NASSAU, Bahamas – Jon Rahm broke into tears when he beat Tiger Woods in the Ryder Cup, the most meaningful moment of his career.

Sunday wasn’t bad either, not with Woods handing him the trophy after Rahm turned a potential shootout into a runaway victory on the back nine in the Bahamas to end his year by winning the Hero World Challenge.

That makes two full years as a pro for the 24-year-old Spaniard, each with three victories worldwide.

“I hope I keep winning three times every year,” Rahm said. “Still wouldn’t get to what Tiger’s done in 20 years, but it would be pretty impressive.”

Starting the final round in a three-way tie with Tony Finau and Henrik Stenson, Rahm took the lead for good on the eighth hole and never trailed again. Finau was his final challenger until he took double bogey on the par-4 14th hole as Rahm made birdie for a five-shot lead, and the rest was easy.

Rahm closed with a 7-under 65 for a four-shot victory at Albany Golf Club.

“Even if I make a 4 there, I’m going to have to do something pretty dang special,” Finau said. “Hats off to Jon this week. He played incredible golf, and he deserved to win this week.”

Woods was never in the picture until it was time to hand out the trophy. Woods got off to another rough start, rallied on the back nine and had to settle for a 1-over 73 to finish 17th against the 18-man field. He finished 19 shots behind, the biggest gap this year from the winner over 72 holes.

“Overall, it was a long week, but one that I hope the players enjoyed,” Woods said in his role as tournament host.

Even so, there were Tiger prints all over this victory.

Rahm spoke of an interview he once saw from the British Open when Woods said that when he took the lead, his goal was to never go back to the field.

“That’s the same thing I thought today,” Rahm said. “As soon as I got in the lead, my mind was still forward. Keep doing birdies and just keep going on. I didn’t know what kind of a lead I had until I got to 16, and I was still rifling at the pin.”

He also recalled running into Woods before the Tour Championship at East Lake, which Woods won for his 80th career victory. Rahm grew up on poa annua greens, still isn’t entirely comfortable on Bermuda and asked Woods for advice.

“He kind of laughed and told me it’s all about feel,” Rahm said. “I was like, ‘OK, whatever, right.’ And today out there with the trophy, he was like, ‘That’s a pretty good performance for somebody who can’t put putt on Bermuda greens.’ I think I made one putt outside 10 feet. I didn’t miss a shot the last three days, it’s as simple as that. But I don’t think he believed me.”

Rahm has said all week the key to Albany were the five par 5s and two reachable par 4s. He made birdie on all of them Sunday.

Even with a runaway victory, there was a small measure of drama on the final hole.

Justin Rose, needing to finish in a three-way tie for second to return to No. 1 in the world, closed with a 65 and was in position to go back to the top of the ranking until Finau rolled in a 10-foot birdie putt for a 69 to finish alone in second.

Brooks Koepka, who did not play this week, remains No. 1. Rose has one more event left in two weeks at the Indonesia Masters.

Finau, meanwhile, cracked the top 10 for the first time in his career at No. 9.

Rahm took a two-shot lead to the back nine with a 4-hybrid to 12 feet on the par-5 ninth that set up a two-putt birdie, and he held his own until Finau’s double bogey. Rahm, making his first trip to the Bahamas for this event, figured out early that the key to scoring at Albany were the five par 5s and two reachable par 4s. He made birdie on all seven of those holes Sunday.

Stenson was only one shot behind when he made the turn, but the Swede made only one birdie on the back nine and finished alone if fourth. Patrick Cantlay was 12 shots better than Saturday, closing with a 64 to tie for fifth with defending champion Rickie Fowler.

The final PGA of Canada national championship of the year lands next week in Arizona.

The PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada presented by Titleist & FootJoy takes place December 3-6 at the Golf Course at The Wigwam in Litchfield, Ariz.

A 54-hole national championship featuring PGA of Canada head professionals, head teaching professionals, executive professionals and general managers, will undoubtedly feature stellar play from an impressive cast of players.

