Golf Ontario Announces Next Wave Junior Development Program
Golf Ontario
Golf Ontario proudly introduces the 2024 Next Wave Junior Development Program, designed to nurture and elevate the skills of Ontario’s young golfers.
This thoughtful initiative aims to blend specialized training with ongoing support, providing a solid foundation for the province’s future stars to shine in the competitive golf landscape.
“We’re so proud and excited to introduce the Next Wave Junior Development Program and all the 15 young athletes who will be part of the program in 2024,” says Golf Ontario’s Chief Sport Officer, Ryan Finn. “We truly believe this program aligns with everything we’re already doing with the Junior Golf Pathway, but also adds another layer of development that is directly aimed at junior golf athletes who are looking to advance in their competitive journey.”
The 2024 Next Wave Junior Development Program includes members (with their personal coaches in parentheses):
Sierra Kowlayshyn, Sawmill Golf Course (Travis Glass, PGA of Canada)
Ava Gilbert, Summit Golf & Country Club (Sean Burke, PGA of Canada)
Kirsten Lee, Brampton Golf Club (Sean Casey, PGA of Canada)
Cole Thompson, Lookout Point Country Club (Adam Steinschifter, PGA of Canada)
Ben Julie, Sawmill Golf Course (Doug Lawrie, PGA of Canada)
Matthew Simpson, Lambton Golf & Country Club (Sean Casey, PGA of Canada)
John Yang, Summit Golf & Country Club (Trevor Wallman, PGA of Canada)
Tristan Zhang, Summit Golf & Country Club (Trevor Wallman, PGA of Canada)
Josh Ye, Summit Golf & Country Club (Trevor Wallman, PGA of Canada)
Aiden Pavey, Hidden Lake Golf Club(David Banks, PGA of Canada)
Bo Dong, Angus Glen Golf Club (Dong Hee Lee)
Sadie Wu, Station Creek Golf Club (Dong Hee Lee)
Gabriel Mainella, Summit Golf & Country Club (Tyler Marchand, PGA of Canada)
Landon Van Loon, Upper Canada Golf Course (Tristan Mullally, PGA of Canada)
Michael Vivone, Royal Ottawa Golf Club (Derek MacDonald, PGA of Canada)
Targeted towards junior-aged athletes competing in local, regional, and provincial championships, the program is dedicated to helping them fulfill their aspirations of becoming members of Team Ontario, Team Canada, and earning spots on collegiate golf teams. The program is centered around the mental, physical, technical, and tactical facets of golf, the program offers early access to specialized team training; setting the stage for their future achievements.
Next Wave athletes will enjoy exclusive benefits, such as: Coaching support from Team Ontario Head Coach, Reggie Millage; sessions with Team Ontario Mental Performance Coach, Dr. Charles Fitzsimmons, strength and conditioning coaching by Dr. Nick Martichenko; Next Wave athlete clothing from adidas Golf Canada; and access to the TaylorMade Performance Lab.
Additionally, Next Wave athletes can sign up for exclusive Team Ontario programs like Training Days, March Break Training Camp, and the Spring Training Camp.
Selection for the program is based on the athletes’ competitive performances and rankings in the U13, U15, and U17 divisions of the Junior Golf Pathway from the last season.
Golf Ontario looks forward to the prospects the Next Wave Junior Development Program offers to Ontario’s emerging golf stars and the association extends gratitude to TaylorMade Golf Canada, Adidas Golf Canada, and Humber College for their support of this transformative initiative.
The Fifth Annual Ontario Super Camp and Tour Championship Set to Begin at Black Bear Ridge
Golf Ontario
The fifth annual Ontario Super Camp and Tour Championship kicks off this weekend in Belleville at Black Bear Ridge Golf Course and Resort.
More than 60 junior golfers, each earning their invitation based on the Junior Golf Pathway Rankings, will compete for top honors and the prestigious Dave Mills Trophy. The four-day event includes the 54-hole Tour Championship and a one-day Super Camp combine, taking place from September 22 to 25.
