• Ziemer's B.C. Golf Notes: Stouffer’s ‘whirlwind’ continues at this week’s U.S. Senior Women’s Championship in Alabama; Close, but no PGA TOUR card for Macdonald; Davison wins on Mackenzie Tour; Marine Drive’s Solheim Cup connection

    Nanoose Bay Resident Shelly Stouffer With The Trophy Haul From Her Canadian Senior Women’s Championship in Bromont. Que. - Image Credit Bernard Brault/Golf Canada

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    As you can probably imagine, there is no quick way to get from Nanoose Bay to Point Clear, Ala., the site of this week’s U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship. 

    Shelly Stouffer was scheduled to leave on a 6 a.m. flight Tuesday from Comox to Calgary, where she’ll connect to Atlanta. From there she’ll fly to Pensacola, Fla., where she is supposed to catch a shuttle for a one-hour ride to her hotel near the golf course.

    Stouffer’s win at last week’s Canadian Senior Women’s Championship in Bromont, Que., earned her a spot in the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur. “I didn’t realize the tournament was this week, so I was like holy crap,” Stouffer says with a laugh. “But I’ve got my negative COVID test and I am ready to go . This whole experience has been a whirlwind.”

  • BC's Christina Spence Proteau Comes From Behind To Win At 50th Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur & Senior Championship

    Christina Spence Proteau Collected Her Sixth Career Mid-Amateur Title At Golf Château Bromont - Image Credit Bernard Brault/ Golf Canada

    Golf Canada/Media Release

    BROMONT, Que. – Christina Spence Proteau of Port Alberni, B.C. won the Mid-Amateur division at the 2021 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur & Senior Championship on Thursday at Golf Château Bromont in a playoff over Vancouver’s Nonie Marler.

    Proteau entered Thursday’s final round one stroke back of Marler, who held the Mid-Amateur lead for the first two rounds, and whose first-round 72 would end up being the lowest and only single-round score under par for the entire tournament.

    The two B.C. golfers were tied at 5 over par after the final hole of the 54-hole tournament, forcing the division to go to a sudden-death playoff. Proteau came out victorious after a birdie on the first playoff hole.

  • Victoria’s Craig Doell Comes From Behind To Win His Third B.C. Mid-Amateur Championship

    2021 BC Men's Mid-Amateur Champion Craig Doell - BC Golf Photo

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    Craig Doell knew he would have to play a solid round and also get some help from the guy he was chasing on the final day of the B.C. Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Victoria’s Gorge Vale Golf Club.

    He got both and completed his B.C. Mid-Am hat trick with his third victory in the competition for players aged 25 and older. The 49-year-old Doell played near flawless golf in Thursday’s final round.

    He made just one bogey in his two-under round of 70 and it came on the 18th hole when he already had the tournament won. He beat Courtenay’s John Robertson, who had led through the first two rounds, by three shots.

  • Herkel Holds Her Lead At BC Women's Mid-Amateur As Robertson Rules BC Men's Mid-Am

    Alyssa Herkel Carded Consecutive Rounds Of 4-Over 76 And Has A 6-Shot Lead At The BC Women's Mid-Amateur - BC Golf Image

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    VICTORIA -- Alyssa Herkel has home course advantage at this week’s B.C. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Gorge Vale Golf Club and she appears to be making the most of it.

    Herkel, a Gorge Vale member, has a six-shot lead heading into Thursday’s final round of the 54-hole competition for players aged 25 and older.

    The 32-year-old former University of Victoria golfer shot her second straight 76 Wednesday and stands at eight-over par through 36 holes. Kelowna’s Jessica Claggett is second at 14-over after posting the day’s best score, a two-over 74.

    On the men’s side, Courtenay’s John Robertson matched his opening round with a three-under 69. His six-under total has him three shots in front of Nasheel Kassam of Vancouver.

  • John Robertson, Alyssa Herkel Grab First-Round Leads In B.C. Men’s and Women’s Mid-Amateur Championships

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    VICTORIA -- Courtenay’s John Robertson had a nice B.C. Amateur Championship, where he tied for fifth at Storey Creek Golf Course in Campbell River earlier this summer. He’s hoping for an even better B.C. Mid-Amateur Championship.

