HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – Jason Dufner took more than a solid showing away from the Masters last week. He took inspiration from winner Sergio Garcia.

Dufner finished 33rd in the year’s first major, things getting away from late in the final round a week ago. But he took something from Garcia managing his expectations and letting his game show through. And Dufner believes that’s why he had got a one-shot lead heading to the final round of the RBC Heritage.

Dufner had two eagles on the way to a 6-under 65 to move in front of Canadian Graham DeLaet (69).

Dufner, at 13 under, said he entered Harbour Town Golf Links with low expectations, deciding that he gone through too many tournaments over-thinking how he was supposed to play or whose expectations he was supposed to live up to.

“That really gets in the way of playing well to be honest with you,” said Dufner, the 2013 PGA Championship winner. “So I think I maybe learned a little bit from the champion last week, where he kind of lowered his expectations, and got out of his way, so to speak, and let his talent and his game plan take it from there.”

Dufner’s talent was on display, particularly on Harbour Town’s par-5s.

He blasted a 215-yard approach on the second hole to 11 feet for his first eagle. He was short of the fifth green in two, then chipped in from about 100 feet for his second eagle. On the 15th, the course’s final long hole, Dufner settled for birdie, part of three in a row on the back nine that took him into the lead.

Dufner plays Harbour Town often, but without much success. His best finish was a tie for 14th and only once in seven previous fourth rounds has shot in the 60s. He is chasing his fifth PGA Tour title – and just the second since winning the Wanamaker Trophy at Oak Hill four years ago.

Get ready for the final round @RBC_Heritage with yesterday’s highlights. pic.twitter.com/hgqK0SKNAb

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 16, 2017

Dufner said he took confidence from his Masters performance and has carried that into this week.

“I feel like this golf course has always been a good set up for me,” Dufner said. “I haven’t had amazing results here, but I’ve been pretty consistent. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow.”

DeLaet was tied with Dufner heading into his final hole, but three-putted No. 18 from 35 feet to fall back. Still, it was the Weyburn, Sask., native’s third straight sub-70 round after having just five in five previous appearances here.

DeLaet is seeking his first tour win and knows it will take a mental effort to keep him straight.

“Obviously, this is the one thing that’s kind of missing,” DeLaet said. “So there’s going to be some battles (inside) that I’m going to have to deal with.”

Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., shot 70 for an 8 under total. Adam Hadwin, also of Abbotsford, was tied for 20th after a 71 and David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., was tied for 31st after shooting 69.

Kevin Kisner and Webb Simpson were at 11 under. Kisner shot a 66, and Simpson, the former U.S. Open champ, had a 68.

Kisner followed up his 64 with a second straight bogey-free round at Harbour Town. The last of his five birdies – a 30-footer on No. 17 – pushed him into the tie with Simpson.

Simpson was the hottest player on the course when the round began, going 4-under over his first six holes including an eagle-3 at the par-5 fifth. Then Simpson cooled off, with 11 pars and a bogey on the 16th that dropped him two shots behind.

Ian Poulter, in a chase to stay on tour, shot 69 to stay in fifth. He had three birdies on the final five holes before the turn to share the lead with Simpson for a time. On the 10th hole, however, he hit his drive left in the water, then landed his second tee shot along the water line where an alligator – perhaps miffed by the first water ball – stared down the Englishman known for his colorful outfits. Poulter tried to set up, but the gator would not relent until the caddie of playing partner Simpson charged the reptile.

The alligator retreated to safer waters and Poulter took double bogey.

Poulter, playing on a medical extension, needs to earn $145,000 of 117 FedEx Cup points over the next two weeks to keep his playing privileges intact. He’s in good because fifth place pays $260,000.

In the past few months, if you’ve played golf in Canada and you’ve been entering your scores into the Golf Canada Handicap System, those scores have probably not counted towards your Golf Canada Handicap Factor.

In Canada, each province has an “active season” in which players should register their golf scores to establish a legitimate Golf Canada Handicap Factor.

Players are more than welcome to post rounds played at golf clubs during an inactive season, but keep in mind that those scores will not count towards their handicap factor.

Golf Canada’s Handicap Manual stipulates each player is responsible for entering all acceptable scores from rounds played during the active season – when optimal playing conditions exist.

Each year, provincial associations factor in numerous parameters to determine their active seasons; this helps to ensure that the majority of posted scores are consistent to establish accuracy and fairness.

Posting scores during inactive seasons – periods of poor course conditions – could potentially artificially impact a player’s handicap factor. Knowingly using an inaccurate handicap factor is unacceptable and is referred to in golf as ‘sandbagging’.

For fanatics always looking to squeeze in just “one more round” at season’s end or for those hoping to head south before spring comes, it’s important to be aware of the “active season” of your destination.

The active seasons in each province:

• B.C. = Mar. 1 – Nov. 15
• Alta. = Mar. 1 – Oct. 31
• Sask. = Apr. 15 – Oct. 31
• Man. = Apr. 15 – Oct. 31
• Ont. = Apr. 15 – Oct. 31
• Que. = Apr. 15 – Oct. 31
• N.S. = Apr. 15 – Oct. 31
• N.B. = May. 1 – Oct. 31
• P.E.I. = Apr. 16 – Nov. 14
• Nfld. = Apr. 1 – Nov. 30

Ultimately, it is the responsibility of authorized provincial golf associations to declare active and inactive periods. In the same respect, it is the responsibility of area clubs and golfers to observe these dates for the purpose of posting scores.

It is important to remember that scores from any golf course in areas that are observing an active season must be posted for handicap purposes; even if it is an inactive season for the province/golf club from which the player receives a handicap factor. If you’re making the trip to Florida for a round in the sun this weekend, you will still need to report your scores to your Canadian golf club – even if it is currently buried under a foot of snow.

Your club’s Handicap Committee must make it possible for players to post their away scores at the beginning of the active season. Golf Canada is happy to help, allowing players to post scores through golfcanada.ca or through its mobile app, available here.

When travelling to other countries, be aware of their active seasons to prevent posting unacceptable scores. Your home club needs all acceptable scores to ensure your handicap factor is up-to-date and accurate when it is recalculated at the beginning of the upcoming season.

A detailed list of active and inactive seasons in the United States can be found here.

For additional information on handicapping, click here.

KAPOLEI, Hawaii – Su-Yeon Jang took the Lotte Championship lead in the completion of the third round Friday morning and opened a three-stroke cushion in the afternoon with a third-round 7-under 65.

The 22-year-old sponsor invite from South Korea had a 17-under 199 total – two strokes off the tournament record for 72 holes – at Ko Olina Golf Club. She completed her second straight 67 in the morning in the rain-delayed event.

Cristie Kerr and Alena Sharp, the 35-year-old Canadian looking for her first LPGA Tour victory, were tied for second. Kerr had a 62 to tie Lizette Salas’ tournament record. Kerr, who turns 40 this year, played the back nine in 29, with birdies on seven of her last eight holes.

“I was just kind of being myself,” said Kerr, who had eight putts on her last eight holes. “Yeah, everybody says being in the zone. I just kind of stayed out of my own way today, which is what I have to do to have a chance tomorrow.

“I stayed in the moment and started walking them in.”

Sharp stayed with Jang, birdie for birdie, until a bogey on the final hole left her with a 66. She was just one back after sinking a 15-footer from the fringe on the 16th.

Sharp has not won in 240 LPGA starts, but is coming off her best year. The only LPGA player with more starts without a win in this field is Becky Morgan (315). She is tied for 10th, seven shots back. Morgan’s last Top 10 was in 2009.

Sharp admits “It’s hard to win out here,” but has never wanted to stop trying.

“I just love playing golf, so I don’t think about it as I need to win,” she said. “I just love the competition. I love travelling to all the different places we play and the amazing courses we play. I just have a lot of passion for the game itself.”

In Gee Chun, the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open champ, was 12 under after a 65.

“I was able to hole some longer putts in my front nine, which is the back nine,” said Ko, whose 14th – and last – win came in July. “When you get to hole the putts that you don’t necessarily think they’re birdie range, it’s always nice. It’s kind of a bonus.”

Top-ranked Lydia Ko, looking for her first win since July, was tied for seventh at 9 under after a 65. She was eight strokes behind the leader, a shot behind second-ranked So Yeon Ryu (69) and two back of third-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn (70).

Jang, who doesn’t have a bogey this week, also played in the final group last year at Lotte and finished fifth.

Hawaii has thrown its share of surprises at this year’s field. For the third day in a row there was a weather delay Friday. The wind and rain, and thunder and lightening, have made Ko Olina a tropical adventure.

When darkness halted play Thursday, Jang had two holes remaining and a share of the lead at 9 under with Ariya Jutanugarn and In-Kyung Kim. Jang birdied her 17th hole early Friday to claim the second-round lead, then had “some real good food my dad cooked up” before teeing off in the third round.

After the leaders played their first hole, play was halted for an hour. Jang came back with four quick birdies and added three in a row on the back nine. She needed just 25 putts.

“Because I had to finish up the second round this morning and play another 18 I was a little bit tired,” she said through an interpreter. “But I know I’m so far away from home and I travel so long to play this tournament, so I try to tell myself just to suck if up and have a good time and play a good round today.”

She was brilliant, and has been in nearly every round she’s played at Ko Olina the last two years. The exception was last year’s final round, when a 71 in the final group wasn’t nearly enough to keep up with Minjee Lee.

Instead Jang, ranked 68th in the world, won twice on the Korean LPGA tour last year and finished third on the money list.

“Obviously I’ve gained a good amount of experience doing that,” Jang said. “Hopefully tomorrow I won’t get too nervous. I think that experience will help me play in the rest of the round tomorrow.”

The last time a sponsor invite won on the LPGA it was Lydia Ko at the 2013 CN Canadian Women’s Open. Ko turns 20 in 10 days and was born the same year Kerr debuted on the tour.

The cut came Friday morning at 1 under, with 78 golfers playing on. Michelle Wie, the 2014 Lotte champion, made the cut on the number. Lindy Duncan holed out on the 18th hole early Friday for eagle to make the cut.

Nicole Broch Larsen was also one of the 15 players who came back to finish their second round Friday morning. She had a hole-in-one on her 17th hole (No. 8).

Wilmer, Alabama’s Robby Shelton shot a 2-under 70 on Friday at Sun ‘N Lake Golf Club, then prevailed in a playoff over Lake Mary, Florida’s Jhared Hack to earn medalist honours at the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s USA East #1 Q-School.

The 21-year former University of Alabama star posted 15-under to match Hack’s clubhouse, then birdied the par-4 10th hole in the third hole of sudden death to secure the win and exempt status on the Mackenzie Tour for 2017.

“I’m just excited to win this. It means a lot. I haven’t been playing great, but a win’s a win,” said Shelton, who will play on a sponsor exemption at the PGA TOUR’s Valero Texas Open next week, but said he’s relieved to have a guaranteed place to play this season.

“I got into Valero next week, but it’s not fun bouncing around back and forth. That’s all I’ve been waiting for, just a schedule and a place to know I can play,” said Shelton.

PLAYER NOTES:

Below are notes on the top 16 players from this week’s Q-School:

ROBBY SHELTON: 21-year old turned pro last June after a successful career at the University of Alabama, where he won seven times and won the Phil Mickelson Award as Freshman of the Year in 2014. Was named a 1^st team NCAA All-American three times at Alabama and helped the Crimson Tide to a national championship in 2014. Finished T3 at the PGA TOUR’s Barbasol Championship as an amateur in 2015.

JHARED HACK: UCF graduate owns 54 professional victories on various mini-tours. Played in 35 Web.com Tour events in 2015-16, recording three top-25s. Owns six top-10s on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica.

JORDAN NIEBRUGGE: Four-time NCAA All-American at Oklahoma State finished T6 as an amateur at the 2015 Open Championship at St. Andrews. Won the 2013 U.S. Amateur Public Links and played in the Masters in 2014.

JOEY PETRONIO: 23-year old University of North Florida grad earned three individual victories while playing for the Ospreys and was teammates with 2016 Mackenzie Tour member Taylor Hancock.

DANIEL MAZZIOTTA: Two-time winner on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, claiming victory at the 2014 Mundo Maya Open and 2015 Shell Championship.

GREYSON SIGG (a): Current University of Georgia Senior was named a 3^rd team NCAA All-American and helped Georgia to the SEC Championship in 2016.

BRANT PEAPER: 23-year old played college golf at Indiana University, where he was named an All-Big 10 1^st team member in 2013 and won twice individually. Made five cuts in 21 starts on the Mackenzie Tour in 2014 and 2015.

KYLE PETERMAN: Western Illinois grad made three starts on the Mackenzie Tour in 2016 and qualified for the 2009 U.S. Open.

CHRIS BAKER: Austin Peay State graduate owns one pro win on the West Florida Pro Tour and will have Mackenzie Tour status for the first time.

MARK BLAKEFIELD: University of Kentucky grad made three starts on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica in 2016 and will have Mackenzie Tour status for the first time.

J.C. HORNE: Played collegiate golf at the University of North Florida and has spent most of his professional career on the West Florida Golf Tour and the Florida Professional Golf Tour.

TAYLOR HANCOCK: Played collegiate golf at the University of North Florida. Was solo third through 36 holes at the 2016 Freedom 55 Financial Open and finished T12, one of 11 starts on the Mackenzie Tour in 2016. Finished 79^th on the Order of Merit.

GRADY BRAME, JR: Southeastern Louisiana University grad won the 2014 and 2015 Louisiana State Amateur.

TADD FUJIKAWA: Was the youngest player to qualify for the U.S. Open in 2006 at 15 years old. Has made the cut three times at the PGA TOUR’s Sony Open in Hawaii, including a T20 in 2007.

LEE MCCOY: Former 1^st team NCAA All-American at the University of Georgia. Finished solo fourth as an amateur at the 2016 Valspar Championship on the PGA TOUR.

AUSTIN QUICK: Arizona State grad played on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica the last two seasons, making nine cuts in 23 starts and finishing third at the 2016 Abierto Mexicano de Golf.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – Canadian Graham DeLaet always loved playing at Harbour Town Golf Links, but rarely got the results he thought he should – until this week.

The Weyburn, Sask., native followed up his career-best 6-under 65 in the first round with a 67 on Friday to share the lead with Luke Donald midway through the RBC Heritage.

Donald also shot 67 to reach 10-under 132, two in front of Ian Poulter and Webb Simpson.

Poulter and Simpson each shot 68.

DeLaet was 1 over on his first seven holes of the second round until a birdie on the difficult par-4 eighth hole and an eagle on No. 9, also a par 4 where he bounced his approach shot into the cup.

DeLaet had never finished better than 14th in six previous trips here and had only twice broken 70 in his last 10 rounds before this week. DeLaet said his top-15 finish a year ago – his first and only one – continued to fan his flame for Harbour Town. “And my love and enjoyment of playing this golf course turned into, ‘Maybe I could play well here,”’ he said.

DeLaet plodded through the first part of his round until dropping his approach on the 461-yard eighth hole within 15 feet and made the putt. On the next hole, DeLaet sent a wedge from 109 yards out into the green, simply hoping to spin it back left toward the pin. Instead, it hopped in the cup to put DeLaet out front.

“We couldn’t see the bottom of the pin, but there was reaction from the crowd so we figured it was in,” DeLaet said.

Donald, DeLaet shine in Round 2 from Harbour Town. pic.twitter.com/FwO28jhNFE

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 15, 2017

DeLaet has won four times worldwide (three in his home nation and once in South Africa), but has never done better than three second places (the last in the 2014 Waste Management Phoenix Open) on the PGA Tour. DeLaet doesn’t plan to change his approach with a big weekend ahead. “I’m looking forward to not getting up at 4:45 a.m. again like I did this morning,” he said with laugh.

Donald has finished second or third in six of his past eight visits to the RBC Heritage – and put himself in position for another stellar finish this time, too. Donald’s round took off with three straight birdies on the front nine. He held off a spate of wild drives after the turn – Donald drove way right on No. 10, played a provisional, found his first ball and made par – before chipping in for birdie on the closing, lighthouse hole at No. 18.

It was the second straight day Donald made birdie at the iconic hole. He’s shot in the 60s in 21 of his 42 career rounds here. About the only thing he hasn’t done is win, something he looks to remedy this week.

“I’ve been in this position before and I’ve got to go out there and be aggressive and make some birdies,” Donald said. “Certainly playing for pars won’t get it done out there.”

Poulter, playing on a major medical extension, is on the clock to keep his card and needs about $145,000 in his next two events to maintain his playing status and is off to a strong start. His 66-68 is the just the second time in seven career visits to Harbour Town he’s opened with two sub-70 rounds. His eligibility? Not on his mind at all. “I’m playing golf like I really don’t care, to be honest,” he said. “I’ve had to work on clearing everything out of my mind to go play good golf.”

Simpson, the 2012 U.S. Open champion, continued his strong play at Harbour Town’s first nine, notching four more birdies to go along with the five straight he made there in the opening round Thursday.

First-round leader Bud Cauley followed his 63 with a 72 and was in a group of five at 7-under that included former PGA Championship winner Jason Dufner and Sam Saunders, the grandson of golf’s late king, Arnold Palmer.

