Denmark, with John Axelsen shooting 8-under 64 and Rasmus Hojgaard firing 4-under 68, posted a 12-under-par 132 to slide past host Ireland for a two-stroke first-round lead.

The Danish pair, playing the Montgomerie Course, combined to tie for the second-lowest first-round score in Eisenhower Trophy history, just one behind the record of 131 set by the USA in Turkey in 2012.

“Everything just worked today,” said Axelsen, a University of Florida sophomore, who won the Danish Amateur in 2017 and 2018. “I was going up to the ball and just feeling like this is going to be close.”

Host Ireland, playing in the first group of the morning off the second nine, made a home-course statement with a 10-under par total of 134.

India and Switzerland shared third place at 9 under, followed by New Zealand and Japan in fifth at 7 under and Thailand, Spain, England, Portugal and Republic of Korea tied in seventh at 6 under.

Canada’s team, comprised of Hugo Bernard, 23, of Mont-St-Hilaire, Que., Joey Savoie, 24, of La Prairie, Que., and Garrett Rank, 30, of Elmira, Ont., sit T12 at 141.

Rank sits as the leading Canadian in individual play. The full-time NHL referee is T12 after firing a 4-under par 68.

TORONTO – From soccer fields to baseball diamonds to the golf course, playing forms friendships, and creates memories while building community. That’s why Kraft Heinz, TSN and RDS, are joining forces for a 10th year to continue building better places to play from coast-to-coast-to-coast.

Starting today, Canadians can nominate their local recreation project for Kraft Heinz Project Play for a chance to win local facility upgrades. The Grand Prize winner will receive $250,000 towards a recreational facility upgrade, and the three second-prize winners will each receive $25,000.

“Play brings us together; it encourages a healthier lifestyle, it inspires imagination, it teaches values and most importantly, it builds a sense of community,” said Joanna Milroy, Marketing Director, Kraft Heinz. “We’re thrilled to help bring communities together by investing in the places they play and grow up in together.”

Last year’s winner, Goderich, Ontario, is using its winnings to upgrade its multi-use recreational park. Over the past nine years, Kraft Heinz Project Play has awarded $2.6M to 77 communities across Canada. In total, Kraft Heinz has supported 179 communities, contributing $6.75 million dollars to play-based infrastructure projects across Canada.

Kraft Heinz Project Play is once again partnering with Bell Media’s TSN and RDS, which will see the program amplified across the network’s industry-leading platforms with integration in live programming, on TSN.ca and RDS.ca, and across TSN’s and RDS’s official Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts.

TSN’s James Duthie returns as Kraft Heinz Program Ambassador for the fourth consecutive year, and RDS’s Valérie Sardin joins the Kraft Heinz Project Play team as a first-time Program Ambassador. Through their passion for sport, both ambassadors will encourage Canadians to participate and nominate their facility in an aim to build better places to play in their communities, with original content appearing at KraftHeinzProjectPlay.com, and on TSN and RDS’s social media accounts throughout the campaign.

“It’s a true privilege to return as a Program Ambassador for Kraft Heinz Project Play,” said James Duthie. “I love seeing the impact this incredible program has on communities across Canada, and the increased focus it places on local sports and places to play.”

“It is with great pleasure that I join the Project Play team as a Program Ambassador,” said Valérie Sardin. “Physical activity has always been an important part of my life, and I strongly believe in the importance of providing all Canadians with access to better places to play.”

NOMINATE YOUR COMMUNITY TODAY!
Beginning today, August 7, 2018, through to September 16, 2018, Canadians can nominate the places, spaces and projects that keep their communities playing, active and united at KraftHeinzProjectPlay.com.

The Top Four Kraft Heinz Project Play finalists will be announced October 13, 2018 on TSN and RDS. Canadians can then vote for their favourite community project at KraftHeinzProjectPlay.com.

