LANGFORD, B.C.—Evan Holmes was not as crisp as he was Monday when he opened the Canada Life Series at Bear Mountain: Mountain Course event with a sterling 63. On a day where he only managed three birdies and two bogeys, shooting a 1-under 70, it was still enough to get him to 9-under and good for a one-shot advantage over Lawren Rowe heading into the final round Wednesday. Zach Anderson is alone in third, three shots behind, while Golf Canada team member Laurent Desmarchais and Albert Pistorius are at 5-under and four back.

“It was a little tricky all day. I didn’t really get off to a good start. The wind was swirling so it was tough to commit to some clubs out there,” said Holmes, the former University of British Columbia standout. He opened his day with three pars and a bogey, at the par-3 fourth, not exactly breaking quickly out of the gate. Holmes got that stroke right back with a birdie at the fifth before parring out, making the turn at even-par.

“Conditions were a lot tougher today. The pins were a little bit harder, and there was a lot more wind, a lot more swirling. The back nine was tough.”

Even so, Holmes made a textbook birdie at No. 10, hitting his tee shot to the island green to about a foot. His final birdie of the day came at the 13th, with a bogey at No. 11 squeezed in. From there, he parred out.

Rowe began the day three shots behind Holmes but narrowed the gap with his 68, on the strength of five birdies.

“My round was pretty similar to [Monday] actually. I started off a bit slow and just got through the front nine at even. I hit the back nine and was able to make a few birdies from there. I made a few putts finally.”

Rowe’s most-memorable hole of the day was his birdie on the par-3 14th. Although he wasn’t going directly at the pin, his tee shot landed 15 feet from the hole. He rolled that putt in during what was the middle of a four-birdies-in-six-hole stretch.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan announced today that the Presidents Cup will return to The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal when the Presidents Cup shifts internationally in 2024. As host of the 2007 Presidents Cup, The Royal Montreal Golf Club will become the second international venue to host the Presidents Cup more than once, joining The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia.

The 2007 Presidents Cup at The Royal Montreal Golf Club saw two legendary captains lead their respective teams for the final time, with four-time captain Jack Nicklaus guiding the U.S. Team to victory over three-time captain Gary Player and the International Team by a score of 19 ½ – 14 ½. Despite falling short, the highlight for the week for International Team fans was a Sunday Singles victory by Mike Weir over World No. 1 Tiger Woods, with the Canadian being supported by a massive and supercharged gallery of spectators.

“The people of Canada are some of the most loyal and passionate sports fans in the world, and given the overwhelming success of the Presidents Cup in 2007, it was a natural next step for the event to return to The Royal Montreal in 2024,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “Our thanks go out to our global partners, Citi and Rolex, for making the Presidents Cup possible and to the leadership and membership of The Royal Montreal Golf Club, a venue that has already shown it can challenge and highlight the best players in the world. The Presidents Cup continues to grow and expand along with the global growth of our sport while leaving an indelible legacy of giving back throughout the world. I have no doubt that with the support of our fans, the corporate community and governments of Quebec and Canada and the City of Montreal, the Presidents Cup 2024 will continue to the positive trajectory of this event.”

The @PresidentsCup is coming to Canada in 2024 ?? pic.twitter.com/PcZh0Miv4r

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) August 10, 2020

As part of the news, Monahan announced a partnership between First Tee, Golf Canada and Golf Canada Foundation to launch First Tee – Canada. With plans to expand across the nation, the partnership will add First Tee’s youth development program to Golf Canada’s already impressive platform that reaches kids in schools and at golf facilities, helping to empower kids through a lifetime of new challenges and personal growth.

Founded in 1873, The Royal Montreal Golf Club is the oldest golf club in North America. Its Blue Course was designed by Dick Wilson and updated by Rees Jones in 2004 and 2005. In addition to hosting the Presidents Cup, The Royal Montreal has also held the RBC Canadian Open on 10 occasions, most recently in 2014.

“We are excited and more than pleased that we have been selected to host the Presidents Cup again, and we are thrilled that we will be welcoming the world’s best golfers to our club in 2024,” said Michael Richards, Chair of The Royal Montreal Golf Club’s bid committee. “Our club has experienced leadership and great members, and our goal is to make the 2024 Presidents Cup the best ever. With widespread support from leaders of the golf and business communities and from various levels of government and with the help of Tourisme Montreal, we are confident we will succeed.”

Graham DeLaet, Adam Hadwin and Mike Weir are the three Canadians who have competed in the Presidents Cup.

Weir, a five-time Presidents Cup participant, amassed a 13-9-2 record before spending the 2017 and 2019 Presidents Cup serving in the role of a captain’s assistant. Weir was famously drawn against Woods in his Sunday Singles match in 2007, which concluded with Weir winning the final two holes to capture the match, 1-up.

