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.

ACTON, Ont. – A number of Canada’s legends of golf are set compete at this year’s Mr. Lube PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada Aug. 9-11 at Burlington Golf & Country Club.

Victoria’s Jim Rutledge eyes his fifthMr. Lube PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada, but will surely face stiff competition from a myriad of players including past PGA, European, Web.com and Mackenzie-PGA TOUR Canada winners.

Rutledge’s past PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada wins 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. The 56-year-old is 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.

Notables in the field at Burlington Golf & Country Club include:

• PGA and WEB.com TOUR winner Ian Leggat
• European, WEB.com, Mackenzie-PGA TOUR Canada and PGA Championship of Canada winner Jerry Anderson
• Six-time Mackenzie-PGA TOUR Canada winner Daniel Talbot
• Four-time PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada and PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada winner Gar Hamilton
• Three-time PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada winner Serge Thivierge
• Last year’s PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada winner Claude Grenier
• PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada and PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada winner Ken Tarling
• PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada and PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada winner Graham Gunn
• Two-time PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada winner Philip Jonas
• Past PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada winners Kevin Dugas and Marc Girouard
• PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada winner Ian Doig
• The PGA of Canada’s No. 12-ranked player Scott Allred

Click here for the full field and first round tee times.

At last year’s Mr. Lube PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada Claude Grenier went wire-to-wire for the win at Tangle Creek Golf & Country Club. He finished three shots better than Kevin Dugas, Marc Hurtubise, Jean Laforce and Michael Woodcock.

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.

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 addition of a new title sponsor sees the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada take a major step forward in becoming one of the top boutique standalone women’s golf events in the world.

DATA Communications Management has signed on to become title sponsor of the 30-year-old championship.

The sponsorship sees a newly established VIP Pro-Am and the introduction of TEAM DATA—a roster of Canadian female golf professionals who will be invited by DATA Communications Management to become ambassadors and receive sponsorship dollars as they chase their dream.

“We are thrilled to welcome DATA Communications Management as the title sponsor of our premier women’s championship,” said PGA of Canada president Steve Wood. “The unique event is a great celebration of women’s golf and this partnership with DATA Communications Management gives the event a major boost at the perfect time.”

The DATA PGA Women’s Championship of Canada will be held at Scarboro Golf & Country Club Aug. 14-16. 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. 21-26.

“We are extremely excited about becoming the title sponsor of this very unique professional national championship for women,” said Greg Cochrane, President of DATA Communications Management. “We see it as a tremendous opportunity to support young female professional golfers on their journey to success, while showcasing our brand and entertaining our customers along the way.”

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.

More details regarding TEAM DATA will be released in the coming weeks before the 2017 DATA PGA Women’s Championship, with an additional unveiling at the event itself.

Player confirmations and announcements will continue in the weeks leading up to the championship.

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

Click here for more information on the Data PGA Women’s Championship of Canada.

Jean-Philip Cornellier won’t soon be forgetting his first win as a professional.

The 26-year-old from the Club de Golf Knowlton captured the PGA Championship of Canada sponsored by Mr. Lube and presented by TaylorMade-adidas in dramatic fashion Thursday afternoon at Deer Ridge Golf Club.

Cornellier outduelled Bryn Parry of the Point Grey Golf & Country Club, sinking a 15-foot birdie putt on No. 18, to win 2-up.

“This is just a great feeling to have my first win as a professional come at the PGA Championship of Canada,” Cornellier said. “It means a lot to me to have my name on the same trophy as so many legends.”

Past champions of the PGA Championship of Canada include Moe Norman, George Knudson, Danny King, Dave Levesque, Steve Stricker, Parry, Al Balding, Bob Panasik, Tim Clark, Lanny Wadkins, Jim Rutledge, Wilf Homenuik, Stan Leonard, Lee Trevino and Arnold Palmer.

Cornellier came out guns blazing in the championship match, making six birdies thru nine holes and found himself 6-up over the 2013 PGA Championship of Canada winner with just eight to play.

“I was just in an amazing zone and the hole looked like the size of a basketball hoop,” Cornellier admitted.

