Golf Canada Statement on the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Decision to Not Send Team Canada to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games
Click here for the full statement from the Canadian Olympic Committee]]>
Team Canada will not send athletes to Games in summer 2020 due to COVID-19 risks
TORONTO – The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC), backed by their Athletes’ Commissions, National Sports Organizations and the Government of Canada, have made the difficult decision to not send Canadian teams to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the summer of 2020. The COC and CPC urgently call on the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to postpone the Games for one year and we offer them our full support in helping navigate all the complexities that rescheduling the Games will bring. While we recognize the inherent complexities around a postponement, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our athletes and the world community. This is not solely about athlete health – it is about public health. With COVID-19 and the associated risks, it is not safe for our athletes, and the health and safety of their families and the broader Canadian community for athletes to continue training towards these Games. In fact, it runs counter to the public health advice which we urge all Canadians to follow. The COC and CPC reviewed the letter and news release sent Sunday by the IOC. We are thankful to the IOC for its assurance that it will not be cancelling the Tokyo 2020 Games and appreciative that it understands the importance of accelerating its decision-making regarding a possible postponement. We also applaud the IOC for acknowledging that safeguarding the health and wellness of nations and containing the virus must be our paramount concern. We are in the midst of a global health crisis that is far more significant than sport. The COC and CPC would like to thank our athletes, partners and the Canadian sport community for their patience and for lending us their voices during these unprecedented times. We remain hopeful that the IOC and IPC will agree with the decision to postpone the Games as a part of our collective responsibility to protect our communities and work to contain the spread of the virus.]]>
Golf Canada names 2020 Team Canada Young Pro Squad
OAKVILLE, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada is pleased to announce the nine athletes who have been selected to the 2020 Team Canada Young Pro Squad. Comprising the 2020 Men’s Young Pro Squad are returnees Hugo Bernard (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.), Jared du Toit (Kimberley, B.C.), Stuart Macdonald (Vancouver, B.C.) and Taylor Pendrith (Richmond Hill, Ont.) along with new additions Chris Crisologo (Richmond, B.C.) and Joey Savoie (La Prairie, Que.). Crisologo, 23, and Savoie, 25, will make their Young Pro Squad debuts after graduating from the Men’s Amateur Squad. The Women’s Young Pro Squad will be represented by a trio of returning athletes in Jaclyn Lee (Calgary, Alta.), Brittany Marchand (Orangeville, Ont.), and Maddie Szeryk (London, Ont.). Click here to read Team Canada Young Pro Squad player bios. Now in its seventh year, the Team Canada Young Pro Squad helps to bridge the gap for top-performing amateurs transitioning into the professional ranks. Since the inception of the Young Pro Squad in 2014, current and former team members have accounted for 43 wins across various professional golf tours including PGA TOUR wins by Mackenzie Hughes and Corey Conners as well as a record nine LPGA Tour wins by Brooke Henderson. New for 2020 is the amount of coaching the Young Pro Squad will receive. After talking with past players, one of the areas Golf Canada was committed to improving on was the amount of contact time with coaches. That time will double in 2020. Men’s and Women’s National Squad coaches Derek Ingram and Tristan Mullally will provide coaching to their respective Young Pro athletes. Both Ingram and Mullally are PGA of Canada members and Ben Kern Coach of the Year past recipients. Golf Canada is also pleased to announce the addition of Team Canada assistant coaches Jennifer Greggain (Chilliwack, B.C.) on the women’s side and Andrew Parr (London, Ont.) on the men’s side who will provide coaching support to athletes on the Amateur Squads. Greggain, the 2018 PGA of Canada Jack McLaughlin Junior Leader of the Year, brings an accomplished competitive resume including two years as a member of the LPGA Tour while Parr, a PGA of Canada apprentice professional and Team Canada graduate played professionally on both the Mackenzie Tour and European Tour. The athletes will also have access to Team Canada’s sport science staff, which includes physiotherapist Greg Redman and Psychologist Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood supporting the men’s team. The women’s team will be supported by physiotherapist Andrea Kosa and mental performance consultant Christie Gialloreto. Funding for this program, in large part, comes from the Golf Canada Foundation with generous contributions from founding partners RBC and Canadian Pacific, as well as supporting partners Citi Canada and Bear Mountain Resort – the Official Training Centre of Golf Canada’s National Team program.]]>
Team Canada's Brigitte Thibault returns to Augusta National Women's Amateur
Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., is headed back to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. The 21-year-old National Team member was the only Canadian in the field at the inaugural event last year and was officially invited back on Saturday. Participating in the first-even women’s event at the prestigious course was the start of a career season for Thibault. She went on to win the Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship and the NCAA’s Mountain West Conference Championship.
