Follow the story of Team Canada’s National Amateur Team at golfcanada.ca/teamcanada

Support Team Canada in their quest for greatness by donating through the Golf Canada Foundation

With golf making its return to the Summer Olympics all eyes may be looking ahead to 2016. However, there’s one stop on the road to Rio that’s worthy of notice first: the 2014 Youth Olympic Games.

Scheduled for August 16-28 in Nanjing, China, the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) is an international multi-sport event conducted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for athletes age 14-18. The 2014 edition will be the second-ever summer youth games; the inaugural event was hosted by Singapore in 2010. For the first time, golf will be among the 28 sports featured at the Youth Games. The top 26 countries on the world rankings will each select a male and female athlete to compete over an individual stroke play event as well as a mixed team competition. With the World Amateur Rankings used to determine which countries will compete, Canada is assured of fielding a team.

The Youth Games, along with the recent Toyota Junior World Cup in Japan and the inaugural World Junior Girls’ Golf Championship to be held in Ontario later this summer, provides an opportunity to benchmark the strength of Canada’s golf development program.

“These international events give us a strong indication where Canada stands on the world stage,” says Thompson. “Our boys have performed well at the Junior World Cup over the past few years and we’re excited that the girls now have their own world championship event. We expect them to perform well.”

The objective of the IOC in holding Youth Olympics is more than just conducting a sporting competition for elite young athletes. Its goal is to create a cultural experience and emphasize the power of sport to nurture positive attributes and develop good young citizens.

More than 100 youth from all walks of life have been selected as Young Ambassadors for the Games. As well as promoting the YOG and the Olympic values in their own countries, the role of the Young Ambassadors will be to help the athletes on their national teams get the most out of their YOG experience. They will encourage them to interact with people from different sports and backgrounds, to soak up new cultures and to take part in a unique program of activities and workshops, featuring sessions on healthy eating, injury prevention, anti-doping, careers in sport and media training. The lessons learned will equip the athletes with the sports skills to perform to the best of their ability on the field of play, and the life skills to be true ambassadors of their sport off the field of play, inspiring young people in their communities to get active and embrace the Olympic values. Although many of Canada’s top junior golfers have had the opportunity to compete internationally through Golf Canada’s national team program, the Youth Olympic Games will be an experience unlike any other.

“This is a significantly different competition in that it is a multi-sport games,” says Thompson. “Our team members will stay in an athletes’ village and have the opportunity to live and interact with competitors from all the other sports. They will participate in a number of cultural and educational events and, since they will be in Nanjing for up to 10 days, will really have the chance to soak in the Games atmosphere and enjoy the experience. We feel it will be a great opportunity for our young top-level golfers. One or more of these athletes could potentially be future Olympians.”

nanjing2014.org

TEAM CANADA SELECTION PROCESS

a. 1 spot per gender per country (1 male and 1 female athlete will be selected for Canada).

b. To be eligible for the 2014 Youth Olympic Games, athletes must have been born between January 1st 1996, and December 1st, 1998.

c. Athletes must be members in good standing with Golf Canada.

d. Must be a Canadian Citizen and hold a Canadian passport.

e. Athletes must sign and submit the COC Athlete Agreement and Eligibility Conditions no later than June 10, 2014.

f. Have a valid Canadian passport that does not expire on or before December 31, 2014

SELECTION INFORMATION – BOYS

a. Head-to-head results at national championships and other significant tournaments over the past 12 months ( June 1st 2013-June 1st 2014) in the following order of importance: Canadian national championships, USGA events; CN Future Links Championships, AJGA invitational events; Provincial championships; Other events such as Callaway Jr. Worlds, Jr. Orange Bowl and AJGA Open events.

b. Analysis of the golf rankings as of June 1st, 2014 using points accumulated over the past 12 months ( June 1st, 2013 – June 1st, 2014) in the following order of importance: 1. National Junior Boys Order of Merit; 2.National Men’s Amateur Order of Merit.

SELECTION INFORMATION – GIRLS

a. Head-to-head results at national championships and other signifi cant tournaments over the past 12 months ( June 1st 2013-June 1st 2014) in the following order of importance: Canadian national championships, USGA events; CN Future Links Championships, AJGA invitational events; Provincial championships; Other events such as Callaway Jr. Worlds, Jr. Orange Bowl and AJGA Open events

b. Analysis of the golf rankings as of June 1st, 2014 using points accumulated over the past 12 months ( June 1st, 2013 – June 1st, 2014) in the following order of importance: 1. National Junior Girls Order of Merit; 2. National Women’s Amateur Order of Merit.

