By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

SECHELT, B.C. (August 2, 2024) - It was not exactly love at first swing for Jenny Guo and the game of golf. 

When she took up golf four years ago as an eight-year-old, the West Vancouver resident much preferred swinging a racket. “Her favourite sport was tennis, not golf,” her mom, Yu Na, said as she watched her daughter blow away the field at the B.C. Juvenile Girls Championship at Blue Ocean Golf Club in Sechelt.

Golf and the now 12-year-old have clearly come to love one another. Guo put in a most impressive display over the three-round competition, which she won by 11 shots with a score of eight-under par. Not bad for a kid about to start Grade 7.

Courtesy PGA of BC

August 21, 2024

SURREY, BC (PGA of BC) - Lindsay Bernakevitch once again etched his name into the history of the PGA of BC Championship, securing his second title in dramatic fashion.

Despite the pressure of a missed short putt to clinch the victory on the final hole, the Victoria Golf Club Director of Golf displayed resilience and poise, triumphing on the first playoff hole against Kevin Stinson and Andy Lin, who tied Bernakevitch at 7-under par after 36 holes.

This victory saw Bernakevitch lift the William Thompson Trophy as PGA of BC Champion for a second time, having also won the title in 2011.

Tim Hachey Of Osoyoos Holds One-Shot Lead In Juvenile Boys Championship

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

SECHELT, B.C. (August 21, 2024) - She is still only 12 years old, but West Vancouver’s Jenny Guo is playing like a seasoned veteran.

Guo fired a bogey-free, six-under 66 in Wednesday’s second round and has a seven-shot lead heading into the final round of the B.C. Juvenile Girls Championship at Blue Ocean Golf Club.

Crisologo birdies last three holes to tie for fifth; Taylor knocked out of PGA TOUR playoffs, while Hadwin moves on; 18th edition Vancouver Open set for City of Vancouver courses

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

(August 19, 2024) - In one week, A.J. Ewart has gone from relying on sponsor’s exemptions to get into PGA Tour Americas events to now being tantalizingly close to earning Korn Ferry Tour status.

The 25-year-old Coquitlam native changed his professional golfing life in a big way with an impressive wire-to-wire win at the Elk Ridge Saskatchewan Open. That victory moved Ewart up to 14th spot on the PGA Tour Americas’ Fortinet Cup points list.

Three events remain and the top 10 on the points list at season’s end earn Korn Ferry Tour status for 2025.

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

VANCOUVER, B.C. (August 16, 2024) - Since being hired as the golf consultant for a 10-part Owen Wilson golf comedy series being shot in the Vancouver area for Apple TV, Richmond teaching pro Nathan Leonhardt has been a busy guy.

It is Leonhardt’s job to ensure that the golf scenes look realistic. He has also been charged with finding members of the local golf community to work as doubles or background actors for the series.

Leonhardt has also been trying to help the golf-crazed Wilson with his game. That has been a challenge and a lot of fun. “I have taken him out to play golf a few times,” Leonhardt says.

The highlight of the Vancouver Golf Tour (VGT) season is the  Vancouver Open coming up August 21 - 25 at Vancouver Parks Golf's 3 championship courses, Langara, Fraserview & McCleery. 

Over 300 participants will take to the links at the municipal layouts with teams of four amateurs partnering with a top young Professional or Elite Amateur for 18 holes to raise funds for a very worthy cause: The VGT PLAYER DEVELOPMENT FUND. 

The fund has been established to assist local aspiring golfers through supporting their entry fee and travel costs both on and off the VGT. Included in the VGT alumni are PGA TOUR winners Adam Hadwn, Adam Svensson and Nick Taylor, the 2023 RBC Canadian Open Champion.

Over the past 3 years the VGT has raised over CDN$60,000 for aspiring and talented VGT golfers. New for 2023 the Vancouver Open will include an Adaptive Golf division.

The three venues welcome spectators so if you'd like to come out and see some great golf from future touring professionals, make a point of taking in some of the Vancouver Open. They are also always looking for volunteers so if that interests you Click HERE to see the application form

Click HEREto see more details on the tournament agenda.

