By: John Chidley-Hill/Canadian Press

Team Canada’s Brooke Rivers is ready to take the next step in her golf career by following in Arnold Palmer’s footsteps.

Rivers has declared her intention to play for Wake Forest University in the new school year, Palmer’s alma mater. The decision isn’t just based on Palmer’s legacy, but the contemporary reality that the Demon Deacons are the No. 2 ranked women’s golf program in the NCAA.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TEAM CANADA’S BROOKE RIVERS

“I’m very excited to be going to such a top golf school, I will be around girls that are very competitive, and I’ll be able to learn from them and grow my golf game by learning from them,” said Rivers. “I will also be able to play in really high rank tournaments, which again, will expose me to play against really good competition, to better myself.”

Rivers, who was born in Brampton, Ont., and raised in Turks and Caicos, signed on at Wake Forest on Friday along with American Macy Pate. The Canadian said the legacy of Palmer, one of the greatest golfers of all time, was just one of the reasons why she wanted to play for Wake Forest.

“Having very good alumni that come out of school, just shows how great the golf program is,” said Rivers, referring to Palmer who arrived at Wake Forest in 1948 and was the school’s first individual NCAA champion in 1949.

But Rivers’s interest in the college in Winston-Salem, N.C., goes beyond its NCAA ranking or history of producing strong professional golfers. She was attracted to its facilities and the strength of its academic curriculum.

“I’m very excited to use the (Arnold Palmer Golf Complex) practice facilities and all of the technology and different resources that they have available there, as well as the amazing (Old Town Club) golf course,” said Rivers, who intends to study business.

“Everything is very close to the dorms so I will be able to spend my time practising and balance my time management.”

Kim Lewellen, the head coach of Wake Forest’s women’s golf team, said she has kept close tabs on Rivers throughout her junior and amateur career.

“She has a nice athletic stature, hits the ball a long way, and has a good golf IQ,” said Lewellen, who noted that Rivers’s parents Tammy Glugosh and Gregg Rivers are also impressive golfers. “I think she also probably got that from her parents, so this was a total package.”

Although Rivers said she chose Wake Forest to learn from some of the best collegiate golfers in the world, she’s no slouch herself. She impressed Lewellen when she tied for 10th representing Canada at the World Amateur Women’s Team Championship on Aug. 27.

Rivers also won the 2021 North and South Junior Championship and tied for eighth at the Scott Robertson Memorial that same year. In 2020, she won the AJGA Visit Tallahassee Junior Championship and tied for second at the Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship.

She also won the Coca-Cola Junior Championship in 2019 and the Future Links Quebec Championship the same year, and was runner-up at the Ontario Women’s Match Play.

“Golf is a tough game, you can have your good rounds, but you can have your bad rounds and golf can hurt your feelings. You have to have a little bit of thick skin,” said Lewellen. “I think Brooke shows the confidence that you need to have for those days that aren’t great.

“She’s not going to feel sorry for herself.”

By: Adam Stanley/Golf Canada

For the first time since prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Golf Canada had a full slate of amateur championships – from coast-to-coast – contested in 2022. The venues were spectacular, the competition was impressive, and the momentum heading into next season is at an all-time high.

Mary Beth McKenna, the Director of Amateur Championships and Rules for Golf Canada, called 2022 “incredible.” Thirty-two championships were contested, including national, elite junior, qualifiers, or NextGen efforts.

“It’s great to be out at all of our courses, engaging with our member clubs, all the volunteers, and working with our officials and providing playing opportunities to our competitive players,” said McKenna. “It was just a really great year, all-in-all.”

There was, of course, so much momentum behind the game of golf in general in Canada through the COVID-19 pandemic, with the number of recorded rounds by Golf Canada reaching never-before-seen levels. That buzz, McKenna said, was definitely felt through the full summer schedule of Golf Canada championships.

There was success at every level, she continued.

Monet Chun was a perfect example. Chun, the Golf Canada National Team Member, won the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship presented by BDO but also went on to play in the finals of the U.S. Women’s Amateur and teed it up at the CP Women’s Open. There was also Shelly Stouffer, who won the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and proceeded to go on and win the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur plus the Canadian Senior Amateur.

