OTTAWA, Ont. – The leaderboard flip flopped all throughout the first round of the 2022 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO, but when the dust settled, there were five tied atop the leaderboard.

Madelin Boyd, Amy Seung Hyun Lee, Erin Lee, Lucy Lin, and Myranda Quinton all fired rounds of two-under par 70 to pace the 136-player field. 

27 other players are within five shots of the leaders at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont.

Boyd, a native of Oshawa, Ont., recorded three birdies on the day and suffered only one bogey. The 18-year-old birdied the par-5 2^nd hole, before falling back to even par two holes later. From there, it was nothing but birdies and pars for the junior who earned the clubhouse lead early in the day.

Quinton, 17, also made a trio of birdies on the day. After a bogey-free front nine, the Burlington, Ont. native dropped a shot on the par-5 2^nd hole but bounced back with a pair of birdies down the stretch to secure a piece of the pie.

Lee and Hyun Lee, both of Langley. B.C. matched each other with five birdies aside and had merely similar scorecards. Both started their tournaments with a pair of birdies in their opening holes, and added two more early in their back nines, before capping off their rounds with a final birdie on No. 18.

Lin, one of the youngest competitors in the field, had the most birdies on the day with six. After falling to one-over par after 10 holes, the 12-year-old rallied off three birdies coming in – including a pair on her final two holes – to grab a share of the lead after the opening round.

Recent history doesn’t bode well for the quintet. In four of the last five Canadian Junior Girls Championships, only once did the leader or co-leader after the first round go on to win the tournament, but ask them and they’ll tell you trends are meant to be broken.

Four more players sit one stroke back of the leaders in the red numbers at one-under par: Payton Lovisa, Krystal (ZhuoTong) Li, Anna Huang and Alissa Xu.

Xu, 16, carried on her momentum from the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship last week, with another strong showing in round one. The Richmond Hill, Ont. native, who finished in second place at Westmount Golf & Country Club, rolled in five birdies, to go along with four bogeys on the way to a one-under par 71.

Hyun Lee and Lin are tied for the lead in Juvenile division – a subdivision for girls 16 and under.

In the interprovincial team competition, the Team British Columbia contingent of Hyun Lee and Tina Jiang carded an even-par 144 for a three-stroke advantage over Team Ontario. The team championship will wrap up tomorrow at the conclusion of the second round.

Full results can be found here.

OTTAWA, Ont. – Hinged between two of the biggest tournaments in Canadian women’s amateur golf was one of the most monumental moments in Canadian golf history.

Last Friday, Monet Chun captured the 108^th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship. This Friday, a champion will be named at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship; and in between, Brooke Henderson became the first-ever two-time major champion in Canadian golf history.

All that to say, timing is everything and for the junior girls teeing it up at The Marshes Golf Club this week, the timing couldn’t have been better. On the ten-year anniversary of Henderson’s win in 2012, 137 players will compete for the 67^th Canadian Junior Girls Championship beginning Tuesday, July 26 and wrapping up Friday, July 29.

For some, it will be a first chance to compete on the national stage. For others, it will be the last of their junior careers. But, for all, it will represent an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the winningest golfer in Canadian history.

“Moments like yesterday matter for these girls,” said Tournament Director Josée Matte. “We’re excited to host a strong field of competitors this week at The Marshes Golf Club and watch as the future of Canadian women’s golf chase a national championship in the nation’s capital.”

Five of Team Canada’s National Junior Squad members will be in the field this week in Ottawa, Ont.: Anne-Léa Lavoie (Québec, Qué.); Ella Weber (Burlington, Ont.); Luna Lu (Burnaby, B.C.); Martina Yu (Coquitlam, B.C.); and Yeji Kwon (Port Coquitlam, B.C.).

Also in the field are three top-10 finishers from last week’s Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship: Alissa Xu (Richmond Hill, Ont.), who finished in 2^nd place, as well as Kelly Zhao (Richmond Hill, Ont.) and Vanessa Borovilos (Etobicoke, Ont.) who recorded T5 finishes.

