Since her introduction to the sport of golf at the age of nine, Calgary’s Jennifer Ha has dreamed of competing at the highest level.

After tying for eighth spot in December at the final stage of LPGA Qualifying School, the 22-year-old has earned the right to do just that.

As she is preparing to kick off her rookie season with full playing privileges on the LPGA tour, Ha took a moment to reflect on her humble beginnings.

“When I was nine my dad introduced me to golf and I remember going to a golf dome near our house in the winters,” recalled Ha, who played volleyball and ran track and field as a youngster.

“Afterwards, we got a membership to the city’s public courses; and we started to play more often over the summer and kept on practicing over the winters,” she continued.

“I wasn’t really good at it at the beginning but I always dreamed of getting better and competing with the best; and I’ve worked really hard to get to where I am,” added the 22-year-old.

Ha – who turns 23 years old on Feb 1st – is quick to credit her parents, John and Christina, for their unconditional support throughout the years.

“My dad has done so much for me, he’s helped me out so much, he’s been my coach, my caddy and travelled with me to my tournaments; and my mom’s always been so incredibly supportive also,” she pointed out.

“We don’t always see eye to eye but I can say that they’ve always had my best interest at heart and they’re always so selfless…..I’m so blessed to have their support.”

On the first Sunday in December last year, Ha made her parents – and Canadians across the country – proud by finishing the final stage of LPGA Q school tied for eighth and earning full playing privileges in the process.

“It didn’t really sink in until a little later when people starting messaging me,” said Ha about the outpouring of support she’s received.

“Alena (Sharp) and Brooke (Henderson) have sent me nice messages through Twitter,” she noted.

“I’ve also received a lot of messages from girls I’ve played with growing up and I’ve really appreciated that.”

Ha says her successful path to the LPGA was paved through valuable lessons learned during her four years at Kent State University.

“I learned a lot from Coach Robertson. I learned about time management and being organized with regards to school, golf and travel,” she said.

“I really needed to have those years to mature and I think that was why I was able to make it to the LPGA.  For me learning those things was more important than skipping right onto the tour,” added the Kent State University grad.

While she’s been receiving a lot of congratulatory messages, Ha was quick to offer some of her own to her former Kent State teammates Mackenzie Hughes, who won the RSM Classic in mid November to earn his PGA Tour card for 2017; and Corey Conners who recently secured a spot onto the Web.com tour for 2017.

“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,” said Ha.

“As well, it’s great to see Corey make it to the Web.com Tour next year also.  Just like Mackenzie, he’s one of those guys that puts in so much time and is always so dedicated.”

In terms of her own success, Ha says her time with Golf Canada’s national team program has also played a significant role bringing her to this point in her golfing career.

“I was part of Golf Canada’s program for three years and I learned so much during that time,” said the young Calgarian.

“I learned about course management and how to play different shots; as well as how to manage the mental and nutrition parts of the game and much more…..Being part of the program was definitely a huge benefit to me.”

According to Canadian women’s national team head coach, Tristan Mullally, Ha is well-prepared to make an impact on the LPGA tour in 2017.

“Jen’s thoughtful in the way she executes her shots….She has a lot of variety in her game and has the talent to go out there and do very well,” said Mullally.

“I’m excited about Jen and her upcoming rookie LPGA year.  I think she’s someone that will surprise a lot of people in terms of how good she is and I’m really looking forward to that.”

Ha is expected to kick off her rookie campaign at the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic later this month.

Given how far she has come since her humble beginnings, the 2017 LPGA rookie was asked for her advice to aspiring young golfers looking to find similar success in the game one day.

“My advice would to be to work hard and just have fun with the game and let yourself fall in love with it,” she replied.

“In golf, there’s going to be ups and downs but you have to always remain focused on learning and growing,” continued the mature 22-year-old.

“And if you’re looking to play at the highest level, you have to be dedicated fully to it – but at the same time, never lose sight of the fact that it’s a game because to be successful you have to love what you’re doing and enjoy it out there.”

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Today the USGA, Masters Tournament and the PGA of America officially launched the 2018 Drive, Chip and Putt Championship by announcing the local qualifying schedule for the program’s fifth year. The schedule includes dates and locations for participants to play in local qualifiers across the country with the opportunity to advance and earn an invitation to next year’s National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club.

Click here to read the full article.

Click here for the qualifying schedule is available here.

On an annual basis, Team Canada coaches conduct up to four national team training camps to prepare athletes for the competitive season ahead. In most cases, training camps are all completed by the end of February.

