Alice Kong leads individual standings by two after opening round 67

ST. CATHARINES, Ont. – France sits atop the team leaderboard after shooting a collective 7-under to lead Colombia by three following the opening round of the 2025 World Junior Girls Golf Championship at St. Catharines Golf & Country Club in St. Catharines, Ont.

Alice Kong fired an opening round 5-under 67 to not only help put France ahead but also take the lead in the individual competition as well. Teammate Giselle Zhao’s 2-under 70 also counted towards the team score on Wednesday. Louise Landgraf closed her day with a 2-over 74 for France. The two lowest scores count towards the team’s combined total for the day.

France’s Coach Marine Monnet-Melocco praised her team’s spirit as an important factor for a strong opening day but cautioned there is a long way to go.

“We appreciate the day. They respect the plan, they respect the process, they respect everything. They fight on every shot, and I am very happy, but it’s not finished, it’s only one round.”

Monnet-Melocco added that while the course is not easy, both Kong and Zhao knew when and when not to be aggressive. Monet-Melocco followed Landgraf on Wednesday and while her score did not contribute on the day, her coach was pleased with the finish, “she fought on every shot and finished minus one on the last four holes and that was really good because we are three on the team and it’s very important,” said Monnet-Melocco.

Last year, France finished in a tie for fourth, matching their best finish in championship history which was previously reached in 2015 and 2017.

Right behind the leaders is Colombia, who held the lead throughout the opening round before finishing three back at 4-under. All three members of Colombia were under par, led by Valeria Rubio who held the clubhouse lead briefly following a 3-under 69. Both Luciana Medina Ramos and Maria Errichetto shot rounds of 1-under 71.

Colombia Coach Paola Moreno said her team is very happy to be competing in St. Catharines, “it’s a high-class event so for us to have under par rounds it’s fantastic and we’re truly truly happy.

“There’s a lot of golf left, to be honest. It was a great start, we can be happy for today but be ready for tomorrow. It’s three more days and so many amazing teams here, super talented, we just have to keep our heads in the game and play well,” she added.

The Republic of Korea currently sits in third at 3-under. Seojin Park, the lone returning player from last year’s championship winning team led the way with a 3-under 69, while Yun Seon Yang’s even par 72 also counted toward the team total. The defending champions are also represented by Yeonseo Kim (2-over 74).

Past champions, Italy and Spain are tied for fourth at 2-under to round out the top five. Team Canada 1 currently sits in eighth at 1-over while Team Canada 2 is tied for ninth with Austria at 2-over.

Team Canada 1 is represented by Shauna Liu of Maple, Ont. (1-under 71), Clairey Lin of Langley, B.C. (2-over 74) and Michelle Xing of Richmond Hill, Ont. (3-over 75).

Team Canada 2 is comprised of Clara Ding of White Rock, B.C. (even par 72), Kendria Wang of Vancouver, B.C. (2-over 74) and Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. (3-over 75).

In the individual competition, Kong set the tone early in the day, opening with an eagle on the par 4 first hole and followed it up with back-to-back birdies to sit 4-under through three. While Kong cited being “stressed at the driving range” all was quickly forgotten with her eagle.

“I played so good on the first hole, my drive was great and hit my wedge, it was a good shot, and my coach was watching it, and she was like yes, it’s so good and I watched the ball rolling slowly…I was so happy, it was a good start,” said Kong.

Kong closed her front nine at 3-under as the individual leaderboard constantly changed throughout the morning and early afternoon. She recorded eight consecutive pars from Nos. 9 through 16 before two close approach shots allowed her to close with back-to-back birdies and put both herself and her team into the lead. Kong echoed her coach’s comments on the spirit of the team.

“They are the best teammates, we are such a great team, our coach is super good also and the goal is to win,” added Kong.

Kong is playing in her second consecutive World Junior Girls Golf Championship, and while she had fun with her team last year, she was dealing with jet lag and went on to finish in 20th individually.

“I love this tournament, so I am very happy to be here one more time,” she said.

Rubio and Park are trailing Kong by two-shots heading into Thursday. Rubio shook off what she described as a “difficult” start with the driver to finish strong, highlighted with an eagle on the par 4 11th.

“I had great putts, my eagle at 11 was a great drive into the green and then a great putt. I just kept going and I had a lot of fun on the course today and I think it was an amazing round.”

Rubio competed in last year’s event, finishing T57 and helped Colombia finish 15th, she was complimentary of her team’s opening round.

“Very good performance, we are a very good team and help each other and that is key about being a team is that you can support each other,” she added.

Charlotte Naughton (England), Adriana Garcia Terol (Spain) and Zhao are tied for fourth at 2-under. Liu and five others are tied for seventh at 1-under.

In total, a field of 23 teams, 69 players in total are competing for the team and individual championships. The individual champion will receive an exemption into the 2026 CPKC Women’s Open, taking place at Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton, Alta., August 17-23, 2026. The top three players and ties will also earn exemptions into the 112th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, taking place at The Toronto Golf Club in Mississauga, Ont., July 20-24, 2026.

Several players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Golf Championship have gone on to great success on the LPGA Tour. Canadian Brooke Henderson, a 14-time LPGA Tour winner and Canada’s winningest professional golfer, finished fourth in the individual competition at the inaugural championship in 2014.

Other notable competitors who went on to become LPGA Tour winners include Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand who won back-to-back World Junior titles in 2018 and 2019 as well as Yuka Saso of the Philippines who won the 2016 World Junior title. 2023 CPKC Women’s Open winner, Megan Khang of the United States competed in the inaugural tournament in 2014. Other former World Junior competitors who have gone on to win on the LPGA Tour include Hannah Green of Australia and Maja Stark and Linn Grant of Sweden. Hye-Jin Choi from the Republic of Korea won both the 2015 team and individual championship at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship and has earned several top five finishes on the LPGA Tour.

For the both the team and individual leaderboard, following the opening round of the 2025 World Junior Girls Golf Championship, please click here.

ST. CATHARINES, Ont. – The tenth playing of the World Junior Girls Golf Championship gets underway on Wednesday from St. Catharines Golf and Country Club in St. Catharines, Ont.

Following the tournament’s media day, Golf Canada sat down with members of the media who played the course to get their thoughts on what is in store for the field as well as who they’re picking for the week.

Golf Canada (GC) – Thanks for sitting down with us. First question is about the golf course. Taking your past experiences into account and playing on media day, what was your impression of the course? How does it shape up for the tournament?

Garry McKay, Hamilton Spectator – Designed by Canadian Golf Hall of Fame architect Stanley Thompson just a year or so before he died the St. Catharines Golf & Country Club is a wonderful example of his work. While the course, generally, is pretty flat there is a broad valley that runs through the property and Thompson, as he wanted to do, has highlighted the valley with holes that run over, around, into and through the valley. These holes, and the changes in elevation, will provide a challenge for all the players especially if it is windy.

