Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA – Presidents Cup and PGA TOUR officials today announced Ernie Els and Tiger Woods as captains of the International and U.S. Teams, respectively, for the 2019 Presidents Cup at The Royal Melbourne Golf Course in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. While both will be first-time captains at the event, the two are the most experienced captains in terms of Presidents Cup competition and were the primary figures in the 2003 event held in South Africa, where Woods and Els competed in a dramatic sudden-death playoff that ultimately ended in a tie and the two teams sharing the Cup.

Els has competed in the Presidents Cup eight times (1996, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013), tied for most by an International Team member. Woods, also an eight-time U.S. Presidents Cup Team member (1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013), holed the winning putt for the United States in 2009, 2011 and 2013 – the only player to clinch the Cup three times. Both Woods and Els served as captain’s assistants for their respective teams in 2017.

“Ernie Els and Tiger Woods have each been part of the fabric of the Presidents Cup as competitors and as ambassadors to the event,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “Ernie carries the flag for international golf as a legendary figure both on and off the golf course, while Tiger has been one of the most transcendent athletes the sport has ever seen. These two have served, and will continue to serve, as a bridge between past team members and captains who laid the foundation for the Presidents Cup and the stars of today who are embracing the hallmarks of the event – golf on a global stage, a love and passion for the game and the impact the Presidents Cup has in emerging markets and through charity.”

In addition to the announcement of the two captains, officials also unveiled minor changes to format requirements and eligibility for the 2019 Presidents Cup. Each player shall play a minimum of one match prior to the final-round singles matches. This is a change from past years where players were required to play twice during the same timeframe. Additionally, the top eight players for the International and U.S. Team standings will officially qualify following the completion of the 2019 TOUR Championship. Captains will later select four captains’ picks (at date to be determined) closer to the December 2019 event.

Els and Woods have combined for 97 PGA TOUR victories, including 20 World Golf Championships events and 18 major championship titles, with 59 additional wins internationally. Following the completion of the 34 matches at the 2003 Presidents Cup in South Africa, the score was tied at 17, which meant a sudden-death playoff between Els and Woods as selected by then-captains Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus. With sunlight fading, both players made pars on the first playoff hole. With Woods in for par on the second playoff hole, Els knocked in his 12-footer to halve.  The two again traded dramatic par putts on the third playoff hole with darkness upon them. It was then decided to end the competition and declare the event a tie.

Ernie Els

Els is tied with Vijay Singh and Adam Scott with eight appearances in the event with an overall record of 20-18-2. He is tied for most all-time match appearances on the International Team in Presidents Cup history (40, Vijay Singh) and has won more matches than any other International Team member (20). The World Golf Hall of Fame member has 19 career PGA TOUR victories to his credit, including four major championships between the U.S. Open (1994, 1997) and The Open Championship (2002, 2012). The former world No. 1 and native South African has also made his mark internationally with 47 total victories spread across the European Tour and South African Tour, representing South Africa five times in the World Cup (1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2001) as well as nine times in the Alfred Dunhill Cup (1992-2000).

Els will be the sixth person to serve as a captain for the International Team (Nick Price – 2017, 2015, 2013; Greg Norman – 2011, 2009; Gary Player – 2007, 2005, 2003; Peter Thomson– 2000, 1998, 1996; David Graham – 1994).

“The Presidents Cup has provided me with many of the best memories of my career,” said Els.  “To be named captain of the team is an incredible honor. There is a fun and talented group of young players emerging from all across the globe for the International Team, and I am eager to accept the responsibility of building a winner when we face the United States at one of my favorite courses and cities in the world at Royal Melbourne. Tiger and I have had some great duels in the past, and I look forward to the challenge of going against my longtime friend yet again in 2019.”

Tiger Woods

Woods has a Presidents Cup record of 24-15-1 since his first appearance on the 1998 U.S. Team, and he is one of five players to go 5-0-0 during a single event (2009). His 24 matches won ranks second all-time to Phil Mickelson’s 26, and his six victories in singles matches is the most in the event’s history.

Woods will be the eighth player to captain the U.S. Team (Steve Stricker – 2017; Jay Haas – 2015; Fred Couples – 2013, 2011, 2009; Jack Nicklaus – 2007, 2005, 2003, 1998; Ken Venturi – 2000; Arnold Palmer – 1996; Hale Irwin – 1994).

“After working as a captain’s assistant for Steve in 2017, I realized that I wanted to captain the 2019 event at Royal Melbourne,” said Woods. “I’m proud to follow in the footsteps of past captains like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Hale Irwin, Ken Venturi, Fred Couples, Jay Haas and Steve Stricker. The core group of players on the U.S. Team have a lot of talent, enthusiasm and great team camaraderie. They are easy-going and fun to be around off the course, but extremely competitive inside the ropes. I have no doubt that Ernie will have the International Team ready to go in Melbourne, and I cannot think of a more fitting captain to carry the tradition of goodwill through competition than Ernie Els. The Sandbelt courses of Australia are some of my favorite in the world, and I’m looking forward to seeing Royal Melbourne again.”