Peyton Costabile of Ayr, Ont., as well as U19 Alberta Junior Girls champion, Eileen Park, and Ontario Women’s Amateur champion, Carlee Meilleur are among the other notable names pencilled into the draw in the nation’s capital.

Returning this year is the inter-provincial team competition. The inter-provincial championship will be played in conjunction with the first 36 holes of the competition, with three-player teams vying for the team title. In rounds one and two the best two scores of the three golfers from each provincial team count towards the team’s score. The lowest aggregate score over rounds one and two determines the champion.

Team British Columbia – composed of Angela Zhang, Cindy Koira and Erin Lee – are the reigning champions from 2019.

The Juvenile division remains in place this year and will run concurrently with the Junior division through the 72-hole competition. The Juvenile division is for girls 16 and under. Luna Lu, of Burnaby, B.C., was the runner-up in the Juvenile division last year and will be in the field this week.

New to this year’s tournament is a purse payout. To align with the modernized Rules of Amateur Status, players at the Canadian Women’s Junior Championship will now compete for a purse of $8,000 CAD. Amateur golfers may accept prize money up to a maximum of $1,200 CAD, and payouts will be awarded to the top-10 finishers and ties.

The winner also receives an exemption into the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Ashburn Golf Club in Halifax, N.S., as well as the 2023 U.S. Junior Girls Championship.

Previous winners of the Canadian Junior Girls Championship include Brooke Henderson (2012), Alena Sharp (1999), and Sandra Post (1964-66).

For more information on the 2022 Canadian Junior Girls Championship click here.

KITCHENER, Ont. – On a day where her idol, Brooke Henderson, made history overseas, Monet Chun added her own name to the record books by winning the 108^th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO.

Chun, 21, fired an even-par 73 to win the national championship by two shots over Alissa Xu. With the win comes an exemption into the CP Women’s Open at Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club, August 22-28, as well as a spot in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, August 8-14, at Chambers Bay.

“I was coming into this week just trying to put together a couple of good rounds, but I’m happy that it worked out,” said Chun. “Coming into the stretch was a little bit stressful just because it was getting pretty close there, but I didn’t really change too much in my game.”

With a six-stroke advantage entering the day, the stage was set for Monet Chun on Friday at Westmount Golf & Country Club, and she did not disappoint. All day, crowds followed the lead group through the fairways at Westmount Golf & Country Club and the support did not go unnoticed.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had a crowd that big following me around. It’s pretty cool to get some local people just watching and, yeah, I had a lot of fun,” said the Michigan University product.  

Along with the Duchess of Connaught Gold Cup, Chun will take home a cheque of $1,200. To align with the modernized Rules of Amateur Status, players at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, competed for a purse of $8,000 CAD. Along with Chun, top-10 finishers and ties earned a piece of the prize money.

With Lauren Zaretsky’s win in 2021, the pair become the first Canadian duo to win back-to-back since Henderson and Augusta James did it in 2013 and 2014.

“Following in their footsteps is a big thing, just as a Canadian… I don’t know, it’s nice and a lot of fun,” Chun said, at a loss for words.

Team Canada Stollery Family Women’s Head Coach, Salimah Mussani, followed the final pairing and couldn’t be happier for not only Chun, but women’s golf in Canada.

“This is best case scenario,” said Mussani. “It was definitely something that was important to us, some national pride to have a Canadian win this and for it to be a member of our team, it was definitely special,” said Mussani.

Although she made it look easy this week, that wasn’t always the case for Chun who admits she struggled with her game a short time ago. With hard work and patience came a national championship and memories that will last a lifetime.

“It’s been a huge couple of years just grinding it out,” said Chun. “Coming out here today and having this win is huge for me,” said Chun. “It seems like my game is coming towards where it should be or going in the right direction, so I’m happy.”

