Richmond's Alisha Lau, A Former B.C. Junior Girls Champion, Leads The B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship By Three Shots After The First Round - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Alisha Lau did not quite know what to expect at the B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship, her first significant golf tournament in more than a year. Needless to say she was delighted how things turned out on day one. Lau fired a two-under 70 Tuesday at Nanaimo Golf Club and carries a three-shot lead into Wednesday’s second round.

The 19-year-old Lau has been on the sidelines with a right wrist injury since last summer and eventually had surgery last fall. She sat out her sophomore year at the University of Colorado as a medical redshirt. After a long recovery, which required lots of patience, Lau is happy to be back playing the game she loves.

“This is my first big tournament in over a year so I didn’t really have any expectations,” she said after Tuesday’s round. “I am pretty happy with today’s round, for sure.”

BC's Adam Hadwin Finished 4th On The PGA TOUR This Weekend After Briefly Holding The Clubhouse Lead On The Final Day - File Photo

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Abbotsford’s Adam Hadwin led the way with a solo fourth-place finish and fellow British Columbians Roger Sloan of Merritt and Adam Svensson of Surrey both tied for 15th at the PGA TOUR’s inaugural 3M Open in Minnesota.

Hadwin had a share of the lead early on the back nine and went on to register his fifth top 10 of the year. He finished the event at 18-under par, three shots behind winner Matthew Wolff of Simi Valley, Calif. Hadwin jumped 12 spots on the FedEx Cup points list to 37th. Hadwin has now registered eight top-five finishes in his PGA TOUR career.

Brycen Ko Made It A Clean Sweep Of BC Junior Titles For The Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club With His Win In The Junior Boys Championship - Images Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

NANOOSE BAY -- Brycen Ko couldn’t have had a worse start or a better finish. The 15-year-old from Richmond began Friday’s final round of the B.C. Junior Boys Championship at Fairwinds Golf Club with a four-shot lead. 

Ko hadn’t made anything worse than a bogey in his first 54 holes and started his final round with a double-bogey. He added a bogey on the third hole and suddenly his four-shot lead was down to a single shot.

But just when it looked like his young nerves might get the best of him, Ko gathered himself and won the championship in fine style when he chipped in for birdie on the 18th hole.

Angela Zhang Is Your 2019 British Columbia Golf Junior Girls Champion - Images Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

NANOOSE BAY -- When her putter finally came to life, Angela Zhang had an inkling she was about to fulfill one of her big golfing goals. The B.C. Junior Girls Championship was high on Zhang’s to-do list this summer and she won it in impressive fashion Friday at Fairwinds Golf Club.

The 17-year-old Zhang, who plays out of Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club, rolled in big birdie putts on the 11th and 14th holes to take control of the tournament. “What happened pretty much all week was that I was fighting with the yips,” Zhang said after her round.

“I could putt everything from 30, 40, or 50 feet within a yard or two, but once it got to within six feet I just yipped everything. So for me drain that five-foot downhill slider meant a lot. That really gave me the confidence to get it going.”

Angela Zhang Of Vancouver Caught Second Round Leader Cindy Koira Of Victoria And The Two Are Now Tied Going Into Friday's Final Round At The BC Jr. Girls Championship - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf 

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

NANOOSE BAY -- It’s not often a player can make up ground on the field without a single birdie, but Vancouver’s Angela Zhang did just that in Thursday’s third round of the B.C. Junior Girls Championship.

Zhang, who began the day seven shots out of the lead, played a steady round that included 16 pars and two bogeys at Fairwinds Golf Club. At the end of the day, she had a share of the lead. “It was steady,” Zhang said of her two-over 73.

“I hit super solid iron shots, but all of my putts edged the hole. I was hitting good putts and hitting great irons, but none of them dropped. Unfortunately, it was just one of those days. But you know what, par on this course is good. You’ll take it any day.”

Richmond's Brycen Ko Will Try To Hold Onto A 4-Shot Lead In Friday's Final Round At The BC Junior Boys Championship - Images Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

NANOOSE BAY -- The B.C. Junior Boys Championship at Fairwinds Golf Club has been all about avoiding the big number. Brycen Ko has done that as well as anyone and that’s one of the main reasons why the 15-year-old Richmond resident carries a four-shot lead into Friday’s final round.

Ko has made his share of bogeys on Fairwinds’ tight layout, where trouble seemingly lurks everywhere. But he has avoided those dreaded others that have destroyed so many rounds of his fellow competitors this week.

Richmond's Brycen Ko Holds The Halfway Lead In The 2019 B.C. Junior Boys Championship At Fairwinds GC In Nanoose Bay - Images Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

NANOOSE BAY -- Fairwinds Golf Club continues to be a riddle many of the best junior golfers in British Columbia are having difficulty solving, but Brycen Ko seemed to figure it out Wednesday.

