Tiger Woods took a pass on playing an opposite-field event this week in Nevada, meaning his season could end at the PGA Championship.

Or maybe not.

Woods floated the idea of playing the Wyndham Championship the week after the PGA Championship, which is the final regular PGA Tour event for players to get into the top 125 and qualifying for the FedEx Cup playoffs. Woods tied for 18th at the Quicken Loans National last week, though that was only enough for him to move up a whopping 12 spots to No. 185.

“Just win. It’s not real complicated,” Woods said of his playoff prospects “I’m not playing Reno this week or Bridgestone. … By playing well in the PGA, that determines whether or not I’ll play Wyndham, and obviously the rest of the FedEx Cup playoffs.”

Winning the PGA Championship would move him into the top 60, though Woods hasn’t won a major in seven years and hasn’t won any PGA Tour event in two years. Otherwise, his only chance to crack the top 125 would be to finish second alone at Whistling Straits.

At a media day Monday for the Deutsche Bank Championship, which his foundation runs, Woods made it sound as though getting close to the top 125 might be enough for him to consider going to the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina, for the first time.

“A lot of it is dependent on what I do with the PGA and whether or not I have a chance to make the playoffs,” Woods said. “I need to obviously play well at the PGA to get myself to move up in points and then give myself an opportunity to get into the playoffs. Right now, I’m so far off that I need to have a really high finish, and nothing higher than winning my fifth PGA would be nice.”

Woods isn’t alone in his plight.

Luke Donald is No. 127 in the FedEx Cup. He is not playing this week in Reno or at Firestone. Graeme McDowell is at No. 159, though he gets a crack at what amounts to free points this week at Firestone, which has no cut. McDowell is eligible from being on the most recent Ryder Cup team.

After leaving the grounds of Glen Abbey Golf Club last Sunday, it was depressingly apparent I wasn’t going to experience professional golf like that for possibly a long, long time. It was as if my golf-viewing career had peaked.

It all began while I stood on the 17th tee box at Swan-E-Set Golf Resort on a sunny weekday morning when a Twitter message notification sounded on my phone. I don’t get a lot of messages on Twitter so naturally my curiosity resulted in me digging through my bag as my brother hit his tee shot.

It was from @ShawGolf. “This is your last chance. Please advise if this is Chris Heavenor.”

They had sent me a message earlier that week asking if this account belonged to Chris Heavenor; I had decided not to answer assuming it was spam, or at best a mediocre trial offer for a new higher speed internet option.

Hmmmm. Now I’m torn. Fine, I’ll cave. “What’s up?” I reply.

“Did you submit a photo into Shaw’s Winter Tee Time Contest?” the mysterious Shaw Golf messenger writes back.

“I sure did,” I retort, with excitement quickly growing inside.

“Great! You’re the grand prize winner of our Winter Tee Time Contest!”

I immediately start doing the Joey Tribbiani/Drake Ramoray shifty eyes.

Now remember, I’m on the golf course at this time, and I’m actually playing quite well. As this unexpected little dollop of news begins to sink in, my nerves start to collapse as if my last name ends in ‘de Velde’. I restrain from informing my brother, Cam, as he is playing even better and I wouldn’t want to disrupt that. It was more difficult than you could imagine; I was literally ready to burst at the seams.

After matching pars on 17 (mine was much better than Cam’s), my brother was set to tee off on the 18th. I became intensely preoccupied scrolling through my phone reading what the grand prize entails. I couldn’t believe it: Round trip airfare for two to Toronto to watch the RBC Canadian Open, Canada’s National Championship. Holy shnikees! It continues, two nights accommodation downtown Toronto, tickets for both Saturday and Sunday to the tournament in Shaw’s exclusive Skybox on the 18th green, limo service to and from the airport, shuttle service to and from the golf course, and an $800 Puma Golf Prize pack. Say whaaaaaat?

At this time, Cam has just smashed his three-wood down the left-centre of the fairway as he usually does when the big stick isn’t required. As I stood over my ball, my hands began to tremble with the excitement of the recent developments, as well as how entertaining it will be informing my brother of it all. “Don’t hit it left for God’s sakes,” I mutter to myself. Make par on 18 and I’m in with a 79. It would only be my fourth time breaking 80 in my purely amateur golf career. POW!

“Of course…,” I moan as my hands roll over quicker than a Federer cross-court winner. Ball gone. I take a 6 and fire an 81. Thankfully my spirits aren’t too quashed in large thanks to Shaw … and maybe the post-round lager. While Cam and I poured ourselves a healthy pint from the pitcher and briefly began dissecting our rounds, I casually slid over my phone and instructed him to read my message conversation. He surprised me and managed to sound out all the words without any additional assistance.

