CARLSBAD, Calif. – Callaway Golf has announced two new clubs, the Big Bertha Irons, which comes with a new 360 Face Cup™ technology, previously used for big distance gains in the company’s Fairway Woods and Hybrids, and the Big Bertha Hybrids, Callaway’s first adjustable hybrids.

The Big Bertha Irons will come in three options: $999 (steel), $1,199 (graphite), $1,299 (combo).

The Big Bertha Hybrids will retail for $249 each and will come in five options: 3-7 Hybrid (19°, 22°, 25°, 28°, 31°).

Both the Big Bertha Irons and the Big Bertha Hybrids will be available at golf retailers nationwide and on www.callawaygolf.com on October 17, 2014.

Big Bertha Irons

The 2014 Web.com Tour Player of the Year candidates have been announced and cracking the list of possible winners is Canada’s Adam Hadwin.

The Abbotsford, B.C., native put together his most complete Web.com Tour season in 2014, finishing No. 1 on the combined Regular Season and Finals money list to secure fully exempt status for the 2014-15 PGA Tour and a spot in The Players Championship in 2015.

Hadwin’s season included 10 top-25 finishes in 21 starts, including two victories: the Chile Classic in early March, and the Chiquita Classic in September, the second leg of the Finals.

Hadwin finished No. 66 on the Web.com Tour money list in 2013, and he improved with a flourish in 2014: he finished fourth on the Regular Season money list and then overtook Carlos Ortiz for the combined top spot with three top-10 finishes in the Finals.

The former University of Louisville player finished No. 8 in all-around ranking this season – seventh in total driving, 14th in sand save percentage, 23rd in putting average. Hadwin has played 11 Tour events in his career, including the past five RBC Canadian Opens (highlighted by a tie for 4th at the 2011 RBC Canadian Open in Vancouver).

“After the year I had last year, my goal was honestly just to go out and have some more fun – enjoy golf again, hit some golf shots and just get myself into contention,” Hadwin said after the final round of the Web.com Tour Championship, where he passed Ortiz on the combined money list with a tie for 7th finish.

Also on the ballot are – Americans Derek Fathauer, Andrew Putnam, Justin Thomas and Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz.

The winner will be announced during the week of the Frys.com Open (October 6-12).

Markham, Ont. (Golf Canada) – After starting the day with a 7-shot lead, Team USA (137-141—278) continued their impressive play Monday and now hold a commanding 12-shot lead through 36 holes at the inaugural World Junior Girls Golf Championship at Angus Glen Golf Club (South Course) in Markham, Ont.

Mika Liu (70-69—139) and teammate Angel Yin (73-72—145) counted a second-round team score of 3-under 141 to lead the host Canadian team by 12 shots heading into Tuesday’s third round.

“I can’t be more proud of these kids; I’m really just their No. 1 fan,” said non-playing captain Courtney Myhrum on the team’s score of 10-under 278 through 36 holes. “To have a complete game and the age of 15 or 16 is amazing. Mika, Megan and Angel they just grind, absolutely grind. They just don’t get flustered. What I tell them is to relax, have fun, enjoy the moment and take one shot at a time. I’m just there to encourage them all the way around.”

Liu, 15, led the way for Team USA shooting 3-under 69 in a round that included two bogies, three birdies and a impressive eagle on the 380 yard, par-4, 10^th hole at Angus Glen (South Course), holing out from 177 yards with a 5-hybrid.

“That eagle was amazing,” said Liu, currently the no. 48 ranked player on the World Amateur Golf Ranking. “I had 177 yards from the rough and on a downhill lie. My first plan was to get in on the green. I was between a 5-hyrid and a 5-wood and I decided to go with the hybrid to play it safe. I hit my shot and all of a sudden the Australian coach just started standing up and clapping and clapping. I was like, what’s going on? I got up there and my ball was in the hole. I just took it and kissed it. I was very happy.”

Yin (15) carded three birdies over three bogies for a second-round, even-par 72 as the second USA score to count while 16-year old teammate Megan Khang (67-73—140), the opening-round individual leader, shot a non-counting 1-over 73 to round out the USA team scores.

