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.”  

Canada well represented at Masters Tournament, Augusta National Women’s Amateur and
Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals

As the calendar turns to April, golf fans worldwide focus their attention on Augusta, Ga. to celebrate a tradition unlike any other and watch in anticipation as to who will be next to don the iconic green jacket.

Canada will be well represented at the 89th Masters Tournament with four Canadians currently set to compete including past Masters champion, Mike Weir (Bright’s Grove, Ont.), Corey Conners (Listowel, Ont.), Taylor Pendrith (Richmond Hill, Ont.) and 2023 RBC Canadian Open winner, Nick Taylor (Abbotsford, B.C.).

Weir will be competing in his 26th Masters Tournament. His iconic win in 2003 was secured on the first playoff hole at Augusta National Golf Club to beat Len Mattiace and become the first Canadian Masters champion and the first Canadian male golfer to win a major.

Conners, who will be competing in his eighth Masters Tournament including 2015 as an amateur, had three consecutive top 10 finishes between 2020 and 2022, with his best finish, T6 coming in 2022. Taylor will be making his third appearance at the Masters, his best finish was T29 in 2020, while Pendrith will be making his Masters debut.

Also returning to Augusta National Golf Club (Augusta National) is Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club’s superintendent, Eric Ruhs, who has been volunteering with the Augusta National Agronomy department since 2014. Ruhs has been the superintendent at Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club since 1987 and was honoured as the 2023 Superintendent of the Year by the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association.

Lauren Kim set to compete in second consecutive Augusta National Women’s Amateur

Before the Masters Tournament kicks off, Augusta National will host the sixth annual Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA), from April 2-5.

Team Canada member, Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C. will be competing at her second consecutive ANWA, looking to build on last year’s T14 finish. Kim is currently a sophomore at the University of Texas where she has enjoyed a great deal of success throughout her season. She claimed her second collegiate title at the Betsy Rawls Invitational in March and has three additional third place finishes along with a top-five and a top-six.

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 2 and Thursday, April 3. The top 30 players and ties will advance to the final round at Augusta National on Saturday, April 5. 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 5 from Noon – 3:00 p.m. ET.

For more information on the ANWA including the full field, click here.

Three Canadians set to compete in the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals in Augusta

Following the ANWA, the 11th annual Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals will be contested on Sunday, April 6 at Augusta National.

Three Canadians will be among the 80 qualified junior golfers that have earned invitations to compete in Augusta. They are:

Allen Kong from Vancouver, B.C. who will be competing in the Boys 7-9 division. Kong earned his spot through a regional qualifying event at Chambers Bay in University Place, Wa., where he gained 133 points, fourth highest in his division among other national final competitors.

Jenny Guo of Langley, B.C. will be competing in the Girls 12-13 division. Guo recorded 143 points at her regional qualifying event at Chambers Bay, where her total was the second highest among other national finalists in the division. Guo also finished second at the inaugural Canadian U15 Championship last August at the Elmira Golf Club in Elmira, Ont.

Riviera Lindholm of Toronto, Ont. will also be competing in the Girls 12-13 Division. Lindholm earned her qualification at a regional event at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pa. where she totaled 150 points, the highest total among national finalists in her division. Last season, Lindholm earned a T4 finish at the Canadian U15 Championship and placed second at the 2024 Junior Skills Challenge National Event in the Girls 12-13 division.

Canadians have enjoyed past success at the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals, with three current Team Canada members having previously won their respective divisions. LPGA Tour member Savannah Grewal of Mississauga, Ont. won the Girls 14-15 division in 2017. Vanessa Borovilos of Etobicoke, Ont. won the Girls 10-11 division in 2018 and Nicole Gal of Oakville, Ont. won the Girls 14-15 division in 2019. Fellow Canadian Alexis Card of Cambridge, Ont. won the Girls 7-9 division in 2021.

Drive, Chip and Putt is conducted in partnership with the USGA, the Masters Tournament and the PGA of America and is a free youth golf development program. The competition tests the skills of the game, measuring accuracy in driving, chipping and putting. Each competitor is scored on a 30-point system – the player with the best drive is awarded 10 points, the closest cumulative chips, 10 points and the player with nearest cumulative putts, another 10 points. The player with the highest total combined score will be named the winner from each age and gender division.

For more information on the 2025 national finalists and regional qualifying results, please click here. For more information on Drive, Chip and Putt, please click here

24 professionals join the previously announced 28 amateur golfers to complete the Team Canada roster for the 2025 season

Emerging Professional Players of the Year Award,
presented by Andrew Cook announced

OAKVILLE, ON – Golf Canada is pleased to announce the names of 24 professional athletes that will be part of the 2025 men’s and women’s Team Canada squads.

