Canadian Amateur Championship
The Canadian Amateur Championship, begun in 1895, is the men's amateur golf championship of Canada. It is staged annually by the Golf Canada. It was played at match play until 1968, went to stroke play beginning in 1969, and reverted to match play in 1995.[1] It returned to stroke play in 2008.
Founding and early years
The Royal Canadian Golf Association was founded in June 1895, at a meeting held in Ottawa by ten charter member clubs, hosted by the Ottawa Golf Club (later the Royal Ottawa Golf Club), and the new organization was granted the prefix 'Royal' in 1896. In conjunction with the meeting, the first men's amateur championship was staged, at match play, with the Governor General, Lord Aberdeen, donating a trophy, the Aberdeen Cup, to the champion. Thomas Harley of Kingston, Ontario won the first championship.[1]
This makes the Canadian Amateur slightly older than the U.S. Amateur, which was first staged later in 1895, and hence the third oldest national amateur championship in the world, after the British Amateur Championship, which began in 1885, and the Australian Amateur in 1894.
The Aberdeen Cup was granted in perpetuity to George Lyon, after he won three straight titles from 1905 to 1907. The original cup was retained by Lyon, but was eventually lost. A new trophy was then provided, the Earl Grey Cup. Lyon would win a total of eight Canadian titles, which is still a record,[1] and he also won the gold medal at golf in the 1904 St. Louis Olympics.
The tournament was held annually until 1914 inclusive, but then was cancelled from 1915 to 1918 because of World War I. It resumed in 1919, and then was staged annually until 1939 inclusive, being cancelled again from 1940 to 1945 because of World War II. It has been held annually since 1946.[1]
Willingdon Cup
In 1927, the interprovincial team matches, which had begun in 1882, and held 27 times until 1921, between teams from Ontario and Quebec, but then dropped,[2] were resumed with the start of the Willingdon Cup competition, playing for a cup donated by the Governor General, Lord Willingdon. The Willingdon Cup features teams of four top players from each province, and is held on the first two days of the Canadian Amateur, which are also the qualifying days for the balance of the tournament. The Willingdon Cup was also not played from 1940-45.[1]
Rotation around country
The Canadian Amateur stayed in Ontario and Quebec until 1921, when it went to Manitoba. It went to Alberta for the first time in 1929, to British Columbia for the first time in 1932, to Atlantic Canada for the first time in 1949, and to Saskatchewan for the first time in 1950.[3] Since then, it has rotated around the country's top courses, with the current format allowing each of the six major golf regions (Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia) to have its turn on approximately a six-year cycle. Among Canada's ten provinces, only Newfoundland and Labrador has yet to host it.
Dominant players
The Canadian Amateur was dominated in the 1920s and 1930s by Ross Somerville, who won six titles, finished runner-up four times, and had several more near-misses. Moe Norman won back-to-back titles in 1955 and 1956. Nick Weslock waited until age 40 to win the first of his four titles in 1957. Although Gary Cowan was consistently the best Canadian amateur from the late 1950s into the mid-1970s, he managed to win only one Canadian title, in 1961, but lost in the finals four more times, as well as finishing runner-up twice in stroke play. Doug Roxburgh won his first of four crowns in 1972. Jim Nelford won two in a row from 1975–1976, then narrowly missed a third in 1977, when he lost to Rod Spittle, who won two in a row. Brent Franklin won three in a row from 1985–1987, a feat not seen since Lyon did it some eighty years earlier.[1] Richard Scott won the Canadian title in three years out of four from 2003 to 2006. Cam Burke won two straight from 2008 to 2009.[4]
From the late 1920s into the 1970s, the Canadian Amateur often attracted many of the top American amateurs, several of whom carried the trophy south, including Dick Chapman, Frank Stranahan, Don Cherry, Harvie Ward, Allen Miller, Dick Siderowf, and George Burns. Other leading Americans who competed but fell short include William C. Campbell, Jay Sigel, and Nathaniel Crosby. The Canadian title has also been won by South African Reg Taylor (1962), New Zealanders Stuart Jones (1967) and Gareth Paddison (2001), Mexican Rafael Alarcon (1979), and Australian Gary Simpson (1993).
