RESULTS | Opening round of the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship
Brian Munz
The 2024 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, presented by BDO is underway at Crown Isle Resort and Golf Community in Courtenay, British Columbia.
Charmaine Hayden (Breezy Bend Country Club) is the top Manitoban after shooting a 7-over par 79. Rhonda Orr (Southwood Golf & Country Club) opened with an 81.
Catherine Matranga of Texas had the low round Thursday at 1-under par 71, the only player below par.
Team Manitoba (Hayden, Orr & Hannah Diamond of St. Charles Country Club) sits in fourth place in the Inter-Provincial Team Championship at +16. British Columbia leads the way at +5.
The International Golf Federation (IGF) today announced the fields for the men’s and women’s Olympic golf competitions at Paris 2024. The men’s Olympic golf competition will take place 1-4 August, while the women will compete 7-10 August. The Olympic golf competitions will be contested at Le Golf National, which annually hosts the FedEx Open de France on the DP World Tour and was the site of the 2018 Ryder Cup.
Once the Olympic Golf Rankings were finalised on 18 June and 25 June for the men’s and women’s Olympic golf competitions, respectively, each National Olympic Committee (NOC) then began the process of confirming their qualifiers for the competitions by 27 June (5 p.m. US Eastern Time). Past this deadline, all unused quota places were then reallocated as per the Qualification System for golf.
With 32 countries represented in the men’s Olympic golf competition and 33 in the women’s field, the composition of the Olympic fields highlights the broad global interest in golf and the opportunity to reach new audiences across all six different continents. Golf is looking to continue building upon the success of the previous two Olympic golf competitions at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. Paris 2024 will mark the fifth occasion in which golf has been featured as an Olympic sport, and just the third time since 1904.
In total, 38 different NOCs will be represented across both the men’s and women’s Olympic golf competitions, with the United States of America sending the most athletes: seven (four men, three women). The following is the full list of NOCs represented in the fields for the men’s and women’s Olympic golf competitions: Australia, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United States of America.
In the men’s field, 10 of the top 15 players in the Official World Golf Ranking, as of this week, are competing in the Olympic golf competition, including all of the top-5 ranked players. In the women’s field, all 15 of the top-15 ranked women in the Rolex Rankings, as of this week, are competing in the Olympic golf competition.
WATCH | Lafleche wins Junior Girls NextGen Prairie Championship at Whitewater Golf Club
Brian Munz
Jeri Lafleche of Niakwa Country Club shot a 4-over par 76 during the final round of the NextGen Prairie Championship at Whitewater Golf Club to earn a five stroke victory in the Junior Girls championship.
WATCH | 1on1 with Golf Manitoba President Susan Wright-Cassan previewing final round of the NextGen Prairie Championship
Brian Munz
Golf Manitoba President Susan Wright-Cassan talks with Golf Manitoba Director of Communications & Development Brian Munz prior to the final round of the NextGen Prairie Championship at Whitewater Golf Club in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
For the final round tee times, click here. For the final round leaderboard, click here.
Lafleche top Manitoban; leads Junior Girls at NextGen Prairie Championship
Brian Munz
Niakwa Country Club‘s Jeri Lafleche has a three stroke lead in the Junior Girls Championship entering Sunday’s final round at Whitewater Golf Club in Thunder Bay, Ontario at the NextGen Prairie Championship.
Lafleche shot a 1-over par 73 in Saturday’s second round to sit a 4-over par 148 through 36 holes.
Nathan Lepore of the host club, at 6-over par 150 (78-72) sits fourth on the leaderboard, six strokes back of Saskatoon’s Ryan Mosher in the Junior Boys Championship
WATCH | 1on1 with Whitewater Golf Club’s Matt Simmons
Brian Munz
Whitewater Golf Club Director of Golf & PGA of Canada Head Professional Matt Simmons talks with Golf Manitoba Director of Communications & Development Brian Munz during the NextGen Prairie Championship in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
For the second round tee times, click here. For the second round leaderboard, click here.
Team Manitoba‘s Kaleb Lambert of Elmhurst Golf & Country talks with Golf Manitoba Director of Communications & Development Brian Munz as the opening round of the NextGen Prairie Championship continues at Whitewater Golf Club in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
For the opening round tee times, click here. For the opening round leaderboard, click here.
26 Manitobans tee off Friday at Whitewater Golf Club to open NextGen Prairie Championship
Brian Munz
Manitoba will have strong representation starting Friday morning at 7:30am as the NextGen Prairie Championship begins with a field of 84 Junior golfers set to compete at the Whitewater Golf Club in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
The starting field will feature – 64 Junior Boys and 20 Junior Girls competing for spots each into their respective Canadian Junior Championships this summer. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the top 53 Junior Boys and top 17 Junior Girls, including ties.
