THORNHILL, Ont. — Max Sear was crowned the 2016 Investors Group Ontario Men’s Amateur champion at the Thornhill Club after an impressive 11-under final showing.

The Unionville, Ont., native was T3 at the 2015 edition of this event at the Peterborough Golf & Country Club in Peterborough, Ont. He looked to make good on lessons learned as he entered the final round with a three-shot advantage over the 60-man field.

A four-birdie showing kept the 19-year-old at even-par through the day to solidify an 11-under 273 tournament total.

“It felt really good to come out on top this year,” said Sear. “I think the big difference was my third round. Last year I had the lead after the second round, but shot four-over in the third round. This year I knew I had to keep my foot on the gas pedal, which I did. It was frustrating last year, but I learned a lot and I guess it paid off this year.”

Despite rocky conditions through the week, Sear’s steady game kept him in contention. “I felt like my game was in a good spot and had a lot of momentum coming off the first round. I think the real turning point for me was the final four holes during the second round. I went five-under on those four holes and that just sparked me. I came into the third round with a lot of confidence and went low. Everything seemed to work out for me after that.”

Keaton Jones of Kitchener, Ont., carded a final-round 1-over 72 to sit alone in second at 7-under. Charles Corner of Cayuga, Ont., trailed by three strokes to secure his place in third.

Sear, Jones, and Corner will represent Ontario in the inter-provincial team competition at the 2016 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club & Eagle Creek Golf Club in Ottawa-Gatineau, Aug. 8-11, .

For full tournament information, including the final leaderboard, click here.

WINDSOR, Ont. — The final round of the 2016 Investors Group Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship at Ambassador Golf Club hosted a crowded leaderboard as eight players remained within five strokes of the lead. Grace St-Germain of Team Canada’s Development Squad built up a four-stroke advantage through the final day of competition to emerge victorious.

The final group consisted of co-leaders Madeline Marck-Sherk (Ridgeway, Ont.), Rachel Pollock (Guelph) and St-Germain (Ottawa), who followed by one stroke.

St-Germain opened with four birdies on the front nine en route to a 1-under 71 final round. The 17-year-old recorded two additional birdies on the final stretch to secure her 2-under 286 victory.

“It feels amazing to win the Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship,” said St-Germain. “To have my name on this trophy with all of these great players is fantastic!”

St-Germain’s win did not come easily, as tough weather conditions and a challenging course were taxing on the final field of 53. “My putting was the strongest part of my game this week. Getting those birdies at the end of round three gave me a lot of confidence because I wasn’t playing very well. It gave me momentum coming into today.”

Richmond Hill’s Monet Chun remained even on the day for a share of second alongside Marck-Sherk at 2-over.

As a result of their Top-3 finishes, St-Germain and Chun will represent Ontario in the inter-provincial team competition at the 2016 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at the Ken-Wo Golf Club in New Minas, N.S., July 26-29. With some players electing not to participate in the event, Pollock has earned the third spot on Team Ontario’s roster. The 21-year-old finished the tournament tied for seventh at 5-over.

For full tournament information, including the final leaderboard, click here.

Qualicum Beach, BC – Fifteen-year-old Nolan Thoroughgood did not choke under the pressure, even though he himself thought he would. Instead the young man hung on for a 2-shot victory over Coquitlam’s A.J. Ewart, just 17-years old himself, in the 114th BC Men’s Amateur played at Pheasant Glen Golf Club.

Zach Anderson from Nanaimo finished in 3rd spot at 4-under, 1 shot back of Ewart. The Three will now make up BC’s Willingdon cup Team for 2016.

History was made at the 114th playing of the B.C. Amateur Championship. Twice. The tournament began with the legendary Doug Roxburgh teeing it up in his 50th straight B.C. Amateur. It ended Friday with the championship trophy being raised by the event’s youngest ever winner.

Nolan Thoroughgood, a 15-year-old Victoria resident who was competing in just the second four-round tournament of his young life, played with the poise of a seasoned veteran at Pheasant Glen Golf Resort. He closed with an even-par round of 72 for a 72-hole total of seven-under par to win by two shots over another promising junior, 17-year-old A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam.

Thoroughgood shot a five-under 67 in Tuesday’s first round at Pheasant Glen, but no one — not even Thoroughgood and his father Garth, who caddied for him — expected he would go on to win. “I didn’t expect to shoot five-under the first round,” Thoroughgood said. “I kind of expected myself to choke the second round. Didn’t. Kind of expected myself to choke in the third round. Didn’t. Today I didn’t expect to win, but I did. It still doesn’t really feel real.”

