Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru is pleased to announce WayPoint Golf as the official tournament registration software for the program for 2017.

WayPoint Golf’s core focus will be to provide its dynamic platform to all Golf Fore the Cure participants, with goals of simplifying the registration process in the most efficient way possible—freeing up time for further planning and fundraising efforts.

“We are incredibly excited about being partners with Golf Canada and the Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru program. The funds that have been raised through these national tournaments is truly inspiring, and we’re excited to work together with all of the people involved for this common goal.” said Joe Velacich, CEO and Founder, WayPoint Golf.

As a Pink Partner of Golf Fore the Cure, WayPoint Golf provides a software platform that seamlessly connects tournaments to players, courses and sponsors.

“We are very excited to be able to offer the use WayPoint Golf software through the Golf Fore the Cure platform.  We believe this will be a great addition to the support that is provided to over 145 sites running the program on an annual basis,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s Chief Sport Officer and interim CEO. “Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru, owes a great deal of its success to the support and engagement of partners like Waypoint, and we are looking forward to continuing to grow the program with them for many years to come.”

Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru continues to make strides in providing a seamless process for running events, offered at no cost to participants or host clubs. Upon registration, program coordinators receive a complimentary event kit including prizing and fundraising materials

For more information and to register your club please contact gftc@golfcanada.ca or visit the website.

About WayPoint Golf™

At WayPoint, we’re a golf lifestyle brand that’s providing a fresh new way of delivering golf tournament marketing and player registrations. The WayPoint platform empowers tournament organizers by reducing the time required to coordinate and manage golf tournaments. The result, is increased engagement, with less administrative burden for the organizer. By combining an amazing team with software that seamlessly connects tournaments to golfers, courses and sponsors, we create more successful events, while promoting the game of golf.

ABOUT GOLF FORE THE CURE PRESENTED BY SUBARU
Committed to growing women’s participation in golf, the Golf Fore the Cure program has welcomed more than 110,000 participants over 13 seasons. During that same period, over 5.9 million dollars has been raised for the Canadian Cancer Society and Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation at over 1900 events run by volunteers. Golf Fore the Cure is conducted by Golf Canada and proudly sponsored by Subaru, adidas Golf and WayPoint Golf. To learn more about Golf Fore the Cure,  please visit www.golfcanada.ca/golfforethecure.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Hideki Matsuyama was the last man standing at golf’s biggest party – again.

Matsuyama won the Waste Management Phoenix Open on the fourth hole of a playoff for the second straight year, outlasting Webb Simpson on Sunday at TPC Scottsdale.

Matsuyama won with a 10-foot birdie putt on the short par-4 17th, the same hole where the 24-year-old Japanese star finished off Rickie Fowler a year ago.

“I just had faith and believed that my chance would come again, and I just waited and waited, had patience,” Matsuyama said. “Finally, that last one went in.”

Matsuyama closed with a 5-under 66, parring the final three holes to match Simpson at 17-under 267. On the par-4 18th in regulation, Matsuyama’s 20-foot birdie try to win in regulation stopped just short.

“I don’t know how it stayed out,” Matsuyama said. “But you can’t be short on a putt like that.”

Simpson birdied three of the last four for a 64, the best round of the day.

“To shoot 7 under on Sunday, birdieing 17 and 18 is a great feeling, knowing I had to do it,” Simpson said. “But Hideki is a great player, obviously. I knew he’d be a tough competitor in the playoff. I wish I could have a couple of putts back and hit them a little harder.”

Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., entered the day tied for third but shot a 71 in his final round to finish tied for ninth. Adam Hadwin (66) of Abbotsford, B.C. tied for 12th.

The tournament drew an estimated 58,654 fans Sunday to break the weekly record with 655,434. The previous mark of 618,365 was set last year. A record 204,906 packed the grounds Saturday.

Matsuyama has thrived in the party atmosphere, tying for fourth in 2014 and tying for second in 2015 before winning the last two years.

“There’s nothing like it in golf,” Matsuyama said. “Playing in front of the number of fans and gallery this past week, great motivation. I just try to have fun with it, and at the same time, keep my focus.”

Matsuyama and Simpson took advantage of third-round leader Byeong Hun An’s collapse. Three strokes ahead of Matsuyama and four ahead of Simpson with nine holes left, An bogeyed Nos. 10 and 11 and closed with two more on 17 and 18. The South Korean player had a 73 to finish sixth at 14 under.

