KAMLOOPS, B.C. – Josh Hunke of New Dundee, Ont. parlayed four birdies with a 3-under 69 while Natasha Stasiuk of Oakville, Ont. fired a 10-over 82 on Tuesday to each claim the top spot of the Men’s and Women’s Gross Stroke Play division respectively, capping off an exciting opening round to the Canadian All-Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, at The Dunes at Kamloops in Kamloops, B.C.
It is the fifth time in as many years that Stasiuk enters the second round with a lead in the Women’s Gross Stroke Play Championship, gaining the bulk of her ground on Tuesday by playing holes No. 6 through 15 at 2-over par. The response was a timely one for Stasiuk and a stretch she later claimed to be integral to her round after falling into a tie for the lead through five with her closest chaser Emma Bittorf of Strathmore, Alta.
“That stretch was very important to me because I blew up two holes in the start of my round, so I needed to play really good golf so I could have a good lead in the first day,” commented Stasiuk following her round on Tuesday. “I need to play like that for the next two rounds for me to feel confident in my game and have a chance to win my title again,” she added.
Stasiuk will embark on claiming her fifth-consecutive Canadian All-Abilities Championship title buoyed by a strong finish that featured her second birdie of the afternoon at the par-4 14th. Regardless of how her tournament shakes out through the remaining 36 holes however, Stasiuk was pleased to see more female participation at the Canadian All-Abilities Championship in 2025, with the field as big as it ever has been in Kamloops.
“Even though I am leading, golf is crazy game and anything can happen. But it’s great to see more women in it so there is more competition which is nice to see adaptive golf growing for women,” she added.
Though trailing Stasiuk by five strokes in the Women’s Gross Play Championship, Bittorf was able to ride a hot start to her opening round to grab the outright lead in the Women’s Net Stableford division. Her ability to score points on six of her opening 12 holes paved the way to a four-point lead over Stasiuk and get herself in a prime position to defend her Women’s Stableford Championship title from 2024.
In the Men’s Gross Stroke Play Championship, several contenders emerged to battle reigning champion Chris Willis of Aurora, Ont. for his title including Hunke, who rolled in two birdies on his way out to build a three-stroke gap over the 2024 champion.
Hunke responded to his only blemish of the day, a bogey on the par-4 first hole, immediately with birdies on Nos. 2 and 6 to get into red figures. Locked in a three-way tie at the top with Josh Williams of Tavistock, Ont. and American Zachary Larose of Denver, N.C. at 1-under, Hunke broke through with a clean back nine, highlighted by a pair of birdies to compliment a total of13 successful par putts on the day to carry a two-stroke lead into Wednesday’s second round.
In the Men’s Net Stableford division, Hunke trails leader Kelly Masson of Grande Prairie, Alta. by three points as part of a four-player tie for third place at 35 points. Fourteen players, including Hunke sit within five points of the lead, making for an entertaining competition running concurrently with the Gross Stroke Play Championship over the remaining 36 holes.
This year marks the fifth playing of the Canadian All-Abilities Championship, with the annual competition supporting Golf Canada’s commitment to fostering a more inclusive and respectful sport environment throughout the nation’s golf community. The Women’s Gross Stroke Play, Women’s Net Stableford, Men’s Gross Stroke Play and Men’s Net Stableford make up the four different divisions that players compete in – regardless of disability – throughout the competition’s 54 holes.
The stableford scoring format of the Canadian All Abilities Championship awards set points based off a golfer’s net score for the hole. The points will be awarded as follows: Albatross (5 points), Eagle (4 points), Birdie (3 points), Par (2 points), Bogey (1 point), Double Bogey or higher (0 points). The golfers with the highest total of accumulated points over 54-holes will win their respective divisions.
The gross champions will earn exemptions into the 2026 U.S. Adaptive Open taking place July 6-8 at Woodmont Country Club (South Course) in Rockville, M.D. Last month, Stasiuk and Willis each competed at Woodmont Country Club for the 2025 U.S. Adaptive Open through exemptions from their 2024 titles, finishing first in the intellectual impairment category and second in the men’s upper limb impairment category respectively.
To view the full leaderboard from Tuesday’s busy opener to the Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO, and second-round tee times, please click here.
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