A premier field of top-level golfers aged 25-and-over will gather on Monday to open the 36th playing of the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Algonquin Golf Resort in St. Andrews, N.B.
The Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship is a 72-hole stroke play event, with a 36-hole cut to the low 70 players and ties. In the event of a tie at the end of four rounds, there will be a hole-by-hole playoff. The championship was first contested in 1987 and includes an inter-provincial competition held over the first 36 holes. The Mid-Amateur division will run concurrently with the Mid-Master division for players 40 and older.
Golf Manitoba members taking part in this year’s championship feature:
Delwyn Doerksen (Oakview Golf & Country Club)
Drew Jones (Shilo Country Club)
Cameron Duncan (Oak Island Golf)
Tyler Hall (Pine Ridge Golf Club)
Adam Guenther (Elmhurst Golf & Country Club)
Chase Beach-Ducharme (Pine Ridge Golf Club)
Curtis Markusson (St. Charles Country Club)
David White (St. Charles Country Club)
Lyle Mackenzie (Niakwa Country Club)
Michael Coutts (Southwood Golf & Country Club)
Troy Kehler (Elmhurst Golf & Country Club)
Wade Wetelainen (Eagles Landing Golf & Curling Club)
For Monday’s opening round tee times, click here.
For the opening round leaderboard, click here.
The field of 156 amateur golfers will navigate the picturesque seaside course looking to etch their name onto the Presidents Cup. Situated in the charming costal town of St. Andrews, The Algonquin Golf Course is an iconic establishment in New Brunswick and is part of one of Canada’s most enchanting destinations, The Algonquin Resort.
“Golf Canada is excited to welcome this talented group of Mid-amateur players to The Algonquin Golf Course for the 2023 edition of this great championship,” said Golf Canada’s Tournament Director, Sam Meek. “This year’s field consists of numerous past champions, as well as several of the top mid-amateur golfers in Canada and the United States. The town of St. Andrews and golf fans in the region can look forward to a great week of golf.”
Founded in 1894, The Algonquin boasts a rich and captivating history. Renovated during the 1920s by the renowned Donald Ross and more recently under the attention of Rod Whitman, a prominent figure amongst Canada’s esteemed designers. Each of Whitman’s Canadian designs fall in the top 10 in Canada on SCOREGolf’s Biennial course rankings list.
“The Algonquin Golf Course and its members who are the Algonquin Golf Club are excited to welcome competitors to the Canadian Mid-Amateur Championship. This is a terrific opportunity for us to showcase our excellent course which is described locally as the Pebble Beach of the East,” said Andrew Cook, Host Tournament Chair for the event and Past President of Golf Canada and Golf New Brunswick. “We have over 60 volunteers lined up to assist with the operation of the tournament. We think the competitors will find the course challenging but also fun, and even if the golf game is not perfect, the spectacular views of the Bay of Fundy will more than compensate.”
Charles Fitzsimmons of London, Ont., has won the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship in back-to-back years in 2021 and 2022 and placed third at the 2019 championship. He returns this year looking to defend his title in search of a three-peat.
Other notables in the field are Joseph Deraney of Belden, Miss., champion of the 2018 and 2019 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship and Phil Arci of Woodbridge Ont., who finished as the runner-up at the 118th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship that took place at The Pulpit Club last week.
Previous winners of the championship include one of Canada’s top-ranked men’s amateur golfers, Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont., who won the event three years in a row from 2014-2016; Graham Cooke who won it seven times between 1987 and 2002; and Stu Hamilton who won it on four separate occasions between 1990 and 1994.
In addition to the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur title, the 2023 champion will receive an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship and the 2024 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.
with files courtesy Golf Canada