“There were just so many great champions along the way,” said McKenna, pointing as well to the spectacular play of 12-year-old Lucy Lin. “Just to see the progression of some of these players through the calendar year… was just incredible. It was just great to be back at our host clubs seeing the dramatics of amateur golf and seeing their success throughout the summer.”

Golf Canada’s key partners also played an important role in the support and amplification of the amateur championships through 2022. There were also new sponsors like BDO, which came on board as the presenting sponsor of all of the amateur championships and Sargent Farms, which sponsored the World Junior Girls Championship.

“It’s certainly important to support our amateur championships. It just elevates our championships into premiere events. We were so fortunate this year having a number of new partners,” said McKenna. “In concert with our national partners with Titleist, Canadian Pacific, and Levelwear, just the continued support makes our events better and better for our players.”

While the partners play an important role in continuing to elevate the championships, the golf courses where they take place are also important. They could not be played without venues, of course.

In 2022 golfers had the opportunity to tee it up at such fine facilities as Royal Colwood Golf Club in Victoria, B.C., TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, Westmount Golf and Country Club in Kitchener, Ontario, The Marshes in Ottawa, Point Grey Golf and Country Club in Vancouver, The Thornhill Club, Essex Golf and Country Club near Windsor, Breezy Bend Country Club in Manitoba, and Red Deer Golf and Country Club – just to name a few.

While not all the golf courses are confirmed for 2023 yet, McKenna said her team is particularly thrilled to bring the Men’s Amateur to The Pulpit Club’s two courses, plus Ashburn Golf Club in Halifax for the Women’s Amateur.

“Across the board,” said McKenna, “we’re going coast to coast at really some incredibly facilities.”

With lots of excitement from a fabulous 2022, great players, and amazing courses ready to host, 2023 is set to be another fantastic year of Golf Canada championships.

By: Adam Stanley/Golf Canada

Golf is all about community – friends, family, your local club or course. Everything is connected. It’s part of what makes this game so great.

The Canadian golf community was struck a blow this weekend as tropical storm Fiona impacted in the Atlantic provinces with wind speeds up to 177 km/h and sustained winds of over 100 km/h blowing for up to 10 hours in parts of the Maritimes.

Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, said the army would be deployed to help with clean-up efforts.

“This is hands down the most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” journalist Rene Roy told the CBC.

“It looks like a bomb went off,” Newfoundland resident David Harvey told the National Post while working with displaced residents at a local Salvation Army.

Nine people are estimated to have died due to the storm, with nearly 13,000 people displaced, and at least 20 buildings destroyed.

One of those buildings was the clubhouse of the Stanhope Golf and Country Club in Charlottetown, P.E.I. It burned down Sept. 24, and the golf course will likely be closed for the balance of the season as there was significant damage there, too.

“This is a real loss for the community. It’s a community club,” said Merlin Affleck, the club’s head professional. “It’s just devastating.”

What’s left of the Stanhope Golf & Country club after a fire. The smell of smoke fills the air #pei #fiona @CTVAtlantic pic.twitter.com/Az5FeSppYG

— Vanessa Lee 李 恬 詩 (@VanessaLeeCTV) September 24, 2022

Plenty of other courses in Eastern Canada escaped from the wrath of the storm relatively unscathed including Cabot Cape Breton, and Digby Pines in western Nova Scotia took to social media to say they were “open as usual.”

Golf Prince Edward Island posted on Twitter on Sunday morning encouraging patience as turf crews assess and clean up any damages. The island is home to more than 25 courses and has long been a popular destination for tourists and Canadians alike to get feet on the fairway.

“Islanders are resilient, and we will get through this together,” the statement said.

pic.twitter.com/KXJVPc4WEB

— Golf PEI (@golfpei) September 25, 2022

After two summers of COVID-19 restrictions, golf in Atlantic Canada was opening its doors at an impressive clip before Fiona made landfall. If there was a silver lining to the time of the storm, the 2022 golf season is much closer to its conclusion than its beginning, and there will hopefully be enough time to get things settled and sorted before shutting things down for the winter.

Ryan Logan, Director of Golf Services at Golf Canada, says it’s no surprise to see the golf community in Eastern Canada band together.

While golf courses in Canada are just starting to exit from the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic – a situation that bonded golf courses unlike ever before – the clubs in eastern Canada will now need to come together again to get things back to relative normalcy before the end of the 2022 season.  

“We’ve seen great strength and heard great stories of community support already,” says Logan. “This was a catastrophic environmental event and Golf Canada knows the staff at impacted clubs will bind together and hopefully be able to come out stronger on the other side.”

HAMPTON, N.B. – The NextGen Fall Series East Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, tees off this week with 65 amateur golfers taking the stage in Hampton, N.B. 

Practice rounds are scheduled for Thursday, September 15, before the official 54-hole tournament gets underway on September 16. Play is scheduled to conclude September 18^th with an awards ceremony scheduled immediately following play at Hampton Golf Club.

The starting field will feature 65 players –50 Junior Boys and 16 Junior Girls – vying for a spot in their respective Canadian Junior Championship later this summer. Thirteen players in the field hail from host province, New Brunswick, and 12 boys and eight girls are competing from the Bantam Division (Under 15 years of age).

The top 3 male competitors will earn a spot in the 2023 Canadian Jr Boys Championship, presented by BDO. The top 3 and female golfers (including ties) will also earn exemptions into next year’s Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO, August 1-4, 2023, also at Hampton Golf Club. 

“Hampton Golf Club is in excellent shape and will serve as a challenging test to this talented field of junior competitors,” said tournament director Melany Chong. “We look forward to what is sure to be an exciting competition and are grateful for the support from the community and our hard-working volunteers”.

The NextGen Fall Series East Championship is one of Golf Canada’s regional junior championships presented in partnership with JOURNIE Rewards. Ella Weber and Cameron Pero took home the honours in their respective divisions in 2021.

For the full schedule of 2022 competitions, click here.

Hampton Golf Club is a 18-hole located in the Town of Hampton, a 25-minute drive from Saint John, N.B. Hampton offers scenic views and sits high up on a hill overlooking Darlings Lake and the rolling hills of Kings County.

Additional information about the 2022 NextGen Fall Series East Championship can be found here.

NOTABLES

Andreas Diogenous: Whistle Bear GC

• 3 year member of Team Ontario
• 2021 Ontario (U17) Juvenile Boys Championship
• T3 at the 2021 Ontario Junior Tour Championship
• Semi-finalist in the 2021 Ontario Junior Boys Match Play Championship
• Qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship

Isaiah Ibit: Greyhawk GC

• Top 3 finishes at 2021 Ontario Junior Boys Championship, Ontario Juvenile Boys Championship and winner of the Ottawa Valley Association Junior and City District Championship

Jacob LeBlanc: Fox Creek Golf Club

• 2020 Junior Boys U-15 Champion

Lindsay McGrath : Rattlesnake Point Golf Club

• Youngest female member of Team Ontario
• 2021 Ontario Bantam Girls Champion

Emily McKee: Rattlesnake Pointe Golf Club

• Qualified for the 2021 U.S Junior Girls Championship

Carlee Meilleur: Loyalist Golf and Country Club

• 2022 Ontario Women’s Am & Mid-Am Champion
• 3^rd Place in 2022 Canada Summer Games

Kelly Zhao: Station Creek Golf Club

• 2022 top 10 finish at AJGA Junior at Southpointe
• 2022 top 10 finish at Canadian Women’s Am Championship
• 3^rd place finish at 2022 Golf Ontario Junior Girls’ (U19) Championship

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. 

RED DEER, Alta.  – As the saying goes, there’s power in momentum. It’s a saying that Rusty Strawn knows all too well after securing back-to-back victories this September at the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship in Marion, Mass., and the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO in Red Deer, Alta. Nine days separated the two wins. Needless to say, the McDonough, Ga. resident is going to need a bigger trophy case.

