GOLF: UBC women, UBCO men win 2025 Canada West Golf Championships

Victoria's Owen Croft and UBC's Katherine Hao claim individual titles

21 October 2025

CHILLIWACK, B.C. – The UBC Okanagan Heat men’s team and the UBC Thunderbirds women’s team repeated as champions at the 2025 Canada West Golf Championships, capping off two days of impressive scoring at Chilliwack Golf Club.

Both team championship races went right down to the wire, as low scores and steady play defined the final round on Tuesday.

On the men’s side, the Heat edged out the Thunderbirds in a thrilling finish to defend their conference title and secure back-to-back championships. Trailing UBC by three strokes entering the day, UBCO made a nine-stroke improvement on Tuesday to take the crown by a narrow two shot margin.

“The players played unbelievable. I mean 19-under-par in one day is a school record for us. Just extremely proud of the guys to show what they're capable of doing," said UBCO head coach Clay Stothers, who was also named the conference's men's golf coach of the year. "It's a belief system that the players have within the program, within our school and what we're trying to do. It's just great to see the kids get rewarded for all the hard work that they've put in.”

The Thunderbirds finished with silver for the second straight year, while Manitoba made history by earning bronze, their first ever medal at a Canada West golf championship.

The women’s title also featured a tight race between the two sister schools, with the Thunderbirds and Heat entering the final round in a dead heat. The teams battled it out stroke-for-stroke early, but UBC eventually pulled away late with a sensational final round that saw the team shoot seven-under par.

With the victory, the T-Birds stretch their dynasty to six straight championships.

“I'm so proud of college golf in Canada — the level of play this week was incredible and so promising for the future," said Keri Moffat, UBC assistant coach. "UBCO was outstanding. Our goal today was just to be really patient out there and to stay in our lane. Coming down the stretch they did, and I'm just really proud of them."

UBCO earned their third consecutive silver medal and ended up finishing six strokes back, while Victoria claimed the bronze.

Hao, Croft earn individual titles

UBC's Katherine Hao won the individual women’s title by five strokes. After shooting a two-under-par 70 on Monday, Hao turned it up another notch on Tuesday while firing a five-under 67, finishing the event at -7.

"She's so fun to watch out there. Ice in her veins," raved Moffat when asked about Hao's performance. "She was just able to stay in her own game the whole way around. It was really fun to see."

UBCO's Julia Alexander-Carew claimed the silver medal after finishing the event at -1, while UBC’s Sienna Harder finished at even to take the bronze.

The men's competition came down to the final hole, but in the end it was Victoria's Owen Croft who came from behind to capture individual gold by a single stroke. His final round featured seven birdies and an eagle as he finished the event at -10.

Manitoba’s Rory Neill and UBCO’s Ryan Gillis were right behind at -9, with Neill earning the silver on a tiebreak. Neill made history as the first individual medalist in Bisons golf history, made possible by shooting a blistering 64 on Tuesday, which was also the low round of the tournament.

DAY TWO RESULTS