The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada and Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG) announced today that the Oil Country Championship, a new official event for 2016, will be played at Edmonton’s Glendale Golf and Country Club in 2016.

The golf tournament, which will take place July 25-31, 2016, enhances OEG’s portfolio of sports and entertainment properties, which currently includes the Edmonton Oilers (NHL), Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL), Bakersfield Condors (AHL), Norfolk Admirals (ECHL) and Silver Pictures Entertainment.

“We are delighted to partner with the PGA TOUR on the new Oil Country Championship to bring amazing golf and unparalleled hospitality to Edmonton this summer,” said OEG CEO and Vice Chair Bob Nicholson. “Adding golf to OEG’s expanding roster of sports and entertainment assets makes a lot of sense, given Canadians’ passion for the sport. The opportunity to raise funds for charity through the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation (EOCF) makes this a clear win-win for the community.”

“We’re absolutely thrilled to be partnering with OEG and teaming together two great sports organizations. This is an exciting addition to our schedule, and we’re confident we can create a marquee event in the Canadian golf landscape,” said Mackenzie Tour President Jeff Monday. “Our aim is to make this event a week-long celebration, and we look forward to bringing some great golf to Edmonton this summer while making a positive impact in the community.”
The event will also receive support from Edmonton Events, a partnership between the City of Edmonton and Edmonton Tourism.

“Edmonton is proud to host the inaugural Oil Country Championship in our city,” said Mayor Don Iveson. “This tournament is a great addition to our summer lineup of exciting sports competitions and we look forward to welcoming some of the best golfers in the world to Edmonton.”

Linx Marketing, a longstanding partner operating other Mackenzie Tour events, will assist with operations and management of the event, with Darcy Enick serving as Tournament Director.

Glendale Golf and Country Club, a 7,264-yard Norman Woods design, hosts the Mackenzie Tour for the first time since 2009, when James Hahn, now a PGA TOUR winner, claimed his first of two Mackenzie Tour wins.

The event’s course rotation will include Glendale in 2016, Windermere Golf and Country Club in 2017, Edmonton Petroleum Golf and Country Club in 2018, Edmonton Country Club in 2019 and a location to be determined in 2020.

“It’s very exciting to see an Edmonton stop back on the Mackenzie Tour schedule,” said Hahn. “I have fond memories of my win there, especially the volunteers, sponsors and everyone I encountered in the city. I’m sure with the Oilers Entertainment Group getting involved it will solidify itself as a favourite stop on the Mackenzie Tour,” added Hahn, who broke through for his first victory on the PGA TOUR in 2015 at the Northern Trust Open.

The event will be in support of the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation (EOCF), which continues the Oilers legacy of giving back by contributing its resources and financial support to charitable organizations that serve the communities of Northern Alberta. With a focus on education, health and wellness for youth in Oil Country, the EOCF is dedicated to building strong, vibrant and safe communities by demonstrating philanthropic leadership.

Edmonton last hosted the Mackenzie Tour in 2012 when Burlington, Ontario’s Michael Gligic claimed victory at the ATB Financial Classic. The city boasts 84 courses within an hour’s drive and has among the highest participation rates in Canada.

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Bryson DeChambeau was still in high school when he told his father: “I think I can change the game of golf.”

On Thursday, he was comparing his trailblazing qualities to those of Albert Einstein and George Washington, and calling himself “The Golf Scientist.”

One thing’s for sure about the 22-year-old DeChambeau, he isn’t lacking in confidence.

And he’s got the game to back it up.

DeChambeau shot an 8-under 64 at the Abu Dhabi Championship to take a one-stroke lead in the first round in what might be the strongest field in a European Tour event this year. Not bad for an amateur making only his seventh start in a professional tournament, and his first on the regular European Tour – through a sponsor’s invitation.

Any nerves? Don’t be silly.

“Why be nervous?” said DeChambeau, whose deep tan is explained by his California roots. “There’s no expectations. I’m not worried about anything. If I hit a bad shot I’ve got an opportunity to show my grace and my character. In that situation, there’s no downside to it.”

DeChambeau may just be the most unique, colorful golfer around.

He’s a physics student at Southern Methodist University who has devised his own way of playing golf. It includes modifying all of his irons so they are the same length, lie angle and bounce – the only difference between them is the loft – and means he can keep the same posture and set-up; hitting two different drives that he has named The Fairway Finder and the Crank Ball; using water and Epsom salts to establish which of his golf balls are slightly flawed so they can be discarded; and adopting a putting routine in which he crouches and extends his putter as if fly-fishing.

