Judith Kyrinis wins Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship
OSOYOOS, B.C. – If it wasn’t the chip of her life, it was certainly close.
Judith Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont., converted a clutch up-and-down birdie on the 18th hole Tuesday to win the 49th playing of the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship at Osoyoos Golf Club.
Faced with a challenging chip of about 80 feet, Kyrinis pulled off a near perfect shot with her ball settling just two feet behind the hole.
“It was a tough chip, there was nothing easy about it,” Kyrinis said. “I was just committed to getting it out and rolling it all the way up there and it worked out. I hadn’t been chipping all that great. So I am just thrilled.”
Kyrinis shot a one-under 72 Tuesday and finished the 54-hole event on Osoyoos Golf Club’s Park Meadows Course at two-under par. That was one shot better than Amy Ellertson of Free Union., Va. Ellertson was playing in the second to last group right in front of Kyrinis and birdied the 18th hole to finish the tournament at one-under.
Kyrinis knew where she stood as she prepared to play her second shot from the 18th fairway.
“I knew she made birdie on 18, so I knew I had to make birdie,” she said.
Her second shot ended up just short-left of the green, leaving her with that tricky chip. After pulling that shot off, she still had that little putt to contend with.
“The putt was short, but it still wasn’t a gimme, right,’ she said with a laugh. “I kept telling myself, ‘breathe, breathe.’”
Four individual trophies were awarded following Tuesday’s round. The Mid-Amateur competition was open to players aged 25 and older. The Mid-Masters title was open to players aged 40 and older. The Senior competition was for players aged 50 and older and the Super Senior title was contested by players aged 60 and older.
Kyrinis won the Mid-Amateur, Mid-Master and Senior titles. Jackie Little of Procter, B.C. won the Super Senior Championship.
Kyrinis, a nurse in Toronto, won the same three championships in 2016. She said this win feels just as sweet as the first one.
“I think they are both equally exciting because you never know when you are going to get back here,” she said. “This is really special. Just because it is No. 2 doesn’t mean it is not as good as No. 1.”
Ellertson, who also closed with a 72, was lamenting a couple of missed birdie opportunities in her final found.
“I left some shots out there,” Ellertson said. “I had two six-foot birdie putts that were right in the jar and came up short. But that’s the way it goes. I am happy to finish under par on a beautiful golf course. I have nothing to complain about.”
Christina Proteau of Port Alberni, B.C. and Nonie Marler of Vancouver tied for third at one-over par. Sarah Dunning of Waterloo, Ont., and two-time defending champion Sue Wooster of Australia shared fifth place at two-over.
Little didn’t play her best Tuesday, but still managed to comfortably defend the Super Senior Championship she won last year.
“That is the hardest I have had to work for an 81 in a long time,” Little said after her round.
She finished the event at 11-over par. That was five shots better than Ivy Steinberg of Stouffville, Ont., and Ruth Maxwell of Reno, Nev.
At age 61, Little knows every win now is something of a bonus.
“I have been complaining about how I have been hitting it and my husband says, well, remember, you are 61 now,” she said.
Little now has five national championships, in addition to her two Canadian Super Senior titles, she has two Canadian Senior championships and one Canadian Mid-Amateur title.
On Monday, Team Ontario won its sixth straight inter-provincial team title, registering a commanding 15-stroke victory over second-place Quebec in the 36-hole competition.
Full scoring can be found here.
Summit Golf Club to host Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship
RICHMOND HILL, Ont. – Top amateur golfers over the age of 25 will gather Aug. 20-23 for the 33rd playing of the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship taking place at Summit Golf Club in Richmond Hill, Ont.
Joseph Deraney of Belden, Miss., captured the title in 2018, becoming only the second non-Canadian to win the championship. Deraney started the final day in sixth position, but a remarkable round of 65 earned him the championship. The 36-year-old is returning to defend his title in 2019.
Deraney and Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont., headline a full field of 156 competitors who will take to the fairways of Summit Golf Club. Rank recently won the prestigious Western Amateur and is a three-time Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur champion, having won the tournament in 2014, 2015 and 2016. He’s also a NHL referee and former Team Canada member.
Rank and Deraney are among the five former champions competing in the event, along with Dave Bunker of Brampton, Ont. (2008-10), Rob Couture of Dallas, Tx. (2011) and Todd Fanning of Winnipeg (2017).
“We are thrilled to bring this talented field to Summit Golf Club,” said Akash Patel, the Tournament Director and Rules and Competitions Coordinator with Golf Canada. “The Mid-Amateur is a great opportunity for Canadian amateurs to find success and compete on a national stage. This beautiful course is in great condition and sure to draw out some exciting competition.”
The first round will take place Tuesday, Aug. 20 and the field will be reduced to the low 70 and ties for the final two rounds.
The championship was first contested in 1987 and includes a Mid-Master competition for players over the age of 40 that runs concurrently with the tournament. Todd Fanning of Winnipeg defended his Canadian Men’s Mid-Master title in 2018.