Kristen Murphy, TSN – My first impression of the course it that it will be a fair test for the junior girls. No blind shots or tricked up holes means everything is in front of them. The course isn’t overly tight off the tee so players can elect to play aggressive in spots or adapt a more conservative style play. With some reachable par 5s for the longer hitters, those holes will provide the ultimate risk / reward scenario.

Jason Logan, SCOREGolf – I’d played St. Catharines once before, around 2010, and remember that I’d enjoyed the day and the par 3s had stood out. Playing it again 15 years later confirmed that impression. It’s a very good golf course with a great set of par 3s and some phenomenal holes that make good use of the dales through the property. It’ll be a good test for the girls and Niagara will be a great location for the tournament with all its amenities and attractions.

GC – What is one club in the bag, or one element of the game that you think will be important for players this week and why?

McKay – The simple answer is the driver especially this week at St. Catharines with five par 5s. Ask any player at a high level what is the key to winning a tournament and they will tell you that it is taking advantage of the par 5s, and at St. Catharines, players who can hit it long off the tee on the par fives and be in the correct area of the fairway will have distinctly better chance of making birdies.

Murphy – Although it might sound cliché, players will need to arrive at St. Catherines with all aspects of their games on point.  There are five par 3s and five par 5s that will both demand and test every shot in the bag. For that reason, golfers with the most well-rounded games will be identified. Lastly, taking advantage of the par 5s will be essential to success come week’s end.

Logan – You could say this about any golf course, but I think driver will be important. For the most part, St. Catharines greens are not severe enough to cause players too much trouble. With several holes containing multiple tee boxes offering different angles to fairways, the girls will need a strong tee game to score well.

GC – Aside from Team Canada, what country/team are you keeping an eye on this week?

McKay – The Republic of Korea has produced female golf stars like Se Ri Pak, Jiyai Shin, Inbee Park, So Yeon Rui and Jin Young Ko among others that have gone on to have successful careers on the LPGA Tour. The Republic of Korea has also won this tournament three times, including last year at Credit Valley G&CC and finished runner-up on three other occasions so it will be important to watch them to see who their future stars are.

Murphy – It is impossible to ignore the history of the Korean team at this tournament. The defending champions have won the event on three occasions with three additional second place finishes to boot. Looking a little bit further down the leaderboard so to speak, I will be tracking team Sweden who boast four top three finishes at this tournament.

Logan – The Republic of Korea is an obvious one, based on the country’s ability to develop golfers and history at this tournament. The United States will be strong too.

GC – Again, aside from players on Team Canada, is there one player in the field that you’re watching this week?

McKay – It’s hard not to pick Seojin Park of the Republic of Korea who is 39th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and that’s the best in the field.

Murphy – One player who I will be watching outside of the Canadian crew is Argentina’s Clementina Castaño. Castaño is one of the three Argentinian girls who will be representing her country in this event for the first time. I’m looking forward to seeing how the debut goes for her and her teammates.  

Logan – England’s Lauren Crump has a strong resumé, winning her second straight English Girls’ Championship earlier this summer.

GC – Finally, who are your picks to win the team championship and individual title?

McKay – Republic of Korea with Canada 1 as runner-up. Individual, Seojin Park of Korea with Michelle Xing of Canada in second place.

Murphy – Republic of Korea. Track record, experience and pedigree make this team the one to beat, but I do expect a strong challenge from the Canadians and Americans.

Individual, Canada’s Shauna Liu. The 16-year-old has already wracked up multiple wins this season, including a second Canadian Junior Girls Championship last month. It feels like Shauna is peaking at the right time to compete for the win and punch a ticket to the 2026 CPKC Women’s Open.

Logan – Canada, of course! With Shauna Liu capturing the overall title.

GC – Thank you for your insights ahead of the tournament. Friendly reminder, the tournament will kick off on Wednesday, September 17 and admission to 2025 World Junior Girls Golf Championship is free for all spectators. For more information on the championship, please click here. To follow the leaderboard during the tournament, please click here.

St. Catharines Golf & Country Club set to host the tenth playing of the
world championship, featuring 23 teams and 69 competitors

ST. CATHARINES, Ont. – The final field is now set ahead of the tenth playing of the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, featuring 22 countries and 69 players competing at St. Catharines Golf & Country Club in St. Catharines, Ont.

In total, 23 teams will battle for the team championship while also competing for individual honours, with the individual champion earning an exemption into the 2026 CPKC Women’s Open, taking place at Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton, Alta., August 17-23, 2026. The field features four players in the top 100, nine players in the top 200 and 21 in the top 500 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).

Golf Canada previously announced the six competitors that will represent Team Canada at the tournament and now have set the team rosters for the championship. Team Canada 1 will be represented by Shauna Liu of Maple, Ont. (no. 113 WAGR), Michelle Xing of Richmond Hill, Ont. (no. 142 WAGR), and Clairey Lin of Langley, B.C. (no. 174 WAGR). Both Liu and Lin were part of Team Canada 1 last year that finished as runners-up to the Republic of Korea. Last year, Liu finished T7, and Lin was T16 in the individual standings. Xing will be making her second appearance in the world championship, having previously represented Canada in 2022. Team Canada 1 will be led by Team Canada – NextGen Girls Head Coach, Jeff MacDonald of Chester, N.S.

Team Canada 2 will be represented by Clara Ding of White Rock, B.C. (no. 177 WAGR), Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. (no. 469 WAGR) and Kendria Wang of Vancouver, B.C. (no. 528 WAGR). Park will be competing in her third straight championship, having represented Canada the past two tournaments. Last year, Park finished T34 in the individual standings and helped Team Canada 2 finish T12. Ding and Wang will both be making their first appearances at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship. Team Canada 2 will be led by Team Canada – NextGen Girls Assistant Coach, Jennifer Ha of Calgary, Alta.

The Republic of Korea enter as defending champions, edging out Team Canada 1 last year in Mississauga, Ont. through a tiebreaker to win their third championship. The Republic of Korea are the most successful team in tournament history. In addition to three championships, the team has also finished as runner-up three times (2016, 2017, 2023).

Along with the Republic of Korea and Canada, three past champions are also in the field including, Italy (2018), Spain (2017, 2022) and the United States (2014). In the nine-year history of the tournament, aside from the host nation, five other countries have participated in every tournament including: England, Italy, Mexico, Spain and Sweden.

This year’s tournament will mark the debut of Argentina, who will be competing for the first time. Last year, Morocco made its debut while Iceland and Poland will be making their third consecutive appearances after debuting in 2023. India was set to make their tournament debut in St. Catharines but have withdrawn from the competition.

