KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Justin Thomas collected the Jack Nicklaus Award as the U.S. PGA Tour player of the year a couple of days before heading to Malaysia in a bid to win his third successive CIMB Classic.

Little wonder then the two-time defending champion was slightly off his game in the first round on Thursday, managing only a 2-under-par 70 to sit six strokes behind leader CameronSmith of Australia.

Smith opened with a blemish-free 8-under 64 and leads a U.S. PGA Tour event after the first round for the first time in 64 starts.

Keegan Bradley, Xander Schauffele and Poom Saksansin of Thailand were tied for second at 7 under.

Brendan Steele, coming off a victory last week at the Safeway Open, had an opening 67 to be three shots off the lead.

Thomas has barely had time to catch his breath after winning the FedEx Cup and playing in the Presidents Cup. He won his first tour title here two years ago. He successfully defended it last year, and has had a transformative 2017 in which he’s won five titles and his first major, the U.S. Open.

He’s aiming to be the first player to win the same tournament three years in a row since Steve Stricker at the John Deer Classic from 2009-11.

Schauffele, the U.S. tour rookie of the year, said he was taking plenty of notice of how Thomas approaches this course and is trying to keep it simple.

“The rough has been up apparently compared to last year, that’s what Justin told me,” he said. “I pretty much tried to copy everything that he did because I figured he’s a good guy to imitate out here.”

Thomas mixed five birdies with three bogeys. Schauffele and Poom made seven birdies to go into early contention, while Bradley eagled the 12th hole to make amends for his sole bogey.

Smith, an Australian, posted a blemish-free round of eight birdies, including five on the front nine for a 64.

“The putting was easy actually,” Smith said.

He’s chasing his second title of the year after winning the Zurich Classic in April.

The American trio of Kevin Na, Gary Woodland, and Pat Perez were also in contention in the Asian Tour event after carding 66s.

Hideki Matsuyama, the 2016 runner-up, faltered with two bogeys to sit with Thomas in a tie for 23rd place.

In keeping with the idea that the putter is the most personal club in a golfer’s bag, Master Putter Maker Scotty Cameron today introduced his new Custom Shop Creator – a state-of-the-art online putter customizer accessible through ScottyCameron.com.

The Custom Shop Creator (www.scottycameron.com/customshop​) allows golfers to virtually personalize their Scotty Cameron putters like never before, instantly bringing their ideas to life through realistic high-resolution image renderings. Golfers then send their putters to Scotty’s Custom Shop, housed at the Putter Studio in Southern California, where their customizations become a reality.

“I created the Custom Shop to give passionate players a way to preserve, personalize and protect their putters for life,” Cameron said. “The Custom Shop Creator really takes the creative process to another level. From your desktop or mobile device, you can easily experiment with custom stampings, sight lines, different weights and paintfill. You can change the finish from silver to black. It just gives you that feel of a Tour-like experience and creating a one-of-a-kind design.”

All putter models since 2014, plus many of Scotty’s most popular prior models, are available in the new customizer for photo-realistic customization. Owners of older putter models will be seamlessly linked to Scotty Cameron’s Classic Form, where an additional 100 putter models may be customized.

Since 2004, Scotty Cameron has offered personalization, customization, authentication and restoration services in the Custom Shop. From specialty grips, headcovers and authentic accessories to stamps, initials, engraved weights and full restoration of years old, game-worn Scotty Cameron putters, the Custom Shop has provided golfers with a resource to not only customize an already-purchased putter, but to also authenticate and refurbish these valuable clubs.

The new Custom Shop Creator introduces several new features:

• Realistic renderings display vibrant representations of custom stamps, initials, sight lines, weights, finishes and more – including accurate depictions of Scotty’s translucent and opaque paintfill colors – all in real-time as a user moves through the application.

• Responsive design adapts to mobile and desktop devices providing users the flexibility to enter a Custom Shop order from anywhere.

• Seamless workflow presents customization choices in an improved sequence more aligned with the way a customer would logically move through the process.

• Quick links to popular models allow users to easily search and choose from existing putter types to move immediately into the customization process.

• Save customizations feature – provides users with the option to create their custom putter at their own pace, saving within the application to finish later.

• New Custom Shop-only accessories – added to the Custom Shop include new stamps, as well as 12 new headcovers, shaft bands, 15 new paint-filled shaft rings and new grips.

Learn more at www.scottycameron.com/scottys-custom-shop

Following an extensive search of accomplished business and marketing leaders, the PGA of Canada has selected one of its own to lead the association to a new level of sustainable growth and success, its President announced Tuesday.

