HALIFAX, N.S. – Sunny weather conditions made for an exceptional start at Ashburn Golf Club (New Course) as the opening round of the 109th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship presented by BDO kicked off Tuesday morning. The leaderboard fluctuated throughout the day, but Team Canada’s Brooke Rivers shot a 7-under 65 during the opening round to break the Ashburn Women’s competitive course record, to place herself atop the leaderboard.

The 18-year-old from Brampton, Ont., carded a total of seven birdies, four on the front and three on the back. On the front she birded the par-5 second hole, par-4 fourth hole, and back-to-back on the par-4 sixth hole and the par-4 seventh hole. On the back, she again went back-to-back with birdies on the par-4 eleventh hole and par-5 twelfth hole and added another on the par-4 fifteenth hole to finish her impressive round.

“I think the most important thing for today was my game plan. Making sure that I knew where to leave the ball in order to have the appropriate putt and giving myself the easiest chance to make birdie,” said Rivers. “It’s a four-day event, there’s lots of golf to play but the first day just shows that I had the right plan going into the round and that I can continue that plan with hitting my targets and shots.”

Team Canada’s Lauren Kim carded a total of five birdies firing a 5-under 67 to sit in second place after the opening round.

“I just came back from the U.S girls’ championship and played pretty well, so I wasn’t coming into today with many expectations. It’s a new course and tournament so its good to come into it with an empty mind and no expectations,” said Kim. “Coming into today I was hoping to shoot even par since I know this is a pretty difficult course, the greens are pretty tricky so during the round I wasn’t thinking about much. “I think I need to go into tomorrow with the same mindset, no expectations.”

Maisie Filler of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., shot 4-under 68 carding a total of four birdies to sit in third place heading into round two of the 109^th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.

Five other Canadians ended round one inside the top-10, including defending champion and Team Canada member Monet Chun who is currently in a three-way tie for fourth after shooting 2-under 70 during the first round. Chun finished round one with a total of two birdies, both on the back nine.

The highlight of the day – and quite possibly the tournament – belonged to Chloe Wills from Kyle, Sask., and Team Canada member, Angela Arora from Surrey, B.C. Wills shot a six iron into the 161-yard par-3 fourteenth hole and Arora fired a hybrid into the 198-yard par-3 eighth hole to watch their balls drop for a hole-in-one.

Team Ontario, consisting of Jasmine Ly of Windsor, Ont., Joline Truong of Mississauga, Ont., and Sydney Naro of Toronto, Ont., lead the Inter-Provincial team competition at 4-over. Team British Columbia, looking to defend their title are four strokes back of Ontario, and sit 8-over after the first round.

The 2023 champion of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship will earn an exemption into the 2023 CPKC Women’s Open and the 2023 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship.

For the full leaderboard click here.

GOLF CANADA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Golf Canada annually conducts more than 30 golf competitions and qualifiers nation-wide – including nine National Amateur Championships – which play host to more than 3,000 domestic and international athletes from all corners of the world. In partnership with our host clubs, thousands of volunteers, provincial golf associations and our proud sponsors, Golf Canada is dedicated to supporting player development through world-class competition since our inception in 1895. Officiated by certified Canadian Rules of Golf officials, Golf Canada’s amateur competitions are fully compliant with golf’s international governing bodies and include marquee events such as the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships as well as the Canadian Junior Girls and Junior Boys Championships. Golf Canada’s amateur championships are proudly supported by BDO Canada, CPKC, Titleist, FootJoy, Sport Canada, Levelwear and JOURNIE Rewards. For more information and scheduling visit www.golfcanada.ca/championships.

Halifax, N.S. – The 109th installment of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, gets underway next week at Ashburn Golf Club (New) in Halifax, N.S.

The championship, which was first contested in 1901, is one of the longest standing amateur golf events in the world. The inaugural tournament at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Que., featured only three players and over a century later, 156 players will look to etch their name onto the Duchess of Connaught Gold Cup in 2023.

“Golf Canada is extremely excited to bring the storied Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship to Halifax and welcome a premiere field of Canadian and International talent,” said Golf Canada tournament director Mary Beth McKenna. “The 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship will be a memorable event for all players, officials, club staff and volunteers involved, and we are grateful to our hosts, Ashburn Golf Club, for all their efforts. We know the players will enjoy this incredible course and the club’s Atlantic hospitality.”  

Practice rounds are scheduled for Monday July 31, before the official 72-hole stroke play competition begins on August 1. Play is scheduled to wrap up on August 4, followed by an awards ceremony and champions reception. The field will be cut to the low 70 players (including ties) after 36 holes.

The tournament will welcome the return of 40 international players 21 from the United States, nine from Australia, three from Chinese Taipei, and representation from England, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand are slated to tee up at Ashburn Golf Club this week.

