Liu recorded rounds of 78-67-66 to overcome a five-stroke deficit and win the 2025 Peloton Glencoe Invitational  

CALGARY, Alta. – Shauna Liu of Maple, Ont. fired a bogey-free 66 in her final round to claim a come-from-behind victory at the 2025 Peloton Glencoe Invitational in Calgary, Alta. and become the second Team Canada NextGen member in as many weeks to do so on the She Plays Golf Championship Series.  

The win marks Liu’s fourth in 2025 and earns her a spot in the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open later this summer. The 16-year-old joins her Team Canada NextGen teammate Clara Ding of White Rock, B.C. in the field set to descend on Mississaugua Golf and Country Club, August 20 – 24 after the latter picked up a narrow win in last week’s She Plays Golf Championship Series opener in Whistler, B.C.  

Liu followed an opening-round 78 with rounds of 67 and 66 – both the lowest scores in the second and third round respectively – to finish 5-under and win by two over Team Canada member, Ellie Vorster of London, Ont. She picked up momentum late in her second round on Friday to negate a slow start to the tournament by carding four birdies through holes 14 and 17 to get to one-over par and climb within five strokes of 36-hole leader Vanessa Zhang of Vancouver, B.C.  

Six birdies and a blemish-free scorecard later – the only player in the field to avoid dropping a shot on Saturday – and Liu claimed the tournament she once trailed by four strokes. Birdies at holes one, eight, nine and 10 got her to three-under par and propelled her atop the leaderboard after Katie Cranston of Oakville, Ont. exited with double-bogey at the par-four fourth to drop to two-under.  

Holding onto her first lead of the week, Liu failed to take her foot off the gas throughout the rest of Saturday’s back nine, adding birdies at holes 14 and 16 to build a three-stroke cushion over Cranston and take the clubhouse lead at five-under par.  

The insurance proved to be more than enough to secure Liu victory with Cranston playing her final nine holes at one-over par. Despite finishing third, Cranston – who is also a member of the Team Canada program – nabbed 800 points to add to her lead (1,650 points) in the season-long standings.  

Players who compete in the circuit accumulate points from their finishes that are put towards a season-long standings. The top finisher on the season-long point standings, who does not already have an exemption through winning a She Plays Golf Championship Series event, also receives an exemption to the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open with Cranston leading the field of non-winners entering the final leg of the series.  

For the final standings, leaderboards and purse distribution from the 2025 Peloton Glencoe Invitational, please click here. 

With stops around the country, the She Plays Golf Championship Series provides an enhanced national qualifying path for players to punch their ticket into the CPKC Women’s Open. Anchored In three regions by a $60,000 CAD purse, each championship field features 60 professional and elite amateurs vying for an exemption into Canadia’s National women’s Open. 

The series successfully debuted as part of the Glencoe Invitational in 2023. The final stop of the She Plays Golf Championship Series will be the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada, taking place at Burlington Golf and Country Club in Burlington, Ont. from July 7-10. 

For more information on the She Plays Golf Championship Series or to register for the tournaments, please click here. 

Ding recorded rounds of 71-66-71 to claim the
GolfBC Group BC Women’s Open

Whistler, B.C. – Clara Ding of White Rock, B.C. got the She Plays Golf Championship Series off to a thrilling start on Saturday, winning the GolfBC Group BC Women’s Open with a birdie on the final hole to edge out a duo of Team Canada amateur talents.

The trio of Team Canada athletes including Katie Cranston of Oakville, Ont., Clairey Lin of Langley, B.C. and Ding all held the lead at different stages of the back nine during the final round at the Nicklaus North Course in Whistler, B.C.

Ding – who opened Saturday with a one-stroke lead over Lin after playing the final ten holes of her second round Friday at five-under par – lost ground early on Sunday after making bogey at holes three and five to drop to five-under par.

Lin took advantage of the rare slip-up from the 36-hole leader, sinking birdies at Nos. three, four and five to pull into a tie with Ding atop the leaderboard. Meanwhile, Cranston – who started her round earlier in the afternoon, made the turn at three-under par and positioned herself well in the hunt of the tournament’s top spot to amplify the pressure on the duo ahead.

