SEA ISLAND, Georgia – Listowel, Ont. native Corey Conners captured the Jones Cup after besting Austin Connelly of Irving, Texas on the first playoff on Sunday at the Ocean Forest Golf Club.

Conners, 21, was 1-stroke back in a tie for fourth heading into the final round. He gained the outright lead earlier in the day before losing a stroke with a bogey on 18 to force the playoff. The Kent State senior collected himself and went on to defeat Connelly with a par on the first playoff hole. Conners finished at 2-over par for the championship after carding rounds of 72-73-73.

With the win, Conners will move up in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) from his current position at 41^st. The Jones Cup is a premier amateur event that is highly ranked and features some of the best amateurs in the world.

Team Canada member and Kent State teammate Taylor Pendrith was the next highest Canadian on the leaderboard. The Richmond Hill, Ont. native finished T26 at 10-over par (75-75-76).

 Other Canadians in the field:

T42.  Kevin Carrigan (Victoria, B.C.) 74-80-74 (+12)
T48. Adam Svensson (Surrey, B.C.) 74-75-80 (+13)
T69. Garrett Rank (Elmira, Ont.) 77-74-82 (+17)

View the full leaderboard here

Stephen Gallacher of Scotland shot a final round 72 Sunday to become the first player to successfully defend the Dubai Desert Classic title, beating Emiliano Grillo of Argentina by 1 stroke.

Gallacher fought back after four bogeys over his opening eight left him in a five-way tie for the lead after 11 holes.

He won the 25-year-old tournament with an overall 16-under 272. It’s only his third victory in 18 years and 431 events on the European Tour.

Grillo secured his best Tour finish with an overall 15-under 273 when he eagled the last hole for a round of 66. Frenchman Romain Wattel also shot a 66 to finish tied in third on 14-under 274 with Brooks Koepka (70) of the United States.

Rory McIlroy struggled with a 74 to finish tied for ninth while top-ranked Tiger Woods (71) birdied his closing three holes for a share of 41st with a 6-under 282.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – A desert critter saved leader Bubba Watson at least a stroke Saturday in the Phoenix Open. Some pigskin play cost Phil Mickelson to the chagrin of the rowdiest fans in the largest crowd in golf history.

The estimated 189,722 fans had a lot to see on a sunny, cool day at TPC Scottsdale.

Watson’s drive on the par-5 13th went into a desert bush and settled next to a burrowing animal hole that would have interfered with his swing. He got a free drop, ended up saving par on the way to a 3-under 68 and a two-stroke lead at 15 under.

Mickelson made a double bogey on the par-3 16th hole, the 20,000-seat stadium hole where he “lost focus” thinking about throwing footballs into the crowd. He had a 72 to drop to 3 under.

Canadian Graham DeLaet shot himself up the leaderboard with a 6-under 65. DeLaet, from Weyburn, Sask., is six shots off the pace at 9-under 204.

David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., shot a 73, and is 13 shots back at 211.

SEA ISLAND, Georgia – Team Canada’s Corey Conners continued his strong play in Georgia, carding a second-round 73 to remain in the hunt heading into the third and final round of the Jones Invitational.

Conners, a Kent State senior, is one of four players tied for fourth place at Ocean Forest Golf Club. The 21-year-old of Listowel, Ont. native was a model of consistency Saturday, recording 15 pars on the day. He is 1-over par, chasing the lead held by three others at even par.

National Team member Adam Svensson slipped down the leaderboard into a tie for 20^th. The  Surrey, B.C. native was hurt by three consecutive bogies on the back nine to finish with a 3-over 75. The 20-year-old is now 5-over par through two rounds of play (74-75).

Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont. also shot a 3-over 75. He is currently 6-over par (75-75) and sits tied for 29th.

Elmira, Ont. native Garrett Rank improved on his opening-round Saturday, carding a 2-over 74 after his opening round of 77. He moved up 13 spots to sit tied for 37th.

Victoria, B.C. native Kevin Carrigan had a difficult day. The 27-year-old slipped into a tie for 61st after recording an 8-over 80.

View the full leaderboard here.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Defending champion Stephen Gallacher had seven birdies and an eagle on the back nine Saturday to surge past Rory McIlroy and take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Dubai Desert Classic.

Gallacher equaled the European Tour record for the lowest nine-hole score with an inward 28 for a 9-under 63. That gave him a 16-under total of 200, with McIlroy in second after 69. Tiger Woods was 11 shots back after a 70.

“This is the best back nine I’ve had in my career by far,” said Gallacher, who started the day four shots behind McIlroy. “So to get myself back into contention when I needed to, and given the stature of this tournament, it feels good.”

Gallacher started with seven straight pars before a bogey on the eighth. But he birdied the next four holes before an eagle on the par-5 13th, where he hit a 7-iron to within three inches with his second shot. After another par on the next hole, he finished with four straight birdies.

