SEPTEMBER 25, 2019
RICHMOND, BC (PGA of British Columbia) – To claim a victory last year in the PGA of BC Women’s Championship presented by Dexim Golfwear, Ashley Zibrik had to overcome arguably the strongest field the event had ever seen. As she seeks back-to-back wins, her extremely busy schedule as a Golf Professional will be an added challenge.
The Women’s Championship returns to Point Grey Golf & Country Club next week, taking place Oct. 1-2 in conjunction with the club’s annual Ladies’ Pro-Am in a 36-hole stableford-scoring format.
Zibrik came from behind in the final round of the 2018 tournament, carding six birdies over the final 18 holes en route to a three par-point margin of victory over the field, not long after an extended hiatus from competition.
“I had just come back to work last season from maternity leave, so my expectations for the event were just to enjoy the company and hopefully play well,” she said. “Then I played one of my best tournament rounds on Day 2, which was a nice surprise.”
As the recently-appointed Head Professional and Director of Golf at Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club, it’s been a whirlwind summer for Zibrik as she’s transitioned into the role, making it a bit tougher to keep her game sharp.
“There hasn’t been a lot of time for quality practice, but I have been playing as often as I can,” she said. “I feel very comfortable on that course, so I’m looking forward to seeing if I can repeat.”
Last year’s tournament was a special one on many fronts, particularly as it marked the return of the Women’s Championship as a standalone event. It also provided a chance for many established PGA of BC Professionals and relative newcomers to the Association to compete alongside each other for the first time.
Point Grey Professional Kat Kennedy was among those newcomers, making her pro debut at the Women’s Championship, just a few months removed from winning the 2018 Alberta Ladies’ Amateur Championship.
“It was a great way to start out as a female professional – getting to meet the other ladies within our region, playing with them and learning from them was the biggest key that I took away from it,” said the 24-year-old, who wound up placing third. “I wasn’t really sure what to expect with it being my first pro tournament, and it was definitely a different feeling stepping up to the first tee.”
In the end, the top five finishers were representative of the cross-section of female Professionals competing: Zibrik and runner-up Leila Harman (Morgan Creek Golf Course), who own six Women’s Championship titles between them, first-time competitors like Kennedy and Christine Wong (Langara College), plus longtime LPGA Tour standout A.J. Eathorne.
“I think it’s great to build the camaraderie between the girls, bounce ideas off each other and to know that there is the support there amongst women in the industry. We genuinely enjoy playing together and it’s fun when you’re teeing it up from the same set of tees. Sometimes, we’re lone soldiers playing with the guys,” said Zibrik, who was the lone female to compete in the PGA of BC’s Club Professional Championship this week.
Zibrik, Harman and Kennedy will all be back in the field next week, and will be joined by a number of others more than capable of capturing victory this year. Patty Jonas (Philip Jonas Golf Academy) and Jennifer Greggain (Chilliwack Golf Club) – both three-time titlists – and 2014 winner Salimah Mussani (Riverway Golf Course) are among those who already have their name etched on the Women’s Championship trophy.
But based upon 2019 results, it’s Wong who appears to be the favourite heading into the event.
Wong tied for eighth at the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada this summer, with her second-place finish among PGA of Canada members helping her earn a spot on Canada’s team for the inaugural PGA Women’s Cup competition taking place in Texas in late October. She’s also had a great year in co-ed competition, placing T5 overall in the Vancouver Open while winning the women’s division by 19 strokes, and was the lone female to qualify for the Lower Mainland’s G&G Tour Championship for PGA of BC members in the region.
The pro-am will take place on the first day of competition, with just the Professionals returning to play Round 2 next Wednesday. Point Grey is currently undergoing extensive renovations to its practice facility and three of its holes, but the course will be routed so that 18 holes are played on each day of the competition.
“It’s been a quiet year with the construction, so having the Women’s Championship here again, there’s a lot of buzz going around with the pro-am happening on the first day with our members,” said Kennedy. “It’s always exciting to have an outside tournament coming here and putting Point Grey on the map.”
Round 1 draw information will be available in the near future. Click here to access the tournament page for full event details.
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In 1989 Canadian company Dexim Sportswear entered the field of women’s apparel, creating and tailoring garments achieving a mix of performance and style. Now known as Dexim Golfwear, its lines are recognizable by their sporty cut, casual and chic, and for keeping ahead of the curve in golf fashion. Over the years, the Dexim Golfwear collection has proudly distinguished itself from its competitors through the use of high-quality fabrics that are both durable and reliable. Dexim Golfwear’s collections are conceived, designed and manufactured entirely in Canada and at competitive prices defying import. Today, Dexim’s offerings are distributed through more than 400 stores, golf shops and other renowned boutiques specializing in sports across Canada. For more information, please visit deximgolfwear.com.
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For more information or media inquiries, please contact:
Eric MacKenzie
Communications & Marketing Manager, PGA of BC
(604) 303-6766
eric@pgabc.org