TORONTO – Golf Canada and title sponsor RBC have confirmed that the membership of St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto has agreed to host the 2021 RBC Canadian Open, with nearby Islington Golf Club housing the official practice facility for the tournament.

The two facilities were scheduled to host the 2020 RBC Canadian Open this week (June 8-14), prior to the event being cancelled because of international travel and government restrictions related to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The 2021 RBC Canadian Open will be held June 7-13.

“Together with our partners at RBC and the PGA TOUR, we are very pleased with the overwhelming support by the members of St. George’s Golf and Country Club to host the RBC Canadian Open in 2021,” said Golf Canada CEO, Laurence Applebaum. “The cancelation of our 2020 event due to the COVID-19 pandemic was disappointing and there is now a great enthusiasm as we pivot our full efforts alongside our partners and team of volunteers to making 2021 a great success. I want to thank the membership and the board of directors at both St. George’s and Islington for continuing in this journey towards what will be a truly special edition of the RBC Canadian Open.”

“We are thrilled to host the 2021 RBC Canadian Open at St. George’s Golf and Country Club,” said Mary DePaoli, Executive Vice-President and Chief Marketing Officer, RBC. “As one of the top five golf courses in Canada, and one of the top 30 in the world, St. George’s is not only an incredible golf course but a world-class venue. Building off of last year’s momentum, we look forward to working together with our partners at Golf Canada and the PGA TOUR to make next year’s event one to remember.”

St. George’s Golf and Country Club has previously hosted the RBC Canadian Open on five occasions, dating as far back as 1933 and most recently in 2010.

Part of the FedExCup and conducted by Golf Canada for more than a century, the RBC Canadian Open provides an opportunity for Canada’s top talents to compete against the world’s best golfers while also leaving a significant impact in the event’s host community.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

We’re pleased to announce the 2021 RBC Canadian Open will be held @stgeorgesgcc with @islingtongolfclub as the Official Practice Facility ⛳️

A post shared by RBC Canadian Open (@rbccanadianopen) on Jun 10, 2020 at 6:55am PDT

The RBC Canadian Open is proud to support the Golf Canada Foundation as the event’s official charity partner. Established in 1904, Canada’s national open golf championship is the third-oldest national open golf championship worldwide next to the British Open and the U.S. Open. The RBC Canadian Open is proudly sponsored by RBC, Audi, Acushnet, Steam Whistle, Hilton, Levelwear, Coca-Cola and the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada.

MARKHAM, ONT. – With continued public health concerns due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario has cancelled the 2020 World Junior Girls Championship, scheduled to take place September 28 to October 3 at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont.

“The well-being of all athletes, international delegates, host club staff and volunteers is our top priority and while we share in the disappointment felt by all, cancelling the 2020 World Junior Girls Championship is the most sensible and safest course of action to take at this time,” said Golf Canada CEO, Laurence Applebaum.

In addition to ongoing health concerns and uncertainty around the pandemic, a number of physical barriers contributed to the cancellation including international travel restrictions, limitations on mass gatherings, the inability for all participants to prepare and train equally, and the financial capacity of participating national golf bodies during this difficult time.

The 2020 event was expected to welcome 78 athletes from 25 countries including two Canadian teams.

“We understand that all of our athletes, coaches and international delegations continue to be impacted by the pandemic and the only course of responsible action was a cancelation,” said Mike Kelly, Golf Ontario Executive Director. “We would like to thank Angus Glen along with all of our proud event partners and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to the championship when it is safe to do so.”

The 2021 World Junior Girls Championship will be contested at Angus Glen Golf Club from September 27 to October 2.

“We share in the disappointment felt by all members of the international golfing community, especially the athletes who have worked so hard to compete at this level of competition,” said Cailey Stollery, Chief Executive Officer of Angus Glen and Kylemore Group of Companies. “Ultimately, the health and safety of everyone involved in the championship is most important and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to Angus Glen for the 2021 championship.”