Following an initial assessment, athletes from the development, amateur, and young pro squads are provided with tailored lesson plans to work on areas of improvement and all other facets of the game. In addition to golf training, athletes receive support in a selection of other high performance areas, including: physiotherapy, strength training, sport psychology and nutrition.

Team Canada women’s Head Coach, Tristan Mullally, shared an inside-the-ropes look at a training camp this past week in Phoenix, Ariz., at the Verrado Golf Club:

LIVE on #Periscope: Team Canada training camp snapshot – Young Pros and Amateur team https://t.co/R4oJHWg8hL

— Tristan Mullally (@tmullallygolf) January 8, 2017

KAPALUA, Hawaii – Justin Thomas had to sweat it out more than he wanted to enjoy that view down the 18th hole at Kapalua on Sunday.

Thomas had a five-shot lead with five holes to play when he was caught in a battle with Hideki Matsuyama down the stretch in the SBS Tournament of Champions. Thomas responded with a defining shot in his young career, an 8-iron approach he ripped from 214 yards to 3 feet on the 17th.

Matsuyama, one shot behind and needing birdie to stay in the game, ran his 30-foot putt about 8 feet by the hole and three-putted for bogey. Thomas knocked in his short putt for a three-shot lead, and he went on to another birdie for a 4-under 69 and a three-shot victory.

Thomas won for the second time this season, and third time in his career. His other two PGA Tour titles were at the CIMB Classic in Malaysia.

Matsuyama holed a tough flop shot on the 14th for eagle, and then Thomas hooked a 4-iron into the hazard on the par-5 15th and made double bogey. Matsuyama had a chance to tie him until narrowly missing a 10-foot birdie on the 16th. The 24-year-old from Japan closed with a 70.

Thomas is the only player to beat Matsuyama over the last three months. In his last six tournaments worldwide, Matsuyama had four victories and a pair of runner-up finishes _ both to Thomas, in Kuala Lumpur and Kapalua.

Thomas, who finished at 22-under 270, is the first multiple winner on the PGA Tour in a season that began last October. He moves to No. 12 in the world, a big victory that squarely moves him into the conversation of a growing list of young stars in golf.

All he could think about was next year.

“It changes things going forward because I know I’m coming back here,” Thomas said about the winners-only event along the rugged coast of Maui.

The scenery down the 18th toward the blue Pacific was never more spectacular for Thomas, along with the site of his parents off the 18th green who saw him win for the first time. His father, Mike Thomas, is a longtime head pro in Harmony Landing in Kentucky who is still his coach.

Canada’s Mackenzie Hughes finished the tournament in 25th spot at 6 under. The Dundas, Ont., native shot a 5-under 68 in the final round.

Jordan Spieth closed with a 65 to tie for third with Pat Perez (67) and Ryan Moore (71). Spieth and Jimmy Walker, came down to the 18th to congratulate the winner.

Thomas started the final round with a two-shot lead and no one got closer until his blunder on the 15th. One of the longest hitters in golf with his slight build, Thomas really did miss a shot until the ninth hole, and that’s when he got a huge break.

With the wind stiff and in his face, he got quick with his driver and hit a snap-hook into the knee-high weeds left of the fairway. He hit a provisional for a lost ball and was about ready to abandon the search when a TV spotter was summoned to give an indication where it went. They found the ball, and it was sitting up a few inches above the roots, allowing Thomas to at least hack out into the fairway.

He followed with a 3-wood onto the green for a two-putt par after starting with a shot that made double bogey appear likely.

Thomas made a 10-foot birdie putt on the 13th for a five-shot lead and appeared to have the tournament in hand. But then Matsuyama answered with his flop shot for eagle. Thomas, haunted by poor shots on the 15th hole the previous two rounds, picked the wrong time to try to atone for it.

He had left an 8-iron well out to the right, below the elevated green. This time, with a strong wind out of the left, he overcompensated with a 4-iron and went into the hazard. After a penalty drop, he failed to reach the green, chipped up to 8 feet and missed to walk off with double bogey.

“I stumbled more than I would have liked to do,” Thomas said. “But it shows where my game is at right now. I had some woes there, but I stuck it out to still get it done.”

One big shot on the 17th changed everything.

Spieth, his best friend in golf since they were teenager, expected this to be just the start for Thomas.

“I think it’s potentially floodgates opening,” Spieth said. “The guy hits it forever. He’s got a really, really nifty short game. He manages the course well. He’s playing the golf course the way it should be played, and honestly, he’s taking advantage of the easier holes.

“It’s awesome to see,” Spieth said. “He’s going to be tough to beat next week, too.”

Both head over to Oahu for the Sony Open.

KAPALUA, Hawaii – With one powerful swing, Justin Thomas drove the 14th green and made eagle to take control Saturday in the SBS Tournament of Champions.

Thomas holed the 20-foot eagle putt and closed with a two-putt birdie from just short of the green on the par-5 18th for a third straight round of 6-under 67, giving him a two-shot lead over Hideki Matsuyama of Japan.

Matsuyama, who had eight birdies in his round of 66, has won four of his last five tournaments worldwide dating to Oct. 16 at the Japan Open. The only player to beat him during that amazing stretch was Thomas at the CIMB Classic at Malaysia.

This time, they will be in the final group at Kapalua.

Thomas was at 18-under 201, and while he was pleased with his score and the lead, he had a chance to build even more separation. Following his eagle on the 14th, he smashed another drive that caught the slope on the par-5 15th and rolled to the bottom of the hill, a 348-yard drive that left him only 180 yards to the elevated green. But his shot was a clunker coming out of the short rough, and while he hit a tough pitch to 6 feet, he read a fraction too much break in the putt and had to settle for par.

On the short 16th, he pounded another drive within 60 yards of the pin, but his wedge came up well short and he missed from 15 feet.

“I’m definitely not disappointed with today, but I left a lot out there,” Thomas said.

He did enough to shorten the number of challengers in the winners-only field that starts the new year at Kapalua. Only five players were within five shots of the lead going into the final round.

Matsuyama made three birdies over his last five holes to get into the final group as he goes for his fourth straight victory

“Just doesn’t have any weaknesses at all in his game,” Matsuyama said. “He hits it long, has a marvelous short game, putts well, hits the ball well. We’ve got to go low tomorrow to be able to catch him.”

Memorial winner William McGirt, one of 11 players playing the Plantation course at Kapalua for the first time, played bogey-free for a 66 and was four shots behind, along with Ryan Moore (71) and Jimmy Walker (70).

Moore was tied for the lead until Thomas drove the 14th green for his eagle and Moore missed a 15-foot birdie putt. On the next hole, Moore’s tee shot plugged into the steep face of a bunker and he had no choice but to pitch out sideways, leading to another bogey.

Brendan Steele had a 67 and was at 13-under 206.

Dustin Johnson had a 69 and was in the group seven shots back. Jason Day, playing for the first time since the Tour Championship, was eight back.

Playing alongside Jordan Spieth, Mackenzie Hughes posted an even-par 73 to sit at 1-under par overall in a three-way tie for 29th.

Spieth had another double bogey, this time on his second hole, and shot 70. He was 10 shots back.

GREAT EXUMA, Bahamas – Eight Canadians will be among the 132 competitors teeing it up in Sunday’s Web.com Tour season opener at Sandals Emerald Bay.

The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Emerald Bay takes place at the Greg Norman-designed Emerald Reef Course and will run from Jan. 8-11.

Canadians in the field:

• Ryan Yip (Calgary)
• Adam Svensson (Surrey, B.C.)
• Justin Shin (Maple Ridge, B.C.)
• Corey Conners (Listowel, Ont.)
• Taylor Pendrith (Richmond Hill, Ont.)
• Roger Sloan (Merritt, B.C.)
• Albin Choi (Toronto)
• Adam Cornelson (Langley, B.C.)

Click here for live scoring.

KAPALUA, Hawaii  – Ryan Moore and Justin Thomas finished strong Friday and shared the lead going into the weekend at the SBS Tournament of Championship.

Moore birdied four of his last five holes, including a pair of wedges that he stuffed into tap-in range on the 16th and 18th holes that carried him to a 6-under 67. He played in the same group with Thomas, who birdied his last two holes for a 67.

They were at 12-under 134, one shot ahead of Patrick Reed (65) and Jimmy Walker (70).

As many as six players were tied for the lead at one point on another picturesque afternoon along the rugged coast of Maui. One of them was Hideki Matsuyama, going for his fourth straight victory worldwide, until he tried to clear the gorge on the 17th from thick rough and paid for it. He made double bogey, and a birdie on the last hole for a 68 – his 12th straight round in the 60s on the PGA Tour – left him three shots behind.

Reed is still struggling with an illness and learned the limits of what he can do when not playing so well. He hit every green in regulation, missed only one fairway and posted a 65.

