VERONA, Wis. – Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee has added another accolade to her impressive resume.

The 20-year-old Ohio State junior carded seven birdies to post a 5-under-par 67, climbing three spots up the leaderboard en route to capturing her first collegiate title on Sunday at the East & West Challenge.

Lee, a four-year Team Canada member, opened with an even-par 70 on Saturday at University Ridge Golf Course before marching up the standings into first place, where she shared medallist honours with Oregon’s Kathleen Scavo.

For Head Coach Tristan Mullally, it was only a matter of time before Lee notched her first NCAA win.

“Jaclyn is learning to be more aggressive and play to her strengths, she is a fantastic ball striker who is starting to be better at taking her chances,” said Mullally. “It was only a matter of time before her ability to shoot low scores translated into an NCAA win.”

The former Alberta Ladies Amateur champion paced the Buckeyes to a 3rd place finish through two rounds of stroke play. The match play portion of the tournament is set to begin on Monday, with Lee facing off against Alanna Campbell at 10:39 a.m. ET

In her sophomore season, Lee led the Buckeyes in scoring average as well as total finishes in the top-5, earning her a selection to the All-Big Ten Second Team.

Click here for complete stroke play results.
Click here for live match play scoring.

RICHMOND, B.C. — Club de Golf La Tempete’s Sonny Michaud a 9-under-par 63 on Monday at Richmond Country Club to take the first-round lead at the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf.

The 29-year-old from Quebec City made eight birdies, an eagle and a bogey on the day to lead by three shots over fellow Quebecers Pierre-Alexander Bedard of Club de Golf Cap Rouge and the PGA of Canada’s No. 1-ranked player Marc-Etienne Bussieres of Club de Golf Longchamp.

“I actually didn’t think 63 was out there when I teed off this morning, but that’s golf isn’t it?” admitted Michaud. “My putter was pretty good and I probably made more than 120-feet worth of putts out there.”

Michaud, who finished fifth at last year’s PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada, said he was feeling the good vibes mid-way through his round.

“I was 7-under after 10 holes and that’s where I really started to think about it. But maybe I thought about it too much because I immediately made a bogey on No. 11,” said Michaud. “But I made a little comeback at the end there because I knew Bedard was playing well up ahead of me and I really just wanted to finish better than he did.”

Michaud made three birdies over his final four holes, while Bedard made just one on No. 17.

Two-time PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada winner Mike Belbin of the Royal Mayfair Golf Club sits alone in fourth after an opening 5-under-par 67. Fellow Albertans Dillon Batsel and Scott Stiles are T5 at 4-under.

The 54-hole national championship takes place through Wednesday at the A.V. Macan-designed Richmond Country Club. Set within the greenbelt of the agricultural land reserve, the venue is known for its tree lined fairways, well-positioned bunkers, and raised, undulating greens.

Thirty-two players in total are currently at even-par or better with two-rounds remaining.

For the full leaderboard and Tuesday’s second round times, click here.

The Quebec squad leads the 36-hole Inter-Zone competition (which is compiled of four players on each team representing their respective PGA Zone and is contested over the first two rounds) at 21 under, 20 shots better than Team Alberta.

Admittance to the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf is free and spectators are encouraged to attend during championship play.

VICTORIA – Jerry Kelly avoided the late trouble that derailed Lee Janzen and David McKenzie to win the Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship on Sunday for his second PGA Tour Champions victory in four weeks.

Kelly closed with a 3-under 68 in chilly, rainy conditions for a one-stroke victory over Janzen on Bear Mountain’s Mountain Course. The three-time PGA Tour winner won the Boeing Classic outside Seattle last month for his first senior title.

“You always want that validation after you win the first one,” Kelly said. “And to get it so soon, again, very surprised, but I’m just going to keep working hard.”

Janzen also shot 68, but dropped three late strokes to give away the lead. After making three birdies in a row, he bogeyed the par-4 15th and made a double bogey on the par-4 17th. On 17, the two-time U.S. Open champion drove into a bush, chipped back to the fairway and three-putted after his ball ran to the back of the green.

“Where that pin was, it’s so difficult to get it near the hole and I just made a huge error by hitting on the wrong line,” Janzen said. “Unfortunately, I just didn’t know any better. … It would have saved myself one shot, maybe two, and that’s the difference.”

The 50-year-old Kelly rebounded from a bogey on the par-5 13th with a birdie on the 15th – making the putt after being stung by a bee – and finished with three straight pars.

“It was really thinking your way around and I made a couple good saves and a couple good birdies at the end,” Kelly said. “It was more of a survival day.”

Kelly finished at 14-under 199. He began the round a stroke behind leaders McKenzie and Jerry Smith.

“The funny thing is I switched irons and won in Seattle and played well the week after in Calgary, and it’s just continued on here,” Kelly said. “Some of those changes, things click and next thing you know you’re playing with confidence and get some wins.”

Janzen missed a chance for his second senior title after winning eight times on the PGA Tour.

“When I look back at a tournament, I’m more concerned with my mental preparation and execution and where I went wrong,” Janzen said. “My psyche’s not damaged over that. Stupid things happen on the golf course all the time. It’s not the first time I’ve hit a bad shot with a chance to win a tournament, so I’m not worried. I’m getting to go to Pebble Beach, one of my favourite places in the world, and I’m really encouraged because my game stunk a week ago.”

McKenzie, the Australian trying to become the first qualifier to win since 2012, dropped back with double bogeys on the par-3 14th and the 17th. He birdied the par-5 18th for a 71 that left him tied for third at 12 under with Tommy Armour III (67).

Charles Schwab Cup points leader Bernhard Langer (68) and Esteban Toledo (67) followed at 11 under.

Smith had a 75 to finish six strokes back.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The clutch shots down the stretch in the BMW Championship belonged to everyone except the winner.

Marc Leishman didn’t really need them.

Staked to a five-shot lead, and determined to not let another FedEx Cup playoff event get away from him. Leishman never gave anyone much of a chance Sunday at Conway Farms. And when Justin Rose made a late run and closed within two shots, Leishman made back-to-back birdies to put away the final challenge, and then added one more for a 4-under 67 to set the tournament scoring record.

Leishman went wire-to-wire for the first time on the PGA Tour. The Australian moved up to No. 4 in the FedEx Cup, giving him a clear shot at the $10 million bonus next week. He moved into the top 15 in the world.

But this mainly was about redemption for losing a two-shot lead on the back nine at the TPC Boston two weeks ago.

“When the pressure got put on that back nine by Rosie, I reacted with birdies,” Leishman said. “Didn’t get too worried. Just tried to keep doing my own thing and give myself chances. … Backing up what happened (in Boston) was probably the most satisfying thing for me. I was just really determined to not let that happen again.”

Leishman finished at 23-under 261, breaking the 72-hole tournament record that Tiger Woods set at Cog Hill in 2007.

Rose ran out of hope when he made bogey on the par-3 17th and closed with a 65. Rickie Fowler ran off three straight birdies only after he was too far back and shot 67. They finished five shots behind.

Fowler needed a birdie on the par-5 18th to grab the No. 5 seed for the FedEx Cup finale next week at the Tour Championship. He ripped driver off the fairway and over the stream to the back rough. It was a bold play that preceded a pair of meagre efforts – a chip that came up 25 feet short, and a birdie putt that didn’t to the hole.

Jon Rahm birdied four of his last five holes for a 67 and will be the No. 5 seed.

Jordan Spieth shot 65 to tie for seventh and kept the No. 1 seed, followed by Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Leishman and Rahm. The points are reset to give all 30 players at East Lake a mathematical chance, but the top five seeds only have to win the Tour Championship to capture the FedEx Cup.

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., shot up the leaderboard after shooting a 65 to finish as the low Canadian at 7 under. Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., struggled to a 3-over 74 and was 6 under for the event.

As usual, the only drama at Conway Farms was who made it to East Lake, and a pair of PGA Tour rookies delivered.

Xander Schauffele, who won The Greenbrier Classic in July, opened with 10 pars and two bogeys and was not even in the picture until the San Diego native played his final six holes in 6-under par, including a 30-foot eagle when he drove the green on the par-4 15th.

“A dream year for me,” Schauffele said. “Pretty much every goal I came up with and I’ve got to start creating some new ones.”

Patrick Cantlay fell out of the top 30 when he took bogey on the 16th hole. Needing a birdie to get into the Tour Championship, he hit a hybrid onto the green to 50 feet, left his eagle attempt some 10 feet short and calmly holed the putt to get in.

Cantlay returned to golf after a three-year break from a back injury that nearly ended his career, and the death of his close friend and caddie, Chris Roth, who was hit by car as they walked to dinner. The former UCLA star made it to the Tour Championship despite playing only 11 events this year. Being in the top 30 gets him into the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open next year.

Tony Finau wasn’t sure what he needed, but he knew a bogey wasn’t going to help and he was nestled in the rough behind the green after his third shot. Finau, No. 39 in the standings, chipped in for birdie and a 64 and moved into the top 30.

“To see it go in was … man, the feeling that I have is pretty fantastic,” Finau said.

