OTTAWA – Grace St-Germain knows exactly what the participants of the World Junior Girls Championship are about to go through.

St-Germain, part of Golf Canada’s national team program since 2014 and now starting her first season at the University of Arkansas (after a two-year stint at Daytona State College, where she was part of the NJCAA Women’s National Golf Championship-winning squad in May) made her debut at the World Junior Girls Championship in 2014 at Angus Glen Golf Club.

She paired with Brooke Henderson and Naomi Ko and the squad finished third.

It was her first time representing Canada on a golf stage, and says it was a moment she would never forget.

“It was so fun to meet all the girls from around the world, and being able to finish third alongside Brooke and Naomi is something I’ll keep in my heart forever,” says St-Germain, who is playing at Arkansas with a fellow World Junior Girls Championship competitor from Mexico.

St-Germain says being able to play in the World Junior Girls Championship solidified her desire to represent Canada while playing golf. As a Canadian, she’ll always fly the Canadian flag on the course. But to legitimately wear her country’s colours was a unique and exciting opportunity that she is eager to repeat.

The 20-year-old has been with Golf Canada’s national team program for four years. She had to unfortunately miss the CP Women’s Open in Regina, Sask. due to commitments at Arkansas, but did enjoy a successful summer season – capped off with a win at the Quebec Women’s Amateur in June.

She says the opportunities Golf Canada has put in front of her have been “unreal.”

“The first year I went to Australia, which was one of my ‘bucket list’ countries to visit. This summer we went to England and Ireland. Without Golf Canada I wouldn’t be who I am, for sure,” she says. “The opportunities I’ve got have been unparalleled.”

St-Germain is also a member at Camelot Golf and Country Club, the host layout for this year’s World Junior Girls Championship. She says the key to success for the participants this year will be to have a solid game plan and try to stick with it. She says there are a “bunch” of holes at Camelot that can cause headaches, and she says driving it straight will be key.

“I’m excited for the girls to come play this golf course because I know they’re going to love it,” she explains. “It’s beautiful and challenging and has great conditioning. I’m excited to hear what they think about it, and for them to be in my hometown.”

As St-Germain begins the next stage of her career in Arkansas (with 6:15 a.m. workouts, she says with a laugh and a typical college-student groan) she’s reflective in thinking back to what her time at the World Junior Girls Championship meant to her and her career.

She’s hopeful the girls who participate have as much fun as they can and just enjoy the moment.

“When I look back on the 2014 tournament I don’t often think about a specific shot or holes, but I remember the friendships I made and the people I still talk to this day,” she says. “The girls you see (at the World Junior Girls) are the girls you’re probably going to be playing with for a long time coming, so just make as many friends as you can and enjoy the week and the opportunity to represent your country.”

Learn more about the World Junior Girls Championship by visiting the championship website.

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. – With the glare of a scorching sun in his eyes, Tiger Woods couldn’t believe what he saw.

He finally missed a green on his 14th hole.

“Is that long?” he said to his caddie. “I thought it was perfect.”

Everything else felt that way Thursday in the BMW Championship, where Woods had his lowest score in an opening round in nearly 20 years and his best score on the PGA Tour since his last victory more than five years ago. With a bogey on his penultimate hole, he had an 8-under 62 at Aronimink.

And all that got him was a share of the lead with Rory McIlroy.

“Just the way it goes,” Woods said with a smile, caring more about a complete round of golf and a strong performance with his old putter than whether he was leading after one round in the FedEx Cup playoffs.

Aronimink was never easier, not with temperatures in the upper 90s and feeling even hotter. Not on a course with generous fairways and greens so soft that Woods hit a 3-iron from 242 yards that landed 8 feet in front of the hole and stopped 5 feet away next to the pin.

Woods hit nothing longer than a 9-iron into the par 4s. McIlroy relied heavily on his wedge game to make a strong bid at 59, only to make consecutive bogeys late in his round and having to settle for a 62.

Through all the sweat, through all the birdies, they managed to give Philadelphia fans a reason to cheer for golf in the hours before the Super Bowl champion Eagles opened the NFL season Thursday night against Atlanta.