This year’s field is highlighted by Seojin Park from the Republic of Korea (Korea) who is the lowest ranked player in the field at no. 39 on WAGR. Park will be making her third straight appearance at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, having been apart of Korea’s championship team last year and runner-up finish in 2023. Park has had two top 10 finishes individually, finishing T4 in 2024 and T8 in 2023. Joining Park are teammates, Yunseo Yang (no. 62 on WAGR) and Yeon Seo Kim (no. 128 WAGR). France will also field a strong team with Louise Landgraf (no. 75 WAGR), Alice Kong (no. 83 WAGR) and Giselle Zhao (no. 423 WAGR). Kong is the lone returnee for France and helped her team finish T4 with Denmark last year and finished 20th in the individual standings. Mia Hammond returns for the United States (no. 320 WAGR) after competing in 2023. Hammond helped the Americans to a sixth-place finish, and T17 finish individually. For the full player roster, please click here.

“We are excited to announce the full field ahead of the tenth playing of the World Junior Girls Golf Championship this week in St. Catharines. Many players compete in prestigious amateur events around the world and strong finishes can change rankings quite significantly. The difference in ability is marginal at this level, which sets up this tournament to be a competitive one,” said Adam Cinel, Tournament Director, Golf Canada. “We want to thank St. Catharines for their exceptional assistance in the lead up to tournament week. In addition, the tournament organizing committee who have gone to great lengths to ensure this is a memorable week for everyone participating in this prestigious world championship.”

Several players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Golf Championship have gone on to great success on the LPGA Tour. Canadian Brooke Henderson, a 14-time LPGA Tour winner and Canada’s winningest professional golfer, finished fourth in the individual competition at the inaugural championship in 2014.

Other notable competitors who went on to become LPGA Tour winners include Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand who won back-to-back World Junior titles in 2018 and 2019 as well as Yuka Saso of the Philippines who won the 2016 World Junior title. 2023 CPKC Women’s Open winner, Megan Khang of the United States competed in the inaugural tournament in 2014. Other former World Junior competitors who have gone on to win on the LPGA Tour include Hannah Green of Australia and Maja Stark and Linn Grant of Sweden. Hye-Jin Choi from the Republic of Korea won both the 2015 team and individual championship at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship and has earned several top five finishes on the LPGA Tour.

St. Catharines Golf & Country Club (STGCC) was founded in 1899 and redesigned by legendary architect Stanley Thompson. STGCC offers a par-72 championship layout featuring mature trees, strategic elevation changes, and scenic views along Dick’s Creek. As a proven venue for major amateur and professional events, including the Ontario Men’s Amateur (2024), USGA Junior Qualifiers (2023), and the Canadian PGA Women’s Championship, STGCC promises a world-class stage for the world’s next generation of golf stars.

“On behalf of the members at the St. Catharines Golf & Country Club we are proud to bring the world to our doorstep. It will be wonderful to see how the best junior-aged women in the world play the golf course we know and love,” said Cameron Thin, Head Professional, St. Catharines Golf & Country Club. “With the depth of talent in the field, our members will also look forward to following their careers moving forward as many will likely become the future stars of the game. Given the proven history of this event, we are likely going to watch future major champions compete here at the Club.”

Practice rounds for the 72-hole competition will take place September 15-16 with the first round of play set for Wednesday, September 17. The tournament’s closing ceremony will immediately follow the conclusion of play on Saturday, September 20.

Admission to 2025 World Junior Girls Golf Championship is free for all spectators. For more information on the championship, please click here. To follow the leaderboard during the tournament, please click here.

St. Catharines Golf & Country Club set to host the tenth playing
of the world championship

ST. CATHARINES, Ont. – Golf Canada announced Thursday, the six athletes that will comprise Team Canada 1 and Team Canada 2 at the tenth playing of the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, taking place September 15 – 20 at St. Catharines Golf & Country Club in St. Catharines, Ont.

Representing Team Canada will be six members of the NextGen Team: Shauna Liu of Maple, Ont., Michelle Xing of Richmond Hill, Ont., Clairey Lin of Langley, B.C., Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta., Kendria Wang of Vancouver, B.C. and Clara Ding of White Rock, B.C. Team designations will be announced closer to the tournament.

Liu recently won her second consecutive Canadian Junior Girls Championship earlier this month, coming from behind to win the Brokenshire Trophy. The 16-year-old has four additional wins this season including The Peloton Glencoe Invitational as part of the She Plays Golf Championship Series, the Junior Orange Bowl International, the NXXT Epson Tour Qualifier at LPGA INTL and The Nelly Invitational on the AJGA. Liu will be making her second consecutive appearance at the WJG and was part of Team Canada 1 last year and finished T7 in the individual standings.

Xing won the 111th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship in July to join a prestigious list of past champions. The 17-year-old will be making her second appearance at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, having represented Canada at the 2022 tournament. Xing has won five tournaments over the past two years.

Lin will be making her second consecutive appearance at the WJG. Lin was part of Team Canada 1 and finished T16 in the individual standings last year. The 17-year-old has one win this season, at the AJGA Thunderbird Heather Farr Classic along with a pair of runner-up finishes and a third-place finish at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship earlier this month.

Park will be competing in her third straight WJG, having represented Canada the past two tournaments. Last year, the 16-year-old finished T34 in the individual standings and helped Team Canada 2 finish T12. This season, Park has earned three runner-up finishes in AJGA events.

Ding and Wang will both be making their first appearances at the WJG. The 14-year-old Ding has two wins this season including the GolfBC Group BC Women’s Open as part of the She Plays Golf Championship Series and the Women’s Orlando International Amateur Championship. Wang recently finished as runner-up at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship. The 16-year-old won three times last season.

“We are very proud and excited to announce the six players who will represent Team Canada at the 2025 World Junior Girls Golf Championship. All of the players have had very strong seasons and are deserving of this selection,” said Emily Phoenix, Director, High Performance, Golf Canada. “We are confident that both teams will be in the hunt for the championship and represent Canada proudly led by our coaches Jeff and Jennifer.”

Team Canada – NextGen Girls Head Coach Jeff MacDonald of Chester, N.S. and Assistant Coach Jennifer Ha of Calgary, Alta. will be coaching Team Canada at the championship. MacDonald has over 20 years of coaching experience and is a three-time PGA of Atlantic Canada Coach of the Year recipient. He is a past provincial coach of the Nova Scotia Golf Association and is currently the Director of Instruction at Ashburn Golf in Halifax, N.S.

Ha spent eight years as part of Golf Canada’s National Team Program as a player and earned five NCAA wins as a member of the Kent State Golden Flashes. Ha played four years professionally including one year on the LPGA Tour. She is currently an associate professional at Priddis Greens in Calgary, Alta.

