KOMOKA, Ont. – A tight leaderboard got even tighter as the final round progressed, but it was the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds who came from behind to win both the men’s and women’s team divisions at the Canadian University/College Championship at FireRock Golf Club on Friday.

It took a playoff for the men’s team to secure the victory, after they charged up the leaderboard in the final round. The Thunderbirds erased a nine-stroke advantage held by the Western Mustangs by shooting 12 under par as a team on Friday.

Andrew Harrison drained the winning birdie putt on the first playoff hole (the 18^th) to win UBC’s first men’s team championship since 2016.

“I’m just excited for them,” said Chris MacDonald, head coach of the UBC men’s and women’s teams. “It was a tremendous day, and probably our best day of the year on the golf course together, so it’s a fun thing to see.”

The men’s individual division featured a packed leaderboard, with four players having a share of the lead at one point on the back nine. A playoff was needed to separate Charles Fitzsimmons and Jackson Bowery, both of Western. The duo were sitting at 8-under-par 280 after 72 holes before Fitzsimmons went on to win the playoff on the first hole, which was the 18^th.

“This is definitely the highlight, it’s been a long time coming,” said Fitzsimmons, who is in his 13^th year on the Mustangs golf team. “You hate to have to decide a winner between you and a guy you’ve fought so hard with. It’s unfortunate, but somebody’s got to win. He played an absolutely incredible round to even get us in the playoff beforehand.”

In the women’s team division, UBC was paced by an even-par performance from Shania Remandaban to win their fourth consecutive women’s team title. Of their four-straight championships, this one was the closest, as their 51-over-par score on the tournament was one stroke better than Laval Rouge et Or.

“I don’t think the Canadian championship has been this tight,” said MacDonald. “These girls have had quite a year, and it’s really exciting to see them in these really difficult, tight situations pull things out.”

The women’s individual competition also came down to the final hole. As she was walking up to the 18^th green, Sarah Dunning of the University of Guelph trailed Remandaban by one stroke. A birdie would have forced a playoff, but Dunning drained a 30-foot eagle to win the division. The eagle capped off a 4-under-par 69 final round for Dunning, the only round in the 60s in the women’s division during the tournament.

“I hit my seven-iron to the back of the green on 18,” said Dunning. “I had a long putt for eagle. Somehow it went in and all I remember is screaming and everyone clapping. It’s probably the best moment of my golfing career.”

As the Men’s and Women’s individual winners, Fitzsimmons and Dunning receive an exemption into their respective Canadian Amateur Championship

Click here for more information on the 2019 Canadian University/College Championship, including full leaderboards and results.

Top-5 Men’s – Team

1. UBC Thunderbirds, *292-280-293-276-1141 -11
2. Western Mustangs, *286-279-291-285-1141 -11
3. Victoria Vikes, *297-281-284-285-1147 -5
4. Fraser Valley Cascades, *295-288-280-296-1159 +7
5. Laval Rouge et Or, *290-288-287-295-1160 +8

UBC wins defeats Western on the first playoff hole.

Top-5 Men’s – Individual

1. Charles Fitzsimmons, Western Mustangs, *69-68-72-71-280 -8
2. Jackson Bowery, Western Mustangs, *70-70-73-67-280 -8
3. Andrew Harrison, UBC Thunderbirds, *72-68-73-68-281 -7
4. Robin Conlan, Victoria Vikes, *76-68-68-70-282 -6
5. Josiah Dixon, Guelph Gryphons, *72-67-74-70-283 -5

Charles Fitzsimmons defeats Jackson Bowery on the first playoff hole

Top-5 Women’s – Team

1. UBC Thunderbirds, *235-235-227-230-927 +51
2. Laval Rouge et Or, *234-223-234-237-928 +52
3. Victoria Vikes, *237-229-239-232-937 +61
4. Waterloo Warriors, *248-244-241-238-971 +95
5. Montréal Carabins, *250-243-237-242-972 +96

