TORONTO –  Whether you tweet, share, like, view or blog, #RBCGolf4Kids is looking to score a hole-in-one for kids through an online social media challenge to raise $500,000 for thirteen children’s charities around the world.

For the second year, Team RBC golfers are once again inviting the public to participate in the social media charity challenge by sharing the hashtag #RBCGolf4Kids on Twitter and  Instagram, or joining in on Facebook or www.teamrbcgolf.com – the more shares of #RBCGolf4Kids, the more dollars raised for children’s charities. Three bonus challenges will provide opportunities for Team RBC players to win additional donations for their respective charities.

“One of the greatest investments we make is helping kids and youth succeed and our Team RBC players share this belief and go above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of young people,” said Jane Broderick, chief brand and communications officer, RBC. “With the success of last year’s challenge, our players are excited to put on their game faces and take their best swing to raise awareness and funds for child and youth charities.”

Over a five week period from June 15 to July 19, Team RBC ambassadors will compete in a series of weekly challenges – photo trivia, predict an event or fill in the blank – encouraging fans to do the same and share the hashtag #RBCGolf4Kids. The challenge will have ‘share’ thresholds that will trigger increasing levels of donation from RBC each week. The challenge will end on Sunday July 19 at midnight, prior to the start of the 2015 RBC Canadian Open that takes place at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.

“For my fans to help me win more than $135,000 last year for the Children’s Medical and Research Foundation at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin in Ireland was amazing. I know how instrumental these funds are in supporting the tremendous work the hospital does for children,” said Graeme McDowell, PGA TOUR golfer and member of Team RBC. “This year’s competition promises to be better than ever and I challenge my fellow Team RBCers to step up their game with fun content that our fans will love to share.”

With charities from around the world benefiting from the challenge, these are the organizations Team RBC is supporting:

COQUITLAM, B.C. – Lorie Kane is primed for a busy summer on home soil.

The Charlottetown golfer will compete in the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open at Vancouver Golf Club in August, but before that she will represent her country at next month’s Pan Am Games in Toronto.

“I’ve been joking that I might be the oldest chick in the (athletes’) village,” said the 50-year-old Kane. “I get excited when the Olympics roll around, be it winter or summer. We as Canadians, that’s what we learn to watch.

“Now to have an opportunity to be a part of that, it’s going to be really exciting.”

At the Pan Ams, Kane will team up with Brooke Henderson, the 17-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., who tied for fifth this past weekend at KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and has been making waves in the golf world.

“We have one goal and that is to win as many medals as we possibly can first and foremost,” Kane said after Monday’s Canadian Pacific Women’s Open media event. “Brooke and I will do the best to represent the best we can.”

Kane has made just two starts this season, missing both cuts, but was encouraged by her performance at the Manulife LPGA Classic in Waterloo, Ont., earlier this month.

“It may shock people if I say that (my game is) probably the best its been,” said Kane. “People judge by results and I do too, but I saw a lot of good things happen at Manulife. I just need to get into some more tournaments. Unfortunately my (ranking) isn’t great, but we will get some tournaments coming up here.”

Apart from the thrill of trying to win a medal for her country, Kane said that playing at the Pan Ams will hopefully get her in good form heading to the national championship at Vancouver Golf Club.

“The Pan Ams will be great for me,” she said. “That will be four rounds that I can play and really test things and see how I’m doing. I’d like to be peaking in August. I really think I can still challenge to win and that’s my ultimate goal.”

Kane has earned nearly US$7 million in her career, but has not won an LPGA event since 2001. She has been amazed at the rise of players like Henderson and 18-year-old Lydia Ko, who won the Canadian title in 2012 as an amateur at Vancouver Golf Club and will return in 2015.

Ko also won the 2013 Canadian title at Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton.

“You can’t hold them back,” said Kane. “They’re old beyond their days. Ya they have no fear, but they’re very tactical in what they do and how they play the game.

“The tour is so deep that any player can win on any given day.”

London, Ontario – Freedom 55 Financial and TSN have teamed up to launch a new initiative: TSN Fantasy Golf presented by Freedom 55 Financial.

TSN Fantasy Golf presented by Freedom 55 Financial lets fans build their own team of golfers and play for their chance to win more than $15,000 in prizes. For more information and to register, please visit www.TSN.ca/fantasygolf.

The game will run during a select number of golf events over the remainder of 2015 and will be promoted by TSN across its digital and broadcast platforms.

“As a brand that focuses on providing Canadians with financial freedom for today and tomorrow, fantasy golf is our way to deliver an experience to Canadians that you might not expect from your financial organization,” said Mike Cunneen, Senior Vice-President, Freedom 55 Financial.

The strategy to integrate Freedom 55 Financial into fantasy golf was developed in late 2014 by sports marketing agency SportBox Entertainment Group. With a two-year history of sponsoring golf properties, Freedom 55 Financial retained SportBox Group to build their go-forward strategy, with a focus on introducing a new brand experience to Canadians.

Presenting sponsorship of TSN’s Fantasy Golf further builds on Freedom 55 Financial’s support of and commitment to golf in Canada. The company also supports Team Freedom, a group of young Canadian athletes that includes Albin Choi, Matt Hill, Taylor Pendrith, Mackenzie Hughes and Adam Svensson. The company is the title sponsor of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship in London, Ont., the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s flagship event, which sees five players graduate to the Web.com Tour each season. Freedom 55 Financial also supports grassroots development initiatives as National sponsor of the Canadian Junior Golf Association and the Freedom 55 Financial Clinics for Kids program, for which Team Freedom golfers serve as ambassadors.

TOYOTA CITY, Japan – Four members of Team Canada’s Men’s Development Squad are ramping up to compete in the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup next week from June 16–19 at the Chukyo Golf Club (Ishino Course).

Leading the Canucks into battle is 18-year-old Étienne Papineau, who finished in a tie for 15^th in last year’s event to earn low-Canadian honours. The St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Qué., native is riding the momentum of two top-5 finishes in CN Future Links Championships already this summer and will look to continue his strong play in Japan.

Also playing in his second World Junior Boys is Vaughan, Ont., native, Tony Gil. Last year, the 17-year-old University of Houston commit came out with a tie for 37^th place—helping Team Canada finish in seventh overall.

Rounding out the squad are two first-year Development Squad members, A.J. Armstrong of St. Albert, Alta. and Trevor Ranton of Waterloo, Ont. Ranton, 18, won the CN Future Links Pacific in May.

Quarterbacking Canada’s team is Lead Development Squad Coach, Robert Ratcliffe. The PGA of Canada Class ‘A’ member is entering his third year coaching the event and knows what to expect this week.

“The field in this event is always very strong and ultimately it’s a great test,” said Ratcliffe. “We have prepared well for this event and are confident we can put up some low numbers together as a team.”

Joining Ratcliffe is Toronto native Matthew Wilson, who was appointed as Team Captain. Wilson started his teaching career under the direction of former Team Canada Head Coach, Henry Brunton. He has since become the Director of Instruction at La Rinconada Country Club in Los Gatos, Calif., where he was named to the US Kids Golf Top 50 Teachers list in 2014 for his outstanding work with juniors. Wilson is acting in his first role as a Team Canada captain in an international event.

Canada is one of 15 teams competing in the 72-hole stroke-play event, which follows a four-players-count-three format and is being conducted for the 23^rd time.

Scoring will be available here.

RYE, N.Y. – Brooke Henderson has been working hard at earning money on the LPGA Tour to earn her playing privileges for 2016.

On Monday, the 17-year-old Henderson and older sister Brittany, who is playing on the developmental Symetra Tour this season, will turn to raising money for others.

Team Henderson will host the fund-raising Magenta Mortgage Pro-Am in their hometown of Smiths Falls at the Smiths Falls Golf and Country Club where the sisters developed their emerging talents.

The pro-am will feature pros from the Canadian Women’s Tour who will be competing in their second of three tournaments in Smiths Falls on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The money raised will be used to help Smiths Falls Bears hockey player Neil Doef, who suffered a spinal cord injury while playing at the World Under 17 Championship, and his family, the Lanark County Support Services (where the Hendersons’ mother Darlene worked) and the Team Henderson 110% Club.

“We always think it’s important to give back and to do what we can to help others. It’s very important and a value of our family,” said Brooke after completing her third round at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship on Saturday.

“It’ll be a fun day and there will be a lot of exciting things will happen. It’ll be nice to give back to Neil Doef his family and also to my mom’s work, Lanark County Support Services and help with a new program that they are trying to build and also to help my sister and me out on the road, as well.

“It’ll be a great day and hopefully we’ll raise a lot of money.”

Doef was paralyzed below the waist after being hit at the U17 Championships. Through extensive physiotherapy he has regained some feeling his legs.

There has been an outpouring of support across Canada for the popular player.

“He’s a really close friend of mine. He’s an awesome guy and his family is incredible, super nice people,” said Brooke. “As much as the town has done for him and the local area and all of Canada, is really amazing. We’re hoping to just be a little part of that.”

The Canadian Women’s Tour is in its 14^th season and will offer five exemptions into the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open Aug. 17-23 at the Vancouver Golf Club.

The winner of each of the three events will be given an exemption and two other exemptions will be awarded to the top two finishers on the Tour’s Order of Merit not otherwise exempt.

There is a total of $180,000 up for grabs while the winner of each 36-hole event wins $10,000.

Michelle Piyapattra of Corona, Calif., won the first leg at the Glencoe Golf and Country Club near Calgary in May with a 4-under par total of 140, three shots better than Seul-Ki Park.

Piyapattra also won the first even on the 2014 Canadian Women’s Tour.

The Women’s Tour has also been important in providing a stage for players like Brooke Henderson to hone her skills.

She won last year’s Ontario event and the 2014 PGA Women’s Championship of Canada.

The final 2015 event will be the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada, conducted in partnership with the PGA of Canada, at the Burlington Golf and Country Club in Burlington, Ont., July 20-22.

The top five finishers on the Order of Merit also earn direct entry into the second stage of LPGA Qualifying.

If you need to know anything about Graham DeLaet and his generosity, look no further than one of his latest tweets.

DeLaet was in Chicago looking to attend game three of the Stanley Cup final with a friend of his from Saskatchewan. His friend couldn’t make it because of flight times, so while DeLaet was picking up his ticket, he saw a stranger with a sign saying, “I need 1 ticket. Get Stanley Cup finals off my bucket list.”

DeLaet invited “Lars” – the gentleman’s name, according to Twitter – to enjoy the game with him. Free of charge.

Stanley Cup Finals with my new bud Lars! Here we go! pic.twitter.com/cVCjgIyNkU

— Graham DeLaet (@GrahamDeLaet) June 8, 2015

“I was able to make a guy’s year,” DeLaet said. “He wanted to pay me for the ticket, I said ‘No,’ he could just come as my buddy for the night.”

That kind-hearted nature makes it no surprise the native of Weyburn, Sask. was announced Tuesday as an ambassador for Golf Canada’s successful Golf in Schools program.

The top-ranked Canadian in the Official World Golf Ranking, DeLaet will appear in Golf in Schools promotional materials, and, as part of his relationship with the program, he will raise money through the foundation he and his wife started – the Graham and Ruby DeLaet Foundation – to adopt schools into the program in communities across the country.

“It’s something that makes total sense for Ruby and I,” he explained. “It’s not even about getting more players to the PGA Tour, it’s about getting the participation numbers up. I never had the opportunity to pick up a golf club in school, so I think that’s pretty cool.”

Launched in 2009, the program is conducted by Golf Canada in concert with the PGA of Canada and the provincial golf associations. Physical Health and Education Canada also endorses it.

“From our standpoint it’s a fantastic addition to what is already perceived as a great program,” said Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer Jeff Thompson. “Having someone like Graham on board, who is a hero in our sport, will do a lot to inspire children to pick up a golf club and get engaged in the game.”

The program is in more than 2,700 schools across Canada, and approximately 306,000 students are participating.

For DeLaet, he explained it was his parents who introduced him to golf at age three. He was inspired by athletes as well, and is excited to help give youngsters a comparable opportunity.

“If I was a kid and we were playing hockey in school and an NHLer came in, we’d ramp it up a little bit,” he explained. “Being around it (the program) rather than just putting my and Ruby’s name on it was important to us.”

The Graham and Ruby DeLaet Foundation began in September 2014. Focused on improving health and wellness of children, and supporting the development of junior golfers, DeLaet said giving back was just common sense.

The foundation that now bares his name is an extension of his and Ruby’s previous charitable efforts. Those efforts raised money for both Golf Saskatchewan and the Weyburn & District Hospital Foundation. In 2014, DeLaet hosted the inaugural ‘Graham Slam’ which raised approximately $380,000 towards the creation of the new Children’s Hospital of Saskatchewan.

“I look at where I am in life and I wouldn’t be here without golf and all the people who helped me along the way,” he stated.

Despite DeLaet not having his best season on the course – he admitted 2014-15 has been “injury-riddled” and he’s been frustrated his body – he’s gained some confidence over the last three weeks, and will take the next two weeks off before a busy stretch of golf this summer.

Off the course, DeLaet continues to show his charitable side, no matter if it’s at the Stanley Cup finals or with young golfers across the country.

So why did he think giving back to Golf in Schools was important? Because golf is, according to the 33-year-old, “the greatest game in the world.”

“It teaches kids so many good values – honesty, integrity (and) sportsmanship,” he continued. “The more kids we can get playing golf, the better.”

When it comes to fighting breast cancer, fundraising remains a leading avenue for everyday citizens to lend their support. With that said, additional help is always a welcome sign.

New this season, Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru is teaming up with 1:Face Watch, an international fundraising movement that proudly holds the belief that one person can change the world.

Every pink 1:Face Watch sold helps support campaigns that promote early breast cancer detection through the Canadian Cancer Society—Golf Fore the Cure’s proud fundraising partner.

The sleek, elegant design will look good on any wrist—but more importantly, it symbolizes support that is fitting of the movement’s slogan: Be the face of change with 1:Face charity watch.