“It was one of those days where it was out there,” McIlroy said.

And it was a Thursday, finally, that included Woods in the mix. He had failed to break par in the opening round at 10 of his last 11 tournaments.

“Got off to a better start than I have most of the season. And as of right now,” he said, pausing to smile, “I’m one back. Just the way it goes.”

He had just signed his card and saw that McIlroy was at 9 under, and by the time he stepped out from the hot sun and suggested another ice bath might be in order, McIlroy had dropped two shots before finishing with a two-putt birdie.

It was the lowest score for Woods since he shot 61 in the second round of the 2013 Bridgestone Invitational, which he won by seven shots for his 79th title on the PGA Tour and 90th worldwide. It remains his last victory.

And it was his best opening round since a 61 in the 1999 Byron Nelson Classic on a similar kind of day. Woods shot 29 on the front nine that day at Cottonwood Valley and it wasn’t even the best score in his group (Paul Goydos shot 28). Woods wound up with a one-shot lead that day and tied for seventh.

Woods returned to the same putter he has used to win 13 of his 14 majors – his third different putter in as many weeks – and saw some familiar results. He opened with a 20-foot birdie putt at No. 10, shot 29 on the back nine, and then rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt on No. 1 to reach 7 under through 10 holes.

He didn’t make many more, but he had chances.

His only bogey came at the par-3 eighth, by far the most difficult pin on the course. Woods was between clubs, went with a soft 4-iron and yanked it into the rough. He pitched to 18 feet, a good shot up a ridge and onto a green that sloped away from him. The putt caught the lip.

Woods and McIlroy still had to hit the shots and make the putts.

The wide fairways and temperatures in the 90s allowed the golf ball to seemingly fly forever and made for such low scoring that 48 players in the 69-man field broke par. Rickie Fowler opened with a 65 in his first tournament since the PGA Championship, and at times it felt like he was getting lapped playing alongside Woods.

Jordan Spieth couldn’t keep it in play off the tee and didn’t get under par until his 15th hole. He birdied three of the last four for a 67.

Peter Uihlein, who only advanced to the third FedEx Cup playoff event with birdies on his last three holes on the TPC Boston last week, had a 64 to join a group that included FedEx Cup champion Justin Thomas.

McIlroy was on the second green when he looked over at Woods, who had just hit wedge to 4 inches for birdie on the seventh hole and was waiting for the green to clear on the par-3 eighth. The crowd was much thinner for McIlroy, but those fans saw quite a show. He holed an 8-foot birdie putt on No. 2, part of a run six straight birdies.

When he was 9 under with four holes left – the last one a par 5 – he started thinking about breaking 60.

Instead, he missed the fairway on his next two tee shots, took bogey from about the same spot Woods was on No. 8, and those hopes were gone.

“You don’t get many opportunities to break 60 and today was one of them,” he said. “And I didn’t capitalize. I’m not going to say it stings too bad because I’d much rather shoot 62 today and win the golf tournament Sunday than shoot 59 today and maybe not win.”

Bathurst, N.B. – Brady Exber edged closer to winning his first Canadian Men’s Senior title on Thursday, firing his third-straight round in the red at Gowan Brae Golf and Country Club to take a 9-shot lead heading into tomorrow’s final round.

Exber carded a 6-under-66 to tie the tournament course record at Gowan Brae, which was originally set in 2005. His bogey-free round  was highlighted by an eagle and four birdies.

“I’m very happy, it was an unreal round,” smiled Exber. “I got off to a good start, birdied one, chip in for eagle on two, so that was a good start. I just kind of felt really good today off the tee, with the driver and three-wood. I think I only missed one fairway.”

The Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame member’s only miss hit was on hole 18. He hit a 7 iron off the fairway and the ball bounced off the cart path, about 30 feet in the air, and landed on the green about 8 feet back of the hole.

“I just tried to hit a little easy 7 iron and I caught it thin and you know it just hit the cart path,” said the 62-year-old. “You know what, I have to say, with as good as I played today, sometimes it’s just your day. Today was just my day.”

