The internet was abuzz in late December when an image of a neatly hand-addressed envelope made the rounds on social media – Mackenzie Hughes’ invitation to the Masters.
With a new year comes a fresh realm of possibilities and many of us use the month of January as a time to craft new goals or anticipate what the next twelve months have in store for us. For golf enthusiasts, the list of things to look forward to is, thankfully, a long one.
In addition to watching Hughes compete in his third Masters Tournament in April, the Canadian golf contingent returns to PGA TOUR golf after a holiday hiatus. The current standings for players with full PGA TOUR status are as follows:
Player
FedEx Cup
World Ranking
Money List
Corey Conners
87
38
$187,393 (99)
Michael Gligic
156
415
$58,960 (159)
Adam Hadwin
65
150
$317,765 (63)
Mackenzie Hughes
11
39
$1,350,248 (9)
Taylor Pendrith
47
226
$385,749 (56)
Roger Sloan
122
235
$161,147 (112)
Adam Svensson
133
181
$93,434 (140)
Nick Taylor
140
222
$98,767 (139)
If you’ve added ‘attend a PGA TOUR event’ to your 2022 bucket list, you can purchase tickets to the 2022 RBC Canadian Open, the only Canadian stop, HERE.
The new Vokey Design SM9 wedges – the next generation of the PGA Tour’s most played wedges – will make their debut this week at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Maui.
Master Craftsman Bob Vokey and Vokey Tour Rep Aaron Dill, working alongside Vokey’s team of engineers, have spent the last two years designing prototypes and testing them with the world’s best players, pushing forward in their relentless mission to craft better performing and better feeling wedges.
Players in the field this week at Kapalua are getting the first opportunity to game the new models in competition. The tour launch of SM9 will continue at The American Express, when AD is back behind his grinding wheel in the Titleist Tour Truck at PGA West.
Visit Titleist.ca and Titleist’s social channels over the coming weeks for updates as the introduction of SM9 wedges continues on the PGA TOUR and across the worldwide professional tours.
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Emily Zhu is back at historic Biltmore Golf Club this week with the chance to join a highly exclusive circle of two-time Junior Orange Bowl International champions.
In a very real sense, though, Zhu’s 2021 triumph already has paid huge dividends. Fair to say the Biltmore will be seeing a lot more of her in the coming years.
“It was because of the tournament that I was able to get (familiar) with the University of Miami,” said the Canadian champion, who signed in November to play for the Hurricanes starting next fall. “I’m very grateful for that.”
First things first, though. When the international golf showcase tees off Monday, Zhu sets out to become just the fourth golfer to win multiple Junior Orange Bowl titles in the tournament’s long history.
A year ago, Zhu staved off a dogged challenge from Chile’s Antonia Matte to emerge a three-stroke victory that ended a 17-month winless drought. Now she seeks to join Michelle McGann (1985-86), Kellee Booth (1991-92) and Grace Park (1993, ’96) to have her name more than once on the trophy.
“I definitely want to go for it again,” said Zhu. “I think as long as I play my game, I will have a chance at winning again. But it’s not something I can exactly control.”
Anna Davis (Spring Valley, Calif.) is the reigning Junior PGA Championship girls’ champion, pulling away to a seven-shot triumph after a closing 67 at Valhalla Golf Club. It was one of three victories last year for Davis, No. 6 in the latest Golfweek rankings.
Colombia’s Maria Jose Marin, ranked 12th, captured last summer’s Optimist International championship and two AJGA events on the way to nine victories overall in 2021. Argentina’s Juan Loureiro, who won the boys’ Optimist International title in a playoff, also is set to tee it up.
The boys’ division is guaranteed a 58th different champion in as many years, with 2021 winner Sebastian Moss now playing collegiately at the University of Louisville. However, four of last year’s top 10 finishers are back in hopes of adding their name to the champions’ list.