The Kraft Heinz Project Play Grand Prize winner will be announced on October 28, 2018 on TSN and RDS, earning a quarter of a million dollars ($250,000) for a recreation facility upgrade. Three second-prize winners will each receive $25,000.

Hamilton, ON – Classes are back in session at McMaster University’s Centre for Continuing Education (CCE) in their online golf and resort management program. Online classes in Golf Club Governance and Human Resources Management for Golf Operations start September 10 through November 4, 2018

Through its unique online delivery platform, McMaster University CCE prides itself on “bringing the business of golf to you,” for adult learners interested in a career in the golf industry. McMaster University CCE offers the only university diploma in Golf & Resort Management in Canada. Students who complete all ten courses will receive a Diploma in Golf & Resort Management from McMaster University and an industry certification from the Golf Management Institute of Canada (GMIC).

McMaster’s first course offering is Golf Club Governance. This course explores the dynamics of boards and committees in a golf facility and the oversight and direction they provide to running an effective golf operation. Board structures in a private course setting will be discussed as will decision-making processes and board and committee dynamics. Club strategy and policy matters will be explored as well as the role of golf associations in the golf industry.

The course instructor is Mr. George Pinches, an industry expert in club governance and former Chief Operating Officer of the Hamilton Golf & Country Club, home of the 2019 and 2023 RBC Canadian Opens. The cost of the course is $689.00 CDN.

McMaster’s second course offering is Human Resources Management for Golf Operations. This course focuses on the professional application of human resource management practices as they pertain to the golf industry. All aspects of people management will be covered, including hiring, compensation, training and development, health and safety, performance management, and employment law.

The course will be taught by HR expert Rouzbeh Vatanchi and costs $689.00 CDN.

The McMaster University Centre for Continuing Education (CCE) has inspired people to discover and achieve through lifelong learning since 1931. Students are provided the flexibility and convenience of courses offered at night, on weekends, and online. With more than 200 courses and workshops available, McMaster CCE is one of Canada’s largest and leading providers of academic certificate and diploma programs, professional development education, and corporate training.

For more information about the program contact 1-800-463-6223 or golfmgmt@mcmaster.ca

SUZHOU, China—Standing on the tee on the final hole of the Suzhou Open, Canada’s Richard Jung trailed China’s Yechun Yuan by a stroke. He knew what he needed to do. Jung drained a 40-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole for a closing 4-under 68. Jung then watched as Yuan made a double bogey on the same hole, giving Jung his first PGA TOUR Series-China title and what was ultimately a wire-to-wire win, finishing two ahead of Yuan of China.

The 25-year-old Jung, a South Korean by birth who plays under the Canadian flag and is a former member of Team Canada, carded a 21-under total of 267 at the Gary Player-designed Jinji Lake Golf Club, where big crowds—many hoping to see Yuan win his first event as a pro—enjoyed a dramatic weekend of action despite weather delays, Sunday no exception.

Jung shared the lead after the first three completed rounds with England’s Callum Tarren, who also played in the final group. Like Yuan, Tarren double-bogeyed the last to finish third, at 18-under.

Jung was one shot behind Yuan after 10 holes of the third round when play stopped Saturday, forcing him to finish his final seven holes Sunday morning. He finished with a share of the lead with Tarren, the duo both shooting rounds of 65-67-67.

As the three battled all afternoon during the final round, Jung watched on the 18th hole as 21-year-old Yuan sliced his tee shot into trouble. Yuan hacked his second into the rough, leading to the double bogey, while the Seoul-born Canadian hit a 6-iron approach to almost 40 feet before holing a huge birdie putt and celebrating wildly.

Dramatic finish on hole 18! ????
Richard Jung of South Korea sinks 40-footer for birdie after Yechun Yuan makes a double-bogey on 18 to win the Suzhou Open! ? pic.twitter.com/rikSAVIL3X

— PGA TOUR Series-China (@PGATOURChina) September 2, 2018

“Once Yuan hit his second shot in the rough again, I was very relieved because that really took off a lot of pressure,” Jung said. “I knew that if I just made par and he somehow made a bogey, then there would still be a playoff.

