Canada finishes strong at the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup
Toyota, Japan – The Team Canada Boys team finished as runners-up and the Girls team placed fifth in the 2023 Toyota Junior Golf World Cup at the Ishino Course, Chukyo Golf Club in Toyota, Japan.
The boys team entered the tournament as defending champions and despite a strong effort through all three rounds, the team came up just short of Team Japan. Japan finished the boys team event at a combined 34-under par, while Canada finished the tournament at 30-under par. Germany placed third after finishing at 20-under par. The boys team consisted of: Alex Zhang, Ethan Wilson, Cooper Humphreys and Eric Zhao. Individually, Wilson finished T5 at 9-under, Zhang finished T7 at 8-under, Humphreys finished T10 at 6-under and Zhao finished 23 at 2-over par.
The girls team finished in fifth and closed the tournament with a combined score of 9-under par. Japan completed the team double winning the girls division as well, finishing with a total score of 34-under. The United States, Korea Republic and, New Zealand rounded out the top four. The girls team featured: Vanessa Borovilos who finished T9 at 8-under, Yeji Kwon who finished 19 at 6-over par and Michelle Liu who finished T21 at 8-over.
For the full results from each round click here.
Ibit and Xu victorious at NextGen Ontario Championship fueled by JOURNIE Rewards
Peterborough, Ont. —Isaiah Ibit and Alissa Xu won their respective divisions to claim the NextGen Ontario Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards at the Peterborough Golf and Country Club on Sunday.
The 54-hole stroke play competition marked the second tournament in the NextGen Championships and featured a starting field of 156 male and female golfers.
Ibit of Orleans, Ont., shot a final round 70 to hold off Anthony Jomphe by three shots to secure the NextGen Ontario Championship and a spot in the Canadian Junior Boys Championship.
After opening the tournament with an even score Friday, Ibit bounced back to enter the final round on Sunday atop the leaderboard by firing a five-under-par 66 on Saturday.
“After a great round yesterday, I really wanted to capitalize and come out with a win today. I started off really nice right off the bat and continued that to the back nine. Things started to go off the rails a little bit, but I was able to bring it back,” said Ibit. I knew that I definitely had the lead but there was someone who was posting some really good numbers, since they’re all good players, I’m really happy I was able to just keep in control of my emotions toward the stretch.”
Alissa Xu led from start to finish, with scores from both the first and second rounds of 70 and closed with two-over-par, on her way to a two-shot victory and earn the NextGen Ontario Championship. “Its nice to see the results of all my hard work, all the coaching and struggles I went through actually paid off,” said Xu.
Xu added “there was definitely more pressure toward the end but I’m glad that I was able to figure it out. I tired my best to focus on what was going on in the moment as opposed to what had happened in the past.”
In the Junior Boys division, the top eight players earn exemptions into the 2023 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, August 14-17, at North Bay Golf and Country Club Ltd. in North Bay, Ont.
| 1 | Isaiah Ibit (Orleans, ON) |
| 2 | Anthony Jomphe (Chicoutimi, QC) |
| 3 | Andrew Aquino (Schomberg, ON) |
| 4 | Antonie Jasmin (Blainville,QC) |
| 5 | Jordan Hwang (Richmond Hill, ON) |
| T6 | Walter Carley (Peterborough ON) |
| T6 | Max Corcoran (Ottawa, ON) |
| T6 | Jager Pain (Woodbridge, ON) |
The top eight players in the Junior Girls division have earned exemptions into the 2023 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, July 24-27, at Hampton Golf Course in Hampton, N.B.
| 1 | Alissa Xu (Richmond Hill, ON) |
| 2 | Aryn Matthews (Little Britain, ON) |
| 3 | Isabella Ferguson (Ottawa, ON) |
| 4 | Carlee Meilleur (Lansdowne, ON) |
| T5 | Lindsay McGrath (Oakville, ON) |
| T5 | Joline Truong (Mississauga, ON) |
| 7 | Rosie Bee Kim (Edmonton, AB) |
| 8 | Nobelle Park (Oakville, ON) |
The next stop in NextGen Championships, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards will be at Athabasca Golf Club in Athabasca, Alb. for the NextGen Western Championship from June 9-11.
For the full results of the NextGen Ontario Championship click here.
About the NextGen Championships, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards
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. Two additional Fall Series events will be hosted to close the season. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf.
Leah John: A Positive and Confident Approach
When Jason John and Lynn Furlotte told their only child that she could accomplish anything she puts her mind and heart into, they truly meant it – and just as important, she truly believed them. Today their daughter, Leah John, is 22 years old and is among a select group of elite athletes to be part of Golf Canada’s National Team Program.
Besides being regarded as one of the most promising amateur golfers in Canada, John is also an All-American Scholar at the University of Nevada where she is playing for the women’s golf team on a full scholarship.
That unique combination of high intellect, elite athleticism and talent is fully utilized by the five foot eight inch Canadian as she’s enjoyed notable recent success on the golf course.
John’s recent success on the links includes back to back British Columbia Women’s Amateur titles to go along with her maiden NCAA victory in February of 2022.
