Canadians needing a social outlet and a sense of recreational normalcy during the uncertainty of the pandemic in 2020 turned to golf in a major way. Now Golf Canada, with the support of industry partners, will build on the excitement, increased interest, and elevated levels of play with a national golfer retention campaign to welcome new and returning players back to the golf course in 2021. 

The campaign – GOLF IS CALLING – is a Canada-wide marketing initiative to speak to new, younger golfers as well as the community of avid players, each uniquely drawn to the game whether it be for exercise, the social experience or the challenge of the sport. 

The golfer retention campaign is being led in partnership with Golf Canada’s Industry Advisory Council, a group of industry professionals that includes course owners, operators, general managers, PGA of Canada professionals, superintendents, and other stakeholders in the game. 

For Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum, golf’s emergence through the pandemic as a safe, social, and inclusive activity during an extremely challenging period was a silver lining for a sport enjoyed by nearly 6M Canadians annually.

“Golf is a sport of invitation, where we bring others along to experience and enjoy the game for a lifetime. GOLF IS CALLING is also a return invitation to the avid players and new enthusiasts who enjoyed the game in record numbers this past year. It is also an outreach and welcome to young and diverse audiences and a powerful confirmation that our sport offers the healthy attributes, safe environment, and industry capacity of nearly 2,300 facilities to support physical, social, and mental well-being in a meaningful way.” 

GOLF IS CALLING features a vibrant and new look for golf. The campaign messaging and creative was informed by deep market research as well as creative trends from across industries and broader sport to reflect an industry-wide effort to promote golf participation. This season long, national marketing campaign features a fresh and inviting energy as the calling for Canadians to play more golf.

“As marketers and sport leaders, we look for moments to connect with golfers, and this past year has offered an unparalleled signature moment for the golf community to influence and entrench behaviours that will benefit our sport for the long run,” said Golf Canada Chief Marketing Officer Vanessa Morbi. “With more than 700 customizable assets that golf facilities and industry partners can leverage in their marketing efforts, this is a special moment to rally the full weight and collective voice of our sport to inspire more play in 2021.”

The suite of tools is available to golf courses and industry stakeholders to share in national roll-out of the golfer retention campaign. The bilingual campaign will be presented as SORTEZ, GOLFEZ across all French language assets and Golf Canada will support the campaign with a paid media buy executed across social and digital channels.

In conjunction with the campaign, Golf Canada has also relaunched its website as a portal to enhance the golfer experience and support tee-time booking through a national course look-up tool. This feature can be found on www.golfcanada.ca and will connect golfers with facilities across the country. 

Despite a season suspended in most parts of Canada through early May, data from the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) of Canada reported a 18.9% increase in total rounds played across the country in 2020. Golf Canada members as well as public players who track an official handicap index experienced a significant lift in play, posting a record 7.8M scores to the Golf Canada Score Centre, a 7% lift over the prior year with monthly score posting records set from June through October. 

Canadian levels of engagement in the sport mirrored strong growth metrics across North America as new and avid players invested in tee times as well as memberships, equipment, league play, junior golf, and instruction.

As Canadian golf facilities continue to manage the impact of the pandemic on non-golf revenues, the game is thriving as a safe and healthy recreational option that drives significant economic, employment, tourism, environmental and charity benefits to communities across Canada. 

Supported by comprehensive healthy and safety protocols enacted by the golf community as well as adjustments made to the golf course experience, the sport is well positioned with momentum. 

“Creating a national campaign that speaks to golfers of varying abilities and connection to the game is no easy feat, and we continue to be extremely sensitive to the disastrous impact of the pandemic which has taken a significant emotional, economic and mental toll,” added Shawn Evans, President and CEO of GolfNorth Properties who is also Chair of the Golf Industry Advisory Council. “At the same time, we see the opportunity in golf’s emergence through the pandemic to present our sport in a fresh way to new audiences with a visceral consumer experience that will be noticed.”

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – When Matt Jones won his first PGA Tour title seven years ago, he needed a 45-foot birdie putt just to get into a playoff and then a 40-yard chip-in to take the victory.

This win was far less dramatic, yet just as meaningful.

It got him back to the Masters.

Jones won the Honda Classic by five shots Sunday, a final round of 2-under 68 good enough to finish the week at 12-under 268 at PGA National. The margin matched the largest in tournament history, tying the mark set by Jack Nicklaus in 1977 and matched by Camilo Villegas in 2010.

“It’s been seven years. It’s been a tough seven years,” Jones said. “I’ve had ups and I’ve had downs, as all golfers have, but it gets me into a lot of big tournaments now.”

The 40-year-old Australian earned $1.26 million and, this time, he’ll have more than a day to prepare for the trip to Augusta National. His win at the Houston Open in 2014 – and his Masters invite – came just one day before he had to go to Augusta, making it a scramble to get family and friends together to share in the experience.

The Masters starts April 8, so he’s got much more time to plan this one.

“It’s going to be nice,” Jones said. “I can go prep for the Masters this time. Last time it was an absolute blur. I can’t remember a thing about it, so I’m going to do some prep this time before.”

