It’s not accurate to say Corey Conners’ dreams came true in 2019.

“I don’t think my dreams were quite that high,” the Canadian golfer said.

After starting the year without full status on the PGA Tour, Conners played a piecemeal schedule before Monday qualifying for the Valero Texas Open in April. The native of Listowel, Ont., would go on to win that event and earn the final spot in the Masters the next week.

Conners earned more than US$2.9 million this season, one of the highlights of an impressive year in Canadian golf.

Among the top moments for men: Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont., winning on the Korn Ferry Tour to earn a PGA Tour card for the first time; Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., winning twice on the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada to earn a promotion to the Korn Ferry Tour, Richard Jung of Toronto and Justin Shin of Maple Ridge, B.C. winning on PGA Tour China; and Drew Nesbitt of Toronto winning on PGA Tour Latinoamerica.

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., also represented the International team at the Presidents Cup earlier this month in Australia. At 49th in the world, Hadwin ended the year as Canada’s top-ranked male golfer and will earn a spot in the Masters in 2020.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

#Canada’s @ahadwingolf finished the season ranked 50th, securing a spot to play in the 2020 @themasters ?? – #masters #golf #golfcanada #golfstagram

A post shared by Golf Canada (@thegolfcanada) on Dec 22, 2019 at 12:32pm PST

On the amateur circuit, full-time NHL referee Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont., won the 117th playing of the Western Amateur, while Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., won a collegiate event and participated in the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., had the best season of any Canadian. She notched two wins this year and had 13 top-10 finishes, the most on the LPGA Tour.

Henderson’s second win came in June when she was just 21. It was the ninth of her LPGA Tour career, making her the winningest Canadian of all time on the PGA or LPGA Tour.

“To become the all-time winningest Canadian golfer on both the LPGA and PGA Tour is amazing,” said Henderson. “This was a great year for many Canadian golfers. It’s fun to be part of this trend and I’m excited to see it continue and get better in 2020.”

Laurence Applebaum, the CEO of Golf Canada, declared 2019 as a year of “real celebration.”

“I couldn’t be more proud of 2019 as we look back and say it was a year we were celebrating golf and we were championing some of the best players in the world,” said Applebaum.

Applebaum points to the success of the RBC Canadian Open in Hamilton and CP Women’s Open in Aurora, Ont.

The two national championships had more than 175,000 people in attendance combined, a record for the organization.

Both events were also finalists for ‘Tournament of the Year’ by their respective tours at their year-end award ceremonies.

“We played at two epic tracks in 2019 and had world-class champions,” said Applebaum.

Both the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour’s 2019 players of the year – Rory McIlroy and Jin-Young Ko, respectively – won in Canada.

“In 2020 we’re going from strength to strength in St. George’s (in Toronto for the men) and Shaughnessy (in Vancouver for the women), two of the greatest golf courses and clubs in our country,” Applebaum said.

While the individual successes of Canadians were undeniable in 2019, the pipelines will be a little emptier in 2020.

Henderson and Alena Sharp of Hamilton will be the only full-time Canadians playing on the LPGA Tour next year after the retirement of Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., and the long-term injury to Anne-Catherine Tanguay of Quebec City. Jaclyn Lee of Calgary will have partial status, playing under a medical exemption due to a severe wrist injury sustained in the summer.

Pendrith, meanwhile, is the only Canadian who earned promotion to the Korn Ferry Tour. Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., and Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C. did not regain PGA Tour status for this season so they will start have to start the season on Korn Ferry Tour. Svensson has a full card, while Silverman has conditional status.

Pendrith and Conners – who live together in Florida – are convinced 2019 will not be a one-off.

A year ago they both were wondering what the next 12 months would look like, without any real answers.

“I was just trying to figure out what mini-tour event I was going to play next,” said Pendrith. “Now, it’s exciting. Every week on whatever tour, there’s going to be a Canadian in the mix.”

Conners is in the upper tier of the PGA Tour after finishing in the top 30 of the FedEx Cup standings in 2019, but he still gets as much joy as anyone in following what his countrymen and women are doing.

“It’s really fun to watch Brooke (Henderson) and be part of the group, but it’s also really motivating to continue to rack up wins,” said Conners. “It’s an exciting future for Canadian golf. There’s going to be more and more memorable moments.”

Canadian golfer Adam Hadwin clinched a spot at the 2020 Masters without playing any golf on Sunday.

