Play suspended at 7:20 p.m. with 17 players still to finish third round; UBC Thunderbirds maintain lead in men’s and women’s team championships

SUDBURY, Ont. – The third round of the 2024 Canadian University/College Championship, presented by BDO was suspended at 7:20 p.m. due to lightning. Play will resume at 7 a.m. on Thursday morning with 17 players yet to finish their round at the Idylwylde Golf & Country Club in Sudbury, Ont.

Conditions took a turn on Wednesday, with players facing strong winds and cooler temperatures into the afternoon before storms ended play in the evening.

The UBC Thunderbirds Men’s team shot a collective 3-over 291 and now sit at 19-under for the tournament and take a 42-shot lead into the final round as they look to add their eighth national championship in team history.

The Men’s individual championship looks destined for an exciting finish as UBC Thunderbird teammates John Paul Kahlert of Maple Ridge, B.C. and Aidan Schumer of Columbus, Ohio are tied at 8-under, and both were able to complete their rounds. Kahlert recorded a 2-under 70 after getting off to a strong start with four birdies on his first five holes.

Behind the duo are Owen Croft of Georgetown, Ont. (Victoria Vikes) who sits in third place at 4-under following a 71 on Wednesday and Mackenzie Bickell of Richmond, B.C. (UBC Thunderbirds) is fourth at 2-under. 2023 champion Jackson Jacob of Langley, B.C. (Fraser Valley Cascades) sits at 1-under following back-to-back rounds under par and is tied with Dylan MacDonald of Markham, Ont. (UBC Thunderbirds) for fifth.

There are 17 players in the women’s division yet to complete their third round with only a couple holes remaining. As play was suspended, the UBC Thunderbirds held the lead at 11-over for the tournament and 31 shots ahead of UBC Okanagan Heat who also were unable to complete all their rounds.

Una Chou of San Diego, Calif. (UBC Thunderbirds) maintains her lead in the individual standings with two holes remaining in her third round. Chou currently sits at 2-under and 11 shots ahead of teammate Grace Bell of Calgary, Alta. who completed her round and is 9-over for the tournament.

Julia Alexander-Carew of Oakville, Ont. (UBC Okanagan Heat) is solo third at 10-over with two holes remaining. UBC Thunderbirds’ Jessica Ng of Vancouver, B.C., Bo Brown of Mississauga, Ont. and Cindy-Cruise Koira of Victoria, B.C. round out the top five.

In the team championship, four daily scores count towards the team total with three scores daily in the women’s division. Following completion of the third round, the field will been cut to the low nine (9) men’s teams and the low six (6) women’s teams, including any team within 15 shots of the lead. Individuals within ten (10) shots of third place, or any player within the top-10, will also make the cut.

For the leaderboards following play on Wednesday, please click here. Thursday’s final round pairings and tee times once available can be found here.

Men’s Team Championship – Top 5

Women’s Team Championship – Top 5

Men’s Individual Championship – Top 5

Women’s Individual Championship – Top 5

*Did not finish round

Checking her email regularly has paid off for Canadian golfer Maddie Szeryk.

The native of London, Ont., who resides in Texas, was going through her inbox three weeks ago when she noticed a message from the organizers of the Texas Women’s Open reminding her that there was still four days left to sign up for the tournament at Grapevine Golf Course. 

Seeing that it would be a great opportunity to tune up before she returned to the LPGA Tour, she decided to register.

“I wasn’t playing enough tournament rounds so I was like, ‘I need to do this,'” Szeryk, who lives fewer than 60 kilometres from Grapevine, Texas, said Wednesday. “It was perfect that the deadline hadn’t passed or anything, the timing worked out, I could stay at home, and my boyfriend was on the bag.

“It was just really good to see some solid golf again, and just to get comfortable out there.”

Originally schedule for three days, the Texas Women’s Open was reduced to two because of heavy storms in the area. Szeryk started the second round two shots behind leader Hailee Cooper. 

