BOND HEAD — The George S. Lyon Team Championship returned to the Golf Ontario schedule, on May 31, as 22 teams looked to claim the top prize. The event was not played in 2015 in order to accommodate a move in the schedule from the fall to the spring. By making the move, Golf Ontario hoped it would encourage more club participation. If 2016 was any indication, clubs certainly sent their best to compete for the title.
Conditions were windy as 87 players teed off at The Club at Bond Head. The wind would be an issue that participants battled throughout the round. When all of the cards were in and tallied, it was the team from the Sarnia Golf & Curling Club who finished on top at a combined 18-over (306) to take the championship.
Sarnia was lead by Heath McCormick who had the low round of the day at one-under (71) and won the Crofton Harvey Shield. McCormick credited his round to a 100-foot eagle putt on his second hole of the day, the par-five ninth, that gave him momentum moving forward. The rest of Sarnia’s results were also strong. Next on the team was Eric Pattenaude at three-over (75), followed by Ethan O’Meara at seven-over (79) and Brian Reinholt at nine-over (81).
After the win, McCormick spoke about what the win means to the team and their club. “It feels really nice to do something like this for our club. They are an awesome club and all of the members are very supportive. We weren’t sure if we were quite good enough but my card was the last to go in, so at that point we started to think we might have it. The guys had been following it on their phones as the scores came in and then we started to get texts from friends back home, so it was pretty special.”
Finishing second was the team from Weston Golf & Country Club. The team was made up of: Justin Allen at one-over (73), Keith Joel at six-over (78), Steven Poulos at seven-over (79) and Will Gavarkovs at seven-over (79).
Rounding out the top three was the team from Cedar Brae Golf & Country Club, the defending champions of the event. Their team was made up of: Marc St-Germain at four-over (76), Cole Hague at five-over (77), Robert Gibson at five-over (77) and Joseph Kremer at nine-over (81).
For full results, including the final leaderboards, see the tournament site at: https://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao16/event/gao1616/index.htm
Golf Ontario would like to thank The Club at Bond Head for hosting the event along with their staff. Thanks also to the Golf Ontario volunteers for their continued support.
About the George S. Lyon Team Championship
The George S. Lyon Team Championship was first played in 1931 and ran consecutively until 2000. Originally an inter-club championship, the event was reinstated in 2006 and is named after 1904 Olympic Golf gold medalist George S. Lyon, who still stands as the reigning Olympic champion of the sport. After a one-year hiatus in 2015, to accommodate a move from the fall to the spring, the George S. Lyon resumed in 2016.
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 450 member clubs, Golf Ontario is one of the largest 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 getting the game of golf into our school systems, to keeping the Ontario golf community aware of all relevant issues and hosting the best amateur tournaments in Canada, Golf Ontario is a passionate group dedicated to making golf better for everyone in Ontario. We share a love and passion for golf, while preserving its past, fostering its future, and championing golf’s best interests for everyone who enjoys the sport.
For more information, please contact:
Darren Matte, Communications and Marketing Coordinator
Golf Ontario
905-852-1101 ext. 234
dmatte@gao.ca
