The 18-year-old from Brampton, Ont., carded a total of seven birdies, four on the front and three on the back. On the front, she birded the par-5 second hole, par-4 fourth hole, and back-to-back on the par-4 sixth hole and the par-4 seventh hole.
“I think the most important thing for today was my game plan. Making sure that I knew where to leave the ball in order to have the appropriate putt and giving myself the easiest chance to make birdie,” said Rivers. “It’s a four-day event, there’s lots of golf to play but the first day just shows that I had the right plan going into the round and that I can continue that plan with hitting my targets and shots.”
Team Canada’s Lauren Kim carded a total of five birdies firing a 5-under 67 to sit in second place after the opening round.
“I just came back from the U.S girls’ championship and played pretty well, so I wasn’t coming into today with many expectations," Kim said. "It’s a new course and tournament so it's good to come into it with an empty mind and no expectations." Even without expectations, Kim did have some goals in mind. “Coming into today I was hoping to shoot even par since I know this is a pretty difficult course, the greens are pretty tricky so during the round I wasn’t thinking about much," she said. "I think I need to go into tomorrow with the same mindset, no expectations.”
Maisie Filler of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., shot 4-under 68 carding a total of four birdies to sit in third place heading into round two of the 109th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.
Five other Canadians ended round one inside the top 10, including defending champion and Team Canada member Monet Chun who is currently in a three-way tie for fourth after shooting 2-under 70 during the first round. Chun finished round one with a total of two birdies, both on the back nine.
The highlight of the day – and quite possibly the tournament – belonged to Chloe Wills and Angela Arora. Both made aces on the day. Willis hit a six iron on the 161-yard par-3 fourteenth hole. Arora fired a hybrid into the 198-yard par-3 eighth hole.
Team Ontario, consisting of Jasmine Ly of Windsor, Ont., Joline Truong of Mississauga, Ont., and Sydney Naro of Toronto, Ont., lead the Inter-Provincial team competition at 4-over. Team British Columbia, looking to defend their title are four strokes back of Ontario, and sit 8-over after the first round.
The 2023 champion of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship will earn an exemption into the 2023 CPKC Women’s Open and the 2023 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship.