CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. – To say Scott Allred has been seriously close to winning a PGA of Canada national championship in the recent past might be a colossal understatement.

His record over the past six years speaks for itself.

In 2011 he finished runner-up at both the PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada and PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada. Two years later he finished third at the PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada. 2014 again saw him finish second at the PGA Club Professional Championship, while in 2015 he finished fourth at the PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada and fifth at the PGA Championship of Canada. Earlier this summer he finished fourth at the PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada.

Now the executive professional at Elbow Springs Golf Club in Alberta leads the PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada presented by Titleist & FootJoy heading into tomorrow’s final round.

“When you come so close to winning so many times and you don’t, you begin to wonder if you’re ever going to get the job done,” Allred admitted. “But I’m very pleased to be in the position I’m in right now, so let’s see what happens tomorrow.”

The 56-year-old posted an opening-round 2-under-par 70 Tuesday at TPC Eagle Trace in Coral Springs, Fla., and leads by a shot over an impressive list of names.

The group at 1-under includes the legendary Gar Hamilton, winner of four PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada titles; Gord Percy and Dan McNeely of the PGA of Canada – Ottawa Valley Zone; Ontario’s Gord Burns and Brian Hadley.

John Cochrane, Scott Dickson, Marc Girouard, and Philippe Mongeau are two-shots back at even-par. Twenty-four players are within five shots of the lead heading into the final round.

Allred, Hamilton and Percy, who were paired together in the first round, will form the championship’s final pairing at TPC Eagle Trace.

“I can’t wait to play with Gar again tomorrow,” Allred said. “He’s just an inspiring man to be around and you can’t help but play well when he’s in your group.”

Allred admitted playing poorly in the practice round but turned it around for the first round.

“I hit it so badly in the practice round, it was embarrassing,” he said. “Thankfully, I got a couple lessons on the range last night and the result is me hitting it better than I have in years.”

Built in 1983, TPC Eagle Trace hosted the PGA TOUR’s Honda Classic from 1984-1991 and again in 1996. The layout has some unique characteristics for a Florida golf course, including an island green, three greens surrounded by wooden bulkheads, and it doesn’t have a single palm tree on the property—a rarity in southern Florida. All four par-3s require precise tee shots as water and bunkers protect each green.

The Inter-Zone Team Championship, which is comprised of four players per zone (and three scores per team counting), is also handed out at the end of play Wednesday. Team Ontario—which features Burns, Hadley, Billy Walsh and Ken Tarling—leads at 1-under-par, 12 shots better than Team British Columbia and Team Quebec.

Former champions of the PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada include Danny King, Adam Chamberlain, Roger Beale, Norm Jarvis, Gar Hamilton, Bob Panasik, Yvan Beauchemin, Graham Gunn, Ken Tarling and Brian Hutton.

In addition to competing for the overall championship trophy, players in the PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada earn much-coveted ranking points with hopes of moving up on the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC. Players who are ranked inside the top 64 following the PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada earn invites into the following year’s PGA Championship of Canada.

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CALGARY — Canadians made a major mark on the fifth anniversary of Calgary’s Shaw Charity Classic by chipping in to raise a record $8,391,413 for 159 youth-based charities across Alberta.

The fifth straight record-setting donation for any event on the PGA TOUR Champions now brings the award-winning tournament’s fundraising totals to more than $22.1 million.

“We began our five-year celebrations by encouraging the public to find a small way to make their mark on this powerful event in Alberta that is having a lasting impact on communities throughout the province. This donation proves Albertans have made their mark in a major way,” said Clay Riddell, Tournament Chairman, Shaw Charity Classic. “More than 2,400 generous donors from around the world played a key role in helping us achieve our goals through their unbelievably generous donations that will help positively impact the lives of more than 480,000 children.”

The tournament’s title sponsor, Shaw Communications, teed off the tournament’s 2017 fundraising efforts with a total $1 million contribution split between the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation and the RESOLVE campaign, two of the Shaw Charity Classic’s charitable partners.

“Five years ago, we wanted to help bring to our city a world class event that would benefit charities, children, and families across Alberta,” said Brad Shaw, CEO, Shaw Communications. “Since then, the Shaw Charity Classic has become a cornerstone of our community, supporting hundreds of charitable organizations that are making meaningful impacts to families and kids across the province. We are sincerely grateful to the Patron Group, PGA TOUR Champions, the hundreds of volunteers, and most importantly, the thousands of fans who have made this event one of the biggest in Calgary.”

Shaw Communications launched two new initiatives this year to further the charitable giving. Birdies for Charity saw $500 donated for each birdie made on the 18th hole during the tournament. There were 83 birdies made over the three-round event, which raised $41,500. However, the company bumped it up to a $50,000 donation at the trophy ceremony. Additionally, Shaw donated $100,000 for Make Your Mark Day held on August 6, which saw thousands of local golfers attempt to make a birdie on a designated hole at one of 20 participating golf courses across the city.

Building on the leadership of its title partner, the tournament’s Birdies for Kids program once again played a critical role in helping to smash the tournament’s previous annual fundraising totals.

Thanks to the support of Birdies for Kids presenting partner, AltaLink, individuals and corporations have the opportunity to make a one-time donation directed to the children’s charity of their choice. Those donations were further leveraged through a tiered matching program that saw a percentage of the first $250,000 donated to each charity. This year, Birdies for Kids expanded its reach to include more donors who helped provide a positive impact on more charities.

“We’re incredibly proud of the impact the Birdies for Kids program is making on charities across Alberta dedicated to bettering the lives of children,” said Scott Thon, President and CEO of AltaLink. “This year marks another record-breaking year for the tournament overall and the Birdies for Kids program, and it’s possible only because of the generosity and can-do spirit of the people of this province.”

The records didn’t stop with the financial side of the tournament in 2017. A star-studded field of PGA TOUR Champions players, including Sir Nick Faldo, Jose Maria Olazabal, Colin Montgomerie, Fred Couples, Billy Andrade and 2017 champion Scott McCarron, played in front of another record number of spectators, with more than 45,000 people lining the fairways of Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club throughout the week.

Shaw Communications originally launched the five-year anniversary celebrations last spring by reinforcing its commitment to bringing world-class golf to Calgary in an effort to raise big money for charities with a commitment to extend its title sponsorship of the event for three more years through to 2020. Officials are already focused on reaching new goals in 2018. Many of the greatest names in golf will once again tee it up at Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club from August 27 to September 2, 2018. Corporate packages for the Shaw Charity Classic are available online at www.shawcharityclassic.com.

HOUSTON, Texas – Three of four Canadians advanced in Monday’s opening round of match play in the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur on Cypress Creek Golf Course at Champions Club.

Reining U.S. Women’s Senior champion Judith Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont., defeated fellow countrywoman Patti Hogeboom of Kingston, Ont., 2 up. She drew No.53 seed Eleanor Tucker of Savannah, Ga., in Tuesday’s second round, starting at 8:33 a.m.

Julia Hodgson of Unionville, Ont., defeated Courtney Stiles of Pinehurst, N.C., 3 and 1. She’ll square off against No. 4 seeded Shannon Johnson of Norton, Mass., at 8:06 a.m. local time.

Rounding out the Canadians to advance was Etobicoke, Ont., native Terrill Samuel, who won her match 1 up over Susan Roh of Denver, Colo. Samuel will take on No. 10 seed Hayley Hammond of Mooresville, N.C. beginning at 9:18 a.m.

The USGA relocated the championship from Quail Creek Country Club in Naples, Fla., to Champions Golf Club due to extensive flood damage from Hurricane Irma. The Women’s Mid-Amateur was originally scheduled to be played Oct. 7-12.

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After 32 official events across 15 countries and 14 states, the 2017 LPGA season culminates with this week’s CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Fla. In a year that saw 22 different winners from eight countries, several season-ending awards, including the Race to the CME Globe and Rolex Player of the Year honours, are still up for grabs.

The Race to the CME Globe is a season-long points competition in which LPGA Members accumulate points in every Official LPGA Tournament. Following the Blue Bay LPGA, the top 72 LPGA Members, as well as any non-member winners and any alternates, in the Race to the CME Globe points standings were seeded into the championship field. For the top five players, it’s easy – win the CME Group Tour Championship and take home $1 million. However, the top 12 in the points race all have a mathematical chance to take the title of Race to the CME Globe Champion and win the coveted check.

Going into the CME Group Tour Championship, Lexi Thompson leads the Race with 5,000 points. Sung Hyun Park, who has already clinched Rolex Louise Suggs Rookie of the Year honours, sits in second with 4,750 points. Rounding out the top five, who control their own destinies at Tiburon, are newly minted World No. 1 Shanshan Feng (4,500), So Yeon Ryu (4,250) and Canada’s Brooke Henderson (4,000).

RACE TO THE CME GLOBE WINNING SCENARIOS

HOUSTON, Texas – Four Canadians are among the 64 competitors to advance to Monday’s first round of match play in the 2017 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship on Cypress Creek Course at Champions Golf Club.

The reigning U.S. Women’s Senior champion Judith Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont., along with friend and runner-up Terrill Samuel of Etobicoke, Ont., lead the Canadian contingent as seed Nos. 21 and 23, respectively. They are joined by Unionville, Ont., product Julia Hodgson and Patti Hogeboom of Kingston, Ont.

Kyrinis and Hogeboom drew each other in Monday’s opening match, beginning at 10:15 a.m. local time.

Lauren Greenlief shot a 4-under-par 68 on Sunday to share medallist honours with Katie Miller and Marissa Mar in the 2017 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship on the par-72, 6,022-yard Cypress Creek Course at Champions Golf Club. All three players posted 36-hole scores of 2-under 142.

It is the third time in U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur history that three or more players were co-medalists. In 2009, four-time champion Meghan Stasi was among four players who ended up tied following two rounds of stroke play. Ellen Port, who has also won four Women’s Mid-Amateurs, and two other players shared medalist in 2002.

Greenlief, who won the 2015 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, matched the lowest 18-hole score in championship history. Dawn Woodard shot a 68 in the first round at Shadow Hawk Golf Club in Richmond, Texas, in 2005. Greenlief, who is competing in her 15th USGA championship, also eclipsed the competitive course record that was equaled yesterday when the first-round leaders each fired a 69.

“The game plan today was to be aggressive,” said Greenlief, whose bogey-free round included three of her four birdies on the inward nine. “Fire at pins and see if I could make some putts.”

Greenlief, 27, of Ashburn, Va., jump-started her record round with the putter by draining a 35-footer for birdie on No. 7. She later punched a 6-iron approach from the trees that ran up onto the green on the par-4 10th to within 20 feet to set up another birdie. Greenlief, the youngest winner in Women’s Mid-Amateur history, added birdie putts of 10 and 15 feet, respectively, on holes 14 and 16.

“I always want to play well and get a better seed,” said Greenlief, who offered that she is more clearly focused this year than when she was defending her title. “It makes match play a little easier, at least in the earlier rounds.”

The USGA relocated the championship from Quail Creek Country Club in Naples, Fla., to Champions Golf Club due to extensive flood damage from Hurricane Irma. The Women’s Mid-Amateur was originally scheduled to be played Oct. 7-12.

The U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship consists of 36 holes of stroke play followed by six rounds of match play, with the championship scheduled to conclude with an 18-hole final on Thursday, Nov. 16, starting at 9 a.m. CST.