The field at The Wigwam includes:

• Past PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada winners John Cochrane, Danny King and Benoit Boudreau
• Past PGA Championship of Canada winners Dave Levesque and Eric Laporte
• Past PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada winners Phil Jonas, Matt Palsenbarg, Marc Girouard
• PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC highly-touted Scott Allred, Philippe Gariepy, Brian Hadley, David Zibrik, Lindsay Bernakevitch, Ron Kenesky and Gordon Burns
• PGA TOUR winner Ian Leggatt

“We’re very excited to be headed back to Arizona and even more excited to be going to the Gold Course at The Wigwam for the PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada,” said PGA of Canada president Mark Patterson.

This year’s field features many first-time players in the PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada presented by Titleist & FootJoy.

Designed by the master designer himself, the Gold Course was created in 1964 to rival another of Robert Trent Jones Sr.’s courses, the famed South Course at Firestone Country Club. At more than 7,430 yards, this long and winding par-72 course will challenge even the finest of golfers, leaving them with club choices that will either reward or reprimand their decisions. The course has previously hosted qualifying tournaments for the Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada, U.S. Open and the U.S. Amateur.

The Wigwam was originally built in 1918 as a gathering place for the Ohio-based executives of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company who discovered the West Valley of Phoenix as a prime location to grow cotton for rubber production. As the retreat grew in popularity, additional accommodations and amenities were added and in 1929 The Wigwam opened as a full-service resort with accommodations for just 24 guests.

In its 100-year history, this Phoenix resort has hosted some of the world’s most recognized public figures and sports legends and maintains a reputation as one of the Southwest’s landmark resort destinations.

In 2017, John Cochrane captured the PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada presented by Titleist & FootJoy. The 56-year-old posted rounds of 72-69 at the TPC Eagle Trace in Coral Springs, Fla., bettering Brian Hadley and Jeff Mills by two shots.

This year’s championship will see a few changes—both on and off the golf course. Firstly, the low club professional will be recognized with a separate trophy and monetary bonus. Secondly, all competitors are encouraged to stay at The Wigwam to take full advantage of numerous evening festivities.

The PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada presented by Titleist & FootJoy was played in Arizona in 2014 and 2015. Matt Peavoy captured the ’14 event at SunRidge Canyon Golf Club, while Danny King won in ’15 at Verrado Golf Club.

The Inter-Zone Team Championship, which is comprised of four players per zone (and three scores per team counting), is also handed out after 36-holes.

In addition to competing for the overall championship trophy, players in the PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada earn much-coveted ranking points with hopes of moving up on the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC. Players who are ranked inside the top 64 following the PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada earn exemptions into the following year’s PGA Championship of Canada.

Former champions of the PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada include Adam Chamberlain, Roger Beale, Norm Jarvis, Gar Hamilton, Bob Panasik, Yvan Beauchemin, Graham Gunn, Ken Tarling and Brian Hutton, in addition to the above-mentioned names.

Click here for the full field.

The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada is busy preparing for another strong season, announcing on Thursday the dates and sites for its six 2019 Qualifying Tournaments, events that determine the membership of the Mackenzie Tour.

The six sites will be: TPC San Antonio in San Antonio, Tex. (Feb. 25- March 1), Mission Inn Resort & Club in Howie-In-The-Hills, Fla. (March 4-8), Carlton Oaks Golf Club in Santee, Calif. (March 25-29), Wigwam Golf Club in Litchfield Park, Ariz. (April 1-5), TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (April 22-26) and Crown Isle Resort & Golf Club in Courtenay, BC (April 29-May 3).

Each event is a 72-hole, no-cut qualifying tournament, with fields of 120 players.

“Due to a steady increase in demand seen the past few seasons, we are excited to add another Mackenzie Tour qualifying tournament to the calendar to allow more aspiring professionals the opportunity to work their way towards the PGA TOUR,” said Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada President Jeff Monday. “With the new season right around the corner, we look forward to seeing which stars of tomorrow emerge out of the 2019 qualifying sites.”

