MONTREAL, Que. – Golf Québec is proud to announce that Mario Brisebois, the well-known columnist of Le Journal de Montréal, current blogger for Golf Canada and mongolf.ca, and precious collaborator of the Golf International magazine, will be inducted into the Québec Golf Hall of Fame.

Native to the Mauricie area, Mario stood out from the crowd during his years as a junior at the Club de golf Shawinigan and on the provincial stage. As a matter of fact, he was selected to represent Golf Québec, formerly known as the Québec Golf Association (QGA), in the prestigious competition for the Williamson Cup held in 1970 at the Aronimink Golf Club, in Philadelphia. This was a huge honour in his region where very few juniors had the opportunity to participate in such high level tournaments.

Later on, his studies and budding career as a journalist at Le Journal de Montréal kept him too busy to participate in sporting events. As a result, he stopped competing in amateur golf tournaments. Fortunately, Mario’s love for the game of golf continued. In 1973, he had the best seat in the house to witness Jocelyne Bourassa’s triumph at the Canadian LPGA event, La Canadienne, held at the Montréal Municipal Golf Club. And rightly so, as he was nothing less than the official caddy of the legendary competitor, also a Shawinigan native, in this historic championship.

Throughout his career as a journalist, Mario dedicated his time to covering golf, tennis and skiing. He always made a point to understand every aspect of the sport he was writing about. For this reason, he was honoured in 1985 as Best Journalist by Tennis Québec and was inducted in the Laurentian Ski Hall of Fame in 2003.

Mario always attached great importance to supporting Québec’s hopefuls. Many athletes, both amateurs and professionals, benefited from exceptional media coverage throughout their athletic development. A warm, cheerful and energetic character, he always promoted sports with extraordinary generosity throughout the province and in Canada. His work and leadership have earned him the recognition and respect of athletes and the entire industry.

At Golf Québec, more specifically, we are grateful for Mario, who along with a group of colleagues created the Pierre-Nadon Prize in 2005. Every year, the recipient of this honour is a person who has contributed in an exceptional way to the development and promotion of golf in Québec.

Mario will become the 29th member inducted into the Québec Golf Hall of Fame during a ceremony to be held at a date later this year.

LACHUTE, Que. – Golf Canada’s fourth junior golf championship of 2018 is set to take begin on Friday as the Future Links, driven by Acura Quebec Championship gets underway at Club de golf Lachute.

With support from Golf Quebec, the Future Links, driven by Acura Quebec Championship is the fourth of six regional junior championships presented in partnership with Acura. The 54-hole stroke play tournament will begin with a practice round on June 7 before the tournament gets underway with round one on June 8.

Built in 1959, Club de Golf Lachute is a beautiful golf course nestled at the foot of the Laurentians.

“Golf Quebec is pleased to present the 2018 Future Links, driven by Acura Quebec Championship in Lachute alongside Golf Canada,” said Éric Couture, the Tournament Director from Golf Quebec. “The six regional Championships are fantastic opportunities for Canada’s premier junior golfers to showcase their skills. We look forward for this strong field of juniors attempting to navigate the challenging course at Club de golf Lachute.”

The field will consist of 87 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 33 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.

Two additional Future Links, driven by Acura Championships will span the country this summer.

• June 15-17 – Future Links, driven by Acura Prairie – Portage la Prairie, Man. – Portage Golf Club.
• July 17-19 – Future Links, driven by Acura Atlantic – Port Blandford, Nfld. – Twin Rivers Golf Course.

Results for previous 2018 Future Links, driven by Acura Championship can be found here: Pacific, Ontario, Western.

NOTABLES
William Duquette of Laval, Que.
The 17-year-old comes in as the event’s defending champion. He ended the event with a comfortable seven-shot victory and added three more top-10 finishes to his 2017 season.

Emily Romancew of Pierrefonds, Que.
Recently finished T3 at the 2018 Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship on May 25-27 and T2 at the CJGA Quebec Junior Open on May 5-6. She currently ranks No. 1 on Golf Quebec’s Girls Order of Merit.

Laurent Desmarchais of Longueuil, Que.
Most recently won the 2018 Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario championship. Has seven top-two finishes so far this season. Currently ranked No.7 in the 2018 Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Boys Order of Merit.