“I was very proud to be part of the Presidents Cup as a player in 2007, and to see it come back after being so well-supported the first time just speaks to how passionate we are in Canada about golf,” Weir said. “The fan turnout was tremendous, and as a Canadian I am very proud to have the Presidents Cup come back.”

Weir, the first Canadian to compete in the Presidents Cup, was later followed by DeLaet, who made his debut for Captain Nick Price in 2013. DeLaet, 31 years old at the time, delivered an inspiring 3-1-1 performance at Muirfield Village Golf Club, which included a Singles match victory over Jordan Spieth.

“I can only imagine the roars that will be heard around Royal Montreal, especially if a few Canadians are on the team,” DeLaet said. “Having the Presidents Cup is such a great way to grow the game in Canada and it’d be nice to see the International Team lift the Presidents Cup on Canadian soil.”

Hadwin became the third Canadian to participate in the Presidents Cup after qualifying for the 2017 International Team at Liberty National Golf Club. He then returned for the 2019 team thanks to one of four captain’s picks from Ernie Els, which he converted into a 1-1-1 record at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

“This is huge for Canadian golf,” Hadwin said. “The state of Canadian golf could not be better and I think it is such an appropriate time to bring it back into Canada. There’s a good chance that a few of us could end up representing the International Team there at Royal Montreal, so that adds to the excitement as well.

“I feel like we have some of the best golf fans in the world in Canada, and to bring a world-class event up to Canada is big for them and I know they’ll be excited to have it back.”

Also announced, Ryan Hart has been named as Executive Director of the 2024 Presidents Cup. Ryan has worked at the TOUR’s Headquarters for over 3 years, most recently as the Tournament Director of THE PLAYERS Championship. Raised in Winnipeg, Canada, Ryan returns home where he previously ran The Players Cup on Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada for seven years while leading a local marketing firm. Ryan will be returning to Canada to lead the TOUR’s efforts over the next four years.

Tournament dates for the 2024 Presidents Cup will be announced at later date.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]OAKVILLE, Ont. – Golf Canada and First Tee announced today a new partnership to launch First Tee –  Canada. First Tee’s Board Chairman, PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan, shared the news during a global announcement that Presidents Cup will return to Royal Montreal Golf Club in 2024.

Together, the partnership will bring First Tee’s youth development emphasis to strengthen Golf Canada’s junior golf activities – previously conducted under the Future Links brand – that reach kids in schools and at golf facilities. The innovative First Tee curriculum will focus on empowering young people to build their strength of character through the game of golf. Golf Canada will serve as the national headquarters of First Tee – Canada.

“Partnering with First Tee towards the 2021 launch of First Tee – Canada will provide Canadian youth and especially those in underrepresented groups access to affordable and meaningful character education programs through golf,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada have developed a strong foundation for junior golf programming over the past twenty plus years through Future Links. We are excited going forward to partner with the globally recognized First Tee brand and work collaboratively with the Golf Canada Foundation to strengthen our youth development activities.”

“Golf Canada has made a significant impact on the growth of the sport in Canada through their multi-faceted junior golf initiatives and was a natural fit for us to partner with the launch of  First Tee – Canada,” said Greg McLaughlin, CEO, First Tee. “Together, we will bring the First Tee youth development program nationwide and build on Golf Canada’s impressive grassroots success with programming that reaches kids via nearly 600 golf facilities and 4,100 participating schools.”

The PGA of Canada will play a leading role in the training of coaches who will serve as mentors to the kids and teens in the program. Coaches will help bring the curriculum to life by introducing youth to fun and active experiences that help them build inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience that can carry to everything they do.

“We are proud that PGA of Canada professionals will play an important role in utilizing golf to teach First Tee core values of honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, judgement and courtesy,” said Kevin Thistle, CEO of PGA of Canada. “We look forward to supporting the development of youth and junior golfers through the coaching and mentorship of PGA of Canada professionals in alignment with the National Coaching Certification Program.”

First Tee – Canada will target to launch multiple chapters in 2021 with a growth strategy to establish First Tee chapters in markets across Canada through 2023. The inaugural First Tee – Canada chapter launching in 2021 will be located in Victoria, British Columbia at the Bear Mountain Golf & Tennis Resort Community which is also home to Golf Canada’s National Training Centre. This was made possible by the support of the Matthews and Kusumoto families. Dan Matthews is a global Trustee and a member of the Board of Governors of the First Tee and a member of the Board of Directors of the Golf Canada Foundation.  A First Tee chapter in Quebec will also be launched shortly thereafter, continuing the incredible legacy of past  Presidents Cups. With support from the Presidents Cup, First Tee has successfully launched global chapters in Australia (2019) and Korea (2015).

