Momentum continues…2025 Year in Review
The 2025 golf season was a reminder that the momentum in Canadian golf not only continued but accelerated with pace. Driven by wins on and off the course, expanded programming, commercial and philanthropic success, and a passion for the sport that spans coast-to-coast, Canadian golf is in a great place.
Golf holds its place as the number one participation sport in Canada as is evident by another record-breaking year, with 11.2 million scores posted on the Golf Canada App by more than 360,000 Golf Canada members at 1,550 member clubs across the country.

The professional game mirrored the success of recent years as Canadian golf fans were treated to another memorable year. Ask a Canadian golf fan to pick a highlight from 2025 and they would probably say Brooke Henderson’s win at the CPKC Women’s Open. Henderson’s triumph at the Mississaugua Golf and Country Club returned her to the winners’ circle after an incredible performance in front of the home crowd to win her second CPKC Women’s Open title. Henderson’s win further strengthened her position as the most successful Canadian professional golfer in history with her 14th win on the LPGA Tour. She closed the LPGA season with a T7 finish at the CME Group Tour Championship.

Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C. continued his winning ways on the PGA TOUR, taking the Sony Open in Hawaii in January for his fifth career title on Tour. Taylor has won at least once in three consecutive years and all three via playoff, including the historic 2023 RBC Canadian Open in a thrilling four-hole playoff with Tommy Fleetwood. Taylor also added a T19 finish at the Tour Championship in November.
Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont. continues to assert himself as one of the game’s best, earning seven top 10 finishes on the PGA TOUR including a T4 finish at the Tour Championship and his fourth top 10 finish at The Masters. Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont. added four top 10’s as well as a T5 finish at the PGA Championship in May.

More noise was made by Canadians on the global professional circuits, including 17-year-old Anna Huang of Vancouver, B.C. who turned pro in January and went on to win back-to-back tournaments in September on the Ladies European Tour (LET). The Team Canada member earned her first professional win at the La Sella Open in Spain and followed it up a week later with a win at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France and closes the year ranked no. 114 on the Rolex World Rankings.

Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Mississauga, Ont. recorded his first professional win at the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic in January and finished the year with four top 10’s on the Korn Ferry Tour. The 24-year-old earned his PGA TOUR card for 2026 by finishing 19th in the Korn Ferry Tour season standings and will be the youngest Canadian on Tour next year.
Joining the Canadian contingent will be A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C. Ewart earned medalist honours at PGA TOUR Q-School last Sunday. The Team Canada member was joined by Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C. who kept his card by finishing T2. Ewart and Svensson bring the Canadian contingent up to seven members on the PGA TOUR in 2026.
Myles Creighton of Digby, N.S. and Leah John of Vancouver, B.C. earned their first professional wins in 2025, with Creighton winning The Wichita Open in June on the Korn Ferry Tour and John earned her first Epson Tour win at the Four Winds Invitational in August. John earned her 2026 LPGA Tour card finishing T10 at the LPGA Q-Series Final Qualifying Stage. Maude-Aimee LeBlanc also retained her status for 2026, joining Henderson and John as the Canadian contingent on the LPGA Tour next year.

The amateur circuit brought another banner year for Team Canada, led by 15-year-old Team Canada – NextGen member, Aphrodite Deng of Calgary, Alta. In July, Deng won the 76th U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship becoming the first Canadian to win the title in tournament history. One month later, Deng followed up her historic performance and captivated the crowds in Mississauga with a T20 finish at the CPKC Women’s Open, earning the Marlene Stewart Streit Low Amateur Award. Deng also won twice on the AJGA taking the Junior Invitational and Mizuho Americas Open and was later named junior player of the year by the AJGA.
Shauna Liu of Maple, Ont. won her second straight Canadian Junior Girls Championship in August and became the ninth multi-time winner and first back-to-back winner since Heather Kuzmich in 1982. Liu added four additional wins in 2025, including the Peloton Glencoe Invitational. Michelle Xing of Richmond Hill, Ont. won the 2025 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship in July. Both Liu and Xing earned silver medals as part of Team Canada 1’s runner-up finish at the 2025 World Junior Girls Golf Championship in September with Clairey Lin of Langley, B.C. Team Canada 2 represented by Clara Ding of White Rock, B.C., Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. and Ruihan Kendria Wang of Vancouver, B.C. finished sixth led by Ding, the individual runner up who also added a 2025 win at the GolfBC Group BC Women’s Open.
Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C. earned her second collegiate win for the University of Texas at the Betsy Rawls Invitational in March and competed in her second consecutive Augusta National Women’s Amateur. Vanessa Borovilos of Etobicoke, Ont. won the Chevron Collegiate in her freshman year at Texas A&M University. Team Canada teammates, Tillie Claggett of Calgary, Alta., Nicole Gal of Oakville, Ont. and Vanessa Zhang of Vancouver, B.C. were all victorious in 2025 as well.
Austin Krahn of Christina Lakes, B.C. took home gold at the 2025 Canada Summer Games and added two provincial titles this past year while Dawson Lew of Toronto, Ont., a recent addition to the Team Canada program, won the Canadian Junior Boys Championship in August and added four additional wins in 2025.
Some familiar names also added national championships to their trophy cabinets this year. Shelly Stouffer of Nanoose Bay, B.C. won her third Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, Judith Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont. claimed her fourth Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, Charles Fitzsimmons of King, Ont. won his third Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship and Natasha Stasiuk of Oakville, Ont. won her fifth straight Canadian All Abilities Championship. The UBC Thunderbirds claimed the men’s and women’s Canadian University/College Championship in convincing fashion once again.
