HONOLULU – Matt Kuchar kept another clean card and shot a 4-under 66 to take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Sony Open, a chance to win twice in one PGA Tour season for only the second time in his career.

Kuchar ended a four-year drought by winning the Mayakoba Classic in Mexico last fall, and there are a few similarities. He set a personal record for 54 holes in Mayakoba at 193. He went one better at Waialae at 18-under 192.

Both courses require keeping the ball in play, and Kuchar has done that well over three rounds. He has made only one bogey through 54 holes, and he only came seriously close to one on Saturday, saving par from the bunker on the par-3 17th.

“Good, steady golf,” Kuchar said. “It felt easy out there. I didn’t find myself in any trouble.”

Andrew Putnam was two shots behind after a 67.

Keith Mitchell had a 63 to pull within four shots, along with Chez Reavie, who fell back with three straight bogeys early on the back nine. Those were the only players within five shots of the lead, and all of them are chasing Kuchar.

“I anticipate needing another good score tomorrow,” Kuchar said. “I know I can’t coast.”

Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., is the top Canadian after three rounds. Conners shot a 6-under 64 and is a tie for fifth at 11-under.

Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., (66) is 10-under, Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., (70) is 5-under, Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., (70) is 2-under while Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., (73) is 1-over.

Kuchar is 2-2 when he has the 54-hole lead going into the final round.

The only other time Kuchar won twice in the same season was in 2013, when he won the Match Play Championship in Arizona in February and the Memorial in early June. That put him at No. 4 in the world, the highest he has been in his career.

Kuchar was sliding his way out of the top 50 toward the end of last year, when he failed to make a Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup team for the first time since 2009. But he had a good session with his swing coach in Dallas, and it paid off two weeks later on the Gulf side of the Mexican coast.

This was more of the same.

Putnam, who won for the first time last year in the Barracuda Championship held opposite a World Golf Championship, did his best to stay in reach. They were tied through seven holes until Putnam made bogey on No. 8 and failed to birdie the par-5 ninth, the easiest hole at Waialae. Putnam missed an 8-foot birdie attempt on No. 18.

“Didn’t feel as easy as the first two days,” Putnam said. “Still played a good round. Still got a chance.”

Bryson DeChambeau had a 63 and led a large pack at 11-under 199, seven shots out of the lead for a slim chance at winning unless the leaders come back to the field. Also tied for fifth were Charles Howell III and 54-year-old Davis Love III, who had one of his better putting rounds.

Kuchar was at his best on a number of putts from the 50-foot range. He didn’t make any, but he didn’t leave himself any work for par. That added to the stress-free feeling of a round, and the overall control he feels in his game.

He never looks to be under stress, though Kuchar says looks can be deceiving.

“I’ve got grey hair,” he said with a laugh. “Listen, the game of golf is not easy. It’s not often you’re in full control. Those times you’re not in full control, you’re faced with a lot of situations where golf is going to find a way to stress you out and test you. I’ve been through it. But I enjoy the challenge even when you’re not playing well of trying to figure out shooting a score. I enjoy that challenge.”

The next challenge is winning, and it helps to have gone through the experience last November.

HONOLULU – The easygoing vibe in Hawaii is a perfect fit for Matt Kuchar, who spends as much as a month at a time on the islands when his schedule allows.

The Sony Open is more about work than play, and he’s having just as much fun.

Kuchar ran off four birdies in five holes to start his second round Friday, handled the par 5s at Waialae again and finished with another round of 7-under 63 to take a one-shot lead over Andrew Putnam.

“To shoot 7 under back-to-back is unexpected, but awfully excited,” Kuchar said with the same smile he wears for most any occasion.

Kuchar was at 14-under 126, matching the lowest 36-hole score of his PGA Tour career. He also had a 126 in Las Vegas in 2008.

Putnam, playing in the afternoon, had a bogey-free 65 and was one shot behind. Chez Reavie (65) and Stewart Cink (62) were four behind.

Jordan Spieth had a short week after a long break from golf. In his 2019 debut, Spieth had a 66 and missed the cut by one shot. Needing to birdie the last four holes to qualify for the weekend, Spieth ran off two birdies, missed a 10-foot birdie putt and then narrowly missed chipping in for eagle.

“I loved the fight,” Spieth said. “I feel like I was trying to win the tournament trying to make the cut, which is not something I want to get used to.”

He returns in two weeks at Torrey Pines.

No one had a more memorable round than Reavie. He holed out for eagle three times from the fairway – a sand wedge from 101 yards on No. 10 at the start of his round; a 9-iron from 149 yards on No. 16, and a gap wedge from 135 yards on No. 6.

The PGA Tour only began keeping hole-by-hole records in 1983, and no one had ever made three eagles in one round on par 4s since then. Reavie didn’t think all that much about it until he piped a drive on No. 8 and hit a wedge that covered the flag.

“It was on a good line, and that was the only time it crossed my mind – ‘Wow, could we make another one?”’ he said. “The other two, I just hit the shot I was trying to see and it was going at the hole. Never expected it to go in. It’s always a surprise when it disappears.”

So odd was this round that Reavie made more eagles than birdies, and the one shot that made him think the ball might go in the hole led to a par.

“Apparently, I need to go buy a lottery ticket today,” Reavie said.

That would be a good idea, except Hawaii doesn’t have a lottery. For now, he has to figure out how to make up four shots on Kuchar.

Calgary’s Roger Sloan is in at 6 under par in a tie for 12th to lead the Canadian contingent. Corey Conners (Listowel, Ont.) and Adam Svensson (Surrey, B.C.) are one stroke back at T20.

Mackenzie Hughes (Dundas, Ont.) and Adam Hadwin (Abbotsford, B.C.) hold shares of 65th place after making the cut on the number at 2 under par.

 

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EIGHT Canadians are teeing it up on the #PGATOUR today @SonyOpenHawaii ???? Send your best wishes with a ??

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Cink made nine birdies in his round of 62. Marc Leishman (64) and Ted Potter Jr. (65) were at 9-under 131.

Kuchar sometimes comes to Hawaii with his wife and two kids even when he’s not playing golf. He has been to five of the islands, and plans to stay another few weeks after the Sony Open. He likes it better when he can play a few tournaments.

