Canadian Round 4 Results:

T9.  Jennifer Kirby (-8) 71-69-69-71 – 280
T58. Erica Rivard (E) 77-72-69-70 – 288
T46. Maude-Aimée LeBlanc (E) 71-73-73-71 – 288
T56. Lorie Kane (+2) 72-73-73-72 – 290
T63. Jessica Shepley (+3) 73-76-750-67 – 224
— MISSED CUT —
T71. Natalie Gleadall (+4) 73-73-71-75 – 292
T71. Stephanie Sherlock (+4) 73-74-72-73 – 292
T79. Sara-Maude Juneau (+5) 77-70-74-72 – 293
T102. Ashely Sholer (+8) 73-78-71-74 – 296
T122. Nicole Vandermade (+11) 78-74-79-68 – 299

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All that stands between Jennifer Kirby and a 2014 LPGA Tour card is 18 holes of golf on the Jones Course at LPGA International. The Paris, Ont. native posted a fourth-round 1-under 71 Saturday to sit tied for 9th at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament with a four-day total 8-under 280.

The 90-hole tournament concludes Sunday on LPGA International’s Jones Course.  Kirby, a former Team Canada member, only needs to finish within the top 20 to earn exempt LPGA Tour status for next year. Players who finish in 21 to 45 spot (as well as ties) will also earn conditional status for 2014.

Jaye Marie Green Green (-25) leads all players and entered Saturday’s fourth round with a seven-shot advantage, marking the lowest score after three rounds since the Final Qualifying Tournament moved to 90 holes in 2004. She wasted little time in increasing her lead with birdies on holes five, six and eight, quickly becoming her fourth sub-70 round of the event.

The 19-year-old from Boca Raton, Fla. closed her round with birdies on 12 and 13 to end her third-straight round without a bogey.

Chasing Green, although a long way behind, is South Korean Mi Rim Lee, who fired the second record-breaking score in the Jones Course on Friday with an 11-under 61 to take solo second heading into Saturday’s round. Posting a 3-under 69 on the Hills Course, Lee sits at 16-under 272 for the tournament.

Lee is two shots ahead of two-year LPGA Tour veteran Tiffany Joh (-14), who shot a 4-under 68 to remain in third and three shots behind Joh at 11-under 277 is Stage II LPGA Qualifying Tournament medalist Amy Anderson. The North Dakota State standout carded a 2-under 70 during Saturday’s round.

Seon Hwa Lee of South Korea and Sharon Township, Ohio native Kathleen Ekey are 10-under 278, in a tie for fifth.

After the 72-hole cut, a total of 70 players are on their way to earning LPGA and Symetra Tour status for the 2014 season. The cut fell at 3-over-par 291.

Other notables who made the 72-hole cut include four-time LPGA Tour winner Lorie Kane from Charlottetown (T56); 2005 U.S. Women’s Open champion Birdie Kim (T27); China’s youngest female professional Xiyu Lin (13); and nine-year LPGA Tour veteran Reilley Rankin (T18).

Natalie Gleadall of Stratford, Ont. , Stephanie Sherlock of Barrie, Ont., Sara-Maude Juneau of Fossambault, Que., Ashely Sholer of Hamilton, Ont. and Nicole Vandermade of Brantford, Ont. failed to make the fourth-round cut. Other notables missing out included Wake Forest standout Cheyenne Woods, who missed the cut after rounds of 77-73-73-73, finishing at 8-over 296.

SUN CITY, South Africa – Jamie Donaldson held on to his three-shot lead through the third round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge on Saturday, putting the Welshman in sight of the biggest payday of his career on his Sun City debut.

The Welshman strung together six birdies and just a single bogey on No. 17 in a 5-under 67 to stay ahead of a two-way tie for second between Ryan Moore of the United States and Thomas Bjorn of Denmark. Donaldsson had a 16-under total of 200.

