PGA of BC

E-NEWS

AUGUST 7, 2024

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Nike Golf is the leading innovator of high-performance footwear and apparel technologies that have been staples on professional golf tours for decades. Its leading roster of the game’s greatest players includes Rory McIlroy, Nelly Korda, Scottie Scheffler, Brooks Koepka, Tony Finau, Tommy Fleetwood, Tom Kim, and countless other top figures in the game who trust the brand to have them looking and playing their best.

Nike Golf footwear, apparel, and accessories are available for men, women, and juniors in trend-setting styles that are synonymous with the Nike brand.

As a Platinum-level Preferred Partner of the Association, Nike realizes the pivotal role that club pros play as they help usher in a new wave of enthusiasm and excitement around the game of golf. Nike Golf is also a proud presenting sponsor of the PGA of BC Club Professional Championship. Click here to learn more.

The PGA of BC Jack McLaughlin Memorial Pro-Junior Championship Series saw junior golfers from across the province compete in four regional events held in unique locations. Teams made up of a PGA of BC Professional and three junior golfers took on Cranbrook Golf Club, Cultus Lake Golf Club, Shadow Ridge Golf Club and Fairwinds Golf Club throughout the month of July. These teams competed in a 2-Net Best Ball format, where competing juniors demonstrated their high levels of play, sportsmanship and love of the game.

The first stop of the Series took place at Cranbrook Golf Club on July 11, which saw ten teams compete.

Congratulations to Cranbrook Golf Club's Adam Van De Walle (Pro), Kadan Hatala, Colin Kakuno and Nathan McKenzie for their victory at the event, winning by three strokes at their home club. Guided by professional Van De Walle, the team of up-and-coming juniors excelled on their way to the Kootenays Pro-Junior title.

The Series then travelled to Cultus Lake Golf Club for its Lower Mainland stop on July 19, with fifteen teams taking on the Fraser Valley course. 

Quilchena Golf & Country Club's John Vu (Pro), Sera Akizuki, Emily Stewart and Jack Wallace secured the victory in the tournament, shooting 17-under par to win by one stroke. Their impressive ball-striking helped guide them to the Lower Mainland title.

The next edition of the Series took place at Shadow Ridge Golf Club on July 24 where nine teams from the Interior region competed.

Congratulations to Kelowna Golf & Country Club's Jason Jurimae (Pro), Beckett Johnson, Connor Brasnett and Carver Millard on their victory, which they achieved by shooting a phenomenal Net score of 18-under par.

The final event of the Series saw nine teams from the Island region compete at Fairwinds Golf Club on July 29.

Glacier Greens Golf Club's Mark Valliere (Pro), Nolan Morrison, Rownan Chatterson and Oliver Davies won the event, earning the Island title after shooting 10-under par for a three-shot victory.

These events would not be possible without the hard work and preparation of our host professionals. Thank you to Cranbrook Head Professional Paul Wittingham, Cultus Lake Professional Kris Kowalski, Shadow Ridge Head Professional Mark Kitts, and Fairwinds Head Professional Travis Busch, as well as their entire teams, for their first-class hospitality.

The Association is thrilled to have hosted 43 teams across the four regions. Participating juniors were awarded a great variety of prizes from several contributing sponsors. Thank you to adidas Golf Canada, Callaway Golf, COBRA PUMA GOLF and Rampion Enterprises for their incredible support of the Series and of all the competing junior golfers.

To read the full recap, please click here.

Fifteen participants in last week’s PGA of BC Playing Ability Test (PAT) held at Cowichan Golf Club were successful in meeting their respective target scores.

The PAT featured 30 men and women hoping to achieve a target score relative to the course rating based upon their age and gender, which is a prerequisite of becoming a PGA of Canada Professional.

Target scores based upon age and gender for the participants were as follows:

• Men aged 49 & younger: 79
• Men aged 50 & older: 81
• Women aged 49 & younger: 84
• Women aged 50 & older: 86

Congratulations to the following applicants who were successful in meeting their PAT target scores, listed alphabetically:

• Rick Baron (Guildford Golf Club)
• Calvin Chua (Ace Performance Centre)
• Tony Kim (Guildford Golf Club)
• Tim King (Seymour Golf & Country Club)
• Joshua Mccann (Mount Brenton Golf Club)
• Louis Naccarato (Royal Colwood Golf Club)
• Sharon Park (Grizzly Golf Tour)
• Sean Russell (Highland Pacific Golf)
• Joel Smith (Salt Spring Island Golf & Country Club)
• Brayden Sveinson (Westwood Plateau Golf Academy)
• Timothy Tsang (Birdie Golf Center)
• Eddie Wang (Golf Town (Richmond))
• Jinbo Xu (Ace Performance Centre)
• Yunchi Zhou (Golf Town (Richmond))
• Aonan Zhu (Ace Performance Centre)

By demonstrating their high standard of golf skills over 18 holes, each of the fifteen successful applicants took an important step toward achieving membership as an Apprentice Professional within the PGA of Canada.

