OTTAWA – The National Allied Golf Associations (NAGA) brought golf industry representatives to Parliament in order to advocate for tax fairness for the game of golf, Canada’s most popular sport.  NAGA also released the industry’s much-awaited economic impact study for the $14 billion Canadian golf industry, a document that paints the picture of a very large sector facing serious challenges in today’s economic and legislative climate.

“Canada is a golfing country,” said Jeff Calderwood, NAGA spokesman. “There are an estimated 5.7 million Canadian golfers and there are 2,300 golf courses and practice ranges in Canada. It is the country’s most popular sport. There are more golfers in Canada than there are hockey players, and the industry is worth more than $14 billion per year to the Canadian economy.”

“Unfortunately the golf industry in Canada suffers from an outdated 40-year-old tax policy that singles out golf businesses in an unfair manner,” continued Mr. Calderwood. “We are in Ottawa today to call on the federal government to correct this inequity and to restore tax fairness for Canada’s golf industry.”

Due to a 1971 tax reform, the Canada Revenue Agency does not allow deductions for expenses incurred by business people entertaining clients at golf courses. Canada’s 2,300 golf courses, most of whom are small business operators, feel that they cannot compete fairly with all the other industries where CRA does support entertaining clients. Over time, the unfairness of this discrimination against the golf industry has become more and more significant.

“To Canada’s 2,300 golf course operators, who are now facing the most competitive marketplace in our industry’s history, this unfair tax legislation is no longer a tolerable disadvantage. NAGA and its member associations call on the federal government to close this loophole and establish tax fairness for Canada’s golf industry,” concluded Calderwood.

(Montreal, Que.) – Excitement is quickly building towards the 2014 RBC Canadian Open, as 2013 champion Brandt Snedeker confirmed on a media teleconference this morning that he will be at The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Île-Bizard, Que., July 21-27 to defend his RBC Canadian Open title.

Currently ranked No. 31 in the world and a member of Team RBC, Snedeker captured Canada’s National Open Championship by three shots last year at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont. A six-time PGA TOUR winner and the 2012 Fed Ex Cup champion, Snedeker will lead the field of world class golfers into Royal Montreal for the 105th playing of Canada’s National Open Championship.

“I’m very excited to be heading to The Royal Montreal Golf Club to defend my title at the end of July,” Brandt Snedeker said earlier on a teleconference today “I’ve never been to the course but everybody that I’ve asked has great things to say about this historic venue. It was very special to me to win Canada’s Open Championship last year especially considering it is sponsored by one of my partners in RBC. Hopefully I’ll be able to have another strong showing in 2014.”

Golf Canada and RBC are also pleased to report that a number of notable names have indicated their intent to play the 2014 RBC Canadian Open. An interim list released today boasts golfers featured within the top echelon of the Official World Golf Rankings.

Joining Snedeker at Royal Montreal will be World No. 4 Matt Kuchar; World No. 12 Jim Furyk; World No. 16 Luke Donald; World No. 18 Graeme McDowell; World No. 38 Hunter Mahan and World No. 51 Ernie Els.

Canada’s Graham DeLaet, currently ranked No. 32 in the world will lead a Canadian contingent that includes World No. 88 David Hearn, Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Mike Weir and recently announced Canadian Golf Hall of Famer Stephen Ames. The Canadian foursome will vie to see if one of them can become the first Canuck to capture the title since Pat Fletcher won the Canadian Open in 1954.

With many of the world’s best players excited about playing for Canada’s National Open Championship, RBC Canadian Open Tournament Director Bill Paul credits the engagement of title sponsor RBC as a driving factor.

“With the RBC Canadian Open less than two months out, we are very pleased with the strength of our field as it comes together,” said Paul. “This is a testament to the commitment of our partners at RBC in delivering a world-class event experience. And that’s exactly what golf fans can expect when the world’s best player’s tee it up at The Royal Montreal Golf Club in July.”

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE MEDIA TELECONFERENCE.

Family Day
New this year, Family Day on Saturday, July 26th will feature a ticket package especially aimed at families with activities onsite for parents and children to enhance the spectator experience at Canada’s National Open Championship. Family Day will include specially priced grounds passes that provide access to dedicated fan areas, kids’ golf activities and more. In addition to specially priced ticket packages on Family Day, children aged 17 and under gain free admission all week when accompanied by a ticketed adult.

Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada
Also announced today, Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada will continue to be the Official Charity Partner of the RBC Canadian Open. Now in its second year, this relationship will continue to support RMHC through a combination of program grants and various fundraising activities before and during the event.

“We are incredibly proud of our partnership with RMCH through the RBC Canadian Open,” stated Martin Thibodeau, President, Quebec Headquarters, RBC Royal Bank. “As an extension of our commitment to supporting youth and kids in Canada, this relationship will continue important work that was started in 2013 to specifically support the mental well-being of children and their families when they are facing some of the most vulnerable and challenging times in their lives.”

Players confirmed to compete in the 2014 RBC Canadian Open include:

Stephen Ames
– Four-time PGA TOUR winner, including the 2006 Players Championship
– Competing in his 17th RBC Canadian Open
– Inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2014

Graham DeLaet
– Currently ranked No. 1 in Canada, No. 32 in the world and No. 20 in the FedEx Cup standings
– Competing in his 6th RBC Canadian Open

Luke Donald
– Five-time PGA TOUR winner and winner of back-to-back BMW PGA Championships in 2011 and 2012
– Currently ranked No. 16 in the world and No. 40 in the FedEx Cup standings

Ernie Els
– 19-time PGA TOUR winner and 4-time major winner (1994 and 1997 U.S. Open, 2002 and 2012 Open Championship)
– Member of the World Golf Hall of Fame
– Currently ranked No. 51 in the world and No. 94 in the FedEx Cup standings

Jim Furyk
– 16-time PGA TOUR winner including the 2003 U.S. Open
– Two-time RBC Canadian Open champion (2006 and 2007)
– Currently ranked No. 12 in the world and No. 11 in the FedEx Cup standings

David Hearn
– Currently ranked No. 2 in Canada, No. 88 in the world and No. 62 in the FedEx Cup standings
– Competing in his 12th RBC Canadian Open

Matt Kuchar
– Seven-time PGA TOUR winner including 2014 RBC Heritage, 2013 World Golf Championships – Accenture Match Play Championship, 2013 Memorial Tournament and 2012 The Players Championship
– Currently ranked No. 4 in the world and No. 3 in the FedEx Cup standings

Hunter Mahan
– Five-time PGA TOUR winner including the 2012 World Golf Championships – Accenture Match Play Championship
– Currently ranked No. 38 in the world and No. 61 in the FedEx Cup standings

Graeme McDowell
– Two-time PGA TOUR winner including the 2013 RBC Heritage and 2010 U.S. Open
– Currently ranked No. 18 in the world and No. 55 in the FedEx Cup standings

Brandt Snedeker
– Six-time PGA TOUR winner including the 2013 RBC Canadian Open and AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am
– 2012 winner of the FedEx Cup
– Currently ranked No. 31 in the world and No. 113 in the FedEx Cup standings

Mike Weir
– Eight-time PGA TOUR winner including the 2003 Masters
– Inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2009
– Competing in his 24th RBC Canadian Open, currently ranked 98th in the FedEx standings

Canadians Earn Their Way to Montreal:
A number of additional Canadians will be attempting to qualify for Canada’s National Open Golf Championship in the coming weeks. Among those qualifying include players participating in RBC Canadian Open regional qualifiers, Canadians competing on the Web.com Tour, players ranked at the top of the PGA TOUR Canada Order of Merit as well as the PGA of Canada Order of Merit leader following the PGA of Canada Championship later this month.

Kevin Carrigan of Victoria, B.C. has secured his spot in the 2014 RBC Canadian Open thanks to his win at the 2013 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship. Additional exemptions for Canadian amateur and professional golfers competing in the 2014 RBC Canadian Open will be announced in the coming weeks.

VOLUNTEERS:
Golf Canada and the Royal Montreal Golf Club are pleased to announce that a number of volunteer positions are still available for golf enthusiasts to be a part of the RBC Canadian Open. In all, nearly 1,400 volunteer committee positions will contribute to the success of Canada’s National Open Golf Championship and anyone interested in applying can do so at www.rbccanadianopen.com.

TICKETS:
Grounds tickets for all days of Canada’s National Open Championship as well as a limited number of premium ticket packages are still available. A full list of ticket packages and pricing, including the new Family Day package, is available online at www.rbccanadianopen.com. Golf Canada and RBC are also please to offer free admission to children 17 year and younger who are accompanied by a ticketed adult.

