The boxes weren’t flying off the shelves. They weren’t even making it onto the shelves. The Masters has gone gnome-mad.

Yes. Gnomes. The must-have item at the Masters this year isn’t any of the shirts or pullovers or caps with the tournament’s logo that can only be bought by those who are lucky enough to have secured a way onto the grounds of Augusta National.

Instead, the gnome is all the rage. Just ask Tom Frettoloso, who left his house at 4 a.m. on Tuesday to get to Augusta National and was headed back to his vehicle by 8 a.m. – without having seen a single golfer take a single swing.

He had a bunch of souvenirs, including two gnomes. He wouldn’t say how he got two; signage in the store said the Masters was limiting them to one per person.

“I’m self-employed and need to get to work,” said Frettoloso, a house painter, who was weaving his way toward the gates while thousands of people were walking the other way onto the Augusta National grounds. “But I’ve gotten the gnomes just about every year. I got a ticket for the practice round and here I am and now I’m done.”

Gnomes made their Masters debut in 2016 and were a quick hit, though nobody seems to remember them being as much of a phenomenon as they are this week.

There’s a couple different versions of gnomes this year; the one that hundreds of people were lined up to get Tuesday morning was this year’s version of a caddy, standing about a foot high, dressed in a green-and-white striped Masters shirt, khakis, green-and-white shoes, a yellow cap and with a bag of clubs slung over his right shoulder.

Asking price at the Masters: $49.50 USD.

Asking price online: Most were going for somewhere between $150 and $500 on Tuesday, depending on where you looked. The smaller version -a mini-gnome in the traditional white Masters caddie attire – could be had for considerably less.

On Tuesday, a worker at the store tried to reload the shelf with more product. The mission was futile: Shoppers were grabbing them as soon as they went on the shelf, and sometimes right from the worker himself.

“People will buy anything,” someone mused in the checkout line.

That they will, whether it’s gnomes, shirts, belts, hats and anything else they can get with the Masters logo. There’s countless reasons why: not everyone can get to the Masters since the ticket is among the toughest in sports, and the Masters also doesn’t sell merchandise online – except for some images, the Masters Journal and the Masters Annual that recaps tournament week.

And for the record, many on-site shoppers got bad news once they got into the Masters store Tuesday.

The gnomes were gone.

Tiger Woods is wearing Nike apparel this week, as always.

Except the shoes.

Such is the power of Woods: Not only is his mere presence at Augusta National this week a huge story—whether he decides to play in the Masters—but he’s also created a huge side story by showing up for practice rounds Sunday and Monday wearing FootJoy shoes.

Woods hasn’t explained the change yet; he’s scheduled to address reporters Tuesday. It would make sense if the change was related to what are likely different physical needs now that he’s trying to play on a right leg that was badly damaged in a car crash last year.

A statement released by Nike seemed to indicate that was the case: “Like golf fans around the world, we are delighted to see Tiger back on the course. He is an incredible athlete, and it is phenomenal to see him returning to the game at this level. His story continues to transcend sport and inspire us all. As he continues his return, we will work with him to meet his new needs.”

Everything else about Woods’ on-course ensembles has been as expected: His cap still bears the distinctive “TW” logo that has been his personal Nike branding for years, his short-sleeve shirts had the iconic Nike swoosh on the left side of the chest. Technically, Nike was on his feet, too—when counting the socks.

Woods wore Nike shoes when the world most recently saw him play, back in December at the PNC Challenge, a 36-hole scramble on a flat Florida course where he and his son Charlie finished second to John Daly and his son. Woods was allowed to use a cart in that event. The demands of playing the Masters simply wouldn’t even compare, with the steep slopes and length of Augusta National serving as one of the tougher walks in golf.

Woods has been an endorser of Nike since 1996.