Camille Lapierre-Ouellet of Granby, Que.
Recently won the CJGA Atlantic Spring Classic on May 19-20. Her top-ten finishes in 2018 so far include T2 at CJGA Quebec Junior Open and T6 at the Western edition of this championship.

Louis-Alexandre Jobin-Colgan of Quebec, Que.
Fresh off a win at the Circuit régional junior CALLAWAY on June 3rd at Morency Golf Club. Ended last year’s event T3 and went on to place second at the 2017 Quebec Junior Boys’ Championship.

Cam Kellett of London, Ont.
Recently came in second at the 2018 Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship from May 25-27 in addition to a T2 finish at the Investors Group Junior Spring Classic in May at Wooden Sticks Golf Club.

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.

Defending champion William Duquette won the tournament by seven strokes in the junior boys division.

Team Canada Development Squad member Celeste Dao went wire-to-wire to win the 2017 Girls Division.

More information on the event can be found here.

ABOUT THE COURSE
Opened in 1964.

Built by renowned golf architect Howard Watson.

Learn more about the golf course here.

MUNDELEIN, Ill. – Calgary, Alberta native, Ryan Yip, sits T17 on Thursday after the first round of the Rust-Oleum Championship. He recorded a 3-under 69 after firing three birdies on the back nine.

Andrew Novak made 10 birdies at Ivanhoe Club and posted a 7-under 65 to take the first-round lead. The Web.com Tour rookie grabbed the first 18-hole lead of his career and heads into Friday’s second round one clear of Wes Roach and Jacques Blaauw.

With the mentality of a Monday qualifier, Novak was aggressive on the Dick Nugent design en route to his best start of the season. The 23-year-old from Raleigh, North Carolina ended the Web.com Tour Qualifying Tournament T73 and was left with conditional status to start 2018. Forced to Monday qualify each week, Novak has found success in the format successfully navigating the challenge twice on the PGA TOUR and three times on the Web.com Tour.

“It’s all just going low and not being afraid of making your seventh, eighth or ninth birdie,” said Novak. “I think the Mondays have taught me that, which has helped.”

The change in mindset has yielded favorable results the past several events. In five starts this season, the former Wofford Terrier made three cuts and entered the week No. 141 on the money list. Not knowing when you will get your next opportunity to compete can be difficult, but Novak has taken his lumps and remained resilient.

“It’s tough not knowing each week if you’re going to get to play,” he said. “It’s nice to know that I’ve earned it that way, but it’s tough.”

Each time Novak successfully qualified for an event, he felt pressure others didn’t. The need to perform so he wouldn’t be in this position the next week loomed over his head and made it difficult to post scores. Each shot was more important than it needed to be because he was in constantly in limbo. This week began differently as Novak got into the Rust-Oleum Championship on his number after the reshuffle.

“My first few events when I would Monday in, I knew I needed a good finish or else I’d be back trying to Monday,” said Novak. “I was definitely putting extra pressure on myself. Pressure that others may not have felt. I didn’t have status or the opportunity to play every week. It’s definitely different now, knowing that I shuffled in and can play every week.”

Novak has persevered through the tough times. The go-for-broke nature of the qualifiers has molded him into the competitor that posted a career-low 65 on Thursday afternoon.

While in Spartanburg, Novak admitted that he would let off the gas when he found himself a few shots under par. Since turning pro last summer, his conservative attitude on the course has shifted to a more aggressive style that yields more competitive scores on the Web.com Tour.

“I think what I learned is that I can go low,” he said. “The Mondays taught me how to go low. This is a birdie Tour and you have to be able to make a lot of birdies, so I think that was big for me.”

“I’ve had a lot of fun, even while doing the Mondays,” continued Novak. “It was still fun going out and competing and getting to play because this is what I want to do.”

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada — Taylor Pendrith, a highly touted Canadian golfer who finished the 2015 season as the third leading money winner on the Mackenzie Tour order of merit, shot his lowest professional round since 2015 with Thursday’s 64 after the first round of the Bayview Place DCBank Open at Uplands Golf Club.

Aaron Cockerill is eyeing the prize of Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week after finishing the first round as co-low Canadian alongside Taylor Pendrith. The Winnipeg, Manitoba, native opened with a 64 which included a chip in on the 18^th hole for his fourth birdie in a row to close out the round.

Wes Heffernan from Calgary, Alberta, sits T8 just three strokes behind the lead.

When you’re on, you’re on and Zach Wright didn’t lose any momentum on the ferry ride across the pond from Vancouver to Victoria.