Team Canada (144-146—290), led by the world’s no. 1 ranked amateur Brooke Henderson (17) of Smiths Falls, Ont. shot a team-total 2-over 146 and is alone in second at 2-over through 36 holes, 12 shots off the lead.

Henderson (70-73—143) and teammate Grace St. Germain (16) of Ottawa (74-73—147) counted matching scores of 1-over 73 for Canada on Monday with Naomi Ko (17) of Victoria (77-79—156) rounding out the Canadian scores at the midway point of the championship.

Team Denmark (149-143—292), who began the day in 7^th, counted an impressive second-round, 5-under 67 by 15-year old Line Hansen (76-67—143) to jump into a share of third with Italy (147-145—292) at 4-over with Spain (147-146—293) rounding out the top-five at 5-over.

Canada’s second team in the competition comprised of Jaclyn Lee (17) of Calgary (72-77—149), Selena Costabile (16) of Thornhill, Ont. (78-74—152) and Alisha Lau (14) of Richmond, B.C. (83-80—163) shot a team-total, 7-over 151 (150-151—301) are in 13^th position at 13-over through 36 holes.

With her second-round 69, Liu (70-69—139) takes over the top spot on the individual leaderboard at 5-under, one shot better than her USA teammate Megan Khang (67-73—140). Canada’s Brooke Henderson (70-73—143) is tied for third with Denmark’s Line Hansen (76-67—143) at 1-under while Ireland’s Olivia Mehaffey (77-67—144) and Finland’s Anna Backman (71-73—144) are tied for fifth at even par 144.

GLENEAGLES, Scotland – Phil Mickelson delivered his most memorable shot after the Ryder Cup was over.

Not with a club, but with his words.

Mickelson knew this Ryder Cup was a lost cause before it was over. Even though he won his singles match over Stephen Gallacher, another European victory looked imminent. That’s what led Mickelson to say in a television interview, “We had a great formula in `08 and I don’t know why we strayed from it. I don’t know why we don’t ever try going back to it.”

He was talking about the only Ryder Cup the Americans have won in the last 15 years.

And he was just getting warmed up.

It’s rare to hear even a remote reference to criticism from a player at Ryder Cup. Mickelson took it to an unprecedented level when he delivered his message in the closing news conference, sitting alongside his 11 teammates with captain Tom Watson right in the middle.

Mickelson blistered one captain by praising another.

He spoke in detail about Paul Azinger’s pod system – three groups of qualifiers that filled out their pod by telling Azinger whom they wanted as a captain’s pick. They ate together. They practiced together. They never played with anyone outside their pod, and they were next to each other in every lineup. And then he raved about how Azinger had a game plan for every occasion, which suggested that Watson did not.

Watson never looked at Mickelson as he spoke. When asked to reply, the 65-year-old captain said he had a different philosophy and sneered at the notion of a pod.

This might have been the most intense match of the week.

Even when the Europeans lost at Valhalla under Nick Faldo, they closed ranks in the news conference. Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia both were benched for the first time in their careers. They are not fans of Faldo. And yet they took the blame that day by saying they should have played better.

Mickelson didn’t call out Watson by name. He just criticized his heavy-handed leadership style.

It needed to be said.

And as bad as it made Watson look – and Mickelson, for that matter – it was the right time and the right place. The message was directed more at the PGA of America, which selected Watson without player input, than it was at the captain. Given the stage, his comments will not be forgotten.

Watson wanted to be captain again, even though it had been 21 years since he was captain, or even attended a Ryder Cup. After watching the meltdown at Medinah, he was tired of the Americans losing. Watson saw a team with a silver spoon that was in dire need of an iron fist.

“This guy is tough as nails. We all know that,” European captain Paul McGinley said. “He was going to be strong. He was going to be a very strong captain, and he was going to lead it his way.”

That might have worked in 1993. It doesn’t work now.

Azinger’s all-inclusive style was key in winning the Ryder Cup. Davis Love III had a similar style at Medinah, and the Americans built a 10-6 lead going into the final day. If not for Justin Rose making a 45-foot putt, and Ian Poulter making just about everything, the Americans would have won that cup, too.

