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.

For those who don’t know him, Austin James is an 18-year-old sophomore out of Charleston Southern, in Charleston, S.C. He won the 2014 Canadian Junior Boys Championship with a 15-under 273 for a four-stroke victory. How did he get here? Well, it seems as if the road to success was paved out for him at an early age – the foundation at least.

Austin comes from a family of golf. His immediate family lives on the grounds of Loyalist Golf and Country Club in Bath Ont., where his father, Geoff, is the head PGA of Canada professional. This past week, James played in PGA Tour Canada’s Great Waterway Classic, held on the very own grounds of Loyalist. Against the pros, James finished tied for 49th with an 8-under 280 (71-68-73-68). Home course or not, a very promising finish for the young sophomore.

James has enjoyed success in the past, winning a couple Canadian Junior Golf Association (CJGA) events in 2013 before winning a national championship. With age, he seems to be developing a greater understanding of the game, evident in his recent string of finishes.

While still young, James has directed his focus to the collegiate level by looking to get into the lineup at more NCAA events, before his ultimate plan of turning professional.

“I got to play about half of our team’s events – overall though, I really enjoyed my first year there,” said James. “I’d like to have a solid college career and see how good I can get while I’m still at school and hopefully go pro after that. It’s still a while away, so I am just more focused on getting my game better and better.”

Austin is the younger brother to sister Augusta James, three-year member of Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad. Just as you’d expect, the support for each other within the family is strong. A week after winning the Canadian Junior Boys title, Austin headed down south with Augusta to help her prepare for the U.S. Women’s Amateur in Glencove, N.Y.

Taking nothing away, Austin James is a talent in his own right – although he is still modest enough to admit his older sister holds the upper hand.

“She was always better than me, and she still is,” laughed James of a match with Augusta. “I think that has helped me be more competitive and it gives me someone to look up to and compare myself to.”

Augusta, 21, won the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship in July, giving younger brother Austin an extra boost of motivation leading up to his Canadian Junior Boys win.

“It was great to see her win that title, especially battling the world’s no. 2 (Canada’s Brooke Henderson) and no. 6 (Autralia’s Su-Hyun Oh) ranked amateurs in the world,” said Austin. “It gave me a lot of confidence to see all the work she has put in pay off.”

Looking to the future, Austin plans to improve on consistency and continue learning in college competitions at Charleston Southern. Meanwhile, sister Augusta will look to close out her career at N.C. State in memorable fashion.

The future is never a sure thing, but don’t be surprised if you see the name ‘James’ atop golf leaderboards for many years to come.

Niagara Falls, Ont. – After 72 holes of play that consisted of multiple course records, low scores, and weather delays, 18-year-old Austin James of Bath, Ont. claimed the 2014 Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Legends on the Niagara’s Battlefield Course. 

James gained momentum in Wednesday’s second round, which continued into Thursday due to a weather delay, when he matched the course record with an 8-under-par 64. He continued his strong play in Thursday afternoon’s third round, which was suspended due to darkness when James was 2-under through nine holes.

“I tried not to let [the suspensions] affect anything and just kept playing the way I was playing,” said James after Friday’s awards ceremony. “It was a good test to see if I could do it mentally and I’m happy I did.”

It was evident that James did not let the week’s suspensions faze him. He finished the third round with a score of 4-under-par 68, and began his fourth round just a few hours later. His final round even-par 72 was highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 sixth hole and led James to finish with a score of 15-under-par 273 for the championship. 

James’ victory comes just one week after his older sister, Team Canada member Augusta James, claimed the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship. Their simultaneous victories make them the only siblings to have won Canadian national championship titles in the same year.

“I will definitely remember this moment for a while, I’m really blessed to have her as a sister. She’s a really good golfer, so it’s great to try and compare myself to her.” James said.  “Obviously her win last week was incredible, winning by six at such a big event with such strong competition. I really have her to thank for this week, it kind of made me believe that it was possible, and that I could win something like this.”

Following James by four strokes to finish in second was Team Canada Development Squad member Tony Gil, 16, of Vaughan, Ont. Gil’s final combined score of 11-under-par 277 crowned him the Juvenile Boys Champion. He also broke the course record of 8-under-par 64, originally set by Patrick Murphy and matched by James earlier this week, with a 9-under-63 in the third round. Murphy, 17, of Crossfield, Alta. finished in third at 10-under-278 for the championship. 

Final results and a full field list are available here.

Niagara Falls, Ont. – After Wednesday’s suspension of play during the second round of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship, Austin James, 18, of Bath, Ont. resumed his round at 7:00 a.m. to grab the top spot on the leaderboard.

James shot a second round 8-under 64 that matched the course record on Legends on the Niagara’s Battlefield Course, originally set on Tuesday by 17-year-old Patrick Murphy of Crossfield, Alta. James was 9-under through 12 holes at the time of yesterday’s suspension for the championship. He birdied two additional holes when play resumed Thursday morning to finish at 11-under 133.

“I came back out this morning planning to just keep playing the way I was playing yesterday. The first couple swings were a little tight because I was a little nervous, but other than that it was good.” said James. “I’m going to go get some sleep, then when I come back hopefully the next round will go the same way.”

A.J. Armstrong, 17, of St. Albert, Alta. sits five strokes behind James at 8-under 136, while Team Canada Development Squad member Matt Williams, 18, from Calgary is in third. After an eagle on the par-5 11th hole, Williams sits at 5-under 139 heading into the third round. Murphy, who shot 64 in the first round to lead, fell into a tie for sixth after shooting a second round 5-over 77.

Thursday’s third round will begin at approximately 3:45 p.m. on Legends on the Niagara’s Battlefield Course, with the field being cut to low 70 players and ties.

In the Inter-Provincial Team Competition, which was contested over the first 36 holes of the Championship, Team Alberta claimed first place over Team Manitoba. The Team Alberta contingent of Tyler Saunders, 18, of Sturgeon County, Andrew Harrison, 17, of Camrose, and Jack Wood, 18, of Banff, finished at 5-under 283. Team Manitoba finished four strokes behind at 1-under-287, while Team British Columbia was third at even-par.

In the juvenile division (16 and under) Team Canada Development Squad member Tony Gil of Vaughan, Ont. shares first place with Tristan Mandur of Mill Bay, B.C. The pair sit at 1-under-par 143.

Starting times, post-round results, full field list, and live scoring are available here.

Niagara Falls, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Play at the 2014 Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Legends on the Niagara was temporarily suspended today due to dangerous playing conditions after strong storm cells rolled through the Niagara Falls, Ont. area Wednesday. Play was suspended for the first time at 11:12 AM EDT, and was suspended for the day at 4:15 PM EDT after an attempted resumption of play. 

The second round will resume tomorrow at 7:00 AM EDT. Afternoon pairings from the second round will begin at 8:00 AM EDT on both the 1st and 10th tees. The third round will commence approximately one hour after the completion of the second round.  At the time of suspension, 78 players had begun their round.

At the time of suspension, overnight leader Patrick Murphy, 17, of Crossfield, Alta. sits in a tie for the lead with Austin James, 18, of Bath, Ont. Team Alberta sits unofficially in first in the Inter-Provincial Championship at 8-under-140. 78 players have yet to begin the second round.

For a full field list, live scoring, and more information regarding Wednesday’s suspension of play click here.

Since 1938, the Canadian Junior Boys Championship has stood as a proving ground for young male golfers under the age of eighteen. This tournament has seen the likes of Web.com Tour player Nick Taylor, Champions Tour player Jim Rutledge, and various Canadian Golf Hall of Famers including George Knudson, Gary Cowan, and more.

Previously hosted at Timberwolf Golf Club in Sudbury, Ont. (2013), and Osprey Ridge Golf Club in Bridgewater, N.S. (2012), this year’s national championship will be played at The Niagara Parks Commission’s (NPC) Legends on the Niagara Golf Complex Battlefield Course, located in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Doug Carrick was responsible for the design of Legends’ Battlefield Course, which is situated next to the historic site of the War of 1812’s Battle of Chippawa. It includes four signature holes, all wrapped around a beautiful 7 hectares (19 acre) man-made lake. The centrepiece of the facility, which links everything together, is a spectacular clubhouse designed by Canadian Architect Peter Berton. This building truly captures the spirit of the Niagara area and it embodies NPC’s vision of a world-class golfing venue that exists in concert with Niagara’s natural and historic setting.

In July of 2004, the Battlefield Course played host to the best women golfers in the world when the Canadian Women’s Open was held at Legends. The course continues to host prestigious golf championships, including the Canadian Women’s Tour Ontario stop in both 2012 and 2014. The Canadian Junior Boys Championship will run from July 29 – August 1, 2014, with a practice round being staged on July 28.

“Niagara Parks believes that hosting national championships of this caliber demonstrates our efforts to help grow the game of golf across the country,” stated Janice Thomson, Chair of The Niagara Parks Commission. “We look forward to hosting this prestigious tournament and to working with Golf Canada to ensure our competitors and their families have the most memorable of experiences when they visit Niagara and Niagara Parks.

