SASKATOON, Sask. – The second round of the 2015 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship concluded Thursday afternoon at Riverside Country Club with Team Alberta emerging as the Inter-Provincial Women’s Champions.

Day three of competition started with half of the players teeing off in their second round after play was suspended on Tuesday.

The team was led by Team Canada National Amateur Squad member Jennifer Ha who shot a 1-under 71 to contribute to her team’s even score on the day. The second to count towards the standings came from Team Canada Development Squad member Jaclyn Lee who shot 1-over par.

The final member of the team, Sabrine Garrison, notched a 78. The trio of Calgarians finished 8-over 296 for the two-round competition.

Taylor Kim (Surrey, B.C.), Michelle Kim (Surrey, B.C.) and Gloria Usu Choi (Langley, B.C.) of Team British Columbia finished as the runners-up with a two day total 303. The third place finishers were Team Ontario comprised of Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., Thornhill, Ont., native Elizabeth Tong and Grace St-Germain of Ottawa.

In the individual contest, Lakareber Abe of Angleton, Texas and benefited from late rounds Wednesday night to take a share of the lead. Also sharing the lead is Peru’s Lucia Gutierrez who fired a 68 in her second round on Thursday. At 1-under par for the tournament, both players sit one shot clear of Mariel Galdiano of Pearl City, Hawaii who finished her second round Thursday afternoon at 3-over par.

Seventy-one players who shot 15-over par or better through the opening two rounds have advanced to the third round of play. For more information including third round tee-times and live-scoring click here.

Ten years ago, Golf Canada began their partnership with the Canadian Cancer Society to support breast cancer research and support programs while increasing women’s participation in the sport. Since then, Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru has raised more than $4 million toward the Society’s mission work. The Canadian Cancer Society thanks Golf Canada, program sponsor – Subaru, every site coordinator, participant and donor who has invested in Golf Fore the Cure these past 10 years.

To get involved, or run a program at your club, please visit golfforethecure.ca

YORKTON, Sask. – The nation’s top junior female golfing talents will be on display at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship, August 3-7, at Deer Park Golf Course in Yorkton, Sask.

The 61^st edition of the championship will showcase over 100 of Canada’s top juniors.

“There is so much anticipation for this year’s Canadian Junior Girls Championship,” said Tournament Director Dan Hyatt. “The field is strong and it will make for a very exciting four days of action. Deer Park is in very good shape and we are looking forward to having Canada’s best compete for this prestigious title.”

Defending her 2014 Canadian Junior Girls title will be Team Canada Development Squad member Grace St-Germain. The 17-year-old captured last year’s championship by seven strokes. The Ottawa native has seen early success to start the season, capturing the CN Future Links Pacific Championship and carding a runner-up finish at the Québec Women’s Amateur Championship.

Development Squad member Michelle Kim of Surrey, B.C., who finished 6^th in last year’s event, will look to add to an already impressive 2015. The 18-year-old claimed the Flumerfelt Cup as 2015 B.C. Women’s Amateur Champion and also took the B.C. Junior Girls Championship title, finishing nine strokes clear of her nearest competitor.

Also in attendance as provincial champions will be Alberta’s Katy Rutherford, Veronica Vetesnik of Manitoba, Chloe Currie who claimed the Ontario crown, and New Brunswick champion Laura Jones. Playing in their home province will be Saskatchewan Junior Girls co-medalists Brooke Hobson and Kayla Sawchuk.

A number of CN Future Links champions are hoping to add a national title to their seasons. Allison Chandler of Chester, N.S., claimed the Nova Scotia Junior Girls title and the CN Future Links Atlantic Championship. Alyssa Getty of Ruthven, Ont., who claimed the Ontario and Québec CN Future Links titles, will be in the field alongside Calgary native Kenna Hughes who took the Western title and Team Canada Development Squad member Alisha Lau of Richmond, B.C., who was crowned at the championship’s Prairie edition.

The remaining members of the National Team’s junior contingent will also convene at Deer Park Golf Course. Victoria, B.C., native Naomi Ko, who finished tied for runner-up at the 2015 Ontario Women’s Amateur, will be joined by Jaclyn Lee of Calgary who claimed victory at the 2014 Alberta Ladies Amateur and the 2014 Alberta Girls Championships.

This year’s Canadian Junior Girls Champion will receive an exemption into the 2016 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, as well as, each of the 2016 Canadian Women’s Tour events.

Practice rounds will be held Monday, August 3, while championship play will begin Tuesday, August 4 before concluding on Friday, August 7 with 18 holes of stroke play each day.

The Juvenile Championship, which is open to female amateurs 16-years-old and under, will be played concurrently with the Junior Girls Championship. An inter-provincial team championship will take place in conjunction with the first two rounds of stroke play; Team Quebec enters the tournament as the defending champion.

More information on the tournament, including the full field and tee-times, is available here.

SASKATOON, Sask. – Mariel Galdiano of Pearl City, Hawaii carded a 3-under 69 at Riverside Country Club in Saskatoon, Sask., to take the lead as play began at the 2015 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.

After unplayable conditions forced the postponement of the first round, play commenced on Wednesday with sunny skies and high winds. Nearly half of the field completed 36 holes, while the remaining players will tee off Thursday morning prior to the 36-hole cut.

Galdiano, who has yet to play her second round, established a two-shot advantage over her nearest competitor. The 17-year-old, who has one more year of high school remaining, carded four of her six birdies on the front nine. She entered the tournament ranked No. 29 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings, including a T42 finish at the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open. It was her third U.S. Women’s championship after qualifying for her first at 13.

Angleton, Texas native Lakareber Abe tallied seven birdies in her second round en route to a tournament-low score of 5-under 67 to sit in solo second. The 19-year-old’s afternoon-round was highlighted by a bogey-free front nine that featured four birdies. After opening with a round of 76, the University of Alabama product now sits at 1-under for the tournament.

Three players are tied for third and chasing the lead. The No. 5-ranked Bethany Wu of Diamond Bar, Calif., shot 1-over par in her first round. Joining Wu with a score of 73 was Plano, Texas native Dylan Kim. The 18-year-old is ranked No. 37 in the world and placed fourth in this year’s NCAA Women’s Medal Championship playing for Baylor University.  Both Wu and Kim will tee off for their second rounds tomorrow morning.

The remaining player tied at 1-over par is Sarah Burnham of Maple Grove, Minn. The Michigan State Spartan strung together three straight birdies on holes 11 through 13 to register a second round of 3-under par. The 19-year-old carded a 76 during her first round for a total of 145.

Two Canadians are within the Top-15 after their first rounds. Taylor Kim of Surrey, B.C., shot an opening-round 2-over par and sits tied for sixth. Team Canada National Amateur Squad member Maddie Szeryk holds a share of twelfth at 3-over.

The inter-provincial competition coinciding with the first two tournament rounds will conclude on Thursday. Team Alberta is comprised of Team Canada’s Jennifer Ha, National Development Squad member Jaclyn Lee and Sabrine Garrison. The trio of Calgarians are ahead of the competition and sit three-shots clear of Team B.C.

The remaining players needing to play their second rounds will start off the first and tenth tees on Thursday morning, beginning at 7:30 a.m. CST. The top 70 players and ties will make the 36-hole cut and advance to the third round of play on Thursday afternoon.

For full details on tee times and scoring, click here.

Golf Canada in partnership with title sponsor Freedom 55 Financial and the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada announced today that the Thames Valley Children’s Centre (TVCC) will serve as the official charitable beneficiary of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship, which will run September 14-20, 2015 at Highland Country Club in London, Ont.

Thames Valley Children’s Centre (TVCC) works to support children and their families to achieve the highest possible quality of life. TVCC serves more than 8000 children, youth and their families every year through a wide range of services provided out of the main London Centre and 15 regional office locations across Southwestern Ontario. Clients range in age from birth to 19 with services supporting a range of special needs including physical disabilities, communication disorders, developmental delays and autism spectrum disorders. Fifty-five percent of all ticket proceeds from the event will go towards supporting the TVCC.

“We endorse Golf Canada’s selection of Thames Valley Children’s Centre for the tournament’s charitable proceeds,” said Mike Cunneen, Senior Vice-President, Freedom 55 Financial.  “Through the annual London Life Forest City Road Races and the Freedom 55 Financial We’re All Stars event, our company has proudly supported the important work Thames Valley does to support children and families from London and across Southwestern Ontario. I applaud the tournament’s goal to raise funds and welcome the Children’s Centre and its supporters to Highland.”

“We are thrilled to be the charitable beneficiary for the Freedom 55 Financial Championship,” commented Dr. John LaPorta, CEO, Thames Valley Children’s Centre. “We are heartened that Golf Canada will not only focus on coordinating a stellar tournament but equally on a fundraising strategy that will benefit the more than 8,000 clients our Centre serves throughout Southwestern Ontario.”