“Considering the large number of highly accomplished business leaders who entered this competition, I am excited to announce that our Board of Directors has selected Kevin Thistle to lead the PGA of Canada into an exciting new era of success,” Steve Wood, President of the Board of Directors of the PGA of Canada announced Tuesday.

Mr. Thistle, former President of Golf Operations for the Windmill Group in Calgary, has held leadership positions at some of Canada’s most recognized golf clubs including Angus Glen.

“I want to emphasize that while he was, until Wednesday of last week, an active member of our Board of Directors, he was chosen because of his track record in business, his demonstrated leadership skills, his proven marketing acumen and his ideas about sustaining growth and profitability in our business through innovation,“ Mr. Wood said.

“Kevin is extremely well-known and respected in our business across Canada, not only because of his extensive professional accomplishments but because of his ethics, his energy, his ideas and his ability to work with others to achieve common goals. The number of high calibre leaders who expressed interest in this challenge should have made a difficult choice. In the end, Kevin’s knowledge of our industry and experience as a marketing innovator made him a clear and unanimous choice of our Board,” Mr. Wood said.

“Thanks to the work of Gary Bernard, our former Chief Executive Officer, we are in a strong position, with the means to identify and pursue exciting new directions. The transition process towards those new directions will require vision, leadership and strong people skills.  We are confident Kevin has those skills. “

“To me, this is a dream come true,” Mr. Thistle said. “I have been part of the PGA of Canada throughout my career. I have been active in both Ontario and Alberta zones of the PGA of Canada and I have close friends across the country.  Our members value the PGA of Canada and the brand credibility it offers. I think they realize change is inevitable. I look forward to working closely with our Board and our members across Canada to help our association and its members enjoy a robust and exciting future.”

Founded in 1911 the Professional Golfers Association of Canada is the oldest professional golf association in North America and the second oldest PGA in the world. The PGA of Canada is a non-profit association comprising 3,700 golf professionals across the country and has evolved to become one of the most innovative and respected in the world.

Read Thistle’s full biography at the PGA of Canada’s website.

Victory in her last start has certainly made World No. 11 Brooke Henderson one of the players to watch this week at the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship, and the bubbly Canadian has set her sights on continuing to ride her wave of momentum.

“It has been a little bit of an up-and-down season for me, but getting my second tour win of the season just a few days ago gave me a lot of confidence and a lot of momentum,” said Henderson, who triumphed by five strokes at the MCKAYSON New Zealand Women’s Open after having to contend with wind-swept, rainy conditions in the last two rounds.

“I only have five events left on the LPGA Tour this year, which really isn’t that many. I really want to focus and work hard and see if I can finish in the top 10 and get some top-five finishes and hopefully move my CME rank up a little bit. That’s kind of where my main focus is going into for the next five weeks.

“Just continuing to gain experience and learn every single day, so that next year I can be even better than this year,” added Henderson, who is the only LPGA Tour player with multiple victories in both 2016 and 2017.

Asked by local reporters to put her finger on why it is that Korean golfers have been so successful in global golf over the past two decades, Henderson replied: “They’re very talented. I’m sitting amongst four ladies that are role models and inspirations to me as well.”

Henderson was accompanied by So Yeon Ryu, Sung Hyun Park and In Gee Chun in a packed media center at SKY72 Golf & Resort for a pre-tournament press conference.

“As for the secret to it, I have no idea,” smiled the Canadian. “You’ll have to ask these girls. I think they do work really hard and they’re very passionate about the game of golf and they have strong goals and they’re willing to work really hard to achieve them.

“I think that’s something that everybody can learn from, golfers or even people in business or just everyday life. You know, pick a goal and then work as hard as you can to achieve it.”

When the 2018 LPGA season gets underway there will be at least one new Canadian competing full-time on Tour. That of course is Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Anne-Catherine Tanguay.

The Quebec City native locked up her card by finishing at No. 8 in the Symetra Tour’s season-long money list.

With five top 10 finishes and a win at the Garden City Charity Classic in September, Tanguay had all but guaranteed her place next year on the LPGA Tour.

“It’s just really incredible…This week everything just clicked,” said the 26-year-old in an interview with Symetra Tour officials immediately after her win which scored her over $22,000 (USD).

“One of my biggest goals was to pick a target and take an aggressive and fearless swing and that is really what got me through,” added the University of Oklahoma alumna, who majored in business.

