GULLANE, Scotland – Thorbjorn Olesen returned to form with a 7-under 63 to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the Scottish Open on Thursday, with Jimmy Walker leading a trio of top Americans in the chasing pack.

Rebounding from missing the cut in five of his last six events, Olesen made seven birdies – including three in a row on Nos. 15-17 – and was bogey-free in benign conditions for the morning starters over the Gullane links.

In a week in which Rory McIlroy withdrew from next week’s British Open because of an ankle injury sustained playing soccer, it’s fitting that Olesen is playing a starring role here.

The 25-year-old Dane sustained one of the most bizarre injuries of recent years when he fell off a camel while on holiday with friends in Dubai last year, pulled a groin muscle and was ruled out for two months. A hand injury forced him out of action this season from February to May, contributing to his poor recent form.

“It’s been a tough time,” Olesen said, “but I feel like I’m 100 percent with my body now.”

Daniel Brooks of England, playing in the last group, birdied the final hole to take sole ownership of second place on 6-under ahead of a group of seven players a stroke further back.

The 12th-ranked Walker also avoided any trouble early in the first round, with only a light breeze coming off the Firth of Forth in the morning. Two birdies in his last three holes sealed a 5-under 65 for Walker and a share of third place with Matthew Nixon, Richard Finch and Seve Benson of England, Alejandro Canizares and Adrian Otaegui of Spain, and Sweden’s Johan Carlsson.

Americans Rickie Fowler and Matt Kuchar were in a large group on 4-under 66, along with two former champions – Graeme McDowell and last year’s winner Justin Rose.

Rose picked up where he left off from Royal Aberdeen 12 months ago in what he called a “pretty stress-free round”, while McDowell produced one of his best displays of a miserable 2015 that has seen him register just one top-10 finish either side of the Atlantic.

The 2010 U.S. Open champion, who has plunged to No. 52 in the rankings, raced to 5-under after four straight birdies on Nos. 5-8 but ruined his round by three-putting the last two holes for bogeys. McDowell is looking to revive his game by watching videos of his 2010 swing.

“It’s about trying to turn this train round back the right way,” McDowell said. “It’s been a tough grind this year.”

Olesen was regarded as one of Europe’s next big things around 2011-12 but hasn’t really kicked on, with his two titles coming at the Sicilian Open in 2012 and the Perth International in 2014.

Down at No. 122 in the rankings, Olesen has previous form on the links – he was runner-up at the Dunhill Links Championship in 2012, after finishing tied for ninth at the British Open at Royal Lytham.

“I grew up in Denmark and am used to playing in a lot of wind, so I think that helps me,” Olesen said.

Olesen found 11 of 14 fairways, which he said was the key to his round and allowed him to attack a course that wasn’t protected by wind. A 40-foot putt on No. 12 took him to 4 under before his three successive birdies pushed him clear on his own.

Three qualifying places for next week’s British Open are up for grabs for top-10 finishes, and Olesen is among the players still to book his place at St. Andrews.

Phil Mickelson, the 2013 winner at the Scottish Open, struggled with his putting in shooting a 1-under 69.

“I haven’t played the last couple of weeks and I was a little rusty,” Mickelson said.

WINNIPEG, Man. – Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Order of Merit leader Drew Weaver fired a 5-under 66 in windy conditions on Thursday at Pine Ridge Golf Club to take the first round lead at The Players Cup, the fifth event of the Mackenzie Tour season.

With gusting to more than 40 km/h, the 28-year old from Atlanta, Georgia recorded seven birdies to offset two bogeys and was one shot ahead of Moscow, Idaho’s Chris Williams after day one in Winnipeg.

“It was a good start. I’m pleased with how I rebounded from a poor first hole. It was the ultimate sloppy start and I was able to bounce back and make some good swings from there on,” said Weaver, who opened with a bogey on the first hole but came back strong with birdies on four of his next six holes. “I was able to string together a number of good iron shots and gave myself a few opportunities there. I dialed it back a bit and realized par is a good number.”

Weaver, who won the PC Financial Open in a playoff earlier this year and has added two more top-10 finishes to build a lead atop the season-long money list over Toronto’s Albin Choi, said the tricky 103-year old Donald Ross-designed Pine Ridge was a perfect fit for his game heading into the week in Winnipeg.

“I think it’s right up my alley. You can’t overpower this place, and it’s fairly generous off the tee so it’s really a strategy-based golf course. You can do a number of different things on some holes out there. Today I was able to get the putter a little warm and that yielded a good score,” said Weaver, who credited his solid play this season in Canada to a more mature approach to tournament play.