The 2019 Presidents Cup will be held December 9-15, 2019, when it returns to the prestigious Royal Melbourne Golf Club. The return to Melbourne, Australia, will mark the third time in the biennial event’s 25-year history it has been held at the renowned Sandbelt course, as the event was previously held in Melbourne in 1998 and 2011, also at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

Melbourne also holds the distinction as the site of the lone International Team’s victory in 1998, which saw Peter Thomson’s International Team defeat Jack Nicklaus’ U.S. Team, 20.5 to 11.5.  In 2011, Fred Couples led the U.S. Team to a 19-15 win over Greg Norman and the Internationals. The 1998 event was also held in December, a date that traditionally works well with other golf tournaments held in Australia.

After holding the 54-hole lead at the PGA Tour’s Valspar Championship Saturday night, Corey Conners let his mind wander.

Conners was in a position to become just the second rookie to win on Tour in the 2017-18 season – and the first Canadian since Adam Hadwin captured the same event last year – and a win for the first-year golfer would go a long way. He’d secure his Tour card for two years, he’d get into the Masters and there would be a US$1.1 million payday.

Those thoughts faded as Sunday’s round wore on. Conners shot his worst round of the week, a 6-over-par 77, and finished tied for 16th well back of Paul Casey’s winning mark of 10-under.

The 26-year-old from Listowel, Ont., is looking at the tournament as a stepping stone as his rookie season continues.

“I always believed that I could contend and get myself in the mix, but to have done it is awesome. I take a lot of confidence from that,” he said Monday from his home in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Conners almost didn’t make it into the field last week, listed as the third alternate because of his status on the PGA TOUR’s priority list.

After a few golfers withdrew, Conners got a call from the PGA TOUR last Monday saying he was in. As he teed off in the first round, he felt he was playing with nothing to lose.

He only got to play one practice round, but Conners – who has a degree in actuary mathematics, essentially the study and analysis of risk – didn’t mind.

“I just tried to take some good notes on how to tackle the course and I feel like it was pretty effective,” he said.

Conners, who moved up 89 spots to No. 519 in the Official World Golf Ranking thanks to his finish, had a number of supporters last week in Tampa, Fla. Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum said he was impressed to see how Conners handled such a big moment so early in his career.

“There is no doubt he can take so much away from this experience and will be better for it,” Applebaum said.

A group from Conners’ home golf course in Listowel, about two hours from Toronto, flew down Saturday morning. Fellow Golf Canada team member (and fellow Kent State University alum) Taylor Pendrith also flew from Toronto to Tampa once it was confirmed Conners would be in the final group of the day.

Another Golf Canada and Kent State teammate, Mackenzie Hughes, had missed the cut Friday, but stuck around on the weekend. He was in the gallery Sunday to cheer on Conners, and, as a PGA Tour winner himself, said Conners has all the tools to eventually win as well.

“It doesn’t surprise me to see that Corey is good enough to win on the PGA TOUR? I knew that as soon as he got out here,” said Hughes. “But it probably takes him seeing that and being there to fully believe it. You always believe that you are (good enough), but until you put yourself there, around a lead, that’s when you fully grasp that you know you’re good enough.”

Conners said he received some words of encouragement from his fellow players and a lot of nice messages from his friends before teeing it up Sunday, calling the support “hard to describe.:

He admitted there wasn’t much for the crowd to cheer for Sunday as he made no birdies and didn’t recover from bogeys two of his first three holes, but what he learned this week will be invaluable moving forward.

“I was able to stay in the game pretty well. I was happy about that, but didn’t play like I wanted to,” he said of his round on Sunday.

“I’ll look back on the experience from the final round and just make sure I’m really focused the next time I’m in that position and make good decisions and commit to shots. It’s definitely an experience I’ll look back on in the future, and something I’ll get a lot of confidence from.”

Mike Weir has been inspiring Canadian junior golfers his entire career.

Now the former Masters champion and eight-time PGA TOUR winner will deliver the golf experience of a lifetime to four aspiring young golfers who will participate in the inaugural Major Champions Invitational.

Led by Sir Nick Faldo, the 2018 Major Champions Invitational invites Major champions to sponsor a team of junior golfers and provide the unforgettable experience of being mentored by world-class champions and renowned golf professionals.

The inaugural event will be played at Bella Collina, in Montverde, FL near Orlando from March 11-14. Teams consist of four (4) top-tier junior golfers (male or female) sponsored by a major champion, their sponsor or an affiliated non-profit organization.

For Weir, sponsoring juniors from his home and native land to play alongside competitors from around the globe was a natural extension of his commitment to help support and develop the next generation of golfers.

“I am excited to support this great event put on by Sir Nick Faldo and to give this experience to the next generation of Canadian golfers,” said the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member and recent inductee into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. “I hope these junior athletes will be exposed to lots of great talent and quality people in the golf world, all while raising funds for a great cause.”

Team Weir will include sponsored Canadians Jeevan Sihota, of Victoria, BC (13), Taylor Kehoe of Strathroy, Ont. (14) and Luca Cimoroni of Toronto (13) along with 14-year old Berlin Long of Lehi, Utah, the state where Weir currently resides.

