Dustin Johnson takes control at Kapalua
KAPALUA, Hawaii – Dustin Johnson has a long game and a short memory.
Johnson holed a 65-yard wedge shot down the hill and up the green for an eagle, and he powered his way to birdies on the par 5s at Kapalua for a 7-under 66 to build a two-shot lead over Brian Harman going into the final round at the Sentry Tournament of Champions.
The world’s No. 1 player with a lead is a daunting prospect anywhere, especially on a course where he is a past champion (2013) and has posted 20 out of his 30 rounds on the Plantation Course in the 60s.
Hope for the players chasing him comes from Johnson’s most recent start on the PGA Tour.
That was just over two months ago at the HSBC Champions in Shanghai, where Johnson lost a six-shot lead at Sheshan International. Most peculiar about that day is Johnson still was up by three shots, didn’t miss a fairway on the back nine and still got beat.
Johnson says he didn’t even remember Shanghai until it was mentioned to him.
“Look, it was a long time ago,” he said. “It’s a completely different golf course. It was what? Two months ago or something? So yeah, I’m going to try not to think about it tomorrow. Hopefully, I won’t. But I just need to go out and play my game and just see what happens.”
✔️ DJ's wedge magic
✔️ Rahm and Rickie move into position
✔️ Close calls all day long#TheTakeaway pic.twitter.com/epNCyEsArM— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 7, 2018
Johnson seized control quickly Saturday at Kapalua.
Coming off his lone bogey – a poor chip after his tee shot went just over the back of the 11th green – he had 65 yards from fluffy rough, straight down the hill toward the Pacific to a green that was uphill but with the grain and the wind.
Johnson wasn’t sure how far it was, and that wasn’t really significant.
“I was looking just left of the flag, but short of the green,” he said. “I knew once it got on the green that it was going to be pretty good. And obviously, it went in. So that was definitely a nice bonus.”
The rest of his round was power golf. He drove pin-high on the reachable par-4 14th up the hill and into the wind to set up a simple chip-and-putt birdie. He had a short iron into the green on the par-4 15th to set up a two-putt birdie. He saved par with a 10-foot putt on the 17th and two putts for birdie on the 18th capped off his day.
Johnson was at 16-under 203.
Harman couldn’t keep pace, dropping two shots early on the back nine until a late rally for a 69 to stay within two shots. Harman began the day tied with Marc Leishman, who didn’t make a birdie until the 16th hole and wound up with a 76 to fall nine shots behind.
Jon Rahm made up a lot of ground quickly with a birdie-eagle-birdie burst on the scoring holes in the middle of the back nine. A final birdie gave the explosive Spaniard a 66 and left him within range at four shots behind.
Johnson and Rahm have a little history. Rahm nearly chased him down in Mexico City last year in a World Golf Championship, and then three weeks later pushed him to the 18th hole in the final of Match Play, which turned out to be Johnson’s third straight victory.
Rahm loves being in the mix with Johnson, even if the outcome hasn’t gone in his favour.
“Hopefully, I can play good down the stretch like I’ve been doing, just start a little better on the front nine,” Rahm said.
He did most of his damage on the three-hole stretch on the back nine where birdies are available. He just missed the reachable 14th and chipped to a foot for birdie, then hit his second shot on the par-5 15th to 8 feet for eagle, and holed a tricky 10-foot putt on the 16th.
Rahm will play in the penultimate group with Rickie Fowler, who shot a 68 to reach 11-under 208. Jason Dufner shot 69 and joined Fowler five shots behind.
Defending champion Justin Thomas spent more time with his father than he planned. Jimmy Johnson, his regular caddie, had a significant setback with his foot and will have to be in a protective boot for the next month. Thomas put his father to work. He had a pair of double bogeys over the last four holes, sandwiched between birdies, shot 75 and was 18 shots behind.
Jordan Spieth played with Rahm and never got much going in his round of 70, leaving him too far back.
Harman qualified for the Tournament of Championship by making a 30-foot birdie putt on the final hole to win the Wells Fargo Championship and avoid a playoff with Johnson and Pat Perez.
“I can’t control what Dustin does. He’s a fabulous player,” Harman said. “He’s going to be really hard to beat tomorrow, but trying to do something I’m not capable of is not the way to do it.”