Also being reintroduced this year is the Inter-Provincial team competition. The Inter-Provincial Championship will be played in conjunction with the first 36 holes of the competition with three-player teams vying for the team title. Team British Columbia – composed of Yan Jun (Victoria) Liu, Leah John, and Ha Young Chang are the reigning champions from 2022.

The 156 player field features 10 members of Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad led by defending champion Monet Chun (Richmond Hill, Ont.) along with teammates Angela Arora (Surrey, B.C.), Brook Rivers (Brampton, Ont.), Céleste Dao (Notre-Dame-De-l’île-Perrot, Que.), Katie Cranston (Oakville, Ont.), Lauren Kim (Surry, B.C.), Lauren Zaretsky (Thornhill, Ont.), Leah John (Vancouver, B.C.), Michelle Liu (Vancouver, B.C.), and Nicole Gal (Oakville, Ont.).

The NextGen Squad will also be well-represented with 10 members of the junior team slated to compete: Alissa Xu (Richmond Hill, Ont.), Anna Huang (Coto De Caza, Calif.), Carlee Meilleur (Lansdowne, Ont.), Lindsay McGrath (Oakville, Ont.), Luna Lu (Burnaby, B.C.), Martina Yu (Coquitlam, B.C.), Michelle Xing (Richmond Hill, Ont.), Vanessa Borovilos (Etobicoke, Ont.), Vanessa Zhang (Vancouver, B.C.) and Yeji Kwon (Port Coquitlam, B.C.).

West Vancouver’s Jenny Guo is the youngest player in the field at the age of 11 and there are five members of Ashburn Golf Club teeing it up this week: Abbey Baker, Annika Parkash, Haley Baker, Lori Diturbide and Brittany Anderson.

The purse payout that was introduced in 2022 will continue at this year’s championship. To align with the modernized Rules of Amateur Status, players at the Canadian Amateur Women’s Championship will compete for a purse of $8,000 CAD. Amateur golfers may accept prize money up to a maximum of $1,200 CAD, and payouts will be awarded to the top-10 finishers and ties.

Ashburn Golf Club is one of the most esteemed clubs in Canada and has played a significant role in Halifax for almost a century. Designed by legendary architect Stanley Thompson, the development of the new course at Ashburn commenced in 1965. Land near Kinsac Lake in Windsor Junction was identified and acquired, spanning an impressive 600 acres. To lead the project, the club turned to the expertise of Geoffrey Cornish, a distinguished member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and renowned golf designer who had previously worked alongside Thompson. New Ashburn rapidly became recognized as one of the finest courses in Eastern Canada.

“New Ashburn has a long history of hosting world-class events, and our team is excited and ready to showcase our golf course and facilities to some of the best female golfers in the world,” said Gordie Smith, General Manager at Ashburn Golf Club. “With over 100 volunteers in place, our membership has fully committed to ensuring that the event is spectacular. The whole club has stepped up in preparation and we can’t wait to welcome everyone to the East Coast to get this incredible championship started.”

The Championship was first contested in 1901 and operated by the former Canadian Ladies Association (CLGA) until the amalgamation of CLGA and Royal Canadian Golf Association (now Golf Canada) in 2005.

The Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship was last played in 2022 at Westmount Golf & Country Club in Kitchener, Ont. Team Canada National Squad member Monet Chun was crowned champion after firing 5-under to win the national championship by two shots over Alissa Xu.

With Lauren Zaretsky’s win in 2021 and Chun’s win in 2022, the competitors became the first Canadian duo to win back-to-back since Brooke Henderson and Augusta James captured the national title in 2013 and 2014.

Along with the championship’s storied history comes a coveted roster of competitors including Marlene Stewart Streit, a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, who sits atop the class with 11 victories and five runner-up finishes at the national event. The tournament has proven to be a launch pad for some of golf’s brightest young stars—Ariya Jutanugarn (2012), Brooke Henderson (2013), Hye-Jin Choi (2016), Jennifer Kupcho (2017) and Yealimi Noh (2018) are previous winners who now compete on the LPGA Tour.

The 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur champion will receive an exemption into the 2023 CPKC Women’s Open, 2023 U.S Women’s Amateur Championship and the 2024 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.

More information about the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship can be found here.

GOLF CANADA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Golf Canada annually conducts more than 30 golf competitions and qualifiers nation-wide – including nine National Amateur Championships – which play host to more than 3,000 domestic and international athletes from all corners of the world. In partnership with our host clubs, thousands of volunteers, provincial golf associations and our proud sponsors, Golf Canada is dedicated to supporting player development through world-class competition since our inception in 1895. Officiated by certified Canadian Rules of Golf officials, Golf Canada’s amateur competitions are fully compliant with golf’s international governing bodies and include marquee events such as the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships as well as the Canadian Junior Girls and Junior Boys Championships. Golf Canada’s amateur championships are proudly supported by BDO Canada, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), Titleist, FootJoy, Sport Canada, Levelwear and JOURNIE Rewards. For more information and scheduling visit www.golfcanada.ca/championships.

