CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Rory McIlroy was in position to become the first three-time winner of the Wells Fargo Championship.

McIlroy celebrated his 30th birthday Saturday with a 3-under 68 to pull within two shots of leaders Max Homa, Jason Dufner and Joel Dahmen.

“I’m right there going into (Sunday), so I’m excited for that,” McIlroy said after a round that was delayed twice by weather. “I’m three shots closer to the lead than I was starting off the day, so that’s a good thing.”

Nobody finishes the Wells Fargo Championship better than McIlroy.

He’s been dominant on Sundays at Quail Hollow Club, which he calls one of his favourite courses. In his seven previous final rounds at the tournament he is a combined 19-under par, including a 62 in 2010 when he won the first of his two trophies.

His average final round score at the Wells Fargo is a 68.7, better than any other player. He’s trying to join Tom Weiskopf as the only three-time winners at Quail Hollow. Weiskopf won the old Kemper Open three times on this course before the tournament moved to Washington.

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McIlroy has experience on his side entering Sunday, too.

He’s up against two players – Homa and Dahmen – who’ve never won on the PGA Tour, and Dufner, who is looking to break out of a lengthy slump and who appears to be just barely holding on after shooting 71 on Saturday. Pat Perez also was in contention, one shot ahead of McIlroy, but he’s coming off a torn calf muscle.

As he walked from hole to hole, McIlroy was repeatedly greeted by fans wishing him happy birthday.

“I felt the love,” he joked.

But there were no gifts for the star from Northern Ireland early in the round.

He opened with pars on his first six holes. It wasn’t until the par-5 seventh that McIlroy drained a short putt for his first birdie. He finished the round with four birdies and one bogey.

Ironically, the bogey came after his best shot of the day.

McIlroy nearly holed out from the middle of fairway 99 yards away on the par-4 12th when ball just missed rolling backward into the cup with some backspin. It appeared McIlroy was building some momentum, but the second horn sounded suspending play again as he was lining up his birdie putt and he had to go all the way back to the clubhouse again. When McIlroy returned to the course, he three-putted for bogey.

“That one sort of got me a little bit,” McIlroy said about the second delay. “But it’s the same for everyone, we just have to deal with it the best we can.”

But McIlroy pulled it together, making birdie on the short par-4 14th hole and the reachable par-5 15th hole to claw back to within two shots of the leaders, none of whom could separate themselves from the pack coming down the stretch at Quail Hollow’s difficult three closing holes called the Green Mile.

McIlroy said the key for him Sunday will be patience, something he learned after winning the Players Championship earlier this year. During that victory he started the final two rounds 2-over before battling to get on track.

“I told myself I’m right in the thick of the tournament but you have to stay patient and almost let it come to you rather than try to chase it,” McIlroy said about The Players Championship. “That was on thatgolf course. I think it’s similar here. You have to pick your spots to be aggressive and make your birdies, the par 5s, the two short par 4s. If you can do that and pick those off and you don’t make many mistakes, you know, 68 or 67’s always going to do you pretty well around here.”

It’s no surprise that McIlroy is in contention.

He’s in midst of another outstanding season. He’s made the cut in all nine events he’s entered and not finished worse than a tie for 21st,at the Masters.

McMaster University has announced two new online courses in its Golf and Resort Management program for 2019, with each running May 14 through July 8.

Golf Course Design & Construction – Turf Management

This course addresses golf course design principles and turf management practices. How the golf course architect designs the golf course throughout all phases of development will be considered. Topics include: designing a new facility, how to renovate and/or expand an existing facility, the processes of obtaining permits and dealing with local authorities about environmental issues associated in golf course development, and the fundamentals of golf course maintenance. Topics such as grass and soil identification, drainage systems, equipment use in maintenance procedures, and establishment and implementation of a turf management program, and an introduction to pesticides and fertilizers will also be covered.

Cost: $709.36
Instructor: Rod Speake

Marketing Management in Golf Operations

Participants will apply the basic components of marketing and marketing research in the development of a marketing plan for a golf facility. The various strategies required to ensure a successful marketing environment will be introduced (segment and positioning, product, distribution, pricing and promotion strategies). Students will learn to analyze and segment markets, identify target markets, and design and develop a strategic marketing plan that meets the needs of the specified target market. Through cases and examples, students will develop an appreciation for trends and issues in today’s marketing environment. The significance of sponsorship and endorsements in marketing a special sports event will be covered.
Cost: $709.36
Instructor: Scott Simmons

Both courses cost $709.36. For enrolment information, click here.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Rory McIlroy a joué 66 (moins cinq) pour prendre la tête en compagnie de Joel Dahmen au Championnat Wells Fargo, jeudi.

McIlroy, victorieux deux fois au club Quail Hollow, a inscrit cinq de ses six oiselets sur le deuxième neuf, incluant trois d’affilée.

Dahmen a calé un roulé de 15 pieds au 18e trou, ramenant une carte sans boguey.

Il y a cinq joueurs à 67, dont le Canadien Nick Taylor. Patrick Reed, Adam Schenk, Martin Laird et Dylan Frittelli ont un seul coup de retard eux aussi.

Dans le groupe à 68 se trouve le champion en titre, Jason Day.

L’unifolié est aussi représenté par Ben Silverman (71), Adam Svensson (73), Adam Hadwin (73), David Hearn (74), Roger Sloan (74) et Mackenzie Hugues (75).

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Rory McIlroy looked every bit like a player who has won twice at the Wells Fargo Championship.

He just didn’t feel like one.

Twice when he was out of position off the tee, he managed to make birdies. He missed a 4-foot birdie putt after his most amazing recovery of all. And late in his round Thursday, he ran off three straight birdies for a share of the lead with Joel Dahmen at 5-under 66, his lowest start in 10 appearances at Quail Hollow.

Walking to the scoring area, he smiled and said, “Managed my game.”

His translation of that?

“Get the most out of your round, turn 70s in 66, like I did today,” he said. “I felt like I hit it like I should have shot 1- or 2-under par. I didn’t feel like it was a round that I deserved to shoot 5 under, but I got the most out of it, which is nice if I’m able to continue to do that sort of stuff.”

He wasn’t complaining. In his first start since tying for 21st at the Masters – his only finish out of the top 10 this year – McIlroy got out of trouble and made enough key putts to keep moving in the right direction. His only bogey came after a drive that bounced into a creek, and there’s no recovering when a ball is in 4 feet of water.

Dahmen, a cancer survivor who tries not to take himself too seriously, played a more steady game. Playing three groups behind the large crowd following McIlroy, he kept bogeys off his card and holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th for his 66.

They were a shot ahead of a group that included Patrick Reed, who is having the opposite year of McIlroy. The former Masters champion has yet to finish in the top 10, and he hopes a bogey-free round like Thursday morning will be a signal that his work on his swing is done and it’s time to start hitting shots.

Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., was the low Canadian, in a tie for third with Reed, Adam Schenk, Dylan Frittelli and Martin Laird.

Defending champion Jason Day led a large pack at 68.

Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., was tied for 47th at even-par 71. Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford and Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., were tied for 83rd at 2 over, David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., and Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., were tied for 103rd at 3 over. Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., was 4 over to tie for 116th.

Dahmen tied for 12th at The Players Championship and earned just over $250,000, which made him feel like “the richest man alive.” He decided to grow in a moustache, which he kept for good luck until hitting a ball in the water last week at the team event in New Orleans. So he shaved.

But he’s still playing well enough to think this might be the week he at least gives himself a chance.

“I want to be in the hunt with nine to play. That’s the goal,” he said. “I haven’t really been there yet. I’m good enough to. I should be there. I should have chances by now. I just kind of need to get out of my own way and let it go.”

McIlroy was in the trees on the second hole when he punched out low and let the ball run across the sun-baked, fast fairway and onto the green about 20 feet, setting up a long birdie putt. He got out of minor tree trouble on the par-5 10th to set up a birdie. He was out of position left of the 11th fairway and hit that to 2 feet.

His best shot was from a suspect lie in the right rough, blocked by a tree, facing an elevated green with a back pin. The idea was to dump it in a front bunker and try to get up-and-down for par.