    Robertson got off to a great start Tuesday, firing a three-under 69 at Gorge Vale Golf Club in Victoria to grab the first-round lead in the Mid-Am. The 50-year-old, who plays out of Crown Isle Golf Resort, had four birdies and just one bogey in his round.

  • Buoyed By Back-Nine Birdies, Langley’s Amy Lee Wins Bantam Girls Championship In A Playoff

    BC Girls Bantam Champion Amy Lee - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

     A funny thing happened when Langley’s Amy Lee made back-to-back birdies on the back nine during the final round of the B.C. Bantam Girls Championship at Langara Golf Course. 

    The 13-year-old suddenly started believing she could win the tournament. “Those birdies gave me some momentum and some courage to go for it,” Lee said after after she beat Grace Yao of West Vancouver in a sudden-death playoff. “At the beginning of day I thought I had no chance.” 

    Lee shot a two-under 69 to finish the 36-hole event at one-over par and tied with Yao, who closed with an even-par 71.

  • Alex Zhang Celebrates 13th Birthday A Day Early With BC Boys Bantam & Novice Championships Wins

    BC Boys Bantam & Novice Champion For 2021 is Alex Zhang - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    Former Canadian Tour winner Eugene Wong of North Vancouver and Surrey’s Adam Svensson, who is off next month to begin his second stint on PGA TOUR, are among the past champions of the B.C. Bantam Boys Championship.

    Their play in winning those titles could not have been any more impressive than the performance of new winner Alex Zhang of Richmond.

    After opening the 36-hole tournament with a three-under 68, the Beach Grove Golf Club junior member closed witha near flawless round of 67 on Tuesday to win the championship by eight shots at Langara Golf Course.

    The win came on Zhang’s final day as a 12-year-old. He turns 13 on Wednesday.

  • Alex Zhang, Katherine Hao Lead After First Round Of B.C. Bantam Boys & Girls Championships

    Richmond's Alex Zhang Leads Both The Bantam & Novice Boys Divisions After Round One At Langara - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    These kids get good fast. As Exhibit A, we present 12-year-old Alex Zhang. The Beach Grove Golf Club junior shot a three-under par 68 at Langara Golf Course in Vancouver on Monday to take the first- round lead at the B.C. Bantam Boys Championship for players aged 14 and younger.

    The Richmond resident had four birdies and just one bogey and was proud of the way he handled Langara’s tricky greens. “I didn’t have a three-putt,” Zhang said after completing his round in some heavy rain. “My speed control was good. I was pretty happy with my round. The course isn’t too tough, but the greens are pretty tricky. You have to try and leave the ball in the right spots because there are lots of big ridges.”

    Katherine Hao of Burnaby shot an even-par 71 and leads the Bantam Girls division.

  • BC Golf Provincial Training Camp – August 25-27, 2021 At Rivershore Golf Links, Open for Registration

    The purpose of the Junior Boys Camp is to prepare for the 2022 Canadian Junior Boys Championship being held at Rivershore Golf Links in Kamloops, BC.

    The Junior Boys Camp is open to all Junior Boys planning on playing in the 2022 Canadian Junior Boys Championship. There are a total of 30 spots available in this camp.

    If the camp is oversubscribed a selection committee will meet to decide the final roster. You will be placed on the pending list until the roster is finalized. Details and registration link can be found below.

  • Plenty Of Practice Pays Off For Matthew Wilson Winning 2021 BC Boys Juvenile Championship

    Nanaimo's 15-year-old Matthew Wilson Wins The B.C. Juvenile Boys Championship After A Non-Stop Stretch Of Golf This Spring And Summer - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    PITT MEADOWS -- It wasn’t that long ago that Matthew Wilson was having trouble breaking 100 in zone tournaments on Vancouver Island. Back then, the thought of becoming a B.C. champion wasn’t on his mind. He was just happy making a few pars.

