Angela Arora shoots 4-under 68 to lead Canada 1 in the prestigious global golf championship; Surrey, B.C. native leads individual competition by one shot through 18 holes

MARKHAM, Ont. – Team Canada entered the opening-round of play at Angus Glen Golf Club looking for a fast start and got just that—riding a sizzling opening-round 4-under 68 by Angela Arora of Surrey, B.C. to take a share of the opening-round lead with Team Spain at the seventh annual World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms.

The Canada 1 squad of Arora (4-under 68), along with 17-year-old Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C.(E 72), and 15-year-old Michelle Liu of Vancouver (E 72) shot a team-total 4-under 140 with the top two of three individual scores counting towards the overall team total.

The opening-round co-leaders from Spain were led by matching scores of 2-under 70 by Andrea Revuelta and Cayetana Fernández under cool conditions at the Markham, Ont. layout. The pair were joined by teammate Paula Martin who shot a (non-counting) 4-over 76 for the Spanish favourites who came into the championship as the only country with all three players ranked inside the Top-100 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).

Spain is looking for their second team title, having previously won the championship in 2017.

Canada 1 and Spain head into Thursday’s second round with a four-shot lead over Belgium and Chinese Taipei who sit T3 at even par 144 through 18 holes.

As the host nation, Canada is fielding two teams in the international championship and while the Canada 1 squad holds a share of the opening-round lead, it was the younger Canada 2 squad comprised of 13-year-old Anna Huang from Vancouver (E 72), 16-year-old Yeji Kwon of Port Coquitlam, B.C. (1-over 73), and 14-year-old Michelle Xing of Richmond Hill, Ont. (2-over 74) that was equally as impressive, firing a team-total 1-over 145 to sit T5 with Colombia after the opening round of the championship.

With 54 holes still to be played on the South Course at Angus Glen, Canada is looking for their best-ever result in the team competition, having previously finished third in 2014 and fourth in 2018. 

The following are round-one team results at the World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms:

1          Canada 1                    -4  (140)

1          Spain                           -4  (140)

T3        Belgium                       E  (144)         

T3        Chinese Taipei             E  (144)         

T5        Canada 2                    +1  (145)

T5        Colombia                     +1  (145)

7          Mexico                        +2  (146)

T8        Germany                     +3  (147)

T8        Sweden                       +3  (147)

T10      Denmark                     +6  (150)

T10      England                       +6  (150)

T10      Ireland                        +6  (150)                    

13        Wales                          +8  (152)

T14      Finland                        +10 (154)       

T14      Italy                             +10 (154)

T16      Austria                         +12 (156)

T16      France                         +12 (156)

T16      Switzerland                 +12 (156)

Click here for the full team competition leaderboard.

In the individual competition, Arora’s 4-under 68 leads by a single shot, followed closely by Savannah De Bock of Belgium at 3-under 69. A trio of players – Ting-Hsuan Huang of Chinese Taipei, along with Spanish teammates Andrea Revuelta and Cayetana Fernández – sit T3 to round out the top-five at 2-under 70 through 18 holes of play.

The following are Top-10 results in the individual competition at the World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms:

1          Angela Arora, Canada                                    68 (-4)

2          Savanah De Bock, Belgium                           69 (-3)

T3        Ting-Hsuan Huang, Chinese Taipei               70 (-2)

T3        Andrea Revuelta, Spain                                 70 (-2)

T3        Cayetana Fernández, Spain                            70 (-2)

T6        Larissa Carrillo, Mexico                                  71 (-1)

T6        Meja Őrtengren, Sweden                                 71 (-1)

T8        Emilia Väistö, Finland                                      72 (E)

T8        María José Marin, Colombia                            72 (E)

T8        Marie-Agnes Fischer, Germany                       72 (E)

T8        Anna Huang, Canada 2                                 72 (E) 

T8        Lauren Kim, Canada 1                                   72 (E)

T8        Michelle Liu, Canada 1                                   72 (E)

Click here for a link to the full individual leaderboard.

In total, 54 athletes on 18 teams representing 17 countries—including two teams from host nation Canada—are competing Oct. 12-15 at Angus Glen for the team and individual titles. The event marks the celebrated return of the prestigious global competition after two years of cancellation due to the pandemic.

The second round of the 72-hole competition gets underway Thursday morning at 8:30am with the final groups teeing off at 9:50am. Admission to the competition is free.

This year’s field for the World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms is highlighted by 11 competitors ranked inside the World Golf Amateur Rankings (WAGR) top 100. A full list of competitors including their WAGR position is here.

With two victories (2015 & 2019) in the event’s six-year history, Republic of Korea has won the most team competition titles followed by USA (2014), Philippines (2016), Spain (2017), and Italy (2018). A history of past winners is available here.

A number of players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Championship have gone on great success on the LPGA Tour, led by Canadian Brooke Henderson, a 12-time LPGA winner and world no. 6 who finished fourth in the individual competition at the inaugural championship hosted in 2014. 