The two Team Canada NextGen athletes continued to trade places leading up to the final hole as Cranston cemented her place as the clubhouse leader at seven-under par and carding the lowest round of the afternoon.

After dropping a shot at the par-four 15th, Lin bounced back with a birdie on 18 to tie Cranston at the top at seven-under par, though her birdie would be unsuccessful in forcing a playoff as Ding – also tied atop the leaderboard at seven-under par – rolled in a birdie putt of her own on the final hole to snatch back the lead she opened with and claim the title.

The thrilling victory punches Ding’s ticket into this year’s CPKC Women’s Open set to take place at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club in Mississauga, Ont. from August 20-24. The runner up finishes from Lin and Cranston nabs the duo 2,100 points each in the season-long standings.

Players who compete in the circuit accumulate points from their finishes that are put towards a season-long standings. The top finisher on the season-long point standings, who does not already have an exemption through winning a She Plays Golf Championship Series event, also receives an exemption to the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open.

For the final standings, leaderboards and purse distribution from the GolfBC Group BC Women’s Open, please click here.

With stops around the country, the She Plays Golf Championship Series provides an enhanced national qualifying path for players to punch their ticket into the CPKC Women’s Open. Anchored In three regions by a $60,000 CAD purse, each championship field features 60 professional and elite amateurs vying for an exemption into Canadia’s National Women’s Open.

The series successfully debuted as part of the Glencoe Invitational in 2023. Next stop for the She Plays Golf Championship Series will be the Peloton Glencoe Invitational in Calgary, Alta. at The Glencoe Golf and Country Club from June 12-14. The final tournament will be the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada, taking place at Burlington Golf and Country Club in Burlington, Ont. from July 7-10.

For more information on the She Plays Golf Championship Series or to register for the tournaments, please click here.

It didn’t take very long into his major debut for Ashton McCulloch to get his name into a unique circle of Canadian golfers. Under the backdrop of Donald Ross’ architectural masterpiece that is Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina, McCulloch – who earned his spot in the 2024 U.S. Open by edging out a handful of regulars on the PGA TOUR in a qualifier – discovered that his name was more recognizable than he initially thought as the top Canadians on TOUR were already familiar with the then 21-year old amateur.  

“The fact that they knew my name was so cool,” recalled McCulloch after his run-in with professionals including Nick Taylor, Mackenzie Hughes and Taylor Pendrith throughout the tournament. “I’m just a kid from Kingston, Ontario, and I play golf and those are professional golfers and obviously some of the best in the world, so the fact that they knew me and that we could have a normal conversation not even surrounding golf was really cool and something I won’t forget.”    

McCulloch’s name started wedging itself into conversations of up-and-coming Canadian talents well before his appearance at a major tournament. His triumph at the 2023 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at The Pulpit Club in Caledon, Ont. vaulted McCulloch into an elite group of names to have found success at the third-oldest amateur championship, joining a list of familiar figures in which he had the luxury of meeting at last year’s U.S. Open, including Taylor’s victory in 2007 and Hughes back-to-back championships in 2011 and 2012.  

“It’s really cool to look at kind of what I’ve done in the game of golf and what other greats like Taylor, Hughes, Pendrith and all those guys and what they’ve done,” commented McCulloch. “I’m still far away from how good they are but just trying to continue to grow like they did,” he added.  

The win clinched McCulloch a spot in the 2024 field at the RBC Canadian Open, his first professional event and one he grew up watching. The euphoria of playing his National Open immediately kicked in after rolling his final putt to take the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship by five strokes, and so too was the desire to prove to a lot of people that he was capable of playing at the highest level.  

Though his debut experience at Hamilton Golf & Country Club last summer left him on the outside looking in come the weekend, McCulloch was pleased with his ball striking ability and ultimately adding an early steppingstone in his young and aspiring career. 