Representing Manitoba are:
Adam Blair (Team Manitoba / Pine Ridge), Aris Mercury (Team Manitoba / Glendale), Brady Comaskey (Team Manitoba / Pine Ridge), Brayden Boge (Team Manitoba / Rossmere), Carson Chapman (Glendale), Carson Inman (Team Manitoba / Breezy Bend / Portage), Emerson Kollinger (Glendale), Finn Kydd (St. Charles), Gavin Carver (Team Manitoba / Golf Manitoba Public Player), Hunter Oakden (Team Manitoba / Glendale), Jackson Delaurier (Team Manitoba / Dauphin Lake), Jacob Taweel (Elmhurst), Jeri Lafleche (Niakwa), Jewel Lafleche (Niakwa), Kaleb Lambert (Team Manitoba / Elmhurst), Liam Comaskey (Team Manitoba / Pine Ridge), Luka Hanson (Rossmere), Maisy Shewchuk (Team Manitoba / Golf Manitoba Public Player), Owen Conrad (Team Manitoba / St. Charles), Payne Wood (Team Manitoba / St. Boniface), Payton Bailey (Wheat City), Payton Oakden (Team Manitoba / Glendale), Ryan Tuck (St. Boniface), Spence Mott (Team Manitoba / Shilo), Terence Rafferty (Team Manitoba / Southwood), Ty Brewster (Team Manitoba / Steinbach Fly-In).
For the opening round tee times, click here. For the opening round leaderboard, click here.
“Hosting the Golf Canada NextGen Prairie Championship is a tremendous honour for Whitewater Golf Club and for the Thunder Bay community. This event not only showcases the talent and dedication of junior golfers from across the country but also highlights the exceptional quality of our course and the natural beauty of Northwestern Ontario,” states Director of Whitewater Golf Club, Matt Simmons. “We are excited to welcome these young athletes and provide them with a challenging and memorable experience & it’s an opportunity for our club to contribute to the growth of the game, support the next generation of golfing stars, and proudly represent our region on a national stage.”
Practice rounds are scheduled for Thursday, June 6 before the official 54-hole tournament kicks off on Friday, June 7. The tournament will conclude on Sunday, June 9 and will determine who has qualified to compete in their respective Canadian Junior Championship later this summer.
The Whitewater Golf Club stretches north from the banks of the Kaministiquia River and is known for its two McBroom designed courses – the Forest and River – which is one of the finest 18-hole golf courses in the province. The golf course features a chipping, putting green and a 400-yard driving range, allowing all golfers to enjoy various aspects of the game. Off course additions are continuing to be developed with a planned community of 500 homes, a resort hotel, community amenities and new recreational activities.
“We really look forward to hosting the 2024 NextGen Prairie Championship this week. Our team of Volunteers in place strive to run an efficient and quality NextGen Championship and we certainly can’t thank you enough for travelling to Thunder Bay,” said NextGen Prairie Tournament Host Chairman, Chris Gardner. “On a deeper level, this has been a long time coming for our community and we celebrate it with respect and gratitude. We really want to show you our Northern Touch with great hospitality and genuineness at its finest. To all the competitors, I wish you so much luck but most of all I wish you great memories to take away from this Championship. Play hard and go get it.”
This week’s tournament marks the fourth stop on the NextGen Series schedule for the 2024 golf season. The NextGen Prairie Championship is one of Golf Canada’s six regional junior championships. Kye Fisher of Leduc, Alta. and Cala Korman of Killarney, Man. claimed their respective divisions in the 2023 NextGen Prairie Championship last season.
About the NextGen Championships
The NextGen Championships are a high-performance junior golf series which totals six competitions. From May to July, six championships will take place across Canada where the region’s best junior golfers will compete to earn exemptions into their respective 2024 national championships. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf
Golf Manitoba, in association with Golf Canada, is pleased to welcome Sandy Hook Golf Club as our newest member club.
Located 50 minutes north of Winnipeg between Highways 8 and 9 just north of Winnipeg Beach, this 18 hole course can be played from two sets of tee boxes ranging from 4,875 to 5,840 yards.
Sandy Hook Golf Golf also features a putting green and part time fully licensed restaurant. The pro shop offers both club and power cart rentals.
As an official Golf Manitoba / Canada member club, all rounds played at Sandy Hook Golf Club are acceptable for handicap purposes and may be recorded toward establishing or maintaining an official Golf Canada Handicap Index.
To reserve a tee time or for more information, call the proshop at (204) 389-5466 or click here for their website.
Nova Scotia duo claims inaugural BDO National Golf League Championship in playoff; Charette & Hince of St. Boniface Golf Club were top Manitobans
Tim Charles and Peter Morse have been crowned the inaugural champions of the BDO National Golf League following a playoff win over Reid Middleton and Brian Thorne at Hamilton Golf and Country Club in Ancaster, Ont. on Saturday.