Henrik Stenson, playing his first tournament since clinching the European money title last month to go with his FedEx Cup, was five shots back after a 69, tied with Sergio Garcia (66) and Thongchai Jaidee (66).

Donaldson had his birdies in twos at the Gary Player Country Club, with back-to-back gains on Nos. 4 and 5, 10 and 11, and 14 and 15 for a good chance at the $1.25 million winner’s check at the newly-instated European Tour event. Before this week, he last played the course nearly 20 years ago.

“Every win is special, this would be just a little bit more special,” he said.

Moore, another Sun City debutant, went bogey-free to card 67 and is also attempting to become the first rookie winner at the Nedbank since Zimbabwe’s Mark McNulty in 1986. Bjorn had a 66.

Ernie Els struggled to a 77 after hearing before the third round that his former mental coach Jos Vanstiphout had died. Els said it was “another very sad day” for him after the death of former South African President Nelson Mandela on Thursday.

Bjorn opened his back nine with an eagle and a birdie, but made bogey on the par-5 No. 14 to slip back again before finishing with his fifth birdie. Moore was flawless with five birdies and no dropped shots.

Former Sun City winner Stenson recovered from a seven on No. 9, when the No. 3-ranked Swede twice hit the water, to birdie four holes coming home and stay in contention.

Garcia bounced back from a 73 on Friday, making six birdies and an eagle on No. 13 to counter two bogeys.

Canadian Round 3 Results:

T7.  Jennifer Kirby (-7) 71-69-69 – 209
T46. Maude-Aimée LeBlanc (+1) 71-73-73 – 217
T46. Natalie Gleadall (+1) 73-73-71 – 217
T58. Erica Rivard (+2) 77-72-69 – 218
58. Lorie Kane (+2) 72-73-73 – 218
T65. Stephanie Sherlock (+3) 73-74-72 – 219
T86. Sara-Maude Juneau (+5) 77-70-74 – 221
T96. Ashely Sholer (+6) 73-78-71 – 222
T116. Jessica Shepley (+8) 73-76-75 – 224
T146. Nicole Vandermade (+15) 78-74-79 – 231

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It was another record-breaking day on the Jones Course at LPGA International as South Korean Mi Rim Lee produced the low-round of the week with an 11-under-par 61 to take sole possession of second place. The KLPGA standout broke Jaye Marie Green’s previous record of 10-under 62, which she posted during the opening round on Wednesday. Green still holds a 7-shot lead heading into Saturday’s fourth round.

Green, who played the Jones Course, carded a 6-under 66 on a day that featured a bogey-free, six-birdie performance with a four birdies on the back nine. Her three-day total of 20-under 196 marks the lowest score since the Final Qualifying Tournament moved to a 90-hole event.

“I think being where I was at 14-under to start the day, I was like, ‘Ok, just make it through the day let’s put that behind you,’” said Green. “My goal was to get to 20-under before Sunday and it was cool that I did that today. So that was nice.”

Jennifer Kirby of Paris, Ont. fired her second straight 69 to climb four spots into a tie for 7th. The bogey-free round puts the former Team Canada member at 7-under par.

Natalie Gleadall of Stratford, Ont., with her best round of the week on Friday, is tied for 46th along with Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que. Eric Rivard of Tecumseh, Ont. posted her best round of the week, 69, to move up into a tie for 58th along with Lorie Kane of Charlottetown.

Kane, a four-time winner on the LPGA Tour, is playing this week to try and improve her priority standing which would get her into more tournaments next year.

Stephanie Sherlock of Barrie, Ont. is tied for 65th which leaves her right on the cut line at 3-over heading into Saturday’s fourth round.

Sara-Maude Juneau of Fossambault, Que., who earned her card at Q-School a year ago, is two strokes off the cut line while Ashley Sholer of Hamilton, Ont., Jessica Shepley of Oakville, Ont., and Nicole Vandermade of Brantford, Ont. all have some work to do if they hope to make the final round cut.

