HAINAN ISLAND, China – China’s Lin Xi-yu took the lead Thursday in the windy Blue Bay LPGA, while Lydia Ko struggled in her first round since regaining the No. 1 spot in the world.

With her family watching at the tour’s lone event in China this season, the 19-year-old Lin shot a 5-under 67 in difficult conditions at Jian Lake Blue Bay. She had the lone bogey-free round on a day when only 10 of the 80 players broke par.

“My mom just got here this morning and she hasn’t watched me play since the U.S. Open,” Lin said. “I’m very happy that my family can be with me this week.”

Ko opened with a 77, her highest score since a career-worst 80 in high wind last year at Royal Birkdale in the Women’s British Open. She won the LPGA Taiwan by nine strokes Sunday to regain the No. 1 spot from Inbee Park. The 18-year-old New Zealander has a tour-high five victories this season, winning three of her last five starts.

Ko had a double bogey on the par-4 second, bogeyed the next three holes and dropped more strokes on 11 and 12. She birdied the par-5 14th and 18th.

Lin hit to hit to 6 inches on the par-3 17th to set up her final birdie.

“I actually hit it a little thin, but the wind was helping,” Lin said.

She missed a birdie chance on the par-5 18th when her 6-foot putt slid by on the right side.

“When I played in the practice round, I thought, ‘This place is pretty tough,'” Lin said “I’m pretty surprised what I did today. I’m really satisfied with my game.”

She has had the two best finishes of her two-year LPGA Tour career on the Asian Swing, opening with a tie for seventh in Malaysia and tying for sixth last week in Taiwan.

Austin Ernst was second after a 68. Fellow Americans Ryann O’Toole and Jane Park were at 70 along with South Koreans Jenny Shin and Sei Young Kim. Third-ranked Stacy Lewis, U.S. Solheim Cup teammate Brittany Lang, Germany’s Caroline Masson and Taiwan’s Candie Kung shot 71.

“Pretty windy out there and then a few of the pins are kind of in kind of tough spots if you get it on the wrong side of the hole,” Ernst said. “But I hit it pretty well all day. Gave myself a lot of looks. Made a lot of good putts. A lot of good pars.”

The 23-year-old Ernst won the Portland Classic last year for lone LPGA Tour title. She won the 2011 NCAA individual title for LSU.

China’s Shanshan Feng had a 73. She has four career LPGA Tour victories.

Canada’s Alena Sharp had a 74.

The second-ranked Park shot a 75. The South Korean player has four victories this year, winning two of the five majors. She tied for second Sunday in a Korea LPGA event.

Michelle Wie opened with a 76. South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace, the winner last year in the rain-shortened event, also shot 76.

ANTALYA, Turkey – Jaco van Zyl made nine birdies and an eagle for an 11-under 61 Thursday to take a three-shot lead after the first round of the Turkish Airlines Open.

The South African’s eagle came on the par-5 11th hole and he then added five birdies on the last six holes for a score that would have been a course record if not for preferred lies being used.

“I played really nicely and honestly I thought four under par around here was a good score,” Van Zyl said. “I got it going early in the round and just kept it going. It was really good fun.”

Lee Westwood was second after a bogey-free 64, his lowest score in more than a year. Westwood made four straight birdies from the 14th but only picked up one shot on the five par-5s, which Van Zyl played in 6 under.

Westwood has slipped from No. 1 to 46th in the rankings after a disappointing season but said he feels like “something has finally clicked.”

“It’s stuff I’ve worked on before, but just a slightly different idea to give myself the same feeling as I got when I was playing well,” Westwood said. “I’m no spring chicken anymore. I’ve been training my hips to work in a certain way the last couple of years, but not playing very well and with not a great hip and leg action. I’m trying to train my way out of it now and get it back to where it was.”

Rory McIlroy made four birdies on his back nine and was in a group tied for fourth after a 67.

“I feel like my game came together a lot more on the back nine,” McIlroy said. “I was trying to find my rhythm for the first few holes and made a good par save on 18 which gave me some momentum going into the back nine, so overall I’m pretty pleased.”

Oakville, Ont. and Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. – The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada announced Tuesday that its tournaments raised $567,423 for charitable causes in 2015, a 60.5 per cent increase from the $353,500 total in 2014.