Miller, 32, of Jeannette, Pa., and Mar, 25, of San Francisco, Calif., took different paths in earning medalist honors. Miller, who shared the first-round lead with Shannon Johnson, rallied on her second nine for a 1-over 73. She made a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-3 fourth and stuck a gap wedge to within 3 feet on the par-4 sixth.

Mar, who was a member of the Stanford University team from 2010-14 and opened with a 72, birdied both par 5s on the inward nine. She delivered a 4-hybrid to within 20 feet to set up an eagle attempt on No. 11 before holing a 10-foot putt at No. 13. After making bogey on the following hole, she regrouped with a birdie by hitting an 8-iron approach to within 15 feet on 15.

“It’s been a few years since college golf,” said Mar, who works in corporate development for a financial services company. “I have a whole new perspective on life. The expectations are way lower. I go to a 9-to-5 job every day. Getting to be out here is really fun.”

Eight players tied for 58th place at 16-over 160, resulting in a playoff for the final five match-play berths. The playoff will start on Monday at 7 a.m. on Cypress Creek’s 10th hole. The Round-of-64 matches begin at 8 a.m.

The U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs. Live scoring and updates are available throughout the championship on usga.org.

PHOENIX – Kevin Sutherland finally broke through on the PGA Tour Champions, taking the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship – and the topping the yearlong competition, too.

Sutherland closed a 5-under 66 on Sunday for a one-stroke victory over Vijay Singh at Phoenix Country Club, the tree-lined course hosting its first tour event since the Phoenix Open left for TPC Scottsdale in 1988.

Bernhard Langer, the winner of the first two playoff events, had a 64 to tie for 12th – five strokes back. Langer slipped to second in the season standings, missing a chance to win the title for the fourth straight year and fifth overall.

The 53-year-old Sutherland won for the first time in 78 starts on the 50-and-over tour. He entered the week fifth in the Charles Schwab Cup season points standings, the last spot where the player had to only win the tournament to take the $1 million annuity. He earned $440,000 for the tournament victory.

The only player to shoot 59 in senior tour history, Sutherland had 15 top-10 finishes this season, finishing second three times and third twice. His lone PGA Tour victory came in 2002 at La Costa in the Accenture Match Play Championship.

Sutherland finished at 15-under 198. He had a bogey-free round, opening with a birdie on the par-5 first, eagling the par-5 seventh and adding birdies on the par-4 ninth and 16th.

Singh shot a 63. He opened with an eagle and birdied the last two.

John Daly (65), David Frost (67), David Toms (67) and Lee Janzen (67) tied for third at 13 under.

Sutherland had a 63 on Friday to move within two strokes of leader Paul Goydos, the tournament winner last year at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale. Goydos closed with a 72 to tie for ninth at 9 under.

Langer led the tour with seven victories, winning three of the five majors, and set an earnings record with $3,677,359. The 60-year-old German has never won the season-ending event.

Canadian Golf Hall-of-Famer Stephen Ames was the lone Canadian in the field, finishing T27 at 6 under par.

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico – Patton Kizzire won his first PGA Tour title on Sunday by beating Rickie Fowler in a 36-hole marathon in the rain-plagued OHL Classic at Mayakoba.

Kizzire closed with rounds of 66-67 for a one-shot victory over Fowler, who fell four shots behind at El Camaleon Golf Club until staging a late rally that again fell short. Fowler had rounds of 67-67 on the final day.

Kizzire won in his 62nd career start on the PGA Tour, and it required some steady nerves on the back nine when it could have gotten away from him. Leading by four shots with seven holes to play, Kizzire saved par with an 8-foot putt on No. 12, a 10-foot putt on the par-5 13th and an 8-foot putt on the 14th.

He had a three-shot lead with three holes to play when Fowler made a 15-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole and rolled in a 12-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole to close within one shot. But from the 18th fairway, Fowler sent his approach some 35 feet left of the flag and left the birdie attempt short.