Hadwin, from Abbotsford, B.C., will finish the year in the top 50 of the world golf rankings, guaranteeing him a berth at the prestigious annual tournament.

Cam Smith could have knocked Hadwin out of the top 50 with a two-way tie for third or better at the Australian PGA Championship.

Smith tied for 10th at the event on Sunday, keeping Hadwin’s spot at the Masters safe.

Hadwin did not compete in any tournament this week after playing on the International Team at the Presidents Cup.

Joining Hadwin are fellow Canadians Mike Weir (2003 champion) and Corey Conners (qualifier of 2019 TOUR Championship).

Through the efforts of over 10,000 women, Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru raised over $380k for breast cancer research in 2019 at 175 events held across the country.

Since the program’s inception in 2003, upwards of 130,000 women have raised over $6.8 million to date with all proceeds donated to the Canadian Cancer Society and the Québec Breast Cancer Foundation.

Over 100 women celebrated this year’s success at the 16th annual Golf Fore the Cure National Event at Credit Valley Golf Club in Mississauga, Ont.

The National Event included 18 holes of golf featuring raffles, prizing, and games, followed by an awards dinner to thank the 13,000 Golf Fore the Cure participants across Canada this year.

“Golf Canada is very proud to celebrate the growth of women’s golf in Canada with over 10,000 women leading the charge from coast-to-coast,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s chief sport officer.

“The remarkable efforts from volunteers, site coordinators, and our partners at Subaru, the Canadian Cancer Society and Québec Breast Cancer Foundation continue to be a driving force behind the achievements of Golf Fore the Cure. We’re excited for the next season and hope we can accomplish raising over $7 million for breast cancer research.”

Top 20 fundraising sites in 2019

We would also like to thank our Provincial Golf Associations for their continued support in encouraging clubs to participate in Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru. Below is a breakdown of all the funds raised by province:

To view photos from this year’s Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru season please click here.

Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru was created in 2003 by Golf Canada to drive women’s participation in the game of golf through the use of fun, non-intimidating activities. Through a unique partnership structure with the Canadian Cancer Society (and Québec Breast Cancer Foundation), the program has women across the country participating in golf activities and raising money and awareness for a cause close to Canadian hearts—the fight against breast cancer.

Canada holds over 37,000 charity events at golf courses across the country which raise approximately $533 million annually for charity.

Subaru Canada has been a proud partner of Golf Fore the Cure since 2007.

To learn how to get involved with Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru, visit golfcanada.ca/golfforethecure

OAKVILLE, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada is proud to announce the top finishers in the standings for its 2019 National Orders of Merit, a year that saw Québec-based golfers capture top honours in all four awarded categories, male and female in both amateur and junior golf.

On the amateur side, it is Réunion-Island born and Gatineau, Qué. resident Julien Sale, of Rivermead Golf Club, who claims top spot overall for the National Men’s Order of Merit. A senior at Arkansas State, Sale is ranked #160 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR). The former Alexandre de Tunis and Québec Men’s Amateur champion built on an impressive 2018 season by qualifying for the 2019 U.S. Men’s Amateur and making it to the round of 32. He also finished T4 at the 2019 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

The runner-up for the National Men’s Order of Merit is full-time NHL referee and Team Canada Amateur Squad veteran Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont., who is currently the top ranked Canadian golfer on WAGR at #35. Rank had terrific results this season, notably winning the 2019 Western Amateur Championship, placing T5 at the Porter Cup, and finishing 2^nd in the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship.

2019 Team Canada Amateur Squad member Joey Savoie of La Prairie, Québec, was 3^rd overall in the final men’s rankings. The Pinegrove Country Club member represented Canada at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, where he was part of a Canadian squad that captured the bronze medal in the mixed team event. Savoie also had notable performances in 2019 including a T6 finish at the Australian Master of the Amateurs Championship as well as quarterfinal finishes at the 2019 North & South Amateur and the 2019 NSW Amateur. Savoie also competed at the Mackenzie Tour PGA TOUR Canada Osprey Valley Open, placing T30.

After four straight years of domination for Ontario’s Maddie Szeryk, there is a new victor in the National Women’s Order of Merit for 2019: Brigitte Thibault. The Rosemère, Québec, native and Team Canada Amateur Squad member is presently a junior at Fresno State and made quite a splash at the NCAA level by notching eight top-15 finishes during her sophomore year. Thibault followed up by winning the 2019 Mountain West Championship. Thibault has also claimed the title of 2019 Ontario Women’s Amateur Champion, represented Canada at the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur and was a part of the Pan American Games bronze-winning Canadian formation.

Runner-up behind Thibault for the National Women’s Order of Merit is Delta, B.C.’s Mary Parsons. The newly named member of the 2020 Team Canada Amateur Squad – and former Junior Squad member – is a junior at Indiana University who was crowned champion of the 2019 Lady Boilermaker (NCAA). Parsons’ 5^th place finish was the highest individual finish for Team Canada at the Pan American Games, where she also claimed bronze as a member of the squad. Other notable results this year include a 4^th place at the 2019 Women’s Porter Cup and a T3 result at the 2019 PNGA Women’s Amateur Championship.

Finishing third in the amateur women’s rankings was Madeline Marck-Sherk of Ridgeway, Ont. The Bridgewater Country Club member graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2019. During her final year at FCGU, she notched five top-20 results in her nine starts as a senior. Marck-Sherk also had a T9 finish at the 2019 Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship.

View this post on Instagram

#GolfCanada is proud to announce the top Canadian amateur golfers in the 2019 National Orders of Merit ??⛳️ – National Orders of Merit are used to identify and give recognition to top-performing amateur golfers from across #Canada. They also provide an objective national ranking system, enabling Canada’s top players to compare themselves to counterparts across the country. – #golf #golfstagram #amateurgolf #golflife

A post shared by Golf Canada (@thegolfcanada) on Dec 18, 2019 at 10:50am PST

Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Order of Merit

On the junior side, the Future Links, driven by Acura National Junior Order Merit winners and top finishers have also been announced.

In the boys’ division, Christopher Vandette of Beaconsfield, Qué. caps a sizzling year with the prestigious rank of #1 junior golfer in the nation. The 2018 and 2019 Team Canada Junior Squad standout has had a tremendous domestic season, claiming the 2019 Canadian Junior Boys title, in addition to a runner-up finish at the 2019 Québec Men’s Amateur Championship and a T3 result at the 2019 Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship. A freshman at Kent State this year, Vandette has also had international success in 2019, finishing 3^rd at the 2019 Toyota Junior Golf World Cup contested in Japan.

The 2019 runner-up in the Future Links, driven by Acura National Junior Boy’s Order Merit rankings is Victoria’s Jeevan Sihota. A high school student and member at Gorge Vale Golf Club, Sihota had notable finishes, including T3 at the 2019 Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship and placing T9 this year at the Canadian Junior Boys Championship. He also notably reached the round of 64 of the 2019 U.S. Junior Boys Championship.

In the girl’s rankings, the Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Order of Merit winner for 2019 is Céleste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Qué. The Georgia freshman, who was a member of the Team Canada Junior Girls Squad in 2018 and 2019, is claiming the honours for the third consecutive year. Dao qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open for the second year in a row this spring by clinching a local qualifier. She also registered significant results in a host of top competitions, finishing runner-up in the 2019 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, as well as 6^th place finish at the 2019 Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship and placing T12 at the AJGA Annika Invitational.

Claiming runner-up position in the junior girls’ division is 2020 returning Team Canada Junior Squad member Emily Zhu of Richmond Hill, Ont. Zhu is the reigning Canadian Junior Girls Championship title holder, as well as the sitting AJGA Natural Resource Bluegrass Junior Champion. In addition to representing Canada this year on the Astor Trophy and the World Junior Girls Championship squads, this National Pines Golf Club member claimed a runner-up finish at the 2019 Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship and took third place at the 2019 PGA of Canada Women’s Championship.

The 2020 National Order of Merit schedule and updated standings will be released in January 2020.

Golf Canada’s National Orders of Merit are used to identify and give recognition to top-performing amateur golfers from across Canada. They also provide an objective national ranking system, enabling Canada’s top players to compare themselves to counterparts across Canada.

Golf Canada also uses the National Order of Merit to assist with the Team Canada player selection and International event player selection process. For full Order of Merit standings and a points breakdown, please visit www.golfcanada.ca/nationalordersofmerit/.

MELBOURNE, Australia – The emotions poured out of Tiger Woods, just like they did at Augusta National in the spring, except this felt different.

