The Toronto Varsity Blues women's golf team struck OUA gold at the Hylands Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont., Sunday afternoon.
The team of Stephanie Chen, Sara Cumby, Kelly Wong and Ashley Noh combined to lead the Blues to their first OUA title since 2018.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Cumby and Chen lead the Blues to a five-stroke lead after Saturday's first round, with rounds of 74 and 77 respectively. Western's Rylie Grogan held the individual lead with a fine round of 73, to put the Mustangs just five strokes behind the Blues' team score of 234.
During Sunday's final round, Western managed to close the gap on the front nine, but spectacular play from Blues rookies Wong and Noh helped claim the championship. Wong parred 11 consecutive holes, from the 7th through the 17th, to post a team-leading 78, while Noh had back-to-back birdies on the 14th and 15th holes in a back-nine 35.
By time everyone had reached the clubhouse, the Blues women's team finished with a 2-day total of 474, seven strokes ahead of second place Western, while the University of Windsor claimed the team bronze medal with a 502 total.
Blues assistant coach Kelsey Fuchs said: "When it got close around the turn today, the team was just trying to take it one shot at a time, and keeping confident. It was a great team effort, with everyone contributing to the win."
Chen and Cumby both finished tied for fifth in the individual standings with two-day scores of 159, while Wong placed seventh, just two strokes behind, recording a score of 161. Not far behind her teammates, Ashley Noh finished her championship rounds in a tie for ninth place with a score of 166.
As a result of the team's victory, head coach Dave Woods was named OUA women's golf coach of the year.
For the Varsity Blues men's team, their strong two days of play nearly netted them a podium finish.
Following up an opening day 308 with a second round of 306, the Blues finished just one stroke back of the third place Guelph Gryphons, settling for fourth overall.
The McMaster Marauders won the men's team championship by 6 strokes over the defending champions from Wilfrid Laurier, on the strength of Nicolas Dessureault's incredible final-round of 9-under par 63.
Combining for Toronto's top-four scores in Sunday's second round were Mac Andrekson (74), Grant Lau (77), Kazuma Sawai (77) and Sai Kaja (78).
On Saturday, it was Lau's 75 that served as the low score of the day for the Blues. He was followed by Andrekson (77), Sawai (78) and Will Francis (78).
Andrekson's two-day total of 151 was good for a tie for eighth place individually, while Lau's 152 total landed him in a tie for thirteenth in the 74-player field.
The fourth-place team finish ties the Blues with their highest placing at the OUA championship since 2016.
The men's and women's teams respective finishes in the OUA Championship qualify the teams for the 2023 Canadian University/College Championship to be hosted by Golf Canada.
Women's Final Standings
- Toronto +42 (Liz Hoffman Trophy)
- Western +49
- Windsor +70
- Waterloo +71
- Wilfrid Laurier +74
- Guelph +83
- Carleton +92
- Ottawa +98
- McMaster +108
- Brock +113
- Queen's +176
Women's Major Award Winners
Judy McCrae Trophy (Individual Champion) – Rylie Grogan, Western
Coach of the Year –
Dave Woods, Toronto
Men's Final Standings
1. McMaster +21 (Ruttan Trophy)
2. Wilfrid Laurier +27
3. Guelph +37
T4. Toronto +38
T4. Waterloo +38
6. Windsor +40
7. Ottawa +45
8. Western +46
9. Laurentian +48
10. Carleton +49
11. Brock +51
12. Queen's +56
13. Trent +61
14. Ontario Tech +65
15. Toronto Metropolitan +100
Men's Major Award Winners
Len Shore Trophy (Individual Champion) - Nicolas Dessureault, McMaster
Coach of the Year - John Najev, McMaster
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