Team Alberta sweeps Alberta-Montana Junior Ryder Cup
Team Alberta takes home both of this year’s 2017 Alberta-Montana Junior Ryder Cup trophies
The girls’ division wins by a landslide with the boys close in the end
In their first year of the 2017 Alberta-Montana Junior Ryder Cup competition, both the Alberta teams came out on top. The girls won by 10 Nassau points, with only two points separating the boy teams in the end.
With incredible teamwork, the boys swept the four ball and champion alternate shot day one rounds. Montana narrowly made a comeback in the final individual match play round, beating Alberta 12 to 6, but the boys’ chemistry prevailed. “We’re just all good friends, we all knew each other from before this event. We just all get along really well. So, I think that this team fit perfectly together,” says 14-year-old Marko Banic.Having trained together in this year’s Alberta Golf Development Program, the boys’ dynamic acted as an advantage.
“Being able to trust each other is what definitely helps. It’s knowing that you’re going to give your partner a 20-foot putt, and he’s going to do his absolute best to get it as close to the hole as he can, or put it in the cup. That’s what counts. Being prepared both mentally and physically, and having this gang together, is what definitely helped us get the win,” says 17-year-old Connor Ackroyd.
The girls dominated the event from start to finish, feeding off one another’s strong individual games. “I knew that I could rely on my playing partners in both good and bad shots. We sort of helped each other out through the entire thing,” says 13-year-old player Tillie Claggett.
Her and her 14-year-old partner, Grace Bell, cleared all of their matches. Claggett explains that in a competition like this it’s a different style of play. “It’s important that you do your part. You have to think when you’re making decisions. It’s not just yourself that you’re doing something for, you have to do it for the team. It’s that much m ore important, and it’s that’s much more pressure, but it’s also that much more fun.”
ABOUT THE 26TH ANNUAL ALBERTA-MONTANA JUNIOR RYDER CUP
In all events there are three Nassau points; one point to the winner of the front nine, one point for the winner of the back nine, and one point to the winner of the eighteen-hole match. The two day tournament featured six male and six female junior golfers per team. The teams were selected by the Alberta Golf and Montana State Golf Association. During the event, they developed their skills and competed as a unit at The Desert Blume Estates and Golf Club. The team was accompanied by Team Alberta Development Program Coach John Deneer. To search a player, view the Junior and Bantam Alberta Player of the Year rankings.
Canada Summer Games reflections
Team Alberta tees off today for the 2017 Canada Summer Games, view this year’s squad.
Experiences of two of Alberta golfers at the last 2013 Canada Summer Games in PEI.
For Sabrine Garrision and Matt Williams, it turned into more than a golf tournament. This was the Canada Summer Games, new for the two Albertans and oh-so fulfilling. Memories, medals, mementos.
“I still have a P.E.I. hoodie that I wear quite often, funnily enough,” chuckles Williams, who bartered for the cherished keepsake after the closing ceremonies of the 2013 Canada Summer Games in Sherbrooke, Que. “It’s crazy to think it’s already been four years, but I still recall a lot of it. An awesome experience.”
Swapping province-issued apparel had been only part of the fun. Competing was a thrill, too. Williams earned bronze in the boys’ individual competition, while Garrison, a fellow Calgarian, bagged bronzes for girls’ individual and team play.
“It seems like a very different time in my life,” says Garrison, who just finished her junior year at the University of Minnesota. “But I look back with fondness.”
Apparently, participation in the Canada Summer Games – staged every four years – comes highly recommended. “I had a really great time,” says Garrison. “It was unique. Something I’d never experienced. I’m excited for the girls and boys who get to participate this year.”
For the 2017 Canada Summer Games, the Wild Rose squad’s teenagers – three boys and three girls, based on the current order of merit and last year’s handiwork – are annoyed in the summer. One of 19 sports on display in Winnipeg, July 28 to Aug. 13, golf’s results are determined by 72-hole stroke play at the Southwood club.
“We’ve certainly promoted it as being a huge life experience,” says Randy Robb, who coaches and manages Alberta Golf’s high-performance sport development. “We’re definitely trying to make it a premier event on the calendar. “It’s quite memorable in terms of how different it is.”
