James Beale victorious at 110th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship
August 7, 2014
(Golf Canada)
Winnipeg, Man. (Golf Canada) – James Beale claimed the 2014 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship title after rolling in a long birdie putt on the third playoff hole at Elmhurst Golf and Country Club.
The New Zealand native finished 72 holes tied atop the leaderboard alongside Team Canada’s Taylor Pendrith and California’s Jonathan Garrick at 6-under par. The trio battled it out over three holes before Beale’s 22-foot birdie putt found the bottom of the cup on the par-4 18th hole.
New Zealand's James Beale wins the 2014 Canadian Men's Amateur Championship
“Honestly I don’t know if it’s good or bad but the thought went through my mind just as I was standing over it that this is for the win,” said Beale when describing his winning putt. “As I looked at the hole I just kind of stroked it and tapped it down there and it just tracked towards the hole and I couldn’t believe it.”
The 21-year-old carded a final-round 1-under 69 and drained a clutch par-putt on his 72nd hole to earn his spot in the three-man hole-by-hole playoff for the national championship title.
“It’s surreal it’s definitely something I’ve dreamed about, I didn’t think it would happen so soon,” he continued. “I’ve been working on my game hard and 2014 is the first year where I’ve really started to feel like I get everything out of my game.”
With Beale’s victory he earns an exemption into next week’s U.S. Amateur Championship and also the 2015 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.
“Just added benefits, it’s amazing,” he stated. “I wasn’t thinking about that stuff when I was out there but to get off and realize that I’m in the U.S. Amateur and the Canadian Open a PGA Tour event, it doesn’t get much better than that, I’ll have to reconsider turning pro next year so I can play in that one.”
Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont. carded a final round 4-under 66 to finish tied for second alongside Garrick of Atherton, Calif. Team Canada’s Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont. finished at 5-under 277 in a tie for fourth with New Mexico’s Sam Saunders.
Corey Conners leads heading into final round of Canadian Amateur
August 6, 2014
Winnipeg – Corey Conners sits in the driver’s seat one-stroke in front of the field heading into the final round of the 110th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.
The Listowel, Ont. native opened his third round by firing a 3-under 32 front-nine, but closed with four bogeys over his final six holes to finish with a 2-under 68. His 8-under 204 total leaves him one-stroke clear of New Mexico’s Sam Saunders.
“I’m happy with my score, just kind of disappointed with all the bogeys,” Conners said. “I’ll try to smooth things out a little bit, I don’t know I just kind of got out of my rhythm towards the end, got a little antsy or excited.”
Now leading the way, the Team Canada member will face a familiar challenge on Thursday over the final 18 holes at Elmhurst Golf and Country Club. The 22-year-old has finished no worse than third in his last three attempts at the national amateur championship title.
“I came here with the mindset that it’s my time to win and I’m just trying to do my thing out here and see what happens,” he continued. “It would definitely be nice, still another round to be played but I’ll give it my best.”
Playing alongside Conners, Saunders carded a 1-over 71 Wednesday. The Albuquerque, New Mexico native finished at 7-under 205 and cut Conners’ lead to a single stroke after his birdie putt found the bottom of the cup on the par-4 18th hole.
“That was really big. On the tee I knew I needed to play that hole well and not make a bogey because I had just bogeyed the previous two holes,” Saunders said. “It was really important for me to play a good hole and I got lucky, I sort of hit in there as close as I think you can on that one and made a great putt.”
Brian Bullington of Frankfort, Ill. finished with a 1-under 69 to grab solo third at 6-under 206. Bullington currently sits one stroke ahead of Team Canada’s Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C. and New Zealand’s James Beale who share fourth spot at 5-under.
Complete scoring, results and pairings can be found online here.
Garrick and Saunders in front at Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship
August 5, 2014
Winnipeg – Jonathan Garrick and Sam Saunders sit tied for the lead at the halfway point of the 110th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at Elmhurst Golf and Country Club and Southwood Golf and Country Club.
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS | TEAM RESULTS
The American duo played opposite courses Tuesday and share top spot on the leaderboard at 8-under 134 thru 36 holes of play.