Championship schedule to include ten National Amateur Championships presented by BDO, eight NextGen Championships fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, and the World Junior Girls Golf Championship presented by Sargent Farms in addition to Canada’s National Open Championships – the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open

Golf Canada will also conduct qualifiers for several USGA Championships including Local and Regional Qualifying for the U.S. Open as well as the U.S. Women’s Open, U.S. Men’s and Women’s Amateurs and U.S. Junior Girls and Boys Championships

(March 15, 2023) Golf Canada is pleased to announce its 2023 championship schedule, which includes amateur and professional competitions in addition to various qualifiers hosted at venerable golf facilities across Canada.

The 2023 schedule is headlined by Golf Canada’s two signature National Open Championships — the RBC Canadian Open, June 5-11, at first-time host Oakdale Golf and Country Club in Toronto and the CP Women’s Open to be conducted at Vancouver’s Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club Aug. 21-27.  

Golf Canada’s 2023 competition calendar also includes ten National Amateur Championships presented by BDO, eight NextGen Championships fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, and the World Junior Girls Golf Championship presented by Sargent Farms.

As the National Sport Federation and governing body of golf in Canada, Golf Canada conducts the country’s premier amateur and professional golf championships to support the development of the nation’s top talent through world-class competition.

“After a wonderful return to a full championship schedule for 2022, we are pleased to continue that momentum in 2023 and welcome thousands of talented athletes to our national championships,” said Mary Beth McKenna, Golf Canada Director, Amateur Championships and Rules. “Together with our corporate partners, our generous host clubs across the country, and all the volunteers that make these championships possible, we are looking forward to another great season of championship golf.”

Each of Golf Canada’s championships are set to be contested at some of Canada’s top clubs including the Canadian Men’s Amateur heading to The Pulpit Club’s 36 holes (Pulpit Course and Paintbrush Course) in Caledon, Ont. while the Canadian Women’s Amateur will be played at Ashburn Golf Club (New Course) in Halifax.

New for 2023 include the winners of both the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur receiving an exemption into the respective USGA Championships. This marks the inaugural time this is on offer for the winner of the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur, which will be, for the first time, a stand-alone event.

Each of the National Junior and Amateur Championships will include $8,000 purses with $1,200 of that going to the respective champions. Financial Assistance Grants supported by Gary Cowan Heritage Fund and the Canadian Senior Golf Association will once again be available for Juniors competing in the Canadian Junior Championships who meet eligibility requirements which can be found here.

Golf Canada will also conduct several professional and amateur championship qualifiers including five regional qualifiers into the RBC Canadian Open as well as final qualifiers for both the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open.

Other notable qualifiers being conducted for USGA Championships on the 2023 schedule include a U.S. Open Local and Final Regional Qualifier and a first-ever U.S. Women’s Open Qualifier in addition to qualifiers for the U.S. Junior Amateur and Girls’ Junior Championships, the U.S. Women’s Amateur, and the U.S. Amateur Championships.  

Golf Canada’s championship season kicks off May 1 with a U.S. Open Local Qualifier at Cherry Hill Club in Ridgeway, Ont. and concludes the week of October 7 with both the NextGen Fall Series West at The Hills at Portal Golf Club in Surrey, B.C., and the World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms at the Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, Ont.

To view Golf Canada’s 2023 Championship Schedule, including all host venues, registration requirements and volunteer opportunities, click here.

2023 Championship Season at a Glance…

The 19th playing of the Canadian University/College Championship, presented by BDO will be held May 29-June 2 at Fire Rock Golf Club in Komoka, Ont. The championship includes both a team and individual component featuring Canada’s top university and college talent.

The 109th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO takes place July 31 – Aug. 4 at Ashburn Golf Club in Halifax, N.S. with the champion earning an exemption into the 2023 CP Women’s Open, as well as an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. The winner also receives exemptions into the 2024 U.S. Girls’ Junior, 2023 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur and 2024 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championships, if applicable.

The 68th Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO will be contested July 23-27 at Hampton Golf Club in Hampton, N.B. where the winner will earn an exemption into the 2024 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship and the 2024 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship.

The 118th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO will be contested August 7-10 at The Pulpit Club in Caledon, Ont. The event will be played over the Pulpit and Paintbrush 18-hole layouts. A maximum field of 264 players will be cut to the low 70 players and ties after 36 holes, with the final two rounds contested at Pulpit. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2024 RBC Canadian Open, as well as an invitation to the 2023 U.S. Amateur Championship. The winner will also receive an exemption from local qualifying for the 2024 U.S. Open, and if applicable, will earn an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Mid-Amateur, 2023 U.S. Senior Amateur or 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur Championships.

The 84th playing of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO will be contested August 13-17 at North Bay Golf & Country Club in North Bay, Ont.  The champion will receive an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship and 2024 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

The Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, presented by BDO will be held August 20-24 at Algonquin Golf Resort in St. Andrews, N.B.

The Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship presented by BDO will be held July 24-27 at Mad River Golf Club in Creemore, Ont., the first year that the championship will be conducted as a standalone event. 

The Canadian Women’s Senior Championship presented by BDO will take place August 29-September 1 at Mill River Golf Resort in O’Leary, P.E.I.  The Senior Champion will receive an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Women’s Senior Championship and 2024 U.S. Women’s Senior Open.

Big Sky Golf Club in Pemberton, B.C. will play host to the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship September 4-8, with the champion earning an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship.

The third playing of the Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, a national championship for players with neurological, intellectual, sensory, and physical impairments, will be held September 13-15 at Kamloops Golf and Country Club in Kamloops, B.C.

The NextGen Championships, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards is a high-performance junior golf series which totals eight competitions. From May to July, six championships will take place across Canada where the region’s best junior golfers will compete to earn exemptions into their respective 2023 national championships. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf. The 2023 NextGen Championship host clubs include: Sunshine Coast Golf and Country Club (Roberts Creek, B.C.), Peterborough Golf and Country Club (Peterborough, Ontario), Athabasca Golf Club (Athabasca, Alberta), Evergreen Golf Club (Nipawin, Saskatchewan), Club de Golf Venise (Magog, Quebec), and Avondale Golf Club (Charlottetown, PEI). An additional two Fall Series championships will take place in September and October, where players will compete for exemptions into their respective 2024 national junior championships. 

An accomplished field of international competitors will take on Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, Ont. from October 2-7 for the eighth playing of the World Junior Girls Golf Championship presented by Sargent Farms. Look for 25 countries playing as 3-member squads competing for both a team and individual title. 

GOLF CANADA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Golf Canada annually conducts more than 30 golf competitions and qualifiers nation-wide – including nine National Amateur Championships – which play host to more than 3,000 domestic and international athletes from all corners of the world. In partnership with our host clubs, thousands of volunteers, provincial golf associations and our proud sponsors, Golf Canada is dedicated to supporting player development through world-class competition since our inception in 1895. Officiated by certified Canadian Rules of Golf officials, Golf Canada’s amateur competitions are fully compliant with golf’s international governing bodies and include marquee events such as the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships as well as the Canadian Junior Girls and Junior Boys Championships. Golf Canada’s amateur championships are proudly supported by BDO Canada, Canadian Pacific, Sport Canada, Levelwear, Titleist,  FootJoy and JOURNIE Rewards. For more information and scheduling visit www.golfcanada.ca/championships.

KITCHENER, Ont. – On a day where her idol, Brooke Henderson, made history overseas, Monet Chun added her own name to the record books by winning the 108^th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO.

Chun, 21, fired an even-par 73 to win the national championship by two shots over Alissa Xu. With the win comes an exemption into the CP Women’s Open at Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club, August 22-28, as well as a spot in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, August 8-14, at Chambers Bay.

“I was coming into this week just trying to put together a couple of good rounds, but I’m happy that it worked out,” said Chun. “Coming into the stretch was a little bit stressful just because it was getting pretty close there, but I didn’t really change too much in my game.”

With a six-stroke advantage entering the day, the stage was set for Monet Chun on Friday at Westmount Golf & Country Club, and she did not disappoint. All day, crowds followed the lead group through the fairways at Westmount Golf & Country Club and the support did not go unnoticed.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had a crowd that big following me around. It’s pretty cool to get some local people just watching and, yeah, I had a lot of fun,” said the Michigan University product.  

Along with the Duchess of Connaught Gold Cup, Chun will take home a cheque of $1,200. To align with the modernized Rules of Amateur Status, players at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, competed for a purse of $8,000 CAD. Along with Chun, top-10 finishers and ties earned a piece of the prize money.

With Lauren Zaretsky’s win in 2021, the pair become the first Canadian duo to win back-to-back since Henderson and Augusta James did it in 2013 and 2014.

“Following in their footsteps is a big thing, just as a Canadian… I don’t know, it’s nice and a lot of fun,” Chun said, at a loss for words.

Team Canada Stollery Family Women’s Head Coach, Salimah Mussani, followed the final pairing and couldn’t be happier for not only Chun, but women’s golf in Canada.

“This is best case scenario,” said Mussani. “It was definitely something that was important to us, some national pride to have a Canadian win this and for it to be a member of our team, it was definitely special,” said Mussani.

Although she made it look easy this week, that wasn’t always the case for Chun who admits she struggled with her game a short time ago. With hard work and patience came a national championship and memories that will last a lifetime.

“It’s been a huge couple of years just grinding it out,” said Chun. “Coming out here today and having this win is huge for me,” said Chun. “It seems like my game is coming towards where it should be or going in the right direction, so I’m happy.”

Chun’s range session following her second round 78 was a turning point in the week for the champion, and though Mussani was there for pointers, she directed all the credit to the player for putting in the work.

“She knows what she needs to take care of, she knows her putting needs to be key here, we did a lot of work on that. She focused on it, she spent the time in the mornings and after her rounds and she took care of business,” said Mussani. “She just gets things done.”