When he hoisted the championship trophy, the sun reflected off more than the shiny silver chalice. It also bounced off the braces worn by the smiling champion. Thoroughgood broke Adam Svensson’s record as youngest winner of the event.

Svensson, a Surrey resident who is now competing on the Web.com Tour, was 16 when he won the 2010 B.C. Amateur at Castlegar Golf Club. “That’s pretty cool,” said Thoroughgood, who turns 16 next month. “I still have to play the B.C. Juveniles.”

He will now play a lot more than that. His win gives him a spot on B.C.’s three-man Willingdon Cup team at next month’s Canadian Amateur Championships in Ottawa with Ewart and third-place finisher Zach Anderson of Nanaimo. He will also get a spot in the Canadian Junior Boys’ Championship, which goes Aug. 1-4 in St. John’s, Nfld.

Thoroughgood held his young nerves together for most of the round. He finally showed some butterflies on the 18th green when he raced his birdie putt eight feet past the hole. He missed his par putt and had to settle for bogey.

He also got a break with his tee shot on the par 5 10th hole, when he hooked his ball into the trees. “I was nervous on 10 because I knew I was two strokes up on Zach and I hooked one into the woods and I was like ‘oh, God, this is where I derail.’ But it kicked out and I was able to make birdie off a scenario that could be been a lot worse.”

His dad Garth was living and dying on every swing his son took. The two embraced for several seconds after Nolan sunk his final putt. “I am a little awestruck,” Garth Thoroughgood said of his son. “He kept his head all day today. I don’t think I helped him at all. I checked in with him, bumped knuckles, but as far as his nerves went, I think the first time I saw nerves was when he hit his putt long on 18 and missed the next one. I am just amazed he managed to pull that one together.

“His goal coming here was to make the cut and I thought, ‘okay, we’ll be here for four days in Parksville and it’s not such a bad place for a little holiday.’ It turned out to be a lot more than that.”

Thoroughgood has only been playing golf for four years. He entered the junior program at Royal Colwood Golf Club as an 11-year-old and quickly became passionate about the game. His Colwood friends say no one works harder at the game. He is also a straight A student who is about to enter Grade 11.

Some of his Colwood buddies made the trek north to watch the final round and dumped a bucket of ice water on him after he sealed the win on the 18th green. “I am just surprised and happy I kept my nerves together,” he said. “I was playing with a guy who goes to Washington State (Anderson) and another guy (Chris Crisologo) who is going to Simon Fraser. Both are big names and I don’t think anyone has heard of me until now. They have a lot more experience than I do and I was surprised I was able to pull through.”

Ewart recovered from a disastrous start to finish second at five-under par. He shot the day’s best round — a five-under 67 — despite triple-bogeying the first hole. Ewart has now finished second this year at the B.C. High School Championships, the B.C. Junior and the B.C. Amateur. “I got off a bad start, but I just got to the second tee and forgot about it,” Ewart said. “I was like, just play your game, get it back to under par and I’ll be happy. And I did that.”

Anderson, a 20-year-old who is about to enter his third year at Washington State, managed to close to within a shot of Thoroughgood early in the round. He said he was done in by his short game. Anderson finished solo third at four-under par after shooting a two-over 74 on Friday. “I would miss a green, have a real easy chip and not get it up and down,” Anderson said.

“I had a couple of three-putts. On 17, I had a pretty easy chip, but it just landed on the collar and took off. Nothing dropped for me again today. If I had putted the way I did the first two rounds I am sure I would have been a lot better.”

But Anderson said Thoroughgood deserves full credit for the way he played on Friday. “He held it together really well,” Anderson said. “Solid kid. It will be interesting to see how he will do in the future.”

Thoroughgood drew laughter in his remarks at the closing ceremony when he thanked his father. “I want to thank my Dad for driving me,” he said, “because I couldn’t.”

Thoroughgood got more than the championship trophy after his win. Donna Dutton, who owns the course with her husband Bill, made a trip into Qualicum Beach to buy some ice cream so she could make Thoroughgood a celebratory chocolate milk shake.

De Winton, Alta. – It may not have been the final day he was expecting, but after Cottonwood Golf and Country Club was forced to close the course due to heavy rains that flooded fairways this morning, Jaxon Lynn is the 2016 Alberta Junior Boys Champion. Lynn carded a tournament total of -6, 207, finishing eight strokes ahead of his nearest competitor.

