Jacksonville Beach, Florida’s T.J. Vogel carded a 7-under 63 on Friday at Uplands Golf Club to take the second-round lead at the Bayview Place Cardtronics Open presented by Times Colonist, the second event of the 2017 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

The 26-year old made eight birdies against just one bogey to reach 12-under through 36 holes, leading by two over Lake Mary, Florida’s Jhared Hack after two rounds in Victoria.

“It was solid. My putting’s been key for me this week, and I made a lot of putts. Hopefully I can keep hitting fairways and greens and keep giving myself opportunities,” said Vogel.

Vogel was the 36-hole leader last week at the Freedom 55 Financial Open before finishing T14, a result the former Florida Gators standout said he’s looking forward to improving this weekend.

Vogel leads, Gligic goes deep, and more

Highlights from the second round at the #BPCOpen pic.twitter.com/RKiQRYQmPq

— Mackenzie Tour (@PGATOURCanada) June 10, 2017

“I want another chance. I just had a really poor Saturday last week,” said Vogel, who shot 75 in the third round in Vancouver to fall out of contention. “I want to take the things I learned and put them in effect for tomorrow and see if I can shoot another low one.”

Hack followed up a course-record tying 61 with a 1-under 69 on Friday to reach 10-under, while Californians Brett Lederer and Ben Geyer were two shots further behind at 8-under total.

In his professional debut, Team Canada star Jared du Toit of Kimberley, B.C., sits T13 after rounds of 67-70 place him at 3 under for the tournament—nine strokes off the pace.

BACKGROUND ON THE LEADER: As an amateur, Vogel was one of the country’s top players, having claimed the 2012 U.S. Amateur Public Links to earn a spot in the field at The Masters the following year. He was an NCAA All-America selection at both USC and Florida before turning pro, and has since made 58 combined starts on the PGA TOUR, Web.com Tour, Mackenzie Tour and PGA TOUR Latinoamérica.

After taking the 36-hole lead last week in Vancouver, Vogel professed the need to take a patient approach with the lead but admittedly wasn’t able to take his own advice, falling outside the top-10 with closing rounds of 75-71.

“I did what I said I didn’t want to do last week. I have to stay patient, and when I do that I hit a lot of good golf shots,” said Vogel. “I felt like I was a little passive on Saturday and I got off to an iffy, slow start. Tomorrow, I just want to keep doing what I’m doing. I’m telling myself, ‘I want more.’”

In 2016, Vogel recorded two top-10s and finished the year 26^th on the Order of Merit.

Chez Reavie shot a 5-under 65 on Friday to move to 9-under 131 and share the lead with Charl Schwartzel and Sebastian Munoz after two rounds at the St. Jude Classic.

Schwartzel had a 66 while Munoz finished the round with a 67. Stewart Cink – who shared the first-round lead along with Matt Every, Scott Brown and Munoz – was one stroke back after his 68 at the PGA Tour’s final event before the U.S. Open.

Ben Crane, who won this tournament in 2014, was two strokes off the lead after shooting a 65 at the par-70 TPC Southwind course.

Reavie, who started two strokes behind the co-leaders, had three birdies on the front nine and an eagle on the par-5 No. 16, landing his second shot fewer than 15 feet from the flagstick and sinking the putt. The 35-year-old from Arizona State earned his only win on tour at the RBC Canadian Open in 2008.

“There’s no way that I can change my mindset and go out there and try and make pars – I won’t win the golf tournament if I do that,” Reavie said. “I need to just keep doing the same thing I’m doing – attack the holes that suit my eye and make as many birdies as I can.”

Schwartzel, who shot a 65 in the first round, began his round one stroke behind the four first-day leaders along with Matt Jones.

He started on the back nine and birdied four of his first eight holes, going back-to-back on Nos. 16 and 17. On the par-5 16th, he sent his second shot into a greenside bunker but recovered by chipping out of the sand to inside of 5 feet of the flagstick.

The 32-year-old South African then moved into sole possession of the lead with a birdie on the par-4 second – only to give it back with a bogey on the par-3 eighth.

Schwartzel, who finished third at The Masters, is seeking his third career victory on tour – he’s won 12 times internationally – and first since he won the 2016 Valspar Championship near Tampa, Florida.

