Hadwin sits in 4-way tie for lead after first round at Valspar
PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) – Sam Burns prefers to look at what’s next instead of what happened, and that was a big part in how he responded for a 7-under 64 and a share of the lead Thursday in the Valspar Championship, his first time as defending champion.
He used the phrase “flush and move on,” and that’s what he did. Twice after taking bogey, he took aim at the flag on tough par 3s and make short birdie putts. That featured an 8-iron to 2 feet on the par-3 17th and a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole at Innisbrook.
Burns shared the lead with past champion Adam Hadwin, the well-traveled David Lipsky and Jhonattan Vegas, who had a bounce-back of his own variety.
Burns was closing in on the lead set earlier in the day by Vegas when his bunker shot from right of the 16th green came out soft and he missed the 10-foot par. He followed birdie-birdie.
“It’s OK to be frustrated,” Burns said. “I think it’s just what do you do with that frustration? Do you let it carry over to the next shot or do you address it, flush it and move on? I think that’s the most important thing.”
He felt the same way about his title defense. Burns didn’t get caught up in memories of closing with a 68 to win by three shots last year. The Copperhead course, a sturdy test even in the ideal scoring conditions, was among his favorites even before he won.
“The thing about last year is it has nothing to do with this year,” Burns said. “So many things are different. There’s not much correlation between the two. … I’ll look back forever on that event, it being my first win. Wins don’t happen out here often.”
Danny Lee was among four players at 65, Justin Thomas was another shot back and Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka led the large group at 67.
Hadwin, who won the Valspar Championship in 2017, finished with a birdie to cap off a day of remembering why patience is so important to the way he plays. It’s all about knowing when to attack for Hadwin, and even a little bad judgment worked in his favor.
He went for a front right pin on No. 6 with a pitching wedge when he says he should have taken a safer approach with a 9-iron and leaving a 15-foot putt. No matter he chipped in for birdie. And on his final hole at No. 9, uphill and over a bunker, he had about the same yardage.
“I immediately went to the 9 in that situation, just get it long past the pin, try not to be too greedy,” he said. “And I ended up making birdie.”
His strategy is simple: “Keep it out of the water, hit as many greens as possible.”
Lipsky went to the same Los Angeles-area high school as Collin Morikawa. He’s 9 years older than the two-time major champion, and his road to the PGA Tour wasn’t quite so smooth.
“I just wanted to play wherever I could,” he said. That took the 33-year-old Californian to a pair of wins on the Asian Tour and the European tour, and a Korn Ferry Tour win _ the same day Morikawa won at Muirfield Village _ that eventually led to a PGA Tour card.
Lipsky played bogey-free at Innisbrook, which he described as one of “crusiest” rounds he could play. He was rarely in trouble. His birdie putts were on the short side. The few times he had to save par, the putts were never far out of range. And he signed for a 64. Cruising.
As for Vegas? He needed a round like this.
Still stinging was his finish Sunday last week at The Players Championship. Despite hitting two balls in the water on the island-green 17th at TPC Sawgrass, Vegas came the par-5 ninth hole right on the cut line and 25 yards from the hole in two shots.
He he bladed a gap wedge over the green and into a bunker, made bogey and missed the cut.
The recovery process is off to a great start.
“Absolutely great,” Vegas said. “Exactly what I needed after last week. Game was there. I took advantage of the great conditions this morning. Greens are a little softer, not much wind, absolutely a perfect day out here.”
Vegas gave his round a boost with a 4-iron to 6 feet for eagle on the par-5 first hole after he made the turn. He had a 25-foot birdie on the par-3 fourth, a tough putt from right of the hole that can get away from players if they’re not careful, and a 6-foot birdie on No. 7.
Canadian golf rallies in support of University of Southwest golfers
The Canadian golf community is rallying in support for the heartbreaking auto accident involving the University of Southwest golf teams in Texas on Tuesday.
It is with deep sadness that Golf Canada passes along our sincere condolences to the families and friends of the nine victims who passed in the tragic accident.
