Mikey “Rocco” DiRaddo, a Special Olympian golfer, is making waves by launching Golf Fore All Abilities earlier this year—a vision he’s held for a long time.
Golf Fore All Abilities aims to bring golf opportunities to youth in schools across the Niagara region, with plans to continue expanding for weeks and months to come.
Now, Rocco is taking the next step to support Golf Fore All Abilities by launching a fundraising initiative through the 1000 Ball Challenge and the Golf For All Fund.
His goal is to raise $5,000 by the end of the golf season to help kickstart golf programming in the Niagara area.
“Reaching this goal would mean a lot to me and to the nonprofit organization I’ve started,” Rocco shared. “It would help us get the ball rolling for future events and allow us to positively impact others through sport. It would also support both my program and Golf Ontario’s work in adaptive golf.”
The 1000 Ball Challenge invites individuals or teams to support the expansion of golf opportunities in Ontario while testing their endurance by hitting as many golf balls as possible. Meanwhile, the Golf For All Fund focuses on increasing access to golf and introducing the game to a wider audience, with funding allocated for programs supporting Girls and Women, Indigenous communities, Adaptive Golf, and Junior Performance.
“My idea for this challenge came from my experiences as a Special Olympic golfer in Ontario,” Rocco explained. “In June, I had the opportunity to play in a tournament in Uxbridge, where I met incredible people with various disabilities. That experience inspired me to do more.”
Proceeds from the 1000 Ball Challenge will be split equally, with 50% going to the Golf For All Fund and the other 50% supporting summer programming for Golf Fore All Abilities in the Niagara Region.
“Golf Fore All Abilities will use these funds to continue running our adaptive golf program and reach more people with various disabilities,” Rocco added.
Rocco will be taking on the 1000 Ball Challenge at Lookout Point Country Club on Saturday, October 12. You can support his efforts by visiting Mikey Rocco’s Golf Fore All Abilities 1000 Ball Challenge page to make a donation.
For any questions or assistance with creating or joining teams, please reach out to Raphael Root at rroot@gao.ca.
The 2024 Ontario Juvenile (U17) Boys and Girls Championship concluded in thrilling fashion at Hollinger Golf Club.
Boys’ Division
In an unforgettable comeback, Dawson Lew of Team Ontario and Wyndance Golf Club claimed the prestigious Mike Weir Trophy.
Entering the final round nine strokes behind the leader, Lew delivered a stunning performance, carding a 7-under-par 65 to tie the Hollinger Golf Club course record. His remarkable round allowed him to finish one stroke ahead of Station Creek Golf Club‘s Jager Pain.
Pain, who led going into the final round, finished with a total score of 216 (even-par), securing second place. Hawk Ridge Golf Club’s Spencer Shropshire rounded out the top three with a final score of 220.
Lew’s final tally of 1-under-par 215 included seven birdies, with four consecutive birdies between holes five and eight.
His extraordinary finish adds to Team Ontario’s success this season, joining RattleSnake Point Golf Club’s Nobelle Park, who has won multiple championships, including the Ontario Junior Girls Spring Classic, and the Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship.
Girls’ Division
In the girls’ division, the competition was intense as Avery Nordman of the Canadian Golf & Country Club and Alexis Card of Galt Country Club battled throughout the day.
Both players entered the final round tied for the lead. Although Card appeared to be pulling away on the back nine, Nordman staged a fierce comeback to ultimately claim the Sandra Post Trophy. Nordman finished four strokes ahead of Card and six strokes ahead of Narisse Daye from Sarnia Golf & Country Club.
After a challenging start with rounds of 77 and 76, Nordman rebounded with an impressive 71 in the final round, bringing her total score to 224.
Just 21 days after finishing as a finalist in the Ontario Junior Girls Match Play Championship, Nordman can now proudly call herself the Ontario Juvenile Girls Champion.
For all final results, CLICK HERE.
Social Handles: Stay connected with us on social media: Instagram, Facebook and X @thegolfontario
The 2024 Ontario Juvenile (U17) Boys and Girls Championship heads to Hollinger Golf Club in Timmins August 19 – 21.
The top 60 boys and 30 girls aged 17-and-under compete in 54-hole stroke play for the Mike Weir and Sandra Post trophies.
Notable past winners of the Ontario Juvenile Girls Championship include Alena Sharp (1996), Jessica Shepley (1998), Stephanie Sherlock (2003) and Rebecca Lee-Bentham (2006 & 2008).
Notable past Ontario Juvenile Boys Champions include Gary Cowan (1954), Bob Panasiuk (1956 & 1957), Brandon Ng (2007 & 2009) and current Team Canada NextGen member, Matthew Javier (2022 & 2023)
All three rounds will see morning tee-offs starting at 8 a.m. from the first and 10th tees.
For first round pairings and start times, CLICK HERE.
FIELD NOTES
Team Ontario:
Chase Jerome (Royal Ottawa Golf Club), Bode Stephen (Cataraqui Golf & Country Club)and Dawson Lew represent Team Ontario in the Juvenile Boys division.
Next Waive:
Five of the Next Waive program’s 11 male athletes compete: Matthew Simpson (Lambton Golf & Country Club), Michael Vivone (Royal Ottawa Golf Club), Tristian Zhang (Summit Golf & Country Club), Josh Ye (Summit Golf & Country Club) and Bo Dong.
Also in the field are three of the Next Waive program’s four female athletes: Sierra Kowlayshyn (Sawmill Golf Course), Ava Gilbert (Summit Golf & Country Club) and Kirsten Lee (Brampton Golf Club).
Top Junior Golf Pathway Rankings (Girls):
Avery Nordman, No. 2, U17; Alexis Card, No. 4, U17; Amelia McFarlane, No. 7, U17.
Top Junior Golf Pathway Rankings (Boys):
Bode Stephen, No. 2, U17; Dawson Lew, No. 3, U17; Jager Pain, No. 4, U17.
PLAYER NOTES
Notable players in the Juvenile Boys division include:
The 2024 Ontario NextGen Champion, Jager Pain (Station Creek Golf Club), who also finished top five in the recent Canadian Junior Boys Championship.
Bode Stephen (Cataraqui Golf & Country Club), who won the 2024 Golf Canada NextGen Atlantic Championship.
Dawson Lew (Team Ontario), who finished tied for second in the 2024 Ontario NextGen Championship and fourth in the 2024 Ontario Junior Boys Championship.
Spencer Shropshire (Hawk Ridge Golf Club), who comes in fresh off finishing third in the Canadian Junior Boys Championship.
Notable players in the Juvenile Girls division include:
Avery Nordman (Canadian Golf & Country Club), who was a finalist at the recent Ontario Junior Girls Match Play Championship.
Ava Gilbart (Summit Golf & Country Club), who finished tied for 2nd at the Golf Canada NextGen Atlantic Championship.
Alexis Card (Galt Country Club), who finished top ten in this year’s Ontario Junior Girls Championship.
Winner of last year’s Ontario Peewee Girls Championship, Evelyn Ma (National Pines Golf Club).
QUOTES
Connor Doyle, Tournament Director: “The Ontario Juvenile U17 Championship has always had a very competitive field. The field for this year’s championships is no different as it features multiple Team Ontario, Next Waive athletes, and many top ranked players from the 2024 Junior Golf Pathway rankings. Hollinger Golf Club will be a great test for the players with its tight treelined holes and angulating greens. We look forward to another excellent championship in the north.”
Taylor Dupuis, General Manager – Hollinger Golf Club: “Hollinger Golf Club is excited to not only welcome the top Juvenile players in the province, but to also showcase our beautiful Northern Ontario landscape, hospitality and championship calibre course. This is the first time a provincial championship has made its way to Timmins, and we look forward to setting a standard for years to come. This is a great opportunity for junior golfers and parents of our area to come by and experience an environment and of course golf of this calibre and we couldn’t be more thrilled.”
FAST FACTS
Championship Venue: Hollinger Golf Club
Championship Dates: August 19 – 21
Field: 90 players (60 boys, 30 girls)
Format: 54-hole, stroke play, (36 Hole Cut – Low 60 & Ties)
Leaderboard Link: 24′ Ontario Juvenile (U17) Boys’ & Girls Championship Event :: Tournament Results (golfgenius.com)
Fun Fact: Hollinger Golf Club is named after its previous owners, the Hollinger Mine of Timmins. The course was renamed from Timmins Golf Club after the Hollinger Mine closed and sold the club in 1974.
Social Handles: @thegolfontario on Instagram, Facebook and X
The third annual Indigenous Ontario Championship concluded Wednesday afternoon with exciting finishes in the final round at MontHill Golf & Country Club.
This year’s championship saw more than 110 players from more than 60 First Nations compete from across Canada as well as the U.S.
Taking the reigns on the men’s side for the second consecutive year was Ky Horn of the Mohawks of Kahnawake, who put together an outstanding final round performance to rally back from a seven-stroke deficit.
Horn shot 4-under-par-68 in the final round to finish two strokes ahead of both Lower Mohawk, John Monture and Lucas Rogers of Kettle Point First Nation.
Despite a rocky start to his Indigenous Ontario Championship, Horn shot a total par of 219 overall, which included a 70 in the second round and his final round 68.
Cheryl Mitchell of Walpole Island First Nation captured the women’s title for the third straight year.
Mitchell came into the final round with a two-stroke lead over Melanie Burgess of Matachewan First Nation, but quickly took control in the final round, shooting a 35 on the front nine and ended with a total of 73 in the final round and 226 overall.
For the third consecutive edition of the Indigenous Ontario Championship, Burgess finishes in second place, shooting 236 overall, while Savana Smith of the Delaware Nation shot a total of 239 to finish third.
The following 16 players have qualified to represent Team Indigenous Ontario in the Indigenous Challenge Cup in Bear Mountain Golf Club in Victoria, BC:
MEN:
Ky Horn – Mohawks of Kahnawake
John Monture – Lower Mohawk
Lucas Rogers – Kettle Point First Nation
Colin Sobey – Red Rock Indian Brand
Andrew Hill – Lower Mohawk
Lorne Smith – Walpole Island
Brent Sault – Mississaugas of the Credit
Earl Hill – Mohawk
WOMEN:
Cheryl Mitchell – Walpole Island First Nation
Melanie Burgess – Matachewan First Nation
Savana Smith – Delaware Nation
Loraine Elijah – Oneida Nation of the Thanes
Alisha Jacobs – Delaware Nation Moravian of the Thames
Roxanne General – Upper Cayuga
Courtney Riley – Chippewas of the Thames
Julie Hill – Mohawk
For all final results, CLICK HERE.
Social Handles: @thegolfontario on Instagram, Facebook and X
Sarah Xing of Players Club- Ottawa on the girl’s side and Wilson Doornekamp of Cataraqui Golf & Country Club in the boy’s division are both walking away with new hardware this week.
Xing pulled off impressive scores of 73 and 69. While Doornekamp stayed on top both days shooting 66 and 71.
The intense competition continued as the second place medalists kept it close with Riviera Lindholm of St. Georges Golf & Country Club on the girl’s side finishing with scores of 72 on both days and Dustin Zhao of National Pines Golf Club on the boy’s side had scores of 75 and 64.
Kaige Zhu and Grace (HyunYi) Kim followed along in third place to close out the championship.
CLICK HERE for all results of the Ontario Peewee U13 Girls Championship.
CLICK HERE for all results of the Ontario Peewee U13 Boys Championship.
Social Handles: @thegolfontario on Instagram, Facebook, and X.
LPGA Amateurs is made up of over 15,500 women of all golf abilities and provides playing and learning opportunities for women of all ages through local and national events.
The association is taking further action to grow women’s participation programs by raising money through the 1000 Ball Challenge and the Golf For All Fund.
The 1000 Ball Challenge allows individuals or teams to support expansions of Ontario golf opportunities and experiences while testing their endurance by hitting as many golf balls as possible.
The Golf For All Fund aims to increase access to the game of golf and introduce it to a wider audience by funding for the participation and programing of Girls and Women, Indigenous, Adaptive and Junior Performance.
LPGA Amateurs have set an ambitious goal they hope to achieve before the end of the golf season. They have divided four regional teams and 20 different representatives, all with their own 1000 Ball Challenge pages.
One team that has stood out is Team HamBurGirls, who represent the Hamilton-Burlington region. Their team goal was to raise $5,000, but the current total at $6,001 tops that goal drastically.
“Our Association has the relationship it does with both Golf Canada and Golf Ontario, and supporting women in golf is such an important issue for us,” said Deb Kucheran, LPGA Amateur of Hamilton-Burlington region president.
