PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Amateur Squad’s Jared du Toit picked up right where he left off on Saturday, carding a 71 at the prestigious Monroe Invitational for a share of third place.

du Toit, 21, came in at 2-over par (71-73-67-71) to tie with Chile’s Cristobal del Solar, one stroke back of American Andrew McCain and five strokes back of champion Sean Crocker of Westlake Village, Calif., who surged up the leaderboard with a final-round, tournament-low 63 (-7).

The finish comes on the heels of du Toit’s impressive junior season at Arizona State, where he posted five Top-10 finishes for the Sun Devils. The Kimberley, B.C., product currently sits at No. 85 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR).

Also in action for Canada was Amateur Squad teammate and University of Florida graduate Eric Banks. The left-handed Truro, N.S., native struggled in Sunday’s final, slipping to a T15 finish after a 7-over 77. One stroke of Banks was 22-year-old Blair Hamilton of Burlington, Ont., who closed the tournament at 8-over par.

Rounding out the Men’s Amateur Squad was Hugo Bernard of Mont-St-Hilaire, Que., and Stuart Macdonald of Vancouver, who finished T27 and T50, respectively.

The Monroe Invitational is one of the oldest amateur events in the United States, dating back to 1937. It has been hosted at the Monroe Golf Club for 76 years, boasting past champions such as Dustin Johnson, and current Young Pro Squad members Taylor Pendrith (Richmond Hill, Ont.) and Albin Choi (Toronto).

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KELOWNA, B.C. – Syracuse, New York’s Dan McCarthy holed out for eagle on the 18th hole to shoot an 8-under 63 on Saturday at Gallagher’s Canyon Golf and Country Club to take the 54-hole lead at the inaugural GolfBC Championship, the third event of the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

The current Mackenzie Tour Order of Merit leader holed out with a wedge from 103 yards to jump in front of Vancouver, British Columbia’s Ryan Williams with one round to go and will look for his second win in three starts to kick off the season on Sunday.

“That was an unbelievable finish certainly. It was a good number but you never expect to jar one,” said McCarthy, who captured his first Mackenzie Tour win two weeks ago at the Freedom 55 Financial Championship.

Already firmly in the No. 1 spot on the Order of Merit – and in position to earn exempt status on the Web.com Tour for 2017 – McCarthy refused to get ahead of himself and said he would try to finish strong on Sunday to build his Order of Merit lead.

“If I said I hadn’t thought about it, I’d be lying,” McCarthy noted about his strong play to start the season and Order of Merit position. “There’s a long way to go with 18 holes tomorrow. I’ve got a two shot lead and I’m going to need every one of them. Ryan’s a great player and there are a lot of guys behind me making birdies as well.”

Williams, who carded six birdies and no bogeys on the day for a 6-under 65, said he was looking forward to a chance to play in the final group with McCarthy. The twosome will tee off at 12:15 p.m. on Sunday.

“There’s always a little bit more pressure the last day, and always a lot more to play for, so I’m just going to go out and play the best I can and hopefully it’s good enough,” said Williams.

Two shots further behind Williams was 54-hole leader Caleb Sturgeon, who managed a 2-under 69 on Saturday to reach 14-under.

Victoria’s Cory Renfrew sits in fifth at 12-under.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Daniel Berger shot a 1-under 69 on a hot, sticky Saturday at the FedEx St. Jude Classic, giving him a three-stroke lead over Phil Mickelson, Steve Stricker and D.A. Points.

Berger, the 2014-15 rookie of the year who had led after a round on tour only once before this event back in 2014, now has led consecutive rounds as he looks for his first PGA Tour victory. Berger carded four birdies, a bogey and a double bogey to reach 10-under 201.

Mickelson (68), Stricker (66) and Points (64) were 7 under.

Seung-yul Noh (67), Colt Knost (67) and Brooks Koepka (69) were 6 under.

With so many experienced players and big names chasing him, Berger hit 13 of 18 greens playing conservatively enough with six straight pars at one point that he finished Saturday with the same three-stroke lead he had after the second round.

Brantford, Ont., native David Hearn holds a share of 46th after carding a 71.

FLOURTOWN, Pa. – Bernhard Langer was all alone under par at windy Philadelphia Cricket Club.

The 58-year-old German star also was in position to win the Constellation Senior Players Championship for the third straight year, shooting a 1-under 69 on Saturday to reach 2-under 208 and take a three-stroke lead over Jay Don Blake with a round left.

After playing the first 11 holes in 2 over with two birdies and four bogeys, Langer birdied the par-4 12th to get back to even par for the tournament. He added birdies on the par-5 15th and par-3 16th and closed with two pars on the A.W. Tillinghast-designed Wissahickon Course.

Langer won in 2014 at Fox Chapel in Pittsburgh and last year at Belmont in Massachusetts. He won the Regions Tradition last month in Alabama for his sixth senior major and 27th tour victory.

Blake birdied the par-4 18th for a 71. Jeff Sluman (70), Woody Austin (71), Wes Short Jr. (72), Bart Bryant (72) and Brandt Jobe (74) were tied for third at 2 over. Bryant birdied the 18th after dropping four strokes in a late four-hole stretch with a double bogey and two bogeys.

Vijay Singh was tied for 31st at 8 over. He followed rounds of 69 and 74 with a 75.

John Daly had a 70 to move into a tie for 59th at 12 over. He opened with two 76s.

St. Catharines, Ont., resident Rod Spittle is T67.

SAMMAMISH, Wash. – When Lydia Ko won the last two major championships, she was the one lurking behind.

On Sunday at Sahalee, the top-ranked Ko will take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

“I can’t control what the other girls are doing,” the 19-year-old Ko said. “So (I’ll) just try my best out there. We’ve still got a long 18 holes to go.”

Ko shot a 1-under 70 on Saturday to reach 2-under 211. She won the Evian Championship in September in France for her first major title and took the ANA Inspiration in April in California, giving her a chance to become the fifth player in tour history to win three straight majors.

“It’s really cool to, obviously, have my name in those records among those amazing players. And I think that’s the really cool thing about it,” Ko said. “But when I’m out there I’m not thinking so much about records and what could happen.”

Ko used her deft short-game to save shots on the 16th and 17th holes, but couldn’t avoid dropping a stroke at the last when her third shot went to the back of the green and she missed a 15-foot par putt.

Brittany Lincicome and Gerina Piller were tied for second. They each shot 71, with Lincicome also bogeying the 18th. Second round co-leaders Brooke Henderson (Smiths Falls, Ont.) and Mirim Lee each shot 73 to drop into the group at even par. Only three players were under par even as Sahalee played easier following overnight rain.

Ariya Jutanugarn, the winner of her last three tournaments, was in the group at even par. Jutanugarn got back into contention with a 68. Amy Yang also was even after the lowest round of the week, a 66. Yang went out in 32 and was 6 under for her round after a birdie at No. 15, before dropping a shot on the 16th.

Anna Nordqvist, the winner last week in New Jersey, and Chella Choi completed the group at even par. They each shot 69.

Ko missed a chance to create some separation late in her round. She moved to 3 under with an 18-foot birdie putt on the 15th, then showed off her delicate touch around – and on – the green coming in. Ko put herself in poor position off the tee on the 16th, but a flop shot out of the rough to 4 feet allowed her to save par. On the par-3 17th, Ko’s tee shot found the green but in a position where a chip shot was the only way to get to the hole because of the fringe. The chip from green-to-green left her a 3-foot tap in.

But her second shot on the 18th caught a large tree fronting the left of the green and was unable to save par.

Lincicome, a two-time major champion, also dropped a shot at the final hole because of a three-putt. Along with Ko, Lincicome is the only other player in the field not to post a round over par in the tournament

“It’s easier to come from behind than be the leader,” Lincicome said. “I feel like I’m in great shape.”

Piller is hoping she can finally make a breakthrough after three years of progressively getting closer to her first career victory. She has finished in the top 10 six times this year, including a second-place finish at home in Texas when she was overtaken on the final day.

She has risen to No. 16 in the world rankings and moving up one more spot before July 11 would earn her an automatic spot in the Olympics.

“I do feel like winning is definitely close,” Piller said. “I definitely feel that my game is good enough and it’s just a matter of time when the pieces fit and it just comes together.”

Maude-Aimée Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., carded 71 for a share of 37th, and Hamilton’s Alena Sharp is T47. Kelowna, B.C., native Samantha Richdale will not move onto the final round.

NEEPAWA, Man. – Clear skies replaced blustering winds at Neepawa Golf & Country Club for the second round of the CN Future Links Prairie Championship. Shirin Anjarwalla remains atop the Junior Girls leaderboard for a second straight day, while Peyton Callens seized control of the Junior Boys division.

Anjarwalla continued her strong play into day two, recording a 2-over 74 to hold onto her first round lead. The 16-year-old from Nanaimo, B.C., was steady through the front nine and collected one birdie on the day to remain one stroke ahead of the field. Winnipeg’s Camryn Roadley holds second-place following a three-birdie performance, followed by Julie (Younsoo) Ju of West Vancouver, B.C., who carded a 79.

Kate (Dahye) Choi of Surrey, B.C., remains in fourth at 18-over, while Erickson, Man., native Bobbi Uhl moved into the Top-5 with a birdie on 18.

Peyton Callens recorded the day’s low round – a 3-under 69 – to build a four-stroke lead in the Junior Boys Division heading into the final round. The Langton, Ont., product was bogey-free through his final 15 holes, while notching back-to-back birdies on holes 6 and 7, and again on holes 10 and 11.

Victoria’s Keaton Gudz came out strong with back-to-back birdies on his first two holes and sits second at even-par. Benjamin Farrington of Fort McMurray, Alta., carded a 70 to hold third at 1-over.

A trio of players is T4, led by Winnipeg’s Marco Trstenjak, who recorded six birdies through his final nine holes to reach 3-over in the competition. He is joined by British Columbians Khan Lee of Surrey and CN Future Links Quebec champion Callum Davison from Duncan.

The top six players in the Junior Boys Division will earn entry into the 2016 Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Clovelly Golf Club in St. John’s, N.L., from August 1-4. Exemptions will be decided via a hole-by-hole playoff in the case of ties. All competitors within the Top-6, including ties, in the Junior Girls Division will gain exemptions into the Canadian Junior Girls Championship. The tournament will be conducted from August 2-5 at The Links at Penn Hills in Shubenacadie, N.S.

The final day of competition will see the Junior Girls tee-off from the first hole and the Junior Boys tee-off on the 10th hole at 7:30 a.m. The second round of Junior Boys will begin play at 8:20 a.m. Additional information, including pairings and up-to-date scoring is available here.

WESTVILLE, N.S. – CN and Golf Canada are pleased to recognize Eagles Chance Par 3 Course and Driving Range with the CN Future Links Facility of the Year award for the 2015 season.

Eagles Chance, located in the northern Nova Scotia town of Westville, earned the award for its outstanding success in delivering CN Future Links, Canada’s junior golf program. Under the direction of head professional and owner Brian Affleck, Eagles Chance excelled in delivering fundamental junior golf curriculum and values of golf through CN Future Links.

Since 2013, Affleck’s dedication to delivering junior golf programing has seen junior numbers at Eagles Chance grow from 60 to a remarkable 440 participants in activities such as Junior Skills Challenge, Girls Club and Learn to Play.

“We are very proud to acknowledge Eagles Chance Par 3 Course and Driving Range for their dedication to junior golf and the youth of the Westville community,” stated Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s Chief Sport Officer. “Under the direction of head professional Brian Affleck, the golf club has exhibited outstanding leadership and commitment to delivering quality junior golf experiences in their community.”

Learn to Play, the CN Future Links feature offering, delivers a four-stage rewards program that tracks progress performance of junior participants through reports issued by the instructor. In 2015, Affleck helped 169 juniors graduate through the program.

“My first reaction was sheer enjoyment,” said Affleck when notified of the award. “I put in a lot of work into the year and a lot of long days—it’s great to be rewarded and I hope to grow our CN Future Links junior golf program even further in the years ahead.”

Affleck implemented several Get Linked initiatives to enhance the junior experience while expanding the facility’s connection to students in the community. He conducted six CN Future Links Field Trip events, which connect local students to nearby golf clubs for introductory lessons. In addition, Affleck conducted two professional visitations to sites registered in Golf in Schools—a program that CN has supported with over 150 adoptions.

“It’s great to see a lot of new faces—especially eager students at the schools,” said Affleck. “It’s fun to see the excitement in their face when they hit that ball for the first time—that’s what hits home the most with me. Lots of the students brought their siblings, parents and grandparents which was great for our numbers as well.”

Eagles Chance—also operating under the Brian Affleck Golf Academy—is the third Canadian golf club to receive the CN Future Links Facility of the Year Award, which was introduced in 2013.

“On behalf of the PGA of Canada and its 3,700 members, I’d like to congratulate Brian Affleck and his staff on the CN Future Links Facility of the Year Award,” said PGA of Canada President Steve Wood. “It’s important for PGA of Canada members and Candidates for Membership like Brian to be recognized for all their hard work in growing the game of golf in Canada through the CN Future Links program.”