“I didn’t want to set expectations because I didn’t know if they were keeping the same procedures, I didn’t know how they would select the people this year,” said Thibault. “So I didn’t want to set expectations, but I knew I had a great year. I did a lot of things right.”Thibault, who is a member of Golf Canada’s national amateur squad, is entering her third season on Fresno State University’s golf team.
She was also part of Canada’s bronze-medal team at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, with Mary Parsons, Austin Connelly and Joey Savoie. After her productive 2019 Thibault was named the female amateur of the year by the Golf Journalists Association of Canada. Although Thibault missed the cut at last year’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur she thinks the experience will set her up for greater success. “There were things I did right, things I did wrong,” said Thibault. “Last year there was so much excitement and we didn’t really know what to expect. None of the players had an advantage. None of them had played there before.
“So to know what we’re expecting to play, what shot you’re supposed to hit, and all these things are definitely good to have learned.”]]>Back to back ? #blessed pic.twitter.com/B4FT25dF5L
— brigitte thibault (@bri_thib) January 25, 2020
Team Canada coach Tristan Mullally excited for Canada's wave of NCAA talent
Golf Canada’s national amateur squad, coach Tristan Mullally is excited for the future of the women’s game in this country. Mullally worked with Quebec City’s Sarah-Eve Rheaume, Noemie Pare of Victoriaville, Que., Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., and Mary Parsons of Delta, B.C. last week at The Legacy Golf Club in Phoenix. The camp focused on the ongoing development of all four players, preparing them to make the leap to the professional ranks.
“We’ve got a young, dynamic group that are a little bit light on experience but have some of the best attitudes that I’ve ever seen in terms of our national team,” said Mullally on Wednesday. “It’s very easy to improve their golf when their attitude is the way it is.“I’m expecting over the next couple of years to start to see some of these players starting to be those next discussion points.” Of course, right now the biggest discussion point in Canadian golf is Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont. She became the winningest golfer in Canadian history last season and is ranked eighth in the world. Henderson and Hamilton’s Alena Sharp represent the Canadian contingent on the LPGA Tour this season.
Chris Crisologo to turn pro at Vancouver Open
VANCOUVER – Chris Crislogo of Richmond, B.C., will play his first tournament as a professional at the Johnston Meier Insurance Agencies Vancouver Open from August 28 to September 1 at Fraserview Golf Club in Vancouver.
A member of the Team Canada National Amateur Squad for the past two years, the 23-year-old enjoyed a successful amateur career. He is a two-time winner of the South American Amateur, claiming the title in 2018 and 2019.
Crisologo captured the Gary Cowan Award as the low amateur at the 2018 RBC Canadian Open, finishing in a tie for 45th.
Crisologo also competed as a member of the Simon Fraser University golf team, winning individual titles at six tournaments between 2015 and 2018.
The Vancouver Open is part of the Vancouver Golf Tour. Canadian PGA TOUR professional Adam Hadwin has won the tournament three times, most recently in 2016.
Canada wins bronze medal in mixed team event at Pan Am Games
LIMA, Peru – Sunday marked a historic moment in Canadian golf, with Team Canada taking home the bronze medal in the mixed team event—the first-ever medal for Canada at the Pan Am Games.
The mixed team event consists of the lowest female score and the lowest male score of each round combined. Canada closed at 16 under par, good for a collective score of 552 – eight strokes back of the winning American team. Paraguay captured the silver medal with a score of 549.
Mary Parsons of Delta, B.C., shot a final-round 70 (-1) at the Country Club Villa to finish fifth place individually at 2 over par (68-73-75-70). Teammate Brigitte Thibault of Rosemère, Que., closed with a 4-over-par 75, totalling 6 over par for the tournament (74-73-68-75). American Emilia Miglaccio was the gold medalist with a total score of 8 under.
“I think all four of us grinded out every shot to kind of get to where we are,” said Parsons, who was just one stroke back of silver heading into the 18th hole. “We knew coming down the stretch we had to keep pushing because it wasn’t going to be over until it’s over.”
On the men’s side, Austin Connelly of Lake Doucette, N.S., paced the Canadians with 3-under effort in Sunday’s final round, finishing at 11 under overall with sole possession of sixth place. Joey Savoie of La Prairie, Que., carded a 2-over 73, bringing his total to 10 over par. Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti emerged from a playoff to capture the gold medal.
“They are all on this team for a reason,” said coach Tristan Mullally. “They have all been a part of our national team program at some point — my job is to help them prepare for this course with logistics, photographs, advance questions with the greens staff. It’s an amazing golf course for the site – it’s a unique course with some real quality holes.”
2019 marks the second playing of golf at the Pan American Games, and is the largest sporting event ever held in Peru. Golf made its debut at the 2015 Games in Toronto after the sport was added to the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
The 2023 Pan American Games will be played from Oct. 22 – Nov. 5 in Santiago, Chile.
Click here for full scoring.
Canada’s Maddie Szeryk finishes in top five at Island Resort Championship
HARRIS, Mich. – Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont. fired three rounds in the 60s, finishing in a tie for fourth place at the Island Resort Championship on Sunday.
