GOLF PREVIEW: Canada West’s best set to tee off at Paradise Canyon

Oct. 2, 2026 - The first championship of the Canada West calendar has arrived.

Championship golf takes centre stage in southern Alberta this week as the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns host the 2026 Canada West Golf Championships at Paradise Canyon Golf Resort.

The conference’s best golfers will compete for team and individual honours over two days, with the UBC Thunderbirds women chasing a seventh consecutive championship and the UBCO Heat men looking to complete a three-peat.

The 36-hole championship opens Monday, Oct. 5, with the final round set for Tuesday, Oct. 6.

Competing teams will feature the host Lethbridge Pronghorns, as well as competitors from Alberta, Calgary, UBC Okanagan, UBC, Fraser Valley, Victoria, Regina and Manitoba.

For the very first time, the championship will be held outside British Columbia, with Paradise Canyon Golf Resort offering a scenic yet demanding test. Tiered greens, challenging bunkers and several holes that bring the Oldman River into play will put a premium on accuracy and smart course management. Southern Alberta’s trademark October winds could add another layer of difficulty.

Live scoring and additional championship information will be available on the CW Championship Homepage.

UBC women chase seventh straight title

The UBC Thunderbirds have set the standard since Canada West introduced golf in 2019, winning all six women’s team championships contested to date. Last year’s victory came after a tight battle with UBCO, with the T-Birds pulling away in the final round to finish six strokes clear of the Heat.

Now led by first-year head coach and former Thunderbird standout Cory Renfrew, UBC arrives with a deep lineup that includes reigning CW individual champion Katherine Hao. The T-Birds have already made a strong opening statement this season, winning the Oregon Tech Invitational by 17 strokes.

Third-year standout Keira Hou will be another golfer to watch. The reigning Cascade Collegiate Conference Player of the Year opened this campaign with a runner-up finish at Oregon Tech and will look to carry that consistency into Lethbridge.

The UBCO Heat are determined to challenge the defending champions after three consecutive team silver medals. All five Heat golfers finished inside the top 10 at last year’s championship, underscoring the depth throughout the roster that has kept the program firmly in contention. This year's lineup sports a relatively young roster, so the Heat will need to rely on contributions throughout the lineup as they chase a fourth consecutive trip to the podium.

Leading the way is Julia Alexander-Carew, whose CW individual silver last fall was followed by a second place finish and All-Canadian honours at the 2026 Canadian University/College Championship. The Oakville, Ont., product also enters with a third-place finish at the Grisham Memorial Shootout this season.

The Alberta Pandas bring momentum of their own after winning two of three September events, taking team titles at the inaugural Cougar Cup in Regina and the University of Alberta Invitational in Stony Plain.

Fourth-year Kalee Seto anchors their push for a first top-four CW team finish. Seto earned her seventh career collegiate victory at the Alberta Invitational, and two of her previous wins have come at Paradise Canyon - experience that could prove valuable on championship week.

The host Pronghorns will look to use their home course familiarity to their advantage, having already won the team title at the 2026 Pronghorn Invitational at Paradise Canyon earlier this year. Kyra Tovee led the way at that event, winning the individual championship by six strokes.

Expect Victoria to also be in the mix for the team title, led by Cindy Koira. One of the most accomplished golfers in program history, Koira enters her fourth season after capturing a second consecutive NAIA Continental Conference individual title, and a top ten finish at last year's CW Championships.

The Calgary Dinos women's squad will be led by Kristin McGeachie. One of the longer hitters on the team, her consistent ball striking has been key to her success as she looks for a strong showing.

Heat men target three-peat

The UBCO Heat arrive in Lethbridge with both conference and national credentials, having captured back-to-back CW team titles and the 2026 Canadian University/College Championship.

Their returning lineup includes 2025 CW bronze medallist Ryan Gillis and fellow all-star Andrew Rouble, while first-year standout Brayden Card has made an immediate impact. Card recently finished just outside the podium at the Western Washington Invitational, helping UBCO place third against a field featuring numerous NCAA Division II programs.

Second-year Oakley Mayner is another contender to watch. The Kelowna, B.C., product earned individual silver and All-Canadian honours at the national championship with an eight-under-par 208. His ability to control his ball flight could be particularly valuable if the wind picks up at Paradise Canyon.

UBC, meanwhile, is looking to reclaim the conference crown after finishing just two strokes behind the Heat last year. Under Renfrew, the Thunderbirds opened this season by setting a new 54-hole CCC team scoring record in a victory at the Oregon Tech Invitational.

Jake Houston led that charge with a remarkable 15-under-par 201, the second-lowest 54-hole total in program history. The reigning CCC Player of the Year and product of Point-Claire, Que. will look to build on that performance as UBC pursues its first CW team title since 2023.

The Manitoba Bisons will also be aiming to build on a breakthrough 2025 championship event, when they earned their first CW team medal with a bronze finish. A returning core has already helped Manitoba win an event in Minnesota this fall.

Third-year Rory Neill headlines the lineup after earning individual silver at last year’s CW championship. Fresh off winning the Manitoba Amateur Championship this summer, Neill will look to continue his strong play in Lethbridge.

The Alberta Golden Bears enter with momentum after sweeping their three September tournaments, winning in Regina, Lethbridge and Stony Plain. Among their golfers to watch is Seth Mottershead-Yee, who recorded back-to-back runner-up finishes in Lethbridge and Stony Plain. The third-year Bear showed his scoring potential at Paradise Canyon earlier this fall, collecting nine birdies and an eagle across two rounds. Another strong showing on the same course could help Alberta challenge for its best finish at a CW Championship.

Victoria's Owen Croft will be a title contender coming off a breakout 2025-26 season that included a Canada West individual championship and a third-place finish at the NAIA Men's National Championship.

Regina's Jackson Wingert will also be a threat to top the leaderboard, having already won the 2026 Pronghorn Invitational at Paradise Canyon earlier this fall.

The Calgary Dinos men are ready to compete after strong early season results led by Desmond White, who finished the Lethbridge Invitational as the lowest-scoring Dino finishing just five shots off the lead.

The host Lethbridge Pronghorns will expect another strong showing from Brennan Tailfeathers after he finished third at their home event at Paradise Canyon earlier in September.