AUSTIN, Texas – Jordan Spieth had another stress-free day in the Dell Match Play, avoiding some of the drama the 18th hole provided Thursday.

So did Jason Day, whose back felt strong enough to drive the first green at 381 yards with a helping wind.

Fifteen matches went the distance at Austin Country Club, and there was no shortage of surprises. Daniel Berger never finished against Phil Mickelson when his club hit a rock structure on the way down. Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler escaped with half-points.

It all set the stage for Friday when all but 16 players from the 64-man field leave town. Already, 22 players have been mathematically eliminated.

Spieth again built a big lead and lost only one hole in a 5-and-4 victory over Victor Dubuisson of France. He has played 30 holes in his two victories, and needs only to halve his match Friday against Justin Thomas to reach the round of 16.

“When you’re 3 up and you’re striking the ball well on a windy day with a difficult golf course, it’s difficult to come from behind,” Spieth said.

Day ended any suspense about his back injury – first by showing up, then by hitting his opening drive to 12 feet on the 381-yard first hole. He was headed to a 5-and-3 victory over Thongchai Jaidee, which put him in the same position as Spieth.

“If I didn’t play today, I was going to pull out of the tournament totally,” Day said. “I wasn’t going to come back on Friday. I may as well get the rest and recovery and try to get ready for Augusta. I was playing against Thongchai. I felt like if I went there and played some golf, I could get him.

“Fortunately for me, I played some good golf,” he said. “There wasn’t one shot where I felt it today, which was good.”

Rory McIlroy also got through in a wild match with Smylie Kaufman in which they didn’t halve a hole until No. 7. McIlroy won on the 17th hole.

For others, the 18th hole was pivotal.

Mickelson was all square on the last hole when Berger drove left next to a rock structure that forms the 10th tee box. Berger struck the rocks before his club reached the ball. He dropped the club, grabbed his left wrist and looked over to Mickelson to concede the match.

“That’s happened to me before, not the injury, but swinging over the top of it or misjudging where the obstacle is,” Mickelson said. “It happens. So I was just watching if the ball was struck and it wasn’t. He hit the rock on the downswing. And hopefully his wrist is OK.”

Mickelson moves on to a winner-take-all match against Patrick Reed. Berger was among those eliminated and contemplated whether to play Friday, especially with his first Masters appearance only two weeks away.

Sergio Garcia was poised to win his second straight match until Ryan Moore knocked in a 25-foot putt from behind the 17th green to square the match, and then hit wedge to a foot on the final hole for a 1-up victory.

“Match play is just crazy,” Moore said. “You just never know what’s going to happen.”

Patton Kizzire, one of three PGA Tour rookies in the 64-man field, was 1 down to Bubba Watson playing the 18th hole when he hit his approach to 5 feet and made it to halve the match. If he missed, he would have been eliminated. Now he can win the group if he beats Emiliano Grillo on Friday and J.B. Holmes beats Watson.

Scott Piercy stayed in the match with Fowler with a remarkable up-and-down from birdie by bouncing a putt across the cart path and rough and onto the green, and winning the 17th when Fowler hit into a hazard. Piercy missed a 10-foot birdie putt on the final hole that would have eliminated Fowler.

Now, there’s a mathematical chance for a four-way playoff on Friday to determine who wins the group.

Spieth knows the course better than anyone from his three semesters at Texas _ the Longhorns used to stage qualifying on the course. He also faces more attention as the local favourite, not to mention the No. 1 player in the world.

So far, he has played some of his best golf since he won at Kapalua to start the year.

“My swing has been coming around,” he said. “I’ve been working hard on it for the last month or so. Really started showing signs of that work this week.”

RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico – Rafael Compos shot an 8-under 64 in front of his home fans Thursday to take the first-round lead in the PGA Tour’s Puerto Rico Open.

The 27-year-old Compos had eight birdies in a bogey-free round at Coco Beach. He made four straight birdies on Nos. 9-12, added another on the par-5 15th and parred the final three holes.

George McNeill, the 2012 winner, was a stroke back. He had six birdies in a seven-hole stretch and closed with a bogey on the par-4 ninth.

