The Youngest Player To Ever Win The B.C. Amateur Championshp, Nolan Thoroughgood, Will Be At Morgan Creek This Week To Defend the Title He Won Last Year As A 15-Year Old - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The field for the 115th playing of the B.C. Amateur Championship is full following a supplemental qualifier Sunday at Northview Golf Club’s Canal course in Surrey.

Sixty players competed for the final 21 spots into the B.C. Amateur, which begins Tuesday at Morgan Creek Golf Club in Surrey. Keenan Flemming of Sechelt topped the field with a one-under 71. It took a score of 78 or better to earn a spot.

BC Golf Particiaption Manager Tyler McKay (L) Helps Introduce A Young SuperHero To The Game Of Golf At The Aboriginal Day Ceremony At Musqueam Last Month - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/British Columbia Golf

By Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

During the recent Aboriginal Day festivities held June 21st at Musqueam’s Community and Cultural Centres in Vancouver, a team from British Columbia Golf & Future Links, Driven by Acura, set up their SNAG golf display on a beautiful early summer day and saw over 160 youngsters take part in trying their hand at hitting shots toward targets with the specially designed equipment.  

As part of the initiative to inspire everyone to get active and involved in moving the community forward, BC Golf’s new Manager of Participation, Tyler McKay, was on hand with a great crew of assistants that included SFU Clan standout Chris Crisologo, UBC T’Bird Women’s Golf team member Avril Li, former Team Canada Junior member Matt Kettleson and BC Golf intern Phong Pham.

Between them all they were instrumental in helping interested youngsters, some who had swung a golf club before and many who had not, have some fun in hitting the velcro-style balls at nearby targets.

courtesy Golf Canada

Over the past several years, the USGA and The R&A have been working with golf’s handicapping authorities to develop a single World Handicap System (WHS) for the sport.

More than 15 million golfers in over 80 countries presently have a handicap, a numerical index long used as a reference to gauge a golfer’s potential skill level.

Team British Columbia In This Year's Eddie Hogan Cup Consists Of From L-R: Aidan Goodfellow, Zach Ryujin, Isaac DH Lee And Joel Veenstra - All Images Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/British Columbia Golf

The 49th annual Eddie Hogan Cup tournament is scheduled to take place August 11th – 13th, 2017 at the Riverside Golf & Country Club in Portland, Oregon and British Columbia has been represented every single year since its inception in 1969. 

BC has won the Eddie Hogan Cup title twice since 1972, with the first coming in 2009 and then again 4 years later in 2013 where team member Kevin Vigna also won the individual title. The Eddie Hogan Cup is filled with excellent competition from across the USA including Southern and Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Hawaii and others.

It is restricted to boys 18 years of age or younger as of the final date of competition. However, a player may NOT have started college.

Morgan Creek Golf Club In Surrey Is Prepared To Play Host To The 115th Playing Of The B.C. Amateur And Richmond's Chris Crisologo Has His Eyes On The Prize - Image Courtesy BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

It is the tournament that Chris Crisologo circled on his busy summer schedule, one that he wants to win more than all the others. And it may surprise you to learn that the B.C. Amateur Championship is that tournament.

A win at the Canadian Amateur or U.S. Amateur would ultimately mean much more for his career, but it is the B.C. Amateur that is closest to Crisologo’s heart. “I really want to get a good showing in a B.C. Am for once,” says Crisologo.

“That is kind of my goal this summer. Even going into the year I said I really want to give myself the best opportunity in the B.C. Am and ride  the momentum into the Canadian Am and I guess the U.S. Am now.”

Richmond's Chris Crisologo, Seen Here At The Freedom 55 Financial Open With 2017 BC Junior Girls Champion Alisha Lau As His Caddy, Has Qualified For The 2nd Straight Year To Play In The U.S. Amateur Championship - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columiba Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

If there is such a thing as a bittersweet top 10 on the PGA TOUR, Abbotsford’s Nick Taylor experienced it on Sunday. Taylor finished tied for ninth at the Greenbrier Classic in White Sulphur Springs, WVa. It was Taylor’s fourth top 10 in what has been a terrific year for the 29-year-old.

But Taylor had to leave West Virginia a little disappointed about missing out on an opportunity to qualify for this month’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. The top four finishers at the Greenbrier not already exempt into The Open Championship earned spots in the Royal Birkdale field.

Christian Zalli Defeated Younger Brother Ilirian And Victoria's Keaton Gudz By Two Shots To Win The 2017 B.C. Junior Boys Championship - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

SQUAMISH -- He was proud of himself, but Christian Zalli also couldn’t help feeling a tinge of regret. To win the B.C. Junior Boys Championship at Squamish Valley Golf & Country Club on Friday, Zalli had to beat his little brother Ilirian.

And that wasn’t easy. That it came down to the final hole made it even more difficult. Unfortunately, there are no ties in golf, so when Christian and Ilirian stepped up to the 18th tee late Friday afternoon tied for the lead, you knew one of them was going to walk away disappointed.

The 2017 B.C. Junior Girls Champion Alisha Lau, Flanked By Okanagan Golf Club Director Of Golf Lee Ranger (L) And General Manager Dan Matheson (R) - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

It wasn't exactly a nail-biter, but that doesn't take away from a very impressive performance by the 2017 British Columbia Junior Girls Champion, Alisha Lau.

Lau, who plays out of Quilchena Golf & Country Club in her home town of Richmond, once again posted the only score under par on the final day of the tournament on The Bear Course at The Okanagan Golf Club to finish the event at 9-under with a total of 279. 

The win was doubly, or should we say triply, rewarding for the 17-year old Lau as she not only took home the hardware as B.C. Junior Girls Champ, she also earned a spot on the B.C. Team at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship August 1-4th at the Camelot Golf & Country Club in Ontario as well as learning that she had been named to the B.C. Team for the Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg July 28 - August 13th. 

It's already shaping up to be a very special summer for Lau, who will attend the University of Colarado this fall on a full-ride golf scholarship.

Craig Doell, Pictured Here With Len Fergie, Won Both The Mid-Amateur And Mid-Master Titles At Kokanee Springs - Image Credit Kris Jonasson/British Columbia Golf

CRAWFORD BAY -- Victoria’s Craig Doell won the B.C. Mid-Master Championship and then had to work a little overtime on Thursday to claim the Mid-Amateur title at Kokanee Springs Golf Resort.

Doell captured the Mid-Am crown on the fifth hole of a sudden-death playoff with Cameron Powell of Fernie. Both players had finished the 54-hole competition at three-over par. Doell closed with a one-under 70 on Friday. 

The Elder Zalli Brother, Christian, Takes A 3-Shot Lead Over His Younger Sibling, Ilirian, Into The Final Round Of the BC Junior Boys Championship At Squamish Valley G&CC - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/Britsh Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf  

SQUAMISH -- When the round was over, the big brother put his arm around the shoulders of the little brother and offered words of encouragement. That’s the way it is for Christian and Ilirian Zalli, who like to beat one another on the golf course, but also want to see the other do well.

On Thursday, it was big brother Christian who beat his little brother and grabbed a three-shot lead heading into Friday’s final round of the B.C. Junior Boys Championship at Squamish Valley Golf & Country Club.

Richmond's Alisha Lau Is The Third Round Leader Of The BC Junior Girls Championship By 8-Shots At The Bear Course At Okanagan Golf Club - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

by Bryan Outram, British Columbia Golf

The sweltering heat took its toll on the field for the 3rd round of the BC Junior Girls Championship on The Bear Course at Okanagan Golf Club with the temperature hovering around 35 degrees and certainly feeling much hotter as the day wore on.

Despite the sauna-like conditons Richmond's Alisha Lau overcame her rocky start, where she made bogey on her first 3 holes, by making birdie on two of her next four. That would settle her down somewhat and she managed her way around the rest of day to finish at 2-over 74 and still holds an 8-shot lead heading into Friday's final round. 