Masters champion Sergio Garcia injected more drama than necessary. He figured he needed a par on the final hole to get into the top 30 when a bogey would have worked. His second shot was on the rocks in the stream, and after taking close to 30 minutes on a drop, he smacked it over the green into the grandstand, got more relief, and then got up-and-down for his par.

Phil Mickelson wasn’t so fortunate. He made three bogeys on the front nine and tried to get back in the game with an eagle on the reachable par-4 15th. Needing an eagle on the 18th hole to make it to East Lake, Mickelson’s 140-foot pitch-and-run hit the hole and popped out. After the 30-minute wait on Garcia.

Leishman won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March at Bay Hill. The third victory of his tour career was by far the biggest, and went far beyond the strong field, the $1,575,000 paycheque or his standing in the FedEx Cup.

Leishman pegged this event as a chance to spread awareness for sepsis and toxic shock syndrome, which nearly killed his wife two years ago. He asked the players to wear ribbons on their caps this week to celebration Sepsis Awareness Month. And then he went wire-to-wire, walking off the 18th green to see his wife, Audrey, and their three young children.

It was better late than never for Rico Hoey, who captured his first Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada victory on Sunday at the season-ending Freedom 55 Financial Championship to earn a spot in The Five and secure Web.com Tour status for 2018.

The 21-year old University of Southern California grad shot a final-round 3-under 67 at Highland Country Club to finish at 19-under total and win by one over Mequon, Wisconsin’s Jordan Niebrugge, with the win vaulting Hoey from 11th to fifth on the Order of Merit.

Kimberley, B.C.’s Jared du Toit finished T17, high enough to clinch Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year honors, which comes with a $25,000 prize.

For Hoey, it was an emotional win, with an outpouring of relief, elation and gratitude for his family’s support showing after his win.

“I knew I had to shoot a good score to get myself into the top five. I’m just glad I gave myself a shot and I pulled it off,” said Hoey through tears afterwards. “It’s nice doing it for my family. They believe in me so much, so it’s kind of nice knowing I have support, so I’m just doing it for them.”

Starting the day with three-stroke advantage over Greyson Sigg, Brett Lederer and Cody Blick, Hoey started strong with four birdies in his first six holes to extend the lead to four. A host of challengers emerged, however, including former World No. 1 Amateur Chris Williams, who was 8-under after an eagle at 11 holes to pull within one stroke.

Hoey, however, did enough to bend but not break with the lead, eventually making birdie at the 17th hole to build a two-stroke lead heading to the 72nd hole and all but guarantee victory. After a tap-in bogey at the last, the victory – and charge into the top five – was complete.

“It’s hard,” said Hoey “not to think about everything that comes with winning. I just tried to block that out and play one shot a time. I was hitting good putts and I’m just glad I made the putt on 17 that gave me a two-shot cushion.”

Du Toit, the Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year, made the cut in all 11 of his starts this season and recorded three top-10 finishes in his first season as a professional after completing his amateur career at Arizona State University this spring.

?? @F55F Canadian Player of the Year
? Dan Halldorson Trophy
? $25,000 prize from @F55F

Congratulations, @Jareddutoit! pic.twitter.com/Gt50SMElM8

— Mackenzie Tour (@PGATOURCanada) September 18, 2017

“It means a lot to me. I pretty well hit the ground running this season, and there’s plenty of room for improvement, so I’m excited about that. It’s been a whirlwind, but I definitely took the right steps in learning how to be a pro and hopefully that can continue,” said du Toit.

Freedom 55 Financial established the Canadian Player of the Week award in 2013 to recognize top Canadian players on the Mackenzie Tour. At each event, Freedom 55 Financial presented this award to the Canadian player who had the lowest total score. Winners also received $2,500 to use toward attaining future goals. Below are the winners of the award in 2017:

“We’re thrilled to see Jared put on a great performance this season and earn Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year honours,” said Mackenzie Tour President Jeff Monday. “Our thanks and gratitude go out to Freedom 55 Financial for all their support of our Tour, including these awards. Thanks to them, some of our best and brightest players are able to take a big step forward in achieving their goals and dreams.”

With scores of 61-72-67-70—270 (-10) to finish T17, du Toit took home top-Canadian honors at this week’s Freedom 55 Financial Championship.

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France – Defying driving rain and hail in a playoff, Anna Nordqvist beat unheralded American Brittany Altomare at the first extra hole to win the Evian Championship on Sunday.

Nordqvist took the fifth and final major of the season by sinking a 4-foot putt for a bogey 5 on the soaked 18th hole while the 102nd-ranked Altomare had a six.