Wright was near perfect during the first round making nine birdies and just a single bogey to fire an 8-under 62.

“I hit a couple close again and just had to tap it in,” said Wright, coming off a second-place finish at last week’s Freedom 55 Financial Open in Vancouver. “My putter got going on my seventh hole, I made one and then it just kept going.”

The 24-year-old kept it simple early on, making birdie on his second hole of the day before giving the stroke back when he failed to get up-and-down on the par-3 14^th hole. From there in, Wright played flawless golf, making three straight birdies from 7-9 to finish the front in 32 strokes, and added another on his 10^th for four in a row.

The 2016 Louisiana State University grad polished off his 62 with another stretch of four-straight birdies from 14-17 to sign for his lowest ever score on the Mackenzie Tour.

“I hit a bunch of fairways today which made it easy because it’s a short course,” said the Phoenix, AZ, native. “If you put yourself in the middle of the fairway you’ve got wedges in and you can attack the golf course.”

Wright made eight starts on the Web.com Tour last season, and after making only a single cut, appears to be on a mission in Canada to reclaim status with his improved golf game.

“When you’re playing well you don’t really think about the score, you’re just looking for your next birdie, per se, so I was just trying to hit good shots and make putts,” added Wright. “playing well, it’s easy to come in here with confidence.”

HAMILTON, Ont. –  Golf Canada and title sponsor RBC today announced that the historic Hamilton Golf and Country Club in Ancaster, Ont., will host the RBC Canadian Open in 2019 and 2023.

The tournament’s return to the Harry Colt designed course in 2019 is timed perfectly – marking the 100-year anniversary since the renowned club originally hosted Canada’s National Open Golf Championship.

“Together with our partners at RBC and the PGA TOUR, we are extremely proud to be bringing the RBC Canadian Open back to the Hamilton Golf and Country Club in both 2019 and 2023,” said Laurence Applebaum, CEO of Golf Canada.  “There are few courses in the country that can equal Hamilton in terms of excellence and storied history and I am delighted that the club’s membership and the City of Hamilton have joined us to bring the RBC Canadian Open back to Hamilton twice over the next five years.”

Consistently ranked among Canada’s best courses, Hamilton’s parkland setting, which includes winding fairways, multi-elevations and undulating greens, have made the club a favourite of the PGA TOUR pros who’ve played it throughout the years.

“Returning to Hamilton Golf and Country Club in 2019 and 2023 is a great fit for RBC and the RBC Canadian Open,” said Matt McGlynn, Vice President, Brand Marketing for RBC. “Our clients and all Canadian golf fans want to see the world’s best golfers playing the world’s best courses and by having Team RBC challenge the PGA TOUR’s best at Hamilton, we will accomplish just that.”

We’re thrilled to be hosting the 2019 & 2023 #RBCCO @HamiltonGolf ??

Read ➡️https://t.co/t2zk4mggR4#OurOpen pic.twitter.com/yQNh9myrZq

— RBC Canadian Open (@RBCCanadianOpen) June 6, 2018

The Hamilton Golf and Country Club previously hosted five Canadian Opens, with the first taking place in 1919 – a championship featured two of the most legendary names in golf – Bobby Jones and Francis Ouimet. J. Douglas Edgar would go on to earn a 16-stroke win – a PGA TOUR record that stands to this day as the largest margin of victory.

Other players to have won the Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf and Country Club include Tommy Armour (1930), Bob Tway (2003), Team RBC member Jim Furyk (2006) and Scott Piercy (2012).

In addition, Hamilton has hosted many other prestigious events including the (former) Canadian Senior Championship in 1996 as well as several Ontario (1932, 1974 and 1991) and Canadian Amateur Championships (1922, 1927, 1935, 1948, 1977 and 1994).

“We are proud to host the most prestigious championship in Canadian golf and welcome the RBC Canadian Open and the stars of the PGA TOUR to Hamilton Golf and Country Club twice over the next five years,” said Hamilton Golf and Country Club’s President Chris Hamel. “Our members are honoured to have the opportunity to help write additional chapters in the long and storied history of Canadian golf and the RBC Canadian Open in 2019 and 2023 and are especially pleased to celebrate a centennial connection in 2019 between our club and Canada’s National Open.”