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

QUALICUM BEACH (August 13, 2024) - For the last several years, every step Walter Vanderrijst takes is accompanied by considerable pain due to a debilitating ankle problem.

There have been times when the 66-year-old Victoria resident has felt sorry for himself. But that hasn’t happened nearly as often since competing in B.C. All Abilities Championships.

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

QUALICUM, B.C. (August 12, 2024) — Johannes Grames says golf has helped give his life balance, which is a tad ironic given that maintaining his stability while he swings the club is perhaps the biggest challenge he faces on the course.

Grames, a musician who just turned 60, lost his right leg above the knee to a form of cancer when he was 22. His professional life as a guitarist is a busy one and, especially in his younger days, he spent considerable time on the road.

“Golf really did help me,” says Grames, a Vancouver resident who is competing in this week’s B.C. All Abilities Championship at Qualicum Beach Memorial Golf Course.

via British Columbia Golf

QUALICUM BEACH, B.C. (August 12,2024) - The 2024 British Columbia Golf All Abilities Championship is underway at Qualicum Beach Memorial Golf Course on Vancouver Island.

Qualicum Beach Memorial is one of Canada’s most scenic golf courses, with views of Mt. Arrowsmith, the Coastal Mountain Range and the Georgia Strait.

This beautiful seaside course is the driest on Vancouver Island, lending it to year round play. As host of the 2nd annual British Columbia Golf All Abilities Championship, Qualicum Beach has a history dating back over 100 years (click HERE to see a brief history of the layout).

This year's event takes place August 12th & 13th, live scoring can be found HERE  (or by clicking the Leaderboard tab on the BC Golf Home Page). 

Click HERE to see the announcement story of last year's inaugural event at McCleery GC in Vancouver. 

Click HERE to see the final round wrap-up of last year's Championship. 

Sloan posts season-best finish at Wyndham Championship; Wyatt Brook cherishes Willingdon Cup win; Lauren Kim knocked out in Round of 16 at U.S. Women’s Amateur; Ames repeats at Boeing Classic

By: Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

(August 12, 2024) - A spirited playoff push by Surrey’s Adam Svensson fell just short at the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship. Svensson entered the final regular-season event at No. 82 on the FedEx Cup points list and needed to move inside the top 70 to qualify for the lucrative three-event playoffs.

He came close with a tie for seventh finish that moved him to 75th, just short of where he needed to get. Fellow British Columbians Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor, both of Abbotsford, had no such worries about making the playoffs.

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Where Doug Carrick goes, great golf courses normally follow.

So the fact Carrick is making a return visit to British Columbia is wonderful news for golfers. Carrick is arguably Canada’s pre-eminent golf course architect and has been hired to do a rebuild of what is now Granite Pointe Golf Club in Nelson.

The new course — tentatively called The Dodger — will be the centrepiece of a new resort called Hallõ Nelson. The course will be the first Canadian layout to be managed by Troon Golf.

By Mike Massaro/Golf Canada

Saskatoon, Sask. (August 6, 2024) – The battle for the Willingdon Cup came down to the wire as Team British Columbia pulled away from Team Ontario to claim the Inter-Provincial team title at the 119th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO in Saskatoon, Sask.

Team British Columbia was led by Wyatt Brook of Heffley Creek, B.C. who shot a 4-under 68 on Tuesday to help push his team to a collective 9-under, four shots clear of Team Ontario.

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf (August 6, 2024) •  Nick Taylor ties for 30th in Paris; Stuart Macdonald ties for 7th on PGA Tour Americas; Lauren Kim fifth at Canadian Women’s Amateur

See a three-minute slideshow of our top 59 images taken by Jeff Sutherland over the four days of the 110th Women's Canadian Amateur Hosted By Royal Colwood GC in Victoria, BC...

Field of 264 will compete in the prestigious tournament; all ten provinces represented and one territory; Inter-Provincial Team Championship to be contested over first 36 holes

For Immediate Release | August 2, 2024

Saskatoon, Sask. – The 119th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO is set to be contested August 5-8 with a field of 264 amateur golfers competing over four rounds at both the Riverside Country Club and Saskatoon Golf and Country Club in Saskatoon, Sask.