“The Super Camp and Junior Tour Championship is an exciting time of the year for junior golf. There’s a lot at stake this week! The top 30 boys and girls in the province face off, showcasing what they’ve been working on all year. We’re extremely excited to see the best of the best compete for the title.” — Mason Cowan, Championship Director.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
BOYS:
Luke Smith (The Thornhill Club) – Team Canada NextGen member and 2023 Ontario Junior Boys U19 champion.
Bode Stephen (Cataraqui Golf and Country Club) – Team Ontario athlete and winner of this year’s NextGen Atlantic Championship.
Gabriel Mainella (Summit Golf and Country Club) – Ontario Next Wave member, winner of this year’s Ontario Junior Boys U19 Championship and Junior Players Invitational, and the No. 1-ranked U19 boy on the Junior Golf Pathway rankings.
Jaeger Pain (Station Creek Golf Club) – Defending champion of last year’s Super Camp and Junior Tour Championship.
Joseph Totino (Summit Golf and Country Club) – Winner of this year’s Ontario Junior Boys U15 Championship.
Justin Chu (Meadowbrook Golf Club) – Finished second at this year’s Canadian U15 Championship.
Karson Hurlbert (Camelot Golf and Country Club) – Finished T3 at this year’s Canadian U15 Championship.
Chase Jerome (The Royal Ottawa Golf Club) – Team Ontario member.
GIRLS:
Nobelle Park (RattleSnake Point Golf Club) – Team Ontario member with multiple wins this summer, including the Canadian U15 Championship, Ontario Women’s Amateur, Ontario Bantam U15 Championship, and the Junior Spring Classic.
Avery Nordman (Canadian Golf and Country Club) – Ontario Juvenile Girls U17 champion.
Kaylan Green (Scarboro Golf and Country Club) – Winner of this year’s Ontario Junior Girls U19 Match Play Championship.
Sarah Xing (Players Club-Ottawa) – Winner of this year’s Ontario Peewee Girls U13 Championship.
Angela Cai (Heron Point Golf Links) and Emily McKee (St. George’s Golf and Country Club) – McKee is the recent winner of the Ontario Women’s Four-Ball Championship.
Evelyn Li (Brampton Golf Club) – Finished third at this year’s Canadian U15 Championship.
FAST FACTS
Championship Venue: Black Bear Ridge Golf Course and Resort
Championship Dates: September 22-25
Field: 63 players—33 boys and 30 girls
Format: One-day skills combine followed by a 54-hole stroke play championship.
First awarded in 2021, the Dave Mills Trophy is named in honour of Dave Mills, a past Golf Ontario Executive Director and a passionate advocate for junior golf. Mills presented the first-ever Tour Championship trophy in 2020. The soapstone trophy was carved by Canada’s foremost Ojibway sculptor, Kris Nahrgang, who met with Mills before his passing.
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The Uxbridge, Ontario-based wealth management firm’s partnership with Golf Ontario promises to significantly enhance this year’s event, taking place on September 9 at Granite Golf Club.
The Junior Golf Drive is an unforgettable fundraiser dedicated to advancing Golf Ontario’s junior performance programming. The support from this event enables Golf Ontario to continue nurturing the next generation of high-performance golfers in the province.
Participants in this year’s Junior Golf Drive will enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience, featuring 18 holes of golf alongside Team Ontario and Next Wave athletes. The event includes registration gifts, breakfast, a three-course lunch, prizes, and a silent auction. Funds raised will support Golf Ontario’s Junior Golf programs, including The Junior Golf Pathway, Next Wave Program, and Team Ontario.
For more information about this year’s Junior Golf Drive, visit juniorgolfdrive.ca. Opportunities are still available for those looking to participate or partner in the event.
A field of Ontario’s top 144 junior male golfers will put their skills to the test for the Junior Championship Trophy.
Since 1923, the Ontario Junior Boys Championship has seen plenty of talent put on display.
Notable past champions include Mike Weir (1988), Gary Cowan (1956), David Morland IV (1986), Gerry Kesselring (1945, 1946, 1948), Stan Baluik (1954), Jon Mills (1996), Ashton McCulloch (2019) and so many more.
