They came; they meant business, they played some high level golf; and they even mixed in a few laughs and a lot of smiles.
Golfers from around Ontario descended upon the Cataraqui Golf & Country Club in Kingston, Ontario for three days ending on Monday, June 19. They were there to decide two titles – the Ontario Women’s Match Play Championship and the Empire Life Eastern Provinces Championship. For several years now the two historic events have been run concurrently as a way to boost participation, and by the looks of this year’s field, the formula is working.
Outside of the Field Day with the recreational division that took place on the Friday, the heavier competition attracted 38 competitors ranging from high level juniors, many college affiliated players, and even one former USGA Champion.
It was no surprise that some of the latter made their way into the semi-finals matches on the final day. They featured UNLV-Reno golfer and defending Champion Raesa Sheikh versus Nyah Kelly of Kennesaw State in one semi-final while Penn State’s Myranda Quinton faced off against 2017 U.S. Senior Amateur Champion Judith Kyrinis in the other.
Both matches out the full skill set of each golfer on display, providing endless action from start to finish, and showing why each player had advanced to this stage of competition.
In the Quinton / Kyrinis match, it was Miranda who jumped out ahead early. Quinton, coming off her freshman year at Penn State, showed no fear as she was three up after the same number of holes. Kyrinis pushed back in the middle of the match but the youngster from Burlington regained her lead early in the back nine and would not relent, earning her spot in the final with a tally of 4&3.
Quinton had some time to cool her heels as she waited for the final as Sheikh and Kelly were going blow for blow in a test that saw them each win a lot of holes, and ultimately required a 19th to settle the outcome. On that first extra hole it was Kelly, who plays out of the Kawartha Golf & Country Club, who threw a dart into a difficult hole location and then converted the birdie to eliminate the reigning champion.
That set up a head to head of college sophomores in Kelly and Quinton that was highly anticipated by those on the grounds.
Quinton gained the early advantage with a win on the first hole but by the 6th hole, Kelly found herself 1 up. By the 12 hole the game was fully afoot and the match was even before Quinton, who is listed out of Blue Springs GC but plays a lot at ClubLink-affiliate Rattlesnake Point, pushed a lead to two holes ahead and was looking string through 15 holes.
Kelly was undeterred, and leaning on her ball-striking that, by my observation, was very on-point all tournament, nullified the advantage by the time they walked to the 18th tee.
Looking to avoid playing her 38th hole of the day, Kelly confidently rapped in a 4 foot putt on the last hole of regulation, and after a couple of fist pumps and a hug with her dad and caddy, Matt, was ready to lift the hardware she had earned as the new champion of both events.
Kelly joins a long list of Ontario Match Play Champions dating back to 1975 and Eastern Provinces Champions dating back to 1951 that includes multiple Canadian Golf Hall of Fame members, Epson Tour winners, LPGA TOUR winners, and a 13-time LPGA and two-time major Champion in Brooke Henderson.
Based on her play that we witnessed this week, she fits in among the past champions quite nicely.
Full Tournament Bracket/Scoring