“I struggled at the start and played the first four holes a bit ropey,” the Scot said. “But I then hit a beautiful drive and 7-iron (at the ninth) to about 3 foot, and from then on I never missed a shot.”

The Desert Classic is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and Gallacher now has a chance to become the first person to win back-to-back titles at the event. McIlroy earned his first European Tour victory here in 2009 and is still very much in the hunt despite battling food poisoning during the second round on Friday. McIlroy, who had his lowest score in three years with a 63 in the opening round, mixed three birdies and an eagle with two bogeys on Saturday.

“My stomach is better today, still not 100 percent but it’s better than it was yesterday,” McIlroy said. “I feel like I can catch him (Gallacher) up tomorrow. I don’t really want to focus on what he’s doing – try to focus on my own thing.”

Woods, who won here in 2006 and 2008, failed to get back in contention after a disappointing day on the greens. The top-ranked American had two bogeys and four birdies but missed a number of opportunities to pull closer.

“I only hit a couple of bad shots, (but) missed a ton of putts,” said Woods, who was in a tie for 37th. “Really hit it good but just threw away a lot of shots.”

Thorbjoern Olesen of Denmark shot a 65 to sit tied for third with Brooks Koepka of the United States, another two shots behind Gallacher. Race to Dubai winner Henrik Stenson fell out of contention with a 75 that included two double bogeys and left him 12 shots back.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Tiger Woods is making his first visit to India next week to play an exhibition with a top business executive.

Woods said he will be the guest of Pawan Munjal, the CEO and managing director of Hero Motor Group, which makes motorcycles and scooters. They are to play an 18-hole match on Tuesday at Delhi Golf Club, which has hosted the Indian Open.

Munjal first met Woods when visiting the Tavistock Cup in Orlando, Florida. Woods also is close to India native Arjun Atwal, a U.S. PGA Tour winner.

Woods has been conducting corporate outings in Asia and Australia for the last couple of years. The Hindustan Times said the event would not be open to the public.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Phil Mickelson made it to the weekend in the Phoenix Open. Another popular left-hander and a fellow former Arizona State player set the pace.

A week after withdrawing from Torrey Pines because of back pain, Mickelson shot a 4-under 67 in his afternoon round Friday at cool and breezy TPC Scottsdale. The defending champion was eight strokes behind leaders Bubba Watson and Matt Jones.

“I’m not totally out of it,” Mickelson said. “Obviously, heading into the weekend, I’d like to be closer, but as we have seen in the past, there is that 8-, 9-, 10-, in some cases 11-under par round out there.”

Indeed, the three-time champion has shot 11-under 60 twice in the event, in the second round in his 2005 victory and last year in the first round.

Watson, the long-hitting left-hander who won the 2012 Masters, followed his opening 64 with a 66 to reach 12 under. Jones, the Australian who played at Arizona State and lives in Scottsdale, had his second straight 65.

“It’s right where I want to be going into the weekend,” Watson said.

The 43-year-old Mickelson felt soreness in his back two weeks ago in Abu Dhabi, and pulled out at Torrey Pines after making the 36-hole cut. He flew to Georgia to see back specialist Tom Boers and was told his facet joints locked up.

“My back feels great,” Mickelson said. “Like I said, it was a simple fix. I just don’t want to overdo it.”

Lefty saved par with a 12-footer on the par-5 15th hole after hitting his second shot into the water. On Thursday in his opening 71, he reached the green in two and three-putted for par from about the same distance.

“Very difficult conditions to go really low,” Mickelson said.

Harris English and Greg Chalmers shot 67 to reach 10 under, and Pat Perez, Kevin Stadler and Hideki Matsuyama were 9 under. Matsuyama had a 67, and Perez and Stadler shot 68.

Watson opened with a birdie on the par-4 10th. In 50-degree conditions with the wind hours away on the cloudy day when it barely reached the mid-60s, he hit a 315-yard drive to set up a 70-yard shot that he hit to 4 feet.

“Back is not as loose as you want it to be, weather is not as warm as you want it to be,” Watson said. “But I hit a good tee shot, and then I hit my wedge in there close and I made the putt. … That got me going.”

Wearing lime greens shoes and an otherwise all-black outfit, Watson bogeyed the par-3 seventh after driving right. He made a 30-foot birdie putt on the par-4 eighth and closed with a bogey on the par-4 ninth after his wedge shot spun off the green.

“I had two sloppy bogeys coming down the stretch, but I will take it,” Watson said.

Jones birdied four of his last six holes. He also played in the morning.

“We definitely got the good side of the draw,” Jones said.

Despite the cooler weather, the tournament set an attendance record for the third straight day with an estimated crowd of 123,674. Since Monday, an estimated 313,054 people have attended the event. The seven-day record of 538,356 was set in 2008.

It also was expected to be cool over the weekend, with highs in the low-60s.

Jones is a regular at the course, but doesn’t consider that an advantage.

“The golf course is so different tournament week than it is when you play out here regularly,” Jones said. “It’s a lot harder, a lot faster. The greens are a lot quicker. The pins are a lot more tucked out here. So, it’s like a new golf course when you come here for a tournament.”

Brandt Snedeker had the best round of the day, a 64 in the morning to reach 8 under.

“My putting, plain and simple,” Snedeker said. “I hit the ball extra good yesterday and had some of the worst putting I had all year. Today, I kind of did the opposite.”

La Quinta winner Patrick Reed also was 8 under after his second 67. Playing alongside Watson, Reed hit to a foot for a birdie on the par-3 16th stadium hole.

Making a statement about the PGA Tour’s decision to ban caddie races to the green on the rowdy hole, players Robert Garrigus and Morgan Hoffman sprinted to the putting surface. Garrigus made a birdie, and Hoffman had a bogey.

Keegan Bradley followed his opening 66 with an 80, The score was the second-highest of his PGA Tour career, following an 82 last year in the Masters. He made a triple-bogey 8 on No. 3 and had eight bogeys and two birdies.

David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., is eight shots back, with a 1-under 70 leaving him at 4-under 138 for the tournament. Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., is another stroke back after turning in a 72.

The rest of the Canadian contingent missed the cut, which was 1-under 141. Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., finished at 145. Amateur Ki Taek Lee of Vancouver wound up at 147, while Calgary’s Stephen Ames was another shot back.

SEA ISLAND, Georgia – Team Canada’s Corey Conners sits just two-strokes off the pace after the opening round of the Jones Cup Invitational at Ocean Forest Golf Club.

Conners, 21, shot an even par 72 which featured four birdies on the back 9. He is currently tied for fifth with three others and will look to make his way up the leaderboard when play resumes tomorrow.

Kevin Carrigan of Victoria, B.C. also opened well in Georgia – he currently sits at tied for 15th after carding a 2-over 74. Team Canada member and Surrey, B.C. native, Adam Svensson, also fared well. The 20-year-old Barry University student sits tied with Carrigan in 15th spot after going 2-under on his final six holes.

Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., also a member of Team Canada’s National Team, finished in a tie for 25^th after opening with a 3-over 75.

Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont. struggled in his opening round to a 5-over 77. He currently sits 50th.

Scoring can be viewed online here.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Rory McIlroy birdied his last hole to keep the lead to himself halfway through the Dubai Desert Classic on Friday.

Meanwhile, playing partner Tiger Woods carded a 1-over 73 to drop into a tie for 44th. He kept his humour, at least.

In joining fellow Masters champions Mark O’Meara and Fred Couples in hosting a junior golf clinic on the Emirates Club practice range, Woods told a large crowd, “I was on so many parts of the golf course today that I got to meet so many people, signed so many autographs out there, and gave a lot of balls away.

“But seriously, I was just hitting it sideways.”

While Woods was at 3 under, two above a cut line which removed Ernie Els, John Daly, Jose Maria Olazabal and O’Meara, McIlroy was riding an adventurous round of five birdies against three bogeys to finish on 11 under.

His lead was cut in half to one shot over European Tour-based American Brooks Koepka, who birdied his opening three holes in a 65 to move to 10 under.

Three players – England’s Danny Willett (65), Ireland’s Damien McGrane (70) and Frenchman Julien Quesne (70) – share third place on 8 under.

Pointe Claire, Que. – PUMA Golf Canada and Golf Canada have announced a three-year partnership in which PUMA will become the official apparel sponsor of the CN Future Links junior development program in Canada.

Committed to ensuring the future of the game through affordable and accessible programs, CN Future Links is a joint initiative of Golf Canada, the PGA of Canada and Canada’s provincial golf associations which offers a full suite of programs for boys and girls ages 6-18, from first timers to those with a high degree of experience and playing ability.

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.

“The CN Future Links program has had a long and successful history with junior development in Canada and we are extremely happy to support this great initiative” said Dave Burgess, Senior Marketing Manager, PUMA Golf Canada. “We are excited to enter into this partnership and honoured to work alongside such a great and professional organization.”

Burgess goes onto mention, “Some of our athletes such as Rickie Fowler and newly adopted Canadian, Graham DeLaet have had a strong influence towards golf fashion in the past few years. We are happy that juniors will now have access to some of these products through their involvement in the CN Future Links”.

”We are thrilled with PUMA Golf Canada’s decision to align their vibrant brand with Canada’s national junior golf program,” said Golf Canada CEO Scott Simmons. “Without question, PUMA Golf brings excitement to golf fashion and represents a tremendous opportunity to help CN Future Links engage more youth in quality golf activities.”

PUMA Golf will support the CN Future Links by providing registration incentives, program prizing and staff apparel.