Holyrood, Nfld. – Hannah Thomas and Bode Stephen emerged victorious in their respective divisions at the NextGen Atlantic Championship, held on Thursday at the Wilds Resort in Holyrood, Nfld.
Thomas, hailing from Calgary, Alta., staged an impressive comeback after trailing by four shots going into the final round. She shot a final round 75 to clinch the championship with a total score of 25-over, securing a two-shot victory over Ava Gilbart of Toronto, Ont. and Adrianna Salalila of Peterborough, Ont.
Reflecting on her performance, Thomas attributed her success to her ability to hit greens consistently, solid long irons and drives, along with strong putting. She expressed gratitude for her focus and concentration that helped her secure the win.
In the Junior Boys Division, Bode Stephen from Kingston, Ont., claimed victory in a playoff by birdieing the first hole to edge out Brett Shaw of Stratford, P.E.I.
Stephen held a four-shot lead heading into the final round after shooting a 1-under 71 on Wednesday. Despite a double bogey on the 18th hole leading to a 76 in the final round, Stephen managed to secure the win in the playoff.
Both Thomas and Stephen earned exemptions to compete in the respective Canadian Junior Championships in 2024. Thomas will be participating in the Canadian Junior Girls Championship at Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver, B.C., while Stephen will be heading to the Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Innisfail Golf Club in Innisfail, Alta.
With the conclusion of the 54-hole stroke play competition, the NextGen Atlantic Championship series concluded, featuring a field of 62 male and female competitors, including 47 Junior Boys and 15 Junior Girls.
About the NextGen Championships
The NextGen Championships are part of a high-performance junior golf series consisting of six competitions held from May to July across Canada. These championships provide an opportunity for junior golfers to showcase their skills and earn exemptions into the 2024 national championships, competing at the highest level of tournament golf.
