NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. – Brilliant sunshine and high temperatures welcomed Michael Mercier to the final round of the 2016 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship at Grand Niagara Golf Club. The Juno Beach, Fla., native fought through the intense heat to claim Canada’s national senior title.

Mercier began the day with a share of first alongside Dave Schultz of Calgary, but a five-birdie, 2-under 70 propelled him to victory.

“Today, I didn’t quite strike the ball as well as I was striking it the first three days. The first three days, I hit the ball very well, only missed a few greens over a total of three days, but I struggled a little bit putting. Today, I didn’t hit it that well, but I kind of figured out my putter last night on the practice green. I got the stroke and it freed up a little today. I putted much better today and I hit it good enough to get by.”

The 58-year-old is the tournament’s 54^th champion. With frequent visits to Canada and a number of ties to the country, Mercier spoke fondly of being its newest senior champion.

“It means a lot because Canada is somewhat dear to my heart since my great-grandfather came from here,” reflected the winner. “And apparently, I still have many cousins out there named Mercier up in the Montreal area that I’m related to. Because of that and the great spirit of the Canadian people, [my wife] Andrea and I, when we come up here every summer, it’s a real pleasure to come here. Because of that, Canada is more than just a stop for me to play golf in a great national championship, it’s like a second home to me.”

In addition to claiming the national senior title, Mercier has earned entry into the 2016 U.S. Senior Amateur championship to be contested from September 17-22 at Old Warson Country Club in St. Louis, Mo. Despite only learning of the exemption moments after his final putt, Mercier was buoyed by the victory and looks forward to the challenge ahead.

“When I’ve won in the past, I’ve gained some confidence,” explained Mercier. “I played okay earlier in the year, but in July and August, I hadn’t really played very well, so I started to lose some confidence. And then I could tell, my confidence started coming back during the second round because I started hitting some good shots and I was able to get up on some of the tougher holes and drive the ball a little more precise with confidence. I’m sure – I won’t know until next week when I go down to the U.S. Senior Amateur – but I know I’ll have more confidence than I came here with which will be a big help.”

Finishing in second-place was James Gallagher of Yorktown, Va. The 58-year-old collected four birdies, but fell shy of his goal by two strokes. Claiming shares of third at 2-under were Brady Exber of Las Vegas and Camrose, Alta., native Frank Van Dornick.

Van Dornick, Schultz and Brian Brown of Nanton, Alta., captured the inter-provincial team championship which was contested concurrently over the tournament’s two opening rounds. The trio claimed a nine-stroke victory over Team Manitoba.

Also played alongside the championship’s first 36-holes was the Super Senior division. John Gallacher of Burnaby, B.C., posted back-to-back 72s to secure a six-stroke victory in the 65-and-over competition.

The 2017 edition of the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship will be hosted at Kanawaki Golf Club in Montréal from September 11-14.

Additional information regarding the 2016 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship is available here.

CARMEL, Ind. – U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson doesn’t care about the physics behind his new putter. Seeing more putts drop is enough for him.

Johnson made two eagles in a span of seven holes, shot 31 on the back nine and set the course record at Crooked Stick on Friday with a 9-under 63 that gave him a share of the lead with Roberto Castro in the BMW Championship.

Johnson didn’t even know he set the course record until Tony Pancake, the golf director at Crooked Stick, congratulated him on the way to the clubhouse.

“I guess no one was ever better than 63,” Johnson said with a shrug and a smile.

Castro was the first player to reach 14-under 130 on the rain-softened course. He kept bogeys off his card, rolled in a pair of 30-foot putts and had another 65 in his last-minute bid to get to the Tour Championship at East Lake, just 15 minutes from his house.

Castro is at No. 53 in the FedEx Cup and only the top 30 make it to the FedEx Cup finale at East Lake and a shot at the $10 million bonus.

Paul Casey, who had the 54-hole lead last week at the TPC Boston until finishing two shots behind Rory McIlroy, had a 66 and was three shots behind.

Johnson has one of the most consistent years with 12 finishes in the top 10, along with victories in the U.S. Open and a World Golf Championship at Firestone. Even so, frustration began to set in when the putts stopped falling, so he switched to the TaylorMade Spider.

“I was just struggling to get the ball to come out on the line I was seeing,” Johnson said. “No matter what I did, how much I practiced, training aids, whatever. It just wasn’t working. So just decided to switch it up.”

When asked about the physics involved, Johnson said, “I don’t go into that stuff _ as long as it goes where I’m looking.”

That said, he did point out he took physics in high school. “I got an ‘A,’ too, bud.”

Johnson already was virtually assured of being among the top five going into the Tour Championship, meaning he only has to win at East Lake to win the FedEx Cup. Along with what he described as “10 million reasons” why he wants to win, other rewards are available. He already is regarded a favourite for PGA Tour player of the year, and he is likely to move ahead of Jason Day in the Vardon Trophy race for the lowest scoring average.

Castro opened a big lead early with three straight birdies on the front nine, and for the longest time, it looked as though no one could catch him.

Johnson holed out a bunker shot for eagle on No. 9, narrowly missed a 45-foot eagle putt on the 11th hole and then surged into the lead. He made a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-3 13th, rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt on the next hole and then made an eagle putt from 25 feet on the 15th.

Johnson has 11 victories on the PGA Tour, including a major and a three World Golf Championships.

Castro has gone 125 starts on the PGA Tour without a victory, and he doesn’t hit nearly as long as Johnson _ not many do. Crooked Stick is renowned for favouring big hitters, whether it was John Daly at the 1991 PGA Championship or McIlroy four years ago after a week of rain that made the course even longer.

That didn’t seem to faze Castro.

“It’s a big course. It keeps your attention, which I think helps me,” Castro said. “I think if you look at the tour, it sure helps to be long. But the guy who is striping it usually wins. Couple of my best weeks have come on really long golf courses.”

David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., shot a 1-over 73 to fall to 4 under and 19th place.

J.B. Holmes, who finished 10th in the Ryder Cup standings and is in need of a captain’s pick to make his second U.S. team, shot 30 on the back nine and made a strong run at Castro until he was slowed by a bogey on the par-3 third hole and at the par-5 ninth. He wound up with a 65 and was four shots behind, along with Chris Kirk.

Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson also needs a pick, and he delivered a 67 to at least get in the top 10.

McIlroy stalled with three bogeys on his back nine for a 71. Jordan Spieth shot 72 with four bogeys and a double bogey when he pulled a shot into the creek on the 14th. He bounced back with an eagle on the next hole, but there were too many mistakes. They were at 4-under 140, 10 shots out of the lead. Day, the world No. 1, joined them after a 67.

Ridgeway, Ont. – Greenwich, Connecticut’s David Pastore shot a 4-under 67 on Friday at the Cherry Hill Club on Friday to take the 36-hole lead at the Niagara Championship, the 11th event of the 2016 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

The 24-year old Virginia Tech grad, who has been sidelined with a wrist injury for most of the 2016 season, birdied five of six holes on the back nine to reach 9-under overall, one stroke ahead of Plano, Texas’ Paul McConnell heading into the weekend.

“This is kind of new territory for me. I’ve never had the lead before,” said Pastore, who sits 143rd on the Order of Merit and needs a good week to make it into the top 60 and next week’s Freedom 55 Financial Championship. “The goal is to get to London next week, so I really don’t have much to lose this week. I’m happy at this point just to be on the course playing. It’s nice to be playing and playing well.”

Coming off a season where he finished 31st on the Order of Merit with four top-10 finishes, Pastore is looking to make up for lost time earlier this year and build off momentum he gained in 2015.

“Last year was my first year as a pro, and I played consistent,” said Pastore, adding that seeing his peers go on to success on the Web.com Tour boosted his confidence. “I didn’t have any top-5s, but I finished fifth in scoring average. Seeing what some of the other guys have done on the Web.com Tour and to know that I scored lower on average than a lot of those guys definitely gave me confidence and the belief that if I kept doing what I’m doing what I was doing last year would help me get there.”

With six players within two shots of the lead heading to the weekend, Pastore said he would try to stay aggressive, knowing the field won’t stay at bay and low scores will come from behind.

“I think it’s natural to kind of play safe or maybe be a little hesitant, so I’m going to remind myself to be aggressive. I tend by nature to be a little risk-averse, so I’m going to try and keep making birdies because I know I’m going to have to,” said Pastore.

A shot further behind McConnell in a four-way tie for third were Victoria, B.C.’s Cory Renfrew, Brewster, New York’s Mike Miller, Jacksonville, Florida’s Colin Monagle and Order of Merit No. 5 Aaron Wise of Lake Elsinore, California.

CARMEL, Ind. – Roberto Castro wants nothing more than to go home to Atlanta, and he took a soggy step in the right direction Thursday in the BMW Championship.

Castro was just as good before the rain as he was after the storms cleared at Crooked Strick, running off eight birdies until a bogey on his last hole for a 7-under 65 and the temporary lead.

Storms and heavy rain caused a 3 1/2-hour delay and changed the nature of Crooked Stick from fast and firm to greens that were soft and accessible. The delay meant that just under half the 69-man field finished the round.

