London, Ont. – Dan McCarthy of Syracuse, New York, wrapped up Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Player of the Year honours on Sunday, finishing with $157,843 in earnings on the season to top the Order of Merit and lead five players who earned status on the Web.com Tour for 2017.

McCarthy, 31, who produced a unprecedented season of four wins and the all-time record for single-season earnings, will be fully exempt on the 2017 Web.com Tour after finishing $73,768 ahead of No. 2 Brock Mackenzie of Yakima, Washington. Joining McCarthy and Mackenzie in The Five were No. 3 Taylor Moore of Richmond Hill, Ontario, No. 4 Aaron Wise of Lake Elsinore, California and No. 5 Adam Cornelson of Langley, B.C.

The Five will graduate to the Web.com Tour in 2017 and look to follow in the footsteps of at least nine PGA TOUR-era Mackenzie Tour alumni who will have PGA TOUR status for the 2016-17 season, including 2013-15 Order of Merit winners Mackenzie Hughes, Joel Dahmen and J.J. Spaun.

“Dan’s exceptional play this year has set the standard for excellence on the Mackenzie Tour. What he has done this season in winning four times and setting the new mark is without precedent, and we can’t wait to follow his success as he reaches the next level. We wish The Five the very best of luck as they make the next step on their journey and follow in the footsteps of so many players, including the last three Order of Merit winners, who have gone from the Mackenzie Tour to the PGA TOUR,” said Mackenzie Tour President Jeff Monday.

McCarthy, a Le Moyne College (Syracuse, New York) graduate set the new record for single-season earnings on the Mackenzie Tour, recording wins at the Freedom 55 Financial Open, GolfBC Championship, Players Cup and Cape Breton Open, becoming the first player to win four times in a season in Mackenzie Tour history. McCarthy also set the records for largest margin of victory (seven strokes) and low 72-hole score (259) at the Players Cup and GolfBC Championship.

“This was an unforgettable year for me, and I’m so proud to have earned that fully exempt status on the Web.com Tour next year,” said McCarthy. “The level of competition out here is so good, and my goal at the start of the year was to be in that top five. To see all the hard work I’ve put in over the years come to fruition and finish No. 1 is an incredible feeling.”

The Mackenzie Tour also announced that its 12 tournaments combined to raise more than $1 million for charity, increasing charitable contributions from $567,500 in 2015

“A primary goal of every Mackenzie Tour tournament, along with every event under the PGA TOUR umbrella, is to make a positive impact in the community. Each year, we have pushed to make a larger impact in every community where we play, and I want to thank all of our tournaments along with every player, fan, volunteer and anyone else who helped make a positive difference in peoples’ lives through the Mackenzie Tour this year,” said Monday.

“We are so pleased with the success of the 2016 Mackenzie Tour – PGA Tour Canada and congratulate all of the golfers on their incredible season,” said Barry McInerney, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mackenzie Investments. “At Mackenzie Investments, we believe in striving to bring our best to everything we do and the winners of the Mackenzie Tour exemplify that same confidence and tenacious attitude. Now that we have completed our second season as the umbrella sponsor, we continue to be impressed by the partnership, players and most importantly, the charitable aspect which helps so many communities across Canada.”

Players 6-10 earn spots into Final Stage
In addition to The Five earning status on the Web.com Tour, players finishing 6-10 on the Order of Merit earned an exemption into the final stage of Web.com Tour Q-School, led by No. 6 Paul Barjon of New Caledonia, who won the Freedom 55 Financial Championship to move to No. 6, along with No. 7 Austin Connelly of Church Point, Nova Scotia, No. 8 Max Rottluff of Dusseldorf, Germany, No. 9 Michael Schoolcraft of Denver, Colorado and No. 10 Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ontario.

Players finishing 11-20 earned an exemption into the second stage of Web.com Tour Q-School.

London, Ont. – In round three of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship at Highland Country Club, France’s Paul Barjon played his outgoing nine in 5-under 29, with additional birdies at Nos. 10, 15, 17 and en route to a bogey-free, 9-under 61.

