(Bath, Ontario)— The Investors Group Ontario Bantam Boys’ and Girls’ Championships wrapped up on Aug. 23 from Loyalist Country Club in Bath. Once again the players faced a rain delay, although round two’s was nowhere near as long as the delay during round one. The day finished late for the winners but at the end of the two-day event it was Courtice’s Ethan Cardwell taking the Boys’ title, while Markham’s Raesa Sheikh captured the Girls’ Championship.
Cardwell, from the Oshawa Golf & Curling Club, began the day two-shots off the lead thanks to an opening round of even par (72). After three pars to open the round, he dropped a stroke with a bogey on the fourth. He would get it back with a birdie on the ninth and was even after the front nine. Cardwell moved to one-under for the day thanks to another birdie on the 12th. After a bogey on the 16th, he added one more birdie on the 18th. That brought him to one-under (71) for the day and one-under (72-71-143) for the championship. While he did need to wait for one more group to finish, Cardwell would still be declared the winner by two shots.
“This win means a lot to me,” said Cardwell. “I lost by two shots last year, with a good, solid closing round, so it definitely felt good to get the win this year. I have been hitting the ball really well lately, my ball-striking has been key and when my putts have dropped, my scores have been good, whether last week at the (Ontario) Juvenile Championship or here.”
Starting in the second to last group, Cardwell said he had a plan in mind to chase down the leaders. “Coming into the day I picked a number. I thought about 70 or 69 but when I saw the weather, I realized I just needed to stay patient. I dropped a big putt on nine and just waited for my chances.”
Earning the silver medal was Toronto’s Beni Long. Long, from The Country Club, found himself two-over at the turn, however he would find his groove on the back nine with birdies on the 12th and 15th. That helped him finish one-over (73), which is where he ended the tournament (72-73-145).
There was a six-way tie for the bronze medal at a tournament total of three-over. Sharing the medal were: Toronto’s Alex Long (79-68-147), Burlington’s Peter Blazevic (76-71-147), North York’s Gerry Mei (76-71-147), Tecumseh’s Nicholas Tanovich (73-74-147), Little Britain’s Justin Matthews (70-77-147), and Oakville’s William Herbert (71-76-147).
In the Girls’ Championship, Sheikh, from Cedar Brae Golf Club, had a rough start to the round as she found herself five-over at the turn. However, she would settle down on the back nine. She bogeyed the 10th but then birdied the 12thbefore pars on the next four holes. After a bogey on 17, Sheikh found herself on the par-five 18th putting for eagle. She would drain the 15-foot putt for eagle and the win. She finished the day four-over (76) to bring her tournament total to four-over (72-76-148).
Afterwards, Sheikh spoke about the putt that won it all. “It was really scary at first, I didn’t believe that it went in. I was very shaky but I’m glad that it did drop.”
Sheikh acknowledged that she had some struggles early on but talked about how she remained calm. “I tried to shake it off the best that I could. I made myself restart on the back nine and told myself that it was a new nine and just tried to go low.”
Taking the silver medal was Oshawa’s Madelin Boyd. Boyd, from Lakeridge Links Golf Club, had the low round of the day, an even par (72). Boyd bogeyed the opening hole but quickly got the stroke back with back-to-back birdies on the second and third holes. She would bogey 12 and 16, but ended the day strong with a birdie on the 18th. She completed the tournament at six-over (78-72-150).
Rounding out the podium was London’s Jillian Friyia. Friyia, from Highland Country Club, had a share of the lead entering the round. She would battle during the final round and found herself five-over as she made the turn. She would add a pair of bogey’s on the back nine but was able to hang onto the bronze medal finishing the day seven-over (79) and the tournament seven-over (72-79-151).
