Mississauga, Ont. – The 2024 Junior Skills Challenge National Event will take place on Saturday, October 5 at Credit Valley Golf & Country Club in Mississauga, Ont.

A total of 31 golfers from four age groups will compete in the 15^th edition of the Junior Skills Challenge National Event, which brings together the top-scoring juniors from coast-to-coast.

The participating junior golfers will compete in a three-part skills challenge (putting, chipping and driving) with one overall winner per age group and gender.

Golf Canada, in partnership with COBRA and PUMA Golf, along with the PGA of Canada will host the 2024 Junior Skills Challenge National Event. The event is the culmination of more than 1,600 Junior Skills Challenge participants who competed at 92 qualifying events held across Canada. The field is comprised of 31 golfers from across Canada, all selected from the top of the Junior Skills Challenge National Leaderboard. 

Format

Driving: Each competitor receives three drives. Points are awarded and dependent on distance and aim of the drive. The drive must come to rest within the 30-yard width to qualify for points. The number of points is dependent on the distances completed.

Chipping: Each competitor receives three shots. Points are awarded and dependent on the distance of the chip from the target.

Putting: Each competitor receives one putt each from each distance of 5, 10 and 20 feet. Points are awarded for holing the putt and for proximity to the hole.

The winners of the Junior Skills Challenge National Event will receive prizing courtesy of program partner, COBRA PUMA Golf. On Sunday, October 6, Junior Skills Challenge National Event participants will also have the opportunity to play Lionhead Golf Club in Brampton, Ontario in an exciting match play format, outfitted by program sponsor COBRA PUMA Golf.

For more information on the Junior Skills Challenge National Event, click here.

Participants

Girls 7 to 9

Girls 10 to 11

Girls 12 to 13

Girls 14 to 15

Boys 7 to 9

Boys 10 to 11

Boys 12 to 13

Boys 14 to 15

Mackenzie Hughes might just be what the International team needs as this year’s Presidents Cup.

Hughes, from Dundas, Ont., is one of three Canadians on the squad competing in the match-play event at Royal Montreal Golf Club next week. 

His putting skills, cool demeanour under pressure, pre-existing connections with teammates and clubhouse leadership could help the team — made up of non-American players outside Europe — end a nine-tournament losing skid to the United States at the biennial event.

“I’ve had this one circled on the calendar for a few years now,” said Hughes on joining fellow Canadians Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners as captain’s picks on the 12-player International team. “I pretty much knew that when it was announced the tournament would be in Canada and that Mike Weir was going to be the captain, you pretty much knew where that was going to go.

“To get that call from (Weir) is really special because he’s the guy that I looked up to, we all looked up to, as Canadian golfers.”

Pendrith and Conners are returning to the team after a disappointing 17 1/2 to 12 1/2 loss to the United States at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C. in 2022.

Hughes was ranked 14th on the International team standings in 2022 and could have easily been included on that squad after Australia’s Cameron Smith and Chile’s Joaquin Niemann were ruled ineligible after jumping ship to the rival LIV Golf circuit.

However, captain Trevor Immelman of South Africa instead chose the lower ranked Christiaan Bezuidenhout (16th) of South Africa, Pendrith (18th), South Korea’s Kim Si-woo (20th) and Australia’s Cameron Davis (25th).

“I certainly wanted to be on that team but also I understood the picks,” said Hughes, who lives in Charlotte and plays at Quail Hollow regularly. “I think that like a lot of guys that don’t get picked you more so look back on your own play and I wish I had made that selection easier for them.

“I didn’t do myself any favours in the six weeks leading up to it and that’s a hard pill to swallow.”

It may have been a costly oversight on Immelman’s part, as finishing holes was an issue for the International team in 2022 and Hughes is one of the best putters on the PGA Tour. This season he’s third in shots gained around the green and fifth in shots gained from putting.

“It doesn’t mean that just because I was there it would have turned the tide, but I’d like to think maybe I could have helped,” said Hughes. “That’s why you play the matches. You have to get out there and do it.”

This year Hughes made it easier for Weir, the Canadian golf legend from Brights Grove, Ont., to choose him. Hughes is 51st in the FedEx Cup Fall standings and has made the cut seven tournaments in a row, including a tie for fourth at last week’s Procore Championship.

“Mac played very solidly all year. Really like his short game, an all-around short game,” said Weir on Sept. 3 after announcing his captain’s picks. “He’s one of the elite and best short game guys on the PGA Tour 

“I also love Mac’s grit. So that was the reason I picked him.”

Hughes’s intangible qualities go beyond grit. 

He, Pendrith and Conners will arrive at Royal Montreal as a unit within the International squad, having become close friends while playing on Kent State University’s men’s golf team before turning pro. They’re also part of a group of Canadians, including Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., that regularly practice together before PGA Tour events.

“To have those guys with me is really icing on the cake, it’s very special,” said Hughes. “Opportunities like this don’t come around very often: to play this kind of team competition, which is already hard to do, but to play with some of your best friends, it almost seems scripted.”

An 11-year professional, Hughes has also been a member of the PGA Tour’s player advisory council the past two years and has been an outspoken advocate for making professional golf more accessible to fans.

Although Weir relied heavily on analytics to make his captain’s selections, Hughes’s character came up again and again when asked why he was named to the team.

“I just have a gut feeling with Mac that he has what it takes in these big moments,” said Weir. “They’re big pressure moments, and I have a feeling he’s going to do great in those moments.”

DP WORLD TOUR — Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., continues his chase for a spot in the Europe-based DP World Tour’s playoffs. The top 50 players on the Race to Dubai standings make the DP World Tour Championship and Cockerill moved eight spots up to 39th in the rankings after tying for ninth at last week’s Irish Open. He’ll be back at it on Thursday at the BMW PGA Championship at the Wentworth Club in Surrey, England.

KORN FERRY TOUR — Myles Creighton of Digby, N.S., is ranked 38th on the second-tier Korn Ferry Tour’s points list. He leads the Canadian contingent into this week’s Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship. He’ll be joined at Ohio State University Golf Club — Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio by Edmonton’s Wil Bateman (53rd), Etienne Papineau (65th) of St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Que., and Sudarshan Yellamaraju (99th) of Mississauga, Ont.

CHAMPIONS TOUR — Calgary’s Stephen Ames is the lone Canadian at this week’s Pure Insurance Championship. He’s No. 2 on the senior circuit’s points list. The event will start Friday and be played at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course in Monterey, Calif.

LPGA TOUR — There are four Canadians in this week’s Kroger City Championship. Savannah Grewal (97th in the Race to CME Globe Rankings) of Mississauga, Ont., Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (115th), and Maude-Aimee Leblanc (142nd) of Sherbrooke, Que., will all tee it up at TPC River’s Bend in Maineville, Ohio.

EPSON TOUR — Vancouver’s Leah John is the low Canadian heading into the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout. She’s 54th in the second-tier tour’s points list. She’ll be joined by Maddie Szeryk (118th) of London, Ont., and Brigitte Thibault (119th) of Rosemere, Que., at Mystic Creek Golf Club in El Dorado, Ark.

The chase for the remaining PGA Tour cards for the 2025 season begins Thursday at the Procore Championship.

Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., is one of the players hunting to stay on the tour in the FedEx Cup Fall mini-season, and he’s using every tool at his disposal to secure one of the 55 remaining full cards or 25 spots with conditional status for next year. That includes relying on analytics to help him better strategize on the course.

“My focus is doing what I can possibly do, controlling what I can do to be the best golfer that I can be,” said Sloan. “I’m looking forward to this fall schedule, some good tournaments.

“There’s a lot of travel involved in the fall schedule, but it’s an exciting time for us. I’m really looking forward to it.”

The FedExCup Fall circuit is eight PGA Tour events that lets players lock up or improve their positions in priority ranking and secure additional playing opportunities for the next year, which begins at The Sentry on Jan. 2.

Only players ranked 51st or higher in the FedEx Cup standings through the playoffs can earn points in the fall months, meaning Taylor Pendrith (14th) of Richmond Hill, Ont., Corey Conners (39th) of Listowel, Ont., and Adam Hadwin (47th) of Abbotsford, B.C., have no need to play. Golfers ranked Nos. 51-70 in the FedEx Cup regular standings also already have their cards for next season, but can earn spots in the first two signature events after The Sentry.

Sloan enters play on Thursday at Silverado Resort’s North Course in Napa, Calif., 173rd in the FedEx Cup Fall standings. The top 125 players at the end of the RSM Classic on Nov. 24 will have full membership next season with Nos. 126-150 retaining conditional status.

“Got some good progress in last year, got it back out here on the PGA Tour,” said Sloan, who played on the second-tier Korn Ferry Tour in 2023. “I think I’m more dialled into making strategy changes, how I play a golf course. 

“Basically using a lot of ShotLink data and using the statistics to improve the strategy. I’ve started to see in the last several months, that some of the numbers underneath the surface are rapidly improving so I’m really encouraged to see that.”

The ShotLink System is a data platform for collecting and disseminating scoring and statistical data on every shot by every PGA Tour player in real-time. In practical terms, it allows golfers like Sloan to better understand the odds of making certain shots in recurring situations.

“It’s not like we’re trying to find, you know, a better swing path or better release or anything mechanical,” said Sloan, who has a member of his team who is “good with numbers” sift through all the data for him. “This is literally just the decision-making of each and every shot from certain points on the golf course. 

“It’s pretty neat to be able to make those adjustments, the improvements in certain statistical categories, without really ever touching the putting stroke or the full swing, or any of the mechanics.”

For Sloan, it’s meant changing his strategy in two areas. 

“One is par-3 strategy and then the second is my strategy into the green beyond 150 yards from the rough,” he said. “Those are two categories that I’ve given a lot of strokes back to the field, and just adjusting those strategies, I’ve seen an incredible improvement in my par-3 scoring average and my strokes gained to the green has improved dramatically. And again, we haven’t touched the golf swing. 

“What it boils down to, for me personally in those two areas, was I’m ultra-aggressive. I’m way too aggressive in those areas where I just need to back off a little bit.”

Conners will be in the field at the Procore Championship, as will Presidents Cup International teammate Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., who is 52nd in the FedEx entering play on Thursday.

Nick Taylor (58th) of Abbotsford, Adam Svensson (75th) of Surrey, B.C., Ben Silverman (107th) of Thornhill, Ont., and Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., will also tee it up.

DP WORLD TOUR — Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., is the lone Canadian in the field at the Amgen Irish Open. He’s 47th in the Race to Dubai Rankings, the points list of the European-based circuit and 279th in the official world golf rankings. He’s still within the provisional cutoff of the tour’s championship Nov. 14-17. This week’s field is tougher than usual, however, as world No. 3 Rory McIlroy and No. 32 Shane Lowry are also playing in their national open at Royal County Down Golf Club in Newcastle, Northern Ireland.

KORN FERRY TOUR — Myles Creighton of Digby, N.S., leads the Canadian contingent into the Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation. He’s 38th on the second-tier tour’s points list. He’ll be joined by Edmonton’s Wil Bateman (48th), Etienne Papineau (63rd) of St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Que., and Sudarshan Yellamaraju (96th) of Mississauga, Ont., at Vanderbilt Legends Club North Course in Franklin, Tenn.

EPSON TOUR — Vancouver’s Leah John rocketed 66 spots up the Race for the Card points list thanks to her third-place finish at last week’s Guardian Championship. That puts her at 54th in the points list heading into the Tuscaloosa Toyota Classic. Maddie Szeryk (117th) of London, Ont., and Brigitte Thibault (118th) of Rosemere, Que., will also play on Friday at Ol’ Colony Golf Course in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Former Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club Partnership Executive to lead
Golf Canada’s integrated Commercial Business

(September 10, 2024) – Golf Canada announced today that sports business leader Mark Palmer has joined the organization as its new Chief Commercial Officer, beginning September 23, 2024. 

Palmer joins Golf Canada from the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club where he spent more than 20 years helping to drive the team’s commercial growth, most recently as Director, Partnership Development.

Palmer will join Golf Canada’s Executive Team as a key contributor in leading and managing all areas of revenue generation for the organization including oversight of partnerships, sponsorship, and all revenue-related functions of the RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open as well Amateur Championships, BDO National Golf League, She Plays Golf, and First Tee – Canada. He will also support the development of innovative business opportunities and additional revenue streams including new events and facilities for Golf Canada’s new headquarters at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley.

“Mark is an accomplished and dynamic revenue driver with a proven track record of transforming corporate partnerships into substantial top-line growth and we are exceptionally pleased to welcome him to Golf Canada to help drive the organization to an elevated level of commercial success,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “Mark is an innovative leader who brings a depth of related industry experience, a network of deep-rooted relationships and a proven track record of sustained top-line revenue growth to help drive the momentum of our talented commercial team.”

Palmer has led initiatives that helped catapult the Blue Jays sponsorship revenue, pushing the team to top five in Major League Baseball’s rankings. He supported the team in monetizing a comprehensive stadium renovation during the previous two years and successfully negotiated numerous sponsorship deals with premium Canadian and international brands. Prior to partnership development, Palmer was successful in driving substantial premium hospitality and group sales ticket revenue, leading a team that rose as high as third in group ticket sales across all MLB teams at the time.

“I am honoured to join Golf Canada as Chief Commercial Officer, working with a talented team passionate about growing the game in Canada,” said Palmer. “Together, we will drive new commercial opportunities, partnerships, and innovations to elevate the sport, while building on Golf Canada’s legacy and ensuring golf continues to thrive in Canada.”

Palmer honed his executive commercial expertise across several team roles during his tenure including Corporate Partnerships, Ticket Sales and Premium Hospitality. Adept at leveraging analytics, market research and creative thinking to exceed business objectives, Palmer also brings expertise in strategic negotiation, innovative program development, and maximizing sponsorship value.

Adding a depth of professional association and volunteer experience, Palmer sits on the Board of Directors for the Sponsorship Marketing Council of Canada (SMCC), Variety – The Children’s Charity of Ontario, and is a current member and former Chair of the Canadian Marketing Association’s (CMA) Sponsorship Council.

Palmer graduated from the University of Windsor with a BA in Communication Studies, before earning a Post-Graduate Diploma in Sports and Event Marketing from George Brown College. He also holds certification in Negotiation, Business Strategy, and DNA of Top Performers through the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies. In 2022 Palmer was granted Charter Marketer Designation by the CMA

An avid and enthusiastic golfer, Palmer resides in Toronto with his partner, Kathryn and their five children.

MONTREAL, Québec, Canada – The Presidents Cup and American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) announced today the final teams for the 2024 Junior Presidents Cup, with the event’s fourth edition set to tee off on Sept. 22 at Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac – Blue Course in Montreal, four days before the 2024 Presidents Cup begins play at nearby The Royal Montreal Golf Club. The 12^th and final Junior Presidents Cup players for the U.S. Team and International Team were finalized as of Sept. 5, with Michael Riebe of Encinitas, California, and China’s Hanjie Yu earning the final spots on the U.S. and International teams, respectively.

The Junior Presidents Cup is a two-day, team match-play competition featuring the top 24 junior boys, 19 years old and younger. The juniors are split into teams of 12, half from the United States and the other half from around the world, excluding Europe. Taking place just days before the start of the biennial Presidents Cup, the Junior Presidents Cup was developed to give the world’s best non-European juniors a unique playing opportunity to compete in an international team match-play competition and showcase the global reach of junior golf.

Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac was founded in 1917 and is considered to be one of the most prestigious clubs in the country, ranking among the Top 100 golf courses in Canada. The Junior Presidents Cup will be played on the Blue Course, which was redesigned in 2013 by 2024 International Presidents Cup Captain Mike Weir and Ian Andrew, who had also worked as the restoration architect of the Green course at Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac for some time prior.

Hanjie Yu is the third player from China to join the 2024 International Team. He is No. 229 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®) and has two wins in international competition this year. He gained entry to the team as the highest-ranked player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®) who was not otherwise qualified as of Sept. 5.

Eight countries are represented on the International Team, with China fielding three players and Vietnam and Thailand each with two representatives. Indonesia, New Zealand, India, Canada and Colombia are also represented. The International Team is led by 2013 Presidents Cup alumni Graham DeLaet as they seek their first victory in the Junior Presidents Cup.

For the United States team, Riebe, a Vanderbilt University verbal commit, has three top-10 AJGA Invitational finishes this season, including a fourth-place finish at the Rolex Tournament of Champions. He also had top-five finishes at the Boy’s Junior PGA Championship and the Western Junior Championship on a national junior golf stage. Riebe makes his first appearance on the United States team as the highest-ranked player on the Rolex AJGA Rankings who was not otherwise qualified as of Sept. 5.

Riebe also competed in the Wyndham Cup in July for the West Team. He will look to bring that match play experience into the Junior Presidents Cup. The U.S. Team is represented by eight different states, including two players from Florida, Texas, North Carolina and California. Additionally, eight players are Rolex Junior All-Americans (Miles Russell, Tyler Watts, Blades Brown, Will Hartman, Ronin Banerjee, Tyler Mawhinney, Jackson Byrd, Michael Riebe).

2017 Presidents Cup participant Charley Hoffman will captain the U.S. Team as they look for their fourth-consecutive victory in the competition after lifting the cup at Plainfield Country Club (2017), The Royal Melbourne Golf Club (2019) and Myers Park Country Club (2022).

The 12-player teams for the 2024 Junior Presidents Cup are listed below:

International Team – Captain Graham DeLaet

United States Team – Captain Charley Hoffman

*Captain’s Pick

Click here for complete Junior Presidents Cup Team Standings.

The 2024 Presidents Cup will be held at The Royal Montreal Golf Club, Sept. 24-29. For more information about the Presidents Cup, or to purchase tickets, please visit PresidentsCup.com. For 2024 Junior Presidents Cup information, visit AJGA.org.

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About the Presidents Cup

The Presidents Cup is a biennial global team competition between the United States and an International team that represents the rest of the world excluding Europe. The competition, which is contested by the PGA TOUR, alternates between venues in the U.S. and overseas. The Presidents Cup will return to The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Québec, Canada, September 24-29, 2024. Since the event’s inception in 1994, more than $56 million has been raised for charity from event proceeds, as well as contributions made on behalf of the Presidents Cup. 1Password, Cognizant and Rolex are the exclusive Global Partners of the Presidents Cup. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or visit PresidentsCup.com for more information.

Golf Canada is deeply saddened by the loss of Past President (1997) and Honorary Life Governor Frederick Alvin (Al) Macatavish, who passed away peacefully on August 29, 2024, at the Selkirk District Health Centre in Selkirk, Man., at the age of 84.

Macatavish had a long history of dedicated service to golf, both in Manitoba and on the national and international stages.

He had been a member of Elmhurst Golf and Country Club since 1964 and served on the club’s Board of Directors from 1967 to 1979, including a term as President from 1976 to 1977.

Provincially, he was Elmhurst’s representative to Golf Manitoba from 1978 to 1979 and served on the Board of Directors from 1980 to 1988, including a term as President in 1985 and Past President from 1986 to 1988. He was the non-playing captain for Manitoba’s 1983 junior men’s team and the 1985 Willingdon Cup team.

Al was a past member of Golf Canada’s Board of Directors  serving the association for many years in various capacities, including the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame Selection Committee and a term as President in 1997. He was appointed an Honorary Life Governor in 2000.

He served as Canada’s delegate to the World Golf Council from 1997 to 2000 and was a rules official at international events on four continents, as well as at numerous events across Canada and in Manitoba.

He was inducted into the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame and Museum on September 25, 2006.

Al will be missed by many, as both he and his wife Cathy made significant contributions to Golf Canada, the former Canadian Ladies Golf Association, Golf Manitoba, Elmhurst Golf and Country Club, and the golfing community at large. Both Al and Cathy were also very supportive of the Golf Canada Foundation and its growth for many years.

Cremation has taken place and a private family service will be held at a later date.

The Ottawa Senators have reached a multi-year partnership with Canadian LPGA star Brooke Henderson, the NHL team announced Wednesday.