“Children’s Health Foundation, the fundraising partner of TVCC, is excited to see Golf Canada taking such initiative to further strengthen TVCC’s ability to provide the very best rehabilitation services, positively impacting every aspect of our kids’ lives,” shares Susan Crowley, President and CEO of Children’s Health Foundation. “In partnership with community members, like Golf Canada and Freedom 55 Financial, we are contributing to care, research and rehabilitation that helps young people to be happy, healthy and strong.”

The 12^th and final event on the Mackenzie Tour schedule will see the culmination of the race for Web.com Tour status at Highland Country Club. Only the top 60 players on the Order of Merit will be eligible, setting up an exciting race to the season’s final event.

The top five players on the Mackenzie Tour Order of Merit earn Web.com Tour status for the following season, with players finishing in spots 6^th through 10^th earning an exemption into the final stage and players finishing 11^th through 20^th into the second stage of Web.com Tour Qualifying School.

In addition to serving as title sponsor of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship, Freedom 55 Financial also sponsors the Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week award presenting $2,500 to the top Canadian player at each Mackenzie Tour event as well as the season ending Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year Award, which comes with a $25,000 prize.

Ryan Williams of Vancouver won the 2014 season ending championship along with both the Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week and Canadian Player of the Year Awards.

Volunteer and ticket information is available at www.freedom55financialchampionship.com. As well, children aged 17 and under get in free all week long at the Freedom 55 Financial Championship – download your free junior tickets here.

Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que. – The 77^th playing of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship will be hosted by Summerlea Golf & Country Club in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., from August 2-6. The field vying for the national title will include members of Team Canada’s National Development Squad, provincial junior champions and top finishers in the 2015 CN Future Links Championship series.

The prestigious Canadian Junior Boys title has marked the beginning of many successful professional and amateur careers. This national title has previously been captured by PGA TOUR rookie Nick Taylor, Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada member and Golf Canada Young Pro Squad member Adam Svensson, Jim Rutledge of the Champions Tour, as well as, Canadian Golf Hall of Fame members Doug Silverberg, George Knudson, Gary Cowan and Doug Roxburgh.

In 2014, Austin James of Bath, Ont., captured the Canadian Junior Boys title at Legends on the Niagara in Niagara Falls, Ont., before entering his sophomore year at Charleston Southern University. This year, 156 juniors will compete at Summerlea in hopes of having their names added to the tournament’s long list of celebrated champions.

“With a field of highly talented juniors ready to take on Summerlea Golf & Country Club, the 77^th edition of Canadian Junior Boys Championship will prove to be an exciting competiton,” said Tournament Director Justine Decock. “Summerlea is a big supporter of junior golf and Golf Canada is proud to host Canada’s best at its facility. The course is in excellent condition and we look forward to the championship.”

Summerlea Golf & Country Club is located half an hour from Montreal, Que., in Vaudreuil-Dorion. Summerlea – a family-oriented club dedicated to the development of golf at all levels – has a long history of hosting professional and amateur championships, including the 2002 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, the 1966 Canadian Men’s Amateur, as well as, the 1996 Canadian Men’s and the 2001 Women’s Senior Championships.

From August 2-6, Summerlea Golf & Country Club will host the Junior Boys field on its scenic Dorion course that runs through valleys, testing competitors with uneven lies and undulating greens.

Headlining the field will be the members of Team Canada’s Development Squad. Étienne Papineau finished tied for tenth at the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup and claimed the 2015 edition of the Alexander of Tunis championship, one leg of Golf Québec’s prestigious Triple Crown. Joining the St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., native will be Trevor Ranton of Waterloo, Ont., who has experienced success this season, capturing the Ontario Junior Boys Championship, as well as the CN Future Links Pacific Championship title.

Completing the National Team contingent are the 2014 Canadian Juvenile Boys Champion Tony Gil of Vaughan, Ont., who is ranked fifth on the CN Future Links National Junior Boys Order of Merit, AJ Armstrong of St. Albert, Alta., and Patrick Murphy of Crossfield, Alta.

Earning their spots in the competition were the top finishers from the 2015 CN Future Links Championship series, including Ontario edition winner Jack Simpson of Aurora, Ont.; Alexander Smith of Calgary, Alta., – the Prairie champion and No. 1 on the CN Future Links National Junior Boys Order of Merit; Quebec champion Jason (Chan Young) Chung of Thornhill, Ont.; Western champion Jason Martens of Edmonton, Alta.; and Atlantic champion Calvin Ross of Fredericton, N.B.

