Sunk events rough for Diamond

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This article was published 15/06/2020 (2254 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Hannah Diamond received some clarity on her summer golf schedule, which won’t include a couple of trips to Quebec after all.

Instead, the 24-year-old Winnipegger will stick close to home — owing to the COVID-19 pandemic — after Golf Canada cancelled all of its amateur competitions for the duration of the 2020 season Monday.

Diamond, who plays out of St. Charles, was tentatively slated to play in both the Canadian women’s amateur (Montreal, July 21-24) and Canadian women’s mid-amateur (Bromont, Que., Aug. 25-27) championships.

The Canadian amateur was to have been staged at venerable Royal Montreal Golf Club, the oldest course in North America. The event is considered one of the top-ranked women’s amateur events in the world.

“I think I’ve played in the last six and I always enjoy that event. It’s nice to travel and meet people from around the world. I’ve played with women from so many different countries,” Diamond said Monday. “I found out it got cancelled and it wasn’t overly shocking, I would say, with the situation we’re in right now. But it’s disappointing, for sure.”

Golf Canada had previously announced the cancellation or postponement of a number of its junior and amateur competitions scheduled through mid-June.

Diamond finished second — a career best — to Greer Valequenta at the provincial amateur in 2019 in Selkirk to qualify for the national event in Red Deer, Alta. Out west, she fired a 1-over 73 in the opening round but stumbled on Day 2, carding an 87 to miss the cut.

“I haven’t made the cut in that event, yet, so that first round was definitely exciting. I’m definitely making strides with my game, and I really thought this year I’d give it a good run again,” said Diamond, who played on the women’s golf team at the University of Victoria for three years.

“I got new clubs this season for the first time in about seven years, so that’s been nice. I’m still working out the kinks with those ones but I definitely like where my game’s going. I feel like I’m progressing year to year.”

Diamond’s 2020 season is already off to a terrific start. The two-time defending champion has advanced to the semifinals of the provincial women’s match-play championship at St. Charles and has home-course advantage in a head-to-head battle this Saturday with Mikyla Albert.

No spectators are allowed and participants must carry their own clubs, part of Golf Manitoba’s return-to-play protocols.

The Canadian men’s amateur was scheduled to take place at Glencoe Golf & Country Club in Calgary from Aug. 3-6 — the 125th anniversary of the storied championship.

The cancellations of the men’s and women’s national amateurs mark the first time since the Second World War the marquee events won’t tee off.

— with files from The Canadian Press

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell