KAHNAWAKE, Que. – The 2017 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship heads to Kanawaki Golf Club for the 55th playing of the event on Sept. 11-14. A qualifying round will take place at Caughnawaga Golf Club on Friday, Sept. 8 before the championship’s four tournament rounds begin on Sept. 11.

“Golf Canada is thrilled to once again visit Quebec for our national amateur championships,” said tournament director Akash Patel. “It has been our pleasure to partner with these tremendous venues for what is sure to be a fantastic championship. Our hosts at Kanawaki have brought together a great team of volunteers; our players are going to have a wonderful experience.”

Ranked at No. 104 on SCOREGolf’s 2016 Best Courses in Canada 2016 list, Kanawaki Golf Club is one of Quebec’s premier private golf courses. Founded in 1914, the course–designed by Canadian Golf Hall of Fame brothers Albert and Charles Murray–features a challenging layout with lush fairways lined with majestic trees and quick, true greens, and was also where the movie “The Greatest Game Ever Played” was filmed.

A full field of 156 competitors aged 55-and-over from five countries will take to Kanawaki for the 55th playing of this national championship in hopes of joining its list of notable winners. Returning to defend his Canadian Men’s Senior title is Michael Mercier of Juno Beach, Fla., who shot a final-round 70 to win the event by two strokes.

John Gallacher of Burnaby, B.C., will play for a second consecutive Super Senior title after capturing the 36-hole, 70-and-over division in 2016. Also contested over the tournament’s first two rounds will be an inter-provincial team competition. Team Alberta finished 4-under 284 in 2016 to claim a dominant nine-stroke victory.

Following the opening two rounds, the field will be reduced to the low 70 players and ties. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2018 U.S. Senior Amateur championship to be contested at Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Or., from Aug. 25-30.

Additional information from the tournament can be found here, while details from the qualifying competition are available here.

NOTABLES

Graham Cooke of Hudson, Que.
The 70-year-old is a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and has won the event two times in 2008 and 2009. Cooke is one of Canada’s greatest amateur golfers of all time and holds the record number of wins at the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship with seven.

Doug Roxburgh of Vancouver B.C.
The 2014 winner of the event is a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. The 65-year-old won the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship four times (1972, 1974, 1982 and 1988). He also has the record for most wins at the B.C. Men’s Amateur Championship with 13.

Pierre Archambault of Candiac, Que.
The 73-year-old is a member of the host Kanawaki Golf Club. He was recently inducted into the Quebec Golf Hall of Fame and he won the Quebec Amateur Championship three times (1972, 1979 and 1987). His victories include the 1974 Duke of Kent, the 1983 Alexander of Tunis and the 1987 Spring Open.

Michael Mercier of Juno Beach, Fla.
The 59-year-old comes in as the event’s defending champion. In 2015, he won the Welsh Open Seniors Championship at Nefyn and District on the North Whales coast.

Frank Van Dornick of Camrose, Alta.
Van Dornick finished T3 at the 54th playing of the event and earned low-Canadian honours. He is fresh off a win at the 2017 Guardian Capital Alberta Senior Men’s Championship – his fourth win at the event.

Jack Hall of Savannah, Ga.
The 60-year-old won the event in 2015 and finished T7 last year. On Aug. 21 he won the Golfweek Senior Match Play Championship at Tobacco Road Golf Club in N.C.

David Schultz of Calgary, Alta.
The 60-year-old won the event in 2013 after making a birdie on the final hold of the tournament. Shultz also won the 2016 Guardian Capital Alberta Senior Men’s Championship and the Calgary City Amateur Championship – the latter he won five times – earning himself a spot in Calgary’s golf Hall of Fame.

FAST FACTS

Conducted since 1962.

Golfers must be 55 and over to be eligible.

In 1995, the 70 and over Canadian Super Senior division was added and is contested through the first two rounds.

The inter-provincial competition, which began in 1977, occurs concurrently over the first two rounds.

The champion is awarded the John Rankin Memorial Trophy.

The winner of the Super Senior division is awarded the Governors Cup.

Calgary’s Bob Wylie has won the event seven times since 1985.