Ko shot a tournament-low three-under par 68 to grab the halfway lead at the B.C. Junior Boys Championship. The 15-year-old from Richmond stands at one-under par through 36 holes and has a one-shot lead on Fort Langley’s Jackson Jacob. 

“After my round yesterday, I came into today just thinking put yourself in a good spot,” Ko said. “And I think I accomplished that. I just think I have to be patient. My main focus was just to hit fairways and greens. It is that kind of golf course where positioning is important.”

British Columbia Golf members and staff would like to offer sincere condolences to the family and friends of Chuck Gage, a long time contributor to the game of golf and a Past President of the BC Golf Association. Chuck's family will be organizing a celebration of life, and further information will be made available once details are confirmed.

As a founding member of Big Sky Golf Course, Chuck was thoughtfully remembered in this announcement put out by club General Manager, Michael MacNeil.

"It is with a heavy heart that we announce the peaceful passing of Chuck Gage on Sunday June 30th. Sunday Chuck and his grandson Matthew went out for one last game of golf before Chuck went to sleep for the last time. Chuck has been a long time Whistler resident and a founding member at Big Sky Golf Course. Chuck has had a major impact on golf in Canada, the Pacific Northwest and especially in his home province of British Columbia.

His dedication to the game of golf started at a young age when he was a member of Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club and was inspired by Head Professional Jack McLaughlin. Since then Chuck spent countless hours with BC Golf, PNGA, PCGA and is also a past President of The BC Golf Association, PNGA (Pacific Northwest Golf association) and Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club.We will miss Chuck's bright smile and his passion for the game that we all love.

It has been a privilege to golf, joke, laugh, tell stories and just spend time getting to know Chuck over the years. On behalf of the staff here at Big Sky, past and present, we extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends, he will be sorely missed."

Courtesy Colin Weston/ModGolf

In Larry Gilhuly’s opinion, the three biggest issues facing the game of golf are pace of play, player enjoyment and economic sustainability. Larry believes he has the solution for all three: “The answer for all of these, in my opinion, are properly placed forward tees.”

This week host Colin Weston speaks with Larry Gilhuly, who is an Agronomist with The United States Golf Association and a passionate advocate of the TEE IT FORWARD program.

By Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

Take a Kid to the Course Week is a National Golf Course Owners Association Canada initiative that is successful in large part due to the strong support it receives from members of the PGA of Canada.

“The NGCOA and the PGA of Canada and their chapters work closely together, not just on this project, but anything golf-related,” says Donald Miyazaki, executive director of the PGA of British Columbia. “The owners at the end of the day employ our members, so that relationship is very key for us.”

By Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

It is a grow-the-game initiative that just keeps growing.

The 17th annual Take a Kid to the Course Week runs July 2-9 and once again the list of participating courses is growing and so is the number of kids taking advantage of the free golf offer.

The promotion, which allows a child under the age of 16 a free round of golf with an adult who pays a green fee, is sponsored by the National Golf Course Owners Association Canada.

“It is absolutely one of our most important grow-the-game initiatives,” says Erica Beck, regional director of NGCOA Canada’s British Columbia and Alberta chapters.

“We have been doing it for 17 years and every year it just keeps growing and growing. And there has been a huge uptick in sponsorship for the program the last few years, so it is something we are definitely hoping to keep going for many years to come.”

Victoria’s Cindy Koira Is Your Halfway Leader In The 2019 B.C. Junior Girls Championship At Fairwinds GC In Nanoose Bay - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

NANOOSE BAY -- Halfway through just her second B.C. Junior Girls Championship, Surrey’s Angela Arora likes her position. The 14-year-old Surrey resident, who just finished Grade 9, shot her second straight four-over 75 at Fairwinds Golf Club and is alone in second place. She trails leader Cindy Koira of Victoria by three shots.

“I feel like I am in a perfect position,” Arora said after Wednesday’s round. “I am feeling confident. There is a lot of golf left and I feel pretty good about my game.”

Jackson Jacob Of Fort Langley Is The First Round Leader In The BC Junior Boys Championship At Fairwinds GC In Nanoose Bay - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

NANOOSE BAY -- Don’t judge a book by its cover and, as competitors at the B.C. Junior Boys Championship are learning, don’t judge a golf course by its scorecard. Fairwinds Golf Club, all 6,200 yards of it, proved to be a stiff challenge for the boys in Tuesday’s opening round of the event.

When the day was done, only one player -- Jackson Jacob of Fort Langley -- was under par.  Fairwinds’ deceptively challenging layout inflicted many casualties among the 114 boys who teed it up. There were lots of 8s and 9s and even some 10s, 11s and at least one 12 recorded.

