MARKHAM, Ont. —The world’s best young female golfers took over Markham’s Angus Glen Golf Club on Tuesday as the 2019 World Junior Girls Championship got underway on one of the GTA’s favourite tracks.

Under the watchful eyes of several NCAA golf coaches that have made the journey north, Round one was clearly a high-scoring affair since only three competitors managed to navigate the challenging South Course under par: Thailand’s Yosita Khawnuna, Yin Xiaowen of China and Ye Won Lee of Korea, who all share the individual lead at one under par after rounds of 71.

Khawnuna was in the lead for a large portion of the day before stumbling near the end of her round with a bogey at 17 and a double bogey at 18which erased the three-shot lead she had built after a terrific birdie on the par-5 hole No. 16.

It was an equally tight contest in the team competition as the top three squads are only separated by two shots, with Korea paving the way on an aggregate score of minus -1 (143), followed closely by Thailand at even par (144) and England in third at plus +1 (145).

Team Thailand, headlined by 2018 World Junior Girls champion Atthaya Thitikul who went one over on the day (73), is looking to build on its success after claiming bronze last year in Ottawa. The third member of the team, Kan Bunnabodee concluded with a 73 as well to sit T8.

Looking for background into the World Junior Girls Championship @AngusGlenGC? Our junior reporter @Abigail_Dove10 from @SIKids has you covered! ⛳️??‍♀️#WJGC pic.twitter.com/bOvvGcAk3q

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) September 24, 2019

In a post-match interview, Thitikul, Bunnabodee and Khawnuna agreed that many challenges await on this golf course. The Thai team looks forward to having another go at it tomorrow: “We need to just let go and tomorrow will be better. Today is over and we just need to go and practise the things that we need to do (better). Just stick to the game plan and we will be better,” said Bunnabodee, speaking on behalf of the squad.

As the organizing federation, Canada can delegate two squads to the Championship.

Canada 1, which comprises Brooke Rivers (Brampton, Ont.), Euna Han (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Emily Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.) sit in a tie for 9^th with Scotland. Canada 2, which includes Lauren Kim and Angela Arora of Surrey, B.C., with Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont.), trails behind at T13 with Spain and Wales. Rivers was the low Canadian today with a 2-over-par 74, which leaves her only three shots shy of the lead.

Team Canada is looking for its first medal since capturing bronze at the first ever World Junior Girls in 2014.

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, the World Junior Girls Championship is in its sixth edition.

Play resumes at 8 AM on Wednesday. Full results and tournament information can be found here.

Admission to the competition is free. Additional information regarding the sixth annual World Junior Girls Championship can be found on the competition’s website.

MARKHAM, Ont. — It is a field comprised of some of the planet’s best young female golfers that will display their skills at Angus Glen Golf Club, as the sixth edition of the World Junior Girls Championship gets underway from September 24 to 27. In total, 60 athletes representing 19 countries—including two teams from host nation Canada—will compete for the team and individual titles.

“In collaboration with Golf Ontario and our partners, we are thrilled to present this first-class event featuring some the most promising female athletes the world of golf has to offer,” said Dan Hyatt, Tournament Director for the World Junior Girls Championship. “It is an honour for us to afford these talented juniors an opportunity to continue their growth and development.”

This year’s field is highlighted by 11 competitors ranked inside the World Golf Amateur Rankings (WAGR) top 100. The tournament’s top-ranked player is 2018 World Junior Girls individual champion Atthaya Thitikul (No. 2), who will represent last year’s bronze medal winners Thailand in the country’s second World Junior Girls appearance. Thitikul, the reigning Thailand Ladies Amateur champion, won the Smyth Salver award as the Low Amateur at the 2019 AIG Women’s British Open, captured the 2019 Ladies European Tour Thailand Championship and has now competed in 10 professional events worldwide.

England is the only country in the tournament to have all three team members ranked in WAGR’s top 100. Lily May Humphreys (No. 29) will make her third WJG appearance and try to improve on her T7 finish in 2017. Joining her at Markham’s Angus Glen will be Annabell Fuller (No. 46) and Euphemie “Mimi” Rhodes (No. 95).

Returning champions Italy will be able to rely on Alessia Nobilio (No. 7) to lead the team. Nobilio will look to add to her record WJG individual medal haul after capturing silver medals in 2017 and 2018. The 17-year-old, who has seven top-ten finishes this year including two victories, will be joined by newcomers Carolina Melgrati (No. 115) and Benedetta Moresco (No. 34). The trio will look to bring a third World Junior Girls team medal to Italy.

The 2019 edition of the Championship will see several players return, as 17 members of the field have played in at least one World Junior Girls Championship, including double individual silver medallist Nobilio (Italy) who became the first repeat medallist in tournament history in Ottawa last year. Six players will be appearing in at least their third edition of the event, including Canadians Ellie Szeryk (No. 724) and Emily Zhu (No. 977), Switzerland’s Elena Moosman (No. 97), Mexico’s Cory Lopez (No. 314) and England’s Humphreys. Nobilo will make a record fourth appearance at the Championship.

Sweden will look to add a fourth team medal to their trophy case after earning one silver (2014) and two bronze medals (2015 and 2017). As the only Swedish player returning to the championship, Ester Fägersten (No. 180) will be joined by first-timers Louise Rydqvist (No. 439) and Sara Ericsson (No. 230).

Along with the returning teams and players, the World Junior Girls Championship is also pleased to welcome back the representatives of Germany and the Republic of Korea after a one-year absence, as well as to host Wales for the very first time.  The inaugural Welsh team will consist of Darcey Harry (No. 578), Ffion Tynan (No. 693) and Carys Worby (No. 799).

Joining the strong international field will be the six players chosen to represent Canada. Brooke Rivers (Brampton, Ont.), Euna Han (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.) will constitute Canada One, while Lauren Kim and Angela Arora of Surrey, B.C., will team up with Szeryk (London, Ont.) to form Canada Two. Team Canada will be looking for their first medal since capturing bronze at the inaugural World Junior Girls Championship in 2014.

In 2018 at Camelot Golf and Country Club, it was Italy that prevailed over the USA to capture the crown, registering a feisty 6-under performance (138) that allowed them to catch the Americans and force extra holes. Italy eventually came up on top to win their first World Junior Girls Championship gold.

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 World Junior Girls Championship will run for its sixth time.

Angus Glen Golf Club consists of two 18-hole championship golf courses in Markham, Ontario. The North and South courses offer variety, beauty and challenges. It has been ranked as one of the top 80 golf courses in the world outside of the United States. It was home to the 2002 and 2007 Canadian Open and an official host of the 2015 Toronto Pan/Parapan American Games.

The first round of play is on Tuesday, September 24. The tournament’s closing ceremonies will immediately follow the conclusion of play on Friday, Sept. 27.

Admission to the competition is free. Additional information regarding the sixth annual World Junior Girls Championship can be found on the competition’s website.

LACHUTE, Qué. — Erin Kim of Toronto kept her eye on the prize and held on to her 36-hole lead for a six-shot victory in the Junior Girls division while Jean-Philippe Parr of Saint-Célestin, Qué., managed to keep his rivals at bay to escape with the Boys title, as the first of two Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series events concluded Sunday on course No. 1 at Lachute Golf Club.

_{2019 Champions Erin Kim and Jean-Philippe Parr}

Parr, who shot 73 on Sunday for a tournament best score of 213 (-3), had registered the day’s low score of 68 in Friday’s opening round to sit in the pole position, but he had to fend off some fierce competition both Saturday and during the final round to claim the laurels.

Parr narrowly beat a trio of contenders that finished T2 at 214 for the weekend, including Owen Kim of Oakville, Ont., Malik Dao of Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Qué. and Felix Bouchard of Otterburn Park, Qué. Thomas Latter of Mississauga, Ont., valiantly tried to catch the leaders by shooting the low round of the week, but his card of 67 still left him two shots back of the winner.

The three had to go in extra holes to break the tie in order to determine which two would receive exemptions into the 2020 Canadian Junior Boys Championship and it was Kim and Bouchard who prevailed. The 2020 Canadian Junior Boys Championship will be held from Aug. 10-13, 2020 at Rivershore Estate & Golf Links in Kamloops, B.C.

In the Girls division, it was a wire-to-wire victory for Erin Kim. The Toronto resident who plays her club golf at The Ladies Golf Club of Toronto beat her nearest rival by six strokes with a total score of 220 (+4), this despite notching her highest score of the week on final Sunday with a 78.

Finishing second was Sarah Gallagher of Burlington, Ont. who also shot 78 on Sunday for a total of 226 (+10) while Katie Cranston of Oakville handed in a final card of 76 to finish third at 227 (+11). All three have earned exemptions into the 2020 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, which takes place next July 28 to 31, at Club de golf de Lorette in Loretteville, Québec.

The competition marked the second year of the Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series — two additional junior golf tournaments that were introduced last fall to increase the competitive offering for up-and-coming young players. The Future Links Championship series now features eight tournaments through the course of the season, each hosted in collaboration with the host club’s provincial association.

The second Fall Series event and final Future Links championship of the 2019 season will take place at Crown Isle Golf Resort in Courtenay, British Columbia, from Sept. 27 to 29.

Results for all 2019 Future Links, driven by Acura Championships can be found here: Pacific, Ontario, Western, Québec, Prairie, Atlantic.

Click here for scoring, pairings and additional information.

Wes Heffernan elevated his game to the next level Thursday at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, capturing the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf in impressive fashion.

The 42-year-old from the Dynamic Motion Golf Performance Centre in Calgary capped off his first PGA of Canada national championship with a final-round 8-under-par 64, bringing his three-day total to -19.

Heffernan’s championship run featured 19 birdies and more incredibly, not a single bogey for the week.

“Today I played pretty much like I had all week,” Heffernan said. “I drove the ball really well, but hit my irons great—especially on the back nine when I needed it most.”

Heffernan’s five birdies on the final nine saw him put some space between himself his two playing competitors, Yohann Benson of Quebec and B.C.’s Oliver Tubb. All three were jostling for the lead throughout the front nine of the North Course at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, but the back is when Heffernan took his play up a couple of notches.

“I made a great birdie on No. 13 and that was big because both Oliver and Yohann made par and that opened up a little gap between us,” Heffernan admitted after the round. “But I think the biggest birdie of the day for me was at No. 15 when they both it in there really tight and I was forced to make a good putt to keep my momentum going.”

In addition to birdies on Nos. 13 and 15, Heffernan birdied the 12th, 16th and 17th en route to his three-shot victory over Benson. Tubb finished alone in third at -15, while Bryn Parry wound up at -14 in solo fourth. Pierre-Alexandre Bedard rounded out the top-five at -11.

Heffernan’s win this week at the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf caps off an impressive playing season for the association’s fourth-ranked player. He finished fourth in June at the PGA Championship of Canada, second at the PGA of Alberta Assistants’ Championship and won the PGA of Alberta Zone Championship. He also finished T14 at this year’s ATB Financial Classic on the Mackenzie Tour, where he’s a past four-time winner.

“It’s pretty cool to finally have won this championship,” Heffernan said. “The last couple years I’ve maybe tried too hard and as a result have spun my tires a little bit, but this week I just came in with the mindset to have some fun,” he said, adding, “and it feels really awesome.”

With the win at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, Heffernan is expected to move into the top three of the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC when they’re released next week.

Originally launched in 2011, the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC has received much praise over the past eight years. Players ranked inside the top 64 earn invites to the PGA Championship of Canada. The Mike Weir Player of the Year Award is also based on points earned throughout the calendar year. Players gain these points based on performance at national and zone tournaments.

The PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf host venue TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley is the first TPC property in Canada featuring three golf courses all ranked in SCOREGolf’s Top 100 Golf Courses in Canada list.

Designed by famed Canadian golf course architect Doug Carrick, the venue features a parkland-style layout that welcomes players with generous landing areas and naturally rolling fairways. While its width off the tee may be benevolent, deep greenside bunkers and undulating putting surfaces put a premium on approaching pins from the right angles, providing a challenge that rewards good shots but tests those who get out of position.

