In the final round of the 2014 World Golf Championships – Bridgestone Invitational, Sergio Garcia’s tee shot hits a spectator causing her to lose her diamond from her ring on the par-4 3rd hole…

Don’t worry folks, the diamond was found shortly afterwards. And, how great was Sergio? I have no doubt he would have replaced it for her if it was lost.

Brad Faxon and David Fay are returning to the broadcast booth for Fox Sports.

Faxon worked briefly for NBC Sports and most recently for Golf Channel. He will serve as the lead studio analyst and a hole announcer for Fox, which has signed a 12-year deal to broadcast the U.S. Open and other USGA events starting next year. Fox also will broadcast the Shark Shootout in December.

Fay was executive director of the USGA until retiring at the end of 2010, and he was in the booth during U.S. Opens for NBC Sports to serve as the rules expert. That’s the role he will take with Fox.

“Long known for his smooth putting stroke, Brad’s transition to broadcasting has been just as easy,” said Mark Loomis, the coordinating producer for Fox Sports. “He still has great relationships with, and knowledge of, today’s tour players, and that insight will prove invaluable to our telecasts.”

Loomis said adding Fay was a “no-brainer” because of his deep knowledge of the USGA and its championships.

Fay was a driving force behind the USGA’s recent move to play the U.S. Open on public golf courses more often, starting with Bethpage Black in 2002. The U.S. Open next year is at Chambers Bay outside Seattle, another public golf course.

Many outstanding golf clubhouses have been built over the past decade including the Hicks Partnership’s new masterpiece that opens to Whistle Bear Golf Club members July 31^st.

While a handful of newlywed couples have enjoyed a sneak preview of the jaw-dropping clubhouse interior for their wedding receptions over the last two-three weeks, Whistle Bear’s 600 golfing members will finally see what all the fuss is about at a special reception of their own highlighted by great food, speeches, tours of 40,000 square-foot work of art and fireworks on Thursday night.

“The vision for this project has been to create a stately clubhouse modeled after some of the great East Coast clubhouses of America such as Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, The Ocean Course in Kiawah and Maidstone in the East Hamptons, New York,” says renowned Canadian architect Bill Hicks. “It’s a remarkable multi-purpose facility that now ties majestically into the golf course landscape for members to enjoy, but it also will allow Landmark Group to capitalize on that enchanting setting to develop a picture-perfect atmosphere for its wedding and special event business.”

Hicks Partners have designed and/or renovated over 45 clubhouses in Canada including projects at Rosedale, St. George’s Golf & Country Club, Dundas Valley, Weston and Oakville Golf & Country Club, among many others. Current projects include the recent approval of a 10-year master plan for Credit Valley Golf & Country Club, as well as clubhouse renovations slated for The Badminton & Racquet Club in Toronto and The Toronto Lawn Tennis Club.

At Whistle Bear they tore down two-thirds of an existing clubhouse in the fall of 2013 and then rebuilt it from the ground up. As members and guests drive through the gates off Dickie Settlement Road in Cambridge, Ont. they are now greeted by a relaxed two-storey shingled styled clubhouse tailored after the Arts and Craft movement that started in England in the 1860s and was popular in North America from 1900 into the 1930s. In front of the building there’s a wonderful circular grass walkway with finely cut grass filling the interior and a pole with the Canadian flag waving brilliantly in the middle.

Entering through the wooden double-doors, one can only marvel at the stone fireplace in the center of the Grand Lobby, while a split staircase is a stunning backdrop that leads to the second floor. To the right is a reception area and down the hallway are two sales offices and a newly decorated golf shop with counter area at the center. Other main floor highlights include; a fitness center with a yoga/Pilates studio, an intimate boardroom and the members dining lounge with heated floors and a removable wall of windows that opens up to an outdoor terrace and the 18^th hole. There’s also the first of three banquet rooms with interior designs by Lori Morris Design. The Grandview Room and Garden accommodates a guest list of up to 220 with a 30-foot mirrored vaulted ceiling, with intricate wood-carved details and a beautiful crystal chandelier, while windows on two sides bring natural light into the room.

On the second floor, there’s the Rose Room that seats up to 170 guests and the 4,000-square-foot Forestview Room with 20-foot wood-framed ceilings that can accommodate 400-plus guests. All three areas feature individual private bridal suites, outdoor terraces overlooking different areas of the golf course and high-tech sound and visual systems.

To feed everyone, Hicks Partners designed two 3,500 square foot banquet kitchens, one on top of the other on the first and second floors, as well as a third kitchen area with its own line that opens up to the member dining lounge. “We have taken all of the best aspects of our kitchens in the Landmark Group and incorporated them into these state-of-the-art facilities,” says executive chef Bryan Gibson. Landmark Group owns Cambridge Mill, Ancaster Mill, Elora Mill Inn & Spa, Earth to Table Bread Bar, Earth to Table Farm and 50 per cent of Whistle Bear. They will be able to host upwards of six to eight weddings per weekend and feed upwards of 3,000 people including golf members.

Exterior highlights incorporated into the Hicks Partners design include fire pits, two waterfalls for wedding photos, a magnificent clock tower and a new starters’ hut. The lower level of the clubhouse is home to two small business offices for people who need a private area to get some work done, and well as men’s and ladies’ locker room facilities.

“I think our members are really going to enjoy their facilities, especially the new fitness center and the dining lounge is certainly going to be a focal point,” says General Manager, Brad Duench. “When it comes to weddings, banquets and special events we’re now second to none in Waterloo Region and beyond.”

Hicks Partners is also working with the Landmark Group to restore the Elora Mill and is in the process of developing a long range plan for a spa, meetings areas and a luxury hotel on the site.

Whistle Bear will play host to the LPGA Manulife Classic in 2015 and 2016, where they will certainly be able to wine and dine the local golf community and world’s top female golfers at a club with a clubhouse and course that gets better and better with each passing day.

Shaw Communications Inc. and Graham DeLaet have announced a new program to support children’s charities and the development of junior golfers at all levels.  As part of the Shaw Birdies and Eagles for Kids program, Shaw will donate $100 to the Graham and Ruby DeLaet Foundation for every birdie and $500 for every eagle that Graham makes during the 2014 PGA Tour season. Proceeds from the program will reinforce the DeLaet foundation’s support for children’s health and well-being, and junior golf programs.

This season, DeLaet has recorded more than 200 birdies and four eagles bringing Shaw’s charitable donation total to over $20,000. DeLaet, who is currently ranked 31st in the world, is set to tee off this week at the 2014 RBC Canadian Open being played at The Royal Montreal Golf Club in île Bizard, Quebec.

Fans can track DeLaet’s scoring and the growth of Shaw’s donations by visiting Shaw.ca/golf and by following @ShawGolf on Twitter, which also features exclusive golf giveaways.

Viewers can follow this week’s RBC Canadian Open by tuning into Global TV. As the home for golf in Canada, Global TV will be broadcasting all-access coverage of the 2014 RBC Canadian Open starting at 3pm ET/12pm PT on Saturday, July 26 and closing out the final round at 3pm ET/12pm PT on Sunday, July 27. Both broadcasts begin with pre-game coverage starting an hour before the round commences.

To kick off its new partnership with Mike Weir, ALEVE is taking a swing in support of the Canadian golf icon and The Arthritis Society during this weekend’s RBC Canadian Open.

From Thursday, July 24^th to Sunday, July 27^th, during the RBC Canadian Open, each of Mike’s birdies will be matched by a $1,000 donation, each eagle will net $2,000, and a hole-in-one will equal a $10,000 donation by ALEVE to The Arthritis Society in support of its goal of boosting care and erasing the pain of arthritis.

Weir, who suffered a 2011 injury to his elbow that developed into arthritis, is working with ALEVE, the over-the-counter pain reliever indicated to temporarily relieve the daily pain and stiffness of arthritis, in hopes of helping other Canadians break free from their pain and get back to doing the things they love. It is estimated that by 2036, the number of Canadians living with arthritis will grow from 4.6 million adults to 7.5 million, or one in five.

CALGARY, July 22, 2014 – Ahead of the 2014 RBC Canadian Open, Shaw Communications announced it has partnered with rising Canadian professional golfers Michael Gligic and Beon Yeong Lee.

“Supporting Michael and Beon represents Shaw’s desire to help give rising Canadian golf talent the opportunity to grow and develop their game even further,” says Brad Shaw, CEO, Shaw Communications Inc. “We are proud to support them as they pursue their goals and hope to help inspire thousands of kids dreaming of following in their footsteps.”

Sporting the Shaw logo during the week of the RBC Canadian Open, Gligic and Lee represent some of the up-and-coming Canadian golfers at this year’s national championship taking place July 21-27, 2014 at The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Île-Bizard, Que. The two golfers are the latest additions to Shaw’s roster of professional golf partnerships that feature PGA TOUR star Graham DeLaet and rising Web.com Tour pro Adam Hadwin.

From Burlington, Ont., Gligic captured his first PGA TOUR Canada win at the ATB Financial Classic in Edmonton in 2012, and placed second on the PGA TOUR Canada’s 2012 Order of Merit. Gligic secured his spot at the RBC Canadian Open by winning a regional qualifying event at his home course of Whistle Bear Golf Club in Cambridge, Ont.

From Montreal, Lee earned his place at the 2014 RBC Canadian Open by winning the regional qualifying tournament at Elm Ridge Country Club in île Bizard, and most recently finished eighth at The Players Cup at Pine Ridge Golf Club in Winnipeg. The 2014 RBC Canadian Open will mark Lee’s second trip to the tournament, having qualified in 2010.

Complete coverage of the RBC Canadian Open can be seen on Global TV. As the home for golf in Canada, Global TV will be broadcasting all-access coverage of the 2014 RBC Canadian Open on Saturday, July 26 at 3pm ET/12pm PT, with final round coverage airing at 3pm ET/12pm PT on Sunday, July 27. Both broadcasts begin with pre-game coverage starting an hour before the round commences.

The Claret Jug has been presented to every Open Championship victor since 1873. First awarded to Tom Kidd, the Claret Jug has been raised by some of golf’s greatest champions. Here’s what they’ve put in in…

Top 10: Best players never to win the Open Championship

It’s as easy as one, two, three for the Tam Family when it comes to playing golf at King’s Forest Golf Club in Hamilton.

Forty years ago in 1974, John Tam signed up as one of the club’s very first members, when he switched his membership to the City of Hamilton’s newest municipal golf course, after being a member at its sister club since 1966.

At the time, the steelworker, who would go on to retire from Stelco in 1997, never thought his passion for the game would become a family affair, but today he looks back with only fond memories as he tees off with his son Paul and his grandson Michael.

“When I was really young my dad would bring me out and I would walk a few holes with him and just hit the ball,” says Paul, who is a Grade 7-8 teacher at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Elementary School in Stoney Creek. “Then, when I was in Grade 7 in 1983, he bought me a junior membership and I have been here since then.”

As it turns out, Paul has two children, Isabel, who is 11-years-old and plays rep soccer with dad as coach, and Michael, 14, who is walking in his grandfather’s and father’s footsteps. “When Michael was in Grade 7 I decided it was time to buy him a junior membership at King’s Forest and since that time the three of us have had a great time golfing together.”

Their summer golf routine is pretty amazing. They play 18 holes together three times a week and Grandpa John is usually out there with friends on the other weekdays. Michael also plays a few holes with his grandfather in the evenings. The Grade 10 student at Cardinal Newman CSS in Stoney Creek caddies twice a week at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, where he makes $32 for looping 18 holes plus tips.

The trio are quite funny and when asked what they think each other’s Golf Canada handicap factor might be. They all have a different number in mind for each other. To avoid a family scrap, we’ll say it’s in the teens for each of them, but the question of who is the best golfer in the group will surely be debated for years. They are definitely competitive. John says Michael is a “Wildman”, Paul says Michael is “erratic”, Michael says playing with dad and grandpa is “painful.” They all laugh. “I’m really lucky to spend this time with them. A lot of other juniors at the club aren’t out here with their parents, let alone grandparents,” Michael says. Paul says golf has allowed the trio to be best friends. John, who is 74 years-old, says it’s a “Godsend.” They walk all of the time – no carts for these boys!

John hasn’t added up the number of rounds he’s played at King’s Forest, but at an average of 100-plus rounds a year for 40 years, there were some years he had to buy two memberships because he was playing so much, John has played more golf at King’s Forest than any other person on his earth.

Not surprisingly, John has also collected four aces at King’s Forest, which he calls his second home, over the years with one on No. 5, two on No. 14 and once on No. 17. At home, his wife Marisa doesn’t mind when John leaves the house at 6 am to play golf. She continues to welcome him back later in the day with a smile, unless he’s gone to play racquet ball at the YMCA, but that is another story for another day.

The scenic layout at King’s Forest was designed by former parks foreman Matt Broman, who was 76-years-old at the time, with the guidance of Rod Goodes, the Head Professional at Chedoke Civic Golf Club from 1965 to 1990. The design was monumental for its day. It measured just over 7,000 yards, par-72 from the tips over a rolling 250-acre landscape that featured a variety of terrific elevated tee shots, several challenging doglegs and six holes crossing the naturalized Red Hill Creek. It’s interesting to note that the two courses and 36-holes at Chedoke Civic GC are laid out on just over 220 acres!

“It’s a beautiful spot, but it’s getting harder, or maybe it’s just my age,” John says. “It was pretty wide open when I first came here 40 years ago and now the trees have grown up just like my son and his son – it’s a great place to call home.

HOYLAKE, England – The Royal & Ancient Golf Club will hold a business meeting next week to determine whether to allow club members to vote by proxy for its historic September vote to have female members.

Club rules require members to be present to vote but R&A secretary Peter Dawson said Wednesday at Royal Liverpool that “it’s clear that the majority of R&A members feel that postal voting would be appropriate in this case. The rules of the club do not cater for postal voting and, therefore, those rules would have to be changed for a postal vote to be held legitimately.”

Dawson announced in April that the R&A would vote Sept. 18 whether to allow female members for the first time in its 260-year history. The club has about 2,400 members around the world, meaning the issue could be decided by only a few hundred members who live near the club if the rules aren’t changed.

HOYLAKE, England – A man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of assault after he took a golf cart from the course staging the British Open and drove it into a security guard, the second police intervention involving a wayward cart in consecutive majors.

The incident occurred at Royal Liverpool Golf Club about 7.30 p.m. local time (1830 GMT) at the end of the final practice day before the tournament begins Thursday.

Merseyside police said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press that a 45-year-old man from the local area took the golf cart from the course and collided with the guard, who sustained a slight leg injury.

Police said the man then steered the cart into a barrier near an entrance to the course in Hoylake.

“We can confirm that a man has been arrested following an incident at The Open golf practice day in Hoylake at about 7:30 p.m. this evening,” police said. “One man was arrested on suspicion of assault … Just before colliding with the barrier the buggy caught a security guard causing a slight injury to his leg.”

At the U.S. Open in June, a man who drove NBC Sports analyst Roger Maltbie’s golf cart during the third round at Pinehurst, North Carolina, was charged with assaulting a state trooper on the course.

A police report said Tommy Lineberry was charged with felony assault on a law enforcement officer, felony hit and run, driving while impaired, and resisting, obstructing and delaying a law enforcement officer.