The country’s most talked-about golfing destination will play host to this year’s RBC PGA Scramble National Final.

Taking place Oct 12-14, Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs will see teams from across the country—comprised of four amateurs and a PGA of Canada professional—playing in the 54-hole national final.

“We couldn’t be more excited to be heading to Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs for the RBC PGA Scramble National Final,” said PGA of Canada president Steve Wood. “It’s widely known the golf at both Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs are world-class, however, the entire Cabot Links resort experience—lodging, dining, east coast charm—is also truly exceptional.”

Located in Inverness, N.S., Cabot Links is Canada’s first and only authentic links golf resort.  Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the picturesque town of Inverness, the Cabot Links course represents a dramatic departure from the typical golf excursion.  With six holes playing directly alongside the water and every hole offering an ocean view, Cabot Links is where traditional linksland golf comes to life against the spectacular Nova Scotia landscape. The Cabot Cliffs course, designed by the decorated team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, is the newest addition to Cabot. Exquisitely carved out of the breathtaking Cape Breton landscape, with postcard-worthy panoramas vying for your attention and every hole calling out to the sea, this is linksland golf at its best.

Cabot Cliffs ranked No. 1, while Cabot Links ranked No. 4 on SCOREGolf’s 2016 Best Golf Courses in Canada list. Cabot Cliffs also debuted 19th on the World’s Top 100 Courses list by Golf Digest.

“We here at Cabot are thrilled to host the RBC PGA Scramble National Final,” said Cabot Links’ general manager Andrew Alkenbrack. “We plan on putting on a fantastic show for the winning amateurs and their PGA professionals from around the country.”
In addition to the 54-hole championship, the RBC PGA Scramble National Final promises to be a golf trip of a lifetime and will include a festival of special events, prizing, meals, activations and much more.

The Angus Glen team of amateurs Patrick O’Leary, Dan Mesley, Mike Asselin, David Fotheringham and PGA of Canada professional Terry Kim won by a mere 0.2 shots over the team from Lookout Point to capture the inaugural edition in 2016.

With less than two months until the Manulife LPGA Classic, the application period has officially opened for the Manulife Ladies Classic Award. One high-achieving female amateur golfer will be selected by Manulife for a unique opportunity to play with some of the world’s best golfers in the Manulife LPGA Classic from June 8 – 11, 2017 at Whistle Bear Golf Club in Cambridge, Ontario.

“The Manulife LPGA Classic is one of only two LPGA tour stops in Canada, so the more Canadian golfers we have participating, the better,” said Marianne Harrison, President & CEO, Manulife Canada. “We are looking for a standout amateur golfer who demonstrates consistently high-performance in the sport, and an individual who sets a positive example of active, healthy living and community engagement.”

To apply, eligible golfers must complete the online application and submit a short video demonstrating their passion, including thoughts on why they should receive an opportunity to compete. The deadline for applications is May 11, 2017.

In 2015, Manulife and tournament owner Sports Properties International approached the LPGA to increase the size of the Manulife LPGA Classic field by six spots to 150 to encourage more Canadian golfers to compete. To deliver on that intention, Manulife created a Canadian-focused sponsor exemption strategy. One element of that strategy was the creation of the Manulife Ladies Classic Award. Last year, Thornhill’s Selena Costabile was the inaugural recipient of the award.

“It’s great to work with partners like Manulife who bring new ideas to the table and care about making a difference in an amateur golfer’s career,” said John Gaskin, Manulife LPGA Classic Tournament Director, Bruno Event Team. “It’s rare to see this kind of opportunity offered on the tour and we’re excited to see who will be joining us and the world’s best in just a few short weeks.”

For full contest details and eligibility, visit www.manulifeclassic.ca/classic-award

Kia Canada Inc. (KCI) and PGA TOUR golfer and Kia ambassador David Hearn announced today the launch of The David Hearn Foundation Kia Grant – a joint initiative to encourage and enable junior golfers across Canada to give back to their communities by recognizing their local Alzheimer Society chapter. 