The total was aided by a $150,000 donation by the PGA TOUR on behalf of Mackenzie Investments, resulting in a $12,500 donation to each event’s official charity.

“Every one of our host organizations does a tremendous job of embracing the PGA TOUR’s spirit of making a positive impact in the communities where we play, and this total is the latest reflection of that,” said Mackenzie Tour President Jeff Monday. “All of this is made possible thanks to the support of our great sponsors and thousands of volunteers, and I’d like to thank them on behalf of everyone at the PGA TOUR.”

Charitable giving by Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada events has grown in each of the Tour’s three seasons, rising 72 per cent to $353,500 from 2013 to 2014 before this season’s increase.

“Charity is part of Mackenzie’s culture and that of our employees,” said Jeff Carney, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mackenzie Investments. “We are so proud to be part of this initiative, allowing us to give back to Canadians across this country.  The increase in funds raised for the 2015 season is true testament to our commitment to growing and fostering the Mackenzie Tour in communities from coast-to-coast.”

In March, the PGA TOUR announced a record $140.5 million in charitable donations for 2014, with total all-time charitable giving topping more than $2.14 billion.

TUCKER’S TOWN, Bermuda — The dynamic duo of Billy Walsh and Danny King opened a sizable gap Wednesday between themselves and the rest of the field at the Nike Golf PGA Team Championship of Canada.

Walsh and King, who are ranked No. 1 and No. 4 on the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC, sit at 12 under par thru two rounds at The Mid Ocean Club in Bermuda thanks to a second-round 2-under-par 69 in the foursomes format.

The team of Ed Maunder and Ian Doig matched the low round of the day and sit alone in second at 7 under for the championship. They’ll be paired with the lead team of Walsh and King in Thursday’s final group.

The inaugural Nike Golf PGA Team Championship of Canada features different team formats for each day—fourball, foursomes and scramble—with the eventual winners taking home $12,000 of the $90,000 total prize purse.

Players faced stiff ocean breezes of 55 km/h Wednesday, as well as periods of heavy rains. However, many players said they enjoyed playing championship golf in challenging conditions.

Thomas Keddy and Conrad Riley, who were tied for the lead after the first round on Tuesday, are third at 6 under, with Max Gilbert and Jean-Pierre Morin 5 under, in fourth place. The teams of Luc Boisvert and Louis-Pierre Godin and, Keir Smith and Gordon Burns round out the top 5.

Thursday’s final round features a scramble format, which is expected to produce plenty of movement on the leaderboard.

Click below to listen to Scott Simmons on Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown.

ClubLink has informed Golf Canada of their intention to explore possible alternative uses of Glen Abbey Golf Club. They will be keeping us informed on their due diligence, however at this stage, there is no impact on Golf Canada’s operation including our corporate offices and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

Speculating on Glen Abbey’s future would be premature at this time. Right now it is business as usual – Golf Canada is set to bring the RBC Canadian Open to Glen Abbey next July and the club will continue to be considered for hosting future Opens beyond 2016 as well.

Scott Simmons
CEO
Golf Canada

CARLSBAD, Calif. – PUMA Golf has introduced the new Ignite collection of golf footwear – the most comfortable collection from the brand to date – including TitanTour Ignite and TitanTour Ignite Premium. The footwear utilizes revolutionary Ignite foam – an innovative foam that maximizes energy return to give golfers power, comfort and performance.

Engineered with PUMA’s proprietary IGNITE foam, the TitanTour Ignite family is designed to deliver responsive cushioning, optimal rebound, and superior step-in comfort through every shot.

“The coolest shoe in golf is now the most comfortable shoe we’ve ever made. The addition of Ignite foam to the PWRCOOL Technology brings TitanTour footwear to a new level – enhancing its performance on the course and providing unparalleled support and cushioning,” said Grant Knudson, Head of Footwear, PUMA Golf. “At PUMA Golf we challenge ourselves to create footwear that helps golfers focus on their game instead of thinking about their feet. With the TitanTour Ignite collection, golfers can play from dawn ‘til dusk and their feet will be comfortable, protected and performance ready.”

In addition to the IGNITE foam, the shoes also features TitanTour’s signature technology, PWRCOOL powered by Outlast, which regulates foot temperature by utilizing phase change materials that absorb, store and release heat for optimal thermal comfort.

