The Canadian Amateur Championship, begun in 1895, is the men's amateur golf championship of Canada. It is staged annually by Golf Canada. It was played at match play until 1968, went to stroke play beginning in 1969, and reverted to match play in 1995.[1] It then returned to stroke play in 2008.
The Royal Canadian Golf Association was founded in June 1895, at a meeting held in Ottawa by ten charter member clubs, hosted by the Ottawa Golf Club (later the Royal Ottawa Golf Club), and the new organization was granted the prefix 'Royal' in 1896. In conjunction with the meeting, the first men's amateur championship was staged, at match play, with the Governor General of Canada, Lord Aberdeen, donating a trophy, the Aberdeen Cup, to the champion. Thomas Harley of Kingston, Ontario won the first championship.[1]
This makes the Canadian Amateur slightly older than the U.S. Amateur, which was first staged later in 1895, and hence the third oldest national amateur championship in the world, after the British Amateur Championship, which began in 1885, and the Australian Amateur in 1894.
The Aberdeen Cup was granted in perpetuity to George Lyon, after he won three straight titles from 1905 to 1907. The original cup was retained by Lyon, but was eventually lost. A new trophy was then provided, the Earl Grey Cup. Lyon would win a total of eight Canadian titles, which is still a record,[1] and he also won the gold medal at golf in the 1904 St. Louis Olympics.
The tournament was held annually until 1914 inclusive, but then was cancelled from 1915 to 1918 because of World War I. It resumed in 1919, and then was staged annually until 1939 inclusive, being cancelled again from 1940 to 1945 because of World War II. It has been held annually since 1946.[1]
In 1927, the interprovincial team matches, which had begun in 1882, and held 27 times until 1921, between teams from Ontario and Quebec, but then dropped,[2] were resumed with the start of the Willingdon Cup competition, playing for a cup donated by the Governor General, Lord Willingdon. The Willingdon Cup features teams of four top players from each province, and is held on the first two days of the Canadian Amateur, which are also the qualifying days for the balance of the tournament. The Willingdon Cup was also not played from 1940-45.[1]
The Canadian Amateur stayed in Ontario and Quebec until 1921, when it went to Manitoba. It went to Alberta for the first time in 1929, to British Columbia for the first time in 1932, to Atlantic Canada for the first time in 1949, and to Saskatchewan for the first time in 1950.[3] Since then, it has rotated around the country's top courses, with the current format allowing each of the six major golf regions (Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia) to have its turn on approximately a six-year cycle. Among Canada's ten provinces, only Newfoundland and Labrador has yet to host it.
The Canadian Amateur was dominated in the 1920s and 1930s by Ross Somerville, who won six titles, finished runner-up four times, and had several more near-misses. Moe Norman won back-to-back titles in 1955 and 1956. Nick Weslock waited until age 40 to win the first of his four titles in 1957. Although Gary Cowan was consistently the best Canadian amateur from the late 1950s into the mid-1970s, he managed to win only one Canadian title, in 1961, but lost in the finals four more times, as well as finishing runner-up twice in stroke play. Doug Roxburgh won his first of four crowns in 1972. Jim Nelford won two in a row from 1975–1976, then narrowly missed a third in 1977, when he lost to Rod Spittle, who won two in a row. Brent Franklin won three in a row from 1985–1987, a feat not seen since Lyon did it some eighty years earlier.[1] Richard Scott won the Canadian title in three years out of four from 2003 to 2006. Cam Burke won two straight from 2008 to 2009.[4]
From the late 1920s into the 1970s, the Canadian Amateur often attracted many of the top American amateurs, several of whom carried the trophy south, including Dick Chapman, Frank Stranahan, Don Cherry, Harvie Ward, Allen Miller, Dick Siderowf, and George Burns. Other leading Americans who competed but fell short include William C. Campbell, Jay Sigel, and Nathaniel Crosby. The Canadian title has also been won by South African Reg Taylor (1962), New Zealanders Stuart Jones (1967) and Gareth Paddison (2001), Mexican Rafael Alarcón (1979), and Australian Gary Simpson (1993).
To date, four players have won both the U.S. Amateur and Canadian Amateur titles: Ross Somerville, Dick Chapman, Harvie Ward, and Gary Cowan. Chapman and Ward also won The Amateur Championship of Great Britain, a title which no Canadian has yet taken.
To date, eleven players who won the Canadian Amateur have also won events on the PGA Tour. These eleven (in chronological order of their Canadian Amateur wins) are: Fred Haas, Ken Black, Frank Stranahan, Bunky Henry, Allen Miller, George Burns (golfer), Richard Zokol, Garrett Willis, Dillard Pruitt, Nick Taylor, and Mackenzie Hughes.
