Republic of Korea jumps to early lead at World Junior Girls Championship
Peter MacKellar
13-year-old Richmond Hill, Ont., native Emily Zhu shoots 72 to lead Canadians
OTTAWA – The Republic of Korea were not fazed by the sweltering heat on Monday at The Marshes Golf Club, carding a score of 10 under to take the 18-hole lead at the fourth annual World Junior Girls Championship.
In temperatures upwards of 30 C, the Korean team recorded a score of 134 to build a one-stroke advantage over the American squad. The trio were paced by Seo-yun Kwon, who fired a 7-under-par 65 for a two-stroke cushion in the individual competition.
“For the first three or four holes I missed a couple birdie putts and that made me hot because I was angry,” said Kwon. “The turning point was a birdie on the sixth and at that point I didn’t even realize how warm it was.”
The 16-year-old thrived in the heat, recording five birdies and an eagle on the par-5 14th.
“Right before you make a shot you imagine how it will go in your mind. During the practice round I tried to get on in three because it is a long hole,” said Kwon. “Today, my driver was so good that when I got to my ball, I realized I should try to reach with my three wood. My putter was also great today so the 14th went exactly how I imagined it would.”
The second-counting score for the Republic of Korea was registered by Yunji Jeong, who posted a 3-under-par 69 to sit tied for sixth. The Republic of Korea are no strangers to success at The Marshes Golf Club — they ran away with the competition when it was held at this same course in 2015, winning by a margin of 18 strokes.
“The course looks very friendly to Korean players, even though the shape and grass type are different,” added Kwon. “However, the shot has to be accurate because the fairways are narrow, including the landing zones, and there is bush on either side and those conditions are very similar to in Korea.”
Holding second place is America’s Gina Kim, who went 5 under on the back nine, including an eagle of her own on the 14th — one of two on the day. Third place is currently occupied by a trio of competitors at 4 under par: Hana Ryskova (Czech Republic), Alessia Nobilio (Italy) and Erica Shepherd (USA).
Emily Zhu, Canada’s youngest competitor from Richmond Hill, Ont., led both Canadian squads with an even-par 72 to sit T23 overall. The 13-year-old’s round was a positive note in what was otherwise a difficult opener for the host nation.
“I don’t think that it was the start that we wanted but the girls all played better than what they scored. I trust in the fact that they are hitting the ball well and that they are going to get better every day, that is our goal,” said Ann Carroll, coach of Canada One. “It is a 72-hole tournament and we will just focus on getting better every day. We’ll make today the high round and focus on trying to improve on the little things that make a big difference.”
With a total of 3-over 147, Canada Two comprised of Zhu, Euna Han (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Alyssa DiMarcantonio (Maple, Ont.) are tied for 15th place.
The second round will begin at 8 a.m. with no cut for the tournament. Additional information from the competition, including the leaderboards, can be found here.
STOUFFVILLE— The final event on the women’s provincial championship calendar took place on Sept. 12 at Spring Lakes Golf Club in Stouffville. The Ontario Women’s Four-Ball Championship is one of the more unique championships on the Golf Ontario schedule because it is open to all age groups. The 2017 version was no different as it saw participants as young as 13 and as old 83 all competing for the title.
The field featured numerous notable players including: World Golf Hall of Famer Marlene Stewart Streit, 2017 Ontario Bantam Girls’ Champion Raesa Sheikh, 2017 Ontario Junior Girls’ Match Play Champion Vanessa Chychrun, one half of the defending champions in Marion Reid, past Senior Women’s Champion Ivy Steinberg and Emily Zhu, who was recently named to Team Canada for the World Junior Girls’ Championship.
With all of the talent in the field, there was no doubt that a strong score would be needed to win. In the end, that was the case as it took a six-under (66) from the team of Port Colborne’s Kayla Burke and Niagara Falls’ Emily Ward to claim victory. Burke, from Lookout Point Country Club, and Ward, from Grand Niagara Golf Course, took the victory but a narrow margin of one-stroke.
“This is just awesome, it was really fun to play with someone like Emily,” said Burke. “Everything was going well in our games today. If one player was in trouble, the other just stepped up and was right there to bail us out.”
“We picked each other up when we needed to and fed off each other’s positivity and enthusiasm,” added Ward. “We were a really great paring. We have known each other for five years. We met on the Niagara Junior Tour and ever since then, we have been close friends.”
Burke and Ward also took the Net Division Trophy at a net total of 10-under (62).
There was a tie for the silver medal at five-under (67). Sharing the medal was the team of Markham’s Hailey McLaughlin (Cedar Brae Golf Club) and Richmond Hill’s Emily Zhu (National Pines Golf Club) along with the pair of Etobicoke’s Marion Reid (Islington Golf Club) and Etobicoke’s Joanne Noble (Weston Golf & Country Club).
Golf Ontario would like to thank the staff of Spring Lakes GC for hosting the 2017 event, along with the Golf Ontario volunteers for their continued support of amateur golf in the province. For more information, including the final leaderboards, see the tournament site at: https://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao17/event/gao17130/index.htm
About the Ontario Women’s Four-Ball Championship
First played in 1953, the Ontario Women’s Four-Ball Championship is contested annually and features two-woman teams competing in a better-ball format. In total, 24 teams and 48 players took part in the 2017 event.
World Junior Girls Championship set to return to Ottawa
Peter MacKellar
Golf Canada
OTTAWA – For the fourth time since it’s inauguration, the world’s premier 18-and-under players will gather in Canada to compete in the annual World Junior Girls Championship. The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont., will host the event for the second time from Sept. 24-29 as the girls compete in both team and individual competitions.
“We are thrilled to head back to The Marshes Golf Club to host this year’s World Junior Girls Championship,” said tournament director Mary Beth McKenna. “Returning to the capital for Canada 150 marks a special celebration for the event, and a great way for us to close out our championship season.”
The Marshes Golf Club is a unique course that encompasses the many natural features in the area including wetlands, meadows and hardwood forests. The course was designed in collaboration between Robert Trench Jr. and Sr., and features six par-3, six par-4 and six par-5 holes.
Conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario, with support from the International Golf Federation and The R&A, the 2017 edition of the World Junior Girls Championship will bring together 60 of the top 18-and-under female golfers from 19 countries around the globe. As hosts of the event, Canada will feature two three-member teams in the competition.
“We could not be more excited to once again bring the World Junior Girls Championship to the capital region,” said Mike Kelly, executive director of Golf Ontario. “The Marshes Golf Club is an exceptional venue that will serve as a fantastic backdrop for this competition. We greatly appreciate the support of our generous sponsors and partners without whom this championship would not be possible. We look forward to seeing the Ottawa golfing community rally around this wonderful event.”
The inaugural World Junior Girls Championship in 2014 saw teams from across the world take on Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont. Mika Liu of Beverly Hills, Calif., captured individual honours in leading Team USA to victory. Playing in her final event as an amateur, Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., finished fourth as Canada’s first team claimed bronze.
The second edition of the tournament was staged at The Marshes Golf Club. The team representing the Republic of Korea completed a wire-to-wire victory to secure the team title. Hye-jin Choi, a native of Paju-si, South Korea, registered a seven-stroke victory with a 12-under performance.
In 2016, Yuka Saso of Santa Rosa, Philippines, shot an opening-round 66 and cruised to a six-shot win in the individual competition while also leading Philippines to the team victory, finishing at 2 over par.
In addition to the 72-hole team and individual competitions, the World Junior Girls Championship will be a celebration of the sport with a specific focus on the development and promotion of junior girls golf. The days leading up to tournament play will see a PGA of Canada coaching summit as well as a free junior girls skills clinic.
“This world-class competition provides us with the opportunity to benchmark our domestic talent against the strongest female players from around the globe while also contributing to the continued growth and collaboration amongst the international governing bodies in the sport,” said Jeff Thompson, chief sport officer of Golf Canada. “We are proud to once again conduct this championship in support of these fine athletes and to aid in raising the profile of junior girls golf.”
The competition’s first round will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 26. The tournament’s closing ceremonies will immediately follow the conclusion of play on Friday, Sept. 29. Visit http://www.worldjuniorgirls.com/ for more.
D’Angelo goes wire-to-wire to win Ontario Juvenile Boys’ Championship; Zheng wins girls’ title in playoff
Peter MacKellar
CAMLACHIE — The Ontario Juvenile Boys’ and Girls’ Championships wrapped up on Aug. 17 from Sawmill Creek Golf Resort in Camlachie in rainy conditions. The players faced a two-hour delay early in the round and battled on-again off-again rain throughout the day. Despite the weather, the tournament did finish in full. At the end of the day, Fonthill’s Freddy D’Angelo claimed the boys’ championship, while Markham’s Victoria Zheng captured the girls’ title in a playoff.
D’Angelo, from Lookout Point Country Club, entered the round with a three-shot lead over Ottawa’s Romi Dilawri. He was consistent early in the final round with four straight pars. He knocked in a birdie on the fifth and went to the turn one-under. Three bogey’s on the back nine made things interesting, but he secured the win with a birdie on the 16th and ended the round one-over (72) to finish the tournament at seven-under (66-68-72-206).
