Golf Canada Releases 2026 Championship Schedule
Competition calendar highlighted by Canada’s National Open Championships –
the RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open
Includes 11 National Amateur Championships presented by BDO, six NextGen Championships,
the World Junior Girls Golf Championship presented by BFL CANADA, two Canadian Collegiate Invitationals, and the BDO National Golf League Finals
Golf Canada will also conduct qualifiers for USGA Championships including Local and Final Qualifying for the U.S. Open. Along with the U.S. Women’s Open, U.S. Amateur and Women’s Amateur and U.S. Junior Amateur and Girls’ Junior Championship
OAKVILLE, Ont. – Golf Canada is pleased to announce its full 2026 championship schedule, which includes amateur and professional competitions in addition to various qualifiers hosted at member clubs across Canada.
The 2026 schedule is headlined by Golf Canada’s two National Open Championships — the 115th playing of the RBC Canadian Open, taking place at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (North Course) in Caledon, Ont. June 10-14 and the 52nd playing of the CPKC Women’s Open, being held at Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton, Alta., August 19-23.
Golf Canada’s 2026 competition calendar also includes 11 National Amateur Championships presented by BDO, six NextGen Championships, two Canadian Collegiate Invitationals, the BDO National Golf League Finals and the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by BFL CANADA.
As the National Sport Organization and governing body, Golf Canada conducts the country’s premier amateur and professional golf championships to support the development of the nation’s top talent through world-class competition.
“We are proud to announce the full championship schedule for 2026 and are excited to welcome the top golf athletes from across Canada and around the world competing for our prestigious national championships,” said Mary Beth McKenna, Golf Canada Director, Amateur Championships and Rules. “On behalf of Golf Canada and all of the competitors, I would like to thank our corporate partners, our host clubs, tournament staff and volunteers across the country for their continued commitment and support of our championships and our sport.”
The Canadian Financial Assistance Program supported by Gary Cowan Heritage Fund and the Canadian Senior Golf Association will once again be available for juniors competing in the NextGen Championships, all National Junior Championships (Juniors and U15), and players competing at the Canadian All Abilities Championship who meet eligibility requirements. More details on the program for the 2026 season will be released next month.
Golf Canada will also conduct several professional and amateur championship qualifiers including five RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifiers along with Final Qualifying for both the RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open.
Following changes to PGA TOUR field sizes for the 2026 season, players who finish within the top ten per cent of the field (and ties) at each Regional Qualifying event will earn a spot into Final Qualifying. The Final Qualifier will take place on Sunday, June 7 at The Pulpit Club in Caledon, Ont. The top four finishers will earn an exemption into the 2026 RBC Canadian Open.
The She Plays Golf Championship Series will award three exemptions into the 2026 CPKC Women’s Open through three tournaments across Canada. The first will be the GolfBC Group BC Women’s Open, taking place June 11-13 at Nicklaus North Golf Course in Whistler, B.C., followed by the Peloton Glencoe Invitational, taking place June 18-20 at The Glencoe Golf and Country Club in Calgary, Alta. The final stop will be the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada with more information announced later. Each tournament winner will earn an exemption into the 2026 CPKC Women’s Open.
Other notable qualifiers conducted for USGA Championships on the 2026 schedule include a U.S. Open Local and Final Qualifier, a U.S. Women’s Open Qualifier in addition to qualifiers for the U.S. Women’s Open, U.S. Amateur and Women’s Amateur and the U.S. Junior Amateur and Girls’ Junior Championship.
Golf Canada’s championship season kicks off May 1-3 with the NextGen Pacific Championship at Morningstar Golf Club in Parksville, B.C. The season concludes with the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by BFL CANADA at Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, Ont. from September 30 to October 3.
To view Golf Canada’s 2026 Championship Schedule including all host venues, registration requirements and volunteer opportunities visit golfcanada.ca/competitions-calendar/.
2026 Amateur Championship Season at a Glance:
The third annual BDO National Golf League Finals will be held at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont. on June 6 ahead of tournament week for the RBC Canadian Open. Fifty-two teams will compete in a four-ball net stableford format to crown the BDO National Golf League champions and earn an invitation to represent Canada at The R&A’s 9 Hole Challenge.
