NANAIMO, B.C. – Fueled by Shelly Stouffer of Nanoose Bay, B.C. setting a new course record at Nanaimo Golf Club through a 5-under 67 performance, Team British Columbia (B.C.) were able to successfully maintain their hold on the Katherine Helleur Trophy on Wednesday and complete a comeback win at the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO.
Stouffer led the charge for Team B.C. on Wednesday, knocking in birdie putts on holes two, five, nine, 14 and 17 to edge out Team Ontario by just one stroke and finish the Inter-Provincial Team competition at 10-over. The win marks British Columbia’s third triumph in the last four years and secures the province a victory in every female Inter-Provincial Team Championship throughout the summer’s national championships.
“I’m sure it doesn’t really happen very often, I don’t know if it ever happened before so its pretty awesome for British Columbia to be able to do all four,” praised Stouffer on accomplishing the rare sweep.
As for setting the course record, the feeling was much the same for Stouffer.
“It’s amazing. There was a lot of times where I was not able to play this golf course very well and to have the course record means a lot. It’s always nice to have them close to home,” she added, claiming that the feeling of winning the Katherine Helleur Trophy in her home province also adds amplified significance as well.
“It feels really good to do it here. It was definitely a different team than we normally have and a little bit unexpected but it was great to be able to pull it off,” said Stouffer.
Birdies on holes two, five and nine helped separate Stouffer from the chasing field on Wednesday as well as crucially accelerate Team B.C.’s bid for a comeback in the Inter-Provincial Team Championship. Parlayed with a two-over front nine of her provincial teammate June Zhang of Coquitlam, B.C., the two-time champion’s trio of birdies helped trim Team British Columbia’s three stroke deficit at the start the day down to just one stroke entering the final six holes.
Her ability to finish strong with two birdies through her final five holes not only helped Stouffer set the new course record on Wednesday but also played a lively role in helping her province overtake Team Ontario during the final stretch to secure Team British Columbia victory in front of their home fans.
Teeing off just minutes before Stouffer in the afternoon, Mary-Ann Hayward of St. Thomas, Ont. followed up her bogey at the par-4 second with five pars and a pair of birdies at Nos. 8 and 9 to make the turn in red figures and extend her advantage over Judith Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont. to six strokes.
By the time Hayward walked off the 18th green and finished her second round, that advantage in the Super Senior division grew to nine strokes despite negating a birdie on the par-5 14th with bogeys at Nos. 15 and 18. The four-time Canadian Women’s Senior Championship winner will begin Thursday’s final round in prime position to land her second Super Senior division title in three years while also remaining in contention in the Senior Championship as well. Hayward will tee off in the final round six shots off the pace of Stouffer after finishing her round Wednesday at even-par. Stouffer currently sits at 5-under heading into Thursday in search of her third Canadian Women’s Senior title.
“I think I just have to do the same things,” commented Stouffer on what she looks to accomplish to convert her 36-hole lead into a victory come Thursday afternoon “I’m very comfortable at this golf course because I was able to play it quite often this year… If you know where to go it’s a lot easier,” she added.
The Canadian Women’s Senior Championship features a pair of competitive divisions, the Senior division and Super Senior division that run concurrently throughout the competition’s 54 holes.
A notable list of exemptions is awarded to the winner of the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, including a spot in the field at the 2025 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship set to descend on the Cascades Course at Omni Homestead Resort September 13-18.
Additionally, a place in the 2026 U.S. Senior Women’s Open, 2026 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, 2026 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship and 2026 Canadian Women’s Senior Championship will be claimed by the winner. This week’s champion will also earn a 10-year exemption into the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship
To view the final leaderboards following the second round of the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.
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