Hugo Bernard had a quick turn around following his July 2 win at the Dogwood Invitational at the Druid Hills Golf Club in Atlanta, Ga. One day removed from his victory, the native of Mont St-Hilaire, Que., arrived at the Ottawa Hunt Golf Club to compete in the 67th edition of the Lord Alexander of Tunis Championship – the first stage of Golf Québec’s Triple Crown. The Team Canada National Team member put on quite the show to capture the prestigious event.

The 21-year-old tallied five birdies en route to a 3-under 68 to sit at the head of the pack alongside Ottawa’s Robert Mustard. Bernard followed his strong opening round by recording six of his seven second-round birdies on the back nine for a 5-under day to emerge with a two-stroke victory and an 8-under 134 final score.

Last year’s champion, former Team Canada Development Squad member Étienne Papineau of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., finished runner-up at 6-under. Ryan Sevigny of Stittsville, Ont., was third at 142, while Étienne Brault (Mercier, Que.), Joey Savoie (Montréal) and Cullen Chung (Westmount, Que.) finished with shares of fourth with matching 143s.

Bernard, Papineau, Sevigny, Brault, Savoie and Chung will compete at the Royal Québec Golf Club in Boischatel, Que., from July 8-9 at The Duke of Kent Championship.

Golf Québec’s Triple Crown is comprised of the Alexander of Tunis, the Duke of Kent and the Québec Amateur Championship. The Top-3 golfers on the Triple Crown Order of Merit will form the provincial team that will represent Québec at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship to be contested at the Royal Ottawa Golf Club in Gatineau, Que., and Eagle Creek Golf Club in Dunrobin, Ont., from August 8-11.

MEDICINE HAT, Alta. – Thunder and lightning forced a 44-minute delay to prolong the first round of the 2016 CN Future Links Western Championship at Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club. When the skies parted and the opening day concluded, Team Canada Development Squad member Alexander Smith emerged in a four-way tie atop the Junior Boys leaderboard, while Kehler Koss leads the Junior Girls division following a 3-under 69 showing.

A five-birdie day gave Calgary’s Smith a share of the lead at 2-under 70 alongside Kade Johnson (Yorkton, Sask.), Marc Sweeney (Saskatoon, Sask.), and Chandler McDowell (Springbrook, Alta.). The quartet holds a one-stroke advantage over the field of 81 junior boys.

The crowded leaderboard has Medicine Hat’s Michael Valk tied for fifth at 1-under with Jordan Bean (Canmore, Alta.), Noah Kozack (Regina, Sask.), Kai Iguchi (Banff, Alta.), Max Murchison (Calgary) and Brendan MacDougall (Calgary).

Kehler Koss returns to the CN Future Links Western Championship after capturing runner-up honours in 2015 at Goose Hummock Golf Course in Gibbons, Alta. The Calgarian’s eagle on No. 10 and a trio of birdies gave the 17-year-old a four-stroke lead after opening with a 69.

Holding second-place at 1-over 73 is West Vancouver’s Phoebe Yue. The 16-year-old is followed by a trio of Calgarians with Claire Emery in third at 3-over. Annabelle Ackroyd sits fourth after carding a 77, while defending champion Kenna Hughes is one stroke behind in fifth.

All competitors within the Top-6, including ties, in the Junior Girls Division will gain exemptions into the Canadian Junior Girls Championship. The tournament will be conducted from August 2-5 at The Links at Penn Hills in Shubenacadie, N.S. The top six players in the Junior Boys Division will earn entry into the 2016 Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Clovelly Golf Club in St. John’s, N.L., from August 1-4. Exemptions will be decided via a hole-by-hole playoff in the case of ties.

The second day of competition will see the Junior Girls tee-off at 7 a.m. before the Junior Boys begin play at 8:30 a.m. Additional information, including pairings and up-to-date scoring is available here.

Golf is unique in that everyone can play the game together on a fairly level playing field. You are not likely to play on your kids’ soccer teams, but you can play golf with them and not simply watch from the sidelines. This experience sets golf apart from most other sports because it provides such valuable family time in some of the most amazing environments. It promotes a healthy, active lifestyle to which people of any age can relate.

Beginning July 4, everyone will have the perfect opportunity to experience all that golf has to offer through the NGCOA Canada’s Take A Kid To The Course program. Participating courses will offer a free green fee to kids under-16 with the purchase of an adult green fee. Courses across the nation have adopted the program and with key changes this year, the golfing community will have more opportunities to experience the game. New in 2016, golf facilities have the option to offer the promotion past the program’s traditional week and provide extra days and times as they see fit. Keep checking participating courses’ websites for more information. Also new this year are amazing prizes from TaylorMade Canada and Melia Resorts and Hotels. Instead of a single grand prize nationwide, every chapter will see two grand prize winners – meaning people that participate in B.C. will have the chance to win an all-inclusive Cuba vacation package courtesy Melia Resorts and a golf club package courtesy TaylorMade Canada.

With these exciting changes and close to 700 golf courses participating nationwide, it promises to be a busy year. Now in its 14th year with major support from Coca-Cola, Take a Kid to the Course has provided great golf experiences for over 335,000 youth across Canada. The program provides an excellent opportunity to help create and build family habits and to enjoy the sport together.

