The 79th Playing Of The National Junior Championship Is Set Go July 31st At The Cataraqui G&CC In Kingston ON, With A Large Contingent Of Players From BC Taking Part Including Coquitlam's A.J. Ewart (L) And Duncan's Callum Davison (R) - Images Credit British Columbia Golf

Courtesy Golf Canada

KINGSTON, Ont. –  Cataraqui Golf & Country Club will welcome the nation’s best young golfers for the 2017 Canadian Junior Boy Championship. The 79th playing of the tournament will take place between July 31-Aug. 3 and will consist of 156 of many of the nation’s best junior golfers, including all four members of Team Canada’s Development Squad.

Included in that field are 29 players from British Columbia including Team Canada Development Squad member A.J. Ewart and Callum Davison, (both pictured above) who is 3rd in the Future Links Order of Merit.

 AGA-BC Directors Meet With New Golf Canada CEO, Laurence Applebaum, At Point Grey Golf & Country Club. (From Left) Jerry Rousseau, Western Canada Turfgrass Association, Donald Miyazaki, PGA of BC, Mike Whalen, Canadian Society of Club Managers, Laurence Applebaum, Golf Canada, Kris Jonasson, British Columbia Golf, Joan Probert, National Golf Course Owner’s Association, Eric Beck, National Golf Course Owner’s Association, Trevor Smith, Allied Golf Association of BC President, Dale Jackson, Golf Canada. (Photo/AGA-BC)

By Jeff Sutherland 

Barely into his start, Golf Canada's new CEO is already making the rounds.

Laurence Applebaum, who spent the last five years as executive vice-president of the Women’s Tennis Association, set an aggressive 21-day schedule to meet with golf industry leaders across Canada... all on their home turf.

His stop in BC was July 19th, hosted by the Point Grey Golf and Country Club and was an opportunity for break out meetings with four separate groups including the directors of the Allied Golf Association (AGA) of BC (a collective of individual provincial golf sector leaders).

Canada is celebrating its 150th Birthday this year and with that the Canada Games will hold its 50th edition with the Summer Games in Winnipeg from July 28th to August 13th.

Featuring 16 sports and over 250 events, combined with a major cultural festival, the 2017 Canada Summer Games will bring together exceptional athletes and artists from coast to coast to celebrate the occasion.

One of those sports is of course, Golf, and when it comes to competing in the Canada Summer Games, few provinces can boast the results in any discipline quite like BC can when it comes to golf.

Angela Zhang (L) Of Vancouver And Logan Carver (R) Of Calgary Are Your Girls And Boys Champions Respectively From The Future Links, driven by Acura Western Championship at Fernie Golf and Country Club - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

Courtesy Golf Canada

FERNIE, B.C. – Logan Carver rebounded after a sloppy start to edge the competition in the final holes while Angela Zhang won the girls division at the Future Links, driven by Acura Western Championship at Fernie Golf and Country Club on Thursday.

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.

Christian Zalli's Win In The 2017 BC Junior Boys Championship At Squamish Valley GC Vaulted Him Up The WAGR List 1,386 Places - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/BC Golf 

MEN’S TOP 10

A minor shake up near the top of the Top-10.

Adam Hadwin maintains the No. 1 Canadian ranking but some jostling behind him sees Graham DeLaet move up to No. 2 with a six place gain. DeLaet finished in a tie for 20th at the PGA’s Greenbrier Classic, earning 1.94 world ranking points in the process.

Mackenzie Hughes also finished in a tie for 20th but only picked up three places in the world rankings, leaving him just two places back of DeLaet.

Nick Taylor moves up to No. 4 with a six spot gain as well thanks to a tie for ninth at The Greenbrier. It’s his fourth top 10 result of the season and was worth 4.42 world ranking points. Unfortunately, Taylor just missed out qualifying for the Open Championship as one of the top four finishers at the tournament who were not already exempt into the major championship.

Canadian Women's Golf Legend Lorie Kane (L) And Current LPGA Sensation, Brooke Henderson, Will Vie For The CP Women's Open Title At The Famed Ottawa Hunt Club In August - Image Credit Golf Canada

Courtesy Golf Canada

As part of Canada 150 celebrations, the nation’s capital is hosting the stars of the LPGA Tour, including a strong Canadian contingent led by 4-time LPGA Tour winner Brooke Henderson.

Golf Canada, in partnership with Canadian Pacific (CP), has announced many of the world’s top players have committed to play in the 2017 CP Women’s Open from August 21-27 at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club.

Defending champion Ariya Jutanugarn leads a stellar list of early commitments set to challenge for the $2.25 million USD purse, one of the largest prizes on tour.

A six-time winner on the LPGA Tour, the Thailand native recently climbed to No. 1 in the Rolex World Rankings following her victory at the 2017 Manulife LPGA Classic in Waterloo, Ont.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 29, 2017
www.sahaleeplayerschampionship.com

Sammamish, Wash. - An impressive field of world-class amateur talent will converge on the Pacific Northwest and Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Wash. for the 23rd Sahalee Players Championship (SPC), to be played July 5-7, 2017.

The championship will be contested over 72 holes of stroke play, with 18 holes being played the first day, 36 the second, and 18 on the third and final day. Admission is free to watch the championship.

The SPC took a hiatus in 2016 while the club hosted the 2016 KPMG Women's PGA Championship, won by Brooke Henderson in a playoff with Lydia Ko.

Canada's Brooke Henderson, Seen Here Teeing Off In The CP Women's Open At Vancouver Golf Club In 2015 - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Summer is just getting started and Brooke Henderson has an inkling she is going to have a very good one.

The 19-year-old Canadian LPGA Tour star sounded like she was oozing with confidence in a conference call with reporters on Wednesday. Fresh off a victory this past weekend at the Meijer LPGA Classic in Grand Rapids, Mich., Henderson feels like she has turned the corner on what had, by her high standards, been a disappointing start to her 2017 season.

“I really needed this win and I think it's going to turn around my entire season,” Henderson said.

Richmond's Chris Crisologo (L) And Kimberley's Jared du Toit (R) Had Solid Outings This Week - Images Credit British Columbia Golf/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Jared du Toit left the GolfBC Championship in Kelowna with his first top 10 as a pro and a course record.

The Kimberley native is just two events into his new professional career and has already seen plenty of highs and lows. Du Toit, the 2015 B.C. Amateur champion, shot a 10-under 61 to set a course record at Gallagher’s Canyon Golf & Country Club in the third round of the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada event.

That round came a day after du Toit had to birdie his final hole in the second round to make the cut. That was thanks mainly to a pair of triple bogeys in his first two rounds.

British Columbia Golf Will Be Looking To Keep Their Unbeaten Streak Alive At This Year's Canada Summer Games In Winnipeg

Canada is celebrating its 150th Birthday this year and with that the Canada Games will hold its 50th edition with the Summer Games in Winnipeg from July 28th to August 13th. 

Featuring 16 sports and over 250 events, combined with a major cultural festival, the 2017 Canada Summer Games will bring together exceptional athletes and artists from coast to coast to celebrate the occasion.

One of those sports is of course, Golf, and when it comes to competing in the Canada Summer Games, few provinces can boast the results in any discipline quite like BC can when it comes to golf.

In 2009 (the first year golf was played as a sport in the Summer Games) and 2013 the representatives from British Columbia took home every gold medal available, in individual and team competitions for both males and females.

With the announcement of the male version of their golf squad this year, the coaches and managers of BC's Summer Games Team look to put together the first component of maintaining that unblemished record.

Victoria, BC's Naomi Ko, A Member Of Royal Colwood GC, Recorded A 3rd Place Finish In The Prestigious Porter Cup - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

Golf Canada

After entering Friday in a tie for first, Team Canada Amateur squad member Naomi Ko finished solo third at 1-under par at the Porter Cup at Niagara Falls Country Club, in Lewiston, N.Y.

The Victoria, B.C., product held a share of the 36-hole lead with Lauren Waller (Canonsburg, Penn.) at 3 under par (71-70).

BC's Jared du Toit Debuts As A Professional This Week At Uplands GC In Victoria In The Mackenzie Tour/PGA Tour Canada's Bayview Place Cardtronics Open - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Kimberley’s Jared du Toit will make his pro debut at this week’s Bayview Place Cardtronics Open at Uplands Golf Club in Victoria and that sounds very familiar to Max Rottluff, du Toit’s former Arizona State University teammate.

“That’s is where I made my pro debut last year,” Rottluff said after his round Sunday at the Freedom 55 Financial Open at Point Grey Golf & Country Club in Vancouver. Rottluff, who hails from Dusseldorf, Germany, thinks du Toit will do just fine on the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada circuit.

“Obviously he has shown his game is ready,” Rottluff said of du Toit, the 2015 B.C. Amateur champion. “He has the game, so I'm not too worried. Can he do it in his first event? Hopefully, but I wouldn’t be too worried. I am sure he will do just fine.”

Courtesy PGA of BC

On Friday June 2nd Cec Ferguson passed away peacefully at home in the company of his three children, Tanya, Jason and Crystal, along with brothers Rob and Gary and sister-in-law Colleen.

He was diagnosed with cancer in the summer of 2016 and dealt with it as he dealt with everything in life; with dignity, perseverance and humour.

He recently enjoyed his 67th birthday with all of his extended family members, and over the past few months had a chance to visit with many old friends. Cec was well known for his golfing ability over a playing career that saw him represent Canada as an amateur, win the BC Open as an amateur and then compete professionally on the Canadian and Asian Tours back in the 1970’s.

In the late seventies he settled into the life of a Club Professional and then stepped in to Club management, but not before winning the Canadian PGA Club Professionals’ Championship in 1986.

He served the memberships of Regina GC and Quilchena G&CC as Head professional before serving as General Manager at Myrtle Point GC, Wascana G&CC, and Vernon G&CC. For 20 years Cec directed the Bruce Denniston Bone Marrow Society tournament fundraiser in memory of his friend, Constable Bruce Denniston, who died before a successful bone marrow transplant donor could be found.

“The Denniston” was a popular event that attracted celebrities each year along with a host of amateurs who returned year after year to honour the memory of Bruce and raise funds and awareness of the need for the Bone Marrow Donor Registry.

Cec Ferguson was inducted into the Golf Hall of Fame of British Columbia in 2011.

His last career was the one he might have enjoyed the most – Coach driver for International Stage Lines. He looked forward to being on the road in his 50 passenger coach and entertaining his passengers along the way. Cec had the ability to analyze situations and find a way to achieve a positive outcome, and make and keep friends along the way.

He will be missed, but never forgotten.

A celebration of life for Cec Ferguson will be held 1 p.m. Friday, June 23rd at University Golf Club in Vancouver. 

Messages for the family can be relayed through:

Barrie McWha barriemcwha@gmail.com

Rick Soutar rsoutar@telus.net

The Back-To-Back Canadian University/College Women's Champion UBC Thunderbirds And Coach Chris MacDonald - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

T’Birds Kat Kennedy And Evan Holmes Earn Medallist Honours

Courtesy Golf Canada

​BARRIE, Ont. – Kat Kennedy went wire-to-wire to lead the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds to their second consecutive Canadian University/College Championship, while Baptiste Mory helped the Université Laval Rouge et Or hold on to win the men’s division at Tangle Creek Golf & Country Club on Thursday.

As part of the celebration that is International Women's Golf Day on June 6th, the Richmond Country Club and Victoria Golf Club are both hosting events and inviting all interested women to take part in the day's festivities. 

The focus of Women's Golf Day is essentially socializing, networking and distribution of information regarding lessons, league play, ways to get involved in golf.

Anyone wishing to participate should contact either of these two facilities before Tuesday June 6th in order to register and find out further information. 

Victoria, BC's Jeevan Sihota Hasn't Cracked The Canadian Men's Amateur Top 10 List Yet. But If He Keeps Having Weeks Like The Last Two, It Won't Be Long - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/British Columbia Golf

This week's Top 10 list only reflects a few notable changes but there were some rather significant moves by players vying to get on that list, including Victoria's Jeevan Sihota who is 'quietly' becoming one of the players to watch in British Columbia and the rest of Canada at the ripe-old age of 13.

The much anticipated start of British Columbia Golf's 'Get Out And Play' program launches this Sunday commensurate with Golf Canada's 'Get Out And Golf Day' celebration. 

The goal is to see 150,000 British Columbians partake in 1.5 million golf activities in a span of 150 days beginning on May 28th. As of right now, the Golf Activities Centre is up and running on the Golf Canada site and we will begin officially 'counting activities' beginning this Sunday, the 28th.

It's a simple process to become involved and help reach this goal as we help celebrate Canada's 150th in a fun, healthy and inclusive enviroment.

Canada’s Top-Ranked Amateur, Jared du Toit, Is Expected To Wave Good-Bye To His Amateur Career And Turn Pro After The NCAA Championships - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Jared du Toit calls the feeling bittersweet. He is excited about what lies ahead, but also a bit sad about what he is leaving behind.

Du Toit, Canada’s top-ranked amateur golfer, is preparing to play his final collegiate event for his Arizona State University Sun Devils and acknowledged in a telephone interview that he has been doing a lot of thinking in recent days.

Kat Kennedy And Her UBC T'Birds Women's Golf Team Have Come Together Quite Nicely As A Team Heading Into The NAIA Women's Golf National Championships - Image Courtesy UBC Athletics

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Kat Kennedy wanted to make her final year of collegiate golf a memorable one. So far, so good. Kennedy, a 22-year-old senior with the University of British Columbia’s women’s golf team, has won five individual titles this season for the Thunderbirds and is ranked by Golfstat as the top player in the NAIA.

What she is most interested in now is a team title at the NAIA Women’s Golf National Championships, which begin Tuesday at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.