Beyond the professional and amateur ranks, the future of golf in Canada shrines bright. The sport has welcomed a new wave of participants with grass roots programming that has introduced golf to more youth and women annually.

First Tee – Canada posted its highest participation numbers in 2025, with more than 106,000 youth taking part in programs across the country, a 25 per cent increase from last year. Since its inception in 2021, First Tee – Canada has reached over 276,000 young Canadians.
In addition, 481 locations offered programming across schools, community centres and golf facilities, supported by nearly 350 coaches, both increases from last year. First Tee – Canada continues to be a leader in youth programming with a focus on strengthening diversity and equity in the sport. In 2025, 74 per cent of partnered schools and community organizations served underrepresented communities with close to 60 per cent of programs delivered at no cost to participants. Through the efforts of six First Tee chapters nationwide, youth participation is becoming more reflective of Canada’s diversity with 42 per cent of on-course participants identifying as female and 36 per cent as BIPOC. The program’s growth was backed by strong donor support with the Golf Canada Foundation raising more than $10 million for the sport in 2025, including $4.5 million for First Tee – Canada.
First Tee – Canada was also the proud charitable beneficiary of the 2025 RBC Canadian Open and First Tee – Alberta received nearly $200,000 through it’s partnership with the Rogers Charity Classic in 2025. In keeping with golf’s charitable giving, the CPKC Women’s Open continues to leave a meaningful legacy in each host city through its CPKC Has Heart program, this year donating a record $4.5 million for MacKids and Trillium Health Partners, supporting pediatric and cardiac health.
For the first time, the Youth on Course program was available in every province across the country. The program allows Golf Canada members between the ages of 6 to 18 to play subsidized rounds for $5 or less at participating courses during designated times. In 2025, Youth on Course members played nearly 50,000 subsidized rounds across Canada, marking a record high season and a 51 per cent increase over rounds played in the previous year. The program also drove strong engagement, with 4,470 new members joining Golf Canada to access these affordable playing opportunities.

She Plays Golf expanded in 2025 with the addition of a week-long festival in Atlantic Canada in the fall complimenting stops in Vancouver, Calgary and the Greater Toronto Area. The She Plays Golf Championship Series once again aligned with week-long festivals and provided four exemptions into the CPKC Women’s Open.
She Plays Golf featured 24 events across 19 golf facilities and engaged with more than 800 women and girls. Across all festivals, over 700 participants were new to the game and took part in beginner friendly activities led by close to 90 women coaches and volunteers.
Feedback remained overwhelmingly positive, with 97 per cent of participants sharing that the event(s) provided an atmosphere that made them feel comfortable and welcome, and 88 per cent indicating they are very likely to continue participating in golf following their experience.
In addition, 23 girls-only Try Golf clinics were delivered through RBC Community Junior Golf, reaching 275 girls.
Bolstered by another record-breaking year for scores posted, the Golf Canada App received a major update in 2025. New enhancements included group score posting, making it easier than ever to record scores for your playing partners during group rounds. The introduction of smartwatch support for Android wearables brought on-wrist GPS yardages and digital scoring to a wide range of devices, while upgraded GPS tools now provide precise front, middle and back-of-green distances to support smarter club selection and on-course strategy. The update also introduced a Golf Canada membership referral program and a new achievements system, along with enhanced privacy controls that allow users to choose whether their scores appear in their friends’ feeds.
An exciting new chapter for the RBC Canadian Open was written in June, as TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont. became the 38th course in tournament history to host Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship. Fans were treated to a thrilling finish as New Zealand’s Ryan Fox beat Sam Burns in a four-hole playoff. The 115th playing of the RBC Canadian Open will return to TPC Toronto in 2026.
During tournament week a new initiative, Birdies for Trails was created in collaboration with partners at TPC Toronto and WM. Every birdie at The Rink Hole (no. 14) directly contributed to raise $29,500 for the Credit Valley Conservation Foundation and the development of the Credit Valley Trail, a passageway stretching 100 kilometres in length, linking Orangeville, Ont. with Port Credit (Mississauga), Ont.
Following the tournament, RBC and the PGA TOUR announced a multi-year extension of the bank’s title sponsorship of the RBC Canadian Open. RBC, a long-time supporter of professional and amateur golf in Canada had been the proud title sponsor of the Men’s National Open Championship since 2008.

As the outdoor season drew to a close in most parts of the country, Golf Canada launched a comprehensive off-course golf strategy to enhance the year-long golf experience. Golf has evolved into a 12-month activity, and the strategy is supported by the Just Swing campaign, highlighting the benefits and different forms of off-course golf. The strategy also focuses on Provincial Golf Associations and their partnership with Golf Canada in launching a new facility membership offering, specifically designed for off-course operators to promote their operations to Canada’s largest and most engaged golf audience.
As Canadian golf continues to write exciting new chapters, one will end in early 2026. Glen Abbey Golf Club has been the home of Golf Canada and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame since 1977. In February 2026, Golf Canada will move its operation to the new home for Canadian golf at TPC Toronto.
The new home for Canadian golf will also be home to First Tee – Canada along with a 30,000 square foot 18-hole community putting course that is free and open to the public. For more information on the home for Canadian golf, please click here.
In February, three new members were inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, including accomplished amateur golfer, Richard Scott, former professional golfer Jerry Anderson and renowned course architect Charles Blair Macdonald. Elements of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame are proudly weaved into the main clubhouse, locker rooms and accommodation villas at TPC Toronto. Memorabilia highlighting Canadian golf legends and significant moments in Canadian golf history are also being showcased across the property.
