VIRGINIA WATER, England – Sweden’s Henrik Stenson heads into this week’s BMW PGA Championship knowing a few good rounds could take him all the way to the world No. 1 spot.

Stenson should manage the feat if he finishes higher at the European Tour’s flagship tournament than Australia’s Adam Scott does at the PGA Tour’s Crown Plaza Invitational Colonial event at Fort Worth, Texas.

But Stenson, currently the No. 3 in the world, is playing down his chances – having managed just one top-10 result in 10 straight appearances at Wentworth to 2010, the last time he played the course.

“It’s definitely on, but I haven’t given it too much thought in that sense,” Stenson said Wednesday. “I’ve been more trying to work on my game and try to get back in good shape because I know, if I get my game to where I want to have it, then that’s definitely an achievable thing in the near future.”

The permutations are also complicated by the fact that No. 4 Matt Kuchar could also become No. 1 should he win at Colonial.

Stenson knows that he may need to be patient.

“I’m more into trying to focus on the processes of playing good golf and giving myself the best chance to become world No. 1,” he said. “And if I can win some tournaments this year, I will have a good shot at getting there.”

Others in the field at Wentworth include US Open champion Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy and England’s Ian Poulter – though Poulter indicated he was only 70 percent certain of teeing up on Thursday after injuring his lower back last week in the gym.

“It’s just disappointing, and it’s not the best prep for this week,” Poulter said.

Rose, who will return the gleaming trophy to the United States Golf Association next week, shared a family moment involving the symbol of his Merion success over Phil Mickelson and his four-year old son.

“Leo ate some ice cream out of it – so he was the first to christen the trophy,” said Rose with a smile. “I had not even had a drink, but he had some ice cream out of it and we got some great video, I think will last a lifetime, and some great memories.”

The trophy will be displayed on the opening tee throughout the BMW PGA Championship.

FORT WORTH, Texas – Adam Scott downplayed the world ranking and the idea of being the No. 1 player the past few months.

“Maybe I was trying to take some pressure off myself and just think about playing golf rather than other things that happen from it,” Scott said Wednesday. “I think that’s what I need to do now.”

The Australian finally made it to the top of the world ranking, overtaking injured Tiger Woods after a week at home in the Bahamas. Scott will play as No. 1 for the first time when he tees off Thursday at the Colonial.

“It’s only been realistic for the last week sitting at home,” Scott said, adding the accomplishment isn’t diminished by doing it that way instead of on the course.

“All the playing I did added up to this anyway. It’s just the way the system works,” he said. “Sure, it would have been awesome to win a tournament and jump to No. 1 like some guys have. … But hopefully I can get on and try to win a tournament this week or next week and start trying to keep myself up on top of the list.”

Scott is grouped for the first two days at Hogan’s Alley with two-time Colonial champion Zach Johnson and Jimmy Walker, a three-time winner this season and the FedEx Cup points leader. They will be right behind the threesome that includes Matt Kuchar, No. 4 in the world and with nine top-10 finishes in 13 starts this season.

When he finished second to Boo Weekley last year, Kuchar was No. 13 and the highest-ranked player in Colonial’s invitational field. With a victory this time, Kuchar could possibly take a turn at No. 1.

“I don’t pay a whole lot of attention. I think those are some of the things that take care of themselves, and I’ve always been good at focusing on the things I can control,” Kuchar said. “That being said, I think the No. 1 position is an awesome title. … It’s cool, it’s attainable. I know it wasn’t long ago that the No. 1 ranking was not attainable, and Tiger had such a lockdown on it.”

Second-ranked Woods isn’t sure when he will return from a back injury. No. 3 Henrik Stenson, playing in Europe’s flagship event, should be able to reach No. 1 if he places higher at Wentworth than Scott at Colonial.

Scott has six top-25 finishes in his seven PGA Tour events this season. His only time outside the top 25 was two weeks ago at The Players Championship, where rounds of 67 and 69 where sandwiched by an opening 77 and closing 73 to tie for 38th place. Then bad weather at home last week took him out of his normal practice routine.