Kizzire had to stand close to his approach shot to keep his feet out the sand, and he hit 8-iron to 25 feet. After Fowler left his birdie attempt well short, Kizzire rapped his putt to within a few inches and tapped in for the winning par.

“I was glad to get it done,” Kizzire said. “Rickie made me work hard.”

Kizzire finished at 19-under 265 and earned his first trip to the Masters in April.

The 31-year-old Kizzire also gets a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour and a spot in the field at the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua to start next year, and the PGA Championship, along with other select events on tour.

Si Woo Kim tried to get into the mix until a double bogey in the middle of his back nine. He still closed with a 65 to finish third, his best finish since he won The Players Championship in May. Charles Howell III (66) and Martin Piller (65) finished five shots behind. John Oda of UNLV, playing his first PGA Tour event as a pro, closed with a 70 to finish eighth. That gets him into the RSM Classic next week at Sea Island.

Patrick Rodgers began Sunday in a three-way tie for the lead with Kizzire and Fowler, but he started and ended the third round Sunday morning with a double bogey for a 72 that took him out of contention, and he shot 70 in the afternoon to finish nine shots behind. Corey Conners (72) of Listowel, Ont., finished the event 2 over.

Kizzire won the tournament with key putts on the back nine, but the tournament turned in his favour at the end of the third round. Fowler had a one-shot lead when he made bogey on the 17th hole and Kizzire made birdie. That two-shot swing gave Kizzire a one-shot lead, and he quickly expanded it in the fourth round.

Kizzire saved par with a 10-foot putt on No. 1 as Fowler made bogey, and then Kizzire birdied the second hole and is lead was already at three shots.

Fowler never got any closer until the final few holes, and by then it was too late.

“We gave it a run, kept Patton honest, but he earned it out there today,” Fowler said.

Fowler, the only player in the top 10 in the world who played anywhere in the world this week, was playing for the first time since the Presidents Cup five weeks ago. With his runner-up finish – the 12th time in his PGA Tour career he has finished second – Fowler goes to No. 7 in the world ahead of Rory McIlroy.

Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., was the lone Canadian to make the weekend – the Team Canada Young Pro Squad member finished at 2 over par.

PHOENIX – Defending champion Paul Goydos took a one-stroke lead Saturday in the PGA Tour Champions’ season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

Goydos shot a 5-under 66 to reach 12-under 130 at Phoenix Country Club, the tree-lined course hosting its first tour event since the Phoenix Open left for TPC Scottsdale in 1988.

“This golf course doesn’t hide where it wants you to hit the ball,” Goydos said. “You kind of follow the line of the trees and you’ll be OK. I mean, you need to drive it good.”

Lee Janzen was second after a 67. The two-time U.S. Open champion birdied the par-5 18th playing alongside Goydos in the final group.

“Even on good shots today sometimes it was a challenge,” Janzen said. “I expect a challenge. I think even if I was in complete control of my golf game in all regards I should expect a challenge because that’s just the way golf is. But right now, I’m expecting a little bit more of a challenge because I’m not super confident with how I’m swinging.

“I hit some wild shots, but I just keep hoping I have a swing and some sort of opening and I’ll figure out a way to get it near the green and make a par.”

Goydos made a 7-footer for birdie on the par-4 16th, then missed a 6-foot try on 18.

“I get in there, I want to hit a fast one, I looked at the hole and all I saw was the sun,” Goydos said. “I should have backed away and I didn’t. … You talk about the difference between a Langer or a Watson or a Woods or a Spieth and a Goydos is that I was too quick there. I should have stopped.”

Bernhard Langer, trying to sweep the three playoff events and win the Charles Schwab Cup season points title for the fourth straight year and fifth overall, was tied for 22nd at 3 under after a 68.

Kevin Sutherland and former Arizona State player Billy Mayfair were 10 under. Sutherland eagled the 18th for a 63, the best round of the week. Mayfair shot 65.