Defending champion Alex Cejka was at 66 along with Aaron Baddeley, Frank Lickliter and Will MacKenzie. Baddeley eagled the 15th and closed with two birdies.

Former Team Canada member Adam Svensson had a 67. The 5-under par round featured six birdies and a bogey.

Svensson, the medalist at Web.com Tour Q-School last December, will be making the fifth PGA TOUR start of his career at the Puerto Rico Open at Coco Beach. The Surrey, B.C., competed in the RBC Canadian Open in 2013 and 2014 as an amateur, posted a T34 at the event as a professional in 2015, and missed the cut at The RSM Classic last fall.

English stars Luke Donald and Ian Poulter are in playing after failing to qualify for the Match Play event in Texas. Donald opened with a 69, and Poulter shot 71.

In other Canadian action, Weyburn. Sask., native Graham DeLaet and Abbotsford, B.C.’s Nick Taylor had matching 2-under 70s. Wil Bateman of Edmonton had a 2-over 74.

CONCORD, N.C. – Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Mackenzie Hughes carded a bogey-free final round 66 (-6) on Thursday to lock down the win at the GProTour event contested at the Rocky River Golf Club.

The 25-year-old Dundas, Ont., product finished the 36-hole tournament at 8-under par (70-66) to edge out co-runner-ups Kelvin Day of England and Chip Lynn of Sanford, Fla., by two strokes.

With the win, the Kent State graduate takes home $3,400 (USD). He will tee-it-up next at Web.com Tour’s Brasil Champions presented by Embrase from Mar. 31 – Apr. 3.

Click here for full scoring.

UXBRIDGE, Ont. – To help build excitement for the first day of the 2016 golf season, the Golf Association of Ontario (GAO) is encouraging golfers and non-golfers alike to dress like a golfer on April 15, 2016.

The GAO is encouraging everyone to wear their best golf attire and to take photos and tag the GAO on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook or by using the hashtag #DressLikeAGolfer. The best dressed male and female will win a complete golf outfit courtesy of adidas golf Canada. Winners will be selected by the GAO and announced April 17, 2016.

Also, watch for members of the GAO who will be at busy intersections throughout downtown Toronto, during the morning rush hour, wearing their golf gear and helping to search for the best-dressed golfers.

Remember, on April 15 dress in your finest golf attire, snap a picture, tag the GAO on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and help kick off the 2016 golf season for your chance to win great golf clothing from adidas golf Canada.

Ever imagine what it might be like to play a round with Canada’s three top male golfers? If so, imagine no more.

The latest commercial from Shaw, titled The Showdown, follows Graham DeLaet, David Hearn and Adam Hadwin as they play a friendly match. The trio use their slyest tricks to try and gain an advantage. Check it out below.

Kissimmee, Fla. – Georgia’s Seth Reeves maintained a two-stroke lead midway through the third round at Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada qualifying school before play was suspended due to dangerous weather in the area at Reunion Resort and Spa’s Jack Nicklaus Signature Course.

The 25-year old, a former NCAA All-American at Georgia Tech, was 1-over par on his first nine holes to lead by two over Trevor Cone and Sam Love when play was suspended at 6:24 p.m. with lightning in the area.

Reeves led by two strokes over Cone entering the day after shooting rounds of 66-70 to open his quest to earn a Mackenzie Tour card, with the medalist this week earning fully exempt status for the 2016 season.

Prior to play being called for the day, Toronto native Sebastian Szirmak shot a 4-under 68 to sit 3-under total for 54 holes, tied for fifth spot and representing the low Canadian in the field.

“I stayed very patient and played great on the front, even though the score didn’t reflect it,” said Szirmak, who now calls Reunion his home course. The 26-year old shot 5-under 31 on his back nine to get into red figures for the tournament. “It takes great golf to get under par and it can all disappear in a moment. My mindset has been to stay patient and play the right shot knowing there will be a nine or 18 hole stretch of birdies”

Round three will resume Friday morning with players in position at 8 a.m. Round four will begin at 7:30 a.m. as scheduled, with competitors playing in the same groupings as round three.

CARLSBAD, Calif. – Inbee Park shot a 5-under 67 on Thursday afternoon for a share of the lead in the LPGA Tour’s Kia Classic, the final event before the major ANA Inspiration next week in Rancho Mirage.