The Team Canada Young Pro Squad member was the only competitor at the event to shoot all three of her rounds in the 60s at Sweetgrass Golf Club, finishing two strokes back of champion Daniela Iacobelli. It was Szeryk’s third top-five finish in his last four starts on the Symetra Tour.
It took 55 holes, but Iacobelli captured her third career Symetra Tour victory with a birdie in the first frame of a sudden-death playoff against Cindy Ha.
Each of Iacobelli’s three wins have come after she missed the cut the week prior.
“It feels good, there are a lot of memories here and this will just add to the list,” said Iacobelli, who also captured the 2012 Symetra Tour Championship and 2015 Tullymore Classic titles. “I think I just get a little upset with myself and come into the next tournament guns blazing.”
When the final round started at Sweetgrass Golf Club, Iacobelli was tied for 13th and looking at a six-stroke deficit. A bogey-free, 7-under par 65 moved the Florida Institute of Technology alumna quickly up the leaderboard.
“Started quick with birdie on the first three and made the turn in 5-under,” said Iacobelli, who finished at 11-under par overall. “I was like, ‘Ok, let’s step on the gas pedal,’ but the wind picked up a little bit and just tried not to make mistakes. The putter was hot this week, which is crazy since I switched grips on Wednesday. The 18th hole, I’m glad the wind was blowing the way it was because I only know how to play it as a two-shot hole. That was a bit advantageous.”
Her finish in Harris, Mich. earns exemption into The Evian Championship next month, the fourth major on the LPGA Tour schedule this year. A 2012 and 2015 Symetra Tour graduate, Iacobelli has spent three years on the LPGA Tour. However, she has never played in The Evian Championship.
“I’m excited, never been to France and looking forward to it,” Iacobelli said. “Get to experience another moment of my career, I can’t wait. That is for sure the crazier part of all this.”
Full results can be found here.
Christopher Vandette finishes third at TOYOTA Junior Golf World Cup
TOYOTA CITY, Japan – Christopher Vandette of Beaconsfield, Que., fired a 3-under-par 68 in the final round to finish third in the individual boys division at the TOYOTA Junior Golf World Cup. Canada finished sixth in the team competition.
Vandette’s score of 68 was his third round in the 60s this week. A bogey on the par-4 13th was the lone blemish on the 17-year-old’s scorecard. His score of 63 on Thursday was tied for the lowest round of the competition, helping him finish five shots back of winner Samuel Simpson of South Africa.
Laurent Desmarchais saved his best round for last, as his 4 under performance brought him to 3 under for the tournament. The Longueuil, Que., native was bogey-free on the back nine and finished in a tie for 20th.
Jeevan Sihota of Victoria, B.C. also shot under par, with his 1 under earning him a 34th place finish.
William Duquette of Laval, Que., withdrew from the competition before the final round and finished in 60th.
The quartet of Vandette, Desmarchais, Sihota and Duquette were competing individually, with each nation’s three lowest scores counting towards the team competition.
Canada ranked sixth of 15 teams in the team competition at 14 under, having gained eight shots in the final round. South Africa won the event at 41 under, 11 shots clear of Japan in second.
In the girls division, Japan won the team event with a score of 18 under, three strokes ahead of the United States. Cory Lopez of Mexico, Rose Zhang of the United States and Cassie Porter of Australia finished tied for first in the individual competition at 11 under.
Full scoring can be found here.
Christopher Vandette climbs into 6th place at TOYOTA Junior Golf World Cup
TOYOTA CITY, Japan – Christopher Vandette of Beaconsfield, Que., carded an 8-under 63 on Wednesday at the TOYOTA Junior Golf World Cup, moving himself into sixth place in the individual boys competition heading into the final round.
Vandette’s 63 is tied for the lowest round of the tournament thus far. He was bogey-free in round three, with an eagle on the par-5 6th highlighting a scorching moving day at Chukyo Golf Club. He sits five shots back of leader Samuel Simpson of South Africa.
Sihota also shot in the 60s in round three, shooting a 3-under 68. The Victoria, B.C., product is in a tie for 37th after 54 holes.
Desmarchais carded even-par 71, holding steady in 33rd at 1 over on the tournament, while Duquette shot 8 over and is in 58th.
The Canadian quartet features Vandette, Laurent Desmarchais, Jeevan Sihota and William Duquette. The players are competing individually, with each nation’s three lowest scores counting towards the team competition.
Canada ranks ninth of 15 teams in the team competition at 6 under par, having gained three spots in the third round. South Africa are the leaders at 38 under, nine shots clear of Japan in second.
In the girls division, Japan holds a three-stroke lead over the United States and Mexico. Cassie Porter of Australia and Siwoo Chung of South Korea are leading the individual competition at 8 under par.
Full scoring can be found here.