“I stayed relaxed,” Jung added, “hit a draw 6-iron and the ball stayed dead still and it was close to a 40-footer for birdie. Then I dropped the bomb, so I was very happy with that.” Jung became the third Canadian in history to win a PGA TOUR Series-China event, joining Eugene Wong and Justin Shin, both champions in 2015.

Jung was thrilled with how he kept his composure in front of the huge crowd and was even happier to secure his biggest win as a pro, which should propel him into the top-10 of the Order of Merit with four events left on the 2018 schedule.

“I loved the crowds. I played once before in crowds this big, but it has been a while since I’ve been in front of this many people. It was a little nerve-racking, but I held myself together, so I’m thrilled,” added Jung, whose previous-best result this year was a tie for eighth at the season-opening Chengdu Championship.

“Happy is one word I can say right now. So happy to get the first win under my belt. I’ve been in this position a few times but just couldn’t bring her home, so I’m just very happy with how I played today.”

Yuan, who turned pro on Tuesday after winning a team silver medal in the Asian Games last week, almost won his first event as a pro six weeks after becoming only the second amateur to win on the Tour, having to decline the RMB 270,000 winner’s check after claiming the Qingdao Championship in July.

The former University of Washington golfer has played in the final round’s last group four times in five events on this year’s Tour.

“I am happy with my performance. I didn’t play my best at the Asian Games, so I didn’t have too high expectations this week. This is my first event after turning pro, so it was good to play so well,” said Yuan, expects to come back stronger after learning from the defeat.

“Golf always has its ups and downs, so as a player I’m sure I’ll learn from it and be able to adapt better next time. It’s the experience that counts and although I missed the title, I’m not too unhappy.”

Tarren, 27, was hoping to become the first Englishman to win on this Tour and has come close on many occasions, with three runner-up finishes among a record six top-10s this year.

“There was some incredible golf played between all three of us. One guy would take the lead then another would take the lead, but obviously Richard got it done in the end,” said Tarren, who tied for 29th in last week’s European Tour event in Prague. “He deserves to win, especially with that final putt. That was a great putt and he played very well. I’m playing great, so I don’t feel too disappointed.”

South Korea’s Todd Baek and American Joseph Winslow, both in the top five on the Order of Merit, finished 17-under to share fourth with New Zealand’s Nick Voke, impressing in his Tour debut.

Japan’s Taihei Sato (67) was seventh, at 16-under, two ahead of Order of Merit leader Charlie Saxon, while Japan’s Yuwa Kosaihira, sixth on the Order of Merit, was ninth at 12-under.

MAYNOOTH, Ireland — After getting off to a rocky start at the World Amateur Team Championships, Team Canada climbed the leaderboard during round two and three. The Canadian trio, consisting of Team Canada Amateur Squad’s Jaclyn Lee, Naomi Ko and Maddie Szyerk, will start the final day tied for 12th in the hunt the Espirito Santo Trophy.

Calgary’s Lee has been instrumental in boosting the team up the leaderboard carding rounds of 69 and 72 and a total of ten birdies against six birdies over the last 36 holes. The 21-year-old Ohio State amateur, who started the tournament tied for 75th, now sits T16 heading into Saturday’s final round.

22-year-old Szyerk, of London, Ont., fired her second 71 of the tournament to share a piece of 51st.

Ko, who registered the third and non-counting score, is in a tie for 60th after posting rounds of 78, 70 and 75.

In windy conditions and playing against the other two teams on the top of the leaderboard on the Montgomerie course, the USA posted a 54-hole score of 19-under 415 to extend its lead to five strokes over defending champion Republic of Korea and six over Japan.

“It was a really tough day, and everyone had to grind,” said USA captain Stasia Collins. “We were on 12 and we had two players at plus 3, and I told them that their scores might count, and they had to grind it out. They worked very hard and made some birdies coming in. It was great.”

