Virginia’s Jaclyn LaHa wins individual competition in playoff over Anna Davis of Auburn;
Nobelle Park wins Team Canada – NextGen Selection Camp
AURORA, Ont. – The Virginia Cavaliers maintained the lead and finished strongly to win the 2026 Women’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational at Beacon Hall Golf Club in Aurora, Ont. on Tuesday.
The Cavaliers shot a collective final round of 10-over to finish the tournament at 1-over, 17 shots clear of the defending champion, Auburn Tigers.
“It sounds incredible, it’s been a fun week and glad to close it out,” said Virginia coach Ria Scott when asked what it meant to be called champions of the Canadian Collegiate Invitational.
While the players only had 18-holes to play following a 36-hole opening day, the conditions were much tougher on Tuesday as winds picked up coupled with tougher hole locations for the final round. Scott was complimentary of her team and being able to close things out.
“Really proud of them for sticking to their game plan, now whether or not we executed it that’s one thing but truly the intention was there on every shot, the focus was there and I’m just so proud. Yesterday was a team effort, everybody counted and really proud of each and every one of them.”
On Monday, all five of Virginia’s players contributed to the team score with Jaclyn LaHa leading the way with consecutive rounds of 3-under 69, Zoe Cusack shot rounds of 2-under 70 and 3-under 69, Elsie MacCleery added two rounds of 1-under 71, Mira Berglund shot 76-72 and Lily Reitter shot 78-73 for Virginia. On Tuesday, LaHa and McCleery led the way with 1-over 73s, Cusack shot a 2-over 74 and Berglund added a 6-over 78.
“Really excited and proud of my team. I think we definitely differentiated ourselves from the field especially in yesterday’s two rounds. We finished off really solid and a great team win so I’m just really proud of all the hard work we’ve put on…newish team, new freshmen…so really proud of them,” said LaHa.
Jaclyn LaHa – 2026 Women’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational – Individual champion
Photo: Christian Bender/Golf Canada
In the individual competition LaHa battled back to force a playoff with Anna Davis of Auburn and won on the first playoff hole with a par.
“A lot of excitement, a lot of relief. I’m just happy that I was able to finish my round off well. I had a little bit of a rough start, and I stayed really patient and I’m really proud of myself for staying patient because it paid off,” said LaHa after being greeted by teammates dumping water on her greenside following the playoff.
LaHa entered the day with a one-shot advantage over Davis. Davis moved ahead following a triple bogey from LaHa on No. 4 and a bogey at No. 6. Davis added a birdie at No. 9 to take a four-shot lead over LaHa into the back nine.
“Going into the back nine, I wanted to take advantage of those par 5s, and I think I really tried to turn it around and be like this is a new nine, hit the reset button and just played really clean golf,” said LaHa.
On No. 10, LaHa did just that by opening with a birdie, coupled with a bogey from Davis that cut the lead to two. LaHa added another birdie on No. 12 to remain two back and eventually cut to one with another at No. 16. Davis’s bogey on 17 put her even with LaHa heading to the final hole. The players exchanged pars and headed back to the 18th tee to begin the playoff.
“I’ve learned that a lot through college golf and just playing with a bunch of great players you kind of have to play your own game and I was selected as first to tee off so that was kind of nice, it was just me hitting my drive. Playing my own game,” said LaHa on her approach to the final hole and the playoff.
LaHa found the middle of the fairway and hit onto the green to give her a chance at birdie. Davis second shot was just short of the green. After narrowly missing a chip-in birdie, Davis marked her ball allowing LaHa to two-putt for par. Davis’s attempt at par rimmed the cup giving LaHa her second collegiate win.
“This field is really great, there’s so many great players and this one definitely means a lot because I know there’s a lot of great players to be able to win this tournament is really exciting.”
Coach Scott was proud of LaHa being able to turn things around after a difficult start to the day.
“For her to come back both mentally and physically and make some birdies down the stretch, she loves that back nine, just really really proud of her. We talk all the time how Jaclyn’s mental game is the most improved aspect of her game over the last couple years, and I think today really showed it.
The win also secures LaHa an exemption into the field at the 2027 CPKC Women’s Open at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club in Gatineau, Que., which will mark her first start on the LPGA Tour.
“I’m really excited, I don’t really know what to expect but I’m really excited,” she added.
Along with the exemption, LaHa will be among five players to receive exemptions into the 2027 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO. Joining LaHa are teammates Cusack and MacCleery along with Davis and Madison Messimer (Tennessee).
The 54-hole tournament featured 10 NCAA Division I women’s golf teams led by the defending champions from Auburn University, along with the 2026 Canadian University/College Championship winners, University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds and five individuals in the 60-player field.
To view the team and player leaderboards following the 2026 Women’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational click here.
Nobelle Park – 2026 Team Canada – NextGen Selection Camp winner
Photo: Christian Bender/Golf Canada
Team Canada – NextGen member Nobelle Park of Oakville, Ont. finished atop the leaderboard to win the 2026 Team Canada – NextGen Selection Camp and secure her spot on the roster for 2027.
Park shot a 1-over 73 to finish the tournament at 9-over to win by four strokes over fellow Team Canada – NextGen member Jodie Han of Vancouver, B.C. and Kaylan Green of Toronto, Ont. at 13-over.
“I’m really happy especially yesterday after the first round, I was behind by quite a bit, I think six strokes from the leader after the first round so I think I made up a lot of strokes, second round and today so I’m really happy,” said Park.
Park has been part of the Team Canada – NextGen squad for the past two seasons and credits her continued growth to her work with the team.
“Just working with all the coaches Jeff, Jenn, Katie, Justine, Emily everyone has really helped improve my game and develop it and make it grow into so much more. I came into the program with some knowledge, and they gave me so much more to work on.”
The selection camp ran concurrently with the Women’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational with the field of 21 junior girls competing for one secured spot on the 2027 Team Canada – NextGen roster. To view the leaderboard following the Team Canada – NextGen Selection Camp click here.
The post University of Virginia wins the 2026 Women’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational first appeared on Golf Canada.
Article Link: https://www.golfcanada.ca/articles/university-of-virginia-wins-the-2026-womens-canadian-collegiate-invitational/