He became eligible for the winners-only field at Kapalua last week by winning at another beach resort – Mayakoba – last year, opening with rounds of 64-64, the kind of start he has enjoyed at Waialae.

Clearly, the 40-year-old is in a better spot than when he had gone more than three years without winning and was left off the Ryder Cup team for the first time in 10 years. He felt as though he was grinding too hard, and that’s not a trait he wears well.

HONOLULU – Ocean views along the golf course seem to suit Canadian Adam Svensson.

A year after his victory in the Bahamas that paved his way to the PGA Tour, Svensson capped off a rookie round to remember Thursday with a 10-foot birdie putt on his final hole for a 9-under 61 and a one-shot lead in the Sony Open.

“It was all a blur,” Svensson said. “I don’t even remember which holes I birdied.”

Throw in an eagle, too, a 6-iron on the par-5 ninth that he caught thin and was hopeful would clear the bunker. It did better than that, rolling out to 5 feet. But it was the back nine, as the wind began to calm along the shores just west of Waikiki Beach, where the 25-year-old from Surrey, B.C., made his move.

It started with a 50-foot birdie putt on the 11th hole. He hit it to 2 feet on the 12th, holed an 18-foot birdie on No. 13 and finished his run with a 10-foot birdie on the 14th. A tough up-and-down from right of the green on the par-5 18th gave Svensson the lowest round of professional career.

Canada’s @adamsvensson59 jumps to the early lead @SonyOpenHawaii with a 9-under 61 ?? #PGATOURpic.twitter.com/mC3dBoOAXt

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) January 11, 2019

He did shoot a 61 while at Barry University, where he won the Jack Nicklaus Award in 2014 as the Division II player of the year.

His only significant victory as a pro was the second event last year on the Web.com Tour at the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic, and he held his position in the top 25 on the money list the rest of the year to reach the PGA Tour.

Adam Svensson (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Andrew Putnam shot a 62 in the morning and looked tough to beat until Svensson came along.

It was the first time Putnam had played Waialae all week because of a bee sting, and it apparently didn’t bother him. He made birdie on half of his holes, none of them tap-ins, and took only 23 putts for the lowest score of his PGA Tour career.

Putnam had a four-shot lead among the early starters. By the end of the day, Matt Kuchar had a 63, and 75 players from the 144-man field were under par.

That did not include Jordan Spieth, who made his 2019 debut with a little rust, and it showed. He had to wait until his 16th hole, the par-3 seventh, for his first birdie of the year. And that was all he made in a round of 73 that left him needing a low round just to make it to the weekend.

He still managed to keep it entertaining, especially with the new rules.

Spieth, like most players, doesn’t understand the visually awkward change of dropping from knee-height instead of shoulder-height. Six holes into his round, his tee shot came up inches short of a sprinkler head. He called for a ruling and was given relief because of the potential of injury or damaging the club. Then, he did what he has done his entire golfing life – he held the ball at the level of his shoulder.

Slugger White, the tour’s vice-president of competition, stopped him. Had he dropped and played the shot, it would have been a penalty. If not, he could have dropped again from the proper height.

“I’m like, ‘Wouldn’t it just be a re-drop anyway?’ What’s the big deal?”’ Spieth said. “It’s unusual.”

He caught himself from dropping shoulder-height behind the 18th green. He also tapped in for par on the opening hole with the flagstick still in the cup, another change that is getting plenty of attention early in the year. And he tapped down a spike mark in the line of a 4-foot putt.

“All in all, I got a test of most of the new rules today,” he said.

Justin Thomas, who set the PGA Tour’s 72-hole record at the Sony Open two years ago, opened with a 67 by playing the last five holes in even par – a birdie, three straight bogeys and holing a bunker shot for eagle.

Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., shot a 2-under 68 and Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., is 1-under. Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., and Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., are even. Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., (71) and Abbotsford’s Adam Hadwin (72) are both well back of Svensson’s lead.

 

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Putnam, among 23 players who were on Maui last week at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, made it all look so easy. This is his third year playing the Sony Open, so the course is not new to him. But it’s unusual for him not to at least get in a practice round.

He was poolside Tuesday when the bee stung him in the foot.

“I couldn’t walk, so I had to withdraw out of the pro-am,” he said. “I was just sitting around all yesterday and couldn’t even hit a shot. Yeah, kind of bizarre how it all worked out.”

He shot his 62 despite a bogey on the 15th hole when his pitch came up 12 feet short and he missed the putt.

Putnam didn’t miss many in the opening round. Statistically, he made just over 174 feet of putts, from a 5-footer on the closing hole (his shortest birdie putt) to his longest birdie on the 14th at just under 30 feet.

“The hole was very large and the ball was going in,” he said. “It was fun.”

OAKVILLE, ONT. (Golf Canada) – The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum today announced that amateur and professional golf standout, Rod Spittle, as well as celebrated collegiate golf coach Herb Page have been selected for 2019 induction into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

Spittle, 63, from Niagara Falls, Ont., will be inducted in the player category, while the 67-year-old Page, who is a native of Markham, Ont., will be inducted as a builder for his accomplishments as a collegiate golf coach with the NCAA Division I Kent State Golden Flashes. With their inductions, the pair become the 82^nd and 83^rd honoured members of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

“The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame strives to recognize the outstanding achievements of golf’s greatest players and supporters and it’s an absolute privilege to welcome Rod Spittle and Herb Page as our newest honoured members,” said Sandra Post, Chair of the Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee. “Rod was an accomplished player at the amateur level and later as a professional, while Herb has made a significant impact in the lives of countless student-athletes through his long tenure with Kent State’s golf program. I know I speak on behalf of the entire selection committee as well as the honoured members when I say they are both very deserved of their appointments.”

“I am humbled and thrilled beyond words to be inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame,” said Spittle. “It is an honour to be recognized and included in this group of golf ambassadors and elite players,  The induction will be even more special for me since the ceremony will be hosted at Hamilton Golf Club, where my dad caddied as a youngster and where I won my first Canadian Amateur in 1977.”

 

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With his induction, Page becomes the 25^th person inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame’s builder category and the first-ever coach.