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C. finished in a five-way tie for eighth place at 5-under par. Fellow Canadian Roger Sloan finished in a tie for 25th at 2-under par, while Mackenzie Hughes ended his tournament in a tie for 36th at 1-over par.

Jones started the week with a course-record-tying round of 9-under 61. He was three shots behind Aaron Wise after 36 holes after a second-round 70, and his round of 69 on Saturday was good enough to put him up by three entering Sunday.

Brandon Hagy (66) finished 7 under and alone in second on his 30th birthday, his chance at winning doomed by a third-round 76. Chase Seiffert (64), Brendan Steele (65), C.T. Pan (70), Denny McCarthy (67) and Russell Henley (68) tied for third at 6 under.

“There’s a lot of tough holes out there and there’s big stakes for sure, but I’ve been working on some good stuff and it’s nice to see some of that pan out,” Hagy said.

The only stretch where Jones’ grip on the lead seemed in peril was midway through the round; Wise, who once led by six shots during the third round, had four birdies in a six-hole stretch on the front and got within one of the lead.

Wise’s chances ended at the par-4 10th. He hit his second into a bunker, then four-putted from 25 feet for triple-bogey. Jones’ lead went to four, and he avoided trouble the rest of the way, while Wise finished with a 73 and tied for 13th at 4 under.

J.B. Holmes was in the final group with Jones, three shots back to start the day, and his chances were gone very quickly. He ended up with a costly final-round 79 for Holmes; second place, where he started the day, paid Hagy $763,000 while the tied-for-46th finish paid Holmes $19,070.

Holmes knocked his shot from a greenside bunker off the green and made bogey on the opening hole, then sent his tee shot way right on the par-4 second and needed about 10 minutes to find the ball – it was nestled among palm fronds – and decide how to proceed.

He went on to make double bogey there, and when Jones birdied the par-5 third Holmes’ deficit had gone from three to eight shots in about 45 minutes.

At that point, only a few had a realistic chance at catching Jones. Before long, the outcome was obvious.

“You can’t get a tougher golf course to win on than this one, in these conditions,” Jones said. “To be able to do that on this golf course is amazing and something I can build on for the future, hopefully.”

They are two of the biggest names in golf equipment helping golfers save strokes around the greens for decades – and they both happen to work for Titleist. 

Scotty Cameron and Canadian Golf Hall of Famer Bob Vokey have once again reimagined what it means to design and produce scoring clubs that are chalk full of modern technology and look darn good, too. 

As Canadian golf season continues in the western part of the country and inches ever-closer in parts of the east, it’s worth a reminder that nearly 65 percent of all golf shots are struck from 100 yards and in. 

The question remains, then – when was the last time you got fit for a putter? Or wedges? Or contacted your PGA of Canada pro to have a lesson that was just focused on your short game? 

These are just some questions that both Vokey and Cameron can help answer with their new line of gear for 2021. 

Whether you’re looking for a putter that is Tour-proven and trusted by the best players in the world or a set of wedges that are both aesthetically pleasing and built to help you get the ball closer to the hole, Titleist is there to help you around the greens. 

Here’s everything you need to know about Scotty Cameron and Vokey Wedges for 2021. 

Roll The Rock

Building on the momentum from the Scotty Cameron Phantom X line in 2020 comes four new models of Phantom X putters for 2021. The four Phantom X putters for this year are all mallet-style and boast a precision-milled 303 stainless steel face and a body that is fused with aircraft grade aluminum. That helps with the perimeter weighting – which helps give golfers more forgiveness and stability (and hopefully help make more putts). 

“Scotty, to a lot of people, is known for these beautiful blade putters that he’s refined and dialed-in – in a classic Newport 2 shape – to perfection. That’s what a lot of people think of Scotty Cameron putters, but the ‘X’ stands for ‘experimental,’ says Mike Bradley, the director of marketing for Scotty Cameron Putters. 

The four putters in the Phantom X line for 2021 include the 5, the 5.5, the 11, and the 11.5. Based on the feedback from some of the best players in the world, the models have light grey and muted black alignment aids and have three options for shafts – either low-bend, mid-bend, or small-slant necks. The Phantom X mallets in 2021 give golfers a choice: either a blade-like feel or face-balanced (straight back, straight through) performance. 

Across the Scotty Cameron line any putter that has a ‘.5’ at the end of the number sequence means Cameron has introduced something in the shaft to encourage toe flip. 

“If players want a blade-like feel, an arching kind of feel then the lower bends/neck are the way to go for. What’s made them popular is PGA Tour guys coming in in recent years saying, ‘hey I like the benefits of a mallet’ but they maybe want to maintain a blade feel,” says Bradley. “So it’s really the best of both worlds.”

By now you are likely aware of Scotty Cameron putters (seeing as a certain 15-time major champion has trusted Scotty Cameron and his magical craftmanship for nearly his entire game-changing career) but what is it that really makes them so good? 

According to Bradley, it’s the details that Cameron himself has such a keen eye for. 

