CALGARY, Alta. (Alberta Golf) – Alberta Golf is proud to announce our High Performance Squad for 2018. These players have not only shown an excellent ability to play and compete in the sport of golf, but they are also high quality individuals who proudly represent Alberta Golf nationally and internationally. The High Performance Squad is Tier 4 of our overall High Performance Athlete Development Strategy.

These players all met or exceeded a number of criteria to be invited on to this squad, which included being ranked in the Top 2500 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) and being highly ranked on the Golf Canada Order of Merit, among numerous other benchmarks.

2018 High Performance Squad

Matt Williams, Calgary (2017 Mens Amateur Player of the Year)
Ethan Choi, Pincher Creek (2017 Junior Boys Player of the Year)
Brendan MacDougall, Calgary
Emmett Oh, Calgary
Max Sekulic, Rycroft
Patrick Murphy, Calgary
Andrew Harrison, Camrose
AJ Armstrong, St. Albert
Jack Wood, Banff
Jaxon Lynn, Sylvan Lake
Jaclyn Lee, Calgary (Team Canada & 2017 Ladies Amateur Player of the Year)
Kehler Koss, Calgary (2017 Junior Girls Player of the Year)
Sabrine Garrison, Calgary
Kat Kennedy, Okotoks
Kenna Hughes, Calgary
Devon Spriddle, Lethbridge
Cassidy Laidlaw, Calgary

Alberta Golf is also proud to announce our Team Alberta Boys for 2018. This talented group of players are all under 19 years of age and are striving to take their game to the next level. Under the supervision of Provincial Head Coach Randy Robb, these players meet regularly throughout the year to work on becoming the best, well-rounded athlete they can be. Given that most of these players have their sights set on post-secondary opportunities in golf, their competitive track record made them eligible for the team, once they applied for the program. The Team Alberta program is Tier 3 of our overall High Performance Strategy.

The Team Alberta Provincial program is the marquee component of Alberta Golf’s Player Support Program. 2018 marks the program’s tenth year with a proven track record of success enjoyed by athletes currently on the post-secondary circuit. Virtually all of the High Performance Squad athletes are graduates of the Team Alberta program.

2018 Team Alberta Boys

Carter Graf, Sylvan Lake
Ben Farrington, Fort McMurray
Kai Iguchi, Banff
Ethan De Graaf, Edmonton
Ty Steinbring, Barrhead
Brady McKinlay, Lacombe
Jordan Bean, Canmore

The Regional Development program introduces coaching on a regional basis to individuals registered for selected camps which are offered four times throughout the season. Players in the Regional Development program are invited to participate in provincial team challenges and competitions organized by regional coaches. All players who have qualified for an interprovincial team at any time in their playing career are invited to participate in the Regional Player Development program. This program is ideal for individuals looking for additional coaching without the time commitment of Team Alberta, or those who are over the age of 19.

“Bifurcation” is a word we’re hearing more and more in the world of golf. It means to divide into two parts. But don’t let that simple definition fool you. It’s an increasingly controversial concept that strikes at the heart of the game as we know it.

The first area of the current bifurcation debate relates to the Rules of Golf. Should there be one set of guidelines for recreational golfers and another for elite amateurs and professionals?

The second bone of contention, which has set off near panic among many of my colleagues in the golf media and some golf administrators, is this: Are golf courses too short? Do we need to stretch them to 8,000 yards? Do we need to rein in the ever-advancing ball and club technology?

No. And no.

Wally Uihlein, the recently retired CEO of Acushnet Co., makers of Titleist clubs and balls, is the standard bearer for the unification movement.

Back in 2013, he addressed the idea of two sets of Rules in a blog wherein he refutes the three arguments most popular among bifurcation advocates:

Today’s professional game does not mirror today’s amateur game; Golf participation has matured and the adoption of different sets of rules will allow the game to renew its participation growth; Golfers just want to have fun—They do not play by the rules and the formalization of multiple sets of rules is just sanctioning what is already reality.

In summary, his response was that amateurs enjoy trying to emulate their professional heroes, no matter what the disparity in ability; participation fluctuations in the game is a demographic issue, not a rules issue and, “if golfers don’t play by the one set of rules that exist today, why are two sets of rules required?”

On the second prong of the bifurcation tempest—the impact of technology—Uihlein spoke out last November, this time in response to comments that technology is making the game more expensive for everyone by requiring courses to be longer and longer to withstand the onslaught on par. In a letter published in the Wall Street Journal , he asked, “Is there any evidence to support this canard … the trickle-down cost argument? Where is the evidence to support the argument that golf course operating costs nationwide are being escalated due to advances in equipment technology?”

While there is no denying that Tour pros are hitting it farther every year, albeit incrementally, this has not caused a crisis among recreational golfers. Who among us has ever complained, “Dammit! I’m hitting the ball too far these days!”

Having said that, that specious argument spiked when Dustin Johnson hit a 433-yard drive to within inches of the cup on a par-4 in Hawaii a couple of weeks back. (Even though Johnson averages 333 yards per measured drive, it should be noted that there was a 30-mile-an-hour tailwind on the downhill hole with a firm, fast fairway.)

But even the world’s No.1-ranked player downplayed this perceived crisis. “It’s not like we’re dominating golf courses,” he said. “I don’t really understand what all the debate is about because it doesn’t matter how far it goes, it’s about getting it into the hole.”

While technology is important, many other factors such as fitness and course conditions impact how far top players are hitting it. Despite that reality, some at golf’s highest levels think a standardized reduced-distance ball should be required for all PGA TOUR events, arguing that some classic courses have been made “obsolete” by today’s longer players. While this would indeed protect the artificial concept of “par,” it would diminish greatly the entertainment value of professional golf. Who didn’t get a thrill out of DJ’s 433-yard poke?

Adam Helmer is Golf Canada’s Director of Rules, Competitions and Amateur Status. His view is that bifurcation “is not the answer at this point in time; golf must continue to evaluate trends and to evolve with advances in our sport.” For example, he points out that as of Jan. 1, 2019, sweeping changes will be made to the Rules of Golf. As well, distance-measuring devices are legal for even the highest echelon of amateur golf and are not allowed on most of the professional tours. And tournament committees are allowed to set specific Conditions of Competition and make local rules to make the competition fair.

Fewer than 0.1 per cent of the estimated 61 million golfers around the world are professionals. That they are the catalyst for this bifurcation brouhaha is, in my opinion, a classic case of a very small tail wagging a very big dog.

Click here to learn more about the upcoming changes to the Rules of golf.

PANAMA CITY, Panama – The Canadian trio of Roger Sloan, Ryan Yip and Adam Svensson all finished inside the top 10 on Sunday at Web.com Tour’s Panama Championship.

Sloan, a Merritt, B.C. product, paced the Canadians with a final-round 66 to climb into sole possession of 4th place at 4 under par for the tournament. The finish marks his first top-10 finish early into the 2018 season (he collected four in 2017).

Yip, also of Calgary, finished the event at 3 under par. A final-round 72 (+2) pushed the 33-year-old down two spots into a share of 5th. After three events this season, Yip sits at No. 11 on the money list.

Team Canada graduate Adam Svensson maintained his hot play of late with four steady rounds (71-71-67-69) to finish tied for 7th. With the finish, the Surrey, B.C. native maintains his No. 2 standing on the money list—heavily influenced by his January victory at the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic.

The trio gave chase to American Scott Langley, who collected his first Web.com Tour victory on the strength of a come-from-behind 65 on Sunday, closing at 7 under. Langley’s come-from-behind victory is the largest in tournament history, surpassing Miguel Angel Carballo’s five-stroke record from 2007. He also became the first player in tournament history to record an over-par score in the opening round and go on to win the tournament.

All three Canadians will be in action later this week at the Club Colombia Championship in Bogota, Colombia.

Click here for full scoring

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Gary Woodland was surprised to see infant son Jaxson with wife Gabby late Sunday afternoon at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

“My wife kind of surprised me with him,” Woodland said. “I didn’t think he was going to be there. I thought it would just be her. For her to bring him out, that was special and something I’ll never forget.”

Jaxson was born prematurely in June after a twin girl was lost in a miscarriage. On Sunday at TPC Scottsdale, he was in his father’s arms at the trophy celebration after a playoff victory.

“For him to be here, it’s obviously a miracle,” Woodland said. “I’m just so excited to share this with him and my family. Hopefully, it’s the start of something special.”

Woodland beat Chez Reavie with a par on the first extra hole.

Playing three groups ahead of Reavie, Woodland birdied three of the last four holes for a 7-under 64 – the best round of the day – to finish at 18-under 266. He opened with rounds of 67, 68 and 67 after getting some advice from instructor Butch Harmon.

“Butch sent me a text Thursday morning before I played and said, ‘Forget about everything else, let’s just put four rounds together. Don’t worry about what you shoot, don’t worry about winning, just put four good rounds together,”’ Woodland said. “I don’t know if that put me at ease or what, but I definitely put four good rounds together this week.”

Reavie, who got his lone victory at the 2008 RBC Canadian Open, made a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th to force the PGA Tour’s fourth straight playoff and the event’s third overtime finish in a row.

“It’s right up there with the putt I made to win in Canada,” the 36-year-old former Arizona State player said. “It was a lot of fun. Fortunately, I walked up and I really got a good read off it right away.”

In the playoff on 18, Woodland hit short of the green from the left fairway bunker and chipped to 2 feet to set up his third PGA Tour victory and first since 2013.

“It’s been coming. We knew it the last month,” Woodland said. “And sure enough today it all clicked and I made some putts early, gave me some confidence and really hit the ball well coming down the stretch.”

Reavie missed the green left in the playoff and couldn’t get an 11-footer to fall.

“I carried the sign board here growing up when I was in high school and junior high and to have a chance to win the tournament this week was a lot of fun,” Reavie said.

The crowd was estimated at 64,273 for a record weeklong total of 719,179. On Saturday, 216,818 jammed the grounds, the biggest turnout in golf history.

“They were great,” Reavie said. “Being a hometown guy, everyone’s rooting me on.”

He finished with a 66. After a bogey on the par-3 16th, he chipped to 3 feet for birdie on the par-4 17th.

Woodland two-putted for birdie on the par-5 15th, curled in an 8-footer on the par-3 16th, made a 5-footer on the par-4 17th and parred the par-4 18th.

“I was in the zone,” Woodland said. “I really had it going.”

Woodland birdied three of the first five, holed a 30-foot chip to save par on the par-4 sixth and added birdies on Nos. 8 and 9. He bogeyed the par-4 11th after hitting left into the desert, and got the stroke back with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 13th. He bogeyed the par-4 14th before making the late run.

Woodland also won in 2011 at Innisbrook and in 2013 in Nevada. He played college basketball at Washburn in Topeka, Kansas, as a freshman before transferring to Kansas to play golf.

Ollie Schniederjans (65) and Brendan Steele (67) tied for third at 15 under.

Adam Hadwin (71) of Abbotsford, B.C., was the low Canadian at 4 under. Ben Silverman (72) of Thornhill, Ont., was 3 under and Abbotsford’s Nick Taylor (69) was 2 under.

Phil Mickelson had the fans roaring with three straight birdies, the second a 30-footer on 16. But, needing an eagle on 18 to tie Woodland, he drove left into the church pew bunker that Woodland hit into in the playoff and made double bogey. The 47-year-old Hall of Famer tied for fifth at 14 under after a 69.

“I just didn’t get it going early,” Mickelson said. “It was fun to be in contention. I had a great time coming down the stretch. I didn’t like, obviously, the last hole. … I hate finishing like that.”

He made his record-tying 29th start in the event he won in 1996, 2005 and 2013.

Chesson Hadley (68), Matt Kuchar (67) and Bryson DeChambeau (70) matched Mickelson at 14 under.

Third-round leader Rickie Fowler (73) and second-ranked Jon Rahm (72) were six strokes back at 12 under. They played in the final group with Reavie.

“Just couldn’t buy a putt,” Fowler said. “That’s one of the best clubs in my bag. I felt like I hit a lot of good putts, so it was a little disappointing to not see really anything go in on the back nine.”

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Rickie Fowler birdied the last three holes to take the lead in the Waste Management Phoenix Open, overcoming a sluggish start in front of the largest crowd in golf history.

Justin Thomas went the other way, wasting a brilliant opening run with another late meltdown.

Fowler shot a 4-under 67 on Saturday to reach 14-under 199 with a round left at TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course, the fan-friendly layout packed with an estimated 216,818 fans on an 80-degree afternoon.

“I really made some good swings coming in,” Fowler said. “I just wasn’t getting the ball close enough and finally on the last few there I was able to get some good looks.”

The fourth-ranked Thomas, the PGA Tour player of the year after winning five times last season, birdied the first six holes to take the lead. But instead of making a run at his second sub-60 round in a little over a year, Thomas had to fight for an even-par 71 that left him eight shots back. He dropped six strokes in a three-hole stretch, making a bogey on the par-4 14th, a triple bogey on the par-5 15th and a double bogey on the rowdy par-3 16th. On Thursday in the first round, he had a double bogey on 16 and a bogey on 17.

Thomas left the course without speaking to the media.

Former Arizona State players Jon Rahm and Chez Reavie were a stroke back along with Bryson DeChambeau. Phil Mickelson was two shots behind, another former Sun Devils star riding the crowd support.

“It means a lot to me,” Mickelson said. “It’s very helpful and very important to my success. I think it’s been a big instrument in allowing me to get into the round and play and have fun and get out of the technical side.”

The crowd pushed the week total to 654,906, just short of the record of 655,434 set last year.

Fowler is trying to finally win in the desert. He finished a shot behind Hunter Mahan in 2010, lost to Hideki Matsuyama on the fourth extra hole in 2016, and tied for fourth last year.

“It’s just a matter of time,” Fowler said. “It would just be nice if it was sooner rather than later.”

The four-time tour winner began his birdie run with a 17-footer on 16 and connected from 9 feet on the par-4 17th and 18th holes. He also birdied 13 after playing the first 12 in even par with a birdie and a bogey.

“I just kind of had to fight through it,” Fowler said. “The swing was just a fraction off. It wasn’t bad, still made some good swings out there, but just had to try and get the ball in the short grass, get some looks and try not to make many mistakes.”

Rahm had a 65, playing alongside Mickelson and Schauffele for the third straight day. The 23-year-old Spaniard had five birdies in a seven-hole stretch on the back nine. He won two weeks ago in the California desert at La Quinta to jump to No. 2 in the world.

“I hit the ball really well off the tee, gave myself a lot of opportunities,” Rahm said. “But the main key today was my iron play. My game was a lot more accurate than the first few days and thanks to that I had a couple better birdie chances and a couple more went in.”

Reavie birdied the final two holes for a 67.

“To win tournaments out here is great, but to win one that you grew up going to would be very special,” Reavie said. “For me, this is a fifth major.”

DeChambeau shot 68. He lost the lead with a bogey on 17 after driving into the water.

“Tempo and rhythm,” DeChambeau said. “If I can control that and control my golf swing like I have been the past three days I think that I’ll be fine.”

Mickelson birdied the final two holes for a 66. He’s making his record-tying 29th start in the event he won in 1996, 2005 and 2013.

“If you look at it, it looks like a very simple, solid bogey-free round, 5 under,” Mickelson said. “It was anything but that. I made some really nice up-and-downs to keep the round going and when I did hit some good tee shots and hit some good shots into the fairway I was able to get aggressive and make some birdies.”

Xander Schauffele and Daniel Berger also were 12 under. Schauffele shot 66, and Berger had a 68.

Ben Silverman (70) of Thornhill, Ont., and Adam Hadwin (74) of Abbotsford, B.C., were the low Canadians at 4 under. Abbotsford’s Nick Taylor (73) is even.

“I’m getting the full experience playing with Phil and Jon,” Schauffele said. “Especially when all of us are playing well.”

Fowler is wearing a pin on his hat with a picture of Griffin Connell, the area boy he befriended at the event who died last week at age 7. Griffin was born with a rare airway disorder.

“We actually had a ball go a little left on 11 today and we joked about it that Griffin took one in the chest and kept it out for us,” Fowler said.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Rickie Fowler took a share of the lead into the weekend in the Waste Management Phoenix Open. He knows from experience the party is just getting started.

“Just keep the gas pedal down,” Fowler said.

Fowler has had a lot of success at TPC Scottsdale without winning. He finished a shot behind Hunter Mahan in 2010, lost to Hideki Matsuyama on the fourth extra hole in 2016, and tied for fourth last year.

“From the first couple times I played it, I knew it was just kind of a matter of time before I would win here,” Fowler said. “I know I can win here. I put myself in position plenty of times.”

Fowler was tied with Bryson DeChambeau, with each shooting his second straight 5-under 66.

The festive tournament drew an estimated Friday-record crowd of 191,400 fans, bringing the week total to 439,088. The third-round mark of 204,906 set last year is expected to be shattered Saturday, and the week record of 655,434 from a year ago could fall with a day to spare.

DeChambeau birdied the final two holes, hitting a wedge to 8 inches on the par-4 18th late on another 80-degree afternoon.

“I missed a few short putts on the back nine, so definitely didn’t play my best,” DeChambeau said.

He won the John Deere Classic last year. In 2015, the former SMU star became the fifth player to win the NCAA individual title and U.S. Amateur in the same year.

Daniel Berger and former Arizona State player Chez Reavie were a stroke back.

Berger had a bogey-free 65.

“This is the fourth time I’ve been here, so I’ve kind of figured it out a little bit,” Berger said. “Mostly, it’s just about just enjoying yourself.”

Reavie eagled the 17th in a 65. He’s the only player without a bogey after two rounds.

“This is my home tournament, growing up here my whole life and coming to the tournament and carrying the sign board,” Reavie said. “So this is like the fifth major for me.”

Adam Hadwin (65)of Abbotsford, B.C., was the low Canadian in a tie for eighth at 7 under. Ben Silverman (68) of Thornhill, Ont., was in a group tied for 37th at 3 under and Nick Taylor (71), from Abbotsford, was tied for 50th at 2 under. Mac Hughes of Dundas, Ont., missed the cut.

The best shots and highlights from Round 2 @WMPhoenixOpen. pic.twitter.com/SpfjeklwKD

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 3, 2018

Fowler birdied four of the first six holes. He bogeyed his old nemesis, the 317-yard 17th, after driving short of the green to the left and chipping across and off the green.

“Funky little chip where we were in a good position to make birdie,” Fowler said.

Two years ago, he blew a two-stroke lead on 17 in regulation when he drove through the green and into the water, then handed the playoff to Matsuyama when he hit into the water again.

Fowler is wearing a pin on his hat with a picture of Griffin Connell, the area boy he befriended at the event who died last week at age 7. Connell was born with a rare airway disorder.

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence he’s playing so well this week, either,” said Griffin’s father, Jim Connell. “Griffin, he’s not here with us, but we know he’s watching from above.”

Scott Stallings (65), Chesson Hadley (68) and Chris Kirk (68) were 8 under, and Phil Mickelson (65) and fellow former Arizona State player Jon Rahm (68) topped the group at 7 under.

The 47-year-old Hall of Famer is making his record-tying 29th start in the event he won in 1996, 2005 and 2013. He birdied the last three holes – getting the stadium-enclosed No. 16 for the second straight day – and four of the final six.

“There’s no question that I play better down the stretch with people here,” Mickelson said. “I can feel their energy and it helps me focus.”

Justin Thomas and first-round leader Bill Haas were 6 under.

The fourth-ranked Thomas had his second 68. He was bogey-free after dropping three strokes late Thursday with a double bogey on 16 and a bogey on 17.

“I was pretty upset and mad about that last night because I really let a good chance get away to shoot, I felt like, 7 or 8 under,” Thomas said. “But stretches like that are going to happen over the course of four days.”

Haas followed his opening 64 with a 72. He made a double bogey on the par-5 third.

The tournament lost some star power when Jordan Spieth missed the cut and two-time defending champion Matsuyama withdrew because of a left wrist injury.

Spieth shot 72-70, playing alongside Thomas. The third-ranked Spieth last failed to advance to weekend play in May, when he missed consecutive cuts in The Players Championship and the AT&T Byron Nelson. Matsuyama’s injury ended his bid to match Arnold Palmer’s event record of three straight victories.

Robert Garrigus had the shot of the day, a drive on the 17th that hit the flagstick and stopped inches away. He’s 2 under after a 69. Andrew Magee aced the hole in 2001, the only hole-in-one on a par 4 in PGA TOUR history.

The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum is proud to announce former LPGA Tour player Gail Graham and renowned golf course architect, the late Arthur Vernon (A.V.) Macan, have been elected as Canadian Golf Hall of Fame’s 2018 inductees.

Graham will be inducted in the player category while Macan will be inducted as a builder for his career accomplishments in golf course architecture. With their inductions, the pair become the 80^th and 81^st honoured members of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

“The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame recognizes the accomplishments of outstanding individuals and their tremendous impact on the game of golf and it is an honour to welcome Gail Graham and the late A.V. Macan as our newest honoured members,” said Sandra Post, Chair of the Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee. “Gail was both an accomplished player who transitioned to a successful post-playing career as a tournament and LPGA administrator while Macan’s deep contribution to golf course design including notable redesign efforts have become synonymous with excellence in golf course architecture.”

“I am, to say the least, blown away, excited and humbled,” said Graham. “I admire and respect all of the Hall’s members and to join these amazing people who have contributed so much to Canadian golf is an absolute honour.”

With his induction, Macan, who was affectionately referred to as “Mac”, becomes the 5^th golf course architect inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

“Mac was my grandfather and although I never had the pleasure of meeting him, I feel he is a part of our lives even today,” said Matthew Macan, one of Macan’s seven grandchildren. “This is a tremendous honour for our family and we look forward to making the trek from Britain to join you in Canada for the ceremony later this year.”

The induction of Gail Graham and the late A.V. Macan into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame will take place on Tuesday, July 24^th, 2018 during Hall of Fame Day and Opening Ceremony of the 2018 RBC Canadian Open on the grounds of Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.

Gail Graham

Born January 16, 1964 in Vanderhoof, B.C., Gail Graham (nee Anderson) was an accomplished amateur and professional golfer who went on to succeed off the course as an executive and broadcaster.

During her accomplished playing career, Graham, a member of the LPGA Tour for 15 years from 1990-2005, amassed a pair of LPGA Tour victories—the 1997 Alpine Australian Ladies Masters and the 1995 Fieldcrest Cannon Classic. Other professional victories included the 1988 Manhattan Futures Classic on the (former) Futures Tour along with the 2016 Wendy’s Charity Classic on the Legends Tour. Graham also won the 1988 PGA of Canada Women’s Championship and competed in Canada’s National Women’s Open (now the CP Women’s Open) on 17 occasions, her best finish a tie for 4^th in 1998.
Internationally, she helped Canada win the 1987 Commonwealth Championship and represented her country at the Handa World Cup (2009-2013) and Nations Cup (1999-2000).

As a standout amateur with ties to British Columbia and Manitoba, Graham got her start in golf at the St. Charles Country Club in Winnipeg. She won the 1982 Manitoba Junior Women’s Championship, a pair of Manitoba Women’s Amateur titles (1983 & 1985) and was named Manitoba Amateur Golfer of the Year in 1983. She also represented Manitoba on several junior and amateur interprovincial teams during her amateur career. In 1986, her family moved to Kelowna, B.C. and she would later be named to represent Canada on the 1986 World Amateur Team. She also represented BC on provincial amateur teams in 1986 and 1987 and was named an All-American in 1986 playing for Lamar University in Beaumont, TX (where she was teammates with fellow Canadians Jennifer Wyatt and the late Dawn Coe-Jones, a fellow honoured member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame).

Aside from her playing career, Graham also achieved success as a golf executive, administrator and broadcaster having served on the LPGA Executive Committee (1994-1997 & 1999-2002) including a two-year term as President (2001-2002). She also worked as President of the LPGA Tournament Owners Association (2007-2013) and has served on the Board of the Legends Tour since 2016, being named their 2018 President. Graham has also worked with various outlets as a broadcaster and greenside reporter for the LPGA Tour.

In 2002, she was voted by her fellow LPGA Tour members as the recipient of the William and Mousie Powell Award as the player who whose behavior and deeds best exemplifies the spirit, ideals and values of the LPGA. She was also elected to the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame in 2009 and British Columbia Golf Hall of Fame in 2015.

A.V. Macan

Born 1882 in Dublin, A.V. Macan’s contribution to Canadian golf is deeply rooted in defining excellence in Canadian golf course architecture.  Macan learned golf at a young age and soon developed into one of Ireland’s top players. While studying law at Dublin’s Trinity College, Macan competed in top-flight championships throughout the British Isles. It was during this time he would visit many highly touted golf courses in England, Scotland and Ireland, gaining inspiration for the much-admired courses he would later design.

In 1908, he emigrated to Canada with his young family. By 1910, he had settled in Victoria and joined the Victoria Golf Club. Macan won the B.C. Amateur in 1912 & 1913. In 1913, he also won the Pacific Northwest Amateur and the Washington State Amateur Championships.

Macan’s architectural career was launched in earnest when his 1913 design at Colwood (now Royal Colwood), in Victoria hosted the 1922 Pacific Northwest Golf Association championship. Reportedly, Colwood was a hit among competing golfers and soon after, Macan was accepting offers to design courses throughout the region.

In his early 30s, Macan volunteered for service in World War I in 1916 as an officer in the Canadian Expeditionary Force of the Canadian Army. He was wounded by a shell casing fragment in 1917 at the Battle of Vimy Ridge in France. Blood poisoning in his left foot resulted in the amputation of his lower left leg. After the war, he returned to Canada and continued to play competitive golf and design golf courses.

Macan revolutionized golf architecture in the Pacific Northwest region over a career which spanned five decades. In addition to Royal Colwood, Macan’s distinguished designs in Canada include Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club (Vancouver), Marine Drive Golf Club (Vancouver), University Golf Club (Vancouver), Gorge Vale Golf Club (Victoria, B.C.) and Richmond Country Club (Richmond, B.C.), among others. He also renovated several notable golf course layouts as Vancouver Golf Club, Victoria Golf Club, Capilano Golf and Country Club and Point Grey Golf and Country Club.

Macan also invented the Herringbone drainage system which eliminated the accumulation of water around, on and under the putting surfaces which was an important development in dealing with the west coast rainy weather.

Outside of Canada, Macan’s design work includes Fircrest Golf Club (Tacoma, WA), Columbia-Edgewater Country Club (Portland, OR), California Golf Club (San Francisco, CA), Broadmoor Golf Club (Seattle, WA) and Overlake Golf and Country Club (Bellevue, WA).

In 1964, at the age of 82, A.V. Macan succumbed to a heart attack while redesigning Sunland Golf Course in Washington. In 1989, he was Inducted to the Pacific Northwest Golf Association Hall of Fame.

Golf Canada is pleased to announce the eight athletes—four female and four male—who have been selected to the 2018 Team Canada Young Pro Squad.

Comprising the 2018 Women’s Young Pro Squad is Anne-Catherine Tanguay (Quebec City), Brittany Marchand (Orangeville, Ont.), Augusta James (Bath, Ont.), and Jennifer Ha (Calgary) while Jared du Toit (Kimberley, B.C.), Stuart Macdonald (Vancouver), Albin Choi (Toronto) and Taylor Pendrith (Richmond Hill, Ont.) will represent the Men’s Young Pro Squad.

The focus of the Team Canada Young Pro Squad—now in its fifth year—is to bridge the gap for top-performing amateurs transitioning into the professional ranks. Since the inception of the Young Pro Squad in 2014, current and former team members have accounted for 31 wins across various professional golf tours including LPGA Tour and PGA TOUR wins by Young Pro graduates Brooke Henderson and Mackenzie Hughes, respectively.

“The depth of talent in this group of young professionals is a great reflection of our commitment to producing elite-level champions at all levels of Canadian golf,” said Golf Canada’s chief sport officer Jeff Thompson. “We are pleased to provide a number of services to these talented up-and-coming athletes including world-class coaching, sport science, and financial support as they strive to reach their full potential in the professional ranks.”

Heading up the female contingent is Quebec City native Anne-Catherine Tanguay, a graduate of Team Canada’s Amateur Squad. Tanguay, 27, returns to the team after a banner year that included eight top-15 performances on the Symetra Tour en route to finishing No. 8 on the money list. Tanguay earned full status on the LPGA Tour as one the top-10 Symetra Tour athletes in 2017.

“I’m excited for the year ahead on the LPGA Tour and am grateful for the Young Pro Squad’s support in a season that will feature some new challenges in my professional career,” said Tanguay, an Oklahoma State graduate.

Brittany Marchand rejoins Team Canada after graduating from the Amateur Squad in 2015. The Orangeville, Ont., product enters her sixth year with Team Canada following a successful 2017 campaign on the Symetra Tour that featured seven top-20 finishes including a victory at the PHC Classic. Marchand went on to add a victory at the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada. The 25-year-old also impressed at the CP Women’s Open in August, finishing tied for 30th after four strong rounds at Ottawa Hunt.

Long-standing Team Canada member Augusta James of Bath, Ont. returns for her seventh year as part of Team Canada including the past two with the Young Pro Squad. The 24-year-old looks to continue her ascension through the professional ranks as she embarks on a fourth consecutive Symetra Tour campaign. The former Canadian Women’s Amateur champion boasts 13 top-10 finishes on the Symetra Tour, including a win at the 2015 Chico’s Patty Berg Memorial Classic.

“Team Canada has played an integral role in my career since the beginning and I’m thrilled to be back working with everyone again,” said James. “I’ve developed very close relationships with Tristan (Women’s Team Coach Tristan Mullally) and the support staff and I’m looking forward to more success in 2018.”

Rounding out the women’s squad is Calgary’s Jennifer Ha. The 23-year-old Kent State alumna will play on the Symetra Tour in 2018 with hopes to regain the full LPGA status she held in 2017. Ha is also familiar with the Team Canada program as a member of the Amateur Squad from 2014-15 and Development Squad in 2013. She is a former Alberta Ladies Amateur and Junior Girls champion.

“I’m grateful for Golf Canada’s continued support in my career,” said Ha. “I have big goals for 2018 and am looking forward to putting in some hard work to achieve the results I know I’m capable of.”

On the men’s side, four Team Canada Amateur Squad graduates will form the Young Pro Squad in 2018.

Albin Choi, a member of the Young Pro Squad since its inception, will return for his fifth year representing Team Canada in the professional ranks. Choi recorded three top-25 finishes on the Web.com Tour in 2017 to finish the year at No.95 on the money list. Entering his ninth year with the Team Canada program, the 25-year-old former Canadian Men’s Amateur champion has full status on the Web.com Tour this season and recently finished T13 at the season-opening event.

“The Young Pro Squad program has provided invaluable support for both my career and personal development during a full professional season on Tour,” said Choi. “Team Canada is like a family to me; I can’t wait to make great strides in 2018.”

Jared du Toit of Kimberley, B.C., will make his debut on the Young Pro Squad after two successful seasons with Team Canada’s Amateur Squad. Du Toit posted seven top-25 finishes in 11 events on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada in 2017 en route to taking home Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year honours. The Arizona State alumnus made a captivating run at the 2016 RBC Canadian Open which saw him finish tied for 9th playing out of final group on Sunday.

“Knowing that I have the Young Pro Squad in my corner is extremely valuable during the many challenges of a full professional season,” said du Toit. “I know what I want to accomplish in 2018 and look forward to working hard with the coaching staff to achieve my goals.”

Also making his debut on the Young Pro Squad is Vancouver’s Stuart Macdonald. The Purdue University graduate earned Web.com Tour status through Qualifying School in December. Macdonald, 23, is coming off a season highlighted by two top-25 finishes on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada. Macdonald was a member of Team Canada’s Amateur Squad in 2016-17.

Rounding out the male contingent is Richmond Hill, Ont., native Taylor Pendrith, who split time between the Web.com Tour and Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada in 2017. The 26-year-old Kent State alumnus has been battling wrist and hand injuries since earning top-five honours on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA Tour Canada Order of Merit in 2015. Pendrith is also a former member of Team Canada’s Amateur Squad.

“I’m thankful for the continued coaching and advice from Derek (Men’s Team Coach Derek Ingram) and the sport science team, and I look forward to getting back to full health in 2018,” said Pendrith.

Men’s and Women’s National Squad coaches Derek Ingram and Tristan Mullally—both PGA of Canada Ben Kern Coach of the Year recipients—will provide coaching to their respective Young Pro athletes. In addition to funding and coaching support, the athletes will have access to Team Canada’s sport science staff which includes Psychologist Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood and Physiotherapist & Strength Coach Greg Redman.

#TeamCanada Head Coaches @tmullallygolf & @dingramgolf speak to the success of the Young Pro Squad and how it has helped translate into 31 professional wins ?? pic.twitter.com/1rmbS5Mdr3

— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) January 31, 2018

The Team Canada Young Pro initiative was developed in partnership with the PGA of Canada. Funding is received in large part from the Golf Canada Foundation with generous contributions from founding partners Canadian Pacific and RBC, as well as supporting partners Citi Canada and Bear Mountain Golf Resort, the official training centre of Golf Canada’s National Team program.

“We’re extremely proud of what Young Pro has been able to accomplish as we enter the fifth year of developing Canada’s up-and-coming professional golfers,” said Martin Barnard, Golf Canada Foundation CEO. “Driving funds for the athletes will continue as a priority item for the Foundation and we look forward to helping shape the next generation of Canadian golf.”

Throughout the season, Golf Canada will closely monitor the performance of elite Canadian amateurs transitioning to professional golf with the possibility of program expansion.

Click here to read Team Canada Young Pro Squad player bios.

The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada officially announced on Wednesday that the Lethbridge Paradise Canyon Open, a new event taking place at Paradise Canyon Golf Resort in Lethbridge, Alberta, will begin as part of a multi-year agreement starting in 2018.

The 156-player event with a $200,000 purse will take place June 18-24 as the fourth event of the 2018 schedule. Lethbridge Open Limited will serve as the host organization and has retained Hugh Vassos to serve as tournament director.

“We’re thrilled to be adding the Lethbridge Paradise Canyon Open to the Mackenzie Tour schedule and are elated about the opportunity to play an event in Lethbridge, a community which we feel is the perfect fit for one of our tournaments, for many years to come,” said Mackenzie Tour President Jeff Monday. “Our gratitude goes out to the mayor, Chris Spearman, and the Lethbridge City Council, along with Ron Sakamoto and everyone at Paradise Canyon Golf Resort for their support in making this event a possibility.”

Paradise Canyon, a 6,810-yard Bill Newis design, previously hosted the 2008 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, which featured future PGA TOUR players Adam Hadwin, Nick Taylor, Ben Silverman and Corey Conners in the field.

“We’re fortunate to host an event of this caliber in the City of Lethbridge and at Paradise Canyon. We expect this tournament will generate millions of dollars of economic activity to benefit the community. With some of the world’s top up-and-coming players along with their families and fans visiting the city, we hope to elevate Lethbridge as a tourism destination,” said Sakamoto, Paradise Canyon’s owner and general manager.

Vassos has run tournaments on the Mackenzie Tour since 2008, with his organization VMC Sports and Entertainment, and he currently also serves as tournament director of the GolfBC Championship.

“A large number of people have been working towards the goal of hosting a Mackenzie Tour event in Lethbridge for a long time, and we’re excited to begin working with the community to make this a premier, week-long event,” said Vassos. “Starting this event would not have been possible without the commitment of the Lethbridge City Council, as well as the initial sponsorship from the Lethbridge Lodging Association, and I’d like to thank them for their support in helping this tournament become a reality.”

“Lethbridge looks forward to welcoming the top up-and-coming professional golfers from around the world. I know they will experience the very best of what we have to offer, and the Lethbridge Paradise Canyon Open will showcase our city to the world,” said Lethbridge Mayor Chris Spearman.

The Lethbridge Paradise Canyon Open’s official charitable partner will be Lethbridge Family Services, a highly accredited, charitable, human-services organization that improves the well-being and quality of life for individuals and families in Southwestern Alberta. The event’s net proceeds will go toward helping families in need.

The full 2018 Mackenzie Tour schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.

SAN DIEGO – Jason Day calmly sank an 18-inch birdie putt at 8:17 a.m. Monday in front of empty grandstands on No. 18 at Torrey Pines for his first PGA Tour win in 20 months.

There were no roars, just cheers from Day’s family and a handful of mates.

In a rare Monday morning finish, Day took all of 13 minutes to navigate the par-5, 570-yard 18th on the South Course to finish a six-hole playoff against Alex Noren to win the Farmers Insurance Open.

Day and Noren had to return after grinding through five playoff holes Sunday before it got too dark to continue.

Spectators weren’t allowed in the next day because organizers said they didn’t have time to arrange for security.

“It was a little strange, but we did have a few people up in the stands, which was nice,” Day said. “It’s great to finish the tournament and all, but it would have been nice to finish yesterday with all the people there.

“I’d play until Wednesday if I needed to get that win,” Day said. “It’s why we get up every morning and practice. This win is just as special as the first one.”

Day also won here in 2015, in a four-man playoff that took only two holes. That victory propelled him to a five-win season, including the PGA Championship, and the world’s No. 1 ranking.

After contending with a balky back the last few weeks, he hopes this victory also is a springboard after a dreadful 2017 season.

Day’s tee shot landed in the right rough and Noren’s in the first cut to the left.

Noren tried an aggressive second shot, but his ball landed short of the green and rolled into Devlin’s Billabong, a pond that protects the hole.

Day shot over some trees and laid up onto the fairway before hitting a lob wedge approach of about 85 yards, with the ball rolling down several feet to set up the winning putt.

“It was really unfortunate for him to hit it in the water because I know how good of a shot he actually hit there because that’s really tough to go with a 3-wood into a green like that,” Day said.

“I think it’s almost a blessing that I actually missed the fairway knowing that I had to lay up and knowing that I kind of worked on that number before. I was on the range hitting that exact same number.”

Noren, a 35-year-old Swede trying for his first PGA Tour win, bogeyed the hole.

“I had a perfect yardage,” said Noren, who played at Oklahoma State and has nine victories on the European Tour. “And the greens are not super firm in the morning like this so I thought it was the perfect play in the middle of the green and have a putt at eagle and a few yards short, so it’s tough.”

? No. 11 after six playoff holes!

Congrats to @JDayGolf on his victory at the @FarmersInsOpen. #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/4PT3FYUxvO

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 29, 2018

Day and Noren matched each other with birdie, birdie, par, par and birdie through five playoff holes in the twilight Sunday on the blufftop course overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Ryan Palmer was eliminated on the first extra hole with a par.

“Myself, Ryan and Alex all hit some nice shots coming down the stretch in the playoffs,” Day said. “Going shot for shot with Alex was pretty cool over that five-hole stretch, and unfortunately we just couldn’t get it. We just didn’t want to give it up.”

Day was on his “third-string” caddie. He said Luke Reardon, who caddied for him at the end of last year, and David Lutterus, who was going to be on the bag, had trouble securing visas.

His third in line, childhood friend Rika Batibasaga, “he’s marrying an American and I knew that he’s in here already,” Day said. “So I was like, ‘I’ve got to grab someone, either grab him or grab someone out of the crowd.”’

Day hopes this victory leads to a turnaround from a miserable 2017, which included his mother recovering from lung cancer and a game that lost some discipline and focus.

“I think last year was a good kick in the butt, you know, not really being talked about and being talked about for the wrong reasons,” the 30-year-old Australian said. “Obviously take my mum and stuff out of the equation, but just I see the guys winning, Jordan (Spieth), and Dustin (Johnson) is playing some tremendous golf, Jon Rahm’s playing some tremendous golf, and I feel like I should be there as well, winning.”

Day is currently ranked No. 10 in the world. Getting back to the top is the goal.

“I got there for 51 weeks, but I’ve always wanted to be a dominant No. 1 player in the world and that is going to take time,” he said. “That’s going to take a lot of hard work and dedication because I know how hard it is to get to No. 1 in the world and I know the quality of play that is fighting to get to No. 1 as well.”