Nextgen Championships

Rosie Bee Kim and Matthew Wilson win NextGen Fall Series West Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards

(DAVE BEST/ GOLF CANADA)

By: Dan Pino/Golf Canada

Golden, B.C. – The NextGen Fall Series West Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, wrapped up at Golden Golf Club Sunday with Matthew Wilson of Nanaimo, B.C. and Rosie Bee Kim of Edmonton besting a field of 90 young amateurs to take home the respective Junior Boys and Girls titles.

In the Junior Girls Division, 15-year-old Rosie Bee Kim, a member of Highlands, Golf Club, used a final-round, even-par 72 and tournament-total 3-under 213 (69-72-72) for a 4-shot, wire-to-wire victory over runner-up Erin Lee of Langley, B.C. at 1-over 217. Lucy Lin of Vancouver, B.C.  (+3) finished alone in the third while Kelly Zhao of Richmond Hill, B.C. (+5) and Elisa Liu of Richmond, B.C. (+5) rounded out the top 5.   

Lin, a 12-year-old who Monday qualified into the 2022 CP Women’s Open last month to become the youngest competitor in the event’s history, used rounds of 76-70-73—219 (+3) to win the (U15) Bantam Division title by seven shots over Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. (+10). Earlier this summer, Lin, a member of Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver, also won the NextGen Western Championship contested at Pine Hills Golf Club in Rocky Mountain House, Alta.

In the Junior Boys Division, Wilson, who plays out of Nanaimo Golf Club, followed up a second-round 4-under 68 with a final-round 72, and tournament total 2-under 214 (74-68-72) to win by three shots over Alex Zhang of Richmond, B.C. (+1). Wilson, 15, entered final-round play with a share of the lead at 2-under through 36 holes and held off a back-nine push by Zhang as well as a trio of players – second-round co-leader Joshua Ince of Surrey, B.C. (+2) as well as Ryan Vest of Vernon, B.C. (+2), and Caleb Davies of Langley, B.C. (+2) – who fired matching final-round 72s to finish T3 at 2-over 218 for the championship.

Zhang, 14, carded tournament rounds of 69-76-72—217 (+1) to cruise to a 10-shot victory in the (U15) Bantam Division over Brae Rogalczyk of Innisfail, Alta. (+11) followed by Jaden August of Pitt Meadows, B.C. in third (+12). 

CLICK HERE for complete final scoring results from the NextGen Fall Series West Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards.

The top three male competitors  (Mathew Wilson, Alex Zhang, and , Ryan Vest,) from the 54-hole championship will earn a spot in the 2023 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO (location TBD). The top three female golfers (Rose Bee Kim, Erin Lee, and Lucy Lin) will also earn exemptions into next year’s Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO at Hampton Golf Club in Hampton, N.B.

The NextGen Fall Series West Championship conducted by Golf Canada was the final of eight regional junior championships presented in partnership with JOURNIE Rewards.

From May through July, six championships took place across Canada where the region’s best junior golfers competed to earn exemptions into their respective 2022 national junior championships, with two Fall Series events taking place in September. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and display their skills at the highest level of tournament golf. 

For the full schedule of Golf Canada’s 2022 competitions, click here.

Nextgen Championships

NextGen Fall Series West Championship heads to Golden Golf Club

By: Dan Pino

Golden, B.C. – The NextGen Fall Series West Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, begins this week with 90 amateur golfers taking the stage at Golden Golf Club in Golden, B.C.

Practice rounds are scheduled for Thursday, September 22, before the official 54-hole tournament gets underway on September 23. Play is scheduled to conclude September 25 with an awards ceremony scheduled immediately following play at Golden Golf Club.

The starting field will feature 90 players – 61 Junior Boys and 29 Junior Girls – vying for a spot in their respective Canadian Junior Championship next summer. 45 players in the field hail from host province, British Columbia.

In addition, 13 boys and 10 girls are competing from the Bantam Division (Under 15 years of age).

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

“Golden Golf Club is a terrific test to challenge our talented collection of junior golfers competing in our season-ending NextGen Junior Championship,” said tournament director Daniel Suppa. “We appreciate the golf club, the volunteers and the community for rallying around the championship that will feature many of the rising junior talents in Canadian golf.”

The NextGen Fall Series West Championship is one of Golf Canada’s eight regional junior championships presented in partnership with JOURNIE Rewards. Hyunjun Lee and Tina Jiang took home the honours in their respective divisions in 2021.

Additional information about the 2022 NextGen Fall Series West Championship including a field list and scoring can be found here.

