Four Manitobans set to compete at 110th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship
The 110th playing of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, tees off this morning at Royal Colwood Golf Club in Victoria, British Columbia.
The championship, which was first held in 1901, is one of the longest tenured amateur events in the world. The inaugural tournament at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Que., featured only three players. Fast forward over a century later, 156 players will look to engrave their name onto the Dutchess of Connaught Gold Cup in 2024.
The championship will feature a competitive field of top female amateur golfers, national team members, provincial champions and elite international amateurs. The 72-hole stroke play competition runs through until Friday. The field will be cut to the low 70 players (including ties) after the second round.
The tournament will welcome 118 Canadians along with 38 international players, including 22 from the United States, six from Australia, two from Chinese Taipei along with representation from Barbados, Colombia, Hong Kong, China and Mexico.
The Inter-Provincial Team Championship will be played in conjunction through the first 36 holes of the competition with eight three-player teams vying for the title. Last year Team Ontario consisting of Jasmine Ly (Windsor, Ont.), Joline Truong (Mississauga, Ont.) and Sydney Naro (Toronto, Ont.) were crowned champions.
The 156 player field features seven of Team Canada athletes led by defending champion Lauren Kim (Surrey, B.C.) – who shot a final round 2-under 71 to claim the title last year along with teammates, Angela Arora (Surrey, B.C.), Katie Cranston (Oakville, Ont.), Nicole Gal (Oakville, Ont.), Michelle Liu (Vancouver, B.C), Alissa Xu (Richmond Hill, Ont) and Lauren Zaretsky (Thornhill, Ont.).
Team Canada NextGen will also be represented with nine members of the team set to compete including, Vanessa Borovilos (Etobicoke, Ont), Anna Huang (Vancouver, B.C), Shauna Liu (Maple, Ont.), Luna Lu (Burnaby, B.C), Lindsay McGrath (Oakville, Ont.), Eileen Park (Red Deer, Alta.), Swetha Sathish (Oakville Ont.), Michelle Xing (Richmond Hill, Ont.) and Vanessa Zhang (Vancouver, B.C.).
Clara Ding of White Rock, B.C. is the youngest player in the field at the age of 13 and there are two members of Royal Colwood Golf Club teeing it up this week, Cynthia Adamek and Jiyue Wu.
Royal Colwood Golf Club is a world-class golf course that offers a challenging and scenic layout, set amidst a beautiful forest of towering trees and manicured fairways. Designed by Arthur Vernon Macan in 1913, the course has hosted numerous high-profile tournaments. The par 72 course features strategically placed bunkers and winding fairways that demand strategic accuracy and skill. The course’s natural scenic landscape is enhanced by its serene surroundings, with sparkling water features and an abundance of wildlife.
“Royal Colwood Golf Club is honoured to add the 2024 Canadian Women’s Amateur to our club’s rich history of prestigious golf events. We are excited to welcome the top amateur women golfers from around the world to Victoria while we showcase our golf course over the four days of competition,” Gordy Scutt, Head Golf Professional at Royal Colwood Golf Club. “Hosting this event is an exciting opportunity and we are confident that Royal Colwood will provide a memorable experience for the players, guests and surrounding community.”
Last year Team Canada member, Lauren Kim won the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Ashburn Golf Club in Halifax, N.S. Team Canada athletes have won the past three Canadian Women’s Amateur Championships. Prior to Kim’s victory last year, Monet Chun of Richmond Hill, Ont. won the 2022 championship at Westmount Golf and Country Club in Kitchener, Ont. and Lauren Zaretsky won in 2021 at Edmonton Petroleum Golf and Country Club in Spruce Grove, Alta.
The 2024 Canadian Women’s Amateur champion will receive an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship taking place August 5-11 at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla. In addition, the winner will receive an exemption into the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open, taking place August 18-24 at Mississaugua Golf Club in Mississauga, Ont.
For more information about the 2024 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship please click here.
