CALGARY — The Shaw Charity Classic, with the support of the PGA TOUR Champions, has decided to cancel the 2020 edition of the award-winning professional golf event scheduled for August 24-30, 2020, at Calgary’s Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club.

With the direction of provincial medical and government leaders and international travel restrictions, the official decision comes after the City of Calgary cancelled all event permits through to August 31, 2020, in an effort to minimize the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

“Over the past few weeks, we have had extensive meetings with all of our key stakeholders including the PGA TOUR, along with our generous corporate partners and vendors. We’ve determined that, after weighing all options, it was best to press pause and focus on bringing golf fans back together in 2021,” said Sean Van Kesteren, executive director, Shaw Charity Classic.

“Community is at the heart of the Shaw Charity Classic. Our mission with this event has always been to make a positive impact on Alberta’s youth, and we will remain committed to doing that throughout the summer.”

Title sponsor Shaw Communications announced its commitment to continue supporting the kids and youth who depend on the tournament by contributing $1 million to match community donations through the Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink program.

“The real winners of the Shaw Charity Classic have always been the hundreds of thousands of kids and youth across Alberta who rely on charitable organizations for support in areas such as food security, healthcare, mental wellness, and much more,” said Brad Shaw, Executive Chair and CEO, Shaw Communications. “Charity has always been at the heart of this tournament, and this year it is even more important. While we are unable to physically come together this year, we are absolutely committed to working with the community and our amazing partners to continue the Shaw Charity Classic’s incredible legacy of giving.”

The Patron group behind bringing many of golf’s biggest stars to Calgary over the last seven years already donated $100,000 in April to be split among four local organizations (Mustard Seed, Calgary Food Bank, Meals on Wheels and Inn from the Cold) supporting the city’s pandemic relief efforts.

Since its inception in 2013, the lone PGA TOUR Champions event in Canada has raised more than $48 million for 213 youth-based charities across the province through its Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink program.

With more than 200 Alberta kids’ charities benefitting, Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink will continue to match donations through 2020.

Adam Hadwin feels like it’s been back to normal on the PGA Tour, albeit a little less social when walking around Colonial Country Club this week.

Hadwin, from Abbotsford, B.C., is one of three Canadians in the field at the Charles Schwab Challenge this week, the first full PGA Tour event since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the men’s golf circuit to put its schedule on hold. Hadwin arrived at Colonial in Fort Worth, Texas, on Sunday and said that although there are strict protocols in place to protect players and tournament staff, things are relatively normal.

“I don’t know if anything would be weird,” said Hadwin on Tuesday. “Normally, I would walk into the Calloway equipment trailer and chat and sit down and say hi to everybody and all of that stuff but we’re not allowed to go in there anymore.

“The strangest thing is probably just the limited contact that we have with people. We’re so used to dealing with multiple people during the week, having conversations with certain people.”

The unscheduled break from the PGA Tour came at a good time for Hadwin, as his wife Jessica gave birth to their daughter Maddox in early January. Although the Hadwin family planned to travel together throughout the season, the stoppage in play because of the pandemic meant they were able to stay together near Jessica’s hometown of Wichita, Kansas.

“It was nice to be with them in one location at our home and you know kind of be able to control everything and just get that extra time,” said Hadwin, who was able to practice regularly as golf courses remained open in the state of Kansas.

Although Hadwin could have driven to the Charles Schwab Challenge – it’s a little over five hours from Wichita to Fort Worth – he elected to fly so he would have a little extra time with Jessica and Maddox.
Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., and Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., are the other Canadians in the field.

All players and event organizers at Colonial have to undergo a COVID-19 test more than a mile away from the clubhouse. After a test comes back negative – and to date, everyone has tested negative – the personnel are issued a bright orange wristband or lanyard so their status is apparent to everyone.

