RICHMOND, B.C. — Marc-Etienne Bussieres parlayed an incredible final nine holes at Richmond Country Club into a win at the PGA Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf.

Bussieres closed with a final-round 6-under-par 66 Thursday, making an eagle and three birdies over the final nine holes to chase down and eventually pass his good friend Sonny Michaud.

Heading into the final round, Michaud held a commanding five-shot lead over the PGA of Canada’s No. 1-ranked player. Bussieres knew, however, a solid round of Wednesday could give him the opportunity to hoist the championship trophy at day’s end.

“With conditions being a little windier and firmer today, I knew it wouldn’t be easy out there, so if I put together a really good round I could still catch Sonny,” said Bussieres. “I made that eagle on No. 10 and that gave me a little fire and after the birdie on 15 I just had a feeling I had it because I was just hitting it so well.”

For what seemed like miles and miles worth of made putts over the first two days for Michaud, his wand went cold Wednesday in Richmond en route to a final round even par 72.

“It’s tough trying to win wire-to-wire because if you’re behind there’s no pressure, you just play golf,” admitted Michaud. “I don’t feel like I lost this championship, rather Marc actually won it. But I do wish I was holding the trophy right now and there’s a sour taste in my mouth.”

Playing in his first career PGA of Canada national championship, Cory Renfrew finished alone in the third spot, three shots back at -12. Also playing in his first national championship as a PGA of Canada member, Dillon Bastel locked up the fourth spot at -11.

Pierre-Alexandre Bedard, Nate Ollis and two-time PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada winner Mike Belbin rounded out the top five at 10-under-par.

For the full-time PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf leaderboard, click here.

With the win in Richmond, Bussieres solidified his place atop the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC.

“I’ve been calculating the rankings points and I knew that if I played well this week it would pretty much secure my spot for next year’s RBC Canadian Open,” said Bussieres. “Now with this win, it’s going to be hard for anyone to catch me at the top, so I can start preparing now. I definitely want to put on a good show and represent the PGA of Canada well.”

Originally launched in 2011, the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC and has received much praise over the past six years.

Players ranked inside the top 64 earn invites to the PGA Championship of Canada. The player who is ranked No. 1 at the conclusion of the championship earns an exemption into the RBC Canadian Open.

The Mike Weir Player of the Year Award is also based on points earned throughout the calendar year. Players gain these points based on performance at national and zone tournaments.

Bussieres earned the Mike Weir Player of the Year Award honours in 2016 after capturing the PGA Championship of Canada at Victoria Golf Club.

The Quebec squad (Bussieres, Bedard, Michaud and Jean-Philip Cornellier) won the 36-hole Inter-Zone competition Tuesday (which is compiled of four players on each team representing their respective PGA Zone and is contested over the first two rounds) by an astounding 28 shots.

The next PGA of Canada national championship takes place Oct. 12-14 at Cabot Links for the RBC PGA Scramble of Canada.

Even though Sonny Michaud had to work a little harder Tuesday at Richmond Country Club than he did the day the before, his second-round result at the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf was more of the same.

The 28-year-old from Club de Golf La Tempete in Quebec shot a second-round 5-under-par 67, bringing his two-day total to -14. He has opened up a three-shot lead over his good friend and fellow Quebecer, Pierre-Alexandre Bedard.

“It was a bit of a roller coaster today,” Michaud said about his second-round that featured seven birdies and two bogeys. “I right away started with two birdies and then immediately made two bogeys right after that. But during the middle of the round, I had a nice little birdie stretch and that helped me out.”

Michaud and Bedard will be joined in Thursday’s final threesome by their Quebec teammate Marc-Etienne Bussieres, the PGA of Canada’s No. 1-ranked player, who sits at 9-under for the championship.

Two-time PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada winner Mike Belbin is six shots back at 8-under-par, with Victoria’s Eric Wang seven-shots back at 7-under-par. Cory Renfrew, Dillon Bastel and last year’s champion Dustin Risdon are at 6-under-par, T6.

For the full leaderboard and Wednesday’s third round tee times, click here

The Quebec squad (Bussieres, Bedard, Michaud and Jean-Philip Cornellier) won the 36-hole Inter-Zone competition Tuesday (which is compiled of four players on each team representing their respective PGA Zone and is contested over the first two rounds) by an astounding 28 shots.

Both Michaud and Bedard said they were looking forward to playing together in the final group Thursday in Richmond.

“It’s going to be our first final pairing tomorrow and I can’t wait for it,” Michaud said. “Of course I’m going to try and win, and he’ll try and beat me as well, but in the end I just want one of us to win.”

Not only are Michaud and Bedard roommates this week in Richmond, they’re also full-time roomies back in Quebec City.

“We’ll both want to win that’s for sure,” Bedard admitted. “But whoever makes the most birdies tomorrow will end up winning.”

The 54-hole national championship takes place through Wednesday at the A.V. Macan-designed Richmond Country Club. Set within the greenbelt of the agricultural land reserve, the venue is known for its tree-lined fairways, well-positioned bunkers, and raised, undulating greens.

RICHMOND, B.C. — Club de Golf La Tempete’s Sonny Michaud a 9-under-par 63 on Monday at Richmond Country Club to take the first-round lead at the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf.

The 29-year-old from Quebec City made eight birdies, an eagle and a bogey on the day to lead by three shots over fellow Quebecers Pierre-Alexander Bedard of Club de Golf Cap Rouge and the PGA of Canada’s No. 1-ranked player Marc-Etienne Bussieres of Club de Golf Longchamp.

“I actually didn’t think 63 was out there when I teed off this morning, but that’s golf isn’t it?” admitted Michaud. “My putter was pretty good and I probably made more than 120-feet worth of putts out there.”

Michaud, who finished fifth at last year’s PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada, said he was feeling the good vibes mid-way through his round.

“I was 7-under after 10 holes and that’s where I really started to think about it. But maybe I thought about it too much because I immediately made a bogey on No. 11,” said Michaud. “But I made a little comeback at the end there because I knew Bedard was playing well up ahead of me and I really just wanted to finish better than he did.”

Michaud made three birdies over his final four holes, while Bedard made just one on No. 17.

Two-time PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada winner Mike Belbin of the Royal Mayfair Golf Club sits alone in fourth after an opening 5-under-par 67. Fellow Albertans Dillon Batsel and Scott Stiles are T5 at 4-under.

The 54-hole national championship takes place through Wednesday at the A.V. Macan-designed Richmond Country Club. Set within the greenbelt of the agricultural land reserve, the venue is known for its tree lined fairways, well-positioned bunkers, and raised, undulating greens.

Thirty-two players in total are currently at even-par or better with two-rounds remaining.

For the full leaderboard and Tuesday’s second round times, click here.

The Quebec squad leads the 36-hole Inter-Zone competition (which is compiled of four players on each team representing their respective PGA Zone and is contested over the first two rounds) at 21 under, 20 shots better than Team Alberta.

Admittance to the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf is free and spectators are encouraged to attend during championship play.

RICHMOND, B.C. —British Columbia’s fourth-largest city is set to host the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf.

The 54-hole national championship takes place Sept. 18-20 at the Richmond Country Club and features a field stacked with talent.

“The PGA of Canada is excited about visiting the beautiful province of British Columbia and the highly-regarded Richmond Country Club,” says PGA of Canada president Steve Wood. “The PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf annually features some of the best players in our association and this year is no different.”

This year’s field at Richmond Country Club features such standouts as:

• The PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC Nos. 1 and 2-ranked players Marc-Etienne Bussieres (Club de Golf Longchamp) and Bryn Parry (Point Grey Golf & Country Club)
• This year’s PGA Championship of Canada winner Jean-Philip Cornellier (Club de Golf Knowlton)
• Past PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada past winners Dustin Risdon (National Academy Golf Dome), Brad Kerfoot (Maple Downs Golf Club), Brian McCann (Brampton Golf Club), Mike Belbin (Royal Mayfair Golf Club) and Eddward Boudreau (Gorge Vale Golf Club).

Other players to keep a keen eye out for during the week include Christine Wong (Pacific Golf Academy); Nick Kenney (The National Golf Club of Canada); Oliver Tubb (University Golf Club); Pierre-Alexandre Bedard (Club de Golf Cap Rouge); Ed Maunder (Deerfield Golf & Recreation Centre); Sonny Michaud (Club de Golf La Tempete); Thomas Keddy (Oslerbrook Golf Club); Kevin Stinson (Valley Golf Centre); Wes Heffernan (Golf Canada Calgary Centre); Adam Bruce (Glendale Golf & Country Club); Douglas Morgan (Richmond Country Club); Cory Renfrew (Cordova Bay Golf Club); and John Shin (Northview Golf Academy).

For the full field and first round tee times, click here.

Designed by famed golf course architect A.V. Macan, Richmond Country Club has become known as one of British Columbia’s premiere golf venues. Set within the greenbelt of the agricultural land reserve, the venue is known for its tree lined fairways, well-positioned bunkers, and its signature raised, undulating greens.

There will also be a 36-hole Inter-Zone competition compiled of four players on each team representing their respective PGA Zone and is contested over the first two rounds.

Admittance to the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada is free and spectators are encouraged to attend during championship play.

As if it were scripted, two best friends were part of a three-person playoff Wednesday afternoon at Scarboro Golf & Country Club to decide the winner of the 2017 DATA PGA Women’s Championship of Canada.

In the end, it was Brittany Marchand of Mono, Ont., outlasting her old pal Augusta James of Bath, Ont., rolling in a 25-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole.

“For me, I was glad to be in a playoff with my best friend,” Marchand admitted shortly after the win. “If someone was going to beat me, I’d want it to be her.”

Marchand and James grew up playing junior golf together in Ontario; both attended NC State University; were an integral part of Team Canada’s National Team; and are travel mates in their early professional golf career.

“Brittany and I have a pretty special relationship,” James said after the playoff defeat. “We can complete with and against each other and then hop in the car and drive in the next event,” she said, adding, “so we have a balanced friendship and that’s really hard to come by.”

Marchand echoed James’ sentiments.

“We play like two-to-three times a week together, we room together, we pretty much do everything together,” Marchand said of the pair.

Marchand, James and Samantha Troyanovich all finished the championship at 5-under-par, leading to the playoff. On the first extra hole, Troyanovich missed a birdie convert from five-feet for the win, allowing Marchand and James to stay alive with a pair of pars. The second playoff hole saw James and Marchand both make par, while Troyanovich made bogey after a three-putt. On the third playoff, Marchand rolled in a 25-foot birdie for the win.

“The putt was actually pretty straight,” Marchand admitted. “It was down hill and I had to do was just get it started.”

With the win, Marchand joins the likes of Lorie Kane, Brooke Henderson, Alena Sharp, Cathy Sherk, Gail Graham and Nancy Harvey as champions of the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada.

“Some of the best Canadian golfers ever have won this championship before and it’s cool to have my name right there along with them too,” Marchand said.

Fellow Canadian Anne-Catherine Tanguay finished fourth at 4-under-par, with American Jenny Lee rounding out the top-five at 3 under.

Rebecca Lee-Bentham captures the club professional division, bettering Hannah Hellyer by a pair of shots.

Marchand’s win at the DATA PGA Women’s Championship of Canada is her second major title of late, winning. the Symetra Tour’s PHC Classic earlier this month.

The 25-year-old will tee it up next week on the LPGA Tour for the CP Canadian Women’s Open and then will back on the Symetra Tour at month’s end looking to continue her journey of earning full-time LPGA Tour playing privileges for 2018. She’ll also play in next months Evian Championship—an LPGA Tour major—in France.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence heading into the next couple weeks, but at the same time I don’t want to think about it too much and put a lot of pressure on myself,” Marchand said.

The next PGA of Canada national championship takes place Sept. 17-20 at Richmond Country Club for the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf.

Click here to view the full leaderboard.

With laser-like precision off the tee at Scarboro Golf & Country Club, Augusta James found herself atop a crowded leaderboard at the DATA PGA Women’s Championship of Canada.

The Bath, Ont., native and LPGA Tour rookie posted an opening-round 4-under-par 68 Tuesday to lead an impressive group of players that includes LPGA and Symetra Tour winners.

“Other than the eighth hole, I hit every fairway out there,” James said. “Hitting a lot of fairways and my accuracy with longer clubs are definitely the strengths of my game.”

Apparently, making birdies is another strength of James’. Her day included seven birdies and three bogeys.

Remarkably, James wasn’t the only one who made seven birdies Tuesday at Scarboro. Lindsey McPherson of Flushing, Mich., also made seven—however, she made all seven of hers in succession.

“I can honestly say I’ve never made seven birdies in a row, so that was pretty cool,” McPherson said. “It was kind of funny though because I didn’t feel like I was playing that great. But then I looked at the card and saw that I had made seven in a row.”

McPherson, along with former three-time Symetra Tour winner and LPGA Tour player Mina Harigae of Mesa, Ariz., are T2 at 3-under-par.

A trio of Canadian standouts—Anna Kim, Anne-Catherine Tanguay and Brittany Marchand (who is the most recent winner on the Symetra Tour)—along with Americans Madeleine Sheils and Samantha Troyanovich are all at 2-under-par, T4.

The DATA PGA Women’s Championship of Canada’s most decorated champion, Lorie Kane (a five-time winner) and Jenny Lee of California lurk just three back of James at 1-under-par.

Hannah Hellyer of St. Georges Golf & Country Club leads the Club Professional Division by a pair of shots over Rebecca Lee-Bentham.

The winner of this year’s championship will earn an exemption into the CP Canadian Women’s Open at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club, Aug. 21-27.

Scarboro Golf and Country Club, with a history dating back to 1912, has been the site of four Canadian Opens, the Canadian Tour Championship and several amateur championships. The course was originally designed by noted professional and Canadian golf course architect George Cumming, but underwent extensive changes in 1924 under the direction of Albert Warren Tillinghast. Tillinghast was one of North America’s premier golf course designers, who was at the peak of his career when hired to redesign Scarboro.

Scarboro is in great company among such renowned Tillinghast courses as Winged Foot, Ridgewood, Five Farms East, the redesign of Baltusrol and the fearsome Bethpage Black at Farmingdale, Long Island, N.Y. The latter literally consumed the games greatest golfers at the 2002 U.S. Open.

Scarboro remains the only course outside the U.S. designed by Tillinghast.
He masterfully used Highland Creek, which comes into play as many as 11 times in 18 holes, and the hilly terrain, gullies and trees as natural hazards, making artificial hazards almost unnecessary at Scarboro.

The PGA Women’s Championship of Canada was first played in 1987 and past champions include five-time winner Lorie Kane, Brooke Henderson, Alena Sharp, Cathy Sherk, Gail Graham, Nancy Harvey, and Jessica Shepley.

Admittance to the DATA PGA Women’s Championship of Canada is free and spectators are encouraged to attend during the 36-hole championship play.

To follow the DATA PGA Women’s Championship of Canada online throughout tournament week, visit www.pgaofcanada.com.

Click here for the full leaderboard.

The best in Canadian women’s golf are set to compete for the DATA PGA Women’s Championship of Canada gets underway today in Scarborough, Ont.

A field featuring a mix of past LPGA Tour winners and rising Canadian stars had a practice round yesterday and will play 36 holes at Scarboro Golf & Country Club from Aug. 15-16, all with the same goal of winning the DATA PGA Women’s Championship of Canada.

“The field for this year’s Data PGA Women’s Championship of Canada is tremendous,” said PGA of Canada president Steve Wood. “There’s a solid mix of past LPGA Tour winners and up-and-coming Canadian talent that will surely produce a riveting championship.”

This year’s field includes:

• Four-time LPGA Tour winner, five-time PGA Women’s Championship of Canada winner, Canadian and PGA of Canada Golf Hall of Fame member Lorie Kane
• Symetra Tour winner and Orangeville, Ont., native Brittany Marchand
• Symetra Tour’s No. 8-ranked player Anne-Catherine Tanguay of Quebec
• LPGA Tour player and past Canadian Women’s Amateur champion Augusta James of Bath, Ont.
• LPGA Tour player Jennifer Ha of Calgary
• Symetra Tour player Elizabeth Tong of Thornhill, Ont.
• Past LPGA Tour winner Kris Tamulis
• Past Symetra Tour winner Sue Kim of Langley, B.C.
• Past PGA Women’s Championship of Canada winners Vivian Tsui, Salimah Mussani
• LPGA Tour player Mina Harigae of California
• PGA of Canada members Rebecca Lee-Bentham, Kylie Barros and Sylvie Schetagne

The winner of this year’s championship will earn an exemption into the CP Canadian Women’s Open at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club, Aug. 21-27.

Scarboro Golf and Country Club, with a history dating back to 1912, has been the site of four Canadian Opens, the Canadian Tour Championship and several amateur championships. The course was origin ally designed by noted professional and Canadian golf course architect George Cumming, but underwent extensive changes in 1924 under the direction of Albert Warren Tillinghast. Tillinghast was one of North America’s premier golf course designers, who was at the peak of his career when hired to redesign Scarboro.

Scarboro is in great company among such renowned Tillinghast courses as Winged Foot, Ridgewood, Five Farms East, the redesign of Baltusrol and the fearsome Bethpage Black at Farmingdale, Long Island, N.Y. The latter literally consumed the games greatest golfers at the 2002 U.S. Open.

Scarboro remains the only course outside the U.S. designed by Tillinghast.

He masterfully used Highland Creek, which comes into play as many as 11 times in 18 holes, and the hilly terrain, gullies and trees as natural hazards, making artificial hazards almost unnecessary at Scarboro.

The PGA Women’s Championship of Canada was first played in 1987 and past champions include five-time winner Lorie Kane, Brooke Henderson, Alena Sharp, Cathy Sherk, Gail Graham, Nancy Harvey, and Jessica Shepley.

Admittance to the DATA PGA Women’s Championship of Canada is free and spectators are encouraged to attend during the 36-hole championship play.

To follow the DATA PGA Women’s Championship of Canada online throughout tournament week, visit pgaofcanada.com,

FOR THE FULL FIELD AND FIRST ROUND TEE TIMES, CLICK HERE.

Jim Rutledge won his fifth Mr. Lube PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada Friday at the Burlington Golf & Country Club.

The soon-to-be 58-year-old’s three-day total of 12-under-par (65-67-66) lapped the field, clipping his nearest competitors—Gar Hamilton and Mike Burrows—by seven shots.

Making his final round finish even more remarkable, Rutledge admitted he was battling food poisoning all through the previous night and well into Friday morning.

“I had a rough one out there today and I wasn’t feeling all that well when I rolled up this morning, so I was just trying to get as much water and bananas into me as possible,” Rutledge admitted. “I got off to a really good start, which was really surprising, and after that I just kind of cruised.”

Rutledge’s outward nine Friday included four birdies and a lone bogey, while his backside saw a single birdie on the 12th.

“I hit some not-so-great iron shots on the back-nine,” Rutledge said. “But I wasmis-clubbing in the right spots, which is very important out here.”

Rutledge’s past Mr. Lube PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada victories came in 2015 at Credit Valley Golf & Country Club; 2013 at Lookout Point Country Club; 2012 at Emerald Hills Golf Club; and 2010 at Rattlesnake Point Golf Club. He’s also a former winner on the Web.com Tour, has six Mackenzie-PGA TOUR Canada titles and is a former PGA Championship of Canada winner.

With his fifth win, he now only trails golf legend Moe Norman for most PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada titles. Norman has eight titles, with seven coming in consecutive years.

“I’d love to win a few more and it excites me to think about it,” Rutledge said about the prospects of winning more titles. “Moe Norman is a legend andI by no means put myself in the same category as him, but I’ll chase him if the opportunity comes along.”

The PGA of Canada’s No. 12th-ranked player Scott Allred finished alone in fourth at 1-under-par, while Phil Jonas and Ken Tarling were T5 at even par.

In addition to finishing T2, Hamilton won the Super Senior division for the second time in three years.

The PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada was first played in 1938 as a division of the Canadian PGA Championship. In 1973, the championship became an independent event and has remained as such.

Among the Canadian golf legends to win the PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada are Stan Leonard, Moe Norman—who won a record seven straight years from 1979-1985—Bob Panasik, Al Balding—who wowed the golf world by winning at age 76 in 2000—and Rutledge.

To follow the Mr. Lube PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada online throughout tournament week, visit pgaofcanada.com, twitter.com/pgaofcanada, instagram.com/thepgaofcanada and facebook.com/pgaofcanada

The next PGA of Canada national championship takes place Aug. 14-16 at Scarboro Golf & Country Club for the DATA PGA Women’s Championship of Canada.

Click here for the full leaderboard.

Jim Rutledge inched closer to his fifth Mr. Lube PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada after a second-round 3-under-par 67 Thursday at the Burlington Golf & Country Club.

The soon-to-be 58-year-old’s two-day total of 8-under-par (65-67) sees him three shots clear of PGA of Canada legend Gar Hamilton and four shots better than Mike Burrows of Austria.

Heading into the final round, Rutledge says he’s going to keep pressing forward.

“I’d like to make lots of birdies tomorrow because I’ve left a few out there,” Rutledge said about his mindset heading into Friday’s final round. “Getting off to a good start on this golf course is the key to putting together a good round.”

Rutledge, Hamilton and Burrows will tee off in the championship’s final pairing at 11 a.m.

Rutledge won’t be the only one pressing in the final group, however. Hamilton, who is a four-time PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada and PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada winner, says he wants to put a little pressure on the leader Friday.

“If I make some putts, maybe I chase down this young guy (Rutledge),” Hamilton said. “I’m hitting it really nicely right now, but I’ve got to get the ball in the hole because that’s the name of the game.”

Jean LaForce of Club de Golf Le Champetre sits alone in fourth at 1-under-par, with Phil Jonas and Jeff Buder, both of BritishColumbia,are T5.

Rutledge’s past Mr. Lube PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada victories came in 2015 at Credit Valley Golf & Country Club; 2013 at Lookout Point Country Club; 2012 at Emerald Hills Golf Club; and 2010 at Rattlesnake Point Golf Club. He’s also a former winner on the Web.com Tour, has six Mackenzie-PGA TOUR Canada titles and is a former PGA Championship of Canada winner.

However, he admitted he’s not about to get ahead of himself this week at Burlington.

“It’s an old cliché, but I’m taking one day at a time and I’ve really enjoyed coming here this week seeing old friends and playing a great golf course.”

Hamilton captured the Super Senior Division Wednesday, with Attila Becsy winning his second-consecutive Diamond Division title.

Burlington Golf & Country Club features undulating topography and an attractive location on Hamilton Bay. Today’s challenging layout at Burlington Golf and Country Club, still essentially that designed by Stanley Thompson, Canada’s leading contemporary golf course architect, opened in 1924.

The PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada was first played in 1938 as a division of the Canadian PGA Championship. In 1973, the championship became an independent event and has remained as such.

Among the Canadian golf legends to win the PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada are Stan Leonard, Moe Norman—who won a record seven straight years from 1979-1985—Bob Panasik, Al Balding—who wowed the golf world by winning at age 76 in 2000—and Rutledge.

To follow the Mr. Lube PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada online throughout tournament week, visit pgaofcanada.com

Click here to view the leaderboard and final round tee times.

To no one’s surprise, Jim Rutledge leads the Mr. Lube PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada.

The soon-to-be 58-year-old from Victoria posted an opening-round 5-under-par 65 at Burlington Golf & Country Club and leads by a shot over fellow PGA of Canada legend Gar Hamilton.

“I had a few chances over the first five or six holes to make a birdie, but I stayed patient and made a good on one No. 8 and that got me rolling for a good back nine,” Rutledge said.

Rutledge eyes his fifth Mr. Lube PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada this week at Burlington. His past victories came in 2015 at Credit Valley Golf & Country Club; 2013 at Lookout Point Country Club; 2012 at Emerald Hills Golf Club; and 2010 at Rattlesnake Point Golf Club. He’s also a former winner on the Web.com Tour, has six Mackenzie-PGA TOUR Canada titles and is a former PGA Championship of Canada winner.

However, Rutledge’s run for his fifth PGA Seniors’ title won’t be an easy trot with Hamilton nipping at his heels. Hamilton, who will turn 68-years-old later this month, is a four-time PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada and a PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada winner.

Hamilton attributed his fine first-round play to rolling it well on Burlington’s impressive greens.

“The greens roll very true, but you have to watch these slopes because they’re some pretty speedy situations out there.”

Burlington Golf & Country Club features undulating topography and an attractive location on Hamilton Bay. Today’s challenging layout at Burlington Golf and Country Club, still essentially that designed by Stanley Thompson, Canada’s leading contemporary golf course architect, opened in 1924.

Hamilton leads the Super Senior division as well, holding a five shot lead over Jerry Anderson of Credit Valley Golf & Country Club.

Richmond Golf & Country Club’s Doug Morgan, a winner earlier this summer of the PGA of Canada – BC Zone Seniors’ Championship, sits alone in third at 3-under-par. He’ll be paired alongside Rutledge and Hamilton on Thursday for the second round.

“The rough is a little gnarly out here, so you’ve got to keep it play by controlling your ball off the tee,” Morgan said. “For me being a first-timer it’s really neat to play alongside and socialize with all these legends like Gar Hamilton.”

Club de Golf Le Champetre’s Jean Laforce and Mike Burrows of Austria are T4 at 1-under-par. Last year’s champion Claude Grenier; two-time PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada winner Phil Jonas and PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada winner Ian Doig are all at even-par, T6. Jeff Buder, Cory Draper, Keir Smith and Jerry Anderson round out the top 10.

Past PGA of Canada president Ian Clarke leads the Diamond Division.

The PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada was first played in 1938 as a division of the Canadian PGA Championship. In 1973, the championship became an independent event and has remained as such.

Among the Canadian golf legends to win the PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada are Stan Leonard, Moe Norman—who won a record seven straight years from 1979-1985—Bob Panasik, Al Balding—who wowed the golf world by winning at age 76 in 2000—and Rutledge.

To follow the Mr. Lube PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada online throughout tournament week, visit pgaofcanada.com,

Click here to view the full leaderboard and second round tee times.