UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. — So much for Chambers Bay being the star of this U.S. Open. Thursday turned into another horror show for Tiger Woods.

Henrik Stenson and Dustin Johnson set the tone on the wild terrain of Chambers Bay, which made a relatively gentle debut. Both shot 5-under 65 and shared the lead.

And then came Woods.

He made bogey after bogey, from the bunkers and tall grass, until he ended this not-for-prime-time performance by topping a 3-wood from the 18th fairway that bounced over one bunker and disappeared into another. He wound up with an 80, his worst ever at the U.S. Open.

“I fought. I fought hard. And that was my number,” Woods said.

It was the third time this year he has shot in the 80s, only this time he had some company. Rickie Fowler played alongside him and shot 81.

Their scores were not a reflection of the conditions at Chambers Bay, the 8-year-old course on the edge of Puget Sound that was a mystery to so many players going into this U.S. Open unlike any other.

Johnson was flawless and powerful. His only mistake came on his final hole when he pulled a 6-iron on the par-3 ninth over the green and made his only bogey. Stenson, among the cynical of Chambers Bay when he first saw it, birdied four of his last five holes. He poured in a 25-footer on the 18th for his 65.

They had a one-shot lead over Patrick Reed.

Just over two dozen players managed to break par in the U.S. Open, the major where anything around par is considered a hard day of work. Masters champion Jordan Spieth was among those at 68. Phil Mickelson, going for the one major keeping him from a career Grand Slam, started strong and settled for a 69.

Rory McIlroy had a rough day. He was frustrated with the bumpy greens and shot 72.

Several tees were moved forward. Several pins were in spots where the slopes could be used to get the ball close. Complaints – except for the greens – were at minimum.

“My guess was there would be 20 to 30 guys under par after today, and by the end there will be barely any,” Geoff Ogilvy said after his 69. “With a course like this, I would have thought that would be a sensible strategy to keep us all happy on Thursday and then gradually wear us down.”

Woods wasn’t happy, though he managed a few laughs.

“The bright side is at least I kicked Rickie’s butt today,” he said.

Woods said he was on the right path with his new swing, but it was taking time and he was trying his hardest. That’s the message he gave at Memorial after his 85, yet his struggles were never more exposed than at the toughest test in golf, a major he had won three times.

From the side of a hill in deep, yellow grass, he hit one shot in which the club came out of his hand and landed some 15 feet behind him. That would have been an image that defined this day at Chambers Bay – until he got to No. 18 and hit a shot with which millions of hackers could identify.

Leave it to Woods to steal the show at the U.S. Open, even if he wanted to hide.

Chambers Bay showed off some of its nuances. Camilo Villegas took four shots to get out of a bunker on No. 12 that ruined his birdie-birdie start. Jason Day was motoring along toward the leaders until a stiff breeze showed up off Puget Sound and left his tee shot on the par-3 15th hole some 15 yards short of the green, buried in the sand just beyond a mound of tall fescue. Day still managed a 68.

“It’s only going to get tougher and tougher as the week goes on and everyone knows that,” Day said. “It’s all about the attitude. You have to have a good attitude in U.S. Opens. It’s easy to play yourself out of the tournament real quick here.”

The first time Stenson saw Chambers Bay, he walked the course without playing it. The Swede did just fine with clubs in his hand.

“One day out of four done, and we’re right there with where we want to be,” Stenson said. “It’s still a long journey until Sunday afternoon.”

Johnson lost a chance to win the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach five years ago with an 82 in the final round. He missed out on a playoff at the PGA Championship that same year by grounding his club without realizing he was in a bunker at Whistling Straits. And his challenge at the British Open in 2011 was derailed by a 2-iron that went out-of-bounds on the 14th hole.

But coming off a six-month break to get his life in order, Johnson is as imposing as ever. He already has won a World Golf Championship this year. And he likes the look of a big course where he can smash his way around it – and hitting it straight always helps.

“I really felt like I swung it well and hit a lot of quality iron shots,” Johnson said. “So the confidence is definitely there. I feel really good about where I’m at going into tomorrow.”

Two Canadians are in the field, Brad Fritsch fired an even par round to place him in a tie for 26, while David Hearn shot a 2-over par 72.

INVERNESS, N.S. — Danny King realized a dream Thursday at Cabot Links in Inverness, N.S., winning the PGA Championship of Canada sponsored by Mr. Lube and presented by TaylorMade-adidas Golf.

The 47-year-old from the Performance Academy at Magna bested Oliver Tubb of Seymour Creek Golf Centre 1-up in the championship’s final match at the No. 2-ranked golf course in Canada.

“To have my name etched on this trophy among the legends of golf is really surreal,” King said. “Guys like George Knudson who mentored me when I was growing up and Bob Panasik, a man I absolutely admire, have won the PGA Championship and now I can say I have too.”

King, who said Cabot Links is without a doubt his favourite golf course in Canada, jumped out to an early 3-up lead thru the first three holes Thursday afternoon. The two-time PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada winner slightly stumbled with bogeys on Nos. 8 and 15, allowing Tubb a breath of life on the 18th green. However, King was able to convert a four-foot par putt for the win.

“I really felt I was in control when I was up three thru the first three holes,” King said. “But I had to stay patient out there on the back nine, so I really focused on my breathing and felt I stayed in the moment.”

King also admitted his caddie and close pal Mike Belbin played a big part in his success this week at Cabot Links.

“Mike is a great friend with an unbelievable head on his shoulders,” he said. “It was just a great time out there for the past couple days.”

In the third place match, Alf Callowhill of Rattlesnake Point Golf Club beat Twenty Valley Golf & Country Club’s Rony Kenesky on the 19th hole.

With the championship win, King not only takes home the P.D. Ross Trophy and a $15,000 winner’s cheque, he also earns 60-ranking point and moves inside the top five on the PGA of Canada Player Rankings.

By virtue of his T9 finish and the 15-rankings points, Billy Walsh of the Fairtree Golf Centre earns an exemption into next month’s RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club as the No. 1-ranked player from the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC.

Past champions of the PGA Championship of Canada include Moe Norman, George Knudson, Al Balding, Bob Panasik, Wilf Homenuik, Stan Leonard, Lee Trevino and Arnold Palmer.

The next PGA national championship takes place July 20-22 at Burlington Golf & Country Club for the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada.

TOYOTA CITY, Japan – Team Canada rebounded in strong fashion on Thursday, dealing a low-round 204 (-9) to climb into a tie for fourth place at the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup.

The Canadian foursome was led by Waterloo, Ont., product Trevor Ranton. The towering Indiana University commit carded a 4-under 67 at Chukyo Golf Club’s Ishino Course—his previous best score was an even-par 71.

Next in line was St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Qué. native, Étienne Papineau. The 18-year-old remained consistent in the tournament, posting a 3-under 68 to sit in a tie for fourth as Canada’s lowest individual scorer at 6-under overall (70-69-68).

The third and final score posted by the Canucks came from matching rounds of 69 from Tony Gil of Vaughan, Ont. and A.J. Armstrong of St. Albert, Alta. (team’s lowest three scores count towards daily total).

The Swedes hold the outright lead at 16-under for the tournament, four strokes ahead of host Japan (-12) and defending champion Norway (-12). Heading into Friday’s final round, the Canadian quartet is deadlocked with the Koreans at 11-under.

Team Canada is paired up in Friday’s final with the Koreans and Americans in the earliest tee-time slot at 8:00 am JST.

Click here for team scoring

Click here for individual scoring

The hips are one of the most important body parts in the golf swing.  They need to operate through a large range of motion to enable you to get the desired body rotation to create swing speed.  For this rotation, the player needs to have both mobility in the hip joint surface and flexibility in the muscles that surround the joint.  The hip muscles also need to be strong to enable the hip to be stable and generate force over a short period of time, providing the power to create an optimal swing speed.  Limitations in the hips often lead to swing deficits such as sliding or coming out of posture.

Here are three great exercises to improve mobility, flexibility and hip strength.

Strengthening                                                        

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart with a resistance band wrapped just above your knees.  You should maintain an optimal 6-iron golf posture throughout the exercise, with knees slightly bent, back straight, sternum up, abdominal muscles lightly engaged. Begin by turning the knees inwards until there is no tension in the resistance band then turn the knees outwards against the resistance until your have achieved full range of motion in your hips or you have met the full resistance of the band.  Hold for two seconds and repeat.  Complete three sets of as many repetitions until failure as you can with 20 seconds rest between sets.

Mobility – roller to the hip muscles

Lie on your side with the back and side of your hip on a foam roller.  Your arms and legs support most of your weight.  Inhale and exhale as you use your arms and legs to slowly roll the back and side of your hip against the foam roller.  Complete three sets of 30 seconds.  As you improve add more pressure against the foam roller by reducing the support of your arms and legs.

Flexibility – hip flexor stretch

Roll onto your back and pull the foam roller under your pelvis without arching your lower back.  Lift both legs up to 90 degrees hip and knee flexion.  Slowly lower one of the legs down until it is straight while keeping the other leg in the flexed position.  Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.

Any trace of inclement weather from the previous day was erased with clear skies and beaming sunshine as the Canadian Women’s Tour Ontario concluded at Smiths Falls Golf & Country Club in Smiths Falls, Ont. The 36-hole competition finished with a pair of Team Canada members emerging victorious – Young Pro Squad member Rebecca Lee-Bentham claimed the title while Jennifer Ha earned low amateur honours.

Lee-Bentham opened the day in a three-way tie atop the leaderboard. The National Team Young Pro Squad member distanced herself from the pack and secured the victory by shooting the low round of the day – a 2-under 69. “I went out with a really relaxed mindset which helped me to concentrate on each shot more and not worry about results. I think that’s what helped me today,” said the Toronto native when asked about her combined 2-under 140 performance.

With the victory, Lee-Bentham not only takes the $10,000 winner’s share of the tournament’s $60,000 purse, she has also secured an exemption into the 2015 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open to be played August 17-23 at the Vancouver Golf Club in Coquitlam, B.C. “It’s good knowing that I secured the spot. The CP Women’s Open is probably my favourite stop on tour, so just to have the opportunity to play in it again this year is a blessing,” reflected the Team Canada member.

Lee-Bentham’s Young Pro Squad teammate Brooke Henderson returned to her home course and finished one shot shy of the winner. The 17-year-old registered a bogey on her first hole, but finished the round without another to go with two birdies. The two Young Pro Squad members’ under-par rounds were the only ones of the tournament.

Brittany Henderson, the elder of the two Henderson sisters, finished in a five-way tie for third place. The rookie on the Symetra Tour carded a second-round 73 and completed the competition at 4-over 146.

Joining Brittany Henderson for a share of third was National Team Amateur Squad member Jennifer Ha. The Calgary native was one of four players to notch back-to-back 73s; the only difference is that the Ha was the lone amateur to do so. “It was an up and down sort of day,” said Ha of her round. “I hit the ball well and overall, I’m pretty happy with the way I played. Winning low amateur has made this event extra special.”

Ha sees the honour as a stepping stone as she heads into an important summer. “It gives me a lot of confidence going into the season. It’s going to be a big year for me as I get ready to become a professional. It gives me a boost knowing that I can finish high at a professional event. Hopefully this trend continues and I can build upon the success I found here.”

For a second day in a row, the Canadian National Team contingent fared well. Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., finished in a four-way tie for eighth with a score of 5-over. Thornhill, Ont., native Elizabeth Tong equaled her first-day 74 for a share of 12^th place while London, Ont., product Maddie Szeryk was T14 at 7-over. Of the 23 amateurs in the field, the four National Team Amateur Squad members finished at the top.

Rebecca Lee-Bentham joins Michelle Piyapattra of Corona, Calif., as the winners of the first two legs on the 2015 Canadian Women’s Tour. The Tour’s third and final stop, the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada, will be contested July 20-22 at Burlington Golf & Country Club in Burlington, Ont. In addition to the exemptions awarded to the Tour champions, the top two competitors on the Jocelyne Bourassa Order of Merit, who are not otherwise exempt will join the trio at Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship, provided they have played in at least two of the three Tour events.

The five highest ranked players on the Canadian Women’s Tour Order of Merit will also be awarded direct entry into the second stage of LPGA Qualifying School.

Additional Information on Canadian Women’s Tour Ontario can be found here.

Last month, the Golf Canada Foundation debuted its ‘Play Like the Pros’ Charity Challenge and to date the initiative has raised just over $24,085. Teams registered in the ‘Play Like the Pros’ Charity Challenge have the opportunity to play a round at one of Ontario’s most prestigious golf courses in exchange for their commitment to fundraise in support of junior golf through the Golf Canada Foundation.

The ‘Play Like the Pros’ Charity Challenge hosted its first event of the series at The National Golf & Country Club on June 9.

“Our first qualifier event had very positive feedback from the participants,” shared Martin Barnard, CEO of the Golf Canada Foundation. “The National was in pristine shape, there was an exciting playoff finish, and some teams even mentioned it made them want to sign up for another qualifier event this summer.”

The ‘Play Like the Pros’ Charity Challenge continued on June 15 with teams competing at both Öviinbyrd Golf Club (Muskoka, Ont.) and London Hunt and Country Club (London, Ont.).

“We’ve seen a great response from the public in this inaugural year of the event. People are excited at the opportunity to play some of the best and most exclusive clubs in Ontario,” added Barnard. “Not only are teams getting a fantastic playing experience, but more importantly they are also excited at the unique opportunity to contribute to junior golf initiatives across the country. They understand the value of introducing youth to golf and nurturing their passion for the game.”

Funds raised from the ‘Play Like the Pros’ Charity Challenge will assist in growing and developing golf programs which cater to youth of all ages and development stages. At the grassroots level, the Golf in Schools program introduces children to golf through their school’s physical education program. The next step, the CN Future Links program, encourages young golfers to refine their driving, iron play, chipping and putting skills in a competitive but friendly setting. The support from the ‘Play Like the Pros’ Charity Challenge will also focus upon high-performance Canadian juniors through the Junior Golf Development Centres and the National Development Squad.

In addition to supporting junior golf initiatives and playing at Ontario’s best courses, teams are competing for the Challenge’s grand prize: a round at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont. on Monday, July 27 following the 2015 RBC Canadian Open. The top-five fundraising foursomes as well as the winning teams from each ‘Play Like the Pros’ Charity Challenge event will be awarded the opportunity to truly ‘Play Like the Pros.’ They will experience Glen Abbey in the same conditions as PGA Tour players during this year’s playing of Canada’s National Open Championship from July 20-26. Teams will be tested by the unforgiving rough, Sunday pins and lightning-fast greens.

The current top fundraising team, ‘CPA My Ball in the Woods’, has raised $3,710 towards their goal of $4,000; they will be playing in the upcoming Hamilton Golf and Country tournament on June 23.

The following mini-tournaments remain on schedule for the ‘Play Like the Pros’ Charity Challenge:   

For more information, to pledge a team or to register for the ‘Play Like the Pros’ Charity Challenge, please visit www.playliketheprosgolf.com.

INVERNESS, N.S. — It was a picture-perfect day at Cabot Links in Inverness, N.S., with four players surviving the demanding 36-hole match play affair.

Danny King, Alf Callowhill, Ron Kenesky and Oliver Tubb now head into the final day of the PGA Championship of Canada sponsored by Mr. Lube and presented by TaylorMade-adidas Golf.

The No. 1-seeded Danny King of the Performance Academy at Magna captured the Al Balding bracket, with the fourth seeded Alf Callowhill of RattleSnake Point Golf Club winning the Stan Leonard bracket. No. 7-seed Ron Kenesky of Twenty Valley Golf & Country Club took down the George Knudson bracket, while the Moe Norman bracket went to the 20th seeded Oliver Tubb of Seymour Creek Golf Centre.

“Every time I step on a tee I look around and take it all in,” King said about the idyllic surroundings at Cabot Links. “You can’t help but feel relaxed out here and that’s one of the reasons I’m hitting it better than I ever have before in my life.”

The two-time PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada winner takes on Callowhill in the one semi-final match Thursday morning, while Kenesky meets Tubb in the other. The two winners will play in the championship’s final match Thursday afternoon, with the winner taking home the historic P.D. Ross Trophy and the first place prize of $15,000.

For the full leaderboard, CLICK HERE.

Since re-launching in 2011, the PGA Championship of Canada has been contested as a match play event with players from the four brackets—Stan Leonard, George Knudson, Al Balding and Moe Norman—looking to advance through the six rounds to capture the historic P.D. Ross trophy.

However, this year’s championship sees the top-16 players from the 36-hole stroke play portion of the event filling outr the four match play brackets—Stan Leonard, George Knudson, Al Balding and Moe Norman—with the eventual champion winning four match play rounds.

Tubb, who has an educational background in landscape architecture, says he not only appreciates the world-class design qualities of Cabot Links, but the prettiness of the property as well.

“When you’re out there along the beach and the waves are shimmering with this glistening surf it’s just so perfect and gorgeous,” he said. “This is just such a great venue and the PGA of Canada has done such a great job with everything this week, it’s been amazing.”

Cabot Links, which debuted at No. 2 on SCOREGolf’s 2014 Top 100 Ranking and is currently No. 42 on Golf Digest’s World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses, is located on the western shores of Cape Breton Island in Inverness, N.S.

Nestled between the rural community of Inverness and the vast Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Rod Whitman-designed course is Canada’s first authentic links layout. The natural and rugged Nova Scotia landscape—dramatic seaside, undulating terrain, sandy soil—dictates the layout of the course with every hole affording an ocean view and five holes playing adjacent to the beach.

Attendance to the PGA Championship of Canada sponsored by Mr. Lube and presented by TaylorMade-adidas Golf is free and spectators are encouraged to attend during tournament play.

CALGARY, Alta. — Many of the greatest names in golf will continue to thrill Calgary sports fans until 2017, thanks to Shaw Communications extending their commitment as title sponsor of the Shaw Charity Classic for two more years.

The award-winning tournament, which has raised record amounts of money for youth-based charities in Alberta, will continue to be played at Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club.

“The Shaw Charity Classic has been a tremendous success, both as a must-attend social event in Calgary, but most importantly as a platform to support fantastic charitable organizations across Southern Alberta,” said Brad Shaw, CEO of Shaw Communications. “As we head into our third year, we are proud to be extending our partnership with the Shaw Charity Classic and to continue working with our Champions Tour and Patron Group partners to support the well-being of children and youth in our community.”

The two-year extension was announced during a special visit by PGA TOUR Commissioner, Tim Finchem in Calgary on Wednesday where he delivered a keynote address on the Business of Sport during a Calgary Chamber luncheon.

“The Shaw Charity Classic has clearly established itself as one of the top events we have on this Tour, and I am thankful for Brad and the entire Shaw Communications team for ensuring it continues to give our players the opportunity to play in Canada until 2017,” said Tim Finchem, Commissioner of the PGA TOUR. “Thanks to Clay Riddell and all of the patrons along with Brad Shaw and his team at Shaw Communications. This tournament has all the ingredients of an exceptional event: tremendous volunteer support, strong corporate involvement, unprecedented international media coverage, significant promotional presence in the community, a stellar field, and most importantly of all – it raises big money for charities.”

With the leadership of Shaw Communications, the Shaw Charity Classic made an immediate impact when the tournament debuted in 2013. It received an Outstanding Achievement Award for a first year event by the Champions Tour. It became the first Champions Tour tournament outside the United States to win the prestigious “President’s Award” last year for capturing all the intangibles that make it stand out from the rest.

Most notably, the Shaw Charity Classic has celebrated record setting charitable donations in each of its first two years. The tournament originally went into the PGA TOUR history books with a charitable donation of $2,267,251 in its first year and topped that mark in 2014 by raising $2,406,610 for more than 20 youth-based charities in south-Alberta.

“Our goals have always been very clear in bringing this event to Calgary. To provide Calgarians with the opportunity to witness an elite, family-friendly professional sporting event during the summer, but also to raise significant money to support children’s charities in the city and across the province,” said Clay Riddell, tournament chairman and one of five members that make up the Patron Group who financially back the event. “None of this could be done without the commitment from everyone at Shaw Communications who are true leaders in the community. We are grateful to have them alongside us until 2017 to help build on our solid foundation.”

Rocco Mediate ran away with an impressive seven-shot victory to claim the inaugural winner’s cowboy hat. Fred Couples helped tournament officials deliver a memorable encore performance last year when he shot a final-round 61 that included a chip-in eagle on the 54th and final hole to force a playoff with Billy Andrade. Couples got sized up for a traditional white Calgary cowboy hat of his own after winning the first playoff hole.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Wednesday’s second round of stroke-play qualifying produced four Canadians advancing through to match play in the championship flight at the Nashville Golf & Athletic Club.

Headlining the Canucks as one of the low-64 qualifiers is Team Canada’s Naomi Ko of Victoria, B.C. Ko, 17, posted a 2-under 142 (70-72) to finish in third place through two rounds of qualifying.

Joining Ko is fellow Development Squad member Michelle Kim of Surrey, B.C., who posted a 6-over 150 (78-72). Rounding out the four Canadians are two former Team Canada members—Sabrine Garrison of Calgary (77-74—151) and older sister of Michelle, Taylor Kim (78-74—152).

Six other Canadians are in the field in Tennessee, placed in the following flights based on qualifying results:

Second flight

Grace St-Germain (80-78—158)

Josée Doyon (79-80—159)

Fourth flight

Kiersten Klekner-Alt (81-84—165)

Kennedy Bodfield (90-76—166)

Gracie Howie (85-85—170)

Marlies Klekner-Alt (90-81—171)

Click here for qualifying scores

Click here for match play pairings

TOYOTA CITY, Japan – Team Canada’s Men’s Development Squad collectively posted a 1-over 214 in Wednesday’s second round of action to slip three spots into seventh place at the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup.

Team Canada’s foursome was led by the St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Qué. product, Étienne Papineau. The 18-year-old carded a 2-under 69 to move up to eighth place individually.

Canada’s second round total was rounded by an even-par 71 from Trevor Ranton of Waterloo, Ont. and a 3-over 74 from Vaughan, Ont., native Tony Gil.

The team’s non-counting score of the day was posted by A.J. Armstrong of St. Albert, Alta., who struggled on the day with a 4-over 75 after opening with a 70 on Tuesday.

As a team, the Canucks currently sit alone in seventh place—where they finished in the tournament last year. With two rounds left to play, the quartet will look to chase down the Norwegians, who carded a remarkable 11-under 202 on Tuesday to take a three-stroke lead over host Japan (-10).

First round co-leader Sweden (-9) goes into Thursday’s third round in third place, ahead of three other teams: Korea (-7), Chile (-6), the United States (-5)—all joining Canada as the seven teams under par for the tournament.

Team Canada is paired up with South Africa and Mexico for the third round at the Chukyo Golf Club’s Ishino Course. Ranton will kick things off for Canadians at 8:40 a.m. JST.

Click here for team scoring.

Click here for individual scoring.