However by the time the 16th hole rolled around, not only had his confidence evaporated, his monster-size lead had as well. A combination of four-straight bogeys and a Parry birdie on the 15th saw Cornellier’s lead shrink to just 1-up with three to play.

“Once I got it to just three down, I just told myself to hit good shots and see if I could put some pressure on him, make him nervous and find out if he could hold on for the win,” Parry said.

Parry’s strategy worked. For the first time all week Cornellier said he felt nervous.

“After a while, I started thinking, ‘what is happening out here? Is this really happening?’” Cornellier admitted. “But I just had to say to myself  ‘stay calm, you’re still leading this match and put the ball in play.’”

Both players halved holes 16 and 17 with pars before reaching the Deer Ridge’s final hole, the tree-lined 510-yard par 5 18th.

Parry’s drive found the centre of the fairway, while Cornellier’s tee shot missed wide right, finding the trees.

“On 18 I was 1-up, so why not hit driver? With a good drive I’ll hit the green in two, make birdie and it’s probably over,” Cornellier said. “And with a bad drive, I could always pitch out, hit the green in three and make birdie the old way.”

After pitching out from the right trees into the fairway, Cornellier found himself with 154-yards to the pin. He took a bold line with his 9-iron, hitting his approach to 15-feet.

After Parry failed to get up-and-down for birdie from behind the green, Cornellier calmly rolled his putt into the cup, securing the victory with a 2-up score.

“That was a nice finishing birdie and a cool way to win,” Parry said.

With the championship win, Cornellier takes home the historic P.D. Ross Trophy and the first place prize of $15,000.

However, at the end of the day, there was a silver lining for Parry as well.

By virtue of his stellar play this week at Deer Ridge, Parry will jump to the top of the player rankings when they’re released Friday and earn the PGA of Canada exemption into the RBC Canadian Open.

In the third place match, Nick Kenney outlasted Marc Hurtubise, winning on the 19th hole.

The next PGA national championship takes place this August at Burlington Golf & Country Club for the Mr. Lube PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada.

And then there were four.

Marc Hurtubise, Nick Kenney, Jean-Philip Cornellier and Bryn Parry punched their ticket to the final day of the PGA Championship of Canada sponsored by Mr. Lube and presented by TaylorMade-adidas Golf.

The National Golf Club of Canada’s Nick Kenney secured the George Knudson bracket, with Jean-Philip Cornellier winning the Moe Norman bracket. Kenney and Corneiller will square off in the semi-final match at 7:45 a.m

In the other semi-final match Marc Hurtubise meets 2013 PGA Championship winner Bryn Parry of Vancouver at 7:30 a.m. at Deer Ridge Golf Club in Kitchener, Ont.

The two winners will play in the championship’s final match Thursday afternoon, with the winner taking home the historic P.D. Ross Trophy and the first place prize of $15,000.

“I’ve never actually thought about being a national champion,” Kenney admitted after his afternoon victory or last year’s champion Marc-Etienne Bussieres. “It’s one of those things you try not to think about, but it’d be really cool to win.”

Corneiller, the 26-year-old from Club de Golf Knowlton, said his goal for the week just to make sure he was still playing by the time Thursday rolled around.

“My goal for the week was to play on Thursday, so I’m really excited about being able to play two great matches tomorrow,” he said. “I’ve been really happy with how I’ve been playing for the past three days and I expect the same tomorrow.”

Of the four players remaining, only Parry has been this deep in the championship (winning in 2013 at Magna Golf Club and reaching the semi-finals last year at Victoria Golf Club). The 45-year-old feels that should work to his advantage.

“Each year in this championship I play more matches so, I’m playing more golf and figuring how things work,” Parry said.

The player who sits atop the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC at the conclusion of the PGA Championship of Canada earns an exemption into the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.

By virtue of his stellar play this week at Deer Ridge, Parry will jump to the top of the player rankings when they’re released Friday and earn the exemption into the RBC Canadian Open.

“It is obviously very cool and another exciting thing to look forward to this summer,” Parry said. “I’m really enjoying my equipment with TaylorMade having a special thing going with their irons, wedges and ball,” he said, adding, “and if the ball does what it’s supposed to do for those four days, it could be a lot of fun.”

It took a little extra time Tuesday at Deer Ridge Golf Club, but the round-of-16 matches are set at the PGA Championship of Canada sponsored by Mr. Lube and presented by TaylorMade-adidas Golf.

A five-man for the final three-spots playoff, that lasted three holes was needed to determine the PGA Championship of Canada match play bracket. Kevin Senecal, Nick Kenney and Ed Maunder outlasted Oliver Tubb and Lee Curry.

With their playoff victories, Senecal will play first-seeded Wes Heffernan, while Kenney meets the No. 2 seed Sonny Michaud, and Maunder squares off versus Brian Hadley, who holds the course record at Deer Ridge (a 59 in 2013 during the PGA of Ontario Championship).

After his round Tuesday, Heffernan said he’s playing confidently which he believes is the recipe for success in match play.

“I’m playing pretty well right now and my game today was in a good spot,” he said. “I’ve got some confidence heading into the match play portion of this tournament and that’s the sort of thing you need if you want to win.”

The other matches include:

• Marc Hurtubise & Alf Callowhill
• Bryn Parry & Gordon Burns
• Colin Murray & Dan Greenwood
• Marc-Etienne Bussieres & Philippe Gariepy
• Craig Hocknull & Jean-Philip Cornellier

For the full leaderboard, click here.

Both Parry and Bussieres are past PGA Championship of Canada winners. Bussieres, however, looks to become the first back-to-back winner of the championship since Knudson won in 1976 and 1977. In 2016 at the Victoria GC, the 29-year-old from Club de golf Longchamp bested Billy Walsh 3&1 on the 1893 A.V. Macan-designed, seaside links gem in the championship’s final match.

The only other player who remains at Deer Ridge with a national championship to his name is Craig Hocknull, who claimed last year’s PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada.

The winners of the morning matches Wednesday qualify for the afternoon quarterfinal matches. The eventual champion will win four match play rounds, adding his name to the historic P.D. Ross Trophy.

The player who sits atop the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC at the conclusion of this week earns an exemption into this year’s RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.

Designed by Canada’s Thomas McBroom, a designer known for his indelible golfing concepts that have resonated with players the world over, Deer Ridge is unlike any other creation in the architect’s canon. Opened in 1990, Deer Ridge was ranked the 69th best golf course in Canada by SCOREGolf in its 2016 rankings.

Attendance to the PGA Championship of Canada sponsored by Mr. Lube and presented by TaylorMade-adidas Golf is free and spectators are encouraged to attend during championship play.

To follow the PGA Championship of Canada sponsored by Mr. Lube and presented by TaylorMade-adidas Golf online throughout tournament week, go to pgaofcanada.com, or visit the PGA of Canada on twitter, instagram.com and facebook.com

Brian Hadley is no stranger to posting low numbers at Deer Ridge Golf Club and Monday was no different seeing him shoot a first-round 4-under-par 68.

The 36-year-old head professional from Thames Valley Golf Club leads the field at the PGA Championship of Canada sponsored by Mr. Lube and presented by TaylorMade-adidas Golf.

“This golf course is always in such perfect shape with fabulous greens,” Hadley said. “I feel really comfortable out here and it’s really a treat to be able to play this golf course.”

Hadley holds the course record at Deer Ridge, shooting a remarkable 59 in the first round of the 2013 PGA of Ontario Championship.

A pair of first time PGA Championship of Canada players—Wes Heffernan of Calgary and Quebec’s Sonny Michaud—trail Hadley heading into Tuesday’s second round by just a shot after opening-rounds of 3-under-par.

“This event has a long, storied history and it’s very cool,” Heffernan said about teeing it up this week. “There are not many national championships that have the type of names who have won like the PGA Championship of Canada does.”

And he’s right with past champions of the PGA Championship of Canada including Moe Norman, George Knudson, Danny King, Dave Levesque, Eric Laporte, Bryn Parry, Al Balding, Bob Panasik, Tim Clark, Lanny Wadkins, Jim Rutledge, Wilf Homenuik, Stan Leonard, Lee Trevino and Arnold Palmer.

Vancouver’s Parry, who won his PGA Championship of Canada in 2013 at Magna Golf Club, is in a group that includes fellow British Columbia resident Lindsay Bernakevitch and Jean-Philip Cornellier of Quebec at 2-under, T4. Deer Ridge’s own James Skrypec, Oliver Tubb, Philippe Gariepy, last year’s PGA Club Pro Championship of Canada winner Craig Hocknull and Kevin Senecal round out the top 10 at 1-under-par.

For the full leaderboard and second-round tee times, click here.

The 71-player field will be whittled down to the top-16 players following tomorrow’s second round. The final 16 will fill out the match play brackets with the eventual champion winning four match play rounds.

Currently Mike Belbin, Lee Curry, Gordon Burns, Alf Callowhill, Colin Murray and Kevin Stinson would all be involved in a six-for-five sudden death playoff to determine the match play brackets.

Designed by Canada’s Thomas McBroom, a designer known for his indelible golfing concepts that have resonated with players the world over, Deer Ridge is unlike any other creation in the architect’s canon. Opened in 1990, Deer Ridge was ranked the 69th best golf course in Canada by SCOREGolf in its 2016 rankings.

The PGA Championship of Canada sponsored by Mr. Lube and presented by TaylorMade-adidas Golf takes place next week at the superb Deer Ridge GC in Kitchener, Ont.

Sixty-nine of the of the PGA of Canada’s best players tee it up June 12-15 all vying for the association’s most prestigious championship and the historic P.D. Ross trophy.

“It’s quite the understatement, but the field for this year’s PGA Championship of Canada sponsored byMr.Lube and presented by TaylorMade-adidas Golf is unbelievably deep,” said PGA of Canada president Steve Wood. “With the entire top 10 and 42 of the top 50 teeing it up at Deer Ridge, we’re bound to see a compelling championship.”

The top 10 include:

• Dave Levesque, Golf Chateau Bromont
• Bill Walsh, Fairtree Golf Centre
• Oliver Tubb, University GC
• Marc-Etienne Bussieres, Club de Golf Longchamp
• Bryn Parry, Point Grey G&CC
• Danny King, The Performance Academy at Magna
• Brian McCann, Brampton G&CC
• Lee Curry, Ottawa Athletic Club Golf School
• Mike Belbin, Royal Mayfair GC
• Brad Kerfoot, Maple Downs GC

Additionally, 16 players in the field at Deer Ridge have won at least one PGA of Canada national title. This impressive list includes Levesque, Bussieres, Parry, King and Eric Laporte, all of whom are past winners of PGA Championship of Canada sponsored by Mr. Lube and presented by TaylorMade-adidas Golf.

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

Designed by Canada’s Thomas McBroom, a designer known for his indelible golfing concepts that have resonated with players the world over, Deer Ridge is unlike any other creation in the architect’s canon. Opened in 1990, Deer Ridge was ranked the 69th best golf course in Canada by SCOREGolf in its 2016 rankings.

“The board of directors and management team at Deer Ridge are thrilled and honoured to host one of Canada’s most storied championships, the PGA Championship of Canada,” said Deer Ridge Golf Club’s head PGA professional Rich Morel. “This is a great opportunity to showcase our fantastic facility to many who are unfamiliar with it both locally and nationally.”

Deer Ridge is also home to a piece of Canadian golfing lore. Brian Hadley of Thames Valley GC shot 59 at Deer Ridge in the first round of the 2013 PGA of Ontario Championship. Hadley is in the field for this year’s PGA Championship of Canada.

Re-launched in 2011, the PGA Championship of Canada was contested strictly as a match play event thru 2014 with players from the four brackets—Stan Leonard, George Knudson, Al Balding and Moe Norman—looking to advance through the six rounds to capture the P.D. Ross trophy. However, the 2015 championship at Cabot Links saw a format change, with 64 top-ranked players from the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC playing two rounds of stroke play. The top-16 players from the 36-hole stroke play portion of the event filled out the four match play brackets with the eventual champion winning four match play rounds.

This year’s championship at Deer Ridge will follow the same format.

Marc-Etienne Bussieres looks to become the first back-to-back winner of the championship since Knudson won in 1976 and 1977. In 2016 at the Victoria GC, the 29-year-old from Club de Golf Longchamp bested Billy Walsh 3 and 1 on the 1893 A.V. Macan-designed seaside links gem in the championship’s final match.

It’s an honour and a privilege to have your name on a trophy that’s as historic as the P.D. Ross,” Bussieres said. “To be beside names like Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino and George Knudson is really something.”

In addition to Bussieres, past champions of the PGA Championship of Canada include Moe Norman, George Knudson, King, Levesque, Laporte, Parry, Al Balding, Bob Panasik, Tim Clark, Lanny Wadkins, Jim Rutledge, Wilf Homenuik, Stan Leonard, Lee Trevino and Arnold Palmer. For the full list click here.

The player who sits atop the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC at the conclusion of the PGA Championship of Canada earns an exemption into the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., from July 24-30.

Attendance to the PGA Championship of Canada sponsored by Mr. Lube and presented by TaylorMade-adidas Golf is free and spectators are encouraged to attend during championship play.

To follow the PGA Championship of Canada sponsored by Mr. Lube and presented by TaylorMade-adidas Golf online throughout tournament week, visit pgaofcanada.com,  or follow the PGA of Canada on twitter, instagram and facebook.

Another once-in-a-lifetime opportunity has been added to the RBC PGA Scramble presented by The Lincoln Motor Company’s already impressive list of experiences.

The winning team from this year’s national final at Cabot Links in Inverness, N.S., will receive an all-expenses-paid VIP trip to the 2018 RBC Canadian Open. The winners can expect all-out VIP perks, including:

– Return flights and car rental from hometown to host city.
– Accommodations at a partner hotel near golf course.
– Valet parking on the grounds of the RBC Canadian Open.
– RBC Clubhouse Suite passes.
– Access to player dining, practice area and media centre.

“Team experiences are some of the fondest of my career—whether it was in college or as a professional,” said Team RBC’s Adam Hadwin. “Building a team, travelling together, and competing for a championship are memories I cherish,” he said, adding, “the 2018 RBC Canadian Open VIP experience to relive the victory at Cabot Links will only make it that much sweeter.”

The RBC PGA Scramble of Canada is a national series of team events featuring amateur golfers and PGA of Canada professionals taking place at more than 100 golf facilities around the country.

“We’re thrilled to add this experience to the winners of the RBC PGA Scramble presented by The Lincoln Motor Company,” said Matt McGlynn, Vice President, Brand Marketing RBC. “The RBC Canadian Open is a celebration of golf in Canada and we are excited to give these champions a unique opportunity to attend the tournament with VIP access.”

All RBC PGA Scramble of Canada local qualifying events in 2017 will have guaranteed prize tables for the top three teams.

The series of events expects to draw thousands of amateur golfers—who will form their own team of four players— from across the country. Teams will look to make it through local and regional qualifying with the ultimate goal of playing in the national final later this year with a PGA of Canada professional playing on their team at one of Canada’s greatest golf courses.

Taking place Oct 12-14, Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs will see teams from across the country—comprised of four amateurs and a PGA of Canada professional—playing in the 54-hole national final.

Cabot Cliffs ranked No. 1, while Cabot Links ranked No. 4 on SCOREGolf’s 2016 Best Golf Courses in Canada list. Cabot Cliffs also debuted 19th on the World’s Top 100 Courses list by Golf Digest.

While the RBC Canadian Open experience wasn’t a carrot for last year’s RBC PGA Scramble presented by The Lincoln Motor Company winners, the Angus Glen Golf Club squad—PGA of Canada professional Terry Kim, Patrick O’Leary, Dan Mesley, Mike Asselin, David Fotheringham—have been awarded the opportunity to experience the VIP treatment at this year’s RBC Canadian Open in July.

Participants in The RBC PGA Scramble of Canada presented by The Lincoln Motor Company must have a registered handicap index with Golf Canada, with winning teams of four joined by a PGA professional in the regional and national finals. All rules and regulations can be found at rbcpgascramble.com.