The Major Champions Invitational is an extension event of the Faldo Series, whose mission is to provide global opportunities to young people through golf and help identify and nurture the next generation of champions.  Past participants of the Faldo Series include Rory McIlroy, Yani Tseng, Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley.

Participating and/or represented Major Champions supporting the inaugural Major Champions Invitational include:

• Seve Ballesteros
• Tony Jacklin
• Jerry Pate
• Henrik Stenson
• Keegan Bradley
• Dustin Johnson
• Justin Rose
• Payne Stewart
• John Daly
• Nancy Lopez
• Adam Scott
• Tom Watson
• Nick Faldo
• Rory McIlroy
• Annika Sorenstam
• Mike Weir
• Jim Furyk
• Jack Nicklaus
• Jordan Spieth

Led by Faldo, a six-time Major winner who will be onsite all three days to host the junior participants, the legends of golf will share advice from years of experience at the highest level of the game.

All net proceeds will go toward the Faldo Trust for Tomorrow’s Children Inc., a U.S. 501c3 organization.

The Major Champions Invitational will also be featured in a one-hour special on CBS leading into Saturday’s coverage of the PGA Championship with a focus on players and their foundations giving back through the game of golf.

For more information visit www.majorchampionsinvitational.com.

The first step on the path towards the PGA TOUR begins this week at Carlton Oaks Country Club in Santee, California, as 132 players compete to earn status on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada for 2018.

The Order of Merit winner following the 2018 season will be fully exempt on the 2019 Web.com Tour, while finishers 2-5 earn conditional status and an exemption into the Final Stage of Q-School. Finishers 6-10 also earn an exemption directly into Final Stage, while players in the 11th through 20th spots earn exemptions through Second Stage.

The path has already been utilized by 20 players who have gone on to earn PGA TOUR cards since 2013, highlighted by PGA TOUR winners Nick Taylor, Tony Finau and Mackenzie Hughes. 166 total alumni have earned Web.com Tour status, including 72 competing there for the 2018 season.

Mackenzie Tour alums to have earned their cards in California include PGA TOUR players Tony Finau, Brandon Harkins and Sam Ryder, as well as The Five members Greg Eason and Taylor Pendrith and tournament winners Daniel Miernicki and Rico Hoey.

CANADIANS IN THE FIELD (6):

Eric Hawerchuk (Barrie, Ont.)
Andrew Ledger (Toronto, Ont.)
Sean Bozuk (Burlington, Ont.)
John Mlikotic (Kelowna, B.C.)
Andrew Funk (Edmonton, Alta.)
Darren Day (Victoria, B.C.)

The USGA and The R&A have unveiled the new Rules of Golf, to be implemented on 1 January 2019.

The USGA and The R&A finalised golf’s new Rules this month after an extensive review that included a request for feedback from the global golf community on the proposed changes. Golfers can now access the official 2019 Rules of Golf by visiting www.RandA.org or www.usga.org/rules.

The process to modernise the Rules began in 2012 and was initiated to ensure that the Rules are easier to understand and apply for all golfers and to make the game more attractive and accessible for newcomers.

As the National Sport Federation and governing body, Golf Canada worked alongside The R&A and the USGA on the Rules modernisation initiative.

#Golf‘s new rules will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2019. Here are 5 key changes ??#GolfRules2019⛳️

More ➡️ https://t.co/9pS0gslInt pic.twitter.com/Ct48VVtPvI

— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) March 14, 2018

While the majority of proposed Rules remain intact in the final version, several important changes to the initial proposals and further clarification of many Rules were incorporated.

The most significant adjustments made following the review of feedback received from golfers around the world, includes:

• Dropping procedure: When taking relief (from an abnormal course condition or penalty area, for example), golfers will now drop from knee height. This will ensure consistency and simplicity in the dropping process while also preserving the randomness of the drop. (Key change: the proposed Rules released in 2017 suggested dropping from any height).
• Measuring in taking relief: The golfer’s relief area will be measured by using the longest club in their bag (other than a putter) to measure one club-length or two club-lengths, depending on the situation, making for a consistent process for golfers to establish their relief area. (Key change: the proposed Rules released in 2017 suggested a 20-inch or 80-inch standard measurement).
• Removing the penalty for a double hit: The penalty stroke for accidentally striking the ball more than once in the course of a stroke has been removed. Golfers will simply count the one stroke they made to strike the ball.  (Key change: the proposed Rules released in 2017 included the existing one-stroke penalty).
• Balls Lost or Out of Bounds: Alternative to Stroke and Distance: A new Local Rule will now be available in January 2019, permitting committees to allow golfers the option to drop the ball in the vicinity of where the ball is lost or out of bounds (including the nearest fairway area), under a two-stroke penalty. This Local Rule addresses the concerns raised at the club level about the negative impact on pace of play when a player is required to go back under stroke and distance. The Local Rule is not intended for higher levels of play, such as professional or elite level competitions. (Key change:  this is a new addition to support pace of play)

“We’re thankful for the golfers, administrators and everyone in the game who took the time to provide us with great insight and thoughtful feedback,” said USGA Senior Director of Rules & Amateur Status, Thomas Pagel. “We couldn’t be more excited to introduce the new Rules ahead of their education and implementation.”