The Masters was for him.

This was for 11 players – at times his teammates, always under his captaincy – who delivered another American victory in the Presidents Cup and a moment that nearly brought Woods to tears. And when the decisive point was on the board Sunday at Royal Melbourne, Woods celebrated with everyone he could find by hugging them hard enough to take the breath out of them.

“Any time you have moments where you’re able to do something that is bigger than us as an individual, it’s so much more meaningful and so much more special,” he said.

The Americans felt the same way.

Trailing for the first time in 16 years, they followed his lead. Woods, the first playing captain in 25 years, went out in the first of 12 singles matches and outlasted Abraham Ancer to set the Presidents Cup record by winning his 27th match.

It also set the tone for his team.

Patrick Reed, winless in three matches and heckled so badly for his rules violation last week in the Bahamas that his caddie shoved a spectator and was kept from working the final day, was 6 up through seven holes. Dustin Johnson, playing for the first time since the Tour Championship because of knee surgery, was 4 up through seven holes.

Perhaps most inspiring was Tony Finau in the second match. He was 4 down to Hideki Matsuyama through 10 holes when Finau won the next four and earned a half-point that put even more pressure on the International team.

Matt Kuchar delivered the winning point without even winning his match. His 5-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole assured the Americans the half-point they needed to win for the eighth straight time.

The last two matches ended in halves for a 16-14 score. The Americans tied a Presidents Cup record with an 8-4 margin in singles, the largest since the first event in 1994.

“It was really cool being part of this team and having Tiger as captain,” Kuchar said. “We had a roomful of some of the greatest golfers in the world, and when he speaks, we listen. I think all of us will look back and have these pictures hanging on our walls and say, `We played for and alongside Tiger Woods, the greatest player ever.’ It was awesome.”

It was crushing for the Internationals, hoping to end two decades without a victory.

Ernie Els, who has finished second to Woods more times than anyone in golf, assembled the youngest International team ever and inspired them with equal doses of purpose and analytics. It had the lead going into Sunday for the first time since 2003, the tie in South Africa.

It just didn’t have enough to cross the line.

“I followed a plan, and it didn’t quite work out, but we came damn close,” Els said. “If you compare our team on paper with other teams in other sport, you would have laughed us out of the building. But we gave it a hell of a go and we came mightily close to winning and upsetting one of the greatest golf teams of all time.”

That team included the greatest player of his generation. Woods was appointed captain in March 2018 and suggested he might be a playing captain, which he later said was a joke.

And then he won the Masters, his 15th major and first in 11 years, to cap off a comeback from injury made even more meaningful by the hugs he shared with family and those who never left his side.

Two weeks before he filled out his team with four captain’s picks, Woods won in Japan for his 82nd career victory, leaving him no choice but to be the first captain to pick himself.

He was the only player to go undefeated at Royal Melbourne, winning twice with Justin Thomas and on his own ball against Ancer, one of seven rookies for the Internationals.

“We were very inspired to play for Tiger – with Tiger – and it’s so satisfying to win this cup because of that,” Finau said.

Emotions were raw on the golf course as the Americans celebrated their first comeback since the four-point deficit at Brookline in the 1999 Ryder Cup.

In his TV interview, Woods was fighting back tears, yet another indication to his players how much it meant.

“I love seeing other people cry, especially Tiger Woods,” said Steve Stricker, one of three vice captains who allowed Woods to hold dual roles at Royal Melbourne. And then Stricker had to hold back tears of his own.

The International team at least kept it close, unlike two years ago at Liberty National when it was one putt away from being eliminated on Saturday.

Even with so much American red on the scoreboards, the Internationals still had a chance in the final hour. Matsuyama lost a 1-up lead with a three-putt from 25 feet that led to the halve with Finau. Adam Hadwin had a 15-foot birdie putt to beat Bryson DeChambeau on the 18th hole, but had to settle for a halve when he missed on the high side.

Louis Oosthuizen lost a 3-up lead at the turn against Kuchar, who caught up on the 15th hole and set off the celebration two holes later. Their matched ended in a halve.

At the closing ceremony, the Internationals stood with their arms crossed. The frustration was evident, even among the seven rookies.

The Americans now lead the series 11-1-1, the only International victory coming at Royal Melbourne in 1998.

“I’m disappointed. That’s all I can say,” said Adam Scott, who has played nine straight Presidents Cups without winning. “But I like what’s happening in the future. I can’t wait for another crack at it.”

The Internationals likely will want Els to return as captain. As for Woods?

“We are going to have those conversations in the future, but not right now,” Woods said. “We are going to enjoy this one.”

MELBOURNE, Australia – The end for the Internationals came about halfway through a mostly cloudy Sunday afternoon at Royal Melbourne. They kept it close, but ultimately the result was the same: another loss for the International side against the United States at the Presidents Cup – the eighth in a row and 11th in 13 tries at the biennial exhibition.

“We were right there at the end. I thought we could do it again, just a couple of matches didn’t work our way,” International team captain Ernie Els said after the Americans completed a 16-14 win.

The Internationals led 10-8 going into Sunday’s 12 singles matches, and now have the distinction of being the only team to lead going into the final day and lose. Matt Kuchar’s 5-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole guaranteed at least a half-point with Louis Oosthuizen and gave the U.S. the required 15 1/2 points to clinch the trophy it first won in 1994.

The only time the Internationals have won was at Royal Melbourne in 1998, although the teams tied in South Africa in 2003 and shared the trophy.

There were only two International victories on Sunday – 21-year-old Sungjae Im’s 4-and-3 win over Gary Woodland and Cameron Smith’s 2-and-1 victory over Justin Thomas.

Their other two points came from halves: Hideki Matsuyama against Tony Finau, with Finau coming back from 4 down after 10 holes; Adam Hadwin against Bryson Dechambeau; Marc Leishman’s tie with Rickie Fowler; and Oosthuizen’s all-square with Kuchar.

The Internationals hadn’t lost a singles session since 2009, but were defeated 8-4 on Sunday.

Hadwin missed a 15-foot putt for birdie on the 18th at a pivotal time. He was the fifth group off and after the Americans led many of their matches early, including during captain Tiger Woods’ eventual 3-and-2 win over Abraham Ancer, the first match of the day.

Hadwin had never led in the match, and his miss was deflating for both him and the team.

“It’s a little disappointing,” the Canadian said. “That’s kind of what you work for, right, to have a putt on 18, to do that.”

Els said some late victories by the Americans in the second session on Friday made the difference. The Internationals still won the fourballs that day, 2 1/2 to 1 1/2, but for a while it seemed possible the Internationals would sweep the session and take a 9-1 lead after two days. Instead, the score after was 6 1/2 to 3 1/2.

“I think it was two, 2 1/2 points that didn’t go our way in that second session, and that was the difference,” Els said.

Asked what captaining the Internationals, who had seven rookies on the team, meant to him, Els replied: “You’re going to make me cry now.”

“We have spent the whole year together,” Els said. “It was a just a collective effort of these great people. We had a lot of young players in the team, a lot of first-timers, nine regions around the world represented. It’s our diversity that got us together, and I’m really proud of them.”

The South African wouldn’t rule out returning as International captain for the 2021 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“We’ll have to discuss this. … I love these guys,” Els said. “We’ll see, we’ll talk about it.”

In 2015, the Internationals lost 15 1/2 to 14 1/2 in South Korea, but the Americans dominated at Liberty National in New Jersey in 2017, winning 19-11 despite losing the singles to the Internationals 7 1/2 to 4 1/2.

“We feel we came a long way this week,” Els said. “We’ve never done well in the team events, and we got 10 points from them. We’re not quite there, but we’re getting there. Nobody died out there, and it was a sport, and we gave it our all. So, so be it.”

MELBOURNE, Australia – The caddie for Patrick Reed will not be on the bag for the final session of the Presidents Cup after shoving a spectator who he felt was encroaching too close to Reed while cursing him.

The tour announced the decision after Saturday’s dual session, which ended with the International team holding a 10-8 lead. Reed said in a statement he respected the decision and that everyone was focused on winning.

Kessler Karain, the brother-in-law of Reed, says he heard heckling for three days at Royal Melbourne, some had taken it too far and he’d had enough.

Reed was a singular target of the American team this year because of a rules violation last week in the Bahamas. He twice removed a clump of sand from behind his ball in a waste area at the Hero World Challenge. When he was shown the incident on video, Reed accepted the two-shot penalty.

Reed failed to make a birdie in fourballs Saturday morning as he and Webb Simpson lost for the third straight time.