The movement also features other styles, each significant to eight different causes: disaster, water, AIDS, environment, animals, education, hunger and other forms of cancer.

Visit the Golf Canada eStore to purchase your very own pink 1:Face Charity Watch for just $60.

NORTHERN IRELAND, U.K. – Team Canada’s Women’s Amateur  Squad came out of the gate hot in Wednesday’s second and final stroke-play qualifying round of the Ladies British Open Amateur, shooting a collective 5-under par to each grab one the top-64 match play qualifying spots.

Twenty-two year-old veteran Brittany Marchand, who played in the tournament in 2012, had the low-round of the day for the Canadians with a 4-under 69. The Orangeville, Ont., native finished at 1-over par (78-69) to grab the 25^th seed heading into tomorrow’s first match-play round.

Teammate Maddie Szeryk, a dual-citizen of Canada and the U.S., also finished at 1-over par (75-72), drawing the 28^th seed.

Rounding out the scores for the Canadian quartet was Elizabeth Tong of Thornhill, Ont., and Jennifer Ha of Calgary, who both came in at 3-over par. They drew the 39^th and 41^st seed, respectively.

Tomorrow’s first match-play round begins Thursday morning at 7:30 a.m. local time back at the Portstewart Golf Club. The Canadian tee-times are as follows:

Jennifer Ha (CAN) v. Bethan Popel (ENG) – 8:10 a.m. BST
Brittany Marchand (CAN) v. Leonie Harm (GER) – 8:18 a.m. BST
Maddie Szeryk (CAN) v. Meghan MacLaren (ENG) – 8:42 a.m. BST
Elizabeth Tong (CAN) v. Agathe Sauzon (FRA) – 10:50 a.m. BST

Click here for full scoring.
Click here for the match-play draw.

RYE, N.Y. – So Yeon Ryu walked off the ninth green in the fading late afternoon sun light at the Westchester Country Club and, with a big smile on her face, thanked her pro-am partners at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

The smile said a lot. The game has stopped being a grind for the defending Canadian Pacific Women’s Open champion.

A meeting a month ago with former British Open champion Ian Baker Finch, which was arranged by her caddie to discuss her putting, evolved into an exploration of how Ryu was beating herself up on the golf course.

“I think my expectation level was so high, I just kept pushing myself into a corner,” said the 24-year-old, who has turned things around lately. She’s coming off two top five finishes including a tie for fourth last week at the Manulife LPGA Classic in Cambridge, Ont. “Now I’m enjoying reading the line, enjoying the putting and even when I miss it, I just get away from there and focus on the positive things.

“Last week in Canada my golf game looked really in great shape so I feel really comfortable and I’m enjoying playing so I’m really excited to be playing a major tournament.”

Ryu and Baker Finch met in West Palm Beach. Her results had been slipping this season, including a 47^th place finish at the Volunteers of America North Texas Shootout Presented by JTBC.

Baker Finch looked over her putting stroke and couldn’t find any serious faults.

“It’s not about the golf technique or what the stroke looks like, what it has to be. Not that type of thing,” said Ryu. “He just taught me maybe I just worried about so many things on the golf course. I started to worry about ‘what if I miss the putt?’

“That kind of behaviour wasn’t really helping to make a lot of good putts. He mentioned just enjoy reading the line, feel like you’re on your putting. Be kind to me. That’s the thing he taught me. After that I realized how harsh I was to myself.”

Accepting the result and moving on will be an important ability at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship this week. Westchester’s rolling terrain and perched greens are going to be a challenge and there will be bogeys.

“Sometimes you really have to accept bogey and just walk away,” said Ryu, exhibiting some of her new attitude.

The Women’s PGA, now being staged by the PGA of America, is playing on a big stage in a big market.

Westchester was a regular stop on the PGA Tour and has hosted the PGA Tour’s playoffs.

“It’s such an honour to play this golf course. I was here like a month ago with Inbee (Park). We talked about what a good golf course it is,” said Ryu. “The golf course is in great shape. They don’t have any similar holes. It’s a really historical place. I really love to play here. I think it’s really going to be tough to play, but I always enjoy the tough golf course.

“I think par is going to have a really good chance to finish in the top five.”

Ryu said she’s hoping to have a strong run up to her defence of her Canadian Pacific Women’s Open title at the Vancouver Golf Club Aug. 20-23.

She said she’s looking forward to being the defender.

“Absolutely. No matter, even if I’m not the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open defending champion, I’ll always have fun to play in Canada because the Canadian crowds are so great, you know? They are so humble and they are always very supportive of the LPGA.

“I was always happy to play up there especially now that I’m defending champion. I’m more excited. I’m wishing I can have a lot of great wins before I got to play in the Canadian Women’s Open. I hope I can defend my title.”