Nick Taylor is many things. Talented, genial, humourous, and, just maybe, ironic.

For a guy who, in his PGA TOUR profile, lists The Perks of Being a Wallflower as his favourite book, he is anything but a wallflower when it comes to golf.

As he tees it up Thursday as the defending champion at the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Miss., the 27-year-old from Abbotsford, B.C., boasts a “beau of the ball” resume.

For 21 weeks in 2009, he was the world’s top-ranked amateur golfer. He qualified for the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black, where he made the cut, carding a 65 in the second round, the record for lowest by an amateur in that major’s history. The year before, he finished T2 individually at the World Amateur Team Championships, leading Canada to a ninth-place finish. This on the heels of winning the 2006 Canadian Junior and 2007 Canadian Amateur.

You can just imagine the widespread optimism when he turned pro in 2010. While the transition to pro stardom didn’t go quite as many had imagined, Taylor wasn’t perplexed.

“It has always been like that for me, making the transition,” he said in a recent interview with Golf Canada. “Whether it was from junior to amateur, or amateur to pro, or the Canadian Tour to the Web.com Tour and then the PGA Tour, it just takes me some time.” In fact, he didn’t get fulltime status on the PGA Tour until graduating from the Web.com Tour in 2015.

But once on the big tour, that pattern was demolished. In just his seventh PGA Tour start, Taylor rode a hot putter to victory at the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Miss., shooting 66 on Sunday to come from four shots back for the win. In doing so, he became the first native-born Canadian to win on Tour since Mike Weir in 2007.

And then, back to reality.

“My game was up and down after that. Several times, I was in the top 10 going into the final round but made some silly mental mistakes on Sunday. But the more I get into that situation, the more comfortable I am, the more confidence I have that I can finish it off. I think, coming off the win, I had too many expectations, not enough patience, and tried to force things on Sunday.”

It wasn’t a bad year for Taylor, who was in the running for Tour rookie of the year based on his victory. He made just over a million bucks and finished 101^st on Tour. He is looking for more this year, and with good reason.

“It was so quick last year, from getting my card to winning. Overwhelming. But after having been here for a full year, with more friends and knowing the routine, the courses, where to stay, and so on, I feel much more comfortable.”

And, even several years down the road, Taylor recalls a particular situation that made him realize the “wallflower” role was not one he wanted.

“When I got back home from that World Amateur and heard all the talk about its magnitude, it made me realize what performing on a big stage was all about. Golf Canada was great to me as an amateur. So many team events, performance camps, and so on. It really made me realize what the future could hold.”

Historical footnotes:

1. Dan Halldorson, Manitoba-born like Taylor, won this tournament, an unofficial event then called the Deposit Guaranty Golf Classic, in 1986. Six years later, B.C.’s Richard Zokol claimed the trophy. It was “unofficial” because, back then, it was played the same week as The Masters. Even though the tournament now is played the same week as the World Golf Championships HSBC Champions in China, it is considered an official event. The win gave Taylor a two-year Tour exemption along with US$720,000. In 1986, Halldorson won $36,000, five per cent of what Taylor got. In 1992, Zokol cashed the $54,000 winner’s cheque.
2. Mike Weir was the last Canadian to successfully defend a title, winning the 2003 and 2004 Nissan Opens at Riviera.

PHOENIX – John A. Solheim, PING Chairman & CEO, has been honored with the distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award at the HSBC Golf Business Forum in Shanghai, China.

Solheim was recognized for his contribution to golf and for his achievements, leadership and innovation within the business side of the game. He got his start in the business when he was only 13, working alongside his father, Karsten, on early putter designs in the family’s garage. He aspired to be an architect, but as PING’s business expanded, he turned his passion to designing golf clubs and helping Karsten grow the privately-held entity into one of the most influential golf companies in the world. As chairman and CEO, he leads the company’s strategic direction and oversees the design and development of PING products.

“This prestigious award has been given to the game’s biggest names over the years, so I’m very honored to have the Solheim name next to many of golf’s legends,” Solheim said. “I accept this on behalf of my family and the entire company because achievement is always the result of teamwork. We have a lot of great team leaders at PING who make my job easier, and together we give PING the reputation it enjoys in the golf world.”