Other notable competitors who went on to become LPGA Tour winners include world no. 2 Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand who won back-to-back World Junior titles in 2018 and 2019 as well as world no. 35 Yuka Saso of Philippines who won the 2016 World Junior title. Other former World Junior Girls competitors who have gone on to win on the LPGA Tour include Hannah Green of Australia and Maja Stark of Sweden.

In addition, 12 players who competed for the 2022 CP Women’s Open at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club are alumni of the World Junior Girls Championship.

Angus Glen Golf Club, which is hosting the World Junior Girls Championship for the third time, is home to two 18-hole championship golf courses in Markham, Ontario. The North and South courses offer variety, beauty, and challenges. Angus Glen has been ranked as one of the top 80 golf courses in the world outside of the United States. It was home to the 2002 and 2007 Canadian Open and an official host of the 2015 Toronto Pan/Parapan American Games. The 2022 World Junior Championship will be contested on the South course.

Additional information regarding the seventh annual World Junior Girls Championship can be found on the competition’s website.

MARKHAM, Ont. – Canada is set to host a global showcase of the world’s best junior golfers as the seventh edition of the World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms will be contested October 10-15, 2022 at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont.

In total, 54 athletes on 18 teams representing 17 countries—including two teams from host nation Canada—will compete for the team and individual titles. The event marks the celebrated return of the prestigious global competition after two years of cancellation due to the pandemic.

“Together with our partners at Golf Ontario and Sargent Farms, Golf Canada is extremely proud to celebrate the return of the World Junior Girls Championship,” said Mary Beth McKenna, Golf Canada Director, Amateur Championships and Rules. “This championship has become a world-class showcase featuring some of the most promising young athletes from around the world. It is an honour to welcome these talented juniors—many whom we know will go on to great success in the professional game—back to Angus Glen and support these Canadian and international talents in their golf journey.”

“The World Junior Girls Championship has become a signature event on our championship calendar and there is a great excitement in welcoming this outstanding group of athletes from around the world to compete for an international title on Canadian soil,” said Golf Ontario CEO Mike Kelly. “Angus Glen has proven itself time and again to be a world-class host and a championship-worthy venue that will be ready to challenge the world’s best junior golfers.”

Canada’s lead coach will be Jennifer Ha of Calgary, Alta., who is currently the Assistant Coach of the Team Canada – NextGen Squad.  The supporting coach will be PGA of Canada professional Emma de Groot, a native of New South Wales, Australia and resident of Hamilton, Ont. who is currently the director of women’s development with Modern Golf.

Canada 1 includes 18-year-old Angela Arora of Surrey, B.C., 17-year-old Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C., and 15-year-old Michelle Liu of Vancouver. Arora, who finished T20 at the 2019 World Junior Girls Championship, made it to match play of the 2022 US Women’s Amateur, finished runner-up at both the Pacific Northwest Women’s Amateur and NextGen Selection Camp, and also won the NextGen Pacific Championship. Kim, who finished T52 at the 2019 World Junior Girls Championship, had a 2022 season highlighted by a runner-up finish at the Canada Summer Games, a third-place finish at the Canadian Women’s Amateur and a T33 individual result at the World Amateur Team Championship. Liu, who qualified for her second CP Women’s Open in 2022, made it to match play at the US Junior Girls Championship, finished 7^th at the Texas Women’s Open (pro), and was the winner of Golf Canada’s recent NextGen Selection Camp.

The Canada 2 squad is represented by 16-year-old Yeji Kwon of Port Coquitlam, B.C., 14-year-old Michelle Xing of Richmond Hill, Ont. and 13-year-old Anna Huang from Vancouver. Kwon earned a spot on the team by winning the 2022 Canadian Junior in a season that also included a ninth-place result at the Toyota Junior World Cup. Xing, who finished third at the NextGen Selection Camp, won the 2022 Ontario Junior Girls Match Play and finished runner-up at the Ontario Juvenile Girls Championship. Huang’s notable results include a T4 finish at the Canadian Junior, a T22 finish at the Canadian Amateur, a victory at the Toyota Tour Cup and a T3 finish a the NextGen Selection Camp.

This year’s field for the World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms is highlighted by 11 competitors ranked inside the World Golf Amateur Rankings (WAGR) top 100 including the tournament’s top-ranked player, Germany’s Helen Briem (no. 13). Spain is the lone country with all three players ranked inside the WAGR top-100 with Sweden next at two top-100 players.  A full list of competitors including their WAGR position is here.

With two victories (2015 & 2019) in the event’s six-year history, Korea has won the most team competition titles followed by USA (2014), Philippines (2016), Spain (2017), and Italy (2018). A history of past winners is available here.

Canada’s best finish in the team competition was third in 2014 and fourth in 2018.

A number of players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Championship have gone on great success on the LPGA Tour, led by Canadian Brooke Henderson, a 12-time LPGA winner and world no. 6 who finished fourth in the individual competition at the inaugural championship hosted in 2014.

Other notable competitors who went on to become LPGA Tour winners include world no. 2 Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand who won back-to-back World Junior titles in 2018 and 2019 as well as world no. 35 Yuka Saso of Philippines who won the 2016 World Junior title. Other former World Junior competitors who have gone on to win on the LPGA Tour include Hannah Green of Australia and Maja Stark of Sweden.

