Amateur Team Canada

Canada’s Hamilton & Rank advance to Round of 32 at U.S. Amateur

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Blair Hamilton (Jeff Haynes/ USGA)

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A pair of Canadians have advanced through to the Round of 32 on Wednesday at the 116th playing of the Men’s U.S. Amateur Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club.

Garrett Rank, the reigning Canadian Mid-Amateur champion, continues to perform at a high level despite balancing his time as a full-time NHL referee. The 47th seeded Elmira, Ont., native defeated American Benjamin Griffin 1up to advance to Thursday’s action. He’ll ride his momentum into play tomorrow against Kyler Dunkle at 9:10 am EDT.

Joining Rank is National Amateur Squad member Blair Hamilton of Burlington, Ont. Hamilton wowed fans with an ace on the par-3 9th for a sure win of the hole against opponent John Oda of Honolulu, Hawaii. The 22-year-old Team Canada vet went on to record a 4&2 victory. The University of Houston senior is geared to square off with Norman, Olka. product Brad Dalke at 10:00 am EDT.

Both remaining Canadians will look to accomplish what current Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Corey Conners did in 2014 when he finished runner-up—eventually going on to earn Top Amateur honours at The Masters.

Fellow countrymen Austin James (Bath, Ont.) and Team Canada’s Hugo Bernard (Mont-St-Hilaire, Que.) failed to advance past the opening round of match play.

The 2016 U.S. Amateur Championship consists of 36 holes of stroke play, followed by six rounds of match play, concluding with Sunday’s 36-hole championship.

Click here for live scoring.

Brooke Henderson Team Canada

Henderson salvages a 70 after challenging 1st round in Rio

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Brooke Henderson (Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

RIO DE JANEIRO – Brooke Henderson battled inconsistency in her first round at the Olympic Golf Course. Teammate Alena Sharp couldn’t seem to get a putt to drop.

Despite those challenges, the two Canadians managed to hang around the middle of the pack Wednesday on a hot, sunny and windy day at the Rio Games.

Henderson did well to finish at 1-under 70 after a rough start while Sharp bookended her round with birdies for a 72. They showed they have the potential to score well on a wide, hilly course that suits their games.

“The way both of them played, there’s a 65 or a 64 in both of them,” said Canadian coach Tristan Mullally. “That’s what you need to potentially get yourself back into contention.”


Canadian Rd. 1 Rio 2016 Interviews: Brooke Henderson – LISTEN  I  Alena Sharp – LISTEN


Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn opened with a 6-under-par 65 for a one-shot lead on Inbee Park and Seiyoung Kim of South Korea. Nicole Broch Larsen of Denmark was in a group of three players at 67 and American Lexi Thompson was in a four-way tie at 68.

“I wasn’t far off today,” Henderson said. “Just a couple mishit shots, a (bad) bunker lie, but that’s going to happen. You just have to move on, learn from it and make a better shot the next time.”

Henderson bogeyed the second hole and found the sand on No. 4 before settling for double bogey. She rebounded with an eagle on the 493-yard, par-5 fifth and added birdies on two of the next three holes.

“Many a player at three-over par through four holes would not recover from there,” Mullally said. “If anything she uses it as motivation to come back even stronger.

“She had a couple double bogeys today and still shot under par.”

The other double came on the 12th when she was well wide of the fairway and needed to hit a provisional ball. Henderson hit a 10-foot putt to avoid a rare triple bogey.

“I don’t see double bogeys on my card very often, which is a good thing,” she said. “But unfortunately I had two today.”

The third-ranked Henderson has enjoyed a strong season on the LPGA Tour with a pair of tournament victories, including her first major title at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

Her approach shots were a little off Wednesday as she hit only 12 of 18 greens in regulation.

“My putting was probably the best part of my game today,” she said. “I made a couple long ones for birdie, and then inside 10 feet, I was pretty clutch to save pars a couple times when I needed to, save bogey, save double-bogey a couple times.”

It was the opposite for Sharp, the world No. 81, who couldn’t seem to get her putter going.

She double-bogeyed the fifth hole and added a couple bogeys on the back nine before closing with a birdie.

“You saw some of the guys shoot seven under last week,” Sharp said. “I think it’s doable if you hit the right ridges. The way I’m hitting it right now, I can’t sit here and tell you that it’s out of the question for me.

“If I just get my putter hot, I’ll be good.”

Mullally, who split the day walking the 6,245-yard course with both Canadians, agreed with her.