Growing up in Vancouver, British Columbia, young Leah spent time playing a number of sports. She was the type of gifted athlete that would excel at any sport she put her time and energy into. In high school, besides excelling on the golf course, she was also a star on the volleyball courts and the basketball courts.
Then at the age of 15, she made the decision to focus solely on golf.
“I chose golf because I personally felt it was the hardest sport out of all of them. I just found golf to be the most mentally and physically challenging; and I love challenges and being outdoors,” John pointed out.
After dedicating herself fully to the sport of golf, John soon started seeing breakthrough results. In 2018, just after graduating from high school, the then 18-year-old recorded a runner up finish at the B.C. Junior Girls’ Championship.
“I had shot four under the first day and led most of the tournament and ended up coming in second. It gave me a lot of confidence to do that against the best juniors in the province who had a lot more experience than me,’” she recalled.
After taking a gap year to hone her game, the Vancouver native earned a scholarship to the University of Nevada.
“It was a smaller school which was great because I felt that sense of community. They had the coaches, mentors, the resources, and the facilities to help me to develop as a player and a person. The school had all the things I was looking for,” she said.
John’s passion for golf grew during her time at the University of Nevada and that passion comes through in her positive and confident approach on the course.
“I like to have fun. You might see me laughing out there in between shots; but I’m always ready to grind also,” she noted.
That positive and confident mindset has served her well. In the summer of 2021, John recorded the most notable win of her young career when she captured the B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship.
Building on the momentum of that big triumph, John would record her first NCAA victory by capturing The Show at Spanish Trail in February of 2022.
“On the third day, the conditions were very windy and I was trying my best to hold on to the lead. I hit some good shots and some not so good shots but found a way to win; and learned a lot about myself during that tournament,” said John of her maiden NCAA victory.
In the summer of 2022, she would defend her title at the British Columbia Women’s Amateur.
While winning in her province in two consecutive years is great, John said it was extra special to be able to share it with her family.
“My dad caddied for me in those two events and they were special wins for us. It brings me a lot of joy to think about that. My parents have always been my biggest supporters and it’s hands down the best time we spent together,” she said.
“Getting those wins in front of family and friends was just amazing and something I will always remember.”
The recent success on the golf course has John eager for more. And she believes her selection into Golf Canada’s National Team Program will give her the opportunity to reach her full potential as a golfer.
“I want to play this sport professionally and I want to be the best player I can be and the objective of the Program is to help us achieve that goal. I’m grateful Golf Canada sees the potential in me,” said John.
National Team women’s head coach, Salimah Mussani, speaks highly about John’s potential and her dedication to being the best version of herself.
“Leah is super powerful. She has the fastest club head speed on our team. She’s also very eager to learn and is very receptive and open to hearing feedback and exploring different things,” Mussani pointed out about the first year National Team member.
“She’s got all the talent and is also very dedicated; has a great work ethic and a great attitude. These are the type of things that could push her to that next level.”
Currently in her fifth year at the University of Nevada, the 22-year-old Canadian has her mind and heart set on playing the sport professionally at the highest level after she graduates.
As she prepares for that exciting journey ahead, she is motivated and inspired to see the success of other Canadians who have been through the National Team Program such as Brooke Henderson, Corey Conners, and Mackenzie, Hughes, just to name a few.
“Everyone has their own paths but if they did it and this is what it looks like then it gives me confidence to know that I’m following in their footsteps by being in this Program,” said John.
“It gives me a lot of trust that I’m doing the right things and gives me motivation to work even harder to achieve my goals.”
Canada’s Monet Chun tied for sixth at Augusta National Women’s Amateur
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Canada’s Monet Chun has made the cut at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
The 22-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., is tied for sixth at 2-under par after two rounds.
Rose Zhang of the United States fired a blistering 7-under round at the storied golf course to sit atop the leaderboard at 13 under.
Chun’s the first Canadian to make the cut at the event.
Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., missed the cut at the inaugural tournament in 2019 and again in 2021.
Savannah Grewal of Mississauga, Ont., missed the cut last year.
The opening 36 holes were held over two days on the Island and Bluff nines at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Augusta, Ga.
The entire field will then play Augusta National for an official practice round on Friday, followed by the final round featuring the top 30 competitors who made the cut.
Impressive 2022 takes Team Canada’s Monet Chun to Augusta Women’s National Amateur
An impressive season of amateur golf has taken Canada’s Monet Chun to one of the most storied courses in the world.
Chun, from Richmond Hill, Ont., teed off at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur on Wednesday, the lone Canadian entry in the third edition of the tournament. She earned her way into the field after being a medallist as part of Michigan’s championship team at the 2022 Big Ten Women’s golf tournament and winning that year’s Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.
“I do think everything just kind of came together as steps and one led to the other,” said Chun as she travelled to Augusta, Ga. “The U.S. Am and then the CP Women’s Open all came after winning the Canadian Am and the Canadian Am came after the Big 10 win.
“So everything came step by step, but it definitely does feel like the Augusta invitation came after my whole season last year.”