The confirmation of the Hamilton Golf and Country Club as the host venue for 2019 and 2023 was also made possible through a new partnership between the city of Hamilton and Golf Canada. This partnership will result in Canada’s National Sport Federation bringing multiple events and golf championships to the city to complement the two RBC Canadian Opens.

“We are thrilled to welcome the stars of the PGA TOUR back to Hamilton for two more years,” said Fred Eisenberger, Mayor of Hamilton. “The RBC Canadian Open is a world class event and I know our citizens take great pride in hosting the championship here in their backyard. In addition, through our partnership with Golf Canada, our region will welcome numerous national and regional golf championships between 2019 and 2023. With a goal to leave an economic, charitable and social legacy through golf, we look forward to becoming a hub community for Canadian golf.”

The stars of the PGA TOUR won’t be the only ones having fun during tournament week when the RBC Canadian Open stops in Hamilton. Golf Canada, RBC and all tournament partners have embraced the PGA TOUR’s new fans first mantra, highlighted in the Tour’s new “Live Under Par” campaign. The event has become much more than just 72 holes of world-class golf – it’s one of Canada’s most prolific sporting events, chocked-full of activities for spectators, whether they are core golf fans or new to the sport.

This year’s RBC Canadian Open will take place east of Hamilton at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., from July 20-26, 2018. Ticket, volunteering, sponsorship and corporate hospitality info is available online at www.rbccanadianopen.com.

https://www.facebook.com/RBCCanadianOpen/videos/10155202957140728/

New in 2018, the National Development Squad program will feature a centralized component, which will be based out of Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria, B.C.—Team Canada’s official training centre since 2015.

CARLSBAD, Calif. – PUMA Golf, a leader in golf apparel innovation, design and style, introduced today its Autumn Winter 2018 apparel and accessories collection.  AW ‘18 showcases fresh, on-trend designs and color stories, combined with cutting-edge technical elements, including the all new FUSIONYARN fabric, designed to provide the ultimate in comfort, performance and style. The eye-catching designs and first-class materials make the collection ideal for golfers wanting to look their best on and off the greens this Fall.

The high-quality FUSIONYARN fabric blends the buttery softness and breathability of cotton with the moisture-wicking properties and high durability of polyester, delivering a high-performance fusion of synthetic and natural fibers that dries fast, looks stylish and is sure to keep golfers extremely comfortable in any setting. FUSIONYARN fabric is utilized in three polos in the men’s collection this Fall, The Crossings Polo, the Local Pro Polo and the Sundays Polo; and in this season’s women’s collection the Road Map Polo, the Sleeveless Road Map Polo and the Sundays Polo each benefit from the Fusion Yarn innovation. All six styles are designed to seamlessly transition from the office, to the golf course and everywhere in between, while providing premium comfort and feel every step of the way.

“With each new collection from PUMA Golf we work hard to surpass our previous best-in-class standards of comfort, style and performance, and our AW ’18 collection certainly achieves that goal,” said Kristin Hinze, Global Head of Golf Apparel, PUMA Golf. “FUSIONYARN is the most comfortable and versatile fabric we’ve introduced, and, along with on-trend prints and colorways, our popular bottoms for men and PWRSHAPE for women, this is by far our most premium, performance-ready collection to date, with styles that go far beyond the fairways.”

Beyond FUSIONYARN, AW ’18 will also expand PUMA’s Evoknit offering, with innovative, stylish pieces available for men and women. Evoknit is a knitted design that utilizes body mapped ventilation and seamless engineering for unrestricted range of motion. The moisture-wicking, highly breathable fabric provides extreme comfort and breathability. For this season, Evoknit technology is used in two updated short-sleeve options – the Evoknit Camo Polo, which offers a subtle, tonal camo pattern throughout, and the Evoknit Dassler Polo, part of the brands Throwback Collection (more details coming soon).  Rounding out the men’s new Evoknit offering is the Evoknit Performance ¼ Zip with long sleeves – ideally suited for layering when the weather cools. For women, Evoknit will be present in the Evoknit Camo Polo and the Evoknit Seamless ¼ zip, two striking and fun designs sure to turn heads all the way from the 1^st tee to the 19^th Hole.

The AW’18 assortment will continue to feature PUMA Golf’s popular men’s bottoms. The popular Essential Pounce Shorts, a perennial customer favorite, will be available in 10 eye-catching hues, including four new colors, offering the perfect complement to PUMA’s new polos. The collection will also continue to offer the popular 6-pocket pants, including an all new Corduroy version, part of the Throwback Collection, that is perfect for beating the Fall early morning chill.  PUMA Golf’s entire range of AW ‘18 pants & shorts offer excellent moisture management, new, improved fit, a rebalanced pattern and a curved stretch waistband featuring PWRSTRETCH for comfort and mechanical stretch for maximum range of motion.

PUMA’s new line will continue to focus on the ladies, as the fastest growing segment of the golf population. The new collection will provide additional colors and styles to the brand’s popular women’s bottoms that incorporate PWRSHAPE^TM Technology, engineered to provide a smooth, slimming effect and the ultimate support.  Four-way stretch fabric is soft, breathable, and provides unrestricted range of motion, while the bonded waistband and flatlock seam construction deliver maximum comfort.

The AW ’18 collection, which is available starting today, will be worn by the likes of Rickie Fowler, Bryson DeChambeau, Graham DeLaet, Jesper Parnevik and Lexi Thompson throughout the latter half of the golf season. For more information on the entire collection visit pumagolf.com

Team Canada alumni Garret Rank and Mackenzie Hughes both qualified for the U.S Open on Monday at their respective sectional qualifiers over the weekend.

The Stanley Cup final may be in full swing, but NHL referee Garrett Rank has his sights set on another major sporting event. The 30-year old amateur golfer from Elmira, Ont., earned a spot in the U.S Open on Monday by finishing tied for first at a regional qualifying tournament.

Rank shot 2-under over the 36-hole event to earn one of the three spots available at Ansley Golf Club’s Settindown Creek Course near Roswell, Ga.

Meanwhile, Dundas, Ont., talent Mackenzie Hughes also played his way into the U.S. Open after finishing tied for second at 10-under at his qualifying site, the Ridgeway Country Club in Memphis. This will be his second U.S. Open after playing in 2013.

OTTAWA, Ont. — Bob Moir is remembered as a grandfather who was fiercely proud of his granddaughters, Brooke and Brittany Henderson, and their accomplishments in the world of golf.

Moir, who was 81, passed away Friday after a brief battle with cancer. Brooke withdrew from the U.S. Women’s Open after an opening round 73 at Shoal Creek on Thursday and returned home with Brittany and their father, Dave, who is also Brooke’s coach. Moir was father to Brooke and Brittany’s mother, Darlene.

“He was truly blessed and proud of his granddaughters Brittany and Brooke Henderson, who brought so much joy to his life,” it said in his obituary, which can be read here: https://lannin.ca/tribute/details/996/Robert-Moir/obituary.html.

Brooke tweeted on Monday afternoon: “I am so grateful for all the time we shared together. The great laughs, smiles and memories will be deep in my heart forever. Love you Gramps.” https://twitter.com/BrookeHenderson/status/1003719057437265923

Brooke and Brittany also composed a message which was included in their grandfather’s obituary:

“The bond that we shared with our Gramps was truly special. Between the golf courses, hockey rinks, our love of nature, just hanging out at home or our texts from afar, we shared so many great laughs, smiles and memories that will be deep in our hearts forever.

“We will miss him very much as he will also be missed by so many friends and family. Peace and happiness is found knowing he is welcomed Home by Our Father through the gates of heaven where Uncle Kenny will greet him with a big hug. You are forever loved.”

Kenneth Moir was Brooke and Brittany’s uncle, who passed away in 2009.

Cam Cole seems to have this retirement thing down pat.

“I am playing way more than I ever have in my life,” he says over the phone between rounds at his new home course, The Harvest, in Kelowna. “I am probably playing three or four times a week. The game has not become less a part of my life after retirement. It has become even bigger. I am enjoying that.”

For many years, so many Canadians enjoyed Cole’s beautifully crafted columns from golf’s major championships. By his count, Cole covered 66 majors, along with seven Ryder Cups and six Presidents Cups, nine (RBC) Canadian Opens and several (CP) Canadian Women’s Opens before retiring in December 2016 after an exemplary 41-year career as one of this country’s top sportswriters.

Cole is receiving Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award for his contribution to the game. He will receive that award at a June 4 ceremony at Bear Mountain Golf Club in Victoria. A round of golf will follow, which should suit Cole just fine.