Exber sits 11 under for the tournament (205) and heads into the final round with a 9-stroke lead over Peter Detemple of Lexington Park, MD., and 2017 Canadian Senior Champion, Gene Elliott of West Des Moines, Ia. Elliott and Detemple sit 2 under for the tournament (214) both with a share of second.

Canadian Golf Hall of Famer, Doug Roxburgh, maintained his lead in the Super Senior division despite carding a 79 on Thursday.

“I didn’t really play very well on the back nine, missed some short putts, and totally lost focus. I’ve got to re-group for tomorrow,” the Vancouver native sighed. “I gave back nine shots in the last 14 holes.”

Sitting one stroke back of Roxburgh is Michel Roy from Québec City, who sits 9-over-225 for the tournament.

On Wednesday, Team British Columbia captured the inter-provincial team championship with a score of 9-over-par. Team Alberta and Team Quebec finished one stroke back of Team British Columbia with a share of second.

The 2018 Canadian Men’s SeniorChampion will earn an exemption into the 2019 U.S. Men’s Senior Amateur Championship at the Old Chatham Golf Club in Durham, N.C., on Aug. 24-29, 2019.

The Canadian Senior Men’s Championship continues Friday with the final round beginning at 8 a.m. ADT.

New Zealand set a record for lowest second-round score to take the top spot of a tightly packed leader board at 20-under-par 270 through 36 holes by one stroke over Denmark, Thailand and host Ireland.

The Kiwis posted a 13-under 131 on the par-72 Montgomerie Course with a 65 from Daniel Hillier, who holed a birdie putt on the 18th for the outright team lead, and a 66 from Denzel Ieremia to jump from fifth place to the lead.

Thailand had earlier posted the same score of 131 on the ‘Monty’ with a 65 from World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR™) No. 13. Sadom Kaewkanjana and a 66 from Witchavanon Chothirunrungrueng.

After a morning of rain, temperatures rose and scoring conditions improved, producing a slew of under-par scores and shifts on the scoreboard.

Playing the par-73 O’Meara Course, first-round leader Denmark posted a 7-under 139 (69 from John Axelsen and identical 70s from identical twins Ramus and World No. 7 Nicolai Hjogaard). Home side Ireland posted 9-under 133 on a 68 from No. 10 Robin Dawson and a 69 from Conor Purcell.

Also making a significant move up the scoreboard with a 13-under score of 133 was Canada, who sits fifth at 18 under thanks to a 66 from Hugo Bernard and a 67 from Joey Savoie.

Joey Savoie of La Prairie, Que., is the leading Canadian in individual play.  The 24-year-old sits T19 at 7-under 138.

Bernard, 23, from Mont-St-Hilaire, Que., and Garrett Rank, 30, of Elmira, Ont., are among a pack of players holding a share of 31st at 5-under 140.

OTTAWA, Ont. — A well-accomplished field of competitors will take to Camelot Golf and Country Club from Sept. 11–14, for the fifth annual World Junior Girls Championship. In total, 57 athletes will represent 18 countries—including two teams from host nation Canada.

“With our partners, we are proud to offer a world-class event for girls of this age group, where there are fewer opportunities for international competitions,” said tournament director Dan Hyatt. “These girls are some of the best juniors in the world and we are thrilled to host them in a tournament where they can continue their growth and development.”

This year’s field is highlighted by 10 competitors ranked inside the World Golf Amateur Rankings (WAGR) top 100. The tournament’s top-ranked player, Atthaya Thitikul (No. 11), will represent Thailand in their first World Junior Girls appearance. Thitikul has won five separate titles in 2018, including Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship and The Queen Sirikit Cup.

Italy is the only country in the tournament to have all three team members ranked in WAGR’s top 100. Alessia Nobilio (No. 22) leads the team, aiming for another individual medal after capturing silver in 2017. The 16-year-old, who has seven top-five finishes this year, will be joined by 2016 bronze medallist Caterina Don (No. 69) and newcomer Emilie Paltrinieri (No. 78). The trio looks to give Italy their first team medal at the tournament.

The 2018 instalment of the event will see numerous players return as 19 members of the field have played in at least one World Junior Girls Championship, including both the 2017 silver medallist Nobilio (Italy) and bronze medallist Blanca Fernandez Garcia-Poggio (Spain), who look to become the first repeat medallists in tournament history.