If the LPGA Amateurs’ goal is reached, 50 percent of funds will go directly to all LPGA Chapters, while the other 50 will go toward the Golf For All Fund.
Both the LPGA Chapter and Golf For All Fund will put the raised money towards expanding women’s golf opportunities across the province, which according to Kucheran includes adding more women’s golf programs to more regions and educating golf courses to accept women in golf.
“It’s time for equality in golf,” she said.
When Kucheran and the rest of the LPGA Amateurs Ontario governing body learned that each Chapter would get back 50 percent of what they donated, the thought of making her own regional team was instant.
“I set up Team HamBurGirls and then recruited team members by advertising in our newsletters, social media and just asking members,” she said.
With $1,000 more than the team goal raised, Kucheran hopes the money will make it easier to provide members with golf experiences.
“As our LPGA Amateurs’ seven Chapters in Ontario depend only on member fees for income, fundraising is extremely important to be able to provide the members value for their membership dollar,” she said.
Visit the LPGA Amateur Golf Association’s 1000 Ball Challenge page to donate to a team or individual.
For any questions or assistance creating or joining teams, please reach out to Raphael Root at rroot@gao.ca.
The 2024 Ontario Pewee (U13) Championship heads to Victoria Park East Golf Club August 12-13 in Guelph, Ontario.
This championship will see 72 players, 33 on the girl’s side, and 39 from the boy’s division.
Of these 72 players competing many of them are ranked within the top ten of the Junior Golf Pathway rankings.
The first two rounds will begin tee times between 11:00am- 3:00pm.
For first round pairings and start times, CLICK HERE.
FIELD NOTES
Riveria Lindholm No.1, Keisha Han No. 2, Katherine Xia No.3 are top three under the U13 Girls Junior Golf Pathway Rankings.
Gerry Kou No.1, Chi-Shen Lin No.2, Dustin Zhao No.3, are top three under the U13 Boys Junior Golf Pathway Rankings.
PLAYER NOTES
Notable names in the 72-player field include:
Riviera Lindholm of St. Georges Golf and Country Club has competed at the Women’s Amateur at just 11 years old. She will also be competing for the Ontario Pewee (U13) Girls Championship.
QUOTES
Mason Cowan, Tournament Director: “We are beyond excited to host our Ontario Pewee U13 Championship at Victoria Park East. Their staff and ownership have done an amazing job to provide our athletes with great course conditions. It allows our athletes to showcase their talents over the next two rounds. I’m looking forward to watching the future of golf in action!”
FAST FACTS
Championship Venue: Victoria Park East Golf Club
Dates: August 12 – 13, 2024
Field: 72 Players (33 girls, 39 boys)
Format: 36-hole, stroke play
Leaderboard Link: 24’ Ontario Pewee (U13) Boys & Girls Championship
Fun Fact: Many of the players competing are ranked top ten in the JGP Rankings.
Social Handles: @thegolfontario on Instagram, Facebook, X.
The third annual Indigenous Ontario Championship returns August 12 – 14 in the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory.
The championship features 117 of the top male and female Indigenous golfers from across North America, the most players this event has seen yet, competing in Gross and Net Stableford divisions. The championship will also feature junior and senior divisions.
In its third year running, the Indigenous Ontario Championship has been open to Indigenous golfers of all ages. With the inaugural Indigenous Ontario Championship’s success, the format was switched from a 36-hole to a 54-hole stroke play event.
This championship aims to bring awareness to the growth and impact of the game of golf to Indigenous communities and provide both players and spectators with a memorable experience.
All three editions of this championship have been hosted by MontHill Golf & Country Club thanks to its strong ties with the community ever since Six Nations business leaders, Jerry Montour and the late Ken Hill acquired rights to the club in 2014.
The first two rounds will see tee-offs begin at 7:30 a.m. from the first and 10th tees.
For all first-round pairings and start times, CLICK HERE.
PLAYER NOTES
Of the 85 players in the men’s division, notable names include:
Defending men’s 2023 Indigenous Ontario Champion, Ky Horn of the Mohawks of Kahnawake.
Men’s winner of the Inaugural Indigenous Ontario Championship, John Monture of Lower Mohawk descent.
Aiden Deng of Muskoday First Nation, who recently competed in the 119th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.
Of the 27 players in the women’s division, notable names include:
Cheryl Mitchell of Walpole Island First Nation, the women’s winner of both Indigenous Ontario Championships in 2022 and 2023.