An inter-provincial team competition for the R. Bruce Forbes Trophy is held over the first 36 holes. Team Ontario is aiming for its fifth consecutive inter-provincial team victory. The trio of Rank, Bunker and Toronto native Patrick Forbes won with a score of 8 under. Team British Columbia finished runner-up at 2 over.
In addition to the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur title, the 2019 champion will receive an exemption into the 2020 RBC Canadian Open at St. George’s Golf & Country Club in Toronto from June 8-14.
Founded in 1912, Summit Golf Club was partially designed by famed golf course architect Stanley Thompson. The 2019 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship will be the fourth Golf Canada championship conducted at Summit Golf Club, along with the 1970 Canadian Junior Girls, the 1973 Canadian Men’s Amateur and the 1999 Canadian Men’s Senior Championships.
“We are truly honoured to host the prestigious Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Summit Golf Club,” said Director of Golf and General Manager Ian Leggatt. “We look forward to challenging this strong field with our historic golf course, in addition to showcasing the beautiful city of Richmond Hill and all it has to offer.”
Additional information about the tournament, including the full field and tee times is available here.
NOTABLES
Garrett Rank, Elmira, Ont.
Rank won the 2019 Western Amateur in early August, becoming the first Canadian since 1977 to capture the prestigious championship. The current NHL referee is a three-time winner of the event, but hasn’t had his named etched on the trophy since 2016. Rank represented Canada at the 2018 World Amateur Championship and the 31-year-old’s older brother, Kyle, is also in the field.
Joseph Deraney, Belden, Miss.
The defending champion is looking to become the seventh golfer to win back-to-back Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateurs. Deraney has won two tournaments in 2019 – the Mississippi State Amateur Championship and the Greenwood Invitational. As the 2018 champion, Deraney earned an exemption to the 2019 RBC Canadian Open, missing the cut.
Dave Bunker, Brampton, Ont.
A three-time winner of the event from 2008-2010, Bunker is looking to rebound after missing the cut in 2018. The 54-year-old has played well in 2019, earning two top-10 results at the Ontario Men’s Match Play Championship and the Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship.
Todd Fanning, Winnipeg
Fanning has claimed the Mid-Master competition two years in a row, winning both the Mid-Master and Mid-Amateur in 2017. He played the RBC Canadian Open as a 50-year-old in 2018 – the fifth time he played the tournament and his first appearance in 16 years.
Rob Couture, Dallas
The former champion has played four tournaments thus far in 2019, with his best result being an eighth-place finish at the North Texas Mid-Amateur Championship – a tournament he has won on three occasions. Couture was the first non-Canadian to win the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur when he did so in 2011.
FAST FACTS
The Championship was first contested in 1987 and was originally known as the RCGA Pre-Seniors Championship before it was renamed to its current name in 1989.
The inter-provincial team championship for the R. Bruce Forbes Trophy was first conducted in 1992 and is played concurrently over the first two rounds of stroke play.
Graham Cooke of Hudson, Que. and Stu Hamilton of Brampton, Ont. captured 11 of the first 20 championships played. Cooke was the inaugural champion in 1987 and has the most event wins with seven.
The defending champion is Joseph Deraney, who won the title by posting a final round of 65.
Three players have won the event three times in a row: Garrett Rank, Dave Bunker and Graham Cooke – no one has won it four straight years.
The format changed from match to stroke play in 2006, with the Mid-Master category introduced for golfers over the age of 40.
In 2018, Team Ontario won the inter-provincial R. Bruce Forbes Trophy for the fourth straight year.
Mills, Meaghers, McLaughlins, Gauvins and Wards take Titles at Family Classic & Jim Connolly Little Swingers
The players of the 2019 NB Family Classic and the 3rd annual Jim Connolly “Little Swingers” joined us at The Riverside Golf & Country Club on Monday. The Family classic is played as a Pinehurst alternate shot format where we hope all family members were still talking to each other at the end of their round. There are 4 categories, the Mother/Daughter, Mother/Son, Father/Daughter and Father/Son in this great tournament.
The Jim Connolly “Little Swingers” Event is in memory of long-time Riverside Golf Professional Jim Connolly as his junior clinics for kids under the age of 10 are well known. In the Little Swingers division, the 8 juniors joined in a clinic taught by Riverside’s Head Professional (and Jim Connolly’s son), Don Connolly and Golf NB’s Technical Director, Bari Gourley. The fathers all watched and listened in on the tips being given by the Pros. They then headed up to the 10th tee to play on the back nine from the lengthened “family tees”. The pressure was on Steve and Connor Weatherhead from the Westfield Golf & Country Club, who were the 2-time defending champions but they settled for the runner-up position this year. They managed an amazing 2-under par 34 with birdies on holes 11, 14, 17 and a lone par on the always tough 10th hole. They were outplayed by the Hampton Golf Club duo of General Manager, Craig Mills and his son Ethan who fired an outstanding 5-under par 31 with an eagle on the 14th hole, birdies on holes 12, 15, 16 and 17 and a bogey on 18. After the round all of the kids all took part in a mini-putt tournament made with lots of obstacles on the putting green, a meal and then each junior won a prize and received a bag of candy.
