GIRLS LEADERBOAD | BOYS LEADERBOARD | PHOTOS
Thornton, ON – Greeted by fog and a misting of rain, the final round of the 2021 Ontario Junior (U19) Boys’ and Girls’ Match Play Championship got underway at 8:00 a.m. today, with two Team Ontario athletes claiming the titles. Owen Kim (Blue Springs GC) and Alissa Xu (Station Creek GC) conquered the challenging Tangle Creek Golf and Country Club while enduring less than ideal weather conditions, for a total of 108 (90) holes of golf over three days.
The Semi-Final round teed off at 8:00 a.m. this morning, with Luke Smith (The Thornhill Club), Ethan Irvine (Hamilton G&CC), Andreas Diogenous (Whistle Bear), and Owen Kim (Blue Springs GC) fighting for a spot in the final round. In a well fought battle, bronze medals would be awarded to Smith and Diogenous. Irvine took Smith in 2&1 to advance to the final round, while the other Boys’ match would continue to five playoff holes. Kim went head-to-head against Team Ontario teammate, Andreas Diogenous (Whistle Bear), to come out on top. In the final round, Irvine and Kim were even at the turn, with Kim winning two holes on the back nine to take the title 2&1.
Taking home his third 2021 Ontario Championship title, Kim said “I knew going in that I didn’t want to be too aggressive. I didn’t want to go birdie hunting, I just tried to make as many pars as I could and it worked out.” Over the three days of competition, Kim agreed that day two was the most challenging weather wise, but commented that he “was able to stay dry, and hit decent shots to the green to make par.” Since our last interview with Kim at the Ontario Juvenile Boys’ Championship, he’s participated in the National Junior Selection Camp. He added that “I thought it was pretty cool seeing meeting all the coaches for Golf Canada out there and just being able to play with the best players in Canada. Just being there was a really cool experience.”
The first Girls’ Semi-Final match of the day took place at 8:16 a.m., against Team Ontario teammates, Alissa Xu (Blue Springs GC) and Sarah Gallagher (Blue Springs GC). Xu would take Gallagher 2&1 to move through to the Final round. The second semi-final match occurred between Myranda Quinton (Blue Springs GC) and Lindsay McGrath (Rattlesnake Point GC), which would go into four playoff holes with Quinton taking the win in a sudden death defeat. The final match of the day would be won by Xu, with an impressive 6&4 takedown over Quinton.
Claiming her first Ontario Championship win, Xu said “it feels really good! I think it’s a great stepping stone for me.” She also added, “the weather was tough. I played pretty well, as I felt like I was stable out there which is very important in this kind weather.” When asked what the strongest part of her game was, Xu commented that “I think my putting was really good. I made a lot of clutch putts.” Having a strong 2021 season, Xu qualified for the USGA Junior Girls Championship earlier this summer and experienced her first year on Team Ontario. Both Owen Kim and Alissa Xu will be attending the Provincial Super Camp and Ontario Tour Championship at Ambassador Golf Club from October 4th to 8th.
Golf Ontario would like to thank the players, rules officials, and staff for their support of the 2021 Ontario Junior (U19) Match Play Championship. To Tangle Creek Golf and Country Club and your team – General Manager & Managing Partner Richard Edmonds, Superintendent Mike McDevitt, F&B Manager & Managing Partner Andrew North, Executive Chef Ian Brown, and Golf Services Manager Amy McDevitt – Thank you for being such amazing hosts through these three days of challenging weather conditions.
Lastly, a huge thank you to our sponsors and partners; Adidas, TaylorMade, Golf Talk Canada, Play Golf Myrtle Beach, Humber College, HUB International, BioSteel, Golf Genius, Modern Golf, Dormie, Durham Artificial Grass, Foresight Sports Canada, Baka, Nikon, Solo Golf, and Sport Travel. We are grateful for your continued support.
To view the leaderboards from the 2021 Ontario Junior (U19) Boys Match Play Championship information, visit our Golf Genius page. Information for the 2021 Ontario Junior (U19) Girls Match Play Championship can be found on our Golf Genius page here.
About the Ontario Junior Boys & Girls (U19) Championship
The Junior Boys’ Match Play Championship has been contested since 1998 featuring Ontario’s top 16 amateur male golfers age 18 and under. The field is determined by results from four qualifiers. Notable past champions include Matt McQuillan, Justin Shin, Stephane Dubois, and Jon Boncoddo.
The Ontario Junior (U19) Girls Match Play Championship is contested annually and features Ontario’s top 16 amateur female golfers age 18 and under. Players can earn their way into the championship through the Jr. Girls Spring Classic and the Ontario Jr. Girls Championship. Notable past champions include Alena Sharp, Stefi Markovich, Christina Yoon, Elizabeth Tong and Grace St-Germain.
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To stay informed on Golf Ontario’s championship play, events, and additional updates, make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and like us on Facebook. Make sure to visit our website for further information.
Key Provincial Competitions Protocols/Restrictions (as of September 22nd, 2021)
- Ontarians will need to be fully vaccinated (two doses, plus 14 days) and provide their proof of vaccination along with photo ID to access certain public settings and facilities.
- The Ontario Government has indicated that as of September 22, valid proof of vaccination will include either the paper or PDF vaccine receipt (received following 2nd shot), along with a government-issued photo ID.
- Proof of vaccination IS required for:
- Indoor Golf Simulators
- Indoor Dining
- Indoor Sports and Recreation Facilities
- Indoor Meeting and Events Spaces
- The Ontario Government has indicated that there are exceptions:
- Individuals who cannot receive the vaccine due to medical exemptions will be permitted entry with a doctor’s note until recognized medical exemptions can be integrated as part of a digital vaccine certificate.
- Children who are 11 years of age and younger and unable to be vaccinated will also be exempted from these requirements.
- You can find more information in this Ontario Government News Release.
For more information please contact:
Brianna Christopher,
Assistant, Marketing Communications, Golf Ontario;
BChristopher@gao.ca
Peter MacKellar,
Manager, Marketing and Communications, Golf Ontario;
PMacKellar@gao.ca