Tanguay also mentioned after her big victory that she was feeling a lot of nerves prior to the final round but was fortunate to receive strong support and comforting words from her caddie, JH Trahan – who is also her long time boyfriend, and now, her fiancé.

During the CP Women’s Open last month, she spoke about their relationship and recent engagement.

“Yeah, actually we got engaged about three weeks ago. We were on the road just before Wisconsin, so we just decided to kind of keep it low. So we’ve had some time to digest the news,” said Tanguay in a pre-tournament presser at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club.

“I don’t know if it really changes anything, but for sure I’m really happy that my fiancé is with me, and it’s been a really a game-changer for me this year,” continued the 26-year-old who first met Trahan during a junior golf development camp almost 15 years ago.

“So he does caddie and little bit of coaching and little bit of everything, so I’m just really, really excited about the engagement and about him having to be with me. So, we’re just really excited,” she added.

After her triumph at Buffalo Dunes, Tanguay took to her official Facebook page to thank those who have stood by her side and supported her in her journey.

“First of all, thank you Golf Canada and the Young Pro Squad for giving me the opportunities and resources to develop & grow into the player I am today. Thank you Tristan Mullally, Christie Gialloreto and Greg Redman for all your time & hard work,” she wrote.

“Thank you to all of you who follow my journey and send me words of encouragement throughout the year, it means a lot and I greatly appreciate it,” Tanguay added.

“Last but not least, thank you to my family and friends for always being there for me, for loving and supporting me unconditionally.”

According to Team Canada national women’s team head coach, Tristan Mullally, the talented young golfer is doing all the right things to be successful on the golf course.

“Anne-Catherine has played great this year. She’s someone who is really disciplined, organized, and works extremely hard – and always has a plan,” he said of Tanguay, who first joined the national team program in 2009 as part of the Development Squad.

Mullally notes that the current Young Pro Squad member greatly benefits from having a dedicated team around her.

“Our team has worked extremely well with her to support her in all aspects of her game,” he pointed out.

“She’s also got great support on the course as her fiancé is her caddie and that’s been working well for them. So overall, she’s well supported on and off the course; and that’s allowing her to play to her potential.”

Mullally adds that being able to play to her potential, combined with her consistency, has been the keys to Tanguay’s breakthrough success this year.

“Anne-Catherine hits the ball a long way and is solid on the greens also; so she’s got a well-rounded game and she’s been able to put all the pieces together nicely this year,” Mullally said.

“She’s also been very consistent and has just been going out there and playing her game – and is very deserving of all the success that she’s enjoyed.”

Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Anne-Catherine Tanguay of Quebec City has earned her LPGA Tour card for the 2018 season following the Symetra Tour Championship on Sunday at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The 26-year-old Oklahoma State graduate is among the top-10 Symetra Tour athletes to finish atop the season-long money list, the Volvik Race to the Card:

1. Benyapa Niphatsophon $124,492
2. Hannah Green $113,880
3. Celine Boutier $112,044
4. Nanna Koerstz Madsen $93,115
5. Yu Liu $86,110
6. Erynne Lee $80,780
7. Lindsey Weaver $76,755
8. Anne-Catherine Tanguay $76,663
9. Emma Talley $76,556
10. Katelyn Dambaugh $63,023

Tanguay is set to join the current Canadian contingent on the LPGA Tour: Brooke Henderson (Smiths Falls, Ont.), Alena Sharp (Hamilton, Ont.), Maude-Aimee LeBlanc (Sherbrooke, Que.), and Jennifer Ha (Calgary).

Tanguay started the year red hot with six straight top 15 finishes including a tie for second at the IOA Championship and a third-place finish at the Gateway Classic at Longbow Golf Club. She had her breakthrough moment in September when she won the Garden City Charity Classic. She played her college golf at Oklahoma and totaled 15 top 10 finishes and 26 top 20’s. She got engaged to her now-fiancé midway through the 2017 season.

“It’s been my dream, and when you work your whole life to get there it’s such a big accomplishment. Words are hard to explain what I’m feeling, and I think it’s hitting me today. It’s just awesome, it’s such a good Tour, and the level and recognition all over the world. I’m really excited to start traveling the world next year.”

When you see mom after realizing the @LPGA dream! @ACTanguay looking safe for a spot on the big tour!! pic.twitter.com/TELkungtQk

— Symetra Tour (@ROAD2LPGA) October 9, 2017

The next 15 players on the season-ending money list will be exempt from Stage II of LPGA Qualifying School, excluding those with LPGA status already. Fellow Canadian Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont. joins those who punched their tickets directly to Stage III which will be on Nov. 27-Dec. 3 at LPGA International. Marchand came in at No. 25 after a season that was highlighted by a win at PHC Classic.

