U15 & U13 Championships

It is always a treat to head to Alberta Springs Golf Resort as it is a home away from home for Alberta Golf. Their staff is welcoming, and their volunteers are eager to help ensuring the players have the best experience possible. Speaking of the players, it was two days of excitement with multiple hole-in-ones, low scores, and two playoffs to determine a champion.

Day one started off with brisk air and an overcast sky, but as the day went on the sun came out allowing players to focus on their game without any added weather distractions. The first hole-in-one of the tournament came early on during day one by Judah Hornstein on hole 5. Sebastian Rothzen, Edwin Park, Jacob Brunette, and Jack Hamilton finished day one at one under, putting them at T1 in the U15 Boys division. On the U15 Girls side, Camilla Ruesga-Rojas had the solo lead following an impressive 68 featuring six birdies. Defending Champion Danika Horcica was not far behind after she shot 70 putting her only two strokes back entering the final day.

On the U13 side of things, only one player in the Boys division managed to shoot under par—Sutton Ulmer. Ulmer finished the day at two under, with Ronnie Li following at one over, and Kolton Phillips at two over. In the Girls division, Mia He took the lead following day one as she shot 80 while Ain Lee and Christi Zhu followed with 84s.

Day two started with the sun-shining which seemed a good omen for the day to come. Despite it being the final day, you could see the camaraderie between players as they still had fun on the course. One moment that truly captured this friendship occurred following Reilly MacLeod’s hole-in-one on hole 8. Following his ace, him and his group members jumped around hugging and cheering. Additionally, when the group behind heard the commotion there was more congratulations, smiles, and cheering.

For the U13 Boys, 36 holes was not enough, so Ulmer and Phillips headed to a playoff. The first playoff hole had them follow similar lines, and both players pared meaning we headed to the next hole. Once again, the boys followed similar lines and it all came down to what happened on the green. Phillips missed his put for par, leaving the door open for Ulmer who was able to capture the win. Speaking to Ulmer about the playoff following his win he said, “It was really nerve-racking. It was a great two holes. It was against my golf buddy so there was no really good outcome, but it was a fun time.” Not often are playoffs described as ‘fun,’ but anyone watching could see that Ulmer and Phillips were chatting throughout trying to keep things light during a high-pressure moment.

The U13 Girls looked like they too could head to a playoff since going into hole 18 He was at +20, Lee +21, and Zhu +22. Zhu had an exciting hole-in-one on hole 17 to put her back in the running since Lee bogeyed and He triple-bogeyed. Heading down 18 the players remained close to one another, meaning what happened on the green would determine if a winner would be crowned or if a playoff was needed. After He missed her putt for par, Lee successfully sank hers allowing her to capture the win after trailing for the entirety of the tournament. Following her win Lee said, “I went into this tournament not planning to win just planning to have my best and play with my friends,” once again emphasizing the value of friendship throughout this event.

For the U15 Girls, it started close between Ruesga-Rojas and Horcica, but Horcica strung together four birdies in a row allowing her to take the lead. Ruesga-Rojas remained clean throughout the front nine with eight pars and a birdie, but Horcica was gaining speed despite her bogey on eight. Horcica played a clean back nine with four birdies and four pars allowing her to finish the tournament at -10, setting a new ladies competitive course record at 64, and winning the U15 Girls Championship for the second year in a row. When asked about how she felt setting a new course record Horcica said, “It feels amazing. I’ve been working really hard with my game this summer, and it feels really good to see all the hard work paying off.”

It was bound to be an exciting day with the U15 Boys given there were four players tied for first heading into the day; however, it was actually the player sitting at fifth who kept things interesting. Harrison Wells who finished day one even was able to stay consistent during day two to put him in the running for the title as he finished the day +1. Rothzen was +1 heading into 18, so the pressure was on to ensure he stayed in the running. With a large crowd watching, Rothzen made his par putt to keep him at +1 sending him and Wells to a playoff. Rothzen had a good drive down the middle on the first hole of the playoff, whereas Wells was off to the right in some tall grass. Wells recovered with a shot that landed just past the green which he then chipped on. Rothzen’s second shot also landed just over the green, but his third shot left him farther from the pin than he would have liked. Both players bogeyed the first hole, sending us to the next. The second hole of the playoff all came down to putting, but Rothzen left his putt for birdie short, and both him and Wells pared the hole, sending them to another playoff hole. Rothzen and Wells both made it to the green in two, so it once again came down to their putting. After both players missed their birdie putts and finished the hole tied with pars, we headed to what turned out to be the final playoff hole. Both players drives were way right on the side of a hill, and while Rothzen was able to hit his approach shot onto the green, Wells’ shot went over the green, taking a bounce across the cart path along the way. Wells missed his putt for par leaving the door open for Rothzen who remained focused and sank his putt allowing him to claim the title of U15 Boys Champion. When asked what strategies he had to remain calm during the playoff, Rothzen said he focused on, “Really just one shot at a time, taking it play by play.”

All Abilities Championship

The All-Abilities Championship is a highlight on the Alberta Golf calendar each year, and the 2026 edition was no exception as the championship returned to familiar surroundings at The Broadmoor Golf Club in Edmonton.

Following Thursday’s practice round, competitors were ready to get underway for Day 1, taking full advantage of a beautiful afternoon on the course. While there were no hole-in-ones to report, there was no shortage of impressive golf from a field featuring several familiar faces.

In the Women’s Division, Emma Bittorf was the lone competitor, but she delivered a strong opening round, carding an 81 to earn 37 points in the Stableford division.

The Men’s Division quickly developed into a tight race. Spencer Easthope and Grant Lee shared the lead after opening rounds of 76, with Derek Whitson and Bob MacDermott close behind. Easthope also found himself tied for the lead in the Net Division alongside Terry Shwetz, with Kelly Masson just behind.

Day 2 brought a very different atmosphere to The Broadmoor. While the forecast had called for another beautiful day, Alberta’s clouds and smoke moved in early, creating challenging conditions compared to the previous afternoon.

Despite the change in weather, the names at the top of the leaderboard remained familiar. Lee and Whitson battled throughout the front nine, both carding 36 to remain level with where they started the day. Lee then found another gear on the back nine, shooting a two-under-par 34 to finish with a 70.

The performance secured Lee his first Alberta Golf title and his second All-Abilities Championship of the year, following his victory at the BC Golf All-Abilities Championship earlier this season.

In the Net Division, the battle remained close throughout the day, with Masson and Easthope ultimately finishing tied at the top. Masson claimed the title by virtue of his 36-point performance on Day 2, edging Easthope’s 34 points.

Bittorf continued her consistent play in the Women’s Division, carding an 83 and earning 35 points to claim both titles. She credited her success to improving her consistency off the tee, particularly with her fairway woods.

“I’m getting better at hitting it straight with my fairway woods,” Bittorf said.

Fresh off his first Alberta Golf victory, Lee pointed to his performance off the tee as a key factor in his success.

“The driver really helped me on this course. I think I only missed two fairways over the two days,” Lee said.

Lee also dedicated the victory to a late friend who had supported him during his BC All-Abilities Championship win earlier this year. He finished with a simple but powerful message for others following along at home:

“Just keep fighting.”

Masson, a back-to-back champion at the ASSRA AMP Open, was pleased with his overall performance throughout the championship, although he identified one area that did not quite cooperate.

“Definitely not my putting,” he said with a laugh when asked what was working for him.

More importantly, Masson used the opportunity to share a message about inclusion, emphasizing the importance of not placing limitations on people based on whether they have a disability or not.

The 2026 All-Abilities Championship once again showcased the competitive spirit, perseverance and talent of Alberta’s golfers, while highlighting the importance of creating opportunities for everyone to participate and compete in the game of golf.

Full leaderboards for both events can be found below.

U15 & U13 Leaderboards

All Abilities Final Leaderboard

Notable Highlights

• Judah Hornstein, Reilly MacLeod, and Christi Zhu all achieved their first career hole-in-ones during the U15 & U13 Championship.
• Both Boys divisions went to multiple playoff holes to crown a winner.
• Alberta Springs Golf Resort is celebrating 30 years this season and were happy to host an Alberta Golf event during this monumental year.
• Bittorf’s win marks the first successful title defense at the Alberta All Abilities Championship. She also came into the week fresh off other wins this season including the BC Golf All Abilities.
• Lee’s victory marks his first in Alberta in only his second appearance at the All Abilities. Lee is an avid competitor in Alberta and plays in the Men’s Senior Championships as well. Fellow senior Ken Griffith was on the bag for the week.
• Lee won the BC Golf All Abilities Gross Championship earlier this summer.
• Masson’s win is his first at an Alberta Golf event, and will look to use the momentum at the ASSRA AMP Open in September.
  

Alberta Springs Golf Resort is no stranger to hosting junior events, and this year is no different as they host the U15 & U13 Championship on August 17th and 18th. Here is everything you need to know before they tee off tomorrow morning at 8am.

The Event

The U15 & U13 Championship began back in 2013 and was originally combined with the U17 Championship. Last year the Championship became its own event and saw massive success that Alberta Golf hopes to repeat in coming years. Giving these juniors their own two-day event relieves the pressure that comes with playing with older players. Male players must have a Handicap Index of 30 or less, and female players have no handicap requirements. Additionally, all players must be active Golf Canada members.

Players will compete in two rounds totalling 36 holes across the two-day event. This event is unique as there are four divisions competing simultaneously—U15 Girls, U15 Boys, U13 Girls, U13 Boys.

The Course

With 18 beautiful holes, Alberta Springs also features an aquatic driving range that players can take advantage of when warming up. Having hosted junior events for multiple years both the course and players are familiar with one another. Despite this familiarity, players will face challenges throughout the course in places where precision and smart gameplay are key to success. Players will be playing from various tees with distances ranging from 5000-6300 yards depending on the division.

The Players

With only one returning champion in the field, new champions will be crowned in what is set to be an exciting event. This tournament is a great stepping stone from the McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour as players can take everything they learned and apply it in a multi-day Provincial Championship.

To read Jim Clagget’s preview from the 2026 Alberta Golf Yearbook, click the link below:

Yearbook Preview

For a full player list and tee times click the link below:

U15 & U13 Tee Times

The youngest crop of competitors in Alberta Golf Championship play are returning to a familiar course in 2026, as Alberta Springs Golf Resort is the host of the 2026 U15 & U13 Championship come August 17-18. 

The U15 & U13 Championship is entering its second season as a separate event, following the impressive success it saw in 2025. The change saw over 80 players competing in the two-day event last year at Lakeside Golf Club. The change came with the separation of the U17 division into its own championship providing those older players another WAGR ranked event for college recruitment, while letting the younger players have their own event without the pressures of the older generation. The change increased total junior participation numbers by 40 players if compared to the 2024 championship. 

Alberta Springs has been a tremendous supporter of Alberta Golf having hosted a junior championship since 2020. The courses’ central location makes it an ideal location for players from across the province to attend the event. The course sets up beautifully for players of all skill levels offering four different options for players to use to tee off. The course offers plenty of variety for players including some holes where precision is required on your tee shot like Holes #2, #4, #10, and #16. There are also places where the juniors can let it fly including #1, #3, #9, #14, and #15. 

Alberta Springs GR Website

This championship is special, as it has four different divisions all competing at the same time. There’s a Boys’ and Girls’ divisions for both U15 and U13. Players must be under 15, as of August 1 in order to be eligible to compete. For more information about eligibility for this championship click the link below. 

As for the field this year, new champions will likely be crowned in all the divisions. Last season saw Bennett Love and Oscar Gosgnach both repeat as champions in the U15 and U13 categories, while new champions were crowned in both Girls’ divisions with Olivia Van Kesteren and Danika Horcica claiming their maiden victories with Alberta Golf.

The U15 & U13 Championship is the perfect place for players to begin exploring championship golf, but it’s recommended that new players try out our McLennan Ross Alberta Junior Tour before registering. The MRAJT is the #1 competitive onboarding junior tour in the province, where education and fun in golf go hand in hand. The goal of the tour is to educate new juniors on the ins and outs of championship golf like scoring procedures, swapping scorecards, and the Rules of Golf, while keeping a fun and stress-free atmosphere. 

Championship Calendar

MRAJT Schedule