By: John Chidley-Hill

OTTAWA – Judged purely on number of fans and the volume of their cheers, Brooke Henderson appeared to be the runaway winner of the CP Women’s Open.

But the all-time winningest professional golfer in Canadian history finished 14 shots back of South Africa’s Paula Reto to tie for 49th at the national championship on Sunday. Reto shot a final round of 4-under 67 to win her first-ever LPGA Tour title by one stroke at 19-under overall.

“It was amazing,” said Henderson of the hundreds of fans that followed her around Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club. “I didn’t necessarily expect that because I was thinking, you know, they should go and see some really good golf happening.

“It’s amazing that they were out there the whole time, just so many people. I felt the love all week.”

Reto’s 4-under round was enough to lift her over third round co-leaders Narin An (72) and Hye-Jin Choi (69) of South Korea. It was also just enough to fend off a late charge from Nelly Korda (67) of the United States.

“I was trying not to watch the leaderboard,” said Reto, who played in the day’s final group with An and Choi. “I sort of knew where the girls in my group were, so I was just trying to make sure I stayed with them or maybe one or two ahead.

“That was the only thing I could control. You can’t do too much.”

A win would have lifted Korda back into the top spot on the women’s world golf rankings. She dropped down the standings after having to take time off due to a blood clot in her arm.

“I think I had a decent shot at it,” said Korda. “I played good golf, and honestly, I’m just grateful that I am playing golf and I’m out here, and I’m enjoying every second of it.”

Reto fired a course-record 9-under 62 at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club in Thursday’s first round, besting Henderson’s former mark of 63 set at the 2017 CP Women’s Open. American Lindy Duncan matched Reto’s record in the second round, split over Friday and Saturday due to a rain delay.

Despite Reto’s consistently strong performance, Henderson remained the star of the show.

Growing up in nearby Smiths Falls, Ont., the 24-year-old Henderson’s image was used extensively in promotional materials, from decals on hotel windows, to wraps on the grandstands, and even hand-held signs of her face for children to hold.

Even as Henderson made par on her final hole of the day fans chanted her name, whistled, and cheered.

“It’s hard to put into words how much that means to me,” said Henderson. “I’m a Canadian and everyone out here is proud to be Canadian too, so it was just a great week.”

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (67) finished tied for 17th at 10 under. It’s the third time that Sharp has earned the Sandra Post Award given to the low Canadian at the tournament.

Maddie Szeryk (71) of London, Ont., tied for 26th at 9 under for her best-ever finish on the LPGA Tour.

Amateur Lauren Zaretsky (73) of Thornhill, Ont., was 75th at 1 over and Toronto’s Rebecca Lee-Bentham (72) tied for 76th at 2 over.

Golf Canada said that more than 75,000 fans attended Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club over the week, an all-time record for the women’s championship and an impressive rebound after it had to be cancelled in 2020 and 2021. Those ticket sales are a 55-per-cent increase over 2017 when the tournament was last at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, which was the previous benchmark for the event.

“From fans, from commercials, from amateurs, from our field, it has just been a dream scenario being here for the 2022 CP Women’s Open,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum, who added that the only way it could have been better was if a Canadian had won the national open.

It was also a boon for Ottawa’s beleaguered tourism industry that has not yet recovered from the damage done by the COVID-19 pandemic or the anti-government convoy that occupied Canada’s capital in February and March. Tourism Ottawa projected that the golf tournament would have an economic impact of $13.4 million in the region.

Tournament director Ryan Paul said that Ottawa’s unique geographic position on the border between two of Canada’s most populous provinces was also a benefit.

“Anywhere we can host and bring in from multiple markets is big for us,” said Paul. “Bringing this event across the country and bringing it to new markets, whether they be Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, even Montreal, Regina, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, everywhere we’ve been has their benefits.”

Vancouver’s Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club is set to host the CP Women’s Open in 2023 after it was set to host cancelled events in 2020 and 2021. No host venue has been named for 2024.

By: John Chidley-Hill

OTTAWA – Canada’s Maddie Szeryk has proven to herself that she can compete on the LPGA Tour.