Lorraine Elijah of the Oneida Nation of the Thanes, the 2023 Ontario Senior Women’s Championship ‘A’ flight Champion.
Matachewan First Nation’s Melanie Burgess, who finished runner-up in the first two Indigenous Ontario Championships.
QUOTES
Kyle McFarlane, Golf Ontario CEO: “We are excited for the third playing of the Ontario Indigenous Championship. The week promises to be a celebration of golf and showcase the talent of Indigenous golfers from across the province and country. We are incredibly grateful to the leadership of MontHill Golf & Country Club for their support and collaboration, which have been pivotal in bringing this championship to life. We anticipate a fantastic week ahead, filled with competition, camaraderie, and outstanding golf.”
Brendan Painter, Director of Golf – MontHill Golf & Country Club: “MontHill Golf & Country Club is proud to host the 3rd annual Indigenous Ontario Championship. Being 100 percent Indigenous owned, this tournament holds a special place in our hearts bringing together Indigenous from all over Turtle Island. Last year we had 91 players from over 40 different Nations, with some great competition, lots of laughs, and just an overall positive experience. We look forward to much more of the same this year.”
FAST FACTS
Championship Venue: MontHill Golf & Country Club
Championship Dates: August 12 – 14
Field: 117 players (89 men, 28 women)
Format: 54-hole, stroke play
Leaderboard Link: 24′ Indigenous Ontario Championship Event :: Tournament Results (golfgenius.com)
Fun Fact: MontHill Golf & Country Club was originally named Sundrim Golf Course until 2014, when the club was purchased by Jerry Montour and Ken Hill.
Social Handles: @thegolfontario on Instagram, Facebook and X
The second round and final day of the 2024 Ontario Bantam U15 Boys & Girls Championship at Chedoke Golf Club came down to the wire.
Throughout the championship Nobelle Park of RattleSnake Point Golf Club pulled off impressive scores of 67 and 67. While Joseph Totino of Summit Golf and Country Club finished the championship with scores of 65, 68 and a 1-hole playoff win.
On the girl’s side, Park battled both days with runner up Alexis Card of Galt Country Club, who had scores of 69 and 73. Evelyn Li of Brampton Golf Club and Regan Andrusyk of Hamilton Golf & Country Club fell close behind as both players finished in third place.
In the boy’s division, Andy Dai of Station Creek Golf Club was the runner-up with scores of 66 and 67 to end the final day. Justin Chu of Meadowbrook Golf Club was close behind, finishing in third place with scores of 69 and 66.
CLICK HERE for all results of the Ontario Bantam U15 Girls Championship.
CLICK HERE for all results of the Ontario Bantam U15 Boys Championship.
Social Handles: @thegolfontario on Instagram, Facebook, and X.
Judith Kyrinis of Granite Golf Club made history at The Golf Club at Lora Bay, claiming her sixth Ontario Senior Women’s Championship.
Kyrinis shot 222-3-over-par overall, which included a 2-under-par-71 in the second round, finishing two shots ahead of Terrill Samuel of Weston Golf & Country Club and St. Thomas Golf & Country Club’s Mary-Ann Hayward.
With the victory, Kyrinis ties Marlene Stewart Streit and Gayle Borthwick with the most Ontario Senior Women’s Championship wins in tournament history with six. This is also her third Ontario Senior Women’s Championship victory in the last four years.
This piece of history adds to her outstanding Ontario golf career, which includes her 1998 Ontario Women’s Match Play Championship, 2009 Ontario Women’s Four-Ball Championship and 2017 Ontario Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship titles.
While Kyrinis captured the Championship Flight division, the ‘A’ Flight Gross division saw Grey Silo Golf Course’s Lori Friesen as the winner, finishing four strokes ahead of the runner-up, Ruth McBride of Bridgewater Country Club.
The ‘A’ Flight Net division saw an intense finish, as Lori Friesen, Soon Huh (Glen Abbey Golf Club) and Kelly Dory (Midland Golf & Country Club) all had to settle a winner in a sudden death playoff.
In the end, Huh came out on top, shooting 218-1-under-par.
For all results of the 62nd Ontario Senior Women’s Championship, CLICK HERE.
Social Handles: @thegolfontario on Instagram, Facebook and X
