PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico – Justin Leonard got off to a quick start in what he expects to be his shortest season, opening with a 6-under 65 on Thursday in the OHL Classic at Mayakoba to share the lead with Aaron Baddeley, Shawn Stefani and Derek Fathauer.

Leonard, who moved from Dallas to Colorado during the summer, said he plans to play only 12 events this season to spend more time with his wife and four children. The former British Open champion is using his one-time exemption for being top 50 on the PGA Tour’s career money list.

The 43-year-old Leonard played bogey-free at El Camaleon before the wind and rain arrived and stopped play for 1 hour, 14 minutes. The first round was suspended because of darkness, and 21 players did not finish.

Stefani was a runner-up last year at Mayakoba to Charley Hoffman.

Baddeley, a three-time winner, lost his card last season and failed to get it back through the Web.com Tour Finals. He is playing as a past champion, and got into the Mexico event through a top-10 finish last week. He tied for fourth in the rain-plagued Sanderson Farms Championship in Mississippi.

D.J. Trahan, another past champion, also got into Mayakoba through a top 10 in Mississippi. He was in a large group at 66 that included Charles Howell III and Patton Kizzire, who won the Web.com Tour money title last season.

Leonard is approaching two years since his last top 10 on the PGA Tour. He was born and raised in Dallas, so it was a big move to take the family to Aspen. But it’s part of a bigger plan to make the transition to full-time golf to being with his four children, ages 5 through 12.

“I’ve just been out here 21 or 22 years and my kids are growing up,” Leonard said. “And I get to do a lot of things, but I miss a lot of things, too. We just moved to Colorado in August, and I want to just play the tournaments that I’m excited to go play and see what I can do.”

He referenced Steve Stricker, who in 2013 decided to trim his schedule to be at home more often.

“So many decisions I’ve made over the last 25 years have been about golf,” Leonard said. “So when we started talking about moving, I said, ‘Let’s just take golf out of it. Where are going to be the happiest and most excited when we get on an airplane to go home?’ And we’re there.”

Matt Kuchar, at No. 16 in the world the highest-ranked player at Mayakoba, opened with a 72. He was in the same group as Mississippi winner Peter Malnati, who shot a 68, and HSBC Champions winner Russell Knox, who had a 70.

Knox is playing his fifth straight week, going from Napa, California, to Las Vegas to Malaysia to Shanghai and now Mexico.

Former PGA champions Keegan Bradley, whose world ranking has plunged to No. 65, was in the group at 67 that included Erik Compton, Patrick Rodgers and Graeme McDowell, who overcame a double bogey on his opening hole by making five straight birdies.

The best start belonged to Thomas Aiken of South Africa. Starting on the par-3 10th, he made a hole-in-one and then followed that with two straight birdies. But his round fell apart at the end with a quadruple-bogey 9 on the seventh hole that led to a 74.

David Hearn opened with a 68.

MEXICO CITY – Inbee Park made a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 4-under 68 and a one-stroke lead Thursday in the LPGA Tour’s Lorena Ochoa Invitational.

The second-ranked Park had seven birdies and three bogeys at tree-lined Club de Golf Mexico. She’s making her first start since withdrawing in China two weeks ago because of a cyst on her left middle finger. The South Korean star has four victories this season, winning two of the five majors.

“I was a little bit worried about not practicing for a few days, but I had a good day today, especially the front nine,” Park said. “It was a good putting day. … I felt really good about the putter. I putted really well today it was a good sign.”

Angela Stanford, Suzann Pettersen and Minjee Lee were tied for second.

Stanford is coming off playoff loss to Sun-Ju Ahn last week in the Asian Swing finale in Japan.

“Tuesday, I felt like I have been hit by a train,” Stanford said about her flight from Japan. “It’s been getting better each day.”

She won the inaugural tournament in 2008 in Guadalajara.

Pettersen was the only player in 36-woman field to have a bogey-free round. The Norwegian won in June in Canada for her 15th LPGA Tour victory. She’s coming off three straight top-eight finishes in Asia.

“It’s just nice to be back in contention and kind of be back where I should be,” Pettersen said. “I should be in contention every week when I feel my game is there. It was a good stretch there to give me some confidence and try to finish out strong.”

The 19-year-old Lee, from Australia, won at Kingsmill in May for her first LPGA Tour title. She took last week off after playing the first four events in Asia.

“I think I really needed that week off when I was in Asia,” Lee said. “I was well-rested and I came in yesterday and did my practice and I was ready to go.”

Mexican amateur Gaby Lopez was tied for fifth at 71 with So Yeon Ryu, Azahara Munoz, Jaye Marie Green, Sydnee Michaels, Pernilla Lindberg and Mariajo Uribe.

Lopez is a senior at the University of Arkansas senior. She was second this year in the NCAA tournament.

