PONOKA, Alta. – Sunny skies and mild temperatures greeted players as the 2016 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship got underway at Wolf Creek Golf Course. Hélène Chartrand capitalized on the fair weather to card a 1-under 71 and lead by a single stroke.

The native of Pincourt, Que., collected four birdies on the day, including two back-to-back on her final two holes to take possession of the lead.

“The course was playing so much better than the first two practice rounds – at least I enjoyed myself around the course,” said the 59-year-old. “It’s tough, the pins were in tough spots at some points. You have to maneuver around some fairways, it’s not easy, it’s very tight. You have to stay patient.”

The welcome conditions arrived following two windy, rain-soaked days. Despite some inclement forecasted in the coming days, Chartrand remains steadfast in her approach to the competition.

“I’ve played so many rounds in my career in the rain, so it doesn’t really bother me. The wind is sometimes tougher than the rain. You have to prepare, you have to stay focused. But it’s the same course for everyone, so I don’t really mind it.”

Chartrand leads the 25-and-over Mid-Amateur, the 40-and-over Mid-Master and the 50-and-over Senior divisions. She claimed the 2013 and 2014 Mid-Master titles, as well as the 2014 Senior championship.

“It gives me confidence that I can do it,” she said, when asked about the experience of being a past champion at this event. “I know the game is there, but you have to make the putts and stay in the present – which is always so classic to say, but it’s so true. But it’s so difficult to do, as well. It’s so easy to project yourself in the future and you don’t want to do that.”

Chartrand singled out her play on the green and stressed the need for similar performances in the coming days if she is to keep finding success.

“I putted extremely well from 3-feet…from 5-feet. Even though I missed two of them, I made several of them, too. I putted really good and that’s what I’m going to try to do; relax, take the tension away from my arms and focus on putting. I think I drove the ball pretty good, too, but putting is key because the greens are so tough.”

Trailing Chartrand by one stroke is Thornhill, Ont., native Judith Kyrinis. The 51-year-old finds herself in a familiar position, having finished runner-up in the trio of divisions last year. Margo Dickinson from Hartland, N.B., sits third in the Mid-Amateur division following a 1-over 73 showing. The trio of Penny Baziuk (North Saanich, B.C.), Terrill Samuel (Etobicoke, Ont.) and Holly Horwood (Vancouver) hold shares of fourth in the Mid-Amateur divisions, as well as shares of third in the Mid-Master and Senior divisions. Samuel claimed victory in the three divisions in 2015 at Sawmill Creek Golf Resort in Camlachie, Ont.

At 2-over, Horwood leads the Super Senior division by three strokes. Anna Schultz of Heath, Texas holds second, while Ruth Maxwell from Dartmouth, N.S., and Albertan Sharon Peart of Red Deer are T3 after matching 79s.

The trio of Baziuk, Horwood and two-time Senior champion Jackie Little of Port Alberni, B.C., lead the inter-provincial team competition at a combined 4-over 148. Teams Ontario and Quebec trail the 36-hole competition played concurrently with the championship’s first two rounds by one and two strokes, respectively.

Following the opening two rounds, the field will be reduced to the low 70 and ties from the senior division. In addition, all players eligible for the Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master divisions posting 36-hole scores equal to the final qualifier in the Senior division will advance to the final round of competition. A minimum of 10 Mid-Amateur and five Mid-Master competitors will make the cut.

The 2016 Canadian Women’s Senior champion will gain an exemption into the 2016 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship to be played at Wellesley Country Club in Wellesley, Mass., from September 17-22.

The second round of competition will see the first group of competitors tee off at 7:30 a.m.

Additional information from the championship can be found here.

PONOKA, Alta. – Wolf Creek Golf Resort’s Old Course will welcome Canada’s top 25-and-over golfing talents for the 2016 edition of the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship. The 46^th playing of the competition will be conducted from August 24 to 26 where winners in four divisions will be crowned.

Competitors over 25 will vie for the Mid-Amateur title, while players over 40 will also be eligible in the Mid-Master competition. Players over 50 will also play for the Senior championship and those 60-and-over will also compete for the Super Senior title over the tournament’s first 36 holes.

