Golf industry celebrates National Golf Day on Parliament Hill
OTTAWA, Ont. – On a day that was perfect to play golf, Canada’s golf industry was on Parliament Hill touting the benefits of the sport to nearly 70 members of parliament and a handful of Canada’s senators as well.
It was the first year the National Allied Golf Associations (composed of Golf Canada, the PGA of Canada, the National Golf Course Owners Association, the Canadian Society of Club Managers, and the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association) decided to change their outward marketing approach to align with the American golf industry associations.
NAGA, as its known, will remain the administrative name for the body of industry associations, but moving forward the brand will be called ‘We Are Golf.’
We Are Golf set up a junior golf clinic on Parliament Hill in concert with Golf in Schools, and welcomed nearly 100 students from Carson Grove Elementary School on Tuesday, many of whom had never played golf before.
“What’s been amazing is that we’ve been able to get the word out about We Are Golf,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum, who has just recently celebrated one year at the helm of Golf Canada.
From left to right: Charlie Beaulieu (Vice President, Golf Canada), Leslie Dunning (President, Golf Canada), Laurence Applebaum (CEO, Golf Canada), Patrick Kelly (President, B.C. Golf)
The objective of the day was to continue to grow awareness of golf in the country’s decision makers, as leaders from each of the respective organizations had a day chalk-full of meetings on Parliament Hill with MPs from across the country.
Jeff Calderwood, the CEO of the National Golf Course Owners Association and chair of NAGA, said one of the main objectives of the day was based on how many people the organization got to meet with, and he said they ended up exceeded that number.
“It’s up to us to tell the story about golf and let the nearly 70 MPs and the few senators know all about what the golf industry is really about. Without that, you’re susceptible to politicians just seeing this as a game,” said Calderwood. “It could be a great game, and a game more people could play than any other sport, but if you need to go beyond that and give them the rest of the story. That’s when they start to treat you the way you need to be treated to have a fair outcome on anything environmental, tax-related, or funding-related.”
Calderwood said a key message would be around how golf is a vital industry in almost every community in Canada. Well north of 75 percent of all communities (or ‘ridings,’ in political vernacular) have a golf course – save for downtown ridings like Toronto Centre or Ottawa Centre, for example – and even the ones that don’t are only 10 minutes away from the nearest course, said Calderwood.
This past election was a first for Calderwood, he said, as more than 200 MPs that came into the legislature were first-timers. He admitted Tuesday that with the next election only 18 months away, there would be a lot of education for the new MPs on the golf industry – its economic benefits, its environmental benefits, and more.
“It never ends,” he said. “This time they had 200 new members of parliament, which is an unusually big turnover. You start back at ground zero with their awareness of the golf industry, but the education needs to be a perpetual thing. This gives us a chance to highlight (golf) early in the year and sync up with National Golf Day in the U.S.”
Unlike Calderwood, this was Applebaum’s first time on Parliament Hill lobbying on behalf of the golf industry.
He said the day was a positive one, and he was impressed to see how many rookie MPs play golf, along with their families. Specifically he was happy to hear from MP Roger Cuzner from Cape Breton-Canso, who has seen millions of tourism dollars flood the island thanks to the worldwide success of Cabot Links, Cabot Cliffs, and Highlands Links.
Scenes from National Golf Day on Parliament Hill ??⛳️#CanadaGolfDay#WeAreCanadianGolf pic.twitter.com/KS4VoolZwB
— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) May 29, 2018
Getting the message out about golf’s positives was key, said Applebaum, speaking specifically to its impact on Canada’s GDP ($15 billion) and employment (more than 300,000 across the country).
While in past years NAGA was on Parliament Hill lobbying for tax fairness for the golf industry – to allow people to claim a round of golf on their taxes in terms of entertainment as a bonafide business expense – that wasn’t on the agenda Tuesday.
Applebaum said that is still an “important issue” as an industry, but instead the day in Ottawa was more for “advocacy, information, and sharing.”
“We’re not here for an ask. We’re just here to let the MPs know how active their constituents are with golf, and down the road we’ll address the tax issue,” he explained.
Moving forward, Applebaum is hopeful that National Golf Day results in more awareness, and maybe even days off for people to go play golf. But he would say the first iteration was a success.
“We’ve gotten together as an industry, which we don’t always do so well, and we’ve been able to get our voice heard,” he said. “That makes for a really nice day for us.”
Big performances in Texas give PGA rookies Conners, Silverman a crucial boost
Knowing they need some solid finishes this summer to secure their futures on the PGA TOUR, Canadian rookies Ben Silverman and Corey Conners say their impressive showings at the Fort Worth Invitational are a huge confidence boost heading into a crucial stretch of the season.
Conners finished eighth and Silverman 11th at last week’s event just outside Dallas, Texas, to give each of them a 19-point boost in the FedEx Cup standings. Still, Conners, now 109th, and Silverman, 124th, know there is work still to be done to reach the target of finishing the campaign in the top 125 and automatically earning PGA Tour status for next season.
“I’ve been eyeing it since the season started in October,” said Silverman by phone from Texas.
Both golfers posted huge rounds in Texas en route to their best finishes of the 2018 calendar year.
Silverman shot 5-under 65 in Sunday’s final round – his best-ever round on the PGA TOUR. Conners shot a 7-under-par 63 on Saturday – tied for the round of the day – en route to his first top-10 finish on the tour.
“It’s what I needed to see,” said Silverman. “Things with my game have been progressing in the right direction but I just haven’t seen the results out of it that I should.”
Silverman, who had two top-10 finishes in the 2017 portion of the season, missed his previous three cuts entering last week’s event. But the 30-year-old said he has shown he can compete.
FORT WORTH, TX – MAY 25: Ben Silverman of Canada looks on on the ninth tee during round two of the Fort Worth Invitational at Colonial Country Club on May 25, 2018 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
“When I don’t have a day like Saturday (when Silverman shot 2-over-par 72) I’d be much closer to the lead, and that’s where I should be when things with my game are going well,” he said. “I’m just going to keep working on everything I’ve been doing and I’ve got lots of good stuff coming up this summer.”
Silverman and his wife, Morgan, welcomed their first child in November, and he said for the first time they tried something different on the road last week: booking a one-bedroom suite. Silverman slept on the pullout couch when he had an early tee-time and said that helped him get better rest and resulted in better play.
Conners was in the last group on Sunday two tournaments in a row in March – the Valspar Championship and the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship – but struggled in the final rounds, finishing tied for 16th and 13th, respectively.
Conners’ final-round scoring average of 72.02 has him 168th on Tour, but he said he learned “a ton” those weeks in March. It helped him feel more comfortable on Sunday in Texas, en route to his best ever PGA TOUR result.
“I was definitely more relaxed and focused,” he said. “It’s definitely different on Sunday. You try to play just another round of golf but you know it’s the final day and you’ve got to try to make a move.”
Conners and Silverman are off this week from the PGA Tour, but they will attempt to qualify for the U.S. Open at sectional sites in Ohio on June 4.
Silverman said if he gets into the U.S. Open he will not play the week before, at the FedEx St. Jude Classic in Memphis, Tenn., but Conners said no matter if he gets in or not, he will play in Memphis.
Conners played the U.S. Open last year after qualifying, while Silverman has not yet played a major championship.
UBC Thunderbirds and Fraser Valley Cascades top the leaderboard at the Canadian University/College Championship
Hellman, Lee, Graham, Olson and Brook top individual standings
CHILLIWACK, B.C. –An overcast first round of the Canadian University/College Championship saw five individuals sit atop the leaderboard today at Chilliwack Golf Club.
Zack Olson shot a 4-under to share a piece of 4th and give host team University of the Fraser Valley Cascades a commanding lead, while Kelly Hellman and Avril Li carded an even-par to help defending women’s champion University of British Columbia Thunderbirds top the women’s competition.
The University of the Fraser Valley Cascades men’s team earned a combined 10-under par to earn a commanding lead, building a 13-shot advantage over defending men’s team champion Université Laval Rouge et Or who posted a 3-over par. University of Guelph Gryphons are currently in third with a 4-over par.
Three players in the men’s individual championship – Adam Graham (Brock University Badgers), Wyatt Brook (Vancouver Island University Mariners), and Zach Olson (University of the Fraser Valley Cascades) – head into tomorrow in first place at 4-under par.
Thunderbirds Kelly Hellman of Nelson, B.C. and Avril Li of Port Moody, B.C. both fired an even-par 72 to earn top spots in the women’s individual competition. The Thunderbirds have won 12 of the past 15 editions of the women’s team event.
Veronique Fortin-Latreille of the Université de Montréal Carabins and Sarah Dunning of the University of Guelph Gryphons are very close behind, sitting second in the women’s individual competition one stroke behind at 1-over par.
With a combined score of 5-over par, the Thunderbirds are two strokes ahead of the Université de Montréal Carabins, who posted a team score of 7-over par on day one. The University of Victoria Vikes sit in third place at 10-over par.
The Women’s and Men’s Individual winners receive an exemption into their respective Canadian Amateur Championship. The top-three Men’s and Women’s individual finishers qualify for the FISU Universiade Games.
For more information on the event, including tomorrow’s tee times and current results, can be found here.
TOP-5 MEN’S – TEAM
1 University of the Fraser Valley Cascades. -10. F -10 278
2 Université Laval Rouge et Or +3 F* +3 291
3 University of Guelph Gryphons +4 F +4 292
T4. Université de Montréal Carabins +5 F +5 293
T4. University of British Columbia Thunderbirds +5 F +5 293
TOP-5 MEN’S – INDIVIDUAL
T1. Adam Graham Brock University Badgers *35-33-68 -4
T1. Wyatt Brook Vancouver Island University Mariners *35-33-68 -4
T1. Zack Olson University of the Fraser Valley Cascades *32-36-68 -4
T4. Nicholas Striker University of Guelph Gryphons *34-35-69 -3
T4. Daniel Campbell University of the Fraser Valley Cascades *32-37-69 +2
TOP-5 WOMEN’S – TEAM
- University of British Columbia Thunderbirds +5 F +5 221
- Université de Montréal Carabins +7 F* +7 223
- University of Victoria Vikes +10 F +10 226
- University of Toronto Varsity Blues +18 F +18 234
- University of the Fraser Valley Cascades +20 F +20 236
TOP-5 WOMEN’S – INDIVIDUAL
T1. Kelly Hellman University of British Columbia Thunderbirds. *35-37-72 E
T1. Avril Li University of British Columbia Thunderbirds *36-36-72 E
T3. Veronique Fortin-Latreille Université de Montréal Carabins *38-35-73 +1
T3. Sarah Dunning University of Guelph Gryphons *38-35-73 +1
T5. Mylène Limoges Université de Montréal Carabins *37-37-74 +2
T5. Quinn Fitzgerald University of Victoria Vikes *41-33-74 +2
Click hereto download photos; credit to Golf Canada.
The R&A unveil new Women in Golf Charter
The R&A today unveiled a new Women in Golf Charter as part of the organisation’s drive to increase the number of women and girls participating in golf and to encourage more opportunities for women to work within the golf industry.
The Women in Golf Charter aims to inspire an industry-wide commitment to developing a more inclusive culture within golf around the world and to enable more women and girls to flourish and maximise their potential at all levels of the sport.
Adoption of the Charter will also require national federations and other golf bodies to build on current initiatives and develop new projects that will focus on encouraging more women and girls to play golf and stay within the sport as members of clubs, while also empowering women to enjoy successful careers working within the golf industry.
The Women in Golf Charter specifically aims to:
- Strengthen the focus on gender balance and provide a united position for the golf industry
- Commit national federations and organisations to support measures targeted at increasing participation of women, girls and families in golf
- Call on signatories to take positive action to support the recruitment, retention and progression of women working at all levels of the sport
- Set individual targets for national federations for participation and membership and annual reporting of progress
- Develop an inclusive environment for women and girls within golf
Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, outlined its plans to work in collaboration with its affiliated organisations, partners and the wider golf industry to achieve these goals at a launch event at The View from The Shard, one of London’s most iconic venues.
Hosted by renowned sports broadcaster Hazel Irvine, the event also featured presentations and panel discussions with guest speakers including Nick Pink, Chief Executive of England Golf, Sky Sports’ Golf Presenter Sarah Stirk, Chyloe Kurdas, National Female Participation Manager at Golf Australia, and Liz Dimmock, Founder of Moving Ahead.
Speakers Chyloe Kurdas (Golf Australia), Hazel Irvine (BBC), Sarah Stirk (Sky Sports), Nick Pink (England Golf), Liz Dimmock (Moving Ahead) and Martin Slumbers (The R&A) at the launch of the Women in Golf Charter staged at The View from the Shard, London.
The event was attended by representatives of golf organisations worldwide who have pledged their support as signatories of the Charter, including the European Tour, the Ladies’ European Tour, the European Golf Association, the Professional Golfers’ Association, the European Disability Golf Association, Golf Australia, Golf Canada, the Golfing Union of Ireland, England Golf, the Irish Ladies Golf Union and Scottish Golf.
Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “We are asking the golf industry to recognise the real importance of increasing the number of women and girls playing golf and empowering more women to enjoy successful careers at all levels of the sport.
“The Charter is a strong statement of intent from the golf industry that it has to change and a commitment on behalf of all of us to take measures designed to achieve positive change for women, girls and families. This is crucial to growing participation in the sport in the years ahead.
“We ask our affiliates and partners around the world to pledge their support and commitment to achieving this vision and to help us ensure that we have a thriving sport in 50 years’ time that our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren can enjoy.
“The R&A plans to increase our overall investment in women’s, girls’ and mixed golf to £80 million over the next ten years, a clear indication of our determination to develop the game in this area.”
Tracey Crouch MP, Minister for Sport and Civil Society, said, “We are committed to creating an environment where women and girls can succeed at every level of sport.
“Interest in women’s sports is at an all-time high, with increased global interest and record attendances. I welcome The R&A’s strong commitment to encourage more women into golf and nurture future generations of talent.”
Liz Dimmock, Founder of Moving Ahead, said, “The case for a more balanced and inclusive culture for golf is clear and a real cultural shift is required within the sport to create a more equitable participation base that reflects the demands of current and future generations.
“Women are also under-represented at every level of the governance and business of the sport and this needs to be proactively addressed. The Women in Golf Charter is a signal to the industry that change is required, which can be achieved with a strong, positive vision for golf.”
The Women in Golf Charter is another positive development for the sport following The R&A’s successful merger with the Ladies’ Golf Union last year. In 2018, the organisation also launched the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship which was staged at Sentosa, Singapore in February while the new Girls Under 16 Open Championship was played at Fulford, York last month.
The R&A also provided an initial three-year funding package of £375,000 to its affiliates in Australia, England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales to support the appointment of new development managers to work on increasing participation by women and girls.
Getting into the swing of things on Parliament Hill
OTTAWA – Today, to mark Canada’s first annual National Golf Day, Canadians are invited to take a swing on Parliament Hill with a number of We Are Golf interactive golf activities. As well, PGA of Canada professionals will be on hand to provide golf tips and share their enthusiasm for the game with golfers and Ottawa-area school students.
The event is aimed at raising awareness among the public and government decision-makers on the many positive health, economic, social, environmental and charitable impacts of the golf industry across Canada.
“Golf is a game for everyone. And not only do more Canadians play golf than any other participation sport, our industry also drives more economic impact, employment and charity fundraising,” said Jeff Calderwood, We Are Golf Chair. “So we want to celebrate the golf onNational Golf Day and we invite Canadians to join us on Parliament Hill to talk golf and take a few swings.”
The conversations will include the healthy fitness benefits of the sport, with a typical 18-hole round being an eight to ten- kilometer walk that burns up to 2000 calories. And the environmental stewardship of golf preserving over 175,000 hectares of green space managed by over 2300 golf course operators, including 30,000 hectares of unmanaged wildlife habitat.
The Canadian #golf industry is excited to get underway with today’s National Golf Day on Parliament Hill! ⛳️?? #CanadaGolfDay #WeAreCanadianGolf
Read more ➡️ https://t.co/Wn3bn4DdD1 pic.twitter.com/FXPfxSpd27
— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) May 29, 2018
There will also be an emphasis on junior golf, noting that golf develops important life skills for children of all ages. Programs like Adopt A School and Take A Kid To The Course will be promoted on the front lawn during National Golf Day. Thirty-seven percent of the 126,000 Canadians employed by golf are also youth students.
Since golf is not only a great game, but also a highly developed industry, the economic impact generated is substantial and leads all other participation sports in Canada. Golf’s $14.3 billion annual direct GDP includes tourism benefits exceeding one million overnight trips by Canadian golfers, creating spending of $2.5 billion annually on golf travel within Canada. Foreign visiting golfers spend an additional $1.6 billion on golf related travel each year.
“We are looking forward to welcoming golf enthusiasts, area residents and students out to the We Are Golf activities on the front lawn of Parliament to learn about all the many ways that the golf experience contributes to life in Canada,” added Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “There are so many meaningful benefits that golf delivers in communities from coast to coast and it will be exciting to share those insights on National Golf Day.”
Golf activities are available on the front lawn of Parliament Hill from 9 am to 5 pm, May 29, 2018.
Rested Brooke Henderson eyes second major title at U.S. Women’s Open
Brooke Henderson has played more on the LPGA Tour than anyone else the last two years, so it was interesting to see her skip a tournament in the middle of the season last week.
But with the U.S. Women’s Open starting Thursday at Shoal Creek Golf and Country Club in Birmingham, Ala., the young Canadian wanted to get as prepared as she could be for what is usually the toughest test on tour.
“The majors bring that little bit extra,” said the native of Smiths Falls, Ont., who took a pass on the Volvik Championship in Ann Arbor, Mich.
“It’s a completely different atmosphere and it’s the greatest feeling in the world to know you’re competing and have a chance to win a major. Having won one in 2016 was the coolest thing ever, so I’m just really excited for when I can hold another major trophy.”
The lone major triumph for Henderson, 20, was the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, when she toppled then No. 1-ranked Lydia Ko in a playoff. She has won six times on the LPGA Tour, including once this year at the Lotte Championship in April.
Henderson returned to her home in Naples, Fla. last week in order to get used to the different kind of grass she’ll play on this week, along with the sticky early-June heat.
In 2013, when Henderson was just 15, she qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open, and went on to make the cut, her first on the LPGA Tour. Her best result is a tie for fifth, which came in 2015.
“The U.S. Women’s Open has always been special to me,” said Henderson. “Some tournaments just mean a little bit more to you and you feel a little more confident and that’s what I feel at the U.S. Women’s Open.”
Shoal Creek is no stranger to hosting big events, including the 1984 and 1990 PGA Championships. But Shannon Rouillard, the U.S. Women’s Open championship director, says the setup for this week’s championship will be unique.
She says the United States Golf Association has intentionally narrowed some fairways and also added some closely mowed areas around the greens to force players to think about the shot they’re going to play versus just chopping out of thick rough.
Rouillard, who also runs the U.S. women’s amateur championship, remembers watching Henderson as a 14-year-old, and says she is a tremendous player. However, she’ll still need to bring her A-game this week.
“She hits the ball a long way, she’s a good putter ? but she’s still going to have to make the shots, think her way around the course, and manage her game accordingly,” Rouillard said.
Henderson has been solid from tee to green this year, sitting in the top 10 in a handful of key statistical categories. However, she is 73rd in putting average, and has used four different putters this year.
Henderson says she has returned to an older putter that she used for her first LPGA Tour win in 2015, and had that putter in her bag two weeks ago en route to a tie for fourth at the Kingsmill Championship, her fifth top-10 finish of the year.
Her biggest strength is with the driver, and according to Tom Lehman, the former No. 1-ranked golfer in the world who won back-to-back Regions Traditions titles on PGA Tour Champions in 2011-12 at Shoal Creek, that will be a key for success this week.
“If you had to get right down to brass tax, like what is absolutely necessary, you have to drive the ball well. It’s a great driver’s golf course. It’s a sensational course for those who drive the ball well,” Lehman said. “The longer you can hit it, the straighter you can hit it, the bigger advantage you have.”
Henderson never has played Shoal Creek and admits there is a lot of pressure to “learn one of the toughest courses in America.”
But she’s excited for the opportunity to play for one of golf’s biggest titles.
“I do feel that the major championships do fit my game a little bit, because the courses are longer, I tend to play better on tougher courses generally which is always a good thing,” Henderson said. “As long as I’m feeling healthy and not tired, I feel like mentally I can out-grind a lot of the players out there, which is always a really great thing.”
Desmarchais and Kehoe crowned Champions at Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship
OTTERVILLE, Ont. – Laurent Desmarchais came from behind while Taylor Kehoe maintained her second round lead to earn medallist honours at the Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship at Otter Creek Golf Club.
Desmarchais, who started the day in second, earned a hard-fought victory to end the tournament in first place.
“I made a few good putts and was 6-under through 14 holes,” said Desmarchais, who will also be competing at the Quebec edition in two weeks time. “It was very nice to earn this win after tough conditions and a tough course.”
The Longueuil, Que. native shot 2-over in round three to close out the tournament with a 3-under par total and a comfortable 3-stroke victory.
Cam Kellett topped the leaderboard going into the final round and started the day strong with birdies on holes 2 and 3, entering the back-nine only one-stroke behind Desmarchais.