Dedication and plenty of practice played a big part in Lynn’s win this week. When asked about his play throughout the tournament, Lynn responded, “on the first day, I didn’t putt very well. And then I spent about two hours on the putting green after the first round. Ever since then I started putting well.”

Chandler McDowell’s impressive third round, where he shot -5, 66, would prove to be enough as he walks away with the title of 2016 Alberta Juvenile Boys Champion.

The Alberta Junior Boys Interprovincial Team will consist of the respective champions, Lynn and McDowell, as well as Matt Bean who earned the final spot. Lynn and McDowell each shot a round of 66 throughout the tournament, and a 68 and 69 on days one and three propelled Bean to his impressive overall finish.

Alberta Golf would like to extend thanks to the staff at Cottonwood Golf and Country Club for their efforts in accommodating the 2016 Alberta Junior & Juvenile Championship. For final round standings from the championship, click here.

FAIRVIEW, P.E.I. – The 2016 CN Future Links Atlantic Championship concluded in much the same way it began – with Calvin Ross and Allison Chandler atop their respective leaderboards. The duo successfully persevered through blustery conditions at Countryview Golf Club to defend their 2015 Junior Boys and Junior Girls titles.

Calvin Ross completed the back-to-back victory with a 1-under final-round showing. The 17-year-old emerged victorious at the 2015 edition of this event at Gowan Brae Golf Club in Bathurst, N.B. A six-birdie day kept the Fredericton, N.B., native four strokes ahead of the 84-man field for a 4-under 212 final tally.

“It feels great to repeat. I played well all week and I’m excited that my work paid off,” said Ross. “The wind was moving the ball a lot in the air and knocking it down. As long as you kept the ball in play and made some low shots, it wasn’t too bad.”

Ross will make his third appearance at the Canadian Junior Boys Championship where he hopes to deliver his best result.

“I’ve improved every year. I was happy to make the cut in my first year and last year I was T43. This year, the goal is definitely to be in the Top-10, but if I’m playing really well, I might be looking to win.”

Nine Mile Creek, P.E.I., resident Alex Taylor carded a final-round 71 to move into second-place at even-par. Kevin Chen of Stratford, P.E.I., and Shaun Margeson of Fall River, N.S., claimed shares of third at 3-over. Corner Brook, N.L., native Andrew Bruce finished fifth with a 4-over 220 performance.

Tyler Hashmi (Charlottetown, P.E.I.) defeated Luke Gavin (Peterborough, Ont.) and Aubrey Farrell (Sydney Forks, N.S.) in a one-hole playoff to emerge from a three-way tie for sixth.

Ross, Taylor, Chen, Margeson, Bruce and Hashmi have earned exemptions into the 2016 Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Clovelly Golf Club in St. John’s N.L., from August 1-4.

Allison Chandler completed her wire-to-wire Junior Girls win with a 2-over 74 final round to finish at even-par 216. The Chester, N.S., native earned a 14-stroke victory to secure her second CN Future Links Atlantic Junior Girls title in as many years.

“I think I played through the wind really well. I had a few struggles from the green, but overall I was pretty happy,” said Chandler. “The greens were a little quick today because of the wind, but the course has otherwise been in great shape the past three days.”

A T22 finish at the 2015 Canadian Junior Girls Championship at Deer Park Municipal Golf Club in Yorkton, Sask., motivated Chandler throughout the week in her bid to return to the National Championship.

“With it being my last year on the Junior circuit, my goal is to finish higher than I have before. I’m just going to try and play as aggressively as I can without making too many mistakes.”

Heather McLean of Port Williams, N.S., shot 77 to move into second-place at 14-over, one-stroke ahead of Toronto’s Sarah Beqaj.

Competitors in the Top-6 in the Junior Girls division have secured their places into the Canadian Junior Girls Championship at The Links at Penn Hills in Shubenacadie, N.S., August 2-5. Chandler, McLean and Beqaj will be joined by Laura Jones (Moncton, N.B.), Meghan McLean (Port Williams, N.S.) and Laura Wesselius (Intervale, N.B.).

Additional information regarding the 2016 CN Future Links Atlantic Championship can be found here.

De Winton, Alta. – Kenna Hughes won a hard-fought battle on Thursday to edge out the defending champion, Katy Rutherford, who finished three shots back. Hughes carded 6 birdies en route to her victory, including three in a row on the back nine.

When asked to comment on her win, Hughes replied, “I hit my driver and irons well all week. It feels great to win considering I was struggling with my game earlier this season. I’m pleased to say I put together three solid rounds of golf.”