Through its deep network of donors and trustees, Golf Canada Foundation will be a critical partner in supporting the launch and advancement of First Tee – Canada through its fundraising and philanthropic efforts. Canada’s Provincial Golf Associations will also play a role in the advancement of First Tee – Canada as chapters begin to form in markets across Canada. In addition, Golf Canada will continue to work with the NGCOA Canada (National Golf Course Owner’s Association) and other key industry stakeholders towards a more inclusive golf experience for Canadian youth.

Since its inception in 1997, First Tee has impacted more than 15 million young people through its character-building programs on golf courses, in schools and at youth-serving locations.

The First Tee network has grown to over 150 chapters and more than 1,200 program locations across the United States as well as six international chapters—Australia, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Morocco and Canada—delivering programs that help young people build character and develop life skills through the game of golf. A First Tee chapter out of Vancouver is operating independently out of Vancouver, and previously out of Montreal, prior to the launch of First Tee – Canada.

To learn more about First Tee, visit thefirsttee.org.

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SAN FRANCISCO – The shot will be remembered as one of the best under pressure that hardly anyone witnessed. It made Collin Morikawa a major champion Sunday in a thrill-a-minute PGA Championship that not many will forget.

Morikawa hit driver on the 294-yard 16th hole that was perfect in flight and even better when it landed, hopping onto the green and rolling to 7 feet for an eagle that all but clinched victory on a most quiet Sunday afternoon at Harding Park.

In the first major without spectators, the 23-year-old Californian finished with a bang.

“I was hoping for a really good bounce and got it,” he said. “I hit a really good putt, and now we’re here.”

He closed with a 6-under 64, the lowest final round by a PGA champion in 25 years, for a two-shot victory over Paul Casey and Dustin Johnson, two of 10 players who had a chance on the back nine.

Morikawa was among seven players tied for the lead, as wild as any Sunday in a major. He took the lead when he chipped in for birdie from 40 feet short of the 14th green. And then he delivered the knockout with one swing along the shores of Lake Merced,

The COVID-19 pandemic that moved the PGA Championship from May to August was allowed to be played only if spectators were not allowed. But there was one person who won’t forget what he saw.

Casey, with his first good shot at winning a major, birdied the 16th to tie Morikawa for the lead. Standing on the tee at the par-3 17th, he looked back and saw the ball roll toward the cup.

“What a shot,” was all Casey could say. “Nothing you can do but tip you cap to that. Collin had taken on that challenge and pulled it off. That’s what champions do.”

Golf’s latest major champion was still in the vicinity of Harding Park just over a year ago, finishing up his degree at California and his All-American career, part of a new cast of young stars in a sport filled with them.

He only played Harding Park about a dozen times while in college, but never set up with rough like this or with the tees all the way back.

Now he has three PGA Tour victories and is No. 5 in the world, taking his place among the young stars by beating a cast of world-class players on the public course in San Francisco.

For Johnson, it was another major that got away. He had a one-shot lead and didn’t do too much wrong on the day except for not keeping it in the fairway for better chances of birdie. He drove into the hazard on the 16th and chipped in for birdie when it was too late, and a birdie on the 18th gave him a 68 and a tie for second.

It was his fifth runner-up finish in a major – his only title is the 2016 U.S. Open – and his second straight runner-up in the PGA Championship.

Brooks Koepka proved to be all talk. He looked at the crowded leaderboard on Saturday night and didn’t see anyone with his experience of four major championships, even dishing on Johnson because he has “only won one.”

Koepka didn’t make a birdie until the 12th hole. He went from two shots behind to a 74, tying for 29th.

“It’s my first bad round in a major in a while,” said Koepka, who said he spent the back nine mostly trying to cheer on Casey and his bid to win a first major at age 43.

Youth rules these days.

Morikawa finished at 13-under 267, and left so many others wondering how close they came.

Matthew Wolff, who grew up with Morikawa in Southern California and turned pro last summer with him, shot a 65 and joined Jason Day, Bryson DeChambeau, Tony Finau and PGA Tour rookie Scottie Scheffler at 10-under 270.

Cameron Champ, among eight players who had a share of the lead at some point, lost momentum with a double bogey at the turn. DeChambeau dropped two shots at the turn and never caught up until it was too late.

Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., (72) and Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., (73) finished well back at 2 over.

Morikawa, in only his 28th start as a pro and his second major, played bogey-free. His only mistake was at the end, when it was time to hoist the Wanamaker Trophy, the heaviest of the four major trophies. The lid came off and tumbled to the grass as Morikawa’s eyes bulged.

