How low some of the world’s best women’s golfers can go this week at the MCKAYSON New Zealand Women’s Open will be determined by the weather gods, Canadian world no. 12 Brooke Henderson says.

With the fairways of the newly bedded in Windross Farm course east of Auckland firm and a touch unforgiving during practice and the wind gusting, scoring has been tough. However, if the wind drops, the links-styled course could well allow some low numbers when the tournament begins on Thursday.

“I think it really depends on the weather conditions and the direction that the wind is blowing,” Henderson said today following her practice round.

“It’s not a golf course [style] that I generally play a lot of; it’s playing very firm, which is partly because it’s so new of a golf course.

“I think if the wind stays up like it is right now, it is gonna be a challenge for the girls. If the wind dies and the conditions are still suitable, then the scores might be very low. I’m excited for the challenge, and hopefully good things will happen.”

Fifth on the 2017 money list with $US1,161,833 in earnings, the Ontario native arrives in Auckland in solid form, having posted a fourth career Tour victory in June at the Meijer LPGA Classic and followed up with a second at the KPMG Women’s PGA .

“I had a banner year last year; everything just seemed to be going perfect for me, and then this year, starting the season off it was a little bit tougher for me.

“But I won in June and finishing second in the Major championship that I won the year previous (PGA Championship) was definitely a lot of confidence for me, and a lot of momentum.”

Henderson said she expected her good friend Lydia Ko (the player she defeated in a playoff to claim that first major title in 2016) to relish playing on home soil in New Zealand.

“Back home I was able to play the Canadian Women’s Open, in front of my hometown, and that was a lot of fun for me. So, I feel like it’s a great opportunity for her.

“She’s an amazing player and I feel like she maybe hasn’t had the season she was looking for this year. But I know good things are gonna continue to happen for her and she’s getting it back on track.”

ATLANTA — Justin Thomas had an inkling back in January that this season might be something special.

More than winning the Sony Open for a sweep of Hawaii and his third victory in five starts, it was how he won. Thomas opened with a 59 and never let up until he set the PGA Tour’s record for lowest 72-hole score and won by seven shots. Instead of trying to protect a lead, he left everyone in his wake.

“I felt like after that, I learned a lot to where I could kind of ride that momentum out for the year,” Thomas said.

But there was a moment early in the week at Waialae that might have set the tone for a FedEx Cup title that came down to the last hour.

Thomas played with Jordan Spieth when he shot 59, and the statistics would have suggested a different outcome. Spieth led the field that day in proximity to the hole with his approach shots at 18 feet, 4 inches. Thomas was seventh at 25 feet, 7 inches.

Thomas, however, was the one making all the putts.

On more than one occasion, they were on the same line and Thomas holed his putt from a longer distance, while Spieth missed. Over the next few days, Spieth couldn’t help but smile at the observation that Thomas was doing to him what Spieth had done to so many other players.

In some respects, it was like that all year.

Thomas went into a brief lull, missing six cuts in 14 events after Hawaii. He had a few flashes of brilliances, such as his 63 in the U.S. Open. Spieth caught up with three victories, including the third leg of the career Grand Slam at the British Open.

Thomas had the best finishing kick.

He won his first major at the PGA Championship. He won at the TPC Boston by outlasting Spieth on the back nine. The FedEx Cup title came down to the last day, and at one point, Thomas and Spieth were projected to tie, which would have meant a sudden-death playoff to decide the $10 million bonus. That was unlikely to happen, but fun to contemplate, even for Thomas when he saw the projections on a video board.

“I think I laughed when I saw it,” Thomas said. “I thought, ‘Honestly, this probably will happen and the golf world will completely blow up and lose its mind if Jordan and I were in a playoff for the FedEx Cup.’ I don’t think anybody would have known what to do with themselves.”

Thomas was a birdie short of winning the Tour Championship, though the FedEx Cup title was never in doubt over the last three holes.

In the 11-year era of the FedEx Cup, he joined Spieth and Tiger Woods as the only players to win the FedEx Cup in a season with at least five victories and a major.

The awards already are rolling in. Thomas clinched the points-based award from the PGA of America as player of the year. Ballots were sent out Monday to PGA Tour players for their vote, and there’s little doubt how that will turn out. Thomas also won the PGA Tour money title with just over $9.9 million.

Along the way, Thomas ticked off plenty of goals. He had kept them to himself on his phone, not willing to disclose them until the season was over. It ended on Sunday at East Lake when he was runner-up for the first time in his PGA Tour career, and it was enough to capture the FedEx Cup.

He pulled out his phone and began to read them when the screen switched over to an incoming phone call from his grandfather.

“Hey, Grandpa, can I call you back? I’m in the middle of a press conference,” Thomas said.

The list:

— Make the Tour Championship (check).

— Win at least once (check, check, check, check, check).

— Be in the final two groups of a major on Sunday (U.S. Open, PGA Championship).

— Win a major (PGA Championship).

— Make the Presidents Cup team (check).

— Better than 0.25 in the strokes-gained putting statistic (0.289).

— Better than 1 in strokes gained tee-to-green (1.33).

— Top 10 in the all-around statistical category (No. 6)

— Top 30 in scrambling (No. 28).

— Sub-70 scoring average (69.36).

— Top 10 in half of his starts. (“I missed by one,” he said.)

Hey, he can’t have it all. But he has plenty this year, the least significant of which might be the $10 million bonus.

Cash only matters to Thomas when he loses a bet.

The difficulty is what that list looks like next season. Thomas said when he finally gets time to reflect after this week’s Presidents Cup, he’ll spend time with Spieth and Woods — two players he knows well who can appreciate big years — and ask them how to reset goals and manage expectations.

“And then we will go off to Malaysia again,” he said.

That’s where the winning started this season. The outlook no doubt will be different a year later.

Toronto – The Canadian Golf Superintendents Association (CGSA) has announced Jeff Calderwood will be joining its team, becoming Executive Director effective October 2. Calderwood is well known in the golf industry for his 25 years of success as the CEO of the National Golf Course Owners Association Canada (NGCOA Canada), which he will continue.

“The CGSA board of directors and staff team are excited about Jeff’s leadership for the future benefit of the Association itself and superintendents throughout Canada,” stated CGSA President Jim Flett. “His strategic approach to association management and such relevant experience are a great fit for the CGSA’s leadership needs. I would like to publicly welcome Jeff to the CGSA and really look forward to working together.”

“There are so many synergies between the best interests of superintendents and the ownership of golf courses,” noted Calderwood. “So the two Associations are very well aligned already. I think my experience can then help develop the CGSA’s strategies to further benefit superintendents directly while adding value for their overall golf operations.”

The CGSA and NGCOA Canada have also entered into a new partnership to share in delivering the Golfmax Purchasing Program, adding mutually beneficial value to both the CGSA membership and to ownership. All CGSA members are now able to take advantage of Golfmax national account pricing on various turf department supplier agreements, as well as some additional personal benefits.

Following Sunday’s conclusion of the TOUR Championship and the FedExCup Playoffs, nominees for PGA TOUR Player of the Year and PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year were finalized by the PGA TOUR Player Directors and members of the Player Advisory Council (PAC).

The nominees for the Jack Nicklaus Award as the PGA TOUR Player of the Year are (alphabetically) Dustin Johnson, Hideki Matsuyama, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas. The nominees for PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year are Wesley Bryan, Patrick Cantlay, Mackenzie Hughes, Grayson Murray and Xander Schauffele.

The Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards are determined by a member vote, with PGA TOUR members who played in at least 15 official money events during the 2016-17 season eligible to vote. The voting will close on Monday, October 2, with the winners to be announced that week.

Five nominated for PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year:

Wesley Bryan, 27
Augusta, Georgia (University of South Carolina)

• Entered 28 events with one victory at the RBC Heritage.
  Finished 41st in the FedExCup.
  Finished 113th in Adjusted Scoring Average (71.062).
  Recorded a total of five top-10 finishes with 19 made cuts.
  2016 graduate of the Web.com Tour.

Patrick Cantlay, 25
Jupiter, Florida (UCLA)

• Entered 13 events with a season-best runner-up finish at the Valspar Championship.
  Finished 29th in the FedExCup.
  One of two rookies to qualify for the season-ending TOUR Championship in 2017.
  Finished 15th in Adjusted Scoring Average (69.971).
  Recorded a total of four top-10 finishes with 13 made cuts.

Mackenzie Hughes, 26
Dundas, Ont. (Kent State University)

• Entered 31 events with one victory at The RSM Classic.
  Finished 36th in the FedExCup.
  Finished T109th in Adjusted Scoring Average (71.044).
  Recorded a total of two top-10 finishes among 22 made cuts.
  2016 graduate of the Web.com Tour.

Grayson Murray, 23
Raleigh, North Carolina (Arizona State University)

• Entered 30 events with one victory at the Barbacoa Championship.
  Finished 66th in the FedExCup.
  Finished 114th in Adjusted Scoring Average (71.064).
  Recorded a total of two top-10 finishes among 18 made cuts.
  2016 graduate of the Web.com Tour.

Xander Schauffele, 23
San Diego, California (San Diego State University)

• Entered 28 events with wins (2) at The Greenbrier Classic and TOUR Championship; first-ever rookie to win the TOUR Championship.
  Finished third in the FedExCup.
  One of two rookies to qualify for the season-ending TOUR Championship in 2017.
  Finished 27th in Adjusted Scoring Average (70.163).
  Recorded a total of four top-10 finishes among 20 made cuts.
  2016 graduate of the Web.com Tour.