“I’ve done a much better job of believing in myself and kind of getting in my own bubble. I play to my strengths each week and some courses set up better for me. Thankfully I’ve been able to keep working on the right things and I feel very comfortable with my game is,” said Weaver.

One back of Weaver was Williams, whose 67 was the best round of the afternoon. 12 players – David McKenzie, Ryan McCormick, Joseph Harrison, Jonathan Fricke, Mackenzie Hughes, Cameron Peck, Clayton Rask, Olin Browne, Jr., Justin Shin, Ben Briscoe, Christopher Ross and Vaita Guillaume – were a shot further behind at 3-under 68.

OAKVILLE, Ont. — Golf Canada, in partnership with the PGA of Canada, has released Golf Facilities in Canada 2015—the definitive report on golf facilities and development in Canada.

Golf Facilities in Canada 2015 is the result of a collaborative effort between Golf Canada, the PGA of Canada and the National Golf Foundation (NGF), a golf industry knowledge research firm which delivers independent and objective market intelligence, insights and trends.

The report identifies all existing public and private facilities in the country; and defines supply by province, type and number of holes. The report also includes information on facility openings and closings, as well as the number and type of facilities currently in development.

“Canadian golf facilities are the foundation for major sport participation, economic impact, tourism, charitable giving and environmental stewardship and the Golf Facilities in Canada 2015 report provides a comprehensive breakdown of the golf courses and projects that form that Canadian golf landscape,” said Golf Canada CEO Scott Simmons. “Canada represents 7 per cent of the total world’s supply of golf courses and this first ever Canadian report offers an in-depth summary of national and provincial data.”

“The PGA of Canada in partnership with Golf Canada is excited to present this captivating study of golf facilities in Canada compiled by one of the world’s leading research firms, the National Golf Foundation,” said PGA of Canada CEO Gary Bernard. “As the second oldest and third largest professional golf association in the world, the PGA of Canada and its 3,700 members are proud to be a driving force at golf facilities from coast to coast.”

A snapshot of data captured in Golf Facilities in Canada 2015:

• Canada is home to 2,346 public and private golf facilities; ranking it third in the world in total supply.
• Seventy-seven per cent of the total golf supply is located in Canada’s four most populated provinces—Ontario, Québec, Alberta and British Columbia.
• While course construction has slowed during the past several years (a trend mirrored in many mature and developed golf nations, including the United States and the United Kingdom) golf remains extremely accessible in Canada. A little more than 90 per cent of the country’s supply is open to the public.
• Of the 2,126 public facilities in Canada, half are located in Ontario and Québec, which together account for 61 per cent of the country’s total population. Furthermore, the two provinces are also home to 73 per cent of Canada’s 220 private clubs.
• Nine-hole golf accounts for almost 37 per cent of Canada’s total supply, which outnumbers 18-hole supply in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. In Saskatchewan, 18-hole courses are outnumbered 3 to 1 by 9-hole courses.
• Canada features nine 12-hole facilities (six of which are in Ontario) and three 6-hole facilities.
• Resort golf, though a small segment of Canada’s overall supply, is a significant contributor to tourism in several provinces. Countrywide, 167 facilities (or approximately 7 per cent) of total supply are connected to a resort or a resort/real estate operation.
• Course construction peaked in the 1960s with the opening of more than 420 facilities. A second significant growth spurt occurred in the period between 1990 and 1999, when more than 310 courses—13 per cent of total supply —opened. The growth was highlighted by the opening of 257 facilities in the four largest provinces: Ontario, Québec, Alberta and British Columbia.
• Since 2010, 29 facilities have opened in six different provinces. In recent years, Canada has seen only moderate growth, and currently has 31 18-hole equivalent facilities in various stages of development.
• Of those facilities in various stages of development, 17 have broken ground including seven in Alberta and four in Nova Scotia. Nearly 60 per cent of new projects are tied to a real estate development.
• In the past five to 10 years, 158 facilities have closed. One in five of those closures were located in Ontario, which is home to 35 per cent of the total supply of Canada’s facilities. Three of Canada’s 10 provinces have seen fewer than five facility closures during the past decade.

The complete Golf Facilities in Canada 2015 report including national and provincial data is available for download here.

