ACTON, Ont. – This year’s Titleist & FootJoy PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada is headed southwest to the Grand Canyon State.

The 54-hole national championship takes place Nov. 16-19 at the SunRidge Canyon Golf Club in Fountain Hills, Ariz.

“We couldn’t be more excited to take the Titleist & FootJoy PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada to the southwest and SunRidge Canyon Golf Club in Fountain Hills, Ariz.,” PGA of Canada president Gregg Schubert said. “Since 2004 we’ve played this championship in Florida and it has been a very successful spot, but we feel moving west will attract more of our western PGA of Canada professionals.”

The move to Arizona comes after a 10-year run at PGA Golf Club in Port St Lucie, Fla.

At nearly 7,000-yards, SunRidge Canyon is hidden among the ridges and canyons in the foothills of the McDowell Mountains, widely considered one of the most picturesque and dramatic stretches of natural land in the southwest United States. The beauty and challenge of SunRidge Canyon has made it one of the most highly rated clubs in Arizona. The course was selected No. 42 on Golf Magazine’s list of ‘The Top 100 Courses You Can Play in the United States,’ and was the host of the 1997 USGA State Team Championship.

In 2013, Adam Chamberlain of Gowan Brae Golf Club in Bathurst, N.B., captured the Club Professional Championship of Canada. The 31-year-old head professional’s three-day total of 9-under-par 207 (69-68-70) was two better than two-time champion and perennial PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada favourite Danny King of The Performance Academy at Magna.

In addition to competing for the overall championship trophy, players in the PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada earn much-coveted ranking points with hopes of moving up on the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC. Players who are ranked inside the top 64 following the Titleist & Footjoy PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada earn invites into the following year’s PGA Championship of Canada sponsored by Mr. Lube and presented by TaylorMade-adidas Golf.

Former champions of the PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada include Ken Fulton, Norm Jarvis, Gar Hamilton, Bob Panasik, Yvan Beauchemin, Graham Gunn, Ken Tarling and Brian Hutton.

theScore backs Mackenzie Hughes

theScore has once again teamed-up with rising Canadian golf star Mackenzie Hughes, as the 23-year-old prepares to take the next big step in his professional career.

Hughes, from Dundas, Ont., makes his debut on the Web.com Tour tomorrow at the Pacific Rubiales Colombia Championship Presented by Claro in Bogota, Colombia. Hughes secured fully exempt status on the Web.com Tour after finishing first on 2013 PGA TOUR Canada Order of Merit, which included a victory at the Cape Breton Celtic Classic Presented by PC Financial and four top-10 finishes.

theScore sponsored Hughes throughout the 2013 PGA TOUR Canada season and will continue its support in 2014 as he graduates to the Web.com Tour. Hughes looks to finish inside the top-25 on season ending money list and earn full status on the PGA TOUR next season, alongside the biggest names in the world golf.

As part of the partnership, theScore will be giving golf fans an exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpse of life as a professional golfer through Hughes’ regular “Confessions of a Tour Pro” column, which can be seen in the PGA sections of theScore app and theScore.com.

“Mac is a great guy and a talented professional who has shown the potential to compete at the very highest level,” said John Levy, Chairman and CEO of theScore, Inc. “We’re so excited for him this year and pleased to be playing a part in helping him achieve his goal of competing with the very best on the world stage.”

“It’s great to have theScore backing me again this season,” said Hughes, a former member of Golf Canada’s National Team and Kent State University alumnus. “They’re a well-known Canadian brand and sports fans all over the world love their mobile apps.”

Anna Nordqvist joins TaylorMade-adidas Golf

TaylorMade-adidas Golf has announced the addition of LPGA Tour player Anna Nordqvist as an LPGA Tour staff professional and brand ambassador.

Nordqvist, a two-time winner on the LPGA Tour and winner of the 2009 LPGA Championship, will play TaylorMade metalwoods and irons and will wear adidas Golf apparel and footwear per her new contract.

The 26-year-old Swede turned professional in 2008 following a successful amateur career in both Europe and the United States which included Swedish Junior Player of the Year honors in 2004 and 2005, Pacific Athletic Conference (Pac-10) Player of the Year and co-champion honors in 2007, as well as membership on the victorious Swedish team at the 2008 World Amateur Team Championships.

