MALMO, Sweden – Spain’s Alvaro Quiros shot a 5-under 67 Friday to move to the top of the Nordea Masters leaderboard along with Frenchman Victor Dubuisson and Eddie Pepperell of England.

All three are 6 under after two rounds on the PGA Sweden National’s Lakes Course.

Even though Quiros had two eagles, he was disappointed with his putting.

“I’ve been hitting the ball very well from tee to green, but even with the scores I’ve had I have not putted great,” Quiros told europeantour.com.

Second-ranked Henrik Stenson birdied the last hole to move within a shot of the leaders. Fellow Swede and Masters runner-up Jonas Blixt missed the cut after his second consecutive 74.

“Sometimes golf is tough. Nothing went my way, but I can’t say I made a fool of myself. I played pretty well for 30 holes,” said Blixt, who had two double bogeys on the first day.

Several players struggled in the strong winds including Miguel Angel Jimenez who shot a 73 on the day for a 2-under total.

Earlier this season we looked at how outside agencies became involved on the PGA and Web.com Tours, with players seeking assistance from Rule 18-1 – Ball at Rest Moved by an Outside Agency. In those situations, players and Tournament Officials were fortunate to have television evidence at their disposal to help determine the original location of the competitor’s balls.

More recently, a situation occurred at the BMW PGA Championship overseas where Pablo Larrazabal’s ball came to rest on an outside agency – while there was plenty of media coverage via television and social media, the evidence spoke for itself when Larrazabal reached the location of his ball.

Larrazabal’s approach to the 18^th green found it’s way between the pant legs of a spectator and remained there at rest. While the ball came to rest on the spectator, who is deemed to be an outside agency, and contrary to the Rules used in the filming of Happy Gilmore, Larrazabal was not required to ‘play the ball as it lies’.

Under Rule 19-1 – Ball in Motion Deflected or Stopped by an Outside Agency, Larrazabal was able to obtain relief, without penalty, in this situation. Rule 19-1, in part states the following:

If a player’s ball in motion is accidentally deflected or stopped by any outside agency, it is a rub of the green, there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies, except:

a) If a player’s ball in motion after a stroke other than on the putting green comes to rest in or on any moving or animate outside agency, the ball must through the green or in a hazard be dropped, or on the putting green be placed, as near as possible to the spot directly under the place where the ball came to rest in or on the outside agency, but not nearer the hole…

Due to the fact that the ball was not touching part of the golf course when it came to rest through the green, Larrazabal was required to drop the ball as near as possible to the spot where the ball originally lay. Unfortunately, Shooter McGavin did not have the same relief option available to him in his closely contested game with Happy Gilmore.

Do you have a situation involving the Rules of Golf you’d like to see discussed, clarified or answered? If so, email us here and we’ll try to include your inquiry in a forthcoming Rules and Rants Blog. To simply ask a Rules of Golf question to one of our Experts, please click here.

For more information on the Rules of Golf, please click here.

For more information on how to proceed in various Rules of Golf situations, guidance on the Golf Canada Handicap System and more, please consult our Rules of Golf publications – for purchase in Golf Canada’s eStore, or at your local book retailer.

(Vancouver, BC) – North Vancouver’s Eugene Wong got his PGA TOUR Canada season started off on the right foot on Thursday, firing a bogey-free 6-under 66 at Point Grey Golf and Country Club to share the first round lead at the PC Financial Open with Clarkston, Washington’s Joel Dahmen and Mexico’s Mario Clemens.

Wong, playing in front of friends and family on a familiar golf course, carded six birdies and converted a tricky sand save on the 18^th hole for par to preserve a flawless opening round, one that he said he had been anxiously awaiting after resting in the weeks leading up to the start of PGA TOUR Canada’s second season.

“It’s definitely a confidence booster,” said Wong, a two-time winner on PGA TOUR Canada, who grew up playing junior tournaments at Point Grey. “I knew I was ready even though I didn’t play many tournaments coming in. I planned on not playing too much since there’s a long season ahead of me.”

Dahmen, entering his fifth season on PGA TOUR Canada with momentum after claiming two Gateway Tour wins in the offseason, said he couldn’t wait to get his season started and search for his first win on TOUR.