“It’s been an honour and a pleasure to have the opportunity to help so many young student-athletes grow both on and off the course,” said Page from his home in Ohio. “It’s always great to be recognized for your hard work and this nomination is extra special, but the real gratification comes from seeing players mature into outstanding people.”

Spittle and Page officially join the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame during an induction ceremony that will take place Tuesday, June 4^th, 2019 during RBC Hall of Fame Day as part of the 2019 RBC Canadian Open on the grounds of Hamilton Golf and Country Club.

Click here to listen to the media teleconference announcement.

Rod Spittle

Born July 18, 1955 in St. Catharines, Ont., Rod Spittle had a successful amateur career, finishing runner-up at the 1973 Canadian Junior and winning the 1977 and 1978 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championships while playing Division I golf at Ohio State.  Provincially he also helped Ontario win back to back Willingdon Cups (1977-78). During his collegiate golf career, Spittle helped the Buckeyes win the BIG Ten Championship three consecutive years (1976-1978) alongside teammates John Cook and Joey Sindelar, who both went on to enjoy successful professional golf careers that included PGA TOUR victories.

After graduating in 1978 with a degree in Business Administration, Spittle opted to focus on supporting his family by selling insurance for 25 years and continuing his passion for the game in amateur golf. He won a pair of Columbus (Ohio) District Amateur Championships (1989 and 1987) and three Columbus (Ohio) District Mid-Amateur titles (1994, 1995 and 1997). He went on to claim the Ohio Mid-Am Championship three times (2000, 2001 and 2003) prior to turning professional in 2004, shortly before turning 50.

Spittle and his wife, Ann, left their regular jobs behind and made a 5-year plan to fulfill the dream of playing professional golf. In 2009, four years into that plan, Spittle’s goal of being a full-time Tour professional took a severe hit after he failed to secure PGA TOUR Champions status and did not play in a single event.

In 2010, the final year of the five-year plan, Spittle was forced to Monday qualify into events. Playing with limited status, Spittle got into only five events the entire 2010 season. He Monday qualified into the final event of the year, the AT&T Championship, and in a storybook ending, he played stellar golf all week and beat Jeff Sluman in a playoff for his first-ever professional title. Just like that, his dream of playing professional golf, nearly dead and gone, gained new life with a full exemption for 2011 as a PGA TOUR Champions winner.

In 195 starts over his 13-year PGA TOUR Champions career, Spittle missed just five cuts and earned more than $4M in prize money. He never missed more than one cut in any year, and played nine full seasons without missing a single cut. He had a pair of runner-up finishes, a pair of third-place finishes and had 23 top-10s. He played his final PGA TOUR Champions event on home soil, finishing T17 at the 2018 Shaw Charity Classic.

On a personal level, he and his wife Ann have three children (Leslie, Steve and John) and seven grandchildren. The Spittle’s proudly support Special Olympics initiatives in their hometown of Columbus, Ohio. Spittle was inducted into the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame in 2013.

Herb Page

Born March 16, 1951 in Markham, Ont., Herb Page has been a fixture on the Kent State University campus since arriving as an undergraduate three-sport student-athlete (golf, football and hockey) in 1970. Nearly 50 years later, now the university’s director of golf, Page has grown to become one of the most respected golf coaches in the world.

For more than 40 years, Page has been an untiring coach to his players and a terrific ambassador for the game of golf. Even after decades of significant accomplishments under his direction, the Kent State Golden Flashes golf program continues to reach new heights. He has built an empire in the Mid-American Conference with a legacy that seems to grow stronger with each passing year. He has led the Golden Flashes to 23 Mid-American Conference (MAC) titles and 28 NCAA Regional appearances – advancing to the NCAA Championship 18 times during that span. Kent State won three NCAA Regional titles (1993, 2001 and 2010) and earned top-10 National finishes in 2000 (9^th), 2008 (6^th), 2012 (5^th)  and 2018 (10^th). Page has garnered 24 MAC Coach of the Year awards (1983-1984, 1990-1996, 1998-2001, 2003, 2005-2006, 2009-2010, 2012-2014, 2016-2018) during his distinguished career.

Herb Page & Corey Conners

He helped to develop countless golfers who have gone on to enjoy successful professional golf careers and opened a pathway for numerous Canadians to pursue NCAA post-secondary golf. Canuck alums who have been coached and recruited by Page include David Morland IV (1987–1991), Bryan DeCorso (1991–1995), Ryan Yip (2002–2006), Mackenzie Hughes (2008–2012), Corey Conners (2010-2014), Taylor Pendrith (2010-2014) and Jon Mills (1998–2002), who now serves as Page’s assistant coach with Kent State. Other notables among the nearly 30 Canadians from B.C., Alberta, Ontario, Quebec or New Brunswick to play at Kent State include  Brian Tisdelle, Paul DeCorso, Ron Reycraft, Chuck Crawford, Spencer Dobbs, Josh Whalen, Billy Walsh, Danny Sahl, Mark Bourgeois J.P. Paiement and Dustin Risdon as well as current player Johnny Travale and Chris Vandette who has committed to the school starting next year.

Page, who coached two PGA TOUR winners, also mentored Kent State graduate Ben Curtis, who claimed the 2003 Open Championship as well as a runner-up finish at the 2008 PGA Championship, before retiring from competitive golf to open his own golf academy.

He also played an instrumental role in the 1997 launch of the women’s golf program at Kent State, opening a post-secondary for path for Canadian women from B.C., Alberta, Ontario and Quebec including Jennifer Ha, Kira Miexner, Josee Doyon, Taylor Kim and Kirby Dreher as well as Veronique Drouin who is Women’s Head Coach at Oklahoma and Jan Dowling who is Women’s Head Coach at Michigan.

Among his many career honours and achievements, Page has been inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame (2003), Northern Ohio PGA Hall of Fame (2005), Northern Ohio Golf Association Hall of Fame (2012) and Ontario Golf Hall of Fame (2012). He is a past winner of the Golf Coaches of America Labron Harris Award (2008) and was selected to coach the International team at the 2018 Arnold Palmer Cup.

Page and his wife, Dr. Paula Treckel, reside in Kent, Ohio.

Golf’s new Rules have been published by the The R&A and USGA in partnership with Golf Canada ahead of their effective date on Jan. 1, 2019.

