When you think of the great pressure players of all time, you think of Tiger Woods, Tom Brady, Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky. Well, Joshua Hooper better be in those conversations from this day forward. 

That’s a hyperbolic statement; but nonetheless, an amateur player hitting the shots down the stretch Hooper did is clutch. 

While it was a nail-biting finish on the back nine of the 2021 RBC PGA Scramble National Championship, the team from Whitetail Golf Club in Eganville, Ontario separated themselves from the pack during the final two holes at Cabot Links, thanks to team member Hooper. 

Maybe it was something in the water, or maybe it was something in the Cabot Cape Breton air, we may never know, but we do know that Hooper has that clutch gene.  

From 40-feet away on the 17th hole and trailing the team from Black Mountain by a stroke, Hooper stepped up and curled in the left-to-right breaker, sending his team, consisting of Jonathan Schaler, Jouni Jutila, Manraj Grewal, and Jason McGrath, the Head Professional at Stittsville Golf Course, into a frenzy.  

On the very next hole, from a downhill lie, Hooper clutched up again, hitting a 7-iron to two feet, as one of his teammates yelled, “Hooper is so clutch it’s disgusting.” 

For the full leaderboard from the final round, click here.

After all was said and done, the team from Whitetail were victorious by a stoke over the team from Black Mountain Golf Club. 

“Everything was incredible, the courses were outstanding, the people were a blast, breakfast and dinner was awesome, everything was great, there was nothing that could have been better,” said Jonathan Schaler after the win. “Winning was pretty cool too, we started in the back of the pack and moved up in crazy weather on moving day on the Cliffs.” 

Schaler is correct about the weather – the 50 km/h gusts led to scores being 5.7 strokes higher than a day prior on Monday. 

“We were pumped we got to play in such high winds, then we got a day like this, there was nothing that could have been better,” continued Schaler. 

Located in Inverness, N.S., Cabot Cape Breton is Canada’s first and only authentic links golf resort. Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the picturesque town of Inverness, the Cabot Links course represents a dramatic departure from the typical golf excursion. With six holes playing directly alongside the water and every hole offers an ocean view, Cabot Links is where traditional links-land golf comes to life against the spectacular Nova Scotia landscape.

This year’s RBC PGA Scramble was bigger than ever, with a record-setting 154 local qualifiers across the country hosting nearly 13,000 participants. In short – it was once again the amateur golf event of the summer. 

“RBC was great, Cabot was great, our caddies were awesome,” said Schaler. “After we played the first round, nobody that we saw the whole night had anything but great things to say about the event. When can we sign up for next year?” 

Playing earlier in the day, the group from Oakfield Golf Club echoed the Whitetail group’s statements about the event. 

“Thank you very much to RBC, Cabot and the PGA of Canada  for this week and making it happen,” said Oakfield Golf Club Head Professional Ryan O’Connor. “We really appreciate all the hard work and long hours and everything that goes into an event like this, it was excellent, so well done to everyone.”  

The trip of a lifetime is back.

80 amateurs from across the country who managed to claw their way through local and regional qualifiers are joined by 20 PGA of Canada Professionals, who comprise the 20 teams looking to claim the title of RBC PGA Scramble National Champions.

For these 20 teams, qualifying was quite the journey as a record-setting number of over 12,500 golfers competed in the RBC PGA Scramble this year. The journey finally comes to a peak October 3-5 as players set foot on Cabot Cape Breton in Inverness, Nova Scotia for the 54-hole championship at the Cabot Cliffs and Cabot Links courses.

“We are so thrilled, here at Cabot Cape Breton, to once again host the RBC PGA Scramble,” said Cabot Cape Breton General Manager Andrew Alkenbrack. “We have been looking forward to this day for some time now and are excited to welcome everyone back from across the country. There is nothing quite like seeing players reactions when they arrive on site for the first time. This is going to be a very exciting week for everyone involved.”

In 2020, Cabot Cliffs was ranked the No. 1 course in Canada by ScoreGolf while Cabot Links was ranked No. 5.

Located in Inverness, N.S., Cabot Links is Canada’s first and only authentic links golf resort. Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the picturesque town of Inverness, the Cabot Links course represents a dramatic departure from the typical golf excursion. With six holes playing directly alongside the water and every hole offering an ocean view, Cabot Links is where traditional links-land golf comes to life against the spectacular Nova Scotia landscape.

