Victoria, B.C. – The 110th playing of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, gets underway next week at Royal Colwood Golf Club in Victoria, B.C. from July 29-August 2.
The championship, which was first held in 1901, is one of the longest tenured amateur events in the world. The inaugural tournament at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Que., featured only three players. Fast forward over a century later, 156 players will look to engrave their name onto the Dutchess of Connaught Gold Cup in 2024.
Team Saskatchewan will be made up of Alex Schmidt (Regina), Lauren Fox (Creighton), and Chloe Wills (Kyle). All three will tee off at 2:10 Saskatchewan time on Monday for their practice round.
The championship will feature a competitive field of top female amateur golfers, national team members, provincial champions and elite international amateurs. Practice rounds are scheduled for Monday, July 29, before the 72-hole stroke play competition gets underway on Tuesday, July 30. Play is scheduled to wrap up on Friday, August 2, followed by an awards ceremony and champions reception. The field will be cut to the low 70 players (including ties) after the second round.
The tournament will welcome 118 Canadians along with 38 international players, including 22 from the United States, six from Australia, two from Chinese Taipei along with representation from Barbados, Colombia, Hong Kong, China and Mexico.
The Inter-Provincial Team Championship will be played in conjunction through the first 36 holes of the competition with eight three-player teams vying for the title. Last year Team Ontario consisting of Jasmine Ly (Windsor, Ont.), Joline Truong (Mississauga, Ont.) and Sydney Naro (Toronto, Ont.) were crowned champions.
The 156 player field features seven of Team Canada athletes led by defending champion Lauren Kim (Surrey, B.C.) – who shot a final round 2-under 71 to claim the title last year along with teammates, Angela Arora (Surrey, B.C.), Katie Cranston (Oakville, Ont.), Nicole Gal (Oakville, Ont.), Michelle Liu (Vancouver, B.C), Alissa Xu (Richmond Hill, Ont) and Lauren Zaretsky (Thornhill, Ont.).
Team Canada NextGen will also be represented with nine members of the team set to compete including, Vanessa Borovilos (Etobicoke, Ont), Anna Huang (Vancouver, B.C), Shauna Liu (Maple, Ont.), Luna Lu (Burnaby, B.C), Lindsay McGrath (Oakville, Ont.), Eileen Park (Red Deer, Alta.), Swetha Sathish (Oakville Ont.), Michelle Xing (Richmond Hill, Ont.) and Vanessa Zhang (Vancouver, B.C.).
Clara Ding of White Rock, B.C. is the youngest player in the field at the age of 13 and there are two members of Royal Colwood Golf Club teeing it up this week, Cynthia Adamek and Jiyue Wu.
Royal Colwood Golf Club is a world-class golf course that offers a challenging and scenic layout, set amidst a beautiful forest of towering trees and manicured fairways. Designed by Arthur Vernon Macan in 1913, the course has hosted numerous high-profile tournaments. The par 72 course features strategically placed bunkers and winding fairways that demand strategic accuracy and skill. The course’s natural scenic landscape is enhanced by its serene surroundings, with sparkling water features and an abundance of wildlife.
“Royal Colwood Golf Club is honoured to add the 2024 Canadian Women’s Amateur to our club’s rich history of prestigious golf events. We are excited to welcome the top amateur women golfers from around the world to Victoria while we showcase our golf course over the four days of competition,” Gordy Scutt, Head Golf Professional at Royal Colwood Golf Club. “Hosting this event is an exciting opportunity and we are confident that Royal Colwood will provide a memorable experience for the players, guests and surrounding community.”
Last year Team Canada member, Lauren Kim won the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Ashburn Golf Club in Halifax, N.S. Team Canada athletes have won the past three Canadian Women’s Amateur Championships. Prior to Kim’s victory last year, Monet Chun of Richmond Hill, Ont. won the 2022 championship at Westmount Golf and Country Club in Kitchener, Ont. and Lauren Zaretsky won in 2021 at Edmonton Petroleum Golf and Country Club in Spruce Grove, Alta.
The 2024 Canadian Women’s Amateur champion will receive an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship taking place August 5-11 at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla. In addition, the winner will receive an exemption into the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open, taking place August 18-25 at Mississauga Golf Club in Mississauga, Ont.
For more information about the 2024 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship please click here.
Golf Canada Amateur Championships
Golf Canada annually conducts more than 30 golf competitions and qualifiers nation-wide – including nine National Amateur Championships – which play host to more than 3,000 domestic and international athletes from all corners of the world. In partnership with our host clubs, thousands of volunteers, provincial golf associations and our proud sponsors, Golf Canada is dedicated to supporting player development through world-class competition since our inception in 1895. Officiated by certified Canadian Rules of Golf officials, Golf Canada’s amateur competitions are fully compliant with golf’s international governing bodies and include marquee events such as the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships as well as the Canadian Junior Girls and Junior Boys Championships. Golf Canada’s amateur championships are proudly supported by BDO Canada, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), Titleist, FootJoy, Sport Canada, Levelwear and JOURNIE Rewards. For more information and scheduling visit https://www.golfcanada.ca/competitions-calendar/