“If these fairways get firm (over the weekend), you’re really going to have to try to keep it in the fairway,” Schwartzel said. “If you’re missing fairways, with the greens, you’re going to miss a lot of greens, you’re going to struggle. So if you want to move forward and win this golf tournament, I think all parts of your game are going to have to be in top form.”

Munoz, who made a late charge up the leaderboard in the first round, kept himself there with his second strong round, shooting four birdies to offset his first bogey of the tournament, which came on the par-4 18th. He arrived in Memphis having never shot better than 67 in any round on tour, only to match or better that in each of his first two rounds here.

Among those who missed the cut at 1 over: Jason Bohn, Boo Weekley and Jim Furyk were in the cluster of players at 2 over, and Rickie Fowler was at 4 over.

Brantford, Ont., native David Hearn is T28 at 3-under par.

For the full leaderboard click here.

Sara-Maude Juneau fired a 2-under par 70 to sit T8 after 18 holes of the Symetra Tour’s Four Winds Invitational in South Bend, Ind.

The Fossambault, Que., native had four birdies to go along with 2 bogeys in round one at Blackthorn Golf Club. She is five shots back of the leader France’s Celine Boutier who fired an opening round 65 (-7).

Juneau – a graduate of the Team Canada Amateur Squad – had her best result of the season in her first start of the year, finishing T34 at the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic.

She is looking to get back on track in South Bend this week. In 2016 Juneau made 16 cuts in 19 starts on the Symetra Tour and had two top-10 finishes. Coming into this week she has missed four cuts in her last six tournaments.

Brogan McKinnon (Missisauga, Ont.) – another Team Canada alum – is T22 at even par after an opening round 72.

Quebec City native and Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Anne-Catherine Tanguay came to Blackthorn this week third in the Volvik Race for the Card standings, she carded 4-over par 76 and is T96 after round one.

For the full leaderboard click here.

Surrey, B.C.’s Adam Svensson carded a 2-under par 70 to move to 7-under par and sit T9 after 36 holes at the Web.com Tour’s Rust Oleum Championship, in Invanhoe Il.

Svensson carded four birdies and two bogeys on Friday at the Ivanhoe Club to head into the weekend three strokes behind leader Jason Gore (Valencia, Calif.).

A graduate of Team Canada, Svensson had his best ever result on the Web.com Tour earlier this year, finishing T6 at the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship at Corales Golf Club.

Coming into the week, the Barry University alumni was 60th on the Web.com Tour’s Order of Merit. He is looking to improve on his 59th place finish a year ago.

Ben Silverman from Thornhill, Ont., was in a tie for second after round one. He carded a 1 over par 73 in round two to sit T23 at 5-under par after 36 holes.

For the full leaderboard click here.

When Canada’s Alena Sharp was faced with challenges Friday at the Manulife LPGA Classic, she responded in quick fashion.

A penalty stroke and double-bogey on the third hole? Answered with a birdie on the fourth.

A headache coming on at the 11th hole? A run of three straight birdies soon followed.

Sharp refused to buckle en route to a second straight 66 at Whistle Bear Golf Club, moving her into a first-place tie with American Lexi Thompson and Hyo Joo Kim of South Korea at 12 under. Three other players were one shot off the lead at the tournament’s midway point.

“This week has been different,” Sharp said. “I just walked up to the golf course yesterday and today just feeling like it was going to be a good day.

“Just had these good vibes coming out.”

.@ManulifeClassic Co-Leader @AlenaSharp

“I love playing in Canada… there’s nothing better” ??

More ==> pic.twitter.com/uD5tTqmNRt

— LPGA (@LPGA) June 9, 2017

The headache had gone away by the time Sharp signed her scorecard. Her third-hole misery didn’t last long either.

Sharp said her ball moved ever so slightly as she went to address a chip shot. While she didn’t feel she had grounded her club, she conferred with a rules official and took a one-shot penalty.

“I needed to call it on myself because I was going to be thinking about it all day,” Sharp said. “I thought I did the right thing. Went out and birdied the next hole and really just forgot about it.

“Just kept playing the way I was.”

Sharp, from Hamilton, capped her front nine with an eagle and had a run of three straight birdies on the back.

Perrine Delacour of France, American Lindy Duncan and South Korea’s In Gee Chun were tied in fourth place while China’s Shanshan Feng, Bronte Law of England and Minjee Lee of Australia were two strokes off the pace.