The Cabot Cliffs course, designed by the decorated team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, is exquisitely carved out of the breathtaking Cape Breton landscape. With postcard-worthy panoramas vying for your attention and every hole calling out to the sea, it is links-land golf at its best.

“To play those Cabot courses, it’s a dream come true. They’re about as good as it gets for golf in Canada,” said Ryan Secord, who qualified for the National Championship alongside his father, Kelly, as well as another father/son duo in Kyle and Don Scott. “None of us have been out to Cabot before, I’ve never been east of Quebec City, so we keep pulling up pictures and videos from their website, we’re really pumped about it.”

The Secord’s and Scott’s, who are joined by PGA of Canada member Matt Lorenz at the Championship, originally qualified for the Regional Finals from the Bridges Golf Course in Starbuck, Manitoba.

While the qualifiers were relatively smooth sailing for the Bridges players, who qualified from the Elmhurst Country Club Regional Final, the same can’t quite be said for the team from Langara Golf Course. A fender-bender prior to the B.C. West Regional Final almost squashed their Cabot hopes before they could begin.

“Two teammates and I ended up getting rear ended on the Sea to Sky Highway, so it was a pretty crazy day and we arrived just in time and didn’t get a warmup,” said Kevin Sandher. “Luckily my car was drivable, and we gave ourselves lots of time in the morning, but we realized we had to get there quick after we ensured everybody was okay.”

Sandher’s team, consisting of a group of friends who, like many across the country, picked up the game during the pandemic as it was the only way they were able to see each other, didn’t let the crazy morning affect their play as they won by two strokes.

Other anecdotes from teams ahead of the National Finals includes one team who needed birdie on the final hole of the Regional Qualifier to qualify, and hit their approach shot to 2-feet just as the drums dropped in In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins from the team’s speaker – you know what I’m talking about.

One other team noted that they had scheduled multiple meet ups prior to the event at an indoor simulator to practice on the Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs courses – we’re willing to bet their experience on the East Coast is going to one-up the time spent in the simulator.

The RBC PGA Scramble promises to be a golf trip of a lifetime and includes numerous receptions, an authentic east coast kitchen party, a night golf experience under stadium lighting on Cabot’s newly opened par-3 course called “The Nest”, prizing, meals, activations and much more.

Players and tournament staff are following all government mandates regarding COVID-19 to ensure the safety of everybody on site, including requiring full vaccinations from all participants.

Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member and golf media personality Bob Weeks will be on-site during championship week as an honorary starter, as well as Canadian professional golfers Stuart MacDonald and Jared du Toit.

MacDonald had quite the 2020-2021 season on the Korn Ferry Tour. Heading into the season with conditional status, four top-10 finishes led to MacDonald finishing 60th on the money list, granting him full status in 2022 as he chases a PGA TOUR card.

Meanwhile, Du Toit is fresh off what may be the biggest win of his career, winning the ATB Financial Classic on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada in his hometown of Calgary, Alberta, just a matter of weeks ago.

(CALGARY, Alta.) – Entering the final round of the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf tied for the lead at 7-under alongside Yohann Benson, Barrie, Ontario’s Branson Ferrier seized his opportunity, firing a final-round 68 to win by two strokes over Kevin Stinson.

It was a cold and rainy morning at The Winston Golf Club, with the thermometer reading 6-degrees Celsius (but feeling more like freezing). 11 players entered the day within three strokes of the lead, trying to gain ground on Ferrier and Benson.

They could not.

On the third hole of the day, Ferrier made a 12-foot putt for eagle and didn’t relinquish the lead the rest of the day as he claimed his third-career professional victory.

“I hit a really good shot into number three and as soon as I got to the ball, I saw it going in,” said the Vespra Hills Golf Club Apprentice Professional. “That felt good to get going early. There were quite a few guys close behind myself and Yohann (Benson) early on, so I had to get out of the gate hot and mentally that helped me out early.”

Graduating from Alabama State University in 2017, Ferrier noted that he became a sponsored member at Vespra Hills Golf Club in 2018 before joining the turf staff last year. This year, he has stepped into a role in the golf shop.

