Canada's Brooke Henderson Is A Big Fan Of Playing Golf In The Pacific Northwest - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Brooke Henderson has won twice in Portland, picked up another victory in Seattle and now figures it’s time to add Vancouver to her list of West Coast triumphs.

Henderson made a quick visit to Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club last week to help promote next month’s CPKC Women’s Open. She referenced her past success in the Pacific Northwest.

“I love this area, I love the Pacific Northwest and having won in Portland and Seattle I feel the next stop has to be here in Vancouver,” she said.

Cooper Humphreys Holds The Bostock Trophy After His BC Amateur Victory  - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

July 14, 2023 - (PARKSVILLE, BC) - One of the first real clues that Cooper Humphreys might turn into a special player came at the 2019 B.C. Amateur Championship at Big Sky Golf Club in Pemberton when he was just 14 years old.

Humphreys shocked everyone that week when he tied for third. You kind of knew at that point that this was a kid worth watching. He hasn’t disappointed.

Vernon, BC's Cooper Humphreys Will Take A 3-Shot Lead Into The Final Round Of The 2023 BC Amateur At Morningstar GC In Parksville - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

July 13, 2023 - (PARKSVILLE, BC) - Cooper Humphreys has his game plan all figured out for the fourth and final round of the B.C. Amateur Championship.

It’s quite simple, really. Just play the way he did in the second and third rounds and it should be smooth sailing.

The 18-year-old from Vernon has bounced back very nicely after what he called a lousy start to the 121st playing of the B.C. Amateur at Morningstar Golf Course.

First Round Co-Leader Dustin Franko - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

PARKSVILLE — One is just beginning his collegiate golf career in his home town of Burnaby, while the other just finished his a long way from his Delta roots.

Denby Carswell and Dustin Franko played together the first two rounds of the B.C. Amateur Championship and will again in Thursday’s third round as co-leaders of the tournament.

Franko, a 22-year-old who just graduated with a business degree from the University of Hawai-Hilo, sits at six-under par after his second straight 69 at Morningstar Golf Course. Carswell, a 19-year-old who is a member of the Simon Fraser University golf team, shot a two-under 70 to reach six-under.

Victoria's Kevin Carrigan Shares The 1st Round Lead In The BC Amateur - Image Credit Brad Ziemer

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

PARKSVILLE — To say Kevin Carrigan feels comfortable playing Morningstar Golf Course would be something of an understatement.

Each time he sets foot on the property, he is reminded of one of his most cherished golfing memories. Back in 2007, the then 20-year-old Carrigan shot a course record 11-under 61 in the final round of the B.C. Amateur. That record still stands and probably will for some time.

“I have probably played 20 B.C. Ams and that day, that round of golf, was the most memorable,” Carrigan said after the first round of the 121st playing of the B.C. Amateur Championship at Morningstar.

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Four new inductees, each with a long list of playing accomplishments, will be welcomed this fall into the B.C. Golf Hall of Fame.

Craig Doell of Victoria, Brian DeBiasio of Qualicum, Shelly Stouffer of Nanoose Bay and the late Ron Willey of Nanaimo will be inducted at a dinner Oct. 26 at Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver.

Doell, DeBiasio and Stouffer all expressed delight at being selected to join the Hall of Fame. “I am thrilled to be selected to the B.C. Golf Hall of Fame and to have my name in there with so many great players is amazing,” said Stouffer. “I never played golf as a junior, so to be recognized now for my accomplishments is pretty cool.

Jackson Rothwell Is Seen Here With His Dad As His Caddy During His 1st BC Amateur Triumph At Big Sky GC In Pemberton In 2019 - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Jackson Rothwell insists he isn’t thinking about a possible hat trick. The Victoria native is instead looking forward to competing relatively close to home and seeing some familiar faces at the 121st playing of the B.C. Amateur Championship at Morningstar Golf Club in Parksville.

One of those familiar faces will be his dad, Alex, who always caddies for his son at the B.C. Amateur. That, Rothwell said, is a big part of what has made his two B.C. Amateur wins so special.

“It’s a fun week for me because my dad takes the week off and he is on the bag for me,” the 22-year-old Rothwell said in a phone interview from Calgary, where he was competing in an event at Mickelson National Golf Club.

Amy Lee's Win Completed Her 'Triple Crown' Of BC Junior Golf  - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

PRINCE GEORGE — Amy Lee began the day three shots back and by the time she arrived at the 17th tee she had a three-shot lead and seemed to have the B.C. Junior Girls Championship in her back pocket.

But a double-bogey on that par 4 17th hole at Prince George Golf & Curling Club made for a tense finish to the championship for the 15-year-old from Langley.

“No. 17 really got me startled, I have to admit,” said Lee, who rebounded nicely with a birdie on the final hole and won the championship by three shots.

James Lee Successfully Defended His BC Junior Boys Championship - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

PRINCE GEORGE — His tournament ended, appropriately, with a birdie on the par 5 18th hole at Prince George Golf & Curling Club.

James Lee went wire-to-wire to defend his B.C. Junior Boys Championship and his play on the par 5s was the key. Lee absolutely feasted on the 5s, playing them 16-under for the tournament.

“Obviously, I did the bulk of my scoring there,” Lee said of his dominance on the par 5s. “The par 3s are a little more tricky here, so it was nice to have some short par 5s you could take advantage of.”

James Lee Takes A Five-Shot Lead Into The Final Round Of The BC Jr. Boys Championship - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

PRINCE GEORGE — The birdies didn’t come quite as easily in the third round, but James Lee is still on track for what could be a record-setting performance at the B.C. Junior Boys Championship.