The provincial junior champions will travel to Quebec in hopes of translating their success onto the national stage. The champions from the west include Jake Scarrow of Dewdney, B.C., Andrew Harrison of Camrose, Alta., Cory Selander of Prince Albert, Sask., and Wesley Hoydalo of Selkirk, Man. Traveling from the eastern provinces will be Blair Bursey of Gander, Nfld., Corey McMinniman of Fredericton, N.B., Matthew Chandler of Chester, N.S., and Ryan Legault of Charlottetown, P.E.I., who topped the Prince Edward Island Junior Order of Merit.

The Canadian Junior Boys Championship is open to male amateur golfers who have not reached their 19th birthday by August 1^st, 2015; the Juvenile Boys competition is for those not yet 17. Team Alberta will defend its inter-provincial team title at the tournament. The winner of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship will receive an exemption into the 2015 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship to be hosted by Weston Golf & Country Club and The Lambton Golf & Country Club from August 8-13.

Following a practice round on August 2, the championship’s 72-holes of stroke play competition will commence on August 3. Following 36 holes, the field will be reduced to the low 70 players and ties. Ties for the Junior and Juvenile championship titles will be decided by a hole-by-hole playoff.

For more information on the 2015 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, including a full list of competitors and pairings, please click here.

Saskatoon, Sask. – Heavy rainfall and the ensuing unplayable conditions forced the postponement of the first round of the 2015 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Riverside Country Club in Saskatoon, Sask.

The first round of play will begin on the morning of Wednesday, July 29 at 7 a.m. CST with revised tee times. Round two will also see a revised draw and is slated to begin immediately following the completion of the first round. Pairings for rounds one and two will remain the same as the original groupings.

“Unfortunately weather did not cooperate with the first round of play,” said Tournament Director Mary Beth McKenna. “However the weather forecast is looking good for the remainder of the week and we are confident that we will be able to finish the 72-hole national competition.”

In addition to the title of 2015 Canadian Women’s Amateur Champion, the field of 105 Canadian and International players will also be golfing for a prized exemption into the 2015 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open to be played at The Vancouver Golf Club in Coquitlam, B.C., and the 2015 U.S. Amateur Championship.

For additional information on the championship, including revised tee times and live scoring, proceed to the competition’s website.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Representatives from Canada’s six National Allied Golf Associations (NAGA) met Friday during tournament week of the 2015 RBC Canadian Open.

Each of the association’s presidents and staff leaders met onsite at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., including Golf Canada, the National Golf Course Owners Association of Canada, the Canadian Society of Club Managers, the PGA of Canada, the Canadian Golf Industry Association and the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association. Much of the discussion revolved around the positive impact of golf in Canada and an overall increase in rounds played over the past three years.

The Rounds Played Report, conducted monthly by the NGCOA Canada, confirms 2015 golf play to June 1 was up 14% compared to the national 3 year average and up 27‎% over 2014. Regionally, only the Maritime provinces were down, explained by unusually poor spring weather conditions, while the western provinces led the country with exceptional early season results.

Economic Impact of Golf in Canada:

Based on a Canadian golf economic impact study released in June of 2014, the sport of golf accounts for an estimated $14.3 billion of Canada’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Included in that economic impact are more than 300,000 jobs (direct, indirect and induced), $8.3 billion in household income, $1.4 billion in property and other indirect taxes, and $2.2 billion in income taxes.

The total direct economic activity (total direct sales, golf related travel, capital spending) resulting from the Canadian Golf Industry is estimated at $19.7 billion. Direct revenues generated directly by golf courses and their facilities, and stand-alone driving and practice ranges ($5.0 billion) rivals the revenues generated by all other participation sports and recreation facilities combined ($4.8 billion) in Canada.

“The evidence of golf’s popularity in Canada is not surprising to those aware of the sport’s economics, and the good stories don’t stop there,” added Elizabeth Di Chiara, Executive Director Canadian Society of Club Managers and NAGA’s incoming president. “From environmental benefits to the charitable impact and tourism revenues, there are many reasons for the Canadian golf industry to be encouraged.”

Additional benefits and impacts of golf in Canada include:

Golf Participation – approximately 60 million rounds of golf are played annually by more than 5.7 million golfers.

Environmental Benefits – Over 175,000 hectares of green space managed by approximately 2,308 golf course operators, including 30,000 hectares of unmanaged wildlife habitat under golf course stewardship.

Charitable Activity – In 2013 there were nearly 37,000 charitable events hosted at Canadian golf courses (25,000 were reported in 2009). Using conservative estimates, these events raise more than $533 million for charitable causes across Canada ($473 million in 2009 dollars).

Golf Tourism – In 2013 Canadian travellers spent $2.5 billion annually on golf-related travel within Canada (including on-course spending at courses visited). Foreign visiting golfers spent $1.6 billion on golf related travel and on-course spending (approximately $2 billion reported in the 2009 study).

