PGA TOUR champion and Team RBC member Corey Conners previews Hamilton Golf & Country Club, site of the 2019 RBC Canadian Open.

PONOKA, Alta. – The 2019 Future Links, driven by Acura Western Championship is set to begin Thursday at Wolf Creek Golf Resort.

With support from Alberta Golf, the Future Links, driven by Acura Western Championship is the third of eight junior championships presented by Golf Canada in partnership with Acura. The 54-hole stroke play tournament will begin with a practice round on May 30, before the tournament gets underway with round one on May 31.

Wolf Creek Golf Resort is the largest golf facility in Central and Northern Alberta. Designed by Rod Whitman, Wolf Creek boasts 36 holes and offers more selection than any course in the province.

“Golf Canada and Alberta Golf are excited to present the 2019 Future Links, driven by Acura Western Championship,” said Akash Patel, the Tournament Director and Rules and Competitions Coordinator with Golf Canada. “We are confident that the Links Course here at Wolf Creek Golf Resort will challenge Canada’s premier junior golfers and allow them the opportunity to showcase their skills.”

The field will consist of 81 golfers in the Junior Boys Division with the top five earning exemptions into the 2019 Canadian Junior Boys Championship on Aug. 11-15 at Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club in Hartland, N.B. Should there be a tie for the fifth position, a playoff will be conducted following the conclusion of play.

The Junior Girls Division will consist of 26 golfers, with the top five (including ties) earning an exemption into the 2019 Canadian Junior Girls on July 29 – Aug. 2 at Lethbridge Country Club in Lethbridge, Alta.

Five additional Future Links, driven by Acura Championship will span the country this year;

• June 7-9 – Future Links, driven by Acura Quebec – Joly, Que. – Club de golf Les Boisés de Joly
• June 14-16 – Future Links, driven by Acura Prairie – Yorkton, Sask. – Deer Park Golf Course
• July 16-18 – Future Links, driven by Acura Atlantic – Fredericton, N.B. – Mactaquac Golf Course
• 20-22 – Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series – Lachute, Que. – Club de golf Lachute
• 27-29 – Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series – Crown Isle Golf Resort – Courtenay, B.C.

There have already been two Future Links, driven by Acura Championships so far in 2019.

The Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship took place May 10-12, where Michael Crisologo and Lauren Kim won their respective divisions. Additional information regarding the 2019 Future links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship, including full scoring can be found here.

At the Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship, Tristan Renaud won the boys’ division and Angela Arora won the girls’ division. More information regarding the 2019 Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship can be found here.

Prior to the championship on Thursday, May 30, Golf Canada and Special Olympics Canada will hold a regional competition in support of Special Olympics golf. This is the third such competition this year, as Special Olympics golf events were also held at the Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship and the Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship. A field of 14 local athletes will compete over nine holes. Following the event, PGA of Canada professionals will conduct a clinic for Special Olympics coaches and athletes, focusing on improving skills and leadership within the sport.

NOTABLES

Ethan Choi, Pincher Creek, Alta.
Choi has already earned an exemption into the 2019 Canadian Junior Boys Championship by finishing in the top five at the Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship.

Annabelle Ackroyd, Calgary
Ackroyd led heading into the final round at last year’s Future Links, driven by Acura Western Championship.

Sarah Gallagher, Burlington, Ont.
This is Gallagher’s second Future Links Championship in as many weeks. She finished third at the Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship.

FAST FACTS

In 2019, Golf Canada is conducting its six regional Future Links, driven by Acura Championships in conjunction with the Provincial Associations, in addition to the two Fall Series events.

The top five finishers in the Boys’ Division earn exemptions into the 2019 Canadian Junior Boys Championship.

The top five finishers (including ties) in the Girls’ Division earn exemptions into the 2019 Canadian Junior Girls Championship.

Team Canada National Junior Squad member Kai Iguchi went wire-to-wire to win the junior boys division last year.

Taylor Stone won the junior girls division by coming from behind on the final day.

More information about the tournament can be found here.

Watching the Henderson sisters – world No. 6 golfer Brooke and her caddy Brittany – was one of the best experiences of Celeste Dao’s young career. She’s hoping to put those lessons in to practice at this year’s U.S. Women’s Open.

Dao got to observe the Hendersons at last year’s event and is back in the field this week with Henderson. They’ll be joined by fellow Canadians Megan Osland and Naomi Ko at the Country Club of Charleston in South Carolina.