Nick Weslock won the event six times between 1973 and 1983.

Paul Simon became the first person to win the British, U.S. and Canadian senior titles in the same year in 2010.

The winner receives and exemption into the 2018 U.S. Men’s Senior Amateur Championship.

ABOUT THE COURSE

Kanawaki Golf Club.

Par 70.

Founded in 1914.

Ranked at No. 104 in SCOREGolf’s 2016 list of Canada’s best golf courses.

Kanawaki hosted the 1929 RBC Canadian Open, won by legend Leo Diegel.

The Disney movie “The Greatest Game Ever Played”, starring Shia LaBeouf, and based on the true story of Francis Ouimet and the 1913 US Open, was filmed at Kanawaki in 2004.

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. – Brilliant sunshine and high temperatures welcomed Michael Mercier to the final round of the 2016 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship at Grand Niagara Golf Club. The Juno Beach, Fla., native fought through the intense heat to claim Canada’s national senior title.

Mercier began the day with a share of first alongside Dave Schultz of Calgary, but a five-birdie, 2-under 70 propelled him to victory.

“Today, I didn’t quite strike the ball as well as I was striking it the first three days. The first three days, I hit the ball very well, only missed a few greens over a total of three days, but I struggled a little bit putting. Today, I didn’t hit it that well, but I kind of figured out my putter last night on the practice green. I got the stroke and it freed up a little today. I putted much better today and I hit it good enough to get by.”

The 58-year-old is the tournament’s 54^th champion. With frequent visits to Canada and a number of ties to the country, Mercier spoke fondly of being its newest senior champion.

“It means a lot because Canada is somewhat dear to my heart since my great-grandfather came from here,” reflected the winner. “And apparently, I still have many cousins out there named Mercier up in the Montreal area that I’m related to. Because of that and the great spirit of the Canadian people, [my wife] Andrea and I, when we come up here every summer, it’s a real pleasure to come here. Because of that, Canada is more than just a stop for me to play golf in a great national championship, it’s like a second home to me.”

In addition to claiming the national senior title, Mercier has earned entry into the 2016 U.S. Senior Amateur championship to be contested from September 17-22 at Old Warson Country Club in St. Louis, Mo. Despite only learning of the exemption moments after his final putt, Mercier was buoyed by the victory and looks forward to the challenge ahead.

“When I’ve won in the past, I’ve gained some confidence,” explained Mercier. “I played okay earlier in the year, but in July and August, I hadn’t really played very well, so I started to lose some confidence. And then I could tell, my confidence started coming back during the second round because I started hitting some good shots and I was able to get up on some of the tougher holes and drive the ball a little more precise with confidence. I’m sure – I won’t know until next week when I go down to the U.S. Senior Amateur – but I know I’ll have more confidence than I came here with which will be a big help.”

Finishing in second-place was James Gallagher of Yorktown, Va. The 58-year-old collected four birdies, but fell shy of his goal by two strokes. Claiming shares of third at 2-under were Brady Exber of Las Vegas and Camrose, Alta., native Frank Van Dornick.

Van Dornick, Schultz and Brian Brown of Nanton, Alta., captured the inter-provincial team championship which was contested concurrently over the tournament’s two opening rounds. The trio claimed a nine-stroke victory over Team Manitoba.

Also played alongside the championship’s first 36-holes was the Super Senior division. John Gallacher of Burnaby, B.C., posted back-to-back 72s to secure a six-stroke victory in the 65-and-over competition.

The 2017 edition of the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship will be hosted at Kanawaki Golf Club in Montréal from September 11-14.

Additional information regarding the 2016 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship is available here.

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. – The stifling heat and humidity gave way to blustery winds on the third round of the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship. David Schultz battled the gusty conditions to move into a share of the lead alongside Michael Mercier.

A steady 2-under 70 saw Schultz of Calgary tally a trio of birdies, including two across a bogey-free back nine to move into a share of the lead at 3-under.

“It was a tough round,” said Schultz. “The wind was up today for sure and it created a lot of problems for everybody, but I kept it in play quite well. I actually hit a lot of iron shots close. I’m pretty frustrated with the way I putted – I could have gone really low today, but I was pretty happy with the way I played. Didn’t make many mistakes, so that was the key for sure.”