Rod Spittle, Canadian Amateur champion in 1977 and 1978, later won an event on the Champions Tour, the 2010 AT&T Championship in San Antonio.
The Toronto Golf Club (1898, 1901, 1903, 1905, 1909, 1913, 1926, 1995, and 2017) and the Royal Ottawa Golf Club (1895, 1899, 1906, 1911, 1914, 1925, 1951, 1991, and 2016) have each hosted nine. Next are Royal Montreal Golf Club with seven (1897, 1900, 1902, 1904, 1908, 1912, and 1931) and Hamilton Golf and Country Club with six (1922, 1927, 1935, 1948, 1977, and 1994).
| Year | Venue | Winner | Country | Score | Runner-up | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, ONT | |||||
| 2024 | Riverside Country Club, SASK | Tyler Mawhinney | align=center | 273 |  Ashton McCulloch 274 | |
| 2023 | The Pulpit Club, ONT | 277 | Phil Arci 282 | |||
| 2022 | Point Grey Golf & Country Club, BC | 274 | Robbie Latter 276 | |||
| 2021 | Ambassador Golf Club, ONT | 267 | A.J. Ewart 269 | |||
| 2020 | Canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic[5] | |||||
| 2019 | Glen Arbour Golf Club, NS | 273 |  Calvin McCoy 281 | |||
| 2018 | Duncan Meadows, BC | 266 | Philip Knowles 269 | |||
| 2017 | Toronto Golf Club & Islington Golf Club, ONT | 272 | Shintaro Ban 273 | |||
| 2016 | Royal Ottawa Golf Club, QUE | 271 |  Andy Zhang 273 | |||
| 2015 | Weston Golf and Country Club, ONT | 275 | Hugo Bernard 281 Garrett Rank 281 Jake Shuman 281 | |||
| 2014 | Elmhurst Golf Club, MAN | 276 | Jonathan Garrick 276 Taylor Pendrith 276 | |||
| 2013 | Royal Colwood Golf Club, BC | 276 | Corey Conners 277 Taylor Pendrith 277 | |||
| 2012 | Camelot Golf Club, ONT | 276 | Brian Churchill-Smith 277 Chris Hemmerich 277 | |||
| 2011 | Niakwa Country Club, MAN | 274 | Albin Choi 276 | |||
| 2010 | London Hunt Club & Redtail G&CC, ONT | Albin Choi | 271 | Eugene Wong 274 | ||
| 2009 | Club de golf Le Blainvillier, QUE | 275 | Mitch Sutton 276 | |||
| 2008 | Paradise Canyon Golf & Country Club, ALTA | 274 | Scott Stiles 278 Eugene Wong 278 | |||
| 2007 | Riverside, SASK | 38 holes | Michael Knight | |||
| 2006 | Mississaugua Golf & Country Club, ONT | 2 & 1 | Todd Halpen | |||
| 2005 | 10 & 8 | Jay Snyder | ||||
| 2004 | Beaconsfield GC, QUE | Darren Wallace | 5 & 3 | Marc Bourgeois | ||
| 2003 | Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club, BC | 4 & 3 | Chris Baryla | |||
| 2002 | Fraser Edmundston Golf Club, NB | 6 & 5 | Michael Mezei | |||
| 2001 | Credit Valley G&CC, ONT | 8 & 7 | Graham Cooke | |||
| 2000 | Glendale G&CC, ALTA | 5 & 3 | Blair Buttar | |||
| 1999 | Rivershore Estates & Golf Links, BC | 1 up | Wes Heffernan | |||
| 1998 | Hillsdale G&CC, QUE | Craig Matthew | 2 & 1 | Steven Davies | ||
| 1997 | The Links at Crowbush Cove, PEI | Dale Goehring | 1 up | David Anthony | ||
| 1996 | Glendale G&CC, MAN | Rob McMillan | 4 & 3 | Craig Matthew | ||
| 1995 | Toronto Golf Club, ONT | 3 & 2 | Stu Hamilton | |||
| 1994 | Hamilton Golf and Country Club, ONT | 280(P) | Bryan DeCorso 280 | |||
| 1993 | Victoria Golf Club, BC | Gary Simpson | 281 | Stu Hamilton 282 | ||
| 1992 | Riverside Country Club, NB | Darren Ritchie | 282 | Mike Weir 284 | ||