For the first time, a new Player’s Edition of the Rules of Golf is being introduced to provide a shorter, more user-friendly version of the Rules for golfers at all levels of the game. This version, which will serve as the primary publication for all golfers, features:

• A more intuitive organization with 10 simplified topical groupings
• A “Purpose of the Rule” description at the top of each Rule, to better define why the Rule exists
• Easy-to-follow, full-colour diagrams and charts to aid in understanding
• A simpler, more direct writing style

The Player’s Edition is being launched alongside the modernized full Rules of Golf book, which includes some of the most significant changes made to the Rules in more than 60 years.

Adam Helmer, director of Rules, competitions and amateur status at Golf Canada said, “We are embarking on one of the most significant changes to the Rules of golf in the history of our sport. Today marks the start of the education process to communicate the modernized Rules with additional resources and publications available to all golfers, member facilities and referees in Canada and worldwide.”

Thomas Pagel, senior managing director, Governance for the USGA, said, “From the project’s inception, our one goal was to make the Rules easier to understand and apply for all golfers. It sets a new standard in the way we write and interpret the Rules and is central to our efforts to ensure a healthy future for golf. We look forward to continuing that process in the years to come.”

David Rickman, executive director – Governance at The R&A, said, “We are delighted to be rolling out the modernized Rules of Golf today. This is the biggest set of changes to the Rules in a generation and a major step forward in our efforts to make the Rules, and the sport itself, more accessible and more in tune with the way the modern sport is played.”

A new Official Guide to the Rules of Golf is also available in digital format and official apps today, with a printed version to be released in November. Designed for golf administrators and club officials, the Guide features Interpretations on specific Rules (which replace the current Decisions) and includes the first jointly-produced Committee Procedures document, providing practical guidance to Committees for running competitions and overseeing general play.

Another key feature is the Modified Rules of Golf for Players with Disabilities. This document is released alongside the Rules of Golf and enables players with disabilities to play fairly with other players with the same or different types of disability and, importantly, with those without disabilities. The Modified Rules were developed in close consultation with the community of players with disabilities and disability organizations.

All of the new books are available in digital formats online and a range of explanatory videos and resources is available on and websites to enable all golfers to learn about the 2019 Rules.

Extensive educational programs are being conducted around the world, with the assistance of national and regional associations, to ensure that golfers and administrators throughout amateur and professional golf are ready for the new Rules when they take effect on Jan. 1.

The process to modernize the Rules began in 2012 with the aim of making the Rules easier to understand and apply for all golfers and to help make golf more appealing and accessible for newcomers.

Some of the key changes in the new Rules include new procedures for dropping the ball when taking relief, the elimination or reduction of several penalties, relaxed putting green and bunker rules, and rules that encourage improved pace of play.

Golfers are reminded that the current Rules of Golf remain in effect for the remainder of 2018. The Rules of Amateur Status and the Rules of Equipment Standards were not part of the review process.

As an extension of its support of the Rules of Golf worldwide, Rolex has made a commitment to support The R&A and the USGA’s efforts to modernize golf’s Rules. The Swiss watchmaker’s contribution to excellence in golf is based on a rich heritage stretching back more than 50 years, forged through pivotal partnerships at every level of the sport, from the leading professional and amateur competitions and organizations to players at the pinnacle of their sport worldwide.

Click here to learn more about the Rules of golf.

What a year it was for Canadian golf.

Our pros won literally around the world and on just about every tour imaginable.

Our amateurs of all ages made Canada proud at home and abroad.

And, off the course, there were significant moments that are well worth memorializing as 2019 looms on the horizon.

(If we’ve unintentionally overlooked any—there were so many, after all!—please let us know at communications@golfcanada.ca)

Canadian professionals on the world stage

December

Brooke Henderson repeats as Canadian Female Athlete of the Year for both Canadian Press and Postmedia.

Jaclyn Lee opts to forego her final semester at Ohio State University to turn professional.  The 21-year-old from Calgary, a six-year member of the Team Canada program, earned her LPGA Tour card in November after finishing sixth at the Q-Series LPGA tournament.

Brian McDonald, the director of golf and general manager of Fairview Mountain in Oliver, B.C., fires five birdies in the final round to claim the PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada Presented by Titleist & FootJoy.

Three of four Canadians improve their Web.com Tour status at the Tour’s Qualifying event. They were led by Brad Fritsch of Manotick, Ont., who posted a 10-under 62 in the final round. His T-8 finish earned him 12 guaranteed starts in 2019. Michael Giglic of Burlington, Ont., and Toronto’s Albin Choi ended up inside the top 40, getting eight starts. Vancouver’s Seann Harlingten maintained his conditional status.

November

Team Canada, Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor, tie for fourth at the World Cup of Golf in Australia, the best finish by Canada since Dave Barr and Dan Halldorson won the event in 1985.

After setting a course record of 61 in the second round, Calgary’s Stephen Ames ends up T-5 at the PGA Champions Tour finale, the Charles Schwab Cup. It ended a great year for the 54-year-old Ames, who finished with four top-10s for the season.

Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee and Anne-Catherine Tanguay of Quebec City earn LPGA Tour status for 2019 in the final stage of Q-school. Lee finished sixth while Tanguay was T-8.

October

Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., is out-duelled by PGA TOUR freshman phenom Cameron Champ in the final round of the Sanderson Farms Championship to finish runner-up. Champ rode a hot putter to birdie five of the last six holes to deny Conners the title.

Team Canada member Hugo Bernard of Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que., winner of the 2016 Canadian Men’s Amateur, turns pro. Team Canada standout Maddie Szeryk, a resident of London, Ont. also turned pro after a stellar collegiate career at Texas A&M.

A record eight Canadian men will be in the field for the 2019 PGA TOUR season: David Hearn, Nick Taylor, Adam Hadwin, Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes, Adam Svensson, Roger Sloan and Ben Silverman.

September

Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., and Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., secure their PGA TOUR cards for 2019 due to their performance on the Web.com Tour.

Mr. 59! Drew Nesbitt of Toronto has four eagles, including a hole in one, five birdies, eight pars and a bogey to post the first 59 in PGA TOUR Latinoamerica history in the second round of the Brazil Open.

Marc-Etienne Bussieres of Longchamp, Que., defends his title at the PGA Assistants Championship of Canada Presented by Callaway Golf.