NAPA, Calif. – Brendan Steele is getting accustomed to fast starts and he likes it.

Steele won the PGA Tour’s season-opening Safeway Open for the second straight year, closing with a 3-under 69 in windy conditions Sunday for a two-stroke victory over Tony Finau.

“I’m getting pretty spoiled winning the first event of the year twice,” said Steele, the 34-year-old from the Southern California mountain town of Idyllwild. “This place is so great to me. I feel so comfortable here and it’s been a great run.”

Phil Mickelson and Chesson Hadley finished three shots behind.

Steele finished at 14-under 273 for his third PGA Tour title. He’s 33 under in his past eight rounds at the event. Steele also won the 2011 Valero Texas Open.

It was an exciting week in Napa to start the season @SafewayOpen! Miss anything? We’ve got you covered.

?? pic.twitter.com/pb3zQzFpWL

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 9, 2017

Two strokes behind surprising leader Tyler Duncan entering the day at Silverado Resort and Spa, Steele birdied the par-5 16th and 18th holes – holing a 3-footer on 18.

“The greens were firming up in the afternoon,” Steele said. “I knew the weather was going to be windy and it seems Sunday is always the hardest day on the PGA Tour for whatever reason. That was about as hard as it can play out there.”

Finau, whose lone PGA Tour victory came in the 2016 Puerto Rico Open, moved into a tie for the lead with Steele at 14 under with a birdie on the par-4 13th. But he double-bogeyed the par-4 14th. After pars on 16 and 17, Finau had a 40-foot eagle putt on the 18th and settled for birdie and a 69.

“I was happy the way I hung in there; I didn’t hot a lot of quality shots off the tee coming in like I needed to,” Finau said. “But I put myself in a situation where a playoff or a win with that eagle putt. It was still pretty cool.”

Mickelson, who began the round four shots off the lead, birdied the 16th from 10 feet to move within one shot of Steele. But Mickelson, winless since the 2013 British Open, bogeyed the 17th before birdieing the 18th for a 70.

“Unfortunately, on the front nine I made a couple of bogeys and made the turn at 1 over,” Mickelson said. “But on the back nine, I played some good solid golf and made a late move.”

It was the 47-year-old Mickelson’s 27th third-place finish in 27 PGA Tour seasons to along with 42 career wins and 34 runner-up finishes.

“It’s just keep playing to keep giving myself chances,” Mickelson said about his winless PGA Tour streak of 91 tournaments. “It will happen.”

Hadley finished with a 73. He had a course-record 61 in the second round,

Duncan, a PGA Tour rookie who began the round with a one-stroke lead over Hadley, had five bogeys on the front nine and finished with a 75 to tie for fifth with Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., at 11 under. DeLaet had a 72.

Nick Taylor (72) of Abbotsford, B.C., was tied for ninth at 9 under, while Corey Conners (74) of Listowel, Ont., was in a group at 30th sitting 5 under. Ben Silverman (73) of Thornhill, Ont., tied for 43rd at 3 under and David Hearn (75) of Brantford, Ont., tied for 54th at 1 under.

Andrew Landry (69) and Bud Cauley (74) tied for seventh at 10 under.

John Daly, the two-time major winner who won his first PGA Tour Champions title in May, closed with a 79 to tie for 72nd at 5 over.

Rachel Rohanna (-10) remains the leader through two rounds of the Symetra Tour Championship in Daytona Beach, Fla. Second round play was suspended on Saturday evening at 6:47 p.m., with 21 groups left to complete play on Sunday.

Round-one leader Yu Liu, finished her second round on a high note with a birdie on 18 on Sunday to play her way into Monday’s final group at 8-under par.

When Liu completed her second round, which spanned the course of two days, she was beaming when she heard the final round wouldn’t be starting until Monday.

“It was a very hot round out there today, so I kind of lost my concentration towards the end,” Liu said. “It’s definitely great for me to have some time off and recharge to get ready for tomorrow.”

Liu is No. 8 on the Volvik Race for the Card and is looking forward to putting in a good round on Monday to secure her LPGA Tour card. “I’m very excited to be where I am right now heading into the final round of the final tournament of the season,” Liu said.

No. 1 on the Volvik Race for the Card Benyapa Niphatsophon rocketed up the leaderboard on Sunday as she turned in a bogey-free 6-under par 66. She is one of five players to have locked in their 2018 LPGA Tour cards.

