Brooke Henderson chasing more titles during busy period
DUNROBIN, Ont. – While Brooke Henderson is enjoying some time off at home, she’s ready for a busy stretch.
The Canadian golf star, who put on a clinic for youngsters at the Kevin Haime Kids to the Course Classic at Eagle Creek Golf Club on Wednesday, will play six weeks in a row starting next week. After another week off, the 21-year-old native of Smiths Falls, Ont., will play four more tournaments in a row.
Henderson also will be in Aurora, Ont., on July 2 for an appearance leading into this year’s CP Women’s Open in August, where she is the defending champion.
Although Henderson has a win this year – her eighth LPGA Tour victory at the Lotte Championship in Hawaii tied her for the all-time wins record by a Canadian – she has missed two cuts, which she admitted was “unlike” her. Earlier this year, Henderson had to drop out of two events due to illness.
Still, she said she’s been pleased with her year.
“Winning is fun,” she said. “It’s fun for me to have these goals, and they’re realistic goals. This is a big stretch and if I can get my game going, I can put myself into contention.”
Henderson and her older sister/caddie Brittany don’t return home too often these days – although their family still lives in Smiths Falls, the siblings spend more time at a home in Naples, Fla. But even when Brooke’s not in the region, her presence is felt.
Haime runs a driving range in Ottawa’s west end and has a junior golf initiative that has given many youngsters free memberships for the past 12 years. He said Henderson’s impact on junior golf in Canada is “immeasurable.”
“Kids just idolize her. It’s not just girls. It’s boys. It’s teenagers,” he said. “Everyone thinks Brooke is awesome.”
During the clinic, Henderson told stories from her time on the LPGA Tour and gave some advice to young golfers.
For her own career, Henderson said she’ll be trying to improve her short game over the next few weeks.
While her scoring average ranks fourth on the LPGA Tour, her putting has held her back this year. She’ll be switching putters for next week’s Pure Silk Championship.
Henderson said she enjoys the River Course at Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Va., where she finished fourth in 2018.
“(The course) is lush and tree-lined which I love. I’ve played OK there before, but I feel potentially I could play really well there,” she said. “I always look forward to that week.”
Henderson said she’s also excited to play in the U.S. Women’s Open, the next LPGA major, May 30-June 2 in Charleston, S.C. She competed at the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 2013 at the Country Club of Charleston, the host club for this year’s event, and said that should give her a boost.
Henderson, who withdrew after the first round of last year’s U.S. Women’s Open due to the death of her grandfather, said the tournament is special.
“You get there and the atmosphere is just so different,” she said. “The U.S. Women’s Open is a big one that hopefully I can get before my career is over.”
Henderson also has enjoyed watching some golf recently. She said seeing fellow Canadian Corey Conners win his first PGA Tour title in April was “unreal.”
The victory, Henderson said, inspired her to practise a little more and boosted her energy on the course.
“It’s hard work for sure, but it’s also my dream to be out here,” said Henderson. “When I have a chance to win, it potentially makes it even better ? it brings a smile to my face because as a little girl that’s what I dreamt of, and now I’m living that dream.”
Rules of Golf: Ball moved during search
If you accidentally move your ball while searching for it, there is no penalty.
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Rules of Golf: Use reasonable judgement
There are many times when the Rules require a player to estimate or measure a spot, point, line, area or other location.
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Canada’s Richard Jung wins Beijing Championship
BEIJING—Richard Jung kept the Beijing Championship in Canada. A year after Peter Campbell won the event in China’s capital city, Jung, a former Team Canada member, pulled away in wet, rainy conditions, shooting 4-under 68—good for a two-shot victory over American Ryann Ree. The win is Jung’s second career PGA TOUR Series-China title.
Jung, 26, entered the day tied for the lead with American Max McGreevy. He took the lead for good when he birdied No. 4 and never let up, picking up four more birdies and one bogey to finish with a 19-under total of 272 at Topwin Golf and Country Club.
McGreevy earned his third top-five in four Tour events after carding a 71 to finish third at 16-under along with Chinese Taipei’s Chiehpo Lee (66).
The former Canadian Boys Golf Championship winner (2010) was steady all day, starting with three straight pars before finding his rhythm. In addition to his birdie at the fourth, he picked up birdies on holes 6, 10, 12 and a birdie on 15, a hole where he initially thought he had lost his ball.
“Hole 15 was crucial. I hit it way left, and if I hadn’t found that ball it would have been a different story,” said the Korean-born Jung. “I was just under a tree and somehow made birdie. I had 30 yards to the pin and was able to hit a really good shot and roll the putt in.”
In just his second Tour event of the season, Jung was thrilled with the way he handled himself to hold onto the lead and earn his first Tour title since winning the Suzhou Open in June of 2018.