“Watching them around the greens, how they identify the chips or the second shots and where they could be,” said Dao of the Hendersons. “Then they work on that, finding different shots and different options. They are really focused around the greens, taking notes and finding all the angles.”

Dao, from Notre-Dame-de-l’Ile-Perrot, Que., is still an amateur and earned her way in to the second major of the LPGA Tour season in a qualifying event at TPC Boston on May 6. Osland, from Kelowna, B.C., qualified on the same day at an event at Bradenton Country Club in Florida. Ko, from Victoria, made it in at a qualifier at OGA Golf Course in Woodburn, Ore., on April 26.

Henderson, the 21-year-old phenom from Smiths Falls, Ont., will compete as the winner of the 2016 Women’s PGA Championship, but could have qualified a number of different ways.

“Growing up, (Brooke) was always my idol and a great model to follow,” said the 18-year-old Dao. “I played a practice round with her last year. I learned a lot from her and her sister.”

Osland has been playing on the Symetra Tour since 2016 and the 26-year-old is targetting an LPGA card within the year. This will be her first appearance at the U.S. Women’s Open and, like Dao, she hopes it will be a learning opportunity.

“Just being around the best players in the world, seeing how they prepare, how they play the course and stuff like that is something I can learn from,” Osland said. “I think overall it’s going to be a really cool experience playing alongside everyone and seeing how my game stacks up to everyone else.”

Osland played a full practice round on Tuesday and described the fairways as firm and the greens fast – perfect for her style of play. She appreciates that winning her qualifier and playing in a major is already a new high for her career.

“It’s definitely the biggest tournament that I’ve played in so far and I would say that it’s the biggest tournament in women’s golf,” she said. “Just to play, to get out there and play at that level I’m just really excited for it. I’m happy to be here.

“This week I’m just going to go out and play my best and see what happens.”

KOMOKA, Ont. – The Western University Mustangs and the Université Laval Rouge et Or remained atop the leaderboard in the men’s and women’s team divisions, respectively, after the second round of the Canadian University/College Championship at FireRock Golf Club on Wednesday.

The duo of Charles Fitzsimmons and Jackson Bowery finished in first and T3 individually, helping the Mustangs to an 11-under-par 565 for the tournament, seven shots ahead of the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds in second place. In the women’s division, Catherine Gariépy put together another solid round, leading Laval to a score of 19 over par through two rounds, nine shots ahead of runner-ups Victoria Vikes.

Fitzsimmons, who is from London, Ont., held a share of the lead heading into round two, and carded 4-under-par 68 to give himself the outright lead. Fitzsimmons is two shots ahead of Guelph’s Josiah Dixon, who moved into second place with a 5-under-par 67, the lowest individual men’s score in round two.

Three players trail Dixon by one shot for second rank; Bowery, Andrew Harrison (UBC) and Gordon Gibson (University of Toronto). All three sit at 4-under par for the tournament.

Gariépy of the Rouge et Or took over first place in the women’s individual standings. Her 5-over-par performance through two rounds gives her the lead, trailed closely by Victoria’s Sukriti Harjai (+6). Gariépy’s Laval teammates Noémie Ouellette and Florence Leduc fired the low rounds of the day at even par (73).

The women’s and men’s Individual winners receive an exemption into their respective Canadian Amateur Championship.

Click here for more information on the event, including tomorrow’s tee times and full leaderboard.

Top-5 Men’s – Team

1 Western University Mustangs -11 (565)
2 University of British Columbia Thunderbirds -4 (572)
3 Université Laval Rouge et Or +2 (578)
3 University of Victoria Vikes +2 (578)
5 Waterloo Warriors +6 (582)

Top-5 Men’s – Individual

1 Charles Fitzsimmons, Western University, -7 (137)
2 Josiah Dixon, University of Guelph, -5 (139)
T3 Jackson Bowery, Western University, -4 (140)
T3 Andrew Harrison, University of British Columbia, -4 (140)
T3 Gordon Gibson, University of Toronto, -4 (140)

Top-5 Women’s – Team

1 Laval Rouge et Or +19
2 Victoria Vikes +28
3 University of British Columbia Thunderbirds +32
4 University of Waterloo Warriors +54
5 Université de Montréal Carabins +55

Top-5 Women’s – Individual  

1 Catherine Gariépy, Université Laval, +5 (151)
2 Sukriti Harjai, University of Victoria, +6 (152)
T3 Shania Remandaban, University of British Columbia Thunderbirds, +8 (154)
T3 Noémie Ouellette, Université Laval, +8 (154)
T3 Elanna Lachaine-DeMarchi, University of Waterloo, +8 (154)

KOMOKA, Ont. – Under overcast skies, the Canadian University/College Championship got underway Tuesday at FireRock Golf Club, resulting in a  three-way tie for the lead in the men’s division. Kate Johnston of the University of British Columbia (UBC) paced the women’s division, ending the day with a one-stroke advantage.

