JOHN’S, N.L. – Early morning clouds separated and beams of sunshine broke through in much the same way that third-round action unfolded at the Canadian Junior Boys Championship. Thomas Critch, who began the day with a share of 7^th, carded a 5-under 67 to sit atop the leaderboard at Clovelly.

Critch – a dual citizen who resides in Cedar Park, Texas – collected seven birdies on the day, including five across a bogey-free back nine, highlighted by a 45-foot putt on No. 14. He would go on to birdie his final two holes to claim sole possession of the lead at 5-under 211.

“I had it going at the beginning,” recounted the 16-year-old. “I was 2-under through four and then I had a couple of slip-ups on six and eight. I made a really good par putt on hole nine that got me going. I just had it going on the back nine. I was putting really well.”

The University of Arkansas commit garnered a strong following throughout the day that was more than eager to lend their support to a hometown boy.

“My grandpa used to be a member here [at Clovelly]. I used to come here every summer and play a couple of rounds. So playing in this and knowing that my whole family is going to be out here watching is really special to me.”

“When I found out the tournament was going to be in St. John’s, I really wanted to play in it very badly,” Critch added. “Just to be in the hunt to win is really cool and if I can win, that’d be great. I bet my family would be really proud of me.”

Heading into the final round, Critch stressed the need for focus and self-confidence.

“I just have to take it one shot at a time and not get too carried away if I’m ahead by a lot or behind by a lot. You can make a lot of birdies, so you’ve just got to stay patient. I just have to know that I can make a lot of birdies like I did today.”

Trailing Critch in both the Junior and Juvenile divisions is Duncan, B.C., native Callum Davison. The 2016 CN Future Links Quebec champion carded a 72 with a trio of birdies on the day to sit two strokes off the lead. 18-hole leader Sam Meek of Peterborough, Ont., and 36-hole leader Brendan MacDougall from Calgary hold shares of third at 2-under. Fellow Calgarian Max Murchison is two shots back of Davison in the 16-and-under Juvenile division.

Alberta claimed the inter-provincial team title which was played concurrently over the championship’s first two rounds. The trio of Calgary’s Brendan MacDougall, Chandler McDowell of Springbrook and Matt Bean from Canmore finished 2-under 286 for a nine-stroke victory.

In addition to the title of Canadian Junior Boys champion, the winner will receive an exemption into the 2016 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship to be co-hosted by The Royal Ottawa Golf Club and Eagle Creek Golf Club from August 8 to 11.

The third day of competition will begin with groups teeing off Nos. 1 and 10 at 7:30 a.m. NST. Additional information from the tournament can be found here.

SHUBENACADIE, N.S. – Dry heat and harsh winds made for unpredictable conditions at the Links at Penn Hills as the opening round of the 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship got underway. Alisha Lau persevered through a blustery back nine and sits alone atop the leaderboard at 2-under 70.

The Richmond, B.C., native tallied four birdies on the front nine to make the turn at 3-under. The 16-year-old added another birdie on the par-4 10th hole, but bogeys on Nos. 15 and 17 cut into her advantage.

“I felt pretty good. I got off to a hot start, so that helped boost my confidence,” said Lau. “The front nine was pretty calm because the trees shielded it from the wind, and then on the back nine it really started picking up. I’m playing pretty conservatively and trying to find my happy medium. I don’t hit it too long either, so I can use the bounce from the fairway to really help me.”

Lau’s best finish at this competition was a T20 in 2014 at Thornhill Golf & Country Club in Thornhill, Ont. In the second round of last year’s championship at Deer Park Golf Course in Yorkton, Sask., she was forced to withdraw due to a bout of food poisoning.

“I took a lot of time off in the winter, so this year I’m just trying to play my game. I haven’t been putting too many expectations on myself. My score today is giving me a little bit of confidence for the next three days, but they’re going to be a long three days still. It’s going to be a grind.”

Victoria’s Naomi Ko leads all Team Canada members in the field at 1-under 71. The Team Canada National Amateur Squad member carded four birdies on the day to join Lau as the only players to finish below-par.