Canadian golf couldn’t happen without the many wonderful people – volunteers, club staff, superintendents, PGA of Canada professionals, operators, media, and other industry stakeholders – whose efforts are paramount to the success of the sport. Closer to home, Golf Canada is proud of its staff for their efforts to advance the sport and who once again earned the organization its Great Places to Work designation.
With the holiday season upon us and the book on 2025 drawing to a close, one thing is certain, Canadian golf has never been stronger. The momentum continues and it brings the promise of more great moments that lie ahead.
A.J. Ewart and Adam Svensson earn 2026 PGA TOUR cards
Ewart tops leaderboard to increase Canadian contingent on PGA TOUR to seven for 2026
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – A.J. Ewart and Adam Svensson have increased the Canadian contingent on the PGA TOUR to seven for next year after finishing in the top five at PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry at Ponte Vedra, Fla.
Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C. finished atop the leaderboard at 14-under following rounds of 66-67-67-66-266 to earn his PGA TOUR card for 2026. The Team Canada member was within the top five for majority of the four days and added a hole-in-one during Friday’s second round.
This past season, Ewart competed in 16 events on PGA TOUR Americas with one runner-up finish at the Times Colonist Victoria Open, four top 10’s and seven top 25’s, finishing 15th on the PGA TOUR Americas season standings. Ewart has competed in two PGA TOUR events during his career, with both coming at the RBC Canadian Open in 2022 and 2025. In addition, Ewart has one win on PGA TOUR Americas, coming at the 2024 Elk Ridge Saskatchewan Open.
Svensson of Surrey, B.C. has regained his PGA TOUR card after finishing T2 at 12-under following rounds of 70-64-68-66-268. Svensson has competed in 159 PGA TOUR tournaments since joining the Tour in 2019 with one win at the RSM Classic in 2022.
This past year, Svensson played in 29 tournaments and earned three top 25 finishes on the PGA TOUR, with his best finish coming at the 3M Open in July at T14.
Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont. finished T5 at 11-under following rounds of 68-69-65-67-269. Due to a change in the number of cards awarded this year, Silverman was forced into a playoff with Dylan Wu for the fifth and final card but fell on the first hole after Wu birdied.
The top five players earned their PGA TOUR cards for 2025 from the field of 174 golfers competing at Dye’s Valley Course and Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra, Fla. Nine Canadians teed off this week including, Adam Hadwin (Abbotsford, B.C.) and Drew Nesbitt (Toronto, Ont.) finishing T62 at 2-under, Roger Sloan (Calgary, Alta.) finished T79 at 1-under, Stuart Macdonald (Vancouver, B.C.) finished T92 at 1-over, Myles Creighton (Digby, N.S.) at T124, 5-over and Peyton Callens (Langton, Ont.) at T150, 11-over.
Ewart and Svensson join fellow Canadians, Corey Conners (Listowel, Ont.), Nick Taylor (Abbotsford, B.C.), Taylor Pendrith (Richmond Hill, Ont.), Mackenzie Hughes (Dundas, Ont.) and Sudarshan Yellamaraju (Mississauga, Ont.) on the PGA TOUR in 2026.
For the final standings from PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry, please click here.
Leah John and Maude-Aimee LeBlanc earn 2026 LPGA Tour Cards
MOBILE, Ala. – Leah John is heading to the LPGA Tour, while Maude-Aimee LeBlanc will be returning after finishing inside the top 25 at the LPGA Q-Series Final Qualifying Stage at Magnolia Grove in Mobile, Ala. on Tuesday.
John, a Team Canada member from Vancouver, B.C. finished T10 with total score of 8-under. John led following an opening round of 8-under 64 and followed up with rounds of 72-69-73 to earn her card for the 2026 season.
John has competed in two LPGA Tour events in her career including the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open at Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary, Alta. and the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills in Hartford, Wis.
This past season on the Epson Tour, John earned her first professional win at the Four Winds Invitational in South Bend, Ind. in August. Jaohn finished 22nd in the Race for the Card points rankings just outside the top 15.
LeBlanc from Sherbrooke, Que. finished T17 at 6-under following rounds of 70-68-72-70 to retain her tour card for 2026.
This past season, LeBlanc competed in 10 events on the LPGA Tour, and her best finish was T20 at the CPKC Women’s Open at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club. LeBlanc first joined the LPGA Tour in 2012.
The field of 115 faced delays throughout the final stage of qualifying. Opening round play was delayed and eventually suspended for the day due to unplayable course conditions on Friday. Weather played a factor again on Sunday forcing the third round to resume Monday morning, followed by the start of round four. The tour decided to reduce the LPGA Q-Series Final Qualifying to a 72-hole event, finishing on Tuesday afternoon.
For the final standings from the 2025 LPGA Q-Series, final qualifying stage, please click here.
Golf Canada announces amateur athletes named to 2026 Team Canada roster
December 4, 2025 – Golf Canada is proud to announce the names of 34 amateur and junior athletes that have been named to the 2026 Team Canada and Team Canada – NextGen squads.
Athletes are selected based on results from the previous season (September 2024-August 2025), with the Team Canada – NextGen program also considering performance at Golf Canada’s annual selection camps. Professional players that will be part of the 2026 Team Canada squad will be announced later, upon the completion of Qualifying Tournaments.
