Golf Canada – Vandette takes over lead in final pairing and Chun runs away with competition 

BROCKVILLE, Ont. – Christopher Vandette out-dueled Jeevan Sihota in the final round of the Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship, while Monet Chun dominated the Girls Division on Sunday at Brockville Country Club in Brockville, Ont.

“I feel good about that win,” Vandette said, after the award ceremony. “It gives me confidence for the rest of the summer.” 

Vandette shot a 3-under-par 68 in his final round denying Sihota his second straight win at a Future Links, driven by Acura championship. 

The 15-year-old Vandette started the day one shot back of Sihota, who is just 13-years-old, and the two battled it out in the final pairing of the tournament. After both made the turn they were tied at the top of the leaderboard.

Sihota made bogey on the par-4 10th and dropped out of the lead for the first time in the tournament. Vandette, from Beaconsfield, Que., seized the opportunity and recorded four birdies in five holes to close out the victory.

“We were playing similar golf on the front nine,” Vandette said. “After Jeevan made his bogey a switch flicked in my head and I made three birdies in a row. That kind of put me away from the pack.”

Sihota ended his tournament with a 4-over par 75, dropping him into solo third and finishing six strokes back of Vandette. Tomas Giroux, of Georgetown, Ont., moved up into second place after Sihota dropped down the leaderboard. The 18-year-old finished his tournament at 2 over par, five back of the leader. 

Louis-Alexandre Jobin-Colgan from Quebec, Que., and Olivier Menard from Valleyfield, Que., finished tied in fourth after they both fired their best rounds of the tournament: 68 and 69, respectively. 

Toronto, Ont., native Zachary Greifenberger secured the final qualifying place for the Canadian Junior Boys Championship with an even-par finish. He was 5-over for the tournament. 

Chun, a Team Canada Development Squad member, was dominant in her final two rounds of the tournament. After an opening round of 74, the 16-year-old shot two straight 1-under-par rounds of 70 and cruised to a four-stroke victory.

“I’m happy with my result today,” Chun said, after her win. “My putting was really good. I got kind of lucky on some of the bad strokes that I made and I was able to recover from that. My putting was key today.”

The win marks her second in as many weeks as the Richmond Hill, Ont., native is coming off a win at the Investors Group Junior Girls’ Spring Classic at Sleepy Hollow Country Club, in Stouffville, Ont., on May 20-22.

Ellie Szeryk, from London, Ont., finished comfortably in second after she shot a final-round 70, the only other person to shoot under par in the Girls Division. The 15-year-old was tied for the lead after the opening round, but after a 5-over-par 76 on Saturday Chun took over the tournament and didn’t look back.

After co-leading with Szeryk in the opening round, Céleste Dao shot a 3-over-par 74 on Sunday to move into a tie for third with Alyssa DiMarcantonio from Maple, Ont. The two finished nine back of Chun, 10-over for the tournament. 

The top six finishers in the Boys Division earned exemptions into the 2017 Canadian Junior Boys Championship on July 31-Aug. 3 at Cataraqui Golf and Country Club in Kingston, Ont. The top six in the Girls Division earned exemptions into the 2017 Canadian Junior Girls Championship on Aug. 1-4 at Camelot Golf & Country Club in Cumberland, Ont.

Rounding out the top six qualifying for the Canadian Junior Girls Championship are Bridgitte Thibault, from Rosemere, Que., and Chloe Currie, another member of Team Canada’s Development Squad. Thibault bogeyed two of her last three holes, but managed to hang on for a 2-over-par 73 finish and secure her qualifying spot, while Currie, a Mississauga, Ont., product, sat tied in seventh until she dropped a clutch birdie on the par-3 17th hole, vaulting her into a tie for fifth.

NOTE TO MEDIA: Click here for photos. Credit: (Jim Meagher/ Golf Canada)

2017 FUTURE LINKS, DRIVEN BY ACURA ONTARIO CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS – JUNIOR BOYS DIVISION

1. Christopher Vandette, Beaconsfield, Que., *71-71-68-210 -3

2. Thomas Giroux, Georgetown, Ont., *74-72-69-215 +2

3. Jeevan Sihota, Victoria, B.C., *69-72-75-206 +3

4. Louis-Alexandre Jobin-Colgan, Quebec, Que., *76-73-68-208 +4

4. Oliver Menard, Valleyfield, Que., *75-73-69-209 +4

6. Zachary Greifenberger, Toronto, Ont., *77-70-71-218 +5 

2017 FUTURE LINKS, DRIVEN BY ACURA ONTARIO CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS – JUNIOR GIRLS DIVISION

1. Monet Chun, Richmond Hill, Ont., 74-70-70–214 +1  

2. Ellie Szeryk, London, Ont., 72-76-70–218 +5  

3. Céleste Dao, Notre-Dame-de-L’Île-Perrot, Que., 72-77-74–223 +10 

3. Alyssa DiMarcantonio, Maple, Ont., 74-76-73–223 +10 

5. Brigitte Thibault. Rosemère, Que., 75-78-73–226 +13 

5. Chloe Currie, Mississauga, Ont.,  77-74-75–226 +13 

Full results. 

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FUTURE LINKS, driven by Acura
Future Links, driven by Acura is Canada’s national junior golf program conducted by Golf Canada, the PGA of Canada and Canada’s provincial golf associations. Proudly supported by Acura, Puma, The R&A, NGCOA Canada, ClubLink and Sport Canada, the program is designed to forge a link between Canada’s youth and golf to ensure the future of the game in Canada. The program features three core areas of focus—in-school programming, facility programming and community outreach—including elements such as Golf in Schools, Learn to Play, PGA Junior League, Girl’s Club, Mobile Clinics, Junior Skills Competition and Community Golf Coach, along with six regional Future Links Junior Championships.  Since the inception of the program in 1996, more than 1.3 million young Canadians have taken part in Future Links.  For more information, visit golfcanada.ca/futurelinks.  

ABOUT ACURA CANADA
Acura is the luxury-performance division of Honda Canada Inc.  and is a leading automotive luxury nameplate that delivers Precision Crafted Performance, an original approach to technology and design that creates a new driving experience. The Acura lineup features six distinctive models – the RLX luxury flagship sedan, the TLX performance luxury sedan, the ILX sport sedan, the 5-passenger RDX luxury crossover SUV, and the Acura MDX seven-passenger luxury SUV. Acura launched its next-generation, electrified NSX supercar as a new and pinnacle expression of Acura Precision Crafted Performance.  Acura celebrated its 30th anniversary in Canada in February 2017 and has grown to include 51 locations in its dealer network across the country.

GOLF CANADA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Golf Canada annually conducts more than 20 championships nation-wide 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 RBC, Canadian Pacific, Sport Canada, Acura, Titleist and FootJoy. For more information and scheduling visit www.golfcanada.ca/competitions. 

GOLF CANADA – LOVE THE GAME. GROW THE GAME.
Golf Canada is the National Sports Federation and governing body for golf in Canada representing 306,650 golfers and more than 1,400 member clubs across the country. A proud member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, Golf Canada’s mission is to grow participation, excellence and passion in the sport while upholding the integrity and traditions of the game. By investing in the growth of the sport and introducing more participants of all ages to the game, our goal is to be relevant to and respected by all Canadian golf enthusiasts from coast to coast. For more information about what Golf Canada is doing to support golf in your community, visit www.golfcanada.ca. 

For more information:

Tyler Costigan
Manager, Corporate Communications & Social Media
Golf Canada
(t) 1-800-263-0009 x 315
(c) 647-709-3167
(e) tcostigan@golfcanada.ca