Girls Leaderboard
| Pos | Player | Today | Thru | Total | R1 | R2 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raesa Sheikh Cedar Brae GC | +4 | F | +4 | 72 | 76 | 148 | |
| 2 | Madelin Boyd Lakeridge Links Golf Club | E | F | +6 | 78 | 72 | 150 | |
| 3 | Jillian A Friyia Highland Country Club | +7 | F | +7 | 72 | 79 | 151 | |
| T4 | Brooke Rivers Brampton GC | +2 | F | +9 | 79 | 74 | 153 | |
| T4 | Ava Koukofikas Cedar Brae GC | +6 | F | +9 | 75 | 78 | 153 | |
| 6 | Lauren Zaretsky Ladies GC of Toronto | +8 | F | +10 | 74 | 80 | 154 | |
| T7 | Nyah Kelly Lindsay Golf & Country Cl | +7 | F | +14 | 79 | 79 | 158 | |
| T7 | Megan Fitchett Lakeridge Links Golf Club | +8 | F | +14 | 78 | 80 | 158 | |
| T9 | Cynthia Ni The Summit G&CC | +5 | F | +18 | 85 | 77 | 162 | |
| T9 | Alexis McMurray Glen Abbey GC | +8 | F | +18 | 82 | 80 | 162 | |
| 11 | Rachel Demaine Glen Abbey GC | +10 | F | +21 | 83 | 82 | 165 | |
| T12 | Mikayla Bourgeois Brampton GC | +9 | F | +23 | 86 | 81 | 167 | |
| T12 | Annie Wanying Yu Station Creek GC | +8 | F | +23 | 87 | 80 | 167 | |
| T14 | Krystal (Zhuotong) Li Cedar Brae GC | +12 | F | +24 | 84 | 84 | 168 | |
| T14 | Payton Bennett Twenty Valley Golf & Coun | +18 | F | +24 | 78 | 90 | 168 | |
| T16 | Annie Piggott Lindsay Golf & Country Cl | +13 | F | +28 | 87 | 85 | 172 | |
| T16 | Lauren Gervais Public Player | +14 | F | +28 | 86 | 86 | 172 | |
| T16 | Peyton Costabile Whistle Bear Golf Club | +16 | F | +28 | 84 | 88 | 172 | |
| 19 | Madeleine Pytura Rivermead GC | +13 | F | +31 | 90 | 85 | 175 | |
| 20 | Madeline Choi Craigowan G & CC | +18 | F | +32 | 86 | 90 | 176 | |
| 21 | Bo Brown Blue Springs Golf Club | +18 | F | +33 | 87 | 90 | 177 | |
| T22 | Katherine Cranston Blue Springs Golf Club | +17 | F | +34 | 89 | 89 | 178 | |
| T22 | Roycee Southerland Cedar Brae GC | +17 | F | +34 | 89 | 89 | 178 | |
| 24 | Olivia Sargla Whistle Bear Golf Club | +19 | F | +36 | 89 | 91 | 180 | |
| T25 | Nicole Gal Oakville Golf Club | +19 | F | +40 | 93 | 91 | 184 | |
| T25 | Emily McKee Rattlesnake Point GC | +24 | F | +40 | 88 | 96 | 184 | |
| 27 | Milannia Collins York Downs Golf & Country | +21 | F | +41 | 92 | 93 | 185 | |
| 28 | Isabella Ferguson eQuinelle Golf Club | +18 | F | +47 | 101 | 90 | 191 | |
| 29 | Jacqueline Giles Cutten Fields | +32 | F | +50 | 90 | 104 | 194 | |
| 30 | Mia Sung The Summit G&CC | +28 | F | +58 | 102 | 100 | 202 | |
| 31 | Maya Cote Blue Springs Golf Club | +32 | F | +66 | 106 | 104 | 210 | |
| 32 | Alyssa Perruccio Brampton GC | +38 | F | +71 | 105 | 110 | 215 | |
| 33 | Hailey Hendershott Brantford G&CC | +53 | F | +97 | 116 | 125 | 241 |
Boys Leaderboard
| Pos | Player | Today | Thru | Total | R1 | R2 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ethan Cardwell Oshawa Golf & Curling | -1 | F | -1 | 72 | 71 | 143 | |
| 2 | Beni Long The Country Club | +1 | F | +1 | 72 | 73 | 145 | |
| T3 | Alex Long The Country Club | -4 | F | +3 | 79 | 68 | 147 | |
| T3 | Peter Blazevic Greystone Golf Club | -1 | F | +3 | 76 | 71 | 147 | |
| T3 | Gerry Mei Station Creek GC | -1 | F | +3 | 76 | 71 | 147 | |
| T3 | Nicholas Tanovich Beach Grove G&CC | +2 | F | +3 | 73 | 74 | 147 | |
| T3 | Justin Matthews Oshawa Golf & Curling | +5 | F | +3 | 70 | 77 | 147 | |
| T3 | William Herbert Public Player | +4 | F | +3 | 71 | 76 | 147 | |
| 9 | Thomas Latter Credit Valley Golf & Coun | +2 | F | +4 | 74 | 74 | 148 | |
| 10 | Kayden White Whistle Bear Golf Club | +2 | F | +5 | 75 | 74 | 149 | |
| T11 | Kiefer Bulau King Valley Golf Club | E | F | +6 | 78 | 72 | 150 | |
| T11 | Owen Allen Weston G&CC | +3 | F | +6 | 75 | 75 | 150 | |
| T11 | Oscar Feschuk Scarboro Golf & Country C | +6 | F | +6 | 72 | 78 | 150 | |
| T14 | Ben Hirasawa Islington GC | E | F | +7 | 79 | 72 | 151 | |
