As a second-year member of Golf Canada’s National Amateur Squad, Brigitte Thibault has established herself as one of the country’s most promising amateurs.

Since the spring of 2019, the native of Rosemère, Que., has been playing some the best golf of her career.

After being selected as the only Canadian to compete at the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April of 2019, Thibault would go on to win the Ontario Women’s Amateur title and the Mountain West Conference Championship.

The second year Amateur Squad member is also a standout at Fresno State University. She’s carried the success from 2019 over to her junior year, having recorded six NCAA top ten finishes.

However, in early March, her collegiate season came to an end when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the suspension of the remaining tournaments on the NCAA schedule.

Faced with the unprecedented circumstances, the 21-year-old was extra cautious as she travelled back home to Rosemère, Que.

“First thought when travelling back to Canada was to stay healthy and take all the precaution possible to not catch anything. I knew that if I made a mistake, I could have put my family at risk,” she noted.

“Then quarantine was actually not as bad as I thought. It gave me enough time to think about my game plan, prepare my game plan, so when my 14 days were over, then I would be able to train and keep my routine as normal as possible,” added Thibault, who was recently selected to the NCAA All-Mountain West first team.

Given her recent stellar results on the golf course, it might be surprising for some to find out that Thibault did not start focusing on golf until the age of 15.

And while she was introduced to the sport prior that by her father, Daniel and her mother, Josee, it wasn’t something that she invested much time in to initially.

“My parents were members at a golf course back home and I remember of Sundays, we would always go eat at the course and afterwards we would hit some golf balls on the range. But it was always just for fun at the time,” Thibault recalled.

Growing up young Brigitte dedicated most of her time to cheerleading and gymnastics.

“Cheerleading was huge for my competitiveness. In cheerleading, you have this rush of energy that is boiling inside of you with so many people watching. You have to put yourself all in all the time. My work ethic really grew from cheerleading,” she pointed out.

“I was into cheerleading and gymnastics but all the flips and jumping was hard on my body.  So my parents suggested that I focus on golf instead. They have been playing golf for 30 years and wanted me to try it out,” said Thibault.

Faced with injuries, Thibault followed her parent’s suggestion and decided to shift her focus from cheerleading and gymnastics to golf.

“I really got started at the age of 15, and I remember having coaches approach me and telling me how raw my talent was,” she recalled.

Despite the relative late start, Thibault would make up for it with an all in approach.

“I was super focused. I was just trying to learn as much as I could. I would wake up at 5 a.m. and spend the whole day at the golf course,” she pointed out.

Thibault says she became inspired and fascinated by athletes who achieved greatness in their sport – such as Tiger Woods and the late great Kobe Bryant. She was impressed by their work ethic and level of dedication to their craft.

“I used to look for videos of them because I was always intrigued by their greatness and how obsessive they were about getting better and figuring out how to get to that next level. I have taken this same obsession and approach to my development in golf,” she revealed.

Thibault’s desire to achieve her own version of excellence on the golf course combined with her hard work and dedication would lead to impressive results.

In 2016, just two years after dedicating herself to the game of golf, the then 17-year-old Monday qualified for the CP Women’s Open.

Thibault remembers qualifying for the LPGA event, which was held at the Priddis Greens Golf & Country Club in Calgary, gave her confidence in her game, as well as, motivation to work even harder.

She also adds that playing in her first LPGA tournament at 17 was an eye-opening experience.

“I remember that my heart was racing like crazy and my energy level was so high. It felt like an out-of-body experience. All the golfers that I looked up to were sitting next to me having lunch and everything just seemed so surreal,” she recalled.

Thibault is glad to have been able to continue her development at Fresno State University.

“Being at Fresno State, the weather is always nice. And it’s great that I get to be play Division I golf with some of the best amateurs of the world,” said Thibault, who will be entering her senior year this autumn.

She’s also thankful to be part of Golf Canada’s National Team Program.

“The program has been great, we learn about the mental side of golf, and we learn about nutrition, physio, fitness and a lot of other things to be successful on the golf course and away from it,” noted the second year Amateur Squad member.

“I also love working with Tristan (Mullally) because he’s very direct and to the point and gives great feedback.”

The 21-year-old amateur standout credits continued improvements in her game for the recent success on the golf course.

Head Coach Tristan Mullally and Brigitte Thibault at a training camp in Phoenix, Ariz.

“My putter is starting to gain momentum and my short game is starting to step up.  I’ve also been working hard to improve on my wedge and approach,” pointed out Thibault, who is also known to show creativity on her shots.

