A perfect day for golf in Myrtle Beach, S.C., was underscored by the thrilling final round of the Ontario Junior Players Invitational at the scenic Moorland Course of Legends Golf Resorts.
In the girls’ competition, Nobelle Park of RattleSnake Point Golf Club, leading after the first round, proved unbeatable. The Team Ontario athlete sailed through her even-par final round to clinch the title. Her Team Ontario teammate, Aryn Matthews of Bigwin Island Golf Club, closely followed throughout the round but couldn’t narrow the gap despite posting a strong 72 on her scorecard. Alexa Ouellet of Weston Golf & Country Club, another Team Ontario member, finished in third place.
Park’s performance on the back nine, featuring birdies on the 15th and 16th, secured her victory at one-over par for the tournament.
On the boys side, Gabriel Mainella of Summit Golf & Country Club emerged victorious after a day-long battle with Bode Stephen from Cataraqui Golf & Country Club, claiming the boys division title. Jordan Hwang of Emerald Hills Golf & Country Club took third place, achieving the tournament’s lowest score of 69 in his final round.
Mainella’s win was highlighted by five birdies, including a two-under par on the back nine, enabling him to win by a single stroke over Stephen, with both players scoring 69 on the final day. Mainella shared his excitement about the victory, saying, “obviously a big tournament and my first win… it’s a tough stretch of holes down the back and I kind of got nervous…but excited I got the win.
Tournament Director, Connor Doyle, highlighted the excellent start to the season, noting the excitement of the tournament’s conclusion.
Golf Ontario expressed gratitude towards Legends Golf Resort and its staff for their outstanding hospitality during the past week.
The 77-player field featured many of Ontario’s top junior golfers, all of whom were looking to take home the championship title from the challenging and beautiful Moorland Course at the Legends Golf Resorts.
This year’s event saw an extension to 54 holes, an increase from last year’s 36 holes. Furthermore, participants have the opportunity to earn points towards the World Amateur Golf Ranking and Junior Golf Scoreboard rankings.
For the full leaderboard and final round tee times, CLICK HERE.
FAST FACTS
- Seven of the Top 10 girls are Team Ontario members.
- The lowest girls’ score was 69, achieved by Alexa Ouellet (Team Ontario).
- Six of the Top 10 boys are Team Ontario members.
- The lowest boys’ score was 69, achieved by Jordan Hwang (Team Ontario).
- The 12th hole was the toughest, with an average score of 4.88.
- The 7th hole was the second toughest, averaging 3.65.
- The easiest hole was the 16th, with an average score of 3.94.
- The course’s scoring average was 78.27.
- The Moorland Course was once ranked as the 37th toughest golf course in America by Golf Digest.
Golf Ontario kicked off its 2024 championship schedule with the Ontario Junior Players Invitational Monday in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Team Ontario’s Nobelle Park of Rattlesnake Golf Club and last year’s second-place finisher, leads in the girls’ division thru 36 holes. Park delivered commendable scores of 74 and 73, securing a two-stroke advantage over her Team Ontario teammate Aryn Matthews of Bigwin Island Golf Club, who posted scores of 72 and 77, finishing at 3-over par.
In the boys’ division, Next Wave athlete Gabriel Mainella of the Summit Golf & Country Club, climbed to the top of the leaderboard with solid rounds of 74 and 73, bolstered by eight birdies on the first day. He enters the final round with a one-stroke lead over Team Ontario’s Bode Stephen of Cataraqui Golf & Country Club, who carded rounds of 72 and 75 to stand at 5-over.
The 77-player field features many of Ontario’s top junior golfers, all of whom are looking to take home the championship title from the challenging and beautiful Moorland Course at the Legends Golf Resorts.
The competitions biggest change this year is the extension to 54 holes, an increase from last year’s 36 holes. Furthermore, participants have the opportunity to earn points towards the World Amateur Golf Ranking and Junior Golf Scoreboard rankings.
“It was great to see how well the players handled the 36 holes today, we should be in for an exciting finish,” Ontario Players Invitational Tournament Director Connor Doyle says.
The tournament concludes on Tuesday with the final 18 holes, starting at 8 a.m. from both the 1st and 10th tees.
For the full leaderboard and final round tee times, CLICK HERE.
QUOTABLES
“I’m nervous for tomorrow … but I hope play wel l… it’s tough competition.”