Top-5 Women’s – Individual

1. Sarah Dunning, Guelph Gryphons, *80-77-76-69-302 +10
2. Shania Remandaban, UBC Thunderbirds, *77-77-76-73-303 +11
3. Sukriti Harjai, Victoria Vikes, *77-75-78-75-305 +13
4. Elanna Lachaine-DeMarchi, Waterloo Warriors, *78-76-77-75-306 +14
5. Nicole Gargarella, Victoria Vikes, *79-76-77-79-311 +19

KOMOKA, Ont. – The skies remained overcast, and Western and Laval stayed on top of the leaderboard for the third consecutive day in the men’s and women’s divisions, respectively, at the Canadian University/College Championship at FireRock Golf Club Thursday.

The Western University Mustangs maintained their lead atop the standings after round three, thanks to Charles Fitzsimmons, who shot an even-par 72 and Jackson Bowery, who signed a 1-over-par 73 scorecard. The Mustangs now sit at 8-under for the tournament, six shots ahead of the University of Victoria Vikes. At one point in the day, the Mustangs’ lead over the Vikes was 12 shots.

“I’m thrilled with the way we’ve played this week,” said Western men’s golf head coach Jim Waite. “We played superbly the first two days. We hit a bit of a hiccup today, which brings us back to the field. It will be on us tomorrow to do it again with people behind us.”

In the women’s team division, Laval’s Catherine Gariépy and Anais Galas both shot four-over on day three, helping to maintain the Rouge et Or’s cushion over the field. The three-time defending champion University of British Columbia Thunderbirds are six shots behind Laval, at 40-over.

“I feel they’re doing great,” Laval women’s head coach Kevin Bergeron said of his players. “They’re driving really well. It’s a course where you need a good drive and they’re hitting a lot of greens in regulation.”

Fitzsimmons continues to lead the men’s individual competition at 7-under, but two of his opponents rocketed up the leaderboard. Mackenzie Dasti (Ontario Tech University) now sits one shot back after shooting 4-under 68, and Baptiste Mory (Laval) is at 5-under.

In the individual women’s division, Gariépy of Laval leads by two strokes after carding a 4-over 77 in round three, and the leaderboard is tight behind her. Sukriti Harjai (University of Victoria) and Shania Remandaban (University of British Columbia) sit at 11-over on the tournament, two shots back of Gariépy heading into the final round.

The Women’s and Men’s Individual winners receive an exemption into their respective Canadian Amateur Championship.

Click here for more information on the event, including tomorrow’s tee times and full leaderboard.

PONOKA, Alta. – The 2019 Future Links, driven by Acura Western Championship is set to begin Thursday at Wolf Creek Golf Resort.

With support from Alberta Golf, the Future Links, driven by Acura Western Championship is the third of eight junior championships presented by Golf Canada in partnership with Acura. The 54-hole stroke play tournament will begin with a practice round on May 30, before the tournament gets underway with round one on May 31.

Wolf Creek Golf Resort is the largest golf facility in Central and Northern Alberta. Designed by Rod Whitman, Wolf Creek boasts 36 holes and offers more selection than any course in the province.

“Golf Canada and Alberta Golf are excited to present the 2019 Future Links, driven by Acura Western Championship,” said Akash Patel, the Tournament Director and Rules and Competitions Coordinator with Golf Canada. “We are confident that the Links Course here at Wolf Creek Golf Resort will challenge Canada’s premier junior golfers and allow them the opportunity to showcase their skills.”

The field will consist of 81 golfers in the Junior Boys Division with the top five earning exemptions into the 2019 Canadian Junior Boys Championship on Aug. 11-15 at Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club in Hartland, N.B. Should there be a tie for the fifth position, a playoff will be conducted following the conclusion of play.

The Junior Girls Division will consist of 26 golfers, with the top five (including ties) earning an exemption into the 2019 Canadian Junior Girls on July 29 – Aug. 2 at Lethbridge Country Club in Lethbridge, Alta.