The 59-year-old is knotted alongside Michael Mercier of Juno Beach, Fla., who collected four birdies on the day. Schultz credited his hometown conditions for his performance.

“It fits me quite well,” he said when asked about the gusty day. “We play in a lot of wind in Calgary and I’m used to that. I play as good in the wind as I do when it’s not as windy. It just makes me hit some different shots and sometimes, I’m better hitting those shots. It was good for me.”

Schultz looks ahead positively to the final round, maintaining the need to stay the course and to keep composed.

“I think most of it is just playing the same way I have. I think I’ve got the right game plan and I know what shots I need to hit on the holes and just to be patient. It’s hard when you’re missing a few putts, but that’s what I’ve got to do – just not make a lot of mistakes. I’ll get down the stretch and see what happens.”

Trailing the co-leaders by two strokes at 1-under 215 are Schultz’s provincial teammate Frank Van Dornick of Camrose, Alta., and 36-hole leader Brady Exber of Las Vegas. Super Senior champion John Gallacher of Burnaby, B.C., James Gallagher from Yorktown, Va., and defending champion Jack Hall of Savannah, Ga., sit T5 at even-par.

Schultz, Van Dornick and Brian Brown of Nanton, Alta., claimed the inter-provincial team championship which was contested concurrently over the tournament’s two opening rounds. The Albertan trio claimed a nine-stroke victory over Team Manitoba.

Also played alongside the championship’s first 36-holes was the Super Senior division. Gallacher posted back-to-back 72s to secure a six-stroke victory in the 65-and-over competition.

The 2016 Men’s Senior champion will receive an exemption into the 2016 U.S. Senior Amateur championship to be contested at Old Warson Country Club in St. Louis, Mo., from September 17-22.

The final day of competition will begin with groups teeing off Nos. 1 and 10 at 7:30 a.m. ET. Additional information from the championship can be found here.

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. – An unrelenting heat continued to envelop the Grand Niagara Golf Club during the second round of the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship. A trio of Albertans emerged victorious in the inter-provincial team competition, while John Gallacher claimed the Super Senior national title.

Camrose, Alta., native Frank Van Dornick began the day with a share of 19th, but vaulted up the leaderboard with six birdies on the day, including four across a bogey-free back nine, en route to a 4-under 68.

“My round was fairly steady,” said Van Dornick. “I haven’t been hitting it very well, so I was just trying to manage the golf course as best I could. Today, I hit a lot of decent irons, I actually made a lot of putts, and that was the difference.”

The performance propelled Team Alberta to a nine-stroke victory after entering the day two shots back of Manitoba. Teammates David Schultz of Calgary and Brian Brown from Nanton carded rounds of 1-under and 2-under, respectively. Team Manitoba claimed second, while the squad representing British Columbia came third.

“Historically, we’ve been in the hunt, but we don’t always win, of course,” reflected Van Dornick. “When we do, it’s always very special. This is Brian’s first year and David and I go back 25-30 years, so I’ve known David an awfully long time. I think it was really nice for Brian to not only be a part of this, but also play as well as he has to date. I think you’ll see a lot more of Brian in the future.”

Van Dornick was pensive when asked about his fellow competitors and the unique nature of this national championship.

“A lot of these guys, we’ve gone through illnesses together; we know what everyone’s had in the past. The ones that have survived and can continue to compete and still find joy in the competition, they’re the ones we still see. Our hats are off to the ones that are unable to do that for health reasons. We’ve made a lot of friends nationwide as a result of these competitions and all of these friendships are very special.”

At 2-under 142, Van Dornick holds a share of second alongside first-round leader Michael Mercier of Juno Beach, Fla., and Garth Collings of Matlock, Man. The trio trails Las Vegas native Brady Exber by a single stroke. The 60-year-old Exber is playing in his third consecutive Canadian Men’s Senior Championship with his best finish being a runner-up result in 2014.