“All these little refinements that add up to performance and just the craftsmanship. He’s taken decades working with the best players in the world and not cutting any corners on the manufacturing of the products,” says Bradley. 

“Putters are extremely personal, and I think there’s a reason why Scotty’s putters stay in people’s bags for as long as they do. It’s not only the craftsmanship but also the attention he puts into those minute details.”

Wedge It Close

There’s a reason why Bob Vokey is one of the most well-respected club builders in the game – and a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. 

“We have an awesome team,” says Vokey Wedges Marketing Director Corey Gerrard, “but it starts with Bob.” 

Indeed, for golfers looking to knock it closer and improve their touch around the greens, Vokey has become a synonymous name with green-side success. 

New for 2020 and expanded for 2021 is the Vokey SM8. It’s been Tour-tested and trusted and is now available in another finish in 2021, Slate Blue (good for a player who is looking for something a little darker, finish-wise, but find the Jet Black finish too dark). 

There are six grinds in the SM8 line-up with grooves that are more durable and maximized for spin and shot control and a centre of gravity that has produced an improved club feel. 

“As you get closer to the green we have more options than ever,” says Gerrard. “(The team) is listening to what Tour players need – not just what they want, but what they need. 

With the increased variety in wedge offerings from Vokey, Gerrard says there is no substitute in getting absolutely dialed, just like you would with any other clubs in your set. 

Gerrard calls getting fit for wedges “a no-brainer” and not only that, he says, but you’ll have fun doing it. 

There’s just nothing that feels like a Vokey wedge around the green, and when you get a club that looks and feels great, it inspires confidence on those tricky scoring shots. “They perform. They perform for everyone,” says Gerrard about the main reason why golfers are trusting Vokey wedges. “There is trust around the brand, but when the product performs… that’s the main reason why players keep playing these wedges.” 

Note to readers: As COVID-19 continues its impact, some garden centres, lawn maintenance companies and equipment rental outlets are open in some regions while others are not. Therefore, some of the tips provided here may not be practical at this time. However, no matter what the circumstances, gardening remains a healthy form of self-isolation!

Introduction

You back out of the driveway, heading for the golf course, and as you pull away, you look at your lawn and ask yourself, “Why can’t that goat pasture look like the fairways at my course?”

The obvious answer is “time and resources,” according to Sean Gunn, superintendent at The Country Club in Woodbridge, Ont.  “We spend hundreds of hours a week maintaining our turf and the average homeowner spends, what, an hour or two? You just can’t expect the same results.”

It’s much like watching the pros at the RBC Canadian Open or the CP Women’s Canadian Open and wondering why you can’t play the game at their level. When the pros aren’t playing, they’re working on their games. When you’re not playing, you’re most likely just working.

But just like a few lessons with a PGA of Canada pro will elevate your game significantly, cadging some tips, hints and hacks from members of the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association and other turf experts will help improve your lawn.

The Cutting Edge

First thing in the spring, sharpen your lawnmower blade. You can do it yourself with a file or grinder (always following the proper safety guidelines) or take it to a local small-engine repair shop. At The Country Club, Gunn sharpens the blades of any of his members who bring them to his shop. “If your blade isn’t sharp, you’re tearing the grass plant, not cutting it,” Gunn says.

Cut at 2.5 inches (about six centimetres) or higher to encourage deeper root growth. Taller grass can better handle drought conditions and shades the soil, helping prevent weeds from sprouting.

Under normal conditions, cut your lawn at least once a week and don’t cut off more than a third of the leaf blade. Cutting more than that stresses the grass.  Leave the clippings on the lawn as they provide a source of nutrition for the grass. Cut in a different direction each time.

The more you cut, the denser the lawn will become.

“Grass wants to grow, so if you keep cutting it, it will find other ways to get larger and grow new tillers [shoots],” says Gunn.  “This is how we get putting greens to be so dense.”

Water, water everywhere

Course superintendent Ken Bruneski is sure his course is “the hottest property in Canada,” so if anyone is qualified to speak about watering guidelines for lawn, it’s him.

Located in a semi-arid desert near Oliver, B.C., NK’Mip Canyon Desert Golf Course sees many days each season with temperatures reaching 40C.

With higher temperatures being witnessed across Canada due to climate change, Bruneski’s experience provides valuable advice for homeowners.

With the luxury of a sophisticated irrigation system, he waters his fairway deeply three times a week during the overnight period.

“It drives me nuts to drive down the street and see houses with sprinklers going non-stop during the heat of the day. That’s not helping your lawn at all. In fact, it’s harming it.”

Depending on the amount of rainfall, the average lawn needs a deep watering (two to three centimetres) a couple of times a week, ideally in the evening.

“One irrigation hack is if thunderstorms are coming and your lawn is pretty dry and you happen to be home, water your lawn to get the surface wet to break down the surface tension so the rain from the cloudburst can be accepted into the lawn,” advises Dr. Eric Lyons, Associate Professor of Turfgrass Science in the University of Guelph’s Department of Plant Agriculture.

“Proper water management is paramount in the success of the lawn,” says Gunn.  If you’re really into it, he recommends you purchase a rain gauge. For about $10, it’s an inexpensive and accurate method of monitoring your lawn’s water input.

 Those pesky pests

“A healthy lawn is just like a healthy human who doesn’t have to see the doctor that often,” says Gunn.

Alan Golick agrees. Now a sales representative for Lawn Life Natural Turf Products (www.lawnlifenaturalturfproducts.com), Golick has 20 years’ experience in the turf business, including stints as an assistant course superintendent.

With environmentally conscious bans on traditional herbicides and pesticides, companies like Lawn Life are continually developing alternatives to control weeds and pests.  Company founder Richard Reed was a trailblazer in this category and the company now services the turf industry, lawn-care companies and homeowners.

Golick recommends a proactive approach to weed control, suggesting a selective herbicide that targets dandelions, plantain, creeping charlie and other common weeds. More importantly, he says homeowners must ensure good fertility in their soil by introducing, among other elements, composted fertilizer and more exotic inputs such as kelp (seaweed), humic acid, and compost tea (simply a mix of compost and water).

“A great lawn starts and ends with healthy soil, a healthy eco-system,” he says.

Lyons, who is also the director of the Guelph Turfgrass Institute, says if you have a healthy lawn, hand weed in the spring and apply a chemical control in the fall.

“If you have significant weeds, then a spring application would be recommended. To get the most effective control with iron-based alternative weed-control products, apply them in enough volume according to the label. That requires two applications three weeks apart.”

He also advises to apply a broadleaf weed control product before the first frost in the fall. If using an iron-based product, the daytime temperature should be about 20C consistently for both the first application and the next one three weeks later.

Enrich your experience

“What I see the most is homeowners not fertilizing or fertilizing at the wrong time,” observes John Scott, superintendent at Summerlea Golf and Country Club in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que.

Not that you want to spend your holiday long weekends working on your lawn but if you are serious about keeping that grass well fed,  Mark Schneider says you should get your spreader out four times a season: Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day and Thanksgiving.

In the spring, resist the urge to fertilize before May 24.

“The grass is still waking up from the winter and trying to build its roots. The key is to apply the right amount at the right time at the right rate and at the right place.”

Schneider, who was the superintendent at several Ontario courses, now is the technical sales representative for NuTrite (www.nutrite.com), a leading supplier of fertilizers to golf courses, lawn-care companies and homeowners.

Along with his easy-to-remember schedule, he has some other simple tips for fertilizing.

“Buy a premium product with a high slow-release factor. Follow the instructions on the bag. Don’t over-fertilize. Avoid the economy brands.

“The most important thing is to get a fertilizer where the first number is the highest.”

You no doubt have gone shopping for fertilizer and seen three numbers on the bag. 10-10-10. 12-0-4.  33-0-3. And so on.  Starter fertilizer, spring fertilizer, fall fertilizer…  It doesn’t have to be confusing.

Those numbers identify the proportions of three elements: Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Of those three, experts agree the first one—nitrogen—is the most important.

“Most lawns do not need much phosphorus,” says Lyons, adding that, in general, “the last number on the bag should be about half to equivalent of the first number.”

Generally, says Schneider, use the same fertilizer all year long.

Hole-y aeration!

Our experts are divided on whether you should aerate and/or dethatch your lawn annually. (Back in the day, some folks swore they were aerating their lawn by wearing their metal golf spikes while mowing.)

Aeration is the process of removing plugs of soil from your lawn to relieve the compaction and introduce air, water and nutrients to the roots. Dethatching removes the layer of dead and decaying plant material between your grass and the soil. While a certain amount of thatch is beneficial, too much insulates the roots from getting enough water, oxygen and fertilizer.

You can rent a power aerator and/or a dethatcher or hire a lawn service to do the job. Small lawns can be dethatched with a specially designed rake while larger properties will require a power unit.

Lyons and Bruneski downplay the necessity of these practices for the average home lawn but Scott Bowman begs to differ.

According to the Speare Seeds web site (www.speareseeds.ca), Bowman is the company’s general manager and “turf genius,” so his opinion is well worth considering.

He suggests aerating your lawn in the late summer or early fall but never in the spring and early summer. “If you aerate in the early part of the season, those holes are a perfect spot for weed seeds to fall into and germinate. Now instead of a great lawn, you’ve created really healthy and deep-rooted weeds.”

Sprouting up

When it comes to anything turf-related, Bowman’s credentials are impeccable. That “turf genius” tag is no joke. Prior to his current role, he was a superintendent at some notable courses, including Glen Abbey Golf Club. He also is co-owner of South Port Golf Course in Southampton, Ont.

As soon as the snow melts, our pent-up desire to get a head start on our lawns is released. But Bowman and other experts say hold your horses, rein in that impulse.

“Everybody’s excited to get going, but if you don’t time it right [seeding], you’re just wasting your time and effort and money,” says Bowman. “You won’t get real germination and if the seed sits there long enough, it loses its viability.” That’s “turf genius speak” for “the seed is dead.”