The Mother/Daughter Division was once again won by the Kathy (Fredericton Golf Club) and Kathryn Meagher Golf NB Gold Member) for the 6th time in a row and 12 times overall. That is quite a feat! They shot an 82 on the par 72 layout and won by 4 shots over Kathy Power from the Fredericton Golf Club and her daughter Lindsey from Nova Scotia. Following one-shot back was Mona Meldrum from Sackville and her daughter Sara from North Carolina.
The Mother/Son division saw a winning team from the past come back and win again. Debbie and Steve McLaughlin from Fox Creek and the Moncton Golf Club respectively, shot a 79 to claim the title after their last win in 2015. Last year’s champions Lois and Greg Stewart from the host club, came in second this year and 3-shots back with an 82. Another shot back at 83 was a new pairing for the tournament, Monique and Patrick Livingston from the Fredericton Golf Club.
We had new champions in the Father/Daughter grouping after Team NB Junior Girl member, Julie Gauvin and her dad, Pierre, both from Fox Creek, fired a 3-over par 75. The started with a 39 on the front but caught fire on the back nine with a 2-under 34 with birdies on 13, 14 and 17 and a bogey on 18. The runner-up position went to an old favourite Doug Sullivan who played with his granddaughter, Claire Konning this year who shot a 38-39 =77. Another shot back at 78 was Riverside’s own Tracy Gallant and her father Ed Moore of Kingswood.
Finishing off the day was the Father/Son division that had 30 teams competing for the Championship. We crowned new champions (but past champions) in Jeff and Jake Ward from Gage Golf Club and Kingswood. They had a great day with a 3-under 33 on the front with birdies on holes 2, 3, 6 and 9 and a bogey on hole 7. On the back nine they followed up with a 2-under 34 with birdies on holes 12 and 14 and 7 pars. Placing in second position was Will and James Simonds of the home club who shot a 1-over par 73 with 8 pars and a double bogey on the front nine and a 1-under par 35 on the back with birdies on 12, 15 and 16 and bogeys on 11 and 18. Tied for 3rd place, one shot back at 2-over par 74 was Riverside’s Associate Pro James Sinclair and his dad Greg along with another Riverside member, Josh Hurley and his father Dan from the Hampton Golf Club. Another shot back at 75 was last year’s champions Nick and Darren Ritchie.
The Riverside Country Club was a fantastic host again this year for this event, the course was in great shape, and everyone had a great time. Head Professional, Don Connolly was very excited about hosting the event for the third year in a row and was happy to see the Jim Connolly Little Swingers Event continue again this year. Not many tournaments can you have an 5 year old playing, and three players in their 80s also playing in the same tournament. All in all, it was a great day even though Mother Nature decided to drizzle down on us for some of the day. The Family Classic is a special day and it is all about Fun and being with family.Thanks to all the players and especially the kids for putting up with their parents today!
- For more information on the 2019 NB Family Classic, including full results please CLICK HERE.
- For more information on the 2018 “Jim Connolly” Little Swingers, including full results please CLICK HERE.
- For more information on The Riverside Country Club please: CLICK HERE.
The 2019 NB Family Classic, Adult Junior and Jim Connolly “Little Swingers” Heads Back to The Riverside Country Club
Golf NB
For Immediate Release –
2019 Jim Connolly ” Little Swingers” Tee Times
2019 NB Family Classic and Adult/Junior Tee Times
The NB Family Classic & the Jim Connolly “Little Swingers” are set to return to the Riverside Country Club on August 19th, 2019 for their third consecutive year. Jim Connolly called Riverside home for over 37 years and developed the “Little Swingers” junior program for ages 5 to 10. What started out as a club program has since been adopted at the national level and has transformed into what we know as the Future Links National Program. Monday’s event will see 8 “Little Swingers” and their fathers in action, with 2-time defending champions Scott & Connor Weatherhead of Westfield Golf and Country Club returning and going for the three-peat. Trying to derail the Weatherhead team will be Jason and Jack Snow as well as Craig and Ethan Mills all from the Hampton Golf Club. The Little Swingers will start their day at 8:30 am with a clinic hosted by PGA of Canada Teaching Professional and Golf NB Technical Director Bari Gourley alongside Don Connolly, Head Professional at The Riverside Country Club. From there they will climb the hill to the 10th tee to start their 9-hole event with the first tee time at 9:30 and the last at 10:00 am.