Fellow Victoria native Akari Hayashi recovered from a 4-over front nine with a five-birdie performance through her final seven holes to finish the day in third at even-par. The 13-year-old holds a three-stroke lead over Development Squad member Tiffany Kong in the Juvenile division.

Team Ontario and Team British Columbia lead the inter-provincial team competition at 149 – five strokes clear of second-place. Development Squad member Chloe Currie of Mississauga carded a 73 to lead the Team Ontario contingent consisting of Isabella Portokalis of London and Alexandra Naumovski from Hornby. Team Canada members Tiffany Kong (Vancouver) and Hannah Lee (Surrey) round out Team British Columbia alongside Mary Parsons (Delta).

The 2016 Canadian Junior Girls champion will receive an exemption into the 2017 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship hosted by Cutten Fields in Guelph, Ont., from July 25 to 28.

The second round of the Canadian Junior Girls Championship will see the first group of girls tee off from the first hole at 7:30 a.m. ADT.

Additional information from the tournament can be found here.

JOHN’S, N.L. – The unpredictable weather conditions characteristic of the Newfoundland golf experience welcomed competitors to the first round of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship. Sam Meek opened with a 6-under 66 showing at Clovelly to sit atop the leaderboard.

The native of Peterborough, Ont., began his round by birdieing No. 10. He would go on to collect nine more birdies on the day, including four back-to-back pairs to claim the early lead.

“It was really good,” said Meek when asked about his round. “I struck the ball really well. I was able to make 10 birdies today, so that always helps your cause. Just closing out the round was probably my main focus once I got to the back nine. I had a few hiccups on the back, but I was able to keep it intact for a good round.”

Beaming sunshine and clear skies gave way to chilly gusts and cloud cover as the day progressed. “Early on in the round, the conditions were very score-able,” explained Meek. “For our front nine, there was no wind, it was sunny, then all of a sudden, we were standing on the eighth tee and we all said to each other, ‘it just got really cold’ and the wind picked up tremendously. So you definitely had to change your game plan accordingly.”

Meek, who finished T35 in 2015 at Summerlea Golf & Country Club in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., stressed the need to remain focused in the coming days.

“A four-day tournament is long, it’s not a sprint. You’ve got to stay patient with it. When you get the opportunity to make your birdies, you have to make them and just hold on when the weather gets tough.”

Max Sekulic carded a 68 and is two shots back of the lead. The Rycroft, Alta., native began the day on the back nine and collected a string of three birdies on holes 12 to 14, before registering a bogey-free 2-under 34 across the second half of his round. Fellow Albertan Brendan MacDougall of Calgary sits third following a 3-under 69 performance.

Team Alberta holds a seven-stroke advantage in the inter-provincial team competition. MacDougall’s 69 and Springbrook, Alta., native Chandler McDowell’s 71 gives the team a total of 4-under 140. Matt Bean of Canmore completes the contingent from the prairie province.

Team Canada Development Squad member Charles-Éric Bélanger of Québec City, Marc-Antoine Hotte of Mascouche and Longueil’s Laurent Desmarchais form the team representing Québec, which sits second at 3-over 147.

Sitting atop the Juvenile division is Thomas Critch of Cedar Park, Texas. The 16-year-old notched five birdies and sits T4 in the overall competition at 2-under. One stroke off the lead in the 16-and-under division is Chandler McDowell.

In addition to the title of Canadian Junior Boys champion, the winner will receive an exemption into the 2016 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. The competition will be co-hosted by The Royal Ottawa Golf Club and Eagle Creek Golf Club from August 8 to 11.

The second round of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship will begin with groups teeing off Nos. 1 and 10 at 7:30 a.m. NST. The afternoon wave of competitors will begin their rounds at 12:30 p.m. NST.

Additional information from the tournament can be found here.

LEWISTON, NY – The good times continued on Saturday for newfound Canadian fan-favourite Jared du Toit, who rallied with a final-round 67 (-3) to crack the Top-5 at the Porter Cup.

