Northview G&CC Set To Welcome Women’s Championship
- Details
- Category: Inside Golf
- Published: 2021-09-29
RICHMOND, British Columbia — The PGA of BC Women’s Championship presented by Dexim Golfwear is set to draw many of the province’s top female Professionals to Northview Golf & Country Club next week to close out the Association’s 2021 tournament calendar.
The 36-hole stableford-scoring event, taking place on Northview’s Ridge Course, will have a $2,500 purse on the line. If the past three editions of the tournament – which returned as a standalone event in 2018 – are any indication, there’s sure to be some great performances on display to decide the title.
But as much as the competition stands to be intense, the Women’s Championship has also become an excellent forum to bring those amongst the PGA of BC’s female membership together to celebrate their industry successes and reconnect at the tail end of a busy season.
“Being able to see other female Professionals and familiar faces from the Association is a super huge benefit,” said Northview’s own Lindsay Manion. “All of us get so busy and caught up teaching and running our businesses or making sure our golf courses don’t fall apart during COVID, but it’s just nice to actually get together, play some golf as well as you can and hang out with everyone.”
Manion made her first start in the Women’s Championship last year and having been away from competitive golf for some time prior, was immediately encouraged by the event’s atmosphere.
“It was nothing but a welcoming experience, super friendly and unintimidating for those who haven’t played a lot of golf tournaments for a while or are on the fence about competing,” she said. “You realize that you’re supported by the other members within the organization – not just the women that are playing there but the PGA of BC as a whole.”
Showing that support was a key factor for Northview to welcome players for this year’s championship, said host Head Professional Greg Pool.
“We have two exceptional female Professionals in Lindsay Manion and (LPGA member) Linda Jervis here at Northview, as well as female associates in the golf shop, and they’re a big part of our golf operation,” said Pool. “Women’s golf continues to grow, and it was really important to myself and our staff that the Women’s Championship is here on the Ridge Course more so than any championship, and it’s something we’re really excited about.”
Christine Wong (University Golf Club) earned a convincing victory in 2020 at Richmond Country Club as she finished 10 points clear of the field for her first title in the event. Wong’s 2021 season has only seen her star rise more, with victories at the DCM PGA Women’s Championship of Canada and Glencoe Invitational among her triumphs helping her to nearly $30,000 in earnings this year. She also contended for the co-ed PGA of BC Assistants’ Championship at Kamloops Golf & Country Club in July as the first-round leader. She’ll be the automatic favourite if she’s able to compete but is currently recovering from injury.
Four-time champion Leila Harman (Morgan Creek Golf Course) and two-time winner Ashley Zibrik (Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club) are the other past champions in the field and always find a way to factor into the final results. Harman’s four wins are second-most in the event’s history and Zibrik has continued her strong play in 2021, coming into the event on the back of a T18 finish in the money at the PGA of BC Club Professional Championship earlier this week.
Zibrik will be one of two Shaughnessy representatives in the field, joined by Apprentice Professional Michelle Waters, set to make her third start in the event.
Two other players to watch seeking their first Women’s Championship titles are Kyla Inaba (Predator Ridge Resort) and Kat Kennedy (Point Grey Golf & Country Club). Inaba was last year’s runner-up thanks to a 39-point final round, while Kennedy has never finished outside the top five in her previous three appearances and placed T16 in this year’s Assistants’ Championship.
The field will also feature two members recently honoured through the PGA of BC Awards Program. Courtney Campbell-Leveck (Gleneagles Golf Course) just became the first-ever female to be honoured as Golf Professional of the Year for the Lower Mainland region, while Stephanie Wong’s (Point Grey Golf & Country Club) efforts with youth golfers earned her a nod as the Lower Mainland’s Junior Golf Leader of the Year.
“There are so many extremely skilled and passionate Professionals playing in the field … and I think it’s a nice way for these individuals to actually step onto the golf course and show leadership in a different way,” said Manion.
The event is also set to honour Northview’s history as a setting for elite competition. Pool noted that pin positions on the Ridge Course for the tournament will mirror those used on the Saturday and Sunday of the 1998 Greater Vancouver Open, notable for being Brandel Chamblee’s lone PGA Tour victory.
“It’s a very challenging and fun course that has some eagle and birdie opportunities, but it can bite you as well in spots here and there,” said Pool.
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About Dexim Golfwear
In 1989 Canadian company Dexim Sportswear entered the field of women’s apparel, creating and tailoring garments achieving a mix of performance and style. Now known as Dexim Golfwear, its lines are recognizable by their sporty cut, casual and chic, and for keeping ahead of the curve in golf fashion. Over the years, the Dexim Golfwear collection has proudly distinguished itself from its competitors through the use of high-quality fabrics that are both durable and reliable. Dexim Golfwear’s collections are conceived, designed and manufactured entirely in Canada and at competitive prices defying import. Today, Dexim’s offerings are distributed through more than 400 stores, golf shops and other renowned boutiques specializing in sports across Canada. For more information, please visit deximgolfwear.com.