David Rickman, Executive Director – Governance at The R&A, said, “We are pleased to be introducing the new Rules of Golf after a collaborative and wide-ranging review process which has embraced the views of golfers, rules experts and administrators worldwide. We believe that the new Rules are more in tune with what golfers would like and are easier to understand and apply for everyone who enjoys playing this great game.”

“The approach and process to modernise the Rules was critical to make meaningful changes that are relevant to all golfers worldwide beginning in 2019,” said Golf Canada Director of Rules, Competitions & Amateur Status, Adam Helmer. “We are confident that the outcome of this important initiative will be well received and we will work closely with our club, provincial and national partners to inform and educate Canadian golfers.”

Major proposals introduced in 2017 that have been incorporated into the modernised Rules include:

• Elimination or reduction of “ball moved” penalties: There will be no penalty for accidentally moving a ball on the putting green or in searching for a ball; and a player is not responsible for causing a ball to move unless it is “virtually certain” that he or she did so.
• Relaxed putting green rules: There will be no penalty if a ball played from the putting green hits an unattended flagstick in the hole; players may putt without having the flagstick attended or removed. Players may repair spike marks and other damage made by shoes, animal damage and other damage on the putting green and there is no penalty for merely touching the line of putt.
• Relaxed rules for “penalty areas” (currently called “water hazards”): Red and yellow-marked penalty areas may cover areas of desert, jungle, lava rock, etc., in addition to areas of water; expanded use of red penalty areas where lateral relief is allowed; and there will be no penalty for moving loose impediments or touching the ground or water in a penalty area.
• Relaxed bunker rules: There will be no penalty for moving loose impediments in a bunker or for generally touching the sand with a hand or club. A limited set of restrictions (such as not grounding the club right next to the ball) is kept to preserve the challenge of playing from the sand; however, an extra relief option is added for an unplayable ball in a bunker, allowing the ball to be played from outside the bunker with a two-stroke penalty.
• Relying on player integrity: A player’s “reasonable judgment” when estimating or measuring a spot, point, line, area or distance will be upheld, even if video evidence later shows it to be wrong; and elimination of announcement procedures when lifting a ball to identify it or to see if it is damaged.
• Pace-of-play support: Reduced time for searching for a lost ball (from five minutes to three); affirmative encouragement of “ready golf” in stroke play; recommending that players take no more than 40 seconds to play a stroke and other changes intended to help with pace of play.

Presented in digital, text-based form today, the new Rules will also now be translated into more than 30 languages and readied for final delivery via print and digital formats, including searchable Rules of Golf official apps developed by The R&A and the USGA. The full version of the new Rules of Golf in French will be available soon and posted on Golf Canada’s Rules of Golf website at  https://golfcanada.ca/rules-of-golf/

Introducing the new Rules of #golf. Effective Jan. 1, 2019 #GolfRules2019

A post shared by Golf Canada (@thegolfcanada) on Mar 12, 2018 at 7:58am PDT

Three important publications, to be distributed this September, will help players and officials, who regulate the game, and provide interpretation and guidance in how the Rules are applied:

• The Player’s Edition of the Rules of Golf: An abridged, user-friendly set of the Rules with shorter sentences, commonly used phrases, and diagrams. Written in the “second person,” The Player’s Edition is intended to be the primary publication for golfers.
• The Rules of Golf: The full edition of the Rules will be written in the third person and will include illustrations. The Rules of Golf is intended to be the primary publication for officials.
• The Official Guide to the Rules of Golf: This “guidebook” replaces the Decisions book and will contain information to best support committees and officials. It includes interpretations on the Rules, Committee procedures (available local rules and information on establishing the terms of the competition), and the Modified Rules of Golf for Players with Disabilities. It is a “long-form” resource document intended as a supplementary publication.

More than 30 “how-to apply” videos and a summary of the principal changes are now available at www.RandA.org and www.usga.org/rules.  Additional education tools will be released in September.

Players are reminded that the current edition of the Rules of Golf (2016) must be applied when playing, posting scores or competing for the remainder of 2018. The Rules of Amateur Status and the Rules of Equipment Standards were not part of this review process.

As an extension of their support of the Rules of Golf worldwide, Rolex has made a commitment to support The R&A and the USGA’s efforts to modernise golf’s Rules. The Swiss watchmaker’s contribution to excellence in golf is based on a rich heritage stretching back more than 50 years, forged through pivotal partnerships at every level of the game, from the sport’s leading professional and amateur competitions and organisations, to players at the pinnacle of their sport worldwide.

PALM HARBOR, Fla. – A long victory drought on the PGA TOUR finally ended Sunday, just not the one a raucous crowd was expecting.

Paul Casey closed with a 6-under 65 and won the Valspar Championship, but only after watching from the locker room as Tiger Woods came up one putt short of forcing a playoff. It was the closest Woods has come to winning in nearly five years.