The Golden Golf Club has a long history dating back to the formation of the club in June of 1935. In 1942, the club opened its first 5-hole golf course south of town near Reflection Lake. The Golden Golf Club was incorporated as a non-profit society in 1962 and continues under this designation in present day. In 1985, the original 9-hole golf course opened exclusively for member play—memberships cost $5, and rounds were $5 each. May of 1986 marked the official opening of the Golden Golf Club. More information about the club is available here.

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 display their skills at the highest level of tournament golf. 

For the full schedule of Golf Canada’s 2022 competitions, click here.

Nextgen Championships

Diogenous & Zhao win NextGen Fall Series East Championship, fuelled by JOURNIE Rewards

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.

Amateur Nextgen Championships

NextGen Fall Series East Championship heads to Hampton Golf Club

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 18th 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

Isaiah Ibit: Greyhawk GC

Jacob LeBlanc: Fox Creek Golf Club

Lindsay McGrath : Rattlesnake Point Golf Club

Emily McKee: Rattlesnake Pointe Golf Club

Carlee Meilleur: Loyalist Golf and Country Club

Kelly Zhao: Station Creek Golf Club

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. 

Amateur Nextgen Championships

Baker cruises, Efford rallies to capture NextGen Atlantic Championship

ANTIGONISH, N.S - ETHAN EFFORD AND ABBEY BAKER CELEBRATE AFTER WINNING THEIR RESPECTIVE DIVISIONS AT THE NEXTGEN ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIP AT ANTIGONISH GOLF CLUB ON JULY 14, 2022. PHOTO: MARK CHISHOLM

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 54th 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:

POSNAME
1Abbey Baker (Halifax, N.S.)
2Abby Wamboldt (Halifax, N.S.)
3Dana Smith (Campbell River, B.C.)
T4Callie Taylor (Quispamsis N.B.)
T4Emma Rushton (Wolfville, N.S.)
6Olivia Seaman (Kentville, N.S.)

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.

POSNAME
1Ethan Efford (St. Johns, Nfld.)
T2Dimitri Mihelakos (Halifax, N.S.)
T2Gavin Ives (Halifax, N.S.)
T2Owen Canavan (Hammonds Plains, N.S.)
5Logan Forward (Enfield, N.S.)
T6*Benjamin Childs (Halifax, N.S.)

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. 

Amateur Nextgen Championships

Antigonish Golf Club set for NextGen Atlantic Championship 

PHOTO: ANTIGONISH GOLF CLUB

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. 

Amateur Nextgen Championships

Qureshi, Pero crowned champions at NextGen Quebec Championship

Photo Bernard Brault, Golf Canada Hemmingford, Quebec: June 30th, 2022 2022 NextGen Québec Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards Yasmine Quereshi, Quebec, Qc Matthew Javier, North York, Ont

HEMMINGFORD, Que. – Cameron Pero wasn’t driving four hours from his hometown of Bloomfield, Ont., to Hemmingford, Que., for any other reason but to win the NextGen Quebec Championship. And that he did.

The Team Ontario member had already secured his spot at the Canadian Junior Boys Championships later this summer with a T2 finish at the NextGen Ontario Championship and took his game one step further this week in Quebec, finishing atop the leaderboard.  

Pero joined Yasmine Qureshi – champion of the Junior Girls division – in the winner’s circle at Club de Golf Hemmingford on Thursday afternoon after each mounting comebacks of their own in the final round of the regional junior event south of Montreal.

Matthew Javier took a 36-hole two-stroke lead into day three of the 54-hole tournament, but the advantage was short lived when the final pairing set sail on Thursday. Momentum swung in Pero’s favour in the early stages of the round and after just four holes, he held the outright lead.

Javier, who earned a runner-up finish at the NextGen Prairie Championship earlier in June, got back on level terms with his counterpart with a birdie on no. 5 but that was as close as the Toronto, Ont. native would get. Pero regained full control of the lead with a birdie on no. 6 and after bogeys on no. 9 and no. 11, the Miami University commit steadied the ship en route to a final round one-under par 71.

The Picton Golf & Country Club member’s win in Quebec is his second career NextGen title after taking home the honours at the NextGen Fall Series East Championship in 2021.

Qureshi fired the low round of the week, a four-under 68 in the second round of the competition but still needed every one of her seven birdies on Wednesday to earn victory. The Ville de Québec native dug herself a deep hole with an opening round 10-over par 82, but climbed her way back to the surface in round two, and then leaped onto the podium with a final round 76 to win by one stroke over Shauna Liu (Maple, Ont.)

Qureshi, out of Club de golf de Lorette, trailed Keira Hou (Richmond Hill, Ont.) by three strokes when making the turn on Thursday but finished strong with an even-par 36 coming in, to capture the title. Hou, who lead or co-lead throughout the entire tournament, dropped four strokes on her final three holes and fell into third place.