Two Canadian athletes, Dayton Price, of Mississauga, Ont., and Hayden Underhill of Amherstview, Ont., survived the crash and are now in critical condition. Both are members of the University of Southwest Men’s golf team and have played in various Golf Ontario championships.
Price, 19, is a member at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club. Underhill, 20, is a member of Cataraqui Golf & Country Club.
“Our hearts go out to all of the families involved in this devastating accident,” said Liz Hoffman, President of Golf Canada. “On behalf of the Canadian golf community, our thoughts and best wishes are with Dayton and Hayden as well as their families as they deal through this tragedy.
Public GoFundMe pages are set up for both Price and Underhill to help the families with medical bills – please consider a donation if you are able.
Hadwin finishes T9 at The Players Championship
Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. – The Players Championship had no shortage of weather delays as the rain and wind pushed the competition to a Monday afternoon finish.
While speaking of the wild week at TPC Sawgrass, Adam Hadwin noted he was “happy to be done” after battling inclement weather conditions since the start of play on Thursday. The B.C. native played well on Sunday and Monday to finish the tournament five under 67 and tied for 9th on the leaderboard.
“Got away with a few things today,” said Hawdin of his game. “I hit some really good shots that I took advantage of, obviously. Made a lot of putts early. Had 10 putts through nine holes today, hit four greens and was 2-under on the front, and that doesn’t happen very often here.”
Taylor Pendrith finished just one shot back of Hadwin to tie for 13th in his first appearance at The Players. The 30 year old also noted his familiarity with playing in colder conditions from his time spent on the Korn Ferry Tour.
“The course was great, yeah,” said Pendrith of the course conditions. “The greens were still very receptive I would say, obviously with all the rain. The rough seems to be a little easier to hit out of than the start of the week, but the greens are good. They’ve got some really nice speed to them and are rolling true. It’s challenging but it’s very fair.”
Corey Conners posted a bogey-free two under 70 in the final round to finish T26.
Next week the PGA TOUR heads to Palm Harbour Florida for the Valspar Championship.
Click here to view the full leaderboard from The Players Championship.
Four regional qualifiers set for RBC Canadian Open
Golf Canada, in partnership with title sponsor RBC, is pleased to announce the qualifying format for the 2022 RBC Canadian Open, scheduled for June 6-12 at St. George’s Golf & Country Club in Toronto with nearby Islington Golf Club serving as the official practice facility.
A two-stage qualifying process for Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship will feature regional qualifying competitions in Quebec, British Columbia, and Ontario, as well as Alberta which is new for 2022.
Each of the four regional qualifiers will consist of 18 holes of stroke-play with the low qualifier at each site receiving an exemption directly into the 2022 RBC Canadian Open field (provided a minimum of 100 competitors participate at each site). The top 10% of finishers beyond the low qualifier at each regional qualifying competition are eligible to compete at the Final Qualifying Competition.
The final qualifying competition will take place on Monday, June 6 at Oakdale Golf & Country Club, host of the 2023 & 2026 RBC Canadian Open.
“With the return of the RBC Canadian Open to the PGA TOUR schedule, we are very pleased to bring back our regional qualifying competitions, adding a fourth qualifier in Alberta, and providing players from across the country the opportunity to compete in our National Men’s Open Championship,” said RBC Canadian Open Tournament Director Bryan Crawford. Regional qualifying has always brought an important element to our championship field, and with such great momentum behind golf right now, we look forward to the excitement of Canadian and international competitors playing their way into the 2022 RBC Canadian Open.”
Participation in the final qualifying competition is limited to those competitors receiving requisite exemptions, or individuals who have advanced through regional qualifying. The Final Qualifier will feature 18 holes of stroke play, with a minimum of four (4) spots available for direct entry into the 2022 RBC Canadian Open field.
2022 RBC Canadian Open Qualifying Competitions
- Quebec Regional Qualifier, Monday May 9, 2022 @ Club de Golf Le Blainvillier in Blainvillier, Que.
- British Columbia Regional Qualifier, Tuesday, May 17 @ Meadow Gardens Golf Club in Pitt Meadows, B.C.
- Ontario Regional Qualifier, Wednesday, May 18 @ TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (North Course) in Caledon, Ont.
- Alberta Regional Qualifier, Monday, May 30 @ Mickelson National Golf Club in Calgary, Alta.
- RBC Canadian Open Final Qualifier, Monday, June 6 @ Oakdale Golf & Country Club in Toronto, Ont.
Registration for all four 2022 RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifiers is now open.
The RBC Canadian Open qualifying competition is open to members in good standing of the PGA of Canada or other PGA affiliates; amateur golfers who are members of Golf Canada or in good standing with their respective association; and other golf professionals. Players’ Handicap Index must not exceed 2.0 on the date of the application filing and must be within the Handicap Index requirements at the entry deadline.
The 2022 RBC Canadian Open is also part of The Open Championship Qualifying Series. The top-2 finishers at the RBC Canadian Open (not otherwise exempt) earn a spot in the field of The 150th Open Championship, July 10-17, 2022, at St Andrews in Fife, Scotland.
For more information about RBC Canadian Open qualifying criteria and player registration, click here.
RBC PGA Scramble announces 2022 regional final host locations
Acton, Ont. – The PGA of Canada is pleased to announce that some of Canada’s top courses have been secured as host sites for the 2022 RBC PGA Scramble Regional Finals.
Building on last year’s return to Cabot Links for the National Final and the largest draw of players ever to participate in the program, we are excited to announce that players who qualify from their local qualifier will head to one of the following Regional Final hosts:
August 11 – B.C. EAST – Black Mountain Golf Club – Kelowna, BC
August 13 – B.C. WEST – Morningstar Golf Club – Parksville, BC
August 15 – ONTARIO GTA – Maple Downs G&CC – Maple, ON
August 16 – ALBERTA NORTH – Wolf Creek Golf Resort – Ponoka, AB
August 16 – QUEBEC – Le Maitre De Mont Tremblant – Mont-Tremblant, QC
August 22 – SASKATCHEWAN – The Legends Golf Club – Warman, SK
August 22- ONTARIO SW – FireRock Golf Club – Komoka, ON
August 29 – MANITOBA – Quarry Oaks Golf Course – Steinback, MB
September 1 – ALBERTA SOUTH – The Winston Golf Club – Calgary, AB
September 6 – ATLANTIC – Mill River Resort – Woodstock, PEI
September 6 – ONTARIO NE – Wildfire Golf Club – Douro-Dummer, ON
“We have some incredibly impressive venues that are set to play host to RBC PGA Scramble Regional Finals in 2022,” said PGA of Canada president Teejay Alderdice. “Players who make it through local qualifying are in for a very memorable day, especially with the improvements RBC and the PGA of Canada teams have worked to implement this year.”
As the premier amateur team golf tournament in the country, the 2022 edition of the RBC PGA Scramble expects to once again see more than 10,000 golfers participate in over 150 local qualifiers throughout the country. With the increase in participation last year, many clubs benefited from additional revenue after hosting RBC PGA Scramble qualifiers. With continued efforts to make the RBC PGA Scramble inclusive for all players, there will again be a guaranteed spot for an all-female team at each Regional Final.
The PGA of Canada and RBC teams have spent the past few months working on significant improvements to the program based on participant feedback. Specifically, a task force was organized to evaluate and identify potential improvements to the handicap stipulations. The Task Force took past participant feedback into account based on the program’s various player surveys. An announcement will be made in the coming weeks with more information about the handicap amendments for 2022.
In addition, we will be announcing further RBC PGA Scramble partnerships in the coming weeks that will greatly improve the value for participants and host facilities.
If you would like to register your facility to host a local qualifier, click here. The registration deadline for courses to register themselves as a local qualifying destination is April 16, 2022.
Player registration is set to open April 4th.
Henderson finishes T4 in Thailand
Last week, the LPGA Tour headed to Thailand for the 15th edition of the Honda LPGA Classic.