The tenth playing of the global showcase will feature 23 countries and 72 competitors in St. Catharines. In total, 24 teams will compete for the championship while also competing for individual honours. The individual champion will earn an exemption into the 2026 CPKC Women’s Open being held at the Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton, Alta., August 17-23, 2026.

“We are very excited for the tenth playing of this prestigious world championship to get underway next month at St. Catharines Golf and Country Club as we welcome the world’s best junior golfers to Canada,” said Adam Cinel, Tournament Director, Golf Canada. “The World Junior Girls Golf Championship is a showcase event on our schedule, featuring talented young athletes competing for team and individual glory. We want to thank the staff and membership of St. Catharines Golf and Country Club for being exceptional partners and welcoming hosts.”

Joining Canada are past champions, Italy (2018), Republic of Korea (2015, 2019, 2024), Spain (2017, 2022) and the United States (2014). In the nine-year history of the tournament, aside from the host nation, five other countries have participated in every tournament including: England, Italy, Mexico, Spain and Sweden.

The Republic of Korea (Korea) are the most successful team in tournament history. In addition to three championships, the team has also finished in second on three occasions (2016, 2017, 2023).

Sweden have finished on the podium on four occasions including two runner-up finishes (2014, 2022) and two third place finishes (2015, 2017). The United States have also earned a second-place finish (2018) and two third place finishes (2016, 2024) along with being the inaugural champions. In addition to winning gold in 2023, Team Canada 1 has earned a second-place finish last year and a third-place finish in 2014. Italy also earned a third-place finish in 2014.

This year’s tournament will mark the debut of Argentina and India, who will both be competing for the first time. Last year, Morocco made their debut while Iceland and Poland will be making their third consecutive appearances after debuting in 2023.

The following is the full list of countries that will be competing in the tenth playing of the championship: Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Canada (Team 1 and Team 2), Chinese Taipei, Colombia, England, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Norway, Poland, Republic of Korea, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.

Several players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Golf Championship have gone on to great success on the LPGA Tour. Canadian Brooke Henderson, a 14-time LPGA Tour winner and Canada’s winningest professional golfer, finished fourth in the individual competition at the inaugural championship in 2014.

Other notable competitors who went on to become LPGA Tour winners include Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand who won back-to-back World Junior titles in 2018 and 2019 as well as Yuka Saso of the Philippines who won the 2016 World Junior title. 2023 CPKC Women’s Open winner, Megan Khang of the United States competed in the inaugural tournament in 2014. Other former World Junior competitors who have gone on to win on the LPGA Tour include Hannah Green of Australia and Maja Stark and Linn Grant of Sweden. Hye-Jin Choi from the Republic of Korea won both the 2015 team and individual championship at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship and has earned several top five finishes on the LPGA Tour.

St. Catharines Golf and Country Club (STGCC) was founded in 1899 and redesigned by legendary architect Stanley Thompson. STGCC offers a par-72 championship layout featuring mature trees, strategic elevation changes, and scenic views along Dick’s Creek. As a proven venue for major amateur and professional events, including the Ontario Men’s Amateur (2024), USGA Junior Qualifiers (2023), and the Canadian PGA Women’s Championship, STGCC promises a world-class stage for the world’s next generation of golf stars.

Practice rounds for the 72-hole competition will take place September 15-16 with the first round of play set for Wednesday, September 17. The tournament’s closing ceremony will immediately follow the conclusion of play on Saturday, September 20.

Admission to 2025 World Junior Girls Golf Championship is free for all spectators. For more information on the championship, please click here.

Soomin Oh shoots four consecutive rounds in the 60’s to win individual competition and an exemption into the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open

Mississauga, Ont. – The Republic of Korea have won the 2024 World Junior Girls Golf Championship for the third time in tournament history, beating Team Canada 1 on a tiebreaker at the Credit Valley Golf & Country Club in Mississauga, Ont. on Saturday.

The Republic of Korea (Korea) entered the day two shots back of Team Canada and at one point trailed the defending champions by six shots during the final round. Coming down the stretch Canada had a one-shot lead with three to play. As the final group teed off on no.18 Canada and Korea were tied at 19-under.

Aphrodite Deng of Calgary, Alta. hit her second shot just behind the pin leaving a lengthy look at birdie while Soomin Oh from Korea hit her second shot closer than Deng but still faced a difficult putt. Both players went on to record pars keeping the score tied at 19-under. As per tournament tie breaking rules, the decider is the third non-counting score on the day. Sumin Hong’s score of 74 just beat Shauna Liu of Maple, Ont. by two.

“I am very very proud of my girls. We had a tough day yesterday and today, but I told them to hang tight and with four holes left I said we start right now, and they did, and they made it, and I am very proud of them,” said Korea Coach Naon Min.

This marked the second consecutive year that Korea and Canada battled right to the very end, with Canada winning by one last year in Brampton, Ont.

“Two of my girls were here last year and last year was the opposite ending so they had that experience and that gave them a stronger mindset so that helped,” added Min.

Korea was led again by Oh, who shot a 3-under 69 on Saturday and Seojin Park who shot a 1-over 73. Canada’s scores on Saturday came from Deng and Clairey Lin of Langley, B.C. who both shot even par rounds of 72.

Oh said that the experience from last year helped their team this year and their mindset for the tournament.

“Our team are all friends, and we cheer for each other and that makes me more comfortable, and the result was good.”

The win gives Korea’s it’s third team title, which is the most in the nine-year history of the world championship.

Team Canada 1 Coach Jeff MacDonald was proud of how his team competed all week and when one play struggled, they bounced back the next day throughout the week.

“They were amazing all week, they played great today, they battled. Team Korea is a real strong team, and we knew that going in and our girls fought really hard and I’m just so happy for them and so proud for them, tough way to finish at the end but still a huge battle,” said MacDonald.

Team Canada 1 earned a podium finish for the second consecutive year and was a completely new team this year. MacDonald said it’s an exciting time in Canada with a lot of strong talent coming through the program.

“It just goes to show you the depth that we have within the program, two of these girls are 14 and one is 15 years old so I think we got a really bright future ahead. There are lots of girls on our NextGen program that are going to step up and do the same thing,” he said.

The United States shot a combined 2-under on Saturday to improve their total score to 9-under and took bronze medalist honours.

Team Canada 2 finished tied for 12th with Italy at 13-over. Team Canada 2 was represented by 14-year-old Nobelle Park of Oakville, Ont., 15-year-old Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. and 17-year-old Lindsay McGrath of Oakville, Ont.

The following are the final standings following the 2024 World Junior Girls Golf Championship:

*Team Champions by way of Tie-Break

Click here for the final team leaderboard following the 2024 World Junior Girls Golf Championship.