A field of 153 players are in this week’s event, hoping to either earn membership or improve their current member status for the 2014 LPGA Tour season. Qualifiers from Stage I and II along with current LPGA Tour members attempting to improve their status, are in the field. In addition, players who finished Nos. 11-20 on the 2013 Symetra Tour season-ending money list (who do not already have LPGA status), are also in the field.

The 90-hole, five-round qualifier will cut to the low 70 players and ties after 72 holes. Those who make the cut will compete in Sunday’s final round on the Jones Course.

Team Canada member Chris Hemmerich has become a flag bearer in recent years among  Canadian golf talents choosing to hone their skills at post-secondary institutions north of the border.

Hemmerich, a second-year student at the University of Guelph, is currently the team captain of the Gryphons golf team.

The Kitchener native was recently profiled in the University’s ‘At Guelph’ publication – you can read the full article here.

Among the highlights from the piece written by Dierdre Healy, the 21-year old shared how he transited from hockey to golf as well as a glimpse of his immediate goals…

“I was a decent hockey player, but I knew I was definitely better at golf,” says the fourth-year bachelor of commerce student. “I started playing golf competitively as a teenager, but never really thought about a future in the sport until about a year or two ago.”

Now the Kitchener native’s future aspirations include becoming a successful professional golfer after graduation in the spring, earning a spot in the U.S. Open and representing Canada in the 2016 Olympics.

Hemmerich also shared insight into what he finds most tiring as he works to develop his game….

“Golf is very mentally draining,” he says. “You can hit so many good shots and not be rewarded. In hockey you may hit the post once a game, but in golf it can happen over and over again, because all it takes is a gust of wind. There are constant triggers that can impact your focus, but if you let them affect you, you will never do well. You have to be mentally tough and shake it off.”

While driven to be one of this country’s best golfers, appreciating the game’s balance of social and competitive nuances is something not lost on Hemmerich….

 “It’s a fun sport. You get to spend five hours outdoors with friends. It’s great social time.”

“It’s not like in other sports, which are pretty much stationary and stay the same. A basketball court is the same no matter where you are playing, but with golf elements of the game are always changing. Your shots will be different each time you play a course and the conditions will be different, too. It could be windy at one hole and raining by the time you reach the next.”

“The element of the unknown is what makes competitive golf stressful, but also exciting”, he adds.

For more on Chris Hemmerich and other members of Canada’s National Amateur Golf Team, click here.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – For the final tournament at Sherwood Country Club, Tiger Woods seems intent on leaving a lasting impression.

He only missed one fairway Friday in the World Challenge. He putted for birdie on every hole. Only once was he under stress to make par. And when he finished his second round with a pair of pars, Woods matched his course record with a 10-under 62 and was in a familiar position going into the weekend.

Woods, a five-time winner at Sherwood, had a two-shot lead over Zach Johnson.

“It was fun to watch,” said Graeme McDowell, who tied for the second-best round of the day and fell six shots behind.

Woods was at 11-under 133 and will be paired in the last group Saturday with Johnson, who missed a few good birdie chances on the back nine but still managed a 68. Johnson is a two-time runner-up at the World Challenge, both times to Woods.

Matt Kuchar had a 68 and was three shots behind, and no one else was closer than five shots.

Woods had little reason to believe he would tie his course record at Sherwood, which he set in 2007 during one of his victories. Nothing was going right on the practice range. And even though he opened with two birdies, the pin was accessible on No. 1 and the second hole is a par 5 that featured a front pin.

“I hit a good tee shot down No. 1, good second shot in there to a kick-in, and it still didn’t feel very good,” Woods said. “But think the third hole was a nice shot in there. It was the first swing I made, even during warm-up, that felt really good, and I tried to keep that feeling the rest of the day. And I did. I hit a lot of good shots after that.”

It was the 10th time Woods has shot 62 or lower in a tournament. He went on to win six of those events. The exceptions were the 1999 Byron Nelson Classic (61 in the first round), the 2005 Buick Open (61 in the second round) and the 2012 Honda Classic (62 in the final round).