“Just didn’t work out today,” An said.

Matsuyama won his second PGA Tour title of the season and fourth overall. He has won five worldwide events in the last 3 1/2 months, also taking the WGC-HSBC Champions in China, two tournaments in Japan and Tiger Woods’ unofficial Hero World Challenge.

“It’s been a good run,” Matsuyama said. “I’m going to ride it as long as I can.”

He becomes the sixth player to successfully defend a title in the event and the first to do it at TPC Scottsdale. The other five are Hall of Famers Ben Hogan (1946-47), Jimmy Demaret (1949-50), Lloyd Mangrum (1952-53), Arnold Palmer (1961-63) and Johnny Miller (1974-75).

Matsuyama broke a tie with Shigeki Maruyama for the most victories by a Japanese player, and became the first to win playoffs in an event two straight years since Ernie Els in the Sony Open in Hawaii in 2003-04.

Matsuyama and Simpson matched pars on the first three extra holes, playing the 18th twice and the par-4 10th before heading to 17. Simpson’s drive on the 332-yard hole ended up on the right edge of the green, with a bunker blocking his path to the back pin position.

“That pin is so hard,” Simpson said. “That is the one place you can’t really be.”

Instead of trying to hit over the bunker, he putted and left himself a 25-footer that burned the right edge.

Louis Oosthuizen finished a stroke back after a 65. The South African birdied Nos. 14, 15 and 17, then hit in the right bunker on 18 and scrambled to save par.

“I will take a lot out of this week, especially on putting,” Oosthuizen said.

Fowler also shot a 65 to match J.J. Spaun (67) at 15 under.

Phil Mickelson tied for 16th at 10 under after a 71. He made a run with four front-nine birdies, then played the back nine in 4 over with a double bogey on 17, four bogeys and two birdies. The 46-year-old former Arizona State star played his 100th round in the event he won in 1996, 2005 and 2013.

“It was a disappointing way to finish it, but it’s very encouraging with the way I have been playing,” Mickelson said. “And the way I got myself into contention there with nine holes to go was fun.”

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Byeong Hun An took a one-stroke lead Saturday in the Waste Management Phoenix Open in front of a golf-record crowd of 204,906.

The South Korean player shot a 6-under 65 at TPC Scottsdale to reach 16-under 197. An won the 2009 U.S. Amateur at 17 to become the youngest winner in event history, and took the European Tour’s 2015 BMW PGA Championship for his biggest professional victory.

Scotland’s Martin Laird was second after a 65. Defending champion Hideki Matsuyama (68) was 12 under along with John Peterson (63), Canadian Graham DeLaet (65) of Weyburn, Sask., and Michael Kim (66).

Adam Hadwin (70) of Abbotsford, B.C., is 6 under and tied for 35th.

The event has drawn 596,880 for the first six days, setting records each day. With 70,000 to 90,000 expected Sunday, the tournament will shatter the overall record of 618,365 set last year.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Tiger Woods withdrew from the Dubai Desert Classic on Friday with back spasms after shooting an opening-round 77 a day earlier, marking another frustrating start to his return to golf from a lengthy injury layoff.

Woods’ manager, Mark Steinberg, said Woods had back spasms on Thursday night after dinner.

“Tiger Woods went into a spasm in his lower back fairly late last night … got treatment done early this morning for 3 1-2 hours, but can’t get it out,” Steinberg said. “He says it’s not the nerve, but back spasm, and he can’t get the spasms to calm down. He can move around, but he can’t make a full rotation in his swing.”

Woods made a comeback after multiple back surgeries after a 16-month layoff, and was expected to play four times in five weeks, starting from last week’s Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, where he missed the cut.

The European Tour, without giving a reason, announced his withdrawal on Friday before Woods began his second round in Dubai.

After his opening round, Woods said: “I wasn’t in pain at all … I was just trying to hit shots and I wasn’t doing a very good job.”

Last week in San Diego, Woods returned to the PGA Tour and lasted only two days.

Woods never got anything going after starting with a birdie in the Farmers Insurance Open and didn’t come close to making the cut. He missed a 12-foot birdie putt on his final hole on the North Course for an even-par 72 and missed the cut at Torrey Pines for the first time in his career.