“I’m just trying to enjoy the moment,” Lopez said. “It’s amazing playing with the top 30 in the world at my home course with my family and the people around me.”

Fourth-ranked Lexi Thompson, the 20134 winner in Guadalajara, had a 73. The winner last month in South Korea for her second victory of the year, Thompson had six birdies, five bogeys and a double bogey.

Defending champion Christina Kim also had a 73.

Canada’s Alena Sharp carded a 76.

Top-ranked Lydia Ko is skipping the tournament to rest for her title defense next week in the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida.

The caddies for Phil Mickelson and Matt Kuchar will carry a lighter load on the PGA Tour next week – microphones instead of golf bags.

Golf Channel has hired Jim “Bones” Mackay and John Wood as part of its broadcast team for two days next week during the RSM Classic at Sea Island in Georgia. Mackay has been Mickelson’s only caddie on the PGA Tour. Wood spent nine years with Hunter Mahan until leaving to work for Kuchar in 2016.

“What’s going to be pretty cool is hearing their point of view on what’s going on,” Tommy Roy, the golf producer for NBC Sports and Golf Channel, said Thursday. “We hear so many players refer to “we” and it’s clear it’s a team getting this done on the course. So this will be the perspective from the other half of the team.”

Mackay and Woods will be on-course reporters for key groups during Friday and Saturday rounds at Sea Island.

NBC televised the “Kiwi Challenge” in 2008 when Steve Williams, still the caddie for Tiger Woods, worked as an on-course reporter in his native New Zealand.

Roy said he has been working on this project for more than a year. He identified Mackay and Wood as prime candidates because of their communication skills and “that’s the No. 1 attribute you look for in a television announcer.”

Over the past year, Roy said he has brought the two caddies into the truck to see the operational side of a television broadcast, and he had them wear headsets to adjust to hearing Roy’s commands and how announcers are to respond.

He said Roger Maltbie would be helping them with where to stand – not next to the player, in this case – and other issues. They will have a rehearsal Thursday morning from Sea Island before going live in the second round.

“I really appreciate the chance,” Mackay said. “I think it’s going to be cool. I’m fascinated by the whole TV side of it. Tommy had us out to the truck a couple of times. We had a chance to appreciate the amazing amount of hard work and attention to detail. It’s an honor and it will be a lot of fun. I’m excited about it, but I also want to make Tommy happy to have us out there.”

The last time Mackay was a PGA Tour event without caddying was the 1993 Ryder Cup, and he wound up working as a caddie assistant.

Whether this becomes a regular part of future Golf Channel and NBC broadcast is to be determined. Roy long has been fascinated by the conversation between caddies and players, which can be a compelling part of the broadcast when it involves a big decision.

Mackay and Mickelson seem to be constantly discussing shots. Wood received notoriety in 2007 at the Travelers Championship when he stepped in as Mahan was about to play his approach to the 18th and had him start over with a sharp focus. Mahan made birdie and wound up winning a playoff for his first PGA Tour victory.

“In television, you try to come up with new things to attract viewers and enhance the experience for viewers,” Roy said. “We’ll see where it goes from here.”

For an industry recently inundated by gloomy short- and long-term forecasts, a welcome ray of sunshine has been delivered via just-released data from the National Golf Course Owners Association Canada.

Having weathered an inevitable market correction, there are signs the skies are clearing for the Canadian golf industry.

The NGCOA’s year-end Rounds Played and Weather Reporting data show a 9.79-per-cent increase nationally in rounds played over 2014, with an average for 18-hole equivalent facilities of 25,199.

Rounds played in Alberta were up 13.28 per cent, followed by Saskatchewan/Manitoba at 8.36, British Columbia at 6.45, Ontario at 5.95 and Quebec at 5.02.

The lone decrease was in Atlantic Canada, where rounds played were down 11.62 per cent. But there is an obvious explanation for that solitary cloud.

“We started to track weather this year, rather than relying on anecdotal information,” says Nathalie Lavallee, the NGCOA’s Chief Operating Officer. “On a monthly basis, our members would input not only their rounds played, but they would post their specific ‘weather score’, on a scale from one to 10. We saw a lot of sixes and sevens, with the exception of Atlantic Canada, which suffered from a bad winter and spring from which it was difficult to recover.”

Next week’s NGCOA national conference in Toronto will be “a celebration of a really good season,” says Lavallee.

“The better weather generally across the country, plus the improving economy, gives our industry increased optimism going into 2016.”

ACTON, Ont. — The final PGA of Canada national championship of 2015 is set to take place next week in Arizona.

Verrado Golf Club, which is located just west of Phoenix in Buckeye, Ariz., plays host to a full field for the Titleist & FootJoy PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada Nov. 15-18.

“We’re very excited to be headed back to Arizona and even more excited to be going to Verrado Golf Club for the PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada,” said PGA of Canada president Constant Priondolo. “Last year was a great success with a full field in Arizona and we expect the same this year.”

