If Lauren Kim is intimidated by storied Augusta National Golf Club, it doesn’t show.

The 19-year-old collegiate golfer from Surrey, B.C., is the lone Canadian in the field at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur this week. She said that her strategy at the elite amateur event is to take the tournament one shot at a time, a strategy that paid off as she had an even-par 72 in Wednesday’s opening round.

Kim was in an 11-way tie for 29th, six shots behind leader Hannah Darling of Scotland.

“The biggest thing is to try and get up in the top 30 and make it to the weekend,” said Kim after her practice round on Tuesday. “But that’s not really going to be on my mind, I’m just going to focus on the shot ahead of me and try and stay present. That’s the most important thing.”

Kim won the 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship on Aug. 4 to play at last year’s CPKC Women’s Open at Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club in Vancouver. She also won the women’s individual stroke play championship at the Jackson T. Stephens Cup in the fourth playoff on Oct. 11.

Now a freshman on the University of Texas’s women’s golf team, Kim had a practice trip with her teammates where she got to play at Champions Retreat Golf Club, which hosts the first 36 holes of the event on Wednesday and Thursday. She also got to practice at Augusta National, which will host the final round on Saturday.

Kim said that visit helped her determine what she had to work on ahead of the event.

“I’d say a lot of shots around the greens, like short game, and it’s quite important to obviously try and hit the green but when you don’t hit the greens out here, you’ve got to make sure that you try and make the up and downs,” said Kim. “So still a lot of short game practice and putting as well.
“And some shots around the trees and some of the fairways here are a little narrow with the trees and the branches.”

Salimah Mussani, Golf Canada’s women’s head coach, is in Georgia with Kim and helped her through her official practice round on Tuesday. Mussani said that as good as Kim’s ball striking is, it’s her intellect that will see her through to the weekend.

“Her strength is her golf IQ,” said Mussani. “I think on this golf course, it’s very challenging, it’s a tough golf course, but her level of thinking her way around the golf course and managing her golf ball is going to be a real asset, especially in these first two rounds before the cut.”

That cerebral approach is why it’s so important for Kim to remain unfazed by one of golf’s most famous courses.

“She loves the big stage,” said Mussani. “She thrives in these types of situations, the Canadian Am and earlier this season the college event.
“She’s cut out for these types of things and thrives in them and really looks forward to them and looks at them as opportunities. It’s the right mindset, for sure.”

LPGA TOUR — Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., was sixth on the Race to CME Globe standings heading into the first round of the T-Mobile Match Play presented by MGM Rewards on Wednesday. Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., was 130th on the LPGA Tour’s points list before play began at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas.

PGA TOUR — Two-time Valero Texas Open champion Corey Conners returns to TPC San Antonio this week going for his third title at the event. Conners is the highest ranked Canadian in the field, sitting 47th on the FedEx Cup standings and the official world golf rankings. The product of Listowel, Ont., will be joined by Adam Svensson (78th) of Surrey, Ben Silverman (96th) of Thornhill, Ont., Taylor Pendrith (103rd) of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Roger Sloan (179th) of Merritt, B.C.

KORN FERRY TOUR — Edmonton’s Wil Bateman is ranked 15th on the second-tier Korn Ferry Tour’s points list heading into this week’s Club Car Championship. He will be joined at the Landings Golf & Athletic Club by Etienne Papineau (30) of St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Que., Myles Creighton (37th) of Digby, N.S., Jared du Toit (68) of Kimberley, B.C., and Sudarshan Yellamaraju (122nd) of Mississauga, Ont.

Each week we write to Golf Canada members who record a hole-in-one, congratulating them and asking if they’d tell us how it happened. These are their stories (edited for length and clarity).

Have you recently accomplished the feat of a hole-in-one? Tell us about it! Share your story, picture / video and course information with us at holeinone@golfcanada.ca.

Penny Aston, Cimarron Golf Resort, Hole #10

March 7, 2024 was somewhat of an unusual day in Coachella Valley, Southern California as the wind was howling, gusting anywhere from 50 to 60 km/hour. When our ladies group, made up of many Snowbirds, teed off at the Cimarron Golf Resort, Palm Springs, on the par 3 Pebble Course, it was not particularly windy, but the wind grew increasingly challenging as the round progressed.

The Pebble Course meanders its way through what is called “The Wash”, which provides a place for run off from both the surrounding mountains and the city itself and which, when dry, is filled with dessert sand. My group was a threesome, including Darlene Sloan, Pam Generaux and myself. We, along with the other groups, were determined to complete the round even as the conditions worsened.