138th ranked Fernandez Garcia-Poggio will lead the Spanish team as they aim to become the first team to defend their World Junior Girls team title after winning last year in the tournament’s first ever team playoff. Marina Escobar Domingo (No. 143) and Marta Garcia Llorca (No. 109) join the World Junior Girls veteran in the quest for gold.

Sweden will look to add a fourth team medal to their trophy case after earning one silver (2014) and two bronzes (2015 and 2017). As the only Swedish player returning to the championship, Maja Stark (No. 63) will be joined by rookies Ester Fägersten (No. 120) and Ingrid Lindblad (No. 180).

Last year, the United States fell short of defending their 2016 bronze medal, finishing one stroke behind Sweden. The American team will feature three new fresh faces—Brooke Seay (No. 101), Zoe Campos (No. 125) and Michaela Morard (No. 164)—as they look to recapture their first gold since they won the inaugural World Junior Girls team title in 2014.

With all of the returning teams and players, the World Junior Girls Championship is also pleased to welcome Scotland and Columbia, who will join Thailand as the three countries make their tournament debut in 2017. Columbia will send Isabella Gomez, Laura Alexandra Castillo Ordonez and Sofia Torres Villareal. The Scotland team will feature Hannah Darling, Louise Duncan and Carmen Griffiths.

The strong international field will join the six players chosen to represent Canada. Céleste Dao (Notre-Dame Ile Perrot, Que.), Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont.) and Tiffany Kong (Vancouver, B.C.) will form Canada One, while Emily Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.), Sarah Beqaj (Toronto, Ont.) and Lauren Kim (Surrey, B.C.) will make up Canada Two. Team Canada will be looking for their first medal since capturing bronze at the first ever World Junior Girls in 2014.

#TeamCanada‘s Céleste Dao and past participants share their experience in playing in the World Junior Girls Championship in Canada #WJGC

Learn more ➡️ https://t.co/LrZtdx34tL pic.twitter.com/tEyfVyeFov

— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) September 4, 2018

In 2017, the Spanish team fired a collective 4-under par (140) to erase an eight-stroke deficit, forcing a playoff with the Korean squad. Spain eventually came on top to win their first World Junior Girls Championship medal.

The World Junior Girls Championship is conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with Golf Ontario, and supported by the R&A and 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 fifth time.

Nestled in Ottawa’s east end, Camelot is no stranger to running Golf Canada championships. The venerable club has hosted the 2012 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, a Canadian Women’s Tour event, the 2017 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, as well as final qualifying for the 2017 CP Women’s Open.
Opening ceremonies for the championship take place on Sept. 10, followed by the first round on Tuesday, September 11. The tournament’s closing ceremonies will immediately follow the conclusion of play on Friday, Sept. 14.

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

ETOBICOKE, Ont – The Canadian Golf Superintendents Association (CGSA) and Bayer Environmental Science (Bayer) announced Dean Baker from Burlington Golf & Country  Club in Burlington, Ont., as their CGSA/Bayer Superintendent of the Year for 2018.

The CGSA/Bayer Superintendent of the Year award recognizes a member of the CGSA who has held the position of golf course superintendent for a minimum of five years and who has distinguished her or himself through dedication to the profession, performance as a golf course superintendent and contributions to their profession and their community.

“Dean Baker is one of the most influential golf course superintendents in Ontario and truly one of the most dedicated members who instills the importance of involvement and participation in associations,” said Kendall Costain, CGSA President. “Between his teaching at the University of Guelph and all the mentoring he has done; he has had a tremendous impact on an entire generation of turf managers. His dedication to supporting not only the CGSA but also the Ontario Golf Superintendents Association (OGSA) make it clear how  fortunate we are to have him as an ambassador. He genuinely wants everybody to succeed.”

Baker has been a CGSA member since 1989.  He has also been a 25 year plus member of the OGSA and the GCSAA.

“I love my job,” said Baker, who graduated in 1985 from the University of Guelph with a Turf Management Diploma. “There isn’t a day that goes by where I hesitate waking up and going to work.  It’s a job I’ve enjoyed since I was 15 years old.”