“But it was also quite nice to get a bit of a rest. It’s a blessing in disguise,” he said. “I was getting a little frustrated as a player because my swing and everything felt in good shape and I didn’t get four rounds out of it. I got two rounds out of it. Sometimes when you get out of your own way, it’s a good thing, and I think I did that last week.”

Scott is the first No. 1 player in the Colonial field since Nick Price in 1995. When Woods made his only appearance in 1997, it was three weeks before he was the top-ranked player.

Weekley is coming off a season-best fifth-place tie at the Byron Nelson Championship, where he had three consecutive rounds in the 60s. Much better than last year, when he missed the cut at the first stop in the Texas two-step.

“Coming into here last year, I sat out on that driving range and I probably was averaging 400 or 500 balls in the morning and in the afternoon. Hitting balls and hitting balls because I missed the cut,” Weekley said. “I couldn’t figure out what was going on down there with the base angle. And this year I finished fifth there, so I got a little more confidence coming into here.”

Canada’s Graham DeLaet and David Hearn are the lone Canadians in the field this week. Stephan Ames will make his debut on the Champions Tour.

MOBILE, Ala. – Inbee Park is back defending her No. 1 ranking, instead of watching others try to take it away from her.

Second-ranked Stacy Lewis couldn’t take advantage of Park’s absence last week at the Kingsmill Championship in Virginia, but they’ll be competing head to head again at the Airbus LPGA Classic starting Thursday on The Crossings course at Magnolia Grove that’s part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.

She watched Adam Scott wrest the PGA Tour’s top ranking from Tiger Woods on Monday without competing that week.

“It would be nice to get it the way Adam Scott did, but I want to win tournaments at the end of the day,” Lewis said Wednesday. “Being No. 1 in the world is definitely a goal but you can’t think about it all the time.

“If it’s something I’m thinking about trying to make a birdie putt, it’s just not going to happen, so I just have to keep doing what I know is right. Even if I do get to No. 1, the goals don’t change. It’s still, give myself a chance to win on Sunday and let everything else take care of itself.”

Lewis has a successful track record in Alabama, winning the state’s tournaments in Mobile and Prattville in 2012.

She wasn’t able to pass Park, who missed last week’s tournament while sick. Park has been No. 1 for more than a year.

“I wasn’t really feeling well for the last couple weeks I played … so the next week I probably took three or four days off trying to get healthier and get the bad things out of my system,” the South Korean said. “The next week I try to practice a little bit more and work on my game because I didn’t really have that big of a gap or a break when the season started, so I didn’t really have time to work on my game as much as I would like to.

“I feel like I’m back in a healthy condition, that’s the important thing.”

Park is winless in eight starts this year.

Lewis has eight top-10 finishes and won the North Texas LPGA Shootout.

She expects low scores from the contenders this week.

“It’s just the way the greens are set up,” Lewis said. “They’re set up to make birdies, they’re set up to kind of funnel some shots in and get them close. It’s fun for the fans, it’s fun for us to play, and being a good ball striker is where you want to be.”

For Jennifer Johnson, the return to Mobile has rekindled memories of her first LPGA Tour win last May.

She finished with back to back 7-under 65 rounds and set a tournament-record with a 21-under 267 total. Johnson birdied four of the final six holes for a one-stroke victory over Jessica Korda and Pornanong Phatlum.

She said being the defending champion could bring “a little pressure.”

“Maybe just trying to shoot the same thing I did last year because I’m always trying to do better than I did the year before,” Johnson said. “But I think the pressure really just you put it on yourself.”

Five Canadians are in the field, including Sue Kim, Rebecca Lee-Bentham, Alena Sharp, Jennifer Kirby and Lorie Kane.

Golf in the Olympics. What once seemed unlikely is now a reality just two years away. Along with the excitement surrounding our sport’s return to the Games in 2016 are a lot of questions: What is the format? Where will it be played? How will the teams be chosen? Who will play for Canada?