If that was his only mistake, consider it a good day. A major day.

Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., (72) and Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., (73) finished at 2 over.

SAN FRANCISCO – Dustin Johnson supplied the birdies, eight of them Saturday at the PGA Championship, the most he has ever made in his 157 rounds of major championship golf for a 5-under 65 and a one-shot lead.

Brooks Koepka supplied the needle.

Koepka recovered from three straight bogeys to salvage a 69 and stay within two shots of a leaderboard more crowded than any of San Francisco’s congested highways. At stake is a chance to become only the seventh player to win the same major three straight times. He surveyed the cast of contenders, and focused on the guy at the top.

“I like my chances,” Koepka said. “When I’ve been in this position before, I’ve capitalized. He’s only won one. I’m playing good. I don’t know, we’ll see.”

As he stepped away from the microphone, Koepka smiled and said to Jason Day, “How about that shade?” They laughed.

Too bad this isn’t a two-man show.

The final round at Harding Park figures to be wide open, just like it was on a Saturday so wild that eight players had at least a share of the lead during the third round.

Johnson lost his yardage book and still found his way through an enormous crowd of contenders. He made a double bogey on the ninth hole and still bounced back with a 31 on the tough, windy back nine.

He needed all eight of those birdies on a day of low scores, long putts and endless possibilities.

One possibility is Koepka hoisting the Wanamaker Trophy for the third straight year, which hasn’t happened since Walter Hagen won four in a row in the 1920s when it was match play. The last player to win any major three straight times was Peter Thomson at the British Open in 1956.

Koepka was two shots behind on a board that features only two major champions among the top six.

Scottie Scheffler, the PGA Tour rookie from Texas, ran off three straight birdies only to miss a 6-foot par putt on the final hole. He still shot a 65 and was one shot behind, in the final group at his first PGA Championship. Cameron Champ, who has the most powerful swing on tour, shot 67 and joined Scheffler one shot behind.

Johnson was at 9-under 201 as he goes for his second major title. For all the chances he has had, this is only the second time he has led going into the final round. The other was down the coast at Pebble Beach, his first chance at winning a major. He had a three-shot lead in the 2010 U.S. Open and shot 82.

Now he is more seasoned with experiences good (21 tour victories) and bad (five close calls in the majors).

“I’m going to have to play good golf if I want to win. It’s simple,” Johnson said. “I’ve got to hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens. If I can do that tomorrow, I’m going to have a good chance coming down the stretch. … I’m just going to have to do what I did today. Just get it done.”

Among the cast of contenders are major champions like Koepka, Jason Day and Justin Rose, and fresh faces like Scheffler, Champ and Collin Morikawa. Also right there was Bryson DeChambeau, thanks to a 95-foot putt for birdie on his last hole. Turns out he can hit long putts, too.

Missing from all this action is Tiger Woods, who didn’t make a birdie until the 16th hole and is out of the mix for the fourth straight major since his emotional Masters victory last year.

A dozen players were separated by three shots.

Li Haotong, the first player from China to lead after any round at a major, was leading through 12 holes until his tee shot didn’t come down from a tree. He made double bogey, dropped two more shots and finished four shots out of the lead.

Canadian Adam Hadwin (Abbotsford, B.C.) is tied for 34th at 1 under par while countryman Mackenzie Hughes (Dundas, Ont.) is T43 at even.

Johnson didn’t have smooth sailing, either, especially when he couldn’t find his yardage book.

He thinks it slipped into the bottom of the golf bag, and he didn’t feel like dumping his 14 clubs all over the ground to find it. Austin Johnson, his brother and caddie, had a spare yardage book.

Johnson shot 65 even with a double bogey on the ninth hole. Mistakes like that might be more costly on Sunday with so many players in the mix. Even those who struggled – Rose, Daniel Berger, Tommy Fleetwood all settled for 70 – are only three shots behind.

Adding to the drama will be the lack of atmosphere, this being the first major without spectators. Paul Casey said he still didn’t feel nerves from the lack of people. Perhaps that helps with younger players in the hunt for the first time. It also could make it difficult for players to know what’s happening around them without any cheers.

Then again, Johnson won the U.S. Open in 2016 at Oakmont without knowing the score as the USGA tried to decide whether he should be penalized for a potential rules violation earlier in the round. He had to play the last seven holes without knowing his score.

It’s just one example of what Johnson has endured in the majors. There was a penalty that knocked him out of a playoff in the 2010 PGA at Whistling Straits for grounding his club in sand without realizing it was a bunker. He had a 12-foot eagle putt to win the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay, only to three-putt for par and a silver medal.