The Canadian University/College Championship, presented by BDO, will be held June 15-19 at Club de Golf La Tempête in Lévis, Que. The championship includes both a team and individual component featuring Canada’s top university and college talent. The winning men’s and women’s team will qualify for their respective 2026 Canadian Collegiate Invitationals, and the individual winners will receive exemptions into their respective 2026 Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championship. The UBC Thunderbirds successfully defended their titles last year in both the Men’s and Women’s divisions, marking the eighth consecutive win for the Women’s program. Individually, Alek Mauro (Windsor Lancers) and Julia Alexander-Carew (UBC Okanagan Heat) took home individual honours.
The 112th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, takes place July 20-24 at The Toronto Golf Club in Mississauga, Ont. The champion will earn an exemption into the 2026 CPKC Women’s Open, the 2026 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship and the 2027 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship. Team Canada NextGen member, Michelle Xing of Richmond Hill, Ont. was the lone player under par and won her first Duchess of Connaught Gold Cup last July.
The 121st Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, will be contested July 25-30 in Calgary, Alta. at Mickelson National Golf Club and Heritage Pointe Golf Club. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2027 RBC Canadian Open, as well as an invitation to the 2026 U.S. Amateur Championship. The winner will also receive an exemption into Final Qualifying for the 2027 U.S. Open and into the 2027 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. Last year, Declan O’Donovan of Sydney, Australia won the championship in a two-hole playoff over Team Canada NextGen member Isaiah Ibit of Orleans, Ont., becoming the first Australian to win the title since Gary Simpson in 1993.
The Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, will be held August 5-7 at the Burlington Golf & Country Club in Burlington, Ont. The field is open to female amateurs aged 25-and-over. The winner will receive exemptions into the 2026 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, 2027 Canadian Women’s Amateur and the 2027 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championships. Judith Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont. won her fourth Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur title in a three-hole playoff over Nonie Marler of Vancouver, B.C. last season.
The Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, will be played at Hylands Golf Club in Gloucester, Ont. from August 5-7. The national championship for players with neurological, intellectual, sensory, and physical impairments, is contested over 54-holes. Natasha Stasiuk of Oakville, Ont. is the five-time defending champion on the women’s side, while Josh Williams of Tavistock, Ont. won his first men’s title last year. The gross stroke play men’s and women’s champion earn an exemption into the 2027 U.S. Adaptive Open (if eligible).
The Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO, will be contested August 11-14 at Wascana Country Club in Regina, Sask. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2027 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, 2027 Canadian Junior Boys (if eligible) and 2027 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. Dawson Lew of Toronto, Ont. became the 12th player to claim both the Junior Boys and Juvenile titles in the same year last summer.
The Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO, will run August 11-14 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (Heathlands Course). The winner will earn an exemption into the 2027 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, the 2027 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship and the 2027 Canadian Junior Girls Championship (if eligible). Team Canada NextGen member Shauna Liu of Maple, Ont. successfully defended her title last summer, becoming the first player to win the national championship in consecutive years since Heather Kuzmich in 1982.
The Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, will be held August 17-21 at Brantford Golf & Country Club in Brantford, Ont. The field is open to male amateurs aged 25-and-over. The winner will receive exemptions into the 2026 U.S. Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, 2027 Canadian Men’s Amateur and the 2027 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championships. Last season, Charles Fitzsimmons of King, Ont. became the fourth three-time winner of the national championship after winning back-to-back in 2021 and 2022.
The Canadian U15 Championship, presented by BDO, will be contested August 24-27 at Loyalist Country Club in Bath, Ont. The boys and girls’ individual champions will earn exemptions into their respective 2027 Canadian Junior Championships and invitations into the 2026 NextGen Selection Camp. Maggie Zhang (Richmond, B.C.) and Owen Beaulac (Victoria, B.C.) won the U15 titles last summer.
The Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, will be played at Niakwa Country Club in Winnipeg, Man., September 7-11. The winner will earn exemptions into the 2026 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship, the 2027 Canadian Men’s Amateur, 2027 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur and the 2027 Canadian Men’s Senior Championships. Last year, Don Martone of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. comfortably claimed his first national championship by eight shots.