    My, how things have changed in a relative hurry for the 15-year-old from Nanaimo who is the new B.C. Juvenile Boys champion. Wilson shot a tournament-best four-under 66 in the final round to win the championship for players 16 and under by five shots at Golden Eagle Golf Club’s South Course.

  • Burnaby’s Luna Lu Beats The Heat And Her Competition To Win B.C. Juvenile Girls Championship

    BC Juvenile Girls Champion Luna Lu - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    PITT MEADOWS -- The heat was on in more ways than one for Luna Lu in the final round of the B.C. Juvenile Girls Championship. 

    The 14-year-old from Burnaby not only had to handle the pressure of playing with the lead, she had to deal with the oppressive heat during her afternoon round on Golden Eagle Golf Club’s South Course. 

    Lu draped a wet towel around her neck much of the day to try and stay cool. As for that other pressure, it didn’t seem to faze her. Lu shot a final round of one-under 69 and won the championship for players aged 16 and younger by seven shots.

  • Birdies Hard To Come By At B.C. Juvenile Boys and Girls Championships On Golden Eagle’s South Course

    Burnaby's Luna Lu Leads The Ladies At The BC Juvenile Championships At Golden Eagle GC - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf 

    By Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

    PITT MEADOWS -- Par has proven to be a very good score through two rounds of the B.C. Juvenile Boys and Girls Championships.

    Golden Eagle Golf Club’s South Course has presented a stiff test to a field that includes some of this province’s best young players. While not long, visually it can be quite intimidating. There seems to be trouble nearly everywhere. The leaders have managed to avoid most of those ever-present penalty areas and not taken any of the big numbers that can easily be had if you stray off line.

    The leaders of both the boys and girls divisions stand at one-under par through 36 holes. No one has gone lower than 68 on the par-70 layout.

  • Coquitlam’s June Hsiao Takes First-Round Lead At B.C. Juvenile Girls Championship; Lucas Kulai of Cobble Hill, Ethan Posthumus of Coquitlam & Louis Chun of Port Coquitlam share boys’ lead

    Coquitlam's June Hsiao (R) Walks Off The South Course At Golden Eagle With The 1st Round Lead

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    PITT MEADOWS -- Birdies, bogeys and bears. That was the story of Tuesday’s first round of the B.C. Juvenile Boys and Girls Championships at Golden Eagle Golf Club.

    Golden Eagle’s South Course surrendered its fair share of birdies to the 31 girls and 83 boys who are playing in the championships for players aged 16 and under. But there were also plenty of bogeys and others on a tight South Course that demands precision shot-making off many of its tees. There’s lots of trouble to get into.

    As for the bears, they were more entertainment than a nuisance as they wandered onto the course frequently during play. Rules officials had to use their air horns to try and clear them off the course. At one point, a bear decided to take a dip in one of the many ponds on the course.

  • Golf Canada To Host Inaugural Canadian All Abilities Championship At Humber Valley Golf Course

    Image Courtesy Golf Canada

    For Immediate Release

    (August 10, 2021) - Golf Canada is committed to providing the highest level of competition for amateur golfers of all abilities and is proud to announce the inaugural Canadian All Abilities Championship will be conducted September 22-24 at Humber Valley Golf Course in Toronto.

    The national golf championship will be contested as a 36-hole competition and will feature a maximum of 84 players from across Canada with neurological, intellectual, sensory and physical impairments.

    Originally scheduled to launch in 2020, but delayed due to restrictions from the pandemic, the All Abilities Championships supports Golf Canada’s commitment to create a more inclusive and respectful sport environment across the Canadian golf community.

  • Come Play! It's The LPGA Amateur Summer ShootOut Event

    The British Columbia Chapters of the LPGA Amateurs are holding a Two-person Bestball Strokeplay event at Vancouver's University Golf Club to celebrate Summer and the launch of BC's LPGA Amateurs Association after being delayed due to Covid-19.

    See the poster below for details. For further information please email playgolf@britishcolumbiagolf.org 

  • The 2021 Canadian Junior Boys Championship Heads To Vallée du Richelieu

    Victoria, BC's Willy Bishop Is In This Week's Canadian Jr. Boys Championship - Image Credit Duncan O'Brien/fairwayvision.com

    SAINTE-JULIE, Qué. – The Canadian Junior Boys Championship is set for Aug. 9-12 at Vallée du Richelieu - Le Club in Sainte-Julie, Que.