One of those players was McCormack medal winner, 2017 Canadian Women’s Amateur champion and World No. 1 Jennifer Kupcho, who shrugged over a shaky start and posted four birdies on her last four holes for 1-under 71.

“I was struggling with putting so I decided instead of lining up the ball, I would set the ball down the putt like I do in practice,” said Kupcho, who won the 2018 NCAA Women’s individual title playing for Wake Forest. “I don’t’ focus that much and I just hit it. It worked really well, and I made some putts and got my confidence back and I birdied the last two holes, which was a bonus.”

Conducted every two years, the World Women’s Amateur Team Championship has been staged since 1964, with the winner earning the Espirito Santo Trophy. The World Amateur Team titles are contested over four days of stroke play.  In each round, the total of the two lowest scores constitutes the team score for the round. The four-day total is the team’s score for the championship.

The 2018 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship heads to Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club for the 57th playing of the event on Sept. 4-7, with a practice round to take place on the 3rd.

“With a field of accomplished senior golfers ready to take on Gowan Brae, the 2018 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship is sure to be an exciting competition,” said Tournament Director Adam Cinel. “Our hosts at Gowan Brae have brought together a great team of volunteers and the course is sure to provide our golfers with a challenging, rewarding experience.”

Designed by Mr. C.E. (Robbie) Robinson, Gowan Brae was established in 1958 as a nine hole venue before it was turned to eighteen holes in 1962. Constructed along the windy shores of the Bathurst Harbour near the Bay of Chaleur, the course features water views from at least 14 different holes throughout.

“Gowan Brae is proud and excited to host the 2018 Canadian Men’s senior Golf Championship. Our staff and volunteer team have been working hard to prepare for the event,” said Gowan Brae Director of Golf Adam Chamberlain. “We hope the players will enjoy the scenery and a good test of golf at Gowan Brae and get a chance to enjoy some maritime hospitality on their trip to the North Shore of New Brunswick.”

A full field of 156 competitors aged 55-and-over will take to Gowan Brae for the 57th playing of this national championship in hopes of joining its list of notable winners. Returning to defend his Canadian Men’s Senior title is Gene Elliott of West Des Moines, Ill., who shot a final-round 70 to win the event by two strokes.

Following the opening two rounds, the field will be reduced to the low 70 players and ties. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2019 U.S. Senior Amateur championship to be contested at the Old Chatham Golf Club in Durham, N.C., from Aug. 24-29. 

A 65-and-over Super Senior Championship will also run concurrently throughout the championship, crowning a champion after 72 holes of play. In 2017, Paul Simson of Raleigh, N.C., claimed a one-shot victory in the division over Lance Lundy of Pemberton, B.C. 

An inter-provincial team competition for the Phil Farley Trophy will also be contested over the tournament’s first two rounds. Team Alberta will be looking for their third consecutive inter-provincial title after a 3-over 283 in 2017 gave them a commanding twelve-stroke victory over Team British Columbia.

Additional information from the tournament can be found here.

NOTABLES
Gene Elliott of West Des Moines, Ill.
The 56-year-old comes in as the event’s defending champion. He has won three titles in 2018 — Golfweek Senior National Match Play, Iowa Masters and George C Thomas Invitational – Senior — in addition to four top-three finishes this season.

Graham Cooke of Hudson, Que.
The 71-year-old is a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and has won the event four times (2001, 2002, 2008 and 2009). Cooke, who helped to renovate the host course, recently won the Championnat Senior Montreal and is one of Canada’s greatest amateur golfers of all time, holding the record number of wins at the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship with seven. 

Jack Hall of Savannah, Ga.
The 61-year-old won the event in 2015 and finished T3 last year. In 2018, he won both the National Senior Amateur Hall of Fame and the Georgia Senior Match Play Championships.