Just before the Little Swingers start their rounds, the NB Family Classic will begin at 9:00 am off the number one tee with the Mother/Daughter division starting first. 12-time Mother/Daughter winners and the 2018 defending champions, Kathryn & Kathy Meagher of Fredericton Golf Club, will be teeing it up for another year in hopes of staying on top of their division. The 2018 runner-up (and first-time competitors) team of Mona and Sara Meldrum of Sackville Country Club were only 1 shot behind the leading pair by the end of their 18 holes last year and this year they are returning with the title in their grasp and desire to take it home. The Father/Daughter division will see at least 1 new champion as defending champion Doug Sullivan, owner of Country Meadows has paired himself with granddaughter Claire Konning this year since Susan is unable to compete. In the running and looking to add their names to the trophy are 11 teams including last year’s runner-up team of Ed Moore and Tracy Gallant. Carole and Brian Dalrymple cannot defend their Mother/Son title this year as Brian is playing in the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship in Ontario so 6 teams will be seeing whose names will adorn the trophy. Past Champions, Lois and Greg Stewart from the home club and Debbie and Steve McLaughlin from Fox Creek are looking forward to the prospect becoming Champions again. Defending Champions Darren and Nick Ritchie who hail from the Hampton Golf Club are back to defend their title in the Father/Son division. They will receive some pressure from the Shannon duo from Welsford, Kingswood Apprentice Golf Professional Jake Ward and his Dad Jeff, as well as Dan and Josh Hurley from Hampton Golf Club and the Riverside Country Club, respectively.
It is going to be a fun yet competitive day at the Riverside Country Club on Monday August 19th for the Golf NB Family Classic. We look forward to families coming together to enjoy the game of golf we all love.
- For more information of the 2019 NB Family Classic, including full results, please Click Here
- For more information on the 2018 “Jim Connolly” Little Swingers, including full results please Click Here
- For more information on The Riverside Country Club please: Click Here.
Defending champion Brooke Henderson ready to challenge world’s best golfers at 2019 CP Women’s Open
AURORA, Ont. – Golf Canada in partnership with Canadian Pacific (CP) announced today the full field of competitors set to challenge for the 2019 CP Women’s Open taking place August 19-25 at Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont.
Defending champion Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., will battle one of the strongest fields on the LPGA Tour including 96 of the top 100 players on the 2019 LPGA Tour List and 17 in-year tournament winners. Henderson, currently ranked sixth on the LPGA Tour Money List and eighth on the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, has two LPGA Tour wins on the season and her nine career LPGA Tour victories are the most ever by a Canadian on the LPGA or PGA Tour. Her victory in 2018 at The Wascana Country Club in Regina, Sask. made her the first Canadian since Jocelyne Bourassa 45 years prior to win the National Women’s Open.
A stellar field of international stars are lined up to challenge Henderson at Magna including nine of the top 10 players on the LPGA Money List – Jin Young Ko (No. 1), Jeongeun Lee6 (No. 2), Sung Hyun Park (No. 3), Lexi Thompson (No. 4), Minjee Lee (No. 5), Sei Young Kim (No. 7), Ariya Jutanugarn (No. 8) and Nelly Korda (No. 9).
Henderson also headlines a group of nine past champions coming to Aurora including three-time winner Lydia Ko (2012, 2013, 2015) in search of her record fourth title. Other past champions confirmed include Sung Hyun Park (2017), Ariya Jutanugarn (2016), So Yeon Ryu (2014), Suzann Pettersen (2009), Katherine Kirk (2008), Cristie Kerr (2006) and Juli Inkster (1984).
Other global LPGA Tour stars confirmed among the 156-player field include Jessica Korda, Paula Creamer, Daniel Kang, Shanshan Fang, Morgan Pressel, Anna Nordqvist, Carlota Ciganda, Nasa Hataoka, Moriya Jutanugarn, Charley Hull, Angel Yin, Jennifer Kupcho and Maria Fassi.
“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome the world’s best golfers to Magna Golf Club as the CP Women’s Open returns to the Greater Toronto Area for the first time in 17 years,” said Tournament Director Ryan Paul. “Our field, with 96 of the top 100 players on the 2019 LPGA Money List including 17 in-year winners, nine past champions and the very best rising talents in Canadian and international golf, is second to none. With Brooke [Henderson] coming in as our defending champion, golf fans will be treated to an incredible golf experience next week in Aurora.”
A full field list of players confirmed to compete in the 2019 CP Women’s Open is available online here.
The field of 156 competitors will vie for the US$2.25 million purse with the champion taking home $337,500.
FIFTEEN CANADIANS TO COMPETE AT MAGNA GOLF CLUB….
Led by Canadian sensation and CP Ambassador Brooke Henderson, 15 Canadians are currently confirmed to challenge for the CP Women’s Open including LPGA Tour regulars Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Anne-Catharine Tanguay of Quebec City and Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont. Previously confirmed LPGA Tour rookie Jaclyn Lee of Calgary was forced to withdraw with an injury.
Also competing will be Symetra Tour players Maude-Aimee LeBlanc of Sherbrooke, Que., Megan Osland of Kelowna, B.C. and Valerie Tanguay of Saint-Hyacinthe, Que. along with Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont.