“It’s hard to watch that kind of round, you feel bad for her because she’s played as well if not better than players shooting four or five under par but just doesn’t have the result for it,” he said.

Play continues through Saturday.

LPGA Tour

CP Has Heart events headline spectator activities at 2016 CP Women’s Open

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CALGARY – Golf Canada, Canadian Pacific (CP) and a host of partners have unveiled a listing of exciting events set to take place during the 2016 CP Women’s Open to be hosted at Priddis Greens Golf & Country Club from August 22 to 28.

The CP Has Heart Activity Zone will encompass several activities for spectators of all ages with funds raised going towards pediatric cardiac care and research at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. Throughout tournament week, fans can take part in the free CP Hole-in-One for Heart activity for their shot at great prizes, including a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. Participants who hit the green will have $50 donated on their behalf by CP.

Also housed within the CP Has Heart Activity Zone is the Long Putt Challenge which invites spectators to test their skills on a miniature replica of Priddis Greens’ beautiful 18th hole for a chance at a number of prizes. Funds collected from the $5 activity will be matched by CP.

The 2016 edition of CP Birdies for Heart will see CP donate $5,000 for every birdie made by a player on the 18th hole during tournament play. For $20, spectators can upgrade their tickets to enter the 18th Green CP Fan Zone to cheer on their favourite players. Premium covered seating, player meet-and-greets, giveaways and more await these fans. All funds collected will be matched by CP and donated to the Alberta Children’s Hospital.

Sure to be a fan-favourite event, WestJet’s Closest to the Pin Toss offers spectators the chance to win a flight for four. Fans can purchase mini-balls from WestJet volunteers around the course and then participate in a ball toss on the 18th green at the end of each tournament round, with all proceeds benefiting the Alberta Children’s Hospital.

Those of legal drinking age are invited to visit the Molson Canadian 67 19th Hole Beer Garden. Fans can take in the sights and sounds from the 44th playing of Canada’s National Women’s Open Golf Championship from a Muskoka Chair with a Molson Canadian 67 in hand. Spectators are welcome to try the iconic red Molson Canadian 67 “Chip in” fridge to win prizes, before sampling Molson Canadian 67’s newest offering, the Session IPA.

The CP Women’s Open will once again celebrate Canada’s Championship with Red and White Day on Friday, August 26. Players, families and fans are invited to wear their brightest reds and whitest whites to support Canadian golf.

Located in Spectator Village, in partnership with Alberta Golf, the Golf Canada Golf Zone offers free fun activities for the whole family. Fans can pose for a picture with the CP Women’s Open trophy or the 1904 Olympic Trophy, before enjoying a free bag of popcorn and signing-up for a free Golf Canada membership.

The 2016 CP Women’s Open is more than just 72 holes of world-class golf – it is one of Canada’s most historic sporting events with a number of activities for golf and sport enthusiasts both inside and outside the ropes. Spectator Village, with its fan-friendly activities from tournament supporting partners such as AutoCanada, SourPuss Nocturne, TaylorMade, Delta Calgary South, and the Canadian Armed Forces, promises to deliver an exciting experience for fans of all ages.

A full listing of events and activities can be found here.

Free Admission for Juniors and First Responders…

Golf Canada and CP are proud to offer free admission to the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open to any spectator aged 17-and-under. The free junior pass is available here. Parents of juniors can take advantage of discounted tickets by using the promotional code JUNIOR and clicking here.

As a small token of appreciation for all the valued work they do in the communities they serve, we’ve also extended a complimentary invitation to the CP Women’s Open to all Southern Alberta First Responders and their families.

Tickets…

Juniors – 17 & Under Free
First Responders Free
Early Week (Mon-Wed) $10.50
Anyday Grounds (Thurs-Sun) $31.50
Weekly (Mon-Sun) $78.75

First conducted in 1973, Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship has allowed the brightest stars of the LPGA Tour to shine on Canadian soil and inspire the nation’s next generation of female golfers.

Brooke Henderson Team Canada

Women’s golf podium may look younger than men’s

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International Golf Federation

The men’s Olympic Golf podium this past Sunday exuded experience and longevity with the likes of PGA TOUR veterans Justin Rose (gold), Henrik Stenson (silver) and Matt Kuchar (bronze).

The average age of the trio is 38 years old with Rose the youngest (36) and Stenson the oldest (40). Chances are the three women standing on the podium come Saturday will be a representation of youthful exuberance and a snapshot of the future of golf.