The Team Canada program supports a group of experienced amateur golfers on the path towards professional golf along with a group of young professional golfers who are building their careers as touring pros. Athletes are selected based on results from the previous calendar year. The professional players will join the seven women and two men previously selected to Team Canada as amateurs in addition to the Team Canada – NextGen members that were announced last fall.

With players choosing to turn professional at different points in the season, an athlete’s involvement in the Team Canada program including financial support continues during their transition from amateur to professional golf. 

“We are proud to announce our full roster of professional and amateur players for the upcoming season and look forward to supporting their development and journeys to the LPGA and PGA TOUR,” said Emily Phoenix, Director of High Performance, Golf Canada. “The continued success of Canadian golf would not be possible without our generous donors and corporate partners who share our passion for supporting our nation’s developing talent.”

The women’s professional team features eight returning players including: Brigitte Thibault, Brooke Rivers, Ellie Szeryk, Leah John, Maddie Szeryk, Monet Chun, Savannah Grewal and Yeji Kwon. Also joining the pro group this season is Anna Huang who announced her decision to turn pro last month. Huang will remain on the Team Canada – NextGen squad this season.

Four team members won last season, two of which before they turned professional. John won three times in her senior year at the University of Nevada. Chun was the co-medalist in the Big Ten Championship and added one additional win to close her collegiate career at the University of Michigan. Ellie Szeryk won her first professional event, claiming the GolfBC Group BC Women’s Open as part of the She Plays Golf Championship Series which also earned her an exemption into the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open, where she made the cut. Kwon was also victorious, winning the Genesis of Conway Central Arkansas Open as part of the ANNIKA Women’s All Pro Tour. Thibault, Rivers, John, Maddie Szeryk, and Chun will all be competing on the Epson Tour this season while Grewal re-earned her LPGA Tour card for 2025.

The men’s professional team features 15 returning players for the upcoming season including: AJ Ewart, Brady McKinlay, Brendan MacDougall, Chris Crisologo, Étienne Papineau, Jared du Toit, Joey Savoie, Johnny Travale, Matthew Anderson, Myles Creighton, Noah Steele, Piercen Hunt, Stuart Macdonald, Sudarshan Yellamaraju and Thomas Giroux.

Last season, Anderson won the ECP Brazil Open, Macdonald won the Diners Club Peru Open and Ewart won the Elk Ridge Saskatchewan Open, all on PGA TOUR Americas. Ewart added another win at the Sandpiper Open as part of the Vancouver Golf Tour. The 2025 season got off to a strong start for Yellamaraju, who won The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic on the Korn Ferry Tour. Yellamaraju along with Papineau, Anderson, Creighton and Macdonald will be competing on the Korn Ferry Tour this season. Ewart, Macdougall, Crisologo, Savoie, Steele and Giroux all have status on PGA TOUR Americas for 2025.

Team Canada – Women

(In addition to the seven players selected during the amateur selection process in the fall)

Team Canada – Men

(In addition to the two players selected during the amateur selection process in the fall)

As previously announced, the coaching staff for the men’s and women’s Team Canada squads will return in full for the 2025 season. Team Canada – Women will be led by Stollery Family Women’s Head Coach Salimah Mussani (Vancouver, B.C.) and Associate Coach Jennifer Greggain (Deep Bay, B.C.). The Women’s Team is supported by Mental Performance Coach Judy Goss (Toronto, Ont.) as well as Strength and Conditioning Coach Andrea Kosa (Calgary, Alta.).

Team Canada – Men will be led by Head Coach Derek Ingram (Winnipeg, Man.) and Assistant Coaches Louis Melanson (Moncton, N.B.) and Benoit Lemieux (Montréal, Que.), along with Mental Performance Coach Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood (Winnipeg, Man.) and Strength and Conditioning Coach Greg Redman (Kelowna, B.C.).

For full Team Canada bios and additional information, please click here.

For the Team Canada – NextGen and Team Canada amateur squad announcement, please click here.

Golf Canada’s player development program provides individualized training and competition support to athletes on their journey to the LPGA and PGA TOUR. National team coaches work with athletes and their personal support teams to develop annual training plans and identify areas where impact can be made to help athletes improve in all areas of their game. Athletes are also supported by a comprehensive sport science team that includes mental performance, physical conditioning, and mental health supports. The players are brought together regularly for training camps where they receive support from national team coaches and sport science staff, and train with their peers. Team Canada members also receive access to training hubs in Phoenix, Ariz. and the recently opened facility at Cabot Citrus Farms in Brooksville, Fla. where they can train and live during the winter months.

Team Canada is proudly supported by RBC, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), Titleist, FootJoy, Hilton, Puma, Foresight, Golf Canada Foundation and Sport Canada.