“That’s where I assumed it was going to go, but it came out perfectly, had a little more cut on it than I thought it was going to out of the rough, took a nice couple of hopes and got up there very close,” he said.

Not close enough, for he badly pushed the birdie putt.

“Probably didn’t deserve to make the putt after the tee shot,” he said.

And then in a three-hole stretch, he moved to the top of the leaderboard. It started with a long bunker shot to 6 feet for birdie on the short par-4 14th. His 3-wood on the par-5 15th went over the green and he chipped weakly to 12 feet and made the putt. And then he smashed a driver that bounced off the ridge next to a bunker and down the fairway, leaving a chip 9-iron to 8 feet for a third straight birdie.

Good golf usually goes his way at Quail Hollow.

This is where McIlroy won his first PGA Tour title in 2010, closing with a 62. He lost in a playoff to Rickie Fowler and D.A. Points two years later, and won in 2015.

“I’ve got some great memories here,” he said. “Every time I step onto this golf course, I feel like I have a chance to shoot a good score. I didn’t play my best today. I managed my game well, scrambled well. But it added up to a good number at the end of the day.”

It’s not that Michael Gligic doesn’t care about his results anymore. He’s just learned to keep golf in its proper perspective, helping him relax on the course.

That laid-back approach has helped the Canadian stay near the top of the Web.com Tour’s rankings and close in on his first PGA Tour card. Entering play at this week’s Nashville Golf Open, Gligic is sixth in the regular-season points list, largely thanks to winning the Panama Championship.

“I used to get a little too caught up in what other people were doing, what they were shooting, what I need to shoot at the start of the week to win, or what’s the cut going to be,” said Gligic. “Now I don’t really look at the board. I just go out and play and add them up at the end and see how we did.”

Gligic’s win in Panama on Feb. 10 was a prime example of this new mindset.

He entered the final round tied for seventh, three shots back of third-round leader Ben Taylor. Gligic fired a 5-under 65, including a four-foot putt on the 18th hole, to win.

“I didn’t really have nerves because I didn’t know it was to win, I had no idea where I stood,” said Gligic. “If you watch the video of me making the three- or -four-footer, as soon as it goes in I said to my caddy ‘how did we do?’ because I had no idea.

“That’s where I want to stay. In my own little world and I’ll just go play golf and see where I how I do at the end of the week.”

Gligic is partly inspired by PGA Tour veterans Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood, who have been open about the benefits of leaving their golf game on the course and being a “human being” in their down time.

“My wife Natasha’s coming down this week and regardless of what happens on Thursday we’re going to go for a nice dinner in one of the coolest cities in the United States being in Nashville,” said Gligic after taking in a practice round at the Nashville Golf & Athletic Club on Tuesday. “Have a beer somewhere, it’ll all be good.”

The top 25 players on the second-tier Web.com Tour’s points list at the end of the season earn PGA Tour cards. Given his strong start to the season, Gligic is already closing in on being mathematically guaranteed a promotion for next season.

Many Canadians on the Web.com Tour skip the RBC RBC Canadian Open in favour of playing on their regular circuit to keep earning points toward a PGA Tour card. Gligic is hoping to be in a strong enough position that he can opt into Canada’s only PGA Tour event.

The RBC Canadian Open is being held at Hamilton Golf and Country Club from June 6-9, right by Gligic’s hometown of Burlington, Ont.

“I’ve put a lot of thought into it and talked to my team and gotten a few opinions and I think we’re going to do it,” Gligic said. “I haven’t gotten a call for an exemption, I haven’t gotten anything official yet, but we’re hoping for it and if I do get the call, I’m planning on being there.

“I’m just hoping I can put a few good weeks together and lock up a PGA Tour card before the RBC Canadian Open.”

Ottawa’s Brad Fritsch, Calgary’s Ryan Yip and Toronto’s Albin Choi are the other Canadians in the field at the Nashville Golf Open.

Golf Canada is proud to celebrate the 66 adoptions that occurred during Adopt a School Week thanks to the efforts of golf enthusiasts and industry partners across the country.

In total, the figure translates to an additional 7,920 students being introduced to the sport through the Future Links, driven by Acura Golf in Schools program. The coast-to-coast campaign was elevated by support from Canadian industry partners—the Provincial Associations, PGA of Canada, the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA), Canadian Society of Club Managers and Canadian Golf Superintendents Association.

