Canadian Blair Bursey carded a 1-over-par 73 in the final round of the Sahalee Players Championship to finish T4 at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Wash.

The Gander, NL, product had four birdies and five bogeys to finish at even par for the championship three shots back of winner Chino Hills, Calif., native Sahith Theegala who defeated Australian Min Woo Lee in a playoff.

Bursey, 20, is a junior at the University of Utah Valley. He had two top-10s with the Wolverines this season.

In 2016 Bursey finished T5 at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. He is the two-time defending Newfoundland Amateur Champion.

Calgary native Matt Williams was T19 at 10 over par, one stroke ahead of Kevin Kwon (Pitt Meadows, B.C.) who was T22.

Lawren Rowe (Victoria, B.C.)  finished T45 at 19 over par alongside Emmett Oh from Calgary.

Henry Lee (Coquitlam B.C.) was T49 at 21 over par. One shot ahead of the final Canadian in the field fellow Coquitlam native Team Canada Development Squad golfer A.J. Ewart who finished T52 after a final round 7-over-par 79.

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Team Canada’s Max Sekulic carded a final round 1-under-par 71 to move to 5-under-par for the tournament and win the Alberta Junior Boys Championship at Coal Creek Golf Resort in Ryley, Alta. His Development Squad teammate Chandler McDowell was third.

Sekulic from Rycroft, Alta., had five birdies and four bogeys to finish one stroke ahead of Matt Bean (Canmore, Alta.) who carded a final round even par 72.

Sekulic, 18, was 12th at the Future Links driven by Acura Pacific Championship in May and finished sixth at the 2016 Canadian Junior Boys Championship.

This year's 2017 Alberta Junior Boys Interprovincial Team. @ChandlerMcd99, @Maxsekulic & Matt Bean to compete in nationals @Catgandcc! ?? pic.twitter.com/VxS8DK8LZl

— Alberta Golf (@Alberta_Golf) July 8, 2017

McDowell, a native of Springbrook, Alta., had the lowest score of the final round with a 3-under-par 69 to finish at 3-under-par for the championship.

In solo fourth was Kai Iguchi from Banff, Alta., who’s 1-under par 287 four day score was good enough to secure him the 16-and-under Juvenile Championship.

Rounding out the top-five was Pincher Creek, Alta., product Ethan Choi who was even par for the tournament.

For the full Alberta Junior Boys Championship leaderboard click here.

Canadian Brittany Marchand carded a 3-under-par 68 in round one of the Donald Ross Centennial Classic at French Lick Resort, in French Lick, Ind.

The Orangeville, Ont., native had four birdies and just one bogey in her opening round at the Donald Ross Course at French Lick to sit one shot back of Australian Hannah Lee who carded a 4-under-par 67 to take sole possession of first.

A graduate of the Team Canada Amateur Squad Marchand recently made her first cut at an LPGA Tour event playing into the weekend at the Manulife LPGA Classic in Cambridge. She started the fourth round just five shots off the lead but finished T46 after a final round 81.

10 players are 1 back at -2 including @Britt_Marchand??. Check this touch on 10 at @FL_Resort! ?️

Scores ➡️ https://t.co/u5GkLOlpwm pic.twitter.com/3NwEn0dtpG

— Symetra Tour (@ROAD2LPGA) July 7, 2017

Marchand’s best result this season on the Symetra Tour was a T11 at the IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort & Spa.

Megan Osland (Kelowna, B.C.) is T16 at 1 under par after an opening round 70. Team Canada Young Pro Squad Golfer Anne-Catherine Tanguay from Quebec City is T26 at even par.

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PGA Tour rookie Sebastian Munoz has found a comfortable routine at The Greenbrier Classic _ go play golf, then watch a movie at night.

After catching “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” following an opening-round 61, Munoz kept it going Friday, shooting a 3-under 67 for a three-stroke lead over Ben Martin and Hudson Swafford heading into the weekend on the Old White TPC.

On Friday night, his plans were the same.

“I’m here with one of my best buddies, so we’re just going to hang out and watch a movie and be ready for tomorrow,” Munoz said.

Munoz has been in this situation before. At the St. Jude Classic last month, Munoz was tied for the lead through 36 holed, but he played the final two rounds in 11 over and finished tied for 60th.

