London, Ont. – Golf Canada in partnership with title sponsor Freedom 55 Financial and the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada confirmed today that the Thames Valley Children’s Centre (TVCC) will return as the official charitable beneficiary of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship, which will run September 12-18, 2016 at Highland Country Club in London, Ont.

Leading up to this year’s championship, a pair of community donations have been made in the name of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship to kick off the charity fundraising efforts for the season ending event on Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada.

London, Ont. native and NHL player Brandon Prust has donated $25,000 through the Brandon Prust Foundation to Thames Valley Children’s Centre in the name of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship. The Brandon Prust Foundation was created in 2014 with a mission to improve kids’ lives. The Foundation strives to help kids be happier and healthier through funding events, programs and activities, especially to aid children experiencing illness or pain.

An additional donation of $25,000 was made to the Thames Valley Children’s Centre by the Harbour Grace Foundation, a collection of companies owned and managed by Founder and Chief Executive Officer Ms. Kyle MacDonald. The company is headquartered in London, Ontario and is active in several industries, including real estate, publishing, entertainment, and manufacturing. The Harbour Grace Group is also active in multiple philanthropic endeavours, and Ms. MacDonald has a passionate interest in supporting scholarships for young Canadian students wishing to access world-class post-secondary educations.

The Mackenzie Tour also committed support to the Thames Valley Children’s Centre with a donation of $12,500 in the name of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship on behalf of Mackenzie Investments.

In 2015, more than $44,000 was raised in support of Thames Valley through various fundraising activities during the Freedom 55 Financial Championship.

Thames Valley Children’s Centre (TVCC) works to support children and their families to achieve the highest possible quality of life. TVCC serves more than 8000 children, youth and their families every year through a wide range of services provided out of the main London Centre and 15 regional office locations across Southwestern Ontario. Clients range in age from birth to 19 with services supporting a range of special needs including physical disabilities, communication disorders, developmental delays and autism spectrum disorders.

The 12^th and final event on the Mackenzie Tour schedule will see the culmination of the race for Web.com Tour status at Highland Country Club. Only the top 60 players on the Order of Merit will be eligible, setting up an exciting race to the season’s final event.

The top five players on the Mackenzie Tour Order of Merit earn Web.com Tour status for the following season, with players finishing in spots 6^th through 10^th earning an exemption into the final stage and players finishing 11^th through 20^th into the second stage of Web.com Tour Qualifying School.

Tennessee native Jason Millard won the 2015 Freedom 55 Financial Championship over 2014 champion and Team Freedom golfer Ryan Williams of Vancouver while fellow Team Freedom player Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont. won the Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year Award. Both Girard and Pendrith were among the season ending Top-5 last year to advance to the 2016 Web.com Tour.

The 2016 Freedom 55 Financial Championship is also pleased to invite attendees to a FREE live concert following play on Friday September 15. Local rockers Soul Trippers will play an outdoor concert at Highland Country Club and admission to the concert is FREE with your ticket to the Freedom 55 Financial Championship. Daily prize draws will include Two Weekly Passes to the 2017 RBC Canadian Open (Thursday & Friday); Two Weekly Passes to the 2017 Players Championship (Saturday); and Two Weekly Passes for the 2017 President’s Cup (Sunday).

As well, children aged 17 and under get in free all week without restriction at the Freedom 55 Financial Championship – download your free junior tickets here.

Volunteer and ticket information is available at www.freedom55financialchampionship.com.

Baddeck, N.S. – Syracuse, New York’s Dan McCarthy made history Sunday, shooting a final round 4-under 68 at Bell Bay Golf Club to win the Cape Breton Open and become the first player in Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada history to win four times in a season.

The 31-year old rode a streak of three straight birdies on the back nine to finish 18-under and secure a three-shot win over Denver’s Michael Schoolcraft, winning for the fourth time this year and strengthening his hold atop the season-long Order of Merit.

“This one was tough,” said McCarthy. “I played well all day long, and early on I had a lot of opportunities that I didn’t convert. It really didn’t happen until I made a good par save from about six feet on 14, and I just needed to see one go in. It was tight all day long. This was not easy today by any stretch.”

After carding birdies on the first two holes, it looked as though McCarthy would once again run away from the field. The LeMoyne College graduate started the day tied for the lead with Schoolcraft and Burlington, Ontario’s Michael Gligic, and had already converted three 54-hole leads or co-leads into victory this season.