Player of the Year nominees

Dustin Johnson, 33
Jupiter, Florida (Coastal Carolina University)

• Entered 20 events with victories (4) at the Genesis Open, World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship, World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play and THE NORTHERN TRUST.
  Finished fourth in the FedExCup.
  Finished seventh in Adjusted Scoring Average (69.549).
  Finished the season with eight top-10 finishes among 17 made cuts.

Hideki Matsuyama, 25
Sendai, Japan (Tohoku Fukushi University)

• Entered 22 events with victories (3) at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions, Waste Management Phoenix Open and World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational
  Finished eighth in the FedExCup.
  Finished 10th in Adjusted Scoring Average (69.624).
  Recorded a total of seven top-10 finishes among 20 made cuts.

Jordan Spieth, 24
Dallas, Texas (University of Texas)

• Entered 23 events with victories (3) at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Travelers Championship and The Open Championship.
  Finished second in the FedExCup.
  Finished first in Adjusted Scoring Average (68.846) to earn the Byron Nelson Award.
  Recorded 12 top-10 finishes (tied with Justin Thomas for most this season) among 20 made cuts.
  Top-10 finishes in all four FedExCup Playoffs events in 2017: THE NORTHERN TRUST (P2), Dell Technologies Championship (2), BMW Championship (T7), TOUR Championship (T7).

Justin Thomas, 24
Jupiter, Florida (University of Alabama)

• Entered 25 events with victories (5) at the CIMB Classic, Sentry Tournament of Champions, Sony Open in Hawaii, PGA Championship and Dell Technologies Championship.
  Winner of the 2017 FedExCup.
  Finished first on Official Money List to earn the Arnold Palmer Award with $9,921,560.
  Finished third in Adjusted Scoring Average (69.359).
  Recorded 12 top-10 finishes (tied with Jordan Spieth for most this season) among 19 made cuts.
  Became just the fourth player since 1960 to capture five wins, including a major, in a season before the age of 25 (Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth).

BEACHWOOD, Ohio – Nicholas Lindheim made a downhill, 35-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole after bogeying the final two holes in regulation and won the DAP Championship on Sunday to regain his PGA Tour card.

Lindheim, who lost in a playoff in this Web.com Tour Finals event last year, hit every green in regulation on the front nine and held the lead from the third hole on. But he missed his tee shot well left on the par-4 18th at Canterbury Golf Club, punched out and failed to get up and down. He shot a 1-over 71 to join Rob Oppenheim (67) and Chesson Hadley (69) in the playoff.

Given a fresh start, the 32-year-old self-taught player quickly capitalized.

“I think last year I was just content being in the playoff,” Lindheim said. “It was destiny. That’s all I can say.”

The event was the third of four tournaments that determine 25 PGA Tour cards. The series features the top 75 players from the Web.com regular-season money list, Nos. 126-200 in the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup standings and non-members with enough money to place in the top 200 in the FedEx Cup had they been eligible.

As usual, much of the drama came further down the leaderboard as players scrambled to secure their cards.

The other players to guarantee themselves PGA TOUR privileges were Canada’s Corey Conners, Keith Mitchell, Troy Merritt, Martin Piller, Brett Stegmaier, Denny McCarthy, Bronson Burgoon and Joel Dahmen.

Conners, a Team Canada Young Pro Squad member, has finished in the top-30 in each of the first three Finals events to secure one of the 25 TOUR cards given away during the Finals.

“Yeah, it feels good. Still got some work to do, try and have another good week next week and see what happens, but yeah, it’s a nice feeling to have a good chance,” Conners said. “Yeah, really good friends with Mac,” said Conners of fellow countryman and former Kent State teammate—Mackenzie Hughes. “I’m sure he’s following along today and cheering me on.”

Conners joins fellow Canadian Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., who currently sits at No. 17 on the Web.com Tour finals heading into next week’s final event. Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., is just outside the number right now at No. 27.

Click here for live projected standings.

ATLANTA – Xander Schauffele ended his rookie season by winning the Tour Championship. Justin Thomas ended the best season with the FedEx Cup.

Schauffele, a 23-year-old worried about keeping his PGA Tour card just over three months ago, swirled in a 3-foot birdie putt on the final hole Sunday for a 2-under 68 to beat Thomas by one shot and become the first rookie to win the Tour Championship.

Thomas had plenty of reasons to celebrate his runner-up finish. He capped off a season of five victories and his first major championship by claiming the $10 million bonus. He closed with a 66 after he narrowly missed a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th.

It was the first time since 2009 that the Tour Championship and FedEx Cup were won by different players.

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., shot a 70 to finish 1-over for the tournament.