“I feel like Memphis taught me that maybe I was caring too much, trying to hit too many perfect shots all the time,” Munoz said. “(I’ll) just take those past experiences and use them this week.”

The 24-year-old Colombian played his college golf at North Texas and said he got a wake-up call when his coach threatened to take away his scholarship for his senior year. Then, former college teammate Carlos Ortiz won three times in his first season on the Web.com Tour in 2014.

“I talked to him and was like, ‘Hey, man, I know you’re good, but come on. Like, I can get you sometimes,”’ Munoz said. “So that really helped me kind of push through and realize I was good as well.”

“I just feel comfortable.”@jsmunozgolf takes a three-shot lead into the weekend. pic.twitter.com/YRTKFlRzft

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 7, 2017

Munoz won the Conference USA individual title in 2015 and earned his PGA Tour card through the Web.com Tour last year. He’s still looking for his first top-10 finish.

Starting his second round on the back nine, Munoz birdied four of his first seven holes, making three putts of over 20 feet. After two bogeys on the front nine, he made a 13-footer for birdie from the fringe on the par-4 seventh. He was at 12-under 128.

No first-round leader has won at Old White TPC since the tournament debuted in 2010. Munoz’s closest challengers all have victories on tour.

Swafford, who hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation Friday, won the CareerBuilder Challenge in January and has two other top 10 finishes this season.

Martin, who won in Las Vegas in 2014, is coming off his first top 10 finish of the year last week at the Quicken Loans National.

Martin shot 67 and Swafford had a 66. Both were at 9 under.

Davis Love III, seeking to become the oldest-ever winner on the PGA Tour, followed up his first-round 63 with a 69. He was at 8 under, along with defending champion Danny Lee (68) and Russell Henley (64).

.@Love3D will have that left for back-to-back ?#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/uZ4rZuIfdc

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 7, 2017

Nick Taylor (69) of Abbotsford, B.C., was five shots back while David Hearn (69) of Brantford, Ont., Graham DeLaet (70) of Weyburn, Sask.,were six back at 6 under. Mackenzie Hughes (67) of Dundas, Ont., was eight back.

Phil Mickelson accomplished one thing he never managed with longtime caddie Jim “Bones” Mackay on the bag – he made the cut at The Greenbrier Classic. He did not play the weekend in three previous starts.

Mickelson had five bogeys and three birdies to shoot 72 and make the cut on the number at 1 under.

“This has been probably the two worst putting days I’ve had this year,” Mickelson said. “The greens are perfect. I just haven’t putted well.”

Mickelson and Mackay announced after the U.S. Open they were parting ways. Tim Mickelson is carrying his brother’s bag for the rest of the year. Mackay has signed to do on-course commentary for NBC and Golf Channel.

For the full leaderboard click here.

Canadian Ryan Yip carded a 6-under-par 66 in round two of at the Web.com Tour’s LECOM Health Challenge to sit T5 through 36 holes at the Peek N’ Peak Resort Upper Course in Findley Lake, NY.

The Calgary native was T29 at -3 after round one (69). Starting on hole No. 10 Yip was 5 under par through four holes with three birdies and an eagle.

He recorded two more birdies and one bogey to move to 9 under par two shots back of co-leaders China’s Xinjun Zhang and Adam Long (New Orleans, La.)

A member of the inaugural Team Canada National Team in 2005, Yip came to Findley Lake ranked 100th on the Web.com Tour’s Order of Merit.

.@RyanYipGolf's first four holes of Round 2 @LECOMHC:
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He's T4 heading into the weekend in New York. pic.twitter.com/TCwGciW5EI

— Web.com Tour (@WebDotComTour) July 7, 2017

The 32-year-old’s best result of the season was a T9 at Chitimacha Louisiana Open presented by NACHER in March. He has two additional top-25 finishes this season.

Young Pro Squad’s Corey Conners (Listowel, Ont.) is T23 at 6-under-par after a second consecutive 69.

Conners’ Young Pro Squad teammate Albin Choi (Toronto, Ont.) started the day in a tie for fourth after an opening round 66 (-6), but a 1-over-par 73 in round two dropped him to T25.

Merrit, B.C., native Roger Sloan is T47 at 3 under par (70-71).

There are 11 Canadians in the field this week.

Click here for the full leaderboard.