However, back-to-back double bogeys on the 11th and 12th holes signalled trouble for the London, Ont. product. The 18-year-old finished the tournament in second place after shooting 6-over in the final round.
Dylan Henderson of Waterloo Ont. made an eagle on hole 4 to end the day in third after firing a three-round total of 3-over, 216.
Rounding out the players in the top-6 spots are Bavake Sihota from Caledon, Ont. (+7), Logan Boucher of Beaconsfield, Que.(+7) and Robbie Latter of Mississauga, Ont.(+7).
Kehoe continued her strong showing in the girls division by carding a 2-over 74 to close out the tournament with a 5-over total of 217. The Strathroy, Ont. product struggled on the front-nine after recording five bogeys but finished the day strong, with 5 birdies across 18-holes.
“This win means a lot,” said the 14-year-old of her first time play at the tournament and subsequent medallist honours. “It was a very fun tournament and amazing opportunity.”
Team Canada Development squad member Monet Chun posted a 1-over 73 to finish the tournament in solo-second. The 17-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., who recently won the Future Links driven by Acura Pacific Championship, ended the tournament only 2-strokes behind the lead.
Rounding out the top-six spots are Emily Romancew of Pierrefonds, Que. (+9), round one leader Hailey McLaughlin of Markham, Ont. (+9), Angela Arora of Surrey, B.C. (+11), Emily Zhu of Richmond Hill, Ont., Tiana Cruz of Richmond Hill, Ont. and Victoria Zheng of Markham, Ont. (+13).
Alyssa DiMarcantonio, also of Team Canada, finished T9 after shooting a 4-over 76 in today’s round. The 15-year-old leaves the tournament tied for most eagles made with two eagles – one on hole 6 in round 2 and one on hole 15 in round three.
Full results
Conners and Silverman top Canadians while Rose wins Fort Worth Invitational
FORT WORTH, Texas ─ Justin Rose got his first PGA Tour victory at Jack Nicklaus’ tournament. His latest came after finishing 20 under at Hogan’s Alley, three strokes ahead of defending U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka.
“If you are able to win at a course that has great history, has had great champions, and if I begin to look at the courses I’ve won at, this definitely strengthens that group even more,” Rose said after his closing 6-under 64 Sunday in the Fort Worth Invitational.
Along with the plaid jacket that comes with winning at Colonial, the longest-running PGA Tour event still played at its original site (since 1946), Rose added to an impressive list of traditional courses where he has won.
There was that victory at Muirfield Village in the 2010 Memorial, and the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion among his nine PGA Tour wins. His 11 international victories include the 2014 Scottish Open at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, and the 2007 Volvo Masters at Valderrama in Spain.
“I’m very proud of the places I’ve been able to win,” Rose said. “I’m not saying they suit my game, but happy my game has turned up and I’ve been inspired by some of these great venues.”
In the final round at Colonial, where Ben Hogan won five times, Rose stayed aggressive while playing with Koepka even after starting the day with a four-stroke lead.
Koepka shot 63 on way to his sixth runner-up finish in three years. Both of his second-place finishes this season have been behind Rose, the 37-year-old Englishman and No. 5 player in the world who also won his 2017-18 debut in October at the HSBC Champions in Shanghai.
“It was very impressive the way he played all day. He never backed off,” Koepka said. “Never really gave an opportunity for anybody to get in there.”
Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., had a 69 to finish in a tie for eighth at 9 under while Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., finished 8 under.
Emiliano Grillo had a 64 to finish third at 16 under, his fifth top-10 in 16 starts this season.
While Rose missed matching Zach Johnson’s 2010 tournament scoring record of 259 because of bogey on the 72nd hole, first-round leader Kevin Na matched the course record with a closing 61 and finished fourth at 14 under.
Fourth-ranked Jon Rahm shot 68 and was tied for fifth at 10 under with Louis Oosthuizen (68) and Kevin Tway (67).
After birdies on Nos. 1 and 2 for the third day in a row, Rose gave up a stroke at the difficult 459-yard third when his drive went into a fairway bunker and he hit from there into the rough.
Rose got that stroke back with a 23-foot birdie putt at the 474-yard fifth hole, the toughest at Colonial, to restore his lead to four over Koepka.
Koepka’s highlight shot of the day was birdie blast out of a greenside bunker at the sixth hole to get to 13 under. But Rose immediately responded by making his 12-foot birdie putt. Rose had a five-stroke lead, his biggest, after a 10-foot birdie at the ninth hole got him to 19 under.