“I tried to not think about what the other players were doing. If they play great, it’s not my day. But I really didn’t want to make mistakes and give away the W,” said Jung. “So I’m just really happy with how I played, especially down the stretch. I had some clutch putts and was able to roll the rock, which was great”
Now Jung is excited to have a chance to improve on a solid 2018 where he missed out by one spot on a trip to Final Stage of the Web.com Tour Qualifying Tournament when he finished 11th on the Order of Merit.
“I feel amazing, 19-under par on any golf course is always a great score so I’m just really happy with that,” said Jung. “Now I don’t have to think about finishing top 10 [on the Order of Merit] as much, so hopefully I can just keep doing what I’m doing now and just play some good golf.”
Ree, who finished 26th on the 2018 Order of Merit, was disappointed not to get the win but the San Diego State University graduate is already optimistic and looking forward to the upcoming events.
“I didn’t play as well today as the last three days, but in the end I’m pretty happy with how I finished. I birdied three in a row coming in so can’t be too disappointed,” said Ree, who like Jung, also has Korean parents. “There are a few more events before we take a break, so hopefully I can get the job done soon.”
The Beijing Championship was the first event of a three-week swing. The next two tournaments are the Qinhuangdao (May 13-19) and Nantong Championships (May 20-26). Following two weeks off, the Tour will resume with the Suzhou Open (June 10-16) and Huangshan Championship (June 17-23).
Colonello Foundation pledges $3 million to junior golf in Manitoba
WINNIPEG – Golf Manitoba is proud to announce that the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation has donated $60,000 to Golf Manitoba to support junior golf programming and the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame. Working cooperatively with the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation, Golf Manitoba will apply the donation to benefit grassroots and high-performance junior golf programs, the University of Manitoba Bison Golf female and male programs and the annual induction ceremony conducted by the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame and Museum.
In 2018, the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation was established with a mandate to support junior golf in the province of Manitoba. The Foundation will eventually commit a total of $3 million dollars to an endowment that will aid in supporting the development of new generations of golfers through grassroots golf initiatives and high-performance programming.
“We are extremely excited about the impact the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation will have in supporting and growing the sport of golf in the province,” said Vince Mariani, President of Golf Manitoba. “As far as we know, this type of personal commitment to golf, and amateur sport for that matter, is unprecedented in Manitoba.”
“For 2019, the donation will have an immediate impact on our regional Golf in Schools program, a key grassroots program that delivers basic golf skills instruction through the school system,” said Jared Ladobruk, Executive Director of Golf Manitoba. “More funding means we can expand our capacity and visit more schools thereby introducing more young people to golf. The increased funding gives us the ability to train and certify early years educators who will then be able to deliver basic golf skills instruction as part of physical education programing. By training and certifying educators, we expand our Golf in Schools capacity and can now introduce more young girls and boys to the sport of golf with physical literacy in mind. Linking golf to physical literacy I believe is an opportunistic area for the future of the sport and hopefully this serves to grow the game even further.”
“Another key area of golf benefiting from the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation donation is Golf Manitoba’s interprovincial junior golf teams,” added Ladobruk. “This new funding will offset the costs of travel and equipment for the girls and boys who have earned the right to represent Manitoba in national competitions conducted by Golf Canada. This generous funding will reduce the financial barriers that come with participation in national competitions and will mean that Golf Manitoba’s best young golfers will not be denied the opportunity to compete against the nation’s best due to financial constraints.”
The University of Manitoba Bison Golf Program will also benefit from the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation donation. Funding will be allocated to support both the men’s and women’s programs. The Bison Golf Program is celebrating its 20th year in 2019 and the program is entirely self-funded through sponsorships and donations.
Golf Manitoba will now also fund external junior golf charitable programs through the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation donation. Existing junior golf programs will be able to apply for funding which will be evaluated by Golf Manitoba to determine eligibility with further announcements to follow.
Additionally, proceeds from the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation donation will provide support to the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame which recognizes and celebrates those who have made extraordinary contributions in the Manitoba golf community as well as nationally and internationally. A goal of the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame is to make known the achievements of its Honoured Members and Teams to serve as inspiration to future generations which is consistent with the goals of the Alex and Peggy Colonello Foundation to support junior golf. The 2019 induction ceremony is scheduled to take place in late September.
The donation from the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation was facilitated through the Golf Canada Foundation and its partnership with Golf Manitoba. The Golf Canada Foundation is a Registered Canadian Athletic Amateur Association (RCAAA), and as such is recognized by the Canadian Revenue Agency as a qualified donee. Gifts received by the Golf Canada Foundation qualify for an official donation receipt.
Peggy Colonello
Served as president of the Manitoba Ladies’ Golf Association in 1974 – 76 and was an active participant at her home course, the Elmhurst Golf & Country Club, where she and husband Alex had been members since the 1940s.