Charles Fitzsimmons of the Western University Mustangs shot 3-under par 69 to share first place, helping the Mustangs take control of the men’s team championship, while Catherine Gariépy paced the Université de Laval Rouge et Or women to first place, with a 1-over 74.

Playing a mere 15 minutes from their London, Ont. campus, the Mustangs are four strokes ahead of the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks and the Université de Laval Rouge & Or. Western is 2 under par after round one.

Three players are nose-to-nose in the men’s individual championship. Fitzsimmons, Michael Harrison (Augustana University) and Jaron Brown (Wilfrid Laurier University) all signed off on 3-under scorecards, establishing a one-stroke lead over the field.

UBC’s Kate Johnston of Ayr, Ont., fired an even-par 73, finishing one shot ahead of Gariépy in the women’s individual competition. A UBC Thunderbird has won the individual women’s title in each of the last three years.

Shania Remandaban (UBC), Laura Upenieks (University of Toronto) and Sukriti Harjai (University of Victoria) each carded 4-over 77, and are T3 behind Johnston and Gariépy.

Laval hold a one shot advantage over the Thunderbirds in the women’s team competition. The Rouge & Or collectively registered 15-over-par 234 in round one.

The individual champions in the women’s and men’s competitions receive exemptions into their respective Canadian Amateur Championship.

Click here for more information on the event, including tomorrow’s tee times and full leaderboard.

Top-5 Men’s – Team

1. Western Mustangs, *143-143-286 -2
2. Laurier Golden Hawks, *148-142-290 +2
3. Laval Rouge et Or, *143-147-290 +2
4. UBC Thunderbirds, *145-147-292 +4
5. Waterloo Warriors, *144-149-293 +5

Top-5 Men’s – Individual

1. Jaron Brown, Laurier Golden Hawks, *35-34-69 -3
2. Charles Fitzsimmons, Western Mustangs, *35-34-69 -3
3. Michael Harrison, Augustana Vikings, *34-35-69 -3
4. Jackson Bowery, Western Mustangs, *36-34-70 -2
5. Gordon Gibson, Toronto Varsity Blues, *35-35-70 -2
6. Cameron Griffin, Humber Hawks, *34-36-70 -2
7. Nicholas Workun, Ottawa Gee Gees, *37-33-70 -2

Top-5 Women’s – Team

1. Laval Rouge et Or, *115-119-234 +15
2. UBC Thunderbirds, *116-119-235 +16
3. Victoria Vikes, *119-118-237 +18
4. Waterloo Warriors, *123-125-248 +29
5. Montréal Carabins, *121-129-250 +31

Top-5 Women’s – Individual  

1. Kate Johnston, UBC Thunderbirds, *35-38-73 E
2. Catherine Gariépy, Laval Rouge et Or, *34-40-74 +1
3. Sukriti Harjai, Victoria Vikes, *38-39-77 +4
4. Shania Remandaban, UBC Thunderbirds, *37-40-77 +4
5. Laura Upenieks, Toronto Varsity Blues, *39-38-77 +4

Toronto, Ontario– Golf Canada and Audi Canada announced today a multi-year integrated partnership that will see the luxury automotive brand become the exclusive Premier Automotive Partner for Canada’s National Open Championships—the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open—as well as the Official Automotive Partner of Golf Canada’s National Team Program.

“We are thrilled to welcome Audi Canada as a fully integrated Premier Partner with Golf Canada’s National Open Championships and Team Canada,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “Audi is an iconic brand, synonymous for driving excellence and premium craftsmanship. Our robust partnership touches virtually every level of Canadian golf and we look forward to integrating their progressive brand across Golf Canada’s signature properties as well as our community of member clubs and golfers.”

