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.

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.