Park wins the 68th Canadian Junior Girls Championship
WINNER EILEEN PARK AT THE 2023 JUNIOR GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP AT HAMPTON GOLF CLUB (PHOTO BERNARD BRAULT, GOLF CANADA)
Lauren Christie
Hampton, N.B. – Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta., played an amazing and dominant final round to win the 68th playing of the Canadian Junior Girls Championship presented by BDO at Hampton Golf and Country Club in Hampton, N.B.
After heading into the third round tied for first with Luna Lu of Burnaby, B.C., Park carded a final round of 4-under 67 on Thursday, to finish ahead of Team Canada member and Lu who finished second with a 4-over 288 overall for the tournament.
After an opening round 74, the 14-year-old, carded rounds of 74, 71, 69 and 67 for a total score of 3-under 281, en route to the national title.
Coming into the final round Park carded three birdies overall during round three, two birdies back-to-back on the front, one on the par-5 first hole and the other on the par-4 second hole. Park also birdied the par-4 14th hole, for a total score of 2-under 69.
During the final round, Park carded five birdies with three on the front nine, one on the par-5 first hole, on the par-5 sixth hole and the other on the par-4 eighth hole. Park also recorded two birdies on the back nine, the par-4 eleventh hole, par-4 fourteenth hole, for a total score of 4-under, 67.
“This win means a lot to me,” Park said with tears. “This tournament has showed me how much hard work I’ve put in and the results are very nice. I was very nervous on the first tee shot but after my birdie on number one I was able to keep my round going pretty well and kept it simple.”
Park also won the Juvenile division, which ran concurrently for girls aged 16 and under, ahead of Lu at two-over who placed second. The bronze medal was shared by three participants, Lindsay McGrath of Oakville Ont., and Swetha Sathish of Oakville, Ont. who both finished at seven-over.
In the Junior division the bronze medal was shared by three participants, Michelle P. Ding, McGrath and Sathish at seven-over.
Along with the hardware, for Park’s win comes with an exemption into the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Ashburn Golf Club in Halifax, as well as an entry into the 2024 U.S. Junior Girls Championship.
“This win is definitely going to motivate me for the future because its my biggest win so far,” Park added. “Going forward I will have more confidence for bigger tournaments.”
Park will also be awarded a cheque of $1,200. To align with the modernized Rules of Amateur Status, players at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship, competed for a purse of $8,000 CAD. Along with Park, top-10 finishers and ties earned prize money.
Park joins a list of notable Canadian golfers to have won the Canadian Junior Girls Championship including LPGA Tour players and Olympians Brooke Henderson (2012) and Alena Sharp (1999), as well as Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Sandra Post (1964-66).
Team Ontario – made up of Shauna Liu, Joline Truong and Aryn Matthews – took home the Interprovincial Team Trophy. The Ontarians edged the British Columbians by four strokes in the team event, which concluded earlier in the week.
For more information on the 2023 Canadian Junior Girls Championship click here.
GOLF CANADA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Golf Canada annually conducts more than 30 golf competitions and qualifiers nation-wide – including nine National Amateur Championships – which play host to more than 3,000 domestic and international athletes from all corners of the world. In partnership with our host clubs, thousands of volunteers, provincial golf associations and our proud sponsors, Golf Canada is dedicated to supporting player development through world-class competition since our inception in 1895. Officiated by certified Canadian Rules of Golf officials, Golf Canada’s amateur competitions are fully compliant with golf’s international governing bodies and include marquee events such as the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships as well as the Canadian Junior Girls and Junior Boys Championships. Golf Canada’s amateur championships are proudly supported by BDO Canada, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), Titleist, FootJoy, Sport Canada, Levelwear and JOURNIE Rewards. For more information and scheduling visit www.golfcanada.ca/championships.
Lu and Park lead heading into the final round of the 2023 Canadian Junior Girls Championship
Lauren Christie
Hampton, N.B. – Round three got off to a late start due to a weather delay, but once play got started the sun came out to shine for the third day of the 2023 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO, making for another great day.
If there’s one word to describe round three, its competitive. The leaderboard fluctuated throughout the day, where the top players battled to take the lead. But at the end of the day Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. and Luna Lu of Burnaby B.C., sit atop the leaderboard heading into tomorrow’s final round at Hampton Golf Club, in Hampton, N.B.
Park carded three birdies overall during round three, with two birdies back-to-back on the front, one on the par-5 first hole and the other on the par-4 second hole. Park also birdied the par-4 14th, for a total score of 2-under, 69.
“Today I made sure to take more time on each shot. I am going to try and not get nervous for tomorrow, take my time for every shot and make it easy,” said Park.
