The Pacific Links Championship Has Announced The Addition Of (L-R): Sandy Lyle, Tom Kite & Ian Woosnam To The Field For The September Event At Bear Mountain In Victoria - Image Courtesy Pacific Links

Strong Field Continues To Build For September Event On PGA TOUR Champions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Victoria, B.C. (August 2, 2016) – World Golf Hall of Fame members Sandy Lyle and Tom Kite, along with 1991 Masters Tournament winner Ian Woosnam, have committed to play the 2016 Pacific Links Championship. The event will be contested on Bear Mountain Golf Resort’s Mountain Course in Victoria, British Columbia the week of September 19-25, 2016, featuring a US$2.5 million purse, with 81 players competing for a winner’s share of $440,000.

The BC Summer Games Awards Medals Of Course, But The Real Winners Are All The Athletes Who Participate, Compete And Make New Friendships- Image Courtesy BC Summer Games/Keith Graham

by Gino Cutri

With the exception of Ryder and Presidents Cup-style events, there is rarely a team aspect to golf. In this sport you are generally competing for yourself against others, who are doing the same. The BC Summer Games provides golfers that unique opportunity to compete as a team.

For the purposes of identifying teams, British Columbia is divided into eight geographical zones. These zone teams are comprised of both boys and girls ages 12 – 16 who qualified based off of their zone tournament performance.

At the Summer Games these zones competed in a two-day 36-hole tournament. Although there are medals for the top 3 individual scores, the team competition is a combined net score of your zone’s top three scorers.

Victoria's Nolan Thoroughgood Has Enjoyed Success In His Home Province This Summer And Hopes To Have Similar Results As He Goes 'National' With His Game - Image Courtesy Brad Ziemer

By Brad Ziemer British Columbia Golf

Nolan Thoroughgood literally travelled from sea-to-shining sea to compete in his first national championship. The 15-year-old from Victoria, who last month became the youngest winner in the 114-year history of the B.C. Amateur Championship, is in St. John’s, Nfld., to compete at this week’s Canadian Junior Boys’ Championship.

Thoroughgood, who also won gold at the recent B.C. Summer Games in Abbotsford, will also compete in next week’s Canadian Amateur Championship in Ottawa. He knows these two events will be a stern test.

Kimberley's Jared du Toit Jumped 35 Spots In The World Amateur Golf Rankings After His Top 10 Performance At The RBC Canadian Open Last Week - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Jared du Toit’s spectacular play at last week’s RBC Canadian Open has propelled the Kimberley resident up the world amateur golf rankings. The latest ranking released this week has du Toit at No. 25 in the world. He had been ranked 60th last week.

The 21-year-old finished tied for ninth at the Canadian Open, which he was playing on a sponsor’s exemption. He shot rounds of 67, 71, 70 and 71 to finish the event at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., at nine-under par. That was three shots behind winner Jhonattan Vegas of Venezuela.

Kimberley, B.C.'s Jared du Toit Won The Hearts And Admiration Of Golf Fans Across The Country As He Stayed In Contention For The National Championship All Week - Image Courtesy B. Brault/Golf Canada

by Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

After he opened with a wonderful 5-under 67 to start the RBC Canadian Open, more than a few golf fans were turning to one another and asking, "Who's Jared du Toit?"

Well, they know now. 

The 22-year old amateur from Kimberley, B.C., who begins his senior year at Arizona State this fall, is very well known to those who follow amateur golf closely in the Pacific Northwest, having won the B.C. Junior Boys title in 2013, the B.C. Amateur in 2015 and adding the 2015 NCAA Big Sky Conference Championship title.

Courtesy Pacific Links International

Victoria, B.C. - Pacific Links International announced recently that it is accepting volunteer submissions for the 2016 Pacific Links Championship. With less than two months remaining until the event they encourage golf enthusiasts to be a part of the action by becoming a volunteer.

During the coming weeks, you will be hearing a great deal about the – 2016 PGA TOUR Champions event sponsored by Pacific Links International to be held at Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria, British Columbia September 19-25th, with a field of 81 players, and the purse of $2.5 million.

The Pacific Links Championship relies on the support and loyalty of volunteers to deliver a world-class event. Volunteers are required in a variety of committees, assignments and positions, each one crucial to making the Championship run as smoothly and seamlessly as possible.

Richmond's Chris Crisologo Has A Lot To Look Forward To On His Golf Schedule Over The Next Month - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Like a boxer stepping up in weight class, Chris Crisologo is excited about testing himself at the next level. Over the next month, the 20-year-old Richmond resident has three big amateur tournaments on his schedule.

It starts this week at the prestigious Pacific Coast Amateur, which is being played at Seattle Golf Club. After that comes the Canadian Amateur at Royal Ottawa Golf Club and then the U.S. Amateur at Oakland Hills in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

Back-to-Back Wins For BC Summer Games Boys Golf Gold Medallist Nolan Thoroughgood Has Him In Good Spirits As He Prepares To Head And East And See How His Game Stacks Up Nationally - Image Credit Gino Cutri/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

ABBOTSFORD -- There was no post-B.C. Amateur Championship letdown for Nolan Thoroughgood. Just over a week after becoming the youngest ever winner of the B.C. Amateur, the 15-year-old from Victoria had a B.C. Summer Games gold medal placed around his neck early Saturday evening at Ledgeview Golf Club in Abbotsford.