The third playing of the Men’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational will return to Öviinbyrd Golf Club in MacTier, Ont. from September 12-15. The tournament will be once again co-hosted by Kent State University and Penn State University. The tournament features 13 NCAA Division I teams along with the winners from the 2026 Canadian University/College Championship. The individual champion will receive an exemption into the 2027 RBC Canadian Open and the top five will earn exemptions into the 2027 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish successfully defended their team title last fall, led by Calen Sanderson (Notre Dame) who took home individual honours. The 2026 Boys NextGen Selection Camp will run concurrently during tournament play.
The Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, will take place September 15-18 at Pine Hills Golf Club in Rocky Mountain House, Alta. The winner will receive an exemption into the 2026 U.S. Women’s Senior Amateur Championship, the 2027 U.S. Women’s Senior Open, as well as the 2027 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and the 2027 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championships. Last year, Shelly Stouffer of Nanoose Bay, B.C. won her third Canadian Women’s Senior title, having previously won back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022.
The second playing of the Women’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational will take place at Beacon Hall Golf Club in Aurora, Ont., from September 20-22. The tournament will be co-hosted by Kent State University and the University of Michigan. The tournament will feature 11 NCAA Division I teams along with the team champions from the 2026 Canadian University/College Championship. The individual winner will earn an exemption into the 2027 CPKC Women’s Open and the top five will earn exemptions into the 2027 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship. Last season, the Auburn Tigers won the inaugural team championship with Veronika Kedroňová of Kent State University earning the individual title. The 2026 Girls NextGen Selection Camp will run concurrently during tournament play.
The season will conclude with the 11th playing of the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by BFL CANADA and will take place at Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, Ont., from September 28 to October 3. Teams compete as three-member squads while also competing for an individual title. The Republic of Korea are the two-time defending champions, holding off Team Canada 1 and Spain for the title last year. World No. 109 on WAGR, Charlotte Naughton of England won individual honours and will compete at the 2026 CPKC Women’s Open this August. The 2026 individual champion will earn an exemption into the 2027 CPKC Women’s Open.
2026 NextGen Championships
The NextGen Championships are a high-performance junior golf series. From May to July, six championships will take place across Canada where the region’s best junior golfers will compete to earn exemptions into their respective 2026 national junior championships. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf.
The 2026 NextGen Championship host clubs include: Morningstar Golf Club (Parksville, B.C.), Tangle Creek Golf & Country Club (Thornton, Ont.), Wolf Creek Golf Resort (Ponoka, Alta.), Neepawa Golf & Country Club (Neepawa, Man.), Club de golf Lachute (Lachute, Que.), and Hampton Golf Club (Hampton, N.B.).
2026 Registration Information
Registration for Golf Canada’s 2026 competitions will open on the following dates:
- NextGen Championships: Wednesday, February 18 at 12:00pm EST
- RBC Canadian Open Qualifying: Wednesday, February 25 at 12:00pm EST
- National Amateur Championships: Wednesday, March 4 at 12:00pm EST
Please visit the Golf Canada competitions calendar and select the tournament of your choice for more information or to register, following the dates listed above.
BFL CANADA welcomed as Official Commercial Insurance Brokerage of Golf Canada and Presenting Sponsor of 2026 World Junior Girls Golf Championship
OAKVILLE, Ont. (February 5, 2026) – Golf Canada is pleased to announce a new multi-year partnership with BFL CANADA, which has become the Official Commercial Insurance Brokerage of Golf Canada. As part of this long-term collaboration, BFL CANADA will also serve as the new Presenting Sponsor of the 11th World Junior Girls Golf Championship to be hosted at the Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, Ont. in September.
BFL CANADA is a trusted and leading commercial insurance brokerage firm with long-standing experience in servicing sports organizations. We are proud to officially welcome this Canadian flagship organization as the newest partner of Golf Canada.” said Mark Palmer, Chief Commercial Officer, Golf Canada. “The World Junior Girls Golf Championship brings together some of the top female amateur golfers from across the globe. It is only fitting that a company recognized and respected worldwide is now the Presenting Sponsor, and we look forward to continuing to elevate this special championship alongside BFL CANADA.”