Watson talked about keeping it simple. He saw his main roles as the captain’s picks and the pairings, and neither merited a passing grade.

It wasn’t all on Watson, who didn’t hit a single shot. And it’s not a complete failure by the Americans. Europe always has a great team, and now it has great players. Winning the Ryder Cup was never going to be easy.

Watson returns to Scotland next year at St. Andrews for his final appearance in the British Open, which he has won five times. He is revered in Scotland, and a bad week at Gleneagles is not going to change that. This Ryder Cup loss will be forgotten. It’s not like the Americans losing is an anomaly.

As for Mickelson?

He came across as disingenuous and disrespectful for going public with what could have been handled in private.

It was a big risk for Mickelson, who is wildly popular with fans but can be as polarizing as Tiger Woods. Mickelson opened himself up to massive criticism for calling out Watson on such a big stage. And it’s not as if Mickelson can lean on a great Ryder Cup record. A five-time major champion, he has been on eight losing teams.

Mickelson doesn’t speak from the hip. This was calculated. He knew the risk.

Go back to start of the week, when Mickelson poked fun at Rory McIlroy’s lawsuit against his management company that now involves Graeme McDowell. Mickelson said the best part of American unity is that “we don’t litigate against each other.”

He has been coming over to Britain for 20 years. He knew what kind of headlines one comment was going to generate. And he didn’t care.

“I might get roasted,” he told Golf Digest. “I can handle it.”

GLENEAGLES, Scotland – Paul McGinley is ready to call it a career in the Ryder Cup, and it ended on a perfect note.

McGinley made his debut in 2002 at The Belfry by holing the winning putt for Europe. His final act was captain of another formidable team, and he called all the right shots at Gleneagles as Europe sailed to its eighth win in the last 10 Ryder Cup matches.

In between, he played in two other Ryder Cups (both record wins for Europe) and was an assistant twice.

“That’s six Ryder Cups now I’ve been involved in and six wins,” he said. “I do feel lucky.”

After another celebration that lasted into the early hours Monday, McGinley says he won’t take part in another Ryder Cup, at least not in an official capacity.

“I’ve gone from a player to a vice captain to a captain. I’ve been six out of six. I’ve been very lucky that I’ve had six great experiences,” McGinley said. “I’m very happy to help going forward in an unofficial capacity.”

Two of his assistants at Gleneagles previously were captains – Sam Torrance in 2002 and Jose Maria Olazabal in 2012. McGinley said his personality would not allow him to return after being at the pinnacle of European leadership.

“I’ve put so much on the table,” he said. “I would like to be able to support the next captain in whatever direction he went, and if I had a belief about a different area, I’m afraid there would be conflict. So I can’t see myself doing that role again.”

His job for the European team is not over yet.

McGinley will join Olazabal and Colin Montgomerie on a five-member panel that decides the next captain for the 2016 job at Hazeltine. European Tour chief executive George O’Grady and a player from the tournament committee fill out the panel.

Darren Clarke is among those under consideration. McGinley and Clarke had a falling out two years ago when Clarke was up for the 2014 job, stood down and then backed Montgomerie because he thought Europe needed a big personality to match U.S. captain Tom Watson, who has iconic status in Scotland.

McGinley pledged there would be “absolutely no problem whatsoever” when he serves on the panel.

“I’m going to get a large opinion from a lot of players and a lot of people before I put my opinion forward,” McGinley said. “I think a lot of us benefited hugely from being vice captains. Darren has been a vice captain, along with many other guys, as well. So we will see where that all evolves, and I certainly won’t have no issues with that whatsoever. I’ll make a professional decision based on the views of the people I respect.”

McGinley was not ready to think that far forward. He still was buzzing from a big night in the team room, and some photos on Twitter illustrated the happy occasion. Among the more unusual photos was Rory McIlroy dressed in only a tartan skirt with a red wig, posing with Stephen Gallacher.

McGinley some of the Europeans ventured into the team room of the Americans to play table tennis and “we got our (butt) kicked.”

“I’m glad the Ryder Cup is not a table tennis championship,” he said.

