RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Brooke Henderson had by far the most fans following her around for the first round of the ANA Inspiration on Thursday.

The 18-year-old Canadian is still getting used to the support.

“It’s super cool,” Henderson said. “Every round it seems there are more fans and not only just from Canada. Though there is a huge Canadian crowd out here this week.”

Henderson opened with a 1-over 73 and was six shots off co-leaders Azahara Munoz and Ai Miyazato. The former hockey goalie from Smiths Falls, Ont., is making her second start at Mission Hills after tying for 26th in the major championship as an amateur in 2014.

“Some holes, I played awesome and just didn’t take advantage,” Henderson said. “I had a lot of birdie putts that I missed. Then holes that I kind of messed up on, I kind of messed up big time. It was just one of those rounds. Hopefully, clean up a few things tonight and have a better day tomorrow.”

She bogeyed Nos. 6 and 7, and rebounded with birdies on Nos. 11 and 12 – with a boost from the fans.

“On 11, walking up to the green before I hit my third shot out of the bunker, they yelled, ‘Go Canada!'” Henderson said. “I kind of felt a little better about myself and I was able to make two birdies in a row. So, I definitely think it helps.”

She bogeyed 13 and parred the final five holes, chipping in on the par-5 18th after her drive struck a palm tree and went into the water.

“It was kind of an interesting par,” Henderson said. “I think it’s the best one I’ve ever made in my life. I was happy to see it go in – and the crowd seemed to enjoy it too.”

Henderson won the Portland Classic last year to become the third-youngest champion in LPGA Tour history at 17 years, 11 months, 6 days. She was second in the Coates Golf Championship in Florida in early February and has had five straight top-10 finishes to jump to No. 7 in world.

Alena Sharp of Hamilton fired a 2-under 70 to grab a share of 14th thru 18 holes.

Port St. Lucie, Fla. – North Carolina’s Carter Jenkins, South Carolina’s Matt NeSmith and Alabama’s Wil McCurdy shared the lead at 10-under par before teeing off in round three at Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Q-School when play was suspended due to darkness at PGA Golf Club’s Wanamaker Course on Wednesday.

Play was suspended at 7:30 p.m., with the entire field left to complete round three. Jenkins, NeSmith and McCurdy were among the second wave of round three tee times set to tee off Friday morning.

Finishing up round two earlier on Thursday, NeSmith followed up an opening round 8-under 64 with a 2-under 70 to reach 10-under total, a score matched earlier in the day by McCurdy and set yesterday by Jenkins, who did not play a single hole on Thursday.

“I’m just looking at it as though I played in the afternoon yesterday and the morning today, and I’ll play two more the next few days,” said NeSmith, currently a senior at the University of South Carolina. “Hopefully we’ll get finished with a good bit of play tomorrow, but I don’t know much we will get done. It would be nice to play a good bit tomorrow.”

McCurdy, a graduate of Auburn University, shot his second straight 5-under 67 and said that a pin-seeking approach helped him reach double digits under par.

“I was able to play pretty aggressively. With the wind blowing and some pretty good pins out there, it actually paid to play aggressive, because if you tried to play conservative out there, it was going be tough to get it down in two. There weren’t a lot of places you could hit it and have an easy two-putt or chip.”

Jenkins, a junior at the University of North Carolina, shot a 6-under 66 in round two on Wednesday.

Chris Hemmerich of Kitchener, Ont., had a share of 4th spot at 7-under two rounds.

He was scheduled to tee off for round two late Wednesday before play was called due to darkness. Hemmerich did not hit a shot Wednesday and followed up Tuesday’s 66 in round one with a 1-under 71 on Thursday for round two.

“I warmed up for two-and-a-half hours yesterday to not hit a ball, and today I probably warmed up for an hour-and-a-half and finally got to play, so that was nice,” said Hemmerich, a former Team Canada member. “It’s difficult. Yesterday, I was honestly pretty lucky to not have to hit that tee shot. I came out today with a fresh mindset and approach.”

TORONTO – With exclusive Canadian coverage of The Masters coming to CTV and TSN, the networks announced the addition of decorated Canadian golfer Mike Weir as a special guest analyst for this year’s Tournament.