After a bogey on No. 17, she hit a wedge shot to get within 10 feet of the 18th green and drained the putt for the tournament-winning birdie.

Szeryk won US$17,000 and, perhaps more importantly, sharpened her game ahead of this week’s ShopRite LPGA Classic in Galloway, N.J. It will be her first LPGA Tour start of the season, after she was unable to maintain her status from last season.

“I feel like I’m getting on a roll and scrambling better and just playing more solid and just making it come together,” she said. “You can play games and stuff when practising and playing by yourself but it’s just not the same as tournament golf and the pressure of that.

“So it’s good. I just tried to really treat (the Texas Women’s Open) as a big tournament just trying to play and get comfortable again.”

Szeryk is one of five Canadians that will be playing at Seaview Bay Course when the tournament begins Friday.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., is seventh on the Race to CME Globe standings. Savannah Grewal (76th) of Mississauga, Ont., Maude-Aimee Leblanc (129th) of Sherbrooke, Que., and Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (132nd) are also in the field.

“I love playing out here and getting to see all my close friends again,” said Szeryk, noting that she was especially excited to practice and possibly play alongside good friends Lauren Hartlage and Amanda Doherty. “It was so fun to be out there with them again and just to see other friends that I’m close with and just the feel of like, ‘OK, this is a big tournament this is really real. 

“I’m just so excited to finally be back this year, my first one of the year.”

Szeryk may have more LPGA Tour events in June.

She’s the first alternate for the Meijer LPGA Classic at Blythefield Country Club in Belmont, Mich., and will play in the Dow Championship at Midland Country Club in Midland, Mich.

EPSON TOUR — Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., will be the highest ranked Canadian playing at the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship when it tees off on Friday. She enters the tournament as No. 98 on the Epson Tour’s points list. She’ll be joined at Battle Creek Country Club in Battle Creek, Mich., by Selena Costabile of Thornhill, Ont., Vancouver’s Leah John and Kate Johnston of Ayr, Ont., all of whom are unranked.

PGA TOUR — Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., has moved up to 30th on the FedEx Cup standings, making him the highest ranked Canadian on the PGA Tour. He’ll be back in action this week at the Memorial Tournament, one of the Tour’s signature events. Five other Canadians are in the field at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. Nick Taylor (34th) of Abbotsford, B.C., Mackenzie Hughes (40th) of Dundas, Ont., Corey Conners (45th) of Listowel, Ont., Adam Hadwin (48th) of Abbotsford, and Adam Svensson (94th) of Surrey, B.C., will all tee it up.

PRESIDENTS CUP — U.S. team captain Jim Furyk announced his assistants for the Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal Golf Club in late September. Stewart Cink, Justin Leonard and Kevin Kisner will all join Furyk in Montreal

“The three of them have a tremendous history with this event, but more importantly, they will be trusted voices in the team room and on the course for our guys,” said Furyk. “I look forward to working with them closely as we build a 12-man U.S. team that is ready to compete at Royal Montreal this fall.”

KORN FERRY TOUR — Myles Creighton of Digby, N.S., is ranked 18th on the second-tier Korn Ferry Tour’s points list. He’s the top-ranked Canadian playing in the BMW Charity Pro-Am in Greer, S.C. He and Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Mississauga, Ont., will play at Carolina Country Club, while Etienne Papineau of St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Que., and Jared du Toit of Kimberley, B.C., will be at Thornblade Club.

CHAMPIONS TOUR — Calgary’s Stephen Ames is ranked second in the Schwab Cup points list heading into Friday’s American Family Insurance Championship. He’ll be the lone Canadian playing at University Ridge Golf Club in Madison, Wisc.

Thunder Bay, Ont.  The NextGen Prairie Championship, begins this week with a field of 84 Junior golfers set to compete at the Whitewater Golf Club in Thunder Bay, Ont.  