    The 156-player field includes five of seven Team Canada National Junior Squad members; Félix Bouchard (Otterburn Park, Qué.), Jean-Philippe Parr (St-Célestin, Qué.), Malik Dao (Notre-Dame-Ile-Perrot, Qué.), Owen Mullen (Shortts Lake, N.S.), and Willy Bishop (Victoria, B.C.).

    “We are delighted to have the Canadian Junior Boys Championship running again,” said tournament director Adam Lloyd. “The team at Vallée du Richelieu has worked incredibly hard in preparation for this week and it shows with the excellent course conditions.”

  • Ziemer's B.C. Golf Notes: Sloan 6th at Barracuda; Victoria trio tee it up at U.S. Amateur; Ewart, Lee finish strong at Canadian Amateur; Stinson 2nd at PGA Championship of Canada

    BC's Roger Sloan Is Inching Closer To Full Exempt PGA TOUR Status For Next Season - YouTube Image

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    Merritt’s Roger Sloan recorded his first top 10 of the season Sunday, but will need another strong finish at this week’s final regular-season event to secure his full exempt status for next season on the PGA TOUR. 

    Sloan finished sixth at the Barracuda Championship in Truckee, Calif., and moved up six spots to 131st on the FedEx Cup points list. He needs to move inside the top 125 to remain fully exempt for the 2021-22 season. This week’s Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C., completes the PGA TOUR regular season.

    Sloan and many others in the field will have a lot riding on their play in Greensboro. Sloan has momentum on his side. He has been playing well of late, having made five straight cuts and eight of his last nine.

  • Golf pioneer and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Jocelyne Bourassa passes away at 74

    JOCELYNE BOURASSA (BERNARD BRAULT/ GOLF CANADA)

    By Garry McKay/Courtesy Golf Canada

    Golf Canada and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum are sad to report the passing of Jocelyne Bourassa.

    The Quebec golf legend was a pioneer and inspiration to young female golfers across the country for close to 60 years. “I wouldn’t be here and able to talk about my career without Jocelyne,” said Lorie Kane who won four times on the LPGA Tour and was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2016.

  • Michael Kennedy Wins BC Seniors In A Playoff At Kimberley's Bootleg Gap

    2021 BC Senior Men's Champion Michael Kennedy - BC Golf Photo

    By Bryan Outram, British Columbia Golf

    North Vancouverite Michael Kennedy's goal to start the day in the final round of the BC Senior Men's Championship was just to put in a good performance and have a shot at maybe making the BC Senior Men's Provincial Team. He most certainly accomplished both...and more.

    He started the day 3 shots back of 36-hole leader and defending BC Senior Men's Champion Norm Bradley but a bogey free 2-under par front nine by Kennedy closed the gap to one and helped set the stage for some real excitement in the home stretch.

    Gibson, BC's Mike Mannion had been the closest pursuer to Bradley after a pair of 2-under par rounds of 70 saw him just one back going into the final round. It created an, 'It's anybody's tournament' feel, with the back nine promising to be a battle to the end. It more than delivered.

  • Golf Canada names Laura Wilson its new Director for Diversity, Inclusion and Safe Sport

    Former Executive Director Of Ontario Para Network, Laura Wilson, Will Help Support The National Sport Federation’s Commitment To Creating A Safe, Diverse, And Welcoming Environment Within The Organization And Across The Sport

    Courtesy Golf Canada

    Golf Canada has announced the hiring of Laura Wilson as its new Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Safe Sport.

    Wilson, an experienced and enthusiastic senior leader, has held important executive positions at various organizations including most recently as the Executive Director of the Ontario Para Network, and previously with the Coaches Association of Ontario, and the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto.

    The role is a new position in Golf Canada, reflecting the organization’s elevated commitment to driving diversity and inclusion in all facets of the game as well as ensuring a safe sport environment for all enthusiasts.