In particular, HSBC saluted the Solheims (PING founder Karsten Solheim and his wife, Louise) for creating the Solheim Cup in 1990, and for John Solheim’s role in elevating it to global success and creating the PING Junior Solheim Cup in 2002.

“My parents provided me so many wonderful examples of leadership through the years, and creating the Solheim Cup has left a tremendous legacy,” Solheim said. “They were committed to growing women’s golf and inspiring girls to take up the game. Along with my family and everyone at PING, we continue to hold that event near and dear to our hearts because it’s the right thing to do and we truly enjoy being ambassadors for the game we love.”

SHANGHAI – The European Tour is contemplating what amounts to a level playing field for those who want to be considered global players.

Typically, being a member of the two largest tours in golf requires a top 50 world ranking. That effectively assures the player of getting into the four majors and four World Golf Championships, which would be more than half of the minimum starts required on the PGA Tour (15) and European Tour (13).

That’s a significant issue facing new European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley.

Pelley has spent the majority of his three months on the job talking to players of every level to figure out what works for them globally and what strengthens the European Tour. One solution under consideration is to lower the minimum requirement to five – provided that doesn’t include the majors and the WGCs.

That would make the requirement the same for someone like Justin Rose (No. 6 in the world) and Luke Donald. A former world No. 1, Donald fell out of the top 50 in May. He played all four majors, but only because he qualified for the U.S. Open and British Open. But he was not eligible for three of the WGCs.

“We’re evaluating and looking at that,” Pelley said. “Have we made a definitive decision? No. Will I give a bit more context in Dubai? The answer is yes. And that’s where we are. I’ve talked to a lot of players. Everybody has a different feeling. Some want to play on both tours that are not on an elite level. And if they’re not qualifying for the WGCs, they’re playing 33 to 34 events to play on two tours.”

The main incentive for keeping European Tour membership is being eligible for the Ryder Cup.

Ian Poulter thought he was about to lose his membership when he fell out of the top 50 and was no longer eligible for the HSBC Champions. He flew to Hong Kong and was helped immensely by Rich Beem giving up his spot in the Hong Kong Open. As it turned out, Poulter got into the HSBC Champions as an alternate.

“What I am finding, which is consistent with all of them whether that’s Ian Poulter, Luke Donald or Graeme McDowell, is they all want to be part of the process as we look to make some changes in the tour,” Pelley said. “They all want to embrace it. They have an unwavering desire for the tour to flourish.”

On his end, Pelley said it would be important to increase prize money to make it worthwhile for Europeans to play a little more often. But he sees no harm in making it easier for Europeans to follow the money to America and the PGA Tour.

“They’re no longer European Tour players or PGA Tour players,” Pelley said. “They’re global players.”

Due to the widespread use of an anchored putting stroke at both the professional and amateur levels, golf’s governing bodies felt that the challenges inherent within the game of golf needed to be preserved. The principles of the Rules, and specifically Rule 14, state that the ball must be fairly struck. The intention of the rule is that players must freely swing the club when striking the ball. Ultimately, anchoring enables players to physically “attach” the club to their bodies, thus gaining an advantage by providing support and stability.

Much consideration went into the wording and timeline that would lead to prohibiting an ‘anchored’ stroke. There was an unprecedented 90-day comment period for the proposed Rule 14- 1b, which allowed all stakeholders to provide feedback.

After all was said and done, May 20, 2013 marked the official announcement to approve Rule 14-1b. The extended period for implementation was agreed upon by all parties to ensure that golfers at all levels had enough time to adapt their method of stroke to the requirements of the rule.

The new Rule will come into effect on January 1, 2016, in accordance with the regular four-year cycle for changes to the Rules of Golf.

Currently, Rule 14-1 of the Rules of Golf does not have any subsections but it will be re-numbered as Rule 14-1a. The new Rule 14-1b will be as follows:

14-1B ANCHORING THE CLUB

In making a stroke, the player must not anchor the club, either “directly” or by use of an “anchor point.”

NOTE 1: The club is anchored “directly” when the player intentionally holds the club or a gripping hand in contact with any part of his body, except that the player may hold the club or a gripping hand against a hand or forearm.