Richmond B.C.’s Alisha Lau ran away with the B.C. Junior Girls Championship finishing at 9-under-par 10 strokes clear of Maple Ridge, B.C.’s Esther Lee (+1). Development Squad’s Hannah Lee was third at 5 over par (293).

Lau started strong with opening rounds of 67 and 68 building a lead she wouldn’t relinquish over four days at the Okanagan Golf Club’s Bear Course in Okanagan, B.C.

Rounding out the top five was fourth place finisher Karen Zhang also from Richmond at 6 over par and Surrey, B.C.,’s Angel Lin who was 9 over par for the championship.

In her second year on the Development Squad Lee, from Surrey, B.C., was consistent from start to finish recording three straight rounds of 1-over par 73 and closing with a 2-over-par 74.

The 16-year-old had an impressive 9th place finish at the Women’s Porter Cup in June and was tenth at the Future Links driven by Acura Pacific Championship in May.

Lee was second at this event in 2016 and won the 2016 B.C. Juvenile Girls Championship.

For the full leaderboard click here.

FERNIE, B.C. – Golf Canada nears the end of its 2017 junior golf championship season as the Future Links, driven by Acura Western Championship is set to take place at Fernie Golf and Country Club.

With support from British Columbia Golf, the Future Links, driven by Acura Western Championship is the fifth of six regional junior championships presented in partnership with Acura. The 54-hole stroke play tournament will begin with a practice round on July 10 before the tournament gets underway with round one on July 11.

Founded in 1918, Fernie Golf and Country Club will be hosting its first ever Future Links Championship. With a varied terrain and stunning view of the Rocky Mountains, the course features an aesthetic charm accentuated by luscious greens and silica sand bunkers.

“Golf Canada and British Columbia Golf are thrilled to present the 2017 Future Links, driven by Acura Western Championship in Fernie,” said Greg Moody, the Tournament Director from British Columbia Golf. “We are optimistic that the tricky course at Fernie Golf and Country Club will challenge Canada’s premier junior golfers and allow them to demonstrate their skills.”

The field will consist of 85 junior golfers in the Junior Boys Division with the top six earning exemptions into the 2017 Canadian Junior Boys Championship on July 31-Aug. 3 at Cataraqui Golf & Country Club in Kingston, Ont. A tie for the sixth position will be decided by a playoff following the conclusion of play.

The Junior Girls Division will consist of 16 golfers with the top six (including ties) earning an exemption into the 2017 Canadian Junior Girls Championship on Aug. 1-4 at Camelot Golf & Country Club in Cumberland, Ont.

The final Future Links, driven by Acura Championship of 2017 will conclude the regional championship series this summer.

July 17-20 – Future Links, driven by Acura Atlantic – Church Point, N.S. – Clare Golf & County Club.

Results from the previous 2017 Future Links, driven by Acura championships can be found here: Pacific, Ontario, Quebec, Prairie.

More information regarding the Future Links, driven by Acura Championships can be found here.

NOTABLES

Kai Iguchi of Banff, Alta.
Finished T5 at the same event last year, the highest of all returning players. Highest finish of the season is a T7 at the PGA of Alberta Junior Masters. He is currently ranked at No. 47 in the Future Links, driven by Acura Order of Merit.

Taylor Stone of Calgary, Alta.
The 17-year-old won her first event of the season at the MJT Alberta Season Opener and finished in third at the PGA of Alberta Junior Masters. She is currently ranked at No. 37 in the Future Links, driven by Acura Order of Merit.

Carter Graf of Red Deer, Alta.
Currently ranked seventh on the Future Links, driven by Acura Order of Merit. The 16-year-old is coming off a win at the PGA of Alberta Junior Masters back in May. In six events this season, Graf has finished in the top five three times and in the top 10 four times.

Ethan Choi of Pincher Creek, Alta.
The 15-year-old has four top-25 finishes in the five events he has played this year, including a third-place finish at the MJT Alberta Season Opener and T5 at the US Junior Qualifying Coeur D’Alene. He is currently 21st on the Future Links, driven by Acura Order of Merit. Shot a 14-under-par 59 when he was 14-years-old at the Alberta Bantam Championship at River’s Edge in Okotoks, Alta.

Andrew Spalti of Vancouver, B.C.
The 17-year-old has placed inside the top 25 of each of his six events this season. He won the MJT Vancouver Championship back in March and is currently ranked at No. 34 on the Future Links, driven by Acura Order of Merit.