“As a proud Canadian firm, partnering with Golf Canada gives BFL CANADA the opportunity to help grow the game across the country and champion the next generation of athletes through the World Junior Girls Golf Championship,” said Lisa Giannone, President and COO at BFL CANADA. “Our shared commitment to excellence, teamwork, and integrity makes this a natural partnership. This represents the beginning of a long-term strategic collaboration, with our teams being focused on developing comprehensive and exclusive solutions and on delivering long-term value to Golf Canada and its members.”

Golf Canada is also proud to announce that the Brampton Golf Club will host the 2026 World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by BFL CANADA. This marks the second time that Brampton will host the championship in the tournament’s history.
“We are incredibly honoured to be selected to host the 2026 World Junior Girls Golf Championship for the second time. Brampton Golf Club has a proud tradition of hosting high level championships, and being trusted with this event again speaks to the strength of our course, our organization and our people,” said Boris Uvakov, General Manager, Brampton Golf Club. “Our volunteers, members and staff take great pride in showcasing the Club, and we are excited to welcome the next generation of elite junior golfers back to BGC.”
Brampton previously hosted the event in 2023, which marked Canada’s thrilling gold medal finish following a three-way battle with the Republic of Korea and the United States. Team Canada 1, led by coach Jeff MacDonald, was represented by Vanessa Borovilos (Etobicoke, Ont.), Anna Huang (Vancouver, B.C.) and Vanessa Zhang (Vancouver, B.C.). Denisa Vodickova of the Czech Republic won the individual title and tied the Brampton Golf Club women’s competitive course record with a 5-under 66 during the third round. The record was previously set by Brooke Henderson during the 2014 Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship.
“We are delighted to welcome BFL CANADA as the new Presenting Sponsor of the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, an event that in a short time has become one of the signature junior girls golf championships in the world. The tournament will greatly benefit from this partnership as we strive to deliver a world-class experience for everyone involved,” said Mary Beth McKenna, Director, Amateur Championships and Rules, Golf Canada. “We would also like to thank the Brampton Golf Club, its staff and membership for hosting this year’s tournament. Brampton is an incredible partner and supporter of amateur golf, and we look forward to returning to the site of the historic 2023 championship later this year.”
In hosting this year’s championship, Brampton becomes the third club to host multiple World Junior Girls Golf Championships, joining The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont. (2015, 2017) and Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont. (2014, 2019, 2022).
The prestigious Brampton Golf Club has hosted a number of high-profile provincial and national championships. Brampton Golf Club was named the Club Management Association of Canada (CMAC) Club of the Year in 2023 and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2021.
Several players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Golf Championship have gone on to great success on the LPGA Tour. Canadian Brooke Henderson, a 14-time LPGA Tour winner and Canada’s winningest professional golfer, finished fourth in the individual competition at the inaugural championship in 2014. Other notable competitors who went on to become LPGA Tour winners include current World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, who won back-to-back World Junior titles in 2018 and 2019, as well as Yuka Saso (competed for the Philippines), who won the 2016 World Junior title.
The 11th playing of the global showcase will take place from September 28 to October 3 and feature 23 countries, 24 teams, and 72 players competing for team and individual honours in Brampton, Ont. The individual champion will earn an exemption into the 2027 CPKC Women’s Open. The full field for the 2026 World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by BFL CANADA will be announced later this summer.
For more information on the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, please click here.
Deng, Kim and Borovilos invited to 2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur
OAKVILLE, On. – Three Canadians have been invited to compete alongside many of the world’s top aspiring golfers at the seventh annual Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA) in Augusta, Ga. from April 1-4.
Vanessa Borovilos of Etobicoke, Ont., Aphrodite Deng of Calgary, Alta. and Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C. will represent Canada in the field and in doing so will set a record for the number of Canadians competing in a single year at ANWA.
