RCGA names Taylor, Sherlock as Canada' top amateurs

OAKVILLE, ON (January 5, 2010) – For the second year in a row, Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C. and Stephanie Sherlock of Barrie, Ont. are recognized as Canada’s top male and female amateur golfers as the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) announced the final standings for the 2009 National Order of Merit presented by Under Armour.

In the men’s national ranking, 21-year old Taylor tops the list after a stellar season that saw him capture the Low Amateur Medal at the U.S. Open held at Bethpage State Park - Black Course after finishing tied for 36th. He also won the Sahalee Players Championship; was a member of Canada’s champion Four Nations Cup team; was runner-up at the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship; and managed a tie for third at the Canadian Men's Amateur Championship.

The University of Washington Husky also tallied three individual victories (Hawai’i-Hilo Intercollegiate, Oregon Duck Invitational, and U.S. Intercollegiate) and a tie for medalist honours at the CordeValle Collegiate. He finished second at the NCAA Regional Championship and the Pac-10 Championship; tied for ninth at the NCAA Championship; and was named Pac-10 Player of the Year as well as a semi-finalist for the prestigious Ben Hogan Award. He also was presented with the Mark H McCormack Medal which recognizes the top-ranked golfer in the Royal and Ancient’s World Amateur Golf Ranking at the end of each amateur season and following the European and U.S. Amateur Championships.

Rounding out the top five on the men’s Order of Merit are NCAA Individual Champion Matt Hill of Bright’s Grove, Ont.; Brady Johnson of Mill Bay, B.C.; two-time Canadian Men’s Amateur Champion Cam Burke of New Hamburg, Ont.; and Mitchell Evanecz of Red Deer, Alta.

On the women’s side, Sherlock, a senior studying business at the University of Denver, elevated her game to yet another level in 2009 winning the Ron Moore Women’s Intercollegiate Tournament; being named second team All-American for a third successive year; and finishing tied for 11th at the NCAA Championships.

In 2009, while continuing to hone her skills on Team Canada for a fourth successive year, the 22-year old finished third at the Royale Cup Canadian Women's Amateur Championship and second at the Ontario Women's Amateur Championship.

Rounding out the top five in women’s national rankings are Sue Kim of Langley, B.C.; Maude Aimee LeBlanc of Sherbrooke, Que.; reigning Canadian junior girls and Canadian amateur champion Jennifer Kirby of Paris, Ont.; and Nicole Vandermade of Brantford, Ont.

Mitch Sutton of London, Ont. and Sue Kim of Langley, B.C. finished atop the CN Future Links Junior Boy’s and Girl’s Order of Merit to be named Canada’s top junior golfers for the 2009 season.

In 2009, 18-year old Sutton claimed his second consecutive Canadian Junior Boys Championship and finished second at the Canadian Men's Amateur Championship. He was also crowned champion at the Ontario Junior Boys Match Play Championship and the Ontario Men's Better-Ball Championship. Other strong finishes included a tie for eighth at the Ontario Men's Amateur Championship and a tie for third at the CN Future Links Pacific Championship.

Sutton, a member of Team Canada for 2010, joined the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the fall of this year.

Albin Choi of Toronto, Justin Shin of Maple Ridge, B.C., Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont. and Sam Holland of New Minas, N.S. round out the top five on the junior boys order of merit.

Kim, 18, enjoyed another standout year in 2009 finishing second at the Royale Cup Canadian Women's Amateur Championship; third at the B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship; tied for fourth at the Royale Cup Canadian Junior Girls Championship; and fourth at the CN Future Links Pacific Championship.

The Team Canada member was also the top point getter on the 2008 CN Future Links Junior Girls Order of Merit. In the fall of 2009, Kim joined Sherlock as a member of the University of Denver Pioneer golf team.

Rounding out the top five on the 2009 CN Future Links Girls National Orders of Merit is Jennifer Kirby of Paris, Ont.; Rebecca Lee-Bentham of Toronto; Anne-Catherine Tanguay of Quebec City; and Christine Wong of Richmond, B.C.

Kirby, a member of 2010 Team Canada, claimed victory at a slew of tournaments including the Royale Cup Canadian Women’s and Junior Girls Championships as well as the Toronto Star Amateur, the Ontario Amateur and the Ontario Junior. However, the Alabama freshman played in fewer events than those ranking above her on the 2009 Order of Merit.