McGinley said his last Ryder Cup and first Ryder Cup were filled with the same satisfaction, though not quite the same emotion. He was the player who hit the winning shot for Europe at The Belfry in 2002. He didn’t hit a single shot at Gleneagles.

“The buzz at The Belfry was incredible. It was the first time I felt that kind of ecstasy, that sense of `Wow!’ It was an explosion of joy,” he said. “Yesterday wasn’t quite the explosion because I was very much in management mode. … But the sense of satisfaction is exactly the same.”

The American team filed out of Gleneagles Hotel in the morning, heading for Edinburgh and a charter flight home. It left on a far less unified front as Phil Mickelson said the Americans had strayed from a winning formula under Paul Azinger in 2008 and that Watson didn’t involve his players.

McGinley still hasn’t seen the press conference, which attracted nearly as much attention as Jamie Donaldson’s winning shot into the 15th. He greeted Watson at the hotel on Monday morning before the U.S. team left.

“He’s incredibly disappointed,” McGinley said. “But you know what? He’s got that smile, that steely grin. Tom Watson is Tom Watson. He’s a hard man, and he’s a man I respect. So I have the greatest respect to be able to share this journey with a hero of mine.”

GLENEAGLES, Scotland – Paul McGinley is ready to call it a career in the Ryder Cup, and it ended on a perfect note.

McGinley made his debut in 2002 at The Belfry by holing the winning putt for Europe. His final act was captain of another formidable team, and he called all the right shots at Gleneagles as Europe sailed to its eighth win in the last 10 Ryder Cup matches.

In between, he played in two other Ryder Cups (both record wins for Europe) and was an assistant twice.

“That’s six Ryder Cups now I’ve been involved in and six wins,” he said. “I do feel lucky.”

After another celebration that lasted into the early hours Monday, McGinley says he won’t take part in another Ryder Cup, at least not in an official capacity.

“I’ve gone from a player to a vice captain to a captain. I’ve been six out of six. I’ve been very lucky that I’ve had six great experiences,” McGinley said. “I’m very happy to help going forward in an unofficial capacity.”

Two of his assistants at Gleneagles previously were captains – Sam Torrance in 2002 and Jose Maria Olazabal in 2012. McGinley said his personality would not allow him to return after being at the pinnacle of European leadership.

“I’ve put so much on the table,” he said. “I would like to be able to support the next captain in whatever direction he went, and if I had a belief about a different area, I’m afraid there would be conflict. So I can’t see myself doing that role again.”

His job for the European team is not over yet.

McGinley will join Olazabal and Colin Montgomerie on a five-member panel that decides the next captain for the 2016 job at Hazeltine. European Tour chief executive George O’Grady and a player from the tournament committee fill out the panel.

Darren Clarke is among those under consideration. McGinley and Clarke had a falling out two years ago when Clarke was up for the 2014 job, stood down and then backed Montgomerie because he thought Europe needed a big personality to match U.S. captain Tom Watson, who has iconic status in Scotland.

McGinley pledged there would be “absolutely no problem whatsoever” when he serves on the panel.

“I’m going to get a large opinion from a lot of players and a lot of people before I put my opinion forward,” McGinley said. “I think a lot of us benefited hugely from being vice captains. Darren has been a vice captain, along with many other guys, as well. So we will see where that all evolves, and I certainly won’t have no issues with that whatsoever. I’ll make a professional decision based on the views of the people I respect.”

McGinley was not ready to think that far forward. He still was buzzing from a big night in the team room, and some photos on Twitter illustrated the happy occasion. Among the more unusual photos was Rory McIlroy dressed in only a tartan skirt with a red wig, posing with Stephen Gallacher.

McGinley some of the Europeans ventured into the team room of the Americans to play table tennis and “we got our (butt) kicked.”

“I’m glad the Ryder Cup is not a table tennis championship,” he said.

McGinley said his last Ryder Cup and first Ryder Cup were filled with the same satisfaction, though not quite the same emotion. He was the player who hit the winning shot for Europe at The Belfry in 2002. He didn’t hit a single shot at Gleneagles.