Deng, 15, is currently ranked No. 13 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and is Canada’s lowest ranked amateur golfer. Last season, Deng won the 76th U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, becoming the first Canadian to win the title in tournament history and earned exemptions into ANWA and the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open. She added two additional junior titles last season including the 2025 Junior Invitational at Sage Valley and the 2025 Mizuho Americas Open and was named junior player of the year by the American Junior Golf Association. Deng also earned the Marlene Stewart Streit Medal, finishing as the Low Amateur at the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open, finishing T20 at 4-under.
“I am honoured and excited to be invited to play in the 2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur. It will be my first appearance at the event, and I am looking forward to competing with the best amateur players in the world at such a historic location in April,” said Deng.
Kim, 20, is currently ranked No. 18 on WAGR and will be competing in her third consecutive ANWA, the most appearances by a Canadian. Kim finished T14 in her debut in 2024, tying Monet Chun for the best result by a Canadian at the event. Kim is currently in her Junior year at the University of Texas and has earned two collegiate titles to date. The first in her freshman year at the Jackson T Stephens Cup and last year at the Betsy Rawls Invitational. Last season, Kim added eight top 10 finishes and represented Canada at the 2025 World Amateur Team Championships. She also competed in her third consecutive CPKC Women’s Open last August.
“Receiving an invitation to play for the third time at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur is really an honour and I think that as my amateur career is coming to a close and I am graduating in a year, I’m just even more honoured to be able to go play at Augusta, especially knowing that when I turn professional, I won’t get this opportunity ever again.”
It’s such a special event, it’s magical and being in Augusta and being on the grounds and playing such a prestigious golf course is really fun and these memories that you make at events like this last forever. I am honestly looking forward to this event, April couldn’t come sooner and I am excited to be there with two other Canadians in the field,” said Kim.
Borovilos, 19, is currently ranked No. 31 on WAGR and will be competing in her first ANWA, however it will not be her first trip to Augusta National. Borovilos will be making her fifth appearance having competed in four Drive, Chip and Putt Championships, and won the 2018 championship in the Girls 10-11 age division. Borovilos is currently in her sophomore year at Texas A&M University. Last season, she earned her first collegiate title at the Chevron Collegiate in February 2025 and added three runner-up finishes during her freshman year. Borovilos also qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open, her first time competing in the major championship. This season, Borovilos has earned a T2 finish at the Carmel Cup and T16 at the Folds of Honor Collegiate. She also competed in her third consecutive CPKC Women’s Open last August.
“Not many things can beat the feeling you get when driving down Magnolia Lane. It’s going to be a fun three months gearing up for April. I can’t wait to experience Augusta in the prime condition we all see on television,” said Borovilos.
The ANWA features a field of 72 amateurs competing over 54 holes of stroke play with a cut following 36 holes. The opening rounds will be contested at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. on Wednesday, April 1 and Thursday, April 2. The top 30 players and ties will advance to the final round at Augusta National on Saturday, April 4. The entire field will play a practice round there one day prior on Friday.
The first two rounds of the ANWA will be broadcast live on the Golf Channel from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. ET. NBC will air the final round on April 4 from Noon – 3:00 p.m. ET.
For more information on the ANWA including past results, click here.
Golf Canada’s Derek Ingram and Tristan Mullally honoured at PGA of Canada’s Canada Night
Orlando, Fla. – Golf Canada’s Derek Ingram and Tristan Mullally were presented with their 2025 PGA of Canada National Awards during Canada Night on Wednesday during the PGA Show in Orlando, Fla.
Ingram of Winnipeg, Man. was awarded the Ben Kern Coach of the Year Award, marking the third time he’s earned the prestigious honour and his sixth career National PGA of Canada Award.
“I am both honoured and thrilled to win the PGA of Canada’s Ben Kern Coach of the Year Award. Ben was a legend playing and coaching in Canada and it is a privilege to win the award with his namesake,” said Ingram.
Ingram’s contributions to both the amateur and professional game make him one of Canada’s most distinguished coaches. Ingram has coached Team Canada at three Olympic Games including Rio 2016, Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024 and serves as full-time PGA TOUR coach to Corey Conners and Taylor Pendrith. He also coached Sudarshan Yellamaraju through the Team Canada program; Yellamaraju recently earned his PGA TOUR card for 2026. Ingram also serves as coach to Aaron Cockerill and Myles Creighton.
