Sadie Blazeiko finishes 1st, Carson Chapman 2nd at Junior Skills Challenge National Event
Brian Munz
The 14th edition of the Junior Skills Challenge National Event wrapped up today in Vancouver after 24 of the top Canadian junior golfers showcased their skills in one of Golf Canada’s signature junior events. The event took place at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club which will also play host to the CPKC Women’s Open from August 24-27th.
The National Event culminates a year-long program consisting of over 100 qualifying events across Canada and 2,000 participants.
In partnership with the PGA of Canada and Cobra-Puma Golf, participants went head-to-head in putting, chipping, and driving competitions:
Putting: each competitor received one putt from each distance of 5, 10, and 20 feet with points awarded for holing the putt and proximity to the hole.
Chipping: each competitor received three shots for chipping with points awarded on distance of the chip from the target.
Driving: each competitor received three drives with points awarded for distance and aim of the drive.
The winners for each division of the Junior Skills Challenge National Event received a brand-new driver courtesy of Cobra-Puma Golf.
Below are the winners in each of the age groups:
PHOTO BERNARD BRAULT, GOLF CANADA VANCOUVER, BC, AUGUST 20, 2023 SHAUGHNESSY GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB JUNIOR SKILLS CHALLENGE
Girls 9 to 11:
Four participants competed including Sadie Blazeiko, Jordyn Butler, Chloe Lam, and Avery McGuire.
Blazeiko of Winnipeg, MB took home the title with a score of 175 (60 points from driving, 25 points from chipping, 80 points from putting).
Boys 12 to 14:
Carson Chapman, Cedrick Hamelin, Siddharth Kaja, and Clayton Michel participated.
Kaja of Mississauga, ON captured the title with a final score of 215, with the most impressive chipping scores of the day (70 points from driving, 55 points from chipping, 90 points from putting).
Chapman finished second with 185 points (75 points from driving, 20 points from chipping, 90 points from putting).
Boys 8 and under:
Four participants competed including Albert Cui, Eliott Forest, Clifton McLeod, and Waris Wirring.
McLeod of Calgary, AB captured the title with a score of 165 (55 points from driving, 20 points from chipping, and 90 points from putting).
Girls 8 and under:
Four participants competed including Sophie Dai, Ophelie Duguay, Eisla Kim, and Brooke Sundquist.
Dai of Calgary, AB dominated in her division, earning first place with a final score of 140 (45 points from driving, 25 points from chipping, and 70 points from putting).
Boys 9 to 11:
Competing in the division included Patrik Geary, Damian Gonzalez, Carter Sam, and Jagger Shi.
It was a close competition, but Gonzalez of Oakville, ON pulled away with a final score of 150 (50 points from driving, 20 points from chipping, 70 points from putting).
Girls 12 to 14:
Aliyah Hull, Tatum Lohnes, Mila Snook, and Hannah Thomas participated.
Hull of Chestermere, AB was a stand-out competitor with an impressive final score of 215, with the best driving score of the day across all age groups in both male and female divisions (100 points from driving, 45 points from chipping, and 70 points from putting).
For more information on the Junior Skills Challenge National Event, click here.
Alex Zhang shot a final round of 74 to win the 2023 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO at the North Bay Golf and Country Club in North Bay, Ont. on Thursday.
Zhang took a one-shot lead into the final round and that’s how it would end as he becomes the 11th player in tournament history to win both the Silver Cup (Junior Championship) and the Jack Bailey Trophy (Juvenile Championship), and the first player to win both since Christopher Vandette in 2018.
He joins Jim Rutledge, Jeff Makahon, Rob McMillan, Jesse Collinson, Dustin Risdon, Gord Scutt, Rafael Lee, Mitch Sutton, Charles-Éric Bélanger and Vandette as those who have won both championships.
Grady Chuback (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club) shot a one over par 73 to finish tied for 37th on the leaderboard at +12, 300. Chuback’s round featured four birdies – on the first, 10th, 11th and 16th holes.
Ryan Orchard (Carman Golf & Curling Club) carded a final round 80 to end play at +23, 311.
With the victory, Zhang has earned an exemption into the 2024 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship as well as the 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.
Zhang will also be awarded a cheque of $1,200. To align with the modernized Rules of Amateur Status, players at the Canadian Junior Boys Championship, competed for a purse of $8,000 CAD. Along with Zhang, the top-10 finishers earned prize money.
Jake Houston of Baie-D’Urfe, Que. and James Lee of Whistler, B.C. both finished at 1-under to earn silver medalist honours in the Junior Championship. Lee also earned solo silver medalist honours in the Juvenile Championship and Matthew Javier of North York, Ont. took home bronze medalist honours finishing at even par.
