AVONDALE, La. – Nearly three inches of heavy rain and lightning forced a stoppage in play lasting more than seven hours Thursday during the first round of the Zurich Classic team event.

The first players to tee off were on the course for a little more than 2 1/2 hours before the horn sounded to suspend play.

The tandem of Joel Dahmen and Brandon Harkins left the course with the lead at 6 under through nine holes at the par-72 TPC Louisiana course southwest of New Orleans.

Canadian Nick Taylor and partner Martin Laird of Scotland share 2nd place at 10 under par.

One group played as many as 10 holes before play was stopped. Play resumed in the evening with just more than two hours of daylight left.

As the only team event on the PGA Tour, the Zurich Classic field is comprised of 80 two-player teams that play a best-ball format in the first and third rounds and alternate shot in the second and final rounds.

LOS ANGELES – Worn out after two long nights with infant daughter Chesnee, Stacy Lewis shot a 6-under 65 on Thursday for a share of the lead with Hannah Green halfway through the first round of the Hugel-Air Premia LA Open.

“I’m looking forward to get a little rest,” Lewis said. “Really with the baby it’s different every day. She could be in a great mood and all of a sudden she’s screaming and you don’t know why. And we’re getting teeth, so it’s just the age that she is.”

The 34-year-old Texan is making her sixth LPGA Tour start since Chesnee’s birth in late October.

“My mom was here. She left on Monday,” Lewis said. “My husband (University of Houston women’s golf coach Gerrod Chadwell) is coming in tonight. I wanted to just kind of see how was it by myself for a couple days, and she chose to have her worst night in months right after my mom leaves.”

She birdied four of her last six holes in the bogey-free round at Wilshire Country Club.

“I hit it good and putted well,” Lewis said. “That’s kind of the combination that’s been missing, is just putting both of them together. Finally did it on the same day.”

She missed the cut last year, shooting 75-73.

“Last year it was super firm and so I did not like the golf course,” Lewis said. “Just felt like you didn’t get rewarded with good shots, and it was a little bit of goofy golf. Now the greens are much more receptive and you can just hit a lot better golf shots. They’re still difficult to putt, but I just feel like you get rewarded more for good shots.”

The 12-time tour winner played alongside Inbee Park and Sung Hyun Park.

“It was nice playing with Inbee,” Lewis said. “I hadn’t played with her in a while. I love playing with her because she hits so many good putts. Kind of get some confidence just seeing the ball roll really well.”

Inbee Park had a 68. The second-ranked Sung Hyun Park shot 76.

Green also had a bogey-free round.

“My ball-striking was great, but also my putter was really hot,” Green said. “I was really happy with how I rolled it. … I think whoever wins this week will have the least amount of putts.”

Fellow Australian Minjee Lee was a stroke back, also playing bogey-free.

“It was pretty solid all round,” said Lee, ranked fourth. “I just hit the greens and then if I was close, I would try and take opportunity of my birdie chances. If not, then I would be able to have a par.”

Canada’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay followed at 67.

Anne-Catherine Tanguay (Getty Images)

Top-ranked Jin Young Ko played in the afternoon. She’s the only player with multiple victories this year, taking the Founders Cup in Phoenix and the major ANA Inspiration in Rancho Mirage.

Ko was group with Brooke Henderson, the Lotte Championship winner last week in Hawaii, and third-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn.

All smiles for last week’s champ, @BrookeHenderson. She’s back in contention with 3-under 68 to share 5th place @lpga_LA ????

Fellow Canadian @ACTanguay leads the way at 4 under par ? pic.twitter.com/6moYE6eRHu

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) April 26, 2019

Defending champion Moriya Jutanugarn, Ariya’s older sister, opened with a 71.

Jessica Kordahad a 74, playing a four-hole stretch in 5 over with three straight bogeys and a double bogey.

Sixth-ranked Lexi Thompson also struggled, shooting 75. She was 5 over in a five-span, also making three bogeys and a double bogey.

Trafalgar Golf and Country Club will ensure their legacy is instilled in the Milton community for years to come, by making a donation to the Future Links, driven by Acura Golf in Schools program.

President Bob Hunter, Men’s Captain Neil Gartshore and Finance Committee Chair John Reynolds presented the program with a $9,600 donation on behalf of the membership at Trafalgar.

“In 1958, Trafalgar Golf and Country Club and its members had a vision. That was, to be recognized as one of the premier golf facilities in Southern Ontario, dedicated to the mentoring and growth of junior golf”, says Bob Hunter, President of Trafalgar Golf and Country Club.

