PORT BLANDFORD, N.L. — Haley Baker holds onto her lead in the Girls Division while Peter Blazevic and Owen Mullen co-lead the Boys Division at the Future Links, driven by Acura Atlantic Championship on Wednesday.

Baker held on to the top spot in the Girls Division after posting a second-round 4 over.  The Ashburn, N.S., native extended her lead to head into the final round with a comfortable four-stroke margin. Despite being unable to register a single birdie, Baker tied with her younger sister Abbey for the low score of the day.

Raesa Sheikh was in a great position after 9 holes but struggled on the back-nine with two double bogeys, eventually sinking a birdie on her last hole. The Caledon, Ont., product sits in second place at 10-over-par.

Rounding out the top-three in the Girls Division is Abbey Baker at 14 over. The 13-year-old was the only junior girl to score multiple birdies during the second round.

In the Boys Division, Owen Mullen moved from fourth to a tie for first after firing four birdies and posting an even-71, the low score of the day.

“It’s a little tight off the tee so you can’t be super aggressive out there and have to strategize well because it was so windy today. The stretch from 4 to 12 really got my round going and kept it together,” said the 14-year-old from Truro, N.S. “My plan tomorrow is just to play my own game and not worry about what the other guys are doing.”

He will enter the final round tied for the lead alongside Mississauga’s Blazevic, who started round two in a tie for second.

Yesterday’s leader, Ewan Jr. Kelly, sits one shot back from the leaders. The 17-year-old, who shot a 7 over, faced troubles throughout the round but found redemption with an eagle on hole 16.

The top six finishers in the junior boys’ division will earn exemptions into the 2018 Canadian Junior Boys Championship on July 30-Aug. 2 at Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club in Medicine Hat, Alta. The top six finishers in the junior girls’ division will earn exemptions into the 2018 Canadian Junior Girls Championship on July 31-Aug. 3 at Beach Grove Golf Club in Tsawwassen, B.C.

Up-to-date results can be found here.

As Laurence Applebaum marked his first year as Golf Canada’s CEO on July 10, it would have been easy to point to a couple of recent announcements as early anniversary presents.

On July 3, it was revealed that the RBC Canadian Open would vacate its logistically problematic date the week immediately after The Open Championship in July and shift to the week prior to the U.S. Open, taking place the first week of June starting next year.

On July 9, Canadian Pacific and Golf Canada announced that CP had extended its title sponsorship of the CP Women’s Open, the only LPGA Tour event in Canada, for five years through 2023. The announcement was made at Magna Golf Club, the opulent and outstanding facility in Aurora, Ont., which will host the 2019 CP Women’s Open.

Just as significant was the news that the event’s charity, CP Has Heart, has raised almost $6.5 million for heart health initiatives in just four years. CP’s sponsorship also supports Golf Canada’s National Team Program (Team Canada) and the Young Pro Program which aids emerging Canadian professionals as they transition to the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour. CP is also the title sponsor of the CP Women’s Leadership Summit which will make its debut on Aug. 21 during the CP Women’s Open at Wascana Country Club in Regina.

But in an interview after the CP Women’s media conference at Magna, Applebaum was quick to deflect the credit for these notable accomplishments.

“We are extremely fortunate to have great partners like CP and RBC and so many others who support the game of golf in Canada. Without them and a supportive Board of Directors and our talented and hard-working team of staff and volunteers, I doubt very much would get accomplished at all, much less in a year.”

So giving credit where credit is due, it must be noted that the past 12 months have been, if not tumultuous, at least a “whirlwind,” according to Applebaum.

“One of the biggest highlights and I have to admit, one of the biggest surprises, was the reception I enjoyed from the golf community both within our borders and outside. I was overwhelmed by how much Canadians love their golf and also by how welcoming the global golf community, like the PGA Tour, the LPGA Tour, the USGA and the R&A, has been to a newcomer.”

Building relationships was a keystone of Applebaum’s priority list when he came on board to lead Golf Canada. He traversed the country, listening to golfers to determine how Golf Canada could become “more relevant,” in his words.

One of the positives he noted was the reaction to Golf Canada’s new membership model. The hope is to transition all member clubs to the Gold Level by the end of next year. The Gold Level comes with a laundry list of benefits from an official handicap factor to incident protection (up to $2,500 reimbursement for damaged, lost or stolen equipment, plus other unfortunate golf-related events), discounts on merchandise and event, tickets, and more).