Course workers removed pools of standing water from the 18th green as the players approached the putting surface after their third shots. The par-4 hole played long all afternoon and was near-treacherous for the playoff.

“I am from Sweden and I’m freezing,” said Nordqvist, who was confined to bed for two weeks in July by a bout of mononucleosis. “I feel like I’m pretty used to bad conditions and that was probably some of the worst I’ve seen.”

The 30-year-old Nordqvist earned $547,500 for the win, her first major since the 2009 LPGA Championship.

Altomare got $340,000 for only her second career top-10 finish, three weeks after she secured a third-place tie at the Portland Classic.

“It’s really big,” the 26-year-old Massachusetts native said. “I had a good week in Portland … and I felt like I could now start getting some good finishes.”

Nordqvist and Altomare both shot 66 for 9-under totals of 204. It was a 54-hole event after weather-affected play on Thursday was scrapped.

Second-round leader Moriya Jutanugarn of Thailand and two-time major winner Lydia Ko of New Zealand fell out of the playoff by dropping shots on the 18th.

Jutanugarn (72) and Ko (69) finished in a tie for third with Katherine Kirk of Australia, whose 70 included bogeys at the 16th and 17th as the chilling rain fell.

Canadian Brooke Henderson (72) finished in a tie for 58th.

Nordqvist’s victory ensured 10 different major winners in the last two seasons.

Last year, Nordqvist lost a playoff for the U.S. Women’s Open after a rules violation on the second extra hole – for touching sand with her club in a fairway bunker – was relayed to her on the next hole. Brittany Lang of the U.S. won that major title.

Victory seemed far away when Nordqvist dropped two shots early in her round to fall seven behind Jutanugarn.

“Winning didn’t really come into my mind,” the 12th-ranked winner said, until making three birdies and an eagle-3 between the 12th and 16th holes.

Jutanugarn was seeking to follow her younger sister Ariya, the 2016 Women’s British Open winner, as the first siblings ever to each win a women’s major title. Ariya, who missed the cut, walked with her sister for Sunday’s round.

Starting with a one-shot lead, Jutanugarn reached the turn two ahead at 10 under but lost her lead when Nordqvist surged. While the 23-year-old Thai was making bogey-6 at the 13th, Nordqvist made an eagle-3 and birdie to be alone on 10 under.

Nordqvist fell back on the 18th, getting a bogey-5 after pulling her tee shot into the rough. Behind her, Altomare sank a short birdie putt at 17 to advance to 9 under.

It was soon a five-way tie for the lead when Kirk birdied the par-5 15th and Jutanugarn’s birdie putt rolled round the rim.

“A lot of lip-outs. Just probably not really my day,” Jutanugarn said.

No. 1-ranked So Yeon Ryu (71) finished on 2 over, and No. 2 Lexi Thompson of the U.S. missed her chance to take the top spot. Thompson’s 74 left her 3 over.

In her final round as a professional before retiring, two-time Evian winner Ai Miyazato shot 73 to finish 1 over.

A nine-time winner on the LPGA tour, the Japanese star never claimed a major title. Her wins at Evian came before it was upgraded in 2013.

On the 18th green, Miyazato holed a short par putt then was greeted greenside by Gary Player who presented a bouquet of pink roses.

“When I see all my friends behind the 18th green it almost makes me cry, so I tried not to watch them,” said the 32-year-old Miyazato.

SPIJK, Netherlands – Romain Wattel shot a steady 2-under 69 Sunday to finish 15 under and win the KLM Open, the Frenchman’s first victory in 187 tournaments on the European Tour.

Wattel, who posted a 7-under 64 to move into contention on Saturday, had four birdies and two bogeys in the final round and parred his final seven holes to close out his maiden win.

The 26-year-old Frenchman said he has been struggling for two years with his putter, but finally found his touch again this week.

“My putting was very, very good,” he said, “I knew that if I could get to the green in regulation I was fine.”

Overnight leader Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand blew his chance of victory by finding the water and shooting double bogeys on the 15th and 18th holes. He finished on 12 under in a five-way tie for ninth.

Aphibarnrat was in the middle of the fairway on the 18th, but dumped his second shot into the water as he attempted to reach the green in two. He slammed his club into the grass and hung his head as he walked after the ball.

Aphibarnrat’s implosion on the 18th left Austin Connelly of Canada alone in second place after he shot his second consecutive round of 66 to finish one shot behind Wattel. Connelly discussed his chances at securing a European Tour card in his post-round interview here.

Six players, including Lee Westwood and fellow Briton Eddie Pepperell, tied for third at 13 under.