Recent Pan Am Games mixed team bronze medalists Brigitte Thibault of Rosemère, Que., and Mary Parsons of Delta, B.C. will be joined by National Junior Squad members Emily Zhu of Richmond Hill, Ont. and Céleste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que.
Four-time LPGA Tour winner, CP Ambassador and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame Member Lorie Kane will make her record 29th appearance in the National Open.
The youngest player in the field will be 12-year old Michelle Liu of Vancouver who earned an exemption as the low Canadian at the recent Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.
FINAL FOUR EXEMPTIONS MONDAY AT SCARBORO GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB
On Monday, August 19, the LPGA Tour will conduct an 18-hole stroke play qualifier at Scarboro Golf and Country Club to determine the final four exemptions directly into the 2019 CP Women’s Open. A full list of players competing is available online here.
2019 CP WOMEN’S OPEN TICKETS
One of Canada’s premier annual sporting events, the CP Women’s Open features miles of front row seating for golf fans to experience Canada’s lone stop on the LPGA Tour and cheer on Canadian sensation and CP Ambassador Brooke Henderson as she defends her national title on home soil.
General admission tickets, starting at just $20 for early week access, provide access to the grounds to get an up-close look at the stars of the LPGA Tour. Tournament rounds for Thursday, Friday and Saturday are just $50; a Sunday final-round ticket is $60; and a weeklong, fully transferable badge is $120.
A specially priced youth ticket (13-17 years old) is also available while juniors aged 12-and-under gain FREE grounds admission all week long.
In addition to general admission tickets, a limited number of upgraded spectator viewing experiences are still available. A full list of ticket packages and pricing is available online at www.cpwomensopen.com/tickets.
CP HAS HEART IN SUPPORT OF SICKKIDS FOUNDATION
Canadian Pacific will continue its history of making a substantial donation to the host community through its CP Has Heart community investment program. In the five years of CP’s title sponsorship of the CP Women’s Open, $8.5 million has been raised to support children’s heart health in communities across Canada. This year, the campaign will benefit SickKids Foundation, the primary charity partner for the 2019 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, as well as Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, Ont. For more information on CP Has Heart, visit www.cphasheart.com.
BIRDIES FOR HEART
You can help fundraise for an upgraded Cardiac Operating Suite at SickKids by pledging a donation amount or per birdie for 2019 CP Women’s Open tournament play. Whenever a LPGA Tour player sinks a birdie on the 17th hole, your chosen dollar amount is donated to SickKids Foundation. For all donations made through Birdies For Heart, spectator support will be matched by CP. To participate, please click here.
TELEVISION COVERAGE…
Thursday, August 22 – Golf Channel/TSN/RDS – 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Friday, August 23 – Golf Channel/TSN/RDS – 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Saturday, August 24 – Golf Channel/TSN/RDS – 2:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 25 – Golf Channel/TSN/RDS – 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
* All times local.
CP WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT TO KICK OFF TOURNAMENT WEEK
Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific are proud to host the second annual CP Women’s Leadership Summit on Tuesday, August 20 at the Sheraton Parkway Toronto North in Richmond Hill, Ont., as part of the weeklong excitement of the 2019 CP Women’s Open. The CP Women’s Leadership Summit will bring together like-minded businesswomen from across the country for a day of networking, empowerment and philanthropy. The Summit will also raise awareness for the CP Women’s Open, with attendees receiving access to the tournament during the week.
Keynote speaker Roberta Bowman, Chief Brand & Communications Officer of the LPGA will be joined by LPGA Tour Professional Mariah Stackhouse for an athlete Q&A. Attendees will hear from business leaders Maeghan Albiston, Assistant Vice-President of Investor Relations & Pensions at CP, Anne Simard, Chief Mission & Research Officer of the Heart and Stroke Foundation and Jennifer Tory, Chief Administrative Officer of RBC. A new addition to the leadership summit in 2019 is the athlete panel, which will feature four accomplished Canadian Olympians—speed skater Anastasia Bucsis, soccer goalkeeper Karina Leblanc, multi-sport star Georgia Simmerling and two-time ice hockey gold medalist Natalie Spooner. Rogers Sportsnet Central Co-Anchor Evanka Osmak will act as the emcee and panel moderator for the event.
For more information about the CP Women’s Leadership Summit, including tickets and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.cpwomensopen.com/wls.
NB Golfers set target of $40,000 for 2019 ServiceMaster NB Golf Fore the Cure
by Dwayne Tingley
It was a poignant conversation Marilyn Pollock will never forget.
She was approached by a broken-hearted woman from Hampton, whose daughter was recently diagnosed with cancer.
The woman wanted to thank Pollock for her efforts at the 2018 ServiceMaster New Brunswick Golf Fore the Cure, an annual tournament that raises money for breast cancer research.
As chairwoman for the tournament, Pollock made it clear that “it’s everyone’s fight and cause” not just her’s.