“Riding on the cart, guy was about 3 feet from Patrick and said, `You (expletive) suck.’ I got off the cart and shoved him, said a couple things, probably a few expletives,” Karrain said in a statement to “Fore Play,” a podcast operated by Barstool Sports.

Karrain said security arrived and he left in the cart.

“I don’t think there’s one caddie I know that could blame me,” Karrain said. “Unless his bones break like Mr. Glass, the most harm done was a little spilled beer, which I’m more than happy to reimburse him for.”

Among the possibilities to replace him as Reed’s caddie is Kevin Kirk, his swing coach.

U.S. captain Tiger Woods said the situation involving Reed, one of his four picks, was not a distraction.

“We came here as a team. We rallied around our teammate and we’re excited about tomorrow,” Woods said.

He placed Reed in the No. 3 spot in the lineup, after Els had gone first and put C.T. Pan in that spot. That avoided the chance of Reed facing one of the three Australians on the team.

Fans this week have called the former Masters champion such things as “Patrick Cheat” and poked fun at him, with one fan introducing him as “The Excavator” when he teed off for a practice round Tuesday.

Reed didn’t help his cause Friday when he made a birdie putt, cupped his ear and then pretended to use his putter as a shovel. He enjoys mixing it up with the gallery in these team competitions, but the rules violation in the Bahamas was blatant on the video and sensitive to players who hold the rules in high regard. Reed claimed his club was some 8 inches behind the ball. Video did not indicate that.

Els said he felt bad for the caddie and the fan, and he made a point of saying the gallery was not nearly as bad as what the International team faced two years ago in New Jersey.

“The caddie must have been very hot, obviously fed up with what he heard, probably,” Els said. “I feel for the fan. He came to watch golf, and that’s probably the last thing he thought was going to happen. So I feel for both of them.”

Reed created the wrong kind of memories at the Ryder Cup last year when he did an interview with The New York Times right after the U.S. loss, criticizing Jim Furyk for sitting him out two matches and Jordan Spieth ending their partnership.

MELBOURNE, Australia – The final round of the Presidents Cup began with words from the captains, not singles matches.

The International team took its first lead into Sunday singles since 2003, all because of two foursomes matches in which the players never led at any point until scratching out a half-point.

That gave the Internationals a 10-8 lead and needing six points from 12 singles matches to win the Presidents Cup for only the second time in the event’s 25-year history, and not since Royal Melbourne in 1998.

“For us to scratch and scramble for one point, the guys were very excited about that,” International captain Ernie Els said.

Marc Leishman and rookie Abraham Ancer were 5 down with eight holes to play. The rookie duo of Joaquin Niemann and Byeong Hun An were 2 down with five to play. Both rallied to halve their matches.

U.S. captain Tiger Woods – and that’s all he was on Saturday, a captain – saw it differently.

Woods looked back to Friday, when the International team won two matches for a 6-1 lead, and was ahead briefly in the other three foursomes matches. The Americans won two matches and halved another to limited the damage.

“At one point, it looked like we were going to be down 1-9,” Woods said. “And for the International team only to get one point from that point on, for us to fight back and get eight points was a huge, huge win for us today.”

Els couldn’t stifle a laugh when he heard that. His team was ahead on Friday, but it never had more than a five-point lead at the conclusion of any match.

“You’re the absolute optimist, aren’t you?” Els said to Woods without looking his way. “My God.”

That’s what both were filled with – optimism – after a long day filled with big wins, a stunning comeback that left Justin Thomas seething, and more drama involving Patrick Reed at Royal Melbourne.

Els has a record-tying seven rookies on his team from a record nine countries, and he has given them purpose with a new logo and a strong dose of analytics to find the right combinations. So far, it has worked.

Woods is the first playing captain in 25 years, and he was questioned for taking himself out of both sessions, even though he has performed as well as anyone at Royal Melbourne. He said he had faith in his players, and they delivered their first winning session Saturday afternoon in foursomes, nearly sweeping it until the great comebacks by Leishman and Ancer, An and Niemann.

Woods put himself in the leadoff position for singles. Els anticipated that’s where he would play so that Woods could quickly return to captain duties when his match was over. He sent out Ancer, the International star in these matches so far, unbeaten in all four matches.

Woods has lost only once to an International player in singles away from home – Mike Weir in Canada in 2007, when the Americans were well on their way to winning again.

