The PGA of Canada will induct three long-serving members into its Hall of Fame during Canada Night at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla.

Dick Borthwick, Jack Bissegger and Adrien Bigras were all PGA of Canada members for more than 50 years, growing the sport through most of the 21st century. The three individuals are being inducted posthumously.

“Dick, Jack and Adrien exuberated a deep passion for golf and we are very excited to honour them with well-deserved spots in our Hall of Fame,” said PGA of Canada President Gord Percy. “Each of these three men worked throughout their entire lives to grow the game. The association is revered today because of the efforts of members like Dick, Jack and Adrien.”   

The Hall of Fame, launched in January 2014 as part of Canada Night at the PGA Merchandise Show, celebrates PGA of Canada members—both past and present. In total, there are 46 individuals honoured with a spot in the Hall of Fame.

Dick Borthwick

Dick was a PGA of Canada member from 1927 to 1978 and engaged in many philanthropic efforts throughout his career, which included stints at some of the top golf clubs in Ontario, including Oakdale and Hamilton Golf and Country Club. In addition, he was the PGA of Canada’s president from 1960 to 1961.

Beginning in 1971, the Dick Borthwick Memorial Charity Golf Tournament is still conducted annually and just celebrated its 50th anniversary. The event has been so successful that it has raised 3-Million Dollars for local Hamilton charities. 

Dick’s son, Bob, is attending Canada Night to accept the honour.

Jack Bissegger

Jack was a member of the association for 57 years, with over 40 of those years spent at Club de Golf La Vallée du Richelieu. He was also a member of the PGA of Quebec Board of Directors for nine years.
Jack always had time for juniors learning the game, running a summer camp for two months each summer. Despite how busy he was at the club, the Golf Quebec Hall of Fame member maintained quite the golf game, winning more than 75 events in his life.

One of Jack’s sons, Thomas, is attending Canada Night to accept the honour.

Adrien Bigras

Adrien, who is a member of both the Quebec Golf Hall of Fame and the Quebec Sports Hall of Fame, was a PGA of Canada member for 59 years, serving as an Assistant Professional at the Cardinal Golf Club and at Golf Malborough, before he became Head Professional for eleven years at the Rosemère Golf Club. Later on, his dream came true, and he became owner of the Manoir Golf Club.

Adrien was always helpful and ready to attend fundraising events, which could be counted by the hundreds. All through his career, Adrien preserved a certain nobility and prestige that was remarkable.

Over the years, his achievements include six victories at the Spring Open, seven at the Québec Senior Championship, twelve participations in the Canadian Open, and a victory at the 1965 Québec Open. He also participated in the 1962 US Open in Oakmont, PA, for which he had qualified with the lowest score ahead of 2,000 competitors.

One of Adrien’s long-time colleagues, Gilles Gareau, is attending Canada Night to accept the honour.

GREAT ABACO, The Bahamas – Ben Silverman shot 118 in his first Canadian Junior Golf Association tournament, an unsurprising result given he was 16 years old, relatively new to the game, and still thought of himself as a hockey player rather than an aspiring professional golfer. As Silverman lined up a playoff-forcing 3-footer for double bogey on the 72nd hole of The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club Wednesday afternoon, surrendering the last two shots of what was at one point an eight-stroke lead, it probably felt like a putt for 118.

“I got way ahead of myself in my head, thinking I already won the tournament,” Silverman said.

Silverman made the putt, signed for a 2-under 70 and caught a shuttle ride back up the fairway of the par-5 18th, where he hit shots into two different penalty areas no more than 10 minutes prior.

Cody Blick joined Silverman on the 18th tee this time around. Blick could hardly believe he had a chance at his first Korn Ferry Tour win. Just under a half hour ago, Blick figured a closing birdie for a round of 6-under 66 simply added a little extra flavor to the night’s dinner, as it took him to 15-under par, three strokes clear of a four-way tie for third place and more than enough for back-to-back runner-up finishes. Impressive stuff for someone who was without a single top-25 in 26 career Korn Ferry Tour starts preceding the 2023 season. Yes, dinner would taste phenomenal.

This trip down the 18th fairway, though, it was Blick who put two shots into the same penalty areas Silverman found in regulation, first on the lay up, then the approach. Silverman nearly found the rocky native area up the right side of No. 18 with his lay up as well, but a fortunate bounce off the rocks put him in the fairway and with a routine wedge shot into the two-tiered green.

Silverman left his approach on the front half of the green and two-putted up the slope to his second career Korn Ferry Tour victory.