In 2013, Nordqvist made the cut in all 26 LPGA events she entered, earning five top-10 finishes along the way. She competed in the Solheim Cup for the third time in her career (’09, ’11), where she finished with a 2-1-1 record for the victorious European Team and carded the first hole-in-one in Solheim Cup history.

“We are thrilled to welcome Anna into the TaylorMade-adidas Golf family as a member of our tour staff,” said Chuck Presto, Senior Vice President, Global Sports Marketing. “She’s an established and well-respected professional on the LPGA Tour that we’re proud to have representing our two brands in competition.”

For more information on TaylorMade-adidas Golf equipment, apparel or tour staff players, please visit TaylorMadeGolf.ca.

CARLSBAD, Calif. – TaylorMade Golf Company has introduced the PROJECT (a), a golf ball engineered to promote more spin and improved performance where amateurs need it most, into and around the green.

The “a” in Project (a) stands for “amateur,” and the reason for its creation is simple: Amateur golfers generate less spin than Tour professionals. Project (a) is designed to deliver more spin on mid irons, short irons and shots around the green; resulting in enhanced control and increased scoring opportunities.

“Having gathered data from many player types including Tour pros, it’s no secret that amateurs need help generating spin and stopping the ball on the green,” said Dean Snell, vice president of golf ball R&D at TaylorMade. “Our tests indicate amateurs miss the pin by an average of 35 yards on a 150 yard approach shot. Playing Project (a) gives amateur golfers a better chance at stopping the ball on the green, creating better scoring opportunities.”

The high-spin performance of Project (a) is rooted in Soft Tech, a cast urethane cover that’s TaylorMade’s softest and most durable to date. At $34.99 per dozen, Project (a) is one of few golf balls at its price point with a urethane cover.  Soft Tech is likewise used in TaylorMade’s new Tour Preferred franchise.

In addition to delivering excellent spin performance, the Soft Tech cover also provides an even softer feel around the greens than previous TaylorMade offerings. The ball’s durability provides higher resistance to shearing.

While Project (a) spins with great veracity on shots into the green, it’s also engineered to spin low off the driver to promote longer and straighter drives.

For more information, visit www.taylormadegolf.ca

(Calgary Herald) Calgary’s Ryan Yip traveled halfway around the world to try to further his golf career on the weekend.

And the move paid off.

The 29-year-old, who grew up playing at Bearspaw Country Club in Calgary, won an Asian Tour Qualifying School event at Imperial Lakeview Golf Club in Phetchaburi, Thailand, on Saturday.

USGA elects Thomas J. O’Toole Jr. as its 63rd president

Thomas J. O’Toole Jr., of St. Louis, Mo., will serve a one-year term as the 63rd president of the United States Golf Association (USGA). The election of officers and the 15-member USGA Executive Committee also took place this past weekend during the USGA’s Annual Meeting in the Village of Pinehurst, N.C.

As president, O’Toole, 56, assumes the leadership of the more than 300 professional staff and nearly 1,200 volunteers who serve the 119-year-old organization, and succeeds Glen D. Nager, of Washington, D.C., who served for two years as USGA president.

“It is an honor and a privilege to lead such a noble organization,” said O’Toole during remarks made at the USGA Annual Meeting. “I am excited and energized to continue my service to the Association and keenly aware of the magnitude of the profound responsibilities that accompany this role.”

Under O’Toole’s leadership, the USGA will continue to focus on the core priorities that have been established in the Association’s strategic plan: to conduct the most exemplary championships in golf, to provide worldwide excellence in governing the game, and to enhance critical services that support the game and those who play it. The USGA’s efforts and investment in these strategic areas are vital to maintaining a game that is vibrant and sustainable. Building on the USGA’s considerable efforts of the past, O’Toole challenged the Association’s volunteers and staff and the industry at large to strive for a game that is affordable, environmentally responsible, in balance with modern lifestyles, and – importantly – welcoming and accessible to all who wish to play.

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ClubLink acquires Hidden Lake Golf Club

ClubLink has acquired the 36-hole Hidden Lake Golf Club in Burlington, Ont., and plans to continue to operate it as a daily-fee facility with local membership programs.

“Hidden Lake Golf Club has a long history of not only hosting many professional and amateur events over the years, but also of providing an outstanding experience to the public golfer in the western Greater Toronto Area,” said ClubLink President and CEO Rai Sahi. “Our intention is to continue serving the daily-fee market while offering locally based membership opportunities.”