Through the multi-year partnership, Audi will work alongside Golf Canada to drive excellence in Canadian golf. As the Premier Automotive Partner for the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open, Audi will deliver a premium vehicle experience at Canada’s National Men’s and Women’s Open Championships. Audi owners will also be treated to an elevated event experience when they visit the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open, while fans onsite can enter to win hospitality upgrades and exclusive Audi Driving Experiences.

“Audi has been successfully involved in golf globally for more than two decades,” said Giorgio Delucchi, President of Audi Canada. “Technology, design and sportiness are values that characterize every Audi and which also contribute to the special fascination found in golf.”

Audi Canada’s multi-platform investment in Canadian golf will also benefit the athletes, coaches and sport science team that comprise Golf Canada’s National Team Program including the Team Canada Junior, Amateur and Young Pro Squads. Audi Canada’s partnership will also deliver an enhanced experience across Golf Canada’s digital network of web, social and golfer engagement platforms. The partnership will create a deepened community connection between Golf Canada Member Clubs and the Audi Canada dealer network across Canada.

We are happy to announce that we will be driving excellence in Canada by becoming an official partner of @GolfCanada. Keep an eye out for us at the @RBCCanadianOpen and the @cpwomensopen. pic.twitter.com/NQ6jm4gCMm

— Audi Canada (@AudiCanada) May 29, 2019

As the National Sport Federation, Golf Canada operates the RBC Canadian Open, June 3-9 at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, as well as the CP Women’s Open which takes place August 19-25 at the Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont.

Giorgio Delucchi, President of Audi Canada speaks during the press conference. (Photo by Christian Bender / Golf Canada)

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Golf Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee have announced the four athletes on Canada’s golf team nominated to compete at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games.

The Canadian athletes nominated by Golf Canada for the Pan Am golf competition—which runs August 8-11, 2019 at the Country Club Villa—were determined based on an assessment of world rankings and head-to-head results among those with a declared intent to compete.

On the women’s side, 20-year-old Brigitte Thibault of Rosemère, Que. has accepted selection to the Pan Am golf team and will be joined by Mary Parsons of Delta, B.C. Thibault, a member of Golf Canada’s National Amateur Team, is coming off a standout sophomore season at Fresno State where she earned eight top-20 finishes and won the Mountain West Conference Championship.

In April, she was invited to compete in the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur.  Parsons, 20, is a sophomore at Indiana University where she won her first collegiate event at the Lady Boilermaker. She is a former member of the Team Canada Junior Squad and winner of the 2018 British Columbia Women’s Amateur.

The men’s team will be comprised of 22-year-old Austin Connelly of Lake Doucette, N.S., who resides in Irving, Tex., along with Team Canada Amateur Squad member Joey Savoie of La Prairie, Que. Connelly will make his second consecutive Pan Am Games appearance after finishing fifth at the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto. Connelly is a graduate of Golf Canada’s National Amateur Team Program (2015) who is currently playing with conditional status on the European Tour. In 2017, he finished T14 at The Open Championship in his major championship debut. Savoie is currently the top-ranked Canadian male golfer on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (No. 39). The 24-year-old won three times in 2018 including the Tailhade Cup, the Grant Clements Memorial and the Tennessee Open (pro event).

Golf Canada’s Women’s National Amateur Squad and Young Pro Squad Head Coach Tristan Mullally of Cambridge, Ont. will serve as coach for the 2019 Pan Am Golf Team.

Selection criteria among those considered for the Canadian Pan Am Golf Team was based on competitive standing inside the top-500 for women and inside the top-700 for men on the World Golf Ranking/Rolex World Ranking for professional golfers, as well as competitive standing inside the World Amateur Golf Ranking as of April 1, 2019. Players that met the selection criteria had until April 30, 2019 to notify Golf Canada of their interest in being considered for the 2019 Pan Am Golf Team.

The field for the 2019 Pan Am Golf Competition will include 32 women and 32 men competing in  women’s individual, men’s individual and mixed team competitions (low female and male score combined).

Lima 2019, which will run from July 26 to August 11, will bring together approximately 6,700 athletes from 41 nations of the Americas and feature 62 disciplines in 39 sports. It will be the largest sporting event ever held in Peru.