The 22-year-old with have another opportunity on the biggest stage in the nation from June 4 to June 8 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont. Eager to build off his debut experience, McCulloch – the lowest raked Canadian in the World Amateur Golf rankings – adds to the strong list of Canadian talent competing next week as a result of his exemption. 

“To have that opportunity to not only play against the best players in the world; test my game, learn from them and learn more about myself, but also just the pride in the opportunity to play for our country and our Canadian Open is something I’m so grateful to receive,” said McCulloch.  

One of 18 male members part of the Team Canada program, McCulloch has steadily improved throughout his amateur career, competing in the Big Ten at Michigan State University (MSU) where he just finished his senior season. The top finisher on the team in his last six starts of the 2024 campaign, McCulloch was a major force at MSU and placed third in both the Big Ten Championship and the Canadian Collegiate Invitational as a junior. He also picked up a win at the Johnnie-O at Sea Island event last season and finished the year with the best scoring average in program history.  

Earlier this month, McCulloch was awarded a sponsor’s exemption into the 2025 Rocket Classic set to take place in Detroit, Mich. in June. By the time he arrives at Detroit Golf Club, he will already have two other PGA TOUR events under his belt and looks to use the experiences as a launching pad towards his pursuit of a professional golf career. 

“To use those events and not only the [ranking] points that you get from them but the experiences you get from them that are so much more valuable,” said McCulloch ahead of the 2025 RBC Canadian Open. “The journey is far from over and you just kind of keep on pushing and use those [events] as confidence boosters and not to get too complacent,” he added.  

The 2025 summer will see McCulloch’s name featured alongside the game’s best players and add another Canadian threat to a pair of fields on the PGA TOUR. Nearing the end of his collegiate tenure, the future looks promising for McCulloch, a rising star with a name already familiar with several current Canadian on TOUR.  

“I just want to keep progressing, keep the boots on the ground and keep going and try to chase the best golf that I can.” 

McCulloch will be amongst a field of 156 players will compete at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in the 114th playing of the RBC Canadian Open, June 4 -8. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit rbccanadianopen.com. 

PUMA continues its support as Official Headwear and Apparel sponsor of
Team Canada and Team Canada – NextGen

Toronto, ON – Golf Canada and PUMA Canada are proud to announce a long-term extension of their existing partnership with Golf Canada’s National Team Program.

The new four-year agreement sees PUMA continue as the Official Apparel and Headwear partner of Golf Canada’s National Team Program (Team Canada men’s and women’s teams and Team Canada – NextGen boy’s and girl’s teams). Team Canada players, coaches and support staff will continue to exclusively wear PUMA’s premium golf apparel and headwear when representing Team Canada.

The extension also confirms that the athletes and coaches named to Team Canada will wear PUMA’s Golf apparel and headwear as part of the field-of-play uniform for all domestic (Golf Canada amateur championships) and international events including the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, World Amateur Team Championship, Pan American Games and the 2028 Olympic games in Los Angeles.

“We are very happy to extend our partnership with PUMA and to ensure our Team Canada athletes and staff continue to be outfitted by the iconic brand,” Mark Palmer, Chief Commercial Officer, Golf Canada. “PUMA shares our vision for being a world leader in the game of golf and investing in the growth of our sport in Canada.”

The extension builds on a strong relationship between PUMA Canada and Golf Canada that was first announced in November 2021. The partnership ensured all members of the Team Canada program were outfitted with PUMA Golf apparel and headwear.

“We are proud to extend our partnership with Golf Canada and set the stage for even greater success ahead,” said Dwayne Boecker, Vice President of COBRA PUMA GOLF. “The strong values and commitment we share in promoting golf and supporting the country’s next generation of great players and coaches are an excellent fit for our global brand. We look forward to continuing to outfit Team Canada and delivering high-performance products that empower athletes to reach their full potential on and off the course.”

Team Canada athletes, coaches and support staff will continue to wear official PUMA Golf apparel and headwear this season through to the end of 2028. For more information on the Team Canada High Performance Program, including athlete and coaches bios please click here. For more on PUMA Golf or to view the extensive collection for men and women and purchase items, 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.

Sacramento, Calif. – Leah John secured her spot in the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open after finishing in a tie for first in open qualifying at Del Paso Country Club in Sacramento, Calif. on Monday.

The Team Canada member from Vancouver, B.C. fired rounds of 65-70 (135) to finish at 7-under for 36 holes and earn one of three spots available along with her former University of Nevada teammate Gabby Kano. John became overwhelmed with emotion once she finished her second round, knowing she secured her spot.

“It was a really long day and hard to hold the lead for 36 holes and I honestly just sort of broke down a bit, so happy to have done it and I am beyond beyond beyond excited.

“It probably felt like one of the best days of my life, I was over excited and proud and also super excited to see my teammate Gabby also qualified as well. I had some former teammates there, my caddy this year is really wonderful, so to share that with them and reassuring that I trust my process, trust who I am and the things that I am working towards,” said John.

John couldn’t have asked for a better start as she opened the day with a hole out for eagle from 97 yards out. She went on to add five birdies to finish with an opening round of 6-under 65. She was happy that there wasn’t a long break in between rounds.

“I didn’t want time to think, I just wanted to get back to doing and the mindset was to just be joyful. That was my goal, my focus for the entire round, the whole day, I just wanted to enjoy my time on the golf course with my caddy and that was it, so really just joy and embracing the moments, the pressure, the nerves knowing that’s exactly where I want to be,” she said.

John describes herself as a conservatively aggressive player who likes to play bold. “I tend to stick to what my gut tells me to do and if we do need to change things we talk about it, but for the most part I keep my foot on the gas and just go. I’m just playing for me and whatever happens happens.”

That mindset certainly helped, as she opened her second round with an eagle on the par five first hole. She went on to complete her second round bogey-birdie-bogey to record a 1-under 70 and secure her spot into the U.S. Women’s Open.

“On the 18th hole I was in the rough, I knew where I was in the rankings, and on this particular hole you cannot miss short, missing long isn’t amazing but you absolutely cannot miss short so I ended up bogeying my last hole and I just had to be ok accepting that even a bogey can be good enough.”

Good enough indeed as John will be making her U.S. Women’s Open debut and playing in her second career LPGA Tour event, having played in the CPKC Women’s Open last summer in Calgary.

“I am over the moon and so excited, I have not been able to sleep, it’s been tough to focus, I am just so excited and really excited to share it with people.”

There is no time to rest as John is back in action this week on the Epson Tour at the IOA Championship in Beaumont, Calif. John has made three starts this season, her second season on Epson. She will play a practice round on Wednesday, followed by the pro-am on Thursday before tournament play begins on Friday.

Even after a hectic travel day from Sacramento to Beaumont, John is still riding high.

“Feeling pretty pumped, it’s so nice to be with some awesome friends over here celebrating, so looking forward to bringing that momentum with me and just keep working on the simple things of how I want to be and my values and enjoying the game. I really think things are more meaningful when you can share it with those who care about you so just happy to be doing all this.”

The 2025 U.S. Women’s Open is taking place May 28 – June 1 at Erin Hills in Erin, Wis.

Houston, Texas – Golf Canada and the United States Golf Association (USGA) wrapped up their two-day international friendly match play event over the weekend at Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas. The U.S. National Junior Team emerged victorious by a 16-8 point total.

Team Canada – NextGen was led by Shauna Liu of Maple, Ont., Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. and Alex Zhang of Richmond, B.C. who all earned three points for the team from their three matches. Antoine Jasmin of Blainville, Que. also earned two points from three matches and Aphrodite Deng of Calgary, Alta. won her individual match on Sunday to also earn a point for Team Canada – NextGen.

“We are very proud of our team from their performances on the course and representing Golf Canada off the course as well,” said Darcy Dhillon, Coach, Team Canada – NextGen Boys. “We are very appreciative of our friends at the USGA for hosting us and providing our team the opportunity to play in more competitive events early in the season. This was a great experience for everyone involved and we look forward to more collaborative opportunities in the future.”