EMERGING PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR AWARD

The Golf Canada Foundation is also proud to announce Savannah Grewal and Matthew Anderson as the recipients of the Emerging Professional Players of the Year Award, presented by Andrew Cook for the 2024 season. In 2020, Andrew Cook, a proud trustee of the Golf Canada Foundation, and past president of Golf Canada, established a $20,000 annual fund to recognize a top male and top female emerging Canadian professional golfer. Past recipients include current PGA TOUR member Taylor Pendrith, Korn Ferry Tour members Wil Bateman and Stuart Macdonald, and LPGA Tour members Maude-Aimee Leblanc and Maddie Szeryk.

“We are pleased to name Savannah and Matthew as the Emerging Professional Players of the Year,” said Martin Barnard, CEO of the Golf Canada Foundation. “We are incredibly grateful to Andrew Cook for his continued support of the Team Canada program and this annual award. It makes a huge difference to help our players on their journey to the highest levels of professional golf.”

Grewal, who has now won the award in back-to-back years, competed in 21 events on the LPGA Tour in 2024, making 10 cuts and earning a T4 finish at the Blue Bay LPGA in March. Grewal retained her LPGA Tour card for 2025 after finishing in the top 100 in the Race to CME Globe standings.

Anderson enjoyed a successful season on PGA TOUR Americas, earning six top-10 finishes including one win along with a runner-up and two third place finishes, while making 14 cuts in 16 events. Anderson was the top Canadian on PGA TOUR Americas and finished third on the season-long points race to earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for 2025.

Team Canada NextGen member Anna Huang has announced that she has decided to turn professional.

Huang 16, of Vancouver, B.C. has been a member of the Team Canada NextGen program the previous two seasons. She was part of Team Canada’s victory at the 2023 World Junior Girls Golf Championship in Brampton, Ont., the first gold medal for Canada at the tournament since its inception in 2014. She also finished second individually at 4-under.

“This milestone would not have been possible without the unwavering support of my incredible family, team, and coaches who have guided and encouraged me every step of the way. I also want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Golf Canada for providing me with the opportunities and resources to grow as both a person and a player. Thank you to Jen Ha, Jeff MacDonald, and my amazing teammates for the lifelong memories that I will cherish forever,” said Anna Huang. “Competing as a professional golfer has always been a dream of mine, and I am so excited to embark on this new chapter of my journey.” 

Last season, Huang earned a number of top finishes including a T2 finish at the Mizuho Americas Open, a tournament that allows the top 24 ranked junior girls on the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Tour to compete alongside a full field of LPGA stars. Huang also earned a T2 finish at the Nike Junior Invitational, a second-place finish at The Peloton Glencoe Invitational as part of the She Plays Golf Championship Series which earned her an exemption into the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open. She also finished T7 at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship and a T4 at The Elite Invitational. Huang has two additional wins from the Toyota Tour Cup at Oak Valley (2022) and the Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational (2023).

“Since Anna joined the Team Canada – NextGen squad two years ago she has always carried herself in a professional manner and has impressive skills beyond her years. Anna’s ability to excel under pressure is notable and has led to remarkable finishes including her second-place result at the World Junior Girls Championship, which secured the first ever gold medal for Team Canada in the event,” said Jeff MacDonald, Head Coach, Team Canada – NextGen (Girls). “We are excited to continue our support of Anna as she embarks on her professional career and will be cheering her on as she represents Canada on the Ladies European Tour.”

Last month, Huang competed in the 2024 Lalla Aicha Q-School in Marrakech, Morocco where she earned status to compete on the Ladies European Tour for the 2025 season.

Huang will be making her professional debut on the Ladies European Tour in the coming weeks.

Sudarshan Yellamaraju, of Mississauga, Ont., took a major step toward his PGA Tour dream on Wednesday by winning the second event of the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour, golf’s premier feeder circuit.

The 23-year-old won The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club by five shots over runners-up Russell Knox and Kensei Hirata. Yellamaraju fired a final-round 64 — the lowest score of the day — and shattered the tournament scoring record by seven shots.

He became the third Canadian to win the event, following Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., in 2018 and Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., in 2023. Starting the final round with a one-shot lead, Yellamaraju pulled away to secure the biggest win of his career.

“It feels great. It feels good that the hard work and all the hours I’ve put in, me and my parents, has paid off,” Yellamaraju told reporters in the Bahamas. 

Yellamaraju was born in India and his family immigrated to Winnipeg when he was four. He moved to the Greater Toronto Area when he was 11. Yellamaraju won the Ontario Amateur at 16 but did not go to college in the United States, saying Wednesday he didn’t get enough money via scholarships to make it work. He instead turned pro immediately after finishing high school. 

Yellamaraju, part of Golf Canada’s National Team, is the second Canadian in three weeks to capture a men’s golf title after Nick Taylor won the Sony Open in Hawaii, the second event of the 2025 PGA Tour season. Taylor took to social media to congratulate his countryman, while fellow Canadian Korn Ferry Tour pros Matthew Anderson and Etienne Papineau were greenside in the Bahamas for a big celebration. 