The ladies were chatting as I prepared to tee off on hole #10, an 83 yard hole, but with a front pin position of 70 yards. The wind was blowing directly at us so club selection was tricky, but I finally decided on an 8 iron. As I was putting my tee into the ground, I thought, “Wouldn’t it be fun to get a hole-in-one!” not really believing that anything would happen.

I took my swing and made solid contact with the ball watching it arch into the air towards the green while being held up by the wind. The ball landed on the green and curved towards the hole where it appeared to stop in mid roll at the pin because the wind was holding it on an angle; then, the ball dropped into the hole as the wind let up for a second, releasing the pin! I looked at the ladies and we we were all somewhat in disbelief at what we had just seen. Had I really just wished myself a hole-in-one? No way! The celebration began as the ladies were all thrilled with my luck, as was I, and quickly spread the news to the other groups while celebrating birdie or, in this case, hole-in-one juice.

Robby Frankel, Old Corkscrew Club, Hole #12

First one ever! Was playing with my little brother, Jed, and an older gentleman we were paired with that day whose name is slipping my memory. It was the hole #12, 120 yards, gap wedge into howling winds. The ball didn’t even hit the green, it was a slam dunk that destroyed the cup!

Thomas McDougall, Raven Golf Club, Hole #14

On the final day of our golf trip to Arizona, playing with my three good friends at Raven Golf Club. It was our first golf trip since all of us had started to have kids.

Hole #14, 148 yards and slightly up hill. I hit a 9 iron that looked good the entire way. After it landed, it started to roll and the entire group started to shout thinking it could go in, and sure enough the ball disappeared. I said, “That either went in or rolled off the back” as we couldn’t see the entirety of the green. My two buddies in the other cart drove up to the green as fast as they could while I waited on the tee box with my hands on my head. They both ran to the green and looked in the hole and immediately threw their hands in the air and started screening. I sprinted from the tee box all the way to the green in celebration. My first hole-in-one. It was special to be able to do it with the group of guys I was with. It was a great moment.

Bruce Frey, Cottonwood Golf Course, Hole #5

I had my fifth hole-in-one at Cottonwood Golf Course in Nanaimo on March 20, 2024. I am 82 years old and started playing from the forward tees two years ago. This hole-in-one was on hole #11, a 70 yard par 3 over water and sand. I have had hole-in-one’s previously on hole #8, a 130 yard, hole #17 a 180 yard and two on hole #11, one from 70 yards and one from 135 yards. I was playing with my golf buddies Frank Hudson and Mike Zarecki.

 

Jeffrey Anderson, Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta, Hole #7

I was playing with three buddies on February 11, 2024 at Vidanta Vallarta (Norman). The hole #7 is a drivable par 4 and I was fortunate to hit the perfect drive that day. I used my driver from 243 yards. The ball bounced on the green once before finding the bottom of the cup. I couldn’t see the ball after it bounced and we spent a while trying to find my ball before our caddie thought to look in the cup. Talk about a surprise! Anyway, I’ve had a hole-in-one before but never had an albatross so this was pretty exciting!

Gerard Cottreau, Moon Spa – Dunes to Jungle, Hole #8

I was playing with three others from the same resort where the course was located but didn’t know them. The hole was 134 yards and I used a pitching wedge.

Craig Ripley, Lely Resort Golf & Country Club, Hole #6

I hit an 8 iron from 166 yards. It was a super high shot in a very strong crosswind that was hurting a little. It landed a few feet below the hole and disappeared soon after. I was pretty sure it went in, but wasn’t certain if I could see the bottom of the stick or not. Sure enough it was in.

I went up to the tee thinking I would hit an easy 7 iron to keep it lower because of the wind but when I went to take a practice swing I realized I had grabbed my 4 iron! 

When I was on the deck I felt the 7 iron was too much club so I grabbed the 8 iron when I was swapping my 4 iron, and I’m sure glad I did!

I was playing with my in-laws Ken and Liz Bialkowski who are members at The Classics. Very memorable to do it with them. My mother-in-law actually witnessed another family member get an ace on the same hole several years ago. She’s wondering when it’s her turn!?

It was my first time out since the Fall and I wasn’t playing very well, so it’s kind of funny to get a hole-in-one when playing pretty poorly. It certainly salvaged the round.

Nathalie Dunn, Four Mile Ranch, Hole #14

It is a great feeling. It was a blind shot so even more exciting. I was playing with my husband Kirk on March 23, 2024, around 2 p.m. All we knew from the guidebook and the score card is that it was 141 yards from the white so I used my 6 iron.

Noel Carragher, Creston Golf Club, Hole #13

March 22, 2024, entered on March 25th. Course was Creston Golf Club. Hole #13 from 124 yards. Club was a pitching wedge and played with Arlene Parnell, Larry Maclean and Allen Blackwell.

Thomas Mündi Isford, Hollecrest Golf Club, Hole #17

I played with my close friend Dale Evans and a couple from Denver. The hole was 190 yards and I used my 3 wood as the wind was in our face.

“Inclusion is not bringing people into what already exists; it is making a new space, a better space for everyone.”
(George Dei, Canadian Professor)

In Canada, one in 66 children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ASD is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder that affects the way a person communicates and relates to people and the world around them. It can affect body language, social interactions and relationships, and sensory processing. (Autism Ontario)

Creating a welcoming, safe, and empowering environment for children from all backgrounds and abilities is a priority for staff across the country. At the core of First Tee’s mission is inclusion.

First Tee – Canada partners with youth organizations across the country to provide all children with the opportunity to play golf in a welcoming environment.

In British Columbia, First Tee – BC has made an impact in Vancouver’s autism community by working with the Canucks Autism Network (CAN).

“One in 30 children in BC are on the spectrum,” said Jake Winn, Senior Manager of Programs, Canucks Autism Network. “By joining forces with First Tee, we’re giving kids an opportunity to try something new and discover a sport that they may have never tried before. Programs like First Tee broaden the horizons for children on the autism spectrum.”

The Canucks Autism Network provides year-round programming for children, youth, and adults on the autism spectrum across BC. Their programs for children aged three to 12 focus on sports and recreation so they were thrilled to add golf to their portfolio of offerings.

“We love the fact that First Tee lessons are adaptable,” said Winn. “We can change games on the fly depending on the group and alter tasks and challenges per athlete. It’s not a one size fits all. It’s customizable and accessible for each participant to be engaged.”

First Tee – BC Coach Tyler McKay has been leading the programming efforts.

“Tyler knew how to interact with the kids and instilled confidence in the participants and their families,” said First Tee – BC Program Manager, Scott Stefani. “The feedback from parents and Canucks Autism Network staff was overwhelmingly positive. To see our team and the First Tee program itself create a buzz around our sport and make children excited to play golf is so exciting.”

The positive response from parents and participants is a testament to the importance of a dedicated coach, and First Tee – Canada has no shortage of those.

Similarly, on the east coast, First Tee – Atlantic’s coaches are also offering golf to children with exceptionalities.

First Tee – Atlantic partnered with the Autism Society of Newfoundland and Labrador, thanks to the efforts of Coach Wayne Allen and his daughter Coach Rosie Allen, Golf Canada’s 2023 Lorie Kane Future Leader Award recipient.  

The father-daughter duo has made a significant impact on children in their community of Corner Brook, Newfoundland over the last two years, and have gone above and beyond to create environments where all feel welcome.

In addition to obtaining a First Tee coach certification, coach Wayne completed Ernie Els’ #GameOn Autism Golf Program training, which is infused with evidence-based practices for teaching golf to people with ASD.

The time and effort put into this partnership have not gone unnoticed.

A parent of a participant left positive feedback for Coach Wayne. “Thank you for making a space for these kiddos to come together and belong to something. They are often left out of mainstream sports.”

Coaches like Wayne are proudly paving the way for a more inclusive sport across Canada.

Today, and every day, First Tee – Canada celebrates diversity and believes children of all abilities deserve to feel safe, empowered, and welcome in the sport of golf.

Canada’s Joey Savoie had a simple plan heading into the Bupa Championship: keep the driver in his bag.

The strategy paid off for Savoie, from La Prairie, Que., as he tied for fourth on Sunday in the first event of the PGA Tour Americas season. Savoie said that the conservative approach was necessary on the crowded fairways of PGA Riviera Maya in Tulum, Mexico.

“Jungle on both sides on every hole, water on every hole, pretty much, tough greens, fast greens, and windy,” said Savoie. “So it’s a mental test and a golf test second.

“I think it’s an overall test of endurance so I think my game plan is really well suited for that golf course.”

Clay Feagler won the event after bogeying the fourth playoff hole when fellow American Davis Shore double bogeyed it. Savoie tied for fourth at 2-under overall and, naturally, is tied for fourth in the Fortinet Cup standings after the one event.

Savoie isn’t exactly sure how the top-five finish early in the season will play out for him.

“I guess I’ll tell you after rest of the year,” said Savoie with a chuckle. “I’ve some good starts to the season, I’ve had some bad ones. 

“For me, the goal is to build on it, not let myself relax after that start. I want to keep my foot on the gas.”

Savoie will have a chance to floor it at the Totalplay Championship on Thursday at Atlas Country Club in Guadalajara, Mexico. He’s one of 14 Canadians in the field at the second of six events in the Latin American swing of the PGA Tour Americas.