In the individual competition, Soomin Oh took the lead on Thursday and didn’t look back finishing with four consecutive rounds in the 60’s (69-68-68-69-274) to finish the tournament at -14 under.

“I actually started the tournament bogey, bogey on my first two holes but I hung on tight, and I finished strong, so I am very happy,” said Oh through her coach.

Oh finished eight shots ahead of Aphrodite Deng to earn an exemption into the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open at Mississaugua Golf & Country Club in Mississauga, Ont. August 19 – 24, 2025. It will be the second appearance on the LPGA Tour in her young career having played the 2023 BMW Ladies Championship which is co-sanctioned by the LPGA of Korea Tour and the LPGA Tour.

Coach Min was very proud of Oh’s performance throughout the week, “Beautiful play. This year she’s been playing good and ranks number one in Korea. The first time I saw her was a year ago, but she’s been growing up and I’m expecting more for her future now,” said Min.

When asked if Oh could become one of the next great Korean women’s golfers, she did not hesitate.

“Yes, I am 100 per cent sure,” she said.

Deng finished second at 6-under following rounds of 67-75-68-72-282. Arianna Lau of Hong Kong, China finished third at 4-under with rounds of 70-70-72-72-284.

Click here for the final individual leaderboard following the 2024 World Junior Girls Golf Championship.

This year marked the largest field in tournament history, with a total of 72 athletes comprising 24 teams and representing 23 countries competing for the team and individual titles.

Several players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Golf Championship have gone on to great success on the LPGA Tour. Canadian Brooke Henderson, a 13-time LPGA Tour winner and Canada’s winningest professional golfer, finished fourth in the individual competition at the inaugural championship in 2014.

Other notable competitors who went on to become LPGA Tour winners include Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand who won back-to-back World Junior titles in 2018 and 2019 as well as Yuka Saso of the Philippines who won the 2016 World Junior title. 2023 CPKC Women’s Open winner, Megan Khang of the United States competed in the inaugural tournament in 2014. Other former World Junior competitors who have gone on to win on the LPGA Tour include Hannah Green of Australia and Maja Stark and Linn Grant of Sweden. Hye-Jin Choi from the Republic of Korea won both the 2015 team and individual championship at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship and has earned several top five finishes on the LPGA Tour.

The 2025 World Junior Girls Golf Championship will be played at St. Catharines Golf and Country Club, in St. Catharines, Ont., September 15 – 20. The 2026 tournament will be held at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club in Gatineau, Que., September 28 – October 3, 2026.

Soomin Oh maintains individual lead following a second consecutive
68 on Friday

Mississauga, Ont. – The defending champions have taken the lead after 54 holes, as Team Canada 1 has pulled ahead of the Republic of Korea at the 2024 World Junior Girls Golf Championship at Credit Valley Golf & Country Club in Mississauga, Ont.

Moving day lived up to its name as Team Canada 1 started the day four shots behind the Republic of Korea (Korea), but now leads by two with 18 holes remaining. Canada shot a collective 11-under to move to 19-under overall, with Korea shooting 5-under today to now sit at 17-under.

Canada was led by Shauna Liu of Maple, Ont. who fired a 7-under 65 and Aphrodite Deng of Calgary, Alta. who shot a 4-under 68 to put Canada ahead by two.

Team Canada 1 Coach Jeff MacDonald complimented his team’s strong start and just how much all three players have played well together.

“This whole week has been such a team effort, Clairey was so good yesterday to get us in this position today, so it’s great, every day it’s been a different combination of players counting. In an event like this if you can just get all three players going then that’s huge and I know tomorrow I got three players ready to go and they’re going to play great,” said MacDonald.

Liu recorded three birdies and two eagles to sit at 7-under on the day through nine. She said that she was able to hit fairways and greens where she wanted to and made some putts. Liu’s first eagle came on the 6th hole.

“I hit the drive close to the water. I had a little bit shorter than 190 in and had a hybrid in my hand and it’s a club I’m more confident in, so I was able to take a whack at the ball and it ended up pretty ok,” Liu said with a laugh. Pretty ok indeed as she sank an eight-foot putt for eagle. On the ninth hole, Liu drained a 35-footer for her second eagle.

Liu complemented her teammates for their togetherness over the first three days.

“I think we’re doing really well. We’re all working really well together. For example, on the first day, I didn’t play well but my teammates did, and they had my back, yesterday Aphrodite didn’t but we had her back and today Clairey didn’t but we had her back, so I feel that we’re working really well as a team and helping each other,” said Liu.

MacDonald added, “We start at zero tomorrow the most important part of this event is the team event and even if you have a tough day, you regroup and rebound and contribute tomorrow and any one of them can do it so they’re feeding off each other, they’re supporting each other and that’s the beauty of the event really.”

Another team that charged up the leaderboard on Friday was the United States who shot a collective 10-under to sit at 7-under for the tournament and moved up into third. Scarlett Schremmer from Birmingham, Ala. shot a 6-under 66 and Nikki Oh of Torrance, Calif. added a 4-under 68 to help the Americans gain ground on moving day. Coach Chris Zambri was happy his team was able to grab birdies on some non-par 5’s on the front.

“It was also good that we got through the first three or four holes without any bogeys from them because those are also tough holes to start with, so it was a great start to the round. They both played well on the back, Nikki ran into some trouble on 16 and 17 but both birded 18 which was awesome, so it was a good day and nice to feel like we’re in the mix a little bit,” he said.

Mexico sits alone in fourth at even par with Hong Kong, China in fifth at 1-over.

Team Canada 2 is currently tied for 13th with Belgium at 8-over. Team Canada 2 is represented by 14-year-old Nobelle Park of Oakville, Ont. (1-over 73) and 15-year-old Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. (4-over 76) and 17-year-old Lindsay McGrath of Oakville, Ont. (6-over 78).

The following are the standings following the second round of the 2024 World Junior Girls Golf Championship:

Click here for the team leaderboard following the third round of the 2024 World Junior Girls Golf Championship.

In the individual competition, Soomin Oh of Korea maintains her lead following a second consecutive round of 4-under 68 to move to 11-under for the tournament and holds a five-shot lead over Aphrodite Deng. Oh recorded four birdies in a bogey free round on Friday.

Five are tied for third with Alexis Lamadrid of Mexico, Arianna Lau of Hong Kong, China, Shauna Liu, Seojin Park of Korea and Scarlett Schremmer all at 4-under.

The individual champion will receive an exemption into the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open being held at Mississaugua Golf & Country Club in Mississauga from August 19 – 24, 2025.

Players, coaches and staff wore black ribbons on Friday in honour of the President of the Italian Golf Federation, Franco Chimenti who passed away on Thursday at the age of 85. Chimenti led the Italian Golf Federation for 22 years.