“NO WAY!” He says looking up from my phone in amazement. “That’s unreal!” he continues, half chuckling under his breath.

“Sooooo who are you gonna take?” He asks cautiously as if there was ever a doubt.

I joke for a moment that I’m going to bring a friend from work, but he sees right through it. I mean, this would be grounds for a pitching wedge to the back of the knee had I been serious. And believe me, that kid can swing a wedge!

While Cam’s busy texting his wife the good news, I check and confirm the dates of the tournament. July 23-27. The dates ring a bell. Did I have plans that week? …CRAP!

My wife and I have a little something called the birth of our third daughter scheduled for July 15th. Errrrr. This could prove difficult. Lucky for me I’m a master at negotiating – or more likely my wife is the greatest.

The Golfing Gods were on my side and our little bundle of joy arrived five days early with no problems. Not that it made life any easier on my wife, but I managed to make my way onto the plane without any major bruising or lacerations. Phew! She’s a keeper.

After landing in Toronto, we were greeted by a transportation service agent who was even holding up a sign with my name on it. Just like in the movies! A brand new Lincoln picked us up and brought us to the first hotel we’d stay for Friday night in Oakville. Cruising in leather luxury. A good start.

Once entering our room, we noticed Shaw was kind enough to lay out our Puma Golf prize packs on the beds in case we wanted to sport any of the gear the next day. Acting like teenage girls in a mall, we excitedly tried on all our clothing and checked ourselves out in the mirror. Completely aware of how ridiculous we were acting, we began making pretend golf swings testing out the clothing. There was just no avoiding it, Puma set us up big time!

The next morning we got geared up and ready to rock and roll to the course. While in the elevator, it stopped on the third floor and in walked Davis Freaking Love III! I didn’t know he missed the cut, but his Ryder Cup luggage compilation suggested it. I avoided the subject and attempted to make some light conversation that a) made it known I was aware of who he was while also playing it cool; and b) avoid being that guy who asks for a picture right away. It only took me ten seconds to fail at both of these. Smooth work, Heavenor.

Once thanking DL3 for the photo, I tracked down Cam to get on the shuttle. Arriving at Glen Abbey was exciting. It was early Saturday morning so not many groups had teed off yet. It didn’t stop Cam and I from catching up with Abbotsford’s Nick Taylor for a couple holes. It was great to finally see him play live.

An early Saturday highlight came on the par 4-8th where Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa missed his approach left. He made a pretty good pitch to about eight feet and went on to drain his par putt. Considering the speed and undulation of the eighth green, it was a great up and down. As Ryo walked passed to the next tee, Cam complemented Ryo on a great par.

“Thanks, man.” Ryo replied as Cam and I grinned at the acknowledgement.

That there, people, is why golf is one of the truly great sports to watch live – player interaction. Could you imagine standing on the goal line beside Roberto Luongo watching him make a save, then complementing it afterwards only to have him reply? Glen Abbey was a real treat in terms of sightlines and fan interaction.

Once we located the Shaw Skybox conveniently placed behind the 18th green, we entered to take a look around. It sat approximately 60-70 people comfortably with 5 rows of seating at the front and five to six high-top tables at the back. Shaw spared no expense. Each seat came with a complimentary blue Shaw golf hat. There was a gourmet chef preparing different meals throughout the day as well as an open bar (which may have been utilized heavily). It was golf-viewing heaven. Just as impressive was the inconspicuous white trailer located directly next to the Shaw Skybox which housed a posh men’s and women’s bathroom. As a casual fan, this little ditty was worth its weight in gold considering the long line ups for the rows of outhouses located in the spectator pavilion. Shaw was not only winning, but running up the score.

After devouring a delicious omelette and maybe a ceasar or two, we made our way back onto the course to pursue Surrey’s Adam Svensson. Impressively, Adam made the cut and was putting together another phenomenal round. He is going to be a great Tour player, mark my words. Svensson went on to post a solid 69 on Saturday putting him in contention for Sunday.

A recent favorite of mine on Tour has been Brooks Koepka. A long hitting young American kid with great hair. Being able to stride down the fairway next to Brooks created such a unique experience. I was loving it. In fact, on a par 4, Brooks pushed his drive right of the fairway into the rough. I made my way to his ball and literally stood four feet away from him while he dialed in a wedge to a front pin. So damn awesome.

When Saturday wrapped up, we caught a shuttle downtown Toronto to the Four Seasons (!) where Shaw was forcing us to stay for the weekend. This was another first for me and let me tell you, if you get the chance to post up at the Four Seasons, you do so. The room was exquisite. I mean, they even had a TV built into the mirror in the bathroom. C’mon!

We had decided on finding a nice joint to have a steak but were immediately diverted when Cam noticed six gentlemen in the hotel lounge enjoying some food. To my surprise, four of the six were in fact Gary McCord, Ian Baker-Finch, Frank Nobilo and Peter Kostis. If you’ve ever watched golf on TV, or at least heard it, you would recognize these iconic voices. I’m not quite old enough to remember, but these four gents were also very fine players back in their day.

We quickly strategized and grabbed the table behind them. Why not, right? Cam was in awe staring at them like there was an invisible Victoria’s Secret fashion show in progress on top of their table. My back was turned, but I’m sure I made it more than noticeable by the amount of times I blatantly craned my neck around to eavesdrop.

I made one or two comments towards Mr. Nobilo, who was directly behind me but nothing was sticking. Our grand hopes were these six would finally cave and invite us to their table. No dice. Maybe we set the bar too high. So I decided to take matters into my own hands. I thought of a stunt that was essentially harmless but at best would resonate with these chaps for a few days. I went up to the bar and ordered six shots for their table. I asked our server to then deliver these shots compliments of us.

When the shots arrived, and the server performed his task in a less than award winning fashion, Mr. Baker-Finch stood up, said thank you and shook my hand. There was a slight buzz at the table as the men wondered what the shots were and why I had bought them. I simply replied “It’s a warm up for the Golf Channel tomorrow.” Less than my best, but I’m glad I formulated a coherent sentence given the more-than-six-less-than-twelve Stella Artois I had consumed thus far.

“Hmmm. Golf Channel warm up? Alright, then.” replied Mr. Kostis. I encouraged everyone to drink up and they did so in moderate synchronization.

“Not bad,” announced Mr. Nobilo.

“Yeah, yeah. Pretty good,” answered Mr. Kostis.

One of the group’s associates, a man I was not familiar with pointed at the sides of his jaws claiming that’s where the shot hit him. “Gets ya right here,” he exclaimed through clenched teeth.

“Ok ok, so what was it?” asked Mr. Baker-Finch.

“I’m surprised you all didn’t recognize it,” I said with a fabricated amount of condescension. “That was one of the best there ever was. Those were Arnold Palmers.”

“WHAT?” exclaimed the unknown friend through a relaxed jaw this time.

“You mean a John Daly,” questioned Mr. Baker-Finch, suggesting it was the alcoholic version of an Arnold Palmer.

“No, gentlemen, those were 100% Arnold Palmers. You’re welcome.” I finished, arms spread wide as if finishing an impressive magic trick.

Laughter erupted amongst the table. Well, at least that’s how I prefer to remember it. Either way there were definitely some chuckles. The boys opened up a little more in our direction after that, but we never did manage to squeeze up to that table.

As the group was packing it in for the night, I had explained to them that Cam was planning to play the Canadian National Mid-Amateur Championships at the end of August in Nova Scotia. Bingo. This managed to get their attention. Instantly we were afforded some level of credibility as opposed to the creepy fanboys five minutes prior. Mr. Kostis and Mr. Baker-Finch were quick to supply some advice and comments on the course as well as competition in general. I think the best part of the evening was when Mr. Kostis wished Cam the best of luck. It sounds simple. It’s said everyday in a magnitude of different circumstances. However, when you break it down, how many people participating in the Canadian National Mid-Amateur Championships can say they’ve been personally well-wished by Peter Kostis himself. I’m guessing the answer is between zero and two. All in all, these four boys were the cream of the crop; pure class wrapped up in a variety of button-down dress shirts. Thanks, fellas. You definitely helped make our trip one of the best we’ve ever experienced.

As we parted ways up to our respective rooms, I decided to use the washroom. While walking past the bar I noticed Canadian Rap artist Drake. I stopped (obviously) and quickly expressed how I was a fan of his and not to change much, he’s doing great and it’s working. He smiled, said thanks and shook my hand. I walked down the stairs towards the washroom just shaking my head. Had Jim Carey been standing next to me at a urinal I wouldn’t have even been surprised. What a fun night.

Waking up Sunday morning would have been a chore had we not been getting onto a shuttle and heading out to repeat the previous day. In fact, it’s been a while since I’ve had that much jump in my step at 7:00am regardless.

Starbucks? Check. Shuttle? Check. Sunday at Glen Abbey for the final round of the RBC Canadian Open? Ohhh, big time check.

We started the morning following Adam Svensson again. This time for seven holes. His ball striking was pure and in great tempo, but his putting was killing him that day. He had about three decent looks for birdie and one for par, all within 10 feet, that never got a sniff of the hole. It was unfortunate he couldn’t get the flat stick going, but he’ll be just fine.