ATLANTA – Paul Casey shot a 5-under 65 to build a two-shot lead in the Tour Championship. That leaves him one round away from ending eight years without winning on the PGA Tour in the biggest way possible.

Casey holed a 40-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole and escaped with par on the closing hole at East Lake.

He was at 12-under 198, two shots ahead of Kevin Kisner (64) and PGA Tour rookie Xander Schauffele (65). Casey’s only PGA Tour victory was in 2009 at the Houston Open. A victory Sunday might be enough to also give him the FedEx Cup and the $10 million bonus.

Justin Thomas had to rally for a 70 and fell five shots behind. He’s still in the hunt for the FedEx Cup.

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., struggled to a 3-over 73 and is 1 over for the event.

ATLANTA – With two swings, Justin Thomas showed that every shot counts in the FedEx Cup, even at the season-ending Tour Championship.

Thomas had six players ahead of him Friday when he smashed a 335-yard drive down the bottom of the hill on the par-5 18th hole at East Lake, and then a 5-iron that settled 6 feet below the cup for a closing eagle.

Just like that, Thomas had a 4-under 66 and a share of the lead with Paul Casey and Webb Simpson and was back in control – a loose term the way this tournament is shaping up going into the week – of his chase for the $10 million bonus.

“It’s nice to have everything in my own hands and know that if I just take care of what I need to do, then it’s over,” Thomas said.

It’s not over yet, not even close.

Casey stumbled with some errant tee shots into the troublesome rough for back-to-back bogeys in a 67 that slowed his momentum. Simpson paid for a wild drive on No. 13 with a double bogey and made nothing pars coming in for a 67.

They joined Thomas at 7-under 133.

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., is five shots back and tied for 18th after a 67.

As one of the top five seeds, Thomas only has to win the Tour Championship to capture the FedEx Cup. Even a third-place finish might be enough to take home golf’s richest bonus depending on who wins.

But that list is plenty deep after two sweltering days at East Lake.

Jon Rahm, the No. 5 seed who also has a clear path to the top prize, played bogey-free for a 67. He was one shot behind, along with Patrick Reed (65), Justin Rose (66) and Gary Woodland (67), all of them trying to win for the first time this year.

Dustin Johnson, the No. 3 seed, has been sputtering along. He failed to birdie either of the two par 5s, managed only a 69 and still was only four shots behind.

“I just want to get within striking distance,” Johnson said. “If I can get it within three, I would be happy.”

He was four behind, so it doesn’t require much math to figure out he’s not far away.

Jordan Spieth was lucky to still be just four shots behind. The No. 1 seed in the FedEx Cup missed five straight greens in regulation on the back nine and kept in the game with some crucial par putts. He had to settle for a 70 and headed straight for the practice area.

Twenty players from the 30-man field were under par, meaning they were separated by just six shots with 36 holes ahead of them.

“It’s the easiest one to win because there’s only 30 guys,” said Kevin Kisner, who shot another 68 and was three behind. “But then I look up there and everyone is 6 under, and it doesn’t look so easy.”

Thomas made birdies with a wedge in his hand, failed to save par from a bunker on the fifth hole, and then turned a mediocre round into a solid one with that 5-iron into the 18th for birdie.

He already can state his case as the best player on the PGA Tour this year, with five victories and his first major at the PGA Championship. Thomas outlasted Spieth and Marc Leishman to win at the TPC Boston three weeks ago, and now he’s tied for the lead going into the weekend at East Lake.

Much like Spieth in 2015 when he ended his best season with the FedEx Cup, Thomas would love to have the perfect ending.

“I want to win any week,” he said, “but it definitely would be a nice cap.”

Casey and Simpson are enduring long droughts. Casey last won at the KLM Open in 2014, while Simpson last won four years ago in Las Vegas. Both overcame a few stumbles on the back nine to share the lead.

Casey seems to have done everything but win the last three years, with six top-5 finishes in the last eight FedEx Cup playoff events.

“It would cap off a very good season, make a very good season a great season,” he said. “Yeah, it would be a lot of satisfaction in that. Hopefully, ask me again on Sunday and I can give you the full explanation. Right now, I’m too busy just trying to focus on trying to string together four great rounds of golf. It’s amazing how this golf course just bunches and you can’t seem to get away.

“Guys are right there, sort of biting at your heels,” he said. “So it’s going to be a tough one.”

Furthering their commitment to growing Canadian junior golf, Acura is adopting five Golf in Schools kits through an Adopt a School Week contest in support of the Future Links, driven by Acura Golf in Schools program.

The contest requires Canadians to simply nominate a school along with the city and town by commenting on the contest Facebook post by Oct. 6.

On Oct. 13, 2017 at approximately 1 p.m. ET, one (1) eligible entry per Region will be selected by random draw from among all eligible entries submitted (full contest rules are available here).

Click here to participate a nominate a school in your area!