NOTE 2: An “anchor point” exists when the player intentionally holds a forearm in contact with any part of his body to establish a gripping hand as a stable point around which the other hand may swing the club.

DEFINING ANCHOR POINT:

The use of ‘anchor point’ within this rule is to prevent the player from using a forearm as an indirect means of creating the same effect as holding the club or a gripping hand against the body. Ultimately, holding a forearm against the body stabilizes a gripping hand on the club (stable point) and allows the hands to work independently of each other.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

Rule 14-1b is not an equipment rule. Belly-length and so-called “broom handle” putters are still allowed, provided such clubs are not anchored during a stroke and conform to the Rules of Golf.

For more information about Rule 14-1b, please visit golfcanada.ca/rules-of-golf

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – Duffy Waldorf won the Toshiba Classic on Sunday for his first Champions Tour title, birdieing the final hole for a 5-under 66 and a two-stroke victory.

A day after matching the Newport Beach Country Club record with an 11-under 60, the 53-year-old former UCLA player had 10 birdies, five bogeys and only three pars in the final round.

Waldorf finished with a tournament-record 20-under 193 total. He earned $270,000 to easily qualify for the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship after beginning the week on the bubble at 30th on the money list. The top 30 advanced to play next week at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The four-time PGA Tour winner was making his 73rd start on the 50-and-over tour.

Joe Durant was second after a 62.

Kevin Sutherland was third at 17 under after a 65. Paul Goydos (66) followed at 15 under, and 2010 and 2014 winner Fred Couples (69) was another stroke back along with Kenny Perry (68).

A pair of Canadians cracked the top 10. Stephen Ames (67) and Rod Spittle (68) finished at 12 under.

ANTALYA, Turkey – Victor Dubuisson of France made three late birdies to overtake Jaco Van Zyl and clinch his second Turkish Airlines Open title on Saturday, denying the South African a wire-to-wire victory.

Van Zyl had led from the opening round and was two shots ahead of Dubuisson after birdies on the 13th and 14th. But the Frenchman responded with three birdies on the last four holes for a 6-under 66 while Van Zyl finished with four pars for a 67. That gave Dubuisson a one-shot victory with a 22-under 266 total and a second career European Tour title.

Rory McIlroy was a shot behind the joint overnight leaders going into the round but only managed a 71 to drop to a tie for sixth at the first of four Final Series tournaments that award increased points totals toward the Race to Dubai.

Dubuisson broke down in tears when his final birdie putt sank on the 18th, having managed just two top-10 finishes this year going into the tournament. But he clearly enjoys playing in Turkey, where he also won his first career title in 2013.

“Sometimes you feel like your game is never going to come back and this week I realized that my whole game was here,” the Frenchman said. “I was really counting on this Final Series to give me some confidence back because I completely lost it a few months ago. I was just missing everything.”

Kiradesh Aphibarnrat of Thailand finished third, another shot behind Van Zyl. Kiradesh almost chipped in for an eagle on the 18th that would have forced a playoff but then missed his birdie putt as well to finish with a 67.

McIlroy increased his lead in the Race to Dubai standings to almost 400,000 points ahead of Danny Willett as he seeks his third title in four years.

“It’s always disappointing whenever you have a chance to win and you don’t play well enough to do that,” McIlroy said about his final round. “I’ll be going away from this tournament very disappointed with how I played today. But I’m still playing two more events this year and I feel like my game is good enough to give myself two opportunities to win again.”

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Justin Thomas overcame a double bogey on the 14th and some nervous moments on the final hole Sunday to win the CIMB Classic for his first PGA Tour title.

The 22-year-old American holed a 6-foot par putt on the par-5 18th for a one-stroke victory over Australian star Adam Scott. Thomas shot a 6-under 66 for a tournament-record 26-under 262 total at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.

Thomas, who had a course-record 61 in the second round, seemed to have blown his chances when he hit into the water at 14, but immediately rallied with three consecutive birdies to take the outright lead.

Scott, playing two groups ahead, had an eagle and seven birdies in his closing 63.