For the final standings of the 2023 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.
RESULTS | Round 3 of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship
Brian Munz
Grady Chuback (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club) made two birdies in his opening six holes while carding a six over par 78 during today’s third round of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship in North Bay, Ontario.
Through 54 holes, Chuback is T56 on the leaderboard at +11, 227.
Ryan Orchard (Carman Golf & Curling Club) is four strokes back of Chuback in 70th place at +15, 231 following a seven over par 79 today.
RESULTS | Round 2 of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship
Brian Munz
Terence Rafferty (Team Manitoba / Southwood Golf & Country Club) had Manitoba’s low round of the day carding a two over par 74 during today’s second round of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship in North Bay, Ontario.
Ryan Orchard (Carman Golf & Curling Club) shot a 77 while both Grady Chuback (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club) and Zostrianos Gross (Shilo Country Club) had an 80.
Chuback (+5, 149) and Orchard (+8, 152) made the cut to play the final two rounds.
Chuback, Orchard and Rafferty represented Manitoba in the 36 hole Inter-Provincial Team Competition and finished fourth overall at seven over par.
RESULTS | Round 1 of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship
Brian Munz
Grady Chuback (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club) is Manitoba’s top performer today in the opening round of the 2023 Canadian Junior Boys Championship.
After bogeying his opening hole, Chuback made four birdies and 13 pars en route to a three under par 69 at The North Bay Golf and Country Club in North Bay, Ontario.
Also representing Manitoba:
Ryan Orchard (Carman Golf & Curling Club) +3, 75 Zostrianos Gross (Shilo Country Club) +7, 79 Terence Rafferty (Team Manitoba / Southwood Golf & Country Club) +13, 85
Chuback, Orchard and Rafferty are representing Manitoba during the 36 hole Inter-Provincial Team Competition. Chuback and Orchard have combined to place our province second on the leaderboard, just one stroke back of first place Ontario.
Team Manitoba tees off at Canadian Junior Boys Championship
Brian Munz
156 of Canada’s top junior golfers head to Northern Ontario to compete for the Junior title along with a U16 Juvenile division and an inter-provincial team competition.
The 2023 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO is underway with a field of 156 junior golfers competing over four rounds at The North Bay Golf and Country Club in North Bay, Ont.
Four golfers from Manitoba are taking part including Grady Chuback (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club), Zostrianos Gross (Shilo Country Club), Ryan Orchard (Carman Golf & Curling Club) and Terence Rafferty (Team Manitoba / Southwood Golf & Country Club).
Chuback, Orchard and Rafferty will represent Golf Manitoba during the Inter-Provincial Team Competition.
This year’s field competing for the Canadian Junior Boys Trophy, also known as the Silver Cup, features a talented field of Canadian players, including five 2023 NextGen tournament winners—Dougie Basadur of Fonthill, Ont. (NextGen Atlantic), Isaiah Ibit of Orleans, Ont. (NextGen Ontario), Jerry Li, Vancouver, B.C. (NextGen Pacific), Kye Fisher of Leduc, Alta. (NextGen Prairie) and Henry Dao from Laprairie, Que. (NextGen Quebec).
“North Bay Golf & Country Club is a classic Stanley Thompson design and will provide a tough but fair test for the country’s best junior golfers,” said Golf Canada Tournament Director Daniel Suppa. “The Host Club committee at North Bay and its members are extremely proud to host this prestigious event. In working with the staff at North Bay and their tournament committee, everyone involved is passionate and committed to providing a world-class event for all participants travelling to the tournament.”
Established in 1921, the North Bay Golf and Country Club is a privately owned club with shareholders and governed by an elected Board of Directors. In 1921, a group of golf enthusiasts formed the North Bay Golf and Country Club and engaged Stanley Thompson, the renowned Canadian designer to lay out the new course on what was once farmland originally owned by the Macintosh family.
The original nine holes spanned 2,800 yards and were ready for play in 1923 with the second nine opening in 1966. With seasonal renovations and a strong commitment from members giving of their labour, resources and donations, the course has evolved into one of the finest eighteen-hole challenges in North Ontario.
Established in 1938 with the first championship played at London Hunt and Country Club in London, Ont., the Canadian Junior Boys Championship has given Canadians a glimpse into the future glory that many of its champions have gone on to enjoy. Canadian Golf Hall of Famers Doug Silverberg, George Knudson, Gary Cowan, and Doug Roxburgh have all won the Silver Cup before moving on to amateur and professional careers.
Reigning RBC Canadian Open champion Nick Taylor won the Junior in 2006, the only Canadian male golfer to win the trifecta of national championships comprised of the Canadian Junior Boys, Canadian Men’s Amateur, and Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship (joining Brooke Henderson who is the lone female Canadian golfer to win the Canadian Junior Girls, Canadian Women’s Amateur, and the CPKC Women’s Open).