For more information, please refer to the FAQ on PGATOUR.com.

CALGARY—Standing high atop the city’s skyline at the Calgary Tower, the Shaw Charity Classic announced it has shattered its own fundraising record for a sixth straight year on the PGA TOUR Champions with a $12,357,863 donation that will be shared amongst 182 youth-based charities in Alberta.

Smashing its target of hitting the $10 million mark for 2018, the sizeable donation now brings the award-winning tournament’s fundraising totals to more than $34 million since its inception on the senior professional golf circuit in 2013.

“This donation is nothing short of remarkable. Year-after-year our tournament has broken records for charitable giving on the PGA TOUR Champions, and we have done it again in 2018,” said Jim Riddell, who will continue to build on his father, Clay’s legacy, ensuring the Shaw Charity Classic continues to have a positive impact on Alberta youth.

“Achieving these substantial fundraising goals is simply not possible without the shared passion we have with our incredible corporate partners for watching the greatest names in golf come to Calgary, and a commitment to helping the children in our province. I know we will continue to have a tremendous impact on the lives of Alberta youth through the continued support of this program.”

To support the growth of the Shaw Charity Classic’s fundraising efforts, the tournament’s title sponsor, Shaw Communications, also signed on this year as the title sponsor for the Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink program. Shaw kicked off this year’s fundraising by donating $1 million to the charitable giving program, which will benefit over 180 charities across Alberta.

“The Shaw Charity Classic has given us a meaningful opportunity to connect to the city we love and support the people and organizations who work to make our communities a better place, every day,” said Brad Shaw, CEO, Shaw Communications. “Through the support and dedication of the partners, fans and volunteers who help to ensure the success of the tournament, this year’s event will have a significant impact on the lives of hundreds-of-thousands of kids and youth from across our province.”

With the tournament’s charitable spirit rooted in the generous leadership of Shaw Communications and AltaLink, the record donation in 2018 will have a positive impact on more than 500,000 youth representing over 180 charities in the areas of sports, arts, health, development and counselling. The program welcomed donations from more than 3,127 Canadians in all corners of the country.

“Every year I am amazed at how the Birdies for Kids participating charities come together with donors across our country to improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of kids, and this year is no different,” said Scott Thon, President and CEO of AltaLink. “Being the presenting sponsor of the Birdies for Kids program is incredibly rewarding, and the good the program does in our community made it easy for us to sign on for another three years earlier this year.”

After partnering with children representing nine of the tournament’s official charities to unveil the 2018 donation, the Shaw Charity Classic announced Jim Riddell as its new tournament chairman. Riddell will build on his father, Clay Riddell’s, vision for bringing the PGA TOUR Champions to his home club at Calgary’s Canyon Meadows. Clay, the driving force behind making the Shaw Charity Classic a reality, passed away in September at the age of 81.

“My father’s vision for bringing professional golf to Calgary was clear – to help the children in our community live a healthier and happier life,” said Jim Riddell. “Working with the patron group, the event team, our corporate partners, and the PGA TOUR, we will continue to expand the unparalleled legacy he has established with this tournament by helping as many kids as we can throughout Alberta.

“I know he would be smiling tonight in celebration of what we achieved together this year. Tomorrow, he would be challenging us to raise the bar and do even better in 2019. Giving back to Alberta through a premier sporting event that benefits the next generation of Albertans is as important to me as it was to my father.”

The 2019 Shaw Charity Classic returns to Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club, Aug. 28 – Sept. 1.

The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada announced its 10-player team for the Go Vacaciones Cozumel Cup presented by Assist Card, the third annual Tour vs. Tour event which pits the top Mackenzie Tour players against the top PGA TOUR Latinoamérica players.