“I had many golfers come up to me and say ‘I’ve been a Golf Canada member for a long time but I’ve never really seen the value. But now I do.’”

Another thing Applebaum noted during his travels was that the “Canadian golf community” is anything but. It’s fragmented, to say the least.

But the good news is that when he joined Golf Canada, work was well underway on the organization’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy (by a task force headed by current Golf Canada President Leslie Dunning. Published last winter, it is a leading-edge document that, says Applebaum, “shows that we welcome all of Canada’s almost six million golfers with open arms. It’s a great outreach initiative that we are determined to live up to.”

About the same time as the Diversity and Inclusivity Policy was released, Applebaum appeared at a media conference with PGA of Canada CEO Kevin Thistle to announce that the two national organizations have teamed up to combat and prevent abuse, bullying and harassment in golf by adopting Respect in Sport and Respect in the Workplace as part of a deepened commitment to the Responsible Coaching Movement.

Laurence Applebaum and PGA of Canada CEO Kevin Thistle signing the Responsible Coaching Movement for golf in Canada

After such a hectic yet rewarding first year, Applebaum might be excused if some of the memories are a touch hazy. But that’s not the case in at least one instance.

“It had to be at last year’s CP Women’s Open at Royal Ottawa,” he recalls as his face lights up with a smile. “To see Brooke Henderson make the cut on the number and then go out on Saturday and shoot a course-record 63, well, what a great moment for Canadian golfers! It’s something I’ll never forget.”

And with that, he stands up, shakes hands, and heads into Year Two.

WINNIPEG – Brooke Henderson is looking forward to some much-needed time off and then returning to the golf course with a “vengeance.”

After the Canadian star failed to hang on to her final-round lead and finished third at last weekend’s LPGA Tour Marathon Classic in Ohio, she planned to spend some time at home before getting ready for the British Open on Aug. 2-5 in England.

“It’s so important to be physically ready but also mentally,” Henderson said Tuesday after headlining a pro-am and junior clinic at the St. Charles Country Club in Winnipeg.

“And, especially in the summer months when it’s so hot and you’re grinding every single day. It is tiring and you have to really pay attention and know that rest is just as important.

“So I’m excited to kind of have some downtime, get some rest and be balanced, and then get back at it and work hard. I feel like it’s good for you to kind of refresh and then go forward with a vengeance.”

Her break actually got off to a bit of a rocky start as two flights to Winnipeg out of Toronto were cancelled Monday night. She arrived Tuesday morning and the event was a hit despite some scheduling changes.

“It definitely does bring back a lot of memories,” Henderson said. “I think it kind of gives me that lift as somebody else was mentioning earlier, just that kind of little extra boost, that little extra confidence that I am on the right track, I am doing things the right way.

“I’ve just got to keep moving forward and good things are going to happen.”

Good and bad things happened to the Smith Falls, Ont., native last Sunday, but after assessing her play she was letting the disappointment of not claiming a seventh Tour victory roll off of her.

The 20-year-old still had a one-shot lead after the 14th hole, but then bogeyed the 15th and 16th. She made par on the 17th and 18th par-five holes, but missed out on a playoff that was won by Thidapa Suwannapura of Thailand over American Brittany Lincicome.

“Leading up to that, I played amazing golf all week,” Henderson said. “The four holes kind of don’t give the respect to those other holes that much but I was playing great.”

She had believed her final putt was bang on.

“I thought it was in, to be honest,” she said. “It’s right where I thought and it just stopped breaking, I guess a foot or two to go.

“But that’s all you can do. I hit it on the high side. It had a chance to go in. It looked awesome and, unfortunately, it just didn’t go in and that’s cool.”

Henderson is sixth in earnings after taking home $843,597 this year, following seven Top 10 finishes in 18 events, including winning the Lotte Championship in April. Her six career Tour victories is two shy of Sandra Post’s record for the most by a Canadian woman.

She plans to continue working hard on improving her short game.

“Putting has been a huge focus for me over the last few months, I guess since the start of the season,” she said. “That’s where I’m trying to make big gains.”

Her break will also include important time off with her family.

“This year definitely has been challenging for my family,” said Henderson, who withdrew from last month’s U.S. Women’s Open after her grandfather on her mother’s side passed away.”

“My other grandpa is sick now, too, and it’s really kind of scary. But I feel like I’ve been handling everything, the ups and the downs, pretty well.”

