Kamloops, B.C. – Two-time defending champion Natasha Stasiuk and Chris Willis find themselves atop their respective leaderboards after the opening round of the 2023 Canadian All Abilities Championship, presented by BDO at the Kamloops Golf and Country Club in Kamloops, B.C.
A field of 43 players, regardless of disability classification, are competing over 36-holes in four different divisions in the national championship: Women’s Gross Stroke Play; Women’s Net Stableford; Men’s Gross Stroke Play; and Men’s Net Stableford.
In the Women’s Gross Stroke Play Championship, Stasiuk of Oakville, Ont. is in search of her third straight national championship after shooting a 13-over 85 to take a ten-shot lead into the final round on Friday. Stasiuk also won the Ontario Adaptive Championship for a fifth time in July. Tess Trojan of St. Catharines, Ont. and Emma Bittorf of Strathmore, Alta. are both tied for second after shooting rounds of 23-over 95 on Thursday.
Bittorf leads the Women’s Net Stableford competition after earning a total of 37 stableford points in the opening round and takes a four-point lead into Friday over two-time defending stableford champion Tess Trojan (33).
In the Men’s Gross Stroke Play Championship, Willis of Aurora, Ont. shot a 4-under 68 and leads by one shot over Dustin Boydell (3-under 69) of Chilliwack, B.C. Willis was the runner-up at the 2022 Canadian All Abilities Championship and is currently ranked no. 20 in the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD). He also won the 2023 Ontario Adaptive Championship in July. Russell Aide of Stirling, Ont. is alone in third following a 2-over 74 on Thursday. Kevin Delaney of Windsor, Ont. and Kiefer Jones of Calgary are tied for fourth at 3-over.
In the Men’s Net Stableford competition Delaney opened his defence of the title by earning 39 stableford points on Thursday to take a two-point lead into Friday over Dustin Boydell (37 points). Thomas Martineau of Kingston, Ont. (36 points), Chris Willis (36 points) and Craig Dowling of Vancouver (34 points) round out the top-five.
The stableford scoring format of the Canadian All Abilities Championship awards set points based off a golfer’s net score for the hole. The points are awarded as follows: Albatross (5 points), Eagle (4 points), Birdie (3 points), Par (2 points), Bogey (1 point), Double Bogey or higher (0 points). The golfers with the highest total of accumulated points over 36-holes will win their respective divisions.
The third playing of the national championship features competitors from Canada and the United States with neurological, intellectual, sensory, and physical impairments. First conducted in 2021 at Humber Valley Golf Course in Toronto, Ont., the competition supports Golf Canada’s commitment to create a more inclusive and respectful sport environment across the Canadian golf community.