The team, consisting of the top available players on the 2018 Mackenzie Tour Order of Merit, will compete against a 10-player team from PGA TOUR Latinoamérica in a Presidents Cup-style event at Cozumel Country Club in Cozumel, Mexico, from December 11-15, 2018. The PGA TOUR Latinoamérica team will be announced following the season-ending Latinoamerica Tour Championship – Shell Championship in Miami, Florida, November 29-December 2.

The three competition days of the Go Vacaciones Cozumel Cup is comprised of four-ball, foursomes and singles matches, on December 13, 14 and 15, respectively.

After a team vote, the players announced the playing captain representing the Mackenzie Tour is Sam Fidone, the sixth-ranked player on the 2018 Order of Merit.

“Everyone on this team has proven themselves as great players this year and throughout their young careers so far. It was great getting to know the guys this season, and I’m confident in our team morale,” said Fidone, a native of Lufkin, Texas. “We know it’ll be a challenge because of the talented team PGA TOUR Latinoamérica will have, but we’re confident and looking forward to a great event.”

Joining Fidone on the team are: George Cunningham (Tucson, Arizona), Zach Wright (Phoenix, Arizona), Corey Pereira (Mission Viejo, California), Michael Gellerman (Tucson, Arizona),  Danny Walker (Bradenton, Florida), Ben Griffin (Chapel Hill, North Carolina), Ian Holt (Stow, Ohio), Mark Anguiano (Bellflower, California), and Blake Olson (Pensacola, Florida).

“I’m thrilled to be a part of this event and tee it up with the guys at the Go Vacaciones Cozumel Cup,” said Cunningham, who finished second on the 2018 Order of Merit. “Based on the competition on the Mackenzie Tour, I know we have some very strong players on this team and it’s going to be a great way to celebrate the end of an awesome year. I’m sure our team will have a blast in Cozumel.”

Leading the team in international experience is Wright, who was one of the best-performing members from the 2016 American Arnold Palmer Cup team. Wright had a 2-0-2 match record at the event that pits American and international college golfers against each other.

The inaugural team event, previously named the Aruba Cup, took place in 2016, with the team from PGA TOUR Latinoamerica defeating the team from the Mackenzie Tour, 13-7, while the 2017 edition saw the Mackenzie Tour strike back with a tight 11 ½-10 ½ victory.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida, and PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The World Golf Foundation Board of Directors announced today that Greg McLaughlin will assume the combined roles and responsibilities of World Golf Foundation Chief Executive Officer & President of The First Tee. McLaughlin most recently served as President of PGA TOUR Champions, since January 2015; prior to his role at the TOUR, he was CEO of the Tiger Woods Foundation for 14 years.

McLaughlin will strategically direct the World Golf Foundation, The First Tee and World Golf Hall of Fame, expanding the reach, impact and global prominence of each and ensuring financial performance and sustainability. McLaughlin will serve as a leader among the world’s top golf organizations, and a key ambassador and spokesperson for the game of golf.

“We are thrilled to welcome Greg to this incredibly important new role,” said Jay Monahan, World Golf Foundation Chairman and PGA TOUR Commissioner. “I’m not sure we could have asked for a more qualified, passionate leader, considering his deep level of experience and executive leadership success within the golf world and beyond. Given the scope of this newly consolidated role – to further the World Golf Foundation’s mission and build upon the vision of The First Tee – his proven ability to build relationships at the highest level of the sports, business and not-for-profit communities is unique and will be invaluable. This restructure represents an exciting evolution for the World Golf Foundation, and Greg is the perfect person to take the mantle.”

World Golf Foundation Board Member and LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan added, “Greg will be a perfect fit in this new role. He is an authentic, proven leader who delivers on so many important attributes – he’s experienced, passionate and a visionary. Specifically, I think Greg will instantly connect with The First Tee chapters, donors and participants. With Greg at the helm, and given his ability to build lasting partnerships, this will be an exciting time for The First Tee and the World Golf Foundation.”