But he’s back for another shot, and his game looks to be in order. He has the power, and on this day, he had the putting.

“I definitely have experience in this situation that definitely will help tomorrow,” Johnson said. “I’ve been in the hunt a bunch of times in a major. I’ve got one major. … Still going to have to go out and play really good golf.”

SAN FRANCISCO – Harding Park is renowned for producing champions who are among the best in golf, from Byron Nelson to Tiger Woods, and a long list of Hall of Famers and major champions in between.

Halfway through the PGA Championship, Li Haotong delivered his own footnote in history.

With five birdies through 10 holes, and eight tough pars down the stretch, Li had a 5-under 65 on Friday and became the first Chinese player to lead after any round of any major.

Surprised? So was he.

Li was in China as the pandemic shut down golf. He returned three weeks ago and missed the cut, and then tied for 75th in a 78-man field at a World Golf Championship.

“I didn’t even (think) I could play like this … got no confidence,” Li said. “Probably it helped me clear my mind a little bit.”

His credentials are all over the map. Li is one of six players to shoot 63 in the final round of a major. He also was so disengaged in his Presidents Cup debut that he was benched for two days.

Still young, often inconsistent, forever fearless, Li is capable of just about anything on a big stage in golf.

The 25-year-old full of energy and antics, he was bogey-free and posted an 8-under 132, giving him a two-shot lead over a large group that included – who else? – Brooks Koepka, the two-time defending champion.

Much farther back was Woods, who found more fairways but struggled on the greens, ranking 131st in the key putting statistic against the 156-man field. He flirted with the cut line until a birdie on the 16th kept him safe, and his 72 put him eight shots behind.

Woods wasn’t alone in his struggles. Rory McIlroy ran off four straight birdies around the turn and gave nearly all of the away with a triple bogey on the 12th hole, three-putting from 7 feet once he finally got on the green. He had a 69 and was seven shots behind. Justin Thomas, the world’s No. 1 player, also had to rally to make the cut on the number.

Li got as much attention for the logo on his hat – WeChat, the Chinese social media company and one of his biggest sponsors. Li was in the spotlight at Harding Park one day after President Donald Trump signed executive orders on a vague ban of WeChat and TikTok in 45 days.

Just as unclear was whether Li was aware of the development.

“I don’t know,” he said. “Who knows?”

Koepka was more worried about a tight hip that a nagging left knee, and he had a trainer come out to stretch and twist him three times along the back nine. It loosened him up enough for Koepka to post a 68. It’s the fifth time in his last eight majors that he has gone into the weekend within three shots of the lead.

“I felt like I probably could be 10 (under) right now,” he said. “Hit a lot of good putts, just didn’t go in. … But driving it pretty well. Iron play, I’m pretty pleased with. You know, I like where I’m at.”

Also at 6-under 134 were former PGA champion Jason Day (69), former U.S. Open champion Justin Rose (68), Tommy Fleetwood (64), Daniel Berger (67) and Mike Lorenzo-Vera of France, who closed with a 15-foot bogey putt for a 68.

Adam Hadwin (71) of Abbostford, B.C., was tied for 31st at 1 under. Mackenzie Hughes (68) of Dundas, Ont., was tied for 60th at 1 over. Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., and Nick Taylor, also from Abbotsford, both missed the cut.

Two dozen players were separated by five shots at the halfway point.

Li is a two-time winner on the European Tour, most recently in 2018 at the Dubai Desert Classic when he rallied down the stretch to beat McIlroy by one shot.

He was sensational in the final round of the 2017 British Open at Royal Birkdale – only five other players have 63 in the final round of a major. But he had a terrible week in his Presidents Cup debut at Royal Melbourne in December. When he first came to America, he made fast friends on the developmental tours with his constant laughter, engaging personality and aggressive play.

“He’s got the arsenal to take it low,” said Adam Scott, his teammate at Royal Melbourne. “But we don’t see that kind of consistency out of him, and that probably matches his personality a little bit. He’s young, though, and that’s the kind of golf he plays. He plays pretty much all guns blazing, and when it comes off, it’s really good.”

And when it doesn’t? He beat Koepka in the Match Play last year and reached the round of 16. But that was his last top 10 in America. And then there was the Presidents Cup.

Li brought his trainer to be his caddie, and the caddie got lost on the course during a practice round, gave up and headed for the clubhouse. Instead of finding him, Li played the rest of the round out of another player’s bag. International captain Ernie Els wound up benching him for two days, playing Li only when he had to. Li lost both matches he played.

“It’s been very tough on me, the Presidents Cup, because I didn’t play until Saturday,” Li said. “So not quite in the Presidents that way, actually. But anyways, good experience.”