This is his final event of the year, though Woods has been around long enough to keep it in perspective.

“Two more rounds,” he said.

No one is ready to concede this tournament to Woods, except for those at the far end of this 18-man field. Hunter Mahan had an 80, Dustin Johnson had a 79 and Rory McIlroy, coming off a win at the Australian Open, had a 77.

“Amazing what Tiger did out there. It’s just some incredible golf,” Kuchar said. “I kind of felt sorry for Graeme McDowell. I saw he posted a 5-under-par round, and it must have felt like it was 2 or 3 over. It’s tough when you’re paired with a guy like that. It makes you feel like you’re not doing much. But the rest of us just go about our business.”

Even after watching what he felt like was an exhibition _ Woods’ golf, not the tournament _ McDowell figured he could still defend his title if he could nail down the speed of the greens, which are running on the fast side.

That’s what set Woods apart on another chilly day at Sherwood. Not only did he make the putts, he rarely was in a position where he had to stress over par. The lone exception came on the par-3 12th, when Woods was in such a precarious spot above the hole that he had no intention of trying to make birdie. He would have had to start the ball high on a ridge to get it to roll near the hole, and that would mean more speed going by. So he aimed for the low side and made the 10-foot par putt coming back.

“I don’t think I’ve seen them quite this fast unless we get Santa Ana’s blowing when it’s dry,” Woods said. “I mean, this is the last tournament of the year for a lot of us. I’d think they’d make it a little easier on us. But they gave it to us pretty good the last couple days. You miss the ball in the wrong spots, you’re making bogeys.”

Woods never went more than two holes without a birdie. One of the few times he was above the hole, Woods hit his putt on a perfect line with the right pace and dipped his knees when it dropped in the right side of the cup.

Even as he dropped further behind, McDowell couldn’t help but appreciate a flawless round of golf.

“I enjoyed that,” he said. “It was cool to see that kind of golf. He was under control. He hit it down the middle of every fairway. He didn’t have that kind of violence with his speed through the ball.”

Woods said he was similar to the 61 he shot this summer at Firestone, where he went on to win by seven shots.

“I think Firestone is obviously a much more difficult golf course than Sherwood,” Woods said. “But as far as quality ball-striking, I hit it equally as good today, if not even better.”

What could challenge Woods, along with everyone else, is a forecast of rain and then wind for the final two days.

SUN CITY, South Africa – The birdie celebrations were muted and the crowd a little quiet all though Friday.

Gary Player cried on the tee before an early-morning round under grey skies and Ernie Els remembered the photo he has of himself and Nelson Mandela on his desk back at home in Florida.

“It is a very sad day,” Els said. “A very sad day for South Africa and the world.”

A sombre mood hung over the Nedbank  Golf Challenge, South Africa’s first major sporting event since former president and anti-apartheid leader Mandela died late Thursday aged 95.

Jamie Donaldson, wearing a black ribbon like all the players, emerged from the emotional day to go to 11 under and hold a three-shot lead over Ryan Moore and Henrik Stenson.

The 30-man field spent around nine hours out on the course to make up for lost time when the first round was halted for lightning a day earlier. Donaldson had seven birdies and a bogey in a second-round 66 to go with his opening 67, with the Welshman saying he played “aggressive but not daft.”

Moore had a round-leading 65 having finished up a 71 in the first round in the morning for a share of second at 8 under with Stenson. The Swede moved back into contention with a 67 at the end of the second day.

Thomas Bjorn and defending champion Martin Kaymer were tied for fourth another shot back on 7 under. Sergio Garcia had led after the first round before slipping down to a share of ninth with a 73.

Perhaps struggling with the emotions, Els and the rest of the South Africans failed to shine, with Charl Schwartzel the leading home player on 6 under, five off the lead. Els has gone 75, 71 in the first two rounds.

In the early morning, the players had stood with their caddies, some with caps removed, for a moment’s silence for Mandela before the first round restarted. Flags drooped at half-mast around the Gary Player Country Club. A hooter sounded to start the brief moment of reflection on the life of the beloved anti-apartheid leader.

One of South Africa’s first sporting heroes under Mandela’s presidency, four-time major winner Els had walked out of the players’ lounge a little after 6:30 a.m. to talk to reporters and share some of his precious memories of the time he spent with Mandela. Els said that since about 1996 and well into his old age, Mandela used to call the golfer every time he won a tournament.

“They were special times and the little time we had together was very special. He was just the most amazing person I have ever met,” Els said.

Player, South Africa’s most successful golfer and whose career so often clashed with South Africa’s dark years of apartheid, said he and three friends had prayed and then cried together over Mandela’s passing before playing a casual round first thing in the morning before the field went out.

“We all had a tear in our eyes, but it’s also a day of celebration because he’d want us to celebrate,” Player said. “And we’ve got to celebrate for what he actually gave this country.”

The Shaw Charity Classic has been named one of the top events on the Champions Tour, awarding it the distinguished “Outstanding Achievement Award” for the inaugural event.   The award was one of four awards announced last night at the PGA and Champions Tour tournament meetings held in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., at TPC Sawgrass.

The Outstanding Achievement Award is awarded by the Tournament Advisory Council to an event that goes above and beyond to introduce unique concepts and initiatives to promote the tournament.  Taking place just months after the devastating floods hit the Calgary area, the Shaw Charity Classic put an emphasis on thanking the community with different initiatives surrounding the tournament, including the “Shootout at the Meadows” that featured first responders taking on 12 Olympians in a “Closest to the Pin” showdown.  Additionally, the tournament made a $250,000 donation to flood recovery efforts that was included in the overall announcement of $2,276,251 going to southern Alberta charities.  That donation is the single largest charitable donation in Champions Tour history.

“Calgary was already excited to have this Champions Tour event in our backyard, but to have the entire community come together to help us kick off tournament week was an added bonus,” stated tournament director Sean Van Kesteren.  “We are honoured to receive this award from the Champions Tour and to be recognized as one of the top events on Tour in only our first year is outstanding.  The real winners here are the southern Alberta charities that benefited from the more than $2.2 million the tournament donated this year.”

Tournament officials also recently announced that golf’s legends will play for a purse of $2.25 million, an increase of $250,000 from last year, when they return to Calgary’s Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club in 2014 when the tournament will be played August 25-31.

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Riley Wheeldon wins NGA Tour event

Riley Wheeldon of Comox, BC managed to make over a 100 feet of putts on his back nine to shoot a four under 32  in the final round of the NGA Tour Winter Series event at Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course outlasting the field and capturing his second NGA Tour win this year. Wheeldon finished at -16 total with rounds of 68-64-68 beating out fellow Canadian Ben Silverman (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) by a margin of a single stroke.

Read more

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Fukushima wins title in Bermuda

On Thursday, Veteran PGA Tour Canada player Kent Fukushima (Grande Prairie, Alta.) won the Gosling’s Invitational at Belmont Hills in Bermuda.

Fukushima posted a 71 during the final round to win by three shots over Jordan Mitchell.

Brian McCann of Mississauga, Ont., tied for fourth, while defending champ Bill Walsh tied for seventh.

For the complete leaderboard, click here.

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Gary Player recalls the first time he met Nelson Mandela

The first time he met Nelson Mandela, Gary Player got on his knees and kissed the former political prisoner’s feet.

Remembering his “very tearful” first encounter with Mandela, the nine-time major winner paused Friday to compose himself and hold back more tears.

Mandela, the beloved former South African president and Nobel laureate, died Thursday at 95.

Renowned as a fierce competitor on the golf course, Player was invited to meet Mandela at his office in Johannesburg after the anti-apartheid leader’s release after 27 years in prison.

But he didn’t expect to do what he did, Player said.

“I knelt down and I kissed his feet and I said, ‘I have never kissed anybody’s feet in my life,’ and I said, ‘I have so much admiration for you.’ I said to him, ‘It is remarkable, how can you not have revenge?”’