A member of Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad, du Toit carded four birdies alongside just one bogey to continue his strong rebound after an opening-round 73 (+3) set him back on Wednesday. His effort on Saturday solidified another strong result following his captivating performance at the RBC Canadian Open last week, in which the 21-year-old finished inside the Top-10 to earn the Gary Cowan award (low amateur) amongst the world’s best athletes.

The Kimberley, B.C., native finished at 4-under par (73-67-69-67) for the tournament, sharing fourth place with fellow Canadian Josh Whalen of Napanee, Ont. The pair of Canucks finished 10 strokes back of champion Harrison Endycott of Australia, who closed at 14-under (69-64-67-66) to earn the one-stroke victory over runner-up Gavin Hall of Pittsford, N.Y.

du Toit, entering his senior year at Arizona State, now sits at No.25 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR), which will likely improve further following his finish at the “A” ranked Porter Cup event. Team Canada teammates Blair Hamilton (Burlington, Ont.) and Hugo Bernard (Mont-St-Hilaire, Que.) came in at even-par to finish T18, while Eric Banks (Truro, N.S.) was 4-over to finish T35.

Team Canada’s Josée Doyon of St-Georges-de-Beauce, Que. claimed the victory in the women’s event back in June.

Click here for full scoring.

NEW MINAS, N.S. – Overcast skies hung heavy over Ken-Wo Golf Club as the final round of the 2016 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship drew to a close. Hye-jin Choi of Paju-si, Korea shot a final round 66 to claim a four-stroke victory.

The reigning World Junior Girls champion recorded three birdies on the front nine, including two back-to-back on holes 8 and 9 for a 2-under 33. A bogey-free back nine complemented by two additional birdies on holes 11 and 13 brought Choi’s tournament total to 9-under 271. The 16-year-old is No. 14 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking and was recently crowned the low amateur at the 2016 U.S. Women’s Open at CordeValle in San Martin, Calif.

“I was happy with the beginning of my round, so I think that kind of led to me having a good finish today,” said Choi. “My putts weren’t great after the last three days. I held my grip higher up on my putter today which led to me making some pretty good putts.”

In addition to her 2016 Canadian Women’s Amateur title, Choi has earned exemptions into the 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship and two LPGA events: the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open at Priddis Greens Golf & Country Club in Calgary from August 22-28, and the Manulife LPGA Classic at Whistle Bear Golf Club in Cambridge, Ont., from September 1-4.

Choi is feeling confident in her game and looks forward to the challenges ahead against the world’s best. “I’m just going to play golf. I’m not going to worry about others and just play the way I can.”

Hannah Green (Perth, Australia) and Allisen Corpuz (Honolulu, Hawaii) stayed even on the day to claim their shares of second, while Andrea Lee of Hermosa Beach, Calif., matched Choi’s 4-under showing to join the pair at 5-under. Third round leader Maria Fassi (Pachuca, Mexico) carded a 72 to claim fifth at 4-under.

Team Canada National Amateur Squad member Naomi Ko notched four birdies in her final round en route to a 1-under 279 tournament total and a T7 result. As the low Canadian in the field, the 18-year-old from Victoria has earned an exemption into the 2016 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.

Additional information regarding the 2016 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship can be found here.

Stony Plain, Alta. – After leading at the end of Round 1, and being tied for first thru two rounds, David Schultz finished what he started and captured the 2016 Guardian Capital Alberta Senior Men’s Championship Thursday at Stony Plain Golf Course.

Howard Broun finished off his tournament play by winning the Super Senior Championship, he carded a +1 in his final round to go +7 overall.

Thursday’s final round was anything but predictable. An eagle on hole No. 6 by Christopher Hairrell put him in position to catch Schultz. However, Schultz’s three birdies and another stellar, bogey free front 9 earned him the win.

“Getting down to the last five or six holes, you really need to know,” explained Schultz when asked about the intensity of having a competitor in a different group so close in score. “It’s a little tough not quite being sure there, but I kept the head down and just tried to hit shot after shot.”

Schultz finished at -1, 71 for the day, and -2 overall.

