Although the logos of the USGA and the R&A dominate the wave of communications accompanying last week’s announcement of the proposed modernized Rules of Golf, picture a tiny maple leaf-shaped asterisk there as well.

Since 1952, when the separate Rules committees of the USGA and R&A came together to develop a single set of Rules, there has been a Canadian delegate on the Joint Rules Committee (JRC). This makes us unique in the world of golf as the USGA oversees the United States and Mexico and the R&A governs play in the rest of the world, with the exception of Canada.

For the past four years, that representative has been Dale Jackson of Victoria, B.C., in his capacity as Golf Canada’s Chair of Rules and Amateur Status. Although Jackson stepped down from his Golf Canada role at last month’s Golf Canada annual general meeting, he will continue to participate on the JRC for at least another year in the interest of continuity.

Jackson’s timing allowed him to be a part of golf history, witnessing the best Rules minds in the world blowing up the existing Rules and reformulating a new code consisting of just 24 Rules rather than the current 34. The last major shake-up of the Rules came in 1984; before that, there were significant revisions in 1899, 1934 and 1952.

But literally none of the previous episodes had torn the existing Rules apart like this one, which began in 2012 with what Jackson calls the “Rules Modernization Project Team” comprised of volunteers and staff from the USGA and R&A, plus representatives from the PGA Tour and European Tour. And Jackson, of course.

“The objective was to take every single line in the Rule book, every Rule, every note, every exception, and say, ‘How can we do this better? What makes more sense? What are the alternatives? What is the history behind this? Why does this exist?’”

In some cases, says Jackson, it was a case of “back to the future” in that the modernization project team found a former Rule was preferable to its modern version. Jackson points to the proposed Rule allowing the flagstick to remain in the hole while players are putting as a prime example. Until 50 years or so ago, that was permissible, but under the current Rule, if a player on the putting green putts the ball and it hits the flagstick while in the hole, he incurs a two-stroke penalty.

Jackson marvels not only at the incredible amount of time and energy poured into the project by all concerned, but the dedication and single-mindedness of everyone involved, no matter what organization they represented.

“Everyone on the team was pulling in the same direction,” Jackson says, “with the same goal: Make the Rules better, simpler, easier to understand, easier to apply on the golf course.”

While he says the proposed new Rules address most of the challenges faced by the modernization project team, one major bugaboo remains: the stroke-and-distance situation.

“Everyone, especially at the recreational level, realizes that hitting the ball out of bounds off the tee or hitting it out of bounds from the fairway and having to go back to play another stroke, especially on a busy golf course, is really difficult.”

Jackson says the modernization project team spent an inordinate amount of time searching for the answer and continues to do so.

“What we are hoping for is, by putting all this out there for anybody and everybody to review, that somebody comes up with a solution that works.”

Although the current Rules remain in effect until the new version becomes official on Jan. 1, 2019, golfers are encouraged to review them, play by them and provide comments and reaction back to the USGA and R&A by Aug. 31.

For details on the proposed changes in the Rules and to voice your opinion, visit www.usga.org or www.randa.org.

MEXICO CITY – The only elevation that mattered at the Mexico Championship is how much higher Dustin Johnson can go.

In his first start since a five-shot victory at Riviera that made him No. 1 in the world, Johnson captured his fourth World Golf Championships title Sunday by blowing by some of golf’s biggest names and then delivering his best shot at the end to secure a one-shot victory over Tommy Fleetwood of England.

He won for the fifth time in his last 15 starts on the PGA Tour, including a major and two World Golf Championships.

And at nearly 7,800 feet above sea level at Chapultepec Golf Club, Johnson kept soaring.

He closed with a 3-under 68, and finished this one off with one of the most difficult shots in golf. Clinging to a one-shot lead, his feet on the edge of the bunker and ball below his feet, Johnson hit a three-quarter shot from 127 yards with his 54-degree wedge to the middle of the 18th green for a two-putt par.

He called it a “dink.” He also could have called it clutch.

“Probably the best shot I hit all week, especially under the circumstances, was that second shot on 18,” he said. “A fantastic shot.”

It wrapped up a spectacular week in Mexico City, which hosted this World Golf Championship after it had been at Trump Doral the last seven years. Johnson walked through the roped corridors with his arms extended to slap hands and bump fists with an energetic crowd, especially kids who called out, “Dee-Jay!”

Johnson finished at 14-under 270.

Justin Thomas had a one-shot lead over Johnson, with Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson another shot behind. It was an All-Star cast that Johnson turned into a one-man show with a 31 on the front nine to build a four-shot lead.