The first round was to resume at 8 a.m. Friday, with more bad weather in the forecast.

Brian Harman got right back into gear. He was in position to potentially lock up his spot in the Tour Championship until closing with a 77 from the final group at the TPC Boston on Monday. He opened with a 66, with an eagle on the par-5 15th hole and no bogeys on his card.

U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson was within one shot of the lead until he sent his drive into the lake to the right of the 18th fairway and made bogey, giving him a 67 along with Jason Dufner.

Among those still on the course, Chris Kirk was at 5 under at the turn, while Hideki Matsuyama, Paul Casey and Adam Scott were at 4 under on the back nine. Casey had the 54-hole lead last week at the TPC Boston.

Castro went to Georgia Tech and still lives in Atlanta, about 15 minutes from East Lake. That’s the destination for everyone in the field trying to get into the top 30 in the FedEx Cup and advance to the Tour Championship for a shot at the $10 million bonus.

Castro, who has yet to win on the PGA Tour, made it to the Tour Championship in 2013 with a pair of top 10s in the playoffs.

“I told myself the last two weeks really to play like I had nothing to lose, and to make a bunch of birdies is a good way to start,” Castro said. “Sure, it’s a hometown tournament for me. It’s the hardest one to get to, unfortunately, but it’s still a great tournament. I would love to be back.”

He is at No. 53 in the FedEx Cup and likely would need to finish fourth at Crooked Stick to have a chance.

The BMW Championship is back at Crooked Stick for the first time since 2012, when Rory McIlroy won on a rain-softened course. This time, it was blazing hot during the pro-am Wednesday and players had a look at how tough it could play – at least until the rain.

Jason Day played a wedge out of the rough on the second hole, landed it some 30 feet short of the pin and watched it race across the green and into thick rough. After the delay, it was an entirely different golf course. Patrick Reed, who is leading the FedEx Cup, hit a short iron out of dense rough that plopped down 12 feet from the cup.

The course could be attacked, and that’s what the players did.

McIlroy, coming off a victory at the TPC Boston, was at 3 under through 10 holes. Jordan Spieth was at 2 under, both birdies on par 5s on the front nine.

But it was another struggle for Rickie Fowler, bidding for a Ryder Cup captain’s pick. After squandering a chance to make the U.S. team at The Barclays, Fowler was in the middle of the pack at the Deutsche Bank Championship and opened the BMW Championship with a 75.

Bubba Watson, also hopeful of a pick, was 1 under through 13 holes. He followed three straight birdies with three straight bogeys on the front nine.

Day, meanwhile, is set for the Tour Championship and assured of being in the top five in the FedEx Cup, meaning he would only have to win at East Lake to claim the cup and its lucrative bonus. The Australian looked out of sorts after the rain delay, however, missing fairways, missing greens and missing putts. The frustration mounted on the 16th green when he flipped his ball into the water after his third bogey on the back nine.

Day’s biggest putt came on the next hole, however, a birdie from 25 feet that he struck before Reed could even mark his ball. It stopped his slide, sure. But it allowed him to head over to the 18th tee and hit his shot to make sure that his group finished before the horn sounded to stop play.

Ridgeway, Ont. – Texas’ Paul McConnell shot an 8-under 63 Thursday at the Cherry Hill Club to set the competitive course record and take the first round lead at the Niagara Championship, the 11th event of the 2016 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

The 25-year old University of Texas at Arlington grad fought through 40 km/h winds that gusted north of 60 km/h with nine birdies on the day to build a one stroke lead over California’s Manav Shah after one round at Cherry Hill.

“It was very good. I was making putts and playing solid,” said McConnell, who hit a masterful spinning pitch on 18 to set up a short birdie putt and shoot the new course record, besting a 64 posting earlier in the day by Shah. “I wanted to carry the little slope in the front, and I just opened the face and trusted it.”

McConnell has produced a steady season in 2016, with three top-25s in 10 starts. Earlier this year at the SIGA Dakota Dunes Open, he held the first round lead with an 8-under 64, an experience the second year Mackenzie Tour member said would help him sleep on the lead Thursday night.

“I’m going to try and not think about it too much and just play like I did today,” said McConnell, who went on to finish T24 in Saskatoon, of the experience of topping the leaderboard. “The putts might not drop like today, but I’ll keep fighting.”

At 45th on the Order of Merit, McConnell is all but assured of a spot in the top 60 on the Order of Merit and next week’s season-ending Freedom 55 Financial Championship, and has his sights set on a leg up in the quest to reach the Web.com Tour next season.

“I should be good for London, but those thresholds of top-20, top-10 on the Order of Merit, those are good goals to finish well enough and try and get into that position,” said McConnell.