The clubhouse itself is split into zones, by floor, with people inside “the bubble” kept separate from those outside of it. Some of the services that are usually part of any PGA Tour stop have been done away with. The usual buffet-style lunch in the players’ clubhouse is now a grab-and-go boxed meal.

“We decided to err on the side of caution,” said tournament director Michael Tothe, who is from Limehouse, Ont. “Making sure that they all feel good and we stripped back a lot of the services again just to kind of set the table that we’re back, we want to do it right.”

A complement of 1,600 volunteers are usually present at the Charles Schwab Challenge but without any fans in attendance – and in an effort to maintain physical distancing – that number has been reduced to between 300 and 400 volunteers this year, said Tothe.

The volunteers will still help spot balls and measure distances, but an entire detail of them are dedicated to regularly disinfecting surfaces. Every player, staff member, and volunteer has also been issued hand sanitizer, a face mask, and three packs of disinfectant wipes.

Although Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an order on May 28 allowing sporting events to have spectators up to 25 per cent of a venue’s capacity, Tothe said the order came too late for fans to be permitted at the Charles Schwab Challenge.

With all golf courses across Canada permitted to open, golfers are encouraged to post their scores when they tee it up this season.

Posting your scores is important to maintain a consistent Handicap Index as part of the unified World Handicap System.

As a safety measure under COVID-19 protocols, golfers are not permitted to use kiosks found at local clubs or pro shops until further notice to reduce social touch points.

Login at golfcanada.ca 

• Visit golfcanada.ca
• Click “Post a Score”
• Login using your member credentials
  • If you have forgotten your password, follow the prompts or click here
    

    

Post your score

• Choose the golf course
• Enter all applicable information
• Members are encouraged to post scores hole-by-hole in order to ensure the correct adjustment of Net Double Bogey (your maximum hole score for handicap purposes)

Post using the Golf Canada mobile app 

• Open the mobile app on your Apple or Android device
• Tap the Post a Score button
• Choose the golf course
• Members are encouraged to enter hole-by-hole scores
• Post your score

How do I track my stats?

• Members can enter their statistics for each game by selecting which stats they wish to maintain such as Fairways in Regulation (FIR), Putts, Penalty Strokes, Driving Distance etc.
• Post their score Hole-By-Hole and select “Yes” in the “Track Stats” bar.
• Enter in the statistical fields they wish to track and click “Post Score.”

How do I delete or edit a score?

Members can edit their scores at any time but can only delete an unedited score within 24 hours from the time the score was posted. After 24 hours or if an edit has been made, only the club administrator can delete a score. Scores that are edited will be denoted by a “#” beside the score in the scoring record.

• Click on the “Pencil” icon to the right of the appropriate score.
• Make the adjustment(s) to the score and click “Post Score.”
  • There may be some clubs that have changed their default setting (which may not allow golfers to edit or delete at all).

What if the course I played isn’t found in the directory?

If the club a golfer is looking for is not listed, please notify Golf Canada at members@golfcanada.ca or 1.800.263.0009 x4520. All member courses in Canada will appear in the course directory. Please note that courses that are not current members in Canada do not have valid course and slope ratings and scores from these courses cannot be entered for handicap purposes.

Not a member? Join Canada’s largest golf community here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chemical Engineering major and Canadian LPGA Tour golfer Brittany Marchand offers up a home schooling lesson where we investigate how the size and weight of a golf ball will affect the distance and speed that the ball travels.

View more from this series here.

Tom Brady delivered the shot of the match that made it easy to forget the rest of his swings. Tiger Woods didn’t miss a fairway and earned a small measure of revenge against Phil Mickelson.

The PGA Tour is set to return in just over two weeks, and it has a tough act to follow.

In the second and final charity match that brought live golf to TV, this exhibition was as entertaining as the real thing.

Woods lagged a long birdie putt close enough that his partner, Peyton Manning, didn’t have to putt. That secured a 1-up victory over Mickelson and Brady in “The Match: Champions for Charity.”

