KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Scott Piercy allied some crisp putting to solid tee-to-green play and shot a flawless 10-under 62 on Thursday to take a three-stroke lead after the first round of the PGA Tour’s CIMB Classic.

The American made 10 birdies at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club to pull away from Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, who had eight birdies and a bogey in his 65.

Piercy’s 10-under score matched the tournament record set by Nick Watney, who had a 61 at the par-71 Mines Resort and Golf Club in 2012.

Jason Gore was tied for third on 66 with American compatriots Keagan Bradley and Charles Howell III plus Germany’s Alex Cejka and Cameron Smith of Australia. Eight players shared eighth place on 67, including last year’s runner up Kevin Na.

Two-time defending champion Ryan Moore was again in contention, tied for seventh with seven others on five-under 67.

Adam Scott was tied for 16th on 68 in a group of 10 players including Padraig Harrington and Scott Brown, who made up for an earlier double bogey by sinking a hole-in-one on the par-3 15th and winning a BMW sports car as reward.

Piercy’s 10-under was his lowest round since a closing 61 at the Phoenix Open two years ago.

The Las Vegas native, who turns 37 next week, started brightly with birdies on the first three holes and also finished well with birdies on 17 and 18.

Piercy began the new PGA season with a tie for 25th at the Shriners Hospitals for Children, and blamed bad putting for disguising a game he otherwise felt “was in a good spot.”

“I made the putts I didn’t last week and got a little lucky as well,” Piercy said.

One of the “lucky” holes was the par-4 13th, where his approach shot dropped ten feet below the green, but he managed to chip in for birdie.

“It was good fortune, a good break and it was nice to see the ball go in,” said Piercy, who has three PGA Tour victories, including the Barbasol Championship in July and the 2012 RBC Canadian Open.

“I only missed three or four greens today so if you got 14 chances, you’re doing pretty good.”

Matsuyama said he aimed to get plenty of rest ahead of another round Friday in the draining tropical heat.

“In this weather, you can’t beat yourself too much. I’ll practice a little bit and head back to the hotel,” said the 23-year-old Japanese.

“I hit my driver really well today and that was the reason for my low score. This is my third time here and I love the course. Playing the last couple of years prepared me for that.”

Former world No. 1 Scott was satisfied with his 68 and being in a good position to challenge for the lead in the coming days.

The Australian, now 16th in the world, had an eagle on the par-5 5th but also bogeys at 7 and 12.

“The greens are rolling so you could really make some putts and I should have done better but overall, I’m happy,” Scott said.

“We have to hit good shots as there are some trick lies and you have to play solid. You need to play good shots to get a good score.”

Brantford, Ont.’s David Hearn carded a 70 and has a share of 33rd, while Abbotsford, B.C.’s Nick Taylor had a 74 to sit T72.

HAINAN ISLAND, China – China’s Lin Xi-yu took the lead Thursday in the windy Blue Bay LPGA, while Lydia Ko struggled in her first round since regaining the No. 1 spot in the world.

With her family watching at the tour’s lone event in China this season, the 19-year-old Lin shot a 5-under 67 in difficult conditions at Jian Lake Blue Bay. She had the lone bogey-free round on a day when only 10 of the 80 players broke par.

“My mom just got here this morning and she hasn’t watched me play since the U.S. Open,” Lin said. “I’m very happy that my family can be with me this week.”

Ko opened with a 77, her highest score since a career-worst 80 in high wind last year at Royal Birkdale in the Women’s British Open. She won the LPGA Taiwan by nine strokes Sunday to regain the No. 1 spot from Inbee Park. The 18-year-old New Zealander has a tour-high five victories this season, winning three of her last five starts.

Ko had a double bogey on the par-4 second, bogeyed the next three holes and dropped more strokes on 11 and 12. She birdied the par-5 14th and 18th.

Lin hit to hit to 6 inches on the par-3 17th to set up her final birdie.

“I actually hit it a little thin, but the wind was helping,” Lin said.

She missed a birdie chance on the par-5 18th when her 6-foot putt slid by on the right side.

“When I played in the practice round, I thought, ‘This place is pretty tough,'” Lin said “I’m pretty surprised what I did today. I’m really satisfied with my game.”