The next PGA of Canada national championship takes place Oct. 6-9 at Cabot Links for the RBC PGA Scramble of Canada presented by The Lincoln Motor Company.

Click here for full scores.

LACHUTE, Qué. —Golf Canada’s seventh regional junior golf championship of 2019 will kick off this Friday as the Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series gets underway on course No. 1 at Lachute Golf Club.

The competition marks the second year of the Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series — two additional junior golf tournaments that were introduced last fall to increase the competitive offering for up-and-coming young players. The Future Links Championship series now features eight tournaments through the course of the season, each hosted in collaboration with the host club’s provincial association.

Founded in 1923 by Gilbert E. Ayers, the Lachute Golf Club is recognized across Canada as one of the most beautiful places to play golf. The two distinctive courses were designed over 400 acres by world-renowned architects, Stanley Thompson and Howard Watson, in a majestic natural setting in the foothills of the Laurentians. Its greens have been graced with the presence of legends like Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Nick Price and LPGA great Judy Rankin, amongst others.

The 54-hole stroke play tournament will begin with a practice round on Sept. 19 before the tournament gets underway with round one on Sept. 20.

“Golf Québec is thrilled to return to Lachute to host this Future Links Fall Series event with Golf Canada, at one of Québec’s most storied golf properties,” said Éric Couture, tournament director with Golf Québec. “Bringing a second Future Links regional championship to the province affords us a chance to showcase the skills of Canada’s premier junior golfers and further their development. We look forward to observe how this strong field of junior athletes navigate the many challenges that await on course No. 1 at Lachute.”

The field will consist of 99 male and female junior golfers, with the top three of each division earning exemptions into their respective Canadian Junior National Championship.

72 boys will vie for one of three spots into next year’s Canadian Junior Boys Championship, to be held from Aug. 10 to 13, 2020 at Rivershore Estate & Golf Links in Kamloops, British Columbia.

The Junior Girls Division will see 27 girls compete for exemption into the 2020 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, which takes place next July 28 to 31, at Club de golf de Lorette in Loretteville, Québec.

Any tie for the third position and final exempt spot in the Junior Boys Division will be decided by a playoff following the conclusion of play.

The second Fall Series event and final Future Links championship of the 2019 season will take place at Crown Isle Golf Resort in Courtenay, British Columbia, from Sept. 27 to 29.

Results for all 2019 Future Links, driven by Acura Championships can be found here: Pacific, Ontario, Western, Québec, Prairie, Atlantic.

Click here for scoring, pairings and additional information.

Maddie Szeryk has learned a lot about herself and the sport of golf in her first full season as a professional player.

The 23-year-old Szeryk made her Symetra Tour debut in March and has put together a strong debut campaign on the second-tier women’s circuit, remaining in contention for a full LPGA Tour card as the season winds down. There was still a steep learning curve for Szeryk, even though the dual Canadian-American citizen had won four NCAA tournaments over four years at Texas A&M.

“I think I’ve grown a lot, learned how to manage myself,” said Szeryk. “I thought I’d done pretty well over the years in college and amateur golf in the summer but it’s just a whole ‘nother level of travel.

“I think I’ve learned that the hard way, that maybe you need to take more breaks or some days you don’t have to spend every day out here all day. Have a few big days but then set a list of what you want to accomplish then leave.”

Szeryk has played in 19 tournaments since the SKYiGOLF Championship in March – 18 on the Symetra Tour and the LPGA’s CP Women’s Open – and will be in the field at this week’s Guardian Championship at Capitol Hill Golf Club in Prattville, Ala.

That grind of nearly a tournament per week has taught Szeryk to pace herself, including scheduling her heaviest gym days for Mondays and keeping the lighter workouts for later in the week.

Finding balance has paid off for Szeryk, who has been in the top 10 four times this season and sits 17th on the Volvik Race for the Card. Including the Guardian Championship, there are three tournaments left on the Symetra Tour schedule for her to crack the top 10 on the money list and earn a full LPGA Tour card for the 2020 season.

“I just need to focus on every shot. I can’t get too ahead of myself,” said Szeryk, who has earned US$55,604 this season.

Tenth-ranked Min Seo Kwak has $65,831 heading into play this week and No. 9 Jenny Coleman has won $66,851.

“I’ve worked hard for good results so hopefully that can show up for the next few weeks,” Szeryk said.

Szeryk joined Golf Canada’s Young Pro Squad this season after four years on the amateur squad. She’s drawn some inspiration this autumn from seeing fellow Canadians Michael Gligic and Taylor Pendrith move up the men’s pro ranks.

“It’s awesome to see so many good Canadians moving up,” said Szeryk. “Sometimes it takes time to get to where you want to be. It’s all a learning experience and everyone has a different path but it’s definitely really cool and encouraging to see other players get there.”

Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., and Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C., are the other Canadians in the field at the three-day Guardian Championship, which begins Friday.

LONDON, Ont. — From start to finish, Paul Barjon was the top player on the 2019 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada, and it showed in the final Order of Merit standings as Barjon finished atop the earnings’ chart as the season came to a close September 15. With his tie-for-27th finish at the season-ending Canada Life Championship, Barjon, who entered the week in the No. 1 spot, held on to edge Canadian Taylor Pendrith by $2,746 to win the Player of the Year Award that goes to the Order of Merit winner. Barjon pocketed $127,336 in his 12 starts to Pendrith’s $124,590. With the No. 1 final position secured, Barjon becomes fully exempt on the 2020 Korn Ferry Tour, while Pendrith will be conditionally exempt next season as he remained No. 2 in the standings by tying for 11th this week.

After Barjon and Pendrith, the third-, fourth- and fifth-place Order of Merit finishers were Americans Jake Knapp, Lorens Chan and Patrick Fishburn, respectively. The players received their membership cards during a ceremony following the end of play Sunday at Highland Country Club.

Barjon, a native of Dumbea, New Caldenoia, who graduated from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, completed his third full Mackenzie Tour season by enjoying his best campaign as a professional. Barjon also played the Tour 2016 and 2018, and Sunday’s tournament was his 36th career start.

Fully exempt when the season began, Barjon finished sixth at the season-opening Canada Life Open then won the following week, in Victoria, at the Bayview Place DCBank Open. He followed that with a second win, capturing the Osprey Valley Open outside Toronto in July. In his 12 tournaments, Barjon had eight top-10s and didn’t miss a cut.

“Finishing No. 1 was obviously the target at the beginning of the year. Whether I could do it or not was definitely a question mark. You always want to be the first guy, but it’s hard to put that into your mind that you can do it,” said Barjon after receiving his Player of the Year trophy. “I wish I had played better this week, but it was a great experience to play as No. 1 throughout the week and still a great accomplishment to finish first and get full Korn Ferry Tour status for next year.”

“It was quite a battle for Order of Merit supremacy and Player of the Year honors. We had so many twists and turns all week, and Paul is an impressive winner and someone we know will represent the Mackenzie Tour well as he moves on in his professional career,” said Todd Rhinehart, Mackenzie Tour Vice President and Managing Director. “Paul started his year in impressive fashion and never slowed down. To have as many consecutive under-par rounds as he did is a testament to not only his talent but his consistency throughout the year. We congratulate Paul on this tremendous accomplishment and look forward to watching him next season on the Korn Ferry Tour.”

The players who finished the sixth-through-10th positions on the final Order of Merit are exempt into the finals of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament in Winter Garden, Fla., outside Orlando. That 72-hole tournament is December 12-15. The five Mackenzie Tour players exempt into that tournament, hoping to secure Korn Ferry Tour status via that route, are Hayden Buckley (No. 6), David Pastore (No. 7), Dawson Armstrong (No. 8), Greyson Sigg (No. 9) and Jonathan Garrick (No. 10).

The 2020 Korn Ferry Tour season, the 31st in its history, starts in mid-January, the full schedule still to be announced.

Beginning in 2013, the Korn Ferry Tour became The Path to the PGA TOUR by awarding all 50 membership cards to Korn Ferry Tour players for the following PGA TOUR season. Players can initially qualify for the Korn Ferry Tour through the Qualifying Tournament and by securing top-five Order of Merit finishes on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica and PGA TOUR Series-China. The Mackenzie Tour sent its first five players to the Korn Ferry Tour following its inaugural season in 2013. They were Mackenzie Hughes (Canada), Riley Wheeldon (Canada), Mark Hubbard (U.S.), Hugo Leon (Chile) and Wil Collins (U.S.).