The competition in Rio will look significantly different than the last time golf was contested for Olympic gold.Only Canada and the United States fielded teams at the 1904 Games in St. Louis, Missouri and there were no female competitors. American teams swept all three medals in the team event, while Canadian George S. Lyon won gold in the individual match play competition. In contrast, players from more than 30 countries are expected to tee it up at the yet-to-be-completed course located in the Marapendi Environmental Protection Area. Medals will be awarded for individual play in both men’s and women’s divisions, each being contested over 72 holes of stroke play. As with many other high-profile sports, the debate over whether golf ’s Olympic athletes should be professionals or amateurs is long ended, if it ever took place at all. The biggest stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours will undoubtedly make the trip to Rio, along with their teammates chosen from golf ’s official world rankings. The top 15 players from the world rankings – with a maximum of four per country – will automatically qualify. Outside the top 15, a maximum of two players per country will be selected until the field size of 60 is filled. Just who will those players be? It’s nearly impossible to predict at this early stage. Consider that just two years ago the men’s world’s top 15 included the likes of Keegan Bradley, Lee Westwood, and Louis Oosthuizen. This year they have been replaced by Jordan Spieth, Zach Johnson, Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia. While there has been considerably less movement at the top of the women’s world rankings, who knows what young superstar will take the world by storm, or which veteran will mount a comeback before 2016? A lot can change in the span of 24 months. For many fans, a Canadian golf squad without Mike Weir would be inconceivable. Yet at press time, the highest-ranked Canadian on the men’s rankings was Graham DeLaet, at number 28. He is followed by David Hearn (122), Brad Fritsch (276), and Richard Lee (701). On the women’s side, 21-year-old Rebecca Lee-Bentham leads the way at 193, with Alena Sharp (231), Lorie Kane (279) and Maude-Aimée LeBlanc (341) rounding out the top four. Lots of young Canadians are moving up the ranks in the NCAA and on developmental tours such as Symetra and Web.com. We can’t peer into a crystal ball to see which one might make it to the big leagues by 2016, but can predict one thing with confidence. More than six million Canadian golfers watching at home will wave the maple leaf and cheer on our Olympic team players with pride – whomever they may be.

My friend Clive Agran, a fellow golf travel writer who lives in East Sussex, England, prefers to put his own unique spin on things. When Clive first told me about the Atlantic Links, a brilliant collection of ancient courses scattered along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, I was keen to pack my clubs. While Clive undertook his Atlantic adventure by bicycling from course to course on two wheels (approximately 525km), I don’t necessarily recommend his method of transportation. I do strongly suggest that you put the Atlantic Links on your hit list. The courses are grand, the scenery sublime and there are plenty of other temptations along the way, including Devon cream teas, Cornish pasties and some remarkable villages and gardens. Burnham & Barrow An easy half-hour drive from Bristol is Burnham & Berrow Golf Club, originally laid out by Herbert Fowler with more recent tinkerings by Harry Colt and Alister MacKenzie. Dune-lined fairways heave and ho like the sea beyond and a few marsh holes create a memorable first impression. Number 10 requires a blind drive over a hill through a couple of striped goalposts. The 18th finale is a longish sweeping dogleg to a green surrounded by four daunting bunkers. The welcoming clubhouse serves terrific Thai fishcakes. England’s former reputation for bad food is long gone and West Country cuisine, we soon discovered, is worth the trip for its own sake. St. Ednoc We bade farewell to Devon and crossed into Cornwall. In the small hamlet of Rock, where the likes of Prince Andrew come to play and party, we found St. Enodoc Golf Club, designed in the early 1900s by James Braid. You can play 36 holes here, but if time is short, the fabled Church course is your best bet for a memorable 18. The quality of the links and the incomparable views of the nearby town of Padstow and the Camel Estuary make for an enchanting round. The first three holes are blind and there are plentiful oddities and obstacles, plus lots of walkers with their dogs, simply enjoying the stunning scenery. Number six boasts the Himalayas Bunker, reputedly the highest in Europe. Don’t miss a small detour to the 13th-century chapel tucked behind the tenth green. At this point, you might feel the need for a bit of divine intervention. The gravestone of Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman, who penned beguiling verses about his beloved game of golf, is buried beside his favourite course. Recently, St Enodoc’s Church Course was included in Golf Digest’s inaugural ranking of the “World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses,” proving that shorter and quirkier (it’s a par-69 and just 6,557 from the tips) can be sweeter. After our round we took a quick ferry over to Padstow, a harbour town the locals have nicknamed “Padstein” because British restaurateur Rick Stein has opened several eateries here. For a splurge, book a table at his Seafood Restaurant. Or, go local with an award-winning Cornish pasty from Chough Bakery. Royal North Devon Wild and windswept Royal North Devon, also known as Westward Ho! is England’s oldest course, dating back to 1864. Originally laid out by Old Tom Morris, not much has changed today except the sheep are fatter. This is common land where the livestock get lifetime memberships. Hole number one resembles a petting zoo. You’ll have to let it rip to clear the massive Cape bunker on number four and don’t let that pesky creek on 18 ruin your score. Be sure to have a “cuppa” in the atmospheric clubhouse filled with antique golf memorabilia, mashies and featheries. Royal North Devon was the first club in England to have the title “Royal” conferred upon it by the Prince of Wales in 1866; it also became the first true ladies’ golf club in the world in 1868. Saunton We could have saved time by taking the M5 highway to our evening destination, Saunton Sands in Devon. Instead, we took the coastal route past idyllic villages and patchwork fields of green and gold. Often the roads were barely wide enough for Clive’s bicycle, let alone four wheels. We arrived at the white art deco Saunton Sands Hotel, with commanding views of a long golden strand, in time for an alfresco dinner of lamb Provençal and strawberries topped with Devon’s decadent clotted cream. We were booked to play the Saunton East and West courses the following day. North Americans accustomed to using carts (or buggies as they are called in the U.K.) should take note that these courses were meant to be walked. Make sure you have comfortable shoes and be prepared to shoulder your bag or haul a trolley up and over the dunes. Some clubs rent battery-operated trollies, which I highly recommend, especially if you’re tackling 36 holes in a day. We played the East course, built circa 1897, with members Danny and Ann Wallace. Here, as at all the other clubhouses, we were struck by the warm welcome we received and the pride local members take in their clubs’ pedigrees. Sir Nick Faldo once remarked that Saunton East was “the finest course never to hold an Open.” So lofty are the dunes, it feels like each fairway is your private playground. The East may be lovely, but it’s no walk in the park. Eight par-fours exceed 400 yards and the par-threes demand accuracy. The West layout is shorter and a bit easier, but still a worthy challenge for any golfer. Dinner at Squires in nearby Braunton lived up to its reputation for serving the best fish and chips in North Devon. How they get such a light crispy batter remains chef Mike’s secret. Trevose Our last round on The Atlantic Links was at Trevose, located high on a promontory overlooking Constantine Bay. We stayed comfortably in a self-catering cottage nestled just a pitching wedge away from the first elevated tees of the impressive Championship Course. We won’t forget the par-five fourth where the sea froths and crashes against the headland. This masterpiece, another by Harry Colt circa 1925, requires every club in your bag and the ever-present wind is a significant factor. Trevose’s Constantine restaurant, with its sensational sunset views and heavenly local scallops, made the ideal grand finale to our Atlantic Links romp — and a fitting place to toast “cyclopath Clive” for introducing us to this splendid collection of venerable links and some of the best scenery and hospitality to be found in England.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Notah Begay will return to his broadcasting job next week, one month after suffering a heart attack.

Golf Channel said Wednesday that he will serve as an on-course reporter for its coverage of the NCAA men’s golf championships, which starts Monday.

The 41-year-old Begay suffered the heart attack April 24. Doctors at Methodist Hospital in Dallas diagnosed a 100 percent blockage of his right coronary artery. A stent was inserted to unblock the artery.

Begay is in his second full year as a TV analyst. He won four times on the PGA Tour.

A Navajo from New Mexico, Begay has a history of heart disease in his family. He hopes to expand his NB3 Foundation’s mission to address health and wellness issues among Native American youth.

Oakville, Ont. – Golf Canada and Acura are pleased to announce a three-year partnership in which Acura will become vehicle sponsor of the CN Future Links Mobile Golf Clinics – an initiative of Canada’s national junior golf program.

A joint initiative developed by Golf Canada, the PGA of Canada and Canada’s provincial golf associations, Canada’s national junior golf program is also supported by the National Golf Course Owners Association. The program offers a full suite of junior golf programs for boys and girls ages 6-18, from beginners to those with a high degree of experience and playing ability. CN Future Links is committed to providing junior golfers and young golf enthusiasts in communities across Canada with affordable and accessible golf programs.

”We are thrilled that Acura has aligned their respected brand with Canada’s national junior golf program,” said Golf Canada CEO Scott Simmons. “Through the efforts of our partners at the PGA of Canada and the provincial golf associations, CN Future Links Mobile Clinics are bringing quality golf activities to communities across Canada and now Acura will be a big part of that success.”

Acura will support the CN Future Links program by providing each of the 10 provincial golf associations with a current model year MDX vehicle. Each vehicle will be decaled in CN Future Links artwork and used as the official vehicle of CN Future Links Mobile Clinics presented by Acura.

Each fully equipped Mobile Clinics Acura MDX vehicle will be staffed with a PGA of Canada professional and will travel to various locations across each province to teach juniors golfers introductory golf lessons. The CN Future Links Mobile Clinics vehicle will travel to almost any location including parks, recreation centres, schools and golf facilities, ensuring golf is brought to where the kids are.

“We are delighted to sponsor CN Future Links Mobile Clinics, as Acura is committed to supporting youth initiatives across Canada and this is a natural partnership of the two brands,” said Dave Gardner, vice president of sales and marketing, Acura Canada. “With luxury comfort, dynamic performance, class-leading fuel economy ratings, advanced safety features, and a versatile passenger and cargo cabin, the MDX fits the needs of the program and will contribute greatly to its overall success.”

In addition to being the official vehicle sponsor, Acura has committed to providing branded range balls, BirdieBalls and the almostGOLF balls to the program. Each CN Future Links Mobile Clinic presented by Acura participant will also receive Acura branded tee packs and a participation certificate.

Under the leadership of PGA of Canada golf professionals, CN Future Links junior programs help young golfers develop the technical skills, appropriate attitude and self-confidence to succeed on the course, while teaching them the positive life lessons to succeed off the course.

“This is an exciting and worthwhile partnership for the CN Future Links Mobile Golf Clinics,” said PGA of Canada CEO Gary Bernard. “Since the program’s inception in 1996 the PGA of Canada and Golf Canada have seen more than 1-million kids go through CN Future Links and I feel this terrific initiative will only enhance the world-class junior golf program.”

In 2013, nearly 65,000 juniors took part in more than 1,700 CN Future Links Mobile Clinics across the country. Since launching in 1996, more than 1 million juniors have experienced quality golf activities through the CN Future Links program.

Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad players are busy. They have to plan around their competitive NCAA schedules, weight training, practice sessions and everything else that comes with life as full-time student/athletes.

Picture this – you are in Sunday’s final pairing for an ‘A’ ranked NCAA event. You are in contention to win the tournament. You are on the cusp of doing wonders for your golf career. You are heading home after the tournament to prepare for your final exam in corporate accounting.

National Amateur athletes are swamped with 40+ hour school weeks. We may forget this fact from time to time – but they certainly don’t. Take Québec’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay for example, who was recently honoured with her third mention to the All-American-Conference (AAC) All-Academic Team.

Tanguay, a senior at Oklahoma University, is in her final year of double-majoring in Business Management and Accounting.

“It’s been a really big challenge for me in my senior year of studies – I spend at least 20 hours a week practicing and then another 20 hours studying for my courses,” said Tanguay. “I would credit my academic success to being a highly structured person, with a very tight schedule that I don’t stray away from.”

To make the team, upper-year students in the AAC must maintain a GPA above 3.0 (equivalent to a ‘B’ in Canadian schooling). They must also have participated in at least 60% of the team’s scheduled events.

If not a star on the LPGA tour, Tanguay would love to work on the business side of the golf industry. The 23-year-old is moving back to Quebec City for the summer, where she aims to train for the World Amateur Championship before turning pro in the fall.

Many of Team Canada’s athletes have been recognized for several other academic achievements:

• Jennifer Ha (2013 MAC All-Academic team)
• Corey Conners (2012 MAC All-Academic)
• Augusta James (2012 ACC All-Academic)
• Brittany Marchand (2013, 2012, 2011 ACC All-Academic)

Here’s what some of the National Amateur Team players are studying:

• Corey Conners – Actuary Math
• Brittany Marchand – Chemical Engineering
• Chris Hemmerich – Commerce
• Augusta James – Sport Management
• Jennifer Ha – Communications

The Golf Canada Foundation has contributed more than $2.2 million towards scholarships and grants in Canada. To learn more about available scholarships for rising Canadian golfers, click here.

VIRGINIA WATER, England – Only a few days after sending out wedding invitations, golfer Rory McIlroy broke off his engagement to Danish tennis player Caroline Wozniacki on Wednesday.

Uncomfortable and subdued, the two-time major winner spoke about the decision ahead of the BMW PGA Championship, only a few hours after first announcing the split in a statement.

“It is quite a difficult time for Caroline and myself, and the statement really said it all this morning,” McIlroy said at Wentworth. “It was mutual and we both thought it was the best for us, the best for both of us. Time to move on, and I’ve said all that I need to say.”

The 25-year-old McIlroy and 23-year-old Wozniacki have been dating since 2011. They were engaged on New Year’s Eve in Australia.

The decision to call off the wedding came as surprise to many, especially since McIlroy had only recently spoke of his delight in meeting up with Wozniacki in London after competing in the Players Championship a couple of weeks ago. Wozniacki had been due to compete in an event in Rome but withdrew to meet up with him.

“Look, I’m no different than anyone else,” the Northern Irishman said. “Everyone has been through breakups, and it’s obviously very, very difficult. But look, I’m here to try and concentrate on this week and answer questions about golf, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

Both McIlroy and Wozniacki have been the top-ranked player in their respective sports, but Wozniacki has not won a major title. McIlroy won his first major at the 2011 U.S. Open, and then added another a year later at the U.S. PGA Championship.

In the earlier statement, McIlroy took the blame for the breakup.

“The problem is mine. The wedding invitations issued at the weekend made me realize that I wasn’t ready for all that marriage entails,” McIlroy said. “I wish Caroline all the happiness she deserves and thank her for the great times we’ve had. I will not be saying anything more about our relationship in any setting.”

At Wentworth, McIlroy is among the top players at this week’s European Tour flagship event.

“I’m not going to lie. It’s going to be very difficult,” McIlroy said of playing this week. “But you know, at least when I get inside the ropes, just try and concentrate on the shot at hand. But yeah, it’s obviously going to be difficult.”

At least McIlroy will have something to cheer him up. The Manchester United fan will play in the pro-am alongside three former stars from the club, Teddy Sheringham, Peter Schmeichel and Phil Neville.

“I’ve been a Manchester United fan my whole life, and getting to play with three Manchester United legends is going to be a nice afternoon,” McIlroy said. “I remember watching the Champions League final in `99 when United beat (Bayern) Munich in Barcelona, and it was a very memorable night. All those three guys were involved.”

Just a few days ago, McIlroy tweeted a view from dinner with Wozniacki.

Nice view for dinner with @CaroWozniacki at Nobu Monte Carlo pic.twitter.com/R48Q1o7vrL

— Rory Mcilroy (@McIlroyRory) May 18, 2014

The Prince Edward Island Golf Association has appointed Bob Irwin of Charlottetown as it’s new Chief Rules Official .

As Chief Rules Official, Irwin will oversee officiating at provincial tournaments and will promote the development of new rules officials in the province . He will also coordinate the Associations Course Rating program. Mr. Irwin has officiated at a number of Provincial Championships .

“We are fortunate to have Bob accept this position,” said the Association’s Executive Director , Ron MacNeill. “He has been a competitive golfer for many years and has a keen interest in officiating. The Rules of Golf can be challenging for golfers and it is important for the sport to have someone that understands and promotes them . Golfers at all levels, especially juniors, can benefit from a better understanding of the rules.“

The Prince Edward Island Golf Association is the governing body for golf in the province. In addition to overseeing the Rules of Golf the Association delivers a number of programs for competitive golfers, seniors and juniors.

To learn more about the Rules of Golf, including how you can become a Rules Official, click here.