Chun’s range session following her second round 78 was a turning point in the week for the champion, and though Mussani was there for pointers, she directed all the credit to the player for putting in the work.

“She knows what she needs to take care of, she knows her putting needs to be key here, we did a lot of work on that. She focused on it, she spent the time in the mornings and after her rounds and she took care of business,” said Mussani. “She just gets things done.”

Xu gave Chun a run for her money, firing a found-under par 69 to finish as the runner-up. The 16-year-old rolled in six birdies to post her second round under par for the tournament. In third was the Newport Beach, Calif. native, Katherine Muzi, and Team Canada National Junior Squad member Lauren Kim with a score of even-par over the 72-hole championship.

Team British Columbia took home the Interprovincial Team Trophy with a five stroke victory over Team Quebec.

For the full leaderboard click here.

The 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship will be played at Ashburn Golf Club in Halifax, N.S. Dates are to be announced at a later time.

KITCHENER, Ont. – American, Leigh Chien, birdied early and often en route to a seven-under par 66 and four-stroke lead in the opening round of the 2022 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO.

Scoring conditions were at a premium for the morning wave at Westmount Golf & Country Club and Chien wasted no time pouncing on the opportunity. The 16-year-old rolled in five birdies over her opening eight holes and never looked back, as she continued to distance herself from the pack with an additional three birdies on the back nine. Her lone blunder came on the par-4 No. 15.

“I feel pretty good going into tomorrow,” said Chien. “I just tried to make as many birdies as possible and as few mistakes as possible and I was able to do that [today]. Westmount is really nice; the conditions are great [and] the greens are really smooth. I think that really helped me shoot low.”

Team Canada’s Monet Chun paced the rest of the pack with a three-under par 70 for sole possession of second place, The Richmond Hill, Ont. native carded three birdies and an eagle for the low-Canadian score of the day.

“Putting myself in a good position early is ideal, because it’s such a long four rounds,” said Chun. “Continuing what I’m doing; hitting lots of greens, lots of fairways and making as many putts as possible,” said the 18-year-old on what she thinks it will take to win the tournament.

Five other Canadians ended round one inside the top-10, including Team Canada member Céleste Dao. Dao, who plays her college golf at the University of Georgia, got off to blistering hot start, making three birdies through five. The middle part of the Quebec native’s round caused her headaches, as she fell back to even par with a stretch of bogeys. The 21-year-old bounced back brilliantly, however, with a birdie on her 17^th hole to get back into the red numbers.

The highlight of the day – and quite possibly the tournament – belonged to Élizabeth Labbé. Labbé, the runner-up at this year’s Canadian University/College Championship, carved an iron into the 149-yard par-3 No. 17 at Westmount and watched her ball drop for a hole-in-one. The ace helped the UBC Thunderbird to a round of two-over par 75. She sits T23 heading into the second round.

Team British Columbia leads the interprovincial team championship by one stroke over Team Québec. B.C., made up of Ha Young Chang, Leah John and Yan Jun (Victoria) Liu, fired a combined two-under par on the day. Team Ontario (+10), Team Alberta (+13) and Team Manitoba (+19) follow in third, fourth and fifth place, respectively.

For the full leaderboard click here.

KITCHENER, Ont. – The 108^th installment of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, gets underway this week at Westmount Golf & Country Club in Kitchener, Ont. from July 19-22.

The championship, which was first held in 1901, is one of the longest standing amateur events in the world. The inaugural tournament at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Que., featured only three players. Fast forward over a century later and 140 players will look to etch their name into the Duchess of Connaughton Gold Cup in 2022.

“Golf Canada is excited for the return of not only a marquee event in Canadian golf history, but also one of the premier amateur events in the world,” says Tournament Director, Mary Beth McKenna. “We’re confident Westmount Golf & Country Club will offer a challenging yet fair test for the players as they showcase their talents on an elite golf course.”  