As the only Canadian to ever win the prestigious Green Jacket, Weir will compete in the 80th edition of The Masters from April 7-10. Following each round at Augusta National Golf Club, Weir will join CTV and TSN to contribute his unique perspective on the Tournament. Weir will also appear as part of daily panels on TSN’s Sportscentre.

“The Masters is hallowed ground for professional golfers and fans alike, and playing in the Tournament is an experience like no other,” said Weir. “I’m very excited to work with the CTV and TSN team as an analyst to share the player’s perspective on what it’s like to compete in one of my favourite events.”

“Mike is a perfect fit to join our newly expanded coverage of The Masters on CTV and TSN,” said Mark Milliere, Senior Vice-President of Production, TSN. “By competing on the course and moving directly to the analyst’s chair after each round, Mike offers a completely unique perspective on The Masters for Canadian golf fans. We’re absolutely thrilled to have him with us for this prestigious Tournament.”

Over his 24-year professional golf career, Weir has captured 15 career victories, highlighted by his dramatic playoff win at The Masters in 2003. His breakthrough year on the PGA Tour earned him the 2003 Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s top athlete of the year and the Lionel Conacher Award, given to Canada’s top male athlete of the year, an award he previously won in 2000 and 2001.

In 2009, Weir was invested as a Member of the Order of Canada and inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. Weir has used his success as a platform for helping other families in need with the creation of the Mike Weir Foundation in 2004.

Waterloo, Ont.  – Wilfrid Laurier University’s School of Business & Economics, with the support of the Golf Management Institute of Canada (GMIC), is introducing a new field within its MBA program: Management in the Golf and Resort Industry.

“We are excited to be working with our golf and resort industry partners to be the first in Canada to offer this kind of specialization in an MBA program,” said Dr. Hugh Munro, Director of Laurier’s MBA program. “Our goal is to develop managerial talent to enhance the performance of those firms operating in this challenging global industry, and to provide exciting career opportunities for our graduates in the golf and resort sector.”

Laurier prides itself on preparing graduates who are adaptive and able to handle the increasing complexity and dynamics of business. The golf industry is no exception.

A big part of this new specialization is designing immersive learning opportunities into the curriculum that help to ground theoretical concepts in business practice. The Golf and Resort Industry constitutes a fertile domain for both applying management knowledge, and for developing management talent. With over 32,000 golf facilities around the world, the industry is global, dynamic, and strategically complex. It faces transformative challenges in the mature developed markets, yet is an important growing economic development engine in many developing economies. Both situations require managers who have the requisite business acumen, and industry specific knowledge to effectively address the inherent challenges and opportunities.

Applications are now being accepted for the August 2016 intake of The Lazaridis School of Business & Economics new specialization, Golf & Resort Management, within the Full-time & Full-time Co-op MBA programs.

In Canada alone, the Golf and Resort Industry employs over 300,000 workers at more than 2,500 golf courses and resorts across the country. In the United States, the numbers are exponentially larger, with more than 15,000 golf facilities, with the total economic impact of golf in America reaching $176.8 billion, and supporting approximately two million jobs.

“I’m excited about the Golf and Resort Management specialization being offered within Laurier’s MBA program,” said Grant Fraser, founder of the GMIC and Laurier BBA graduate. “The GMIC is thrilled to be working in partnership with Laurier on the delivery of this unique program. This will be the only MBA program in Canada designed to train the next generation of golf business leaders, here at home, and around the world. That will be the focus, to create a specialization that will enable graduates to work in a variety of golf businesses anywhere in the world.”

By working closely with a wide range of industry partners and organizations, there are a variety of exciting career paths awaiting Laurier MBA graduates. Companies such as Nike, Titleist, and TaylorMade-Adidas are a few of the powerful brands the program will align with. In addition, international golf and resort property owners and managers such as Fairmont, Marriott, Troon Golf, Pacific Links, and Mission Hills in China will all have a role to play shaping the next generation of global golf industry leaders.

Here at home, the Canadian golf industry is fully supportive of Laurier’s new MBA specialization. Industry leaders such as Bruce Simmonds, CEO of Pacific Links International, Scott Simmons, CEO of Golf Canada, and Keith Keindel, Executive Director of the Canadian Golf Industry Association have all been instrumental in moving the program forward. In addition, an industry specific Advisory Board comprised of representatives from equipment manufacturers and retailers, facility owners and managers, industry consultants, golf course designers, and club managers has been formed to assist with this exciting initiative.

All involved are committed to developing a program that meets the needs of the global golf and resort sector. This includes providing direction and support with marketing, curriculum development, project opportunities, co-op positions, and post-graduate careers.

In addition to the specialization being offered in the Full-time MBA and Full-time with Co-op MBA, plans are underway to develop, design, and deliver the Golf & Resort Management specialization within a part-time schedule, targeting managers currently working in the industry anywhere in the world.

For more information about the Laurier MBA program, and the Golf & Resort Management Specialization please visit www.lauriermba.ca.

London, Ont. – Golf Canada in association with title sponsor Freedom 55 Financial and the Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada announced today that the Thames Valley Children’s Centre (TVCC) will return as the official charitable beneficiary of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship, which will run September 12-18, 2016 at Highland Country Club in London, Ont.

As the 2015 beneficiary for the season-ending event on Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada, more than $44,000 was raised in support of Thames Valley through various fundraising activities during the Freedom 55 Financial Championship.

Thames Valley Children’s Centre (TVCC) works to support children and their families to achieve the highest possible quality of life. TVCC serves more than 8000 children, youth and their families every year through a wide range of services provided out of the main London Centre and 15 regional office locations across Southwestern Ontario. Clients range in age from birth to 19 with services supporting a range of special needs including physical disabilities, communication disorders, developmental delays and autism spectrum disorders.

“We‘re pleased Golf Canada has once again selected Thames Valley Children’s Centre to receive the tournament’s charitable proceeds,” said Mike Cunneen, Senior Vice-President, Freedom 55 Financial. “Through the We’re All Stars event and the annual London Life Forest City Road Races, our company proudly supports Thames Valley in helping children and families from London and across Southwestern Ontario achieve a better quality of life. I welcome the Children’s Centre and its supporters to Highland and thank everyone ready to step up to make this event a success.”

“We are so appreciative to be selected as the charitable partner of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship for the second year,” commented Dr. John LaPorta, CEO, TVCC. Golf Canada organized a first class tournament in London last fall and we are looking forward to another great event! Thank you on behalf of the more than 8,000 clients our organization serves throughout Southwestern Ontario.

The 12^th and final event on the Mackenzie Tour schedule will see the culmination of the race for Web.com Tour status at Highland Country Club. Only the top 60 players on the Order of Merit will be eligible, setting up an exciting race to the season’s final event.

The Mackenzie Tour helps players make the next step on the path to the PGA TOUR by rewarding season-long performance with access to the Web.com Tour, including fully exempt status to the Order of Merit winner for the following Web.com Tour season.

In addition to serving as title sponsor of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship and the Freedom 55 Financial Open in Vancouver, Freedom 55 Financial also sponsors the Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week award presenting $2,500 to the top Canadian player at each Mackenzie Tour event as well as the season ending Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year Award, which comes with a $25,000 prize.

Last year, American Jason Millard edged out 2014 champion Ryan Williams of Surrey, B.C. to claim the Freedom 55 Financial Championship at Highland Country Club and earn one of the five coveted spots advancing to the Web.com Tour.

Volunteer and ticket information is available at www.freedom55financialchampionship.com. As well, children aged 17 and under get in free all week long at the Freedom 55 Financial Championship – download your free junior tickets here.

Port St. Lucie, Fla. – North Carolina’s Carter Jenkins shot a 6-under 66 at PGA Golf Club’s Wanamaker Course on Wednesday to take the lead midway through the second round of Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Q-School before play was suspended due to darkness at 7:36 p.m.

Jenkins was one of 75 players to complete round one on Wednesday, having only hit two shots on Tuesday before play was suspended due to dangerous weather in the area. The 20-year old completed round one with a 4-under 68, then came back out and reached 10-under with a bogey-free second round 66.

“I only got two shots in yesterday, so I played both rounds today. I’m pretty tired, but it was a good day so I can’t complain. I made some putts that I don’t normally make, and it was good to keep the bogeys off the card,” said Jenkins.

