– Morgan Pressel wasn’t thrilled with the first 16 holes she played Friday in the first round of the ShopRite LPGA Classic. Her final two holes really improved her demeanor.

A birdie-eagle finish gave her a 5-under 66, good enough to top the leaderboard in near-perfect conditions on Stockton Seaview’s Bay Course.

“I really didn’t put myself in a whole lot of trouble,” Pressel said. “I wouldn’t say that I certainly had the best game out there. I guess I just made a few mistakes, and I didn’t play all that well, but then I came down birdieing eighth and eagling the last hole. That definitely helps.

“I only made two bogeys. They weren’t great bogeys by any means. I shouldn’t have really made them, but hopefully I can eliminate those kinds of mistakes and can keep giving myself opportunities.”

The 27-year-old Pressel, seeking her first LPGA Tour win since 2008, held the advantage over Anna Nordqvist of Sweden, Alena Sharp of Canada, rookie Min Lee of Taiwan and American Ryann O’Toole.

Brooke Henderson, the 17-year-old Canadian playing on a sponsor exemption, was among nine players at 68. The group included Women’s British Open champion Mo Martin, Catriona Matthew and Gerina Piller.

Pressel, ninth on the money list with more than $443,000, hit a wedge close to set up a birdie on the par-4 eighth and hit a 5-hybrid from 225 yards to 3 feet for the closing eagle on the par-5 ninth.

“I didn’t honestly know where it was,” Pressel said about her second shot at No. 9. “I thought it might be short of the green. I couldn’t see it and nobody clapped so I had no idea. Then we came up far enough over the hill to where we could see it and I was like, `Oh, it’s right next to the hole. OK, I’ll take it.'”

Pressel became the youngest player to win a major in the 2007 Kraft Nabisco at 18 years, 10 months and 9 days old. But she has won just one other victory on the tour, the 2008 Kapalua LPGA Classic.

She came close to breaking that drought last month at the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic in California, but lost on the second hole of a playoff with top-ranked Lydia Ko.

Nordqvist, who had a streak of four top-10 finishes earlier this season, birdied her final hole, the par-5 ninth, with a 4-foot putt.

“Morgan is a very good player,” Nordqvist said. “Her short game is amazing, and she’s a very feisty player. Once she gets hot, she gets really hot. I think she is riding some confidence. She’s been playing great.”

Lee, who entered this week coming off three straight missed cuts, had an eagle and three birdies on the front nine to make the turn at 5 under.

O’Toole birdied her last two holes to get to 4 under, and Sharp’s round was highlighted by an eagle.

Third-ranked Stacy Lewis, the tournament winner in 2012 and 2014, chipped in for eagle at No. 9, her last hole, and finished with a 72.

Michelle Wie had a 74. The U.S. Women’s Open champion is playing after withdrawing from the Kingsmill Championship two weeks ago because of a left hip injury. She went through a series of evaluations and MRIs and was diagnosed with bursitis.

The University of ­­­British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds men’s team claimed a wire-to-wire victory Friday at the 2015 Canadian University/ College Championship at Cutten Fields in Guelph, Ont., while the Université de Montréal Carabins earned the national title in the women’s division.

UBC avenged last year’s runner-up finish by matching its opening-round score of 282 to secure the school’s fourth Canadian University/ College Championship win since the tournament’s inception in 2003. Team members Trent Abraham, Evan Holmes, Conner Kozak, Scott Secord and Jack Wood finished the tournament at 23-over par with a combined total of 1143.

“One of the most important things (for our team) was on day two – when we had the 50 to 60 km winds – that was very emotionally challenging. The ability for our players to refocus and come out and play really exceptional golf was very important to our team,” said UBC Thunderbirds acting men’s coach Peter Crocker when asked about a pivotal moment during the week.

The University of Victoria Vikes finished runner-up, 12 shots back with a team total of 1155. Climbing the leaderboard on the final day was the University of Toronto Varsity Blues, who finished the competition with a combined total of 1166.

UBC Thunderbird Evan Holmes posted a 1-under par final round 69 for a four day total of even-par 280 to be crowned the 2015 Canadian University/ College Men’s individual winner.

“My short game was pretty good all week and that carried on to today,” Holmes said of his victory-clinching round.  “I hit a lot of green-side shots well after some not so good shots.”

The Calgary, Alta., native’s solid short game was on full display when he stuck his approach shot on No. 18 to within a foot. “It was pretty nice just walking up to the green knowing that I kind of had it won.”

