July 7, 2023
Beeton, ON – Just when you think the odds were against him, Luke Smith (The Thornhill Club) reversed the narratives to win the 101st Ontario Junior (U19) Boys Championship in dramatic fashion. Smith spoke about the win; “It’s really cool, especially because I have a lot of pride in my province and playing for my province’s trophy and it’s been a really cool experience,” he said.
Smith entered the final round in second place but trailed by five strokes. However, he shot 65 in the final round to complete one of the most tremendous comebacks in tournament history to win with a 14-under par score. Smith said his putting is what led to his success today. “I just needed to make some putts. I’ve been missing a lot the whole week. I just knew if the putter was working then I think I would have a really good chance,” he said.
Smith surpassed Matthew Javier (Scarboro Golf & Country Club), who had an amazing tournament himself. Javier finished second place (9-under par) after shooting 75 in the final round. In third place comes Finn Meister, who moved up on the leaderboard today after shooting 68 in the final round.
Golf Ontario would like to thank the players, officials and volunteers for their support of the 101st Ontario Junior (U19) Boys Championship. Golf Ontario would also like to thank all members, staff and board of directors at The Club at Bond Head for hosting this championship and supporting the players over the course of these four days.
Lastly, a huge thank you to all Golf Ontario sponsors; 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 Tournkey. We are grateful for your continued support.
For media coverage of the 101st Ontario Junior (U19) Boys Championship, please visit the Golf Ontario Facebook page to view our photo albums. To view the full leaderboard, visit our Golf Genius page.
About Golf Ontario
Golf Ontario is Ontario’s Provincial Sport Organization focused on enhancing participation, elevating performance, and supporting the passion of golfers in Ontario. With over 100,000 individual members and 500 member clubs, Golf Ontario is one of the most significant golf associations in the world. From rating courses and keeping the integral rules of the game intact to growing the game at the grassroots level and hosting the best amateur tournaments in Canada, Golf Ontario is a passionate group dedicated to Shaping Lives Through Golf.
For more information, please contact:
Greg Mitchell, Coordinator; Brand, Communications & Marketing Golf Ontario
Connor Doyle, Tournament Director