“The buzz at The Belfry was incredible. It was the first time I felt that kind of ecstasy, that sense of `Wow!’ It was an explosion of joy,” he said. “Yesterday wasn’t quite the explosion because I was very much in management mode. … But the sense of satisfaction is exactly the same.”

The American team filed out of Gleneagles Hotel in the morning, heading for Edinburgh and a charter flight home. It left on a far less unified front as Phil Mickelson said the Americans had strayed from a winning formula under Paul Azinger in 2008 and that Watson didn’t involve his players.

McGinley still hasn’t seen the press conference, which attracted nearly as much attention as Jamie Donaldson’s winning shot into the 15th. He greeted Watson at the hotel on Monday morning before the U.S. team left.

“He’s incredibly disappointed,” McGinley said. “But you know what? He’s got that smile, that steely grin. Tom Watson is Tom Watson. He’s a hard man, and he’s a man I respect. So I have the greatest respect to be able to share this journey with a hero of mine.”

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – John Cook won the First Tee Open on Sunday at Pebble Beach for his 10th Champions Tour title, closing with a 3-under 69 for a one-stroke victory over Tom Byrum.

The 56-year-old Cook birdied the par-4 13th and parred the final five holes to finish at 11-under 204 total. He won the 1981 Bing Crosby National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach for the first of his 11 PGA Tour titles and also won the 1975 California State Amateur at the course.

Cook parred the par-5 18th, missing a 25-foot birdie try that left a tap-in for the victory.

“I played to make par,” said Cook, who missed 10 weeks this season after freak non-golf back injury at his Florida home. “I don’t often do that, but maybe I’ve learned something in 40 or 45 years.”

Byrum also shot 69. Winless on the 50-and-over tour after winning once on the PGA Tour, he bogeyed the par-5 14th and par-3 17th and closed with a par.

“I needed to make a birdie and I made a par,” Byrum said. “It was a good par after hitting in the bunker, but I just didn’t make a good shot I needed. But I am encouraged with how I played.”

Cook won for the first time since the Mitsubishi Electric Championship in Hawaii in January 2013. He began the final round with a one-shot lead over Byrum and Skip Kendall.

“Today I played nicely,” Cook said. “I didn’t have my best stuff, but my putting showed up.”

Kendall, playing his second Champions Tour event after earning a spot in open qualifying Tuesday, tied for third with England’s Roger Chapman. Kendall shot 70, and Chapman had a 65.

Woody Austin was fourth at 8 under after a 66.

Kirk Triplett, the winner the last two years, shot a 67 to tie for sixth at 7 under with Billy Andrade (69), Fred Funk (70) and Lee Janzen (70).

Davis Love III, also making his second Champions Tour start, had a 74 to drop into a tie for 24th at 3 under. The 20-time PGA Tour winner tied for 64th last week in Hawaii.

Also among the group who tied for 24th was Calgary’s Stephen Ames, who carded a 69 Sunday to climb 15 spots up the leaderboard.

Fellow Canadian Rod Spittle shot a 75 and fell 27 spots to share 43rd spot.

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – John Cook won the First Tee Open on Sunday at Pebble Beach for his 10th Champions Tour title, closing with a 3-under 69 for a one-stroke victory over Tom Byrum.

The 56-year-old Cook birdied the par-4 13th and parred the final five holes to finish at 11-under 204 total. He won the 1981 Bing Crosby National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach for the first of his 11 PGA Tour titles and also won the 1975 California State Amateur at the course.

Cook parred the par-5 18th, missing a 25-foot birdie try that left a tap-in for the victory.

“I played to make par,” said Cook, who missed 10 weeks this season after freak non-golf back injury at his Florida home. “I don’t often do that, but maybe I’ve learned something in 40 or 45 years.”

Byrum also shot 69. Winless on the 50-and-over tour after winning once on the PGA Tour, he bogeyed the par-5 14th and par-3 17th and closed with a par.

“I needed to make a birdie and I made a par,” Byrum said. “It was a good par after hitting in the bunker, but I just didn’t make a good shot I needed. But I am encouraged with how I played.”