“It’s amazing. A little overwhelming,” Silverman said. “Honestly almost broke down in the fairway in regulation. It worked out in the end. I’ll learn a lot of lessons from that. Once I knew it was a playoff, Tom Whitney said in the scoring room, ‘No matter what, it was a great week.’ I just wanted to be more committed on my shots the second go round and just give it my all.”

Silverman’s journey to PGA TOUR membership and a second Korn Ferry Tour victory was as unlikely as the fact he lost an eight-stroke lead only to come back and win the tournament in a playoff.

A native of Thornhill, Ont., Silverman played competitive hockey until around the time he turned 16 and still measured 5 feet, 10 inches. Too small and too worried about getting hurt. There were brief stints in volleyball and baseball, even ultimate frisbee. Silverman eventually found himself at a golf camp during a family trip and stuck with the game.

He eventually entered a tournament and shot 118. He graduated high school with a handicap index of 12. He made his way to a Johnson & Wales University satellite campus in Miami, which offered a handful of academic tracks but was known for its culinary program. He walked on to the golf team there and, two years later, did the same at Florida Atlantic University. He turned professional in 2010 and toiled on the mini-tours for four years until he earned PGA TOUR Canada membership. By 2016, he earned Korn Ferry Tour membership, but he missed 11 of 16 cuts as a rookie and yet again found himself without status.

At Final Stage of the 2016 Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament, things finally turned around. A T6 there ensured Silverman had nearly half a season before he was subject to reshuffles in 2017.

A run of four consecutive top-10s in July and August, highlighted by a victory at the Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper, earned him a PGA TOUR card.

Silverman spent two seasons on TOUR and struggled through the 46-event 2020-21 Korn Ferry Tour season, finishing 115th on the points list. Playing from the Past Champion 5-10 Years category in 2022, Silverman made just seven starts as he played Monday qualifiers and found himself at the back end of the Korn Ferry Tour’s priority ranking.

Last October, Silverman missed the cut by three strokes at Second Stage of the 2022 Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament, setting him up for another year of chasing Monday qualifiers and hoping for sponsor exemptions in the 5-10 category. Around Thanksgiving, Silverman got a call from folks at The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club, the second event of the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour season. The tournament awarded him a sponsor exemption.

As the sun set behind the 18th green at The Abaco Club Wednesday night, Silverman became the first sponsor exemption to win a Korn Ferry Tour event since Martin Trainer won the 2018 El Bosque Mexico Championship. And without the help of a tournament volunteer, it may never have happened.

“I had a great start to the morning,” Silverman said. “But I had some butterflies, so I was doing some meditations to kind of calm down. I guess I went longer than I thought. I was looking at my phone… I’ll catch the 8:30 (a.m.) shuttle, no big deal. I get there, and there’s no 8:30 shuttle.”

Silverman negotiated a deal with a shuttle driver, a local resident and tournament volunteer named Victor. The two were on the road and still on Silverman’s intended schedule. Victor asked where Silverman stood in the tournament.

“Leading,” said Silverman, who carried a two-stroke lead into the final round. “He smacked the steering wheel like, ‘Let’s go!’”

Victor watched from the hospitality tent behind the 18th green as the wild scene (did we mention heavy rain showers appeared seemingly out of nowhere, soaked Silverman and the rest of the final group, and left behind a double rainbow?) unfolded along the shores of The Abaco Club. The two shared a lighthearted moment and a celebratory drink at the end of it all. Neither of them would be driving anywhere on this night.

Club ambassador and 2011 Open Championship winner Darren Clarke presented Silverman with perhaps the greatest perk of winning this particular Korn Ferry Tour event: membership at The Abaco Club.

Guess that explains Silverman’s fortunate bounce in the playoff.

“I had no idea, but that’s unbelievable,” Silverman said. “You can guarantee I’m going to bring my wife, friends, sponsors, we’re definitely coming back for a vacation.”

Silverman won’t need an exemption or shuttle schedule for the trip. Surely a new friend will greet him at the airport.

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Canada’s Brooke Henderson is No. 1 on the LPGA Tour standings.

She was elevated to the top spot on the Race to CME Globe rankings on Monday after winning the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.

Henderson won the season-opening elite 29-player tournament by four strokes.

The native of Smiths Falls, Ont., now has 13 professional wins, the most in Canadian golf history.

Henderson finished 2022 third in the Race to CME Globe rankings and seventh in the Rolex Rankings.

The 25-year-old remains in seventh in the Rolex Rankings, which evaluate a player’s performance over a rolling two-year period weighted in favour of the current year.