Johnson will be going for his 17th victory on the PGA Tour dating to his rookie season 10 years. Johnson has failed to win just one year during his career, in 2014.
Canada’s Adam Hadwin sits at 3 over par for the tournament following a 74 (+1) on Saturday.
Harman, Leishman share lead at windy Kapalua
KAPALUA, Hawaii – Marc Leishman played bogey-free and was tied for the lead in the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Just don’t get the idea this is another example of an Australian doing well at Kapalua because he stayed sharp Down Under in December.
Leishman two-putted for birdie on the par-5 18th for a 4-under 69, giving him a share of the lead with Brian Harman (68) going into the weekend on the windy Plantation Course with 15 players separated by five shots.
Stuart Appleby once won three straight years at Kapalua. Geoff Ogilvy is the last player to win back-to-back. Both arrived in Maui having competed in either the Australian Masters, Australian Open or Australian PGA. Appleby did all three one year.
Leishman?
He’s played one time in the last 10 weeks. Well, one tournament, anyway.
“I went to Topgolf a couple of weeks ago,” Leishman said.
It was too cold to practice at his home in Virginia Beach, so he headed to the multi-tiered golf complex where points are scored for hitting at various targets, all while having a few beers and listening to live entertainment. Thankfully, he didn’t take his tour bag, just a half-dozen clubs in a tiny carry bag.
“I scored all right,” he said. “I remember the first time I went there, I didn’t realize there was a leaderboard at the front desk. I scored really high, and then all of a sudden all the people turn around and I’m having a couple of beers, just having fun.”
One patron said to him, “You’re pretty good with the tools.”
He has been pretty good in windy conditions at Kapalua. Leishman didn’t make as many birdies as he would have liked. His only one on the par 5s was the final hole. Even so, he joined Harman at 10-under 136 going into the weekend of this winners-only event.
Harman came on strong on the back nine, and picked up his third birdie in unlikely fashion. He was down the steep slope right of the green on the par-5 15th, and his first chip barely reached the green and rolled back down the hill. He chipped that one in for birdie, and then picked up his fifth birdie of the back nine on the 18th.
Dustin Johnson, with more experience than anyone at Kapalua, overcame a sluggish start for a 68 and was one shot behind, making him perhaps the strongest threat going into the final two rounds.
Johnson is making his eighth appearance at the Tournament of Champions. No one else in the 34-man field has played more three times. His 68 was the 19th time in 29 rounds that the world’s No. 1 player has shot in the 60s, and he has yet to have a round over par.
This was a challenge, at least early.
The wind laid down on his shot into No. 3, and it went long into fluffy rough, leaving him a downhill, downwind putt with the grain. He chipped that 30 feet by and made bogey. On the next hole, he caught a gust and made another bogey. On the par-5 fifth, he had a 7-iron for his second shot and made par.
And then he made seven birdies over the last 14 holes to get within one shot of the lead.
Pat Perez and Chris Stroud each shot 66, while Jhonattan Vegas had a 70. They were two shots behind.
Back in the mix was Jordan Spieth, who opened with a 75. Spieth didn’t have a lot going his way early with a poor club selection on the par-3 second hole and one that was even worse on the par-5 fifth. Spieth went into the hazard with this second shot and took bogey on the second-easiest scoring hole at Kapalua.
And then he couldn’t miss.
He has been working on his putting, trying to get it back to 2015 standards, and he walked in an 18-footer at No. 6 and knew his 12-footer at No. 8 was going to fall even before he stroked the putt.
“That’s a feeling I haven’t had in quite a while with the putter,” he said. “So a big step forward. A lot of progress today.”
Spieth chipped in for eagle from 70 feet on No. 9 and shot 66 to get within five shots of the lead.
Defending champion Justin Thomas took a step back. He hit one too many wayward shots and had a 41 on the back nine for a 75, dropping him 10 shots out of the lead.
The biggest challenge was putting in the gusts, especially on the greens high on the hill that are exposed.
“You’ve got grain, break, speed, wind. Very difficult,” Perez said. “I had trouble with all of them yesterday. Today, I was able to see more of the break. I was able to get the speed and the wind all together. It took me a full day. But it was good.”