Located just north of Red Deer, Alta., the Old Course at Wolf Creek Golf Resort is a Rod Whitman design and was founded in 1984. The course’s natural beauty boasts sprawling fairways mounted across natural hills and dunes, nestled against scenic tree-lined ravines.

“There is a timeless, classic feel to The Wolf,” said General Manager Laura Witvoet. “We couldn’t be happier to share our course with these extremely talented ladies.”

“Wolf Creek Golf Resort is a fantastic setting for this national championship,” added Tournament Director Dan Hyatt. “The Old Course is in great shape and will provide a very good test for our talented field. The organizing committee and the community of Ponoka have done a great job; this tournament will be a wonderful experience for our players.”

Many of the nation’s most accomplished golfers have showcased their skills on the national stage provided by this championship. This year’s competition will see several Canadian Golf Hall of Fame members and a number of former champions compete to once again enter the winner’s circle at this tournament.

Returning to defend a trio of titles will be Terrill Samuel. The Etobicoke, Ont., native finished 3-under 210 at Sawmill Creek Golf Resort in Camlachie, Ont., to claim victories in the Mid-Amateur, Mid-Master and Senior divisions. The Weston Golf & Country Club member, who also captured the 2012 Senior title, will be joined by reigning Super Senior champion Joey Bush of Aurora, Ont.

Mary Ann Hayward will attempt to add another national title to her lengthy list of accolades. The Aurora, Ont., native is a member of both the Ontario and Quebec Golf Halls of Fame, and was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2007. The 56-year-old’s storied career includes four Amateur championships, three Senior victories, as well as the 2008 Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master titles.

A trio of British Columbians hope to add to their legacies through this championship. Fellow Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member and four-time Senior champion Alison Murdoch of Victoria will play alongside a pair of Port Alberni, B.C., natives in two-time Senior winner Jackie Little, who also captured the inaugural Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master titles in 2007, and five-time Mid-Amateur champion Christina Proteau.

Hélène Chartrand of Pincourt, Que., returns to the championship in which she claimed the 2014 Senior and Mid-Master titles.

An inter-provincial team championship will be conducted in conjunction with the first two rounds of tournament play. Team Ontario enters the competition as defending champions, having claimed a two-stroke victory over Team Alberta last year.

Following the opening two rounds, the field will be reduced to the low 70 and ties from the senior division. In addition, all players eligible for the Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master divisions posting 36-hole scores equal to the final qualifier in the senior division will advance to the final two rounds. A minimum of 10 Mid-Amateur and five Mid-Master competitors will make the cut.

The 2016 Canadian Women’s Senior champion will gain an exemption into the 2016 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship to be contested at Wellesley Country Club in Wellesley, Mass., from September 17-22.

Additional information regarding the championship can be found here.

CAMLACHIE, Ont. – It came down to the wire at the 2015 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship as Terrill Samuel of Etobicoke, Ont., captured a trio of titles at Sawmill Creek Golf Resort and Spa.

Samuel, 54, was crowned the Senior (50+), Mid-Master (40+) and Mid-Amateur (25+) champion after carding 3-under for the competition.

“It feels great. It was a wonderful tournament and I had a great time. It’s very exciting to win the Championship,” said Samuel, who also won the 2012 Canadian Senior Championship. “I think it really helps that you’ve done it before because you can believe in yourself. But it also relaxes you because you have won and you’re not trying to do your first.”

The Weston Golf and Country Club member entered the final round tied with Judith Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont., and edged the competition with a 1-over par final round. Samuel opened the tournament with a 3-under 68 followed by a 70 on day two.

“I played with Judith Kyrinis for three days and she played absolutely flawlessly. She barely missed a shot and every time I would hit a bad shot, it seemed I had a horseshoe and had a good break,” said Samuel, who was in a draw with Kyrinis heading into the final hole. “I actually didn’t feel good at first because I thought she probably deserved to win the tournament as opposed to myself, but I guess it’s good to be lucky sometimes.”

Kyrinis shot a final round 74 to finish two strokes behind to finish runner-up. The 51-year-old matched Samuel round-for-round, but shot a double-bogey on the 18^th hole to finish second in the Mid-Amateur, Mid-Master and Senior divisions.