Earlier, Shah carded an eagle at the 18th hole to shoot 64, while Novi, Michigan’s Wes Gates was a shot further behind with a 6-under 65.

GARDEN CITY, Kansas – Dana Finkelstein (Chandler, Arizona) was using the wrong side of her pin sheet at the start of her round, but she was able to laugh about it after her stellar 7-under, 65 to match the Garden City Charity Classic course record, which was set earlier in the day by Jennifer Ha of Calgary.

Finkelstein and Ha each tallied eight birdies against just one bogey to lead at Buffalo Dunes on Thursday. Olympian Stephanie Meadow (Jordanstown, Northern Ireland) and former LSU golfer Lindsay Gahm (Louisville, Kentucky) share third at 4-under, 68. Last week’s winner, Nelly Korda (Bradenton, Florida), posted a 3-under, 69 and is in a tie for fifth with Michelle Piyapattra (Eastvale, California) and Tracy Stanford (Midland, Texas).

Ha has played the last two weeks on the LPGA Tour during the Canadian swing and used the momentum to post a 7-under, 65.

“In a tournament, this was my best round of the year,” said Ha, who breaks the record shared by Vicky Hurst and Laetitia Beck. “I started off really well with two pars and then three birdies in a row and that kick-started me to a good round today.”

Ha, 22, had to do some scrambling as she hit 9-of-14 fairways, but used a hot flatstick to make up for it. She attempted just 27 putts during her round.

“I hit some errant tee shots today, but I hit a lot of shots inside 20 feet and my putter was working,” said Ha. “When I left myself with 15-20 feet, I was able to make them.”

Ha has played in eight Symetra Tour events this season and has one top 10 finish, a tie for seventh at the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship. She posted back-to-back rounds of 69 before the tourney was shortened to 36 holes due to weather.

The former Kent State star spent the last two weeks playing on the LPGA Tour at the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open and the Manulife LPGA Classic. She said she learned a lot and the experience is helping her this week.

“It definitely gave me more confidence going into these rounds thinking that I can play on the LPGA,” said Ha, who missed the cut in both events, but still posted a 71 and a 72. “I played with Maria McBride and she was awesome.

When we talked, she gave me so much confidence and that is what I needed going into this week.

Ha, who was the MAC Golfer of the Year as a junior and First-Team All-MAC as a senior at Kent State, said her first year on Tour has been an adjustment.

“There are so many good players that can shoot 7-under, 8-under every week,” said Ha. “It is definitely hard to keep up.”

Ha ranks 113th on the Volvik Race for the Card money list so her major goal is to play well heading into Stage II of LPGA Qualifying Tournament, which is Oct. 17-23.

She also likes Buffalo Dunes and feels like it suits her game.

“It’s a pretty tough course, the rough is long so if you go in the rough it is penalizing, but thankfully I didn’t,” said Ha. “The greens definitely hold here and I love being able to go at the pins.”

Mississauga, ONT. – Vivian Tsui said she only made one putt all week at the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada. But that one putt just happened to be for birdie on the first extra hole at Credit Valley Golf and Country Club.

The 22-year-old from Markham, Ont., poured in a 15-footer for birdie at Credit Valley’s tough 18th—the first playoff hole—to best Surrey, B.C.’s, Taylor Kim. With the playoff victory, Tsui joins the likes of Brooke Henderson, Lorie Kane, Alena Sharp and Gail Graham as winners of the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada.

“It’s really special to win this prestigious championship,” Tsui said. “All the names who have won this championship before are all legends in Canadian golf and it’s pretty cool that my name is now on that trophy too.”

For the win—her second as a professional—the former N.C. State University star takes home $10,000 and a lot of gained confidence.

“This win, with it coming so close to home and having my dad on the bag this week, will do a lot for my confidence,” Tsui said. “I’ve been in a bit of a rut the last couple weeks but this win solidifies that I still have a nice game.”

The PGA Women’s Championship of Canada was first played in 1987.

Christina Foster, Anna Kim and Nicole Vandermade finished T3, while five-time PGA Women’s Championship of Canada winner Lorie Kane, Lisa Ferrero and Camry Tardy was T6. Maya Parsons finished alone in 9th, while Robyn Doig rounded out the top 10.

Glendale Golf and Country Club’s Kyle Barros claimed low PGA of Canada professional honours.

For the full PGA Women’s Championship of Canada leaderboard, click here.

The next PGA of Canada national championship takes place Sept. 13-15 at The Golf Club at Lora Bay in Thornbury, Ont., for the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf.

