By: Dan Pino
HAMPTON, N.B. – The NextGen Fall Series East Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, wrapped up at Hampton Golf Club Sunday with Andreas Diogenous of Cambridge, Ont. and Kelly Zhao of Richmond Hill, Ont. topping a field of 63 young amateurs to take home the respective Junior Boys and Girls titles.
Conditions played tough at Hampton Golf Club with 30 km winds during the first two rounds of the tournament and downpour rain during the final round.
In the Junior Girls Division, Zhao, a member of Station Creek Golf Club, used a final-round 75 and tournament-total 15-over 228 (76-77-75—228) to cruise to an eight-shot win over Emily McKee of Oakville, Ont. (+23). Carlee Meilleur of Lansdowne, Ont. (+32) finished alone in the third while Lindsay McGrath of Oakville, Ont. (+34) and Genevieve Jobin-Colgan of Quebec City, Que. (+37) rounded out the top-5.
Meilleur used rounds of 86-79-80 to win the Bantam Division title by 10 shots over Kali Yeske of Calgary (+42) and Mia Poirier of Victoriaville, Que. (+42).
Diogenous, a 3-year Team Ontario member who plays out of Whistlebear Golf Club, came into Sunday with a four-shot lead and carded a final-round 78 and tournament total 17-over 23 (78-74-78—230) to finish with a two-shot victory over Antoine Jasmin of Blainville, Que.
Jasmin, who’s final round 73 was the low round of the day, finished at 19-over for the tournament (85-74-73—232). Isaiah Ibit of Orleans, Ont. (+21) finished alone in third while Toronto native Matteo Rocco was fourth at 23-over for the championship.
Charly Pinel of Beaumont, Que., who finished T5 in the Junior Division at 26-over 239 used rounds of 82-79-78 to win the Bantam Division by three shots over Chase Jerome of Ottawa, Ont. (+29).
CLICK HERE for complete final scoring results from the NextGen Fall Series East Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards.
The top three female golfers (including ties) have earned exemptions into next year’s Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO, August 1-4, 2023, also at Hampton Golf Club while the top three male competitors have earned a spot in the 2023 Canadian Jr Boys Championship, presented by BDO.
The NextGen Fall Series East Championship is the second-last of Golf Canada’s regional junior championships presented in partnership with JOURNIE Rewards. The final stop – the NextGen Fall Series West Championship will run Sept. 23-25 at Golden Golf Club in Golden, B.C.
The NextGen Championships, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards is a high-performance junior golf series which totals eight competitions. From May to July, six championships will take place across Canada where the region’s best junior golfers will compete to earn exemptions into their respective 2022 national championships, with two Fall Series events taking place in September. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf.