – who teed off in the afternoon five shots off the pace – fired a bogey-free 67 to give himself a look at hoisting the Earl Grey Cup on Thursday as tougher conditions brought much of the field back into contention.  

Thirteen players will start their third round within three shots of the lead after 18-hole leader Thomas Grenier of Thetford Mines, Que. laboured to a 3-over 73 finish just a day removed from setting a tournament scoring record. Grenier was unable to shake off consecutive dropped shots at Nos. 6 and 7, compounding his efforts with a double-bogey at 17 to start Wednesday’s third round a shot behind the leaders at 6-under par.  

Team Canada NextGen members Ethan Wilson of St. Albert, Alta. and Isaiah Ibit of Orleans, Ont. sit two strokes off the lead and will begin their third rounds in a tie for fifth. Declan O’Donovan of Sydney, Australia shot a 3-under 67 on Wednesday to rise 23 places and join the duo. He’s ranked no. 348 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR).  

The winner of the Earl Grey Cup will receive a direct exemption into several marquee events, including a spot in the field at the 2026 RBC Canadian Open. Additionally, the Canadian Men’s Amateur champion will lock up a place in the 125th U.S. Amateur Championship, set for August 11-17 at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, Calif. and will be fully exempt from local qualifying for the 2026 U.S. Amateur and 2026 U.S. Open. The winner will also be exempt into next year’s Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship and will be able to defend their title, if eligible.   

For the individual and inter-provincial team leaderboards following the second round of the 120th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.