Terry Lenyk - Golf Canada

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Stacy Lewis and Inbee Park are not in the field for this week’s Blue Bay LPGA in China, but when the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings are released Monday, Park will overtake Lewis for the No. 1 spot.

Heading into the week, Lewis and Park were in a statistical dead heat for the top spot: Lewis’ official average was 11.0444, while Park’s was 11.0382 (which is rounded up to display as 11.04). A player’s position in the rankings is based on their total points divided by the number of events played over a two-year rolling period. Inbee Park’s divisor went from 56 to 55 this week when the 2012 Sunrise LPGA Championship Presented by Audi fell out of the two-year period while Lewis’ divisor remained at 54.

Park is guaranteed to gain the No. 1 spot as even with a win, Rolex Rankings No. 3 Lydia Ko – who is in the field this week – cannot take over the No. 1 position.

Lewis has held the top spot in the Rolex Rankings for the past 21 weeks. She moved to No. 1 in the world on June 2^nd following her victory at the ShopRite LPGA Classic. At that time Lewis overtook Park, who had been in the No. 1 position for 59 straight weeks.

The Canadian Turfgrass Research Foundation (CTRF) has announced it has received a $12,000 donation toward turfgrass research in Canada from the Atlantic Turfgrass Research Foundation (ATRF). The monies will be used for turfgrass research aimed at improving the quality and sustainability of turfgrass sites including golf courses, sports fields and turf uses generally.

This contribution is the second of three that the ATRF has committed to providing to the Foundation. It is in addition to the annual assessment that each member organization is asked to contribute. The ATRF is funded through events and activities and industry support generated by the Atlantic Golf Superintendents Association.

The CTRF is currently supporting nine active research projects at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Olds College in Alberta, the Orillia, Ont. campus of Lakehead University and a privately managed project with the Chimera Group. These projects are concerned with overwintering and related cultural practices, drought resistance, the activation of natural defense mechanisms in the turf plant to fight disease and the identification and management of magnaporthe poae, the causal agent of summer patch on annual bluegrass and Kentucky bluegrass. The newest projects involve an educational poster on the benefits of turfgrass in the urban environment, the selection and management of bentgrass cultivars for improved resistance to microdochium patch under current and predicted future climatic conditions, the management of take all patch in high pH soils and the impact of golf courses on nutrient loss and overall pollutant export from developed areas.

In total, CTRF spending on turfgrass research over the next three years based on current and pending approvals will exceed $350,000. This is just the CTRF contribution to this research. In total, these commitments will induce total spending for donated services and matching or leveraged grants of over $750,000, a number that could grow before the research is completed.

The CTRF is a registered charity with a mandate to raise monies and sponsor research projects that advance the environmental and economic benefits applicable to turfgrass. The CTRF is funded by contributions received from the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association, Golf Canada and regional golf and turfgrass research organizations from across Canada including the Western Canada Turfgrass Association, the Alberta Turfgrass Research Foundation, the Saskatchewan Turfgrass Association, the Ontario Turfgrass Research Foundation, the Quebec Turfgrass Research Foundation and the Atlantic Turfgrass Research Foundation.

Freddie Jacobson, Keegan Bradley and Graeme McDowell have announced they will be launching a series of craft beers through their new company, GolfBeer Brewing Co. The move marks the first time professional golfers have started their own beer company and have been associated with craft beer.

“Our lives have always revolved around golf, but we also are passionate about great beer, so we’re really excited about this,” said Freddie Jacobson, a founding partner of the GolfBeer concept. “I was first introduced to the idea of brewing a beer after a conversation I had with my friend and business associate Patrik Waxin. I immediately jumped at the opportunity to combine three of my passions: golf, beer and building a business. After doing my research and assembling a team of brewing experts, I reached out to my fellow PGA Tour players Keegan Bradley and Graeme McDowell to join me in this venture. Not only do they share my love of great beer, they also have an interest in building businesses and careers which transcend the golf course. Together we created refreshing and drinkable craft beers you can enjoy, whether you are on the course, at the 19th hole with friends, or at home watching a tournament on television.”

The beers were created to meet each golfer’s preference and taste profile: Freddie Jacobson’s Scandinavian Style Blonde Ale is a light ale brewed with Crystal malt and a variety of European hops; Keegan Bradley’s New England Style Lager is an easy-drinking lager brewed with two-row barley and a variety of North American hops; and G-Mac’s Celtic Style Pale Ale is a crisp, refreshing pale ale with a floral hop aroma and a snappy finish. Each of the golfers played a role in the design of the packaging which features their name, signature and silhouette. All three beers are between 4.5 and 5 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) and will be priced comparably to other premium craft beer.

“For me as a golfer and a restaurant owner, GolfBeer is the perfect marriage, bringing together two of my favorite things,” said Graeme McDowell. “I am excited to join the GolfBeer team and I look forward to sharing our beers, both at my restaurant Nona Blue and at courses and clubs throughout Florida.”