“It’s a tournament that has some pretty cool (winners) over the years,” said Tommy Morrison (Frisco, Texas), who placed fifth a year ago. “I would be honored to have my name on that list.”
The boys’ lineup also features Jean-Philippe Parr, the Canadian junior champion who took third at last year’s Junior Orange Bowl, South American Junior champion Alejandro Ramos of Peru and Caribbean Junior champion Gustavo Rangel of Puerto Rico.
In all, 60 boys and 34 girls are set to tee up in the tournament’s 58th edition, some 20 percent more than last year when the pandemic held down numbers. Several European nations are back in the lineup after sitting out a year.
All seek to join a roster of Junior Orange Bowl champions that includes Tiger Woods (1991), LPGA Hall of Famer Inbee Park (2002), LPGA major winners Lexi Thompson (2009) and Brooke Henderson (2013) and recent PGA Tour winners Joaquin Niemann (2014) and Kevin Na (2000).
Zhu, for her part, acknowledged she has yet to see her name on the trophy. “I would love to, though,” she added. “Just to be able to take a picture.”
Though Zhu captured the 2019 Canadian Junior title, she arrived in Coral Gables last year without a victory since then. A 69-66 start at the Biltmore put her in the driver’s seat, though Matte twice sliced the lead to one before falling back.
“It kind of gave me the sense that I still have it,” Zhu said. “In those times when I get down and my scores aren’t that good, I can look back on the Junior Orange Bowl and what I did during those moments to help me win.”
Zhu became Canada’s third Junior Orange Bowl champion, joining Brooke Henderson (2013) and Maude-Aimee LeBlanc (2006). And there was the added bonus when she managed to catch the attention of University of Miami coaches.
“I love the coaches, the team environment,” said Zhu, who kept a limited schedule in 2021 amid virus concerns. “They’ve been very big supporters over the past year as I’ve gone through some of my struggles. I really appreciate what they’ve done for me already.”
The Biltmore, by the way, is UM golf’s home base. “I’ve won here,” she quipped, “so I already like the course.”
Morrison, No. 17 in the Golfweek boys’ rankings, also has a certain familiarity with the Biltmore. This marks his fourth year of teeing up at the Junior Orange Bowl.
“I know a lot of the pins and how the course plays in different wind directions,” he said. “I think I’ve just become more comfortable out here. If you can chip and putt well and play the par-3s well, it leads to some pretty good success.”
This year’s field brings together entrants from such diverse locales as Ukraine, Jamaica, Serbia, Slovenia, Thailand, Guatemala, Bulgaria, India, Zimbabwe, Peru, Turkey, Iceland and Barbados.
“I like the international field,” Morrison said. “We get to meet a lot of new kids we don’t usually get to play with. At a lot of the junior events we play, you kind of see the same people every time.”
Golfers share their 2021 stats as part of new Golf Canada #MyGolfYear campaign
Golf Canada
OAKVILLE – (Golf Canada) – Some golfers claim their favourite aspect of the game is recanting highlights (and maybe even some lowlights) with friends following a round of golf.
Now, members of Golf Canada and their respective provincial golf association who track their games with Golf Canada Score Centre can do just that… digitally.
Introducing Golf Canada #MyGolfYear – a retrospective of a member’s golf year generated by the scoring data posted to the Golf Canada Score Centre in 2021.
Statistics on the graphics include total best round, number of holes played, distance played and most-played golf courses.
WANT TO LOCATE YOUR #MYGOLFYEAR GRAPHIC?
CHECK THE EMAIL ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR GOLF CANADA MEMBERSHIP
Golfers who posted scores using hole-by-hole method will see additional statistics added to their graphics, including total number of pars, birdies or better and holes-in-one.
Golf Canada is encouraging members to share their graphics with friends via email or post them to their favourite social networking platform using the hashtag #MyGolfYear. Below are just a few examples shared since the inaugural campaign launched.