At 20-under 190, Barjon will take a three-stroke lead over 18- and 36-hole leader Aaron Wise into Sunday’s final round of the 2016 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada. Barjon began round three trailing Wise by four strokes.
Barjon’s 190 total marks the lowest 54-hole score in Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada history, a record previously held by Dan McCarthy, who posted 193 twice this season.

“I didn’t know what to expect with this weather, if we were going to play or not,” Barjon said. “I was thinking ‘let’s do the same thing as the first two days.’ My goal was to put myself into contention for the last day. My coach always told me, you can’t win a tournament on the first two days but you can lose it. So far, I haven’t lost it and I gave myself a good opportunity.”

Wise, who led after 18 and 36 holes, followed opening rounds of 62-63 with a 2-under 68 Saturday. Not only was the former University of Oregon Duck battling wind and rain with the rest of the field, but he was also having to contend with a hard-charging Paul Barjon in the same group.

“With the conditions we had, I thought 4- or 5-under was a really good round. For him to go out and shoot 9-under 61 is just incredible,” Wise said. “He deserves the lead and I’ll be chasing him tomorrow. I thought 2-under was a great score, and what Paul did today, that was awesome.”

Despite finishes of T8 and T11 in his last two starts before this week at the Cape Breton Open and Niagara Championship, respectively, the reigning NCAA champion and Order of Merit No. 5 played his four weekend rounds before this week in a combined 1-under-par. In 29 rounds this year now, his only over-par score, a 1-over 72, came in the final round last week at the Cherry Hill Club.

Wise, who captured his first professional win earlier this season at the Syncrude Oil Country Championship presented by AECON, is in solid position to move up from No. 5 among The Five. He can move as high as No. 2 on the Order of Merit with a win, provided Brock Mackenzie finishes outside of a three-way tie for fourth. Through 54 holes, Mackenzie is T4 at 12-under 198.

Seven shots behind Barjon at 13-under 197 is American Tain Lee. Lee played the five-hole stretch of Nos. 8-12 in five-under-par (birdie-par-birdie-birdie-eagle) en route to a 6-under 64, his career-best. Lee is currently 29th on the Order of Merit.

“I’m very pleased with how I played today,” said Lee. “It started pouring on 13, and those last few holes, I was even par through that stretch with a birdie on 18. I was very pleased with that and how I held up bringing it into the house at 6-under.”

LONDON, Ont. – Lake Elsinore, California’s Aaron Wise took control of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship on Friday, following up an opening 8-under 62 with a 7-under 63 at Highland Country Club to build a four stroke lead through 36 holes at the final event of the 2016 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

The reigning NCAA champion and current Order of Merit No. 5 was without a bogey on Friday, carding seven birdies to shoot 63 and set the new record for best 36-hole start in Mackenzie Tour history at 125. France’s Paul Barjon was four shots behind at 11-under after opening with rounds of 63-66.

“I putted very well again, though I didn’t hit the ball as solid,” said Wise, comparing his 63 to the previous day’s 62. “To come out with that score I thought was better than I played, so that was a testament to me getting it going on the greens this week.”

Though the 20-year old comes into the week with finishes of T8 and T11 in his last two starts, Wise was far from pleased with his performance on the weekends. At the Cape Breton Open two weeks ago, he was one shot off the lead through 36 holes, while he was two strokes off the pace at last week’s Niagara Championship before stumbling to weekend rounds of 71-72.

The former Oregon Duck said going through some struggles, especially with the putter, helped him prepare to come out firing this week in London.

“Golf’s a game of ups and downs, and one thing I’ve learned is you have to get through the low parts and then make the high parts that much better. The last couple of weeks were a struggle for me, and that’s how golf goes. I hung in there and this week’s gone a lot better,” said Wise.

Wise, who captured his first professional win earlier this year at the Syncrude Oil Country Championship presented by AECON, will head to the weekend looking to jockey for position in The Five. The rookie pro can move as high as No. 2 on the Order of Merit with a win and a finish of no better than a three-way tie for fourth from Brock Mackenzie, who shot 64 on Friday to sit tied for eighth at 8-under.

“I saw his name on the leaderboard when I was playing, so that was motivation for me to kind of push forward and get it going as far as I could,” said Wise.

One shot behind Barjon in a tie for third were Edmond, Oklahoma’s Dillon Rust and Long Beach, California’s Brett Lederer at 10-under.