The two-day event featured 12 players (six girls and six boys) representing each team in a mixed competition that was World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) sanctioned. The match play format consisted of mixed Foursome team matches and mixed Four-Ball team matches on Saturday with individual single matches to close the event on Sunday.

The Team Canada – NextGen squad featured 10 current members of the High-Performance program. Two additional U17 players were selected on the boys’ side to round out the team. The roster for the event included:

BOYS

Charlie Gillespie – 18, Calgary, Alta.

Antoine Jasmin – 19, Blainville, Que.

Austin Krahn – 17, Christina Lake, B.C.

*Dawson Lew – 15, Toronto, Ont.

Jager Pain – 16, Woodbridge, Ont.

*Alex Zhang – 16, Richmond, B.C.

Coaches: Darcy Dhillon – Calgary, Alta., Dr. Charles Fitsimmons (Mental Performance Coach) – King City, Ont.

*- denotes selected player

GIRLS

Aphrodite Deng – 15, Calgary, Alta.

Clara Ding – 14, White Rock, B.C.

Shauna Liu – 16, Maple, Ont.

Eileen Park – 15, Red Deer, Alta.

Nobelle Park – 15, Oakville, Ont.

Michelle Xing – 16, Richmond Hill, Ont.

Coaches: Jeff MacDonald – Halifax, N.S., Jennifer Ha – Calgary, Alta.

For more information on Team Canada, please click here.

In addition to the match play competition, there was joint team dinner following practice rounds on Friday and a closing awards ceremony following play on Sunday.

For the full results from the international friendly, please click here.

When she was just 17 years old, Monet Chun’s three big goals as an amateur were to win a national title, play collegiate golf in the NCAA and compete in an LPGA Tour event.  Today at 24, the university of Michigan grad has checked off all three – and now has her sights set on a successful career in professional golf.

Having worked with Chun as her personal coach since 2019, Matt Wilson speaks about the qualities that enable her to be successful and achieve her goals on the golf course.

“Monet’s general disposition allows her to be successful in the sport of golf which requires endless patience, tremendous determination, and a very clear vision,” he pointed out.

“She’s also got a healthy dose of curiosity.  You combine that with strong work ethic and you get continual improvement,” noted Wilson.

“Monet is a very steady player.  She’s pretty good at everything and plays a really tight game.  She’s a very special talent.”

Chun put her special talents on full display at the 2022 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship in Kitchener, Ont.  She finished the tournament at five under and won her first national title by two strokes over runner up and fellow Richmond Hill, Ont., golfer, Alissa Xu.

“It was huge goal of mine to win a national event and I guess it showed that all the hard work was paying off,” said Chun.

By winning the Canadian Women’s Amateur, Chun received an exemption to compete at the U.S. Women’s Amateur, along with an exemption to compete in her first LPGA event at the 2022 CPKC Women’s Open.

Chun put on an impressive showing at the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur where she made it all the way to the championship match and finished runner up to Saki Baba of Japan.

“That was the year that everything came together. I was playing some of my best golf,” recalled the talented Canadian National Team member.

In 2022, Chun also led the University of Michigan women’s golf squad to their first Big Ten conference title in school history.

“I spent four years there and had a great time with the team and the coaches. My game really improved during that time and it was great being part of the first women’s team to win the Big Ten conference title in 2022,” said Chun, who completed an undergrad in kinesiology.

Having achieved her top goals as an amateur, the University of Michigan grad now has a clear vision for success on the professional ranks.  This year she is competing on the Epson Tour and hopes to continue her learning on route to the LPGA Tour one day.

Wilson says Chun is on the right track and believes that by making continued improvements in her putting and getting it to a world class level, the goal of making it to the LPGA Tour is within reach.

“Her putting is good but by continuing to improve and getting it to a world class level, that’s what is going to get Monet onto the LPGA Tour and have a lot of success once she’s there.”

Chun identifies two former members of the Canadian National Team Program also from the Richmond Hill area who have provided her with a clear vision for success over the years through their success playing the sport at the highest level – specifically Rebecca Lee-Bentham and Taylor Pendrith.

“Growing up, I’ve known about Rebecca and watched her play throughout her junior career in college and on the LPGA; and its pretty cool to be in a position to try to have some of that success,” said Chun.

“I’ve played at Summit Golf and Country Club and I know Taylor has played there also. It’s inspiring to see the success he’s currently having as a professional on the PGA Tour.”

Having been on the National Team Program since her teenage years, Chun is thankful for the continued support and credits the program for playing a significant role in helping turn her vision and goals into reality.

“The program has helped improve not only my techniques, but has helped me improved physical strength and my mental game,” she noted.

“Being part of the program, we have access to so many resources to support us and help us reach our goals on the golf course.”

Oakville, ON – Golf Canada and the United States Golf Association (USGA) announced today that the Team Canada – NextGen program and the U.S. National Junior Team will compete in a two-day international friendly match play event, April 12-13 at Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas.

The event will feature 12 players (six girls and six boys) representing each team in a mixed competition that will be World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) sanctioned. The match play format will be as follows:

Saturday, April 12: Foursome Team matches (a.m.) and Four-Ball Team matches (p.m.)

Sunday, April 13: Individual Single matches

“We are excited for our young Canadian athletes to participate in this match play event and give these talented aspiring players another opportunity to compete internationally. We have seen great success with our NextGen players over the past couple years, especially at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship and these matches provide great experience to continue to learn and grow,” said Jeff MacDonald, head coach of the Team Canada – NextGen Girls team. “We also want to extend our thanks to the USGA, as these unique matches help to strengthen an already strong relationship between our two national golf federations.”

The Team Canada – NextGen squad will feature 10 current members of the High-Performance program. Two additional U17 players were selected on the boys’ side to round out the team. The roster for the event will include:

BOYS

Charlie Gillespie – 18, Calgary, Alta.

Antoine Jasmin – 19, Blainville, Que.

Austin Krahn – 17, Christina Lake, B.C.

*Dawson Lew – 15, Toronto, Ont.

Jager Pain – 16, Woodbridge, Ont.

*Alex Zhang – 16, Richmond, B.C.

Coaches: Darcy Dhillon – Calgary, Alta., Dr. Charles Fitsimmons (Mental Performance Coach) – King City, Ont.

*- denotes selected player

GIRLS

Aphrodite Deng – 15, Calgary, Alta.

Clara Ding – 14, White Rock, B.C.

Shauna Liu – 16, Maple, Ont.

Eileen Park – 15, Red Deer, Alta.

Nobelle Park – 15, Oakville, Ont.

Michelle Xing – 16, Richmond Hill, Ont.

Coaches: Jeff MacDonald – Halifax, N.S., Jennifer Ha – Calgary, Alta.

For more information on Team Canada, please click here.

Team USA will be comprised of:

BOYS
Ronin Banerjee – 16, Irvine, Calif.

Luke Colton – 17, Frisco, Texas

Phillip Dunham – 17, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

Trevor Gutschewski – 17, Omaha, Neb.

Will Hartman – 18, Marvin, N.C.

Tyler Mawhinney – 17, Fleming Island, Fla. (2024 Canadian Men’s Amateur Champion)

GIRLS

Shyla Brown – 16, McKinney, Texas

Ryleigh Knaub – 18, DeBary, Fla.

Jude Lee – 17, Walnut, Calif.

Nikki Oh – 17, Torrance, Calif.

Scarlett Schremmer – 18, Birmingham, Ala.

Amelie Zalsman – 16, St. Petersburg, Fla.

For more information of the U.S. roster, please click here.

“Team match play has long been an important part of international competition and introducing our nation’s top junior talent to these formats, competitive situations and championship level courses early in their development is crucial to building confidence and preparing them for success on the game’s biggest stages,” said Chris Zambri, head coach of the U.S. National Teams. “We’re thankful to partner with Golf Canada on this initiative in support of friendly competition and development for all of our athletes.”