Lu played an impressive bogey free round and carded two birdies on the front, one on the par-5 first hole and the other on the par-4 eighth hole.
“I’ve really tried to stay patient and calm this week, try not to force too many birdies, hit the fairways and the greens,” said Lu.
The group of Park, Lu and Shauna Liu all played an excellent third round. Both Park and Lu who were tied for second place after yesterday’s round, have made major come backs to sit atop the leaderboard. Liu who was tied for third remains in a four-way tie after shooting a 2-over 73 during the second round.
“I think playing with a group who’s playing really well helps, because I know that if I play really well like them it motivates my performance.” Park added.
“Having a good group out there definitely helps, pace of play today was pretty good, and it overall helped me play better,” said Lu
Going into the final round there is a four-way tie for third place, all five-shots back of the leaders sitting at 6-over. Ha Young Chang (Surrey, B.C.), Swetha Sathish (Oakville, Ont.), Liu (Maple, Ont.) and Chelsea Truong (Victoria, B.C.).
The 2023 Canadian Junior Girls champion will receive an exemption into the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship and 2024 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, if age applicable.
For more information on the 2023 Canadian Junior Girls Championship click here.
GOLF CANADA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Golf Canada annually conducts more than 30 golf competitions and qualifiers nation-wide – including nine National Amateur Championships – which play host to more than 3,000 domestic and international athletes from all corners of the world. In partnership with our host clubs, thousands of volunteers, provincial golf associations and our proud sponsors, Golf Canada is dedicated to supporting player development through world-class competition since our inception in 1895. Officiated by certified Canadian Rules of Golf officials, Golf Canada’s amateur competitions are fully compliant with golf’s international governing bodies and include marquee events such as the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships as well as the Canadian Junior Girls and Junior Boys Championships. Golf Canada’s amateur championships are proudly supported by BDO Canada, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), Titleist, FootJoy, Sport Canada, Levelwear and JOURNIE Rewards. For more information and scheduling visit www.golfcanada.ca/championships.
Team Ontario crowned champions of the 2023 Canadian Junior Girls Championship Inter-Provincial Division
Lauren Christie
Hampton, N.B. – Warm and sunny weather conditions continued into round two of the 2023 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO making for another excellent day. Team Ontario were victorious in defending their title and have been crowned this year’s winners of the Inter-Provincial Team Championship.
Heading into round two with a four-stroke lead, Team Ontario consisting of Shauna Liu (Maple, Ont.), Aryn Matthews (Little Britain, Ont.) and Joline Truong (Mississauga, Ont.) won by four-strokes with a final score of 10-over par.
Liu contributed to the team efforts with scores of an even-par 72 on Monday and 72 on Tuesday, along with Matthews who shot 83 on Monday and 81 on Tuesday and Truong’s 1-over par 72 on Monday and 77 on Tuesday. The team combined for a total score of 10-over par and a four-stroke triumph over the runner-up, Team British Columbia.
“I love the team aspect of golf, I always have. It’s a big part of our history and a big part of the championship so I think its really neat when the athletes get to come together and play as a team and to do it at an event like this just makes it all that much more meaningful,” said Reggie Millage, coach of the Ontario team.
For the individual component of the competition Michelle P. Ding holds the lead after the second round of the 2023 Canadian Juniors Girls Championship. Ding went into the second round with a score of 1-under and finished the second round with a score of 2-over 73 to maintain the lead.
“I tried to not think any differently today, my mindset was to still make par, par is your best friend on this course as its very challenging,” said Ding. “I feel like I never broke my concentration and kept pushing through.”
In second place, Chelsea Truong is a single stroke behind Ding after shooting an 1-over par 72 score during the second round. Truong has played two very consistent rounds, shooting 72 in both the first and second round of the championship.
Alexa Ouellet (Toronto, ON.), who shot a 2-under 69 which was the low round on Tuesday, Shelby Hardwick (Aurora, ON.), Luna Lu (Burnaby, B.C.), Eileen Park (Red Deer, A.B) and Lui are in a four-way tie for third after the second round.
The 2023 Canadian Junior Girls champion will receive an exemption into the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship and 2024 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, if age applicable.
Golf Canada annually conducts more than 30 golf competitions and qualifiers nation-wide – including nine National Amateur Championships – which play host to more than 3,000 domestic and international athletes from all corners of the world. In partnership with our host clubs, thousands of volunteers, provincial golf associations and our proud sponsors, Golf Canada is dedicated to supporting player development through world-class competition since our inception in 1895. Officiated by certified Canadian Rules of Golf officials, Golf Canada’s amateur competitions are fully compliant with golf’s international governing bodies and include marquee events such as the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships as well as the Canadian Junior Girls and Junior Boys Championships. Golf Canada’s amateur championships are proudly supported by BDO Canada, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), Titleist, FootJoy, Sport Canada, Levelwear and JOURNIE Rewards. For more information and scheduling visit www.golfcanada.ca/championships.
Ding leads after round one of the Canadian Junior Girls Championship at Hampton Golf Club
Lauren Christie
Hampton, N.B. – Sunny weather conditions made for a great start at Hampton Golf Club as the opening round of the 2023 Canadian Junior Girls Championship presented by BDO kicked off on Monday. The leaderboard fluctuated throughout the day, but 17-year-old Michelle P. Ding persevered through the heat to sit atop the lead after firing a 1-under 70 after a competitive day.
The Toronto native tallied three birdies in a row on the par-5 sixth hole, par-3 seventh hole and par-4 eighth hole. Ding also fired one birdie on the back, on the par-4 11th, to come back and finish off the round.
“My mindset today was about hitting par, I thought that if I made par, I would do amazing, so I tried to just keep that in mind,” said Ding. “The course was in pretty good shape and my highlights were my up and downs, I barely hit any greens but if I missed them, I made it work. Going forward I plan to just keep hitting par.”
Ding’s best finish at this competition was in last year’s tournament finishing T25 at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont.
Abbey Baker (Halifax, N.S.), Rebecca Kim (Surrey, B.C.), Joline Truong (Mississauga, Ont.), Shauna Liu (Maple, Ont.), Cadence Ko (Richmond, B.C.), Chelsea Truong (Victoria, B.C.) and Luna Lu (Burnaby, B.C.) are all heading into the second round tied for second place, all a single stroke back of Ding.
Last week’s winner of the NextGen Atlantic Championship Abbey Baker said, “I’ve just been focusing on hitting the fairways and greens and knowing that the birdie putts will come. The course was great today, it wasn’t too windy out there for us, but the greens can be tough if you’re out there in the rough.”
Two other players, Bridget Wilkie (Toronto, Ont.) and YanLing (Elaine) Liu (Vancouver, B.C.) are 2-over, and both are within one shot of the leaders, tied for ninth going into the second round.
Team Ontario, consisting of Truong, Liu and Aryn Matthews (Little Britain, Ont.) lead the inter-provincial team competition at 2-over and are looking to defend their title. The defending champions of last year hold the lead by four strokes, over team British Columbia who sit 6-over after the first round.
“Today started off a little rough but I just tried to hang in there. We had some ups and downs with pars and took the birdies as they came,” said Truong. “The course is in good shape, the balls were rolling well, overall went pretty well.”
The Inter-Provincial Team Championship for the Mary Pyke trophy will wrap up tomorrow at the conclusion of the second round.
The 2023 Canadian Junior Girls champion will receive an exemption into the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship and 2024 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, if age applicable.
For more information on the 2023 Canadian Junior Girls Championship click here.
GOLF CANADA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS Golf Canada annually conducts more than 30 golf competitions and qualifiers nation-wide – including nine National Amateur Championships – which play host to more than 3,000 domestic and international athletes from all corners of the world. In partnership with our host clubs, thousands of volunteers, provincial golf associations and our proud sponsors, Golf Canada is dedicated to supporting player development through world-class competition since our inception in 1895. Officiated by certified Canadian Rules of Golf officials, Golf Canada’s amateur competitions are fully compliant with golf’s international governing bodies and include marquee events such as the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships as well as the Canadian Junior Girls and Junior Boys Championships. Golf Canada’s amateur championships are proudly supported by BDO Canada, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), Titleist, FootJoy, Sport Canada, Levelwear and JOURNIE Rewards. For more information and scheduling visit www.golfcanada.ca/championships.
Canadian Junior Girls Championship to tee off at Hampton Golf Club
Lauren Christie
Hampton, N.B. – Top junior golfers from across North America will come together at Hampton Golf Club in Hampton N.B. from July 23-27 to compete in the 68th playing of the Canadian Junior Girls Championship presented by BDO.
The impressive field is led by eight members of the Team Canada NextGen squad—Alissa Xu (Richmond Hill, Ont.), Michelle Xing (Richmond Hill Ont.), Yeji Kwon (Port Coquitlam, B.C.), Luna Lu (Burnaby, B.C.), Anna Huang (Coto De Cazo, CA), Carlee Meilleur (Lansdowne, Ont.), Lindsay McGrath (Oakville, Ont.) and Martina Yu (Coquitlam, B.C.).
Yeji Kwon comes in as the defending champion, having won last year’s championship by eleven strokes. After an opening round 75, the British Columbian carded rounds of 67, 65 and 70 for a total score of 11-under par 277, enroute to the national title. Kwon was also crowned champion of the Juvenile Girls division for girls 16 and younger.
In total, 37 of Canada’s top golfers from the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) are included in the 130-player field along with 2 international competitors.
“The 2023 Canadian Junior Girls Championship will be a memorable event for all players, staff and volunteers involved,” said Golf Canada Tournament Director Dan Hyatt. “Hampton Golf Club has stepped up in a major way, committing over 100 volunteers to the championship and has done an amazing job engaging the local community and embracing this National Championship. The golf course will be in excellent shape and will be a great test to all of the players.”
A practice round will be conducted Sunday, July 23 prior to the championship’s opening round on Monday, July 24. Following the first two rounds of play, the field will be reduced to the low 70 players and ties with the top ten juvenile and ties included in the final two rounds.
A tie breaker, if necessary, will be decided by a hole-by-hole playoff immediately following the conclusion of play.
Located in the town of Hampton, The Hampton Golf Club is known as one of the most scenic and popular 18-hole golf courses in all southern New Brunswick. Suitable for golfers of all levels, the course overlooks Darlings Lake with the hills of Kings Country offering a striking view.
“Hampton is extremely excited to be able to showcase our fantastic course to the country, Hampton is very proud of the product we offer, thanks to our Superintendent Andy Magee’s hard work and dedication, said Head Golf Professional at Hampton Golf Club, Jon Garron. “Hampton is truly a member’s course and they all come together to showcase the club when hosting major events as shown by over 100 volunteers. We cannot wait to see some tremendous play from all the competitors and wish them the best as they compete for a National Championship.”
The Championship was first contested in 1955 and operated by the former Canadian Ladies Association (CLGA) until the amalgamation of CLGA and Royal Canadian Golf Association (now Golf Canada) in 2005.
The Canadian Junior Girls Championship has a long list of distinguished past champion names on the Brokenshire Trophy, including Canadian Golf Hall of Famers Sandra Post (1964-66), Betty Stanhope (1956), Judy Darling (1957), Gail Harvey Moore (1958-1960) and Gayle Borthwick (1961) along with current LPGA Tour players Brooke Henderson (2012), Maddie Szeryk (2013) and Alena Sharp (1999). Stollery Family Team Canada Women’s Head Coach Salimah Mussani (1996) is also a past Canadian Junior Champion.
An inter-provincial team competition will take place over the first two rounds. Each day, the lowest two of three individual 18-hole scores will count towards the team total. The lowest aggregate score over rounds one and two determines the inter-provincial team champions, who will claim the Mary Pyke Trophy.
The Ontario trio of Shauna Liu (Maple, Ont.), Joline Truong (Mississauga, Ont.) and Aryn Matthews (Little Britain, Ont.) will look to defend the province’s team title.
The new purse payout that was introduced in 2022 will continue at this year’s championship. To align with the modernized Rules of Amateur Status, players at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship will compete for a purse of $8,000 CAD. Amateur golfers may accept prize money up to a maximum of $1,200 CAD, and payouts will be awarded to the top-10 finishers and ties.
The 2023 Canadian Junior Girls champion will receive an exemption into the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship and 2024 U.S Girls’ Junior Championship, if eligible.
Golf Canada recognizes the financial resources required to play in a national championship. Accordingly, Golf Canada is pleased to provide needs-based financial assistance grants to help reduce the cost of competing in both the Canadian Junior Girls Championship and Canadian Junior Boys presented by BDO again this year. These available funds would not be possible without the support and generous donation of the Gary Cowan Heritage Fund and the Canadian Seniors Golf Association.
For more information on Golf Canada’s Financial Assistance Grant Program click here.
For more information on the 2023 Canadian Junior Girls Championship click here.
GOLF CANADA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS Golf Canada annually conducts more than 30 golf competitions and qualifiers nation-wide – including nine National Amateur Championships – which play host to more than 3,000 domestic and international athletes from all corners of the world. In partnership with our host clubs, thousands of volunteers, provincial golf associations and our proud sponsors, Golf Canada is dedicated to supporting player development through world-class competition since our inception in 1895. Officiated by certified Canadian Rules of Golf officials, Golf Canada’s amateur competitions are fully compliant with golf’s international governing bodies and include marquee events such as the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships as well as the Canadian Junior Girls and Junior Boys Championships. Golf Canada’s amateur championships are proudly supported by BDO Canada, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), Titleist, FootJoy, Sport Canada, Levelwear and JOURNIE Rewards. For more information and scheduling visit www.golfcanada.ca/championships.
Championship schedule to include ten National Amateur Championships presented by BDO, eight NextGen Championships fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, and the World Junior Girls Golf Championship presented by Sargent Farms in addition to Canada’s National Open Championships – the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open
Golf Canada will also conduct qualifiers for several USGA Championships including Local and Regional 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
(March 15, 2023) Golf Canada is pleased to announce its 2023 championship schedule, which includes amateur and professional competitions in addition to various qualifiers hosted at venerable golf facilities across Canada.
The 2023 schedule is headlined by Golf Canada’s two signature National Open Championships — the RBC Canadian Open, June 5-11, at first-time host Oakdale Golf and Country Club in Toronto and the CP Women’s Open to be conducted at Vancouver’s Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club Aug. 21-27.
Golf Canada’s 2023 competition calendar also includes ten National Amateur Championships presented by BDO, eight NextGen Championships fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, and the World Junior Girls Golf Championship presented by Sargent Farms.
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.
“After a wonderful return to a full championship schedule for 2022, we are pleased to continue that momentum in 2023 and welcome thousands of talented athletes to our national championships,” said Mary Beth McKenna, Golf Canada Director, Amateur Championships and Rules. “Together with our corporate partners, our generous host clubs across the country, and all the volunteers that make 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 some of Canada’s top clubs including the Canadian Men’s Amateur heading to The Pulpit Club’s 36 holes (Pulpit Course and Paintbrush Course) in Caledon, Ont. while the Canadian Women’s Amateur will be played at Ashburn Golf Club (New Course) in Halifax.
New for 2023 include the winners of both the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur receiving an exemption into the respective USGA Championships. This marks the inaugural time this is on offer for the winner of the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur, which will be, for the first time, a stand-alone event.
Each of the National Junior and Amateur Championships will include $8,000 purses with $1,200 of that going to the respective champions. Financial Assistance Grants supported by Gary Cowan Heritage Fund and the Canadian Senior Golf Association will once again be available for Juniors competing in the Canadian Junior Championships 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 CP Women’s Open.
Other notable qualifiers being conducted for USGA Championships on the 2023 schedule include a U.S. Open Local and Final Regional Qualifier and a first-ever 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 the U.S. Amateur Championships.
Golf Canada’s championship season kicks off May 1 with a U.S. Open Local Qualifier at Cherry Hill Club in Ridgeway, Ont. and concludes the week of October 7 with both the NextGen Fall Series West at The Hills at Portal Golf Club in Surrey, B.C., and the World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms at the Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, Ont.
To view Golf Canada’s 2023 Championship Schedule, including all host venues, registration requirements and volunteer opportunities, click here.
2023 Championship Season at a Glance…
The 19th playing of the Canadian University/College Championship, presented by BDO will be held May 29-June 2 at Fire Rock Golf Club in Komoka, Ont. The championship includes both a team and individual component featuring Canada’s top university and college talent.
The 109th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO takes place July 31 – Aug. 4 at Ashburn Golf Club in Halifax, N.S. with the champion earning an exemption into the 2023 CP Women’s Open, as well as an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. The winner also receives exemptions into the 2024 U.S. Girls’ Junior, 2023 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur and 2024 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championships, if applicable.
The 68th Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO will be contested July 23-27 at Hampton Golf Club in Hampton, N.B. where the winner will earn an exemption into the 2024 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship and the 2024 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship.
The 118th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO will be contested August 7-10 at The Pulpit Club in Caledon, Ont. The event will be played over the Pulpit and Paintbrush 18-hole layouts. 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 Pulpit. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2024 RBC Canadian Open, as well as an invitation to the 2023 U.S. Amateur Championship. The winner will also receive an exemption from local qualifying for the 2024 U.S. Open, and if applicable, will earn an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Mid-Amateur, 2023 U.S. Senior Amateur or 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur Championships.
The 84th playing of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO will be contested August 13-17 at North Bay Golf & Country Club in North Bay, Ont. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship and 2024 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.
The Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, presented by BDO will be held August 20-24 at Algonquin Golf Resort in St. Andrews, N.B.
The Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship presented by BDO will be held July 24-27 at Mad River Golf Club in Creemore, Ont., the first year that the championship will be conducted as a standalone event.
The Canadian Women’s Senior Championship presented by BDO will take place August 29-September 1 at Mill River Golf Resort in O’Leary, P.E.I. The Senior Champion will receive an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Women’s Senior Championship and 2024 U.S. Women’s Senior Open.
Big Sky Golf Club in Pemberton, B.C. will play host to the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship September 4-8, with the champion earning an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship.
The third playing of the Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, a national championship for players with neurological, intellectual, sensory, and physical impairments, will be held September 13-15 at Kamloops Golf and Country Club in Kamloops, B.C.