Rickie Fowler debuted the new TITANTOUR IGNITE footwear at this year’s Presidents Cup.

“My shoes play a big role in my performance,” said Fowler. “I definitely attribute some of my success on the golf course to my PUMA Golf gear. Wearing the new IGNITE footwear over the past few weeks makes me really excited to get out there and play as we move into the new season.”

Sporting a new, sleeker shape, and new performance last, the TitanTour Ignite is full-grain leather that provides excellent fit, unrivaled comfort and a stylish toe-down look. The TitanTour Ignite is also available in a Premium model, taking golf footwear to the next level with sophisticated, tonal colorways in full-grain leather and constructed with an ultra-soft pigskin lining. The IGNITE Premium shoe features aniline pull-up leathers in brown and grey.

TITANTOUR IGNITE

• COLORS: White/Surf The Web/Green Gecko; White/White/Black/; Black/Steel Gray. available February 1, 2016.
• MSRP PRICE: $199.99

TITANTOUR IGNITE Premium

• COLORS: Drizzle/Green Gecko; Monk’s Robe/Team Gold.
• RELEASE DATE: February 1, 2015
• MSRP PRICE: $239.99

For more information on these shoes, along with PUMA Golf’s entire product line, please visit www.cobragolf.com/pumagolf.

TUCKER’S TOWN, Bermuda —Players took advantage of prime scoring conditions Tuesday for the first round of the Nike Golf PGA Team Championship of Canada.

The highly touted duo of Billy Walsh and Danny King, and the surprising tandem of Conrad Riley and Thomas Keddy put together fourball rounds of 10-under-par 61 at Bermuda’s Mid Ocean Club. Both teams are tied for the lead and hold a three shot advantage over four other teams.

“This was just perfect weather for scoring today—no wind to speak of really and lots of sun is a solid recipe for going low,” King said after the round

The first round of the PGA Team Championship of Canada featured a two-person fourball format. Walsh, the PGA of Canada’s No. 1-ranked player, admitted it’s a nice feeling having a partner this week.

“This is actually the first time Danny and I have been partners,” he said. “And it’s an awesome feeling being able to count and root for him all day long.”

The inaugural Nike Golf PGA Team Championship of Canada features different team formats for each day—fourball, foursomes and scramble—with the eventual winners taking home $12,000 of the $90,000 total prize purse.

The teams of Adam Blair and Mark Kohlen; Dave Levesque and Marc-Etienne Bussieres; Billy Houle and Francis Tanguay; and Max Gilbert and Jean-Pierre Morin are T3, three shots back after opening rounds of 7-under 64.

Ranked the 47th best golf course outside of the United States by Golf Digest, The Mid Ocean Club was designed by world-renowned architect Charles Blair Macdonald and first opened for play in 1921. The club has played host to the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in 2007 and 2008, and has hosted such heads of state as Presidents George H.W. Bush and Dwight Eisenhower; Winston Churchill, The Duke of Windsor; former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney; as well as baseball icon Babe Ruth.

“This golf course is just so much fun to play,” King, who won this year’s PGA Championship of Canada, said. “With the team formats we’re playing this week, Mid Ocean is really the perfect venue for this national championship because there’s so many holes where you’re presented with varying options to make birdie.”

Oakville, Ont. – As golf’s governing body in Canada, Golf Canada, in conjunction with the R&A and the United States Golf Association (USGA), announce the new revisions to the Rules of Golf for 2016.

In accordance with the Joint Rules Committee’s four-year review cycle of the Rules of Golf, the new changes came into effect January 1, 2016.

Along with the R&A and USGA, Golf Canada holds a unique position as the only other governing body that sits on the Joint Rules Committee which carries out the quadrennial review of the Rules of Golf. Golf’s governing bodies are committed to ensure the rules are constantly evolving and relevant to today’s game.

Among the most significant of the changes in the 2016 edition of the Rules are the following:

• Withdrawal of Rule on Ball Moving After Address – Rule 18-2b (Ball at Rest Moved by Player, Partner, Caddie or Equipment) has been withdrawn. This means that if a ball at rest moves after the player addresses it, the player is no longer automatically deemed to have caused the ball to move. A one-stroke penalty under Rule 18-2 will be applied only when the facts show that the player has caused the ball to move.