Mandela’s reply, according to Player, was: “You have got to start a new life and forgive and go ahead.”

Player, speaking at the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City, said Mandela’s ability to inspire with compassion left him amazed then _ and still does.

“It was very tearful for me, because when you think of a man that has gone to jail for all those years for doing the right thing, not the wrong thing, it is hard to comprehend that a man can come out and be like that,” Player said. “He was an exceptional man.”

From that first meeting, Player and Mandela would cross paths regularly as the golfer, one of South Africa’s greatest sportsmen, worked with the president on charity projects.

Once, Player remembered with a big smile, Mandela landed at a charity tournament in a helicopter to lend support.

“I had to meet him when the helicopter arrived and open the door. Now I had been around him all these years raising money for young black children and I opened the door, and he says ‘Good morning Gary, do you remember me?”’ Player recalled, imitating Mandela’s unique rasping voice. “Just wonderful.”

Although Player wasn’t sure if he ever saw Mandela swing a golf club, he knew that the anti-apartheid leader “realized the value of sport” and even followed Player’s career overseas while he was imprisoned by South Africa’s former racist regime.

“He said to me, ‘When I was in jail, I used to watch you playing.’ He was very complimentary,” Player said.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Zach Johnson already is looking ahead to next year, and one of his priorities is to score better on the par 5s. He got started on that Thursday in the World Challenge.

Johnson birdied four of the five par 5s on a chilly afternoon at Sherwood Country Club, sending him to a 5-under 67 and a one-shot lead over Matt Kuchar. They were among only five players in the elite 18-man field who broke par.

One of them was tournament host Tiger Woods, who had a new driver in the bag and missed only two fairways. The problem was his putter. Woods opened his round by missing a short par putt, and he finished it by missing a four-foot birdie putt on the 18th. He wound up with a 71.

Kuchar played with Woods — they were partners at the Presidents Cup — and hit his approach into two feet for birdie on the final hole.

Hunter Mahan and Bubba Watson were at 70. They are among seven players who have yet to win a tournament anywhere in the world this year, even though all 18 players in the World Challenge are in the top 30 in the world ranking.

The tournament counts toward the ranking, though everything else about it is unofficial. For some players, it’s a time to shake off some rust and test new equipment. For others, it’s the end of a long year.

Johnson had his annual “summit” with his team of coaches at the start of the week. They go over the year, crunch statistics and lay out goals for where to improve in 2014. One of the areas was par-5 scoring.

“A highlight that we’re looking into next year is trying to play those holes a little bit better,” Johnson said. “I don’t know what I did that today. I hit it close. I had good shots in there with the proper spin, nothing more than that. But you’ve got to take advantage of them. You’ve got five of them. The thing is … one errant shot, you’re staring a six right in the face, if not more. There’s a lot of penal areas.”

There was plenty of punishment for some players in the field.

Steve Stricker was among those under par until a bogey-bogey-double bogey finish put him at 75. Jordan Spieth, coming off a sensational rookie season and playing for the first time since the HSBC Champions in Shanghai a month ago, had a 77 and was last in the field. Jason Day, who won the individual and team title at the World Cup two weeks ago at Royal Melbourne, had a 76.

Rory McIlroy, with girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki following him, was hopeful of building momentum from his first win of the year last week in the Australian Open. He missed a few short putts, found the water on the par-3 15th and had a 73. He played with defending champion Graeme McDowell, who had a 72.

McDowell saw a note that his last eight rounds at Sherwood were in the 60s. That streak ended Thursday, though for good reason.

“The course hasn’t been this tough in a couple years,” McDowell said. “The scoring reflects that. The greens are much firmer. The speed of them caught me by surprise a little bit today. My speed was a little clumsy, and it showed today on the greens.”

This is the final year the tournament is being played at Sherwood. It moves to Isleworth just outside Orlando, Fla., next year.