The World Junior Girls Championship is conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario and supported by the R&A and the International Golf Federation. Recognized as an ‘A’ ranked event by the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR), the 2020 World Junior Girls Championship would have marked the 7^th playing of the event.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – The PGA TOUR announced today a new program designed to strengthen and elevate the path to the PGA TOUR through the Korn Ferry Tour, Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica and PGA TOUR Series – China. PGA TOUR University will reward elite collegiate play with varying levels of playing access to Tours operated under the PGA TOUR umbrella, while upholding the principles and virtues of collegiate athletics.

Players eligible for the PGA TOUR University Ranking List will be NCAA Division I golfers who complete a minimum of four years in college.

“With the level of immediate success from the top collegiate players in the last decade, our team has done extensive research over time and developed a plan to provide a pathway for those players as they begin their journeys into the professional ranks,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “By focusing our efforts on players who have completed a minimum of four years, PGA TOUR University will not deter from the college game while ensuring its graduates benefit from their maturity and experience.”

The top 15 finishers from the final Official PGA TOUR University Ranking List at the conclusion of each NCAA collegiate spring season (defined by the conclusion of the NCAA Men’s Division I Golf Championship) will be awarded exempt status to the Korn Ferry Tour, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada and PGA TOUR Series – China, based on their respective finish.

The top five finishers from the final Official PGA TOUR University Ranking List will receive Korn Ferry Tour membership and will be exempt into all open, full-field events beginning the week following the conclusion of the NCAA Division I Men’s National Championship through the conclusion of the Korn Ferry Tour regular season. The top five finishers will also be exempt into the Final Stage of that year’s Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament.

Finishers Nos. 6-15 will secure membership on one of the International Tours for the current season and a spot in the Second Stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament (if necessary). At that point, these players will have their choice of which International Tour their exempt status applies to.

The eligibility for each respective Tour will begin the week following the conclusion of the NCAA Men’s Division I Golf Championship. The 2021 NCAA Men’s Championship is scheduled to be held at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, from May 28 – June 2.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for these players to begin their professional careers on a path to the PGA TOUR. Just as importantly, we are able to continue building on the great momentum the Korn Ferry Tour and our International Tours have enjoyed in recent years by strengthening the field of competition with the addition of these collegiate stars,” said Korn Ferry Tour President Alex Baldwin.

“We have always been proud of the talent level on our International Tours and have enjoyed observing the success players have had as they’ve moved on to both the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR after competing in Latin America, Canada and China,” said Rob Ohno, PGA TOUR Senior Vice President, International Tours. “Now with the addition of these accomplished college golfers entering the professional ranks, we are grateful that many of them will choose the International Tours as their desired path. As they start their careers, we will warmly welcome those who choose to pursue their dreams on any of our Tours.”

The PGA TOUR will partner with the World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®), which is administered by The R&A and the USGA, to create the PGA TOUR University Ranking List. The WAGR system ranks the top amateurs on the basis of their average performance in counting events on a rolling cycle over the previous 104 weeks. The list will be filtered to include those players and results meeting the PGA TOUR University eligibility criteria.

Events which will count towards the Official PGA TOUR University Ranking List include NCAA Division I Men’s Golf events and official PGA TOUR events, including the Masters, U.S. Open and The Open Championship.

The first Official PGA TOUR University Ranking List will be unveiled this summer leading into the start of the 2020-21 Division I season, with the Ranking List updated each week during the season.

PGA TOUR University will partner with GOLF Channel to provide extensive coverage of NCAA Division I golf to complement the Ranking List and showcase the race to the top 15. GOLF Channel is the television home for college golf, televising six college golf championships, including the men’s NCAA Championships since 2014.

For more information on PGA TOUR University, including a Frequently Asked Questions page, please visit PGATOUR.com/University.

TORONTO – Due to border restrictions, mandatory quarantines for those entering Canada and gathering restrictions in all provinces because of COVID-19, the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada announced that it is canceling its 2020 season.

“With growing uncertainty surrounding the border and the 14-day quarantine regulations, among other factors, we’ve weighed all of our options and concluded that it is not feasible to play this summer,” said Mackenzie Tour Executive Director Scott Pritchard. “With the safety of the communities we play in mind, as well as the well-being of our players, sponsors, tournament-organizing committees, volunteers and golf course staff, we came to the realization that this is the best decision for everyone involved.

