Suwanee, Georgia’s Seth Reeves carded a 2-under par 70 on Wednesday at Reunion Resort and Spa’s Jack Nicklaus Signature Course to extend his lead at Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada qualifying school.

The 25-year old followed up an opening round 66 with five birdies against three bogeys to reach 8-under total, leading by two shots over Concord, North Carolina’s Trevor Cone through two rounds.

“After going pretty low with a good round yesterday, following it up with another under par score today is pretty solid. I made a few mental mistakes, but that’s golf and overall I did everything just as well as yesterday.”

A former NCAA All-American at Georgia Tech, Reeves said he entered Mackenzie Tour Q-School as part of his journey to reach the PGA TOUR and join former Yellow Jackets and close friends Chesson Hadley and Cameron Tringale.

“I’d rather enjoy the journey of getting there than getting stressed out about not being there yet,” who faced off against the likes of Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Daniel Berger over the course of his collegiate career. “I’ve learned to not really be jealous and just be excited for them, and know that I’m going to get there eventually and it’s going to be a blast.”

Sebastian Szirmak was the low Canadian thru 36-holes. The Toronto native is tied for 16th at 1-over.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Augusta James recorded a one-stroke victory on Wednesday at the National Women’s Golf Association (NWGA) event contested on the Dubsdread Golf Course.

James, a 22-year-old Bath, Ont., native, finished the tournament at 1-under (73-70-66) for the come-from-behind victory over Jenni Jenq of Saratoga, Calif. Her final round score of 66 (-4) was the tournament low, catapulting the N.C. State graduate into position to lock up the victory.

Richmond Hill, Ont., natives and Team Canada graduates Elizabeth Tong and Rebecca Lee-Bentham were also in action, finishing T8 and 17^th, respectively.

The win marks James’ second win on the NWGA Tour—she collected a win back in February at the Soboba Springs Golf Club in San Jacinto, Calif. In addition to her victories, James added a T2 finish two weeks back in Deltona, Fla.

The string of strong results on the NWGA Tour are a means to keep her game sharp during a break in the Symetra Tour schedule.

James will look to keep things rolling when the Symetra Tour kicks off again at Florida’s Natural Charity Classic from Apr. 8­–10. She will be joined by Young Pro Squad teammate and defending champion, Sue Kim of Langley, B.C.

Click here for full scoring.

Canadian golf has been deeply saddened by the passing of Craig Marseilles, who succumbed to cancer Sunday, March 20th.

Marseilles, who was born in 1957, has been associated with The National Golf Club in Woodbridge, Ont., since 1985. He won the Club Championship in 1986, ’87, and ’89. In 1990, he turned professional and until recently represented The National across the globe as a tour professional.

He won many titles on many tours and nearly earned full status on the PGA and Champions Tours. He gained respect and recognition on the Canadian Tour (now Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada) by competing in Canadian Opens and winning various events throughout his career.

His gentlemanly demeanor, playing ability and kindness were exemplified at all times, both on and off the golf course. Marseilles was one of those rare individuals whose kindness did not affect his competitiveness; nor his competitiveness his kindness.

“Craig was a tough competitor who knew his strengths and played to them,” said Mike Weir. But more importantly he epitomized what golf is about… play hard, and win or lose, always be humble.”

A memorial service will take place Thursday, March 24th at 2 p.m. at Marshall Funeral Home – 10366 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill – reception to follow.

There’s little doubt that Daryl MacLean picked a sweet spot to blossom as a golf professional when he settled in at Cherry Hill Club.

The 33-year-old PGA of Ontario member enjoyed his first taste of cottage club life in 2007 when he arrived at the Niagara area golf club as a teaching professional and has since developed firm roots with members and their children.

MacLean’s dedication to the private club that services a membership that is 75 per cent American and his contagious passion for the game has paid off as the winner of both the PGA of Ontario and PGA of Canada awards as the country’s Class “A” Professional of the Year for 2015.

“I’m still finding it hard to believe that I have been recognized in this way,” says the Burlington, Ont., native. “When you work hard all summer at a job that you love with a terrific membership and top notch team in the golf shop it doesn’t really seem like work, so to receive these honors from the PGA of Ontario and the PGA of Canada is surprising and humbling.”

Daryl didn’t play his first round of golf until he was 17-year-old when he teed it up on a summer’s afternoon with his father at Deerfield Golf Club in Oakville. Soon after he picked up a job in the backshop at Burlington Golf and Country Club and there was no turning back. He bought a junior membership for the City of Hamilton courses at Chedoke Civic Golf Course and King’s Forest Golf Club where he played every summer day and won the junior club championship in 2001.

At the age of 21, Daryl turned professional while attending Brock University where he went the unusual route of earning a Bachelor of Business Administration in 2005 rather than applying to a Professional Golf Management program. MacLean turned pro in 2004 and earned his PGA of Canada Class “A” designation in 2010.

He worked as an assistant professional at Legends on the Niagara, for the City of Hamilton courses, and Burlington Golf and Country Club before taking on a full-time associate position at Cherry Hill in May of 2012.

Founded in 1922 by several Buffalo businessmen, Cherry Hill Club and its Walter J. Travis design, is unique in that its membership remains 75 per cent American.

The majority of the 300 members and their families live in the Buffalo area and cottages on nearby Lake Erie, so the cottage course remains busy from Memorial Day to Labour Day.

It’s also very much a family club and along with running nine and 18-hole ladies leagues and men’s night, Daryl oversees a summer junior program on Tuesdays from 7 am to 12 pm, where the only ones allowed out on the course and practice area are the 100 or so juniors who attend.

“It’s a lot of fun, long days. I do it for the love of the game and the great people who you get to meet along the way,” says MacLean, who lives five minutes from the course in Ridgeway from April to October and lives with his family back in Burlington during the off-season. “I really feel that I have a passion for the game that is second to none and I try to bring that attitude to the golf course each and every day.” His usual work day starts at 5:45 am and goes until dark and he usually drops by the club on his one day off a week to make sure everything is running smoothly.

In managing daily golf operations MacLean works with all other departments to ensure events run smoothly. Over the past three years he has played a key role in enhancing the member and guest experience at the club that has resulted in a growth in member participation with increases in professional shop sales, rounds played, guest revenue and cart revenue. Men’s night went from 15 people in 2013 to just over 60 in 2015 under MacLean’s direction.

MacLean also implemented the return of the caddy program at Cherry Hill after being absent for 10-plus years by reaching out to other area golf professionals and local high school coaches within the community to provide the opportunity to caddy for golf-enthusiastic students. Other highlights include developing a competitive junior golf team to play interclub matches against other private clubs in the region and he has been a strong supporter of the Niagara Junior Golf Tour, understanding that juniors are the future of golf.

EATONTON, Ga. – Team Canada’s Amateur Squad member Hugo Bernard finished T4 on Tuesday at the Bobcat Invitational to record his third consecutive top-5 collegiate finish.

Bernard, a freshman with the Div II Saint Leo Lions, finished at 4-over par (71-69-74) to share a three-way tie of 4th place at the Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee course. The group was chasing Lynn University’s Jose Andres Miranda, who ran away with a three-stroke victory thanks to a tournament-low 66 in Sunday’s opening round.

Collectively, Bernard led the Lions to a 6th place finish overall, with Lynn University taking home the hardware.

Since joining the Lions in January, Bernard has made a significant impact. The 21 year-old Mont-St-Hilaire, Que., product notched a T20, 4^th, and two T4 finishes in his first four events.

Canadian standout and Team Canada graduate Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., won medalist honours for Barry University in 2014.

Bernard, last year’s Canadian Men’s Amateur runner-up, will look to keep up his hot play when the Lions hit the Argonaut Invivational from Apr. 4–5.

Click here for full scoring.

Kissimmee, Fla. – Georgia’s Seth Reeves fired a 6-under par 66 on Tuesday at Reunion Resort and Spa’s Jack Nicklaus Signature Course to take the round one lead at Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada qualifying school.

The 25-year old, a former NCAA All-American at Georgia Tech, carded eight birdies against just two bogeys to lead by three over Ted Smith, Bobby Wyatt and Sam Love through two rounds.

“Q-School is a marathon as guys say, so to get off to a good start and know I can shoot this number out here helps a lot,” said Reeves. “Even if things get a little rocky, I’ll have that in my head now and I know that I can make birdies out here. My goal is to just be pretty chill and see what happens.”

The long-hitting lefthander made birdie on three of the four par-5s at Reunion and took advantage of his length off the tee by giving himself birdie opportunities where other players scrambled for pars.

“I just was pretty relaxed starting out today. I drove the ball well and I hit it fairly long, so to be able to get some drivers in my hand and let ‘em loose and drive it well gave me the opportunity to have some shorter irons into holes, and I took advantage,” said Reeves.

Ottawa’s Andrew Jensen opened with a 1-over 73 and was tied for low Canadian at T24 with Toronto’s Sebastian Szirmak.

“It’s massively important to play the way I did, knowing that bogeys aren’t terrible and attitude is everything,” said Jensen, a Bell Let’s Talk Ambassador. “You really need to make keeping double bogeys off the card a priority, and when you do make birdies it’s a big help. There aren’t a lot of gimme birdies out there. Even starting bogey-bogey today, I didn’t panic out there and knew that you need to be a tactician a bit around the golf course.”

There will be a first for Canadian golf in 2016. For the first time ever, two Canadian clubs will play host to U.S. Amateur championship qualifiers.

Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver will host a qualifier for the men on July 18, while Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, Ont., will host a qualifier for the women on June 27.

“Golf Canada has been working on several initiatives with the USGA to strengthen our partnership and these qualifiers are the beginning of what we hope to be larger collaborations,” says Mary Beth McKenna, manager of rules and competitions for Golf Canada. “With Canadian golfers experiencing more and more success on the professional and amateur level, it was likely a natural fit for the USGA to expand these qualifiers into Canada.”

Brampton Golf Club

At Brampton, Head Professional Emerson Mahoney says the club is “very excited” to host the qualifier and is “looking forward to having the best women amateurs in the area vying for a spot in the very prestigious event.”

Built in 1963, the Robbie Robinson layout also hosted the 2014 Ontario Women’s Amateur. And unlike hosting a weeklong event and coordinating course availability with members, the qualifier is only a one-day event.

“The club has been very supportive of the idea,” Mahoney continues. “The management is very excited to showcase the golf course, and it’s an opportunity that’s good for golf overall, which is something our membership is all about.”

Meanwhile, at Marine Drive, the longtime director of golf Tim Tait told the Vancouver Province that he was contacted and asked if the club would be interested in hosting a sectional qualifier in Canada for the U.S. Amateur, and of course he said yes.

“Actually, I said yes and then I went to my board and they said yes. It happened quite quickly,” he tells the newspaper.

Marine Drive has long been a hotbed for Canadian golf greatness, as a number of Canadian Golf Hall of Famers like Richard Zokol and Stan Leonard have been involved with the club for a number of years.

According to McKenna, this year is hopefully just the start of a long-standing relationship between the USGA and Golf Canada in terms of qualifiers for their historic championships.

“Golf Canada is excited to offer the opportunity for Canadian players to compete at home to earn their way into the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Women’s Amateur,” says McKenna.

The U.S. Amateur will take place from Aug. 15-21 at Oakland Hills Golf Club in Michigan, while the U.S. Women’s Amateur goes Aug. 1-7 at Rolling Green Golf Club in Pennsylvania.

In 1988, the Cherry Hill Club in Ridgeway, Ont., hosted a qualifier for the U.S. Amateur qualifier.

For more information on USGA championships, click here.

AUSTIN, Texas – Defending champion Rory McIlroy will face a player he knows very little about in the Dell Match Play.

Jordan Spieth knows one of his opponents all too well.

Spieth, the former Texas Longhorn and crowd favorite at Austin Country Club, wound up in the same group as longtime friend Justin Thomas.

Both are 22 and they have been friends since 2007, when they were selected to represent the United States in the Evian Junior Masters. Spieth beat him in a high-profile match in the NCAA Championship at Riviera in 2012, which the Longhorns won, and has gone on to two majors and reach the No. 1 world ranking.

The 64 players were broken into four groups based on this week’s ranking, and one player was chosen by lottery to fill out the 16 four-man groups. The draw was held at the Paramount Theater, and Ben Crenshaw picked the names out of the bowl for Spieth’s group.

“Jordan probably won’t talk to me the rest of the week,” Crenshaw said. “They’ve played a lot of golf together. Obviously, they know each other very well. They’re admirers of each other.”

Spieth and Thomas already have played together three times this year – the opening two rounds at Riviera, and the third round at Doral. They won’t play each other at the Match Play until Friday. Also in their group are Victor Dubuisson of France and Jamie Donaldson of Wales.

McIlroy won last year at Harding Park with three close calls before beating Gary Woodland in the championship match. He is the only player among the top six in the world who has yet to win this year, and hopes this week will spark him in his final tournament before the Masters.

In his group is Smylie Kaufman, who won his first PGA Tour event in Las Vegas in just his second start as a member. McIlroy also has Kevin Na and Thorbjorn Olesen.

“Thorbjorn is a good friend of mine. The first time I played with Thorbjorn was in Egypt in 2010. We’ve got a little bit of history,” McIlroy said.

“Smylie, I really don’t know that much about. I know that he got off to a great start in his PGA Tour career. As I said, no matter who you draw in this event, you know you’re going to get a tough match.”

The 18-hole match play switched to group last year, moving away from the single-elimination format that made this event aggravating to those who lost early, and difficult on the sponsors because top players often were gone by the weekend.

This year, however, matches during group play can end in a draw.

One player from each of the 16 groups advance to the knockout stage that starts on Saturday. If two or more players in a group are tied, they go to a sudden-death playoff.

Jason Day, the No. 2 seed based on his victory Sunday in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, preferred the single-elimination format because it made every match feel more important. He lost all three of his matches last year at Harding Park.

His group has a couple of names that should get his attention. Day will face Graeme McDowell on Wednesday and Paul Casey on Friday. Thongchai Jaidee is the other player in his group.

PHOENIX – Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., finished in a tie for fourth place at the JTBC Founders Cup in Scottsdale, Ariz., shooting 67 in the final round on Sunday.