Golf made its Canada Summer Games debut in 2009. At Prince Edward Island that year. Alberta’s girls and boys finished fourth and sixth, respectively. Four years later, the girls picked up bronze, while the boys stood fourth. “B.C. and Ontario tend to be strong every year,” Robb says. “Quebec is another province we always battle with … we’d like to have a strong team and pick up medals, for sure.”
Granted, with the fixed field – limited to the top three from every province – the talent pool isn’t as deep as, say, national championships.
But the calibre is high. “You certainly get the best possible contenders,” says Williams, a junior at the University of Houston next year. “All the best players are there, so it is kind of a showdown.”
In addition to the podium push, the Canada Summer Games provides an eye-opening environment for golfers. Staying in dorms. Eating in mess halls. Sporting team colours. Travelling in buses. Mixing with non-golfing peers. Marching in closing ceremonies.
It’s a fresh vibe. “You’re not just playing for yourself – like you do throughout your junior career – you’re playing for the province,” says Williams. “Definitely a pretty interesting dynamic, trying to contribute to the medal table. You see athletes walking around with their medals and that gives you a little kick in the butt to go out and play well.”
Rubbing shoulders with standouts from all sorts of sports adds to the event’s flavor. (“Probably more than anything,” says Garrison, “I remember sharing those moments.”) Socializing also gives golfers a rare opportunity to unplug. After all, it’s easier to forget about the day’s bogey-bogey finish when you’re cheering wildly at a basketball match or kibitzing with the wrestlers.
“(It) is a chance to get away and actually clear your head,” says Alberta coach Bill Murchison, “which could be very beneficial.” Golf gets an undeniable boost from these high-profile multi-sport settings. No different than the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, the game, in all its glory, is rolled out. Everyone benefits from that.
“Look at the best players in the world, they’re ridiculous athletes,” says Williams. “To put golf in that conversation is absolutely the right move. The year I played … you could definitely tell that golf was getting more respect for being a really legitimate sport, which it is. It’s getting the credit it deserves. To be the best, you have to train like a world-class athlete now.”
Murchison calls the opportunity to play in the Canada Summer Games “special” – because of the competition, because of the exposure, because of the experience. “Any time we get a chance to showcase the game and the values and life skills associated with the game,” he says, “it’s nothing but good.”
The 2017 Canada Summer Games run from July 28th to Aug. 13th in Winnipeg, MB. The event will welcome 20,000 visitors to feature 4,000 of Canada’s best athletes in 16 sporting categories. Golf presented by Birchwood Automotive Group, will take place on Aug. 8th to Aug. 11th at the Southwood Golf & Country Club. This year’s Alberta representatives include:
Canada Summer Games
This article was originally published in the 2017 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.
Alberta’s 2017 Canada Games Team
Alberta’s top six junior golfers will represent the province for Canada’s 150th birthday in Winnipeg, Manitoba for the 2017 Canada Summer Games. The four-year cycle event represents the first step in Olympic sport development, with both the male and female teams having worked very hard to get their July 28th to August 13th invite.
“There isn’t anything like the Canada Games for our junior golfers. It’s an opportunity to be part of a large multi-sport event and compete for your province. Coach Bill Murchison, team trainer Crystal Watson, and the six team members will have specific training sessions in July as they get ready for the Games in August,” says Alberta Golf’s High Performance Sport Manager Randy Robb.
The Interprovincial squad will compete as both a team and individually for the Canada Games Flag and the Centennial Cup. Alberta has placed fourth every year since golf was introduced in 2009 to the event. Robb says that this year’s team looks promising, but the overall experience that the players will receive is what matters most.
“It’s going to be a competitive event for the players attending the tournament in Winnipeg. There is a good chance that our teams will come home with a medal, but the lasting memory of the event will be being part of the big group of athletes representing Alberta. As golf will be played during the second week of the Canada Games, our juniors will be part of the closing ceremony, which they will remember for a long time.”
The 2017 Canada Summer Games Alberta team was selected based on a combination of results from the past four years and events on the 2017 tournament schedule. With 16 sports and 4,000 athletes at the Games, golf will take place at the Southwood Golf and Country Club from August 8th to August 11th. The first two days of competition will feature two days of accumulating team play. The 39 individual low scorers will then play individually for the final two days of competition.
BOYS TEAM:
| Ethan Choi
T5 – 2017 USGA – US Junior Qualifying |
| Max Murchison
1 – 2016 CJGA Alberta Junior |
| Kai Iguchi
7 – 2017 PGA of Alberta Junior Masters |
GIRLS TEAM
Annabelle Ackroyd Age: 15 Club affiliation: Silver Springs Golf & Country Club4 – 2017 PGA of Alberta Junior Masters T16 – 2017 Future Links Pacific 1 – 2016 Alberta Bantam Championship 4 – 2016 CN Future Links Western Championship T17 – 2016 CN Future Links Pacific Championship 2016 Alberta Golf Bantam Girls Player of the Year |
| Sharmaine Rapisura
1 – 2017 CJGA Alberta Junior |
| Taylor Stone
1 – 2017 MJT Paradise |
Canada Summer Games set to tee off at Southwood Golf and Country Club
Sixty-four junior golfers from across Canada will compete for gold starting tomorrow when the 2017 Canada Summer Games golf tournament takes place from Aug. 8-11 at Southwood Golf and Country Club, in Winnipeg, Man.
A Thomas McBroom design – Southwood Golf and Country Club is known for its undulation and scenic views. With water, sand or both in play on nearly every hole, the course will provide a stiff test as golfers from ten provinces and one territory. compete for four gold medals.
“Southwood Golf and Country Club is an amazing course and it’s in stellar condition,” said Tournament Director Akash Patel. “We’re very excited to be involved with the Canada Summer Games and the celebration of sport in the beautiful city of Winnipeg.”
British Columbia comes to Winnipeg as the two-time defending champion in the male and female individual and team events – the only province or territory to win a gold medal at the Canada Summer Games since golf became part of the Games in 2009.
Team B.C. is sending a strong contingent again in the boys’ competition. The team is led by 16-year-old Victoria native Nolan Thoroughgood. Thoroughgood became the youngest champion in the history of the B.C. Men’s Amateur (age) when he won by two strokes in 2016.
He’s joined by Keaton Gudz (Victoria) and Tristan Mandur (Mill Bay). All three are ranked inside the top-45 of the Future Links driven by Acura National Order of Merit.
15-year-old Kelvin Lim will lead the Team Ontario boys’ team as Ontario attempts to take down the B.C. powerhouse. Lim, from Thornhill, won the 2017 Investors Group Ontario Junior Boys’ Spring Classic and is ranked third on the Future Links driven by Acura National Order of Merit.
Sudbury’s Tristan Renaud – the 2017 Ontario Junior Boys Champion – and Alliston native Taylor Beckstead will join Lim in Winnipeg.
43 days to go & 4 more athletes named to #TeamBC! Congrats @bc_golfer men’s team! #JCG2017 #CGGolf #WEareBC https://t.co/0L5MbpyCZg pic.twitter.com/SRbq2xdBSb
— Team BC (@GoTeamBC) June 15, 2017
On the girls’ side, Team Canada’s Hannah Lee of Surrey will lead Team B.C. in their title defense. Lee is in her second year on the Team Canada Development Squad and is coming off a third place finish at the B.C. Junior Girls Championship. Lee is joined by Richmond’s Alisha Lau the 2017 B.C. Junior Girls Champion Tiffany Kong (Vancouver).
Led by Team Canada Development Squad’s Monet Chun, the Ontario team will look to bring gold to Canada’s largest province for the first time.
Chun, from Richmond Hill, won the 2017 Ontario Future Links Driven by Acura Championship and the 2017 Investors Group Junior Girls’ Spring Classic.
London, Ont., native Ellie Szeryk, the 2017 Investors Group Ontario Junior Girls’ champion will join Chun along with Toronto’s Sarah Beqaj who is a member of Golf Ontario’s Team Ontario program.
Szeryk captures Investors Group Ontario Junior Girls’ Championship: https://t.co/DWZ6oLJMkc #Golf #GolfOntario #JuniorGirlsChamp pic.twitter.com/6aFRSdKShf
— Golf Ontario (@TheGolfOntario) July 7, 2017
Both the team and individual competitions take place over the course of four rounds with no cut and all 60 golfers playing 72 holes.
Each day the two best scores of the three team members count towards the team score. The team medallists are determined by the aggregate sum of the four daily team scores.
For more information on the Canada Summer Games golf tournament click here.
Click here to view the rosters of each team.
CHAMPIONSHIP FAST FACTS
B.C. has won all eight gold medals since golf became part of the Canada Summer Games in 2009 and has the most medals overall with 10 (eight gold, one silver, one bronze).
In 2013, British Columbia dominated the team competitions in Sherbrooke, Que., winning the girls’ event by 17 strokes and the boys by 12.
Maple Ridge, B.C.’s Kevin Kwon won the 2013 men’s individual event finishing 13 strokes clear of silver medallist Etienne Papineau (Bromont, Que.) en route to establishing a new Canada Games record with a four-round score of 279 (-13). Calgary’s Matt Williams won bronze.
Surrey, B.C., native Taylor Kim finished five shots ahead of Valerie Tanguay from Saint-Hyacinthe, Que. in the women’s 2013 event. Calgary’s Sabrine Garrison won bronze.
Only four provinces have medalled in golf at the Canada Summer Game: British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, and Ontario.
The lowest single day team score is 141 for male and female with B.C. setting both records at the 2009 Canada Summer Games in Prince Edward Island.
COURSE FACTS
Southwood Golf and Country Club was established in 1894, but moved to its current location in 2011.
Architect: Thomas McBroom
Southwood Golf and Country Club hosted the 2014 Canadian University/College Championship and the 2014 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.
The ruins of a monastery were left in place during construction of the course creating a landscape with natural beauty and man-made structures.
Alberta-Montana Junior Ryder Cup begins in Medicine Hat
Team Alberta will meet Montanans in Medicine Hat for the local Junior Ryder Cup
12 junior golfers will play as a team for the annual title
MEDICINE HAT, Alta. (Alberta Golf) – Starting tomorrow, Team Alberta will face off against Team Montana in Medicine Hat for the 26th annual Alberta-Montana Junior Ryder Cup. The two day tournament offers a unique opportunity for six male and six female junior golfers (selected by Alberta Golf and Montana State Golf Association) to develop their skills and compete as a unit. The Desert Blume Estates and Golf Club will feature 18 holes of best ball, alternate stroke play and state vs. province individual match play.
In all events there are three Nassau points; one point to the winner of the front nine, one point for the winner of the back nine, and one point to the winner of the eighteen-hole match. The girls and boys play separately.
Alberta’s 2017 Junior Ryder Cup team includes:
| *15-and-under category | Affiliate club | |
| Boys | Marko Banic | The Glencoe G&CC |
| Ryan Hodgins | Medicine Hat G&CC | |
| Girls | Tillie Claggett | The Glencoe G&CC |
| Grace Bell | The Glencoe G&CC |
| *16-year-old category | Affiliate club | |
| Boys | Sam Hamelin | Pheasantback GC |
| Nicholas Mah | Glendale G&CC | |
| Girls | Victoria Tse | Country Hills GC |
| Abi Hartzler | Carstairs GC |
| *17-year-old category | Affiliate club | |
| Boys | Jarrett Bossert | Belvedere G&CC |
| Connor Ackroyd | Sturgeon Valley G&CC | |
| Girls | Jessica Marks | Country Hill GC |
| Lauren Koenig | Connaught GC |
**All age categories based on a birthdate cut-off
The team will be accompanied by Junior Golf Coach, John Deneer. To search a player, view the Junior and Bantam Alberta Player of the Year rankings.
Past Alberta-Montana Junior Ryder Cup Boys Teams
Past Alberta-Montana Junior Ryder Cup Girls Teams
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The Alberta Golf Association was incorporated as a society in 1912 and continues today as a not for profit Provincial Sport Organization (PSO) operating as Alberta Golf. As the PSO, we are committed to realizing the positive impacts of golf on individuals and communities across Alberta. Our vision is that through golf, Albertans will enjoy a high quality of life, improved health and wellness, a strong sense of community, economic benefits and personal fulfillment.
Phil Berube
Director/Chief Executive Officer
Alberta Golf
(p) 403-236-4616
Team Alberta wins the inter-provincial Canadian Junior Boys Team Championship
Team Alberta won the inter-provincial championship after team members Max Sekulic (Rycroft, Alta.), Matt Bean (Canmore, Alta.) and Chandler McDowell shot a combined 4 under par on Tuesday to pass New Brunswick, the round one leaders, by one stroke. Team Ontario finished in a tie for second with New Brunswick.
Calvin Ross, Joel Veenstra and Tristan Mandur are all deadlocked at the top of the leaderboard at 2 under par after round two at the Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Cataraqui Golf & Country Club on Tuesday. Four players stand one stroke back of the trio of leaders at 1 under par. Round one leader Marcus Khaw (Burlington, Ont.) stumbled with a 3-over-par 73 and Tyler McDowell (Whitby, Ont.) scored 2 under par to bring him up the standings.
Team Canada Development Squad members Chandler McDowell (Springbrook, Atla.) and Peyton Callens (Langton, Ont.) round out the juniors who hold shares of fourth place. Callens shot a 2-under-par 68 while Chandler McDowell locked in a 1-under-par 69.
In the Juvenile division, 16-year-old Nolan Thoroughgood from Victoria, B.C., claimed top spot on the leaderboard after he recorded a 1-under-par 69 to bring him to even par for the tournament. Johnny Travale (16) from Stoney Creek, Ont., and Ethan Choi (15) from Pincher Creek, Alta., are tied in second one stroke back of Thoroughgood.
The cut was set at 8 over par and 71 golfers will advance to the final two rounds on Wednesday and Thursday.
In addition to the 2017 Canadian Junior Boys Championship title, the individual champion will earn an exemption into the 2017 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at The Toronto Golf Club and Islington Golf Club in Toronto from Aug. 7-10.
For full results click here.
Koss and Ackroyd on their Alberta Junior Girls wins
In her last, year of competition, Kehler Koss becomes this year’s Alberta Junior Champion, with 15-year-old Annabelle Ackroyd winning the Juvenile title only one stroke behind of Koss’ three day +5 (221) finish at the Coal Creek Golf Resort in Ryley, AB.
Ball Flight Basics
Create your desired trajectory around the greens with these simple steps from Team Canada Women’s Coach Tristan Mullally.
Having a great short game is less about perfect technique and more about mastering trajectory. Understanding how to address the ball to create the desired ball-flight height will allow you to pick appropriate landing points and finish closer to the hole. Jennifer Ha, an LPGA Tour member and Golf Canada Young Pro, demonstrates below.
THE SETUP
Jennifer has placed five balls alongside her feet parallel to the target line with the middle ball in the centre of her stance. Your centre of gravity (sternum) remains constant and should be slightly towards the target, your hand position (another constant) should fall naturally below this point. The second ball (highlighted) is a good reference point.
From here we make several adjustments in setup to create both ends of the trajectory scale, low to high.
Lowest ball flight
Ball position moves back (highlighted), shaft becomes more vertical, stand closer and taller to accommodate the taller handle and your stance narrows.
Highest ball flight
Ball position moves forward (highlighted), shaft becomes more horizontal, stand farther away to accommodate the lower handle, face is slightly open and stance widens.
Although we have focused on ball No. 5 (low) and ball No. 1 (high), you should practise from all five positions. Vary the ball position (back or forward), shaft angle (up or down) and distance from the ball (closer to farther) as you move between each ball. If your standard flight is lower or higher than you wish, use these adjustments to create the flight that you want.
This article was originally published in the Family Issue edition of Golf Canada Magazine. Click here to view the full magazine
Team Alberta starts season at Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship
Today marks the start of Team Alberta’s season. Eighteen junior boys and girls are competing in Chilliwack B.C. for the Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship.
The junior girls representing the province this weekend include Annabelle Ackroyd, Alicia Easthope, Kehler Koss, Cassidy Laidlaw, Jessica Marks, Taylor Stone. The boys squad consists of Max Murchison, Matt Campbell, Ethan de Graaf, Benjamin Farrington, Carter Graf, Mason Harder, Chris Horton, Kai Iguchi, Michael Lavorato, Bradley McKeating, Owen Murray, Zander Park.
The event features a total of 120 U19 competitors with 20 other Alberta players on the roster. First place male and female finalists will be awarded 1,250 Order of Merit points. The match began this morning at 7AM (MT) with the last start time of the day scheduled for 1:30PM. The tournament ends on Sunday, May 14. The weather calls for a chance of light rain and potential thunder storms. See the entire schedule and view the leaderboard here.