Grade 11 Student Wins First Individual OFSAA Gold in SMCS History
Ethan Reid, a Grade 11 student at St. Michael’s College School (SMCS), won the Open Division at this year’s OFSAA Golf Championship after a gruelling two days and a two-hole playoff, becoming the first SMCS student to win an individual OFSAA gold medal in the sport.
Reid shot 71 and 67 over two days to finish at 138, four under par, at the challenging Ambassador Golf Club in Windsor, Ontario. The SMCS team came into the tournament after winning back-to-back OFSAA championships in 2024 and 2025, and finished second this year, two strokes behind Uxbridge Secondary School.
“Honestly, it’s pretty incredible, and I feel so proud to represent the school and the team,” says Reid. “It’s been a journey, and I’m grateful that my hard work is paying off.”
Reid had finished his round before he learned a playoff was coming. “I didn’t realize there would be a playoff until he came in on the last hole,” he says. He went to the putting green to warm up, and the two teed off. Both hit good drives and approach shots on the first hole, so they moved to a second. After his approach landed on the green, Reid faced a 28-foot putt, the longest he made all tournament.
“I read the putt perfectly and knew if I got the ball to a certain point after the putt went from uphill to downhill, it definitely would have a chance,” he says. “Once it started rolling, I saw it heading for the point I picked out. I was actually thinking, this has a chance.” It went in for birdie, earning him OFSAA gold.
The climb to provincial champion was not easy for Reid, who found himself behind six players after day one. He opened with a 71 and knew he had to go low on day two to have a chance, a challenge he knew well.
“In my last three tournaments it’s been the same: I need to go low on the last day,” he says. “I have a mental mindset of what I need to do, and I stay focused to get it done.”
“Ethan has worked incredibly hard at getting his golf game to this championship level,” says Nunzio Corrente, teacher and golf team coach alongside Paul Ruta and Mike Ross ’85. “He had an outstanding summer and lost in a few playoffs, so I knew he would be ready for anything. He battled back from a slow start to get himself into this high-pressure situation, which he handled like a pro. With absolute composure, Ethan made a very difficult putt to birdie the hole and claim the OFSAA individual title. The dramatic victory was a fitting reward for Ethan, and the golf programme is very proud of him and knows there will be more victories in the future.”
Reid started playing golf during COVID-19, when he couldn’t play hockey or soccer with his teams. His dad introduced him to the game, and he began competing in 2023. He is a member of Islington Golf Club and joined the SMCS team in Grade 7 on the junior side. “I believe I have developed into one of the leaders supporting the overall programme, my teammates, and coaches,” says Reid.
This season brought his first tournament wins. He won the Golf Canada NextGen Atlantic Championship in a two-hole playoff and the Islington Men’s Club Championship. He finished one stroke out of first at the Ontario Champion of Champions and lost a playoff at the Ontario Super Camp Invitational.
Reid has also competed several times south of the border. He shot a 66 in the local qualifier for the 126th U.S. Amateur Championship and advanced to final qualifying at Llanerch Country Club, where his group included top U.S. players from the University of Alabama and Princeton. He also missed the cut by one stroke at the local qualifier for the 78th U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.
With plans to play college golf while pursuing a math degree with a minor in business, Reid is focused on what lies ahead. He plans to use this season to work on his speed off the tee and putts per round, along with strength and conditioning and mental preparation. “My goals help me to stay focused every day and commit to executing my plan,” he says.
“I am very thankful for my coaches, team, teachers, guidance counsellor, and the staff – everyone at SMCS has been so supportive, and I wouldn’t be where I am without them.”
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