The NextGen Championships, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards is a high-performance junior golf series which totals eight 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 2023 national championships. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf. The 2023 NextGen Championship host clubs include: Sunshine Coast Golf and Country Club (Roberts Creek, B.C.), Peterborough Golf and Country Club (Peterborough, Ontario), Athabasca Golf Club (Athabasca, Alberta), Evergreen Golf Club (Nipawin, Saskatchewan), Club de Golf Venise (Magog, Quebec), and Avondale Golf Club (Charlottetown, PEI). An additional two Fall Series championships will take place in September and October, where players will compete for exemptions into their respective 2024 national junior championships.
An accomplished field of international competitors will take on Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, Ont. from October 2-7 for the eighth playing of the World Junior Girls Golf Championship presented by Sargent Farms. Look for 25 countries playing as 3-member squads competing for both a team and individual title.
GOLF CANADA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Golf Canada annually conducts more than 30 golf competitions and qualifiers nation-wide – including nine National Amateur Championships – which play host to more than 3,000 domestic and international athletes from all corners of the world. In partnership with our host clubs, thousands of volunteers, provincial golf associations and our proud sponsors, Golf Canada is dedicated to supporting player development through world-class competition since our inception in 1895. Officiated by certified Canadian Rules of Golf officials, Golf Canada’s amateur competitions are fully compliant with golf’s international governing bodies and include marquee events such as the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships as well as the Canadian Junior Girls and Junior Boys Championships. Golf Canada’s amateur championships are proudly supported by BDO Canada, Canadian Pacific, Sport Canada, Levelwear, Titleist, FootJoy and JOURNIE Rewards. For more information and scheduling visit www.golfcanada.ca/championships.
Yeji Kwon wins the 67th Canadian Junior Girls Championship
Golf Canada
OTTAWA, Ont. – As she marveled at the names etched into the Brokenshire Trophy, Yeji Kwon gasped in awe when she realized she was in the same company as Brooke Henderson.
Kwon, 16, fired a two-under par 70 in Friday’s final round to capture the 2022 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO.
“It hasn’t really sunk in yet, but I’m really happy and proud of myself; I’m really excited.”
Yeji Kwon
Words came few and far between from the Port Coquitlam, B.C., native following the victory. Instead, she let her play do the talking. With a four-stroke lead entering the day, Kwon stayed level-headed throughout, never allowing the gap to narrow down to less than three shots.
“I tried to block it (nerves) out as much as possible,” said Kwon. “I wasn’t playing the best today, but I tried my best out there to keep as calm as possible.”
Kwon, a member of Team Canada’s National Junior Squad, says her experience at the 2022 Toyota Junior Golf World Cup in late June helped her manage her emotions in the spotlight at The Marshes Golf Club.
“It’s a tournament with everyone from around the world. I learned so much, especially playing with other players and I think that really helped me stay more focused and play a lot better,” Kwon said.
After Lucy Lin cut the lead to four with a birdie on No. 11, Kwon stepped on the gas and cruised to the promise land, closing out in style with birdies on holes No. 13, 14 and 16. At that point, she knew she had done it.
“I saw the scoreboard and I was like, “Ok, let’s just try to make pars and get it done.”
Get it done, she did. Kwon tapped in on No. 18 to win by nine strokes and was showered in water by her teammates and competitors who stormed the green.
After an opening round 75, the British Columbian carded rounds of 67, 65 and 70 for a total score of 11-under par 277, en route to the national title. Kwon was also crowned champion of the Juvenile Girls division – a subdivision for girls 16 and younger.
With the hardware comes an exemption into the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Ashburn Golf Club in Halifax, Nova Scotia, as well as an entry into the 2023 U.S. Junior Girls Championship.
Kwon will also be awarded a cheque of $1,200. To align with the modernized Rules of Amateur Status, players at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship, competed for a purse of $8,000 CAD. Along with Kwon, top-10 finishers and ties earned a piece of the prize money.
12-year-old Lucy Lin earned the runner-up honours in both the Junior Girls and Juvenile Girls divisions. The Vancouver, B.C. native, who is only getting started on the national stage, finished the tournament at two-under par for a total score of 286.
Erin Lee of Langley, B.C., completed the all-British Columbia podium sweep with a third-place finish. Lee, who was under par in each of the first three rounds, started hot with three birdies in her first four holes, but struggled to establish any pressure thereafter. She closed out her tournament with a four-over par 76.
In the Juvenile Girls divisions, the bronze medal was shared by three participants: Amy Seung Hyun Lee, Alissa Xu and Anna Huang. Xu’s medalist honours are her second in as many weeks. The Richmond Hill, Ont., native finished as the runner-up at last week’s Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Westmount Golf & Country Club.
Team Ontario – made up of Swetha Sathish, Sarah Gallagher, and Kelly Zhao – took home the Interprovincial Team Trophy. The Ontarians edged the British Columbians by five strokes in the team event, which concluded earlier in the week.