Casey, who started the final round five shots behind, ran off three straight birdies early on the back nine at Innisbrook to take the lead, and he closed with four par saves to post at 10-under 274.

No one caught him, giving him his second PGA Tour title and his first since the Houston Open in 2009.

Patrick Reed was tied for the lead and appeared headed for a playoff at worst until his approach to the 18th came back down the slope, and his 45-foot birdie putt was so weak that it rolled all the way back to his feet . He three-putted for bogey and a 68.

Woods and his massive following went dormant after an opening birdie to briefly share the lead. He went 15 holes without a birdie until he brought Innisbrook to life with a birdie putt from just inside 45 feet that died into the cup at the par-3 17th, leaving him one shot behind with one hole to play.

Woods played conservatively with an iron off the 442-yard, uphill closing hole on the Copperhead course. From 185 yards, his approach came up some 40 feet short, and his birdie putt to force a playoff was 2 feet short.

He closed with a 70 – the first time since The Barclays in 2013 that he posted all four rounds under par on the PGA TOUR – and tied for second. That was his best finish since he tied for second at that Barclays tournament, right about the time his back started to give out.

Casey had gone 132 starts on the PGA Tour since winning in Houston, though he had won five times worldwide, including the European Tour’s flagship event at the BMW PGA Championship. He had seven top 5s in the FedEx Cup playoffs over the last three years.

Someone always played better – until Sunday.

Corey Conners, the Canadian rookie who started the final round with a one-shot lead, fell back quickly after opening with a bogey on the easiest hole at Innisbrook. He shot 77 and tied for 16th.

Thanks for the thrilling run, @coreconn – ?? is proud of you!

Until the next time! ? pic.twitter.com/fWJtzGTZ1H

— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) March 11, 2018

Defending champion Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., closed with a strong 3-under-par 68 to finish tied for 12th at 4 under.

Woods looked closer than ever to winning in his remarkable return from fusion surgery on his lower back last April. Each week has been a little better. He has been a factor on Sunday the last two tournaments, and a gallery that stood 10-deep around just about every green could sense it.

He just couldn’t deliver after a two-putt birdie on the par-5 opening hole.

“I didn’t feel that sharp with my iron game,” Woods said. “I played conservatively into the green because I wasn’t as sharp as yesterday. It was one of those days I kept getting half-clubs.”

He missed birdie chances on both par 5s on the back nine, pulling a wedge into the rough at No. 11 and three-putting from 80 feet on No. 14. He missed a couple of putts in the 15-foot range. And right when it looked as though he was out of chances, he ran into the 45-foot birdie putt to keep everyone guessing.

Next up for Woods is the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill next week, which he hasn’t played since winning five years ago. He is an eight-time winner at Bay Hill, and the euphoria over his return is sure to reach even higher decibels.

“I keep getting a little bit better,” Woods said. “I had a good shot at winning this golf tournament. A couple putts here and there, it could have been a different story.”

Reed will look back on one putt.

He opened with a 60-foot eagle putt that slammed into the pin on No. 1 and was never far from the lead, tying Casey with a bold fairway metal onto the fringe at the 14th that set up birdie. He was in the middle of the fairway on the 18th. He twirled his club when the ball was in the air.

And then it all went wrong.

The putt up the hill never had a chance, and when it started rolling back at his feet, Reed beckoned it with his right hand. He used a wedge on the fourth shot, knowing he had to hole it for par to force a playoff.

That left Casey the winner, finally.

The 40-year-old from England had reason to believe his hopes ended on Saturday when he hit into the water on the 16th and made double bogey, falling five shots behind. He answered Sunday with all eyes on someone else – Woods – by going out in 33, and then getting rewarded for aggressive play. He got up-and-down from a bunker short of the green at No. 11 for birdie, stuffed his approach to a foot on No. 12 and then holed a 20-foot birdie from just off the green at No. 13.

Justin Rose, among six players who had a share of the lead at some point in the final round, had back-to-back bogeys on the back nine and never atoned for his mistakes. He closed with a 72 and finished three shots behind.

It is with great sadness that the Canadian golf community mourns the loss of revered PGA of Canada professional Jerry Anderson of Cambridge, Ont. who passed away suddenly on March 9, 2018 at the age of 62.

He is survived by his wife Barbara and children Chrysse and Luke along with countless friends across the Canadian and International golf community. 

Statement from Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum:

“On behalf of the entire golf community including the golfers, associations and fellow competitors whose lives he touched, we are saddened by the passing of Jerry Anderson. Jerry’s accomplishments on the golf course along with his determination to chase his dream all around the globe define the drive of a champion. As we join family and friends in mourning his sudden passing, his outstanding legacy deserves to be celebrated.”

Statement from Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada President Jeff Monday:

“The entire Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada community was devastated to learn about the passing of Canadian golf legend Jerry Anderson this weekend. Our thoughts and condolences go out to his wife Barbara and the rest of the family at this time.”

Born September 22, 1955 in Montreal, Que, Anderson took up the game in 1968 as a caddie at the Whitlock Golf and Country Club near Montreal. He attended the University of Texas (1975-78) and had a strong amateur career before turning professional.

