Team Canada NextGen member Hunter Thomson wins
individual competition

MacTier, Ont. – The Fighting Irish came from 11 shots back to win the inaugural Canadian Collegiate Invitational at Öviinbyrd Golf Club in MacTier, Ont. on Tuesday.

Notre Dame shot a collective 6-under in the final round to finish the tournament at 17-under to beat the University of Michigan and University of Missouri by five shots to claim the championship. Kent State University finished fourth at 11-under and Michigan State University rounded out the top five, finishing 6-under.

Following play yesterday, Notre Dame head coach, John Handrigan said the team had a great meeting where they talked about what they needed to do in the final round. They focused on the par fives and their inability to score during the first two rounds. That brought about their plan of attack, “let’s treat every par five like it’s a par four and be aggressive mentally,” said Handrigan.

“If you think of it as a par four, you’re going to have some threes and a lot of fours and we did that today, the amount of eagles and birdies we had on the par fives were outstanding, so we just wanted a more aggressive mind set rather than being conservative and cautious and our guys came out firing.

“I think that’s what obviously when another team sees you come out firing, they’re on defence a little bit so really proud of how our team handled it, they didn’t hold back and we’ve been working on that aggressive mindset all year so it’s nice to see them pull through and do that,” added Handrigan.

Notre Dame was led by Nate Stevens of Northfield, Minn. And Rocco Salvitti of Canonsburg, Pa. who both shot 2-under 70’s on Tuesday. Jacob Modleski of Noblesville, Ind. and Mike Qiu of Dalian, China also had their scores count to the team total following rounds of 1-under 71. Christopher Bagnall of Pretoria, South Africa was also a member of the team and both his scores on Monday contributed to the team total.

“We do a lot of work as coaches to find the right chemistry within our team, the right players and we have such an amazing culture and I think that’s part of our success for sure, the guys get along and there’s never any fighting, there’s some needling here and there because they’re guys and they’re competitive but they get along so well and they truly love one another and when you have a team like that I think you can do some amazing things,” said Handrigan on his team.

Heading into the tournament, Handrigan, who is from Muskoka, Ont. had a simple message for his team and that was to enjoy it.

“This is my home area, so bringing our players to where I am from was special in itself and obviously to get the win was amazing. To bring them here, nobody knows Muskoka really in the U.S. so the players don’t know the beauty of this place and the beauty of Öviinbyrd, so we just wanted to get here and enjoy it and really have a good time. They absolutely loved it. The hospitality is one but the quality of the golf course this week was phenomenal,” he said.

In the individual competition, Team Canada NextGen member, Hunter Thomson (Michigan) of Calgary, Alta. finished 14-under to hold off fellow Team Canada NextGen member, Isaiah Ibit (Kent State) of Orleans, Ont. by two. Thomson fired rounds of 66-66-70-202 and has earned an exemption into the 2025 RBC Canadian Open and 2025 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

Thomson said something just clicked for him this week in MacTier after working on his game the previous two weeks and that winning the individual competition was special having never been to Muskoka, Ont. before.

“When I heard there was a college event in Canada, I was excited, being part of Team Canada for the last three-four years it’s pretty special.

“Last week leading up to this I felt like I got back to myself, got a little hungrier for sure and worked on my game and I felt amazing this week, something just clicked to be honest,” said Thomson.

In addition to Thomson and Ibit, four others have also earned exemptions into the 2025 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, including: Team Canada member and 2023 Canadian Men’s Amateur champion, Ashton McCulloch (Michigan State) of Kingston, Ont., Bryce Reed (Kent State) of Delaware, Ohio, Veikka Viskari of Espoo, Finland and Ben Borgida (Washington State) of Shoreline, Wash.

As a Canadian, Handrigan was also proud to see three Canadians finish atop the individual standings.