The Golf Facilities in Canada 2015 report aligns with the Canadian data featured in the World Facilities Report released earlier this year by the R&A in partnership with the NGF. The world report revealed by the end of 2014, there were 34,011 golf facilities in 204 countries around the world. It shows that nearly 80 per cent of these facilities are located in 10 countries: the United States, Japan, Canada, England, Australia, Germany, France, Scotland, South Africa and Sweden. The world report also revealed by the end of 2014, Canada ranked third* in total number of golf facilities by country behind only the United States and Japan (*The UK combined has the third-most course in the world overall, however when viewed as separate countries, Canada is third and England is fourth). For more on the world report, visit www.randa.org.

The golf industry is worth more than $14.3-billion to the Canadian economy and represents more than 1 per cent of our nation’s total GDP. The $5-billion in direct revenues generated by Canada’s 2,346 facilities are more than the revenues generated by all other participation sports and recreational facilities combined ($4.8 billion). The numbers reinforce the massive financial, charitable, and environmental impact that golf has in communities across Canada including hundreds of thousands of jobs, billions in taxes, and a major tourism driver both domestic and international. Canadian golf facilities are a channel for major charitable giving with close to 37,000 events at Canadian courses raising more than $533-million annually for worthwhile causes. Canadians are passionate about the game of golf with a participation base of 5.7-million Canadians who enjoy more than 60-million rounds annually. For more information about the robust impact of golf in Canada visit www.canadagolfs.ca.

GIBBONS, Alta. – The second round of the 2015 CN Future Links Western Championship at Goose Hummock Golf Course in Gibbons, Alta., concluded with Kenna Hughes and Andrew Harrison atop the leaderboards.

Kenna Hughes, who finished the 2014 edition of this event in third place, capitalized on a 7-over 78 – tied for her division’s low round of the day – to capture a one stroke lead heading into the final round. The 17-year-old Calgary native finished with a 2-over-par back nine and has a two-day total of 15-over 157.

The leader going into the round, 16-year-old Kehler Koss, slipped to second place following a round of 81. The Calgarian is 16-over-par in the competition and currently holds the low round in the Junior Girls division after opening with a 77.

Four shots off the lead is Bria Jansen of Cochrane, Alta. The 18-year-old finished the day with a birdie and six straight pars to shoot a 7-over-par 78 and is 19-over for the tournament.

Andrew Harrison maintained his grasp of first place thanks to a birdie on the final hole – his fourth of the day – to finish with a 74. The Camrose, Alta., product sits 3-over 145 heading into the final round. Mirroring the final standings of the 2015 Alberta Junior Boys Championship, Harrison is currently ahead of Jason Martens. A native of Edmonton, Martens shot 1-under on the front nine to finish 2-over-par 73; he is one shot back of the lead.

Not far behind is Calgary’s Brendan MacDougall who sits two strokes off the lead after a round of 74. A quartet of juniors sits T4, four shots back of the lead.

Earning their places into the 2015 Canadian Junior Boys Championship will be the top six finishers from this competition. Summerlea Golf and Country Club in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., will host the national championship from August 2-6.

The top six Junior Girls will receive exemptions into this year’s Canadian Junior Girls Championship. The competition will be contested from August 3-7 at Deer Park Golf Course in Yorkton, Sask. In addition, the CN Future Links Junior Girls Western champion will receive entry into a 2016 Canadian Women’s Tour event of her choosing.

The final round of the CN Future Links Western Championship will commence tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. MDT.

For full second round results from the 2015 CN Future Links Western Championship and final round tee times, please visit the tournament website here.

LANCASTER, PA. – Brooke Henderson might be a little worse for wear after a minor car accident last week, but that’s not stopping the 17-year-old from a busy stretch of golf.

It starts with the Women’s U.S. Open this week as Henderson continues to try to earn enough money to qualify for her LPGA card for next season.

The goal is to earn as much as 40^th place on the LPGA money list (she would currently be 22^nd with $317,000). She cannot be a member of the LPGA Tour until she turns 18 (in September) and has been turned down in her request for a special age exemption.

The LPGA has ruled it will count her money earned this summer as official when she turns 18. If she earn as much as 40^th place on the money list (which looks like it might be about $450,000) she will earn her card for 2016.

After winning on the developmental Symetra Tour last month and being granted membership, she could also earn her card by finishing in the top 10 on that Tour’s money list.

That’s why she withdrew from competing for Canada at the Pan-Am Games next week. She’ll be playing the Symetra Tour event in Rochester, N.Y. to try and boost her chances.

Henderson said she remains confident choosing the Symetra Tour over the Pan-Am Games was the right thing to do.

“I’m very happy with my decision,” she said after a practice round at the Lancaster C.C. “Of course I love playing for Canada and I’m hoping to play in the Olympics next year. I wear the Maple Leaf on my shirt every time. I love playing for Canada, but I know it was the right decision.”

Her other options to earn an LPGA card are by winning one of her remaining Tour starts. The last resort is going through qualifying school in the fall.

After another Symetra Tour event in Albany, Henderson will be off to the Ricoh British Women’s Open at Trump Turnberry Resort in Scotland  July 30-Aug. 2. She was granted a special exemption for the women’s major.

At this point, her last chance to earn money on the LPGA Tour will be at the Canadian Pacific Canadian Women’s Open Aug. 17-23 at the Vancouver Golf Club in Coquitlam, B.C. The championship will be her sixth and last sponsor’s exemption, the most allowed for an LPGA non-member.

There remains a chance she could play in more LPGA events by Monday qualifying.

In the meantime, she could take a big step this week with another strong performance at the U.S. Open. She finished tied for 10^th last year at Pinehurst as an amateur which earned her a place in the field this week.

This is the most lucrative event in women’s golf with a pursue of $4.5 million, the United States Golf Association announced Wednesday. The winner will receive $810,000. Tenth place is worth $121,500.

“I’m in a good position. I’m far from being safe with that top 40 though, and I know that my next three tournaments – this one, British and Canadian Open – will be really important,” she said. “That’s another reason why this week it’s really important that I play and that I play well.”

Henderson’s leg was a little sore after her accident – which caused her to withdraw from the Symetra Tour event in Michigan last week – but after a couple of trips over the Lancaster C.C.’s rolling hills, she’s ready to go.

“I’m excited for this week. There’s a reason why I’m ready to play and I want to see what I can do with it. It’s been an interesting week, but I’m very grateful to be here,” Henderson said. “It’s by the grace of God that I’m here this week and able to play.

“I think I have to take the most out of this opportunity.”

Rory McIlroy pulled out of the British Open at St. Andrews on Wednesday with an ankle injury, the first time in 61 years the defending champion will not be playing.

McIlroy made the announcement by posting a photo on Instagram that showed his left ankle in an air cast, propped up as he watched Wimbledon on television. That will be his only view of St. Andrews next week, a blow to the world’s No. 1 player and to the oldest championship in golf.

After much consideration, I have decided not to play in the Open Championship at St. Andrews. I’m taking a long term view of this injury and, although rehab is progressing well, I want to come back to tournament play when I feel 100% healthy and 100% competitive. Thank you for all your support and best wishes. I hope to be back on the course as soon as I can…. In the mean time, come on Andy!!!

A photo posted by Rory McIlroy (@rorymcilroy) on Jul 8, 2015 at 8:38am PDT

McIlroy said he ruptured a ligament in his left ankle over the weekend while playing soccer with friends in Northern Ireland. He was hopeful that he would recover in time for The Open, but decided two days later it was not worth risking a full recovery.

“After much consideration, I have decided not to play in the Open Championship at St. Andrews,” McIlroy said. “I’m taking a long-term view of this injury and, although rehab is progressing well, I want to come back to tournament play when I feel 100 percent healthy and 100 percent competitive.”

He said he hoped to be back to golf as soon as he could.

Ben Hogan in 1954 was the last British Open champion who did not defend. Hogan, who was nearly killed in an automobile accident in 1949, won the only British Open he played in 1953 at Carnoustie.

“We are naturally very disappointed that Rory will be unable to defend his title at St. Andrews next week,” the R&A said in a statement. “Rory will play in many more Open Championships and our primary concern is for his complete recovery.”

He was replaced in the field by Russell Knox, who grew up in Inverness in the north of Scotland and will be making his Open debut.

Still to be determined is how long the ankle injury keeps McIlroy out of golf.

He also is the defending champion in the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone on Aug. 6-9, and the PGA Championship the following week at Whistling Straits. McIlroy finished one shot out of a playoff when the PGA Championship was last held there in 2010.

His absence makes Jordan Spieth the favorite at St. Andrews in his quest for the Grand Slam. Spieth is only the fourth player since 1960 to have won the Masters and the U.S. Open in the same year.

“We want him back. Everybody does,” Spieth said Tuesday at the John Deere Classic. “It’s unlucky, it’s unfortunate, and I’m sure he’s taking it harder on himself than anybody else. But I don’t think he did anything wrong, it was just an unfortunate situation. And hopefully, he rebounds quickly and gets back right to where he was.”

Spieth will have a chance to replace McIlroy at No. 1 in the world if he were to win at St. Andrews.

Tiger Woods is the only other No. 1 player to miss a major championship – the British Open and PGA Championship in 2008 recovering from reconstructive knee surgery, and the Masters last year when he had surgery on his back.

The RBC Canadian Open will be played at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., from July 20 to 26.

Our national Open, which has a pantheon of legendary champions, will once again feature some of the greatest players in the world.

Not only is the list of champions impressive, so is the championship’s history.

Here’s a chance to test your knowledge about the RBC Canadian Open.

This is the front nine. The second nine will follow.

If you ace all nine questions, you are halfway to the course record. Five out of nine is par. Anything less than that…well, take a mulligan and step up to the next set of tees.

Answers are at the end.

1. The first RBC Canadian Open was played in …
   1. 1899
   2. 1904
   3. 1932
   4. 1956
   5. 1977
2. Glen Abbey Golf Club played host to its first RBC Canadian Open in …
   1. 1977
   2. 1978
   3. 1983
   4. 1991
   5. 2000
3. Lee Trevino was awarded the first Triple Crown (winning the U.S. Open, the Open Championship and the RBC Canadian Open in the same calendar year). Who is the only other man to accomplish that feat? (Bonus point: In what years, respectively, did they do that?)
   1. Greg Norman
   2. Curtis Strange
   3. Nick Price
   4. Mark Calcavecchia
   5. Tiger Woods
4. Glen Abbey is home not only to one of the finest spectator golf courses in the world, but also to some other notables. Which ones?
   1. Golf Canada
   2. Canadian Golf Museum and Hall of Fame
   3. PGA TOUR Canada
   4. TaylorMade Performance Lab
   5. All of the above
5. In the 2004 RBC Canadian Open, Mike Weir came oh so close to being the first Canadian in 50 years to win the title. Who was the last Canadian to win our national Open? (Bonus point: Who defeated Weir in the three-hole playoff?)
   1. George Knudson
   2. Moe Norman
   3. Gary Cowan
   4. Pat Fletcher
   5. Stan Leonard
6. Some players have won more than two RBC Canadian Opens. Who are they?
   1. Leo Diegel
   2. Tommy Armour
   3. Sam Snead
   4. Lee Trevino
   5. All of the above
7. Glen Abbey Golf Club was Jack Nicklaus’s first solo course design. Although he never won our Open, how many times did he finish as runner-up at Glen Abbey?
   1. One
   2. Two
   3. Three
   4. Five
   5. Seven
8. In the 2013 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey, Hunter Mahan was leading going into Saturday’s third round. He withdrew because …
   1. He injured his wrist hitting out of the rough
   2. He missed his tee time
   3. His wife was about to deliver their first child
   4. He wanted his friend Brandt Snedeker to win
   5. He was touring the Canadian Golf Museum and Hall of Fame
9. Tiger Woods has made a couple of appearances at the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey, winning once in a most dramatic fashion. How did he clinch the victory on Sunday? (Bonus point: Who did he edge by a single shot as a result?)
   1. Holed out on 17 for eagle
   2. Aced the par-3 15^th
   3. Eagled the par-5 16^th
   4. Hit a 216-yard 6-iron from a fairway bunker on 18 for birdie
   5. Won a two-hole playoff

Answers below (highlight to see)

1. b) 1904
2. a) 1977
3. e) Tiger Woods won the Triple Crown in 2000. Trevino did it in 1971.
4. e) All of the above
5. d) Pat Fletcher. (Bonus point: Vijay Singh defeated Weir in the 2004 playoff.)
6. e) All of the above. Thirteen other players have won two titles.
7. e) Nicklaus was a seven-time runner-up in our Open, but only three times at the course he designed: 1981, 1984, 1985.
8. c) Mahan’s wife gave birth to their daughter the following day in Texas.
9. d) (Bonus point: Grant Waite)

FootJoy, the #1 Shoe in Golf, has introduced a progressive new golf shoe for women, called emPOWER™. This shoe was designed with bold athletic styling to provide a comfortable, eye-catching, lightweight spikeless footwear option that performs.

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emPower was created specifically to deliver comfortable performance. Developed on the women’s Power Last, emPower offers a rounded, athletic toe character, generous fit across the forefoot with a slightly narrow heel. A new, soft underfoot foam provides EveryStep™ comfort and a massaging footbed ensures comfort throughout the round.

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Stocked in Canada:
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For more information, please visit www.FootJoy.ca.

LANCASTER, PA. – You will not be able to accuse Christina Foster of picking her spots.

The 19-year-old from Concord, Ont., decided to turn pro here, at the Lancaster Country Club, host of the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open.

The Lancaster C.C., designed by William Flynn and opened in 1920 in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania Dutch country, will play to a rating of 79 and a slope rating of 149.

Eight of the 12 par 4s will play 390 yards or longer.

It’s total of 6,583 yards is lined with deep, juicy rough made tougher by rain early in the week and severely sloping greens.

Yet this is where Foster has decided to make her debut as a professional.

“I definitely wanted to (turn pro) this year and I thought if I made the U.S. Open, why not?” Foster said after a practice round on Tuesday. “It’s my favourite event to watch on TV. It was my biggest dream to qualify for it. So why not turn pro and make it my first start and my most memorable start for me?”

Foster earned her spot in the field by posting a total of 145 – good for medalist honours – in sectional qualifying at Westmoreland Country Club in Wilmette, Ill.

She finished up her amateur career with a second-place finish at the Porter Cup at Niagara Falls Country Club in Lewiston, N.Y., and advanced to the semifinals of the Toronto Star Women’s Amateur last month.

She has played in seven USGA championships, making it to the round of 16 at the 2010 U.S. Junior Girls Amateur.

A memorable victory was chipping in five times in a row when she was 13 and winning a bet with her dad, Michael. The stakes were a trip to Disney World.

On the Canadian Women’s Tour this year, she finished tied for 22^nd at the Alberta event and at the Glencoe Golf and Country Club in May and 18^th at the Ontario stop at the Smiths Falls Golf and Country Club in June.

But this, of course, is a whole other level at the Lancaster C.C.

“It’s beautiful. It’s probably one of the best courses I’ve played,” Foster said. “It’s in great shape. It’s pretty long. You’ve got to be accurate off the tee and not missing it in the wrong places and short side yourself.

“It’s a great experience and I’m living a dream right now. I’m totally excited.”

Foster, as well as her brother, John – who is on hand along with the rest of her family – are products of the Tiger Woods era in golf.

He was John’s favourite player and made John want to try golf.

“My brother was watching Tiger on TV when he was six (John was six; not Tiger). He thought he wanted to try it because it looked fun. Whatever he would do, I would do. So I followed my brother. I actually have the video of my first ever golf swing. I was probably three and been at it ever since,” she said.

Foster is not hard to spot from a distance here.

She plays left-handed. That’s certainly not unusual for a Canadian (the always reliable Internet tells us the number of Canadians who play golf left-handed ranges from seven to 30 percent).

A female lefty is more rare and a professional lefty is, well, very rare. Foster said she can recall playing with only two or three other lefties in her amateur career.

How did she wind up on that side of the ball?

“It’s my natural way. I played baseball left handed as a kid. But I kick with my left, I throw with my right, I write with my right,” she said before concluding with:

“So I don’t know.”

Her game plan for this week: “Staying in the moment and really committing to shots and not being tentative. Just being aggressive on my lines and not be scared.”

She might be unique as a rookie left-hander this week, but that game plan is sounds like it will be pretty common.

SILVIS, Ill. – Everything is coming up in pairs for Jordan Spieth, even when he’s fishing.

And these were big fish, too.

The Masters and U.S. Open champion was in the Bahamas with his best friends to celebrate his second straight major title when they threw a line in the water on the way back from snorkeling. Spieth got a tuna and was fighting with it for close to an hour, as small sharks kept approaching to try to get the fish.

“The captain was scaring them off, banging on the boat and on the water,” Spieth said Tuesday at the John Deere Classic. “And all of a sudden, it just rips back down again. And I almost got pulled in. And it was so much heavier.”

There was a reason for that, as Spieth soon found out.

The battle continued until Spieth said he couldn’t move his arm any longer. He took a break to use the bathroom and asked the captain to take over, and then Spieth grabbed the rod again. Finally, it surfaced. Only it wasn’t the tuna.

“What surfaced was like a 12-foot long, 300-pound black tip shark that had eaten this tuna and then had hooked itself,” Spieth said. “So I guess I caught both in one because I got that shark.”

Spieth was in a group of eight friends from Dallas, including his girlfriend, and there was no room on the boat for a shark. The captain managed to get the hook out and send the shark on its way.

“It was a cool experience,” he said.