Her playing partners, Esther Lee with a 73 and Angel Lin with a 74, are in second and third place respectively and the three of them will all tee it up again together in Friday's final group.

It's Not A Circus Act, But The Brothers Zalli (Ilirian - L & Christian - R) Could Definitely Provide Some Entertainment Going Into The Last Two Rounds Of The BC Juniors Boys Championship Tied For The Lead - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

SQUAMISH -- No, you are not seeing double. Those Zalli, Zalli names at the top of the leaderboard are correct.

It seems a serious case of sibling rivalry has broken out at the B.C. Junior Boys Championship at Squamish Golf & Country Club. Christian Zalli and his little brother Ilirian share the lead at the halfway point. Both finished the second round at five-under par, three shots better than the rest of the field.

And as for that rivalry, the brothers say that while they do love to beat one another, they are each highly supportive of the other.  “If he wins I am very happy for him,” Christian said after Wednesday’s round.

BC's Legendary Doug Roxburgh Served Notice That He's Still In The Game To Compete Pulling Into A 2nd Round Tie For The Lead In The BC Men's Mid-Amateur/Mid-Master Championship - Image Credit Golf Canada

CRAWFORD BAY -- A familiar name is atop the leaderboard at the B.C. Mid-Amateur & Mid-Master Championships at Kokanee Springs Golf Club.

Thirteen-time B.C. Amateur winner Doug Roxburgh fired a two-under 69 in Wednesday’s second round to grab a four-way share of the lead in the Mid-Amateur competition, which is open to golfers age 25 and over. The Hall of Famer sits at two-over par through 36 holes and is tied with Cameron Powellof Fernie, Gudmund Lindbjergof Port Moodyand Sandy Harperof Nanaimo.

Richmond's Alisha Lau Will Take A 9-Shot Advantage Into Round 3 Of The BC Junior Girls Championship On The Okanagan Golf Club's Bear Course - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

by Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

There are still two rounds to go in the BC Junior Girls Championship but after following up her course record-setting 67 with a bogey-free 68 on day two for a 9-shot lead, it's pretty clear this is Alisha Lau's tournament to lose. 

After allowing the one blemish on her card in the opening round, Lau took care of that in style in round two with 3 birdies on the front and one on the back for a tidy 4-under score and a total of 9-under at the halfway point of the tournament being held on The Bear Course at The Okanagan Golf Club in Kelowna. 

Quilchena Golf Club's Lau is also the only player in the event to be under par to this point.

Vancouver's Ilirian Zalli Leads The BC Junior Boys Championship At Squamish Valley G&CC By Three After A Fine Opening 66 - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf 

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

SQUAMISH -- This is Ilirian Zalli’s second B.C. Junior Boys Championship and he joked Tuesday that he’s already done better than his first one. Not that the first one was all that bad. Zalli tied for 17th place at last summer’s B.C. Junior Boys Championship at Arbutus Ridge Golf Club.

A year later, the 15-year-old Vancouver resident has put himself in position to do much better than that after opening this year’s championship with a six-under 66 Tuesday at Squamish Valley Golf & Country Club.

There's Lots Of Interest In Victoria Teen Nolan Thoroughgood Since Winning Last Summer’s B.C. Amateur Championship - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

SQUAMISH -- Nolan Thoroughgood has a decision to make and this one is a little more complicated than choosing what club to hit off the tee.

Thoroughgood, who last summer at age 15 become the youngest winner in the 114-year history of the B.C. Amateur Championship, has just finished Grade 11 and is being heavily recruited by universities on both sides of the border. The Victoria native has to decide this summer, even though he won’t be starting university until the fall of 2018.

John Gallacher, Recent Winner Of The PNGA Men's Super-Senior Title, Is The First Round Leader At The BC Men's Mid-Amateur/Mid-Master At Kokanee Springs - File Photo

by Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

CRAWFORD BAY -- Burnaby’s John Gallacher has the lead, but not much of a cushion following Tuesday’s first round of the B.C. Mid-Amateur & Mid-Master Championship at Kokanee Springs Golf Club.