Canadians Brittany Marchand and Brooke Henderson were also in contention.

Marchand shot a 70 to make her first career LPGA Tour cut. The full-time Symetra Tour player from Orangeville, Ont., was five strokes off the lead at 7-under 137.

Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., was six shots back after a 67. She started a run of four straight birdies on the ninth hole and played bogey-free the rest of the way.

“That was the day that I needed,” she said.

.@BrookeHenderson -“ I had good energy today & felt like I could have been better than -5”

Henderson (-6) is currently T26 @ManulifeClassic pic.twitter.com/4F34z2TYaL

— LPGA (@LPGA) June 9, 2017

Delacour shot a blistering 62, the lowest score at the tournament since three players shot 63 when the event moved here in 2015.

South Korea’s Inbee Park (2014) and Hee Young Park (2013) share the tournament low of 10-under-par 61. Both scores were recorded at the Grey Silo Golf Course in nearby Waterloo.

Suzann Pettersen of Norway had a 71 to move to 9-under 135 while fellow first-round co-leader Mi Hyang Lee of South Korea was a shot behind her after a 72.

Conditions were warm and breezy and preferred lies were in effect for the second straight day.

Henderson, one of the longest hitters on tour, has been crushing her drives but she struggled with the putter Thursday. She was visibly frustrated at times and didn’t speak with reporters after signing her scorecard.

Her smile – and her short game – returned Friday.

“I played really well yesterday, I hit a lot great shots, I just didn’t make any putts and my energy kind of dropped a little bit,” Henderson said. “Today I was able to get a few tap-in birdies that were only at three or four feet and that gave me a lot of confidence.

“I felt like I could make any putt out there.”

The world No. 15 has had a rather quiet season after a huge year in 2016. Henderson won her first major title last year and reached No. 2 in the world rankings, but she has just two top-10 finishes this season.

ICYMI: Round 2 highlights @ManulifeClassic

Watch ==> https://t.co/V8h0j5NPYn pic.twitter.com/SHiwErFcZZ

— LPGA (@LPGA) June 9, 2017

Augusta James of Orangeville, had a 73 to fall to 1-under 143, just one stroke away from the cutline at the US$1.7-million tournament. Maddie Szeryk (78-67) of London, Ont., and Maude-Aimee LeBlanc of Sherbrooke, Que., (74-71) also missed the cut at 145.

The rest of the Canadian contingent included Jennifer Kirby (76-72, 148) of Brantford, Ont., Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee (75-74, 149), Calgary’s Jennifer Ha (72-77, 149), Samantha Richdale (79-72, 151) of Kelowna, B.C., Grace St. Germain (79-72, 151) of Penticton, B.C., Vivian Tsui (76-76, 152) of Markham, Ont., and Charlottetown’s Lorie Kane (76-77, 153).

For the full leaderboard click here.

After entering Friday in a tie for first, Team Canada Amateur squad member Naomi Ko finished solo third at 1 under par at the Porter Cup at Niagara Falls Country Club, in Lewiston, N.Y.

The Victoria, B.C., product held a share of the 36-hole lead with Lauren Waller (Canonsburg, Penn.) at 3 under par (71-70).

Ko had a difficult start to the final round, not making a par until hole No. 7. Three bogeys, a double bogey, and two birdies put her at 3 over par.

From then on Ko settled in and was 1 under par on her final 11 holes to card a 2-over-par 74. It would prove to be too late as the Philippines Lois Kaye Go was nearly flawless on Friday.

3 top 10 finishes for the Dragons this week @PorterCup @TheGolfCanada #greatshowing pic.twitter.com/QkacA79YqG

— ann carroll (@AnnAnncarroll) June 9, 2017

Kaye Go recorded eight birdies—including four straight on the back nine—to card a final-round 65 (-8) and sit at 8 at under for the championship, six shots clear of second place Waller.

Team Canada Development Squad teammates Hannah Lee (Surrey, B.C.) and Monet Chun (Richmond Hill Ont.) finished T9 at 3 over par, alongside St. Catharines Ont., native Kennedy Bodfield, and Alexandra Naumovski (Halton, Hills, Ont.).

Chun recorded her best score of the tournament Friday with an even par 72 while Lee carded a 1-over-par 73.