Currently in his first full season at the University of North Carolina after transferring from UNC-Greensboro last year, Jenkins said the long day was precisely what he’s used to from his collegiate events.

“I’m still in college, so I’m used to the 36-holes a day of college golf. It was actually pretty nice to have someone carrying my bag. It was very comfortable; I just packed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and kept going.”

Play was suspended due to darkness at 7:36 p.m. and will resume at 8:30 a.m.

OTTAWA – The Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club board of directors has given honorary full memberships for Smiths Falls golfing sensations, sisters Brittany Henderson and Brooke Henderson.

Eighteen-year-old Brooke is a full-time member of the LPGA Tour and currently ranks 7th in women`s world golf. Brittany, her accomplished older sister, has full-time status on the Symetra Ladies Tour and plays several LPGA events annually. She is also currently acting as Brooke’s caddie on tour.

Recently, Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club President Allan Bulloch caught up with Brooke and Brittany to personally welcome them to The Hunt.

Brooke and Brittany are excited to play the Hunt Club course and use the Club`s world class practice facility in preparation for the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, scheduled at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club for August 2017.

“I am so grateful to the Hunt Club Board of Directors for welcoming us as members,” said Brooke Henderson. “I look forward to showcasing the impressive golf course and facilities to everyone on Tour at next year’s Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.”

The Henderson sisters will continue to be great golf ambassadors for years to come as the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club intends to partner with both Brooke and Brittany to further develop junior golf in Ottawa.

When in town, we expect to see both of them around the club working on their game.

Carlsbad, Calif. (March 29, 2016) – Cobra Golf has introduced its KING Utility Iron, the brand’s first adjustable hollow body utility iron that offers multiple loft settings in a single club. The KING Utility is available in a 3-iron, featuring a large sole with a hollow head, and is packed with COBRA Golf’s game-changing metalwood technologies including MyFly8 that allows golfers to seamlessly adjust the loft to best fit their games.

The KING Utility Iron provides the feel and performance of an iron, combined with the forgiveness and slightly higher flight of a hybrid. The club’s 17-4 hollow body design and a new 455ss L-Cup Face, combined with its 67 gram tungsten weight strategically positioned low and back in the head, deliver optimal Center of Gravity (CG) and high MOI. The new L-Cup face design produces increased speed and higher launch, the key performance benefits golfers look for in a utility iron.

The true game-changer in the KING Utility 3-iron is the use of MyFly8 Technology in an iron. A first for COBRA and a first for golf, this proprietary technology affords golfers an ability to fine-tune their designed launch conditions from a 3 iron at 21^o down to a 2 iron at 18^o.

“This club is perfect for the golfer whose last iron stops at 4 and needs a 3i, or the golfer whose longest iron stops at 3i and needs  2i distance somewhere throughout the round. The KING Utility iron allows a player to perfectly gap his long iron game and offers three draw settings to fine tune trajectory,” said Tom Olsavsky, Vice President of R&D, COBRA Golf. “We designed this Utility iron with Rickie Fowler in mind – he currently uses this iron at courses he deems a match for this style of play.”

The KING Utility iron (MSRP: $259.99 steel; $299.99 graphite), available in RH only, will be available May 1, 2016. It comes equipped with a Steel KBS C-Taper Lite shaft in X-stiff or Stiff flexes; or a Graphite Aldila Rogue Black 85g in X-stiff, Stiff or Regular flexes. Loft range: 18^o, 18.5^o, 18.5 ^o draw, 19.5^o, 19.5^o draw^, 21.5 ^o, 21.5 ^o draw and 22 ^o.

For more information on the entire KING family of products, visit cobragolf.ca.

Kitchener, Ontario’s Chris Hemmerich and St. Petersburg, Florida’s MJ Maguire shot a pair of 6-under 66s at PGA Golf Club’s Wanamaker Course before play was suspended for the day due to dangerous weather in the area.