“I’m just trying to overcome those things and hopefully get some more wins in the near future.”

VANCOUVER, B.C. –  Marine Drive Golf Club is prepared to host the world’s premier female amateur golfers from July 23-27 for the 105th playing of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.

The top-two ranked players on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) headline the 156-player field as Marine Drive hosts the Women’s Amateur Championship for the first time. World No. 1 and defending champion Jennifer Kupcho headlines the group alongside Lilia Kha-Tu Vu (No. 2) and Patty Tavatanakit (No. 6).

Designed in 1922 by the late Arthur Vernon Macan, Marine Drive has been home to many champions. The 6,300 yard, par 71 course is known for its difficulty and has continued to provide an exceptional test of golf. Macan will be celebrated at RBC Hall of Fame Day on July 24 during the RBC Canadian Open as one of two inductees this year into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame for his excellence in Canadian golf architecture.

“We are so excited to host the 105th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Marine Drive in the beautiful city of Vancouver,” said Tim Tait, Director of Golf at Marine Drive. “We look forward to welcoming the world’s up-and-coming stars to Marine Drive, and crowning the next champion of this storied tournament.”

LPGA stars Brooke Henderson (2013) and Ariya Jutanugarn (2012) are two of many great champions to have hoisted the Duchess of Connaught Trophy before moving on to the professional ranks. 

“This tournament has proven to be a stepping stone for many amateurs working towards joining the professional ranks,” said Tournament Director, Dan Hyatt. “Eight of our past 10 winners, including 2013 champion Brooke Henderson, have gone on to find success as professionals. We are very excited to write the next chapter of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Marine Drive.” 

In 2018, the Marlene Streit Trophy will be awarded to the runner-up for the first time since its retirement in 2006. Streit, a Canadian golf Hall-of-Famer, holds the record of 11 victories at the Canadian Women’s Amateur.

All four members of Team Canada’s Amateur Squad will be in attendance: World No. 16 Maddie Szeryk (London, Ont.), No. 26 Jaclyn Lee (Calgary, Alta.), No. 177 Naomi Ko (Victoria, B.C.) and No. 249 Grace St-Germain (Ottawa, Ont.). Céleste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que., will be joined by her fellow Team Canada Development Squad members Monet Chun (Richmond Hill, Ont.), Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont.) and Alyssa DiMarcantonio (Maple, Ont.).

In addition to Kupcho, Vu, Tavatanakit, Szeryk and Lee, players in the field from the top-30 world rankings include Mariel Galdiano (No. 19), Haley Moore (No.25) and Emilia Migliaccio (No. 27). Also included in the field is Avril Li, who earned her spot in the event after winning the 2018 Canadian University/College Championship.

A practice round will be conducted on July 23 prior to the championship’s opening round. Following the first two rounds of play, the field will be reduced to the low 70 players and ties. A tie for the championship will be decided by a hole-by-hole playoff immediately following the conclusion of play.

An inter-provincial team championship will take place in conjunction with the first two rounds of play. British Columbia’s Naomi Ko, Michelle Kim and Gloria Usu Choi claimed the team title in 2017. 

The winner of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship will earn an exemption into the CP Women’s Open from Aug. 20-26 at the Wascana Country Club in Regina, Sask.

For more Information on the 2018 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship including the full field, starting times and live scoring, click here.

NOTABLES
Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont.
The National Amateur Squad member is the highest ranked Canadian in the field (No. 16). The three-time All-American golfer already has two wins in 2018:  the Bruzzy Challenge and Dale McNamara Invitational. In 14 events this season, the 21-year-old has five top-five finishes and eighteen top-twenty finishes. She captured both the BC Women’s Amateur Championship and Women’s Western Amateur Championship.

Jaclyn Lee of Calgary, Alta.
The Team Canada National Amateur Squad member has made a name for herself this season with wins at the NCAA Big Ten Championship and Westbrook Invitational and six top-ten finishes, including a tied for fifth at the NCAA Women’s Medal Championship. The 21-year-old recently climbed up ten spots to No. 26 in the world rankings after a strong showing at the Meijer LPGA Classic and making it to the semi-finals at the Ladies British Open Amateur Championship.

Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster, Colo.
The defending champion and current world No. 1 has three wins so far this season: the NCAA Medal Championship, the NCAA Tallahassee Regional and the Bryan National Collegiate. Kupcho won the event last year by a 5-stroke margin. The 21-year-old amateur most recently finished T16 at the Marathon LPGA.