And just like that, it was gone.

“Around here, anything can happen,” Johnson said.

Thomas fell back with a double bogey in the water on the par-3 seventh. Neither McIlroy nor Mickelson got anything going. The challenge came from Jon Rahm, the dynamic rookie from Spain, who made an eagle and two birdies in a five-hole stretch on the back nine. That’s right when Johnson had his only real struggles, three-putting from 25 feet for bogey on No. 12 and taking bogey from a bunker on No. 13.

And then he was one shot behind, but only as long as it took him to get up-and-down from a bunker on the par-5 15th for birdie to tie for the lead. Johnson was flawless with pars. Rahm, who had gone 59 holes without a three-putt, took two straight for bogeys that took him out of the game.

“Sometimes you’re going to make some bogeys from those greens and unfortunately for me, it happened at the end,” Rahm said.

Johnson became the fifth player to win in his first tournament as No. 1 in the world. His fourth World Golf Championship title is second on the career list behind Tiger Woods, who won 18 times since the series began in 1999.

It was quite the consolation prize for the 26-year-old Fleetwood.

His 40-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 66 put him alone in second and secured a spot in the Masters for the first time. He moves to No. 35 in the world and is certain to stay in the top 50 over the next three weeks before the cutoff to get an invitation to Augusta National.

Rahm’s two late bogeys gave him a 68 and a tie for third with Ross Fisher, who closed with three straight birdies for a 65. That assures Fisher a place in the next WGC event in three week at the Dell Match Play.

The great theatre among the stars in Mexico City never really materialized.

Thomas bounced back from a 38 on the front nine and was still in range until closing with three pars for a 72 to tie for fifth with Thomas Pieters. McIlroy and Mickelson each shot 71 and tied for seventh. McIlroy had a two-shot lead going into the weekend and shot 70-71.

“These two rounds were the sort of rounds I would have expected the first two days, not the last two,” said McIlroy, playing for the first time in seven weeks while recovering from a rib injury.

Johnson was steady right to the end to capture his 14th career victory on the PGA Tour, and his second straight.

The greens of Chapultepec gave him fits all week. Johnson missed eight putts from inside 5 feet. In the opening round, he missed six putts from the 6-foot range or closer. His power and his clean striking allowed him to overcome that.

The most recent player to win in his debut at No. 1 was Adam Scott at the Colonial in 2014.

“It’s a tough spot to be in,” Johnson said. “There’s a lot of pressure on you. I came out and played really well.”

Johnson now takes the next two weeks off before playing the Dell Match Play and the Shell Houston Open ahead of the Masters, where Las Vegas already has installed him as the favourite.

SINGAPORE – Inbee Park won the HSBC Women’s Champions tournament by one stroke on Sunday after closing with a round of 8-under 64.

The South Korean finished on 19-under 269 at the Sentosa Golf Club, one shot clear of her playing partner Ariya Jutanugarn, who was second after a 66.

Sung Hyun Park (68) was third, a further shot back, while overnight leader Michelle Wie dropped back into a tie for fourth after a 72.

Wie was two in front after making birdies on the second and third holes before her round unraveled when she four-putted for a double-bogey on the par-5 fifth.

The American finished alongside Canadian Brooke Henderson (66) and last year’s Singapore champion Jang Ha Na (69).

Inbee made her first birdie of the day on the same hole that Wie’s charge started to falter, then proceeded to reel off another eight birdies to the 17th hole, draining a series of long putts in a near-flawless display on the greens.

“My putting was amazing today, obviously,” she said. “I couldn’t make any putts yesterday and obviously I made up for it today.

“Pretty much everything I looked at, it wanted to drop in. It was very consistent ball-striking all week, and obviously there is a lot of birdie opportunities out there and I was able to convert the birdies.”

Despite being a seven-time major winner, Inbee Park said she surprised herself by winning so soon. The 28-year-old took six months off shortly after winning the gold medal at the Rio Olympics last year to recover from a thumb injury and was playing only her second event.

“I thought it may take maybe a couple months to kind of get back out on the tour and to get my rhythm back,” she said. “I thought I was going to be just a little bit rusty. That’s how I felt exactly last week. This week was totally different. Especially the final round was just what I wanted.”

Jutanugarn was tied with Park after 10 holes and was left in awe at her playing partner’s performance.

“I had so much fun playing playing with Inbee. She’s awesome. She’s the best player,” said Jutanugarn. “I learned a lot from her. She’s very calm. I feel like she makes every putt. I don’t think she missed one today.”