In addition, 12 players who competed for the 2022 CP Women’s Open at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club are alumni of the World Junior Girls Championship.

Angus Glen Golf Club, which will host the World Junior Girls Championship for the third time, is home to two 18-hole championship golf courses in Markham, Ontario. The North and South courses offer variety, beauty, and challenges. Angus Glen has been ranked as one of the top 80 golf courses in the world outside of the United States. It was home to the 2002 and 2007 Canadian Open and an official host of the 2015 Toronto Pan/Parapan American Games. The 2022 World Junior Championship will be contested on the South course.

The following is a list of competing countries in the seventh annual World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms:

• Austria
• Belgium
• Canada (2)
• Chinese Taipei
• Colombia
• Denmark
• England
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Ireland
• Italy
• Mexico
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Wales

Practice rounds for the 72-hole competition will take place October 10-11 with the first round of play set for Wednesday, October 12. The tournament’s closing ceremony will immediately follow the conclusion of play on Saturday, October 15.

Admission to the competition is free.

MARKHAM, ONT. – With continued logistical challenges and travel restrictions faced by participating National Federations due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario has cancelled the 2021 World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms.  The championship was scheduled to take place September 27 to October 2 at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont.

Facing the ongoing public health concerns as well as uncertainty around the rising global impact of the pandemic, cancelation was the only responsible course of action as many of the National Federation athletes, coaches and delegates scheduled to participate were facing increased restrictions and protocols in their travel to, and home from, the championship.  

The 2022 World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms will be contested at Angus Glen Golf Club at a date to be determined.  

The World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms is conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario and supported by the R&A and the International Golf Federation. Recognized as one of the top events on the Women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings (WWAGR), the 2021 World Junior Girls Golf Championship would have marked the 7^th playing of the event.

MARKHAM, Ont. – Canadian golf fans should take good note of Atthaya Thitikul’s name, as they will surely hear it mentioned again in the same breath as the game’s best female players. She is that good. And on Friday, her poise and talent were in evidence at Angus Glen Golf Club of Markham, Ontario, where she claimed her second consecutive World Junior Girls Championship title by two strokes over Ye Won Lee of the Republic of Korea.

In the team competition, it is the Republic of Korea that claimed the gold medal, their second World Junior Girls title after winning it in 2015 at The Marshes GC of Ottawa. After rallying to take the lead following Thursday’s weather delay, the Korean team never looked back. They registered an aggregate score of 3-under (141) in the final round to take the laurels.  After claiming bronze at Camelot Golf Club in 2018, Thailand upgraded its 2019 haul by winning silver, while last year’s champions Italy finished third to earn the bronze medal.

“It’s very, very nice to win. I’m so happy now. But I’m a little disappointed that I couldn’t catch the (girl in) first place. But only ten percent disappointed (laughs),” said team gold and individual silver medalist Ye Won Lee.

The 2019 gold is Korea’s fourth World Junior Girls Championship medal in only five participations in the event, a tournament record.

In the individual contest, Thitikul managed to keep her playing partners at bay on the front nine, taking a stroke back from the silver medallist, Republic of Korea’s Ye Won Lee, thanks to three birdies against only one bogey. Despite committing two more bogeys on the back nine and briefly finding herself only one stroke up, Thitikul, who fired a final round of 70 (-2), scored a superb eagle on the par-5 16th hole which Ye Won Lee couldn’t match, albeit adding a birdie of her own to the score card.

When asked how important that shot was to her victory, Thitikul declared that “It helped me a lot, you know. When I putt it, in mind I was like ‘Yes! I will get this.’ It made me feel more confident when walking to the 18th hole.”

Italy’s Alessia Nobilio, an individual silver medallist in both 2017 and 2018, shot 71 in the final round to finish the tournament at 6-under, in third place. She is now the World Junior Girls most decorated competitor in tournament history with three individual and two team medals.

As the organizing federation, Canada delegated two teams to participate in the Championship.

Canada 1, consisting of Brooke Rivers (Brampton, Ont.), Euna Han (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Emily Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.) had a strong finish to the tourney, posting their first negative team score of the week (-2) which allowed them to climb to 7th in a tie with Switzerland. Canada 2, composed of Lauren Kim and Angela Arora of Surrey, B.C., with Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont.), scored plus +7 and dropped to 19th, ahead of Ireland.

The 2019 World Junior Girls Championship was conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario and supported by the R&A and the International Golf Federation. Recognized as an “A” ranked event by the World Amateur Golf Rankings, the seventh edition of the World Junior Girls Championship will be presented at Angus Glen Golf Club in 2020.