George Tidd, managing partner with Terry Parker of Hidden Lake Golf Club, said he was pleased with ClubLink’s vision for the future of the facility.

“Since 1979, we have grown this into one of the most popular golf courses in the Burlington-Oakville region by offering the public golfer a great experience at an affordable fee,” said Mr. Tidd. “We couldn’t be happier that ClubLink, with its commitment to growing the game at all levels, plans to continue this legacy.”

Hidden Lake Golf Club consists of two championship courses that cover approximately 500 acres of picturesque Niagara Escarpment landscape. Opened in 1962 as the 18-hole Lake Medad Golf and Country Club, it was purchased in 1979 by a local consortium led by Mr. Tidd and Mr. Parker, both golf professionals, and renamed Hidden Lake Golf Club.

Hidden Lake has served as qualifier for the RBC Canadian Open on many occasions.

Click here to read more.

TaylorMade has announced the release of Tour Preferred and Tour Preferred X – two tour-caliber golf balls that provide complete tee-to-green performance.

After a decade of prototyping and testing with the world’s best players, the company believes the new Tour Preferred franchise is the best performing ball the company has released to date.

“Golf ball innovation doesn’t just happen overnight. Rather, it is a series of ongoing conversation with our Tour players,” said Dean Snell, vice president of golf ball R&D for TaylorMade. “These conversations have led to the introduction of breakthrough technologies including low drag aerodynamics for ultimate wind resistance, a five-layer construction for superior control throughout the club set and now our softest and most durable cover.”

A new technology featured in the golf balls is Soft Tech™, TaylorMade’s softest and most durable cover to date. Made of a cast urethane, the new cover provides an even softer feel around the greens than previous TaylorMade offerings.  The Soft Tech cover will also provide higher resistance to shearing and will last longer.

What separates Tour Preferred and the Tour Preferred X from each other is spin. The Tour Preferred is designed for players who desire more spin in the mid-to-long iron shots. The additional spin will also promote a higher trajectory on approach shots.

Tour Preferred X maintains the same spin and trajectory into the green as its predecessor Lethal. Unlike Lethal, Tour Preferred X promotes better green side control because of its new Soft Tech cover.

TaylorMade anticipates that more than 80% of its tour players will gravitate to this model as they are seeking controlled iron spin, for a more penetrating ball flight.

Since their introduction on Tour earlier this year, players have quickly made the switch to both models including Sergio Garcia who has already won twice with the Tour Preferred X (Thailand Golf Championship in December and Qatar Masters in January). Emerging LPGA star Jessica Korda also played the Tour Preferred X in her season-opening win at the Pure Silk Classic.

Tour Preferred and Tour Preferred X will be available at retail on March 1st at $49.99 per dozen. For more information, please visit www.taylormadegolf.ca

“If it’s good enough, then we must make it better.” – Cindy Davis, President of Nike Golf.

That approach is rooted in every product crafted at The Oven, Nike Golf’s research and design facility. The company’s new VRS Covert 2.0 irons are no exception.

Golf club engineers and designers built upon the performance benefits of the first generation of Covert irons and improved specific design elements in the 2014 model to make it easier for golfers to hit the ball farther and higher with superior stability and feel.

“What’s impressive about the VRS Covert 2.0 set is that golfers can be aggressive and confident with these irons,” says Chris Savage, Nike Golf Irons Innovation Engineer.  “This set utilizes our largest cavity and thinnest perimeter to deliver higher ball speed and greater distance.  We have also refined our leading edge bevel to make it easier for these irons to go through the turf. Throughout development, these irons have proven to be the best distance irons we have created to date.”

The Nike Golf club team shifted the centre of gravity behind the centre of the face, which provides a more solid impact where golfers hit the ball most, resulting in more distance with great feel. Nike’s club engineers also lowered the centre of gravity by modifying the mass in the back of the club head and shifting that weight lower and more towards the toe for a higher and more stable ball flight.

A larger cavity in the VRS Covert 2.0 irons moves more metal to the perimeter of the club head and allows for a larger face, which amplifies the ‘trampoline effect’ and produces more ball speed at impact. Coupled with a larger cavity, Nike’s proprietary NexCOR variable face thickness technology allows for greater ball speed off the face, resulting in more distance.

A new leading-edge bevel provides more sole area to hit through the turf. The design delivers an additional, effective bounce to the golf club, which is a crucial benefit especially in soft conditions.

The VRS Covert 2.0 irons feature Dynalite 105 Steel and Kuro Kage graphite shafts with Golf Pride 2G wrap grips.

Nike’s new VRS Covert 2.0 irons will be available at Canadian retailers January 31, 2014. A steel set will set you back $749, while the graphite version will set you back $849.

Freedom 55 Financial has announced it will be supporting rising Canadian star and Web.com Tour rookie Mackenzie Hughes as well as the Canadian Junior Golf Association (CJGA).

“We’re thrilled to partner with Mackenzie and are excited to watch him evolve as a professional golfer,” said Mike Cunneen, Senior Vice-President, Freedom 55 Financial. “As a Canadian organization that focuses on supporting individuals in achieving their goals and dreams, it’s a privilege for us to help up-and-coming Canadian golfers pursue their own aspirations.”

As a CJGA National Partner, Freedom 55 Financial will also take the title rights to the Clinics for Kids program. Held during CJGA events, Clinics for Kids is designed to invite and encourage youth from local communities to learn the foundations of golf through fun and informative clinics run by certified CJGA staff and PGA of Canada professionals.

The CJGA is a six-stage developmental program open to junior golfers aged 5 to 19 at all skill levels across Canada.

A member of the CJGA Alumni Association, Hughes will become an ambassador for the Clinics for Kids programs and provide tremendous value and input into its growth and development.

“I owe a lot of gratitude to the CJGA for kick-starting my career. It was always so amazing and humbling how the CJGA was so driven to provide a supportive avenue for kids to hone their golf skills and develop a love and respect for the game,” said Hughes.

As the Clinics for Kids ambassador, Hughes will be involved in the program from coast to coast.

“Our association with Mackenzie and the CJGA Clinics for Kids program is a great fit with our brand values of inspiring freedom, confidence and optimism for the future,” Cunneen said. “Together, these sponsorships will help us reach young people across Canada to help them achieve their freedom, whatever that may be.”

Hailing from Dundas, Ontario, Hughes was a standout amateur. A former member of Golf Canada’s national team, Hughes is a two-time Canadian Amateur Champion. Hughes is also an alumnus of Kent State University where he had an outstanding career on the men’s golf team. After a breakthrough campaign on PGA TOUR Canada in 2013, where both his modest personality and skilful performance turned many heads; Hughes is quickly ascending as one of Canada’s top touring professionals.

During his standout rookie season on PGA TOUR Canada, Hughes recorded four top-10 finishes, including a victory at the Cape Breton Celtic Classic. For his superior play throughout the year, Hughes captured the Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year award as PGA TOUR Canada’s top Canadian player. Finishing first on the Order of Merit, Hughes gained fully exempt status on the Web.com Tour in 2014.

Freedom 55 Financial is also presenting sponsor of the TOUR Championship of Canada, PGA TOUR Canada’s marquee event, which is conducted by Golf Canada.

PGA TOUR Canada event generates $2.3 million in economic activity in Nova Scotia

In September of 2013, when PGA TOUR Canada played the inaugural Cape Breton Celtic Classic presented by PC Financial in Sydney, N.S., the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA) conducted an economic impact study on the event and found the combined spending of visitors and event organizers in producing the event reached $1.0 million, which supported over $2.3 million of economic activity in Nova Scotia and $1.5 million in Sydney alone.

The event supported 23.7 jobs in the province paying $722,000 in wages and salaries, and total taxes supported by the event reached $463,000. In total the net economic activity (GDP) was $1.1 million in the province, of which $656,000 was in Sydney.

“We’re extremely pleased with the findings of the study completed by the CSTA,” said PGA TOUR Canada President Jeff Monday. “Leaving a positive impact in the communities where we play is essential to what we do, and having data to show how much of an impact this tournament made will help us as we look to grow the TOUR in Canada.”

The tournament, which saw 156 professional golfers from nearly 20 countries compete for a $150,000 purse, was the penultimate event on PGA TOUR Canada’s inaugural season, and is one of 12 events on the 2014 schedule.

The inaugural Cape Breton Celtic Classic presented by PC Financial was held at The Lakes Golf Club in Ben Eoin, just south of Sydney, from September 2-8, 2013 and conducted by SDI Marketing Inc. In addition to the 156 up-and-coming professional golfers, the tournament featured 205 Pro-Am participants and drew hundreds more each day in spectators. Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ontario was the eventual champion, earning the $27,000 winner’s prize and propelling him to the top spot on the 2013 Order of Merit, earning him full status on the Web.com Tour for 2014.

In measuring the economic impact of the golf tournament, participants and spectators at the event were surveyed as to their role, origin, length of stay, and spending in Sydney, Nova Scotia.  Additionally, the economic impact study looked at the investments made by the event organizers in hosting the tournament.

A link to the full results of the study can be found here. The 2014 Cape Breton Celtic Classic presented by PC Financial will take place September 1-7, returning to The Lakes Golf Club in Ben Eoin.

GolfBoards coming to Canada

Thunderbird Sports Management Inc. is the first golf course operator to bring the GolfBoard to Canada.

The Ottawa-based company will make GolfBoard available at two of its courses – eQuinelle Golf Club in Kemptville, Ont. and Thunderbird Sports Centre in Kanata, Ont. – starting this spring.

What began as a campaign on Kickstarter in late 2013, the GolfBoard was the darling of the PGA Merchandise Show that wrapped up in Orlando, Florida on January 24, where it was named “Best New Product.”

Powered by an advanced Lithium-ion battery, the GolfBoard is a single-person vehicle that a golfer rides between shots. The golfer controls the acceleration and braking using a controller, while the golfer’s body guides the steering.

British Columbia Golf to host free Handicap System webinars

PING recently unveiled the 13-degree Rapture 3-wood for golfers looking for a versatile driver alternative or hotter-faced 3-wood. The multi-material, adjustable design combines a Ti 8-1-1 titanium body, high-strength beta-titanium face and dense tungsten sole plate for increased ball speed and lowered spin, leading to more distance and accuracy.

“The weighting properties of titanium and tungsten provide our engineers a lot of opportunities to improve performance,” said John A. Solheim, PING Chairman & CEO. “The high-strength beta-titanium material allowed us to really focus on creating a hotter face that yields ball speeds and distance unlike any we’ve seen in fairway woods. The tungsten positions the weight extremely low so we can optimize the CG position. It has a taller face and deeper head profile, so golfers will have complete confidence with the Rapture. We think golfers will really appreciate this unique combination of technology to improve their performance. It’s extremely long off the tee. We’re excited to get it in golfers’ hands.”

A tall, extreme-variable-thickness face made of high-strength beta titanium (30% stronger than standard titanium) enlarges the hitting surface for increased forgiveness while accelerating ball speed to generate distance. Almost 25% of head mass is isolated in the tungsten sole plate, which positions the CG much lower in the Ti 8-1-1 head, further improving energy transfer for higher ball speed and less spin. The matte-black 219cc head has a deep profile for inspiring confidence. The standard 13 degrees of loft can easily be adjusted plus or minus ½ degree using PING’s Trajectory Tuning technology. The lightweight adjustable hosel has the same outer diameter and mass of PING’s traditional fixed hosels and provides the benefits of adjustability without sacrificing the performance that’s often lost in clubs with larger hosel designs.

Ketsch putter

Precision milled at PING headquarters the new Ketsch putter will offer unprecedented distance control, extreme forgiveness and accurate alignment.

It is the newest model to benefit from variable-depth grooves, which produce consistent results across the face. A 17-4 stainless steel sole weight creates a high MOI and makes the aluminum, mallet-style head highly forgiving.

“What really stands out about the Ketsch is the captured look it provides at address, inspiring confidence and promoting a consistent stroke, the key to holing more putts,” said John A. Solheim, PING Chairman & CEO. “It has three white, contrasting alignment aids extending from the top of the matte-black crown. The center line runs all the way to the back to make aiming easy. Our research shows that the head shape promotes extremely consistent alignment for the majority of golfers. Those factors, combined with our revolutionary variable-depth grooves and a high MOI, will help golfers putt more consistently.”

Variable-depth grooves milled into the face ensure ball-speed consistency whether the ball is struck in the center of the face, toward the heel or toe, high or low. Grooves are deepest in the center and shallower toward the perimeter, which PING calls True Roll (TR) Technology. PING studies show an increase in ball-speed consistency of nearly 50% compared to a non-grooved face when measured at nine points across the face.

To fit their body type and putting style, golfers can choose a fixed-length shaft (35 inches is standard), or they can upgrade to an adjustable-length version they can modify between 31 and 38 inches prior to a round.

The Ketsch is available in three shaft bends to fit any stroke type: Straight, Slight Arc, or Strong Arc. Results from hundreds of player and robot tests at PING show that golfers are more consistent with a putter balanced to fit their stroke type. The midsize PP58 black rubber grip is designed with a familiar shape, but its larger size quiets the wrists for improved confidence and stroke repeatability.

Both the Rapture 3-wood and Ketsch putter are currently available to pre-order from PING-authorized golf shops.

Titleist has updated the NXT Tour, NXT Tour S, Velocity and DT Solo golf balls to deliver even better performance and feel in its new 2014 versions.

New NXT Tour and softer-feeling NXT Tour S provide exceptional distance and commanding short game scoring performance. Both new models have been improved with a re-engineered softer compression core and cover so golfers will experience even softer feel. The NXT Tour S is available in both white and high optic yellow colors.

Titleist’s research and design team designed the 2014 Velocity with a reformulated LSX core to produce a high initial ball speed for powerful distance. A new, spherically tiled 328 tetrahedral dimple design delivers a more penetrating trajectory with a shallower angle of descent for even more roll. The result is even more explosive distance on all full swing shots.

The new DT Solo – also available in both white and optic yellow colors – has been redesigned to provide the best combination of soft feel and distance in a DT yet. With its super soft compression core and soft ionomer cover, the 2014 model features a new spherically tiled 376 tetrahedral dimple pattern that contributes to even longer driver and iron distance while retaining the distinctly soft feel and consistency DT players have come to love and trust.

“When we make an improvement to a Titleist golf ball, it’s in direct response to what golfers tell us they need and want,” said Bill Morgan, Senior Vice President of Titleist Golf Ball research and design. “We’re constantly in the field talking with golfers, capturing their launch conditions on all types of shots, and observing how different golf balls perform for their game. All of this information feeds the product development process and allows us to focus our design efforts and ultimately our prototype testing in ways that will enhance performance for these golfers.”

More than 40,000 golfers from around the world participated in the white-box testing and validation process, with golfers receiving prototype NXT Tour, NXT Tour S, Velocity or DT Solo golf balls for on-course evaluation. Player feedback was then gathered through Team Titleist and shared with Titleist R&D.

All new models are available in golf shops beginning February 7, 2014.

The future of Canadian golf is looking bright as more Canadians than ever before are climbing the ranks on the professional and amateur circuits.

This year Canadians will have their eyes on the five Canucks – and any other who qualify – teeing it up each week on the PGA TOUR. Graham DeLaet, David Hearn, Mike Weir, Stephen Ames and Brad Fritsch each have status on the major circuit, while the Web.com TOUR will see Adam Hadwin and Roger Sloan return for their second season alongside rookie Cam Burke and recent PGA TOUR Canada graduates, Mackenzie Hughes, Riley Wheeldon and Albin Choi.

On the women’s side, the LPGA will boast a stronger Canadian roster with Rebecca Lee-Bentham, Alena Sharp, Lorie Kane, Maude Aimee-Leblanc, Jennifer Kirby and Sue Kim playing this year. The LPGA’s Symetra Tour will also serve as a training ground to nearly 18 Canadians such as, Stephanie Sherlock, Natalie Gleadall, Jessica Shepley, Sara-Maude Juneau and Izzy Beisiegel.

The game is also thriving on the amateur circuit with nine Canadians currently ranked inside the top-100 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. At No. 6 in the world Team Canada’s Brooke Henderson sits as the highest ranked Canadian in the standings after notching five victories last year and winning the South Atlantic Amateur in Florida to kick off her 2014 season.

The Toronto Sun’s Mike Koreen took an in-depth look at the future of golf in Canada, speaking with the PGA TOUR’s David Hearn and Golf Canada’s CEO Scott Simmons in his latest article ‘The Future is bright for Canadian golf’. Here’s a snippet.

David Hearn loves what he sees when he looks behind him.

The Brantford-born professional golfer is one of our country’s two best bets (along with Graham DeLaet) to break a five-year victory drought on the PGA Tour in the near future, but Hearn feels there will be plenty more chances in the years to come.