There was some drama even after Inbee Park clinched the title when play was halted because of an electrical storm, with Sung Hyun Park , Wie and Ko still on the course, within a wedge shot off the 18th.

When the weather cleared and play resumed, the trio finished off their rounds and Park received her winner’s trophy.

Ko shot a final-round 72 and finished at 12-under, seven behind.

MEXICO CITY – Justin Thomas hit a 6-iron that one-hopped into the bottom of the cup. Dustin Johnson hit a wedge that never came down from a tree. In one of the 10 fairways that Phil Mickelson missed, a spectator apparently ran off with his golf ball.

Even better than the wild action Saturday in the Mexico Championship was the promise of more to come.

Thomas, going for his fourth PGA Tour victory of the season, rode a hole-in-one to a 5-under 66 to take a one-shot lead over Dustin Johnson at Chapultepec Golf Club. Right behind were Mickelson and Rory McIlroy, who saw his momentum stall when his flip wedge on No. 12 struck the pin and spun back.

Such a world-class leaderboard should have been enough to delight the crowd at Chapultepec Golf Club.

It was how they got there that made it so entertaining.

Thomas was lingering around the leaders, trying to piece together a swing, when he was caught between clubs from 239 yards away on the par-3 13th. He hit 6-iron and sent the crowd into delirium when it bounced once and disappeared into the cup.

“It looked perfect,” he said. “I think I said, ‘Go in.’ You might as well say it,” Thomas said while watching the shot on a TV monitor. “I haven’t hit too many shots exactly how I wanted. I liked this result.”

Johnson was tied for the lead when his second shot on the 16th got stuck in a tree. He had no choice but to walk back to the original spot and hit his fourth shot that settled 15 feet from the cup. Just his luck, the ball fell out of the tree as he was walking to the green.

“It happens,” Johnson shrugged after a 66. “I did make a nice putt for bogey, though, so I was definitely happy about that.”

Mackenzie Hughes (73) of Dundas, Ont., is tied for 38th at even par.

Johnson is happy when he sees any putt fall into the cup. He is swing as beautifully as he did at Riviera two weeks ago when he won by five shots, but missing seven out of 15 putts from inside 7 feet has made him wonder if the greens are conspiring against him.

“If it’s not the greens – someone is playing goalie up by the hole – the trees are catching my ball,” Johnson said.

No one was more wild than Mickelson, who used to thrive on such scrambling skills. This time, he was disappointed. Mickelson thought he had those big misses off the tee out of his system, but they returned in a big way on Saturday. He missed seven out of eight fairways in one stretch, and through 12 holes, he had more drops than he had birdies. He still managed a par when the spectator made off with his golf ball. He managed par after taking a drop from a sprinkler into bushes.

He still managed a 68, and was just two shots behind.

“I’ve shot numbers like this hitting shots like that and salvaging strokes, but I’ve been playing better than that,” Mickelson said, clearly disappointed. “That looks like the way I’ve hit it the last three years – all over the place and saving shot. I haven’t been doing that this year. I wanted to come out here and strike the ball the way I’ve been striking it, and then to hit it the way I did was disappointing.”

McIlroy was playing in the final group with Mickelson for the first time on a weekend, and his round of 70 was comparatively boring. If anything, he felt he lost a little rhythm waiting on Mickelson to get rulings on three consecutive holes to start the back nine.

“Phil rode his luck out there,” McIlroy said. “But geez, if I was hitting it off the tee like he did today, there’s no way I would shoot 68. That’s the great thing about Phil. … I would be a mess if I was hitting it the way he was today. I guess that’s the difference between us. I like to see it going down the fairway and playing nice that way, where he goes like this and shoots two better than me. So there you go.”

At nearly 7,800 feet of elevation, the final round figures to be up in the thin air. That might even include Jordan Spieth, who set the course record with an 8-under 63 and was among a dozen players within five shots of the lead.

Lee Westwood, who has played in more World Golf Championships than anyone since they began in 1999, shot 31 on the back nine for a 66 and was three behind, along with Spanish rookie Jon Rahm, who had a 67.

Johnson is trying to become the fifth player to win in his debut at No. in the world, and he still likes his position. He will be in the final group with Thomas and McIlroy.

“I have a lot of great players chasing me,” Thomas said. “I just have to go out and make a bunch of birdies.”

SINGAPORE – Michelle Wie shot a 5-under 67 Saturday to lead the LPGA’s Women’s Champions tournament by two strokes after the third round.

The American followed up her previous rounds of 66 and 69 to reach 14-under 202 and lead an LPGA event after 54 holes for the first time since she won the 2014 U.S. Open.