“Shows you how strong Canadian golf is and people don’t understand that. Look at the Presidents Cup, three of our Canadians in the Presidents Cup. This week one, two and three…Canadian golf is strong and to bring a college tournament to Canada is really special and for me being from this area, being from Muskoka and having all my family and friends here this week it was just so special,” he added.

Austin Krahn of Christina Lake, B.C. survived an eight-hole playoff over Charlie Gillespie of Calgary, Alta. and Jager Pain of Woodbridge, Ont. to earn his spot on the 2025 Team Canada NextGen squad. Krahn entered the day one shot back of the lead and recorded rounds of 73-69-74-216. The Team Canada NextGen Selection Camp tournament was being played concurrently with the Canadian Collegiate Invitational.

The inaugural invitational tournament was conducted by Golf Canada and co-hosted by Kent State University and Penn State University who are both led by Canadian head coaches, Jon Mills (Kent State) and Mark Leon (Penn State). The tournament featured nine NCAA Division I men’s golf teams with prominent Canadian ties along with the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds. UBC qualified after winning the 2024 Canadian University/College Championship in June at Idylwylde Golf and Country Club in Sudbury, Ont. The invitational marked the first NCAA Division I men’s golf event played in Canada.

The championship was contested over 54 holes in two days, with 36 holes played on Monday and 18 holes on Tuesday. All three rounds were played in a shotgun format. The team component featured five members per team with the top four scores for the day counting to the overall team score.

For the final leaderboard following the Canadian Collegiate Invitational, click here. For the final leaderboard following the Team Canada NextGen selection camp, click here.

Hunter Thomson leads individual standings after 36 holes
of inaugural championship

MacTier, Ont. – The Tigers shot a collective 22-under to lead after the opening 36 holes of the 2024 Canadian Collegiate Invitational at Öviinbyrd Golf Club in MacTier, Ont. on Monday.

The Tigers have a fairly young group this season, having lost a couple senior players to graduation allowing for new players to enter the line-up this year that features two sophomores and a freshman. Two of those sophomores were big contributors on Monday as Veikka Viskari of Espoo, Finland shot rounds of 69-67 and Brock Snyder of Ames, Iowa shot 69-68 to help lead the Tigers. Senior Dagbjartur Sigurbrandsson of Reykjavik, Iceland also shot rounds of 69-68 to have his scores count as did Matthias Varjun of Tallinn, Estonia (74-70).

“You could be going, or you could be struggling and for 36 holes, five guys that’s a lot of golf today. There’s going to be bad shots and bad stretches and really, we just wanted them to focus on the things they could control and just go from there for 36 holes and see what happens,” said Missouri Tigers Coach, Glen Millican.

Millican added that a little fatigue began to creep in as the day progressed, but he was proud of how his team battled through the day, “they did a great job, handled it really well.”

The Tigers taken an 11-shot lead into the final 18 holes on Tuesday. Behind the Tigers are the Michigan Wolverines and Notre Dame Fighting Irish, both collectively at 11-under. Tournament co-host, Kent State Golden Flashes are fourth at 6-under.

Millican said getting the ball in play off the tee is priority number one at Öviinbyrd, “once you do that, you really got to pay attention to what you’re doing into the greens because if you fall asleep a bit and hit a good shot you can be penalized, so we want to make sure we don’t penalize ourselves after hitting a good shot.”

In the individual competition, Team Canada NextGen member, Hunter Thomson (Michigan) of Calgary, Alta. leads at 12-under following consecutive rounds of 66 on Monday. Fellow Team Canada NextGen member, Isaiah Ibit (Kent State) of Orleans, Ont. is in a three-way tie for second at 8-under with Viskari (Missouri) and Weston Jones (Rutgers) of Sudbury, Mass. Team Canada member, Ashton McCulloch (Michigan State) of Kingston, Ont. is tied for fifth with Snyder and Sigurbrandsson (Missouri) at 7-under.

In addition to the Invitational tournament, Team Canada is running its selection camp for the 2025 NextGen team. After 36 holes, Jager Pain of Woodbridge, Ont. leads after posting rounds of 71-70 to sit at 3-under, one shot ahead of Austin Krahn of Christina Lake, B.C. Current Team Canada NextGen member Luke Smith of Toronto, Ont. is in third at 1-under. The 19-player field is competing for one guaranteed spot on the 2025 Team Canada NextGen squad.

The inaugural invitational tournament is being conducted by Golf Canada and co-hosted by Kent State University and Penn State University who are both led by Canadian head coaches, Jon Mills (Kent State) and Mark Leon (Penn State). The tournament features nine NCAA Division I men’s golf teams with prominent Canadian ties along with the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds. UBC qualified after winning the 2024 Canadian University/College Championship in June at Idylwylde Golf and Country Club in Sudbury, Ont.

The championship is being contested over 54 holes in two days, with 36 holes played in today’s opening rounds followed by 18 holes in the final round on Tuesday. All three rounds will be played in a shotgun format. The team component features five members per team with the top four scores for the day counting to the overall team score. The individual competition will be stroke-play with the winner receiving an exemption into the 2025 RBC Canadian Open and the top five receiving exemptions into the 2025 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO.

For the leaderboard following the first two rounds of the Canadian Collegiate Invitational, click here. For the leaderboard from the Team Canada NextGen selection camp, click here.

New men’s intercollegiate team championship at Öviinbyrd Golf Club marks the first NCAA Division I men’s golf event held in Canada

MacTier, Ont. – The inaugural Canadian Collegiate Invitational is set to take place at Öviinbyrd Golf Club in MacTier, Ont. from September 16 – 17, 2024. The tournament marks the first time that an NCAA Division I men’s golf tournament will be played in Canada.

The tournament will be conducted by Golf Canada and co-hosted by Kent State University and Penn State University who are both led by Canadian head coaches, Jon Mills (Kent State) and Mark Leon (Penn State). The tournament will feature nine NCAA Division I men’s golf teams with prominent Canadian ties along with the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds. UBC qualified after winning the 2024 Canadian University/College Championship in June at Idylwylde Golf and Country Club in Sudbury, Ont.

Joining the co-hosts from Kent State and Penn State and Canadian champions UBC will be Miami University (Ohio), University of Michigan, Michigan State University, University of Missouri, University of Notre Dame, Rutgers University, and Washington State University.

In addition, the Team Canada – NextGen Selection Camp (Boys) will be contested concurrently with the Canadian Collegiate Invitational. A field of 19 players will compete for an automatic spot on the 2025 Team Canada – NextGen squad.

“We are excited to begin play next week for the inaugural Canadian Collegiate Invitational. We want to thank Kent State and Penn State for co-hosting this event as we welcome some of the top Division I NCAA collegiate programs to compete in Canada for the first time,” said Mary Beth McKenna, Director, Amateur Championships and Rules, Golf Canada. “We also extend our sincere appreciation to Öviinbyrd Golf Club and the partners Paul McLean, Peter Schwartz and Rob Fraser for their incredible support to host the inaugural event.”

Öviinbyrd Golf Club is one of Canada’s premier golf courses, designed by Thomas McBroom and opened in 2004 in Muskoka, Ont. The 7,118-yard layout is set amongst the forests and exposed granite of the Canadian shield in Ontario’s famous cottage country and will create a challenging and memorable experience for the players. Öviinbyrd’s recently renovated practice facility features world class training conditions and state-of-the-art technology and will benefit players competing next week.

“On behalf of the membership and management team at Öviinbyrd, we look forward to hosting our reigning Canadian champions along with some of the top NCAA collegiate players and top Canadian junior boys at our club,” said Lindsay Franklin, General Manager, Öviinbyrd Golf Club. “We are excited to host the inaugural invitational and create a memorable experience for everyone with picturesque Muskoka as the backdrop for this championship.”

The inaugural championship will be contested over 54 holes in two days, with 36 holes played in Monday’s opening round followed by 18 holes in the final round on Tuesday. All three rounds will be played in a shotgun format. The team component will feature five members per team with the top four scores for the day counting to the overall team score. The individual competition will be stroke-play with the winner receiving an exemption into the 2025 RBC Canadian Open and the top five receiving exemptions into the 2025 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO.

ABOUT THE TEAMS…

Kent State Golden Flashes (Co-Host)

The Golden Flashes finished seventh at the Gopher Invitational earlier this month in Minneapolis, Minn. Kent State are led by head coach Jon Mills of Belleville, Ont. and have three Canadians currently on their roster with two Team Canada – NextGen members Ben MacLean of Niagara Falls, Ont., Isaiah Ibit of Orleans, Ont. and James Newton of Ottawa. Kent State has been a feeder program to the PGA TOUR for Canadians in the past with Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes and Taylor Pendrith all having played for the Golden Flashes during their collegiate careers.

Penn State Nittany Lions (Co-Host)

The Nittany Lions finished 15th in the first tournament of the season at the Visit Knoxville Collegiate in Knoxville, Tenn. earlier this month. Penn State are led by head coach Mark Leon of Toronto and have one Canadian on the roster, Zach Smith, a sophomore from Brampton, Ont.

Miami (Ohio) RedHawks

The RedHawks finished sixth in their lone tournament appearance of the early season, at the Island Resort Intercollegiate in Harris, Mich this month. Miami features two Canadians on the roster, Cameron Pero of Bloomfield, Ont. and Michael Weber of Burlington, Ont. who are both in their junior year.

Michigan Wolverines

The Wolverines finished fifth at the Island Resort Collegiate in early September and also competed at the Inverness Collegiate in Toledo, Ohio this month. Michigan’s Director of Sports Performance and Assistant Coach is Matt Hoffman of Thornhill, Ont. The Wolverines also have one Canadian on their roster, Hunter Thomson of Calgary, Alta. who is in his senior year.

Michigan State Spartans

The Spartans finished fourth at the Folds of Honor Collegiate Invitational in Grand Haven, Mich. earlier this week. 2023 Canadian Men’s Amateur Champion and 2023 World Amateur Team Championships Team Canada member, Ashton McCulloch of Kingston, Ont. finished solo fourth this week and is in his senior year with the Spartans.

Missouri Tigers

The Canadian Collegiate Invitational will be the Tigers first tournament of the season. Last year Missouri enjoyed a strong fall season with one win and one runner-up finish in six tournaments. They added another runner-up finish at the Tiger Intercollegiate this past April.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Notre Dame finished fifth at the Folds of Honor Collegiate Invitational this season. The Fighting Irish are led by head coach John Handrigan of Bracebridge, Ont. and have one Canadian on the roster, Owen Mullen a senior from Truro, N.S.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

The Scarlet Knights finished fifth at the Gopher Invitational this month and were led by senior, Noah Kumar who finished second in the individual standings.

UBC Thunderbirds

The 2024 Canadian University/College Champions got off to a solid start earlier this week, winning the Bushnell Fall Invitational in Springfield, Ore. All five members of UBC that were part of the Canadian National Championship win in June are eligible to compete in MacTier, including individual winner, Dylan MacDonald of Markham, Ont. UBC are led by head coach, Chris MacDonald who has led both the men’s and women’s golf programs to multiple national titles and conference championships during his 23 years at the helm.

Washington State Cougars

The Cougars finished fourth at the Palouse Collegiate earlier this week in Pullman, Wash. The Cougars roster features two Canadians, freshman Tate Bruggeman of Edmonton, Alta. and graduate student, Jakob Chicoyne of Calgary, Alta. 2021 Canadian Men’s Amateur champion and Team Canada member Max Sekulic of Rycroft, Alta. is a recent graduate.

For the full player field competing in the inaugural Canadian Collegiate Invitational, click here.

Championship schedule to include 11 National Amateur Championships presented by BDO, six NextGen Championships, and the World Junior Girls Golf Championship in addition to Canada’s National Open Championships – the RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open

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

She Plays Golf Championship Series with stops in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto marks the rebirth of a professional women’s golf tour in Canada.

Golf Canada is pleased to announce its full 2024 championship schedule, which includes amateur and professional competitions in addition to various qualifiers hosted at golf facilities across Canada.

The 2024 schedule is headlined by Golf Canada’s two signature National Open Championships — the RBC Canadian Open, returning to the historic Hamilton Golf and Country Club in Hamilton, Ont. May 28 – June 2, and the 50th playing of the CPKC Women’s Open to be held at Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary, July 23-28.

Golf Canada’s 2024 competition calendar also includes 11 National Amateur Championships presented by BDO, six NextGen Championships, and the World Junior Girls Golf Championship. Three new previously announced championships for the 2024 season include the BDO National Golf League Finals, the Canadian U15 Championship, and the Canadian Collegiate Invitational.

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

“We are pleased to announce the full championship schedule for 2024 and the addition of three new tournaments this year. We look forward to welcoming talented amateur athletes from across Canada and around the globe to compete for our national championships,” said Mary Beth McKenna, Golf Canada Director, Amateur Championships and Rules. “I want to thank our corporate partners, our generous host clubs across the country, and all the volunteers that are vital to making these championships possible. We are looking forward to another great season of championship golf.”

Each of Golf Canada’s championships are set to be contested at Canada’s top clubs including the 119th Canadian Men’s Amateur, hosted by Riverside Country Club and Saskatoon Golf and Country Club, both in Saskatoon, Sask., while the 110th Canadian Women’s Amateur will be played at the Royal Colwood Golf Club in Victoria, B.C.

The Canadian Junior Financial Assistance Program supported by Gary Cowan Heritage Fund and the Canadian Senior Golf Association will once again be available for Juniors competing in the NextGen Championships and all National Junior Championships (Juniors and U15) who meet eligibility requirements which can be found here.

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

Other notable qualifiers being conducted for USGA Championships on the 2024 schedule include a U.S. Open Local and Final Qualifier, a U.S. Women’s Open Qualifier in addition to qualifiers for the U.S. Junior Amateur and Girls’ Junior Championships, the U.S. Women’s Amateur, and local qualifier for the U.S. Amateur Championship.  

New to the schedule in 2024 is the She Plays Golf Championship Series, a three-event circuit in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto that marks the rebirth of a professional women’s golf tour in Canada. She Plays Golf is a citywide celebration of women’s golf anchored in each host market by a $60,000 CAD professional golf championship contested over 54-holes for a field of 60 professionals and elite amateurs. The enhanced championships comprising the She Plays Golf Championships Series include the Peloton Glencoe Invitational (June 13-15 at the Forest Course at Glencoe Golf and Country Club in Calgary), the GolfBC Group BC Women’s Open (June 19-22 at Pitt Meadows Golf Club in Pitt Meadows, B.C.), and the ORORO PGA Women’s Championship of Canada (July 2-5 at a venue to be announced in the Greater Toronto Area). For 2024, the top two finishers in each event from the She Plays Golf Championship Series will qualify for the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open at Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary. In addition, the overall points leader at the conclusion of the She Plays Golf Championship Series will earn a spot in the CPKC Women’s Open, if not already qualified.

Golf Canada’s championship season kicks off April 15 with a U.S. Women’s Open Qualifier at The Vancouver Golf Club and concludes with the World Junior Girls Golf Championship at Credit Valley Golf and Country Club in Mississauga, Ont. from September 30 – October 5, where Team Canada will look to defend its championship.

To view Golf Canada’s 2024 Championship Schedule, including all host venues, registration requirements and volunteer opportunities visit, golfcanada.ca/competitions-calendar/.

2024 Amateur Championship Season at a Glance…

The inaugural BDO National Golf League Finals will be held at Hamilton Golf and Country Club in Hamilton, Ont. on May 25 ahead of tournament week of the RBC Canadian Open. Fifty-two two-player teams will compete over 18-holes in a four-ball net stableford format to crown the first ever BDO National Golf League Champions.

The Canadian University/College Championship, presented by BDO, will be held June 2-6 at Idylwylde Golf and Country Club in Sudbury, Ont. The championship includes both a team and individual component featuring Canada’s top university and college talent. The winning men’s team will qualify for the 2024 Canadian Collegiate Invitational.

The Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, will be held July 10-13 at Crown Isle Golf Resort in Courtenay, B.C. The 2023 event marked the first-time the tournament was held as a standalone event for female amateurs aged 25-and-over.

The Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO, will be contested July 21-25 at Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver where the winner will earn an exemption into the 2025 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship and the 2025 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship.

The 110th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, takes place July 29 – August 2 at Royal Colwood Golf Club in Victoria, B.C. with the champion earning an exemption into the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open, as well as an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship.

The 119th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, will be contested in Saskatoon, Sask., August 3-8 and hosted by the Riverside Country Club and Saskatoon Golf and Country Club. A maximum field of 264 players will be cut to the low 70 players and ties after 36 holes, with the final two rounds contested at Riverside Country Club. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2025 RBC Canadian Open, as well as an invitation to the 2024 U.S. Amateur Championship. The winner will also receive an exemption from local qualifying for the 2025 U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur Championship.

The Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO, will be contested August 12-16 at Innisfail Golf Club in Innisfail, Alta. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship and 2025 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

The Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, will be held August 19-23 at Carleton Golf and Yacht Club in Manotick, Ont.

The Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, will take place August 26-29 at The Club at North Halton in Georgetown, Ont. The Senior Champion will receive an exemption into the 2025 U.S. Women’s Senior Championship and 2025 U.S. Women’s Senior Open.

The newest national championship addition to the schedule, the Canadian U15 Championship  will be played at Elmira Golf Club in Elmira, Ont. from August 27-30. The boys and girls individual champions will earn exemptions into their respective 2024 Team Canada NextGen Selection Camp as well as their 2025 Canadian Junior Championship, presented by BDO. The top five finishers in each division will earn spots into two 2025 NextGen Championships.

The Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, a national championship for players with neurological, intellectual, sensory, and physical impairments, will be held September 9-12 at Timber Ridge Golf Course in Brighton, Ont. The championship will expand to 54-holes in 2024 with previous tournaments being contested over 36-holes.

The Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, will be hosted by Saugeen Golf Club in Port Elgin, Ont. from September 11-15, with the champion earning an exemption into the 2025 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship.

The Canadian Collegiate Invitational will debut at Öviinbyrd Golf Club in MacTier, Ont. from September 15-17. The tournament was announced last November and will be co-hosted by Kent State University and Penn State University. The intercollegiate tournament will feature nine NCAA Division I men’s teams along with the winning men’s team from the 2024 Canadian University/College Championship. The champion receives an exemption into the 2025 RBC Canadian Open.

The NextGen Championships are a high-performance junior golf series which totals six competitions. From May to July, six championships will take place across Canada where the region’s best junior golfers will compete to earn exemptions into their respective 2024 national championships. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf.

The 2024 NextGen Championship host clubs include: Summerland Golf and Country Club (Summerland, B.C.), FireRock Golf Club (Komoka, Ont.), Leduc Golf Club (Leduc, Alta.), Whitewater Golf Club (Thunder Bay, Ont.), Club de golf Les Boisés de Joly (Joly, Que.) and The Wilds Resort (Holyrood, Nfld.).

The 2024 championship season concludes with the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, taking place at Credit Valley Golf and Country Club in Mississauga, Ont. from September 30 to October 5. Team Canada looks to defend the team championship amongst a field of the world’s best junior golfers. Teams compete as 3-member squads while also contesting for an individual title.

Registration for Golf Canada’s competitions will open on the following dates:

• NextGen Championships: Wednesday, February 21 at 12:00pm EST
• RBC Canadian Open Qualifying: Wednesday, February 28 at 12:00pm EST
• National Amateur Championships: Wednesday, March 6 at 12:00pm EST

New men’s intercollegiate team championship at Öviinbyrd Golf Club will mark the first NCAA Division I golf event held in Canada

Oakville, Ont. – Golf Canada is pleased to announce the creation of the Canadian Collegiate Invitational tournament that will take place at Öviinbyrd Golf Club in MacTier, Ont. from September 15 – 17, 2024.

The tournament will be conducted by Golf Canada and co-hosted by Kent State University and Penn State University who are both led by Canadian head coaches, Jon Mills (Kent State) and Mark Leon (Penn State). The tournament will feature NCAA Division I men’s golf teams with prominent Canadian ties along with the team champions of the 2024 Canadian University/College Championship.

Joining the co-hosts from Kent State and Penn State will be Miami University (Ohio), University of Michigan, Michigan State University, University of Missouri, University of Notre Dame, Rutgers University, and Washington State University. Also competing will be the 2024 Canadian University/College Men’s Team champions crowned next spring at Idylwylde Golf & Country Club in Sudbury, Ont.

The inaugural Canadian Collegiate Invitational marks the first time that an NCAA Division I men’s golf tournament will be played in Canada.

In addition, the selection camp tournament for the Team Canada – NextGen boys squad will be contested concurrently with the Canadian Collegiate Invitational at Öviinbyrd Golf Club as Canada’s best junior boys look to qualify for the 2025 Team Canada – NextGen squad. Invitation criteria for the selection camp will be made available early in the new year.

“We are excited to add a new tournament to our Amateur Championship schedule and we thank Kent State and Penn State for co-hosting this invitational as we welcome some of the top Division I NCAA collegiate programs to compete in Canada for the first time,” said Mary Beth McKenna, Director, Amateur Championships and Rules, Golf Canada. “We also extend our thanks to Öviinbyrd Golf Club and the partners Paul McLean, Peter Schwartz and Rob Fraser for their gracious support in hosting this inaugural invitational at their golf course. We are also excited to concurrently run our Team Canada – NextGen selection camp tournament, which will provide high-level junior players the opportunity to compare themselves with top-tier NCAA competition.”

Öviinbyrd Golf Club is one of Canada’s premier golf courses, designed by Thomas McBroom and opened in 2004 in Muskoka, Ont. The 7,118-yard layout is set amongst the forests and exposed granite of the Canadian shield in Ontario’s famous cottage country and will create a challenging and memorable experience for the players. Öviinbyrd’s recently renovated practice facility features world class training conditions and state-of-the-art technology and will benefit players participating in both the NCAA event and the Team Canada – NextGen selection camp.

“The Öviinbyrd members and management team look forward to sharing our unique club culture with some of the best NCAA college players and top Canadian junior boys in the fall of 2024,” said Lindsay Franklin, General Manager, Öviinbyrd Golf Club. “With Muskoka as the backdrop to this inaugural event, we are excited to give back to Canadian golf, while creating memorable experiences for the players and helping to advance Canada as a world-class golf country.”

The inaugural championship will be contested over 54 holes in two days, with 36 holes played in the opening round and 18 holes in the final round. The team component will feature five members per team with the top four scores for the round counting to the overall team score. The individual competition will be stroke-play with the winner receiving an exemption into the 2025 RBC Canadian Open and the top-five receiving exemptions into the 2025 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO.

Consideration is on-going for the addition of a women’s NCAA Division I tournament in parallel with additional opportunities to expand the women’s competitive golf schedule in Canada. The full 2024 Amateur Championship schedule including the Team Canada – NextGen Girls selection camp tournament will be announced in the new year.