Captains alternate turns filling out the lineup, and Woods offered up Reed in the third match to face C.T. Pan of Taiwan, who has wielded a hot putter this week. Along with getting Reed out early, placing him against Pan kept Reed from facing one of three Australians on the International team.

It’s already been a rough week for Reed because of his rules violation last week in the Bahamas, when he brushed back sand behind his ball – twice – playing from a waste area. He was penalized two shots.

The gallery has taunted him all week – Reed usually embraces that – by calling him “Patrick Cheat” or introducing him as “The Excavator.” But it was too much for his caddie, brother-in-law Kessler Karain. He confirmed in a statement to Barstool Sports podcast “Fore Play” that he shoved the spectator because he got too close as he cursed Reed.

Karain cannot caddie on Sunday, and Reed said he supports the PGA Tour’s decision.

“We all are focused on winning the Presidents Cup,” Reed said in a statement. He has declined interviews since Friday and is 0-3 in his matches this week with Webb Simpson.

Singles has long been considered a strength of the Americans, but they have not won the singles session since 2009. They haven’t really needed to because of their dominance in the Presidents Cup.

Now they do.

Leishman and Ancer showed plenty of grit. Ancer made a 20-foot birdie putt to halve the 15th hole and extend the match. Leishman made an 18-footer on the next hole, and Rickie Fowler missed a 6-footer that would have won the match. Thomas missed a 10-footer after Fowler’s long putt raced by the hole, and then Thomas hit a tee shot under a tree on the 18th that left Fowler having to squat just to punch out. Leishman stiffed his approach, and the birdie putt – and halve – eventually was conceded.

“It’s unacceptable for us to get a half a point,” Thomas said. “They made a couple long putts there on 15 and 16 to keep it going. We had our chances, and I mean, flat honest, just didn’t execute. … Our team is playing well today, and we’ve got to put it behind us and go get a point tomorrow.”

After three days of team matches, that’s all that matters now.

CALGARY, ALTA. – There is no golf championship in Canada with a richer history than the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. First played in 1895, Canada’s oldest championship embarks on its 125th anniversary with the best amateur golfers in the world heading to The Glencoe Golf & Country Club in Calgary, Alta., from Aug. 3-6, 2020.

The 2020 event marks the first time the championship will host the 264-player field on the same property (Forest & Meadows courses) since the field expanded in 2010. The inaugural Canadian Men’s Amateur was held in 1895 and has been conducted every year since (excluding times of war between 1915-1918 and 1940-1945).

Among the notable champions are Canadian Golf Hall of Fame honoured members Moe Norman (Kitchener, Ont.), Nick Weslock (Winnipeg, Man.), Gary Cowan (Kitchener, Ont.) and Doug Roxburgh (Vancouver, B.C.). PGA TOUR champions Nick Taylor (Winnipeg, Man.) and Mackenzie Hughes (Dundas, Ont.) have also hoisted the coveted Earl Grey Cup.

“Golf Canada is fortunate to have a world-class facility step up to make history as host of the 125th anniversary of the Canadian Men’s Amateur,” said tournament director, Adam Helmer. “The Glencoe Golf and Country Club is poised to raise the bar next year and we are grateful to have their commitment, along with Tourism Calgary, to host the world’s best amateurs in Calgary together at one facility.”

Ash Chadha, general manager of The Glencoe Golf & Country Club states “Our Board of Directors, members and staff are truly excited about hosting our first Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. Both courses will undoubtedly provide a terrific test for the best amateur golfers.”

Located just outside Calgary, The Glencoe Golf & Country Club represents the highest total of Golf Canada members at any one facility, offering 45 holes to over 1,700 golfers. Tourism Calgary played an essential role in the bid process of securing the event in Calgary for 2020.

“Tourism Calgary is thrilled to welcome one of the longest-running golf tournaments in the world to our city once again,” says Carson Ackroyd, senior vice president of sales, Tourism Calgary. “Hosting the Canadian Men’s Amateur enhances Calgary’s vibrancy and contributes to our economy while sharing our story as a golf destination and ultimate host city.”

The tournament champion will receive an exemption into the 2020 U.S. Men’s Amateur and potentially a spot into the 2021 RBC Canadian Open.