Richard Yung, a former Team Canada member, drains a 40-foot birdie putt to win the Suzhou Open, a PGA TOUR Series-China tournament.

August

Brooke Henderson becomes the first woman in 45 years to win the CP Women’s Open. At 20, the Team Canada graduate claimed her seventh LPGA Tour victory, including a major, but none was greater than this at Regina’s Wascana Country Club. Jocelyne Bourassa won the event in 1973.

July

Peter Campbell of Nova Scotia wins his first pro title, the Beijing Championship, on the PGA TOUR Series-China.

The world’s top-ranked men’s golfer, American Dustin Johnson, wins the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont. Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., is the top Canadian, tying for eighth. Team Canada member Chris Crisologo finished T45 to earn low-amateur honours.

American Jessica Porvasnik wins the DCM PGA Women’s Championship of Canada at the Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto.

June

Pierre-Alexander Bedard of Club de golf Cap Rouge wins the PGA Championship of Canada presented by TaylorMade and adidas Golf at Credit Valley G&CC.

April

Brooke Henderson wins her sixth LPGA Tour title, the Lotte Championship in Hawaii.

February

Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., was elected to the Boise State Hall of Fame. Along with his success at the collegiate level and on the PGA TOUR, DeLaet competed for Canada at the Olympics, the Presidents Cup and the World Cup.

January

Golf Canada announces the 2018 Team Canada Young Pro Squad: Anne-Catherine Tanguay (Quebec City), Brittany Marchand (Orangeville, Ont.), Augusta James (Bath, Ont.), Jennifer Ha (Calgary), Jared du Toit (Kimberley, B.C.), Stuart Macdonald (Vancouver), Albin Choi (Toronto) and Taylor Pendrith (Richmond Hill, Ont.)

Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., wins his first Web.com title, The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic.

Amateur golfers make Canada proud

December

Joey Savoie of La Prairie, Que. and Maddie Szeryk a London, Ont., resident, are recognized as Canada’s top male and female amateur golfers for 2018 based on the final standings of Golf Canada’s National Orders of Merit. It was Szeryk’s fourth consecutive year topping the Women’s Amateur Order of Merit. On the junior side, Céleste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que. and Matthew Anderson of Mississauga, Ont., took home top honours on the Future Links, driven by Acura National Junior Order Merit.

Nine Canadians were named to the 2018 Global Golf Post All-Amateur teams: Garrett Rank (Elmira, Ont.), Second Team, Men’s Mid-Amateur; Jaclyn Lee (Calgary, Alta.), Honourable Mention, Women’s Amateur; and Julia Hodgson (Unionville, Ont.), First Team Women’s Mid-Amateur. In the Women’s Senior category, Mary-Ann Hayward (St. Thomas, Ont.), Judith Kryinis (Thornhill, Ont.), Jackie Little (Proctor, B.C.) and Terrill Samuel (Etobicoke, Ont.) were named to the first team while Allison Murdoch (Victoria, B.C.) was a second-team selection and Marie-Therese Torti (Candiac, Que.) received honourable mention.

November

Golf Canada announced the 17 athletes who will represent Team Canada as part of the 2019 National Amateur and Junior Squads.

Women’s National Amateur Squad: Jaclyn Lee, Calgary; Naomi Ko, Victoria; Brigitte Thibault, Rosemere, Que.

Men’s National Amateur Squad: Joey Savoie, La Prairie, Que.; Chris Crisologo, Richmond, B.C.; Josh Whalen, Napanee, Ont.; Brendan MacDougall, Calgary.

Women’s Junior Squad: Celeste Dao, Notre-Dame-de-I’lle-Perrot, Que.; Ellie Szeryk, Allen, Texas; Emily Zhu, Richmond Hill, Ont.; Sarah Beqaj, Toronto; Monet Chun, Richmond Hill, Ont.

Men’s Junior Squad : Laurent Desmarchais, Longueuil, Que.; Christopher Vandette, Beaconsfield, Que.; Jeevan Sihota, Victoria; Olivier Menard, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Que.; Kai Iguchi, Banff, Alta.

October

The Red Deer College Queens win the women’s Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) national championship while Cegep Andre-Laurendeau claims the men’s title.

Celeste Dao, 17, of Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que. and William Duquette, 17, of Laval, Que. represented Team Canada in golf at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Ares, Argentina from October 6-18, 2018. Dao finished T13 and Duquette 28^th in their respective divisions. The duo also combined to finish 22^nd in the mixed team competition.

September

Jennifer Gu of West Vancouver, B.C., and Ilirian Zalli of Burnaby, B.C., claim their respective titles at the Future Links Presented by Acura Fall Series in B.C.

Team Canada Development Squad member Chris Vandette, the reigning Canadian Junior Boys champion, wins the Duke of York Young Champions at Castle Stuart Golf Links in Scotland.

Jaclyn Lee of Calgary, a senior at Ohio State University, claims her fourth NCAA golf title at the East & West Match Play in Michigan.

American Brady Exber wins the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship at New Brunswick’s Gowan Brae Golf and Country Club, edging Peter Detemple, a native of Vancouver. British Columbia claims the team title.

Ottawa’s Camelot Golf & Country Club plays host to the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, and among the 18 countries represented, Team Italy beat Team USA in a playoff to win the team title. Team Canada One, comprised of Céleste Dao (Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Qué.), Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont.) and Tiffany Kong (Vancouver, B.C.) finished fourth in the team competition while Canada Two consisting of Emily Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.), Sarah Beqaj (Toronto, Ont.) and Lauren Kim (Surrey, B.C.) finished 18^th.

August

Australian Sue Wooster successfully defends her Senior and Mid-Master titles at the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship at Lookout Point Country Club in Fonthill, Ont., edging Mary Ann Hayward of St. Thomas, Ont., by one shot.

Hailey McLaughlin of Markham, Ont., and Yuqui Liu of Thornhill, Ont., win their respective divisions at the Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series Championship at Owl’s Head Golf Club in Masonville, Que.

Kentucky’s Joseph Deraney shoots 65 to win the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur at B.C.’s Victoria Golf Club. Two-time Mid-Am champ Kevin Carrigan of Victoria finished second.