Szeryk, from London, Ont., had her best-ever performance on the world’s top women’s golf circuit this past week, finishing in a tie for 26th at the CP Women’s Open. She closed out the national championship with an even-par 71 at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club on Sunday to finish at 9 under overall.

“It’s really special. I definitely got a little choked up on No. 18, just the crowd and everyone coming out and being so supportive,” said Szeryk, steps away from the grandstand surrounding the course’s final hole. “It was really special.”

The 26-year-old Szeryk missed the cut at six consecutive tournaments to start her first full season on the LPGA Tour. She and partner Kristy McPherson of the United States tied for 36th at Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational on July 13, earning her US$$4,841 in winnings.

She earned more than quadruple that at the CP Women’s Open, taking home $19,701.

“I was hoping for a few more birdies, but overall it was a great week,” said Szeryk. “I’m really, really happy with the result.

“It was just awesome to have such a good week at the CP Women’s Open.”

Szeryk turned professional in 2018 and tied for 35th in the LPGA Q-Series to earn a tour card this season. Her showing at the CP Women’s Open will lift her from 184th to 158th in the Race to the CME Globe standings and opens up new opportunities to maintain her tour status.

She’ll be in the field at next week’s Dana Open at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, Ohio, and will play in the rest of September’s events as well.

“It’s very nice because it’s a been a lot of last-minute trips this year,” said Szeryk. “At least I know the next few and I can go from there.”

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (67) earned the third Sandra Post Award of her career as the low Canadian at the national championship, tying for 17th at 10 under. Like Szeryk, the 41-year-old Sharp said it will be a benefit to her and may help her avoid having to re-qualify for the LPGA Tour.

“When I do make the cut at the Canadian Open I usually do pretty well, so it was nice to have a good finish here,” said Sharp. “That’ll definitely get me into Q-Series, the last stage, so I don’t have to do Q-II, so that’s a huge thing, too.

“Hopefully I can keep this momentum going and I don’t have to even do that.”

World No. 5 Brooke Henderson (69) of Smiths Falls, Ont., tied for 49th at 5 under. Amateur Lauren Zarestky (73) of Thornhill, Ont., who starts at Texas Tech on Monday, finished 75th at 1 over. Toronto’s Rebecca Lee-Bentham (72) tied for 76th at 2 over.

By: United States Golf Association

FRANCE – Canada’s trio of Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C., Nicole Gal of Oakville, Ont., and Brooke Rivers of Brampton, Ont., finished in tie for seventh place at the 2022 World Amateur Team Championship in France this week.

The Canadians combined for a total score of 2-under-par on the tournament and were lead by Rivers who finished T10 in the Espirito Santo individual competition. The 17-year-old Rivers fired rounds of 75-70-71-69 to close her championship at 1-under-par.

Kim was T33, while Gal finished T64 in 164-player field which included representatives from 56 countries.

The top-10 result matches Canada’s efforts from the 2018 World Amateur Team Championship where Maddie Szeryk, Jaclyn Lee and Naomi Ko teamed up for a seventh place finish.

Sweden won the Espirito Santo Trophy for the third time on a tiebreaker over the hard-charging USA at the 29th Women’s World Amateur Team Championship at Golf de Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche on Saturday.

The Swedes and Americans tied at 13-under par 559 but after comparing non-counting scores, a 1-over-par 73 from Sweden’s Louise Rydqvist was one stroke better than Rachel Kuehn’s 74 giving Sweden the gold medal and the USA the silver. One stroke behind at 560, Germany and Japan tied for the bronze-medal position.

Ingrid Lindblad, ranked No 2 in the world, fired a 3-under 69 and Meja Ortengren added a 2-under 70 as Sweden made up five strokes on Germany, who held the 54-hole.

“Yesterday we were on our way to good scores (at Le Golf National), and we lost everything in the end,” said Sweden’s head of delegation Fredrik Wetterstrand. “Today, everything went our way, our scores and the other team’s scores. I admit it was a little lucky today. Our team played really well. They were fighting hard on the course, and they did it together”

In winning its first medal since capturing bronze in Turkey in 2012, Sweden rebounded from a disappointing fourth-place position in Round 3 after holding the 36-hole lead.