Mary Ann Hayward of Aurora, Ont., rounded out the top three in all three divisions after posting 2-over par for the tournament. The Canadian Golf Hall of famer, who has three Canadian Women’s Senior titles, rebounded from a 4-over par front nine during the final round with an eagle-birdie-par to finish 1-over for the final round.

With the victory, Samuel gains entry into the 2015 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur at Hillwood Country Club in Nashville, Tenn., from September 26 to October 1.

“That was the best part really, it was great to get that exemption,” said Samuel who was headed to a qualifier for the U.S.G.A event next week.

The Inter-Provincial Team and Super Senior divisions that were played concurrently with the first two rounds of play were awarded on Thursday and saw Team Ontario alongside Joey Bush emerge victorious.

The host provincial team finished the two-round championship at 3-under par and was comprised of Hayward, Uxbridge, Ont., native Gail Pimm and Debbie Court of Mississauga, Ont.

In the Super Senior division, Bush, 64, of Aurora, Ont., captured the over-60 Super Senior Championship title after finishing 11-over par through the opening 36 holes.

Additional information regarding the 2015 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship is available here.

CAMLACHIE, Ont. – Team Ontario emerged as provincial senior team champions as Joey Bush claimed the Super Senior division following second-round play at the 2015 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship at Sawmill Creek Golf Resort and Spa in Camlachie, Ont.

The team of Gail Pimm (Uxbridge, Ont.), Mary Ann Hayward (Aurora, Ont.), and Debbie Court (Mississauga, Ont.) finished at 11-over 295.

The winning team was led by a second-round even-par performance from Golf Hall of Fame member Mary Ann Hayward while Pimm and Court both shot 7-over 78 in the second round of the championship.

“We always have good battles with B.C., so it’s nice to have Alberta in the mix. Ontario hasn’t won too many of the team titles this year, so it’s good,” said Hayward.

Team Alberta finished two strokes back of the winners at 13-over par. The team comprised of Kim Carrington (Calgary, Alta.), Gail Barros (Edmonton, Alta.), and Susan Thomson (Calgary, Alta) began the second round in third – three strokes behind second-place Team Quebec.

Hélène Chartrand (Pincourt, Que.), Marie-Therése Torti (Candiac, Que.) and Marlène Desbiens (Clermont, Que.) of Team Quebec claimed third-place at 17-over par.

Joey Bush, 64, of Aurora, Ont., took the over-60 Super Senior Championship title after finishing 11-over par through two rounds. The Super Senior division was played concurrently with the first two rounds of the tournament.

“I’m ecstatic. I have never won anything like this before in my life,” said Bush, who considered withdrawing after a poor practice round. “I went out yesterday, played and missed two fairways, so that gave me all the confidence and I have a great caddy on the bag.”

Finishing in solo second in the Super Senior division was Janice Roberts Wilson of Flagler Beach, Fla. A hole-in-one on the 140-yard ninth hole on Thursday helped Wilson reach 6-over par on the day and 14-over par for the championship.

Holly Horwood of Vancouver B.C., Ruth Maxwell of Dartmouth, N.S., Victoria’s Alison Murdoch and Kathie Houghton of Thornbury, Ont., finished tied for third at 16-over par.

Separating themselves from the pack were first-round co-leaders Judith Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont., and Etobicoke, Ont., product Terrill Samuel who again mirrored each other’s scores with second rounds of 1-under par. The pair reached 4-under for the championship to open a 5-shot advantage in the Senior (50+), Mid-Master (40+) and Mid-Amateur (25+) divisions.

“What you want to do after the first two days is have a chance,” said Samuel, who captured the 2012 Canadian Women’s Senior Championship. “It’s nice to have one under the belt so there’s less pressure.”

Samuel, 54, had a strong start, carding a 3-under 32 on the front nine. Kyrinis, who was in a grouping with Samuel again, tallied four birdies en route to her second-round 70.

“Playing with Terrill is great because we’re always rooting for each other to make those putts and make some birdies. You’re always trying to play catch-up or get ahead of her, so it was very enjoyable the last two days,” said the 51-year-old Kyrinis.

Mary Ann Hayward sits in third place in the Senior, Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master divisions. Her even-par second-round puts her at 1-over 143 heading into the third and final round.