Thoroughgood shot rounds of 69 and 71 to finish the 36-hole competition at even par. The Royal Colwood Golf Club junior member won the individual boys’ title by six shots over silver medallist Kyle Claggett of Mission. Sean Buckles of North Vancouver finished one shot behind Claggett and took home bronze.

Team Canada’s du Toit of Kimberley, BC, Shot 70 Including A Dramatic Eagle On The 18th Hole For A Share Of Second With Dustin Johnson - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

Via Press Release

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Brandt Snedeker conquered the dense heat and gusty winds at Glen Abby Golf Club Saturday to card a 6-under 66 and take the lead at the RBC Canadian Open. Heading into the final round, Golf Canada National Amateur Squad member Jared du Toit holds a share of second with Dustin Johnson, one shot off the lead at the 107th playing of Canada’s National Open Championship.

Du Toit tallied three bogeys and a pair of birdies across the front nine, but the resilient 21-year-old went on to finish bogey-free across his final nine holes, collecting a birdie on No. 13 and an eagle on No. 18. The crowd roared in approval and an impromptu performance of O Canada accompanied the Kimberley, B.C., native as he stepped off the course.

Kimberley's Jared du Toit Is Chasing The RBC Canadian Open Title At Glen Abbey GC In Oakville, Ontario. He Went Into The Weekend Just One Shot Back Of The Lead - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

Kimberley BC's 21-year old Jared du Toit went into the weekend at the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey GC just one shot back of leader Dustin Johnson. Chances are if you'd said a Canadian would be this close to the top of the leaderboard in his national open it would likely be an Adam Hadwin, Nick Taylor or Graham DeLaet.

Even du Toit himself is at least a little surprised but as he said after his second round, “I didn’t have a lot of expectations coming in. To kind of vault up the leaderboard kind of caught me a bit off guard. But everything from now on is just cream on top.”

North Vancouver City Mayor Darrell Mussatto (Right, putting) And Section Manager For Parks, Dave Turner (L) Enjoy The Unique Putting Green Installed At Sam Walker Park In North Vancouver - Image Credit Gino Cutri/British Columbia Golf

by Gino Cutri

The thought originated with the neighbour of North Vancouver Mayor Darrell Mussatto, who had just started to learn how to play golf. She approached the Mayor with a question, “How about we do something about golf in our community?”

Mayor Mussatto paused, and remembered that his section manager for parks, Dave Turner, had mentioned he too would like to incorporate golf into the community. His idea was to build a putting green in a local park. That local park was Sam Walker.

Invermere's Harry Ferguson Saw His Dream Come True As He Won the BC Senior Men's Championship Title At Shuswap Lake Estates Golf & Country Club - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

BLIND BAY -- Harry Ferguson had a dream about Thursday’s final round of the B.C. Men’s Senior-Super Senior Championship. Trouble was, he woke up early Thursday morning before finding out how it ended. It turns out there was no nightmarish ending, just a happy one for the 59-year-old oilfield worker from Invermere.

Ferguson beat Gudmund Lindbjerg of Pitt Meadows on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to win his first provincial championship.

British Columbia Golf Is Well Represented At The 50th Pacific Coast Amateur Championship. From L-R: Jack Croucher (Past President), Chuck Gage (Past President), Stuart Macdonald (Team Member), Kevin Kwon (Team Member), Chris Crisologo (Team Member) And David Atkinson (Immediate Past President) - Image Courtesy PNGA

via press release

PACIFIC COAST GOLF ASSOCIATION (Seattle, Wash)- The 50th Pacific Coast Amateur Championship, hosted by the Washington State and Pacific Northwest golf associations, will take place at historic Seattle Golf Club from July 26-29, 2016.

Founded in 1900 with a 1996 redesign by Arnold Palmer, Seattle Golf Club has a history well deserving of hosting the Pacific Coast Amateur's 50th installment, including the 1952 U.S. Amateur, 1961 Walker Cup, 1981 U.S. Senior Amateur and three Pacific Coast Amateurs (1967, 1987, 1999).

A world-class roster of amateur competitors will be taking part in the 72-hole, four-day stroke play competition in the hopes of raising the Dr. Ed Updegraff Trophy as champion. Without a defending champion, following Aaron Wise's departure to the professional ranks, the trophy and accolades coupled with victory are up for grabs.

Victoria's Namoi Ko (L) And Port Alberni's Christina Proteau Were Both Medalists In The 115th Pacific Northwest Women's Amateur, Ko In The Amateur And Proteau The Mid-Am - Image BC Golf

Cle Elum, Wash. - Victoria, BC's Naomi Ko won a three-way playoff to earn medalist honors and No. 1 seed after two rounds of stroke play qualifying at the Prospector Course at Suncadia in Cle Elum, Wash. at the 115th Pacific Northwest Women's Amateur; while Christina Proteau of Port Alberni, BC earned the No. 1 seed in the 15th Pacific Northwest Women's Mid-Amateur.