Angela Zhang Is Tied For The Lead After Round One Of The BC Junior Girls Championship At Fairwinds GC In Nanoose Bay - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

NANOOSE BAY -- Angela Zhang has come up with a simple game plan for how to play Fairwinds Golf Club at this week’s B.C. Junior Girls Championship. “Stay patient,” Zhang said. “Don’t let the course beat you up. You just have to stay patient and let the putter do the talking.”

Unfortunately, Zhang’s putter didn’t do as much talking as she would have liked in Tuesday’s first round of the 72-hole event. The 17-year-old Vancouver resident only managed one birdie despite hitting 17 greens in regulation. Still, she salvaged a two-over 73 that gave her share of the lead with Victoria’s Cindy Koira.

Ilirian Zalli Will Attempt To Get His Hands On The B.C. Junior Boys Championship Trophy For The 2nd Year In A Row This Week At Fairwinds GC - BC Golf Image

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Burnaby’s Ilirian Zalli will defend his title at this week’s B.C. Junior Boys Championship at Fairwinds Golf Club in Nanoose Bay. Zalli clinched last year’s championship at Kamloops Golf & Country Club with a brilliant eight-under 64 in the final round. Zalli finished the 72-hole event at 16-under par and won by four shots.

Vancouver’s Song Bai, who finished second last year, is also in the field at Fairwinds. The tournament begins Tuesday and runs through Friday.

The B.C. Junior Girls Championship is being run concurrently at Nanoose Bay. A new champion will be crowned as last year’s winner, West Vancouver’s Phoebe Yue, is no longer age-eligible.

Patty & Phil Jonas Have The Unique Honour Of Being Inducted Into The BC Golf Hall Of Fame As Husband & Wife, Simultaneously And On Their Own Separate Merit - Image Courtesy Phil & Patty Jonas

Lynda Palahniuk, Bill Hobbis And Babs Davies Also Being Honoured In Ceremony On Oct. 23rd

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

They met on a driving range and 36 years later that is still a place that feels like home for Phil and Patty Jonas. 

Phil Jonas and Patty Grant were both playing collegiate golf for Lamar University in Beaumont, Tex., when the game brought them together. They had a driving range at Lamar and we just happened to both be practising on a Saturday,” Phil says. After a six-year courtship, they married 30 years ago and settled in the Vancouver area.

Their significant accomplishments as players has the husband-and-wife team heading into the British Columbia Golf Hall of Fame together. The Jonas’s, along with Lynda Palahniuk, Bill Hobbis and Babs Davies, will be formally welcomed into the Hall of Fame at an Oct. 23 ceremony at Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club.

image courtesy PGA of Canada

Looking at getting more involved in junior golf at your facility? Want to help your PGA of Canada professional with his or her Junior Golf Programming?

This fall Mayfair Lakes Golf Course in Richmond will be the site of a workshop designed to help prepare YOU to be competent in the skills required by a community coach.

This is a great workshop for people looking to get involved in the community teaching junior golf as a volunteer, people who are going to be coaching or helping out with a high school golf team, or just people in general who want some experience with coaching.

Delta's Mary Parsons Is The Defending B.C. Women's Amateur Champion - BC Golf Photo

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

When Mary Parsons tees it up in the B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship July 9-12 at Nanaimo Golf Club, the Delta resident will be doing more than defending the title she won last year. Parsons will also be preparing for what figures to be the biggest event of her young golfing life.

The 20-year-old, who just completed her sophomore year at Indiana University, will represent Canada later this summer at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. And yes, that has her more than a little excited.

 Representing British Columbia Golf In The Morse Cup At This Year's Pacific Coast Amateur Are (L-R), Henry Lee, Jeevan Sihota And Chris Crisologo - Images Courtesy UW/PNGA/BC Golf

The 53rd Pacific Coast Amateur Championship tees off Tuesday, July 23rd at the Championship Course at The University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, NM. This will be the first time in history that the Pacific Coast Amateur will be played in New Mexico.

All players will be vying for the individual Ed Updegraff Trophy, named after the longtime volunteer and standout amateur golfer who played on three Walker Cup teams (1963, 1965, 1969), won the inaugural Pacific Coast Amateur title at Seattle Golf Club in 1967 and was the 1999 Bob Jones Award recipient from the USGA.

Taking place concurrently with the first and second rounds will be the battle for the Morse Cup, a 36-hole stroke play team competition using predetermined rosters representing the 15 member associations of the Pacific Coast Golf Association. The Morse Cup team trophy was donated by Samuel F. B. Morse, founder and developer of Pebble Beach Company and Pebble Beach Golf Links.