Lilia Kha-Tu Vu of Fountain Valley, Calif.
The current world No. 2 has four victories in 2018 so far: the Pac-12 Championship, the Arizona Wildcat Invitational, Bruin Wave Invitational and the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge. The 20-year-old placed second in this event last year.

Patty Tavatanakit of Thailand
The current world No.6, Tavatanakit has won three of the seven 2018 tournaments she has played in, including the NCAA San Fransisco Regional, Pac-12 Championship and Silverado Showdown.

FAST FACTS
Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship is among the oldest golfing competitions in Canada.

The champion will earn an exemption into the CP Women’s Open from Aug. 20-26 at the Wascana Country Club in Regina, Sask.

Ten provincial teams with three players each will compete in an inter-provincial championship that will take place in during the first two rounds.

The Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship is an ‘A’ ranked event on the World Amateur Golf Ranking. 

Last year’s champion: Jennifer Kupcho from Colorado, current world No. 1 amateur golfer.

Recent past winners and current LPGA major winners include Brooke Henderson (2013), Ariya Jutanugarn (2012)

During the 1901 season, the Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Que. hosted the first competition which was won by Canadian Lillas Young.

Canadian Marlene Streit has the most wins at the event (11) in its history: 1951, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1963, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1973.

Canadian Mary Ann Lapointe is the oldest to ever win the event at 44-years-old. 

Judy Darling Evans and Dora Darling are the only mother-daughter combo to win the event.

Five golfers have won the tournament at least three years in a row: Mabel Thomson, Dorothy Campbell, Marlene Stewart Streit, Debbie Massey and Lisa Meldrum. 

The Duchess of Connaught was donated in 1914 as the new championship trophy, Dorothy Campbell had won the Lady Grey Trophy outright in 1912 after her third consecutive victory.

The tournament was not held between 1939-1946 because of WWII.

The Marlene Streit trophy, awarded to the runner-up, will be returning for the first time since its retirement in 2006.

ABOUT THE COURSE
Designed by A.V. Macan, who will be inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame at the 2018 RBC Canadian Open.

Established 96 years ago. 

6,300 yard, par 71 golf course 

Host Club for past Canadian Men’s, Men’s Senior and Junior Boys Championships.

PORT BLANDFORD, N.L. — Ewan Jr. Kelly and Haley Baker carded a 1 under and 2 over, respectively, to lead their divisions at the Future Links, driven by Acura Atlantic Championship at Twin Rivers Golf Course.

Kelly was the only player to score under par during the first round of the tournament. The Beaver Bank, N.S., native overcame a couple of bogeys on the front-nine with four birdies to head into the second round with a four-stroke lead.

“I hit it pretty solid and managed really well,” said the 17-year-old. “My plan tomorrow is to keep it in play and miss in the right spots. I only hit one driver today and probably not going to hit any more.”

Jordie Cooper of Fall River, N.S. and Peter Blazevic of Mississauga, Ont. both shot 3 over to share a piece of second place.

In the Girls’ Division, Haley Baker fired four birdies in order to recover from a rough front-nine that included three bogeys and a double-bogey.

“My start was a little shaky but my putting was really good today,” said the 16-year-old Halifax, N.S. product. “I got into some trouble on a couple of holes today so my plan for the second round is to keep it in play.”

The race in the Girls’ Division will be tight on Wednesday. Raesa Sheikh of Caledon, Ont., sits one shot behind Baker in second place at 3 over while Ashley Chow of North York, Ont., is in third at 4 over.

The top six finishers in the Boys Division will earn exemptions into the 2018 Canadian Junior Boys Championship on July 30-Aug. 2 at Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club in Medicine Hat, Alta., while the top six (including ties) in the Girls Division will earn exemptions into the 2018 Canadian Junior Girls Championship on July 31- Aug. 3 at Beach Grove Golf Club in Tsawwassen, B.C.

Up-to-date results can be found here.

Marc-Etienne Bussieres held on to the top spot of the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC following the recent PGA Championship of Canada presented by TaylorMade and adidas Golf.

With the No. 1-ranking, the 31-year-old from Club de golf Longchamp in Sherbrooke, Que., earns an exemption into the RBC Canadian Open, which takes place July 23-29 at Glen Abbey Golf Club.