Otter Creek Golf Club, which previously hosted the 2020 Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship, features plenty of width off the tee, but also challenges players with angles into undulating greens.
The first two rounds will feature morning tee-offs starting at 8 a.m. and afternoon starts set for 1 p.m. from the first and 10th tees, followed by 7:30 a.m. tee-offs for rounds three and four after the 36-hole cut.
For first round pairings and start times, CLICK HERE.
Connor Doyle, Tournament Director: “The Ontario Junior Boys Championship has been one of the most highly anticipated events on the Golf Ontario calendar for more than 100 years now. Otter Creek will be an excellent test for our players and will provide us with another competitive and exciting championship.”
John Hall, Director of Golf – Otter Creek Golf Club:“Otter Creek Golf Club is a beautiful piece of property and a unique golf course for the players; we are excited to present it to them. The rolling slopes and angles on the greens mixed with the severity of the fescue will definitely test their accuracy, creativity and skill. The Ontario Junior Boys Championship is an event that has a prestigious history attached to it, and our staff is looking forward to welcoming all players, staff and volunteers for its 102nd edition.”
Fun Fact: Otter Creek Golf Course is one of four mid-western Ontario golf courses designed by renowned Canadian golf course architect, Dick Kirkpatrick.
A field of the top 156 amateur golfers in the province will be put to the test and compete for the Gary Cowan Trophy.
As one of Golf Ontario’s biggest events in the calendar year for more than a century, the Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship has been the springboard to many players’ journeys to impressive playing careers.
Notable past winners include Mike Weir (1990, 1992), Corey Conners (2010), Gerry Kesselring (1949, 1951-53) and Gary Cowan, who holds the Golf Ontario record for most wins in this championship with nine.
The first two rounds will see 7:30 a.m. start times until the 36-hole-cut midway through the championship.
For first round pairings and start times, CLICK HERE.
Charles Fitzsimmons (Summit Golf & Country Club), two-time winner of the Ontario Men’s Match Play Championship (2021 & 2022) and winner of the 2019 Ontario Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship.
Ontario Golf Hall of Famer, Dave Bunker (Cherry Hill Club), who is a four-time winner of the Ontario Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship (2007, 2010, 2014, 2021). He also won the Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship in 2008 and the 2020 Ontario Senior Men’s Championship.
QUOTES
Rob Watson, Tournament Director: “The Ontario Men’s Amateur is annually one of the most exciting championships on the Golf Ontario calendar because of the large and competitive field we see in this event. This year should be no different as the field is as strong as it has ever been with 156 of Ontario’s best male Amateur golfers.”
Ryan Finn, Chief Sport Officer: “Golf Ontario is thrilled to celebrate St. Catharines G&CC’s 125th anniversary by crowning Ontario’s top male amateur golfer. This year’s champion will have bested an elite field and will join an exclusive group of past champions. We look forward to a competitive and exciting championship.”
Cameron Thin, Head Golf Professional, St. Catharines Golf and Country Club: “As a part of our 125th anniversary, the St. Catharines Golf and Country Club is proud to be hosting this year’s Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship and our membership is looking forward to showcasing our wonderful golf course to the best players in the province, along with the spectators enjoying the golf. With a large and highly competitive field, I feel that this is a great opportunity for the competitors to experience the unique architecture of the course; the challenges it presents to players; and believe that it will identify a worthy champion.”
FAST FACTS
Championship Venue: St. Catharines Golf and Country Club
Championship Dates: June 24 – 27
Field: 156 players
Format: 72-hole Stroke Play (36-hole-cut – low 60 & ties)
Fun Fact: Gary Cowan holds the Golf Ontario record for the most Ontario Men’s Amateur Championships with nine (1964, 1968, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1981 & 1984).
The 60-player championship showcases the province’s rising junior girls’ golf talent, with seven featured players from Team Ontario and two featured players from Next Wave. As the young athletes take the course, they each seek to take home the Randolf Jay Millage Ttrophy at the end of the weekend.