Chun’s Canadian Am win granted her first-ever CP Women’s Open appearance at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club last August.
Her impressive 2022 also included being a runner-up at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, a ninth-place finish at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate, reaching the Round of 16 at the North & South Women’s Amateur and a tie for fifth at the Women’s Orlando International Amateur.
All those accomplishments contributed to her invitation to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, which Davidstarted in 2019. The 22-year-old Chun said that playing in the relatively new tournament quickly became a goal of hers once it was established.
“Going out and representing Canada in the first couple of years of the tournament is such a huge responsibility and just a huge opportunity for myself,” said Chun.
Her sister Adele is serving as her caddy at Augusta and Golf Canada’s head women’s coach Salimah Mussani is also at the course. Chun’s keeping her goals simple despite the magnitude of the event.
Canada’s Katie Cranston to make NCAA tournament debut at Nexus Collegiate event
Katie Cranston was faced with a difficult decision after getting status on the Epson Tour – should she turn pro or go to school?
She chose Auburn University over the second-tier women’s professional golf tour, arriving at the American college halfway through the school year. Just three weeks into the semester, the Canadian golfer is already pleased with her decision.
“It’s just such a good opportunity for me to learn and grow,” said Cranston. “I feel like being here and doing school on top of golf is helping me gain very good time-management skills.
“Getting all my schoolwork done, get to practice, get to qualifying. That’s been really good for me.”
Cranston will make her NCAA tournament debut on Monday when she tees it up at the Nexus Collegiate event. Although it’s hosted by Auburn, the tournament will be held at Albany Golf Club in New Providence, Bahamas.
The 18-year-old native of Oakville, Ont., said that playing against tougher competition, both on her team and at collegiate tournaments, was one of the factors that drew her to Auburn over the professional ranks.
“It was an experience that I was scared to pass up,” said Cranston. “I was worried that I would regret not coming. It was just something that I I wanted to give at least a shot.”
Cranston originally committed to Auburn in November 2021 before tying for 69th at the second stage of the LPGA and Epson Tour’s qualifying tournament at Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, Fla., a year later.
“It was really good experience and I was happy with how I did,” said Cranston, who could have had regular starts on the Epson Tour this season. “But through the process, I realized that it wasn’t quite what I wanted to do yet.
“It’s definitely something that I will do in the future, but I just wasn’t quite ready for that.”
On top of her solid performance at Q-school, Cranston won several tournaments in 2022. She was victorious at the Dustin Johnson World Junior, the Scott Robertson Memorial, and the Women’s Porter Cup and also finished second at the Southwest Amateur and fourth at the NextGen Pacific Championship.
Auburn women’s golf head coach Melissa Luellen said that, due to NCAA rules during the COVID-19 pandemic, she wasn’t able to do any evaluations or even meet Cranston in person before the teenager agreed to come to the school. But when Luellen did see her new charge play in person, she was very impressed.
“I watched her hit the first tee shot at the U.S. amateur at Westchester Country Club in New York and my jaw drops like, ‘Wow! That was awesome,” said Luellen. “She is a beautiful, strong ball striker. I’m feeling pretty good about my decision.”
Golf Canada announces amateur and professional athletes named to 2023 Team Canada
DECEMBER 21, 2022 – Golf Canada is pleased to announce the names of the 57 athletes and eight coaches named to Team Canada as major enhancements to Golf Canada’s national team program continue to take effect.
Golf Canada’s 2023 national team system now features three program tiers: Team Canada (both amateur and professionals); Team Canada – NextGen (U21 amateurs); and a national talent identification system aimed at growing the pool of future national team prospects.
The updated program tiers for 2023 including a record-breaking number of athletes and coaches reflect the enhancements to the high-performance program announced last year to accelerate Canada’s position in the global professional golf landscape with a goal to increase the number of Canadians on the LPGA and PGA Tours to 30 by 2032.
The Team Canada tier (formerly the Young Pro Squad and Amateur Squad) now includes both professionals and amateurs with training focused on helping players reach the major tours. Feeding into Team Canada is a new tier called Team Canada – NextGen (formerly the Junior Squad) focused on supporting top juniors and bridging the gap for players transitioning into amateur golf and the U.S. college system.
“Thanks to the Golf Canada Foundation as well as our generous donors and partners, the enhanced Team Canada program structure is well positioned to support more of this country’s top athletes towards our goal of getting 30 Canadians to the major tours over the next decade,” said Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer Kevin Blue. “We have continued to evaluate and analyze the current player development system, have made refinements to competition and training environments, and are working collaboratively with athletes, parents and PGA of Canada coaches toward a shared goal of enhanced Canadian excellence on the global golf stage. Canada has made significant progress in the development of world-class golfers and is poised to take another step forward.”
The enhancements to Golf Canada’s high-performance program, which were outlined in a detailed update authored by Blue in 2022, were made possible through major gift funding support from the Golf Canada Foundation’s network of Trustee donors.