“They’ve been unbelievable,” said Ferrier with a smile. “They’ve taken me under their wing and now I work in the golf shop helping our GM Dave Caldwell and our Head Pro Chris McNair, helping manage the place, running some events and really getting to take a hold of the junior program. They were gracious enough to let me come out here for the week and I can’t thank them enough.”

Seems like a good decision.

Though Ferrier made bogey on hole 4 after the eagle, he followed it up with three consecutive birdies and didn’t make a single bogey on the back nine. As soon as he went pin-hunting on the difficult 17th, it was all but over.

“I’ve been in this position two times before,” said Ferrier, who won on the Great Lakes Tour in 2017 and the East Coast Pro Tour in 2019. “I was calmer than I was in the other two times, so that was comforting, knowing I converted both other times I was in a final group.”

With the win, Ferrier takes home $9000, as well as some important RBC Player Ranking Points. After finishing 30th earlier this season at the BetRegal PGA Championship of Canada, the win should catapult Ferrier near the top of the standings.

Ferrier noted after the event the crucial role Callaway and all the PGA of Canada’s sponsors play when it comes to tournament golf.

The final leaderboard from @thewinstongc

An amazing event capped off with a fantastic final round from Branson Ferrier pic.twitter.com/ElVv53br7L

— PGA of Canada (@pgaofcanada) September 16, 2021

“If we were only playing for the money we put into a tournament like this, nobody would come because it simply wouldn’t be worth the travel,” said the Alabama State 2016 Male Athlete of the Year. “To have Callaway’s support to help with the purse and to run an event like this, it’s absolutely crucial and the only way events like this can happen, so I’m very grateful for them.”

Meanwhile, Kevin Stinson managed his second runner-up performance of the year, firing a final-round 68 to place two-strokes ahead of a group of four players at 7-under.

The NoSweat Hardest Hole of the Day on Tuesday was the 195-yard par-3 11th hole. Nine players made birdie on the hole and after a random draw, Tyler LeBouthillier claims the $125 prize courtesy of NoSweat.

In addition to NoSweat’s presence at the championship, LivRelief, the Official Pain Relief Cream of the PGA of Canada, has given free full-sized product to all players and Focus Golf Target set up one of their professional targets on the 17th hole during the practice round.

Like at the BetRegal PGA Championship of Canada and DCM PGA Women’s Championship, each player received three attempts to land as many balls inside the target as possible. Craig Titterington made two of his three shots and was awarded the $250 prize.

For results of the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada, click here.

(Bromont, QC) – Saturday at Parcours du Vieux Village in Bromont, Quebec belonged to Riley Fleming.

From the time he made a 15-foot eagle putt on the fifth hole to break the deadlock between himself and Kevin Stinson to take the lead at the BetRegal PGA Championship of Canada presented by TaylorMade Golf and adidas Golf to the time he narrowly fought off water works on the 18th green with the P.D. Ross trophy in hand, the day was his, and the game is seldomly played as beautifully as Fleming played it this week.

The full leaderboard can be viewed here.

“This is the biggest win of my career by far,” said Fleming, who pieced together rounds of 66-63-68-66 this week to win by three. “Kevin (Stinson) and I duked it out pretty good on the front, and even on the back, I was only one clear after 13, so it was pretty tight. I’m just so excited.”

While the 63 the pro from Lynx Ridge Golf Club in Calgary, Alberta managed on Thursday may have been his lowest number, Saturday’s 66 was arguably his most impressive.

With a one-stroke lead on the par-5 7th hole, Fleming made one of his only major mistakes of the week – hitting his tee shot right, where it landed out-of-bounds. After striking his provisional perfectly down the center, a long-way down the center, I may add, his demeanour was unflustered, and he only sacrificed a single shot.

The 8th hole at Parcours du Vieux Village presents an interesting option for players. At only 330-yards and slightly downhill, it is certainly drivable, but with a pond guarding the right side, Fleming, who “is almost always against laying up,” as he told us after his round, took iron off the tee early in the week.

This was not the case on Saturday. Fleming, with thoughts of his wayward drive on seven nonexistent, made a winning decision and drove the green. Birdie for Fleming and bogey for Stinson, erasing the blemish from the seventh and adding even more cushion between himself and the PGA of BC pro. He never looked back and didn’t relinquish his lead for the remainder of the tournament.