FAST FACTS

In 2017, Golf Canada is conducting its six regional Future Links, driven by Acura championships in conjunction with the Provincial Associations.

Top six finishers in the Boys Division earn exemptions into the 2017 Canadian Junior Boys Championship.

Top six finishers (including ties) in the Girls Division earn exemptions into the 2017 Canadian Junior Girls Championship.

Brandon MacDougall won junior boys tournament last year after a two-hole playoff against Team Canada Development Squad member Chandler McDowell.

Kehler Koss defeated Phoebe Yue in playoff to win the girls division in 2016.

Starting times for the first and second rounds will be made available on Monday, July 10th 9:30 a.m. More information on the event and starting times can be found here.

ABOUT THE COURSE

Founded in 1918.

Par 70.

More information can be found here.

With the Royal Quebec Golf Club being conveniently located across the street from the Huot household, all eight Huot boys — Emmanuel, Jules, Maurice, Ulric, Rodolphe, Roland, Benoit and Tony — at one point marched across to work as caddies and help their family financially.

The hours spent at the club, watching and learning from members, developed their love for the game. And though they each gained local and provincial acclaim as players, it was Jules (second from right) who enjoyed the most success.

He captured three Quebec Open and PGA of Canada championships, five Quebec PGA Championships and twice finished as low Canadian pro at the Canadian Open. However, winning the PGA Tour’s 1937 General Brock Open and playing in three Masters are career highlights.

This article was originally published in the Family Issue edition of Golf Canada Magazine. Click here to view the full magazine

Bakersfield, California’s Matt Picanso shot a 6-under 65 at Pine Ridge Golf Club on Thursday to take the first-round lead at the Players Cup, the fourth event of the 2017 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

On a day when gusting winds and the demanding Donald Ross-designed Pine Ridge course got the better of most players, the 34-year old Mackenzie Tour rookie carded six birdies and zero bogeys to lead by one over Calgary, Alberta’s James Love through 18 holes.

“I looked at the forecast and I knew it was going to be tough and windy, so I just stuck to my original game plan,” said Picanso. “I laid back on a few holes and finally felt like I knew what I was doing on the greens.”

Love is making his 72nd start on the Mackenzie Tour this week. In 2016, he had no status on Tour but finished third while playing on a sponsor exemption at the SIGA Dakota Dunes Open, earning conditional status for the rest of the year and eventually a spot in the top 60 on the Order of Merit along with exempt status for 2017.

“Honestly, I wouldn’t have been that upset with a four standing on the tee. To make four after where I hit it, it’s the hardest par-3 ever, so I’m not unhappy.” said Love.

The Californian was paired with hometown favourite Aaron Cockerill and said he enjoyed competing in front of a large gallery for most of his round, which included four birdies in his last seven holes to take the lead.

“I was pumped when I saw that pairing because I figured we’d have a good crowd with the hometown boy,” said Picanso.

Love briefly tied the lead before making a bogey – one that included an improbable up-and-down for bogey at the par-3 ninth – to sit one back with a 5-under 66.

“This course is tough without the wind, and it was swirling and gusting to 35 (km/h) today,” said Love. “I played well. I holed out from 150 yards on 18, so that helps. Other than that, it was just pretty solid.”

With the Mackenzie Tour attracting some of the top up-and-coming young players from around the world of college and amateur golf, Picanso’s path to becoming a professional golfer stands out among his peers.
Once a baseball prospect at Bakersfield College, Picanso eventually turned to golf and found a knack for the game at an age when most are taking their first steps on to the path to the PGA TOUR.

“I kind of didn’t start playing competitively until my early 20s. I played baseball my entire life, but I was over it and getting injured all the time,” said Picanso, who at the time had played golf mostly with his family. “I started practicing and trying to get better, and I fell in love with it.”

Slowly but surely, he’s improved year-by-year on various Mini Tours, and won 11 tournaments in 2015 including the Monterey Open, where he shot a final round 60. Picanso was playing the second stage of Web.com Tour Q-School that fall when he tore his labrum in is right shoulder and was forced to endure a lengthy rehab. He earned exempt status for the first eight events of the 2017 Mackenzie Tour season with a T2 finish at the USA West #1 Q-School earlier this Spring.

For the full leaderboard click here.