The David Hearn Foundation Kia Grant will award two junior golfers each with a $4,500 cheque to direct to the local Alzheimer Society chapter of their choice. The two grant recipients will also receive transportation and accommodations to attend The David Hearn Foundation Charity Classic on July 31, 2017 at Brantford Golf & Country Club, where they will be formally acknowledged by both Hearn and KCI, and their selected Alzheimer Society chapters will be presented with the cheques.  

“This Grant will not only benefit two local Alzheimer Society chapters, but I hope will also inspire the next generation of Canadian junior golfers to give back to their communities, and recognize from an early age the impact that Alzheimer’s disease has across our Country,” said Hearn. “I want to thank Kia for supporting the Foundation so that together we can encourage youth to help their communities and drive change.”

Hearn, a spokesperson for the Alzheimer Society of Canada, is an advocate against the disease, stemming from his own personal connections to Alzheimer’s through his grandmother and great-grandmother. After being involved with his local chapter since 2011 – the Alzheimer Society of Brant, Haldimand Norfolk, Hamilton, and Halton, Hearn launched his Foundation in 2015. The mission of the Foundation is to support the Alzheimer Society of Canada at a national level, while also still raising funds for his local chapter to implement programs and services for families and individuals suffering from the disease in his hometown. 

“Kia Canada is committed to driving positive change in our communities and are thrilled to have the opportunity to reward two young Canadians for their charitable efforts,” said Ted Lancaster, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Kia Canada Inc. “We’re proud to be associated with The David Hearn Foundation and can’t wait to see the winners in Brantford this July.

The David Hearn Foundation Kia Grant application is now open for entries and will close on Friday, June 30, 2017 at 11:59pm EST. Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

– Community commitment / volunteerism
– Essay listing why their local Alzheimer Society chapter should receive the funds
– Junior golf participation

Click HERE for The David Hearn Foundation Kia Grant – 2017 Application Form 

The USGA and The R&A are working with golf’s handicapping authorities to develop a single World Handicap System for the sport.

More than 15 million golfers in over 80 countries presently have a handicap, a numerical index long used as a reference to gauge a golfer’s potential skill level. Handicaps are currently delivered through six different systems around the world.

The aim of the proposed handicap system is to adopt a universal set of principles and procedures that will apply all over the world.

An extensive review of existing handicap systems administered by Golf Australia, the Council of National Golf Unions (CONGU) in Great Britain and Ireland, the European Golf Association (EGA), the South African Golf Association (SAGA), the Argentine Golf Association (AGA) and the United States Golf Association (USGA) has been undertaken. Golf Canada is licensed under the USGA handicap system to administer handicapping in Canada.

Golf organisations from different parts of the world have also been engaged with the current handicap authorities for the past two years to help shape the proposed system, which takes into account the many different golf cultures and most common formats of play. Research conducted to date has also reviewed systems and best practices inherent to handicapping, such as course rating and administration.

A joint committee led by the USGA and The R&A has been formed, including representatives from each handicap authority as well as the Japan Golf Association and Golf Canada. The joint committee plans to announce its proposal later this year.

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “We have been concerned for some time that many golfers find the handicapping landscape to be complicated and can be frustrated when it is not always applied in the same way in different parts of the world.

“We are working closely with the existing handicapping bodies to benefit from their insights as we try to formulate a system that will be easy to understand and can be applied consistently on a global basis. We very much appreciate their support for this initiative.”

Mike Davis, Executive Director and CEO of the USGA, said, “One wonderful aspect of golf that separates it from other sports is the ability of players of differing abilities to play on an equitable basis through handicapping. With one global system, golf courses will be rated and handicaps calculated in a like manner everywhere in the world. Reducing borders or barriers to provide an easy way for all to play together is great for the game and golfers everywhere.”