A total of 78 players finished 176 or better to advance to the final round which begins at 7:30 a.m. EDT.

The champion of this year’s Canadian Women’s Senior division will receive an exemption into the 2015 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur at Hillwood Country Club in Nashville, Tenn., from September 26 to October 1.

For additional information, including tee times and scoring, click here.

CAMLACHIE, Ont. – Judith Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont., and Terrill Samuel of Etobicoke, Ont., sit atop the leaderboards at the 2015 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship after carding opening rounds of 3-under par 68 at Sawmill Creek Golf Resort and Spa in Camlachie Ont.

Kyrinis, 51, and Samuel, 54, share the leads in the Senior (50+), Mid-Master (40+) and Mid-Amateur (25+) divisions.

“I hit the ball where I wanted to most of the time, which is great in this wind,” said Kyrinis, who recently competed in the 2015 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship and finished runner-up at the 2014 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur. “I made some really nice up-and-downs and some really nice putts to save a couple that I missed.”

Kyrinis managed a 3-under par 32 on the front nine; she then notched a birdie on the 12^th hole after a bogey on No. 11 to finish the back nine at even par.

“We had a nice game out there together so we really kind of pulled each other along, so it was great. We fed off each other really well,” added Kyrinis who was grouped alongside her co-leader.

Samuel opened the championship with a birdie and added an eagle on the par-5 sixth hole to also finish her front nine with a 32. A birdie-par-par finish brought the 2012 Canadian Women’s Senior champion back to 3-under par to complete the opening round.

Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member and three-time Canadian Women’s Senior champion Mary Ann Hayward of Aurora, Ont., sits in a three-way tie for third in the Senior division after a first-round 1-over par performance.

“I had a lot of looks at birdies. I felt like I let a lot of chances go,” said Hayward. “I’ll take 1-over for a start. We will see how it shakes out, there are two more rounds. I might have to play a little catch up, but I think I can score a little better.”

Also chasing the lead at four-shots back are Marion Reid, 51, of Etobicoke, Ont., and Debbie McDonald of Claremont, Ont.

The 61-year-old McDonald leads the Super Senior (60+) division after an opening round of 72. Joey Bush (Aurora, Ont.) and Cheryll Damphouse (Amherstburg, Ont.) sit second in the division after carding rounds of five-over 76. The Super Senior division is contested concurrently with the first two rounds of play.

Joining Kyrinis and Samuel near the top of both the Mid-Master and Mid-Amateur divisions is Jessica Luciuk of Barrhead, Alta. The 40-year-old is third in both divisions after firing a round of 1-under 70 that concluded with a string of four birdies.

Team Ontario entered the tournament as defending inter-provincial champions and lead after a first round combined 4-over par performance. The team comprised of Gail Pimm (Uxbridge), Mary Ann Hayward and Debbie Court (Mississauga) holds a one-shot advantage over second-place Team Quebec. The provincial team competition will conclude following the second round of play.

The top 70 players and ties from the Senior division will advance to the third and final round of the National Championship. In addition, all Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master competitors who post a 36-hole total that is equal or better than the cutline of the Senior division will compete on the competition’s last day.

The champion of this year’s Canadian Women’s Senior division will gain entry into the 2015 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur at Hillwood Country Club in Nashville, Tenn., from September 26 to October 1.

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

CAMLACHIE, Ont. – The Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship is set to begin at Sawmill Creek Golf Resort and Spa in Camlachie, Ont., from August 26-28. The 2015 edition of the event will see the debut of the Mid-Amateur division which has historically been held in conjunction with the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.

In addition to the 43^rd playing of the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, competitors over 25 years of age will compete for the Mid-Amateur Championship, while the Mid-Masters division is open to players over 40. The 54-hole stroke play Senior Championship is open to amateur players over the age of 50 and the Super Senior division is open to competitors who are 60 years of age or older.

“The Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship will be an excellent showcase of Canada’s strong golf talent,” said Tournament Director Justine Decock. “We have had many Canadian Golf Hall of Fame members hoist the Ada Mackenzie Trophy and we will continue write the championship’s history this year at Sawmill Creek Golf Resort.”

