Golf Canada – The 2019 Future Links championship season resumes in New Brunswick

HARTLAND, N.B. – Golf Canada continues its 2019 Future Links championship season as the Future Links, driven by Acura Atlantic Championship is set to take place at Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club from July 16-18.

With support from Golf New Brunswick, the Future Links, driven by Acura Atlantic Championship is the sixth regional junior championship presented in partnership with Acura this season. The 54-hole stroke play tournament will begin with a practice round on July 15 before the tournament gets underway with round one on July 16.

First opened in 1993, Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club overlooks the Saint John River Valley. An above-average slope rating of 132 and strategically located ponds and bunkers makes it a challenging course. The architectural design of the clubhouse, the tee-box markers and the usable covered bridge for carts on hole No. 17 pays homage to the longest covered bridge in the world, which is located in Hartland, N.B. 

“Golf Canada and Golf New Brunswick are excited to present the 2019 Future Links, driven by Acura Atlantic Championship,” said Bari Gourley, the Tournament Director with Golf New Brunswick. “We look forward to seeing how Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club tests Canada’s premier junior golfers while giving them an opportunity to showcase their skills.”

The field will consist of 69 junior golfers in the Junior Boys Division with the top five earning exemptions into the 2019 Canadian Junior Boys Championship August 11-15, also at Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club. Should there be a tie for the fifth position, a playoff will be conducted following the conclusion of play.

The Junior Girls Division consists of 14 golfers with the top five (including ties) earning an exemption into the 2019 Canadian Junior Girls Championship July 29-August 2 at Lethbridge Country Club in Lethbridge, Alta.

Due to winter damage sustained at Mactaquac Golf Course, in Mactaquac, N.B., the 2019 Future Links, driven by Acura Atlantic Championship was moved to Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club. Additional information about the 2019 Future Links, driven by Acura Atlantic Championship can be found here. 

The 2019 Future Links championship series will resume in September with the Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series. The Fall Series will take place on consecutive weekends; September 20-22 at Club de golf Lachute in Lachute, Que., and September 27-29 at Crown Isle Golf Resort in Courtenay, B.C.

Results from the previous 2019 Future Links, driven by Acura Championships can be found here: Pacific, Ontario, Western, Quebec, Prairie. 

NOTABLES

Haley Baker, Halifax, N.S.
The defending champion in the girls division, Baker has won two tournaments this year and is the highest-ranked Martimer on the Golf Canada Future Links Order of Merit. 

Owen Mullen, Truro, N.S.
The 15-year-old returns to defend his Future Links, driven by Acura Atlantic championship. Mullen finished third at the 2018 East Coast Junior Championship. 

Heather McLean, Port Williams, N.S.
McLean finished in a tie for fourth at the 2019 Future Links, driven by Acura Québec Championship in June, meaning she will tee off in the Canadian Junior Girls Championship for the fifth straight year. 

Malik Dao, Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que.
The younger brother of 2018 Canadian Junior Girls champion Céleste Dao, Malik won the boys golf gold medal at the 2018 Québec Summer Games. 

FAST FACTS
In 2019, Golf Canada is conducting its eight regional Future Links, driven by Acura championships in conjunction with the Provincial Associations.

Top five finishers in the Boys Division earn exemptions into the 2019 Canadian Junior Boys Championship.

Top five finishers (including ties) in the Girls Division earn exemptions into the 2019 Canadian Junior Girls Championship.

Owen Mullen shot 6 over par to earn the victory last year in the Junior Boys Division. 

Haley Baker won the Junior Girls Division in a playoff in 2018. 

Calvin Ross of Fredericton, N.B., won the Junior Boys Division three consecutive years from 2015 through 2017. Ross also captured the 2017 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, becoming the first New Brunswick golfer to win the title. 

More information on the event can be found here. 

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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, 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 1.4 million young Canadians have taken part in Future Links.  For more information, visit www.golfcanada.ca/futurelinks. 

GOLF CANADA 
Golf Canada is the National Sports Federation and governing body for golf in Canada representing 319,000 golfers and 1,400 member clubs across the country. A proud member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, Golf Canada’s mission is to increase Canadian participation and excellence in golf. By investing in the growth of the sport and introducing more participants of all ages to the game, our vision is to be a world leader in golf. For more information about what Golf Canada is doing to support golf in your community, visit www.golfcanada.ca.

For more information:

Graham Neysmith
Media & Public Relations
Golf Canada
(t) 514-435-4389
(e) gneysmith@golfcanada.ca