Five additional Future Links, driven by Acura Championship will span the country this year;

• June 7-9 – Future Links, driven by Acura Quebec – Joly, Que. – Club de golf Les Boisés de Joly
• June 14-16 – Future Links, driven by Acura Prairie – Yorkton, Sask. – Deer Park Golf Course
• July 16-18 – Future Links, driven by Acura Atlantic – Fredericton, N.B. – Mactaquac Golf Course
• 20-22 – Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series – Lachute, Que. – Club de golf Lachute
• 27-29 – Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series – Crown Isle Golf Resort – Courtenay, B.C.

There have already been two Future Links, driven by Acura Championships so far in 2019.

The Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship took place May 10-12, where Michael Crisologo and Lauren Kim won their respective divisions. Additional information regarding the 2019 Future links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship, including full scoring can be found here.

At the Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship, Tristan Renaud won the boys’ division and Angela Arora won the girls’ division. More information regarding the 2019 Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship can be found here.

Prior to the championship on Thursday, May 30, Golf Canada and Special Olympics Canada will hold a regional competition in support of Special Olympics golf. This is the third such competition this year, as Special Olympics golf events were also held at the Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship and the Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship. A field of 14 local athletes will compete over nine holes. Following the event, PGA of Canada professionals will conduct a clinic for Special Olympics coaches and athletes, focusing on improving skills and leadership within the sport.

NOTABLES

Ethan Choi, Pincher Creek, Alta.
Choi has already earned an exemption into the 2019 Canadian Junior Boys Championship by finishing in the top five at the Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship.

Annabelle Ackroyd, Calgary
Ackroyd led heading into the final round at last year’s Future Links, driven by Acura Western Championship.

Sarah Gallagher, Burlington, Ont.
This is Gallagher’s second Future Links Championship in as many weeks. She finished third at the Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship.

FAST FACTS

In 2019, Golf Canada is conducting its six regional Future Links, driven by Acura Championships in conjunction with the Provincial Associations, in addition to the two Fall Series events.

The top five finishers in the Boys’ Division earn exemptions into the 2019 Canadian Junior Boys Championship.

The top five finishers (including ties) in the Girls’ Division earn exemptions into the 2019 Canadian Junior Girls Championship.

Team Canada National Junior Squad member Kai Iguchi went wire-to-wire to win the junior boys division last year.

Taylor Stone won the junior girls division by coming from behind on the final day.

More information about the tournament can be found here.

KOMOKA, Ont. – The Western University Mustangs and the Université Laval Rouge et Or remained atop the leaderboard in the men’s and women’s team divisions, respectively, after the second round of the Canadian University/College Championship at FireRock Golf Club on Wednesday.

The duo of Charles Fitzsimmons and Jackson Bowery finished in first and T3 individually, helping the Mustangs to an 11-under-par 565 for the tournament, seven shots ahead of the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds in second place. In the women’s division, Catherine Gariépy put together another solid round, leading Laval to a score of 19 over par through two rounds, nine shots ahead of runner-ups Victoria Vikes.

Fitzsimmons, who is from London, Ont., held a share of the lead heading into round two, and carded 4-under-par 68 to give himself the outright lead. Fitzsimmons is two shots ahead of Guelph’s Josiah Dixon, who moved into second place with a 5-under-par 67, the lowest individual men’s score in round two.

Three players trail Dixon by one shot for second rank; Bowery, Andrew Harrison (UBC) and Gordon Gibson (University of Toronto). All three sit at 4-under par for the tournament.

Gariépy of the Rouge et Or took over first place in the women’s individual standings. Her 5-over-par performance through two rounds gives her the lead, trailed closely by Victoria’s Sukriti Harjai (+6). Gariépy’s Laval teammates Noémie Ouellette and Florence Leduc fired the low rounds of the day at even par (73).

The women’s and men’s Individual winners receive an exemption into their respective Canadian Amateur Championship.

Click here for more information on the event, including tomorrow’s tee times and full leaderboard.