Woods was coming off the longest layoff of his career as he recovered from two back surgeries. He had last played on the PGA Tour in August 2015 at the Wyndham Championship, where he tied for 10th. He played in the Bahamas the first week of December in an unofficial event with an 18-man field and no cut.

After Dubai, Woods has a week off before playing back-to-back weeks on both ends of the country, Los Angeles (Genesis Open) and Florida (Honda Classic).

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. _ Brendan Steele and Byeong Hun An led the way at golf’s biggest party, Phil Mickelson had a classic Lefty adventure, and Justin Thomas cooled off in the desert.

An ran in a 35-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th Friday for his second straight 5-under 66 and a share of the Waste Management Phoenix Open lead. Steele had a 67 to match An at 10-under 132 at TPC Scottsdale.

Mickelson bogeyed the final two holes for a 70 that left him six strokes back, while playing partner Thomas had a 73 to miss the cut by a stroke. Thomas was coming off a two-week break after sweeping the Hawaii events _ and shooting 59 at Waialae _ for his second and third victories of the season.

Mickelson tried to pull off a low-percentage shot from the left rough on the par-4 eighth _ his 17th hole. Behind a small tree nearly 200 yards from the green, Lefty attempted to hit a sweeping slice with a driver, but the line drive didn’t cut as much as he wanted and rocketed through the large gallery lining the right side.

“I didn’t really have much,” Mickelson said. “I was trying to get something that would cut it. It was sitting in the rough. The only play was to pitch out, but that’s not really, you know, what I like to do.”

On the par-4 ninth, he took two shots to escape the right greenside bunker.

“It sucks, finishing with two bogeys,” Mickelson said.

The 46-year-old former Arizona State player won the event in 1996, 2005 and 2013. He’s making his third start in his return from two sports hernia surgeries.

“There’s no reason why I couldn’t get it going tomorrow and be in it,” Mickelson said.

An had a far better finish, holing the long putt on 18 for his third birdie in four holes.

“I look forward to playing those holes, 16, 17, 18 _ great finishing holes,” the South Korean player said. “I love people making noise. I really don’t mind, as long as they don’t make sudden noise.”

There were a lot of people to make noise. The crowd was estimated at 169,004, breaking the Friday record of 160,415 set last year and pushing the five-day total to 391,874. Saturday is the biggest day for spectators, with a record 201,003 packing the massive grounds last year. The week mark of 618,365 was set a year ago.

Graham DeLaet (69) of Weyburn, Sask., is tied for 11th at 6-under par, while Adam Hadwin (66) of Abbotsford, B.C., jumped up the leaderboard and into a tie at 21st at 5 under. David Hearn (70) of Brantford, Ont., Nick Taylor (71) of Abbotsford, and Mackenzie Hughes (71) of Dundas, Ont., all missed the cut.

Steele also birdied three of the last four, holing an 18-footer on the short par-4 17th and a 15-footer on 18.

“I played well the last few weeks,” said Steele, the winner of the season-opening Safeway Open. “Obviously, the win a couple months ago, and then I’ve got good results on this course before. Everything feels pretty good.”

Defending champion Hideki Matsuyama was a stroke back at 9 under along with first-round leader Matt Kuchar, Martin Laird and Sung Kang.

Matsuyama bogeyed the 18th for a 68 after his 132-yard shot to the back right pin fell short into a small bunker.

“I thought I could go for the pin and came up a little short,” Matsuyama said through a translator. “Little disappointing, but I played well all day.”

Last year, Matsuyama beat Rickie Fowler in a playoff. The Japanese star won four times worldwide late last year.

Kuchar followed his opening 64 with a 69. He’s coming off a seven-week break.

“It’s one thing to play at home and feel pretty good about your game,” Kuchar said. “It’s another thing to come out on the PGA Tour and compete in a tournament. I come with little expectations.”

Martin Laird (66) and Sung Kang (65) joined Kuchar at 9 under.

“It was a clean card in terms of bogeys, but my golf game wasn’t very clean,” Laird said. “I struggled a little bit with my irons all day, but my putting was probably the best I’ve putted in a long time.”

Fowler (68), Louis Oosthuizen (67), J.J. Spaun (64) and Michael Kim (66) were 7 under. Oosthuizen closed with a double bogey after hitting left into the water on 18.

Jordan Spieth was 4 under after a 68. He was 6 under on the first 13 holes, dropped a stroke on the difficult par-4 14th and made a double bogey on 18 after driving into the water.

“I have been hitting the ball great this whole year and going back into late last year,” Spieth said. “I have just been kind of looking for that groove putting, and it’s almost there.

John Rahm, playing with Fowler and Spieth, shot a 69 to reach 3 under. The former Arizona State player won last week at Torrey Pines for his first PGA Tour victory.

Team Canada’s Young Pro Squad was established four years ago to provide an avenue for top-performing amateurs looking to make the difficult transition into the professional ranks. As a member of the Young Pro Squad, athletes receive assistance in many areas of high performance training including: coaching, strength & conditioning, sport psychology and nutrition.

In addition to providing ongoing coaching assistance, each athlete receives financial support to help with the costs of travelling to and competing in various events across the world. In just four years, the program has seen 26 professional wins, including victories on both the LPGA and PGA Tours by graduates Brooke Henderson and Mackenzie Hughes, respectively.

In January, the 2017 team selections were announced here.

Team Canada Head Coaches Tristan Mullally and Derek Ingram weigh in on the success of the program thus far and what’s ahead for the future:

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Matt Kuchar hardly looked like a guy coming off a seven-week break Thursday in the first round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

Kuchar eagled the par-5 13th and added two late birdies and a big par save on the rowdy par-3 16th hole in an opening 7-under 64 at TPC Scottsdale.

“It was so nice to be home,” Kuchar said. “Our kids got to play basketball. This is basketball season back home. I have always been travelling out west, so it was fun for me to be home, be dad, go to basketball games and practices. But we had such good weather, I got good practice in. My boys are now 7 and 9 and they’re into golf, as well. In the afternoons, we’d sneak out and play a few holes. Wasn’t too rusty.”

Playing in perfect afternoon conditions in front of a crowd estimated at 103,420, Kuchar took a one-stroke lead over defending champion Hideki Matsuyama and Brendan Steele.

“Someone told me it was 5 million,” Kuchar joked about the crowd. “So many people out here. It’s a good buzz. It’s a good vibe.”

He made a 25-foot eagle putt on 13.

“Chased a 3-wood up on the corner of the green, and it was a pretty straightforward 25-footer,” Kuchar said. “That was a lucky place to be on that hole. Some of these pins were hard to get at. That was one that was hard to get at.”

The seven-time PGA Tour winner ran in a 6-footer for birdie on the par-5 15th. He got up-and-down for par from the left bunker on the triple-deck stadium 16th, making a 12-foot putt, and chipped to inches from the front fringe on the short par-4 17th to set up his final birdie in the bogey-free round.

“I got some great work in this week with my instructor, Chris O’Connell, and it showed off with some great hitting out there,” Kuchar said.

Matsuyama had a bogey-free round in the morning. Last year, he beat Rickie Fowler in a playoff.

“I wish I knew why I play well here,” Matsuyama said through a translator. “I did hit the ball very well today, hit a lot of greens, a lot of good shots.”

He won four times worldwide late last year, taking the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in China, two events in Japan and Tiger Woods’ unofficial Hero World Challenge in December.

Steele holed out from 194 yards for eagle on the par-4 14th

“We were trying to land it about 10 yards short,” said Steele, the Safeway Open winner in October to start the season. “Little outside right, and I pulled it just a touch. It landed about a yard left and about 4 yards short and went in the hole.”

John Peterson, Robert Garrigus, Scott Brown, Byeong Hun An and Chris Kirk shot 66.

“I was very patient,” said Peterson, the 2011 NCAA individual champion at LSU. “Usually, I’m not a very patient person, but this morning I was first off and I had great greens on the first nine holes.”

Fowler, 2015 winner Brooks Koepka, two-time champion J.B. Holmes, Steve Stricker, Martin Laird, Webb Simpson, Graham DeLaet and Alex Cejka were at 67. Stricker is making his first start of the year. He will be 50 on Feb. 23.

Sung Kang also was 4 under on the final hole when play was suspended because of darkness.

Fowler made a 16-foot par save on the par-4 11th – his second hole of day – after driving into the water.

“To par the first three holes was nice. I could have easily been 3 over,” Fowler said.

He was three strokes better than playing partners Jordan Spieth and John Rahm, the former Arizona State player who won Sunday at Torrey Pines for his first PGA Tour victory.

Spieth also saved par on 11 after hitting into the water, rolling in a downhill 50-footer. He struggled to find the fairways, and had a three-putt bogey on the par-4 17th – missing from 1 1/2 feet.

Phil Mickelson opened with a 68 in his third straight start in his return from two sports hernia surgeries to top playing partners Justin Thomas and Adam Hadwin, the latest players to shoot 59.

The 46-year-old Mickelson parred the final nine holes after birdieing Nos. 8 and 9 to get to 3 under.

“I’ll take 3 under,” Mickelson said. “I’ve got to get it a little bit better off the tee tomorrow. My iron play has been pretty good, so I should be able to make some birdies if I get the ball in play.”

The former Arizona State player won at TPC Scottsdale in 1996, 2005 and 2013.

Thomas birdied 16 and 17 in a 69, and Hadwin shot 71.

Thomas has won three of his last five PGA Tour starts, successfully defending his title in Malaysia in October and sweeping the Hawaii events last month – shooting the 59 in the first round of his Sony Open victory. He’s trying to become the first to win three straight PGA Tour events since Rory McIlroy in 2014.

MEN’S TOP-10

Adam Hadwin’s solid play of late has propelled him to the top of the Canadian golf rankings. The Abbotsford, B.C. native ended Mackenzie Hughes’ nine week reign as the No. 1 ranked pro in Canada. Hadwin finished tied for 49th at the PGA’s Farmers Insurance Open, which was good for 1.30 world ranking points – his fifth consecutive points paying finish on the PGA Tour. Hadwin has picked up 79 places in the world rankings since the start of the year.

The only other player having a better start to the year, rankings wise, is Corey Conners. The Team Canada Young Pro squad member posted his second straight top-10 result on the Web.com Tour, finishing tied for 7th at the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic. The result was worth 2.38 world ranking points and vaulted him 58 places in the rankings. Coupled with his tie for 5th a couple of weeks ago, the No. 7 ranked Canadian has gained 126 spots in the world rankings since the start of the year.

Other notable results: No. 2 Mackenzie Hughes, No. 4 Graham DeLaet and No. 5 Nick Taylor all finished tied for 54th at PGA Farmers Insurance Open; No. 6 Brad Fritsch finished tied for 67th at PGA Farmers Insurance Open; No. 8 Roger Sloan and No. 9 Adam Svensson both missed the cut at Web.com Tour event in the Bahamas; No. 10 Richard T. Lee finished tied for 34th at Asian Tour/Japanese Tour event in Myanmar.

Click here for Men’s Official World Golf Rankings.

WOMEN’S TOP-10

Brooke Henderson lost a spot in the world rankings, falling to No. 9 behind South Korean So Yeon Ryu. Henderson, who was as high as 7th after shooting a second round 64, finished in a tie for 21st in the season opening LPGA event in the Bahamas.

Maude-Aimee Leblanc was the biggest mover inside the Top-10, picking up five spots after finishing in a tie for 24th at the LPGA event in the Bahamas. After rounds of 72-71, the Quebec golfer posted a pair of sub-70 rounds to finish out the weekend, going 68-69.

Two changes in the Top-10 as Augusta James takes over No. 4 ranking in Canada by climbing one place while Brittany Marchand moves up to No. 8.

Outside Top-10, Jennifer Ha made her LPGA rookie debut, missing the cut at the event in the Bahamas. The Golf Canada Young Pro squad member did manage to climb three places in the world rankings and moved up to No. 14 in Canada.

Other Notable Results: No. 2 Alena Sharp finished tied for 47th at Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic; No. 5 Anne-Catherine Tanguay missed the cut at Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic;

Click here for full Women’s Rolex World Rankings.

MEN’S AMATEUR TOP-10

Stuart Macdonald made the biggest gain among the Top-10 following his tie for fifth at the Avondale Amateur in Australia. The result saw the Vancouver golfer climb 41 places in the world rankings, moving him up to No. 8 in Canada. The Team Canada Amateur Squad member was coming off a round of 16 result at the Australian Amateur and will look to continue his strong play at the upcoming New South Wales Amateur.

Positive gains all around for the rest of the Top-10 as the collegiate golf season gets set to resume this month.