Dean  was hired as an assistant-in-training at Glen Abbey Golf Club.  He went on to become the superintendent at Glen Abbey in 1989, a position he held until 2000, when he moved to The Club at North Halton and worked as superintendent from 2000 – 2012.  He moved again in 2012 where he became the Golf Course Superintendent at the Burlington Golf & Country Club, where he still oversees the golf course maintenance today.

He has hosted 12 RBC Canadian Opens and he was recognized by Jack Nicklaus back in the late 90’s as having the best maintained Nicklaus designed golf course (Glen Abbey Golf Club). He has taught for over 10 years at the University of Guelph and he is an Audubon certified member as well as a certified Golf Course Superintendent through the GCSAA.

Baker will receive the CGSA/Bayer Superintendent of the Year award at the 2019 CGSA awards ceremony at the Banff Springs Hotel as part of The Canadian Golf Course Management Conference.

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FAIRHAVEN, Mass. – A two-year mission to design greater speed into every detail of driver technology has led to the introduction of the new Titleist TS drivers, available in golf shops Sept. 28 with fitting events beginning today at locations nationwide.

This mission – the “Titleist Speed Project,” as it was referenced internally by the Titleist Metalwoods R&D team – began with a challenge from the game’s best players to make Titleist drivers as fast as possible. What followed was a relentless pursuit to solicit speed from every micron and milligram of the driver head, culminating with the development of two new driver models – TS2 and TS3 – engineered to deliver faster ball speed with higher launch, lower spin and increased MOI for more distance and game-changing forgiveness.

At the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, the first week that TS (“Titleist Speed”) drivers were available for competition, it became immediately clear that the new TS2 and TS3 models had passed the test. Seventeen players put TS drivers in play – including Justin Thomas, who unleashed a career-long 422-yard drive in Round 1 – an unprecedented shift for the week of a major championship. Three starts later, Thomas earned his first World Golf Championships title with a four-shot victory at Firestone, crediting the performance gains of his TS3 9.5º driver.

The future of “Titleist Speed” is driven by the creation of the new Titleist Speed Chassis, comprising four key innovations:

• Ultra-Thin Titanium Crown. The thinnest cast titanium crown in the game (20 percent thinner than 917 drivers) allows weight to be shifted lower and deeper.
• Thinner, Faster Face. The fastest face Titleist has ever made – a refined Radial VFT (variable face thickness) that reduces weight by up to six grams – delivers faster ball speeds and increased forgiveness. The TS face is so thin that the score lines must be lasered on (instead of etched into the face like prior generations).

• New Streamlined Shape. Enhanced aerodynamic shaping reduces drag by up to 20 percent, allowing golfers to swing faster, increasing club head speed for more distance.

• Optimized Weight Distribution. Refined crown and variable face thicknesses create the lowest CG ever in a Titleist driver for higher launch and lower spin. The resulting MOI is up to 12 percent higher than 917, creating a powerful combination of speed and stability.

“From start to finish, the TS Project was about driving ball speed and unlocking a level of performance that golfers simply couldn’t ignore,” said Josh Talge, Vice President, Titleist Golf Club Marketing. “In order to do that, we knew we had to look at things differently. We challenged ourselves to deconstruct the driver and then literally build it back up, piece by piece, to be faster, longer and better in every way possible. R&D had been exploring some unique constructions early on that were really compelling in theory, but they simply couldn’t beat the performance of our all-titanium Speed Chassis. We know performance is the story that golfers care about. From the ball speed and distance gains we’re seeing both on tour and with amateur golfers, it’s clear that TS metals deliver a new level of Titleist Speed.”

TWO WAYS TO SPEED: TS drivers bring more speed to golfers through two distinct designs. The new TS2 lets golfers swing aggressively with maximum forgiveness across the face, while TS3 offers speed-tuned distance with dynamic forgiveness through SureFit CG. Both models feature Titleist’s patented SureFit hosel with 16 independent loft and lie settings to create a more consistent and optimized ball flight through precision fitting.

TS2 DRIVERS – STRAIGHT SPEED.