Golf Canada men’s national team head coach Derek Ingram describes Yellamaraju’s game as “really consistent” from tee to green. Coupled with a solid short game, a deep passion for golf, and a “tremendous work ethic,” Ingram believes Yellamaraju has the makings of another Canadian PGA Tour star.

Yellamaraju played on PGA Tour Americas in 2022 and 2023 before earning Korn Ferry Tour status in 2024. He finished 99th in the season-long points list last year. 

He had to return to the first stage of the tour’s qualifying school in the fall after falling short in the season-long points race. However, he battled his way to the final stage, where he finished tied for 36th. Placing inside the top 40 earned him eight guaranteed starts on the Korn Ferry Tour this year.

It only took him two to take full advantage. 

“There’s tension, there’s pressure, but I just kept my head down, kept playing. One shot at a time. I wanted to play good shots,” Yellamaraju said. “I wasn’t completely calm obviously. Once I saw the scoreboard and I saw I had a five-shot lead heading into the last hole I knew I was fine.” 

Yellamaraju didn’t miss a green or fairway in his tidy final-round effort, going 5-under on his first nine holes before settling into a groove and bringing the trophy home.

“I just wanted to play good shots. I just wanted to shoot as low as possible and I think I did a pretty good job,” Yellamaraju said with a laugh. 

With only 20 PGA Tour cards on the line this year — there were 30 available the last two seasons — Yellamaraju knows that every shot counts this year more than ever. 

It’s been a non-traditional journey for Yellamaraju, who is largely self-taught. He learned the game by watching YouTube and golf on TV, with his father, Suresh, serving as his watchful second set of eyes.

Wednesday, Yellamaraju said, was his father’s birthday. 

“It’s rare to have a tournament, in January, where we play a final round, on his birthday. It just all fell into place,” Yellamaraju said.

“I guess it was just all meant to be.”    

About Sudarshan Yellamaraju

• Captures first career Korn Ferry Tour victory in his 29th start on Tour
• Fourth time the 54-hole leader/co-leader has gone on to win the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club
• Becomes the 20th Canadian to win on the Korn Ferry Tour; third to win The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club (Adam Svensson/2018; Ben Silverman/2023)
• At 25-under 263, breaks the previous 72-hole tournament scoring record of 270; shared by Jared Wolfe (2020), Brandon Harkins (2022) and Zecheng Dou (2022)
• Moves to No. 2 on the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour Points List
• Sixth winner under the age of 24 years old to win on the Korn Ferry Tour since the start of the 2023 season
• Secured guaranteed starts in the first eight events of the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour season with a T36 finish at Final Stage of 2024 PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry
• As a rookie, finished No. 99 on the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour Points List, logging 13 made cuts and one top-10 finish (T7/NV5 Invitational) in 25 starts
• Finished T14 at Final Stage of 2023 PGA TOUR Q-School to earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for the first time
• Previously competed on PGA TOUR Canada (2022, 2023); where he made 12 cuts in 18 total starts with four top-10s
• Turned professional in 2021 and plays from Mississauga, Ontario
• Born in Visakhapatnam, India

Liu starts and ends strong to win by six

Team Canada NextGen member Shauna Liu has started the new year with a win, firing a four-day total of 8-under to win the 61st Junior Orange Bowl International Golf Championship at The Biltmore in Coral Gables, Fla.

Liu of Maple, Ont. fired rounds of 64-74-72-66-276 to win by six strokes over Alexa Takai of Honolulu, Hawaii.

Fellow Team Canada NextGen member, Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. finished T14 at 11-over. On the Boys side, Canadians Emile Lebrun (Montreal, Que.) finished T7, Eric Zhao (Toronto, Ont.) finished T11 and Spencer Shropshire (Ramara, Ont.) finished T27.

For the final leaderboard, click here.

Ding goes the distance to win by five

Team Canada NextGen member Clara Ding also opened 2025 in the winners’ circle, firing a three-day total of 3-under to win the Women’s Orlando International Amateur 2025 at Mission Resort and Club in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla.

Ding of White Rock, B.C. fired rounds of 70-68-74-212 to win by five shots over Sofia Cerif Essakali of Morocco. Fellow Team Canada NextGen members, Nobelle Park (Oakville, Ont.) finished T3, Aphrodite Deng (Calgary, Alta.) finished sixth, Vanessa Zhang (Vancouver, B.C.) finished T17 and Swetha Sathish (Oakville, Ont.) finished T38.

Other Canadians to make the cut were, Bridget Wilkie (Toronto, Ont.) who finished T20, Angela Cai (Oakville, Ont.) finished T23 and Luna Lu (Burnaby, B.C.) finished T55.

For the final leaderboard, click here.