Almost every trend in women’s golf in recent years has pointed to the fearless crop of youngsters who have taken the game by storm.  And, it looks like the youth movement has made its way to the Reserva de Marapendi golf course this week in Barra da Tijuca.

The top three ranked players in the world are no older than 20 years old: No. 1 Lydia Ko (19), No. 2 Ariya Jutanugarn (20) and Canada’s own Brooke Henderson (18) and are all front runners this week in Rio. In the latest world rankings, seven of the top-10 players are 24 years old or younger.

Through the first 22 events on the LPGA Tour, 20 of them were won by players 23 years old or younger, while three teenagers have broken into the winners circle (Ko, Henderson and Minjee Lee).

India’s Aditi Ashok, a rookie on the Ladies European Tour, is the youngest in the field and will be 18 years, 4 months, 19 days on day one of competition. The average age of the 60 female players is 26.97 years old. Four players are under the age of 20 and only two are over the age of 40.

Also in contrast to the men, the ladies will have three amateur competitors this week versus none last week. Leona Maguire of Ireland, Albane Valenzuela of Switzerland and Tiffany Chan of Hong Kong will try to upstage the world’s best on the world’s biggest stage.

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Catriona Matthew is the oldest player in the Rio 2016 field at 46 years old.

 

NUMBERS TO KNOW:

  • 3 – Amateurs (Leona Maguire, Albane Valenzuela, Tiffany Chan)
  • 26.97 – Average age of the 60 Olympians in the field
  • 46 – Catriona Matthew is the oldest player at 46 years old
  • 18 – Aditi Ashok is the youngest player at 18 years old

PLAYERS BY AGE:

  • 4 – <20
  • 20 – 20-25
  • 20 – 26-30
  • 10 – 30-35
  • 4 – 36-40
  • 2 – 40+
Checking in with Team Canada

What’s in the bag – Hugo Bernard

What's in the bag - Hugo Bernard - Team Canada
Hugo Bernard

Hugo Bernard added to an impressive campaign this summer with a two-stroke victory at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship hosted at the Royal Ottawa Golf Club. Take a look at the Mont-St-Hilaire, Que., product’s equipment in the “what’s in the bag” segment below:

Amateur Canadian Men's Mid-Amateur Championship

Golf Château-Bromont set for Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship

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Golf Château-Bromont

BROMONT, Que. – The 2016 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship will be contested at Golf Château-Bromont from August 23 to 26. The nation’s top amateur golfers aged 25-and-over will vie for the title and an exemption into the 2017 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.

The Howard Watson and Graham Cooke designed par-72 course boasts a challenging layout with a breathtaking view of Mount Brome.

“Our course was designed by the first Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur champion and a true legend in our sport. We could not be more honoured to host this tournament,” said Host Club Tournament Chair Martin Ducharme.

Cooke of Hudson, Que., captured the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur title seven times between 1987 and 2002. He is among a group of five other players who have captured this championship on multiple occasions, including 2014 and 2015 winner Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont.

“The Mid-Am is such a great opportunity for Canadian amateurs to find success and experience on a national stage and we are excited to bring this talented field to Bromont,” said Tournament Director Justine Decock. “The course is beautiful and in great condition to draw out some exciting competition.”

A total of 38 players on the World Amateur Golf Rankings will be in attendance, led by World No. 118 Rank. The two-time champion claimed a seven-stroke victory at this national event in 2015 at Abercrombie Country Club in New Glasgow, N.S., and is coming off a T77 performance at the 2016 RBC Canadian Open and a T9 showing at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. The 28-year-old will be joined by three returning champions from the past five years.

Woodbridge, Ont., native Dave Bunker claimed three consecutive Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur titles from 2008-10, and claimed runner-up honours in 2015. The 51-year-old will also look to defend his 2015 Mid-Masters title in the competition’s 50-and-over division.

Rob Couture of Dallas, Texas emerged victorious in 2011 at Coppingwood Golf Club in Uxbridge, Ont., before collecting Top-5 finishes in each of the three following years.

Victoria’s Kevin Carrigan will compete in the national championship in which he claimed victory in 2012 at Vancouver’s Point Grey Golf & Country Club. The 30-year-old successfully defended the title in 2013 and will look to improve upon a T9 result from 2015.

Returning alongside Rank and Bunker are Michel Landry of Saint John, N.B., Michael Rutgers from Windsor, Ont., and Winnipeg’s Justin McDonald to form the Top-5 from 2015.

