PGA TOUR

Akshay Bhatia erased a five-stroke deficit with nine holes to play and made par on the first playoff hole to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational. It is his third PGA Tour win and all three have come in playoffs. It was also the first playoff to decide the tournament since 1999 – three years before Bhatia was even born. His victory in the $20 million signature event moves him into the top 20 in the world rankings. Daniel Berger finished atop the leaderboard after all 72 regulation holes were played but missed a seven foot par putt on the first extra hole that would have extended the playoff. He was attempting to become the first wire-to-wire winner of the event in 10 years. His second place finish comes with a British Open invitation and he’s likely to play in the Masters next month after moving into the top 40 in the world rankings. Ludvig Aberg notched his best finish on the PGA Tour after tying for third with Cameron Young, who was one of only two players to play the final round bogey free. Collin Morikawa finished fifth for his third straight top-10 result. Scottie Scheffler finished in a tie for 24th, the first time he has finished outside the top-20 since last year’s Phoenix Open.  …Corey Conners, who has a pair of third place finishes at this tournament, finished outside the top-25 for the first time in six starts. …Nick Taylor finished outside the top-30 for the first time in six worldwide starts this year. …Taylor Pendrith finished first this week in Green in Regulation, 2nd in Shots Gained: Approach to Green and was top-10 in Shots Gained: Off The Tee.

Ricky Castillo made back-to-back birdies at No. 13 to take over the lead on the way to a one-stroke victory at the Puerto Rico Open. It is his first career title in his 35th tour start. He becomes the second first-time winner this season. The win earns Castillo an invitation to the PGA Championship but not the Masters as it was played opposite the Arnold Palmer tournament, which he just missed qualifying for by 11 FedEx Cup points. Chandler Blanchet, who led the field in birdies, finished runner-up and just missed becoming only the third player in the last three seasons to win in their first made cut on tour. Eighteen-year-old Blades Brown was leading with six holes to play before a triple-bogey at No. 13 ended his chances of becoming the youngest PGA Tour winner in 95 years and the first teenager to win since Jordan Spieth in 2013. …Ben Silverman recorded his best result of the season and first top-20 finish in his last nine starts. …Adam Hadwin, playing without full status on the PGA Tour this season, picks up his second top-25 result in four starts

NEXT EVENT: THE PLAYERS Championship (Mar 12)

CANADIANS ENTERED: Corey Conners, A.J. Ewart, Mackenzie Hughes, Taylor Pendrith, Nick Taylor, Sudarshan Yellamaraju

KORN FERRY TOUR

Doc Redman made four birdies over five holes at the turn and not even a late round stumble with back-to-back bogeys over his final four holes could derail his five stroke victory at the Astara Chile Classic for his first win on the Korn Ferry Tour. His winning margin of victory is the largest on tour since a seven-stroke win by Adrien Dumont de Chassart last year. Redman is the fourth first-time winner on tour this season and moves up to No. 4 on the points list. Cooper Dossey, with his best career result, and Michael Johnson, who matches his best result on tour, both finished tied for second. Argentine amateur Segundo Oliva Pinto finished tied for fourth, becoming the first amateur to record top-10 finishes in consecutive Korn Ferry Tour events. …Drew Nesbitt snaps a streak of five missed cuts to start the year and records his best finish since winning on PGA Tour America’s last September. …Matthew Anderson records his second top-30 finish in six starts this season

NEXT EVENT: Club Car Championship (Mar 26)

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

Zach Johnson recovered from an early bogey to play blemish-free golf the rest of the way to win the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational by four shots, winning in his Champions Tour debut. Johnson, a two-time major winner on the PGA Tour, became eligible to play on the senior circuit two weeks ago when he turned 50. He’s the 22nd player to win his tour debut and the fourth youngest winner in tour history. It is his first win on any PGA sanctioned tour since the 2015 Open Championship. Johnson is the 24th player to win on the Korn Ferry, PGA and Champions tours. Stewart Cink and George McNeill finished tied for second. Cink was looking to win for the third straight start while McNeill has finished in the top-5 in both of his starts this season. …Stephen Ames recorded his third straight top-20 result to start the season

NEXT EVENT: Cologuard Classic (Mar 20)

EUROPEAN TOUR

Dan Bradbury withstood a chaotic finish and saved par on the final hole for a one-shot victory at the Joburg Open. It is his third European Tour win and the second time he has won this event in four years. At least four players had a chance to win the tournament over the final closing holes. Hennie Du Plessis held a three-stroke lead before a bogey-double bogey at Nos. 15 and 16 ended his hopes. He went on to finish fourth. Casey Jarvis bogeyed the penultimate hole to deny him a chance at joining Nick Faldo and Seve Ballesteros as the only players in tour history to win three straight events. He finished in a tie for second with Brandon Robinson Thompson, who held a one-shot lead with one hole to play, only to bogey No. 18. There were no Canadians entered in the event.

NEXT EVENT: Hainan Classic (Mar 19)

CANADIANS ENTERED: Aaron Cockerill (alternate)

LIV GOLF

Jon Rahm birdied four of his last six holes to win the LIV Golf Hong Kong event by three shots. It is his fifth career win on the Saudi-backed tour but his first in 539 days, snapping a 26-match worldwide winless streak for the Spaniard. He had finished runner-up in each of the first two tournaments this season. Thomas Detry finished runner-up while Thomas Pieters was third. Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces GC took the team title, ending a stretch of 974 days since they last won a team event. …Richard T. Lee carded his second top-20 finish in three starts this season.