2019 TEAM COMPETITION RESULTS

Gold           Republic of Korea
Jung-Min  Hong, Ye Won Lee, Yoon Ina, *143-139-140-141-563 (-13)

Silver        Thailand
Kan Bunnabodee, Yosita Khawnuna, Atthaya Thitikul, *144-137-142-144-567 (-9)

Bronze        Italy
Carolina Melgrati, Alessia Nobilio, Benedetta Moresco, *147-140-143-143-573 (-3)

 

2019 INDIVIDUAL COMPETITION (TOP 10)

1. Atthaya Thitikul, Thailand, *73-63-71-70-277 -11
   2. Ye Won Lee, Republic of Korea, *71-70-68-70-279 -9
   3. Alessia Nobilio, Italy, *72-67-72-71-282 -6
   4. Ho-Yu An, Chinese Taipei, *75-65-74-70-284 -4
   4. Jung-Min  Hong, Republic of Korea, *72-69-72-71-284 -4
   6. Yin Xiaowen, People’s Republic of China, *71-71-72-72-286 -2
   6. Hannah Darling, Scotland, *73-66-71-76-286 -2
   8. Elena Moosmann, Switzerland, *73-74-69-71-287 -1
   9. Lucie Malchirand, France, *73-71-72-72-288 E
   9. Annabell Fuller, England, *72-72-73-71-288 E
   11. Amalie Leth-Nissen, Denmark, *76-70-73-71-290 +2
   11. Anne Normann, Denmark, *78-70-69-73-290 +2
   13. Mimi Rhodes, England, *73-71-77-72-293 +5
   13. Yoon Ina, Republic of Korea, *74-72-74-73-293 +5
   15. Brooke Rivers, Canada 1, *74-73-76-71-294 +6
   15. Paula  Schulz-Hanssen, Germany, *78-72-74-70-294 +6
   15. Chun-Wei Wu, Chinese Taipei, *74-70-78-72-294 +6
   18. Yosita Khawnuna, Thailand, *71-74-76-74-295 +7
   19. Carla Tejedo, Spain, *75-72-75-74-296 +8
   20. Kan Bunnabodee, Thailand, *73-79-71-74-297 +9
   20. Angela Arora, Canada 2, *76-73-74-74-297 +9
   22. Ester Fagersten, Sweden, *72-74-78-75-299 +11
   23. Natacha Høst Husted, Denmark, *76-79-74-71-300 +12
   23. Benedetta Moresco, Italy, *77-73-78-72-300 +12
   25. Emily Zhu, Canada 1, *82-75-73-71-301 +13
   25. Ffion Tynan, Wales, *75-79-70-77-301 +13
   25. Carolina Melgrati, Italy, *75-80-71-75-301 +13
   28. Maria Jose Bohorquez Fonseca, Colombia, *81-73-73-76-303 +15
   29. Marie Bechtold, Germany, *78-70-76-80-304 +16
   29. Darcey Harry, Wales, *80-70-82-72-304 +16
   29. Christina Ochoa, Colombia, *79-74-76-75-304 +16
   29. Cory Lopez, Mexico, *78-77-75-74-304 +16
   33. Louise Rydqvist, Sweden, *76-77-79-74-306 +18
   33. Aada Rissanen, Finland, *81-74-80-71-306 +18
   35. Chiara Horder, Germany, *78-77-78-74-307 +19
   35. Carolina López-Chacarra, Spain, *80-71-76-80-307 +19
   35. Yael Berger, Switzerland, *80-76-77-74-307 +19
   35. Paola Alonso, Mexico, *79-75-81-72-307 +19
   39. Carmen Griffiths, Scotland, *78-81-75-74-308 +20
   40. Li Shuying, People’s Republic of China, *82-80-75-72-309 +21
   40. Lily May Humphreys, England, *86-75-72-76-309 +21
   42. Adela Cernousek, France, *75-79-80-76-310 +22
   42. Sofia Torres Villarreal, Colombia, *80-75-79-76-310 +22
   44. Sara Ericsson, Sweden, *78-77-78-78-311 +23
   44. Aine Donegan, Ireland, *81-81-74-75-311 +23
   44. Ada Huhtala, Finland, *81-78-75-77-311 +23
   47. Euna Han, Canada 1, *77-80-80-75-312 +24
   48. Lilas Pinthier, France, *83-77-79-74-313 +25
   48. Beth Coulter, Ireland, *78-81-74-80-313 +25
   50. Victoria Monod, Switzerland, *77-84-76-78-315 +27
   51. Lauren Daiana Olivares, Mexico, *81-79-81-75-316 +28
   52. Hsin-Chun Liao, Chinese Taipei, *84-76-80-77-317 +29
   52. Lauren Kim, Canada 2, *79-79-82-77-317 +29
   54. Carys Worby, Wales, *86-81-77-75-319 +31
   54. Kerttu Hiltunen, Finland, *88-76-79-76-319 +31
   56. Peng You, People’s Republic of China, *83-86-79-77-325 +37
   57. Nieves Martín , Spain, *84-81-89-73-327 +39
   58. Katy Alexander, Scotland, *83-80-86-79-328 +40
   59. Ellie Szeryk, Canada 2, *85-84-84-86-339 +51

 

WORLD JUNIOR GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP MEDAL HISTORY
2014 TEAM                     INDIVIDUAL

Gold     USA                     Mika Liu (USA)
Silver   Sweden              Megan Khang (USA)
Bronze  Canada 1  Emma Svensson (Sweden)