Paired up with Svensson on Sunday was a golfer by the name Brian Harmon. He’s been playing well lately on Tour so I was intrigued as to how he would fare only being a few shots back. What quickly stole my attention was not Harmon’s smooth swing. It also wasn’t his deceptive length off the tee despite being smaller in stature. To put bluntly, from my brief experience watching Harmon, he’s got the mouth of a weekend hacker out there. Numerous times we witnessed Harmon swear loud enough for children in the gallery to hear, but he also slammed his driver down on the tee box twice while kicking his tee to the side. It would have been kind of awkward had Cam and I not been a few pops deep at the time.

Now I know what you’re all thinking. So what? We all do that. True. Most of us casual golfers swear enough during 18 holes to make a truck driver blush. However from my minute experience with professional golf, it’s an entirely different animal. Maintaining emotions on course is a must for any player who wishes to maintain good play or rebound from some poor swings. A great example is Camillo Villegas. On the difficult par 4-6th hole at Glen Abbey, he snap hooked his drive into the trees. So far in fact he nearly went out of bounds into the driving range. Par seemed far out of the question at that point. Yet, I watched Camillo walk down the fairway with his playing partner Brooks Koepka. Both were smiling and laughing as they made their way to their balls. It’s possible I suppose Brooks is the funniest person on Tour, enough to bring a sullen Villegas to a smile, but I wouldn’t put money on it. Villegas remained calm and composed, even after he attempted a hero 5-wood cut shot from the rough under trees that unfortunately ended up in the water. The difference in attitudes was uncanny.

Now it’s very plausible Harmon was just having a bad day. Maybe he slept wrong. Maybe he couldn’t get a room at the Four Seasons. Maybe he didn’t have access to an omelette bar. I don’t know. But what I do know is from what I saw, Brian Harmon doesn’t bring the best attitude to the course and if you have a child with you, make like Beanie in Old School and have them put on their earmuffs.

As the day wore on, we decided to post up in the Skybox for the final nine holes of the tournament. What a great idea that was. The quality of shots hit into 18 were phenomenal. The gallery began to really grow on the side slope of the clubhouse and the atmosphere was buzzing as everyone’s eyes went back and forth between shots hit onto the green and the constantly updated leaderboard.

A great moment while sitting in the Skybox was watching D.A. Points walk off the final green and wave to the crowd. He thanked everyone for their support and for coming out to watch the tournament. That’s a guy right there who gets it. Great stuff.

Canadian David Hearn had been leading most of the final round. It seemed as though he would be able to hold on. There was a buzz around the course the entire day as fans spoke of the 54 year long drought Canada has had in producing a champion at this tournament. T’was not to be. Not only did Bubba Watson turn on the nitro and birdie five of his final six holes, but Australian Jason Day birdied the last three holes, including a phenomenal 22 footer on 18, to edge Watson by one and Hearn by two. It was a very exciting finish. Had Day only made par on 18, Hearn would have had a chance to tie with a birdie or win with an eagle. Either way it was fantastic, and Cam and I witnessed all of it only feet away in the beloved Skybox. Simply amazing.

Day was a true class act accepting his trophy. He went as far as to say he felt like a Canadian this week due to how great the fans were to him all week. He also said it would be an honor to return the following year to defend his title. I’m sure Golf Canada hopes he stays true to that because he is a fantastic player, and a great champion.

The whole weekend is not something Cam or I plan on soon forgetting. What a life.

For Toronto’s Albin Choi, the transition from amateur to the professional ranks has been a bit of a bumpy ride.

But now in his third full season as a pro, the former Northview Heights Secondary student is starting to find his comfort zone; and the results are starting to show on the golf course.

As an amateur, the Toronto golfer was nothing short of spectacular. Besides winning the Canadian Amateur title in 2010, the Ontario Amateur title in 2012, and nine collegiate titles during his three years at North Carolina State University, Choi was also awarded the Gary Cowan trophy as the low amateur at the 2012 RBC Canadian Open.

Having turned professional after his junior year at NC State University, the former Canadian national team member admits that he’s gone through a bit of a learning curve.

“I haven’t been playing that well the past couple of years but the game’s been coming around,” said Choi recently at the RBC Canadian Open.

“It was just a bit of a learning curve when I came out of college and now I’ve been playing professional golf for a couple of years, so I’m getting use to how things work and I think I’m just getting a bit more comfortable out there,” added the 5 foot 11 inch amateur standout.

Someone who shares Choi’s assessment about the challenges involved in transitioning from amateur to pro is Canadian golfing legend, Gary Cowan.

“Once you’re a pro you have to learn how to play again,” said Cowan, who captured the United States amateur title in 1966 and then again in 1971.

“When you’re an amateur, you’re with your collegiate team or you’re with the Golf Canada amateur team and you go where everyone else goes. But when you turn pro you’re on your own and you have to learn to be on your own; and you have to take the time to learn and get familiar with the golf courses that you are playing on,” explained the 76-year-old Canadian golfing icon.