Heading into the final round at Red Deer Golf and Country Club, the 59-year-old shared the lead with fellow American, Mike Lohner of Southlake, Tex. The pair went back and forth throughout the day, both beginning their round at 5-under-par. It wasn’t until the back nine when Strawn hit a groove, birdieing three of his last eight holes to pull away from the pack to secure the 60^th Canadian Men’s Senior Championship title.

“I was very fortunate last week to win the United States Senior Amateur,” said Strawn. “And of course, by doing it I got the exemption to the United States Mid-Amateur, and I told the people at the USGA, I said, there is no way I’m going to miss the Canadian Men’s Senior. I absolutely love it here.”

To celebrate, Strawn popped a bottle of champagne and toasted the volunteers, Red Deer Golf and Country Club staff, and fellow competitors “To my new Canadian friends!”. He also commented, “having my picture taken with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is the coolest picture I’ve ever taken.”

Strawn was also highly complimentary of the host club.

“It’s just been a wonderful week here in Red Deer,” said Strawn. “When I arrived here for my practice round on Sunday – probably the strength of my game is my putting – and when I rolled those first few putts on the practice green, I was like, I have nobody but myself to blame because they were absolutely awesome.”

Low Canadian Ken Griffith, who is a member at Red Deer Golf and Country Club, placed third on the leaderboard, carding a total score of 288, his best finish ever at the national championship.  Fellow members, Grant Lee and Peter Innes also competed in the tournament and finished T7 and T15, respectively.

Frank Van Dornick ran away with the Super Senior division securing the title and the Governor’s Cup by 10 strokes.

Earlier in the week, host club Team Alberta won the 36-hole inter-provincial team competition in an impressive 11-stroke victory over runner-up Team British Columbia. Ken Griffith (Red Deer Golf & Country Club), Senan Foley (Public Player – Alberta), and Kelly Risling (Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club) shot a collective one-under to give Team Alberta the back-to-back victory as they defended their 2019 title and claimed the Phil Farley Memorial Trophy.

Quick Links:

Leaderboard
Course statistics

Championship history

Clear skies over Red Deer Golf and Country Club set the stage for a picturesque day in Red Deer, Alta. as the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, wrapped up its third day of play in the Energy Province.

For the third consecutive day, Mike Lohner continues to hold prime real estate at the top of the leaderboard, firing even par 72 to share the lead with fellow countryman Rusty Strawn. A resident of Southlake, Tex., Lohner finished second in the Carlton Woods Invitational earlier this year and is in the hunt for his first victory north of the border.

Strawn finished the first round tied for the top spot with Lohner, but dipped down to second place after navigating three bogeys during yesterday’s second round. After a steady performance today where the McDonough, Ga. resident made birdie on five holes, Strawn holds a share of the lead once again and will look to keep the momentum going after securing a victory at the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship last week.

Occupying the third spot, local golfer and Red Deer Golf and Country Club member Ken Griffith came in at one-under par today. Frank Van Dornick of Camrose, Alta. (4), and Dave Bunker of Ridgeway, Ont. (5) round out the top five with an even score.

In addition to sitting fourth for the overall tournament, Van Dornick also leads the 65-and-over Super Senior division that runs concurrently throughout the week. The Super Senior champion will be crowned tomorrow and awarded the Governor’s Cup.

Tomorrow promises to be an exciting battle of top amateur talent with an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship on the line. Not only will the winner etch their name into the historic John Rankin Memorial Trophy, but also into Canadian golf history as the field of 156 top senior golfers comes down to one champion.

The final round is set to commence at 8:10 a.m. MT tomorrow with the awards ceremony scheduled to take place at approximately 3:00 p.m. MT at Red Deer Golf and Country Club.