Finish strong.

In his last round as a 20 year old @AustinConnelly9 shoots a final round 66 to set the clubhouse lead. pic.twitter.com/2DNnsMP3tO

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) September 17, 2017

Evian-les-Bains, France  – So Yeon Ryu, of the Republic of Korea, has won the 2017 Rolex ANNIKA Major Award, which recognizes the player who has the most outstanding record in all five major championships during the current LPGA Tour season.

Ryu received the honor thanks to her win at the ANA inspiration, her second career major championship victory, and a tie for third at the U.S. Women’s Open Championship.

The 27-year-old, who joins Michelle Wie (2014), Inbee Park (2015) and Lydia Ko (2016) as winners of the award, was recognized in a ceremony on the 18th green at The Evian Championship, wrapping up an exciting season of majors in 2017.

“First of all, I’m so honoured to this have award, especially (because) it’s named after one of the greatest women’s golfers in our golf history,” Ryu said. “The other thing is I think the play in the major is fortunate enough, because it’s really tough to contend in a tournament, as well. But at the same time, it’s truly an honour to have this award because that means I was able to handle all of the major tournaments.”

Points for the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award are awarded at all five major championships to competitors who finish among the top 10 and ties. To take home the award, a player must also win at least one of the five majors. Danielle Kang (KPMG Women’s PGA Championship), Sung Hyun Park (U.S. Women’s Open), In-Kyung Kim (Ricoh Women’s British Open) and Anna Nordqvist (The Evian Championship) were the other players to qualify.

Ryu has enjoyed one of the best seasons of her LPGA career this year. Her two wins (ANA Inspiration, Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G) are the second-most by a single player on Tour this season and represent the first time she has won multiple events in the same season. Ryu has racked up eight additional top-10 finishes, including two runner-up results, and currently holds the lead in the Rolex Player of the Year standings with 150 points.

On June 26, Ryu became the third player from the Republic of Korea to reach No. 1 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. She is the 11th different golfer to reach No. 1 since the Rolex Rankings started in 2009 and has held the top spot for the past 12 weeks.

A nine-time winner on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association, Ryu earned LPGA membership by defeating Hee Kyung Seo in a three-hole playoff at the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open for her first career LPGA win and major championship. In 2012, one win and 15 additional top-10 finishes helped earn her the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year award. She added a third LPGA win in 2014 and also collected a win on the Ladies European Tour in 2015 before her two wins this year.

The USGA and The R&A have received comments on the proposed new Rules from more than 22,000 golfers in 102 countries, as well as representatives of golf organizations throughout the world, providing valuable feedback as the organizations work toward their implementation on January 1, 2019.
With the worldwide survey and evaluation period now complete, the USGA and The R&A and their respective committees will continue to review all comments received with the goal of finalizing the new Rules next spring and beginning a comprehensive education program later in 2018.

The USGA and The R&A began an extensive review of the Rules starting in 2012, with the intent of making them easier to understand and apply. A draft of the new Rules – reduced from the current 34 to a proposed 24 Rules – was released in March, beginning the six-month feedback period that was open to the entire golf community.

“After listening to golfers and reviewing the extensive comments, one thing is very clear – we all share a passion for the game and are eager to be a part of this process,” said Thomas Pagel, USGA senior director of Rules and Amateur Status. “We appreciate everyone who took time to provide their thoughts and insights. They have been very helpful and encouraging.”

David Rickman, Executive Director – Governance at The R&A, said, “It is pleasing to see that so many people from different parts of the world have taken this opportunity to engage with the process of modernizing the Rules. We have received insightful comments and suggestions from throughout the professional and amateur game and will take time to consider the feedback in detail. We will then work on finalizing the changes ahead of their implementation in 2019.”

While the feedback will continue to be analyzed over the next few months, several common themes emerged, including:

Golfers are enthusiastic about the scope and direction of the overall changes, such as pace-of-play improvements, the elimination of penalties and streamlined procedures.

Golfers provided the most feedback on the proposed Rules changes focused on the putting green (such as putting with the flagstick left in the hole, repairing spike marks and eliminating the penalty for accidentally moving a ball); the creation of “penalty areas” (extending water hazard type relief and eliminating penalties for moving loose impediments and grounding a club); and the new dropping procedures (including the size of “relief areas”).

Golfers strongly welcomed the new Player’s Edition of the Rules and found it much easier to read and understand.

The current 2016 edition of the Rules of Golf remains in effect when playing, posting scores or competing until the Jan. 1, 2019 adoption of the new Rules.

For more information on the proposed new Rules of Golf, see usga.org or randa.org.