Matthew Javier of Scarboro Golf & Country Club captured the 102nd Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship at St. Catharines Golf and Country Club.
Javier entered the final round atop the leaderboard by one stroke and maintained that lead in dominating fashion, shooting a 6-under-par 65 to finish five strokes ahead of runner-up, Justin Matthews (TPC Toronto), who shot 5-under-par 66 in the final round.
In total, Javier, who is part of Team Canada’s – Next Gen program, shot 269 – 15-under-par in the four rounds.
Along with his 2022 & 2023 Ontario (U17) Juvenile Boys Championship wins and this year’s Ontario Junior (U19) Boys Spring Classic victory, Javier can add an Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship to his spectacular resume.
For finishing top three in the Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship, Javier, along with Matthews and Michael Weber (Burlington Golf & Country Club), will represent Ontario at the 119th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship August 5 – 8 at Riverside Country Club in Saskatoon, SK.
Matthews, a Team Ontario alumni, shot 9-under-par 62 in the second round, which tied a St. Catharines Golf and Country Club record for the lowest scoring round in club history.
For final results, CLICK HERE.
The 102nd Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship heads to St. Catharines Golf and Country Club June 24 – 27.
A field of the top 156 amateur golfers in the province will be put to the test and compete for the Gary Cowan Trophy.
As one of Golf Ontario’s biggest events in the calendar year for more than a century, the Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship has been the springboard to many players’ journeys to impressive playing careers.
Notable past winners include Mike Weir (1990, 1992), Corey Conners (2010), Gerry Kesselring (1949, 1951-53) and Gary Cowan, who holds the Golf Ontario record for most wins in this championship with nine.
The first two rounds will see 7:30 a.m. start times until the 36-hole-cut midway through the championship.
For first round pairings and start times, CLICK HERE.
FIELD NOTES
Team Ontario: Four current Team Ontario members in Jordan Hwang (Emerald Hills Golf and Country Club), Dawson Lew (Players Club – Markham) and Nathanial Yoo (Meadowbrook Golf Club) are in the field, as well as former members in Zach Smith (Brampton Golf Club) and Justin Matthews (Bigwin Island Golf Club).
Gabriel Mainella (Summit Golf & Country Club), this year’s Ontario Junior Players Invitational Champion, will be the lone representative of the 2024 Next Wave program.
Team Canada’s NextGen squad will see four of its players in the field: Ben MacLean (Cherry Hill Club); Luke Smith (The Thornhill Club); Matthew Javier (Scarboro Golf & Country Club); Eric Zhao (Bayview Golf & Country Club).
Men’s Amateur Order of Merit Rankings: Charles Fitzsimmons, No. 1, Men’s Amateur, Men’s Mid-Amateur; Max Corcoran, No. 3, Men’s Amateur; Andrew Nagel, No. 4, Men’s Amateur, No. 2, Men’s Mid-Amateur.
Top Junior Golf Pathway Ranking Players: Aidan Talent, No. 1, U19; Gabriel Mainella, No. 2, U19, No. 1, U17; Dawson Lew, No. 3, U19, No. 2, U17.
PLAYER NOTES
The 156-player field is made up of:
The defending 101st Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship, Cameron Pero (Picton Golf & Country Club).
Josh DiCarlo (Pointe West Golf Club), who recently won the 2024 Ontario Men’s Match Play Championship.
Matthew Javier (Scarboro Golf & Country Club), two-time winner of the Ontario (U17) Juvenile Boys Championship (2022 & 2023) and this year’s Ontario Junior (U19) Boys Spring Classic champion.
Luke Smith (The Thornhill Club) last year’s Ontario Junior (U19) Boys Champion and the 2022 Ontario Junior (U19) Boys Match Play Champion.
The 2022 Ontario Junior (U19) Boys Spring Classic Champion & 2022 NextGen Ontario Champion, Ben MacLean (Cherry Hill Club).
The 2021 Ontario Junior (U19) Boys Champion and 2023 Golf Quebec Men’s Amateur Champion, James Newton (Royal Ottawa Golf Club).
Max Corcoran (Loch March Golf & Country Club), the 2023 Golf Quebec Junior (U19) Boys Champion.
The 2022 Ontario Junior (U19) Boys Champion, Oscar Feschuk (Weston Golf & Country Club).