2015 TEAM                     INDIVIDUAL

Gold   Korea                  Hye-jin Choi (Korea)
Silver Denmark               Cecilie Bofill (Denmark)
Bronze Sweden                Filippa Moork (Sweden)

2016 TEAM                     INDIVIDUAL

Gold   Philippines      Yuka Saso (Philippines)
Silver Korea                  Jennifer Chang (USA)
Bronze USA                  Caterina Don (Italy)

2017 TEAM                     INDIVIDUAL

Gold   Spain                     Seo-yun Kwon (Korea)
Silver Korea                     Alessia Nobilio (Italy)
Bronze Sweden                Bianca Fernandez (Spain)

2018 TEAM                     INDIVIDUAL

Gold   Italy                       Atthaya Thitikul (Thailand)
Silver USA                        Alessia Nobilio (Italy)
Bronze Thailand            Zoe Campos (USA)

2019 TEAM                     INDIVIDUAL
Gold   Korea                               Atthaya Thitikul (Thailand)
Silver Thailand                Ye Won Lee (Republic of Korea)
Bronze Italy                   Alessia Nobilio (Italy)

Additional information regarding the World Junior Girls Championship can be found on the competition’s website.

Full results can be found here.

MARKHAM, Ont. — Many golfers despise being interrupted by the elements when playing a round. But don’t say that to Team Korea. After a thunderstorm stopped play for just under three hours on Thursday during the third round, the Koreans rallied after play resumed to erase the four-stroke lead that Thailand held before the stoppage and take a one-shot advantage in the team competition.

Korea now sits in first with an aggregate score of 422 (-10), just one shot separating them from Thailand at No. 2. Italy also made the most of moving day, as the 2018 team champions in Ottawa posted a score of minus -1 to climb to third position (-2). England and Denmark also moved up a notch, to fourth and fifth respectively.

In the individual competition, the top of the leader board is occupied by seven competitors that remain under par this week and it is still led by Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand.

Ye Won Lee of Korea (-7), who fired a four-under 68 for the lowest round of the day, climbs to within two shots of Thitikul, who holds on to the lead with a tournament-best score of -9. Scotland’s Hannah Darling, whose hole-in-one yesterday helped her close in on the leaders, sits third at -6. Alessia Nobilio of Italy drops back to 4^th place at -5, after shooting even par today.

After the round, Ye Won Lee explained: “I felt really good with my swing but I think that I could have done even better than I did today, because my putter was a little shaky.”

2018 champion Thitikul declared that: “I had a little bit of trouble with my putter when we got back (after the weather delay). The wind also the last two rounds was so strong.” Final round Friday promise to deliver an exciting finish on the South Course at Angus Glen.

As the organizing federation, Canada is afforded two teams to participate in the Championship.

Canada 1, which consists of Brooke Rivers (Brampton, Ont.), Euna Han (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Emily Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.) gained one position today with a team score of plus +5 and is in a tie for 10^th with Germany. Canada 2, composed of Lauren Kim and Angela Arora of Surrey, B.C., with Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont.), remains in 17^th. Angela Arora joins Brooke Rivers as the low Canadians, in a tie for 18^th position at plus +7.

The World Junior Girls Championship is conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario and supported by the R&A and the International Golf Federation. Recognized as an “A” ranked event by the World Amateur Golf Rankings, the World Junior Girls Championship is in its sixth edition.

Play resumes at 8 AM on Friday for the final round. The closing ceremony will start shortly after the conclusion of play around 3:00 P.M. (EDT).

Admission to the competition is free. Additional information regarding the sixth annual World Junior Girls Championship can be found on the competition’s website.

Full results and tournament information can be found here.

 

MARKHAM, Ont. —There is something about Canada that brings out the best in Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul’s game and it was on full display today at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ontario, during the second round of the 2019 World Junior Girls Championship (WJG).

Teeing it up from the 10^th hole in a split-tee start this morning, Thitikul, the defending champion from last year’s WJG in Ottawa, had a relatively inauspicious start with four consecutive pars, before finding a new gear following a birdie on the par-5 14^th hole. And she was all business from there, collecting seven more birdies and an eagle against only one bogey the rest of the way. With a blistering score of 30 on the front nine for a total of 63 on the day, Thitikul returned to the clubhouse this afternoon with a three-stroke lead over her nearest rivals, Hannah Darling of Scotland and last year’s individual silver medallist, Alessia Nobilio of Italy, who are tied for second place at 5-under for the tournament.

In her post-round interview, the personable Thitikul was frank in her assessment: “You know, I give all the credit to my putter, it worked really good today. I just had fun in the round and that’s good. And the results come.” When asked what adjustments she needs to make for the rest of the week, she declared that “what I need to improve on … are the approaches, with my wedge. You know, at 80 or 90, it was not as good, and I need to improve.” This bodes well for Thailand moving forward.

Darling had quite the outing herself, firing her first career hole-in-one on the 2^nd hole, en route to a tidy score of 66 (-6). Nobilio put herself in the hunt, handing in a minus -5 scorecard to rebound from a somewhat disappointing day one that had left her at even par.

Of joining the hole-in-one club today, Darling confides that “it’s the first I’ve ever had … that was pretty cool! Me and Beth (Coulter, of Ireland) were playing together and we were just going mad!”

