Subaru Canada continues presenting sponsorship of Golf Fore the Cure
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Subaru Canada, Inc. (SCI), together with Golf Canada, are thrilled to announce the extension of their long-standing partnership, through the 2022 Canadian golf season. SCI will continue as presenting sponsor of Golf Fore the Cure.
The Golf Fore the Cure program was created by Golf Canada, together with the Canadian Cancer Society and the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation. It drives women’s participation in the game of golf through fundraising and awareness to support the fight against breast cancer. The program focuses on using the sheer power of women playing golf in a non-competitive environment to make a difference. Last year, one hundred and seventy-six Golf Fore the Cure events took place at golf facilities across Canada, raising over $390,000 for breast cancer research. In 2020, Golf Canada looks forward to growing that and further contributing to over $6.8 million raised since the program’s inception.
“Subaru Canada has supported women’s golf in this country in a major way and we are pleased to extend their commitment as presenting sponsor of Golf Fore the Cure,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “Golf Fore the Cure has helped to drive women’s participation in the game while raising money and awareness for a meaningful cause close to Canadian hearts—breast cancer research.”
Subaru Canada has been a proud presenting sponsor of Golf Fore the Cure since 2005 and is proud to help grow the game of golf in Canada, standing alongside thousands of compassionate women to help make a difference in the fight against breast cancer. SCI is just as passionate about keeping their customers happy and safe for long or short drives as they are about their customers’ well being outside of their Subaru vehicles. The announcement continues to signify a commitment to promoting healthy, active lifestyles through various sponsorships from coast to coast.
“As presenting sponsor, Subaru Canada will continue to offer the support needed to drive the program forward,” said SCI president, chairman and CEO Yasushi Enami. It’s an extremely important initiative and we are proud to be involved with such a great cause – the fight against breast cancer.”
For more information on Golf Fore the Cure visit golfcanada.ca/golfforethecure. For more information on Subaru Canada, Inc., visit www.subaru.ca.
Case study: Creating a thriving junior golf environment in a small community
For years, with the occasional exception, our best golfers have come from smaller communities. The most recent notable examples are Brooke Henderson from Smiths Falls, Ont., and Corey Conners, born and bred in Listowel, Ont.
And that serves my message well, as I live in Midland, Ont., with about as many citizens as Listowel, and just a couple of kilometres down the road from Penetanguishene, population close to that of Smiths Falls.
I may have just seen their successors.
A couple of years ago, local business owner Kirk Ruston converted some unused space in his Penetanguishene warehouse into a golf practice and training facility he called the Infinity Golf Lab. In partnership with Mary-Pat Quilty, the facility now welcomes more than 70 girls and boys from ages four to 15 to a series of 10-week sessions during the winter.
The brightly lit area contains, among other amenities, a couple of hitting bays, putting area, simulator, exercise equipment and, perhaps just as important, inspirational quotes painted on the walls. And there are pylons, stuffed animals, hula hoops, an obstacle course, and a plethora of other fun paraphernalia to occupy young minds and bodies.
Much of Ruston’s motivation came as the father of two athletic daughters who needed something to do when not playing hockey in the winter. A five-handicapper, Ruston, now 45, came late to the game after focusing on water sports and other activities when he was younger.
He teamed with Mary-Pat Quilty to deliver a quality experience to what has become a growing stream of kids who want to learn how to golf. Quilty, a PGA of Canada member who is the director of golf at nearby Settlers’ Ghost Golf Club, has solid credentials as a two-time PGA of Ontario Teacher of the Year who played for years on pro tours around the world.
They are ably assisted by Jerry Bogosky, a volunteer with not only a great golf game but an admirable ability to connect with youngsters. Bogosky, a noted range rat, sums up one of the project’s themes: “Practising golf can be the most boring thing ever. You have to make it fun while making sure the kids are learning something at the same time.”
While the program began as a “girls only” initiative, it has expanded to include boys as well.
A perfect example exists in 12-year-old twins Josée and Jacques Desroches, who are in their second season at the Infinity Golf Lab. While father Serge says, “it’s great for the kids to learn new skills,” Josée focuses on the fact that she gets to hang out with her friends and “have fun” on chilly winter evenings.