“I knew pretty much all day that I had a counting score,” said Lindblad. “We knew that after yesterday at Le Golf National we would have to go for it whether we finished second or 14th. Meja made about a seven-footer for par on the 18th which was so important for us. That was great.”

The USA, which began the day four strokes behind Germany, battled its way to a one-stroke lead on the tee of the 72nd hole after a birdie on the 17th by No.1-ranked Rose Zhang.

Zhang, a member of Stanford University’s 2022 NCAA Women’s Division I Championship team, missed the green with her approach on 18 and could not convert a par-saving putt that brought on the tiebreaker. She finished with a 3-under 69 and Stanford and USA Curtis Cup teammate Rachel Heck shot 70.

“There is obviously that tinge of disappointment,” Zhang said. “On that last putt, I actually hit a really good putt exactly where I wanted but it just didn’t go in the hole. It was disappointing to end that way, but I am really proud of how we fought back on the last day.”

Germany could not find its form of Round 3 and posted a fourth-round 145 left them tied with Japan, who held a short-lived lead early in the round based on a 4-under 68 from Mizuki Hashimoto, the 2021 Asia Pacific Amateur champion. Teammates Saki Baba, the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur champion, and Mika Ueta both shot 70.

Helen Briem led Germany with an even par 72 and Celina Rosa Sattelkau shot 73.

“It wasn’t our day, but the girls kept fighting,” said Germany captain Pia Gassner, who played in the WWATC in 2008 and 2010. “It was so close that we knew we needed to make birdies, but we just couldn’t make them. We didn’t lose the gold today; we won the bronze.”

Spain, who held a late lead, was fifth at 561, Chinese Taipei was sixth at 566, Canada and Scotland tied for seventh at 570 and the Czech Republic and the Republic of Korea tied for ninth at 572.

The winning team receives custody of the Espirito Santo Trophy until the next World Amateur Team Championship in Dubai, UAE, in October of 2023. Members of the winning team receive gold medals; members of the second-place team receive silver medals; and members of the third-place teams receive bronze medals.

Although there is no official recognition, Sweden’s Ortengren, Germany’s Briem and the USA’s Zhang tied for the low individual score at 7-under-par 279.

By: John Chidley-Hill

OTTAWA – Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont., is the low Canadian after three rounds. She shot a 2-under 69 to finish the day tied for 11th at 9 under. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (68) was tied for 33rd at 6 under.

“You know, it’s the Canadian Open. It’s a major for us. All the friends and family are here, and just to play well in front of the Canadian crowd is really special,” said Szeryk.

Most freshmen spend their first week of university buying books and meeting new people. Lauren Zaretsky is playing in her first LPGA Tour event.

The 18-year-old from Thornhill, Ont., delayed her arrival at Texas Tech by a week so she could play at the CP Women’s Open. Betting on herself has paid dividends as Zaretsky is the only Canadian amateur to make the cut at the national women’s golf championship.

“It just brings good momentum coming in,” said Zaretsky of playing the LPGA event before beginning her collegiate career. “I know what it takes to get on the Tour and I think I belong and I’ve just got to keep grinding.”

That grind will continue on Monday when Zaretsky has to travel to Lubbock, Texas, for her first day of school. She’ll go from the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club to Toronto’s Pearson Airport to Dallas-Fort Worth Airport before finishing her sojourn with an hour-long flight to Lubbock.

Two days later Zaretsky and her Red Raiders teammates will travel to Pebble Beach, Calif., for the Carmel Cup, the first NCAA golf tournament of the season.

“It’s going to be tough because it’s just a small goodbye to my family, but I know that a lot of success and a lot of hard work is going to come out of it,” said Zaretsky, who had her family with her at the CP Women’s Open. “So I’ll come back even stronger.”

Jojo Robertson, the head coach of the Texas Tech women’s golf team, said she was already impressed with Zaretsky’s maturity and is eager for her to arrive in Lubbock.

“Her team is supportive of her. They’re ready for her to get here and join them,” said Robertson over the phone. “We never hesitated that she should have the opportunity to play in this great tournament that she’s in right now.”

Zaretsky won the Canadian women’s amateur in 2021 which would normally be an automatic berth into the CP Women’s Open. However, the national women’s championship was cancelled last year because of COVID-19, so Golf Canada saved her a spot in this year’s CP Women’s Open allowing her to still benefit from winning the amateur.