“We also wanted to be considerate of our players and their desires to play golf,” Pritchard added. “Understanding the complexities that this pandemic has caused, we knew it wasn’t fair to leave our members in positions that might prevent them from pursuing other playing opportunities elsewhere while waiting to see what transpired in Canada.”

The 2020 season was set to be the Mackenzie Tour’s eighth, with 13 scheduled tournaments— the most in the Tour’s history.

“We had built a lot of momentum coming into this season, and we were excited to continue making a positive impact in the communities where we play, while also providing opportunities for our players to progress to the PGA TOUR,” continued Pritchard. “Our commitment to our tournaments and their local communities, as well as our players, is unwavering, and we’re going to use this time to come back stronger in 2021.”

The Tour has already sent Mackenzie Tour members information regarding eligibility for the 2021 season. Status for prior members will be based on Order of Merit results from the 2019 season, with the top-60 players exempt.

Meanwhile, players who earned status at the three-completed 2020 Qualifying Tournaments will retain status for the 2021 season, and those Qualifying Tournament entrants yet to compete will be guaranteed spots at a 2021 qualifying site.

Golf Canada is pleased to announce the formation of the Golf Industry Advisory Council, a volunteer group comprised of experienced professionals who will bring a golf industry voice to support Golf Canada’s Board of Directors and management team.

Reporting to Golf Canada’s Board of Directors, the Golf Industry Advisory Council will be composed of eight to 13 members with backgrounds, skill sets and experiences from across the golf landscape. The Council will include course owners and operators; club general managers; golf course superintendents; PGA of Canada professionals; and executives from the golf equipment, apparel and footwear industry.

“Deepening our engagement, dialogue and collaboration with course operators and the Canadian golf industry at large is core to Golf Canada’s strategic plan and the catalyst to forming the Golf Industry Advisory Council,” said Golf Canada President Charlie Beaulieu. “The expertise of the Council will be extremely impactful in providing the Board and our management team greater understanding of the priorities and critical activities of our golf industry partners with whom we share a commitment to the overall health of the sport. ”

The Council Chair will be designated by Golf Canada’s Board of Directors and may serve a maximum of two one-year terms. Members of the Council will be nominated by the Officers of Golf Canada (President, 1^st Vice President, 2^nd Vice-President and Immediate Past President) along with CEO Laurence Applebaum in consult with the Chair and staff representative of the Council.

Golf Canada Adjusts Composition of its Board; Welcomes Two New Directors

In addition to the formation of the Golf Industry Advisory Council, Golf Canada’s Board of Directors has also adjusted the composition of the Board from a fixed number of 11 members to a more flexible model of eight to 13 members which will include the new Industry Advisory Council Chair as well as an additional Director at Large.

With this adjustment, Golf Canada is pleased to welcome two experienced golf industry leaders as new Directors on the Board—Clublink Chairman and CEO Rai Sahi as well as Shawn Evans, President and CEO of Golf North Properties. Between Clublink and Golf North, Sahi and Evans collectively represent 85 of Golf Canada’s member clubs.

Sahi and Evans join the Board of Golf Canada which includes Charlie Beaulieu of Lorraine, Que. (President); Liz Hoffman of Thornhill, Ont. (1^st Vice-President); Dale Jackson of Victoria (2nd Vice-President; Rob MacDonald of Winnipeg; Susan MacKinnon of Calgary; David McCarthy of Toronto; Adam Daifallah of Montreal; Jean Stone-Seguin of Ottawa; Patrick Kelly of Vancouver; Paul Beaudry of Calgary; and Alison Chisholm of Rothesay, N.B.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which already has postponed the U.S. Open at Winged Foot from June to September, has forced the USGA to do away with qualifying for the first time since 1924.

Open qualifying is the hallmark of golf’s second-oldest championship. The USGA often points out that typically half of the 156-man field has to go through either 36-hole qualifying or 18-hole and 36-hole qualifying.

