• Victoria Golfers Nolan Thoroughgood And Akari Hayashi Strike Gold At B.C. Summer Games

    Back-to-Back Wins For BC Summer Games Boys Golf Gold Medallist Nolan Thoroughgood Has Him In Good Spirits As He Prepares To Head And East And See How His Game Stacks Up Nationally - Image Credit Gino Cutri/British Columbia Golf

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    ABBOTSFORD -- There was no post-B.C. Amateur Championship letdown for Nolan Thoroughgood. Just over a week after becoming the youngest ever winner of the B.C. Amateur, the 15-year-old from Victoria had a B.C. Summer Games gold medal placed around his neck early Saturday evening at Ledgeview Golf Club in Abbotsford.

    Thoroughgood shot rounds of 69 and 71 to finish the 36-hole competition at even par. The Royal Colwood Golf Club junior member won the individual boys’ title by six shots over silver medallist Kyle Claggett of Mission. Sean Buckles of North Vancouver finished one shot behind Claggett and took home bronze.

  • Canadian Amateur Jared du Toit One Back Of Leader Brandt Snedeker Heading Into Final Round Of The RBC Canadian Open

    Team Canada’s du Toit of Kimberley, BC, Shot 70 Including A Dramatic Eagle On The 18th Hole For A Share Of Second With Dustin Johnson - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

    Via Press Release

    OAKVILLE, Ont. – Brandt Snedeker conquered the dense heat and gusty winds at Glen Abby Golf Club Saturday to card a 6-under 66 and take the lead at the RBC Canadian Open. Heading into the final round, Golf Canada National Amateur Squad member Jared du Toit holds a share of second with Dustin Johnson, one shot off the lead at the 107th playing of Canada’s National Open Championship.

    Du Toit tallied three bogeys and a pair of birdies across the front nine, but the resilient 21-year-old went on to finish bogey-free across his final nine holes, collecting a birdie on No. 13 and an eagle on No. 18. The crowd roared in approval and an impromptu performance of O Canada accompanied the Kimberley, B.C., native as he stepped off the course.

  • Kimberley's Jared du Toit Taking RBC Canadian Open By Storm

    Kimberley's Jared du Toit Is Chasing The RBC Canadian Open Title At Glen Abbey GC In Oakville, Ontario. He Went Into The Weekend Just One Shot Back Of The Lead - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

    Kimberley BC's 21-year old Jared du Toit went into the weekend at the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey GC just one shot back of leader Dustin Johnson. Chances are if you'd said a Canadian would be this close to the top of the leaderboard in his national open it would likely be an Adam Hadwin, Nick Taylor or Graham DeLaet.

    Even du Toit himself is at least a little surprised but as he said after his second round, “I didn’t have a lot of expectations coming in. To kind of vault up the leaderboard kind of caught me a bit off guard. But everything from now on is just cream on top.”

  • North Vancouver’s Neighbourhood Putting Green A Hit With Community

    North Vancouver City Mayor Darrell Mussatto (Right, putting) And Section Manager For Parks, Dave Turner (L) Enjoy The Unique Putting Green Installed At Sam Walker Park In North Vancouver - Image Credit Gino Cutri/British Columbia Golf

    by Gino Cutri

    The thought originated with the neighbour of North Vancouver Mayor Darrell Mussatto, who had just started to learn how to play golf. She approached the Mayor with a question, “How about we do something about golf in our community?”

    Mayor Mussatto paused, and remembered that his section manager for parks, Dave Turner, had mentioned he too would like to incorporate golf into the community. His idea was to build a putting green in a local park. That local park was Sam Walker.

  • Harry Ferguson’s Dream Has A Happy Ending As He Claims B.C. Senior Men’s Championship

    Invermere's Harry Ferguson Saw His Dream Come True As He Won the BC Senior Men's Championship Title At Shuswap Lake Estates Golf & Country Club - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    BLIND BAY -- Harry Ferguson had a dream about Thursday’s final round of the B.C. Men’s Senior-Super Senior Championship. Trouble was, he woke up early Thursday morning before finding out how it ended. It turns out there was no nightmarish ending, just a happy one for the 59-year-old oilfield worker from Invermere.

    Ferguson beat Gudmund Lindbjerg of Pitt Meadows on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to win his first provincial championship.

  • 50th Pacific Coast Amateur Championship Set For Seattle Golf Club

    British Columbia Golf Is Well Represented At The 50th Pacific Coast Amateur Championship. From L-R: Jack Croucher (Past President), Chuck Gage (Past President), Stuart Macdonald (Team Member), Kevin Kwon (Team Member), Chris Crisologo (Team Member) And David Atkinson (Immediate Past President) - Image Courtesy PNGA

    via press release

    PACIFIC COAST GOLF ASSOCIATION (Seattle, Wash)- The 50th Pacific Coast Amateur Championship, hosted by the Washington State and Pacific Northwest golf associations, will take place at historic Seattle Golf Club from July 26-29, 2016.

    Founded in 1900 with a 1996 redesign by Arnold Palmer, Seattle Golf Club has a history well deserving of hosting the Pacific Coast Amateur's 50th installment, including the 1952 U.S. Amateur, 1961 Walker Cup, 1981 U.S. Senior Amateur and three Pacific Coast Amateurs (1967, 1987, 1999).

    A world-class roster of amateur competitors will be taking part in the 72-hole, four-day stroke play competition in the hopes of raising the Dr. Ed Updegraff Trophy as champion. Without a defending champion, following Aaron Wise's departure to the professional ranks, the trophy and accolades coupled with victory are up for grabs.

  • Victoria’s Ko Medals At 115th PNGA Women's Amateur; Port Alberni’s Proteau Medals At 15th Women's Mid-Amateur

    Victoria's Namoi Ko (L) And Port Alberni's Christina Proteau Were Both Medalists In The 115th Pacific Northwest Women's Amateur, Ko In The Amateur And Proteau The Mid-Am - Image BC Golf

    Cle Elum, Wash. - Victoria, BC's Naomi Ko won a three-way playoff to earn medalist honors and No. 1 seed after two rounds of stroke play qualifying at the Prospector Course at Suncadia in Cle Elum, Wash. at the 115th Pacific Northwest Women's Amateur; while Christina Proteau of Port Alberni, BC earned the No. 1 seed in the 15th Pacific Northwest Women's Mid-Amateur.

    Both championships are conducted by the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA).

    Three giants in the Women's Amateur field are tied at the top - Coquitlam's Jisoo Keel, Princess Superal and Naomi Ko - with Ko winning the playoff for the No. 1 seed honors going into tomorrow's match play format.

  • Chambers Bay to Host 2017 Pacific Coast Amateur

    Site of the 2010 U.S. Amateur and 2015 U.S. Open, Chambers Bay welcomes the prestigious Pacific Coast Amateur Championship as the second consecutive Seattle-area venue to fit into Championship’s rotation.

    UNIVERSITY PLACE, Washington — Chambers Bay Golf Course, a 7,165-yard par-72 championship venue sitting along the shores of Puget Sound in the shadow of the Olympic Mountains, will see the world’s most accomplished amateur golfers travel to the Pacific Northwest for the second consecutive year as host of the 51st installment of the Pacific Coast Amateur Championship in 2017.

    Set to take place July 25-29 2017, the University Place links-style layout will show it’s versatility after proving to be a difficult test of golf for the world’s most accomplished professionals in last year’s U.S. Open.

    “It is our privilege to serve as the site of the 51st Pacific Coast Amateur,” stated Matt Allen, general manager of Chambers Bay.

  • Lindbjerg In Position To Win His Fifth Senior Men’s Title

    Lance Lundy Of Big Sky GC Had The Low Round Of The Day With A 3-under 69 But He Trails The Leader Gudmund Lindbjerg By 5 Shots Heading Into The Final Round - Image Credit Brad Ziemer

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    BLIND BAY -- Gudmund Lindbjerg’s four B.C. Senior Men’s titles came in four straight years. Now, five years after winning his last one in 2011, he finally has a chance to claim No. 5. The 67-year-old longtime Pitt Meadows Golf Club member shot his second straight 70 Wednesday and will take a two-shot lead into Thursday’s final round of the B.C. Men’s Senior and Super-Senior Championship at Shuswap Lake Estates Golf & Country Club.

  • The Ladies Are In Charge At Shuswap Lake Estates

    Shuswap Lake Estates Golf & Country Club General Manager Wendy Barker (On The Left, With The Course's Resident Dog, Charlie) And Course Superintendent Jen Rozek - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    BLIND BAY -- Every day is Ladies Day at Shuswap Lake Estates Golf & Country Club. That’s because the women are in charge at the club, which this week is playing host to the B.C. Senior and Super-Senior Men’s Championship. They’re everywhere here.

    The general manager is Wendy Barker. The course superintendent is Jen Rozek. Heck, even the pro shop’s resident dog, a five-year-old Shih tzu Bichon named Charlie, is a female. “We’re very proud of the fact that we have so many women here,” says Barker, whose father, Jack Barker, bought the course and surrounding property in 1977.

  • B.C. Senior Men’s Tourney A Mix Of Competition And Camaraderie

    Defending Champion John Gallacher Tees Off At Shuswap Lake Estates Golf Course As He Attempts To Go Back-To-Back In The BC Senior Men's Championship -Image Credit Brad Ziemer

    Doug Roxburgh Tied With Three Others For First-Round Lead

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    BLIND BAY -- It is as much about the camaraderie as the competition. The field for this week’s B.C. Senior and Super-Senior Men’s Championships at Shuswap Lake Estates Golf Course in Blind Bay numbers 144. Most know they have no chance of winning, but that doesn’t matter.

    They are here to play with old friends and maybe meet some new ones. Toasts will be made in the bar after their rounds. Stories will be told. They will celebrate their birdies and lament their bogeys or those dreaded others.

  • Chris Crisologo Wins Medallist Honours At Marine Drive Golf Club U.S. Amateur Qualifier

    Marine Drive Member Chris Crisologo Was The Medallist At His Home Course In The Historic First U.S. Amateure Qualifier To Be Held In Canada - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

    By Bryan Outram

    Vancouver, BC - July 18, 2016 - The historic first U.S. Amateur Qualifying event to be held in Canada at Marine Drive Golf Club produced club member Chris Crisologo as its medallist with the 2nd qualifying position going to William Deck from Kelowna.

    Two alternate spots were won by two more members from the host club, Jackson Thornley and Conrado Pederes, who beat yet another Marine Drive member, Jordan Lu, in a playoff.

    On a day with weather befitting a marathon qualifier, Marine Drive GC member Chris Crisologo was the medallist shooting rounds of 65-69 for a 6-under par score under blue skies and a hot July sun in Vancouver.

  • B.C. Golf Notes: Doug Roxburgh Toasted At Dinner Marking His 50 Straight B.C. Amateur Championship Appearances

    It's 50 And Counting For Doug Roxburgh As He's Saluted For Competing In His 50th Consecutive BC Amateur At Pheasant Glen GC Last Week. Doug Is Seen Here Speaking With Dawn Chubai From City TV's 'Breakfast Television' At The Dinner Celebration Held In His Honour At Marine Drive Golf Club  - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

    by Brad Ziemer

    Langley’s Adam Cornelson Earns Spot In RBC Canadian Open

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    Number 50 didn’t end quite the way he would have liked, but that didn’t seem to matter Sunday night when a dinner was held at Marine Drive Golf Club to honour Doug Roxburgh’s golden anniversary milestone.

    Roxburgh, a 13-time winner of the event, joked that he would have liked to have taken one less stroke at last week’s 114th B.C. Amateur Championship at Pheasant Glen Golf Resort in Qualicum Beach. He missed the 36-hole cut for only the third time in 50 appearances. All three cuts were missed by a single shot.

  • Parsons Prevails To Win 2016 BC Junior Girls Title At Big Sky Golf Club

    Delta's Mary Parsons Holds The Winner's Hardware After Her Victory In The 2016 BC Junior Girls Championship At Big Sky GC In Pemberton - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

    By Bryan Outram

    Mary Parsons coolly rolled in her 6th birdie putt of the day on the par 5 18th and final hole of the tournament at Big Sky Golf Club on Friday to put the finishing touches on her 6-shot victory in the 2016 BC Junior Girls Championship. Parsons finished at even par (288) for the 4 rounds. 

    Finishing tied for 2nd were Tiffany Kong and Hannah Lee, with halfway mark leader Sumie Francois coming in 4th and 13-year old Akari Hayashi rounding out the top 5.

    The win wasn’t without its up downs along the way, but Parsons’ perseverance proved to be the difference in the end.

  • Nolan Thoroughgood Makes B.C. Amateur Championship History With Win At Pheasant Glen

    Nolan Thoroughgood Is The Youngest BC Amateur Champion At Age 15 In The History Of The Event - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    QUALICUM BEACH -- History was made at the 114th playing of the B.C. Amateur Championship. Twice. The tournament began with the legendary Doug Roxburgh teeing it up in his 50th straight B.C. Amateur. It ended Friday with the championship trophy being raised by the event’s youngest ever winner.

    Nolan Thoroughgood, a 15-year-old Victoria resident who was competing in just the second four-round tournament of his young life, played with the poise of a seasoned veteran at Pheasant Glen Golf Resort. He closed with an even-par round of 72 for a 72-hole total of seven-under par to win by two shots over another promising junior, 17-year-old A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam.

  • Parsons Takes The Lead In 2016 BC Junior Girls Championship After Round Three

    Mary Parsons Is The Third Round Leader In The 2016 BC Junior Girls Championship At Big Sky Golf Club - Image Credit Golf Canada 

    By Bryan Outram

    The British Open may be taking place across the pond at Royal Troon this week but it was during the third round of the 2016 BC Junior Girls Championship that typical ‘Open’ weather decided to show up at Big Sky Golf Club in Pemberton.

    With the leaders just heading into the home stretch of holes on the back nine the wind came howling through the mountains and the rain was coming in sideways.

    As it turns out those were ideal conditions for eventual third round leader Mary Parsons, whose 2-under back nine score rescued her from an unsettling 4-over outward nine and staked her to a two-shot lead heading into Friday’s final round.

  • 15-Year-Old Nolan Thoroughgood Of Victoria Grabs The Lead At 114th B.C. Amateur Championship

    Nolan Thoroughgood's Three-Round Total Of Seven-Under Par Has Him One Shot Ahead Of Zach Anderson Of Nanaimo - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    QUALICUM BEACH -- Nolan Thoroughgood joined the junior program at Royal Colwood Golf Club in Victoria when he was 11 years old. His parents didn’t see much of him that summer. “We live right beside the course so he went over every day that summer,” Garth Thoroughgood said of his son.

    “He’d leave the house at 9 and we wouldn’t see him until 9 at night. They spoiled him there and he just fell in love with the game. He gave up hockey two years later and said he is just going to focus on golf.”

    That decision seems to be working out just fine. On Thursday, Nolan -- now 15 and heading into Grade 11 at Royal Bay Secondary -- shot a two-under par 70 in the third round of the B.C. Amateur Championship at Pheasant Glen Golf Resort and will take a one-shot lead into Friday’s final round.

  • ‘Old-Timer’ Andrew Hennings Keeping Up With The Kids At 114th B.C. Amateur Championship

    Andrew Hennings Shares The Halfway Lead In The 2016 BC Amateur At Pheasant Glen In Qualicum Beach - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

    Veteran Doug Roxburgh, Playing In His 50Th Straight B.C. Amateur, Misses The Cut By One Shot At Pheasant Glen

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    QUALICUM BEACH -- The idyllic oceanside town of Qualicum Beach is a popular retirement spot and has what can safely be described as a mature citizenry. It has become decidedly younger this week with the arrival of the B.C. Amateur Championship at Pheasant Glen Golf Resort.

    Of the 156 players who teed it up in the 114th playing of the B.C. Amateur, 124 are 24 years old or younger. And 43 of those are 18 and younger. The leaderboard through two rounds is a reflection of that youth. Two of the three co-leaders are 15 and 20. There is a liberal sprinkling of other teens and early 20-somethings fairly high up on the leaderboard.

    The exception is ‘old-timer’ Andrew Hennings. He’s 33, which would qualify him as a spring chicken by Qualicum Beach standards. But in this field, he’s one of the old guys.

  • Sumie Francois Maintains Lead After Round 2 Of BC Jr. Girls Championship

    Burnaby's Sumie Francois Still Holds The Lead After Round Two Of The 2016 BC Junior Girls Championship At Big Sky Golf Club In Pemberton - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

    By Bryan Outram

    Round two of the 2016 BC Junior Girls Championship at Big Sky Golf Club was played under mostly sunny skies with the stunning backdrop of Mt. Currie doing its level best to provide a distraction to the competitors below. 

    First round leader Sumie Francois of Shaughnessy G&CC continued her plan of playing conservatively off the tee and but for a balky putter may have been able to extend her 2-shot lead. As it was, her closest pursuer, Delta's Mary Parsons who plays out of Richmond's Mayfair Lakes GC, managed the only under par score of day two with a 1-under 71 to cut into Francois' lead by one shot going into round 3 on Thursday.

  • Motomochi Back At B.C. Amateur In A Different Role

    Former Junior Star Jonnie Motomochi From North Delta Is Now An Assistant Golf Coach With Oregon State - Image Courtesy Brad Ziemer/British Columbia Golf

    By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

    QUALICUM BEACH -- It wasn’t all that long ago that Jonnie Motomochi had the B.C. Amateur Championship circled on his summer playing calendar. These days it’s still highlighted, but for a different reason. 

    Motomochi now scouts the tournament he used to play in.

    A solid junior career landed Motomochi a golf scholarship to Oregon State University, where he played for the Beavers. Now he helps coach them.