Champions Golf Club was founded in 1957 by World Golf Hall of Fame members and past Masters champions, Jack Burke Jr. and Jimmy Demaret. The Cypress Creek course opened in 1959 and five years later the Jackrabbit course was built. Champions Golf Club has hosted numerous events including the Ryder Cup (1967), U.S. Open (1969), U.S. Amateur (1993), The TOUR Championship (1990, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003) and the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open.

In addition to the match play competition, there will be a joint team dinner following practice rounds on Friday, April 11 and a closing awards ceremony following play on Sunday, April 13.

Lauren Kim’s first time playing in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur was a singular experience. Not just because it’s one of the most historic golf courses in North America, but because she played the final round of the elite tournament alone.

Kim had made the cut at Augusta last year but, because there was an odd number of competitors, she wound up playing her final round alongside a marker. Effectively playing by herself worked because she fired a 71 — one of the few to score under par that day — to tie for 14th.

“I wasn’t comparing myself to another player in the field,” she said. “I think that’s what made it more fun, because I was by myself, and I had no idea what was going on in other groups, and I was just playing golf, and I had crowds with me.

“I almost made a hole-in-one on No. 16, which is very exciting, because I had a lot of friends and people watching me on that hole, and I almost pulled it out and made the crowd go wild. That round in general was so fun and special, I think it’s pretty hard to forget.”

Kim, from Surrey, B.C., will get another chance to make memories on Wednesday when she tees off at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur for a second consecutive year.

“It’s such an amazing feeling. It’s Augusta National. Everybody wants to go there, and not everyone can,” Kim said. “But I’m playing there as well and I got the opportunity to play there last year, play a competitive round after making the cut. 

“That was a very magical feeling and I’m just so excited to go back. They run that tournament so well and treat us very well.”

Kim earned her Augusta return with one of the best seasons in U.S. collegiate golf this year in her sophomore year with the Texas Longhorns.

She’s earned six top-10 finishes since September 2024, most recently winning the Betsy Rawls Invitational. That performance anchored Texas’s 18-stroke team victory at the event in the Longhorns’ home tournament.

Laura Ianello, the head coach of the women’s golf team at Texas, said that Kim deserves the honour of being invited to Augusta.

“She has earned the right to be here, being the number 1 player out of Canada year after year the last couple of years,” said Ianello. “Lauren Kim is, without a doubt, a person that could easily win the Augusta National Women’s Amateur if she gets off to a good start, hits her fairways, greens and makes some putts early.”

Kim agreed with her university coach that her solid play all season should carry over to the storied course.

“With the momentum I have right now, it’s helping me head into events with the mindset that I am a great player, I can perform, and all I need to do is really just focus on that shot that I’m about to hit, instead of worrying about technical things or how I’m going to play or perform,” said Kim, who will be joined at Augusta by Longhorns teammates Farah O’Keefe and Cindy Hsu.

“Having all parts of my game clicking right now that really did help my mentality, keep me in it during tournaments.”

LPGA TOUR — Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., faces Ireland’s Leona Maguire in the first round of the T-Mobile Match Play event. Henderson, ranked No. 25 on the top women’s tour, is the only Canadian in the field at Shadow Creek Golf Course in North Las Vegas, Nev.

PGA TOUR — Two-time Valero Texas Open champion Corey Conners will return to TPC San Antonio this week. He’s seventh in the FedEx Cup standings, the highest-ranked Canadian on the PGA Tour. The player from Listowel, Ont., will be joined at the Texas Open by Ben Silverman (153rd) of Thornhill, Ont., and Adam Svensson (156th) of Surrey, B.C.

KORN FERRY TOUR — Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Mississauga, Ont., will return to action at this week’s Club Car Championship at The Landings Golf & Athletic Club in Savannah, Ga. He hasn’t played in a competitive tournament since he missed the cut at the Astara Golf Championship but is still No. 8 on the points list, making him the highest ranked Canadian on the second-tier circuit. No. 23 Matthew Anderson, also from Mississauga, Myles Creighton (62nd) of Digby, N.S., Etienne Papineau (109th) of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., Roger Sloan (118th) of Merritt, B.C., and Vancouver’s Stuart Macdonald (136th) are also in the field.