Another one awaits.

Li was seen at the practice range and putting green much of the afternoon, although Golf Channel reported he had gone to rental home for lunch and a nap. True, there’s not much to do during health protocols in place for the pandemic. And he’s young enough that energy shouldn’t be a problem.

But it sets up Saturday as a critical day, for Li and for Koepka, for Woods and Dustin Johnson, for everyone chasing a major championship trophy that hasn’t been awarded since the British Open a year ago in July.

WINNIPEG – Canada Life is proud to announce they will support charitable causes at the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada-affiliated Canada Life Series. Canada Life will donate $5 to charity for every birdie made and $20 for every eagle made over the course of this four-event golf series.

“We’re proud to support Canadian golfers through the Canada Life Series. Adding a charitable component to the events made sense and is another way we can help Canadians,” said Jeff Macoun, President and Chief Operating Officer, Canada, Canada Life. “This program will also add another element of competition to the tournaments, which is always fun. We’re eager to see how many birdies and eagles are made.”

The Mackenzie Tour created the Canada Life Series to give Canadian-based players the opportunity to continue pursuing their goals in a season where international events have been suspended. The series features two 54-hole events at Bear Mountain Golf & Tennis Resort Community in Langford, BC and two more at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, ON.

In B.C., donations from the Canada Life Birdies for Kids program will go to Canucks Autism Network (CAN). CAN was founded in 2008 by Vancouver Canucks co-owners, Paolo and Clara Aquilini, whose son has autism. CAN provides programs to individuals with autism and their families and works to promote acceptance and inclusion through community engagement and training initiatives in BC and beyond.

In Ontario, donations will go to Start2Finish. Start2Finish’s mission is to break the cycle of child poverty by providing ongoing educational support to at-risk children in Canada during their school years. Since its inception 20 years ago, Start2Finish has equipped over 100,000 children with vital opportunities and skills to help them build a cycle of success.  

“Charity is at the core of everything we do at the PGA TOUR and the charitable impact our events have in Canada is central to what we do week in and week out. This program is going to have a significant impact in these communities and provides a platform for players to give back in a unique way,” said Scott Pritchard, Mackenzie Tour Executive Director. “We are very familiar with Canucks Autism Network and Start2Finish. Both do amazing work, and we were only too happy to associate with these great organizations.”

SAN FRANCISCO – By now, it is becoming all too familiar.

The starter stepped to the microphone and kept to the PGA Championship tradition afforded its champions. One player gets the longest introduction. “Now on the tee, the 1999, 2000, 2006 and 2007 PGA Champion … Tiger Woods.”

And then silence.

It’s the eerie product of golf amid a pandemic, and even after two months of no spectators, the quiet can be jarring.

Also familiar – Brooks Koepka bringing his best to the majors.

Jason Day and Brendon Todd wound up in a share of the lead Thursday after an opening round packed with action, just not cheers. Each posted a 5-under 65 at Harding Park, where fog gave way to the sun and the wind eased just enough to make the public course accessible to reasonable scoring.

The one constant appears to be Koepka.

Just two weeks after he missed a cut and was so frustrated he said he heaved a club 70 yards during practice, he powered his way to six birdies for a 66 that left him in a large group one shot behind.

“It’s only 18 holes right now,” Koepka said. “I feel good. I feel confident. I’m excited for the next three days. I think I can definitely play a lot better. Just need to tidy a few things up, and we’ll be there come Sunday on the back nine.”

Day, trying to emerge from a slump that has kept him from winning since 2018 and contending in majors since 2016, hit an approach to 6 feet for birdie on No. 9, the second-toughest hole on the course at 518 yards for a par 4 at sea level.

Todd’s round was equally impressive. Playing in the afternoon, as the wind strengthened, Todd made seven birdies and finished with a 10-foot par putt.

Koepka is the two-time defending champion, presented the opportunity this week to become only the seventh player in the 160-year history of major championship golf to win the same major three years in a row. It was last done 64 years ago.

He’s still a little annoyed that he missed a similar chance last year down the Pacific coast at Pebble Beach, when he finished runner-up in his bid for a third straight U.S. Open.

Koepka hasn’t won in more than a year. His left knee has been bothering him since last August. No matter. After a slow start, he quickly moved his way up the leaderboard and stayed there with a series of key putts for par – and one 12-footer for bogey – that gave him an ideal start to this major.

He was at 66 with eight other players, a list that included former major winners Justin Rose, Martin Kaymer and Zach Johnson, rising star Xander Schauffele and tour rookie Scottie Scheffler.

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., was tied for 21st after a 2-under 68 round. Corey Conners (69) of Listowel, Ont., was tied for 36th, Mackenzie Hughes (73) of Dundas, Ont., was tied for 109th, and Nick Taylor (76) of Abbotsford was tied at 145th.