His win earned him the first spot on the inter-provincial team. The second went to Christopher Hairrell. The third and final spot had to be determined by a playoff between Brian Brown, John Russell and Frank Van Dornick, who were all T3 after 54 holes. Thanks to a birdie on the first playoff hole, Frank Van Dornick emerged victorious and rounded out the inter-provincial team.

NEW MINAS, N.S. – The third round of the 2016 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship continued under a dry heat at Ken-Wo Golf Club. Maria Fassi’s 5-under 65 matched the women’s competitive course record at Ken-Wo – set yesterday by Allisen Corpuz – giving the native of Pachuca, Mexico a one-stroke lead through 54-holes of play.

Fassi’s 65 moved her ahead of 36-hole leader Corpuz to take sole possession of the lead. The University of Arkansas sophomore put together a six-birdie effort that included five across her first 15 holes. She bogeyed No. 16, but made up for the lone blemish on her day with a birdie on No. 18.

“I’m really comfortable with the way I’m playing,” said Fassi. “The golf course is in great shape and you can really go for it in some holes. I’m a long player, so I can be aggressive on some shots. It was a really good day; I was making some good putts and really flowing.”

The 18-year-old is No. 58 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings and is the top-ranked female amateur in Mexico. She heads into the final day of competition at 6-under.

“I have a game plan that I’ve been doing for the last three days and I’ll do it again tomorrow. It’s just about focusing on my golf game. If I win, I win. And if I don’t, then I played some really good golf and that’s good enough for me.”

Coming off her record-setting performance, Corpuz looked to extend her advantage for a third straight day. The product of Honolulu, Hawaii sunk a birdie on her first hole, but ended the day with a 72 to move into a share of second.

She is joined at 5-under by World No. 14 Hye-jin Choi of Paju-si, Korea and Perth, Australia’s Hannah Green. The pair claimed their shares of second with matching five-birdie, 2-under rounds. Green registered a T29 finish at this event last year when it was hosted by Riverside Country Club in Saskatoon.

A third round 67 propelled Stephanie Lau of Fullerton, Calif., into sole possession of fifth place, two strokes ahead of Team Canada National Amateur Squad member Naomi Ko. The Victoria product leads the Canadians in the field, sitting in a tie for sixth with California natives Andrea Lee (Hermosa Beach) and Lilia Kha-Tu Vu (Fountain Valley).

Josée Doyon of St-Georges, Que., is ninth at even-par, while Monet Chun of Richmond Hill, Ont., stayed even through the day and holds a share of 10th.

The final round of competition will see the first groups tee off at 7:30 a.m. ADT from holes 1 and 10.

In addition to the 2016 Canadian Women’s Amateur title, the individual champion will earn exemptions into the 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship and two LPGA events: the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open at Priddis Greens Golf & Country Club in Calgary from August 22-28 and the Manulife LPGA Classic at Whistle Bear Golf Club in Cambridge, Ont., from September 1-4.

For more Information on the 2016 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship including the full field, starting times and live scoring, click here.

NEW MINAS, N.S. – Sun broke through the morning fog at Ken-Wo Golf Club before humid conditions bore down on day two of the 2016 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship. Allisen Corpuz carded a 5-under second round to maintain her hold on first through 36 holes of play.

Corpuz continued her unwavering pace through the second day of competition. She began the day on the back nine and shot 29 with six birdies through her first nine holes to extend a four-stroke lead over the field of 117. The product of Honolulu, Hawaii sunk three consecutive birdies on holes 11 through 13, before adding one on the Par-3 15th and a pair back-to-back on holes 17 and 18.

“I definitely had a solid round. I didn’t quite end the way I wanted to, but I was putting well and hitting all the shots that I wanted to,” said Corpuz.” I haven’t really been playing that great this summer, so it definitely feels good to come out here and put together two solid rounds.”

Despite a double bogey on her final hole, the 18-year-old finished with a 65 to set Ken-Wo’s new women’s competitive course record. A 7-under 133 after two rounds of play gives Corpuz a three-stroke lead heading into moving day.

A six-birdie day saw Team Canada National Amateur Squad member Josée Doyon finish with a 66. The St-Georges, Que., native bounced back from a bogey on her first hole to notch three birdies through the front nine for a 3-under 33.