Julie Baxter agrees. Like the Desroches twins, her daughter Breanna is in her second season and “she loves it. They do a phenomenal job here. It’s inspiring for the girls, really.”
In addition to honing her skills during the winter, Breanna plays in a summer league organized by Ruston and Quilty. Along with access to the range at Brooklea Golf and Country Club on Tuesdays, the girls can sign up for a nine-hole round at Midland Golf and Country Club on Monday evenings. For $20, the kids get golf, a hot dog and a soft drink. Often, their parents join them.
“When they come on Mondays, they get free range access, we give the parents a free cart if they want to follow their kids, and some of our members volunteer to walk with the groups to help them along,” says Ian Kirkpatrick, general manager of Midland Golf and Country Club. “We see this as a partnership, an investment in the future of the game.”
The Infinity Golf Lab initiative reinforces other efforts in a community where just about every school has been adopted under Golf Canada’s Golf in Schools program. For example, Midland Golf and Country Club offers an outreach program to local Grade 5 classes where, for a small fee and with the support of sponsor Central Taxi, kids who want to participate are picked up after class in a mini-bus and taken to the course for instruction and golf. Their parents pick them up after the session.
Despite being relatively new, Infinity Golf has already started to show impressive results.
Last year, 16 girls played in events such as club championships, 19 played on various junior tours, six competed in the U.S. Drive, Chip and Putt events, and three played in Golf Ontario championships.
Head’s up, Brooke and Corey. These kids are gunning for you.
Local champions across the country, like the folks at Infinity Golf Lab, supplement terrific junior golf programs offered by Golf Canada, provincial golf associations and PGA of Canada pros at golf clubs and driving ranges. Future Links presented by Acura, Golf in Schools and the Community Golf Coach initiative are great examples of programs available across Canada. Not every facility has to be as involved as Infinity Golf Lab, although their model makes an excellent case study. All you need to develop and encourage junior golfers in your community is an appropriate space, basic equipment, and dedicated and qualified instructors and volunteers.
Toronto’s Albin Choi ready to retire as professional caddie while on top
Toronto’s Albin Choi plans to retire as a professional caddy with a perfect record.
Choi has been caddying at Old Palm Golf Club to start the 2020 season as he heals up a wrist injury. He was presented a new challenge when Sungjae Im asked Choi to caddy for him at last week’s Honda Classic he was happy to help out.
Im went on to win his first-ever PGA Tour event and with Choi’s wrist almost healed, he’s quitting caddying while he’s ahead.
“I’m just I’m just super thrilled with the result,” Choi said on Tuesday. “One-for-one record which everyone jokes about, you know? I should probably be retiring on that note as a caddy. Keep that streak.”
Im and Choi had become friends during the Canadian’s five seasons on the Korn Ferry Tour. Im is South Korean and Choi thought it was beneficial for his friend to have a caddy fluent in his native language, even translating for Im in the winner’s news conference.
“I know he’s had some trouble with other caddies with language barriers and such, but having somebody that he could communicate with this week, I think he was happy with that,” Choi said. “I’m glad I could help him out a little bit.
Well said, @AlbinChoi ?? https://t.co/FbmkVhGh8j
— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) March 2, 2020
“Whether I’m caddying or whether I’m playing, I just want to do the best job that I can.”
The fourth round saw Im in the final pairing with Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., a player that Choi is more than familiar with. Choi and Hughes forged a friendship as juniors, with three consecutive Canadian amateur titles between them, and were then members of Golf Canada’s inaugural young pros squad in 2014.
“I’m pretty sure that’s never happened before,” Hughes said of a PGA Tour event having two Canadian amateur champions in the final group.
Choi won the Canadian amateur title in 2010 before coming second behind Hughes in 2011, before Hughes won again in 2012. Both Hughes and Choi were glad to reconnect and make Canadian golf history.
“It’s always nice to see a familiar face,” said Choi, who pointed out that Hughes’s caddy Jace Walker, from St. Thomas, Ont., is also Canadian. “The whole week was just a great experience and I had a lot of fun with it.”
Choi expects he’ll be 100 per cent within the next month and will start entering Monday qualifiers and other tournaments.
Hughes expects that his longtime friend will be competing in the PGA Tour in no time, even texting Choi on Sunday night to tell him he wants to play with him in a final group soon.
“I know how good of a player he is. He had my number most of the time when we were playing amateur golf and coming up through the ranks,” Hughes said. “He was a very good player and still is. I’m hoping that someday soon he’ll join myself and (Corey Conners) out there.”
Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., and Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., are the only Canadians in the field this week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club in Orlando.
Perspective helps Canadian Mackenzie Hughes excel at Honda Classic
Canadian Mackenzie Hughes never lost faith in his game, even as he struggled through five consecutive missed cuts to start 2020. But Hughes’ professional troubles paled in comparison to the suffering of his friend Daniel Meggs, who succumbed to cancer at the age of 29 on Feb. 23, three weeks before his wife’s due date.
Hughes, who is also 29 and a father, honoured his friend by writing “DM” on his golf balls at last week’s Honda Classic. That added a dose of perspective every time he teed his ball up, helping Hughes finish second at the PGA Tour event and challenge Sungjae Im for the title.
“It wasn’t a tactic to, you know, help me play better golf, it was more just a reminder that life isn’t always fair and that the days that we have are meant to be lived and to be enjoyed,” said Hughes on Monday. “I kept thinking to myself what (Meggs) wouldn’t give for another round of golf and to see us, his family.
“I just thought it was a nice way to remember him but also keep things in perspective and remind myself that golf is not life.”
The memory of Meggs wasn’t the only thing that kept Hughes grounded as he shot a 5-under 275 overall to finish a shot behind Im and one ahead of Tommy Fleetwood. He was also thinking of his wife Jenna and his son Kenton, who were waiting for him at the 18th hole of the PGA National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
“I came off and I was a bit disappointed and knew I had a good finish but wanted one shot better,” said Hughes, a native of Dundas, Ont. “But it’s just one of those things that, again, brings you back to what’s important and what’s actually going to bring you joy at the end of the day.”
“Kenton’s unconditional love and affection is what keeps me going. It’s just infectious.”
All week Hughes was surrounded by friends from his days as a junior and an amateur.
On Tuesday, he and fellow Canadians Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., and Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont., threw a barbecue. They were joined by a handful of other golfers and caddies, who were Kent State University grads, Canadian, or somehow associated with either camp.
Hughes, Conners, Dave Markle, and Marc Bourgeois – all Canadian and Kent State alum – took a group shot together that Hughes sent to Herb Page, the head coach of Kent State and a product of Markham, Ont. That prompted a long phone call between Hughes and Page and later an inspiring text message from the coach that simply read “The hard part is over” after his former pupil was the only Canadian to make the cut.
That stuck with Hughes and he followed up his 71 and 72 in the opening rounds with back-to-back 66s.
“It was like ‘I’ve been fighting that monkey for a little bit this year’ and then to go there on Saturday for our tee time I was like, ‘All right, let’s just go play golf,”’ said Hughes, who had missed the cut nine of 11 times this season, with a tie for 55th a the Houston Open in October his best result before the Honda Classic . “And it was a really nice two days, to say the least.”
Finishing second moved Hughes 157 spots up the rankings from No. 223 to a much more comfortable 66th, just two points behind No. 65 Talor Gooch.
“It just gives me a bit of a shot in the arm going forward,” said Hughes. “I just know that, like I’ve been saying all along, that the game was not really as far off as it seems. I just need build on the momentum for this week and try and keep adding up those points.”
Canada’s Hughes rallies to finish solo 2nd at Honda Classic
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Moments after getting his first career PGA Tour win, Sungjae Im took a moment to reflect on what it means.
Not for himself – for his homeland, and for those dealing with a virus that has the world on edge.
The 21-year-old South Korean started fast and finished stronger Sunday, winning The Honda Classic by one shot over Mackenzie Hughes and two over Tommy Fleetwood for his first victory in 50 tries on tour. But before he could be whisked back to the course to collect the trophy, Im made sure to speak out about the coronavirus and tell those in South Korea – where nearly 4,000 cases have been confirmed – that he was thinking of them.
“Over in Korea right now, I know a lot of people are dealing with the coronavirus,” Im said. “And it’s kind of a huge deal with everybody. But I’m just glad as a Korean player that I can deliver some good news to the countrymen back home … to do something for the country and make everybody proud.”
Im shot a 4-under 66 on Sunday, finishing at 6 under to match the second-highest winning score since the Honda moved to PGA National in 2007. He was the tour’s rookie of the year last season, plus has played more tournaments and more rounds than anyone since the 2018-19 season began nearly a year and a half ago.
And now, he’s a winner, picking up $1.26 million this week and becoming the Honda’s 10th international champion in the last 16 seasons.
Im birdied four of his first five holes, then birdied two of the final four – after sticking tee shots on the tough par-3 15 and 17th holes within 8 feet both times – to finish off the victory.
Hughes, a Canadian who made the cut on the number Friday, shot his second consecutive 66. Playing alongside Im, he was part of some serious fireworks on the last two holes and missed a birdie putt at the par-5 finishing hole that would have gotten him into a tie for the top spot.
“I love being in the mix,” Hughes said. “I love having a chance to win, and yeah, it sucks to come up one short, to fight that hard all day. I just kind of thought I was going to do it. But still proud of the way I fought this week.”
Fleetwood (71) was alone in third and is still seeking his first PGA Tour win. He started the day one shot clear of the field and started birdie-birdie to get to 7 under at that point – matching what was the low score in relation to par of the week.
Then PGA National did what it usually does, that being not let anyone run away from the pack.
Fleetwood made bogey on the par-4 6th and couldn’t get up and down from a greenside bunker on the par-4 8th, giving back what was left of his lead at that point. Fleetwood birdied the par-3 17th to get within one, but his approach at the par-5 finishing hole found the water to all but seal his fate.
“I was going well,” Fleetwood said. “My swing wasn’t there today. It wasn’t like a comfortable day … things weren’t quite there, but I hung in well.”
Once Fleetwood’s attempt at a miracle hole-out after a drop from 120 yards on 18 didn’t fall, Im could finally exhale as the winner. He hugged his caddie in the locker room, where he watched the last 20 minutes or so on a monitor.
“I’ve been in this spot many times. … I just felt like the experience really helped,” Im said through a translator.
Some of Im’s best moments have come when no one has been looking.
This picture says it all.
Mini-Mac and all of Canada is proud of you @MacHughesGolf ??? pic.twitter.com/4B4zFKzM6Q
— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) March 1, 2020
He was third at the Zozo Championship in Japan last October, a finish totally overshadowed by Tiger Woods tying the PGA Tour record of 82 career victories. And in November he went 3-1-1 to tie for the best showing by a player on the International team at the Presidents Cup, but the U.S. team captained by Woods rallied in singles on the final day to win the trophy at Royal Melbourne.
But this time, he was on centre stage and embraced the moment.
Hughes, of Dundas, Ont., and Im went to the par-3 17th green – the end of the “Bear Trap” three-hole stretch – in wildly different spots. Im stuck his tee ball to just inside of 8 feet, while Hughes had nearly 55 feet left from above the hole.
Line it up! Never a doubt for @MacHughesGolf ? pic.twitter.com/HjNRMvfQuW
— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) March 1, 2020
Hughes rolled in his most improbable birdie to an enormous roar, pulling into a tie with Im at 5 under.
If Im was worried, it didn’t show.
Im took a couple looks at his downhill line, took his putter back just a couple of inches and watched the ball roll in for a birdie that allowed him to reclaim his lead at 6 under – which, he hoped, created a bit of relief at home.
“Right now, all I can do is pray for the best and just hope moving forward that not many more people get affected,” Im said. “Hopefully, this virus can calm down and sort itself out very soon.”
Golf Canada Annual Meeting concludes with Charlie Beaulieu elected to serve a second term as president
Mississauga, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada’s 2020 Annual Meeting culminated on Saturday, February 29 with the re-election of Charlie Beaulieu of Lorraine, Qué., to serve a second term as the National Sport Federation’s President.
Beaulieu will continue to lead Golf Canada’s Board of Directors with Liz Hoffman of Thornhill, Ont., remaining in the position of 1st Vice-President and Dale Jackson of Victoria continuing in the role of 2nd Vice-President.
Based on the report of Golf Canada’s Nominating Committee, Beaulieu, Hoffman and Jackson will be joined on Golf Canada’s 2020 Board of Directors by Rob MacDonald of Winnipeg, Man., Susan MacKinnon of Calgary, David McCarthy of Toronto, Adam Daifallah of Montreal, Jean Stone-Seguin of Ottawa and Patrick Kelly of Vancouver. Paul Beaudry of Calgary and Alison Chisholm of Rothesay, N.B. have also joined the Board as Directors at Large.
Annual Report & Financial Statements
Click here to read Golf Canada’s 2019 Annual Report, which includes a recap of the past season, as well as the organization’s 2019 Financial Statements, which were released during Golf Canada’s Annual General Meeting.
Bill MacMillan selected as Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year
Bill MacMillan of Eastern Passage, N.S., was named the 2019 recipient of the Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award. MacMillan has been a golf tournament official and major contributor to Handicap and Course Rating for more than three decades. This marks the 14th year in which the association has honoured volunteers for their efforts and commitment to grow the game in their community. Going forward, the citation has been renamed the Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award in honour of Toronto native Bruce Mitchell who in 2017-18, became the first Canada to serve as Captain of the R&A. Click here for more on Volunteer of the Year honouree Bill MacMillan.
Richard Smith and Ian Hutchinson honoured as Recipients of Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award
This year’s recipients are a pair of long-time contributors to the sport of golf – volunteer Richard Smith of Regina, Sask. and golf journalist Ian Hutchinson of Newmarket, Ont. Created in 1993, Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award has been presented annually to recognize individuals for their outstanding contributions to the game of golf in Canada. Click here for more information on the 2020 Distinguished Service Award honourees.
Golf Canada’s 2020 Annual Meeting took place February 28-29 at the Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel and Suites in Mississauga, Ont. It was conducted in partnership with Golf Ontario, who scheduled their respective Annual General Meeting activities to take place in conjunction.
Titleist & FootJoy become newest national partners of RBC PGA Scramble
Titleist & FootJoy have become the newest supporting partners of the RBC PGA Scramble presented by The Lincoln Motor Company.
In addition to this partnership, Titleist & FootJoy will continue as presenting sponsors of PGA of Canada’s Training Academy.
“Titleist & FootJoy’s commitment to the betterment of golf is first-rate,” said PGA of Canada President Mark Patterson. “We are proud to have their support as national partners and look forward to seeing them elevate an already exceptional experience for golfers across the country.”
Titleist & FootJoy become the first golf equipment and golf wear brand to join forces with the RBC PGA Scramble presented by The Lincoln Motor Company—something players will benefit from greatly this upcoming season.
As part of the agreement, golfers can anticipate enhanced prizing at each stage of the competition, as well as exclusive activations from Titleist & FootJoy at select events.
“The RBC PGA Scramble presented by The Lincoln Motor Company has proven to resonate with passionate, dedicated golfers across Canada,” said Ted Manning, President of Acushnet Canada Inc. “We feel the audience aligns seamlessly with the Titleist & FootJoy brands and are excited to connect on a grassroots level with amateurs and golf professionals from coast-to-coast.”
The RBC PGA Scramble presented by The Lincoln Motor Company is Canada’s largest series of national golf events designed for amateurs of all playing abilities and PGA of Canada professionals looking to participate in a fun and equitable competition.
Now in its fifth year, nearly 10,000 golfers are anticipated to play in over 150 local qualifying events nationwide, with hopes of advancing from the local to the regional stage, and ultimately on to the National Final at Cabot Links.
Canada’s Celeste Dao wins first collegiate event, leads Georgia to title
Georgia Bulldogs women’s golf coach Josh Brewer has long believed that Celeste Dao is a special player.
She proved him right this week.