During the four-day competition, temperatures reached upwards of 42C prompting Brooke Henderson to comment, “I think today was the hottest I’ve ever been in my life.” Still, that didn’t stop the Smith Falls, Ont. native from posting a T4 finish at 23 under – three shots back from leader Nanna Koerstz Madsen.
“Yeah, it was a good finish. I felt like I’ve been playing really well, which is a really good feeling, especially after last year wasn’t my best year,” said Henderson. “So to come out this year so strong, I’m definitely happy and proud of that. I feel like I’m inching my way closer every week to getting a little bit more comfortable and just enjoying those final groups as much as I have been. It’s just so fun, so exciting to be in them. I just look forward to when I have my opportunity to win.”
For Henderson, that win seems just around the corner as the 24 year old recorded her fourth top ten finish in five starts for the 2022 season.
While Henderson was competing abroad, International Women’s Day took place in North America. When asked about the celebration and the women’s game, Henderson responded:
“I think the women’s game is in a great spot. The depth of the tour and the strength of the players coming out every year just keeps getting better. It’s exciting to be part of the LPGA Tour right now just because you feel like you’re part of a movement and part of pushing it forward, which is amazing. It’s nice to see some of the sponsors step up, and to get to play better golf courses at some of our major championships, it’s definitely a cool time to be part of the tour, and hopefully I can keep getting better, too, and keep pushing the boundaries.”
Next up, Henderson heads to Carlsbad, Ca. to compete in the JTBC Classic.
Click here for the full leaderboard from the Honda LPGA Classic.
Golf Canada names 12 athletes to 2022 Team Canada Young Pro Squad
Golf Canada is pleased to announce the 12 professional athletes who have been selected to receive support through the Team Canada Young Pro Squad in 2022.
The expansion of the program to support more professional athletes is aligned with Golf Canada’s enhanced support of the High-Performance Program with a goal to advance 30 Canadian athletes to the LPGA and PGA TOUR by 2032.
The 2022 Women’s Young Pro Squad will welcome a pair of new additions in Selena Costabile (Thornhill, Ont.) and Maude-Aimée LeBlanc (Sherbrooke, Que.), along with returning players Jaclyn Lee (Calgary, Alta.) and Maddie Szeryk (London, Ont.). Golf Canada is also pleased to welcome back Rebecca Lee-Bentham (Scarborough, Ont.) who rejoins the Young Pro Squad after a brief hiatus from her professional golf career. The selection criteria for 2022 was expanded on the women’s side to recognize the more significant impact of COVID-19 on professional playing opportunities in the women’s game.
Comprising the 2022 Men’s Young Pro Squad are returnees Chris Crisologo (Richmond, B.C.), Hugo Bernard (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.), Jared du Toit (Kimberley, B.C.), Stuart Macdonald (Vancouver, B.C.) and Joey Savoie (La Prairie, Que.). Blair Bursey (Gander, N.L), and Myles Creighton (Digby, N.S.) will also join the Young Pro Squad program as new members.
“Expanding the roster of Canadian athletes and revising the Young Pro Squad selection criteria to support more players in their path to the LPGA and PGA Tour is an extension of the enhancements introduced to our High-Performance program and the continued support we are grateful to receive from Golf Canada Foundation trustees and our Team Canada supporting partners,” said Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer, Kevin Blue.
Derek Ingram of Winnipeg, Man. will continue as Head Coach of the Men’s Young Pro Squad. Golf Canada is undertaking a search for a new Women’s Head Coach with gradual transition of Tristan Mullally of Dundas, Ont. to the newly created position of National Talent Identification Director to support Golf Canada’s enhanced High-Performance Program.
Now in its ninth year, the Team Canada Young Pro Squad supports aspiring professional golfers move up the ranks on the developmental tours with the ultimate goal of putting more players on the LPGA and PGA TOUR. Since the inception of the Young Pro Squad in 2014, current and former team members have accounted for 50 wins across various professional golf tours including PGA TOUR wins by Mackenzie Hughes and Corey Conners, as well as a record 10 LPGA Tour wins by Brooke Henderson.