BUY TICKETS

TORONTO, April 4, 2022 — RBC is pleased to announce the return of the RBCxMusic Concert Series at the 2022 RBC Canadian Open, featuring headlining performances by three-time Grammy Award-winning pop rock band Maroon 5 and hip-hop icon Flo Rida.

RBC, along with its partners Live Nation Canada and Golf Canada, looks forward to the return of the RBCxMusic Concert Series. Building on the success of the inaugural event held in 2019, which saw sold out performances from headliners Florida Georgia Line and The Glorious Sons, this year’s tournament once again promises an unforgettable experience for golf and music fans alike. The concert series, which was first introduced to attract new, younger fans to the sport of golf, is a celebration of the return of live music in Canada.

The concerts will take place near the iconic St. George’s Golf and Country Club on the athletic field of Toronto’s Richview Collegiate Institute and will feature performances on both the Friday and Saturday evenings of tournament week.

Canadians will have the opportunity to see Flo Rida live in concert at the RBC Canadian Open on Friday, June 10, 2022.

“I can’t wait to return to Toronto this year,” said Flo Rida. “I love performing for my Canadian fans and I’m excited to kick off the summer with them.”

In addition, Maroon 5 will close the Concert Series with a headlining performance on Saturday, June 11, 2022.

“We are excited to announce the return of the RBCxMusic Concert Series, and we look forward to welcoming world-renowned artists Maroon 5 and Flo Rida to Canada,” said Mary DePaoli, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, RBC. “We introduced the concert series in 2019, with the idea to create an unforgettable fan experience for golf and music fans alike. The result was our most successful RBC Canadian Open to date and we are eager to build on that early momentum with the return of the tournament this year.”

“We are thrilled to be bringing even more live music back to Canadians in 2022,” said Wayne Zronik, President Live Nation Canada. “RBC has been a committed partner to us, and it’s great to work together again on the Concert Series while supporting the growth of music in Canada through its program First Up with RBCxMusic, dedicated to helping emerging artists with performance, mentorship and networking opportunities.”

“Golf Canada is thrilled that RBC will continue to integrate the RBCxMusic platform within the RBC Canadian Open, offering fans the unique opportunity to see both world class golf and world class music at Canada’s National Championship,” said Golf Canada Chief Commercial Officer John Sibley. “The Concert Series was an overwhelming success in 2019 and will once again attract new fans to experience the energy and excitement of the RBC Canadian Open.”

In addition to must-see music performances, fans can expect exciting spectator experiences, including a dedicated food and beverage area—the Recipe Unlimited Fare Way, and the return of The Rink on the 16^th hole, awarded 2018 best-in-class element by the PGA TOUR.

Exclusively for RBC clients and new for 2022, an allotment of RBCxMusic Tickets are now available for purchase on Ticketmaster. With the purchase of every RBCxMusic Ticket, RBC clients will receive a $10 Concert Cash^® code, redeemable towards a future concert ticket purchase.

RBCxMusic Tickets are only available for Friday, June 10 and Saturday, June 11 of the RBC Canadian Open. Tickets are available to the general public for purchase on RBCCanadianOpen.com. Tickets for Friday and Saturday are $90 (plus tax and service charges). The event is General Admission / All Ages. Tickets are all-inclusive: your tournament day pass is your concert ticket.                                                                       

San Antonio, TX – With The Masters just one week away, the PGA TOUR headed to TPC San Antonio for the Valero Texas Open. On day four of the tournament, Adam Hadwin would shoot 5-under 67 and would birdie five of his last seven holes to earn him a T4 finish.

“Obviously today was an incredible finish,” said Hadwin. “It’s a tricky golf course and when the wind blows, the landing areas on the greens are so small, you’ve got to be extremely precise. I hit some good shots on the front. I think my short game kind of let me down. I would have liked to get a couple more up and down today on the first 10, but I hit a lot of really good shots those last seven holes, gave myself a lot of chances and was able to capitalize on five of them obviously. Getting the last two, 17 and 18, were huge and just another good solid week overall.”