Dao, from Notre-Dame-de-L’Ile-Perrot, Que., won the Gold Rush golf tournament on Tuesday, finishing 7-under 209, a shot better than teammate Caterina Don. The Bulldogs placed three players in the NCAA event’s top four to run away with the team title, besting second-place Fresno State by 23 strokes.
Playing a shotgun start, Dao’s coaches and teammates first had to track her down on the course at the Old Ranch Country Club in Seal Beach, Calif., to tell her she had won and led the team to victory. Once Dao’s teammates had chased her down they all hugged to celebrate her first collegiate win.
“I think it says a lot about Celeste that when she was giving her victory speech she congratulated her team just 30 seconds into her speech on winning the team title,” Brewer said. “I’m just lucky as a coach to have an individual who is able to step back and say ‘what wonderful teammates I have.’
“That’s why the reaction was the way it was when she had won and she gave it right back to them.”
Dao, a graduate of Team Canada’s National Junior Squad, was named the SEC Freshman of the Week for women’s golf on Wednesday following the victory.
It’s the same sort of class that impressed Brewer when he first met Dao.
She had already won the Quebec Women’s Amateur title in 2017, and then the Mexican Junior Girls Championship and the Canadian Junior Girls Championship in 2018 when she and her family dropped in on Brewer at the University of Georgia’s campus in Athens. They spent 90 minutes together before parting company and then Brewer attended a nearby junior tournament Dao was competing in.
Brewer had already planned to attend the event for recruiting purposes and to support some of his student-athletes but followed Dao for a few holes.
She struggled in the first round of that event but then bounced back with rounds in the high 60s. That piqued Brewer’s interest.
“We both had good first impressions and the relationship just grew from there,” Brewer said. “She’s very upbeat, positive. Just works hard as far her golf game and is wanting to play professional golf, which we want.
“We want people who have big dreams and she wants to be the next Brooke Henderson, write her own chapter in women’s golf for Canada.”
Dao, an 18-year-old freshman, got better each round at the Gold Rush this week, shooting a 71-70-68. Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., who was named the 2019 female amateur of the year by the Golf Journalists Association of Canada, was 14th for Fresno State.
Brewer was impressed with Dao’s poise at the Gold Rush, holding on to her second-round lead.
“I would be fibbing if I didn’t say I didn’t know how she would respond. First time in that position, on a collegiate level,” Brewer said. “I think she handled the atmosphere well.
“It’s hard to close when you’re leading. I know she battled to the end and it was a tough one-shot victory. But again, winning in this sport is always to make par too when you’re coming down the stretch and you have a lead but she found a way to do it.”
Golf Canada set for 2020 Annual Meeting
Mississauga, Ont. – Golf Canada’s 2020 Annual Meeting is set for this week (February 28-29) at the Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel and Suites in Mississauga, Ont.
The event brings together Golf Canada’s Board of Directors, staff and volunteers as well as representatives from Canada’s provincial golf associations and other stakeholders. The group will assemble for select meetings and presentations in preparation for the upcoming golf season.
Golf Canada’s 2020 Annual Meeting will be conducted in partnership with Golf Ontario, who have scheduled their respective Annual General Meeting activities to take place in conjunction.
CEO Laurence Applebaum will officially kick-off the Annual Meeting on Friday, February 28 at 4:00pm with an update on Golf Canada’s Strategic Plan (2019-2022) to increase Canadian participation and excellence in golf.
On Friday, February 28, Golf Canada will also celebrate outstanding contributions to the game of golf in Canada with the presentation of its 2019 Bruce Mitchell Volunteer of the Year Award to William (Bill) MacMillan of East Passage, N.S. as well as Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award(s) to long-time volunteer Richard Smith of Regina, Sask. and golf journalist Ian Hutchinson of Newmarket, Ont. Canadian Olympic Committee CEO and General Secretary David Shoemaker will be the guest speaker at the celebration dinner.
Golf Canada’s Annual Meeting will culminate with the appointment of Charlie Beaulieu of Lorraine, Que., to serve a second term as President of the National Sport Federation. The formal appointment of Beaulieu along with the release of the association’s 2019 Financial Statements will take place during Golf Canada’s official Annual General Meeting on Saturday, February 29 at 2:30pm ET.
A full schedule of activities and presentations taking place during Golf Canada’s Annual Meeting is available here.