No. 1-ranked Lydia Ko birdied the last hole for a 67 to end the day in a three-way tie for second. She was joined by last year’s British Open champion Ariya Jutanugarn (69) and the big-hitting Park Sung-Hyun (68).

Rio Olympic gold medallist Inbee Park shot a 71 to finish three shots behind Wie and level with the defending champion Ha Na Jang (68).

Canada’s Brooke Henderson also shot a 71, which put the Smith Falls, Ont. native at 8-under 208 after 54 holes.

Plagued by injuries and a loss of form, Wie needed a sponsor’s invitation just to get a start in the $1.5 million tournament but has been in vintage touch since arriving in Singapore.

She took just 32 shots to reach the turn and despite making her first bogey in 35 holes on the tricky par-3 15th, she made her sixth birdie of the day on the next hole to put herself in a great position to end her three-year title drought.

“There definitely is some butterflies out there, but it’s exciting getting that feeling again and being in this position,” Wie said.

“It doesn’t feel that long ago, but I guess it is. I’m just going to not really think about that. It doesn’t matter how long it’s been since I’ve been in contention or anything.”

Ko is also in a drought, albeit by her own lofty standards. The 19-year-old, who has not won an LPGA title since July last year, birdied the last hole with a long putt from the fringe of the green.

“I’ve been having a really good finish on the 18th hole, so it’s always nice to come off with a birdie,” Ko said. “I started off really hot today. I didn’t really continue the momentum after the 10th hole, but I tried to hang in there. I made a clumsy bogey on 17, but it was nice to bounce back with the birdie on the last.”

Inbee Park, playing only her second tournament in six months because of a thumb injury, led by a shot overnight but made an early bogey to lose her place at the top of the leaderboard and never really got going.

“My ball-striking was consistent, but I just could not hole like one putt out there,” she said.

“But I’m not far back, and obviously at this golf course, if you can drop some putts, there are a few birdies out there. I’m just going to go out there tomorrow and just play aggressively and hopefully the putts can drop.”

MEXICO CITY – Sore ribs or sore stomach, it doesn’t seem to matter to Rory McIlroy. After being gone for seven weeks, he took a two-shot lead into the weekend at the Mexico Championship with a chance to return to No. 1 in the world.

McIlroy holed out from 156 yards for eagle on the 14th hole, part of a three-hole stretch Friday when he seized control at Chapultepec Golf Club. McIlroy missed putts inside 6 feet on his last three holes – one for par, two for birdie – and still shot a 6-under 65.

“Look, I’m in a great position,” McIlroy said. “But I felt like I could have been a few more ahead.”

He got 14 hours of sleep to help overcome a stomach virus and said he was feeling a little better.

His game looked better than ever.

McIlroy was at 9-under 133, two shots ahead of Phil Mickelson (68), Justin Thomas (66) and Ross Fisher (68).

Mickelson will in the final group on the weekend for the first time since his runner-up finish to Henrik Stenson at Royal Troon in the British Open. And he got there without his longtime caddie, Jim “Bones” Mackay, who fell ill on fourth hole of the second round and turned the bag over to Mickelson’s younger brother, Tim.

Thomas, who won the opening two events of the year in Hawaii, had seven birdies and three bogeys over his last 13 holes.

McIlroy is playing for the first time since losing a playoff Jan. 15 in South Africa. He was diagnosed with a hairline fracture of his rib the next day and missed four tournaments on his schedule to make sure it healed properly. There seems to be little debate about that.

He showed that blend of power and balance in the thin air of Mexico City and struck his irons close for so much of the day. His longest birdie putt was 12 feet, and McIlroy had reason to lament the ones that got away. He missed four putts from 6 feet or closer.

“I just felt like I had a bit more energy. I had a bit more pep in my step,” McIlroy said. “I wasn’t just trying to get through the round today, I was trying to build on the score that I had and it was nice to feel like that again.”

He wasn’t alone in missing short putts.

Dustin Johnson, in his debut at No. 1, still watched a number of putts wiggle to the hole on the poa greens and a few more went in. He birdied three of his last four holes for a 66 and was among those just three shots behind and very much in the picture.

Johnson can keep the top ranking if he finishes in the top four.

“I feel like I’m hitting good putts, they’re just very difficult,” Johnson said. “I feel like someone’s playing goalie up by the hole. It’s not going my way right now, but hopefully I can roll in a few more putts this weekend. I feel like I’m hitting it great.”

The only bad hole for McIlroy was at No. 12 where he put his wedge into a bunker, barely got it out of the sand onto the collar and two-putted from 20 feet for bogey. And then he found another gear.

