Port Hope, ON – Day one of the 2023 Ontario Junior (U19) Boys & Girls Match Play Championship from Port Hope Golf & Country Club, featured intense competition, surprise victories, and many unforgettable performances. Throughout the heavy winds and rain, players from all over the province battled each other to earn a spot in the next round.
The boys participated in two rounds of golf today, concluding the rounds of 64 and 32. Both rounds consisted of some fantastic play, with many tightly contested results. The junior boys’ side saw Matteo Rocco (Weston Golf & Country Club) and Graydon Laughlin (Ottawa Hunt & Country Club) both advance to the Round of 16 after Rocco advanced with 5&4 and 3&2 victories and Laughlin advanced with 1UP and 5&4 victories. The two combatants will face each other tomorrow morning. The day also saw an upset as 63rd ranked David Ursu (Cedar Brae Golf Club) took down 2nd ranked Benjamin Herbert (Lookout Point Country Club) by being 1UP.
For the girls’ number one seed, Shauna Liu (Station Creek Golf Club), had a very convincing victory of 7&6 securing her spot in the Round of 16. Serena Zhang, the 28th seed, took down fifth seeded Shelby Hardwick (Summit Golf & Country Club) in a 21-hole bout, there was no room for error as it ended in a thrilling playoff. Team Ontario Member, Aryn Matthews (Bigwin Island Golf Club), was also able to advance to the next round by being 1UP.
Day two will feature the Round of 16 and Quarter Finals for both the junior boys and girls. Play gets back underway at Port Hope Golf & Country Club tomorrow morning with the junior boys teeing off at 8:00 a.m. and the junior girls teeing off right after at 9:04 a.m. To view all pairings and results for the Junior Boys’ Match Play, click here. To view the pairings and results of the Junior Girls’ Match Play, click here.
For media coverage of the 2023 Ontario Junior (U19) Boys and Girls Match Play Championship, please visit the Golf Ontario Facebook page to view our photo albums.
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