A 6-under 64 showing has Toronto’s Sebastian Szirmak in a tie for fifth to lead the Canadians in the field. National Team alumnus Austin Connelly holds a share of 13th at 7-under.

London, Ont. – Lake Elsinore, California’s Aaron Wise shot an 8-under 62 on Thursday at Highland Country Club to take the first round lead at the Freedom 55 Financial Championship, the final event of the 2016 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

The reigining NCAA champion and current Order of Merit No. 5 carded eight birdies, an eagle and two bogeys on the day to lead by one over French Polynesia’s Vaita Guillaume and France’s Paul Barjon after day one at the season-ending event, following which the top five players on the Order of Merit will earn status on the Web.com Tour.

“It was a good day. I made two bogeys en route to that 62, so I had the putter rolling, which I’ve been struggling with the last couple of weeks. It was nice to see some drop early on, and I got it hot when I made the turn,” said Wise.

After a 2-under front nine, the 20-year old caught fire, going birdie-birdie-eagle-birdie on holes 10-13 before recording two more birdies on the way in to reach 8-under.

“It was just really solid. I got off to a bad start with my irons, and I wasn’t giving myself many chances on the front nine. When I made the turn, I started hitting them in the middle and I knew could start doing something because I was rolling the putter well,” said the former University of Oregon star, who captured the NCAA individual title earlier this year while leading the Ducks to their first ever national championship.

At No. 5 entering the week, Wise holds the coveted fifth spot on the Order of Merit. Though Order of Merit leader Dan McCarthy has already secured the top spot on the season-long money list, Wise can move as high as No. 2 ahead of Brock Mackenzie with a win thanks to the increased $200,000 purse for the season-ending event, a target the rookie pro said was on his mind entering the week.

“It’s very volatile with the raised money at this week’s event, and I know can I jump to two if I play well and Brock doesn’t. That’s what I’m looking at, and I’m just trying to focus on playing the best golf I can and let it shake out at the end,” said Wise.

Two shots behind Wise in a tie for fourth were Los Angeles, California’s Jonathan Garrick and Dusseldorf, Germany’s Max Rottluff, who holds the No. 7 spot on the Order of Merit starting the week.

Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. and Oakville, Ont. – PGA TOUR Latinoamérica and the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada unveiled today the Aruba Cup, a team competition December 12-18 at Tierra del Sol Resort and Golf in Aruba.

A three-year agreement will see the team event take place through at least 2018, featuring 10 players from each Tour competing against each other in a President’s Cup-style match play event, with the three competition days featuring Fourball, Foursomes and Singles matches on December 15, 16 and 17 this year.

“One of PGA TOUR Latinoamérica’s core missions is to provide opportunities for players in the region to prepare their games for the highest levels of golf. The Aruba Cup is one more opportunity for our players to showcase their game on a grand scale, and we’re delighted we could bring this team-format to Aruba,” said Jack Warfield, President PGA TOUR Latinoamérica.

“Since launching the Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada in 2013, we’ve been working towards having a team event with players from both Tours competing against each other,” said Jeff Monday, President, Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada. “We’re thrilled to partner with Tierra del Sol Resort and Golf for this event and look forward to a great week of competition.”

The teams will be composed of the top 10 available players from each Tour’s season-ending Order of Merit, with at least five Canadians on Team Mackenzie Tour and five players from Latin American countries on Team Latinoamérica. Honorary captains consisting of players from each Tour’s region will be announced for each team at a later date.

Aruba Tourism, the Destination Marketing and Management Organization (DMMO) for Aruba responsible for uniting tourism interests amongst the on- and off-island stakeholders/partners, will be the event’s title sponsor.

“We’re thrilled to host the Aruba Cup on our One Happy Island, welcoming guests and competitors from around the world to showcase their skills while enjoying the ultimate Caribbean experience,” said Ronella Tjin Asjoe-Croes, CEO of Aruba Tourism Authority. “We are truly excited about the opportunity to partner with the PGA TOUR and hosting a world class event on our beautiful island. We are sure all of the competitors and fans will enjoy their time while in Aruba.”