But after a mid-round stall and a charge by Gligic, who took the lead with birdies on the ninth and 10th holes, McCarthy found himself chasing from behind. He found his spark, however, by draining a six-foot par putt on the 14th hole that but the momentum squarely behind him.

“That was a big relief. I had been missing putts all day long, and when you’re missing, you’re a little unsure of your reads. I finally rolled that one right in the middle, and that gave me the confidence going forward,” said McCarthy.

Suddenly, the Order of Merit leader was in control, and with birdies on 15, 16 and 17, the lead ballooned to four shots, clearing the way for a walk up the 18th hole with victory all be secured.

With the win, McCarthy expands his commanding lead atop the Order of Merit to $60,988 over No. 2 Taylor Moore, guaranteeing himself a spot in The Five and Web.com Tour status for next season. The only way McCarthy cannot finish atop the Order of Merit now would be for Moore to win out and McCarthy to earn less than $6,512 in the remaining two events of the season.

“I’ve struggled getting through Q-School and all that, but I’ve played a lot of really good golf over the last couple of years, and I just didn’t do it at the right time. It feels amazing to do it right now at the right time and hopefully seal the deal,” said McCarthy of achieving his goal of reaching the Web.com Tour.

For McCarthy, who has preached a patient approach based on playing his own game for the whole year, the unprecedented season of winning comes thanks to experiences in the past that didn’t turn out as glorious as they have this year.

“I’m a little older than some of the other guys in that top five. I’ve unfortunately screwed up a number of times, and I think we learn the most from our mistakes. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my career, and tried to learn as much as I could from those,” said McCarthy.

Schoolcraft’s birdie on the 18th hole earned him his best career Mackenzie Tour finish and moved him to eighth on the Order of Merit, while Gligic, Moore and Dillon Rust finish in a three-way tie for third at 14-under.

GLIGIC EARNS FREEDOM 55 FINANCIAL TOP CANADIAN HONOURS

With a total score of 14-under par in a tie for third place, Burlington, Ontario’s Michael Gligic finished as the top Canadian on the leaderboard, earning Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week honours and a $2,500 prize. Gligic also captured the honour earlier this year at the Players Cup.

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.

BADDECK, N.S. – Syracuse, New York’s Dan McCarthy, Burlington, Ont.’s Michael Gligic and Denver’s Michael Schoolcraft all reached 14-under through three rounds on Saturday at Bell Bay Golf Club to share the 54-hole lead headed into the final round of the Cape Breton Open.

McCarthy, the current Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Order of Merit leader, rebounded from an opening double bogey to birdie his final two holes of the day and shoot a 4-under 68, matching Gligic, who blazed through Bell Bay with a 10-under 62, along with Schoolcraft, who fired an 8-under 64.

“I told myself I had 35 more holes to play to get it back together,” said McCarthy, who will go for an unprecedented fourth win of the season on Sunday. “There were just a couple squirrely shots to start – not really nerves or anything, just some boneheaded stuff. Birdies on the last two to get a share and have a chance tomorrow, those were huge.”

Gligic, a 26-year old in his seventh full season on the Mackenzie Tour, produced 10 birdies on the day to shoot 62, marking the new competitive course record at Bell Bay.

“It was tough out there, and I probably made it look a little bit easier, but I played my butt off,” said Gligic, who sits 11^th on the Order of Merit. “I didn’t miss to many shots, and when I did it was in the right spots, and my short game was pretty good. My irons were sharp all day, and I was making a lot of 5- to 15-footers, and it added up pretty quickly.”

“That’s pretty ridiculous,” said McCarthy of Gligic’s round. “That’s outstanding. Mike and I have played together at this event and he’s played well, so it’s about time we see his name up there.”

For Schoolcraft, the day’s highlight came when he nearly aced the 17^th hole for the second day in a row. On Friday, the 24-year old holed a 7-iron from 190 yards and nearly did it again on Saturday with a 9-iron, stopping just inches short of the cup.

“It was actually a better shot today. The one yesterday got a really good bounce, and today was all over it and just a little bit short,” said Schoolcraft.

One shot behind the trio at 14-under was Southlake, Texas’ Brian Dwyer, who carded a 3-under 69, followed by Church Point, Nova Scotia’s Austin Connelly at 12-under thanks to a Saturday 67.