“It feels great to get the season off to a good start,” said Dahmen, who made five birdies, an eagle and one bogey on Thursday. “You’re always apprehensive or a little anxious to get it going, and I had a great winter. I was anxious to get this started. I had a month off after my last tournament, so I wasn’t really sure how I was going to play.”

The 26-year old University of Washington alum had a handful of chances to win on PGA TOUR Canada in 2014, and said he hopes his experiences in the winter will help him if he has a chance to claim his first victory later this season.

“I struggled on Sunday last year. I had three chances to win and didn’t get it done, and so to play through the winter and to win a few times and learn how to win was huge,” said Dahmen.

While Wong and Dahmen come into the season looking to improve on past success, Mexico’s Mario Clemens looked like a veteran in his first PGA TOUR Canada start. The British Columbia Q-School grad, who won the 2013 Mexican Amateur Championship and finished T-4 at the NEC Series – PGA TOUR Latinoamérica’s Abierto de Chile, said he was thrilled to be in Canada as he looks to play his way onto the Web.com Tour in 2015.

“This is the fastest way to the PGA TOUR, I think. So far, Canada’s just been amazing. Vancouver is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. The views here are just spectacular and the people are so nice, very welcoming.”

Clapp claims rainy weather as advantage on day one

Making his debut as a PGA TOUR Canada member, Chilliwack, British Columbia’s Brad Clapp made himself look like a veteran, firing a 5-under 67 to share fourth place with Sacramento, California’s John Catlin and Seattle, Washington’s Blake Snyder. The bulk of his round came in Monday’s morning rain, an element Clapp said actually may have helped Vancouver-based players like himself.

“I’ve said it to a few of the Vancouver guys, if it rains a little bit and it’s wet out here, it’s a huge advantage for us,” said Clapp. “The way the ball flies and how it reacts on the greens, and just staying dry. There are a lot of guys that play fair-weather golf all year round and we don’t have that advantage, so it was nice to get some rain and even nicer to play well in it.”

Clapp, who is making his debut on TOUR after a successful run on the PGA of BC club circuit, including a win at the 2012 PGA of BC Championship, said he was able to calm his nerves enough in front of friends and family at Point Grey.

“I just tried to treat it like any other tournament and it felt like any other tournament, so it was good. I stayed really patient and I’m happy with today for sure.”

Williams looking to join Huskie alums on PGA TOUR Canada and beyond

If Moscow, Idaho’s Chris Williams’ resume looks familiar, it’s because it’s nearly identical to that of Nick Taylor, who played his way from PGA TOUR Canada onto the Web.com Tour last season. Both claimed former spot atop the World Amateur Golf Rankings and a Ben Hogan Award while playing at the University of Washington, where several players have come from on their way to PGA TOUR Canada.

“There’s a bunch of us out here, and obviously Nick went through here last year on the way to the Web.com Tour. It’s a nice play to play,” said Williams, who fired a 4-under 68 in round one to sit tied for seventh. Other former Huskies in the field include Dahmen, Brock Mackenzie, Joe Panzeri and Darren Wallace.

“Nowadays it’s tough to find a place to play, so it’s perfect to have a 12-tournament schedule and plan out your travel for the summer,” said Williams. “And obviously, at the end of the year there are those five spots on the Web.com Tour, so it’s really competitive. Click here for scores

DES MOINES, Iowa – Jay Haas is winless on the Champions Tour this season. He’s at the right place to change that this weekend.

The 60-year-old Haas has won the Principal Charity Classic three times and is the highest-ranked player in the field in the event that begins Friday at the Wakonda Club. Haas won the event at Glen Oaks in 2007, 2008 and 2012.

If Haas follows through with a victory, he’ll join Jack Nicklaus and Hale Irwin as the only players to win the same Champions Tour event four times. Nicklaus did it in the Tradition and Irwin in the Senior PGA Championship). Irwin also won the Kaanapali Classic/Turtle Bay Championship a record six times.

“I’ve been playing a lot of good golf, and that’s given me confidence, certainly,” said Haas, coming off a third-place finish last week in the Senior PGA Championship in Michigan. “But coming in here, I don’t necessarily think of it like a tennis tournament where you’re the No. 1 seed and you’re supposed to get to the finals and all that stuff. I don’t think of it in those terms because I know that, I watched these guys play and they’re all good and can kick my butt at any time.”

That might be true. But after a brief dip in 2013, Haas is again among the circuit’s top golfers.

Haas has finished in the top 10 eight times in nine events this season and has already made more money than he did in 21 tournaments in 2013. Bernhard Langer and Senior PGA winner Colin Montgomerie, who are first and second on the money list, are skipping this weekend’s event.

Ironically, Haas will be paired with Irwin in the first round on Friday.

“I can’t really put a finger on it other than I’ve done everything a little bit better,” Haas said about his resurgence. “I don’t have a weakness in my bag right now in the sense of, I like all my clubs.”

Tour rookie Joe Durant matched the low round of last week’s major with a final-round 64. Durant has notched back-to-back top 10s and should be among the handful of players poised to push Haas.

Michael Allen tied for seventh in Iowa last season and is sixth on the money list. Russ Cochran won last year after Jay Don Blake three-putted the 17th hole during the final round, but Cochran has finished in the top 10 just once in nine starts this season.

The event drew the biggest crowd in its 14-year history last year when nearly 34,000 showed up for the final round.

“The most intense fans in the country are in the Midwest. You just draw a line from Iowa, up around Minnesota over to Ohio, that’s where the intensity is. So having good tournaments, well-run tournaments in this part of the country is really important to us,” PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said after touring the course Thursday.

DUBLIN, Ohio – Whether it’s his health or his personal life, Rory McIlroy is not easily distracted when he’s on top of his game.

McIlroy made two eagles and three birdies on the back nine at Muirfield Village – along with a double bogey – on his way to a 9-under 63 and a three-shot lead Thursday after the opening round of the Memorial.

A week ago, McIlroy began his week at Wentworth by announcing he and tennis star Caroline Wozniacki had broken off their engagement. Then, he went out and won the BMW Championship for his strongest win in more than two years.

At the Memorial, McIlroy caught his spikes in the turf on his second shot at the seventh hole and felt pain the rest of the round, especially when he had to put a little extra pop into tee shots or long irons. He was limping when he walked off the stage after talking about how he made five birdies and two eagles after hurting his knee.

It was the lowest opening round in 39 years at the Memorial.

“I don’t think it’s anything more than just being confident with my game,” McIlroy said. “I was expecting this to happen. I’ve been playing well. I’ve been posting good numbers, good rounds. And I knew my game was close. And honestly, I don’t think it’s anything to do with what’s happening off the golf course. It’s just I’ve been trending in the right direction, and it’s starting to all come together.”

Masters champion Bubba Watson, Chris Kirk and Paul Casey each had a 66 while playing in calmer and slightly softer morning conditions. Keegan Bradley was at 67, notable not because it was his best score at Muirfield Village but because it was his first time in his four years on the PGA Tour that he did not use a belly putter.

Adam Scott, who won at Colonial last week in his debut at No. 1 in the world, lost momentum with a shot into the water for double bogey on No. 9, and he missed some birdie and eagle chances on the back nine that would have allowed him to stay close with McIlroy. He settled for a 69.

Phil Mickelson also looked sharp – at least for 15 holes. He was at 5 under after a birdie on the 15th hole – at the time, just one shot out of the lead. But he hit into the water on the par-3 16th and did well to escape with bogey. He came up short on the 17th and muffed two flops shots on his way to double bogey. And he finished with another double bogey by three-putting the 18th. That gave him a 72.

“Just threw away a good round,” Mickelson said.

The course began to get firm under a hot sun late in the afternoon, which didn’t appear to bother McIlroy. Jordan Spieth picked up birdies on the par 5s, had a good par save on the 16th and squeezed out a 69 that left him pleased.

“Anything under par is a good score,” Spieth said. “Obviously, Rory didn’t think that.”

McIlroy was more than nine shots better than the field average. His only scare came on the seventh hole when his spikes caught and applied a little more torque on his knee. McIlroy said he had never experienced that before, though he felt some ice and work in the fitness trailer should take care of it.

“The inside of it is sore, a little swollen,” McIlroy said. “Some treatment and I should be fine for the morning.”

The golf after that was simply spectacular.

From the deep rough right of the 10th fairway, he hammered a shot to the middle of the green and it caught a slope and settled 4 feet away. He hit 4-iron to 25 feet on the par-5 11th and holed a 25-foot birdie putt in the center of the cup. He holed a tough 15-foot birdie on the 13th, and then hit a towering 5-iron to 15 feet on the par-5 15 for another eagle. McIlroy picked up his final birdie with a 12-foot birdie after a great tee shot to the deceptively tough front pin on the par-3.

He finished his round with an 8-foot putt to save par from the bunker.

His only blunder came on the 14th when he tugged a wedge too hard and too far left into a plugged lie in the bunker. He played well away from the flag to avoid going down the slope and into the water, but left it in the sand. His next shot had to be good to get within 6 feet of the flag, and it wasn’t. The ball ran off the green and down a slope. He had to get up-and-down for a double bogey.

McIlroy answered by smashing another tee shot into the fairway and hitting that high 5-iron onto the green for eagle, erasing the double bogey.

It’s just one round, but considering it was McIlroy, it was an attention-getter. McIlroy is one of those players who can follow up a win with more great play. When he won the PGA Championship by eight shots in 2012, that was the start of three victories in four starts against the strongest fields of the year.

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. – Lydia Ko is trying to pace herself in her first season on the LPGA Tour.

“I skipped last week and I skipped the tournament in Texas, as well,” the 17-year-old Ko said Thursday, a day before the start of play in the ShopRite LPGA Classic. “Obviously, I would like to play the whole schedule and get to every tournament, but it is definitely tough playing all 32 events.”

Ko won the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic in California in late April and has five top-seven finishes in 10 tour starts this year.

“I’ve been really enjoying myself, playing on the tour,” said Ko, born in South Korea and raised in New Zealand. “I think every moment has been really special. I can’t believe that already a third has gone by.”

The teenager won the Canadian Women’s Open as an amateur the last two years and took the Swinging Skirts World Ladies Masters in December in Taiwan in her second start as a professional. She has six victories in pro events, also winning in Australia and New Zealand, and is No. 3 in the world.

“I really don’t think about my ranking,” Ko said. “I just feel like I’m another golfer going out there to play some golf, and you know, to be at the top, and I guess when you’re ranked the best female golfer in the world, that’s something special. I mean, hopefully I can be the world’s No. 1 golfer. It doesn’t need to be now. That’s what I’m thinking. I just want to pace myself and really enjoy it, and I mean, I have just got to have fun and, to me, that’s the most important thing.”

Ko will play alongside top-ranked Inbee Park and Paula Creamer in the first two rounds on the Bay Course at Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club.

Park missed the cut last week in Alabama, ending her streak at 22 events. She’s winless in nine tour starts this season after sweeping the first three majors last year and finishing the season with six victories.

“I didn’t have a good week last week, but you always get a time that you’re not playing so well,” Park said. “I was very confident after a two-week break. I was hitting the ball great. I was putting great. I was very confident coming into last week, and once the tournament started, I just don’t know what happened. I lost everything. I was hitting the ball bad. I was putting so bad last week.”

Ko and second-ranked Stacy Lewis, the 2012 tournament winner, both have a chance to take the top spot from Park this week. Lewis won the North Texas LPGA Shootout four weeks ago.

Michelle Wie, the winner in Hawaii, has seven top-10 finishes in 10 events this year. She’s coming off a third-place tie Sunday in Mobile.

“I’m just going out there and working hard,” Wie said. “I just want to get better and better every week. And it’s fun. It’s fun when you work hard and practice hard and you kind of see results. This year, it’s been a lot of fun and definitely motivating me to work even harder, just because it’s fun to play well.”

She’s grouped with Lizette Salas and Kraft Nabisco winner Lexi Thompson. Salas is making her first start since winning the Kingsmill Championship two weeks ago in Virginia for her first PGA Tour title.

“It’s back to work and I feel great,” Salas said. “I’m really glad I took that week off to recharge my batteries.”

Jessica Korda also is in the field after winning in Mobile for her second victory of the year.

“I’ve kind of settled into it now,” Korda said. “I think after my second win I was really, really excited and it definitely kind of showed me that the first one wasn’t a fluke. This one, I felt more like myself. I felt really comfortable out there and I just knew how to go through all the motions and emotions.”

She’s comfortable on the Bay Course, though she has had to adjust to the softer greens.

“It’s in really good condition,” Korda said. “The rough is definitely very high this year and it’s going to be very important to stay in the fairway. I think the greens are in really good shape. They’re a little spongy, so definitely a lot different from last week where they were a little bit firm. So, had to get used to chipping into the green being a little bit more aggressive, just seeing a little different line.”

Last year in the event, Hall of Famer Karrie Webb won her first LPGA Tour title in two years, rallying for a two-stroke victory over Shanshan Feng. Webb won the Women’s Australian Open and Founders Cup this year to push her LPGA Tour victory total to 41.

WINNIPEG, Man. – Canada’s top university and college golfers will convene at Southwood Golf and Country Club, from June 2-6 to compete in the twelfth playing of the Canadian University/College Championship, conducted by Golf Canada.

The Canadian University/College Championship is a showcase of the finest university and college golf programs in Canada. The event was created with the intention of giving the top Canadian university and college golfers the opportunity to compete for a national championship, as well as acting as the Canadian team qualifier for the World University Golf Championship. 

This year marks the first time The University of Manitoba has been host to this national golf event. In all, 155 male and female golfers from post-secondary institutions across Canada will vie for both team and individual titles at the par-72 Thomas McBroom designed Southwood Golf and Country Club.

“We are so thrilled to welcome the best university and college golfers to Southwood. At first sight, this seemingly flat course appears calm. When Mother Nature decides to be the equalizer you will experience prairie winds that meet no resistance,” said Gordon Hudson, Host Club Tournament Chair. “Our volunteers are eagerly looking forward to making the 2014 Canadian University/College Golf Championship a memorable one for these great players.”

The field will be comprised of 19 men’s and 11 women’s teams as well as 155 individual competitors. Following the third round, the field will be reduced to the top 10 men’s and the top six women’s teams, as well as any teams and individuals within 15 strokes of the lead.

“The field at this year’s Canadian University/College Championship shows the talent we have in collegiate golf across the country,” said Tournament Director Mary Beth McKenna. “This course will surely challenge the players and should provide a true test for the winning teams and individual medalists.”

On the men’s side, the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds will look to defend their title after securing a 21-stroke victory over Université Laval Rouge et Or at the 2013 Canadian University/College Championship at Club de golf Val des Lacs in Ste-Sophie, Que. Returning players for the Thunderbirds include, Conner Kozak and Scott Secord, along with Jack Wood.

In the women’s team division, the Université de Montreal Carabins will look to capture their second straight championship. The squad will be led by Sabrina Sapone, 2013 Individual Women’s Champion, alongside Caroline Ciot, Véronique Fortin-Latreille and Sarah-Andréa Landry. The Carabins will look to defend against the Thunderbirds who will be vying for their 10th women’s team title since the championship originated in 2003. 

Individually on the women’s side, Sapone returns to defend her six-stroke victory over the University of Victoria Vikes Megan Woodland in 2013. Sapone recently competed on the Canadian Women’s Tour in Parksville, B.C. where she finished tied for 34th against a strong field of professional and amateur players. In the Men’s division, Ugo Coussard of the Université Laval Rouge et Or will not return to defend his individual title from last season.

 Golf Canada and Southwood Golf and Country Club invite spectators and media to attend the 2014 Canadian University/College Championship. The event is open to the public and admission is free for the duration of the championship.

The following teams and individuals will be competing in the 2014 Canadian University/College Championship, conducted by Golf Canada. For a full listing of team rosters and individual players, click here.

Men’s Teams:
University of Victoria Vikes 
University of Alberta Golden Bears 
University of Lethbridge Pronghorns 
University of Calgary Dinos 
University of British Columbia Thunderbirds 
Western University Mustangs 
University of Toronto Varsity Blues 
University of Guelph Gryphons 
University of Waterloo Warriors 
Brock University Badgers 
University of the Fraser Valley Cascades 
Humber College Hawks 
Grant MacEwan University Griffins 
Université Laval Rouge et Or 
École de technologie supérieure Piranhas 
Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes 
Université de Montréal Carabins 
University of Manitoba Bisons 
McMaster University Marauders

Women’s Teams:
University of Victoria Vikes 
University of Alberta Pandas 
University of Lethbridge Pronghorns 
University of Toronto Varsity Blues 
University of Waterloo Warriors 
Western University Mustangs 
Carleton University Ravens 
Université de Montréal Carabins 
Université Laval Rouge et Or 
University of the Fraser Valley Cascades 
University of British Columbia Thunderbirds

MALMO, Sweden – Sweden’s Jens Dantorp and Eddie Pepperell of England both opened with 6-under-par 66s to share the lead after the first day of the Nordea Masters on Thursday.

Boosted by the support of family, friends and other fans in Malmo, the 25-year-old Dantorp hit six birdies and no bogeys on his home course.

Looking ahead to the second round Dantorp said: “I cannot promise another bogey-free round but I’ll try to keep playing and putting well.”

Pepperell surged to the top of the leaderboard with three birdies on the last five holes.

“I played well today and I hit the ball better, which is the main thing for me. I’ve not been hitting the ball that well over the last couple of weeks, despite some good results,” he said.

Scotsman Stephen Gallacher, Daan Huizing of the Netherlands, Northern Ireland’s Gareth Maybin and Swedes Rikard Karlberg and Sebastian Soderberg trailed the top duo by one shot.

World No. 2 Henrik Stenson hit seven birdies but four bogeys spoiled things for the Swede, who finished with a 3-under 69.

“No catastrophe, but I feel like I left a couple of shots out there,” said Stenson, who was irritated by spectators not keeping their mobile phones on silent.

“We have problems with mobile phones whether we play in China, Germany and apparently also in Sweden,” he said. “People can take as many pictures as they want, as long as they turn the sound off.”

NELSON’S BAY, Australia – Kangaroos, poisonous snakes, world-class golfing and a championship win – it was quite a week for Brian MacLeod, one of Truro’s most prolific golfers.

MacLeod, who is fully blind, shredded the competition earlier this month in Nelson’s Bay, Australia, en route to winning the Australian Open. The title is yet another to add to MacLeod’s long list of wins, but it was only half of a doubleheader that didn’t pan out exactly how MacLeod had wanted.

Immediately following the Aussie Open was the 2014 ISPS HANDA World Blind Golf Championships, a bi-annual tournament that has eluded MacLeod thus far. “I really wanted to pick up a win in that one,” MacLeod said. “I played really well through the Australian Open, and tried to carry that over into the worlds.”

MacLeod came in to the worlds on fire, having won the Australian Open, as well as posting scores of 88 and 93 in tournaments in Arizona. The first day of competition at worlds, however, would prove to be a little more trying. After shooting an opening round of 120, MacLeod found himself well back of the lead, held by good friend and perennial competitor, Zohar Sharon. With a string of narrow fairways, the course quickly left MacLeod struggling to make up for his mistakes. “I got stuck in the trees and took probably three or four shots at it and I just couldn’t get out.” MacLeod would end up shooting back-to-back 10s, leaving himself in a hole he couldn’t dig his way out of. “From there, it’s pretty hard to battle back,” he said. “I just had to focus and try to get out of the round without too much damage.”

Heading into the clubhouse after the disappointing first round, MacLeod tried to keep a short memory and come back strong the next day. “I just didn’t want to have another bad day,” he said. “Everyone shot poorly, but I didn’t want to do that again. I just wanted to prove I could post a good score.”

And post a good score, he did. MacLeod bounced back with a round of 100, the lowest score posted by a B1 (totally blind) golfer all tournament. Despite the struggles in the opening round, MacLeod had placed himself back in the mix of things in the 36-hole tournament. He’d finish seven shots back of Sharon.

Read more about Brian’s win and his next tournaments here.