Canada West announced on Wednesday that the conference golf championship, set for fall of 2020, will conmtinue following a vote from all 17 CW member schools.
Prior to Canada West announcing that the all first-team sports would not proceed in early June, UBC Okanagan had successfully won the bid to host the secind Canada West Golf Championship at the Okanagan Golf Club’s Bear Course (OGC).
UBCO hosted the conference’s inaugural championship last fall as the sport made its conference debut. Golf, at the West level, was offcially added as a sport following the 2018 Canada West AGM.
In that first championship last October at the OGC, the UBC Thunderbirds were crowned champions on the women’s side while the UFV Cascades brought home the first-ever CW men’s banner. As for the home team, the Heat women finished in fifth while the men missed the podium by 3-strokes, finishing fourth.
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“I’m hesitant to say I’m excited about the announcement from Canada West on Wednesday,” said Tom Hulsman, UBC Okanagan’s director, Athletics and Recreation.
“It’s unfortunate that so many sports and student athletes from across the country are having their seasons altered or even lost by COVID-19. But the nature of golf lends itself to physically distancing and inherntly follows many of the health and safety guidelines. The CW COVID-19 Task Force, after much hard work, was able to see how a championship could be run safely, and I’m pleased that the Canada West members saw fit to crown champions in the sport of golf in 2020.”
“After hosting an outstanding inaugural championship last fall at the Okanagan Golf Club, I look forward to working with the same esteemed group again to host a second-consecutive great event for the Conference,” said Huisman.
“The Canada West announcement on Wednesday will give our golfers some clarity and purpose to their training and to the upcoming fall,” said Heat golf coach Clay Stothers.
“Both our men’s and women’s teams last year put together a strong tournament, and with the men finishing fourth, they qualified for the Canadian University/College golf championships - a school first. But without that podium finish, the teams felt they left some hardware on the table.”
The Canada West championship is slated for Oct. 2-4. The Bear course at the Okanagan Golf Club will be able to work out some COVID-19 procedures in tournament play later this month when the course plays host to the 118th BC Amateur/Junior Boys Championship running from July 28 - 30.
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