Teams Canada 1, Korea and the United States will play together during the final round. For final round tee times and groupings, please click here.

Click here for the individual leaderboard following the third round of the 2024 World Junior Girls Golf Championship.

Soomin Oh takes individual lead by two after shooting 68 on Thursday

Mississauga, Ont. – The Republic of Korea maintains the team lead following two rounds at the 2024 World Junior Girls Golf Championship at Credit Valley Golf & Country Club in Mississauga, Ont.

The Republic of Korea (Korea) were led by Soomin Oh who shot a 4-under 68 on Thursday to move to 7-under following 36 holes and now leads the individual championship. Seojin Park shot a 2-under 70 to have her score count toward the team total. Park carded four birdies on her first nine, then ran into some trouble with four consecutive bogeys on her second nine before finishing with a birdie and an eagle on her last two holes. Teammate Sumin Hong shot a 1-over 73 on Thursday. The two lowest scores count towards the team’s combined score for the day. Korea combined to shoot 6-under to move to 12-under for the tournament and take a four-shot lead over Team Canada 1 heading into Friday’s third round.

“They played well but the only thing I didn’t like was in the middle of the round the wind picked up and they struggled but still they finished strong, and I tried to encourage them today,” said Korea Coach Naon Min. “Two more days, this is not the end. I will tell them to keep their focus individually and then the results will come.”

Defending champions, Team Canada 1 hold their place alone in second at 8-under. Clairey Lin of Langley, B.C. fired a 3-under 69 to help lead her team on Thursday. Shauna Liu of Maple, Ont. finished with an even par 72 to give Canada a 3-under combined round on the day. Teammate Aphrodite Deng of Calgary, Alta. shot a 3-over 75.

“They battled really hard, Clairey played really well, got off to a really good start and that was promising, the first six or seven holes there wasn’t much wind, so it was kind of gettable, but the Korean team was making a lot of birdies, so I knew we had to keep pace,” said Team Canada 1 Coach Jeff MacDonald.

MacDonald added that moving from the valley to head back up top meant the players faced a tough test with swirling winds on the top five holes, as Canada 1 began their round on the back nine.

“It’s a good start, we’re in a good position, Korea finished strong to get four ahead, but anything can happen, it can switch so quickly. I remember last year going back and forth so just reminding them of that and just keep battling the whole time,” said MacDonald.

Hong Kong, China has moved into third at 4-under, Sweden sits in fourth at 3-under with Mexico and Italy tied for fifth at even par.

Team Canada 2 is currently tied for 10th with Chinese Taipei and the United States at 3-over. Team Canada 2 was led by 14-year-old Nobelle Park of Oakville, Ont. on Thursday (1-under 71) 15-year-old Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. (2-over 74) and 17-year-old Lindsay McGrath of Oakville, Ont. (11-over 83).

The following are the standings following the second round of the 2024 World Junior Girls Golf Championship:

Click here for the team leaderboard following the second round of the 2024 World Junior Girls Golf Championship.

In the individual competition, Oh recorded two eagles and four birdies on her way to a 4-under 68 on Thursday. Oh is now at 7-under for the tournament and leads Ebba Lundqvist of Sweden by two. Lundqvist shot a 3-under 69 to move into second.

“Today I managed the par fives very well and hit tee shots very well and hit the greens with good positioning today,” said Oh through her coach.

Alexis Lamadrid of Mexico and Arianna Lau of Hong Kong, China are tied for third at 4-under. Clairey Lin and Seojin Park are tied for fifth at 3-under.

The individual champion will receive an exemption into the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open being held at Mississaugua Golf & Country Club in Mississauga from August 19 – 24, 2025.

Click here for the individual leaderboard following the second round of the 2024 World Junior Girls Golf Championship.

This year marks the largest field in tournament history, with a total of 72 athletes comprising 24 teams and representing 23 countries competing for the team and individual titles.

Several players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Golf Championship have gone on to great success on the LPGA Tour. Canadian Brooke Henderson, a 13-time LPGA Tour winner and Canada’s winningest professional golfer, finished fourth in the individual competition at the inaugural championship in 2014.

Other notable competitors who went on to become LPGA Tour winners include Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand who won back-to-back World Junior titles in 2018 and 2019 as well as Yuka Saso of the Philippines who won the 2016 World Junior title. 2023 CPKC Women’s Open winner, Megan Khang of the United States competed in the inaugural tournament in 2014. Other former World Junior competitors who have gone on to win on the LPGA Tour include Hannah Green of Australia and Maja Stark and Linn Grant of Sweden. Hye-Jin Choi from the Republic of Korea won both the 2015 team and individual championship at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship and has earned several top five finishes on the LPGA Tour.

Teams Korea, Canada 1 and Hong Kong, China will play together during Friday’s third round. For round tee times and groupings, please click here.

Canadian Aphrodite Deng holds individual lead following a 5-under 67
on Wednesday

Mississauga, Ont. – The Republic of Korea sits atop the team leaderboard by one-shot over Team Canada 1 following the opening round of the 2024 World Junior Girls Golf Championship at Credit Valley Golf & Country Club in Mississauga, Ont.

Sumin Hong and Soomin Oh both shot rounds of 3-under 69 to help lead the Republic of Korea (Korea) on Wednesday. Hong recorded four birdies before bogeying the 18th. Oh began her round with back-to-back bogeys but went on to record five birdies to help contribute to the team lead. Teammate Seojin Park shot a 1-under 71. The top two individual scores count towards the combined team score each day.

“They played well today but the start of the round wasn’t as good but they finished strong so that was a good part of today,” said Republic of Korea Coach Naon Min.

“I told them not to think about the team but just think about their individual play and it will finish well for everybody,” said Min following the first round.

Defending champions, Team Canada 1 are one shot back of Korea. Aphrodite Deng of Calgary, Alta. shot a 5-under 67 to help lead her team and the individual standings. Clairey Lin of Langley, B.C. shot an even par 72 and Shauna Liu of Maple, Ont. shot a 3-over 75 on Wednesday.

“They got off to a really good start today, we were cruising early which was nice to see, lots of putts going in and it was awesome because they were sticking to the game plan just hitting to the right spot,” said Team Canada 1 Coach Jeff MacDonald.

“It’s always nice in these events when all three players are playing well so it gives you more chances or opportunities and they did that today and it was fun to watch,” added MacDonald.

Belgium sits in third at 3-under with a trio of teams including Sweden, Colombia and Hong Kong, China tied for fourth at even par. Iceland and Italy are tied for seventh at 1-over with seven teams tied for ninth at 2-over, including Team Canada 2.

Team Canada 2 is comprised of 14-year-old Nobelle Park of Oakville, Ont. (Even par 72), 15-year-old Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. (2-over 74) and 17-year-old Lindsay McGrath of Oakville, Ont. (4-over 76).