It’s hard to argue. Canada’s two best men’s golfers — still very much in their prime years at 32 (DeLaet) and 34 (Hearn) — lead a young, talented group that appears very much poised to make the country a significant international player as the sport counts down to its Olympic debut in 2016.

“We’re in a great spot,” said Hearn, one of five PGA Tour card-carrying Canadians (DeLaet, Brad Fritsch of Manotick, Mike Weir of Bright’s Grove, Ont., and Stephen Ames of Calgary are the others) this year.

“I think we’re going to continue to get more Canadians on the PGA Tour. For a long time, it was just Mike Weir and someone else, whether it was Ian Leggatt or Glen Hnatiuk or someone else.

“I think we have tremendous depth and talent now. There are a lot of good young players.”

Indeed, what’s transpired over the past few years or so shows far better days may be ahead. Consider:

* Four Canadians earned Web.com Tour (essentially triple-A to the PGA Tour) at qualifying school this past December — Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., Cam Burke of New Hamburg, Ont., and Albin Choi of Toronto. All four are in their 20s.

* Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., and Riley Wheeldon of Comox, B.C., picked up Web.com cards by finishing as first and second, respectively, on PGA Tour Canada’s money list last season. Again, both players are in their 20s.

* Speaking of PGA Tour Canada, it’s now on much healthier footing operating under the PGA Tour umbrella. The top five money earners each year get Web.com cards, which basically makes the Canadian circuit a double-A. Being part of the PGA Tour system helps in a big way.

To read Mike Koreen’s full article, click here.

Lee-Bentham featured in LPGA Tour’s 2014 ad campaign

Canada’s Rebecca Lee-Bentham has been included in the LPGA Tour’s 2014 ad campaign.

Lee-Bentham, along with other LPGA Tour players, are featured in the latest See Why It’s Different Out Here campaign spots which debuted during the first round of the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic on Golf Channel. The fourth edition of the LPGA’s annual ad campaign again highlights the unique personalities of the biggest stars in the women’s game. The spots will air during LPGA telecasts on Golf Channel throughout the 2014 season. You can see Lee-Bentham cheer on her favourite team – the Toronto Maple Leafs – in the video below.

PUMA Golf has introduced two new shoes – the Biofusion Tour and the Biofusion Spikeless Mesh.

Designed to provide golfers with performance, lightweight comfort and style, the Biofusion Tour combines PUMA Golf’s innovative footwear technologies into one sleek and eye-catching silhouette, while offering a two-year waterproof guarantee.

“The Biofusion Tour literally fuses our most advanced and top performing technologies into a system that works together to create a revolutionary golf shoe,” said Grant Knudson, footwear manager, PUMA Golf. ”Our goal here is to provide golfers with the best of what PUMA Golf has to offer, merging function and fashion to improve their game and increase confidence on the course.”

A modern, clean and pure cell structure design in the shoe’s upper utilizes engineered shapes and innovative Rovenica Plus microfiber to provide supportive, lightweight and breathable performance. Biofusion’s lacing system moves freely from the upper and cradles the mid-foot to maximize support and stability while providing a truly customized fit and feel.

In addition, a super thin PowerFrame outsole utilizes strategically-placed flex grooves and traction elements that unite with a revolutionary FusionFoam midsole and integrated external heel counter to provide a flexible yet stable platform designed to move with the golfer’s foot.

“The Biofusion is easily the best golf shoe I’ve ever worn,” said Rickie Fowler, a PUMA Golf Tour staffer. “The technology behind this shoe makes a noticeable difference for me on the course, its super light but provides the right amount of flexibility and support through my swing.”

The Biofusion will be available at golf retailers starting February 1, 2014.

Along with the Biofusion, PUMA Golf is launching the Biofusion Lite, which has the same performance features found in the Tour level shoe, boasts a similar silhouette, and is available at retailers starting March 1, 2014.

PUMA Golf also announced the Biofusion Spikeless Mesh shoe. It’s an even lighter weight, spikeless version of the Biofusion Tour. It’s designed for wear on and off the course. They will hit golf retailers on March 1, 2014.

“I absolutely love the look and feel of the Biofusion Spikeless Mesh,” said Jonas Blixt, PUMA GOLF Tour professional. “It’s a great performer on the course that allows me to really grip the ground through my swing. At the same time, it’s a cool style I’ll definitely be rocking off the course.”

Biofusion Spikeless Mesh