Looking ahead, Thibault believes her all in approach will provide the opportunity to achieve her own version of greatness on the golf course.

“The game of golf is incredible and I would love to be able to play on the LPGA Tour one day and make an impact and do my part to bring the women’s game to the next level.”

And despite the restrictions from practicing social and physical distancing, Thibault’s long-term goals have kept her motivated and focused during the pandemic.

“I’m up at 5 a.m., filled with busy days and doing it all over again. My own personal growth and grind aren’t going to pause in regards to the conditions of COVID-19,” she said.

With golf courses across the country preparing to open up again, there is optimism that tournament golf will soon return. And when it does, the second year Amateur Squad member will surely be ready.

“I am actually working on all aspects of training – fitness wise, golf wise, and mentally. I’m doing my best to keep improving and being my best self.”

The Government of Saskatchewan has worked extensively with the National Allied Golf Association – Saskatchewan branch when it comes to playing golf in a safe manner amid COVID-19.

Golf in Saskatchewan was announced in the “Re-Open Saskatchewan” plan back in March with restrictions. The government has made alterations to the rules last Friday and released additional updates this afternoon including.

• A maximum of four players per group is permitted.
• Tee times must be a minimum of 12 minutes apart to avoid congestion on the course.
• Flags must remain in place and measures must be taken to prevent the ball from dropping in the hole, eliminating the need for players to contact the pin or cup. This may include such measures as leveling the cup, elevating the cup or installing a touch-free ball removal mechanism.
• Driving ranges and practice putting/chipping greens can open if physical distancing (minimum of two metres) is maintained. Range balls must be cleaned and disinfected between customers. For the practice putting/chipping greens, flags must remain in place and measures must be taken to prevent the ball from dropping in the hole. This may include such measures as leveling the cup, elevating the cup or installing a touch-free ball removal mechanism.
• Retail sales must follow the Clothing and Retail Guidelines on P. 35.
• Group lessons and tournaments are prohibited. League play and one-on-one lessons may occur if all other criteria are met.

More details can be found in the government’s announcement today. Golf course guidelines are now located on page 42.

Golf Saskatchewan, along with the Canadian Society of Club Managers Saskatchewan Branch, National Golf Course Owners Association Canada, Professional Golfers Association of Canada Saskatchewan Branch, and Saskatchewan Turfgrass Association want to thank the Province of Saskatchewan for their cooperation through the COVID-19 pandemic.

CLICK HERE FOR COVID-19 RULES OF GOLF AND RULES OF HANDICAPPING GUIDANCE

 * Updated July 13, 2020

The COVID-19 global pandemic is a difficult time for Canadians and Golf Canada stands with our entire golf community during this unprecedented time.

We all love the game for the escape it provides and its positive impact on our physical, social and mental well-being.

We continue to urge golfers to follow the guidelines from health and governmental officials to keep you and those around you safe, and to minimize any possible exposure to coronavirus. This is especially true on a golf course, where golfers, workers and operators should heighten their level of awareness on exposure to surfaces like flagsticks, golf balls, bunker rakes, tees, carts and scorecards. We all need to do our part to respect expert advice and make the right decisions to protect each other.

It is not the intended purpose of the below guidance to either encourage or discourage anyone from playing the game, but rather, in our governance role, to help golf course operators, committees and golfers better understand how the Rules of Golf and Rules of Handicapping apply to the various questions received by the governing bodies.

The Modernized Rules of Golf were drafted to offer each Committee the flexibility to make decisions as to how golf is played at their course or in competition and the Committee Procedures section of the Official Guide to the Rules of Golf (available online here) offers a significant amount of guidance and recommendations on how to address circumstances unique to each course or competition.

This flexibility will prove to be very helpful as Committees look to address many of the challenges they are facing within the current environment. While the Committee Procedures section is a tremendous resource and has much to offer, many of the current questions were not originally contemplated under the Rules of Golf and therefore there is no history or guidance provided. To better address the questions that have come about because of these unique circumstances and the related challenges, additional guidance can be accessed by clicking here. This will continue to be updated as additional questions are received.

As active seasons start to open across the country, we would like to discuss impacts on Handicapping.  From the perspective of the Rules of Handicapping, the most frequent questions received are primarily related to the acceptability of scores for posting to a player’s scoring record. In particular, to modifying the hole and not requiring the player to “hole out” as required under the Rules of Golf. These are founded in a desire to minimize the possibility of exposing golfers to coronavirus and have included leaving the hole liner raised above the putting surface or placing various objects into the hole so the ball can be more easily removed. In these specific cases, ensuring guidance from health and governmental officials is being followed, a temporary measure is in place in Canada to accept scores played under these conditions for handicap purposes using the most likely score guidelines (Rule 3.3, Rules of Handicapping), even though the player has not holed out.

Please remember that this temporary measure is now in effect within Canada until advised otherwise by Golf Canada.

For more information and detailed guidance, please contact your Provincial Golf Association or Golf Canada.

HOBE SOUND, Fla. – The next match involving Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson involves a $10 million donation for COVID-19 relief efforts, along with plenty of bragging rights in a star-powered foursome May 24 at Medalist Golf Club.

Turner Sports announced more details Thursday for “The Match: Champions for Charity,” a televised match between Woods and Peyton Manning against Mickelson and Tom Brady.

Medalist is where Woods plays when he’s at home. Manning and Brady said they have played there before – Manning running out of golf balls before reaching the 18th, Brady posting a 106.

The format will be better ball for the front nine and modified alternate shot on the back nine, meaning both players hit tee shots and they take turns from there.

You know I had to come in hot with a little trash talk, but as usual, he got the better of me ?

Looking forward to getting back to golf and teaming with @TomBrady against @TigerWoods and Peyton.

Even more excited to raise money for those in need during these difficult times. pic.twitter.com/jp1ten4UqH

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) May 7, 2020

It will be simulcast on May 24 at 3 p.m. EDT on TNT, TBS, truTV and HLN, along with pre-match coverage available on the Bleacher Report app.

WarnerMedia and the four players will collectively make a charitable donation of $10 million to benefit various relief efforts locally and nationally. Turner said the match includes a partnership with the “All In Challenge,” an initiative that provides food for those in need.

Mickelson beat Woods in a playoff under the lights in Las Vegas over Thanksgiving weekend in 2018. This time, they are bringing in two of the NFL’s greatest quarterbacks to add to the entertainment.

The announcement came with a video interview by TNT’s Ernie Johnson of the four players, in which Brady said he wanted Woods as a partner until Manning’s father called to switch the teams.

The match will be held one week after live golf returns to television for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic shut down the PGA Tour and other tours around the world. Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson will play a charity match against Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff at Seminole Golf Club, one of Florida’s most famous courses that will have a televised event for the first time.

ACTON, ON (May 6, 2020) — The PGA of Canada, together with title sponsor DCM, has made the difficult decision to cancel the DCM PGA Women’s Championship of Canada amid the COVID-19 public health crisis.

The championship was slated for June 8-10 at Oshawa Golf & Curling Club.

“Knowing how much this event means to those who compete in it, we are disappointed to have to make this decision,” says Adam LeBrun, managing director of championships and foundation at the PGA of Canada. “As always, our top priority remains the health and safety of our players, staff and volunteers. We are evaluating several options to provide our female members with the opportunity to compete later in the season when it is safe and responsible to do so. We look forward to providing updates when more information becomes available.”

It should also be noted that female PGA of Canada professionals are eligible to participate in other national member championships with a reduced yardage as approved by the association’s board of directors last November. The policy can be seen here.

The event has drawn an impressive field of domestic and international talent in recent years thanks to the combined efforts of the association and lead sponsor DCM, who has demonstrated a tremendous commitment to the betterment ofwomen’s professional golf.

“We are proud partners of the PGA of Canada, and continue to support opportunities for female professional golfers to compete and develop as athletes, be it through this championship or our Power Up Bursary program,” says DCM President and CEO Greg Cochrane. “We are committed to this partnership and will be working with the PGA of Canada to conduct this national championship for years to come.”

DCM continues to actively support female golfers through the Power Up Bursary; the 2019-2020 recipients are Casey Ward, Megan Osland, Josée Doyon, Elizabeth Tong, Maddie Szeryk, Selena Costabile (also a Power Up recipient for 2018-2019), and Jessica Porvasnik, winner of the DCM PGAWomen’s Championship of Canada in 2018.

The storied national championship, which was first contested in 1987, has seen several notable players hoist the trophy, including Cathy Sherk, Nancy Harvey, Lorie Kane, Brooke Henderson, and last year’s winner Rebecca Lee-Bentham, to name a few.

Lee-Bentham set the course record at the Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto last July, winning in spectacular fashion after shooting a final-round 9-under-par 63.

Announcements for all other upcoming PGA of Canada national championships will be made closer to the event dates.

LAUSANNE, Switzerland – The International Golf Federation announced today that the 2020 World Amateur Team Championships scheduled for October have been cancelled due to the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This decision follows the IGF’s announcement in February that the biennial event for men and women, originally to be held in Hong Kong, was moving to Singapore due to ongoing social unrest in Hong Kong.