Kelsey Sear (Unionville, Ont.) finished T20 at 5 over par and one stroke back of her was Alyssa DiMarcantonio (Maple Ont.) finishing T22 at 6 over par.

Rounding out Canadians in the top-25 was Claire Hernandez (Palgrave, Ont.), who posted a final-round 70 (-2) to finish 25th at 9 over par.

Chloe Currie – the third member of the Development Squad in Lewiston – finished 57th after a final round 85.

For the full Porter Cup leaderboard click here.

Golf Canada is pleased to announce a five-year extension with GolfNet as the exclusive handicap and score posting technology partner for Canada’s National Sport Federation for golf.

GolfNet has been providing the score posting technology for the Golf Canada Score Centre which serves as the hub for the majority of club, provincial and national golfer engagement for the past 13 years.

Score posting along with the ability for golfers of all skill level to track their games, scoring statistics, earn badges and ringer cards, is a foundational pillar of Golf Canada’s membership program which is administered in partnership with the 10 provincial golf associations.

In 2016, more than 238,000 Canadian golfers posted nearly 7.1 million scores online to the Golf Canada Score Centre, the Golf Canada mobile app, or through scoring kiosks at golf facilities from coast to coast.

As part of the extended partnership, GolfNet will also provide tournament management software to Golf Canada member clubs at no charge. In addition, clubs can also access the innovative StrackaLine shot tracking software which can be licensed for daily use at a fraction of retail pricing.

“GolfNet has been a strong partner for the past decade and we are proud to continue our relationship in delivering quality score posting experiences to Canadian golfers of all abilities,” said Golf Canada interim CEO Jeff Thompson. “We have been working closely with the provinces to enhance our value proposition to both golfers and our member clubs, especially through our Golf Canada Score Centre platform. We’re also pleased to offer additional daily use software and technology to member clubs that represent a critical engagement touchpoint with golfers.”

The agreement, which extends through 2021, will see GolfNet take an active role in helping Golf Canada and the provincial golf associations increase its membership base that currently includes 306,650 golfers and 1,403 member clubs. The entire Canadian golf landscape includes nearly 5.7 million golfers who play 60 million rounds annually at nearly 2,300 facilities across the country.

“Our live scoring and tournament technology is used by thousands of clubs in North America and we are extremely proud to continue working with our Canadian partners,” said GolfNet CEO Jim Stracka. “Canada represents a massive audience of golfers and it’s exciting to see Golf Canada and the provinces take an innovative approach to golfer engagement through technology.”

Through the agreement, Golf Canada and the provincial golf associations will have full access to the StrackaLine^TM software and technology for any member facility that is hosting a national or provincial golf championship at no additional licensing fee. Previously licensed for use by the PGA TOUR in its Shot Tracker online software, the StrackaLine platform is a patented technology utilising 3D laser scans to create topography maps of putting greens.

Canadian golf facilities and member clubs looking for more information about tools and technology available through the Golf Canada Score Centre can contact members@golfcanada.ca.

To help celebrate Canada’s 150^th anniversary, Golf Canada and RBC have announced the launch of The Rink – a fan experience taking place during the 2017 RBC Canadian Open that will combine Canada’s most popular past-times, golf and hockey.

During championship week, July 24-30, the par-3 7^th hole at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., will transform into a rink-styled fan experience, complete with hockey boards, a Zamboni, as well as the addition of new rink-side bleachers and viewing decks.

“We’re very excited to bring The Rink to life,” said RBC Canadian Open Tournament Director Brent McLaughlin. “We wanted to create an experience that oozed Canadiana. We know Canadians love hockey, and of course they love golf too. Combining rinks and links was a no-brainer.”

To add to The Rink experience, volunteer marshals on the hole will be outfitted in referee uniforms, while rink boards will outline the hole from tee to green, replacing traditional roping.

Seating for The Rink is adjacent to the Coors Light 19^th Hole Beer Garden. In-seat service and giveaways will be available to ensure fans don’t miss out on the action. A $1,000 donation to Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada will be made for every birdie made on the hole during championship play, Thursday to Sunday.

Global TV will also have their broadcast booth behind the green looking back at the tee, enabling television viewers the opportunity to witness The Rink from the comfort of their own homes.