She has had the two best finishes of her two-year LPGA Tour career on the Asian Swing, opening with a tie for seventh in Malaysia and tying for sixth last week in Taiwan.

Austin Ernst was second after a 68. Fellow Americans Ryann O’Toole and Jane Park were at 70 along with South Koreans Jenny Shin and Sei Young Kim. Third-ranked Stacy Lewis, U.S. Solheim Cup teammate Brittany Lang, Germany’s Caroline Masson and Taiwan’s Candie Kung shot 71.

“Pretty windy out there and then a few of the pins are kind of in kind of tough spots if you get it on the wrong side of the hole,” Ernst said. “But I hit it pretty well all day. Gave myself a lot of looks. Made a lot of good putts. A lot of good pars.”

The 23-year-old Ernst won the Portland Classic last year for lone LPGA Tour title. She won the 2011 NCAA individual title for LSU.

China’s Shanshan Feng had a 73. She has four career LPGA Tour victories.

Canada’s Alena Sharp had a 74.

The second-ranked Park shot a 75. The South Korean player has four victories this year, winning two of the five majors. She tied for second Sunday in a Korea LPGA event.

Michelle Wie opened with a 76. South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace, the winner last year in the rain-shortened event, also shot 76.

ANTALYA, Turkey – Jaco van Zyl made nine birdies and an eagle for an 11-under 61 Thursday to take a three-shot lead after the first round of the Turkish Airlines Open.

The South African’s eagle came on the par-5 11th hole and he then added five birdies on the last six holes for a score that would have been a course record if not for preferred lies being used.

“I played really nicely and honestly I thought four under par around here was a good score,” Van Zyl said. “I got it going early in the round and just kept it going. It was really good fun.”

Lee Westwood was second after a bogey-free 64, his lowest score in more than a year. Westwood made four straight birdies from the 14th but only picked up one shot on the five par-5s, which Van Zyl played in 6 under.

Westwood has slipped from No. 1 to 46th in the rankings after a disappointing season but said he feels like “something has finally clicked.”

“It’s stuff I’ve worked on before, but just a slightly different idea to give myself the same feeling as I got when I was playing well,” Westwood said. “I’m no spring chicken anymore. I’ve been training my hips to work in a certain way the last couple of years, but not playing very well and with not a great hip and leg action. I’m trying to train my way out of it now and get it back to where it was.”

Rory McIlroy made four birdies on his back nine and was in a group tied for fourth after a 67.

“I feel like my game came together a lot more on the back nine,” McIlroy said. “I was trying to find my rhythm for the first few holes and made a good par save on 18 which gave me some momentum going into the back nine, so overall I’m pretty pleased.”

Oakville, Ont. and Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. – The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada announced Tuesday that its tournaments raised $567,423 for charitable causes in 2015, a 60.5 per cent increase from the $353,500 total in 2014.

The total was aided by a $150,000 donation by the PGA TOUR on behalf of Mackenzie Investments, resulting in a $12,500 donation to each event’s official charity.

“Every one of our host organizations does a tremendous job of embracing the PGA TOUR’s spirit of making a positive impact in the communities where we play, and this total is the latest reflection of that,” said Mackenzie Tour President Jeff Monday. “All of this is made possible thanks to the support of our great sponsors and thousands of volunteers, and I’d like to thank them on behalf of everyone at the PGA TOUR.”

Charitable giving by Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada events has grown in each of the Tour’s three seasons, rising 72 per cent to $353,500 from 2013 to 2014 before this season’s increase.

“Charity is part of Mackenzie’s culture and that of our employees,” said Jeff Carney, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mackenzie Investments. “We are so proud to be part of this initiative, allowing us to give back to Canadians across this country.  The increase in funds raised for the 2015 season is true testament to our commitment to growing and fostering the Mackenzie Tour in communities from coast-to-coast.”

In March, the PGA TOUR announced a record $140.5 million in charitable donations for 2014, with total all-time charitable giving topping more than $2.14 billion.

TUCKER’S TOWN, Bermuda — The dynamic duo of Billy Walsh and Danny King opened a sizable gap Wednesday between themselves and the rest of the field at the Nike Golf PGA Team Championship of Canada.