• Limited Exception to Disqualification Penalty for Submission of Incorrect Score Card – A new exception has been introduced to Rule 6-6d (Wrong Score for Hole) to provide that a player is not disqualified for returning a lower score for a hole than actually taken as a result of failing to include penalty strokes that the player did not know were incurred before returning the score card. Instead, the player incurs the penalty under the Rule that was breached and must add an additional penalty of two strokes for the score card error. In all other cases in which a player returns a score for any hole lower than actually taken, the penalty will continue to be disqualification.

• Modification of Penalty for a Single Impermissible Use of Artificial Devices or Equipment – The penalty for a player’s first breach of Rule 14-3 (Artificial Devices, Unusual Equipment and Abnormal Use of Equipment) during the round has been reduced from disqualification to loss of hole in match play or two strokes in stroke play. The penalty for any subsequent breach of Rule 14-3 will continue to be disqualification.

• Prohibition on Anchoring the Club While Making a Stroke – As announced in May 2013, the new Rule 14-1b (Anchoring the Club) prohibits anchoring the club either “directly” or by use of an “anchor point” in making a stroke. The penalty is loss of hole in match play or two strokes in stroke play.

“As the game evolves, the rules need to stay current and every aspect of the game was reviewed during this exhaustive four-year review cycle by the Joint Rules Committee,” said Adam Helmer, Golf Canada’s Director of Rules, Competitions, and Amateur Status. “The ultimate goal when developing a single set of rules for all golfers around the world is to make the game more equitable under all playing conditions, and the feeling is that the 2016 Rules of Golf accomplished that goal.”

The 2016 publication has been designed, published and presented jointly by golf’s governing bodies. The book is reproduced in 36 official languages and distributed to millions of golfers around the world.

Golf Canada has the exclusive right to govern, publish and distribute the Rules of Golf throughout Canada. As the National Sport Federation, Golf Canada will also produce a French edition of the Rules of Golf.

The Rules of Amateur Status also underwent revisions in conjunction with the changes to the Rules of Golf.

Notable changes to the 2016 Rules of Amateur Status include:

• Prize Money to Charity – New Rule 3-1b enables an amateur golfer to participate in an event where prize money or its equivalent is donated to a recognized charity, provided the approval of the governing body is first obtained in advance by the organizer.
• Golf-Related Expenses – New Rule 4-3 clarifies that an amateur golfer may receive reasonable expenses, not exceeding actual expenses incurred, for non-competition golf-related activities.  Former Rule 4-3 becomes Rule 4-4.
• Reinstatement to Amateur Status – The recommended guidelines on periods awaiting reinstatement are amended to provide that a period in breach of the Rules of up to six years (previously up to five years) should result in a period awaiting reinstatement of one year.

For the full text of the 2016 Rules of Amateur Status, please click here.

Golf Canada will publish English and French copies of the 2016 Rules of Golf, available January 1, 2016. The companion publication to the Rules of Golf, Decisions on the Rules of Golf will also be available January 1, 2016.

You can order a printed copy of the 2016 version of the Rules of Golf on Golf Canada’s e-store.

More information about the Rules of Golf and Golf Canada’s Rules Education Program, please click here.

MEXICO CITY, Mexico – Team Canada’s Young Pro Squad members Corey Conners and Taylor Pendrith teamed up this past weekend to finish in a tie for third at the second edition of the Bridgestone America’s Golf Cup presented by Value, a PGA TOUR Latinoamérica event.

Conners, a Listowel, Ont., product and Pendrith, a native of Richmond Hill, Ont., carded a 255 (65-65-62-63) to finish at 29-under in the four-ball event hosted at the Club Campestre. In addition to being teammates with Team Canada, Conners and Pendrith have the experience of playing collegiate golf together for the Kent State Golden Flashes—further adding to the duo’s chemistry.

Out of 30 total teams representing 19 countries, Conners and Pendrith emerged as one of the top-three teams, tied with the Colombian pair of Rozo and Merizalde. Puerto Rico’s Fields and Figueroa placed second at 30-under, while the American duo of Kuchar and Hueber (replacement for injured Tiger Woods) finished first by a four-stroke margin.

The event is among the most prestigious tournaments in Latin America and boasts one of the highest purses in the region at $300,000 (USD).

Click here for full scoring.