He hit his tee shot to 12 feet on the par-3 13th. From 156 yards out to a soft green, he tried to take a little off a 9-iron and leaned when he saw it going a little too far left of the flag. It bounced out of the rough and rolled into the cup for an eagle. He came up just short of the green on the par-5 15th, setting up a simple up-and-down for another birdie to seize control.

Just like that, he was three shots ahead and was in position to make it a lot more until missing the three putts coming in.

“I would have taken a 65 starting today and I definitely would have taken a two-shot lead going into the weekend, so I’m in a great position,” McIlroy said. “I’m kicking myself because I missed a couple of short ones coming in, but overall I’m in a good spot and looking forward to being in contention over the weekend.”

His Ryder Cup partner, Andy Sullivan, matched his low round of the tournament and was in the group at 6-under that included Johnson and Daniel Berger (66).

Missing from the mix was Jordan Spieth, who put on a highlight show when he chipped in for eagle on the 15th, and then played a clever pitch some 30 feet away from the flag and let it roll down the hill and into the cup for a birdie.

That more than wiped out a double bogey on the par-5 11th, but momentum stalled in a big way. Spieth went long at No. 1 into the hedges and out-of-bounds, leading to a triple bogey. He shot a 72 and was 1-over 143 10 shots behind.

He had one thing in common with McIlroy. Spieth also spent more time in the bathroom than in bed the night before from a stomach virus that has been the lone blight on an otherwise strong debut for this World Golf Championship in Mexico City.

For the third year, the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame has asked the people of Ontario to cast their vote for who they believe deserves the 2016 Syl Apps Ontario Athlete of the Year Award. The online public vote to determine the award recipient will conclude on March 31st, 2017.

The Syl Apps Athlete of the Year Award celebrates the contributions of top athletes in Ontario, and is awarded to the athlete who has made an outstanding and memorable contribution to Ontario sports during the previous calendar year.

How to vote:

Voting is available at www.oshof.ca or www.surveymonkey.com/r/OSHOF

This year’s finalists include:

 Andre De Grasse, Athletics

 Derek Drouin, Athletics

 Sebastian Giovinco, Soccer

 Brooke Henderson, Golf

 Ghislaine Landry, Rugby

 Rosie MacLennan, Gymnastics

 Penny Oleksiak, Swimming

 Milos Raonic, Tennis

 Aaron Sanchez, Baseball

 Brad Sinopoli, Football

 Damian Warner, Decathlon

 Erica Wiebe, Wrestling

 Joey Votto, Baseball

Past award recipients selected by the public include Brooke Henderson (2015) and Brad Sinopoli (2016).

The winner will be recognized with the Class of 2017 at the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame 2017 Induction Ceremony & Awards Gala in Toronto at The Westin Harbour Castle (Metropolitan Ballroom) on October 2, 2017. The OSHOF Board of Directors will be selecting the Hall of Fame Inductee Class of 2017, as well as the winners of The Brian Williams Media Award, The Sandy Hawley Community Service Award, and The Bruce Prentice Legacy Award.

There has been discussion among the Canadian golf industry following a recently aired documentary – Dad and the Dandelions. The documentary, produced by filmmaker Andrew Nisker, aired on CBC on Thursday, March 2 as part of David Suzuki’s The Nature of Things program.

While the filmmaker set out to find specific answers related to the use of pesticides on golf courses, it is disappointing that he chose not to consult with representatives from the Canadian golf industry to help provide viewers a more in-depth understanding of the topic.

To provide a sense of balance, below are some commonly asked questions related to the use of pesticides on Canadian golf courses under the stewardship of course superintendents.

The FAQ were developed in consult with an number of Canadian golf industry representatives along with expert sources including:

– Health Canada
– Guelph Turfgrass Institute
– University of Guelph
– IPM Council of Canada
– Audubon International
– Canadian Golf Economic Impact Study
– NGCOA‎ Canada
– Canadian Golf Superintendents Association
– Golf Canada
– PGA of Canada
– Canadian Society of Club Managers

Using best management practices as directed by Health Canada, golf course superintendents are committed to ensuring that golf course green spaces continue to be a valuable benefit to the environment in communities from coast to coast.

Why do golf courses use pesticides?

– Golf courses use very minimal pest control products but they are an absolutely necessary last resort to prevent the spread of disease.

– Pesticides are expensive and golf courses minimize their use to save money.

– Golf course superintendents, their assistants and staff are environmental stewards of the land and are well educated in turfgrass management, conservation and best management practices.

– Turfgrass professionals who apply pesticides have been through a stringent Ministry of Environment licensing process to do so.