Top-5 Men’s – Team

1 Western University Mustangs -11 (565)
2 University of British Columbia Thunderbirds -4 (572)
3 Université Laval Rouge et Or +2 (578)
3 University of Victoria Vikes +2 (578)
5 Waterloo Warriors +6 (582)

Top-5 Men’s – Individual

1 Charles Fitzsimmons, Western University, -7 (137)
2 Josiah Dixon, University of Guelph, -5 (139)
T3 Jackson Bowery, Western University, -4 (140)
T3 Andrew Harrison, University of British Columbia, -4 (140)
T3 Gordon Gibson, University of Toronto, -4 (140)

Top-5 Women’s – Team

1 Laval Rouge et Or +19
2 Victoria Vikes +28
3 University of British Columbia Thunderbirds +32
4 University of Waterloo Warriors +54
5 Université de Montréal Carabins +55

Top-5 Women’s – Individual  

1 Catherine Gariépy, Université Laval, +5 (151)
2 Sukriti Harjai, University of Victoria, +6 (152)
T3 Shania Remandaban, University of British Columbia Thunderbirds, +8 (154)
T3 Noémie Ouellette, Université Laval, +8 (154)
T3 Elanna Lachaine-DeMarchi, University of Waterloo, +8 (154)

KOMOKA, Ont. – Under overcast skies, the Canadian University/College Championship got underway Tuesday at FireRock Golf Club, resulting in a  three-way tie for the lead in the men’s division. Kate Johnston of the University of British Columbia (UBC) paced the women’s division, ending the day with a one-stroke advantage.

Charles Fitzsimmons of the Western University Mustangs shot 3-under par 69 to share first place, helping the Mustangs take control of the men’s team championship, while Catherine Gariépy paced the Université de Laval Rouge et Or women to first place, with a 1-over 74.

Playing a mere 15 minutes from their London, Ont. campus, the Mustangs are four strokes ahead of the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks and the Université de Laval Rouge & Or. Western is 2 under par after round one.

Three players are nose-to-nose in the men’s individual championship. Fitzsimmons, Michael Harrison (Augustana University) and Jaron Brown (Wilfrid Laurier University) all signed off on 3-under scorecards, establishing a one-stroke lead over the field.

UBC’s Kate Johnston of Ayr, Ont., fired an even-par 73, finishing one shot ahead of Gariépy in the women’s individual competition. A UBC Thunderbird has won the individual women’s title in each of the last three years.

Shania Remandaban (UBC), Laura Upenieks (University of Toronto) and Sukriti Harjai (University of Victoria) each carded 4-over 77, and are T3 behind Johnston and Gariépy.

Laval hold a one shot advantage over the Thunderbirds in the women’s team competition. The Rouge & Or collectively registered 15-over-par 234 in round one.

The individual champions in the women’s and men’s competitions receive exemptions into their respective Canadian Amateur Championship.

Click here for more information on the event, including tomorrow’s tee times and full leaderboard.

Top-5 Men’s – Team

1. Western Mustangs, *143-143-286 -2
2. Laurier Golden Hawks, *148-142-290 +2
3. Laval Rouge et Or, *143-147-290 +2
4. UBC Thunderbirds, *145-147-292 +4
5. Waterloo Warriors, *144-149-293 +5

Top-5 Men’s – Individual

1. Jaron Brown, Laurier Golden Hawks, *35-34-69 -3
2. Charles Fitzsimmons, Western Mustangs, *35-34-69 -3
3. Michael Harrison, Augustana Vikings, *34-35-69 -3
4. Jackson Bowery, Western Mustangs, *36-34-70 -2
5. Gordon Gibson, Toronto Varsity Blues, *35-35-70 -2
6. Cameron Griffin, Humber Hawks, *34-36-70 -2
7. Nicholas Workun, Ottawa Gee Gees, *37-33-70 -2

Top-5 Women’s – Team

1. Laval Rouge et Or, *115-119-234 +15
2. UBC Thunderbirds, *116-119-235 +16
3. Victoria Vikes, *119-118-237 +18
4. Waterloo Warriors, *123-125-248 +29
5. Montréal Carabins, *121-129-250 +31