• Explosive distance across the face and maximum forgiveness
• Adjustable Swingweight, Fixed CG Location
• High Launch, Low Spin
• Modern Shape, 460cc
• Available in 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5°, 11.5°
 lofts

TS3 DRIVERS – SPECIALIZED SPEED.

• Speed-tuned distance and dynamic forgiveness.
• Adjustable Swingweight & SureFit CG
• Mid Launch, Low Spin
• Traditional Shape, 460cc
• Available in 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5°
 lofts

PREMIUM STOCK SHAFTS: The TS drivers stock shaft lineup features four new aftermarket models – KURO KAGE Black Dual Core 50 (High launch and moderate spin), TENSEI AV Series Blue 55 (Mid launch and spin), HZRDUS Smoke Black 60 (Low/mid launch and spin) and Even Flow T1100 White 65 (Low launch and spin) – developed by the game’s top shaft manufacturers using insights from Titleist’s industry-best motion capture and consumer testing. Each of these shafts will be making their market debut with TS drivers.

Moderate swing speed players will benefit from Mitsubishi’s new Straight Flight Weighting (SFW) technology, which promotes straight flight in lightweight driver shaft options (KURO KAGE Black Dual Core 50 and TENSEI AV Series Blue 55).

In addition, Titleist offers an industry-leading number of custom shaft choices.

INSTANT TOUR ADOPTION: Since the debut of TS drivers at the U.S. Open, more than 100 players around the world have switched to new TS2 and TS3 models, including Justin Thomas (TS3 9.5º), Adam Scott (TS3 10.5º), Bill Haas (TS2 9.5º), Jimmy Walker (TS3 8.5º), Brian Harman (TS2 9.5º), Cameron Smith (TS2 9.5º), Rafa Cabrera Bello (TS3 9.5º), Webb Simpson (TS3 10.5º), Byeong-Hun An (TS3 9.5º), Charley Hoffman (TS3 9.5º), Peter Uihlein (TS3 9.5º), Chesson Hadley (TS2 10.5º) and Ian Poulter (TS3 9.5º).

In June, Michael Kim (TS2 10.5º) became the first player to post a victory with the new Titleist TS driver, winning the John Deere Classic by a record eight shots. For the tournament, Kim averaged five yards more off the tee (294.8) and was nearly 30 percentage points (82.14%) higher in Driving Accuracy compared to his 2017-18 season averages.

FREE TRIAL & FITTINGS: Beginning Sept. 6, golfers can experience the speed of TS drivers by attending a Titleist Fitting Day or Trial event (including Titleist Thursdays) being held at locations nationwide. To find an event, or book a free TS metals fitting with a Titleist Product Specialist, golfers can visit www.titleist.ca/events.

AVAILABILITY: Titleist TS drivers are available in golf shops worldwide beginning Sept. 28 at a price of $659.99.

L’Île-Bizard, QC – Montreal’s Caroline Ciot will make history this week at the Mackenzie Investments Open. In the field on a sponsor exemption, Ciot will become the second female to play the PGA TOUR-era Mackenzie Tour, with the first being Jacqueline Bendrick at the 2016 GolfBC Championship.

It’s also important to note that in the pre-PGA TOUR era, Isabelle Beisiegel impressively earned a Tour card in 2011.

Ciot, now 25, started playing golf at age 17 after competing as a high-level gymnast until then. She played at the University of Montreal from 2012-2015 and won eight of the 12 university tournaments she played in Quebec. She was first on the Golf Quebec Order of Merit in 2015 and turned professional in 2017.

Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year Race
The top Canadian on the Mackenzie Tour following the Freedom 55 Financial Championship will claim the Dan Halldorson trophy, along with a $25,000 bonus. Last season, Jared du Toit claimed the trophy as the 23^rd ranked player on the Order of Merit, with Ryan Williams the runner-up at spot 31.

The race is likely to come down to the wire this season, as Michael Gligic holds the lead in the 13^th spot on the Order of Merit with $37,720 with Riley Wheeldon being his closest chaser at $31,408.

Meanwhile, du Toit folds into the 31^st spot at $17,442 with Taylor Pendrith right behind him at 32 with $17,352.