“As a member of the greater golf community for more than 30 years, I have always been proud of what the collective efforts of our sport have done and continue to do to inspire communities and change lives, especially for young people who can learn and grow through the values of golf,” said McLaughlin. “This is an exciting time in the evolution of the World Golf Foundation and, specifically, The First Tee, and I am humbled by and excited for the opportunity to lead our industry’s efforts to increase participation and global awareness of golf as a sport that is welcoming to all.”

McLaughlin joined the PGA TOUR in 2014, initially as Senior Vice President of the TOUR’s Championship Management division; he was promoted to PGA TOUR Champions President in 2015 and Executive Vice President of the PGA TOUR in 2018. McLaughlin has been instrumental in the success of PGA TOUR Champions, overseeing a record-setting 20-year marketing partnership with Charles Schwab & Co., the implementation of the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs and the addition of several new title sponsors and markets.

Prior to joining the Tiger Woods Foundation in 2000, McLaughlin was the Vice President of Tournaments at the (now-named) Genesis Open, Honda Classic and BMW Championship.

McLaughlin graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in Economics. He also received his Juris Doctor from Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Ten-year World Golf Foundation CEO Steve Mona will assist McLaughlin with the transition, as Executive Director of WE ARE GOLF and Senior Advisor, before retiring later next year. In addition, 25-year golf industry veteran, Jack Peter, who has made significant contributions including overseeing the design, build out and operation of PGA TOUR Entertainment and most recently, helping to bring the World Golf Hall of Fame to global prominence in his role as President, will retire from his position at the end of the year.

“I’d like to thank Jack for his incredible leadership through the years, specifically his success in raising the profile of the of the World Golf Hall of Fame Museum,” added Monahan.

Brodie Waters, World Golf Hall of Fame Vice President of Business Affairs, will lead the Hall of Fame structure, funding and operations with McLaughlin’s oversight, and will also oversee PR/communications activities for the World Golf Foundation.

Miller Brady, a 19-year veteran of the PGA TOUR, will succeed McLaughlin to lead PGA TOUR Champions. Brady steps into the role after most recently working under McLaughlin as Senior Vice President & Chief of Operations, where his responsibilities have included direct oversight of tournament business affairs, operations, competitions and player relations as well as scheduling. In previous roles at the TOUR, Brady gained valuable experience within the Corporate Marketing department and as Special Assistant to the Commissioner (Tim Finchem) during the development of the FedExCup. Brady began working in the sports industry in 1996 with Advantage International (now Octagon), overseeing BMW’s grassroots golf program and eventually Bank of America’s PGA TOUR Sponsorship of the West Coast Swing. He is from Atlanta and is a graduate of Georgia Southern University.

LAS VEGAS – It was a far cry from a normal workweek for Andrew Pittam, but it was one of those experiences he’ll be talking about for a while.

That’s because most Fridays don’t conclude by shaking Tiger Woods’ hand.

Pittam, from London, Ont., is the VP of Project Management for Toronto-based Astound Group, a global design and events agency. The company was in charge of all aspects of signage and event development for ‘The Match’ in Las Vegas on Friday, pitting Woods vs. Phil Mickelson in a $9-million 1:1 showdown.

Pittam had worked previously at IMG and had experience as the Tournament Director for the former Telus Skins Game. He was heavily involved in a handful of LPGA Tour and PGA Tour properties – including the made-for-TV Tavistock Cup in Florida.

But nothing, he says, was like Friday.

“When I worked at IMG years ago, we always talked about what it would be like to get Tiger and Phil together and it just never really made sense for both of them and where they were in their careers,” says Pittam. “If you’re a golf enthusiast, you have to appreciate how amazing it was to see them go head-to-head and to end in a playoff.

“For the people to witness on site, in person… that’s something that’s never happened before.”

There was a small Canadian contingent onsite at The Match on Friday. Comedic legend Norm MacDonald – who walked Shadow Creek using an old putter as a cane and tried to get as close to Woods as possible to take photos on his iPhone – joined Pittam and his wife Colleen, their friends Andrew and his wife Stephanie (“It’s hard to put into words,” says Andrew of the once-in-a-lifetime experience), Pittam’s boss, and two journalists as part of the group.