A matching program for the first 30 adoptions was made possible by the Canadian Seniors Golf Association, who continue to be a leader in supporting Adopt a School Week. In the campaign’s four years of running, the CSGA has helped to adopt over 100 schools in Canadian communities from coast-to-coast.

Since the program’s inception in 2009, adoptions have accounted for close to 50% of over 3,800 registered schools delivering the curriculum. For Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s chief sport officer, that number presents a great opportunity to build community relationships.

“The vision is to help establish a connection between golf facilities and schools in respective communities across Canada through the Golf in Schools program,” said Thompson. “Nurturing these relationships will enhance the delivery of the program and build a connection that will last for many years to come.”

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GOLF IN SCHOOLS.

All players are expected to play in the spirit of the game by acting with integrity, showing consideration for others and taking care of the course.

Click here to learn more on the Modernized Rules of golf.

OTTAWA – On the second annual National Golf Day, the Canadian golf industry, represented by We Are Golf, is launching a national campaign to encourage Canadians to get involved in the sport. Industry leaders are meeting with Parliamentarians throughout the day, while golf stakeholders are working to spread the word in municipalities nationwide.

“Golf is a sport that brings so many benefits to Canadians – not just through the health aspect, but as a significant economic driver,” said Kathryn Wood, Chair of We Are Golf and COO of Canadian Golf Superintendents Association “Golf in Canada sees $14.3 billion in annual economic impact, and supports over 300,000 jobs – nearly 40% of which are summer students.”

“Our counterparts in the USA are undertaking a similar initiative in Washington, with the goal to broaden participation in the sport across the continent,” added Laurence Applebaum, CEO of Golf Canada, “On National Golf Day, we’re encouraging all Canadians to get involved by playing a round of golf, enjoying family time at the local course, introducing a new player to the game, adopting a school in their community through Golf in Schools, taking a lesson, or making a purchase at their local pro shop.”

#Golf‘s economic impact in Canada ????#WeAreCanadianGolf pic.twitter.com/tWpfhdTCUz

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) May 1, 2019

We Are Golf launched the inaugural National Golf Day in 2018 with advocacy meetings in Ottawa, a public junior golf activity on the Parliament Hill lawn, and various golf activities at clubs across Canada. The continuation of National Golf Day in Canada in 2019 will again incorporate meetings by We Are Golf stakeholders with MPs, Senators, and government officials.

“We are looking forward to building upon the success of our 2018 National Golf Day and government advocacy efforts in Ottawa, and hope to continue to bring the positive value of the game of golf to the forefront,” said We Are Golf chair, Kathryn Wood.

Golf’s new World Handicap System, which is designed to bring the game of golf under a single set of Rules for handicapping and provide a more consistent measure of players’ ability between different regions of the world, remains on track for implementation from 2020.

Education has begun with events being held in Singapore, South Africa, Great Britain and Ireland, Japan, Argentina, Brazil, Continental Europe, Canada, the Caribbean and the USA.

A secure resource portal, accessible via www.whs.com, has also been launched to provide national associations with a library of different materials that they can use to help support their own education efforts.

Coinciding with this release, the USGA and The R&A will be launching a social media video campaign to remind golfers of the eight key features of the new Rules, and to reveal more details.  These features include:

• A minimum number of scores to establish a Handicap Index and maximum Handicap Index of 54.0
• Basis of calculation of Handicap Index
• Acceptability of scores for handicap purposes
• Course Rating and Slope Rating
• Calculation of a Playing Handicap
• Maximum hole score for handicap purposes
• Adjustments for abnormal playing conditions
• Frequency of updates of Handicap Index

Significant progress has been made in preparation for the roll out of the new system, which includes building a library of education materials, finalizing the new Rules of Handicapping, release of the technical specifications and the continuation of testing. Many national associations around the world are busy ensuring that their golf courses are rated in accordance with the Course Rating System and working to update local software platforms so that they are ready to apply the new Rules of Handicapping.  While many countries will be ready to transition early in 2020, given both the magnitude of the change for some jurisdictions and varying seasonality throughout the world, it is anticipated that others will need more time.