“I don’t seem to be getting any better at it, but I still love it,” says Cole, a left-hander who boasts an eight handicap despite playing with a set of Ping Eye 2 irons that are 30 years old. “The Harvest has this reputation of being a really wide open, easy golf course. But scoring there for me seems really difficult. I have had a few rounds close to par, but then I’ve also had some 84s and 85s in there. It just depends, if you miss it in the wrong place you are still going to be struggling. And those greens are really slopey and tough.

“I have enjoyed it there, there’s good group of guys to play with and it’s a very friendly kind of atmosphere.”

Cole, of course, covered much more than golf. He was a fixture at Stanley Cup playoffs, covered many world figure skating championships, Super Bowls and Grey Cups. He attended 16 Olympic Games.

But golf was perhaps his favourite assignment, in part for a selfish reason.

“I enjoyed golf more probably because they can’t play it at night,” Cole says. “As you know, deadlines are the least fun thing about the job. It is so much easier on the brain having a couple of minutes to think before you have to commit it to print. I think generally speaking it makes for better writing if you have some time to think and execute a line or a paragraph without having to just rush into it.”

Michael Farber, Cole’s longtime sportswriting colleague, worked alongside Cole at many big events and paid his friend the ultimate compliment in an interview from his Montreal home.

“I would rather read Cam Cole writing about golf than just about anybody writing about anything,” says Farber, a Sports Illustrated special contributor who also does essays for TSN.

“He is multi-talented and covered so many sports so well, but I think he was such a great golf writer because he was a such a great golfer, at least by the fairly low standards that we mortals have. He had a higher IQ for golf than most of the people writing about it.”

Cole has many great memories from all those golf majors he covered, but says Tiger Woods’ first and last major wins are among the most memorable.

“I think it was my fourth or fifth Masters when Tiger won in 1997 and just blew away the field,” Cole says. “I think he shot 40 on the front nine the first day and we were going, oh dear, and then he shot 30 on the back or something and was off to the races. And then his last major —  I hope it’s not his last, but it might be — the one he won at Torrey Pines (in 2008) on one leg. Those two bookends to his majors career were pretty damn special to watch.”

Cam Cole at Augusta National

Cole also mentions the last Open Championship he covered in 2016 when Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson staged their epic duel at Royal Troon in Scotland.

“I thought was the greatest golf I had ever seen between two guys,” he says.

But Cole says the best memory of his time spent covering golf came in Kelowna, now his home, when he caddied for Jack Nicklaus at the official opening of The Bear Course at Okanagan Golf Club.

“That,” he says, “was pretty special.”

Cam Cole and Dave Perkins

So was the fact that Cole got to play several of the major venues he covered. His name was drawn three times to play Augusta National on the Monday morning following the tournament.

Cole hasn’t missed writing as much as he thought he might.

“I haven’t and that shocks me a bit. But I think it’s just that in the last two or three years with shrinking staffs, a lot of the fun kind of went out of the newspaper game towards the end .

I have had a few opportunities to write this or that, but just haven’t been moved to do it.”

Watching those majors at home on TV also hasn’t been as difficult as Cole thought it might be.

“I am a little bit wistful sometimes. Last year, I would have loved to have been there to watch Sergio (Garcia) win the Masters because he has been such a story through the years, but you know, in general, I just love watching golf and to be honest when you are at a major probably half the time you are sitting in front of a TV monitor anyway while you are writing. It’s not like you have never seen it before on TV. It’s kind of nice to just sit back in the living room with a beer at my elbow and watch these things.”

Cole will miss not being at Carnoustie for this summer’s Open Championship, but he will be there to visit a friend in June.

He and his wife Jan are taking a three-week driving trip through Northern Ireland, Ireland, Wales, England and Scotland. And yes, some golf will be played.

They plan to play, among others, Rory McIlroy’s old home course, Holywood, in Northern Ireland.

“I wanted to play courses I have never played before for the most part,” says Cole, who figures he has teed it up at more than 100 courses in Britain.

Cole is no stranger to receiving recognition for his work. Last fall, he was inducted into the media wing of the Hockey Hall of Fame and he is a two-time recipient of the Sport Media Canada Award for Outstanding Sports Writing.  Cole says he never feels completely worthy of the accolades.

“As a general sports columnist, every time you get nominated for something like this for a specific sport you never feel like you deserve it. A golf recognition for me is like, really? What did I ever contribute to golf? I am way more of a taker than a giver of this game. It has been really good to me. But it’s a really nice surprise and a really great honour.”