“Despite its closing as a private golf club after 60 years, the donation, on behalf of the members, is the continuation of the dream…one that creates a legacy, that will reach thousands of students in the Milton area. The membership at Trafalgar Golf and Country Club, wishes to extend our sincere congratulations to Golf Canada and its Future Links Golf In Schools program and to extend our thanks for your commitment to the growth of junior golf across this country and beyond”.

Today, we are celebrating Adopt a School Week with #GolfinSchools! Help create the next Canadian #golf hero by adopting a school in your community ⛳️

➡️ https://t.co/FCzROaAhzf pic.twitter.com/px0kRYRc3L

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) April 22, 2019

The generosity of Trafalgar will allow 20 elementary schools to be adopted into the Golf in Schools program.  Providing them with a first exposure to golf opportunity in in their physical education classes.  A Golf in Schools donation includes the full program kit, which features safe, age-appropriate golf clubs along with a teacher-friendly learning resource. Developed in conjunction with the PGA of Canada and Physical Health Education (PHE) Canada, the learning resource incorporates Life Skills into the curriculum—placing added focus on transferrable skills both on and off the golf course.

“We can’t thank the membership at Trafalgar enough for their generous donation”, says Jeff Thompson, chief sport officer. “This donation is a great way for Trafalgar’s legacy to live on in the community they were a part of for so long.  We look forward to working with schools in Milton to introduce the game of golf to their students.”

Trafalgar Golf and Country Club is a Golf Canada member club in Milton, Ont., that opened its doors in 1958. Since then, several notable Canadian golfers have grown up learning the game at Trafalgar, including Sandra Post. Having a recognized, thriving junior golf program is something the course has always been proud of.

The decision was made in September 2018 that Trafalgar Golf and Country Club would be sold to land developers in Milton, seizing operations as a private facility in 2019.

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Team Canada’s Brigitte Thibault went wire-to-wire at Mission Hills Country Club to win the Mountain West Conference, becoming the fourth golfer to do so in program history for Fresno State. The sophomore closed the event with a two-stroke victory at 1 over par, boosted by the strength of two strong opening rounds (71-70).

Thibault—who played in the inaugural Augusta Women’s Amateur—was thrilled to pick up her first collegiate win at an iconic course.

“I’m so glad to get my first collegiate conference championship win, at Mission Hills, because that’s where the Q School is, that’s where the ANA is, it’s a lot on the future opportunities,” said Thibault. “I’m really proud of myself to step it up at this major championship. I’m really happy.”

“Really proud of Brigitte,” said head coach Emily Loftin. “Excellent play over three days and she learned to manage herself with having a lead and it’s great to see that type of growth in a young player. This should help catapult her moving into postseason. I’m always elated when we get a victory, but even more so when it’s the first one at the conference championship, just an exciting day all-around.”

Thibault, a Rosemère, Que., native, lifted the Bulldogs to a fifth place team finish. The NCAA Regionals from May 6-8 at four different sites, followed by the championship from May 17-22 – Thibault was named as an individual participant in the Auburn regional championship. The selection marks the fifth time Fresno State has been represented in the postseason over the last six years.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – C.T. Pan took advantage of Dustin Johnson’s back-nine meltdown to win the RBC Heritage for his first PGA Tour victory.

The 27-year-old Pan, from Taiwan, closed with a 4-under 67 on Sunday at Harbour Town Golf Links for a one-stroke victory over Matt Kuchar. Pan finished at 12-under 272.

The top-ranked Johnson, the third-round leader in his home-state event, had a 77 to tie for 28th at 4 under. He played a five-hole stretch in 7 over, making bogeys on Nos. 11-13 and double bogeys on Nos. 14-15.

Pan took the lead for good with a 9-foot birdie putt on the par-4 16th.

Kuchar closed with a 67.

Patrick Cantlay, Scott Piercy and Shane Lowry tied for third at 10 under. Cantlay and Piercy shot 69, and Lowry had a 70.

Pan headed to the practice range after the round to keep ready in case of a playoff, then raised his arms in triumph when told he’d won. He earned $1,242,000, a PGA Tour exemption through 2020-21 and spots in next month’s PGA Championship and next year’s Masters. He’s the RBC Heritage’s fourth straight first-time winner.

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Congrats to our friends at the @RBCHeritage for a successful tournament week. And, congrats to @ctpan63 for earning his first @PGATOUR win ?#PlaidNation

A post shared by RBC Canadian Open (@rbccanadianopen) on Apr 22, 2019 at 7:25am PDT

KAPOLEI, Hawaii – Brooke Henderson didn’t join the LPGA Tour thinking she would end up amongst the best Canadian golfers of all-time. At least not so soon, anyway.

Henderson tied the Canadian record for most career victories on the LPGA or PGA Tour on Saturday when the 21-year-old captured her eighth career title by shooting a 2-under 70 to win the Lotte Championship for the second year in a row.

Sandra Post had eight career victories on the LPGA Tour between 1968 and 1981, while Mike Weir and George Knudson equalled that on the PGA Tour.

“When I was younger it was just a goal to be on the LPGA Tour, to win my first event,” Henderson said.

“And when that happened and I won my first major the year after, things kind of just started to fall into place. I knew the record was eight. Just kept creeping toward it the last three years, which was really exciting.”

Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., won last year’s event in Hawaii for her sixth Tour victory and followed that up in August 2018 as the first Canadian in 45 years to win the CP Women’s Open.

“I think starting last year I sort of saw that it was within my reach if I had two good seasons. Last year put me into great position, and coming back this year it’s been on the back of my mind every week that I tee it up. I’m just really happy that I have finally done it.

“Looking forward to overtaking it now.”

She finished 16 under on Saturday at Ko Olina Golf Club to beat South Korea’s Eun-Hee Ji by four strokes.

All the highlights from Brooke’s repeat performance in Hawaii ???? pic.twitter.com/XDRFo8KBht

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) April 21, 2019

Nelly Korda, tied with Henderson for the third-round lead, finished with a quadruple-bogey 8 for a 77 that left her seven strokes back at 9 under. She hit into the water twice on 18, then threw her ball in after finishing. The 20-year-old American also had a double bogey on the par-4 seventh.

“Pretty bad,” Korda said. “I mean, it was a tough day, but I ended really poorly and I’m pretty disappointed in that. … It was an unfortunate final round, but there is nothing I can do about it anymore.”

Ariya Jutanugarn (73) and 2016 winner Minjee Lee (74) tied for third at 11 under.

Henderson bogeyed her first hole, but that was the only blemish in the final round as she followed that up with three birdies and 14 pars.

She looked to be in some trouble on the par-4 16th, but saved par when she hit a put from off the green.

“It’s really amazing to even be mentioned in the same sentence as Mike Weir, George, and Sandra,” Henderson said. “This week was really special. I always love coming to Hawaii. Last year was such an incredible week for me, to be able to hoist that trophy for the first time. Coming back I knew I knew the golf course really well.”

Fellow Canadian and Olympic teammate Alena Sharp watched Henderson play out the round and joined her in celebration.

“Congrats my friend ?BrookeHenderson! Unbelievable title defense and tying Sandra Post’s record for most wins by a Canadian on the ?LPGA tour. So freaking proud of you!,” tweeted Sharp (72), who finished 2 under for 40th place.

Henderson takes home US$300,000 for the win. Through seven events in 2019, she has made six cuts, has one victory, three top-10 finishes and one top-15 finish for $498,151 total earnings.

Henderson, ranked No. 12 in the world, has one major among her tournament victories, winning the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship after beating Lydia Ko in a playoff when she was only 18.

KAPOLEI, Hawaii – Defending champion Brooke Henderson shot a 3-under 69 on Friday at blustery Ko Olina Golf Club for a share of the third-round lead with Nelly Korda in the Lotte Championship.

Korda had a 71, matching Henderson with a bogey on the par-4 18 to get to 14-under 202.

“There are still 18 more holes left and a lot can happen” Korda said. “The weather is unpredictable. The wind swirls and gusts, so it’ll be an interesting day. We’re all going to be fighting.”

The 21-year-old Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., is trying to match Sanda Post record for LPGA Tour victories by a Canadian with eight.

“It was really windy today,” Henderson said. “Really had to stay patient.”

The 20-year-old Korda won the Women’s Australian Open in February for her second LPGA Tour title. She opened the season with five straight top-10 finishes before tying for 52nd two weeks ago in the major ANA Inspiration. On Friday, she birdied Nos. 12, 14 and 16, before dropping the stroke on 18.

Defending champ @BrookeHenderson making it look easy at @LPGALOTTE! She’s tied for the lead heading into the finale ???? pic.twitter.com/WGzseMJOQQ

— CP Women’s Open (@cpwomensopen) April 20, 2019

“Was a bit of a frustrating day on the front nine,” Korda said. “Was not hitting it well. I was not putting well at all. Kind of got it back on the back nine. It was pretty frustrating today. Wasn’t the happiest camper out there.”

Minjee Lee and second-round leader Eun-Hee Ji were a stroke back. Lee, the Australian who won the 2016 event, had a 70. She was bogey-free and also birdie-free, but did chip-in for eagle on the fifth hole.

“It was pretty hard out there,” Lee said. “The wind was really gusty and the pin placements were pretty hard for the wind direction we had.”

Ji shot 74 after opening with rounds of 65 and 74.

“It’s still a really packed leaderboard, and whoever plays really well tomorrow is going to come out on top or close to the top,” Henderson said. “Right now it’s hard to say what that number is going to be. Kind of all just depends on the wind.”

Ariya Jutanugarn made the third day’s most dramatic move, shooting a 66 to bolt from nine back to two. She avoided bogeys, drained long putts – she needed just 23 – and birdied all but one of the par 5s.

“I think the most important thing today is I feel I’m really too far behind the lead,” Jutanugarn said. “I feel like I can’t catch anyway, so what I want to do is just be patient, do my best every shot.”

Henderson was even par on the front nine, then birdied four of the first six on the back, slam dunking a speeding putt from off the 13th green.

“I knew I had to get going a little bit, make some birdies,” she said. “I was hitting it well the last few holes on the front nine, just wasn’t converting. It was nice to get that birdie-birdie (10-11). Gave me a little momentum going into a couple of par 5s, and I was able to make some putts, which was really nice.”

Her approach to the 18th – Ko Olina’s toughest hole this week – squirted into the back trap. After a good bunker shot, she lipped out a 5-footer for par.

Korda watched from the fairway and missed the green with her approach. She chipped to the fringe then left her par putt short.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (72) was tied for 44th.

KAPOLEI, Hawaii – Eun-Hee Ji rebounded from a bogey on the par-4 18th with a pitch-in eagle on the par-5 first and shot a 7-under 65 to take a two-stroke lead over Nelly Korda on Thursday in the Lotte Championship.

Ji had a 15-under 129 total to break the tournament 36-hole record by five strokes.

“I think it was lucky (today),” Ji said. “I had to chip it in three times. Makes a lot of difference for me.”

She played her final nine in the afternoon at Ko Olina in 6-under 30, following the eagle with birdies on four of the next seven holes.

“I just kept focus on my game,” Ji said. “I hit it well and made a lot of putts from there. That makes it a lot different.”

The 32-year-old South Korean won the season-opening Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions in January in Florida for her fifth LPGA Tour title. Her biggest victory came in the 2009 U.S. Women’s Open.

Defending champion Brooke Henderson (68) of Smiths Falls, Ont., and 2016 winner Minjee Lee (68) were tied for third at 11 under. If the 21-year-old Henderson claims her eighth LPGA Tour title Saturday, she will tie Sandra Post’s record for victories by a Canadian. Henderson and Korda played junior golf together.

“It’s pretty cool to have us both make it this far on tour,” Henderson said. “Growing up playing junior events together I think this was both of our dreams, so it’s pretty cool to come out here and have it be a reality every single day.”

Korda birdied four of her final five in the breezy morning session in a 68, also finishing on No. 9.

“It was completely different to yesterday,” Korda said. “I actually experienced Hawaii weather today. It was tough. I didn’t hit every shot perfect. I had a couple bogeys. But I ended up playing pretty solid today.”

Driver off the deck!! @BrookeHenderson with another look at eagle early ???? pic.twitter.com/sp8DHYmf9u

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) April 19, 2019

The 20-year-old American won the Women’s Australian Open in February for her second LPGA Tour title. She opened the season with five straight top-10 finishes before tying for 52nd two weeks ago in the major ANA Inspiration.

Azahara Munoz (66) and Moriya Jutanugarn (67) were 10 under.

Michelle Wie shot her second straight 77 to finish ahead of only one of the 143 players to complete two rounds. The 2014 winner in her home event, she has struggled with pain in her right hand following off-season surgery.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (73) was tied for 49th place, 13 shots back. Anne-Catherine Tanguay (73) of Quebec City was 16 shots back, Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee (76) was 5 over and Orangeville, Ont., native Brittany Marchand (79) was 9 over.

KAPOLEI, Hawaii – Nelly Korda took advantage when Hawaii’s tough trade winds took a break.

Korda rolled in the last of her nine birdies at the 18th in a bogey-free round of 63 Wednesday for a one-shot lead after the opening round of the Lotte Championship at Ko Olina Golf Club.

“I got here Saturday and I swear I couldn’t even walk because it was so windy,” said Korda, who is making her Lotte debut. “But I like the place. Everyone is really friendly and it just feels good to be here.”

Eun-Hee Ji birdied six of the final eight holes for an 8-under 64.

Ji won the season-opening Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions for her fifth LPGA Tour victory. The 2009 U.S. Women’s Open champion also had a bogey-free round

Ji has played in all eight Lotte events, never shooting lower than 66 before Wednesday. She admitted she was uncomfortable in the wind and surprised at how peaceful it was in paradise.

“It’s always windy out here,” Ji said. “But today was no wind and this course . a lot of changes if no wind, so that makes it little easier today.”

Defending champion Brooke Henderson and Hyejin Choi, playing on a sponsor exemption, are two shots back.

Defending champ @BrookeHenderson kept the momentum at the @LPGALOTTE, with an eagle ? en route to an opening 7-under ?pic.twitter.com/aZb0PnpGhZ

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) April 18, 2019

Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., won last year in wind gusts of 30 mph. On Wednesday, she offset her only bogey by chipping in for eagle on the 15th.

“I think I was able to use some of that strategy from last year this year,” Henderson said, “which is a big help.”

Ji turns 33 next month, making her the oldest LPGA winner this year. Korda, who turns 21 in July, was one of the youngest when she snagged her second win in February in Australia.

In her third LPGA season, she is now No. 10 in the Rolex Rankings and has five top 10s in six starts this year. She also leads the tour in birdies.

Hannah Green, of Australia, who holed out for eagle from just inside 100 yards on the third hole, is tied for fifth at 66 with So Yeon Ryu of South Korea.

A big group at 67 includes 2016 Lotte champ Minjee Lee, In Gee Chun, sisters Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn and rookies Suzuka Yamaguchi and Lilia Vu.

Jin Young Ko, the new No. 1 after winning two of her last three starts, finished at 69. She is coming off a victory at the year’s first major and has finished outside the top five just once in her last six starts.

Kim Kaufman had a hole-in-one on the fourth hole – the first of her six-year LPGA career. She shot 71.

Hawaii’s Michelle Wie – the 2014 Lotte champion who is coming back from a wrist injury – shot 77.

“Just coming back, some shots are going to hurt,” Wie said. “Trying to figure my way around that and just trying to get back in the swing of playing again.”

Alena Sharpe (69) of Hamilton was six shots back. Quebec City’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay shot 72, Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee shot 73 and Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont.., had a 74.

On a day-to-day basis Anne-Catherine Tanguay likes to focus on the process of being a professional golfer. But when she takes a step back from her daily regimen of practise, journaling, and evaluation, she does have some pretty lofty goals.

The Quebec City native is in the field at the LOTTE Championship that teed off on Wednesday along with fellow Canadians Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., Hamilton’s Alena Sharp, Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee and Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont.

Tanguay is the third-highest Canadian on the Race to the CME Globe rankings behind No. 20 Henderson and No. 39 Sharp. Although she’s not much of a rankings watcher, Tanguay’s aware that she needs to keep moving up from her current position of 90th to achieve some of her long-range goals.

“I think that this year it’s been more important for me to focus on the process rather than the results,” said Tanguay, who arrived in West Oahu, Hawaii, for the tournament on Sunday. “I feel like the rankings are more of a collateral to the rest of the work I put in toward my goals.”

Her most immediate goal? Representing Canada at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

The top 15 world-ranked players will be eligible for the Olympics field of 60 women, with a limit of four players from any given country. Beyond the top 15, players will be eligible based on the world rankings, with a maximum of two eligible players from each country that does not already have two or more players among the top 15. The women’s qualification period will end June 29, 2020.

“It’s brand new and I feel like it’s not really part of our culture in the golf industry to have this in mind, unlike every other sport where their ultimate goal is to make the Olympics,” said Tanguay. “For us it’s been more play majors, win majors. It’s become my focus more in the past year and more and more people are asking me about it.”

Tanguay is excited to be back at the Ko Olina Golf Club, home of the LOTTE Championship. She enjoys how the course plays and has been preparing all week for the windy conditions on the Hawaiian island.

“This is my third time here, so there’s no surprise that it’s going to be windy,” said Tanguay, who says she hardly has to consult her yardage book for the course. “I’ve been practising my side-hill lies but the No. 1 factor here is the wind. I just wanted to come prepared.”