“I just want to have all the game physically and mentally,” Park said. “You want your game to be ready for next week. It’s just the last test before the majors, just trying to test out some shots and try to get some confidence.”

The second-ranked South Korean player withdrew because of a back pain after a first-round 80 in the opener in the Bahamas and has struggled to regain that form that carried her to two major titles and five victories last year. She tied for 30th in Thailand and Singapore and missed the cut last week in the Founders Cup in Phoenix.

“Everything went really well out there, Park said. “Especially, I dropped some good putts today. I was able to shoot a low round and it’s always good to have a good round like this before going into a major.”

Morning starters Brittany Lang, Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Ai Miyazato matched Park at 67, and top-ranked Lydia Ko was another stroke back.

Park played the back nine at Aviara in 4 under, making her final birdie on the par-5 17th. She hit 11 of 14 fairways in regulation, 14 of 18 greens, and had 27 putts.

“The greens weren’t as bumpy as what I thought it would be,” Park said. “The greens are actually in much better shape than in previous years. So, I was quite comfortable on the greens today. Obviously, getting some confidence on the greens was huge.”

Lang holed out from the fairway for eagle on the par-4 first hole and had five birdies and two bogeys.

“I saw it hit, I’m like, ‘OK, it’s going to hit soft, good,” Lang said about the eagle. “And then I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, that looks good. … That always makes you pretty comfortable.”

Lang opened with a 63 last week in Phoenix and ended up tying for ninth.

“I played great last week,” Lang said. “I’ve been hitting it really well. These greens can definitely be tough, the speed. They are really slow, really quick. They can be difficult. So you’ve got to be a little cautious.”

Miyazato eagled the par-5 10th in her bogey-free round. Shadoff had seven birdies and two bogeys.

Ko birdied five of her final nine holes in her morning round. The 18-year-old New Zealander was second in Phoenix.

“I was striking the ball really well, even in my front nine, which was the back nine,” Ko said. “But I just couldn’t get any putts rolling. It was good to see a couple drop on my back nine.

“The weather, it’s perfect. Obviously, in the morning, it’s a little cooler, so you’ve got a couple layers on, but this is as perfect as it gets. Carlsbad is so beautiful.”

Jane Park and Mi Jung Hur joined Ko at 68.

Michelle Wie shot a 70 after missing the cut in Phoenix. She had six birdies and four bogeys.

Ha Na Jang opened with a 71. She won this year in Florida and Singapore.

Phoenix winner Sei Young Kim parred the final 13 holes in a 72. On Sunday, she matched Annika Sorenstam’s LPGA Tour scoring record of 27 under, closing with a 10-under 62 for a five-stroke victory.

Fourth-ranked Stacy Lewis also shot 72. She has a 44-event victory drought that dates to June 2014.

Canadian Brooke Henderson, of Smiths Falls, Ont., is tied for 56th after an opening round 73. Fellow Canadian Maude-Aimee Leblanc, of Sherbrooke, Que., was 3 over while Hamilton’s Alena Sharp shot a 77.

Defending champion Cristie Kerr had a 73, and Lexi Thompson struggled to a 77. The third-ranked Thompson won last month in Thailand.

Earlier this week I attended a city council meeting in my hometown of Brantford, Ont., to show my support for a community-driven campaign to save Arrowdale Municipal Golf Course, a nine-hole facility that is one of two municipal golf courses managed by the city of Brantford.

The campaign to save Arrowdale from closure ran over the past four months and I was proud to submit a letter in support of the Arrowdale campaign. As I shared in my letter (which you can read below), municipal golf courses and practice facilities are important entry points to the game. Not every golfer is a member of a club—in fact 84 per cent of all golfers are public players.

When it came down to the final decision, council voted not only to keep the facility open, but also to invest in both Arrowdale as well as the 18-hole Northridge Municipal Golf Course as part of the city’s 10-year capital forecast. Both facilities meant a lot to me personally growing up as I spent time at both when I began to take up the game as a youngster.

View from the tee at hole No. 9 at Arrowdale

A report on the council’s decision from the Brantford Expositor can be found here.