Funding for the program comes in large part from the Golf Canada Foundation and Trustees who are generously supporting through major gifts. In addition, robust support is provided by founding partners RBC and Canadian Pacific, as well as supporting partners Citi Canada and Bear Mountain Resort – the Official Training Centre of Golf Canada’s National Team program.
Click here to read the 2022 Team Canada Young Pro Squad player and coaching staff bios.
EMERGING PROFESSIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD
The Golf Canada Foundation is also proud to announce Maude-Aimée LeBlanc and Stuart Macdonald as the recipients of the Emerging Professional Player of the Year Award, presented by Andrew Cook. In recognition of their notable results and improvement in 2021, each received $10,000 towards their continued development in professional golf.
In 2020 Andrew Cook, a proud Trustee of the Golf Canada Foundation, and past President with Golf Canada, established the $20,000 annual fund to recognize a top male and top female emerging Canadian professional golfer. Previous recipients include Taylor Pendrith, who graduated from the Young Pro Squad program after securing his PGA TOUR card in April 2021, and Maddie Szeryk who earned her LPGA Tour card in December 2021.
“We are very pleased to name Maude-Aimée LeBlanc and Stuart Macdonald as the Emerging Professional Players of the Year,” said Martin Barnard, CEO of the Golf Canada Foundation. “We are incredibly grateful to Andrew Cook for his continued support in impacting the lives of young professional athletes as they pursue their goals.”
LeBlanc, a former member of the Team Canada Amateur Squad who came out of retirement in 2021 and earned her LPGA Tour card through strong results on the Epson Tour, notched nine top-10 results with two runner-up finishes on the season. With a renewed passion for the game, she finished sixth on the Epson Tour money list to successfully secure her 2022 LPGA Tour.
Stuart Macdonald began 2021 without Korn Ferry Tour status but progressed from conditional status to playing a near-full calendar of Korn Ferry Tour events. Macdonald earned seven top-20 finishes on the Korn Ferry Tour including a T3 showing at the REX Hospital Open to earn full status on the Korn Ferry Tour for 2022.
2022 RBC Canadian Open tickets now available
The RBC Canadian Open is officially back to kick off the 2022 summer festival season!
Golf Canada, in partnership with title sponsor RBC, is pleased to offer a full selection of ticket options for the 2022 RBC Canadian Open.
Following two years of cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the RBC Canadian Open returns June 6-12 at St. George’s Golf & Country Club in Toronto with nearby Islington Golf Club hosting the tournament’s official practice facility. The stars of the PGA TOUR will return to Toronto as St. George’s prepares to host the tournament for the fifth time and first since 2010.
With a superb June date on the PGA TOUR schedule the week prior to the US Open, the 111th playing of Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship will be a week-long summer festival and a premier event on the Canadian sports calendar.
Building on the multi-day sellout that thrilled fans in 2019 and culminated with Rory McIlroy’s impressive victory, fans of all ages will once again experience the energy of world-class PGA TOUR golf and exciting activities all week long including the return of the RBCxMusic Concert Series on Friday and Saturday (musical acts to be announced in the coming weeks), The Rink on the 16th hole at St. George’s, and a variety of food and patio experiences at the Recipe Unlimited Fare Way.
“Together with RBC we are incredibly excited to bring the 2022 RBC Canadian Open back to the PGA TOUR schedule in a big way as a kick-off to summer festival season in Toronto,” said RBC Canadian Open Tournament Director Bryan Crawford. “With so much built-up momentum and the deep interest in golf at all levels of the game, the return of the RBC Canadian Open will be a can’t miss pinnacle celebration.”
“We are thrilled to welcome fans back to the tournament along with our partners Golf Canada,” said Shannon Cole, Vice-President, Brand Marketing, RBC. “We look forward to sharing more details on the return of the RBCxMusic Concert Series and building on the success of 2019.”