Hye-jin Choi of Paju-si, Korea and Perth, Australia’s Hannah Green matched 68s for shares of third at 3-under. Choi is the No. 14-ranked amateur in the world and the reigning World Junior Girls champion.

Californians Lilia Kha-Tu Vu (Fountain Valley) and Andrea Lee (Hermosa Beach) are tied for fifth at 2-under, while Victoria’s Naomi Ko has climbed into a share of 7th following her even-par round. The National Team member is two strokes ahead of teammate Maddie Szeryk from London, Ont., and Monet Chun of Richmond Hill, Ont.

Team Québec held on to emerge as champions in the inter-provincial team competition, claiming the province’s first title since 2003. Doyon’s 66 paced the team to the victory with a 2-over 282 final score. Valérie Tanguay of St-Hyacinthe, Que., carded a 75 to move to 8-over, while Katherine Gravel-Coursol of Mirabel, Que., is 9-over following a second-round 78.

Team Ontario registered the lowest daily team total in the competition, finishing the second day at a combined 2-under 138. Team Canada Development Squad member Grace St-Germain (Orleans) and Monet Chun (Richmond Hill) shot matching 69s, while Guelph’s Rachel Pollock finished 3-over on the day.

70 players have advanced to the final two rounds of the national championship. The first groups will tee off tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. ADT from holes 1 and 10.

In addition to the 2016 Canadian Women’s Amateur title, the individual champion will earn exemptions into the 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship and two LPGA events: the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open at Priddis Greens Golf & Country Club in Calgary from August 22-28 and the Manulife LPGA Classic at Whistle Bear Golf Club in Cambridge, Ont., from September 1-4.

For more Information on the 2016 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship including the full field, starting times and live scoring, click here.

JOHN’S, N.L. – Nestled in the northeast end of St. John’s, Clovelly will open its gates to the country’s talented golfers for the 2016 Canadian Junior Boys Championship. The 78^th playing of the tournament from August 1-4 will see players from across the nation vying for the national title, including Team Canada’s Development Squad and five regional winners from the CN Future Links Championship series.

Clovelly is home to a pair of Graham Cooke designs: Black Duck and The Osprey – at which the competition will be conducted. The Osprey winds through the picturesque landscape of the Avalon Peninsula, boasting natural wetlands, scenic ponds and lush forests of black spruce and balsam fir.

“Our tremendous staff has worked very hard and The Osprey is in great shape. The community of St. John’s is extremely excited to bring an event of this calibre to Newfoundland,” said Judy Dobbin, Managing Director of Operations and the owner of Clovelly. “We look forward to hosting Golf Canada and this strong field through what is sure to be a great week of golf.”

This tournament has served as a significant milestone in a number of professional and amateur careers. Before playing on the PGA Tour, Abbotsford, B.C., native Nick Taylor captured the 2006 Canadian Junior Boys title. The championship counts Canadian Golf Hall of Fame members Doug Silverberg, George Knudson, Gary Cowan and Doug Roxburgh among its winners.

“Golf Canada is pleased to return to Newfoundland and its fantastic fans of the sport,” said Tournament Director Dan Hyatt. “We have always received a warm welcome here and we truly appreciate that support. Clovelly will be a great platform to showcase the talents of our players.”

In 2015, Charles-Éric Bélanger claimed victory on the first playoff hole at Summerlea Golf & Country Club in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., to win the Canadian Junior Boys Championship. At season’s end, the Québec City native was named to Team Canada’s Development Squad and would go on to finish atop the CN Future Links National Junior Boys Order of Merit. The 17-year-old returns in hopes of becoming the championship’s eighth back-to-back winner and its first since Mitch Sutton accomplished the feat in 2008-09.

Bélanger will be joined by his four Development Squad teammates, including A.J. Ewart who finished 5^th in 2015. The Coquitlam, B.C., product is hoping runner-up results at the B.C. Junior and Amateur Championships can translate into success on the national stage. CN Future Links Pacific champion Tony Gil of Vaughan, Ont., fellow Ontarian Thomas ‘Jack’ Simpson of Aurora and Calgary’s Alexander Smith will complete the national team contingent in the field.

