Golf Canada, in partnership with Golf Ontario, hosted the 2023 World Junior Girls Championship, presented by Sargent Farms at Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, ON. The tournament ran from Monday October 2nd – Saturday, October 7th. This championship featured the top junior-aged golfers from more than 22 countries around the world. Past participants have included Brooke Henderson, and current CPKC Women’s Open champion, Megan Khang. Capping off one of the most successful seasons in Canadian Golf history, Team Canada was able to secure its first-ever team title at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship.
In conjunction with Golf Canada’s goal to grow the game and encourage female participation in the sport, First Tee – Ontario also had a strong presence at the tournament. On Monday October 2nd, First Tee hosted a walk with an athlete activation for one of the local schools in the Brampton area. Twenty-four girls from Stanley Mills Public School had the opportunity to meet with the athletes and play a hole with them during their Monday afternoon practice round. The girls were able to take some photos and interact with the athletes on the holes and many of the teams even let the girls take a few puts on the green!
Later in the week, on Wednesday October 4th, First Tee – Ontario also hosted a World Junior Girls clinic with a group from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peel. Ten girls alongside their mentors from the Big Sisters program took part in an introductory golf clinic run by PGA of Canada coach Kerri Slaughter. The athletes from Team Canada also were present at the clinic to meet the with the girls and lead them through some of the chipping and putting activities. With the strong contingent of female representation present at this all-girls event, it was the perfect way to kick off girl-centred programming in the region that will surely carry on into the spring and summer sessions.
