Canadian Golf Journalists Announce Awards

As a member of The Golf Journalists of Canada I am proud to pass on the results from our 2009 Player of the Year Awards. The winners were announced earlier today.

January 4, 2010 – The Golf Journalists Association of Canada (GJAC) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2009 Player of the Year Awards as selected by golf journalists from across Canada.

During the month of December GJAC members voted on a slate of nominees from amongst Canada’s best golfers based on their performance over the preceding year. The annual GJAC Awards are named in recognition of Canadian Golf Hall of Fame members who excelled throughout their lifetime in amateur and professional golf.

Following are the winners of the 2009 GJAC Awards:

George Knudson Award for Best Male Professional of the Year:

Graham DeLaet,

Weyburn, Saskatchewan

DeLaet split his time in 2009 between the South African Sunshine Tour and the Canadian Tour. He won the BMG Cup on the Sunshine Tour and also recorded a pair of runner-up finishes. On the Canadian Tour Graham had two victories (ATB Financial Classic and The Players Cup) to go along with a handful of Top 10 finishes that led to him winning the Canadian Tour Order of Merit. DeLaet capped off his excellent season by representing Canada at The World Cup in China, then played his way onto the PGA Tour for 2010 with an 8^th place finish at the third and final stage of PGA Tour qualifying school.

Runner-up: Stephen Ames, Calgary, Alberta

Sandra Post Award for Best Female Professional of the Year:

Lisa Meldrum

Montreal, Quebec

Lisa Meldrum of Montreal is awarded the Sandra Post Award for 2009 based on her best year yet in professional golf. With a victory at the iMPACT Classic on the Duramed FUTURES Tour as well as two other Top 10 finishes, Meldrum finished 15^th on the Tour’s Order of Merit. The former three-time Canadian Amateur Champion then finished fifth at the LPGA Tour qualifying school earning her full exempt status on the Tour in 2010.

Runner-up: Samantha Richdale, Kelowna, BC

Gary Cowan Award for Best Male Amateur of the Year:

Matt Hill,

Forest, Ontario

Matt Hill gets the nod for the Gary Cowan Award by virtue of his record breaking NCAA national championship season. Playing at North Carolina State, the young gun from Forest, Ontario tallied eight college wins this year, including six in a row, shattering a record previously held by Tiger Woods. Hill also won the Jack Nicklaus Award as the NCAA’s top golfer and during the season was ranked as the #2 Amateur in the world. Matt was a member of Canada’s championship Four Nations Cup squad, claimed the Ontario Amateur Championship and placed third at the Canadian Amateur Championship.

Runner-up: Nick Taylor, Abbotsford, BC

Marlene Streit Award for Best Female Amateur of the Year:

Jennifer Kirby

Paris, Ontario

Not since 1951 has a Canadian Junior golfer had the kind of year that Jennifer Kirby had in 2009. With victories at the Ontario Junior, Canadian Junior, Ontario Amateur and Canadian Amateur Championships, Kirby dominated golf at the highest level for both women and junior girls in Canada this past year. Adding to her impressive accomplishments, Kirby also won the prestigious Toronto Star Women’s Amateur and the CN Future Links Pacific Championship. Jennifer’s victories mirrored the accomplishments of Canadian and World Golf Hall of Fame member Marlene Stewart Streit who won the Ontario Junior, Ontario Amateur, Canadian Ladies Open Amateur and Canadian Ladies Close Amateur Championships as a 17-year old in 1951.

Runner-up: Sue Kim, Langley, BC