Lightspeed Golf joins forces with Golf Canada in multi-year agreement
Brent Smyth/ Golf Canada
Golf Canada
The golf industry in North America is growing in new and exciting ways. Lightspeed Commerce Inc. (NYSE: LSPD) (TSX: LSPD), the one-stop commerce platform for merchants around the world to simplify, scale and create exceptional customer experiences, today announced a multi-year agreement with Golf Canada, the National Sport Federation representing more than 271,000 golfers and 1,400 member clubs across the country, allowing both participating golf courses and golfers to share certified Golf Canada handicap data across both platforms.
Lightspeed Golf empowers courses to manage an entire facility from a single platform, synthesizing systems for daily operations, tee sheets, on-site hospitality and retail, and online booking. The integration of Lightspeed Golf’s commerce platform with the Golf Canada Score Centre will provide a solution for more Canadian golfers to maintain an Official Handicap Index, leveling the playing field for participants across Canada.
“We are both excited and honoured to be partnering with such a revered Canadian organization,” said Lightspeed Golf GM David Hope. “This platform integration will streamline operations for golfers and course operators alike, enabling improved handicap integrity and reporting. We look forward to working with Golf Canada to grow the game through educational content and putting intuitive technology in the hands of both golfers and golf course operators.”
The platform integration will help more golfers track their scoring history and demonstrated ability on the golf course, allowing both golfers and course operators to see handicap data when booking tee times and navigating tee sheets.
“Golf Canada is extremely pleased to be aligning our Score Centre with Lightspeed Golf,” said Golf Canada Director of Membership Ryan Logan. “This platform integration will open up new opportunities to grow our membership-base across Canada and will further support our member clubs in providing a more streamlined and enhanced golfing experience.”
Golf in Canada continues to show growth and resilience through the past two seasons impacted by the pandemic. In 2021, a record 9.3M scores were posted to the Golf Canada Score Centre, a 19% increase from 2020 and 27.5% increase over 2019, and Lightspeed Golf customers reported a 23% increase in rounds played from 2019 to 2020. Lightspeed Golf customers are growing and modernizing their businesses, attracting younger patrons and more diverse golfers, and re-thinking their business models to diversify their revenue streams.
“Golf is booming right now, but even before that our rounds were continuously up every single year over the past five years,” said Lightspeed Golf customer Jenifer Wright, GM of Westwood Plateau Golf. “We’re making changes to get new people into golf and we’ve been really impressed with every integration Lightspeed has come out with. We can’t wait to see how this platform integration with Golf Canada will benefit our course and players.”
2021 Update: Sargent Farms x Golf Canada Partnership
If you ask a golfer about their most haunting moments on the golf course, you might hear about an unfortunate double hit or a bad case of the yips. While a poorly played round is certainly reason to keep a golfer up at night, there are perhaps more chilling tales circulating from the back nine or within the forgotten histories of aging clubhouses that concern the otherworldly.
With Canada’s rich history and vast geography, it’s no surprise that the country also boasts its fair share of spooky tales. There’s an old sanitorium in Kamloops that would look right at home in a Stephen King novel, a haunted lighthouse in P.E.I., and a ghost that goes by the name of ‘Dorothy’ at the Hockey Hall of Fame.
If that isn’t enough, Canada Post created a collection of ‘Haunted Canada’ stamps from 2014-2016 that reveal a whole cast of the country’s ghostly characters such as Gastown’s Headless Brakeman, the Grey Lady of the Halifax Citadel, and the Phantom Bell Ringers of the Kirk of St. James.
While it might be hard to imagine these eerie spirits lurking on well-manicured and sunny greens, that doesn’t mean that golf courses aren’t devoid of spooky tales of their own. Below you’ll find five courses across the country that are rumored to house extraordinary spirits.
Haunted Lakes Golf Club
Haunted Lakes Golf course in Alix, Alta. is certainly high on the list of Canadian courses with the spookiest names.
As the legend goes, seven Native American hunters camped around the eastern shore of the lake and awoke one morning to discover a magnificent deer trapped in ice.
As the men began to chip away at the ice around the antlers, the still-alive beast crashed through its icy cage and carved a path towards the refuge of the shore. The deer made it to safety and disappeared into the woods, but the men would never set foot in the forest again. All seven plunged into the frigid depths, drowned, and were claimed by the lake. They were never seen or heard from again – alive that is.
To this day, the spirits of the unfortunate seven are rumoured to haunt the area, giving the lake its name. Locals also claim that every winter when the lake is frozen over, a huge fissure appears tracing the exact path of the deer’s escape – right along the third fairway where Haunted Lake hugs the front right of the green.
Glen Abbey Golf Course
They say the best ghost stories are the ones that hit close to home. Located on the picturesque Sixteen Mile Creek in Oakville, Ont., Glen Abbey Golf Course has played host to the Canadian Open 30 times and also serves as home-base for Golf Canada. While the later have taken up residence at the property since the 1970s, there is – if you believe in such things – a much older tenant who reportedly still roams the corridors.
Originally built by mining magnate Andre Dorfman in 1937, the sprawling country estate was sold in 1953 to be used as a retreat and monastery by the Jesuit Fathers of Upper Canada. The property was again sold in 1963 by a group of businessmen with a vision to build a golf club. The men named their new course ‘Glen Abbey’ as a nod to the previous occupants, but as the story goes, one of those occupants never left.
Since then, there have been reports of cupboards inexplicably slamming, heavy footsteps in the hallway and the mysterious feeling of being watched. One eyewitness claims to have seen the specter glide through solid wall, and all accounts seem to agree that the spirit takes the shape of a Jesuit Priest.
Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club
Charming little Niagara-on-the-Lake in Southern Ontario is often referred to as Canada’s most haunted town. It therefore comes as no surprise that Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club, with its 140-year history, would be just as populated with ghost stories as the town is with visitors.
Located toward the back of the scenic course you’ll find Fort Mississauga – a defensive structure built after the War of 1812 to defend against the nearby American Fort Niagara. While the Fort was garrisoned until 1826, rearmed after the Rebellion of 1837, and manned during tense periods of the American Civil War, it never saw battle. However, the structure was erected using salvaged pieces from an old lighthouse and bricks from the crumbling Fort George which could perhaps account paranormal activity surrounding the historic site.
It is said that sounds of violence can be heard issuing from the Fort and multiple accounts have reported a man yelling in pain from within the structure. A young soldier even confided to his journal in 1871 that he and another officer saw a tall, gliding figure in a black robe while on watch one evening.
Fort Mississauga is now a National Historic Site and serves as a striking reminder to golfers that the land they putt on is steeped in history.
Jasper Park Golf Course
At Jasper Park Golf Course in Jasper, Alta. you’re more likely to come across a wandering elk than a wayward spirit. Still, a medley of ghostly characters have scared their way into the lore surrounding this jewel in the Canadian Rockies.
Construction for the resort property began in 1921 with renowned course architect Stanley Thompson joining the project in 1924. It took 50 teams of horses and 200 men before Thompson’s design became a reality and opened to the public in 1925.
As far as ghost stories go, past staff suggest that the clubhouse – particularly the kitchen – is frequented by spirits moving objects or banging pots. Multiple witnesses claim to have encountered an elderly woman who mysteriously vanishes when spoken to, and there’s even said to be a photo of her hanging outside the restaurant.
Another spooky story involves Point Cabin where a young maid took a tumble down the stairs and broke her neck. To this day her spirit is said to slam doors, turn lights off and appear to unsuspecting guests.
Victoria Golf Club
Over on the West Coast, Victoria Golf Club boasts an impressive history and a dramatic tale that has become a local legend.