Final 2019 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Order of Merit Top 10

GLENEAGLES, Scotland – Suzann Pettersen stood over the final shot of her golfing career, not quite realizing it also was the last shot of the most dramatic Solheim Cup ever played.

Europe’s players had their hands over their mouths, and their captain could barely watch. Blissfully unaware of what was unfolding was 1-year-old Herman, Pettersen’s first child who was also among the thousands around the 18th green at Gleneagles.

The putt was from 7 feet, slightly left to right, and it never looked like missing.

After being mobbed by her teammates on the 18th green, an emotional Pettersen held Herman in her arms and kissed him. The Europeans had regained the Solheim Cup and one of the stalwarts of women’s golf had her perfect ending.

“Yeah, this is it. I’m completely done,” said the 38-year-old Pettersen, confirming her sudden decision to retire. “It doesn’t get any better.”

On an afternoon of singles matches that pretty much had everything, Europe secured a 14 1/2-13 1/2 win over the United States to claim the biggest team prize in female golf for the first time since 2013.

The final act, spread over two holes with virtually simultaneous putts, could not have been more thrilling.

Just as Pettersen was addressing her putt at No. 18, U.S. player Ally McDonald slid a putt to the right of the hole at No. 17 and walked up to Bronte Law to concede the match in favour of the Europeans.

The score changed to 13 1/2-13 1/2 and – without her even realizing – the outcome of the contest hinged on Pettersen.

“I thought Bronte was in behind me on the (18th) fairway,” Pettersen said. “I actually didn’t know that it was THE putt.”

That it was Pettersen who secured the winning point felt apt.

She was a contentious wild-card pick by European captain Catriona Matthew because Pettersen had played just two tournaments – missing the cut in both – since November 2017. She had time off before and after giving birth to Herman, and then because of injury.

Pettersen also had a score to settle with the Solheim Cup. In her most recent appearance, at St. Leon-Rot in Germany in 2015, she refused to concede a short putt to Alison Lee on the 17th hole of a tight fourballs match before the singles on the final day. There were angry exchanges, and it stoked a fire inside the Americans as they fought back from 10-6 down going into the singles to win 14 1/2-13 1/2.

Pettersen later apologized.

“She gone from villain to hero,” said Laura Davies, one of the European vice captains.

Pettersen’s redemption story was delivered in Scotland, the home of golf, where the U.S. team hasn’t now won in three attempts. Playing in her ninth Solheim Cup, Pettersen won two of her three matches and is now a four-time Solheim Cup winner.

The day started with the teams locked at 8-8 after four sessions, and the first definitive break of the entire contest happened when the Americans took the lead for the first time since Friday lunchtime, at 12-11.

At 13 1/2-11 1/2, they needed just a half-point from the final three singles matches out on the course to guarantee retaining the cup, but then came the European fightback.

Anna Nordqvist completed a 4-and-3 win over Morgan Pressel. Then, on No. 17, Law sealed a 2-and-1 win over McDonald to tie the score. Pettersen delivered for Europe on No. 18, but only after her opponent, Marina Alex, slid a 10-foot birdie putt wide that, if it had found the hole, would have been enough for the U.S.

“I told them afterward, the sun’s going to come up tomorrow,” said U.S. captain Juli Inkster, when asked what she’d said to her players. “It was great for women’s golf. We played great.

“But you know what, the Europeans played great. You tip your hat. And you move on to Toledo.”

Inkster won’t be there in 2021, confirming afterward that she will not be captain for a fourth straight match. She finishes with two victories from three Solheim Cups as captain.

Two of the Americans, in particular, will still look back on the week with fond memories despite the loss. Jessica and Nelly Korda, the first sisters to play together in the fourballs or foursomes at the Solheim Cup, both finished with 3 1/2 points from four matches after coming from behind to win in the singles.