“The RBC Canadian Open has always been uniquely Canadian,” added Matt McGlynn, vice-president, brand marketing for RBC. “We felt integrating ‘The Rink’ into our Canadian-themed activation would be a perfect extension to the fan experience. We’re proud to support Golf Canada and make this Canadian tribute a reality, hopefully for many years to come.”

There is perhaps no better way to show your Canadian pride than by cheering on homegrown Canadian talent – and Canada’s top golfers are giving fans lots of reasons to cheer. The 2017 edition of the RBC Canadian Open will be a showcase of the incredible Canadian talent on the PGA Tour.

Two Canuck golfers have earned their first PGA TOUR victories this season, with Adam Hadwin winning the Valspar Championship in March and Mackenzie Hughes winning The RSM Classic last November.

Graham DeLaet is hungry for his first PGA TOUR victory, recently recording his fifth Top 10 of the season – a tie for 10^th at The Memorial.

The deep contingent of Canadian talent continues with the likes of Nick Taylor. The PGA TOUR winner (2014 Sanderson Farms Championship) has three Top-10 finishes this year and would love to notch another win this year at Glen Abbey.

David Hearn nearly tasted victory at the 2015 RBC Canadian Open. With a massive crowd cheering him on as they sang “O Canada,” Hearn held the lead heading into the final round at Glen Abbey. However, he would fall short, finishing third behind electric Australian Jason Day.

Perennial fan favourite and Masters champion Mike Weir will also be teeing-it-up at the RBC Canadian Open ahead of his debut as assistant captain at The Presidents Cup.

Headlining the International golfers already committed to compete are world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, recent THE PLAYERS Championship winner, Si Woo Kim and PGA TOUR rookie sensation Bryson DeChambeau. Team RBC golfers Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Matt Kuchar, Graeme McDowell, Ryan Palmer and Brandt Snedeker will also be in the field.

The RBC Canadian Open is more than just 72 holes of world-class golf – it’s one of Canada’s most prolific sporting events, chocked-full of activities for spectators both inside and outside the ropes.

In addition to The Rink and outstanding golf, other fan activities adding to the RBC Canadian Open experience include:

RBC Canadian Open 5K Run – Saturday July 22
Landmark Sport Group in conjunction with Golf Canada will once again be putting on the RBC Canadian Open 5K Golf Run. On Saturday, July 22, 2017 the second annual RBC Canadian Open 5K Running Event will provide participants the opportunity to run or walk along the spectator and cart pathways of Glen Abbey Golf Club. The route begins near the 1st tee of the Championship Course and finishes alongside the iconic and picturesque 18th green. This event is ideal for traditional and non-traditional running audiences. All participants will receive a bib, shirt and finisher’s medal. Registration is $60 and all participants receive a free Anyday ticket to enjoy the championship. www.golfrun.ca

Hall of Fame Induction & Official Opening Ceremony – Tuesday July 25
On Tuesday, July 25 at 10 a.m. our Opening Ceremony will officially kick off the RBC Canadian Open and include the Canadian Hall of Fame induction of amateur golf titan Judy Darling Evans and legendary golf club maker Bob Vokey. The ceremony, which is free to the public, will conclude with a military flyover and the singing of the national anthem.

Kids 17-and-under Get in Free
In their continued commitment to Canadian families, Golf Canada and RBC strive to provide a fan friendly, all encompassing family event with the RBC Canadian Open. In an effort to introduce more juniors to the sport, kids aged 17-and-under get FREE admission to the RBC Canadian Open for the entire week.

Red & White Day – Friday, July 28
The RBC Canadian Open is Canada’s National Championship and to celebrate ‘Our Open’, Friday, July 28 of tournament week will once again be ‘Red & White Day’. Spectators, sponsors, players and attendees are encouraged to wear Canada’s national colours in support of our Canadian golfers in the field.

Canadian Armed Forces Day Presented by Commissionaires– Saturday, July 29
Commissionaires, the largest private employer of veterans in Canada, will host Canadian Armed Forces Day on Saturday July 29, 2017. All current and former members of Canada’s Armed Forces who register at www.commissionaires-cgl.ca will be entitled, along with their immediate famiy, to a “military pass” that will provide access to the tournament grounds and upgraded venues.

Information regarding tickets, free 17-and-under junior passes, volunteer opportunities and corporate hospitality for the 2017 RBC Canadian Open can be found at www.rbccanadianopen.com.