Canada’s Adam Hadwin slipped with a 2-over par 75 to sit 12 back of the leaders mid-way through the tournament.
Hadwin opens with even-par round at Kapalua
KAPALUA, Hawaii – Marc Leishman is having a much better time at Kapalua this year, on and off the golf course.
Leishman, coming off his best year with two PGA Tour victories that helped him become the highest-ranked player from Australia, made eight birdies in a strong wind Thursday on the Plantation Course for a 6-under 67 and a one-shot lead over Brian Harman and Jhonattan Vegas.
Only six players broke 70 in the opening round, a product of trade winds strong enough to cause players to back off putts.
There were a few other wild moments. Leishman thought he hit his tee shot out-of-bounds on the 14th hole, where the wind sent it sailing beyond the waist-high native grass. Just his luck, he wound up in someone’s backyard, and it wasn’t out-of-bounds. What he figured would be a double bogey off the tee became a par.
“Best break I’ve had all year,” Leishman said after the first round of 2018.
Rickie Fowler sent his approach to the 13th into the native grass, found it and took two hacks to get it onto the green, making double bogey. He bounced back with a pair of birdies and an eagle putt on the closing hole for a 69.
Dustin Johnson and Si Woo Kim also were at 69.
Adam Hadwin, the lone Canadian in the field, posted an even-par 73 to trail Leishman by six strokes heading into Friday’s second round.
Defending champion Justin Thomas hit his tee shot on No. 12 into the 13th fairway. That was the direction he took at the TPC Boston when he won a FedEx Cup playoff event last fall, but this wasn’t on purpose. He still did enough right for a 71.
Thomas played in the final group with Spieth, who wasn’t nearly as fortunate. Spieth had never shot over par in his previous 12 rounds at Kapalua. On Thursday, he had to get up-and-down from 167 yards on the downwind, downhill, par-5 18th just to salvage par for a 75.
He attributed it to adjustments he’s making with his putting stroke, trying to get it back to where it was a few years ago, and he needs more competitive rounds. That might explain his trio of three-putt bogeys.
Leishman had no such worries.
“It was nice to see some putts go in. Just gets the year off to a good start,” he said. “Hopefully, I can keep it going and see where we end up Sunday night.”
Leishman won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March, and then ran away from the field at the BMW Championship during the FedEx Cup playoffs. It was a breakthrough for the 34-year-old Aussie, and it brought him back to Kapalua.
The last time was in 2013, when the wind was so strong that the opening round was scratched and the tournament did start until Monday, which was when it was supposed to finish. It was reduced to 54 holes. Leishman had a pair of 75s and tied for 23rd.
And that’s wasn’t even the worst of it.
“I remember I got food poisoning,” he said. “I threw up three times in the first five holes and they cancelled the whole day, so I was really happy. I remember spending a lot of time in a hotel room. Our son was almost 1 and we had the ‘Wiggles’ on repeat the whole week.”
• Rickie's Hawaiian shirt. ?
• Tiger's early schedule. ?
• Leishman's strong start. ?️??It's all in The Takeaway. pic.twitter.com/t2mylP2g1B
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 5, 2018
That’s an Australian music group that plays children’s songs, with the subjects that Leishman couldn’t stomach.
“They’ve got a hot potato song. The have a fruit salad song,” he said. “So that was my main memory from the week. We didn’t get to spend any time at the pool. It was too dangerous, really. It was blowing the palm leaves off the trees. So we’re trying to make up for it this week, spending a lot of time at the pool and beach.”
He hasn’t neglected the golf.
The trade wind, typical for the Plantation Course but largely absent in recent years, made it play more difficult than usual. Leishman got into the mix with four straight birdies starting at the par-4 seventh with a 12-foot birdie putt. He made another medium-range birdie on the next hole, missed a 7-foot eagle putt on the par-5 ninth and then stuffed his approach on the 10th.
Johnson didn’t do anything special in his round of 69 and missed plenty of opportunities on the low side because the greens were slower than he anticipated. Thomas and Spieth, meanwhile, talked more about rust.