AMERICAS TOUR — Ten Canadians are in the field at the 70th ECP Brazil Open this week, the second tournament of the third-tier circuit’s schedule. Anderson won it last year, paving the way for his promotion to the Korn Ferry Tour this season.

Regardless of the result at the 2025 Augusta National Women’s Amateur, Lauren Kim has already carved out a little piece of history as she is just the second Canadian in the event’s history to play in back-to-back seasons.  

But make no mistake – Kim, of Surrey, B.C., isn’t just there to hit a few shots, enjoy the walk, and add another note to her life’s scrapbook. After a breakthrough collegiate victory at the University of Texas in early March, Kim can’t help but smile and say, well, sure, she’s thinking about what it might be like to win the thing.

“It’s on my mind,” Kim told Golf Canada in a recent conversation from Austin as she prepared for this year’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur. “Everyone in this field is capable to win it but with where my game is at right now it’s not something I haven’t been thinking about – winning this championship. I’ve just got to keep chopping wood and keep thinking about what’s here and not end results.” 

Kim is a sophomore at the University of Texas and Canada’s top-ranked female amateur. The Augusta National Women’s Amateur field has always carved out a spot for a Canadian, and Brigitte Thibault – who played the first two editions of the championship – is the only other to play it more than once.  

There’s a chance Kim will be the first to play it three times, as she is No. 20 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking – 20 spots ahead of Vanessa Borovilos at No. 42 (Borovilos is 60 spots ahead of the next-highest ranked Canadian).  

Kim, who is in her fifth year as part of Golf Canada’s national team, finished T14 at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur last year after shooting 71 in the final round at Augusta National itself. Lottie Woad, the world’s top-ranked female amateur, won the title by one shot over Bailey Shoemaker.  

Kim’s T14 tied Monet Chun for the best result by a Canadian at the event.  

Kim’s Texas connection has been extremely beneficial for her as a member of the club, with Texas ties has taken her and some teammates to Augusta National for a bonus practice round two years in a row. She said the greens are much more challenging than you’d think they would be with “tiny breaks” that aren’t really seen by the naked eye.  

“It all comes down to the experience,” Kim said. “Having played there and having a local caddie – that was clutch. He knew the ins and outs and where Rae’s Creek was and all the different things that changed. Augusta changes their course every year.  

“To see the differences and my caddie to tell me, it’s really helpful.” 

Kim captured the Betsy Rawls Invitational for her first win of 2025 and second of her collegiate career. She was named the SEC Women’s Golfer of the Week in the process – about three weeks out from the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

She said her game is “really solid” and is very pleased with all the work she did through the wintertime.   

“I’ve made a lot of swing changes and gained a lot of strength and speed. That’s what has helped me with my ball striking. I’ve never had an issue with it but now it’s more consistent than ever and all the training that I’ve done is really paying off,” Kim said. 

The Augusta National Women’s Amateur will once again consist of two rounds at nearby Champions Retreat Golf Club before the top 30 (and ties) will have a chance to play Augusta National.  

There are 72 players in the field to start the week. The event began in 2018.  

Kim knows that the week is unique and just because she is playing well and made the cut in 2024, the same success is not promised for 2025. But Kim has a solid game plan, and plenty of experience to lean on, for this year.  

“You definitely don’t want to think too far ahead of the end result and especially because there is qualifying to get onto Augusta National – it’s a big deal,” Kim said. “It can definitely captivate your entire mindset of thinking. Like, ‘I have to play well. I have to make the cut.’  

“For me it’s just thinking about what’s in front of me and what to deal with versus the whole big picture.”  

As her maturity shines through, Kim knows that a straightforward plan to her week will hopefully result in another good finish. Who knows – maybe there will be another Canadian to win at the famed fairways of Augusta National.  

“Right now,” Kim said, “My eyes are set on the trophy at Augusta.”