2026 Team Canada Rosters:
Team Canada – Women
Professionals to be selected later in the year
| NAME | AGE | HOMETOWN | SCHOOL | YEARS IN PROGRAM |
| Vanessa Borovilos | 19 | Etobicoke, Ont. | Texas A&M (So.) | 3 |
| Tillie Claggett | 22 | Calgary, Alta. | Vanderbilt (Sr.) | 1 |
| Katie Cranston | 21 | Oakville, Ont. | Auburn (Sr.) | 5 |
| Nicole Gal | 20 | Oakville, Ont. | Ole Miss (Sr.) | 5 |
| Lauren Kim | 20 | Surrey, B.C. | Texas (Jr.) | 5 |
| Lauren Zaretsky | 21 | Thornhill, Ont. | Texas Tech (Sr.) | 4 |
| Vanessa Zhang | 18 | Vancouver, B.C. | Harvard (So.) | 3 |
Team Canada – Men
Professionals to be selected later in the year.
| NAME | AGE | HOMETOWN | SCHOOL | YEARS IN PROGRAM |
| Cooper Humphreys | 20 | Vernon, B.C. | San Diego (So.) | 4 |
| Isaiah Ibit | 19 | Orleans, Ont. | Kent State (So.) | 2 |
| Matthew Javier | 19 | North York, Ont. | Southern Mississippi (So.) | 2 |
| Ashton McCulloch | 23 | Kingston, Ont. | Michigan State (Gr.) | 4 |
| Justin Matthews | 21 | Little Britain, Ont. | Charlotte (Sr.) | 1 |
| Ethan Wilson | 21 | St. Albert, Alta. | Illinois (Jr. | 4 |
| Eric Zhao | 17 | North York, Ont. | Princeton (Fr.) | 4 |
Team Canada – NextGen (Boys)
| NAME | AGE | HOMETOWN | SCHOOL/GRAD YEAR | YEARS IN PROGRAM |
| Thomas Grenier | 19 | Thetford Mines, Que. | Champlain College St. Lawrence (2nd Yr.) | – |
| Eddie Gu | 16 | Aurora, Ont. | 2027 | – |
| Chase Jerome | 16 | Ottawa, Ont. | 2027 | – |
| Austin Krahn | 18 | Christina Lake, B.C. | 2025 | 1 |
| Émile Lebrun | 18 | Laval, Que. | 2025 | – |
| Dawson Lew | 16 | Toronto, Ont. | North Carolina (2027) | – |
| Maxim McKenzie | 17 | Chilliwack, B.C. | Toledo (2026) | – |
| Jager Pain | 17 | Woodbridge, Ont. | Virginia (2026) | 1 |
| Alexis Rouleau | 16 | Montreal, Que. | 2027 | – |
| Spencer Shropshire | 17 | Ramara, Ont. | Michigan (2026) | – |
Team Canada – NextGen (Girls)
| NAME | AGE | HOMETOWN | SCHOOL/GRAD YEAR | YEARS IN PROGRAM |
| Ann-Sophie Bourgault | 18 | Gatineau, Que. | Northwestern (2026) | – |
| Aphrodite Deng | 15 | Calgary, Alta. | 2028 | 1 |
| Clara Ding | 14 | White Rock, B.C. | 2029 | 1 |
| Jodie Han | 15 | Vancouver, B.C. | 2028 | – |
| Clairey Lin | 15 | Langley, B.C. | 2028 | 1 |
| Shauna Liu | 16 | Maple, Ont. | UCLA (2027) | 2 |
| Eileen Park | 16 | Red Deer, Alta. | 2027 | 2 |
| Nobelle Park | 15 | Oakville, Ont. | 2028 | 1 |
| Ruihan Kendria Wang | 16 | Vancouver, B.C. | Princeton (2027) | 1 |
| Michelle Xing | 17 | Richmond Hill, Ont. | UCLA (2026) | 3 |
“Golf Canada is proud to announce the amateur and junior athletes selected to the 2026 Team Canada and Team Canada – NextGen teams. We look forward to supporting their continued growth and performances competing on golf’s biggest stages,” said Emily Phoenix, Director, High Performance, Golf Canada. “We are also deeply grateful to the generous donors of the Golf Canada Foundation and our corporate partners whose ongoing commitment to player development is vital in helping our athletes train, compete, and pursue their dreams of success on the PGA and LPGA Tours”.
Golf Canada’s National Team program aims to help more Canadian athletes achieve success on the world’s leading professional tours, including the PGA TOUR and the LPGA Tour. The Team Canada program supports a group of experienced amateurs on the pathway to playing professional golf along with a group of young professional golfers building their careers as touring pros. Complementing this, the Team Canada – NextGen squad focuses on developing Canada’s top junior golfers, providing training and competition experiences needed to build a strong foundation for future success at the amateur and professional levels.
Team Canada Coaches…
The coaching staff for the men’s and women’s Team Canada squads will return in full for the 2026 season. Team Canada – Men will be led by head coach Derek Ingram (Winnipeg, Man.) supported by coaches Louis Melanson (Moncton, N.B.) and Benoit Lemieux (Montréal, Que.). Lemieux will assume an expanded role as Lead Coach of Team Canada – Men (Amateur), taking direct responsibility for guiding and supporting the group of seven amateur prospects. Lemieux has been with the Team Canada program since 2021 and is a two-time recipient of the PGA of Quebec Coach of the Year award. In his time at Golf Canada, Lemieux has coached players to the Korn Ferry Tour and supported several top amateurs in their transition from amateur to professional golf. The coaching staff will be supported by mental performance coach, Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood (Winnipeg, Man.) along with strength and conditioning coach Greg Redman (Kelowna, B.C.). Team Canada – Women will be led by Stollery Family Women’s head coach Salimah Mussani (Vancouver, B.C.) along with associate coach Jennifer Greggain (Vancouver, B.C.), strength and conditioning coach Andrea Kosa (Calgary, Alta.) and mental performance coach Judy Goss (Toronto, Ont.).