The story surrounds Doris Thompson who immigrated to Canada in 1906 and married local sports reported Victor Gravlin. Victor, however, was not a good husband to Doris and spent countless hours at Uplands Golf Club where is brother was head pro. When her husband lost his job and began drinking heavily, Doris left him and found work as a private live-in nurse.
Not long after, Victor sent a letter to Doris which historians believe was a plea to meet and reconcile. On the ill-fated night of Sept. 22, 1936, Doris and Victor left their respective residences and were seen together on Runnymede Avenue. What happened next remains a mystery as neither were seen alive again.
The couple was reported as missing and a search ensued. Days later a caddy searching for a lost ball at Victoria Golf Club discovered Doris’ corpse near the 7th green. The 30 year old had been strangled with her hat, belt and shoes missing.
The local gossips believed that Victor, the number one suspect, had escaped. However, they were wrong. One month later a fisherman found Victor’s body floating in the kelp beds off the 9th fairway with a rope in his pocket and in possession of Doris’ missing attire. The police concluded he had strangled his wife and then committed suicide by walking into the water.
It’s no surprise that the traumatic tale has given rise to haunting stories at the property. To this day, visitors to the area report floating orbs, disembodied screaming, strange unexplained pockets of mist, and even full-bodied apparitions of a sad-looking woman believed to be Doris.
The spooky tales arising from these properties add to the character that makes each course unique. Whether you’re a believer in ghosts or a skeptic of the spirit world, the next time a strange wind results in a bogey you have someone – or something – to blame.
Megan Osland and Noémie Paré qualify for the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open
Noémie Paré (Photo: MassGolf.org)
Golf Canada
OAKVILLE, ONT. – Canadians Megan Osland and Noémie Paré clinched their spots in the field for the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open by capturing one of the precious tickets available in their respective qualifying events.
Noémie Paré, member of Team Canada’s amateur squad, won the 2020 Québec Women’s Amateur Championship and was runner up at the 2020 Alberta Ladies Amateur Championship.
Native of Victoriaville, Que., Paré qualified in Massachusetts on May 5th after tying Christina Kim with 137 total strokes at Dedham Golf & Polo Club.
In a post round interview with MassGolf.org, Paré said:
“This is amazing, it’s just the right step in the right direction. I haven’t had time to process it yet, but I just can’t wait to experience the whole thing.”
The 2021 U.S. Women’s Open will be Paré’s first major championship appearance.
After making her first appearance in 2019, Osland will be returning to the U.S. Women’s Open in 2021 as a result of placing second at a qualifying tournament in Ormond Beach, Florida.
The Kelowna, B.C. native remained close behind Kim Metraux of Switzerland, shooting a pair of 71s and finishing second at the 36-hole qualifier held at Oceanside Country Club.
The U.S. Women’s Open takes place from Thursday, June 3 to Sunday, June 6 at The Olympic Club in San Fransico, Calif.
Laurent Desmarchais and James Song were the biggest movers among the Top 10 over the course of 2018. Desmarchais, who was named to the Golf Canada Development Squad for the upcoming season, gained 1,323 spots in the world rankings over the course of 2018. He vaulted into the Top 10 following his win at the Golf Quebec Junior Provincial Match-Play Championship – one of four victories he collected this past year.
Song, who holds dual citizenship, has gained 1,003 spots in the world rankings and currently holds down the No. 3 amateur ranking in Canada. A freshman at UC Berkeley, he moved into the Top 10 for the first time after a runner-up performance at the Thunderbird International Junior. Song has four top 10 results this year including a ninth place finish at the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.
Golf Canada National Team member Brendan Macdougall picked up 168 spots over the course of 2018, thanks in large part to a pair of wins at the Big South Championship and the Alberta Match Play Championship.
Charles Corner gained 108 spots over the course of the year after three top 5 performances in his final collegiate season.