NEXT EVENT:  LIV Golf Singapore (Mar. 12)

LPGA TOUR

Mi Hyang Lee rebounded from a pair of front-nine double bogeys and sank a two-foot birdie on the final hole to win the Blue Bay LPGA by a single stroke. It is her third LPGA title but first in more than eight years. Lee is the fourth different winner through four events this season. Zhang Weiwei of China appeared on track to win, but a bogey on the penultimate hole left her settling for her second career runner-up finish. Auston Kim made three birdies over her final five holes to finish in a tie for third, her second top-three result in the last two weeks. Aditi Ashok birdied the final hole to also finish tied for third. The LPGA takes a week off before returning to North America for the Founders Cup.

NEXT EVENT: Fortinet Founders Cup (Mar. 19)

CANADIANS ENTERED:  Leah John, Maude-Aimee Leblanc, Savannah Grewal (Reserve #24), Alena Sharp (Reserve #25)

LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR

Hometown favourite Kelsey Bennett made three birdies over five holes down the stretch to win the Australian Women’s Classic by four shots. It is her first career LET win, and it moves her to the top of the Order of Merit while earning an invitation to the AIG Women’s Open later this year. Bennett was one of only three players to play the final round under par as wind and rain made for challenging conditions. Meghan MacLaren, the 2022 champion, and rookie Caley McGinty finished tied for second…Anna Huang recorded her second straight top-10 finish and third of her career.

NEXT EVENT: Women’s Australia Open (Mar. 12)

CANADIANS ENTERED: Anna Huang

EPSON TOUR

Isabella Fierro carded six birdies including three over the final five holes for a four stroke victory at the Atlantic Beach Classic, the season-opening event on the Epson Tour. It is her first win and her 13-under winning score broke the previous 54-hole tournament record by five strokes. LPGA and Epson Tour veteran Maria Fassi finished in a three-way tie for second, giving Mexican players a 1-2 finish. Kaitlyn Papp-Budde and Annabelle Pancake-Webb, who birdied her last three holes, were also tied for second. For Papp-Budde, it’s her ninth career top-10 result.  …Savannah Grewal, who spent the past two years on the LPGA Tour, recorded her first career top-20 result on the Epson Tour.

NEXT EVENT:  IOA Golf Classic (Mar 13)

CANADIANS ENTERED:  Brooke Rivers, Maddie Szeryk-DiBello, Monet Chun, Megan Osland, Savannah Grewal, Brigitte Thibault, Mary Parsons (Reserve #4), Yeji Kwon (Reserve #27), Josee Doyon (Reserve #30)

Sudarshan Yellamaraju, Anna Hung and Leah John named
2025 Emerging Professional of the Year Award recipients

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Golf Canada is proud to announce the names of 20 professional athletes that have been named to the 2026 men’s and women’s Team Canada squads.

Golf Canada’s National Team program aims to help more Canadian athletes achieve success on the world’s leading professional tours, including the PGA TOUR and the LPGA Tour. The Team Canada program supports a group of experienced amateurs on the pathway to playing professional golf along with a group of young professional golfers building their careers as touring pros.

The professional players will join the 34 amateur and junior players that were previously announced as part of the Team Canada program last December. With players choosing to turn professional at different points in the season, an athlete’s involvement in the Team Canada program including financial support continues during their transition from amateur to professional golf. 

2026 Team Canada Rosters:

Team Canada – Women

Team Canada – Men

“Golf Canada is proud to announce the professional athletes selected to the 2026 Team Canada Men’s and Women’s National Team Program. Many of these players achieved significant milestones and enjoyed strong seasons last year, and we look forward to supporting their continued development across all tours while providing them with the resources they need to excel in 2026,” said Paul Perrier, Chief Sport Officer, Golf Canada. “We also extend our sincere thanks to the generous donors of the Golf Canada Foundation and our corporate partners. Their ongoing support of player development is critical in equipping our athletes to train, compete, and pursue success at the highest levels. We are also grateful to the Selection Committee for their diligence and commitment to a rigorous, athlete-focused selection process.”

Team Canada Coaches…

As previously announced, the coaching staff for the men’s and women’s Team Canada squads will return in full for the 2026 season. Team Canada – Men will be led by head coach Derek Ingram (Winnipeg, Man.) and assistant coach Louis Melanson (Moncton, N.B.). The coaching staff will be supported by mental performance coach, Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood (Winnipeg, Man.) along with strength and conditioning coach Greg Redman (Kelowna, B.C.). Team Canada – Women will be led by Stollery Family Women’s head coach Salimah Mussani (Vancouver, B.C.) along with associate coach Jennifer Greggain (Vancouver, B.C.), strength and conditioning coach Andrea Kosa (Calgary, Alta.) and mental performance coach Judy Goss (Toronto, Ont.).

Team Canada coaches work with athletes and their personal support teams to develop annual training plans and identify areas to impact athlete growth in all areas of their game. Athletes are also supported by an integrated sport science team that includes physical conditioning, mental performance, and mental health support. Players are brought together regularly for training camps with national team coaches and sport science staff.

Team Canada Athletes….