Key quotes:

Roland Deveau (President, Golf Canada) said “Golf Canada is pleased to join our National and International Association partners in the formation of a unified handicap system that brings equity and consistency to score posting among golfers worldwide. Canadian golfers who track their game at home or abroad through the Golf Canada Score Centre will enjoy the consistency of a global handicap platform that allows for equitable score posting methodology, including with respect to international net competitions, about which Golf Canada and our provincial associations receive numerous inquiries annually.”

John Hopkins (Chairman, Golf Australia) said “Golf Australia believes that significant benefits will flow to players around the world by having a global handicap platform. We are already very encouraged by how the World Handicap System is coming together”.

Bob Carrick (Acting Chairman of CONGU) said, “The Council of National Golf Unions (CONGU) welcomes the R&A / USGA’s initiative to develop a single Worldwide Handicapping System for the sport. We think that this is an exciting opportunity for standardising the system and for more players to obtain an official handicap. We will be delighted to work closely with other handicap authorities to ensure a smooth implementation.”

Jean-Marc Mommer, President of the EGA declared: “It has been acknowledged that the European Golf Association (EGA), comprising 47 member national golf federations representing over four million registered golfers, has achieved considerable success to date in bridging a culturally diverse membership, and assisting the development of emerging golfing nations, with the EGA Handicap System. We are looking forward to contributing our knowledge, expertise and experience in working with The R&A, USGA and golf’s other handicapping authorities in pursuing this most worthwhile task of uniting the golfing world under a single handicap system.”

Paul Feeney, Board Member of the AAG said: “The AAG is committed to assisting the development of a World Handicap System. We understand that golf has become a global sport and we are very enthusiastic about working together with many other associations in the development of WHS. A lot of work needs to be done; course ratings are one of the most significant challenges for Argentina, which we are trying to address”.

For more information contact Craig Loughry, Golf Canada’s Director of Handicap & Course Rating: cloughry@golfcanada.ca

Click here to read Q&A.

Gary Bernard, Chief Executive Officer of the PGA of Canada, has announced early retirement plans starting later this summer the association’s President announced in a news release Tuesday.

“It is with a strong sense of impending loss that I inform you of the decision by our Chief Executive Officer to take early retirement. Effective July 31, 2017, Gary Bernard will leave his post as Chief Executive Officer of the PGA of Canada to focus on his health, his family, and to pursue lifestyle dreams,“ Steve Wood, President of the PGA of Canada wrote in an email to members released Tuesday.

“Gary has been with us 14-years, and has been CEO since 2010. During that time, he has significantly strengthened our financial position, our education program and our brand. He has brought the PGA of Canada to a position where it is regarded as being among the most respected in the world.”

Wood, Director of Golf Operations and Head Professional at St. Boniface Golf Club in Manitoba, said that the CEO’s departure is not related to, nor would it alter, the association’s current evolutionary process. “We have been in a change process for several years and we are confident that we will emerge from this process better equipped to serve our members and drive our brand. Gary is leaving us in a strong position financially, with a healthy and vibrant membership base, one of the best training programs and insurance packages in the business and a trained and experienced national office team capable of maintaining operations.”

“The golf landscape is shifting dramatically due to lifestyle realities that have the potential to impact every organization in the channel. We are looking at those shifts, at our operations, at our professional skill sets and assets to implant a business model that will best meet those realities and enable us to better serve our members.”

“Gary is an energetic and strong leader and a loyal and committed friend to the PGA of Canada and he will be missed,” Wood said.

Established in 1911, the PGA of Canada is the second oldest and third largest professional golf association in the world. The PGA of Canada is a non-profit Association comprised of 3,700 golf professionals across the country.

Since joining the PGA of Canada as a National Education Learning Facilitator in 1995, Gary Bernard moved up the education ranks to become the association’s Chief Executive Officer in 2010. He took over operational management of the PGA of Canada following the 2009 recession and embarked upon a significant financial turn-around, guiding the PGA of Canada to record seven consecutive years of surplus.