Taylor Stone of Pinebrook Golf & Country Club shot +21, 234, claiming victory in the Alberta Juvenile Girls Championship.

Kehler Koss, who recently won the 2016 CN Future Links Western Championship, finished third in the Alberta Junior Girls Championship, granting her a position on the interprovicial squad with Hughes. The final spot was claimed by Alicia Easthope, who finished in 4th. The Alberta Junior Girls Interprovincial Team will move on to compete in the Canadian Junior Girls Championship from August 2-5 at The Links at Penn Hills in Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia.

The third round of the Alberta Junior & Juvenile Boys Championship finished with Jaxon Lynn out in front for the Junior Boys and Chandler McDowell leading the Juvenile Boys. Lynn and McDowell shot -3, 68, and -5, 66, respectively in today’s round.

The final round of the junior and juvenile boys championship will commence at 7 a.m. on Friday, July 15.

Alberta Golf would like to extend thanks to the staff at Cottonwood Golf and Country Club for their efforts in accommodating the 2016 Alberta Junior & Juvenile Championship.

For final round standings from the championship, click here.

FAIRVIEW, P.E.I. – Ideal conditions and sunny skies set the stage for the second round of the CN Future Links Atlantic Championship at Countryview Golf Club. First-round co-leader Calvin Ross claimed sole possession of the Junior Boys lead, while Allison Chandler extended her advantage atop the Junior Girls division to 10 strokes.

Defending Junior Boys champion Calvin Ross carded a 70 to reach 3-under 141. The product of Fredericton, N.B., tallied four birdies across the front nine to build a four-stroke lead.

Alex Taylor of Nine Mile Creek, P.E.I., also posted a 2-under round, sinking five birdies in his final 12 holes. The 16-year-old alongside Kevin Chen (Stratford, P.E.I.), Jack Anderson (Halifax) and Shaun Margeson (Fall River, N.S.) hold shares of second at 1-over 145.

Chester, N.S., resident Allison Chandler shot 1-over 73 to further distance herself from her Junior Girls competitors. The 18-year-old defending champion sunk three birdies on the day to finish 2-under 142. Port Williams, N.S., native Meghan McLean sits in second at 8-over, while her younger sister Heather is one-stroke back in third following a 4-over second-round showing.

Laura Jones, who began the day in sixth-place, carded a 76 to climb into fourth at 11-over. The product of Moncton, N.B., claimed runner-up honours at the 2015 edition of this event at Gowan Brae Golf Club in Bathurst, N.B. Sarah Beqaj of Toronto sits fifth at 13-over.

The top six finalists in the Junior Boys Division will earn exemptions into the 2016 Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Clovelly Golf Club in St. John’s, N.L., from August 1-4. In the case of ties, exemptions will be decided via a hole-by-hole playoff. All competitors within the Top-6, including ties, in the Junior Girls Division will gain entry into the Canadian Junior Girls Championship. The tournament will be conducted from August 2-5 at The Links at Penn Hills in Shubenacadie, N.S.

The final day of competition will see the Junior Boys tee-off at 7:30 a.m. before the Junior Girls begin play at 10:10 a.m. Additional information, including pairings and up-to-date scoring is available here.

The 2016 RBC Canadian Open won’t be the only national golf competition taking place this coming week at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.

Twenty-five competitors from across Canada will converge at Glen Abbey on Saturday, July 16^th for the eighth annual CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge National Event, marking the culmination of more than 2,200 participants competing at 134 golf facilities across Canada. As determined by their standing on the National Leaderboard, the top 25 juniors in the country will compete in a four-part skills challenge (putting, chipping, driving and iron play) with one overall winner per age group and gender.

The highest skills challenge scorers from events across Canada during the 2016 golf season are listed below:

The winners of the CN Future Links Skills Challenge National Event in the boys and girls 15-18 age groups will receive an exemption into their local CN Future Links Championship in 2017. All other attending participants of the CN Future Links Junior Skills National Event will receive prizing courtesy of Titleist Footjoy.

On the Sunday prior to tournament week, junior participants will also have the opportunity to test the storied Glen Abbey layout in an exciting match play format, outfitted by program sponsor Cobra Puma Golf. Following that, participants will be provided weekly grounds passes and have an opportunity to be involved in Monday’s Pro-Am and secure a spot in Wednesday’s CN Future Links Walk with a Pro event during the Wednesday Pro-Am.

Click here to learn more about the CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge National Event.

Through separate qualifying events, six Canadians have punched their tickets to the U.S. Men’s Amateur next month.