Hou’s younger sister Katherine was also in the field in Hemmingford and posted a T7 finish to book her ticket to the Canadian Junior Girls Championship later this summer, alongside her sister Keira.

Click here for full results of the 2022 NextGen Quebec Championship.

Including Qureshi, the top eight players (including ties) in the Junior Girls division have earned exemptions into the 2022 Canadian Junior Girls Championship taking place July 25-29 at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont.

POSNAME
1Yasmine Qureshi (Québec, Que.)
2Shauna Liu (Maple, Ont.)
3Keira Hou (Richmond Hill, Ont.)
T4Aryn Matthews (Little Britain, Ont.)
T4Genevieve Jobin-Colgan (Québec, Que.)
6Anne-Léa Lavoie (Québec, Que.)
T7Morgan Best (Pointe-Claire, Que.)
T7Katherine Hou (Richmond Hill, Ont.)
T7Mackenzie Cloutier (Mirabel, Que.)

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

POSNAME
1Cameron Pero (Bloomfield, Ont.)
2Matthew Javier (Toronto, Ont.)
3Gavin Ives (Halifax, N.S.)
4Justin Grimard (Deux-Montagnes, Que.)
T5Anthony Jomphe (Chicoutimi, Que.)
T5Guillaume Paquette (La Minerve, Que.)
T7Antoine Jasmin (Blainville, Que.)
T7Isaiah Ibit (Orleans, Ont.)

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. 

Amateur Nextgen Championships

Quarry Oaks Golf Course plays host to NextGen Prairie Championship

STEINBACH, Man. – The NextGen Prairie Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards lands in Central Canada at Quarry Oak Golf Course in Steinbach, Man., June 10 – 12.

Practice rounds are scheduled for June 9, before the official 54-hole tournament gets underway on June 10. Play is scheduled to wrap up on June 12.

The top 6 male competitors (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 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 89 players – 67 Junior Boys and 22 Junior Girls – vying for a spot in their respective Canadian Junior Championship later this summer.

The NextGen Prairie Championship is the fourth of six regional junior championships presented in partnership with JOURNIE Rewards. Lucy Lin and Alex Zhang took home the honours in the latest NextGen Championship at Pine Hills Golf Club in Rocky Mountain House, Alta. For the full schedule of 2022 NextGen Championships, click here.

Quarry Oaks Golf Course, a 27-hole course located southeast of Winnipeg Man., will play host to the junior event. The Central Canadian club covers 440 acres and features three different nine-hole courses, each unique in their own way. The diversifying stylistic variety allows a challenge for intermediate golfers up to professionals and will test the best junior golfers of the Prairie provinces this week.

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

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

NOTABLES

Ella Kozak (Yorkton, Sask.)

Ella Kozak continues to climb the ranks in Canadian junior golf and saw her name mixed in with some of the best Junior Girls in Canada at last year’s Golf Canada Junior Selection Camp. Prior to that, the Yorkton, Sask., native won the Saskatchewan Amateur Women’s Championship and will be vying for the NextGen Prairie Championship this week.

Ryan Blair (Winnipeg, Man.)

Ryan Blair will be in familiar territory at Quarry Oaks Golf Course this week. Blair is less than a week removed from a semi-final performance at the Steinbach, Man. track at last week’s 2022 Manitoba Match Play Championship and will be looking for a repeat performance at the stroke play event June 10-12.

Clara Peake (Binscarth, Man.)

The reigning 2021 Manitoba Junior Women’s Provincial Champion headlines the Junior Girls field at Quarry Oaks this week. Peake’s rise to the top of Manitoba junior golf came after just three years from her picking up a golf club. The Binscarth, Man., native will look to continue building on an impressive resume at the NextGen Prairie Championship.

Hunter Kutcher (Regina, Sask.)

Kutcher was crowned champion of the 2021 Saskatchewan Junior Men’s Provincial Championship and will be taking his talents to the neighbouring province of Manitoba for a shot at the NextGen Prairie Championship.  

OTHER NOTABLES

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. 

Amateur Nextgen Championships

Lin, Zhang victorious at NextGen Western Championship

LUCY LIN AND ALEX ZHANG WIN THE 2022 NEXTGEN WESTERN CHAMPIONSHIP AT PINE HILLS GOLF CLUB IN ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE, ALTA., JUNE 2 - 4.

Rocky Mountain House, Alta. – As the old saying goes, ‘age is just a number.’ Lucy Lin and Alex Zhang proved that theory right at the 2022 NextGen Western Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards.

Lin, 12, and Zhang, 13, showed maturity beyond their years – and then some – at Pine Hills Golf Club in Rocky Mountain House, Alta. They certainly were not the oldest in the starting field of 93 players but this week they proved to be the best, winning their respective divisions at the junior event.