Westman, Man. –  Junior players from across the country gathered at Shilo Golf and Country Club in Westman, Man. this weekend for the 2014 CN Future Links Prairie Championship, the third CN Future Links Championship of the season. Jaclyn Lee and Andrew Brown, both of Calgary, Alta. claimed their division titles after three exciting rounds of play. 

Team Canada Development Squad member Jaclyn Lee took the Junior Girls division by storm, finishing in first place by 13 strokes. Lee has more than just a champion title to be proud of though– the 17 year old broke a course record at Shilo during the tournament’s second round on Saturday.  Lee played a combination of middle tees to score a 5-under-67, breaking the women’s overall course record.  

“I’m really happy with how this weekend turned out,” said Lee on Sunday evening. “The course record and the bogey-free round were both firsts for me, but the weather definitely made things challenging today. The course didn’t seem too difficult at first, but once the wind picked up it became a very tough course to play.” 

Lee finished the championship with a score of 2-under-par 214 after rounds of 71-67-76. Alisha Lau, 14, of Richmond, B.C. followed in second with a final score of 227, and Alexandra Demko, 15, of Thunder Bay, Ont. finished in third with 232. 

In the Junior Boys division, Andrew Brown sat in third behind Zach Sackett of Calgary, Alta. and Keaton Gudz of Victoria, B.C. after Friday’s first round of play.  

“I just stuck to my game, kept my ball in place, and made a lot of putts,” Brown said when asked about his stellar second round of play, which put him ahead of Gudz by three strokes. 

Brown shot 71-69-75 for a final score of 1-under-par 215. Sackett shared second place with West Vancouver’s Owen Xiong with a final score of 4-over-par 220.  15- year-old Gudz follows the pair by one stroke, finishing the Championship with a final score of 5-over-par 221. 

The top six competitors in the Junior Boys division of each CN Future Links Championship will earn exemptions into the 2014 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, which will be contested July 28 – August 1 at the Legends on the Niagara Battlefield course in Niagara Falls, Ont. The Junior Girls champion from each CN Future Links Championship will earn an exemption into the 2014 Canadian Junior Girls Championship which runs July 28 – August 1 at the Thornhill Golf and Country Club in Thornhill, Ont.  In addition, the champion receives an exemption into a 2015 Canadian Women’s Tour Event.  

DUBLIN, Ohio – Hideki Matsuyama made two huge mistakes coming down the stretch – and still walked away with a smile.

Matsuyama muscled his way into a playoff with a clutch birdie on the 18th hole, then beat Kevin Na with a par on the first playoff hole to win the Memorial Tournament on Sunday.

It was a victory that could mark the 22-year-old from Ehime, Japan, as the next big thing in international golf. He won in the elite event hosted and founded by Jack Nicklaus and played on his Muirfield Village layout. Nicklaus was also 22 when he broke through as a pro.

“To win my first PGA Tour event is enough, but to win it here at Mr. Nicklaus’ course, it really gives me a lot of confidence going (forward),” Matsuyama said through an interpreter. “Hopefully I’ll be able to use this week as a steppingstone to further my career.”

High drama unfolded over the last five holes with Bubba Watson, who won the Masters in April and should be among the favorites at the U.S. Open in 10 days, ahead of the pack.

Adam Scott, who won the Masters in 2013, was tied with Watson for the lead before hitting into the pond in front of the signature, par-3 12th, making double bogey. He made three more bogeys, costing him a follow-up to his win last week at Colonial.

Watson hit two wayward drives – one at the par-4 14th and another at the reachable par-5 15th – that turned the tournament into a free-for-all. The first resulted in a bogey that dropped him into a tie for the lead.

The second all but doomed his chances.

“(It was a) bad decision, trying to be a hero,” he said of his hooked rocket that ended up in the backyard of a million-dollar home that backs up to the course.

The double bogey dropped him a shot behind Na, who had completed the day’s low round – an 8-under 64 – about two hours earlier. Na had been relaxing in the clubhouse, two shots out of the lead and behind some of the biggest stars in the game.

Watson’s double opened the door for Matsuyama, who led Na by two strokes as he stepped to the 16th tee, a 201-yard par-3 with a narrow green on the other side of a large lake.

“I knew the wind was coming from the right,” Matsuyama said. “I just hit a bad shot.”

His iron shot plunked into the water a few feet short of the bank in front of the green. He ended up with a double-bogey and was suddenly tied with the idle Na, who instantly headed for the driving range.