It even invested in a marketing campaign that was rolled out in February titled, “From Many, One,” to illustrate that more than 9,000 people apply to play in the U.S. Open, eventually yielding to one winner.

The USGA did not announce Monday how other players would become exempt.

Among those who have yet to qualify is Phil Mickelson, a runner-up six times in the only major he hasn’t won.

Mickelson said in February he would not ask the USGA for an exemption, and that if he didn’t qualify or become exempt, he wouldn’t play. Winged Foot is where Mickelson made double bogey on the final hole in 2006 to lose by one.

The field presumably will be smaller because of the later date, though the USGA did not mention the field size in its April 6 announcement that the U.S. Open was moving to Sept. 17-20 at Winged Foot, in Mamaroneck, New York.

“As you can imagine, this was an incredibly difficult decision, as qualifying is a cornerstone of USGA championships,” said John Bodenhamer, senior managing director of championships for the USGA. “We take great pride in the fact that many thousands typically enter to pursue their dream of qualifying for the U.S. Open and we deeply regret that they will not have that opportunity this year.”

Bodenhamer said no qualifying provides “the best path forward” to holding the U.S. Open.

The USGA said there would not be qualifying for three other championships it will hold this year – the U.S. Women’s Open (moved to December in Houston) and the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Women’s Amateur, both still scheduled for August.

The U.S. Open, which dates to 1895, had so many players wanting to compete in the years after World War I that it introduced qualifying in 1924. Then, it went to two stages of qualifying in 1959 – 18-hole local qualifying and 36-hole sectional qualifying.

Ken Venturi in 1964 and Orville Moody in 1969 are the only U.S. Open champions who got through both stages. Lucas Glover in 2009 was the last U.S. Open champion to go through 36-hole qualifying.

The USGA had 108 local qualifiers planned in 45 states and one in Canada, followed by 12 sectional qualifiers _ nine in the U.S., one each in Canada, England and Japan.

When the U.S. Open was postponed, 50 players were exempt through various categories, such as past champions the last 10 years or top 10 from last year’s U.S. Open, major champions from the last five years and the top 30 players who reached the Tour Championship last year.

The pandemic shut down golf on March 13, two months before the top 60 in the world ranking would have been exempt for the U.S. Open. The world ranking has been frozen since the shutdown. It was unclear when it would resume because while the PGA Tour is to resume on June 11, circuits in Europe, Japan and Asia have not said when they would return.

The USGA, meanwhile, has lost 10 championships to the coronavirus. It said Monday that four more were cancelled – the U.S. Mid-Amateur and Women’s Mid-Amateur, and the U.S. Senior Amateur and U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur.

Nova Scotia premier Stephen McNeil and Dr. Robert Strang, the province’s chief medical officer of health, have announced the easing of public health restrictions around COVID-19 to support physical and mental well-being of Nova Scotians.

Restrictions being loosened include the ability for golf courses to open beginning Saturday, May 16, 2020, provided social distancing, adequate cleaning and other safety measures can be maintained.

Previously, only driving ranges had been allowed to open, with courses being told to prepare to open.

“It’s been two weeks since we eased some restrictions. What we’ve all been doing is working and I thank all Nova Scotians for continuing to follow public health advice,” said Premier McNeil. “We know people need a break from being shut in. That’s why we’re easing a few more restrictions, while keeping our public health directives in place to fight the virus.”

A phased plan to further lift public health restrictions is under development by the province. The timing of each phase will be determined by the result of the easing of restrictions.

Click here for the province’s return to activity plan.

Premier Doug Ford has announced Ontario’s golf courses can open their tees to golfers starting Saturday, May 16.

During a much-anticipated press conference, Ford stated golf courses, among other select retailers and services, would be permitted to open in time for the Victoria Day long weekend, as key public health indicators continue to show progress.

“During the last several weeks, the people of Ontario have been called on to make incredible sacrifices to help us stop the spread of COVID-19, including staying home from work, closing down businesses and going without a regular paycheque,” said Premier Ford. “However, we are reopening even more of our businesses beginning this long weekend. We are taking a cautious, balanced approach to our economic reopening, to protect the health and safety of everyone.”

Golf courses will be able to open, with clubhouses open only for washrooms and restaurants open only for take-out. Golfers must adhere to social distancing measures, such as staying at least two metres apart.

• THE PROVINCE’S GUIDANCE FOR GOLF COURSES DURING COVID-19

• WE ARE GOLF ONTARIO BEST PRACTICES DURING COVID-19

Two weeks ago, the Ford government said Ontario golf courses should prepare to open.

Golf facilities with questions about potential impact to their business operations or employment can call the province’s Stop the Spread Business Information Line at 1-888-444-3659.

CLICK HERE FOR COVID-19 RULES OF GOLF AND RULES OF HANDICAPPING GUIDANCE

 * Updated July 13, 2020

The COVID-19 global pandemic is a difficult time for Canadians and Golf Canada stands with our entire golf community during this unprecedented time.

We all love the game for the escape it provides and its positive impact on our physical, social and mental well-being.

We continue to urge golfers to follow the guidelines from health and governmental officials to keep you and those around you safe, and to minimize any possible exposure to coronavirus. This is especially true on a golf course, where golfers, workers and operators should heighten their level of awareness on exposure to surfaces like flagsticks, golf balls, bunker rakes, tees, carts and scorecards. We all need to do our part to respect expert advice and make the right decisions to protect each other.

It is not the intended purpose of the below guidance to either encourage or discourage anyone from playing the game, but rather, in our governance role, to help golf course operators, committees and golfers better understand how the Rules of Golf and Rules of Handicapping apply to the various questions received by the governing bodies.

The Modernized Rules of Golf were drafted to offer each Committee the flexibility to make decisions as to how golf is played at their course or in competition and the Committee Procedures section of the Official Guide to the Rules of Golf (available online here) offers a significant amount of guidance and recommendations on how to address circumstances unique to each course or competition.

This flexibility will prove to be very helpful as Committees look to address many of the challenges they are facing within the current environment. While the Committee Procedures section is a tremendous resource and has much to offer, many of the current questions were not originally contemplated under the Rules of Golf and therefore there is no history or guidance provided. To better address the questions that have come about because of these unique circumstances and the related challenges, additional guidance can be accessed by clicking here. This will continue to be updated as additional questions are received.

As active seasons start to open across the country, we would like to discuss impacts on Handicapping.  From the perspective of the Rules of Handicapping, the most frequent questions received are primarily related to the acceptability of scores for posting to a player’s scoring record. In particular, to modifying the hole and not requiring the player to “hole out” as required under the Rules of Golf. These are founded in a desire to minimize the possibility of exposing golfers to coronavirus and have included leaving the hole liner raised above the putting surface or placing various objects into the hole so the ball can be more easily removed. In these specific cases, ensuring guidance from health and governmental officials is being followed, a temporary measure is in place in Canada to accept scores played under these conditions for handicap purposes using the most likely score guidelines (Rule 3.3, Rules of Handicapping), even though the player has not holed out.

Please remember that this temporary measure is now in effect within Canada until advised otherwise by Golf Canada.

For more information and detailed guidance, please contact your Provincial Golf Association or Golf Canada.

TORONTO ― The Ontario government has announced it is allowing certain businesses and workplaces to reopen as long as they comply with strict public health measures and operate safely during the COVID-19 outbreak.

As part of the announcement which took place this afternoon, Ontario golf courses were granted the ability to  prepare their courses for the upcoming season, but not open to the public. The resolution takes effect Monday, May 4 at 12:01 a.m. EDT.

Prior to the announcement, golf facilities could complete essential work that allowed them to preserve  their courses, such as mowing and brush clearing. As pointed out in this article by TSN’s Bob Weeks, additional work such as bunker preparation, gardening, stump removal, hiring of seasonal staff and more, will now be permitted.

There is no specific timeline set for Ontario courses to open their doors for play.

On April 27, the government released A Framework for Reopening the Province, which outlines the criteria Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health and health experts are using to advise the government on the loosening of emergency measures, as well as guiding principles for the safe, gradual reopening of businesses, services and public spaces.