The goal was to raise $10 million or more for COVID-19 relief funds, and online donations sent money climbing toward about twice that much.

This made-for-TV exhibition would have been worth pay-per-view, the model Woods and Mickelson used for a $9 million winner-take-all match in Las Vegas over Thanksgiving weekend in 2018 that Mickelson won in a playoff under lights. It felt forced, lacked banter and turned out to free because of technical issues.

Throw in two NFL greats in Brady and Manning, and this allowed viewers to ride along for 18 holes at Medalist Golf Club among four of the biggest stars in sports.

Justin Thomas pitched in as an on-course reporter, bringing a mixture of humour and insight with the right amount of words.

Woods and Manning took the lead on the third hole and never trailed, building a 3-up lead in fourballs on the front nine, with Manning making two birdies (one was a net par).

Brady, whose six Super Bowl titles are more than any NFL quarterback in history, took a beating on social media and in the broadcast booth from Charles Barkley, who twice offered $50,000 of his own money toward charity if Brady just hit the green on a par 3. He missed so far right it would be comparable to a pass that landed three rows into the stands.

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton weighed in on Twitter, noting Brady signing as a free agent with Tampa Bay by saying he liked the “Florida” Brady much better.

Brooks Koepka offered $100,000 if Brady could just make a par.

I’ll donate 100k through the @bkcharityfund if @TomBrady makes a par on the front 9 #TheMatch #TNT

— Brooks Koepka (@BKoepka) May 24, 2020

One shot shut everyone up.

Never mind that Brady had to take a penalty drop before getting back to the fairway on the par-5 seventh. With his fourth shot, with Barkley needling him relentlessly, Brady’s shot landed beyond the pin and spun back into the cup.

“Shut your mouth, Chuck,” said Brady, whose microphone piece dangled off the back of his pants.

Woods still thought he won the hole with a 25-foot eagle putt that instead spun hard off the back of the lip. All that, and they ended up halving the hole.

Never doubt @TomBrady.

Charles Barkley learned the hard way … pic.twitter.com/muZ0xkt5xJ

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 24, 2020

Donations for COVID-19 relief funds kept piling up, and the entertainment didn’t stop even as the rain returned. It caused a 45-minute delay at the start, and as Woods said on the practice range, “I don’t normally play in conditions like this.”

Mickelson brought out his “Tiger Slayer” putter that he used to shoot 64 at Pebble Beach in 2012, the last time they were in the final group on the PGA Tour. Woods shot 75 that day. It didn’t help Lefty with a few critical birdie putts to square the match, though he rolled in a 15-foot par putt to stay 1 down with two to play.

The back nine was modified alternate shot – all players hit tee shots, and it was alternate shot from there. It was key for the quarterbacks to find the fairway for the pros to hit shots into the green, and Brady came through until the 18th.

Woods was playing for the first time since Feb. 16 when he finished last at Riviera in Los Angeles. He chose not to play the next four weeks with his back not feeling just right, and then the pandemic shut down golf and sports worldwide.

Woods looked sharp for the most part, with his game and his words. Mickelson on the fifth hole asked Woods to mark his ball from some 80 yards away.

“You want me to mark with a U.S. Open medal?” said Woods, a three-time champion of the only major Mickelson hasn’t won.

“Do you have one? I have some silver ones,” Mickelson said, referring to his record six runner-up finishes.

Mickelson boasted about taking Woods down on his home course at Medalist, and now their TV matches are tied at 1, even with each getting a little help. Mickelson says he was a little nervous on the front nine until he found his groove, driving the green on the par-4 11th with Brady making a 20-footer for eagle that began their rally.

“Phil said he was nervous. I know Tom and I were comparing notes,” Manning said. “To be behind the ropes in these guys’ worlds, to be in the arena with them, it was really a special experience. I was not comfortable the entire time. Knowing $20 million was raised and helping people going through tough times, it was an honour to be invited.

“It’s something I’ll always remember.”