The Rolex Rankings are sanctioned by 10 women’s professional golf tours across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Brooke Henderson has had the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions circled on her calendar for eight weeks.

The Canadian golf superstar has always enjoyed the elite, 29-player pro-am event that starts the LPGA Tour season, but had never won it. She was also looking forward to returning to competitive golf after playing through a sore back at the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship on Nov. 19.

She more than met that challenge.

Henderson led the Tournament of Champions from wire to wire, finishing the fourth round 2-under 70 on Sunday for an overall score of 16-under par, four shots better than Sweden’s Maja Stark and England’s Charley Hull. Her 13 professional victories are the most in Canadian golf history.

“I was really looking forward to playing this week,” said Henderson. “I always love this event. It’s so unique and fun playing alongside celebrities and the atmosphere, it’s just a lot different than a regular LPGA tournament.

“To come out and win this week is really the dream start to 2023 and hopefully I can just keep it going.”

Henderson, whose 13 professional wins are the most in Canadian golf history, said it’s a goal of hers to win at least two tournaments each year.

The 25-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., won twice on the LPGA Tour last year, at the ShopRite LPGA Classic on June 12 and the Evian Championship on July 24.

“My goal is always to win a couple of times every year, hopefully more than twice, so maybe this year will be the year when I can win more than twice out on tour,” said Henderson, who said that she and her sister Brittany, who serves as her caddy, are looking forward to playing the Honda LPGA Thailand on Feb. 23 and the HSBC Women’s World Championship on March 2.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to go out there and continue the momentum that we built up this week, and fire some low scores and see what happens.”

Henderson finished 2022 seventh in the Rolex rankings and third in the Race to CME Globe rankings. It’s projected that she will hold the No. 1 spot in the Race to CME Globe rankings on Monday.

On top of addressing her ailing back, Henderson switched to TaylorMade clubs and had her wisdom teeth pulled during the winter break.

“The off-season was really busy. Lots of things happening, a lot of big changes,” said Henderson. “But I couldn’t be happier with the start this week with the new clubs and I felt confident with them.”

Stark has committed herself to adding multiple hours each week to her time spent practising putting, and it showed in her hot play over the final nine holes. Three over through seven, she birdied six of her final 10 holes.

“It gives me a lot of confidence,” Stark said. “I feel I’ve had a good week with my driver and some good irons. The putting, too. I feel like if it keeps going like this, it could be the best year yet.”

Hull was pleased with her finish given the challenges of trying to get her game ready in England in mid-winter. She spent three days practising in Morocco before continuing on to Orlando.

Retired tennis player Mardy Fish of the United States won the celebrity side of the pro-am tournament. He ran away with the celebrity division, making 152 points in the Modified Stableford format. Fish also won the title two years ago. Former MLB pitcher Mark Mulder (136 points) was runner-up.

Annika Sorenstam, a 72-time winner on the LPGA and Lake Nona resident who played among the celebrities and athletes, tied for third with military veteran Chad Pfeifer.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – The PGA TOUR has announced the 16-member Player Advisory Council (PAC) for 2023, which will include Canada’s Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes.

The PAC advises and consults with the PGA TOUR Policy Board (Board of Directors) and Commissioner Jay Monahan on issues affecting the TOUR.

Member of the 2023 Player Advisory Council include:

• Ryan Armour
• Sam Burns
• Corey Conners ??
• Rickie Fowler
• Brice Garnett
• Brian Harman
• Max Homa
• Mackenzie Hughes ??
• Shane Lowry
• Maverick McNealy
• Keith Mitchell
• Henrik Norlander
• Scottie Scheffler
• Adam Scott
• Kevin Streelman
• Will Zalatoris

Maverick McNealy, Adam Scott and Kevin Streelman have been selected by the Player Directors to run for PAC Chairman via election which ends February 13. The leading vote-getter will replace Charley Hoffman on January 1, 2024 as a Player Director on the PGA TOUR Policy Board, serving a three-year term (2024-26). The other Player Directors are Peter Malnati (2023-25), Rory McIlroy (2022-24), Webb Simpson (2023-25) and Patrick Cantlay, who is serving a one-year term (2023).

Former Right to Play Chief People Officer to lead Golf Canada’s People & Culture functions in addition to core activities that support the organization’s commitment to DEI & Safe Sport

Golf Canada announced that experienced people and culture executive Niki da Silva has joined the organization as its new Chief People Officer, beginning January 23, 2023.