“It really hit me how much this disease affects every family somehow and that’s why I feel so passionately about this golf tournament,” Pollock said.
Once again, this year, Pollock will chair the 10-member organizing committee at the scenic and hospitable Petiticodiac Valley Golf and Country Club. Twenty-four teams from all over New Brunswick will tee up for a shotgun start on the afternoon of August 21st and by days end they are expected to raise more than $40,000 for breast cancer research in the province.
“It’s a unique tournament because of all of the emotions involved,” said Pollock, who is also past-president of the Petitcodiac Valley Golf & Country Club.
“There’s really a source of pride when you see the ladies come out support the event,” she continued, “It’s also special when you see people who show up and they are cancer survivors. They share their stories, and everyone gets quite emotional. It’s a wonderful day and our team at Petitcodiac is proud to host such an important event.”
This year marks the 19th anniversary of the ServiceMaster New Brunswick Golf Fore the Cure in New Brunswick. The event tournament has raised more than $600,000 for breast cancer research and all the money has gone to programs in New Brunswick.
This year’s winning team will advance to the Canadian Golf Fore the Cure tournament on September 23rd at the Credit Valley Golf and Country Club in Mississauga, Ont.
Through their support of the NB Golf Fore the Cure event, ServiceMaster Restore will cover the winning team’s entry in to the national event, while also providing a subsidy to help limit the travel expenses of the winning team.
All teams that raise a minimum of $2,500 will also be entered in a draw to attend the national tournament as well, with all the expenses for the second team being covered by Golf Canada.
Pollock, a youthful and enthusiastic 68, said the Petitcodiac Valley Golf & Country Club has added some spark to the tournament by offering extras like a tournament banquet, closest to the pin competition sponsored by Golf Town, closest to the line sponsored by adidas, memorial and honorary signage sponsored by Goggin Signs and a fun pink Nitro lost ball competition which offers valuable prices, including green fees from several clubs.
Players from all over New Brunswick have sold tickets on a “stoning cancer” initiative. First prize is a pink diamond ring plus four green fees and two power carts from Petitcodiac Valley. Second prize is a diamond necklace and four green fees and two power carts and third prize is a Reiki necklace and earrings plus two green fees and a power cart.
“It’s a great cause with great ladies participating so it’s going to be a day that no one is going to forget,” Pollock said.
This marks the 11th year ServiceMaster has served as title sponsor for the Golf Fore the Cure in New Brunswick.
Spokesman John Brown said the company is proud to be associated with such a positive golf event.
“The fit for our company is simply this – to give back to this worthwhile cause that affects our families that we serve as those affected by this cancer curse,” said Brown, who is vice-president of ServiceMaster Restore and ServiceMaster Clean of Fredericton.
The company represents all the ServiceMaster Restore franchises, which are owned by Troy Adams in Moncton, Chris Long in Saint John, Nick Mann in Campbellton/Miramichi as well as John, his son Chris Brown and Bob Sweeney in Fredericton.
“The ladies involved as players and organizers work tirelessly towards putting on a first-class event,” Brown said. “All funds support New Brunswick residents all funds stay in the province.
“We,” he added, “have pledged to work with the Golf Fore the Cure as long as they will have us. We feel it would be an injustice if we did not contribute given the effort put forward by them.”
Christopher Vandette leads by four at Canadian Junior Boys Championship
HARTLAND, N.B. – A day after setting the course record, Christopher Vandette of Beaconsfield, Que., fired a 3-under-par 69 in the second round to increase his lead at the 81st Canadian Junior Boys Championship held at Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club.
Vandette now leads the competition by four strokes, extending the three-shot lead he had after his opening-round 62. The highlights of the 18-year-old’s round were two eagles on the 1st and 6th holes, both par-5s. The Team Canada National Junior Squad member also made three bogeys on Tuesday.
“Today, I hit the ball really well again,” said Vandette. “I putted decent, just the big difference was decisions on the course. I made a couple of really dumb mistakes, but I’m still satisfied with how I played out there.”
Carter Graf of Sylvan Lake, Alta., is in second at 9 under. The 2019 Alberta Junior champion roared up the leaderboard with four straight birdies on holes No. 5 through No. 8, on his way to a round of 4 under.
“I got really hot halfway through the round, that kind of kick-started my round” said Graf. “I hit a lot of greens – 17 greens – so it was pretty easy and pretty stress-free. My good friend Chris is in the lead, so it’s going to be a lot of fun to play against each other and battle it out.”
Jeevan Sihota of Victoria sits in third place a 7 under. The 15-year-old carded a round of 3 under, and leads the 16-and-under Juvenile division by one stroke over Thomas Latter (Mississauga, Ont.).
Six players are tied for fourth place at 6 under; Latter, Bennett Ruby (Waterloo, Ont.), Jace Minni (Delta, B.C.), Freddy D’Angelo (Fonthill, Ont.), Dustin Franko (Delta, B.C.) and Luc Warnock (McGregor, Ont.), the latter of whom shot the low round on Tuesday at 5 under.