It’s technically the inaugural season of the PGA Tour’s third-tier circuit after the Latinoamerica Tour merged with the Canadian Tour in the winter to form one long season with a break between the two phases.

“Schedule wise, it might be a little easier,” said Savoie as he waited for his flight to Guadalajara. “It can be easier to plan the year maybe but the big difference is the number events in Latino countries.

“The overlapping was only two or three events a year, so it wasn’t that big of a deal. There’s just no more overlapping.”

PGA TOUR — Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., is the highest ranked Canadian in the field at the Texas Children’s Houston Open. He moved up to 46th in the FedEx Cup standings thanks to a tie for third at the Valspar Championship on Sunday. He’ll be joined at Memorial Park Golf Course by Adam Svensson (75th) of Surrey, B.C., Ben Silverman (96th) of Thornhill, Ont., Taylor Pendrith (99th) of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Roger Sloan (192nd) of Merritt, B.C.

CHAMPIONS TOUR — Calgary’s Stephen Ames is ranked second in the Schwab Cup points list heading into The Galleri Classc this week. Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., is 42nd on the points list. The event at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif., tees on Friday.

DP WORLD TOUR — Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., will tee it up on Thursday at the Hero Indian Open in New Delhi. He’s the only Canadian at DLF Golf and Country Club.

LPGA TOUR — Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., is fifth in the Race to CME Globe standings heading into the inaugural Ford Championship. Savannah Grewal of Mississauga, Ont., is 38th and Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., is tied for 128th. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp was a tournament invite as she’s a member at Seville Golf and Country Club in Gilbert, Ariz., the event’s host course.

St Andrews, Scotland: The R&A today launched One Club, an evolution of its direct-to-consumer membership initiative designed to transform how fans and golfers around the world experience the sport year-round. 

One Club is free to join and provides members with a comprehensive array of year-round benefits, rewards, exclusive content and unique access to The Open, AIG Women’s Open and other prestigious R&A Championships. This includes the launch of a new global streaming service, R&A TV, powered by Endeavor Streaming.

It will also offer fans money-can’t-buy experiences and access to premium coaching and playing opportunities, allowing avid golfers and fans to take their passion for the sport to the next level. Members can interact directly through the platform by providing user-generated content and sharing their own stories and experiences of golf.

“We want golf to be more accessible and appealing for people of all ages and backgrounds,” said Neil Armit, Chief Commercial Officer at The R&A. “One Club helps to achieve this by bringing fans and golfers closer to the sport they love, whether that is through the excitement and drama of our Major Championships or the enjoyment they derive from playing the sport year-round.”

Key membership features of One Club include:

• Exclusive live and non-live golf coverage on R&A TV – a new streaming service allows members to watch coverage of R&A Championships each year, including The Open and AIG Women’s Open, as well as original golf lifestyle content. Members will enjoy enhanced viewing features including multi-view and live event replays to experience more golf content than ever before.
   
• Original golf lifestyle content – popular YouTuber Rick Shiels and media personality Tisha Alyn will feature in exclusive new video content, inspiring and entertaining members through their own experiences of golf.   
   
• Golf coaching network – top coaches such as Phil Kenyon, Dr Bob Rotella, Alex Elliott and Hannah Davies will feature in video content offering members advice, tips and experience to benefit all aspects of their own game.
   
• Rewards & Experiences ­– from tee time giveaways to VIP hospitality packages and professional player meet-and-greets, members can enter for a chance to win money-can’t-buy prizes and unique golf experiences year-round. Discounts on travel, equipment, merchandise and more are also available.
   
• Competitive Events – using partner apps and connected devices, members can enter virtual global challenges, earn Golf It! tee times, receive pro lessons and even qualify for real-life playing opportunities at select R&A host venues. 
   
• Enhanced Ticketing Opportunities – members can enjoy exclusive early access to purchase tickets and premium experiences to The Open, AIG Women’s Open and other top R&A events

One Club is now available to sign up for free. For more information and a full listing of launch partners and benefits, visit OneClub.golf.

Each week we write to Golf Canada members who record a hole-in-one, congratulating them and asking if they’d tell us how it happened. These are their stories (edited for length and clarity).

Have you recently accomplished the feat of a hole-in-one? Tell us about it! Share your story, picture / video and course information with us at holeinone@golfcanada.ca.

Mark Chambers, Duncan Meadows Golf Club, Hole #7

Hole #7 at Duncan Meadows is a short 117 yards up hill playing about 135 yards on this day! Pin placement was a white flag on the second tier of a narrow green! There was no wind to speak of and it was about five degrees and sunny late morning! It’s winter golf so I always take an extra club and this day I hit a 9 iron which I caught clean straight towards the flag! My playing partner said that it looked really good but it was a blind landing and I thought I was long!

When we got to the top of the hill no one hit the green with the two others short right and I figured I was long at the back of the green!

One of my playing partners, Mike Bates, also a member jokingly calls out to look in the hole! I laughed and walked over and there was my slightly used Titleist Pro V1 sitting nicely at the bottom of the cup! We were all pretty excited! Rest of the round was nothing to write home about, but it will be a day to remember for a long time to come!

Lisa Nye, Uplands Golf Club, Hole #17

I got a second hole-in-one on March 9th on hole #17 at Uplands Golf Club, Victoria, B.C.

Editors Note: Lisa’s previous hole-in-one was recorded on February 1, 2024 . You can find the post here.

David Pollak, Coronado Golf Course, Hole #9

My second hole-in-one in my life (first one in 2015). Wish I could tell you the names of my playing partners. My wife and I are wintering in San Diego and of the three partners, I only remember the first name of one of them (Jeff). This was my first time meeting them as I got grouped as a single. We know golf is a funny game. I was fairly tired from a bad night’s sleep and didn’t have much energy. I was playing quite badly so told everyone I’m going to stop after nine holes. Turns out the hole-in-one shot was pretty much the only good swing I had all day on hole #9. Guess that’s all you need. I played it from the green tees about 131 yards. Used a 5 iron. As soon as I hit the shot, I thought it might be close. Hit the green about two feet left of the pin, it spun dead right, and plunk! In the cup!

Huberte Landry, Aberdeen Country Club, Hole #17

It was done on February 10, 2024 at Aberdeen. I used an 8 iron and it was 108 yards. The witnesses were Richard Daunais and France Cloutier.

 

Marianna Tooley, Legends Golf & Country Club, Hole #15

It was unbelievable and I’m still not sure I can believe it yet. We golf at this course in January, February, and March as we are snowbirds. Everyone at this course is so friendly and we have so much fun with the starter, the bag handlers as well as the cart boys. The day of the golf game was sunny and hot but a beautiful day. The guys teed off first. They were my husband, Harry Hale, and our neighbour, Dave Badcock. Then the girls teed off; my neighbour, Kathy Badcock, and then me. I was at 87 yards so I used my 7 iron and wasn’t sure if I would get there. It was a middle right pin and hit left on the green and rolled with a nice curl to the hole. When it dropped in the hole there was a lot of screaming and cheering as you could believe. It was a super day.

Ryan Hutton, Tsawwassen Springs, Hole #4

I was with two members of my Langara men’s club league and my best friend Jay. It was 169 with a 4 hybrid landed in the cup and stayed in.

Paul Hopper, New Smyrna Beach, Hole #12

As a 62-year-old snow bird from Barrie, Ontario, I play the New Smyrna Beach Municipal at least twice a week. I was matched up by the starter with a couple of older gentlemen named Vic and Dave. It was 143 middle pin. I hit a 5 rescue club. Didn’t quite catch it and it hit just short left of the green. It was a low cutter that rolled out and disappeared. I didn’t get a picture as I use my Garmin watch now and don’t carry my phone here as much as I do at home. I play 200 rounds a year now and like many people have been very close before. It was 9:10 in the morning so I got off easy in the buying beers department. On a side note, I played the course a few days later. The pin hadn’t moved. So, I was very excited. Hit the same club. Actually, hit it much better. Landed pin high and rolled off back. Took a bogey. Crazy game.

Pro-am rounds can be a fun opportunity for serious golf fans to meet their favourite players and for the golfers to get some extra practice in ahead of that week’s tournament.

But for Canadian golfer Selena Costabile and former NFL players Josh Scobee and Marcus Pollard it was a chance to get into the intricacies of the athlete’s mindset. The trio were grouped together for the pro-am on Tuesday ahead of the Epson Tour’s Atlantic Beach Classic and got into a lengthy discussion as they made their way around the course. 

Costabile, who is from Thornhill, Ont., and Scobee bonded over the similarities between being a golfer and a placekicker.

“Because you really just have one shot to perform,” said Costabile. “He was giving me a lot of insights about how you have to have two different mindsets. One is in practice, and then once you get in to a competition or the tournament, on the course or on the football field, whatever that may be, you have to almost switch to more of a performance mindset.

“Trying to just get the ball between the posts is similar to trying to get the ball in the hole and do that as best as you can while not really thinking about the mechanical side of it.”

Scobee was a kicker on the Jacksonville Jaguars for 11 seasons before being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2015 and then spending a couple of months with the New Orleans Saints in 2016 before retiring the next year. He connected on 80.1 per cent of his field-goal attempts and 98.2 per cent of his extra-point attempts for a total of 1,046 points.

He said that he developed his “how and where” approach about six years into his career.

“I told her what I’ve always tried to do — and it’s not always easy — but what I tried to do was to separate practice from the games,” said Scobee. “Practice is where you’re trying to figure out how to do it. You’re working on your technique, and little things that you practice to be ready for the game or a tournament or whatever. 

“Then separating that from where to hit it, or where to kick it whenever I was playing. So I told her it’s the how versus the where, how to do it versus where to hit it.”

Pollard was a tight end with the Indianapolis Colts, Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons over 14 seasons, catching 40 touchdowns and over 4,280 receiving yards. Although Pollard didn’t have much to add to Scobee and Costabile’s conversation on mechanics, the kicker said he had a lot to say about mindset in general.

“It’s fun to get in front of other athletes that play different sports and go around the table and talk about what we all thought about or how we prepared,” said Scobee, “It all basically comes back to the same things and that’s the beauty of sports.”

Costabile said the conversation came at a good time for her because she has missed two cuts to start the Epson Tour season.

“I’m trying to work on leaving all the work of the off-season in the off-season and trusting that I did the work and now I just have to go out to play,” said Costabile. 

She’ll be joined by Kate Johnston of Ayr, Ont., and Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., in the field at Atlantic Beach Country Club. 

Thibault, in her first full season on the Epson Tour, made the cut at the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic on March 8 and again at the IOA Golf Classic on March 15. She said she was happy with those results because her ball striking has not been up to its usual standard.

“To be honest, the focus hasn’t been on cuts because you’re trying to win it so it’s been more annoying in that sense,” said Thibault. “But I’m still excited because to start the season the top 50 women’s golfers in the world were in Asia so the first three Epson Tour events were probably the strongest fields we’re getting the whole year. 

“To be able to really not feel like you have your game and still fight and put those scores up, I’m extremely proud of that.”

The 25-year-old said that her focus this off-season has been to focus on the natural motion of her swing.

“I’m diving more into my creative side and more into my given talent and working with that instead of trying to fit into a box,” said Thibault. “I’ve been more of a sponge, going into tournaments and seeing what tendencies show up with adrenalin instead of being so technical, because I had really tried to fit into a box with a certain swing and it looked better but then I kind of lost a bit of lag there.”

LPGA TOUR — Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., is the top-ranked Canadian heading into this week’s Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship. She is fifth on the Race to CME Globe season standings, having finished in the top 10 in three of her first four tournaments of the year. Rookie Savannah Grewal (29th) of Mississauga, Ont., Hamilton’s Alena Sharp, and Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., are also in the field at Palos Verdes Golf Club in Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.

CPKC WOMEN’S OPEN — Golf Canada announced on Wednesday afternoon that Mississauga Golf and Country Club would host the CPKC Women’s Open Aug. 18-24, 2025. It’s the first time the national women’s championship has been in the Greater Toronto Area since 2019 when Magna Golf Club hosted it in Aurora, Ont.

PGA TOUR — Nick Taylor is 11th in the FedEx Cup standings heading into this week’s Valspar Championship. Adam Hadwin, who is also from Abbotsford, B.C., won the Valspar in 2017 and is No. 30 in the points list. Five other Canadians are in the field at Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead Course in Palm Harbor, Fla., including Mackenzie Hughes (71st) of Dundas, Ont., Adam Svensson (72nd) of Surrey, B.C., Ben Silverman (88th) of Thornhill, Ont., Taylor Pendrith (93rd) of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Roger Sloan (201st) of Merritt, B.C.

PGA TOUR AMERICAS — The PGA Tour Americas begins its inaugural season on Thursday with the Bupa Championship. The third-tier tour is a combination of the PGA Tour Latinoamerica and PGA Tour Canada, that ended last year. Twelve Canadians will tee it up at PGA Riviera Maya in Tulum, Mexico.

DP WORLD TOUR — Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., is 15th on the Road to Dubai standings, the European-based DP World Tour’s points list. He’s the lone Canadian in the field at this week’s Porsche Singapore Classic at Laguna National Golf Resort Club.

2025 marks the first time the historic club will play host to the stars of the LPGA Tour; The 51^st playing of Canada’s National Open Championship returns to the Greater Toronto Area for the third time since 2001.

In hosting the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open, Mississaugua Golf and Country Club will become only the eighth club to host Golf Canada’s four premier events: CPKC Women’s Open, RBC Canadian Open, Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, and Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

Through CPKC’s community investment program, CPKC Has Heart, the event will once again be making a significant contribution to pediatric cardiac care in the host community.

The stars of the LPGA Tour are headed back to southern Ontario as Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) have announced that the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open will be contested at the historic Mississaugua Golf and Country Club from August 18-24, 2025.

The 2025 CPKC Women’s Open will mark the 21^st time that the province of Ontario has hosted Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship and the first since 2022. The 2025 event will be the 51^st playing of Canada’s National Open Championship and the first time that Mississaugua Golf and Country Club will challenge the stars of the LPGA Tour. 

In hosting the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open, Mississaugua Golf and Country Club will become only the eighth club to host Golf Canada’s four premier events: CPKC Women’s Open, RBC Canadian Open, Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, and Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

“Together, with our partners at CPKC and the LPGA Tour, we are very proud to bring the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open to the world-class city of Mississauga and the prestigious Mississaugua Golf and Country Club,” said CPKC Women’s Open Tournament Director Ryan Paul. “Mississaugua Golf and Country Club has been an incredible partner to Golf Canada, hosting countless Golf Canada Championships at both the professional and amateur level. We are excited to add our National Women’s Open to this impressive list in 2025.”

Through its CPKC Has Heart campaign, CPKC once again will be making a significant charitable contribution to the host community. Since 2014, the CPKC Women’s Open has helped raise over $19 million in support of children’s heart health in North America.

“CPKC is thrilled to bring the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open to the city of Mississauga and back to the province of Ontario, which is an integral part of our North American network,” said Keith Creel, CPKC President and CEO. “We look forward to seeing the positive impact the tournament will have in helping young hearts across Ontario.”

A host community beneficiary of the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open will be named by CPKC and Golf Canada at a later date.

Originally founded in 1906, Mississaugua has overlooked the Credit River in Mississauga for more than a century. The Club, which features an 18-hole championship golf course, has a storied history of hosting not only provincial championships but national championships as well, including the RBC Canadian Open, Men’s Canadian Amateur, and Canadian Women’s Amateur along with the World Junior Girls Golf Championship. Mississaugua is a full-service club offering along with golf: a four clay-court tennis facility, a six-sheet curling rink, state of the art fitness centre, and year-round dining options.

“The Members of Mississaugua are thrilled to welcome the very best LPGA Tour players to the Club for the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open,” said Rodger Leslie, Mississaugua Golf and Country Club President. “Hosting this wonderful tournament at our historic club gives us the opportunity to not only showcase our championship golf course but proudly share Mississaugua with the rest of Canada and the world. We are looking forward to partnering with Golf Canada and the surrounding community of Mississauga as we prepare for this world-class tournament in 2025. A highlight of the event for Mississaugua is the philanthropic dollars that will be generated for local charities through the CPKC Women’s Open, a cause near and dear to the heart our members.”

The Tournament Partners of the LPGA awarded the CPKC Women’s Open with Tournament of the Year honours in the previous two years (2022 and 2023). Golf Canada and CPKC also received Gold Driver Awards for Best Volunteer Engagement in 2023, Best Sponsor Activation in 2019, 2022, and 2023 as well as Best Community and Charity Engagement in three of the last five full season campaigns.

“Being selected to host the prestigious CPKC Women’s Open in 2025 is a huge honour and allows us another opportunity to highlight the sport of golf in the mix of events we are bringing to our vibrant city,” said Victoria Clarke, CEO of Visit Mississauga. “We look forward to welcoming the world’s best female golfers and witnessing their incredible talent here in Mississauga, and to showcase the “cultural canvas” that is our city on the world stage.”

Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship has traditionally featured one of the strongest fields on the LPGA Tour vying for a total purse of $2.6 million USD. The 2024 CPKC Women’s Open – the 50^th playing of the event – is being held at Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary from July 23-28, 2024.

First conducted in 1973, Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship has allowed the brightest stars of the LPGA Tour to shine on Canadian soil to inspire the nation’s next generation of female golfers. Brooke Henderson’s historic victory in 2018 was the first time a Canadian had won the National Open since golf legend Jocelyne Bourassa 45 years earlier.

Information about volunteer opportunities and corporate hospitality for the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open at the Mississaugua Golf and Country Club will be available in the coming weeks.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — The Grant Thornton Invitational began last year to strong reviews from the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour players who took part in the first mixed-team event since 1999.

Next on the horizon are the Olympics.

The format already is set for the Summer Olympics at Le Golf National outside Paris. Just like in Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro, there will be 72-hole competitions for the men and the women. But Olympic officials are close to finalizing a team competition for the 2028 Games at Riviera in Los Angeles.

One person involved in the talks said an announcement could come as early as The Masters. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details are not completed.

Among the details are how many teams would play and the format for the competition. The current plan for 2028 is for the men to start on Wednesday (instead of Thursday) and finish on Saturday. The team competition could take place on Sunday and Monday. The women would have a practice round on Tuesday and start their competition on Wednesday.

The International Olympic Committee tends to frown on awarding two medals from one competition, such as combining scores from individuals into a team medal. That’s why golf officials are proposing a separate event.

Still to be determined is how many countries will be eligible to compete. One option currently being discussed is 36 holes of fourballs to decide the team medalists.

The IOC would do well to consider singles. To have a team format (foursomes or fourballs) on Sunday, followed by singles scores from each male and female players could produce 54-hole scores.

Such is the format used at the Summer Youth Olympics, where golf was played first in 2014. At the last such competition, Atthaya Thitikul was part of the Thai team that won the gold over Akshay Bhatia and Lucy Li of the United States.

A mixed team event would require only two more days for the players. It’s unlikely any of the top players would be playing the following week at a regular PGA Tour event.

Lydia Ko and Jason Day won the inaugural Grant Thornton Invitational. Ko already has a silver and a bronze in her two Olympic appearances.

Brady McKinlay was introduced to the sport of golf by his parents during his early childhood and it’s become a life long passion. While he describes himself as a late bloomer, the 23-year-old has today emerged as one of Canada’s top amateur golfers and he has ambitions of carrying that success onto the professional ranks.

“I remember my parents getting me a set of plastic clubs when I was five, it was a lot of fun to hit the ball around. It’s always been part of the family and I always enjoy playing golf,” recalled McKinlay, who describes his parents, Perry and Patti, as avid golfers.

Growing up in Lacombe, Alberta young Brady treated golf more as a hobby, as hockey was his primary sport. However, at the age of 15, he decided to focus his efforts on golf.

“I wasn’t the biggest guy and moving towards hockey might have been difficult so I decided to go with golf,” said the five foot eight inch amateur standout.

After making the decision to focus his attention on the sport, McKinlay has seen an upward trajectory in his overall game and has enjoyed notable success on the golf course as an amateur.

McKinlay says the process of working on his game and practising and making improvements every day is one of the things he enjoys most about the journey as a golfer.

“I was 15 when I started to compete in tournaments around Alberta and some of the top guys were quite ahead of me at that age,” he noted.

“In terms of the grind of practising on your own I guess some people might consider it difficult but that’s the part I enjoy the most – that time by myself to figure things out. Sometimes it’s incredibly frustrating but when you do finally figure it out, it’s that much better,” McKinlay continued.

“The practise side and working to get better is the part I enjoy most whether it’s part of a team or by myself.”

He would see breakthrough results from his hard work and dedication in 2022. That summer McKinlay would win the Alberta Men’s Amateur tournament.

“That was the first time that I really felt some serious validation and it gave me the experience to be more confident and be more free when I got into those situations where I might have a chance to win a tournament,” said McKinlay about his breakthrough win as an amateur. “I just got into that good mental state and golf was really fun that week.”

McKinlay would carry the momentum to his NCAA season where he would win the Ram Masters Invitational, Mark Simpson Colorado Invite and the Shocker Invitational tournaments.

“Coming off the win in the summer, I just had a lot more confidence. Also, my game plan going into tournaments was a lot better. And that was a big reason that I won three in a row,” said the Utah Valley University senior.

“My mental state was great, my game plan was great and my course management was great. I didn’t bite off more than I could chew but I was still super aggressive. Making those big shots when you’re fighting for a win is just the best feeling.”

McKinlay – who recorded another tournament victory at the Campenato Nacional por Golpes last November – speaks about what his game is like when he’s playing his best.

“I like to be aggressive off the tee. And my putting is pretty solid. Definitely nothing flashy,” he noted. “When I’m playing great I think it’s pretty boring. When I’m playing my best there’s not a lot going on inside my head. Not too many surprises.”

He adds that playing with confidence goes a long way.

“If you can’t manage your expectations or keep yourself in check you don’t really have a chance. I think the best players in the world have the biggest edge on the mental side of the game.”

McKinlay will be graduating from Utah Valley University this year and hopes to translate his amateur success to the professional ranks.

“The biggest thing is not so much which tour I play on but moreso to get some exposure to the professional game this summer. It’s going to be different playing professionally compared to paying in college or as an amateur but I’m excited to get started.”

The National Team member says it gives him a lot of confidence to know that he’s part of a program that has developed so many successful pros that are playing the sport at the highest level such as Nick Taylor, Corey Conners, and Mackenzie Hughes to name a few.

“It’s guys that were in our shoes and they’ve taken similar steps. It gives us confidence to know the coaches that we are working with have worked with these same guys to get them to where they are,” said the 23-year-old.

“Not everyone’s journey is the same but it gives me a lot of confidence knowing we are on the right path.”