Da Silva joins the Executive Team of the National Sport Federation after a successful five-year chapter with Right to Play International in Toronto, most recently serving as their Chief People Officer, Global.

In the newly created role, da Silva will collaborate with the Executive Team, Board of Directors, staff, and national volunteer network to lead all people operations strategy, programs and functions including employment practices, recruitment, talent management, performance management, compliance, administration, training, benefits and compensation, and health and safety.

As CPO, da Silva will also work closely with Golf Canada’s Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Safe Sport to advance the organization-wide commitment to DEI and Safe Sport. Da Silva will also have oversight for all staff and HR functions for Golf Canada, the Golf Canada Foundation and First Tee Canada.

“Niki is going to be an amazing partner and resource for every area and department of Golf Canada’s operations. Her infectious enthusiasm and energy will drive a world-class people function for our organization,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “Niki is an exceptional leader in global sport and will bring tremendous experience and leadership developed at Right to Play and previous executive roles.”

Da Silva is enthusiastic about reimagining the future of work, inspired by the challenge of developing high-performing organizations and energized by building a world-class employee experience.

“I am thrilled to be joining Golf Canada, supporting our people and the critical work happening across the organization to advance our vision to be a world leader in golf,” said da Silva. “Throughout my career, I have had a first-hand view of the transformative power of sport and I look forward to helping grow the game and make it accessible for even more Canadians.”

As a member of the global executive team at Right to Play, da Silva’s responsibilities included developing the vision for a five-year strategic plan and driving two organizational redesigns that aligned talent and strategic operation from two regional offices to one global office. The Toronto resident led a transformation and scaling of the People and Culture function including talent acquisition and performance management along with learning and talent development programs. During da Silva’s tenure, Right to Play was recognized as “Top for Culture and Values” by Glassdoor and received its first-ever Global Staff Award nomination for “Team of the Year” and three consecutive years of “Great Place to Work” Certifications™.

Da Silva earned a Masters Business Administration with the Rotman School of Management     and BA, Honours Business Administration with the Ivey School of Business. Da Silva is also a Certified Leadership Coach with the Third Factor 3×4 Program and is in progress to become a Certified Human Resource Executive (CHRE) with the Human Resource Professional Association.

Married with two children, da Silva has also contributed to several community groups including the Islington Rangers Soccer Club, Brampton Minor Lacrosse Association, and Toronto Ski Club in addition to past Board positions with Sunnylea Childcare Centre and the YWCA.

Beginning with the 2023 SONY OPEN in Hawaii, TSN has announced the acquisition of rights to PGA TOUR LIVE, featuring exclusive coverage from PGA TOUR events throughout the season.

The acquisition of PGA TOUR LIVE supports the launch of TSN+, a new direct-to-consumer streaming product available on TSN.ca and the TSN app.

PGA TOUR LIVE features more than 4,300 hours of exclusive PGA TOUR coverage, including the TOUR’s Hawaii events in January all the way through the FEDEXCUP PLAYOFFS and into the fall. It includes four full days of coverage and four simultaneous live feeds each day from PGA TOUR events. Coverage includes Featured Groups, Featured Holes, and the new Marquee Group, showcasing every shot from each player in one select group. PGA Tour Live was previously available as part of PGA TOUR’s paid subscription service GolfTV.

In addition to PGA TOUR LIVE, TSN+ includes coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES; new world-exclusive augmented NFL feeds for every playoff game and the Super Bowl; and the re-launch of the XFL, beginning Feb. 18.

TSN+ is available now for a limited-time free preview and is ready to stream exclusively on mobile devices, tablets, and is available on connected TVs, including Android TV, Apple TV, Xbox One, Roku TV, LG Smart TV, Samsung SmartTV, and Amazon Fire TV Stick. Direct-to-consumer pricing and subscription options will be announced in the coming weeks.

TSN+ provides Canadians access to marquee live games and events that are incremental to the premium sports content delivered across TSN’s leading platforms.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON TSN+

Breaking: TSN has acquired the rights to PGA Tour LIVE and will broadcast it on all-new streaming product TSN+ You can watch the SONY Open right now!!! TSN will stream every PGA Tour event, start to finish. Four days of coverage and four simultaneous live feeds. Free trial is on

— Bob Weeks (@BobWeeksTSN) January 12, 2023

Michael Gligic has only taken a few days off since his last PGA Tour event in November. He’s been working hard during the circuit’s six-week winter break, even getting reps in during a heavy snowfall in Kitchener, Ont.