She showed some of the fire that won her the women’s amateur on Saturday. She pumped her fist after birdieing the final hole of her third round, finishing the day 2-over 73 to sit in a tie for 71st at 1 under.

“It was a struggle the last few holes so to get that putt in for birdie was really nice and to have it in front of the crowd, I had to fist pump,” said Zaretsky. “I like the big crowds and I’m very confident I like to do my fist pump.”

World No. 5 Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., struggled to a 2-over 73 to drop into a tie for 60th at 3 under. Toronto’s Rebecca Lee-Bentham (74) was 77th at 1 over.

Two former teammates are tied atop the leaderboard at the CP Women’s Open, vying for their first wins on the LPGA Tour.

South Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi and Narin An are tied at 16-under overall after three rounds at the Canadian women’s golf championship. They played together last month at the Dow Great Lakes Invitational and have known each other for more than five years after playing against each other in Asia.

“It was only about a month ago that we played on the same team and played well,” said Choi, who was paired with An and American Lindy Duncan on Saturday. “Obviously, we’re both focusing on our individual play when we played together today, but I hope we both play well tomorrow and put up a good score.”

An, the tournament’s second-round leader, shot a 3-under 68 to stay atop the leaderboard. Choi fired a 5-under 66 to move up into a tie with An.

“I didn’t like my play today as much as I did yesterday and two days ago,” said An. “But I think not making any big mistakes is a positive to take away.”

South Africa’s Paula Reto (67), the first-round leader after setting a course record at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club on Thursday, sat in third. Sarah Schmelzel (66) and Nelly Korda (68) of the United States were tied for fourth at 14 under.

If Korda wins the tournament she will reclaim the top spot in the women’s world golf rankings.

“At the end of the day, you’re not going to move up the leaderboard unless you make the putts,” said Korda. “I’m going to go to the range, try and get my swing in order, because I was kind of hitting it all over the place on the front nine.

“Hopefully I can get a one good one going tomorrow.”

For the full leaderboard click here.

By: John Chidley-Hill

OTTAWA – Lorie Kane patted her heart to thank the hundreds of fans cheering for her as she walked up the 18th fairway at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club.

Behind Kane, her niece Charlotte Jenkins _ who served as her caddie _ waved the crowd on to get the chants even louder. When Kane reached the edge of the green she took a bow to rapturous applause.

The loving tribute was a fitting farewell for one of the most successful and influential golfers in Canadian history.

Kane, who turns 58 this December, had already announced that this year’s CP Women’s Open would be her last. As it was clear she would miss Friday’s cut, fans, officials and volunteers came out to watch her last round ever at the national women’s golf championship.

“It’s very humbling,” said Kane about the ovation. “I love to entertain, but when it’s directed totally at you, it’s really ? it’s uncomfortable.”

That instinct to entertain lasted right through her final two holes.

On the hockey-themed No. 17, Kane pulled on a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey, wearing a mischievous grin as chants of “Lorie! Lorie!” turned into boos and calls of “Go Sens!” and “Anybody but the Leafs!” She stopped to fist bump only one fan at that hole, pointing at his Maple Leafs windbreaker before tossing him a keepsake.

“I just played golf to put smiles on people’s faces,” said Kane. “I know the Leafs jersey didn’t go over quite as well as I would have hoped, but it was fun.”

After the rousing ovation on her approach on the 18th hole Kane missed her first putt. As the crowd groaned she made an exaggerated shrug to laughs before tapping in her final shot, finishing 28 over.

Kane thanked Hamilton’s Alena Sharp and Australia’s Sarah Jane Smith, her playing partners on Friday and Saturday, as she grinded out her final two rounds at the CP Women’s Open.

Sharp shot a 1-over 72 to finish the day tied for 57th at 3-under par when play was called due to darkness. She said it was an honour to play alongside Kane, who had been such a positive influence on her career.

“I grew up watching her and then playing with her out here on the LPGA Tour, it’s great. She’s a legend,” said Sharp. “It’s cool to be part of (Kane’s final rounds).