2022 CANADIAN MEN’S SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 3 LEADERS

T1	Mike Lohner	Southlake, Tex.	69-70-72—211 (-5)
T1	Rusty Strawn	McDonough, Ga.	69-71-71—211 (-5)
3	Ken Griffith	Red Deer, Alta.	71-69-75—215 (-1)
4	Frank Van Dornick	Camrose, Alta.	73-70-73—216 (E)
5	Dave Bunker	Ridgeway, Ont.	74-70-73—219 (+3)

2022 CANADIAN MEN’S SUPER-SENIOR DIVISION ROUND 3 LEADERS

1	Frank Van Dornick	Camrose, Alta.	73-70-73—216 (E)
T2	Michael Mealia	Aurora, Ont.	76-75-75—226 (+10)
T2	David Schultz	Calgary, Alta.	73-79-74—226 (+10)
4	Jim Russell	Calgary, Alta.	77-75-75—227 (+11)

Additional information, including a full list of competitors and scores can be found here.

Through the efforts of over 10,000 women, Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru raised over $272k for breast cancer research in 2022 at 112 events held across the country.

With another 10 Golf Fore the Cure events to come in the remainder of the golf season, we are looking forward to seeing this number build even higher.

Since the program’s inception in 2003, upwards of 130,000 women have raised over $7 million to date with all proceeds donated to the Canadian Cancer Society and the Québec Breast Cancer Foundation.

Over 100 women celebrated this year’s success at the 16th annual Golf Fore the Cure National Event at Lionhead Golf and Conference Center in Brampton, Ont.

The National Event included 18 holes of golf featuring raffles, prizing, and games, followed by an awards dinner to thank the 13,000 Golf Fore the Cure participants across Canada this year.

TOP 20 FUNDRAISING SITES IN 2022

	Golf Club	Province	$’s Raised
1	Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac	QC	$45,000
2	Petitcodiac Valley Golf Course	NB	$40,551
3	New Brunswick Provincial Team	NB	$40,000
4	Vancouver Golf Club	BC	$20,431
5	Oakville Golf Club	ON	$16,623
6	Candle Lake Golf Course	SK	$17,511
7	Club de Golf de  L’Epiphanie	QC	$15,000
8	Club de golf de Baie-Comeau	QC	$7,800
9	Jasper Park Lodge	AB	$6,090
10	Westwood Plateau Golf	BC	$5,787
11	Twin Williams Golf Club	AB	$5,785
12	Westfield Golf and Country Club	NB	$5,713
13	Antigonish Golf Club	NS	$5,000
14	Mission Golf and Country Club	BC	$4000
15	Oakridge Golf Course	ON	$3,913
16	Edmonton Riverside Golf club	AB	$3,833
17	Gorge Vale Golf Club	BC	$3,594
18	Cedar Glen Golf Course	ON	$3,548
19	Breezy Bend Golf and Country Club	MB	$3,277
20	Club de Golf St-Lambert	QC	$2,850
21	Stratford Country Club	ON	$2,596

We would also like to thank our Provincial Golf Associations for their continued support in encouraging clubs to participate in Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru. Below is a breakdown of all the funds raised by province:

Totals Raised Per Province
ON	$26,297
BC	$33,812
NB	$87,130
AB	$18,554
QC	$76,870
SK	$20,431
PEI	–
NS	$5,000
MB	$3,277
NL	$832
Total	$272,202

Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru was created in 2003 by Golf Canada to drive women’s participation in the game of golf through the use of fun, non-intimidating activities. Through a unique partnership structure with the Canadian Cancer Society (and Québec Breast Cancer Foundation), the program has women across the country participating in golf activities and raising money and awareness for a cause close to Canadian hearts—the fight against breast cancer.

Canada holds over 37,000 charity events at golf courses across the country which raise approximately $533 million annually for charity.

Subaru Canada has been a proud partner of Golf Fore the Cure since 2007.

To learn how to get involved with Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru, visit golfcanada.ca/golfforethecure.

Prevailing winds continued to challenge competitors at Red Deer Golf and Country Club as the 60^th edition of the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, wrapped up the second day of play in Red Deer, Alta.   