Thomas played the par-5s in even, thanks to a mental lapse on No. 9 when he failed to get it on the green with a flop shot. He three-putted from long range for par on the closing hole – long range at Kapalua meant about 110 feet just off the front of the green.
He played the final six holes in 2 under and was irritated he didn’t birdie them all from where he was.
“I didn’t play as bad as my score, so that’s what is a little disappointing,” Thomas said.
Tiger plans to play Torrey Pines, Riviera on west coast
KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — Tiger Woods is playing twice in California over the next six week as he begins another comeback on the PGA TOUR from back surgery.
Woods announced Thursday he will play the Farmers Insurance Open on Jan. 25 at Torrey Pines, the San Diego course where he has won eight times. That includes the 2008 U.S. Open, his 14th and most recent major.
He also says he will play the Genesis Open at Riviera in Los Angeles that starts Feb. 15. Riviera is where Woods played his first PGA Tour event as a 16-year-old amateur. He last played in 2006, though it now is back in play because the Tiger Woods Foundation runs the tournament.
“I’m very excited to be back at Riviera,” Woods said. “To be able to play in an event that I used to come to as an amateur, as a junior and now as the tournament host, that is on one of the most historic sites in all of golf, it’s a dream come true.”
The schedule is similar to the one last year when Woods was returning from back surgery. It just didn’t last long.
He played in the Bahamas against an 18-man field with no cut, said he was feeling good about his health and his game, and then resumed a PGA Tour schedule at Torrey Pines. But he missed the 36-hole cut for the first time in San Diego, flew to Dubai and withdrew after opening with a 77 because of back spasms.
Two months later, Woods had fusion surgery on his lower back — his fourth back surgery in three years — and was out the rest of the year until he returned at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas and tied for ninth, 10 shots out of the lead.
Different about this return was that Woods was hitting with power, at times hitting it past Justin Thomas and Henrik Stenson, and he played several practice rounds before the Bahamas with Thomas, Rickie Fowler, Daniel Berger and Dustin Johnson. All of them remarked that he looked much fitter, healthier and happier.
The PGA Tour figures to get an even bigger boost.
“I think Tiger’s return and the excitement based on how he looked … based on what it does for ratings, what it does for a non-golfer’s interest in golf, it’s got to be at the forefront of the excitement,” Jordan Spieth said.
“With Tiger, we just don’t exactly know what it’s going to bring. But I think because of the way that the Hero went and the confidence that he’s talking with, the place that he’s at in life right now, I think he’s in the best position he’s been in in a few years to come back and be a regular out here competing.”
Woods did not mention any other events he might play. He is No. 656 in the world ranking and not eligible for the two World Golf Championships in March, key tournaments leading into the Masters.
He has not played all four majors since 2015 — he missed the cut in three of them — because of his back injuries. He has not made the cut in all four majors since 2013.
Woods has 79 career victories on the PGA Tour, the most recent at the Bridgestone Invitational in 2013. He needs four more to break the record held by Sam Snead.
Adam Hadwin extends partnership with Levelwear
Levelwear confirmed today that it has resigned Adam Hadwin to a multi-year deal and the PGA TOUR member will continue to be a global brand ambassador for their brand moving into 2018.
“I absolutely loved working with Levelwear last season to ensure that each week I was dressed with high-performance and top quality apparel that enabled me to continuously compete at the top level; I’m thrilled to continue to wear their apparel moving into this season,” says Hadwin. “The fact that I can not only work with a Canadian brand but feel great in their apparel week after week means a lot, and I look forward to playing in some new styles this season on TOUR.”
. @Levelwear, our apparel partners for the @RBCCanadianOpen & @CPWomensOpen, confirmed today that they’ve resigned @ahadwingolf to a multi-year deal as a global brand ambassador. pic.twitter.com/W1Hw2uVPPx
— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) January 4, 2018
Hadwin had a breakout season during the 2016-2017 PGA TOUR campaign, making history at the CareerBuilder Challenge, becoming the 4th player in PGA TOUR history and first Canadian ever to shoot sub-60 on a par 72 course. Seven weeks after his impressive performance at the CareerBuilder, Hadwin then went on to capture his first PGA TOUR title at the Valspar Championship, defeating Patrick Cantlay in a tightly fought battle. To conclude his third season on TOUR, Hadwin earned a spot to compete in the Presidents Cup, making him the third Canadian in history to do so. Hadwin is in a great place right now both on and off the course, and hopes to continue this momentum into the 2017-2018 season.