– Pesticides on golf courses are applied using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles.

– IPM requires the judicious use of pesticides only when and where necessary to eliminate infestations of turfgrass diseases, weeds or insect pests:

– Infestations are determined by site specific historical data and established thresholds to minimize pesticide use.

– Golf courses are some of the few remaining urban nature reserves in existence:

– There is over 175,000 hectares of green space managed by approximately 2,346 golf courses, including 30,000 hectares of unmanaged wildlife habitat under golf course

– The professional turf managers that take care of golf course properties take the environmental impact of their operations very seriously.

Are pesticides dangerous to human health?

– Pesticides for sale in Canada are regulated by Health Canada and if on the market have been determined to be safe.

– Pesticides are only approved after rigorous testing and a lengthy approval process managed by Health Canada.

– Canada has one of the most respected and rigorous science based safety protocols for pesticide approval in the world.

– Regular testing assures that products are safe based on applicator exposure. Products must be determined to be safe for individuals who work with these products on a regular basis who are at greatest risk for exposure.

– The general public and golfers would have minimal exposure to these products.

What testing do golf courses do to ensure pesticides are safe?

– The safety of pesticides is typically tested by independent University and Government scientists who specialize in toxicology and safety of pest control products.

– Because the applicators of the products experience the greatest exposure, they occasionally fund research independently to ensure the safety of the products.

What is the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA)?

– The few pest control products utilized by the golf industry are each federally approved through Health Canada’s PMRA.

– This agency is responsible for all pesticide regulation in Canada, under the Pest Control Products Act They employ the very best PHD’s specializing in‎ toxicology and related sciences.

– PMRA adheres to the most stringent, science-based product evaluations and continuously promotes sustainable pest management that includes agriculture, parks, sports and residential applications.

– Any pest control product used by a golf course superintendent is approved as safe by Health Canada’s PMRA.

How does golf course use of pesticides compare with the agriculture‎ industry?

– Pest control products for golf courses are derivatives from the agriculture industry.

– The same basic products are used to protect plants from disease.

– Agriculture in Canada uses approximately 94% of all pesticides applied and Health Canada’s PMRA ensures that the safety of the food grown is well within the acceptable risk levels for consumption.

– On the golf course, golfers only walk on the grass, as opposed to digesting any minimal residue‎, and with far less frequency than food.

– There is no significant risk.

Is the industry attempting to reduce the number of pesticides used on golf courses?

– These products have a significant cost and therefore any reduction helps the business model of golf.

– Since the inception of the cosmetic pesticide bans in some regions across the country, the Guelph Turfgrass Institute (GTI) has been instrumental in testing acceptable, alternative pest control products some of which are available on the market today.

– Much of the current research at GTI focuses on alternative pest control products and sustainable ecological cultural practices to aid turfgrass managers in reducing overall pesticide use.

– Sustainable landscapes are a key focus of researchers with emphasis on reducing inputs.

Don’t the pesticide companies fund all the research? If so, does this funding have any impact on opinions related to pesticide use?

– Health Canada requires that the data collected for safety and efficacy trials must be collected objectively from independent researchers and often University faculty whom have no vested interest in the company nor the results of the research – this is assured by the rigour within the Health Canada review process.

– Researchers have no vested interest in the companies who choose to test their products nor the results of these tests.

– Much of the research is funded by Not-For-Profit Industry professional associations who are interested in protecting their members such as golf course superintendents, owners, sod farmers and sports field managers.

Some sports fields have started eliminating pesticides. Why have golf courses not followed this strategy?

– The users of sports fields would generally prefer higher quality turfgrass surfaces, and acceptable playing conditions have been shown to be achievable by restricting access, installing irrigation and using proper turfgrass management techniques such as topdressing, aeration, proper fertility, overseeding and irrigation practices. These all come at an increased cost.

– Golf courses have not adopted a ‘no pesticide’ policy as the requirement for acceptable playing conditions are high, and fungal pathogens such as dollar spot and snow moulds are diseases that would destroy the playing surface.

– The only way to achieve these conditions is through use of pest control products.

Is there a difference between the pesticides used on golf courses in North America, and those used in other countries?

– North America, in particular Ontario, has been very progressive in reducing the amount of overall pesticide used on golf courses.

– Many other countries, Scotland in particular, use fewer pesticides than Ontario on their golf courses:

– Many turfgrass weeds and diseases are directly related to climate and type of turfgrass used on the golf course.

– Scotland has an ideal climate for ‘naturalized’ golf courses, consequently requiring less overall pesticide.

– Other countries have access to and use additional pesticides:

– North American golf courses have recognized the need to implement sustainability into all maintenance aspects of the golf course, and pesticide reduction is included under this umbrella.

Is it possible for golf courses to function without pesticides?

– Yes, but there would be fewer golf courses, and therefore fewer green spaces in our urban areas.

– Canadian conditions are not conducive to pesticide free maintenance.

– Yes, this is possible, however, golf would look and play very different from what golfers want.

Are golf courses, which cannot be maintained without pesticides, a danger to the environment?

– No golf courses are not a danger to the environment.

– Golf courses are quite the opposite, in that they are some of the few greenspaces remaining in the urban environment.

– They provide refuge for many animal and insect species, as well as act as ideal growing environments for native plant and tree species.

– Turfgrasses on golf courses also have many notable environmental benefits:

– Preventing erosion and reducing run-off during storm events

– Carbon sequestration and oxygen production

– Improving air quality by trapping airborne particulate matter and pollen

– Providing a safe recreational surface for play

– Regulation of urban temperatures

What are the environmental benefits of golf?

– There is no more environmentally friendly development of raw land than a golf course.

– Roads, housing, office space, retail and other commercial development drastically disrupts the original environment.

– Golf preserves green space, and even improves the environmental sustainability of raw land in many cases.

Is it true that many golf courses are certified Audubon sanctuaries?

– Yes, over 200 golf courses in Canada are either fully certified or in the process of earning that designation, with more on the way

– These courses demonstrate an even higher standard of environmental value that enhances habitat for wildlife and plants‎, water conservation, limiting invasive species and adding nature to the communities surrounding the property.

How does golf differ from homeowner lawns and parks?

Lawns and parks have historically preferred pest control products‎ for cosmetic appeal

At golf courses, these products are a necessity, not cosmetic, due to the requirement for professional turf grasses grown in difficult climate conditions

Canadian golf courses adhere to the highest standards of safety, as regulated by the approval process for all pest control products by Health Canada’s PMRA and various Ministries of the Environment.

These standards exceed the safety threshold for our own employees‎ who have much more exposure than the public ever would. The data confirms that golfers themselves have no significant risk.

Golf is the #1 participation sport in Canada, responsible for more economic impact, employment, charitable fundraising, taxation, and greenspace‎ than all other participation sports. It is important that our environmental stewardship and safety protocols be properly understood so that we may continue to provide Canada’s favorite participation sport as effectively as possible.

SINGAPORE – Inbee Park made a birdie on the last hole Friday to take a one-stroke lead over Michelle Wie and two others after two rounds of the LPGA’s Women’s Champions tournament.

Park lost her place atop the leaderboard when she made a double-bogey on the 12th hole, her only blemish in two rounds at the Sentosa Golf Club, but regained her composure with birdies on the 14th and 18th holes.

The Olympic gold medallist had a second consecutive five-under-par 67 to lead the $1.5 million event at 10-under 134.

Wie, who led overnight after an opening round of 66, shot a bogey-free 69 to join Hur Mi-Jung (67) and Ariya Jutanugarn (68) in a three-way tie for second.

Suzann Pettersen (67) and Park Sung-Hyun (68) reached the halfway stage at 8 under, tied for fifth.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., who opened with 5-under for a share of second place, slipped back with a round of 70 and now sits at 7-under 137. Henderson and five others, including No.1-ranked Lydia Ko, who shot 68 Friday, trail Park by three strokes.

Alena Sharp of Hamilton was at plus-5 after her round of 2-over.

With the greens soft after a morning rain shower, Park birdied five of her first nine holes to go out in 31 before an unlucky break at the 12th when she got mud on her ball.

“I hit a good shot but it’s that unlucky bounce. Making double-bogey was a mistake,” she said. “I didn’t want to ruin the day with one bad hole with an unlucky shot. I think it’s just trying to keep the calm emotions going. Obviously there were a few birdie holes coming in, so I was trying to get a couple from there.”

Wie made a flying start when she sank two long birdie putts, but managed just two more for the rest of the round.

“I hit it in the bunker on 2, and then I hit it to about 25 feet and made that putt, which is a nice one to make on the second hole,” she said.

“And then the next hole I made a 15-footer. It was just one of those days where after that, it looked like every putt was going to go in, but just didn’t go in.”

Ko’s putter was running hot at the end of her round as the New Zealander knocked in three long birdie putts at the 16th, 17th and 18th on the new Tanjong course at Sentosa.

