TOTTENHAM— The Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) Junior Girls’ Match Play Championship started with 16 of the best junior girls in the province on June 29 at the Woodington Lake Golf Course in Tottenham. After two days and four rounds, it was Team Ontario member and Richmond Hill native Monet Chun who outlasted the field to claim the 2015 championship over fellow Team Ontario member Ruthven’s Alyssa Getty.
The two started the final match back and fourth with Chun, from the Summit Golf & Country Club, taking an early lead only to see it vanish on the second hole as Getty, from the Kingsville Golf & Country Club, evened the match. Chun would regain the lead on the fourth hole after leaving an approach shot inches from the cup. She continued to increase her lead and was 3up at the turn. Chun added to her lead by winning the 10th hole. She held her 4up advantage until the 14th where she sank a birdie putt to win the hole and the match 5&4.
For Chun, 14, the win was her first provincial championship after numerous runner-ups in both the Investors Group Junior Spring Classic and Investors Group Junior Girls’ Championship. She spoke about what finally getting over the hump meant to her. “It is really exciting! After the many years I have been playing competitive golf, I am so happy that I finally won a provincial championship.”
Chun also talked about what it was like to grind through the field and face a fellow Team Ontario member in the finals. “It was really tiring and I’m pretty sure that it was for most players. My game was really good these past two days; I hit a lot of greens, which I think was the biggest difference. I wasn’t putting all that well over the two days so hitting those greens really helped me win. Playing with Alyssa put a lot of pressure on me. I know that she is a great player and it was a great experience getting to play with her.”
The road to the title began with Chun being seeded third. She defeated Alexandra Demko in the first round 4&3, then Team Ontario’s Diana McDonald 3&2 in the quarterfinals. She met another Team Ontario member in the semifinals in Chloe Currie, but had a great match and took it 7&6.
As for Getty, 18, she began as the number one seed. She knocked out Kristen Giles in the opening round 6&5, before beating Claire Hernandez in the quarterfinals 4&3. In the semis, she matched up with Alexandra Naumovski and won the match 3&2.
ABOUT THE ONTARIO JUNIOR GIRLS MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
The Junior Girls’ Match Play Championship has been contested since 1982. Female golfers under 19 years of age, before August 1, are eligible to compete. Seeding was determined by the results from the Investors Group Junior Girls’ Spring Classic, May 16-18 at Grey Silo Golf Course in Waterloo. Notable past champions include: Alena Sharp, Stefi Markovich, Christina Yoon, Elizabeth Tong and Grace St-Germain.
The GAO would like to thank all of the volunteers and the staff from the Woodington Lake Golf Club for all of their support in hosting the event and their support of junior golf.
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