Eight past PGA of Canada national championship winners, including last year’s PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada winner Matt Peavoy, highlight this year’s field at Verrado. Other former PGA Club Professional Championship winners in the field include Gar Hamilton (1987, ’90, ’92, ’97); Ian Doig (2004); Brian Hutton (2010, ’12); Ben Boudreau (‘2009); and Danny King (2005, ’06).

In 2014, Peavoy captured the PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada, outlasting Scott Allred in a playoff. The 35-year-old put together rounds of 72-74-69 for a three-day total of 2-over-par 215 at the challenging SunRidge Canyon Golf Club.

Additionally, three PGA Championship of Canada winners—Eric Laporte, Dave Levesque and King—are also set to tee it up.

For first round tee times, CLICK HERE.

Situated in the foothills of the White Tank Mountains, crafted by PGA Tour star Tom Lehman and US Amateur Champion John Fought, the Verrado Golf Club is a spectacular course stretching to over 7,200 yards featuring stunning views, snug box canyons, and considerable elevation changes.

“We’re proud to say that Verrado Golf Club is one of Arizona’s finest championship golf facilities,” said Verrado’s sales & marketing director Doug Foss. “Verrado has been among the top 15 on GolfWeek’s ‘Best Courses You Can Play’ for four years running and most recently made it to the No. 5 spot on the ‘2015 Arizona’ list.”

In addition to competing for the overall championship trophy, players in the PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada earn much-coveted ranking points with hopes of moving up on the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC. Players who are ranked inside the top 64 following the PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada earn invites into next year’s PGA Championship of Canada at the Victoria Golf Club.

The Inter-Zone Team Championship, which is comprised of four players per zone (and three scores per team counting), is also handed out after 36-holes. In 2014, Team Quebec bested Team British Columbia by a shot. Team Ontario rounded out the top three.

Former champions of the PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada include Danny King, Adam Chamberlain, Roger Beale, Norm Jarvis, Gar Hamilton, Bob Panasik, Yvan Beauchemin, Graham Gunn, Ken Tarling and Brian Hutton.

The $85,000 purse Titleist & FootJoy PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada takes place Nov. 15-18 the Verrado Golf Club. The nearly 100-player field will be cut to the low 70-players (and ties) after completion of the second round.

SHANGHAI – Sergio Garcia shot an 8-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead over the in-form Victor Dubuisson and An Byeong-hun after the first round of the rain-soaked BMW Masters on Thursday.

Garcia, who started his round on the back nine, made four birdies in his first five holes and added another five after the turn to offset one bogey.

Dubuisson, winner of the Turkish Airlines Open two weeks ago, and An each had seven birdies in blemish-free rounds and were tied for second.

Ross Fisher and Lucas Bjerregaard were another stroke back in fourth.

The BMW Masters at Lake Malaren Golf Club is the third of four events in the European Tour’s Final Series, ending in the DP World Tour Championship next week in Dubai.

Race to Dubai leader Rory McIlroy is skipping this week’s tournament, giving the players immediately behind him in the standings, including Danny Willett, Shane Lowry, and Louis Oosthuizen, a chance to make up ground.

Garcia, who is 30th in the standings but has decided not to play the World Tour Championship, equaled his best round on tour this year in a persistent drizzle that soaked the course and led to low scoring.

“I drove the ball very well and that gave me a lot of opportunities to hit some good iron shots,” Garcia said. “It was the kind of round that you’re looking for.”

Dubuisson picked up where he left off after his stirring win in Turkey.

“I feel so great, I feel so good on the greens,” the Frenchman said. “When I read the line good, the putt can only go in the hole, and you don’t have this feeling much of the time.”

Fisher, who had six birdies and no bogeys in his round of 66, almost didn’t play this week after receiving only a 10-day visa from the Chinese government before last week’s HSBC Champions in Shanghai.

He said he was turned away when he tried to extend the visa at the Shanghai Entry-Exit Bureau on Monday, but was finally successful after receiving an 11th-hour letter from local sports officials supporting the extension.

“There were a lot of papers flying around, there were a lot of phone calls, emails being sent,” Fisher said. “To say it was a stressful buildup to today would be an understatement. There were times when I was thinking I might be booking a flight home.”

Paul Casey, who eagled the par-4 14th hole, Thongchai Jaidee, and Justin Rose were three strokes behind Garcia at 5 under, and a group of nine players was another shot back at 4 under, including Henrik Stenson, Ian Poulter, and 18-year-old Dou Zecheng of China.

Willett, who is just behind McIlory in the Race to Dubai standings and can overtake him this week by finishing in 28th place or better, was well off the pace after shooting even-par. He was in a tie for 48th.