Team Canada coaches work with athletes and their personal support teams to develop annual training plans and identify areas to impact athlete growth in all areas of their game. Athletes are also supported by a comprehensive sport science team that includes physical conditioning along with mental performance and mental health supports. Players are brought together regularly for training camps with national team coaches and sport science staff. The Team Canada – NextGen program also supports juniors and young amateurs across a range of pathways, including those who elect to pursue collegiate golf.
Team Canada Athletes….
The Women’s Amateur Team will have seven returning players, led by Lauren Kim (WAGR No. 19) of Surrey, B.C., who is currently in her junior year at the University of Texas. Kim earned her second collegiate win at the Betsy Rawls Invitational in March and added a pair of third place finishes as well as a top five. Kim also competed in her second consecutive Augusta National Women’s Amateur tournament in April. Kim represented Canada at the World Amateur Team Championship alongside returning teammate, Vanessa Borovilos of Etobicoke, Ont. Also returning in 2026 are: Katie Cranston of Oakville, Ont., Tillie Claggett of Calgary, Alta., Nicole Gal of Oakville, Ont., Vanessa Zhang of Vancouver, B.C. and Lauren Zaretsky of Thornhill, Ont. Borovilos (Chevron Collegiate), Claggett (PGA of Canada Women’s Championship), Gal (Women’s Porter Cup) and Zhang (Ivy League Women’s Golf Championship and Quinnipiac Classic) were all victorious in 2025.
The 2026 Men’s squad will feature seven amateurs led by the lowest ranked Canadian male on WAGR (No. 92), Ashton McCulloch of Kingston, Ont. McCulloch is a fifth year student-athlete at Michigan State University and recently represented Canada at the World Amateur Team Championship. This past season McCulloch competed in both the RBC Canadian Open and the Rocket Classic on the PGA TOUR. Collegiate players Justin Matthews of Little Britain, Ont., Isaiah Ibit of Orleans, Ont., Ethan Wilson of St. Alberta, Alta., Cooper Humphreys of Vernon, B.C. and Matthew Javier of North York, Ont. are all returning to the program and will move up from the NextGen team for 2026. Eric Zhao of North York, Ont., a freshman at Princeton University will be the lone new addition to the program. Zhao earned two titles this season, winning the 2025 NextGen Ontario Championship and the 2025 Ontario Men’s Amateur.
Team Canada – NextGen Coaches…
Matt Wilson (Toronto, Ont.) has been hired as the head coach for the Team Canada – NextGen Boys team. Wilson re-joins Golf Canada after serving the past five years as the director of instruction at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J. Prior to his time at Baltusrol, Wilson was the head coach of Team Canada’s Junior Girls team and director of NextGen performance from 2017 to 2020. Earlier this month, Wilson was named to the latest edition of the Top 100 Teachers in America by GOLF Magazine. Wilson will be joined by mental performance coach Dr. Jonathan Lasnier (Ottawa, Ont.) along with strength and conditioning coaches Andrew Hoermann (Milton, Ont.) and Iordan Krouchev (Montreal, Que.).
Jeff MacDonald (Chester, N.S.) returns as Team Canada – NextGen Girls head coach and will be supported by assistant coach Jennifer Ha (Calgary, Alta.). Over the past three years, MacDonald has led Team Canada to a gold and back-to-back silvers at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship. They will be joined by mental performance coach Justin Fredette (Winnipeg, Man.) and strength and conditioning coach Dr. Emily Wiggin (Dartmouth, N.S.).
Tristan Mullally of Dundas, Ont. will continue as the head of National Talent Identification, overseeing the national talent identification system that was established in 2022. In this role, Mullally provides support to a promising group of young junior golfers and their existing coaching teams to grow the pool of future Team Canada prospects. In 2026, six players have transitioned from Talent ID to Team Canada – NextGen.
Team Canada – NextGen Athletes…
Team Canada – NextGen (Boys) features two returning players including 2025 Canada Summer Games winner, Austin Krahn of Christina Lake, B.C. Krahn added two additional provincial wins in 2025 winning the B.C. Amateur and B.C. Junior Championship. Jager Pain of Woodbridge, Ont. returns and has committed to the University of Virginia for 2026. They will be joined by eight newcomers led by 2025 Canadian Junior Boys champion, Dawson Lew of Toronto, Ont. Lew added four additional individual wins in 2025 and two inter-provincial team titles for Ontario at the Canadian Men’s Amateur and Canadian Junior Boys. Joining Lew are six in-year winners including (wins in brackets): Alexis Rouleau of Montreal, Que. (NextGen Selection Camp, Golf Quebec Junior Provincial Match Play Championship, Marathan Petroleum Preview at Findlay), Spencer Shropshire of Ramara, Ont. (Ontario Junior Boys Championship,), Emile Lebrun of Laval, Que. (Golf Quebec Men’s Amateur Championship), Thomas Grenier of Thetford Mines, Que. (Golf Quebec Boys Junior Championship, NB3 Elite), Maxim McKenzie of Chilliwack, B.C. (NextGen Pacific Championship), Eddie Gu of Aurora, Ont. (AM Technical Solutions Junior at Southpointe, Florida Junior Tour Labor Day Major). Also joining the team is Chase Jerome of Ottawa, Ont. Jerome earned 10 top 10 finishes across a number of tournaments this season.