Team Québec, consisting of Vandette, Laurent Desmarchais (Longueuil, Que.) and Logan Boucher (Beaconsfield, Que.) won the 36-hole inter-provincial team competition by combining to shoot 19-under-par. Team Alberta finished runner-up, eight shots behind Québec at 11 under.
A total of 77 players who finished 3 over or better have advanced to the final two rounds. The third round is scheduled to start at 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday.
In addition to the 2019 Canadian Junior Boys Championship title, the individual champion will earn an exemption into the 2020 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.
Full scoring can be found here.
Golf Canada announces 2020 and 2021 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship host venues
Some of Canada’s finest golf facilities will play host to another storied championship over the next two years.
After the completion of a bid application process for member clubs in Quebec and Ontario, Golf Canada announced today the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship would be played at Royal Montreal Golf Club in 2020 and Westmount Golf and Country Club in 2021.
Tournament Director Dan Hyatt said the organizing committee and Golf Canada couldn’t have asked for a better scenario to unfold for its championship, an ‘A’ ranked event on the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking.
After a great track record of clubs the last few years, being able to bring the event to some of Canada’s best clubs is a real win, he says.
“We’ve been very lucky with the venues we’ve had recently, since they’ve embraced the women’s game really well. We couldn’t have asked for two better clubs to come to the table with such storied histories,” said Hyatt. “The event has become a ‘must-play’ for top internationals along with our top Canadians, and hopefully this will produce a runway of being able to continue to get great clubs with great history to play host.”
107th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship
Royal Montreal Golf Club’s Blue Course will host the 107th playing of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship in 2020.
The Blue Course last hosted the RBC Canadian Open in 2014 and the very first Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship in 1901.
“It’s nice to go back to the place where it all began,” said Dan Hyatt. “The history and the facts speak for itself: Royal Montreal is a premium, top-notch club that will surely test the players.
“We’ve had some great conversations with the leadership there and it’s going to be an absolute privilege to bring the Canadian Women’s Amateur to one of this country’s most historic venues,” continued Hyatt.
The club, which is the oldest golf club in North America, first hosted the Canadian Open in 1904. It went on to host Canada’s national open nine more times – including 2014. Of note, Royal Montreal was the site of the last Canadian Open won by a Canadian when in 1954 Pat Fletcher, who served as the club’s head professional for nearly 20 years, captured the title.
Royal Montreal also welcomed the world in 2007 when it hosted the Presidents Cup.
“The Royal Montreal Golf Club is delighted to host a national golf championship again,” said General Manager Mike Kenney. “Having hosted the inaugural Women’s Amateur Championship in 1901, the membership is excited to have the best women’s amateur golfers test their skills on the Blue Course.
“Planning is well underway, and we look forward to welcoming all the players, coaches, family and friends to Royal Montreal in July 2020.”
Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship
In 2021, the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship will be contested at Westmount Golf and Country Club in Kitchener, Ont.
Westmount, the home of famous amateur and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Gary Cowan, is no stranger to hosting some of the biggest events in Canadian golf. The club has hosted the 1957 Canadian Open, the 1990 CP Women’s Open, the 1969 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, and most recently the 2009 Canadian Junior Boys Championship in the past.
“Westmount has a long history of supporting amateur golf and we are honoured to be able to continue that tradition by hosting this prestigious event for top female amateurs from around the world,” said club president Virginia Marshall. “I am confident that the competitors will find our Stanley Thompson course both beautiful and challenging.”
Opened in 1931, Westmount, with its gently rolling terrain and unrivalled setting, has been constantly ranked as one of Canada’s best courses.
It will prove to be a formidable test for the best female amateurs in the world in 2021.
“It’s hard to beat,” said Dan Hyatt of Westmount. “It’s just such a fun track to play. There is never a dull moment there and it’s been a top-15 club consistently over the last decade or so. Plus, they are doing a lot of good things for the women’s game there.”
The 2019 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship wrapped up in July at Red Deer Golf and Country Club with American Brianna Navarrosa winning by one shot. Now Golf Canada looks ahead, with confidence and excitement, at the next two years.
“We can’t thank both Royal Montreal and Westmount enough for putting in bids to host our championship,” said Hyatt. “Having these caliber of clubs involved will only make it a stronger event for everybody moving forward.”
Christopher Vandette equals lowest round ever at Canadian Junior Boys Championship
HARTLAND, N.B. – Defending champion Christopher Vandette of Beaconsfield, Que., carded an opening round 62 to lead the 81st Canadian Junior Boys Championship held at Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club by three strokes.
Vandette’s 10-under-par 62 included four-straight birdies to close out his round. An eagle on the par-4 15th was the highlight of the 18-year-old’s day. The lone blemish on his scorecard was a bogey on the par-4 11th.