“Our gratitude goes out to the Aruba Tourism Authority for their efforts and support to make this event a reality, and we eagerly await the opportunity to showcase Aruba as a premiere golf destination with the inaugural Aruba Cup,” said Monday.

The tournament will also feature a week-long schedule of ancillary events, including formal opening and closing ceremonies and a pro-am on Sunday, December 18 following the competition.

“For Tierra del Sol Resort and Golf, it is a privilege to partner with the PGA TOUR and the Aruba Tourism Authority to host an international golf event of this calibre. Tierra del Sol is a unique course that combines the best of golf in Scotland, Arizona and the Carribean in one round, and we cannot wait to welcome the players here in December,” said Cisco Quant, General Manager, Tierra del Sol Resort and Golf.

The 2016 Mackenzie Tour season will conclude on Sept. 18 at the Freedom 55 Financial Championship, while the 2016 PGA TOUR Latinoamérica season will conclude on Dec. 4 at the Latinoamérica Tour Championship.

The Freedom 55 Financial Championship is the final of 12 events on the 2016 schedule, with three events in as many weeks to close out the race to finish in The Five and earn status on the Web.com Tour for 2016. The top 60 players on the Order of Merit through the Niagara Championship make the field and retain exempt status on the Mackenzie Tour for the 2017 season.

The event returns to the Stanley Thompson-designed Highland Country Club for the second year, where in 2015 Murfreesboro, Tennessee’s Jason Millard defeated defending champion Ryan Williams of Vancouver in a playoff to move from 30^th on the Order of Merit into fifth, earning status on the Web.com Tour for this season.

Final stop in the race for The Five

This week’s by Freedom 55 Financial Championship is the final chance for players to earn status on the Web.com Tour for next season. Below is a breakdown of the Web.com Tour status available by position on the 2015 Order of Merit.

McCarthy secures exempt Web.com Tour status

Thanks to an unprecedented season of four wins and $156,783 in earnings, Syracuse, New York’s Dan McCarthy has removed all suspense from the chase for the top spot on the Order of Merit. With a $77,508 lead over No. 2 Brock Mackenzie heading into this week, the 31-year old is mathematically guaranteed to finish No. 1 on the season-long money list, earning fully exempt status on the Web.com Tour for 2017.

About Dan McCarthy:

Full name: Daniel Thomas McCarthy
Height/Weight: 6’0”/200 lbs.
Hometown: Syracuse, New York
Residence: Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Birthdate: July 30, 1985
Education: Le Moyne College (2007, Marketing)
Mackenzie Tour wins: 2016 Freedom 55 Financial Open, 2016 GolfBC Championship, 2016 Players Cup, 2016 Cape Breton Open
Records set in 2016: Most wins in a season (4), Highest single-season earnings ($156,783), Largest margin of victory (7 strokes, GolfBC Championship/Players Cup), Low 72-hole score (259, GolfBC Championship/Players Cup)
Mackenzie Tour leader in the following statistical categories: Eagles (11), Scoring Average (68.06), Top 10 finishes (7), Birdie Average (4.81), Par-4 Scoring Average (3.89).

McCarthy leads the way in the current top five heading into this week:

Wise looking to hold on to ‘bubble’ position

2016 NCAA Champion Aaron Wise comes into the Freedom 55 Financial Championship on the verge of finishing in The Five and earning Web.com Tour status, currently holding the coveted fifth spot. The Lake Elsinore, California native became the youngest winner of the PGA TOUR era on the Mackenzie Tour earlier this year when he captured the Syncrude Oil Country Championship presented by AECON at 20 years, 1 month and 10 days old, and in six starts has yet to finish outside the top-15.

Any player currently 32^nd or better on the Order of Merit has the mathematical possibility of moving inside The Five with a win this week. Below are the top 32 and their minimum required finish to surpass Wise in fifth place.

Cornelson comes back strong in 2016
Following a season where he finished 94^th on the Order of Merit, Langley, B.C.’s Adam Cornelson has produced a career season in 2016, with a win at the Bayview Place Island Savings Open presented by Times Colonist and five top-25 finishes. The 28-year old holds the fourth spot on the Order of Merit, in position to earn the Dan Halldorson Trophy as Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year along with a $25,000 prize.

Currently, five Canadian players are in contention for the award. Below are the 11 players and their minimum required finish to surpass current top Canadian Adam Cornelson.

