Fortinet Cup: Canadians on the attack entering Ecuador’s KIA Open
Associated Press
QUITO, Ecuador – With Stuart Macdonald winning the Diners Club Perú Open this past Sunday and Matthew Anderson claiming the 69th ECP Brazil Open a week earlier, Canadian players are on the rise in the early stages of the race for the Fortinet Cup.
Anderson, who followed his win with a share of the 18th spot in Peru, improved his point total to 696 to remain the PGA TOUR Americas No.1 player for the second consecutive week. Meanwhile, Macdonald rose from 22nd to third in the standings with a 613-point total.
“There’s a lot to play for every week and this is a big step forward,” said the 29-year-old Macdonald after his two-shot win Sunday at Los Inkas Golf Club, where he earned 500 Fortinet Cup points.
Through four events played this season, there are seven Canadian players currently inside the top 60 who would secure exempt status for the North America Swing that follows the six-event Latin America Swing. The other Canadians behind Anderson and Macdonald are Joey Savoie (18th), Lawren Rowe (35th), Thomas Giroux (39th), Jeevan Sihota (47th) and Jimmy Jones (50th).
“Golf Canada has done an unbelievable job developing all of our players. As you can see, every year we’ve got more and more players on the PGA TOUR, the Korn Ferry Tour, and this tour. There’s a lot of Canadian depth and a lot of that we can attribute to Golf Canada and its coaching staff,” added Macdonald about the current state of Canadian golf across the PGA TOUR-sanctioned tours.
The one player between the leading Canadians is Mexico’s José de Jesús Rodríguez, who tied for fifth in Peru and is second on Tour with a 657-point total. The 43-year-old veteran will not be playing this week’s event at Quito Tennis & Golf Club.
Aside from Macdonald, the other big Fortinet Cup move was made by Wisconsin native Samuel Anderson. Coming off a tie for sixth at the 69th ECP Brazil Open, the 25-year-old gave Macdonald a run for his money late on Sunday.
“(I) didn’t play my best, but I kind of hung in there and hit some awesome shots coming down the stretch, which was great,” said Anderson about his play Sunday in Lima. “I mean, I hit an awesome shot on 16 and I even gave myself a look on 17, which is a super tough par 3. I’m happy with how I played overall and I’m looking forward to Ecuador.”
The solo second finish earned Anderson 300 Fortinet Cup points and allowed him to move from 17th to fifth in the standings. Anderson was ranked 55th before his last two starts.
Finishing only a shot behind Anderson, Argentina’s Julián Etulain was the top Latin performer in Peru. His tie for third at Los Inkas Golf Club was his second third-place finish of the season. It allowed him to defend his position as No. 8 in the standings.
“I’m happy to keep adding points to my tally,” said the 35-year-old Etulain. “Hopefully, we can keep playing well these next two weeks to make the Latin Swing top 2 and secure a (Korn Ferry Tour) card for next year.”
The KIA Open, which is set to begin Thursday at the Quito Tennis & Golf Club in Quito, Ecuador, is the fifth event of the 2024 PGA TOUR Americas season and one of just two events left to play in the Latin America Swing.
NextGen Championship season kicks off at Summerland Golf and Country Club
Summerland Golf & Country Club
Mike Masaro
155 of Canada’s top junior golfers to compete over 54 holes at hidden gem in the Okanagan Valley with exemptions into the Canadian Junior Boys and Girls Championships on the line.
Golf Canada’s 2024 championship season kicks off on Thursday, May 2, at Summerland Golf and Country Club in Summerland, B.C. with the NextGen Pacific Championship.
The 54-hole stroke play competition gets underway with a practice round on Wednesday, May 1, and championship rounds beginning on Thursday, May 2. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the top 50 Junior Boys and top 20 Junior Girls, including ties, for the final round which wraps up on Saturday, May 4.
The starting field will feature 155 male and female competitors – 111 Junior Boys and 44 Junior Girls – vying for a spot into their respective Canadian Junior Championship later this summer. Among those competing in Summerland include, 2023 Canadian Junior Girls champion, Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. and 2023 NextGen Pacific Boys champion, Jerry Li.
The top eight players in the Junior Boys division will earn exemptions into the 2024 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO, August 13-16, at Innisfail Golf Club in Innisfail, Alta. The top eight players (including ties) in the Junior Girls division will earn exemptions into the 2024 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, presented by BDO, July 22-25, at Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver.
Summerland Golf and Country Club is considered a hidden gem in the Okanagan Valley. The course is located on Paradise Flats and offers a contrast in layout between the front and back nines. The front nine features a combination of links style as well as tree lined holes on a relatively flat terrain. The back nine features a grove of Ponderosa Pines with rolling fairways, elevation changes and undulating greens with five holes skirting the large Trout Creek Canyon.
“The Summerland Golf & Country Club is excited to host the 2024 NextGen Pacific Championship,” said Jason Sweeney, General Manager, Summerland Golf and Country Club. “Our membership has always promoted junior golf initiatives and have embraced hosting the elite players in the NextGen field. Welcome to the Okanagan and best of luck in the event.”
To follow the live leaderboard of the NextGen Pacific Championship, click here.
About the NextGen Championships
The NextGen Championships are a high-performance junior golf series which totals six competitions. From May to July, six championships will take place across Canada where the region’s best junior golfers will compete to earn exemptions into their respective 2024 national championships. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf.
Golf Canada Hole-In-One Report – Week of April 22, 2024
Each week we write to Golf Canada members who record a hole-in-one, congratulating them and asking if they’d tell us how it happened. These are their stories (edited for length and clarity).
Have you recently accomplished the feat of a hole-in-one? Tell us about it! Share your story, picture / video and course information with us at holeinone@golfcanada.ca.
Randy Vanberg, Quintero Golf & Country Club, Hole #16
I hit a 6 iron from 185 yards. It bounced twice and rolled the final 10 feet into the cup. We teed off from an elevated green so we could see it drop. I was playing with my best friend Marc Chiswell and two locals. It was a wonderful experience I will never forget!
Ivan, Sandhills Golf & Country Club, Hole #17
Got one! On hole #17 at Sandhills, Ontario last fall.
Trish Ross, Hemet Golf Course, Hole #7
I got a hole-in-one on hole #7 at Hemet Golf Course in Hemet, California on November 24th, 2023. I used a 5 hybrid and the yardage was 127 yards. This was my second hole-in-one, what makes this funny is my first hole-in-one was at Lacombe Golf Course in Lacombe, Alberta on hole #7 which is also a par 3!
Phil Rebus, Cove Cay Country Club, Hole #12
My ace took place at the Cove Cay Golf Club in Clearwater, Florida on the par 3, hole #12 late in the afternoon on March 23, 2024. I was playing with my wife Stephanie and two gentlemen from Chicago, Mark and Scott. I hit a pitching wedge from 122 yards, which turned out to be a one hopper that ended up in the jug. Because of the pin position (just behind a front bunker) and green elevation I did not see the shot go in, however a man on a neighbouring tee let out a cheer and walked over to shake my hand. I couldn’t believe my ball had gone in, but after walking up to the green we found the ball mark approximately two feet in front of the hole and my ball in the cup.
Carmen Auciello, Blackmoor Golf Club, Hole #15
The hole was playing 153 yards, slightly downwind. I hit a 9 iron that was right at it the whole time and basically one bounced into the hole! It was a surreal moment and was a great way to end our golf trip to Myrtle Beach. I was playing with Jim Schmidt, Glenn Crisp and Derek Haughton. Was a lot of fun.
David Dischiavi, Cherry Downs, Hole #6
I was playing with my buddy Evangelos (Evange) Bethanis, he’s a Golf Canada member as well. The hole is listed at 170 yards, I gunned it at 157 and used an 8 iron. If you want a few more details it was into the wind with a big of a push off the right, little baby draw and it rolled in. The group in front of us heard the pin shake and walked to the green and saw it in the cup.
Dan White, Whistle Bear Golf Club, Hole #14
My second round at the club this year after opening on Friday, I was playing with two good friends; Michael Dixon and Ryan Smyth on a mid Sunday morning round. The wind is regularly gusty at Whistle Bear Golf Club, and as we reached the par 3, hole #14, my playing partners lasered the flag at 155 yards with a good wind into us from the left. The pin located in the middle to back left on the green with the hole not visible in the landing area. I hit a 7 iron left over the green side bunkers watching the wind drift it back towards the flag, not knowing what happened after it landed. As we walked up, the group in front of us walked over the hill from the 15th tee shouting we think that went in. In disbelief, Mike gets there ahead of me and checks the hole and confirms it, my ball is in the hole, for my first hole-in-one!
Jeff Gossack, Deer Creek, Hole #8
I’ve been playing golf since 1975 starting from when I was a junior at the old Green Valley golf course in Saint Monique, Quebec. I have been moved on to play golf at Cedarbrook Golf and Country Club for two years and then Hillsdale Golf & Country Club for 22 years. I am currently now a member of Elm Ridge Golf and Country Club in Ile Bizard, Quebec for the last three years. Where I’m currently a member of our senior intersectional team. Believe it or not, it took me 60 and a half years to finally enjoy the moment of making my first hole-in-one. I have literally been on the lips several times, hit sticks, rolled over the hole countless times. But it never dropped. Even my sister, who didn’t take the game seriously has actually had a hole-in-one. So you can imagine, the excitement to finally get the proverbial monkey off my back.
It happened at my home course in Florida, which I’m a member at. Which is Deer Creek Golf Club in Deerfield, Florida on hole #8 par 3. Playing 156 yards into the wind that day and I had a 7 iron. At this point in my career, I probably would’ve taken a lucky bounce or a skulled duff. But to my amazement, it actually was an absolute gorgeous shot. I was playing with my good buddy Jerry Marcus who actually lives in New Jersey. As well as two other members of deer Creek, a gentleman named Joe, also from New Jersey, and Ron from parkland down here in Florida. Hope you will share my story with other golf enthusiasts. To never give up Faith in this wonderful game as everybody will eventually get an outstanding moment to cherish if they just keep at it.
Jay Kembhavi, Cordova Bay Golf Course, Hole #6
It was a beautiful Spring morning in Victoria at the superb Cordova Bay Golf Course. My playing partners were Lorraine Cooper – Morton, Mike Morton and Barry Greenwood. The magical moment happened on hole #6 which has an elevated green. If I remember, it was 136 yards, slope adjusted. I hit a 6 iron, saw it roll to the pin and disappeared. I thought it had rolled in, as did my playing companions but because it’s an elevated green, we weren’t 100% sure till we walked up and confirmed the ball (a Red Srixon) was indeed in the cup. The Marshall, Brad Johnston happened to be at the green and saw what happened. That’s when we really celebrated! Brad of course immediately spread the word around and I got several congratulatory messages from all the wonderful staff at the club and other members who know me. Pretty memorable day especially since it was my very first ace and was very happy to share it with my friends.
Adam Gognavec, Legends On The Niagara, Hole #17
Hey Golf Canada! The hole-in-one was actually on Saturday the 20th! It was awesome, was 162 yards to the flag. There was an 82km/h wind gust that day so I hit a flighted 8 iron right at it, it landed about five yards short and rolled in like a putt. I was playing with two of my good buddies Troy and Christian. The group in front of us was my brother and his buddies and they heard our reaction to it dropping! It was my third hole-in-one but the feeling still doesn’t go away.
Anthony Francella, Hawks Landing Golf Club, Hole #13
I was down in Florida for an annual golf trip with the boys. Eight of us go down to play and get the rust off before the golfing season gets into full gear in Ontario. That day I was playing with John, Kenny and Darryl. The yardage was 149 yards and I hit a perfect 9 iron right at the flag. From the tee, we couldn’t tell where the ball ended up, however we knew it was close. When getting up to the green, the ball was nowhere to be seen. We’ve all had that anticipation before, could it be in the hole? I ran up to check the cup and screamed when I saw my ball in the bottom.
Elton Weston, Fort Langley Golf Course, Hole #5
I was playing our Saturday league with Rob Dahlseide, Rob Mitchell and Bryan Martyniuk. The hole was cut on the front of the green about 84 yards from the tee I hit a choked down sand wedge.
Thanks for the congratulations on my lucky hole-in-one on April 3. The hole was #12 at Glacier Greens in Comox B.C. It was 96 yards and I hit a pitching wedge. My playing partners were Mick Hewson, Paul McRoberts and Mike Maddocks. The goofy toothless smile was from the dentist the day before, all in all a very enjoyable day.
Michael Coulthard, Gallagher’s Canyon, Hole #5
I was playing with my usual Wednesday night foursome at Gallaghers Pinnacle, Tom, Brian and Roger (sub for Frank partying in Vegas haha). We’ve been playing regular Wednesday nights here since the course opened in 1996. It’s a nine hole course so I register back nine scores to reflect blue tee distance. It was playing about 105 yards and I hit a 54° wedge. It was my second hole-in-one at the Pinnacle (fourth career), both Tom and Brian have been with me for three of the four. The last two (2016 and 2020) were to elevated greens so we didn’t get to see them drop, it was nice to watch this one roll in.
Ryan McColl, The Oaks Golf & Country Club, Hole #15
My son Wesley and I are proud members of our amazing club “The Oaks Golf & Country Club” in Delaware, Ontario. This season my son and I said, “This year one of us will get a hole-in-one on hole #15 our signature par 3 island hole.” On Monday, April 23, a beautifully lit evening, the camera rolled, and it happened! We were stunned, screaming, laughing, and celebrating when we fell to the ground, and I may have broken my thumb! We go back for more x-rays on Monday. We got it all on video, hole #15, par 3, 123 yards. We got you hole #15! The crazy thing is this is my sixth hole-in-one and fifth at The Oaks but the best one ever because it was with my son and our first together! So blessed! #memoryforlife
National Allied Golf Associations announce return of National Golf Day 2024
National Allied Golf Associations (NAGA)
OTTAWA, Canada – The National Allied Golf Associations (NAGA) is an industry coalition consisting of the five national golf associations in Canada – Golf Canada; National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) Canada; the Club Management Association of Canada (CMAC); Professional Golfers Association of Canada (PGA of Canada); and the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association (CGSA).
Each association represents a unique sector of the golf industry – its purpose is to advocate as a single voice about issues that affect golfers and golf businesses, and subsequently their employee groups, and related stakeholders. Since 2011, NAGA has executed an annual lobby day, referred to as National Golf Day, as an event to highlight the positive virtues of Canadian golf and build relationships with key legislative decision-makers both federally and provincially.
NAGA is delighted to advise that after a four-year pause due to COVID-19, we will again be conducting the annual National Golf Day initiative on May 22-23, 2024, with a press conference on Parliament Hill, followed by targeted advocacy meetings with MPs and Senators in Ottawa.
Golf: Many Benefits
Golf flourished during the pandemic as the nature of the sport easily allowed for social distancing while delivering a social recreation experience for both avid and new players . Several clubs now have waitlists due to the increased interest in golf as more people took up the sport when travel or other recreational activities were adversely impacted. Post-COVID, golf enthusiasts have continued their renewed (or new) interest in the sport because of its many benefits, whether health, mental, or social.
Current data suggests that hundreds of thousands of participants have entered the sport in recent years, totaling nearly six million golfers in Canada, just under 20% of the entire Canadian population. New golfers are increasingly likely to be female with active women golfers growing by 6% in 2023 vs 2022. New golfers are also ever more likely to be BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour) as evidenced by a 33% lift in BIPOC active golfers in 2023 vs 2022.
Economic Impact Study
Complementary to the advocacy work of NAGA, the coalition conducts an economic impact study every five years to measure the financial, employment, charitable, tourism and environmental impact that the sport and the business of golf contributes to communities across Canada. The survey was executed in February 2024 and the results will be released just prior to National Golf Day 2024. The study will highlight economic insights for each of the 10 provinces and three territories from coast-to-coast.
Given that this study will be the first since COVID and the interest spike that followed, NAGA anticipates the results to be dramatically different than prior years.
Call to Action
In the lead-up to National Golf Day 2024, NAGA invites its association members to encourage your networks to get involved in the sport, whether that be playing a round of golf, experience family time at your local course, introducing a new player to the game, taking a lesson, or enjoying a meal at your local course clubhouse.
NAGA stakeholders are encouraged to consider running a special National Golf Day promotion to support the day and join in the wonderful momentum that golf is currently experiencing.
Sincerely,
National Allied Golf Associations
National Golf Course Owners Association Canada
Daniel Pilon, President Jeff Calderwood, CEO + Chair, NAGA
The Club Management Association of Canada
Jana-Lyn Fairbairn, CCM, President Suzanne Godbehere, CEO
Canada’s Stuart Macdonald wins Diners Club Peru Open
Stuart Macdonald (PGA TOUR Americas)
PGA TOUR Communications
Stuart Macdonald won the Diners Club Peru Open on Sunday after carding a 1-under 71 in the final round. Macdonald climbs into the No. 3 spot in the Fortinet Cup season-long standings after securing his second career PGA TOUR-sanctioned win at Los Inkas Golf Club.
This is the second time Macdonald has been victorious in Peru. As an amateur, the Vancouver native won the 29th Lima Golf Club International Amateur Championship in 2017. Macdonald is the first Canadian to win the Diners Club Peru Open since it became a PGA TOUR Sanctioned event in 2012.
Prior to 2024, Macdonald was one of the most consistent performers on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica in 2023. Macdonald did not miss the cut and only finished outside of the top-25 once in eight starts, including a T14 finish at the 2023 Diners Club Peru Open.
Macdonald carried that momentum to PGA TOUR Canada in 2023. In six starts, Macdonald finished with three top-20 finishes and only missed the cut once. Macdonald’s best finish came at the 2023 Commissionaires Ottawa Open, where he defeated Devon Bling and Luke Schniederjans in a playoff to claim his first PGA TOUR-sanctioned win. Macdonald picked up a second top-5 finish at the 2023 Windsor Championship, where he finished T2.
Prior to turning professional in 2017, the Vancouver native starred at Purdue University from 2012-2016. Macdonald ended his career with the 14th best scoring average in Purdue program history and finished fourth on the team in top-10’s his senior year with four.
Macdonald is expected to be in the field at the Kia Open, the fifth event of the Latin America Swing, which will be hosted at the Quito Tenis y Golf Club from May 2-5 in Quito, Ecuador.
Securing the win with your Dad right beside you on the bag. Nothing like it ❤️ pic.twitter.com/qtvuwJxOQL
Stephen Ames celebrates 60th birthday with successful title defense in Mitsubishi Electric Classic
DULUTH, GEORGIA - APRIL 28: Stephen Ames of Canada celebrates with the trophy after winning the Mitsubishi Electric Classic at TPC Sugarloaf Golf Course on April 28, 2024 in Duluth, Georgia. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Associated Press
DULUTH, Ga. — Stephen Ames celebrated his 60th birthday with a successful title defense in the Mitsubishi Electric Classic, closing with a 5-under 67 on Sunday for his eighth PGA Tour Champions victory.
A stroke behind Paul Broadhurst after matching the tournament record Saturday with a 64, Ames had two eagles in the final round. He won by four strokes, finishing at 14-under 202 at TPC Sugarloaf for his record third victory in the event.
Broadhurst, the 58-year-old Englishman coming off a victory last week in the Invited Celebrity Classic, closed with a 72 to tie for second with Doug Barron (69). K.J. Choi (70) and Steven Alker (71) were 9 under.
Ames became the first multiple winner this year on the tour, also taking the Chubb Classic in February. He has six victories in his last 29 starts after winning twice in his first 175 — the first at TPC Sugarloaf in 2017 — on the 50-and-over tour. A naturalized Canadian citizen from Trinidad and Tobago, Ames won four times on the PGA Tour.
Ames opened with a birdie on the par-4 first, eagled the par-5 sixth and par-4 13th and birdied the par-4 14th. He bogeyed the par-4 15th and 17th and birdied the par-5 18th.
Canadian Brooke Rivers’s cool head prevails to help Wake Forest win ACC championship
Brooke Rivers (Golf Canada/ Bernard Brault)
John Chidley-Hill/ Canadian Press
An NCAA conference title was riding on Brooke Rivers’s putter, but she kept her mind clear.
Rivers, a Team Canada member from Brampton, Ont., sank a 12-foot putt on the 18th green to break a tie in her match and lift the Wake Forest Demon Deacons to the ACC conference final with a 3-1 win over North Carolina on Sunday.
The championship match against the Clemson Tigers was called that night due to darkness. With Wake Forest ahead in three matches and the top seed in the tournament, the Demon Deacons won the title, a scenario that was set up by Rivers’s cool demeanour earlier in the day.
“I just thought of the putt at hand and no external factors,” said the 19-year-old Rivers. “So I tried to clear my mind of anything consequential and focus more on what I was doing in that moment.”
“The only thing running through my head was the putt that I had to hit and how I was going to actually hit that putt.”
Wake Forest won the eighth conference title in program history after the two rain delays, advancing the Demon Deacons to the regional finals as they look to defend their 2023 U.S. collegiate national title.
Rivers said that she likes how match play — the format used in the medal rounds of varsity golf — boils the sport down to its essence.
“You just control what you’re doing and what you can do instead of putting your focus and emphasis on another person,” said Rivers. “You just control what you’re able to control.”
Wake Forest women’s golf coach Kim Lewellen said that Rivers has shown in her freshman year that she knows how to rise to the occasion.
“Brooke is a competitor and when she’s out there, the tougher the situation, the better that she does,” said Lewellen. “She had to make a putt on the hole before that that was a left-to-right slider that was probably five, six feet, and she made that.
“When we really needed her to clinch that point she had that competitiveness come out and there was no doubt in her mind.”
Wake Forest will be one of six host sites for the 2024 NCAA Regionals in two weeks at Bermuda Run Country Club in North Carolina. In each regional, 12 teams and six individuals not on those teams will compete.
The low five teams and the low individual not on those teams will advance to the finals.
NCAA — Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C., tied for third on the individual leaderboard to help the University of Texas women’s golf team win Big 12 Championship with a commanding 12 stroke victory on Saturday at the Clubs at Houston Oaks. The Canadian freshman earned a Big 12 All-Tournament Team honours.
LPGA TOUR — Rookie Savannah Grewal of Mississauga, Ont., is 62nd in the Race to CME Globe standings and is the top-ranked Canadian in the field at this week’s JM Eagle L.A. Championship. Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., is 137th and will also tee it up at Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles.
EPSON TOUR — Selena Costabile of Thornhill, Ont., leads a group of four Canadians into the IOA Championship. Although she has yet to earn points on the second-tier Epson Tour this season, she is No. 773 on the Rolex women’s golf world rankings heading into play at Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon in Beaumont, Calif. She will be joined by amateur Leah John of Vancouver, Kate Johnston of Ayr, Ont., and Vancouver’s Tiffany Kong.
PGA TOUR — Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin, who grew up together in Abbotsford, B.C., will team up at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in Avondale, La. They are the highest ranked Canadians in the FedEx Cup standings at 21st and 33rd respectively. Best friends Corey Conners (55th) of Listowel, Ont., and Taylor Pendrith (99th) of Richmond Hill, Ont., will also be a team. Ben Silverman (103rd) of Thornhill, Ont., and Roger Sloan (189th) of Merritt, B.C., will be in different pairings at TPC Louisiana.
KORN FERRY TOUR — Edmonton’s Wil Bateman leads the Canadian contingent into the Veritex Bank Championship. He’s 18th on the second-tier tour’s points list. He’ll be joined at Texas Rangers Golf Club in Arlington, Texas, by Myles Creighton (27th) of Digby, N.S., Etienne Papineau (35th) of St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Que., Jared du Toit (76th) of Kimberley, B.C., and Sudarshan Yellamaraju (120th) of Mississauga, Ont.
CHAMPIONS TOUR — Calgary’s Stephen Ames is the lone Canadian in the field at the Mitsubishi Electric Classic. He’s fourth in the Schwab Cup standings heading into the three-day event at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, Ga., which tees off on Friday.
PGA TOUR AMERICAS — Matthew Anderson of Mississauga, Ont., sits atop the Fortinet Cup points list after winning last week’s 69th ECP Brazil Open in a 54-hole, wire-to-wire victory. He’ll be back in action at the Diners Club Peru Open in Lima on Thursday. Anderson is one of 13 Canadians in the field.
July Talk and Lindsay Ell added to SiriusXM Concert Series at 2024 RBC Canadian Open
Mike Masaro
All Canadian line-up set for two-night concert series at Hamilton Golf and Country Club
The festival vibe for Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship just got stronger as Golf Canada is pleased to announce that Canadian artists July Talk and Lindsay Ell have been added to the performance line-up of the SiriusXM Concert Series at the RBC Canadian Open.
Juno Award winners, July Talk will be performing on Friday, May 31 along with previously announced Canadian legends, Our Lady Peace.
Award-winning singer, songwriter and philanthropist, Lindsay Ell will join country music rising star Josh Ross on Saturday, June 1 as the headline acts at the SiriusXM Concert Series taking place following play at the historic Hamilton Golf and Country Club, May 28 to June 2, 2024.
The two-night onsite concert series will be hosted by title sponsor, SiriusXM Canada in partnership with Live Nation Canada and Golf Canada and will shine a spotlight on Canadian talent and emerging musical artists.
July Talk originated in Toronto and features two front people, Leah Fay Goldstein and Peter Dreimanis, surrounded by whiplashing guitarists Ian Docherty and Josh Warburton, and drummer Danny Miles and percussionist Dani Nash. The band has produced four studio albums since its inception in 2012. Three-time Juno award winner, July Talk is highly regarded for its on-stage presence and performances and has toured extensively over the past decade. The band’s most recent album, Remember NeverBefore, was released last year and is regarded as the most potently yet inventively “July Talk” album yet, the band returns – changed – to where they began.
Lindsay Ell has performed on some of the world’s biggest stages, with three career number ones and more than 401 million streams. Ell has been nominated for numerous awards including: ACM Awards (New Female Vocalist (2019), New Female Vocalist (2020), and Music Event of the Year (2020)); CMT Awards (Social Superstar (2015), Collaborative Video of the Year (2019)), CMA Awards (Musical Event of the Year (2019)); and JUNO Awards (Country Album of the Year (2021)) along with 20 CCMA Awards. In addition, last year Ell earned a Canadian Screen Award nomination (Best Host or Presenter, Factual or Reality/Competition) for her role as Host of Canada’s highest-rated reality TV program, Canada’s Got Talent. Ell will be joining Shania Twain’s Las Vegas residency later this summer as Twain’s lead guitarist and recently shared the stage with OneRepublic.
In addition to world-class golf and the SiriusXM Concert Series at the RBC Canadian Open, spectators will enjoy a week-long festival atmosphere at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, highlighted by, The Rink, located at the 13th Hole along with a variety of food and patio experiences at The Fare Way featuring The Keg.
“The additions of July Talk and Lindsay Ell to previously announced artists Our Lady Peace and Josh Ross promise to make the 2024 Sirius XM Concert Series a memorable experience for golf and music enthusiasts alike. Fans onsite will enjoy world-class golf followed by two incredible nights of live music featuring these amazing Canadian talents,” said Bryan Crawford, tournament director, RBC Canadian Open.
RBC Canadian Open tickets for Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1 include full day access to the tournament and the SiriusXM Concert Series. The concert grounds will be located near admissions and The Fareway featuring The Keg at Hamilton Golf and Country Club.
Celebrating 100 Days until Olympic Golf at Paris 2024
Golf Canada
Men’s competition to be held 1-4 August, followed by the women’s competition 7-10 August
LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (Tuesday, 23 April, 2024) – In 100 days, the men’s golf competition will commence at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics at the renowned Le Golf National. The men’s golf competition will be contested Thursday, August 1st through Sunday, August 4th, followed by the women’s competition, which will run Wednesday, August 7th through Saturday, August 10th. Paris 2024 marks the fifth time golf has been featured in the Olympics, and just the third time since 1904 after its return at Rio 2016.
“With 100 days until the beginning of Olympic Golf Competitions, we’re excited to see the momentum building as we approach the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games,” said International Golf Federation Executive Director Antony Scanlon. “We know Le Golf National will provide a challenging, dramatic test to the competitors, and I can’t wait to welcome these 120 athletes as they represent their nations on sport’s biggest stage while vying to be presented Olympic medals atop the podium.”
QUALIFICATION
Both the men’s and women’s fields for the Olympic Golf Competitions feature 60 players. The IGF uses the Official World Golf Ranking to create the Olympic Golf Rankings as a method of determining eligibility. The top 15 world-ranked players will be eligible for the Olympics, with a limit of four players from a given country. Beyond the top 15, players will be eligible based on the world rankings, with a maximum of two eligible players from each country that does not already have two or more players among the top 15. For more information on the qualification process and to access the most updated Olympic Golf Rankings, please click here.
If qualification ended today (April 23, 2024), Canada’s team would be comprised of Nick Taylor, Adam Hadwin on the men’s side and Brooke Henderson and Maddie Szeryk on the women’s team.
COMPETITION FORMAT
The competition consists of a 72-hole individual stroke play for both men and women, with four rounds scheduled over four consecutive days. Scores are cumulative from round to round. The player with the lowest aggregate score wins.
HOST COURSE – LE GOLF NATIONAL
Le Golf National, one of the most prestigious golf venues in Europe, will host both competitions and is owned and managed by the French Golf Federation. Located in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Le Golf National has previously hosted major international competitions, most notably the 2018 Ryder Cup. The venue also serves as the permanent home for the annual Open de France event on the DP World Tour. Le Golf National opened in 1991 and was fully renovated in 2016.
KEY DATES FOR OLYMPIC GOLF
12 June – 50 days from the beginning of the men’s Olympic Golf competition
17 June – Olympic Golf Rankings finalised for the men’s golf competition
24 June – Olympic Golf Rankings finalised for the women’s golf competition
23 July – Olympic Torch at Le Golf National
29 July – Groupings and tee times announced for the men’s golf competition
1-4 August – Men’s golf competition
5 August – Groupings and tee times announced for the women’s golf competition
7-10 August – Women’s golf competition
NEW IGF WEBSITE
Today, the IGF also released its new website: www.igfgolf.org.