For more information on the selection process contact Golf Canada’s Jeff Thompson at jthompson@golfcanada.ca.

With golf making its return to the Summer Olympics all eyes may be looking ahead to 2016. However, there’s one stop on the road to Rio that’s worthy of notice first: the 2014 Youth Olympic Games.

Scheduled for August 16-28 in Nanjing, China, the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) is an international multi-sport event conducted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for athletes age 14-18. The 2014 edition will be the second-ever summer youth games; the inaugural event was hosted by Singapore in 2010. For the first time, golf will be among the 28 sports featured at the Youth Games. The top 26 countries on the world rankings will each select a male and female athlete to compete over an individual stroke play event as well as a mixed team competition. With the World Amateur Rankings used to determine which countries will compete, Canada is assured of fielding a team.

The Youth Games, along with the recent Toyota Junior World Cup in Japan and the inaugural World Junior Girls’ Golf Championship to be held in Ontario later this summer, provides an opportunity to benchmark the strength of Canada’s golf development program.

“These international events give us a strong indication where Canada stands on the world stage,” says Thompson. “Our boys have performed well at the Junior World Cup over the past few years and we’re excited that the girls now have their own world championship event. We expect them to perform well.”

The objective of the IOC in holding Youth Olympics is more than just conducting a sporting competition for elite young athletes. Its goal is to create a cultural experience and emphasize the power of sport to nurture positive attributes and develop good young citizens.

More than 100 youth from all walks of life have been selected as Young Ambassadors for the Games. As well as promoting the YOG and the Olympic values in their own countries, the role of the Young Ambassadors will be to help the athletes on their national teams get the most out of their YOG experience. They will encourage them to interact with people from different sports and backgrounds, to soak up new cultures and to take part in a unique program of activities and workshops, featuring sessions on healthy eating, injury prevention, anti-doping, careers in sport and media training. The lessons learned will equip the athletes with the sports skills to perform to the best of their ability on the field of play, and the life skills to be true ambassadors of their sport off the field of play, inspiring young people in their communities to get active and embrace the Olympic values. Although many of Canada’s top junior golfers have had the opportunity to compete internationally through Golf Canada’s national team program, the Youth Olympic Games will be an experience unlike any other.

“This is a significantly different competition in that it is a multi-sport games,” says Thompson. “Our team members will stay in an athletes’ village and have the opportunity to live and interact with competitors from all the other sports. They will participate in a number of cultural and educational events and, since they will be in Nanjing for up to 10 days, will really have the chance to soak in the Games atmosphere and enjoy the experience. We feel it will be a great opportunity for our young top-level golfers. One or more of these athletes could potentially be future Olympians.”

nanjing2014.org

TEAM CANADA SELECTION PROCESS

a. 1 spot per gender per country (1 male and 1 female athlete will be selected for Canada).

b. To be eligible for the 2014 Youth Olympic Games, athletes must have been born between January 1st 1996, and December 1st, 1998.

c. Athletes must be members in good standing with Golf Canada.

d. Must be a Canadian Citizen and hold a Canadian passport.

e. Athletes must sign and submit the COC Athlete Agreement and Eligibility Conditions no later than June 10, 2014.

f. Have a valid Canadian passport that does not expire on or before December 31, 2014

SELECTION INFORMATION – BOYS

a. Head-to-head results at national championships and other significant tournaments over the past 12 months ( June 1st 2013-June 1st 2014) in the following order of importance: Canadian national championships, USGA events; CN Future Links Championships, AJGA invitational events; Provincial championships; Other events such as Callaway Jr. Worlds, Jr. Orange Bowl and AJGA Open events.

b. Analysis of the golf rankings as of June 1st, 2014 using points accumulated over the past 12 months ( June 1st, 2013 – June 1st, 2014) in the following order of importance: 1. National Junior Boys Order of Merit; 2.National Men’s Amateur Order of Merit.

SELECTION INFORMATION – GIRLS

a. Head-to-head results at national championships and other signifi cant tournaments over the past 12 months ( June 1st 2013-June 1st 2014) in the following order of importance: Canadian national championships, USGA events; CN Future Links Championships, AJGA invitational events; Provincial championships; Other events such as Callaway Jr. Worlds, Jr. Orange Bowl and AJGA Open events

b. Analysis of the golf rankings as of June 1st, 2014 using points accumulated over the past 12 months ( June 1st, 2013 – June 1st, 2014) in the following order of importance: 1. National Junior Girls Order of Merit; 2. National Women’s Amateur Order of Merit.

For more information on the selection process contact Golf Canada’s Jeff Thompson at jthompson@golfcanada.ca.

Niagara Falls, Ont. – Team Canada’s Brooke Henderson kept the momentum going after the U.S. Women’s Open by winning the Canadian Women’s Tour stop at Legends on the Niagara’s Battlefield Course in Niagara Falls, Ont.

With six birdies in Wednesday’s round, Henderson fired a bogey-free 6-under 66 to claim her second Canadian Women’s Tour title – she won the Canadian Women’s Tour Quebec stop in 2012 at age 14.

Henderson finished the tournament with a final score of 9-under-par 135, five strokes ahead of Stephanie Connelly after rounds of 69-66.

“Yesterday I was tied for the lead, so I knew I had to get a good round together.” Henderson said. “Coming in through nine I was 3-under and the girl ahead of me was 4-under for the day. I realized I needed to get in gear and was able to get four more birdies on the back nine.”

Henderson, 16, of Smiths Falls, Ont. is coming off of a successful month of play, finishing tied for 10th in the U.S. Women’s Open and claiming the Porter Cup title earlier in June.

Her win at this week’s event earns her an exemption into the 2014 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, taking place at the London Hunt and Country Club in London, Ont. in August.

“It’s definitely cool to get the exemption, I know I deserve it now instead of someone just giving me one, which I’m very grateful for too and I’ll take those anytime,” Henderson said. “I’m looking forward to going to the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open and seeing Lorie Kane as well as some other Canadian professionals out there.”

At the end of yesterday’s opening round, Henderson shared first place with Connelly of Fleming Island, Fla. Connelly finished at 4-under-par 140 to claim first place prize money. Simin Feng of Windermere, Fla. finished in solo third at 3-under 141, with Samantha Richdale of Kelowna B.C. at 2-under. Emily Childs finished in a tie for 5th at 1-under 143 with Australia’s Emma de Groot.

Niagara Falls, Ont. – Team Canada’s Brooke Henderson kept the momentum going after the U.S. Women’s Open by winning the Canadian Women’s Tour stop at Legends on the Niagara’s Battlefield Course in Niagara Falls, Ont.

With six birdies in Wednesday’s round, Henderson fired a bogey-free 6-under 66 to claim her second Canadian Women’s Tour title – she won the Canadian Women’s Tour Quebec stop in 2012 at age 14.

Henderson finished the tournament with a final score of 9-under-par 135, five strokes ahead of Stephanie Connelly after rounds of 69-66.

“Yesterday I was tied for the lead, so I knew I had to get a good round together.” Henderson said. “Coming in through nine I was 3-under and the girl ahead of me was 4-under for the day. I realized I needed to get in gear and was able to get four more birdies on the back nine.”

Henderson, 16, of Smiths Falls, Ont. is coming off of a successful month of play, finishing tied for 10th in the U.S. Women’s Open and claiming the Porter Cup title earlier in June.

Her win at this week’s event earns her an exemption into the 2014 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, taking place at the London Hunt and Country Club in London, Ont. in August.

“It’s definitely cool to get the exemption, I know I deserve it now instead of someone just giving me one, which I’m very grateful for too and I’ll take those anytime,” Henderson said. “I’m looking forward to going to the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open and seeing Lorie Kane as well as some other Canadian professionals out there.”

At the end of yesterday’s opening round, Henderson shared first place with Connelly of Fleming Island, Fla. Connelly finished at 4-under-par 140 to claim first place prize money. Simin Feng of Windermere, Fla. finished in solo third at 3-under 141, with Samantha Richdale of Kelowna B.C. at 2-under. Emily Childs finished in a tie for 5th at 1-under 143 with Australia’s Emma de Groot.

Niagara Falls, Ont. – On a windy day at Legends on the Niagara’s Battlefield Course Team Canada’s Brooke Henderson and Stephanie Connelly of Fleming Island, Fla. overcame tough conditions by firing 3-under 69’s to sit atop the leaderboard at the Canadian Women’s Tour Ontario stop.

Henderson, 16, of Smiths Falls, Ont. arrived in Niagara Falls fresh off of a T10 finish at the U.S. Women’s Open where she took home Low Amateur honours. On Tuesday, she continued her strong play by carding a bogey-free 3-under 69 that was highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 11th and an opening 3-under 33 front-nine.

“I started my second hole with an eagle on the par-5 so that sort of got things going,” Henderson said. “The back nine was a little bit rough, I didn’t make any birdies, just all pars.”

Sharing first place alongside Henderson is Connelly, who carded four birdies to close out her back nine.

“I started out really consistent, I was making a lot of pars,” Connelly said. “I haven’t played in a Canadian LPGA event in a couple of years, but I would love to play in the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.”