As part of the agreement, Henderson’s water bottles and golf towels will feature the Ottawa Senators logo.  

The 26-year-old Henderson is the most decorated Canadian golfer in major professional tour history. 

The Smiths Falls, Ont., native has 13 LPGA tour wins, including major titles at the 2016 Women’s PGA Championship and the 2022 Evian Championship.

“We are so happy to collaborate with Brooke on this partnership,” said Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer. “Brooke’s spirit, values and determination embody what our Ottawa-Gatineau community is all about.”

“I’m super excited to team up and partner with the Senators. It’s such a cool opportunity,” Henderson said. “Growing up, I played hockey, I watched hockey and I always cheered for the Sens, so it feels like a perfect fit. 

“I’m very proud to do it and show everybody who I’m cheering for and where my love is.”

This year’s Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal Golf Club will be the most Canadian version of the international men’s golf event, ever.

Taylor Pendrith, Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes were named to the International Team on Tuesday for the upcoming best-on-best tournament that sees 12 players from around the world — excluding Europe — face 12 golfers from the United States in match-play competition. It’s the first time three Canadians have played in the prestigious international event at the same time.

Canadian golf legend Mike Weir used three of his six captain’s selections on Pendrith, Conners and Hughes. He also picked South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout, South Korea’s Si Woo Kim and Australia’s Min Woo Lee to be on his team.

Weir, who is from Brights Grove, Ont., said it was a nice bonus to have the most-ever Canadians on the International Team when Royal Montreal hosts the Presidents Cup from Sept. 24-29, but the decision was based purely on putting forward the most competitive team possible.

“You have to be fair to the whole international community. I think I was very justified on the three (Canadian) picks,” said Weir after practice with the captain’s picks at Royal Montreal. “I think it just shows the state of Canadian golf that we can pick three for five or six guys that were in the mix.

“You do want the Canadian fans. I think they’re going to be very engaged with all our International players but having some Canadians on there brings a little bit more juice, so to speak, to our team.”

Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, Korea’s Sungjae Im and Byeong Hun An, as well as Australia’s Adam Scott and Jason Day had already been automatically selected as the top six golfers on the International Team rankings following the completion of the BMW Championship on Aug. 25.

Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor, both from Abbotsford, B.C., had been vying to join the team but missed out. Weir said that it was tough to not include them on the team and have four or even five Canadians playing on home soil.

“Both those calls to those guys were extremely difficult,” said Weir. “The way they handled it just showed me a lot about their character, which I already knew, but even made me respect them even more.

“I just told them that they’re going to be on these Cups going forward, and stay engaged with this Presidents Cup team.”

Weir’s International side will face off against Jim Furyk’s U.S. squad in the match-play competition. 

Furyk named his six captain’s picks to the U.S. team shortly after Weir’s announcement. Keegan Bradley, Sam Burns, Tony Finau, Brian Harman, Russell Henley and Max Homa were all added to the squad.

They join world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, No. 2 Xander Schauffele, No. 4 Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay and Sahith Theegala.

Furyk said it was a long process to settle on his lineup after being appointed captain a year ago.

“It seems like the train is moving really slowly to get to this point but it picks up a lot of speed for the next three weeks getting us to Royal Montreal,” he said. “Good to have 12 guys on our team. 

“I know they’re bonding, gelling, talking a lot about the event, and now we’ll put some finishing touches on our pairings and getting these guys ready to go in three weeks.”

The U.S. beat the Internationals 17 1/2 to 12 1/2 at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte in 2022. It was the Americans’ ninth consecutive victory at the event. 

Indeed, the International team has only won the event once in 14 tries, emerging victorious at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in 1998 when captain Peter Thompson led them to a 20 1/2 – 11 1/2 triumph over Jack Nicklaus’s American squad. 

“I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about how many years it’s been, but I think the things we’ve done to increase our chances are a lot of the little things behind the scenes,” said Weir. “It’s no secret that we’ve struggled to form unity with all the cultural differences and things the International Team has had to deal with over the years.

“That’s why we’ve implemented a lot more engagement amongst the players playing practice rounds and us doing some dinners to get the guys together to get more familiar with one another.”