| 1991 | Royal Ottawa Golf Club, QUE | Jeff Kraemer | 283 | Rob Anderson 285 Steven Davies 285 Mike Weir 285 | ||
| 1990 | Weston Golf and Country Club, ONT | 281 | Jeff Cannon 283 Arden Knoll 283 | |||
| 1989 | Oakfield G&CC, NS | Peter Major | 279 | Harvey Ellsworth 285 | ||
| 1988 | Gallaghers Canyon, BC | 285 | Orrin Vincent 288 | |||
| 1987 | Derrick, AB | 283 |  David Ecob 285 | |||
| 1986 | Mactaquac, NB | 286 | Jack Kay, Jr. 287 | |||
| 1985 | Riverside, SASK | 283(P) | Stu Hamilton 283 | |||
| 1984 | Sunningdale CC, ONT | Bill Swartz | 285 | Danny Mijovic 287 | ||
| 1983 | Capilano, BC | Danny Mijovic | 277 | Jay Sigel 284 | ||
| 1982 | Kanawaki, QUE | 287(P) | Brian Christie, Jr. 287 Stu Hamilton 287 | |||
| 1981 | Calgary G&CC, ALTA | 271(P) | Blaine McCallister 271 | |||
| 1980 | Halifax GC (New), NS | Greg Olson | 290 | Stu Hamilton 293 Steve Hayles 293 | ||
| 1979 | Brantford GC, ONT | 282 | Graham Cooke 286 | |||
| 1978 | Laval-sur-le-Lac Club, QUE | 276 | Gary Cowan 286 Bob Mase 286 | |||
| 1977 | Hamilton Golf and Country Club, ONT | 279 | Jim Nelford 281 | |||
| 1976 | Royal Colwood G&CC, BC | 287(P) |  Rafael Alarcón 287 | |||
| 1975 | Riverside Country Club, NB | 280 | Doug Roxburgh 284 | |||
| 1974 | Niakwa Country Club, MAN | 280 | Gary Cowan 284 | |||
| 1973 | Summit, ONT | 284 | Richard Ehrmanntraut 285 Daniel O'Neill 285 | |||
| 1972 | Earl Grey, ALTA | 276 | Dave Barr 280 | |||
| 1971 | Oakfield G&CC, NS | 293(P) | Doug Roxburgh 293 | |||
| 1970 | Ottawa Hunt, ONT | 274 | Stu Hamilton 284 Billy Kratzert 284 Dick Siderowf 284 Jim Simons 284 | |||
| 1969 | Westmount, ONT | Wayne McDonald | 284 | Dick Siderowf 285 Leonard Thompson 285 | ||
| 1968 | Mayfair, ALTA | Jim Doyle | 4 & 3 | Gary Cowan | ||
| 1967 | Royal Colwood, BC | 3 & 2 |  Ross Murray | |||
| 1966 | Summerlea, QUE | Nick Weslock | 1 up | William Brew | ||
| 1965 | Pine Ridge, MAN | 1 up | William C. Campbell | |||
| 1964 | Riverside, SASK | Nick Weslock | 1 up | Gary Cowan | ||
| 1963 | Riverside Country Club, NB | Nick Weslock | 7 & 6 | Bert Ticehurst | ||
| 1962 | Sunningdale CC, ONT | Reg Taylor | 4 & 2 | Tom Draper | ||
| 1961 | Edmonton CC, ALTA | 1 up | Ted Homenuik | |||
| 1960 | Ottawa Hunt, ONT | Keith Alexander | 4 & 3 | Gary Cowan | ||
| 1959 | Marine Drive, BC | John Johnston | 1 up | Gary Cowan | ||
| 1958 | Scarboro, ONT | Bruce Castator | 1 up | Eric Hanson | ||
| 1957 | St. Charles Country Club, MAN | Nick Weslock | 9 & 8 | Ted Homenuik | ||
| 1956 | Fraser Edmundston Golf Club, NB | 5 & 4 | Jerry Magee | |||
| 1955 | Calgary G&CC, ALTA | 39 holes | Lyle Crawford | |||
| 1954 | London Hunt, ONT | 5 & 4 | William C. Campbell | |||
| 1953 | Kanawaki, QUE | 1 up | Don Doe | |||
| 1952 | Capilano, BC | Larry Bouchery | 37 holes | William C. Campbell | ||
| 1951 | Royal Ottawa Golf Club, QUE | Walter McElroy | 2 & 1 | Phil Farley | ||
| 1950 | Saskatoon GC, SASK | Bill Mawhinney | 6 & 4 | Nick Weslock | ||
| 1949 | Riverside Country Club, NB | 38 holes | Phil Farley | |||
| 1948 | Hamilton Golf and Country Club, ONT | 9 & 7 | C.J. Stoddard | |||