Nelly Korda, out in Match 2, was 3 down after nine holes against Caroline Hedwall but won 2 up. Jessica Korda, who at age 26 is five years older than her sister, beat Caroline Masson 3 and 2 after being 2 down.

Other key interventions for the U.S. in the singles came from Megan Khang, who birdied No. 18 to claim a half-point against Charley Hull, and Lizette Salas, who parred the last for a 1-up win over Anne van Dam.

But Europe, which had a historically inferior record in singles, managed to win the session 6 1/2-5 1/2 after victories in three of the first matches to finish – including Georgia Hall taking down world No. 3 Lexi Thompson 2 and 1 – and then those last three matches.

Hall and Celine Boutier, a 2-and-1 winner over Annie Park, both won all four of their matches.

Thompson, the highest-ranked player at Gleneagles, collected just two half-points from four matches.

Matthew, carried shoulder-high by her players on the 18th green, celebrated victory in her home country.

And Pettersen closed her career with 21 points in the Solheim Cup, the Norwegian described by Matthew as “one of the trailblazers in women’s golf.”

“Coming down No. 18, Beany (Matthew) said, ‘It’s why I picked you,”’ Pettersen said. “In your wildest dreams, especially where I’ve come from, I never thought I was going to do this again.”

LONDON, Ont. – For the second time in four years, Taylor Pendrith earned Canada Life Canadian Player of the Year honours on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada.

The native of Richmond Hill, Ont., came into Sunday at the Canada Life Championship with a chance to top the Order of the Merit, but after 1-under-par 69 Pendrith ended second, just $2,700 behind Paul Barjon

Pendrith won twice in 2019 – at the 1932byBateman Open and the Mackenzie Investments Open – and had seven top-10 finishes, including a tie for 10th at the Canada Life Championship en route to winning his second Dan Halldorson Trophy (he won the award in 2015, as well).

“Obviously I’ve had a great year with two wins, and I’ve been playing some really good golf,” said Pendrith. “I started off great and didn’t have the weekend I was hoping for but I was there until the end. I was grinding. The putts didn’t go in today, but overall, great year. I’m super excited to be finishing in the top five and hopefully have a great year next year.”

The 28-year-old, who was a longtime part of Golf Canada’s National Team and a graduate of Kent State University – alongside Mackenzie Tour alums and PGA TOUR winners Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes – will head in 2020 to the Korn Ferry Tour for the second time.

He said he now knows what to expect on the Korn Ferry Tour having played some of the courses earlier.

“I’ve learned so much about myself and my game in the past few years on the Mackenzie Tour,” said Pendrith. “It really prepares you for the next level. I’ll go in there with a different mindset and hopefully get off to a good start and continue to play well.”

The week in London was marred by a freak injury for Pendrith who woke up Tuesday morning not able to move his left shoulder. He received a few injections early in the week and played through the pain – considering how important the week was.

“Obviously, I wanted to play, but ultimately I didn’t know if I could,” Pendrith admitted. “The first two days were a big grind since I had to adjust what clubs I was hitting and the balls weren’t going very far. I was in a lot of pain, but I’ll take care of it and I earned some time off now. I’ll come back stronger.”

Earlier this year Pendrith became the first Canadian to win on the Mackenzie Tour since Adam Cornelson in 2016. Pendrith said his big goal in 2019 was to finish in the top 10 on the Order of Merit.

Although he fell just short of the No. 1 spot, he said moving on to the next level and getting the opportunities he’s afforded by finishing second is a great boost to his career.

Somewhat inspired by his friends Hughes and Conners, Pendrith is one step closer to joining them on the PGA TOUR. He’s confident heading into 2020 about the prospects of joining them sooner rather than later.

“If I play like I did this year, I should be in contention out there in some events,” said Pendrith. “It should be exciting, and I can’t wait to get going.”

Pendrith was also the Canada Life Canadian Player of the Week a record six times (he received $2,500 for each award), and he will receive a $25,000 for finishing as top Canadian for the year.

“Canada Life has been a great supporter of the Tour for the last few years, and it’s an awesome little bonus for the Canadian players who compete out here,” said Pendrith. “They give a fantastic bonus. I won it in 2015 and (am) super honoured to win it again and be the top Canadian.”