Grand Niagara to host Champion of Champions April 30 (draw included)

Alex Taylor is back to defend her championship ladies title at next Saturday’s 72nd Annual Walt McCollum Niagara District Champion of Champions golf tournament at Grand Niagara.

The competitive golf season in Niagara will kick off with a bang next Saturday at Grand Niagara.

The club will be hosting 72nd Annual Walt McCollum Niagara District Champion of Champions golf tournament that was originally scheduled for Sept, 25, 2021 at Niagara National Golf and Country. Last year’s event was cancelled by inclement weather.

“We are very lucky that Bob Culig (Grand Niagara head pro) has stepped up,” said Golf Ontario regional manager Carrie Julie, who is organizing the event along with fellow committee members Niagara-on-the-Lake head pro Billy Simkin, Beechwood head pro John White, St Catharines Golf and Country Club head pro Cameron Thin and Tom Vanderlip, the general manager at Niagara National.

Grand Niagara was the perfect choice for the prestigious event.

“I contacted Bob knowing that the spring can be wet. They have cart paths all away around the golf course and we will be able to get the event off rain or shine. We were very grateful that they said yes,” Julie said. “It is also an absolutely gorgeous course and what a place to have a Champion of Champions.”

Last fall, there were 88 golfers were registered to compete in the event and 77 will compete next Saturday. Included in the 77 are a number of golfers that were not part of the original draw.

“There have been a few substitutions and there are some people who fly south for the winter who are still away,” she said. “All 20 clubs are still represented and we are thrilled with it. It will be a good competition.”

Next Saturday’s event won’t have much in the way of ancillary events around it as all the committee members are super busy getting their golf courses up and running for the 2022 season.

The hoopla surrounding the event will return in the fall when the St. Catharines Golf and Country Club hosts the 73rd annual Champions event.

“We are so looking forward to our plan that we had for the last few years that got delayed by COVID and last fall by the weather,” Julie said. “We will have a band and a dinner and we are really excited about it. It will be a full-day event and spectators will be welcome. ”

The dinner will be a chance to recognize the 2021 Niagara Golf Wall of Recognition inductees as well as the 2022 class that will be selected later this year.

An added part of the competition will see the top eight local pros in the tour standings competing for a championship of their own.

Following is the draw for next Saturday’s 72nd Annual Walt McCollum Niagara District Champion of Champions golf tournament being played at Grand Niagara.

JUNIOR GIRLS

11.a.m.: Casey Kenney, Sawmill; Hazel Templeman Brock.

JUNIOR BOYS

11:10 a.m.: Owen Sartor, Beechwood; Anthony Sartor Brock; Noah Labrasseur. Willo-Dell; Damien Stehling, Bridgewater.

11:20: Jakob Dugout, Rockway Vineyards; Nathan Freure, Sawmill; Wyatt Seburn, Long Beach; Caleb Shorthouse. Twenty Valley.

11:30: Sam Walker. Niagara-on-the-Lake; Brady Perry, Rolling Meadows; Connor Pelletier, Whiskey Run; Morgan Daly, St. Catharines.

SENIOR LADIES

11:40 a.m.: Susie Sexton, Sawmill; Sarah-Anne Smurlick, Freedom Oaks; Janet Tone, Cardinal Lakes; 

11:50 a.m.: Theresa Holmes, Niagara National; Kim Bryanton, Whiskey Run; Julie Zulik , Bridgewater; Shellee Niznik, Twenty Valley.

Noon: Barb Brown, Port Colborne; Martha Cruikshank, Niagara-on-the-Lake; Sue MacKenzie, St. Catharines.

12:10 p.m.: Betty Divok, Rockway Vineyards; Sue Labatte, Niagara Falls; Bev Parker, Long Beach.

CHAMPIONSHIP LADIES

12:30 p.m.: Wendy Ozog, Rolling Meadows; Emily Zwier, Cardinal Lakes; Pat Bradt, Freedom Oaks.

12:40 p.m: Donna Larson, Sawmill; Carrie Pennimpede, Niagara Falls; Michelle Fraser, Whiskey Run.

12:50 a.m.: Yolanda Henry,  Niagara-on-the-Lake; Ruth McBride, Bridgewater; Karen Vamplew, Twenty Valley.

1 p.m.: Alexandra Taylor, Cherry Hill; Stefi Markovich, Port Colborne; Kennedy Bodfield, Rockway Vineyards; Emily White, Beechwood.

SENIOR MEN’S

1:10 p.m.: Jim Panetta , Niagara-on-the-Lake; Grand Niagara’s Michael Cottenden; Tom Briggs, Long Beach; Bob Goss, Bob Goss.

1:20 p.m.: Roger Perry, Cardinal Lakes; Mike Persia, Twenty Valley; Derek Divok, Rockway Vineyards; Harry Janzen, Niagara Falls.

1:30 p.m.: Fred LaSelva, Rolling Meadows; Rick Kozarichuk, Sawmill; John Cameron, Bridgewater; Mark Fleguel, Freedom Oaks.

1:40 p.m.: Gary McDonald, Niagara National; Mark McBride, Cherry Hill; Brian Brushett, St. Catharines; Mike Pogor, Lookout Point.

1:50 p.m.: Bill Urquhart, Beechwood; Roger Arsenault, Whiskey Run; Gary DesRoches, Willodell.

CHAMPIONSHIP MEN’S

2 p.m.: Casey Chymko, Freedom Oaks; Troy Fraser, Whiskey Run; Bill Zizian, Willodell.

2:10 p.m.: Mike Athoe, Bridgewater; Darryl McNamara, Beechwood; Pat Purbs, Rolling Meadows; Dino Maddalena, Long Beach.

2:20 p.m.: Jeremy Hopkins, Port Colborne; Adam Crumb, Cardinal Lakes; Ken Wake, Niagara Falls; Richard Gibson, Niagara National.

2:40 p.m.: Kham Vong, Rockway Vineyards; Kyle Stephenson, Twenty Valley; Mike Woodhouse, Sawmill.

2:50 p.m.: Brian Stewart, St. Catharines; James Grigjanis-Meusel, Niagara-on-the-Lake; Jaret Chipman, Cherry Hill; David Toulouse, Grand Niagara.