Cook won for the first time since the Mitsubishi Electric Championship in Hawaii in January 2013. He began the final round with a one-shot lead over Byrum and Skip Kendall.

“Today I played nicely,” Cook said. “I didn’t have my best stuff, but my putting showed up.”

Kendall, playing his second Champions Tour event after earning a spot in open qualifying Tuesday, tied for third with England’s Roger Chapman. Kendall shot 70, and Chapman had a 65.

Woody Austin was fourth at 8 under after a 66.

Kirk Triplett, the winner the last two years, shot a 67 to tie for sixth at 7 under with Billy Andrade (69), Fred Funk (70) and Lee Janzen (70).

Davis Love III, also making his second Champions Tour start, had a 74 to drop into a tie for 24th at 3 under. The 20-time PGA Tour winner tied for 64th last week in Hawaii.

Also among the group who tied for 24th was Calgary’s Stephen Ames, who carded a 69 Sunday to climb 15 spots up the leaderboard.

Fellow Canadian Rod Spittle shot a 75 and fell 27 spots to share 43rd spot.

MARKHAM, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Megan Khang (5-under 67) and Mika Liu (2-under 70) shot an opening-round team-total 7-under 137 to give Team USA a 7-shot, opening-round lead at the inaugural  World Junior Girls Golf Championship at Angus Glen Golf Club (South Course) in Markham, Ont.

Khang, 16, carded six birdies and a single bogey going off the back nine of the South Course at Angus Glen on Sunday. Currently the no. 40 ranked player on the World Amateur Golf Ranking, Khang finished her opening-round in impressive fashion with birdies on her final four holes.

“I was hitting a lot of great approach shots coming in and my short game was working really well for me,” said Khang following her round. “That’s what I’ve been working on the most and it’s great to see it coming all together. The course was in great shape; I blew some putts by but made some comebackers and that gave me a great confidence boost in the putter.”

Megan Khang (Golf Canada/ Terry Lenyk)

Liu, 15, had five birdies and three bogies in her opening round as the second US score to count while teammate Angel Yin shot a (non-counting) 1-over 73 in her opening round.

For Team USA non-playing captain Courtney Myhrum, the team executed their game plan and left their captain brimming with pride following their round.

“I’m so proud, the team did a wonderful job; the course was playing great and I’m in awe of how they hit the ball,” said Myhrum. “What impresses me so much is that these kids hit greens in regulation and give themselves birdie opportunities one after another. They’re very consistent off the tee and they didn’t get into any trouble.”

Team Canada, led by the world’s no. 1 ranked amateur Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont. sits alone in second at even-par 144 through 18 holes. Henderson (2-under 70) and teammates Grace St. Germain of Ottawa (2-over 74) and Naomi Ko of Victoria (5-over 77) were grouped with Team USA in Sunday’s opening round at Angus Glen.

Henderson, 17, finished with four birdies including her final two holes while St-Germain, 16, was 1-under through 16 holes before a bogey on her 17th hole and a double-bogey finish for Canada’s two counting scores.

“It was little bit slow to start, I wasn’t hitting the ball quite as good as I would have liked to,” said Henderson, who earlier this year finished runner-up at the US Women’s Amateur and was the low individual at the recent World Amateur Team Championship. “Throughout the round I started to get a bit more comfortable. The last couple of holes I was playing my best golf; three birdies in the last four or five holes so I’m happy with that.”

Brooke Henderson (Golf Canada/ Terry Lenyk)

Team Finland’s Anna Backman (1-under 71), Sandra Salonen (2-over 74) and Ellinoora Moisio (10-over 82) are alone in third at 145. Rounding out the top-five tied at 3-over 147 are the Italian trio of Lucrezia Colombotto Rosso (1-over 73), Calotta Ricolfi (2-over 74) and Martina Flori (4-over 76) as well as Spain’s Ana Pelaez Trivino (1-over 73), Alejandra Pasarin Olalla (2-over 74) and Nuria Iturrios (9-over 81).

Canada’s second team in the competition comprised of Jaclyn Lee of Calgary (even-par 72), Selena Costabile of Thornhill, Ont. (6-over 78) and Alisha Lau of Richmond, B.C. (11-over 83) shot a team-total, 6-over 150 sit tied for 8th with Belgium and Sweden.