Xu gave Chun a run for her money, firing a found-under par 69 to finish as the runner-up. The 16-year-old rolled in six birdies to post her second round under par for the tournament. In third was the Newport Beach, Calif. native, Katherine Muzi, and Team Canada National Junior Squad member Lauren Kim with a score of even-par over the 72-hole championship.

Team British Columbia took home the Interprovincial Team Trophy with a five stroke victory over Team Quebec.

For the full leaderboard click here.

The 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship will be played at Ashburn Golf Club in Halifax, N.S. Dates are to be announced at a later time.

KITCHENER, Ont. – Thursday was all about Monet Chun at Westmount Golf & Country Club.  

Chun charged into the lead with a bogey-free, seven-under par 66 on moving day at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, and holds a six-stroke lead ahead of Friday’s final round, with the Duchess of Connaughton Gold Cup and a spot in the CP Women’s Open at stake.

“I was just trying to make up strokes from yesterday, but I hit the ball well [and] putted well today so I was pretty happy overall,” said Chun. “I had a couple of tough chips out there, left a little bit of long putts like on 18 here, but I was just putting together a good round today so I’m pretty happy about that,” added a humble Chun.

Within minutes of finishing a disappointing round of three-over par 78 on Wednesday, Chun darted to the range to fine-tune some swing mechanics. Needless to say, the practice paid off on Thursday.

“I missed a couple left yesterday and I’ve been working on that for quite a long time now so it’s nothing new. I kind of worked on it a little bit yesterday and it obviously helped today,” said Chun

The best of the 21-year-old’s seven birdies on the day came at the par-4 15^th, where she chipped in from behind the green. With a downhill lie, the Team Canada member lofted a wedge onto the putting surface and watched as it broke toward the pin and drop into the hole.

Chun, who is as even keeled as they come, couldn’t help but crack a smile after that one.

The Richmond Hill, Ont. native, who sits at five-under on the tournament, was part of an all-Team Canada pairing today, playing alongside Céleste Dao and Yeji Kwon. Chun admitted that being grouped with familiar faces and having her coach follow along today allowed her to settle in more comfortably on yet another gusty day in Kitchener.

“For sure there’s a factor in that. I’ve played with Céleste for forever now, so being with her out there was very helpful.”

Earlier in the day, Vanessa Borovilos stormed up the leaderboard with a round of four-under par 69 that saw the 16-year-old record eight birdies. Borovilos sits T6 ahead of the final round, eight strokes back of the leader.

“Over the last few days, after the rounds, I worked on my putting because I was struggling with that,” said Borovilos. “Last night, I was able to get a good feel for my putts; I changed my setup a little bit, so today, I was able to go out there and I felt confident that I could get every putt to the hole and on line. Also, on the par 5s I was pretty aggressive with my second shots, so I gave myself good looks.”

Having not been among the leaders entering the round relieved the Etobicoke, Ont., native of any underlying pressure, but she says that didn’t change her mentality going into the day.

“Whether I’m close to the leaderboard or down at the bottom, I still want to play well; I’m still trying to do my best. Today, I just got everything to work so it was a good day,” said Borovilos.

Bentley Cotton, out of Austin, Tx., carded her best round of the week, a one-under par 71. After a blistering hot start, the University of Texas Longhorn cooled off, but still managed to put herself in a favourable position entering the final round.

The 21-year-old was five-under through a five-hole stretch, from holes No. 5-9, including an eagle on the par-4 8^th. Cotton bombed her drive, which settled just short of the green, before knocking in a lengthy putt to get into the red numbers.

“That’s a bonus, you know, you’re just trying to make birdie. [I] made bogey on three, no four; I kind of got a tough break in the rough, was in a divot and came away with bogey but then just got it going. [I] started rolling the putts and hitting it close,” said Cotton.

Cotton, who plays with Team Canada’s Brigitte Thibault at the University of Texas, says it’s her first time in Canada and it’s been, well, great.

“Canadian Am, great tradition […] Everything is run very well, great points for the WAGR (World Amateur Golf Rankings), great people and obviously a great course in great conditions. I’m excited to be here,” said the American. “I love it,” she said about Canada as a whole. “Everything is just unbelievable, overall just a great experience.”

Alissa Xu continues to hold onto second place after a three-over par 76. Katherine Muzi, Lion Higo and the aforementioned Cotton are T3 and sit at +2 for the tournament.  

The final round is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m., with the leaders teeing off at 9:30 a.m. An awards ceremony will follow the conclusion of play on Friday.

For the complete results click here.

KITCHENER, Ont. – Team Québec and Team British Columbia were neck-and-neck coming down the stretch, but it was the latter who escaped victorious in the interprovincial team competition at the 108^th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO.