The three Canadians have that familiarity baked in. All three grew up playing against each other in Ontario junior competitions and then attended Kent State University together. 

Their playing styles are complementary as well. 

Pendrith, from Richmond Hill, Ont., has one of the biggest drivers on the PGA Tour. Conners, from Listowel, Ont., is arguably the best ball striker in the world. Hughes, from Dundas, Ont., is renowned for his accuracy with his putter.

___________________________________________

Corey Conners

• Country: Canada
• Age: 32
• PGA TOUR Wins: 2
• Presidents Cup: 1 (2022), 0-4-0

2024 Highlights: Has notched three top-10 finishes in 2024 including a season-best, solo-sixth-place effort at the RBC Canadian Open.

Captain Weir on Conners: “Corey is one of the best ball-strikers on the PGA TOUR and his ability to consistently put himself and his playing partner in a position to attack is invaluable in team competition. He has looked towards the 2024 Presidents Cup for two years now, and I know he’s eager to compete in front of his fellow Canadians.”

Mackenzie Hughes

• Country: Canada
• Age: 33
• PGA TOUR Wins: 2
• Presidents Cup: First appearance

2024 Highlights: Has recorded three top-10 finishes including a season-best T3 at the Valspar Championship. Only missed four cuts in 22 starts, marking a career best.

Captain Weir on Hughes: “Canadian golf fans have followed Mackenzie’s career for nearly two decades and it’s incredible to know he’s going to make his Presidents Cup debut in his home country. He is steady and calm under pressure and is without doubt one of the best putters on the PGA TOUR, which is a great combination for our team.”

Taylor Pendrith

• Country: Canada
• Age: 33
• PGA TOUR Wins: 1
• Presidents Cup: 1 (2022), 0-4-0

2024 Highlights: Picked up the first win of his PGA TOUR career at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson. Recorded five additional top-10 finishes while advancing to the TOUR Championship for the first time.

Captain Weir on Pendrith: “Taylor is in the midst of his best year on the PGA TOUR, and it was great to see him breakthrough for his first win in Dallas and advancing to the TOUR Championship. He has built a reputation as one of the longest hitters in our game, and that length should be advantageous in match play competition at Royal Montreal.”

Weir’s International side will face off against Jim Furyk’s U.S. squad in the match-play competition, Sept. 24-29, at The Royal Montreal Golf Club.

Pendrith and Conners — close friends — also played for the International Team at the 2022 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.

That was the first time two Canadians had played at the elite event.

Ultimately, the Internationals lost 17 1/2 to 12 1/2 to the United States.

The International team has only won once in the event’s history, emerging victorious at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in 1998 when captain Peter Thompson led them to a 20 1/2 – 11 1/2 triumph over Jack Nicklaus’s American squad. 

Leah John knows that the standard answer for on what her goals are as an up-and-coming golfer should be something like “top 15 on the Epson Tour” or “get my LPGA card.” 

But, if she’s being honest, she’d rather just refine her process.

“I am just really focused on getting me and my game the best it can be, and then seeing where that takes it,” John said on Wednesday. “I have always believed that things will work out the way they want to if you put in the work and make a plan and just stick to it.

“I know it’s kind of a lame answer. I know the proper answer is ‘be the best golfer in the world,’ but really it’s to be the best I am right now.”

The 24-year-old from Vancouver turned pro this spring after graduating from the University of Nevada and has seven Epson Tour events under her belt since late April. She’s made the cut three times, including a tie for eighth at the Twin Bridges Championship on July 19.

“I think the thing that I’m still trying to figure out is the difference between playing to win versus playing not to lose, and kind of how you work around that and using pressure to fuel you,” she said.

The top 10 at Twin Bridges in Guilderland, N.Y., is the perfect example. 

John needed a good showing or she’d have to go to the LPGA and Epson Tour’s Qualifying Tournament Stage 1. She started the final round with back-to-back bogeys and briefly got down on herself but, by sticking with her process, she bounced back with four birdies on the final seven holes to earn her first professional top 10.

“You can’t think about it at all but you want it to happen, right?” said John on the difficult balance of staying present while trying to achieve goals. “You have to dial into the process more and more. 