“For Brooks to shoot 63 and not win in the final pairing took some doing from me. It was a really fun day to be part of,” Rose said. “Glad that my A-game turned up when I needed it, and I’m glad that I got my mindset right at the start of the day.”
Na tapped in for a birdie at the 435-yard 18th hole to match his career-best score and become the seventh PGA Tour golfer with a 9-under round at Colonial _ the first since Chad Campbell in the third round in 2004. Na also shot a 61 in the third round of the 2010 Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina.
After an opening 62 that ended with a 92 foot chip-in from the rough when he ended his first round at No. 9, Na fell back in the field with a 73 in the second round and then shot even par Saturday.
“First round I was one out of it. I was thinking one of these days I’m going to get a chance to shoot the course record,” Na said. “I didn’t think it would come on Sunday.”
Jordan Spieth made a short birdie at No. 18 on Sunday for a closing 68 to finish 5 under and tied for 32nd at Colonial, where he had a win and two runner-up finishes the past three years. The third-ranked player has played in 20 PGA Tour events since his last win, at the British Open last summer, but feels a good run is coming for him.
“Each week is getting a little better,” Spieth said. “I’m getting into where I’m not making bogeys, and then soon _ the not making bogeys is great _ and soon I’ll get back to the five, six birdies around and shoot some low rounds. So I know it’s right around the corner.”
Canadian Adam Svensson ends Nashville Golf Open T5
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Adam Svensson made a spectacular effort during the final round of the Nashville Golf Open Benefitting the Snedeker Foundation but a dramatic day saw him finish tied for fifth.
The Surrey, B.C. product started the day off strong firing six consecutive birdies, trading spots for the lead throughout the day.
Running up the leaderboard like …@AdamSvensson59 shares the lead @NashGolfOpen after making six straight birdies on the front nine. pic.twitter.com/oksdED1ucj
— Web.com Tour (@WebDotComTour) May 27, 2018
By the 15th hole, Svensson was co-leading with four other players but Australian Cameron Davis’ spectacular back-nine would push Svensson to end the tournament tied for fifth, only two-shots behind Davis at 16-under.
Seeking his first Web.com Tour title, Davis rolled in a 3-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole to win the third annual Nashville Golf Open Benefitting the Snedeker Foundation by one stroke over Kevin Dougherty, Josh Teater and Lanto Griffin.
Davis essentially came out of nowhere to earn his maiden Tour win, in just his fifth start of the season. The Sydney native entered the final round six strokes off the lead. Davis opened with six pars before recording back-to-back birdies. As Davis made the turn there were eight players higher than him on the leaderboard. The 23-year-old quickly ascended up the board with birdies at 11, 13 and 15.
Typically, when players are thrust into contention there is a tendency to tighten up. If Davis was nervous coming down the stretch, the patrons couldn’t tell. Davis birdied the tricky par-3 17th and then went for the green-in-two at the par-5 finishing hole. Just short of the green in two, he pitched his third 4 feet past the hole. When he knocked in the birdie try, Davis’ name was sitting alone at the top at 18-under-par.
“I kept on holing putts even when the pressure was on, which is a big improvement for me,” said Davis, who had 25 putts on Sunday. “It’s nice that I could get it done under pressure. There were nerves out there, I didn’t know the exact situation, but I knew I was up there and to make a few putts is really nice.”
Davis’ victory in Nashville was eerily similar to his triumph at the Emirates Australian Open last year. Starting the final round six shots back of overnight leader Jason Day, Davis fired a 7-under 64 to win his first professional title on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia. While Davis will never forget his first victory, the success he enjoyed in the Music City gets him closer to accomplishing his goal.
“It’s hard to compare,” said Davis. “The Aussie Open was fantastic, it was my first win and such a big event, but getting it done on this Tour, gets me toward the PGA TOUR. It’s good to get a win out here and it means a lot.”
Davis began the season with conditional status after a T113 performance at Final Stage of the Web.com Tour Qualifying Tournament last December. Davis’ game has been heating up in the month of May. After a 72nd place at the Panama Championship, Davis didn’t get another start until the North Mississippi Classic. A T17 in Oxford helped the 2017 Emirates Australian Open champion move up in the reshuffle. Davis took advantage of the opportunity to play more with a T4 at the Knoxville Open two weeks ago. The win on Sunday was worth $99,000 and moved him from No. 72 to No. 14 on the Regular Season money list.