The women’s professional team sees seven returning players including 17-year-old Anna Huang of Vancouver, B.C. Huang turned professional in 2025 and went on to win twice on the Ladies European Tour (LET). Her first professional win came at the La Sella Open in Spain in September, she followed that up with a win at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France the next week. Huang added two top 10’s and six top 20’s over 19 tournaments and finished 11th in the Order of Merit on LET in her rookie season. Leah John of Vancouver, B.C. also found the winner’s circle last season, claiming the Four Winds Invitational in August for her first professional win. John added two top 10 finishes in 20 starts on the Epson Tour. In December, John finished in the top 25 at LPGA Final Qualifying to earn her LPGA Tour card for 2026. Five women will be competing on the Epson Tour this year including, Brooke Rivers of Brampton, Ont. Last season, Rivers earned five top 10’s including a third place finish at the Casella Golf Championship in July on the Epson Tour. Also returning are a pair of 2025 Epson Tour rookies including Monet Chun of Richmond Hill, Ont., who earned four top 20 finishes and made the cut in 16 of 19 tournaments played last season. Along with Chun is Mary Parsons of Delta, B.C. Last season, Parsons earned two top 25 finishes in 12 events on Epson. Savannah Grewal of Mississauga, Ont. returns to the Epson Tour after competing on the LPGA Tour last season. Grewal earned five top 50 finishes in 16 starts on the LPGA Tour. Brigitte Thibault of Rosemère, Que. will also be returning to Epson following three top 40 finishes last year. Yeji Kwon of Port Coquitlam, B.C. will be returning to the program for 2026. Last season, Kwon earned two top 40 finishes in 18 starts last year on Epson.

The men’s professional team sees 10 returning players from 2025 and two additional returnees from past years. Three players will compete on the Korn Ferry Tour (KFT) this season, including Myles Creighton of Digby, N.S., Stuart Macdonald of Vancouver, B.C. and Matthew Anderson of Mississauga, Ont. Last season, Creighton earned his first Korn Ferry Tour title at the Wichita Open in June. He added another top five, a top 10 and four top 25 finishes in 25 events on Tour. This season, Creighton has earned two top 25 finishes in five events on the KFT. Macdonald earned a runner-up finish at the Tulum Championship last May and added a top five, three top 10’s and five top 25 finishes on the KFT last season. Macdonald has two additional top 25 finishes this season in five events played. Anderson collected a third place finish, a top five, two top 10’s and three top 25’s last season on KFT; he also finished T47 at the 2025 RBC Canadian Open. Five players will compete on PGA TOUR Americas including Brendan MacDougall of Calgary, Alta., Hunter Thomson of Calgary, Alta., Noah Steele of Kingston, Ont., Étienne Papineau of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que. and returning member, Peyton Callens of Langton, Ont. Callens was last a junior team national team member in 2019. Also returning to the national team after two seasons is Henry Lee of Coquitlam, B.C. Lee spent the past two years competing on the Vancouver Golf Tour and won twice in 2025 while adding five runner-up finishes. Lee earned playing status for both the Korean Tour and Asian Tour for the 2026 season. Piercen Hunt of Calgary, Alta. and Brady McKinlay of Lacombe, Alta. and Johnny Travale of Hamilton, Ont. who competed on PGA TOUR Americas last season will return to the national team for 2026. Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Mississauga, Ont. and A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C. have both graduated from the Team Canada program, following their progression to the PGA TOUR this season.

For full Team Canada athlete and coach bios along with tournament results and additional information, please click here.

Team Canada is proudly supported by RBC, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), Titleist, FootJoy, Puma, Foresight, Golf Canada Foundation and Sport Canada.

EMERGING PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR AWARD

Golf Canada Foundation is proud to announce Sudarshan Yellamaraju as the male recipient of the Emerging Professional of the Year Award, presented by Andrew Cook. The female co-recipients are Anna Huang and Leah John. 

“We are thrilled to continue the Emerging Professional awards again this year, with three deserving players getting a head start on their 2026 season with a grant to offset the many costs associated with starting your professional career,” said Martin Barnard, Chief Executive Officer, Golf Canada Foundation. “Andrew Cook has been a long-time supporter of the Foundation and golf in Canada, and his generous support is meaningful and impactful for Team Canada players again this year.”

The Emerging Professional of the Year Award is funded by a generous donation from Andrew Cook, a proud Trustee of the Golf Canada Foundation and past President of Golf Canada. Each year, the top male and female professionals receive a $10,000 grant to support their next season. Past recipients include PGA TOUR member Taylor Pendrith, current and former Korn Ferry Tour members Matthew Anderson, Myles Creighton, Stuart Macdonald, Wil Bateman, Etienne Papineau and current and former LPGA Tour members Maude‑Aimée Leblanc, Savannah Grewal and Maddie Szeryk. 

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Brooke Henderson will have a new face on her bag for the bulk of the 2026 LPGA Tour season as her sister and longtime caddie, Brittany, prepares for a different kind of delivery.

The Henderson family confirmed that Brittany is pregnant and expecting her first child with husband Zach Sepanik in June. As a result, Canada’s winningest professional golfer will turn to veteran looper John Killeen to handle caddie duties for most of the upcoming campaign.

“Britt and I have worked so well together for the past 10 seasons — and she is my best friend,” Brooke Henderson said in an interview with Sportsnet’s Adam Stanley. “We travel together all the time, so this is going to be a big change, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

The Henderson sisters have formed one of the most formidable and recognizable partnerships in professional golf. Since Brittany took over full-time caddie duties in 2015, she has been on the bag for 12 of Brooke’s 14 LPGA Tour titles, including two major championships.

The transition will not be immediate. Brittany is scheduled to caddie for the season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in Orlando, which begins Jan. 29. Brooke enters that event as a past champion, having won the tournament with Brittany in 2023.

Following the opener, Killeen will take over the bag as the tour moves to Asia. Killeen brings more than 40 years of experience to the role, having previously worked for Hall of Fame members Juli Inkster and Meg Mallon, as well as major winner Cristie Kerr.

While Killeen handles the yardages, Brittany’s absence will also be felt on the practice range. In addition to her role as caddie, she has long served as Brooke’s de facto swing coach while on the road, acting as the eyes and ears for their father and primary coach, Dave Henderson.