BADDECK, N.S. – Syracuse, New York’s Dan McCarthy made a move towards solidifying his Order of Merit lead on Friday, shooting a 3-under 69 at Bell Bay Golf Club to share the 36-hole lead at the Cape Breton Open with Southlake, Texas’ Brian Dwyer.

The three-time winner on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada in 2016 carded five birdies against two bogeys, reaching 10-under total through two rounds to share the lead with Dwyer, one stroke ahead of Edmond, Oklahoma’s Taylor Moore, Lake Elsinore, California’s Aaron Wise and Arbuckle, California’s Ben Geyer.

The 31-year old McCarthy, who leads the season-long money list by more than $36,000, is coming off back-to-back missed cuts in his two most recent starts, but said Friday he’s returned to the comfortable state that saw him re-write the Mackenzie Tour record book earlier this year with three wins in his first five starts of the season.

“I’m not going to watch what anyone else does. I can only control what I’m doing and how I play the course. That’s what I did very well early in the year, and I’ve had some time the last couple of weeks to figure that out,” said McCarthy.

Dwyer, meanwhile, recorded seven birdies in Friday’s breezy and often rainy conditions, including a 25-footer on the 18th hole to finish the day tied at the top with McCarthy. The blazing start comes on the heels of four straight missed cuts, a slump the 26-year old said he felt was behind him coming into this week.

“I’m just a little bit more comfortable with my swing. I worked with my coach (John Sinclair) on Monday before I flew out on Tuesday, and so far that’s paid off,” said Dwyer. “My short game around the greens and my putting have made it pretty easy on me when I’ve hit bad shots, which you’re going to do in this wind.”

With Wise and Moore – both currently in The Five and trying to chase down McCarthy for the top spot on the Order of Merit – just a shot back, McCarthy said he’d continue to put the pressure on his pursuers by sticking to the formula that’s earned him more than $100,000 in earnings and three wins this season.

“I’m just going to continue to do what I do well, and if I can continue to do that then I should be fine. The burden is on them to win and come and catch me, but if I do what I do well I should be okay,” said McCarthy.

Team Canada alumnus Austin Connelly shot a 70 and leads the Canadian contingent at 9-under.

Arbuckle, California’s Ben Geyer shot an 8-under 64 on Thursday at Bell Bay Golf Club to take the first round lead at the Cape Breton Open, the 10th event of the 2016 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

The 24-year old carded two eagles and four birdies on the day, setting the new competitive course record at Bell Bay and leading by a shot over Order of Merit leader and fellow competitor Dan McCarthy through 18 holes.

“I don’t know where it came from. I have been struggling hardcore lately,” admitted Geyer, who has missed four of his last five cuts on the season and ranks 52nd on the Order of Merit. “It’s just nice to get off to a decent start. I had those two eagles in there and I got under par quick. Playing with Dan was nice too, because he had a good round going and I was trying to keep up with him. We had a lot of fun out there.”

For Geyer, things turned around on Wednesday, when a tip from fellow Mackenzie Tour player and travelling companion Talor Gooch led to better shots. The St. Mary’s College graduate hit all but one fairway on day one and was without a bogey.

“It was frustrating because I haven’t been hitting the ball well at all,” said Geyer of his struggles. “It would have been one thing if I knew what I really needed to be working on with my swing, but I haven’t been able to find out what that was. It was one little swing thought that Talor gave me on the range yesterday was real helpful today.”

While Geyer cruised, it was McCarthy who kept pace nearly the whole way. The 31-year old was making his first start in three weeks after missing the National Capital Open to Support Our Troops to rest up for the season’s final three events, a break the three-time Mackenzie Tour winner said was much-needed after missing his last two cuts.

“That little slump that I went through, I definitely learned a lot about how many weeks in a row I can play and what happens when I get tired, because I just got a little sloppy with things I normally do very well with,” said McCarthy, who had played eight straight weeks following the ATB Financial Classic, including a PGA TOUR start at the RBC Canadian Open. “I didn’t have the patience that I started off the year with, so I spent a few weeks back home to kind of re-assess where I was physically and mentally.”

Two shots behind Geyer and one shot behind McCarthy were Lexington, Kentucky’s Kyle Wilshire, as well as current Order of Merit No. 3 Taylor Moore and No. 5 Aaron Wise, who bolstered their chase for The Five with a pair of 6-under 66s.

Team Canada alumnus Austin Connelly opened with a 67 and holds a share of 6th. The dual citizen from Irving, Texas is having a homecoming of sorts, having spent his summers nearby.

