156 of Canada’s top junior golfers will compete for the Junior title along with a U17 Juvenile division and an inter-provincial team competition
Innisfail, Alta. – The 2024 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO is set for August 13-16 with a field of 156 junior golfers competing over four rounds at Innisfail Golf Club in Innisfail, Alta.
This year’s field competing for the Canadian Junior Boys Trophy, also known as the Silver Cup, features a talented field of Canadian players, including five 2024 NextGen tournament winners, Charlie Gillespie of Calgary, Alta. (NextGen Western), Ryan Mosher of Saskatoon, Sask. (NextGen Prairie), Jager Pain of Woodbridge, Ont. (NextGen Ontario), Bode Stephen of Kingston, Ont. (NextGen Atlantic) and Matthew Wilson of Nanaimo, B.C. (NextGen Pacific).
In addition, five members of Team Canada NextGen will be competing in Innisfail including, Isaiah Ibit of Orleans, Ont., Matthew Javier of Toronto, Ont., Luke Smith of Toronto, Ont., defending champion Alex Zhang of Richmond, B.C. and Eric Zhao of North York, Ont. Last year at North Bay Golf and Country Club, Zhang won the national championship beating out two others by one shot.
“We have a great field ready to compete for our prestigious Canadian Junior Boys Championship,” said Sam Brown, Tournament Director, Golf Canada. “We’d like to thank the staff and volunteers at Innisfail Golf Club for all the work they’ve put in to prepare the golf course as we welcome some of Canada’s best young talent to Innisfail. The club has great experience hosting a number of provincial championships and we are excited to get play underway.”
Innisfail Golf Club is hosting the Canadian Junior Boys Championship while celebrating its centennial year. Established in 1924, the Bill Robinson designed course features 27 holes with three different 9-hole courses each with a scenic and diverse experience. The tournament will be contested on the Aspen and Spruce nines. Innisfail Golf Club has previously hosted the Alberta Men’s Amateur Championship on three occasions as well as the Alberta Senior Ladies Championship.
“We are so proud to be hosting an event like this with the best young talent in the field from across the nation. The club has been around for 100 years and can be challenging for many. Diligent strategy is required to play well here or may find some of the tough shots out there in a hurry. Subtle, yet distinct…pictures don’t the contours or elevation changes justice,” said Jeff McDowall, Head Professional, Innisfail Golf Club. “We hope those who are playing enjoy the experience at Innisfail Golf Club and all competitors do their best in the pursuit for a national championship title.”
Established in 1938 with the first championship played at London Hunt and Country Club in London, Ont., the Canadian Junior Boys Championship has given Canadians a glimpse into the future glory that many of its champions have gone on to enjoy. Canadian Golf Hall of Famers Doug Silverberg, George Knudson, Gary Cowan, and Doug Roxburgh have all won the Silver Cup before moving on to amateur and professional careers.
2023 RBC Canadian Open champion Nick Taylor won the Junior in 2006, the only Canadian male golfer to win the trifecta of national championships comprised of the Canadian Junior Boys, Canadian Men’s Amateur, and Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship. Brooke Henderson who is the lone female Canadian golfer to win the Canadian Junior Girls, Canadian Women’s Amateur, and the CPKC Women’s Open.
In addition to the 18-and-under Junior Championship, the 17-and-under Juvenile Championship was added in 1970, with the winner receiving the Jack Bailey Trophy. Since its inception, only 11 golfers have won both the Juvenile and Junior titles — Jim Rutledge, Jeff Makahon, Rob McMillan, Jesse Collinson, Dustin Risdon, Gord Scutt, Rafael Lee, Mitch Sutton, Charles-Éric Bélanger, Christopher Vandette and Alex Zhang.
There will be a final qualifier held on Friday, August 9 at Innisfail Golf Club where 45 golfers will be competing for the final four spots into the national championship. Following the qualifier, practice rounds will take place on Saturday, August 10. The Junior and Juvenile championship rounds are played concurrently over four rounds, with the low 70 players plus ties in the Junior division and a minimum of ten players in the Juvenile division advancing to the final 36 holes. The Junior Inter-Provincial Team Championship will be played over the first 36 holes, where teams will compete for the Junior Inter-Provincial Championship Trophy. Last year, Team Ontario finished three shots clear of Team British Columbia to win the championship.
The Junior champion of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship earns an exemption into the 2025 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship as well as the 2025 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.
For the full player field competing in the 2024 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.