Levelwear works with roughly 80 of the top 100 golf clubs in both Canada and the US, as well as continuously growing their portfolio of top tier golfers joining Adam Hadwin.
“We are thrilled Adam will be continuing to wear Levelwear on TOUR this season after his stellar performance last year. His attitude on and off the course reflects the core values Levelwear boasts internally and externally,” said Hilton Ngo, Levelwear’s CEO. “We can’t wait to further grow our relationship with him as he competes on TOUR this season and watch him continue to reach new heights.”
Levelwear has established enduring business verticals in licensed and team sports, golf apparel, and men’s and women’s lifestyle wear, with core strengths of innovation, decoration, and industry leading service. The company holds licensing partnerships with some of the top global brands, including the NHL and NHLPA, NBA and NBPA, 140 US Colleges, Hockey Canada and various soccer properties (Bayern Munich, Paris St. Germain, Juventus, Celtics, Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham, etc.) globally. At the PGA Merchandising Show in Orlando later in the month, Levelwear is unveiling its 2018 collection and the Insignia Program, a highly innovative logo treatment collection, that gives a rich gloss metallic like finish with custom embellishments. For more information, please visit www.levelwear.com.
Statement on the passing of former Shaw Communications CEO Jim Shaw
It is with sadness and respect that Golf Canada and the Golf Canada Foundation extend sincere condolences to the entire Shaw family as well as to our friends at Shaw Communications on the passing of former CEO Jim Shaw who passed away on January 3, 2018.
“On behalf of Golf Canada, the Golf Canada Foundation and the Canadian golf community, we extend our most sincere condolences to Jim Shaw’s entire family and his many friends and colleagues with Shaw Communications,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “The Shaw family and the team at Shaw Communications have been passionate supporters and promoters of the game of golf in their community. From their partnership with the RBC Canadian Open and deep philanthropic ties to the Golf Canada Foundation to their incredible vision in transforming the Shaw Charity Classic into a gold-standard charitable platform and so many other endeavours, the Shaw family has had an incredible impact on Canadian golf and our deepest thoughts are with them at this difficult time.”
Harry White, a champion of junior golf in B.C., passes at age 72
The British Columbia golf community is mourning the passing of Harry White, a tireless promoter of junior golf who influenced the lives of countless youngsters and made an enormous contribution to the game.
White died Tuesday in Vancouver following a lengthy illness. He was 72. White was a longtime member of Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver and ran the Junior Linkster Golf Tour where kids as young as five years old learned the game.
“Nobody has given more to junior golf in Vancouver than Harry White,” said Tim Tait, the head professional at Marine Drive, where White had been a member since 1957.
“Harry is responsible for introducing thousands of kids to the game of golf in B.C.,” added fellow Marine Drive member Doug Roxburgh, the 13-time B.C. Amateur champion. “He put forward non-member kids for membership at the club that he came across and felt could benefit from being there.”
One of those kids was Richmond’s Chris Crisologo, who is now a member of Golf Canada’s national amateur team. Crisologo, a senior on the Simon Fraser University golf team, said White had a profound influence on his life that extends far beyond golf.
“I will always remember the passion he had for the game and the way he gave back to the community and kids,” Crisologo said in an interview. “He spoke a lot to us about the integrity of the game. That kind of passion and integrity has carried on through my golf and how I view the game.
“And it was more than just golf. He helped me get into Marine Drive as a junior and from there you learn respect and everything. He graduated from Vancouver College and he wrote me a nice little letter to help me get into the high school. There were just so many small things he did for me over the years that have touched and influenced my life.”
White was a huge supporter and organizer of the annual Junior America’s Cup competition that features 18 teams from 12 western U.S. states, two Canadian provinces and Mexico.
Crisologo played on two America’s Cup teams captained by White — in 2011 in Colorado and again in 2013 in Hawaii. Crisologo visited with White just days before his passing.
White, along with his late brother Dick and Michael Riste were founding members of the B.C. Golf Museum, which opened its doors on the grounds of University Golf Club in Vancouver in May of 1989.
Riste, whose tireless efforts have helped keep the golf museum afloat, said White’s support was crucial in getting the museum up and running. “When we built the golf museum, all I’d have to do was tell Harry, we need some insulation or I need drywall, and the next thing I knew it would arrive,” Riste said.
But Riste said White’s legacy will definitely be his contribution to junior golf. In addition to the Junior Linksters Tour, White and his late business partner Fred Wellsby started a Junior Zone tour in the Vancouver area that helped produce many top players.
“I wouldn’t even want to guess how many guys at Marine Drive played the junior tour, were good players and Harry got them into Marine Drive as junior members,” Riste said. “If there were 100 down there it wouldn’t shock me. . .Junior golf will definitely miss Harry White.”
While best known for his work supporting junior golf, White was also a fine player in his day. He played alongside Roxburgh on two Willingdon Cup teams for British Columbia. The team of White, Roxburgh, Johnny Russell and Dave Mick won the Willingdon Cup in 1972 at Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary.
White was the stroke-play medallist at the 1969 B.C. Amateur Championship at Richmond Golf Club, but fell to Roxburgh in the match play semi-finals. Roxburgh, who visited with White just days before his passing, remembers winning that match on the 20th hole. He chuckled while reminiscing about the match.
“I think on the second hole I hit a wedge six inches from the hole and Harry turns to me and says, ‘I never give birdie putts.’ He made me putt it. I also remember he got it up and down on 18 to take it to extra holes and I beat him on the 20th.
“He was a very good player. He kind of had a funny swing. He had a dip in his backswing, he dipped his head down and his left knee down. But he was a strong guy and could hit the ball pretty solid. Back in his heyday he was a very good putter.”
White was also a past Vancouver City Amateur champion. Later in life, he turned pro and made an unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the Senior Tour. “Harry was a fine player and in his prime always a contender,” said Kris Jonasson, longtime executive director of British Columbia Golf. “As a builder, Harry was an unequalled champion. Golfers will miss his passion, his mentorship, but will always remember the legacy he leaves behind.”
Riste said a celebration of White’s life will be held later this month at Marine Drive Golf Club. Riste also hopes to set up a junior golf scholarship in White’s name.
Canadian Jamie Sadlowski partners with Cleveland Golf
Cleveland Golf is pleased to announce the addition of Canadian Jamie Sadlowski to their professional tour staff. Sadlowski, a two-time World Long Drive Champion, agreed to terms on a multi-year contract to serve as a global brand ambassador for Cleveland Golf.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Cleveland Golf as a global brand ambassador,” Sadlowski said. “As I begin my second year of professional golf around the world, I know the Cleveland Launcher HB Driver, along with the compliment of irons and wedges, will deliver the performance I am looking for.”
Sadlowski, 29, hails from St. Paul, Alta., where he actually started out as a junior hockey player. Sadlowski began his golfing career on the World Long Drive circuit where he won back-to-back championships in 2008 and 2009, and never finished lower than fifth in the world while competing. In 2016, Sadlowski made the transition to competitive professional golf where he competed in different events around the world. Last year, Sadlowski made his PGA Tour debut at the Dean & Deluca Invitational at Colonial Country Club and the Safeway Open, while playing in 10 events on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA Tour Canada.
Sadlowski will play the Cleveland Launcher HB Driver, Srixon Z-U65 Utility 2i and 3i, Srixon Z Series irons, Cleveland’s RTX-3 wedges (52°, 56°, 60°), and Srixon’s Z-Star XV golf ball. In addition, Sadlowski will wear a Cleveland Launcher HB hat, Srixon glove, and carry a Cleveland Golf bag.
“As one of the longest tour players on the planet, we know Jamie had many options when selecting his driver,” said Rodney McDonald, Vice President of Tour Operations. “We designed our Launcher HB driver to help all golfers bomb it long and straight – and we’re glad Jamie agrees. I’ve seen many tour players hit drivers, but watching Jamie hit it 370 yards down the fairway in competitive rounds is almost unbelievable. His validation of our technology is really exciting for us.”