“My granddad’s coming up, and a couple of my really close friends are coming up from Church Point. I’ll go to dinner with them tonight, and it’ll be nice to have some friendly support this week.”

Ottawa – If Brock Mackenzie decides to take up another sport outside of golf, he might consider long-distance running.

The 35-year old from Washington State prevailed in a marathon seven-hole playoff over Spain’s Samuel Del Val and Langley, B.C.’s Adam Cornelson on Sunday to win the National Capital Open to Support Our Troops, securing his third career Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada win.

The win, which came thanks to a final round 3-under 68 and then a birdie on the seventh extra hole, moves Mackenzie to second on the Order of Merit with three events remaining.

“Winning is hard,” said Mackenzie. “It seems like it gets harder and harder on this Tour. The quality of guys goes up and up every year on this Tour so I don’t take it for granted, that’s for sure.”

Beginning the day three shots off the lead, the former University of Washington standout admitted he thought he was out of the tournament when Cornelson reached 17-under with three holes to go. Two closing bogeys for the Canadian, however, coupled with a Mackenzie birdie at the 72nd hole, changed the landscape of the tournament, and when Del Val managed two delicate par saves at the 17th and 18th, all three returned to the 18th tee for extra holes.

“I thought Adam had a stranglehold on it,” said Mackenzie. “Unfortunately he made those two bogeys and then all of a sudden the playoff started and chaos ensued.”

All three players made par on the first two extra holes, but Mackenzie put the pressure on after stuffing a 6-iron from 185 to four feet at the par-3 third hole. And while Del Val was able to keep pace after rolling in a long birdie putt, Cornelson’s dreams of a second victory in 2016 were dashed when he wasn’t able to cash in on a birdie try of his own.

“It was dumping rain and blowing 30 km/h, and everything else goes out the window. I just tried to battle and get it done,” said Cornelson, lamenting his bogey-bogey finish. “I was hitting a lot of good shots. Unfortunately, it didn’t go my way but if you give yourself a chance that’s all you can do.”

When the playoff resumed, Mackenzie kept the pressure on, hitting green after green and forcing Del Val to match. But the Spaniard, a two-time runner-up on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, produced several tremendous up-and-downs for par to stay alive and force the playoff to a seventh chapter.

“I kind of thought I was going to win about three different times in that playoff,” said Mackenzie, admiring Del Val’s never-give-up mentality.

Eventually, Mackenzie’s ace ball striking paid off, giving himself a 12-foot look for birdie at the par-3 third that he poured in for the win seven hours and 44 minutes after he originally teed off in the final round.

“I’ve been in a few playoffs before,” said Del Val, “but definitely not a seven-hole playoff. It was a great battle. He made a great putt on the par-3 and I can’t do anything else but congratulate him.”

For Mackenzie, the win puts him in strong position to finish in The Five and earn a promotion to the Web.com Tour, where he played in 2015. Despite finishing second in Greens in Regulation, Mackenzie admitted to struggling on the greens last season and said he would relish the opportunity to get back to the Web.com Tour.

“I’ve played really good golf for probably the last three or four years,” said Mackenzie, who finished 97th on the Money List to retain conditional status. “Last year on the Web.com Tour I think I was the no. 2 ball striker on Tour, and I just putted poorly. Hopefully the putter is coming around and next year I’ll be up there doing what J.J. Spaun and some of the guys that have graduated up there are doing.”

OTTAWA – Tucson, Arizona’s Jonathan Khan shot a 9-under 62 on Saturday at Hylands Golf Club to share the 54-hole lead with Bakersfield, California’s Manav Shah at the National Capital Open to Support Our Troops, the ninth event on the 2016 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

Khan, a 27-year old University of Arizona grad, reached 15-under through three rounds thanks to nine birdies and no bogeys, while Shah bogeyed two of his final three holes to drop into a tie for the lead after setting the mark for the best 36-hole start in Mackenzie Tour history with rounds of 65-62.

“I hit a lot of good shots and drove it great,” said Khan, who ranks 86th on the Order of Merit coming into the week. “I hit some close ones early, and that got the confidence going and made some putts. I played well the first two rounds but didn’t quite get much out of them.

Khan added that Shah’s sizzling 62 yesterday gave him added motivation, knowing that the chance to go low was out there even on a breezy day at Hylands.

“Seeing a 62 was possible definitely helped though, and I made some putts today and just kept it going,” Khan added.