Golf Château-Bromont members Anthony Marandola of Bromont, Que., and Anthony Jacques of Granby, Que., will represent the host club. 2016 Quebec Men’s Mid-Amateur champion Sébastien Levasseur will also be in attendance. The product of Nicolet, Que., is eighth on the Quebec order of Merit and the highest-ranked local in the field.

Team Ontario will attempt to defend its title in the inter-provincial team competition which will take place over the first 36-holes of the championship. The 50-and-over Mid-Masters division will be contested concurrently with the tournament.

In addition to the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur title, the 2016 champion will receive an exemption into the 2017 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.

Additional information about the tournament, including the full field and tee-times is available here.

LPGA Tour

Final field announced for 2016 CP Women’s Open

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Lydia Ko (Chuck Russell/ Golf Canada)

CALGARY – Golf Canada in partnership with Canadian Pacific (CP) announced today the field of competitors set to challenge for the 2016 CP Women’s Open taking place August 22–28.

The 156 player field competing at Priddis Greens Golf and Country Club will feature the entire top 10, 46 of the top 50 and 96 of the top 100 on the LPGA Tour’s Official Money List.

The field also includes 34 Olympians, fresh off their experience in Rio, where women are competing in Olympic golf competition for the first time since 1900.

World No. 1 and three-time champion Lydia Ko will look to defend her CP Women’s Open title against a stellar field of the LPGA’s best, including world No. 2 Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand and Canada’s own Brooke Henderson, who is currently ranked No 3. in the world.

LPGA stars Stacy Lewis, Suzann Pettersen, Anna Nordqvist, Michelle Wie, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Karrie Webb, Morgan Pressel, Ai Miyazato, Azahara Munoz, Brittany Lincicome, Shanshan Feng, Na Yeon Choi, Sandra Gal, Charley Hull and Jessica Korda will all challenge the world’s top-3 in Calgary.

“We are thrilled to welcome the world’s best to Calgary for the 2016 CP Women’s Open,” said Tournament Director Brent McLaughlin. “In addition to welcoming a stellar field, together with our proud partners at CP, we look forward to raising significant charitable dollars in the community through the CP Has Heart campaign supporting a very important cause.”

The Alberta Children’s Hospital is the official charity beneficiary of the 2016 CP Women’s Open. All funds raised through the tournament will support pediatric cardiac care and research at the Hospital.

The field of 156 competitors will vie for the US$2.25 million purse as the championship returns to Priddis Greens for the first time since 2009, when Norway’s Suzann Pettersen earned her second-ever LPGA Tour victory. The 2016 winner’s share is $337,500.

“The CP Women’s Open is not only set to feature arguably the strongest field on the LPGA Tour, but also the very best rising talents in Canadian and international golf,” added McLaughlin. “Golf fans are sure to be treated to an unbelievable showcase of world-class golf.”

Brooke Henderson, a three-time LPGA winner, will be joined by a strong group of Canadian talent. Among those players are fellow Olympian Alena Sharp of Hamilton, 2016 Canadian Golf Hall of Fame inductee Lorie Kane, Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C., and Maude-Aimee LeBlanc of Sherbrooke, Que.

Last week, Golf Canada and CP announced that two Calgary natives, Team Canada Amateur Squad member Jaclyn Lee and newly-turned pro Jennifer Ha, would be receiving exemptions into the field.

In all, 16 Canadians are set to compete at the 2016 CP Women’s Open.
On Monday, August 22, the LPGA Tour will conduct an 18-hole stroke play qualifier at the Hamptons Golf Club in Calgary to determine the final four exemptions directly into the 2016 CP Women’s Open.

A full field list of players confirmed to compete in the 2016 CP Women’s Open is available by clicking here.

Free Admission for Juniors and First Responders…

Golf Canada and CP are proud to offer free admission to the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open to any spectator aged 17-and-under. Parents of juniors can take advantage of discounted tickets by using the promotional code JUNIOR and clicking here.

As a small token of appreciation for all the valued work they do in the communities they serve, we’ve also extended a complimentary invitation to the CP Women’s Open to all Southern Alberta First Responders and their families.

Tickets…

Juniors – 17 & Under Free
First Responders Free
Early Week (Mon-Wed) $10.50
Anyday Grounds (Thurs-Sun) $31.50
Weekly (Mon-Sun) $78.75

First conducted in 1973, Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship has allowed the brightest stars of the LPGA Tour to shine on Canadian soil and inspire the nation’s next generation of female golfers.

Brooke Henderson Team Canada

Henderson and her unique swing are ready for Olympic debut

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Brooke Henderson (Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

Canadian golf star Brooke Henderson has used longer clubs since her junior days and it has helped her create a unique swing that generates tremendous power.