Behind Henderson and Connelly, amateur Simin Feng, 19, of Windermere, Fla. and Emma de Groot of Sydney, Australia are tied for third after 1-under 71’s. Defending champion Emily Childs of Alameda, Calif., sits tied for fifth alongside Montreal’s Sabrina Sapone, Mari Chun of Pearl City, Hawaii and Natalie Gleadall of Stratford, Ont., at 1-over par.

The final round will begin on split tees (Nos. 1 and 10) at 8:00 a.m. EST on Wednesday, June 25th. For more information click here.

PINEHURST, N.C. – There’s no doubting Team Canada’s Brooke Henderson knows how to rise to the occasion.

She’s won major amateur events like the Porter Cup and the Spirit Invitational. She’s the youngest golfer ever to win a professional golf title. And now, in perhaps her biggest feat to date, the 16-year-old Smiths Falls, Ont. native captured low amateur honours at the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open at Pinehurst No. 2 – where she finished tied for 10th at 5-over 285 on the devious track.

“There’s a lot of great amateurs here that qualified this week,” said Henderson following her round Sunday in North Carolina. “It’s very exciting, that’s for sure. The best players in the world are here and to know that I’m right up there, it’s really awesome. I still have a long way to go to where I want to be in the next couple years, but it’s really exciting to know that I have the potential and it was a great finish here this week.”

Henderson, who had her sister Brittany as her caddie this week, improved on the tie for 59th she recorded in her first Women’s U.S. Open last year at Southampton, N.Y. She credited her ball striking in the final round for part of the improvement.

“Ball striking was really big for me today,” she added. “I made two mistakes off the tee which cost me a double and a bogey, but other than that, I was hitting it really well and had a couple tap-in birdies, which is really nice.”

She had five birdies, two bogeys and a double on Sunday to be exact for a 69, her lowest round of the week. A round she likely didn’t see coming a week ago.

“When I first got here I was like, wow, this is an extremely tough course and it’s going to take four really solid rounds to even make the cut and then to climb up the leaderboard like I did,” Henderson admitted. “But I was almost intimidated the first couple days and then as I got playing and I started to hit the ball really well, I knew where to hit it on the fairways and where to hit it on the greens and I became much more confident. And today, right now, I sort of wish there was another round to go back out there, but I’ll have to wait until next year.”

Thanks to her finish at Pinehurst, Henderson automatically qualifies for the 2015 U.S Women’s Open being contested at Lancaster Country Club in Lancaster, Pa.

Henderson outlasted the world’s top women’s amateur golfer in Australia’s Minjee Lee, who finished 3-shots back of Henderson at 8-over 288, to claim the low amateur title.

“Well, Minjee is an amazing player,” explained Henderson. “She’s ranked No. 1 in the world as amateurs and she’s been at a lot of pro events and she always plays really well. Coming in that (winning low amateur) wasn’t necessarily my goal, but it’s nice that it happened.”

Brooke and Brittany will have little time to relish in the moment. The pair headed north Sunday evening as they will face off against each other, and others, at the Canadian Women’s Tour event at Legends on the Niagara’s Battlefield Course in Niagara Falls, Ont. which gets underway Tuesday. For more details on that event – which offers an exemption into the 2014 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open – and the Canadian Women’s Tour, click here.

And, click here to watch an interview with Brooke following her final round at the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open.

Brooke Henderson rallied back from a nine-stroke deficit firing a 9-under 62 on Friday afternoon to win the Porter Cup at Niagara Falls Country Club in Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont. carded two eagles and five birdies during her final round to win by three strokes over Calgary’s Jennifer Ha. The Team Canada member finished at 205 for the championship after rounds of 75-68-62 and was the only player to post a sub-70 round on the final day.

Brooke Henderson – 2014 Porter Cup Champion

The 16-year-old has been on an impressive run in 2014 having already won the Spirit Invitational and the South Atlantic Amateur. She also finished tied for 26^th at the LPGA’s Kraft Nabisco Championship and T45 at the LPGA Manulife Financial Classic. She will play in the U.S. Women’s Open next week at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina after making it through qualifying in May. Henderson finished tied for 59^th at the 2013 U.S. Women’s Open.

Team Canada’s Jennifer Ha of Calgary finished in a tie for second with Princess Superal of the Philippines after a final round 74, while Augusta James of Bath, Ont. and Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont. ended the tournament in fourth place with a 211 total.

For final results click here.

WATERLOO, Ontario – Shanshan Feng took a two-stroke lead Saturday in the LPGA Tour’s Manulife Financial Classic, shooting a 4-under 67 in calm conditions at Grey Silo.