Along with his work in the professional game, Ingram has coached Team Canada at eight World Junior Team Championships, and six World Amateur Team Championships, earning a silver medal in Japan in 2014. A longtime contributor to Golf Canada’s High Performance Program, Ingram is also the head coach of Team Canada’s Men’s National Team.
“There is very little more gratifying than being recognized by your peers and the PGA of Canada for the work I have done this year and past years. One simple goal, to help Canadians players achieve their goal of playing on the PGA Tour. Huge thank you to the players and Golf Canada for putting their trust in me. Excited for the future,” added Ingram.
Mullally of Dundas, Ont. was named the Tex Noble Professional Development Award winner in recognition of his contributions to coach education, mentorship and the advancement of professional development in Canada.
“To be recognized by my peers in developing coaches is a truly humbling honour,” said Mullally. “So many mentors had had a significant influence on my career, and it’s been so great to fulfill that role for others on behalf of Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada.”
Mullally works as Golf Canada’s 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.
Golf Canada congratulates all the 2025 PGA of Canada National Award winners and extends a heartfelt thank you for their continued support and advancement of our sport across the country.
For the full list of award winners and more information on each recipient, please click here.
GJAC announces Golf Story of the Year, Player of the Year awards for the 2025 season
The Golf Journalists Association of Canada (GJAC) has announced their golf story of the year, as well as various Player of the Year awards for the 2025 season.
Below are the GJAC’s selections for the 2025 season.
Brooke Henderson’s Victory at the CPKC Canadian Women’s Open Named Golf Story of the Year
Brooke Henderson’s memorable win at the CPKC Canadian Women’s Open at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club was named the GJAC Canadian Golf Story of the Year. Henderson captured her second CPKC Canadian Women’s Open title in August, prevailing by one stroke in a dramatic final round over Minjee Lee. The victory marked a special moment for Canadian golf, as Henderson once again claimed the national championship in front of a home audience.
Corey Conners Named Male Professional Player of the Year
Corey Conners earned Male Professional Player of the Year honours following one of the most consistent seasons of his PGA TOUR career. Conners finished fourth in the FedEx Cup standings and recorded three top-five finishes despite not securing a tournament victory. He also posted top-20 finishes in all three major championships he completed during the season. Conners concluded the year ranked 30th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Brooke Henderson Named Female Professional Player of the Year
Brooke Henderson was also named Female Professional Player of the Year, continuing her leadership among Canadian players on the LPGA Tour. Her season included a top-10 finish at the CPE Group Tour Championship and her historic victory at the CPKC Canadian Women’s Open. Henderson finished the year ranked 24th in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.
Hunter Thomson and Isaiah Ibit Named Male Amateur Players of the Year
The GJAC selected co-winners for Male Amateur Player of the Year.
Isaiah Ibit enjoyed an impressive freshman season at Kent State University, earning MAC Freshman of the Year honours. He also made the cut at a PGA TOUR Americas event and finished runner-up at the Can-Am Championship. Ibit concluded the year ranked 359th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
Hunter Thomson, who attended the University of Michigan, won his NCAA Regional, finished 24th on PGA TOUR U, and turned professional during the season while retaining his Amateur Ranking status for 2026. Despite competing as an amateur for only part of the year, his accomplishments earned strong recognition from voters. Thomson turned professional ranked 68th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
Aphrodite Deng Named Female Amateur Player of the Year
Aphrodite Deng was named Female Amateur Player of the Year following a standout season that included a tie for 20th and low amateur honours at the CPKC Canadian Women’s Open, along with a strong showing at the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship and multiple junior victories throughout the year. Deng also captured Rolex Junior Player of the Year honours and finished the season ranked 14th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
“It is an exciting time in our calendar where we share the results of our Association vote for our year end players and Canadian golf story of the year awards,” said Mike Johnny, President of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada. “While the competitive golf landscape in Canada continues to thrive, it is nice to see new names emerge, reflective of the competition within Canada to compete on the world stage. At home, participation in the game remains high and grassroots initiatives to expand engagement in golf are flourishing. A Canadian winning our national open is always exciting. Canada is always proud to showcase the best players coming to compete on the world stage.”
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.