The dream of every athlete is to go out on top, to go out a winner.

It’s a feat so rarely accomplished because you only get one chance at it. You only get one last tournament.

But on Sunday at the 2017 Canadian University/College Championship Kat Kennedy did just that.

As she watched her final putt drop, Kennedy walked off the green and into the arms of her teammates after a dominating 15-stroke victory in the individual women’s division, leading her University of British Columbia Thunderbirds to its second consecutive title at the event.

And she did so at her final event at the end of her university golf career.

“It feels amazing to end my last tournament of my university career on a high note and with such a good team,” said Kennedy, after securing herself and her team at the top of the leaderboard. “It feels awesome right now.”

The 22-year-old science student from Okotoks, Alta., has hung up her Thunderbirds’ gear after successfully defending her 2016 title and plans to finish her undergrad degree next year.

Like most collegiate athletes, Kennedy’s commitment to the golf team has allowed her to pursue a higher education, but the time commitment to her sport means she must pick up a few more credits in her fifth year.

“I love golf,” she said. “I love the game. I just want to keep playing as long as I can. I still have one more year left, so I have some time to decide what I want to do next. Right now, I’m going to focus on school and keep playing and improve my game as best as I can.”

The weather was not kind to Kennedy and the other players during the championship, which was held from May 29 – June 1. Two thunder delays, constant rain and a windy, cold final round lashed out at the field. But there behind Kennedy for every shot sat her parents, Tai and Len, on tiny portable stools they carried with them as they followed her around.

The two are, of course, her biggest fans and have traveled to every Canadian tournament she has played in as well as many down south in the United States. They are so committed to their daughters play that they don’t even take a hole off – even during the six-degree, extremely windy final round on June 1.

“Never,” said Tai, when asked if she was going to warm up for a couple of holes in the clubhouse after Kennedy made the turn. “She always wants us to be there. With some kids they always want their parents to stay away, but for us she’s always like, ‘I’m glad you’re here.’”

For Tai, golf isn’t just a game that her daughter plays for a way to go to university. It’s a part of her that has contributed to her growth as a human being.

“It keeps her grounded,” she said. “I’m really happy that she’s on the golf team. She works very hard and strives for the best. That’s what she tries to do every day: become a better person.”

Follow Kennedy for a couple of holes and you can see what Tai means.

Whether she’s lining up for a shot, walking to her ball or retrieving it from the cup, there is a constant laser-like focus in the way she carries herself. Even when she was leading by over a dozen strokes heading down the final fairway, that focus never wavered.

Tai doesn’t know where that work ethic comes from. “That’s just her,” she says. But it’s a major part of the reason that she has never missed a tournament in her Thunderbirds’ career – a goal she set for herself when she first joined the team.

Like many student-athletes, Kennedy started to excel at golf at a very young age. It wasn’t long until she was carding better scores than her father, Len.

“She started to pass me on the course when she was about 14 or 15,” said Len, (not at eight like Tai teased). “It made me feel really proud. She taught me real early to keep my mouth shut when making a bet with her. Don’t say you’ll give her 50 bucks to make a long birdie putt because she’ll put it in.”

As for her next step, Kennedy is still unsure.

She is going to finish her science degree next year while training and working on golf by herself. When she completes her education she is going to decide if she is ready to go pro or not.

In a true testament to her character that the game of golf helped build, she was permitted to play for the team in her fifth year, but she turned down the offer because she felt that it would be unfair to take away that spot from someone else.

Now that she’s done, Tai and Len are ready to retire their trusty stools they always carry around when following her, and they can watch as their daughter takes the next step.

“Golf put her through university,” said Tai. “I’m happy she’s going to get her degree and an education. That’s the main thing. Now I guess I have put this stool on Kijiji.”

Sure, Jordan Bean would love to brag that he consistently bombs drives past his older brother, Matt.

He doesn’t though. Not many do.

“He likes to rip at the golf ball,” said 16-year-old Jordan of Matt, two years his senior. “Even now, I’m not as far as him and I probably won’t ever hit it as far as him. Growing up, he was outdriving everybody in his own age group.

“But it was good to be able to throw the chirps out if I ever did outdrive him.”

Golf is a gentleman’s game, but the occasional barb and wisecrack is, uh, par for the course in this case of sibling rivalry.