“With all of her successes I think it gave everybody inspiration to play well. You can win on the LPGA Tour.”

Kane, from Charlottetown, won on the LPGA Tour four times. She won the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as The Canadian Press’s female athlete of the year in 2000. She was named to the Order of Canada in 2006 and has been inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Maddie Szeryk (68) of London, Ont., was the low Canadian after two rounds. She had her second consecutive bogey-free day to sit in a tie for 13th at 7 under.

“I just played really solid. I hit a bunch of greens and putted it OK,” said Szeryk, who had back-to-back bogey-free rounds for the first time in her career.

Brooke Henderson, from nearby Smiths Falls, Ont., shot a 3-under 68 to sit at 5 under in a tie for 32nd. Amateur Lauren Zaretsky (71) of Thornhill, Ont., also made the cut, tied with Sharp at 3 under.

Toronto’s Rebecca Lee-Bentham was through 15 holes and sat at 4 under when the horn sounded. She will resume her second round early Saturday morning, looking to stay below the 2 under cutline.

Several Canadians missed the cut on Friday. Selena Costabile, also from Thornhill, Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., Valerie Tanguay of St-Hyacinthe, Que., Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., and Megan Osland of Kelowna, B.C., will not play in the third or fourth rounds.

Amateurs Vanessa Zhang, Michelle Liu and 12-year-old Lucy Lin, all from Vancouver, will not play the weekend rounds. Amateurs Katie Cranston of Oakville, Ont., Savannah Grewal of Mississauga, Ont., Yeji Kwon of Port Coquitlam, B.C., Sarah-Eve Rheaume of Boischatel, Que., and Monet Chun of Richmond Hill, Ont., also missed the cut.

THORNHILL, Ont – Charles Fitzsimmons could not have scripted a better homecoming if he tried.

The North York, Ont. product carded an even-par 70 to win the 2022 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship at his home course, The Thornhill Club in Thornhill, Ont.

“It’s a dream come true,” said Fitzsimmons.

With the win, the 35-year-old defends his title from 2021 at Fort McMurray Golf Club in Fort McMurray, Alta., and once again etches his name in the President’s Cup.

“[This one] feels even better,” said Fitzsimmons. “To do it here, to defend… it’s hard to put into words right now, it’s still kind of sinking in but it’s pretty special. This place has meant so much to me, to my family and to be able to win here is just awesome.”

Fitzsimmons grabbed a share of the lead in Tuesday’s opening round and didn’t falter. A steady diet of birdies and pars outweighed the few bogeys he made en route to the national championship. Rounds of 68, 67, 70 and 70 – all even par or better – totalled for a score of 5-under-par 275 and a five-stroke triumph.

On Friday, the lead slipped down to no less than three strokes, but even at that, Fitzsimmons says he was feeling the nerves.

“There were moments where I felt really calm and in control and good, and then moments where I felt nervous and a little more uncertain about how things were going to go,” said Fitzsimmons. “It was definitely a bit of a mental grind at times but, again, I just always felt the warmth and the support from the Club and there’s so many great members here, it was able to bring me back.”

With the win, Fitzsimmons ears an exemption into the 2023 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

Curtis Markusson was crowned champion of the Men’s Mid-Master division – a subdivision for players 40 and over – and with it, was awarded the Canadian Men’s Mid-Master Trophy.

“Well, I feel old, but also it feels great because like I said earlier, it takes a thousand swings to get here, and it’s on the bucket list so it’s quite emotional,” said Markusson.

Admittedly, it wasn’t the 41-year-old’s best round of golf, but he held on to win by one stroke over Rob Couture (Dallas, Texas) and Mike Dinner (Burlington, Ont.). Markusson says he knew exactly where he stood in crunch time.

“We’re leaderboard watchers whenever you’re in the thick [of things],” said the Gimli, Man. native. “We figured we have to grind in, and we saw some mistakes and knew that we’d just have to bring it in, but the stressful three pars coming in isn’t easy.”

Markusson got up-and-down for par out of the greenside bunker on No. 17 and rolled in a two-foot par putt on No. 18 to clinch the title.