By 1978, he had had earned his Canadian Tour (now Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada) card and would go on to win nine times on the Canadian development tour including the Ontario Open (1979), Players Cup (1979), Saskatchewan Open (1979-80), Quebec Open (1982-83) and Canadian Tour Players Championship (1988). Anderson topped the Canadian Tour Order of Merit on three occasions—1980, 1982 and 1989.

He also won the PGA of Canada Championship in 1987 after finishing runner-up in 1985.

Anderson played on the European Tour through most of the 1980’s, travelling the world with his wife. He became the first Canadian to win on the European Tour when he shot 27-under par (261) to win the 1984 Ebel European Masters – Swiss Open by five strokes. His 72-hole score was a record on the European Tour until Ernie Els shot 29-under at the 2003 Johnnie Walker Classic. In 1984, he finished ninth on the European Tour Order of Merit.

In additional to playing golf in Europe, through Asia, Africa and South America, Anderson also spent two seasons on golf’s biggest stage, the PGA TOUR in 1990 and 1992. Over a total of 66 events played, he made the cut 18 times with three top-25 finishes.

He played in the (RBC) Canadian Open 12 times between 1977 and 1992 with three cuts made. His best finish was T15 in 1982.

Among his many accomplishments, Anderson represented Canada at the Alfred Dunhill Cup in 1985 (with Dave Barr and Dan Halldorson) and at the World Cup in 1983 and 1987 (with Dave Barr), .

In 1991, Anderson won the Ben Hogan Texarkana Open (currently the Web.com Tour).

In 2000, he was reinstated as a Class A member of the PGA of Canada and worked at several clubs including Cambridge Golf Club and Ingersoll Golf and Country Club.

Most recently, Anderson worked as a PGA of Canada Class A Teaching Professional at Credit Valley Golf & Country Club in Mississauga, Ont.

He was inducted in the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame in 2002 and the PGA of Canada Hall of Fame in 2016.

Jerry Anderson’s competitive accomplishments across the provincial, national and international golf landscape included:

• Attended the University of Texas from 1975-78
• #1 Ranked Amateur golfer in Ontario in 1976
• Ontario Open Champion (1979)
• Players Cup Champion (1979)
• Saskatchewan Open Champion (1979-80)
• Quebec Open Champion (1982-83)
• PGA of Canada Champion (1987); Runner-Up (1985)
• Canadian Tour Players Champion (1988)
• Windsor Charity Championship winner (1989)
• Tournament Players Championship winner (1989)
• Three-time Canadian Tour Order of Merit winner (1980, 1982, 1989)
• Member of Canada’s World Cup Team in 1983 and 1987
• Member of Canada’s Dunhill Cup Team in 1985
• European Masters Swiss Open Champion (1984)
• German Open, Runner-Up (1984)
• Canadian Open, Low-Canadian (1992)
• Texarkana Open Champion (1991)

PALM HARBOR, Fla. – Canadian PGA TOUR rookie Corey Conners retained the solo lead he held after each of the first two rounds, shooting a 3-under 68 to hold a one-shot lead over Justin Rose, Brandt Snedeker and Tiger Woods.

Conners, who ran off birdies in the early stretches of both sides at Innisbrook, saved par from the bunker on the 17th and kept his cool when his ball moved slightly on the 18th green to finish off a par for a 3-under 68.

Now comes the hard part.

He had a one-shot lead over Woods, Brandt Snedeker and Justin Rose as he goes after his first PGA TOUR victory before a crowd rarely seen this side of a major. Thousands bordered on a delirium for just about every shot Woods hit, especially when he chipped in for birdie behind the ninth green, holed a 20-foot birdie putt at No. 10 and gave himself birdie chances inside 8 feet on the next two holes.

Woods missed them both to slow his momentum. He dropped only one shot and finished with four straight pars in his round of 67. It was his fifth straight round at par or better, his longest stretch in the same season since September 2013.

This marks the first time Conners has held the 54-hole lead/co-lead in 21 career starts on the PGA TOUR. Before this week, Conners’ best position after any round on the PGA TOUR was T21 after the first round of The Honda Classic two weeks ago (T59).

A win from Conners following fellow Canadian Adam Hadwin’s victory at the 2017 Valspar Championship would mark the first time in PGA TOUR history that two different Canadians won the same event in back-to-back seasons (Mike Weir won the Genesis Open in 2003 and 2004).

Another birdie moves @coreconn to -10 ???? pic.twitter.com/9RnB9pQQu6

— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) March 10, 2018

Conners, who came into the week as third alternate, received his spot in the field when Kyle Stanley withdrew. He learned of his spot in the field after shooting a 71 in the Monday Qualifier, which would not have been enough to play his way in.

Tiger Woods was right in front of him Saturday, and Conners could hear the roars all afternoon.

“Loud. Very, very loud,” Woods said about the gallery. “I played myself right there in contention. It will be a fun Sunday.”

Conners, in only his 17th start on the PGA Tour as a pro, was at 9-under 204.