Then Matsuyama’s second shot to the 17th hole went through the green and he made bogey.

But he came up big when he absolutely had to. His 313-yard drive on the uphill finishing hole left him 165 yards to the treacherous back pin. After he hit it, he tapped the ground with the driver and the head broke off. He just picked it up and stuffed it in his bag.

His approach ended up 6 feet below the pin. When he drilled it into the heart of the cup, he grabbed a spot in the playoff.

Still, Watson hadn’t been eliminated. He also needed a birdie at the 18th to join the fun. But his chip from the fringe rolled well past.

In the playoff, Na promptly hit his drive on 18 into the creek that runs along the left side of the fairway.

“I overcompensated and pulled it,” he said.

After a drop he hit an iron into heavy rough right and short of the green. From there he chipped on.

Meanwhile, Matsuyama, using his 3-wood instead of a replacement driver, hit into a bunker and then hooked his second into deep rough left of the green. But his flop shot came to rest 10 feet from the hole and he rolled in the speedy putt for the win.

“He hit an unbelievable putt,” Na said. “That was not an easy downhill-sloping putt.”

His first victory on American soil followed Matsuyama’s five wins on the Japan Golf Tour. He finished in the top 10 of two majors a year ago. He also gained valuable experience by playing Muirfield Village in the Presidents Cup last fall, when he was paired with Scott in four matches.

Nicklaus was asked about his tournament’s new champion.

“This young man’s going to win a lot of golf tournaments,” he said. “First one in the United States. Got to start somewhere.”

David Hearn carded 71 Sunday to move up 11 spots and finish the tournament in the group tied for 28th.

(Vancouver, BC) – With a furious back nine charge and a clutch birdie at the 72^nd hole, Clarkston, Washington’s Joel Dahmen shot a final round 68 on Sunday at Point Grey Golf and Country Club to win the PC Financial Open, the first event of PGA TOUR Canada’s 2014 season.

Dahmen claimed his first victory in his five seasons on PGA TOUR Canada, narrowly edging British Columbia natives Eugene Wong and Brad Clapp by a shot. The win moves Dahmen to the top of the Order of Merit and the race for The Five, who will earn Web.com Tour status for 2014.

The 26-year old former University of Washington Husky secured the win with a two-putt birdie at the last, set up by a brilliant approach with a hybrid from 226 yards out in a fairway bunker. Dahmen said the win helped exorcise some demons from a handful of missed opportunities at winning on TOUR last year.

“I was pretty hard on myself after last year. I didn’t close on Sunday and didn’t get through Q-School, and I really thought I was going to be on the Web.com Tour this year,” said Dahmen, who earned $27,000 for the win. “I was pretty down over the winter. To put the time in and come out here and win the first event is just incredible.”

Starting the day two shots off the lead held by Des Moines, Iowa’s Jack Newman, Dahmen treaded water for the first nine holes before getting things started with a chip-in birdie on 10 (for the second consecutive day) and another birdie at the 11^th. He found himself in the 18^th fairway sharing the lead with his playing partner Wong, and Clapp at 15-under, and decided to play aggressively with his approach.

“I had a great lie. I thought that I had to make eagle, for sure birdie,” said Dahmen. “That’s why I went for it. Under the circumstances, it’s probably a top-10 shot of my life.”

Dahmen would go on to two-putt from 20 feet, and after Wong and Clapp both missed birdie putts inside of 10 feet to tie, he found himself in the winner’s circle for the first time on PGA TOUR Canada, with the significance of the win not far from his mind.

“The goal is to be in the top five [on the Order of Merit], but even number one is the real goal. To win early is incredible. Now I’ve got 11 events left, and basically if you win one more you have a good chance of being no. 1,” said Dahmen.

The win also sees Dahmen continue to succeed in the wake of a battle with testicular cancer in 2011. Early that year, he underwent chemotherapy treatments and successfully returned to PGA TOUR Canada later that year. He’s been healthy and playing on TOUR ever since.

“There were definitely some doubts there when I was going through chemo and laying on the couch and wondering if I’d ever get back to the golf course again,” said Dahmen. “Thankfully that’s behind me and I’m as strong as ever.”

Dahmen’s previous best finish was a tie for third at the 2012 SIGA Dakota Dunes Open presented by SaskTel. He joins former Washington Huskies Brock Mackenzie and Joe Panzeri as winners on PGA TOUR Canada.