For Shah, Saturday’s 71 was a step backward after his blazing second round, with bogeys on two of the final three holes, including a missed eight-footer for par at the last.

“It was a bit more windy out there today. I wasn’t hitting it that great so it was kind of a grind,” said Shah, who nonetheless said he took a lot out the experience of being chased on the leaderboard. “It felt great actually. I think it helps me play better when I have a bunch of people following me, it helps me get more locked in.”

One shot behind Shah and Khan were Spain’s Samuel Del Val, who shot a 7-under 64, and Langley, British Columbia’s Adam Cornelson, who produced a 1-under 71 despite admitting to being without his best stuff on Saturday.

“I’ll take this position going into tomorrow. I’m a little disappointed in how I played today but to have a chance to play for the win tomorrow is all I can ask,” said Cornelson, adding that he would have taken a chance to win in a heartbeat at the start of the week. I would have signed wherever you wanted me to.”

Cornelson currently sits fifth on the Order of Merit and can move into second place with a win, provided Taylor Moore finishes no better than a three-way tie for third.

Two shots off the lead was Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida’s Tyler McCumber, who shot a 5-under 66 to sit two of the lead.

OTTAWA – Bakersfield, California’s Manav Shah followed up a Thursday 65 with a second round 9-under 62 at Hylands Golf Club to get to 15-under and grab the 36-hole lead at the National Capital Open to Support Our Troops, the ninth event on the 2016 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

Shah, a Mackenzie Tour rookie, sits 26th on the Order of Merit after earning his card at Q-School. Through eight events, the former UCLA Bruins golfer has made four cuts, carding two top-10 finishes.

After breaking his hand at Web.com Tour Q-School last year, Shah is just happy to be playing professional golf.

“I went through a pretty rigorous rehab to get my game back to where it needs to be. I felt it just snap, and then the doctors said don’t hit another golf ball,” Shah said of his injury, after playing through soreness in college.

“Growing up I’ve always wanted to turn pro so turning pro last year was a dream and then I just happened to break my hand at the end of last year so going through that whole process and being able to get back out here so soon and play so well so soon is kind of a blessing,” Shah said.

Shah’s Friday 62 was one shot off the course record, set by fellow Mackenzie Tour member Eugene Wong in 2014. The first-year pro is already feeling comfortable on Tour and looking to build on what has been a solid first season so far.

“It’s exactly what I thought professional golf would be,” the 24-year-old said of his first stint on Tour. “My game has felt great. It’s just a matter of putting up four good rounds.”

In Ottawa, Shah has felt it all come together.

“It was a good day. My levels of serenity were great. I was in a good place physically and mentally,” he said. “I was pretty calm out there and I just tried to play within myself and it added up to a pretty low number.”

To close out his near record-tying round, Shah drove the green on the 310-yard par-4 ninth hole, sticking his tee shot to within six feet before making the eagle putt to get to 15-under.

“I just kind of hit it as hard as I could and it went right at it. I couldn’t really see it from where I hit it, I just heard some claps and I got up there and it was six feet away,” he said of his final hole of the day. “It was pretty fun to walk up to.”

Two shots back of Shah in second place is Canadian Adam Cornelson, who went bogey-free for the second straight day to post a 64 and get to 13-under.

On the 17th hole, Cornelson rolled in a 30-footer to draw within two strokes of Shah heading into Saturday.

“It was a little cheeky, but I’ll take it,” Cornelson, who is fifth on the Order of Merit, said of his birdie.

After playing on the Web.com Tour last week and at the RBC Canadian Open on his previous off-week, Cornelson has learned how to stay consistent this season in what has been a breakthrough year.

“There’s so many guys out here that can put up a number that you have to just focus on your own game,” he said.

Baddeck, N.S., native Peter Campbell and Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., hold shares of 5th. For the second consecutive day, Conners carded a 4-under 67.

“I was back at home last week and it was great to kind of kick back with the family and not worry about grinding on the golf course so I’m feeling refreshed this week,” said Conners, when asked about the challenges of playing on both the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada and the PGA Tour Latinoamérica this season. “I’m happy with my game. It seems like after I take a break my game gets better. When I play too much I get some bad habits. It seems like I just go back to the basics and hit it good.”

Ottawa – Brewster, New York’s Michael Miller carded an 8-under 63 on Thursday at Hylands Golf Club to take the first round lead at the National Capital Open to Support Our Troops, the ninth event of the 2016 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

“The front nine, I had it going,” said Miller. “I made six birdies and a bogey, and I played well early in the back nine, and just got a little tight when I got to 8-under and really wanted to put a good round together. I started to miss some greens, but the putter was working today,” Miller said, adding that the strong start was a relief in contrast to the rest of his season.