Kevin Kisner had the round’s best score, a 7-under 64, and was among six players four strokes behind the leaders.

Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin, both of Abbotsford, B.C., shot 66’s. Taylor was 7 under while Hadwin was 5 under.

There were 74 golfers who made cut of 1-under par – anyone over par or even was leaving – which was lowest cutline ever at Harbour Town. Those going home included Jim Furyk, Ernie Els, 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett and Charley Hoffman, who contended at Augusta National for much of the week before falling off the pace.

KAPOLEI, Hawaii – Ariya Jutanugarn and In-Kyung Kim each birdied their final hole Thursday to share the lead during the suspended second round of the LPGA Lotte Championship.

Jutanugarn had a bogey-free 6-under 66, and Kim shot 64 to reach 9-under 135 at Ko Olina Golf Club. Jutanugarn won five times last season and was the LPGA Tour’s player of the year.

Kim, a 28-year-old from Seoul who already has a pair of top-5 finishes here, had five consecutive birdies during one stretch for the lowest round of the day.

“It was nice to get out in the morning, definitely calmer,” Kim said. “Now the winds are picking up so it’s hard to get to the hole. I had a great putting day. Yesterday I hit the ball pretty well, just didn’t make any putts. Today the putts were dropping.”

Su-Yeon Jang, among the 15 players still on the course when play was halted due to darkness, was also at 9-under with two holes remaining. Jang doesn’t have a bogey in her first 34 holes of the tournament.

The cut will be determined after the completion of the round Friday morning.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (69), Stacy Lewis (68), first-round co-leader Mi Hyang Lee (70), Alena Sharp (69) and Becky Morgan, who also has two holes remaining, share fourth place at 8 under. There are five golfers at 7 under, including second-ranked So Yeon Ryu (69), coming off a victory in the major ANA Inspiration, and Olympic champion Inbee Park.

Alena Sharp has the second-most LPGA starts without a win in the field at the LOTTE Championship with 240 – only Becky Morgan (315) has more.

Play was also halted for nearly 90 minutes earlier in the day when the course was cleared due to the threat of lightning.

Paula Creamer, co-leader after an opening 66, bogeyed both par 5s on the front nine and had a double bogey on the par-3 eighth in a 74. Defending champion Minjee Lee rallied for a 68 and is six back, while top-ranked Lydia Ko moved up 45 spots, to 40th, with a 69. Hawaii’s Michelle Wie, who won here in 2014, is tied for 60th at 1 under.

For the second straight day, a morning tee time was a huge advantage. Winds began gusting up to 20 mph as the morning groups finished. When the wind stopped, thunder, lightning and rain followed.

Lewis birdied four of her first five holes to get to 8 under early. She bogeyed the 10th just before play was suspended, but got it back with her sixth birdie of the day, at the 13th. The two-time LPGA Player of the Year is winless in her last 69 starts. – and 8 under on Ko Olina’s front nine this week.

“Honestly, it’s just that I’ve had more momentum going into that side than I have when I’ve played the back,” Lewis said. “I played the back early yesterday and just wasn’t striking it very good.

“Then today, coming out after the delay, you kind of lose some of the momentum there. But I played solid for two days and still left some out there, so it’s some good golf.”

Brooke Henderson (Smiths Falls, Ont.) is at 3-under par with rounds of 70-69 to sit T17. Maude-Aimée Leblanc bounced back after an opening 75 to record a 3-under 69, pulling her to an even-par score for the tournament.

Calgary’s Jennifer Ha—a member of Team Canada’s Young Pro Squad—carded two 75s to sit at 6-over par.

Lotte announced a three-year extension this week, which will take it through 2020.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – Bud Cauley took advantage of pristine, windless conditions at Harbour Town Golf Links with birdies on four of final five holes for an 8-under 63 and a two-shot lead Thursday after the opening round of the RBC Heritage.

Cauley hadn’t made many waves at Harbour Town his first three visits with two missed cuts and only one round in the 60s. This time, though, with mild, 70-degree conditions, practically no wind and abundant sunshine, Cauley made eight birdies in a bogey-free round, including three straight to finish with a flourish.

“You never go out thinking you’re going to shoot that,” Cauley said. “I just got into the round and was swinging well and tried to give myself as many looks as I could.”

The 63 was one shy of the 27-year-old Cauley’s career low (62 at the McGladney Classic in 2012) and two off the tournament mark of 61 shared by David Frost and Troy Merritt.

Cauley was two in front of Luke Donald, Graham DeLaet and Sam Saunders, the grandson of the late Arnold Palmer. Russell Henley continued his recent run of top-flight golf with a 66 to join a group that included former U.S. Open winner Webb Simpson and Ian Poulter.

But it was Cauley’s strong finish that led the way. He rolled in a 5-footer for birdie on No. 16, an 8-footer for another on No. 17 and hit a near perfect approach to the usually wind-swept 18th green off Calibogue Sound to inside 12 feet for the two-stroke edge.

While the lack of wind certainly helped, Cauley said his shot selection and game plan coming in were essential in his success. “The last five holes I hit every shot just kind of how I was looking,” he said. “So that was a nice way to finish.”

Cauley hasn’t had the greatest season, missing seven cuts in 12 starts. His best showing was a third at the CareerBuilder Challenge in the California desert. He hopes this start can propel him to bigger things.

Cauley knows he could’ve been elsewhere under different circumstances. He chuckled at pictures of his four good PGA Tour friends, Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Smylie Kaufman and Justin Thomas, on a spring break jaunt – including a yacht – to Baker’s Bay in the Bahamas. If Cauley continues his strong play at Harbour Town, he’ll have just as good a time as his foursome of pals.

“I had to keep my shirt on today,” he joked.

Donald got the ball rolling with his early 65. The former world No. 1 was frustrated at missing his second straight Masters last week and used it as motivation to once again batter Harbour Town.

“It’s never fun to be sitting at home,” Donald said of the Masters miss. “But in a way, it motivates you. It gets the fire under you and you get a little bit more inspired.”

Donald has finished second four times and third twice in his past eight appearances at Harbour Town.

His 65 was the 20th time in 41 career rounds that Donald shot in the 60s at Harbour Town. It was also his eighth straight round under par here, closing in on the record of 11 in a row he already shares with Larry Nelson. Donald says there’s no secret to his success here: Scramblers and those who manage their games well have as much of a chance as any long bomber at Harbour Town.

“The long hitters, it’s taking driver out of their hands a lot,” Donald said. “So I feel like the playing field’s levelled out.”

It also helps when many of the world’s best don’t show up. Just five of the world’s top 25 are playing, starting with England’s Tyrrell Hatton (No. 16) who shot a 69. Matt Kuchar, 17th in the world, is the best Masters finisher at the RBC Heritage, following a fourth at Augusta National with an opening 68.

Henley continued his strong recent play. He won in Houston two weeks ago simply to make the Masters, then finished in 11th in the major to earn an invite back to Augusta National in 2018. Henley said he put the clubs away Monday and Tuesday to rest up after arriving from Augusta. “It’s been a whirlwind the last two weeks,” he said.

ACTON, ON. —The PGA of Canada is proud to announce RBC as the new title sponsor of the RBC PGA Scramble of Canada.

The RBC PGA Scramble of Canada is a national series of team events featuring amateur golfers and PGA of Canada professionals taking place at more than 100 golf facilities around the country. All RBC PGA Scramble of Canada local qualifying events in 2017 will have guaranteed prize tables for the top three teams.

The series of events expects to draw thousands of amateur golfers—who will form their own team of four players— from across the country. Teams will look to make it through local and regional qualifying with the ultimate goal of playing in the national final later this year with a PGA of Canada professional playing on their team at one of Canada’s greatest golf courses.

“We couldn’t ask for a better partner than RBC for this national grass-roots series of events,” said PGA of Canada CEO Gary Bernard. “Their commitment to the game of golf in this country is fantastic and we look forward to growing the RBC PGA Scramble of Canada in communities across Canada.”

As part of the partnership, RBC staff will interact and engage with golfers at the local events, market the scramble with in-branch advertising at select RBC locations across the country and utilize Team RBC autographed merchandise for giveaways all season.

“We are thrilled to support grassroots golf initiatives like the RBC PGA Scramble in communities across the country, providing thousands of amateur players the opportunity to compete at a higher level,” said Matt McGlynn, Vice President, Brand Marketing RBC. “This is just another example of how RBC works together with the PGA of Canada to create exceptional events to support the growth of golf in Canada.”