Emma Talley entered the Symetra Tour Championship on the bubble at No. 10 on the Volvik Race for the Card, and has put herself in a great spot heading into the final round at 7-under par in fourth place.

“I’m playing really well right now, hitting my irons really well and giving myself a lot of birdie opportunities,” Talley said. “I had a lot of lip outs, so it feels good coming off the round feeling like I could’ve played better, but I’m still near the top of the leaderboard.”

Talley, the 2013 U.S Women’s Amateur Champion and 2015 NCAA Golf Individual Champion, won her first Symetra tournament earlier this season and is ready to lock in her LPGA card.

“I’m excited. I’m glad to have given myself this opportunity,” Talley said. “Hopefully tomorrow I can play well and get my card, but I’ve got 18 more holes, so it’s not over till the fat lady sings.”

The third and final round of the Symetra Tour Championship will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 9, with the leaders teeing off at 10:20 a.m.

The final five holes of the Symetra Tour Championship will be broadcast on Facebook Live hosted by Amy Rogers and Gail Graham with interviews by Baily Mosier on www.facebook.com/LPGA.

Volvik Race for the Card Update

The top 10 on the Volvik Race for the Card money list at the conclusion of the Symetra Tour Championship will earn LPGA Tour membership for the 2018 season. There are five players – No. 1 Benyapa Niphatsophon, No. 2 Celine Boutier, No. 3 Hannah Green, No. 4 Nanna Koerstz Madsen, No. 5 Erynne Lee – who have already secured their Tour cards. There are five spots up for grabs.

Here’s how the top 15 players in the Volvik Race for the Card sit heading into the final round of the tournament (place, score).

1. Benyapa Niphatsophon (T2, -8)
2. Celine Boutier (T8, -3)
3. Hannah Green (T17, -1)
4. Nanna Koerstz Madsen (T17, -1)
5. Erynne Lee (T17, -1)
6. Lindsey Weaver (T33, +1)
7. Anne-Catherine Tanguay (T23, E)
8. Yu Liu (T2, -8)
9. Katelyn Dambaugh (T72, +5)
10. Emma Talley (4, -7)
11. Daniele Darquea (T62, +4)
12. Sophia Popov (T23, E)
13. Kendall Dye (5, -6)
14. Paola Moreno (T8, -3)
15. Elizabeth Szokol (T72, +5)

If the tournament ended after the second round there would be no changes among the top ten players in the Volvik Race for the Card, though a few players would swap positions:

1. Benyapa Niphatsophon
2. Hannah Green
3. Celine Boutier
4. Erynne Lee
5. Nanna Koerstz Madsen
6. Yu Liu
7. Lindsey Weaver
8. Anne-Catherine Tanguay
9. Emma Talley
10. Katelyn Dambaugh

Rachel Rohanna is the clubhouse leader midway through the second round of the Symetra Tour Championship in Daytona Beach, Fla. Second round play was suspended due to darkness at 6:47 p.m. with 21 groups left on the course.

Rohanna shot a 65 in the second round to take a three-shot lead over Emma Talley and Kendall Dye, who followed up an opening-round 70 with a second-round 68. Talley only completed four holes in her second round before play was called.

Rohanna was six under on the front nine in the second round, including an eagle on the par-5 ninth. Similar to her first round, she was extremely accurate off the tee and was error-free around the greens.

“I was hitting the ball really well,” said Rohanna. “I was just trying to smile. We played 30 holes today, so you get a little bit tired out there.”

The players in the morning wave completed their first rounds and then went back out on the course to begin the second round.

“I think it’s harder whenever you’re on and off the course, kind of how the morning wave had to do it the first day,” she added. “Luckily for me I kind of was able to watch the forecast and get the updates at home, know I can stay in my pajamas or go to Starbucks for a little bit.”

Yu Liu, the first-round leader, joined three players at 5-under par.

The Symetra Tour Championship was shortened to a 54-hole event after the lingering effects of Hurricane Irma and 6-1/2 inches of additional rain rendered the course unplayable until Friday afternoon.

Second round play will resume Sunday at 10:00 a.m.

Volvik Race for the Card Update:

The top 10 on the Volvik Race for the Card money list at the conclusion of the Symetra Tour Championship will earn LPGA Tour membership for the 2018 season.

Liu (8), Talley (10), Boutier (2), and Benyapa Niphatsophon (1) each finished the opening round in the top 10 on the leaderboard for the Symetra Tour Championship. Lindsay Weaver (6) Katelyn Dambaugh (9) were the only top 10 players projected to miss the cut after the first round.