Lee fired a three-under 68 and sits at 15-under par. He is five shots clear of Vernon’s Ryan Vest heading into the final round at Prince George Golf & Curling Club, which was set up more difficult than the previous two days.

Campbell River's Dana Smith Is The Halfway Leader In The BC Junior Girls Championship - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

PRINCE GEORGE — Dana Smith is wrapping up her junior golf career this summer and preparing to begin her collegiate golf journey at Simon Fraser University this fall.

The 18-year-old Campbell River native can’t think of a much better way to end this phase of her golfing life than with a win at this week’s B.C. Junior Girls Championship. Smith is halfway there as she leads the tournament at Prince George Golf & Curling Club through two rounds.

“I am hoping I can put together two more nice rounds so that I can finish off my junior career strong,” said Smith, who is even-par through 36 holes.

James Lee Is Off To A Solid Start In Defence Of His Junior Boys Title - File Image Credit Chuck Russell/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

PRINCE GEORGE -- James Lee delivered a message to the rest of the field that he is deadly serious about defending his B.C. Junior Boys Championship.

All the 16-year-old did in Monday’s first round at Prince George Golf & Curling Club was drop nine birdies and shoot a seven-under 64. “Mostly, it was pretty stress-free,” Lee said of his round. “I made a couple of 10-footers and took care of the par 5s nicely. My putter was treating me well.”

Lee, a dual citizen who divides his time between the San Francisco area and Whistler, won last year’s B.C. Junior at Nk’Mip Canyon Desert Golf Course in Oliver.

BC's Megan Osland - Image Credit Bernard Brault/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Kelowna’s Megan Osland not only had to beat her opponents, she had to beat the heat to win the Oscar Williams Classic on the Women’s All Pro Tour. The 72-hole event was held in Anna, Tex., during what has been an epic heat wave in parts of the southern U.S.

“I would say most of the days it was between 40 and 45 degrees Celsius, plus the humidity,” Osland said over the phone. “I had a 7 a.m. tee time one day, so I got to the course just before 6 a,m. and I got out of the car and I just started sweating. At 6 a.m.! It was crazy. The heat was definitely a battle in itself.”

Prince George Golf & Curling Club Hosts The 2023 BC Junior Championships - Image Courtesy PGGCC

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The B.C. Junior Boys & Girls Championships are heading north to Prince George Golf and Curling Club and that brings back some memories for general manager John Swanson.

The last time the B.C. Juniors was held in northern British Columbia was 20 years ago when the 2003 Junior Boys competition was played at Dawson Creek Golf Club.

Swanson happened to be general manager at Dawson Creek at the time and that field had some interesting names that included Nick Taylor, Adam Hadwin and Roger Sloan, who all went on to play on the PGA TOUR.

BC's Lauren Kim (R) Posed With LPGA Legend Betsy King Before The 2022 U.S. Women's Open At Pine Needles In North Carolina - Image Credit Kevin Kim

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Before she heads to the University of Texas to begin her collegiate golf career, Surrey’s Lauren Kim has a busy summer ahead of her.

Kim, who just graduated from Earl Marriott Secondary, has qualified to play in three major United States Golf Association events this summer.

In addition to the Women’s Amateur, Kim has also qualified to play in the U.S. Women’s Open and the U.S. Junior Girls Championships.

Playing golf from the appropriate set of tees is a great way to derive a lot more enjoyment from the game.

At the same time, how do we really know how to determine credibly what those tees should be for each of us?

Chelsea Truong Is The 2023 BC Women's Amateur Champion - Images Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

(June 23, 2023) COBBLE HILL - Chelsea Truong needed to play the round of her life and it didn’t start particularly well. The 17-year-old from Victoria opened her final round of the 118th B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship with a bogey.

Considering she started the final day at Arbutus Ridge Golf Club seven shots back of the lead, it would have been easy for Truong to hang her head and concede that this wasn’t going to be her week. But Truong isn’t wired that way. The words give up are not in her vocabulary.  There was lots of golf left, she told herself, and as it turns out it would be some very special golf.

Jennifer Gu Is The 3rd Round Leader Of The BC Women's Amateur - Image Credit Brad Ziemer

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

(June 22, 2023) COBBLE HILL — They played the third round of the B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship and absolutely nothing changed.

West Vancouver’s Jennifer Gu still has the three-shot lead she began the round with and Burnaby’s Meera Minhas is still second.

Both players had rounds of three-over 75 they weren’t satisfied with at an Arbutus Ridge Golf Club course that continues to play tough.

British Columbia Golf hosted their inaugural All Abilities Golf Championship at McCleery Golf Course from June 12 - 13, 2023.

The Vancouver Parks Golf (@VanParksGolf) course proved to be an outstanding host and as Tournament Chair and British Columbia Golf Director Joe Higgins said as players prepared to tee off, "The event will be a celebration of adaptive golf, and what’s possible when so many work for a common goal. We have lots of work ahead and we’re excited for what’s to come."

The video below was produced by event liason and BC "Golf Fore All" committee member Shayain Gustavsp.

Jennifer Gu Leads At The Halfway Mark Of The BC Women's Amateur - Image Credit Brad Ziemer

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

COBBLE HILL — Jennifer Gu’s second round of the B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship started smoothly enough with six straight pars. Then things got interesting.

“The rest of the round was a little bit of a roller-coaster,” Gu said with a laugh. “I had almost every number from two through seven.”

That included an eagle three on the par 5 18th hole that capped off a round of two-under 70 that left the West Vancouver native with a three-shot lead at the halfway mark of the 118th playing of the Women’s Amateur.