Team Canada 2 Coach Mike Martz, Far Left, And Team Canada 1 Coach Ann Carroll, Far Right, Are Happy Round 1 Of The World Junior Girls Is In The Books And Are Hopeful Their Teams Can Rebound With Three Rounds To Go At The Marshes In Ottawa - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by Alfie Lau

For Ann Carroll and Mike Martz, it was just one round of four. 

While their squads, Carroll’s Team Canada 1 and Martz’s Team Canada 2, trail other countries after Round 1 of the World Junior Girls at The Marshes in Ottawa, they’re both optimistic that things will change with three rounds to go.

“It was a good day because I saw a lot of fight back in my team,” said Martz. “Euna had a tough start and then she made some birdies to get it back and I’m pretty happy for her.”

Tiffany Kong Of Vancouver Had The Low Score For Team Canada 1 With A (+3) Round Of 75 - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by Alfie Lau

The sun was shining, but when the wind picked up, it blew up the scores of the six Canadian girls playing in the World Junior Girls Championship at The Marshes in suburban Ottawa.

The best Canadian scores came from Vancouver’s Tiffany Kong and Coquitlam’s Euna Han, who each carded (+3) scores of 75. Kong is on Team Canada 1 and her teammates Hannah Lee of Surrey, at (+5) 77 and Grace St-Germain of Orleans, ON, at (+6) 78, were also undone by the winds, which blew entirely differently than during their practice rounds on Sunday and Monday.

From Left, Euna Han, Alisha Lau, Tiffany Kong And Kathrine Chan Putt In A Line At Quilchena Prior To Leaving For The World Junior Girls In Ottawa - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by Alfie Lau

The junior’s room at Quilchena Golf & Country Club in Richmond isn’t big, but with a large couch and two comfy armchairs, it’s usually more than enough for young golfers wanting to relax away from prying adult eyes.

So when Alisha Lau, Kathrine Chan, Tiffany Kong and Euna Han meet up just prior to flying out to Ottawa to represent Canada at the second World Junior Girls golf championship, it’s amazing that all four of them squeeze themselves onto the couch, in descending order of age.

Coach Mike Martz With The Six Members Of Team Canada, From Left, Euna Han, Tiffany Kong, Kathrine Chan, Hannah Lee, Grace St-Germain And Alisha Lau - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by Alfie Lau

Of the 44 u-19 golfers standing in golf blazers, skirts and black dress shoes for the opening ceremonies of the World Junior Girls Championship at The Marshes in suburban Ottawa, it wasn’t hard to miss the six in the traditional red of Canada.

Five British Columbia girls, Hannah Lee and Tiffany Kong on Team Canada 1 with Ontario’s Grace St-Germain; and the all-BC Team Canada 2 squad of Alisha Lau, Kathrine Chan and Euna Han, were nervously waiting for the bagpiper to lead the 14 teams out for the ceremony.

Canada's Newest LPGA Star, Brooke Henderson - Seen Here Playing In The CP Women's Open At Vancouver GCC -  Was A Participant In Last Year's World Junior Girls Championship At Angus Glen - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski 

by Alfie Lau

The inaugural World Junior Girls Golf Championship at Angus Glen Golf Club last September has proven to be a great indicator of future golf success.

As the second World Junior Girls Golf Championship is set to take place Sept. 20-25 at The Marshes Golf Club in suburban Ottawa, it’s instructive to take a look at where last year’s teenagers have taken their game since that tournament.

(Tyler Costigan/Golf Canada) — The Golf in Schools program has a fresh new look for 2016.

It starts with updated curriculum, resulting from a partnership between Golf Canada, the PGA of Canada and the University of Ottawa to incorporate life skills into the learning resource that accompanies each Golf in Schools kit.

The new life skills component of the program was created from in-depth research of the leading scientific literature behind delivering life skills through sport.

From (L-R) Paula Reto, Caroline Masson, Maraijo Uribe, Julietta Granada, Shanshan Feng And Canada's Alena Sharp On The Ferry From Evian To Lausanne, Switzerland - image courtesy igf golf

courtesy International Golf Federation and Ladies European Tour

From the shores of Lake Geneva to the fairways of Rio de Janeiro, the world’s top women golfers had a taste of what to expect in 2016 when they paid a visit to the Olympic Museum and IOC Headquarters ahead of the Evian Championship.