Céleste Dao of Notre Dame de I’Ile Perot, Que., a member of the Team Canada Development Squad, wins the Canadian Junior Girls Championship in Tsawwassen, B.C.

Christopher Vandette of Beaconsfield, Que., becomes only the 10^th player since the joint event was established in 1948 to win both the Canadian Junior Boys and Juvenile Boys Championships.

July

American Yealimi Noh, 17, wins the Canadian Women’s Amateur at Vancouver’s Marine Drive Golf Club. The teen standout earned an exemption into the CP Women’s Open in Regina where she claimed low amateur honours.

Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Skills Challenge National Event at Glen Abbey announces the national champions: Andre Zhu, King City, Ont., Boys 9-11; Lindsay McGrath, Milton, Ont., Girls 9-11; Matis Lessard, Quebec City, Boys 12-15; Alissa Xu, King City, Ont., Girls 12-15; Gregoire Vincent, Quebec City, Boys 15-18; Taylor Cormier, Corner Brook, NL, Girls 15-18.

Owen Mullen of Truro, N.S., and Haley Baker of Mississauga, Ont., claim their respective divisions in the Future Links, driven by Acura Atlantic Championship at Twin Rivers Golf Course in Newfoundland.

June

Wesley Hoydalo of Selkirk, Sask., and Sydney Scraba of Calgary win their respective divisions at the Future Links, driven by Acura Prairie Championship at Portage GC in Manitoba.

Robbie Latter of Mississauga, Ont., and Emily Romancew of Pierrefonds, Que., win their respective divisions in the Future Links, driven by Acura Quebec Championship at Club de golf Lachute in Quebec.

The University of British Columbia Thunderbirds win their third straight women’s title in the Canadian University/College Championship. The host University of the Fraser Valley Cascades win the men’s title.

May

Laurent Desmarchais of Longueuil, Que., and Taylor Kehoe of Strathroy, Ont., win their respective divisions at the Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship at Otter Creek GC.

Monet Chun of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Cole Wilson of Kelowna, B.C., win their respective divisions in the Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship at Bear Mountain Golf Resort in B.C.

Team Canada member Celeste Dao comes from six back to win the Mexican Junior Girls Championship in a three-hole playoff.

April

Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee, a junior at Ohio State, ties a 54-hole scoring record en route to winning the Big 10 Championship. It was her third NCAA title of the year.

Team Canada member Maddie Szeryk, a senior at Texas A&M, wins her second straight NCAA tournament, the Dale McNamara Invitational in Oklahoma.

Toronto’s Vanessa Borovilos wins the girls’ 10-11 age division in the Drive, Chip & Putt Finals at Augusta National.

February

Jaclyn Lee of Calgary breaks an Ohio State school record with a 64 in the final round to win her second NCAA title, the Westbrook Spring Invite in Arizona.

January

National Amateur Squad member Chris Crisologo of Richmond, B.C., wins the South American Amateur in Argentina.

Milestones Off The Course

December

The RBC Canadian Open was honoured at the PGA TOUR’s Tournament Meetings for its “Best in Class Element”, thanks to the success of its fan experience, The Rink. For the past two years, the par-3 seventh hole at Glen Abbey Golf Club was transformed into a rendition of a hockey rink, complete with boards lining the hole, upgraded bleachers and viewing decks, with marshals dressed as referees. A net, puck and hockey sticks were available for the pros to test their hockey skills as part of Wednesday’s Championship Pro-Am.

Golf Fore the Cure Presented by Subaru announced it raised more than $425,000 for breast cancer research in 2018, thanks to the efforts of more than 13,000 participants at 175 events across Canada. Since the program’s inception in 2003, upwards of 120,000 women have raised more than $6.7 million with all proceeds donated to the Canadian Cancer Society and the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation.

November

Golf Ontario and the Northern Golf Association announce a partnership to grow the game in that province. As a result, all NGA members will also be Golf Ontario members, both associations will continue to invest in initiatives such as Golf in Schools, and there will be a stronger collaboration in areas such as course rating, handicapping and competitions.

The sole Canadian stop on the PGA TOUR Champions Tour, Calgary’s Shaw Charity Classic, announces it had donated a record-breaking $12.4-million donation to be shared among 182 youth-based charities in Alberta. That brought the six-year total to more than $34 million since the event’s inception, impacting more than 500,000 youth in the areas of sports, arts, health, development and counseling.

Brittany Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., is inducted into her alma mater’s Athletics Hall of Fame at Coastal Carolina University. Prior to putting her playing career aside to caddie for sister Brooke, Brittany was a member of Team Canada and an outstanding collegiate golfer, leading her school to two Big South Championships.

The R&A announces that the 2019 RBC Canadian Open will be one of 16 events that will make up the Open Qualifying Series.

Longtime Golf Ontario Executive Director Dave Mills is honoured with the International Association of Golf Administrators Distinguished Service Award.

October

Team Canada Junior Women’s Coach Matt Wilson of Newmarket, Ont., is named Coach of the Year for the PGA of Canada Ontario Zone.

Former LPGA Tour player Christa Teno of Tecumseh, Ont., is named Coach of the Year by the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional association. She has been the head women’s coach at Florida’s Seminole State University since 2007 and coached the team to a national championship in 2015. Tina Tombs, a native of Montreal who played on the LPGA Tour and now resides in Arizona, is named Teacher of the Year.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., is named female summer athlete of the year at the Canadian Sports Awards. She would later be voted a runner-up finalist for the 2018 Lou Marsh Award.

September

The Canadian Golf Superintendents Association names Dean Baker of Ontario’s Burlington Golf and Country Club as superintendent of the year.

August

The PGA TOUR announces that Osprey Valley, a 54-hole facility north of Toronto, will become the first member of the TPC Network in Canada. In July, Osprey Valley hosted the inaugural Osprey Valley Open, an official Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada event.

July

Bryan Crawford of Ancaster, Ont., is named Tournament Director of the RBC Canadian Open. Earlier in the year that Ryan Paul of Oakville, Ont. was named Tournament Director for the CP Women’s Open.

Canadian Pacific announces it has extended its title sponsorship of the CP Women’s Open for five years, from 2019 through 2023. Golf Canada and CP also announced that the 2019 CP Women’s Open would be hosted at Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont.