Team Canada – NextGen (Girls) features eight returning members led by Aphrodite Deng of Calgary, Alta. In July, Deng won the 76th U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship becoming the first Canadian to win the title in tournament history. One month later, Deng followed up her historic performance with a T20 finish at the CPKC Women’s Open, earning the Marlene Stewart Streit Award, given to the low amateur. Deng also won twice on the AJGA taking the Junior Invitational and Mizuho Americas Open and was recently named junior player of the year by the AJGA. Deng is currently the lowest ranked Canadian amateur player part of the national team program, currently No. 14 on WAGR. The 2025 Canadian Junior Girls Championship winner Shauna Liu of Maple, Ont. also headlines as a returnee. Liu added four additional wins in 2025, including the Peloton Glencoe Invitational and was part of Team Canada 1 that earned silver medal honours at the 2025 World Junior Girls Golf Championship. Michelle Xing of Richmond Hill, Ont. returns after winning the 2025 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO in July. Xing was also part of Team Canada 1’s silver medal team and represented Canada with Borovilos and Kim at the World Amateur Team Championship. Clairey Lin of Langley, B.C. won two AJGA events and added two runner-up finishes. Lin finished solo third at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship and at the World Junior Girls and was the third member of the silver medal side. Clara Ding of White Rock, B.C., Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. and Ruihan Kendria Wang of Vancouver, B.C. all represented Team Canada 2 at the World Junior Girls Championship, leading the team to a sixth-place finish. In addition, Ding won the Women’s Orlando International Amateur Championship and the GolfBC Group BC Women’s Open to earn an exemption into the CPKC Women’s Open. Nobelle Park of Oakville, Ont. returns after earning five wins this season on the provincial and AJGA circuits. Park has won 15 events over the past two seasons. Joining the returning members are new members Ann-Sophie Bourgault of Gatineau, Que. and Jodie Han of Vancouver, B.C. Bourgault earned three runner-up finishes as well as a third-place finish and two top 10’s on the AJGA this season. She added one win at the 54 Hole Fort Myers Junior Open. Han finished as runner-up at the Team Canada – NextGen Selection Camp tournament in September and won the adidas Junior All-Star and added two runner-up finishes and a top five finish on AJGA this year.
For full Team Canada athlete and coach bios along with tournament results and additional information, please click here. Team Canada is proudly supported by RBC, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), Titleist, FootJoy, Hilton, Puma, Foresight, Golf Canada Foundation and Sport Canada.
Golf Canada appoints Paul Perrier as Chief Sport Officer
National Sport Organization welcomes former USC Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director to advance Canadian golf participation and competitive excellence.
(December 3, 2025) – Golf Canada is pleased to announce that Paul Perrier has joined the National Sport Federation as its new Chief Sport Officer (CSO).
Born in Sherbrooke, Que. and raised in Aurora, Ont., Perrier is an accomplished and dynamic sports administration executive who brings more than 15 years of senior leadership experience in NCAA Division I athletics, most recently serving as Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director and Deputy Athletic Director at the University of Southern California (USC).
As Chief Sport Officer, Perrier will oversee Golf Canada’s sport portfolio, including Team Canada high-performance and athlete development, National Amateur Championships, grassroots participation programs such as First Tee – Canada and She Plays Golf, and Safe Sport compliance. Reporting to CEO Laurence Applebaum as a member of Golf Canada’s Executive Team, Perrier will play a pivotal role in advancing Canadian golf participation and competitive excellence for the National Sport Organization.
“Paul is a dynamic sport executive and former high-level athlete with extensive leadership experience across sport including golf, coach development, compliance, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, revenue generation and fundraising within both elite and public NCAA Division I athletic departments,” said Applebaum. “His experience managing complex sport organizations and building high-performance programs will help to further advance the sport and elevate Canadian golf on the global stage.”
During his tenure at USC (2019–2025), Perrier was a member of the Executive Leadership Team, with oversight and support for 23 varsity programs and 600 athletes. He led strategic planning, resource allocation, and performance initiatives and fostered inclusive, collaborative cultures that drove innovation and excellence. Perrier also managed the men’s and women’s golf programs, guiding them to multiple NCAA championship appearances and supporting elite athletes who advanced to the LPGA and PGA Tours.
Perrier, who will work collaboratively with the Golf Canada Foundation, also brings experience in fundraising and donor relations, having helped drive capital campaigns at USC and Rutgers. He also oversaw a $750,000 renovation of USC’s golf training facility and served as Tournament Director for the Trojan Golf Classic. His ability to build trust-based relationships with donors, alumni, and corporate partners has been a hallmark of his leadership.
Perrier joins Golf Canada at a time where the organization is experiencing strong momentum with a rise in participation and rounds played, Canadian continued success on the global stage and increased investment in the game from donors and corporate partners.
The opportunity to return to Canada to champion further growth is an opportunity for Perrier to apply his executive leadership experiences across a sport that has been a longtime passion.
“Joining Golf Canada is an incredible honour, and I’m inspired to help accelerate the sport’s growth and impact across the country,” said Perrier. “Together with our athletes, coaches, donors, and partners, we will continue to build pathways that drive participation and elevate Canada’s success on the world stage.”
Previously, Perrier served as Senior Associate Athletic Director at Rutgers University (2015–2019), where he helped develop a five-year strategic plan, oversaw sport programs, and led compliance and governance during a critical transition to the Big Ten Conference. Prior to joining Rutgers, Perrier held several progressive leadership roles with USC including Associate Vice President for Athletic Compliance.
Perrier also co-founded the NACDA Sport Administrator Leadership Institute, served on the Big Ten Olympic Sports Oversight Committee, and was selected for the NCAA Pathway Program, a national initiative preparing senior administrators for CEO roles.
He holds a Juris Doctor from the University at Buffalo Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Oswego State, where he was also a student-athlete (hockey) and co-president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
A proud Canadian who is married with two sons, Perrier has started in the CSO role and will be relocating back to Canada in the coming months.
Three members of Team Canada named 2025 Players of the Year by Pacific Northwest Golf Association
TACOMA, Wash. – Team Canada members Lauren Kim, Clara Ding and Austin Krahn have been named 2025 Players of the Year by the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA).