His Masters degree in Education has heavily influenced his management style. Staff training and development and Board development and leadership training have been hallmarks of his management. Turning his training skills to membership performance, he increased the conversion rate of ELITE Cohorts into “Class A” designation. He introduced a new professional development platform, which has received strong support from golf teaching professionals. He is a strong believer in the use of technology to deliver operational efficiencies.  Under his tenure, his team implemented the PGA of Canada digital magazine; became the first to use drones to enhance the broadcast of PGA of Canada events and has maximized the use of social media to strategic advantage.

He is a past Chairman of the National Allied Golf Association.

When the non-avid golfer thinks of the game, I’m willing to bet their immediate thoughts are classic stroke play, accompanied with your usual scorecard and pencil—but it doesn’t have to be.

Golf can be played in many forms. Throughout history, new game formats have continued to spring up, providing a different look at fun and enjoyment of your round. Some formats have been developed to include adjustments for Handicaps for social or competitive events. Others are variations on stroke play which allow the round to be posted in your Handicap—provided you track your hole-by-hole score.

There are a variety of different games you can play on course for you and your playing partners (single or team games) that you can try the next time you hit the course. We encourage you to try one or speak to other golfers to find others—you’ll never know unless you try one.

a) Wolf

A group of four golfers can play this game with all players playing independently. The goal is to be the player with the most points at the end of the round.

The order of play is decided on the first tee. The “Wolf” is always the last player to tee off. The teeing order—regardless of who has the honour—rotates on every hole so that each player becomes the Wolf once every four holes.

Once each player in the group hits his or her tee shot, the Wolf decides whether or not to team up with anyone for the hole. If not, the Wolf plays the hole as the “Lone Wolf” – in which case the objective is to beat the three other players with the lowest net score on the hole.

Every hole is played as a net best ball with only the best score of each team being used.

If the Wolf chose a partner and they win the hole, both receive two points.

If the non-Wolf partners win the hole, they get three points apiece.

If the Lone Wolf beats all the other players, he/she receives four points.

If the Lone Wolf gets beat by any player in the opposing group, everyone in the group except the Lone Wolf receives one point.

NOTE: There are variations to this game. For instance, you can be “Blind Wolf” (like a poker player going all-in without even looking at his or her cards before the flop) declaring before the hole that you’re going solo.

b) Skins

The first step is to assign a point amount to each hole. Each player in the group contributes a predetermined amount for the “kitty” on each of the holes. The lowest net score on each hole wins the skin. Should more than one player tie a hole, the skin carries over. Whoever wins the next hole outright wins the skin for that hole as well as any skins that carried over.

You might be struggling for the first five holes, but it’s possible that all five of those were carried over with tying scores—giving you a chance to catch lightning in a bottle and birdie the 6^th hole to win the lot (along with a good ribbing from your group).

Some variations are used in skins: for instance, a player who wins skins needs to “carry over” to “validate” them on the next hole. They must at least match the lowest score on the next hole to collect the skins. If another player records a lower score on the next hole, he or she can steal the skins, but then must also validate (unless this happens on the final hole, in which case the match is simply over.

c) Nassau

The Nassau format can be broken up into three components: low front nine score, low back nine score and low total score. If you’re in a foursome, you might decide on a $2 Nassau. If you lose all your bets, the most you can lose is $6. If you win all three, you win $18 ($6 from each of the other three players in your group).

NOTE: a variation of this game is to introduce a “press.” A “press” is a second call/game that runs concurrently with the original game. The second game is usually for the same amount as the first game.

d) Combination Shot Game

Below are some ideas you can combine different smaller game formats throughout the round.

Greenies: a point is awarded for hitting the green in regulation. Points accumulate within the group, and the player with the most points at the end of the round wins this category.

Chippies a point is awarded for chipping in from off the green. Points accumulate within the group, and the player with the most points at the end of the round wins this category.

Barkies: a point is awarded for hitting a tree and still making par. Points accumulate within the group, and the player with the most points at the end of the round wins this category.

