The Pacific edition of the CN Future Links Championships began today on the sun-soaked links of Pheasant Glen Golf Resort in Qualicum Beach, B.C. Team Canada Development Squad members Trevor Ranton and Alisha Lau took advantage of the ideal course conditions to top the leaderboards of the Junior Boys and Junior Girls divisions, respectively.
Ranton, a Waterloo, Ont., native, potted nine birdies en route to a 7-under 65 performance to lead the field of 72. The Team Canada Development Squad member sits four strokes clear of Khan Lee of Surrey, B.C., who was only one of five junior boys to notch an eagle on the day. Rounding out the top three at 2-under was Henry Lee of Coquitlam, B.C.
Team Canada`s Development Squad fared well on the first day of the tournament. A.J. Armstrong is in a four-way tie for fourth after a round of 1-under par. Squad members Patrick Murphy and Étienne Papineau carded even-par 72s for shares of eighth, while Tony Gil began the tournament at 2-over.
A pair of Richmond, B.C. products are atop the standings on the Junior Girls side of the competition. Development Squad member Alisha Lau tallied three birdies on the back nine to finish 1-under 71 to match Janet Zhang`s opening round. As part of a four-way tie for third with Mary Parsons and Esther Subin Lee are national team Development Squad members Grace St-Germain and Michelle Kim. Naomi Ko, the final Team Canada member in the competition, finished the round at T20.
The CN Future Links Pacific Junior Boys champion and those placing second to sixth will earn entry into the 2015 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, to be played August 3-6 at Summerlea Golf & Country Club in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Qué. Their six Junior Girls counterparts – the winner and the first to fifth runners-up – will gain exemptions into the 2015 Canadian Junior Girls Championship; Deer Park Municipal Golf Course in Yorkton, Sask. will play host to the tournament from August 4-7.
The second day of competition will see the Junior Girls tee-off at 7:30 a.m. before the Junior Boys take to the course at 11:30 a.m. Additional information and complete opening round results can be found here.