Top-5 Women’s – Individual  

1. Kate Johnston, UBC Thunderbirds, *35-38-73 E
2. Catherine Gariépy, Laval Rouge et Or, *34-40-74 +1
3. Sukriti Harjai, Victoria Vikes, *38-39-77 +4
4. Shania Remandaban, UBC Thunderbirds, *37-40-77 +4
5. Laura Upenieks, Toronto Varsity Blues, *39-38-77 +4

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Golf Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee have announced the four athletes on Canada’s golf team nominated to compete at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games.

The Canadian athletes nominated by Golf Canada for the Pan Am golf competition—which runs August 8-11, 2019 at the Country Club Villa—were determined based on an assessment of world rankings and head-to-head results among those with a declared intent to compete.

On the women’s side, 20-year-old Brigitte Thibault of Rosemère, Que. has accepted selection to the Pan Am golf team and will be joined by Mary Parsons of Delta, B.C. Thibault, a member of Golf Canada’s National Amateur Team, is coming off a standout sophomore season at Fresno State where she earned eight top-20 finishes and won the Mountain West Conference Championship.

In April, she was invited to compete in the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur.  Parsons, 20, is a sophomore at Indiana University where she won her first collegiate event at the Lady Boilermaker. She is a former member of the Team Canada Junior Squad and winner of the 2018 British Columbia Women’s Amateur.

The men’s team will be comprised of 22-year-old Austin Connelly of Lake Doucette, N.S., who resides in Irving, Tex., along with Team Canada Amateur Squad member Joey Savoie of La Prairie, Que. Connelly will make his second consecutive Pan Am Games appearance after finishing fifth at the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto. Connelly is a graduate of Golf Canada’s National Amateur Team Program (2015) who is currently playing with conditional status on the European Tour. In 2017, he finished T14 at The Open Championship in his major championship debut. Savoie is currently the top-ranked Canadian male golfer on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (No. 39). The 24-year-old won three times in 2018 including the Tailhade Cup, the Grant Clements Memorial and the Tennessee Open (pro event).

Golf Canada’s Women’s National Amateur Squad and Young Pro Squad Head Coach Tristan Mullally of Cambridge, Ont. will serve as coach for the 2019 Pan Am Golf Team.

Selection criteria among those considered for the Canadian Pan Am Golf Team was based on competitive standing inside the top-500 for women and inside the top-700 for men on the World Golf Ranking/Rolex World Ranking for professional golfers, as well as competitive standing inside the World Amateur Golf Ranking as of April 1, 2019. Players that met the selection criteria had until April 30, 2019 to notify Golf Canada of their interest in being considered for the 2019 Pan Am Golf Team.

The field for the 2019 Pan Am Golf Competition will include 32 women and 32 men competing in  women’s individual, men’s individual and mixed team competitions (low female and male score combined).

Lima 2019, which will run from July 26 to August 11, will bring together approximately 6,700 athletes from 41 nations of the Americas and feature 62 disciplines in 39 sports. It will be the largest sporting event ever held in Peru.

The athletes and coaches nominated are:

• Austin Connelly, Lake Doucette,S. (Men’s Golf Team)
• Joey Savoie, La Prairie, Que. (Men’s Golf Team)
• Brigitte Thibault, Rosemère, Que. (Women’s Golf Team)
• Mary Parsons, Delta, B.C. (Women’s Golf Team)
• Tristan Mullally, Cambridge, Ont. (Pan Am Golf Coach, Team Canada)

Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the COC’s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Federations in late June 2019.

ÎLE-BIZARD, Qué. – Matthew Anderson of Mississauga, Ont. showed composure beyond his years on a chilly day Monday, at Elm Ridge Country Club, just west of Montréal. The 19-year-old amateur earned low qualifier honours in dramatic fashion at the final regional qualifier for the 2019 RBC Canadian Open.

