The final day of the 2024 Ontario Junior Boys and Girls Match Play Championships at Grey Silo Golf Course featured breathtaking finishes.
Taking home the Len Goldson Trophy on the boys’ side is Will Drewery, who faced fellow Whistle Bear Golf Club athlete, Rylan Hall of Team Ontario, in the finals.
It all came down to an extra 19th hole, where Drewery defeated Hall with a Birdie putt to complete a comeback from 3-down earlier.
En route to the finals, Drewery won the Round of 64 8&7, the Round of 32 3&2, the Round of 16 2 Up, the Quarter-Finals 2&1, and both the Semi-Finals and Finals in 19 holes.
Regardless of the outcome, an Ontario Junior Boys Match Play Championship title was in Whistle Bear Golf Club’s hands before the finals even began.
In the Junior Girls’ final, Kaylan Green of Scarboro Golf & Country Club took on Avery Nordman of Canadian Golf & Country Club.
After the two went back-and-forth all afternoon, their match came down to a 21st hole, where Green sunk her Par putt to clinch the victory.
Both contestants were playing in their first Ontario Junior Girls Match Play Championship and went through impressive lengths to make it all the way to the finals.
In the end, Green’s journey to the title included a 4&3 win in the Round of 32, a 3&1 win in the Round of 16, a 4&3 win in the Quarter-Finals, a 3&2 win in the Semi-Finals, and a 21 hole win in the final showdown with Nordman.
CLICK HERE for all results of the Ontario Junior Girls Match Play Championship.
CLICK HERE for all results of the Ontario Junior Boys Match Play Championship.
Social Handles: @thegolfontario on Instagram, Facebook, and X.
The Ontario Junior (U19) Girls Match Play Championship and the Ontario Junior (U19) Boys Match Play will take place July 29-31 at Grey Silo Golf Course in Waterloo.
The respective events will feature 30 players on the girls’ side and 64 players in the boys’ division. Both divisions will be competing in epic battles against one another in match play format.
While the Ontario Junior Girls Match Play Championship first commenced in 1982, and the Ontario Junior Boys Match Play Championship in 1998, both have seen talented players go head-to-head in tremendous matchups over the years.
The Junior Boys begin their first round matches Monday starting at 7:30 a.m., while the Junior Girls kick off their first round with tee times set for 12:30 p.m. Both the boys and girls events will tee-off from the first and 10th tees.
CLICK HERE to view all matchups and start times for the Ontario Junior (U19) Girls Match Play Championship.
CLICK HERE to view all matchups and start times for the Ontario Junior (U19) Boys Match Play Championship.
FIELD NOTES
Team Ontario:
Six of the eight male Team Ontario members competing include: Dawson Lew (Wyndance Golf Club), Ben Sheridan (Ottawa Hunt Golf Club), Chase Jerome (Royal Ottawa Golf Club), Graydon Laughlin (Ottawa Hunt Golf Club), Rylan Hall (Whistle Bear Golf Club), and Bode Stephen (Cataraqui Golf and Country Club)
Next Waive:
All four of the Next Waive Program’s female players will compete: Sierra Kowlayshyn (Sawmill Golf Course), Ava Gilbert (Summit Golf & Country Club), Kirsten Lee (Brampton Golf Club) and Sadie Wu (Station Creek Golf Club).
The Next Waive Program will also be represented by six of its 11 male athletes: Cole Thompson (Lookout Point Country Club), Matthew Simpson (Lambton Golf & Country Club), Tristian Zhang (Summit Golf & Country Club), Aiden Pavey (Hidden Lake Golf Club), Bo Dong and Gabriel Mainella (Summit Golf & Country Club)
Junior Golf Pathway Rankings (Junior Boys):
Gabriel Mainella, No. 1, U19, U17; Dawson Lew, No. 2, U19, U17; Bode Stephen, No. 5, U19, No. 4, U17.
Junior Golf Pathway Rankings (Junior Girls):
Avery Nordman, No. 8, U19, No. 4, U17; Alexis Card, No. 14, U19, No. 7, U17; Amelia McFarlane, No. 19, U19, No. 6, U17.
PLAYER NOTES
Players in the Junior Boys’ division include:
Gabriel Mainella (Summit Golf & Country Club) comes in as the 2024 Ontario Junior Boys Champion, as well as the 2024 Ontario Junior Players Invitational Champion.
Bode Stephen (Cataraqui Golf & Country Club) is fresh off claiming the Golf Canada NextGen Atlantic Championship last week.
Dawson Lew (Wyndance Golf Club) came in 4th at the 2024 Ontario Junior Boys Championship earlier this month.
Players in the Junior Girls’ division include:
Serena Zhang was a semi-finalist in the 2023 Ontario Junior Girls Match Play Championship.
Alexis Card (Galt Country Club) finished tied for 8th in the 2024 Ontario Junior Girls Championship.
Ava Gilbart (Summit Golf & Country Club) recently finished tied for 2nd at the Golf Canada NextGen Atlantic Championship.
QUOTES
Connor Doyle, Tournament Director: “The Ontario Junior U19 Boys & Girls Match Play Championship is a tremendous event on the Golf Ontario Championship Calendar that generates lots of excitement year in and year out. Grey Silo will certainly be an excellent test for the players as the course features many risk-reward opportunities and will lead to many excellent matches and moments for the players this week.”
FAST FACTS
Championship Venue: Grey Silo Golf Course
Dates: July 29-31
Field: 30 Girls, 64 Boys
Format: Match Play
Bracket Link: 24’ Ontario Junior (U19) Girls Match Play Championship & 24’ Ontario Junior (U19) Boys Match Play Championship
Fun Fact: Grey Silo Golf Course was the host club for the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic from 2012 – 2014.
Social Handles: @thegolfontario on Instagram, Facebook, X.
