AWARDS

The Association recognizes excellence in Canadian golf through annual awards that are voted on by GJAC members at the end of each golf season. Winners are announced at the end of December.

2010 Player of the Year Awards:

The Golf Journalists Association of Canada is pleased to announce the results of their 2010 Player of the Year awards. The year-end vote is conducted amongst golf journalists from across Canada and internationally who cover golf for a broad spectrum of media including newspapers, magazines, TV, radio and the internet.

Voting in three of the four categories was not even close as there were runaway consensus winners for Male and Female Professional of the Year and Female Amateur of the Year. The Male Amateur category yielded a very close decision from amongst a large list of nominees.

Following are the winners of the 2010 awards:

Male Professional of the Year Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Saskatchewan had an exceptional rookie year on the PGA Tour, recording three top ten finishes that earned him enough money to place 100th on the PGA Tour Money List, thereby retaining full playing privileges for 2011. DeLaet put together a strong finish to the 2010 season even though he was hampered by a bulging disk in his back. He will undergo surgery in the first week of January and won't make his first start on the PGA Tour until early March.

Female Professional of the Year Hamilton's Alena Sharp continues to improve with each passing year on the LPGA Tour. In 2010, Sharp finished 56th on the Tour's Money List, making 15 of 20 cuts with one top ten finish. The Alena Sharp Charity Classic, which she hosts each year, is a major contributor to Alzheimer's research in her local community of Hamilton and Brantford.

Male Amateur of the Year Dave Bunker of Woodbridge came out on top for the top Male Amateur award. After winning the Ontario Match Play and the Ontario Mid Amateur Championships, Bunker played in his first RBC Canadian Open as a 43-year old rookie, nearly making the cut. In August, he repeated as Canadian Mid Amateur Champion ensuring himself a return trip to the RBC Canadian Open at Shaughnessy in 2011. Bunker capped his season off with a repeat win at the Ontario Public Player's Championship in September.

Female Amateur of the Year After one of the best seasons ever by a junior golfer in 2009, Brantford's Jennifer Kirby returned to claim the 2010 award again. Kirby, a 2010 Team Canada member and sophomore at the University of Alabama, was a semi-finalist at the U.S. Women's Amateur and a quarterfinalist at the British Ladies Amateur Championship. The 19-year old also finished 7th at the Canadian Women's Amateur and successfully defended her title at the Ontario Women's Amateur Championship.

2010 GJAC Writing Awards:

Toronto, Ontario (July 20, 2010) - Following is a list of category winners and second place entries from the 2010 GJAC Writing Awards:

Editorial - Newspaper or Magazine
1. Rick Drennan, Mississauga Business Times, NAGA Study Helps Industry Manage Future Course
2. Ross Macdonald, Pro Shop, New Groove Regulations

Editorial or Blog - Web
1. Robert Thompson, Sympatico.ca, Small Town, Small Course plays Big Roles in Weir's career
2. Gord Holder, OttawaCitizen.com, How to Spend $3 Million

Travel Feature - Newspaper, Magazine or Web
1. Ross MacDonald, Canadian Golfer Magazine, Playing Around, Singing the Blues
2. Ted McIntyre, GolfStyle, Rediscovering the New World

Feature - Newspaper or Magazine
1. Lorne Rubenstein, ScoreGolf Magazine, Looking Long Term
2. Robert Thompson, ScoreGolf Magazine, High Hopes for Highlands

Feature - Web
1. Jeffrey Reed, LondonOntarioGolf.com, Wilson Golf Reed on the Greens
2. Rick Young, ScoreGolf.com, The Demise of the Footjoy Classics

Profile - Newspaper or Magazine
1. Jeff Brooke, ScoreGolf Magazine, Awaiting Ian
2. Terry Lenyk, GolfScene Magazine, Inside the Ropes with RBC Canadian Open Tournament Director Bill Paul

Photography - Action or General Golf Image
1. Grant Fraser, Herald Magazine
2. Brent Long, GolfScene Magazine

Photography - Landscape
1. Grant Fraser, Tee To Green Magazine
2. Anita Draycott, Travel Industry Today

The Dick Grimm Award:

The Dick Grimm Award honours Canadian Golf Hall of Famer Dick Grimm whose legendary service to the Canadian Open and the Canadian golf industry is unparalleled in Canadian golf history. The award will be given from time to time as warranted to an individual who has made a significant lifetime contribution to Canadian golf.

Canadian Golf Journalism Award:

This award recognizes excellence in Canadian golf journalism and will be awarded from time to time as warranted. The award may be may for a specific piece of journalism, a series of stories or for a body of work over an entire career.

Nominations may be made at any time during the golf season by submitting the name of the nominated player and a short list of his or her accomplishments to the GJAC Board.