By the time Fleming strolled down the 18th fairway, he had given himself a three-shot cushion. The scene could have been from a movie, (and the scene of Fleming walking towards the green with the Bromont faithful encircling him was like a tamed-down version of Tiger Woods at the 2018 FedEx Cup Finals) as Fleming buried a 35-footer for birdie and put his hands in the air.

“The crowd was so friendly and supportive, even cheering on the Alberta guy,” said Fleming, who takes home $10,000 with the win. “It was so much fun to see them there and our group hit some really good shots today so hopefully they enjoyed it as much as we did.”

His caddie, Chad Thompson, who booked his own ticket to Montreal to be there for his friend (and, little did he know, a moment of Canadian golf history), gave him a big bear hug.

When asked how it felt to have his name alongside Lee Trevino, Moe Norman and Arnold Palmer on the P.D. Ross trophy, Fleming fought back tears.

“It’s hard to believe… it’s pretty cool to have my name on a trophy with Arnold,” he said.

Kevin Stinson, who made only one bogey all tournament, finished in second place at 22-under, while Sang Hwa Lee rounded out the top three at 20-under. The full leaderboard can be viewed here.

The NoSweat Hardest Hole of the Day on Thursday was the 435-yard 16th hole. In total, 16 players made birdie on the par-4. After a random draw between those players, Phillip Jonas is the fourth round’s NoSweat Hardest Hole of the Day champion and will be awarded $250 for his feat.

Players continued to rave on Saturday about the LivRelief product they have been given throughout the week. For more information about LivRelief, click here.

This year’s championship comes on the heels of a historic announcement, as it was announced on Tuesday that the PGA of Canada has inked a three-year agreement with Canadian sports betting company BetRegal which gives them title sponsorship over the championship through 2023.

“We have a lot of great people that run events, but you can’t do it without sponsors,” said Fleming. “We’re all really appreciative that they jumped on board and we can’t say enough about how great it is to have their support.”

(ACTON, ON) – The PGA of Canada is very pleased to announce that Brooke Henderson, the winningest professional golfer in Canadian history, will have her name attached to a new PGA of Canada National Award; the ‘Brooke Henderson Female Player of the Year Award’. 
 
In addition, the trophy awarded to the DCM PGA Women’s Champion will be named after Lorie Kane, who’s five wins, including a string of four-in-a-row from 1996-1999, is the most ever at the event. 
 
“The PGA of Canada is so excited to recognize two of the most influential figures in Canadian golf history and we are thrilled to attach their names to an award and a trophy meant to honour excellence among female golfers in our industry,” said PGA of Canada President Teejay Alderdice. “In addition to Brooke and Lorie being two of the greatest golfers in Canadian history, their names are synonymous with professionalism and they are spectacular role models for junior golfers and female players throughout the country. 
 
“Lorie and the Henderson’s are going to be key figures in the golf industry for years to come and we are so excited to work with them to help continue to grow the sport,” continued Alderdice. 
 

The Brooke Henderson Female Player of the Year Award, which will be unveiled at the 2021 National Award Ceremony, will recognize the female professional who attains the most points based on the PGA of Canada Player Rankings criteria for the year. 
 
Female players will have the opportunity to earn ranking points at all PGA of Canada National Championships, as well as specific Zone events, as the Board of Directors made amendments in 2019 to allow women to compete from a yardage of 86-88% of the length of male competitors. Click here for more information regarding ranking criteria.
 
“Brittany and I are so blown away by the opportunity we have to help promote golf in Canada, especially when it comes to growing the game among young women,” said Henderson. “We are excited to be involved with the PGA of Canada and I am so appreciative to have my name attached to a brand-new award that will help put a spotlight on the top female players in the country.” 
 
Henderson has a history of excellence at PGA of Canada events. Prior to the 23-year-old winning 10 times on the LPGA Tour, she claimed the DCM PGA Women’s Championship in back-to-back years, in 2014 and 2015.  
 
Brooke, alongside her sister and caddie Brittany, will be joining and supporting the PGA of Canada, Brooke as a proud Tournament Professional and Brittany as a PGA of Canada Class “A” Member.
 
Kane, who has been a PGA of Canada member since 1993, has a long-standing history of involvement with the PGA of Canada and was inducted into the organization’s hall-of-fame in 2017. 
 
“I am incredibly honoured to have my name associated with one of Canada’s greatest golf tournaments,” said Kane. “The DCM PGA Women’s Championship means so much to me personally and it always seemed to bring out the best in me as a player. I’m looking forward to watching the best players in our country continue to compete at the storied event.”
 
The newly named Lorie Kane Trophy will be awarded for the first time later this summer at the 34^th playing of the DCM PGA Women’s Championship of Canada at Oshawa Golf Club in Oshawa, ON. There will be an update on the scheduled date of the event in the coming weeks. 

The topsy-turvy nature of the 2020 golf season ultimately produced one of the busiest years in the history of the game. The sport’s sudden demand required innovation, flexibility, and, perhaps most importantly, hard work and long hours by PGA of Canada professionals from coast to coast. All members of the association are worthy of accolades for their efforts, highlighted by the 2020 PGA of Canada National Award winners.

“I’ve never been so proud to be a PGA of Canada member. The resilience and commitment to safety shown by our association during the early stages of the pandemic and throughout the 2020 golf season was inspirational,” said Teejay Alderdice, PGA of Canada President. “I’d like to congratulate our 2020 PGA of Canada Award winners and finalists. We experienced a year like no other in 2020 and this group led the way in achieving a successful season.”

Among those being honoured is Derek Ingram, Men’s Head Coach of Team Canada’s Young Pro Squad. After training a team throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and finding new ways to stay connected, he is being recognized for utilizing innovative coaching methods in the midst of unpredictability.

The 2020 PGA of Canada National Awards ceremony was conducted virtually with TSN personalities Bob Weeks and Kayla Grey, along with St. George’s Golf and Country Club General Manager Ian Leggatt, serving as hosts.

“It is unfortunate that we could not gather in Orlando at the PGA Merchandise Show to celebrate as we normally would, but the show must go on and our virtual rollout ensured our winners were recognized in front of their peers as they so richly deserve,” said Kevin Thistle, PGA of Canada CEO.

2020 PGA of Canada National Award Winners

Ben Kern Coach of the Year – Derek Ingram

Team Canada men’s head coach Derek Ingram took on even greater responsibilities in 2020, overseeing Golf Canada’s entire development program. He was one of the first coaches to use remote connection tools like CoachNow to work with his many students — including PGA Tour winner Corey Conners — and he shared his golf wisdom on social media with his popular Garage Series tips. Derek also operates a high-performance program at Elmhurst Golf and Country Club in his native Manitoba, where many of his pupils are ranked among the province’s top juniors. Derek is now a four-time national award winner, having been the 2003 Junior Leader of the Year and the 2003 and 2007 Coach of the Year.

Click here to view finalists for this award.
Moe Norman Apprentice Professional of the Year – Krysta Schaus

From running tournaments to making merchandising decisions to custom fitting and teaching lessons, Krysta Schaus is an integral and versatile member of the Toronto Golf Club team. Krysta has a strong desire to grow the game among juniors and women — leading clinics at TGC for both groups — and she has been continuous in her pursuit of further education by seeking out mentors and completing various courses and seminars. The Erskine College and Gardner-Webb University alum also represents Toronto Golf Club in various competitive events.

Click here to view finalists for this award.

Pat Fletcher Retailer of the Year – Dean Ingalls

Remarkably, Dean Ingalls led the Silver Springs Golf and Country Club shop to a record sales year in 2020. The now two-time Pat Fletcher Retailer of the Year Award winner created Vision 2020, whereby staff members were put in charge of individual categories and asked to maximize sales with creative ideas. Silver Springs also sent members daily value pricing videos that were often injected with humour as shop staff modelled clothing and showcased products. Sidewalk sales, customized water bottles, and constant shop reorganization were other retailing techniques that Ingalls spearheaded.

Click here to view finalists for this award.

Tex Noble Award for Professional Development – Derrik Goodwin

Derrik Goodwin continues to show extreme devotion to his craft. The St. Charles Country Club assistant professional devours all things golf education to better himself. This is evidenced by his winning four-straight Manitoba Teacher of the Year and four-straight Manitoba Junior Leader of the Year awards. He’s also won two-straight Manitoba Class A Professional of the Year awards. Derrik is certified in numerous platforms and shares his knowledge with both his peers and students on social media platforms and on his own website.

Click here to view finalists for this award.