Henderson brings the club way back, flattens it out as it comes down and then uses her balance and core strength as she strikes the ball. She has become one of the longer hitters on the LPGA Tour and is expected to be a podium favourite in the Olympic women’s golf tournament, which starts Wednesday.

“When you mix power and probably some clubs that are a little longer, she’s created a way to create some leverage,” said Canadian women’s team coach Tristan Mullally. “She definitely uses the ground, she definitely gets down into it, sinks into it and then rotates her body super quickly. When she came on to the program, strength wasn’t the issue, it was more stability and balance.

“We’ve worked a lot on trying to clean up the little things so that she can continue to be powerful and continue to have a go at it because that’s when she plays great.”

Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., turns 19 next month. She has risen to No. 2 in the world rankings and won her first major tournament — the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship — in June.

She’ll be joined by Alena Sharp of Hamilton at the Olympic Golf Course for the stroke play competition.

Mullally has worked with Henderson since she was 14 and has helped fine-tune a swing he describes as “hard and aggressive.”

“We wanted to keep that but with kids, you can run into injuries pretty quickly if that’s the way you go,” he said in a recent interview. “It was just about cleaning that up. I would say it’s natural, it’s her. She knows where the club is in space which makes her great.

“Anything we’ve ever done has always been around trying to help with the variety of shots or to make it pain and injury-free. That’s really where we’ve had some input.”

Long-time golf instructor Kevin Haime hosted a recent junior golf event in the Ottawa area that featured Henderson and her sister Brittany. Haime said he regularly uses a video demo of Brooke’s swing for his students.

“I will tell you that she is in some incredibly good positions,” he said. “Her transfer of club from backswing to downswing is really dynamic. It’s really similar to Sergio Garcia’s, it’s almost (Ben) Hogan-esque, the way the club drops. You don’t see that very often.”

Haime called it an “athletic swing” that is only seen a few times a generation on tour.

“She’s got that Rory McIlroy-type of talent if she gets it all going,” he said. “I think Lexi Thompson has that as well, a dominant performance possibility. I’m not so sure how many others have that. It wouldn’t be more than 10.

“So if you think about the limited field at the Olympics, No. 1, and then No. 2, you think about her horsepower if she gets it going just right, I think Canadians should be excited about that.”

Golf is making its return to the Olympic program for the first time since the 1904 St. Louis Games.

Champions Tour

Canada’s Ames, Spittle and Rutledge commit to Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship

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Stephen Ames (Gregory Shamus/ Getty Images)

VICTORIA, B.C. – Canadians Stephen Ames, Rod Spittle and Jim Rutledge have committed to play the 2016 Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship at Bear Mountain Golf Resort’s Mountain Course in Victoria from September 19-25, 2016. The event will feature a US$2.5 million purse, with 81 players competing for a winner’s share of $440,000.

Ames, who was born in Trinidad and Tobago, but owns dual citizenship in Canada as well, starred on the PGA TOUR through the mid-2000s, earning four titles – including a breakthrough win at THE PLAYERS Championship in 2006, when he dominated the world-class field to the tune of a six-shot victory.

The 52-year-old made his Champions Tour debut in 2014, and has made 34 additional starts since, racking up nine top-10 finishes and career-best, T4 efforts at the 2015 Mitsubishi Electric Classic and 2016 Tucson Conquistadores Classic.

Ames, who resides in Vancouver, turned professional in 1987 before winning on the Web.com Tour in 1991, and later adding European Tour victories in 1994 and 1996 before earning his PGA TOUR card at Q-School in 1997.

Spittle, a native of St. Catharines, Ont., took the road less traveled to the Champions Tour. After playing college golf at famed Ohio State alongside the likes of fellow Tour players Joey Sindelar and John Cook, the two-time Canadian Amateur champion took a job in the insurance industry, where he worked for 25 years in his adopted home state of Ohio.

In 2004, Spittle turned professional in advance of his 50th birthday, then earned status on on the Champions Tour via a T3 finish at the annual Qualifying Tournament in 2006. Since that point, the 61-year-old has made 151 career starts, collecting 19 top-10 finishes, including a playoff win at the 2010 AT&T Championship. The three-time Ohio Mid-Amateur champion has earned over $3.3 million on the golf course since leaving the insurance industry 11 years ago.

Rutledge will be making a hometown appearance at the Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship after growing up in Victoria.