The starting field will feature – 64 Junior Boys and 20 Junior Girls competing for spots each into their respective Canadian Junior Championships this summer. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the top 53 Junior Boys and top 17 Junior Girls, including ties. 

“Hosting the Golf Canada NextGen Prairie Championship is a tremendous honour for Whitewater Golf Club and for the Thunder Bay community. This event not only showcases the talent and dedication of junior golfers from across the country but also highlights the exceptional quality of our course and the natural beauty of Northwestern Ontario,” states Director of Whitewater Golf Club, Matt Simmons. “We are excited to welcome these young athletes and provide them with a challenging and memorable experience & it’s an opportunity for our club to contribute to the growth of the game, support the next generation of golfing stars, and proudly represent our region on a national stage.” 

Practice rounds are scheduled for Thursday, June 6 before the official 54-hole tournament kicks off on Friday, June 7. The tournament will conclude on Sunday, June 9 and will determine who has qualified to compete in their respective Canadian Junior Championship later this summer.  

The Whitewater Golf Club stretches north from the banks of the Kaministiquia River and is known for its two McBroom designed courses – the Forest and River – which is one of the finest 18- hole golf courses in the province.  The golf course features a chipping, putting green and a 400-yard driving range, allowing all golfers to enjoy various aspects of the game. Off course additions are continuing to be developed with a planned community of 500 homes, a resort hotel, community amenities and new recreational activities.  

“We really look forward to hosting the 2024 NextGen Prairie Championship this week. Our team of Volunteers in place strive to run an efficient and quality NextGen Championship and we certainly can’t thank you enough for travelling to Thunder Bay,” said NextGen Prairie Tournament Host Chairman, Chris Gardner. “On a deeper level, this has been a long time coming for our community and we celebrate it with respect and gratitude. We really want to show you our Northern Touch with great hospitality and genuineness at its finest. To all the competitors, I wish you so much luck but most of all I wish you great memories to take away from this Championship. Play hard and go get it.” 

This week’s tournament marks the fourth stop on the NextGen Series schedule for the 2024 golf season. The NextGen Prairie Championship is one of Golf Canada’s six regional junior championships. Kye Fisher of Leduc, Alta. and Cala Korman of Killarney, Man. claimed their respective divisions in the 2023 NextGen Prairie Championship last season. 

To follow the live leaderboard of the NextGen Prairie Championship, click here. 

About the NextGen Championships 

The NextGen Championships are a high-performance junior golf series which totals six competitions. From May to July, six championships will take place across Canada where the region’s best junior golfers will compete to earn exemptions into their respective 2024 national championships. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf 

Caledon, Ont., is preparing to welcome the world — through the RBC Canadian Open — to its rolling green hills.

TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley was announced as the host for the 2025 edition of the RBC Canadian Open, the men’s national golf championship and the only PGA Tour event north of the border, two weeks ago. 

Mayor Annette Grove said the success of this year’s event at Hamilton Golf and Country Club shows what it can do for a municipality’s international profile.

“It’s an opportunity to really put Caledon on the map globally,” said Grove on Tuesday. “I understand that over one million households across the United States, people from 140 different countries, viewed the tournament over the weekend in Hamilton, so this is an exciting opportunity for Caledon.”

The CPKC Women’s Open, Canada’s national women’s championship and the only LPGA Tour event in the country, travels across the country. It was at Vancouver’s Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club last year and will be at Calgary’s Earl Grey Golf Club at the end of July.

The men’s championship, however, stays in southern Ontario. St. George’s Golf and Country Club and Oakdale Golf and Country Club, both in Toronto, hosted in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Along with Hamilton and Toronto TPC, the four courses — and possibly a fifth to be announced at a later date — will comprise a rotation of locations in and around Toronto, Canada’s largest city.

Golf Canada’s chief operating officer Garrett Ball outlined the two tournaments’ economic impact at a news conference on Wednesday at the Canadian Open. He said the national sport organization had an $84-million economic impact on Canada as a whole, with $66 million of that in Ontario.

Although the final ticket sales data wasn’t yet released on Tuesday, Golf Canada estimated last week that 137,000 fans attended the RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf and Country Club between Wednesday and Sunday. The organization also estimated that more than 60,000 of them came from more than 40 kilometres away.

Neil Lumsden, Ontario’s minister of tourism, culture and sport, announced at the same news conference that the province would contribute $1 million to Golf Canada to support the event.

“The impact won’t just be for three or four days, it will be significant and it will be long lasting,” said Lumsden. “This touches all bases on what we are trying to do across Ontario. 

“So far, when we partner up (with Golf Canada), the expectations have been met and exceeded, and this will be no different at the RBC Canadian Open.”

Groves is excited to bring that kind of economic activity to Caledon, a regional municipality northwest of Toronto, that is stretched out over 700 square kilometres. That includes the unincorporated town of Bolton, the region’s largest community, as well as seven villages and 10 hamlets.

“I believe that this is a wonderful opportunity for our local businesses right across the town,” said Groves, who pointed to the villages of Alton and Cheltenham as well as the hamlet of Terra Cotta as communities that will benefit. 

“Right across the town, businesses will certainly benefit from this economically.”

Hosting a RBC Canadian Open is not without its challenges. Staff and fans arriving account for thousands of extra cars on roads and in parking lots in the area. The township also has a limited number of accommodations for visitors.

“One of the things that we we’re working on, certainly, is shuttling people. We’ve got other areas in Caledon and Caledon is a very big place,” said Groves. “We are working with our communities right across Caledon and with our partners to make sure that we can shuttle people safely to the Osprey Valley golf course.”

Groves also said that her town would be working with the neighbouring municipalities of Brampton, Ont., and Orangeville, Ont., for infrastructure support like hotels and shuttle points.

She also pointed to Caledon’s previous success hosting the equestrian competitions at the 2015 Pan American Games, which were held at the Caledon Equestrian Park in Palgrave, Ont.

UBC’s Una Chou sets new course record to take lead in women’s division; Aidan Schumer maintains top spot in men’s division

SUDBURY, Ont. – The University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds Men’s and Women’s teams continue to strengthen their hold on the lead following the second round of the 2024 Canadian University/College Championship, presented by BDO.

The UBC Thunderbirds Women’s team were led by Una Chou of San Diego, Calif. on Tuesday. Chou fired a 5-under 67 to set a new women’s course record at Idylwylde Golf & Country Club in Sudbury, Ont. The previous record was held by Canadian Golf Hall of Famer, Marlene Stewart Streit who shot a 68 during the 1974 Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship at Idylwylde.

Chou opened with four birdies on the front nine and recorded three consecutive birdies on holes 15 through 17 to help erase two earlier bogeys on the back nine. Chou credited her work on the greens to help her score so well on Tuesday.

“My putting, I was able to make most putts within 15-feet,” said Chou.

Teammate Grace Bell of Calgary, Alta. has moved into second in the individual standings following a 2-over 74 on Tuesday. Bell is now six shots behind Chou. Julia Alexander-Carew of Oakville, Ont. (UBC Okanagan Heat) is solo third at 4-over for the tournament following a 75 in the second round. UBC Thunderbirds’ Bo Brown of Mississauga, Ont. and Jessica Ng of Vancouver, B.C. round out the top five.

The UBC Thunderbirds Women’s team, who are seeking their seventh consecutive national championship, have opened a sizable lead after two days. The Thunderbirds shot a collective 4-under 212 on Tuesday to improve to 2-under for the tournament, 27 shots clear of the UBC Okanagan Heat who are at 25-over. Chou said with this being the team’s final tournament of the season, they want to end on a high note.