Joey Savoie gained 99 places in the world rankings to sit at a career-best No. 57 in the world. The Golf Canada National Team member had seven top 10 results including a pair of wins and he will finish at the No. 1 amateur player in Canada.
HOMETOWN
SCHOOL
WR
+ / –
1.
Joey Savoie
La Prairie, QC
(Team Canada)
57
–
2.
Garrett Rank
Elmira, ON
–
114
–
3.
James Song
Rancho Santa Fe, CA
California
172
+1
4.
Josh Whalen
Napanee, ON
(Team Canada)
230
–
5.
Charles Corner
Cayuga, ON
–
278
+5
6.
Chris Crisologo
Richmond, B.C.
(Team Canada)
286
+6
7.
Laurent Desmarchais
Longueuil, QC
–
391
+4
8.
Myles Creighton
Digby, NS
–
464
+5
9.
Brendan Macdougall
Calgary, AB
High Point University
512
+6
10.
Henry Lee
Coquitlam, BC
Washington
536
+5
WOMEN’S AMATEUR TOP 10
Brigitte Thibault made the biggest move among Top 10 players in 2018. Recently named to the Golf Canada National Team, Thibault gained 833 spots in the world rankings and was one of two players who moved into the Top 10 over the course of the year. Back-to-back top 10 finishes elevated her into the Top 20 and a total of seven top 10 results have solidified her spot as the No. 2 amateur in Canada, including a runner-up finish at the Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown.
The only other player to crack the Top 10 over the course of 2018 was Ellie Szeryk. The Golf Canada Development Team member is also the younger sister to Maddie Szeryk, who was formerly the No. 1 ranked amateur in Canada up until her recent graduation and decision to turn pro. Szeryk gained 274 spots in the world rankings on the strength of four top 5 results including a victory at the Ontario Women’s Amateur and Mid-Amateur Championship.
As mentioned Maddie Szeryk’s move to the pros forced a change atop the amateur rankings, which was aptly filled by Jaclyn Lee. However, it may be a short reign as the Ohio State senior is contemplating a similar move to the pros after earning her LPGA Tour card this fall. The Golf Canada National Team member gained 106 spots to move up to a career-best No. 19 in the world rankings. She has 10 top 10 results in 2018 including two victories and seven other top 5 finishes.
Development Squad member Celeste Dao gained 169 spots in the world rankings in 2018. Dao, who has signed a letter of intent to play at Georgia, has 11 top 10 results including four wins in what was a busy 2018 campaign for the Quebec junior.
HOMETOWN
SCHOOL
WR
+ / –
1.
Jaclyn Lee
Calgary, AB
Ohio State
19
–
2.
Brigitte Thibault
Montreal, QC
Fresno State
225
–
3.
Vanessa Ha
Montreal, QC
–
257
+3
4.
Naomi Ko
Victoria, BC
NC State
281
-2
5.
Celeste Dao
Notre-Dame, QC
(Team Canada)
289
-1
6.
Michelle Ruiz
Mississauga, ON
–
301
-2
7.
Grace St-Germain
Ottawa
Daytona St.
366
-1
8.
Ellie Szeryk
Allen, TX
(Team Canada)
472
–
9.
Jessica Ip
Richmond Hill, ON
–
491
-2
10.
Tiffany Kong
Vancouver, BC
(Princeton)
529
–
Click here for the full World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR)
MEN’S TOP 10
Nick Taylor made the biggest gain among the Top 10 over the last week, picking up 13 places after finishing tied for ninth at the Australian PGA Championship. The result was worth 2.41 world ranking points, giving him three points-paying results in his last four tournaments.
Corey Conners made the biggest move among the Top 10 in 2018, moving up a total of 408 spots in the world rankings to finish as the No. 2 ranked player in Canada. The former Golf Canada National Team player saw his biggest gain come after finishing runner-up at the Sanderson Farms Championship. It was one of only two top 10 results for the PGA rookie this past year.