Back-to-back 72s have earned Burnaby, B.C., product John Gallacher the Super Senior title. The 65-year-old closed the round with nine straight pars to win the 65-and-over division by six strokes. A trio of Albertans in Howard Broun (Calgary), Merv Dusyk (Sylvan Lake) and Ron Kelly (Calgary) tied for second.

A total of 77 players finished 155-or-better to advance to the final two rounds of the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship. The winner will receive an exemption into the 2016 U.S. Senior Amateur championship to be contested at Old Warson Country Club in St. Louis, Mo., from September 17-22.

The third day of competition will begin with groups teeing off Nos. 1 and 10 at 7:30 a.m. ET. Additional information from the championship can be found here.

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. – Heat and humidity dominated the day as the 2016 edition of the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship opened at the Grand Niagara Golf Club. Michael Mercier carded a 4-under 68 to top the Senior division’s leaderboard, while Ottawa’s Dru Lafave and Burnaby, B.C., native John Gallacher share the Super Senior lead. The trio representing Manitoba is ahead in the inter-provincial team competition by two strokes.

Garth Collings of Matlock, Man., and Calgary’s Allan Ross recorded matching 70s to lead the Canadian contingent in the overall competition. Collings Collected three birdies and an eagle on the par-5 8^th hole.

“The course was awesome, but it was obviously very hot and humid,” said the 58-year-old. “The course played very well. I got off to a good start, but then I had a bit of a hiccup. I really worked hard to keep it in play. I made a couple of lucky shots and I was fortunate enough to shoot 70.”

Collings and teammates – and Winnipeg products – Michael Walker and Brad Moore, tallied a team total of even-par 144 to stake a two-stroke lead ahead of Team Alberta. Teams British Columbia and Ontario are T3 at 5-over 147.

“It’s the main reason why we come here,” reflected Collings, when asked about the 36-hole inter-provincial team competition. “Any individual success we have is great also, but when I teed up in our province to play in the Senior in Manitoba, I played to make this team. That was my goal. For us to play well here, hopefully we can keep it going tomorrow. It’s senior golf, it’s really about the golf and the camaraderie.”

Alone atop the Senior division is Michael Mercier of Juno Beach, Fla. The 58-year-old, who began the day on the back nine, notched seven birdies on the day, including four across his first nine holes for a 3-under 33 showing. Las Vegas native Brady Exber counted five birdies and sits one stroke back of the leader.

Ottawa’s Dru Lafave and John Gallacher of Burnaby, B.C., lead the 65-and-over Super Senior division contested concurrently with the championship’s first two rounds. At even-par, the pair sit one stroke clear of Vineland, Ont., native Kerry Short.

Following the opening 36-holes, the field will be reduced to the low 70 players and ties. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2016 U.S. Senior Amateur championship to be contested at Old Warson Country Club in St. Louis, Mo., from September 17-22.

Additional information from the tournament can be found here.

WELLAND, Ont. – A warm summer’s day provided ideal conditions at Hunters Pointe Golf Club for the qualifying event into the 2016 Canadian Senior Men’s Championship. Sandy Billyard – a co-owner of the host club – was able to take advantage of his strong familiarity with the course, shooting 1-under 71 to claim medallist honours.

The native of nearby Ridgeville, Ont., collected four birdies on the day and finished with the lone under-par round.

“The course was good; we had a heavy rainfall here about three or four days ago, so it softened the greens up and they were very receptive to shots. I didn’t have a terribly good putting day, but I kept the ball in play and limited the number of mistakes to a minimum. I just kept my eye on the fact that I had to shoot even-par, maybe 1-under, to qualify.”

The 60-year-old is excited for the competition in the coming days, hoping to add to an already impressive golfing career. Billyard captured the 1973 Ontario Junior Championship and came runner-up in the 1974 Canadian Junior Championship. As a 20-year-old, he took part in the 1976 Canadian Open as an amateur. In 2014, he was added to Golf Ontario’s Wall of Recognition, before joining the Welland Sports Wall of Fame one year later.

“It’s great. I’ve played in a number of national championships over my career as an amateur golfer,” reflected Billyard. “This one, I’m very interested in because it’s a local golf course. Grand Niagara is a wonderfully-designed and beautifully-conditioned golf course. I’ve played it many times and I’m excited to go out there to play and see how I can do against the best players.”