Gallacher shot the day’s lone sub-par round, a one-under 70, to grab a one-shot lead over Sandy Harper of Nanaimo, Jordan Orth of Cranbrook and Jason Longshaw of Calgary in the Mid-Amateur category for players 25 and over.

Four other players -- Craig Doell of Victoria, Ryan Mulhern of Vancouver, Jim Shaw of Mission and Daniel Brown of Grand Forks -- are tied for fifth at one over par. Gallacher also leads the Mid-Master Championship for players 40 and over by one shot over Harper. Doell, Mulhern and Shaw are tied for third.

In the women’s Mid-Amateur competition, Josee Deslauriers of Parksville shot a four-over 77 and has a one-shot lead over Christina Proteau of Port Alberni and Lynda Palahniuk of Kelowna. Deslauriers also has a one-shot lead over Palahniuk in the Mid-Master Championship.

Harry Ferguson of Invermere and Harper lead the two-ball best-ball competition with a four-under 67. That was one shot better than the teams of Nash Kassam and Thomas Carr of Vancouver and Longshaw and Brant Zurawell of Calgary.

CLICK HERE for complete scoring in Women's Mid-Amateur/Mid-Master

CLICK HERE for complete scoring in Men's Mid-Amateur/Mid-Master

Alisha Lau Is Your First Round Leader In The 2017 BC Junior Girls Championship After Carding A Ladies' Course Record 67 On The Bear Course At Okanagan GC - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

by Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

Richmond’s Alisha Lau fired a Ladies’ course record 67 on The Bear at The Okanagan Golf Club today to take a 3-shot lead over Surrey’s Angel Lin in the opening round of the BC Junior Girls Championship.

The 17-year old Lau, who plays out of Quilchena Golf Club and is a recent graduate of Burnett High School in Richmond, is heading to the University of Colorado in the fall and this will be her final go ‘round in the BC Junior Girls Championship.

Kokanee Springs GC Plays Host To The Women's & Men's Mid-Amateur/Mid-Master Championships This Week In Crawford Bay - Image Courtesy Kokanee Springs Golf Resort

British Columbia Golf (July 4, 2017) - It's a very busy week for British Columbia Golf Championships as we see the Junior Boys Championship at Squamish Valley Golf Club, the Junior Girls play The Bear Course at The Okanagan Golf Club and the Mid-Amateur for Women & Men takes place atKokanee Springs Golf Resort in Crawford Bay.

British Columbia Golf is proud to have their championships hosted all around this beautiful province and to be able to showcase many of the great golf facilities we are so fortunate to have in our part of the world.

To follow live scoring for these events please click on the appropriate link below.

Women's & Men's Mid-Amateur Championships at Kokanee Springs GR

- Click here for Women's Mid-Amateur/Mid-Master scoring

- Click here for Men's Mid-Amateur/Mid-Master scoring

Junior Girls Championship at The Okanagan GC

- Click here for Junior Girls live scoring

Junior Boys Championship at Squamish Valley GC

- Click here for Junior Boys live scoring

The Squamish Valley Golf Course Plays Host To This Week's British Columbia Junior Boys Championship, One Of Three BC Golf Championships Happening This Week - Image Courtesy Squamish Valley GC

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Tristan Mandur won last year’s B.C. Junior Boys Championship on his home course, Arbutus Ridge Golf Club. He will defend that title this week on less familiar territory as this province’s top juniors gather at Squamish Valley Golf Club.

Mandur will face plenty of stiff competition as he attempts to become the first junior boy to defend his title since Surrey’s Adam Svensson went back to back in 2010 and 2011. 

This week’s field in Squamish includes current B.C. Amateur champion Nolan Thoroughgood of Victoria, this year’s B.C. high school champion Andy Kim of Langley and two of his Walnut Grove Secondary teammates, Andy Jang and Jaewook Lee, as well as 2014 B.C. Junior champion Keaton Gudz of Victoria.

The tournament runs Tuesday through Friday and is part of a busy week of amateur golf in British Columbia.