Doug Roxburgh of Vancouver B.C.
The 2014 winner of the event is a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and was the low-Canadian in last year’s tournament after finishing T6. The 66-year-old won the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship four times (1972, 1974, 1982 and 1988). He also has the record for most wins at the B.C. Men’s Amateur Championship with 13.

David Schultz of Calgary, Alta.
The 61-year-old won the event in 2013 after making a birdie on the final hole of the tournament. Schultz also won the 2016 Guardian Capital Alberta Senior Men’s Championship and the Calgary City Amateur Championship – the latter he won five times – earning himself a spot in Calgary’s Golf Hall of Fame.

FAST FACTS 
Conducted since 1962.

Golfers must be 55 and over to be eligible. 

In 1995, the 70 and over Canadian Super Senior division was added and is contested through the first two rounds. For the first time, this competition will be contested over 72 holes.

The inter-provincial competition, which began in 1977, occurs concurrently over the first two rounds.

The champion is awarded the John Rankin Memorial Trophy.

The winner of the Super Senior division is awarded the Governors Cup.

Calgary’s Bob Wylie has won the event seven times since 1985. 

Nick Weslock won the event six times between 1973 and 1983. 

Paul Simson became the first person to win the British, U.S. and Canadian senior titles in the same year in 2010. 

The winner receives an exemption into the 2019 U.S. Men’s Senior Amateur Championship. 

ABOUT THE COURSE
Officially opened in 1958 as a nine hole venue; by 1962 the course was open for 18 holes of play.

Designed by Mr. C.E. (Robbie) Robinson. Renovated by seven-time Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur champion Graham Cooke.

The property was essentially donated to the Bathurst Golf Association by Leach Investments, of Winnipeg.

Hosted four National Championships including the 1998 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur and the 2006 Canadian Junior Girls along with many other provincial and Atlantic competitions.

The 6,700 yard layout features 4 sets off tees to offer a great experience to all skill levels.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Marina Alex matched the course record with a 10-under 62 on Thursday to take a two-stroke lead over Canadian Brooke Henderson and Minjee Lee in the Cambia Portland Classic.

With Stacy Lewis unable to defend her title as she prepares for the birth of her first child, Alex is using her friend’s caddie, Travis Wilson, at Columbia Edgewater.

“It’s been a blast,” Alex said. “The timing was great. He wanted to work a couple more events before the season ended and I was looking. Trav is awesome. So much fun, really lighthearted.”

They had a lot of fun Thursday morning on the tree-lined layout.

“The course is in perfect shape,” Alex said. “So, if you’re hitting your lines, you’re going to make a ton of putts. … I’m going to have to come out and make as many birdies as I can the next three days.”

Winless on the tour, the 28-year-old former Vanderbilt player birdied the last four holes and five of the last six in a back-nine 30.

“Got my ball-striking together and it was awesome,” Alex said.

Henderson, the 2015 and 2016 winner from Smiths Falls, Ontario, birdied five of the last six holes for a 64. The 20-year-old star is coming off a victory Sunday in the CP Women’s Open on home soil in Regina.

“I could see the scores were really low today, so I wanted to go low on the back nine,” Henderson said. “And I was able to get five birdies. I’m really happy with this round.”

Lee closed with a bogey on the par-4 ninth. The Australian birdied her first five holes and six of the first seven.

“I think it was a combination of everything,” Lee said. “Most of the day I struck it pretty well with my iron shots. I had pretty good control of the yardages and I hit some solid putts.”

Robynn Ree was at 65 after a closing bogey. After a last-minute putter change, the 21-year-old former Southern California player played the first 10 holes in 7 under. She had 10 birdies _ five in a row on Nos. 2-6 _ and two bogeys.

“I was like maybe I’ll get the new putter vibes,” Ree said. “Luckily, that worked out today and my shots were so much better. I was really fortunate that I was hitting well and putting well.”

Women’s British Open champion Georgia Hall matched Su Oh at 66.

“It’s an amazing golf course,” Hall said. “It’s in great condition.”

Anna Nordqvist, Brittany Lincicome, Angela Stanford and Mariah Stackhouse topped the group at 67.