This tournament has housed the talents of Canadian Golf Hall of Famers Marilyn Palmer O’Connor, four-time Canadian Women’s Senior Champion Gayle Hitchens Borthwick and World Golf Hall of Fame member Marlene Stewart Streit.

Defending her 2014 title will be Hélène Chartrand of Pincourt, Que. The 58-year-old defeated Mary Ann Hayward on the second playoff hole at Club de golf Milby in Sherbrooke, Que. Chartrand also captured the 2014 Mid-Master division at last year’s Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship hosted at Craigowan Golf & Country Club in Woodstock, Ont.

Three-time champion Mary Ann Hayward, 55, captured back-to-back Canadian Women’s Senior titles in 2010 and 2011 before adding her third in 2013. The Aurora, Ont., native is a member of both the Ontario and Quebec Golf Halls of Fame, and was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2007. Hayward has four career victories at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship and holds the distinction of being the first Canadian to win the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur title.

Also in this year’s field is 51-year-old, Thornhill, Ont., native Judith Kyrinis who recently competed in the 2015 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. In 2014, Kyrinis finished third at the Canadian Senior Women’s Championship and was runner-up at the 2014 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur.

Canadian Golf Hall of Famer and four-time Canadian Women’s Senior Champion Alison Murdoch, 65, of Victoria, B.C., along with two-time champion Jackie Little, 56, of Port Alberni, B.C., will look to add to their legacies at this year’s competition. Little and Murdoch finished in first and second place respectively at the 2015 British Columbia Senior Women’s Championship.

An inter-provincial team championship will take place in conjunction with the first two rounds of stroke play; Team Ontario won the championship by 16 strokes in 2014.

The champion of this year’s Canadian Women’s Senior division will gain an entry into the 2015 U.S. Women’s Senior Amateur at Hillwood Country Club in Nashville, Tenn., September 26 to October 1.

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

This season marks the inaugural year in which the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master divisions will be played as part of the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship.

Sawmill Creek Golf Resort & Spa in Camlachie, Ont., will host the event from August 25-28.

Traditionally, the Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master tournaments were contested in conjunction with the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship. The move to bring the competitions to the Women’s Senior event was made to provide players with another opportunity to demonstrate their talents on the national stage. All female golfers 25-and-over will now be eligible to compete for the title of Mid-Amateur Champion, including those in the Mid-Master and Senior divisions. Competitors over 40 will be able to play in the Mid-Master division.

A minimum of 25 Mid-Amateur competitors and 10 Mid-Master players will be accepted into the field, the remainder of the 156 player field will be comprised of senior competitors.

Christina Proteau of Port Alberni, B.C., captured the 2014 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur title at Craigowan Golf and Country Club, in Woodstock, Ont. The Mid-Master crown was awarded to Helene Chartrand of Pincourt, Que.

The 2014 Canadian Women’s Senior Championship was contested at Club de golf Milby in Sherbrooke, Que., where Chartrand secured the title with a thrilling playoff victory.

Additional details regarding the 2015 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur, Mid-Master, and Senior Championships are available here.

Register here to join the competition and measure your game against some of Canada’s best players.

Sherbrooke, Qué.  – In a hole-by-hole playoff against Aurora, Ont.’s Mary Ann Hayward, Helene Chartrand of Pincourt, Qué. claimed the 2014 Canadian Women’s Senior Championship at Club de golf Milby in Sherbrooke, Qué. on Thursday.

Chartrand entered the third and final round seven strokes behind Hayward, who led the field at 5-under 141 after Wednesday’s second round. After Hayward made three bogeys on the front nine followed by four more on the back, Chartrand was able to match the 3-time champion with an even-par score of 219 for the tournament, leading to a hole by hole playoff. Chartrand defeated Hayward with a birdie on the second playoff hole.

“Mary Ann is a great player,” said Chartrand who fired a 2-under 71 final round. “Basically I had nothing to lose; coming back from seven strokes was part of the miracle.”

This win comes almost one month after Chartrand claimed the Mid-Master title at the 2014 Canadian Women’s Amateur in Woodstock, Ont.

“I got more confident with my game playing with all of the youngsters and all the superstars,” she said of her Mid-Master win. “I think it built some confidence in my game and I kind of learned that I can come back.”