Canadian @coreyconners carries a 1-stroke advantage into tomorrow’s final round at the @valsparchamp ????? • • ? (Getty Images) • #golf #golflife #golfr #golfcanada #golfswing

A post shared by Golf Canada (@thegolfcanada) on Mar 10, 2018 at 3:05pm PST

He finished with a two-putt par from 20 feet and one nervous moment. As he was taking a few practice strokes for his 3-foot par putt, the ball moved ever so slightly without him touching it with his putter. He marked it and called over an official to confirm there is no longer a penalty for a ball moving even after a player has addressed if it was clear he didn’t cause the ball to move.

He will be paired in the final group with Rose, who holed a wedge for eagle from 120 yards on the par-5 11th and followed with two more birdies for a 66.

Snedeker, coming off a sternum injury that knocked him out of golf for the second half of last year, was equally impressive as the guy in his group everyone came to see. He twice matched birdies with Woods with 12-foot putts, and after falling two shots behind and the crowd getting louder by the hole for Woods, Snedeker battled back with a pair of birdies for a 67.

He will play with Woods again in the final round.

Woods has never been so close to winning since his last victory in the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone in 2013. It has been a remarkable return from his fourth back surgery, especially since he wasn’t cleared to start hitting balls until five months ago.

In his sights are a shot at his 80th career victory on the PGA TOUR and more momentum and madness as the Masters approaches.

In 10 starts this season, Conners has just one missed cut (AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am). Conners made his way to the PGA TOUR this season by virtue of a 41st-place finish.

PALM HARBOR, Fla. – Canadian Corey Conners knew Tiger Woods had finished his second round at Innisbrook because he couldn’t see him. He was only about 50 yards from the ninth green, but there were too many fans covering every inch of grass, packed in a dozen deep because of Woods.

Woods brought the Valspar Championship to life Friday with his best round of a comeback that is building momentum toward the Masters.

Conners was happy to play a quiet round in the afternoon and wind up with the lead.

The rookie from Listowel, Ont., ran off three birdies before a careless error set him back, and he finished with a 2-under 69 for a two-shot lead going into the weekend. Right on his heels was Woods, who kept a clean card until his final hole and shot 68.

That’ll work, @coreconn ?

He leads the @ValsparChamp by 2 ??? pic.twitter.com/wtx4DkODDg

— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) March 9, 2018

Conners was on the putting green when Woods and his entourage – officials, security, media and stragglers – walked along the edge of the green, in front of another group waiting to tee off on No. 1 and toward the scoring area.

“I definitely saw that,” Conners said. “I’ve seen that the last few days as well. Pretty cool. Hopefully, I can be in a position where I get some followers Sunday.”

Until that moment, the closest Conners ever got to Woods was at the Masters three years ago when he watched him on the range. Conners played at Augusta National that year as the U.S. Amateur runner-up.

Canada’s @coreyconners fires a 2-under 69 to take a 2-stroke lead into the weekend at the @valsparchamp ???? • • • #golf #golfr #golflife #golfswing #golfcanada #golfstagram #teamcanada

A post shared by Golf Canada (@thegolfcanada) on Mar 9, 2018 at 3:33pm PST

Being close to him on the leaderboard is an entirely different dynamic.

Conners was at 6-under 136 and will play in the final group with Paul Casey, who had a 68. This marks the first time Conners has held the 36-hole lead/co-lead in 21 career starts on the PGA TOUR. Before this week, Conners’ best position after any round on the PGA TOUR was T21 at The Honda Classic two weeks ago (T59).

Conners is the first player since Marc Leishman (2017 BMW Championship) to hold the solo lead in both the first and second rounds at a PGA TOUR event.

Woods and Brandt Snedeker (68) will be in the group in front of them, with thousands of fans lining the fairways and surrounding the greens.

“I don’t think this will be leading, but at least I’m there with a chance going into the weekend,” Woods said when he finished. “Today was a good day.”

Defending champion Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., was five shots back.

Woods has been slowed by mistakes, some leading to big numbers. The second round at Innisbrook was all about control of his shots that rarely put him out of position off the tee and especially on the green, where he could attack putts from below the hole.

He took the lead with a drive that was heading left, struck a cart path and caromed back into the fairway on his 14th hole, the par-5 fifth. That set up a long iron into the front right bunker and a delicate shot from the sand to about 5 feet for his fourth birdie of the round.

He saved par with a 12-foot putt on No. 7 and was heading toward a bogey-free round until his wedge on the par-5 ninth rode the shifting wind to the right and into the gallery, his ball on a woman’s bag. After getting a drop, his chip came out too strong and hit the flag, leaving it only 6 feet away.

He missed the putt and didn’t seem all that bothered.

Just over five months ago, Woods still didn’t have clearance to begin hitting full shots, much less to play without restrictions. In his fourth PGA Tour event in seven weeks, he looks like a contender.

“I’ve come a long way in that span of time,” Woods said.

The energy in the gallery was enormous, especially for this sleepy tournament, and toward the end of the round the fans were looking for any reason to cheer.

“The roars are a little louder, and there’s certainly an energy about the gallery that you don’t have anywhere else,” Jordan Spieth said.