TEAM CANADA – MEN
| A.J. Ewart (23) | Coquitlam, BC | Barry University (Sr.) | The Vancouver GC [AM] |
| Ashton McCulloch (20) | Kingston, ON | Michigan St. (So.) | Cataraqui G&CC [AM] |
| Johnny Travale (22) | Hamilton, ON | UCF (5th Yr.) | Hamilton G&CC [AM] |
| Laurent Desmarchais (21) | Bromont, QC | Tennessee (So.) | Vallée Du Richelieu Golf Club [AM] |
| Matt Anderson (22) | Mississauga, ON | San Francisco (5th Yr.) | Credit Valley G&CC [AM] |
| Piercen Hunt (21) | Hartland, WI | Illinois (Jr.) | The Club at Lac la Belle [AM] |
| Remi Chartier (21) | Naples, FL | East Tennessee State (Sr.) | Royal Montreal GC [AM] |
| Brendan MacDougall (25) | Calgary, AB | High Point/Nevada (’21) | The Glencoe C&CC [PRO] |
| Chris Crisologo (27) | Richmond, BC | Simon Fraser (’18) | Marine Drive GC [PRO] |
| Chris R. Wilson (27) | Toronto, ON | Colgate University (’17) | |N/A| [PRO] |
| Etienne Papineau (26) | Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC | West Virginia (’21) | Pinegrove CC [PRO] |
| Henry Lee (24) | Coquitlam, BC | University of Washington (’21) [PRO] | |
| Jared du Toit (27) | Kimberley, BC | ASU (’17) | The Glencoe G&CC |
| Jeevan Sihota (18) | Victoria, BC | turned pro after high school [PRO] | |
| Joey Savoie (28) | La Prairie, QC | MTSU (’17) [PRO] | |
| Max Sekulic (23) | Rycroft, AB | Washington State (’22) | The Glencoe G&CC [PRO] |
| Myles Creighton (27) | Digby, NS | Radford (’18) | Banyan GC [PRO] |
| Noah Steele (25) | Kingston, ON | Sam Houston State (’20) | Cataraqui G&CC [PRO] |
| Stuart Macdonald (28) | Vancouver, BC | Purdue (’16) | [PRO] |
| Sudarshan Yellamaraju (21) | Mississauga, ON | turned pro after high school [PRO] |
TEAM CANADA – WOMEN
| Angela Arora (18) | Surrey, BC | Tennessee (Jan 2023) | Marine Drive GC [AM] |
| Brooke Rivers (17) | Brampton, ON | Wake Forest (2023) | Brampton GC [AM] |
| Celeste Dao (21) | Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, QC | Georgia (Sr.) | Summerlea G&CC [AM] |
| Katie Cranston (18) | Oakville, ON | Auburn (Jan 2023) | Oakville GC [AM] |
| Lauren Kim (17) | Surrey, BC | Texas (2023) | Morgan Creek GC [AM] |
| Lauren Zaretsky (18) | Thornhill, ON | Texas Tech (Fr.) | Maple Downs G&CC [AM] |
| Leah John (22) | Vancouver, BC | Nevada (Sr.) | Marine Drive GC [AM] |
| Michelle Liu (16) | Vancouver, BC | High School (grade 11) | Shaugnessy GC [AM] |
| Monet Chun (21) | Richmond Hill, ON | Michigan (Jr.) | Summit GC [AM] |
| Nicole Gal (18) | Oakville, ON | Ole Miss (Fr.) | Oakville GC [AM] |
| Sarah-Eve Rhéaume (22) | Boischatel, QC | Furman (5th Yr.) | Royal Quebec [AM] |
| Savannah Grewal (21) | Mississauga, ON | Clemson (Sr.) | Piper’s Heath GC [AM] |
| Brigitte Thibault (24) | Rosemere, QC | Fresno/Texas (’22) | Rosemère Golf Club [PRO] |
| Maddie Szeryk (26) | London, ON | Texas A&M (’18) [PRO] | |
| Selena Costabile (24) | Thornhill, ON | turned pro after high school | Ladies GC of Toronto [PRO] |
The 2023 Team Canada roster is comprised of 35 players who are competing at the highest levels of amateur golf and refining their games on developmental professional tours. The program provides individualized training and competition support by collaborating with players’ support teams, including personal and college coaches, and adding value where gaps are identified. Members of Team Canada have access to The Legacy Golf Club in Phoenix, Ariz. where players can live and train in the winter months.
Salimah Mussani returns as the Stollery Family Team Canada Women’s Head Coach supported by Associate Coach and fellow PGA of Canada professional Jennifer Greggain. Derek Ingram returns as Men’s Team Head Coach and will be supported by Assistant Coaches Louis Melanson and Benoit Lemieux.
The Team Canada coaching staff will be joined by an integrated support team that includes Greg Redman (Strength, Conditioning & Physio, Men’s Team), Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood (Mental Performance & Psychologist, Men’s Team), Andrea Kosa (Strength, Conditioning & Physio, Women’s Team), Lindsay Berard (Mental Performance & Psychologist, Women’s Team), and Kelly Anne Erdman (Performance Dietician).