Before you think about seeding or over-seeding your lawn, wait until the soil temperature is at least 12 to 16C. You can either use the familiar broadcast seeder or rent a slit-seeder which creates gaps into which it inserts seeds. In any case, the seed must have contact with the soil to germinate.

According to Bowman, your lawn should be over-seeded every year, preferably in mid-August when the days are warm, the nights are cool, the dew is heavy and the fall rains start to arrive. It’s a good time, he says, to incorporate this with your aeration and/or dethatching.

When it comes to the type of seed to use, Bowman says that is dictated by a couple of factors: the type of soil and how much effort you want to dedicate to your lawn.

“Every lawn is a reclamation project to one extent or another. It all depends on what your personal threshold is.”

Don’t even think about bentgrass, favoured by most courses for tees, greens and fairways.

Bowman says bluegrass, most commonly used for the rough on courses, has shallow but aggressive roots. “It’s a nice, high-end grass but requires more inputs [of water and nutrients].” The fine fescues are more drought resistant while perennial ryegrass “grows just about anywhere.” That’s why most seeds sold at retail are blends of these types.

Raking: More harm than good?

According to Lyons, the theory behind raking is that it removes old leaf and stem tissue, allowing the soil to warm up and the grass to grow more vigorously in the spring. However, much like aerating early in the season, raking opens up the soil and allows it to warm, causing increased germination of weeds.

“You don’t see them raking the rough at the golf course, do you?” says Lyons. “Generally, the effort put into aggressive raking would be better spent elsewhere on your lawn unless you have tree leaves to remove or you’re renovating a weedy lawn.”

Having said that, aggressive raking in the spring will remove dead crab grass and/or annual weeds from the previous year and allow over-seeding to take hold.  In an area with limited weed controls, he adds, raking does more harm than good and also is a lot of work.

Old Man Winter

The first step to prepare your lawn for the oncoming winter, says Gunn, is to stop cutting the grass to let it “harden off.” In Woodbridge, Ont., where his course is located, this is about the third week of October.

“Hardening off is letting the plant prepare itself by sealing the last cut you did to prevent any carbohydrate loss.  Carbs/sugar are the antifreeze that keeps the plant alive during the winter.  The more carbs/sugars, the heartier the plant.

“Letting the plant grow a little longer in the spring and fall is a good idea since the daylight is shorter and the strength of the sun is weaker.  The longer the blade, the more efficient the plant is at photosynthesis.

“I use the analogy of grass and solar panels.  The more solar panels you have, the more energy you can attract. “

The key to a good spring is strong preparation in the fall.  Schneider says about 80 per cent of your lawn-care efforts should be focused on the period from August to November.

Lyons emphasizes the importance of removing leaves as they fall and don’t allow them to get trapped under the snow.

Finally …

When it comes to your lawn, like your golf game, you likely will never be a pro. But if you practise the fundamentals, you can be a respectable amateur.

Having said that, Canada has a diverse ecosystem and while the preceding are general guidelines, you may have to adapt them to your specific area. Speak to a local turf expert—like the superintendent at your course.

(more…)

ORLANDO, Fla. – The long ball helped Bryson DeChambeau outlast Lee Westwood on Sunday in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, only the key shots were as much with his putter as his driver.

DeChambeau holed a 40-foot birdie putt on the front nine and a 50-foot par putt early on the back nine. He closed it out with a nervy 5-foot par putt for a 1-under 71 and a one-shot victory over the 47-year-old Westwood.

It matched the low score of the day, one of only three rounds under par in the toughest final round at Bay Hill in 41 years.

DeChambeau and Westwood were never separated by more than one shot over the final 15 holes, a fascinating duel of generations that came down to the last shot.

DeChambeau took a one-shot lead to the par-4 18th and hit his most important drive of the day – in the fairway. Westwood’s tee shot settled in a divot, and he did well to get it on the green and two-putt from 65 feet. DeChambeau’s birdie putt slid by some 5 feet and he shook his arms in celebration when the par putt dropped.

Westwood closed with a 73, not a bad score considering the average of 75.49 was the highest for a final round since 1980.

Corey Conners was third at 8 under after a 74.

DeChambeau said he received a text Sunday morning from Tiger Woods, who is recovering from serious leg injuries from his car crash in Los Angeles. He said Woods, an eight-time Bay Hill winner, told him to “keep fighting.” He also considered the words from Arnold Palmer to “play boldly.”

DeChambeau rose to No. 6 in the world with his ninth PGA Tour victory, and he became the first player this season with multiple victories, to go along with his U.S. Open title in September. It matched the longest it took for a multiple winner on the PGA Tour since 1969. Nick Price won his second title in the 21st week of the season in 1994.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Lee Westwood made a pair of 30-foot putts over the final three holes Saturday, one for eagle and the other a closing birdie, for a 7-under 65 that gave England’s ageless wonder a one-shot lead in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Westwood turns 48 next month and is feeling younger by the years, coming off a third European Tour title and still easily among the top 50 in the world.

Now he goes up against U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, whose 68 included a birdie on the par-5 sixth hole in which he cut off so much of the water he had only 70 yards for his second shot on the 531-yard hole.