Walsh and King, who are ranked No. 1 and No. 4 on the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC, sit at 12 under par thru two rounds at The Mid Ocean Club in Bermuda thanks to a second-round 2-under-par 69 in the foursomes format.

The team of Ed Maunder and Ian Doig matched the low round of the day and sit alone in second at 7 under for the championship. They’ll be paired with the lead team of Walsh and King in Thursday’s final group.

The inaugural Nike Golf PGA Team Championship of Canada features different team formats for each day—fourball, foursomes and scramble—with the eventual winners taking home $12,000 of the $90,000 total prize purse.

Players faced stiff ocean breezes of 55 km/h Wednesday, as well as periods of heavy rains. However, many players said they enjoyed playing championship golf in challenging conditions.

Thomas Keddy and Conrad Riley, who were tied for the lead after the first round on Tuesday, are third at 6 under, with Max Gilbert and Jean-Pierre Morin 5 under, in fourth place. The teams of Luc Boisvert and Louis-Pierre Godin and, Keir Smith and Gordon Burns round out the top 5.

Thursday’s final round features a scramble format, which is expected to produce plenty of movement on the leaderboard.

CALGARY – Thanks to a new charitable giving program, a stellar field, and overwhelming support from the Calgary community, the Shaw Charity Classic shattered its own fundraising record for a third straight year on the PGA TOUR’s Champions Tour with a $3,942,712 donation that will be shared amongst 99 youth-based charities in Alberta.

“It is an absolute thrill for me to look back on another record-setting year and realize this spectacular tournament continues to have a tremendous impact on our youth, which was the core goal in bringing the event to Calgary,” said Clay Riddell, Tournament Chairman, Shaw Charity Classic. “I firmly believe it takes an entire community to build a successful international event, so this accomplishment should be celebrated by everyone from the more than 1,200 volunteers, to our generous corporate community, friends in the media, and all of the great citizens of this amazing city that came down to Canyon Meadows this summer. Each of you has made Calgary the number-one tournament on the Champions Tour, and for that, I thank you.”

In June, Shaw Communications Inc. strengthened its focus on Canada’s lone Champions Tour stop in the Stampede City with a two-year extension as title sponsor through to 2017, and a commitment of raising big money for Alberta charities by announcing a total of $1 million of the total funds raised would go to supporting six of the tournament’s core youth-based charitable partners located across southern Alberta, including: the Children’s Wish Foundation – Alberta & NWT Chapter; Classroom Champions; Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta; KidSport Calgary; Ronald McDonald House Charities® Southern Alberta; and the Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre.

“The Shaw Charity Classic was a spectacular success, and we are again honoured to work with so many charities committed to making our communities better for our kids and youth,” said Brad Shaw, CEO, Shaw Communications. “On behalf of my family and all our Shaw employees, we’d like to thank Clay Riddell, the Patrons Group, and the Champions Tour for their leadership and support, and we look forward to all that we can accomplish together in years to come.”

Building on Shaw Communications’ leadership, charitable contributions skyrocketed in 2015 with the addition of Birdies for Kids – a program backed by AltaLink that expanded the Shaw Charity Classic’s reach across the province.

Based on a program introduced on the PGA Tour in 1971, Birdies for Kids gives individuals and corporations the opportunity to make a one-time or per-birdie donation, directed to the children’s charity of their choice. Those donations were further leveraged through a tiered matching program that saw a percentage of the first $250,000 donated to each charity.

“The impact the Birdies for Kids program is having in our community has significantly surpassed our expectations,” said Scott Thon, President and Chief Executive Officer, AltaLink. “It is important in these economic times to support the non-profit sector that so many Albertans access across our province. Exceeding our goal for dollars raised this year speaks volumes about the spirit of Albertans to pull together and support those in need when times are tough.”

Champions Tour players, including Jeff Maggert who donned the traditional white Stetson that is presented annually to the winner of the Shaw Charity Classic, combined to fire a total of 858 birdies during the three rounds.

“I have lived in Texas for 40 years and I’ve seen a lot of cowboy hats, but I definitely cherish the one from Calgary,” said Maggert, who ran away with a four-shot victory. “This tournament is an A-plus all around. We all like the course, the crowds are among the best we see on Tour, and it is great to play a small role in helping raise some huge money for charities in the area. I know the top players like to come to Calgary and play. Hopefully Shaw will continue their good graces and stay with us for the long term, and we’ll keep coming back and helping to raise money for youth in Alberta.”