TEAM CANADA – NEXTGEN (BOYS)
| Alex Zhang (14) | Richmond, BC | High School (grade 9) | Marine Drive GC |
| Ben MacLean (18) | Niagara Falls, ON | Kent St. (Fr.) | Cherry Hill Club |
| Cooper Humphreys (17) | Vernon, BC | Oregon St. (2023) | The Harvest Golf Club |
| Eric Zhao (15) | Toronto, ON | High School (grade 10) | Bayview G&CC |
| Ethan Wilson (18) | St. Albert, AB | University of Illinois (2023) | Glendale G&CC |
| Félix Bouchard (19) | Otterburn Park, QC | Univ. of Kansas (2024) | La Vallée du Richelieu GC |
| Gavyn Knight (18) | Parksville, BC | Boise St. (Fr.) | Morningstar GC |
| Hunter Thomson (19) | Calgary, AB | University of Michigan (So.) | Calgary G&CC |
| James Newton (19) | Ottawa, ON | Rutgers (Fr.) | Royal Ottawa |
| JP Parr (18) | Saint-Celestin, QC | University of Tennessee (2023) | Club de Golf Ki-8-Eb |
| Owen Kim (18) | Oakville, ON | Coastal Carolina University (Fr.) | Hamilton G&CC |
| Owen Mullen (19) | Shortts Lake, NS | University of Notre Dame (So.) | Truro Golf Club |
TEAM CANADA – NEXTGEN (GIRLS)
| Alissa Xu (17) | Richmond Hill, ON | Dartmouth (2023) | Station Creek GC |
| Anna Huang (14) | Coto de Caza, CA | Junior High (grade 8) | Coto De Caza G&RC |
| Carlee Meilleur (14) | Lansdowne, ON | High school (grade 9) | Loyalist G&CC |
| Lindsay McGrath (15) | Oakville, ON | High School (grade 10) | RattleSnake Point GC |
| Luna Lu (15) | Burnaby, BC | High School (grade 10) | Pitt Meadows GC |
| Martina Yu (16) | Coquitlam, BC | High School (grade 11) | |
| Michelle Xing (14) | Richmond Hill, ON | High School (grade 9) | Station Creek GC |
| Vanessa Borovilos (16) | Etobicoke, ON | High School (grade 11) | Weston G&CC |
| Vanessa Zhang (16) | Vancouver, BC | High School (grade 11) | Marine Drive GC |
| Yeji Kwon (16) | Port Coquitlam, BC | High School (grade 11) | Swaneset Bay Resort & CC |
The 22-player Team Canada – NextGen roster will include both top junior golfers and U21 amateurs in a program to support their transition from junior competition to high-level amateur golf.
The NextGen coaching staff will be led by Head Coach Robert Ratcliffe with support from Assistant Coaches Jennifer Ha and Jeff MacDonald. The coaches will be joined by an integrated support team that includes Dr. Emily Wiggin (Strength & Conditioning) and Dr. Adam Kingsbury (Mental Performance & Psychologist).
Supporting the overall growth of elite golf in Canada is the national talent identification system, established in 2022 and led by Tristan Mullally, Head of National Talent Identification. The talent identification system provides assistance to younger juniors (11-16 years old) and their existing coaching support teams to grow the pool of future Team Canada prospects.
A key activity within the talent identification system will be the engagement of the National Talent ID Network, a group of more than 80 coaches across Canada working towards collaborative player development initiatives. Additionally, 2023 will see a broader introduction of talent ID camps across the country led by network members to deliver educational and skill-building opportunities to players, parents, and coaches.
The strategic enhancements for Golf Canada’s player development program were shaped by in-depth feedback from numerous stakeholders in Canadian high-performance golf and a global comparative analysis of other countries’ efficiency success in producing world top-200 players. The analysis considered factors such as participation base, culture, and financial investment into high-performance golf, with a particular focus on countries such as Denmark, Sweden, Australia, and England that are geopolitically and culturally similar to Canada.
Team Canada’s Brooke Rivers hopes to elevate golf game at Wake Forest
Team Canada’s Brooke Rivers is ready to take the next step in her golf career by following in Arnold Palmer’s footsteps.
Rivers has declared her intention to play for Wake Forest University in the new school year, Palmer’s alma mater. The decision isn’t just based on Palmer’s legacy, but the contemporary reality that the Demon Deacons are the No. 2 ranked women’s golf program in the NCAA.
LEARN MORE ABOUT TEAM CANADA’S BROOKE RIVERS
“I’m very excited to be going to such a top golf school, I will be around girls that are very competitive, and I’ll be able to learn from them and grow my golf game by learning from them,” said Rivers. “I will also be able to play in really high rank tournaments, which again, will expose me to play against really good competition, to better myself.”
Rivers, who was born in Brampton, Ont., and raised in Turks and Caicos, signed on at Wake Forest on Friday along with American Macy Pate. The Canadian said the legacy of Palmer, one of the greatest golfers of all time, was just one of the reasons why she wanted to play for Wake Forest.
“Having very good alumni that come out of school, just shows how great the golf program is,” said Rivers, referring to Palmer who arrived at Wake Forest in 1948 and was the school’s first individual NCAA champion in 1949.