Host squad Team Alberta ran away with the lead to win the 36-hole inter-provincial team competition in an impressive 11-stroke victory over runner-up Team British Columbia. Ken Griffith (Red Deer Golf & Country Club), Senan Foley (Public Player – Alberta), and Kelly Risling (Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club) shot a collective one under to give Team Alberta the back-to-back victory as they defended their 2019 title and claimed the Phil Farley Memorial Trophy (the Inter-Provincial competition wasn’t contested the past two years due to complications caused by the Covid-19 pandemic). Rounding out the top 3 was Team Ontario carding a consolidated score of +12.

In the individual competition, American Mike Lohner extended his stay at the top of the leaderboard, earning sole possession of first place after Rusty Strawn (McDonough, Ga.) fell one shot back after a seesaw round of four birdies and three bogeys at Red Deer Golf and Country Club. Lohner, a resident of Southlake, Tex. carded five birdies to remain steady and set himself up well after the halfway point of the tournament.

Strawn and Red Deer Golf and Country Club member Ken Griffith share second place, coming in at 4-under after Wednesday’s round.

In the 65-and-over Super Senior Championship division, which runs concurrently throughout the tournament, Frank Van Dornick of Camrose, Alta. shot a 70 today to extend his lead after 36 holes of play. Aurora, Ont. native Michael Mealia moved up four spots to claim solo second, with a two-way tie for third including local golfers Jim Russell (Calgary, Alta.), and David Schultz (Calgary, Alta.).

Following the conclusion of round two today, the field was reduced to the low 70 players and ties with 72 competitors advancing to bid for the 60^th Canadian Men’s Senior Championship title and a coveted spot on the John Rankin Memorial Trophy. The individual champion will also receive an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship.

2022 CANADIAN MEN’S SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 2 LEADERS

1	Mike Lohner	Southlake, Tex.	69-70—139 (-5)
T2	Rusty Strawn	McDonough, Ga.	69-71—140 (-4)
T2	Ken Griffith	Red Deer, Alta.	71-69—140 (-4)
4	Frank Van Dornick	Camrose, Alta.	73-70—143 (-1)
5	Robert Funk	Canyon Lake, Calif.	74-70—144 (E)

2022 CANADIAN MEN’S SUPER-SENIOR DIVISION ROUND 2 LEADERS

1	Frank Van Dornick	Camrose, Alta.	73-70—143 (-1)
2	Michael Mealia	Aurora, Ont.	76-75—175 (+7)
T3	David Shultz	Calgary, Alta.	73-79—152 (+8)
T3	Jim Russell	Calgary, Alta.	77-75—152 (+8)

Round three is set to commence tomorrow at 8:10am MT.

Additional information, including a full list of competitors and scores can be found here.

Red Deer, Alta. – Red Deer Golf & Country Club proved to be a solid test for the top senior competitors from Canada and the United States with only six golfers out of a field of 156 finishing under par after Tuesday’s opening round at the 2022 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO.

Rusty Strawn of McDonough, Ga., carded a 3-under 69 that included two birdies and an eagle to share possession of the lead with fellow American Mike Lohner.

Strawn is fresh off a victory last week at the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at The Kittansett Club in Marion, Mass. This week, the Peach State resident will look to add another accolade to his impressive 2022 season collecting titles at the Trans-Mississippi Senior Championship and the Florida Senior Azalea Amateur Championship earlier this year.

Mike Lohner of Southlake, Tex. countered three bogeys with six birdies to fight for his share of the lead this afternoon. Lohner, who calls Vaquero Club home, finished second in the Carlton Woods Invitational earlier this year and is in the hunt for his first victory north of the border.

Hometown competitors Grant Lee and Ken Griffith share a four-way tie for third place along with Dave Terry of Langley, B.C., and Neil MacLeod of Burnaby, B.C.

A 65-and-over Super Senior Championship will run concurrently throughout the tournament, crowning a champion and awarding the Governor’s Cup after 72 holes of play. After round one, David Schultz of Calgary, Alta. and Frank Van Dornick of Camrose, Alta. are tied for the lead at one-over.

The inter-provincial team competition, which returns for the first time since 2019, is also being contested over the championship’s first 36 holes.