Woods has played only one tournament since the Presidents Cup, and that was a tie for third in the Turkish Open. He said he struggled with his irons — even though he missed only two fairways, he hit only 12 greens — and couldn’t get enough putts to fall.

“I made a few mistakes today,” Woods said. “I also hit a couple of good shots that ended up in some interesting spots. That can happen out there. I shot about the score … maybe could have gotten one or two more out of it.”

Johnson had few complaints. He opened with two birdies, and then surged ahead on the back nine with five birdies in a seven-hole stretch, three of them on the par 5s. Johnson has a pair of runner-up finishes at this event, and with the tournament moving, this is his last shot at Sherwood.

“I did everything decent,” he said. “Just a real solid day all around. I was aggressive when I needed to be aggressive, and I was conservative when I needed to be conservative. It’s nothing more than a decent start.”

Round 2 Canadian Scores:

T11.  Jennifer Kirby (-4) 71-69–140
T43. Maude-Aimée LeBlanc (E) 71-73–144
T53. Lorie Kane (+1) 72-73–145
T66. Natalie Gleadall (+2) 73-73–146
T80. Sara-Maude Juneau (+3) 77-70–147
T80. Stephanie Sherlock (+3) 74-74–147
T109. Jessica Shepley (+5) 73-76–149
T109. Erica Rivard (+5) 77-72–149
T130. Ashely Sholer (+7) 73-78–151
T138. Nicole Vandermade (+8) 78-74–152

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Canada’s Jennifer Kirby jumped 22 spots up the LPGA Tour Q-School leaderboard Thursday. The Paris, Ont. native and former Team Canada member fired a 3-under par 69 at LPGA International’s Hill Course to sit tied for 11th thru 36 holes in Daytona Beach, FLA.

Jaye Marie Green continues to hold on to medalist position as she carded a second-round 4-under-par 68 to climb to a five-stroke lead over Vanderbilt graduate Megan Grehan. Green sits at 14-under with three rounds remaining in the event.

Erica Rivard of Tecumseh, Ont. carded an ace – her second of the week – Thursday on the 3rd hole of the Jones course.

The players were split between LPGA International Jones and Hills courses and are repaired by scores for the third round based on the course they started on for the first round. The 153-player field will be cut to the low 70 players and ties after the fourth round on Saturday.  A total of 20 exempt spots on the 2014 LPGA Tour are up for grabs this year, while those who place 21^st through 45^th and ties will receive conditional status.

Uxbridge, ON – The Golf Association of Ontario (GAO) has announced the recipients of the Volunteer of the Year, District Volunteer of the Year and Dick Grimm Distinguished Service Awards for 2013.

The GAO volunteer recognition program has been designed to recognize outstanding performance and contributions by volunteers who have played an instrumental role in promoting the growth and development of amateur golf throughout the province of Ontario while preserving the integrity and traditions of the game. The recipients will be formally recognized at the GAO Annual General Meeting, set to take place on January 25 at Peterborough Golf and Country Club.

Volunteer of the Year – Karen Newman

The GAO Volunteer of the Year Award has been designed to recognize and honour a GAO volunteer who has demonstrated outstanding performance and contributions while preserving the integrity and traditions of the game.

For the past six years, Collingwood resident Karen Newman has been a familiar face GAO at qualifiers and championships assisting with registration, starting and scoring. At the 2013 Investors Group Ontario Men’s Amateur Championship, Karen stepped up to take on the challenging role of volunteer chair, an integral part of the execution of the event. Traditionally, a major tournament of this size would have seen the tasks grouped into committees with a separate chair for each, but due to time restraints Karen managed the full team of over 70 volunteers. She skillfully recruited and scheduled members from her home club, Blue Mountain Golf and Country Club, OslerBrook, and neighboring golf clubs to make up a full team of volunteers. Throughout the championship, Karen was on-site ensuring the “blue team” of volunteers was successfully engaged.