Brittany, a former professional golfer herself and a member of the Coastal Carolina University Athletics Hall of Fame, hasn’t completely ruled out a cameo later in the year. She suggested a return for the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in November remains a “hopeful possibility,” provided the timing and logistics of new motherhood allow.

For the 28-year-old Brooke, the 2026 season represents a major shift in her professional environment, but the Smiths Falls, Ont., native said she is focused on the personal milestone for her sister.

“I’m super excited,” Brooke said. “It’s amazing. I’m really happy for Brittany and Zach and I’m excited to be an aunt as well.”

The 2026 LPGA season features a record-breaking schedule, with Henderson expected to remain a central figure in the hunt for her 14th career victory and a climb back up the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.

Canada’s Brooke Henderson has been named to the inaugural group of LPGA Tour players committed to WTGL, a new tech‑driven women’s team golf league launching in the winter of 2026‑27. The LPGA and TMRW Sports announced the first five confirmed athletes on Monday, a group that includes World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, England’s Charley Hull, New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, U.S. standout Lexi Thompson and Henderson, the winningest professional golfer in Canadian history.

Henderson, 26, enters the league with a résumé unmatched in Canadian golf: 14 LPGA Tour victories, including two majors, three Olympic appearances and multiple season‑ending honours such as the LPGA Founders Award. Her inclusion places her alongside both the current world No. 1 and several established global champions as WTGL positions itself as a modern, entertainment‑oriented showcase for the women’s game.

WTGL will feature short‑form, team‑based match play inside the custom‑built SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., the same venue that hosts TGL presented by SoFi, the men’s league co‑founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.

“WTGL will be a global stage to showcase LPGA Tour stars, and this first wave of committed players represents that opportunity with some of the world’s best,” said Mike McCarley, founder and CEO, TMRW Sports. “These players will thrive in WTGL’s competitive environment as fans will witness their skill and connect more deeply with their personalities through the unprecedented access the league delivers with every player mic’d in the modern match play team format.”

Additional WTGL player announcements and team information are expected in the coming months. More details are available at WTGLGolf.com.

_{Source: LPGA}

The Golf Journalists Association of Canada (GJAC) has announced their golf story of the year, as well as various Player of the Year awards for the 2025 season.

Below are the GJAC’s selections for the 2025 season.

Brooke Henderson’s Victory at the CPKC Canadian Women’s Open Named Golf Story of the Year

Brooke Henderson’s memorable win at the CPKC Canadian Women’s Open at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club was named the GJAC Canadian Golf Story of the Year. Henderson captured her second CPKC Canadian Women’s Open title in August, prevailing by one stroke in a dramatic final round over Minjee Lee. The victory marked a special moment for Canadian golf, as Henderson once again claimed the national championship in front of a home audience.

Corey Conners Named Male Professional Player of the Year

Corey Conners earned Male Professional Player of the Year honours following one of the most consistent seasons of his PGA TOUR career. Conners finished fourth in the FedEx Cup standings and recorded three top-five finishes despite not securing a tournament victory. He also posted top-20 finishes in all three major championships he completed during the season. Conners concluded the year ranked 30th in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Brooke Henderson Named Female Professional Player of the Year

Brooke Henderson was also named Female Professional Player of the Year, continuing her leadership among Canadian players on the LPGA Tour. Her season included a top-10 finish at the CPE Group Tour Championship and her historic victory at the CPKC Canadian Women’s Open. Henderson finished the year ranked 24th in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.

Hunter Thomson and Isaiah Ibit Named Male Amateur Players of the Year

The GJAC selected co-winners for Male Amateur Player of the Year.

Isaiah Ibit enjoyed an impressive freshman season at Kent State University, earning MAC Freshman of the Year honours. He also made the cut at a PGA TOUR Americas event and finished runner-up at the Can-Am Championship. Ibit concluded the year ranked 359th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

Hunter Thomson, who attended the University of Michigan, won his NCAA Regional, finished 24th on PGA TOUR U, and turned professional during the season while retaining his Amateur Ranking status for 2026. Despite competing as an amateur for only part of the year, his accomplishments earned strong recognition from voters. Thomson turned professional ranked 68th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

Aphrodite Deng Named Female Amateur Player of the Year

Aphrodite Deng was named Female Amateur Player of the Year following a standout season that included a tie for 20th and low amateur honours at the CPKC Canadian Women’s Open, along with a strong showing at the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship and multiple junior victories throughout the year. Deng also captured Rolex Junior Player of the Year honours and finished the season ranked 14th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

“It is an exciting time in our calendar where we share the results of our Association vote for our year end players and Canadian golf story of the year awards,” said Mike Johnny, President of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada. “While the competitive golf landscape in Canada continues to thrive, it is nice to see new names emerge, reflective of the competition within Canada to compete on the world stage. At home, participation in the game remains high and grassroots initiatives to expand engagement in golf are flourishing. A Canadian winning our national open is always exciting. Canada is always proud to showcase the best players coming to compete on the world stage.”

The 2025 golf season was a reminder that the momentum in Canadian golf not only continued but accelerated with pace. Driven by wins on and off the course, expanded programming, commercial and philanthropic success, and a passion for the sport that spans coast-to-coast, Canadian golf is in a great place.

Golf holds its place as the number one participation sport in Canada as is evident by another record-breaking year, with 11.2 million scores posted on the Golf Canada App by more than 360,000 Golf Canada members at 1,550 member clubs across the country.

The professional game mirrored the success of recent years as Canadian golf fans were treated to another memorable year. Ask a Canadian golf fan to pick a highlight from 2025 and they would probably say Brooke Henderson’s win at the CPKC Women’s Open. Henderson’s triumph at the Mississaugua Golf and Country Club returned her to the winners’ circle after an incredible performance in front of the home crowd to win her second CPKC Women’s Open title. Henderson’s win further strengthened her position as the most successful Canadian professional golfer in history with her 14th win on the LPGA Tour. She closed the LPGA season with a T7 finish at the CME Group Tour Championship.

Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C. continued his winning ways on the PGA TOUR, taking the Sony Open in Hawaii in January for his fifth career title on Tour. Taylor has won at least once in three consecutive years and all three via playoff, including the historic 2023 RBC Canadian Open in a thrilling four-hole playoff with Tommy Fleetwood. Taylor also added a T19 finish at the Tour Championship in November.

Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont. continues to assert himself as one of the game’s best, earning seven top 10 finishes on the PGA TOUR including a T4 finish at the Tour Championship and his fourth top 10 finish at The Masters. Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont. added four top 10’s as well as a T5 finish at the PGA Championship in May.

More noise was made by Canadians on the global professional circuits, including 17-year-old Anna Huang of Vancouver, B.C. who turned pro in January and went on to win back-to-back tournaments in September on the Ladies European Tour (LET). The Team Canada member earned her first professional win at the La Sella Open in Spain and followed it up a week later with a win at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France and closes the year ranked no. 114 on the Rolex World Rankings.

Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Mississauga, Ont. recorded his first professional win at the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic in January and finished the year with four top 10’s on the Korn Ferry Tour. The 24-year-old earned his PGA TOUR card for 2026 by finishing 19th in the Korn Ferry Tour season standings and will be the youngest Canadian on Tour next year.

Joining the Canadian contingent will be A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C. Ewart earned medalist honours at PGA TOUR Q-School last Sunday. The Team Canada member was joined by Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C. who kept his card by finishing T2. Ewart and Svensson bring the Canadian contingent up to seven members on the PGA TOUR in 2026.

Myles Creighton of Digby, N.S. and Leah John of Vancouver, B.C. earned their first professional wins in 2025, with Creighton winning The Wichita Open in June on the Korn Ferry Tour and John earned her first Epson Tour win at the Four Winds Invitational in August. John earned her 2026 LPGA Tour card finishing T10 at the LPGA Q-Series Final Qualifying Stage. Maude-Aimee LeBlanc also retained her status for 2026, joining Henderson and John as the Canadian contingent on the LPGA Tour next year.

The amateur circuit brought another banner year for Team Canada, led by 15-year-old Team Canada – NextGen member, Aphrodite Deng of Calgary, Alta. In July, Deng won the 76th U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship becoming the first Canadian to win the title in tournament history. One month later, Deng followed up her historic performance and captivated the crowds in Mississauga with a T20 finish at the CPKC Women’s Open, earning the Marlene Stewart Streit Low Amateur Award. Deng also won twice on the AJGA taking the Junior Invitational and Mizuho Americas Open and was later named junior player of the year by the AJGA.

Shauna Liu of Maple, Ont. won her second straight Canadian Junior Girls Championship in August and became the ninth multi-time winner and first back-to-back winner since Heather Kuzmich in 1982. Liu added four additional wins in 2025, including the Peloton Glencoe Invitational. Michelle Xing of Richmond Hill, Ont. won the 2025 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship in July. Both Liu and Xing earned silver medals as part of Team Canada 1’s runner-up finish at the 2025 World Junior Girls Golf Championship in September with Clairey Lin of Langley, B.C. Team Canada 2 represented by Clara Ding of White Rock, B.C., Eileen Park of Red Deer, Alta. and Ruihan Kendria Wang of Vancouver, B.C. finished sixth led by Ding, the individual runner up who also added a 2025 win at the GolfBC Group BC Women’s Open.

Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C. earned her second collegiate win for the University of Texas at the Betsy Rawls Invitational in March and competed in her second consecutive Augusta National Women’s Amateur. Vanessa Borovilos of Etobicoke, Ont. won the Chevron Collegiate in her freshman year at Texas A&M University. Team Canada teammates, Tillie Claggett of Calgary, Alta., Nicole Gal of Oakville, Ont. and Vanessa Zhang of Vancouver, B.C. were all victorious in 2025 as well.

Austin Krahn of Christina Lakes, B.C. took home gold at the 2025 Canada Summer Games and added two provincial titles this past year while Dawson Lew of Toronto, Ont., a recent addition to the Team Canada program, won the Canadian Junior Boys Championship in August and added four additional wins in 2025.

Some familiar names also added national championships to their trophy cabinets this year. Shelly Stouffer of Nanoose Bay, B.C. won her third Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, Judith Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont. claimed her fourth Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, Charles Fitzsimmons of King, Ont. won his third Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship and Natasha Stasiuk of Oakville, Ont. won her fifth straight Canadian All Abilities Championship. The UBC Thunderbirds claimed the men’s and women’s Canadian University/College Championship in convincing fashion once again.

Beyond the professional and amateur ranks, the future of golf in Canada shrines bright. The sport has welcomed a new wave of participants with grass roots programming that has introduced golf to more youth and women annually.

First Tee – Canada posted its highest participation numbers in 2025, with more than 106,000 youth taking part in programs across the country, a 25 per cent increase from last year. Since its inception in 2021, First Tee – Canada has reached over 276,000 young Canadians.

In addition, 481 locations offered programming across schools, community centres and golf facilities, supported by nearly 350 coaches, both increases from last year. First Tee – Canada continues to be a leader in youth programming with a focus on strengthening diversity and equity in the sport. In 2025, 74 per cent of partnered schools and community organizations served underrepresented communities with close to 60 per cent of programs delivered at no cost to participants. Through the efforts of six First Tee chapters nationwide, youth participation is becoming more reflective of Canada’s diversity with 42 per cent of on-course participants identifying as female and 36 per cent as BIPOC. The program’s growth was backed by strong donor support with the Golf Canada Foundation raising more than $10 million for the sport in 2025, including $4.5 million for First Tee – Canada.