But Rivers’s interest in the college in Winston-Salem, N.C., goes beyond its NCAA ranking or history of producing strong professional golfers. She was attracted to its facilities and the strength of its academic curriculum.
“I’m very excited to use the (Arnold Palmer Golf Complex) practice facilities and all of the technology and different resources that they have available there, as well as the amazing (Old Town Club) golf course,” said Rivers, who intends to study business.
“Everything is very close to the dorms so I will be able to spend my time practising and balance my time management.”
Kim Lewellen, the head coach of Wake Forest’s women’s golf team, said she has kept close tabs on Rivers throughout her junior and amateur career.
“She has a nice athletic stature, hits the ball a long way, and has a good golf IQ,” said Lewellen, who noted that Rivers’s parents Tammy Glugosh and Gregg Rivers are also impressive golfers. “I think she also probably got that from her parents, so this was a total package.”
Although Rivers said she chose Wake Forest to learn from some of the best collegiate golfers in the world, she’s no slouch herself. She impressed Lewellen when she tied for 10th representing Canada at the World Amateur Women’s Team Championship on Aug. 27.
Rivers also won the 2021 North and South Junior Championship and tied for eighth at the Scott Robertson Memorial that same year. In 2020, she won the AJGA Visit Tallahassee Junior Championship and tied for second at the Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship.
She also won the Coca-Cola Junior Championship in 2019 and the Future Links Quebec Championship the same year, and was runner-up at the Ontario Women’s Match Play.
“Golf is a tough game, you can have your good rounds, but you can have your bad rounds and golf can hurt your feelings. You have to have a little bit of thick skin,” said Lewellen. “I think Brooke shows the confidence that you need to have for those days that aren’t great.
“She’s not going to feel sorry for herself.”
Spain wins World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms
Canada 1 and Canada 2 finish sixth and eighth respectively in the team competition
Spain’s Cayetana Fernández finishes 6-under to win the individual title
MARKHAM, Ont. – Undeterred by cold and blustery conditions, Spaniard Cayetana Fernández saved her best for last at Angus Glen Club as the 17-year-old shot a final-round 2-under 70 to lead Spain to victory at the 2022 World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms.
Competitors faced challenging conditions Saturday that included a 46-minute weather delay with heavy morning winds in the Markham area. When play resumed, Fernández would emerge as one of only two players to score under par, leading Spain to victory and claiming the tournament’s individual title.
Fernández paired with teammate Andrea Revuelta to deliver Spain (140-143-146-146—575) a cumulative team score of 2-over on the day and 1-under for the tournament. The Spanish duo along with teammate Paula Martin, who shot a non-counting final-round 76, began the tournament as early favourites with all three players ranked inside the top-100 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).
With the victory, the Spanish trio helped claim the country’s second-ever team title (2022 & 2017), joining the Republic of Korea (2019 & 2015) for most team titles at the annual World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms.
“We are very proud to be world champions,” said Spanish team coach Alvaro Salto. “The golf course was tough test, it played really different conditions and the weather changed a lot, so patience was the key. With these three girls, we have a really special generation now in Spain, and with a few more that could have come to the team this year, we are in good position for the next two, three years.”
Team Sweden (147-138 -142-153—580), who entered final-round action with a two-shot lead over Spain, shot a cumulative score of 4-over to finish alone in second, five shots back. The runner-up placing was the Nordic country’s best result since finishing third in 2017.
Chinese Taipei (144-150-141-147—582) finished alone in third at 6-over followed by Colombia (145-146-147-151—589) in fourth at 13-over and Germany (147-150-146-152—595) at 19-over rounding out the top-five.
The Canada 1 squad of Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C.(72-76-72-79—299), Angela Arora of Surrey, B.C. (68-80-75-80—303), and Michelle Liu of Vancouver (72-77-74-83—306) finished alone in sixth at 22-over.
The Canada 2 squad of Anna Huang from Vancouver (72-77-76-76—301), Yeji Kwon of Port Coquitlam, B.C. (73-75-75-81—304) and Michelle Xing of Richmond Hill, Ont. (74-83-82-80—319) finished solo eighth (+28).
The following are final team results at the World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms:
1 Spain -1 (140-143-146-146—575)
2 Sweden +4 (147-138-142-153—580)
3 Chinese Taipei +6 (144-150-141-147—582)
4 Colombia +13 (145-146-147-151—589)
5 Germany +19 (147-150-146-152—595)
6 Canada 1 +22 (140-153-146-159—598)
7 France +24 (156-146-148-150—600)
8 Canada 2 +28 (145-152-151-156—604)
9 England +31 (150-151-152-154—607)
10 Belgium +33 (144-157-152-156—609)
11 Mexico +35 (146-152-155-158—611)
12 Denmark +40 (150-150-158-158—616)
T13 Italy +46 (154-156-154-158—622)
T13 Wales +46 (152-159-157-154—622)
15 Ireland +50 (150-158-155-163—626)
16 Switzerland +52 (156-158-154-160—628)
17 Finland +54 (154-161-153-162—630)
18 Austria +58 (156-158-155-165—634)
Click here for a link to the full team competition leaderboard.