“It’s been a while since I put a really nice first round together. It’s nice to get off to a hot start and not really worry about too many other things,” said Miller.

The 24-year-old has played his way to one top-25 finish this season, a T15 two weeks ago at the ATB Financial Classic, while pursuing Monday Qualifiers on the Web.com Tour and other starts, including his major debut at the U.S. Open in June.

“I’ve been really fortunate with a lot of opportunities, getting to play in the U.S. Open and a few Web.com Tour events. I feel like my game is ready, but I just haven’t played in much. I think this is only my fourth Mackenzie Tour event, and I want to keep my card, and in order to do that you need to be around the lead or win,” said Miller.

Fresh off his best start of the year, Miller is looking to finish the season as strongly as he did in 2015, when he climbed to 21st on the Order of Merit thanks to a flurry of strong finishes late in the year.

“Last year, I really closed the year off well with three straight top-10s,” he said, recalling when he closed out his results of 5th-T8-7th to cap off the season.

At Hylands Golf Club’s North Course, Miller feels comfortable and he’s confident he can improve on last year’s T37 finish when he closed with a Sunday 67.

“This is really the first course I’ve come back to from last year. It lets you feel like you’ve got an edge on the field. I remember some of the reads, and it just puts you in the mindset that you can win,” Miller said.

Miller, a second year Mackenzie Tour member, made nine birdies against a single bogey to lead by two strokes over eight players, including Order of Merit No. 5 Adam Cornelson and Monday Qualifier Jake Scott, as well as David Skinns, Spencer Fletcher, Kyle Wilshire, Zach Edmondson and Manav Shah.

Cornelson of Langley, B.C., opened with a bogey-free 6-under 65 which included six birdies.

Earlier this season, Cornelson picked up his first Mackenzie Tour victory with rounds of 64-67-64-65 at the Bayview Place Island Savings Open presented by Times Colonist. Through eight events, the British Columbia native has made six cuts.

At last week’s Price Cutter Charity Championship on the Web.com Tour, Cornelson made the cut thanks to a closing birdie in round two and went on to finish T71.

“It’s a new week, but I think it’s just a building block and I’m going to keep trying to move forward and go up,” said Cornelson. “It was a great week of experience with me to rub elbows with those guys up there. Playing in the RBC Canadian Open did more for me than I could have thought, last week was great and winning was a great experience too, so hopefully I can keep going the direction I’m going and see what happens.”

Calgary – Due to heavy overnight rain that led to subsequent flooding of the area around Country Hills Golf Club, the final round of the ATB Financial Classic was cancelled after the golf course was rendered unplayable.

Having carried a two-stroke victory through 54 holes after a 7-under 65 on Saturday, England’s Charlie Bull earned his first career Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada victory with a 16-under 200 total.

“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. It’s so cool to win my first ever pro tournament,” Bull said. “It’s bizarre the way it’s all panned out. But I played great golf and even though it’s unfortunate not to have a four-round tournament I’m still so happy with how I played.”

The 24-year-old took a one-stroke lead to the back nine on Saturday with plenty of players making birdies behind him. Having never experienced holding a lead before, Bull’s performance under pressure proved his worthiness as a champion.

“To play the way that I did under the pressure yesterday knowing that I was leading and knowing there was bad weather coming in was really exciting to me,” Bull said. “I had never led a Mackenzie Tour event. I had been around the lead before, but to be able to hold the lead pretty much throughout the entire round, that’s exciting to me as a golfer. It’s what we play golf for.”

Just three weeks ago, Bull’s game was in disarray after missing the cut at the Staal Foundation Open in Thunder Bay to the point where he was unsure if he would even play the two-week stint in Alberta.

“To be where I was three weeks ago in Thunder Bay, to suddenly be here with a trophy is mind boggling,” said Bull, who jumps from No. 94 to No. 8 in the Order of Merit with four events remaining in the 2016 season.

Now with a win under his belt, Bull knows he still needs to finish strong.

“If I was further ahead on the money list I could start counting my chickens but now I have to go play some good golf the rest of the season and make sure I get into the top 5 and very worse top 10.”

With a total score of 14-under par 202 in a tie for second place, 19-year-old 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.

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.