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the IGF continued to work with the Singapore Golf Association (SGA) to host both competitions at Tanah Merah Country Club and Sentosa Golf Club on the same dates as planned, with the Espirito Santo Trophy for women scheduled from October 14-17 and the Eisenhower Trophy for men from October 21-24.

“This unprecedented decision was due to the global COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty that this has caused to ensuring that the 2020 WATC could be staged successfully,” said IGF Executive Director Antony Scanlon. “But most importantly, it was made to safeguard the health and safety of all athletes, officials and volunteers at the 2020 WATC, to which there was no certainty that this risk could be mitigated to an acceptable level.”

“I would also note that we gave thoughtful consideration to postponing the Championships to 2021,” Scanlon continued. “However, this would have created considerable scheduling and logistical issues that were insurmountable, plus we still could not say with absolute certainty that we could hold it without risk next year. Therefore, it is preferred that the IGF look forward to focusing on and delivering a wonderful 2022 event in France.”

Dating back to 1958, the World Amateur Team Championships include up to 72 countries competing in 72 holes of stroke play competition. Each country fields two or three players with the two lowest scores counting per round.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – The Korn Ferry Tour announced today additional modifications and details regarding the restart of the 2020 schedule and a fall calendar of events that will be part of a one-time, combined 2020-21 Korn Ferry Tour season.

The announcement of a fall schedule comes after the PGA TOUR announced last week that, due to circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the cancelation or postponement of 13 events from the 2019-20 TOUR Season, eligibility has been extended for exempt 2019-20 PGA TOUR members for the 2020-21 season. These adjustments will result in the Korn Ferry Tour not having a graduating class in 2020; however, the TOUR has established a performance benefit for the top 10 from the Korn Ferry Tour points list following the conclusion of the 2020 Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance. Those players will be granted access into all PGA TOUR additional events for the 2020-21 season.

The newly created 2020-21 Korn Ferry Tour schedule that will bridge two seasons will conclude with 25 PGA TOUR cards awarded at the 2021 WinCo Foods Portland Open presented by KraftHeinz, with an additional 25 cards awarded at the conclusion of the 2021 Korn Ferry Tour Finals.

With six events completed through the El Bosque Mexico Championship by INNOVA, the remaining 2020 schedule – subject to change – now consists of 23 events. Korn Ferry Tour events to be contested in 2021 as part of the combined 2020-21 schedule will be announced later this year.

“While we won’t have the opportunity to graduate a Korn Ferry Tour Class in 2020, we feel our reimagined wraparound schedule – with newly created playing opportunities – is the best solution to our season that has been disrupted by the COVID-19 crisis,” said Korn Ferry Tour President Alex Baldwin. “We greatly appreciate the support of our tournaments, title sponsors and Player Advisory Council in getting to this point. As we’ve said on several occasions, we will resume play only when it is deemed safe to do so by leading health authorities and government agencies and our tournaments do not negatively impact the critical efforts in the healthcare world and our communities.”

The restart to the 2020 Korn Ferry Tour season will begin as previously announced with the Korn Ferry Challenge at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. The event will now be followed by a second event in Northeast Florida at The King & Bear Course at World Golf Village in St. Augustine. This new tournament takes the place of the Wichita Open Supporting Wichita’s Youth, which will move to one of the newly created fall dates.

The Utah Championship presented by Zions Bank – the Tour’s first event back on Golf Channel – will remain as scheduled the week of June 22-28 in Farmington, Utah, while the TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes in Berthoud, Colorado, moves up one week into the June 29-July 5 date.

Following the TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes, the Tour will contest two new events at TPC San Antonio – host of the PGA TOUR’s Valero Texas Open – in back-to-back weeks, starting July 6-18. The first event will be played on the Canyons Course, while the second event would be hosted on the Oaks Course, which is the official tournament course for the Valero Texas Open.

“As we look toward a return to golf, the health and safety of everyone associated with the Korn Ferry Tour and our communities will remain our No. 1 priority,” said Baldwin. “With the impact sustained thus far to our 2020 schedule, it was imperative that we strive to create new playing opportunities for our membership, including these four events that were not on our original schedule.”

The Lincoln Land Championship presented by LRS in Springfield, Illinois, will move from the week of July 13-19 to one of the new fall dates, which leaves the Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper in Springfield, Missouri, as the first of six events on the original 2020 calendar that will remain as scheduled through the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance.