Last year alone, CN Future Links junior golf activities were conducted at 518 golf facilities with more than 7,000 juniors registered in the Learn to Play program. In addition, 160 golf facilities took part in the Junior Skills Challenge while more than 64,000 youngsters participated in more than 1,200 mobile golf clinics presented by Acura across the country. Since 2006, more than 1.2 million children have been introduced to golf through the CN Future Links program.

KELOWNA, B.C. – Laurens, South Carolina’s Caleb Sturgeon reached 12-under par through nearly two rounds at Gallagher’s Canyon Golf and Country Club when play was suspended due to darkness at the inaugural GolfBC Championship. With back-to-back 66s, Vancouver’s Ryan Williams sits T2 at the third event of the 2016 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

“Today was a long trying day with the weather delay,” said the 35-year-old member of Freedom 55 Financial’s Team Freedom. “First off, everyone involved with the grounds crew did an unbelievable job. For the rain that came down, the greens are immaculate. My game is in a good place, and I have a real good caddie this week (past Mackenzie Tour member Kevin Stinson) and the putter feels real good in my hands. All in all, I’m very happy with the position I’ve put myself in.”

Sturgeon, a 23-year old University of South Carolina graduate, was 5-under par through 17 holes of his second round when play was called at 9:07 p.m. due to darkness. Second round play was initially suspended for 2 hours and 40 minutes due to dangerous weather in the area, and will resume at 8:00 a.m. Saturday morning.

“I bogeyed the first hole, and it actually kind of helped me to stop, hit some more balls, hit some more putts and get some good momentum going getting back out there,” said Sturgeon, who was 1-over on his round when play was suspended initially.

With a two stroke lead over Syracuse, New York’s Dan McCarthy, Vancouver, B.C.’s Ryan Williams and Orlando, Florida’s Ted Smith and the reachable par-5 ninth hole left to play in his second round, Sturgeon said he was confident heading into the weekend’s play.

“I’m looking forward to it as always. Any time you’re playing well, you’re always looking forward to the weekend,” said Sturgeon.

A shot further behind the group tied for second were Liverpool, England’s Mark Geddes and Chico, California’s Kurt Kitayama in a tie for fifth at 9-under.

Edmonton’s Wil Bateman was 3-under through 15 holes when play was suspended. At 7-under, he is currently part of a five-way tie for ninth.

SAMMAMISH, Wash. –

Through rain squalls of rain and wind gusts, Brooke Henderson and Mirim Lee maintained their composure and patience even as the weather deteriorated.

Henderson and Lee withstood the wild conditions Friday to share the lead at 2 under halfway through the KMPG Women’s PGA Championship, the second major of the year on the LPGA Tour.

Playing in the afternoon, Henderson and Lee fought through a mix of heavy rain, wind and a significant drop in the temperature at Sahalee Country Club. After six straight pars, Henderson birdied the par-3 17th, but the 18-year-old Canadian bogeyed the 18th for a 2-over 73 that dropped her back into a tie with Lee.

“Definitely growing up, springtime, fall-time weather was very similar to this,” said Henderson, ranked fourth in the world. “Definitely it gives me a little bit of advantage. But I like to think I’m a good player in all conditions. Maybe it runs in my favor a little bit.”

Lee started on the back nine and surged when she got to the front, making three birdies before dropping a shot late and finishing with a 69. Lee had two top-10 finishes this year, but missed the cut at the ANA Inspiration, the first major.

And sitting just one shot behind the leaders was top-ranked Lydia Ko, who scrambled to a 70 in her bid to win three straight majors. Ko was in a group with Gerina Piller (69) and Brittany Lincicome (70), with only five players under par after two rounds.

“It was really tough out there,” Ko said. “I don’t know how many putts I had on the back nine, but the putter definitely saved me.”

The real winner the first two days was Sahalee. Cut between the towering pine and cedar trees the course was unrelenting in its difficulty. Only two holes played under par on Friday – the par-4 third and the par-5 11th. For the first two days there have been only 22 rounds under par and seven in the 60s. The course is playing nearly 4 1/2 shots over par.

“It has some teeth,” Piller said. “I think we had every element out here.”

Piller birdied two of her final three holes to become the first player to finish 36 holes under par, including a long birdie on the 18th. It was just the seventh birdie on the long, uphill par 4.

“I’m putting great, so I know if I can just get around the hole I have a chance to make par or birdie or save some shots there,” Piller said.

Lexi Thompson tried to get back into contention with three birdies in four holes to finish the front nine, but gave it all away with three straight bogeys to start the back side. She finished at 7 over along with Stacy Lewis (76), both barely making the cut and staying around for the weekend.