Hadwin would finish just three shots back of leader J.J. Spaun with the performance earning the B.C. resident his third straight top 10 finish for the first time in his PGA TOUR career.

Corey Conners shot 67 in the closing round to finish the weekend T35 at five-under. Roger Sloan recorded 72 at two-under.

First played in 1922, the Valero Texas Open is the third oldest PGA TOUR tournament following the Western Open (1899), and the RBC Canadian Open (1904).

Full leaderboard here.

Once again, Corey Conners is rounding into midseason form in March.

Conners shot up nine spots to No. 32 on the world golf rankings, matching his personal best, after beating former world No. 1 Dustin Johnson on Sunday to take third at the World Golf Championship-Dell Technologies Match Play event. His ascension up the world rankings comes as he returns to the Valero Texas Open, which he won in 2019 for his only victory on the PGA Tour.

“I feel like my game has been trending upwards for a while. I had a little inconsistency maybe to begin this year but I’ve had some solid finishes and I feel like I’m striking it well,” said Conners before play began at TPC San Antonio. “Last week, my ball striking was great and I was able to get the putter going a little bit as well, made some important putts when I needed to.”

The Texas Open was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so Conners was the reigning champion last year and therefore the focus of all the on-site advertising, including being featured on the key cards of the players’ hotel. American Jordan Spieth won it in 2021, taking some of the spotlight off Conners heading into this edition of the Texas Open.

“This is definitely a special place to come to even though I’m not on the room keys of the hotel this year,” said Conners with a laugh. “Jordan took over that as the defending champion, but it’s it’s a cool place, a special place to me.”

The native of Listowel, Ont., has had two top-10 finishes this season, starting with a tie for fifth at the QBE Shootout (not an official PGA Tour event) on Dec. 12 and then his third-place finish at the WGC. He also has two 11th-place finishes, first at the Sony Open in Hawaii on Jan. 16 and then at the Arnold Palmer Invitational on March 6.

He said hard work has been critical to his recent success.

“I’ve been trying to mess around with a few technical changes in my short game and putting, but definitely been working really hard,” said Conners. “That’s been a big focus in my practice, particularly when I’m home, just trying to use my feel and creativity and have a lot more trust that I can get the shots”

Conners is one of six Canadians in the field at TPC San Antonio this week. He’s joined by Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor, both from Abbotsford, B.C., Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., and Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont., at TPC San Antonio.

The winner of the Texas Open will earn one of the final spots at next week’s Masters. Indeed, the first of Conners’ three appearances at the Masters as a pro was thanks to his win at the Texas Open in 2019. He tied for 46th at Augusta that year but finished in the top 10 in 2020 and 2021, 10th and eighth respectively.

“I feel like I can definitely be one of the top players in the world but I feel like I’ve got room for improvement in my game,” said Conners. “I certainly like where everything is at right now and where things are trending.”

Full leaderboard for the Valero Texas Open, here.

Brooke Henderson has lost count of all the tweaks and adjustments that have been made to her driver heading into The Chevron Championship.

Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., estimates that she’s tried over a dozen different shafts ahead of Thursday’s first round at The Chevron, the first major of the LPGA Tour season. The switch was necessary as the women’s professional golf circuit changed its rules so that a 46-inch shaft was the maximum length allowed, while the 24-year-old Henderson has used a 48-inch shaft since she was 15.

Henderson said she has been practising with the new, shorter club leading up to The Chevron Championship, where the rule will come into effect. She said she has been holding the driver closer to the end of the grip, which has also had a weight added to it.

Henderson has been on a tear to start 2022, starting with a second-place finish at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions on Jan. 20. She followed that up with a tie for sixth at the Gainsbridge LPGA at Boca Rio on Jan. 27, a tie for 11th at the LPGA Drive on Championship at Crown Colony on Feb. 3, a tie for sixth at the HSBC Women’s World Championship on March 3, and finally a tie for fourth at the Honda LPGA Thailand on March 10 before taking a week off.