“You look at trends in humanity and people like following the norm,” DeChambeau said, when asked if he is a trailblazer. “You’ve got people out there like Einstein, George Washington – they just stood out and capitalized on their differences and showed the world a little different side.

“I tried (his unique swing) out in 2011 … I hit a striped shot 210 yards right next to the flag and I thought, “This could change golf.”

DeChambeau isn’t just all talk. Last year, he became only the fifth player – after Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and Ryan Moore – to win the NCAA and U.S. Amateur titles in the same season. He made his PGA Tour debut in June that year and finished tied for 45th, and was runner-up in the Australian Masters in November.

He said Thursday that he is not thinking of when to turn professional.

“I never try to set goals. I’m more of a journey man,” said DeChambeau, who wears a Ben Hogan-style flat cap. “I like focusing on the journey process.

“I’m an intern. I’ve learned to believe in myself. That’s the ticket. It happened at the NCAAs and I’m just growing that confidence, that belief each and every single day. Today definitely helped.”

The highlight of his round was a 3-wood from 278 yards that ran through a greenside bunker and rolled up to within 20 feet of the pin on No. 8. He knocked it in for an eagle, and also hit seven birdies around a long, challenging course to top the likes of Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy.

“I’m getting more comfortable out here and getting used to the rhythm of things,” he said. “I only played 18 holes before I played today. Nine holes Monday and nine holes Tuesday and that’s all you need if you understand the golf course – you have contour maps and everything like that it makes it super simple, super smooth to get the golf course figured out.”

It seems DeChambeau has golf figured out, too.

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Jordan Spieth was aggrieved at being given a warning for slow play, and complained that his tee shots were “short and crooked.”

But after his opening round of the Abu Dhabi Championship on Thursday, the top-ranked Spieth’s biggest concern might just be the sublime form of his playing partner.

Rory McIlroy got the better of Spieth in their first head-to-head of 2016, using his power and accuracy with the driver to set up a 6-under 66 that put him two shots off the lead held by American amateur Bryson DeChambeau.

Spieth, who scrambled well to shoot a 68, made an early-season statement two weeks ago by winning by eight strokes in Hawaii to back up his stellar 2015. McIlroy laid down a marker of his own in his first event of the year after a two-month break and laser eye surgery.

“It was the Rory that I have seen win majors,” Spieth said. “It was spectacular. It was a pretty unbelievable round on a very challenging golf course.”

McIlroy says his eye operation in December will improve his ability to read greens and that seemed to be the case, the No. 3-ranked Northern Irishman making eight birdies – beginning on his first hole with a 20-footer. But it was his driving that set him apart on a warm, wind-free morning in the gulf emirate.

“I was really excited to get going, especially playing in a group like that,” said the No. 3-ranked McIlroy, who was also playing alongside No. 6-ranked Rickie Fowler (70). “Couldn’t be happier.”

Spieth’s first round in a regular European Tour event was a mixed bag and ended with a brush with a rules official, who gave the American a “monitoring penalty” for taking too long over a putt on No. 8 – his 17th hole. Spieth said the decision “didn’t make any sense to me” and was a “bit odd.”

“The guys behind us hadn’t even reached the fairway, on a par 5,” said Spieth, who acknowledged that he had taken extra time to line up the putt.

It was the first round since the European Tour modified its Pace of Play policy – and officials made an example of the biggest name in golf.

“Sometimes referees have to use a bit of common sense,” said McIlroy, who sympathized with Spieth.

There were no such problems for another 22-year-old American.

DeChambeau was making only his seventh start in a professional event but showed no nerves in shooting seven birdies and an eagle for a 64 to lead a stellar field. Henrik Stenson (65) was a shot behind, with McIlroy and Branden Grace a further stroke adrift.

DeChambeau is one of golf’s characters – calling himself the “Golf Scientist,” he has modified his irons to make them all the same length, has two driver swings, puts his balls in Epsom salts to establish which of them are slightly flawed, and wears a Ben Hogan-style flat cap.

“I’m just growing in confidence and belief every single day,” said DeChambeau, who is regarded as one of the hottest young players in the sport after also winning the U.S. Amateur and NCAA titles in 2015.

Stenson birdied five of the last eight holes in his first round since keyhole surgery on his right knee in December.

“Not too bad on one leg,” quipped Stenson, a runner-up in 2006.

McIlroy has also finished second in Abu Dhabi – four times, in fact – and the course suits his game. He thrived in playing with esteemed company and said he took the way he was hitting the ball on the range in Dubai last week onto the course.