New Mexico’s Saunders carded the low round of the day at Southwood, firing a 5-under 67 during the afternoon flight. The Albuquerque native’s scorecard was highlighted by an opening 3-under 33 front-nine and a closing birdie on the par-5 18th hole.
“I just sort of played steady all day, I made two bogeys on the back nine on both the par-3’s and I actually birdied the next hole both times so that was good to keep my momentum going,” Saunders said. “I didn’t ever get into a lull in my round where it was too slow, so I just kept steadily making birdies all day and ended up 5-under.”
Playing at Elmhurst, Garrick of Atherton, Calif. continued his solid play from the first round carding a 2-under 68. The only blemish on the UCLA Bruins’ scorecard was a double-bogey on the par-4 16th hole before closing with a 2-under 33 back-nine.
“Today I got off to a good start, I eagled I think the fourth or fifth hole and then made a double after that and turned at even-par,” said Garrick “ On the back I gave myself some opportunities and made a couple more birdies coming in.”
A trio of players lead the way for the Canadian contingent in a tie for third including Team Canada’s Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont. who carded a second round 2-under 68. Conners hopes to continue his strong play heading into the final 36 holes after a runner-up finish at this championship last season.
“I was pretty disappointed last year, so I want to make sure I don’t do anything silly and and jeopardize winning the tournament,” Conners said. “Basically the plan is to stick to my game plan and just stay relaxed, take it one shot at a time and do my own thing.”
Blair Hamilton of Burlington, Ont. and Winnipeg’s Bret Thompson share third place alongside Conners at 6-under par. Hamilton and Thompson both posted 4-under 68’s at Southwood to soar up the leaderboard on Tuesday.
In the Willingdon Cup team competition, Team Ontario’s squad of Conners, Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont. and Chris Hemmerich of Kitchener, Ont. captured the title by eight strokes. The Team Canada trio carded a 2-under 138 second round team total to finish the championship at 9-under 275 ahead of Alberta’s A.J. Armstrong of St. Albert, Banff’s Jack Wood and Tyler Saunders of Sturgeon Country.
For a full field list as well as starting times, live scoring and post-round results for the 110th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, click here.
Bullington and Garrick share lead at Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship
August 4, 2014
Winnipeg, Man. – Brian Bullington and Jonathan Garrick share top spot on the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship leaderboard after opening with 6-under 66’s.
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS | TEAM RESULTS
Bullington of Frankfort, Ill., played on the morning side of the draw at Southwood Golf and Country Club. He carded a 4-under 32 closing nine that was highlighted by four birdies over his final seven holes to vault into the early lead.
“I made like a 35-footer footer on No. 1 and on No. 2 I didn’t get up and down, I hit a spike mark which kind of kicked me into gear,” Bullington said. “I birdied the next three which was awesome and I knew that No. 7 was straight downwind so I knew if I could get that I’d probably be in a good position.”
Playing in the final pairing of the day Jonathan Garrick of Atherton, Calif., matched Bullington’s round with a bogey-free 6-under 66. The UCLA Bruins’ junior birdied his two final holes to grab top spot heading into Tuesday’s second round that will be split between Elmhurst and Southwood Golf and Country Club.
“I birdied No. 10 to start of the back nine and in the middle I made one more but then missed a few opportunities, it was good to finish with two birdies,” Garrick said. “I’ve been playing well but I haven’t been scoring well, I’ve just been kind of waiting for it to all come together and it seems like this week it’s going to go that way.”
Leading the way for the Canadian contingent was Manitoba’s Josh Wytinck and Team Canada’s Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont. who opened with a pair of 5-under 67’s. Wytinck of Glenboro, Man. carded seven birdies on Monday, while an eagle on the par-5 fifth hole highlighted Rank’s round.
“I’ve just been hitting it so well and usually when I feel pressure or nerves it’s usually when I’m not playing well,” Wytinck who plays for the University of Manitoba Bisons’ said. “I’ve been playing so well that I’m very confident in myself that if I made putts I’d shoot something like this.”