GolfBeer initially will be available on draft and in 12-ounce cans at select golf courses, restaurants and country clubs throughout the state of Florida. The company plans to introduce all three brands in 12- ounce glass bottle (six-packs) and expand to grocery stores, bars, and restaurants across the Unites States and into Canada for 2015.

The team chose the Florida market to debut GolfBeer for a variety of reasons. Demand for craft beers in the state is growing at a faster rate than anywhere in the U.S., to the point that wholesalers and retailers can’t get access to enough craft beer to meet the demand. This need, coupled with the large number of recreational golfers and golf courses in Florida, made it the perfect market to introduce the company’s first line of beers.

For additional information, visit www.golfbeer.com.

PERTH, Australia – Jason Dufner is set to return to tournament play on Thursday at the Perth International after missing nearly three months of golf in which he “totally detached” himself from the sport – not even watching any of the Ryder Cup on television.

Dufner, whose injury cost him any chance of earning a qualifying spot for the Ryder Cup, on Tuesday said he was feeling “much better physically … a little bit rested mentally.”

The 2013 PGA champion is among the Lake Karrinyup Country Club headliners who include fellow major winners Charl Schwartzel and Geoff Ogilvy and European Ryder Cup player Victor Dubuisson.

Dubuisson was one of the stars of the European team which won the Ryder Cup for the eighth time in 10 tournaments at Gleneagles, Scotland in late September.

“I wasn’t too interested in golf or what was going on in the golfing world during that time period,” Dufner said. “I didn’t watch one minute of the Ryder Cup. I got into a lot of different things. It was disappointing that I was injured, but it wasn’t miserable for me.”

Dufner, who was runner-up at the inaugural Perth International in 2012, said playing without pain this week would be an achievement.

“I haven’t played competitive golf in 11 weeks, I don’t have that many expectations,” Dufner said. “I feel like if I can play 18 holes without any pain, that’ll be a good thing. Get rolling in the right direction again.”

The Perth International is co-sanctioned by the Australasian and European tours.

DUBLIN – Rory McIlroy said Monday that mediation in a lawsuit with his former management company has failed, and he will skip his next two tournaments in China because he needs time to prepare for the trial.

McIlroy will not play the BMW Masters, which starts Oct. 30 at Lake Malaren, or the following week at the HSBC Champions. Those are the opening two events in the final series of the Race to Dubai on the European Tour. The HSBC Champions is a World Golf Championship.

The world’s No. 1 player has been involved in an acrimonious dispute with Dublin-based Horizon Sports Management. He left Horizon in the spring of 2013, about six months after signing a lucrative contract with Nike. Both groups have sued each other, and McIlroy’s attorneys have sought evidence that Graeme McDowell was getting a better deal from Horizon. A judge recommended mediation to keep sensitive documents from going public.

“I’m going to need time away from tournament golf to prepare for the trial over my legal dispute with Horizon Sports Management,” McIlroy said in a statement. “The court-direction mediation process failed over the weekend to resolve the issue.”

The trial is expected to begin in February.

McIlroy has virtually locked up the Race to Dubai. He is not expected to play until the DP World Tour in Dubai on Nov. 20-23. He also plans to defend his title in the Australian Open, which would be his final tournament of the year.

McIlroy won the British Open, a World Golf Championship and the PGA Championship in consecutive starts, which enabled him to win PGA Tour player of the year for the second time in three seasons. He also won the Vardon Trophy and the PGA Tour money title.

He played in the PGA Grand Slam of Golf last week in Bermuda, a 36-hole exhibition among current major champions. McIlroy finished a distant third.

NORCROSS, Ga. – Mizuno has launched its new JPX-850 Fairway Woods and JPX-850 Hybrids, featuring Mizuno’s new Shock Wave Sole Technology.

The JPX-850 woods and hybrids promise Mizuno’s most dynamic launch and distance characteristics to date, due to Mizuno’s new Shock Wave Sole Technology which provides greater club head flex on impact thus delivering more of the energy from the swing to the ball for increased distance. Moreover, a strategic weight shift of additional mass in the club head to the front and back adjusts the center of gravity (COG), increasing sweet area for easier launch on strikes direct from the turf.

In the Fairway Wood, Mizuno has also incorporated Quick Switch Technology to enable easy, quick modifications to loft and lie angle. The end result is balanced performance, tremendous distance and ultimate forgiveness.

“For most golfers, it’s very challenging to attack pin locations from long range where shot trajectory needs to be high enough for the ball to land softly or ‘stick’,” said Chuck Couch, Vice President of Product Development, Golf Division, Mizuno USA. “With the JPX-850 woods, golfers are going to hit long range shots with a much higher launch angle, allowing them to go for the pin more aggressively than ever before.”