Walker, who had a two-shot lead after the opening round, saw too many putts burn the edge of the cup. He finally dropped a shot on the 17th when he choked down to the shaft of a wedge from thick rough and didn’t reach the green. A birdie on the final hole still kept him right in the mix to atone for a playoff loss at Kapalua two years ago.

Jordan Spieth also was in the mix, but only briefly. The defending champion ran off nine birdies, five of them after taking a double bogey on the par-3 eighth hole. But he hooked a tee shot into the hazard on the 17th, hit his next into another hazard and missed a 4-foot putt to take triple bogey. Spieth shot a 69 and was seven shots back.

Jason Day, the world No. 1 who is playing for the first time since September, had a 69 and was five shots behind.

Moore is coming off the best part of his career last season. He won the John Deere Classic, lost in a playoff at the Tour Championship, was the final captain’s pick for his first Ryder Cup and made the putt that clinched the cup for the Americans.

He still feels like the same player, though the narrative has changed. He’s now a Ryder Cup player, and he’d like to pile up more victories.

Moore had a pair of three-putts early in the round, both from long range and one of them on a par 5, but he found his groove with a 25-foot birdie putt on the 12th hole. That carried him to his big finish. The only hole he didn’t birdie was at No. 17, where his 12-footer lipped out.

Thomas, determined to be more accurate off the tee this year, tied for the lead with a tee shot into 3 feet on the par-3 11th, and he appeared to escape trouble on the par-5 15th when he was able to slash his second shot out of the hazard. But he came up short of the elevated green and still left with a bogey, which feels worse as long as he hits it.

But he holed a 15-foot putt on the 17th, and his pitch from short of the 18th green settled 6 feet away for another birdie.

As many as six players were tied for the lead at one point. One of them was Hideki Matsuyama, going for his fourth straight victory, until he took double bogey on the 17th. He settled for a 68 and was three behind.

Canada’s Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., carded a 72 (-1) to remain in a tie for 28th. Hughes, the lone Canadian in the field, will tee-it-up Saturday alongside Jordan Spieth at 10:40 am (local time).

KAPALUA, Hawaii – With a chance to take the lead at Kapalua, Jimmy Walker missed in the one spot he was trying to avoid.

The way he was hitting his wedges Thursday, it really didn’t matter.

Walker hit a tough pitch to a tight pin on the elevated green to 3 feet for birdie on the par-5 15th, and he nearly holed a lob wedge from 78 yards on the final hole for an 8-under 65 that gave him a two-shot lead in the SBS Tournament of Champions.

He’s still three days away from atoning for a playoff loss to Patrick Reed two years ago at Kapalua, though it was an ideal start for the PGA champion in ideal conditions on the west end of Maui, except for a short burst of pineapple showers.

Jim Herman got in one last round with his former employer – President-elect Donald Trump – a few days before Christmas, then came out to the Plantation course where he once got in a round of golf in tennis shoes and rental clubs while on his honeymoon.

Herman, a former assistant at Trump National, was 6 under through 13 holes when his round stalled. Even with four wedges in hand over the final five holes, he had to settle for pars and a 67.

Justin Thomas and Ryan Moore also were at 67.

In his first PGA TOUR tournament of 2017, Canada’s Mackenzie Hughes finished with an opening even-par 73 to sit in a two-way tie for 28th. The Dundas, Ont., native will tee-off Friday at 10:20 am local time alongside Cody Gribble.

In his first competition in three months, Jason Day had a pair of three-putts but still managed a 70. Defending champion Jordan Spieth wasn’t so fortunate. He never got his putter going, turned a birdie into bogey on the 15th and had to birdie the final hole for a 72.

Walker had the Tournament of Champions in hand two years ago until Reed holed out from a fairway to start an unlikely rally and won in a playoff. Walker won the following week on Oahu at the Sony Open for the second straight time.

“I love the scenery. I’m a very visual person, so I enjoy looking out and watching the whales when I’m walking around. Just a pretty place,” Walker said. “Everybody’s in a good mood. I love stepping off the plane and the air is just awesome. Something does it for me here.”

Walker was curious about a short club in his bad when he came to Kapalua, though it wasn’t any of his wedges or his putter.

He was so determined to be more accurate off the tee that Walker cut 2 inches off his driver while at home at Texas during the off-season. He liked the way it felt and had Titleist make him one without the duct tape. Hitting fairways is not a big issue on the expansive Plantation Course, though it showed his willingness to go old school to fix a longtime problem. This driver is 42 inches, just an inch shorter that a typical driver a generation ago.