Since there were more than 100 players at the event, Anderson, by topping the field, gained direct entry into the RBC Canadian Open field.

“This is one of the best golfing days of my life, so far,” said Anderson, who turned 19 in April. “To play a PGA TOUR event, that’s something I’ve been dreaming of. It’s unbelievable that it’s actually happening.”

Anderson, who had one of the last tee times of the day, chased down St-Jérôme, Qué. native Tim Alarie. Alarie had built what looked to be an insurmountable lead after carding a 4-under-par 68.

Anderson bogeyed his first hole, but then went on a tear, knocking in five birdies and walking up to the 17^th tee tied with Alarie atop the leaderboard.

The University of San Francisco freshman birdied the par-5 17^th, then made par on the 18^th hole to secure an exemption into his country’s national open.

“I thought the lead may have been five-or six-under,” said Anderson, who didn’t know he was leading walking up to the 18^th green. “I wasn’t quite sure, but I knew if I got a par or birdie on 18, I had a chance.”

Anderson started three events with the University of San Francisco Dons this past season. He finished second at the 2018 Ontario Junior Boys’ Championship.

Alarie was atop the leaderboard for most of the day following a 4-under-par 68. The 28-year-old was strong on the front nine, notching four birdies to put himself temporarily in the low qualifier spot.

Étienne Brault, an amateur from Mercier, Qué., also put together a solid round, finishing at 3-under-69.

Alarie and Brault are among the 18 golfers advancing to the RBC Canadian Open Final Qualifier, which takes place Monday, June 3 at Heron Point Golf Links in Alberton, Ont.

The Québec regional qualifier was the third and final regional qualifying event. The first regional qualifier took place on May 6 at Kings Links by the Sea in Delta, B.C. and saw 10 golfers earn spots in the final qualifier. Michael Blair earned an exemption directly into the RBC Canadian Open as the low qualifier at the second regional qualifying event at TPC Toronto on May 16.

A minimum of four players from the 18-hole stroke play Final Qualifier on June 3 will gain entry into the RBC Canadian Open field.

Additional information and the full leaderboard can be found here.

THORNTON, Ont. – Tristan Renaud of Sudbury, Ont. came from behind, while Angela Arora of Surrey, B.C. held on to her lead to win their respective divisions at the Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship at Tangle Creek Golf & Country Club on Sunday.

Renaud started the final day five shots behind the lead, but that deficit didn’t last long. On his first hole, he made an eagle three on the 486-yard par five. Renaud put his game into cruise control, making par on his next 14 holes. Renaud would go on to finish the three-day event at 1 over.

“If you look at it on the scorecard it was pretty blemish-free, but there were a lot of good par saves and a lot of short-to mid-range putts I made,” said Renaud. “It wasn’t a scoring day per-se – the wind was strong, so I’m pretty happy with it.”

A bogey on the par-five 18^th made things tight at the top of the leaderboard, as Brandon White of Bourget, Ont. finished one-shot back at 2 over.

Yuqi Liu of Thornhill, Ont., Ben MacLean of Niagara Falls, Ont. and Logan Boucher of Beaconsfield, Que. finished in a three-way tie for third at 3 over.

Renaud, White, Liu, MacLean and Boucher all earn exemptions into the 2019 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, taking place August 11 to 15 at Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club in Hartland, N.B.

In junior girl’s action, Arora entered the day in the lead and shot a final-round 81 to withstand a strong push from Oakville, Ont., native Katie Cranston.

Cranston briefly held the lead, but a double bogey on the penultimate hole opened the door for Arora, who made par on each of her last four holes to clinch the title. Arora finished at 12 over par for the tournament to edge Cranston by a stroke.

“Today I had a really strong start,” said Arora. “I ended up getting into some trouble on the sixth hole, but I was also to cope and get over it. I knew I had to finish off strong because everyone was playing well.”

Finishing 3-shots back was Sarah Gallagher at 15 over par.

The duo of Madelin Boyd of Oshawa, Ont. and Victoria Zheng of Markham, Ont finished T4 at 21-over.