Behind the clubs:

JPX-850 Fairway Woods
Available Lofts: 15°(3W), 18°(5W), 21°, (Right-, Left-handed & Women’s)
Shaft: FujiKura Motora Stiff, Regular and Ladies
Grip: GP M-31 360
Other Options available through Mizuno’s Custom Department
Suggested Canadian Retail Price: $279.99
Available in-store: November 14, 2014

JPX-850 Hybrid
Available Lofts: 16°(#2), 19°(#3), 22°(#4), 25°(#5), LH 19*(#3) and 22*(#4)
Ladies Lofts: 22°(#4), 25°(#5) (Right Handed Only)
Shaft: FujiKura Motora Stiff, Regular and Ladies
Grip: GP M-31 360
Other Options available through Mizuno’s
Custom Department
Suggested Canadian Retail Price: $229.99
Available in-store: November 14, 2014

TORONTO — After suffering devastating greens damage from last winter’s ice storm, St. George’s Golf and Country Club has made a full and triumphant recovery.

The membership at the Stanley Thompson design elected not only to reseed all of the greens, completely changing the soil composition from poa annua to bentgrass, but also to entirely rebuild the putting surfaces.

That massive undertaking was led by a combined effort from renowned course architects Ian Andrew and Tom Doak, Craig Mortimore, of Evansgolf, and Property Superintendent Keith Bartlett.

“This project has only made this a better golf course that can be ramped up for any event when required,” said Bartlett. “There are a lot more challenges and with the increase of short rough leading to the rough and bunkers, the ball will roll more into hazards than before.”

Many of the greens had lost the original pin locations that Thompson had intended when he first designed the prestigious track in the late 1920s. The result of the green reconfiguring, according to Bartlett, is that the course looks more like the original layout than it ever has in the modern era.

“Members will struggle when they miss the new pin locations because they have never had those pin locations,” said Bartlett. “(The redesign) brings the challenge of the property back into play.”

The 3rd hole — a deceptive 213-yard par-3 — demonstrates this point well.

“From a purist’s perspective, No. 3 was always the weak spot of the course,” said Andrew, who added historical knowledge of the course as architect Tom Doak recreated what Thompson had initially planned for this hole.

By adding two large bunkers in front of the green and a hidden fairway directly behind them, the misleading tee shot will certainly provide all sorts of new adventures for players.

“The hole now is strong with a challenging, fair green that provides options for all levels of players with the new fairway,” said Bartlett. “It is special because it is what Stanley built. I think it will easily become one of the new favourite holes.”

Bartlett added that during construction on the hole, a hawk appeared on a nearby spruce tree and squawked for the duration of the process. When the hole was finished, the hawk flew off.

“We believed it was Stanley Thompson telling us that we finally got it right,” said the superintendent.

Hole No. 3 at St. George’s Golf and Country Club (Brent Long)

Many of the area’s superintendents convened this past winter to discuss the ice damage and to offer advice and help.

“The superintendents in Toronto’s west end are a great group of guys who are very willing to offer support,” said Bartlett. “Ian McQueen at Islington has been exceptionally helpful to me during this project since he has grown-in over 60 or 70 USGA greens in his career.”

The venue last hosted the RBC Canadian Open in 2010 when Carl Pettersson captured the title after firing a 10-under par 60 on Saturday.

Carl Pettersen (Golf Canada/ Bernard Brault)

Joe Murphy, St. George’s General Manager and CEO, says that while the course would like to host the event in the future, the priority at the moment is getting the club’s patient members back on their favourite track.

“Nothing has changed,” said Murphy. “We will continue to have conversations with Golf Canada and the PGA Tour about hosting another Open, but it’s not going to be any time soon.

“Our members are busting at the seam right now. They had to pay full dues and we couldn’t give them a full golf course this year so the priority will be on getting our membership out to play next year for sure.”

Bartlett expects the greens will be fully operational and ready for play next June.

FAR HILLS, N.J. – The United States Golf Association has announced the nomination of Thomas J. O’Toole Jr., of St. Louis, Mo., to serve a second one-year term as the 63rd president of the USGA. The election of officers and the 15-member USGA Executive Committee will take place Feb. 7, 2015, at the USGA’s Annual Meeting in New York.

As president, O’Toole leads the USGA’s professional staff of more than 300 and nearly 1,200 volunteers who serve on more than 30 committees.

“It is a great honor to be nominated to continue my service to the game for a second term,” said O’Toole. “The USGA remains steadfast in its commitment to advance the long-term viability of golf, to continue to deliver exemplary championships, to increase accessibility, and to ensure that the game remains challenging and enjoyable for those who play.”

O’Toole is in his seventh year as a member of the USGA Executive Committee, a term that includes three years as vice president and one year as secretary.

O’Toole has been involved with the USGA since 1988 and has served as a Rules official at more than 140 USGA championships, including every U.S. Open Championship since 1990. He has also been the official in charge for more than 125 USGA championship qualifiers. In addition to chairing the Championship Committee from 2010 to 2014, O’Toole was a member of the Rules of Golf Committee from 2004 to 2014.

In 1992, O’Toole helped to found the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association, which serves eastern Missouri and central Illinois. He continues to serve on its executive board.

O’Toole, a partner in the law firm of Mickes Goldman O’Toole, LLC, chairs its Business and Corporate Group, while his practice focuses on real estate, specializing in zoning/land use, condemnation and real estate transactions. He earned both his undergraduate degree (1979) and law degree (1985) from St. Louis University.

Four other current members of the Executive Committee have also been nominated to serve as officers: Diana M. Murphy, of St. Simons Island, Ga., and William W. Gist IV, of Omaha, Neb., as vice presidents; Sheila C. Johnson, of Middleburg, Va., as secretary; and Mark E. Newell, of McLean, Va., as treasurer.

In addition, Ernest J. Getto, of Santa Barbara, Calif., has been nominated to serve a third term as general counsel for the USGA.

The other six current members of the Executive Committee nominated to continue their service are: William E. Fallon, of Pittsburgh, Pa.; C. Malcolm Holland III, of Dallas, Texas; C. Thomas Hough, of Atlanta, Ga.; Asuka Nakahara, of Merion, Pa.; Mark P. Reinemann, of Pewaukee, Wis.; and George J. Still Jr., of Atherton, Calif.

There are four newly nominated candidates for the Executive Committee for 2015: J. Stuart Francis, of Hillsborough, Calif.; Robert D. Kain, of Gates Mills, Ohio; Martha J. Lang, of Birmingham, Ala.; and Gregory B. Morrison, of Duluth, Ga.

J. Stuart Francis is a senior managing director for Evercore, where he leads the firm’s Silicon Valley technology practice. He most recently served as vice chairman of investment banking and chairman of the global technology group for Barclays. Previous roles include vice chairman of Lehman Brothers, the last of many positions he held with the organization since 1991. He has been an advisor to many of the most visible Silicon Valley companies, including Amgen, Cisco Systems, Facebook, Google, NetApp, Netsuite and Workday. Francis is an accomplished amateur golfer, having played in three U.S. Amateur Championships and two NCAA Championships. Francis earned a B.A. from Princeton University, where he was co-captain of the varsity golf team, and an M.B.A. from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.

Robert D. Kain retired as co-CEO of IMG in 2006 after a 40-year career at the global sports management company. He began his career in tennis management, representing elite players and each of the Grand Slam events. He was the chairman of IMG’s Academy business, and also created and built IMG’s figure skating business, as well as IMG Fashion. In 2007 Kain was vice chairman of the Cleveland Browns, and helped Randy Lerner buy and reorganize Aston Villa Football Club. He also served on the board of trustees of The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. An accomplished amateur golfer, Kain played in the 2005, 2009 and 2011 U.S. Senior Amateur Championships and the 2006 and 2007 British Seniors Open Amateur Championships. Kain is a graduate of the University of Virginia.

Martha J. Lang was chairman of the USGA Women’s Committee from 2011-2012, after serving on various USGA committees for more than 20 years. She served on the Illinois Women’s Golf Association board from 1988-1991, and joined the USGA Regional Affairs Committee in 1989. Today, Lang serves on the Shoal Creek board of governors and golf committee, as well as the Women’s Southern Golf Association board of directors. She has competed in more than 60 USGA championships, and won the 1988 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship. She played on the 1992 USA Curtis Cup Team, and captained the 1996 Curtis Cup Team as well as the USA Team in the 2014 USA Women’s World Amateur Team Championship. From 1975-1991, Lang held various accounting positions, including a six-year stint at Shell Oil. She is a graduate of the University of Alabama.

Gregory B. Morrison is the senior vice president and chief information officer for Cox Enterprises, Inc. He previously served as vice president of information systems at Prudential Financial, Inc., where he worked in various roles over two tenures. Morrison also served as the chief operating officer at realestate.com in 2000-2001. Prior to that, he served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army Signal Corps for eight years. Morrison serves on the board of directors of Piedmont Healthcare System, and the boards of trustees for Clark Atlanta University and Gwinnett Technical College. He also serves on the board of visitors of Emory University. He holds a B.S. in math and physics from South Carolina State University and a masters of industrial engineering from Northwestern University.

Four current members of the Executive Committee will retire at the 2015 USGA Annual Meeting: Karen S. Ammerman, M.D., of Webster, Mass.; Daniel B. Burton, of Lititz, Pa.; William L. Katz, of Chatham Township, N.J.; and Edward G. Michaels III, of Atlanta, Ga.