The 2023 Canadian Junior Girls Championship will be played at the Hampton Golf Club in Hampton, N.B.. Dates are to be announced in the coming months.
Click here for full results of the 2022 Canadian Junior Girls Championship.
Yeji Kwon takes command in third round of Canadian Junior Girls Championship
YEJI KWON IS A MEMBER OF TEAM CANADA'S NATIONAL JUNIOR SQUAD AND COMPETED FOR CANADA AT THE 2022 TOYOTA JUNIOR GOLF WORLD CUP.
Golf Canada
OTTAWA (July 28, 2022) – Automatic is one way to describe Yeji Kwon’s game in the third round of the Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO. And even that might not do it justice.
The Port Coquitlam, B.C., native set the new tournament-low with a seven-under par 65 and broke free from the traffic jam atop the leaderboard. For the second day in a row, Kwon eagled the par-4 1st, holing out from the fairway. Incredibly, her approach shot came from the exact same yardage as her attempt in Wednesday’s second round.
“I had 76 yards again. It was a little into the wind, so I held the same club as yesterday and it did the same thing, it just spun back and went in,” said Kwon.
Even her reaction was the same; I was like, “Oh my gosh!”
With the quick start, Kwon positioned herself atop the leaderboard early in her round and didn’t let up from there. The 16-year-old hit a speedbump on hole No. 5, but was mistake-free after that, making five birdies including a tap-in on hole No. 17 to extend her lead to four strokes going into Friday’s final round.
“Tomorrow going in, I’m not going to think about it much,” said Kwon. “I feel like I’m going to think of it as a first round and play my best. It’s the last day, I just want to keep as calm as possible and focus and try to go lower tomorrow.”
If so, she better plan to save some room in her luggage for a trophy or two. Kwon also leads the Juvenile Girls division – a subdivision for girls 16 and under – by five strokes over 12-year-old, Lucy Lin.
Kwon’s 65 is the lowest round at a Canadian Junior Girls Championship since Euna Han’s opening round 64 in 2019. Han is also a native of Port Coquitlam, B.C.
Lin had back-to-back birdies on holes No. 4 & 5, then drained consecutive birdies again on holes No. 16 & 17 but made three bogeys in between. The Vancouver, B.C., native finished her round at one-under par and four-under for the tournament. She is alone in third place.
Erin Lee maintained her steady play at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont., this week, with another round in the red numbers. The Langley B.C., local rolled in six birdies in round three, en route to a one-under par 71. The Long Beach State University commit holds sole possession of second place and will play in the final pairing on Friday, alongside Kwon and Lin.
Alissa Xu and Lindsay McGrath rounded out the top-5, at three-under par for the tournament and still very much in contention for the national championship. Xu fired a three-under par 69 on moving day, while McGrath followed up yesterday’s 66 with a one-over par 73.
Final round tee times are scheduled to begin at 8:00 a.m., with the leaders teeing off at 9:50 a.m. An awards ceremony will follow the conclusion of play. Team Ontario will be awarded the Interprovincial Team Trophy and a national champion will be crowned for the individual competition.
The winner of the Canadian Junior Girls Championship will earn an exemption into the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, as well as the 2023 U.S. Junior Girls Championship.
Ontario mounts comeback to win interprovincial; trio tied for lead at Canadian Junior Girls Championship
Golf Canada
OTTAWA, Ont. – Team British Columbia had their sights set on second consecutive interprovincial team championship, but the squad from Ontario had other plans at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO.
As so often is the case in golf, the tables turned on the leaders – and in this one, they turned quickly. With the trophy at the fingertips of Team B.C., one team got cold and the other heated up. Trailing by three strokes, Swetha Sathish piloted a miraculous comeback, making birdie on three of her final six holes to lift her province to victory in the interprovincial competition.
Sarah Gallagher contributed to the team efforts with back-to-back rounds of even-par 72. Along with Sathish’s two-under par 70 in the second round and Kelly Zhao’s three-over par 75 in Tuesday’s opening round, the team combined for a total score of 289 and a five-stroke triumph over the runner-up British Columbians.
INDIVIDUAL COMPETITION
Of the five players who shared the lead after Tuesday’s opening round, only Erin Lee remained atop the standings in the individual competition. Joining the Langley, B.C., native at the front of pack is Lindsay McGrath and Krystal (ZhuoTong) Li. The trio own a share of the lead at four-under par.
After starting her round with a bogey, Lee answered the bell, rallying off five birdies to get to six-under par on the tournament. The 16-year-old dropped a pair of shots in the latter stages of her round and pointed to lackluster putting to explain the blemishes.