Goydos won last year at Desert Mountain in Scottdale, about 35 miles northeast of the new venue just north of downtown Phoenix. He’s trying to join Mike Hill (1990-91), Jim Thorpe (2006-07) and John Cook (2009-10) as the only players to win the season finale in consecutive years.

The two-time PGA Tour winner took the 3M Championship in Minnesota in August – shooting a tour season-best 60 in the second round – for his fifth senior title.

Janzen won his lone senior title in 2015.

Sutherland hit a 4-iron from 231 yards to 5 feet to set up the closing eagle.

“That was the best 4-iron I’ve hit in a while,” Sutherland said.

Winless on the senior tour, Sutherland entered the week fifth in the Charles Schwab Cup season points standings, the last spot where the player has to only win the tournament to top the yearlong competition.

“I played good, got myself back in the tournament,” Sutherland said. “But you’re going to have to go out and probably shoot something similar to that tomorrow.”

The only player to shoot 59 in senior tour history, the 53-year-old Sutherland has 14 top-10 finishes this season, finishing second three times and third twice. His lone PGA Tour victory came in 2002 at La Costa in the Accenture Match Play Championship.

“I can’t change what happened yesterday, what’s happened in the past, so I just keep moving forward,” Sutherland said. “I can’t change what happened at a tournament earlier this year, so I’m not going to dwell on that at all tomorrow. It will have no effect.”

Scott McCarron is second in the season standings, followed by Kenny Perry, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Sutherland. McCarron was tied for eighth at 8 under after a 66, Perry was tied for 17th at under after a 66, and Jimenez was tied for 34th at 1 over after a 69.

“I had a lot of really good putts that just didn’t go in,” McCarron said. “They’re right on the edge all day long. So it was one of those days that could have been really, really low. But I’ve got a chance tomorrow. I’ve got one round left, and if you had told me at the start of the year you have one round left to win the Schwab Cup, I’d would say what a wonderful opportunity.”

Langer opened the playoffs with victories in the Dominion Energy Charity Classic in Richmond, Virginia, and took the PowerShares QQQ Championship two weeks ago in Thousand Oaks, California.

The 60-year-old Geman won three of the tour’s five majors this season and has a tour-best seven victories. He has never won the season-ending event, finishing in the top 10 seven times in nine starts.

Canada’s Stephen Ames is T22 at 3 under par (70-69).

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico – Rickie Fowler saved par from a bunker on his final hole for a 4-under 67 and a three-way share of the lead after 36 holes of the rain-delayed OHL Classic at Mayakoba.

Patrick Rodgers made his first bogey of the tournament on his 35th hole Saturday at El Camaleon Golf Club. He wound up with a 65 and was tied for the lead with Fowler and Patton Kizzire, who finished his 70 on Friday.

They were at 10-under 132. The second round, delayed by rain Friday, did not resume until 1 p.m. because of more bad weather.

John Oda, in his first start as a pro, shot 65 and was among those one shot behind.

Corey Conners (71) of Listowel, Ont., was the only Canadian to make the third round. Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., and Mac Hughes of Dundas, Ont., missed the cut.

Fowler is playing for the first time since the Presidents Cup on Oct. 1.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – La Prairie, Que., native Joey Savoie will leave Argentina on a high note after finishing in 4th on Saturday in the national amateur championship at the Argentina Golf Club.

Savoie, 23, closed the 72-hole stroke play event with an even-par score, leaving the Team Canada member with sole possession of 4th at 7 under par. The Middle Tennessee State alumnus held the lead briefly following Wednesday’s opening-round 67 before eventually slipping down the leaderboard.

Fellow National Amateur Squad member Josh Whalen of Napanee, Ont., was also in action, recording a T17 finish. The Kent State graduate finished at 4 over par for the tournament.

The event marks the end of an Argentina swing for the Canadian duo, who captured the Tailhade Cup in early November — Canada’s third title in four years.

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