A Golden Cascade

Story courtesy of the CCAA

For just the fourth time in 17 years, the same school won both the men’s and women’s team titles at the PING CCAA Golf National Championships as the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) Cascades won double gold at Royal Ashburn Golf Club on Friday afternoon.

The 2013 Cascades were the last team to accomplish this feat to join the ranks of the Humber Hawks in 2007 and 2003.

The Cascades also took home the men’s individual title as CCAA All-Canadian Daniel Campbell led wire-to-wire, beating out silver medalist James Casorso of University of British Columbia – Okanagan (UBC-O) by eight strokes.

“It’s pretty exciting (having the team win gold alongside him),” said Campbell. “It’s a good group of guys. They’re fun to play with on and off the golf course. They keep it light and it’s always fun playing with them.”

Charles-Eric Bélanger of Champlain St. Lawrence rounded out the podium ending up one stroke behind Casorso. Bélanger edged out Thomas Code of Fanshawe and Zach Olson of UFV who were named championship all-stars.
For the first time in CCAA history, the women’s individual title came down to a playoff as Sarah-Eve Rheaume of the Champlain St. Lawrence Lions and Madison Kapchinsky of UFV were tied at 23-over after four rounds. On the playoff hole, Rheaume’s downhill putt from about 30 yards out would set her up for a short putt for par to win the title as Kapchinsky would record a bogey after having her drive go into the sand.

Addison Wallwin of the Georgian Grizzlies, the defending CCAA individual champion, won the bronze medal finishing 14 strokes back of the leaders and three strokes ahead of Shaye Leidenius of Red Deer.

For both UFV teams, it was their second team title in program history with the other two coming in 2013.

The women’s team ran away with the title finishing at 59-over, 21 strokes better than Georgian and Champlain St. Lawrence who ended up in a tie. Champlain St. Lawrence would end up winning silver after the tie-breaker with Georgian claiming bronze. Humber would place fourth, 11 strokes back of a podium finish.

On the men’s side, UFV had the low round of the day at seven-over to win gold by 16 strokes. UBC-O would win silver, their first team medal on the men’s side in program history. Humber edged out Champlain St. Lawrence by three strokes to earn bronze, picking up their first medal on the men’s side since 2013.

Winning the team gold and an individual silver medal, Kapchinsky will overjoyed with her championship experience.

“Our team performance was everything we could ever ask for,” said Kapchinsky. “It’s my first national championship. I think we all played great and am proud of all three of us.”

The host Durham Lords moved up one spot and finished in sixth place overall in the team standings. Josh Taylor would crack the top 20, shooting four-over on Friday and ending up at 23-over for the tournament.

As part of the championship the host committee at Durham College and Conroy’s No Frills in Whitby have partnered to have one pound of food donated to the Salvation Army for every birdie made throughout the tournament.

Through the championship the field recorded 450 birdies, or 450 pounds of food that will be donated to the Salvation Army.