| 1947 | Royal-Quebec Golf Club, QUE | 6 & 5 | Bill Ezinicki | |||
| 1946 | Mayfair, ALTA | Henry Martell | 6 & 5 | Ken Black | ||
| 1940-45: No Championships due to World War II | ||||||
| 1939 | Mount Bruno, QUE | Ken Black | 8 & 6 | Henry Martell | ||
| 1938 | London Hunt Club, ONT | Ted Adams | 37 holes | Ross Somerville | ||
| 1937 | Ottawa Hunt, ONT | 2 & 1 | Phil Farley | |||
| 1936 | St. Charles Country Club, MAN | 8 & 7 | Bobby Reith | |||
| 1935 | Hamilton Golf and Country Club, ONT | 7 & 6 | Gordon Taylor, Jr. | |||
| 1934 | Laval-sur-le-Lac Club, QUE | Albert Campbell | 1 up | Ross Somerville | ||
| 1933 | Shaughnessy Heights, BC | Albert Campbell | 3 & 2 | Ken Black | ||
| 1932 | Lambton Golf Club, ONT | Gordon B. Taylor | 5 & 3 | Jack A. Cameron | ||
| 1931 | Royal Montreal Golf Club, QUE | 3 & 2 | Arthur Yates | |||
| 1930 | London Hunt Club, ONT | 11 & 10 | J. Wood Platt | |||
| 1929 | Jasper Park Golf Club, ALTA | Eddie Held | 3 & 2 | Gardiner White | ||
| 1928 | Summerlea, QUE | 3 & 2 | William K. Lanman, Jr. | |||
| 1927 | Hamilton Golf and Country Club, ONT | 9 & 8 | Frank Thompson | |||
| 1926 | Toronto Golf Club, ONT | 4 & 3 | C.C. Fraser | |||
| 1925 | Royal Ottawa Golf Club, QUE | 5 & 4 | Ross Somerville | |||
| 1924 | Rosedale Golf Club, ONT | Frank Thompson | 3 & 1 | Ross Somerville | ||
| 1923 | Kanawaki Golf Club, QUE | W.J. Thompson | 3 & 2 | Redvers Mackenzie | ||
| 1922 | Hamilton Golf and Country Club, ONT | C.C. Fraser | 37 holes | Norman Scott | ||
| 1921 | Winnipeg GC, MAN | Frank Thompson | 38 holes | C.W. Hague | ||
| 1920 | Beaconsfield GC, QUE | C.B. Grier | 5 & 4 | Tom Gillespie | ||
| 1919 | Lambton Golf Club, ONT | William McLuckie | 6 & 4 | G.H. Turpin | ||
| 1915-18: No Championships due to World War I | ||||||
| 1914 | 8 & 7 | Brice Evans | ||||
| 1913 | Toronto Golf Club, ONT | G.H. Turpin | 1 up | Gerald Lees | ||
| 1912 | Royal Montreal Golf Club, QUE | 6 & 5 | A. Hutcheson | |||
| 1911 | G.H. Hutton | 39 holes | A.E. Austin | |||
| 1910 | Lambton Golf Club, ONT | Fritz Martin | 37 holes | George Lyon | ||
| 1909 | Toronto Golf Club, ONT | E. Legge | 1 up | G.F. Moss | ||
| 1908 | Royal Montreal Golf Club, QUE | A. Wilson, Jr. | 1 up | Fritz Martin | ||
| 1907 | Lambton Golf Club, ONT | 3 & 2 | Fritz Martin | |||
| 1906 | 5 & 4 | Douglas Laird | ||||
| 1905 | Toronto Golf Club, ONT | 12 & 11 | R.S. Strath | |||
| 1904 | Royal Montreal Golf Club, QUE | J. Percy Taylor | 5 & 3 | George Lyon | ||
| 1903 | Toronto Golf Club, ONT | 10 & 8 | M.C. Cameron | |||
| 1902 | Royal Montreal Golf Club, QUE | Fritz Martin | 1 up | R.C.H Cassells | ||
| 1901 | Toronto Golf Club, ONT | W.A.H. Kerr | 38 holes | J. Percy Taylor | ||
| 1900 | Royal Montreal Golf Club, QUE | 38 holes | Gordon W. McDougall | |||
| 1899 | Vere C. Brown | 5 & 3 | Stewart Gillespie | |||
| 1898 | Toronto Golf Club, ONT | 12 & 11 | G.H.F. Pattison | |||
| 1897 | Royal Montreal Golf Club, QUE | W.A.H. Kerr | 5 & 4 | R.T. Henderson | ||
| 1896 | Royal-Quebec Golf Club, QUE | Stewart Gillespie | 4 & 3 | W.A. Griffith | ||
| 1895 | Thomas Harley | 7 & 5 | A. Simpson | |||