The following are the opening round standings at the 2024 World Junior Girls Golf Championship:

Click here for the team leaderboard following the opening round of the 2024 World Junior Girls Golf Championship.

In the individual competition, Deng of Team Canada 1 leads by one shot over Sixtine De Cordes of Belgium. Deng’s 5-under 67 on Wednesday was highlighted by seven birdies in her round, including five on the front nine.

“I was just trying to play it safe and miss in the right spots,” said Deng. “I was able to hit my shots really close and make the putts today.”

De Cordes is alone in second at 4-under with Oh and Hong of Korea tied for third at 3-under. Arianna Lau (Hong Kong, China), Paris Appendino (Italy), Ebba Lundqvist (Sweden), Lu Valero (Colombia) and Alexis Lamadrid (Mexico) all tied for fifth at 2-under.

The individual champion will receive an exemption into the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open being held at Mississaugua Golf & Country Club in Mississauga from August 19 – 24, 2025.

Click here for the individual leaderboard following the opening round of the 2024 World Junior Girls Golf Championship.

This year marks the largest field in tournament history, with a total of 72 athletes comprising 24 teams and representing 23 countries competing for the team and individual titles.

Several players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Golf Championship have gone on to great success on the LPGA Tour. Canadian Brooke Henderson, a 13-time LPGA Tour winner and Canada’s winningest professional golfer, finished fourth in the individual competition at the inaugural championship in 2014.

Other notable competitors who went on to become LPGA Tour winners include Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand who won back-to-back World Junior titles in 2018 and 2019 as well as Yuka Saso of the Philippines who won the 2016 World Junior title. 2023 CPKC Women’s Open winner, Megan Khang of the United States competed in the inaugural tournament in 2014. Other former World Junior competitors who have gone on to win on the LPGA Tour include Hannah Green of Australia and Maja Stark and Linn Grant of Sweden. Hye-Jin Choi from the Republic of Korea won both the 2015 team and individual championship at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship and has earned several top five finishes on the LPGA Tour.

For second round tee times, please click here.

Team Canada 1 set to defend the title against the largest field in tournament history featuring 23 countries and 72 competitors

Mississauga, Ont. – Canada will once again play host to the world’s best junior golfers at the 2024 World Junior Girls Golf Championship. The annual global showcase will be contested September 30 – October 5 at Credit Valley Golf & Country Club in Mississauga, Ont.

The ninth edition of the world championship will feature the largest field in tournament history, with 23 countries and 72 competitors in Mississauga. In total, 24 teams will compete for the championship while also competing for individual honours. The individual champion will earn an exemption into the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open being held at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club in Mississauga, Ont., August 18-24, 2025.

“We are very excited to get the ninth playing of this prestigious championship underway next week at Credit Valley Golf and Country Club as we welcome the world’s best junior golfers to Canada,” said Adam Cinel, Tournament Director, Golf Canada. “This championship has grown each year and has become a showcase event on our schedule, featuring talented young athletes competing for team and individual glory. We want to thank the staff and membership of Credit Valley Golf and Country Club and the City of Mississauga for being incredible partners and welcoming hosts.”

Team Canada 1 will be defending the championship after a thrilling final round in 2023 that saw them push ahead of the Republic of Korea to win the title for the first time in tournament history. Canada will be represented with two teams again this year.

Team Canada 1 is represented by 15-year-old Shauna Liu of Maple, Ont., 14-year-old Aphrodite Deng of Calgary, Alta. and 14-year-old Clairey Lin of Langley, B.C. Liu, a Team Canada NextGen member secured her spot on the team after winning the 2024 Canadian Junior Girls Championship in July at Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver, B.C. Liu also won the Team Canada NextGen Selection Camp tournament last month at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont. to secure her place on the 2025 Team Canada NextGen squad. She added her third title of the year after winning the CDW Girls Junior All-Star Championship in Riverwoods, Ill. last month as part of the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA). Lin earned her spot through the Team Canada NextGen Selection Camp qualifying tournament and has won twice on the AJGA, including The AJGA Panama Junior, presented by St. Georges Bank in March and The Spin Junior Championship in August. Lin was also runner-up at the 2024 Canadian Junior Girls Championship. Deng qualified as the low eligible Canadian on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) as of August 7. Deng was ranked no. 175 and has since improved to no. 160 and is Canada’s lowest ranked player. She has won twice as part of the AJGA this season including The Nelly Invitational in Bradenton, Fla. in May and the New Jersey Junior Girls Championship in West Windsor Township, N.J. in June.

Team Canada 2 is represented by 15-year-old Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta., 17-year-old Lindsay McGrath and 14-year-old Nobelle Park, both of Oakville, Ont. The trio all earned their places through qualification at the Team Canada NextGen Selection Camp. McGrath finished second followed by Nobelle Park and Eileen Park. McGrath has been part of the Team Canada NextGen squad for two seasons and won the Visit Goldsboro NC Junior Championship in Goldsboro, N.C. in April as part of the AJGA. Nobelle Park won the inaugural Canadian U15 Championship last month at Elmira Golf Club in Elmira, Ont. along with three Ontario Provincial Championships this season. Eileen Park is the lone returning player for Canada this year’s tournament, having played for Team Canada 2 last year in Brampton, Ont. This season, she won the NextGen Pacific Championship at the Summerland Golf and Country Club in Summerland, B.C. in May and the AJGA Junior All-Star at College Station in College Station, Texas in March.

Jeff MacDonald returns as the coach of Team Canada 1. MacDonald of Chester, N.S. coached Team Canada 1 to the championship last season and is currently coaching the Team Canada NextGen program. MacDonald has over 20 years of coaching experience, is a three-time PGA of Atlantic Canada Coach of the Year recipient and a past provincial coach of the Nova Scotia Golf Association.

Jennifer Ha of Calgary, Alta. will be the coach of Team Canada 2. Ha returns after coaching Team Canada at the 2022 World Junior Girls Championship. She spent eight years as part of Golf Canada’s National Team Program as a player and earned five NCAA wins as a member of the Kent State Golden Flashes. Ha played four years professionally including one year on the LPGA Tour. She is currently the assistant coach of the Team Canada – NextGen girls’ program.  

Joining Canada are past champions, Italy (2018), Republic of Korea (2015, 2019), Spain (2017, 2022) and the United States (2014). In the eight-year history of the tournament, aside from the host nation, six other countries have participated in every tournament including: Denmark, England, Italy, Mexico, Spain and Sweden.

The Republic of Korea (Korea) are the most successful team in tournament history. In addition to two championships, the team has also finished in second on three occasions (2016, 2017, 2023).