In addition to the Lincoln Land Championship presented by LRS and the Wichita Open Supporting Wichita’s Youth, the Evans Scholars Invitational in Chicago, and the Savannah Golf Championship in Savannah, Georgia, were also rescheduled for the new fall season. The inaugural Orange County National Championship presented by Knight 39 will be played near Orlando the week of October 5-11.

Revised 2020 Korn Ferry Tour Season schedule

• June 8-14: Korn Ferry Challenge at TPC Sawgrass, TPC Sawgrass (Dye’s Valley), Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
• June 15-20: The King & Bear Classic at World Golf Village, The King & Bear GC at World Golf Village, St. Augustine, Florida (Saturday finish)
• June 22-28: Utah Championship presented by Zions Bank, Oakridge CC, Farmington, Utah
• June 29-July 5: TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes, TPC Colorado, Berthoud, Colorado
• July 6-12: TPC San Antonio Challenge at the Canyons, TPC San Antonio (Canyons Course), San Antonio, Texas
• July 13-18: TPC San Antonio Championship at the Oaks, TPC San Antonio (Oaks Course), San Antonio, Texas (Saturday finish)
• July 20-26: Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper, Highland Springs CC, Springfield, Missouri
• July 27-August 2: Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Aetna, The Club at Indian Creek, Omaha, Nebraska
• August 3-9: WinCo Foods Portland Open presented by KraftHeinz, Pumpkin Ridge GC (Witch Hollow), North Plains, Oregon
• August 10-16: Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft Nabisco, Hillcrest CC, Boise, Idaho
• August 17-23: Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, Ohio State University GC (Scarlet Course), Columbus, Ohio
• August 24-30: Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance, Victoria National GC, Newburgh, Indiana
• August 31-September 6: Lincoln Land Championship presented by LRS, Panther Creek CC, Springfield, Illinois
• September 7-13 : Evans Scholars Invitational, TBD, Chicago, Illinois
• September 21-27: Wichita Open Supporting Wichita’s Youth, Crestview CC, Wichita, Kansas
• September 28-October 4: Savannah Golf Championship, The Landings Club (Deer Creek), Savannah, Georgia
• October 5-11: Orange County National Championship presented by Knight 39, Orange County Golf Center & Lodge (Panther Lake), Winter Garden, Florida

The Korn Ferry Tour will resume play with at least the first four events closed to the general public while continuing to monitor the COVID-19 situation and follow the recommendations of local and state authorities in order to determine the most appropriate on-site access in each market. Decisions on fan attendance at all events thereafter will be dependent on available protocols that could be implemented to ensure the health and well-being for all involved.

For more information on the Korn Ferry Tour, please visit PGATOUR.com.

TORONTO ― The Ontario government has announced it is allowing certain businesses and workplaces to reopen as long as they comply with strict public health measures and operate safely during the COVID-19 outbreak.

As part of the announcement which took place this afternoon, Ontario golf courses were granted the ability to  prepare their courses for the upcoming season, but not open to the public. The resolution takes effect Monday, May 4 at 12:01 a.m. EDT.

Prior to the announcement, golf facilities could complete essential work that allowed them to preserve  their courses, such as mowing and brush clearing. As pointed out in this article by TSN’s Bob Weeks, additional work such as bunker preparation, gardening, stump removal, hiring of seasonal staff and more, will now be permitted.

There is no specific timeline set for Ontario courses to open their doors for play.

On April 27, the government released A Framework for Reopening the Province, which outlines the criteria Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health and health experts are using to advise the government on the loosening of emergency measures, as well as guiding principles for the safe, gradual reopening of businesses, services and public spaces.

Alberta Golf (Calgary) – Alberta’s Covid-19 relaunch strategy will see golf courses open across the province as early as Saturday, May 2nd. The news delivered by Alberta Premier Jason Kenny during a Thursday afternoon briefing.

Courses will operate under the NAGA-AB protocol document created over the past month. NAGA-AB consists of Alberta Golf, The PGA of Alberta, along with golf course General Managers, Owners and Superintendents.

NAGA-AB President Robert Rousselle said the hard work this past month of the entire golf course industry led to the good news.

“We are excited and support the Government of Alberta position on this afternoon’s announcement. The National Allied Golf Association of Alberta (NAGA-AB’s) role from day one was to be part of the solution at all levels.” Rousselle said.

“We worked closely with all segments of our industry and government to support them with the proper tools to be successful with the prevention of COVID-19 challenges. The opening of the Golf Industry is a positive step forward in helping Albertans with mental health, physical activity and the recovery of our provincial economy. I have to congratulate the NAGA-AB team for the determination and accomplishment for the past month of hard work to develop a robust document to protect our guests, members and industry employees.”

Click here to view the NAGA-AB Protocol Document.