Taking place over 54-hole, FireRock Golf Golf Club hosts the Ontario Junior Girls Spring Classic Championship for the second year.
FIELD NOTES
Among the 60-players in the 2024 Ontario Junior Girls Spring Classic, seven are Team Ontario members, while two are Next Wave players.
Team Ontario Players: There are seven members of Team Ontario taking part. They are: Aryn Matthews (Big Win Island Golf Club); Nobelle Park (Rattlesnake Golf Club); Kaprice Park (Rattlesnake Golf Club); Shelby Hardwick (The Summit Golf & Country Club) ; Angela Cai (Heron Point Golf Links); Wendy Li (Cedar Brae Golf Club) and Bridget Yu (Golf Canada Club).
NextWave: Two athletes who are part of Golf Ontario’s Nexgt Wave development prrogram will be participating: Sierra Kowalyshyn (Sawmill Golf Course) and Kirsten Lee (Brampton Golf Club)
Youngest Player: Riviera Lindholm (St. Georges Golf & Country Club) 11-years-old
PLAYER NOTES
Michelle Xing, a standout on Team Canada, has claimed titles such as the 2024 NextGen Ontario Champions (which was played last week at FireRock), the 2022 Ontario Junior Girls Match Play Championship and the 2022 Ontario Bantam U15 Championship.
Nobelle Park, an exceptional Team Ontario member, clinched victory at the 2024 Ontario Junior Players Invitational.
Aryn Matthews, another Team Ontario member, has made her mark with a runner-up finish at this year’s Ontario Junior Players Invitational and a third-place finish at the 2024 NextGen Ontario Championship.
QUOTES
Connor Doyle, Tournament Director: “The Ontario Junior Girls Spring Classic will be one to watch this weekend. The highly competitive field will feature many of the top junior girls in Ontario including members of Team Ontario and Team Canada. FireRock Golf Club will serve as a great test for the players this weekend and we should be in for an excellent three days of golf.”
Luke Smith (The Thornhill Club) and Andrew Aquino (The National Golf Club of Canada) both finished tied for third in last year’s Junior Boys Spring Classic. Smith also won last year’s Junior Boys Championship.
Gabriel Mainella (Summit Golf & Country Club) recently won the 2024 Ontario Junior Players Invitational.
Jager Pain (Golf Canada Club – Ontario) comes in fresh off his win at the 2024 Ontario NextGen Championship.
The winner of the last two Ontario Juvenile Championships, Matthew Javier (Scarboro Golf & Country Club).
Last year’s Ontario Bantam) Champion, Manav Bharani (Brampton Golf Club) is also in the field.
QUOTES
Rob Watson, Tournament Director: “This event is annually one of the strongest playing fields for junior boys in the country. This year, we have a very strong field, which only reinforces why this event is so competitive.”
Reggie Millage, Head Provincial Coach: “The Junior Spring Classic was started by my father in a time when opportunities for the best juniors to play against each other were very limited early in the season. Initially it was a stand-alone event, which became one of the strongest and most anticipated ones of the new Ontario golf season. That anticipation only elevated once it became a Golf Ontario Championship in 1995. It is truly an honour to have my name etched in the first two slots on the trophy named in honour of my dad and something I continue to cherish year after year.”
This championship features a field of 247 players—the largest of the season—drawn from over 100 clubs throughout Ontario. Each participant is a club champion from their respective home club.
The event will take place on the north and south courses at The Club at Bond Head, with competitors vying for titles in various divisions including men’s, women’s, junior boys’, senior men’s, senior women’s, and junior girls’.
“The Ontario Champion of Champions is set to be an exciting showcase of some of the best golfing talent from across the province,” says John Lawrence, Golf Ontario’s Director of Competitions and Performance. “This championship is particularly special as it celebrates the achievements of club champions from our incredible member facilities all over Ontario.”
For the full player roster and more championship details, CLICK HERE.
FAST FACTS:
Championship Venue: The North and South Courses at The Club at Bond Head.
The First: The first Ontario Champions of Champions took place in 1946.
Impressive List: Past champions include Ontario Golf Hall of Fame members Mary Ann Hayward, Bill Morland, Gerry Kesselring, Warren Sye, and Stu Hamilton.
Hall of Famer: Newly inducted Ontario Golf Hall of Famer Ashley Chinner (Coppinwood Golf Club) tees it up in the senior division.
Record Holder: Patrick Suraj won the senior men’s division championship a record six times.
The Next Wave:Next Wave Junior Development members in the field include Sierra Kowalyshyn (Sawmill Golf Course), Ava Gilbert (Summit Golf and Country Club) and Cole Thompson (Lookout Point Country Club).
The Club at Bond Head: When the South Course opened in 2005, it was named as one of the “Top New Courses” by Golf Digest. A year later when the North Course opened, The Toronto Star named it as the “Top Public Golf Course in the GTA.”
This year’s event will be hosted at Granite Golf Club on Monday September 9.
Please consider joining us for this highly anticipated event which features 18-holes of golf with carts, registration gifts, breakfast, three-course lunch meal, prizes, and a silent auction. All while raising important funds for Golf Ontario’s Junior Golf programs, such as: The Junior Golf Pathway, Next Wave Program and Team Ontario.
Supporting Junior Golf not only creates future golf champions for Ontario and Canada, but provides all the young athletes in our programs a springboard to future success outside of golf and allowing them to reach their fullest potential.
We thank you for supporting Golf Ontario and we hope to see you on September 9at Granite Golf Club!
Ontario’s Top-Ranked Juniors Tee Off in Myrtle Beach
Golf Ontario
Golf Ontario kicked off its 2024 championship schedule with the Ontario Junior Players Invitational Monday in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Team Ontario’s Nobelle Park of Rattlesnake Golf Club and last year’s second-place finisher, leads in the girls’ division thru 36 holes. Park delivered commendable scores of 74 and 73, securing a two-stroke advantage over her Team Ontario teammate Aryn Matthews of Bigwin Island Golf Club, who posted scores of 72 and 77, finishing at 3-over par.
In the boys’ division, Next Wave athlete Gabriel Mainella of the Summit Golf & Country Club, climbed to the top of the leaderboard with solid rounds of 74 and 73, bolstered by eight birdies on the first day. He enters the final round with a one-stroke lead over Team Ontario’s Bode Stephen of Cataraqui Golf & Country Club, who carded rounds of 72 and 75 to stand at 5-over.
The 77-player field features many of Ontario’s top junior golfers, all of whom are looking to take home the championship title from the challenging and beautiful Moorland Course at the Legends Golf Resorts.
The competitions biggest change this year is the extension to 54 holes, an increase from last year’s 36 holes. Furthermore, participants have the opportunity to earn points towards the World Amateur Golf Ranking and Junior Golf Scoreboard rankings.
“It was great to see how well the players handled the 36 holes today, we should be in for an exciting finish,” Ontario Players Invitational Tournament Director Connor Doyle says.
The tournament concludes on Tuesday with the final 18 holes, starting at 8 a.m. from both the 1st and 10th tees.
For the full leaderboard and final round tee times, CLICK HERE.
QUOTABLES
“I’m nervous for tomorrow … but I hope play wel l… it’s tough competition.” — Nobelle Park, Team Ontario Athlete,
“Today was definitely fun. I started off the day really well with an even par… but quickly kind of on the back stretch … lost a little bit in the second round.” — Aryn Matthews, Team Ontario Athlete
“The conditions were tough, it was windy and cold in the the start of the morning. Feel like I did really good at the start. Pushed through the windy conditions.” — Gabriel Mainella, Next Wave Athlete
FAST FACTS
Seven of the Top 10 Girls are Team Ontario Athlete
Lowest Girls Score of the day: Team Ontario’s Alexa Ouellet, 69
Six of the Top 10 Boys are Team Ontario
Lowest Boys score was 72: By 5 players
Course scoring average was 81.6
Team Ontario athlete and third-place finisher at last year’s Junior Players Invitational, Jordan Hwang of Emerald Hills Golf & Country Club, currently sits third again.