Seven golfers from five continents, all with aspirations of going to the 2016 Rio Olympics, played a nearest to the pin contest before taking a guided tour of the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland and posing in front of the Olympic Flame.

Shanshan Feng (China), Julieta Granada (Paraguay), Fabienne In-Albon (Switzerland), Caroline Masson (Germany), Paula Reto (South Africa), Alena Sharp (Canada) and Maria Uribe (Colombia) were all inspired to realize their own Olympic dreams as they learned about past records and heroes.

Savannah, Georgia's Jack Hall Accepts The Trophy As The 2015 Canadian Senior Men's Champion - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

Jason St. Jacques/ Golf Canada

MEDICINE HAT, Alta – Jack Hall of Savannah, Ga., shot 7-under par through three rounds to claim the 2015 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship at Desert Blume Golf Club in Medicine Hat, Alta.

Hall, 58, battled through rainy conditions on Friday to shoot 1-over par 73 to claim a narrow one-stroke victory that was not decided until the final hole.

“There are three big international tournaments that Americans look forward to playing in, one’s the British, one’s the Canadian and one’s the U.S. Senior Amateur. To have one on my resume is there forever and I enjoy it – love it,” said Hall, who captured his first international title.

Three Members Of Team BC From The Western Canada Summer Games Gold Medal Winning Female Team (Tiffany Kong Front Left, Alisha Lau 3rd From Front Left And Hannah Lee 2nd From Right 2nd Row) Will Also Represent Team Canada, Along With Two Other BC Girls Making It 5 Of 6 From This Province - Image Courtesy WCSG

by Alfie Lau

It was almost a complete British Columbia sweep of the six Team Canada spots for the 2015 World Junior Girls Golf Championship in Ottawa later this month.

The event, which runs Sept. 20-25 at The Marshes Golf Club, sees three-player teams competing in 72-hole team and individual competitions. Because Canada is the host country, it can field two teams and BC players are front and centre for both squads.

courtesy Jason St. Jacques/ Golf Canada

MEDICINE HAT, Alta. – Strong winds and the ensuing unplayable conditions during day two of the 2015 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship forced the suspension of the second round at Desert Blume Golf Club in Medicine Hat, Alta.

Players that were unable to complete their first rounds on Tuesday due to suspension of play did so on Wednesday morning. The same windy conditions experienced on the competition’s first day resurfaced on day two and forced play to be suspended at 3:30 p.m. MDT. The third round has been cancelled and the competition will be reduced to 54 holes.

Stacy Lewis Congratulates Lydia Ko After Ko Made The Putt To Win The CP Canadian Women's Open In A Playoff - Image Credit Bryan Outram

by Alfie Lau

It may be time for the City of Coquitlam to rename itself ‘Koquitlam’ in honour of Lydia Ko.

For the second time since 2012, the New Zealand citizen has won the Canadian Women’s Open at the Vancouver Golf Club. Add in Ko’s 2013 triumph at Royal Mayfair in Edmonton and Ko has won three of the last four Canadian Women’s Opens.

But it wasn’t easy for Ko, who had to survive a playoff with American Stacy Lewis, who shot a (-5) round of 67 to tie Ko at (-12) for the tournament.

LPGA Major Winner And World Women's Number 8 Ranked Lexi Thompson Was On Hand At Seymour Golf & Country Club, Along With Host Head Professional Dale Schienbein, As A Thrilled Group Of Youngsters Took Part In A CN Future Links Clinic At The North Vancouver Layout - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski

by Bryan Outram

When the top players from around the world travel to Vancouver for the CP Canadian Women’s Open one of the great things they do is give of their time for various events surrounding the tournament itself.

Not far removed from being a junior herself, she’s already a ‘veteran’ at the ripe-old age of 20, women’s world number 8 ranked Lexi Thompson came out to Seymour Golf & Country Club in North Vancouver on the Monday of tournament week to put on a clinic for a group of young aspiring players for CN Future Links National Junior Golf Development.