This year’s field features a number of top amateur golfers from around the world including, Max Kennedy of Dublin, Ireland, currently ranked no. 28 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR). Joining Kennedy are Wang Ngai Shen of Hong Kong, China (no. 155 WAGR), Mateo Fuenmayor of Colombia (no. 264 WAGR) as well as defending champion, Ashton McCulloch of Kingston, Ont. McCulloch (no. 135 WAGR) has enjoyed a successful season at Michigan State and competed at the 2024 RBC Canadian Open and qualified for the 2024 U.S. Open.

Merritt-area course being discovered by more golfers

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

QUILCHENA, B.C.(August 1, 2024) — I recently got reacquainted with an old friend I hadn’t seen in several years. I am happy to report she is doing fine after a rough few years.

Sagebrush Golf Club is as wonderful as I remember. Perched on a hillside above Nicola Lake in British Columbia’s cowboy country, Sagebrush offers a golf experience that is both memorable and fun. 

It’s not quite as quiet as I remember and that’s because word is apparently spreading that Sagebrush is back, with stable ownership and a solid management team who have worked hard to get the course back to its former glory.

Vanessa Zhang third at Canadian Juniors; Royal Colwood plays host to this week’s Canadian Women’s Amateur; Ziggy Nathu wins Golden Ears Open

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf (July 29, 2024)

Adam Svensson’s push for the PGA TOUR playoffs just got more difficult. The Surrey native entered the final round of the 3M Championship in Blaine, Minn., tied for sixth and in great position to move inside the top 70 on the FedEx Cup points list.

But a four-over 75 in the final round dropped Svensson down into a tie for 37th. Instead of moving up the points list, Svensson fell two spots from 79th to 81st. The top 70 players qualify for the PGA TOUR playoffs and with just one regular-season event remaining, Svensson will likely need at least a top-five finish to crack the top 70.

Liu wins both the Canadian Junior Girls and Juvenile divisions; Team British Columbia won the Inter-Provincial Team Championship at Marine Drive Golf Club 

Vancouver, B.C. (July 25, 2024) - Team Canada NextGen member Shauna Liu of Maple, Ont., played a competitive and exceptional final round to win the 69th playing of the Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO at Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver, B.C. on Thursday. 

After heading into the third round tied for the lead with three others, Liu carded a final round of 1-under 71 on Thursday, to finish at 2-under for the tournament, three shots better than Clairey Lin (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.) who finished at 1-over for the tournament.  

During the final round, Liu played very consistent golf. After a bogey to start her opening nine, Liu bounced back by making a birdie on the par 5 second hole. She then played an impressive bogey free back nine rolling in two back-to-back birdies on the way to her third round under par of the week. The 15-year-old fired rounds of 70-71-74-71 to secure the national title. 

“It feels great, winning this tournament is something I have always wanted and it’s really great to be here,” said Liu. “My family and I will probably go out and get some ice cream after this one.” 

Click HERE for complete story on Golf Canada website. 

Former CFL defensive back Todd Wiseman sees football-golf connection; 54-40 bassist Brad Merritt saved by early tee time; Roxburgh rides roller-coaster on front nine

By: Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

REVELSTOKE, B.C. (July 25, 2024) - Todd Wiseman played seven seasons as a defensive back in the Canadian Football League, where the Kamloops resident believes he learned some mental skills that help him on the golf course.

Of course, there’s no tackling, interceptions or sprinting down the fairways in golf, but Wiseman says the rhythm of a round of golf has some similarities with what he faced during his playing career with the B.C. Lions, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts.

“A football play lasts for about 10 or 15 seconds and then you regroup and it’s a new setting, a new down and distance,” Wiseman said. “It’s a new group of receivers and you have to re-think what you are doing.”

By: Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

REVELSTOKE, B.C. (July 25, 2024) - Befitting a golf course that was once a horse-racing track, Steve Savage made his move at the clubhouse turn.

Savage holed out for eagle from 118 yards on the par 5 ninth hole at Revelstoke Golf Club and rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt on the long par 5 10th hole to break away from the pack and take control of the B.C. Senior Men’s Championship.

The 62-year-old Vancouver Golf Club member then hung on down the stretch to win by a nose — make that one shot.