Stan Leonard Class A Professional of the Year – Derrik Goodwin

Derrik Goodwin continues to add to his impressive trophy case. With thorough knowledge in numerous teaching technologies, such as TrackMan, Foresight Sports, K-Vest, and Quintic, Derrik brings a wealth of knowledge to members of St. Charles Country Club and to the players on the golf teams at the University of Manitoba, where he is the director and head coach. In addition, Derrik is a vital member of the St. Charles golf staff — running leagues, tournaments, club fitting, introductory clinics, the junior program, and the Future Links Learn to Play program. He also volunteers his time to numerous initiatives, such as the PGA of Manitoba’s Future Pros program.

Click here to view finalists for this award.

George Knudson Teacher of the Year – Gareth Raflewski

Gareth Raflewski has the largest and most successful stable of touring pros of any golf coach in Canada. Among his many students on the LPGA Tour are World Number One Jin Young Ko, Lydia Ko, Nelly Korda and Ariya and Moria Jutanugarn. On the PGA Tour, his pupils include Michael Gligic and Hudson Swafford. Based out of RiverBend Golf Community in London, Ontario, in 2020 Gareth partnered with the Slieve Russell Hotel and Golf Club in his native Ireland to open his first golf academy outside of Canada. The short-game specialist has his own line of training aids and an online subscription platform with live lessons and on-course training for all levels.

Click here to view finalists for this award.

Jack McLaughlin Junior Leader of the Year – Louis Melanson

Louis Melanson’s name is synonymous with junior golf in New Brunswick. He’s been the provincial coach for Golf New Brunswick for the past 14 years. He is the Atlantic Canada director for the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour. He serves on the New Brunswick Junior Golf Committee. And at the Louis Melanson Golf Academy at Fox Creek Golf Club there were a whopping 156 junior members in 2020 — more than 10 times the number from when Louis first took over the program. The 2017 Sports New Brunswick coach of the year is also a seven-time Atlantic Zone teacher of the year and presides over the only Sport Études program in Atlantic Canada.

Click here to view finalists for this award.

Warren Crosbie Community Leader of the Year – Muncie Booth

A 40-plus-year PGA of Canada member, Muncie Booth is the head professional at the City of Vancouver’s McCleery Golf Course and was previously the director of golf at both McCleery and Langara. That means he’s dedicated much of his career to municipal golf. In 1999 Muncie founded the Inner City Youth golf program designed to introduce golf to children of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Despite hurdles along the way, it has doubled in size and continues to teach kids the valuable life lessons golf offers. A leader in inclusive hiring, Munice was recognized by Community Living BC in 2005 with a Widening Our World award.

Click here to view finalists for this award.

Dick Munn Executive Professional of the Year – Rene MacKay

Rene MacKay has led Ken-Wo Golf Club through an impressive transformation over the years, broadening club access to women and juniors, incorporating off-season events with golf simulators, and developing a team atmosphere among staff that has not gone unnoticed by members. Ken-Wo’s director of golf operations was a key member of the Nova Scotia Return to Play task force in 2020, and was also Atlantic Canada’s top retailer in 2020. As a testament to his overall dedication, Rene led the Atlantic Zone’s Professional Recognition Program ledger in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Click here to view finalists for this award.

Murray Tucker Club Professional of the Year – Dean Ingalls

A double-award winner in 2020, Dean Ingalls is the Cub Professional of the Year as well as the Retailer of the Year. Ingalls showed tremendous leadership in the early days of the pandemic, taking shifts with the turf department and helping food and beverage with curbside pickup. Once the extreme busyness of the season set in, Dean ensured Silver Springs ran smoothly, developing programs for new golfers and leagues for seasoned members. He continued to mentor young pros and he did not let 2020 impede his charitable nature. As one example, Dean used proceeds from customized water bottle sales to buy back $9,000 worth of unsold 2019 inventory and donate the clothing to a women’s shelter.

Click here to view finalists for this award.

Together with the PGA of Canada, Golf Canada is excited to announce the nine individuals named as inaugural participants in the 2021 Women in Coaching program.

Each participant receives in-depth career development support that is focused on four main areas: sports science and coaching education, hands-on training experiences with coaches and top players, project work and individualized learning plans. Recipients are awarded a $2,500 bursary to help offset costs for the hands-on training portion of the program.