 For Immediate Release

(Manitoba, August 20th, 2015) - The Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame & Museum Inc. will hold its thirteenth annual induction ceremony, presented by the McPhillips Station Casino, Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries, on Monday, September 28th, 2015 at the McPhillips Station Casino.

Included in the ceremony will be two men with very prominent British Columbia ties, Barrie McWha, GM of Blue Ocean GC on the Sunshine Coast and Len Harvey, Teaching Professional at Predator Ridge.

For Immediate Release via LPGA Tour

Canada’s Brooke Henderson has been granted immediate status on the LPGA Tour. Read the statement by the tour’s commissioner Michael Whan and one from Brooke below.

Victoria's Jim Rutledge Picked Up His Fourth PGA Seniors' Championship Of Canada Title In Mississauga Last Week - Image Courtesy PGA of Canada

Chris Fry/ PGA of Canada

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Jim Rutledge cruised to win his fourth Mr. Lube PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada presented by Adams Golf since 2010 at Credit Valley Golf and Country Club.

The 55-year-old Victoria, B.C., native put together rounds of 64-71-69 for a three-day total of 9-under-par. His 54-hole score was three shots better than David Wettflaufer and Ken Tarling, who both fired 6-under-par 65 final rounds.

Canada's Brooke Henderson Won The Cambia Portland Classic By 8 Shots For Her First Victory On The LPGA Tour

courtesy LPGA Communications

PORTLAND, Ore. –Brooke Henderson captured her first LPGA victory in style, cruising to an eight-shot victory at the Cambia Portland Classic.

“It’s amazing,” Henderson said with a smile. “It’s such an unbelievable thing it’s not even real life yet I don’t think.”

courtesy Golf Canada

Billy Kennerly won the 111th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship co-hosted by Weston Golf & Country Club and Lambton Golf & Country Club. The native of Alpharetta, Ga., shot a final-round 2-under 70 to finish six strokes clear of his nearest competitor.

“It’s really nice to win, especially the Canadian Am,” said the graduate from Clemson University. “It’s a huge tournament and a national championship is always nice. On top of that, to win where Arnold Palmer won his first tournament, that’s really special and something I’ll never forget. I’m honoured to be the Canadian Amateur champion.”

Ontario's Garret Rank was the top Canadian in a T2nd while Victoria's Kevin Carrigan finished T6th after shooting the low round of the final day.

Kelowna's Samantha Richdale Is One Of Three British Columbians To Receive An Exemption Into The CP Canadian Women's Open Next Week - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

via press release

Coquitlam, B.C. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific (CP) are pleased to announce the names of 14 players who have received exemptions into the 2015 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, August 17 – 23, 2015 at The Vancouver Golf Club.

Headlining the list of exemptions is previously confirmed 17-year old Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ontario who earned her exemption by way of winning the 2015 PGA of Canada Women’s Championship, the third event on the 2015 Canadian Women’s Tour.

British Columbia's Winning Willingdon Cup Squad From L-R: Jared du Toit, Kevin Kwon And Stuart Macdonald - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by Alfie Lau

The British Columbia Golf team of BC Amateur champion Jared du Toit, runner-up Stu Macdonald and third-place finisher Kevin Kwon came from behind to win the Willingdon Cup at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championships in Ontario.

“It was a nice little surprise to wake up to,” said Stuart Macdonald of the winning team. “It feels awesome. We’ve joined some good names up there [in the championship’s history]. I know B.C. has had some pretty good runs with the Willingdon Cup. I thought we had a pretty good team this year.”

by Alfie Lau

Kelowna’s Megan Osland’s golf future continues to burn bright after she finished T12 at the Stage 1 LPGA Qualifying School in Rancho Mirage, CA from Aug. 3-9.

Osland, who just completed her senior year at San Jose State University, shot rounds of 73-72-69-72 to finish at (-2) 286 and handily advances to Stage 2 LPGA Q School, which will be held Oct. 19-25 at the Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, FL.