That group of eight was part of the approximately 1,000 people watching The Match in person, and Pittam was tasked with making sure everyone was going where they should be. There weren’t ropes, like a traditional event. Instead there was a rope (singular) that was constantly moved by a group of volunteers led by Pittam.

Astound, says Pittam, was part of the production of the event – from signage and branding to event management – and he says this was a unique experience.

“You didn’t rope (the whole course) and at a (normal PGA TOUR event) the players are basically safe the whole time. You get them to the driving range and they’re good, because they don’t leave the rope line. But something like this… it was kind of tricky,” he says.

“But I think the experience for the spectator on site must have been one of the best ones I’ve ever witnessed. They got an incredible experience being that close to both players.”

Pittam moved to Astound seven years ago after starting his career with IMG. At the conclusion of the Telus Skins Game, Pittam began working on the fashion and figure skating business at IMG and he had lost his passion, he says.

He started at Astound – one of his vendors while at IMG – and has been involved in all facets of the business ever since including events, tradeshows, branding installations (the company was part of Nike’s branding during the NBA All-Star weekend in Toronto a few years ago, for example) and he manages a team based in Oakville, Ont.

Astound has a 350,000 square-foot facility in Las Vegas, so the efficiencies was perfect for this kind of event, he says.

Although there wasn’t much needed in terms of spectator infrastructure – with only 1,000 people, all of whom wanted to just get as close to Woods and Mickelson as possible – he says the event was still “huge” for Astound.

“To get called on to work on an event that had such a high magnitude of interest… this event was a really big deal for us out of Toronto,” he says. “It was a great week for our company, but it was just really awesome to be part of an event like this.”

Winter Park, Fla. – Global Golf Post today announced its sixth annual All-Amateur teams for men and women.

This annual effort is intended to recognize individual performance during the past 12 months for men and women amateurs, mid-amateurs, and senior amateurs.

All told, 199 players from 24 nations are honoured. And among all those players, two stood out as The Post’s Amateurs of the Year – Matt Parziale, 31, and Jennifer Kupcho, 21.

Nine Canadians were honoured in the 2018 list:

Men’s Mid-Amateur

• Garrett Rank (Elmira, Ont.) – Second team

Women’s Amateur

• Jaclyn Lee (Calgary, Alta.) – Honourable mention

Women’s Mid-Amateur

• Julia Hodgson (Unionville, Ont.) – First team

Women’s Senior

• Mary-Ann Hayward (St. Thomas, Ont.) – First team
• Judith Kyrinis (Thornhill, Ont.) – First team
• Jackie Little (Proctor, B.C.) – First team
• Terrill Samuel (Etobicoke, Ont.) – First team
• Allison Murdoch (Victoria, B.C.) – Second team
• Marie-Thérèse Torti (Candiac, Que.) – Honourable mention

Among the 199 players, there were five golfers to have won Canadian national championships in 2018:

• Zach Bauchou (Forest, Va.) – 2018 Canadian Men’s Amateur | Second team
• Joseph Deraney (Lexington, Ky.) – 2018 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur | First team
• Brady Exber (Las Vegas, Nev.) – 2018 Canadian Men’s Senior | First team
• Sue Wooster (Australia) – 2018 Canadian Women’s Mid-Am & Senior | First team
• Atthaya Thirikul (Thailand) – 2018 World Junior Girls Championship medallist – First team
• Yealimi Noh (Concord, Calif.) – 2018 Women’s Amateur Champion – Honourable mention

Click here for the full list.

MELBOURNE, Australia – Thomas Pieters and Thomas Detry of Belgium lifted the World Cup of Golf trophy on Sunday. They may have won it on Friday.

The Belgians had a few anxious moments on the back nine Sunday but held on to shoot a 4-under 68 and claim a three-stroke win, despite a determined late run by Australia and Mexico.