“It’s a long four-week stretch, (and I’m) trying to stay fresh,” Willett said. “Regardless of what happens this week … if we win next week, we’re going to win the Race to Dubai.”

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Team Canada’s Tony Gil of Vaughan, Ont., and Eric Banks of Truro, N.S., are gearing up to compete in the Tailhade Cup from Nov. 12–15 at the Los Lagartos Country Club.

Banks and Gil make up one of 16 international two-man teams competing this week in the 72-hole stroke-play event. The Canadian duo will look to defend the title, won last year by Canada’s Corey Conners and Austin Connelly (who also took home medalist honours).

The pair will look to repeat for Canada’s second title in the event’s 20-year history. Gil, a member of the Development Squad, and Banks, a member of the National Amateur Squad, will tee-off at 8:50 a.m. (ART) and 9 a.m., respectively.

Upon completion of the Tailhade Cup, the Canadian duo will also tee-it-up the following week at the Argentina Amateur from Nov. 16–21.

Click here for live scoring.

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Masters and U.S. Open champion Jordan Spieth completed his early-season Asia swing with Wednesday’s announcement that he will play the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship in January.

Abu Dhabi again will have a top-heavy field at the start of the year with Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler and Henrik Stenson among the top-ranked players Jan. 21-24 to kick off the European Tour’s swing through the Middle East.

Spieth previously announced he would play the Singapore Open the week after Abu Dhabi.

Fowler played Abu Dhabi for the first time last year and tied for 66th after opening with a 67.

“I am looking forward to coming to Abu Dhabi, especially after Rickie told me about what a fantastic event it is,” Spieth said. “I love to travel and see the world, and I am excited to not only play in the event but also checking out Abu Dhabi for the first time.”

Spieth, Fowler and Jason Day are expected to play the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii on Jan. 7-10. Spieth and Fowler then will cross 14 time zones to compete in Abu Dhabi.

McIlroy has been runner-up at Abu Dhabi four of the last five years.

“Abu Dhabi always brings an outstanding player field, and with Jordan and Rickie competing in January, this will be a superb test for me to start off the 2016 season,” McIlroy said. “I’ve come close in Abu Dhabi several times now, so I’ll be 100 percent ready for January’s challenge.”

The second stage of Web.com Tour qualifying school kicks off Tuesday at separate sites across the U.S. from Nov. 10–13 with 13 Canadians in the field. The week following, another 10 Canucks will tee-it-up at two separate events to complete stage II of qualifying.

In total, 23 Canadians will compete for spots in the final qualifying stage held from Dec. 10–13 at PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Nov 10–13

Southern Hills Plantation Club, Brooksville, Fla.

• Sonny Michaud (Rouyn-Noranda, Que.)
• Mackenzie Hughes (Dundas, Ont.)
• Christopher Ross (Dundas, Ont.)
• Michael Gligic (Burlington, Ont.)

Nov 10–13

The Clubs of Kingwood-Deerwood, Kingwood, Tex.

• Austin Connelly (Irving, Texas)
• Marc-Etienne Bussieres (Boisbriand, Que.)
• Beon Yeong Lee (Montreal)
• Eric Hawerchuk (Barrie, Ont.)
• Devin Carrey (Burnaby, B.C.)
• Adam Cornelson (Vancouver)
• Cam Burke (New Hamburg, Ont.)
• Danny Sahl (Sherwood Park, Alta.)
• Ted Brown (Peterborough, Ont.)

Nov 17–20

Oak Valley Golf Club, Beaumont, Calif.

• Max Gilbert (Montreal)
• Ryan Williams (Surrey, B.C.)
• Matt McQuillan (Kingston, Ont.)
• Seann Harlingten (Vancouver)
• Ryan Yip (Calgary)
• Brad Clapp (Chilliwack, B.C.)

Nov 17–20

Plantation Preserve Golf Club, Plantation, Fla.

• Lucas Kim (Toronto)
• Jon Mills (Belleville, Ont.)
• Ben Silverman (Thornhill, Ont.)
• Matt Hill (Brights Grove, Ont.)

The number of players advancing from each site will be determined on a pro rata basis with approximately the same percentage of players from each site moving forward; the number will be announced during the second qualifying stage.

Team Canada Young Pro Squad members Albin Choi (Toronto) and Adam Svensson (Surrey, B.C.) have already punched their tickets to the final stage, along with Kevin Spooner (Vancouver), Eugene Wong (Vancouver), Wilson Bateman (Edmonton) and Justin Shin (Pitt Meadows, B.C.). Taylor Pendrith (Richmond Hill, Ont.)—also on the Young Pro Squad—earned status already by finishing inside the top-five on the Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada.

Consistent with all events on the Web.com Tour schedule, the finals will be contested over 72 holes.

All players who make it to the final stage of the Web.com Tour Qualifying Tournament will earn at least conditional status on Tour in 2016.

Click here for scoring.