Corey Conners of Canada, who started with a one-shot lead, could only manage a 71 on a cool, breezy day at Bay Hill with only a few drops of rain. He also was one shot behind.

“It’s nice to still be playing in these tournaments,” Westwood said. “You’ve got to be top 50 in the world and if you would have said to me 20 years ago will you still be top 50 in the world at 48 I might have been slightly skeptical. And it just shows that I’m still capable of playing well in these tournaments with all the good young players around me and obviously contending, because that’s what I’m doing this week.”

Sunday was shaping up as another thriller at Bay Hill.

Jordan Spieth opened with a birdie and a hole-in-one, took the lead by holing a bunker shot on the par-3 seventh, saved par after a tee shot into the water and shot 68 with the kind of round he’d rather do without. Spieth prefers boring golf, and this was anything but that.

He was two shots behind, along with former PGA champion Keegan Bradley, who had the low score of the week at 64.

Spieth didn’t have the only ace. Jazz Janewattananond made on on the 14th hole that thrust him into the ix with a 69, leaving him four shots behind in a group that included Rory McIlroy, who bogeyed the last for a 72. Despite such a pedestrian round, McIlroy was very much in contention.

They will be chasing Westwood, who first played the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 1998. He was at 11-under 205.

Westwood posted his lowest score ever at Bay Hill and made only six pars. He had eight birdies and the eagle on the 16th hole, along with a pair of three-putt bogeys.

Westwood has five victories since turning 40, including last year in Abu Dhabi, among the strongest fields on the European Tour. He rallied to win the Race to Dubai late last year, his third time finishing the year as Europe’s No. 1.

So this didn’t surprise him, especially on a course that fits his eye, even though he has only one finish in the top 10.

“I haven’t lost any of my length and I haven’t lost any of my enthusiasm to go and work and work in the gym,” Westwood said. “My nerves are still intact, I still get into contention and enjoy it rather than kind of back off.”

Spieth is getting used to being in contention, too. He had chances in Phoenix and Pebble Beach, and he was in the peripheral of contention at Riviera.

Starting four shots behind, he made up ground quickly with an 18-foot birdie on the first hole and then hit a 5-iron that rolled up the right side of the green, turned toward the cup and dropped for an ace.

“That was obviously a really cool moment,” Spieth said.

He will play Sunday with Tommy Fleetwood, who had a 68 and was three behind. Spieth had to play as a single most of Saturday when Justin Rose, who made a 9 on the third hole, withdrew soon thereafter citing back spasms.

DeChambeau got one of the loudest cheers of the day by hitting into the rough. The biggest gallery lingered behind the sixth tee to see if he would go for the green. He aimed well to the right, but it still was a thrill to them to see DeChambeau grab driver and blast away.

The fans packed behind the ropes on the other side of the water let out a huge cheer when his ball descended and tumbled into the rough, 70 yards from the pin.

“Oh, man, I felt like a kid again, for sure,” DeChambeau said. “It was exciting, especially when you pull it off. It was almost like winning a tournament. It’s kind of the feeling I had. It was like, `Oh, I did it.’ I got the same chills and feeling when I saw it clear and there was no splash. I gave the fans what they wanted.”

The tournament isn’t decided until Sunday, and with hardly any rain, the greens are unlikely to lose their speed and firmness. McIlroy likes his position. Westwood likes his even more.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Canadian Corey Conners spent more time grinding out pars than chasing birdies, and that proved to be the right recipe Friday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational as Bay Hill began to bake under a warm sun.

The 29-year-old Conners, from Listowel, Ont., surged into the lead with a 25-foot eagle putt on the par-5 16th hole – his second eagle on that hole in two days – for a 3-under 69 and a one-shot advantage over former Bay Hill winner Martin Laird (67).

Rory McIlroy was poised to at least join Conners in the afternoon until he hit a couple of loose drives that cost him one shot when he could only pitch back to the fairway, leading to bogeys. He closed with five straight pars for a 71 that he figures could have been worse.

“It could have been the round that I could have shot 74 or 75. I got in with 71 and pretty happy with that,” McIlroy said.

He was two shots behind, along with Viktor Hovland and Lanto Griffin, who each had a 68.

Jordan Spieth remained in the mix going into the weekend, which is becoming a regularity in the last month as he tries to end more than three years without winning. Spieth hit a superb flop shot over the bunker to a fast green that rolled out to a foot to escape with par and a 69.

Conners was at 9-under 135, and now everyone braces for the weather.

The forecast featured plenty of rain Saturday, which figures to make Bay Hill play longer and tougher, while also keeping the greens from getting as crusty as they were last year when Tyrrell Hatton won with a closing 74.

“We’ll just see what happens and be ready for anything,” Conners said.

Hatton at least gets a chance on the weekend. He opened with a 77 and was 10 shots better Friday, a 67 that allowed him to make the cut was one shot to spare.

Also making the cut were both Ryder Cup captains – Padraig Harrington of Ireland with a 74 to be nine shots behind, Steve Stricker with a 71 that left him one shot better.

