Team Ontario (Golf Canada Photo)
Team Ontario captured the Bruce Forbes Trophy as the Inter-Provincial team champions at the 2023 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship. Team Ontario continued their tradition of dominance in the Inter-Provincial team competition, capturing the title a record 17 times in the 29-year history of the competition.
The trio of Russell Bowie of Mississauga, Ont., Phil Arci of Woodbridge, Ont., and Simon McInnis of Crystal Beach, Ont., combined for a total score of 4-under par to edge Nova Scotia by three strokes on Tuesday at The Algonquin Golf Course.
“To win this in New Brunswick with Russell and Phil was an honor, I couldn’t have asked for better guys to be on the team with me. Tough conditions today, but we all worked really hard. I don’t think that there were too many low rounds today, but we did our job, and we did enough today to obtain the tile,” said Team Ontario Captain McInnis.
All three Team Ontario team members head into round three with safe scores on the individual leaderboard.
“We’ve seen the golf course in two very different conditions, so we don’t really know what were going to get tomorrow but I think we’re all pretty well prepared for tomorrow as we have played the golf course with the winds high today, so we feel good,” McInnis added.
Team Nova Scotia shot a total score of 1-under to place second in the Inter-Provincial Team Championship. Team New Brunswick placed third after shooting a total score of 1-over.
Derek Meinhart, Charles Fitzsimmons, and Nick Hofland are tied for first place after round two, all sitting at 5-under for the championship. Meinhart of Mattoon, Ill., shot a 5-under par 67 during round two to jump 17 spots up the leaderboard. Coming out of round one Meinhart shot an even-par score 72 and was sitting T17.
“I hit it really good the first round, I kind of continued the ball striking really solid through the first nine holes and made a few putts there early. I got some momentum and kind of cleaned up on the par 5’s a little bit, but the course is really drying out and getting a little firmer, which is helping to make more putts,” said Meinhart.
During round two, Meinhart’s round got off to an ideal start by carding four birdies on the front nine and continued with two more on the back for a total of six on the day.
“I’ve had a great experience every time I’ve come up to Canada, the people have been great to me. I’ve always had great groups and have enjoyed a lot of it, when I was scouting this tournament out, I looked at The Algonquin venue online and now being here I think it’s really lived up to it,” Meinhart added.
Meinhart also leads the Mid-Master division of the championship. in second place Joseph Deraney of Belden, Miss. is in second place, sitting at 3-under for the championship.
Fitzsimmons of King City, Ont., shot an even-par 72 on Tuesday. The 36-year-old got off to a tough start with a bogey on the par-3 third hole and another two on the back nine. He carded a total of three birdies and bogeys for the day.
“It was a battle out there today. I mean it just got windier and windier as the day went on. Everything just wasn’t quite as sharp as it was yesterday, so I just had to keep kind of battling and seeing what I could get out of it. I got a couple of good bounces, was happy to take advantage of them and make the most of the day,” said Fitzsimmons.
Nick Hofland of Ancaster, Ont., recorded an impressive round on Tuesday, shooting 3-under 69 to sit tied atop the leaderboard. Hofland carded a total of seven birdies and four bogeys to jump two places up the leaderboard from yesterdays round, where he sat tied for fifth place.
“The golf course is fantastic; I’ve really been enjoying it out there. The wind was blowing today, but it was a great finish to get into the final paring with two accomplished Mid-Amateurs, so I’m really looking forward to that. It's just very different than Am golf, all the guys are talkative, and everyone’s having a good time, very serious but fun,” said Hofland.
Hofland added, “I love the little town of St. Andrews; I wake up every morning with the window open and smell the sea air, its lovely out here. We were due for some good weather, and we’ve been lucky. I went to a nice coffee shop before my afternoon tee time, it’s been nice to take it all in and enjoy it out here.”
There is a three-way tie for fourth, Ryan Were of Redcliff, Alb., McInnis and Deraney, sit at a total score of 3-under, two strokes behind the leaders.
After Tuesday’s second round, the field was cut to the low 70 players and ties, which included 15 Mid-Masters.
ABOUT THE Canadian Mid-Amateur
72 hole stroke play championship.
Mid-Amateur
Any Male golfer who has reached their 25th birthday
by the first scheduled day of
the championship and the player must have a
handicap factor of 5.0 or less.
Mid-Master
Any Male golfer who has reached their 40th birthday
by the first scheduled day of
the championship and the player must have a
handicap factor of 5.0 or less.
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