Lin, a Vancouver, B.C. native, lead wire-to-wire in the Junior Girls division, shooting even-par or better in each of the three rounds to secure a two-stroke victory over Eileen Park – yet another youngster who proved her talents out west.

“I had a lot of fun, [gained] a lot of experienced, learned a lot and played quite well,’ said Lin.

Lin, the second youngest player in the field in the Junior Girls divisions, welcomed the challenge of competing against girls up to the age of 19, and says she was just trying to play her own game, hit every shot well and learn from the experience.

The west-coast prodigy is now turning her focus to a U.S. Junior Girl Qualifier and says her main goal for this season is to qualify for that event.

Park, the runner-up in the Junior Girls division and youngest competitor in the field, put her talent on display in Alberta and showed why her potential is amongst the highest of junior girl golfers in Canada.

“I don’t have any fears. I’ve played with these girls for a few years now, so I am kind of used to it,” said Park. “It’s actually pretty fun to play with the older girls now. There’s a little more challenge [though] because they hit it further than me.”

The 12-year-old says she is trying to hit more “bombs” and throw more “darts” to make up for the gap in distance from the older girls. It’s safe to say she did her fair share of dart throwing this week, finishing 2-under par for the tournament.

Shifting gears, Park says she hopes to win the U19 Provincial Championship and “maybe” the Alberta Ladies Amateur Championship.

In the Junior Boys divisions, Zhang mounted an improbable comeback in the final round, firing a 1-under 72 for a two-stroke victory over Charlie Gillepsie. The 13-year-old showed that no moment was too big for him in a field where many of his competitors had more experience under their belt.

“I wasn’t scared at all, but I viewed it as a good challenge for me and a good test of golf,” said Zhang. “It was really great for experience to see how they managed emotions and their shots.”

“I knew my game was feeling pretty good going into today. I knew I had to play my own game, not think about the score and who’s leading, and I would have a good chance of winning,” said the Richmond, B.C. native.

Click here for full results of the 2022 NextGen Western Championship.

Including Lin, the top six players in the Junior Girls division have earned exemptions into the 2022 Canadian Junior Girls Championship taking place July 25-29 at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont.

POSNAME
1Lucy Lin (Vancouver, B.C.)
2Eileen Park (Red Deer, Alta.)
3Sydney Bisgrove (Calgary, Alta.)
4Carys Code (Calgary, Alta.)
5Tessa Ion (Calgary, Alta.)
6Belle Brezovski (St. Albert, Alta.)

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

POSNAME
1Alex Zhang (Richmond, B.C.)
2Charlie Gillepsie (Calgary, Alta.)
3Christian Flick (Heritage Pointe, Alta.)
T4Kyle Fisher (Leduc, Alta.),
T4Tate Bruggeman (Edmonton, Alta.),
T6Cole Bergheim (Red Deer, Alta.)
T6Tyler Kidd (Buck Lake, Alta.).

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. 

Amateur Nextgen Championships

MacLean, Nagayo win the NextGen Ontario Championship

PORT SEVERN, Ont. – There wasn’t much for Ben MacLean and Alessandra Nagayo to worry about on Saturday at Oak Bay Golf Club in Port Severn, Ont. 

MacLean (Niagara Falls, Ont.) led wire-to-wire and Nagayo (Toronto, Ont.) made a final round comeback to capture the titles in their respective divisions at the NextGen Ontario Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards.

MacLean carded rounds of 69, 69 and 70 for an 11-stroke victory for his second championship in as many weeks, after bringing home the 2022 Ontario Junior Spring Classic (U19) Boys Championship last week. 

“I made a huge jump in my game last year and I took most of the stuff I did last year and added to that,” said MacLean on his recent success. “[I’m] finding better shots off the tee and hitting my shots a lot better than I was last year which has been pretty helpful, and I’m trusting everything more.”

Next for the 17-year-old is the RBC Canadian Open Final Qualifier on June 6 at Oakdale Golf & Country Club, an event MacLean says he’s confident he can qualify for. 

Nagayo’s week wasn’t as straight forward, but the result was no different. Entering Saturday’s round five strokes back, the 18-year-old carded a final round 71 to win the Junior Girls division by five strokes. 

Swetha Sathish, who held the 36-hole lead in the Junior Girls division wasn’t able to get it done down the stretch, but her confidence remains intact.

“Thinking about those good shots, visualizing those good shots, and then making them happen was really crucial [this week],” said Sathish, and the positive thoughts didn’t end there.

“I see myself probably winning a couple provincial championships, maybe even a national championship, and definitely getting into a good university in the future and [eventually] going professional.” 

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

Including Nagayo, the top eight players in the Junior Girls division have earned exemptions into the 2022 Canadian Junior Girls Championship taking place July 25-29 at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont.

For full results click here.