Golf Canada is pleased to announce the addition of the Canadian Collegiate Invitational women’s tournament that will take place at Beacon Hall Golf Club in Aurora, Ont. from September 21 – 23, 2025.
The tournament will be conducted by Golf Canada and co-hosted by Kent State University and the University of Michigan. The tournament will feature NCAA Division I women’s golf teams along with the winners of the 2025 Canadian University/College Championship.
The inaugural Canadian Collegiate Invitational men’s tournament was conducted this past September at Öviinbyrd Golf Club in MacTier, Ont. and was co-hosted by Kent State and Penn State University.
Kent State is led by head coach Casey VanDamme, who is currently in his fourth season with the Golden Flashes. In his first three seasons at Kent State, the team has won three Mid-American Conference titles, extending the program’s streak to 25 consecutive conference titles.
Michigan is led by head coach Jan Dowling of Bradford, Ont. Dowling is currently in her 12th season as head coach and during her tenure, the Wolverines have won six tournaments and have had 13 medalists. The team won the 2022 Big Ten Conference Championship for the first time in program history and has earned four trips to the NCAA Finals under Dowling’s direction. Dowling won the 2000 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship and had a Hall of Fame career playing at Kent State (1998-2002).
Joining the co-hosts from Kent State and Michigan will be Auburn University, Central Michigan University, Michigan State University, University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), Purdue University, Rutgers University, Texas A&M University, University of Tennessee and the University of Virginia. The 2025 Canadian University/College Women’s Team champions – who will be crowned this spring – will also compete in the inaugural event.
In addition, the selection camp tournament for the Team Canada – NextGen Girls squad will be contested concurrently with the Women’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational at Beacon Hall Golf Club as Canada’s top junior girls look to qualify for the 2025 Team Canada – NextGen Girls squad. Invitation criteria for the selection camp will be made available in the coming weeks.
“We are thrilled to add a women’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational to our Amateur Championship schedule for this season. This tournament will bring together some of the best collegiate women’s golfers and coaches from top programs to compete alongside our national champions,” said Mary Beth McKenna, Director, Amateur Championships and Rules, Golf Canada. “We extend our thanks to the membership and staff of Beacon Hall for hosting the inaugural women’s tournament as well as a special thanks to Jan Dowling at Michigan and Casey VanDamme at Kent State for their efforts as event co-hosts.”
Beacon Hall was the inspiration of Bryan Leggett and Bill Carruthers, and its mission is to deliver a premier standard of excellence across all aspects of its membership experience. The Bob Cupp designed course opened on July 1, 1988, and since 1990 has ranked as one of the top 10 courses in Canada by SCOREGolf Magazine. In addition, Beacon Hall is consistently ranked as one of the top 100 courses outside the US.
Beacon Hall is known for its distinctively different front and back nine. The front nine features strands of pine trees giving a similar feel to courses in the Carolinas and Georgia. The back nine features fescue and waste bunkers, giving a feel of traditional Scottish links style courses.
“We are thrilled to showcase Beacon Hall during the inaugural Women’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational, celebrating the future of amateur golf. This event provides an incredible opportunity to support some of the finest young female golf athletes from Canada, the U.S., and around the world,” said Sean DeSilva, General Manager, Beacon Hall Golf Club. “We are proud to offer these talented players the chance to experience our wonderful golf course and enjoy the same exceptional environment our members do every day. It’s a privilege to give back to the game we love and help foster the growth of amateur and Canadian golf.”
The inaugural championship will be contested over 54 holes in two days, with 36 holes played in the opening round and 18 holes in the final round. The team component will feature five members per team with the top four scores for the round counting towards the overall team score. The individual competition will be stroke-play with the winner receiving an exemption into the 2026 CPKC Women’s Open and the top five receiving exemptions into the 2026 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO.
The full 2025 Amateur Championship schedule will be announced at a later date.
About Golf Canada
Golf Canada is the National Sports Federation and governing body for golf in Canada representing 350,000 golfers and 1,505 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.
Media contact:
Mike Masaro
Manager, Communications
mmasaro@golfcanada.ca
647-482-1853