Gligic is one of five Canadians in the field at this week’s Sony Open, the first full-field PGA Tour event of 2023. The Burlington, Ont., native worked closely with coach Sean Foley for the lengthy break between November’s RSM Classic and the Sony Open to ensure that he has a strong start to the new year.

“I wanted to take advantage of that six weeks to try and really put in some good work,” said Gligic on Monday, a day after arriving in Honolulu, Hawaii for the tournament. “I feel like I got a lot better and made some good changes.”

Gligic struggled through the first seven events of the 2022-23 season, missing the cut six times with his best result a tie for 45th at the Sanderson Farms Championship on Oct. 2. He said that the adjustments he made with Foley were minute changes to his swing _ “technical things” _ to find more consistency.

Even during the holidays and with bad weather, Gligic stuck to his program.

“We snuck in about a 10 day trip back to Canada around Christmas with the blizzards and all but I managed to sneak over to my course (Whistle Bear Golf Club),” said Gligic. “They’ve got some hitting bays where they have a garage door that opens up and I was able to hit balls a few times to try and stay sharp.

“Then it was back down to Florida between Christmas and New Year’s. I practised every day until coming (to Hawaii).”

Despite his calm outward demeanor, Gligic has also been working on the mental aspect of his game, trying to remain more balanced. He’s even taken up meditation.

“My brain is always racing. I’m always thinking about a million things,” Gligic said about learning to calm his inner thoughts. “I feel like it can be good, I guess, in the sense that it’s a distraction when it comes to golf a little bit.

“When I get off the golf course I’m usually not thinking that much about golf or the next day. I shut my golf brain off.”

He’ll be joined at the Sony Open by fellow Canadians Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., and Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont.

Conners, Hughes, and Svensson all played in last week’s Sentry Tournament of Champions in Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii. Conners finished tied for 18th, Hughes tied for 21st and Svensson sat alone at 37th at the limited-field event restricted to PGA Tour winners from the previous season and golfers who qualified for the preceding Tour Championship.

Gligic said he’s looking forward to being reunited with his friends and countrymen in Honolulu.

“It’s always fun to catch up and see how everyone’s holiday went,” said Gligic. “We see each other on such a frequent basis and then go six, seven, eight weeks or whatever it is without seeing each other.

“It’s nice to catch up and see how everyone’s doing. But for the most part, everyone’s getting back to business.”

Montreal – Two professional golf tours in Canada have announced a strategic merger. The East Coast Pro Tour (ECPT), based in Montreal and the Great Lakes Tour (GLT), based in Hamilton have agreed upon terms to merge schedules and events under one umbrella effective immediately.

The new tournament schedule will offer professional golfers and elite amateurs a full set of events across Ontario, Quebec and even the USA and feature one season long point list. Additionally, each event in 2023 will feature a minimum purse amount of $25,000 and an average first prize of $7,500.

The merger will ultimately see all events on both tours in Ontario and Quebec fall under the ECPT brand. The GLT and ECPT will share resources.

Massimo Roch and Luca Greco will remain in Tour Director roles as President and Vice-President of the ECPT and will be based in Montreal. Whereas, Jim Kenesky of the GLT will assume the role as a Tournament Director in Ontario strategically overseeing the operations in key markets of Ontario along with other duties being carried out to assist in tour and tournament operations. Colin Murray, also of the GLT, will be stepping away to focus on his professional senior golf career.

‘’The strategic partnership was formed with one goal in mind; design a national platform for Canadians to access the next level in professional golf.’’ States Massimo Roch. ‘’We both agreed that the unification of both entities under a single banner is the best thing we could’ve done for the players. We’re confident Jim’s previous experience and extensive wealth of knowledge will allow us to collectively reshape professional golf in the north and provide our players with greater playing opportunities.’’

The Great Lakes Tour was established in 2001 and tour alumni inclide David Hearn, David Morland IV, Brad Fritsch, Matt McQuillan, Michael Gligic and Taylor Pendrith.

The ECPT was established in 2019.

The tentative 2023 ECPT schedule will be available in early January. It will feature six events in Ontario, five events in Quebec and one event in Connecticut. Players will gain points at events throughout the season toward the GolfIn Cup Standings where the leader at the end of the season will earn an all expense paid trip and entry fee into the DP World Tour Q-School. Max Gilbert of Saint-Georges, Que., won the inaugural GolfIn Cup in 2021 and Ty Celone of Long Sault, Ont. is the reigning GolfIn Cup Champion.

Visit www.eastcoastprotour.com for the tour’s 2023 schedule and membership options.