Canadians in the Field: 12

Adam Cornelson – Langley, B.C.
Austin Connelly – Church Point, N.S.
Michael Gligic – Burlington, Ont.
Ryan Williams – Vancouver, B.C.
Max Gilbert – St. Georges, Qc.
Seann Harlingten – West Vancouver, B.C.
Brad Clapp – Chilliwack, B.C.
Wil Bateman – Edmonton, Alta.
James Love – Calgary, Alta.
Cory Renfrew – Victoria, B.C.
Sebastian Szirmak – Toronto, Ont.
Aaron Cockerill – Stonewall, Man.

(Listowel, Ont.’s Corey Conners qualified at No. 19 on the Order of Merit, but is opting to play the remainder of the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica season)
Notes on the field

• Countries represented: United States (39), Canada (12), England (2), France (1), French Polynesia (1), Zimbabwe (1), Germany (1).
• 30 players who earned status at Qualifying Schools this Spring (8 USA East No. 1/Reunion, 9 USA East No. 2/PGA Village, 5 California, 8 British Columbia).
• 23 players who had never held status on the Mackenzie Tour prior to 2016.
• Nine players who turned professional after completing their NCAA seasons this past spring: Taylor Moore/Arkansas, Aaron Wise/Oregon, Max Rottluff/Arizona State, Carter Jenkins/North Carolina, Will Starke/South Carolina, Paul Barjon/Texas Christian, Jonathan Garrick/UCLA, Hank Lebioda/Florida State, Sean Kelly/South Carolina.

Ridgeway, Ont. – Greenwich, Connecticut’s David Pastore birdied the 72nd hole on Sunday to win the Niagara Championship, shooting a final round 5-under 66 at Cherry Hill Club to secure his first career Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada win.

The 24-year old University of Virginia grad got up-and-down from just short of the par-5 18th green for birdie, sinking a 5-foot putt to defeat Dan McCarthy of Syracuse, New York – who secured the 2016 Order of Merit title – by a stroke.

“I didn’t see this coming. I’ve been working really hard for a long time, and I felt like it was around the corner at some point, but there were really no signs to point to this week. I’m still in shock,” said Pastore, who was making just his third start of the season after missing most of the 2016 season with a wrist injury.

Starting the day tied for the lead with Tahiti’s Vaita Guillaume, the University of Virginia grad found himself trailing McCarthy quickly out of the gate after the Order of Merit leader birdied his first three holes to take the lead by two. But while McCarthy looked to take control, Pastore quietly kept pace with birdies on the fourth and fifth before adding a long birdie putt at the ninth to regain the lead on his own.

But even as he pulled away, Pastore couldn’t shake McCarthy, who looked to add an unprecedented fifth win to his record-smashing 2016 season on Sunday. At the 18th, McCarthy drained a slick 18-footer for birdie to post the clubhouse lead and tie Pastore at 13-under.

“That was a really greasy little putt,” said McCarthy. “If it didn’t go in it was about 12 feet by, and I didn’t hit it that hard. It just barely got over the slope, but it was all or nothing at that point and I had nothing to lose. I was trying to put some pressure on him.”

With the scene unfolding right in front of him, Pastore knew where things stood and what was at stake.

“I heard he had birdied, and he wasn’t going to make it easy on me,” said Pastore. “I wanted to give myself a putt. I figured if I hit two solid 3-woods up around the green, I could give myself a chance.”

After executing the first two parts of his plan to perfection, Pastore did his best to keep the thoughts of what an up-and-down would mean out of his head. A birdie would change his season from a wasted year to a crowning achievement, and he knew it.

“You’re thinking of so many scenarios. ‘What if I do this? What if I do that? How can I mess that up?’ You have to take it one shot at a time and put all those thoughts out of your mind, and it was not easy. It was very uncomfortable,” admitted Pastore.

The chip was executed well, and the putt was even better. After leaving himself a delicate 5-footer, Pastore poured the putt right in the middle of the hole, pumping his fist as he secured his first professional win.

“I gave myself that putt that I wanted, and I’m happy it went in,” Pastore said.