Queen’s University Gael Russell Bowie made a charge with four straight birdies from holes 12 to 15 to finish runner-up, two shots back at 2 over 282. Aaron Pauls of the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades finished third at 3 over 283.

The Université de Montréal Carabins women’s team entered the day with a one-shot lead over the University of Victoria Vikes; they managed to seal the win after a final round of 228 gave them a team-total 924. Team members Julie Brossoit, Caroline Ciot, Veronique Fortin-Latreille and Sarah-Andréa Landry captured the school’s second national collegiate championship.

“I’m really proud of my team, they worked hard all winter,” said Nicolas Quirion, the Université de Montréal Carabins women’s coach. “It’s like a family, they count on each other and it’s really fun to coach a team like that.”

The University of Victoria Vikes women’s team secured a second place finish just 3-shots back of the champions on the strength of a solid team effort. The Vikes shot their lowest team score of the tournament (227) to finish at 927. The defending UBC Thunderbirds carded a team total 12-over par 225 during the final round to finish 3^rd at 928.

Fifth-year senior Brynn Tomie of the Victoria Vikes shot a 4-over par 75 to edge out Caroline Ciot of the Montréal Carabins for the win.

“It was a total grind today,” said Tomie who finished with a four-day total of 300. “Caroline played amazing. We were back-and-forth all day. It was so fun to play with her, and things just kind of fell for me.”

Standing on the 18^th tee, the pair were knotted, but Tomie would go on to make par on the final hole to claim the championship. “We were both pretty aware of where we were and we both knew what the putt on the last hole meant,” smiled a beaming Brynn once the victory had sunk in.

Rounding out the top three was Alexandra Pelletier of the Université Laval Rouge et Or, who carded a round of 4-over 75 to finish at 304.

Conducted by Golf Canada, the Canadian University/ College Championship recognizes the exceptional talents of student-athletes from across the country. The 2016 edition of the event will be hosted by Morningstar Golf Club in Parksville, B.C.

Additional information regarding the 2015 Canadian University/ College Championship can be found here.

NEWCASTLE, Northern Ireland – Early exits are becoming a habit for Rory McIlroy, especially in his home country.

The 26-year-old Northern Ireland native failed to make the Irish Open cut for the third straight year Friday, shooting an even-par 71 that failed to make up for an 80 in the opening round. It is the second straight week the world’s top-ranked golfer failed to make the weekend, having exited early at the PGA Championship at Wentworth.

This one, he said, hurt more because it’s personal.

“Obviously I’m playing at home in front of a lot of friends and family. To not play the way I wanted is very disappointing. But I’m sort of getting used to it,” said a downcast McIlroy, whose Rory Foundation charity hosted the Irish Open for the first time.

England’s Tyrrell Hatton showed the field at Royal County Down that the seaside links course, bedeviled with unseasonably frigid gales and pelting showers, could be tamed.

The 23-year-old Hatton, ranked 142nd in the world, set a new course record of 66 to join a five-way tie for the lead at 3-under 139. His score tied a mark from 1939, but club and European Tour officials said it was considered a new record because the course has greatly changed over the past 76 years.

Only 15 of the 156-player field managed to beat par Friday as the changing weather drove the cutoff score to 5 over.

Ireland’s Shane Lowry summed up the sense of frustration when he smashed his putter against his bag and broke it after missing a short putt for par on his third hole. Lowry actually played better when forced to putt with his wedge, managing three birdies and making the cut with a 74.

“Golf’s a weird game and it’ll drive you mad sometimes,” said Lowry, who thanked his caddie for persuading him to stay on the course.

Local fans made the Irish Open a four-day, 80,000-ticket sellout in hopes of seeing McIlroy at his best. He gave them brief hope Friday when he sank a 30-foot putt on the short seventh for his first birdie of the tournament. He picked up another shot at the 12th and needed just two more birdies to make the cut.

But McIlroy mis-hit his approach to the 15th and three-putted for a double bogey, erasing the day’s gains.

“I just shot myself in the foot,” he said.

He drove his shot off the 18th tee into an impenetrable wall of thorny gorse bushes and, after taking a penalty drop, saved par with a 15-foot putt in front of the cheering grandstand.

But McIlroy said he wasn’t relishing the tournament’s final two days.

“I might have to show my face at a couple things,” he said.

He now has nearly three weeks to prepare for the U.S. Open.

“I’m honestly looking forward to a couple weeks off,” he said.