To date, four players have won both the U.S. Amateur and Canadian Amateur titles: Ross Somerville, Dick Chapman, Harvie Ward, and Gary Cowan. Chapman and Ward also won The Amateur Championship of Great Britain, a title which no Canadian has yet taken.
Winners who won PGA Tour events
To date, ten players who won the Canadian Amateur have also won events on the PGA Tour. These ten (in chronological order of their Canadian Amateur wins) are: Fred Haas, Ken Black, Frank Stranahan, Bunky Henry, Allen Miller, George Burns (golfer), Richard Zokol, Dillard Pruitt, Garrett Willis, and Nick Taylor
Rod Spittle, Canadian Amateur champion in 1977 and 1978, later won an event on the Champions Tour, the 2010 AT&T Championship in San Antonio.
Most championships hosted
The Toronto Golf Club (1898, 1901, 1903, 1905, 1909, 1913, 1926, and 1995) and Royal Ottawa Golf Club (1895, 1899, 1906, 1911, 1914, 1925, 1951, and 2016) have hosted the most Canadian Amateurs, with eight. Next are Royal Montreal Golf Club with seven (1897, 1900, 1902, 1904, 1908, 1912, and 1931) and Hamilton Golf and Country Club with six (1922, 1927, 1935, 1948, 1977, and 1994).
Winners
| Year | Venue | Winner | Country | Score | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Royal Ottawa Golf Club, QUE | Hugo Bernard |  Canada | 271 |  Andy Zhang 273 |
| 2015 | Weston Golf and Country Club, ONT | Billy Kennerly |  United States | 275 | Hugo Bernard 281 Garrett Rank 281 Jake Shuman 281 |
| 2014 | Elmhurst Golf Club, MAN | James Beale |  New Zealand | 276 | Jonathan Garrick 276 Taylor Pendrith 276 |
| 2013 | Royal Colwood Golf Club, BC | Eli Cole | United States | 276 | Corey Conners 277 Taylor Pendrith 277 |
| 2012 | Camelot Golf Club, ONT | Mackenzie Hughes | Canada | 276 | Brian Churchill-Smith 277 Chris Hemmerich 277 |
| 2011 | Niakwa Country Club, MAN | Mackenzie Hughes | Canada | 274 | Albin Choi 276 |
| 2010 | London Hunt Club & Redtail G&CC, ONT | Albin Choi | Canada | 271 | Eugene Wong 274 |
| 2009 | Club de golf Le Blainvillier, QUE | Cam Burke | Canada | 275 | Mitch Sutton 276 |
| 2008 | Paradise Canyon Golf & Country Club, ALTA | Cam Burke | Canada | 274 | Scott Stiles 278 Eugene Wong 278 |
| 2007 | Riverside, SASK | Nick Taylor | Canada | 38 holes | Michael Knight |
| 2006 | Mississaugua Golf & Country Club, ONT | Richard Scott | Canada | 2 & 1 | Todd Halpen |
| 2005 | Bell Bay Golf Club, Baddeck, NS | Richard Scott | Canada | 10 & 8 | Jay Snyder |
| 2004 | Beaconsfield GC, QUE | Darren Wallace | Canada | 5 & 3 | Marc Bourgeois |
| 2003 | Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club, BC | Richard Scott | Canada | 4 & 3 | Chris Baryla |
| 2002 | Fraser Edmundston Golf Club, NB | Dillard Pruitt | United States | 6 & 5 | Michael Mezei |
| 2001 | Credit Valley G&CC, ONT | Gareth Paddison | New Zealand | 8 & 7 | Graham Cooke |
| 2000 | Glendale G&CC, ALTA | Han Lee | United States | 5 & 3 | Blair Buttar |
| 1999 | Rivershore Estates & Golf Links, BC | Han Lee | United States | 1 up | Wes Heffernan |
| 1998 | Hillsdale G&CC, QUE | Craig Matthew | Canada | 2 & 1 | Steven Davies |
| 1997 | The Links at Crowbush Cove, PEI | Dale Goehring | Canada | 1 up | David Anthony |
| 1996 | Glendale G&CC, MAN | Rob McMillan | Canada | 4 & 3 | Craig Matthew |
| 1995 | Toronto Golf Club, ONT | Garrett Willis | United States | 3 & 2 | Stu Hamilton |
| 1994 | Hamilton Golf and Country Club, ONT | Warren Sye | Canada | 280(P) | Bryan DeCorso 280 |
| 1993 | Victoria Golf Club, BC | Gary Simpson |  Australia | 281 | Stu Hamilton 282 |
| 1992 | Riverside CC, NB | Darren Ritchie | Canada | 282 | Mike Weir 284 |
| 1991 | Royal Ottawa Golf Club, QUE | Jeff Kraemer | Canada | 283 | Rob Anderson 285 Steven Davies 285 Mike Weir 285 |
| 1990 | Weston Golf and Country Club, ONT | Warren Sye | Canada | 281 | Jeff Cannon 283 Arden Knoll 283 |
| 1989 | Oakfield G&CC, NS | Peter Major | Canada | 279 | Harvey Ellsworth 285 |
| 1988 | Gallaghers Canyon, BC | Doug Roxburgh | Canada | 285 | Orrin Vincent 288 |
| 1987 | Derrick, AB | Brent Franklin | Canada | 283 | David Ecob 285 |
| 1986 | Mactaquac, NB | Brent Franklin | Canada | 286 | Jack Kay, Jr. 287 |
| 1985 | Riverside, SASK | Brent Franklin | Canada | 283(P) | Stu Hamilton 283 |
| 1984 | Sunningdale CC, ONT | Bill Swartz | Canada | 285 | Danny Mijovic 287 |
| 1983 | Capilano, BC | Danny Mijovic | Canada | 277 | Jay Sigel 284 |
| 1982 | Kaniwaki, QUE | Doug Roxburgh | Canada | 287(P) | Brian Christie, Jr. 287 Stu Hamilton 287 |
| 1981 | Calgary G&CC, ALTA | Richard Zokol | Canada | 271(P) | Blaine McCallister 271 |
| 1980 | Halifax GC (New), NS | Greg Olson | Canada | 290 | Stu Hamilton 293 Steve Hayles 293 |
| 1979 | Brantford GC, ONT | Rafael Alarcon |  Mexico | 282 | Graham Cooke 286 |
| 1978 | Laval-sur-le-Lac Club, QUE | Rod Spittle | Canada | 276 | Gary Cowan 286 Bob Mase 286 |
| 1977 | Hamilton Golf and Country Club, ONT | Rod Spittle | Canada | 279 | Jim Nelford 281 |
| 1976 | Royal Colwood G&CC, BC | Jim Nelford | Canada | 287(P) | Rafael Alarcon 287 |
| 1975 | Riverside, NB | Jim Nelford | Canada | 280 | Doug Roxburgh 284 |
| 1974 | Niakwa Country Club, MAN | Doug Roxburgh | Canada | 280 | Gary Cowan 284 |
| 1973 | Summit, ONT | George Burns | United States | 284 | Richard Ehrmanntraut 285 Daniel O'Neill 285 |
| 1972 | Earl Grey, ALTA | Doug Roxburgh | Canada | 276 | Dave Barr 280 |
| 1971 | Oakfield G&CC, NS | Dick Siderowf | United States | 293(P) | Doug Roxburgh 293 |
| 1970 | Ottawa Hunt, ONT | Allen Miller | United States | 274 | Stu Hamilton 284 Billy Kratzert 284 Dick Siderowf 284 Jim Simons 284 |
| 1969 | Westmount, ONT | Wayne MacDonald | Canada | 284 | Dick Siderowf 285 Leonard Thompson 285 |
| 1968 | Mayfair, ALTA | Jim Doyle | Canada | 4 & 3 | Gary Cowan |
| 1967 | Royal Colwood, BC | Stuart Jones | New Zealand | 3 & 2 | Ross Murray |