“I’m just really excited in general, it was a fairly smooth day out there,” said Vandette. “There’s still 54 holes ahead. You can’t sprint the marathon. I was pretty comfortable. I don’t think anything was too flashy or incredible today, everything was just rock solid.”
The Team Canada National Junior Squad member equaled the lowest-single round score in the 81-year history of the championship. Calvin Ross, a Fredericton, N.B. product, shot 62 in the third round of the 2017 championship. Ross would go on to win the tournament.
Vandette also shattered previous the course record of 64 at Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club.
“I’m extremely honoured, especially to do it at the Canadian Juniors,” said Vandette of setting the course record. “It’s really something special. It was just making very few mistakes and staying out of trouble.”
Dustin Franko of Delta, B.C., sits in second place at 7 under. Franko was bogey-free on Monday, and made three straight birdies on holes No. 11 through No. 13. However, his remarkable round was almost in jeopardy after Sunday’s practice round.
“It was the low round of my career and I’ve never had a bogey-free round either,” said Franko. “I had a bit of a scare yesterday. I walked off after nine holes of the practice round because I had lower back pain after mishitting a shot. I was stretching all night and had hot and cold [compresses] on-and-off. This morning, I had a later tee time, so I got to stretch out quite a bit. It didn’t bother me out on the course at all.”
One stroke behind Franko is Chester, N.S., product Mark Chandler. Chandler was also bogey-free with two of his six birdies coming on par-3s.
“I hit the ball well, found the fairways and greens,” said Chandler. “Some putts dropped for me. This course is pretty open, so hitting the driver well really helps; it gives you a lot of wedges onto the greens, so there’s some good scoring opportunities there.”
Thomas Latter (Mississauga, Ont.) is leading the 16-and-under Juvenile division with an opening round of 5-under-par 67. Latter is tied for fourth in the overall individual competition with Bennett Ruby (Waterloo, Ont.) and Carter Graf (Sylvan Lake, Alta.).
Team Québec consisting of Vandette, Laurent Desmarchais (Longueuil, Que.) and Logan Boucher (Beaconsfield, Que.) jumped out to an early lead in the 36-hole inter-provincial team competition. The trio combined for a score of 13 under par and a six-stroke lead over Team Nova Scotia.
Team Alberta, the three-time defending champions, sit in third place at 5 under par. The inter-provincial team champion will be crowned on Tuesday.
In addition to the 2019 Canadian Junior Boys Championship title, the individual champion will earn an exemption into the 2020 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.
Full scoring can be found here.
Canadian Bruce Mitchell reflects on captaincy of The R&A
Catching up with Bruce Mitchell to reflect about his experience as the first Canadian to be named captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) is a daunting task. That, no doubt, is because he’s still doing his own catching up after a whirlwind year in the post, one of the most prestigious in the world of golf.
A member of the R&A since 1988, Mitchell was nominated by past captains to become just the ninth internationally appointed captain of the revered organization. The captain’s duties include representing the R&A and aiding its effort in developing golf around the world as well as attending all R&A championships while embracing the role of ambassador for the club. It’s an exhausting but exhilarating experience.
“They send you a letter telling you that the past captains want to bestow this honour on you,” Mitchell told SCOREGolf’s Rick Young. “I have to tell you I was in absolute shock. I read the opening paragraph, read it again and was simply lost for words. My wife and I were in the kitchen. She looked at me read it and she said, ‘Who died?’”
Born in Victoria and raised in Edmonton, Mitchell is the founder, owner and president of Toronto-based Permian Industries, a management and holding company with sole or significant shareholdings in two food companies and two software providers. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Bank of Montreal and other public company, private corporation and not-for-profit Boards. He is on vice-chair of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, on the Board of St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation and a trustee of the Ridley College Foundation.
His golf resume is as impressive as his business portfolio. A past-president of the Toronto Golf Club, Mitchell is a past club champion of Windermere Golf and Country Club where he was a trustee and co-chair. In 2001, he won both the Queen Victoria Jubilee Vase and the Royal Sydney Plate, which are matchplay knockout competitions played during the R&A’s autumn meeting.
Throughout his one-year tenure, Mitchell told Young, “Everywhere I have gone, I have been treated almost like royalty. It really doesn’t have anything to do with me as an individual, Bruce Mitchell, golfer or lack thereof. It really has everything to do with the respect and reverence in which the R&A is held throughout the world. There is a governing body heavily invested in golf while trying to do the best and everything it can to preserve a game we all love. I just happen to be the representative of it.”
Past captains of the R&A have included six members of the Royal Family including the Prince of Wales, later to become King Edward VIII. In 1922, during the ceremonial “driving in” for all new captains, he hit his shot off the toe of his club, scattering bystanders and striking a fence 50 metres away.
In contrast, Mitchell, despite feeling “huge excitement and a lot of nerves as I addressed the ball,” managed to sail his ceremonial tee shot down the hallowed first fairway of the Old Course at St Andrews.
It was an auspicious start to an incredible year.