Three teams represented Manitoba with Brett Charette and Nicolas Hince of St. Boniface Golf Club finishing the highest with 18 stableford points. Josh Blatt and Curtis Markusson of St. Charles Country Club along with Daniel Beaupre and Benoit Mowbray of Glen Lea Golf Course each finished with 14 points.
Play was stopped on two occasions Saturday morning due to inclement weather. In order to complete play, tournament formatting was altered with pairings playing their respective nine holes, with the top teams from the back and front nine then meeting in a playoff for the championship. Play resumed shortly before 1 p.m. local time for all 52 pairings (104 golfers).
Charles of North Kentville, N.S. and Morse of New Minas, N.S. earned 22 stableford points from the front nine to advance to the playoff, Middleton and Thorne of New Brunswick posted a similar score of 22 points to emerge as the top team on the back nine.
Both pairings competed on the 18th hole in-front of an enthusiastic crowd, all with par putts awaiting them. After the duo from New Brunswick narrowly missed their putts, Morse drained a lengthy putt to claim the championship for the Nova Scotia duo.
“Just out of this world, I couldn’t describe it for you. We came here to play and have a good time and if we managed to get in and win this thing, Peter had already planned to go to the British Open and now apparently, I have to go with him and I’m really looking forward,” said an elated Charles following the playoff.
This marked the second of two playoff wins for the duo, having won in a playoff in their provincial championship.
“I wanted to win it again because I was able to the first time around, but I didn’t get a chance because Peter made his putt, now in the long run, really happy he made it,” laughed Charles.
Travel issues played a role as their flights were cancelled late on Thursday night. They were able to secure early morning flights on Friday on very little sleep to get to Hamilton to compete.
“We were excited about the whole experience, playing this golf course, having the opportunity to be here when it’s set up for the RBC Canadian Open, nobody else gets that,” said Charles.
“We just like to have fun, we’re not low handicappers and that’s why this is such a great event in my opinion, anybody can do well at it, the guys we played with today were awesome, we had so much fun and that’s what golf’s all about,” added Morse.
Along with becoming the inaugural champions, Charles and Morse will be heading to Royal Troon in Troon, Scotland to represent Canada in The R&A 9 Hole Challenge one-week prior to the 152nd Open Championship. Morse already had plans to attend as a fan.
“I plan to go and take in the full experience and go there, that’s how much it means to me and to go there and play is even cooler. Thanks to Golf Canada, just unbelievable that they’ve done this for us and given us this opportunity,” said Morse.
“I hope my wife is aware that I’m going to have to spend a week there now. Could be news to her,” added Charles with a laugh.
This championship means a little more for Morse, a vice principal at Horton High School in Wolfville, N.S. In 2015, he was involved in a serious car accident, where he suffered 14 fractures and had to learn to walk again.
“To be concerned I wouldn’t be able to walk and then I started playing golf, shooting 99-100, just slowly working my way back to low 80’s, high 70’s and it means the world to me because I can’t play any other sports now. I can’t run, my legs just don’t do it. As someone who played a lot of sports it’s hard on the head, mental health as everyone knows is a big deal, so for me to be able to go out twice a week and golf with my friends and hack it up has just made all the difference in the world for me to be honest,” Morse said with a smile as he walked off the 18th green a national champion.
The BDO National Golf League was launched by Golf Canada ahead of the 2023 season as a nationwide, season-long competition to enhance weekly recreational league experiences for men, women and junior golfers.The inaugural season saw 10,000 participants from 107 leagues from coast-to-coast. Scoring followed a 9-hole net stableford format that took place during a six-week period of a club’s league season. Within those six weeks, the best four scores were used to determine the individuals that would advance to the provincial championships.
The provincial championships were contested in the fall of 2023 over 13 regional tournaments across all 10 provinces between September and October, competing for spots into the league championship in Hamilton. Travel expenses to the BDO National Golf League Championship for all participants were covered by Golf Canada.
“Today’s championship represents the culmination and a celebration of a successful inaugural BDO National Golf League season. The inaugural season included roughly 10,000 participants from over 100 leagues hailing from every province across Canada. Our championship field of 104 golfers collected enough points in their respective league major weeks to qualify for provincial playoffs and successfully advanced to today’s championship,” said Tim McLaughlin, Chief Marketing Officer, Golf Canada. “It has been amazing to see players of all skill levels competing here today. Enhancing league play for all recreational golfers was a key goal of the BDO National Golf League. This friendly competition has also made significant impact on creating a brighter and more inclusive future for golf in our country as 100 per cent of the proceeds will be directed to First Tee – Canada.”
Registration is now open for the 2024 BDO National Golf League.