Kartusch finishes T3 at Canadian Junior Girls Championship
Brian Munz
Addison Kartusch (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club) will go into the Golf Canada record books tying for third place at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship in Vancouver.
Carding a final round 4-over par 76, Kartusch finishes the four day event at 3-over par 291.
Kartusch tied for 1st place entering final round at Canadian Junior Girls Championship
Brian Munz
Addison Kartusch (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club) shot a 2-under par 70 during her third round at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship in Vancouver.
With a 1-under par 215 total, Kartusch is in a four way tie for first place on the leaderboard entering Thursday’s final round.
Two other Manitobans made the cut advancing to the final two rounds:
Team Manitoba finished second at Canadian Junior Girls Championship; Kartusch T4 entering third round
Brian Munz
Team Manitoba (Addison Kartusch, Jeri Lafleche & Cala Korman) combined for a second place finish in the Inter Provincial Team Championship at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship in Vancouver.
Over 36 holes, the trio were 9-over par, just eight strokes back of British Columbia.
Individually, Addison Kartusch (Team Manitoba / St. Charles Country Club) is T4 on the leaderboard entering the third round at 1-over par 145 (71-74), four strokes behind leader Shauna Liu of Ontario.
Jones atop of the leaderboard entering final round of the Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur Championship at Rossmere Country Club
Brian Munz
Drew Jones (Shilo Country Club) had the low round of the day carding a 4-under par 66 and will carry a two stroke lead over Braxton Kuntz (Breezy Bend Country Club) entering Wednesday’s final round of the Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur Championship.
Jones made five birdies, 12 pars and one bogey during his second round at Rossmere Country Club to sit at 6-under par 134 through 36 holes.
Kuntz shot his second straight 2-under par 68.
Lyle MacKenzie (Niakwa Country Club) is also in contention, only four strokes off the lead, after a 3-under par 67.
Kuntz’s round featured an eagle, two birdies, 13 pars and two bogeys.
Drew Jones had seven birdies, six pars and five bogeys on his scorecard.
Jaden Jones made four birdies, 12 pars and two bogeys.
Only three other players were under par. Eric Prokopowich (Dauphin Lake Golf Club), Zostrianos Giordani-Gross (Shilo) and Curtis Markusson (St. Charles Country Club) each shot a 1-under par 69.
Following Tuesday’s second round, the field will be cut to half the size. Competitors within ten strokes of first place will also advance to Wednesday’s final round.
This year’s field for the 54 hole event will feature three time defending champion Braxton Kuntz (Breezy Bend Country Club), 2020 champion Marco Trstenjak (Elmhurst Golf & Country Club) as well as this year’s Diamond Athletic Men’s Mid-Amateur champion Allan McDonald (Breezy Bend).
After 36 holes, the field will be cut to half the field size and ties as well any players within ten strokes of first place.
Bel Acres Golf & Country Club (1) Breezy Bend Country Club (8) Bridges Golf Course (2) Centennial Pines Golf Club (1) Dauphin Lake Golf Club (2) Elmhurst Golf & Country Club (11) Glenboro Golf & Country Club (1) Glendale Golf & Country Club (4) Glen Lea Golf Course (2) Golf Manitoba Public Player Club (12) Golf Saskatchewan Public Players Club (1) Kenora Golf & Country Club (2) Larters At St. Andrews Golf & Country Club (1) Lorette Golf Course (1) Madge Lake Golf Course – Saskatchewan (1) Neepawa Golf & Country Club (1) Niakwa Country Club (7) Northview Golf & Country Club – British Columbia (1) Pine Ridge Golf Club (8) Portage Golf Club (1) Quarry Oaks Golf Course (3) Red Lake Area Golf & Country Club (2) Rossmere Country Club (13) Sandy Beach Golf Club (1) Selkirk Golf & Country Club (1) St. Boniface Golf Club (3) St. Charles Country Club (6) Shilo Country Club (7) Southwood Golf & Country Club (4) Steinbach Fly-In Golf Club (1) Whitewater Golf Club (4) Winkler Centennial Golf Club (1)
Nine Manitobans set to tee off at Canadian Junior Girls Championship
The top junior golfers from across North America will compete at Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver B.C. from July 22-25 in the 69th playing of the Canadian Junior Girls Championship presented by BDO.