With her opening round 67, Khang sits alone atop the individual leader board with a three-shot lead over Liu (70) and Henderson (70) heading into Monday’s second round.  Finland’s Anna Backman is fourth at 1-under 70 while Canadian Jaclyn Lee and England’s India Clyburn are tied for fifth at even-par 72 through 18 holes.

Visit www.worldjuniorgirls.com for additional information about the World Junior Girls Championship.

MARKHAM, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Megan Khang (5-under 67) and Mika Liu (2-under 70) shot an opening-round team-total 7-under 137 to give Team USA a 7-shot, opening-round lead at the inaugural  World Junior Girls Golf Championship at Angus Glen Golf Club (South Course) in Markham, Ont.

Khang, 16, carded six birdies and a single bogey going off the back nine of the South Course at Angus Glen on Sunday. Currently the no. 40 ranked player on the World Amateur Golf Ranking, Khang finished her opening-round in impressive fashion with birdies on her final four holes.

“I was hitting a lot of great approach shots coming in and my short game was working really well for me,” said Khang following her round. “That’s what I’ve been working on the most and it’s great to see it coming all together. The course was in great shape; I blew some putts by but made some comebackers and that gave me a great confidence boost in the putter.”

Megan Khang (Golf Canada/ Terry Lenyk)

Liu, 15, had five birdies and three bogies in her opening round as the second US score to count while teammate Angel Yin shot a (non-counting) 1-over 73 in her opening round.

For Team USA non-playing captain Courtney Myhrum, the team executed their game plan and left their captain brimming with pride following their round.

“I’m so proud, the team did a wonderful job; the course was playing great and I’m in awe of how they hit the ball,” said Myhrum. “What impresses me so much is that these kids hit greens in regulation and give themselves birdie opportunities one after another. They’re very consistent off the tee and they didn’t get into any trouble.”

Team Canada, led by the world’s no. 1 ranked amateur Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont. sits alone in second at even-par 144 through 18 holes. Henderson (2-under 70) and teammates Grace St. Germain of Ottawa (2-over 74) and Naomi Ko of Victoria (5-over 77) were grouped with Team USA in Sunday’s opening round at Angus Glen.

Henderson, 17, finished with four birdies including her final two holes while St-Germain, 16, was 1-under through 16 holes before a bogey on her 17th hole and a double-bogey finish for Canada’s two counting scores.

“It was little bit slow to start, I wasn’t hitting the ball quite as good as I would have liked to,” said Henderson, who earlier this year finished runner-up at the US Women’s Amateur and was the low individual at the recent World Amateur Team Championship. “Throughout the round I started to get a bit more comfortable. The last couple of holes I was playing my best golf; three birdies in the last four or five holes so I’m happy with that.”

Brooke Henderson (Golf Canada/ Terry Lenyk)

Team Finland’s Anna Backman (1-under 71), Sandra Salonen (2-over 74) and Ellinoora Moisio (10-over 82) are alone in third at 145. Rounding out the top-five tied at 3-over 147 are the Italian trio of Lucrezia Colombotto Rosso (1-over 73), Calotta Ricolfi (2-over 74) and Martina Flori (4-over 76) as well as Spain’s Ana Pelaez Trivino (1-over 73), Alejandra Pasarin Olalla (2-over 74) and Nuria Iturrios (9-over 81).

Canada’s second team in the competition comprised of Jaclyn Lee of Calgary (even-par 72), Selena Costabile of Thornhill, Ont. (6-over 78) and Alisha Lau of Richmond, B.C. (11-over 83) shot a team-total, 6-over 150 sit tied for 8th with Belgium and Sweden.

With her opening round 67, Khang sits alone atop the individual leader board with a three-shot lead over Liu (70) and Henderson (70) heading into Monday’s second round.  Finland’s Anna Backman is fourth at 1-under 70 while Canadian Jaclyn Lee and England’s India Clyburn are tied for fifth at even-par 72 through 18 holes.

Visit www.worldjuniorgirls.com for additional information about the World Junior Girls Championship.