In the individual competition, Spaniard Cayetana Fernández, who was T2 through 54 holes, hoisted double titles, shooting 2-under 70 in difficult conditions to finish at 6-under for the tournament (70-70-72-70—282).
“We feel great, super proud of ourselves,” said Fernández, whose older sister Bianca helped lead Spain to victory in 2017. “We knew today was going to be tough, and when we stopped with the weather, we knew we had to fight for it, give it our best and stay fighting. The whole team, we are very happy, we don’t have words!”
Fernández becomes the fourth player to win the individual title and lead their country to victory joining Yuka Saso of the Philippines (2016), Hye-jin Choi of Korea (2015) and Mika Kelly of the United States of America (2014) as the only players to accomplish the feat. Fernández’s finish is also the best individual result for a Spanish athlete since her older sister Bianca Fernández along with Dimana Viudes finished third and fourth respectively in 2017.
Runner-up María José Marin of Colombia (72-71-71-70—284) joined Fernández as the only players to score under par Saturday, finishing 2-under 70 on the day and 4-under for the tournament, two shots back.
Sweden’s Meja Őrtengren (71-68-70-76—285), who entered final round action with a 3-shot lead, struggled with a final-round 76 to finish solo third at 3-under. Ting-Hsuan Huang of Chinese Taipei (70-73-69-75—287) finished at 1-under in fourth with Sweden’s Nora Sundberg (76-70-72-77—295) and Belgium’s Savannah De Bock (69-76-74-76—295) at 7-over rounding out the top-five.
Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C.(72-76-72-79—299) finished as the low Canadian at 11-over (T9), the lone Canuck to finish inside the top-10.
The following are Top-10 final results in the individual competition at the World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms:
1 Cayetana Fernández, Spain 70-70-72-72—282 (-6)
2 María José Marin, Colombia 72-71-71-70—284 (-4)
3 Meja Őrtengren, Sweden 71-68-70-76—285 (-3)
4 Ting-Hsuan Huang, Chinese Taipei 70-73-69-75—287 (-1)
T5 Nora Sundberg, Sweden 76-70-72-77—295 (+7)
T5 Savanah De Bock, Belgium 69-76-74-76—295 (+7)
7 Andrea Revuelta, Spain 70-76-74-76—296 (+8)
8 Larissa Carrillo, Mexico 71-75-76-76—298 (+10)
T9 Lauren Kim, Canada 1 72-76-72-79—299 (+11)
T9 Constance Fouillet, France 80-71-74-74—299 (+11)
Click here for a link to the full individual leaderboard.
The 2023 World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms will return to Angus Glen next year with the date still to be determined.
In total, 54 athletes on 18 teams representing 17 countries—including two teams from host nation Canada—competed Oct. 12-15 at Angus Glen for the team and individual titles. The event marked the celebrated return of the prestigious global competition after two years of cancellation due to the pandemic.
This year’s field for the World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms is highlighted by 11 competitors ranked inside the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) top 100. A full list of competitors including their WAGR position is here.
Angus Glen Golf Club, which hosted the World Junior Girls Championship for the third time, is home to two 18-hole championship golf courses in Markham, Ontario. The North and South courses offer variety, beauty, and challenges. Angus Glen has been ranked as one of the top 80 golf courses in the world outside of the United States. It was home to the 2002 and 2007 Canadian Open and an official host of the 2015 Toronto Pan/Parapan American Games. The 2022 World Junior Championship will be contested on the South course.
Additional information regarding the seventh annual World Junior Girls Championship can be found on the competition’s website.
Sweden takes lead heading into final round of World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms
Canada 1 and Canada 2 sit fifth and seventh respectively in the team competition; Sweden’s Meja Őrtengren continues to lead in the individual stroke play competition
MARKHAM, Ont. – Individual leader Meja Őrtengren followed up yesterday’s sizzling 68 with a third-round 2-under 70 to push Team Sweden atop the leaderboard heading into Saturday’s final round of the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms.
Sweden (147-138-142—427) began the day two shots back of Spain, but paired Őrtengren’s 70 with teammate Nora Sundberg’s even-par 72 for a third-round team score of 2-under 142 to sit at 5-under through 54 holes, two shots clear of Spain. Teammate Matilda Bjőrkman shot a non-counting 77 for the Swedish team looking to claim their first-even team title at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargent Farms.
The second-round leaders from Spain (140-143-146—429) counted rounds of even-par 72 from Cayetana Fernández and 2-over 74 by teammate Andrea Revuelta to sit alone in second at 3-under, setting up a Saturday showdown.
Chinese Taipei (144-150-141—435) sits alone in third at 3-over and Colombia (145-146-147—438) is fourth at 6-over.
The Canada 1 squad of Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C.(72-76-72—220), Michelle Liu of Vancouver (72-77-74—223), and Angela Arora of Surrey, B.C. (68-80-75—223) sits alone at 7-over to round out the top-five.
The Canada 2 squad of Anna Huang from Vancouver (72-77-76—225), Yeji Kwon of Port Coquitlam, B.C. (73-75-75—223) and Michelle Xing of Richmond Hill, Ont. (74-83-82—239) are seventh (+14), five shots back of sixth-place Germany (+11).