75 players were left to complete their first rounds when play was suspended at 2:20 p.m., with scattered thunderstorms making their way through the Port St. Lucie area. Play will resume on Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Hemmerich, a 2015 Mackenzie Tour member looking to regain status after finishing 80th on last year’s Order of Merit, carded six birdies and no bogeys to sit in a tie at the top with Maguire, who is looking for Mackenzie Tour status for the first time.

“Last year I learned a quick lesson finishing 80th on the money list that you have to hit more fairways,” said Hemmerich, who has spent his winter in nearby West Palm Beach. “I dialed it back off the tee and I’m hitting it a lot straighter.”

Maguire shot a 6-under 30 on the front nine (his second nine) to match Hemmerich, crediting his spectacular score to a more aggressive mindset on his approach shots.

“I thought starting out I could just hit fairways and greens and be fine, and I left myself some difficult putts,” said Maguire. “I just started to play more aggressive from there and was able to make a few nice putts.”

Spring is a time of renewal, revival, rebirth. So, in the spirit of the season, here are some golfing suggestions along those lines.

As a theme, let’s call this “In Praise Of …”

Match Play: With the notable exception of North America, match play is the preferred format over stroke play. Rather than try to finish 18 holes with a lower cumulative score than your fellow competitor, you compete on a per-hole basis. If you have the lower score on a hole, you win that hole and move on to the next. If you are out of the hole, you concede it to your opponent and you move to the next tee.  Whoever wins the most holes, wins the match – which might not take a full 18 holes. The rest of the world thinks match play is more equitable, more enjoyable and faster. Why don’t we?

Nine-hole Rounds: It’s a fad these days to suggest six-hole and 12-hole courses. What happened to the traditional nine-hole round? Do you realize nine-holers comprise about 40 per cent of Canada’s courses? And many 18-hole layouts are two nine-hole loops that each return to the clubhouse. Hit a few balls on the range, take a couple of practice putts, play nine, and you’re heading home in less than three hours. Half the time, about half the price, and much more than half the fun of 18 holes!

Half Sets of Clubs: Just like the nine-hole round, a half set of golf clubs is a concept worth praising, not just for beginners, but for every recreational golfer. And not just for the obvious financial savings. Grab a 3- and 5-wood, a 4-hybrid, a 6- and 8-iron, a sand wedge and a putter, a light stand bag and you’re good to go. Using a half set makes you a more creative shotmaker because not every club is dialed in for a specific yardage, as they are in a full set.  Give it a try and see how much of a difference, if any, there is in your score than when you play with 14 clubs. You’ll be surprised.

Walking: Carrying a half set of clubs for nine holes is one of golf’s great pleasures. Go for 18 if you’re up to it and you will have walked the equivalent of eight kilometres and burned 2,000 calories. If carrying isn’t an option because of physical condition, age or other factors, consider a push cart or an electric caddie. Once again, North Americans lag far behind the rest of the golfing world in the use of these admirable contraptions. If we’re not walking, we tend to jump into a power cart, thus missing most of the health and aesthetic benefits of the game, not to mention the added expense. As a start this spring, how about walking the front nine and riding on the back nine?

Playing YOUR Course: The testosterone-based fixation on building courses in excess of 7,000 yards had much to do with elevating the cost of golf. Every golfer who played those courses had to pay for the design, construction and maintenance of the additional 500 to 1,000 yards that only a tiny fraction of golfers actually had the ability to play. Have a look at the Tee It Forward concept. Swallow your ego and admit how far you actually hit your driver and that will indicate what length of course you should be playing for optimum enjoyment. For example, if your driver distance is 175 yards, you will have the most fun and score your best on a 4,500-yard course. If your average drive is 225, step back to 5,900; 250 with the driver equates to a 6,300-yard course, and so on.

Family Golf: In an age when the family dynamic is stressed and stretched, what better way to strengthen it than to play golf? More and more courses are encouraging family involvement through junior and adult beginner programs, couples’ leagues, family events, and other initiatives. If your course doesn’t offer these programs, look for a more progressive one to call home.

This year, fellow golfers, let’s spring forward and not fall back. Get out of your rut.

Start this season by carrying a half set for nine holes, playing a match with at least one family member. You’ll be well on your way to making golf more enjoyable, quicker, and affordable.

See, we’ve just solved most of golf’s challenges.

Next: World peace.