First Tee – Canada was also the proud charitable beneficiary of the 2025 RBC Canadian Open and First Tee – Alberta received nearly $200,000 through it’s partnership with the Rogers Charity Classic in 2025. In keeping with golf’s charitable giving, the CPKC Women’s Open continues to leave a meaningful legacy in each host city through its CPKC Has Heart program, this year donating a record $4.5 million for MacKids and Trillium Health Partners, supporting pediatric and cardiac health.

For the first time, the Youth on Course program was available in every province across the country. The program allows Golf Canada members between the ages of 6 to 18 to play subsidized rounds for $5 or less at participating courses during designated times. In 2025, Youth on Course members played nearly 50,000 subsidized rounds across Canada, marking a record high season and a 51 per cent increase over rounds played in the previous year. The program also drove strong engagement, with 4,470 new members joining Golf Canada to access these affordable playing opportunities.

She Plays Golf expanded in 2025 with the addition of a week-long festival in Atlantic Canada in the fall complimenting stops in Vancouver, Calgary and the Greater Toronto Area. The She Plays Golf Championship Series once again aligned with week-long festivals and provided four exemptions into the CPKC Women’s Open.

She Plays Golf featured 24 events across 19 golf facilities and engaged with more than 800 women and girls. Across all festivals, over 700 participants were new to the game and took part in beginner friendly activities led by close to 90 women coaches and volunteers.

Feedback remained overwhelmingly positive, with 97 per cent of participants sharing that the event(s) provided an atmosphere that made them feel comfortable and welcome, and 88 per cent indicating they are very likely to continue participating in golf following their experience.

In addition, 23 girls-only Try Golf clinics were delivered through RBC Community Junior Golf, reaching 275 girls.

Bolstered by another record-breaking year for scores posted, the Golf Canada App received a major update in 2025. New enhancements included group score posting, making it easier than ever to record scores for your playing partners during group rounds. The introduction of smartwatch support for Android wearables brought on-wrist GPS yardages and digital scoring to a wide range of devices, while upgraded GPS tools now provide precise front, middle and back-of-green distances to support smarter club selection and on-course strategy. The update also introduced a Golf Canada membership referral program and a new achievements system, along with enhanced privacy controls that allow users to choose whether their scores appear in their friends’ feeds.

An exciting new chapter for the RBC Canadian Open was written in June, as TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont. became the 38th course in tournament history to host Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship. Fans were treated to a thrilling finish as New Zealand’s Ryan Fox beat Sam Burns in a four-hole playoff. The 115th playing of the RBC Canadian Open will return to TPC Toronto in 2026.

During tournament week a new initiative, Birdies for Trails was created in collaboration with partners at TPC Toronto and WM. Every birdie at The Rink Hole (no. 14) directly contributed to raise $29,500 for the Credit Valley Conservation Foundation and the development of the Credit Valley Trail, a passageway stretching 100 kilometres in length, linking Orangeville, Ont. with Port Credit (Mississauga), Ont.

Following the tournament, RBC and the PGA TOUR announced a multi-year extension of the bank’s title sponsorship of the RBC Canadian Open. RBC, a long-time supporter of professional and amateur golf in Canada had been the proud title sponsor of the Men’s National Open Championship since 2008.

As the outdoor season drew to a close in most parts of the country, Golf Canada launched a comprehensive off-course golf strategy to enhance the year-long golf experience. Golf has evolved into a 12-month activity, and the strategy is supported by the Just Swing campaign, highlighting the benefits and different forms of off-course golf. The strategy also focuses on Provincial Golf Associations and their partnership with Golf Canada in launching a new facility membership offering, specifically designed for off-course operators to promote their operations to Canada’s largest and most engaged golf audience.

As Canadian golf continues to write exciting new chapters, one will end in early 2026. Glen Abbey Golf Club has been the home of Golf Canada and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame since 1977. In February 2026, Golf Canada will move its operation to the new home for Canadian golf at TPC Toronto.

The new home for Canadian golf will also be home to First Tee – Canada along with a 30,000 square foot 18-hole community putting course that is free and open to the public. For more information on the home for Canadian golf, please click here.

In February, three new members were inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, including accomplished amateur golfer, Richard Scott, former professional golfer Jerry Anderson and renowned course architect Charles Blair Macdonald. Elements of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame are proudly weaved into the main clubhouse, locker rooms and accommodation villas at TPC Toronto. Memorabilia highlighting Canadian golf legends and significant moments in Canadian golf history are also being showcased across the property.

Canadian golf couldn’t happen without the many wonderful people – volunteers, club staff, superintendents, PGA of Canada professionals, operators, media, and other industry stakeholders – whose efforts are paramount to the success of the sport. Closer to home, Golf Canada is proud of its staff for their efforts to advance the sport and who once again earned the organization its Great Places to Work designation.  

With the holiday season upon us and the book on 2025 drawing to a close, one thing is certain, Canadian golf has never been stronger. The momentum continues and it brings the promise of more great moments that lie ahead.

Even two of the greatest golfers in Canadian history say they were still learning on the course in 2025.

Brooke Henderson and Nick Taylor both won at the highest levels of golf this past year and said they were still working on their games more than a decade into their professional careers.

“I think that’s something that every golfer learns, is that you can never perfect it. You’re always trying to grow and to learn,” said Henderson, who won this year’s CPKC Women’s Open for a second time. “Every day is a challenge, new challenges, old challenges, but every day is definitely a challenge. 

“You’re just trying to better yourself. Every day you just get up, and you try to learn something new.”

Henderson won the Women’s Open, Canada’s national championship and only LPGA Tour event north of the border, on Aug. 24 by a stroke at Mississauga Golf and Country Club in Mississauga, Ont. It was the 14th win of her storied LPGA Tour career.

Taylor started the year off on the right foot, winning the Sony Open at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Hawaii on Jan. 12. It was the fifth win of his PGA Tour career and, impressively, his third consecutive playoff victory.

“I think I was most proud of the level of play that I kept up, even after a win, not really settling or being satisfied, that I kept pushing, trying to improve,” said Taylor from his hometown of Abbotsford, B.C. “I felt like I kept a level play up that I really haven’t had that consistency, probably, in my career. 

“Although 2023 was obviously a phenomenal year with consistency as well, with the RBC Canadian Open win, I felt like last year was just a slight step above that.”

Taylor’s victory at the Sony Open also moved him up the all-time wins list for Canadians on golf’s top tours. He’s now fifth behind Henderson’s 14 and a three-way tie of eight wins between Winnipeg’s George Knudson, Sandra Post of Oakville, Ont., and Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont.

“We’re trying to get to a major, to be along with Mike Weir (who won Augusta in 2003), on the men’s side of golf,” said Taylor on his place in the history books. “It feels like Brooke’s on an island of her own with all her success, and it might be untouchable for all of us, but something to admire and work towards.

“But I’m definitely proud of the fact I got to five wins. I didn’t really think about the history side of it, but it’s going to keep me pushing to try to get more.”

Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., is one of three Canadians who will have full-time status on the LPGA Tour in 2026. She’ll be joined by Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., and Vancouver’s Leah John, who earned their cards through qualifying earlier this month.

There will be seven Canadians with full rides on the PGA Tour in the new year: Taylor, Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C., Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., and Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Mississauga, Ont.

John, Ewart and Yellamaraju will all be rookies on golf’s top circuits.

“What a great couple of months for Canadian golf, right? Sudarshan, AJ, Leah, all getting their rookie cards,” said Paul Perrier, who was named Golf Canada’s new chief sport officer on Dec. 3. “I think it speaks to the global competitive momentum that Golf Canada has.

“The high-performance pathway was designed to create this exact process where we’re providing opportunities, resources, coaching for our next superstars to really jump into these tours, to help them be in this position and be in the best position to succeed and perform at this level.”

Perrier also confirmed that Golf Canada is still committed to its strategic plan of having 30 players on the PGA and LPGA Tours by 2032, a goal set by his predecessor, Kevin Blue, in February 2022.

The raw materials are certainly in place, as Golf Canada reports that recreational play across the country again grew in 2025. 

Their last national survey was in 2024, when nearly six million Canadians played golf. However, more than 11 million scores were posted to Golf Canada’s app in 2025, up six per cent year-over-year and 54 per cent above pre-pandemic levels.

Golf Canada’s annual report also says that more than 200,000 young people now engage with programming through golf courses, schools, and community centres. Also, more than $12 million has been raised since 2020 to support equitable access, coach training, and youth curriculum provided by the national sport organization.

“It’s a sport of connection, and it’s something that really invites everyone to participate in,” said Perrier. “When you’re in a country like Canada, where typically you’re not able to get outside all the time, when you do get that opportunity, you want to find activities that are challenging, that will allow you to be social and around people.”

Henderson said the growth of recreational golf in Canada has been amazing.

“To think that I may have played a small part in that is really exciting to me,” said Henderson, who started playing as a three-year-old. “I think it’s an incredible game that you can play your entire life, and you can really build friendships and relationships, really network. 

“I feel like it just teaches you so many great life lessons, especially as a kid. Honesty, perseverance, integrity, just so many good things come from it.”

MOBILE, Ala. – Leah John is heading to the LPGA Tour, while Maude-Aimee LeBlanc will be returning after finishing inside the top 25 at the LPGA Q-Series Final Qualifying Stage at Magnolia Grove in Mobile, Ala. on Tuesday.

John, a Team Canada member from Vancouver, B.C. finished T10 with total score of 8-under. John led following an opening round of 8-under 64 and followed up with rounds of 72-69-73 to earn her card for the 2026 season.

John has competed in two LPGA Tour events in her career including the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open at Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary, Alta. and the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills in Hartford, Wis.

This past season on the Epson Tour, John earned her first professional win at the Four Winds Invitational in South Bend, Ind. in August. Jaohn finished 22nd in the Race for the Card points rankings just outside the top 15.

LeBlanc from Sherbrooke, Que. finished T17 at 6-under following rounds of 70-68-72-70 to retain her tour card for 2026.

This past season, LeBlanc competed in 10 events on the LPGA Tour, and her best finish was T20 at the CPKC Women’s Open at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club. LeBlanc first joined the LPGA Tour in 2012.

The field of 115 faced delays throughout the final stage of qualifying. Opening round play was delayed and eventually suspended for the day due to unplayable course conditions on Friday. Weather played a factor again on Sunday forcing the third round to resume Monday morning, followed by the start of round four. The tour decided to reduce the LPGA Q-Series Final Qualifying to a 72-hole event, finishing on Tuesday afternoon.

For the final standings from the 2025 LPGA Q-Series, final qualifying stage, please click here.

It would have made all the sense in the world for Brooke Henderson to take a week off.

After all, Henderson won the CPKC Women’s Open on Sunday, fending off Australia’s Minjee Lee for a one-stroke victory at the Canadian national women’s golf championship. 

Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., is the winningest professional golfer in Canadian history and very much the face of the Women’s Open, doing media appearances, meeting with sponsors, and signing hundreds of autographs all week while also holding her own against the best female players in the world.