Since 1984, The Glencoe Golf & Country Club has welcomed all generations of golfers to enjoy the world-class practice facility, varied golf terrain and unique amenities. The Forest course is consistently ranked in the top 100 best courses in Canada by SCOREGolf. The Meadows course has an interesting and more elevated terrain that will challenge beginners and experienced players alike.

MELBOURNE, Australia – The fist pumps, the screaming and shouting, it all belonged to the Americans in the final hour of the Presidents Cup.

They just didn’t have the lead.

That’s the beauty of these team events in golf. Momentum can change with one putt that leads to one point. Patrick Cantlay and Justin Thomas provided those moments Friday in foursomes at Royal Melbourne, and the U.S. team walked off the course believing the Presidents Cup was about to turn in their favour.

Marc Leishman wasn’t buying it.

“What are we, 6 1/2-3 1/2 up? It’s very early,” Leishman said. “They made a couple good putts on 18, definitely give them that, but I don’t think you get momentum with two putts. We played pretty well the first two sessions. Yes, today probably didn’t finish off the way we wanted to, but we still halved the session.

“They made a couple putts at an important time, but if they feel that, that’s great,” he said. “We probably don’t feel that way, so, yeah.”

The Americans had a right to celebrate, for no other reason than it could have been worse.

A lot worse.

“We dug ourselves out of what could have been a big hole,” Thomas said.

Louis Oosthuizen and Adam Scott won big, rallying from 2 down to 3 up in a span of seven holes over Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar. Leishman and Abraham Ancer had control the entire way against Webb Simpson and Patrick Reed, who heard it from the gallery over his rules violation last week in the Bahamas. One fan called out to him, “Patrick Cheat.”

Just like that, it was 6-1.

The board was filled with black-and-gold, and captain Ernie Els had reason to think it could have been a clean sweep.

And then it changed.

Cantlay was so excited with his 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th to win the match that he pumped his fist. That’s a lot of emotion for Cantlay, and it was meaningful to flip the match with Xander Schauffele and beat Adam Hadwin and Joaquin Niemann.

Thomas is more excitable, and this started on the bus ride to Royal Melbourne. Thomas loves looking at video, and one of his favourites was Hall of Fame receiver Terrell Owens screaming about his greatness. If the moment presented him, Thomas was ready to go all T.O.

That moment came on the 18th, when he and playing captain Tiger Woods were caught in a battle with Hideki Matsuyama and Byeong Hun An, who won three straight holes in the middle of the match and were tied going to the final hole.

Woods hit a great approach to 18 feet beyond the hole. Thomas made the putt.

Both dropped their putters and Thomas screamed, “I love me some ME!” as Woods rushed toward him with arms outstretched for a fierce hug.

“I showed it to the guys this morning,” Thomas said of the video. “It’s a really funny video. I said, ‘If I make a big putt today, I’m yelling it.’ Today, that was a pretty big putt, so I thought it was the appropriate time to yell it.”

Gary Woodland and Rickie Fowler delivered a halve that felt like a win, going from 2 down with three holes to play with two straight birdies to end with the only draw of the week.

On paper, the International team has a three-point lead, its largest going into the weekend of the Presidents Cup since 1998 at Royal Melbourne, the only time they won. It also had a three-point lead going into Sunday singles in South Africa in 2003, the famous tie.

Emotionally, the Americans felt they had all the momentum.

“Making those putts on 18 were so big for the momentum shift,” Cantlay said. “I felt like all day out there, it was another beating and we were getting beat up. I looked up on the board and we were down in almost all the matches, all day. We’re going to go to bed tonight feeling great and we’re going to have the momentum going into tomorrow. We are still down, but there are a lot of points up on the board for tomorrow.

“I really thought this afternoon was huge, and I think it’s going to be a big paradigm shift going forward.”

Els and his International team were able to see a bigger picture. It had a three-point lead, and even with the late American rally, the foursomes sessions was a draw. The Americans had a 30-point advantage in the alternate-shot format in Presidents Cup history.

“It’s perspective, isn’t it?” Els said. “I’ve got to look at where we are. It’s easy to just look at where we could have been, because it was looking really unbelievable. We tie this afternoon. We’re in a very good position.”

Next up was a double session Saturday – four matches of each format in the morning and afternoon.

Woods sat himself out for Saturday morning for the first time this week, sending Thomas out with Fowler. Only after Saturday will anyone have a clear idea of who has the momentum and the advantage for the final day.

It can change at any minute.