“I’ve been trending upwards over the last couple of weeks,” said Davis, who notched win No. 54 for Australia on the Web.com Tour. “I’ve gone from having no status to have enough status to play events and now winning one. It’s been a pretty steep rise over the past month or so. I mean, it’s just a lot of relief to know I’ve gotten over the line and now looking forward to the rest of the year, because obviously I’ve moved up the money list a bit and have a few more opportunities coming my way.”
One of those opportunities is the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide. Davis will compete alongside Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and fellow Australians Marc Leishman and Jason Day. Davis is well aware of how big the stage is but is excited about the challenge Muirfield Village Golf Club presents.
“It’s going to be a completely different golf course,” he said. “The field is full of the top players in the world. I can’t tell you how I’ll feel until I actually get out there to play a PGA TOUR event, but it’ll be awesome to be out there.”
Sunday Notes:
* Sunday weather: Partly cloudy with a high of 89. Winds were E/SE 5-10.
* Kevin Dougherty closed out the week with his best round of the tournament – a Sunday 66. The 27-year-old from Murrieta, California made a valiant charge down the stretch, making birdie on four of his closing six holes to miss out on a playoff by just one stroke. The back-nine was good to Dougherty this week, playing it in 18-under with just a single bogey.
* Josh Teater was mere inches away from forcing a playoff with the Aussie. After electing to lay-up on the par-5 closing hole, the Danville, Kentucky native hit a lackluster approach shot from the fairway that put him 20 feet away from the cup. It wasn’t meant to be for Teater as he watched his putt narrowly slide by. After a bogey on 10, the Morehead State University alum birdied 11, 13, 15 and 16 to draw into a tie for second.
* Brad Hopfinger made a Sunday charge. Coming into the final round seven strokes off the chase, Hopfinger erased the deficit with a 15th-hole eagle and held a share of the lead. Failing to hit the green on the par-4 16th would put a damper on the University of Iowa alum’s comeback chances, giving up a stroke before closing pars on 17 and 18.
* Scoring Averages for the week:
Front (36) Back (36) Total (72)
R1 36.955 34.731 71.686
R2 36.309 34.537 70.846
R3 36.353 34.059 70.412
R4 35.971 33.897 69.868
CUM 36.397 34.306 70.703
Birdie on 18 gives Lee a victory on her birthday
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Minjee Lee birdied the 18th hole Sunday for a one-stroke victory over In-Kyung Kim at the LPGA Volvik Championship.
Lee, who turned 22 on Sunday, three-putted for a bogey on No. 17, dropping into a tie with Kim, who finished her round around the same time. So Lee needed a birdie to win on 18, a reachable par 5. Her second shot landed a few feet to the right of the green, and she calmly chipped to about 3 feet
She made the putt to finish at 4-under 68 and 16 under for the tournament. It was the Australian standout’s fourth career victory and first since 2016.
Kim (67) shot a 32 on the back nine and birdied No. 18, but it wasn’t enough to force a playoff at Travis Pointe Country Club.
Moriya Jutanugarn (65) finished third at 14 under.
Lee took a two-stroke lead into the final round, and that was her margin over playing partner Stacy Lewis before Lewis (71) bogeyed No. 7 and 8. Kim emerged as the biggest threat to Lee when she birdied four of the first five holes on the back nine. Lewis is playing five months’ pregnant with her first child.
Kim and Lee were briefly tied at 15 under, but then Lee made a tap-in birdie on the par-5 14th, while Kim bogeyed 15.
Lee saved par on 15 despite a wayward drive into a bunker, and she’d actually gone 38 consecutive holes without a bogey before making one on the par-4 17th. That, combined with Kim’s birdie on 18, left the two golfers tied, but Lee still had the 18th to come.
Su Oh (68) and Lindy Duncan (69) finished at 13 under, and Megan Khang (67) was another stroke back. Lewis _ playing five months’ pregnant _ finished at 11 under along with Ariya Jutanugarn (69) and Danielle Kang (70).
Lee lost this event by one stroke last year. Shanshan Feng, the 2017 winner, finished tied for 21st this time.
Maude-Aimee Leblanc was the top Canadian finish at the championship. The Sherbrooke, Que. native ended the tournament at 4-under. Fellow Canadians Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont. finished with a 1-under.