Corey Conners in solo 10th mid-way through Mexico Championship
MEXICO CITY – Bryson DeChambeau kept making so many birdies in the Mexico Championship that when he rolled in his ninth one from 45 feet, all he could do was throw his hands in the air in pure wonder.
He wasn’t alone Friday in making birdies, although Rory McIlroy would like to have joined the party.
DeChambeau made seven birdies in an eight-hole stretch at Chapultepec Golf Club for an 8-under 63, giving him a one-shot lead over Erik van Rooyen of South Africa and Patrick Reed at the halfway point of this World Golf Championship. DeChambeau was at 11-under 131.
Van Rooyen, who played college golf at Minnesota, celebrated his 30th birthday by making nine birdies to tie the course record with a 62. Reed made five birdies on the back nine for a 63
Justin Thomas ran off four straight birdies to end the back nine, and then holed a 35-foot eagle putt to build a three-shot lead through 10 holes. That was gone in a matter of four holes as player after player kept rolling in putts on a day with much less wind and far better scoring. The average score 70.28, more than two shots better than Thursday.
Hideki Matusyama was 9 under for his round through 15 holes and had a 20-footer birdie attempt from the fringe on the par-3 seventh. He missed that 3 feet to the left, then missed the next one. He bogeyed the next hole, too, and had to settle for a 64. That left him at 9-under 133, along with Thomas, who had to settle for a 66.
McIlroy wasn’t so fortunate. Staked to a two-shot lead at the start of the day, he opened with eight straight pars, didn’t make a birdie until his 12th hole and fell six shots behind at one point. Two birdies at the end gave him a 69, and the world’s No. 1 player was only three shots behind.
“I made eight pars in a row, and then it’s like, `OK, you’re either going to make a birdie or a bogey. What’s going to come first?’ And I ended up making bogey,” McIlroy said. “There’s a long way to go.”
DeChambeau can use all the science he wants with calculations for altitude and air density. The difference for him on this day wasn’t that difficult to figure out.
“I just made a lot of putts today,” he said.
His big run began on the 18th hole with a 15-foot birdie putt. He got up-and-down from short of the green on the reachable par-4 first hole, made a 15-footer on the net hole, added a few birdies inside 6 feet, and then made a 25-foot birdie. That apparently wasn’t enough.
His tee shot on the 223-yard seventh hole with a green fronted by water wenttoward the back of the putting surface, leaving DeChambeau a downhill putt that is tough to lag. His putt was perfect pace, and a perfect line, as it turned out.
“I just threw my hands up in the air. I mean, come on. Who thinks I’m going to make this one?” DeChambeau said. “Matt (Fitzpatrick) just looked at me and he was like, `What are you doing? Go get a lottery ticket or something.”’
Reed seems to play his best with a chip on his shoulder, and his 63 comes after a week in which Brooks Koepka and ex-CBS broadcaster Peter Kostis brought up his rules violation in the Bahamas, stirring more bad memories.
“I’m not going to lie, just the whole thing on the outside distracts us from our ultimate goal, and that’s to go out and play great golf and continue to try to improve every day on and off the golf course,” Reed said. “As long as you’re doing that, then you’re living the right way. So at the end of the day, you can’t please everybody, and I feel like I’m doing everything I need to be doing to continue to strive in the game of golf, hopefully on and off the golf course.”
Most intriguing of the lot is van Rooyen, who finished the year among the top 50 to earn his first trip to the Masters.
Now it’s about building a schedule on the road to Augusta. He has a sponsor exemption to the Honda Classic – van Rooyen moved to the area last summer – and needs to be in the top 50 each of the next two weeks to get into the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship. He currently is at No. 52.
“I think at a tournament like this and a field like this, if you can play well, you can play well anywhere,” van Rooyen said. “So if I continue the way I’m going, it’ll be a big confidence booster.”
Defending champion Dustin Johnson continued to struggle. A two-time winner in Mexico, Johnson has made only three birdies in two days. He shot 71 on Friday and was 16 shots behind.
Canadian Corey Conners was in 10th place, seven shots off the lead, after shooting a 70.