Calgary golfer Dawson Lew wins Canadian Men's Amateur at 16

Dawson Lew, 16, won the 121st Canadian Men's Amateur Championship on Thursday at Mickelson National Golf Club in Calgary, finishing at 17-under par with a calm composure that impressed his coach and rivals alike.

Lew closed with a 3-under 69 to finish three shots clear of Calgary's Toby Buffam, who shot 14-under. His four-round total of 70-65-67-69 — 271 — included one eagle and 20 birdies across the week. The Toronto teenager captured Canada's most important amateur golf title exactly one year after winning the national boys championship.

Entering Thursday's final round tied with Buffam, Lew immediately seized control by birdieing the opening hole while his local competitor made bogey. Though Buffam answered back and the two remained close through 11 holes, Lew's play on the back nine created separation — a two-shot swing when Buffam double-bogeyed the 12th hole and bogeyed the 13th while Lew stayed steady.

"It's just unreal," Lew said after signing off his victory. "I mean, having won the junior last year and then coming out here this year to win the Am, it's just unreal. I don't go into tournaments with too many expectations, so I didn't think I expected this, really. But I knew I was playing good golf."

His coach Matt Wilson, of Golf Canada, said Lew's maturity sets him apart. "There's not much he does that isn't short of world class already. He's that good," Wilson said. "If you get up close and watch how he operates every day and see how he translates experience into expertise and how quickly he does that, this win would not surprise you one bit."