Due to the volume of qualified applicants, Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada are considering ways to extend career development support to a broader pool of aspiring female coaches. Increasing the number of female mentors and role models is a priority for the growth of golf in Canada.

“The Women in Coaching program presents an opportunity for some of Canada’s most-accomplished female leaders to further their career developments together,” said Jennifer Greggain, coach of Team Canada’s Junior Squads. “The strong collection of coaches will drive the initiative forward through knowledge and experience sharing on the way to building a foundation for the future.”

Areas of focus include leadership, networking, building experience, Safe Sport, developing coach philosophy, and expanding technical knowledge. A diverse lineup of speakers and educators will assist in content delivery.

“The overarching goal with the Women in Coaching program is to help administrators to further understand barriers and identify solutions for women entering the field,” said Emily Phoenix, manager of high performance with Golf Canada. “There remains much work to do, but this signals progress in achieving equitable representation of women in the Canadian golf coaching community.”

The following are selected as participants in the 2021 Women in Coaching program:

• Casey Ward, Credit Valley Golf & Country Club, Ontario
• Emma DeGroot, Hamilton Golf & Country Club, Ontario
• Bri-ann Tokariwski, Elmhurst Golf & Country Club/Golf Manitoba, Manitoba
• Dawn Turner, Grey Hawk Golf Club/University of Ottawa, Ontario
• Kyla Inaba, Predator Ridge Resort, B.C.
• Michelle McCann, Uplands Golf Club, B.C.
• Elizabeth Asselin, Royal Québec Golf Club, Québec
• Sarah Landry, University of Montreal, Québec
• Carla Munch, Cambridge Golf Club/University of Waterloo, Ontario

Announced in August, the Women in Coaching Program is a new initiative that strives to reach a stronger balance between sexes of high-performance coaches. The program received financial support for launch through Sport Canada’s Safe Sport and Gender Equity Fund and the

R&A’s Women in Golf charter.

My wife and I have played together in many events over the years but this summer we tried a new one: the RBC PGA Scramble presented by The Lincoln Motor Company.

Now in its fifth year, the national series survived myriad challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, it experienced its most successful year to date.

“There was so much uncertainty at the start of the season,” says Adam LeBrun, managing director of championships and foundation for the PGA of Canada. “The pandemic affected everything and we were reacting to new developments every day it seemed. At one point early on, we thought we would be happy if we had 3,000 participants.”

As it turned out, my wife and I were two of about 11,000 participants who signed up to play in one of the team scramble’s 140 local qualifiers. We might not have won to advance to the regional final (OK, so we finished second last) but we had a great day and were impressed by the meticulous organizational framework.

“Unexpectedly, golf as a whole boomed this season,” LeBrun says. “As a result, our participation increased by about 40 per cent over 2019 and we had more venues sign up, many for the first time.”

That’s not to say it was all good news. For the past three years, the national final has taken place at renowned Cabot Links on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. In August, due to travel restrictions imposed in response to COVID-19, that was cancelled. (A return to Cabot is in the plans for 2021, COVID-dependent, of course.)

To compensate, the regional events were enhanced with more than $150,000 worth of gifting and prizing. The second- and third-place teams won a pro shop gift certificate at their regional venue.

The overall winning team was announced Sept. 21. Cole Bryant, Lee Bryant, Mike Hughston, Joe Saunders and PGA of Canada professional Nathan Grieve from Talking Rock Golf Course in Chase, B.C., edged Team Crimson Ridge from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., by a mere 0.91 score differential.*

In recognition of their accomplishment, the Talking Rock team was awarded a VIP experience at next year’s RBC Canadian Open at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Etobicoke, Ont., including airfare, accommodations and tickets.

As well, a charitable donation option resulted in $4,350 being contributed to The Frontline Fund which supports Canadian healthcare workers in the fight against COVID-19.

The RBC PGA Scramble is nothing if not inclusive. Female participation grew 73 per cent year-over-year thanks to the creation of an all-female spot at each regional final. LeBrun says the age of participants ranged from 20 to 80 and the handicaps varied from the plus side to the mid-30s. “We even had one new golfer with the maximum Handicap Index of 54.”

But one demographic is not welcome. Sandbaggers need not apply and, if they do, they get booted out. With prejudice.

Again due to the pandemic, the usual format of eightsomes was not practicable so foursomes were the norm this time around, thus potentially opening the door for unscrupulous, unethical players.

“We had some instances,” says LeBrun, “but we reached out to Golf Canada in order to check scoring record details and it’s pretty easy to determine if something is fishy.

“In order to maintain the integrity and credibility of the program, we handed out a few suspensions and, as a committee, decided to make them pretty substantial.” That means a five-year ban from the event plus the miscreant’s home club and provincial association are notified.

“We designed the program with the intention of creating a fun, professional-like competition accessible to golfers of all skill levels,” the PGA of Canada emphasizes.

If the experience my wife and I had is any indication of what occurred nationally, they achieved that goal. We’ll try again next year. Who knows? Maybe third-last is possible…

For more information on the RBC PGA Scramble, visit www.rbcpgascramble.com

*Score differentials were used to compare results across 11 regional finals and calculated using the following formula: (113/course Slope) x (net score – course rating).

After careful consideration, the PGA of Canada has made the difficult decision to cancel its final two national events of the season: the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf and PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf and supported by G&G Golf.

The decision was made in consultation with playing members and partners and comes as a result of ongoing domestic and international restrictions on travel, as well as safety concerns caused by the pandemic.

The PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf is typically held within Canada in the fall, while the PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf and supported by G&G Golf is historically held south of the border toward the end of November.

“We surveyed our playing members to gauge their interest on a combined national championship within Canada later this season,” said Teejay Alderdice, the association’s president. “Some players expressed their willingness to travel but a significant portion shared their unease in light of the current climate. We feel it is in the best interest of everyone involved to come back bigger and stronger in 2021.”

“We value our relationship with the PGA of Canada and our connection with golf professionals from coast-to-coast,” said Callaway Golf Canada’s General Manager Bruce Carroll. “We will miss the camaraderie and competition this year, but the well-being of players is of utmost importance. Our team looks forward to staging two fantastic championships with the PGA of Canada in 2021.”

In addition to supporting two national championships, Callaway Golf Canada is the founding partner of the PGA of Canada’s #PatronizeYourPGAPro social media campaign, aimed at encouraging golfers to support their local pro shop. The online activation, which ran Aug. 7 to Sept. 15, provides golf professionals with the chance to win a VIP digital experience with PGA Tour player and Callaway ambassador Adam Hadwin.

The cancellations will have no impact on the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC, which were frozen earlier this year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

ACTON, ON (September 3, 2020) — The PGA of Canada, along with TaylorMade Golf Canada and adidas Golf, has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 PGA Championship of Canada given continued health concerns and travel restrictions surrounding COVID-19.

The association’s flagship event was originally scheduled from July 6-10 at Edmonton’s Royal Mayfair Golf Club and later postponed in June due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“This decision has been made with the health and safety of players, volunteers and staff in mind,” said PGA of Canada President Teejay Alderdice. “We were cautiously optimistic in the spring that conditions might improve to a point where we could conduct the championship safely and at a level players expect. Ultimately, ongoing travel restrictions and risks associated with bringing a national field together during COVID-19 influenced the cancellation of this event.”

In addition to the national tournament, TaylorMade Golf Canada and adidas Golf support championships across all nine PGA of Canada Zones. Winners from both 2019 and 2020 Zone Championships will earn a coveted exemption into next year’s event as a result of the cancellation this year.

The PGA of Canada and its partners now look to 2021 to deliver an exceptional experience for members at the 99th-playing of the historic national championship.

“Golf professionals are the core of the industry,” said David Bradley, general manager at TaylorMade Golf Canada. “We are pleased to work with the PGA of Canada to offer competitive opportunities at the Zone level this season and look forward to supporting a fantastic national championship in 2021.”

“This is a top-tier event in Canada and one we are certainly proud to be a part of,” said adidas Golf General Manager Lesley Hawkins. “Our team is excited to raise the bar next year with the PGA of Canada for what promises to be a thrilling return.”

The PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC were paused in June given the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on events across the country.

Past PGA Championship of Canada winner Pierre-Alexandre Bedard of Chibougamau, Que., will hold on to his No. 1 ranking heading into next year, earning him a spot in the ’21 RBC Canadian Open at St. George’s Golf & Country Club.

The date and location of next year’s PGA Championship of Canada presented by TaylorMade Golf Canada and adidas Golf will be announced toward the end of 2020.