RBC proudly supports golf around the world through high profile relationships with the PGA TOUR and Golf Canada. RBC is the Official Banking and Financial Services partner of touring professionals Graham DeLaet, Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Adam Hadwin, David Hearn, Brooke Henderson, Matt Kuchar, Graeme McDowell, Ryan Palmer, Morgan Pressel, Alena Sharp, Nick Taylor and Brandt Snedeker.

For those qualifying to play out of their regional qualifier, the RBC PGA Scramble National Final promises to be a golf trip of a lifetime. The 54-hole championship at one of Canada’s premier venues will be part of a festival of special events, prizing, activations and a chance to interact with celebrities.

For more information about the RBC PGA Scramble of Canada, please click here.

KAPOLEI, Hawaii – A funny thing happened in sunny Hawaii while waiting for someone to break away from a pack of leaders in the opening round of the LPGA Lotte Championship Wednesday.

Rain zeroed in on Ko Olina Golf Club, forcing a 45-minute delay.

Then Paula Creamer and South Korea’s Mi Hyang Lee took over, bolting into first at 6-under 66. Both had seven birdies and a bogey, with Lee’s coming on the final hole, in the dark.

“I couldn’t see the line or anything,” she said. “It was too hard.”

Play was suspended with six golfers still on the course.

Lee, 24, made the cut just once in three previous starts at Ko Olina. She is ranked 51st in the world, with a win in 2014 after earning Rookie of the Year honors on the 2012 Symetra Tour.

Canada’s Alena Sharp fired a bogey-free 67 (-5) to hold a five-way share of third place. Fellow countrywoman Brooke Henderson carded a 2-under 70 to sit T31.

Sharp, 35, is coming off her best season, finishing 41st on last year’s money list. She has played all six Lottes, with her best finish in her first, when she tied for 25th.

Two of Creamer’s 10 victories have come in Hawaii and she would surpass $12 million in career earnings with a win Saturday.

Her only bogey came on the 15th and she erased it with a tap-in birdie two holes later. She waited out the rain delay under the waterfall next to the 12th hole, sitting next to 2012 champion Ai Miyazato.

“I’m 30, I’m getting old out here,” Creamer said. “I was like, ‘Oh, gosh. I got to warmup a bit.’ I went out with a good two-putt (at No. 12) and then birdied the par-5 right afterwards.

“You know, I played solid. I putted really well. I switched back to conventional-style putting. I’ve been left-hand-low for the last three years. This is my first week back doing that and using my line, and seems to be doing pretty good so far.”

Lizette Salas, Su-Yeon Jang, Beth Allen and Eun-Hee Ji shot 67 in the morning, when the wind came and went. Canadian Alena Sharp joined them in the afternoon, playing her final two holes after rain drenched the course and left puddles on the greens and in bunkers.

Second-ranked So Yeon Ryu, who won the year’s first major two weeks ago, parred her last nine holes to finish with a 68. She can overtake top-ranked Lydia Ko with a win here.

Stacy Lewis also shot 68 and Hawaii’s Michelle Wie, the 2014 Lotte champion, had a 71.

Salas, who played for the U.S. in the last two Solheim Cups, has fond and frustrating memories of Ko Olina. She fired a career-low 62 in the final round of the 2013 Lotte, but lost a playoff with Suzann Pettersen. They still share the tournament record of 19-under 269.

Salas played the back nine in 29 that day. She was 4 under Wednesday and finished with seven birdies. A pair of bogeys on the front nine kept her out of the lead.

“This week we really just tried to be aggressive from the get-go,” said Salas, who broke 70 just twice in her first seven tournaments this year. “I know this course pretty well and I’ve had some good success here, so being comfortable and confident coming in just really gave me that start that we’ve been wanting.”

She was not alone. Nearly half the field broke par on a day when the tropical breeze came and went, leaving a huge dark cloud over the course that let loose just before 4 p.m.

Those near the top of the leader board will come at Thursday’s second round from different directions.

Salas’ only win came the year after she lost the playoff with Pettersen. Jang is playing on a sponsor exemption for the second time. She finished fifth last year. Ji won the 2009 U.S. Women’s Open and was third there last year, but has never been in the Top 15 at Ko Olina.

Allen, 35, has never played Ko Olina before. She was a rookie on the LPGA tour in 2005, then moved around before becoming the first American to lead the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit last year.

“It was a great year for me,” she said on TV. “I thought I’d go back to the States and see what happens. I’ve taken my experience with all those wins and being in contention more and brought it here.

“At the end of the day it’s golf. It’s the same in every country. I thought I’d try it again on the LPGA.”