“We have so much faith within each other, and I think that’s why we are playing well as we know we have each other’s back. We still have two more rounds so I think if we can just continue what we have been doing we will be great,” she added.

The UBC Thunderbirds Men’s team are looking to win their eighth national title and second in the past three years are currently 33 shots ahead of the Montreal Carabins. The Thunderbirds shot a collective score of 8-under 280 in today’s second round to get to 22-under for the tournament.

Aidan Schumer of Columbus, Ohio continues to lead the way for the Thunderbirds and the men’s individual leaderboard. Schumer followed up a strong opening round with a 6-under 66 on Tuesday to move to 11-under for the tournament. Schumer started strong with an eagle on the opening hole and went on to record five additional birdies during his round.

Behind Schumer are teammates, John Paul Kahlert of Maple Ridge, B.C. who posted another round at 3-under 69 to move to 6-under for the tournament and is five shots back. Mackenzie Bickell of Richmond, B.C. dropped one stroke following a 73 to sit at 3-under and is tied for third with Owen Croft (Victoria Vikes) who improved to 3-under overall after posting a 5-under 67 on Tuesday. There is a three-way tie for fifth with William Forgues (Laval Rouge et Or), Dylan MacDonald (UBC Thunderbirds) and Anthony Jomphe (Montreal Carabins) all at 2-under.

In the team championship, four daily scores count towards the team total with three scores daily in the women’s division. After the third round, the field will be cut to the low nine (9) men’s teams and the low six (6) women’s teams, including any team within 15 shots of the lead. Individuals within ten (10) shots of third place, or any player within the top-10, will also make the cut.

For the leaderboards following play on Tuesday, please click here. For Wednesday’s pairings and tee times, please click here.

Men’s Team Championship – Top 5

Women’s Team Championship – Top 5

Men’s Individual Championship – Top 5

Women’s Individual Championship – Top 5

Stewart Cink, Justin Leonard and Kevin Kisner to join Furyk in Montreal

MONTREAL, Quebec, Canada – U.S. Team Captain Jim Furyk announced Stewart Cink, Justin Leonard and Kevin Kisner as captain’s assistants for the 2024 Presidents Cup, which will be played at The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Canada, Sept. 24-29. Furyk has the option to name up to two additional assistants prior to the competition.

“I am excited to announce Stewart, Justin and Kevin as my captain’s assistants for the 2024 Presidents Cup in Montreal,” said Furyk. “The three of them have a tremendous history with this event, but more importantly, they will be trusted voices in the team room and on the course for our guys. I look forward to working with them closely as we build a 12-man U.S. Team that is ready to compete at Royal Montreal this fall.”

Cink, an eight-time PGA TOUR winner, has appeared in four Presidents Cups (2000, 2005, 2007, 2009), compiling a 9-7-2 record in four U.S. Team victories, including a 4-0-0 performance in his debut in 2000. The only time Cink and Furyk were paired together in Presidents Cup competition was in 2007 at Royal Montreal, where they notched a 2-up victory over Angel Cabrera and K.J. Choi during Saturday’s fourball matches. The 51-year-old will be making his first appearance as a captain’s assistant in 2024.

“Jim is a longtime friend and it’s an honor to be named as a captain’s assistant for the 2024 Presidents Cup. This event has meant so much to my career and it’s a thrill to get to return to Montreal, where I have such great memories from 2007,” said Cink.

Leonard, 51, has competed in the Presidents Cup five times (1996, 1998, 2003, 2005, 2009), compiling an 8-11-4 all-time record. The 12-time PGA TOUR winner, who currently plays on PGA TOUR Champions, was paired with Furyk four times between the 2003 and 2009 Presidents Cups, where the pair combined for a 2-1-1 record.

“It has been incredible to watch this U.S. Team grow and develop in team competition over the years, and I can’t think of anyone better than Jim to lead this talented group into Montreal in a few months,” said Leonard, who will be making his debut as a captain’s assistant. “My history with this event goes back nearly three decades, so I was honored to receive the call and I’m excited for a great week of golf in September.”