Starting 2022 with strong, consistent play was a priority for Henderson after last year which she said wasn’t her best. She said that she worked with her team in the off-season on adjusting several aspects of her play, beyond testing new drivers.

“Short game I think is where I felt like I could really make the biggest difference in my game,” said Henderson. “So spending a lot of time around the greens and just mentally, my mindset, was a big change as well.”

The Chevron Championship is also known as the Dinah Shore, the singer and actress, who founded the tournament in 1972. It has also gone by several sponsored titles including the Nabisco Championship, Kraft Nabisco Championship, and ANA Inspiration.

Regardless of its name, this year’s edition of The Chevron Championship will be its last at Mission Hills. It will move to a new location for 2023, likely near Houston.

Henderson said she hopes she can jump into Poppie’s Pond on Sunday, a tradition dating back to 1988 where the tournament’s winner splashes into the water surrounding the 18th green.

“It’s a little bit sad to leave behind the tradition and history that this course and Poppie’s Pond have,” said Henderson. “It would definitely be an amazing chance to have that last spot in history of making that leap into the pond. That would be very cool.”

Savannah Grewal will make her Augusta National Women’s Amateur debut on Wednesday, but it’s not the first time the lone Canadian in the field has competed at the storied golf course.

The 20-year-old Grewal from Mississauga, Ont., won the Girls 14-15 Drive, Chip, and Putt competition at Augusta in 2017. Now that she’s back at Augusta as the top-ranked Canadian women’s amateur, Grewal is ready to complete the circle.

“That was a huge deal because up until that point in my life, I never thought that I’d ever get to be at Augusta National, never mind compete at Augusta National, especially as a female,” said Grewal, referring to Augusta National Golf Club’s policy of only having male members until 2012. “That was huge for me and it gave me a lot of goosebumps so I was super excited at that time and it kind of feels like I’ve almost come full circle in a sense.”

An international field will compete in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur starting Wednesday. The opening 36 holes will be contested over two days on the Island and Bluff nines at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. The entire field will then play Augusta National for an official practice round on Friday, followed by the final round featuring the top 30 competitors who made the cut.

Grewal said that her previous success at Augusta as a junior will likely help her stay focused mentally this week.

“I think that could definitely help me like just kind of stay very grounded and very present in the moment and not get too caught up on the fact that there’s going to be a lot of people watching and I’m at Augusta National,” she said.

Grewal is a pre-med student at Clemson University, playing for the varsity golf team. She’s also a member of Golf Canada’s amateur women’s team.

She had an excellent 2021, finishing third at the Spirit International Amateur Championship and at the Clemson Invitational. She also tied for 17th at the North & South Amateur, tied for 12th at the FSU Match Up and tied for 16th at the ACC Championship to sit 154th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.

Grewal said her success is partially due to her ability to get in the zone.

“I’m someone who doesn’t really worry too much about what’s going on around me. I like to really stay in the moment,” she said. “I’ll do small things like write little reminders on my glove, maybe something in my yardage book.

“Once I’m over the ball, I focus on my breathing and everything else kind of fades away to the background.”

The Augusta National Women’s Amateur began in 2019, with Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., representing Canada in the first edition of the tournament. It was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but was held again last spring.

Read more about Grewal and her return to Augusta here.

Scottie Scheffler, whose hot run of golf through the early part of 2022 has earned him the No.1 spot in the Official World Golf Ranking, will make his RBC Canadian Open debut this summer. 

The 25-year-old captured the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play with a 4 & 3 win over Kevin Kisner in the finale. His first WGC title was his third PGA Tour victory in his last five starts. 

After his WGC triumph, Scheffler became the 25th man to reach No. 1 since the Official World Golf Ranking debuted in 1986. 

A celebrated amateur and college star at the University of Texas, Scheffler broke through for his first Tour win at the WM Phoenix Open in February before winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard in early March. 

It took Scheffler 92 starts to get to No.1. Only Tiger Woods (21 starts) and fellow Texan Jordan Spieth (77 starts) needed fewer starts as a professional to ascend to the top of golf’s ranking.

He is the sixth-youngest player to reach the top spot in the history of the ranking and couldn’t have drawn up a better start to his professional career. 

Scheffler turned pro in the summer of 2018 and earned Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year honours the next year thanks to two victories. Eighteen months ago, he was named PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. 

He was also part of the United States’ winning Ryder Cup team last fall. He earned his spot on the team by finishing in the top 20 in each of the four majors in 2021, and inside the top 10 in three of the four. 

And now Canadian golf fans will have the opportunity to cheer him on in person this summer.  

After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic the RBC Canadian Open is set to return June 6-12 with Scheffler a part of an exciting field expected at St. George’s Golf and Country Club this summer.More field announcements are set for the coming weeks, along with the return of the RBCxMusic Concert Series on both Friday and Saturday nights.

Tickets are available here.

Golf’s incredible journey celebrated like you’ve never seen before ⬇️

CARLSBAD, Calif. (AP) – Atthaya Thitikul won the JTBC Classic on Sunday for her first LPGA Tour title, three-putting for bogey on the second hole of a playoff to outlast Nanna Koerstz Madsen.

“It’s just crazy in my mind right now,” Thitikul said. “I cannot believe that I became LPGA winner. It’s feel amazing as well.”

Canada’s Maude-Aimée LeBlanc finished tied for fourth for her best performance of the season. Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., shot a 4-under 68 round.

After Koerstz Madsen’s 15-foot bogey putt hit the edge of the cup and stayed out away, the 19-year-old Thitikul rolled her 10-foot par try close and holed out for the breakthrough victory.

“A lot things going through my head,” said Thitikul, a two-time champion of the World Junior Girls Championship. “But one thing that I really want to focus is like just, `Do your every single shot.? Just like, `If you lose, if you win, this is another chance to learn. So do your best every single shot.? That’s it.”

At 19 years, 25 days, Thitikul is the youngest winner on the LPGA Tour since Brooke Henderson in the 2016 Portland Classic at 18 years, 9 months, 23 days. The Thai player also has two victories on the Ladies European Tour.

Koerstz Madsen lost two weeks after winning a playoff in Thailand to become the first Danish champion in LPGA Tour history.

They matched pars on the first extra trip down 18, with Thitikul missing an 8-foot birdie try. Koerstz Madsen drove left on the second playoff hole and hit her second from an awkward stance near the cart part into the greenside water.

“It’s a hard shot,” Koerstz Madsen said. “It’s a hybrid from the rough _ not a very good lie, above the feet. I just tried not to pull it too much from that lie, and then obviously I did not pull it. I pushed it quite a lot.”

Thitikul shot an 8-under 64, making nine birdies and a bogey to post at 16-under 272 at Aviara Golf Club in the final event before the first major of the season next week at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage.

Koerstz Madsen, three strokes ahead of Na Rin An and and six in front of Thitikul entering the round, had a 70. She took the lead with a birdie on the par-5 17th, then bogeyed 18 to fall into the playoff.

“It wasn’t a very good playoff,” Koerstz Madsen said. “I played a good week and I’m happy with the game. I could have maybe have done a little better today, but it was what I could do.”

An was third at 15 under after a 68.

“I think I played well overall, but there were some parts that were a bit disappointing,” An said. “With a major tournament next week, I want to focus on my game even more.”

Top-ranked Jin Young Ko (68) was 14 under with Pajaree Anannarukarn (68) and Canada’s Leblanc. Coming off a victory three weeks ago in Singapore, Ko extended her tour record for consecutive sub-par rounds to 34. She’s won six of her last 11 tournaments.

“I’m very excited to play next week’s major,” Ko said. “But this is a little sad, too, last tournament at Mission Hills.”