Lexi Thompson eagled the par-5 seventh in a 68. She missed the cut last week in Canada after tying for 12th in Indianapolis following a three-week break for emotional and mental fatigue.

Inbee Park, playing for the first time since the Women’s British Open, opened with a 69 playing alongside Thompson and Shanshan Feng (72).

There are five other Canadians in the field.

Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., opened with a 3-under 69. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp and Quebec City’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay (72) are even while Charlottetown’s Lori Kane (76) and Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., (78) are well back.

Karen Stupples had a 69 in her first tour start in more than two years. The 45-year-old English player is a commentator for Golf Channel.

“I was pretty nervous,” Stupples said. “I started to get nervous last night. But managed just to play and have fun with it today. It was really fun, actually. I enjoyed it and the challenge. One-under par, that was pretty good. It was way above my expectations.”

Canada’s Rod Spittle, 63, is playing in his last professional tournament this week at the Shaw Charity Classic in Calgary.

Spittle, who joined the PGA CHAMPIONS TOUR back in 2005, is playing in his 195th Champions Tour event.

A star on his Ohio State college team alongside PGA TOUR stars John Cook and Joey Sindelar, Spittle doubted his future in professional golf. He instead chose to sell insurance for 25 years.

After winning a couple of Canadian Amateur titles in 1977 and 1078 and keeping his game solid, he took the professional plunge when he turned 50. Since then, he won the 2010 AT&T Championship and had 23 top 10s on tour.

Players paid tribute to Spittle on Twitter in this farewell video put together by the PGA CHAMPIONS TOUR.

You’ll be missed, Rod!

Rod Spittle is retiring after the @ShawClassic. pic.twitter.com/HrEpDgqrsB

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) August 29, 2018

PORTLAND, Ore. – It took a while for Brooke Henderson’s win at the CP Women’s Open to sink in.

The 20-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., made history on Sunday when she became the first Canadian to win the national women’s golf championship in 45 years. Speaking a day before teeing off at the Cambia Portland Classic – a tournament she has won twice in her young career – Henderson said last week’s win at Regina’s Wascana Country Club felt like it was “meant to be.”

Or maybe it seemed too good to be true.

“Sunday night when I was trying to fall asleep I had like a nightmare that it wasn’t over and I didn’t actually win, so I kind of woke up like panicked,” Henderson said.

“It’s starting to sink in a little bit more now. It’s just incredible, and to have the amount of support that I did, not only from the fans, but also from a lot of my friends out on tour. When I finished on 18, to get showered in champagne and just have them there waiting for me was really special.”

Henderson, who said winning in Canada was “a big check mark” in her career, can now turn her focus toward a strong finish to the LPGA season. Henderson sits second in the Race to the CME Globe, a season-long points contest that awards a US$1 million bonus to the winner.

Henderson trails Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn by 1,098 points with eight events left.

“I feel like it was a big move for my CME and also my world ranking winning last week, which is really exciting to see those numbers go closer to the top,” Henderson said.

“Hopefully I can just finish strong and put myself in a good position going into CME.”

Henderson picked up her first career LPGA Tour win at Portland’s Columbia Edgewater Country Club in 2015 and defended her title in 2016. She hopes to take advantage of a course that suits her style to pick up valuable points this week.

“I just really like the tall trees, kind of narrow fairways. For a while I only seemed to win on courses like this,” Henderson said.

“But just the atmosphere here is a little bit different. The fans are always great. Very supportive. I think just getting the win in 2015 by I think it was eight shots, which was pretty cool for my first win out on tour, just since then I feel like coming back here every hole I have a good memory.

“And some bad ones – but I feel like the good ones overtake those.”

Fresh off her historic win @cpwomensopen, 2-time @PortlandClassic winner @BrookeHenderson addressed the media earlier today ==> pic.twitter.com/4DkVdo3Syb

— LPGA (@LPGA) August 29, 2018