Defending champions Team Alberta, consisting of Ken Griffith (Red Deer Golf & Country Club), Senan Foley (Public Player – Alberta), and Kelly Risling (Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club) posted a score of +4 to edge a one-stroke lead over Team Quebec.  The team title will come down to the wire Wednesday afternoon with Teams Saskatchewan, Ontario, and British Columbia also in hot pursuit at +7.

Defending champion Darren Ritchie currently sits T9 at just four strokes back.

Following the conclusion of round two tomorrow, the field will be reduced to the low 70 players and ties as competitors vie for the 60^th Canadian Men’s Senior Championship title and a coveted spot on the John Rankin Memorial Trophy. The individual champion will also receive an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship.

2022 CANADIAN MEN’S SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1 LEADERS

T1	Rusty Strawn	McDonough, Ga.	69—(-3)
T1	Mike Lohner	Southlake, Tex.	69—(-3)
T3	Grant Lee	Red Deer, Alta.	71—(-1)
T3	Ken Griffith	Red Deer, Alta.	71—(-1)
T3	Dave Terry	Langley, B.C.	71—(-1)
T3	Neil MacLeod	Burnaby, B.C.	71—(-1)

2022 CANADIAN MEN’S SUPER-SENIOR DIVISION ROUND 1 LEADERS

T1	David Schultz	Calgary, Alta.	73—(+1)
T1	Frank Van Dornick	Camrose, Alta.	73—(+1)
T3	Brian Coston	Calgary, Alta.	74—(+2)
T3	Thomas Skinner	Red Deer, Alta.	74—(+4)
5	Brent Wotypka	Swift Current, Sask.	75—(+3)

Additional information, including a full list of competitors and scores can be found here.

RED DEER, Alta. – The 60^th installment of the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, tees off this week with 156 amateur golfers taking the stage in Red Deer, Alta. 

Conducted since 1962, the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship has grown to become one of the most popular amateur golf events in Canada. In 1995, the 65-and-over Super Senior division was introduced, which runs concurrently with the existing 55-and-over age group.

One of nine national championships conducted by Golf Canada for the 2022 season, the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship will consist of 72 holes of stroke-play with a cut after 36 holes. The Super Senior Championship is contested concurrently over the four rounds of the championship, and the Senior Inter-provincial Team Championship, established in 1977, also runs concurrently with the first 36 holes of the tournament.

Practice rounds are scheduled for Monday, September 5^th, before the tournament officially kicks off on Tuesday, September 6^th.  

The tournament will be conducted at Red Deer Golf & Country Club in Red Deer, Alta. who is celebrating their centennial season this year. Five of the club’s members have qualified to play in the Championship including Ken Griffith, Grant Lee and Peter Innes, Tom Skinner and Joe Gascon.

The Canadian Men’s Senior Championship Trophy has arrived at the club.

With players arriving this weekend, we will offer you an experience you will never forget. Welcome to the Red Deer Golf & Country Club. @GolfCanada #golfcanada #ClubLife pic.twitter.com/ifpsFwFVAH

— Red Deer Golf & Country Club (@rdgcc1922) August 31, 2022

Over 100 volunteers from both the Red Deer Golf & Country Club and the community will be on hand to host the National and International competitors and their families. 

“Golf Canada is proud to host the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship and bring together a field of top senior competitors to play in this prestigious championship,” said Adam Cinel, Senior Manager, Rules and Amateur Championships. “Red Deer Golf and Country Club is in excellent shape, and we congratulate the staff and volunteers on their significant 100-year milestone.”

Defending champion Darren Ritchie will return once again to defend his title and vie to see his name on the John Rankin Memorial Trophy for the second consecutive year. In 2021, the St. John, N.B. native from Hampton Golf Club held the lead for the majority of the tournament and finished 2-over par 72 to claim his first Canadian Men’s Senior title.

Additional notables in the field include Robert Funk (Canyon Lake, CA.), John Crowther (London, Ont.), Jim Lehman (Minnetonka, MN.), and Rusty Strawn (McDonough, GA.) who recently claimed the 2022 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship title at The Kittansett Club in Marion, Mass. this past week.

The champion will receive an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship.  

More information about the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship can be found here.