The 56-year-old won six times on the Canadian Tour – now Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada- including three victories in the British Columbia Open. Rutledge’s professional career, which began in 1978, took him through the Web.com Tour, the European Tour and the Asian Tour before settling on the Champions Tour – where he has competed since the 2010 season.

Over the past seven years, Rutledge has recorded nine top-10 Champions Tour finishes, earning more than $1.3 million in earnings.

“Canada is a golf-rich country that has consistently cheered for its own through the years at PGA TOUR-sanctioned events,” said Tournament Director David Skitt. “The addition of these three players not only adds to the strength of our field, but also to the excitement heading into tournament week, as Canadian golf fans will have genuine passion in supporting Stephen Ames, Rod Spittle and Jim Rutledge.”

The announcement is the latest in a string of player commitments for the event, including World Golf Hall of Fame members Bernhard Langer, Colin Montgomerie, Sandy Lyle and Tom Kite, as well as PGA TOUR Champions winners Rocco Mediate, Lee Janzen and Jesper Parnevik.

Tournament week in Victoria will begin with Pro-Ams on Wednesday and Thursday, followed by 54 holes of championship play from Friday through Sunday, with no cut. All three competitive rounds will be broadcast live by Golf Channel to more than 200 million homes in 84 countries and 11 languages around the world.

Champions Tour

Gene Sauers wins US Senior Open Championship

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Gene Sauers (Gregory Shamus/ Getty Images)

UPPER ARLINGTON, Ohio – Gene Sauers closed with a 1-under 69 and took advantage of another collapse by Miguel Angel Jimenez to win the rain-delayed U.S. Senior Open on Monday for his first senior victory.

The 53-year-old from Georgia finished with three straight pars to go from a one-shot deficit to a one-shot victory over Jimenez and Billy Mayfair at Scioto Country Club.

It capped a remarkable comeback for Sauers, who nearly died from a rare disease 10 years ago and was out of golf for seven years with pain so severe there were times he couldn’t even get off the couch.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” he said. “It’s been a long time, and I’m at a loss for words right now.”

He finished at 3-under 277.

Jimenez had a one-shot lead going into the final round, but blew a lead at a second straight major. The Spaniard regained the lead with a birdie on the 15th hole, a two-shot swing when Sauers made bogey, only to bogey the 17th hole.

They were tied on the 18th, but Jimenez missed the green and made a second straight bogey. Sauers made a 5-foot par putt to win it.

Sauers, who once thought he might never play again, now is exempt into the U.S. Open next year at Erin Hills.

Ten years ago, he was incorrectly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, ended up in the hospital for seven weeks and was given a 25 percent chance of survival. Eventually he was diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a rare disorder of the skin and mucous membranes that causes the skin on his extremities to burn from the inside out. He was out of the game for seven years

“Being back to playing with these guys, it’s a pleasure,” he said. “I didn’t think I’d ever be here. I told my wife, when I was in the hospital, I didn’t think I was ever coming out. She kept me strong.”

He had 17 top-10 finishes in five years on the senior tour but hadn’t managed a win. He last won a PGA Tour event in 2002.

For Jimenez, it was the third consecutive tournament he let a lead slip away.

Three weeks ago at Carnoustie in the Senior British Open, the 52-year-old Spaniard took a four-stroke lead into the last day, then shot 75 and tied for third – three strokes behind winner Paul Broadhurst. Last week in the 3M Championship, he was a stroke ahead entering the final round and ended up losing when Joe Durant shot 63 and eagled the first hole of a playoff.

He led by a stroke after the third round at Scioto on Saturday but double-bogeyed the second hole to let Sauers overtake him, then couldn’t get it done at the end after Sauers let him back in it.

“I’m human, you know?” Jimenez said. “I’m going to make bogeys. I’m going to make birdies. It’s the way it’s coming. That moment is not on my side.”

Mayfair carded four birdies against a single bogey for a 3-under 67. Ian Woosnam was the only other player under par, finishing fourth at 1-under after a 68.

“All four days we saw different golf courses,” Mayfair said. “Kind of medium on Thursday. It wasn’t all that bad, that windy, but it was still hard to play on Friday. Of course, Saturday the wind started blowing. It was blowing all over the place. Today it was wet and soft and hardly any wind. We got to see Scioto in four different ways on four different days.”

Calgary’s Stephen Ames finished as the top Canadian in the field with a T24 6-over 286 tournament total, and St. Catharines, Ont., native Rod Spittle finished T51 following a 14-over 294 performance.