Winning the 2014 Canadian Women’s Senior has earned Chartrand an exemption into the 2014 U.S. Women’s Senior in Deal, N.J. She’s no stranger to the tournament, having played it twice in 2013 and 2012.

“It feels so great [to have earned an exemption] because I did ask for an exemption and I was rejected,” said Chartrand. “I did play in the last two U.S. [Women’s] Seniors and I just loved it. So for me, it’s a dream come true to be able to go. It will be my third one in a row and I’m very excited.”

Judith Allan-Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont. finished nine strokes behind Chartrand and Hayward to claim third place in the tournament with a score of 9-over 228. Sherbrooke’s own Jocelyn Smith finished one stroke behind at 229 for the championship.

Sherbrooke, Qué. (Golf Canada) – Mary Ann Hayward of Aurora, Ont. held onto her opening round lead in the second round of play on Wednesday at the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, hosted by Club de golf Milby in Sherbrooke, Qué. 

Her second round score of 2-under 71 puts her seven strokes ahead of Pincourt, Qué.’s Helene Chartrand, who sits at even-par for the tournament.

“I felt good going into today’s round,” said Hayward. “It’s a very demanding course so you can’t take much for granted out there. I just wanted to have another good ball-striking day.”

The three-time champion is looking for her fourth win, which would earn her an exemption into the 2014 U.S. Women’s Senior. Hayward was a semifinalist in the international event in 2010. She will enter Thursday’s third and final round with a combined score of 5-under 141 for the tournament. 

“My game plan is the same for tomorrow,” Hayward said. “The key to this course is just keeping it on the right side of the hole.”

In the Inter-Provincial Team Competition, which is contested over the first 36 holes of the competition, the Team Ontario contingent of Hayward, Judith Allan-Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont., and Ivy Steinberg of Stouffville, Ont. claimed the 2014 title with a total combined score of even-par 294. Team Québec’s squad of Marie-Therese Torti of Candiac, Qué., Marlene Desbiens of Clermont, Qué., and Susan Pearl of Ottawa, grabbed the runner-up spot with a final score of 6-over 310. 

Nova Scotia’s Ruth Maxwell of Dartmouth claimed the Super Senior (60+) title, also contested over the first 36 holes of the tournament. Maxwell grabbed first place in the division by one stroke with a combined score of 8-over 154, Teri deLuis of Brockville, Ont. and Holly Horwood of Vancouver shared second place in the division at 9-over for the championship. 

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

Sherbrooke, Qué. (Golf Canada) – Mary Ann Hayward of Aurora, Ont. is in the hunt for her fourth Women’s Senior Champion title after firing an opening round 3-under 70 at Club de golf Milby in Sherbrooke, Qué. on Tuesday.

The Canadian Golf Hall of Famer leads the competition by four strokes after a first round that consisted of five total birdies – two on the front nine and three on the back.

“I played very well,” Hayward said. “It was tough to know how the course was going to play since the greens were so wet from the rain in yesterday’s practice round. I hit the ball very well on a couple holes – the back nine was very good with only a couple hiccups on the front. Overall, I’m really happy.”

The defending champion also claimed the Canadian Women’s Senior title in both 2010 and 2011. She is looking for another win this year to earn an exemption into the 2014 U.S. Women’s Senior.

“I’d really like to get to the U.S. Senior, and since I missed the qualifier for it, this is sort of my second chance,” she said. “But it’s a good field, lots of strong players, and a good golf course. I’m quite happy with a good start, but there’s a lot of golf left to play so we will see how it goes.”

Following Hayward in second is Teri deLuis of Brockville, Ont. Her first round score of 1-over 74 puts her in the lead of the Super Senior division, which is open to players who have reached their 60th birthday by the first day of the competition.

In the Inter-Provincial Team competition – contested over the first 36 holes of the tournament – the Team Ontario contingent of Hayward, Judith Allan-Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont. and Ivy Steinberg of Stouffville, Ont. lead with a combined score of 2-over 148. Team British Columbia, which includes Jackie Little of Port Alberni, B.C., Holly Horwood of Vancouver and Penny Baziuk, of North Saanich, B.C., follow in second at 11-over.

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