RBC, Golf Canada and the PGA TOUR announce that the 2019 RBC Canadian Open will move to a premier date on the TOUR schedule, one week before the U.S. Open. The 110^th RBC Canadian Open will be played at Hamilton Golf & Country Club from June 3 to 9.

June

Longtime golf journalist Mario Brisebois is named for induction into the Quebec Golf Hall of Fame. Congratulations as well to the many deserving individuals across Canada inducted into their respective Provincial Golf Hall of Fame in 2018.

March

Revered Canadian pro Jerry Anderson passes away suddenly at the age of 62.

A totally revised Rules of Golf is revealed for review, to be implemented on January 1, 2019.

February

Golf Canada launches the centralized program (February through May) for the National Junior Squad at its National Training Centre at Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria, B.C.

The proposed new World Handicap System is announced, designed to provide all golfers with a consistent measure of playing ability globally. Golf Canada will adopt all features of the new system.

Former LPGA Tour player Gail Graham and course architect Arthur Vernon Macan are this year’s inductees into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

Golf Canada announce a partnership with the Good Beer Folks at Steam Whistle, Canada’s Premium Pilsner, to become the Official Beer of Golf Canada, the RBC Canadian Open and the CP Women’s Open.

January

Leslie Dunning of Calgary is elected president of Golf Canada, succeeding Roland Deveau.

Tom Zariski of Drumheller, Alta., is named Golf Canada’s 2017 Volunteer of the Year.

Golf Canada names four recipients of its Distinguished Service Award—veteran sports columnist Cam Cole alongside former Alberta Golf President Fran Marsden, long-time volunteer Florin “Fuzzy” Bergh of Edmonton, and golf historian Ron Lyons.

Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Lorne Rubenstein, a lifelong golf journalist and author, receives the PGA Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism.

There was a quiet poise to Brooke Henderson on that Sunday morning last summer in Regina ahead of her final round at the CP Women’s Open.

She had experienced big moments before: her first LPGA Tour win as a 17-year-old in 2015, her first major victory a year later, her first appearance at the Olympics.

This tournament was different.

No Canadian had won the national open since Jocelyne Bourassa in 1973. Supporters who crammed the galleries could sense something special was happening.

Henderson would deliver in emphatic fashion, firing a closing-round 65 for a four-shot victory.

“The 18th hole, standing on that green, surrounded by family and friends and hundreds of fans and spectators cheering me on – it was sort of a surreal moment,” Henderson said. “To finally hold that trophy that I’ve dreamed about since I was a little girl, it gives me chills just thinking back on it.”

It was one of two tournament titles and 11 top-10 finishes for Henderson last season. On Wednesday, she was rewarded for her stellar campaign by being named a repeat winner of the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as The Canadian Press female athlete of the year.

Henderson, who has won the award in three of the last four years, picked up 30 of 54 votes (55.6 per cent) in a poll of broadcasters and editors from across the country.

“Especially this year being an Olympic year with all the great athletes that competed in the Winter Olympics, it’s a big honour and I’m just really proud to take home this award again,” said Henderson, who was also named Postmedia’s Female Athlete of the Year.

Figure skater Kaetlyn Osmond and short-track speedskater Kim Boutin tied for second place with 10 votes each (18.5 per cent).

The winner of the Lionel Conacher Award as Canada’s male athlete of the year will be named Thursday and the team of the year will be named Friday.

With wet weather in the forecast, Henderson had an early start for her final round at the CP Women’s Open. Showing no sign of nerves or timidity, she lashed her opening drive down the fairway and birdied the hole for a two-stroke lead.

Angel Yin, Sung Hyun Park, Su Oh and others tried to make charges that day but Henderson wouldn’t buckle. In fact, the Canadian found another gear.

Henderson pulled away with four straight birdies on the back nine and tapped in a birdie putt on the 18th hole to send the crowd into a tizzy. Her seventh career LPGA Tour victory moved her one behind Sandra Post’s record for all-time wins by a Canadian.

“The blinders were on,” Post said. “She was looking at the finish line and she just looked like it was hers. She wasn’t nervous. It was hers.”

It was an emotional summer for Henderson and her family. Her maternal grandfather died in early June and her paternal grandfather died in early August.

Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., remained steady and consistent throughout the year. She won the Lotte Championship last April in Hawaii, earned US$1.47 million over the season and finished ninth in the world rankings.

“Big performances on the biggest stage amongst stiff competition in one of the highest-profile sports in the world,” said Edmonton-based Postmedia editor Craig Ellingson.

Henderson was fourth in scoring average (69.99) on the LPGA Tour, eighth in driving distance (268-yard average) and fourth in greens in regulation (74.5 per cent).

Her short game statistics were middle of the pack. Henderson was 72nd in putting average (29.7 putts per round) and 87th in sand saves (43.7 per cent).

“It’s easy to get down on yourself when things aren’t going perfectly,” Henderson said. “I feel like I stayed really patient through the majority of the year. When things were not very good, they always turned around. You just have to wait them out and I did that.

“Even going into the CP Women’s Open, I was in contention a few times and wasn’t able to get the job done. But I feel like I learned from those experiences and then when I put myself in position in Regina, I wasn’t going to let it go that time. I was able to seal the deal.”

Bobbie Rosenfeld, an Olympic medallist in track and field and a multi-sport athlete, was named Canada’s best female athlete of the half-century in 1950.

The first winner of the Rosenfeld award was golfer Ada Mackenzie in 1933. Marlene Stewart Streit leads all golfers by taking the honour on five occasions (1952, ’53, ’56, ’57, ’63).

Joey Savoie of La Prairie, Que. and Maddie Szeryk, a London, Ont., resident, have been recognized as Canada’s top male and female amateur golfers for 2018 as Golf Canada announced the final standings for its National Orders of Merit.

The 2018 season marks the fourth straight year that Maddie Szeryk has finished atop the women’s National Order of Merit. The 22-year-old recorded back-to-back collegiate victories this season for the Texas A&M Aggies at the Bruzzy Challenge and Dale McNamara Invitational. The wins were part of a season which saw Szeryk collect 11 top- 10 NCAA finishes. She concluded her season with a runner-up performance at the prestigious Women’s Porter Cup. Szeryk recently turned professional and will compete on the Symetra Tour in 2019.

Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee finished second on the National Order of Merit. In 2018, the 21-year-old standout posted two collegiate victories for Ohio State while adding four other top 10 results for the Buckeyes. Lee, who recently turned professional, made noise with a semi-finalist appearance at the Ladies British Amateur and quarter-finalist showing at the U.S. Women’s Amateur. Lee also had success in the pro ranks, placing in a tie for 35th at the LPGA’s Meijer Classic.

Brigitte Thibault of Rosemère, Que., finished third on the Order of Merit. Thibault collected three top-10 finishes as a member of the Fresno State Bulldogs, including a runner-up finish at the UNLV Collegiate Showdown. She added top-10 results at the Women’s Western, North & South and Quebec Amateur. Thibault was recently named to Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad.

Savoie claims top spot in the men’s National Order of Merit ranking after an impressive season highlighted by winning both individual and team honours at the Tailhade Cup in Argentina. The Middle Tennessee graduate also notched top-five results at the Argentine Amateur, Azalea Invitational, St. Andrews Links Trophy and Duke of Kent. Savoie finished T19 at the 2018 Canadian Men’s Amateur and medaled at the U.S. Amateur Qualifier in Lexington, Ky. Savoie was recently named to Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad.

Henry Lee, 20, of Coquitlam, B.C., finished second on the Order of Merit thanks in part to earning four top-20 NCAA finishes for the University of Washington, as well as a top 10 result at the Canadian Men’s Amateur.

Charles Corner, 22, of Cayuga, Ont., rounded out the top three after recording three top-five NCAA finishes for the UTEP Miners.

Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Order of Merit

On the Future Links, driven by Acura National Junior Order Merit, Matthew Anderson of Mississauga, Ont., and Céleste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que., took home top honours in their respective divisions.

Anderson, 18, tallied six top-10 results this season, including an impressive T6 finish at the Canadian Junior Boys Championship. The Team Ontario member also captured Golf Ontario’s Junior Spring Classic and finished T28 at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

Rounding out the top three on the Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Boys Order of Merit are Laurent Desmarchais (17) of Longueil, Que., and Cam Kellett (19) of London, Ont. Desmarchais was recently named to Team Canada’s National Junior Squad.

Dao topped the junior girl’s Order of Merit for a second consecutive year after a remarkable rookie campaign with Team Canada’s National Junior Squad. The 17-year-old was in the winner’s circle three times in 2018, including a three-stroke victory at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship. The Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que., product also qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open and won the Mexican Junior and Quebec Junior Championships. Dao had success on the international scene as well, collecting a 5th place finish at the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup in Japan. She led the Canadians at the 2018 World Junior Girls Championship in Ottawa with a 5th place finish.

Finishing runner-up behind Dao is 14-year-old Emily Zhu of Thornhill, Ont., while Ellie Szeryk (17) of London, Ont., rounded out the top three. Both Zhu and Szeryk were selected to the 2019 Team Canada National Junior Squad.

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/

The following are top-10 National Order of Merit finishers from each respective division:

National Men’s Order of Merit

National Women’s Order of Merit

National Junior Boys Order of Merit driven by Acura

National Junior Girls Order of Merit driven by Acura

Cozumel, Mexico – Despite a valiant Mackenzie Tour – PGATOUR Canada charge, the PGATOUR Latinoamerica held onto their lead and won the Go Vacaciones Cozumel Cup presented by Assist Card by a mark of 11.5-8.5 on Saturday at Cozumel Country Club.

With the Mackenzie Tour picked up points in the first four matches of the day thanks to the efforts of Michael Gellerman, Sam Fidone, Mark Anguiano and Zach Wright, the next five points on the leaderboard went to the blue team, with Tyson Alexander’s victory on the 18^th green securing the 10^th point, and with Ian Holt already dormie, secured the Cup.

“We played good golf, nobody got more than one or two up and we were making birdies and pars, it was fun,” said Alexander, who made a five-foot par putt to win the match on the closing hole. “My (teammates) came out at the end to watch, and it happened to go my way.”

Not a single player on the Latinoamerica team lost all three of their matches, and the team effort turned out to be essential in winning the cup back after the Mackenzie Tour took it from them in 2016.

Meanwhile, on the Mackenzie Tour side of things, Playing Captain Sam Fidone was happy with how hard everybody played on the final day.

“Nobody ever likes losing,” said Fidone. “But those 10 guys over there played awesome all week, and I’m proud of our guys too for putting up a huge fight today and this whole week.”

Fidone was one of the strongest players on the Mackenzie Tour side, like Alexander, winning all three of his matches.

“Just having the opportunity to play in this event was a huge honour,” added Fidone, the 6^thranked player on the Mackenzie Tour this season. “Cozumel is beautiful, and I don’t think you’ll see any of us pouting about this when we get back to Secrets.”

Harry Higgs, the PGATOUR Latinoamerica’s Playing Captain, matched Fidone’s 3-0 record.

“They’re brothers of mine,” said Higgs. “We’ve been together and been on the same flights and see each other at the golf courses sun up to sun down all year, so it means a lot to win a team competition after the years we all have had.

“I will never forget this week with these nine knuckleheads.”

The season of giving has another reason to be cheerful. Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru raised over $425k for breast cancer research in 2018 thanks to the efforts over 13,000 participants at 175 events across the country.

Since the program’s inception in 2003, upwards of 120,000 women have raised over $6.7 million to date with all proceeds donated to the Canadian Cancer Society and the Québec Breast Cancer Foundation.

Over 140 women celebrated this year’s success at the 15th annual Golf Fore the Cure National Event at Thornhill Golf Club in Thornhill, Ont.

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

“Golf Canada is very proud to celebrate the success and growth of women’s golf in Canada through the Golf Fore the Cure program,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s chief sport officer. “The collective efforts from volunteers, site coordinators, and our partners at Subaru and Canadian Cancer Society 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.”

The top 20 fundraising events of 2018:

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.

In totality, 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.

Photos from the 2018 National Event can be viewed here.

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

 

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Over 140 women on hand today at the #GolfForetheCure National Event @ThornhillClub to celebrate women’s golf and all the fundraising achieved in 2018 ?????‍♀️

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