But after celebrating her 14th victory on the LPGA Tour, Henderson decided to put her nose back to the grindstone and fulfil her commitment to play in this week’s FM Championship at TPC Boston in Norton, Mass.

“Right after I won on Sunday I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. It was such a huge week for me. I was very busy and just emotionally took a lot out of me,” Henderson said at a news conference on Wednesday. “I knew this event was a great event and I was excited to have the opportunity to come play here, so just decided just to try to keep things going. 

“Felt like it would be good for me to get back into, not reality, but get back to work and focus in on the things that I need to focus on.”

The victory — Henderson’s second Canadian championship — also salvaged what was shaping up to be her worst season since turning professional in 2015.

Winning at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club elevated Henderson from 53rd to 26th on the Race to CME Globe rankings, the LPGA Tour’s points list. It also meant she will join the World Team at the Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown in late October and play in the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in late November.

“I think the big thing for me was my mindset and just mentally being in a good frame of mind. I feel like I’ve been working diligently on that, so to see it all work out last week was great in the heat of the moment and under pressure in contention. That was huge for me. 

“All parts of my game I was just trying to improve and be a little bit more consistent and get back to where it needed to be to be at the top of the leaderboard.”

Henderson is in the marquee group in the first and second round at TPC Boston, playing with Lee and Nelly Korda of the United States in Thursday’s morning wave. Henderson is the lowest-ranked of the trio, with Korda sitting seventh and Lee second.

“I’m definitely tired, but I’m looking forward to getting some good rest later this afternoon and tonight,” said Henderson. “It’s an early tee time tomorrow, so I’ll go to bed pretty early and try to recover as much as I can.

“I feel like last week was a huge week it just took so much out of my whole team mentally, physically, emotionally, so I think it’s really important just to try to recover that going into tomorrow.”

Savannah Grewal of Mississauga, Ont., is the only other Canadian in the field at the FM Championship. She’s grouped with Alex Pano of the U.S., and South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai in a group that tees off in the early afternoon.

PGA TOUR AMERICAS — A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C., is the highest ranked Canadian on the Fortinet Cup standings heading into this week’s CRMC Championship. He’s 23rd heading into the play at Craguns Legacy Course at Brainerd, Minn. There are a total of 11 Canadians in the field.

Brooke Henderson has won on the LPGA Tour 14 times but winning the CPKC Women’s Open a second time is on another level for her.

Henderson shot a 4-under 67 to pull ahead of Australia’s Minjee Lee by a stroke in Sunday’s final round to win the Canadian national women’s golf championship. The win ended a drought that spanned more than two years, adding extra lustre to the title for Henderson.

“This one I think might be the longest in between victories, so for that reason it makes it super special,” said Henderson. “To be able to win the Canadian Open, the CPKC Women’s Open, for the second time is so special.”

Henderson also won the Women’s Open in 2018 at Wascana Country Club in Regina. That made her the first Canadian in 45 years — since Jocelyne Bourassa of Shawinigan, Que., in 1973 — to win the national championship.

She’s now accomplished the feat twice in seven years.

It also added another win to her career tally, already the most by a Canadian professional golfer.

“This week was beyond special. To be able to finish it off and hoist the trophy again is extremely cool. It feels super surreal still,” said Henderson. “When I won in 2018, I woke up Monday morning thinking I still had to play the final round, so I’m wondering if that nightmare will happen again tomorrow.”

Henderson and Lee finished Saturday’s third round tied for first at 11 under, three strokes ahead of the field. 

Between Henderson’s popularity in Canada and Lee’s star quality — she has 11 LPGA Tour wins in her career, including this year’s Women’s PGA Championship — the tournament’s final pairing had massive crowds following them around the river-valley course.

“Today was really tough actually because there was just so many people,” said Lee, who had a 3-under 68 round to move up to second in the LPGA Tour’s points list. “I was very mentally strong today and I just tried to focus on, obviously, myself and the things that I could do to get the score lower.

“That’s pretty much what I did and what I tried to focus on. I think overall I did a fairly good job.”

Henderson’s last win was the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in January 2023. She said that although she always put a positive spin on her victory drought, she still had her doubts.

“There were some dark times, for sure. I feel like my family was so supportive and just said to keep going, just keep working hard, it’ll come around,” said Henderson, whose sister Brittany Sepanik is her caddie and her father Dave Henderson is her coach. “I’ve been telling everybody for like a long time, it’s close, it’s close, it’s close. 

“To finally break through again is just so exciting.”

Those struggles saw Henderson sink to 53rd on the Race to CME Globe points list and 58th in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. She’s projected to move up to 26th on the LPGA Tour’s points list, putting her in a position to join the World Team at the Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown in late October and play in the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in late November.

“I’m excited for the rest of the season. I’m excited for what’s coming next,” said Henderson. “I’m super pumped about International Crown, and with this win I think I’ll guarantee my spot into the CME, which was a little bit in jeopardy before this.”

Charlottetown’s Lorie Kane, who had four LPGA Tour wins in her Canadian Golf Hall of Fame career, was at both of Henderson’s Women’s Open wins. She said that she hoped Canadians would give the 27-year-old Henderson more recognition for what she’s accomplished.

“I thought back automatically to 2018, when we’d been waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting for years, and that was surreal,” said Kane, standing greenside as Henderson submitted her scorecard. “This is now 14 wins. The first 13, we haven’t given this kid enough credit for.

“I certainly hope that this is something that keeps people talking about how good she is, rather than what’s wrong.”

Fifteen-year-old Aphrodite Deng of Calgary had a 2-over 73 round to finish in a tie for 20th as the tournament’s low amateur.