Peggy also served a two-year term as president of the Canadian Ladies’ Golf Association from 1982-83. During her time on the national executive, Peggy attended World and Commonwealth championships in Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Columbia, Britain and Switzerland, including the various Canadian events in which she participated. Peggy was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 1994 and was an inaugural inductee into the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame on September 29, 2003.
Alex Colonello
First moved to Winnipeg in 1941 where, in 1949, Bay Bronze Company asked him to start a machinery division for them. Alex eventually bought control of the company in 1973 becoming President until his retirement in 1996. In 1998, Alex purchased the golf accessory line from Bayco Industries to form Bayco Golf Inc. Alex Colonello passed away in 2013 at the age of 93.
Ball in motion accidentally deflected
There will be no penalty, unless the ball in motion hits another ball at rest and both ball were lying on the putting green.
The ball will most often be played as it lies, except if the ball comes to rest on any person, animal or moving outside influence; or if the ball was played from the putting green and hits any one of those objects.
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Quick look at the host of the 2019 RBC Canadian Open
Canadian golf journalist Adam Stanley takes us through a quick overview of Hamilton Golf & Country Club, site of the 2019 RBC Canadian Open from June 3-9.
Replacing damaged golf clubs
During a round, you are limited to no more than 14 clubs and generally must not replace damaged or lost clubs.
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World No. 4 Rory McIlroy ready to take on RBC Canadian Open
ANCASTER, Ont. – Rory McIlroy has only been to Canada once, but he’s looking forward to possibly writing his name in the history books when he plays in the RBC Canadian Open this summer.
McIlroy’s one visit to Canada was a brief stop that featured a round at The National Golf Club in Woodbridge, Ont., with friend and former One Direction member Niall Horan in 2015.
“All of these national opens that you can play in are important,” said McIlroy on Monday, calling in to a media conference at Hamilton Golf and Country Club. “I think the older a tournament is the more prestigious it is.
“To hear that the Canadian Open is 115 years old, one of the oldest events not just on tour but in the world, that makes it pretty prestigious.”
The fourth-ranked golfer in the world also got his eye on adding another trophy to his case.
“I’ve won a couple of national opens that I’m pretty proud of,” said the Northern Irishmen. “The Irish Open, the Australian Open, the U.S., it would be nice to add the Canadian to that list also.”
Although he’ll be focused on winning the only PGA Tour event in Canada, McIlroy does hope to take in some of the local sights.
“I hear the Canadian side of Niagara Falls is better than the U.S. side, so I might have to take a trip over there,” said McIlroy, to laughter. “Apart from that, it’ll be a work week. It’ll be a work I’m practising and playing hard and trying to win the tournament.”
World No. 4 @McIlroyRory dialed into Media Day to share his thoughts on the #RBCCO and playing Hamilton Golf & Country Club ⛳️? pic.twitter.com/B2haN52b48
— RBC Canadian Open (@RBCCanadianOpen) May 7, 2019
It won’t be an easy tournament to win, with arguably the deepest field in the tournament’s storied history.
World No. 3 Brooks Koepka and two-time Masters winner Bubba Watson were officially added to the RBC Canadian Open’s lineup on Monday, joining McIlroy and world No. 1 Dustin Johnson.
“Winning a national open, one that is part of my family now, would be a big deal,” said Watson, whose wife Angie is from outside of Toronto. “We’ve got two flags up at our house, so it’s a big deal. It would be a great honour.”
PGA Tour players Matt Kuchar, Webb Simpson, Ryan Palmer, Jim Furyk and Brandt Snedeker have also confirmed they’ll be playing at Hamilton Golf and Country June 3-9.
Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., and Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., who won the Valero Texas Open on April 7, are two Canadians who are officially in the field.
Golf Canada, RBC and the PGA Tour have made a concerted effort in the past 18 months to raise the prestige of the Canadian Open by increasing the purse and changing the date of the tournament to the first week of June.
Historically, the Canadian Open was held in September, but starting in 2007 it was played in late July, the prime golf season. Unfortunately, it was also the week after the British Open, causing many of the PGA Tour’s top players to miss the tournament as they recovered from the challenging major.
This year’s event is in early June, the week before the U.S. Open, essentially turning it into a tune-up event for some of the biggest names in golf.
McIlroy acknowledged on Monday that the date change is partly what drew him to the Canadian Open.
“June was looking like it was going to be sort of quiet for me, so I wanted to play a bit,” said McIlroy. “One of my goals this year was to play more and to be more competitive and that’s really what it’s down to.
“Part of the reason I wanted to play was that I wanted to play my way into the U.S. Open the following week.”
Pushing the pace of play
The Rules encourage prompt pace of play by all players as it has a huge impact on your group and everyone on the course.
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