Following the first two rounds of play, the field will be cut to the low 70 players and ties with the top ten juvenile and ties included in the final two rounds.
Team Canada NextGen member, Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta., comes in as the defending champion, having won last year’s championship by seven shots over Luna Lu of Burnaby, B.C. After an opening round 74, the 15-year-old Albertan carded rounds of 74, 71, 69 and 67 for a total score of 3-under 281, enroute to the national title.
In total, 147 of Canada’s top golfers from the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) are included in the 152 – player field along with five international competitors.
The Championship was first contested in 1955 and operated by the former Canadian Ladies Association (CLGA) until the amalgamation of CLGA and Royal Canadian Golf Association (now Golf Canada) in 2005.
The Canadian Junior Girls Championship has a long list of distinguished past champions that have etched their name on the Brokenshire Trophy. Past champions include, Canadian Golf Hall of Famers Sandra Post (1964-66), Betty Stanhope (1956), Judy Darling (1957), Gail Harvey Moore (1958-1960) and Gayle Borthwick (1961). In addition, LPGA Tour players, Alena Sharp (1999), Brooke Henderson (2012) and Maddie Szeryk (2013). Stollery Family Team Canada Women’s Head Coach Salimah Mussani (1996) is also a past Canadian Junior Champion.
An inter-provincial team competition will take place over the first two rounds. Each day, the lowest two of three individuals 18-hole scores will count towards the team total. The lowest aggregate score over rounds one and two determines the inter-provincial team champions, who will claim the Mary Pyke Trophy.
The 2024 Canadian Junior Girls champion will receive an exemption into the 2024 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship and 2025 U.S. Girls Junior Championship, if eligible. In addition, the winner will receive $1,200 CAD.
RECAP & WATCH | Giordani-Gross & Kartusch win Junior Boys & Girls Championships presented by the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation at Niakwa Country Club
Despite shooting a 6-over par 72 in the final round, Gross earned a one stroke victory over Payne Wood (Team Manitoba / St. Boniface Golf Club) to claim the Boys Championship at 2-over par 218. Wood’s final round was even par 72. Carson Inman (Team Manitoba / Portage Golf Club) had the low round Friday carding a 4-under par 68.
Adam Blair (Team Manitoba / Pine Ridge Golf Club) won the 15 & 16 Age Group at 10-over par 226.
Ryder St. Laurent (Team Manitoba / Niakwa) won the 13 & 14 Age Group at 12-over par 228.
Grant Secord (Team Manitoba / St. Charles) won the 36 hole 12 & Under Age Group.
For the Manitoba Blue Cross Junior Boys leaderboard, click here.
Kartusch won the Girls Championship by three strokes over Jeri Lafleche (Niakwa). Kartusch, who shot a final round 4-over par 76, finished at 5-over par 221 while Lafleche had a 74 Friday to complete play at 224..
Kailie Matthews (Kelowna Golf & Country Club) won the 15 & 16 Age Group.
Jewel Lafleche (Niakwa) won the 13 & 14 Age Group.
Sadie Blazeiko (Team Manitoba / Pine Ridge) won the 36 hole 12 & Under Age Group at 198,
For the Manitoba Blue Cross Junior Girls leaderboard, click here.
Taylormade Canada – Eric Johnson, Sales & Marketing Territory Manager
We appreciate the time and effort of the host club, Niakwa Country Club led by General Manager Wade Nybakken, PGA of Manitoba Head Professional Terry Reilly, Superintendent Shawn Major, Food and Beverage Manager Chang Chu, their staff, club members and volunteers for their warm welcome.