CAMBRIDGE – It was an up and down week at the Investors Group Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship for Unionville’s Kelsey Sear. However, when the final score was entered, on July 14 at Galt Country Club, it ended on a high as the York Downs Golf & Country Club member captured the title.

Sear had the opening-round lead but relinquished it during the second day. She ended the third day with a share of the lead and thanks to a two-under (70) during the final round was able to walk away the victor.

Sear began the round well with a birdie on the first hole. She made the turn one-under and remained there until she added another birdie on 15. That brought her to two-under, which is where she finished. She completed the tournament at two-over (69-78-73-70-290).

Afterwards Sear spoke about how she was able to build off her opening round. “After the first round I knew there was still lots of golf to be played. The course suited my eye so I just wanted to play the way I knew I could and enjoy the week.”

For Sear, she attributed her success to her putting. “My speed on the greens was good all week. I had some mishaps during the second round but I knew I was still stroking the ball well the putts just weren’t falling. I knew they would fall and come the next days, they did.”

Sear summed up her excitement and says she is already looking forward to next year. “It was a really great week! I had a blast, this was an awesome course and I will be back to defend the title next year.”

Earning the silver was Ridgeway’s Madeline Marck-Sherk. Marck-Sherk, from Bridgewater Country Club, entered the day with a share of the lead. She started well making the turn at two-under but it was a pair of late bogeys that sealed her fate. She went on to finish the day at one-under (71), and the tournament at three-over (71-71-78-71- 291).

Rounding out the podium with the bronze medal was Mississauga’s Michelle Ruiz. Ruiz, from Diamondback Golf Club, had an even par (72) final round and finished the championship at nine-over (75-74-76-72-297).

Sear, Marck-Sherk and Ruiz all earned the right to represent Ontario in the inter-provincial competition at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, at Cutten Fields Golf Course in Guelph, July 25-28.

For full tournament information, including the final leaderboard, see the tournament site at: https://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao17/event/gao173/index.htm

Golf Ontario would like to thank Galt Country Club, their staff and volunteers for hosting the event. Thanks also to the Golf Ontario volunteers and to title sponsor Investors Group for their continued support of golf in the province.

About the Investors Group Women’s Amateur

First played in 1904, the Investors Group Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship is being contested for the 102nd time this summer, and for the first time at Galt Country Club. Past champions include: 1968 LPGA Championship winner Sandra Post (1964), LPGA Tour players Alena Sharp (1999) and Brooke Henderson (2014), Rebecca Lee-Bentham (2007), and World Golf Hall of Fame member Marlene Stewart Streit, who holds the record for the most number of titles with 11.

TOTTENHAM— The Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) Women’s Match Play Championship wrapped up on August 6, at the Woodington Lake Golf Course – Legend in Tottenham, with Kelsey Sear taking the 2015 title.

The event began on Aug. 4 with a stroke-play qualifying round, which narrowed the field down to 16 players for four rounds of match-play competition.

Outlasting that field was Unionville’s Sear. Sear, from the York Downs Golf & Country Club, recently competed in the PGA of Canada’s Women’s Championship and was able to use the momentum from that experience to lift her to victory.

Sear, 20, topped Picton’s Casey Ward in the final 1up on the 18^th hole. The match was neck and neck throughout. Sear held a 1up lead on the front nine, only to see Ward draw even on the seventh hole. Ward would take the lead on the next hole, but watch it evaporate after the ninth. With Ward 1up again, Sear sank a critical 13-foot putt on the 11^th to remain just one down. Sear would birdie the 12^th to even the match. Sear’s putter saved her again on 16 as she sank a 10-foot putt to again draw even. Then on 18, Ward hit her approach shot left and needed to chip in to keep the match going, she was unable to and Sear was able to putt out for the win.

After the win, Sear spoke about winning the final match. “It feels awesome! It was really back and forth. I was up then she was up and then I made that big putt on 11 and I knew at that point I had the momentum. Walking up 18 I had lots of confidence and I was able to make a nice chip shot to get up and down.”

Sear spoke about what was going on in her head throughout the round. “I just tried to stay focused. I try to keep my mind off golf, to be honest, and just go with the flow. I don’t get too down or too excited and just play my game.”

For Sear, her road to the title began as the fourth seed and eliminated Welland’s Stefani Markovich in the opening round in 19 holes. She drew Toronto’s Ana Peric in the quarterfinal round and won by a score of 3&2. That put her into the semi finals against Stouffville’s Ivy Steinberg, who she beat 2up, to earn her spot in the finals.

As for Ward, a member of the Picton Golf & Country Club and recent winner of the GAO’s Investors Group Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, she began as the number seven seed after the qualifying round. She opened the tournament with a 2&1 win over Toronto’s Madelyn Piccininni. Then, she picked up a dominant win in the quarterfinals by beating Komoka’s Alex Amos 6&4 to move on to the semi finals. In the semi finals, Ward topped Mississauga’s Michelle Ruiz 3&1 to earn the right to play for the championship.

For round-by-round scoring and all other tournament information, see the tournament page at: http://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao15/event/gao1556/index.htm.