9 different games to play on the golf course
Golf is both thrilling and maddening, a way to have a singular escape or meet with friends, and a game for a lifetime that can be played by both the health-conscious and those who take it as an opportunity to raise a Steamwhistle and crush a hot dog.
But, when you’re looking for something even more for your next 18 holes, we’ve got you covered with an explainer of some fun games you could play with your group.
Games played on the course can be as simple as a match against a friend or family member all the way to a complicated tracker of accomplishments (or lack thereof) resulting in, perhaps, a couple of loonies passed between hands.
While the new Golf Canada app is perfect for posting scores using regular stroke play, we know that not everyone takes to the course to play nine or 18 holes counting all his or her shots. Playing games in a group is way to spice up your usual round. Even for the most experienced golf group, there may be something new below that you’ve never tried!
Read on to learn more about some of our favourites.
1. Alternate Shot
Otherwise known as ‘foursomes’ this is a completely different kind of golf that North Americans usually only see on TV during the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. Trying this out with your friends will a) make you understand why the best players in the world struggle with it and b) maybe make you try to find some new friends, depending on where your partner leaves you to hit from.
Alternate shot is, well, that. One player hits then the next player hits from where she or he ended up. It could also be modified to where each twosome hits a drive, you pick the best one, and you alternate shots from there to the hole.
Must play with four golfers.
2. Six-Six-Six
This is a simple match-play format that allows you to play with everyone else in your group and not just a single partner for the duration of the round.
The 18 holes are divided up into three six-hole matches and you can use any scoring format you choose. Even if you get defeated soundly in one of your matches, you have two others to try to redeem yourself.
Must play with four golfers. If you are riding in carts, the usual format is ‘carts’ (those in the same cart), ‘drivers’ (those who are driving), and ‘opposites’ (a driver and a passenger).
3. Wolf
A points-based game, this one takes a little planning and some concentration (perhaps try to find an accountant to play with?) but it’s a dramatic one that makes for some great stories by the time the day is done.
There is a ton of other ways to track points and add bonuses to your Wolf game, but here are the basics:
- The order of play is determined on the first tee. The ‘Wolf’ always tees off last. The order in which golfers tee off, regardless of score, rotates every four holes so each player becomes the Wolf on a continual basis.
- Once each player hits his or her tee shot, the Wolf decides to either take a partner (based on the locations of the tee shots) or go as the ‘Lone Wolf’ and try to beat the other three players on his or her own ball.
- Variation: You could also be the ‘Blind Wolf’ and declare, before any of the tee shots are hit, that you are going to go at it alone
- Points are collected as follows
- Wolf and partner win the hole: two points
- Non-Wolf partners win the hole: three points
- Lone Wolf wins: four points
- Lone Wolf defeated by any player: The other three get one point
Must play with four golfers.
4. Bingo, Bango, Bongo
Another fun one that doesn’t need to involve four players, and it’s perfect for golfers who have a higher handicap but still want to get in on the action during a round. It’s another game of points but one that’s wrapped in being ‘first’ to do something.
The first player to hit his or her shot onto the green gets a point (Bingo!), the player whose ball is closest to the pin when all balls are on the green gets a point (Bango!), and the first person to hole out gets a point (Bongo!).
At the end of the round whomever has the most points wins.
Can be played with two, three, or four golfers.
5. Vegas
Another team game, this one can get out of hand if you’re applying a monetary value to each point – but it’s a unique twist on a usual ‘scoring’ game.
Teams are decided on the first tee and scores are not added, but combined. If Player A makes a 4 and Player B makes a 5 then their score is 45. If Player C makes a 5 and Player D makes a 7, their score is 57 and Team AB wins the hole by 12 points.
The lower score always goes to the front of the combined score.
Must play with four golfers.
6. Best Ball
A Best Ball match is just that, and can be combined to any number of other team matchups on the course. Teams of two play straight up, but as the name suggests, the ‘best’ score on the hole counts as the team score.
‘Best Ball’ is not to be confused with a ‘Scramble’ (very popular for family or corporate tournaments) where all four members of a team hit a tee shot and they continue on to hole out by choosing the ‘best ball’ out of the bunch every time.
Must play with four golfers.
7. Skins
Golfers apply points (or dollar amounts) to each hole and the lowest score wins the pot.
If any two golfers tie the hole then the point or dollar amount carries over to the following hole. Things can add up quick and make the holes later in the round even more exciting!
Can play with two, three, or four golfers.
8. Stableford
Another opportunity for the higher handicap golfers to earn points against their lower-handicap friends, the Stableford system of scoring is so popular even the PGA Tour uses it for one of their events.
Points are applied to scores and the higher the better, in this instance.
For example: Three points for an eagle, two points for a birdie, one point for a par, no points for a bogey, and minus-1 point for a double-bogey or worse is a good way to start.
Can play with two, three, or four golfers.
9. Nassau
Playing a Nassau is the most popular of golf games and the one with the most variations, too.
At its simplest, a Nassau is broken out in to three games: low front-nine score, low back-nine score, and low 18-hole score. Dollar amounts or points are applied to each match. Say you were going to play a $5 Nassau, the most you can lose is $15. If you win all three, you win $45 ($15 from the other three players).
A popular move when playing Nassau’s is to ‘press’ (basically double-or-nothing on the original bet), which you could do if you were down a few strokes and wanted to try for a late-round charge.
Fun add-ons, called ‘junk’ can be added to the original Nassau game.
Hit it in the water but still made par? You could add a ‘Fishy’ to your Nassau. Knocked it off a tree but still made par? Congratulations, you made a ‘Barky.’ Chipped in? Well done, you earned a ‘Chippie.’
Golf is a fun enough game as it stands, but over 18 holes and with the same group round after round, there is no shortage of little games you can bring to the course the next time you tee it up.
PGA of Canada cancels final two national events of the year
After careful consideration, the PGA of Canada has made the difficult decision to cancel its final two national events of the season: the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf and PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf and supported by G&G Golf.
The decision was made in consultation with playing members and partners and comes as a result of ongoing domestic and international restrictions on travel, as well as safety concerns caused by the pandemic.
The PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf is typically held within Canada in the fall, while the PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf and supported by G&G Golf is historically held south of the border toward the end of November.
“We surveyed our playing members to gauge their interest on a combined national championship within Canada later this season,” said Teejay Alderdice, the association’s president. “Some players expressed their willingness to travel but a significant portion shared their unease in light of the current climate. We feel it is in the best interest of everyone involved to come back bigger and stronger in 2021.”
“We value our relationship with the PGA of Canada and our connection with golf professionals from coast-to-coast,” said Callaway Golf Canada’s General Manager Bruce Carroll. “We will miss the camaraderie and competition this year, but the well-being of players is of utmost importance. Our team looks forward to staging two fantastic championships with the PGA of Canada in 2021.”
In addition to supporting two national championships, Callaway Golf Canada is the founding partner of the PGA of Canada’s #PatronizeYourPGAPro social media campaign, aimed at encouraging golfers to support their local pro shop. The online activation, which ran Aug. 7 to Sept. 15, provides golf professionals with the chance to win a VIP digital experience with PGA Tour player and Callaway ambassador Adam Hadwin.
The cancellations will have no impact on the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC, which were frozen earlier this year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Canada Summer Games pushed back to 2022
With the health and safety risks around COVID-19, and the inability to deliver a “phenomenal” event, the Niagara 2021 Canada Summer Games have been postponed until 2022.
The Canada Games Council (CGC) and Niagara Host Society announced the decision Wednesday after consultations with the Niagara Region in southern Ontario, and the provincial and federal governments.
“Like everyone else in sports events and the world generally we’ve all been watching how the pandemic unfolds, and following all the updates, trying to do our contingency planning and assess what impact it would have for us,” said Dan Wilcock, the CGC’s president and CEO.
“The Canada Games is a very large event . . . A lot of preparation goes into it. And we’ve been staying in close contact with all our all our various stakeholders trying to assess what a Games looks like in the context of the pandemic.”
Originally scheduled for August of 2021 in the Niagara Region, the Games have been rescheduled to the summer of 2022.
Held every two years, alternating between summer and winter, the Canada Games are the country’s marquee multi-sports event for up-and-coming athletes, with more than 5,000 competitors and 4,000 volunteers expected to participate in the Niagara version.
The Canada Games have eligibility rules such as age limits that are different for each sport. No decisions have been made on whether those eligibility rules will change to reflect the postponement.
Some sports have managed to return in Canada. The NHL reconvened in “bubbles” in Edmonton and Toronto, with the conference finals and Stanley Cup final being held in the Alberta capital. Canada’s three MLS teams are playing in their home cities, with the majority of matches in front of no fans.
The Canadian Elite Basketball League condensed its season into a two-week tournament in St. Catharines, Ont., with no fans. And the Canadian Premier League is playing out its soccer season in Charlottetown.
But none of those events drew the number of athletes the Canada Games does.
Wilcock said the numerous options including bubbles were analyzed, but the health and safety risks were too high.
“The Games brings together athletes and spectators from hundreds of communities across the country,” he said. “So, we’re not just focused on the health of participants and spectators in Niagara at the time of the Games, but also the hundreds of communities that people will return to across the country.”
Athletes are under different COVID-19 restrictions depending on municipal and provincial governments, so an athlete in one province or territory might not have the same access to training facilities as someone in another. Wilcock said being able to provide a fair Games for all competitors was important.
Also, Wilcock said hosting next summer wouldn’t ensure an “extraordinary Games experience.”
“And that’s certainly what the host society has promised to the Niagara region and the country,” he said. “The pandemic would significantly hinder our ability to stage the Games in the way they were envisaged, things like opening ceremonies, mass gatherings, etc. . . . looking questionable.
“So I think by postponing to the summer 2022, we can address both those things, we can better protect the health and safety of participants, but also deliver a phenomenal Games experience for all.”
If there’s a silver lining, Wilcock said, it’s that a later start date means additional time to for full testing of new facilities at Canada Games Park and the Henley Rowing Centre. Canada Games Park, at Brock University in St. Catharines, will include a sport and ability centre, arenas, gyms and an outdoor facility with a track, athletic field and beach volleyball courts.
No dates have been set for the 2022 Games in Niagara.
The Canada Games were first held in 1967 in Quebec City, and since then have seen more than 75,000 athletes compete, including Sidney Crosby, Steve Nash, Hayley Wickenheiser, Catriona Le May Doan, Martin Brodeur, and Lennox Lewis.
Red Deer, Alta., hosted the last Canada Winter Games in 2019, while Winnipeg was the site of the 2017 Canada Summer Games.
Dustin Johnson voted 2020 PGA TOUR Player of the Year
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA – The PGA TOUR announced today that Dustin Johnson has been named the 2020 PGA TOUR Player of the Year as voted by the TOUR’s membership for the 2019-20 season. Scottie Scheffler was voted 2020 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year.
PGA TOUR members who played at least 10 official FedExCup events during the 2019-20 season were eligible to vote.
Johnson, 36, of Jupiter, Florida, won the FedExCup for the first time in his career, winning twice in the FedExCup Playoffs and three times on the season. The three victories, which came at the Travelers Championship, THE NORTHERN TRUST and the TOUR Championship, tied Johnson with Justin Thomas for the most on TOUR and marked his fourth season with at least three wins. Johnson moved to 27th on the all-time wins list with 23 career PGA TOUR victories and extended his streak of consecutive seasons with a win to start his career to 13, becoming the fourth player to reach that mark (others: Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods).
“On behalf of the PGA TOUR, my congratulations to Dustin Johnson on being voted the 2020 PGA TOUR Player of the Year by his peers, the ultimate compliment a player can receive,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “Dustin made it known throughout the season that the FedExCup was a priority and his performances in the FedExCup Playoffs were nothing short of spectacular with two wins and a playoff runner-up at the BMW Championship. His demeanor and athleticism on the course make it look very easy, but behind the scenes, he’s worked incredibly hard coming back from injury and his 2019-20 season speaks for itself in further bolstering his World Golf Hall of Fame resume.”
Johnson, who did not make a start in the fall due to injury, returned to competition in December 2019, representing the United States at the Presidents Cup for the fourth time. He opened the season with a T7 at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and recorded a T10 at The Genesis Invitational, before the season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When the season resumed in June, Johnson remained outside the top 100 in the FedExCup until his win at the Travelers Championship in his third start, which moved him to No. 22 in the standings.
Three starts later, Johnson began a streak of 12 rounds in the 60s, starting with the World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational (T12). In the first major championship held since the TOUR resumed, Johnson took the lead into the final round of the PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park before finishing runner-up for the second consecutive year, becoming the first player to finish second in the event in consecutive years since Jack Nicklaus (1964, 1965).
Johnson won THE NORTHERN TRUST with a 72-hole total of 30-under 254 and by 11 strokes, the largest margin of victory on TOUR since 2006 (13/Phil Mickelson/BellSouth Classic). The victory, his fifth in the FedExCup Playoffs, moved him to No. 1 in the FedExCup and back to World No. 1 for the first time since May 2019. At the BMW Championship, Johnson fell to Jon Rahm in a playoff, after making a 43-foot, 3-inch birdie putt on the 72nd hole to force extra holes, but maintained the top spot in the FedExCup standings to begin the TOUR Championship on top of the FedExCup Starting Strokes.
Johnson entered the final round at the TOUR Championship leading by five strokes, becoming the first player since Tiger Woods in 1999 to hold the 54-hole lead/co-lead in four consecutive starts (PGA Championship, THE NORTHERN TRUST, BMW Championship, TOUR Championship). After five top-five finishes in the FedExCup in 11 previous seasons, Johnson claimed the FedExCup for the first time and won the TOUR Championship for his sixth career Playoffs title, the most of any player.
In all, Johnson recorded seven top-10s, with three wins and two runner-up finishes (PGA Championship, BMW Championship), and made 11 cuts in 14 starts, ending the season No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Johnson, who will receive the Jack Nicklaus Award for winning PGA TOUR Player of the Year, was selected for the honor over (alphabetically) Collin Morikawa, Jon Rahm, Webb Simpson and Justin Thomas. This marks the second time he has been named PGA TOUR Player of the Year (2016, 2020) and the third time in the last four seasons the FedExCup champion has been named Player of the Year.
Scheffler, 24, of Dallas, finished No. 5 in the FedExCup as one of eight PGA TOUR rookies to qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs and one of two to advance to the TOUR Championship. With his fifth-place finish, Scheffler became the second rookie in the FedExCup era to finish the season in the top five of the standings (Xander Schauffele/2016-17). In 23 starts, Scheffler recorded seven top-10s, six of which were top-fives, highlighted by a third-place finish at The American Express. Scheffler recorded his first top-five in a major (T4/PGA Championship) in his fourth major championship start, and he became the 11th different player (12 times) to record a sub-60 score on the PGA TOUR, with a second-round 59 at THE NORTHERN TRUST en route to a second consecutive T4. In all, Scheffler made 18 cuts in 23 starts.
“Our congratulations to Scottie Scheffler on a standout rookie season that saw him excel when it mattered most, in the FedExCup Playoffs,” said Monahan. “To follow up Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year with being voted PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year by the PGA TOUR membership is an extraordinary achievement and speaks to Scottie’s dedication and work ethic. I’m certain Mr. Palmer would be thrilled with all of the young talent we have on TOUR and how they are conducting themselves, with Scottie leading the way in 2020.”
After two wins on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2019, Scheffler claimed 2019 Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year honors. He becomes the second consecutive player, and third overall, to be named the Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year and PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year in successive seasons (1996-97/Stewart Cink, 2018-19/Sungjae Im).
Scheffler, who will receive the Arnold Palmer Award for winning PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year, was selected for the honor over (alphabetically) Harry Higgs, Viktor Hovland and Maverick McNealy.
Hadwin, Conners, Hughes playing as Canadian threesome at US Open
MAMARONECK, N.Y. – An all-Canadian threesome will play the first two rounds of the U.S. Open together.
Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., and Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., will tee off at the major at 8:49 a.m. ET on Thursday.
Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., the only other Canadian in the field, starts at 12:10 p.m. on Thursday with American Richy Werenski and Italy’s Renato Paratore.
The four Canadians were scheduled to play a practice round together on Tuesday at Winged Foot Golf Club.
Hughes (56th in the world golf rankings), Hadwin (64th) and Conners (69th) are the top Canadians in the rankings.
Pendrith is fifth among Canadians at 157th. He qualified for the U.S. Open by virtue of his top-five ranking on the Korn Ferry Tour, the feeder circuit for the PGA Tour.
Mike Weir’s 2003 Masters win is the only victory at a major for a Canadian male golfer.
Henderson closes with T2 result in wild finish at ANA Inspiration
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Mirim Lee chipped in three times Sunday, the last one for eagle on the final hole that got her into a three-way playoff at the ANA Inspiration that she won on the first extra hole with a birdie.
It was another wild finish in the LPGA major that moved from the first weekend of April to the 100-degree heat of September, and no one was more surprised than the 29-year-old Lee.
She was never in the lead at any point until she calmly holed a 5-foot birdie putt on the 18th to beat Nelly Korda and Brooke Henderson, who each had the lead on the back nine.
“Yeah, I definitely played really well this week, which is definitely a really nice feeling and definitely gives me confidence moving forward,” said Henderson. “I felt like I missed a lot of putts, especially those final rounds where I feel like maybe it could have been a different story, but Mirim and Nelly played great, and I really fought my way around, so I’m happy.”
Lee pitched in from long range for par on the 16th, dropped a shot on the next hole and appeared to be out of it until her chip from behind the 18th green rammed against the pin and dropped for eagle and a 5-under 67.
Korda, the 22-year-old American going for her first major, had a two-shot lead with four holes to play and couldn’t hold it. With a one-shot lead going to the par-5 18th, Korda missed the fairway, had to lay up and missed the green to the right, having to scramble for par and a 69 just to match Lee at 15-under 273
Henderson lost the lead with a double bogey on the 13th hole that nearly cost her. But she birdied the 16th and was saved by the wall, a blue-covered structure behind the 18th that kept her second shot on the 18th from running through the green and into the water behind the island green.
She got up-and-down for birdie and a 69 to join the playoff.
On the first extra hole, Korda again missed the fairway and had to lay up, and her wedge was 25 feet short for a birdie putt that never had a chance. Henderson’s second shot came up just short, and she used putter for her eagle attempt that rolled out some 7 feet past the cup on the sun-baked, fast greens of Mission Hills. Her birdie putt missed on the left side.
Lee hit 5-wood just over the back of the putting surface, chipped to 5 feet and made the winner.
Even with world No. 1 Jin Young Ko and U.S. Women’s Open champion Jeongeun Lee6 staying home because of travel concerns with the coronavirus, Lee made it 10 consecutive years with a South Korea winning a major.
It was her fourth LPGA Tour victory, and first since the Kia Classic three years ago.
Her victory spared more conversation about the blue wall behind the 18th green, which the tournament erected in place of a hospitality chalet that was not needed this year because there were no spectators.
It was talked about all week, and the chalet in a normal year has blocked shots hit too hard. But it nearly decided the tournament. Henderson was one shot behind with her ball sitting up in the rough on the 18th in regulation. She hit 5-wood through the green and under the blue bunting, allowing for a drop.
She chipped down to 2 feet for birdie to join the three-way playoff.
Henderson needed a break after having to spend the final hour trying to catch up to Korda. The Canadian took her only lead on the 12th hole when Korda made bogey, and it didn’t last long.
Henderson drove into the right rough on the 13th and 6-iron in the wrong place – right again, with a bunker guarding the front right pin. She flopped that into the bunker and didn’t get up-and-down, leading to double bogey.
Korda answered with a tee shot into 5 feet for birdie on the par-3 14th, and suddenly her lead was at two. But she couldn’t hang on. Henderson’s 8-foot birdie putt curled in the left side of the cup on No. 16 with perfect speed. Korda held onto the lead at the 17th with an 8-foot par putt, and that set up the big finish on the 18th.
Through it all, Lee was an afterthought until her stunning finish.
She already chipped in for birdie from short of the green at No. 6. Lee gave herself a chance by pitching in from short of the 16th green to a back pin. And after a bogey on the 17th, she went long of the 18th and chipped in for eagle, dropping her head with a soft smile in disbelief.
Lexi Thompson, going after a second title at Mission Hills, was never a serious factor after bogeys that slowed her momentum. She closed with two birdies on her last three holes for a 69 to finish two shots out of the playoff.
U.S. Women’s Amateur champion Rose Zhang birdied the 18th for a 72 to tie for 11th. She finished at 8-under 280, setting the record for lowest score by an amateur.
Henderson charges into a share of lead at ANA Inspiration
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Canadian Brooke Henderson tied a Mission Hills record with a 30 on the front nine and did just enough the rest of the round Saturday for a 7-under 65 and a share of the lead with Nelly Korda in the ANA Inspiration.
Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., started the weekend six shots behind and wanted only to get as close to the lead as possible. Now she goes into the final round with a second major championship in her sights.
Korda began with a two-shot lead and fell three shots back with a rough stretch on the front nine, particularly the sixth hole by hitting 5-wood through the fairway into the gnarly rough and not getting over the water, leading to double bogey.
She rallied with three birdies on the back nine, however, for a 71 that allowed her to join Henderson at 12-under 204.
Brooke was on ? with the low round of the day to grab a share of the lead
Highlights from her 7-under 65 ?? pic.twitter.com/1RDDOaUDfk
— CP Women’s Open (@cpwomensopen) September 12, 2020
They have a two-shot lead over Lexi Thompson (69), Mirim Lee (71) and Katherine Kirk, who quietly went about her business with a 67 that landed the Australian in the final group.
“Sort of an easy start which was nice, and relaxed a little bit,” Henderson said. “Being moving day, I wanted to get a solid round out there and try to climb the leaderboard as much as possible. Still a lot of golf to be played, but nice to see my name up there. And hopefully, tomorrow I can post a similar round.”
It was the hottest day of the tournament, the temperature climbing just past 100 degrees late in the day, helped by a mild haze from California fires that kept the sun from burning brighter. Korda was among those with an umbrella on the back nine to fend off the sun.
.@BrookeHenderson is your clubhouse leader at 12 under heading into major championship Sunday at the @ANAinspiration ?? pic.twitter.com/6oouojlCyi
— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) September 12, 2020
Korda, the 22-year-old going for her first major, began to claw her way back with a birdie on the par-5 11th, a gap wedge to 3 feet for birdie on the 12th and a pitching wedge just over the bunker that rolled out to 5 feet for birdie on the 15th, regaining a share of the lead.
She laid up on the par-5 18th but left her wedge about 18 feet above the hole and had to settle for a par.
Thompson, four behind to start the round, got back in the game quickly with a two-shot swing on Korda on consecutive holes. Thompson holed a 35-foot birdie putt on the par-3 fifth, where Korda three-putted for bogey, and then Korda made her double bogey on the next hole. Thompson hit a short wedge to a foot to close out the back nine and appeared to be making her move.
Instead, that was the last birdie she made. Her best putt was a 15-footer for par on No. 13. She was among the few who went for the green on the 18th, sending it to the right and under the chair of a cameraman. She made a bold pitch down the hill to 5 feet and missed the birdie putt.
Ten players were separated by four shots, a group that included Carlota Ciganda at 9-under 207 and former Mission Hills winner Stacy Lewis another shot back.
Also at 8-under 208 was U.S. Women’s Amateur champion Rose Zhang, who shot a 68. The 17-year-old won the Amateur last month over Gabriela Ruffels, who was at 6-under 210 in a strong showing by amateurs this week.
Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (73) was tied for 62nd.
Henderson began her round by missing a short birdie putt, which annoyed her only up until a 3-wood on the next hole to 12 feet that led to eagle, and she was on her way. She closed out her front nine with a pitch to 2 feet for birdie and a 30, and was only disappointed she didn’t pick up more on the back nine.
No matter. She was tied for the lead, more than she would have expected when she teed off. And while the Canadian viewed this round as moving day, Sunday might not be much different with so many players still in the mix.
That includes Kirk, a 38-year-old Aussie with three LPGA victories and one runner-up in her previous 59 appearances in major championships. She opened with two quick birdies and did enough to think about what it would be like to win the ANA Inspiration and take the plunge into Popie’s Pond around the 18th green.
“It’s so stinking hot out here and it would be great to cool off,” Kirk said. “I have a lot of hard work, and there are a lot of great players on the leaderboard so I’m probably going to have to go low tomorrow and it’s going to take a really good number. But anything is possible in this game.”
Henderson tied for 7th heading into weekend at ANA Inspiration
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – The numbers suggested a stress-free time in the desert for Nelly Korda, who had five birdies and a clean card Friday for a 5-under 67 to build a two-shot lead going into the hot weekend at the ANA Inspiration.
All she could think about were two pars.
The only fairway she missed was on her 11th hole, the par-5 second, and she was badly out of position the entire way until making an 18-foot par putt to escape her big mess. One hole later, after hitting a fat shot from the fairway, she again had to make a par putt from some 25 feet.
“I did not know what I was doing on those two holes,” Korda said. “I was happy those two went in. Golf is just all about momentum, so you roll one in here and there and it just makes it a lot easier.”
It only figures to get harder from here.
Korda was at 11-under 133, two shots clear of Mirim Lee, who also played bogey-free in the rising heat for a 65. Joining them in the final group is a daunting figure in these parts, Lexi Thompson, a past champion at Mission Hills who can overpower the Dinah Shore course.
Thompson made up ground quickly with three birdies in a four-hole stretch at the start of her round, including a 4-iron from 220 yards to 6 feet on the par-5 second (she missed the eagle putt) and a 9-iron from 164 yards on the par-3 fifth that led to a 15-foot birdie.
With the tee moved up on the par-5 18th, she swung for the fences and nearly pulled it into the lake, saved by the September date because the ball sinks instead of rolls in the Bermuda rough. She settled for par and a 67 to finish four shots behind, along with Nanna Koertz Madsen (69).
“I left a few out there, but also I made a lot of good putts,” Thompson said.
Brooke Henderson (71) of Smiths Falls, Ont., was tied for seventh at 5 under, six shots back of Korda. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (71) was tied for 61st at 2 over.
Danielle Kang looked poised to join the chase, a big week because she is projected to reach No. 1 in the world with a victory. Her momentum was slowed by bugs, a brick wall and a bridge.
Kang came in too steep on a wedge from the 10th fairway and was 10 feet short of the green. She opted to use her putter, but backed off three times from bugs flying around her face. Then, she left it 7 feet short and missed the par putt. She stalked to the back of the green, clearly annoyed, and it didn’t help when she and Anna Nordqvist were put on the clock.
Kang was out of sorts, quickly walking after missed putts. On the 15th, she pulled her tee shot near a wall, and after asking if she could get relief – it was a boundary wall, so no – she hit into the wall trying to get it back to the fairway. It went only about 10 yards, and she had to scramble for bogey.
And then on the 18th, her approach ran through the green and just onto the carpet-lined bridge across Poppie’s Pond. She pitched off the bridge to 6 feet and missed the birdie putt for a 71. She was six shots back, still in the mix.
Korda, however, has looked solid. Thompson’s name on the board stands out given her power and record at Mission Hills.
Korda hit 13 fairways, not the most difficult task with the lush Bermuda grass cutting back how much the ball rolls. More impressive was missing only four greens, and taking 26 putts on greens already sun-baked and fast.
“Definitely very happy with my putting today, and I was superbly happy with bogey-free,” she said.
She picked up two birdies on the par 3s on the back nine and looked like she might give those shots back when she tugged her tee shot on No. 2. She considered taking a drop from the cart path until realizing she would be thick rough, so she hit 4-hybrid some 30 yards out to the right, leaving her no angle.
“Near dead over there,” she said. “Honestly, I was super happy with rolling that putt in. I was like, ‘Just get me off this hole.”
The greens were pure in the morning, though getting the speed right was critical because they are rolling out a few extra feet, putting an even greater premium on pace.
“The thing out here is you hit a solid putt and it keeps on going,” Korda said. “You think it’s going to stop, and it just keeps on releasing, so then you’re like, `This is a good putt, this could possibly go in,’ and then it releases 5 to 6 feet because that’s just how it is out here. I had a lot of 5- and 6-footers for par today.”
And she made them all. That decision to change to a left-hand low grip at the Women’s British Open three weeks ago at Royal Troon looks like the right move. And her confidence is soaring.
The temperatures are trending that direction, too, with a forecast of around 105 to 110 degrees for the weekend.
The weekend will include five of the six amateurs, tying a record at this event. Leading the way was Gabriela Ruffels at 5 under, with Rose Zhang another shot back. Zhang won the U.S. Women’s Amateur last month to deny Ruffels back-to-back wins.
Team Canada’s Laurent Desmarchais goes wire-to-wire to win Canada Life Series title
CALEDON, Ont. — It was a wild back nine for Laurent Desmarchais during the final round of the season-ending Canada Life Series Championship at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. The amateur made four birdies and two bogeys to go with two pars—none bigger than the 10-footer he rolled in on the final hole to shoot a final-round 67 that gave him a one-shot triumph over Callum Davison.
While he doesn’t get to cash the first-prize check of $9,000, Desmarchais can walk away knowing he was the best player this week, winning his first pro tournament with a wire-to-wire performance.
“I don’t even have words right now. I made a few big putts down the stretch,” he said.
Desmarchais took control of the tournament with birdies at Nos. 15 and 16, taking a two-shot lead with two holes to play. He made things tough on himself, though, with a bogey at the 17th hole. If there ever were a good bogey, however, that was it. His tee shot landed 20 feet over the green, long and left. Desmarchais tried to hit his second shot into the slope and roll the ball onto the green, but instead the ball rolled back into the collection area. Desmarchais putted up the hill for his third shot, barely getting over the ridge and onto the green. He then rolled in a 10-footer that just crept into the hole.
Things didn’t get any easier on the par-4 closing hole. Desmarchais missed the green with his second-shot approach and had an awkward lie, the ball in front of the green but on a downward slope. He elected to putt from there, and left his birdie try 10 feet short. He calmly rolled the putt, the ball clanking against the flagstick and dropping into the hole for the par and the win.
“I was quite nervous on the last few holes. My tee shot on 17 flew like 20 yards over the green, which I still don’t quite understand, but I made two big putts—one for bogey on 17 and one for par on 18. It’s just insane,” Desmarchais explained. “It’s big for my confidence knowing I can make those putts. Just winning this event is huge for my confidence and for my game.”
The winning putt ????#TeamCanada amateur Laurent Desmarchais wins the final event of the #CanadaLifeSeries @PGATOURCanada pic.twitter.com/G6FdeD8KMx
— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) September 11, 2020
Davison made things interesting with his final-round 65 that included three birdies over his last five holes, the capper a birdie on the 18th that allowed him to post in the clubhouse at 16-under. It wasn’t quite enough, and Davison’s bogey on the par-3 17th will haunt him as he, like Desmarchais, was unable to get up and down for par, missing a six-footer. The only consolation is Davison receives the $9,000 first prize as the top-finishing professional.
For a while, Blair Bursey looked like he might make a run at the title when he made three consecutive birdies to begin his back nine, getting to 14-under. He fell into neutral after that, closing the Series with five pars and a 54th-hole bogey. He finished at 13-under and tied for fourth.
All week, though, Desmarchais, the Golf Canada Junior Squad Member and University of Tennessee commit, was the player to beat when he opened the tournament with a 9-under 62. Consecutive 67s to finish the week sealed the deal for the 19-year-old native of Quebec. He ended fourth on the final Canada Life Points List.
Yi Cao was one stroke better than Albert Pistorius on Friday, and that allowed Cao to finish No. 1 on the Canada Life Points List. By virtue of that distinction, Cao earns a playing spot in the 2021 RBC Canadian Open on the PGA TOUR.
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BIG congrats to Yi Cao, who won the #CanadaLifeSeries to earn an exemption into the 2021 #RBCCO
The invitation is courtesy of Golf Canada. He also earns conditional 2021 Mackenzie Tour status and six guaranteed tournament starts. Pistorius finished second, followed by Evan Holmes, Laurent Desmarchais and Callum Davison. Those four players also earn conditional Mackenzie Tour status and two guaranteed 2021 tournament starts.
Laurent Desmarchais rebounds from slow start to maintain advantage
CALEDON, Ontario—An early double bogey by 18-hole leader Laurent Desmarchais gave the impression that the amateur was not ready to maintain his lead at the Canada Life Series season finale at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley’s Heathlands Course. A clean scorecard after that opening miscue suggested otherwise. Following his early wobble, Desmarchais made six birdies and 11 pars to shoot a second-round 67 to go with his opening 62 that left him at 13-under overall and two shots ahead of Hugo Bernard and Joey Savoie with 18 holes to play.
The fun really began for Desmarchais when he made the turn. He was 1-over for the day stepping to the 10th tee, Heathlands’ No. 1. It was a nine where he had gone low a mere 18 hours earlier, shooting a 29 in the opening round.
“I just love this nine. I got on the first tee box and was like, Let’s shoot another 29,” the 19-year-old said. “I started with four birdies and one chip-in and lipped out really hard on No. 5, and I knew it was a really good start.” In actuality, it was getting late in Desmarchais’ round when he made his fourth consecutive birdie, righting the ship. He added one more birdie, on the par-3 eighth, his second-to-last hole.
No putt, Desmarchais, a Golf Canada Junior Squad Member, said, was more important to his round than the birdie he rolled in on his fourth hole immediate after the double bogey. “It was like a 40-footer, and that was really big for my confidence,” the teenager added. “I haven’t been in contention in this kind of event so far, but I was kind of close in my first [Canada Life Series tournament] at Bear Mountain. I just need to keep going and give myself a lot of chances [Friday].”
Savoie remained in contention with his Desmarchais-matching 67 that included only one bogey. “I think it’s a fun course to play, and if the wind is blowing it can play totally different. I like those types of courses,” he said.
Bernard opened with a birdie at No. 1, bogeyed No. 2, ended up birdieing three of the Heathlands Course’s four par-5s and made nothing but birdies (eight) and pars (eight) after that on his way to a day’s best 63.
Overall points leader Yi Cao didn’t hurt himself Thursday but could never gather any momentum, shooting a 2-under 69. He will begin the final round at 6-under and tied for 16th, a stroke behind Albert Pistorius. The South African, a mere 18 points behind Cao in the points chase, shot a 3-under 68 and is tied for 12th. Evan Holmes, the only other player who going into the week could have mathematically won the points title, shot a second consecutive 71 and is tied for 54th.
The leaders will tee off at noon EDT Friday, with the all-Quebec-based grouping of Desmarchais, Bernard and Savoie making up the final threesome.