| 1966 | Summerlea, QUE | Nick Weslock | Canada | 1 up | William Brew |
| 1965 | Pine Ridge, MAN | Bunky Henry | United States | 1 up | William C. Campbell |
| 1964 | Riverside, SASK | Nick Weslock | Canada | 1 up | Gary Cowan |
| 1963 | Riverside, NB | Nick Weslock | Canada | 7 & 6 | Bert Ticehurst |
| 1962 | Sunningdale CC, ONT | Reg Taylor |  South Africa | 4 & 2 | Tom Draper |
| 1961 | Edmonton CC, ALTA | Gary Cowan | Canada | 1 up | Ted Homenuik |
| 1960 | Ottawa Hunt, ONT | Keith Alexander | Canada | 4 & 3 | Gary Cowan |
| 1959 | Marine Drive, BC | John Johnston | Canada | 1 up | Gary Cowan |
| 1958 | Scarboro, ONT | Bruce Castator | Canada | 1 up | Eric Hanson |
| 1957 | St. Charles Country Club, MAN | Nick Weslock | Canada | 9 & 8 | Ted Homenuik |
| 1956 | Fraser Edmundston Golf Club, NB | Moe Norman | Canada | 5 & 4 | Jerry Magee |
| 1955 | Calgary G&CC, ALTA | Moe Norman | Canada | 39 holes | Lyle Crawford |
| 1954 | London Hunt, ONT | Harvie Ward | United States | 5 & 4 | William C. Campbell |
| 1953 | Kaniwaki, QUE | Don Cherry | United States | 1 up | Don Doe |
| 1952 | Capilano, BC | Larry Bouchery | United States | 37 holes | William C. Campbell |
| 1951 | Royal Ottawa Golf Club, QUE | Walter McElroy | Canada | 2 & 1 | Phil Farley |
| 1950 | Saskatoon GC, SASK | Bill Mawhinney | Canada | 6 & 4 | Nick Weslock |
| 1949 | Riverside, NB | Dick Chapman | United States | 38 holes | Phil Farley |
| 1948 | Hamilton Golf and Country Club, ONT | Frank Stranahan | United States | 9 & 7 | C.J. Stoddard |
| 1947 | Royal-Quebec Golf Club, QUE | Frank Stranahan | United States | 6 & 5 | Bill Ezinicki |
| 1946 | Mayfair, ALTA | Henry Martell | Canada | 6 & 5 | Ken Black |
| 1940-45: No Championships due to World War II | |||||
| 1939 | Mount Bruno, QUE | Ken Black | Canada | 8 & 6 | Henry Martell |
| 1938 | London Hunt Club, ONT | Ted Adams | United States | 37 holes | Ross Somerville |
| 1937 | Ottawa Hunt, ONT | Ross Somerville | Canada | 2 & 1 | Phil Farley |
| 1936 | St. Charles Country Club, MAN | Fred Haas | United States | 8 & 7 | Bobby Reith |
| 1935 | Hamilton Golf and Country Club, ONT | Ross Somerville | Canada | 7 & 6 | Gordon Taylor, Jr. |
| 1934 | Laval-sur-le-Lac Club, QUE | Albert Campbell | United States | 1 up | Ross Somerville |
| 1933 | Shaughnessy Heights, BC | Albert Campbell | United States | 3 & 2 | Ken Black |
| 1932 | Lambton Golf Club, ONT | Gordon B. Taylor | Canada | 5 & 3 | Jack A. Cameron |
| 1931 | Royal Montreal Golf Club, QUE | Ross Somerville | Canada | 3 & 2 | Arthur Yates |
| 1930 | London Hunt Club, ONT | Ross Somerville | Canada | 11 & 10 | J. Wood Platt |
| 1929 | Jasper Park Golf Club, ALTA | Eddie Held | United States | 3 & 2 | Gardiner White |
| 1928 | Summerlea, QUE | Ross Somerville | Canada | 3 & 2 | William K. Lanman, Jr. |
| 1927 | Hamilton Golf and Country Club, ONT | Donald Carrick | Canada | 9 & 8 | Frank Thompson |