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “There are many ways in which it is important for golf to modernise and become more appealing for people thinking of taking up the sport and handicapping is clearly one of them. The World Handicap System is a major new initiative for the sport which will establish a clearer and more consistent handicapping process for golfers throughout the world.

“We are working closely with national associations, as we do across our governance, championships and development work, to ensure they are fully prepared for the introduction of the new system as soon as possible after it becomes available for implementation.”

Mike Davis, CEO of the USGA, said, “We hope every golfer will see the benefit of obtaining a handicap – not only to play equitably with anyone no matter where they play, but also as a tool to measure their success.  In making it easier for golfers to obtain and maintain a handicap, we hope golf will be more welcoming and less intimidating throughout the world.”

Laurence Applebaum, CEO of Golf Canada said, “We are pleased to align with golf’s global governing bodies in the development and 2020 implementation of the new World Handicap System. “Over the coming months, we will work with national and provincial partners as well as golf clubs across Canada to educate golfers and ensure a smooth transition to this new system.”

Since its conception, the development of the WHS has focused on three key goals: to encourage as many golfers as possible to obtain and maintain a Handicap Index; to enable golfers of differing abilities, genders and nationalities to transport their Handicap Index to any course around the world and compete on a fair basis; and to indicate with sufficient accuracy the score a golfer is reasonably capable of achieving on any course around the world, playing under normal conditions.

The system has been devised following extensive consultation with the six existing handicapping authorities: Golf Australia, the Council of National Golf Unions (CONGU) in Great Britain and Ireland, the European Golf Association (EGA), the South African Golf Association (SAGA), the Argentine Golf Association (AAG) and the USGA. The Japan Golf Association and Golf Canada have also been closely involved in developing the new system.

Widespread support for WHS was expressed in an international survey of 52,000 golfers with 76% in favour of the new system and a further 22% saying they were willing to consider its benefits. Focus groups were also held in different regions of the world to elicit detailed feedback on the features of the new system, which have contributed to the finalised Rules of Handicapping.

The World Handicap System will unite the golf world under one single set of handicapping rules and will be governed by the USGA and The R&A, with support from the existing six handicap authorities.

As an extension of their support of the Rules of Golf worldwide, Rolex has made a commitment to support The R&A’s and the USGA’s efforts to implement the World Handicap System.

LOS ANGELES – Minjee Lee won the Hugel-Air Premia LA Open on Sunday at Wilshire Country Club for her fifth LPGA Tour title, closing with a 3-under 68 for a four-stroke victory.

The 22-year-old Australian was projected to jump from fourth to second in the world ranking Monday after her fourth top-three finish in her last seven starts.

“Coming in, the first half of the year that I’ve had, I’ve been hitting it pretty solid and playing pretty solid,” Lee said. “I felt like it was close. I feel pretty good with this one.”

Lee made a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-3 18th to finish at 14-under 270. She led the last three days, shooting 66-69-67 to take a one-stroke advantage over Nanna Koerstz Madsen into the final round.(backslash)

Lee won a year after tying for seventh in the inaugural event.

“It’s definitely a second-shot golf course,” Lee said. “I feel like my iron play is pretty solid and usually I can be accurate with them. I think it suits me and my game. If my putter is running hot then I have a good chance.”

Sei Young Kim was second. The South Korean birdied Nos. 13-15 to pull within two strokes, but parred 16 and 17 and bogeyed the 18th for a 66.

“This golf course is not easy, even regular tournament,” Kim said. “The greens are really fast. If I miss the wrong side, it’s tough to up-and-down. Even that, I’m very satisfied with my playing. I’m very happy with my score.”

Lee easily held on after Kim’s rally stalled.

“I was just going to carry on playing my own game,” Lee said. “I had a couple birdie opportunities coming in, so I didn’t get rattled up or anything.”

Annie Park (67) and Morgan Pressel (68) tied for third at 9 under.

Koerstz Madsen shot a 76 to finish 13th at 5 under. She was trying to become the first Danish winner in LPGA Tour history.

Canada’s Brooke Henderson followed her win a week earlier with a T10 finish at 6 under par.