Kisner will also be making his debut as a captain’s assistant in 2024 after competing for the U.S. Team in 2017 and 2022. The four-time PGA TOUR winner, who owns a 2-2-3 career record in Presidents Cup competition, built a reputation as a tenacious match play competitor, winning the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in 2019 and finishing runner-up in 2018 and 2022.

“Match play is my favorite format in golf and I’m looking forward to adding some expertise and insight to our team room as we lead an incredible contingent of players into Montreal,” said Kisner, 40. “Jim is someone I’ve looked up to throughout my career and is naturally just a great leader, so it was a thrill when he called and asked me to serve as a captain’s assistant this fall.”

For more information about the Presidents Cup, or to purchase tickets, please visit PresidentsCup.com. 

UBC’s Aidan Schumer and Grace Bell lead men’s and women’s
individual championships

SUDBURY, Ont. – The University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds Men’s and Women’s teams find themselves in familiar territory following the opening round of the 2024 Canadian University/College Championship, presented by BDO.

Both teams hold the lead heading into the second round on Tuesday. The UBC Thunderbirds Women’s team are seeking a seventh consecutive national championship which would mark 17 total in the tournament’s 20-year history. The men’s team will be looking for their eighth title.

Played was initially delayed by 90 minutes on Monday due to heavy fog at the Idylwylde Golf & Country Club in Sudbury, Ont. Once play began the UBC Thunderbirds Men’s team got off to a flying start and finished the day with a 20 shot lead over a pair of teams after a collective score of 14-under. Aidan Schumer of Columbus, Ohio led the way for the Thunderbirds, firing a 5-under 67 which also leads the men’s individual standings.

“I could tell the guys were really calm before the round and I think we all sank in really easily to our rounds and the boys had an awesome day today,” said Schumer. “Really looking forward to trying to keep the pace up these next three days for myself and the boys as well.”

Schumer opened his round with three straight birdies from his first nine and two more to open his second nine, recording eight in total on the day. He credited his fast start to a good warm-up and work with a trainer, allowing his body to get into action on Monday.

“I took it one shot at a time and stayed in the present. When I made a mistake, I didn’t let it bother me and had a lot of opportunities. I was in some tough places today, but I had great opportunities to practice aspects of my game I don’t usually encounter out on the west coast. The golf course is in great condition,” said the opening round men’s leader.

Behind Schumer are teammates Mackenzie Bickell of Richmond, B.C. at 4-under 68 and John Paul Kahlert of Maple Ridge, B.C. at 3-under 69. Maguire Lines (Victoria Vikes), Anthony Jomphe (Montreal Carabins) and Samuel Breton Gagnon (Champlain St-Lawrence Lions) are also tied for third with Kahlert at 3-under.

The race in the women’s individual championship is shaping up to be one to watch this week. Grace Bell of Calgary, Alta. (UBC Thunderbirds) currently holds a one-shot lead over three other competitors. Bell ended her round with nine consecutive pars to shoot an even-par 72. Teammates Bo Brown of Mississauga, Ont. and Una Chou of San Diego, Calif. are one back after both posting rounds of 1-over 73. Julia Alexander-Carew of Oakville, Ont. (UBC Okanagan Heat) also sits at 1-over.

UBC Thunderbirds Women’s team take a ten-shot lead over their provincial rival, UBC Okanagan Heat. The Thunderbirds sit with a collective score over 2-over, while the Heat are 12-over.

Added excitement on Monday evening came courtesy of Bryden Dilley of Barrie, Ont. (Georgian Grizzles). Dilley recorded a hole-in-one on the par-3 4th hole; she finished her day T13 at 8-over.

In the team championship, four daily scores count towards the men’s team total with three scores daily in the Women’s division. After the third round, the field will be cut to the low nine (9) men’s teams and the low six (6) women’s teams, including any team within 15 shots of the lead. Individuals within ten (10) shots of third place, or any player within the top-10, will also make the cut.

For the leaderboards following play on Monday, please click here. For Tuesday’s pairings and tee times, please click here.

Men’s Team Championship – Top 5

Women’s Team Championship – Top 5

Men’s Individual Championship – Top 5

Women’s Individual Championship – Top 5

HAMILTON, Ontario — Robert MacIntyre, with father Dougie at his side as his caddie, held on to win the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title.

Four strokes ahead entering the final round at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, MacIntyre shot a 2-under 68 to beat playing partner Ben Griffin by a stroke. On the par-4 18th, the 27-year-old Scottish left-hander two-putted for par from 12 feet, holing out from 1 1/2 feet.

“Goose bumps. It’s incredible,” MacIntyre said. “It’s a dream of mine to play golf for a living. It’s been a dream of mine to win on the PGA Tour. … I just can’t believe I done it with my dad on the bag. The guy’s taught me the way I play golf.”

MacIntyre finished at 16-under 264 for the breakthrough victory in his 45th career PGA Tour start. The former McNeese State player was a member of Europe’s winning 2023 Ryder Cup team and has two European tour victories, the 2020 Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Showdown and 2022 Italian Open.

“I was in a dog fight there,” MacIntyre said. “Obviously, Ben made it difficult coming in the stretch. He played well. It’s just incredible to do this with my dad on the bag and have my girlfriend here and I’m sure there’s a party going on back home in Oban.”

Griffin had a 65. He parred the 18th after birdieing the previous three holes.

“I fought hard,” Griffin said. “It felt like there was a lid on the cup for most of the day for me. I hit so many pretty good putts, I wouldn’t say like striped putts, but pretty good putts and just kept burning edges. A couple bad putts, but stayed patient.”

Victor Perez of France was third at 14 under after his second straight 64.

Two-time Canadian Open champion Rory McIlroy also shot 64 to tie for fourth with Tom Kim (64) at 13 under. McIlroy won in 2019 the last time the tournament was in Hamilton and again in 2022 at St. George’s in Toronto.

“Three really good rounds of golf, one not so good one,” McIlroy said. “Felt a little out of sorts on Friday. Did a good range session and sort of rectified it.”

Corey Conners was the top Canadian, shooting a 65 to reach 12 under.

“Definitely something to be proud of,” Conners said. “Yeah, obviously disappointing to not win the big trophy, but, yeah, it’s a cool honor.

Fellow Canadian Mackenzie Hughes, tied for second entering the day, was another shot back after a 70.

Last year at Oakdale in Toronto, Nick Taylor made a 72-foot eagle putt on the fourth hole of a playoff against Tommy Fleetwood to become the first Canadian to win the event since 1954.

Mackenzie Hughes had the dream scenario of winning the RBC Canadian Open in his hometown within reach but then it all slipped away.

Hughes started the final round of the men’s national golf championship tied for second, four shots back of Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre. Hughes had three birdies on his first four holes and MacIntyre bogeyed No. 1 to lift the Canadian to the top of the leaderboard.

The final 10 holes were tough on Hughes, with three bogeys dropping him back down as MacIntyre found his rhythm and surged to his first PGA Tour victory.

“Pretty gutted,” said Hughes, pausing to collect himself. “Yeah, I wanted this one pretty badly.

“I don’t know. This one will sting for awhile. I obviously got off to the start I needed to get off to but I just didn’t.”

Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., ended a 69-year drought for Canadians at their national championship last year after a thrilling four-hole playoff at Toronto’s Oakdale Golf and Country Club. It has been 110 years since Canadians won it in consecutive years, with Albert Murray (1913) and Karl Keffer (1914) the last to accomplish the feat.

