One Thing For Sure This Year At The Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship — The Winner Will Be A Canuck

By GORD MONTGOMERY, Inside Golf

SPRUCE GROVE, Alberta  — There’s good news and bad news coming out of the 2021 edition of the 107th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, to be held at the pristine Edmonton Petroleum Golf & Country Club.

First, the bad: The usual field of hopefuls from around the world will be absent from the event considering ongoing COVID-19 travel restrictions.

The good news: This time, for sure, a Canadian will wear the champion’s mantle at the end of the 72-hole competition.

While chances are the winner could well be a first-timer, all the women chasing the title will begin their quest to catch the tourney’s all-time Canadian title holder, Marlene Streit, who has 11 victories and another five runner-up finishes, Scott Hippe, the GM of the host club explained via email. Another big name Canuck to cop the title was Brooke Henderson, now a star on the LPGA Tour, who won in 2013.

Given the fact the Petroleum Club was only notified that it had the opportunity to host the tournament after Royal Montreal declined, they only had about six weeks to prepare. But, they’ve done an amazing job in putting the final touches together. Hippie noted the course is in excellent condition even given the hot, dry weather in this part of Alberta this summer, and it’s ready to challenge all those who step onto the tee box.

The one thing that the pandemic won’t have much of an effect on, Hippe noted, is that the venue will be open to spectators as long as they use common sense while following their favourite player(s). As of July 1, most of the provincial pandemic protocols in place were removed meaning it’s not mandatory to wear a face mask but social distancing is still a good idea.

“As far as guidelines go, there really are none. If you want to come and walk around, have at ‘er.,” said Hippe in a phone interview. “Golf Canada isn’t thinking there are going to be that many spectators. On the final day, there might be 50 or so, and most of those will likely be family members, people they’re travelling with, or other players. The guidelines are very soft, however there are safety protocols for the players,” who will undergo on-site testing upon arrival at the course.

As for the field, the numbers are “about what was expected, about 130 players. They’ve always had to turn people away but this year it’s domestic only so they were pretty much able to get in any Canadian that wanted to play in the event. That’s just how it is in the post-COVID world. The field might not be as strong,” but the competition for the championship will still be intense, the GM ended.

Besides having over 70 of the club’s members volunteer to make sure those competing have the best time possible, the host club is also making an effort to raise money during the tournament in support of a local charity, WINGS, which addresses the social, psychological and health issues affecting women and children. As such, the club is/has hosted a golf clinic, wine seminars, silent auctions and an outdoor gala in the hopes of raising $15,000.

The action gets underway at the Edmonton Petroleum G&CC on Monday, July 26, with a practice round. The competition itself runs for the next four days, concluding on July 30, when the winner, who will definitely be a Canadian, raises the championship trophy.