ALPHARETTA, Ga. – British Amateur champion Garrick Porteous defeated U.S. Amateur champion Matthew Fitzpatrick to win the Georgia Cup on Wednesday.

In the first all-England match in the 17-year history of the event, Porteous won four straight holes on the front nine that led to his 3-and-2 victory on the Lakeside Course at The Golf Club of Georgia.

The Georgia Cup began in 1998 as a match between the U.S. Amateur and British Amateur champions the week before they play in the Masters.

Fitzpatrick built a 2-up lead through three holes, only for Porteous to make three birdies and a par to seize control. Fitzpatrick holed out for eagle from 116 yards on the par-4 15th hole to extend the match. Porteous won on the next hole after both made bogey.

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Canadian Women’s Amateur Champion Brooke Henderson is a little less starstruck as she prepares for her second career appearance at an LPGA Tour major event.

The 16-year-old student from Smith Falls, Ont., says she has more tour experience now than when she competed at the 2013 Women’s U.S. Open, where she made the cut but finished tied for 59th.

Her first major appearance came in just her second career tour event. Henderson will be a little more relaxed at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, which begins Thursday at Mission Hills Country Club.

“This will be my fifth (tour event), so it’s just a lot more comfortable being around the big stars,” she said Wednesday on a conference call. “They know me a little bit better and call me by name, which is pretty cool.

“My nerves have calmed down a little bit and I know what to expect, where I was a little unsure in the beginning at the U.S. Open.”

Click here to listen to the entire conference call

The event comes with a US$300,000 first prize and $2-million total purse although as an amateur, that doesn’t matter to Henderson. She’s one of 10 amateurs invited to compete.

Henderson, the sixth-ranked women’s amateur golfer in the world, will be joined by 22-year-old pro Rebecca Lee-Bentham of Toronto, the only other Canadian in the field.

Henderson has yet to finish high school but has already verbally committed to a scholarship at the University of Florida. She hopes to crack the top three in the world amateur rankings by the end of the summer.

Older sister Brittany will caddy for her at Mission Hills, as she did at the U.S. Open. Henderson credits her sister, who’s also a golfer, for being a role model.

“I grew up watching her play and wanted to be exactly like her,” she said. “I used to follow her around at tournaments … she knows my game very well.”

Henderson is also a member of Team Canada.

Several Canadian golf journalists took to Twitter during and following the teleconference, where they commended Henderson for her calm demeanor during the call… Among other things.

A great job by 16 y/o Brooke Henderson #twitterlessbrooke in her first national media teleconference – handling media questions like a pro

— Scott MacLeod (@Flagstick) April 2, 2014

Teen golfer Brooke Henderson does teleconference from LPGA event in Calif. Says it’s “pretty cool” that some stars know her by name. #golf — Gord Holder (@HolderGord) April 2, 2014

Can’t tell you how impressed I am with the answers Brooke Henderson is giving the national media right now…. @KraigKann would love it.

— Rick Young (@RickSCOREGolf) April 2, 2014

@TheGolfCanada @RickSCOREGolf @KraigKann Consistently shows her maturity can’t be found by looking at her birthdate. #classact

— Mark Donaldson (@TruthBombGolf) April 2, 2014

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Team Canada’s Adam Svensson has continued his remarkably torrid play this season. The 20-year-old Barry University sophomore won the Buccaneer Invitational Tuesday by a margin of six strokes. Svensson separated himself from the field on Monday’s second round with a two eagle, 10-under 61 – a course record at Normandy Shores Golf Club.

Svensson’s round of 61 was also a Barry University school record – the previous was 64 set by Svensson earlier in the year.

“It was nice,” Svensson said of his second round 61. “I had no idea I was going to shoot 61. I was six-under after 15 holes and had two par 5s left. I eagled 16, parred 17 and on 18 my assistant coach came up to me and asked me where I was at and I said eight-under, but I told him I was trying to make birdie to get the course record. He said, ‘why not eagle’ and I hit it to 10 feet and made the eagle putt.”