Andreas Diogenous (Whistle Bear Golf Club) former Peewee (U13), Bantam (U15) and Juvenile (U17) Champion.
Nolan Piazza (Cherry Hill Club), two-time Ontario Junior (U19) Boys Champion (2018 & 2020).
The 2023 Ontario Men’s Match Play Champion, Justin Matthews (Bigwin Island Golf Club), who recently competed in the RBC Canadian Open.
Charles Fitzsimmons (Summit Golf & Country Club), two-time winner of the Ontario Men’s Match Play Championship (2021 & 2022) and winner of the 2019 Ontario Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship.
Garret Rank (Westmount Golf & Country Club), who won the 2018 Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship and the Ontario Men’s Mid-Amateur twice (2015 & 2018).
Phillip Arci (The Pulpit Club), the 2023 Ontario Men’s Mid-Amateur Player of the Year and winner of the 2024 Men’s Amateur Division of The National Golf Club of Canada Invitational.
The winner of last year’s Ontario Senior Men’s Championship, Adam Creighton (Cherry Hill Club).
The 2024 Men’s Champion of Champions winner, Kyle Gordon (Coppinwood Golf Club).
Winner of the 2022 Ontario Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, David Lang (Donalda Club).
Ryan Tsang (Cedar Brae Golf Club), the 2020 Ontario Men’s Mid-Amateur Champion.
Ontario Golf Hall of Famer, Dave Bunker (Cherry Hill Club), who is a four-time winner of the Ontario Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship (2007, 2010, 2014, 2021). He also won the Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship in 2008 and the 2020 Ontario Senior Men’s Championship.
QUOTES
Rob Watson, Tournament Director: “The Ontario Men’s Amateur is annually one of the most exciting championships on the Golf Ontario calendar because of the large and competitive field we see in this event. This year should be no different as the field is as strong as it has ever been with 156 of Ontario’s best male Amateur golfers.”
Ryan Finn, Chief Sport Officer: “Golf Ontario is thrilled to celebrate St. Catharines G&CC’s 125th anniversary by crowning Ontario’s top male amateur golfer. This year’s champion will have bested an elite field and will join an exclusive group of past champions. We look forward to a competitive and exciting championship.”
Cameron Thin, Head Golf Professional, St. Catharines Golf and Country Club: “As a part of our 125th anniversary, the St. Catharines Golf and Country Club is proud to be hosting this year’s Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship and our membership is looking forward to showcasing our wonderful golf course to the best players in the province, along with the spectators enjoying the golf. With a large and highly competitive field, I feel that this is a great opportunity for the competitors to experience the unique architecture of the course; the challenges it presents to players; and believe that it will identify a worthy champion.”
FAST FACTS
Championship Venue: St. Catharines Golf and Country Club
Championship Dates: June 24 – 27
Field: 156 players
Format: 72-hole Stroke Play (36-hole-cut – low 60 & ties)
Leaderboard Link: 24′ Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship Event :: Tournament Results (golfgenius.com)
Fun Fact: Gary Cowan holds the Golf Ontario record for the most Ontario Men’s Amateur Championships with nine (1964, 1968, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1981 & 1984).
Social Handles: @thegolfontario on Instagram, Facebook and X
Scarborough – Second-round action at Scarboro Golf & Country Club for the 2022 Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship brought changes to the leaderboard as players jockeyed to make the cut. After two rounds, a handful of players sit under par, setting up for an interesting moving day on Thursday.
Ryan Tsang (Cedar Brae Golf Club) fired a stellar 5-under (66) on the strength of five back-nine birdies to take a one-stroke lead into the third round. Jeff Fang (Players Club – Markham) followed up his strong opening round 68 with a 1-under (70) today to sit in second place at 4-under. Just behind the leaders are three golfers tied at 2-under, including Aidan Gavey (Golf Canada Club – Ontario), Justin Allen (Weston Golf & Country Club) and Jeremy Kirk (Fort William Country Club). Local favourite Matthew Javier of
Scarboro Golf & Country Club sits tied in sixth place.
The cut line fell at +9 and leaves third-round tee times beginning tomorrow, starting at 7:30 am. For media coverage of the Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship, please visit the Golf Ontario Facebook page to view our photo albums. To follow along with the leaderboard, visit our Golf Genius page.