Kim of Surrey, B.C. was named Women’s Player of the Year, earning the honour for a third consecutive year. Kim is currently ranked No. 20 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and enjoyed a strong 2025 season, highlighted by competing in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur for a second straight year as well as the CPKC Women’s Open. Kim, a junior at the University of Texas, earned her second collegiate win at the Betsy Rawls Invitational in March and added a pair of third place finishes as well as a top five. Kim also represented Canada at the World Amateur Team Championship in Singapore in October.
Ding of White Rock, B.C. was named Junior Girls’ Player of the Year. Ding won twice in 2025, taking the GolfBC Group BC Women’s Open and the Women’s Orlando International Championship. Her win in B.C. came as part of the She Plays Golf Championship Series, earning her an exemption into her first appearance at the CPKC Women’s Open. In her debut at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, Ding helped lead Team Canada 2 to its best result in tournament history, finishing sixth place and was runner-up in the individual competition by one stroke.
Krahn of Christina Lake, B.C. was named Junior Boys’ Player of the Year. Krahn followed up a strong 2024 season, with five titles in 2025 including the British Columbia Junior Championship and the British Columbia Amateur title. In addition, Krahn led his province to its second straight gold medal at the 2025 Canada Summer Games and also won individual gold in Newfoundland and Labrador. Krahn earned two additional wins this year including the MJT Odlum Brown Classic and the MJT National Championship.
Along with the Team Canada athletes a familiar name in Canadian women’s golf was awarded the Senior Women’s Player of the Year. Shelly Stouffer of Nanoose Bay, B.C. has now earned the honour three of the past four years. In August, Stouffer won her third Canadian Women’s Senior Championship and added wins at the PNGA Senior Women’s Amateur, Irish Senior Women’s Amateur and BC Senior Women’s Amateur. She was also a semi-finalist in the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur and qualified for the U.S. Senior Women’s Open and U.S. Women’s Amateur.
For all the award recipients or to learn more about PNGA, please click here.
South Africa finishes strong to win first Men’s World Amateur Team Championship, Canada T24
SINGAPORE – After a dominant 36-hole performance, South Africa did not look back, finishing eight shots clear of Australia to claim its first ever Eisenhower Trophy at the 2025 Men’s World Amateur Team Championship at Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) in Singapore on Saturday.
South Africa finished the tournament at 29-under 547 to return to the podium for the first time in over 40 years at the Men’s World Amateur Team Championship. For the fourth straight day, World No. 6 (WAGR) Christian Maas led South Africa and closed the tournament with a 3-under 69 to ensure victory both for his team and individually. Daniel Bennett closed with an even par 72, Charl Barnard finished with a 5-over 77 on Saturday for the champions. South Africa’s previous best finish was a silver medal in 1980 along with two bronze medals in 1970 and 1972.
Maas finished with all four rounds in the 60s (66-66-65-69-266) to finish at 22-under, ten shots clear of the 2025 Canadian Men’s Amateur champion, Declan O’Donovan of Australia (12-under). The senior at the University of Texas registered only three bogeys across 72 holes of play in Singapore on his way to the team and individual gold medals. Maas’ score of 266, ties the second lowest individual score in championship history joining Victor Perez (France), Lucas Herbert (Australia) and Alejandro Tosti (Argentina) who recorded the same score in Japan in 2014. That same year, the lowest 72-hole total score of 263 was set by Jon Rahm (Spain).
Australia finished as runner-up at 21-under to earn the silver medal while England also made the podium, finishing 19-under to claim bronze. Mexico (17-under) and France (15-under) rounded out the top five. Canada finished the tournament T24 at 1-over of the 36 countries competing.
Canada was represented by Justin Matthews of Little Britain, Ont. who finished T46 at 3-over (74-73-72-72), Ashton McCulloch of Kingston, Ont. who finished T65 at 6-over (70-76-73-75) and Isaiah Ibit of Orleans, Ont., T81 at 10-over (75-70-80-73).
Joining Maas and O’Donovan on the podium was Adam Bresnu (Morocco) and Oscar Couilleau (France) who finished T3 at 10-under.
The 2027 World Amateur Team Championships will be hosted by the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat, Morocco.
For the final team and individual leaderboards following the 2025 Men’s World Amateur Team Championship, please click here.
South Africa takes commanding lead into final round of the Men’s World Amateur Team Championship, Canada T22
Justin Matthews was the low Canadian on Friday with an even par 72
SINGAPORE – One day after soaring atop the leaderboard, South Africa strengthened its lead with a combined score of 12-under on Friday to enter the final round with an 11-shot lead at the 2025 Men’s World Amateur Team Championship at Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) in Singapore.
South Africa is in search of its first Eisenhower Trophy and returning to the podium at the championship for the first time since earning silver in 1980. Christian Maas (no. 6 WAGR) led his country on Friday with a 7-under 65, for his second bogey free round of the championship. Teammate Daniel Bennett added an impressive 5-under 67 to put the leaders at 26-under, 11 shots clear of Australia and Mexico who are tied for second at 15-under. England sit in fourth at 12-under with France in fifth at 11-under. Canada is T22 with Wales and hosts, Singapore at even par of the 36 countries competing.
On Friday, Justin Matthews of Little Britain, Ont. was the low Canadian, shooting an even par 72. Ashton McCulloch of Kingston, Ont.’s 1-over 73 also counted towards the team total. Isaiah Ibit of Orleans, Ont. finished with an 8-over 80. Matthews and McCulloch are both sitting T48 at 3-over and Ibit is T85 at 9-over of the 108-players competing individually.