Sweden have finished on the podium on four occasions including two runner-up finishes (2014, 2022) and two third place finishes (2015, 2017). The United States have also earned a second-place finish (2018) and third-place finish (2016) along with being the inaugural champions. In addition to tournament wins, Team Canada 1 and Italy have also earned a third-place finish in 2014 and 2019 respectively.

This year’s tournament will mark the debut of Hong Kong, China and Morocco who will both be competing for the first time. Last year’s tournament saw the first appearances from Iceland, Peru and Poland. All three countries are returning this year.

This year’s field for the World Junior Girls Golf Championship features nine players in the top 200 of the WAGR. Soomin Oh from the Korea is the lowest ranked player in the field currently at no. 14. Oh, was part of Korea’s runner-up finish last year in Brampton, Ont. and finished third in the individual competition. Teammate Seojin Park also returns this year and is currently ranked no. 80. The United States feature two players inside the top 200 including Nikki Oh (no. 112) and Scarlett Schremmer (no. 184). France and Hong Kong, China both feature two players inside the top 200. France will be represented by Sara Brentcheneff (no. 97) and Alice Kong (no. 128). Arianna Lau (no. 67) and Sophie Han (no. 98) will represent Hong Kong, China.

Several players who have competed in the World Junior Girls Golf Championship have gone on to great success on the LPGA Tour. Canadian Brooke Henderson, a 13-time LPGA Tour winner and Canada’s winningest professional golfer, finished fourth in the individual competition at the inaugural championship in 2014.

Other notable competitors who went on to become LPGA Tour winners include Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand who won back-to-back World Junior titles in 2018 and 2019 as well as Yuka Saso of the Philippines who won the 2016 World Junior title. 2023 CPKC Women’s Open winner, Megan Khang of the United States competed in the inaugural tournament in 2014. Other former World Junior competitors who have gone on to win on the LPGA Tour include Hannah Green of Australia as well as Maja Stark and Linn Grant of Sweden. Hye-Jin Choi from the Republic of Korea won both the 2015 team and individual championship at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship and has earned several top five finishes on the LPGA Tour.

Credit Valley Golf and Country Club will play host for the world championship and boasts a challenging 18-hole Robbie Robinson designed parkland course. Nestled alongside the winding Credit River and the natural setting of the valley, it offers members a hidden golf and country club oasis within the bustling cityscape of Mississauga.

The following is a list of competing countries in the ninth annual World Junior Girls Championship:

Belgium

Canada (Team Canada 1 and Team Canada 2)

Chinese Taipei

Colombia

Czechia

Denmark

England

Finland

France

Germany

Hong Kong, China

Iceland

Ireland

Italy

Mexico

Morocco

Peru

Poland

Republic of Korea

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

United States of America

Practice rounds for the 72-hole competition will take place September 30 and October 1 with the first round of play set for Wednesday, October 2. The tournament’s closing ceremony will immediately follow the conclusion of play on Saturday, October 5.

Admission to 2024 World Junior Girls Golf Championship is free for all spectators. For more information on the championship, please click here.

Golf Canada has set an impressive stretch goal of having 30 professional golfers at the highest levels of the sport by 2032.

The World Junior Girls Golf Championship is a huge part of that target.

Credit Valley Golf and Country Club will host the international tournament from Sept. 30 to Oct. 5, with 24 teams representing 23 nations — Canada gets two squads — competing. Lindsay McGrath, a 17-year-old golfer from Oakville, Ont., said she’s excited to be representing Canada and continue to develop her game.

“I’m really grateful to be here,” said McGrath on Monday after a news conference in Credit Valley’s clubhouse in Mississauga, Ont. “It’s just such an awesome feeling being here and representing our country, wearing all the logos and being on Team Canada.

“I’ve always wanted to play in this tournament, so it’s really special to me.”

McGrath will be joined by Nobelle Park of Oakville, Ont., and Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta., on Team Canada 2. All three earned their places through a qualifying tournament last month.

“I love my teammates so much,” said McGrath. “I know Nobelle and Eileen very well. I’m just so excited to be with them. We have such a great relationship.”

Shauna Liu of Maple, Ont., Calgary’s Aphrodite Deng and Clairey Lin make up Team Canada 2. Liu earned her exemption following her win at the 2024 Canadian Junior Girls Championship while Deng earned her exemption as being the low eligible Canadian on the world amateur golf ranking as of Aug. 7.

Deng was No. 175 at the time, she has since improved to No. 171 and is Canada’s lowest-ranked player.

“I think it’s a really great opportunity,” said Liu. “We don’t really get that many opportunities to play with people from across the world, so it’s really great to meet new people and play with them.

“It’s great to see maybe how they play and take parts from their game that we might also implement our own games.”

Golf Canada founded the World Junior Girls Golf Championship in 2014 to fill a void in women’s international competition and help grow its own homegrown talent. The hosts won for the first time last year when Vancouver’s Anna Huang, Toronto’s Vanessa Borovilos and Vancouver’s Vanessa Zhang won team gold and Huang earned individual silver.

Medallists who have gone on to win on the LPGA Tour include Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., who was fourth in the individual competition at the inaugural tournament. She was on Canada’s bronze-medal team in 2014 with Selena Costabile of Thornhill, Ont., and Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee.

Other notable competitors who went on to become LPGA Tour winners include Angel Yin and Megan Khang of the United States, as well as Yuka Saso of the Philippines, Sweden’s Linn Grant and Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand.

“It’s not if, it’s when they’re going to be on the LPGA Tour,” said Garrett Ball, Golf Canada’s chief operating officer, of how Canada’s golfers in the World Junior Girls Championship can be part of the organization’s goal to have 30 pros in the LPGA and PGA Tours by 2032.

“Events like this, like the She Plays Golf festival that we launched two years ago, and then the CPKC Women’s Open exemptions that we utilize to bring in our national team athletes and get the experience has been important in that pathway.”

The individual winner of the World Junior Girls Golf Championship will earn a berth in next year’s CPKC Women’s Open at nearby Mississaugua Golf and Country Club.

Both clubs, as well as former RBC Canadian Open host site Glen Abbey Golf Club, were devastated by heavy rains through June and July as the Greater Toronto Area had its wettest summer in recorded history.

Jason Hanna, the chief operating officer of Credit Valley Golf and Country Club, said that he has seen the Credit River flood so badly that it affected the course’s playability a handful of times over his nearly two decades with the club.

Staff and members alike came together to clean up the course after the flooding was over, with hundreds of people coming together to make the club playable again.

“You had to show up, bring your own rake, bring your own shovel, bring your own gloves, and then we’d take them down to the golf course, assign them to areas where they would work, and then we would do a big barbecue down at the halfway house,” said Hanna. “We got guys, like, 80 years old, putting in eight-hour days down there, working away.”