Ho-Yu An of Chinese Taipei also had a wonderful round and put herself in the mix with a score of 65 (-7) in the second round. An now trails Darling and Nobilio by only one shot, in fourth position at 4-under par.

In the team competition, the Thai squad managed to create a little space atop of what was a very crowded leaderboard following the first round. Propelled by Thitikul’s stellar outing, Thailand shaved 7 strokes from par on Wednesday for an aggregate total of 281 (-7), one shot better than Korea in second place at 282 (-6) and Chinese Taipei, who jump up the rankings to No. 3 with a total team score of 284. Last year’s champion team Italy is close behind in fourth spot at minus -1.

As the organizing federation, Canada can delegate two squads to the Championship.

Canada 1, comprised of Brooke Rivers (Brampton, Ont.), Euna Han (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Emily Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.) lost a little ground and now sits in a tie for 11^th with Sweden. Canada 2, which includes Lauren Kim and Angela Arora of Surrey, B.C., with Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont.), dropped four ranks to 17^th. For the second day, Rivers remains the low Canadian, firing a 1-over-par 73 that leaves her in a tie for 16^th position.

Team Canada is looking for its first medal since capturing bronze at the first ever World Junior Girls Championship in 2014.

The World Junior Girls Championship is conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario and supported by the R&A and the International Golf Federation. Recognized as an “A” ranked event by the World Amateur Golf Rankings, the World Junior Girls Championship is in its sixth edition.

Play resumes at 8 AM on Thursday. Full results and tournament information can be found here.

Admission to the competition is free. Additional information regarding the sixth annual World Junior Girls Championship can be found on the competition’s website.

 

MARKHAM, Ont. —The world’s best young female golfers took over Markham’s Angus Glen Golf Club on Tuesday as the 2019 World Junior Girls Championship got underway on one of the GTA’s favourite tracks.

Under the watchful eyes of several NCAA golf coaches that have made the journey north, Round one was clearly a high-scoring affair since only three competitors managed to navigate the challenging South Course under par: Thailand’s Yosita Khawnuna, Yin Xiaowen of China and Ye Won Lee of Korea, who all share the individual lead at one under par after rounds of 71.

Khawnuna was in the lead for a large portion of the day before stumbling near the end of her round with a bogey at 17 and a double bogey at 18which erased the three-shot lead she had built after a terrific birdie on the par-5 hole No. 16.

It was an equally tight contest in the team competition as the top three squads are only separated by two shots, with Korea paving the way on an aggregate score of minus -1 (143), followed closely by Thailand at even par (144) and England in third at plus +1 (145).

Team Thailand, headlined by 2018 World Junior Girls champion Atthaya Thitikul who went one over on the day (73), is looking to build on its success after claiming bronze last year in Ottawa. The third member of the team, Kan Bunnabodee concluded with a 73 as well to sit T8.

Looking for background into the World Junior Girls Championship @AngusGlenGC? Our junior reporter @Abigail_Dove10 from @SIKids has you covered! ⛳️🏌🏼‍♀️#WJGC pic.twitter.com/bOvvGcAk3q

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) September 24, 2019

In a post-match interview, Thitikul, Bunnabodee and Khawnuna agreed that many challenges await on this golf course. The Thai team looks forward to having another go at it tomorrow: “We need to just let go and tomorrow will be better. Today is over and we just need to go and practise the things that we need to do (better). Just stick to the game plan and we will be better,” said Bunnabodee, speaking on behalf of the squad.

As the organizing federation, Canada can delegate two squads to the Championship.

Canada 1, which comprises Brooke Rivers (Brampton, Ont.), Euna Han (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Emily Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.) sit in a tie for 9^th with Scotland. Canada 2, which includes Lauren Kim and Angela Arora of Surrey, B.C., with Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont.), trails behind at T13 with Spain and Wales. Rivers was the low Canadian today with a 2-over-par 74, which leaves her only three shots shy of the lead.

Team Canada is looking for its first medal since capturing bronze at the first ever World Junior Girls in 2014.

The World Junior Girls Championship is conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario and supported by the R&A and the International Golf Federation. Recognized as an “A” ranked event by the World Amateur Golf Rankings, the World Junior Girls Championship is in its sixth edition.

Play resumes at 8 AM on Wednesday. Full results and tournament information can be found here.

Admission to the competition is free. Additional information regarding the sixth annual World Junior Girls Championship can be found on the competition’s website.

MARKHAM, Ont. — It is a field comprised of some of the planet’s best young female golfers that will display their skills at Angus Glen Golf Club, as the sixth edition of the World Junior Girls Championship gets underway from September 24 to 27. In total, 60 athletes representing 19 countries—including two teams from host nation Canada—will compete for the team and individual titles.

“In collaboration with Golf Ontario and our partners, we are thrilled to present this first-class event featuring some the most promising female athletes the world of golf has to offer,” said Dan Hyatt, Tournament Director for the World Junior Girls Championship. “It is an honour for us to afford these talented juniors an opportunity to continue their growth and development.”