Canada is blessed to have 2,346 facilities across Canada, however, the role that municipal golf courses as well as practice ranges and short course play in welcoming both new and avid enthusiasts cannot be overstated. With nine-hole golf courses accounting for 37 per cent of Canada’s total supply of golf facilities, we need more Arrowdales, not less when it comes to overall health of our sport. At the same time, it’s important to remind those community leaders about golf’s economic, health, social, environmental, charitable and employment benefits.

The proposed closure of Arrowdale is not uncommon in communities across Canada as municipalities evaluate their viability of their recreational facilities. Every city council is weighing the cost/benefit of their golf operation and I know many factors come into play when councilors evaluate the viability of a municipal golf facility for their respective community.

I want to congratulate the members of the ‘Save Arrowdale Action Committee’ who put their full passion into the public campaign to save the golf course. It’s great to see their tremendous efforts pay off.

March 4, 2016

To the Members of Brantford City Council,

This letter is to share my concern with the potential closure of Arrowdale Municipal Golf Course.  Affordable and accessible facilities including practice ranges and municipal golf courses play an important role in introducing golf to enthusiasts in communities across Canada. Closing Arrowdale would be a big loss to the community and to the sport of golf.

As CEO of Golf Canada, I am proud to have been introduced to golf in my hometown of Brantford, Ont., I grew up playing at Northridge Municipal Golf Course and Learning Centre as a junior and also hold fond memories of time spent at Arrowdale. I went on to work in the back shop at Northridge as a summer student and then joined Brantford Golf and Country where I am still a proud member today. I know how important Arrowdale is to the Brantford golf community and that passion is evident in those working hard to keep the facility open.

Representing the National Sport Federation for golf, I recognize the important impact golf has on the livability of communities like Brantford. Golf as a sport is a good for our children, instilling etiquette and values such as integrity, honest, fair play and the spirit of camaraderie. Consider as well the health benefits of burning 850 calories walking nine holes as well as muscle endurance, blood circulation, flexibility and mental alertness.

Golf also has a significant economic impact in communities across Canada generating more than $14.3 billion in economic impact and employing more than 300,000 jobs, nearly 40% of which are summer students. Golf courses also steward essential greenspace in the community in addition to hosting more than 37,000 charity events that raise more than $533 million annually to support important causes.

The role of the municipal golf course, practice range or entry level facility cannot be understated—these facilities have been the conduit for close to 5.7 million golfers playing close to 60 million rounds annually in making golf the most participated sport in this country. Golf is such a great family sport that teaches all the right values for success in life.

Among more than 820 golf facilities province-wide in Ontario, less than 30% are nine-holes. Courses like Arrowdale are critical to introducing people to the game and we need MORE of them in Canada, not less. Brantford is a passionate golf community and I hope that Arrowdale can continue to engage public golfers and be the gateway for new enthusiasts into the game. 

Sincerely,

Scott Simmons
CEO
Golf Canada

Whether in a gym, a community centre or a park, Mobile Clinics presented by Acura is dedicated to making CN Future Links programming accessible any time, anywhere.

Equipped with the latest Acura MDX model, PGA of Canada teaching professionals conducted CN Future Links lessons to over 63,000 juniors in 2015. With a trunk full of golf equipment, teaching professionals travel all over Canada to deliver best-in-class programming, regardless of the setting.

For Golf Canada’s Chief Sport Officer, Jeff Thompson, mobile clinics are the bridge to reaching those who are limited in terms of access to a golf course.

“With mobile clinics, we are able to extend the outreach of CN Future Links and connect with Canadian youth where they are—schools, recreation centres, summer camps and more—all with the intent of igniting interest in the sport and letting them experience it,” he said. “We are thankful to both Acura and CN for their involvement in helping deliver lessons to those who may otherwise have limited access to a golf facility.”

The initiative is nation-wide, with all ten Provincial Associations leading the way with their own CN Future Links branded Acura MDX.

Since Acura jumped on board in 2014, over 120,000 juniors have received lessons through the program. The material taught through mobile clinics aligns with the latest Long-Term Player Development (LTPD) model, which provides research, statistic and insight into Canada’s player development pathway.