Colombia’s Ricardo Celia shares third place alongside Rank and Wytinck. Celia finished tied for fourth at the 2013 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship and opened his 2014 campaign with six birdies at Southwood Golf and Country Club.
In the Willingdon Cup team competition, Team Ontario’s squad of Rank, Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont. and Chris Hemmerich of Kitchener, Ont. lead the pack after opening with a 7-under 137 team total. Alberta’s A.J. Armstrong of St. Albert, Banff’s Jack Wood and Tyler Saunders of Sturgeon Country trail the trio of Team Canada’s National Squad members by three strokes heading into Tuesday’s final day of Willngdon Cup action.
Monday’s opening round was contested at both Elmhurst Golf and Country Club and Southwood Golf and Country Club. Robert Ellis of St. Catharines, Ont. and Sam Saunders of Albuquerque, New Mexico carded the low rounds of the day at Elmhurst after posting 3-under 67′s to sit in a tie for 11th.
For a full field list as well as starting times, live scoring and post-round results for the 110th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, click here.
Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship heads to Winnipeg
July 31, 2014
Winnipeg, Man. – Top male amateur golfers from Australia, Canada, Colombia, New Zealand and the United States will vie for national supremacy at the 2014 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.
The championship will be contested August 1-7 at both Elmhurst Golf and Country Club and Southwood Golf and Country Club in Winnipeg. The Canadian Men’s Amateur Qualifier will be held on Friday, August 1 at Elmhurst Golf and Country Club. The practice rounds along with the first 36 holes of the championship will be held at both clubs with the final two days contested at Elmhurst Golf and Country Club.
“We are thrilled to bring another national championship back to Winnipeg,” said Adam Helmer, Tournament Director. “The field is very strong this year and both golf courses will certainly challenge some of the world’s top amateur players this week.”
The winner of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship will earn exemptions into both the 2015 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club, as well as the 2014 U.S. Amateur Championship. Additionally, the winner is eligible to receive exemptions into the U.S. Junior Amateur, U.S. Mid-Amateur and the USGA Senior Amateur Championship, if applicable.
The 240-player field is led this year by Team Canada’s Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., alongside his teammates, Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C. and Chris Hemmerich of Kitchener, Ont., who all ranked inside the Top-100 on the World Amateur Golf rankings. Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont. sits narrowly outside at No. 109.
A recent graduate of the Kent State University Golden Flashes, Conners is the field’s highest ranked Canadian at No. 33 in world. In 2013, Conners finished runner-up at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship in Victoria and was a semi-finalist at the U.S. Men’s Amateur Championship. His teammate Pendrith recently finished T43 at the RBC Canadian Open and also captured the prestigious Monroe Invitational in June.
Ranked inside the Top-55 in the world, California’s Rico Hoey (No. 27) and Lee McCoy (No. 53) of New Pork Richey, Fla., will also vie for the historic Earl Grey Trophy.
In 2008, Elmhurst Golf and Country Club played host to the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship and co-hosted the 2011 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, while Southwood Golf and Country Club recently hosted the 2014 Canadian University/College Championship.
“Everyone at Elmhurst has been looking forward to hosting the Canadian Men’s Amateur as part of our centennial celebrations,” said Dave McMillan, Director of Golf Operations at Elmhurst. “The members have rallied around this championship and we’re working really hard to make this a memorable experience for everyone involved.”
Additionally, teams will compete for the Willingdon Cup that will take place in conjunction with the first two rounds, with three-member teams competing towards an overall team total. Team British Columbia captured the title in 2013, finishing one-strokes ahead of Team Ontario. This year Team Yukon and Team Northwest Territories will also be competing in the competition.
The final spots (minimum of five) into the field will be determined at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Qualifier on Friday, August 1. Pairings and start times for the qualifier can be found here.
After the first two rounds the field will be reduced to the low 70 players and ties for the final 36 holes of the championship finishing on Thursday, August 7 at Elmhurst Golf and Country Club. In addition, admission is free to all spectators throughout the week.
For a full field list as well as starting times, live scoring and post-round results for the 110th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, click here.