Warren Sellors, of Hudson, Que., finished as this year’s runner-up at even-par on the tournament. Sellors’ 4-under-par 66 in Wednesday’s second round matched the low score of the week and propelled him up the leaderboard. He closed the competition with a 1-under 69 to vault into second place.

Brett Nymeyer (+2), Ryan Tsang (+3) and Barrett Jarosch (+4) round out the top five. The top-10 finishers and ties will earn a direct exemption into the 2023 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship at a location to be determined. 

Earlier in the week, On Wednesday, Team Ontario claimed the R. Bruce Forbes Trophy as champions of the Interprovincial Team competition. The victory marked the sixth consecutive provincial title for Ontario and 16^th in the 29-year history of the team event.

For full results click here.

By: John Chidley-Hill

OTTAWA – Hundreds of fans followed local hero Brooke Henderson around Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, even as her five-year-old course record was falling elsewhere.

South Africa’s Paula Reto fired a 9-under 62 to rocket up the leaderboard for a two-stroke lead in the first round of the CP Women’s Open on Thursday. That topped Henderson’s 8-under 63 in 2017 when the Canadian national women’s championship was last held in Ottawa.

Reto wasn’t even aware she was making history until she came off the ninth green, having started her round on No. 10.

“I didn’t know it was the course record, so kind of finding out after my round takes the pressure off,” said Reto, who learned about her new record from an LPGA official as she approached reporters for a post-round interview.

“I’m happy about it. You know, I’m hoping to do some more good rounds coming here.”

Reto set a blistering pace in her first nine holes with six birdies to start her day. A birdie on the par-5 No. 9 to finish her day clinched the record.

“Usually when I make two, three, birdies I feel like it’s going to be a good day whether I either make a few more or not,” said Reto. “Under par is always good but to go low is fun and to have no bogeys.”

South Korea’s Narin An sat in sole possession of second after a 7-under 64. Americans Robyn Ree, Lilia Vu, and Emma Talley were tied for third at 6-under 65.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp and Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont., were the low Canadians, finishing the day tied for 16th at 4-under 67. Amateur Lauren Zaretsky of Thornhill, Ont., had a hole-in-one to finish her round in a group tied for 30th.

“I just came in with no expectations, really,” said Sharp. “Just wanted to get a good feel on that first nine, make good decisions and hit some good shots, and putts went in.”

Henderson, from nearby Smiths Falls, Ont., and Selena Costabile of Thornhill were tied for 51st at 2 under.

Despite an underwhelming first-round result, the 24-year-old Henderson remained the star of the show. As the winningest professional in Canadian golf history _ regardless of gender _ and a local hero, she drew fans wherever she went around her home course.

“It was unreal. It’s so cool to have that much love and support,” said a smiling Henderson. “They’re happy even when I bogeyed the last hole. They were still cheering for me.

“It’s just an amazing feeling and I can’t wait for hopefully a better day tomorrow, and just can’t wait to hear some bigger roars.”

Henderson had a hot start, with three straight birdies to open her round to the delight of the large gallery that followed her around the course. However, a bogey on her fifth hole and then two more on her 16th and 18th holes submarined her day.

The 12-time LPGA champion seemed relaxed and confident despite the disappointing finish.

“I was hitting the ball well, playing pretty well, too. I feel like the score doesn’t show as well as I played,” said Henderson. “I was just trying to embrace the fans and enjoy the moment.”

The CP Women’s Open has not been held since 2019 because the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the event in back-to-back years.

THORNHILL, Ont. – The rain came and went on Thursday at The Thornhill Club, but, as it has all week, Charles Fitzsimmons’ lead remained through three rounds of the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, presented by BDO.

Fitzsimmons didn’t even make it to the fairway on No. 1 before the rain started coming down. It was relentless, but so was he. Through the downpour, Fitzsimmons made a pair of birdies in his opening three holes to increase his lead to six shots in that moment. Bogeys on Nos. 6 and 7 offset the early birdies to re-establish the four-stroke lead that the defending champion will hold going into tomorrow’s final round.

“It brought me back to being a kid out there. No one would want to play, so I had the course to myself,” said Fitzsimmons of the heavy rain in the early stages of his round.

“I really just tried to hit a golf shot, then try to hit another and was fortunate enough to hit a couple of good ones and make some putts. Honestly, kind of a little surprised that it got off to such a good start in such tough conditions but that was nice.”

