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.

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. – An unrelenting heat continued to envelop the Grand Niagara Golf Club during the second round of the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship. A trio of Albertans emerged victorious in the inter-provincial team competition, while John Gallacher claimed the Super Senior national title.

Camrose, Alta., native Frank Van Dornick began the day with a share of 19th, but vaulted up the leaderboard with six birdies on the day, including four across a bogey-free back nine, en route to a 4-under 68.

“My round was fairly steady,” said Van Dornick. “I haven’t been hitting it very well, so I was just trying to manage the golf course as best I could. Today, I hit a lot of decent irons, I actually made a lot of putts, and that was the difference.”

The performance propelled Team Alberta to a nine-stroke victory after entering the day two shots back of Manitoba. Teammates David Schultz of Calgary and Brian Brown from Nanton carded rounds of 1-under and 2-under, respectively. Team Manitoba claimed second, while the squad representing British Columbia came third.

“Historically, we’ve been in the hunt, but we don’t always win, of course,” reflected Van Dornick. “When we do, it’s always very special. This is Brian’s first year and David and I go back 25-30 years, so I’ve known David an awfully long time. I think it was really nice for Brian to not only be a part of this, but also play as well as he has to date. I think you’ll see a lot more of Brian in the future.”

Van Dornick was pensive when asked about his fellow competitors and the unique nature of this national championship.

“A lot of these guys, we’ve gone through illnesses together; we know what everyone’s had in the past. The ones that have survived and can continue to compete and still find joy in the competition, they’re the ones we still see. Our hats are off to the ones that are unable to do that for health reasons. We’ve made a lot of friends nationwide as a result of these competitions and all of these friendships are very special.”

At 2-under 142, Van Dornick holds a share of second alongside first-round leader Michael Mercier of Juno Beach, Fla., and Garth Collings of Matlock, Man. The trio trails Las Vegas native Brady Exber by a single stroke. The 60-year-old Exber is playing in his third consecutive Canadian Men’s Senior Championship with his best finish being a runner-up result in 2014.

Back-to-back 72s have earned Burnaby, B.C., product John Gallacher the Super Senior title. The 65-year-old closed the round with nine straight pars to win the 65-and-over division by six strokes. A trio of Albertans in Howard Broun (Calgary), Merv Dusyk (Sylvan Lake) and Ron Kelly (Calgary) tied for second.

A total of 77 players finished 155-or-better to advance to the final two rounds of the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship. The winner 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 third 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.

Mississauga, ONT. – Three young Canadians are tied for the lead after the first round of the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada.

Christina Foster of Concord, Ont., and former Team Canada players Nicole Vandermade and Taylor Kim each posted 1-under-par 71’s Wednesday at Credit Valley Golf & Country Club.

Richmond Hill’s Anna Kim sits one shot off the lead at even-par, while Vivian Tsui and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame winner Lorie Kane lurk just two shots back at 1-over.

“This is a great golf course, Credit Valley,” Kane said after her round Wednesday. “I’m jealous because I’d love to play here everyday.”

Kane, who has won the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada a record five times, says she’s looking forward to playing in the second-to-last group and chasing down the three young leaders.

“I never press but I always like to chase,” the four-time LPGA Tour winner from Charlottetown said. “And I think that if I get to be out ahead of the leaders, that’s a good thing.”

Vandermade, who won the Symetra Tour in 2014, said she plans to keep things rolling for Thursday’s final round.

“I just want to keep doing the same things that I did today and not try and think about things too much,” she said. “I’ll just hit some golf shots, try to make some putts, add them up at the end and see what happens.”

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

Hannah Hellyer of Windermere Golf & Country Club and Golf-Tonus PTMT’s Sylvie Schetagne are tied for the lead of the Club Professional division.

The PGA Women’s Championship of Canada was first played in 1987 and in addition to five-time winner Kane, past champions include Brooke Henderson, Cathy Sherk, Gail Graham, Nancy Harvey, Alena Sharp and Jessica Shepley.

The two-day, 36-hole championship is being played at Credit Valley Golf and Country Club. Admittance to the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada is free and spectators are encouraged to attend during championship play.

LIVE on #Periscope: PGA Women’s Championship of Canada https://t.co/sh4WoOUHiL

— PGA of Canada (@pgaofcanada) September 7, 2016

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – The world’s top female junior golfers will head to Mississauga for the third edition of the World Junior Girls Championship from September 25-30 at Mississaugua Golf & Country Club. Two teams of three athletes will don the red and white of the host nation as Canada competes for the title of World Junior Girls champion.

“It is an honour to represent your country and we look forward to welcoming these players to Canada,” said Tournament Director Mary Beth McKenna. “The course is in fantastic shape and we are thrilled to host some of the world’s best juniors at this historic club. Our partners at Mississaugua and the communities in the surrounding area have come together to make this a truly memorable event for our competitors.”

Representing Canada One will be Mississauga, Ont., native Chloe Currie who will look to translate home course advantage into success on the international stage. The member of Mississaugua Golf & Country Club has had a banner year, capturing the 2016 Ontario Juvenile Girls Championship before defending her Ontario Junior Girls title. At the national level, the 16-year-old Team Canada Development Squad member collected runner-up results at the CN Future Links Pacific Championship and the 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship.