“Today, all my shots were pretty good [but] I struggled a bit with putting. If my putter worked, I honestly think I could have gone way lower,” admitted Lee. She says she’ll look to continue hitting the shots she’s been hitting but needs to see a few more putts drop.
McGrath, 15, carded the low round of the tournament, a six-under par 66 to climb into a share of the lead. A troubling round one with the flat stick lead the Oakville, Ont., native to the putting green this morning. Safe to say the practice was worthwhile. The Team Ontario recorded birdies on holes No. 1 and No. 18 and made five others in between en route to the top of the board.
“Yesterday I was missing a lot of putts, so I put the work in this morning and was able to make a lot of short putts for birdie and save a lot for par, so I think that really helped me today,” said McGrath. “My mental [game] was really good today; I was able to dial in on those putts and not feel any pressure.”
Team Canada’s Yeji Kwon also made some noise on Wednesday at The Marshes Golf Club, posting a five-under par 67 to leap into sole possession of sixth place, just two strokes back of the leaders.
“Yesterday my irons weren’t so good, so I made a couple of changes after the round and today my irons were a lot better. I was able to get them on the green and make a couple of birdie putts,” said Kwon.
After a bogey-free, three-under par 33 on the front nine (started on hole No. 10), the Port Coquitlam eagled the par-4 1st, holing out on a 76-yard wedge shot from the fairway.
“It was a good shot. It hit the slope, then it spun back, and it went in, and I was like ‘Oh my gosh,” said Kwon, in disbelief.
Bo Brown also fired a five-under par 67, a result of eight birdies, including a stretch of three in a row from holes No. 11-13. The University of British Columbia Thunderbird improved on her first-round performance by 16 strokes. She sits T25 going into Thursday’s third round.
Krystal (ZhuoTong) Li, Peyton Costabile and Ling Yu (Katherine) Hao managed scores of three-under par 69. Elsa Wu aced the 146-yard, par-3 17th hole. The 12-year-old says she saw the ball hit the pin but didn’t see it drop into the hole and if her “memory is correct,” it is the first of her very young career.
70 players made the cut at 14-over par. Third round tee times are scheduled to begin at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, with the leaders teeing off at 9:50 a.m.
Five share lead through first round at Canadian Junior Girls Championship
12 year old Lucy Lin was among the top performers in round one of the 2022 Canadian Junior Girls Championship at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont., on July 26.
Golf Canada
OTTAWA, Ont. – The leaderboard flip flopped all throughout the first round of the 2022 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO, but when the dust settled, there were five tied atop the leaderboard.
Madelin Boyd, Amy Seung Hyun Lee, Erin Lee, Lucy Lin, and Myranda Quinton all fired rounds of two-under par 70 to pace the 136-player field.
27 other players are within five shots of the leaders at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont.
Boyd, a native of Oshawa, Ont., recorded three birdies on the day and suffered only one bogey. The 18-year-old birdied the par-5 2nd hole, before falling back to even par two holes later. From there, it was nothing but birdies and pars for the junior who earned the clubhouse lead early in the day.
Quinton, 17, also made a trio of birdies on the day. After a bogey-free front nine, the Burlington, Ont. native dropped a shot on the par-5 2nd hole but bounced back with a pair of birdies down the stretch to secure a piece of the pie.
Lee and Hyun Lee, both of Langley. B.C. matched each other with five birdies aside and had merely similar scorecards. Both started their tournaments with a pair of birdies in their opening holes, and added two more early in their back nines, before capping off their rounds with a final birdie on No. 18.
Lin, one of the youngest competitors in the field, had the most birdies on the day with six. After falling to one-over par after 10 holes, the 12-year-old rallied off three birdies coming in – including a pair on her final two holes – to grab a share of the lead after the opening round.
Recent history doesn’t bode well for the quintet. In four of the last five Canadian Junior Girls Championships, only once did the leader or co-leader after the first round go on to win the tournament, but ask them and they’ll tell you trends are meant to be broken.
Four more players sit one stroke back of the leaders in the red numbers at one-under par: Payton Lovisa, Krystal (ZhuoTong) Li, Anna Huang and Alissa Xu.
Xu, 16, carried on her momentum from the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship last week, with another strong showing in round one. The Richmond Hill, Ont. native, who finished in second place at Westmount Golf & Country Club, rolled in five birdies, to go along with four bogeys on the way to a one-under par 71.
Hyun Lee and Lin are tied for the lead in Juvenile division – a subdivision for girls 16 and under.
In the interprovincial team competition, the Team British Columbia contingent of Hyun Lee and Tina Jiang carded an even-par 144 for a three-stroke advantage over Team Ontario. The team championship will wrap up tomorrow at the conclusion of the second round.