This year’s field is highlighted by 11 competitors ranked inside the World Golf Amateur Rankings (WAGR) top 100. The tournament’s top-ranked player is 2018 World Junior Girls individual champion Atthaya Thitikul (No. 2), who will represent last year’s bronze medal winners Thailand in the country’s second World Junior Girls appearance. Thitikul, the reigning Thailand Ladies Amateur champion, won the Smyth Salver award as the Low Amateur at the 2019 AIG Women’s British Open, captured the 2019 Ladies European Tour Thailand Championship and has now competed in 10 professional events worldwide.

England is the only country in the tournament to have all three team members ranked in WAGR’s top 100. Lily May Humphreys (No. 29) will make her third WJG appearance and try to improve on her T7 finish in 2017. Joining her at Markham’s Angus Glen will be Annabell Fuller (No. 46) and Euphemie “Mimi” Rhodes (No. 95).

Returning champions Italy will be able to rely on Alessia Nobilio (No. 7) to lead the team. Nobilio will look to add to her record WJG individual medal haul after capturing silver medals in 2017 and 2018. The 17-year-old, who has seven top-ten finishes this year including two victories, will be joined by newcomers Carolina Melgrati (No. 115) and Benedetta Moresco (No. 34). The trio will look to bring a third World Junior Girls team medal to Italy.

The 2019 edition of the Championship will see several players return, as 17 members of the field have played in at least one World Junior Girls Championship, including double individual silver medallist Nobilio (Italy) who became the first repeat medallist in tournament history in Ottawa last year. Six players will be appearing in at least their third edition of the event, including Canadians Ellie Szeryk (No. 724) and Emily Zhu (No. 977), Switzerland’s Elena Moosman (No. 97), Mexico’s Cory Lopez (No. 314) and England’s Humphreys. Nobilo will make a record fourth appearance at the Championship.

Sweden will look to add a fourth team medal to their trophy case after earning one silver (2014) and two bronze medals (2015 and 2017). As the only Swedish player returning to the championship, Ester Fägersten (No. 180) will be joined by first-timers Louise Rydqvist (No. 439) and Sara Ericsson (No. 230).

Along with the returning teams and players, the World Junior Girls Championship is also pleased to welcome back the representatives of Germany and the Republic of Korea after a one-year absence, as well as to host Wales for the very first time.  The inaugural Welsh team will consist of Darcey Harry (No. 578), Ffion Tynan (No. 693) and Carys Worby (No. 799).

Joining the strong international field will be the six players chosen to represent Canada. Brooke Rivers (Brampton, Ont.), Euna Han (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.) will constitute Canada One, while Lauren Kim and Angela Arora of Surrey, B.C., will team up with Szeryk (London, Ont.) to form Canada Two. Team Canada will be looking for their first medal since capturing bronze at the inaugural World Junior Girls Championship in 2014.

In 2018 at Camelot Golf and Country Club, it was Italy that prevailed over the USA to capture the crown, registering a feisty 6-under performance (138) that allowed them to catch the Americans and force extra holes. Italy eventually came up on top to win their first World Junior Girls Championship gold.

The World Junior Girls Championship is conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario and supported by the R&A and the International Golf Federation. Recognized as an ‘A’ ranked event by the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR), the World Junior Girls Championship will run for its sixth time.

Angus Glen Golf Club consists of two 18-hole championship golf courses in Markham, Ontario. The North and South courses offer variety, beauty and challenges. It has been ranked as one of the top 80 golf courses in the world outside of the United States. It was home to the 2002 and 2007 Canadian Open and an official host of the 2015 Toronto Pan/Parapan American Games.

The first round of play is on Tuesday, September 24. The tournament’s closing ceremonies will immediately follow the conclusion of play on Friday, Sept. 27.

Admission to the competition is free. Additional information regarding the sixth annual World Junior Girls Championship can be found on the competition’s website.

OTTAWA, Ont. – Fifty-seven of the best young female golfers from 18 countries around the world will always draw a crowd – but not who you might think.

Throughout the week at Camelot, several squad leaders from some of the biggest NCAA golf programs were seen around the course to take in the action from the fifth annual World Junior Girls Championship in Ottawa. Among them were coaches of Oklahoma, Purdue, UCLA, Iowa, Arizona, Nebraska, Tennessee and Georgia, to name a few.

Close to 20 NCAA Division I golf coaches were on hand to witness history being made, as 15 year-old Atthaya Thitikul set a tournament and club record with a bogey-free round of 60 to claim the laurels and return home with the title of World Junior Girls Champion. The Thailand native is the No. 11 ranked golfer in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) and has yet to commit to an NCAA program.

Italy took the team event in a nail-biting extra-holes playoff to earn a well-deserved gold medal and return to old continent with the championship trophy.

So, what brings them to Ottawa?

“The competition level is great. Obviously, all these different countries are represented and, you know, they’re not just players but the top junior players from those countries,” confides Ryan Sirman, a first-year member of the women’s golf coaching staff at Oklahoma University.  “It’s definitely a high level of play here this week,” adds Sirman.

Golf Canada’s chief sport executive Jeff Thompson concurs that this was a key driver in creating this international event. “We purposely limited the number of teams at the event and capped it at that level. The very best can go.”