Golf Canada Hole-In-One Report – Week of April 15, 2024
Each week we write to Golf Canada members who record a hole-in-one, congratulating them and asking if they’d tell us how it happened. These are their stories (edited for length and clarity).
Have you recently accomplished the feat of a hole-in-one? Tell us about it! Share your story, picture / video and course information with us at holeinone@golfcanada.ca.
Ronald Rozon, Royal Colwood Golf Club, Hole #7
I was playing with Michael Gibbons, James Leslie and Michael Craig. Hole #7, 149 yards, Pitching Wedge.
Phyllis Laschuk, Point Grey, Hole #2
On Tuesday, April 9th, I received the eGolf Canada newsletter and read all the articles including the Hole-in-One Report. It brought back memories of the past hole-in-one’s I’ve had in 2018 and 2019 and thought – “it would be nice to enjoy another one day”.
On April 11th, I arrived at Point Grey for my usual Thursday game. It was starting to rain and the forecast was for continuing rain throughout the day. With two from our group cancelling, my longtime (over 30 years) golf buddy, Caroline McKee showed up, along with a new member, Betty Gass. We reluctantly agreed to play a few holes and decide if we would continue. As we walked to the first tee, Killian from the pro shop stopped us and asked if we would have the young fellow on the tee join us as his group had cancelled and he was a guest from The Ottawa Hunt Club.
We happily agreed and mentioned to Geoff that we may only play a few holes due to the weather and he said that was fine. On the first hole we were impressed with his ball striking as well as his engaging and patient manner despite the 40 plus age difference.
On the second hole, approximately 86 yards, I took my pitching wedge and watched as my ball bounced once, hit the flag and landed near the hole. I was breathless as I turned to see if my group had just seen the shot, and as I looked back to the hole the ball had disappeared.
Yes, the ball was in the hole. But silence followed as I mentioned that the hole-in-one insurance states that you have to complete at least nine holes. And the rain was persisting, so I was grateful when Caroline, Betty and Geoff said they would continue and complete the nine.
After hole #9, we enjoyed drinks and lunch and most importantly for me will be the memories for my lifetime of sharing my hole-in-one with dear friends and a special new acquaintance.
Deborah Parker, Tara Golf & Country Club, Hole #4
I was playing with Linda Landry and Wynann Biondo. As you can see from the picture I brought my wedge with me because we didn’t see it go in and I figured I may have rolled off the back, but to my surprise it didn’t! It was on a par 3, I believe the yardage was 134. I hit my Ping 5 hybrid and was playing my Taylor Made Tour Response.
Member at Belleview Golf Club – Woodslee, ON – Witnesses: Peter & Shelly Roovers & Andrew Bouchat – Handicap: 16 – Hole #11 – Par 3 – 126 yards – used my TaylorMade Kalea 3W and a Titleist golf ball
It was a nice spring day with blustery winds. I was playing with my husband and two friends and having a decent round. The shot on hole #11 was slightly left of the pin – bounced once and ran towards the cup and disappeared. My husband yelled “it’s in”. I was picking up my tee and actually did not see it go in the hole. We told the Golf Course Manager (Josh) who sent a notification to the Membership via Facebook. This was my third Hole-in-One putting me one-up on my husband who has two of them.
Rosemary Willett, Paragon Golf & Country Club, Hole #7
This was my seventh hole-in-one! Last year I had one on hole #15 at Paragon playing with Mike Willett, Lorraine Drummond and John Drummond. This year I had a hole-in-one on hole #7 at Paragon and I was playing with the same couple and my husband! I used a choked up 7 wood for 110 yards.
David Wilks, Uplands Golf Course, Hole #11
I had a hole-in-one on hole #11 at Uplands Golf Course. I was playing with John Agar and Keith Classen. From the white tees it is 140 yards to a middle pin. The winds were gusting that day. I hit a 4 hybrid with a slight draw onto the green. Thought it had gone by, but found it in the hole when we got up to the green. After the round went to the club house and used our club’s hole-in-one insurance to buy beverages for those who joined us to celebrate the occasion. It was a fun day and evening. Totally unexpected!
Roger Rivard, Bear Mountain Golf Course, Hole #6
I had my hole-in-one on Monday, April 15th on the Valley Course, hole #6 on Bear Mountain. I shot it 137 yards using my 7 iron. I was playing with Harry Oshanski, Brad Maclaren and Andy Bes.
Byron Chamberlain, The Meadows Country Club (Grove Course), Hole #5
I was playing with Janice Lui at the time. I used a Pitching Wedge and the distance was about 124 yards.