In addition to the full suite of RBC Canadian Open tickets now available, youth aged 12-and-under get free general admission when accompanied by a ticketed adult. All Friday and Saturday tickets will include access to the RBCxMusic Concert Series.
GENERAL ADMISSION – DAILY GROUNDS TICKETS
Spectators can take advantage of miles of front row seating! General admission tickets provide access to the golf course—get an up-close look at your favourite PGA TOUR stars, enjoy fan activations throughout the property and experience the thrill of major professional golf.
1904 CLUB PRESENTED BY RBC ISHARES
The 1904 Club presented by RBC iShares delivers an elevated fan experience in the heart of the golf course. Located between the 1st and 10th greens, this premium destination is the perfect home base to sit, relax and map out your experience following the stars of the PGA TOUR. Enjoy relief and shelter from the elements, take in the broadcast on TV and treat yourself to an elevated food, beverage and hospitality experience.
Visit www.rbccanadianopen.com/tickets for more information, and to secure your tickets before they sell out.
Click here to sign up for the RBC Canadian Open newsletter and be among the first notified for upcoming RBCxMusic Concert Series announcements and updates.
Tiger Woods inducted into World Golf Hall of Fame
Tiger Woods spoke for 15 minutes or so, nearly all of it devoted to his parents and everyone else who nourished his love of the game. Missing was even one mention of any of the mind-bending accomplishments that landed him at the World Golf Hall of Fame podium in the first place.
Just as telling, perhaps, Woods dropped no hints about what might come next.
It was an intensely personal speech, a portrait of the golf artist as a very young man. Woods recalled how, as an 8-year-old, he was dropped off at the local muni each morning, with plenty of time to take quarters off the older kids in putting contests and skins games, then spent hours looking for lost balls while waiting for his father, Earl, to get off work at 4 p.m. and pick him up in a golf cart.
“By then, especially in the wintertime, it was already dark,” Woods recalled. “So we had a rule, if you ever lost the golf ball, we’d be done, and we’d have to drive in.
“So part of understanding how to shape shots and knowing where I hit it on the face, where I would hit it, all started then. … The furthest I ever made was 17 holes in the dark,” he added, laughing. “Never quite got to 18.”
Woods did nearly every time it mattered after that, winning 15 major championships and a record-tying 82 on the PGA Tour, and who knows how many more he’d have added if not for the eight surgeries he endured along the way. Woods didn’t mention those, either. But 14-year-old Sam Woods, who introduced her father, did.
Referring to Woods’ February 2021 car crash in Los Angeles, she said, “We didn’t know if you’d come home with two legs or not. Now not only are you about to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, but you’re standing here on your own two feet.
“This is why you deserve this,” she added, “because you’re a fighter.”
Ten months later, Woods played with his 12-year-old son, Charlie in the PNC Championship, finishing second in the team event. Despite needing a cart to get around, Woods showed plenty of flashes of the mastery that made him nearly unbeatable for more than two decades. Inevitably, the questions began: Could he come back again?
Woods answered the latest round the same way he had in the past _ nothing was certain, but he wasn’t closing the door on at least a limited return. Then his caddie, Joe LaCava, threw some more kindling on the embers.
“I think it’s gonna be even more work than it was coming back from the fusion surgery with the back and stuff like that, but I think he’s willing, at this age, to do it,” LaCava said in an interview Wednesday with Sirius XM PGA Tour Radio.
“Maybe that father-son tournament gave him a little more motivation because, as most people saw — if they watched it — he hasn’t lost much. He may not be quite as long as he once was, but he can still hit the ball and still can putt and chip. So, I mean, if he can get around a golf course, he could still be dangerous, if that happens.”
Woods, as noted above, talked about the distant past and said nothing about his future. But golf is that rare game where Hall of Famers can collect their plaque, stick it in the trophy case and step back onto the field. Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els were both already alumni when they won in recent years.
Woods referred to those wins not long ago, calling his induction “an acknowledgement that you’ve had a successful career.