Practice rounds are scheduled for July 18, before the official 72-hole stroke play competition begins on July 19. Play is scheduled to wrap up on July 22, followed by an awards ceremony and champions reception. The field will be cut to the low 70 players (including ties) after 36 holes.

For the first time since 2019, the tournament will welcome the return of international players following complications caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ten players from the United States, two from Mexico and one from Australia are slated to tee it up north of the border this week, including Katherine Muzi and Bentley Cotton, ranked No. 127 and 250 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings, respectively.

Also being re-introduced this year is the inter-provincial team competition. The inter-provincial championship will be played in conjunction with the first 36 holes of the competition, with three-player teams vying for the team title. Team Ontario – composed of Sarah Dunning, Emily Zhu and Tiana Cruz – are the reigning champions from 2019. Dunning and Zhu are both in the field in Kitchener this week.

Four members of Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad are pencilled into the draw at Westmount: Brooke Rivers (Brampton, Ont.); Céleste Dao (Notre-Dame-de-Ile-Perrot, Que.); Monet Chun (Richmond Hill, Ont.); and Sarah-Eve Rhéaume (Québec City, Que.).

The National Junior Squad will also be well-represented at the 18-hole championship course west of Toronto, with seven members of the team slated to compete: Angela Arora (Surrey, B.C.); Anne-Léa Lavoie (Québec, Que.); Emily Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.); Lauren Kim (Surrey, B.C.); Luna Lu (Burnaby, B.C.); Martina Yu (Coquitlam, B.C.); and Yeji Kwon (Coquitlam, B.C.).

Red Deer, Alta.’s Eileen Park is the youngest player in the field at the age of 13; Katherine Hou and Sophia Xu are also only 13 years old, but Park’s date of birth is the latest of the three. Rhonda Orr, out of Winnipeg Man., is the oldest competitor in the field at 60. There are four members of Westmount Golf & Country Club teeing it up this week: Sarah Dunning, Angela Lee, Madeline MacMillan and Laura McIntosh.

New to this year’s tournament is a purse payout. To align with the modernized Rules of Amateur Status, players at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship will now compete for a purse of $8,000 CAD. Amateur golfers may accept prize money up to a maximum of $1,200 CAD, and payouts will be awarded to the top-10 finishers and ties.

Westmount Golf & Country Club was designed by world-renown architect Stanley Thompson and opened in 1931. Since then, it has played hosts to a number of national and provincial championships, notably the 1957 Canadian Open, 1969 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship and 2009 Canadian Junior Boys Championship. Known for its undulating fairways and sloping greens, the championship course is set up to play fast and firm as it tests an elite field of amateur golfers this week. Westmount last hosted the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship in 1965.

“We are very excited to host 108^th Canadian Women’s Amateur at Westmount this coming week,” said General Manager, Brad Duench. “Our Tournament Committee has worked very hard leading up to this week and I know our membership will be out to support these accomplished athletes. [I] do sense we have a buzz in the community about the event and we are excited to welcome everyone to Westmount this week,” he added.

The Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship was last played in 2021 at Edmonton Petroleum Golf and Country Club in Spruce Grove, Alta. Team Canada National Junior Squad member Lauren Zaretsky was crowned champion, finishing at two-under par to win by as many strokes.

The last time Canadians won in back-to-back years was in 2013 & 2014, when Brooke Henderson and Augusta James captured the national titles. 

Along with the championship’s storied history comes its coveted cast of competitors. Marlene Stewart Streit, a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, sits atop the class with 11 victories and five runner-up finishes at the national event. Since then, the tournament has proved to be a breading ground for some of golf’s brightest young stars. Ariya Jutanugarn (2012), Brooke Henderson (2013), Jennifer Kupcho (2017) and Yealimi Noh (2018) are previous winners who now find themselves competing on the LPGA Tour.

The winner of the championship will earn an exemption into the 2022 CP Women’s Open, August 22-28, at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club, as well as the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, August 8-14, at Chambers Bay in University Place, Wisc.

More information about the 2022 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship can be found here.

ANTIGONISH, N.S. – Albeit contrasting flight paths, Abbey Baker and Ethan Efford landed in the same destination on Thursday: in the winner’s circle at the NextGen Atlantic Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards.

It was steady cruising for Baker, who turned it to autopilot and let the wind take her to the finish line at Antigonish Golf Club; and while Efford hit turbulence along the way, he, too, made it to ground safe and sound with a championship, to boot.

Baker opened the tournament with a nine-over par 81 but rebounded wonderfully in the second round with a one-under par 71 – the only round under par on the Junior Girls side all week.

“I’m really happy with how I recovered after a very rough first round. I came back after shooting 81 and worked on my putting for a while and I definitely saw a lot of improvements which is nice,” said Baker.

With breathing room to spare, the 17-year-old sailed to the stopping place, closing out the tournament with a five-over par 77 for a 13-stroke triumph – the largest margin of victory at any NextGen Championship this year.

“It wasn’t really in my head that much,” said Baker of the large lead. “I was just trying to make birdies out there and play good for myself.”

Though it was hardly ever in doubt, Baker’s win in Antigonish officially landed her a spot on Team Nova Scotia for the upcoming 2022 Canada Summer Games in Niagara, Ont., August 17-20 at Legends on the Niagara (Battlefield Course).

“I’m super excited; it’s definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I’m just happy it’s a go this year.”

The leaderboard on the Junior Boys side was as packed as sardines. On any given hole, the name atop the leaderboard changed, but when the final ball dropped on the 54^th hole, it was Ethan Efford who prevailed.

In good Canadian form, Efford completed the hattrick on Thursday, carding his third consecutive round of four-over par 76 to capture the title by one stroke over Dimitri Mihelakos, Gavin Ives and Owen Canavan.

“I told myself on the first tee that I wanted to get through this whole round and commit to every single shot,” said Efford. “I knew it was tight and I knew that if I go out there and commit to every shot and maintain the confidence that I have in myself, I know that at the end of the day, whatever my score is I’ll be content with it.”

Since he tee’d off this morning, it took, in his words, a lot of grit and grind to come out victorious but the hard work paid off.

 “I knew that no matter what, I just [had] to stay in it and never give up, and that’s just how I took it – one shot at a time and in the end I was happy with the result.”

Efford says the win proves his game is in a much better spot than he might feel it is and looks to build off the momentum as the season progresses. Though in a different uniform, he, like Baker, will represent his province (Newfoundland and Labrador) at the Canada Summer Games in August.

The pair have one more stop to make before that, however: Nationals.

Baker, a native of Halifax, N.S., will travel to the Canadian Junior Girls Championship at the Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont., July 26-29, while Efford, out of St. Johns, Nfld., will fly coast-to-coast to compete in the Canadian Junior Boys Championship, August 7-10, at Rivershore Estates & Golf Links in Kamloops, British Columbia.

Including Baker, the top six players (including ties) in the Junior Girls division have earned exemptions into the 2022 Canadian Junior Girls Championship:

From the Junior Boys division, the top six players have earned exemptions into the 2022 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, August 6-10, at Rivershore Estates & Golf Links in Kamloops, British Columbia.

About the NextGen Championships series, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards

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. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf. 

By: John Gordon

The game of golf is booming like never before and, if you’re reading this, you likely are one of the thousands who are taking up the game for the first time.

The allure of golf is obvious: it’s fun exercise, it’s a chance to enjoy the outdoors and it’s very social. Like any sport or recreational pastime, it requires you to learn a bit about the fundamentals and to practise if you want to enjoy the game to its fullest.

Here are nine tips to help you enjoy the game. (Coincidentally, nine holes is just the right number for beginners.)

Let’s go!

1. Go online.

There are lots of websites that offer helpful tips for beginners of every age on every topic from the basic rules and etiquette to the fundamentals of the swing.