“I didn’t bring anything else, so this is the club I’ve got with me,” he said. “This is a tough golf course for that because it’s such a big place and you want to just kill it, and I had to keep reminding myself today why I put it in and why did it to hit the fairway, hit the middle of the fairway.”

He was in the middle of the fairway on the 15th with caddie Andy Sanders reminding him to hit it hard, that through the green was better that leaving it at the bottom of a deep swale to the right. But with the ball below his feet, and the wind coming out of the left, he wound up bailing out.

“That was probably my favourite wedge shot,” Walker said.

Daniel Berger made bogey on the par-5 18th and was at 68, along with Jason Dufner. The group at 69 included Dustin Johnson and Hideki Matsuyama, who is going after his fourth consecutive victory worldwide.

Herman qualified by winning the Shell Houston Open and brought back strong memories.

He abandoned the mini-tours, took a job at Trump’s course in Bedminster, New Jersey and got married. The honeymoon was a cruise around the Hawaiian Islands, and he had seen enough of Kapalua that when the ship stopped on Maui, Herman headed for the Plantation course.

“I see the pictures on our computer all the time,” he said.

Herman never imagined returning as a PGA Tour winner, but what a journey. He became Trump’s regular partner, Trump encouraged him and helped back one last bid to play professionally, he finally got to the big leagues and made it back to Kapalua.

The round with Trump was just before Christmas. They were partners. They won. Not much changed.

“He’s the same guy to me,” Herman said. “But now I get to call him Mr. President.”

SAN DIEGO – Tiger Woods is starting the new year at a familiar place – Torrey Pines, where he has won eight times as a pro.

The Farmers Insurance Open announced Wednesday that Woods has committed to playing Jan. 26-29. It will be his first official PGA Tour event since he tied for 10th in the Wyndham Championship in August 2015.

Woods also committed to the Honda Classic, which is near his home in Florida.

Woods missed all of 2016 recovering from two back surgeries, returning last month at the Hero World Challenge. He finished 15th in a 17-man field in the Bahamas.

He won the PGA Tour event at Torrey Pines seven times, and his last major victory was at Torrey Pines in the 2008 U.S. Open.

Woods previously announced he would play in the Genesis Open at Riviera, three weeks after Torrey Pines. Still to be determined is whether he makes an overseas appearance, and how much he will play before the Masters.

He likely will return to the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, but Woods isn’t eligible for two World Golf Championships during the March run to Augusta National.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. AND SAN FRANCISCO – Following a successful live streaming collaboration during the 2016 FedExCup Playoffs, the PGA TOUR has announced that Twitter will be the exclusive global platform to distribute, on a free basis, more than 70 hours of live competition coverage across 31 tournaments through the remainder of the 2016-17 Season.

Twitter will begin live streaming at the CareerBuilder Challenge on January 19 and conclude at the season-ending TOUR Championship. Coverage typically will include the first 60 to 90 minutes from the early Thursday and Friday morning hours of PGA TOUR LIVE’s Over-The-Top (OTT) subscription window, on a global basis. This coverage will include pre-game analysis, interviews, range coverage, and live competition from the first two holes of each day’s PGA TOUR LIVE Marquee Groups.

The live streams will be available globally to Twitter’s logged-in and logged-out audience on Twitter and connected devices and can be found at www.PGATourLive.twitter.com and on @PGATour. The partnership also includes opportunities for advertisers, including packages with television style mid-roll spots, combined with original clips produced by the PGA TOUR, available for sponsorship and promotion on Twitter.

The partnership also includes an extension of the PGA TOUR and Twitter’s Amplify program, with PGA TOUR increasing its highlight videos and regular content creation across Twitter and Periscope.

“Twitter and the PGA TOUR have been working together on Twitter Amplify for many years now, and the program has been a tremendous success for both companies,” said Rick Anderson, Chief Media Officer of the PGA TOUR. “Streaming PGA TOUR LIVE programming to Twitter’s global audience, as well as the millions of users who follow @PGATOUR and hundreds of PGA TOUR player accounts, will provide new and innovative ways for sports fans to engage with our premium OTT offering.”

The PGA TOUR teamed with Twitter to offer portions of PGA TOUR LIVE’s premium window during the opening rounds of the first two events of the 2016 FedExCup Playoffs.

For more information on the RBC Canadian Open, visit www.rbccanadianopen.com.