Bathurst, N.B. – The second round of the 2018 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship concluded Wednesday at Gowan Brae Golf and Country Club with Team British Columbia emerging as provincial team champions.

The trio of Doug Roxburgh (Vancouver), John Gallacher (Burnaby, B.C.) and Al Jensen (Nanaimo, B.C.) posted a combined second-round score of 2-over-146 to capture the Phil Farley Trophy with a total of 297 (+9).

It was a close finish between Team British Columbia and Team Alberta, which was comprised of John Festival (Calgary), Brian Coston (Calgary) and Ken Griffith (Red Deer, Alta.). The Alberta trio, who are defending champions,finished a single-shot back of Team British Columbia, sharing runner-up honours with Team Quebec, comprised of Shawn Farrell (St-Anne-de-Bellevue, Que.), François Bissonnette (Mirabel, Que.) and Michel Roy (Québec, Que.). Team Alberta and Team Quebec finished with a total of 10-over-298.

Team British Columbia member and Canadian Golf Hall of Famer, Doug Roxburgh, walks away from the second round with his team winning the inter-provincial competition and holding the lead in the Super Senior Division.

“It’s great,” when asked how it feels to be leading the Super Senior Division, “I just want to go out and play golf while representing B.C. and see how our team did, and now we have the individual side of it, and so we just keep plugging away.”

The Vancouver native leads the Super Senior by 5 stokes after carding a 1-under-71 on Wednesday to sit 1-over for the tournament.

“I played fairly steady and missed a couple of short ones, but other than that you have to be pretty happy with it, I’ll take a 71,” Roxbugh laughed.

The 2014 Canadian Men’s Senior champion holds a five-shot lead on Lars Melander from Oakville, Ont. and Lance Lundy from Pemberton, B.C., who share second with a total score of 150 (+6).

Brady Exber took the solo lead Wednesday in the Senior Division after recording a tournament low round of 4-under-68.

The Las Vegas native teed off on hole 10 and fired two birdies against two bogeys on his front nine making the turn at even for the day. He continued to record four more birdies on the back nine to take a three-shot lead.

“It’s always good to make six birdies,” Exber smiled. “I had two mistakes, I bogeyed 17 and just missed the green a little bit and flubbed a chip. I three putted 18, that was very disappointing.”

Exber enters the third round Thursday without having made a bogey on the front nine.

“I played the front nine well, the front nine is a little easier than the back nine. But I haven’t made a bogey on the front yet, knock on wood,” added the 62-year-old.

Peter Detemple from Lexington Park, MD., initially from Vancouver, moved one spot back into second after sharing the lead with Exber after Tuesday’s round. Detemple carded another 71 to sit 2-under for the tournament.

Not far behind is 2017 Canadian Senior champion Gene Elliott who fired a 3-under 69 to sit alone in third, just one stroke behind Detemple.

A total of 74 players finished 156-or-better to advance past the 36-hole cut. The third round will begin Thursday at 8 a.m. ADT.

Denmark, with John Axelsen shooting 8-under 64 and Rasmus Hojgaard firing 4-under 68, posted a 12-under-par 132 to slide past host Ireland for a two-stroke first-round lead.

The Danish pair, playing the Montgomerie Course, combined to tie for the second-lowest first-round score in Eisenhower Trophy history, just one behind the record of 131 set by the USA in Turkey in 2012.

“Everything just worked today,” said Axelsen, a University of Florida sophomore, who won the Danish Amateur in 2017 and 2018. “I was going up to the ball and just feeling like this is going to be close.”

Host Ireland, playing in the first group of the morning off the second nine, made a home-course statement with a 10-under par total of 134.

India and Switzerland shared third place at 9 under, followed by New Zealand and Japan in fifth at 7 under and Thailand, Spain, England, Portugal and Republic of Korea tied in seventh at 6 under.

Canada’s team, comprised of Hugo Bernard, 23, of Mont-St-Hilaire, Que., Joey Savoie, 24, of La Prairie, Que., and Garrett Rank, 30, of Elmira, Ont., sit T12 at 141.

Rank sits as the leading Canadian in individual play. The full-time NHL referee is T12 after firing a 4-under par 68.