2016 Mobile Clinics will kick off when each province’s respective golf season gets underway.

To register a mobile clinic, parents, volunteers, teachers and community leaders are encouraged to contact their Provincial Association by clicking here.

AUSTIN, Texas – Jason Day overcame an early deficit to win his opening match Wednesday in the Dell Match Play.

Now he has to overcome a bad back.

In the latest in a series of injuries for Day, he was reaching for his back on the 15th hole and then winced and grabbed it after a tee shot on the 16th hole. He took a knee on the green, where he closed out Graeme McDowell, 3 and 2.

Day headed straight for the fitness trailer for treatment.

The severity of the injury was unclear. Day left without speaking to reporters, and his agent later sent a statement that he tweaked his back, had some work done on it, was pleased with winning and is getting prepared to play Thursday.”

Day told the Australian Associated Press before getting treatment, “It’s really hard to play with searing pain in both sides of your lower back. Just my back has seized up and I need to get inside right away for treatment and see what’s wrong.”

Top-seeded Jordan Spieth, the crowd favorite at Austin Country Club who helped Texas to a national title in 2012, had the largest crowd and delivered a solid performance. Spieth was 4 up through seven holes, and outlasted Jamie Donaldson, 3 and 2.

“I felt like everybody was on our side today,” Spieth said. “I almost felt like a home Ryder Cup match. And Jamie, I’m not sure what he would say about it. … Everyone was very respectful, but every single step I took, somebody was yelling at you, ‘Hook ‘Em Horns’ or ‘Go Jordan, we’re rooting for you.’ Which is really, really cool.”

Rory McIlroy had three close calls on his way to victory last year at Harding Park. He started out with one in Texas. McIlroy never led until he won the 18th hole with a par. Thorbjorn Olesen missed a 3-foot putt on the 16th, and with the match all square on the 18th, the Dane shanked a chip to hand McIlroy the match.

“Match play is all about just getting through,” McIlroy said.

Rickie Fowler, the No. 5 seed, failed to do that. He rallied from 3 down on the back nine to square his match on the 15th hole, only for Jason Dufner to win the next two holes with birdies to beat him on the 17th hole.

Dustin Johnson (No. 8) lost to Robert Streb, and Hideki Matsuyama (No. 12) lost to Rafa Cabrera-Bello. Adam Scott (No. 6), who has lost seven straight matches in this event, had to settle for a halve with Thomas Pieters of Belgium. Players and caddies wore black ribbons in their caps to honor the victim of Tuesday’s bombings in Brussels.

In the round-robin format, all of the players still have a chance to advance from their groups and reach the knockout stage. A year ago, only three players who lost in the first round managed to reach the round of 16. It might be easier this year because there are halves during group play.

Bubba Watson (No. 4) halved his match with PGA Tour rookie Patton Kizzire.

Phil Mickelson, playing this World Golf Championship for the first time in five years, ran off three birdies in a four-hole stretch on the front nine to build a big lead and Matthew Fitzpatrick couldn’t catch up. The match ended on the 14th hole. Matt Kuchar had the shortest match, a 6-and-5 victory over Anirban Lahiri, who flew to Texas from a runner-up finish in India.

Most of the drama on a windy day involved Day, who was coming off a victory Sunday in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Day’s career has been filled with injuries. He withdrew after one round in the 2012 Masters with an ankle injury. A wrist and thumb injury kept him out for much of the spring in 2014 after he won the Match Play. He suffered vertigo symptoms at the U.S. Open last year. He took three months off at the end of last year to be with his wife when she gave birth to their second child and to concentrate on his health.

The back pain grabbed when the match was in hand.

Day lost two straight holes early in the match, including the par-3 third when he came up well short of the green and into a hazard. But he kept smashing tee shots and converting them into birdies, ending the back nine with two birdies for a 1-up lead. McDowell found the water on the 11th, and Day went 3 up through 13.

Lacking on a warm, blustery day were the number of great shots typically seen in match play. Part of that was Austin Country Club, unknown to just about everyone except for Spieth and Dufner, whose coach lives in Austin.

“I think everybody is kind of feeling out how it’s going to be this week,” Dufner said.