Golf Facilities Report 2015:

Another report released in 2015 – Golf Facilities in Canada 2015 – revealed the following snapshot regarding golf facilities in Canada:

• Canada is home to 2,346 public and private golf facilities; ranking it third in the world in total supply.
• Seventy-seven per cent of the total golf supply is located in Canada’s four most populated provinces—Ontario, Québec, Alberta and British Columbia.

• While course construction has slowed during the past several years (a trend mirrored in many mature and developed golf nations, including the United States and the United Kingdom) golf remains extremely accessible in Canada. A little more than 90 per cent of the country’s supply is open to the public.

• Of the 2,126 public facilities in Canada, half are located in Ontario and Québec, which together account for 61 per cent of the country’s total population. Furthermore, the two provinces are also home to 73 per cent of Canada’s 220 private clubs.

• Nine-hole golf accounts for almost 37 per cent of Canada’s total supply, which outnumbers

18-hole supply in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. In Saskatchewan, 18-hole courses are outnumbered 3 to 1 by 9-hole courses.

• Canada features nine 12-hole facilities (six of which are in Ontario) and three 6-hole facilities.
• Resort golf, though a small segment of Canada’s overall supply, is a significant contributor to tourism in several provinces. Countrywide, 167 facilities (or approximately 7 per cent) of total supply are connected to a resort or a resort/real estate operation.

• Course construction peaked in the 1960s with the opening of more than 420 facilities. A second significant growth spurt occurred in the period between 1990 and 1999, when more than 310 courses—13 per cent of total supply —opened. The growth was highlighted by the opening of 257 facilities in the four largest provinces: Ontario, Québec, Alberta and British Columbia.

• Since 2010, 29 facilities have opened in six different provinces. In recent years, Canada has seen only moderate growth, and currently has 31 18-hole equivalent facilities in various stages of development.
• Of those facilities in various stages of development, 17 have broken ground including seven in Alberta and four in Nova Scotia. Nearly 60 per cent of new projects are tied to a real estate development.
• In the past five to 10 years, 158 facilities have closed. One in five of those closures were located in Ontario, which is home to 35 per cent of the total supply of Canada’s facilities. Three of Canada’s 10 provinces have seen fewer than five facility closures during the past decade.

PORT HOPE – The Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) Investors Group Junior Boys’ Championship wrapped up on July 24 from the Dalewood Golf Club in Port Hope. The four-round event was dominated from start to finish by Waterloo’s Trevor Ranton who hoisted the trophy at the end of the day with a final round two-under (69).

Ranton, 18 from the Whistle Bear Golf Club, gained his momentum during the first round when he shot six-under (65). He opened up a four-stroke lead that he used to see out the win during the remaining rounds.

On the final day, Ranton, a member of the Golf Canada Development Squad, started strong with a birdie on the second hole. He would give it back but was even through the turn. On the back nine, Ranton, sealed it with an eagle on the 14^th, to secure the win. He finished the tournament five-under (65-72-73-69-279).

After the win, Ranton spoke about how his opening round set the tempo for the rest of the tournament. “It really allowed me to play freely, knowing that I had that cushion. When my game wasn’t going as well during the second and third day, I was still in a positive mindset because I knew that I had done that the first day and knew I could do it again.”

Ranton is no stranger to winning big events. Just last year he was crowned the GAO Junior Boys’ Match Play Champion and earlier this year he walked away with the CN Future Links Pacific title. Ranton spoke about where this win ranks for him. “It’s awesome to win this, it has been my goal since I started playing in these events. It is really nice to get it in my final junior year. I’ve been lucky enough to have a couple victories in the last year and a bit and this one is right up their at the top, with it being one of the most prestigious events in Ontario.”

Earning the silver medal was Shelburne’s Kyle Johnston, from the Shelburne Golf & Country Club. Johnston, 18, came into the final round at two-over and went on to post a two-under (69) to earn sole possession of second. He ended the tournament at even par (69-72-74-69-284).

The bronze medal was won by Peterborough’s Sam Meek, from the Kawartha Golf & Country Club. Meek, 16, was consistent throughout the tournament and finished three-over (69-73-72-73-287).

Ranton, Johnston and Meek also earned the right to represent Ontario in the inter-provincial team competition at the Canadian Junior Boys’ Championship Aug. 3-6 at the Summerlea Golf & Country Club in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec. The top 34 finishers, excluding players already exempt, also received a quota spot for the Canadian Championship.

Click here for full results