Following a third consecutive round in the 60s, Maas has opened a 10-shot lead in the individual competition heading into Saturday’s final round. The University of Texas senior grabbed four birdies on the front and added three on the back to record the second lowest round of the day. Michael Mjaaseth (Norway) and 2025 Canadian Men’s Amateur winner, Declan O’Donovan (Australia) are tied for second at 9-under. Oscar Couilleau (France) is fourth at 8-under and Adam Bresnu (Morocco) is tied for fifth with Maas’ teammate, Bennett at 7-under. Eduardo Derbez of Mexico recorded the low round of the day on Friday with an 8-under 64. Derbez tallied six consecutive birdies on holes Nos. 3 through 8 and closed his round with an eagle on the par 5 18th to move up to T9 at 5-under.
The final round of the Men’s World Amateur Team Championship will begin at 7:15 a.m. locally (Singapore) on Saturday and 7:15 p.m. EST Friday. Ibit will be the first Canadian on the course, teeing off at 7:48 a.m., followed by Matthews at 7:59 a.m. and McCulloch at 8:10 a.m. local time.
For team and individual leaderboards following the third round, please click here.
South Africa takes lead after red hot second round at the Men’s World Amateur Team Championship, Canada T18
Isaiah Ibit was the low Canadian on Thursday with a 2-under 70
SINGAPORE – South Africa soared to the top of the leaderboard following a collective round of 9-under on Thursday to take a five shot lead into the third round at the 2025 Men’s World Amateur Team Championship at Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) in Singapore.
For the second straight day, South Africa was led by University of Texas senior, Christian Maas who post his second consecutive round of 6-under 66. Maas (no. 6 WAGR) not only ensured South Africa moved to the top of the leaderboard but also opened a four-shot lead for himself in the individual competition. After a bogey on No. 2, Maas responded with three straight birdies on Nos. 4 through 6 and went on to add four more on the day to move ahead of opening round leader Hiroshi Tai of Singapore. Daniel Bennett fired a 3-under 69 to help push South Africa atop the leaderboard; Charl Barnard’s 4-over 76 did not count towards the team total on Thursday.
Three teams trail the leaders by five shots including Australia, France and England (-9 under). First round leaders, Mexico are tied for fifth with Denmark at 8-under. Canada shot a collective score of 1-under on Thursday after an even par opening round and sits T18 with Scotland of the 36 countries competing in Singapore.
Canada was led by Isaiah Ibit of Orleans, Ont. who shot a bogey free 2-under 70 on Thursday. Justin Matthews of Little Britain, Ont. closed with a 1-over 73 and Ashton McCulloch with a 4-over 76.
Individually, opening round leader, Tai shot a 1-under 71 to move to 8-under and is now solo second and four shots back of Maas. Oscar Couilleau (France) and Rintaro Nakano (Japan) are tied for third at 7-under. Filip Fahlberg Johnsson (Sweden) and Oscar Holm Bredkjaer (Denmark) are tied for fifth at 6-under. Ibit sits T39 at 1-over, McCulloch is T49 at 2-over and Matthews is T57 at 3-over of the 108 players competing.
Play was suspended for over an hour on Thursday due to dangerous weather in the area. The third round of the Men’s World Amateur Team Championship will begin at 7:15 a.m. locally (Singapore) on Friday and 7:15 p.m. EST Thursday. With teeing off at Matthews at 8:21 a.m., McCulloch at 8:32 a.m. and Ibit at 8:43 a.m. local time.
For team and individual leaderboards following the second round, please click here.
Mexico opens 2025 Men’s World Amateur Team Championship with lead, Canada seven back
Ashton McCulloch was the low Canadian on Wednesday with a 2-under 70
SINGAPORE – Mexico holds a two-shot lead over South Africa following the opening round of the 2025 Men’s World Amateur Team Championship at Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) in Singapore.
Mexico was led by Carlos Astiazaran who carded five birdies on his way to a 4-under 68. Eduardo Derbez added a 3-under 69 to give Mexico a combined score of 7-under. Gerardo Gomez’s 1-over 73 did not count to the team total on Wednesday. Right behind the leaders is South Africa who shot a collective 5-under, led by Christian Maas’ 6-under 66. Maas currently is one shot back in the individual standings. France is alone in third at 4-under, while host nation, Singapore is in a four-way tie for fourth with Australia, Sweden and Czechia at 3-under. Canada sits T13 with New Zealand, People’s Republic of China, Denmark and Spain at even par of the 36 countries competing for the Eisenhower Trophy.
Canada was led by Ashton McCulloch of Kingston, Ont. who shot a bogey free 2-under 70 on Wednesday. Justin Matthews of Little Britain, Ont. closed with a 2-over 74 and Isaiah Ibit of Orleans, Ont. finished with a 3-over 75.
Hiroshi Tai of Singapore fired the low round of the day with a 7-under 65 to take the 18-hole lead in the individual competition by one over Maas. Tai carded eight birdies on his round including three straight on Nos. 16 through 18. Behind Tai and Maas is Astiazaran who is solo third. Derbez is in a four-way tie for fourth with Timotej Formanek (Czechia), Filip Fahlberg Johnsson (Sweden) and Michael Mjaaseth (Norway) at 3-under. McCulloch is tied for eight with six others, including 2025 Canadian Men’s Amateur champion, Declan O’Donovan (Australia) at 2-under in the 108-player field.
The second round of the Men’s World Amateur Team Championship will begin at 7:15 a.m. locally (Singapore) on Thursday and 7:15 p.m. EST Wednesday. Ibit will tee off at 8:21 a.m., Matthews at 8:32 a.m. and McCulloch at 8:43 a.m. local time.
For team and individual leaderboards following the opening round, please click here.