“There’ve been times where it’s taken me at least four or five days to find the middle of the clubface (after a break) and there’ve been times where it’s taken me a couple of hours,” McIlroy said. “This time it’s the latter.”

Two three-putts for birdies were the only negatives for McIlroy, whose longest birdie was from 25 feet on No. 13.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. – Hyundai has reached a deal to become the title sponsor of the PGA Tour event at Riviera Country Club, following Northern Trust’s decision to shift from the Los Angeles tournament to the FedEx Cup playoff opener in the New York/New Jersey area.

Fountain Valley-headquartered Hyundai Motor America and the PGA Tour announced the deal Wednesday, a day after Northern Trust said it was leaving following the Feb. 18-21 event. Chicago-based Northern Trust took over in 2008 as the Los Angeles title sponsor.

Hyundai is moving its sponsorship from the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii. South Korea television giant SBS has a 10-year deal through 2019 at Kapalua, and it farmed out the title to Hyundai in 2011.

Hyundai’s deal at Riviera and Northern Trust’s with the FedEx Cup opener will begin next year. The New York/New Jersey event opened up after Barclays decided not to renew its title sponsorship.

LIMA, Peru – Four members of Team Canada’s Development Squad are set to play in the 11th edition of the South American Amateur this week from Jan. 21–24 at the Lima Golf Club—a three-time host of the event.

The men’s side will be represented by the duo of Charles-Éric Bélanger (Québec) and Jack Simpson (Aurora, Ont.), while Grace St-Germain (Ottawa) and Hannah Lee (Surrey, B.C.) will tee-it-up on the women’s side. All four Canucks are set to compete in the 72-hole stroke-play event for their first time when competition kicks off Thursday.

In 2015, American Scott Harvey took home the trophy for the men, with Team Canada member Blair Hamilton taking home top-Canadian honours in a tie for twelfth. Sofia Garcia of Paraguay won the women’s title.

Click here for live scoring.

Official p.r @southamericasgolf @ce_belanger @gracestgermain @lee_hannahh @JackSimpson_4 @TheGolfCanada pic.twitter.com/AH9DelEScV

— ann carroll (@AnnAnncarroll) January 20, 2016

Many of us head south in the off-season to continue to play golf while many other’s hunker down to survive Old Man Winter. At the elite player level, winter offers a chance to get more physically fit so that next season is an improvement on the past. Our emerging pros and amateur players work on becoming stronger, fitter and more flexible so they can more easily make the technical adjustments to hit the ball longer, straighter and more consistently. No matter who your swing coach is or what amazing magazine article on swing plane dynamics you have read, your physical limitation will determine which of those technical changes you can make.

The off -season can also provide the opportunity to try new activities that will complement your golf game. We recommend you try the following activities between now and the spring; each of these activities will improve your strength, flexibility, balance and cardiovascular fitness.

INSIDE

Gym

Purchasing a winter membership or punch pass is all that is required at many commercial gyms. Membership brings access to a multitude of exercise equipment and group classes to keep you motivated over the cold months. Finding a gym with a strength and conditioning expert who has expertise in golf is always a bonus. Focus on exercises that improve strength in the glutes, quads, lower abdominals, and stabilizers of the lateral pelvis and shoulder blades.

Home gym

All you need to create an effective home gym is a few resistance bands, mini bands, stability ball and a foam roller. Hiring a strength and conditioning expert to write you a winter program using this equipment would be best and would be advised to make sure your program is focused on where you need to improve. It will also keep you motivated as the thinking has already been done for you.

Yoga

Sign up for a novice or easy/gentle class at your local yoga studio. Although a golf- specific yoga class is ideal, you will improve your game with any class. To see the most improvement, jump into two yoga classes a week and perhaps by the time the snow melts you will be trying the occasional advanced class.

OUTSIDE

Skiing

Yes, believe it or not, a day on the slopes will help you gain more distance on your drives come spring. Focus on engaging your glutes and quads and working on your balance as you carve your way down the hill.

Cross-country skiing

This is an incredible way of improving balance, combined strength in your legs and arms as well as cardio fitness as you transfer your weight from ski to ski. Cross-country skiing is probably the best winter activity that trains weight transfer in a golfer.

Snowshoeing

This is a sport that you can make as challenging as you feel you want to on any particular day. A longer slower day out in the Canadian wilderness allows you to enjoy the scenery and the company of your fellow snowshoers while improving the endurance strength of your legs and arms (if you are using poles). Or, you can really push the pace for a shorter more intense day out, which improves the strength and power of your legs.

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Golfers on the European Tour have a new item of clothing to pack in their suitcases.