Fitzsimmons, who was born in North York but has since relocated to London, Ont., not only has an advantage on the golf course going into the final 18 holes, but off the playing surface as well. The Western University alumnus graduated with a PhD in Sports Psychology and now works as a Mental Performance Coach. If there’s anyone that can block out tomorrow’s noise, Fitzsimmons is as safe a bet as they come.

“It’s been a huge part of my development as a player and what’s helped me to get better over time and to be bale to stay calm and focused under pressure so that I can get some wins and play well in these bigger events,” said the 2021 Men’s Mid-Am champion. “There’s nothing that makes me happier than be able to coach somebody and help them to play better, but obviously it helps my own game too so it’s kind of nice that way.”

Fitzsimmons shot an even-par 70 on the day and will vie for his second consecutive Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship on Friday.

Ryan Tsang and Curtis Markusson are the men chasing him. Tsang also carded an even-par 70 to remain four strokes back of the lead. The Thornhill, Ont., native got out to a bumpy start, making bogeys on holes 1 and 6, but Tsang found his mojo with birdies on 8 and 9.

“Early in the day was lots of rain, so I tried to keep it together [and] not get too wet,” said Tsang. “Overall, played pretty good; parred every single hole on the back nine, really big par on 15 and really big par on 18.”

As for his game plan tomorrow: “Just go out there and have fun.”

Markusson is five off the lead following a one-over par 71. The Gimli, Man., native posted two bogeys, one birdie and 15 pars in the third round. He, too, is just looking to have fun on the golf course tomorrow.
“I just prefer playing golf and the competition. It’s such a good atmosphere and there’s so many great players across the country […] If you can’t get excited for this in the game of golf at any time of day, you shouldn’t be golfing,” Markusson laughed.

The 40-year-old holds a four-stroke advantage in the Men’s Mid-Master division – a subdivision for players 40 and over. Mike Dinner is in second place, four strokes shy of Markusson’s lead.

On Wednesday, Team Ontario claimed the R. Bruce Forbes Trophy as champions of the Interprovincial Team competition. The victory marked the sixth consecutive provincial title for Ontario and 16^th in the 29-year history of the team event.

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THORNHILL, Ont. – Team Ontario captured the R. Bruce Forbes Trophy as interprovincial champions at the 2022 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, presented by BDO. In its 29-year history, Ontario has now captured the title a record 16 times.

The trio of Cam Burke, David Lang and Brett Nymeyer combined for a total score of 3-over-par to edge Alberta by a single stroke on Wednesday at The Thornhill Club in Thornhill. Ont. It is the fifth time since the beginning of the event in 1992 that the province has won the trophy on home soil.

Charles Fitzsimmons continued to pace the field in round two as he seeks to defend his national title. For the second consecutive day, the 35-year-old handled his own through difficult conditions and challenging pins at The Thornhill Club, firing a 3-under-par 67 to extend his lead to four at the midway mark of the championship.

A pair of birdies on the front nine kickstarted Fitzsimmons’ round and an encore was delivered on No. 15 by way of an eagle to get the hometown favourite to 3-under on the day.

Curtis Markusson, Ryan Tsang and Warren Sellors made the biggest splashes on Wednesday, each carding rounds of 4-under par 66 to jet up the leaderboard and back into contention. Markusson and Tsang are T2 at 1-under par on the tournament, while Sellors creeped 37 spots up the standings into a tie for fifth.

A bogey to start the day set Markusson back to 4-over-par on the tournament, but that was as far back as the Gimli, Man., native would fall. The 40-year-old converted on seven birdie putts thereafter – including six in an 11-hole stretch – to reposition himself in the thick of the action.

“Just keep going, and kind of forget about the good things as soon as they happen and just think you’re still grinding to try to make the cut,” said Markusson about his hot stretch. “You know, there’s a lot of good players out here and you never know what can happen; a couple of bad swings or a couple of good swings, either way, so you just stayed focused, one shot at a time. You versus you is the mentality basically to play well.”