Fellow Ontarians William King of Sault Ste. Marie and John Murphy of Orillia carded even-par rounds of 72, while Ross Eisele of Milton, Ont., shot 73 to claim the fourth and final spot into the 54^th playing of the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship at the Grand Niagara Golf Club from September 6-9.

A 65-and-over Super Senior division and an inter-provincial team competition will be contested concurrently with the national championship’s first two rounds. Following the opening 36-holes, the field will be reduced to the low 70 players and ties. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2016 U.S. Senior Amateur championship to be contested at Old Warson Country Club in St. Louis, Mo., from September 17-22.

Additional information from the tournament can be found here, while details from the qualifying competition are available here.

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. – The 2016 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship will visit the Niagara region for the 2016 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship. A qualifying round will take place at Hunters Pointe Golf Course in Welland, Ont., on Sunday, September 4 before the championship’s four tournament rounds begin on September 6 at the Grand Niagara Golf Club.

“Golf Canada is thrilled to once again visit Niagara Falls for our national amateur championships,” said Tournament Director Justine Decock. “It has been our pleasure to partner with these tremendous venues for what is sure to be a fantastic championship. Our hosts at Grand Niagara have brought together a great team of volunteers; our players are going to have a wonderful experience.”

Designed by world-renowned golf course architect Rees Jones, Grand Niagara was founded in 2005. The Welland River winds through the property, offering scenic views of the rolling fairways and exquisitely contoured greens.

A full field of competitors aged 55-and-over from six countries will take to Grand Niagara for the 54^th playing of this national championship in hopes of joining its list of notable winners. Returning to defend his Canadian Men’s Senior title is Jack Hall of Savannah, Ga., who battled through tough and rainy conditions at Desert Blume Golf Club in Medicine Hat, Alta., to claim the 2015 championship.

Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Doug Roxburgh is one of several players looking to step into the winner’s circle once more. The 64-year-old from Vancouver claimed the 2014 title and finished with a share of 9^th last year.

David Schultz of Calgary captured the 2013 edition of this event, adding another highlight to a career for which he was inducted into the Alberta Golf Hall of Fame in 2014. Paul Simson has won over 200 amateur titles in his career, including six North & South Senior Amateur championships. In 2010, the 65-year-old from Raleigh, N.C., became the first player to hold the British, Canadian and U.S. Senior titles in the same year – a feat that has yet to be matched.

George Stokes of New Hamburg, Ont., will play for a second consecutive Super Senior title after capturing the 36-hole, 70-and-over division in 2015. Also contested over the tournament’s first two rounds will be an inter-provincial team competition. Team Ontario finished 3-under 285 in 2015 to narrowly claim a one-stroke victory.

Following the opening two rounds, the field will be reduced to the low 70 players and ties. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2016 U.S. Senior Amateur championship to be contested at Old Warson Country Club in St. Louis, Mo., from September 17-22.

Additional information from the tournament can be found here, while details from the qualifying competition are available here.

MEDICINE HAT, Alta – Jack Hall of Savannah, Ga., shot 7-under par through three rounds to claim the 2015 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship at Desert Blume Golf Club in Medicine Hat, Alta.

Hall, 58, battled through rainy conditions on Friday to shoot 1-over par 73 to claim a narrow one-stroke victory that was not decided until the final hole.

“There are three big international tournaments that Americans look forward to playing in, one’s the British, one’s the Canadian and one’s the U.S. Senior Amateur. To have one on my resume is there forever and I enjoy it – love it,” said Hall, who captured his first international title.

“I’ve played a lot in the states and I’ve had a lot of good accomplishments, but once you’re in the international side of it, I just think it’s wonderful. So to me having won this, words can’t explain it,” he added.

Although wind-swept conditions postponed play and ultimately reduced the championship to 54 holes, Hall welcomed the added adversity. “It was challenging, let’s say that for sure. I played with a couple of Canadians who said it was cold and that made my day. It was the right golf course to handle those kinds of conditions. I thought the weather made the tournament. We’re getting older, but we like challenges too.”

Hall recently claimed the 2015 Georgia Mid-Amateur Championship and has played in over 30 United States Golf Association events. With the win, he has earned an exemption into the 2015 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship taking place at Hidden Creek Golf Club in Egg Harbor Township, N.J., from September 26 to October 1.

“It gives me more confidence, but I think the real plus for me is knowing that I can putt well. These greens here were absolutely wonderful. I think coming away from this event, I trust my speeds more and it gives you more opportunities to make more putts,” Hall explained, as he sets his sights on the competition ahead.

Pat Thompson of Asheville, N.C., and Hall entered the final hole deadlocked at 7-under par, but Thompson dropped a shot on the 18^th to finish with a share of second. The 57-year-old began the national championship with a senior’s course record of 7-under 65 and led after 18 holes.

Fellow North Carolina native Paul Simson of Raleigh shot the low round of the day at 2-under and climbed four spots into a share of second with a three-round total of 210. Simson claimed victory at the 2010 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship and made history by becoming the first person to capture the British, U.S. and Canadian senior titles in the same year.

David Schultz of Calgary finished as the top Canadian in the field with a fourth place finish at 1-under par. The 2013 champion fired rounds of 72, 71, and 72 in order to finish with a one shot edge over fifth place.

With a score of 16-over, George Stokes of New Hamburg, Ont., claimed a one-shot victory in the Super Senior (70+) division which was contested over the course of the first two rounds.

Team Ontario emerged as champions in the Inter-Provincial team competition which was also played concurrently over the first two rounds. Michael Jackson (Collingwood, Ont.), Michael Mealia (Richmond Hill, Ont.), and Lars Melander (Oakville, Ont.) posted a combined total of 3-under par 285 for the victory.

Additional information regarding the 2015 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship is available here.

MEDICINE HAT, Alta. – The second round of the 2015 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship concluded Thursday at Desert Blume Golf Club in Medicine Hat, Alta., with Team Ontario emerging as provincial team champions.

The Ontario trio of Michael Jackson (Collingwood, Ont.), Michael Mealia (Richmond Hill, Ont.), and Lars Melander (Oakville, Ont.) posted a combined second-round of 4-under 140 to capture the Phil Farley trophy with a 3-under 285 total.

“We were behind by a couple of shots going into today and we knew a couple of good scores had to be done,” said Team Captain Michael Jackson. The three-man unit began the day down two strokes and benefited from a second-round 69 by Melander and 71 from Jackson.

The victory adds to Team Ontario’s successful summer which has already included team and individual titles at the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship. “I’m really pleased to be a part of that and represent the Golf Association of Ontario,” added Jackson.

The squad finished one stroke ahead of Team Alberta made up of Floyd Kilgore (Grimshaw, Alta.), Howard Broun (Calgary) and David Schultz (Calgary) who finished 1-under par on the day. Rounding out the top-three with a total of 287 was John Gallacher (Burnaby, B.C.), Doug Roxburgh (Vancouver) and Sandy Harper (Nanaimo, B.C.) of Team British Columbia.

In the 70-and-over Super Senior division, George Stokes of New Hamburg, Ont., claimed a one-shot victory over Ken Bradley of Moose Jaw, Sask. Stokes improved upon a runner-up result in 2014 by carding rounds of 78 and 82 in tough windy conditions to finish 16-over 160 for the victory.

“It’s nice. It’s sort of the daily double because in 1998, I won the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship. So now that I’ve had a chance and finally won the Super Senior, it’s sort of a feather in my cap. I’m happy about it,” said the 73-year-old Stokes.

Bradley shot a 79 in his second round to finish 17-over par. Finishing in third was 2014 Super Senior champion Mickey Batten of Chateauguay, Que., with a total of 162.

Following tough windy conditions which forced the tournament to be reduced by 18 holes, the second round of the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship was completed on Thursday with Jack Hall of Savannah, Ga., taking the lead at 8-under par.