With the win, Pastore moves from 143rd on the Order of Merit to 13th, turning the tables on a lost year. The helplessness of sitting out and watching from afar had been getting to him, unable to keep doubts about his future from creeping into his mind.

“It’s been incredibly frustrating. To have status up here and not be able to play, I couldn’t even look at the leaderboards at the beginning of the year because I wanted to be out here so badly,” said Pastore. “When you’re not playing, there’s always doubt about ‘am I ever going to play again?’ Health is a fickle thing, and as a professional golfer it’s my livelihood.”

For McCarthy, the disappointment of finishing second quickly washed away. Though it seemed inevitable throughout the year that he would claim the top spot on the Order of Merit, he was not mathematically guaranteed to do so until today. He’ll be fully exempt on the Web.com Tour next year thanks to a season that has seen him win four times and set numerous records, including a new mark set today: the all-time single season earnings record with $156,783.

“The goal at the beginning of the year was top five, and it’s hard to expect yourself to go out and win the money list. It’s really, really nice to be able to go into London and have a relaxed week and have some fun,” said McCarthy.

Four shots behind Pastore in a tie for third were Brock Mackenzie, Jonathan Garrick and Talor Gooch.

MCCARTHY SECURES ORDER OF MERIT TITLE, EARNINGS RECORD

With a second place finish this week, Dan McCarthy officially secured the 2016 Order of Merit title, earning exempt status on the Web.com Tour for 2017. Following McCarthy’s win last week at the Cape Breton Open, the only remaining scenario in which McCarthy could not win the season-long money list would have required Taylor Moore to win the season’s final two events.

With a total of $156,783, McCarthy also secured the all-time earnings record on the Mackenzie Tour. McCarthy had already set the earnings record for the PGA TOUR-era, and surpassed the previous record of $156,119 set by Aaron Goldberg in 2010.

Other records set by McCarthy this year include largest margin of victory (seven shots/GolfBC Championship and Players Cup) and low 72-hole score (259/GolfBC Championship and Players Cup).

CONNELLY EARNS FREEDOM 55 FINANCIAL TOP CANADIAN HONOURS

With a total score of 6-under par in a tie for 11th, Church Point, Nova Scotia’s Austin Connelly finished as the top Canadian on the leaderboard, earning Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week honours and a $2,500 prize. Connelly also captured the honour earlier this year at the ATB Financial Classic.

The top Canadian on the leaderboard each week takes home the award, with the top Canadian on the Order of Merit at season’s end earning the Dan Halldorson Trophy, Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year honours and a $25,000 prize.

Ridgeway, Ont. – Greenwich, Connecticut’s David Pastore shot a 4-under 67 on Friday at the Cherry Hill Club on Friday to take the 36-hole lead at the Niagara Championship, the 11th event of the 2016 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

The 24-year old Virginia Tech grad, who has been sidelined with a wrist injury for most of the 2016 season, birdied five of six holes on the back nine to reach 9-under overall, one stroke ahead of Plano, Texas’ Paul McConnell heading into the weekend.

“This is kind of new territory for me. I’ve never had the lead before,” said Pastore, who sits 143rd on the Order of Merit and needs a good week to make it into the top 60 and next week’s Freedom 55 Financial Championship. “The goal is to get to London next week, so I really don’t have much to lose this week. I’m happy at this point just to be on the course playing. It’s nice to be playing and playing well.”

Coming off a season where he finished 31st on the Order of Merit with four top-10 finishes, Pastore is looking to make up for lost time earlier this year and build off momentum he gained in 2015.

“Last year was my first year as a pro, and I played consistent,” said Pastore, adding that seeing his peers go on to success on the Web.com Tour boosted his confidence. “I didn’t have any top-5s, but I finished fifth in scoring average. Seeing what some of the other guys have done on the Web.com Tour and to know that I scored lower on average than a lot of those guys definitely gave me confidence and the belief that if I kept doing what I’m doing what I was doing last year would help me get there.”

With six players within two shots of the lead heading to the weekend, Pastore said he would try to stay aggressive, knowing the field won’t stay at bay and low scores will come from behind.

“I think it’s natural to kind of play safe or maybe be a little hesitant, so I’m going to remind myself to be aggressive. I tend by nature to be a little risk-averse, so I’m going to try and keep making birdies because I know I’m going to have to,” said Pastore.

A shot further behind McConnell in a four-way tie for third were Victoria, B.C.’s Cory Renfrew, Brewster, New York’s Mike Miller, Jacksonville, Florida’s Colin Monagle and Order of Merit No. 5 Aaron Wise of Lake Elsinore, California.

Ridgeway, Ont. – Texas’ Paul McConnell shot an 8-under 63 Thursday at the Cherry Hill Club to set the competitive course record and take the first round lead at the Niagara Championship, the 11th event of the 2016 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

The 25-year old University of Texas at Arlington grad fought through 40 km/h winds that gusted north of 60 km/h with nine birdies on the day to build a one stroke lead over California’s Manav Shah after one round at Cherry Hill.

“It was very good. I was making putts and playing solid,” said McConnell, who hit a masterful spinning pitch on 18 to set up a short birdie putt and shoot the new course record, besting a 64 posting earlier in the day by Shah. “I wanted to carry the little slope in the front, and I just opened the face and trusted it.”

McConnell has produced a steady season in 2016, with three top-25s in 10 starts. Earlier this year at the SIGA Dakota Dunes Open, he held the first round lead with an 8-under 64, an experience the second year Mackenzie Tour member said would help him sleep on the lead Thursday night.

“I’m going to try and not think about it too much and just play like I did today,” said McConnell, who went on to finish T24 in Saskatoon, of the experience of topping the leaderboard. “The putts might not drop like today, but I’ll keep fighting.”

At 45th on the Order of Merit, McConnell is all but assured of a spot in the top 60 on the Order of Merit and next week’s season-ending Freedom 55 Financial Championship, and has his sights set on a leg up in the quest to reach the Web.com Tour next season.

“I should be good for London, but those thresholds of top-20, top-10 on the Order of Merit, those are good goals to finish well enough and try and get into that position,” said McConnell.

Earlier, Shah carded an eagle at the 18th hole to shoot 64, while Novi, Michigan’s Wes Gates was a shot further behind with a 6-under 65.

With three years of experience as a member of Team Canada’s Amateur Squad and four with the University of Houston Cougars under his belt, Blair Hamilton will make the jump to the professional ranks.

The decision comes following a 2016 campaign that featured a runner-up finish at the Jones Cup, four Top-10 NCAA finishes, and cracking the Top-20 in both the prestigious Monroe Invitational and Porter Cup.

“I’m really excited—it’s one of those things you dream about when you first get into the game,” said Hamilton of his transition. “I’ve had a lot of awesome experiences as an amateur and I’m ready to take the next step in my career.”

The Burlington, Ont., product will tee-it-up in his home province this week at the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s Niagara Championship from Sept. 8-11 at the Cherry Hill Club in Ridgeway, Ont.

“I think it’s the perfect place for my professional debut,” he said of the event, which is an hour away from his hometown. “It’s a great event and I’m hoping to show up and play the way I know I can.”

Hamilton enters the week with experience competing on the professional stage. He competed in the 2015 RBC Canadian Open, where he finished as low amateur, as well as the 2016 RBC Canadian Open earlier this summer. He also boasts a wealth of experience from competing in prestigious international events through the Team Canada program.

“Making the cut at the RBC Canadian Open was a huge highlight for me,” he said of his 2015 performance. “I also think back to the 2012 Toyota Junior Golf World Cup in Japan with the Development Squad, which was one of the most fun events I’ve ever played in.”

At 22 years of age, Hamilton is confident in his ability to perform at the highest level and was quick to thank the Team Canada program.

“I have nothing but awesome things to say about everyone involved with Team Canada—we have some of the best coaches and support staff in the world. Being able to learn as much as I did from them, you know, there’s no doubt I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support and experience they provided.”

Hamilton has signed with Mississauga-based, Higher Ground Sports Management Inc., to represent him as a professional. Higher Ground manages some of Canada’s top professional golfers including Adam Hadwin on the PGA TOUR, and LPGA Tour star Alena Sharp, who recently represented Canada at the Summer Olympics in Rio.

Following this week’s event, Hamilton plans to head south to compete in the Web.com Tour Qualifying School with hopes to earn status for the 2017 campaign.