The following are third-round team results at the World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms:
1 Sweden -5 (147-138-142—427)
2 Spain -3 (140-143-146—429)
3 Chinese Taipei +3 (144-150-141—435)
4 Colombia +6 (145-146-147—438)
5 Canada 1 +7 (140-153-146—439)
6 Germany +11 (147-150-146—443)
7 Canada 2 +14 (145-152-151—448)
8 France +17 (156-146-148—450)
T9 Belgium +21 (144-157-152—453)
T9 England +21 (150-151-152—453)
T9 Mexico +21 (146-152-155—453)
12 Denmark +26 (150-150-158—458)
13 Ireland +31 (150-158-155—463)
14 Italy +32 (154-156-154—464)
T15 Finland +36 (154-161-153—468)
T15 Switzerland +36 (156-158-154—468)
T15 Wales +36 (152-159-157—468)
18 Austria +37 (156-158-155—469)
Click here for a link to the full team competition leaderboard.
In the individual competition, Meja Őrtengren of Sweden shot 2-under 70 Friday to sit at 7-under for the tournament (71-68-70—209), good for a 3-shot lead. Spain’s Cayetana Fernández (70-70-72—212) sits T2 at 4-under with Ting-Hsuan Huang of Chinese Taipei (70-73-69—212) while María José Marin of Colombia (72-71-71—214) at 2-under and Nora Sundberg (76-70-72—218) at 2-over round out the top-five.
Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C.(72-76-72—220) is the low Canadian at 4-over (T7) with a trio of Canucks – Yeji Kwon of Port Coquitlam, B.C. (73-75-75—223), Angela Arora of Surrey, B.C. (68-80-75—223), and Michelle Liu of Vancouver (72-77-74—223) – sitting inside the top-10 at 7-over.
The following are Top-10 results in the individual competition at the World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms:
1 Meja Őrtengren, Sweden 71-68-70—209 (-7)
T2 Cayetana Fernández, Spain 70-70-72—212 (-4)
T2 Ting-Hsuan Huang, Chinese Taipei 70-73-69—212 (-4)
4 María José Marin, Colombia 72-71-71—214 (-2)
5 Nora Sundberg, Sweden 76-70-72—218 (+2)
6 Savanah De Bock, Belgium 69-76-74—219 (+3)
T7 Andrea Revuelta, Spain 70-76-74—220 (+4)
T7 Lauren Kim, Canada 1 72-76-72—220 (+4)
9 Larissa Carrillo, Mexico 71-75-76—222 (+6)
T10 Yeji Kwon, Canada 2 73-75-75—223 (+7)
T10 Angela Arora, Canada 1 68-80-75—223 (+7)
T10 Hsin Chun Liao, Chinese Taipei 74-77-72—223 (+7)
T10 Marie-Agnes Fischer, Germany 72-73-78—223 (+7)
T10 Michelle Liu, Canada 1 72-77-74—223) (+7)
T10 Sophia Fullbrook, England 76-74-73—223) (+7)
Click here for a link to the full individual leaderboard.
In total, 54 athletes on 18 teams representing 17 countries—including two teams from host nation Canada—are competing Oct. 12-15 at Angus Glen for the team and individual titles. The event marks the celebrated return of the prestigious global competition after two years of cancellation due to the pandemic.
The final round of the 72-hole competition gets underway Saturday morning at 8:30am with the final groups teeing off at 9:50am. Admission to the competition is free.
This year’s field for the World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms is highlighted by 11 competitors ranked inside the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) top 100. A full list of competitors including their WAGR position is here.
With two victories (2015 & 2019) in the event’s six-year history, Korea has won the most team competition titles followed by USA (2014), Philippines (2016), Spain (2017), and Italy (2018). A history of past winners is available here.
A number of players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Championship have gone on great success on the LPGA Tour, led by Canadian Brooke Henderson, a 12-time LPGA winner and world no. 6 who finished fourth in the individual competition at the inaugural championship hosted in 2014.
Other notable competitors who went on to become LPGA Tour winners include world no. 2 Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand who won back-to-back World Junior titles in 2018 and 2019 as well as world no. 35 Yuka Saso of Philippines who won the 2016 World Junior title. Other former World Junior competitors who have gone on to win on the LPGA Tour include Hannah Green of Australia and Maja Stark of Sweden.
In addition, 12 players who competed for the 2022 CP Women’s Open at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club are alumni of the World Junior Girls Championship.
Angus Glen Golf Club, which is hosting the World Junior Girls Championship for the third time, is home to two 18-hole championship golf courses in Markham, Ontario. The North and South courses offer variety, beauty, and challenges. Angus Glen has been ranked as one of the top 80 golf courses in the world outside of the United States. It was home to the 2002 and 2007 Canadian Open and an official host of the 2015 Toronto Pan/Parapan American Games. The 2022 World Junior Championship will be contested on the South course.
Additional information regarding the seventh annual World Junior Girls Championship can be found on the competition’s website.