“I feel like I have,” he added, “but it feels like it’s still not over yet.”
The best ones have the hardest time letting go. Woods wouldn’t be the first G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All-Time) to push the envelope.
“One day you might look up and see me playing the game at 50,” is how Michael Jordan ended his Hall of Fame induction speech. Knowing laughs erupted on every side of him.
“Oh don’t laugh,” he said. “Never say never.”
Woods can’t walk a golf course at the moment, so he eschewed empty boasts or self-deprecating jokes, and it’s hard to imagine he would show up at the first tee just for the sake of playing. But Jordan and Jack Nicklaus and even Muhammad Ali said almost the same thing and all of them came back in search of one more transcendent run, one more moment when they felt like the king of the world.
“I was never going to be denied,” Woods said around mid-speech Wednesday night, recalling the moment he’d inherited his father’s passion for the game. “I loved it. I had this burning desire to be able to express myself in this game of golf.”
A plaque isn’t going to change that.
Additionally, the World Golf Hall of Fame presented two new distinguished service awards for the first time. Renee Powell was honored as the inaugural recipient of the Charlie Sifford Award presented by Southern Company (for her spirit in advancing diversity in golf), while Peter Ueberroth and the late Dick Ferris were honored through a Lifetime Achievement recognition for their contributions to golf.
Brooke Rivers: Challenge Accepted
The late great Arnold Palmer once said: Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated and that’s something that resonates with Brooke Rivers. The second year member of Golf Canada’s National Team Program acknowledges golf is a sport that requires a lot of attention to detail – and that suits her just fine because she enjoys being a student of the game.
Hailing from Brampton, Ont., Rivers—who turns 17 on March 17th—played a number of sports growing up. Besides spending time on the links, she also enjoyed time in the hockey arena, on the soccer field and the softball diamond. But she was drawn to the unique challenges on the golf course.
“Golf is such a big passion for me because there are so many intricate details to the game and there is always something to learn. It is such an exciting sport and it is very rewarding to see results from my hard work”
BROOKE RIVERS
The junior standout understands one of the biggest secrets to success on the golf course is simply to be consistent. However, being able to achieve this consistency regularly in every tournament is the complicated part that requires hard work, dedication, and attention to detail.
Since shifting her focus solely to the sport, Rivers has accepted the challenge of being the best golfer she could be. And she’s enjoyed some impressive results.
In 2019, she won the NextGen Quebec Championship and the Coca Cola Junior Championship.
In 2020, she claimed the AJGA Visit Tallahassee Junior Championship and followed that up by capturing the prestigious North and South Junior Championship in 2021.
The victory at Pinehurst for the 43rd Girls’ North and South Junior earned her automatic entry into this year’s Women’s North and South Amateur, which will be held in July.
She likes the fact that golf allows her to enjoy the outdoors and meet people from all around the world. And on the golf course, the talented young Canadian has some specific short term goals she would like to meet.
“Over the next year I would like to improve my game and my scoring average as well as gaining entrance into some elite Women’s events,” she noted.
Rivers says being part of the National Team Program has played an important part in the development of her game.
“Golf Canada’s National Team Program has provided resources such as personal training and mental coaching which has been very helpful”
Brooke Rivers
“In addition, there has been the added support of coaches coming to tournaments. This has been a big advantage as I was able to gain new ideas to aid in my preparation.”
Rivers currently has her sights set on the next challenge on her golf journey. That involves playing NCAA Division I golf where she plans to continue her learning and development in the classroom and on the golf course.
“Over the next five years, I would like to be placing well at collegiate events,” said Rivers, who recorded an impressive second place showing at the 2020 Ontario Amateur Championship.
The second year National Team Program members says she is motivated by the success of former alum Brooke Henderson as well as others who have gone through the program.
And with the support of Golf Canada, Rivers is committed and dedicated to challenge of reaching her full potential and being the best golfer she can be.
“It has taken a lot of hard work and dedication to get my game to where it is now and I know that I will have to keep training hard and learning every day to get my game to the next level.”