Mary Parsons opened Golf Canada’s season by claiming victory at the 2016 edition of the CN Future Links Pacific Championship at The Dunes at Kamloops Golf Club in Kamloops, B.C. The product of Delta, B.C., came up just shy of the victory at her province’s Amateur Championship, collecting a second-place result, but then claimed an impressive six-stroke win at the B.C. Junior Girls Championship. The 17-year-old earned third-place at the 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship behind Currie.

Completing the Canada One contingent is Monet Chun of Richmond Hill, Ont. The 2016 Team Ontario member claimed her first CN Future Links title at the Quebec edition of the regional cross-Canada championships for junior golfers. The 15-year-old earned a share of second at her province’s amateur championship before finishing T11 at the national event for amateurs. Chun secured an eighth-place result at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship.

As the host country, Canada reserves the right to field two teams in the 48-player, 15-country competition. Céleste Dao earned her place on the Canada Two squad following an impressive season. A fifth-place showing at the Quebec Women’s Amateur Championship propelled the Notre-Dame-de-L’Île-Perrot, Que., native into a runner-up result at her province’s Junior Girls Championship. She tied for eighth in the stroke play component of the U.S. Girls’ Junior before claiming a share of sixth at Canada’s National Junior Girls Championship. The 15-year-old’s season culminated in a convincing nine-stroke victory at the Graham Cooke Junior Invitational.

Hannah Lee is returning for a second stint at the World Junior Girls Championship, having competed in 2015 at The Marshes Golf Club in the nation’s capital. The member of the National Team Development Squad secured a third-place finish at the CN Future Links Ontario Championship. She excelled at the provincial level, claiming fourth at the B.C. Women’s Amateur before earning a T2 at the B.C. Junior Girls competition. An 11th-place showing at the national Junior Girls Championship and a season of lessons-learned garnered the Surrey, B.C., native the growth and experience she needed to emerge victorious at the B.C. Juvenile Championship.

The third and final member of Canada Two is Isabella Portokalis – the 2016 CN Future Links Ontario champion. The London, Ont., native’s 2016 season includes a T2 at the Ontario Junior Girls Championship and a share of seventh at her provincial Women’s Amateur. The 2016 Team Ontario member’s performance at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship earned her a T11 result before she collected a sixth-place finish at the Ontario Juvenile Girls’ Championship.

“Golf Ontario is excited to once again partner with Golf Canada to conduct this global championship at another of Ontario’s storied clubs – Mississaugua Golf & Country Club,” said Mike Kelly, Golf Ontario Executive Director. “We thank their membership and volunteer committees for all their hard work. We are thrilled for our athletes from Ontario who have been selected to represent Canada and wish them the best of luck.”

“These six athletes have had tremendous seasons and their selections to Team Canada are the result of their hard work and commitment to the sport,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s Chief Sport Officer. “The Provincial Golf Associations, their home clubs, their parents and of course, the athletes themselves – their joint efforts have made this accomplishment possible and they should all be proud.”

While highlighting the work of those involved with the newest members of Team Canada, Thompson also spoke highly of the talented juniors from coast to coast.

“The selection of these teams was not an easy task. Across the nation, the level of skill shown by our junior-aged players speaks to not only the passion for golf in Canada, but also the excellent work done by golf facilities and our provincial partners to hone the skills of our athletes. We look forward to seeing these six players represent Canada against a number of the best juniors in the world.”

National Team Development Squad Women’s Coach Ann Carroll will once again lend her expertise to Canada One. Coach Mike Martz from the Golf Performance Centre at Whistle Bear will return to lead Canada Two.

The inaugural World Junior Girls Championship in 2014 was held at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont. Mika Liu of Beverly Hills, Calif., captured individual honours in leading Team USA to victory. Playing in her final event as an amateur, current World No. 3 Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., finished fourth as Canada One claimed bronze.

The second edition of the tournament was conducted at Ottawa’s The Marshes Golf Club where the trio representing the Republic of Korea completed a wire-to-wire victory to secure the team title. Paju-si, South Korea native Hye-jin Choi finished 12-under in claiming a seven-stroke victory. Choi is currently the No. 15-ranked amateur in the world and counts a victory at the 2016 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship among her accomplishments.

In addition to the 72-hole team and individual competitions, the World Junior Girls Championship will celebrate the sport and focus upon the promotion and development of junior girls golf. Golf Canada will host a PGA of Canada coaches clinic and a girls skill development clinic in the days leading up to the competition’s first round on Tuesday, September 27.

Admission to the competition is free.

FAR HILLS, N.J. – The United States Golf Association will host the 2017 North American Golf Innovation Symposium on March 6-7 in Vancouver, gathering  leaders in sustainable facility management and sports research to share knowledge and advance the game.

Symposium attendees will discuss how research, science and data can help golf facilities around the world reduce their costs, operate more efficiently and provide a better experience for golfers. Over two days, the USGA and other contributing innovators will share details of their ongoing work in areas such as resource management, golf operations, revenue management, pace of play and equipment standards.