The 24-year-old Chinese player had a 15-under 198 total. She made a 30-foot eagle putt on the par-5 fifth, had two birdies and dropped her first stroke of the week with a bogey on the par-4 16th.

“I got off to a very good start, 4 under through six holes,” Feng said. “Then actually, I couldn’t make a lot of putts. I missed a lot of birdie putts, plus one bogey, so actually I dropped back one shot. My goal is to get to 25 under. Of course, now I’m 15, so if I want to get to 25 tomorrow, I need to shoot 10 under.”

Feng won twice late last year after taking the 2012 LPGA Championship to become the first Chinese winner in LPGA Tour history.

“I think tomorrow I have no pressure,” Feng said.

Michelle Wie and second-ranked Inbee Park were tied for second. Wie had a 65, and Park shot a bogey-free 65.

Wie, the winner in Hawaii in April, is seeking her second victory in Canada after winning the 2010 Canadian Women’s Open in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

She rebounded from bogeys on No. 2 and 3 with birdies on Nos. 4 and 6.

“Yeah, quite a shaky start,” Wie said. “I missed a good birdie opportunity on the first hole and I kind of duck hooked it on the second hole and had to take an unplayable, and actually it was a really good bogey.

“Then I kind of hooked it on the next hole, hit it in the bunker. So I just couldn’t get my tempo right in the beginning, but definitely felt like I finished strong. Definitely the start that I had today, I’m really happy with the way I finished.”

Park is winless in 10 tour starts this season after sweeping the first three majors last year and finishing the season with six victories.

“I played really well on the front nine,” Park said. “I holed a lot of putts. I feel like I hit the ball great today. I had a lot of opportunities on the back nine also, but just missed a couple putts. I think overall it was a very good day. Just give myself a chance for tomorrow.”

Cristie Kerr was 12 under after a 65.

“Mentally, I was very good today,” Kerr said. “I’ve just got to take that into tomorrow.”

Third-ranked Lydia Ko and Anna Nordqvist were 11 under. The 17-year-old Ko had a 64, the best round of the day, and Nordqvist shot 69.

Ko, the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic winner in California in late April, won the Canadian Women’s Open as an amateur the last two years.

“You never know what’s going to happen,” Ko said. “There’s always another 18 holes. … I’ve just got to play my own game and see where it goes.”

Defending champion Hee Young Park, tied for the second-round lead with Feng, had a 72 to drop into a tie for seventh at 10 under.

Top-ranked Stacy Lewis was 7 under after a 69. She won last week in New Jersey to take the top spot in the world from Inbee Park.

Alena Sharp shot 65 to sit tied for 23rd, while Sue Kim of Langley, BC is among the group currently tied for 33rd after shooting 67 in round 2. LPGA Tour rookie Jennifer Kirby of Paris, Ont. and 16 year old amateur Brooke Henderson of Smiths, Falls, Ont. both carded 69 to close the day tied for 50th.

WATERLOO, Ontario – Michelle Wie and defending champion Hee Young Park shared the first-round lead at 6-under 65 on Thursday in the Manulife Financial Classic at windswept Grey Silo.

Wie, the winner in Hawaii in April, birdied three of the last four holes in her morning round. She’s seeking her second victory in Canada after winning the 2010 Canadian Women’s Open in Winnipeg.

Park had a bogey-free round in the afternoon. Last year, the South Korean player beat Angela Stanford on the third playoff hole after they finished at 26-under 258 to match the tour record for lowest total score.

China’s Shanshan Feng was a stroke back, and countrywoman Xi Yu Lin matched Cristie Kerr with a 67.

Stacy Lewis had a 69 in her first round since taking the top spot in the world with a victory Sunday in New Jersey. Second-ranked Inbee Park also shot 69, and No. 3 Lydia Ko had a 71.

Team Canada’s Brooke Henderson, 16, leads the nine player Canadian contingent. The Smiths Falls, Ont. native who is the world’s No. 3 ranked women’s amateur opened with a 1-under 70. She finished her opening-round with consecutive birdies on Nos. 17 and 18.

Sue Kim of Langley, B.C. and Jennifer Kirby of Paris, Ont. were a stroke back after even-par 70s, leaving them tied for 54th.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp, Charlottetown’s Lorie Kane and Erica Rivard of Tecumseh, Ont. were tied for 87th at 2-over 73.

Maude-Aimee LeBlanc (74) of Sherbrooke, Que. was tied for 101st.

Toronto’s Rebecca Lee-Bentham and Brantford, Ont.’s Nicole Vandermade fired matching 75s and were tied for 111th.