Click here to view final results.

In addition to maintaining an archive of member photos, the PGA of BC also keeps a library of images from our member facilities. These are used by the office team for a variety of purposes, including event promotion, Association marketing initiatives and assets, and more.

If your course or facility has a selection of high-resolution images that you wish to share with the PGA of BC for future use, please send them to Communications & Marketing Manager Graham Abraham at graham@pgabc.org. Please note that sharing photos with the office team indicates your consent to use the images for the purposes noted above and in other usages at the discretion of the PGA of BC.

The Lower Mainland's G&G Tour hosted their latest tournament at Nicklaus North Golf Course on July 29. Kevin Stinson (Cheam Mountain Golf Course) set the course record with an 11-under 60, including an eagle and nine birdies, to win the event by five strokes. Khan Lee (GreenTee Country Club) finished in runner-up position with a 6-under 65. Zac Carson (Nicklaus North Golf Course) earned third place, shooting a 5-under 66. Please click here to read more about Stinson's all-time performance.

The Vancouver Island Club Pro Tour competed at Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community on August 6. Winning the event in commanding form, Ben Griffin (Uplands Golf Club) took the victory with an 8-under 64 to win by six strokes. Tyler Lepine (Highland Pacific Golf) and Jamie Moran (Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community) shared runner-up honours, with each golfer shooting a 2-under 70.

The Westland Insurance Interior PGA Tour held a tournament at Sunset Ranch Golf & Country Club on July 29. Finlay Young (GOLFTEC Kelowna) won the event in emphatic fashion, finishing at 6-under par for a 66 and the four-stroke victory. Todd Tweedy (Nk'Mip Canyon Desert Golf Course) took second place at 2-under, while Mark Kitts (Shadow Ridge Golf Club) finished in third with a 71.

The Kootenay Pro Tour took on Trickle Creek Golf Resort on July 15. Scott Merriam (Cranbrook Golf Club) and Dan Bourgeois (Wildstone Golf Course) tied after 18 holes shooting matching -4 68s. Bourgeois finally broke the tie on the third playoff hole to take the victory. Harold Simkins (Bootleg Gap Golf) earned third place with a 3-under 69.

Make sure to read the Regional Tour Roundup every week to stay up-to-date with the achievements of our members and to never miss any information!

If you would like to place an advertisement in the Classifieds section, please contact Marketing & Communications Manager Graham Abraham at graham@pgabc.org to place a listing.

MEMBERS ON THE MOVE

Sharon Park's application to the PGA of Canada has been approved and she becomes an Apprentice Professional at Grizzly Golf Tour

Eddie Wang's application to the PGA of Canada has been approved and he becomes an Apprentice Professional at Golf Town (Richmond)

Louis Naccarato's application to the PGA of Canada has been approved and he becomes an Apprentice Professional at Royal Colwood Golf Club

Rick Baron's application to the PGA of Canada has been approved and he becomes an Apprentice Professional at Guildford Golf Club



Ryder Murray's application to the PGA of Canada has been approved and he becomes an Apprentice Professional at Fairview Mountain Golf Club

For all Members on the Move information, please click HERE.

Teaching Professional - Haus of Golf

For any job postings that have been approved and published on the PGA of BC website, the Association will share relevant social media posts to assist your facility in the search for a candidate. We will share one post/story per job posting. Please ensure that you tag the PGA of BC's social media account in any post or story relevant to the posting. To ensure that we share the post/story in a timely matter, please also reach out to Communications & Marketing Manager Graham Abraham at graham@pgabc.org to notify us of the post.

For all job opportunities listed on the PGA of BC website, please click HERE (Log-in required).

For all job opportunities listed on the PGA of Canada website, please click HERE.

August 19-20

Axis Insurance PGA of BC Championship presented by GOLFTEC

Morgan Creek Golf Course, Surrey, BC

Waitlist Registration

September 11-14

PGA Assistants' Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf

The Redwoods Golf Course, Langley Township, BC

Register Here

September 30-October 1

Srixon/Cleveland Golf Club Professional Championship presented by Nike Golf & Mobilicab

Nanaimo Golf Club, Nanaimo, BC

Register Here

Cancellation deadlines for PGA of BC tournaments are 30 days prior to the event. Please ensure that you communicate your withdrawal to the PGA of BC Office Team before this date.

CONTACT THE PGA OF BC OFFICE TEAM