Matt and Jordan are regulars at Canmore Golf and Curling Club, a charming and community-minded hangout in the Canadian Rockies, just a few minutes from the entrance gates to Banff National Park.

But every course has its own set of Bean brothers (or sisters), siblings who never seem to tire of cranking shots on the range and stick together like the Velcro flap on a golf glove.

“If I’m going to practise, I’ll definitely ask him what he’s doing and sometimes I’ll even call him if he’s out and say, ‘Hey, I’m going to practise’ or ‘I’m going to play. Do you want to come?’” Matt said. “And he’ll always say, ‘Yeah, pick me up,’ basically wherever he is. It’s generally something that we do together.”

Puck was their early passion, but the Beans got hooked on birdie-hunting together, with both crediting Jason Schneider’s junior program at Wildwood Golf Course in Saskatoon for sparking an increased interest in tournament play.

In fact, when the family moved back to the mountain town of Canmore after five years on the prairies, Matt stuck with Schneider — still an assistant professional at Wildwood — as his coach.

The brothers improved together, too.

“They were extremely hard-working, extremely dedicated. They spent a lot of hours here,” Schneider recalled. “They always strived to be better, and they always wanted to have that belt at home.”
That’s a boxing analogy, and these matches have become slugfests.

Today, Matt’s handicap factor is +1.5. He just completed his freshman season with the men’s golf program at Minot State University in North Dakota.

Jordan, a lefty who will graduate from high school in 2018 and also hopes to tee it up at the post-secondary level, is a scratch, and he gets one or two strokes off big bro.

“We’ll go on family golf holidays, too, and that’s an opportunity for all four of us to get out and golf together,” said their proud father, Martin Bean. “Usually, (wife) Barb and I are in one golf cart and the boys in the other, because they’re playing from the same tees and we’re a little bit further forward.”

There are not many sports that can bring a family of four together in that fashion.

“We didn’t really get to play hockey together, and it was always one of us being at the rink at this time and the other being at the rink at another time,” Matt said. “So we definitely got a lot closer when we started playing 36 holes a day in the summer and you spend eight hours on the course together. It seemed like there was always something to talk about, because you get your breaks from talking when you’re hitting your shots. So it’s definitely helped bring us together.”

Echoed Jordan: “We strive off each other, to try to beat each other. And I think it’s made us way better golfers than we probably could have been alone.”

Let’s not forget though, these kids can play. Matt finished in a tie for second last summer at the Alberta Junior Boys Championship,

crafting a three-round tally of two-over 215 in crummy conditions at the weather-shortened showdown.

Jordan closed with a red number — a one-under 70 on what turned out to be the last day — and wasn’t many notches down the leaderboard, T16 at 11-over 224. He checked in fifth among juvenile-aged competitors that week.

If one Bean has signed his scorecard and the other is still on the course in a tournament lap, they’ll often loop back with buddies to offer encouragement. It’s telling that one of Jordan’s favourite golf memories is a match that he lost, and not to his big bro.

“We were playing in a match-play tournament in Waskesiu and were paired up together, but we weren’t playing each other,” Jordan said. “I was dormie on No. 18 and knew I wasn’t going to win after I hit my drive a million miles off to the side. Matt was trying to come back in his match. If he lost, I would have to play him the next day, so I was cheering for him to come back, I’ll tell you that much.

“He managed to win by winning the last four straight, and it was one of my favourite moments to watch him play. It was just fun to cheer him on and see him succeed in that tournament aspect. “That’s one that I remember the most.”

Without a doubt, there will be many more memories. Realizing the PGA Tour is “far-fetched,” Matt will major in elementary education, a background that will also come in handy if he pursues a career as a teaching pro.

Jordan has time to ponder his options, but he’s leaning toward business or engineering.

“And being an elementary school teacher,” Matt pointed out, “I’d have my summers off to play golf.”

As long as Jordan lives nearby, he’ll never have trouble finding a game.

“I guess the rounds have become a little bit more serious. We tend to be a bit more focused than we were when we were little,” Jordan said. “But even then, it’s very similar to when we were smaller. We play for a milkshake or something now. But honestly, it’s just us two kids going to the course and having fun and playing together.”

This article was originally published in the Family Issue edition of Golf Canada Magazine. Click here to view the full magazine