2. Go to a course.

Even before you head to the tee for the very first time, do a little online research about the courses in your area. You will want to find a public or “semi-private” course (one that has members but also welcomes the public golfer). Drop into the golf shop, introduce yourself as a new golfer and have a look around. Ask if they have a program to introduce new golfers to the game. If they do, sign up! Find a course near you here.

3. Go to a pro.

Just about every course has a PGA of Canada professional. They’re helpful and knowledgeable. Even a half-hour lesson with a pro will get you started on the right path.. Taking a lesson is the best investment you can make if you want to enjoy the game and improve your skills. Many courses offer group lessons that include playing a few holes at a very reasonable cost.

4. Go get some clubs.

Although most courses have clubs you can rent, you will want to have your own set. Visit your local pro shop or chain store to find a preferred set. As long as you follow the course’s dress code (often published on their website), you don’t even need golf shoes at this point. Running shoes will suffice.

5. Go to the driving range.

If you’re taking lessons at a course, you no doubt have taken advantage of the practice facility, also called the driving range. If not, head for a public driving range with a friend and hit some balls. Many facilities also have a practice putting green. As you will find out, putting is a very important part of the game!

6. Go to the first tee.

You’ve hooked up with some friends or new acquaintances from your introductory program. You’ve asked the folks in the golf shop from which tees you should play as a beginner (generally, the most forward set of tees is appropriate).

7. Go hit the ball.

Assuming you’ve followed these first few tips, you should be hitting the ball in the right general direction. Don’t be discouraged if you’re not as proficient as your more experienced companions. Just relax, swing, and don’t forget to breathe! From a safety perspective, make sure you are aware of where your friends are and when they are hitting. From a “pace of play” viewpoint, always be ready to hit your next shot when it’s your turn. Most importantly, don’t get frustrated if you’re not proficient immediately. You will improve the more you play and practise. Remember, the object of the game is to have fun!

8. Go to the clubhouse.

Much of the appeal of golf is the social aspect following a round. Reliving the game, good shots and not-so-good, with friends and family is an integral part of the game.

9. Go back.

Golf has been called “the game for a lifetime.” You can play this game at whatever level you wish, from recreational to competitive, for years and years. It’s healthy, fun and a great way to meet new friends.

So there you go! Nine tips, just like the nine holes you will likely play the first few times you’re at the course.

But there is so much more!

Although you can learn the fundamentals of the swing, course etiquette and rules online, golfcanada.ca is the best resource for anyone who enjoys the game at any level.

As you play more golf, you’ll want an official handicap index and the other benefits that come with a Golf Canada membership.

And remember: The object of the game is to have fun!

ANTIGONISH, N.S. – The NextGen Atlantic Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards is set to begin at Antigonish Golf Club, July 12-14 in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. 

Practice rounds are scheduled for July 11, before the official 54-hole tournament gets underway on July 12. Play is scheduled to wrap up on July 14. 

The top six (6) male competitors (not including ties) will earn a spot in the upcoming Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO, August 7-10, at Rivershore Estates & Golf Links in Kamloops, B.C. The top six (6) female golfers (including ties) will also earn exemptions into this year’s Canadian Junior Girls Championship, July 25-29, at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont.  

The starting field will feature 63 players – 42 Junior Boys and 21 Junior Girls – vying for a spot in their respective Canadian Junior Championship later this summer. 

The NextGen Atlantic Championship is the last of six regional junior championships presented in partnership with JOURNIE Rewards. Most recently, Yasmine Qureshi and Cameron Pero were crowned champions at the NextGen Quebec Championship at Club de Golf Hemmingford in Hemmingford, Que. For the full schedule of 2022 NextGen Championships, click here. 

There are two additional NextGen Championships scheduled for the fall – the NextGen Fall Series East Championship in Hampton, N.B. and the NextGen Fall Series West Championship in Golden, B.C. 