— Nobelle Park, Team Ontario Athlete,
“Today was definitely fun. I started off the day really well with an even par… but quickly kind of on the back stretch … lost a little bit in the second round.”
— Aryn Matthews, Team Ontario Athlete
“The conditions were tough, it was windy and cold in the the start of the morning. Feel like I did really good at the start. Pushed through the windy conditions.”
— Gabriel Mainella, Next Wave Athlete
FAST FACTS
Seven of the Top 10 Girls are Team Ontario Athlete
Lowest Girls Score of the day: Team Ontario’s Alexa Ouellet, 69
Six of the Top 10 Boys are Team Ontario
Lowest Boys score was 72: By 5 players
Course scoring average was 81.6
Team Ontario athlete and third-place finisher at last year’s Junior Players Invitational, Jordan Hwang of Emerald Hills Golf & Country Club, currently sits third again.
Social Handles: @thegolfontario on Instagram, Facebook and X
Golf Ontario’s 2024 championship schedule kicks off in Myrtle Beach, S.C., with the Ontario Junior Players Invitational.
The 77-player field features many of Ontario’s top junior golfers, all of whom are looking to take home the championship title which will be contested March 11-12 at impressive Moorland Course at the Legends Golf Resorts.
This year marks the event’s second installment, featuring significant updates. Notably, the competition will extend over 54 holes, an increase from last year’s 36 holes. Furthermore, participants will now have the opportunity to earn points towards the World Amateur Golf Ranking and Junior Golf Scoreboard rankings.
John Lawrence, Golf Ontario’s Director of Competitions and Performance, expressed enthusiasm about this year’s enhancements to the events. “Launching our championship season with the Ontario Junior Players Invitational is thrilling,” Lawrence says. “Expanding the championship to 54 holes and including ranking points elevates the players’ experience, mirroring the collegiate competition atmosphere.”
The invitational will see players take on 36-holes on Monday, with the final 18-holes coming on Tuesday.
This year’s field includes all 16 Team Ontario members as well as 10 Next Wave athletes. The field is rounded out by an impressive group of players who were offered invites based on their 2023 performance.
For first round pairings, CLICK HERE.
FIELD NOTES
Among the 78-players in the 2024 Ontario Junior Players Invitational, there are:
Team Ontario: All 16 members of Team Ontario are in the invitational’s field. They are: Alexa Oueullet; Angela Cai; Aryn Matthews; Bridget Yu; Kaprice Park; Nobelle Park; Shelby Hardwick; Wendy Li; Ben Sheridan; Bode Stephen; Chase Jerome; Dawson Lew; Graydon Laughlin; Jordan Hwang; Nathaniel Yoo; Rylan Hall.
Next Wave: 10 of the 15 athletes from the recently announced 2024 Next Wave program.
Top Junior Golf Pathway Ranking Players: Boys—Jordan Hwang, No. 4, U19 and U17; Chase Jerome, No. 1, U15. Girls—Nobelle Park, No. 2, U19, U17 and U15.
Youngest Players: Ava Gilbert, 12. Max Li, 13.
PLAYER NOTES
Brampton Golf Club’s Manav Bharani, winner of the 2023 Ontario Bantam (U15) Boys Championship makes his Players Invitational debut.
2023 Ontario Super Camp and Junior Tour Champion, and Team Ontario athlete Alexa Ouellet of Weston Golf and Country Club.
Last year’s runner up, the No. 2-ranked player on the 2023 Junior Golf Pathway Rankings and Team Ontario athlete Nobelle Park of Rattlesnake Golf Club.
Team Ontario athlete and third-place finisher at last year’s Junior Players Invitational, Jordan Hwang of Emerald Hills Golf & Country Club.
FAST FACTS
Championship Venue: The Moorland Course at The Legends Resort
Championship Dates: March 11-12
Field: 78 players
Format: 54-hole, stroke play
Leaderboard Link: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/9986953813031962870
Fun Fact: Golf Digest once rated the Moorland Course the 37th toughest golf course in America.
Social Handles: @thegolfontario on Instagram, Facebook and X
Brockville/Uxbridge, ON – On May 18th to 20th, Brockville Country Club and Wooden Sticks Golf Club will host the Junior Spring Classic (U19) Championships. The Championships are open to boys and girls who are 18 and younger, and have qualified in previous tournaments.
Junior Spring Classic (U19) Boys Championship
Over the long weekend, Brockville Country Club will be hosting the Junior Spring Classic (U19) Boys Championship. The Brockville Country Club was founded in 1914, and with considerable elevation changes, many narrow fairways, and challenging par 3’s, the 18-hole course can be deceptively challenging.
“It’s an old course with lots of twists and doglegs,” said Doug Wark, Director of Sport Operations at Brockville. “It’s a course golfers have to understand due to the importance of positioning. It’ll be exciting to see how the players adapt.”
Last year, Matthew Anderson of Credit Valley Golf & Country Club took home the gold medal, shooting -2 (214), while Cameron Kellett of St. Thomas Golf and Country Club, Laurent Desmarchais of Vallée du Richelieu, and Brendan Dunphy of Whitevale Golf Club finished in a three-way tie for 2nd with a total score of -1 (215).
With Anderson moving on past the junior ranks, the top spot is up for grabs. Dunphy will be returning in the 2019 tournament, looking to turn his previous second place finish into a championship run.
Another notable golfer playing over the long weekend is Michael Ikejiani from Barrie Country Club. Ikejiani is coming off a hot start to the season, winning the Junior Boys division of the Ontario Champion of Champions Tournament on May 14th. Ikejiani led the charge, shooting -3 (68), which was the most commanding lead in the entire tournament. It is safe to assume he is hoping to continue his success at the Junior Spring Classic.
Players will be facing off on the difficult course for a chance to win the WD Randolph Millage Trophy. The top 3 Ontario boys will get exempt into the Ontario Junior Boys Championship, and the low Ontario boy will get a spot in the Canadian Junior Boys Championship. The Canadian Junior Boys Championship is set to take place on August 12th-15th, and will be held by Covered Bridge Golf and Country Club in Hartland, New Brunswick.
Tee times are set for 12:00pm, with split tees starting at the first, and tenth hole.
Junior Spring Classic (U19) Girls Championship
While the U19 boys are out in Brockville, the Junior Spring Classic (U19) Girls Championship will be held at Wooden Sticks Golf Course in Uxbridge. Wooden Sticks has brought together some of the most recognizable golf landscapes from the PGA and sculpted them into the scenery of the local area to produce 18 holes that will challenge all competitors. With golf holes inspired by Augusta, St. Andrews, Pine Valley, Carnoustie, TPC Sawgrass, and Oakmont, it is surely a course that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
“We’ve hosted this event over the past couple of years for the boys, so we are excited to host the girls this year,” said Steve Wilson, Head Golf Professional at Wooden Sticks. “There’s so much talent in this tournament, it’s without a doubt going to be an exciting weekend.”
Last year, the Girls Spring Classic was a tight race. Emily Zhu from National Pines Golf Club, finished in first with a score of +8 (224). Zhu was closely trailed by Team Ontario member Hailey McLaughlin from Granite Golf Club who finished +9 (225), and then Taylor Kehoe from West Haven Golf & Country Club who finished +11 (227).
With both Zhu and Kehoe not returning to the tournament, McLaughlin is the only medal winner from last year returning this season, giving her a good opportunity to claim the top spot.
The girls will be facing off at Wooden Sticks for a chance to win the WD Randolph Millage Trophy.
Tee times are also set for 12:00pm, with all players starting at the first hole.
To read more about both the boys and girls results last year, CLICK HERE
About the Junior Spring Classic (U19) Championships
The Junior Spring Classic (U19) Championship is contested annually over the Victoria Day long weekend and features many of Ontario’s best male and female junior golfers. The field of competitors gained entry to the competition through a qualifying process earlier in the season.
The three day tournament will challenge the focus, stamina, and skills of all the participating golfers. We wish all attending both Brockville and Uxbridge good luck, and we’ll see you on the course!
About Golf Ontario
Golf Ontario is Ontario’s Provincial Sport Organization focused on enhancing participation, elevating performance and supporting the passion of golfers in Ontario. With over 95,000 individual members and 400 member clubs, Golf Ontario is one of the largest golf associations in the world. From rating courses and keeping the integral rules of the game intact, to growing the game at the grassroots level and hosting the best amateur tournaments in Canada, Golf Ontario is a passionate group dedicated to shaping lives through Golf.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @thegolfontario for live updates on the Junior Spring Classic (U19) Championship and other tournaments this season.
Ryan MacKenzie
rmackenzie@gao.ca