With a refined swing geared towards competitive rounds, Sadlowski put together some impressive launch conditions with Cleveland’s Launcher HB Driver in his hands: ball speed of 190.3 mph, launch angle of 9.7°, spin of 2,454 rpm, carry distance of 343 yards and total distance of 372 yards.
“With the Launcher HB driver, I know I will be able to drive the ball longer and straighter which is the key to my game,” Sadlowski said. “I’ve never been more confident in my golf clubs.”
On Jan. 23, 2018, Sadlowski will be giving a demonstration and clinic in the Cleveland Golf area at the 2018 PGA Show Demo Day in Orlando, FL. He will be available to meet with the media during that timeframe. If you would like to schedule an interview, please contact Noelle Zavaleta to set up a time to speak with him.
In 2018, Sadlowski will play in events on the PGA Tour, Web.com Tour and the Mackenzie Tour – PGA Tour Canada.
2017 in review: Milestones
The year 2017 is drawing to a close and what a year it was for Canadian golf. Our pros won literally around the world and on just about every tour imaginable. Our amateurs of all ages made Canada proud at home and abroad. And, off the course, there were significant moments that are well worth memorializing as 2018 looms on the horizon.
This is the third of a three-part series remembering most, if not all, of those memorable moments.(If we’ve unintentionally overlooked any—there were so many, after all!—please let us know on Twitter or Facebook.
February:
Roland Deveau of Nova Scotia returns as president of Golf Canada for a second one-year term.
Judy Darling Evans and Bob Vokey elected to the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.
More on Bob Vokey and Judy Darling Evans, our 2017 inductees into the @CGHF: https://t.co/moub4WZWyb pic.twitter.com/3cTksnSV9B
— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) February 28, 2017
Bill Klein of Parkville, B.C., and George McLeod of Brandon, Man., named co-recipients of Golf Canada’s Volunteer of the Year award.
March:
Mike Weir, a five-time competitor in the event, is named assistant captain of the international team at the Presidents Cup.
Scott Simmons resigns as CEO of Golf Canada after 10 years.
May:
Laurence Applebaum succeeds Scott Simmons as Golf Canada’s chief executive officer.
Toronto’s Bruce Mitchell is named the first Canadian to serve as captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.
June:
Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada publish the 2017 Golf Facilities in Canada Report.
September:
Golf Fore The Cure presented by Subaru announces it raised more than $300,000 for breast cancer research through more than 160 events from coast to coast in 2017.
A BIG thank you to all #GolfForetheCure participants for helping us reach $6M raised for breast cancer research??
? https://t.co/Ea7KnwH3jd pic.twitter.com/FK4L30HGn0
— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) September 28, 2017
Following Adopt a School Week, Golf Canada announces an additional 240 school adoptions, representing an additional 28,800 elementary, intermediate and high-school students being introduced to the sport through the Future Links driven by Acura program.
#GolfinSchools totals 240 adoptions to date in 2017 thanks to collective efforts during Adopt a School Week ????
? https://t.co/inaE5cF4ln pic.twitter.com/fAHZ10hpre
— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) September 27, 2017
The Canadian Golf Superintendents Association appoints Jeff Calderwood as its executive director, a post he will hold concurrently with his position as CEO of the National Golf Course Owners Association Canada.
October:
Golf Canada announces that in 2018, for the first time, the National Development Squad program will feature a centralized component which will be based out of Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria, B.C.
Kevin Thistle is named CEO of the PGA of Canada to replace the retiring Gary Bernard.
New PGA of Canada CEO Named to Lead Association to a New Era of Success https://t.co/N7lQrg3GYd
— PGA of Canada (@pgaofcanada) October 10, 2017
November:
The 2017 CP Women’s Open, held in Ottawa, wins the Best Charity/Community Engagement award from the LPGA Tournament Owners Association.
A crowd-funding initiative by the Canadian Golf Museum and Hall of Fame raises thousands to digitize and preserve irreplaceable volumes of Canadian Golfer magazine.
Craig Loughry, Golf Canada’s director of handicap and course rating and Golf Ontario’s director of golf services, is named president of the International Association of Golf Administrators.
Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Mike Weir is inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.
December:
Calgary’s Shaw Charity Classic wins the PGA TOUR Champions President’s Award for the third time in its five-year history.
Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada announce a partnership committed to the principles of the Responsible Coaching Movement, endorsed by the Coaching Association of Canada and the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport.
Canadian Press names Brooke Henderson female athlete of the year
TORONTO – Canadian golfer Brooke Henderson is barely out of her teens and her list of accomplishments on the LPGA Tour is already a long one.
She won her first LPGA Tour event in 2015, added her first major championship last year and picked up two more tournament titles in 2017. Henderson capped her latest impressive season Wednesday by winning the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as Canada’s female athlete of the year.
“I’ve always kind of felt like I belonged out there, which I think is a big part of why I’ve had so much success so early,” said Henderson, who turned 20 in September.
Henderson picked up 35 of 63 votes (56 per cent) in a poll of broadcasters and sports editors from across the country.
“Not only is the young golfer an international champion, but she’s also playing a monumental role in helping young children get into the game,” said Mitch Bach of CHAT TV news in Medicine Hat, Alta.
Swimmer Kylie Masse was a distant second with seven votes. Gymnast Ellie Black and soccer player Christine Sinclair were tied for third with four votes apiece.
Henderson, who also won the Rosenfeld award in 2015, is the first golfer to win the award on two occasions since Lorie Kane (1997, 2000). Swimmer Penny Oleksiak took the honour last year.
“(Henderson) captured the attention of Canadian golf fans in a way not seen since the adoration given previously to Mike Weir,” said Winnipeg Free Press sports editor Steve Lyons.
Henderson had a slow start to the season with just two top-10 finishes in her first 10 events. She found her form in June by winning the Meijer LPGA Classic and just missed out on a playoff at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship later that month.
Her second title came in September at the New Zealand Women’s Open.
“Patience I think is a key word that basically describes my whole season,” she said.
Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., finished sixth on the money list at just over US$1.5 million and was 13th in the world rankings. She did it by relying on her impressive long game and consistent accuracy from the fairways.
She finished 20th on Tour in driving distance this season (263.58 yards) and was 10th in greens in regulation (75.10 per cent). That helped her average just under 70 strokes a round (10th at 69.88).
Another big moment for Henderson came in August at the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open in Ottawa. She nearly missed the cut before giving her army of fans something to cheer about on the weekend.
Henderson surged up the leaderboard before finishing in a tie for 12th place.
“I can’t even really put into words what it meant to me to see all that support and those people cheering me on,” Henderson said from Naples, Fla. “To get that 63 course record on Saturday in front of all those people in my hometown was truly amazing and one of the highlights of my year for sure.”
Henderson’s five career LPGA Tour victories leaves her only three behind Sandra Post for most wins by a Canadian.
“She knows how to score and she’s not afraid to go low,” Post said. “Some people, they get to 5 under, and they quit. She keeps going.”
Henderson, who had eight top-10 finishes, plans to focus on improving her short game as she prepares for the season opener next month at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic.
Her putting average of 29.77 per round was 58th overall and she sat 100th in sand saves at 42.67 per cent.
“I have big goals and hopefully in 2018 I’ll have my best year yet,” Henderson said. “But to have a year like 2017 to back up what I did in 2016 – which was really a miracle season for me, everything went perfect – so to grind it out in 2017 and to have the finishes that I did, I’m really proud of that.”
Tennis player Denis Shapovalov won the Lionel Conacher Award as Canada’s male athlete of the year on Tuesday. The CP team of the year will be announced Thursday.
Bobbie Rosenfeld, an Olympic medallist in track and field and a multi-sport athlete, was named Canada’s best female athlete of the half-century in 1950.
The first winner of the Rosenfeld award was golfer Ada Mackenzie in 1933. Marlene Stewart Streit leads all golfers by taking the honour on five occasions (1952, ’53, ’56, ’57, ’63).
“I’m extremely proud to be named Canada’s female athlete of the year,” Henderson said. “I was just looking at some of the names … Marlene Streit, Lorie Kane, Sandra Post, all golfers that have won this award. Even the last few years, I just saw Christine Sinclair, Hayley Wickenheiser, Eugenie Bouchard.
“Those names are huge names in all of sport and all of Canada. So to be amongst them is a great honour for me.”