Both championships are conducted by the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA).

Three giants in the Women's Amateur field are tied at the top - Coquitlam's Jisoo Keel, Princess Superal and Naomi Ko - with Ko winning the playoff for the No. 1 seed honors going into tomorrow's match play format.

Site of the 2010 U.S. Amateur and 2015 U.S. Open, Chambers Bay welcomes the prestigious Pacific Coast Amateur Championship as the second consecutive Seattle-area venue to fit into Championship’s rotation.

UNIVERSITY PLACE, Washington — Chambers Bay Golf Course, a 7,165-yard par-72 championship venue sitting along the shores of Puget Sound in the shadow of the Olympic Mountains, will see the world’s most accomplished amateur golfers travel to the Pacific Northwest for the second consecutive year as host of the 51st installment of the Pacific Coast Amateur Championship in 2017.

Set to take place July 25-29 2017, the University Place links-style layout will show it’s versatility after proving to be a difficult test of golf for the world’s most accomplished professionals in last year’s U.S. Open.

“It is our privilege to serve as the site of the 51st Pacific Coast Amateur,” stated Matt Allen, general manager of Chambers Bay.

Lance Lundy Of Big Sky GC Had The Low Round Of The Day With A 3-under 69 But He Trails The Leader Gudmund Lindbjerg By 5 Shots Heading Into The Final Round - Image Credit Brad Ziemer

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

BLIND BAY -- Gudmund Lindbjerg’s four B.C. Senior Men’s titles came in four straight years. Now, five years after winning his last one in 2011, he finally has a chance to claim No. 5. The 67-year-old longtime Pitt Meadows Golf Club member shot his second straight 70 Wednesday and will take a two-shot lead into Thursday’s final round of the B.C. Men’s Senior and Super-Senior Championship at Shuswap Lake Estates Golf & Country Club.

Shuswap Lake Estates Golf & Country Club General Manager Wendy Barker (On The Left, With The Course's Resident Dog, Charlie) And Course Superintendent Jen Rozek - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

BLIND BAY -- Every day is Ladies Day at Shuswap Lake Estates Golf & Country Club. That’s because the women are in charge at the club, which this week is playing host to the B.C. Senior and Super-Senior Men’s Championship. They’re everywhere here.

The general manager is Wendy Barker. The course superintendent is Jen Rozek. Heck, even the pro shop’s resident dog, a five-year-old Shih tzu Bichon named Charlie, is a female. “We’re very proud of the fact that we have so many women here,” says Barker, whose father, Jack Barker, bought the course and surrounding property in 1977.

Defending Champion John Gallacher Tees Off At Shuswap Lake Estates Golf Course As He Attempts To Go Back-To-Back In The BC Senior Men's Championship -Image Credit Brad Ziemer

Doug Roxburgh Tied With Three Others For First-Round Lead

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

BLIND BAY -- It is as much about the camaraderie as the competition. The field for this week’s B.C. Senior and Super-Senior Men’s Championships at Shuswap Lake Estates Golf Course in Blind Bay numbers 144. Most know they have no chance of winning, but that doesn’t matter.

They are here to play with old friends and maybe meet some new ones. Toasts will be made in the bar after their rounds. Stories will be told. They will celebrate their birdies and lament their bogeys or those dreaded others.

Marine Drive Member Chris Crisologo Was The Medallist At His Home Course In The Historic First U.S. Amateure Qualifier To Be Held In Canada - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

By Bryan Outram

Vancouver, BC - July 18, 2016 - The historic first U.S. Amateur Qualifying event to be held in Canada at Marine Drive Golf Club produced club member Chris Crisologo as its medallist with the 2nd qualifying position going to William Deck from Kelowna.

Two alternate spots were won by two more members from the host club, Jackson Thornley and Conrado Pederes, who beat yet another Marine Drive member, Jordan Lu, in a playoff.

On a day with weather befitting a marathon qualifier, Marine Drive GC member Chris Crisologo was the medallist shooting rounds of 65-69 for a 6-under par score under blue skies and a hot July sun in Vancouver.

It's 50 And Counting For Doug Roxburgh As He's Saluted For Competing In His 50th Consecutive BC Amateur At Pheasant Glen GC Last Week. Doug Is Seen Here Speaking With Dawn Chubai From City TV's 'Breakfast Television' At The Dinner Celebration Held In His Honour At Marine Drive Golf Club  - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

by Brad Ziemer

Langley’s Adam Cornelson Earns Spot In RBC Canadian Open

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Number 50 didn’t end quite the way he would have liked, but that didn’t seem to matter Sunday night when a dinner was held at Marine Drive Golf Club to honour Doug Roxburgh’s golden anniversary milestone.

Roxburgh, a 13-time winner of the event, joked that he would have liked to have taken one less stroke at last week’s 114th B.C. Amateur Championship at Pheasant Glen Golf Resort in Qualicum Beach. He missed the 36-hole cut for only the third time in 50 appearances. All three cuts were missed by a single shot.