With half a hole remaining, Mother Nature decided to make her presence known by way of lightning and thunder, forcing officials to suspend play. After a short delay, the final group of Leah John (B.C.), Céleste Dao (Québec), and Erin Kim (Ontario), returned to hole their final putts and officially put a stamp on the interprovincial team championship.

B.C. entered the day one stroke up on Québec and the lead barely budged for most of the round, but in crunch time it was the team from Canada’s west coast – composed of Yan Jun (Victoria) Liu, Leah John and Ha Young Chan – who prevailed, winning by five strokes to capture the Interprovincial Team Trophy.

Vancouver’s Liu and John captained the ship for B.C., firing rounds of 73 and 75, respectively, in Wednesday’s second round to secure the 36-hole team championship title. Individually, Liu ranks T3, while John is positioned T5 heading into day three.

The player they are chasing is Katherine Muzi – the highest ranked competitor in the field on the World Amateur Golf Rankings. Muzi, 22, waited, and waited and waited to make her move but when she did, there was no stopping the American. After an opening round two-over par 74, the Newport Beach, Calif., native carded a four-under par 69 to vault atop the leaderboard through two rounds.

Muzi, who started her day on No. 10, birdied hole No. 5 to spark a four-hole birdie streak and a back nine rally that helped her leapfrog the field ahead. The University of South Carolina Trojan sits at three-under par for the tournament and owns a one-shot advantage halfway through the national championship.

Alissa Xu had a day of her own, firing a three-under par 70 on a wind-howling afternoon at Westmount Golf & Country Club. The Richmond Hill, Ont., native withstood gusts of up to 60km/h and climbed 13 spots up the leaderboard into sole possession of second place.

“I really just tried to just focus on the process and not the score because I find that distracting at times,” said Xu. “Just [wanted] to pick the right clubs and pick the right targets to shoot at.”

That she did. The 16-year-old poured in five birdies to join the leaders on the front page of the leaderboard. She says her goal is to simply stay level-headed entering the final rounds and focus only on what she can control.

Rebecca Kim made one of the biggest splashes in round two, jumping 23 spots on the leaderboard and into the top-10 with a one-under par 72 on a day where birdies came few and far between.

“I was able to handle the wind well today; it was definitely really gusty, so I think that was definitely something that was to my advantage,” said the Victoria, B.C., native. “I was a lot cleaner with my approach shots [today]. I gave myself more looks; I was just kind of tighter to the pins and I got more stuff up-and-down,” she added.

Kim says she focuses on staying resilient through the adversity and that playing ‘gritty’ will be the payoff to success the rest of the way.

First round leader, Leigh Chien, struggled on day two, shooting a six-over par 79. The American remains in a tie for third place, however, and very much in contention with 36 holes left to play.

With the cutline set at 13-over, 73 players advanced to the ‘weekend’ in Kitchener. The third round is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday morning. The leaders will tee off in the final group at 9:30 a.m.

For complete results click here.

KITCHENER, Ont. – American, Leigh Chien, birdied early and often en route to a seven-under par 66 and four-stroke lead in the opening round of the 2022 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO.

Scoring conditions were at a premium for the morning wave at Westmount Golf & Country Club and Chien wasted no time pouncing on the opportunity. The 16-year-old rolled in five birdies over her opening eight holes and never looked back, as she continued to distance herself from the pack with an additional three birdies on the back nine. Her lone blunder came on the par-4 No. 15.

“I feel pretty good going into tomorrow,” said Chien. “I just tried to make as many birdies as possible and as few mistakes as possible and I was able to do that [today]. Westmount is really nice; the conditions are great [and] the greens are really smooth. I think that really helped me shoot low.”

Team Canada’s Monet Chun paced the rest of the pack with a three-under par 70 for sole possession of second place, The Richmond Hill, Ont. native carded three birdies and an eagle for the low-Canadian score of the day.

“Putting myself in a good position early is ideal, because it’s such a long four rounds,” said Chun. “Continuing what I’m doing; hitting lots of greens, lots of fairways and making as many putts as possible,” said the 18-year-old on what she thinks it will take to win the tournament.

Five other Canadians ended round one inside the top-10, including Team Canada member Céleste Dao. Dao, who plays her college golf at the University of Georgia, got off to blistering hot start, making three birdies through five. The middle part of the Quebec native’s round caused her headaches, as she fell back to even par with a stretch of bogeys. The 21-year-old bounced back brilliantly, however, with a birdie on her 17^th hole to get back into the red numbers.

The highlight of the day – and quite possibly the tournament – belonged to Élizabeth Labbé. Labbé, the runner-up at this year’s Canadian University/College Championship, carved an iron into the 149-yard par-3 No. 17 at Westmount and watched her ball drop for a hole-in-one. The ace helped the UBC Thunderbird to a round of two-over par 75. She sits T23 heading into the second round.

Team British Columbia leads the interprovincial team championship by one stroke over Team Québec. B.C., made up of Ha Young Chang, Leah John and Yan Jun (Victoria) Liu, fired a combined two-under par on the day. Team Ontario (+10), Team Alberta (+13) and Team Manitoba (+19) follow in third, fourth and fifth place, respectively.