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. – The stifling heat and humidity gave way to blustery winds on the third round of the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship. David Schultz battled the gusty conditions to move into a share of the lead alongside Michael Mercier.

A steady 2-under 70 saw Schultz of Calgary tally a trio of birdies, including two across a bogey-free back nine to move into a share of the lead at 3-under.

“It was a tough round,” said Schultz. “The wind was up today for sure and it created a lot of problems for everybody, but I kept it in play quite well. I actually hit a lot of iron shots close. I’m pretty frustrated with the way I putted – I could have gone really low today, but I was pretty happy with the way I played. Didn’t make many mistakes, so that was the key for sure.”

The 59-year-old is knotted alongside Michael Mercier of Juno Beach, Fla., who collected four birdies on the day. Schultz credited his hometown conditions for his performance.

“It fits me quite well,” he said when asked about the gusty day. “We play in a lot of wind in Calgary and I’m used to that. I play as good in the wind as I do when it’s not as windy. It just makes me hit some different shots and sometimes, I’m better hitting those shots. It was good for me.”

Schultz looks ahead positively to the final round, maintaining the need to stay the course and to keep composed.

“I think most of it is just playing the same way I have. I think I’ve got the right game plan and I know what shots I need to hit on the holes and just to be patient. It’s hard when you’re missing a few putts, but that’s what I’ve got to do – just not make a lot of mistakes. I’ll get down the stretch and see what happens.”

Trailing the co-leaders by two strokes at 1-under 215 are Schultz’s provincial teammate Frank Van Dornick of Camrose, Alta., and 36-hole leader Brady Exber of Las Vegas. Super Senior champion John Gallacher of Burnaby, B.C., James Gallagher from Yorktown, Va., and defending champion Jack Hall of Savannah, Ga., sit T5 at even-par.

Schultz, Van Dornick and Brian Brown of Nanton, Alta., claimed the inter-provincial team championship which was contested concurrently over the tournament’s two opening rounds. The Albertan trio claimed a nine-stroke victory over Team Manitoba.

Also played alongside the championship’s first 36-holes was the Super Senior division. Gallacher posted back-to-back 72s to secure a six-stroke victory in the 65-and-over competition.

The 2016 Men’s Senior champion will receive an exemption into the 2016 U.S. Senior Amateur championship to be contested at Old Warson Country Club in St. Louis, Mo., from September 17-22.

The final day of competition will begin with groups teeing off Nos. 1 and 10 at 7:30 a.m. ET. Additional information from the championship can be found here.

With three years of experience as a member of Team Canada’s Amateur Squad and four with the University of Houston Cougars under his belt, Blair Hamilton will make the jump to the professional ranks.

The decision comes following a 2016 campaign that featured a runner-up finish at the Jones Cup, four Top-10 NCAA finishes, and cracking the Top-20 in both the prestigious Monroe Invitational and Porter Cup.

“I’m really excited—it’s one of those things you dream about when you first get into the game,” said Hamilton of his transition. “I’ve had a lot of awesome experiences as an amateur and I’m ready to take the next step in my career.”

The Burlington, Ont., product will tee-it-up in his home province this week at the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s Niagara Championship from Sept. 8-11 at the Cherry Hill Club in Ridgeway, Ont.

“I think it’s the perfect place for my professional debut,” he said of the event, which is an hour away from his hometown. “It’s a great event and I’m hoping to show up and play the way I know I can.”

Hamilton enters the week with experience competing on the professional stage. He competed in the 2015 RBC Canadian Open, where he finished as low amateur, as well as the 2016 RBC Canadian Open earlier this summer. He also boasts a wealth of experience from competing in prestigious international events through the Team Canada program.

“Making the cut at the RBC Canadian Open was a huge highlight for me,” he said of his 2015 performance. “I also think back to the 2012 Toyota Junior Golf World Cup in Japan with the Development Squad, which was one of the most fun events I’ve ever played in.”

At 22 years of age, Hamilton is confident in his ability to perform at the highest level and was quick to thank the Team Canada program.

“I have nothing but awesome things to say about everyone involved with Team Canada—we have some of the best coaches and support staff in the world. Being able to learn as much as I did from them, you know, there’s no doubt I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support and experience they provided.”

Hamilton has signed with Mississauga-based, Higher Ground Sports Management Inc., to represent him as a professional. Higher Ground manages some of Canada’s top professional golfers including Adam Hadwin on the PGA TOUR, and LPGA Tour star Alena Sharp, who recently represented Canada at the Summer Olympics in Rio.

Following this week’s event, Hamilton plans to head south to compete in the Web.com Tour Qualifying School with hopes to earn status for the 2017 campaign.