There’s an argument to be made that 2022 was the most successful year in Canadian golf.

Brooke Henderson, Mackenzie Hughes, and Adam Svensson’s combined four wins between the LPGA and PGA Tours were highlights of the season. But the achievements of Canadian golfers were not limited to those victories.

Corey Conners and Taylor Pendrith became the first two Canadians to compete in the Presidents Cup at the same time, Mike Weir was named the first-ever Canadian captain of the International team for the 2024 Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal Golf Club, and the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open both returned after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s only getting better and that’s been shown on the golf course and it continues to show,” said Hughes, who won the Sanderson Farms Championship on Oct. 2 for the second PGA Tour title of his career. “It’s very exciting to be part of that winning group this year and to add to that total.

“I think that in the years to come you’re going to see those records continue to fall. I wouldn’t be surprised to see us eclipse that total, once again, in 2023.”

Henderson won the 11th and 12th tournaments of her career, adding to her all-time Canadian record. She was victorious at the ShopRite LPGA Classic on June 12 and then won her second career major at the Evian Championship on July 24.

Despite playing through the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship with an injured back, Henderson was still in contention to win the LPGA Tour’s player of the year in the tournament’s final round. Although Henderson tied for seventh at that tournament and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko won the annual award, it was still impressive finish to an exceptional year for the Canadian.

“I just love being in contention and being near the top of the leaderboards on the weekend. Hopefully, I can do more of that in 2023,” said Henderson, who won two tournaments each LPGA Tour season in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. After the circuit lost its 2020 season Henderson won once in 2021 and was eager to start a new streak of multi-win years.

“Hopefully, I can do more of that in 2023. I really wanted to get off to a hot start (in 2022) and try to get more top 10s and be in better positions on the weekends, especially coming off a year where I won one.”

The same day Henderson was finishing out her season, Svensson won on the PGA Tour for the first time of his career with a two-stroke victory at the RSM Classic.

On Sept. 22, Conners and Pendrith made their Presidents Cup debuts. The two best friends were the first Canadian duo to play in a Presidents Cup at the same time, with Hughes and Adam Hadwin also considered to make the International team at the best-on-best tournament at Quail Hollow Golf Club in Charlotte, N.C.

The next Presidents Cup will have even more of a maple flavour as Royal Montreal Golf Club hosts the 2024 edition and Weir serves as the International team’s captain. The Canadian Golf Hall of Famer joked that after his was introduced as the team captain at Bell Centre on Nov. 30 his phone was blowing up with messages from Canada’s PGA Tour players eager to make the team.

“We have a huge country land-wise to try to bring everybody together as best we can and make sure that they feel like this is part of our golf legacy,” said Weir after closing the Toronto Stock Exchange on Dec. 1. “We want people coming from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, from the East Coast, Halifax.

“I’m hoping they want to come and see the best players in the world compete.”

Top-flight professional golf made its return to Canada in 2022 after the COVID-19 pandemic put the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open on hiatus for two years.

Golf Canada reported the RBC Canadian Open drew a record 135,000 spectators to Toronto’s St. George’s Golf and Country Club as superstar Rory McIlroy won the national title for the second consecutive time.

The CP Women’s Open drew over 70,000 fans to Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, earning Tournament of the Year honours from the Tournament Partners of the LPGA. Tourism Ottawa said that the event had an expected economic impact of $13.4 million as the National Capital Region’s hospitality sector tried to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and anti-government protests that gridlocked Ottawa in February.

In recognition of the economic benefits of hosting the two national golf championships, Canada’s Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario gave Golf Canada $4.4 million in September. The non-repayable investment is earmarked for the RBC Canadian Open and theCP Women’s Open.

Mona Fortier, president of the Treasury Board and member of Parliament for Ottawa-Vanier, said the investment will help the tournaments stimulate local economies.

The men’s championship is typically held in the Greater Toronto Area and will be at Oakdale Golf & Country Club in 2023, while the women’s event travels across Canada, with next year’s tournament scheduled for Vancouver’s Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club.

Garrett Ball, Golf Canada’s chief operating officer, said in September that the organization was approached by the federal development agency about the investment in 2021. He said that the money will go, in part, a new double-decker hospitality suite as well as the development of new mobile phone apps for spectators at the two events.

“Simply put these are innovative assets, that will benefit the championships for the foreseeable future,” said Ball. “In fact, at the RBC Canadian Open in June, these assets were major factors in the announcement of record sales, record crowds, and record media impressions.”