The Shaw Charity Classic has generated over 8.5 million dollars in support of local charities across Alberta. Recognized by the PGA TOUR with an award for outstanding achievement for a first-year event, the Shaw Charity Classic was also the named 2014 recipient of the PGA TOUR’s prestigious President’s Award as the top stop on the Champions Tour.

Click below to listen to Scott Simmons on Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown.

ClubLink has informed Golf Canada of their intention to explore possible alternative uses of Glen Abbey Golf Club. They will be keeping us informed on their due diligence, however at this stage, there is no impact on Golf Canada’s operation including our corporate offices and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

Speculating on Glen Abbey’s future would be premature at this time. Right now it is business as usual – Golf Canada is set to bring the RBC Canadian Open to Glen Abbey next July and the club will continue to be considered for hosting future Opens beyond 2016 as well.

Scott Simmons
CEO
Golf Canada

When his ball supposedly moved in the long grass aside the 11th green of Massachusetts’ Worcester Country Club at the 1925 U.S. Open, well beyond the vision of everyone but the man standing over it, Bobby Jones called a one-stroke penalty on himself. Commended for his honesty, he famously retorted, “You might as well praise me for not breaking into banks. There is only one way to play this game.”

You don’t hear a lot of that in, say, football, soccer or hockey, or a myriad of other sports rife with cheating, abuse of officials and the unobstructed pursuit of winning—where bending the rules is considered more of an art than a breach of etiquette.

Golf is different. Its core values of honesty and integrity are — to the vast majority of its competitors — as natural a law as gravity; that’s one of the things that makes Golf in Schools a unique learning tool. Beyond the athletic elements incorporated in the program, Golf Canada is about to ingrain the morality and virtues of the game into a curriculum that reaches an estimated 306,000 students at 2,700 elementary and secondary schools nationwide.

“We partnered with the University of Ottawa to develop a life-skills, core-values component that will be integrated into Golf in Schools program this coming fall,” explains Jeff Thompson, Chief Sport Officer with Golf Canada. “I think that addition to the program will be a game-changer for us—something that goes beyond learning the simple skills of the sport. One of the umbrella pieces is sportsmanship—the ideas of honesty, integrity and perseverance. The learning experts are saying, ‘It’s not a case of sitting the kids in a circle and talking about honesty; it’s how you build it into the activity.’ That’s how you get kids to actually learn about it.”

Dr. Tanya Forneris is an associate professor in the School of Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa, and one of the architects of the Golf in Schools enhancement.

“We don’t really look at athlete performance, it’s more about how we can make sport a context that really facilitates or enhances the development of youth, as opposed to being a negative experience that leads to dropout and burnout,” she explains.

“The point was also how to best design the program to enable coaches to help their athletes strive,” adds Forneris, whose expertise is in positive youth development and community programming through sports. “By integrating the skills of focus and perseverance into the Golf in Schools program and by intentionally having certain activities to practice these attributes—having teachers talk about them and show how they can be transferred to school or home—the student can employ these life skills not only to improve their results on a school assignment or test, but in all areas of life. Students come away from the program not just having developed some good golf skills, but also having the life skills to succeed in other domains.”

Dallas Desjardins, Regional Director with the National Golf Course Owners Association, has always stressed golf’s virtuous side—both at the Golf in Schools and club levels.

“It’s a logical direction for Golf in Schools because it follows from their CN Future Links Learn to Play program, which we run at the golf club,” says Desjardins. “Parents are amazed at the results of that program. They really appreciate the fact that current golf programming through Golf Canada teaches so much more than just golf skill. Participants learn relaxation and visualization skills, goal setting and etiquette, which is really proper behaviour in groups, and, of course, honesty and integrity.

“I am finding that after people get an introduction to golf and the parents hear about the programming, they really enter their kids (into the Learn to Golf program) more for the social development aspect than the golf development,” he adds. “I also hear every year what a blessing it has been and how much their child has opened up since entering in the program.”