For the full leaderboard click here.

KITCHENER, Ont. – The 108^th installment of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, gets underway this week at Westmount Golf & Country Club in Kitchener, Ont. from July 19-22.

The championship, which was first held in 1901, is one of the longest standing amateur events in the world. The inaugural tournament at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Que., featured only three players. Fast forward over a century later and 140 players will look to etch their name into the Duchess of Connaughton Gold Cup in 2022.

“Golf Canada is excited for the return of not only a marquee event in Canadian golf history, but also one of the premier amateur events in the world,” says Tournament Director, Mary Beth McKenna. “We’re confident Westmount Golf & Country Club will offer a challenging yet fair test for the players as they showcase their talents on an elite golf course.”  

Practice rounds are scheduled for July 18, before the official 72-hole stroke play competition begins on July 19. Play is scheduled to wrap up on July 22, followed by an awards ceremony and champions reception. The field will be cut to the low 70 players (including ties) after 36 holes.

For the first time since 2019, the tournament will welcome the return of international players following complications caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ten players from the United States, two from Mexico and one from Australia are slated to tee it up north of the border this week, including Katherine Muzi and Bentley Cotton, ranked No. 127 and 250 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings, respectively.

Also being re-introduced this year is the inter-provincial team competition. The inter-provincial championship will be played in conjunction with the first 36 holes of the competition, with three-player teams vying for the team title. Team Ontario – composed of Sarah Dunning, Emily Zhu and Tiana Cruz – are the reigning champions from 2019. Dunning and Zhu are both in the field in Kitchener this week.

Four members of Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad are pencilled into the draw at Westmount: Brooke Rivers (Brampton, Ont.); Céleste Dao (Notre-Dame-de-Ile-Perrot, Que.); Monet Chun (Richmond Hill, Ont.); and Sarah-Eve Rhéaume (Québec City, Que.).

The National Junior Squad will also be well-represented at the 18-hole championship course west of Toronto, with seven members of the team slated to compete: Angela Arora (Surrey, B.C.); Anne-Léa Lavoie (Québec, Que.); Emily Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.); Lauren Kim (Surrey, B.C.); Luna Lu (Burnaby, B.C.); Martina Yu (Coquitlam, B.C.); and Yeji Kwon (Coquitlam, B.C.).

Red Deer, Alta.’s Eileen Park is the youngest player in the field at the age of 13; Katherine Hou and Sophia Xu are also only 13 years old, but Park’s date of birth is the latest of the three. Rhonda Orr, out of Winnipeg Man., is the oldest competitor in the field at 60. There are four members of Westmount Golf & Country Club teeing it up this week: Sarah Dunning, Angela Lee, Madeline MacMillan and Laura McIntosh.

New to this year’s tournament is a purse payout. To align with the modernized Rules of Amateur Status, players at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship will now compete for a purse of $8,000 CAD. Amateur golfers may accept prize money up to a maximum of $1,200 CAD, and payouts will be awarded to the top-10 finishers and ties.

Westmount Golf & Country Club was designed by world-renown architect Stanley Thompson and opened in 1931. Since then, it has played hosts to a number of national and provincial championships, notably the 1957 Canadian Open, 1969 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship and 2009 Canadian Junior Boys Championship. Known for its undulating fairways and sloping greens, the championship course is set up to play fast and firm as it tests an elite field of amateur golfers this week. Westmount last hosted the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship in 1965.

“We are very excited to host 108^th Canadian Women’s Amateur at Westmount this coming week,” said General Manager, Brad Duench. “Our Tournament Committee has worked very hard leading up to this week and I know our membership will be out to support these accomplished athletes. [I] do sense we have a buzz in the community about the event and we are excited to welcome everyone to Westmount this week,” he added.

The Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship was last played in 2021 at Edmonton Petroleum Golf and Country Club in Spruce Grove, Alta. Team Canada National Junior Squad member Lauren Zaretsky was crowned champion, finishing at two-under par to win by as many strokes.

The last time Canadians won in back-to-back years was in 2013 & 2014, when Brooke Henderson and Augusta James captured the national titles. 

Along with the championship’s storied history comes its coveted cast of competitors. Marlene Stewart Streit, a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, sits atop the class with 11 victories and five runner-up finishes at the national event. Since then, the tournament has proved to be a breading ground for some of golf’s brightest young stars. Ariya Jutanugarn (2012), Brooke Henderson (2013), Jennifer Kupcho (2017) and Yealimi Noh (2018) are previous winners who now find themselves competing on the LPGA Tour.

The winner of the championship will earn an exemption into the 2022 CP Women’s Open, August 22-28, at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club, as well as the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, August 8-14, at Chambers Bay in University Place, Wisc.

More information about the 2022 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship can be found here.