“I have the speed of the greens down pretty well and most every putt I hit got to the hole. When you have the ball getting to the hole, some of them drop,” explained the 2015 Georgia Mid-Amateur champion. After a first-round 69, Hall carded a bogey-free 5-under 67 to lead by one stroke.

“If I can come out and get loose early, hit a couple fairways and greens and play my game, I should be fine,” said the second-round leader.

Pat Thompson entered the second round in the lead and followed his 7-under course record with an even-par round. The Asheville, N.C. native matched two birdies with two bogeys and sits tied for second. Joining Thompson at 7-under 137 is Ronald Kilby of McAllen, Texas who carded scores of 68 and 69 despite both his rounds being suspended due to the harsh winds.

“I have to say that obviously our group got the short end of the draw, and that happens – that’s just golf. You win some of those and you lose some of those. Having got through the hard part playing well and scoring well, I feel like I’ve given myself a chance to win the tournament,” said the 60-year-old Kilby.

Lars Melander from Oakville, Ont., and Brady Exber of Las Vegas, Nev., are tied for fourth at 5-under par.

A total of 70 players finished 155-or-better to advance past the 36-hole cut to the final round which begins Friday at 7:30 a.m. MDT.

The winner of this year’s championship will earn an exemption into the 2015 U.S. Senior Amateur at Hidden Creek Golf Club in Egg Harbor Township, N.J., from September 26 to October 1.

For additional information, including tee times and scoring can be found here.

MEDICINE HAT, Alta. – Strong winds and the ensuing unplayable conditions during day two of the 2015 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship forced the suspension of the second round at Desert Blume Golf Club in Medicine Hat, Alta.

Players that were unable to complete their first rounds on Tuesday due to suspension of play did so on Wednesday morning. The same windy conditions experienced on the competition’s first day resurfaced on day two and forced play to be suspended at 3:30 p.m. MDT. The third round has been cancelled and the competition will be reduced to 54 holes.

“It is unfortunate that we have had to shorten the championship, but we wanted to ensure that the tournament is fair to all players. Resuming the second round tomorrow will provide optimal playing conditions for the field,” explained Tournament Director Mary Beth McKenna. “It was a difficult decision, but we concluded it wouldn’t be feasible to complete 72 holes due to limited amounts of daylight and time.”

Ideal conditions began the day and saw low scores from players beginning their first rounds. Leading the way in the morning was Pat Thompson of Asheville, N.C., who shot a first-round 7-under 65 – a senior’s course record.

“I was hitting it stiff. Most of the birdies were within five feet,” said Thompson, who carded five consecutive birdies from holes four to eight before adding three more on the back nine.

“When I could have made bogies I was saving pars. I just started to hit the ball right where I wanted to every time, just over and over. A couple of times, I missed a little bit and I happened to hit it above the hole and it would feed down closer and I’d end up with five feet again,” said the 2014 Georgia Senior Invitational champion.

One stroke back is Ronald Kilby, who shot 2-under through nine holes before his second round was suspended. The McAllen, Texas native opened with a 4-under first round and sits 6-under par through 27 holes.

Frank MacKenzie is currently third following an opening-round 4-under par on Wednesday morning. The 64-year-old from Vernon, B.C., went bogey-free to accompany four birdies.

Team Alberta leads the Inter-Provincial team competition through one completed round of play. Floyd Kilgore of Grimshaw, Alta., and Calgary natives Howard Broun and David Schultz totaled a combined 1-under par 143. Two shots behind the host province are Teams Manitoba, Ontario and British Columbia who sit tied for second at 145.

In addition to the Inter-Provincial team competition, the Super Senior division is also played concurrently over the championship’s first 36 holes. Leading the 70-and-over competition is Ken Bradley of Moose Jaw, Sask., who carded 10-over par in his first round. Two shots back is George Stokes from New Hamburg, Ont., who completed the first 13 holes of his second round before play was suspended.

The 2015 Canadian Men’s Senior champion will earn an exemption into the 2015 U.S. Senior Amateur at Hidden Creek Golf Club in Egg Harbor Township, N.J., from September 26 to October 1.

The second round of the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship will continue on Thursday at 8 a.m. MDT. Scoring, pairings and start times can be found here.