Double barkies: a point is awarded for hitting two trees and still making par. Points accumulate within the group, and the player with the most points at the end of the round wins this category.

Fishies: a point is awarded for making par on a hole in which you found the water. Points accumulate within the group, and the player with the most points at the end of the round wins this category.

Sandies: a point is awarded for getting out of a bunker and making par. Points accumulate within the group, and the player with the most points at the end of the round wins this category.

Note: You are free to make up new games or to change the game name to suit your purposes. The important thing is to put some spice into the game.

You can accumulate ALL POINTS within each category above or a mix of a couple categories for a complete point total for all players within the group, the player with the most points within the group wins.

For more examples of game formats visit golfcanada.ca/handicapping and try something new this season!

Have a game format to share? Let us know by contacting members@golfcanada.ca

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – Wesley Bryan rallied to win his home-state RBC Heritage for his first PGA Tour title, closing with a 4-under 67 on Sunday for a one-stroke victory over Luke Donald.

Bryan, a South Carolina native who played college golf for the Gamecocks, was four shots behind entering the day and moved into contention with four consecutive birdies on the front nine. He took the lead with a birdie on the 15th hole and finished at 13-under 271.

Donald shot 68 in his latest close call at Harbour Town Golf Links – it was his fifth second-place finish here since 2009.

The 27-year-old Bryan tapped in for par on the closing, 18th lighthouse hole to make the former trick-shot artist the first South Carolinian to win the state’s lone PGA Tour event.

Ollie Schniederjans, Patrick Cantlay and William McGirt tied for third, two strokes behind Bryan.

Schniederjans shot 68, Cantlay 67 and McGirt 69.

Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., finished in a tie for sixth after a 2-over final round. Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C. tied for 22nd and David Hearn finished in a tie for 59th.

Bryan was largely known as a YouTube sensation, he and brother George IV, another Gamecocks golfer, pulling off often unbelieveable trick shots – like chipping the ball 20 yards to a waiting Bryan brother to belt away before it hits the ground.

There were no tricks to Wesley Bryan’s round this time, the first to win at Harbour Town in his first try since Boo Weekley won the first of his two straight RBC Heritages in 2007.

Bryan got it going with his front-nine run, with birdies on the fourth, fifth, sixth and seven holes. After Bryan moved in front on the 15th, he sweated out three straight two-putt pars.

The 23-year-old Schniederjans, five shots behind when the round began, made it all up and was out front with five front-nine birdies. Competing for his first PGA Tour win at the tricky Pete Dye layout proved too daunting for the inexperienced Schniederjans. He missed makeable birdie tries on the 13th, 14th and 15th, then failed to get in for par after hitting into the bunker on the par-3 17th.

Donald appeared done after driving out of bounds on the second hole and leaving the birdie-able par-5 with a double-bogey seven. Then Donald, a modern-day Harbour master, made five birdies in a 10-hole stretch to tie for the top before Bryan moved in front

Dufner had hoped to channel Master winner Sergio Garcia’s approach of lowering expectations in the final round and let the talent shine through. Dufner was 14 under after a birdie on No. 2, but bogeyed three of the next six holes to fall back. He scrapped back within a shot before his chances ended for good on the 13th hole.

Dufner’s approach landed in the bunker up against the wood facing and he had to chip sideways, remaining in the bunker, before blasting out and taking double bogey.

Dufner plopped his tee shot on the par-3 14th into the water and finished with a 5-over 76 – 12 shots more than his third-round 65 that put him in front through 54 holes.

Just like last week at the Masters, Matt Kuchar used a Sunday run to make a move up the leaderboard.

Kuchar had a 5-under 67 in the final round at Augusta National to finish fourth after starting the day six shots behind. At Harbour Town, Kuchar shot a 64 – the day’s best round – to improve 52 spots and tie for 11th.

DULUTH, Ga. – Stephen Ames hadn’t won a tournament in eight years, so he knew it was critical to keep his cool.

“My biggest goal this week was to control my anxiety and my emotions and my breathing, which is something I worked on pretty hard this week,” he said. “That calmed me down a lot.”