SPRUCE GROVE, Alta. – Lauren Zaretsky of Thornhill, Ont., shot a final-round 70 on Friday to win the 107th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Edmonton Petroleum Golf and Country Club in Spruce Grove, Alta., as the only player in red numbers.

She finished two strokes ahead of recent Canadian Junior Girls Champion Nicole Gal of Oakville, Ont., in second at even par.

Zaretsky, who plays out of the Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto & Maple Downs Golf & Country Club, credited a combination of her putting and driving for her final-round 70 and said her plan going into the round was to stay focused and commit to every shot.

With the win, Zaretsky receives an exemption into the 2021 U.S. Women’s Amateur held Aug. 2-8 at Westchester Country Club and the 2022 CP Women’s Open at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club.

“I’m really excited for the CP Women’s Open,” said Zaretsky. “That’s something that I’ve been watching since I started golf five years ago.”

Zaretsky also adds her name to a notable list of Canadian Women’s Amateur Champions including LPGA Tour players Jennifer Kupcho (2017), Brooke Henderson (2013), and Ariya Jutanugarn (2012).

Fifty-four-hole leader Céleste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que., and Team Canada National Junior Squad member Angela Arora of Surrey, B.C., finished tied for third at 2 over.

Team Canada National Amateur Squad members had a strong showing with Mary Parsons of Delta, B.C., finishing in 10th at 5 over, Noémie Paré of Victoriaville, Que., tied for 8th at 4 over and Sara-Eve Rhéaume of Quebec City tied for 5th at 3 over.

The National Junior Squad members in the field found success as well, as Gal finished runner-up and Arora behind her in the tie for third while Jennifer Gu of West Vancouver, B.C., finished right behind them in the tie for fifth at 3-over.

Full results can be found here.

SPRUCE GROVE, ALTA. – The Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship is set for July 27-30 at the Edmonton Petroleum Golf and Country Club in Spruce Grove, Alta., for the 107th installment of the event.

The 72-hole tournament returns for the first time since 2019, after the pandemic caused the cancellation of Golf Canada’s 2020 competitive season.

The 110-player field features three of the Team Canada National Amateur Squad members; Mary Parsons (Delta, B.C.), Noemie Pare (Victoriaville, Que.), and Sara-Eve Rheaume (Quebec City, Que.).

More than half of the top 50 Canadians on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) are in the field with 27, including 2018 and 2019 Canadian Junior Girls Champions Celeste Dao (Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que.) and Emily Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.), respectively. 

The winner will receive an exemption into the 2022 CP Women’s Open, as well as the 2021 U.S. Women’s Amateur

Edmonton Petroleum Golf and Country Club was established in 1993 and features a Mark McCumber design. It is a par-72 with a maximum yardage of 6,244 yards with tree-lined fairways and large bodies of water.

The Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship is a 72-hole stroke play event, with a 36-hole cut for the low 70 players and ties. In the event of a tie at the end of four rounds, there will be a hole-by-hole playoff immediately following completion of 72-holes.

The practice round will be conducted on July 26.

Previous winners of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship include Jennifer Kupcho of the United States (2017), Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont. (2013), and Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand (2012). All three golfers are currently ranked inside the top-25 of the Women’s World Golf Rankings.

Click here for the full field and tournament information.

NOTABLES

Mary Parsons

The 22-year-old from Delta, B.C., is in her third year as a part of the National Team, having previously been a part of the National Amateur Squad in 2020, and the Junior Squad in 2017. In 2019, Parsons won the Lady Boliermaker in the NCAA, and in 2018 Parsons won the B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship. She finished fifth at the 2019 Pan American Games and was a quarterfinalist at the 2020 Women’s Western Championship. Parsons has been a member of the Indiana University Women’s Golf Team since the 2017-18 season.

Noémie Paré

The 23-year-old from Victoriaville, Que., is in her second year as a part of the National Amateur Squad. Paré finished inside the top-10 in seven events in 2020, including wins at both the Palm Beach Collegiate Invitational and the Québec Women’s Amateur Championship, and runner-up finishes at both the Alberta Ladies Amateur Championship and the Atlantic Collegiate Invitational. Paré was a member of the Barry University Women’s Golf Team from the 2016-17 season until she graduated in 2020.

Sarah-Eve Rhéaume

The 21-year-old from Quebec City is in her second year as a part of the National Amateur Squad. In 2019, Rhéaume won the Quebec Women’s Amateur Championship. In 2020, Rhéaume finished fifth at both the Alberta Ladies Amateur Championship and the Quebec Women’s Amateur Championship, and sixth at the Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship. Rhéaume has been a member of the Furman University Women’s Golf Team since the 2018-19 season.

FAST FACTS

Current LPGA Tour golfer Maria Fassi of Mexico shot a 5-under 65 in the third round of the 2016 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, matching the women’s competitive course record at Ken-Wo Golf Club.

10-time LPGA Tour winner Brooke Henderson won the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship in 2013 at the age of 15.

Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Marlene Stewart Streit won the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship 11 times and was the runner-up five times.