Having first met Choi in 2012, Cowan is confident, that with time, the amateur standout will be able to find similar success on the professional circuit.

“I first met him at the RBC Canadian Open in Hamilton and he’s very nice and quiet. I think he’s very talented; give him a couple more years and he’s going to be a really good player,” Cowan added about Choi.

Someone else who is eager to speak about Choi’s talents and dedication on the golf course is former high school classmate and current teammate on the Golf Canada’s Young Pro Program, Rebecca Lee-Bentham.

“Albin’s consistency really impressed me. He was the best putter I knew as a junior,” recalled the fourth year LPGA pro, who transferred from Bayview Secondary in Richmond Hill to Northview Heights Secondary after completing grade 10.

“He’s dedicated and always very focused when he practiced,” she added about Choi’s commitment.

For his part, Choi says it’s his commitment to improving and learning that has played a key part in his success so far this year.

“It’s always a work in progress but I’m just trying to learn from each tournament and take what I’ve learn into the week after,” he said.

Having learned his fair share of difficult lessons during his first two seasons as a pro as a member of Team Canada’s Young Pro Squad, the Toronto golfer is successfully applying those lessons this year.

Choi started his 2015 season by claiming medalist honours at the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Qualifying School, and followed that up with a victory at the Bayview Place Island Savings Open in early June.

“Winning always boosts your confidence. It was a big accomplishment for me early on in the year so I’m just trying to keep it going,” he pointed out.

Despite failing to make the cut recently at Glen Abbey, Choi is confident that he has the all-around game to compete against the PGA TOUR’s best.

“My game is definitely good enough to compete out here; just a couple of small errors here or there that I need to touch up on.  But I feel my game is just as good as these guys,” he said.

“I just have to play more on the big stage and get used to being out there with the best players. I’ve played in four of these RBC Canadian Opens and I learn from each of them; and I just need to get myself into more tournaments like this,” Choi added.

With valuable experience now under his belt and a success first half of 2015 in the books, the 23-year-old golfer takes comfort in the fact that he’s heading in the right direction; and firmly believes in his abilities to meet his long term goals.

“I’ve just got to keep working at it and just keep doing what I’ve been doing,” he said. “And I definitely see myself on the PGA TOUR five years from now – hopefully with a win or two.”

Callaway Golf has officially announced the new Great Big Bertha Driver and Fairway Woods, as well as the Big Bertha Alpha 816 Double Black Diamond Driver and Big Bertha Alpha 816 Fairway Woods for better players.

The Great Big Bertha Driver is touted to be a technological breakthrough – it’s designed with an aerodynamic, multi-material clubhead, a next gen R*MOTO face for high ball speeds, and an adjustable sliding weight for more dispersion control without sacrificing forgiveness. The driver is built to get the most distance for all golfers.

Great Big Bertha Driver ($449.99) and Great Big Bertha Fairway Wood ($249.99) will be available at retail on August 28, and golfers can pre-order them starting August 14 on CallawayGolf.com. The driver will be offered in 9-, 10.5- and 13.5-degree lofts.

The Great Big Bertha Fairway Wood will be offered in a 3-, 5-, 7-Wood, a Heavenwood and a Divine Nine. Both new Great Big Bertha products feature excellent stock shaft offerings with a comprehensive list of aftermarket shafts at no upcharge.

The Big Bertha Alpha 816 Double Black Diamond Driver features a deeper face, next generation R*MOTO face technology for high ball speeds, and two distance chambers. Golfers can put Callaway’s gravity core in the left or right chamber for shot-shaping control, and then set the gravity core up or down to increase ball speeds based on their impact location.

The Alpha 816 Double Black Diamond Driver ($499.99) and Big Bertha Alpha 816 Fairway Woods ($299.99 each) will both be at retail and online on September 18, and will also be available for pre-order starting August 14 on Callawaygolf.com.

The Alpha 816 Double Black Diamond Driver will be offered in 9- and 10.5-degree lofts while the Alpha 816 Fairway Wood will be offered in 14-, 16- and 18-degree lofts. Like the Great Big Bertha clubs, the Alpha 816 Woods feature excellent stock shaft offerings with a comprehensive offering of aftermarket shafts at no upcharge.

Charles-Éric Bélanger (Photo courtesy of Roger Lauzon).

VAUDREUIL-DORION, Que. – Four competitors shot 1-under-par 71 to take the opening round lead in the 77^th Canadian Junior Boys Championship being contested at Summerlea Golf & Country Club in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que.

Two 16-year-olds, Charles-Éric Bélanger  of Québec City, Que., and A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C., are co-leaders in both the Junior and Juvenile divisions.

The pair are joined at the top of the Junior leaderboard by 18-year-old Kevin Gordon of Whitby, Ont., and 17-year-old Henry Lee of Coquitlam, B.C.

While Summerlea Golf & Country Club was not affected by the heavy rainfall in the area, the competitors were challenged with gusty winds throughout the day.

Despite the challenging conditions, Bélanger maintained focus on the course. “I made good saves. I putted really well and struck the ball well. I tried to hit every fairway and attack every green in hopes of making a lot of birdies.”

Bélanger recorded five birdies on the day, including one on 18, to be one of only three players to birdie the final par four.

Bélanger and Ewart are looking to become the ninth player to win both the Junior and Juvenile titles in the same year since the Juvenile competition was introduced in 1970.

“I’m going to focus on hitting fairways and greens and not think too much about the outcome at the end, but if I did (win) it would be a great accomplishment,” added Bélanger.

A tight leaderboard has four players one-stroke back of the lead in a tie for fifth place. Opening the competition with rounds of even-par were Aaron Black of Grimsby, Ont., Gabriel Gingras of Chelsea, Que., Andrew Harrison of Camrose, Alta., and Brett Pasula of Red Deer, Alta.

Team Canada’s Development Squad was led by Étienne Papineau with a score of 2-over 74. The St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., native is tied for twelfth place and sits three strokes shy of the lead. Squad members Trevor Ranton of Waterloo, Ont., and Tony Gil of Vaughan, Ont., both signed for rounds of 4-over 76.

An inter-provincial team championship is conducted in conjuction with the first 36 holes of play. Team Quebec leads by one stroke over defending champions Team Alberta. The Quebec contingent is comprised of St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Que., natives Étienne Papineau and Raphaël Lapierre-Messier, as well as, Félix Normand of Beloeil, Que.

The winner of the 2015 Canadian Junior Boys Championship will earn an exemption into the 2015 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship from August 8 – 13, co-hosted by Weston Golf & Country Club and The Lambton Golf & Country Club.

The second-round of the 2015 Canadian Junior Boys Championship will continue tomorrow morning with a split tee start on holes 1 and 10 at 7:30 a.m. EST. Following the second-round, the field will be cut to the low 70 players and ties.

Full results from the 2015 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, are available here.

GAINESVILLE, Va. – Troy Merritt walked to the final tee with a three-shot lead and slapped hands with fans on both sides of the ropes, knowing he had all but wrapped up his first PGA Tour title.

Not bad for a player who had missed five cuts in a row coming into the Quicken Loans National.

Merritt shot a 4-under 67 on Sunday and finished his first career victory in 96 starts with a flourish, rolling in a 34-foot putt for birdie on the 72nd hole. After the putt fell, he raised his hands, looked toward the crowd and shrugged his shoulders, as if to say that it was the perfect way to finish.

The victory came a day after Merritt soared to the lead with a tournament-record 61 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, and his closing 67 matched the best of the day on another sweltering afternoon.

He finished at 18-under 266.

Rickie Fowler, who started the day one shot off the lead, also made a birdie on the final hole to claim second place at 15 under, and David Lingmerth was third, but both had up-and-down rounds. Fowler shot a 69 that featured seven birdies and five bogeys, and Lingmerth’s 69 included five birdies and three bogeys.

Merritt, who appeared to be walking in place as he set up for each shot, being sure to get his feet in exactly the right position, lost the lead only briefly on the final day and stumbled just once, with a three-putt bogey at the par-4 12th, the most difficult hole on the course. He made five birdies.

For much of the day, the tournament seemed destined to become a duel between Merritt and Bill Haas, who had six birdies in his first 10 holes and got to 17 under, tied with Merritt and three clear of the rest of the field. But Haas struggled to find the fairway on the back nine, making four bogeys and a double bogey in the final seven holes and leaving Merritt in position to win it by just making pars.

He did more than that, also knocking an 8-iron to 3 feet on the par-3 16th.

It helped that all of the expected challengers faltered.

Fowler, one shot back at the start, had three bogeys on the front nine.

Lingmerth, who once shared the lead with Haas and Merritt at 15 under, followed with a bad bogey at the par-5 eighth, the first of three bogeys over the closing 10 holes that kept him from making a move.

Haas wound up with a 70 and shared fourth at 12 under with defending champion Justin Rose and four others.

Merritt, meantime, never looked as though the stage was too much.

He opened with a birdie to take sole possession of the lead, and made two more to turn at 3 under. His bogey at the difficult 12th dropped him into a tie with Haas at 16 under, but Haas then crumbled.

Tiger Woods made a run at contention with birdies on five of his first 10 holes to get to 10 under, but with a huge crowd following and shouting encouragement with every swing, he missed 3-foot putt at No. 11, the first of three bogeys in four holes that killed his chances of making a serious charge.

His bogey on the 12th came despite one of the best shots of the tournament. After hitting his drive well right and into a hazard, he took a drop and then hit a blind 5-wood to the back fringe of the green, about 15 feet from the cup. His bid for par buzzed the right edge of the hole, but did not fall.

Woods finished with a 68 to tie for 18th at 8 under.

Woods rose from No. 195 to No. 185 in the FedEx Cup rankings and has just three weeks left to climb into the top 125 and qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs, but said that that is not his focus.

“I’ve got years ahead of me. That’s how I look at it,” he said.

Kevin Chappell, who shared the overnight lead, shot a 77 to finish in the tie for 18th at 8 under.

TURNBERRY, Scotland – As Inbee Park hunted down Jin-Young Ko in the final stretch of the Women’s British Open, it quickly became clear which South Korean was the rookie and which was the player about to add another chapter in golf’s record book.

The top-ranked Park picked up seven shots in her last 12 holes, pressured her 20-year-old protege so much she finally lost her nerve, and completed a 7-under 65 at Turnberry to capture the trophy she thought she may never win.

Park won by three shots on 12-under 276 for a seventh major title, becoming just the seventh female player to win four different majors – after Louise Suggs, Mickey Wright, Pat Bradley, Juli Inkster, Karrie Webb and Annika Sorenstam.

“I don’t know what else to go for now,” said Park, who has won six of the last 14 majors to cement her status as the best player of her generation.

How about ending the debate about clinching the so-called career Grand Slam?

The LPGA Tour is calling Park’s achievement just that. However, Park hasn’t won the France-based Evian Championship since it was given the status of a fifth major in 2013. She did win the Evian in 2012.

The Evian is staged next month, when Park can complete definitively what some are calling the “Super Slam.”

“I feel like I’ve won all the majors in women’s golf,” Park said, attempting to put a stop to the discussion.

“Every major was very, very special to me. But to wrap it up with the British Open is just much more special … This is definitely the golfer’s most-wanted trophy.”

Ko is just at the start of her golfing journey.

Playing her first major, her first tournament outside Asia and with a temporary, locally born caddie giving her advice on every shot, Ko began the last round tied for the lead and pulled three shots clear of a bunched-up chasing pack containing Park after a 20-foot putt for birdie on No. 10. She had already eagled the par-3 No. 7 with a 25-foot putt and rolled in a birdie of similar length at No. 8.

Her composure was stunning, considering the uncharted territory she was in. Ko had never played links golf before this week.

That was when Park made her move. She rolled in an eagle putt from 20 feet at No. 14 to close to within one shot, Ko missed a par putt on No. 13 soon after for her first bogey of the day, and Park then holed a 4-footer for birdie at No. 16 to take the lead for the first time this tournament.

No. 16 wound up being the deciding hole. Twenty minutes later, Ko’s chances of reclaiming the lead virtually ended on that par 4 when she pushed her approach shot straight into a burn. She took her fur-lined puffy coat from her caddie and looked a beaten woman for the first time this week.

“I was a little over-thinking, and then I was a little bit nervous,” Ko said.

Park’s birdie putt on No. 18 lipped out, but it didn’t matter. She watched on a monitor in the scoring hut as Ko – playing two groups behind – failed to make birdie on No. 17, ensuring there would be no final-hole tension.

“I really thought she was going to play really good until the end,” Park said of her friend. “I just got lucky.”

A turning point came on No. 12 when Park drove right, into thick rough. Park could barely see the ball when she approached it, but had a stroke of luck as it had settled on a drain. She was given a free drop and made par.

“That was a definite bogey there,” Park said.

Park said she needed to produce her best display of putting in two years to overhaul Ko, who is the latest on a conveyor belt of talent coming from the South Korean tour.

Ko was bidding to become the third first-time major winner from South Korea in the last five majors, after Hyo-Joo Kim at the Evian last year and In-Gee Chun at the U.S. Women’s Open last month.

“They are machines,” American player Cristie Kerr said of South Korean golfers. “They practice 10 hours a day.”

The 27-year-old Park is the second-youngest player to win the four traditional majors. Webb was 26 when she completed the haul in 2001.

Park passed $12 million in career earnings with the winner’s check of $450,000.

The 18-year-old Lydia Ko was seeking to become the youngest major winner, beating the record of Morgan Pressel by seven months. She was three shots behind her namesake Ko, only to take two shots out of the greenside bunker at No. 12 and make a double-bogey.

She shot 69 and tied for third on 8 under with So Yeon Ryu (68).

Golf Canada Young Pro Squad member signs for an even-par round of 72 and fellow Canadian Alena Sharp posted a 2-over 74.

BLAINE, Minn. – Comfortably in front, Kenny Perry felt uneasy for most of his 18 holes Sunday.

Afterward, he couldn’t have been much happier.

Perry breezed to his second straight victory in the Champions Tour’s 3M Championship, shooting a 4-under 68 for a four-stroke victory over Bernhard Langer, Scott Dunlap and Kevin Sutherland.

After shooting a 61 on Saturday to take a four-stroke lead, Perry had six birdies and two bogeys in the final round to finish at 18-under 198. He became the first player to successfully defend a title in the tournament’s 23-year history, winning for the eighth time on the 50-and-over tour.

Last year, Perry made a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole to beat Langer by a stroke at TPC Twin Cities.

“I like being the chaser. You’re relaxed, you’re free, you’re going, you’re charging, you’re going after everything,” Perry said. “When you got a four- or five-shot lead, you’re playing safe, you’re playing not to mess up, and that’s a hard way to play golf.”

Langer closed with a 67, and Dunlap and Sutherland each shot 68.

In seven appearances in the event, Langer has won twice (2009 and 2012) and finished second three times.

“The putts didn’t drop. I had a bunch of opportunities and I shot 5-under, but if I putt well it could have been 9 or 10 under,” he said.

Marco Dawson, the Senior British Open winner last week, had a 68 to finish fifth at 13 under. Dealing with a painful back, Minnesota native Tom Lehman, who led after a first-round 64, shot a 69 to finish sixth at 12 under.

The 54-year-old Perry is 46 under for his last seven rounds in the event. In five tournament appearances, he has two wins, a second, third and seventh.

“Kenny Perry is just better on this course,” Langer said. “It’s his length that really suits him here.”

Perry leads the tour in driving distance, averaging just under 300 yards.

“When you can play mid-irons instead of a hybrid or a wood, you’ve got a huge advantage and you can actually stop the ball a little bit,” Perry said.

Perry opened a five-shot lead with a birdie at No. 10. He had a bogey on the par-4 14th, dropping his lead back to four, but responded with a birdie two holes later.

Knowing the tournament was pretty much over with his birdie at 16, Perry still couldn’t relax with water on the par-3 17th – which he double-bogeyed Friday – and the par-5 18th.

“This tournament’s never really over `til it’s over,” he said.

The day didn’t start out well for Perry when his four-shot lead after the second round quickly dropped to two after a first-hole bogey coupled with a birdie by Sutherland.

Each player birdied two of the next four holes, before Perry birdied the par-5 sixth for three-shot cushion. It expanded to four when Sutherland recoded bogey on the par-3 eighth.

“To Kenny’s credit, he played fantastic golf all day, and I slowed down,” Sutherland said. “I didn’t make any birdies until 18,”

Sutherland was a cumulative 13 under on his first five holes during the tournament, 1 under on the others.

“I gave myself a chance, I got off to a really good start, gave myself an opportunity, but, unfortunately, wasn’t able to extend it,” he said.

Canadian Stephen Ames finished T7 with a final round of 4-under 68.

ABERDEEN, Scotland – Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand won the inaugural Paul Lawrie Match Play by holing a 4-foot putt for birdie on No. 18 to beat Sweden’s Robert Karlsson by one hole in the final.

Aphibarnrat beat Marc Warren of Scotland 3 and 2 in the semifinals then went 3 up with four holes to play against Karlsson, only to lose three holes in a row.

Karlsson sent his approach to No. 18 to 10 feet but Aphibarnrat went even closer. After Karlsson dragged his birdie attempt wide, Aphibarnrat made his putt to clinch a third European Tour title and a first prize of 122,000 pounds ($190,000).

The 26-year-old Aphibarnrat’s previous wins came in Malaysia and China, and he said: “The next step was to win in Europe. I’m happy and proud of myself.”

Karlsson beat David Howell on the 20th hole in their semifinal.

SANTO DA SERRA, Madeira Islands – Roope Kakko earned his first European Tour victory Sunday after shooting a flawless 9-under 63 to win the Madeira Islands Open by three strokes.

The 33-year-old Finn made an eagle on the par-4 10th to go with seven birdies for a tournament-record 24-under total of 264. Scott Henry of Scotland was runner-up for the second year in a row after a 66, having lost a playoff to England’s Daniel Brooks last year.

Andrew McArthur of Scotland was another three strokes back in third.

Kakko is only the second Finnish player to win on the European Tour, following Mikko Ilonen.

“I came here to try and win this event and change my career so I’m over the moon to have done it,” Kakko said. “I almost started crying with three holes to go. I was really getting emotional.”

Kakko was the third amateur to win a Challenge Tour tournament when he won the Volvo Finnish Open – his home event – in 2004.

Kakko’s wife Minea Blomqvist is an LPGA Tour golfer.

“There was a lot of pressure but I had some pretty good thoughts in me, so I was able to handle it today,” Kakko said. “Sometimes it doesn’t go the way you plan it, but it all went my way today.”