by Jeffrey Reed, Editor, LondonOntarioGolf.com
Photo: Mary-Ann Hayward wins 15th Ontario Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship/Golf Ontario

A strong local group are in the field at next week’s 109th Ontario Women’s Amateur and Mid-Amateur Championship at West Haven Golf and Country Club.

A total field of 96 golfers are slated to tee off Monday and conclude the four-round championship Thursday afternoon at the northwest London private club, which will play at 6,000 yards and par 72 for the Ontario Women’s Amateur tournament.

As of today, the field totals 87 golfers.

Golf Ontario member Jasmine Ly captured last year’s Ontario Women’s Am at Toronto’s Donalda Club, where Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Mary-Ann Hayward of St. Thomas Golf and Country Club captured her 15th Ontario Women’s Mid-Am title.

Locals in the field at West Haven include Hayward; former Junior Tyson Tour champion Jillian Friyia (Highland CC), the top local finisher in ’23; Andrea Lai (St. Thomas G&CC), who captured her second straight Junior Tyson Tour title in 2023; Gabrielle Harrison, another Tyson Tour grad; mid-am competitor Lindsey Hummel, winner of the 2018 London Ontario Golf Heart Award; Sarah Ross and Cathy Smith (West Haven G&CC); and Hannah Butzer (Tyson Tour) and Kassandra Rombouts of Maple City CC, Chatham.

West Haven Golf and Country Club

“We are once again honoured and excited to (announce) one of the most diverse and inclusive championship schedules in amateur golf, working with many of Ontario’s most renowned golf clubs,” said Golf Ontario’s director of competitions and performance John Lawrence. “Our 2024 venues are (showcasing) an exciting season in communities across the province, and we can’t thank those member clubs enough for hosting our events.”

Practice rounds at West Haven begin at 1 p.m. Sunday, June 23. Members of the public are welcome to attend, and are welcome at the free junior girls clinic at 3 p.m. when West Haven head golf professional Scott Loosely, as well as Ontario Golf Hall of Fame member and 2013 London Ontario Golf Heart Award winner Patty Howard will run a free clinic for junior girls from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Howard made history in 1990 at West Haven, where she was the first-ever female head golf professional at a mixed Canadian golf club – read her biography here.

The Mid-Am wraps up Wednesday. Tournament tee times and pairings are published here. The Ontario Women’s Am championship is a 72-hole stroke play event with a 36-hole cut – amateur low 54 golfers and ties, mid-am top 15 and ties.

Ly, of Windsor, shot rounds of 76-70-72-72—290 (+6) to win in ’23. Hayward finished T10 overall while capturing her 15th mid-am title with rounds of 73-77-77-74—301 (+17). Read our feature story on Hayward here.

For scores, stories and photos, visit LondonOntarioGolf.com and our social media pages at X, Facebook and Instagram throughout the week.

Tournament Notebook from Golf Ontario:

Team Ontario: Six current Team Ontario Members in Kaprice Park (RattleSnake Golf and Country Club), Nobelle Park (RattleSnake Golf and Country Club), Alexa Ouellet (Weston Golf & Country Club), Aryn Matthews (BigWin Island Golf Club), Bridget Yu (Golf Canada- Club Ontario), Shelby Hardwich (Summit Golf & Country Club).

Golf Canada Next Gen Member Shauna Liu is in the field.

Top Junior Golf Pathway Rankings: Nobelle Park, No. 1, U19, U17; Kaprice Park, No. 2, U19, U17; Angela Cai, No. 3, U19, U17.

Nobelle Park is the top world ranked player in the field, coming in at 182nd overall.

PLAYER NOTES

Mary-Ann Hayward (St.Thomas Golf & Country Club)– Ontario Golf Hall of Fame 2023, won the 2023 Ontario Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship Stroke Play.

Judith Kyrinis (The Thornhill Club), Ontario Golf Hall of Fame 2023, won the 2023 Canadian Women’s Mid- Amateur Championship, Semi-Finalist at the 23’ Ontario Women’s Match Play Finals, and finalist at the 23’ Women’s Match Play Championship.

Celina Yeo of London just finished second in AJGA Rolex Girls Championship.

Kaprice Park hot off a second- place finish at last week’s Women’s Match Play at Cataraqui Golf & Country Club.

Hailey Hendershott 2024 Mountain East Conference Player of the Year.

Fun Fact: Marlene Stewart Streit, who the trophy is named after, is an Ontario Golf Hall of Famer and has won this award a record of 11 times (1951, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, and 1977).

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Jeffrey Reed is a 45-year veteran of Canadian golf journalism. Contact him at jeff@londonontariogolf.com.