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Woods ran off three birdies in a four-hole stretch toward the end of his round that offset a few mistakes. He opened with a 68, a solid start for a 15-time major champion who has played just one tournament in the last six months.

Woods put a new putter into play – this one is a little longer, which he says helps him practice longer without straining his surgically repaired back – and it came in handy. He made a 30-foot birdie early. He was most pleased with a 20-foot par putt on No. 18 as he made the turn. And he was thrilled with the weather.

“I thought anything today in the red was going to be good,” Woods said.

In this case, there was a lot of good to go around. Just under one-third of the field –47 players – broke par. That included Bryson DeChambeau, who broke his driver on the seventh hole after another vicious swing. Oddly enough, it finally gave way when he leaned on it ever so slightly while picking up his tee.

He was able to replace it and challenged the lead – he was 4 under through 10 – until he slid back to a 68.

Instead of the wind and chill and the thick marine layer, it was pleasant enough to make this feel like a casual round of golf.

It sounded like that, too.

Woods is used to tournament golf in the COVID-19 era. Spectators have not been allowed at any tournament since the PGA Tour returned two months ago. It’s not less strange.

“It still funny,” Rory McIlroy said. “You know, `99, 2000, 2006, 2007 PGA champion, Tiger Woods. And then there’s nothing. That’s pretty interesting. That’s definitely different.”

McIlroy, Woods and Justin Thomas, the No. 1 player in the world, each started with a birdie on No. 10 to no applause. They still had the largest following in two months, some 60 people – reporters, photographers, camera crews, a few park rangers. And there were fans along the road beyond the fence on the 12th hole shouting for Woods.

McIlroy overcame three straight bogeys early in his round for an even-par 70. Thomas was going along fine until a pair of double bogeys, one on the seventh hole when his ball never came down from a Monterey Cypress tree. He shot 71.

The start was a good sign for Day, the former No. 1 player in the world, because he has struggled so much since his last win two years ago. His back gives him trouble. Off the course, his mother was battling lung cancer in Australia. And then he finally made a clean break from his longtime coach and lifetime mentor, Collin Swatton.

But he registered three top 10s coming into the PGA Championship, and his confidence is growing.

Ditto for Koepka. He missed the cut at the 3M Open in Minnesota two weeks ago, went home to Florida and during one range session was so frustrated he heaved a few clubs. But a quick video review and some technical work revealed his weight was on the wrong side. He made the adjustment and tied for second last week at a World Golf Championship.

And this is a major. Big Game Brooks is at his best in these.

“He seems to find his comfort zone in these tournaments, in these environments, for whatever reason that is,” McIlroy said. “I think we are all just lucky that he doesn’t find it every other week.”

TORONTO—With the Canada Life Series set to begin next week in Langford, British Columbia, a consortium of PGA TOUR players—past and present—have provided even more incentive for players to play well during the four-tournament Series.

Former PGA TOUR winner Ian Leggatt and 10 other players have each donated (CA) $1,000 that forms a bonus bursary that will be used to reward the player or players who shoot the low 18-hole round at each of the Canada Life Series’ tournaments. Every week, the player with the lowest single-day score will earn $2,750. In the event of more than one player shooting the low round, they will split that week’s money.

In addition to Leggatt, the organizer of this initiative, players who donated are Stephen Ames, Corey Conners, Graham DeLaet, Michael Gligic, Adam Hadwin, David Hearn, Mackenzie Hughes, Roger Sloan, Nick Taylor and Mike Weir, who all played on the Mackenzie Tour or its predecessor, the Canadian Tour, in their careers.

Created in partnership with the Golf Canada Foundation, the player bursary aligns with the Foundation’s support of high-performance golf, helping the next generation of athletes inspire Canadians of all ages and abilities.

“Golf Canada Foundation is excited to support this initiative through the Canada Life Series with the generous backing of Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada alumni,” Said Martin Barnard, CEO of Golf Canada Foundation. “Aspiring professionals working to advance their careers have had their competitive seasons impacted significantly during the pandemic, and we hope this bursary will help players emerge even stronger on the various Tours next year.”

“We’re pretty fortunate that we’ve been able to start playing again,” said Hadwin about the PGA TOUR’s season restart after the COVID-19 interruption to the schedule. “Not only that, but we’re pretty fortunate where we are in life, as well.

