Antiguan-born Canadian professional golfer Amaya Athill is set to join travel
industry professionals for a day of fun on the links at this year’s Association of
Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA) Ontario Golf Tournament. Scheduled for
Thursday, July 13th at Royal Ontario Golf Club in Milton, the 2023 return of this
tradition will see Athill play through the course and share a few pointers with
attendees.
As the major destination sponsor, the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority will
be bringing a taste of the islands to the tournament. Multi-genre Antiguan
entertainer Drastic, known for hits such as “Sugary Waistline” and collaborations
with Patrice Roberts and Jah Cure, will help welcome guests to the tournament.
He’ll be accompanied by prominent Antiguan DJ, DJ Gravity, who will be
entertaining with local tunes. Serving up authentic Antigua and Barbuda fare for
the golfers will be Giovanni Meyer, a Toronto-based Antiguan private chef, who
formerly served as sous chef at trendy restaurants Byblos and Constantine.
With a 10-year background in law, Ms. Athill is one of the few black women to
become a PGA professional in Canada.
"I am a proud product of the golfing community in Antigua and pleased to
represent my island in the golfing space in Canada. It's an honour to have been
invited by the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority to support them in their
mission to showcase all that Antigua and Barbuda has to offer to the traveling
community," said Athill.
Since moving to Canada a year ago, Athill has worked on several initiatives to
make golf more inclusive. In her role as Manager, First Tee – Ontario with Golf
Canada she works on creating opportunities for access to golf for children from
historically underrepresented and marginalized communities. She is a contributor
for ScoreGolf Magazine where she highlights DEI initiatives in golf Canada-wide.
Athill is also the founder of Black Women Golfers, whose mission is to ensure
black women – from beginners to more advanced golfers – have a space and
community in the sport.
“We are extremely excited and proud to be joined at the ACTA Travel Industry
Golf Tournament this year by Ms. Athill, who is remarkable both for what she has
achieved within the game of golf and outside it,” said Tameka Wharton, Ag.
Director of Tourism at the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority. “We are also
excited to share the talent of all the other young Antiguans and Barbudans who
will be bringing a bit of our culture to the ACTA Golf Tournament.”
A yearly tradition since 1988, the ACTA Travel Industry Golf Tournament unites
Canadian travel industry representatives, suppliers, and agents drawn from
ACTA’S 10,000+ members for a day of live music, carnival games, and – of course
– golf.