Born and raised in Toronto, Karen was the longtime Director of Volunteers at the Credit Valley Hospital in Mississauga. A member at Blue Mountain for the past eight years, the grandmother to five started volunteering as an activity that she could share with her husband Pat, who is a GAO Rules Official.

By taking on the daunting task of managing a full team of volunteers for a major championship, Karen played a key role in the execution of the Ontario Amateur, the GAO’s biggest championship.

District Volunteer of the Year – Bruce Rand, Essex-Kent District

This award has been designed to recognize those volunteers who embody the spirit of volunteerism and have shown dedication by making a significant contribution in promoting, supporting and expanding amateur golf within their District.

Windsor resident and longtime Essex-Kent District Coordinator Bruce Rand first began volunteering with the Ontario Golf Association in the mid-1980’s, serving as club representative for Beach Grove Golf and Country Club. A former assistant pro at Beach Grove, Bruce started actively volunteering with the Essex Kent District as a starter and scorer before taking on the lead role of District Coordinator in 2001 when the GAO was established. He has been a vital link between the GAO and golfers in the Essex-Kent District, tirelessly promoting GAO initiatives and growing the game at the club, District and provincial level. Bruce was instrumental in bringing three GAO events to Beach Grove over the past two years, and continues to act as a starter and scorer at provincial events throughout the District. While leading the District Executive Committee and serving on Beach Grove’s golf committee, Bruce is a familiar face at functions and meetings throughout Essex-Kent providing information about GAO programs and encouraging golfers to get involved by participating or volunteering. In 2013, Bruce served as the Senior Tournament Official at the Investors Group Ontario Junior Boys’ Championship, one of the GAO’s major events.

Dick Grimm Distinguished Service Award – Liz Hoffman

This award is considered the highest honour recognizing individual service to the game of golf in Ontario. The award is named after Richard H. Grimm, who was affectionately known as “Mr. Canadian Open” for his service to the event from 1965 to 1993. Throughout his time in golf, he has been known a masterful coordinator, promoter, official, fan, and – most importantly – a passionate volunteer who put his heart and soul into making golf better. The GAO’s Dick Grimm Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual’s meritorious service to the game of golf in Ontario as a volunteer. Recipients of this award embody the principles of integrity, dignity and commitment which are central to the volunteer experience and to Mr. Grimm’s persona.

For more than three decades, Thornhill’s Liz Hoffman has been an influential leader in Canadian sport, as an elite athlete, successful coach and widely-respected administrator. She joined the GAO Board of Directors in in 2007, bringing her extensive knowledge and experience to become a driving force within the Association as a volunteer and fervent supporter of junior development programs across the province.

Liz’s passion for golf developed at an early age, when she won the Ontario junior and Quebec amateur championships before becoming a member of the national team and participating in numerous amateur championships throughout the world.  While serving as the University of Toronto’s Director of Athletics, Liz joined the GAO as a volunteer and immediately became part of the Executive Committee as Vice President before assuming the role of President in 2009. Outside of those key roles, Liz has also lent her expertise to multiple GAO committees including Hall of Fame, Scholarship, Governance, and Finance, while also chairing the Sport Development Committee and becoming a familiar face as a tournament official at championships across Ontario.

Liz’s outstanding leadership skills and passion for the advancement of young athletes has been instrumental in the establishment of multiple new GAO initiatives to develop junior golfers. She has been influential in the launch of Junior Golf Development Centres, which provide developmental pathways and coaching support for juniors, while providing guidance in securing provincial grants to help fund new programs. She also serves as a link between the GAO and Golf Canada, where she is a member of the Board of Directors and numerous Golf Canada committees. A member at Thornhill Golf and Country Club, Liz has been highly involved with junior golf at the Club, the golf and greens committees, and is on Thornhill’s Board serving as Membership Director.

For more information about the Golf Association of Ontario’s Volunteer program, or to become a volunteer, please contact the GAO’s Coordinator of Volunteers Sandy Davidson at 905-852-1101 ext. 236 or sdavidson@gao.ca