The Olympic silver medallist has not won a title since July _ a barren run by the 19-year-old Ko’s standards _ but she produced the shot of the day when she hit a fairway wood within inches of making a double-eagle at the 534-yard 5th hole.

“I just kind of gripped my 5-wood and ended up being like a foot by the hole,” she said. “Because the hole was kind of behind this little slope, I didn’t know how long it was, because I thought it had kind of gone off the green. But it ended up being perfect.”

Pettersen also made a strong start, making seven birdies in her first 13 holes, before she slipped back into a tie for fifth with two late bogeys.

“Eight-under through two rounds, yeah, it’s good,” Pettersen said. “I wish I could have taken back a couple of those dropped shots, but I’m going to have more opportunities coming my way on the weekend.”

MEXICO CITY – Rory McIlroy leaned over and rested his hand on the top of his driver. At the turn, waiting for the green to clear, he twirled half of a bagel in his finger and then ducked inside a tent to sit on a table. In his return to golf after seven weeks, he didn’t look to be in the best of shape Thursday at the Mexico Championship.

Only it was his stomach, not his ribs.

As for his golf? That looked to be as good as ever.

McIlroy, playing for the first time since Jan. 15 because of a hairline rib fracture, was rarely out of position, blasted a 4-iron out of the rough from 256 yards to set up an eagle and wound up with a 3-under 68. He finished the opening round at Chapultepec Golf Club one shot out of a six-way tie for the lead.

Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood, two of the four players who were in the field for the first edition of this World Golf Championships event in 1999, each shot 67 and were joined at the top by PGA champion Jimmy Walker, Ross Fisher, Jon Rahm of Spain and Ryan Moore.

Westwood and Walker each made it to 6 under until two bogeys over their final few holes.

It was an impressive return for McIlroy, and equally impressive was the debut of Chapultepec, hosting this WGC event after it spent nine years at Trump Doral.

“I’ve waited long enough to play,” McIlroy said. “I wanted to get out here and be competitive and try to shoot a good score. I don’t feel anywhere near as bad as I did in China last year when I had the same thing. So hopefully, it’s just a day thing and it will pass.”

British Open champion Henrik Stenson wasn’t so fortunate. He withdrew after 11 holes with a stomach virus.

The biggest surprise was Chapultepec, hosting the best players in the world at nearly 7,800 feet. Roberto Castro hit a tee shot 407 yards. Mickelson hit one 379 yards, his longest in recent years without hitting a cart path. Dustin Johnson, in his debut at No. 1 in the world, hit 3-wood on the 316-yard first hole that bounded over the green, into the hedges and out-of-bounds.

For all that length, no one could do better than 67. Only 27 players in the 77-man field broke par.

“Even though the golf course doesn’t play long because of the altitude, it is challenging in many other respects with the precision of the irons, the small targets that the greens present and the speed and undulation of the greens,” Mickelson said.

Westwood certainly didn’t expect to make eight birdies, and he wasn’t all that disappointed with his two bogeys at the end.

“It’s a great golf course,” Westwood said. “You’ve got to be really patient. It’s a pleasure to play a golf course where your caddie doesn’t hand you the driver walking off the previous green. You’ve got to put in a bit of thought on this golf course.”

Westwood, Mickelson, Sergio Garcia (68) and Jim Furyk (77) were all at Valderrama in 1999 for what was then the American Express Championship. It was the one WGC originally designed to travel, and when the PGA Tour couldn’t secure at sponsor at Trump Doral outside Miami, it moved to Mexico City.

The crowd was loud and energized, no cheer louder than when Justin Thomas holed a punch-and-run from 103 yards on No. 4.

That was about the time Walker reached 6 under with a birdie on the par-5 sixth hole. But he was a victim of the thin air on the par-3 seventh when his 7-iron on the 235-yard seventh hole bounced hard and went all the way to the back of the green, leading to a three-putt bogey. He went long again on No. 8, leaving him a chip that didn’t even reach the green. If it had, it might have run some 70 feet back into the fairway because of the slope.

“Good to post a 4 under, especially on a course … no one has seen it,” Walker said.

No one was more flummoxed than Johnson, who played as well as anyone and got nothing out of it on the poa greens. He won on the poa at Riviera two weeks ago by five shots. This time, he didn’t get the right bounces and turns. Johnson missed six putts from 6 feet or closer and still managed a 70.

“That’s how it goes,” he said. “The greens are a little tricky. I felt like I hit the ball really well, though. I scored poorly. I missed five putts inside 4, 5 feet. That’s the difference between playing a really good round and just playing an OK round.”

Jordan Spieth had an OK round. He had two early bogeys and had to rally to get back to 71.