Joining Gil as 2016 CN Future Links champions in the competition are Callum Davison of Duncan, B.C., who won the Québec edition of the junior championships, Peyton Callens from Langton, Ont., who claimed the Prairie edition, Calgary’s Brendan MacDougall who captured the Western title and Atlantic champion and Fredericton, N.B., native Calvin Ross.

In 2015, Team Québec claimed victory in the inter-provincial team competition played concurrently over the first two rounds. The 16-and-under Juvenile Championship will be contested alongside the tournament’s four rounds.

In addition to the Canadian Junior Boys title, the 2016 winner will receive an exemption into the 2016 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

For more information about the competition, including the full field and tee-times, please visit the tournament’s website.

SHUBENACADIE, N.S. – The nation’s top junior golfers will gather at the Links at Penn Hills from August 2-5 to compete in the 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship. The field includes six Team Canada members and a host of qualifiers from the CN Future Links Championships – Canada’s regional junior competitions.

The Links at Penn Hills boasts a challenging Les Furber design with rolling hills and nicely wooded areas set against the tidal river dyke lands. Competitors will have the chance to become acquainted with the course during a practice round on August 1.

“We are thrilled to welcome Golf Canada and this prestigious championship to our course and Shubenacadie,” said Tanner Gayton, Host Club Tournament Chair and Head Golf Professional at The Links at Penn Hills. “We are proud of our preparations and look forward challenging the next generation of Canada’s best juniors.”

“The Links at Penn Hills is in tremendous shape to host our national Junior Girls Championship. The fantastic layout is going to make for a memorable week as this strong field chases a national title,” said Tournament Director Justine Decock.

Victoria native Naomi Ko will represent Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad in Shubenacadie. The 18-year-old finished third at the 2015 edition of this event at Deer Park Municipal Golf Club in Yorkton, Sask. The North Carolina State University sophomore is in the midst of an impressive summer in which she has competed in her first two LPGA events. She won the Cambia Portland Classic Amateur Open to earn entry into the Cambia Portland Classic before claiming victory in a sectional qualifier to join the field at the 2016 U.S. Women’s Open.

Currently in her first year on Team Canada’s Development Squad, Hannah Lee of Surrey, B.C., will look to improve upon her runner-up result from 2015. The 16-year-old finished fourth at the B.C. Women’s Amateur before posting a T2 at the B.C. Junior Girls’ Championship alongside teammate Tiffany Kong of Vancouver. Kong claimed 7^th and runner-up finishes at the CN Future Links Pacific and Ontario Championships.

Richmond, B.C., native Kathrine Chan, who finished 4^th in 2015, is hoping to carry forward momentum from 5^th and 6^th place finishes at her provincial amateur and junior championships. Ontarians Chloe Currie of Mississauga and Grace St-Germain of Orleans complete the Development Squad contingent at the national championship; the pair collected respective T9 and 12^th place results last year. Currie is coming off a successful title defence at the Ontario Junior Girls’ Championship, while St-Germain won the Ontario Women’s Amateur title.

Five CN Future Links champions will vie for the Canadian Junior Girls title. Richmond Hill, Ont., native Monet Chun, who finished tied for 9th at last year’s national championship, took home the 2016 CN Future Links Quebec title. Isabella Portokalis of London, Ont., and Mary Parsons of Delta, B.C., claimed shares of 14th last year and earned entry through their respective victories at the Ontario and Pacific championships. CN Future Links Atlantic winner Allison Chandler from Chester, N.S., finished T22 in 2015, while Calgary’s Kehler Koss joins the field as the reigning Western champion.

Team B.C. will attempt to defend its inter-provincial team title which takes place over the course of the first two rounds, while a 16-and-under Juvenile Championship will also be played concurrently with the Junior Girls Championship.

In addition to the Canadian Junior Girls Championship title, the 2016 champion will receive an exemption into the 2017 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Cutten Fields in Guelph, Ont.

Additional information about the tournament, including the full field and tee-times is available here.