Pierre-Alexandre Bedard moved into the top-five of the player rankings after his first national championship win at the PGA Championship of Canada presented by TaylorMade and adidas Golf at Credit Valley Golf and Country Club. Bedard, an assistant professional at Club de golf Cap Rouge in Quebec, is the PGA of Canada’s reigning Mike Weir Player of the Year Award winner. The 23-year-old is now in a good position to become the first back-to-back player of the year in the history of the association.

The Mike Weir Player of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding player among the ranks of the PGA of Canada membership. The Player of the Year is awarded to the member who attains the most points based on the criteria within the PGA of Canada Player Rankings for the calendar year of the award.

Other nice jumps in the player rankings after the PGA Championship of Canada include Gordon Burns (who placed second at Credit Valley) who moved into the top-10 at No. 8, up from No. 16. John Shin of the Northview Golf Academy in Surrey, B.C., jumped 20 spots to No. 21.

The new look PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC are as follows:

1. Marc-Etienne Bussieres, Club de Golf Longchamp
2. Bryn Parry, Point Grey Golf & Country Club
3. Billy Walsh, Modern Golf
4. Dave Levesque, Golf Chateau Bromont
5. Pierre-Alexandre Bedard, Club de Golf Cap Rouge
6. Danny King, The Performance Academy at Magna
7. Oliver Tubb, University Golf Club
8. Gordon Burns, Gord Burns Golf School
9. Lee Curry, Camelot Golf & Country Club
10. Dustin Risdon, National Golf Academy Dome

The PGA of Canada Player Rankings is based on a points-based system from a number of national and zone championships.

The remaining events for points are:

• PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada
• PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada
• PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada
• British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northern Ontario, Ontario, Ottawa Valley, Quebec and Atlantic Zone Championship and Club Professional Championship
• Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Ottawa Valley, Quebec and Atlantic Assistants’ Championship

For more information about the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC, CLICK HERE.

In a recent video posted to Instagram, Adam Hadwin was preparing for this week’s British Open by hitting balls in his backyard in Phoenix.

It may seem counterproductive, climate-wise, except it was during an Arizona monsoon – and the Canadian golfer was there in full rain-gear, smiling away.

The state’s monsoon season runs from mid-June to September, which lined up perfectly for Hadwin as he prepared for the third major of the year.

“I do have more understanding about links golf and what to do where and when. I feel more confident that I’ll be able to adjust my game over there going over this time (better than he did) last year,” the 30-year-old Hadwin, of Abbotsford, B.C., said.

.@ahadwingolf grew up in Canada, so naturally he is calm, cool, and collected in any weather condition ??☀️❄️⛈? – ? @ahadwingolf

A post shared by Golf Canada (@thegolfcanada) on Jul 12, 2018 at 5:23pm PDT

“Certainly there’s lots still to learn, but I definitely learned a lot playing last year.”

Not only did 2017 mark Hadwin’s debut at the British Open, it also was his first trip to Europe.

He missed the cut, and despite enjoying being tourist-for-the-day in Liverpool with his wife Jessica, he’s eager for more this year at Carnoustie Golf Links.

Scotland has experienced a heat wave the last few months, meaning the course is ripe for long, running shots along baked-out turf.

Hadwin, the lone Canadian in the field, said he has worked on some specific links golf strategies.

“I dialed in the basics but also added some of those unique shots I might face, and tried to fly the ball a little bit lower, especially off the tee,” said Hadwin.

“If you hit good golf shots, it doesn’t matter what kind of golf course you’re playing. It’s really just golf in the end.”

Hadwin plans to add a few different clubs to his bag that he hasn’t used since last year’s British Open.

Hadwin admitted he doesn’t know much about Carnoustie, but has been told repeatedly it will be a stern test of golf.

“Everyone seems to be calling it ‘Car-nasty’ so my understanding is it’s going to be a very difficult golf course, especially if the conditions make it more so,” he said.

He planned to play 18 holes on Monday after walking the course over the weekend. He’ll play another full round on Wednesday as, from experience, he knows a major-championship venue changes drastically from the beginning of the week to Thursday’s opening round.

“I’ll ease my way into it,” he said. “I know I’m arriving an extra couple days (early) versus a normal week, but the biggest thing is to get adjusted .”

As Canada’s highest-ranked male golfer, Hadwin has earned more than US$1.4 million this season, with three top-10 finishes.