Ames won the Mitsubishi Electric Classic on Sunday for his first PGA Tour Champions title, easily holding off Bernhard Langer at TPC Sugarloaf.

The 52-year-old Ames, a naturalized Canadian citizen from Trinidad, closed with a 6-under 66 for a four-stroke victory over Langer. Ames opened with rounds of 67 and 68 to take a one-stroke lead over five players into the final round.

And your 2017 Mitsubishi Electric Classic Winner… @StephenAmesPGA!! Congrats! pic.twitter.com/guRBVmHlYC

— MEClassic (@MEClassicGolf) April 16, 2017

Making his 49th senior start, Ames had six birdies in his bogey-free round to finish at 15-under 201. He won for the first time since taking the 2009 Children’s Miracle Network Classic for the last of his four PGA Tour titles.

“I felt very much in control of my tempo and everything else,” Ames said. “It was nice to be in that situation and play the way I did today.”

Here’s how @StephenAmesPGA claimed his first PGA TOUR Champions victory. @MEClassicGolf pic.twitter.com/oa3aaTIqOy

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) April 17, 2017

Ames is the third Canadian to win on the 50-and-over tour and the 11th player to win on the PGA Tour Champions, PGA Tour and Web.com Tour.

Langer, a 30-time winner on the tour, had a 65 to jump from a tie for 21st. Fred Funk (66), David Frost (68) and Brandt Jobe (70) tied for third at 10 under, and 2016 winner Woody Austin (68) and Kevin Sutherland (71) followed at 9 under.

Langer’s tour-record streak of par or better rounds at 36 ended Saturday with a 73.

“It was a sad way to finish yesterday, especially bogeying 18 was bad,” Langer said. “But I didn’t think I hit a bad tee shot and ended up with a horrible lie. I couldn’t even extract it out of the rough and ended up making 6, so that was pretty poor. I just never made a putt yesterday.”

Ames did himself an early favour to create some breathing room, chipping in on the par-4 seventh. It was his second straight birdie and fourth on the front nine.

“I read the line like a putt,” he said. “I picked my spot where I wanted to land it. When I hit the ball and it came off the face, I was like, ‘Ooh, this felt good.’ It landed on my spot and the ball went to the hole like a putt. It was perfectly executed.”

When Langer closed within two strokes, Ames locked back into his mantra of staying calm. Nobody has dominated the PGA Tour Champions in recent years like Langer, so Ames knew his lead wasn’t safe just yet.

“Oh, I was watching,” Ames said. “Don’t worry. I’m a leaderboard-watcher.”

Ames calculated how many holes Langer had left and how many birdies he needed to take the lead. When Langer made par on the last three holes, Ames felt some relief.

“I had to keep an eye on him,” Ames said. “When I saw that he finished at 11 (under), I realized that I could actually put this in cruise control coming in, which is what I did.”

KAPOLEI, Hawaii – Cristie Kerr won the LPGA Lotte Championship on Saturday for her 19th tour title, closing with a 6-under 66 for a three-stroke victory.

The 39-year-old Kerr broke the tournament record at 20-under 268, a day after shooting 62 at Ko Olina to match the event mark. She earned $300,000 to top $18 million in her career.

Kerr hadn’t won in 30 starts since the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in 2015. She was a pedestrian 4 under halfway through Lotte, then made a made a big move. She birdied seven of the last eight holes Friday, soaring into contention with the 62 and growing comfortable walking in her birdie putts before they fell in the hole.

“People think that I do it intentionally,” she said. “It never happens when I try to do it intentionally. It’s just that once I know it’s in, I walk after it.”

Kerr called it “epic” and began to count the ways. She had complications with knee surgery in November, keeping her from hitting a shot for eight weeks, and from playing the first tournament of the year.

“It feels so good to have overcome so many things to be sitting here,” Kerr said. “I played great the last couple weeks coming into here, and I just have a different perspective on life now. I felt it on the golf course today. I was able to keep going forward because I didn’t put that extra pressure on myself.”