| 1926 | Toronto Golf Club, ONT | Ross Somerville | Canada | 4 & 3 | C.C. Fraser |
| 1925 | Royal Ottawa Golf Club, QUE | Donald Carrick | Canada | 5 & 4 | Ross Somerville |
| 1924 | Rosedale Golf Club, ONT | Frank Thompson | Canada | 3 & 1 | Ross Somerville |
| 1923 | Kaniwaki Golf Club, QUE | W.J. Thompson | Canada | 3 & 2 | Redvers Mackenzie |
| 1922 | Hamilton Golf and Country Club, ONT | C.C. Fraser | Canada | 37 holes | Norman Scott |
| 1921 | Winnipeg GC, MAN | Frank Thompson | Canada | 38 holes | C.W. Hague |
| 1920 | Beaconsfield GC, QUE | C.B. Grier | Canada | 5 & 4 | Tom Gillespie |
| 1919 | Lambton Golf Club, ONT | William McLuckie | Canada | 6 & 4 | G.H. Turpin |
| 1915-18: No Championships due to World War I | |||||
| 1914 | Royal Ottawa Golf Club | George Lyon | Canada | 8 & 7 | Brice Evans |
| 1913 | Toronto Golf Club, ONT | G.H. Turpin | Canada | 1 up | Gerald Lees |
| 1912 | Royal Montreal Golf Club, QUE | George Lyon | Canada | 6 & 5 | A. Hutcheson |
| 1911 | Royal Ottawa Golf Club | G.H. Hutton | Canada | 39 holes | A.E. Austin |
| 1910 | Lambton Golf Club, ONT | Fritz Martin | Canada | 37 holes | George Lyon |
| 1909 | Toronto Golf Club, ONT | E. Legge | Canada | 1 up | G.F. Moss |
| 1908 | Royal Montreal Golf Club, QUE | A. Wilson, Jr. | Canada | 1 up | Fritz Martin |
| 1907 | Lambton Golf Club, ONT | George Lyon | Canada | 3 & 2 | Fritz Martin |
| 1906 | Royal Ottawa Golf Club | George Lyon | Canada | 5 & 4 | Douglas Laird |
| 1905 | Toronto Golf Club, ONT | George Lyon | Canada | 12 & 11 | R.S. Strath |
| 1904 | Royal Montreal Golf Club, QUE | J. Percy Taylor | Canada | 5 & 3 | George Lyon |
| 1903 | Toronto Golf Club, ONT | George Lyon | Canada | 10 & 8 | M.C. Cameron |
| 1902 | Royal Montreal Golf Club, QUE | Fritz Martin | Canada | 1 up | R.C.H Cassells |
| 1901 | Toronto Golf Club, ONT | W.A.H. Kerr | Canada | 38 holes | J. Percy Taylor |
| 1900 | Royal Montreal Golf Club, QUE | George Lyon | Canada | 38 holes | Gordon W. McDougall |
| 1899 | Royal Ottawa Golf Club | Vere C. Brown | Canada | 5 & 3 | Stewart Gillespie |
| 1898 | Toronto Golf Club, ONT | George Lyon | Canada | 12 & 11 | G.H.F. Pattison |
| 1897 | Royal Montreal Golf Club, QUE | W.A.H. Kerr | Canada | 5 & 4 | R.T. Henderson |
| 1896 | Royal-Quebec Golf Club, QUE | Stewart Gillespie | Canada | 4 & 3 | W.A. Griffith |
| 1895 | Royal Ottawa Golf Club | Thomas Harley | Canada | 7 & 5 | A. Simpson |
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Golf in Canada: A History, by James A. Barclay, Toronto, McClelland and Stewart, 1992.
- ↑ History of Golf In Canada, by Lawrence Vincent Kavanagh, Don Mills, Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 1973, p. 163.
- ↑ History of Golf in Canada, by Lawrence Vincent Kavanagh, Toronto, Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 1973, pp.160-161.
- ↑ http://www.rcga.org, the Canadian Amateur results archive.