Preview: 2025 COBRA PUMA Golf Assistants' Championship
June 5, 2025
Richmond, BC (PGA of BC) - The PGA of BC’s COBRA PUMA Golf Assistants’ Championship will see a field of nearly 100 competitors take on Meadow Gardens Golf Club on Monday, June 9 and Tuesday, June 10.
Framed by the snow-capped Golden Ears peaks in Pitt Meadows, Meadow Gardens Golf Club offers a scenic but challenging test of skill. Canadian architect Les Furber’s layout guides players to a dramatic island-green 18th. Competitors can expect firm and fast conditions as the forecast calls for warm, sunny weather.
Meadow Gardens Head Professional Craig Barr has been eager to showcase the course on a provincial stage.
“It’s something that we've been looking forward to for a long time, to host a tournament of this calibre and to see what the best players in the province can do at Meadow Gardens. It’ll be really interesting to see what the pros will shoot out there with lots of good players, especially since the weather shouldn't be a factor, so hopefully the best player can win.”
He says sheer power helps, yet Meadow Gardens’ par-5s tip the balance back toward precision on their rolling greens.
“Length is definitely an asset at most golf courses, for sure, but length isn’t always the biggest factor on our par-5s with the risk-reward. Just because you hit the putting surface in two doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed a birdie, because our greens are very undulating. It’s a great equalizer that way,” said Barr.
“The 18th hole is definitely the one that everybody’s going to talk about. It’s a par-5, but there are going to be pros going for it in two or trying to cut something off, and that’s when the big numbers can creep in. It’s going to be interesting to see what the leaders do and how it dictates the overall result.”
Seymour Creek Golf Centre’s Steven Lecuyer is the two-time defending champion, having taken titles at Chilliwack Golf Club in 2023 and Nk’Mip Canyon Desert Golf Course in 2024. Lecuyer will compete in hopes of joining Gerry Chatelain (1972, 1973, 1974) as the only PGA of BC member to win three consecutive Assistants’ Championships.
“I wouldn’t say I’m feeling pressure so much as excitement. Besides a Junior Club Championship, I don’t think I’ve ever defended a title twice. To be able to try and win three times in a row, I’m really excited about that," said Lecuyer.
Looking ahead to Meadow Gardens, he believes discipline will outweigh aggression.
“I played Meadow Gardens last week, and I actually laid back on a lot of holes and was still able to score decently. I used to try to go at it and be really aggressive out there, but I think this year, I’m going to be pretty conservative because you can get into trouble out there pretty fast. There’s a lot of water, there’s a lot of trouble.”
Lecuyer will face stiff competition from an elite field of golfers. Top competitors teeing it up next week include 2021 Assistants’ Champion Conner Kozak (Okanagan Golf Club); 2024 Assistants’ runner-up Lionel Taylor (Monte’s Golf Shop); 2022 PGA of BC Champion Nate Ollis (Cordova Bay Golf Course); 2024 PGA of BC Championship runner-up Andy Lin (Pacific Golf Academy); and 2024 PGA of Canada Assistants’ runner-up Maxwell Cohen (Langley Golf Centre).
The PGA of BC extends our appreciation to Title Sponsor COBRA PUMA Golf, Sales Representative Hugh Chan, and Master Fitter Brian Miller for their support of the event. COBRA PUMA Golf’s patronage has allowed the Association to expand the Assistants’ field and welcome more competitors.
The Association would also like to thank Barr, Director of Golf Joe Schuster and the entire Meadow Gardens team for their efforts and assistance in advance of the Championship.
The event draw will be available online and shared with all competitors tomorrow. For any questions, please reach out to Membership & Events Manager Doug Titterington at doug@pgabc.org.
2024 PGA of BC COBRA PUMA Golf Assistants' Champion Steven Lecuyer.