The American overcame sponsor invite Su-Yeon Jang, the South Korean player who led after the second and third rounds and was five ahead of Kerr after three holes Saturday.

Jang had a 70 to drop into a tie for second with top-ranked Lydia Ko (64) and In Gee Chun (67). Jang’s first bogey of the week came at No. 6 and she suffered double-bogey two holes later, falling into a tie for first with Kerr.

Canadian Alena Sharp, looking for her first LPGA Tour win in her 241st start, bogeyed the final hole for a 70 to finish alone in fifth at 16 under. The Hamilton native finished one shot ahead of second-ranked So Yeon Ryu (67). Sharp was in pursuit of her first LPGA title; her best finish on Tour came last season with a fourth place result at the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.

Fellow countrywoman Brooke Henderson fired a final-round 68 to climb into a tie for 11th at 11-under par (70-69-70-68).

Third-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn (69) and Stacy Lewis (6) were 14 under.

Ko was too far back to really challenge Kerr.

“Going into the day eight shots behind there is a huge difference between eight shots and five shots,” Ko said. “I knew that it would take the round of my life versus a mediocre round by everybody else. With how the girls are playing, it’s just really hard to mend the gap. Considering where I was after the first day (73), I’m pleased with where I finished.”

Kerr, who was a rookie the year Ko was born, has Top 10s in her last three starts.

“I can’t remember in 2 1/2 days that I had made so many birdies in my life,” she said. “That (first) day and a half that I had struggled a little with my swing feel it was an unbelievable run.”

She has four Top 10s at Lotte, and is the second American to win in the tournament’s six years here, after Hawaii’s Michelle Wie. Kerr also is the second American to win on the LPGA Tour this year.

“Experience is huge,” Kerr said. “Very few players are lucky enough like I am to have a career as long as I’ve had and be competitive as long as I’ve been competitive. Having that experience and being competitive, it’s an advantage.

“I felt like I didn’t have it on the first four or five holes, I didn’t worry, I didn’t rush, and soon as I made my first birdie it was kind of like off to the races. So experience definitely helps.”

DULUTH, Ga. – Stephen Ames shot a 4-under 68 on Saturday to take a one-stroke lead over five players into the final round of the PGA Tour Champions’ Mitsubishi Electric Classic.

Ames had five birdies and a bogey at TPC Sugarloaf to reach 9-under 135. The 52-year-old naturalized Canadian is winless on the senior tour after winning four times on the PGA Tour.

“I’m not anxious, not anxious at all,” Ames said. “I’m very comfortable right now in the situation. The main thing that I’m really comfortable about is how I feel about my golf swing and being a lot more in control of my anxiety and my feelings and all that when I’m playing.”

First-round leader Bob Tway followed his opening 65 with a 71 to drop into a tie for second with Kenny Perry (64), Billy Andrade (66), Brandt Jobe (68) and Kevin Sutherland (69). Perry rebounded from an opening 72.

“When you open up with 72, you’re teeing off the back nine first and I was just kind of in the rocking chair kind of deal, what I call it where I’m just kind of free-wheeling out there and just playing golf free and easy,” Perry said.

A streak ended.
A record was set.
Monster putts dropped.

Lots of fun during Round 2 at the @MEClassicGolf. pic.twitter.com/E1O8MBNV5K

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) April 16, 2017

Miguel Angel Jimenez (68) and Marco Dawson (68) were 7 under. Jimenez won in 2014 at TPC Sugarloaf and is coming off a victory in the Mississippi Golf Resort Classic.

John Daly topped the group at 6 under, bouncing back from a first-round 73 with a 65 – matching his best senior round.

Defending champion Woody Austin was 5 under after a 70.

Bernhard Langer bogeyed the par-4 18th for a 73, ending his tour-record streak of par or better rounds at 36. The 2013 tournament winner was tied for 21st at 4 under.