| T14 | Ben MacLean St. Catharines Golf & Cou | +3 | F | +7 | 76 | 75 | 151 | |
| T14 | Vick Gu Cedar Brae GC | +3 | F | +7 | 76 | 75 | 151 | |
| T14 | Zach Burt Whistle Bear Golf Club | +7 | F | +7 | 72 | 79 | 151 | |
| T18 | Joel Storoschuk Norfolk Golf & Country Cl | +3 | F | +8 | 77 | 75 | 152 | |
| T18 | Caden Holmes Napanee Golf & Country Cl | +7 | F | +8 | 73 | 79 | 152 | |
| T18 | Spencer Higginbottom Beach Grove G&CC | +10 | F | +8 | 70 | 82 | 152 | |
| T21 | Jack Dool The Club at North Halton | +3 | F | +9 | 78 | 75 | 153 | |
| T21 | Oliver Taillefer Idylwylde Golf & Country | +3 | F | +9 | 78 | 75 | 153 | |
| T23 | Mathew Hawryluk Maple City Country Club | E | F | +10 | 82 | 72 | 154 | |
| T23 | Cameron Pero Picton Golf & Country Clu | +3 | F | +10 | 79 | 75 | 154 | |
| T23 | Graem Costigan Whistle Bear Golf Club | +7 | F | +10 | 75 | 79 | 154 | |
| T26 | Zander Gibson Glencairn GC | +1 | F | +11 | 82 | 73 | 155 | |
| T26 | Bradyn Wark St. Catharines Golf & Cou | +4 | F | +11 | 79 | 76 | 155 | |
| T26 | Ethan Irvine Dundas Valley Golf & Curl | +7 | F | +11 | 76 | 79 | 155 | |
| T26 | Bradley Parker Thornhill Club | +7 | F | +11 | 76 | 79 | 155 | |
| T26 | Connor Munro Weston G&CC | +8 | F | +11 | 75 | 80 | 155 | |
| T26 | Nolan Piazza Public Player | +8 | F | +11 | 75 | 80 | 155 | |
| 32 | Josh Stalteri Quarry GC | +2 | F | +12 | 82 | 74 | 156 | |
| T33 | Sam Hogan Rattlesnake Point GC | +4 | F | +13 | 81 | 76 | 157 | |
| T33 | Ty Stansfield Thornhill Club | +6 | F | +13 | 79 | 78 | 157 | |
| T33 | Andrew Gwilliams Public Player | +7 | F | +13 | 78 | 79 | 157 | |
| T36 | Carson Duffy Bigwin Island Golf Club | +4 | F | +14 | 82 | 76 | 158 | |
| T36 | Ellis Kinnaird Mississippi | +6 | F | +14 | 80 | 78 | 158 | |
| T36 | Kavith Ranchagoda Beacon Hall GC | +6 | F | +14 | 80 | 78 | 158 | |
| T39 | Eric Jung Glendale Golf & CC | +7 | F | +15 | 80 | 79 | 159 | |
| T39 | Laurier Perrault Rivermead GC | +9 | F | +15 | 78 | 81 | 159 | |
| T39 | Yutaka Nohdomi Cedar Brae GC | +10 | F | +15 | 77 | 82 | 159 | |
| T42 | Benjamin Landers The Oaks GC | +8 | F | +16 | 80 | 80 | 160 | |
| T42 | Caden McHenry The Summit G&CC | +10 | F | +16 | 78 | 82 | 160 | |
| T44 | Hunter Kolm The Summit G&CC | +2 | F | +17 | 87 | 74 | 161 | |
| T44 | Andrew Young Blue Springs Golf Club | +7 | F | +17 | 82 | 79 | 161 | |
| T44 | Matthew Peesker York Downs Golf & Country | +8 | F | +17 | 81 | 80 | 161 | |
| T47 | Matthew Inglis Barrie CC | +7 | F | +18 | 83 | 79 | 162 | |
| T47 | Jack Moro Chapples Golf Club | +11 | F | +18 | 79 | 83 | 162 | |
| T47 | Daniel Abraha Cataraqui Golf & Country | +11 | F | +18 | 79 | 83 | 162 | |
| 50 | Owen Kim Hidden Lake GC | +8 | F | +20 | 84 | 80 | 164 | |
| T51 | SeHyeon Yi Station Creek GC | +8 | F | +21 | 85 | 80 | 165 | |
| T51 | Ethan Gillis Cherry Downs G & CC | +10 | F | +21 | 83 | 82 | 165 | |
| T53 | Tyler Richardson Sawmill Creek Golf Resort | +13 | F | +24 | 83 | 85 | 168 | |
| T53 | Jared Berry Public Player | +16 | F | +24 | 80 | 88 | 168 | |
| T53 | Mike Barnett Hidden Lake GC | +17 | F | +24 | 79 | 89 | 168 | |
| 56 | Dylan Norrey Mississaugua | +16 | F | +26 | 82 | 88 | 170 | |
| 57 | Nathaniel Gray Lamont Cutten Fields | +13 | F | +27 | 86 | 85 | 171 | |
| 58 | Arman Mohammed Station Creek GC | +18 | F | +29 | 83 | 90 | 173 | |
| 59 | Benjamin Fowke Timberwolf Golf Club | +9 | F | +30 | 93 | 81 | 174 | |
| 60 | Hunter Baird Whistle Bear Golf Club | +17 | F | +33 | 88 | 89 | 177 | |
| 61 | Matthew Whitehead Cambridge Golf Club | +17 | F | +34 | 89 | 89 | 178 | |
| 62 | Jake McBride Public Player | +15 | F | +36 | 93 | 87 | 180 | |
| 63 | Aleck Simms Amherstview Golf Club | +21 | F | +38 | 89 | 93 | 182 | |
| 64 | Dallas Burgess Chapples Golf Club | +17 | F | +43 | 98 | 89 | 187 | |
| 65 | Charlie Smith Dragon’s Fire Golf Club | +27 | F | +52 | 97 | 99 | 196 |