“This is a very important win for me,” said D’Angelo. “It is probably the biggest for me so far. Heading into the day, even with the weather, I knew I was playing well. I just tried to do my best and it paid off.”
D’Angelo, who was runner up at the Ontario Junior Boys’ Match Play Championship just a few weeks ago, said that his performance there really helped motivate him for this week. “I have been hitting the ball really well lately and I would say my putting has been a strong point.”
In a bit of a surprise, second place went to Little Britain’s Cody Clark. Clark, from Oliver’s Nest Golf Club, began the day at even par and in the fourth from last group. He went on to shoot the low round of the day, a five-under (66), which included eight birdies and three bogeys. That allowed him to claim the silver with a tournament total of five-under (72-70-66-208).
Dilawri would hang on to take home the bronze. He got out to a great start and was three-under through six. He made the turn two-under but had some struggles on the back nine. He went on to finish the day one-over (72) and ended the tournament four-under (68-69-72-209).
The girls’ championship came right down to the wire. Entering the day, Markham’s Hailey McLaughlin held a slim one-shot lead over Zheng. McLaughlin and Zheng would shoot four-over on the front nine, while their playing partner, North Gower’s Dylann Armstrong, shot a three-over front nine. That resulted in McLaughlin holding a one-stroke lead over the other two as they made the turn.
McLaughlin ran into some trouble early on the back nine, which opened the door for Zheng and Armstrong. The two were tied as they came up the 18th. After overshooting the green on her approach, Armstrong drained a 20-footer to put the pressure on Zheng. Zheng too would make par, forcing a playoff.
In the playoff, Zheng would tap in for par, while Armstrong made bogey resulting in the win for Zheng. She finished the day six-over (77) for a tournament total of six-over (71-71-77-219) and the title.
“It feels good,” said Zheng after the round. “I am so honoured to win this. My competitors were very strong, which made me fight to win. During the playoff, I was just trying to stay calm and not get too nervous and it worked out in the end.”
When it came to pinpointing her strength during the week, Zheng said it was her play from the tees and fairways. “I would say my long game. I hit a lot of greens this week. Unfortunately, I didn’t make a lot of putts but I still made a lot of pars.”
Armstrong took home the silver also at six-over (74-69-76-219). Despite her troubles, McLaughlin still finished on the podium with the bronze medal. She ended the day nine-over (80) to complete the tournament at eight-over (70-71-80-221).
Golf Ontario would like to thank Sawmill Creek Golf Resort and Spa for hosting the Championships. Thanks also to the Golf Ontario volunteers who make these events possible.
The Ontario Juvenile Boys’ Championship is a 54-hole competition that features the province’s best junior golfers under the age of 17 competing for the Mike Weir Trophy. Notable past champions include: Josh Whalen, Brandon Ng, Tim McCutcheon, Peter R. Knechtel, Bob Panasiuk and Gary Cowan.
About the Ontario Juvenile Girls’ Championships
The Ontario Juvenile Girls’ Championship features the province’s best junior golfers under the age of 17 competing for the Sandra Post Trophy. Past champions of the event include: Sandra Post, Jessica Shepley, Alena Sharp, Stephanie Sherlock, and Rebecca Lee-Bentham.
Kertsos repeats as Ontario Women’s Match Play Champion; Chychrun claims Junior Girls’ Match Play title
Peter MacKellar
RICHMOND HILL— The 2017 Ontario Women’s and Junior Girls’ Match Play Championships wrapped up on Aug. 9 from DiamondBack Golf Club in Richmond Hill. After two full days of matches, it came down to defending champion, Pickering’s Crystina Kertsos and Brampton’s Karyn Lee Ping for the Women’s title, while Aurora’s Vanessa Chychrun and Toronto’s Catherine Zhang battled it out for the junior championship.
Kertsos defends Women’s Match Play title
Lee Ping, a Brampton Golf Club member, jumped out to an early lead taking the second hole. However, it would be short lived. Kertsos, from York Downs Golf & Country Club, squared the match on the third and took the lead on the fourth. After taking the sixth hole, Kertsos won the ninth and was 3up at the turn.
Kertsos began to pull away on the back nine. She took the 11th hole and then the 13th to move to 5up with five holes to play. Lee Ping sank a long birdie putt on the 14th to stay in the match and almost repeated the feat on the 15th. However, she came just short and Kertsos won the match 4&3 to defend the title.