Hughes spoke all week about trying to stay mentally present and shelve any pressure he might feel. Not just because he was aware of the importance of keeping the championship in Canada, but because this year’s event at Hamilton Golf and Country Club was essentially in his hometown.

Billed from Dundas, Ont., just eight kilometres away from the course in Ancaster, Ont., — both towns were amalgamated into the city of Hamilton in 2000 and 2001 respectively — Hughes allowed that the pressure of the final round did weigh on him.

“Today I felt sort of the enormity of a few of the putts I had and a few of the shots,” he said. “Kind of felt like I was running out of holes at times and that I needed to make something happen. 

“In this game you can’t really force things or feel like you need to start pressing, it’s kind of a hard game to be pressing.”

Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., actually leapfrogged Hughes on the final leaderboard to win the Rivermead Cup, the trophy for lowest scoring Canadian at the men’s national championship. Conners shot 5-under 65 on the day to finish 12 under in sole possession of sixth.

“I guess it’s a nice consolation prize,” said Conners, who also won it in 2022. “Definitely something to be proud of but obviously disappointing to not win the big trophy. It’s a cool honour.”

There was a small silver lining for Hughes. His performance earned him a spot in the upcoming British Open at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland.

“It’s a great, I guess, bonus after not getting what you want, but kind of hard to think about that at the moment,” said Hughes. “It’s always great to get a major start under your belt and to play at Troon.

“I’ve played there before, so it’s a really fun golf course and looking forward to getting there in July.”

Taylor Pendrith (69) of Richmond Hill, Ont., tied for 21st at 7 under. He is projected to move three spots up to 30th on the FedEx Cup standings, making him the highest ranked Canadian on the PGA Tour.

“A good step in the right direction,” said Pendrith, who went to Kent State University with Hughes and Conners. “I felt like I did a lot of good things, I putted awesome today, saved me a lot.”

Ben Silverman (68) of Thornhill, Ont., tied for 35th, Adam Svensson (70) of Surrey, B.C., tied for 51st. Myles Creighton (70) of Digby, N.S., tied for 57th. Edmonton’s Will Bateman (74) tied for 62nd, and David Hearn (76) of Brantford, Ont., finished 69th in his 20th Canadian Open appearance.

Al Riddell was going to go have a quiet Sunday afternoon coffee with his family when his dad asked if he had heard that Mike (Fluff) Cowan, C.T. Pan’s caddie, had slipped during the fourth round of the RBC Canadian Open and that a fan had started carrying his bag for him.

Riddell put his own caddie gear back on and headed back to Hamilton Golf and Country Club to see if Pan, an old friend of his from the Mackenzie Tour, needed some help.

“I don’t live too far. I’m from here. I live 15 minutes away. So we just got changed, got ready,” said Riddell. “I just went over to see him and if he was OK, if he needed someone and I jumped in for the back nine.”

Riddell usually caddies for Paul Barjon, who missed the cut on Friday, and so he was available to be the last of Pan’s four caddies in the final round of the Canadian Open. Pan shot a respectable 1-under 69 in the rain.

Cowan, Pan’s regular caddie, went down in the middle of the third hole. Paul Emerson, a fan watching the tournament, stepped inside the ropes to carry Pan’s clubs through the fourth hole.

The Taiwanese golfer birdied No. 3 but bogeyed No. 4.

Mike Campbell, who works in caddie services at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, took over for holes five through nine. That pairing grabbed birdies on the eighth and ninth holes.

Riddell and Pan’s wife Michelle — who has caddied for him before — were waiting to spell Campbell at the 10th hole. Pan ultimately chose Riddell for the final nine holes of the round.

“I just brought my yardage book and if he needed info, I had info,” said Riddell. “And if he didn’t, he just wanted me to be quiet which most people do. I just was quiet. So it worked out.”

Pan eagled the par 4 No. 12 hole, but also bogeyed Nos. 11 and 16.

The 76-year-old Cowan was not seriously injured after the fall.