The sunny skies and lack of wind on Sunday was a far cry from Friday, when driving rain and gusty winds meant there were more scores in the 80s than in the 60s.

Belgium shot 71 on Friday, tied for the low score of the day and one of only four scores under par, and shared the lead going into the third round. Many golfers said the Friday conditions were the worst they had ever played in.

Pieters and Detry shot 63 in much-improved weather on Saturday in the fourballs (best ball) and took a five-stroke lead into the final round of foursomes at Metropolitan.

From there, it was a case of hanging on for the $1.12 million in prize money they each received.

“It was a long back nine” Pieters said while surrounded by family, friends and fans, some with Belgian flags stuck on their heads, just off the 18th green.

Australia’s Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith pulled to within two strokes late in the round, thanks to holing out from the bunker for a birdie by Smith and a 12-foot par save on the next hole by Leishman.

If there was any doubt, Pieters’ approach to four feet on the 18th set up a final birdie by Detry to give the Belgians a 23-under total of 265.

“We were both nervous at times, but to finish with a birdie was special,” said Pieters.

Leishman and Smith shot 65. Mexico’s Abraham Ancer, who won last week’s Australian Open, and his partner Roberto Diaz, playing in the last group with Belgium, shot 66 and also pulled to within two strokes of the lead but finished tied with the Australians for second.

Defending champions Thorbjorn Olesen and Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark shot a 65 to finish tied for fourth with Canada’s Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor, who shot 66. They were six strokes behind.

The performance marks the best finish for Canada since Dave Barr and Dan Halldorson won it for Canada in 1985.

Americans Matt Kuchar and Kyle Stanley shot a final-round 68 and finished at 9-under, 14 strokes behind the winners and tied for 16th among the 28 teams.

MELBOURNE, Australia – Thomas Pieters and Thomas Detry had a mid-round stretch of 5-under-par in four holes for a 9-under 63 Saturday to give Belgium a five-stroke lead after three rounds of the World Cup of Golf.

Pieters and Detry, who both play on the European Tour, started the day level with South Korea after a steady 71 in terrible rainy conditions in the foursomes (alternate shot) format of Friday.

On Saturday, they took advantage – along with the 27 other teams – of much improved weather conditions at Metropolitan and the fourballs (best-ball) game.

Belgium, which completed the front nine with two birdies and an eagle, then birdied the 10th, had a three-round total of 19-under 197.

Three teams were tied for second – Mexico, Italy and South Korea.

Mexico’s Abraham Ancer, who won last week’s Australian Open, and his partner Roberto Diaz, shot 65. Italy’s Andrea Pavan and Renato Paratore dropped two shots on the par-5 14th when both players had balls run back down off the green from slopes just off the putting surface, but recovered for a 66.

South Korea’s Byeong Hun An and Si Woo Kim, who chipped in for eagle from just off the green on the 16th, finished with a 68.

Three teams were tied for fifth – Sweden, Australia and England, six behind Belgium.

Sweden’s Alexander Bjork and Joakim Lagergren shot 64 and Australia’s Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith 65.

Leishman and Smith let an opportunity slip on the back nine. They shot 6-under 30 on the front nine – four birdies and an eagle – but had six pars to start the front nine before a birdie on 16.

“Probably a story of two different nines,” Leishman said. “Got off to a great start obviously but cooled off a bit on the back nine.”

England’s team of Tyrrell Hatton and Ian Poulter shot 67.

Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin, both from Abbotsford, B.C., fired a 64 to finish the day tied with Ireland and Scotland for eighth at 11 under.

The final round Sunday will be played in the foursomes (alternate shot) format.

Bjork said he and Lagergren combined well to shoot one of the best rounds of the day.

“When I was off, Joakim was on, and when he was off, I was on,” Bjork said.

Americans Matt Kuchar and Kyle Stanley, who were one of the weather casualties on Friday with a 79, improved to a 66 Saturday but were 14 strokes off the lead and in 21st place.