“Golf facilities have saved water and fuel, solved problems that cause bottlenecks on the golf course, and introduced programs to welcome more people into our game – simply by learning and sharing best practices discussed at these forums,” said Mike Davis, executive director/CEO of the USGA. “It’s a significant priority for the USGA to bring these leaders together, and foster this kind of innovative thinking each year.”

The 2017 event will be the fourth symposium hosted by the USGA, and the first conducted outside the United States. The first two events focused on pace of play and were held at USGA headquarters in Far Hills, N.J. In January 2016, the symposium in Pasadena, Calif., added programs on other aspects of facility management and golfer experience. Presentations from previous symposiums, delivered by the LPGA Tour, American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) and USGA, among others, can be found by clicking here.

The 2017 event, supported by Golf Canada and the Mexican Golf Federation, will center on three major themes: Golfer Experience, Facility Sustainability and Innovation in Governance. The USGA will introduce technologies and tools, in addition to presenting research results from the USGA’s strategic partnership with the University of Minnesota. One of the partnership’s first studies measures the impact of green speed on pace of play.

Other planned topics include facility benchmarking, insights from the USGA-ASGCA Site Evaluation Program, and ideas for improving the golfer experience, such as flexible course routing and Tee It Forward guidance. Presenters will represent academia, the private sector, non-endemic golf industries and golf associations.

“The challenges facing golf courses transcend borders,” said Scott Simmons, CEO of Golf Canada. “Like other organizations around the world, we are trying to help our golf community, and we are excited to bring the Golf Innovation Symposium to Canada so we can provide an opportunity for our facility managers to benefit from the knowledge that will be shared.”

Additional details will be made available in the coming months.

The 2017 Golf Innovation Symposium reflects the latest effort by the USGA to serve the game of golf as a knowledge center and information-exchange platform for golf facility operators and owners, and to spark and share innovative thinking for a healthy future for the game.

CARMEL, Ind. – Out of golf for more than a year, Tiger Woods said Wednesday he hopes to play the first event of the PGA Tour season next month and could play as much as twice more before the end of the year.

Woods said if his rehabilitation from back surgeries keeps going well, he would play the Safeway Open in Napa, California, on Oct. 13-16.

“My rehabilitation is to the point where I’m comfortable making plans, but I still have work to do,” Woods said in a surprise announcement on his website . “Whether I can play depends on my continued progress and recovery. My hope is to have my game ready to go.”

Woods last played on Aug. 23, 2015, at the Wyndham Championship. Two shots out of the lead going into the final round, he closed with a 70 and tied for 10th. A month later, he announced he had another operation on his back. Then, Woods had a third back surgery in October.

He missed all four majors for the first time in his career.

Jack Nicklaus tweeted to Woods.

.@TigerWoods, it’s great to see you back and in good health. You’ve done so much for the game and it’s better with you playing. Good luck!

— Jack Nicklaus (@jacknicklaus) September 7, 2016

The Safeway Open is the opening event of the wraparound PGA Tour season held at Silverado. Woods also said he intends to play in the Turkish Airlines Open the first weekend in November and his Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas the first week of December, where he would be eligible for the 18-man field as the tournament host.

He also said he would take part in his Tiger Woods Invitational, a charity event for his foundation, Oct. 10-11 on the Monterey Peninsula.

“It was difficult missing tournaments that are important to me, but this time I was smart about my recovery and didn’t rush it,” Woods said.

The announcement was a swift departure from the few public appearances this year in which Woods has said he planned to return but did not have a timetable.

Now he does.

“He needs to get back out here,” U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson said. “The tour needs him, and I want to see him playing well again. He’s not going to come back unless he’s ready, so I feel like he’ll play well. Winning? I don’t see it right away. But he’s on a different level than anyone else. He’ll be prepared.”

Rory McIlroy said he knew Woods was close based on a conversation with Woods’ agent at the British Open this year. He said the PGA Tour sent out an alert to players on their mobile phones, which McIlroy checked at the end of his pro-am round at the BMW Championship.

“I’m sort of glad I’m not there that week. … It’s going to be a bit of a circus,” McIlroy said. “But it’s good to see him back and healthy, and it will be exciting to see him back on the course again.”

Woods won his 79th PGA Tour title in 2013 at the Bridgestone Invitational, leaving him three short of the record held by Sam Snead. The last of his 14 majors was in the 2008 U.S. Open, right before reconstructive surgery on his left knee. He hasn’t seriously contended in a major since 2013. Woods had his first back surgery right before the 2014 Masters.

“I’m looking forward to seeing him play again, seeing what the state of his game is,” world No. 1 Jason Day said. “I think he’s done it the right way by waiting and not coming back too soon. There’s been a couple of times where I feel like he may have come back too soon and kind of injured himself a little bit more and that’s what’s kept him out of the game so long.”

Woods first played in Turkey in 2013 when it was an exhibition and as part of the deal, he was required to play in Napa at least once over the next three years. Woods had been planning to play last year until back surgery, and then the tournament changed title sponsors.

Phil Mickelson also is playing the Safeway Open.