For past results of the 2022 NextGen Championships, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards: Pacific | Ontario | Western | Prairie | Quebec 

The Antigonish Golf Club opened in the mid 1920’s as a six-hole golf course and was originally laid out by its founding members. Soon later, an additional three holes were added to complete the nine-hole design in 1926. As the popularity of the sport grew, so did the golf course. In 1990, the 18-hole layout was achieved and this week it will test some of the best junior golfers in the Maritimes.  

Additional information about the 2022 NextGen Atlantic Championship can be found here.  

About the NextGen Championships series, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards 

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. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf. 

The R&A

Mike McCoy and Terrill Samuel were crowned winners of the R&A Senior Amateur and Women’s Senior Amateur championships at Royal Dornoch.

With both championships played concurrently for the first time, McCoy was almost able to enjoy a lap of honour in the final round of the Senior Amateur.

Samuel, a member at Weston Golf Club in Toronto, handled the tough conditions at the renowned venue in the Scottish Highlands better than her competitors to join McCoy as Senior Women’s Amateur champion.

Samuel is just the third Canadian winner after Alison Murdoch in 2007 and Diane Williams in 1994. McCoy is the second consecutive Iowa golfer to lift the trophy, following close friend and fellow Des Moines native Gene Elliott. The 2021 champion was on hand to spray his next door neighbour with champagne when McCoy holed out on the 18^th green.

McCoy began the final round with a nine-shot lead, the only player in red figures on five-under-par. He extended his lead to 12 shots after just four holes and was never in any danger of being overtaken. He had the luxury of an eight-over 78 in strong cross winds to post a three-over 283 total and win by seven shots over fellow American Lee Porter.

“Up until the end I played some of the best golf of my life in this wind,” said McCoy. “My round yesterday (one-under 69) was one of the best of my life.

“I knew I had a big lead and I was maybe protecting it a bit today. I was patient all week, which was key. I probably lost a little bit on the back nine today but I just kept my chin up. I grinded hard at the start and when I made the turn after nine I knew I had a lot (of shots) to work with.”

The 59-year-old, who will lead next year’s Walker Cup team for the United States of America at St Andrews, credited Elliott for inspiring him to victory. 

He added, “After Gene won, I definitely made it a goal this year to win this championship. I thought if I worked hard maybe it would become my turn. I worked hard over the winter, played well this Spring and was in decent form before I got here. It’s a big honour to have won this championship on such a great course, in tough conditions against such a strong field.”

Samuel won the battle of attrition that was the women’s championship in the first year in which The R&A staged both the senior men’s and women’s championships together on the same course.

Joint 36-hole leader with Peru’s Anna Morales, Samuel struggled to a third round 85 in the strong winds that sent scores sky rocketing. However, the 61-year-old English-born Canadian never gave up. She returned a closing three-over 75 for a 22-over 309 total to defeat 2019 champion Lara Tennant by two shots. Emma Brown from England was third.

Samuel said, “It’s unbelievable to do win on this course, in such tough conditions. I played poorly on the front nine yesterday, but today I made a great start and that helped me mentally. It made me hang in there and I just battled hard over the back nine.

“This is my biggest win in golf because I was born in the UK. I was born in Twickenham and moved to Canada with my parents when I was two months old. I used to come over every year and spend time with my grandparents in Cornwall and play amateur events over here so it feels like a home win.

“I know Diane Williams, so to get my name on the trophy with hers and become the third Canadian winner is a huge honour.”

John Gordon

English philosopher Thomas Hobbes famously wrote that, without rules, the game of golf would be “nasty, brutish and short.”

(Or maybe he was referring to society without laws. Whatever. I spent more time on the golf course than in my philosophy class in university.)

One thing I am very clear about is that Mary Beth McKenna is Golf Canada’s Director of Amateur Championships and Rules. With so many new and returning golfers hitting the links these days, she wants to remind everyone that, without rules, the game would be … well, you know.

This doesn’t mean you have to commit the 200 or so pages of the Rules of Golf book to memory or familiarize yourself with the almost 600-page Official Guide to the Rules of Golf (formerly called “Decisions on the Rules of Golf”). We will leave that to the dedicated Rules referees who incessantly study both volumes to ensure that Rules situations in competitions are adjudicated correctly.

For the most part, all we as recreational golfers need to know are the basics. In fact, Rule 1 sums up a lot of what we must understand if we are to respect the game, our fellow golfers and the course.

It is titled “The Game, Player Conduct and the Rules.” The first two sentences go to the core of the sport: “Play the course as you find it and play the ball as it lies. Play by the Rules and in the spirit of the game.” A little later, players are advised to “play in the spirit of the game by acting with integrity …, showing consideration of others …, and taking good care of the course.”

And if you just want to bat the ball around with some friends, that may be all you need. But if you’re playing more competitively, then your knowledge of the Rules must expand proportionately.

McKenna says, at minimum, you must understand at least these three seminal Rules:

Rule 6 (Playing a Hole)

This Rule covers how to play a hole—such as the specific Rules for teeing off to start a hole, the requirement to use the same ball for an entire hole except when substitution is allowed, the order of play (which matters more in match play than stroke play) and completing a hole.

Rule 8 (Course Played as It is Found)

This Rule covers a central principle of the game: “play the course as you find it.” When the player’s ball comes to rest, he or she normally has to accept the conditions affecting the stroke and not improve them before playing the ball.

Rule 9 (Ball Played as It Lies; Ball at Rest Lifted or Moved)

This Rule covers a central principle of the game: “play the ball as it lies.” Even if you land in a fairway divot.

“In addition to these three Rules, understanding the definitions is critical to fully understanding the Rules,” says McKenna. The standard Rules book ($5), written in the third person, is available for purchase on the Golf Canada website as is the “Player’s Edition” ($4) which is an abridged, user-friendly set of the Rules with shorter sentences, commonly used phrases and diagrams. Written in the second person, this is intended to the primary publication for golfers.

No doubt the Player’s Edition would help us better comprehend what McKenna suggests are the three most misunderstood Rules of golf: 16, 17 and 18.

Rule 16: Relief from Abnormal Course Conditions

(Including Immovable Obstructions), Dangerous Animal Conditions, Embedded Ball. “Most golfers don’t grasp the concept of nearest point of complete relief and relief area,” McKenna says.

Rule 17: Penalty Areas.

This is a specific Rule for penalty areas which are bodies of water or other areas … where the ball is often lost or unable to be played. For one penalty stroke, players may use specific relief options to play a ball from outside the penalty area. “It is important to know the difference between what red and yellow markings mean as they provide different relief options,” she says.

Rule 18: Stroke-And-Distance Relief; Ball Lost or Out of Bounds; Provisional Ball.

This Rule covers taking relief under penalty of stroke and distance. When a ball is lost outside a penalty area or comes to rest out of bounds, the required progression of playing from the teeing area is broken; the player must resume that progression by playing again from where the previous stroke was made. It also covers how and when a provisional ball may be played to save time when the ball in play might have gone out of bounds or be lost outside a penalty area. McKenna points out that a local Rule may provide an alternative whereby, with a two-stroke penalty, the player may drop a ball “in a large area between the point where the ball is estimated to have come to rest or gone out of bounds and the edge of the fairway of the hole being played that is not nearer the hole.” But, she cautions, this local Rule must be implemented by the course to be in effect.

While most of us only hear about the Rules when there is a controversial situation on the PGA or LPGA tours, they exist for all golfers. Knowing them, even the basics, can save you strokes and help you better understand and appreciate the game and how it is to be properly played. Visit the Golf Canada website today to order your copy of the Player’s Edition of the Rules or view the Rules online. You can even sign up to take the free Online Rules Academy. If you have any questions about the Rules of Golf, you can Ask An Expert at www.golfcanada.ca/ask-an-expert/.

Want to learn more? Here are 20 Rules you should know.

Knowing the Rules can save you strokes, even for the best players in the world.