ABOUT THE TEAMS…

Kent State Golden Flashes (Co-Host)
The Golden Flashes earned four top-10 finishes this fall, including a second-place finish at the Gopher Invitational in September. Kent State are led by head coach Jon Mills of Belleville, Ont. and have three Canadians currently on their roster with Team Canada – NextGen member Ben MacLean of Niagara Falls, Ont., Chris Vandette of Beaconsfield, Que. and James Newton of Ottawa. 2023 NextGen Ontario winner Isaiah Ibit of Ottawa will be a freshman in the fall of 2024. Kent State has been a feeder program to the PGA TOUR for Canadians in the past with Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes and Taylor Pendrith all having played for the Golden Flashes during their collegiate careers.

“Kent State has long been associated with excellence in Canadian golf, and we are very excited to welcome other college teams to compete in Canada for the first time and experience Muskoka in the fall,” said Jon Mills.

Penn State Nittany Lions (Co-Host)
The Nittany Lions earned four top-10 finishes during the fall season. Penn State are led by head coach Mark Leon of Toronto and have one Canadian on the roster—Zach Smith of Brampton, Ont.—who will be a sophomore in 2024.

“As a proud Canadian and Penn State Nittany Lion, I’m very proud to be hosting some of the best NCAA programs at the Canadian Collegiate Invitational at Oviinbyrd. Canada continues to emerge as a globally significant golfing country and Penn State looks forward to this groundbreaking event,” said Mark Leon.

Miami (Ohio) RedHawks
The RedHawks have earned four top-10 finishes during the fall season including a pair of fourth place finishes at the Island Resort Collegiate and the Virtues Intercollegiate. Miami features two Canadians on the roster—Cameron Pero of Bloomfield, Ont. and Michael Weber of Burlington, Ont.—who will both be entering their junior years in 2024.

Michigan Wolverines
The Wolverines have had a successful fall season winning two tournaments in September. Michigan won their season opener, the Island Resort Intercollegiate, finishing at 30-under and followed it up a couple weeks later winning the Virtues Intercollegiate with a score of 34-under. Michigan closed the fall season with a runner-up finish at The Clerico. Michigan’s Director of Sports Performance and Assistant Coach is Matt Hoffman of Thornhill, Ont. The Wolverines also have two Canadians on their roster—Hunter Thomson of Calgary, Alta. and Bavake Sihota of Caledon, Ont.—who will both be seniors in 2024.

Michigan State Spartans
The Spartans finished as runners-up in the Folds of Honor Collegiate tournament in September. 2023 Canadian Men’s Amateur Champion and 2023 World Amateur Team Championships Team Canada member, Ashton McCulloch of Kingston, Ont. will be entering his senior year for the Spartans in 2024.

Missouri Tigers
The Tigers enjoyed a strong fall season with one win and one runner-up finish in six tournaments. The Tigers were co-winners with Wake Forest at the Chicago Highlands Invitational in September after finishing at 31-under. Missouri opened the season with a runner-up finish at the Golfweek Collegiate Kickoff, finishing 13-under.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame are led by head coach John Handrigan of Bracebridge, Ont. and have one Canadian on the roster—Owen Mullen of Truro, N.S.—who will be a senior in 2024. The Fighting Irish won their first tournament of the fall season, the Folds of Honor Collegiate by overcoming a five-shot deficit on the final two holes of the tournament, finishing at 8-over.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights
The Scarlet Knights earned five consecutive top-10 finishes during the fall season. Current senior and team captain Xavier Marcoux is a Canadian citizen and represents Canada in competition.

Washington State Cougars
The Cougars have had a strong fall season earning four top-five finishes in five tournaments. The Cougars finished as runners-up at the Golfweek Fall Challenge and the Oregon State Invitational and added a third-place finish at the Visit Stockton Pacific Invitational. 2021 Canadian Men’s Amateur champion and Team Canada member Max Sekulic of Rycroft, Alta. is a recent graduate.