Minesing, ON – The 61st edition of the Ontario Senior Women’s Championship heads to Vespra Hills Golf Club August 14-16. The championship will feature 65 of Ontario’s best female golfers 50 and over competing in 54-holes of stroke play.
This week also marks a special milestone as this is the first Golf Ontario event that is being hosted at Vespra Hills Golf Club. The championship will be played on two of Vespra Hills’ three nine-hole courses, Homestead and Sand Hills. “The members, employees, and ownership are very excited and proud to host the top senior women golfers in Ontario for their annual championship,” said General Manager, Chris McNair. “We have a unique course here that has become our member’s favourite place to play for many years now. We look forward to opening the doors this week for others to come and enjoy it as well. The course may not be the longest that the players will encounter this year, however, our narrow fairways and smallish greens may just add an extra challenge for these top players to try and navigate successfully.”
McNair mentions that Vespra Hills has four members representing them in this championship, Jacqueline Kavanagh, Libbie Simpson, Beth A. Wilmott and Ann Sullivan. “We have a strong women’s membership here, and we will be cheering on four of our own over the three days ahead,” he said. “We have a good number of young women and junior girl golfers as well, and it has been intriguing to hear their questions on who is playing, how to watch, and I can see there’s a healthy curiosity on how the championship will unfold.”
The Ontario Senior Women’s Championship, which debuted in 1962, has a decorated history of notable past champions, including World Canadian and Ontario Golf Hall of Fame member, Marlene Stewart Streit, who captured the title six times. Also, the Canadian and Ontario Golf Hall of Famer, Gayle Borthwick, picked up the trophy six times. Recent winners include Ivy Steinberg, Terrill Samuel, as well as Golf Ontario Hall of Fame members Mary Ann Hayward and 2017 USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Champion Judith Kyrinis.
Speaking of Mary Ann Hayward (St. Thomas Golf & Country Club), she will be one player to watch out for as she looks to win her sixth Ontario Senior Women’s Championship. Just one month ago, Hayward once again claimed the Ontario Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship for the 15th time at Donalda Club. She’ll have plenty of competition as the field will also feature another recent champion, Judith Kyrinis (Granite Golf Club). Kyrinis is a four-time Ontario Senior Women’s Champion, who just two weeks ago was victorious again, leading from start to finish at the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship. Another name to look out for is Terrill Samuel (Weston Golf & Country Club), who is a two-time winner of this championship and won the R&A Senior Women’s Amateur in 2022.
Play gets underway from Vespra Hills Golf Club on Monday, August 14th with the first tee-off set for 7:30 a.m. To view round 1 starting times, pairings and tournament results, visit the tournament website powered by Golf Genius.
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
Rob Watson, Tournament Director