Vancouver, B.C. – North Vancouver, British Columbia’s Bryn Parry carded a 7-under 65 on Friday at Point Grey Golf and Country Club to take the 36-hole lead at the PC Financial Open, the opening event of the 2015 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

The 43-year old former Web.com Tour member carded nine birdies and two bogeys in his second round to reach 12-under, four clear of Toronto’s Albin Choi through two rounds in Vancouver.

“It’s just been an absolute treat to play golf,” said Parry, who is playing on a sponsor’s exemption this week and works primarily as an instructor at the Bryn Parry Academy at Seymour Creek. “I still don’t have any expectations. I have a few things I’m going to work on that I want to try and accomplish this month, and tomorrow will be a day to try to get better at those things.”

Parry, who finished second in a playoff at the 2007 Henrico County Open on the Web.com Tour, said he’s gained perspective on the game in his post-Touring career, and hopes to take a fresh approach into the weekend without putting too much pressure on himself. “I did play on the Web.com Tour in ’07, but this is certainly a step up for what I do on a day-to-day basis, and it’s a treat. These guys are good.”

“I’ve got hockey with my kids tomorrow at seven o’clock in the morning, so we’ll go do our family stuff and then we’ll come back out in the afternoon and play,” said Parry, who will play with Choi in the day’s final group at 1:10 p.m. tomorrow.

Choi, who captured medalist honours at the Florida Qualifying Tournament last month, posted a bogey-free 67 to reach 8-under through 36 holes.

“The win at Q-School really kind of set things for me and really got me comfortable coming into this season,” said Choi, who was born in nearby Surrey and lived here for the first six years of his life before moving to Toronto. “Coming back here’s always a treat.”

Mackenzie Tour rookie Logan McCracken carded a 6-under 66 to sit in solo third at 7-under heading into the weekend.

NEWCASTLE, Royaume-Uni – Le Nord-Irlandais Rory McIlroy, premier au classement mondial, a raté la qualification pour une deuxième semaine de suite, vendredi, se voyant écarté de l’Omnium d’Irlande.

McIlroy avait amorcé le tournoi avec un 80, plus neuf, à la suite de quoi un 71 n’a pas suffi.

Son total a dépassé de quatre coups la limite pour jouer lors du week-end.

Vendredi, ce n’est qu’au septième trou que le golfeur de 26 ans a réussi son premier oiselet du tournoi.

Six joueurs sont à égalité en tête à moins trois dont l’Anglais Tyrrell Hatton, qui a brillé avec un 66, vendredi. Il a obtenu six oiselets et un aigle.

TORONTO – Former University of Toronto Varsity Blues athletic director and current member of Golf Canada’s Board of Directors, Liz Hoffman, received the Thomas R. Loudon award as part of the 2015 U of T Sports Hall of Fame ceremony on Thursday night (May 28) at the new Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport.

The Loudon award is presented to a person associated with the University of Toronto for outstanding services in the advancement of athletics. Hoffman retired from U of T in 2010 after 39 years of outstanding service, leadership and mentorship of University of Toronto athletics.

Hoffman has been a driving force behind the growth of intercollegiate competition in Canada. She has paved the way in many areas of university sport – as an athlete, as a coach, an instructor and as an administrator. As the director of athletics, she served on the board of directors of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) during three different decades (1982-86, 1993-97, 2003-07), including being its president (1995-97), and has been a U of T delegate to Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and its predecessors since 1977, including terms as president (1980-84) and past president (2003-07).  She built a tremendous coaching team at U of T, where under her leadership the Varsity Blues claimed 17 national titles and 126 provincial team championships.

The award was presented to Hoffman by U of T’s dean of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto.  Jacobs saluted Hoffman’s decades of service and the lasting impact her initiatives made on sport at U of T.

“Under Liz’s watch, University of Toronto developed gender and sport equity policies that were firsts in interuniversity sport in Canada,” Jacobs told the crowd. “Her initiatives shaped the co-curricular athletics and recreation experiences of countless—literally thousands of—U of T students on all three campuses.”

Hoffman received a standing ovation from the crowd as she came to the mic. For Hoffman, the honour was very much a family affair—literally, with her husband Rick and sons Mark and Matt at her side—and metaphorically, returning “home” to her Blues stomping groups.

“We will always be part of the Varsity Blues family,” she said. “I thank you for this honour; I will always treasure it; we will always treasure it.”

Guelph, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Following three rounds of play at the 2015 Canadian University/College Championship at Cutten Fields in Guelph, Ont., a great deal remains unclear. The races for individual honours are tied while the top contenders in the team championships are only separated by a handful of shots.

The University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds men’s team kept an impressive field at bay, as several challengers took full advantage of prime conditions to register strong third rounds. The Thunderbirds – who have lead throughout the tournament – again demonstrated their consistent play, shooting a combined three over par on the day.

Peter Crocker, serving as UBC’s acting-coach for the competition, spoke to the focus and mindset of his charges in preparing for the day. “I think at a team level, we were pretty confident that we could play well and be in contention. Our goal after three rounds was to be in the top three and to be in good position on the last day.”

The University of Victoria Vikes kept pace with the leaders and vaulted into second on the strength of a combined two under par performance. The University of the Fraser Valley Cascades registered their best combined score of the tournament to claim sole possession of third after opening the round in a three-way tie for the spot.

Thunderbird Evan Holmes shot a team-low four under par with one eagle and three birdies to climb into a share of the lead in the individual competition at 1-over (70-75-66—211). Also tied with for the lead is Aaron Pauls of the Cascades, who carded a round of 68 – his best day of the competition. The University of Toronto’s Truman Tai went bogey-free to move into solo third.

The day’s stand-out performance belonged to Arthur Heinkelé who flirted with the course record of 62. The native of France registered a tournament -low 6-under-par 64 to jump from a share of 31^st to fourth place. His exceptional round featured the highlight of the day – he holed out from 146 yards to eagle the par-4 10th.

“I made some very good shots, but also some big mistakes,” admitted the Université Laval Rouge et Or student, who totaled seven birdies to accompany his eagle. He remained focused when asked what he needs to do tomorrow. “Just be patient, there’s no reason I cannot make birdies. I still have to play 18 holes and then see whatever happens; I still need to play good golf tomorrow.” Heinkelé sits T4 with defending individual champion Scott Secord who shot a 72 on the day.

In the women’s division, the Université de Montréal Carabins overtook the University of Toronto Varsity Blues after starting the day in second.  The Carabins team captain, Sarah-Andréa Landry, believes she is rounding into form at just the right time to lead her squad. “I’m really motivated and I think I brought this to the girls and helped them stay focused in the moment and take [the round] shot-by-shot.”

The Varsity Blues reversed positions with the Carabins and now sit one shot back of the leaders after a round of 229. Ana Peric of Etobicoke, Ont., shot a women’s side day-low score of two over par in a valiant attempt to keep her Toronto side close to the leaders. Rounding out the top three women’s teams is the University of Victoria who remain within striking distance at four strokes behind Toronto.

Brynn Tomie of the Vikes continued her push up the leaderboard with a score of 75 to bring her three day total to 225. The Bedford, N.S., native shot five over par to move into a share of the lead with Caroline Ciot – who held first place heading into today’s action. This is familiar territory for the two student-athletes – the pair shared third place going into the final day of the 2013 edition of this competition. Holding third is Alexandra Pelletier whose round of 77 was the team-low score for the Université Laval.

The top six women’s teams and the top 10 men’s teams have made the cut and will go on to the tournament’s finale. Players within 15 strokes advance to the final round of competition where team and individual honours will be awarded to the 2015 Canadian University/College champions. Additional information on the tournament can be found here.

Vancouver – Langley, British Columbia’s Thomas Hay fired a 6-under 66 on Thursday at Point Grey Golf and Country Club to take the first round lead at the PC Financial Open, the opening event of the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s 2015 season.

The 25-year-old Vancouver-area native, who earned conditional status at the British Columbia Qualifying Tournament two weeks ago, cruised to a bogey-free round to lead by one over Bryn Parry, Nyasha Mauchaza and Jay Myers after 18 holes.

“It was pretty stress-free. I didn’t have too many long par putts out there,” said Hay, a Drury University graduate. “I think the longest par putt I had was about three feet, and out here some three-footers can be pretty tough, so all around it was pretty solid.”

Hay’s solid start marked the continuation of success for British Columbians at the season-opening event, which saw local favourites Eugene Wong and Brad Clapp finish in a tie for second in 2014.

“It’s kind of cool that there’s an event out this way in Vancouver now. It’s such a great city and it’s awesome that there’s an event out here now for us. For me to sleep in my own bed is kind of a nice treat to start the year,” said Hay.

Parry, a former Web.com Tour member who works primarily as an instructor in the Vancouver area, is playing on a sponsor’s exemption this week and made the most of it on Thursday, carding six birdies and a bogey for a 67.

“I’ve worked really hard at it to get as prepared as I could,” said the 43-year old, noting the differences between his time as a full-time Tour player and his current role, teaching at the Bryn Parry Academy at Seymour Creek. “I’ve got to get home and take my kids to golf practice. I didn’t used to think about that. This used to be all-encompassing and now it’s just one of the things you do during the day.”

IRVING, Texas – Steven Bowditch considers the AT&T Byron Nelson his home tournament _ just maybe not to the extent Jordan Spieth does.

The Australian matched his low round on the PGA Tour with an 8-under 62 on Thursday to take a two-shot lead over another Texan, Jimmy Walker. Spieth was seven shots back in his first round as Masters champion in the event that gave the Dallas player his start as a 16-year-old amateur in 2010.

Bowditch, who moved to the Dallas area 10 years ago, has made the cut just once at the Nelson _ in his debut in 2011, when he tied for 60th after a third-round 80. He didn’t make it to the weekend each of the past three years at TPC Four Seasons.

The 31-year-old missed the cut last week at Colonial in Fort Worth, which is a little farther from his home in the suburb of Flower Mound and he says doesn’t have quite the “hometown” draw as the Nelson for Bowditch’s family and friends.

“It’s starting to feel that way, to be honest. Starting to get a lot more ticket requests,” said Bowditch, whose only PGA Tour win was the 2014 Texas Open in San Antonio. “You always want to play well, but I guess it is a little more special when you have everyone around that only get to see you play golf once a year.”

The Nelson had the hometown feel for Spieth the moment he stepped to the 10th tee as a high school junior five years ago, when he tied for 16th as the sixth-youngest player to make the cut in a PGA Tour event. He returned as a rising star after his win at Augusta, frequently tipping his cap to large galleries that even cheered as he walked onto greens.

“It feels different when I tee off now versus when I was out there then,” said Spieth, who has finished second at all three Texas events this year, including Colonial. “Obviously, off the course I prepare hard for this and would like to play well and get in contention. But when I’m inside the ropes, it’s just another week. Back then, it was the biggest tournament I’ve ever played in.”

James Hahn and Dallas resident Ryan Palmer shared third at 65, and 2011 Nelson champion Keegan Bradley was in the group 66. Danny Lee aced the par-3 17th with a 5-iron from 190 yards and was tied for ninth at 67.

Defending champion Brendon Todd, playing a group ahead of Spieth, had just one birdie and shot 72.

Despite an opening birdie, the 21-year-old Spieth couldn’t get the warm greetings to escalate on a mostly sunny but soggy course that has absorbed about a foot of rain in less than three weeks. Players were allowed to lift, clean and place their golf balls in the fairways.

Spieth didn’t give himself many good chances for birdie, and let a couple get away in the last three holes by missing short putts while playing with Justin Thomas, his friend and opponent in the 2012 NCAA team final when Spieth led Texas over Alabama. Thomas opened with an even-par 70.

A grim-faced Spieth tossed his putter toward his bag after not even catching the lip from 8 feet on 16, but was generally upbeat after the round.

“I just didn’t give myself enough looks inside of 15 feet today,” said Spieth, who won the Valspar Championship about a month before the Masters. “That’s the only reason I’m at 1 (under) and not better. I felt comfortable driving the ball and striking it.”

Bowditch made three putts of 24 feet or longer while shooting a 30 on the front nine and had the last of eight birdies in a bogey-free round with a 6-foot putt after a long bunker shot at the par-5 16th. His previous best round at the Nelson was a second-round 65 that helped him make his only cut four years ago.

“Probably my best putting in the way of longer putts made,” said Bowditch, whose other 62 was in the final round of the 2011 Viking Classic in Mississippi. “I typically don’t make a lot of longer putts.”

Walker, who picked up his second win of the year in March not far from home at the Texas Open, birdied four of his last five holes. All of the putts were inside 10 feet.

“I’m a Texas guy and lived here a long time, so yeah, winning in Texas is cool,” said Walker, a five-time winner who is second to Spieth in FedEx Cup points. “It was a nice finish. Good iron shots.”

Hahn, also starting on No. 10, was 6 under with six holes to play but had a pair of bogeys before a finishing birdie.

Canadians Graham DeLaet, Adam Hadwin and Austin Connelly – a Dallas-born dual citizen who is a member of Team Canada’s National Squad – were all in a tie for 33rd place after shooting 1 under.