Canada’s top performer was Céleste Dao, who took fifth place in the individual competition, while Team Canada 1 finished just outside the podium in fourth amongst the 19 teams taking part.

For Justin Bubser, the assistant coach from the University of Arizona Wildcats, it’s a fantastic opportunity to scout talent. “You’ve got some very good players here at this event so we’re just trying to search up the future for the University of Arizona,” says Bubser.

Accompanying Bubser is Kolton Lapa, the associate head coach at the University of Nebraska. “This is a great tournament because it’s the three best junior golfers from each country, so it gives coaches the opportunity to look at golfers that you won’t usually see in action,” adds Lapa, who shares coaching duties with Robin Krapfl at Nebraska. “For example, Thailand is here, and it gives us a chance to evaluate a number of other kids we wouldn’t see anywhere else.”

“You know, as college coaches, it’s definitely our job to do our homework and with these international girls, it’s rare for us to see – especially in this field – elite level of play and to see them all in one spot,” says Sirman. “We can see what their swings look like on video you know, but to actually see them going around the golf course – a phenomenal golf course by the way – is something else.”

From humble beginnings, this event is now a prominent competition in Golf Canada’s championship calendar.

“Year over year, it’s great to see the increase in interest from Division I programs and coaches attending. It’s our fifth year now. In our first year, we were not a ranked event and have since earned  “A” ranked status – people know that now. They know the quality of players that are going to be there,” concludes Thompson, who is also in charge of Canada’s national squads at the junior, amateur and young pro levels.

For Canada’s junior girls coach Matt Wilson, the World Junior Girls Championship is circled on the calendar all year as a major opportunity for the team.

“The World Junior Girls is a can’t miss opportunity for our athletes, who are always striving to be the best they can be while competing against the best in the world,” said Matt Wilson. “It’s a great test for the world’s top talent and from a timing perspective, it’s also the perfect stage for scouts and coaches. ”

The World Junior Girls Championship will return to Canada for its sixth edition next year. Click here for additional information.

OTTAWA, Ont. — It was a hotly contested finale at Camelot Golf & Country Club in Ottawa on Friday but when all was said and done, after a sudden death playoff on the 18^th hole, it was Italy who prevailed over the USA to capture gold at the 2018 World Junior Girls Championship.

The Italian team, who led by as much as 10 strokes earlier in the week, needed to find an extra gear after regulation play concluded with both countries tied at 22 under. It found it in the form of team stalwart Alessia Nobilio, who sank a final birdie in the last playoff group to capture Italy’s first medal at the World Junior Girls Championship. Nobilio’s teammates Caterina Don and Emilie Paltrinieri, who were waiting anxiously greenside locking arms with coach Enrico Trentin, rushed the green to congratulate the young Italian golfer who led her team all week with her splendid play.

It was a bittersweet defeat for the USA, who managed to close a nine-stroke gap yesterday, only to come up short in the end. But for the Italian team, the relief was palpable.

“We had a one-shot lead going into the last round and, you know, in a team event, anything can happen, one shot lead is really nothing,” said Paltrinieri, who was accompanied by her teammates and served as a de facto spokesperson for the team, post-victory. “When we came up to 18, we were quite close, we were actually behind, but Alessia made that great birdie on the finishing hole to force overtime,” added the young golfer from Parigi, Italy.

It is obvious that there is real chemistry between the three Italian girls, who recently competed as a unit at the World Amateur Team Championship in Ireland, placing 6^th. That chemistry and mutual friendship serves them well. “When we came here, we celebrated Alessia’s birthday together, being friends is the key for our team, we support each other, when one of us shoots 6 under, we want the other one to shoot 7 under or 8 under,” chimed in Don.

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The team spirit was key in acquiring the crown of World Junior Girls Champions for Italy. Joining them on the podium was USA with silver and Thailand with bronze. The Thai team were powered by the fantastic individual display put on by 15 year-old gold medalist Atthaya Thitikul, who shot the lights out at Camelot this week, setting the course record with a fantastic score of 60 (-12) on Friday. The round also contributed to a World Junior Girls Championship 72-hole tournament record of 20 under par. Nobilio took home silver, while American Zoe Campos captures the bronze medal. Brooke Seay of the USA finished fourth at 8 under for the week, while Canada’s Céleste Dao put up a solid score of 70 (-2) on Friday to finish in fifth place.

Team Canada One, comprised of Céleste Dao (Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Qué.), Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont.) and Tiffany Kong (Vancouver, B.C.) finished fourth in the team competition with a score of 10 under. Emily Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.), Sarah Beqaj (Toronto, Ont.) and Lauren Kim (Surrey, B.C.) who make up Canada Two, completed the week in 18th place.

The World Junior Girls Championship was conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario and supported by the R&A and the International Golf Federation. Recognized as an ‘A’ ranked event by the World Amateur Golf Rankings, the World Junior Girls Championship was in its fifth edition. Canada will host again next year.

Full results and tournament information can be consulted here.

Additional information regarding the fifth annual World Junior Girls Championship can be found on the competition’s website.