“So learning that, there’s so much your mind kind of can help you get away with. This is the thing my coach (Jennifer Greggain) and I talk about all the time: trusting your mind, trusting your brain, to create what you want, and not getting in its way.”

John will be back in action on Friday at the Four Winds Invitational in South Bend, Ind. She’ll be joined by Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont., and Yeji Kwon of Port Coquitlam, B.C. 

Thibault is 114th on the Race for the Card points list, Szeryk is 117th, John is 120th and Kwon is unranked.

LPGA TOUR — Rookie Savannah Grewal of Mississauga, Ont., leads the Canadian contingent into this week’s FM Championship. She’s 93rd on the Race to CME Globe rankings heading into play at TPC Boston in Norton, Mass. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (113th) and Maude-Aimee Leblanc (141st) of Sherbrooke, Que., are also in the field.

PGA TOUR — Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., is the lone Canadian in the Tour Championship at East Lake golf Club in Atlanta. The final event of the season has the top 30 players on the PGA Tour start with a score based on their rankings. Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler will tee off on Thursday at 10 under, No. 2 Xander Schauffele begins at 8 under, and so on. Pendrith, who starts tied for 21st, will start the tournament at 1 under.

PGA TOUR AMERICAS — Matthew Anderson of Mississauga is second in the Fortinet Cup standings, heading into the second last event of the PGA Tour Americas season. He can gain some ground on John Keefer of the United States at this week’s CRMC Championship in Brainerd, Minn. There are 13 Canadians in the field at Craguns Legacy Course.

To learn more about how to get involved with First Tee – Canada or Youth on Course, visit firstteecanada.ca or golfcanada.ca/youthoncourse.

Golf is now the most-played sport in Canada and will be played by approximately six million Canadians from a variety of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds this year. To sustain the growth of the sport and ensure that golf represents the strengths of Canada’s diversity, junior programs must be accessible and affordable. 

Golf courses operated by cities are open to the public and provide affordable golf opportunities for people of various ages and economic means. Municipally run spaces also serve as community hubs, fostering social interaction and integration among people of all backgrounds. This sense of community encourages participation in golf and attracts individuals and families who may not have considered the sport otherwise.

These facilities are especially welcoming for children, as they provide quality recreation at an affordable cost. Many municipal golf courses, particularly those in major markets, offer a low-cost annual pass for children 18 and under. For example, an annual junior pass to play at all five of the City of Toronto courses costs $378, with financial aid available for qualifying families.

Membership at a municipal golf course provides children with an entire spring, summer and fall’s worth of outdoor activity and in-person social time for a cost that is more affordable than most other sports.

The initial step in Golf Canada’s partnerships with municipalities is to engage children through First Tee – Canada, a youth development program that provides life-enhancing experiences through golf at community centres, schools and golf courses.

Golf Canada has formally partnered with 34 municipalities from coast-to-coast, including major metropolitans like the cities of Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon, Hamilton, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax. In addition, over 83 per cent of First Tee – Canada’s community centre locations serve low-socioeconomic neighbourhoods.

The intention is to first introduce children to golf through First Tee – Canada at city-operated community centres, then transition them to on-course programming at their nearby municipal golf course through events and registered programming.

Golf Canada distributes private registration links to local community centres, who primarily serve children from equity deserving communities. With the support of RBC, all First Tee programming provided at the municipal level is offered at no cost to the participants or program locations.

After children have experienced registered programming and are ready to progress their skills on the course, they can play rounds of golf at their municipal course for $5 or less through Youth on Course. All First Tee – Canada participants receive a complimentary Youth on Course membership that allows them to access affordable green fees at participating courses across Canada.

There are currently 21 municipal courses that have partnered with Golf Canada and Youth on Course. With the continued support of RBC and provincial golf associations, Golf Canada helps subsidize rounds of golf to youth aged 18 and under. Since 2018, nearly 17,000 rounds of affordable golf have been played by juniors at these participating courses.

Together, Golf Canada and municipalities are working together to create an accessible, affordable entry-point into the sport for all young people across Canada.