“Being on the PGA TOUR is the ultimate goal of all the guys who are playing,” continued Hadwin, a native of Abbotsford, B.C., who turned pro in 2009, played two years on the Mackenzie Tour’s predecessor—the Canadian Tour—before joining the PGA TOUR in 2015. “I think it’s our duty and job to pay it forward a little. A lot of us have come through the Mackenzie Tour. I know what it’s like traveling across (the country). You’re not making a ton of money and hoping to get to the next level. This is nice that we can help out and give those guys a little something extra to play for. It’s not much, but every little bit counts.”

The Canada Life Series at Bear Mountain: Mountain Course on Aug. 10-12 is the first of two back-to-back tournaments at Bear Mountain Golf & Tennis Resort Community. The final two events will be at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, each tournament open to Mackenzie Tour players and high-level professional and elite players living in Canada.

In June, the Mackenzie Tour canceled its 2020 season due to COVID-19. The Canada Life Series is a response to that cancellation, giving players competitive, money-making opportunities.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with the generosity of these players who understand what it’s like to be a young pro trying to make his way in professional golf,” said Scott Pritchard, Mackenzie Tour Executive Director. “It truly is a fraternity among Canadian professionals, and to have these 11 players provide this bonus money only enhances what we’re trying to accomplish with the Canada Life Series.”

A friendly east-west rivalry between Canada’s top PGA Tour golfers has been renewed the past two Tuesdays before being set aside for the event itself.

Nick Taylor, Mackenzie Hughes, Adam Hadwin and Corey Conners have practised together the past two weeks as the only Canadians in the field at the St. Jude Invitational and the PGA Championship. Taylor and Hadwin, who grew up playing together at Ledgeview Golf and Country Club in Abbotsford, B.C., have been a team in the practice rounds and Hughes and Conners, who were on Kent State’s golf team, have been a pair.

“We played today and – I like to call us the ‘West Coast Boys’ – we got smoked by the ‘East Coast Boys’ so they definitely had the best chirps today,” said Taylor on Tuesday shortly after leaving the course at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco.

“It’s great having close buddies playing in the same tournaments. Playing in the big tournaments together is great, we urge each other on to play well.”

Last week’s St. Jude Invitational was the first time four Canadians played in a World Golf Championship event. Conners was the low Canadian, tying for 30th, followed by Taylor (35), Hughes (44) and Hadwin (72).

Earlier this summer the quartet made Canadian golf history when they all cracked the top 100 of the world rankings. Hadwin is ranked 60th in the world, followed by Conners (65), Hughes (74) and Taylor (100).

“To have four Canadians in the WGC, to have four Canadians again this week, it’s a lot of fun,” said Hughes ahead of Tuesday’s practice round. “It’s a lot of fun to round out a foursome for these big tournament and go play and pair together.

“We’re all routing for each other. If it’s not going to be us that wins, it’d be really exciting if it’s one of our fellow countrymen.”

All four are avid sports fans too and with the NHL resuming its season, the fates of their favourite teams are a hot topic. Hughes, from Dundas, Ont., and Conners, from Listowel, Ont., support the Toronto Maple Leafs while Hadwin is an avid follower of the Vancouver Canucks.

“There wouldn’t be a whole lot of smack talk between us because we don’t really have a lot of smack to talk,” said Hughes with a laugh. “The Canucks haven’t won a Stanley Cup ever and the Leafs haven’t won one in a very long time.

“It’s tough for any of us to have much on each other.”

Taylor is the neutral party in the foursome when it comes to the NHL because he’s always followed the Canucks since he grew up in B.C., but also cheers for the Leafs because his father Jay is a Toronto fan.

“I don’t have a huge allegiance to either team, I just like watching hockey in general,” said Taylor, who noted that spending nights watching TV in their hotels is the norm for pro golfers given the PGA Tour’s strict rules about maintaining a bubble during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The PGA Championship isn’t the only major on schedule that will have four Canadians in the field. Taylor, Conners, and Hadwin will be joined by Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., at this year’s Masters in mid November.

There’s also the possibility of five Canadians being in the field at this year’s U.S. Open. Conners, Hughes, and Hadwin have all qualified to play at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y., in late September.

Taylor is in a decent position to qualify for that major if he makes one of three qualifications. He’d be in if he’s in the top 10 at the PGA Championship, the top 10 at the Wyndham Championship in two weeks, or in the top five players not otherwise exempt from last season’s FedEx Cup standings.

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Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., could also qualify for the U.S. Open if he’s in the top five of the Korn Ferry Tour rankings when they’re updated on Sunday. Pendrith, who also played at Kent State with Hughes and Conners, is third heading into this week’s Portland Open.

“To potentially have five guys at the U.S. Open, with Taylor, we’re set up well,” said Hughes. “I’m looking forward to the end of the year and seeing what we can do and hopefully making some splashes in the professional golf scene and keep that Canadian flag flying high.”