The athletes and coaches nominated are:

• Austin Connelly, Lake Doucette,S. (Men’s Golf Team)
• Joey Savoie, La Prairie, Que. (Men’s Golf Team)
• Brigitte Thibault, Rosemère, Que. (Women’s Golf Team)
• Mary Parsons, Delta, B.C. (Women’s Golf Team)
• Tristan Mullally, Cambridge, Ont. (Pan Am Golf Coach, Team Canada)

Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the COC’s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Federations in late June 2019.

ÎLE-BIZARD, Qué. – Matthew Anderson of Mississauga, Ont. showed composure beyond his years on a chilly day Monday, at Elm Ridge Country Club, just west of Montréal. The 19-year-old amateur earned low qualifier honours in dramatic fashion at the final regional qualifier for the 2019 RBC Canadian Open.

Since there were more than 100 players at the event, Anderson, by topping the field, gained direct entry into the RBC Canadian Open field.

“This is one of the best golfing days of my life, so far,” said Anderson, who turned 19 in April. “To play a PGA TOUR event, that’s something I’ve been dreaming of. It’s unbelievable that it’s actually happening.”

Anderson, who had one of the last tee times of the day, chased down St-Jérôme, Qué. native Tim Alarie. Alarie had built what looked to be an insurmountable lead after carding a 4-under-par 68.

Anderson bogeyed his first hole, but then went on a tear, knocking in five birdies and walking up to the 17^th tee tied with Alarie atop the leaderboard.

The University of San Francisco freshman birdied the par-5 17^th, then made par on the 18^th hole to secure an exemption into his country’s national open.

“I thought the lead may have been five-or six-under,” said Anderson, who didn’t know he was leading walking up to the 18^th green. “I wasn’t quite sure, but I knew if I got a par or birdie on 18, I had a chance.”

Anderson started three events with the University of San Francisco Dons this past season. He finished second at the 2018 Ontario Junior Boys’ Championship.

Alarie was atop the leaderboard for most of the day following a 4-under-par 68. The 28-year-old was strong on the front nine, notching four birdies to put himself temporarily in the low qualifier spot.

Étienne Brault, an amateur from Mercier, Qué., also put together a solid round, finishing at 3-under-69.

Alarie and Brault are among the 18 golfers advancing to the RBC Canadian Open Final Qualifier, which takes place Monday, June 3 at Heron Point Golf Links in Alberton, Ont.

The Québec regional qualifier was the third and final regional qualifying event. The first regional qualifier took place on May 6 at Kings Links by the Sea in Delta, B.C. and saw 10 golfers earn spots in the final qualifier. Michael Blair earned an exemption directly into the RBC Canadian Open as the low qualifier at the second regional qualifying event at TPC Toronto on May 16.

A minimum of four players from the 18-hole stroke play Final Qualifier on June 3 will gain entry into the RBC Canadian Open field.

Additional information and the full leaderboard can be found here.

After each stroke you make on a hole, you are supposed to find and play that same ball. Most of the time, it is possible to identify your ball without lifting it. But occasionally you need to lift it to do so.

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

L’Île-Bizard, Que. – The final RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifier takes place Monday, May 27 at Elm Ridge Country Club. One-hundred and eleven players are vying for 17 spots in the RBC Canadian Open Final Qualifier at Heron Point Golf Links in Alberton, Ont. on Monday, June 3.

The 18-hole qualifier at Elm Ridge is the third and final regional qualifier this year. The first qualifier was on May 6 at Kings Links by the Sea in Delta, B.C., while the second regional was at TPC Toronto on May 16.

The top 15% of finishers at each regional qualifier are eligible to compete at Final Qualifying on June 3. As there are more than 100 competitors in the field at Elm Ridge, the low qualifier will receive an exemption directly into the RBC Canadian Open field.

There were more than 100 competitors at the second regional qualifier, and Hamilton, Ont. native Michael Blair earned an exemption to the RBC Canadian Open. The first saw ten golfers earn a spot in the final qualifier.

The regional qualification process allows amateurs and professionals from across Canada and world the chance to qualify for the RBC Canadian Open.

The qualifying competitions are open to members in good standing with the PGA of Canada or other PGA affiliates, amateur golfers with a current Handicap Factor not exceeding 2.0 who are members of Golf Canada or in good standing with their respective associations, as well as other golf professionals.

Pairings are available online here.

Follow scoring online as players complete their rounds by clicking here.

Tickets to the RBC Canadian Open are available at: https://rbccanadianopen.com/tickets2019/