He missed the cut at last month’s U.S. Open, ending a streak of cuts-made that was one of the longest on Tour, but feels confident he’ll begin to score well again sooner rather than later.

Although Hadwin sits 60th on the FedEx Cup season-long points race (more than twice as high as the next-closest Canadian), he admitted his putting – long considered his strength – has let him down slightly this year.

He told The Canadian Press in December his objective for 2018 was to improve his iron play, which he said he’s done. But because of how much Hadwin practised that aspect of his game, his putting work tapered off.

He said he has spent more time on the putting green recently to work on speed, alignment and feel.

Hadwin hasn’t notched a top-20 finish since May. He said he is in a “birdie-bogey cycle,” but feels he’s playing well overall.

“I’m driving it well enough and keeping it in play. I’ve hit my fair share of bad shots but overall I’m hitting it pretty well, I’m just not scoring,” he said. “And in golf, it’s not about how, it’s about how many.”

After the British Open, Hadwin will fly back to Oakville, Ont. for next week’s RBC Canadian Open, where his best finish is a tie for fourth in 2011.

PORT BLANDFORD, N.L. —  Golf Canada concludes its 2018 Future Links championship season as the Future Links, driven by Acura Atlantic Championship is ready to take place at Terra Nova Resort on the award-winning Twin Rivers Golf Course from July 17-19.

With support from Golf Newfoundland and Labrador, the Future Links, driven by Acura Atlantic Championship is the final regional junior championship presented in partnership with Acura this season. The 54-hole stroke play tournament will begin with a practice round on July 16 before the tournament gets underway with round one on July 17.

Twin Rivers Golf Course officially opened in August 1984 as a nine-hole public course in Terra Nova National Park designed by Robbie Robinson. A second nine-hole, designed by Doug Carrick, opened in July 1991.

“Golf Newfoundland and Labrador is excited to present the 2018 Future Links, driven by Acura Atlantic Championship alongside Golf Canada,” said this week’s Tournament Director, Greg Hillier. “We look forward to seeing how Twin Rivers Golf Course tests Canada’s premier junior golfers while giving them an opportunity to showcase their skills.”

The field will consist of  57 junior golfers in the Junior Boys Division with the top six earning exemptions into the 2018 Canadian Junior Boys Championship on July 30-Aug. 2 at Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club in Medicine Hat, Alta. A tie for the sixth position will be decided by a playoff following the conclusion of play.

The Junior Girls Division will consist of 8 golfers with the top six (including ties) earning an exemption into the 2018 Canadian Junior Girls Championship on July 31- Aug. 3 at Beach Grove Golf Club in Tsawwassen, B.C.

Results from the previous 2018 Future Links, driven by Acura championships can be found here:Pacific, Ontario, Western, Quebec and Prairie.

More information regarding the Future Links, driven by Acura Championships can be found here.

NOTABLES
Haley Baker of Halifax, Nova Scotia
The 16-year-old has placed in the top-ten in five out of the six events she played in this season. Her best finish in 2018 so far was second place at the 2018 East Cost Junior Championship.

Owen Mullen of Truro, Nova Scotia
The 14-year-old finished T10 at the event last year. Mullen won the 2018 CJGA Atlantic Spring Classic and has three other top-five finishes this year. He ranks 50th on the Future Links, driven by Acura Order of Merit.

Daniel Kirby of Woodstock, New Brunswick
The 15-year-old finished T7 at the same event last year, the highest of anyone in the Boys Division this year. Kirby finished first at the CJGA DeLaet Cup Team East Qualifier at Northumberland Links Golf Club and currently ranks 36th in the Future Links, driven by Acura Order of Merit.

Taylor Cormier of Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador
The 16-year-old had a stellar 2017 season, winning four out of the five events that she competed in addition to being named Golf Newfoundland and Labrador’s Junior Female Golfer of the Year. She tied for thirteenth at the event last year.

FAST FACTS
In 2018, Golf Canada is conducting its six regional Future Links, driven by Acura championships in conjunction with the Provincial Associations.

Top six finishers in the Boys Division earn exemptions into the 2018 Canadian Junior Boys Championship.

Top six finishers (including ties) in the Girls Division earn exemptions into the 2018 Canadian Junior Girls Championship.

Calvin Ross successfully defended his 2015, 2016 and 2017 Future Links Atlantic titles, and continuing on to win the Canadian Junior Boys Championship last year by two strokes.
Meghan McLean went wire-to-wire to win the Girls Division in the 2017 Future Links, driven by Acura Atlantic Championship.

ABOUT THE COURSE
Twin Rivers Golf Course officially opened in August 1984 as a nine-hole public course in Terra Nova National Park.

The second nine hole opened in July 1991.

Acknowledged as one of the top 100 courses in the country

SILVIS, Ill. — David Hearn and Mackenzie Hughes were the top Canadians, finishing T16 at the John Deere Classic on Sunday.

Brampton’s Hearn was one to watch this weekend. The 39-year-old recorded third place and second place performances during the first two rounds but finished tied for sixteenth alongside Hughes after a fourth round 1 under.

Hughes moved up 18 spots to end tied with Hearn and five other players after firing 6 under to finish at 14-under-par 270.

Michael Kim didn’t just win his first PGA Tour event on Sunday. He dominated in a fashion never seen at TPC Deere Run.

Kim’s prizes? A little over a million bucks, a two-year exemption on tour and a trip to the British Open.

Kim shot a final-round 66 on Sunday to win the John Deere Classic by a record-setting eight strokes. Kim, who turned 25 on Saturday, finished at 27-under 257 to break Steve Stricker’s tournament record from 2010 by one shot.

Kim also qualified for next week’s Open at Carnoustie _ an unexpected bonus for a player who had missed five of his last six cuts before his breakthrough in the Quad Cities.

Kim also made 30 birdies for the week, a season high on tour in 2018.

“To be able to finish out in style like this, it means a lot,” said Kim, who nearly quadrupled his season earnings with a winner’s share of $1.044 million. “To be sitting here with a trophy, I’m at a loss for words.”

Bronson Burgoon, Francesco Molinari, Joel Dahmen and Sam Ryder all finished at 19 under.

Kim took all the drama out of the final round with birdies on his first three holes and secured the largest margin of victory during the tournament’s stay at the course, which began in 2000. J.P. Hayes (2002) and Vijay Singh (2003) won the event by four strokes.

Kim, who had previously had just one top-10 finish in 84 career starts _ a third at the Safeway Open two years ago _ entered play with a five-shot lead. It was the biggest edge for a third-round leader at the John Deere Classic since Stricker’s six-stroke advantage eight years ago.

Kim, a former star at Cal who had struggled to find his footing as a pro, made it obvious from his first swing that he wasn’t about to let anyone catch him.

Kim knocked in a 13-foot birdie putt on the opening hole, and then holed two more from 15 and 24 feet to give him seven straight birdies dating back to the end of Saturday’s round _ and a seven-shot lead.

The field might have felt a glimmer of hope when Kim dumped his tee shot into the greenside bunker on the par-3 seventh hole.

But Kim got his bunker shot to within 7 feet and made the downhill par putt, and he walked to the next tee with an eight-shot edge.

“Even the last couple of weeks, I felt like my game was getting there,” Kim said. “I just felt like I needed just a couple of good starts to the rounds.”

Kim surpassed Stricker’s mark with a 21-foot putt on No. 16. The understated Kim finally let loose, holding his hand to his ear in a nod to a cheering gallery.

Kim’s day ended on No. 18 in emotional fashion when he saw his brother, father and mother _ all of whom had made a surprise trip in hopes of seeing him get his first win _ on a video screen.

“I teared up a little bit on the green,” Kim said. “To see my parents here … it made me even more nervous.”

SYLVANIA, Ohio — Canadian Brooke Henderson narrowly missed her seventh LPGA Tour victory Sunday, finishing third at the Marathon Classic.

The 20-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., had a one-shot lead heading into the final round and cruised through the first 14 holes of the day before running into trouble with bogeyes on Nos. 15 and 16.

Thidapa Suwannapura of Thailand beat American Brittany Lincicome in a playoff to win the tournament after both finished 72 holes tied at 14-under 270.

Henderson had four birdies, including three on the first six holes, finishing the round 2-under 69 for a 13 under total.

Henderson has six LPGA Tour wins, two shy of Sandra Post’s record for most by a Canadian woman.

Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., finished in a tie for 32nd place at 6 under. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp was 3 under for a share of 49th.

Wasn’t the finish she expected but @BrookeHenderson did amazing this weekend, finishing in third @MarathonLPGA and climbing to fourth in the Race to CME Globe!
Leave your supportive comments for her ⬇️❤️pic.twitter.com/octO3CRvxs

— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) July 16, 2018