About the Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship
The Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship was first played in 1923 at Lakeview Golf and Country Club. Featuring the best amateur golfers in the province, it is arguably the most prestigious event in the country. Many players have kick-started their journey to professional golf through the event.
Since the inaugural event, the Ontario Amateur has enjoyed an illustrious history of great champions including highly decorated amateur golfer and NHL referee Garrett Rank (2018), 2003 Masters Champion Mike Weir (1990 & 1992), Gerry Kesselring (1949, 1951, 1952, 1953), professional players Jon Mills (2001), Corey Conners (2010), Albin Choi (2012), Chris Hemmerich (2014) and Gary Cowan. Cowan holds the record for the most Ontario Amateur Championships with nine (1964, 1968, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1981 & 1984).
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 100,000 individual members and 500 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.
Instagram/Twitter/Facebook: @TheGolfOntario
To stay informed on Golf Ontario’s championship play, events, and additional updates, make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and like us on Facebook.
For more information please contact:
Peter MacKellar, Manager, Marketing and Communications, Golf Ontario;
PMacKellar@gao.ca
Justin Watkins, Coord. Partnerships, Mrktg & Comm, Golf Ontario;
jwatkins@gao.ca
THORNHILL— After coming close to the title a year ago, finishing in a tie for third, Unionville’s Max Sear came into the 2016 Investors Group Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship, at the Thornhill Club, with unfinished business. Sear, a York Downs Golf & Country Club member, took care of that business with an impressive week that was capped off by hoisting the trophy on July 15.
Entering the final round, Sear, 19-years-old, sat alone in top spot at 11-under for the tournament with a three-shot lead. He began his round well with birdies on third and fourth holes. He would settle for a pair of bogeys on five and nine and was even at the turn. Meanwhile, Kitchener’s Keaton Jones, who entered the day in second, was one-over at the turn giving Sear a four-shot lead with nine to play.
After Sear birdied the 11th and Jones, a Whistle Bear Golf Club member, bogeyed the 13th, Sear had a six-stroke lead with five holes to play. That turned out to be more than enough as Sear ended the round at even par (71) to finish the tournament at 11-under (69-68-65-71-273).
Afterwards, Sear spoke about how his experience last year helped him claim the 2016 title. “It felt really good to come out on top this year. I think the big difference was my third round. Last year I had the lead after the second round, but shot four-over in the third round. This year I knew I had to keep my foot on the gas pedal, which I did. It was frustrating last year, but I learned a lot and I guess it paid off this year.”
Conditions were a factor this week, but Sear managed to keep them at bay. He talked about his week and the key moments on his march to the championship. “I felt like my game was in a good spot and had a lot of momentum coming off the first round. I think the real turning point for me was the final four holes during the second round. I went five-under on those four holes and that just sparked me. I came into the third round with a lot of confidence and went low. Everything seemed to work out for me after that.”
Picking up the silver medal was Jones. Jones ended the day with a one-over (72) and finished the tournament seven-under (70-67-68-72-277).
Earning the bronze medal was Cayuga’s Charles Corner. Corner began the day at one-under in a tie for third. He separated himself from the rest of the players in that tie thanks to the low round of the day, three-under (68). That brought him to four-under (69-72-71-68-280) for the tournament.
The three will represent Ontario in the team competition at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, Aug. 8-11, at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club & Eagle Creek Golf Club in Ottawa-Gatineau.
For full tournament information, including the final leaderboard, see the tournament site at: https://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao16/event/gao168/index.htm
Golf Ontario would like to thank the Thornhill Club, along with their staff and volunteers for hosting the event. Thanks also to title sponsor Investors Group and the Golf Ontario volunteers for their continued support of golf in the province.
About the Investors Group Ontario Men’s Amateur
The Investors Group Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship was first played in 1923 at Lakeview Golf and Country Club, and has a rich history of former champions. Past winners include: 2003 Masters Champion Mike Weir (1990 & 1992), Gerry Kesselring (1949, 1951, 1952, 1953), professional players Jon Mills (2001), Corey Conners (2010), Albin Choi (2012), Chris Hemmerich (2014) and Gary Cowan, who holds the record for the most Ontario Amateur Championships with nine (1964, 1968, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1981 & 1984). This is the fourth time Thornhill has hosted the Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship. 155 players began the four-day, 72-hole tournament.