Spieth missed the cut for the second time this year. He is still trying to rediscover his putting touch, and his iron game left him in an opening round of 76. He didn’t fare much better on Friday with two birdies, two bogeys, a 71 and a phone call to get back to Dallas sooner than he wanted.

“I’ve played with Tiger many times. It’s nothing new,” Spieth said. “It kind of feels like you’re playing in a major championship in a normal round, which if anything should bring out better golf for me. I just got way off on my iron play, with putting not improving either. That’s how you shoot over par.”

Henrik Stenson, the other major champion in the group, had another 74 and missed the cut. Also headed home was Rory McIlroy, who shot 73 and missed the cut for the second time in four starts on the PGA Tour this year.

McIlroy played with Woods in December before his return and was alarmed at how good he looked. He said Woods never missed a shot when they played.

“I’d seen this three months ago,” McIlroy said. “So yeah, he’s playing great. I’d love to be here for the weekend to be in contention, but I’ll be an interested observer watching TV over the weekend, see how it unfolds.”

Casey holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th for his 68, putting him in good shape going into the weekend. Casey has gone nearly four years since his last victory.

He was on the opposite side of the course as Woods, though he could hear him.

“Feels like the old days,” Casey said.

Woods never really saw his name on the board. Whenever he glanced at the video board, it was showing Spieth or Stenson putting and their statistics. But he could sense from the crowd that everything was going his way.

“To play myself into contention this early into it was nice, and on top of that, to build on what I did a week ago,” he said, referring to the Honda Classic when he was on the fringe of contention going to the final nine holes. “I feel comfortable out there.”

ACTON, Ont. – The PGA Championship of Canada presented by TaylorMade and adidas Golf heads to the venerable Credit Valley Golf and Country Club this June.

The Mississauga, Ont., venue plays host to the PGA of Canada’s oldest and most beloved national championship, June 25-29.

“We are very excited about the opportunity to bring the PGA Championship of Canada presented by TaylorMade and adidas back to Credit Valley Golf and Country Club,” said PGA of Canada president Steve Wood. “Credit Valley has been a long-time supporter of both the PGA of Canada member and the association’s national championships.”

Credit Valley last hosted the PGA Championship of Canada 25-years ago in 1993, which was won by 12-time PGA TOUR winner Steve Stricker. The club has also recently hosted two PGA Women’s Championships (2010 and 2016) and a PGA Seniors’ Championship in 2015.

“Our members are very excited to host PGA of Canada top players from across the country in this year’s PGA of Canada Championship,” said Credit Valley’s chief operating officer and PGA of Canada executive professional Ian Webb. “Much has changed in the 25 years since Steve Stricker’s win, but with recent course and practice facility renovations, we have no doubt the players are in for a real treat.”

Ranked No. 80 on SCOREGolf’s Top 100 Courses in Canada for 2016, Credit Valley traces its golfing beginning back to 1930. Ontario’s then Lieutenant Governor, W.D. Ross, commissioned that a nine-hole course be built on the original property which was located where the driving range and parking lot now stand. Since its original design by Stanley Thompson in 1930, the club most recently underwent renovations to the course including changes to the first five holes, the 10th hole and a complete bunker renovation. In addition, in 2016, the Credit Valley redesigned its practice facility, which now includes 65,000 square feet of bent grass tee decks, eight target greens, a target fairway, two practice bunkers, a short game area, three putting greens and a dedicated teaching area, making it among the best practice facilities in Canada.

Credit Valley was also home to PGA of Canada Hall of Fame member Al Balding, a four-time winner of the PGA Championship of Canada.

Re-launched in 2011, the PGA Championship of Canada was contested strictly as a match play event through 2014 with players from the four brackets—Stan Leonard, George Knudson, Al Balding and Moe Norman—looking to advance through the six rounds to capture the historic P.D. Ross trophy. However, the 2015 championship at Cabot Links saw a format change, with 64 top-ranked players from the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC playing two rounds of stroke play. The top-16 players from the 36-hole stroke play portion of the event filled out the four match-play brackets with the eventual champion winning four match play rounds.

This year’s championship at Credit Valley follows the same format.

At last year’s championship at Deer Ridge Golf Club in Kitchener, Ont., Jean-Philip Cornellier sank a 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole of the final match, outduelling Bryn Parry, to win 2-up.

“This is just a great feeling to have my first win as a professional come at the PGA Championship of Canada,” Cornellier said after the win at Deer Ridge. “It means a lot to me to have my name on the same trophy as so many legends.”

Cornellier looks to become the first back-to-back winner of the championship since Knudson won in 1976 and 1977.

In addition to Cornellier, past champions of the PGA Championship of Canada include Moe Norman, George Knudson, Marc-Etienne Bussieres, Danny King, Dave Levesque, Eric Laporte, Bryn Parry, Al Balding, Bob Panasik, Steve Stricker, Tim Clark, Lanny Wadkins, Jim Rutledge, Wilf Homenuik, Stan Leonard, Lee Trevino and Arnold Palmer.

The player who sits atop the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC at the conclusion of the PGA Championship of Canada earns an exemption into the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.