Wong, who started the day with a bogey but fought his way back to take the outright lead late on the back nine, posted his best finish since a win at The Great Waterway Classic in 2012, while Clapp recorded his first top-10 in just his first start as a PGA TOUR Canada member.

WONG TAKES TOP CANADIAN HONOUR
With a 15-under total on the week and a T-2 finish, North Vancouver’s Eugene Wong claimed Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week honours on Sunday. Wong won a tiebreaker over Chilliwack’s Brad Clapp by having the low round on Sunday.

Wong earns $1,500 for the award, which is presented weekly to the low Canadian on the leaderboard. The top Canadian on the Order of Merit at season’s end will earn Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year honours and a $10,000 prize.

NEXT WEEK ON TOUR
PGA TOUR Canada heads to Uplands Golf Club in Victoria, British Columbia next week for the Bayview Place Island Savings Open presented by Times Colonist. Last year, Marysville, Ohio’s Stephen Gangluff birdied two of the final three holes to win PGA TOUR Canada’s inaugural event.

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. – Stacy Lewis won the ShopRite LPGA Classic on Sunday to take the top spot in the world ranking from Inbee Park, finishing with a 4-under 67 for a six-stroke victory.

No. 1 for four weeks early last year, Lewis ended Park’s 59-week run in the top spot.

Lewis finished at 16-under 197 on Seaview’s Bay Course and earned $225,000 for her second victory of the year and 10th overall. Also the 2012 winner at Seaview, she won the North Texas LPGA Shootout last month after finishing second six times in her previous 16 events since winning the Women’s British Open in August.

Christina Kim was second after a 72.

Park closed with a 70 to tie for eighth at 7 under. She’s winless in 10 tour starts this season after sweeping the first three majors last year and finishing the season with six victories.

LPGA tour rookie Jennifer Kirby of Paris, Ont. shot 70 in the final round Sunday to place her in a tie for 48th.

The accolades keep rolling in for Team Canada’s Adam Svensson who recently captured his second straight NCAA Division II Team Championship with the Barry University Buccaneers.

On Sunday, the Surrey, B.C. native was awarded the Jack Nicklaus Award, which is presented to the top NCAA Division, I, II, III, NAIA and NJCAA players of the year.

On the golf course this season, Svensson captured seven titles and finished no worse than 14^th place in his 12 starts as a sophomore. His seven wins matched a record set by Stanford’s Tiger Woods in 1996 and Abilene Christian’s Alex Carpenter in 2001. This spring Svensson also set a new school scoring record when he fired a round of 61 at the Buccaneer Invitational. He also finished the season with a 70.05 stroke average

The Surrey, B.C. native was also recently named Barry University’s Male Athlete of the Year and is the first Buccaneer to receive the Jack Nicklaus Award.

Svensson joins an elite list of Jack Nicklaus Award winners that includes players such as, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Hunter Mahan, Luke Donald, David Duval, Bill Haas, Ryan Moore. Canada’s Matt Hill and Eugene Wong are the only other two Canadians to receive collegiate golf’s highest honour.

MALMO, Sweden  – Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee quickly won a playoff against Stephen Gallacher of Scotland and France’s Victor Dubuisson to clinch the Nordea Masters on Sunday.

Jaidee birdied the par-5 18th at PGA Sweden’s Lake Course while Gallacher and Dubuisson could only make par.

Earlier, the 44-year-old Jaidee hit six birdies and an eagle three on the 11th to finish in 7-under 65 and an overall 16-under 272 for his sixth European title.

“I worked hard today,” Jaidee said. “I started with three birdies in a row, had another one on six, then a good comeback on 11.”

He said he was nervous on the last few holes.

“The golf course is wide open, you have to hit good golf shots and the weather helped a little bit,” he said.

Dubuisson could have avoided the playoff with a birdie on the 18th, but three-putted from just off the green for a 67.

Gallacher (68) appeared to be out of the race when he bogeyed at No. 17, but he converted from 20 feet at the next.

Second-ranked Henrik Stenson (71) shared the lead with England’s Eddie Pepperell after the third round. The Swede found himself needing an eagle on the last to win his home title for the first time but bogeyed after pushing his second off the green and ended fifth behind Robert-Jan Derksen (65) of the Netherlands.

Pepperell (72) went in water at the same hole and finished tied for sixth.

 Vancouver, BC – Des Moines, Iowa’s Jack Newman shattered the course record at Point Grey Golf and Country Club on Saturday, carding an 11-under 61 to take a one stroke lead heading into the final round of the PC Financial Open, the kickoff event for PGA TOUR Canada’s second season.

Newman, the 2008 U.S. Amateur Public Links champion, carded birdie streaks of six and four in a row, totaling 11 on the day to lead by one over Chilliwack, British Columbia’s Brad Clapp heading into the final round. Two shots back in a tie for third were North Vancouver’s Eugene Wong, the 36-hole leader, and Clarkston, Washington’s Joel Dahmen.

Newman’s 61 was the lowest round on PGA TOUR Canada since Andrew Roque shot 61 in the final round of the 2012 Bayview Place Island Savings Open presented by Times Colonist, and the lowest round of the PGA TOUR Canada era.

“It’s kind of like being in the third person. I told [playing partner Clark Klaasen] out there, it’s crazy – just blacking out. It’s a rarity. It’d be nice to do it a little more often,” said Newman of his incredible round that moved him up 37 spots on the leaderboard.

“I didn’t even look at the scoreboards once today. I knew I was up there and I knew I was around the lead. We’re just going to keep the same mindset going in to tomorrow and hopefully have some fun,” said Newman.

Newman’s round looked to be taking a turn for the worse at the par-3 13^th, when he flew his approach over the green and had a tricky downhill pitch to try and save par. But instead of a momentum-stalling bogey, the Michigan State grad turned the tables and holed the miraculous pitch for a birdie, his second of four consecutive birdies on the back nine from holes 12-15.

“That’s one of those ones where you’re going to make bogey 50 per cent of the time, so that kind of kept the round going,” said Newman, who topped his previous best round in competition, a 64 on the eGolf Tour. “If you don’t make that, your 61 turns into a 63 or 64 just because of the momentum it brings.”

CLAPP READY TO HANDLE SUNDAY’S PRESSURE
Through 54 holes at Point Grey, Chilliwack native and PGA TOUR Canada rookie Brad Clapp has managed well to deal with the pressure of playing in front of large galleries and being in contention, carding rounds of 67-69-67 to sit one shot back heading into Sunday. And while he admitted he’s certain to face nerves on Sunday, the 27-year old said he’ll be able to draw on how well he handled the most pressure-packed situation of his career less than a month ago at the British Columbia Qualifying Tournament at Crown Isle Resort and Golf Community.

That’s where Clapp played his way into a six-for-one playoff for exempt status, and carded birdies on two of the three playoff holes to lock up his spot on TOUR for 2014.

“That was basically playing for my season. I know a good conditional card is fine, but that was with my whole season and my whole career on the line,” said Clapp, the 2012 PGA of BC Champion taking his first full run as a TOUR player. “I don’t know if there will be more pressure than that playoff. We’ll see tomorrow.”

“I’m really happy with how I’ve handled the crowds and pressure with all that stuff,” said Clapp. “I can gain a lot of confidence from what I’ve done previously in tournaments past.”

WONG UPBEAT FOR FINAL ROUND CHANCES
North Vancouver’s Eugene Wong struggled to reproduce the magic that earned him the outright lead through 36 holes on Saturday, but the 23-year old was upbeat about his chances to try and win heading into Sunday’s final round.

“I like this spot because I feel like I have to chase the leaders, and I like that because I can be a lot more aggressive,” said Wong, a two-time winner on PGA TOUR Canada. “That’s my style. I’m a very aggressive player when I need to turn it on.”

Wong’s up-and-down day included a double bogey on the par-3 second and back-to-back bogeys on 13 and 14, but the former Jack Nicklaus Award winner at the University of Oregon rebounded with birdies on 16 and 18 to finish with a 1-under 71 on the day, two back of the lead heading into Sunday’s final round.

“I grinded it out, especially after those back-to-back bogeys,” said Wong. “[The birdies on 16 and 18] were pretty significant, because now I’m only two shots back. So I’m in the hunt to win.”

DUBLIN, Ohio – Hall of Fame golfer Phil Mickelson confirmed that FBI agents investigating insider trading approached him this week at the Memorial Tournament. The five-time major champion said Saturday he has done “absolutely nothing wrong.”

A federal official briefed on the investigation told The Associated Press the FBI and Securities and Exchange Commission are analyzing trades Mickelson and Las Vegas gambler Billy Walters made involving Clorox at the same time activist investor Carl Icahn was attempting to take over the company.

The official was unauthorized to speak about the ongoing investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. Reports of the investigation appeared in several newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal.

Smiling as he stood before a room packed with reporters and cameras, Mickelson said the investigation had not been a distraction until FBI agents approached him after his opening round Thursday. He did not offer any other details, including his relationship with Walters or any stock advice he might have received.

He said it would not affect his preparations for the U.S. Open in two weeks, the only major he lacks for the career Grand Slam.

“It’s not going to change the way I carry myself,” Mickelson said after an even-par 72 at Muirfield Village left him far behind the leaders. “Honestly, I’ve done nothing wrong. I’m not going to walk around any other way.”

The federal official told the AP that Mickelson and Walters placed their trades about the same time in 2011. Federal investigators are looking into whether Icahn shared information of his takeover attempt of Clorox with Walters, and whether Walters passed that information to Mickelson.

The New York offices of the U.S. Attorney and the FBI declined to comment.

The newspaper reports said federal officials also were examining trades by Mickelson and Walters involving Dean Foods Co. in 2012.

After a brief interview, Mickelson stepped outside and signed autographs for about 20 minutes, like it was any other day at a tournament. Fans were supportive as ever on the golf course, and Mickelson gave away so many golf balls to children and his caddie asked a tour official to retrieve more balls from his locker when they reached the turn.

He had released a statement early Saturday, and said that he wouldn’t release details.

“I can’t really go into much right now, but as I said in my statement, I have done absolutely nothing wrong,” Mickelson said. “And that’s why I’ve been fully co-operating with the FBI agents, and I’m happy to do in the future, too, until this gets resolved.”

He declined to answer questions about his relationship with Walters, who owns several golf courses. And when asked whether Walters advised him to invest in Clorox or Dean Foods, Mickelson matter-of-factly replied to a Wall Street Journal reporter, “You should know. You wrote the article.”

Icahn, 78, is one of Wall Street’s most successful corporate raiders, famous for buying stock in underperforming companies, pressuring them to reform and selling out for a fat profit. In recent years, his targets have included Apple Inc., eBay and Dell Inc. His efforts have made him one of America’s richest people: Forbes magazine puts his net worth at more than $20 billion, making him the 18th-wealthiest American.

In the 1980s, he pioneered so-called greenmail raids in which financiers threatened companies with hostile takeovers unless they were paid a premium to go away.

Walters is a legendary figure in sports betting circles, widely feared by sports book operators as one of the few people who can consistently win. He’s bet millions on Super Bowls alone, and told “60 Minutes” in a 2011 profile that he has never had a losing year. An early user of computer data, Walters was one of the few bettors whose opinion was so respected that he could move point spreads if it was known what side he was betting on.

Walters and a group of bettors dubbed The Computer Group were indicted in the mid-1980s for running what prosecutors said was a bookmaking operation, but were acquitted at trial. Walters was also indicted on money laundering charges in 1998 and had $2.8 million in cash confiscated from a safe deposit box, but the charges were later dismissed and the money returned.

Walters was also a high stakes gambler on the golf course, regularly playing celebrities or PGA Tour pros for cash. He told Golf Digest that he once lost a $2 million bet and once made a 40-foot putt worth $400,000. Walters teamed up with touring pro partner Fredrik Jacobson to win the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am by 10 strokes in 2008 while playing as an 11 handicap.

Walters also owns golf courses and auto dealerships. Politically connected in Las Vegas, Walters is also known for his philanthropy, particularly toward Opportunity Village, which trains developmentally disabled adults.

Mickelson, 43, was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2011. He goes to the U.S. Open next month in North Carolina with a chance to become only the sixth golfer to capture all four major championships. He has not won since the British Open last summer in Scotland.

Mickelson has long had a reputation to gamble, though he has said he scaled back his habit after his son, Evan, was born in 2003 following a troublesome pregnancy. The most publicized payoff was when Mickelson and friends won $560,000 on a preseason bet (28-1 odds) that the Baltimore Ravens would win the 2001 Super Bowl.

On the golf course, he has a long history of playing money games during the practice rounds. He occasionally gets a group of players and caddies together for dinner and small wagering during the NBA and NHL playoffs, and prominent fights.

A year ago, Mickelson was criticized for public comments that tax increases in California kept him from being part of the San Diego Padres’ new ownership group and might cause him to leave his native state. He said his federal and state taxes amount to over 60 per cent.