The tour said Wednesday it will allow players to wear shorts during practice rounds and pro-ams after the policy was passed unanimously by a tournament committee in Abu Dhabi.

Ian Poulter backed the move, tweeting on Wednesday: “Its 2016 not 1990. Get rid of the stuffy old rules that hold golf back. Make it more fun (for) everyone.”

Players must still wear long pants in tournament play, although Rory McIlroy is open for that to change, too.

“Maybe. Why not?” McIlroy said. “It really depends if guys are comfortable or not. I don’t think it takes anything away from the tradition of the game or etiquette or how guys look on the course.

“We’re not going to go out in shorts at the British Open if it’s 10 degrees (50 degrees F) and raining. But at the same time, if we’re playing in a hot country and it’s more comfortable for guys to wear shorts, then there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be able to.”

Lee Westwood and European Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke played practice rounds in shorts at the Abu Dhabi Championship on Tuesday. Westwood was among the European players to wear shorts in humid conditions at the EurAsia Cup in Malaysia last week.

Caddies can wear shorts on the PGA Tour, but not players.

“It’s awesome. It will be something that I would love to see on the PGA Tour, as well,” said top-ranked Jordan Spieth, who is competing in Abu Dhabi. “Guys seem to all love it over here. I’ve not heard one person, one tour player complain about it.”

Spieth was just annoyed he didn’t get the memo ahead of his practice round Wednesday.

“I just wish that my hotel was closer,” said Spieth, who was wearing long pants. “I would have gone back.”

The European Tour also announced a new Pace of Play policy on Wednesday, which CEO Keith Pelley hopes will cut rounds by at least 15 minutes.

Instead of being warned initially for slow play, players will be monitored by a referee. If they still exceed the time permitted of 40 seconds (plus 10 seconds if playing first in a group), they’ll receive a monitoring penalty and be timed from the next tee. Two monitoring penalties or bad times will earn a player a fine of 2,600 euros ($2,840).

“Is this the emphatic answer? No,” said Pelley, who has made slow play a key issue since joining the tour last year. “Are we going to continue to monitor it and look for other ways? Absolutely.”

John Paramor, the tour’s chief referee, said the reaction to the revised policy has been “extremely positive.”

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – The latest stop for Jordan Spieth on his tour of the golfing world is the Middle East and an eagerly anticipated head to head with Rory McIlroy at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship this week.

It seems that two of the sport’s biggest names have clashed before the first tee shot has even been struck.

For some pre-tournament publicity, Spieth and McIlroy were among those taking part in a “Rider Cup” challenge that included riding motorized golf scooters – so-called GolfBoards – along a fairway on a local course in the gulf emirate.

“It was quite competitive,” McIlroy said with a smile. “Actually, Jordan nearly took me out. We collided halfway down the fairway – thankfully I didn’t fall off.”

On Thursday, it will be McIlroy trying to knock the top-ranked Spieth out of his stride.

Fresh off an eight-stroke win in Hawaii on his 2016 debut that backed up his sensational 2015, Spieth will make his first appearance in a regular European Tour event when he joins McIlroy and Rickie Fowler in a stellar three-ball for the first two rounds at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

For No. 3-ranked McIlroy, it will be a first start of the year and a chance to see his biggest rival up close.

“I don’t play the game on (laying down) markers at all,” McIlroy said. “I want to play my best, and I don’t have to just beat Jordan Spieth this week. I have to beat another 142 guys.”

Since McIlroy last played competitively, in winning the World Tour Championship to clinch the European Tour’s Race to Dubai, Spieth has competed in Australia, the Bahamas and Hawaii. What has become a virtual global tour for golf’s new big thing started in October with the President’s Cup in South Korea and continues with his Middle East debut in Abu Dhabi and an appearance at the Singapore Open next week.

“It’s a bit tiring,” said the 22-year-old Spieth. In fact, he looked as bouncy and excitable as ever Wednesday.

“Last year, I kind of wanted more of a break. This year I kind of wanted to go out and take advantage of the year and see places that I had never seen before, on and off the course.”

While Spieth has been travelling, McIlroy underwent – and has been recovering from – laser eye surgery which he hopes will improve his short game and putting. He emerged from a two-month winter break with week of practice in Dubai last week, and says he is refreshed and refocused.

After four runners-up finishes in Abu Dhabi, including the last two years, McIlroy wants to take the extra step this week to give him momentum at the start of a seven-tournament stretch before the Masters at Augusta National, where he will bid once again to complete the career grand slam of majors.