Heading home is three-time defending champion Inbee Park. A day after wrapping up an LPGA Hall of Fame spot, the South Korean star shot an 79 on Friday to drop to 9 over.

“Today’s round was going all right on the front nine. I felt like I was holding on pretty good. On the back nine I just couldn’t get a rhythm with the swing and I missed a lot of shots to the right, what I have been doing in the last month or so,” Park said.

Park has been dealing with inflammation in the tendons and ligaments around her left thumb. She shot a 72 on Thursday, the round she needed to complete the 10-year requirement for the LPGA Hall of Fame. At 27, she became the youngest player to accomplish the feat.

Park said she will reconsider taking an extended break to let the thumb heal, one that could bring the Olympics into question.

“I think now having tried three, four times with the injury, playing with the injury I kind of have to rethink and regroup,” Park said. “I might need some time to really get better and be back with the confidence. I’m just going to have to sit down with my team and discuss it.”

Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn, the winner of her last three tournaments, was 3 over after a 75. Michelle Wie dropped out, shooting 78-80.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp shot 1-over 72 on the day and holds a share of 28th. Sherbrooke, Que., product Maude-Aimée Leblanc is T56. Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C., is T136.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Daniel Berger shot a season-best 6-under 64 on Friday to take a three-stroke lead in the FedEx St. Jude Classic in Memphis, Tennessee.

Berger had six birdies in his bogey-free morning round to reach 9-under 131 at TPC Southwind, and nobody caught him atop the leaderboard. Berger has started well, despite breaking in a new driver and 3-wood after his old clubs finally cracked last week from age.

“It was a pretty easy adjustment,” Berger said. “The TaylorMade guys have been great and they found me a quick replacement, and I just got up there and started whacking it and right down the middle. I think that’s all you can ask for when you get a new driver in your hands.”

Tom Hoge, part of a three-way tie for the lead after the first round, was second after a 69. He birdied the final two holes in the next to last group.

Dustin Johnson, the 2012 champion, had a chance to catch Berger until dropping three strokes on the final two holes. Johnson finished with a 69 after wiping out four birdies and an eagle with three bogeys and a double bogey on No. 18 with what he called bad swings at the end.

“You’re going to make some bogies out here,” Johnson said. “But from the fairway you shouldn’t be making bogies. You know, just need to get a little bit better tomorrow …, but I feel like I’m driving it really well and swinging my irons really good. Got to get rid of the couple misses.”

That finish left Johnson tied with Phil Mickelson (65) and Brooks Koepka (65) at 5 under. Shawn Stefani, one of the first-round leaders, shot a 71 and was tied with eight others at 4 under, including Brian Gay (70).

Mickelson, winless since the 2013 British Open, matched his low round this year with six birdies and one bogey. He’s here fine-tuning his game for the U.S. Open next week, the one major that has eluded him in his career.

“I’m very excited that I’m in contention, that I have a good opportunity heading into the weekend,” Mickelson said. “I get to feel the pressure and excitement of having a chance to win, especially a week before the U.S. Open.”

Mickelson had his putter working with his first birdie on No. 2 the shortest on a putt of 6 feet, and he rolled in a 10-footer on No. 6. The highlight of his round came on a 31-foot birdie putt on the par-3 11th on the island green.

“It’s been a great, great year with the putter,” Mickelson said. “My critical putts from 10 feet and in are really the putts that you need to make to keep rounds going, to get up into contention. Those are the ones that can go either way, and I’ve made a lot of them this year. So, that gives me a lot of confidence heading into the treacherous greens at Oakmont.”

Seung-yul Noh, the other first-round leader, shot a 72. Defending champion Fabian Gomez (2 over) missed the cut at 1 over.

Berger’s father is the director of men’s tennis for the USTA and was head coach of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team. Berger chose golf over tennis and spent only two years at Florida State before turning pro in 2013. Now 23, the Florida native already has three top 10s this season after having six last season with this event his 15th cut made in 18 events.

He rolled in a 15-footer for birdie on No. 3, then birdied the par-3 No. 8 after hitting his tee shot from 167 yards to 4 feet. On the par-4 ninth, Berger put his second shot within 9 feet for birdie, and he birdied his third straight hole on No. 10 with a 10-footer.

He took the lead to himself with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 15 and 16. Berger hit his approach over the green at the par-5 16th but rolled in a 5-footer to become the first to go 9 under.

“Just excited to see what happens this weekend and get ready for next week,” said Berger, who will be playing at Oakmont next week.

A five-birdie, 1-under 69 from Brantford, Ont., native David Hearn has the Canadian tied for 47th.