Conners, whose lone PGA Tour victory came two years ago at the Texas Open, saved par seven times during his round, the exception coming at the par-3 second hole when he came up short of the green, some 80 feet away, and wound up missing his par putt from 10 feet.

Otherwise, the Canadian has been solid. This is only the second time he has held the lead going into the weekend, the other occasion at the Valspar Championship in 2018 when his bid to go wire-to-wire ended with a 77 in the final round.

“I haven’t really been in this position a lot, but I have a lot of confidence in my game and feeling really relaxed the last few days, so try and keep that going,” Conners said. “I feel like I have a lot of energy. I had an off week last week and really excited for the weekend.”

Laird has recent success winning on a familiar course. In the fall, he ended seven years without a victory by winning in Las Vegas, scene of his first PGA Tour victory in 2009. He won at Bay Hill in 2011 on a final round so tough a 75 was enough to get the job done.

Now there are plenty of others in the mix.

U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau overcame consecutive bogeys at the end of his front nine and hot 71. He was three shots behind. Another shot back were Spieth, Justin Rose (68), Sunjae Im (70) and Paul Casey (69).

Hatton wasn’t the only player who saw a big improvement. Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand had the low round of the tournament with a 65, which was 10 shots better than his first round.

And then there was Robert Gamez, still exempt from winning in 1990 – three years before Spieth was born – by holing out with a 7-iron on the 18th hole. The 52-year-old Gamez shot a 92 and was disqualified for not signing his card.

Jason Day looked to be in much better shape than seven shots behind. He played in the morning, had a pair of birdies and came to the 16th, the easiest at Bay Hill. He lost his tee shot to the right and to use binoculars and the zoom lens of a camera to make sure the ball stuck in the tree was his.

That led to a double bogey, and he took another double bogey on the 18th hole by taking four to get down from a bunker.

“A little unfortunate that it got stuck. It was literally in a nest,” Day said. “So I think mama birdy is going to come back and find another egg there.”

Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin, both from Abbotsford, B.C., failed to make the weekend cut. Taylor (75) was 4 over, while Hadwin (72) was 7 over.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Bay Hill was bustling Thursday, just like golf before the pandemic. The fans were limited in numbers but they all wanted the same dose of entertainment provided by Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau.

First it was McIlroy, slowly feeling better about his game, and with good reason. Starting with a 55-foot putt on the par-3 second hole, he ran off five straight birdies for a share of the lead with Canadian Corey Conners in the Arnold Palmer Invitational at 6-under 66.

In the group behind McIlroy was DeChambeau, who has been contemplating a shot across the water to cut the 528-yard sixth hole down to size by going for the green. This was not the day with a slight breeze into his face, so the U.S. Open champion had some fun. He took out an iron, and then hit a conservative tee shot (309 yards) to the middle of the fairway.

It was a boring birdie, his third in a row, and he opened with a 67.

“There was a high expectation level of me trying to go for the green there, and it was a little pressure that I wasn’t expecting,” DeChambeau said. “But no, it was fun. The crowds were great with it. I pulled out an iron as a joke off the tee box. And for me, it was just too much off of the right and more into the wind than anything.”

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In the group with DeChambeau was Jordan Spieth, making his debut at Bay Hill, and producing high adventure in a 70 that left him satisfied he remained on track – and irritated hitting off the toe of his driver and into the water on No. 6.

Even having to hit his third from the tee, he salvaged bogey with a 25-foot putt and made a 35-foot birdie on the next hole.

“Definitely proud of the way I responded, but the way I putted today, certainly would have liked a lower number,” Spieth said. “But it all just comes down to one shot for me today.”

Conners, from Listowel, Ont., played in the afternoon and was 6 under through seven holes, capped off by an eagle on the par-5 16th. He took the lead with birdie on the par-5 sixth, but finished with a three-putt bogey from 60 feet to fall into a tie with McIlroy.

Shadow Creek winner Jason Kokrak opened with a 68. Of the 60 players who teed off in the morning, only six broke 70. Defending champion Tyrrell Hatton shot a 77, while past Bay Hill winner Francesco Molinari took a step back from his progress with a 78.

McIlroy wasn’t too happy with his game after missing the cut – a rarity for him these days – at Riviera, then not having ideal practice sessions. He still managed some improvement last week in the World Golf Championship, and saw big even better results Thursday.

Most pleasing was seeing the ball go where and how he wanted it. He made three of his birdies on par 3s, the strength of Bay Hill. What stood out was a pair of 5-irons into the wind on the 14th and 17th holes, both tight draws, flighted the way he wanted to about 15 feet.

“Those shots last week that I was trying to hit were missing the target 20 yards left,” he said. “So it was nice to just see them coming out in the window I was anticipating.”

Canada’s @coreconn is putting on a clinic ??

This was to take the lead @APinv pic.twitter.com/TuOgzp3g4F

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) March 4, 2021

He said it was his best round of the year, and it helps being at Bay Hill, where McIlroy had a victory and no finish worse than a tie for sixth the last four years. He has seen enough of Tiger Woods’ eight victories in the Arnold Palmer Invitational to appreciate how to attack.