In addition to the 18-and-under Junior Championship, the 16-and-under Juvenile Championship was added in 1970, with the winner receiving the Jack Bailey Trophy. Since its inception, only ten golfers have won both the Juvenile and Junior titles — Jim Rutledge, Jeff Makahon, Rob McMillan, Jesse Collinson, Dustin Risdon, Gord Scutt, Rafael Lee, Mitch Sutton, Charles-Éric Bélanger and Christopher Vandette.
The Junior and Juvenile championship rounds are played concurrently over four rounds, with the top 70 players plus ties in the Junior division and a minimum of ten players in the Juvenile division advancing to the final 36 holes. The Junior Inter-Provincial Team Championship will be played over the first 36 holes, where teams will compete for the Junior Inter-Provincial Championship Trophy.
The new purse payout that was introduced in 2022 will continue at this year’s championship. To align with the modernized Rules of Amateur Status, players at the Canadian Junior Boys Championship will compete for a purse of $8,000 CAD. Amateur golfers may accept prize money up to a maximum of $1,200 CAD, and payouts will be awarded to the top 10 finishers and ties.
The Junior champion of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship earns an exemption into the 2024 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship as well as the 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.
3rd place finish for Team Manitoba at Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship
Brian Munz
Jeri Lafleche (Clear Lake Golf Course), Cala Korman (Team Manitoba / Golf Manitoba Public Players Club) and Clara Peake (Minnedosa Golf & Country Club) combined for a third place finish during the Inter-Provincial Team Championship at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.
Korman shot a one over par 73 during her second round while Peake carded an 80 for our province to finish with a +18 total over 36 holes.
Only Ontario (+5) and British Columbia (+17) had a better team finish than Manitoba.
Individually, Korman 79-73-152 was the only Manitoban to make the cut advancing to Thursday’s third round.
Also representing Manitoba, but failing to make the cut of 154:
Lafleche 74-81-155 Peake 80-80-160 Addison Kartusch (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club) 76-86-162
RESULTS | Round 1 of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship
Brian Munz
Jeri Lafleche (Clear Lake Golf Course) carded Manitoba’s best round to open the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship shooting a two over par 74.
Brooke Rivers of Ontario is atop of the leaderboard at the Ashburn Golf Club following a seven under par 65.
Also representing Manitoba:
Addison Kartusch (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club) +4, 76 Cala Korman (Team Manitoba / Golf Manitoba Public Players Club) +7, 79 Clara Peake (Minnedosa Golf & Country Club) +8, 80
Team Manitoba (Lafleche, Korman, Peake) is tied for third place with Alberta in the Inter-Provincial Team Championship at +9, only one stroke behind second place British Columbia and five back of first place Ontario.
For the complete Junior Skills Challenge leaderboard, click here.
The 2023 Junior Skills Challenge was made possible thanks to the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation, the Southwood Golf & Country Club, Cobra Puma Golf, Government of Canada, R&A, PGA of Canada and Golf Canada.
Boonseeor & Zamzow win 2023 Junior Boys & Girls Championships presented by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation
Brian Munz
Thailand’s Teerawut Boonseeor shot a one under par 71 Wednesday in his final round to win the Junior Boys Championship presented by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation.
The 14 year old finished the 54 hole event at Teulon Golf & Country Club with a one under 215 total, good for an eight stroke victory over Ryan Orchard (Carman Golf & Curling Club) and Grady Chuback (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club).
For the complete Junior Boys leaderboard presented by Manitoba Blue Cross, click here.
Off to represent Manitoba at the Canadian Junior Boys Championship are Orchard, Chuback and Terence Rafferty (Team Manitoba / Southwood Golf & Country Club).
Crystal Zamzow (Team Manitoba / Golf Manitoba Public Players Club) is the Junior Girls Champion shooting a final round two under par 70, good for a seven stroke victory over Jeri Lafleche (Clear Lake Golf Course).
For the complete Junior Girls leaderboard presented by Manitoba Blue Cross, click here.
Representing Manitoba at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship will be Zamzow, Lafleche and Cala Korman (Team Manitoba / Golf Manitoba Public Players Club).
Golf Manitoba would like to thank our Official Performance Partners:
Taylormade Canada – Eric Johnson Sales & Marketing Territory Manager
We appreciate the time and effort of the host club, Teulon Golf & Country Club led by co-owners Perry and Gary Dola, General Manager Janis Dola, Superintendent Braeden McGowan, their staff, club members and volunteers for their warm welcome.