Hugo Bernard climbed three places to reach No. 99 in the world, giving Canada three amateur players now ranked inside the top 100 in the world.

Biggest move: Henry Lee gained 282 spots in the world rankings after finishing in a tie for 29th at the Arizona Intercollegiate, helping the University of Washington to a third place finish at the event.

Complete World Amateur Golf Rankings can be found here.

WOMEN’S AMATEUR TOP 10

There were no significant changes in the women’s rankings over the past seven days.

Biggest Move: Four golfers tied for this honour the past week as Kim Carrington, Emily Romkey, Daria Leidenius and Alexandra LeBlanc all gained 10 places in the world rankings.

Complete World Amateur Golf Rankings can be found here.

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA, – The Symetra Tour, Road to the LPGA, announced today its preliminary 2017 schedule, which currently features 21 tournaments in 13 different states. The Tour is still pursuing additional tournaments that could be announced at a later date. 

The season will begin with the ninth annual Florida’s Natural Charity Classic from March 10-12 at the Country Club of Winter Haven and will once again conclude with the Symetra Tour Championship from October 5-8 at LPGA International in Daytona Beach. The top 10 on the final Volvik Race for the Card money list will earn LPGA Tour membership for the 2018 season.

“The 2017 schedule will provide our rising stars with a great mixture of events that they know and have come to love and also fresh, challenging new venues,” said Mike Nichols, Chief Business Officer. “With each year, our goal remains the same of providing the best qualifying tour in the world for women to hone their skills to one day not only play, but succeed on the LPGA.”

The schedule features two brand new events, one event returning from a year hiatus and one event that changes locations for 2017. The two completely new events are the Northern California Classic at Windsor Golf Club (April 7-9) and The Donald Ross Centennial Classic at French Lick Resort (July 7-9). The Gateway Classic at Longbow Golf Club (March 30-April 1) returns to Mesa, Arizona after not being played in 2016 while the Symetra Classic (April 28-30) will move to Milton, Georgia and Atlanta National Golf Club. 

For the first time since 2001, the Symetra Tour schedule will have a true “West Coast Swing” at the beginning of the season. Following a week off after the opener, the Tour heads to Beaumont, California for the IOA Championship Presented by Morongo Resort & Spa (March 24-26). The second event on the swing is in Mesa, Arizona from March 30-April 1. The Tour then heads to Northern California for the inaugural event at Windsor Golf Club April 7-9. The last time the Tour had a West Coast swing of three or more events was 2001 when the season opened with four events in California. The Symetra Tour has not had a presence in Northern California since 2001. 

“We have a lot of players based in California and Arizona and understandably they want tournaments in their region and our east coast players don’t want to head west for just one or two events so we’re excited about this stretch,” said Nichols. “Ideally, we’d like to add a fourth event on the west coast for our 2018 schedule.”

The schedule features four purses of $200,000 or more including the new event in French Lick. The Sioux Falls GreatLIFE Challenge at Willow Run Golf Club in Sioux Falls, South Dakota features the highest purse of $210,000 with a winner’s payout of $31,500. The event in Sioux Falls will be contested August 31-September 3. There are just four events remaining after Sioux Falls.

The busiest stretch of the season will take place from June 2 through July 9 when the Tour plays six straight weeks: Fuccillo Kia Championship at Capital Hills (June 2-4), Four Winds Invitational (June 9-11), Decatur-Forsyth Classic (June 16-18), Island Resort Championship (June 23-25), Tullymore Classic (June 30-July 2) and The Donald Ross Centennial Classic at French Lick Resort (July 7-9). 

The Symetra Tour will visit 13 different states. Florida once again leads with four tournaments while Michigan checks in with three. In an effort to make the Symetra Tour more-and-more LPGA-like, there will be five 72-hole events. 

The Symetra Tour has become the most competitive qualifying tour in the world. In 2016, three players broke the previous earnings record and Madelene Sagstrom set a new standard with $167,064 earned. In addition, for the first time, a player that won multiple tournaments fell short of earning a Tour card. For perspective on the growth of the Tour, a total of 14 players earned over $60,000 in 2016 compared to zero in 2013. 

26-year-old Mackenzie Hughes has had his share of ups and downs; but his recent success serves as a reminder to other young golfers that hard work and dedication does indeed pay off.

After winning two Canadian amateur titles and three collegiate tournaments as an amateur, the Dundas, Ont. native enjoyed a relatively smooth transition to the pros in 2013 – capturing the Cape Breton Open and earning his Web.com Tour card by the end of his rookie season.

The following year was a different story as the Kent State University graduate struggled considerably – missing the cut in 13 out of 20 tournaments and lost his status on the Web.com Tour.

“Once he jumped on that Web.com Tour in 2014, he got knocked down a bit.  But he learned a lot from it,” noted Herb Page, his collegiate coach.

Page says facing and overcoming adversity is nothing new for Hughes.

“In his first year at Kent State, he had a few bumps and bruises and got knocked down but it was just a learning process.  Each year in college, he just kept getting better and better,” he pointed out.

“I think for Mac, it’s just about getting comfortable and getting his confidence.”

In 2015, Hughes returned to the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada eager to apply the lessons learned from 2014. He would regain his Web.com tour card later in the year – this time through qualifying school.

“Mac is a very resilient young man; just like he got better after his freshman year, I knew he would bounce back from his 2014 season,” said Page.

In 2016, Hughes has managed to put all the pieces together – earning his PGA TOUR card by finishing 17th on the Web.com money list.

The young Canadian followed that up by scoring a victory in just his fifth start on the PGA TOUR at The RSM Classic in November.

Hughes secured the victory by making a difficult 18-foot putt on the third playoff hole at the Sea Island Golf Club.

“As soon as I hit it I knew it was on a good line and I gave it some pace because I knew if I missed it I was going to be out. And about foot from the hole, I knew it was right in the heart; and it was such a good feeling to see it go in,” said Hughes in an interview with the Golf Channel immediately after his big victory.

Hughes also spoke about the significance of playing alongside Phil Mickelson in mid-October at the 2016 Safeway Open.

“It was huge just being in that atmosphere with those galleries; it prepared me to deal with what I was dealing with yesterday and today,” he said after winning on the third playoff hole.

“You couldn’t buy that experience,” added Hughes, who earned US$1.08 Million for his efforts at the RSM.

Page acknowledges that being paired with the winner of five Majors was an eye-opening experience for his former student.

“There’s a point there in terms of the confidence factor.  That was really Mac’s first event with his tour card and low and behold he gets paired with Phil.  It sort of let’s you know that you belong. Having that experience and that confidence there’s nothing like it,” he said.

Having coached at Kent State University over the past 40 years, the Ontario Golf Hall of Famer says one of the neatest things he’s experienced was receiving a call from his former student after his big triumph last November.

“It was 11:30am and my phone rings and there it is, Mackenzie Hughes……He calls me and thanks me. It’s one of the neatest calls I’ve received,” Page said.

“Mac didn’t have to pick up his phone and call his college golf coach, but he did; and it was such a class act.”

Someone else quick to speak about Hughes’ admirable qualities is former Kent State teammate, Jennifer Ha – also a teammate of Hughes as part of Golf Canada’s national team program.

“Mackenzie is one of the hardest working people I’ve ever met; he was always the first one in practice and the last one to leave…… It was great to see that he made it to the PGA TOUR and that he’s doing so well,” said the LPGA rookie.

According to Canadian men’s national team head coach, Derek Ingram, Hughes’ success is an inspiration to young Canadians.

“When you see a high level of skill, you just automatically assume talent and it’s not the case. For Mac, all that talent and skill has been earned through hard work and doing the right things and having a great attitude and being disciplined. It may be boring but it really works,” said Ingram.

“So other young Canadians, juniors and amateurs and young pros can look at Mac and say ‘Yeah I can do that…..If I want to work as hard and be as diligent and have an unbelievable attitude, then maybe I can be a PGA TOUR winner one day.’”

Having worked closely with Hughes during his victory at the RSM, Ingram believes the best is yet to come for the PGA TOUR rookie.

As a member of Golf Canada’s Young Pro Program, Hughes works closely with Ingram and has access Team Canada’s sports science staff, which includes a sports psychologist, along with a physiotherapist and strength coach.

Having recently married his long-time girlfriend, Jenna, the 26-year-old is certainly well supported off the golf course in his quest to achieve his full potential on the golf course.

“The sky’s the limit for Mac because he’s got the right habits and discipline and work ethic; and he’s got a great team around him,” said Ingram.

“I think he’s a guy that can win a major on the PGA TOUR.”