By finishing in the top five, Arora, Cranston, Gallagher, Boyd and Zheng earn exemptions into the 2019 Canadian Junior Girls Championship taking place July 29 to August 2 at Lethbridge Country Club in Lethbridge, Alta.

The first two Future Links, driven by Acura Championships junior girls’ title of 2019 have been won by Surrey, B.C. natives – Lauren Kim was victorious in the Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship in early May.

Full scoring and results can be found here.

KOMOKA, Ont. – Canada’s top student-athlete golfers will descend on FireRock Golf Club in Komoka, Ont. from May 28-31 for the 2019 Canadian University/College Championship.

2019 marks the 17^th playing of the event, which was established in 2003 by Golf Canada to give the country’s best college and university golfers a chance to compete at a national championship.

The Fanshawe College Falcons will host the event this year at the picturesque FireRock Golf Club.

Designed by Thomas McBroom, FireRock features captivating landforms, ragged handmade bunkers and environmentally significant Savannah grasses.

“We are thrilled to welcome the best Canadian student golfers to FireRock Golf Club,” said host club Director of Golf & Events Amanda Cosentino. “We’re looking forward to a competitive championship and showcasing our beautiful course.”

Golf Canada prides itself on conducting a top-notch tournament that is the highest level of national competition for college and university golfers in the country.

“The Canadian University/College Championship provides a unique opportunity for the best student-athlete golfers in Canada to represent their school and compete for a national championship,” said Tournament Director Dan Hyatt. “Golf Canada is proud to conduct this event to showcase the talent from universities and colleges across the country.”

In 2018, Avril Li went wire-to-wire to capture the women’s individual title and help the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds to their third consecutive Canadian University/College Championship. Li was the only female competitor to shoot under par, finishing at four-under, a full seven strokes ahead of the competition.

Daniel Campbell of the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades captured the individual men’s title by shooting three rounds in the 60s during the tournament. Campbell’s play helped UFV win the team title, becoming the first host school to win the team championship since 2014.

The 72-hole stroke play competition will feature 20 men’s teams and 12 women’s teams from across the country vying for the national championship titles.

Following the third round, the field will be reduced to the top 10 men’s teams and top six women’s teams, or any team within 15 shots of the lead. Individuals within 10 shots of third place will also make the cut, or any player within the top 10. Additional information regarding the 2019 championship can be found here.

FireRock Golf Club was selected by Golf Canada as the 2018 Future Links Facility of the Year.

FAST FACTS

The University of the Fraser Valley Cascades and the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds are this year’s defending champions in the Men’s and Women’s Division, respectively.

Last year, Daniel Campbell became the first non-UBC competitor to win the men’s individual title since 2013.

The UBC women have won 13 of the last 16 team event titles – easily the most in the competition’s history. The T-Birds also have the most men’s team championships with five.

The individual men’s and women’s champions receive exemptions into the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship and the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, respectively. The top three Men’s and Women’s individual finishers qualify for the FISU Universiade Games.

For pairings and additional information, click here.

Men’s Teams

Bishop’s University Gaiters
Brock University Badgers
Fanshawe College Falcons
Humber College Hawks
McGill University Redman
McMaster University Marauders
Queen’s University Gaels
St. Lawrence College Vikings
Université Laval Rouge et Or
Université du Montréal Carabins
University of Alberta Golden Bears
University of British Columbia Thunderbirds
University of the Fraser Valley Cascades
University of Guelph Gryphons
University of Manitoba Bisons
University of Ottawa Gee-Gees
University of Victoria Vikes
University of Waterloo Warriors
Western University Mustangs
Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks

Women’s Teams

Medicine Hat College Rattlers
Queen’s University Gaels
Université Laval Rouge et Or
Université du Montréal Carabins
University of British Columbia Thunderbirds
University of British Columbia – Okanagan Heat
University of Manitoba Bisons
University of Toronto Varsity Blues
University of Victoria Vikes
University of Waterloo Warriors
University of Windsor Lancers
Western University Mustangs

THORNTON, Ont. – Golf Canada’s second regional junior golf championship of 2019 is set to take place from May 24-26 as the Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship gets underway at Tangle Creek Golf & Country Club in Thornton, Ont.

