(August 13, 2024) – Golf Canada is pleased to announce that The Royal Ottawa Golf Club and Rivermead Golf Club in Gatineau, Québec. will be the host courses for the 120th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, taking place July 25-31, 2025.
“Golf Canada is incredibly proud and excited to have two historic courses host one of our most prestigious amateur events and the oldest amateur event in the country,” said Mary Beth McKenna, Director, Amateur Championships and Rules, Golf Canada. “We’re grateful to the membership of The Royal Ottawa Golf Club and Rivermead Golf Club, its volunteers and the city of Gatineau who we know will welcome some of the world’s top amateur golfers and present a true test for those competing. Returning to The Royal Ottawa Golf Club, the host club of the first playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur will be memorable and the support of Rivermead Golf Club will set the stage for an incredible National Championship.”
The Royal Ottawa Golf Club stands as the premier golf club in the National Capital Region, celebrated for its rich heritage and top-tier facilities. The Club features a traditional Championship Golf Course, alongside a challenging nine-hole course ideal for families and avid golfers. Renowned for its world-class practice facilities equipped with TrackMan technology, the Club also takes pride in its active, award-winning competitive Junior program. Additionally, the Club’s reciprocal program grants members access to prestigious clubs in nine countries around the globe. The Royal Ottawa Golf Club last hosted the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship in 2016 where Hugo Bernard of Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Québec. won the national championship.
“The Royal Ottawa Golf Club is honoured to once again partner with Golf Canada to host their 120th Canadian Men’s Amateur. The club’s history of supporting amateur golf events in Canada is storied, dating back to the first ever such competition hosted by the club in 1895,” said Greg Richardson, General Manager, The Royal Ottawa Golf Club. “Our members are excited to welcome the best amateur men’s golfers to see them play our fantastic golf course and compete for an historic tenth such crown here at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club, the most of any club in Canada.”
Established in 1910, Rivermead Golf Club is located in Gatineau, just a few hundred metres from the north shore of the Ottawa River. Initially opened as a 9-hole course, it was expanded to 18 holes in 1915. In 1989, the course was completely renovated by Ken Skodacek working with Ken Venturi to the current outstanding championship layout. In 2023, the Club completed a 5-year course improvement project under the guidance of Jeff Mingay. Rivermead, along with the Royal Ottawa and Ottawa Hunt golf clubs, formed the Ottawa District Golf Association in 1948. These same three clubs have rotated hosting the prestigious Alexander of Tunis tournament since its inception in 1950, with the 75th playing the event held at Rivermead in 2024. Throughout its history, Rivermead has hosted many championships, including the 1920 Canadian Open, the 1925 Ladies’ Canadian Amateur Championship, the CPGA Championship in 1932 and 1959, and the CN Canadian Women’s Tour in 2005 and 2010. Of special pride to Rivermead members is our link to the RBC Canadian Open through the Rivermead Cup. The Rivermead Cup was awarded to the winner of the Canadian Open until 1935. Since 1936, the Rivermead Cup has been awarded to the low Canadian in the RBC Canadian Open.
‘’We are very pleased to be co-host of the 120th edition of the Men’s Canadian Amateur Championship,” said Mathieu Perron, General Manager, Rivermead Golf Club. “Rivermead has a long-standing relationship with competitive golf in Canada and we are eager to receive the best amateur players in the world on our newly renovated course. It will be a great way for us to celebrate our 115th anniversary.’’
Established in 1895, the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship is the third oldest amateur championship in the world. The tournament was first contested as one of the newly formed Royal Canadian Golf Association’s (RCGA), now known as Golf Canada, first orders of business in 1895 at the Ottawa Golf Club.
The national championship originally began as a match play competition but changed to stroke play for the 1969 championship. It remained that way through 1994 when it reverted to match play in honour of the RCGA’s and the championship’s centennial in 1995. The championship once again reverted to stroke play in 2008 and in 2010, the tournament changed to a double field format for the first time ever. Four-time PGA TOUR winner Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C. was the last player to win the championship as a match play competition in 2007 at Riverside Country Club in Saskatoon, Sask.
Canadian Golf Hall of Famer George S. Lyon won the Amateur eight times between 1898 and 1914 and was runner-up two more times. Fellow Canadian Golf Hall of Famer Sandy Somerville made it to the match play final ten times between 1924 and 1938, capturing six championships. Other past champions include Canadian Golf Hall of Famers and four-time winners, Nick Weslock (1957, 1963, 1964, 1966) and Doug Roxburgh (1972, 1974, 1982, 1988). Most recently, two-time PGA TOUR winner and two-time Canadian Men’s Amateur Champion, Mackenzie Hughes (2011, 2012) and 2023 RBC Canadian Open and four-time PGA TOUR winner Nick Taylor (2007).
Last week, Tyler Mawhinney of Fleming Island, Fla. won the 119th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at 15-under, one shot better than defending champion Ashton McCulloch of Kingston, Ont. at Riverside Country Club and Saskatoon Golf and Country Club in Saskatoon, Sask.