“It means a lot to repeat as champion,” said Kertsos. “I loved every second of it. It feels really great to go back-to-back. This course’s conditions are great and it really sets up nicely to my eye. The first win was definitely special because it was my first provincial title but repeating just goes to show that it wasn’t a fluke.”
Kertsos began the tournament as the top seed and received an opening round bye. In the quarter finals she beat Grafton’s Danielle Sawyer 3&2. In the semi finals she took out Unionville’s Julia Hodgson 4&3.
As for Lee Ping, she entered the event as the sixth seed and defeated Stouffville’ s Ivy Steinberg 2&1 in the opening round. Next, she bested Mississauga’s Melany Chong in the quarter finals, but needed 20 holes to do so. She then beat Ridgeway’s Madeline Marck-Sherk in the semis 3&2.
About the Ontario Women’s Match Play Championship
The Ontario Women’s Match Play Championship was first played in 1975 and has several notable past champions including: World, Canadian and Ontario Golf Hall of Fame member Marlene Stewart Streit, six-time champion Mary Ann Hayward, Terrill Samuel, and Heather Kuzmich.
Chychrun takes Ontario Junior Girls’ Match Play title
Chychrun, from Beacon Hall Golf Club, got out to a good start by taking the opening hole. However, Zhang, a Station Creek Golf Club member, squared the match with a par on the third. Zhang would then go 1up on the seventh before Chychrun brought it back to all square on the eighth, and it remained that way as they went to the back nine.
On the 10th, Chychrun regained the lead. She would add to it on the 12th and then went 3up on the 14th. With Zhang missing a par putt on the 15th, Chychrun captured the title by a score of 4&3.
“Winning this is pretty exciting,” said Chychrun. “Coming into the year my goal was to win one tournament and I did that here. This is the biggest win for me, so far. When I was on the back nine with the lead, I realized someone has to win this tournament and thought that it might as well be me.”
Chychrun began the championship as the second seed and won her opening-round match over Woodstock’s Madeline Choi 9&7. In the quarters she had a 3&2 win over Thornhill’s Lauren Zaretsky. In the semis, she bested Brampton’s Brooke Rivers 2&1 to move onto the finals.
As for Zhang, she started as the fourth seed and won her first match 2&1 over Brampton’s Amanda Kerr. In the quarters she matched up with Aurora’s Lexie McKay and won that match 2&1. Then, in the semi finals, she took out the defending champion, Markham’s Hailey McLaughlin, in 19 holes to reach the finals.
About the Ontario Junior Girls’ Match Play Championship
The Junior Girls’ Match Play Championship has been contested since 1982. Female golfers under 19 years of age, before August 1, are eligible to compete. Notable past champions include: Alena Sharp, Stefi Markovich, Christina Yoon, Elizabeth Tong and Grace St-Germain.
Golf Ontario would like to thank ClubLink and DiamondBack Golf Club for hosting the Championships. Thanks also to the Golf Ontario volunteers who make these events possible.
2017 Ontario Women’s Senior and Mid-Amateur Highlights
Peter MacKellar
Highlights from the 2017 Investors Group Ontario Women’s Senior and Mid-Amateur Championship, June 25-27 at Wildfire Golf Club in Lakefield, Ontario. Both titles were won by Thornhill’s Judith Kyrinis.
Teenage phenom Yellamaraju wins Investors Group Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship
Peter MacKellar
WINDSOR— In what can only be described as a phenomenal final round, 16-year-old Sudarshan Yellamaraju captured the Investors Group Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship at Ambassador Golf Club on July 14.
Yellamaraju, from Mississauga and Blue Springs Golf Club, entered the day one shot off the pace at seven-under for the tournament. Despite being one of the youngest in the field, Yellamaraju was dialed in early during the final round. After a birdie on the third hole, he proceeded to drain three in a row from six to eight and made the turn at four-under. He would not let up on the back nine. He birdied both 10 and 12, stretching the lead to five strokes. While he did run into trouble with bogeys on 14, 15 and 17, he drained a clutch birdie putt on the 18th, which earned him the win. He went on to finish the round four-under (67) and finished the tournament 11-under (69-68-69-67-273).
Yellamaraju spoke about what the win meant to him, especially after he came up just short last week at the Ontario Junior Boys’ Championship. “I am feeling great right now considering what happened last week at the Ontario Junior. I felt I bounced back well this week and played pretty well. This course provided a good challenge and I am glad I got the victory in the end.”
At just 16, Yellamaraju sees the win as a big stepping-stone in his development. “I definitely think this is a big accomplishment and a great way for me to take the next step in my golf career. To win at my age is very special to me.”
As for his strength during the week, Yellamaraju pointed to his putting. “I felt like the strongest part of my game was my putting. Every time I had five or six footers to make par, I made them. This week I felt very confident putting within 10 feet and it got me to where I finished.”
The silver medal went to Stouffville’s Gajan Sivabalasingham. Sivabalasingham, from Meadowbrook Golf & Country Club, went low during the final round finishing the day five-under (66). Sivabalasingham ended the tournament at 10-under (68-67-73-66-274).
Picking up the bronze was last year’s champion, Unionville’s Max Sear. Sear, from York Downs Golf & Country Club, also had a strong round ending the day three-under (68). That moved him to nine-under (67-67-73-68-275) for the championship.
Yellamaraju, Sivabalasingham and Sear all earned the right to represent Ontario in the inter-provincial competition at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, at the Toronto Golf Club and Islington Golf Club, Aug. 7-10.
Golf Ontario would like to thank Ambassador Golf Club, their staff and volunteers for hosting the event. Thanks also to the Golf Ontario volunteers and to title sponsor Investors Group for their continued support of golf in the province.
About the Investors Group Ontario Men’s Amateur
The Investors Group Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship was first played in 1923 at Lakeview Golf and Country Club. Past winners include: 2003 Masters Champion Mike Weir (1990 & 1992), Gerry Kesselring (1949, 1951, 1952, 1953), professional players Jon Mills (2001), Corey Conners (2010), Albin Choi (2012), Chris Hemmerich (2014) and Gary Cowan, who holds the record for the most Ontario Amateur Championships with nine (1964, 1968, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1981 & 1984). This first time Ambassador Golf Club has hosted the Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship.
Highlights from the 2017 Investors Group Ontario Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, June 13-15 at Deerhurst Resort Highlands course in Huntsville, Ontario.
Angus Glen set to challenge competitors at Pan Am Games
Peter MacKellar
MARKHAM— The Pan American Games are just over a month away. Countries are finalizing their rosters, so what better time to take a look at the golf course that will be the centre of attention: Angus Glen.
Angus Glen Golf Club, South Course, will play host to the golf competition July 16-19. The course itself is no stranger to hosting high profile events. Since it’s creation in 1995, by Ontario Golf Hall of Famer, architect Doug Carrick, it has played host to a pair of Canadian Open’s in 2002 and 2007. In addition, the club’s North Course has hosted the LPGA Canadian Open and the Telus Skins Game. Most recently, the South Course hosted the 2014 World Junior Girls Championship, something that Angus Glen Head professional Terry Kim says helped the club prepare for the upcoming Games. “Thanks to the World Junior Girls Championship, we saw that there are lots of good golfers everywhere. It was definitely a smaller scale, but the positive feedback we received from the different country coaches went along way in our preparations.”
When the competition begins, the course will be showcasing a number of changes made thanks to a revitalization project done by designer Martin Ebert, something Kim is quite excited about. “I think the defining characteristics will be quite different with the changes. All of the greens have been resurfaced, the bunkers were redone with top-technology drainage, three holes (3,11 and 14) received major changes and all feel new and a bunker was added on 18 to make the finish even tighter.”
The project began five years ago with nearly a $6-millon investment from the owners. So far the course has received many positive reviews.
What will make things challenging for players will be the course’s fescue, which should be fully grown in by the time of the competition. “The added fescue is big,” said Kim. “Players at the World Junior Girls Championship really enjoyed it then. With the length of the course, getting off the tee safely will be key to the players succeeding. The fescue will require punch outs, so if they can avoid that and read the subtle breaks on the green they should be in good shape.”
Kim says that the toughest stretch for players will be the start of the back nine, holes 10 through 13. “It is a tough stretch but if players can get through these four, they have a good chance to score well on the final five.”
He outlines how 10 is a tough uphill hole, 11 requires a player to shape their second shot well, 12 is a long par-3 with narrow green and 13 has a blind tee shot, all of which will act as the challenges. Yet as the players finish on 18 they will have the full attention of spectators thanks to the hole’s stadium seating.
In terms of set up, Kim says that the course will be set up similar to how it was for the World Junior Girls Championship, with increased length off the tees. “Players will need to plan their shots. It is a fair course so they should be able to score well, but I think we will see both good and bad scores.”
With all of the changes and preparations that the course has put in to get ready for the Games, Angus Glen should prove to be an excellent site for the competition. “Everything so far has been great with the course this season and we are eager to showcase Angus Glen on the world stage,” said Kim.
The first round of the golf competition begins on July 16 with the medals being presented on July 19. For more information or to purchase tickets see: http://www.toronto2015.org/golf