Thomas led by a stroke coming to the par-5 final hole, which he had birdied on Saturday, but the required par did not come easily. He drove right of the fairway and his approach found the bunker short of the green. He blasted out to 20 feet, raced his first putt past the hole and holed the comebacker for the breakthrough victory.

“I still can’t believe what happened,” Thomas said. “I made that par to clinch the title. “I don’t care how I got it done, it just feels awesome,”

Thomas, a close friend of second-ranked Jordan Spieth, continued the early season trend of players in their early 20s claiming their first PGA Tour victories, after Emiliano Grillo at Silverado and Smylie Kaufman in Las Vegas.

The former Alabama star from Kentucky said he had been struggling with downhill lies, and that’s what caused the double bogey at 14.

“I had a big body of water in front of the green, but I told myself I’ve been controlling the tournament so I should not worry too much,” Thomas said. “I knew I had four more holes to try to make some more birdies and was fortunate enough get birdies in three of the last four holes.”

Scott had a shot at eagle on the last, but the putt was well off target, and that cost him a chance of forcing a playoff.

“Look, 35-footers breaking 4 feet are not gimmes. I threw everything I could at it today. I’m playing well, and that’s nice, because I haven’t played that well for a while,” Scott said.

He was aiming to take his form in Malaysia into next week’s World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in China.

“It’s motivating for sure. I want to get up there and play and show them that the old dog’s still got something,” Scott said.

American Kevin Na and Brendan Steele tied for third at 24-under. Na had a 67, and Steele shot 68.

Na lipped out short putts at 16 and 17. He lost a playoff at Silverado and tied for second in Las Vegas in the previous two events. He also tied for second last year in Malaysia, and has eight seconds and seven thirds on the tour against just one win.

Two-time defending champion Ryan Moore had a 69 to tie for 10th at 17 under.

David Hearn finished as the top Canadian. He tied for 29th at 11 under.

HAINAN ISLAND, China – Sei Young Kim made a 6-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th for a one-stroke victory Sunday in the Blue Bay LPGA.

The 22-year-old South Korean player won for the third time in her rookie season on the LPGA Tour, closing with a 2-under 70 at difficult Jian Lake Blue Bay for a 2-under 286 total.

“I was like really nervous on the last putt,” Kim said. “I can hear my heart pound.”

After high wind sent scores soaring the first three days, the players faced only a moderate breeze on a rainy afternoon along the South China Sea.

Third-ranked Stacy Lewis, fellow American Kim Kaufman and Taiwan’s Candie Kung finished a stroke back. Kim holed her winning putt after playing partners Lewis and Kung missed birdie tries – Lewis from 20 feet and Kung from 10.

Lewis finished with a 70 for her sixth runner-up finish of the season and the 21st of her career. She won the last of her 11 LPGA Tour titles in June 2014.

“She is one of my favorite players, so I’m very honored to play with her,” Kim said about Lewis. “But I win, she still is my idol.”

Kung shot a 71. Kaufman, playing a group ahead, had a 69 for the best round of the day.

“It was so hard out there,” Kung said. “You can’t worry about what other people are doing. We’re just trying to hold the umbrella. ‘Is it going to rain? Is it not going to rain?’ … It was busy out there.”

Kim won playoffs this year in the Bahamas and Hawaii in events also played in strong wind on seaside layouts.

“This year my target was just three wins, so I feel very fulfilled,” Kim said. “I also come through rookie of the year, so I would be very honored to win that.”

The five-time Korea LPGA winner earned $300,000 to move up a spot to fourth on the money list with $1,727,436 and is projected to jump from 11th to eighth in the world.

“The first goal is Olympic gold medal. Then my next goal is No. 1,” Kim said.

Kim dropped into a four-way tie for the lead on the par-3 17th when she three-putted from about 120 feet on the massive beachside green. Kung hit to 2 1/2 feet and Lewis to 4 1/2 feet, but missed their putts to the right.

“I tried to cut a shot because the pin, there’s no room behind, and I made a mistake,” Kim said. “I was very upset after that hole. … After they missed, I got a new opportunity.”

Kim’s best shot was on the par-4 10th when she holed a 40-foot flop from the rough to save par after hitting her approach long and left into the water.