According to NPC’s Head Golf Professional, Curtis Labelle, “Legends on the Niagara Golf Complex offers a championship-caliber facility with all of the amenities required to host a national championship. On the Battlefield Course the greens are elevated, undulating and have subtle breaks. This combined with the length of the golf course, well-guarded bunkers and water hazards will provide the challenge our championship competitors are looking for.”

For more information about the Canadian Junior Boys championship, including: starting times, post-round results, and full tournament details, click here.

Niagara Falls, Ont.  – Canada’s top junior males are headed to Niagara Falls for the 76th playing of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship where players will compete for the Junior Boys national title. This year’s field features a strong contingent of players, including members of the Team Canada Development Squad, provincial champions, and top finishers from all six of the 2014 CN Future Links Championships. 

A tournament that has seen the likes of players such as the Web.com Tour’s Nick Taylor, Jim Rutledge of the Champions Tour, and Canadian Golf Hall of Famers George Knudson, Gary Cowan, and more, the Junior Boys Championship continues to stand as a proving ground for young male golfers under 18 years of age. This year, 156 players will vie for the national title over 72 holes of stroke play, with the field being cut to the low-70 players and ties after 36 holes. 

“The Junior Boys Championship has seen past champions who have went on to have successful golf careers both as amateurs and professionally,” said Tournament Director Cam Crawford. “This year’s field features the strongest players from across the country, so there’s no doubt that each round will provide excitement, challenges, and close scores.”  

Legends on the Niagara’s Battlefield Course, located in Niagara Falls, Ont. and maintained by The Niagara Parks Commission, continues to be recognized as a premier championship course. It has previously played host to the 2004 Canadian Women’s Open, as well as the Canadian Women’s Tour Ontario stops in 2012 and June 2014. 

“The Niagara Parks Commission believes that hosting national championships of this caliber demonstrates our efforts to help grow the game of golf across the country,” stated NPC Chair Janice Thomson. “We look forward to hosting this prestigious tournament and to working with Golf Canada to ensure our competitors and their families have the most memorable of experiences when they visit Niagara and Niagara Parks.”

Leading this year’s field is 16-year-old Tony Gil of Vaughan, Ont. A member of Team Canada’s Development Squad, Gil sits atop the CN Future Links National Junior Boys Order of Merit and has claimed champion titles in both the 2014 GAO Junior Spring Classic and the 2013 CJGA Canadian International Junior Challenge. Gil is joined by his Development Squad teammates Étienne Papineau, 17, of St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Que., Carter Simon, 18, of Sutton, Ont., and Matt Williams, 18, of Calgary, Alta. Last year’s Junior Boys title was claimed by the fifth member of the Team Canada Development Squad, Kevin Kwon of Pitt Meadows, B.C. At 19 years of age, Kwon will not return to defend his 2013 champion title.  

The national field is also highlighted by strong finishers from 2014 provincial championships. Papineau recently claimed the Quebec Junior Boys title for the second year in a row, while Simon finished tied for third in the GAO Junior Boys championship. Tyler Saunders, 18, of Sturgeon County, Alta. took home first place at both the 2014 Alberta Junior Boys Championship and the Sun Life Financial Men’s Amateur. Additionally, 18-year-old Myles Creighton of Digby, N.S. took home this year’s CN Future Links Atlantic champion title less than one week after winning the Nova Scotia Junior Championship by 16 strokes.  

The Canadian Junior Boys Championship is open to male amateur golfers who have not reached their 19th birthday by the last scheduled day of the Championship, Aug. 1, 2013.  Practice rounds will be held Monday, July 28, while championship play will be conducted Tuesday, July 29 through Friday, August 1 with 18 holes of stroke play each day.  Any tie after 72 holes will result in a hole-by-hole play-off.
 
Starting times, post-round results, full field list, and live scoring are available here.

As part of Golf Canada’s Annual General Meeting in London, Ont., the association’s Rules & Amateur Status Committee has approved the use of Distance Measuring Devices (DMD’s) for all amateur championships beginning in 2014.

This Local Rule will be introduced at CN Future Links junior championships as well as Canada’s national amateur competitions. Competitors will not be allowed to use DMD’s at Golf Canada’s professional championships including Canadian Women’s Tour events, the TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial, the RBC Canadian Open and the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, including their respective qualifiers.

This Local Rule allows competitors to use Distance Measuring Devices that measure distance only – not those devices that can measure other conditions such as wind speed or direction, temperature or elevation.

“With recent technological advances designed to enhance the golfer experience, our Rules Committee felt that this decision to allow DMD’s was a step in the right direction without jeopardizing the spirit and challenge of the game,” said Dale Jackson, Chair of Golf Canada’s Rules & Amateur Status Committee. “We have received a tremendous amount of feedback from golfers and this decision allows us to align with all of our provincial and international partners that have moved to allow DMD’s at their respective amateur competitions.”