“He played it very conservatively. He took care of the par 5s. And that was usually good enough to get the job done,” McIlroy said. “So sort of take a little bit of a leaf out of his book.”

He only made birdie on two of the par 5s, going long on the 16th and having to lay up on the 12th from a fairway bunker.

Through it all, it was the activity outside the ropes at Bay Hill that stood out.

The Arnold Palmer Invitational was the last PGA Tour event that had a full complement of fans, one week before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down golf. The tournament is allowing 25% of capacity – roughly 5,000 fans a day – and when most are watching some of golf’s bigger draws such as McIlroy, DeChambeau and Spieth, it feels even larger.

All were wearing masks, though no one got high marks for social distancing.

“It’s nice to hear some cheers and a little bit of energy from the fans,” Martin Laird said after a 69. “It was fun to play in front of a crowd again.”

Nicky Taylor and Adam Hadwin, both from Abbotsford, B.C., struggled in the first round. Taylor fired a 1-over 73, while Hadwin shot a 7-over 79.

Golf Canada’s 2021 Annual Meeting culminated on Thursday, March 4^th with the election of Thornhill, Ont. native Liz Hoffman as the 116^th President of the National Sport Federation.

Hoffman, a past President of Golf Ontario who spent 39 years with the University of Toronto including 16 as Director of Athletics and High-Performance, succeeds Charlie Beaulieu of Lorraine, Que. who served consecutive terms as President in 2019-20.

“It is an honour to represent our member clubs, and golfers from coast to coast as the 119^th President of Golf Canada,” said Hoffman. “To follow in the path of friends, mentors, and colleagues who have empowered my journey with this storied organization. We have a really special opportunity in this current environment to advance the sport of golf, and together with the Board of Directors, our CEO Laurence Applebaum, our talented staff and volunteers and so many partners across the golf and sport community, I look forward to being a part of it.”

Click here for a detailed bio on Golf Canada’s 116^th President, Liz Hoffman.

Hoffman is joined by Vice-President Dale Jackson of Victoria, B.C. in leading the 13-member Board of Directors who will work closely with Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. Based on the report of Golf Canada’s Nominating Committee, Hoffman and Jackson will be joined on the 2021 Board of Directors by David McCarthy of Toronto, Ont., Susan MacKinnon of Calgary, Alta., Adam Daifallah of Montreal, Que., Jean Stone-Séguin of Ottawa, Ont., Patrick Kelly of Victoria, B.C., Shawn Evans of Kitchener, Ont., Rai Sahi of Mississauga, Ont. and Alison Chisholm of Rothesay, N.B. New additions to the Board included Peter Major of Calgary, Alta., along with Diane Drury-Clarke and Jean-Sebastien Monty, both of Montreal, Que.

Outgoing Golf Canada President Charlie Beaulieu of Lorraine, Que. was recognized for his leadership of the association as an Honorary Life Governor.

Golf Canada’s 2021 Annual Meeting was conducted virtually over two days, March 3-4 with volunteers, staff, member clubs, and key industry stakeholders participating.

Annual Report & Financial Statements:

Click here to read Golf Canada’s 2020 Annual Report, which includes a recap of the past season, as well as the organization’s 2020 Financial Statements, which were released during Golf Canada’s Annual General Meeting.

Feature Presentations

In addition to the formal business of the Annual General Meeting, a number of feature presentations delivered on March 3 outlined key Golf Canada initiatives for 2021 including:

• Golf Canada’s 2021 Outlook – presented by Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum

• Golf Industry Advisory Council: National Golfer Retention Campaign – presented by Golf Canada Chief Marketing Officer Vanessa Morbi

• Keynote Presentation: Fireside Chat on Global Golf – hosted by Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum featuring R&A CEO Martin Slumbers and the USGA’s outgoing CEO Mike Davis

• Overview of Golf Canada’s Diversity and Inclusion Alliance – presented by Alliance Chair & Team Canada Sport Psychologist Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood. The session also includes a panel discussion with Sandy Cross (Chief People Officer, PGA of America) as well as Teri Dennis-Davies (Senior Vice-President Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at Maple Leaf Sport and Entertainment).

• Sport Overview – presented by Golf Canada’s Chief Sport Officer Kevin Blue

Tribute to Canadian Golf in 2020

To close its Annual Meeting, Golf Canada shared a video tribute to acknowledge the players, golf facilities and industry stakeholders across the Canadian golf community who supported the sport’s safe return and emergence in 2020 through the COVID-19 pandemic. The video acknowledges the entire Canadian Golf industry as the collective recipients of Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award. Click here to watch.

Nancy Spineti Delle Donne selected as Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year

Nancy Spineti Delle Donne of Montreal was named the 2020 recipient of the Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award. For more than 20 years, Nancy has been a major contributor to Golf Quebec and Golf Canada as an expert in Handicapping and Course Rating. In 2014, Nancy was named Chair of the Golf Canada Course Rating and Handicap Committee, a position she held proudly until the end of 2020. During this time, she played an integral  role in the national launch of the new World Handicap System which was rolled globally in 2020.