“That chip happened to me, so I trust more that I can win,” Kim said.

She pulled even with Lewis with a birdie on the par-4 13th. Kim’s 3-wood drive took a big forward bounce off a cart path, leaving her a sand wedge approach that she hit to 6 feet. Lewis three-putted for bogey, missing a 5 1/2-footer.

Kim moved ahead on the par-5 14th when she made a 10-foot birdie putt and Lewis missed an 8-footer.

Kaufman had her best finish in her first two seasons on the tour. The 24-year-old former Texas Tech player from tiny Clark, South Dakota, birdied Nos. 9, 11, 14 and 15, then missed mid-range birdie tries on the final three holes.

Top-ranked Lydia Ko shot her second straight 70 to tie for eighth at 4 over. She had the best weekend total in the field after opening with rounds of 77 and 75.

“I’m happy that everything’s over and I can relax and go back home,” Ko said..

Ko won the LPGA Taiwan by nine strokes last week to regain the No. 1 spot from Inbee Park. The 18-year-old New Zealander has a tour-high five victories.

Canada’s Alena Sharp recorded her best LPGA Tour finish in 10 years, a tie for 5th at 3-over.

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – Duffy Waldorf missed a chance to shoot the second 59 in Champions Tour history Saturday, parring the final two holes for an 11-under 60 in the Toshiba Classic.

Waldorf missed a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th, coming up short and right.

“It was a trickier putt than I wanted,” Waldorf said. “I didn’t hit the putt hard enough. I had been reaching the hole all day, so I didn’t think that would be a problem.”

He drove behind a tree into the left rough on the closing hole, statistically the easiest hole at Newport Beach Country Club, and hooked a hybrid approach through the green and into the back bunker.

“I tugged it a little,” Waldorf said about his drive. “Yeah, it was nerves, but I felt like if I just hit one solid, I would be in pretty good shape. It didn’t really work out that well. I mean, I thought I might just get a look at the hole.”

Kevin Sutherland is the only player to shoot 59 on the 50-and-over tour. He had a 13-under 59 last year in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open.

“I wasn’t keeping track until I saw the board on 17,” Waldorf said. “Coming into 18, I knew what I had in front of me.”

Waldorf tied the course record set by Tom Purtzer in 2004 and matched by Nick Price in 2011, both en route to victories. Waldorf had a 15-under 127 total to break Price’s 36-hole record by a stroke.

The 53-year-old former UCLA player had a three-stroke lead over defending champion Fred Couples in the final full-field event of the year. Couples, also the 2010 winner, had a 65.

“I felt like somebody was going to shoot a low round,” Couples said. “What he shot today was exceptional. Duffy went flying by everyone.”

Waldorf birdied the first three holes and added three more on the front nine, including a 20-footer on the ninth. He made two more birdies and had another three-hole birdie streak that he capped with a 50-footer on 16. Waldorf finished with 11 birdies, hitting wedges into seven of the greens.

“If I get 10 drives in the fairway, I like my chances hitting short irons into greens,” Waldorf said. “I definitely want to be in the fairway here.”

Sutherland (66) was four strokes back along with Woody Austin (63), Kenny Perry (65) and first-round leaders Steve Pate (68) and Scott McCarron (68).

Three Canadians are in the field this week. Rod Spittle has a share of 10th at 9 under, Steven Ames is 8 under and tied for 16th, while Jim Rutledge has a share of 70th at 1 over.

The top 30 on the money after the tournament will qualify for the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship next week at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale, Arizona.

ANTALYA, Turkey – Rory McIlroy shot a third straight 5-under 67 Saturday to move to within one stroke of the leaders after the third round of the Turkish Airlines Open.

Jaco van Zyl of South Africa maintained a share of the lead after a 70 to sit tied with Victor Dubuisson (67) on 16-under 200.

McIlroy dropped his first shots of the tournament with bogeys on Nos. 3 and 10 but also had five birdies and an eagle on the 13th.

“I feel if I play the same way and execute a little bit better, there’s definitely a lower score out there for me,” the four-time Major winner said.

Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat (66) shared third place with McIlroy.