Adam Svensson made the next biggest gain, picking up a total of 289 spots over the course of 2018. His highlight moment came early in the year, winning the Web.com event in the Bahamas, which moved him back into the Top 10 in the Canadian rankings. It was also one of five top 10 results as the B.C. golfer earned his PGA Tour card for 2019.
Adam Hadwin will finish as the No. 1 ranked player in Canada, having held that position for almost two full years now. The Abbotsford, B.C. golfer reached a career high No. 41 in the world after finishing in a tie for 24th at his first career Masters tournament. He notched five top 10 results in 2018 including a tie for third at the CareerBuilder Challenge.
Of the 35 total Canadians who are recognized by the world rankings, Sukwoan Ko made the biggest gain, picking up 1,271 points over the course of 2018. Playing on the Korean Tour, his victory at the Jeonbuk Open back in July vaulted him into the Top 20 in Canada and he ends the year at No. 12.
Other notable results: No. 6 Austin Connelly finished tied for 34th at the Australian PGA Championship;
HOMETOWN
TOUR
WR
+ / –
1.
Adam Hadwin
Abbotsford, BC
PGA
68
-1
2.
Corey Conners
Listowel, ON
PGA
268
-2
3.
Benjamin Silverman
Thornhill, ON
PGA
280
-2
4.
Nick Taylor
Abbotsford, BC
PGA
304
+13
5.
Mackenzie Hughes
Dundas, ON
PGA
368
-7
6.
Austin Connelly
Irving, TX
EUR
391
-12
7.
Graham DeLaet
Weyburn, SK
PGA
407
-10
8.
Adam Svensson
Surrey, BC
PGA
437
-4
9.
Roger Sloan
Merritt, BC
PGA
469
-3
10.
David Hearn
Brantford, ON
PGA
471
-7
Click here for the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR).
WOMEN’S TOP 10
The biggest mover among the Top 10 female golfers in Canada goes to a player who has yet to officially turn pro.
Jaclyn Lee gained a total of 250 places in the world rankings in 2018, moving into the Top 10 after finishing in a tie for 35th at the Meijer LPGA Classic – which was her only LPGA Tour event in 2018. Lee, a member of Golf Canada’s National Team and a senior at Ohio State University, has since gone on to earn an LPGA Tour card for 2019 and will have a decision to make in the new year, about whether or not to turn pro at the season’s first event or wait until later in the year until after she graduates.
Brooke Henderson finishes the year as the No. 1 ranked female in Canada, a position she has held since December 2014. Henderson had two wins, including her impressive performance at the CP Women’s Open, as well as eight other top 10 finishes in 2018. She closed out the year collecting world ranking points in each of her last 14 consecutive tournaments to climb into the Top 10 in the world.
Brittany Marchand made the biggest gain over the course of the past year, picking up 205 spots in the world rankings. The Golf Canada Young Pro Squad member had one top 10 result and one top 20 finish in her rookie LPGA season as well as a third place result on the developmental Symetra Tour. At one point, Marchand collected world ranking points in 10 of 11 LPGA starts.
Anne-Catherine Tanguay gained a total of 60 places in the world rankings in 2018. After a slow start to her rookie LPGA campaign, the Young Pro Squad member found her groove in the middle of the season, earning world ranking points in six of seven events to close out the season.
Ottawa product and Team Canada Amateur Squad member Grace St-Germain has set her sights on the University of Arkansas, announcing her decision to transfer for the start of the 2018/19 season beginning in the fall of 2018.
The reigning Ontario Women’s Amateur champion and former Canadian Junior Girls’ champion is currently playing for the Daytona State Falcons—an NJCAA school—where she has amassed four top-20 finishes so far as a freshman (including two runner-ups).
I am so excited to announce that I have committed to the University of Arkansas for the fall of 2018! Go Razorbacks! ❤️⛳️ pic.twitter.com/UbZXRE6XCK