Since 2006, committees have had the option of adopting a Local Rule under the Rules of Golf to allow players to use Distance Measuring Devices that measure or gauge distance only. See note to Rule 14-3 of the Rules of Golf.

Recently, the R&A and the USGA Championship Committee’s decided it will allow the use of distance measuring devices (DMDs) in R&A amateur events in 2014.

For more information on the Rules of Golf, please click here.

To ask a Rules of Golf question, please click here.

For more information on how to proceed in various Rules of Golf situations, guidance on the Golf Canada Handicap System and more, please consult our Rules of Golf publications – for purchase in Golf Canada’s eStore, or at your local book retailer.

Registration opens today for Golf Canada’s Amateur Championships, CN Future Links and Canadian Women’s Tour events.

Competitors looking to play in one of Golf Canada’s eight national amateur championships, six CN Future Links stops or three Canadian Women’s Tour events can view the championship schedule and register online by clicking here.

Canadian Women’s Tour returns for its 13^th season

Golf Canada is pleased to announce the schedule for the 2014 Canadian Women’s Tour – Canada’s only women’s professional golf tour.

This season’s scheduled stops include May 12-14 at Morningstar Golf Club in Parksville, B.C., June 23-25 at Legends on the Niagara in Niagara Falls, Ont. and the Tour’s final stop set for early July in Alberta to be announced in the coming days.

New for 2014, the top five (previously the top 3) players on the Canadian Women’s Tour season-ending Order of Merit will be awarded direct entry into LPGA Stage 2 Qualifying.

In addition, the champion of each Canadian Women’s Tour stop will receive an exemption into the 2014 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open. As well, following the conclusion of play at the final Canadian Women’s Tour event, two (2) additional exemptions will be awarded to the top competitors, not otherwise exempt, on the 2014 Canadian Women’s Tour Order of Merit.

Groove Specifications for 2014 Golf Canada Championships

Golf Canada has determined our plans to implement the new groove specifications for our championships starting in 2014. The Rules Committee recently approved the following:

• Introduce the groove condition of competition for the 2014 Canadian Men’s Amateur and the 2014 Canadian Women’s Amateur.  Note: this does not automatically include the qualifying events for these championships.  Please refer to the conditions of competitions at your respective provincial amateur championships.

• Introduce the groove condition of competition at all other championships (national amateur championships, CN Future Links, and Canadian Women’s Tour events) beginning in 2016.

For more information on the groove specification: Groove FAQ for Golf Canada Championships

Kevin Kwon, 18, of Pitt Meadows, B.C. has won the 2013 Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Timberwolf Golf Club in Sudbury, Ont. Kwon led from wire-to-wire and never looked back after his opening tee shot on Tuesday.

“It feels great,” said Kwon following his victory. “I was really nervous today but I tried to do the same thing I did the past few days and I found a way to win.”

Kwon, a member of Team Canada’s Development Squad, carded a 3-under 69 in his final round to secure the victory. His 12-under 276 (64-74-69-69) total after 72-holes gave him a five-stroke victory. The victory marks Kwon’s second Canadian Junior Boys Championship title – He won the Canadian Junior Boys title in addition to the Canadian Juvenile division title in 2011.

“There was a lot of pressure with this being my third and final Canadian Junior,” Kwon continued. “The first one I had zero expectations, but with this one there were more expectations because I wanted to end my career well. Two different kinds of happy.”

Kwon will compete next week in the 2013 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, which will be conducted August 6 – 9 at Royal Colwood Golf Club and George Vale Golf Club in Victoria, B.C.

Kwon’s Development Squad teammate Matthew Scobie, 18, of Ajax, Ont., finished in second place five strokes behind Kwon at 7-under 281 after shooting 2-under 70 on Friday – Scobie and Kwon were paired together for the final two rounds.

Joseph Kremer, 18, of Toronto, Ont., finished in third place after carding the low round of the day, a 7-under 65, to finish at 6-under 282 (72-70-75-65). Andrew Harrison, 16, of Camrose Alta., recorded a 1-over 73 in his final round to finish in fourth place with a final score of 5-under 283 (71-69-70-73).

Jared DuToit, 18, of Kimberly, B.C., Ryan Borg, 18, of Caledon, Ont., Josh Whalen, 18, of Napanee, Ont., finished tied for fifth at 3-under 285.

Harrison took home the Juvenile Boys Division Title by three strokes over Curtis Chan, 16, of Richmond, B.C., and Étienne Papineau, 16, of Bromont, Que., who both finished at 2-under 286.

Final round results and a full field list are available online.