Markusson, who has relocated to Winnipeg, Man. where he plays at St. Charles Country Club, says lots of green and lots of fairways were the key to his low round today. Monday’s cancelled practice round was taxing for most of the players in the field, but Markusson saw it as a glass half full.

“If you see too much sometimes you get too in your head and you don’t see enough it’s sometimes a good fresh run,” he said. “You visualize it a bit more and you come out the next day and you’re visually set which is nice.”

Markusson’s 66 also gives him the lead in the Mid-Master division – a subdivision for players 40 and over.

Tsang, a native of Thornhill, Ont., capped off a 4-under-par stretch between holes 3-8 with an eagle on the par-5 8^th. Bogeys on Nos. 12 and 14 put a halt on his round, but a pair of birdies down the stretch vaulted him back into a tie for second.

Sellors, out of Hudson, Que., was bogey-free in round two. The runner-up in Quebec’s Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship birdied holes 1, 6 and 8, before dropping a final birdie putt on No. 17 to settle into the top-5 heading into the final two rounds of the championship.

After Wednesday’s second round, the field was cut to the low 70 players and ties, including the low 15 players in the Mid-Master division. Round three is scheduled to tee off at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday.

Quick links:
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Course details
Championship history
Curtis Markusson interview

Earlier this year, Golf Canada and the Golf Canada Foundation announced the creation of a new recognition award to acknowledge and celebrate the commitment of individual leaders who are using golf as a platform to positively impact their communities.

On the eve of the 2022 CP Women’s Open, to honour Canadian golf legend Lorie Kane who will make her 30^th and final playing appearance at Canada’s National Open Championship, Golf Canada has announced that that recognition will be renamed the Lorie Kane Community Spirit Awards.

The inaugural Lorie Kane Community Spirit Awards will recognize a pair of remarkable individuals under two separate categories – the Community Leader Award and the Future Leader Award. 

Kane, a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, Canada Sports Hall of Fame, and recipient of the Order of Canada, has been extremely active in supporting youth and charitable activities during her career. As a CP ambassador, Kane has also supported CP’s charitable platform that has helped to raise more than $13M in support of children’s cardiac care in the host markets of the CP Women’s Open.  

“Lorie Kane has become one of the most active voices and passionate ambassadors for Canadian golf and it is truly deserving that Lorie Kane Community Leader Awards be named in her honour,” said Golf Canada President Liz Hoffman. “Lorie has been generous with her time in mentoring youth in PEI and across Canada, supporting future generations of up and coming athletes and giving back to the game that has meant so much to her incredible career. Lorie has worked with Golf Canada to engage the business community in their greater support of the women’s game and is a champion for our sport both on and off the golf course.” 

The Lorie Kane Community Leader Award will celebrate an individual over the age of 19 with a demonstrated ability to lead community initiatives; someone who has contributed a measurable impact through volunteerism or charity; or an individual who has showcased excellence in their involvement with, or support of youth programs such as First Tee – Canada or other junior golf activities.

The recipient of the Lorie Kane Community Leader Award will receive a $5,000 donation from the Golf Canada Foundation to advance a golf program or golf-related initiative of their choice.

To recognize youth who are making an impact in their community, the Lorie Kane Future Leader Award will honour an individual 19 years of age or younger who embodies community leadership; has a history of sportsmanship or demonstrated activities to make the game more inclusive; or an individual who has used golf to create a meaningful impact in their community.

The recipient of the Lorie Kane Future Leader Award will be awarded a $5,000 donation towards their post-secondary education and will also be offered a paid work internship with Golf Canada.

The Canadian golf community is invited to submit individual nominations for the Lorie Kane Community Spirit Awards through an online nomination form. The nomination period will close at 11:59 pm EST on August 31, 2022.

Click here to nominate an individual for the Lorie Kane Community Leader Award.

Click here to nominate an individual for the Lorie Kane Future Leader Award.

At the conclusion of the nomination period, all Lorie Kane Community Spirit Award submissions will be compiled and evaluated by a selection committee that includes representatives from Golf Canada, the Golf Canada Foundation, Honoured Members of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, industry representatives and the Golf Journalists Association of Canada.

The inaugural Lorie Kane Community Spirit Awards recipients will be announced during the 2022 World Junior Girls Championship, October 12-15 at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont.