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Monet Chun and Callum Davison claim 2016 CN Future Links Quebec Championship titles

Peter MacKellar

Taylor Craig/ Golf Canada

BEAUCEVILLE, Que. – A cloudy drizzle hung over Club de golf Beauceville, but the competitors played through the damp conditions as the 2016 CN Future Links Quebec Championship drew to a close. Team Ontario’s Monet Chun and Callum Davison held the opposition at bay and emerged victorious at Golf Canada’s third CN Future Links event of the season.

The Junior Girls’ lead teetered between Chun (Richmond Hill, Ont.) and Noémie Paré (Victoriaville, Que.) throughout the day, but the resilient Chun made par on her final eight holes to secure top spot. The first-time CN Future Links champion held the lead through all three rounds of play and closed the weekend at 5-over 221.

“My round wasn’t great today, but I’m glad I finished well on the back nine,” she said. “It’s my first CN win and I’m really happy about it because it’s one of the biggest tournaments I’ve won.”

The 15-year-old collected two birdies on the day to finish one-stroke ahead of Paré, who carded a 76.

When asked about her preparations for the Canadian Junior Girls Championship, Chun said today’s event was a good start. “This win is a definite confidence-booster, and it exposed me to all the good players that are in Quebec. It’s definitely going to help me prepare more for the Nationals.”

Céleste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-L’Île-Perrot, Que., remained among the Top-5 throughout the weekend, tallying a tournament total 8-over 224 to claim third place.

Competitors in the Top-6, including ties, in the Junior Girls division gained entry into the Canadian Junior Girls Championship at The Links at Penn Hills in Shubenacadie, N.S., August 2-5. Chun, Paré, and Dao will be joined by Team Ontario’s Isabella Portokalis (London, Ont.), Meghan McLean (Port Williams, N.S.), and Team Ontario’s Alyssa DiMarcantonio (Maple, Ont.).

Four birdies in a final-round 73 made the difference as Callum Davison registered a two-stroke win. The Duncan B.C., resident finished the competition at 3-under 210.

“As the round got going I made a couple good up-and-downs to save par, and then from there I started to play better and get more confident,” he said.

The 15-year-old says the key to his success was staying calm, despite the crowded leaderboard. “I had a little bit of pressure after nine holes, and then gave myself a little bit of a cushion. It feels good to finish well.”

A tournament total of 212 gave first-round leader Team Ontario’s Sam Meek (Peterborough, Ont.) a runner-up result, while Minwoo Park (Toronto) and Marc-Antoine Hotte (Mascouche, Que.) rounded out the Top-3 with matching 214s.

Team Canada Development Squad member Charles-Éric Bélanger finished tied for 15th. The Québec City native posted a 75 in his final round.

CN Future Links Ontario champion Brandon Lacasse (Châteauguay, Que.) joins Davison, Meek, Park, and Hotte in the Top-5 of the Junior Boys division. All have earned exemptions into the 2016 Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Clovelly Golf Club in St. John’s N.L., from August 1-4. William Duquette of Laval, Que., defeated Fredericton, N.B., native Calvin Ross in a one-hole playoff to earn the final qualifying spot available in this competition.

Three more CN Future Links Championships will be played this season:

  • June 10-12 – CN Future Links Prairie – Neepawa, Man. – Neepawa Golf & Country Club
  • July 4-6 – CN Future Links Western – Medicine Hat, Alta. – Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club
  • July 12-14 – CN Future Links Atlantic – Fairview, P.E.I. – Countryview Golf Club

Additional information regarding the 2016 CN Future Links Quebec Championship can be found here.

GAO Heron Bay Isabella Portokalis Monet Chun Peyton Callens team ontario

Team Ontario takes four medals at FCWT Junior Golf Open

Peter MacKellar

Coral Springs, Florida— The Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) Team Ontario was in Coral Springs, Florida, Feb. 4-8, for their second winter training camp of 2016. The team took part in on course, physical and psychological training at the Heron Bay Golf Club before participating in the Future Collegians World Tour (FCWT) Junior Golf Open (Feb. 6-7) also at Heron Bay.

The event turned out to be a good one for Team Ontario as they took four out of the six medals including a clean sweep of the podium on the girls’ side. Richmond Hill’s Monet Chun walked away with the gold, London’s Isabella Portokalis took the silver and Halton Hill’s Alexandra Naumovski earned the bronze. On the boys’ side it was Langton’s Peyton Callens who picked up the bronze medal.

“We were pleased with the approach Team Ontario athletes took in this FCWT event, given the time of the year, and the challenging weather conditions on day two,” said GAO Director of High Performance Andrew Moss. “Seeing where our athletes are at in the middle of winter provides great feedback to the players, and their personal coaches.  The strength of our girls’ team was very evident, and sends a great message to young female athletes across Canada.  With the strength of our golf development programs, there are great opportunities for young female athletes to access great sport experiences and education opportunities, through golf.”

Chun, 15 from the Summit Golf & Country Club, got out to an early lead during the opening round and never looked back. She finished round one at four-under (68) notching five birdies on the day. She took a one-shot lead into the second round and finished the day at even-par (72) to win the tournament by six strokes at four-under (140).

Portokalis, 14 from West Haven Golf & Country Club, also had a strong opening round finishing at three-under (69). She did fall back on the second day with a four-over (77) but her first round had given her enough of a cushion that she was able to hang on for second at two-over (146).

As for Naumovski, 18 from the Brampton Golf Club, she had a consistent tournament finishing the opening round one-over (73), which included a hole in one at the par 3 11th, and a second round of two-over (74) to finish third with a total of three-over (147).

For Callens, 16 from the Delhi Golf & Country Club, he posted two steady rounds of 72 to card an even par (144) over the two-round event.  Callens was the only player to break par in round two, with unusually cold, wet, and windy conditions.

“A big thanks to our Head Coach Reggie Millage, and our support team of Nick Martichenko and Judy Goss, for the work they did with our team members throughout the training sessions and competitive rounds,” added Moss.

Team Ontario will now prepare for the Can-Am Junior Team Matches (March 13-20), an annual competition with the South Carolina Junior Golf Association, in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.

GAO Monet Chun Woodington Lake

Monet Chun outlasts field to claim 2015 Ontario Junior Girls’ Match Play Championship

Peter MacKellar

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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