As well as No. 6 Fowler, the other member of the world’s top six in action is No. 5 Henrik Stenson, who makes his first start since keyhole surgery in right knee on Dec. 9

“It feels fine hitting balls. That’s not an issue really,” the Swedish player said. “Just getting back to walking normal and putting it to the test of walking 18 holes five days in a row is going to be the challenge.”

Martin Kaymer is the other star attraction, with the German seeking his fourth title in Abu Dhabi after victories in 2008, ’10 and ’11. Kaymer held a 10-shot lead with 12 holes to play in the final round round, but his dramatic implosion saw Gary Stal of France snatch the win.

Stal is defending his title.

It is the first leg of the Desert Swing, which also includes the Qatar Masters and the Dubai Desert Classic.

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Rory McIlroy expects his short game and putting to be better this year after undergoing laser eye surgery during his two-month break from competitive golf.

“It’s definitely made things just that little bit sharper, maybe within 50 meters or so,” McIlroy said Wednesday ahead of his first tournament of 2016 at the Abu Dhabi Championship. “I feel like I’ve always been a decent green reader, but maybe not quite as good as I could be. So that was one of the reasons why I took this step.”

McIlroy said the surgery hasn’t made a huge difference to his long-range sight.

The Northern Irishman hasn’t played competitively since winning the World Tour Championship in November in Dubai, clinching the Race to Dubai on the European Tour. He was back in Dubai last week, spending time on the range, and made his now-customary list of goals for the year on the back of his boarding pass as he flew out to the gulf emirate.

“There’s always obvious ones and result-based goals. But I never really write those down because they are always there,” McIlroy said. “They are always obvious, they are always in the forefront of your mind. You want to win tournaments and you want to achieve things, but it’s about how to go about that on your off-weeks.”

So winning the Masters to complete the career Grand Slam of the majors wasn’t on the list?

“Yeah, that’s obvious,” he said, laughing. “I don’t need to write that down.”

The build-up to the Masters was the No. 1 topic of conversation this time last year. Now, the focus is elsewhere – particularly on Jordan Spieth, McIlroy’s big rival who dominated the sport in 2015 by winning two majors, the Tour Championship on the PGA Tour and two other tournaments to clinch FedEx Cup, and winning more than $22 million.

McIlroy believes that could give him a better chance going to Augusta National in April.

“I feel I’m better equipped now, I’ve got a little bit of experience in how to deal with it and approach it,” McIlroy said. “I know it’s going to be there, but there’s still, there’s a whole bunch of other story lines that are going on with golf right now.

“Jordan is obviously defending and that’s so many other guys that have a chance going in there. I think it will be a little different this year, for sure.”

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Forget the majors, forget an Olympic gold medal: Jordan Spieth’s big goal in 2016 is winning the Ryder Cup with the United States.

“We’re tired of hearing about changes that need to be made. We’re tired of hearing about the past,” the top-ranked Spieth said Wednesday, adopting a fierce tone. “And we’re ready to believe in a younger, more hungry team going forward.”

The European team has won eight of the past 10 editions of the Ryder Cup, and will defend the cup at Hazeltine in September for a third straight time after winning 16½-11½ at Gleneagles in 2014.

Since then, the Americans have appointed Davis Love III for a second stint as captain and created a so-called “task force” to take a closer look at where the team has been going wrong.

“When we get there this year, it starts over,” said Spieth, who is playing the Abu Dhabi Championship this week. “If we go in believing that the Ryder Cup, this is the inaugural event, this is a clean slate, we are ready to go and start a new trend, then we’ll be fine.”

The 2014 edition of the Ryder Cup ended in acrimony for the U.S. team, with Phil Mickelson – sitting beside captain Tom Watson at a closing news conference – praising the success of Paul Azinger in 2008 in the most recent USA victory and suggesting that Watson didn’t embrace that winning formula.

There was a general feeling that Watson was out of touch with his decisions, tactics and leadership – especially compared to the dynamic captaincy of Paul McGinley for Europe.

Referencing up-and-coming players like Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas and Patrick Reed, Spieth predicted there will be a younger U.S. team with “less scar tissue” and a “fiery” side through its success in team events in junior and amateur tournaments.

“We are all going to listen to our captain. We are going to listen to our assistant captains, and they are going to listen to us,” said Spieth, saying the Ryder Cup was a “huge goal” that was “possibly at the very top of the list” for 2016.

“We are going to have to – all as team members – put a lot of thought into this ahead of time on how we want to prepare, so that when we get there, we know the teams, we can then play matches against each other.”

“We don’t have to figure stuff out last minute,” he added in what appeared to be a nod to Watson’s leadership in 2014. “That’s going to be important for us, to just kind of ease the transition.”