For more information on participating courses, contests and prizes, visit www.kidsgolffree.ca.

TROON, Scotland – Royal Troon voted overwhelmingly Friday to admit female members for the first time in the club’s 138-year history.

The vote at a special meeting came less than two weeks before the British Open is held at the Ayrshire links for the ninth time, eliminating what was likely to be a distraction as more of Britain’s top links courses accept women.

“We have said a number of times recently that it is important for golf clubs to reflect the society in which we exist and the modern world that looks to us,” said Martin Cheyne, the captain at Royal Troon. “It is the right decision for the club today and for generations of golfers that will follow.”

The vote leaves Muirfield as the only links on the British Open rotation that has a male-only policy. The R&A said after Muirfield failed to get the two-thirds majority to change that it will not host another Open under its current policy.

The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, which owns and operates Muirfield, has called a special meeting to ask members for new vote by the end of the year.

The R&A said it welcomed the decision by Royal Troon and recognized “the significance for the club.”

“Our focus today is very much on The 145th Open in just under two week’ time, but we can now look forward to many more great championships at Royal Troon in years to come,” the R&A said in a statement.

Royal Troon is the second all-male club on the British Open rotation to open its membership to women. Royal St. George’s in England voted for women members last year, and that followed a vote by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club in September 2014 to have female members for the first time.

The Royal & Ancient, with headquarters at St. Andrews, governs golf everywhere in the world except for the United States and Mexico. Members belong to a club, not a golf course. The Old Course and six other courses at St. Andrews are open to the public.

Augusta National Golf Club, the home of the Masters, was the first to admit female members in 2012.

Cheyne said the vote allows Royal Troon to turn its attention to hosting the Open along with The Ladies Golf Club at Troon, which was founded in 1882.

“We can now all be focused on golf and showcasing this wonderful club and golf course to the huge global audience that this most prestigious championship commands,” Cheyne said in a statement announcing the vote.

Muirfield last hosted the Open in 2013, when Phil Mickelson won the claret jug. In May, only 64 per cent voted in favour of admitting women, falling 14 votes short.

Golf Canada’s women’s participation program, Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru, has officially opened for registration.

Entering its 13^th season, Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru is aiming to pass the $365,000 mark in 2016—setting the bar higher than last year’s target with hopes of furthering support and participation from Canada’s female golf community.

From a participation standpoint, Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru had upwards of 10,000 women involved in 2015. For program coordinator Whitney Gorges, the buck doesn’t stop there.

“I’m very proud and impressed with the effort of all ladies involved in Golf Fore the Cure last season, and I’m hoping we can increase our generous impact even further,” said Gorges. “It’s a fantastic way to add value to a club’s already existing ladies night while contributing to a cause that has impacted all of us in some form or another.”

All funds raised by the 145-plus teams across Canada last season were donated to the Canadian Cancer Society and Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation to assist with national research efforts. Since the program’s inception, over $5.4 million has been raised collectively.

Upon (free) registration, Golf Fore the Cure teams will receive a complimentary kit to assist in their event. Site coordinators are encouraged to structure their event in any format that best suits their interests and desires. Formats that accommodate all skill levels tend to be the most popular choice, as the program is ultimately aimed at increasing participation.

In addition, all registrants are given the option to have additional support from presenting partner Subaru at their local event. The top-three fundraising teams will be flown to the Great Toronto Area (GTA) to participate in the 2016 National Event.

Click here to register.

In 2002, a Canadian loonie buried at centre ice galvanized a nation and inspired a pair of gold medal performances. The Olympic winter games in Salt Lake City saw the Canadian men’s and women’s hockey teams top the podium and capture the titles of Olympic champions. In Rio de Janeiro – 14 years later – another lucky loonie awaits the four Canadian Olympians who will take part in golf’s return to international sport’s grandest stage following a 112-year absence.

Ian Andrew, a course architect based in Brantford, Ont., who worked on the Campo Olimpico de Golf in Rio de Janeiro, stashed the Canadian $1 coin at the heart of the 18^th green.

The hope: to once again rally Canadians from coast-to-coast behind their Olympians to successfully defend the Olympic gold medal won by Canadian George S. Lyon in 1904, the last time golf was part of the Olympic Games.

Click here to read the full story from Garry McKay in the Hamilton Spectator.

The quartet comprising Team Canada for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro will be celebrated onsite at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., on Tuesday, July 19 during the 2016 RBC Canadian Open. Admission onto the grounds of Glen Abbey that day for spectators looking to join in the celebration of Team Canada’s Olympic golfers is FREE.

In 2015, Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada partnered with the University of Ottawa to develop a Life Skills model for junior programming, designed to place added focus on core values learned through golf, and their relevance to social and peer-to-peer environments.

An important feature of the Life Skills model is the philosophy that youth should be provided with opportunities to develop both intrapersonal and interpersonal life skills through golf. Intrapersonal skills refer to skills that are more internal in nature whereas interpersonal skills refer to skills that are more useful during social interactions. In the model, four intrapersonal skills and four interpersonal skills are included to ensure a balance between these two areas of focus.

The eight Life Skills in the model are focus, sportspersonship, perseverance, goal setting, emotional regulation, honesty, teamwork and respect.

The Life Skills were first integrated into the Golf in Schools teacher-friendly learning resource, and have since been added to Canada’s junior golf program, CN Future Links, through its feature Learn to Play offering.

Lesson plans include relevant life examples, learning outcomes, and specific skill-related drills.

To find a junior opportunity in your area at golfcanada.ca/juniors

GULLANE, Scotland – Muirfield intends to stage another vote on whether to admit female members after being stripped of its right to host the British Open.

The Scottish club failed in May to get the two-thirds majority required of its membership to change its policy, drawing disapproval from across golf.

Now the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, which owns Muirfield, will seek approval from its membership to hold a fresh postal vote before the end of the year which could lead to the club returning to the British Open rota.

“A substantial majority of our members voted for change and many have voiced their disappointment with the ballot result and with subsequent events,” Henry Fairweather, captain of the HCEG, said on Monday.

“The club committee believes that a clear and decisive vote in favour of admitting women as members is required to enable us to begin the task of restoring the reputation of the club that has been damaged by the earlier ballot outcome.”

Muirfield has staged the British Open 16 times dating to 1892, most recently in 2013 when Phil Mickelson won.

The Royal and Ancient, which runs the British Open, said in May that Muirfield was off the list of 10 courses that can host golf’s oldest major championship while female members were not allowed.

“We welcome this development,” the R&A said.

BRAMPTON, Ont. – Local and international amateur golfers gathered at the Brampton Golf Club to compete for three available exemptions into the 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Rolling Green Golf Club in Springfield, Pa., from August 1-7. Kelsey Murphy of Plymouth, Mich., claimed medallist honours with a 4-under 67 showing.

The 21-year-old sunk five birdies and was bogey-free until her final hole to secure a four-stroke victory.

“I played really consistent throughout the day, and when I did get in trouble, I was able to get myself out of it,” she said. “I really like the golf course. I’ve played it a couple times before so I was really excited to be able to compete here.”

Team Canada National Team member Maddie Szeryk (London, Ont.) and Jessica Ip (Richmond Hill, Ont.) earned the remaining two exemptions with matching 71s.

“It’s awesome that they’re putting this in Canada because we all get a very good opportunity to compete now,” said Szeryk. “It’s always amazing when you get to represent your country, especially at such a big event.”

This tournament marks the first time a Canadian club has played host to a U.S. Amateur Championship qualifier. Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver will host a U.S. Men’s Amateur qualifier on July 18.

MEDICINE HAT, Alta. – Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club will host a field of 109 junior golfers from July 4-6 for the 2016 CN Future Links Western Championship. The fifth of six CN Future Links Championships is conducted in partnership with CN to promote and develop the game of golf among the nation’s junior-aged athletes.

The host club of the 54-hole competition was first established in 1913 at the top of Porter Hill, just east of the city. In 1934, the club relocated to its current location, perched atop scenic cliffs overlooking the South Saskatchewan River.

“Golf Canada is thrilled to bring this year’s CN Future Links Western Championship to the city of Medicine Hat and its golfing community. Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club is in fantastic shape and will serve as a great backdrop for this event, while drawing out the best from our competitors,” said Tournament Director Dan Hyatt.

Team Canada Development Squad member Alexander Smith of Calgary and Kade Johnson from Yorkton, Sask., will attempt to improve upon the shares of fourth they claimed at the 2015 edition of this tournament at Goose Hummock Golf Course in Gibbons, Alta. They will be joined by Chris Horton (Calgary), Max Sekulic (Rycroft, Alta.), and Ethan Choi (Pincher Creek, Alta.) who look to best their Top-10 results from one year ago.

The Junior Girls division will welcome back five players from last year’s Top-10. Kenna Hughes will defend her 2015 title alongside fellow Calgarians Kehler Koss (2nd), Sharmaine Rapisura (4th), and Annabelle Ackroyd (T10). Redcliffe, Alta., product Lauren Koenig will play in hopes of building upon her T7 result.

The host city of Medicine Hat will be well-represented with five local players in contention. Matt Bering and Michael Valk will have a chance to win on home soil, while Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club members Ronnie Postnikoff, Ryan Hodgins and Sam Bratvold hope to hold home-course advantage.

The CN Future Links Atlantic Championship – the junior series’ final event of the 2016 season – will be conducted at Countryview Golf Club in Fairview, P.E.I., from July 12-14.

The top six finishers in the Junior Boys division will earn exemptions into the 2016 Canadian Junior Boys Championship to be contested August 1-4 at Clovelly Golf Club in St. John’s, N.L. In the case of ties, exemptions will be decided via hole-by-hole playoff. All players in the Top-6, including ties, in the Junior Girls division will earn entry into this year’s Canadian Junior Girls Championship, hosted by The Links at Penn Hills in Shubenacadie, N.S., from August 2-5.

Additional information regarding the 2016 CN Future Links Western Championship, including participants, start times and up-to-date results can be found here.