With support from Golf Ontario, the Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship is the second of six regional junior championships presented in partnership with Acura. The 54-hole stroke play tournament will begin with a practice round on May 23, before the tournament gets underway with round one on May 24.

Since opening in 2002, Tangle Creek Golf & Country Club has quickly gained recognition as one of the premier golf facilities in the entire Greater Toronto Area. The course was nominated as “Best New Golf Course” in Canada in 2003 by Golf Digest and has been rated as one of Canada’s Top 100 Golf Courses by the Globe and Mail.

“Golf Canada and Golf Ontario are pleased to present the 2019 Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship,” said Rob Watson, this week’s Tournament Director and Competitions Coordinator at Golf Ontario. “We look forward to seeing some of Canada’s premier junior players showcase their skills as they navigate beautiful Tangle Creek Golf & Country Club.”

The field will consist of 87 junior golfers in the Junior Boys Division with the top five earning exemptions into the 2019 Canadian Junior Boys Championship on Aug. 11-15 at Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club in Hartland, N.B. A tie for the fifth position will be decided by a playoff following the conclusion of play.

The Junior Girls Division will feature 33 golfers with the top five (including ties) earning an exemption into the 2019 Canadian Junior Girls Championship on July 29-Aug. 2 at Lethbridge Country Club in Lethbridge, Alta.

Six additional Future Links, driven by Acura Championships will span the country this year;

• May 31-June 2 – Future Links, driven by Acura Western – Ponoka, Alta. – Wolf Creek Golf Resort
• June 7-9 – Future Links, driven by Acura Quebec – Joly, Que. – Club de golf Les Boisés de Joly
• June 14-16 – Future Links, driven by Acura Prairie – Yorkton, Sask. – Deer Park Golf Course
• July 16-18 – Future Links, driven by Acura Atlantic – Fredericton, N.B. – Mactaquac Golf Course
• 20-22 – Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series – Lachute, Que. – Club de golf Lachute
• 27-29 – Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series – Crown Isle Golf Resort – Courtenay, B.C.

Additional information regarding the 2019 Future links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship, including participants, start times and up-to-date results can be found here.

Prior to the championship on Thursday, May 23, Golf Canada and Special Olympics Canada will hold the second of two regional competitions in support of Special Olympics golf. The first event was held at Pitt Meadows Golf Club before the Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship. A field of 24 local athletes will compete over nine holes. Following the event, PGA of Canada professionals will conduct a clinic for Special Olympics coaches and athletes with focus on improving skills and leadership within the sport.

Notables

Nolan Piazza, Niagara Falls, Ont.
Piazza won the 2018 Ontario Junior Boys Championship. He is currently in the top 25 of Golf Ontario’s Order of Merit.

Emily Romancew, Pierrefonds, Que.
The winner of last year’s Future Links, driven by Acura Quebec Championship tees off in Ontario. Romancew also finished T3 at last year’s Future Links Fall Series.

Bennett Ruby, Waterloo, Ont.
The No.2-ranked competitor on Golf Ontario’s Order of Merit is coming in hot, having won the MJT – Spring Class at Galt Country Club in late April.

FAST FACTS

In 2019, Golf Canada is conducting its eight regional Future Links, driven by Acura championships in conjunction with the Provincial Associations.

The top five finishers in the boys’ division earn exemptions into the 2019 Canadian Junior Boys Championship.

The top five finishers (including ties) in the girls’ division earn exemptions into the 2019 Canadian Junior Girls Championship.

Current Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Maddie Szeryk won the 2013 Future Links Ontario Junior Girls title in 2013.

Friday’s opening-round pairings and more information on the event can be found here.

Admission to the vent is open to the public at no charge.