Amateur Squad member Eric Banks of Truro, N.S., was the latest Team Canada athlete to secure his spot—posting a 66-71 on Tuesday to finish as medalist at the Crestwood Country Club in Rehoboth, Mass. His effort was matched by Joey Savoie of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., who bested the field at the Milford, Conn., event hosted at the Great River Golf Club. The Saint Leo freshman carded a 72-68 to earn medalist honours with a one-stroke advantage.

Team Canada’s Amateur Squad duo of Blair Hamilton and Hugo Bernard shared medalist honours on Monday in Hamilton, N.Y., to lock up the two available spots at the Seven Oaks Golf Course qualifying event.

The pair kept up a steady pace throughout the 36-hole stroke-play event, both carding totals of 139 (-5) to win the qualifier by one stroke. Bernard, a Mont-St-Hilaire, Que., product, made his push by going 3-under par on his final nine holes to secure his spot. Teammate and Burlington, Ont., native Hamilton’s final round was highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 5^th hole, cancelling out a double-bogey just two holes prior.

Canada’s Josh Goheen of Greely, Ont., finished two-strokes off the pace at 3-under par to become the second alternate from the Seven Oaks GC event.

Also in New York, Maxwell Sear of Unionville, Ont. bested the field at the Mendon Golf Club on Monday with a 69-68 to close at 5-under par. The West Virginia Mountaineer sophomore birdied three of his first five holes to boost him towards the one-stroke victory.

Rounding out the quintet is Canadian Kaleb Gorbahn of Smithers, B.C., won the Blaine, Wash., qualifying event last week.

All five Canucks will head to Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., from Aug. 15–21 to compete for the title, and one of two spots into The Masters in 2017. Canada’s Corey Conners (currently on the Young Pro Squad) finished as a finalist back in 2014, eventually going on to finish as top amateur at the 2015 Masters.

Click here for updated qualifier scoring.

Pumped for the US Am!! pic.twitter.com/U02YeCcPTj

— Eric Banks (@EricBanks19) July 12, 2016

T-1 in my US AM qualifier with 71-68!! Excited to play in the biggest amateur tournament in the world in august!! pic.twitter.com/nPrTA4LYkE

— hugo bernard (@Hbernard63) July 11, 2016

See you at Oakland Hills #USAmateur #hammythekid pic.twitter.com/yJumujVCYF

— Blair Hamilton (@BlairHamilton12) July 12, 2016

FAIRVIEW, P.E.I. – The first round of the 2016 CN Future Links Atlantic Championship opened under clear skies at Countryview Golf Club. Defending champion Allison Chandler holds a five-stroke advantage atop the Junior Girls division, while defending Junior Boys champion Calvin Ross, Sam Reid and Shaun Margeson share the lead.

Chandler captured the 2015 CN Future Links Atlantic Junior Girls title at Gowan Brae Golf Club in Bathurst, N.B. The Chester, N.S., native picked up where she left off, notching four birdies and an eagle on the par-5 fifth hole en route to a 3-under 69.

Meghan McLean of Port Williams, N.S., stayed bogey-free through her final 10 holes to take sole possession of second at 2-over. Toronto’s Sarah Beqaj sits third at 3-over following a four-birdie showing. An eagle on the par-5 12th hole propelled Sarah Holt of Waterville, N.B., into fourth-place, while Port Williams, N.S., resident Heather McLean holds fifth.

Calvin Ross recorded four birdies on the day in pursuit of a second-straight CN Future Links Atlantic Junior Boys title. The product of Fredericton, N.B., shot 1-under 71 for a share of the lead alongside Sam Reid of Moncton, N.B., and Shaun Margeson of Fall River, N.S.

Andre Savoie (Dieppe, N.B.), Luke Gavin (Peterborough, Ont.) and Adrian Mallet (Cornwall, P.E.I.) matched 72s to hold shares of fourth.

The top six finalists in the Junior Boys Division will earn exemptions into the 2016 Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Clovelly Golf Club in St. John’s, N.L., from August 1-4. In the case of ties, exemptions will be decided via a hole-by-hole playoff. All competitors within the Top-6, including ties, in the Junior Girls Division will gain entry into the Canadian Junior Girls Championship. The tournament will be conducted from August 2-5 at The Links at Penn Hills in Shubenacadie, N.S.

The second day of competition will see the Junior Girls tee-off at 7:30 a.m. before the Junior Boys begin play at 8:20 a.m. Additional information, including pairings and up-to-date scoring is available here.