The Surrey, B.C., native is currently ranked No. 44 in the World Amateur Rankings (WAGR). He is still carrying the momentum from winning last year’s Phil Mickelson award, given to the most outstanding freshman in Men’s Div II golf. He is also making a strong case to win this year’s Jack Nicklaus award as the top golfer in his division.

Svensson’s scoring record this season is a school record 1.77 strokes under par, earning him a nod from Barry University as the player of the week.

Collectively, the Barry Buccaneers won the event by 22 strokes over runner-up Johnson & Wales University. They were the only team to shoot under par for the tournament and also maintain the No.1 rank in Men’s Div II Golf.

Svensson and the Buccaneers resume action in a couple weeks at the Sunshine State Conference Championships in Dade City, Fla.

For full results from the 2014 Buccaneer Invitational, click here.

2014 registration for Canada’s leading junior golf development program, CN Future Links, is now open for PGA of Canada golf professionals.

CN Future Links consists of several programs: Learn To Play, Girls Club, Mobile Clinics, Skills Challenge and Junior Leagues and guarantees juniors a positive, fun-filled and exciting golf experience.

PGA of Canada professionals who run CN Future Links gain access to drill libraries, report card systems, gift incentives and more.

Appealing to a wide variety of facility needs, CN Future Links is tailored to enhance junior programming while maximizing the limited time of PGA of Canada instructors. Registration and incentives come at no cost to registered facilities.

Conrad, a CN Future Links Learn To Play participant, reminds us that junior golf is the future of the sport. Alongside his brother and caddie, Chris, they make a perfect read on the break for his chip shot in the latest CN Future Links video…

Sign up now at CNfuturelinks.com.

Eric Banks of Truro, N.S. suffered a major setback to his budding golf career when doctors discovered he had an atrial septal defect – a hole in his heart – in 2011.

The then 19-year-old former Nova Scotia Junior and Amateur Champion was a member of Team Canada’s National Squad and had just entered his freshman year with the Florida Gator in NCAA Division I golf.

The news sidelined Banks for nine months from competitive golf as he was forced to undergo open heart surgery to repair the defect.

Upon his return to competitive action, Banks finished tied for 10^th at the Gator Invitational in his first start back. In addition, he went on to Monday qualify for the 2013 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club, where he opened with a 1-over 73 in his PGA Tour debut.

Banks, now 21, still takes medication but received good news in December when no problems were detected during a check-up at home in Nova Scotia. Already this season, the junior has finished inside the top 20 twice in only four starts.

The David Toms Award is presented annually to a men’s collegiate golfer who has overcome adversity to achieve excellence. Banks is the first Canadian to be honoured with the award and appeared on Golf Channel’s Morning Drive on Tuesday morning.

Going to be appearing on the Golf Channels show The Morning Drive this Tuesday! No April fools, segment starts at 940 Scotia time #liveTV

— Eric Banks (@EricBanks19) March 30, 2014

Already a few months into 2014, Golf Canada, the PGA of Canada and the Provincial Associations are streamlining their efforts towards expanding the outreach of National Junior Golf Development Centres (NJGDCs).

This initiative was introduced to offer juniors and their parents a permanent home, a facility that can take care of their developmental needs from the first time they touch a club all the way through to competitive golf. Recognized NJGDCs receive numerous benefits, including support from governing golf bodies, official certification, promotion, funding potential and more.

Registration comes at no cost to the facility and is open to private, public, semi-private or municipal golf facilities.

Mike Kelly, Managing Director of Sport at the Golf Association of Ontario, shows his enthusiasm for the growth of NJGDCs and what they mean to junior golf.

The programming of NJGDCs is structured to provide juniors the choice of entering the competitive stream or pursuing an interest to play the sport recreationally. Dallas Desjardins, PGA of Canada member and General Manager at Summerside Golf Club in P.E.I., describes the benefits of running a NJGDC and the business opportunities it has created for him and his facility.

At the end of 2013, 25 NJGDCs were fully recognized across Canada. Moving forward, each centre will be provided with updated programming that aligns with golf’s Long-Term Player Development model. Additionally, centres receive continued marketing support and materials from Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada.

Interested in becoming a NJGDC? Apply here

Click here for more information.

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – The Royal & Ancient Golf Club, exclusively for men since it was founded 260 years ago at St. Andrews, will vote in September on whether women can join the club.

“It’s an exciting day for the club,” club secretary Peter Dawson said Wednesday. “There will be quite a bit of internal discussion between now and the September vote. It’s a matter for the members to determine. All indications are very supportive.”

A statement from the club said that all committees were “strongly in favor of the rule change” and asked members to go along.

The move was hailed by British sports minister Helen Grant, who was hopeful a favorable vote would encourage other single-sex golf clubs to follow suit.

Dawson, however, said the vote would have no bearing on whether the British Open is played on links courses that exclude women as members – Royal St. George’s, Royal Troon and Muirfield, where Phil Mickelson won last year. The Open returns to Troon in 2016.

“I don’t want you to think there’s any connection between this vote and these issues,” said Dawson, R&A chief executive. “What other clubs choose to do in the UK is not connected to this. … To be entirely honest, we’re not here to put pressure on other clubs that have supported The Open Championship and other R&A championships.”

The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews has about 2,400 members from around the world and dates to 1754. The clubhouse is among the most famous buildings in golf, overlooking the Old Course at St. Andrews.

Augusta National for years was the symbol of men-only golf clubs because it hosts The Masters every April. The club announced in August 2012 that it had invited women to join for the first time – former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and South Carolina financier Darla Moore.

Even though Augusta National went 80 years without a female member, it had no policy that barred women from joining. The R&A had such a policy, and that’s what will be voted on in September.

Dawson said he did not think Augusta National’s decision had any bearing on the Royal & Ancient Golf Club.

“We noted what happened at Augusta,” he said. “They have their own procedure of doing things. We are doing this because of our governance role.”

He also said the R&A did not feel pressure from any of its corporate sponsors, who were subjected to the debate at the British Open.

“You can always ask that question: `Why now? Why not 10 years ago?’ The R&A have been considering this. It’s been on our agenda, on our radar, for quite some time,” Dawson said. “The feeling is as society changes, as sport changes, as golf changes, it’s something the R&A needs to do, and is doing now as being forward-looking as we can.”

The 2,400-member club and the group that runs The Open as well as the Rules of Golf are separate entities.

For years, the men-only Royal & Ancient was in charge of the Rules of Golf for every country in the world except for the United States and Mexico, which are governed by the USGA. And it operated the British Open, the oldest championship in golf.

Ten years ago, the administrative duties were split off into a corporate structure that is called “The R&A,” of which Dawson is the chief executive. That’s the group in charge of the Rules of Golf and organizing The Open and other R&A championships.

And while “The R&A” has female employees, its committee and board roles are populated by members of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club. So there are no women in leadership roles when it comes to rules and championship golf.

That likely will change with a favorable vote in September for female members.

“This is welcome news from the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, and I urge its members to follow their committees’ recommendations and vote `yes’ for women members,” Grant said in a statement. “It would mark a step in the right direction for the sport and I would hope encourage the remaining golf clubs that still have anachronistic single-sex member policies to follow suit.”

While the members have access to the R&A clubhouse behind the first tee at the Old Course, R&A members belong to a club, not a golf course. The seven golf courses at St. Andrews are open to the public.

Adam Svensson made history at Barry University on Tuesday, winning his fifth tournament of the season at the Bobcat Invitational in Eatonton, Georgia.

The Team Canada National Squad member fired a final round 3-under 67 in tough conditions to finish three strokes ahead of Fredrik Lindblom of Clayton State University for his record breaking fifth title as a Buccaneer.

“It feels pretty good to break the record,” Svensson said after his final round. “It was brutal conditions, and I just kind of stuck in there. It’s a special win, knowing that it’s a record-setting win for Barry.”

Svensson, a Surrey, B.C. native and Barry University sophomore, finished the tournament as the only player under par at 1-under 139 after the Bobcat Invitational was shortened to 36 holes due to poor weather conditions.

As the No. 1 player in Division II golf, Svensson made eight birdies over 36 holes at the Golf Club at Cuscowilla to claim his fifth win in only nine starts this season.

“I know my potential. I’m a little bit surprised, but I’ve worked hard,” Svensson told Barry University Athletics. “Just the experience of getting to know the courses has paid off. It’s a pretty big accomplishment for me.”

Svensson alongside his No. 1 ranked team will look to pick up another victory when they host the Buccaneer Invitational March 31-April 1.

For complete results from the Bobcat Invitational, click here.

MYRTLE BEACH, SC — It was a tough couple of days on the course, but a successful week of training for the Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) U19 Team Ontario as they competed in the 16^th annual Can/Am Matches against South Carolina in Myrtle Beach.

Team Ontario last won the competition back in 2010, but their drought continued in 2014 as South Carolina won with an overall point total of 252 to 180.

On the first day of competition (March 15), the teams competed in best-ball matches. Only one Team Ontario pair won their match as Tony Gill and Sam McNulty beat their opponents 10-8. Carter Simon and Max Sear lost 10.5-7.5, Trevor Ranton and Chad Watts Denyes fell 11.5-6.5, Conner Watt and Brendan Seys were downed 11-7, Alyssa Getty and Grace St-Germain took a 10.5-7.5 loss, Annika Haynes and Samantha Spencer fell 11.5-6.5, Kennedy Bodfield and Claire Hernandez lost 12-6 and Monet Chun and Ana Peric lost by that same score.

After the best-ball matches, South Carolina held an 87-57 lead, meaning Team Ontario had their work cut out for them in the singles matches. However, a grand comeback was not in the cards as they could muster only one win and a trio of ties during the second day.

Grace St-Germain, Max Sear and Samantha Spencer all rallied back on their back nines but would still fall short in their matches. Ana Peric played solidly and tied her match.  Both Tony Gil and Trevor Ranton holed putts on their final hole to tie their respective matches.

Even though the team did not bring back the title, there were many positives from the event. No doubt the story for Team Ontario was a day-two singles match win by 13-year-old Monet Chun. Chun took her match by a score of 11-7 while shooting one-under par, the first time she has broken par in competition. Her feat was even more impressive considering the weather conditions the athletes faced during the second day of competition.

As for the rest of the day-two results, it was Peric, Ranton and Gil all drawing their matches with scores of 9-9, Haynes was beaten 10.5-7.5, Hernandez fell 11-7, Bodfield took a 12.5-5.5 loss, Getty was defeated 11-7, Spencer and St-Germain both took 10.5-7.5 losses, McNulty lost 11-7, Denyes and Seys were both narrowly beaten 9.5-8.5, Sear took a 10.5-7.5 loss, Watt was beaten 13-5 and Simon lost 11.5-6.5.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Team Canada National Team member and Kent State junior, Jennifer Ha, shot a 216 (74-69-73) to finish in a tie for fifth Sunday at the SunTrust Gator Women’s Invite.

Ha, a Calgary native, was one of four Golden Flashes to crack the top 20. She was joined by Natalie Goodson (+5), Erin Hawe (+9) and Wad Phaewchimplee (+10). The individual leader and medalist was Daniela Darquea of Miami University.

Collectively, Kent State finished just one stroke back of Arizona to sit second overall. The Arizona Wildcats carded a 5-over 285 on Sunday’s final round to come from behind for the win.

The Golden Flashes will tee-it-up again in two weeks at the Mountain View Collegiate in Tuscon, Ariz.

For full results, click here.