Desjardins says that a lot of their discussions and topics are about the values that golf instills, and that’s actually how he markets the junior program.

“I don’t market it as come play golf, I market it as get your kid involved in golf so that they’re building relationships and are exposed in a social network so that they’re not stuck at a computer,” he explains.

South of the border, The First Tee, a youth development program founded and funded by multiple U.S. golf organizations, has been introducing golf and all its merits to elementary school phys-ed students through its National School Program since 2004. Its mission: “to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf.”

There are signs that the mission is working. According to The First Tee Impact Report, released in 2010, 73 per cent of participants reported high confidence in their ability to do well academically. Further, 82 per cent felt more confident in their social skills with peers, while 57 per cent credited The First Tee for their meeting and greeting skills.

There has also been an added administrative spinoff , with a full two-thirds of physical educators noting they have used the Nine Core Values (see sidebar) in other sports and activities they taught beyond the National School Program.

Alberta Golf Association Youth Development Manager Tyler McConachy is among those in the trenches looking forward to the added dimension of the curriculum.

“Golf is a unique game that allows you to put trust in other competitors and vice versa, and to create sportsmanship, honesty and integrity,” he says. “Growing up, you appreciate that the only person you’re cheating is yourself. This (addition to the curriculum) will give us a great opportunity to go back to the schools we’ve previously visited and go over things with them, including the rules of golf—what you should and shouldn’t do—similar to those elements already being employed in the CN Future Links Learn to Play program, where the pros spend time with each kid and show them the importance of keeping the correct score, being honest and helping fellow players if you see them struggling.

“These are the sorts of virtues that transcend all through life,” McConachy concludes. “It’s one of our objectives as instructors—not just to turn out good golfers, but good people.”

CARLSBAD, Calif. – PUMA Golf has introduced the new Ignite collection of golf footwear – the most comfortable collection from the brand to date – including TitanTour Ignite and TitanTour Ignite Premium. The footwear utilizes revolutionary Ignite foam – an innovative foam that maximizes energy return to give golfers power, comfort and performance.

Engineered with PUMA’s proprietary IGNITE foam, the TitanTour Ignite family is designed to deliver responsive cushioning, optimal rebound, and superior step-in comfort through every shot.

“The coolest shoe in golf is now the most comfortable shoe we’ve ever made. The addition of Ignite foam to the PWRCOOL Technology brings TitanTour footwear to a new level – enhancing its performance on the course and providing unparalleled support and cushioning,” said Grant Knudson, Head of Footwear, PUMA Golf. “At PUMA Golf we challenge ourselves to create footwear that helps golfers focus on their game instead of thinking about their feet. With the TitanTour Ignite collection, golfers can play from dawn ‘til dusk and their feet will be comfortable, protected and performance ready.”

In addition to the IGNITE foam, the shoes also features TitanTour’s signature technology, PWRCOOL powered by Outlast, which regulates foot temperature by utilizing phase change materials that absorb, store and release heat for optimal thermal comfort.

Rickie Fowler debuted the new TITANTOUR IGNITE footwear at this year’s Presidents Cup.

“My shoes play a big role in my performance,” said Fowler. “I definitely attribute some of my success on the golf course to my PUMA Golf gear. Wearing the new IGNITE footwear over the past few weeks makes me really excited to get out there and play as we move into the new season.”

Sporting a new, sleeker shape, and new performance last, the TitanTour Ignite is full-grain leather that provides excellent fit, unrivaled comfort and a stylish toe-down look. The TitanTour Ignite is also available in a Premium model, taking golf footwear to the next level with sophisticated, tonal colorways in full-grain leather and constructed with an ultra-soft pigskin lining. The IGNITE Premium shoe features aniline pull-up leathers in brown and grey.

TITANTOUR IGNITE

• COLORS: White/Surf The Web/Green Gecko; White/White/Black/; Black/Steel Gray. available February 1, 2016.
• MSRP PRICE: $199.99

TITANTOUR IGNITE Premium

• COLORS: Drizzle/Green Gecko; Monk’s Robe/Team Gold.
• RELEASE DATE: February 1, 2015
• MSRP PRICE: $239.99

For more information on these shoes, along with PUMA Golf’s entire product line, please visit www.cobragolf.com/pumagolf.